(L to R) Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Preview:
Disney is in early development on a ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ sequel.
Writer Aline Brosh McKenna is scripting the new movie.
Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt may return, but Anne Hathaway is yet to be confirmed.
One of the movies where there is lot of chatter about a potential sequel, but little actual forward movement, has just shifted into more likely territory.
According to Puck (and since confirmed by the likes of Deadline), original screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna is writing the script, with producer Wendy Finerman aboard and director David Frankel in talks.
While Streep and Blunt, are reportedly close to a potential deal to return, Hathaway (who has been outspoken about not being convinced it could work) is not yet, But the trio recently reunited at the SAG awards and made plenty of references to the original.
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What was the story of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’?
(L to R) Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Adapted by McKenna from Lauren Weisberger’s novel and directed by Frankel, the 2006 original follows Andy Sachs (Hathaway), a recent journalism graduate who moves to New York City and lands a job as a junior assistant to Miranda Priestly (Streep), the powerful and demanding editor-in-chief of high-fashion magazine Runway, with Blunt as Emily, Priestly’s primary aide.
Andy initially struggles with the high-pressure environment and Miranda’s relentless demands but gradually adapts, gaining confidence and style. As she becomes more involved in her work, she faces personal challenges, including a strained relationship with her boyfriend, Nate (Adrian Grenier), and ethical dilemmas about the fashion industry’s values.
What would the new movie be about?
Anne Hathaway in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Assuming the cast can be all be convinced to return (is that truckloads of cash being driven to their respective homes we hear?), the sequel’s plot would reportedly pick up the story with Priestly still the head of Runway, but the magazine has endured the financial headwinds of contemporary publishing and is in a diminished state.
Blunt’s one-time assistant would now be an executive at a luxury brand conglomerate that advertises with Runway.
We’ll have to see if this one actually makes it out of the development phase, but Disney is rarely one to let an opportunity like this go to waste.
What else is happening in the ‘Devil Wears Prada’ world?
Vanessa Williams in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ musical. Photo: Prada West End Instagram Account.
In addition to the sequel, a musical adaptation with an original score by Elton John, has just launched previews in the UK, kicking off in Plymouth ahead of a planned West End run.
Vanessa Williams is playing the Miranda Priestly role, and a first look at her on stage (well, rising on to it) is online via the production’s Instagram page.
Kumail Nanjiani in ‘The Big Sick.’ Photo: Amazon Studios.
Preview:
Kumail Nanjiani is the latest addition to ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 4.
The series stars Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.
Season 4 has just started shooting.
If there’s one thing that ‘Only Murders in the Building’ is known for despite its confounding, twisty murder mysteries, it’s the starry main and guest cast it is always able to attract.
Anchored by a crime-solving trio of amateur sleuth podcasters played by Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez. The three are more normally found solving –– and occasionally being falsely implicated in –– murders at the swanky Arconia apartment building in New York where they all live.
What’s the story of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 4?
(L to R) Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
Most details of the plot for the fourth season are themselves a mystery right now, though in keeping with the show’s tradition, the main crime was set up at the end of the third season.
In the finale of the last batch of episodes, we’re re-introduced to Sazz (Jane Lynch) the longtime friend and former stunt double of TV actor Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin).
Sazz warns Charles that she has to talk to him privately, and while she’s waiting in his apartment, she is fatally shot by someone who presumably thought they were murdering Charles. Cue the dramatic sting!
As they try to figure out what Sazz was mixed up in, Season 4 will see our heroes headed to Los Angeles.
Here’s what show co-creator and executive producer John Hoffman told Us Weekly about the new season:
“It is something we haven’t done before. So I’m excited about that. The joy of working on the show is rare and I think everyone working on the show knows that’s rare. So the instinct and inclination is that there’s room here — certainly in what we’re looking at and thinking about for season 4 — to explore something new.”
Who are the new guest stars playing in ‘Only Murders in the Building’?
Meryl Streep as Loretta in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
So far, all we know is that the newcomers will be integral to the story for the new season, but beyond that, only Molly Shannon’s character has been revealed: she’s playing a high-powered Los Angeles businesswoman who gets drawn into the mystery.
Alongside the new faces, Meryl Streep will return as actor Loretta Durkin, who formed a love connection with Martin Short’s Oliver Putnam in Season 3.
Has ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 4 started shooting?
Since you ask, yes! The cameras started filming a few days ago, with Steve Martin posting a picture of himself, Short and Gomez relaxing in chairs on set.
When will ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 4 be on screens?
Given that it has only just kicked off filming, we won’t expect the show to return until later in the year at the earliest. If it keeps to previous season premiere dates, it may well launch in August.
(L to R) Selena Gomez as Mabel, Martin Short as Oliver and Steve Martin as Charles in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
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Hollywood top earners meet with SAG-AFTRA leaders, offering to remove the cap on membership dues
The actors are asking for better work conditions and pay, including residuals from streaming services and protection from AI
The AMPTP and SAG walked away from the table on October 11, unable to come to an agreement on a deal
The biggest stars in Hollywood may have a solution to help end the actors’ strike, offering to remove the $1 million cap on membership dues, as well as a “bottom-up” residual structure to help actors lower on the call sheet to be paid first.
George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson, Tyler Perry, And More Spoke With SAG-AFTRA Leaders
George Clooney and Tiffany Boone on the set of Netflix’s ‘The Midnight Sky.’
Deadline has learned exclusively that some of the top-paid actors in Hollywood met with SAG-AFTRA leaders on Tuesday to find a way to end the actors strike. George Clooney, who spoke with Deadline, confirms the meeting:
‘A lot of the top earners want to be part of the solution,” the two-time Oscar winner told Deadline. “We’ve offered to remove the cap on dues, which would bring over $50 million to the union annually. Well over $150 million over the next three years. We think it’s fair for us to pay more into the union. We also are suggesting a bottom-up residual structure — meaning the top of the call sheet would be the last to collect residuals, not the first. These negotiations will be ongoing, but we wanted to show that we’re all in this together and find ways to help close the gap on actors getting paid.”
The SAG-AFTRA Strike Has Been Going For Over 98 Days
SAG-AFTRA members Nia Vardalos and Octavia Spencer walk the line at Disney Studios in Burbank, CA on 9/20. Photo courtesy of SAG.
The SAG-AFTRA strike began on July 14, 2023, and has been ongoing for over 98 days. The actors are seeking a new deal for better work conditions and wages as well as residuals, especially since streaming has changed the landscape of entertainment. They also seek protection from the use of AI, something that can replicate an actor’s likeness and performance.
The strike has caused a significant pause in the entertainment industry, along with the WGA strike, which began on May 2, 2023. Recently, the WGA has reached an agreement with the AMPTP after a grueling 148 days. Due to the SAG strike, the actors are prohibited from doing promotion or publicity work for any struck projects, meaning they cannot appear on red carpets for premieres or take part in interviews. All production is halted, with the exception of a production where an interim agreement has been approved by SAG-AFTRA.
The negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP paused on October 11, without reaching a deal.
Premiering August 8th on Hulu is the third season of the popular series ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ which was co-created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, and nominated for 12 Emmys including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series at the upcoming ceremony that is scheduled to take place on January 15th, 2024.
(L to R) Selena Gomez, Shirley MacLaine, Director John Hoffman, Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Amy Schumer on the set of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ season 2. Photo: Barbara Nitke/Hulu.
SOME SPOILERS FOR ‘ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING’ SEASON 1 AND 2 BELOW!
‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 1 and 2 Recap
(L to R) Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
The series follows three amateur sleuths –– actor Charles-Haden Savage (Martin), who spent years on a low-rent police show and still dines out on his minor fame, down-on-his-luck, flamboyant theatre director Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez), a young artist whose life suddenly becomes intertwined with Charles and Oliver’s when a former friend and fellow resident of grand New York apartment building the Arconia is found murdered.
The three also bond over their shared love of a true crime podcast called ‘All is not OK in Oklahoma’, and quickly decide to launch their own as they dig into the truth behind Tim’s death. As they work their way through the suspects (including the variety of quirky occupants of the building), they learn that the real killer is Jan (Amy Ryan), a musician who Charles has been dating.
Season 1 ends with cranky building head chief Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell) dead in Mabel’s apartment, with Mabel framed for her murder. The second season is dedicated to Charles, Oliver and Mabel figuring out what really happened with Bunny, and how a mysterious painting factors in.
It also features more from Cinda Canning (Tina Fey), the driven, arrogant creator of ‘All Is Not OK in Oklahoma’ as she seeks to find a compelling follow-up to her hit series. Our heroes initially think that Cinda, and then artist Alice Banks (Cara Delevingne), whom Mabel briefly dated, might be the killer, but it is revealed to be Cinda’s overworked assistant Poppy White (Adina Version), who was actually the not-so-dead subject matter of ‘All is not OK’ and yearns to have a podcast of her own.
What is the plot of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 3?
(L to R) Paul Rudd as Ben in season 3 of ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
At the end of Season 2, we jump a year forward, to the opening night of Oliver’s new play, ‘Death Rattle’. Its leading man, the annoying, smug Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd), who clearly has no love for Charles, also starring in the production, collapses dead on stage.
It’s revealed later in the initial episode that Ben is not actually dead but had a medical condition, and he promises to be a changed man, ready to make amends for his bad behavior during the play’s initial stages. He doesn’t get long to do that, though, as he’s pushed into an elevator shaft at the Arconia, landing on the car containing Charles, Oliver and Mabel. And so, another murder mystery is set in motion. Season 3 will also feature Oscar-winner Meryl Streep as Loretta Durkin, a struggling actress and Oliver’s love interest, who plays a small role in his Broadway show.
Meryl Streep as Loretta in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director, executive producer and series co-creator John Hoffman about his Emmy nominated work on season 2 of ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ creating the series with Steve Martin, setting up the mysteries, lessons he’s learned between seasons, improvisation on set, the lead actors’ chemistry, the show’s attraction to big name guest stars, and a little tease of season 3.
(L to R) Tina Fey and Director John Hoffman on the set of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ season 2. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.
Moviefone: To begin with, congratulations on the show’s 12 Emmy nominations for season 2. How does it feel to get so much Emmy love?
John Hoffman: I’m feeling very good, honored, relieved, all of the above. It’s been quite a ride with this show and the fact that for season two, dropping a year after our first season aired, to be recognized in this group of incredible shows, it’s rare air. So I am thrilled.
MF: Season 3 begins on August 8th, are you excited for fans to see the next chapter?
JH: I’m very excited for people to see what’s coming. We’ve got a good back half too. I promise you.
Steve Martin as Charles in season 3 of ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
MF: Can you talk about creating the series with Steve Martin? Was it always designed to be a comedic murder mystery?
JH: It began from the plucky mind of Steve Martin, and it was very much his notion. He’s a real fan and has a real interest in the world of crime and mystery, unfolding and getting underneath it and watching the reveals that happen around a case. So he’s a fan of that work. Then on top of it, he is a comedic genius. So that person held it all and very sweetly along with Dan Fogelman and Jess Rosenthal’s introduction, brought me into the fold of that. I was looking at it in a way of, once Steve said, “I would love Marty to be in this with me,” then I was hoping we could do something that felt like classic meets modern. You’ve got these two classic comedians with this very modern young woman in New York where that constantly feels like a theme and then it let the comedic and the mystery unfold in a fresh way. I think we got very fortunate and we worked really hard, but the goal is always to make it look as effortless as possible but behind the scenes it’s quite a challenge to pull this sucker off.
MF: The end of the first season sets up the mystery for season 2. How much of the second season’s mystery was set in place when you introduced it at the end of the first season?
JH: Great question. They’re very tied in. As you’ve seen from the beginning of season three, we take a bit of a leap away, but those first and second seasons are more tied in than maybe evident from the beginning of season two, for sure. Going to the very notion that by episodes 9 and 10, you’re realizing, “Oh my God, the central person responsible ultimately in season 2 was present and was the actual person involved in the podcast and in the case of the podcast that first drew our trio together in episode one of season 1. So, that developed along the way, but it was also kind of in the back of my mind, at least as far as those ties that could happen that felt very exciting. But it was very challenging to thread that and not give it away and not let it be revealed. So that all was very exciting to do, but very in its own classic mystery way, a dance of mini balls in the air with character arcs and the personal relationship of this trio and the discoveries that have to happen. The comedic premises, you then have to create all in the while keeping a thrust of this mystery story that everyone’s hooked into.
(L to R) Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’ season 2. Photo: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
MF: As a director and executive producer, what were the biggest lessons you learned between seasons working on this show?
JH: How valuable everyone else is. I have to say that in this moment too, as I speak to you as a producer of this marvelous experience and show, that I am in great solidarity and recognizing every minute of the value of the collaboration between actors and writers specifically that make everything about this show and make me stand in full solidarity with fairness for all of them right now in this very challenging moment in our business. But that is really it. To be the person who has to answer all the questions along the way for story, for actors, for everyone else, is very comforting oddly for me. I like being that person. But you have to be very careful with everything. But then to be able to feel the luxury of opening up to brilliant artists around you who have much better ideas than you do, and to be able to say, “Oh, wait a minute. Stop the train. We’re going here because of this fantastic idea.” There’s nothing like it. This show is just a magnet for talent. So, who’s coming in next door? Everyone feels this urgency behind the scenes to step it up for this incredible collection of actors that are on the show. But it’s also the great opportunity to work with people who make everything better.
MF: Obviously, the first season was a huge success. What were the big challenges going into season two to repeat that success?
JH: That sits in your head in a way that I wasn’t as much expecting or thinking about because I get very deep down in a story that I would like to tell. So I try and push aside everything else that way, but there’s no way for it not to emanate through. Certainly within our writer’s room, it was one of those moments of like, “Wait, they’re saying what over there? Who said what? Who wrote what?” That does inform, it can’t help it. It is part of the collaboration with the audience we have too. When you’re doing a mystery, you want to feel what they’re thinking a little bit and maybe undercut that, swerve away from it or lean right into it. So, that’s very nice to have that inclusivity for both audience and creators on this one.
(L to R) Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’ season 2. Photo: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
MF: Steve Martin and Martin Short are comedy legends, but what is surprising about the series is how organically Selena Gomez fits with their chemistry. Was that a pleasant surprise for you and is there room for improvisation on set? Do they come in with their own ideas, or stick to the scripts?
JH: All three of them, I want to leave them completely unbridled to say and do whatever they want to say. Yet, I’ve recognized also that they have great comfort in these wonderful scripts that our writers work very hard on. There’s great trust and generosity from them. As I say, there’s great comfort too in knowing and recognizing the good fortune of having two geniuses and a very specific modern young woman, is that you hear their voices very distinctly and the way in which they can play is built into these characters that they are perfect for, comedically and dramatically. The fact that they’re so facile, it can go so many different ways, and gives us great leeway to really hone scenes, episodes and seasons that favor what they do best. So when they are with the material, they really stick to it in a larger way. I think they would say the same thing. More than that, it’s just about elevating all of it in the way that only they can do.
MF: Finally, the show has become a magnet for very famous performers who want to guest star, Meryl Streep appears in season 3, for example. Season 2 featured Shirley MacLaine, Cara Delevingne, Tina Fey, Andrea Martin, and Paul Rudd, some of who carry over to season 3. Has there been an effort to get the biggest names possible to guest star, or has that just happened organically?
JH: Yes. The simple answer is yes. To have Shirley MacLaine in the middle of a pandemic come out of her home in New Mexico to say, “I want to come play in the landscape of New York City with this great cast of characters,” was an honor to everyone. The minute she stepped on set, the whole temperature changed. She just was absolutely brilliant. You realize the air you’re in, but also it makes you step up to live up to these people. Cara was fantastic and a friend of Selena’s for a long time and was so sharp, witty, intuitive and also a lovely person. She fit perfectly into the world, and that went on and on. Andrea Martin is a comedic genius as well, and knows Marty and knows Steve and seamlessly fits in as well. So, it’s about being strong with what the show is and hoping that people recognize the tone and how they might work in it, and then watching them just create magic is incredible. Then that leaps off into the opportunities that come from a season 3 cast, which is, I don’t know, the greatest of any half hour comedy in history? I’m going to put it up there. I’m not going to lie, I can’t believe it.
(L to R) Director John Hoffman and Shirley MacLaine on the set of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ season 2. Photo: Barbara Nitke/Hulu.
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(L to R) Selena Gomez as Mabel, Martin Short as Oliver and Steve Martin as Charles in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
Launched with the first two episodes on Hulu, the third season of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ proves that the creative team and cast have what it takes to (somewhat) move the show outside of the confines of the beautiful Arconia building for a story that makes even more use of Oliver Putnam’s (Martin Short) character.
Created by John Hoffman and Steve Martin (who also stars as the wonderfully ego-tastic, but also charming Charles-Haden Savage), this is a show that successfully blends old school comedy with the present-day obsession with social media and true crime podcasts.
‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 1 & 2 Recap
(L to R) Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
The series follows three amateur sleuths –– actor Savage (who spent years on a low-rent police show and still dines out on his minor fame), down-on-his-luck, flamboyant theatre director Putnam and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez), a young artist whose life suddenly becomes intertwined with Charles and Oliver’s when a former friend and fellow resident of grand New York apartment building the Arconia is found murdered.
The three also bond over their shared love of a true crime podcast called ‘All is not OK in Oklahoma’, and quickly decide to launch their own as they dig into the truth behind Tim’s death. As they work their way through the suspects (including the variety of quirky occupants of the building), they learn that the real killer is Jan (Amy Ryan), a musician who Charles has been dating.
Season 1 ends with cranky building head chief Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell) dead in Mabel’s apartment, with Mabel framed for her murder. The second season is dedicated to Charles, Oliver and Mabel figuring out what really happened with Bunny, and how a mysterious painting factors in.
It also features more from Cinda Canning (Tina Fey), the driven, arrogant creator of ‘All Is Not OK in Oklahoma’ as she seeks to find a compelling follow-up to her hit series. Our heroes initially think that Cinda, and then artist Alice Banks (Cara Delevingne), whom Mabel briefly dated, might be the killer, but it is revealed to be Cinda’s overworked assistant Poppy White (Adina Version), who was actually the not-so-dead subject matter of ‘All is not OK’ and yearns to have a podcast of her own.
Where does Season 3 take the story of ‘Only Murders in the Building’?
(L to R) Paul Rudd as Ben in season 3 of ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
At the end of Season 2, we jump a year forward, to the opening night of Oliver’s new play, ‘Death Rattle’. Its leading man, the annoying, smug Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd), who clearly has no love for Charles, also starring in the production, collapses dead on stage.
It’s revealed later in the initial episode that Ben is not actually dead but had a medical condition. And he promises to be a changed man, ready to make amends for his bad behavior during the play’s initial stages. He doesn’t get long to do that, though, as he’s pushed into an elevator shaft at the Arconia, landing on the car containing Charles, Oliver and Mabel. And so, another murder mystery is set in motion…
Who else appears in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 3?
Meryl Streep as Loretta in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
Along with some recurring faces, including Arconia residents Howard Morris (Michael Cyril Creighton) and Uma Heller (Jackie Hoffman), the show draws on a typically rich mix of guest stars, most notably Meryl Streep, who plays wannabe actress Loretta Durkin. Also guesting this year are Andrea Martin (introduced briefly last season) as a make-up artist who used to work with Charles on Brazzos and still carries a torch for him, Ashley Park (as another member of the ‘Death Rattle’ cast and Jesse Williams as Tobert (not a spelling error, his actual name), who has been hired to document Ben’s work on the play.
Does ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 3 kill it?
(L to R) Selena Gomez as Mabel and Ryan Broussard as Will in season 3 of ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
Given that it helped kick off the current trend of more comedic murder mysteries and has enjoyed big success with its first two seasons, the pressure is naturally on the third to keep the magic happening. It’s fortunate to report then, that the formula continues to work, and expanding the scope of the show further beyond the Arconia and into the world of theatre provides plenty of fuel for fresh mystery and comedy.
Short’s Oliver in particular is given room to shine this year, his dedication to the play and typically over the top style working really well as he attempts to mount his big comeback and slowly falls for Streep’s struggling artiste.
She is, as you might expect, fantastic in the role of Loretta, who has been enchanted with theatre and acting since she was a young girl but has faced years of frustration and rejection. Beyond the sheer meta pleasure of seeing one of the most highly regarded actors playing someone who can barely get an audition, she grabs every moment and makes it work, from her sensitive, tentative flirtation with Short to her laugh-out-loud attempts at accents during the first read-through.
(L to R) Meryl Streep as Loretta and Martin Short as Oliver in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
Rudd is also a great addition, playing the typical movie actor who has fully bought into his own publicity but still wants to come across as everyone’s friend. As with Streep, him playing against his own personality works superbly.
Which is not to diminish the work of the main cast, who still put in excellent performances as ever. Short, as mentioned, flourishes given the altered setting, while Martin and Gomez are right there with him. It’s a part of ‘Only Murders’ magic that Gomez blends so well with the old school comedy stylings of Martin and Short.
The show itself is still just as clever, and while perhaps not as funny as previous seasons, still has plenty of wit to display.
Any issues?
(L to R) Selena Gomez as Mabel and Steve Martin as Charles in season 3 of ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
It’s perhaps a pity that the main three are kept largely separate early on, as the repartee between Martin, Short and Gomez as the main two bicker and Mabel puts up with her favorite “olds” is a true highlight of the series.
Yet kudos to the writers, directors and cast for pushing ‘Only Murders’ in refreshing new directions while maintaining what really makes it a killer watch. The competition might have heated up in the past couple of years in the mystery-comedy genre, but this remains among the best.
‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 3 receives 9 out of 10 stars.
Martin Short as Oliver in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
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From multi-hyphenate B.J. Novak’s sly, underrated ‘Vengeance’ to the new darkly comedic Peacock series ‘Based on a True Story,’ starring Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina, there’s no shortage of films and shows which use true crime podcasts (and America’s love of them) as a leaping-off point to explore both fandom and obsessiveness.
But the series which arguably helped kick-start if not fully cement the popular trend, Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ is coming back for another serving of dryly apportioned mayhem, with the first trailer for its 10-episode third season, debuting August 8th, both setting up the full arc of its new mystery and also giving fans a look at some its suspects.
Paul Rudd May Not Age, But His Death in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Provides New Life for Its Characters
(L to R) Martin Short as Oliver, Selena Gomez as Mabel, and Steve Martin as Charles in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
Following the surprise death of actor Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd) in the finale of the show’s second season, unlikely friends Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez) find themselves thrust into an investigation of the tragedy that took place behind the scenes at Oliver’s Broadway show. It’s of course familiar territory for the trio, who first bonded by creating a podcast to explore the culprit behind a mysterious death at the Arconia, their shared Upper West Side apartment complex. “Who are we without a homicide?” asks Mabel in the trailer.
The solution? Another iteration of their podcast, naturally. “Finding this killer is the only way you’ll ever have a show,” Mabel tells Oliver, playing to his self-interest. With everyone in the theater being a possible suspect — including costar Loretta Durkin (Meryl Streep) — the threesome sets out to uncover who killed Oliver’s leading man, and why.
Highlights of the trailer, which serves up brief glimpses of guest stars like Ashley Park and Jesse Williams, include Streep bumbling her way awkwardly through a table read, at least one white-room fantasy sequence, and Mabel admitting with a shrug that most of her conversations with Charles and Oliver revolve around murder “and how to connect Bluetooth — we talk about that a lot.” The trailer also seemingly points to no small amount of fun had at the expense of musical theater, touting original music from the composers of ‘La La Land,’ ‘Waitress’ and ‘Hairspray.’
‘Only Murders in the Building’ is co-created by writers Martin and John Hoffman, who also serve as executive producers along with Short, Gomez, ‘This Is Us’ creator Dan Fogelman, and Jess Rosenthal. Nominated for a total of seven Golden Globe Awards, along with six Emmy Award nominations in 2022 and three additional pending nominations this year, the series has proven to be a hit with critics, and therefore one of Hulu’s most recognizable and forward-facing shows.
Newsflash: Comedic Talent Attracts More Comedic Talent!
Meryl Streep as Loretta in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
The series has also proven a magnet for notable guest stars. For his role in “The Boy From 6B” in the first season, Nathan Lane won an Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award. Sting, meanwhile, enjoyed some time trending on social media courtesy of his cameo as a fictionalized version of himself. Other high-profile comedic talent who’ve popped up in either guest or recurring roles include Tina Fey, Jane Lynch, Amy Schumer, Jimmy Fallon, Shirley MacLaine, Roy Wood Jr., and Jackie Hoffman.
One can only hope that Streep — who’s had the chance to showcase some of her comedic gifts on the big screen in recent years with ‘Mary Poppins Returns,’ ‘The Laundromat’ and ‘Don’t Look Up’ — gets the chance to fully deliver upon what looks like a richly silly character.
(L to R) Selena Gomez as Mabel, Martin Short as Oliver and Steve Martin as Charles in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
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Premiering March 17th on Apple TV+ is the new series ‘’Extrapolations,’ which was created by Scott Z. Burns (‘Contagion’).
What is the plot of ‘Extrapolations?’
‘Extrapolations’ is an anthology series that depicts the effects of climate change on the planet through various different points of view through interconnected stories.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Daveed Diggs about his work on ‘’Extrapolations’,’ his character, the story and working with Scott Z. Burns.
Daveed Diggs stars in ‘Extrapolations,’ premiering March 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch out interviews with Diggs, Indira Varma, Tahar Rahim, Scott Z. Burns and executive producers Michael Ellenberg and Dorthey Fortenberry.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction when you read Scott Z. Burns’ script for this series?
Daveed Diggs: I mean, I was really invested in the character. I got sent the scripts, and I just thought he was awesome. Then understanding the totality of the series, the same thing. It does be making me Google things and I think that’s really an important aspect of it. I think we want something that’s entertaining enough that it sticks with you and then as it sticks with you, it starts to seep in. You can be like, what don’t I know about this that I should probably know? I think Marshall being part of the first third of this, there is that little hopeful element of we could actually not do this. We could not end up there. We just have to all decide. Actually, all of us have to decide that we don’t want to be there, which is a tricky ask.
Meryl Streep in ‘Extrapolations,’ premiering March 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.
MF: Can you talk about how the events of the series change your character’s plans for the future?
DD: He’s already 20 years down the road, but I think Marshall is hopeful. Ultimately, it’s about people. So the big question of it is, how could God do this to us? How could God allow this to happen? Those are the questions that this little girl is asking. He doesn’t have an answer to it until he comes to the realization that he already knew when he was younger, when he was an activist, which was like, actually we have to do it and God’s been saying that. He said that to Moses.
Daveed Diggs in ‘Extrapolations,’ premiering March 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.
MF: How would you describe your character, Marshall?
DD: Marshall’s a rabbi, so he’s a faith leader. When we meet him, he is working in Israel and is a big activist on climate and a whole bunch of other things. Then we flash forward a bunch of years and we meet him again. He’s moved back to Miami and he is running the congregation there, and he’s become a little more apathetic despite still being a leader of faith and really passionate about his community. But in terms of his activism, he’s sort of fallen off. Then a little girl about to have her Bat Mitzvah comes in and starts challenging all of his apathy. It’s a good way to raise the stakes of a crisis of faith, to be actually met with the flood. It’s just good writing. It really, and that’s why I was attracted to it.
(L to R) Edward Norton and Mia Maestro in ‘Extrapolations,’ premiering March 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.
MF: Finally, how would you describe the series, in your own words?
DD: I mean, it is sci-fi, I guess, that’s the closest thing, or climate fiction. That that’s a whole sub-genre, cli-fi is a whole thing. But I think speculative fiction is looking forward to a future that we are not yet in, but it is grounded in a lot of practical, as Scott’s work tends to be grounded in a lot of practical, real world contemporary science and the most current version of all of these things. So, that’s what makes it scary is that we know that this is a real possibility.
‘Extrapolations,’ premieres March 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in 2006’s ‘The Devil Wears Prada .’
TV comedy thriller series ‘Only Murders in the Building’ already features one of the best casts on the small screen, and it’s about to get even better. Star Steve Martin revealed on twitter that Meryl Streep has joined the ensemble.
The show stars Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short as Charles-Haden Savage, Mabel Mora and Oliver Putnam, three very different residents of a swanky, high-rise apartment building in Manhattan. When one of the other people in the building is murdered––one who had a connection to Mabel––the three unlikely citizen detectives team up to investigate what really happened.
Along the way, they launch the podcast that gives the show its name. Season 2 follows their attempts to unmask who killed Arconia Board president Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell). Along the way, they’re publicly implicated in her murder and are the subjects of a competing podcast.
‘Only Murders’ has built a reputation for quirky characters, engaging mysteries and a wealth of acting talent in its cast beyond the central three.
(L to R) Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
At the end of Season 2, Oliver––a seasoned, though as the show starts, unemployed––theater director, got his chance to helm a new show on Broadway. His cast includes Savage (an actor who made his career and a healthy fortune starring in a cheesy 1980s police series) and Paul Rudd’s Ben Glenroy, a snobbish fellow performer who in a flash-forward, has disagreements with Savage. He dies on stage, and Season 3 will explore the backstory to that.
As for Streep’s character, the ‘Only Murders’ team have yet to reveal how she’ll factor into the story for the new season and whether she’ll have any connection to the core trio.
Streep, of course, needs little introduction, an Oscar winning actor more normally found in movies (but occasionally on TV). She seems like a perfect fit for the ‘Only Murders’ world and it’ll be interesting to see how she fits in.
From the looks of Gomez’ Instagram post that also served to announce Streep’s casting, she’s already interacting well with the main cast, larking around pretending to be an assistant providing them with new cushions, while being asked by Short for the “tea I ordered a half hour ago”.
Created by Martin and showrunner John Hoffman, ‘Only Murders’ has now been shooting its third season for roughly a week, but there is no date on the books yet for when it might return to Hulu. Despite its quality, it hasn’t won as many awards as you might imagine, but Streep’s presence could well change that.
(L to R) Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
(L to R) Gabriel LaBelle and co-writer/producer/director Steven Spielberg on the set of ‘The Fabelmans.’
Without a doubt, Steven Spielberg is one of the greatest film directors of his generation. With seven Academy Awards nominations for Best Director, winning for both ‘Schindler’s List’ and ‘Saving Private Ryan,’ and over thirty movies to his name, Spielberg’s work is now part of the fabric of our lives.
Spielberg’s latest film, ‘The Fabelmans’ is a semi-autobiographical story loosely based on the director’s own adolescence and first years as a filmmaker. The movie is one of Spielberg’s most personal films and is currently a frontrunner in the Oscar race. In fact, every dramatic movie that he has directed since 2005’s ‘Munich‘ has been nominated by the Academy Awards for Best Picture.
In celebration of his recent nominations, Moviefone looks back at the acclaimed career of Steven Spielberg and counts down his ten greatest films of all-time.
NOTE: We are only including feature films directed by Mr. Spielberg, so movies he produced like ‘The Goonies’ and ‘Back to the Future’ are not eligible.
Released in 2018, ‘Ready Player One’ is one of Spielberg’s most recent films and acts as a love letter to popular 80s culture, a lot of which the filmmaker helped to create. Set in a digital world known as the OASIS, the film follows Parzival (Tye Sheridan) as he navigates the game to find its hidden Easter eggs before evil CEO Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn) is able to recover them for himself.
The movie itself has hundreds of Easter Eggs, from cameos by DC Comics’ Joker and Harley Quinn, to Chucky from ‘Child’s Play‘ and King Kong. But Spielberg also puts in a few Easter Eggs of his own as both the DeLorean from ‘Back to the Future’ and a T-Rex from ‘Jurassic Park’ make appearances. The film culminates in one of the best battle scenes in modern movie history.
2002’s ‘Catch Me If You Can’ starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks is one of Spielberg’s smartest and most stylish films. Based on a true story, DiCaprio plays Frank Abagnale, a conman on the run from FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Hanks).
The two actors both shine in their roles, while co-star Christopher Walken received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for playing Frank’s dad. The film marks a turning point for Spielberg as a filmmaker and is one of his funniest and most entertaining movies.
Spielberg’s first collaboration with superstar Tom Cruise resulted in the brilliant and ahead of its time science fiction action film, ‘Minority Report.’ Set in the year 2054, officer John Anderton (Cruise) works for the Precrime division of the Washington D.C. police department stopping crimes before they happen.
But when he is accused of committing a crime he has no intention of committing, he is forced to go on the run from his own department. The film is a dark and gritty sci-fi epic and has earned its own cult following.
This is the film that put Steven Spielberg on the map as a director, created the summer blockbuster, and caused millions of people to be afraid to go in the water. Based on the book by Peter Benchley, 1975’s ‘Jaws’ tells the story of a man-eating great white shark, and the police chief (Roy Schneider), marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss), and the shark hunter (Robert Shaw) that set out to kill the beast. The movie was a cultural phenomenon and has grossed over $450 million to date.
Another recent addition to Spielberg’s resume is 2017’s ‘The Post,’ which stars Oscar winners Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. Hanks plays The Washington Post’s editor Ben Bradley, who must work with the paper’s owner Kathrine Graham (Streep) to decide if they should print the Pentagon Papers, a classified document that proves the government had been lying about Vietnam.
While the film was nominated for Academy Awards for both the film and Streep’s performance it was widely overlooked, which is unfortunate because it is some of Spielberg’s finest work as a director and features incredible performances from both Hanks and Streep. It also works as a great double feature with ‘All the President’s Men,’ as the events depicted in the two films unfolded simultaneously in real life.
Spielberg’s 1982’s blockbuster ‘E.T. the Extra Terrestrial,’ was the highest grossing movie of all-time, surpassing even ‘Star Wars,’ until the filmmaker broke his own record with Jurassic Park eleven years later. The movie tells the story of Elliot (Henry Thomas), a young boy who befriends a small alien and with the help of his friends and family, must protect him and help him find a way home before the government captures him. The film’s bicycle sequence is one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history, and the movie is still a beloved family classic, which also features Drew Barrymore’s acting debut.
1993’s ‘Jurassic Park’ has earned over a billion dollars at the box office and spawned five sequels. Based on the novel by Michael Crichton, the movie takes place at an amusement park that features real dinosaurs that have been brought back to life through genetic cloning.
Featuring an iconic performance by Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm, Spielberg really pushed the boundaries of computer-generated effects to create the amazing dinosaurs and truly changed the way movies are made to this day. It’s also with noting that the film was released the same year as his Oscar winning picture, ‘Schindler’s List.’
No list of Steven Spielberg’s greatest films would be complete without mentioning his 1993 masterpiece ‘Schindler’s List,’ which won Best Picture and earned the director his first Academy Award. Shot in Black-and-white, the film follows Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a German businessman who saved more than a thousand Jewish refugees from the Holocaust during World War II. The movie marked a true milestone in the director’s career as Hollywood no longer considered him just the “blockbuster guy,” but rather a true artist.
Another one of Spielberg’s strongest franchises, ‘Raiders of the Lost Arc’ has had three sequels, with a forth currently in production. Produced by George Lucas, with a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan, the film introduces audiences to Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), archaeology professor by day and adventurer by night.
The film sees Jones fight Nazi’s in 1936 as he tries to recover the long-lost Arc of the Covenant before the Germans do. The movie not only cemented Spielberg as a blockbuster director after ‘Jaws’ and ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind,’ but it introduced the world to one of the most beloved characters in cinema history.
The greatest war movie of all-time, 1998’s ‘Saving Private Ryan’ earned Spielberg his second Best Director Oscar and has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. The film stars Tom Hanks as Rangers Captain John H. Miller who leads his squad during World War II to find Private first-class James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), who is the last survivor of four brothers and is being sent home.
The film features a career high performance from Hanks, and early performances from Damon, Vin Diesel, Paul Giamatti, and Bryan Cranston. But the movie will be best remembered for its outstanding and extremely realistic opening sequence of the Omaha Beach assault during the Normandy landings of World War II.
Cate Blanchett, Tyler Perry, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jennifer Lawrence in ‘Don’t Look Up’
Currently in theaters before streaming on Netflix on December 24th is the new comedy from director Adam McKay (‘The Big Short,’ ‘Vice’) called ‘Don’t Look Up.’ The film is a political satire that follows two scientists as they desperately try to convince the media, the President, and a politically divided United States that an asteroid scheduled to collide with Earth in six-months will destroy all life on the planet.
The new movie features a very impressive cast that includes Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio (‘The Revenant’), Jennifer Lawrence (‘Silver Linings Playbook’), Mark Rylance (‘Bridge of Spies’), Cate Blanchett (‘Blue Jasmine’), and Meryl Streep (‘The Iron Lady’), as well as Jonah Hill (‘Moneyball’), Tyler Perry (‘Gone Girl’), Timothée Chalamet (‘Dune’), Ron Perlman (‘Drive’), and pop singer Ariana Grande. The result is a clever comedic satire that has something important to say about the world we live in and presents it in an entertaining way with fantastic over-the-top performances from the entire cast.
The film begins when astronomers Kate Dibiasky (Lawrence) and Dr. Randall Mindy (DiCaprio) discover an asteroid larger than the one that wiped out the dinosaurs will crash into Earth, destroying all life in approximately six months. They immediately notify NASA and are sent to Washington to debrief President Orlean (Streep) and her son and Chief of Staff, Jason Orlean (Jonah Hill). However, preoccupied with getting her Supreme Court nominee passed by the Senate and a personal scandal of her own, President Orlean dismisses the scientists and declares that they will “sit on this,’’ and not report it to the media.
Frightened for the future of mankind and not trusting that the President will do the right thing, Mindy and Dibiasky contact a newspaper and agree to go on a popular political morning show hosted by Brie Evantee (Blanchett) and Jack Bremmer (Perry). But when the talk show hosts don’t take the scientists seriously, Kate loses her composer and blurts out on TV that “everyone is going to die.” In the aftermath, Kate becomes a national laughingstock and Dr. Mindy becomes a hero for being the “handsome scientist.” He eventually gets caught-up in his own celebrity and leaves his wife and family for a relationship with Brie. But, when the President’s approval ratings begin to go down, she starts to take the crisis seriously, realizing that saving the planet is the only way she will be reelected.
Working with the scientists, the President enacts a plan to send Colonel Ben Drask (Perlman) into space to blow up the asteroid. However, just as the plan is about to work, tech billionaire Peter Isherwell (Rylance) contacts the President asking her to abort the mission, and she agrees, much to the dismay of Randall and Kate. Isherwell has discovered that the precious minerals required to make cell phones and computers will soon be depleted on Earth, and that the asteroid possesses an endless supply of the needed materials, which will make them billions of dollars in the process. Their plan is to allow the asteroid to get into our orbit, then send tiny drones to land on it and begin drilling so that pieces fall to Earth but are small enough that it does not destroy it. This news divides the country, with those against it trending on Twitter with #JustLookUp, and its supporters chanting at rallies, “Don’t Look Up.” As the world debates and waits to see if Isherwell and the President’s plan will work, Kate and Randall try to pick up the pieces of their own personal lives, which have been devastated by their new-found celebrity.
Writer and director Adam McKay, who began his career helming Will Ferrell comedies like ‘Anchorman’ and ‘Talladega Nights,’ made a stark turn to political satire with 2015’s brilliant ‘The Big Short,’ which earned him an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He followed it up with the 2018 biopic ‘Vice,’ which also earned him Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. ‘Don’t Look Up’ is not quite as good as ‘The Big Short,’ which in my opinion is a recent classic. But it is a much stronger film than ‘Vice,’ which was a slow movie that was really only carried by Christian Bale’s commanding performance as former Vice President Dick Cheney. Basically, using the plot of ‘Armageddon’ as a mirror to the pandemic and how our divided country became more divided because of a worldwide health crisis, was a stroke of brilliance and creates the poignant comedy of the film.
McKay’s script also spoofs several real-life people, as Streep and Hill are clearly playing Donald Trump and Jared Kushner, respectively, Cate Blanchett is a version of cable news hosts Megan Kelly and Mika Brzezinski, and DiCaprio’s Dr. Mindy is a substitute for Anthony Fauci. But while the world of ‘Don’t Look Up’ clearly mirrors our own, McKay makes it clear that this is a fictional universe as comedian Sarah Silverman and journalist Ashleigh Banfield play characters similar to whom they really are, a podcast host and a reporter, respectively, but are given fictional names to demonstrate that this is not happening in “our” world yet, but it certainly could.
While I loved almost all of the performances, let me start with the one I liked the least, and that was Mark Rylance. The Oscar winner is playing Peter Isherwell as a Steve Jobs/Jeff Bezos/Elon Musk type of character, and he does it quite well, except he’s basically playing the same role he did in ‘Ready Player One.’ Since the characters are so similar, I would have appreciated another casting for Isherwell, or at the very least having Rylance portray the character in a different way.
Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio give very strong comedic performances and have a nice chemistry together in the film. They both balance the comedy and drama well, but it’s DiCaprio who is surprisingly hilarious as a decent family man who gets wrapped up in his own celebrity. Lawrence’s character is a little one-note for the first half of the film but reaches a new level when paired with Timothée Chalamet in the third act. Rob Morgan (Mudbound) is also worth mentioning and is very good as a scientist who helps Randall and Kate.
Tyler Perry and Cate Blanchett steal every scene they are in as a mock-version of MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe,’ but it’s Blanchett who is truly wonderful as a news anchor more obsessed with power and celebrity than the truth. She is the character that tries to corrupt Dr. Mindy and challenges his values, and the actress is great opposite DiCaprio. I think Blanchett’s performance is so good that she would definitely be nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar if it wasn’t for one thing … and that one thing is Meryl Streep!
Meryl Streep’s brilliant and commanding performance as essentially a female version of Donald Trump is all anyone is going to talk about after seeing this film and unfortunately, it will take the oxygen out of any conversation that might have taken place about nominating Blanchett. In some ways, correctly so, as Streep is certainly the comedic centerpiece of this film and gives a completely believable over-the-top performance. Streep will probably get a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role, as she usually gets nominated for just about every film she makes. But this time it will be well deserved as the movie only works if you buy into her ridiculous character, which thanks to her performance, you do.
I also have to mention Jonah Hill, who as the President’s son and Chief of Staff, gives one of the most sarcastic, funny yet mean-spirited performances of his career. The actor creates a pathetic and outrageously obnoxious character that you absolutely hate but still look forward to seeing in every scene he’s in because you know he’ll have the funniest lines. In the end, Adam McKay has delivered another funny, smart, and poignant political satire, the kind of movie that is not made much anymore, that features strong performances and an important story that reflects our own society.
