Beyond that, we don’t know much (see below for wild speculation), but at least we do now have some forward movement on the movies, with presumably some delay happening while backers Paramount figured out their merger with Skydance (which is set to be sealed this week).
Originally conceived and scripted by Bryan Woods and Scott Beck (with Krasinski working on the script when he agreed to direct and star), the first ‘A Quiet Place’ follows a family (Krasinski, real-life wife Emily Blunt and two kids) surviving in the aftermath of an alien invasion by blind aliens with incredibly powerful hearing who hunt and kill humans.
That movie enjoyed $50.2 million opening weekend, and a near $153M domestic and $341M global take, and received an Oscar nomination for Sound Editing.
It saw its release pushed due to Covid, but brought the box office back alive during Memorial Day weekend 2021 with a $57M four-day start, ending with a $160M domestic and $297.3M global haul.
Last summer, ‘A Quiet Place: Day One,’ the aforementioned prequel spin-off set in an apocalyptic New York City ravaged by the aliens during the initial invasion, starred Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn, debuted to $52.2M and ended up with $139M domestic and $262M global.
What will happen in the new ‘A Quiet Place’ movie?
(L to R) Millicent Simmonds as Regan Abbott, Noah Jupe as MArcus Abbott, Emily Blunt as Evelyn Abbott in ‘A Quiet Place Part II.’
With Krasinski back, we’d be shocked if it didn’t continue the story of Blunt, Jupe and Simmonds’ characters (Krasinski’s unlikely to return unless through flashbacks because –– spoiler alert! –– he died in the first movie).
Quite what they might get up to is anyone’s guess at this point (though hopefully Krasinski has some more solid info, since he’s scripting and directing!) The second film left the main characters on an island having discovered a way to hurt and potentially kill the creatures with sound frequencies, so that may well factor in.
And could it completely pivot to a different story? The world of ‘A Quiet Place’ is a big one so… maybe? But we’re guessing for now Krasinski’s focus will be on the characters he helped bring to screens.
When will ‘A Quiet Place Part III’ be on screens?
Per Krasinski’s post, the third outing for the main ‘A Quiet Place’ movie series will look to scare us in summer 2027, confirming a July 9th, 2027 release date.
Lupita Nyong’o as “Samira” in ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ from Paramount Pictures.
Host Stephen Colbert announced the shock news at a taping on Thursday.
The President has already hit social media with his delight.
In a shocking announcement during a taping on the show on Thursday this week, ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s host announced that corporate overlords CBS had decided to end the show next year.
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This was the statement on decision from Paramount co-CEO and CBS president and CEO George Cheeks, CBS Entertainment head Amy Reisenbach and CBS Studios president David Stapf:
“ ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season. We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise at that time. We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television. This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
Though the CBS teams were at pains to stress the reasons for the move, the optics on the decision are not great for the company.
Especially since Colbert has been vocal on the show about his thoughts regarding CBS’ settlement with President Trump in order to facilitate forward movement on its merger with David Ellison’s Skydance company.
And while the financial fortunes of all the late night shows have suffered and traditional networks are tightening their belts in the age of streaming, it’s a particularly bad look at a time when companies have been under attack.
Colbert has –– at least for now, assuming the show doesn’t end earlier than announced –– a chance to make his thoughts very clear in the wake of the cancellation decision.
President Trump naturally took to social media to offer his gleeful response to the cancellation of one of the people who have taken a stand against him:
“I absolutely love that Colbert’ got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!”
“Love you Stephen. F**k you and all your Sheldons CBS.”
When will ‘The Late Show’ end?
As of right now, the show is scheduled to come to an end in May 2026.
What will be shown in its place? That’s anyone’s guess at this point, but given the increasingly troubled viewership figures for late night shows, we may well end up with repeats or other series.
Anson Mount as Pike in ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’, episode 1, season 3, streaming on Paramount+, 2025. Photo: Marni Grossman/Paramount+.
‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Season 3 receives 8 out of 10 stars.
Arriving on Paramount+ on July 17th with the first two episodes (and eight more landing weekly), ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ launches its third season, once more starring Anson Mount (‘Non-Stop’) as Captain Christopher Pike, leading the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise on new adventures.
(L to R) Jess Bush as Chapel and Ethan Peck as Spock in season 3 , Episode 1 of ‘Strange New Worlds’ streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Marni Grossman/Paramount+.
‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ has established its own particular style. Largely episodic (with some linked episodes and nods to ongoing storylines here and there, organically incorporated) it has also become known as the ‘Trek’ show that really, boldly goes where no one has gone before.
By that, we mean the show has displayed incredible narrative flexibility; one minute it’s a traditional space adventure, thrusting the crew into a desperate situation against dangerous aliens, the next it’s a musical. And while other series in the long canon of this venerable franchise have had their fun –– take ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’s occasional visits to the holodeck or the machinations of the mischievous, all-powerful Q –– ‘Strange New Worlds’ doesn’t usually need much of an excuse to break out of the usual format.
The most surprising thing? It almost always works, so the biggest challenge facing the creative team in the third season is keeping that balance intact.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Christina Chong as Laían and Ethan Peck as Spock in season 3 , Episode 4 of ‘Strange New Worlds’ streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Marni Grossman/Paramount+.
Fortunately, we’re pleased to report that Season 3 maintains the same level of playfulness and drama that audiences have come to enjoy about the show. Showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers pick up the cliffhanger from last season’s finale ‘Hegemony’ with kidnapped crew members and the Enterprise under devastating attack from the devious, reptilian Gorn (a far cry from the man-in-rubber-suit combat as shown in the original ‘Star Trek’).
Kicking off with high drama, the initial episode offers all the twists and turns you might hope for, our valiant crew figuring out how to fight back against their violent enemies. And leaving at least one plot thread dangling through the season to be dealt with later. Again, this is handled in such smooth fashion that you’re happy to see them leaving some storylines to be dealt with down the line.
Babs Olusanmokun as Dr. MíBenga in season 3 , Episode 5 of ‘Strange New Worlds’ streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Marni Grossman/Paramount+.
Other episodes, such as ‘Shuttle to Kenfori’ offer welcome digs into the pasts and private lives of characters including Dr. M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun), while ‘A Space Adventure Hour,’ featuring the first appearance (in ‘Trek lore, at least) of a technology familiar to ‘Next Generation’ fans, is a familiar piece of format tinkering layered with loving nods to the 1960s wellspring.
Stylistically, the show continues to look great, cinematic and impressive, and welcoming back the likes of ‘Trek’ veteran Jonathan Frakes behind the camera, resulting in a healthy combination of cinematography and attention to the cast’s easy chemistry.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Dan Jeannotte as Sam Kirk, Carol Kane as Pelia and Martin Quinn as Scotty in season 3 , Episode 5 of ‘Strange New Worlds’ streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Marni Grossman/Paramount+.
The bonhomie between this crew can’t be understated –– they’re a team that has really found its gear, and even with huge stakes surrounding them, there’s space for a lightness of touch and real humor.
Anson Mount continues to be the (usually) calm and steady presence as a leading man and ship’s captain, commanding his crew in a way that Kirk, Picard or even Sisko and Janeway could never dream of trying, but always there in a pinch.
Rebecca Romijn’s Number One doesn’t get as much of a showcase in the episodes provided to the press, but she’s still a welcome, dryly funny presence.
Ethan Peck’s Spock does enjoy some focus, particularly in a funny, whimsical episode early in the season (‘Wedding Bell Blues’) confronting his evolving feelings for a crewmate and potentially finding a new connection.
Jess Bush is still on great form as Nurse Christine Chapel, bringing something more to the character than the original series had time for.
Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas in season 3 , Episode 7 of ‘Strange New Worlds’ streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Marni Grossman/Paramount+.
If there’s a complaint to be made, it’s that there’s really enough from Carol Kane’s offbeat chief engineer Pelia, as she’s always entertaining when she’s on screen.
Around the main cast, there are some welcome new faces (including one guest star whose name and character we won’t spoil that has a deep cut link to an existing ‘Trek’ character) and recent recruit Martin Quinn as Lt. Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, who gives a performance that honors James Doohan while also existing as its own creation.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Rebecca Romijn as Una and Anson Mount as Capt. Pike in season 3 , Episode 4 of ‘Strange New Worlds’ streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Marni Grossman/Paramount+.
Taking the “if it ain’t broke” approach has worked for ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.’
Assuming the remaining five episodes of the new season don’t fall off a cliff creatively speaking, this new season is a welcome addition to one of the best shows in modern ‘Star Trek’ history.
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What’s the plot of ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Season 3?
In Season 3, when we reconnect with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, still under the command of Captain Pike, they face the conclusion of season two’s harrowing encounter with the Gorn.
But new life and civilizations await, including a villain that will test our characters’ grit and resolve…
Who stars in ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Season 3?
Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike
Ethan Peck as Spock
Christina Chong as La’an Noonien-Singh
Melissa Navia as Lt. Erica Ortegas
Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley
Jess Bush as Nurse Christine Chapel Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura
Babs Olusanmokun as Dr. M’Benga Dan Jeannotte as Lieutenant George Samuel ‘Sam’ Kirk
Carol Kane as Pelia
Martin Quinn as Lieutenant Montgomery Scott
Carol Kane as Pelia in season 3 , Episode 6 of ‘Strange New Worlds’ streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Marni Grossman/Paramount+
Doug Liman in developing an adaptation of ‘The Stand.’
Stephen King’s 1987 tale is considered among his best.
Paramount Pictures is backing the new movie project.
There are certain things you can count on in life. The changing of the seasons. The tides of the sea. A studio or filmmaker deciding to adapt a Stephen King story.
Paramount Pictures is, per The Hollywood Reporter, teaming up with the director to adapt the novel into a movie, bringing to the big screen something that has previously been miniseries.
The book, first published in 1978 then revised in 1990, is a bar-setting literary genre offering that has long influenced pop culture and inspired many other takes on post-apocalyptic narratives across different media.
An ambitious story of good vs. evil, it takes place in an America after a virus wipes out most of the population and follows dozens of characters in overlapping storylines running over many years. And while readers root for the characters such as the Trashcan Man and Mother Abigail, the final showdown came down to a group of survivors fighting the Antichrist-like Randall Flagg in the wasteland known as Las Vegas.
‘The Stand’ has, as mentioned above been adapted twice as a miniseries, once in 1994 and again in 2020 (pretty sure no one was really ready to watch it as Covid initially gripped the world), and as comic by Marvel Comics.
There’s a reason it has primarily been made into miniseries form: the book is King’s longest work, with a whopping page count of 1,152.
The history of people trying to adapt it into a movie is a litany of different filmmakers, none of whom got it over the finishing line: directors including George A. Romero,David Yates to Ben Affleck and Josh Boone (the latter ended up involved with the 2020 miniseries) have tried to tackle the material, and Warner Bros. and CBS Films partnered on developing it in the 2010s.
Now Paramount, working with Liman and producer Tyler Thompson of Cross Creek Pictures (who previously helped the director shoot Tom Cruise effort ‘American Made’ for Universal) are meeting with writers to develop Liman’s particular take –– described by THR’s sources as a one-movie idea rather than trying to launch a franchise –– into script form.
What else is Doug Liman developing?
(L to R) Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau and director Doug Liman from Apple Original Films’ “The Instigators” make an appearance at View Boston. Photo: Marion Curtis / Starpix for Apple Original Films.
Liman is a real genre-hopper who hates being tied down to one sort of movie, and he has several other plates spinning right now.
Right now, he’s shooting ‘Everest’, which stars Ewan McGregor as British mountain climber George Mallory, the explorer who made multiple attempts to scale the titular peak throughout the 1920s.
And then there’s ‘Deeper’ in development, an underwater supernatural thriller that is being targeted for Cruise and Ana de Armas (because as the latest ‘Mission: Impossible’ movie can attest, Cruise loves spending time underwater).
The director keeps talking about the potential for another Cruise reunion –– a sequel to sci-fi ‘Edge of Tomorrow,’ though despite the tantalizing prospect, it remains just out of reach.
Then we have the big maybes, such as a movie that could be shot on the International Space Station, starring –– you guessed it! –– one Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, a new movie adaptation of ‘The Saint’ TV show and a variety of others.
That’s not even getting into his list as a producer, but to document all of those would take probably about the same word count as ‘The Stand’.
When will ‘The Stand’ be on screens?
While Liman is a director who can get movies made, even the fact that it has a studio attached is no guarantee that this will either move quickly or even reach screens.
Add to that the fact that the movie doesn’t have a writer aboard yet, let alone a cast, and we’d expect to be waiting a couple of years for this one. So, er, stand still for now?
Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt in ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
If 2023’s ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’ was a rocketship of a movie that blasted clear into the stratosphere on a two-and-a-half-hour surge of supercharged action fuel, then ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ is the long, bumpy descent back to Earth, full of near-misses and some truly exhilarating moments before settling onto the ground in somewhat anticlimactic fashion.
As a possible close to this nearly 30-year-old, eight-movie saga, it’s frustrating, fan-servicey, and non-committal; as an entry on its own terms in what has become one of the best action franchises of the 21st century, it’s got a weird structure that goes flat for long stretches before jolting us with some of the series’ most electrifying set pieces. But star/producer Tom Cruise, writer/director Christopher McQuarrie and their cast work hard to sew up many of the franchise’s loose ends and deliver a ton of movie, even if it doesn’t quite live up to the expectations set by the last three or four chapters in the story.
Story and Direction
Director Christopher McQuarrie on the set of ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
The first 30 or 40 minutes of ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ are its wobbliest. The film begins with a montage of moments from across the entire series, as if to remind us of not just what happened in the last movie, but to recap the entire saga and jog our memories of how monumental it all is. We’ve also got to get up to speed on the events of ‘Dead Reckoning,’ since – despite the efforts to play down the two films as ‘Part One’ and ‘Part Two’ after the former underperformed at the box office – ‘The Final Reckoning’ is a direct sequel that picks up almost right where we left off (despite reports of reshoots, some of which are glaringly obvious here).
Cruise and McQuarrie seemingly want to secure their franchise’s place in the action/sci-fi movie firmament as well, right next to the likes of Marvel’s Infinity Saga, the James Bond films, and the Skywalker Saga. In fact, there’s an air of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ around ‘The Final Reckoning,’ with McQuarrie’s screenplay (co-written with Erik Jendresen) not just rehashing the events of movies past but bringing in plot points and characters from specific films — most notably the very first ‘Mission: Impossible’ and J.J. Abrams’ ‘Mission: Impossible III’ – while retconning a few as well. There’s also a significant death early in the picture, which makes it seem – at least initially – that everyone’s life could be up for grabs.
Well, they kind of are, actually: ‘The Final Reckoning’ leans fully into the pulp sci-fi aspect of the ‘Mission: Impossible’ IP — going all the way back to the TV show — by making the stakes here nothing less than the end of human civilization at the hands of the Entity, the sentient, self-replicating AI that was the bogey at the heart of the previous film. As the film opens, the Entity is seizing control of not just the world’s nine major nuclear arsenals one by one, but, oddly, all online content as well, creating its own never-ending of deepfakes and fake news to confuse the human race and turn everyone against each other (as if we need AI to do that these days).
(L to R) Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie on the set of ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
The Entity’s proselytizer and human henchman from the first film, Gabriel (Esai Morales), is now operating on his own and wants to get control of it, which requires a key that only Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is currently in possession of. Former CIA director Erika Sloane (Angela Bassett), now the President of the United States, wants Ethan to come in, while current CIA director, the eternally oily Kittredge (Henry Czerny), wants to get his hands on the Entity’s steering wheel as well. But Ethan knows that the Entity cannot be tamed and must be destroyed.
The means to do that is revealed in a lot of heavily-convoluted scenes of exposition that stop the film dead in its tracks several times, with McQuarrie deploying characters to finish each other’s sentences even if they’re sometimes not in the same room or on the same continent. The results are bizarre, as if the filmmakers are taking the criticism of this property’s often nonsensical storylines so seriously that they want to make sure that you’re fully briefed every 10 minutes or so.
In any case, it turns out that the only way to either stop or gain control of the Entity is by obtaining its source code, which is on a drive hidden away in that submarine that sank at the beginning of ‘Dead Reckoning.’ If that source code can be combined with a “poison pill” virus created by Ethan’s reliable bestie and teammate Luther (Ving Rhames) and uploaded to the internet, it can theoretically send the Entity scurrying through the world’s routers and fiber-optic cables into a trap that Ethan, Benji (Simon Pegg), Grace (Hayley Atwell) and their allies hope can capture the AI “in the blink of an eye.”
(L to R) Tom Cruise and Director Christopher McQuarrie on the set of ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’. Photo: Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
With the IMF team on the run from the Bering Sea to South Africa to achieve their mission, as Gabriel’s minions close in on them from one side and Kittredge’s squads bear down on the other, ‘The Final Reckoning’ eventually kicks into gear with two absolutely superb action sequences that are notable for how unlike each other they are. The first is an eerie, almost completely wordless 20-minute segment in which Ethan indeed breaches that sub, now a massive underwater tomb, and must escape with the source code before the sub plunges off the outcropping it’s perched on to the bottom of the ocean. Ethan’s fight to get out is incredibly nerve-wracking, although the end of the sequence undermines even its movie realism by allowing him to do something we were told one scene earlier is impossible for any human to do.
The second action set piece is basically the entire third act, a steady build-up of tension as we cut between Ethan and Gabriel battling in mid-air on dueling bi-planes, a standoff in an underground shelter involving guns, a ticking bomb, and one badly injured hero, and the President getting ready to pre-emptively press the nuclear button with a traitor standing just feet from her. The aerial dogfight is nothing short of stunningly spectacular, Cruise once again risking his life as he hangs off both planes and slides all over their wingspans as the aircraft dive and swoop through mountains, ravines and valleys.
That last half hour is really what we want from a ‘Mission: Impossible’ movie, and worth every penny onscreen (speaking of which, the movie looks astounding throughout, even if large chunks of it take place in tight, dark spaces). The very end of the story, meanwhile, sort of undermines the climax but also suggests a last-minute retooling. It’s not really clear where this franchise goes from here, but it is evident from the movie’s coda that the filmmakers themselves don’t really know either.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt, Greg Tarzan Davis plays Degas, Simon Pegg plays Benji Dunn and Hayley Atwell plays Grace in ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Is his job finally getting to Ethan Hunt, or is making these behemoths finally getting to Tom Cruise? The venerable movie star seems a bit tired here, although in some ways he gives perhaps his most emotional performance as Ethan Hunt. Still, the idea that the fate of the world rests on his shoulders – and has been resting on them for a while – seems a bit much to hang on one guy. Having said that, Cruise gives his all here as usual, particular in those gut-churning airborne stunts and his seemingly unending ability to run great distances at speed.
As with ‘Dead Reckoning,’ the cast here is stacked to the rafters. It’s just a shame that most of the glittering ensemble don’t really play characters but just chess pieces who each get a moment or two to shine if they’re lucky. Pegg and Rhames are dependable as always, forming the emotional core of the movie, while Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff look fabulous as they do whatever the script requires and little else.
(L to R) Nick Offerman, Charles Parnell, Angela Bassett, Mark Gatiss and Janet McTeer in ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
As for the rest of the folks – Bassett, Holt McCallany as the Secretary of Defense, Nick Offerman as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (just one year after playing the President himself!), the great Janet McTeer as Someone Important in the President’s Circle, and Hannah Waddingham and Tramell Tillman as a carrier commander and submarine captain respectively – well, they’re all terrific (especially Waddingham and Tillman) and we wish we could see more of them.
The biggest disappointment is Esai Morales’ Gabriel. We warmed to him in ‘Dead Reckoning,’ but here the character’s motivations are even more vague, and Morales seems unsure whether to play the character as a cool-as-a-cucumber 007 antagonist or a maniacally laughing comic book supervillain.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt and Simon Pegg plays Benji Dunn in ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Even though the movie itself doesn’t close the book definitively, this is probably where the mission should end (some thought it should have wrapped two movies ago with the sublime ‘Fallout’). It doesn’t seem plausible that each installment can keep getting bigger, and it’s less plausible that Tom Cruise will begin to age backwards. The more pronounced underlying theme here as well – Ethan Hunt is the savior of the world – strains good taste and credibility.
But let’s also give thanks to Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, and everyone else involved in these films over the years – including a handful that should receive a tip of the hat in this entry but don’t (cough, Rebecca Ferguson, cough) – who have kept the torch lit for big-screen, crowd-pleasing, spectacular action epics with a bit of heart and brains. ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ might not be the best of the series by a long shot, but it goes out mostly strong and even makes a much-needed plea for kindness, understanding, and trust. That might be the most impossible mission of all – should we choose to accept it.
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What is the plot of ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’?
Following the events of ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning,’ Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team must stop the villainous Gabriel (Esai Morales) from gaining control of the powerful sentient AI known as the Entity, which has plans of its own for the world.
Who is in the cast of ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’?
(L to R) Anson Boon as Eddie Harrigan, Joanne Froggatt as Jan Da Souza, Mandeep Dhillon as Seraphina Harrigan, Lara Pulver as Bella Harrigan, Paddy Considine as Kevin Harrigan, Pierce Brosnan as Conrad Harrigan, Helen Mirren as Maeve Harrigan, Tom Hardy as Harry Da Souza, and Daniel Betts as Brendan Harrigan in ‘MobLand’.Streaming on PLaramount+ 2025. Photo: Jason Bell/PLaramount+.
‘MobLand’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
Arriving on Paramount+ on March 30th with its first episode, ‘MobLand’ is a new limited series set within the spiky world of intergenerational gangster empires in London.
Birthed by prolific filmmaker (and no stranger to British screen criminals) Guy Ritchie alongside Ronan Bennett, the creator of Netflix hit ‘Top Boy’, it’s the latest in a long legacy of violent, talky meditations on family within the gangland dynamic, and bolstered by a starry cast.
(L to R) Helen Mirren as Maeve Harrigan and Pierce Brosnan as Conrad Harrigan in ‘MobLand’. Streaming on Paramount+ 2025. Photo: Jason Bell/Paramount+.
‘MobLand’ has an odd history, since it began life as a spin-off of Showtime’s long-running family/crime drama ‘Ray Donovan’; you know, the one where Liev Schreiber played a “fixer” to celebrities and other powerful types whose one big failing was that he couldn’t mend his own dysfunctional family.
Yet somewhere along the line, for reasons that have yet to be revealed, what was going to be a look at the origins of the Donovan family focused on similar character types working in London has morphed into an original –– though that is stretching the term very broadly, as we’ll discuss –– story of conflicting crime families and the tough-nut type who sorts out issues for one of them.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Paddy Considine as Kevin Harrigan and Tom Hardy as Harry Da Souza in ‘MobLand’. Streaming on Paramount+ 2025. Photo: Luke Varley/Paramount+.
With creator/writer Ronan Bennett here working alongside Jez Butterworth (better known for the likes of ‘Ford v Ferrari,’ and ‘Edge of Tomorrow,’ but who tackled crime themes with 2015’s ‘Black Mass’), there is a lot about ‘MobLand’ that would lead to the description “Generic Gangster Drama #746”.
So much of what is on display here, the deep bones of the series, are tropes and ideas that have been explored many, many times before. You have, for example, the aging patriarch of the crime dynasty who is no longer sure who he can trust, even among his oldest friends. And his calculating wife, forever whispering in his ear about potential issues, proves to be one of the true powers in the family.
The less effective children are also used here, along with the primary focus of the show, the loyal fixer whose job it is the sort out the messes caused, mostly by those annoying younger clan members.
(L to R) Paddy Considine as Kevin Harrigan and Tom Hardy as Harry Da Souza in ‘MobLand’. Streaming on Paramount+ 2025. Photo: Luke Varley/Paramount+.
Between them, Bennett and Butterworth do manage to find some new ideas sprinkled between the established narrative, hewing away from some of the cliches (the fixer’s wife, for one, isn’t a naïve person who has no knowledge of her husband’s job) while leaning into others (the couple are still on the verge of divorce because of the pressures that come with it.)
Yet if you’ve watched particularly Bennett’s past work, it’s hard not to wonder why this is quite so generic at times.
Guy Ritchie, meanwhile, leads the directing team (which also includes Anthony Byrne –– who actually handles the lion’s share of the episodes –– Lawrence Gough and Daniel Syrkin) and tones down the visual zippiness from his other gangster TV series (Netflix’s ‘The Gentlemen’), here choosing a more somber palate and tone.
The series benefits from some impressive UK locations (especially the characters’ homes, which reinforce the idea that crime pays) and is shot well, dark and moody when needed, which is often, but rarely so murky that you can’t tell what is going on.
Cast and Performances
Tom Hardy as Harry Da Souza in ‘MobLand’. Streaming on Paramount+ 2025. Photo: Luke Varley/Paramount+.
Tom Hardy’s Harry De Souza is the focal point here –– he’s our eyes, ears and guide to this world. And the role takes full advantage of Hardy’s gruff strengths. He’s at his best when he’s using his stoic charm to threaten people –– usually more with his words than fists or weapons, but he’s not above that –– and get his way in the service of his bosses.
Harry also gives Hardy the chance to play the more subtle sides of the character, the family man who struggles to do right by his wife and daughter in anything other than providing them a great place to live and the money to do well.
As crime boss Conrad Hannigan, Pierce Brosnan sports an outrageous Irish accent (odd, since he was born in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland) and generally gives the character a vulnerability under the tough gangster side of things.
Helen Mirren, meanwhile, utilizing her own often impenetrable stab at the accent (similar to how she does in ‘Yellowstone’ prequel series ‘1923’), is the power behind the throne but, so far, at least, mostly resigned to wafting in and out of rooms and offering the occasional snide bit of advice.
(L to R) Emmett J Scanlan as Paul and Helen Mirren as Maeve Harrigan in ‘MobLand’. Streaming on Paramount+ 2025. Photo: Luke Varley/Paramount+.
‘House of the Dragon’ veteran Paddy Considine is good as Kevin Hannigan, Conrad’s son and Harry’s old friend (they met in prison, which is how the latter came to work for the family). Unlike some of his siblings, he comes across as capable, though not always comfortable with the criminal life.
Among the supporting ensemble, Joanne Froggatt shines as Harry’s increasingly frustrated wife, Jan, while Lara Pulver is good as Bella Harrigan, Kevin’s wife and a woman with whom Harry also clearly shares a history.
Tom Hardy as Harry Da Souza in ‘MobLand’. Streaming on Paramount+ 2025. Photo: Luke Varley/Paramount+.
It won’t win many points for originality, but ‘MobLand’ has enough going for it that it’s still a worthy entry to the gangster genre.
Solid work on both sides of the camera, and enough wit to stave off blandness are key to what makes it work.
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What’s the plot of ‘MobLand’?
Power is up for grabs as two warring crime families clash in a battle that threatens to topple empires. In the crossfire stands Harry Da Souza (Tom Hardy), a street-smart ‘fixer’ who knows too well where loyalties lie when opposing forces collide.
(Left) Jon Voight in ‘High Ground’. Photo: Republic Pictures. (Right) Charlie Weber in ‘High Ground’. Photo: Republic Pictures.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jon Voight and Charlie Weber about their work on ‘High Ground’, Voight’s first reaction to the screenplay, how Weber developed the project, their characters, working together again, their respect for actress Katherine McNamara, preparing for the action sequences, collaborating with director James Bamford, on set and if Mr. Voight is still having fun making movies at this point in his career.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Voight, Weber, and Katherine McNamara.
Jon Voight in ‘High Ground’. Photo: Republic Pictures.
Moviefone: To begin with, Mr. Voight, what was your first reaction to this screenplay and why did you want to be involved in this project?
Jon Voight: Well, I was recommended to it, and it’s always exciting to get somebody who wants you for a part. I had worked with Charlie on a picture called ‘The Painter’, and it was a big success with the Paramount+ folks, a popular movie. So, I was excited to read it. Then, when I did read it, I found that it could be very powerful, actually, and all the pieces playing their proper parts. I thought I could probably do the part they asked me to do, playing his father and the story. I said, “Yeah, let’s do this.” It turned out to be a good picture. I’m very pleased with the picture, Jami.
MF: Charlie, can you talk about your approach to this character and how Jake’s military background makes him uniquely qualified for the situation he finds himself in?
Charlie Webber: Absolutely. I developed this script for months. I found it. My friend Jon Thaddeus, who I had wanted to work with on a prior movie but had to drop out because of a scheduling thing with a show I was on. So, I wanted to produce something, and I saw this script of his, ‘High Ground’, and just shaped it into what it is, a sort of a modern day western. The character, Jake Wilcott, is based, not even loosely, on his son who served as an Army Ranger. I wanted to bring that to the movie. But anyone with that kind of training that’s been through those experiences can take care of business, so to speak, but also, they bring with them an experience having come home. He just wanted to kind of lay low and not be involved. He had to find himself throughout this story to step up to do what he does.
(L to R) Charlie Weber and Jon Voight in ‘High Ground’. Photo: Republic Pictures.
MF: Mr. Voight, can you talk about Ezra’s relationship with his son Jake, and how he helps him through this situation?
JV: Well, he’s been the sheriff. The character I play has been his dad and the sheriff for quite a long time, 35 years. He’s gotten a little older, and he’s going to be stepping down, and he’s passing it on to his son. He knows that his son has been through quite something in his military service and is shy in many ways of taking it on. He’s concerned about his son. I think that makes the piece rich, this, “You know, I’m capable of things,” and occasionally, I step up and say, “You want me to handle this son?” He says, “No, Dad, I’ll take it,” or whatever. I think it’s a good relationship. Then, we both come to the finale, and everyone involved must be capable of holding off this evil attack of many bad folks who are capable of just annihilating us. We’re only a few people, but we’re all skilled. Then, the audience sees what happens, and the final battles are quite extraordinary and fun for the audience. The skill set of this guy (Charlie) is terrific.
MF: Charlie, you and Mr. Voight have worked together before, did that help with the father/son relationship you have in this movie?
CW: Jon alluded to that, the relationship he and I have, and we’ve worked together before and we had a shorthand going into this movie. We work well together. I really enjoy working with Jon. That relationship and the sense of family and love that you get from this movie, by the time you get to the showdown, the stakes are very high.
MF: Charlie, can you talk about the way the town’s residents rally together to support Jake when they are attacked?
CW: They absolutely do. I think, as I said, when I was developing it, I’m from a small town, and I wanted to sort of reflect that and the mentality of people that are in this small place together. When you’re used to something, change can be tough for everybody. When someone’s been the sheriff for 35 or 40 years, to have somebody else come in when you’re used to something else can be hard for everyone. But it was hard for Jake. He didn’t know if he wanted to take on that responsibility after what he’d been through. So, I think the movie reflects that and ultimately the community rallying together.
(L to R) Charlie Weber and Katherine McNamara in ‘High Ground’. Photo: Republic Pictures.
MF: Charlie, can you talk about Jake’s relationship with Cassie and working with Katherine McNamara?
CW: Kat was perfect. She was such a great Cassie. We just really got along immediately and had a great rapport, respected each other’s work, and it was just breezy. We really got along great, and the scenes together were so fun and just natural. I really enjoyed working with her.
MF: Mr. Voight, what was your experience like working with Katherine McNamara?
JV: You know, the thing about Kate, I mean, she’s really gifted in many ways, and she’s gifted physically in terms of all of her understanding of martial arts and stuff. She’s very talented, and she has quite a following because of that. But she’s also a wonderful actress, too. She’s good.
Charlie Weber in ‘High Ground’. Photo: Republic Pictures.
MF: Charlie, can you talk about preparing for the action sequences and how you executed them on set?
CW: (We had a) great stunt team and great stunts. The gunplay, like I said, you have a great team of people surrounding you. I’m very fortunate to have gotten to work with a lot of great people over the years and have received a lot of training from a lot of talented people. We just had great stunt and fighting guys, like Max Kraus, who was an absolute pleasure, and I’d love to do it again, but just a great crew. You show up early. You dedicate yourself to just learning everything and focusing on making everything look right. Now, I’m a big fan of working extremely hard to master the things they try to teach me. I think it’s sort of a way to honor the people that do these things.
MF: Charlie, does training stay with you from film to film, or do you have to train differently for different roles?
CW: It’s nice to brush up on things, but I stay active in my personal life as well, when it comes to shooting, et cetera, and martial arts. So, for me, it’s nice to get in with a true professional and brush up on everything. But luckily for me, I’ve been fortunate enough to do enough of these movies where it’s pretty much in my bones at this point.
(L to R) Charlie Weber and Jon Voight in ‘High Ground’. Photo: Republic Pictures.
MF: Mr. Voight, you’ve worked with director James Bamford before, what do you enjoy about working with him?
JV: He’s appropriately named “Bam”, you know, Bamford. Because he has a dynamic personality. All together positive, and he’s very prepared. He’s been a martial arts guy, and he’s fought in the cage, you know, he’s the real thing. So, he has a very high expectation for the work that the stunt people do. He puts them through a lot of stuff. Sometimes I get scared. I said, “Wait, what are you going to let that guy get hit with the thing? Then he says, “Oh, yeah, he’ll do that.” I’m very concerned about all the folks around. But he’s a total professional, very smart, very good guy, and it’s a pleasure to work with him.
MF: Charlie, what was your experience like working with James Bamford?
CW: I love James. I loved working with him. I can’t wait to work with him again. I think to the point of what we were talking about, he is a great director, but in a previous career was a top tier stunt coordinator. He really truly cares about that work, but he also truly cares about his guys, the stunt performers. When you’ve got that camaraderie on a set, the stunts just go, great.
(L to R) Charlie Weber and Jon Voight in ‘High Ground’. Photo: Republic Pictures.
MF: Mr. Voight what was it like reuniting with Charlie on this film after making ‘The Painter’?
JV: Oh, Charlie and I get along. We have from the beginning when we did ‘The Painter’. You kind of try to get to know somebody and have a sense of what their relationship might be. From the beginning, Charlie and I got along. Charlie’s a wonderful actor and a total professional. When I came to the set, he was ready, and I was ready. That’s a great thing. I mean, once you know that, you’re in. Anyway, he has a wonderful way with these kinds of films too, because he’s got the physical ability on top of it, and the ability to go long nights with a few pieces of damage on his body to make it interesting. But no, he’s the real thing.
MF: Charlie, what have you learned about acting from working with Oscar winner Jon Voight?
CW: I, obviously, was very excited to meet Jon when we did ‘The Painter’, but as he said, we immediately just fell into a conversation and really got along. Then, as he also said, you step on set, and you got two guys that are ready to go and have some fun and care about the work and then care about not just the work, but each other and the people around them. I just really, obviously, admired his work before we’d met. Then, I just loved him as a person, and we just had a great chemistry. I think it was just a reinforcement of something that I’ve already felt, which is, you take the work seriously, but are a kind and cool person. I think seeing Jon on set just sort of reinforced that if you’re someone who truly cares about the work and the people around them, you’re going to do something special.
Jon Voight in ‘High Ground’. Photo: Republic Pictures.
MF: Finally, Mr. Voight, at this point in your legendary career, are you still having fun making movies?
JV: Oh, sure. It’s always dangerous, too. You never know how things are going to work out. So, when you come to the set, each scene has its own demands, and you’re concerned about it, but it’s fun. That’s why we’re in this world. We fell in love with it at a certain point. We really love to come to the set and do this work and see if we can pull something off for the people. So no, I haven’t lost any of the enthusiasm I had when I was young, and I’m still very demanding, and I want to see it work right and all of that. I mean, it is an interesting thing about stunts. When anybody’s doing a lot of stunts, you’re concerned for them. Sometimes young actors, they want to show off, or they want to prove themselves. They’re not concerned with some of the things that keep things safe. It’s a danger. But when you’re a professional, there is a little danger on the set. These timings must be right and all of that, and you must know how to fall and stuff like that. But anyway, the good ones, and Charlie’s one of the good ones, they take care of everything, but they do the job. That’s a whole different area. You know, I’m an actor, but I also have done quite a lot of that other stuff, too. I really admire the people who do it well.
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What is the plot of ‘High Ground’?
When a mysterious prisoner (Henry Thomas) lands in his jail, a border town sheriff (Charlie Weber) faces the wrath of a brutal cartel.
Michelle Yeoh as Georgiou in ‘Star Trek: Section 31’, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+.
‘Star Trek: Section 31’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
Premiering on Paramount+ on January 24th, ‘Star Trek: Section 31’ represents the first ‘Star Trek’ movie produced –– even if it does carry the qualifier of “TV Movie” –– since 2016’s ‘Star Trek: Beyond.’ Which tells you something about the moribund development levels of big screen ‘Trek.’
Instead, it has been left up to the likes of executive producer/overseer Alex Kurtzman to fly the Federation flag on the small screen instead. And ‘Section 31’ marks the first feature-length spin-off from the various series (in this case, ‘Star Trek: Discovery,’ which launched the current televisual incarnation back in 2017 and wrapped up last year). The big question of course is, was it worth taking one of the characters and giving them a showcase?
Will ‘Star Trek: Section 31’ beam your interest aboard?
(L to R) Michelle Yeoh as Georgiou and Joe Pingue as Dada Noe in ‘Star Trek: Section 31’, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+.
‘Section 31’ does go some way to answering the question as to whether the current ‘Trek’ TV galaxy can generate solid enough ideas to work as movies, even if this first one does make its debut on the small screen via Paramount’s streaming service. That’s not a knock on the film, and while it might not have the scope and sheen of, say, a Nicholas Meyer movie or something from J.J. Abrams’ lens flare-inflected productions, it’s a burst of knockabout entertainment with solid character work and a tone that veers more towards ‘Mission: Impossible’ than classic ‘Star Trek.’
Indeed, there are ideas and developments here that might have given series creator Gene Roddenberry a conniption fit, even if his show did introduce the concept of the dark mirror universe for ‘Trek,’ playing with the principle years before Marvel and co.’s big-screen multiverses.
And keeping things mostly outside of Federation space means that there’s plenty of latitude for morally ambiguous types to band together for a higher calling. It also doesn’t hurt that it also allows for Michelle Yeoh, who hasn’t had a showcase like this since ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ to show her stuff not just as a dramatic actor but also someone who –– with support from the stunt team –– has the action chops.
Script and Direction
Michelle Yeoh as Georgiou in ‘Star Trek: Section 31’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Jan Thijs/Paramount+
Written by Craig Sweeny from a story originated by Bo Yeon Kim and Erika Lippoldt (all three have experience working on ‘Discovery’), ‘Section 31’ is a darkly humorous chunk of action that also has a few solid ideas at its core, not the least of which is the moral choices of its lead characters.
Not only that, but it lets Yeoh cut loose as Georgiou, fully leaning into the idea of someone who will do anything to achieve her aims (up to and including killing people), but also realizes the weight of her past, particularly when it rudely intrudes on her present gig as an undercover (well, mostly undercover) crime boss.
The script falls into some identifiable traps in places as it has to catch those who didn’t watch much of ‘Discovery’ up on who Georgiou is and how she fits into the mythology, and one or two of the reveals/surprises are signposted in places (if you believe the entire team makes it to the end credits, you’ve clearly never watched anything in this genre). But overall, it works.
Fellow ‘Discovery’ veteran Olatunde Osunsanmi, meanwhile, directs with a light touch, throwing in some visual panache where possible and keeping the tone fun while also delivering on the bigger themes.
‘Star Trek: Section 31’: Performances
With Yeoh the natural focus (and enjoying the spotlight), the movie nevertheless builds some quirky characters around her.
Michelle Yeoh as Phillipa Georgiou
Michelle Yeoh as Georgiou in ‘Star Trek: Section 31’, streaming on Paramount+, 2025. Photo Credit: Sophy Holland/Paramount+.
It says something that Yeoh, who these days has an Oscar on her mantle (for ‘Everything Everywhere’), opted to return for more from Georgiou, the conniving, crafty and imperious former ruler of the Terran Empire, who these days slums it working for the ethically questionable secret side of Starfleet. Yeoh brings power and spark to the lead role, bouncing well off the others and delivering some lines with just the right level of acid sarcasm.
Omari Hardwick as Alok in ‘Star Trek: Section 31’, streaming on Paramount+, 2025. Photo Credit: Sophy Holland/Paramount+.
Hardwick is sometimes lumbered with playing more of the straight arrow to Yeoh’s character, but he’s also handed enough of a dark past to keep Sahar from feeling stale.
Sam Richardson as Quasi in ‘Star Trek: Section 31’, streaming on Paramount+, 2025. Photo Credit: Sophy Holland/Paramount+.
A comedic veteran of the likes of ‘Veep,’ ‘Detroiters’ and ‘Ted Lasso,’ Richardson is the shapeshifting Quasi, and part of the bickering team of operatives dispatched to initially track down Georgiou and convince her to help them stop a major problem.
Richardson’s role is tailored towards his particular brand of nervy, empathetic comedy and he does his usual sterling job as a supporting player.
Robert Kazinsky as Zeph in ‘Star Trek: Section 31’, streaming on Paramount+, 2025. Photo Credit: Sophy Holland/Paramount+.
A mech-head a little too connected to his own technology, Zeph is the brawn of the team, and ‘Pacific Rim’s Kazinsky was a good choice for the role. He can play blustery but also vulnerable when needed and Zeph is a great blend of the two.
Kacey Rohl as Rachel in ‘Star Trek: Section 31’, streaming on Paramount+, 2025. Photo Credit: Sophy Holland/Paramount+.
One of the little elements of fan service (though they never get in the way of the narrative), Rohl’s character is the future Starfleet captain ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ fans will know from classic episode ‘Yesterday’s Enterprise.’ Here, she’s younger, but her straight-laced energy (until another side is unleashed) compliments the rest of the team’s wilder ways.
Sven Ruygrok as Fuzz in ‘Star Trek: Section 31’, streaming on Paramount+, 2025. Photo Credit: Sophy Holland/Paramount+.
Perhaps the most fascinating character of the bunch, Fuzz is actually something we won’t spoil here. A Vulcan first glimpsed laughing like he’s a Romulan, he’s one of the cleverer inventions for this new movie, and Ruygrok brings a great energy to him.
Final Thoughts
Michelle Yeoh as Georgiou in ‘Star Trek: Section 31’, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Sophy Holland/Paramount+.
Will ‘Star Trek: Section 31’ prove there is life in the TV side of the galaxy besides the ongoing series (new ones are on the way, but ‘Strange New Worlds’ is the only current ongoing concern)? It certainly has a vitality and an attitude to it, but it remains to be seen if it’s embraced by fans.
If nothing else, we got another chance to see Michelle Yeoh be a snarky badass.
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What’s the plot of ‘Star Trek: Section 31’?
Michelle Yeoh returns as Emperor Philippa Georgiou –– a character she played in ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ –– who joins a secret division of Starfleet.
Tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets, she also must face the sins of her past.
Sebastian Stan and Demi Moore were among the winners.
If 2024 represented a stumble for the scandal-prone Golden Globes, this year’s awards ceremony appeared to be much more back on form –– host Nikki Glaser kept things moving, while being funny even when it came to controversial subjects –– and there were some surprises in store for winners.
A big factor this year were indies scoring big –– well, if you can call ‘Emilia Perez’ an “indie” since it was produced by Netflix –– but the likes of ‘The Brutalist,’ ‘I’m Still Here’ and ‘Conclave’ all took home awards.
On the bigger scale, ‘Wicked’ could only conjure one win, while indie animated movie ‘Flow’ overtook the heavier hitters in its category.
Following last year’s shambles of a hosting gig by comedian Jo Koy, this Globes was in much surer hands thanks to Nikki Glaser, who dipped her toe into controversial topics –– the sex scandals of Sean “Diddy” Combs, politics –– but also managed to raise laughs and keep the ceremony moving.
It might not have been the most hilarious or memorable monologue/set, but it was a definite uptick.
When it came to the matter of the election, Glaser was scathing:
“You’re all so famous, so talented, so powerful. I mean, you could really do anything, except tell the country who to vote for.”
The Diddy crack came when she was referring to Zendaya’s role in ‘Challengers’:
“That movie was more sexually charged than Diddy’s credit card. I mean, seriously. Oh no, no, I know, I’m sorry, I’m upset too, the afterparty’s not going to be as good this year, but we have to move on!”
Finally, there was her skit mashing up ‘Wicked’ with ‘Conclave’ for the song ‘Popeular.’ “You’re gonna love this,” she announced, and it seemed to go over well, except perhaps with Elton John (no part of either movie) who didn’t seem to understand what it was all about.
‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Emilia Perez’ Enter the Awards Chat
Despite being 215 minutes, Brady Corbet’s ‘The Brutalist’ was among the big winners, taking home the drama award, Best Director for Corbet and Lead Actor–Drama for star Adrien Brody.
Netflix’s ‘Emilia Pérez,’ meanwhile, won four Globes, including best picture (comedy/musical), supporting actress for Zoe Saldaña, international feature and original song (“El Mal”).
On the acting front, Sebastian Stan was a worthy winner for ‘A Different Man,’ while ‘Wicked,’ which went into the evening with four nominations, only took home the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement gong. ‘Anora,’ which has won trophies from lots of other awards bodies, was shut out.
These wins don’t guarantee success come Oscar night, but they certainly give the movies some momentum.
Possibly the most emotional and celebrated win of the night was Demi Moore finally scoring an award for her lead performance in satirical horror movie ‘The Substance.’
Whether it came because the Globes loves to A) reward a big star and B) can’t resist a comeback story, Moore’s award was nevertheless deserved thanks to her committed, prosthetics-heavy work in Coralie Fargeat’s story of beauty and paranoia.
Her speech was heartfelt and pointed all at once:
“Thirty years ago I had a producer tell me I was a popcorn actress and at that time I made that mean that I wasn’t allowed to have this, that I could do movies that were successful and made a lot of money but that I wouldn’t be acknowledged, and I bought in and I believed that. A few years ago I thought that this was it, maybe I’ve done what I was supposed to do and then I had this magical bold courageous out of the box absolutely bonkers script come across my desk called ‘The Substance’ and the universe told me you’re not done.”
Moore’s family –– including daughter Rumer Willis –– erupted with joy while watching at home, which you can see below via Instagram.
It wouldn’t be the Golden Globes –– or indeed any awards ceremony –– without a few clunkers on the presentation front. This year’s ceremony included an odd camera angle (which Seth Rogen commented on).
Falling somewhere between funny and entirely awkward (as always) on the presentation side was Vin Diesel, handing out the Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award –– somewhat fitting given his leadership of the wildly successful ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise.
Diesel took the stage and immediately referenced Dwayne Johnson, with whom he’s famously been in a feud (though it seems to have thawed in recent times). “Hey Dwayne…”
The Rock gave no response save his megawatt smile (he’d previously scored a big laugh introducing the first award of the night and referring to how they used some of his chest hair for Timothée Chalamet’s ‘A Complete Unknown,’) but the level of tension certainly revved up a touch.
Fernanda Torres was a somewhat surprising (yet worthy) winner for the non-English language Brazilian drama ‘I’m Still Here.’
Taking the stage to collect Lead Actress in a Drama, Torres referenced her mother, who was nominated for the same trophy for her role in ‘Central Station’ more than two decades ago.
“She was here 25 years ago, and this is proof that art can endure through life, even in difficult moments like this. ‘I’m Still Here’ is a film that can help us to think how to survive in tough times.”
‘Matlock’s Kathy Bates, nominated in the Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Drama, ultimately lost to Anna Sawai of ‘Shōgun.’
The veteran actor was naturally supportive of Sawai and applauded her win, and has Sawai took the stage, Bates was glimpsed tearing up her now-unnecessary acceptance speech, albeit with more good humor.
Bates needn’t worry –– since ‘Matlock’ has already been renewed for Season 2, she’ll have other chances. And it’s not like she doesn’t already have an Oscar on her mantle.
With some hefty competition, including this year’s most successful box office release, ‘Inside Out 2,’ ‘Flow’ was the slightly surprising winner in the Animated Film category.
Not because it isn’t good –– it certainly is –– but because it hadn’t enjoyed quite the exposure of, say, Disney’s behemoth or DreamWorks’ ‘The Wild Robot.’
Writer/director (and various other tasks) Gints Zilbalodis paid tribute to his collaborators:
“This film is made by a very small, young but passionate team in a place where there isn’t a big film industry. This is the first time that a film from Latvia has been here, so this is huge for us. This is a very personal story for me because I used to work alone. I made all my films myself but this time I worked with a team and just like the cat in ‘Flow,’ I had to learn how to trust others, how to collaborate, how to overcome our differences and I think it’s very important to remember this nowadays, more than ever.”
‘Shōgun’ was also triumphant once again, nabbing three awards, while ‘Hacks’ was similarly rewarded with two, including Jean Smart once again.
Such was the lack of surprise at ‘The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White taking Best Performance in a Male Actor –– Musical or Comedy that Allen wasn’t even present to collect his trophy (though that might have something to do with his filming commitments to Bruce Springsteen biopic ‘Deliver Me from Nowhere.’)
It was certainly a better night for the Globes than 2024, though while the success of winners such as ‘The Brutalist,’ ‘Emilia Perez’ and actors including Moore and Stan don’t necessarily point to potential Oscar chances (the Globes traditionally don’t have a great track record of predicting the bigger awards), it was at least less embarrassing.
There remains a whiff of unfortunate corporate influence and some questions over the validity of the voting process, but this was by all reasonable metrics, a success.
‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Emilia Perez’ were the big winners at the 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards, winning Best Motion Picture in both their categories in addition to other major prizes.
Comebacks and upsets were the theme of the evening, as Demi Moore won her first award ever and surprise winners captured other categories.
Following last year’s disastrous hosting gig by Jo Koy, stand-up comic Nikki Glaser steadied the ship with a smooth, funny, if unspectacular performance as emcee.
‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Emilia Perez’ were the biggest movie winners at the 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, January 5, with the international journalists of the Golden Globe Foundation bestowing some of their biggest prizes on two of the more anti-commercial films of the season. A number of other highly hyped favorites like ‘Anora’ and ‘Wicked’ were largely shut out, while other major prizes went to a variety of smaller independent releases.
‘The Brutalist’ walked away with Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director for Brady Corbet, and Best Male Actor – Drama for Adrien Brody, while ‘Emilia Perez’ snagged Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Supporting Actor – Female for Zoe Saldana, Best Original Song for ‘El Mal,’ and Best International Motion Picture.
Neither film is what one might first think of as popular cineplex fare. ‘The Brutalist’ is a 3 ½ hour period epic about a brilliant architect and Holocaust survivor who struggles to find his place after landing in America following World War II, while ‘Emilia Perez’ is a musical about a Mexican cartel boss who transitions into a woman. ‘The Brutalist’ is just finding its way into theaters now, while ‘Emilia Perez’ has been streaming on Netflix since November. “We were told the film was undistributable, that no one would go see it,” said Corbet as he accepted Best Motion Picture. “No one was asking for 3 ½ hour film about a designer on 70mm. But it works.”
Moore, winning her first award of any kind in her long career, gave an impassioned and emotional speech in which she all but admitted that she never thought her work would receive any sort of acknowledgement beyond her ability to sell tickets:
“In those moments when we don’t think we are smart enough or pretty enough, or skinny enough or successful enough or basically just not enough, I had a woman say to me just know you will never be enough you can know the measure of your work if you just put down the measuring stick.”
She also revealed that she thought her best days as an actor might be behind her, a fear echoed by Adrien Brody in his equally emotional acceptance speech. “There was a time when I thought this would not be afforded to me again,” said the actor, who won an Oscar two decades ago for his portrayal of another Holocaust survivor in “The Pianist.”
Rousing speeches were among the highlights of the night, with Stan also acknowledging the difficulty of making films like ‘A Different Man’ and the Donald Trump biopic ‘The Apprentice,’ for which the Marvel star was also nominated for his portrayal of the convicted felon and once-and-future president. Meanwhile, director Jon M. Chu, accepting the Globes’ award for Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement – most popular movie, in other words – for ‘Wicked,’ insisted on “how important making this stuff is, when pessimism and cynicism rule the planet right now.”
Aside from that award, ‘Wicked’ was shut out of other major prizes, as were Oscar favorites like ‘Anora,’ ‘Nickel Boys,’ and ‘A Complete Unknown,’ all of which went home empty-handed. ‘Conclave’ earned the screenplay prize, while ‘Challengers’ composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross won for Best Score and Kieran Culkin earned Best Supporting Actor for ‘A Real Pain,’ the latter one of the few awards of the night which seemingly has a lock on an Oscar win as well.
On the TV side, ‘Shogun’ was the behemoth of the evening, walking away with three acting prizes as well as Best TV Series – Drama, while ‘Hacks’ won for Best TV Series – Comedy or Musical and ‘Baby Reindeer’ earned the trophy for Best Limited Series. The latter beat out ‘The Penguin’ in that category, although Colin Farrell, as widely expected, did earn the award for Best Male Actor – Limited Series for his portrayal of the title Gotham City crime boss.
As for the Golden Globes show itself, host and stand-up comic Nikki Glaser was a largely smooth and entertaining remedy for last year’s disastrous stint by stand-up Jo Koy, although Glaser did pull back on her usual raunchier fare with a succession of funny, if somewhat predictable, jokes about various members of the star-studded audience. But she proved herself more than capable of working what can be an often tough and raucous room.
