John Krasinski and Prime Video changed all that with TV series ‘Jack Ryan,’ which aired four seasons between 2018 and 2023. It offered the chance for longer, more nuanced adventures for Ryan (well, as nuanced as a show based on a Tom Clancy character truly gets) and was a big success.
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Amazon MGM Studios is looking to keep that going but is switching tracks to send Ryan back to movie form (likely so that Krasinski can keep playing him but doesn’t have to commit to another season).
What’s the story of the ‘Jack Ryan’ movie?
John Krasinski as Jack Ryan in Prime Video’s ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ Season 4. Credit: Attila Szvacsek/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
There are zero details on what Ryan might be up to in the movie, though it’s a fair guess that it’ll involve some big, probably terrorist or rogue state-sponsored threat that Ryan has to A) figure out and B) take down.
Given that Amazon also owns the rights to the Ryan-adjacent John Clark character (as portrayed by Michael B. Jordan in ‘Without Remorse’, and aboard to return for ‘Rainbow Six,’ might we get a fan-pleasing crossover, if only for one scene?
Who else is working on the ‘Jack Ryan’ movie?
Wendell Pierce as James Greer in ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan.’ Credit: Sarah Shatz. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
With Krasinski starring and producing, we’ll also see the return of Wendell Pierce, who plays James Greer, Ryan’s superior in the series.
And Michael Kelly, who had a sizeable roles as Mike November, is in talks.
Behind the scenes, Andrew Bernstein, who served as an executive producer and director on Season 2 of the series, is directing the film from a script by Aaron Rabin, who served as a co-executive producer and writer on Season 4.
John Krasinski as Dr. Jack Ryan in Prime Video’s ‘Jack Ryan.’
There is no word on when the movie will land on the big screen. And it might also be an “if” situation –– Amazon could still decide to release it via streaming to keep the Prime Video audience watching.
Still, with Krasinski in the lead, the studio may well decide to leverage his film star status to turn this into more of an event.
(L to R) John Krasinski as Dr. Jack Ryan and Wendell Pierce as James Greer in Prime Video’s ‘Jack Ryan.’
Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobb in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Macall Polay/HBO.
Launching on HBO and Max with its first episode on September 19th, ‘The Penguin’ marks the first (and so far only) series to continue the story of Matt Reeves’ 2022 superhero movie ‘The Batman.’
Switching the focus from the suited vigilante played by Robert Pattinson (who the producers have been at length to point out won’t appear in case you were waiting for the hero to flap in and deliver some “kapow” punches to our wannabe kingpin), the story here is told at street level, with the machinations double-crosses of the criminal world at the forefront.
Does ‘The Penguin’ succeed in its plans?
Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobb in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.
With executive producer and showrunner Lauren LeFranc citing ‘The Sopranos’ as a big inspiration for the new show, it’s not hard to see where ‘The Penguin’ takes its endless double-crosses and criminal political maneuvering from.
Trouble is, a lot of what happens here –– minus the ‘Batman’-flavored trappings including Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti’s characters in particular, doesn’t exactly feel fresh. We’ve seen small-time gangsters looking to make it big in movies and TV for years, and you’ve really got to offer something more special than just Farrell given the chance to speechify about gangsters from whom he takes his own inspiration or wax nostalgic about how his neighborhood and Gotham in general were better back in the day.
Fortunately, a scattering of truly solid performances do help boost the interest levels higher than it might be, and the show does tend to maintain the style of Reeves’ movie.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.
As we mentioned above, a lot about the show feels quite familiar if you’ve watched any movie or show set within a gangster world. There is jockeying for power, criminal schemes involving drugs and one or two explosions of action, such as an impressive set piece in the second episode where Oz is chased by Sofia Falcone’s forces.
It’s just that little of it is truly all that revolutionary, and you’ll be able to see a lot of the plot turns coming. And there are some remarkable coincidences that help our main character along the way.
Main director Craig Zobel, who handles the first three episodes, does make a good stab at convincing us that this is set in the same Gotham of ‘The Batman.’ The only downside is that scenes set in the suburbs, or at the sprawling Falcone compound outside of it look starkly realistic compared to the visual effects-heavy grubbiness of the main cityscape.
The show’s saving graces are mostly in its acting, with Farrell and Milioti in particular standing out –– not shocking since they are the narrative’s twin focus.
Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb
Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobb in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.
Reprising his role from the movie, Farrell once more dons the prosthetics and fat suit so as to become almost unrecognizable as the scheming wannabe kingpin. Here in series form, given the scope and breadth to really explore the character, he goes to town, chewing through the scripts and bringing him to vibrant, waddling life.
He’s helped by some enlightening –– if predictable –– backstory elements, including deceased family members and a doting mother (played by Tony Winner Deirdre O’Connell) sliding into dementia.
Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone
Cristin Milioti in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.
Milioti is given a truly different role here, and she embraces it fully –– all wide-eyed psychopathy and chilling ability to order the deaths of her enemies. It helps that she also has a troubled backstory and, in the first few episodes is dealing with not only the death of her father but another personal tragedy.
She makes for a superb foil to Farrell and the two share excellent chemistry, weaving around one another as they jostle for power.
Rhenzy Feliz in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.
Introduced as a street kid interrupted trying to steal the rims from Oz’s car, Feliz’ Victor is the third pillar in the triumvirate of lead roles. He quickly becomes a driver and potential protégé for Oz, who recognizes the same scrappy ambition he possesses in the young man.
And in his interplay with Farrell, Feliz is able to interject some of the rare flashes of humor into the show.
Clancy Brown in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.
The main rival to the Falcone family, Maroni is currently languishing in jail for his crimes after being set up.
Brown is typically good in the role, bringing quiet menace mixed with charisma, though the role is naturally smaller and more limited given his location (for now).
He’s ably supported by Shohreh Aghdashloo as wife Nadia, even if fans of ‘The Expanse’ might bemoan the fact that she has (yet) been given the chance to unleash foul-mouthed rants given the less restrictive environs of an HBO show.
Other Notable Characters
While he isn’t introduced until late into episode 2, Theo Rossi’s Dr. Julian Rush shows promise as a fun character to watch. Michael Zegen, meanwhile, has a small yet pivotal role as Alberto Falcone, the crime boss’s drug addict –– and drug pushing –– son.
Final Thoughts
Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobb in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.
‘The Penguin’ won’t win many awards for originality in its crime story, but it is at least watchable and certainly isn’t a waste of its main cast. It just doesn’t always live up to the movie.
Eagle-eyed fans of the ‘Batman’ franchise as a whole, meanwhile, will appreciate subtle nods to actors who played the Penguin on TV and in movies –– make note of two particular Gotham storefronts.
‘The Penguin’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘The Penguin’?
The new series is set a week after the events of ‘The Batman’ left crime boss Carmine Falcone dead and his empire in disarray.
As seen in the movie, Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell), also known as The Penguin, formerly a lieutenant to Falcone, tries to fill the power vacuum left by his death. He faces off against rival factions as he asserts his authority.
But he’ll face a big challenge from those who Falcone left in charge of his operation, and particularly from Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), recently released from Arkham Asylum.
Opening in limited release in theaters on August 16th is ‘Rob Peace,’ which is based on a true story and the book ‘The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace’ by author Jeff Hobbs.
‘Rob Peace’ writer, director and actor Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actor, writer and director Chiwetel Ejiofor about his work on ‘Rob Peace’, his first reaction to learning of the true story, adapting the novel, playing Rob’s father, their relationship, and casting Jay Will.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Ejiofor, Jay Will and author Jeff Hobbs.
(L to R) Jay Will and Chiwetel Ejiofor in ‘Rob Peace’. Photo: Republic Pictures.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to learning of Rob’s true story and why did you personally want to make this movie?
Chiwetel Ejiofor: When I first read the book, which was not long after it came out and before I was involved in the film, I was just really moved by his story. I thought that it really encapsulated thoughts and ideas that I had had, I suppose, but not organized in a way, the way that the book does. Jeff Hobbs, Rob’s roommate at Yale wrote a book that really encapsulates not only Rob’s life, but a lot of the systemic challenges that were faced by Rob. I felt like that was incredibly moving to see in this document and a document of empathy and a document of passion in this book. So, I was very moved and inspired to talk about that because I immediately felt that it had a cinematic resonance. So, I was inspired to see what that would feel like, what that would be like, and how to bring this story off the page.
(L to R) Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jay Will in ‘Rob Peace’. Photo: Republic Pictures.
MF: Can you talk about developing the screenplay, adapting Jeff Hobbs’ book and the themes you wanted to explore as a filmmaker?
CE: I think I was very interested immediately in understanding these intersections in the systemic realities that Rob faced. So, there were intersections of race, of housing, of the education system, of the criminal justice system due to Rob’s father who may or may not have been wrongly imprisoned for a double homicide, and this having a profound effect on Rob’s life. So, my first interest was in this region and pulling together these ideas, these thematic ideas. Then I suppose it grew into this kind of idea of what is our responsibilities. As a theme, what are our responsibilities to ourselves? What are our responsibilities to our community? Who draws those lines and who draws those boundaries? How when people are faced with very complicated circumstances, especially if they’re young, especially if it’s emotional, how can they navigate these challenges and these challenges of responsibility? I felt that that was an important theme. It’s an important theme in the world. I think that the ideas of social mobility are talked about in sometimes quite limited ways, Rob being an extreme example of this in many ways, but for a lot of people, the ideas of social mobility are incredibly challenging. I felt that it was important to speak about that. I felt that there was some room thematically in a narrative to talk about that. I also felt that it had a dramatic energy, that there was something that could be cinematic about those choices, about those decisions, and about those relationships. So, for all of those reasons, I think I wanted to start to explore it as a screenplay and as a film.
(L to R) Jay Will and Chiwetel Ejiofor in ‘Rob Peace’. Photo: Republic Pictures.
MF: Can you talk about your approach to playing Rob’s father, Skeet and how he is relying on his son to get him out of prison?
CE: I think it is a powerful central relationship in the story. This part of the story being about a father and son and how once Skeet is incarcerated, he starts to rely on Rob in a way that puts an enormous amount of pressure on his son. To me I was interested in that dynamic because I felt that it’s a really interesting way to look at those kinds of familial relationships. That at what point is it too much? At what point do you feel that a father needs to allow whatever’s happening to him to happen to him and not apply any additional pressure on a son who idolizes him in some ways, who is receptive to these kinds of pressures, who appreciates and values as foremost in his mind in some ways the ideas of family and community and these kinds of relationship and bonds that tie. At the same time, I felt like I could completely understand Skeet’s issue, that his desperation, wanting to grasp anything, anyone who’s declared that they’re on your side to aid you out of difficult circumstances. That push and pull, the nature of that dilemma I just thought was fascinating, was interesting, was emotional and I think relates to so many of our lives. Again, in ways that are often in a minor key. But explored in this way I think that there’s always something so universal about those challenges.
Jay Will in ‘Rob Peace’. Photo: Republic Pictures.
MF: Finally, can you talk about the challenges of finding the right actor to play Rob and casting Jay Will in that role?
CE: Jay, I think is remarkable. He was in a way a real discovery because he had just finished at Julliard. He was part of the COVID year, so he didn’t really have a showcase to speak of. So, people weren’t incredibly aware of him. There were some online materials on him from the school and that I was shown. I just thought immediately that he had a real quality, he had this ease about him which I loved, but there was something very emotional, determined and engaged about him. So, I wanted to do some workshopping with him, and we did some sort of extended auditions, and it became very clear to me very quickly that he is an extraordinary talent. In this part, he was able to bring something to it that made the film feel more complete in a way. I was busy away writing these lines, when you are adapting something and you’re in your own way playing all the parts and trying to figure out if a scene works or whatever. Then seeing somebody really embody it, really understand the nuances of these dynamics, which Jay did. He kind of was able to really complete that work because he understood both sides of it. He understood the sides of it that were in the slightly more complicated, slightly more difficult upbringing or circumstances. He understood the Juilliard side and that slightly more rarefied engagement that you can get there. One of the things that was important to me was that it wasn’t a conversation about code switching. That it was a conversation about somebody who exists as they are in these circumstances. That we see them differently in some ways because we see them in these different spaces, but they hold themselves in much the same way throughout it. Jay really was able to capture that. It’s quite a nuanced thing, but he was able to sit in that space in a way that was completely authentic. I think as an actor, he’s just very much a truth seeker and I think that really shows.
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What is the plot of ‘Rob Peace’?
Yale University graduate Rob Peace (Jay Will), known as Shaun at the time his father (Chiwetel Ejiofor) was arrested for crimes he may not have committed, turns to drug dealing to get his father out of jail while maintaining other activities.
Who is in the cast of ‘Rob Peace’?
Jay Will as Rob Peace
Chiwetel Ejiofor as Skeet Douglas
Mary J. Blige as Jackie Peace
Camila Cabello as Naya Vazquez
Michael Kelly as Reverend Edwin Leahy
Jay Will in ‘Rob Peace’. Photo: Republic Pictures.
‘The Penguin’ had new footage to show at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con event.
Star Colin Farrell and executive producer/‘The Batman’ director Matt Reeves were among those attending (Farrell via video).
The show is a spin-off of 2022’s ‘The Batman’.
‘The Penguin’ might not have had the most promising start at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, making headlines after an immersive “activation” event based on a nightclub from the HBO series for press and the cast was evacuated on Friday night when a fire broke out. No one was hurt, but the big question, of course –– did anyone check to see whether a cowled individual was involved, and were they carrying a Bat Fire Kit?
Regardless, some of the creative team, including ‘The Batman’ director Matt Reeves (who is a producer on the show), actors Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, showrunner Lauren LeFranc and producer and Dylan Clark –– plus star Colin Farrell, live via video link from Macau, showed up on Saturday afternoon at its panel in Hall H to talk up the show, which continues the story of Farrell’s criminal schemer Oz Cobb from ‘The Batman.’
Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobb in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.
The series, which has been described as in the style of classic crime drama ‘Scarface’, will pick up the story of Farrell’s character as he rises to power in Gotham City. Mild spoiler alert in case you’ve yet to see ‘The Batman’, but part of the movie’s plot involves Oz’s bosses either dying or heading to jail, leaving him a path to achieve his aims.
Yet given that there’s a whole series to fill with this story, we doubt the road will be an easy one. And there’s still that pesky Caped Crusader lurking around (even if Batman likely wouldn’t appear much if at all in the show).
Farrell’s character will face off against other notorious Gotham crime bosses, including Salvatore Moroni, played by Clancy Brown.
Clancy Brown in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.
One of Carmine Falcone’s chief rivals, he’ll be back on the streets for the series and ready to make his move now that he’s no longer at the mercy of Falcone (who, again spoiler alert, died in ‘The Batman’).
Cristin Milioti in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.
According to Reeves, Farrell’s Cobb was going to be a focus of the movie sequel to ‘The Batman’ (which the filmmaker is busy writing), but HBO bosses asked for a marquee character for the first spin-off show, and so the decision was made to use the series to bridge between the two movies and explore more about his rise to power.
Farrell reveals he was hesitant to take on the role for the first movie but was convinced by Reeves and especially delighted by the look of the character, keying in how to play the role and his background from the first sculpt he was shown.
For her part, showrunner LeFranc said her take on the character’s story was inspired by a corrupt mayor in Rhode Island, who was nevertheless hailed as a pillar of the community for the help he provided to people. She said there are no heroes in this series –– everyone is operating in shades of gray.
(L to R) Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.
And LeFranc also talked up the idea that Sofia Falcone in the show is very different from how she’s been portrayed previously in the comics, praising what Milioti brought to the role.
Feliz plays Victor Aguilar, a new character created for the show, and one designed to give us a fresh way into Oz’s story through his connection with the wannabe crime boss.
Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobb in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.
According to the team, Oz and Sophia Falcone mirror each other, but are on two sides of the series and Gotham’s fate is in the balance.
And if you were wondering whether Oz’s story is wrapped up in the limited series, Reeves confirmed that he will in fact be back on the big screen for ‘The Batman – Part II’, which kicks off filming next year ahead of its planned 2026 release.
The news for on-screen Batman –– and particularly The Penguin –– wasn’t limited to the ‘Penguin’ panel, as the presentation for animated series ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ (also produced by Reeves, alongside Batman animation legend Bruce Timm) revealed that Minnie Driver is playing Oswalda Cobblepot, a female take on the character, who will sing in the show.
The full teaser trailer for ‘The Penguin’ has landed.
Colin Farrell reprises his role in the TV spin-off of ‘The Batman’.
This show is due on Warner Bros.’ Max service later in 2024.
Though it was originally aiming to debut in the middle of this year, the strikes of 2023 have somewhat put the brakes on ‘The Penguin’s plans.
Yet the series, which spins off from Matt Reeves’ well-received 2022 outing ‘The Batman’ and sees Colin Farrell once more slapping on prosthetics to play ambitious criminal type Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot, is now back on track for later in 2024 and has a first teaser trailer online.
In it, we see Oz waxing poetic about an old gangster he knew of growing up who was garlanded when he died, clearly intending to be remembered the same way –– all intercut with flashes of Oz doing dark deeds.
The series, which has been described as in the style of classic crime drama ‘Scarface’ will pick up the story of Farrell’s character as he rises to power in Gotham City. Mild spoiler alert in case you’ve yet to see ‘The Batman’, but part of the movie’s plot involves Oz’s bosses either dying or heading to jail, leaving him a path to achieve his aims.
Yet given that there’s a whole series to fill with this story, we doubt the road will be an easy one. And there’s still that pesky Caped Crusader lurking around (even if Batman likely wouldn’t appear much if at all in the show).
Farrell’s character will face off against other notorious Gotham crime bosses, including Salvatore Moroni, played by Clancy Brown.
One of Carmine Falcone’s chief rivals, he’ll be back on the streets for the series and ready to make his move now that he’s no longer at the mercy of Falcone (who, again spoiler alert, died in ‘The Batman’).
Matt Reeves, who co-wrote and directed ‘The Batman’ is an executive producer here, but while he’s certainly had input (alongside the movie’s fellow producer, Dylan Clark), he won’t be overseeing the day-to-day work of the show, what with being busy writing the big screen sequel.
That job instead falls to Lauren LeFranc, a veteran of shows including ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’, ‘Chuck’ and ‘Hemlock Grove’. Craig Zobel, director of movies such as ‘The Hunt’ who has also worked in TV on the likes of ‘Mare of Easttown’ and ‘Westworld’, shot the first three episodes of a planned eight.
Here’s what LeFranc said when the show was announced:
“I have long been a fan of the world of ‘The Batman’, and Matt’s film is such a powerful and bold entry into the canon. I am excited and humbled to continue telling stories in the grimy world of Gotham City –– and what better excuse to channel my inner villain than to tell the story of Oswald Cobblepot? I am thrilled to work with Colin, Matt, Dylan, 6th & Idaho, Warners, and Max as we work to bring this story to the screen.”
When will ‘The Penguin’ be on our screens?
As of right now, the show doesn’t have a formal date, but it’s expected later this year.
Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’
What is the plot of ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ Season 4?
The fourth and final season of ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ finds the titular character on his most dangerous mission yet: facing an enemy both foreign and domestic. As the new CIA Acting Deputy Director, Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) is tasked with unearthing internal corruption, and in doing so, uncovers a series of suspicious black ops that could expose the vulnerability of the country. As Jack and the team investigate how deep the corruption runs, he discovers a far-worse reality—the convergence of a drug cartel with a terrorist organization—ultimately revealing a conspiracy much closer to home and testing our hero’s belief in the system he has always fought to protect.
Who is in the cast of ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ Season 4?
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Michael Peña and Louis Ozawa about their work on ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ Season 4, how Peña’s character is different than Jack Ryan, why Ozawa’s character is torn between business and family, and working opposite actor and filmmaker John Krasinski.
(L to R) Michael Peña and Louis Ozawa star in Prime Video’s ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ Season 4.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Peña and Ozawa, as well as Betty Gabriel and Abbie Cornish.
Moviefone: To begin with, Michael, what were some of the aspects of this character that you were excited to explore on screen? Also, how is Domingo Chavez similar and different from Jack Ryan?
Michael Peña: I mean, I got to be honest with you, there’s not a lot of similarities. He’s like this cerebral kind of a person and he figures things out. I think Chavez is more of a fill-player. He fills out the situations and I think that he has a lot more experience, especially in battle, so to speak. For me, the interesting part of it, which was difficult as well, he’s not a character that emotes very much, and it’s more about the amount of focus that he has on the task at hand. So he’s that kind of guy. For the most part, what you see in the series is somebody who’s very motivated, but very focused on one thing, and he’s not very animated.
(Left) Louis Ozawa as Chao Fah in Prime Video’s ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ Season 4. Attila Szvacsek/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
MF: Louis, your character, Chao, is a family man but also a ruthless businessman, and he seems torn between the two. Can you talk about that?
Louis Ozawa: Absolutely. Family comes first with him. But he’s a self-made man and he’s not a unambitious man. I think ultimately his hubris, his ambition, is a bit of his downfall, too. So it’s a delicious combination to kind of play off of. He’s got his ambitions and that that’s at odds with his family. I think he’s similar to Jack Ryan in a sense that he’s always thinking two, three, four steps ahead of everyone. He thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room, and maybe he’s not. It’s been a joy to play this role. I was saying earlier that I get to scratch every itch that an actor has, in this role.
(L to R) Michael Peña as Domingo Chavez, and John Krasinski as Jack Ryan in Prime Video’s ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ Season 4. Credit: Jonny Cournoyer/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
MF: Michael, what was it like for you working with John Krasinski on this series?
MP: I mean, he had a lot of input on the writing and the directing, and of course the producing of it all. Sometimes it’s interesting because when you’re doing something with a person that’s producing whatever it is that you’re doing, you see them and they’re looking at you. You’re like, “Is he acting with me or is he looking at how I’m doing it?” So it can make you a little bit self-conscious about it. Because he’s like, “Right, right. Can you do that again?” So, it’s literally the director just right there.
John Krasinski as Jack Ryan in Prime Video’s ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ Season 4. Credit: Jonny Cournoyer/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
MF: Finally, Louis, what was your experience like working with John Krasinski?
LO: Well, John is fairly hands-on being a director, so, as the executive producer, has a lot of creative input into every scene that we’re in. But he’s also an actor. So, one of my most emotional scenes that I had, he gave me the space. He said, “Hey, we need to give Louis a few minutes to be there. Whatever you need in this moment, if you need to call your wife and talk to her.” He was recollecting kind of moments from ‘A Quiet Place’ and how he got into that place. He was like, “I just got on the phone with my wife,” which is weird because she was on set. But anyway, he was like, “Yeah, you can get on the phone with your kids, whatever it takes.” So I appreciate both the fact that he is a director and an actor.
John Krasinski as Jack Ryan in Prime Video’s ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ Season 4. Credit: Attila Szvacsek/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Director Steven Caple Jr. on the set of ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ got a mixed reaction from the critics, but certainly appears to have connected with audiences, knocking ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ from the top of the of the domestic box office for a $61 million opening and almost $80 million globally. Which has Paramount, of course, throwing early development of another entry in the franchise into a higher gear and, kicking off formal talks with ‘Beasts’ director Steven Caple Jr. to return.
Talking to Deadline’s Crew Call podcast, Caple Jr. confirmed that he was certainly talking to the studio about a return engagement while specifying that he hasn’t been hired yet. Still, as he said, there’s a lot of “we” going around as he discusses the next film with the producers and studio executives.
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So, what is the future of the franchise?
Before we continue, if you have not yet seen ‘Rise of the Beasts’, you might want to stop reading now…
What might the next film entail? If you’ve seen the most recent entry, you’ll know that a final scene ends with a reference to ‘GI Joe’, that other big Hasbro property that has had even more mixed fortunes on the big screen than Optimus Prime and co.
Here’s what Caple Jr. had to say about the potential crossover…
“For me, it would be for sure. I would love to. I have some ideas of how to branch out that IP in the franchise. And if I can do thew crossover I want to do, I think we can still feed ‘Transformers’ fans while doing something cool with that other legendary Hasbro property that I have loved since I was a kid. There are characters and elements that have never been used before, so I’d be thrilled to incorporate them and do something cool.”
Mirage in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
For Caple Jr., the idea was inspired by his own love of a graphic novel run that saw the ‘Transformers’ characters crossover with the Joes. He had to be secretive about it, though…
Caple Jr. revealed the lengths he went in order to make sure the Joe connection didn’t leak:
“When I was developing the script, it wasn’t in the original script. I got to the end of the movie, and I said, ‘we’ve got a really cool arc with the Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) character and the military, it’s kind of bittersweet about his experience and has a mark on his record, he can’t provide for his family. It would be cool if the military or a government organization took care of his problems. I was going through the different organizations –– CIA, FBI, Sector 7 –– and none of them really sang. ‘Is there anything else in this franchise?’ And then I remembered the graphic novel, I own a few of them and thought, ‘this is kinda crazy, I don’t know if the studio’s going to like this.’ I remember pitching it to Lorenzo (Di Bonaventura, producer) first. ‘This is what I’m thinking’. His eyes lit up and he did remember the graphic novel. He didn’t know how it was going to play with the studio, but we put it in the script. So, I didn’t pitch it to the studio, we just placed it in the script, and they were excited. It took two years to get everybody on board with the concept. We shot two versions with actor Michael Kelly –– some people saw a Sector 7 card in test screenings. We didn’t even let Michael read the other script until the shoot day because we were keeping it so close to the chest.”
Paramount has yet to confirm that Caple Jr. will be back, but it’s certainly sounding promising for the director. And there’s also no release date for the next movie but expect that to follow before too long.
Director Steven Caple Jr. on the set of ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
Other Movies Similar to ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’:
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ is produced by Skydance, Paramount, di Bonaventura Pictures, Bay Films, New Republic Pictures, Tom DeSanto/Don Murphy Production, Hasbro Studios, Entertainment One, and Amblin Entertainment. It is set to release in theaters on June 9th, 2023.
Writer/director/showrunner Taylor Sheridan has quietly (and not-so-quietly, depending on where you live and how aware of his work you are) been building a small screen empire with his ‘Yellowstone’ shows, which have spun off two prequels (‘1923’ and 1883’, with more on the way).
Those in turn have led to the commissioning of other series, including Sylvester Stallone-starring ‘Tulsa King’, Jeremy Renner-led ‘Mayor of Kingstown’, the upcoming ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’, which features Dennis Quaid and David Oyelowo and ‘Land Men’, boasting Billy Bob Thornton heading its cast.
Sheridan’s work has, as the lists above suggest, attracted plenty of top talent, but the needle of the Big-Name-O-Meter hit even further with the announcement of another new show (seriously, when the does this man see his family?), ‘Special Ops: Lioness’, which has dropped its first trailer and you can watch t above.
Zoe Saldana as Joe in ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Lynsey Addario/Paramount+.
All about ‘Special Ops: Lioness’
The new show, inspired by an actual US Military program, follows the life of Joe (Zoe Saldaña) while she attempts to balance her personal and professional life as the tip of the CIA’s spear in the war on terror.
The Lioness Program, overseen by Kaitlyn Meade (Nicole Kidman) and Donald Westfield (Michael Kelly), enlists an aggressive Marine Raider named Cruz (Laysla De Oliveira) to operate undercover alongside Joe among the power brokers of State terrorism in the CIA’s efforts to thwart the next 9/11.
It’s all very much in the wheelhouse of movies that Sheridan has written in the past, especially ‘Sicario’, which saw Emily Blunt as an idealistic FBI agent enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.
Except ‘Lioness’ goes further into espionage territory, with plenty of meetings in darkened command centers, lots of action with guns blazing and undercover operatives under threat and comments about carrying out missions “in front of CBS news”, which makes sense, since the series from this first look comes across as something that would probably play well (if in much more limited/lower budget fashion) on Paramount+’s network sibling CBS.
(L to R) James Jordan as Two Cups, Jonah Wharton as Tex, Jill Wagner as Bobby, Zoe Saldana as Joe, Nicole Kidman as Kaitlyn Meade, Austin Hébert as Randy and Laysla De Oliveira as Cruz Manuelos in ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo credit: Greg Lewis/Paramount+.
In addition to the already impressive roster, ‘Lioness’ also features Morgan Freeman, playing Edwin Mullins. He’s the Secretary of State in the series and has some tough questions for the CIA program’s creators and agents.
‘Special Ops: Lioness’ will launch on Paramount+ on Sunday, July 23. Will it catch on the way ‘Yellowstone’ has and spawn 17 spin-offs all overseen by Sheridan (who will presumably have perfected cloning technology by then so he can handle the workload)? Only time will tell…
(L to R) Jill Wagner as Bobby, Thad Luckinbill as Kyle, Zoe Saldana as Joe, James Jordan as Two Cups, Jonah Wharton as Tex, Austin Hébert as Randy in ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo credit: Greg Lewis/Paramount+.(L to R) Nicole Kidman as Kaitlyn Meade, Michael Kelly as Bryon Westfield and Zoe Saldana as Joe in ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Luke Varley/Paramount+.(L to R) Laysla De Oliveira as Cruz Manuelos, Zoe Saldana as Joe, and Nicole Kidman as Kaitlyn Meade in ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Luke Varley/Paramount+.(L to R) Stephanie Nur as Aaliyah and Laysla De Oliveira as Cruz Manuelos in ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Luke Varley/Paramount+.Laysla De Oliveria as Cruz Manuelos in ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Lynsey Addario/Paramount+.Zoe Saldana as Joe in ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Lynsey Addario/Paramount+.
What is the plot of ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’?
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new faction of Transformers, the Maximals, to join them as allies in the existing battle for earth.
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Who is in the cast of ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’?
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback about their work on ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,’ their love for the franchise, their characters, and working with the beloved robots.
(L to R) Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback star in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Ramos, Fishback, and Tobe Nwigwe.
Moviefone: To begin with, Anthony, how familiar were you with the ‘Transformers’ universe before making this movie?
Anthony Ramos: Very. ‘Beast Wars: Transformers’ was a childhood favorite and I love all the Maximals. I went crazy when Optimus Primal in the movie says, “Maximals maximize.” I promise you, I jumped out of my seat. That moment got me more hyped than the Autobots roll out, because ‘Beast Wars’ was such a huge part of my childhood, so I’m deeply connected to these characters. Then, I saw the ‘Transformers’ movies after that, so I’ve been a big fan.
(L to R) Arcee, Optimus Prime, and Bumblebee in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
MF: Dominique, how about you? Were you a fan of ‘Transformers’ before being cast in this film?
Dominique Fishback: Actually, when Anthony was watching the cartoons, I was watching a bunch of romances, so I was not aware. But I loved ‘Even Stevens,’ and I loved Shia LaBeouf in that show, and I was a huge Disney fan. I always wanted to be an actor. So when he went from ‘Even Stevens’ to ‘Transformers,’ I was like, “Oh man, okay.” I was mapping it out in my head, like, “Okay, I have to do something like that, a show and then a movie like ‘Transformers.’” I never thought that it would actually be ‘Transformers’, so it’s really incredible.
Anthony Ramos stars in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
MF: Anthony, can you talk about why Noah is so willing to help the Transformers and join forces with them?
AR: He’s broke. There’s a lot of things you’ll do when you are not making money, but he’s also desperate. He’s desperate too, and that desperation comes for his love for his family and wanting to be able to help them and support them and his sick brother. It almost seems like he feels like this is a last resort. Obviously, he probably eventually would’ve gotten a job, but I think it’s a movie about robots and Transformers, and it only seems right that his last resort is to join these robot aliens.
Dominique Fishback stars in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
MF: Dominique, can you talk about Elena’s growth as a character throughout the course of the movie?
DF: I think the growth is just being intentional with (director) Steven Caple Jr. and saying, “Okay, in acting school, you learn how is a character different from the beginning of the movie to the end of the movie, from the beginning of the scene to the end of the scene.” So she starts off, the beginning of the movie, really engaged in her books and not going for the adventure. I think too, she’s a little bit scared to put herself out there. She lives behind her books, and I think even in the beginning, it’s like, “Oh, you want me to go?” Then, by the end, there’s a sense of, “I’m here for this fight as well, and I’m not leaving either,” type of thing.
(L to R) Dominique Fishback and Anthony Ramos star in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’
Other Movies Similar to ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’:
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ is produced by Skydance, Paramount, di Bonaventura Pictures, Bay Films, New Republic Pictures, Tom DeSanto/Don Murphy Production, Hasbro Studios, Entertainment One, and Amblin Entertainment. It is set to release in theaters on June 9th, 2023.
Jake Gyllenhaal is about as high on the Hollywood totem pole as anyone can be, but just don’t get him high in the air.
“I’m not a big fan of heights,” the heartthrob confesses Tuesday to Stephen Colbert on “The Late Show.” “I don’t mind being high up, but I don’t like heights. Like, I don’t like hanging off of something.”
Gyllenhaal explains: “Sometimes when you’re driving across a bridge you see the top of the bridge and you think, ‘Wow, if I walked up there.’ Some people think, ‘I could do that really easily. I wouldn’t be nervous,’” adding, “I don’t think I’d be able to do that.”
His distaste for heights could have brought on a big problem while starring as a mountain guide in “Everest,” a movie centered around the eponymous mountain peak, the highest point in the world.
He was somewhat prepared for the film, he says, because he and some of the cast and crew actually went mountain climbing.
“I think playing a character, you should transform yourself,” Gyllenhaal says. “Some things call for you to do things, internally and externally, sometimes not at all, sometimes you have to,” he says of facing his aversion to heights,” adding, “I have a vision of a character and what that character should be and sometimes I go and follow.”
In “Everest,” Gyllenhaal stars opposite Keira Knightley and Robin Wright in the true story that chronicles the survival of climbers trapped on the peak of Mount Everest during a 1996 snow storm. Costarring Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Michael Kelly, Sam Worthington and Emily Watson, the film hits theaters on Sept. 18.
