(Left) LaKeith Stanfield attends a Special Screening of ‘The Book of Clarence’ at Pacific Design Center on December 11, 2023 in West Hollywood, California. Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Sony Pictures. (Right) Dennis Rodman at the Comedy Central Roast of Bruce Willis. Photo: Comedy Central.
Preview:
LaKeith Stanfield is starring in ‘48 Hours in Vegas.’
He’ll play Dennis Rodman in the movie.
Rick Famuyiwa co-wrote the script and will direct.
A couple of years ago, the news wasn’t good for gonzo two-day drama ‘48 Hours in Vegas’: Jonathan Majors, embroiled in his legal issues surrounding assault allegations, exited the movie, and studio Lionsgate dropped it.
What a difference two years makes: now Lionsgate is back aboard, and it has a new star in LaKeith Stanfield, recently seen in ‘Play Dirty.’
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The movie, which focuses on a wild two-day period in the life of controversial basketball star Dennis Rodman, has ‘Dope’ director Rick Famuyiwa aboard to call the shots after working on a new script draft, and it’ll mark a reunion for the director and Stanfield, since the actor was part of the ‘Dope’ cast.
Dennis Rodman in 1997’s ‘Double Team’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Apocryphal or not, the story of Rodman’s crazed trip to Sin City inspired writer Jordan VanDina to chronicle how the NBA star went on a madcap adventure with his skittish assistant GM in the middle of the 1998 NBA Finals. The film will detail a budding friendship that neither one of them ever thought was possible but will end up solving both of their problems.
People had heard the rumors of this crazy story when it first happened in the ’90s, but it was recently given the spotlight again following the success of the Michael Jordan-Chicago Bulls doc ‘The Last Dance,’ which premiered to massive numbers in 200. The incident was given the full treatment in the documentary.
Here’s what Stanfield had to say about joining the project:
“I’m genuinely excited to help create an exhilarating, joyful work that both honors and thoughtfully examines the legacy of Rodman and fellow trailblazers. Those who moved to the beat of their own drum, undeterred by the obstacles placed before them, then and now.”
And here’s Erin Westerman, president of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group:
“Dennis Rodman is more than a basketball player, more than a personality—he’s an entire cultural phenomenon. His bold style and physical presence, combined with an iconic persona, created a larger-than-life impact on and off the court. There’ll never be another like him. LaKeith and the incredibly talented team on this film will bring the legend to life in this most extraordinarily unbelievable story.”
When will ‘48 Hours in Vegas’ be on screens?
Lionsgate has yet to announce a release date for the movie, but if it shoots next year, it’ll likely be in theaters in 2027.
LaKeith Stanfield in ‘Die My Love’. Photo Kimberley French/Mubi.
(L to R) Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in ‘Roofman’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst about their work on ‘Roofman’, the true story it is based on, Tatum’s first reaction to the screenplay, Dunst’s research into her role, and what it was like working with director Derek Cianfrance.
You can watch the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Channing Tatum stars in Paramount Pictures ‘Roofman’.
Moviefone: To begin with, Channing, how aware were you of the true story the film is based on, and what was your first reaction to reading the screenplay?
Channing Tatum: I was not aware of the actual story. He’s 10 years older than me, so I was probably young when it came up. I asked my parents as well, and they didn’t really know of it. But in talking to Derek about it, the script is incredible. The script feels like fiction and it’s just not. You go, “How could this guy have made this many decisions or this many things even happen?” There’s one thing to want to do it, and there’s another thing to pull it off. Talking to him, you realize he’s very, very smart. The first time I ever talked to him, I had all these questions, and I didn’t have to ask any of them because he kind of took care of me on the phone. By the end of it, you just end up loving the guy. I genuinely like this man, and I care about him, and I hope he gets out earlier than what he should. I personally don’t think he should have gotten that many years. That’s my first conversation with him after reading the script. I just liked this man, and I had some sort of connection to him that I can’t really explain.
MF: Kirsten, can you talk about the research you did to play Leigh, and did you come to understand how she could fall for Jeffrey Manchester?
Kirsten Dunst: I mean, that’s really what happened. This was a true love story. They really fell in love, so I wanted to tell that in a very authentic way with having two girls to worry about and knowing that this experience for her was truly an adventure. You don’t really see that in people anymore, that they have that grace to look and step back and not have animosity towards each other or anything like that. They both have a very high spiritual understanding of what’s important in life, and I think that she could understand and overlook the obvious lies and see a man that was really who she wished she could have been with.
(L to R) Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
MF: Kirsten, I’ve heard you say that working with director Derek Cianfrance was a “dream”. What did you love about working with him?
KD: He loves actors so much, and whenever you’re in a place that someone is championing you to do your best work and your most authentic, like the way he sets the tone on set for you, he just cares so much and there’s no ego in that relationship. So, it lends itself to an honest, real performance, and that’s why with his movies and shows you feel it deeply. It doesn’t feel like acting in my opinion.
MF: Finally, Channing, was Derek a filmmaker that you’ve been wanting to work with for a while and what was the experience like working with him on this movie?
CT: I mean, absolutely. I stupidly turned down ‘Blue Valentine’ like 19 years ago. He’d seen a movie that I was in at Sundance, offered me the movie, I read it, and it was just so sad. At that time in my life, I didn’t understand how to be in a relationship like that, I guess. I didn’t have a real perspective of it and really believed that I could have pulled it off and I said, no, stupidly. That was Ryan Gosling’s movie, I guess. It was all serendipitous and this one was what we were supposed to end up connecting on and this many years later. I just went for a walk with him, and I just genuinely love him as a human and as a creator, but if we never make another movie, I hope we just get to hang out a lot because I learn something every time that I’m around him. But I would also come and just hang out on set with him. I love him as a brother. He’s a special human.
Theatrical one-sheet for Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
Jennifer Lawrence in ‘Die My Love’. Photo Kimberley French/Mubi.
Lynne Ramsay has written and directed only five feature films in 26 years, and ‘Die My Love’ comes eight years after her previous effort, 2017’s ‘You Were Never Really Here.’ Based on Ariana Harwicz’s 2012 novel of the same name, ‘Die My Love’ treads similar psychological ground as some of Ramsay’s earlier films, with this one portraying both postpartum depression and the dissolution of an unhappy marriage.
But despite an incendiary performance from Jennifer Lawrence, and strong support from Robert Pattinson and Sissy Spacek, ‘Die My Love’ never really takes off. It’s filmed incredibly well – by now a Ramsay trademark – and has a string of powerful moments, yet at some point it settles into a kind of cyclical structure that just ends up repeating itself, making for an initially absorbing but frustrating viewing experience.
Story and Direction
Director Lynne Ramsay on the set of ‘Die My Love’. Photo Kimberley French/Mubi.
The film opens inside the decaying, shabby farmhouse that Grace (Lawrence) and Jackson (Pattinson) are moving into, which we learn belonged to Jackson’s uncle before he offed himself upstairs. But the only ghosts in the house are the ones in Grace’s head. They’ve moved to the middle of nowhere in Montana to get out of city life and let Grace concentrate on writing a novel, while one-time musician Jackson settles into a job as a truck driver that takes him away for days at a time.
At first they romp around the house like playful, overgrown children, sexing and drinking with relish, but once Grace gets pregnant and gives birth, all that comes to an end – even though Grace is still horny, Jackson doesn’t want anything to do with that and his trips get even longer. That leaves Grace alone with the baby and her own increasingly fractured and tormented thoughts – which soon turn into increasingly destructive actions that seem to tip into full-blown psychosis.
Director Lynne Ramsay on the set of ‘Die My Love’. Photo Kimberley French/Mubi.
Is it the loneliness or the postpartum depression that does Grace in? It’s left ambiguous, but we suspect the former more than the latter. Either way, whether she literally tears the bathroom apart or has a quick (possibly imaginary) fling with the biker down the road (a barely there LaKeith Stanfield), Grace is on a downward spiral – until she isn’t. She gets better for a bit, and then does it all again, rinse and repeat.
And that’s ultimately the problem with ‘Die My Love’: it ends up chasing its own tail, becoming more stylized and self-indulgent as it goes along and less interesting to watch. Jackson and his mom, Pam (Sissy Spacek) try to help but seem hapless in the face of Grace’s force-of-nature rush to set her whole life on fire (dog lovers beware: things don’t end well for the family pet). There are moments of clarity and beauty and profundity, but they’re fleeting in an otherwise exhausting catalog of erratic behavior that portrays mental illness as a kind of Grand Guignol.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson in ‘Die My Love’. Photo: Kimberley French/Mubi.
Jennifer Lawrence is at her best when she just lets raw emotion and impulse pour out of her, which makes ‘Die My Love’ something of a tour de force. Unafraid to bare her flesh and equally fearless about getting it dirty and bloodied, Lawrence plunges headlong into the role of Grace with fervor, keeping your eyes glued on her even when the rest of the movie falters. She approaches the character with both dark humor and grim abandon, daring the viewer to stay with her on the ride – and succeeding through her strength as an actor alone.
Robert Pattinson does his best here, but Jackson is simply not as present, either physically or psychically, and the character is merely reactive to whatever Grace throws at him. Sissy Spacek injects some empathy into the proceedings, but in a similar fashion, the role of Pam is not developed enough. It’s also a shame we don’t see more of Nick Nolte as Jackson’s dementia-addled father, whose few moments onscreen are moving.
Final Thoughts
Jennifer Lawrence in ‘Die My Love’. Photo Kimberley French/Mubi.
‘Die My Love’ is the second movie this season about a young mother cracking under the strain, with ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ also making the experience a harrowing one. The films both use dark humor and surreal imagery, but differ in important ways: Grace, in her own fashion, embraces motherhood, while Rose Byrne’s Linda in ‘If I Had Legs’ admits at a pivotal moment that she didn’t want to be a mother in the first place.
It’s up to the individual viewer how relatable each performance is, but the work by both actors is Oscar-worthy even if neither film develops a clear narrative or theme. In the meantime, ‘Die My Love’ is Lynne Ramsay’s most internalized film since her early efforts ‘Ratcatcher’ and ‘Morvern Callar,’ and perhaps her most difficult to embrace – and even a harder one to love.
‘Die My Love’ receives a score of 65 out of 100.
(L to R) Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson in ‘Die My Love’. Photo: Kimberley French/Mubi.
What is the plot of ‘Die My Love’?
Grace and Jackson move from New York City to Jackson’s rural childhood home in Montana in search of a quieter life. As they adjust to their new surroundings and become parents, Grace begins to struggle with feelings of isolation and psychological distress. Her deteriorating mental health gradually drives their marriage into unsettling and unpredictable territory.
Channing Tatum stars in Paramount Pictures ‘Roofman’.
In theaters on October 10 via Paramount Pictures is ‘Roofman’, which is inspired by the odd true story of Jeff Manchester, who got the titular nickname by breaking into McDonald’s restaurants through their roofs and created a hideout inside a Toys “R” Us store.
Channing Tatum stars in Paramount Pictures ‘Roofman’.
When you consider his past work –– doomed romance ‘Blue Valentine’ and tension-filled crime thriller ‘The Place Beyond the Pines’ –– Derek Cianfrance might not seem like the first choice for a true story that, on the face of it, could come across as goofy. And yet, in the director’s hands, it has become something warm and surprisingly sweet.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
Cianfrance wrote the script with Kirt Gunn (‘Sound of Metal’), a former advertising executive who hired the director years ago to work on a campaign.
Together, they have wrangled Jeff Manchester’s story –– albeit changing a few of the details into something that, while it doesn’t let him off the hook for his actions, does at least try to understand why he turned to robbery and burglary.
Cast and Performances
Peter Dinklage stars in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
Channing Tatum is the beating heart of the movie –– it utilizes the full power of his charisma but also gives him a chance to explore some deeper, darker sides.
And his chemistry with Kirsten Dunst, who plays the single mother for whom Manchester falls, makes for a romantic, sweet side to the film, even if their love story doesn’t have happiest ending.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Juno Temple, LaKeith Stanfield and Channing Tatum star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
Cianfrance infuses the story with more meaning, but doesn’t forget to keep it entertaining and heartfelt.
‘Roofman’ receives 80 out of 100.
(L to R) Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
What’s the story of ‘Roofman’?
Based on an unbelievable true story, ‘Roofman’ follows Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum), a former Army Ranger and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname: Roofman.
After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us for six months, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), a divorced mom drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.
Who is in the cast of ‘Roofman’?
Channing Tatum as Jeffrey Manchester
Kirsten Dunst as Leigh Wainscott
Ben Mendelsohn as Ron Smith
Peter Dinklage as Mitch
Uzo Aduba as Eileen
Juno Temple as Michelle
Emory Cohen as Otis
LaKeith Stanfield as Steve
Theatrical one-sheet for Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
Once the king of the 1980s and 1990s action-comedy script sale, since turning his hand to directing, Shane Black has had a somewhat more mixed career. There have been definite highs (‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ and ‘Iron Man 3’) and true lows (his most recent directorial effort was the ill-fated ‘The Predator’ back in 2018). And even when he’s hit the mark, the box office results have not been kind (‘The Nice Guys’ really deserved better).
With ‘Play Dirty’, he’s got some choice (if frequently adapted) source material in Donald E. Westlake’s Parker character, and while he manages to pull off a convincing, double-triple-quadruple-crossing crime caper, there’s a big problem sitting squarely at the top of the cast list.
Script and Direction
Director Shane Black at the premiere of ‘Play Dirty’. Photo: Prime Video.
Black, working here with Charles Mondry (2024’s ‘Road House’) and Anthony Bagarozzi (who co-wrote ‘The Nice Guys’ with the director), has cooked up a twisty heist thriller that draws from Westlake’s novels but isn’t a direct adaptation of any of them.
It’s certainly chock full of action, though the pacing suffers some when the filmmaker takes his foot off the gas (or the train pedal) to dig down into exposition, but that is largely carried by some great actors spouting swear-laden dialogue at each other. Oh, and no points for guessing that the movie is set during Black’s trademark Christmas season.
The elephant in the room in ‘Play Dirty’s case is Mark Wahlberg, who brings about as much charisma to the lead role as some wet, peeling wallpaper. It’s even harder to stomach when you know that Black’s old pal Robert Downey Jr. was originally attached to star.
Still, the rest of the cast essentially act Wahlberg off the screen, with particular plaudits due the likes of Rosa Salazar, Keegan-Michael Key, LaKeith Stanfield and Tony Shalhoub, the latter getting to show off his gangster side with aplomb.
While nowhere near a classic Shane Black offering (come on Prime Video, just buy the rights and let him reunite Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe for ‘The Nice Guys 2’!), it’s diverting enough, even if the lead character is something of a joyless chore rather than the sharp criminal of the books.
An expert thief rolls out the biggest heist of his life as Parker (Mark Wahlberg), along with Grofield (LaKeith Stanfield), Zen (Rosa Salazar) and a skilled crew, stumble onto a score that pits them against the New York mob.
Who is in the cast of ‘Play Dirty’?
Mark Wahlberg as Parker
LaKeith Stanfield as Grofield
Rosa Salazar as Zen
Tony Shalhoub as Lozini
Keegan-Michael Key as Ed Mackey
Nat Wolff as Kincaid Chukwudi Iwuji as Phineas Paul Thomas Jane as Philly Webb
Director Shane Black at the premiere of ‘Play Dirty’. Photo: Prime Video.
(Far Left) LaKeith Stanfield attends a Special Screening of ‘The Book of Clarence’ at Pacific Design Center on December 11, 2023 in West Hollywood, California. Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Sony Pictures. (Center Left) Jason Clarke is Roger Robb in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan. (Center Right) Trevante Rhodes as Zyair in ‘Mea Culpa.’ Photo: Bob Mahoney / Perry Well Films 2 / Courtesy of Netflix. (Far Right) Sam Claflin as Patrick McKee in Bagman. Photo Credit: Vladislav Lepoev.
Preview:
LaKeith Stanfield, Jason Clarke, Trevante Rhodes and Sam Claflin will star in ‘F.A.S.T.’.
Taylor Sheridan wrote the script.
Warner Bros. is backing the movie.
Before he was known as the creator of half the TV series on our screens these days (many spun off from his hugely successful ‘Yellowstone’), Taylor Sheridan was an actor who made the leap to screenwriting with the likes of ‘Sicario’.
He’s back in gritty, big screen action thriller territory called ‘F.A.S.T.’ and the movie has locked in more of its cast.
Brandon Sklenar as Henry in ‘Drop’, directed by Christopher Landon. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Sheridan’s new script concerns a former special forces commando (Sklenar), down on his luck after he returns Stateside, who is tapped by the DEA to lead a black op strike team against CIA-protected drug dealers in his town.
The quartet are playing a range of roles, from DEA agents to the commando’s former Delta Force colleagues. And they’re not the only ones boarding the movie, as ‘Succession’s Juliana Canfield is also in the cast.
Sheridan is keeping this one in the ‘Yellowstone’ spin-off family –– Ben Richardson, a veteran cinematographer who has directed multiple episodes of ‘1923’, will make his feature directorial debut with the movie.
Production is scheduled to kick off later this month.
What else are the new cast members working on?
LaKeith Stanfield in ‘The Changeling,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
Claflin has Harlan Coben TV miniseries ‘Lazarus’ on the way, and another mystery thriller show called ‘Vanished’.
And Canfield is attached to ‘Everlasting Yea!’, the based-on-truth story of the Crafts, following their rise to fame in the Abolitionist movement after their escape from slavery.
When will ‘F.A.S.T.’ be in theaters?
You might think that any project Sheridan generates these days would be snapped up by Paramount, whose streaming service hosts the various ‘Yellowstone’ series and his other shows, but ‘F.A.S.T.’ is instead under Warner Bros.’ banner.
The studio has penciled in an April 23rd, 2027 release date for the new action thriller.
Taylor Sheridan as Cody in Lioness, episode 1, season 2, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Ryan Green/Paramount+.
Al Pacino and Jessica Chastain will lead the cast of ‘Lear, Rex’.
Bernard Rose adapted the play for the new movie and will direct.
Rachel Brosnahan, LaKeith Stanfield and Peter Dinklage are also all among a starry cast.
Al Pacino just can’t stay away from the Bard. The actor, who has appeared in several Shakespeare adaptations (and one or two movies inspired by his work), will once more tackle the legendary playwright’s work with a new interpretation of ‘King Lear’.
And he’ll be joined in what is called ‘Lear, Rex’ (“Rex” meaning “king”, “monarch” or “ruler” in Latin, language fans!) by occasional co-star Jessica Chastain and a host of famous faces.
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What’s the story of ‘Lear Rex’?
Oscar® nominee, Al Pacino arrives on the red carpet of The 92nd Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 9, 2020.
From the sounds of it, writer/director Bernard Rose is sticking relatively close to the story as laid out by the play… Pacino will be an aging King who divides his land between his three daughters to prevent future conflict.
But he rejects the youngest daughter, Cordelia who loves him and places his trust in her malevolent sisters, who strip him of his power and condemn him to a wretched wasteland of horror and insanity. Tch… you kids today, with your lust for power and your overthrowing of the monarchy!
(Far Left) Rachel Brosnahan on Prime Video’s ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.’ (Center Left) LaKeith Stanfield in ‘The Changeling,’ now streaming on Apple TV+. (Center Right) Peter Dinklage as Casca Highbottom in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close. (Far Right) Ariana DeBose at the 5th Annual Hollywood Critics Association Awards.
Alongside Pacino and Chastain (who plays Goneril, one of the older daughters who plot against their naive old dad), the already impressive cast for this one also includes Ariana DeBose as Cordelia (the youngest daughter), Rachel Brosnahan as Regan (Goneril’s scheme-happy sister), Peter Dinklage as the Fool, Danny Huston as Albany, Chris Messina as Cornwall, LaKeith Stanfield as Edmund, Ted Levine as Kent, Matthew Jacobs as Gloucester, Rhys Coiro as Oswald and Stephen Dorff as Poor Tom.
Barry Navidi is reuniting with Pacino to produce the new film, having worked on several movies with the star (including ‘Salomé’ and ‘Wilde Salomé’, which also starred Chastain.)
‘Lear Rex’: the director and producer speak
Al Pacino at the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.
“It is enormously exciting to get the opportunity to work with this extraordinary cast that Al, Barry and Sharon [casting director Sharon Howard-Field] have put together to tackle this radical, but accessible adaptation of Shakespeare’s greatest play.”
And here’s what producer Navidi had to say:
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with Bernard Rose. His artistic vision, combined with a talented ensemble cast of players led by Al Pacino, promises to take us on a remarkable and unforgettable cinematic experience. We are merging the worlds of Shakespeare and Hollywood. This marks the commencement of an exciting new chapter, one that Al has poured his heart and soul into. It is a privilege for me to join forces with my dear friend once more, and to contribute to his enduring legacy.”
When will ‘Lear Rex’ be in theaters?
With the distribution rights yet to be sold, there is no current release date for ‘Lear Rex’. The cameras are set to start rolling on August 12th and we can’t imagine such a star-studded film –– even a Shakespeare adaptation with its occasional cultural language barrier –– sitting in the marketplace for too long.
Al Pacino, Francis Ford Coppola and Robert De Niro onstage during the 50th anniversary tribute of “The Godfather” at the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.
Coming off the success of the fantastic ‘The Harder They Fall,’ director Jeymes Samuel’s has crafted another epic and entertaining movie, which boasts commanding performances from LaKeith Stanfield and Anna Diop. While the film will no doubt spark controversy in the fundamental bible community for its depiction of the “historical Jesus” versus the “real Jesus,” the filmmaker’s original vision and execution is hypnotic for those religiously openminded and results in a fun and though-provoking theatrical experience.
Script and Direction
Jeymes Samuel attends a Special Screening of ‘The Book of Clarence’ at Pacific Design Center on December 11, 2023 in West Hollywood, California. Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Sony Pictures.
‘The Book of Clarence’ is a reimagining of the biblical story of Jesus. We are first introduced to Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield), a hustler living in A.D. 33 Jerusalem whose identical twin brother is Thomas (also played by Stanfield), who is one of the twelve apostles. Down on his luck, and owing money to Jedediah the Terrible (Eric Kofi-Abrefa), Clarence believes if he can become an apostle, Jesus (Nicholas Pinnock) can protect him from Jedediah. But when Clarence is denied membership in the apostles because of his lack of faith in Jesus, he decides to create his own following and along with his best friend Elijah (RJ Cyler), claims to be the Messiah himself.
This soon draws the attention of Pontius Pilate (James McAvoy), who will execute anyone claiming to be the Messiah, which also includes a homeless man (Benedict Cumberbatch) with mysterious powers. Also complicating Clarence’s problems is his love for Varinia (Anna Diop), who is the sister of Jedediah. What the film, and director Jeymes Samuel does well is tell us a familiar story from a new point of view. Even though we all know the story of Jesus, we’ve never seen it like this before and that leads to exciting and innovative storytelling.
In my opinion, Samuel had a fantastic directorial debut with ‘The Harder They Fall,’ which was an exciting and entertaining Western. With ‘Clarence,’ Samuel firmly establishes himself as a fresh and competent filmmaker and crafts an epic version of the biblical story. The director has gone on the record saying that he grew up loving classic biblical movies like ‘Ben-Hur’ and ‘The Ten Commandments,’ and his inspiration from those movies is apparent in every scene of ‘Clarence.’
But what is most important is that Samuel has injected the movie with his own personal point-of-view, which is what makes the movie really pop. The use of modern music, fantastic action sequences and a great cast certainly helps, but make no mistakes, Samuel is an auteur director not unlike Quentin Tarantino or Wes Anderson. While some audience members own religious views may be at odds with the ideas of the film, the originality and strength of Samuel’s screenplay cannot be denied.
LaKeith Stanfield is one the finest actors we have working today and is best known for his supporting work in movies like ‘Get Out,’ ‘Knives Out,’ ‘Uncut Gems,’ and ‘Judas and the Black Messiah,’ for which he earned a Best Supporting Oscar nomination. But ‘Clarence’ really marks the actor’s first major starring role, and Stanfield is mesmerizing as both the title role and his brother Thomas. The actor gives not one but two commanding performances, which at times are as comedic as they are emotional and dramatic.
Also excellent in their comedic roles are RJ Cyler as Clarence’s loyal friend, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Benjamin, who eerily looks like the historical representation of Jesus. Alfre Woodard, who plays Mother Mary, and David Oyelowo, who plays John the Baptist, both have fun comedic turns as well. But what really grounds the movie and some of its new ideas about the classic bible story is the romance between Clarence and Varinia, thanks to a lovely performance from Anna Diop. The actress is probably best known for her role as Starfire on Max’s ‘Titans,’ but based on this performance should be appearing in more big screen films very soon.
Unfortunately, the one performance that doesn’t quite work belongs to James McAvoy and his role as Pontius Pilate. McAvoy is a fine actor, but the character is never really fleshed out and ultimately just becomes a generic advisory.
For many, the reimagining of the bible is a taboo subject, and especially in America, people take their Jesus very seriously. We’ve seen many retellings of Jesus’ story met with criticism and controversy over the years such as Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’ or Mel Gibson’s ‘The Passion of the Christ,’ and I fear the same may happen to ‘The Book of Clarence.’
While I personally have no problem with the idea of a black Jesus, (let’s be honest, if he did exist, he most likely was not white), I’m afraid many people will. Which is another reason I’m so impressed with Samuel’s bold take on the biblical story, it’s a big risk for an up-and-coming filmmaker to make with his sophomore movie.
But another issue some may have, which again I didn’t, is the depiction of the long haired and bearded version of Jesus that many people believe in. Played by Cumberbatch, he is nothing but a false profit, a homeless man who is touched by the “real Jesus,” granting him powers he does not understand. The film reveals Clarence to be the true Jesus talked about in the bible, and Cumberbatch’s character is just the physical representation that history recorded. This is a fascinating idea to explore, which Samuel’s does exceedingly well, but again, it could be very controversial for many religious audience members.
Controversies aside, ‘The Book of Clarence’ is an extremely original, fresh, bold, and exciting reimaging of the story of Jesus. Director Jeymes Samuel firmly establishes himself as one of the most innovative and exciting directors working today, while LaKeith Stanfield giving a commanding lead performance.
‘The Book of Clarence’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘The Book of Clarence’?
A struggling down-on-his-luck man named Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) living in 29 A.D. Jerusalem looks to capitalize on the rise of Jesus Christ (Babs Olusanmokun) by claiming to be a new Messiah sent by God, in an attempt to free himself of debt and start a life of glory for himself.
(L to R) LaKeith Stanfield and director Jeymes Samuel discuss ‘The Book of Clarence.’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking in-person with LaKeith Stanfield and director Jeymes Samuel to talk about their work on ‘The Book of Clarence,’ what audiences can expect from the film, writing the screenplay and the themes Samuel wanted to explore, and Stanfield’s approach to playing his dual roles.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Stanfield and Samuel, as well as RJ Cyler and Anna Diop.
Jeymes Samuel attends a Special Screening of ‘The Book of Clarence’ at Pacific Design Center on December 11, 2023 in West Hollywood, California. Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Sony Pictures.
Moviefone: To begin with, what would you say to audiences to prepare them for the theatrical experience they are about to have watching this movie?
Jeymes Samuel: Get ready for a singular piece. There’s never been a movie made like this in 135 years of the moving image. You’ve never seen a ‘Book of Clarence’ before. If anything, the movie is singular. If everything, the movie is awesome. Welcome.
LaKeith Stanfield attends a Special Screening of ‘The Book of Clarence’ at Pacific Design Center on December 11, 2023 in West Hollywood, California. Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Sony Pictures.
MF: LaKeith, what would you say to audiences to prepare them for ‘The Book of Clarence’ experience?
LaKeith Stanfield: This film is for the open-minded, the person that is interested in gaining some new perspective or seeing something fresh, and that isn’t interested in going into movies with preconceived notions. It’s not woke. It’s not those Hollywood buzzwords that people want to use to have things fit into their ideas of what things are. This, you will not be able to expect or even be able to hold it in your mind what this really is, unless you see it on a big screen, loud, with people you love. That’s the way to enjoy it. It really is something that you don’t want to miss, because I feel like it’s going to exist in the time as something classic. You’re going to hear people talking about it, and you might be like, “Why did I miss that?” Just do yourself a favor and check this movie out, because it’s entertaining, but it also holds some universal truths that are very good to be reminded of. Also, you get to see the beautiful black gods at play, and that’s a beautiful thing to be a part of. We had so much fun making it. But there’s love, there’s action, there’s fighting, there’s family, there’s coming together, there’s self-discovery, there’s miracles, and it’s just a bunch of fun. So yeah, it’ll be dope.
MF: Jeymes, I heard that you grew up loving epic biblical films like ‘Ben-Hur’ and ‘The Ten Commandments.’ Can you talk about writing this screenplay and specifically the themes that you were interested in exploring with this movie?
JS: Writing the screenplay was awesome. ‘The Book of Clarence,’ for whatever reason, it bled out of me, like it wanted to be born. When I sat down to write the screenplay, it was like two weeks. I’d taken notes on it for years, like over a decade. I knew what was where. But when I sat down to write the screen, I couldn’t sleep. It was just literally gushing out of me. The things I wanted to include in this movie was everything. Absolutely everything. Everything, everything, everything, everything, everything, everything. I wanted to include everything. Gladiator fights, chariot races, crucifixions, dance sequences, action pieces. I wanted to put everything into this film, this story, and what better way than to have a protagonist like Clarence. You needed to cast the right person. You needed the right person to hang and clothe all these themes upon. I knew I could not make this movie until I had the right actor, which was the day I met LaKeith Stanfield.
MF: Finally, LaKeith, in addition to playing Clarence, you also play his twin brother, Thomas. Can you talk about the difference between the two characters and your approach to playing each of them?
LS: I just thought it was important to set Clarence up as someone that could learn something. So therefore, someone that thought they had to figure it out. I knew that I wanted him to exude a confidence that gets you to the positions that you want to be in life. You manifest things here that might not have been everything that Clarence knew, but he knew that he had something special, and he carried that with him, and I wanted to show that. I also wanted to show his moments of levity and grace so that when he fell out of grace, we could clearly see the difference. When it came to Thomas, I just wanted to make sure I was able to draw lines in the sand and distinctions between these two brothers who, they came from the same place, they experienced similar things, but they chose different paths and how that can build up resentment in a pair that close. How ultimately there were parts of them that really loved each other deeply but weren’t able to come to the surface and missed a lot of the issues they were dealing with. But eventually they were able to reconcile. There was at least a nod to that idea that they were able to come together, they’re able to see the truth because it transcends all their little issues. So, I want to make sure that that was in there, that love was in there at the end of the day.
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What is the plot of ‘The Book of Clarence’?
A struggling down-on-his-luck man named Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) living in 29 A.D. Jerusalem looks to capitalize on the rise of Jesus Christ (Babs Olusanmokun) by claiming to be a new Messiah sent by God, in an attempt to free himself of debt and start a life of glory for himself.
Currently airing on Apple TV+ is the new horror fantasy series ‘The Changeling,’ which was created by Kelly Marcel (‘Venom’) and based on the novel of the same name by Victor LaValle.
The series was directed by Melina Matsoukas, Michael Francis Williams, Jonathan Van Tulleken, Dana Gonzales, and Slick Naim, and will premiere its final episode of the first season on October 13th.
What is the plot of ‘The Changeling’?
A man (LaKeith Stanfield) goes in search of his wife after she (Clark Backo) does something horrific in the aftermath of the birth of their first child.
Who is in the cast of ‘The Changeling’?
LaKeith Stanfield in ‘The Changeling,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with directors Michael Francis Williams and Jonathan Van Tulleken about their work on ‘The Changeling,’ series creator Kelly Marcel’s original pitch, working with LaKeith Stanfield, and shooting the penultimate episode, ‘Stormy Weather.’
‘The Changeling’ directors Michael Francis Williams and Jonathan Van Tulleken.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.
Moviefone: To begin with, when you both came on board as directors, what was the original pitch that series creator Kelly Marcel gave you about the show?
Jonathan van Tulleken: I came on it having read the novel, and thinking the novel’s brilliant, and obviously was this wonderful piece of sophisticated genre that dealt with really interesting issues and was set in this world that you really don’t normally see. Kelly really took it and expanded it. She really brought the idea of motherhood into it, and the perspective of a woman into it. Which, by Victor’s own admittance, the book was much more father centric, because that was Victor’s experience. So Kelly really expanded the world, and really necessarily, I think, for the TV side of it. She also just wrote these incredibly bold personal episodes, and brought a lot of her own personal experience into it. The episode Michael did, it’s this incredible bottle episode that is really fantastic and full of magical realism. So she definitely pitched it to me as something bold, unusual, beautiful and haunting, it was all of those things.
Michael Francis Williams: Like Jonathan just mentioned, I read the whole series, but the episode I got to work on, I would be pitching at Kelly to direct that. It’s such a phenomenal piece of writing and a phenomenal piece of bold TV, as is the whole series. So it was explained as a kind of adult fairytale that swept in magic realism, horror, suspense, and New York, and then you’re looking at the range of caliber of talent attached to it as well. It’s a really rare opportunity to do something elevated, premium and challenging, which, as a black director, we get rare opportunities to work at this level, sometimes in TV. So I was super excited to come on board and do it.
LaKeith Stanfield in ‘The Changeling,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
MF: Jonathan, can you talk about working with actor LaKeith Stanfield? What was he like to collaborate with on set?
JVT: He was fantastically involved. Certainly he was involved when I came aboard, and he was involved in all the pre-production. It is really rare, I would say, especially in TV, to see someone who is so immersed in the project, who is so absolutely part of it. It’s really hard to bring yourself every day to a role. LaKeith absolutely did that. It was through pre-production, production and post-production, bringing his own experiences, his own thoughts to it, and just every day, a level of commitment that was sort of astounding. I would say it was also supported as well by all the other cast. Clark absolutely did as well, and Adina and Sam, and especially someone like Sam who had not acted before. LaKeith was incredible and took him under his wing, and they really worked together beautifully. Like I said, it is very rare to meet an actor who brings that level of thought and commitment, and also sensitivity. Just a real team player, and he really wanted to get the best out of everyone and the best out of the project.
Adina Porter in ‘The Changeling,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
MF: Finally, without giving anything away, episode 7 – ‘Stormy Weather’ is very different than the previous episodes. Michael, can you talk about the challenges of crafting and directing the penultimate episode?
MFW: Yeah, it’s a wild ride out of the brain of Kelly, courtesy of Victor. An amazing thing to read as a director and to get to shoot. For me, I wanted to examine Lillian’s life in one episode, and so I wanted to take the audience on a journey into that interiority, and into her emotion. So we’re making visual choices based on, how can I get an audience to feel where she’s at emotionally? Not just cut to a flashback, not just do conventional TV things, but we pulled from theater and music videos and all sorts of tools and tricks to get an audience to feel where she’s at. Kelly was such an amazing collaborator and showrunner to say yes to some crazy things that I suggested, and she supported that, and the studio as well, to just help me realize how we could elevate this. I think our producer at one point scribbled on his script in a table read, “The bottle episode has become a magnum.” I stand on the shoulders of all the other directors, from Jonathan, Melina, Slick, everyone who’s created the tone and the performances of the show that I got to then tinker and play with to take us on an extra special moment towards the end of the season.
(L to R) Clark Backo and LaKeith Stanfield in ‘The Changeling,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
