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  • Movie Review: ‘The Running Man’

    Glen Powell stars in Paramount Pictures' 'The Running Man'.
    Glen Powell stars in Paramount Pictures’ ‘The Running Man’.

    In theaters on November 14 from Paramount Pictures is ‘The Running Man,’ co-writer/director Edgar Wright’s adaptation of the Stephen King novel.

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    The movie stars Glen Powell (‘Top Gun: Maverick’), Josh Brolin (‘Avengers: Endgame’), Colman Domingo (‘Sing Sing’), Lee Pace (‘Guardians of the Galaxy’), Emilia Jones (‘CODA’), William H. Macy (‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’) and Katy O’Brian (‘Love Lies Bleeding’).

    Related Article: Josh Brolin Joins Edgar Wright’s New Take on ‘The Running Man’ as a Villain

    Initial Thoughts

    (L to R) Josh Brolin and Colman Domingo star in Paramount Pictures' 'The Running Man.'
    (L to R) Josh Brolin and Colman Domingo star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘The Running Man.’

    ‘The Running Man’ is not necessarily the movie you might expect director Edgar Wright to make; he’s brought his own zippy visual style to genre comedies set in the horror, cop and alien invasion world, but has also plowed his own lane with the likes of ‘Last Night in Soho.’

    Still, he does everything he can to liven up a fairly –– yet not completely straightforward studio wannabe blockbuster.

    Script and Direction

    Director Edgar Wright on the set of Paramount Pictures' 'The Running Man,' starring Glen Powell.
    Director Edgar Wright on the set of Paramount Pictures’ ‘The Running Man,’ starring Glen Powell.

    Wright, working alongside Michael Bacall (with whom he adapted the box office flop-turned-cult favorite ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’) here sets his sights on Stephen King’s darkly dystopian tale of a working man trying to help his family by entering America’s most dangerous game show.

    In places, it’s almost surprising that Paramount, with its recent, shall we say, political moves, is still putting this one out, since it takes the prescient King book as its basis and mostly smartly updates it for our trying times.

    There is a problem inherent in movies such as this which the new ‘Running Man’ (let’s not forget there was a much looser adaptation in the 1980s starring Arnold Schwarzenegger) in that it is tempted to batter you over the head with its message as much as possible. Wright and Bacall don’t entirely escape that particular sinkhole, but they do at least inject plenty of dark humor in to the screenplay.

    And as a director, Wright has always been a dynamic craftsman –– while he tones things down here from the days of ‘Shaun of the Dead,’ there is plenty of his flare on display.

    Cast and Performances

    Glen Powell stars in Paramount Pictures' 'The Running Man'.
    Glen Powell stars in Paramount Pictures’ ‘The Running Man’.

    Glen Powell is really the only person who gets much screentime, and he’s a charismatic central figure who can get across the burning anger of his character.

    But on the supporting front, the likes of William H. Macy, Colman Domingo and particularly the director’s ‘Scott Pilgrim’ star Michael Cera have fun in different types of roles.

    Final Thoughts

    Colman Domingo stars in Paramount Pictures' 'The Running Man'.
    Colman Domingo stars in Paramount Pictures’ ‘The Running Man’.

    ‘The Running Man’ certainly delivers on the action side of things, and some of its satirical message really hits home. It’s just a problem that it goes on too long with diminishing returns and ultimately wimps out (no spoilers) on King’s big finish.

    ‘The Running Man’ receives 70 out of 100.

    Josh Brolin stars in Paramount Pictures' 'The Running Man'.
    Josh Brolin stars in Paramount Pictures’ ‘The Running Man’.

    What’s the story of ‘The Running Man’?

    Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by The Running Man’s charming but ruthless producer to enter the deadly competition game as a last resort.

    But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite – and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Running Man’?

    • Glen Powell as Ben Richards
    • Josh Brolin as Dan Killian
    • Colman Domingo as Bobby “Bobby T” Thompson
    • William H. Macy as Molie Jernigan
    • Lee Pace as Evan McCone
    • Michael Cera as Elton Parrakis
    • Emilia Jones as Amelia Williams
    • Katy O’Brian as Laughlin
    (L to R) Josh Brolin and Director Edgar Wright on the set of Paramount Pictures' 'The Running Man'.
    (L to R) Josh Brolin and Director Edgar Wright on the set of Paramount Pictures’ ‘The Running Man’.

    Other Edgar Wright Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Running Man’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Edgar Wright Movies on Amazon

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  • Lee Pace and Maisie Williams Added to ‘Practical Magic 2’

    (Left) Lee Pace in 'Foundation,' premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+. (Right) Maisie Williams in 'Game of Thrones'. Photo: HBO.
    (Left) Lee Pace in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+. (Right) Maisie Williams in ‘Game of Thrones’. Photo: HBO.

    Preview:

    • Lee Pace and Maisie Williams are leading the new recruits for ‘Practical Magic 2’
    • Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock are back to star.
    • Susanne Bier is directing the movie.

    It’s clearly the time for long-awaited sequels to much-loved movies announcing clutches of new casting to support their returning stars.

    With ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ recently adding actors, it’s the turn of ‘Practical Magic 2’, which will see the return of Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock as witch sisters Gillian and Sally Owens.

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    According to Deadline, new for the sequel will be Lee Pace (‘Foundation’), Maisie Williams (‘Game of Thrones’) Xolo Maridueña (‘Blue Beetle’), and Solly McLeod (‘The Dead Don’t Hurt’). We also now have confirmation that Joey King is officially aboard after previously being in talks.

    That’s not all –– Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest, who appeared alongside Bullock and Kidman in the original movie –– will reprise their roles.

    Related Article: Joey King in Talks to Join Witch Family Curse Sequel ‘Practical Magic 2’

    What’s the story of ‘Practical Magic’?

    Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock in 'Practical Magic'.
    (L to R) Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock in ‘Practical Magic’. Photo: Warner Bros.

    ‘Practical Magic’ adapts Alice Hoffman’s 1995 novel. The movie follows two sisters, Sally (Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Kidman), who come from a long line of witches.

    Orphaned at a young age, they are raised by their eccentric aunts, who embrace their magical heritage. However, the Owens family is cursed: any man who falls in love with an Owens woman is doomed to an untimely death.

    Subsequently, Sally and Gillian struggle with their powers and the consequences of the family curse. Sally attempts to lead a normal life, distancing herself from magic, but tragedy strikes when her husband dies.

    Gillian, on the other hand, lives a wild life, embracing her magical abilities. The sisters are reunited when Gillian finds herself in a dangerous relationship with Jimmy Angelov (Goran Visnjic), a violent man. In an effort to protect Gillian, the sisters accidentally kill Jimmy, leading to a series of supernatural events as they attempt to hide his death and ultimately break the family curse.

    What will be the story for ‘Practical Magic 2’?

    Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in 'Practical Magic'.
    (L to R) Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in ‘Practical Magic’. Photo: Warner Bros.

    While there are zero official details are available for the new movie’s storyline, King’s casting does open up a narrative alley we figured they’d take.

    She’ll play one of Bullock’s daughters, the one who discovers the dark family secrets and her own dark powers, plunging the family into a crisis.

    As for the newcomers (beyond King), we don’t yet know their roles.

    But Wiest and Channing, of course, will be Aunt Jet and Aunt Frances respectively, who always have wise words for their nieces (and now, grand-nieces).

    Akiva Goldsman, who worked on the script for the original, is back, with Georgia Pritchett, a veteran of ‘Veep’ and ‘Succession,’ also credited.

    What else has Susanne Bier made?

    Susanne Bier, Oscar®-nominee for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year, arrives for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards® at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA February 27, 2011. Credit/Provider: Ivan Vejar / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Susanne Bier, Oscar®-nominee for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year, arrives for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards® at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA February 27, 2011. Credit/Provider: Ivan Vejar / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Bier is a hugely respected Danish filmmaker who is more normally found in the indie sphere, though has been diversifying into premium TV in recent years.

    She got her start with 1991’s ‘Freud Leaving Home’ and has since made the likes of ‘Like It Never Was Before,’ ‘Credo,’ ‘The One and Only,’ ‘Open Hearts,’ ‘After the Wedding,’ ‘Things We Lost in the Fire,’ ‘Serena’ and ‘In a Better World,’ which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year in 2011.

    Her work has scored many other accolades and trophies, and she’s also been behind projects such as John le Carré adaptation ‘The Night Manager’ and White House drama ‘The First Lady.’ She is the first female director to win a Golden Globe, Emmy and European Film Award, collectively.

    Perhaps most pertinent to ‘Practical Magic’ and its stars is her previous collaborations with both Bullock and Kidman.

    Bullock starred in Bier’s Netflix thriller ‘Bird Box,’ the story of a world plunged into chaos when aliens arrive who send anyone who glimpses them mad.

    As for Kidman, Bier handled HBO drama ‘The Undoing,’ which saw the actor starring alongside Hugh Grant in a murder mystery. And more recently, Bier tackled all the episodes of Netflix drama ‘The Perfect Couple,’ with Kidman playing the icy matriarch of a wealthy, dysfunctional family.

    Here’s the statement from the filmmaking team on the new casting choices:

    “Twenty-five years ago, Sally, Gillian, Aunt Jet and Aunt Franny flew off the pages of Alice Hoffman’s beloved novel and into theaters around the world, and we are thrilled to bring the Owens family back to the big screen with Joey, Lee, Maisie, Solly and Xolo joining the next chapter in our story. The enduring affection for these characters has been our inspiration to deliver the next installment in the Owens’ story to new fans, and those who’ve been with us since the beginning.”

    When will ‘Practical Magic 2’ be in theaters?

    We do now know when Warners is looking to release the sequel –– and in theaters, rather than sending it direct to streaming service HBO Max –– September 18th, 2026.

    Production is currently underway in England, so all looks good for the sequel to hit that date.

    Nicole Kidman in 'Practical Magic'.
    Nicole Kidman in ‘Practical Magic’. Photo: Warner Bros.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Practical Magic 2′:

    Buy ‘Practical Magic’ Movie On Amazon

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  • TV Review: ‘Foundation’ Season 3

    Jared Harris in 'Foundation,' premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    Jared Harris in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    ‘Foundation’ Season 3 receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.

    Released on Apple TV+ on July 11th with its initial episode, ‘Foundation’ returns us to the multi-storyline tale of an Empire’s fall and a dedicated –– some might say obsessed –– scientist’s drive to steer the future.

    With David S. Goyer (‘The Dark Knight’) as its showrunner, the series stars Jared Harris (‘Chernobyl’), Lee Pace (‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’), Lou Llobell (‘Voyagers’), Pilou Asbæk (‘Ghost in the Shell’) and Terrence Mann (‘Critters’).

    Related Article: TV Review: ‘Foundation’ Season 2

    Initial Thoughts

    Lee Pace in 'Foundation,' premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    Lee Pace in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    We are long past the point where Isaac Asimov’s ‘Foundation’ stories are considered “unfilmable” –– the team behind this Apple series have been putting the lie to that since 2021.

    Yet, the source material’s endlessly layered and complex themes have not always proven so easy to transition to screens, and the third season of the show continues that. There are storylines and characters who pop (the returning ones), while others struggle to make themselves stand out.

    And some serious production issues (strikes, budgetary squabbles) have led to delays on this one –– but fortunately the quality is unaffected.

    Script and Direction

    Lou Llobell in 'Foundation,' premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    Lou Llobell in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    While Goyer had been serving as both head writer and initial director for the first three episodes, he was swapped out –– on the directing front, at least, by Tim Southam, who has worked on the likes of ‘One Piece’ and ‘Lost in Space’. Partly that was to allow Goyer to focus on the writing side, and partly to curb budgetary overruns.

    And it’s not hard to see why –– ‘Foundation’ remains a visually dazzling, clearly expensive series that manages to balance intimate, intense character moments with sweeping star-scapes and big location shoots.

    But none of that is worth it if the scripts don’t work, and while the series sometimes loses itself in esoterica, it still delivers on the ‘Game of Thrones’-esque machinations of competing political, scientific, and particularly this season, criminal dynamics looking to dominate the galaxy.

    There’s real scope and scale here, but the writers also don’t forget to narrow down to a more human level (even if the character is, say, a humanoid robot who can tear her own face open with a fingertip and seal it back up again like someone else shutting a Ziploc.

    On the directing side, Southam and the other directors keeps up the style of the show, all grand architecture and vibrant costumes, and the effects remain impressive.

    Cast and Performances

    (L to R) Cassian Bilton, Lee Pace and Terrence Mann in 'Foundation,' premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Cassian Bilton, Lee Pace and Terrence Mann in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    As I mentioned above, the veteran cast are, for the most part, the characters who pop. Jared Harris continues to own every scene he’s in as “psychohistory” expert Hari Seldon, the deep thinker with a planet-sized ego whose math-based theories have predicted the end of empires and how civilizations can speed up the chaotic periods in between interstellar calm.

    Harris is measured and fantastically smug in equal measure and despite his character’s seeming death last season, he’s not letting that stop him make pronouncements.

    If there’s anyone who can match Harris for sheer presence it’s Lee Pace as Brother Day, one of the three clones who rules the Empire in endless succession, a new one decanted when one dies, and always three hanging around arguing (Pace’s scenes with co-stars Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk, the older variant and Brother Dawn, played by Cassian Bilton, are always good).

    Pace, never knowingly fully clothed, is handed yet more solid material to play here, and while it’s less showy than other season, it deepens his character as his flaws really start to play on him. Plus a mano-a-mano duel late in the season we won’t spoil here is excellent.

    Pilou Asbæk in 'Foundation,' premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    Pilou Asbæk in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    Rounding out the standout veteran characters is The Mule, with ‘Game of Thrones’ veteran Pilou Asbæk taking over the role for this third season. A psychic warlord who can influence the brain of almost anyone he meets, he’s like a violent, vulgar crossbreed of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, a man who believes he’s destined to rule worlds and isn’t above slaughtering people to achieve his aims.

    Asbæk gives him just the right amount of sneer mixed with charisma, and The Mule is a highlight of the new season.

    No less impactful but much humbler is Lou Lobell’s Gaal Dornick, one of Hari’s main followers who has long since evolved into her own person with her own mission. Lobell makes her believable and empathetic.

    And Laura Birn, who plays synthetic lifeform Demerzel, an aide to Pace and co’s emperors who is much more –– and much more powerful/influential than anyone suspects continues to impress.

    Of the new characters this year, there is good work from Alexander Siddig (back on the science fiction beat after his first big role in ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ decades ago). While Siddig had a small role in Season 1 of the show, he’s back playing Dr. Ebling Mis here.

    Finally, there are three other newcomers who pop –– Synnøve Karlsen and Cody Fern as Bayta and Toran Mallow, a spoiled rich couple on their honeymoon who get swept up into the Mule’s storyline and Tómas Lemarquis as a hypnotic musician who works with the criminal character.

    Final Thoughts

    Alexander Siddig in 'Foundation,' premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    Alexander Siddig in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    ‘Foundation’ might seem impenetrable to some. But if you give it a chance to wrap its tendrils around your brain, you’ll appreciate the magic trick it is pulling off bringing one of the most complicated and thoughtful novel series to life.

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    What’s the plot of ‘Foundation’?

    Set 152 years after the events of the second season, The Foundation has become increasingly established far beyond its humble beginnings while the Cleonic Dynasty’s Empire has dwindled.

    As these galactic powers forge an uneasy alliance, a threat to the entire galaxy appears in the fearsome form of a war lord known as The Mule whose sights are set on ruling the universe by use of physical and military force, as well as mind control. It’s anyone’s guess who will win, who will lose, who will live and who will die.

    Who stars in ‘Foundation’?

    • Jared Harris as Hari Seldon
    • Lee Pace as Brother Day
    • Lou Llobell as Gaal Dornick
    • Laura Birn as Demerzel
    • Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn
    • Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk
    • Pilou Asbæk as The Mule
    • Cody Fern as Toran Mallow
    • Synnove Karlsen as Bayta Mallow
    • Alexander Siddig as Dr. Ebling Mis
    Laura Birn in 'Foundation,' premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    Laura Birn in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    List of David S. Goyer Movies:

    Buy David S. Goyer Movies On Amazon

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  • ‘The Running Man’ Casts Colman Domingo

    (Left) Colman Domingo as Bayard Rustin in 'Rustin.' Photo: David Lee/Netflix. (Right) Richard Dawson in 'The Running Man'. Photo: Tri-Star Pictures.
    (Left) Colman Domingo as Bayard Rustin in ‘Rustin.’ Photo: David Lee/Netflix. (Right) Richard Dawson in ‘The Running Man’. Photo: Tri-Star Pictures.

    Preview:

    • Colman Domingo has joined the cast of director Edgar Wright’s ‘The Running Man,’ a new adaptation of the early dystopian novel by Stephen King.
    • Domingo will play the host of a deadly TV reality show in which one person is pursued around the world by hunters, with all looking to win a cash prize.
    • The role of the host was played by actor and real-life game show host Richard Dawson in the 1987 version of the story, opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger.

    ‘Sing Sing’ and ‘Euphoria’ star Colman Domingo has joined the cast of ‘The Running Man,’ a new adaptation of the Stephen King novel from director Edgar Wright. According to Deadline, Domingo will play the host of a futuristic TV reality show in which one person must elude and kill others who are pursuing them, with a cash prize awaiting the survivor.

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    Domingo joins an already star-studded ensemble that includes Glen Powell as the title character and Josh Brolin as the head of the TV network, with the cast also including Katy O’Brian, Karl Glusman, William H. Macy, Michael Cera, Lee Pace, Emilia Jones, and more.

    What is the Plot of ‘The Running Man’?

    Arnold Schwarzenegger as Captain Benjamin "Ben" Richards in 'The Running Man.' Photo: Tri-Star Pictures.
    Arnold Schwarzenegger as Captain Benjamin “Ben” Richards in ‘The Running Man.’ Photo: Tri-Star Pictures.

    ‘The Running Man’ is based on an early novel by Stephen King, published in 1982 under the name Richard Bachman. The book, set in a totalitarian United States in the year 2025 (!), follows a man named Ben Richards who, out of work and desperate for money to get medicine for his gravely ill daughter, becomes a contestant on the enormously popular title program, in which one person is pursued by a team of assassins sent to kill them. Paid $100 for every hour he survives and for every hunter he kills, Richards can earn $1 billion if he stays alive for 30 days.

    The 1987 film based on the novel, directed by former ‘Starsky and Hutch’ star Paul Michael Glaser and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Richards, took a lot of liberties with King’s novel, turning his grim thriller into a much more colorful and even campy action-adventure ride. Wright’s adaptation seems likely to stay more faithful to the original text, although it seems to have retained the element of having multiple contestants in the game instead of just one.

    Related Article: Josh Brolin Joins Edgar Wright’s New Take on ‘The Running Man’ as a Villain

    The Background of Colman Domingo’s Role

    (L to R) Arnold Schwarzenegger and Richard Dawson in 'The Running Man.' Photo: Tri-Star Pictures.
    (L to R) Arnold Schwarzenegger and Richard Dawson in ‘The Running Man.’ Photo: Tri-Star Pictures.

    In the novel, the main villain is Dan Killian, the head of the TV network, while the game’s host, Bobby Thompson, is a less important character. For the 1987 film, the two were combined as Damon Killian, played by Richard Dawson. An actor by trade, Dawson was best known at the time as the host of the real-life game show ‘Family Feud,’ and his scenery-chewing antics in the movie arguably stole the show from its muscle-bound star.

    Josh Brolin will play Dan Killian in Wright’s ‘The Running Man,’ but with the hiring of Domingo, the role of Thompson seems likely to be a more important part of the proceedings as well. Domingo is currently favored for a best actor Oscar nomination for his lead role in the acclaimed ‘Sing Sing,’ and in addition to his Emmy-winning recurring character on HBO’s ‘Euphoria,’ his other credits include ‘Rustin’ (for which he was also Oscar-nominated), ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,’ ‘The Color Purple,’ and a main role on ‘Fear the Walking Dead.’

    Arnold Schwarzenegger as Captain Benjamin "Ben" Richards in 'The Running Man.' Photo: Tri-Star Pictures.
    Arnold Schwarzenegger as Captain Benjamin “Ben” Richards in ‘The Running Man.’ Photo: Tri-Star Pictures.

    Other Edgar Wright Movies:

    Buy Edgar Wright Movies on Amazon

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  • William H. Macy and Michael Cera join ‘The Running Man’

    (Left) William H. Macy in 'Fargo'. Photo: Gramercy Pictures. (Center) Michael Cera in 'Superbad'. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing. (Right) Emilia Jones in 'CODA'. Photo: Apple Original Films.
    (Left) William H. Macy in ‘Fargo’. Photo: Gramercy Pictures. (Center) Michael Cera in ‘Superbad’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing. (Right) Emilia Jones in ‘CODA’. Photo: Apple Original Films.

    Preview:

    • William H. Macy, Michael Cera and Emilia Jones are joining ‘The Running Man’
    • Glen Powell is starring alongside Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Katy O’Brian and Daniel Ezra.
    • Edgar Wright co-wrote and will direct the Stephen King adaptation.

    With production about to start on Edgar Wright’s ‘The Running Man,’ we’re learning about more names who will be joining Glen Powell in the movie.

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    William H. Macy, Michael Cera and ‘CODA’s Emilia Jones are the latest recruits, according to The Hollywood Reporter. They join the likes of Josh Brolin, Katy O’Brian, Lee Pace, Daniel Ezra and Karl Glusman.

    This is, of course, a fresh adaptation of Stephen King’s classic dystopian tale which was famously previously brought to screens by ‘Starsky and Hutch’ actor-turned-director Paul Michael Glaser in 1987 with Arnold Schwarzenegger starring.

    Wright will start the cameras rolling next week in London. He wrote the script with his ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’ collaborator Michael Bacall.

    What’s the story of ‘The Running Man’?

    Arnold Schwarzenegger as Captain Benjamin "Ben" Richards in 'The Running Man.'
    Arnold Schwarzenegger as Captain Benjamin “Ben” Richards in ‘The Running Man.’

    ‘The Running Man,’ which King published in 1982 under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, was set in 2025 in an America under a totalitarian regime that uses violent game shows to placate the disenfranchised masses.

    The story centered on one desperate man, needing money for his gravely sick daughter, who joins the most popular show, ‘The Running Man,’ in which teams of killers hunt down contestants. The longer that a contestant survives, the more money that person makes. But as the game show’s producers and killers will find out, our conflicted hero will break all the rules and expose the show’s dark secrets.

    Powell is playing the main character, while O’Brian would be one of the other contestants.

    What do we know about the new recruits for the movie?

    Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure 'Dune: Part Two,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Dune: Part Two,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Macy will be playing a man who helps Powell’s Richards when he’s on the run.

    Brolin, meanwhile, stars as the ruthless producer of the game show, and Pace is the brutal chief hunter tracking down Powell.

    Cera (who starred in ‘Scott Pilgrim’ for the director) will be a naïve rebel who tries to help the desperate man, while Jones is playing a privileged woman blind to the oppression of the government.

    Ezra and Glusman’s roles have yet to be revealed.

    Related Article: Josh Brolin Joins Edgar Wright’s New Take on ‘The Running Man’ as a Villain

    When will ‘The Running Man’ be in theaters?

    Given the original story’s setting, it’s somewhat fitting that Paramount has scheduled the movie for theatrical release on November 21st, 2025.

    William H. Macy in 'Jurassic Park III'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    William H. Macy in ‘Jurassic Park III’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    List of William H. Macy Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy William H. Macy Movies On Amazon

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  • TV Review: ‘Foundation’ Season 2

    Leah Harvey, Jared Harris and Lou Llobell in 'Foundation,' premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    Leah Harvey, Jared Harris and Lou Llobell in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    Returning to Apple TV+ on July 14th , the second season of ‘Foundation’ builds on the first, stretching even further forward through time and visiting some new places while checking in on familiar faces.

    Those who enjoyed the first season will find more of the ambitious, weighty science fiction they enjoyed, but newcomers who were daunted by the colder tone will latch on to some more humorous, human characters this time out.

    What’s the story of ‘Foundation’s second season?

    Cassian Bilton, Lee Pace and Terrence Mann in 'Foundation,' premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    Cassian Bilton, Lee Pace and Terrence Mann in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    More than a century after the season one finale, tension mounts throughout the galaxy.

    As the cloned emperor Cleons (Led by Lee Pace’s Brother Day) unravel, a vengeful queen plots to destroy Empire from within. Hari (Jared Harris), Gaal (Lou Llobell) and Salvor (Leah Harvey) discover a colony of “Mentalics” with psionic abilities that threaten to alter psychohistory itself. The Foundation has entered its religious phase, spreading the Church of Seldon throughout the Outer Reach and inciting the Second Crisis: war with Empire.

    The new season chronicles the stories of four crucial individuals transcending space and time as they overcome deadly crises, shifting loyalties and complicated relationships that will ultimately determine the fate of humanity.

    Who else appears in ‘Foundation’?

    Ella-Rae Smith in 'Foundation,' premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    Ella-Rae Smith in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    Season two also stars returning cast members Laura Birn, Cassian Bilton and Terrence Mann and introduces new characters and stars, including Isabella Laughland (Brother Constant), Kulvinder Ghir (Poly Verisof), Ella-Rae Smith (Queen Sareth of Cloud Dominion), Holt McCallany (Warden Jaegger Fount), Rachel House (Tellem Bond), Nimrat Kaur (Yanna Seldon), Ben Daniels (Bel Riose) and Dimitri Leonidas (Hober Mallow).

    Related Article: Series Creator David S. Goyer Talks Apple TV+’s ‘Foundation’ Season 2

    Is ‘Foundation’ worth watching?

    Lee Pace in 'Foundation,' premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    Lee Pace in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    Whether you enjoy this adaptation of the ‘Foundation’ stories, which re-define the term “sprawling” might depend on your tolerance for high-minded science fiction and treatises about the human condition, war, ethics and more.

    But don’t let that turn you away: because the series also manages to be very entertaining and, in this latest season, has struck more of a balance between the complex and down to Earth (even if Earth is just a memory at this point).

    It still has the big clashes between the Empire and Seldon’s prediction that the galaxy-spanning authority will fall, but it also finds time for quieter moments between characters and developments on their journey.

    Big highlights this time come from three new characters. Ghir plays the grown version of Poly Verisof, who we first met as a child on the planet Terminus (settled by the followers of Hari decades ago after he and they were exiled from the Empire). The adult Poly, a holy man who preaches Seldon’s wisdom, is a delight, introduced lying in a messy, hungover heap on his bunk. And through the season, he’s a constant source of laughs, whether he’s overindulging or finding his faith enough to be a hero.

    Playing perfectly off of Poly is fellow monk Brother Constant (Laughland), a devout follower of the Church of Seldon, who is witty and eager for adventure beyond her home. She gets far more than she ever imagined, including a flirtatious relationship with swaggering scoundrel Hober Mallow (Leonidas).

    Hober is effectively ‘Foundation’s Han Solo, a thief who pulls scams, but who is eventually dragooned into the effort against Empire. He’s crafty, vulnerable and relatable.

    Of course, the returning cast wouldn’t be complete without Lee Pace as the imperious Brother Day. The current ruler of Empire (who in his line’s tradition, all clones of the original Cleon, has a younger Variant named Dawn, played by Bilton and the older Dusk, brought to life by Mann) is a pouty, feather-puffing pleasure who is re-introduced to us during a bout of particularly passionate lovemaking with female robo-servant Demerzel (Birn) before assassins arrive to try and take him out. A fight scene featuring a totally nude Pace is quite the way to ensure that this isn’t all stuffy sci-fi.

    His storyline as Brother Day this year revolves around his decision to change the lineage from the endless cycle of clones to finding a wife who can give him children. And the choice found for him, Smith’s Queen Sareth, is a great counterpoint to his energy. She’s burning with vengeful fury following the murder of her family and has no truck with his pompous, childish ways.

    Elsewhere, as the synopsis suggests, the story builds to a conflict, so if you’d been hoping that things would kick off more this season, you certainly get your wish towards the end. And this is still a show that looks like the team spent every dollar of the considerable budget bringing it to life –– beautiful landscapes merge with artfully designed palaces and spaceships.

    ‘Foundation’ fumbles

    Leah Harvey and Lou Llobell in 'Foundation,' premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    Leah Harvey and Lou Llobell in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    Not everything works as well. The storyline between Seldon, Gaal and Salvor is frequently over-serious, carrying over its weight from the first season. Which is not to say it doesn’t function, since Harris, Llobell and Harvey are all convincing enough in their roles, it’s just that their story –– at least, until it intersects with the likes of Brother Day –– doesn’t quite hold your attention in the same way.

    And there will certainly be those who feel like they need an encyclopedia handy to keep track of everyone, the timelines and the arcane terms used by the various characters. But turning to Issac Asimov’s books is likely to be no help in this case, since show developer David S. Goyer and his team have made considerable changes in order to have the story be digestible for this different medium.

    Plenty of potential viewers will be turned off by the feeling that the show is stuffy, worthy and slow, but our advice is to stick with it –– ‘Foundation’ builds in this season to something satisfying. Though we would definitely advise starting with the first season if this is your initial watch of the show.

    ‘Foundation’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.

    Lee Pace and Terrence Mann in 'Foundation,' premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    Lee Pace and Terrence Mann in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    List of David S. Goyer Movies:

    Buy David S. Goyer Movies On Amazon

     

  • ‘Foundation’ Season 2 Interview: David S. Goyer

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    Premiering on Apple TV+ on July 14th is the second season of the popular series ‘Foundation,’ which is based on the stories of author Isaac Asimov, and was created David S. Goyer (‘Batman Begins’) and Josh Friedman (‘Fantastic Four’).

    What is the plot of ‘Foundation’?

    ‘Foundation’ chronicles “The thousand-year saga of The Foundation, a band of exiles who discover that the only way to save the Galactic Empire from destruction is to defy it.”

    What is the plot of ‘Foundation’ season 2?

    More than a century after the season one finale, tension mounts throughout the galaxy in ‘Foundation’ season two. As the Cleons (Lee Pace, Terrence Mann and Cassian Bilton) unravel, a vengeful queen plots to destroy Empire from within. Hari (Jared Harris), Gaal (Lou Llobell) and Salvor (Leah Harvey) discover a colony of Mentalics with psionic abilities that threaten to alter psychohistory itself. The Foundation has entered its religious phase, promulgating the Church of Seldon throughout the Outer Reach and inciting the Second Crisis: war with Empire. The monumental adaptation of ‘Foundation’ chronicles the stories of four crucial individuals transcending space and time as they overcome deadly crises, shifting loyalties and complicated relationships that will ultimately determine the fate of humanity.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Foundation’ season 2?

    Jared Harris (‘Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows‘) as Hari Seldon, Lee Pace (‘Guardians of the Galaxy‘) as Brother Day, Lou Llobell (‘Voyagers‘) as Gaal Dornick, Leah Harvey (‘Fighting with my Family‘) as Salvor Hardin, Laura Birn (‘A Walk Among the Tombstones‘) as Eto Demerzel, Kulvinder Ghir (‘Blinded by the Light‘) as Poly Version, Terrence Mann (‘Big Top Pee-wee‘) as Brother Dusk, and Cassian Bilton (“Shoal’) as Brother Dawn.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with showrunner and executive producer David S. Goyer about the second season of ‘Foundation,’ what he learned from making the first season, Lee Pace’s compromising scene, adapting Isaac Asimov’s work, and what fans of the series can expect from the new season.

    'Foundation' season 2 showrunner and executive producer David S. Goyer.
    ‘Foundation’ season 2 showrunner and executive producer David S. Goyer.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Goyer, Lou Llobell and Kulvinder Ghir.

    Moviefone: To begin with, what did you learn from working on the first season of ‘Foundation’ that you were able to apply to the new season?

    David S. Goyer: To introduce a little more levity. The show was very serious with a capital “S.” I think that the show is big enough that we could broaden our palette a bit to just make sure that we were staying true to these humanistic themes, and to introduce a little bit more romance as well, just all the stuff that makes for good television.

    MF: There is a fight scene in the new season where actor Lee Pace must appear in the nude. How did he react when you pitched him that scene?

    DSG: I was nervous. I pitched it to him, and he said, “Well, let me read it.” I wrote the first draft, and I said, “What do you think?” He’s completely in his birthday suit. He said, “So I’m naked this whole scene.” I said, “Yeah, and it involves a fight as well.” He said, “It’s going to be really hard to double me for this scene.” I said, “Yeah, I don’t think we can double you at all.” But fortunately, he was game and he completely committed himself. He worked out like hell for it. But more importantly, he learned the fight choreography. He did not use a stunt double for that sequence at all, and he had to do the entirety of it, which we filmed over four days, completely nude. That is commitment.

    Lee Pace in 'Foundation,' premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    Lee Pace in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    MF: Can you talk about adapting author Isaac Asimov’s work and how you decide what needs to change and what needs to remain cannon?

    DSG: I have a gut instinct, but we have a healthy writers’ room where we encourage debate, we talk about it and we try things out. Every once in a while, we’ll try things out, we’ll write it, and we’ll say, “No, that’s too far. That didn’t work.” Sometimes we say, “We need to go farther.” Then occasionally, I will bounce things off Robyn Asimov, Isaac Asimov’s daughter, who’s an executive producer on the show. But over the years largely, I’ve come to primarily trust my gut. I try to wear both hats as a fan and a broader audience member. If we just made the show for the people that have read the books, I don’t think the audience could support the show. So it’s important to remember that those are a very passionate group of fans and audience members that we cherish. I count myself amongst them, but it’s a small subset of our audience. The show’s in over 100 countries, and it’s got to work on a very broad scale. It’s got to work for people that have never read the books or don’t consider themselves fans of science fiction.

    MF: Finally, what would you say to ’Foundation’ fans to prepare them for the new season?

    DSG: Well, in season one, we did a couple of episodes that I like to call short films, where we do some extended flashbacks. It turned out those were very popular with the audience, and so we did a few more of those in season two. We get to peel back some of the layers of Harry’s backstory, how he came to be in the employ of Empire, and how he came to Trantor. Near the tail end of the season, we get to peel back some of the layers of Demerzel, and how she came to be employee of the Empire. I think that’s very surprising, and it ends up completely recontextualizing pretty much everything you know about Demerzel and Empire. I like to be able to turn things on its head, and so I was really excited for the audience to get to those two episodes in particular.

    Leah Harvey, Jared Harris and Lou Llobell in 'Foundation,' premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    Leah Harvey, Jared Harris and Lou Llobell in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    List of David S. Goyer Movies:

    Buy David S. Goyer Movies On Amazon

     

  • Watch: The New ‘Captain Marvel’ Trailer Is Out of This World

    Watch: The New ‘Captain Marvel’ Trailer Is Out of This World

    Marvel Studios

    Hot on the heels of the brand new poster, Marvel Studios has unleashed the first full trailer for “Captain Marvel,” and it is a wild ride that includes intergalactic landscapes, marauding alien invaders, and copious amounts of 90s nostalgia. But most of all you get Brie Larson, embodying Carol Danvers and Captain Marvel with all the strength, energy and hopefulness you’d expect from both the classic comics character and a project that has been obsessively anticipated since the foundation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Well, it looks like it was worth the wait.

    Larson stars alongside Ben Mendelsohn, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Jude Law, with Lee Pace and Djimon Hounsou reprising their roles from “Guardians of the Galaxy” and digitally youthful versions of Samuel L. Jackson and Clark Gregg.

    “Captain Marvel” opens on March 8, 2019, across the galaxy.

  • ‘Pushing Daisies’ Cast Would Love to Return, 10 Years After Premiere

    “Pushing Daisies” dropped into our lives like a colorful pie from the sky 10 years ago this week, and we desperately need Ned to revive it from the dead.

    Lee Pace starred as Ned, who had the magic ability to reanimate the departed with his touch. That gift allowed him to resurrect his late lady love Chuck (Anna Friel), but left the star-crossed lovers never able to touch again, lest she return to death.

    The wonderfully quirky ABC dramedy premiered Oct. 3, 2007, and ended after two brief seasons — Season 1 with nine episodes in 2007, and Season 2 with 13 in 2009. Fans have always wished for more. “Pushing Daisies” won Esquire’s TV Reboot Tournament poll asking viewers which canceled-too-soon show they’d most like to see return.

    Kristin Chenoweth, who played Olive Snook, told Yahoo “Pushing Daisies” is “my favorite memory of being on a TV show,” and it’s the show her fans ask her about the most:

    “More people approach me about ‘Pushing Daisies’ than you would think. I usually think it’s going to be ‘West Wing’ or ‘Glee’ or maybe ‘Wicked.’ ‘Pushing Daisies’ is the topic that comes up the most. They miss it.

    Was it ahead of its time? Maybe. Sometimes I dream we find ourselves back in production, and I’ve got the waitress uniform on, and my cute little bob, and I’m with Lee and Anna again. Yeah, I would love it.”

    Anna Friel told Yahoo she and Lee Pace still keep in touch and talk about the show.

    “We had so many anecdotes! Lee would say, ‘Remember that? And remember this?’ We didn’t stop for ages.” She said she adores the whole cast and misses the show. “It was so ahead of its time, that show. It told the sweetest love story.”

    Like Chenoweth, Friel would love creator Bryan Fuller and the whole team to return for more.

    “There’s been talk of a musical, and there’s been talk of a film. I’d love it if we even just came back and did a six-episode miniseries!”

    Well, we’re in. And Bryan Fuller just celebrated the show’s anniversary, since — of course — he’ll never forget the show either:


    So what’s it gonna take to make this reunion happen? ABC? Netflix? Anybody?

    Watch more from Chenoweth on her “Pushing Daisies” memories:

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  • Exclusive: Leave Your Legacy With This ‘Book of Henry’ Clip

    In this exclusive clip from “Jurassic World” director Colin Trevorrow’s “The Book of Henry” (out everywhere on June 16th), the title character (played by Jaeden Lieberher from “Midnight Special“) describes what he wishes his legacy to be. It’s a touching sequence, off kilter and affecting like the rest of the movie, and much like the movie’s marketing materials so far, purposefully mysterious. In order to get to the bottom of the clip (and the movie), we spoke to Lieberher. Get ready to open “The Book of Henry” with Henry himself.


    When I asked Lieberher to describe the movie (which also stars Naomi Watts, Sarah Silverman, Lee Pace, and Dean Norris), since it is a film that pretty much defies classification, he gave a great response. “It’s a family movie about a mom and her two sons. One of her sons, Henry, is a genius who takes care of his family and wants to protect them,” Lieberher explained. “And he sees that next door some dark things are happening. Nobody really sees it except for Henry. So he tries to do the right thing and save her.” (Having seen the movie, I can confirm that this is a very good encapsulation.)

    As for the exclusive clip, I asked if this was a good example of who Henry is as a character. “It is,” Lieberher said. “It’s the first time you see how he views the world and how he views other people. And it also shows the great qualities in Henry and how much of a good person he is.” Lieberher went on: “Right there and then, clearly he is a genius but during that speech he’s a normal boy. So he’s easier to get into. He’s just around the other students and telling it like it is.”

    When I brought up the fact that between “The Book of Henry” and the highly underrated “Midnight Special,” he’s cornered the market on characters that have a little something extra going on, Lieberher said it was a fun aspect to play. “It’s pretty cool playing someone that is not exactly normal,” Lieberher said. “It’s pretty fun playing those types of characters, you get to play around with their personalities and develop who they are.”

    And while Lieberher might be a young actor, working so closely with a trained actress like Watts, he didn’t feel the need to pepper her with annoying questions (which is probably what I would have done) but instead chose to observe her. “I paid attention to how she worked and how she acted, because when you’re working with someone like that it’s easy to learn a lot,” Lieberher said. When I asked what the biggest takeaway was, he said, “She doesn’t just use her words when she’s acting, she uses her whole body. I think I learned a lot from her.”

    “The Book of Henry” is a smaller, quieter movie that is obviously being released in the middle of summer, a time usually reserved for superhero movies, plus-sized sequels, and animated epics. I asked Lieberher to explain why people should take a chance on something as esoteric and emotional as “The Book of Henry.”

    “Well I think you see big movies like those, there are only a few feelings you get from it. Maybe you’re excited by the action. But this movie brings a lot to the table and makes you feel so many emotions and feelings,” Lieberher said, sounding like the preternaturally gifted character he plays in the movie. He continued: “It’ll make you feel for the family, it’ll make you excited, it’ll keep you on the edge of your seat, and maybe you’ll cry or laugh. That’s what makes this movie really great and interesting.”

    “The Book of Henry” opens on June 16.