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Tag: mel-gibson

  • Mel Gibson Offers ‘Passion of the Christ’ Sequel Update

    (Left) Mel Gibson in 'Monster Summer'. Photo: Pastime Pictures. (Right) Jim Caviezel as Jesus Christ in 2004's 'The Passion of the Christ'. Photo: Icon Productions.
    (Left) Mel Gibson in ‘Monster Summer’. Photo: Pastime Pictures. (Right) Jim Caviezel as Jesus Christ in 2004’s ‘The Passion of the Christ’. Photo: Icon Productions.

    Preview:

    • Mel Gibson is aiming to shoot the ‘Passion of the Christ’ sequel in 2026.
    • Randall Wallace wrote the script.
    • Jim Caviezel appears likely to return as Jesus.

    ‘The Passion of the Christ,’ Mel Gibson’s 2004 take on Jesus’ final days on earth up to his crucifixion, became the largest-grossing independent film of all time with a worldwide box office of nearly $612 million.

    Though the film was considered anti-Semitic due to its implication that Jewish leaders were to blame for Jesus’ death, that controversy did little to halt its popularity, with Church leaders buying out theaters to screen the movie to congregants.

    Gibson has long talked about wanting to make a sequel to that movie, possibly a two-part epic, but despite spending years developing it has seemed no closer to actually rolling cameras.

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    Now, though, talking to Joe Rogan on his podcast, Gibson says that he’s hoping to start shooting the new movie in 2026, and that it is currently called ‘The Resurrection of the Christ.’

    When Rogan asked who would be starring as Jesus, Gibson told him that ‘Passion’ actor Jim Caviezel would be back in the lead role, with digital de-aging technology employed to wipe 20 years from Caviezel’s looks.

    There was chatter last September about Gibson being spotted scouting locations in Malta and the Southern Italian region of Puglia where he visited various rural locations, including the ancient towns of Ginosa, Gravina Laterza and Altamura, but the director himself didn’t comment.

    Related Article: Mel Gibson and Mason Thames Talk New Family Film ‘Monster Summer’

    What did Mel Gibson say about the ‘Resurrection of the Christ’ script?

    Jim Caviezel as Jesus Christ in 2004's 'The Passion of the Christ'. Photo: Icon Productions.
    Jim Caviezel as Jesus Christ in 2004’s ‘The Passion of the Christ’. Photo: Icon Productions.

    Gibson has been at work on the sequel’s script with Randall Wallace, who has written the likes of ‘Braveheart’ for the director and did uncredited screenplay polishes on ‘Hacksaw Ridge.’

    This was what Gibson told Rogan about the script so far:

    “There’s a lot required because it’s an acid trip. I’ve never read anything like this. My brother and I and Randall all sort of congregated on this. So there’s some good heads put together, but there’s some crazy stuff. And I think in order to really tell the story properly you have to really start with the fall of the angels, which means you’re in another place, you’re in another realm. You need to go to hell.”

    That lines up with some of what Gibson has said in the past, including in this interview with the National Catholic Register in which he said:

    “It’s not a linear narrative. You have to juxtapose the central event that I’m trying to tell with everything else around it in the future, in the past, and in other realms, and that’s kind of getting a little sci-fi out there.”

    What else is happening with Mel Gibson?

    Mel Gibson in 'Monster Summer'. Photo: Pastime Pictures.
    Mel Gibson in ‘Monster Summer’. Photo: Pastime Pictures.

    Next up for Gibson cinematically is his latest directing gig, action thriller ‘Flight Risk,’ which stars Mark Wahlberg. It’ll land in theaters on January 24th.

    Acting-wise, Gibson is part of the cast for action pic ‘Mermaid,’ which sees a single father looking to protect his daughter from the corrupt world around them.

    And in real life, terms, the actor/filmmaker recently faced the challenge of losing one of his homes in the wildfires ravaging the hills above Los Angeles.

    Here’s what he told NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas Reports:

    “I thought ‘I wonder if my place is still there’, but when I got home, sure enough, it wasn’t there. I’ve never seen such a complete burn. It is obviously devastating, it’s emotional. I lived there for about 14, 15 years so it was home to me. I had a lot of personal things there that I can’t get back –– everything from photographs to files to just personal things that I had from over the years. That can all be replaced. These are only things. And the good news is that those in my family and those I love are all well, and we’re all happy and healthy and out of harm’s way.”

    What has Mel Gibson said about ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’?

    Willem Dafoe as Jesus in director Martin Scorsese's 'The Last Temptation of Christ'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    Willem Dafoe as Jesus in director Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    While ‘The Passion’ is Gibson’s most prominent Jesus-themed cinematic experience, he nearly showed up in another, years earlier.

    As part of the Rogan podcast, Gibson revealed that, while in London and sick with food poisoning in the late 1980s, he was contacted by Martin Scorsese about starring in ‘The Last Temptation of Christ.’

    This is what Gibson recalls:

    “While I was there, Scorsese calls the room and says, ‘Come here, I want to talk to you.’ I go and I talk to Martin and he’s in his room and all the windows, the screens, he’s drawn on. He’s got 18 different TVs going on at the same time in this dark room. He’s talking to me about ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’ and he wants me to play Jesus and I said, ‘Wow. I’m not doing that.’ ”

    Still, Gibson goes on to say that he’s happy that Willem Dafoe took the role on instead, admitting:

    “He did something that I think nobody else did and I think he pulled it off because I totally believed it. He emptied himself out. He invited something else in. He meditated and let Christ in.”

    When will ‘The Resurrection of the Christ’ be in theaters?

    Though it has been in development since at least 2016, Gibson’s new movie has yet to secure

    (L to R) Mason Thames and Mel Gibson star in 'Monster Summer'.
    (L to R) Mason Thames and Mel Gibson star in ‘Monster Summer’.

    List of Mel Gibson Movies:

    Buy Mel Gibson Movies on Amazon

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  • ‘Monster Summer’ Interview: Mel Gibson and Mason Thames

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    Opening in theaters on October 4th is the new spooky family adventure film ‘Monster Summer’, which was directed by actor David Henrie (‘Reagan’).

    The film stars Mason Thames (‘The Black Phone’), Kevin James (‘Grown Ups’), Lorraine Bracco (‘Goodfellas’), and Oscar-winner Mel Gibson (‘Lethal Weapon’ and ‘Braveheart’).

    Related Article: Ethan Hawke Talks New Horror Film ‘The Black Phone’

    (L to R) Mason Thames and Mel Gibson star in 'Monster Summer'.
    (L to R) Mason Thames and Mel Gibson star in ‘Monster Summer’.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with Mel Gibson and Mason Thames to talk about their work on ‘Monster Summer’, Thames’ first reaction to the screenplay, Noah’s friendship with Gene, Gibson’s approach to his character, and his experience working with the young cast and actor-turned-director David Henrie.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.

    Mason Thames in 'Monster Summer'. Photo: Pastime Pictures.
    Mason Thames in ‘Monster Summer’. Photo: Pastime Pictures.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Mason, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and joining this spooky family adventure?

    Mason Thames: Yeah, the way you just described it is so perfect, but it was just something that you don’t really see very often, and especially getting to work with Mel. I was like, “Oh, this is just a no-brainer,” so I just jumped at it. Especially, David, the director, he was the nicest person I think I’ve ever met in my life, and he had a vision for it, and getting to be a part of that was a lot of fun.

    MF: Mel, can you talk about your approach to playing Gene, the great loss he has suffered and the friendship he forms with Noah?

    Mel Gibson: Well, he’s lived life and he’s in the third act. So, he’s retired, and he’s obviously got a lot of stuff behind him, pain and stories and experience, and some of the experiences he’s had, he’s forgotten. I think meeting this kid fills a gap that was missing in his life. He was just some old guy with a hat that lived alone. Everyone thinks he buried his wife in the garden, and a lot of stories going around about the guy. Then, of course, he gets to do what he’s good at. He has a talent because he’s an old detective, and so there’s a mystery and they solve this mystery together, and it’s really a buddy movie.

    (L to R) Mel Gibson and Mason Thames in 'Monster Summer'. Photo: Pastime Pictures.
    (L to R) Mel Gibson and Mason Thames in ‘Monster Summer’. Photo: Pastime Pictures.

    MF: Mason, how would you describe the friendship Noah forms with Gene?

    MT: Noah’s father, he died, and he was a journalist. He was missing that father figure, and in a weird way, I don’t think he was seeking it, but he found one with Gene and solving this mystery, and the weird adventure they went on. I really love that dynamic they have. It was fun to do.

    MF: What was your experience like working with Mel and creating that relationship with him?

    MT: It was a lot of fun. It was easy, especially working with him. We didn’t have much time, but we clicked easily, so it was a lot of fun.

    Mel Gibson in 'Monster Summer'. Photo: Pastime Pictures.
    Mel Gibson in ‘Monster Summer’. Photo: Pastime Pictures.

    MF: Mel, in addition to being an actor you are also an Oscar-winning director. What was it like working with David Henrie, who is also an actor-turned-director?

    MG: I had a lot of empathy, and ditto what Mason said. David’s the nicest guy in the world, honestly. He truly is. So, it was so good to work with him. He’s humble, so that if I had a suggestion, he was like, “Oh yeah, let’s hear that,” or whatever. It’s a no-brainer, also. I had coffee with the guy, and I said, “Let’s go to work, man.” That’s usually what it takes, and then if there’s wrinkles in the script or story points or any of that stuff, you say, “Well, we’re going to be able to take care of that because you and I are on the same page.”

    MF: Were there any changes you needed made to the script to play the character?

    MG: I don’t know. I’m sure I had a say in what was happening. I even invented a whole backstory for the guy, and then spat it out on camera and it seemed to work. We’ll see.

    Mason Thames in 'Monster Summer'. Photo: Pastime Pictures.
    Mason Thames in ‘Monster Summer’. Photo: Pastime Pictures.

    MF: Finally, what was it like working with Mason and the younger cast members?

    MG: It’s great. It’s fantastic. I love working with young actors because I think that they’ve got this raw material, this diamond in the rough kind of thing, and you just watch them do it, and there’s a sense of truth in it that you can’t pretend really. It comes from a youthful innocence and exuberance and everything. It’s like, “Hey, that makes me feel younger,” when I work with young people.

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    What is the plot of ‘Monster Summer’?

    When a mysterious force begins to disrupt their big summer fun, Noah (Mason Thames) and his friends, team up with a retired police detective (Mel Gibson) to embark on a monstrous adventure to save their island.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Monster Summer’?

    'Monster Summer' opens in theaters on October 4th. Photo: Pastime Pictures.
    ‘Monster Summer’ opens in theaters on October 4th. Photo: Pastime Pictures.

    List of Mel Gibson Movies:

    Buy Mel Gibson Movies on Amazon

  • ‘Desperation Road’ Interview: Director Nadine Crocker

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    Opening in theaters and On Demand beginning October 6th is the new thriller ‘Desperation Road,’ which was directed by Nadine Crocker (‘Continue’).

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    What is the plot of ‘Desperation Road’?

    ‘Desperation Road’ is a Southern Noir thriller, set in a tough-and-tumble Mississippi town where a woman (Willa Fitzgerald) and her young daughter are caught in the crossfire when whiskey, guns, and the desire for revenge violently intersect.

    Mel Gibson and director Nadine Crocker on the set of 'Desperation Road.'
    (L to R) Mel Gibson and director Nadine Crocker on the set of ‘Desperation Road.’ Photo Credit: Steven Squall.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Desperation Road’?

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Nadine Crocker about her work on ‘Desperation Road,’ her first reaction to the screenplay, Willa Fitzgerald’s brave performance, directing Oscar-winning filmmaker Mel Gibson, Garrett Hedlund’s process, working with Ryan Hurst, navigating the movie’s different storylines, and the film’s themes of family.

    Director Nadine Crocker on the set of 'Desperation Road.'
    Director Nadine Crocker on the set of ‘Desperation Road.’ Photo Credit: Steven Squall.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and the themes that you were excited to explore with this movie?

    Nadine Crocker: My first reaction to the screenplay was love. Honestly, it was such a beautiful story and it took several times reading to understand the balance of what is important to me and what I wanted to really dive into with (screenwriter) Michael Ferris Smith, and he was extremely collaborative. Honestly, from the first time we met, it was just such a beautiful experience and he really honored everything that was important to me. He really gave me freedom to collaborate and to adapt the things that were important. To answer the rest of your question, this is a story of a mother who’s desperately trying to provide for her child and who has no means to. For me, I am a mother, so that was extremely important to me. But also when me and my husband first found out we were pregnant, we were servers and bartenders, we were desperate to just get it right. I could relate on such a deep level with this woman who just wanted to get it right, just wanted to find her child a home, and it just felt like everything went wrong that could possibly go wrong. I was just like, I want to protect this woman and child. I want to be with them and I want to go on this journey with them. So that’s what thrust me into this story. Also the overall message was really important to me. You’re not expecting it because it’s a thriller and we have so much fun action, but it’s really a beautiful drama at its heart, and these performances and these characters are just heartbreaking. It’s this overall message of forgiveness and redemption, and how we’re all connected. So for me it was like, yes, I’m in. It’s just all of those things. I tend to try and attach myself to films that have a message that I can really get behind, and a message that is very easy to get excited about. I do think we’re all connected and that we all deserve forgiveness, so it was a really easy film to fall in love with.

    Related Article: ‘Reacher’ Actress Willa Fitzgerald Talks Watergate Comedy ’18 ½’

    Willa Fitzgerald in 'Desperation Road.'
    Willa Fitzgerald in ‘Desperation Road.’

    MF: Can you talk about Willa Fitzgerald’s extremely brave performance and was she ready to go to all the dark places she needed to go to emotionally for this role when she arrived on set?

    NC: Willa is a beast. She does not need help to get there emotionally, I’ll say. But she’s so open and trusting of collaboration, and I think because I’ve had a journey in my life. I’ve come from hardship, I have been through a lot of things, and I’m also a mother. So I think it helped us to bond even further and we were able to dive to really deep places because we talked about those things. For me, I’m an open book. There’s not anything that I hide. If they have questions, I’m like, here’s the truth, this is what it was like. So we dive in and it was just such a beautiful experience getting to work with her. She is such a powerful woman and creator, and having her be so collaborative, open and just take everything that you have to give, it’s just such a giving experience. It was magical. It really was. Her performance is just so grounded and strong, and you would never know that she doesn’t have a child. Honestly, I was just so proud of her and her work.

    Mel Gibson and director Nadine Crocker on the set of 'Desperation Road.'
    (L to R) Mel Gibson and director Nadine Crocker on the set of ‘Desperation Road.’ Photo Credit: Steven Squall.

    MF: Can you also talk about directing Mel Gibson? Obviously, he is an Oscar-winning filmmaker in his own right, what was the collaboration like between the two of you on set?

    NC: Honestly, that was one of the hardest things. You grow up watching him and then also you revere him as a filmmaker. He has so many Oscars and he has so many incredible films. ‘Braveheart,’ ‘Apocalypto,’ ‘Hacksaw Ridge,’ all of them. So it was intimidating at first, but from our first meeting, he was so kind and supportive, and asked so many great questions. He just was so collaborative and open, and so it was such a beautiful experience. But also then you get to set, and we only had 16 days to make this film, so you’re like, okay, I want to be extremely collaborative and I want to do all of these things. But we also were on such a time crunch, and I only had him for so many days, so how do we do it all in such a short time? He was just so understanding and collaborative. I think that’s where that directing side came in, because it’s like every day, any filmmaker knows the last scene before lunch, you want to just cry. You’re like, if I come back to this scene after lunch, I’m in trouble. I’d look at him and he’d be like, “We got this. We can get it before lunch.” It’s just those little moments where I’m like, “Oh my God, Mel Gibson just gave me a thumbs up and said, we got this. We’re going to do it.” It was such an incredible experience, and he was so giving and kind to work with, and he did. It was never a fight. Because I’m sure he has his opinions, and he’d ask me questions and just listen to my answers so fully and be like, “Okay.” It was just so exciting. For me it was the energy that kept all of us going and moving, just having such open collaborators with us in this process.

    Garrett Hedlund in 'Desperation Road.'
    Garrett Hedlund in ‘Desperation Road.’

    MF: Did Garrett Hedlund come to set with his character fully formed, or did he find the character’s voice and movement on set while shooting?

    NC: Well, no. So truthfully, Garrett was the first person attached, so I think he had a long time to wrap his head around things that were important to him and to start building. But he also came out for all of prep. So he was there for all of pre-production. For me, that’s when I saw this character for real. Anytime when I was done working at the end of the day, we’d go and sit at this outdoor area that was in our hotel we were all staying at, and we’d just talk about the movie, the characters and everything for hours. He just takes his craft so seriously and he’s so impressive. But it was during that time of prep that I started to watch him change from Garrett ,who had become my really good friend and we had become close over the last year of getting this film to fruition. Then you just watch him start to morph. It was really important to him that he had a limp and that he had these old signs of the car accident he had been in, and wardrobe is really important to him, that it feels worn. He distressed all his own clothes and he wore them and he wore them every day, and he wore these boots in so that they felt like his worn boots he was returning to. So then you start to see this craft start to come to life, and it’s so impressive, fun and inspiring. But above him coming up with all of this beauty and watching this character grow, he’s still so open to discovering new things about him through what I would add or what I would give him. There might be people who’d be like, “No, I know him.” He was never that way. He’s always like, “Okay, so I do that.” Then you’re just watching him take it, breathe it and turn what you said into reality. It was so inspiring and exciting to watch as a director. That’s one of the things too, I try to stay out of their way when they start to fly. That’s some of the magic. You bring these little things and then they start to bring their own, and it’s like, “Don’t touch it. Don’t touch the magic. Let it just keep flowing because it’s such a beautiful thing to witness.”

    Mel Gibson and Paulina Gálvez in 'Desperation Road.'
    (L to R) Mel Gibson and Paulina Gálvez in ‘Desperation Road.’

    MF: The movie has several different storylines that eventually come together in a very organic way. Was that difficult to execute?

    NC: That is one of the difficult aspects of this film too, because for me, no one’s not important and everyone matters to me. One of the things that is the most important to me as a filmmaker when I come onto any project is, I think we fail the characters in a way if they’re not likable. We should be able to resonate with every person that’s in this film, even if it’s not our way of thinking. I want you to connect with them and with their struggles so that we can maybe understand why it is that they are that way. So that maybe, if we can identify with these characters, even though flawed and human, maybe we could identify with people in our own life in that way. So I try and keep them as grounded as humanly possible and make people empathize. In that, I think that their storylines come alive already. So for me, it was actually hard because I didn’t want to cut anything down. You want to honor each storyline so much. For me, one of the characters in the storylines is, Larry, by all accounts, you should not like (actor) Ryan Hurst or Larry, and I love him. I felt for him. Ryan is such an incredible actor, and honestly, I’d be in tears and it was just so beautiful to witness. I feel that way about all the characters and all of their struggles. By the end of it, I loved every single one of them so much, and I just wanted to honor their stories.

    Director Nadine Crocker on the set of 'Desperation Road.'
    Director Nadine Crocker on the set of ‘Desperation Road.’ Photo Credit: Steven Squall.

    MF: I’m glad you mentioned Ryan Hurst’s performance, because he is excellent in the movie. Was his character written like that on the page, or did he naturally bring that intense energy to the role?

    NC: Well, first of all, not to take anything away from Ryan. Ryan absolutely made that character. Everything I had ever dreamed that character would be, and from the first moment we sat down, he just gobbled it up and then made it his own. But Larry in particular for me was one of the people when I first came on, I was like, this character is really important to me. I felt as if, Michael Ferris Smith and I talked about this all the time. Larry was very unlikable for me because I’m so protective and this mom and her child are going through this experience. Larry’s just a bad man in that book. So for me, I felt it was a really beautiful experience or opportunity to show mental health struggles. It was clear that Larry struggled with alcoholism and it was clear that he was battling with these really dangerous tendencies of self-sabotage and self-harm, and it was like a mixture ready to explode. So that was something that was really important to me. As I worked on the script and rewrote closely with Michael Ferris Smith, that was one of the characters that was really important to me. So when I first sat down with Ryan, he was like, “All right, lay it on me.” Like they all do when you first sit down, they’re like, “Tell me what you think of him or what your interpretation is.” One of my favorite moments was sitting down with Ryan, because I had come up with this whole backstory, and I just had this story of Larry being a fighting dog, and essentially all he had ever known was violence. Then you put someone who’s only known violence in a domestic experience and then expect them to behave. It’s like you can’t have a dog that bites around children. So as his own way of self-sacrifice, we created all this stuff, and then Ryan made it reality. There’s a moment where he howls, and I just got the chills. He just embodies it in such an exciting way. As a filmmaker, I am really goofy on set, even as I’ll be crying, and then the scene will be over and I’ll karate kick off to the side. I tended to do that every time Ryan was done. They just made me so fueled because you’re watching someone just morph in front of your eyes. It’s so exciting.

    Garrett Hedlund and director Nadine Crocker on the set of 'Desperation Road.'
    (L to R) Garrett Hedlund and director Nadine Crocker on the set of ‘Desperation Road.’ Photo Credit: Steven Squall.

    MF: Finally, the movie deals with themes of family, including Russell and Mitchell’s father and son relationship, and the makeshift family that they create with Maben. Can you talk about those themes of family and how they unfold in this movie?

    NC: Truthfully, one of my favorite parts about it is that Mel is one of the best dramatic actors out there. You look at ‘The Patriot,’ or ‘Signs,’ he has done such immense dramatic work, and he’s done so much amazing action as well. But it was really important to me to see him be that incredible father I knew he could be, and to see that relationship just come to life. I wanted Mitchell to be like the dad we all need and want sometimes, who just gives you some advice. Mel and Garrett were really hands-on with that father-son scene on the porch, and took it very seriously. They even took a moment where they wanted to talk about the writing and really dive deep on that scene, because there was so many things that were important to both of them and their characters point of view. Then the family dynamic of it all just really unfolded so beautifully because these characters were so grounded and beautiful, and their relationships were just blossoming. It was the thing that was most important to me going into it. There’s a line in the movie where Willa’s character Maben says to Russell, Garrett Hedlund, “Not everybody has somebody.” I’ve felt that so immensely at different times in my life, and I know other people have too. So I wanted to call to that fact that not all family is blood. Some of our closest family is actually not blood. It’s the people you choose and the people you find along the way. That was one of the things that was really important to me is that by the end of the film, this family that they’ve grown and this piece that they’ve found, that you just feel that hope in the end. That you realize through an act of kindness, we can change people’s lives. If Mitchell and Russell had never taken them in and done those things, all of it, it’s just sometimes these act of kindness can change people’s life. So it was an important theme that I wanted you to feel.

    'Desperation Road' opens in theaters and On Demand beginning October 6th.
    ‘Desperation Road’ opens in theaters and On Demand beginning October 6th.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Desperation Road’:

    Buy Mel Gibson Movies On Amazon

     

     

  • New Trailer for ‘The Continental’

    Despite the seemingly finality of the end of ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’, studio Lionsgate would dearly like to mine more from the successful franchise.

    For now, though, it’ll have to settle for the cinematic spin-off ‘Ballerina’ (starring Ana de Armas and due in theaters on June 7th next year) and three-part “event” TV series ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’, which has a new trailer online.

    Related Article: Teaser for ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’

    What’s the story of ‘The Continental’?

    Colin Woodell as Winston Scott in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    Colin Woodell as Winston Scott in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Starz Entertainment.

    The show aims to explore the origin behind the iconic hotel-for-assassins centerpiece of the ‘John Wick’ universe through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott (played in the movies by Ian McShane and here as a younger man by Colin Woodell), as he’s dragged into the Hell-scape of 1970’s New York City to face a past he thought he’d left behind.

    Winston charts a deadly course through the hotel’s mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the hotel where he will eventually take his future throne.

    And from the looks of this, we know his family will be in lethal danger from Mel Gibson’s criminal kingpin.

    Star Woodell said this to Empire about the narrative and how his Winston is different from McShane’s:

    “It’s a story of revenge and making amends for what I think is taken from my character, and that’s my love and my family. I love Ian’s embellishment of the character, and how delicious everything is. To some degree we begin to get there at the end of ‘The Continental’ and you understand what motivates him, but I didn’t get to really participate in that deliciousness.”

    The director speaks

    Mel Gibson as Cormac in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    Mel Gibson as Cormac in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo by: Katalin Vermes/Starz Entertainment.

    Here’s what director Albert Hughes (who made the first and third installments) had to say about the limited series:

    “Everyone loves escapism in cinema. As a filmmaker I wanted to honor the spirit of escapism and excitement from the film series while introducing new fans to a hyper-stylized world they’ve never seen before. Together, executive producer/writer Kirk Ward and I had several goals –– to explore the backstories of familiar ‘Wick’ characters, introduce new and exciting ones, dig deeper into the rules and mythology while expanding the physical scope of The Continental, showing fans areas of the iconic hotel they’ve never seen before. Kirk and I had the time of our lives creating this impressionistic spin on New York in the 70s. Even the soundtrack became a character in itself and reflects all that is American culture; a tapestry of distinct identities and experiences pieced together to create something truly unique.”

    Where and when can I see ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’?

    The series launches its first part on Peacock on Friday, September 22nd, with the next following on Friday, September 29th and the final chunk streaming on Friday, October 6th.

    Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’
    Colin Woodell as Winston Scott in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    Colin Woodell as Winston Scott in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Starz Entertainment.
    Colin Woodell as Winston Scott in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    Colin Woodell as Winston Scott in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Starz Entertainment.
    Marina Mazepa as Gretel, Mark Musashi as Hansel, Colin Woodell as Winston in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    (L to R) Marina Mazepa as Gretel, Mark Musashi as Hansel, Colin Woodell as Winston in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Starz Entertainment.
    Jessica Allain as Lou, Hubert Point-Du Jour as Miles, Colin Woodell as Winston, Adam Shapiro as Lemmy in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    (L to R) Jessica Allain as Lou, Hubert Point-Du Jour as Miles, Colin Woodell as Winston, Adam Shapiro as Lemmy in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Nelly Kiss/Starz Entertainment.
    Ayomide Adegun as Charon in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    Ayomide Adegun as Charon in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Starz Entertainment.
    Ayomide Adegun as Charon in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    Ayomide Adegun as Charon in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes /Starz Entertainment.
    Hubert Point-Du Jour as Miles, Jessica Allain as Lou in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    (L to R) Hubert Point-Du Jour as Miles, Jessica Allain as Lou in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Starz Entertainment.
    Mel Gibson as Cormac, Katie McGrath as Adjudicator in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    (L to R) Mel Gibson as Cormac, Katie McGrath as Adjudicator in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes /Starz Entertainment.
    Nhung Kate as Yen in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    Nhung Kate as Yen in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Nelly Kiss/Starz Entertainment.
    Mark Musashi as Hansel, Marina Mazepa as Gretel in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    (L to R) Mark Musashi as Hansel, Marina Mazepa as Gretel in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Starz Entertainment.
    Nhung Kate as Yen, Ben Robson as Frankie, and Colin Woodell as Winston in 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    (L to R) Nhung Kate as Yen, Ben Robson as Frankie, and Colin Woodell as Winston in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Starz Entertainment.
    Ben Robson as Frankie in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    Ben Robson as Frankie in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Starz Entertainment.
    Mishel Prada as KD in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    Mishel Prada as KD in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Starz Entertainment.
    Mishel Prada as KD in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    Mishel Prada as KD in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Starz Entertainment.
    Mishel Prada as KD in 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    Mishel Prada as KD in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Starz Entertainment.
    Jeremy Bobb as Mayhew in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    Jeremy Bobb as Mayhew in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Starz Entertainment.
    Jeremy Bobb as Mayhew, Mishel Prada as KD in Peacock's 'The Continental: From the World of John Wick.'
    (L to R) Jeremy Bobb as Mayhew, Mishel Prada as KD in Peacock’s ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick.’ Photo: Starz Entertainment.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick:’

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  • Teaser for ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’

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    What worked (mostly) for ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Marvel’ can work for everything, right? That appears to be the lesson that the producers of ‘John Wick’ have taken from Disney’s hunger to expand all of their storytelling universes outside of the movie sphere, with linked TV series on Disney+.

    Which means that the ‘Wick’ world is ever-growing, with a movie spin-off (‘Ballerina’, starring Ana de Armas) due next year, and before it, a TV prequel that aims to dig into the predictably violent history of the Continental hotel that forms a key part of the stories in each movie.

    It doesn’t hurt, of course, that the most recent main entry, ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ has scored a healthy $270 million worldwide since it landed near the end of March.

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    And now we have a first teaser for ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’ to offer a look at the show which, as you might expect, is full of bloody violence and guns. Lots of guns.

    ‘The Continental’ will air on Peacock in September.
    ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’ will air on Peacock in September.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

    What is ‘The Continental’ about?

    According to the official blurb, the new “TV event” (think three 90-minute episodes, a little like the way the BBC’s ‘Sherlock’ used to run) will explore the origin behind the hotel-for-assassins, which has long become the centerpiece of the ‘John Wick’ universe.

    This will be accomplished through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott, who is dragged into the Hellscape of a 1975 New York City to face a past he thought he’d left behind. Winston charts a deadly course through the New York’s mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the iconic hotel, which serves as the meeting point for the world’s most dangerous criminals.

    ‘Ambulance’s Colin Woodell plays the younger Winston (the character brought to life in the movies by Ian McShane) while Ayomide Adegun is Charon (the future concierge of the hotel, where he’s played by the late, great Lance Reddick).

    At this point in the story, the Concierge is someone played by Sallay Garnett. And possibly the biggest –– and most controversial –– piece of casting is Mel Gibson, who plays a character called Cormac. He doesn’t appear in the trailer, so it’s impossible to say how he fits into the story.

    What we do know is that the show is bursting with 1970s style and the usual brunch of quirky assassins.

    The cast for this one also includes Nhung Kate, Adam Shapiro, Katie McGrath, Jeremy Bobb, Ray McKinnon and Peter Greene, who appears to be playing the younger version of cleaner-for-hire Charlie.

    Given the time period, we doubt Wick himself will make an appearance, unless there’s a sneaky shot of an orphaned child or teenager being shown how to use a gun.

    ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’ will air on Peacock in September.

    ‘The Continental’ will air on Peacock in September.
    ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick’ will air on Peacock in September.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘The Continental: From the World of John Wick:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy ‘John Wick’ Movies On Amazon

     

  • Keanu Reeves to Appear in ‘John Wick’ Spin-Off ‘Ballerina’

    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in 'John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.'
    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.’

    The ‘John Wick’ universe just continues to expand, with a fourth main movie headed our way in a few months (and giving out cryptic social media clues about… something – probably a trailer) and ‘The Continental’ TV series making its way through post-production after shooting this year.

    Attention is now turning to ‘Ballerina’, the movie spin-off of the ‘Wick’ films, which stars Ana de Armas.

    Len Wiseman, better known for the likes of the ‘Underworld’ franchise and ‘Live Free or Die Hard’, is in the director’s chair for the movie, which has a script from ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ co-writer Shay Hatten.

    Lionsgate has announced that Ian McShane, who has played Winston, the complicated manager of the Continental Hotel seen in the movies, will be back to reprise the role.

    Collider, meanwhile, has learned that the key figure in the entire franchise – that would be Keanu Reeves, who plays John Wick himself – will also show up in the spin-off.

    There is, of course, no information about what Wick might be doing in the movie (besides kicking, punching and shooting people, we can only assume), or how big his involvement will be beyond a potential cameo, since this is really intended to focus on de Armas’ character.

    Ana de Armas in 'The Gray Man.'
    Ana de Armas in ‘The Gray Man.’ Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.

    ‘Ballerina’ will follow the Ballerina character glimpsed briefly (and there played by Unity Phelan) in ‘Parabellum’ and tracks a young assassin who seeks revenge against the people who killed her family. So… yes, very much a ‘John Wick’ story.

    “We’re thrilled to have Ian McShane joining us for a pivotal role in ‘Ballerina’, says producer Basil Iwanyk. “He’s been such an integral part of the franchise since the original John Wick. It’s been fun to have him on this journey as the Wick universe expands.”

    There is no statement about Reeves – but then, his presence is probably something the producers were trying to keep quiet a little longer. And the studio has yet to reveal who else is in the cast, but with cameras now rolling, expect more details soon.

    ‘The Continental’, which focuses on a younger iteration of Winston, is also due on screens in 2023 via Peacock. That show features Mel Gibson, Colin Woodell, Nhung Kate and Katie McGrath in its ensemble.

    The fourth ‘Wick’ movie, meanwhile, finds Reeves in familiar territory. “John Wick takes on his most lethal adversaries yet in the upcoming fourth installment of the series,” reads the official logline for the next movie. “With the price on his head ever increasing, Wick takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Osaka to Berlin.”

    ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ lands in theaters on March 24th next year. ‘Ballerina’ has yet to confirm a release date.

    Ian McShane in 'John Wick: Chapter 2'
    Ian McShane in ‘John Wick: Chapter 2’
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  • Josh Duhamel and Elisha Cuthbert Talk ‘Bandit’

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    Opening in theaters and on demand beginning September 23rd is the new crime movie ‘Bandit,’ which was directed by Allan Ungar (‘Gridlocked’) and is based on a true story.

    The new movie is based on the true-life story of Gilbert Galvan Jr., also known as “The Flying Bandit,” who robbed 59 banks and jewelry stores in Canada while being chased by a police task force.

    ‘Transformers’ actor Josh Duhamel stars as Galvan, also known as Robert Whiteman, and ‘24’ actress Elisha Cuthbert plays his wife, Andrea Hudson, who is unaware of his criminal background. ‘The Dark Knight’s Nestor Carbonell portrays John Snydes, the law officer chasing Galvan, and Oscar-winner Mel Gibson rounds out the cast as Tommy Kay, Galvan’s criminal partner.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Josh Duhamel and Elisha Cuthbert about their work on ‘Bandit,’ the true story it is based on, their characters, director Allan Ungar’s vision for the project, and working with the legendary Mel Gibson.

    Josh Duhamel and Elisha Cuthbert star in 'Bandit.'
    (L to R) Josh Duhamel and Elisha Cuthbert star in ‘Bandit.’

    You can read our interview with Josh Duhamel and Elisha Cuthbert below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Duhamel, Cuthbert, Nestor Carbonell, and director Allan Ungar.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Josh, how familiar were you with the true story the movie is based on, and what were some of the aspects of the character that you were excited to explore with this project?

    Josh Duhamel: Well, of course I read the book and got to know Gilbert a little bit before we started. I was really mostly curious about picking his brain about how emotionally, what he went through from the first time he did it and what made him want to keep doing it. I think it became as much about the adrenaline as it was about the money. There was that thrill in each one of these heists that he found and creating these characters and staking the place out.

    So, all that stuff to me was what really made me want to do it and get inside of his head. It’s like, “Why did you do it in the first place? What made you keep wanting to do it? And why couldn’t you stop?” It became almost like an addiction, I think, in some ways. But it was one of the most fun times I think I’ve ever had making a movie because Alan Ungar and Elisha are a blast to work with. We just let it rip. We had fun and whatever happened, happened. I tried to bring out the spirit of Gilbert as much as I could because the guy is a gambler, a hundred percent.

    MF: Elisha, what does Andrea initially see in Gilbert/Robert, and how does she feel when she realizes that she has been living a lie?

    Elisha Cuthbert: I think Gilbert was extremely charming in a lot of ways, probably. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to have conversations with his actual wife and a lot of what I had to go off of was through Gilbert’s interpretation of who she was and how that relationship transpired. So, for me, I just feel like I would imagine that he was very charismatic, exciting and interesting, and they found each other at that sort of perfect time.

    Then obviously when things shift, without giving away too much, I think it really turns everything upside down. There’re children involved, and it gets messy. But I think at some point she wants to just go along with it. She’s probably so in love that she doesn’t want to see anything end, but at the same time, the reality of it is they’re in deep and he’s doing a lot of crazy things. So, it’s kind of fun to watch her journey through that too. The discovery of all of it and how she reacts. But all of my performance came out of Gilbert’s book and interviews and is really his point of view.

    Josh Duhamel as Gilbert Galvan Jr/Robert Whiteman and Elisha Cuthbert as Andrea Hudson in 'Bandit.'
    (L to R) Josh Duhamel as Gilbert Galvan Jr/Robert Whiteman and Elisha Cuthbert as Andrea Hudson in ‘Bandit.’

    MF: Josh, can you talk about Gilbert’s relationship with Tommy, why Gilbert decide to protect him, and what it was like for you acting opposite Mel Gibson?

    JD: I think first of all, he wanted to protect Tommy because this is a guy that never really had a strong family household. Tommy started to feel like family to him. He held onto that stuff really tightly. Part of the reason why he did all this was because he so desperately wanted that family life that he never got as a kid and he wanted to create that. So, the only way to support that in his mind was by this continuous cycle of robbing these banks. It’s almost like he couldn’t find a way out of it.

    As far as working with Mel, I loved working with him. He’s always been one of my favorites and a guy that I’ve always watched and admired, especially directorially. He is amazing actor too, but the stuff he’s done, to see these giant movies that this guy’s directed blew me away. I picked his brain a lot about that.

    MF: Finally, Elisha, what was your experience like working with Josh and watching him play this outrageous character?

    EC: Josh was so much fun. Reading the script originally, I was really focused on Andrea obviously, so I didn’t realize what Josh was going to do with his role. But when we got to set, to see Josh put these different prosthetics on and really go for it, I mean it was laugh out loud, funny stuff. It was like he brought it to life in such a way that I was just in awe watching. It was so much fun, and it was hot. We were in Georgia, it was June, and it was really toasty.

    JD: But we had to make it look like it was November in Ottawa.

    EC: Right. But it was a great time. It was a lot of fun working with Josh. A lot of fun.

    JD: Likewise.

    Josh Duhamel as Gilbert Galvan Jr/Robert Whiteman in 'Bandit.'
    Josh Duhamel as Gilbert Galvan Jr/Robert Whiteman in ‘Bandit.’
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  • Movie Review: ‘Father Stu’

    Mark Wahlberg in Father Stu
    Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Father Stu.’ Photo: Karen Ballard. Copyright: © 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights.

    Opening in theaters on April 13th is the new movie ‘Father Stu,’ which marks the directorial debut of Rosalind Ross. Based on a true story, the film stars Mark Wahlberg as Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-actor who decides to become a priest and is then diagnosed with inclusion body myositis.

    In addition to Wahlberg, the cast also includes Jacki Weaver, Mel Gibson, Malcolm McDowell, and Teresa Ruiz. The result is a surprisingly well-made and touching faith-based film, that never forces the faith on you, and is grounded by Mark Wahlberg’s strong and dedicated performance.

    The movie begins by introducing us to Stu Long (Wahlberg), an over-the-hill boxer on the verge of retirement. Not sure what to do next, Stu moves to Hollywood to become an actor. While auditioning for projects, Stu gets a job working as a butcher, and soon meets Carmen (Ruiz). Smitten with her, he joins her church in hopes of getting to know her. However, Carmen makes it clear that she only dates Catholics. So, Stu decides to get baptized and join the church.

    Stu and Carmen soon fall in love but are challenged when Stu has a terrible motorcycle accident. Stu believes that God saved his life, and in a surprising and difficult decision, he decides to become a priest. Neither Carmen, Stu’s mother Kathleen (Weaver), or his estranged father Bill (Gibson) understand his choice and all three try to convince Stu to change his mind.

    He joins the seminary but soon discovers he has IDM, a rare muscle disease. Now, against the odds, Stu will have to his fight for his life while working towards his goal of serving God and becoming a priest.

    Mark Wahlberg and Jacki Weaver in 'Father Stu.'
    (L to R) Mark Wahlberg and Jacki Weaver in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Father Stu.’

    Mark Wahlberg famously played a boxer once before in director David O. Russell’s brilliant ‘The Fighter,’ which was also based on a true story. While ‘Father Stu’ isn’t quite on the same level as ‘The Fighter,’ it was surprisingly good and an enjoyable watch.

    Wahlberg is clearly dedicated to the role and transforms himself physically several times throughout the film. But his personality also fits the character of Stu perfectly. Stu is optimistic, charismatic, and a dreamer full of energy, boxes that Wahlberg’s persona all check. But the actor is also a devout Catholic and brings that reverence for the church to his performance.

    ‘Father Stu’ is a faith-based movie, but in many ways it’s the best kind of faith-based movie. My issue with faith-based movies in general is that the “faith” part always seems to come out of left field and is shoehorned into the main story. But with ‘Father Stu’ the “faith” is baked into the story and is necessary to the overall plot, so it never feels forced. The movie is about the “faith” that Stu eventually finds, first through Carmen, then through the church, and ultimately by reuniting with his estranged family after his illness.

    Actress Teresa Ruiz gives a very good performance as Carmen and has great chemistry with Wahlberg. You can understand why Stu falls for her and goes to such great lengths for her love. As an audience, we begin to root for them as a couple, which is why it’s so devastating when Stu tells her he’s joining the seminary, and you can see the pain on Carmen’s face.

    Actress Jacki Weaver seems to have a lock on playing worried mothers after her Oscar nominated roles in ‘Animal Kingdom’ and ‘Silver Linings Playbook,’ and gives another strong performance as Stu’s concerned mom. Kathleen Long has a very close relationship to her son, having raised him herself, and you can see that clearly in Weaver’s scenes with Wahlberg as the two have a very playful on-screen chemistry.

    Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson
    Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg) with his father Bill (Mel Gibson) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Father Stu.’ Photo: Karen Ballard. Copyright: © 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights.

    Mel Gibson plays Bill Long, Stu’s estranged and abusive father. He’s not a likable character yet Gibson plays it well, adding humanity where he can in the form of remorse for his past actions. He has some strong scenes with Wahlberg, and you can see where Stu’s anger and rage comes from. The character also has a nice redemption arc, as seen in a tender moment with Weaver at the film’s conclusion.

    Writer and director Rosalind Ross has delivered a strong debut film, however the movie is not without its faults. Some of the pacing is off, especially in the first half as it takes almost an hour before Stu even attends a church service. I understand that we need to set up the character and his life before Carmen and the church, but a lot of time was spent on his fledgling acting career, which didn’t seem important to the film and its overall themes.

    In the end, ‘Father Stu’ works because of its inspiring true story and Mark Wahlberg’s strong performance. The themes of faith are respectfully explored, and the movie makes for touching and entertaining viewing.

    ‘Father Stu’ receives 3.5 out of 5 stars.

    Mark Wahlberg in 'Father Stu.'
    Mark Wahlberg in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Father Stu.’
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  • Mark Wahlberg Talks ‘Father Stu’

    Mark Wahlberg in Father Stu
    Mark Wahlberg as Stuart Long in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Father Stu.’ Photo: Karen Ballard. Copyright: © 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights.

    Opening in theaters on April 13th is the new drama ‘Father Stu,’ which is based on a true story.

    Written and directed by Rosalind Ross, the movie stars Oscar-nominee Mark Wahlberg (‘The Departed’) as Father Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-Catholic priest suffering from a muscle disease who inspired countless people on his journey from self-destruction to redemption.

    In addition to Wahlberg, who is also a producer on the film, the cast includes Teresa Ruiz (‘Narcos: Mexico’), Niko Nicotera (‘Richard Jewell’), Oscar-nominee Jacki Weaver (‘Silver Linings Playbook’) and Oscar-winner Mel Gibson (‘Braveheart’).

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Mark Wahlberg about his work on ‘Father Stu.’

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    You can read our full interview with Mark Wahlberg below, or watch a video of our interviews with Wahlberg, Jacki Weaver, Teresa Ruiz, and writer/director Rosalind Ross by clicking on the player above.

    Moviefone: To begin with, this is a personal project for you that you have stated parallels your own life in some ways. Can you talk about that and what this project means to you?

    Mark Wahlberg: It’s an opportunity for me to just start to do more things that have real substance and can be helpful to people. I love to make movies that make people laugh and entertain people and is escape for a couple of hours. But it’s also a very important reminder, in these very difficult times that people are going to support each other and love each other.

    So, to have that message of inspiration and hope is really important. People need to hear that right now. We really go on an emotional journey, but I think it challenges people to look inside and maybe do a little bit more and dig a little deeper.

    MF: You go through several physical transformations in this movie. As someone known for working out, can you talk about the physical challenges of taking on this role?

    MW: Well, I got a wake-up call in that I thought, “Okay, I got to put on 30 pounds in six weeks. This is going to be great. This is going to be fun.” But nothing on the menu were things that I desired or craved. It was just way more protein, way more starch, way more eggs, drinking olive oil, the most random things, and lots of salts, and sodium’s to get bloated at the end of it. It was just miserable.

    Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson
    Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg) with his father Bill (Mel Gibson) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Father Stu.’ Photo: Karen Ballard. Copyright: © 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights.

    MF: Did you have an opportunity to speak with Stu’s father Bill, and if so, what did you learn from talking to him?

    MW: Yeah. I spent quite a bit of time getting to know them, fellow seminarians, priests, friends from his childhood, and people from his congregation. We always want to make sure that we get it right. When playing somebody and telling a real-life story, you have to deal with it with the sensitivity and respect that it deserves.

    Reaching out to everybody and making sure you’re very clear about what your intentions are, getting to know them, them allowing me in, and helping me to understand who Stu was, was invaluable information. So, all you really care about is their reaction to the film. If they’re happy, everything else is easy. If not, well, you failed miserably.

    MF: Finally, director Rosalind Ross said that the last movie Stu watched in a theater was ‘The Fighter’ starring you and Christian Bale. If he were still alive, what do you think his reaction would be to seeing you star in a movie about his life?

    MW: Well, both movies took six years from beginning to end to bring them to the big screen. But he’d say I probably wasn’t good looking enough, tough enough or fit enough, but I did pretty good. But I do think he would think that there’s nobody better for the part, based on my real-life experience.

    The way he was most effective was talking to people, who went through things that he had already gone through. He could speak a language that they understood and relate to them because of all of his real-life experience and his authenticity.

    Mark Wahlberg in Father Stu
    Mark Wahlberg as Stuart Long in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Father Stu.’ Photo: Karen Ballard. Copyright: © 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights.
    p0GX3PsWJYDhLSLzyRkZZ6

  • Charlie Hunnam and Cast Talk ‘Last Looks’

    Charlie Hunnam as Charlie Waldo in 'Last Looks'
    Charlie Hunnam as Charlie Waldo in ‘Last Looks’

    Opening in theaters On Demand, and digital beginning February 4th is the new mystery-action-comedy ‘Last Looks,’ which is based on the novel of the same name by author Howard Michael Gould.

    Directed by Tim Kirkby (‘Action Point’), the movie stars Charlie Hunnam (‘The Gentlemen’), Morena Baccarin (‘Deadpool’), Lucy Fry (‘Bright’), Rupert Friend (‘The French Dispatch’), Dominic Monaghan (‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’), Clancy Brown (‘The Shawshank Redemption’), Method Man (‘Garden State’), and Academy Award winner Mel Gibson (‘Braveheart’).

    The movie follows disgraced LAPD detective Charlie Waldo (Hunnam), who is now living life as a recluse in the woods. But when eccentric TV star Alastair Pinch’s wife is murdered, he is convinced to investigate the murder as a private investigator, and all signs are pointing to Pinch (Gibson) as the killer.

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    Moviefone recently had an opportunity to speak with actors Charlie Hunnam, Morena Baccarin and Lucy Fry about their work on ‘Last Looks.’ You can read a full transcript of the interviews below, or watch the interviews in the video player above.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Charlie, can you talk about your character and where we find him at the beginning of the movie?

    Charlie Hunnam: He is in exile. He’s serving his penance up a mountain in Idlewild, which is a mountainous area outside of Los Angeles. What led him there is a mistake that he made while he was a LAPD detective.

    The backstory is that he was this wonderkid detective who had this meteoric rise through the ranks of the LAPD detective unit and then realized he’d made a mistake. It’s very hard to undo mistakes in the judicial system. He can’t forgive himself for this mistake he’s made. So, he has a little bit of a nervous breakdown and goes up the mountain to try to put his life back together.

    MF: Morena, can you talk about your character’s backstory and why she seeks out Waldo’s help?

    Morena Baccarin: Well, she was a big part of his life before he decided to ghost her and go up into the mountains. These two have a long history of just being crazy in love, but also having a very complicated relationship where their biggest vulnerabilities is the distrust they have for each other, that is not always founded in anything other than their own issues. So, she just can’t let it rest.

    I think it’s both for selfish reasons and also for him. I think this case is a big deal and could really send her into PI stardom. I think also, she has this nagging feeling that something is wrong with him and that she needs to get him out of this crazy situation he’s gotten himself into. So, she won’t take no for an answer. She comes knocking on his door and even when he does say, “No,” she does not let it happen.

    Lucy Fry as Jayne White in 'Last Looks'
    Lucy Fry as Jayne White in ‘Last Looks’

    MF: Lucy, when we meet your character she is working as a teacher not because she wants to be but because her parents want her to. Can you talk about that?

    Lucy Fry: There was part of the story where her father is the principal of the school. Her backstory is that she has had addiction problems in the past. Her dad’s tried to get her back on her feet and get her working again.

    So, she’s this kindergarten teacher because she wasn’t actually fully qualified, but she has the family-ins to teaching at the school. But that isn’t her passion, and she’s looking for that thrill in whatever way she can get it.

    MF: Charlie, what was your reaction to the noir elements of the screenplay when you first read it?

    CH: I think that was designed by Howard Gould, the writer of this. He’s a huge neo-noir fan, and he really has encyclopedic knowledge. There’s not a film made in that genre that he doesn’t intimately know. So, this was steeped in that.

    It was interesting, how this actually happened. Howard wrote this as a spec screenplay, which means that he just wrote the idea speculatively; he wasn’t writing it for a company. Then, he fell in love with Charlie and this world so much, that he actually went and wrote a novel, which bloomed into a series of novels.

    So, he’s now written three and is in the middle of writing the fourth novel. But I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a novel adapted from a screenplay before. It’s always a screenplay adapted from a novel.

    So, it’s interesting that this character just grew inside of Howard in that way, and he decided to change his profession from screenwriter to novelist so that he could pursue writing more of this world. So, if people like this film, hopefully we’ll be able to go back and make another one of these; adapted from one of the other novels.

    Morena Baccarin as Lorena Nascimento in 'Last Looks'
    Morena Baccarin as Lorena Nascimento in ‘Last Looks’

    MF: Morena, did you have a chance to speak with Howard Gould about the script and was he able to give you any insight to your character?

    MB: Yeah, we talked quite extensively, and especially on set, he was there a lot. I really enjoyed speaking to him about it. I think at one point, correct me if I’m wrong, Charlie, maybe he was developing it as a series as well; a TV series.

    There were a lot of incarnations of these characters. He just was really helpful discussing tone and how to in the book, when you’re reading, it’s just right there on the page, and it’s so easy to imagine the film noir aspect of it.

    But when you’re doing it adapted, and it’s also present day, and you’re dealing with Hollywood and all these things, you can lose some of that grittiness. So, it was really helpful to have him around to discuss the tone of the piece.

    Then, he paid me the biggest compliment ever, because he was starting to write his other book and he said, “I can’t get you out of the character now.” I’m like, great. It means I’ve done my job. So, it was a really nice marrying of the two worlds. I very much dove deep, read all the books and really enjoyed getting to know the character.

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