Jamie Bell as Duke Shelby in the ‘Peaky Blinders’ sequel. Photo: Ben Blackall/Netflix.
Preview:
The first image of Jamie Bell in the ‘Peaky Blinders’ sequel series is online.
He takes over the role of Duke Shelby.
This new show is set in the early 1950s.
While generational crime drama ‘Peaky Blinders’ wrapped up its TV run in 2022 and movie ‘The Immortal Man’ effectively closed out one part of the story, creator Steven Knight still has more stories to tell.
And now, via Netflix, we have the first look at one of the main cast members, Jamie Bell, who takes over the role of Duke Shelby (as played by Barry Keoghan in the last couple of seasons and the movie).
What’s the story of the new ‘Peaky Blinders’ series?
Cillian Murphy in ‘Peaky Blinders’. Photo: Netflix.
In this new era of the Peaky Blinders, a decade after World War Two, the race to rebuild Birmingham becomes a brutal contest of mythical dimensions. This is a city of unprecedented opportunity and jeopardy.
At its blood-soaked heart is Duke Shelby (Bell): older, wiser, more ambitious, and most certainly more dangerous.
‘Peaky Blinders’ sequel series: Steven Knight talks
Steven Knight attends the World Premiere of ‘Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man’ at Centenary Square on March 02, 2026 in Birmingham, England. Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Netflix.
Here’s Knight talking about the new iteration of his creation:
“I am thrilled that we are announcing a new era of Peaky Blinders, moving the story to post-war Birmingham in the early 50s. We are incredibly fortunate to have Jamie Bell taking the role of Tommy Shelby’s oldest son, Duke, and to have Charlie Heaton also leading the cast. There are more exciting cast announcements to come, and ‘Peaky’ is on the road again.”
Eddie Redmayne as the Jackal in ‘The Day of the Jackal’. Photo: Marcell Piti/Carnival Film and Television Limited.
Launching via Peacock on November 14th with the first five episodes (followed by one a week before a two-episode finale on December 12th), ‘The Day of the Jackal’ represents the latest attempt to translate Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel about an assassin and those who want to stop him killing his latest target to screens.
We’ve had two movies previously (one in 1973 and the 1997 effort simply titled ‘The Jackal,’ which saw Bruce Willis in a rare villainous role as the titular killer), so any new adaptation has that baggage to carry along with trying to establish itself as fresh and new.
This TV version, crafted by writer/producer Ronan Bennett (who previously created respected drama ‘Top Boy’) only achieves some of its ambitions.
Does ‘The Day of the Jackal’ accurately provide thrills?
Eddie Redmayne as the Jackal in ‘The Day of the Jackal’. Photo: Marcell Piti/Carnival Film and Television Limited.
What actor doesn’t love the chance to slap on a rubbery mask and slither around foreign cities meticulously planning assassinations? Trouble is, we’ve all seen this story many times before, not least in the previous two adaptations.
Like its predecessors, ‘The Day of the Jackal’ looks to update the story for present day concerns such as tech and big media, while adding in extra layers of complication for the person (in this case, Lashana Lynch’s rigorous MI6 agent Bianca) who is looking to track and stop the Jackal (played here by Eddie Redmayne).
Yet while the TV miniseries format offers a chance to expand upon the story and let the characters breathe more than a movie can, some of this ‘Jackal’s inventions don’t necessarily work, leaving the story feeling overstuffed and weighed down by a few of the additions.
It also doesn’t help that the story naturally must draw on the sort of scenes that are common among such entries in this genre. How many times can we really watch an assassin meticulously take apart a sniper rifle, no matter how cleverly disguised the weapon might be?
Script and Direction
Eddie Redmayne as the Jackal in ‘The Day of the Jackal’. Photo: Marcell Piti/Carnival Film and Television Limited.
Bennett has certainly proved he can create compelling characters, and here he’s aiming to put meat on some very trope-heavy plot skeletons. That effort is much more successful in the case of Lynch’s character, to the point where you can imagine where she might have gone with her 007 character from ‘No Time to Die,’ if she had the added responsibility of a family along with her MI6 duties.
The script for the Jackal’s scenes is less successful, even given a welcome addition of his own family complications (even if it does somewhat stretch credulity that such a fastidious and seemingly controlled type who risk the burden of loved ones, whose presence naturally causes problems for him, though in slightly refreshing fashion that we won’t spoil here).
Brian Kirk is the primary director here, handling the first three episodes and he sets a visual style that is lavish yet focused. It’s clear that all involved are looking to essentially make a James Bond movie for TV from the opening credits in, and they are mostly fruitful.
Performances
Redmayne and Lynch are the key characters, but showrunner Bennett retains his good eye for an ensemble.
Eddie Redmayne as The Jackal
Eddie Redmayne as the Jackal in ‘The Day of the Jackal’. Photo: Marcell Piti/Carnival Film and Television Limited.
You can see the appeal for Redmayne, who gets to have fun –– well, we can imagine the prosthetics aren’t always enjoyable –– as a twisted take on a Tom Cruise character jetting around the world and being paid millions to assassinate prominent figures.
There is some effort here to make him less of a cipher (the aforementioned family relationships), but it doesn’t always work, even in the capable hands of an Oscar winner like Redmayne.
Lashana Lynch as Bianca
Lashana Lynch as Bianca in ‘The Day of the Jackal’. Photo: Marcell Piti/Carnival Film and Television Limited.
The tenacious MI6 agent is distinct from the role Lynch took in the Bond film, and that’s thanks mostly to her portrayal. This is another knockout performance from an actor who has proved she can handle action, comedy and even musicals (‘Matilda the Musical’).
Bianca gives her scope to be a terrier of an agent who won’t drop a case just because her superiors tell her to, but also a dedicated wife and mother who struggles to juggle the two sides of her life in believable, relatable fashion.
Other notable characters
Chukwudi Iwuji as Osi in ‘The Day of the Jackal’. Photo: Marcell Piti/Carnival Film and Television Limited.
Úrsula Corberó has some entertaining work to do as Nuria, wife to Redmayne’s Jackal. More than simply a loving spouse or easily fridged damsel in distress, she scores her own storyline.
Chukwudi Iwuji, meanwhile, is solid as Osita Halcrow, Bianca’s immediate boss at MI6. While he could have been just a stodgy authority figure, Iwuji gives him some spirit and flavor. There is also a fun supporting turn from ‘Game of Thrones’ veteran Richard Dormer as the Jackal’s chosen gun manufacturer, a wizard with weaponry.
Final Thoughts
Eddie Redmayne as the Jackal in ‘The Day of the Jackal’. Photo: Marcell Piti/Carnival Film and Television Limited.
Though ‘The Day of the Jackal’ initially struggles with establishing itself as apart from the myriad of other action thriller stories with oft-utilized tropes and storylines, there is ultimately enough here to make it worth seeing.
And with five episodes available on the first day, at least you have a reasonable enough chance to see beyond the somewhat staid setup. It’s still not the best example of the genre we’ve ever seen, however.
‘The Day of the Jackal’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the plot of ‘The Day of the Jackal’?
An unrivaled and highly elusive lone assassin, the Jackal (Eddie Redmayne), makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee.
But following his latest kill, he meets his match in tenacious British intelligence officer Bianca (Lashana Lynch) who starts to track down the Jackal in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe, leaving destruction in its wake.
Ziggy Marley attend the Los Angeles Premiere of “Bob Marley: One Love” at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, February 6th, 2024. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bob’s son, producer Ziggy Marley about his work on ‘Bob Marley: One Love.’ Marley discussed his father’s legacy, getting the movie made, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch’s performances, being on set, the music and working with director Reinaldo Marcus Green, as well as Ziggy’s voice work in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Producer Ziggy Marley in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about the long road to getting this movie made? Was there a point when you thought it might not happen, and how do you feel about the final film?
Ziggy Marley: I was okay if it happened and okay if it didn’t happen. So, it’s like I’m going to leave it in the hands of the universe. If it’s supposed to happen, it’s going to happen. So, I’m not thinking at any point in time, we knew it. We spoke within ourselves, the creative team and Kingsley and Lashana, that if at any point we feel like we’re not doing this thing right, we must stop it. We can’t put out something that we don’t feel is the right representation of Bob. So that was the only thing that was always right there. But otherwise, we’re positive people, you know?
Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
MF: Can you talk about finding Kingsley Ben-Adir to play your father and what did you think of his performance?
ZM: We looked everywhere. We looked all over. We wanted somebody from Jamaica, obviously that would’ve been the greatest choice, who knows the culture, can talk the dialect properly. So, we’re looking at Jamaica too. But we also needed somebody who can act up to a level of the art of acting. The art of acting is an art. It’s not something where you cannot do it good for the first time. I must practice my art to be good at it. So, the acting ability of Kingsley, I think is what kind of pushed him past anybody else. In his acting ability, what he was able to do is bring an emotional connection to the character of how he was representing it to us. That emotional connection. Some other guy might have looked like Bob more and might have talked like Bob more. Who knows? But the emotional part of it for connecting with people, connecting with me, connecting with you, that’s art. Bob had that art as a human being. So, whoever played him had to also have that art as an actor. I think that’s what we went for, you know?
(L to R) Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” and Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
MF: What did you think about Lashana Lynch’s performance as your mother, Rita?
ZM: Lashana is good. She has Jamaican heritage. Her mom is Jamaican. So, she has that connection, and she reminds me of my mother in terms of that she is a queenly woman, and an African queen. It’s not your everyday run-of-the-mill girl. This is a different character of person. So that is powerful. Even before they start acting, who you are as a human being is already a force that we can feel and love. When we spoke to her, we on the same page. Because she knows the culture, she knows it. She met with my mother, and she advocated for a stronger Rita. It was funny, I tell you a secret, right? So, the script was being written by guys. I put in a word here or there, but basically, its men writing the script. Now there is this female character that the men are writing about. So, Lashana and my sister Cedella were like, “Come on. She needs more fire.” I was like, “You’re right.” Because it’s a bunch of men who wrote it. This woman needs a woman’s perspective, a strong woman. We don’t know anything about that. So that was a beautiful moment. That was what was good about the process, is that we all could put input into it. Nobody was like, “It’s my way.” Everybody can put in something into it, you know?
Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
MF: What was it like for you to be on set and then see your childhood recreated on screen?
ZM: Listen, the whole thing for me, I have it in perspective. I stay in perspective. But for me it was entertainment. I’m watching a movie being made that’s entertaining to me. I’m seeing how this stuff works. So, for me, I’m a fan of movies and I’m a fan of movie making. So, I had so many different perspectives on it, and I never really get too emotional during the process or to surreal or anything like that. It was enjoyable though. I like the kids that played us too. The children did very well.
(L to R) Stefan Wade as “Seeco Patterson”, Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley”, Aston Barrett Jr. as “Family Man Barrett”, Tosin Cole as “Tyrone Downie”, Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley”, Hector ‘Roots’ Lewis as “Carly Barrett”, “Antonio ‘Gillie’ Gilbert”, Anna-Sharé Blake as “Judy Mowatt”, Sheldon Shepherd as “Neville Garrick” and Andrae Simpson as “Don Kinsey” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
MF: Can you talk about choosing the music for the movie and was there one song of your father’s that you wish could have included but that you just didn’t have time for?
ZM: I mean there’s some sound that we got in on the credits at the end. Like, “Rasta Man Chant.” Yeah, there’s a lot of stuff that we wish we would have, but during the process, again, we got to follow the truth. If something doesn’t fit, what I learned from it, and this is my first time doing it, or what I got from it while even doing the editing is that after a while the movie or the piece of art is going to tell you what it wants to be. You can try to fight that all you want. You’re going to lose that fight if you don’t follow what the art is telling you. If your intention is to placate to something else other than the art, then you’re doing something else. So, there was so much stuff that we love, and we tried a million times but at the end of the day, the piece of art was saying, “No. Sorry.” So, we must be humble, you know?
(L to R) Director Reinaldo Marcus Green and Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
MF: What was it like working with director Reinaldo Marcus Green to tell your family’s story?
ZM: He made it easy for me because he was open, and he still wants to learn too, as we all should. I’m still learning stuff. Nobody is perfect. We’re still learning. So, Reinaldo also is in his growth process, and that energy is a great energy to create with. Not a process of where something is already locked into a certain set of what it is or who you are, but somebody who is still searching and evolving. That’s how you make good art, really. With that creative energy that is not yet jaded. So that is what’s beautiful about Reinaldo. I watched some of his stuff. I never watched ‘King Richard’ but I watched some of the stuff he did before, some of his short films. I just liked him, and I liked the energy. As a human being, we have a good connection with everybody. The whole cast, the whole crew, with Reinaldo, it was like a family. But yeah, man, Reinaldo is a great man and a great director. I can’t wait to see something else that he does. Looking forward to it.
Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’
MF: Finally, you made a voice cameo in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” How did that happen?
ZM: I love Spider-Man, me a Spider-Man fan. So, when them ask me, me going to say, “Yes.” But I’ve been doing voiceover stuff for a while. I did ‘Shark Tale’ and I did some TV stuff too. But when Spider-Man calls, I got to go.
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What is the Plot of ‘Bob Marley: One Love’?
Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) overcomes adversity to become the most famous reggae musician in the world.
Kingsley Ben-Adir at the ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ premiere. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kingsley Ben-Adir about his work on ‘Bob Marley: One Love,’ what audience can expect from the new movie, and how he prepared to play the iconic Bob Marley.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video layer above to watch our interviews with Ben-Adir and director Reinaldo Marcus Green.
Kingsley Ben-Adir stars in ‘Bob Marley: One Love.’
Moviefone: To begin with, what would you say to audience members getting ready to watch this movie to prepare them for the theatrical experience they are about to have?
Kingsley Ben-Adir: It’s a movie that’s looking at a specific period of Bob’s life, it starts in 1976. But the journey for me, from the beginning really with Ziggy Marley, with the family, and with Bob’s friends and people who knew him and who loved him, our journey was about trying to tap into a little bit of Bob’s spirit and to find a human side to him. Everyone’s got an idea of who Bob is, but on a personal level, the exploration of trying to understand what he was going through at that time. I feel for the fans or people who don’t know Bob, in the context of this story, to understand him on a personal level is to connect with him on a personal level and is to see the issues that Bob experienced or the struggles that Bob experienced and to feel connected to him. To be like, “Oh, I may have felt that too.” We wanted you to see the human side to him. It’s what was interesting for me in the journey of making the film, but I also think in connecting with audiences emotionally, we have the music for free, people are going to connect with that. But to see him on a journey, a human journey, I hope will have a similar impact, to understand the spirit of Bob a little bit more and to re-engage with the music and the lyrics. When you study Bob’s songs and you understand the full meaning of what he’s saying from the beginning to the end, the power of the music elevates to another level. I had to have an honest conversation with myself and be like, “I didn’t understand everything Bob was saying at the beginning.” I had to really study the language of Jamaican Patois, and I did that with the family and Jamaicans who surrounded the project. It’s an experience where I hope they feel a little closer to Bob maybe.
Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
MF: Finally, can you talk about your research and preparation for this role and how you approached playing someone as iconic as Bob Marley?
KBA: It was just an understanding from the beginning that there’s only one Bob. I’m never going to try and pretend to be Bob; I can only really try and access a little bit of his spirit and understand and empathize with what he was going through at that time. It must’ve been a lot. He nearly died. Then he had to go into exile in London and he was there for two years, and he made that album and then he got the diagnosis. There was a huge amount of pressure on his shoulders. From human to human, the tribute to him or the love letter from the family is like, “Dad, we see you. We see that you might have been going through some stuff.” But no one had time to see that because he’s got be the tough gun. Bob was the leader of many people; he employed many people. We wanted to tap into the private side of Bob when the cameras weren’t there, when he’s on his own in his room. What was it like when he’s just writing on his own? We had Neville Garrick with us every day on set, and Neville was also with Bob in London at the time in the room when Bob was writing the album. There was this connection of people who were there at the time with him that were with us.
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What is the Plot of ‘Bob Marley: One Love’?
Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) overcomes adversity to become the most famous reggae musician in the world.
Bob Marley’s life and legacy comes into vivid scope in director Reinaldo Marcus Green’s captivating ‘Bob Marley: One Love.’ Actor Kingsley Ben-Adir gives a transcending performance in the title role, and Lashana Lynch is strong and elegant as Marley’s wife, Rita. While the movie does fall into some common biopic traps, and becomes predictable at times, Marley’s compelling story, his vibrant music, and the lead performances elevate the overall film.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” and Director Reinaldo Marcus Green in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
Written by Terence Winter, Frank E. Flowers, Zach Baylin and director Reinaldo Marcus Green, the movie begins with a brief flashback to Bob Marley’s (Kingsley Ben-Adir) childhood and quickly flash’s forward to the mid-1970s. Jamaica is in political turmoil. Marley is now a superstar and scheduled to perform a concert to bring the country together but has been urged not to attend. After an assassination attempt on Marley that leaves his wife Rita (Lashana Lynch) injured, Bob leaves Jamaica for London where he begins recording the ‘Exodus’ album.
The distance soon puts a strain on his marriage, while Marley navigates fame and betrayal within his own ranks. He eventually decides to tour Africa, but after he is diagnosed with cancer, and the political climate of Jamaica changes, he instead returns home from his self-imposed exile to unite his country one more time with a live-concert and his iconic music. The film also continues to flashback throughout revealing Marley’s tough childhood, putting together The Wailers, recording his first album, and meeting and falling in love with Rita.
(L to R) Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley” and Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
The script wisely focuses on Marley’s final years, and the structure, starting with the subject as a star and flashing back to show how he got there, is very refreshing. It allows the movie to start in first gear rather than revving up to the main story in chronological order. The flashbacks also work well within the context of the movie. But that doesn’t mean the film doesn’t fall into some common musical biopic traps, but more on that in a minute.
Director Reinaldo Marcus Green, coming off the Oscar-nominated ‘King Richard,’ sets a good pace and tone for the film, which is helped by the strong structure of the screenplay. Green wisely fills the movie with Marley’s music, fitting in all the hits, and even demonstrating how some of the songs were written. The concert scenes are excellently shot and bring Marley’s music vibrantly alive through Ben-Adir’s performance. While those scenes are highlights, equally compelling are the emotional scenes between Bob and Rita, which Green orchestrates well.
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley
Kinglsey Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
Ben-Adir completely embodies Marley, becoming almost unrecognizable both in looks and voice. The actor successfully transforms himself into Marley in a very believable way. My big beef with Malek is he was lip-syncing and did not actually sing his own songs. My understanding is Ben-Adir sang live on set, but the final product is augmented with Marley’s actual voice. Be that the case, you can tell that Ben-Adir is giving it his all in the music scenes, moving and jumping with the same energy as the legendary singer himself.
But the actor also excels at capturing his majesty, his intensity, and his spirituality, especially in the quitter scenes. Ben-Adir brings a lot of emotion to his off-stage scenes, particularly those with Lynch. The chemistry between the two actors is apparent and brings an intensity to Bob and Rita’s relationship. While the actor does have the luxury of bringing with him all the love and respect that we as audience already have for Marley, Ben-Adir doesn’t rest on that and uses it to create a portrait of the real man behind the legend.
Lashana Lynch as Rita Marley
(L to R) Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” and Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
Lashana Lynch is wonderful as Bob’s better half, Rita Marley and gives one of the best performances of her career. The actress is strong and graceful as Rita, who loves her husband but also knows he is meant for a greater purpose. Lynch lights up the screen every scene she is in and is fantastic opposite Ben-Adir. Since Rita was also a member of the Wailers, Lynch is required to sing in the film and is completely believable in the role.
Biopic Traps and Other Criticisms
(L to R) Stefan Wade as “Seeco Patterson”, Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley”, Aston Barrett Jr. as “Family Man Barrett”, Tosin Cole as “Tyrone Downie”, Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley”, Hector ‘Roots’ Lewis as “Carly Barrett”, “Antonio ‘Gillie’ Gilbert”, Anna-Sharé Blake as “Judy Mowatt”, Sheldon Shepherd as “Neville Garrick” and Andrae Simpson as “Don Kinsey” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
As mentioned earlier, the film does fall into some common biopic traps and cliches. After the brief opening flashback, the movie then has about a minute and a half of title cards explaining how Marley became a star and what is happening in Jamaica when the movie begins. Since most audiences already know the basic story of Bob Marley, explaining how he became a star did not seem necessary, especially since it is eventually shown in flashbacks, and the political issues get explained through the course of the movie as well.
The film also has the traditional montage scene, which seems like a trope that has been played out. In this case, it was used for a concert tour and the recording of ‘Exodus,’ and was just included to show the passing of time while giving exposition needed for the rest of the third act. There seems like a smarter way to do that, but that said, those scenes do work but only because of Marley’s music.
My final criticism, while it was not as bad as director Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis,’ I did feel like Marley’s story was somewhat sanitized. While they examined his music, political influence, and illness well, they glanced over his infidelities, and the impact that had on Rita and his marriage. There are a few brief references, including that he fathered other children, but it is barely explored.
Oscar 2025 Chances?
Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
It’s obviously too early to make predictions on next year’s Oscars, but with two performances as good as Ben-Adir and Lynch’s, in a movie about someone as beloved as Bob Marley, you must wonder why the studio dumped this movie in February. It would make more sense if they took it to festivals this fall and opened it closer to next December for Oscar nominations.
As good as Ben-Adir and Lynch are, respectively, I fear this movie will be forgotten by the fall. While the film itself and the direction are probably not strong enough for nominations, the screenplay could have had a chance, and certainly Ben-Adir and Lynch would have been in the running, but unfortunately, even though it’s a good movie, it probably won’t be on people’s minds by the end of the year.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley”, Anna-Sharé Blake as “Judy Mowatt”, Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley”, and Naomi Cowan as “Marcia Griffiths” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
It might not be the best musician biopic of all time, ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ is a very entertaining and well-made movie that is worthy of the icon it is based on. While not perfect, the screenplay structure is clever, and the concert scenes and Marley’s music makes up for the rest. But its Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch’s transcending performances that really makes the movie rock!
‘Bob Marley: One Love’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.
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What is the Plot of ‘Bob Marley: One Love’?
Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) overcomes adversity to become the most famous reggae musician in the world.
(Left) Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in ‘Back to Black.’ Photo: Studiocanal & Monumental Pictures. (Right) Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley in ‘Bob Marley: One Love.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Preview:
Images from ‘Back to Black’ and ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ have arrived online.
The musical biopics chronicle two musical icons.
Both films will be out in 2024.
There has been a definite rise in the number of musical biopics in the last few years, spurred, most likely, by the Oscar-winning success of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. We’ve seen films about singing stars such as Elton John, Whitney Houston and “Weird Al” Yankovic brought to life on screen (that last one, admittedly more of a spoof version of the genre).
You can add two more to the list via upcoming movies –– Britain’s Amy Winehouse and Reggae icon Bob Marley. Winehouse’s story will be told in ‘Back to Black’ while Marley gets the cinematic treatment in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’.
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What’s the story of ‘Back to Black’?
Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in ‘Back to Black.’ Photo: Studiocanal & Monumental Pictures.
Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (who has form with musical folk via John Lennon film ‘Nowhere Boy’, the movie stars Marisa Abela as Winehouse, who was widely considered one of the greatest artists in recent history, selling more than 30 million records worldwide, and today generating more than 80 million streams per month.
Her acclaimed 2006 album “Back to Black”, propelled her to global stardom, going on to win a (at the time) record breaking 5 Grammy Awards, including Record Of The Year and Song of The Year for hit single “Rehab”. She got her start on the North London jazz circuit and rose to become a musical superstar. She tragically died of alcohol poisoning at the age of 27.
The movie will focus on Amy’s extraordinary genius, creativity and honesty that infused everything she did. A journey that took her from the craziness and color of 90’s Camden High Street to global adoration.
Marisa Abela stars as Amy Winehouse in director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s ‘Back To Black.’
Here’s what the director said when the movie was first announced:
“My connection to Amy began when I left college and was hanging out in the creatively diverse London borough of Camden. I got a job at the legendary KOKO club, and I can still breathe every market stall, vintage shop, and street,” she says in a statement. “A few years later Amy wrote her searingly honest songs whilst living in Camden. Like with me, it became part of her DNA. I first saw her perform at a talent show at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho and it was immediately obvious she wasn’t just ‘talent’… She was genius. As a filmmaker you can’t really ask for more. I feel excited and humbled to have this opportunity to realise Amy’s beautifully unique and tragic story to cinema accompanied by the most important part of her legacy – her music. I am fully aware of the responsibility, with my writing collaborator––Matt Greenhalgh––I will create a movie that we will all love and cherish forever. Just like we do Amy.”
When will ‘Back to Black’ be in theaters?
‘Back to Black’ has yet to confirm a domestic release date, but it starts rolling out in the UK and other international locations on April 12th, 2024.
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What’s the story of ‘Bob Marley: One Love’?
Kinglsey Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, who most recently made ‘King Richard’, ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity.
We’ll discover Bob’s powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music.
Who appears in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’?
‘Bob Marley: One Love’ is scheduled to be released in theaters on January, 12th 2024.
“I’ve always loved Bob, his music was playing in my household growing up was thinking, how serendipitous. Somehow it felt like it was written for me; Bob Marley lived at 42 Oakley Street in London and 42 is my favourite number. There were all these weird signs calling me to this film. And I think what Bob sang for, his message of unity and peace and love are the things I believe in as a human being. I’m sure they’ve been trying to make a Marley move for years and it’s never happened and somehow it’s falling on my doorstep. I just thought, ‘yeah it’s a gigantic risk because Bob is so beloved and an icon, a fascinating character and he has a cult following so you don’t mess with Bob, you can’t get him wrong.’”
A trailer for ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ is now online.
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When will ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ land in theaters?
The Marley movie will be on screens on February 14th.
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley in ‘Bob Marley: One Love.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Other Movies Similar to ‘Back to Black’ and ‘Bob Marley: One Love’:
Releasing in theaters on September 16th, ‘The Woman King’ feels like a throwback to the sort of historical drama that is rarely made by studios these days.
And, indeed, one that has almost never been made by and about people who look like Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, Thuso Mbedu, Sheila Atim and the vast majority of the cast for the film itself.
Gina Prince Bythewood, who last directed ‘The Old Guard‘ (a more fantastical tale of an immortal female warrior leading her similarly long-lived squad), here brings real power and emotion to the based-on-truth story of an African kingdom in the 19th century that could serve as the template for a more progressive and egalitarian society today.
Davis stars as Nanisca, the Miganon, or general of the Agojie, the fearsome, all-female unit of warriors who defended the Kingdom of Dahomey (an area of the African continent now known as Benin) and its ruler, the freshly installed King Ghezo (John Boyega).
(L to R) Viola Davis and John Boyega star in ‘The Woman King.’
This is a time when the slave trade is at its height, European cultures running their economies on the back of trading humans. And Dahomey is not innocent in that – the kingdom has seen its own financial wellbeing dependent on selling the prisoners it captures in battle. Nanisca, though, the scars of her own imprisonment from years ago still clear in body and mind, is pushing for change, arguing that their society can benefit more from the trade in palm oil and other goods than human lives.
Mostly, though, she’s busy commanding Dahomey’s forces, protecting its citizens from the forces of neighboring tribes, who have forged their own ties with slavers.
Yet our way into this powerful fighting force – and the story itself – is via Mbedu’s Nawi, a forthright and headstrong young woman whose father has given up all hope of marrying off (particularly after she puts her latest, rude, wealthy suitor squarely in his place) and decides to hand her over to the king.
Nawi, fascinated by the Agojie, instead opts to become a recruit, looking to show she has what it takes to join this elite force. Which means she’s soon under the tutelage of Izogie (Lynch), a chief lieutenant whose stern sergeant major manner belies a witty, caring side.
(L to R) Viola Davis and Lashana Lynch with young recruits in ‘The Woman King.’
Davis is, as befits her career to date and her Oscar-winning status, is magnetic and stern in her role, but, in combination with Bythewood and Dana Stevens’ script, finds real vulnerability in her role. There’s more to Nanisca than simply scowling and fighting, coming across as a rounded woman dealing with the challenges of her time period.
But right there with her are Lynch, Mbedu and Sheila Atim, the other key figures of the movie, whose characters are all well-rounded. Lynch, best known for ‘Captain Marvel’ and as the sly new 007 in ‘No Time To Die’ is excellent as Izogie, a woman with no time for weakness and a love for whiskey, but who also shows other sides of herself.
Carrying her fair share of the dramatic weight, Mbedu (a veteran of Barry Jenkins’ ‘The Underground Railroad’) also shines, making sure that her character never comes across as instantly perfect at everything she does – it’s a hard road from wide-eyed newcomer to battle-hardened warrior.
Then you have Atim, who got so little to do in films such as ‘Pinocchio’ and ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ really getting her teeth into the role of Amenza, Nanisca’s closest friend, aide and spiritual adviser, the person who can truly confront her when necessary. She’s far from the stock character of this sort in historical drama, making Amenza feel alive and human.
(L to R) Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, and Shelia Atim in ‘The Woman King.’
John Boyega has less to do as the King, but he’s entertaining in his scenes, proving to be commanding when the role requires and thoughtful at other times.
Bythewood infuses almost every scene with verve and energy, though she can’t quite make all the elements work. A half-baked, non-starter of a romantic connection between Mbedu and Jordan Bolger’s Malik, born to a Dahomey mother and a white father who grew up in Europe and returns in the company of his best friend Santo (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), who has inherited a slave operation and is learning how to run it. That subplot ultimately ties into the rest of the story but never feels as authentic as the rest, more a Hollywood concoction than something drawn from truth.
More effective (but still not up to quite the standard of the movie as a whole) is a surprise revelation for two of the characters that we won’t spoil. But suffice to say it’s soapier than it might have needed to be.
Viola Davis stars in ‘The Woman King.’
The movie really comes alive when Davis and co. are in battle, the clashes pushing the PG-13 rating to its limit (though still more bloodless than the violent stabbing, slashing and shooting might suggest), and the cast fully commit to the action, working alongside some extremely adept stunt performers to make sure that Nanisca, Izogie and the rest are exactly as brutal and efficient on the battlefield as you might expect.
Nanisca has some demons she needs to confront, literally in one case when she faces off against Jimmy Odukoya’s misogynistic and cruel Oba Ade, commander of the forces from the nearby Oyo Empire, who is her nemesis and one of the only people who can actually stand up to her in battle. Odukoya is a vital, dangerous force in the film, more than just a simple villain.
Vibrant and full of passion, ‘The Woman King’ might not have the same multimedia appeal of, say, ‘Black Panther’, but it deserves to do well, telling a story that many people won’t have heard and bringing a unique aspect to the genre.
‘The Woman King’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.
(L to R) Lashana Lynch, Viola Davis, Shelia Atim, Sisipho Mbopa, Lone Motsomi, Chioma Umeala in ‘The Woman King.’
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The film is set in the West African kingdom of Dahomey during the 1820s and follows the Agojie, an all-female group of warriors who protect the kingdom. Their leader, General Nanisca (Viola Davis) is training a new generation of warriors to fight against an enemy who wants to destroy their way of life.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Viola Davis and Thuso Mbedu about their work on ‘The Woman King,’ and creating their complex characters.
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You can read the interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Davis, Mbedu, John Boyega, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, producer Cathy Schulman, and director Gina Prince-Bythewood.
Moviefone: To begin with, Viola, as an actress, what was it like for you to step into this role, both internally and externally?
Viola Davis: To be honest, I’m one of those actors that when I do a role and the movie is done, I’m done. I don’t think about it. I don’t want to think about it. I forget the lines. I forget everything. But then there’s some times, characters do stay with you because they help you. We become “people whisperers.” We invite these human beings into our lives for as long as we’re doing the movie and we’re researching the movie. Then they sit with us, and sometimes they become the best therapist and healers for us.
Naniska taught me to be brave. She did. There’s a lot of times in my life that when I walk in the room, everything is a fight. As an actor, as a Black actor, as a Black female actor, everything is a fight. Sometimes I need a sword, I really do. I need to believe that I can walk in the room and I can slay. Especially being shy, and being introverted, which I am. That’s what Naniska taught me. She shifted me.
Viola Davis as Nanisca in TriStar Pictures’ ‘The Woman King.’ Photo: Ilze Kitshoff.
MF: Finally, Thuso, Nawi goes through a big transformation from the beginning of the movie to the end. What was it like for you as an actress to have an opportunity to develop such a complex character?
Thuso Mbedu: It was a lot of fun. Nawi, I think, is different to me in a lot of ways. So, finding her, playing with her, growing with her was a lot of fun, in conversation with Gina (Prince-Bythewood) at all times. Gina has this swagger about her that she really wanted Nawi to have.
She would constantly remind me on set. “Don’t forget the swagger.” I was like, okay, I have to sit into that confidence that Nawi has. Live your life in such a way where the death of your dream is not an option. That is who Nawi is. I enjoyed playing her.
Looking to upend what we have traditionally seen from historical action dramas – which, let’s be honest have often been focused on white dudes swinging swords to avenge their families or conquer other countries – director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s ‘The Woman King’ instead puts Viola Davis front and center as the general commanding an army.
Inspired by true events, ‘The Woman King’ tells the story of the Agojie (AKA Amazons), the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. This is the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca (Davis) as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life.
Looking like the sort of fighting force that inspired ‘Black Panther’s fearsome Dora Milaje, the Agojie are responsible for defending King Ghezo (John Boyega). Our way into the story, meanwhile, is via Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), who is a relatively new recruit and learns that there’s more to this fighting force than just being badasses.
Viola Davis as Nanisca in TriStar Pictures’ ‘The Woman King.’ Photo: Ilze Kitshoff.
“I’ve never had a role like this before. It’s transformative,” Davis tells Vanity Fair. “And to be a producer on it, and to know that I had a hand in bringing it to fruition…. There’s always a vision you have for your career, but there are very few roles as an actress of color. Dark skin with a wide nose and big lips. I’m just gonna continue to say it. Those stories are extraordinarily limited. I knew what it would mean to us as Black people. Something that has never been done before. And what it would mean for Black women sitting in that movie theater. The responsibility is really high.”
For Prince-Bythewood, part of getting a handle on the movie’s impressive-looking action was also taking inspiration from her own past. “I grew up an athlete. The women around me were athletes,” she says. “There was a normalcy to how I thought about myself. You fight. Aggression is good. Leave it all out on the floor. And as I got older, it surprised me how few women had the advantage of growing up like that. That innate warrior that I believe we all have is dormant in so many women because it wasn’t encouraged or valued.”
The question of who will be the next James Bond is a long-running game that fans and bookies alike enjoy playing. As Daniel Craig’s tenure as 007 comes to a close, basically every name in Hollywood has been thrown into the mix: Idris Elba. Tom Hardy. Tom Hiddleston. Richard Madden.
Now, there’s a new name floating around, courtesy of a report by the Daily Mail and it’s a completely new one: Lashana Lynch.
The black British actress starred in “Captain Marvel” as Air Force pilot and Carol Danvers’ best friend Maria Rambeau.
The Daily Mail notes that Lynch will not actually be James Bond, but play an agent who takes over his famous codename, 007.
In “Bond 25,” Craig’s titular character has retired and is enjoying some R&R in Jamaica.
“There is a pivotal scene at the start of the film where M says, ‘Come in, 007,’ and in walks Lashana,” a source told the Daily Mail.
“It’s a popcorn-dropping moment. Bond is still Bond, but he’s been replaced as 007 by this stunning woman. Bond, of course, is sexually attracted to the new female 007 and tries his usual seduction tricks, but is baffled when they don’t work on a brilliant, young black woman who basically rolls her eyes at him and has no interest in jumping into his bed. Well, certainly not at the beginning.”
The choice of a black woman to be the new 007 may have been influenced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the creator of “Fleabag” and “Killing Eve,” who was recruited to work on the script for “Bond 25.”
Recently, Waller-Bridge sounded off on Bond’s relationship with women.
“There’s been a lot of talk about whether or not [the Bond franchise] is relevant now because of who he is and the way he treats women,” she told Deadline.
“I think that’s bollocks. I think he’s absolutely relevant now. It has just got to grow. It has just got to evolve, and the important thing is that the film treats the women properly. He doesn’t have to. He needs to be true to this character.”
