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Movie Review: ‘Secret Headquarters’

(L to R) Walker Scobell as Charlie, Owen Wilson as Jack, Keith L. Williams as Berger, Abby James Witherspoon as Lizzie, and Momona Tamada as Maya in ‘Secret Headquarters’ from Paramount Pictures.

The new superhero movie ‘Secret Headquarters,’ which was directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (‘Project Power’), premieres August 12th on Paramount+.

The movie stars Owen Wilson (‘Wedding Crashers‘) as The Guard, a superhero struggling with finding a way to balance his crime fighting with spending time with his young son, Charlie (Walker Scobell). But when the bad guys attack their home, led by an evil tech-genius (Michael Pena), Charlie discovers his dad’s secret.

While based on an original idea, the movie is basically a mash-up of ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Home Alone,’ and doesn’t offer anything new for the audience. The film tries to explore the complexities of being a superhero and a father, but by the end abandons it for action and cheap laughs.

The movie begins in the past, with Jack (Wilson), his wife (Jessie Mueller), and young son Charlie (Scobell) camping in the woods when they see what looks like a spaceship crash in the distance. Jack goes to help and meets Captain Sean Irons (Jesse Williams), who is with the military and has been tracking the UFO. Both men enter, while a glowing orb suddenly merges with Jack giving him powers.

Owen Wilson stars in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Secret Headquarters.’

The opening credits illustrate that Jack becomes the hero The Guard, and that his marriage and relationship with Charlie suffers due to the stress. We then flash-forward ten years to discover that Irons is no longer with the military, and instead working for a tech CEO named Ansel Argon (Pena) trying to locate the source of The Guard’s power.

Meanwhile, with his parents divorced and his father never having time for him, Charlie grows to resent his dad. When Jack suddenly has to leave while Charlie is spending the weekend at his house, Charlie invites his friends over only to discover a secret headquarters under the house. They soon realize that Charlie’s dad is The Guard, and use his power source to create gadgets for themselves.

But the fun is interrupted when Argon and Irons discover the secret headquarters and capture the kids. Now, the kids must defend themselves and the power source until The Guard can arrive, and more importantly, Charlie must come to terms with the truth about his father.

Since the explosion of superhero movies about twenty years ago, with a few exceptions, Marvel and DC have pretty much ruled with decades of characters and stories to utilize. So, creating a brand new superhero universe for a film can be difficult, and I appreciate the filmmakers taking a big swing with ‘Secret Headquarters.’ However, the movie takes too many ideas from existing properties to truly be original.

Owen Wilson as Jack in ‘Secret Headquarters’ from Paramount Pictures.

The Guard is clearly Iron Man, even down to the symbol on his chest. Jack is basically wearing a super-suit, and the powers are about the same. There is also clearly a reference to Green Lantern, as an alien spacecraft crashing and passing its power on to a worthy human being is the same origin story. There is even a little Batman thrown in there with all the gadgets, cool cars and secret headquarters itself.

You could also make an argument that Michael Pena’s character is basically Lex Luthor, and Captain Irons is his henchman. But about halfway through the film, once Argon and his men have gotten in the house and confront the kids, the movie becomes ‘Home Alone’ with super powers.

Part of the problem with the movie is that there is not enough time to really explore Jack and Charlie’s relationship in a meaningful way. There are a few brief scenes between the two characters at the beginning, but then Jack leaves, and once he returns it becomes all about saving the kids. Even the film’s conclusion doesn’t really address their relationship and how it changed through the course of the movie.

Once the movie goes into ‘Home Alone’ mode, anything it was trying to say about the sacrifices a hero has to make and their complex personal lives is completely abandoned and the movie just becomes silly kid’s stuff. Pena keeps the sequences moving with his over-the-top character and is quite funny throughout.

(L to R) Michael Peña as Argon, Keith L. Williams as Berger, Walker Scobell as Charlie, and Momona Tamada as Maya in ‘Secret Headquarters’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Hopper Stone/Paramount Pictures.

Owen Wilson is fine as Jack/The Guard, and it was fun seeing the actor finally play a superhero. But he is not in a lot of the film, and we never really see The Guard in full action. It would have been nice to see more of the character’s backstory as a hero, but Wilson gets a few moments of great action towards the end of the movie.

Walker Scobell, who was fantastic in ‘The Adam Project’ stumbles a bit here, creating a whinny brat of a character that you have a hard time rooting for. However, his supporting cast of young actors all shine, creating fully realized and fun characters.

Momona Tamada is excellent as Maya, a strong-willed classmate of Charlie’s, who he has a crush on. Abby James Witherspoon plays Lizzie, a TikTok obsessed pre-teen who has a humorous onscreen relationship with Kezii Curtis’ Big Mac.

One of the funniest young actors in the movie, Curtis’ character is actually named Eugene Burger but goes by Big Mac because as he says, “I’m the tastiest Burger.” Keith L. Williams plays the younger Burger brother and has some funny scenes with Curtis, who’s character goes ballistic when called “Eugene.”

In the end, ‘Secret Headquarters’ is a harmless, family-friendly movie that probably won’t be satisfying for adults or fans of the genre but may entertain your kids.

‘Secret Headquarters’ receives 2.5 out of 5 stars.

(L to R): Keith L. Williams as Berger, Walker Scobell as Charlie, Kezii Curtis as Big Mac, Momona Tamada as Maya, and Abby James Witherspoon as Lizzie in ‘Secret Headquarters’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Hopper Stone/Paramount Pictures.
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August 13, 2022
Owen Wilson and Walker Scobell Talk ‘Secret Headquarters’

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Premiering on Paramount+ August 12th is the new original superhero movie ‘Secret Headquarters,’ which was directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (‘Project Power’).

The movie stars ‘The Adam Project’s Walker Scobell as Charlie Kincaid, who has an estranged relationship with his father (Owen Wilson) due to his busy work schedule. While at his dad’s house, Charlie and his friends discover his dad’s secret headquarters and that he is really the superhero known as The Guard.

But, when an evil tech tycoon (Michael Pena) and his minions invade the secret lair to steal The Guard’s power source, Charlie and his friends will use his dad’s weapons to defend the secret headquarters.

In addition to Scobell, Wilson, and Pena, the cast also includes Jesse Williams, Keith L. Williams, Momona Tamada, Abby James Witherspoon, and Kezii Curtis.

Moviefone recently had the chance to speak with Owen Wilson and Walker Scobell about their work on ‘Secret Headquarters,’ their characters’ relationship, the original screenplay, and what it was like for Wilson to finally play a superhero on screen.

Owen Wilson as Jack in ‘Secret Headquarters’ from Paramount Pictures.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Wilson, Scobell, Michael Pena, Jesse Williams, Abby James Witherspoon, and Kezii Curtis.

Moviefone: To begin with, Owen, what was your first reaction to this original superhero screenplay and the opportunity to finally play a superhero on screen yourself?

Owen Wilson: I was excited. I think that the chance to play a superhero, I mean, who isn’t going to be flattered by that opportunity. I think it was done in a realistic way, so it isn’t so much that this is something that my character has really chosen, it’s something that he feels was thrust upon him.

That creates this dynamic between him and his son, Charlie, that’s frustrating for both of them. I think that’s hopefully what makes it a unique superhero story.

MF: Walker, can you talk about how Charlie feels when he discovers his father is really a superhero?

Walker Scobell: Well, normally they forget about why they were mad about their parents in all the other superhero movies and just forgive them, but in this one he gets angrier. Why can’t his dad trust him?

MF: What was it like working with Owen on that father and son relationship?

WS: It was really fun. The first scene we did, we had to play this baseball game on the Nintendo Switch. It was really fun, and we had to eat a bunch of pizza for the scene. That was pretty good bonding for that, I think.

(L to R) Walker Scobell as Charlie and Owen Wilson Jack in ‘Secret Headquarters’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Hopper Stone/Paramount Pictures.

MF: Owen, your character is torn between his responsibility as a hero and his responsibility as a father. Can you talk about that concept and how he deals with it?

OW: I think that’s what attracted me to the script when I first read it and that dynamic between Jack and Charlie. Being able to explore it through this entertaining way where, what if you found out the reason why your dad wasn’t at your baseball game is because he is superhero.

Even if that’s your excuse, and it’s a good excuse, it’s still your kid’s wanting you to be at their baseball game. I think that leads to a funny dynamic between Charlie and me.

MF: Finally, the movie is kind of like ‘Home Alone’ but with superpowers. Charlie, what was it like working with the other young actors on the set?

WS: It was fun. When we weren’t filming, we were running around and checking out all the stuff. There’s a bunch of punching bags and there’s a vending machine, which is kind of sad that it didn’t work because it had a bunch of stuff in it.

But it was really fun to get to work with all the other kids. Because normally I only work with adults, but it was nice to get to work with them because they were all just great.

(L to R): Keith L. Williams as Berger, Walker Scobell as Charlie, Kezii Curtis as Big Mac, Momona Tamada as Maya, and Abby James Witherspoon as Lizzie in ‘Secret Headquarters’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Hopper Stone/Paramount Pictures.
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August 12, 2022
Nick Offerman Joins ‘Mission: Impossible 8’

(L to R) Holt McCallany, Henry Czerny, and Nick Offerman in Paramount’s ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two.’

It might seem as though the next two ‘Mission: Impossible’ movies should already be in the can by now, but given Covid delays and cast scheduling, the cameras are indeed still cranking on ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two’, the eighth instalment.

And now, as revealed by writer/director Christopher McQuarrie on twitter, we know that the cast has grown yet again: Nick Offerman and Janet McTeer are the latest additions.

That’s not all – both McQuarrie and Offerman (virtually) stopped by the Light The Fuse Podcast to discuss the actor’s experience on the movie.

“Nick is quite literally drinking from the firehose, getting his first full bore ‘Mission: Impossible’ seeing-how-the-sausage-is-made,” McQuarrie said.

“It’s really fun and fascinating. There’s a handful of very high caliber actors that I’m getting to work with as well as the lead guy, and getting to toss the ball around is incredible,” Offerman explained. “Getting to watch them deal with the fire hose technique is fascinating, because everybody brings a great deal of elan and panache and years of experience. And watching McQ and Tom do their thing, you can’t really describe it to people. You have to be there. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s like they’re painting an incredible mural and we’re all the paints.”

The full episode of the podcast lands on Wednesday, but you can hear a preview here.

(L to R) Mark Gatiss, Janet McTeer, and Charles Parnell in Paramount’s ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two.’

No word on whom Offerman or McTeer are playing, though they could be government/military types – Offerman’s character is pictured alongside Holt McCallany, who we know is playing the Secretary of Defense, and what looks to be Henry Czerny, returning from the original ‘Mission: Impossible’ as Eugene Kittridge.

McTeer, meanwhile, is seen with actors Mark Gatiss and Charles Parnell, the latter of whom appeared with Cruise in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’.

The plot of the next two ‘Mission’ movies is still a closely-guarded secret, though from the first teaser, we did get some hints. The return of Kittridge points to more trouble from within the Impossible Mission Force, as Kittridge is giving off real villain vibes. He tells Ethan Hunt he’s effectively on the wrong side of history and that the “ideals” he’s been fighting for don’t exist. There are shots of people being gassed with a mysterious green substance, explosions and all manner of chases.

And, of course, there are massive stunts, which as per usual, represent Tom Cruise putting his life on the line to up the spectacle with each movie.

McQuarrie has a massive cast across the new movies, as returning ‘M:I’ regulars Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson and more recent additions including Vanessa Kirby are joined by new recruits Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Indira Varma, Cary Elwes, Esai Morales and Rob Delaney.

‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ is due in theaters on July 14th, 2023, while ‘Part Two’ follows on June 28th, 2024.

https://twitter.com/chrismcquarrie/status/1554127458525679617
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August 1, 2022
‘Creed’ Spin-Off ‘Drago’ Moves Ahead

(L to R) Dolph Lundgren stars as Ivan Drago and Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa in ‘Creed II,’ a Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures film.
Photo: Barry Wetcher / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures.
© 2018 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
All Rights Reserved.

This is less breaking news and more “I must break you” news.

Given how successful the two ‘Creed’ movies – which continue the story of the ‘Rocky’ films while focusing on Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), the son of Apollo Creed, as so memorably played by Carl Weathers in the 1970s and ‘80s – it’s not surprising that studio MGM might be considering spin-offs.

Word arrives today that just such an idea, a movie based around Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago, is moving to the script stage.

Drago, of course, was the hulking Russian antagonist in 1985’s ‘Rocky IV,’ (who kills Apollo Creed, the fiend). Continuing the family theme, his son Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) was the threat to Adonis in 2018’s ‘Creed II’.

Lundgren himself acted as hype man for a Drago movie back in November last year when talking to The Hollywood Reporter. After admitting his disappointment that a fan-pleasing fight with Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa hit the cutting room floor from ‘Creed II’, he teased seeing more of Drago: “I think there’s some talk about doing a whole spinoff on Drago with MGM. So you may get more of that.”

According to The Wrap, Robert Lawton is now on board to write the script for the new movie. He reportedly impressed executives with his spec screenplay ‘Becoming Rocky’ which chronicled the behind-the-scenes efforts to make the 1976 original.

(L to R) Michael B. Jordan and Florian Munteanu in 2018’s ‘Creed II.’

And he had an idea for a Drago-centric movie that excited MGM’s team enough to score him the job. No details have emerged about what that story might be, but there is plenty of scope for more of Drago and potentially Viktor’s story to be told.

Now we wait to see whether the bell rings on this one and if a director steps aboard to guide it out of the development dressing room.

There is related, and not so good news about the next iteration of the main ‘Creed’ franchise, though chances are it’s more to give the movie time to be finished.

Star Jordan – who once again leads the cast as Adonis – stepped up to direct this latest movie, but while it was targeting a November 23rd release date until recently, it is now on the move to March 3rd next year.

And that’s not exactly a prime position to be in, since it puts ‘Creed III’ in the ring with Paramount’s big fantasy adventure ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’, which had a warm reception (for its trailer, at least) at last weekend’s Comic-Con.

And this ‘Creed’ will be without possibly its heaviest hitter besides Jordan, as this is the first in the new series not to include Stallone.

Still, ‘Creed III’ still boasts Tessa Thompson reprising her role as Donnie’s girlfriend Bianca and Phylicia Rashad is returning as his stepmother Mary Anne in its corner.

(L to R) Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren in 1985’s ‘Rocky IV.’
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July 29, 2022
Comic-Con 2022: ‘Star Trek’ TV Panel and New Trailers

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Going into Paramount+’s big ‘Star Trek’ panel, we already knew something about ‘Star Trek: Picard’s third season. Two, actually.

It’ll feature a reunion with several of star Patrick Stewart’s old ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ cast/dear friends and that it’s the final season for ‘Picard’.

Filming for that third season kicked off almost immediately after the second wrapped, but despite that, there wasn’t a lot of footage on display aside from the general sizzle reel that kicked off the panel.

Fans were, however, treated to a teaser showcasing how the other ‘Next Generation’ veterans – Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis (the latter two, of course, popped up in Season 1) plus ‘Picard’ regulars Jeri Ryan and Michelle Hurd.

Patrick Stewart as Picard of the Paramount+ original series ‘Star Trek: Picard. Photo: Trae Patton/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved.

Stewart appeared worryingly confused by some of the questions – to kick off, he didn’t realize he was being asked one and he couldn’t recall how Season 3 starts. Producer Alex Kurtzman was quick to intercede, commenting that it was Stewart who enforced the mandate that ‘Picard’ not be a cameo-heavy ‘Next Generation’ retread and that it had to “earn” the cast’s return.

With the various characters scattered across the galaxy, the initial chunk of the new season will play like a heist film as Jean-Luc rounds them up. Stewart was clear that they didn’t want to rehash old dynamics, but instead play the drama of the characters as they are now.

This season will feature a female villain that Kurtzman likened to Khan from classic ‘Trek’ movie sequel ‘Star Trek II’ in terms of head games and admitted that the storyline gave him “goosebumps’.

Oh, and while this was a strictly TV panel, Stewart did admit that he would be interested in returning to play the character in more ‘Trek’ movies, but there are no specific plans for that just yet.
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It was the turn of the ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ team next, as executive producer Mike McMahan was joined by voice cast members Jack Quaid, Noelle Wells, Tawny Newsome and Dawnn Lewis.

As expected, it was a much more raucous affair, the actors getting into their “Trek beef” but revealing how close they’ve become as collaborators and how frustrating it was not to record together during the pandemic.

Dawnn Lewis put things on a more emotional track, sharing how she’d met and been mentored by ‘Trek’ icon Nichelle Nichols in her younger days.

A new trailer for Season 3 screened (you can watch it above), featuring plenty for eagle-eyed fans to obsess over. And, as the final sequence suggests, one whole episode will be set at Deep Space Nine. Justice for ‘DS9’!

(L to R) Phil Lamarr as Admiral Freeman, Dawnn Lewis as Captain Carol Freeman and Lycia Naff as Captain Gomez of the Paramount+ series ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks. Photo: Paramount+ ©2021 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Season 2’s cliffhanger – which saw Captain Carol Freeman (Lewis) arrested after being accused of setting off a bomb on an alien planet – will be resolved relatively quickly, according to the gang.

“It’s rough, but we start season three full tilt looking for her,” Newsome says. “Trying to fix it, trying to set it right. I love the scrappiness, I love episode one of season three because our Lower Deckers are just like, ‘We gotta save the captain!’ This feels like an epic adventure. It feels like a movie!”

With ‘Lower Decks’ time on stage complete, it was the turn of ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ the latest addition to the TV ‘Trek’ family.

(L TO R) Ethan Peck as Spock, Anson Mount as Pike, and Dan Jeannotte as Samuel Kirk of the Paramount+ original series ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.’ Photo: Marni Grossman/Paramount+.

The spin-off ‘Discovery’ starring Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike commanding the USS Enterprise in the days before Kirk has been a success for Paramount+ so far.

Mount was at the con alongside Ethan Peck, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Paul Wesley, and producers Henry Alonso Myers, Alex Kurtzman, and Rod Roddenberry.

But before things could get going properly, ‘Lower Decks’ voice duo Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome stormed the panel to reveal that ‘Strange New Worlds’ and ‘Lower Decks’ will have a crossover!

In this special crossover episode, featuring both live-action and animation, fans can expect to see Ensign Beckett Mariner, voiced by Newsome, and Ensign Brad Boimler, (Quaid), joining the Enterprise in season two of ‘Strange New Worlds’. The episode will be directed by ‘Trek’ veteran Jonathan Frakes. How it’ll work is anyone’s guess at this point, but it sounds like it could be ‘Roger Rabbit’ meets ‘Star Trek’…

Paul Wesley in ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.’ Courtesy of Marni Grossman/Paramount+

And it sounds like ‘Strange New Worlds’ will be pushing to do more high concept episodes in Season 2 than just that crossover. It’s not a show that has been afraid of playing with form and story, so that makes sense.

We can also expect to see more of the nasty reptilian aliens the Gorn, who were the unofficial Big Bad of Season 1.

Wesley – who was celebrating his birthday and was sung a rousing ‘Happy Birthday’ by the crowd talked up the James T. Kirk we met in the finale. “We only saw Kirk for a handful of scenes in that episode. I’m excited for people to see this younger version of Kirk,” he said. “There’s more levity, and it’s exciting to see that. He’s growing into the character we know, not an alternate reality captain like we saw in season 1.”

But don’t worry if you’re a fan of Anson Mount’s luxurious hair – neither he nor it are going anywhere just yet as the show has a few years to go before catching up to Kirk’s era in command.

Finally, Kurtzman was asked whether ‘Deep Space Nine’ would get the revitalization treatment following the ‘Next Generation’ (in ‘Picard’) and Classic ‘Trek’ eras (in ‘Strange New Worlds’). He told the crowd not yet, since the producers didn’t want to just pull on threads of the past for novelty’s sake.

‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ is due to return to Paramount+ on August 25th, with ‘Star Trek Picard’s final season and ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Season 2 due next year.

Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard in ‘Star Trek: Picard.’ Season 3 is expected to premiere on Paramount+ in early 2023.

Jonathan Frakes as William Riker in ‘Star Trek: Picard.’ Season 3 is expected to premiere on Paramount+ in early 2023.

Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi in ‘Star Trek: Picard.’ Season 3 is expected to premiere on Paramount+ in early 2023.

Michael Dorn as Worf in ‘Star Trek: Picard.’ Season 3 is expected to premiere on Paramount+ in early 2023.

LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge in ‘Star Trek: Picard.’ Season 3 is expected to premiere on Paramount+ in early 2023.

Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher in ‘Star Trek: Picard.’ Season 3 is expected to premiere on Paramount+ in early 2023.

Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine in ‘Star Trek: Picard.’ Season 3 is expected to premiere on Paramount+ in early 2023.

July 23, 2022
Comic-Con 2022: ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ Return With New Series

A couple of giggling idiots making nonsense comments about pop culture or music could be the poster children for today’s social media. But Beavis and Butt-Head, the titular duo of creator Mike Judge’s famous set of shorts and TV series, began life in 1992.

The pair, who originated in a single short film by Judge called ‘Frog Baseball’, soon became popular, appearing on MTV to critique (in the loosest sense of the word) music videos and scored their own series running between 1993 and 1997, and 1996’s big screen adventure ‘Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe’.

Following a one-season revival in 2011, they returned in a big way this year thanks to Paramount+ movie ‘Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe’ and that’s just the tip (cue incessant sniggering from the boys) of Judge’s plans.

We’ve known for a while that Judge intended to bring the pair back to the small screen for another new series, and he came to the San Diego Comic-Con with a couple of clips from the show, which you can see on this very page.

The new ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ series will premiere on Paramount+ on Thursday, August 4th.

Talking to moderator Paul Scheer for a panel interview, he explained that the latest return was thanks to one of his other jobs. One of the bands who contributed to TV series ‘Silicon Valley’ asked for a ‘Beavis’ segment to run during the musicians’ Coachella show. Creatively inspired again, Judge started coming up with fresh ideas.

He didn’t, however, want to change what works about the rock-loving imbeciles. “There was always a temptation to make them smarter, and I’ve always resisted it,” Judge said at the panel. He explained that this had been a topic of discussion when he heard a pitch that someone made while he was working on ‘Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe’. “I had to say, ‘Beavis and Butt-Head really don’t read very well, so that’s not gonna work.’”

And even though the show will, like the recent movie, explore how the characters look and act in middle age, there is no move to update the animation style. “We talked about all that stuff, and it comes back to, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,’” Judge said about the basic character design. “I’d like them to look better, but every time we tried to make them look better, it would make them less funny.”

In addition to discussing his beloved characters, Judge also shared that a new series of ‘King of the Hill’ was looking likely and that there will be more from the character of Daria, who was spun off from the original ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’.

The new ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ series will premiere on Paramount+ on Thursday, August 4th.

The new ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ series will premiere on Paramount+ on Thursday, August 4th.

July 21, 2022
Comic-Con 2022: ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ Panel

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If there was one major take-away from the ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, it was that Hugh Grant should be on as many panels as he wants to be. Whether he’s in the show, movie, comic or game being pimped or not.

If there was another major take-away from the panel, it was that ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ looks like a whole lot of fun.

While ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ as a concept doesn’t have the greatest cinematic history (the 2000 version, which starred Jeremy Irons, Justin Whalin and Marlon Wayans is infamously divisive among movie fans, and scored terrible reviews), ‘Honor Among Thieves’ – or at least the footage shown at Comic-Con – is certainly on a better footing so far.

The con crowd were excited to see the likes of Grant, Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page and Sophia Lillis alongside co-writer/directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, plus producer Jeremy Latcham enthuse about their experiences working on the movie.

(L to R) Regé-Jean Page, Sophia Lillis, Michelle Rodriguez, Chris Pine and Hugh Grant from Paramount’s ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ at San Diego Comic-Con 2022.

Daley and Goldstein, who previously made the likes of ‘Game Night’, both had history as D&D players, and the cast also made mention of the board games’ impact of their lives – even if it was limited to knowing it exists.

In a funny, relaxed panel dominated by Grant’s humorous reactions to every question – he ran the gamut from S&M jokes to dropping a ‘Notting Hill’ referencing while quipping that this was his first time at the Con “but we tried to come for ‘Sense & Sensibility’ – the cast and creators offered some insight into making the movie but also showed off their easy chemistry.

‘Honor Among Thieves’ promises the story of a charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers, who undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.

Pine plays a Danny Ocean-in-fantasy world style character, who makes plans but also plays the lute. Rodriguez is a powerful barbarian who provides the muscle, while Page is a heroic paladin. Smith is a sorcerer, Lillis a druid and Grant appears as Forge Fletcher, a rogue and the movie’s main antagonist.

Paramount’s ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2022.

There are magical items to find (naturally) and one in particular that has unleashed a terrible evil. But basic fantasy plot aside, the movie has a very Taika Waititi feel to it, blending comedy with action and subverting our expectations.

As the panel ended, the first full trailer for the movie played (find it above) and showed off just some of what the movie will have to offer. Dragons? Check. Dungeons? Yep. Magical mayhem? Sure. Creatures galore? You betcha.

Effects teams are still hard at work on this one (Daley shouted out ILM and Legacy Effects “who brought you Baby Yoda” as the main providers) and we can expect to see ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ in theaters on March 3 next year.

(L to R) Justice Smith plays Simon, Sophia Lillis plays Doric, Chris Pine plays Edgin and Michelle Rodriguez plays Holga in ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ from Paramount Pictures.

(L to R) Chris Pine plays Edgin and Regé-Jean Page plays Xenk in ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ from Paramount Pictures.

Paramount Pictures’ ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ opens in theaters on March 3rd 2023.
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July 21, 2022
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is the Year’s Top-Grossing US Movie so far

Monica Barbaro and Tom Cruise on the set of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

Paramount, and particularly star/producer Tom Cruise, look like smart people right now in their decision to delay releasing ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ until theatrical conditions within the ongoing pandemic improved.

Because the high-flying sequel has now shot to the top of the domestic box office chart. ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ has passed the likes of ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ and ‘The Batman’ to earn an impressive $409 million, and the cash altimeter just keeps on climbing.

While ‘Multiverse of Madness’ had been sitting top of the domestic earner list, scraping close to $400 million itself, Cruise and his team have moved past them, with Strange unlikely to catch the pilots now that the Marvel movie is headed to Disney+ on June 22. ‘The Batman’, meanwhile, sulks in third with $369 million. We’re sure Warner Bros. is happy with that result – Batman just sulks because he’s always sulking.

Don’t go shedding any tears for Disney and Marvel, though: given their seemingly rock solid superhero brand, the latest ‘Doctor Strange’ movie is still ahead internationally, earning $932.5 million worldwide compared to ‘The Batman’s $770 million and ‘Maverick’s $763 million. That said, expect ‘Top Gun’ to keep earning, with a few markets still to open.

Made for a budget – at least the one that was reported – of $170 million (not factoring in the huge amounts of money that the studio poured into a promotional tour that has included a kick-off at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, a special event honoring Cruise at the Cannes film festival and the return of the star’s usual whirlwind tour of different countries), ‘Maverick’ opened to $126.7 million when it opened on May 27.

(L-R) Robert Pattinson and director Matt Reeves on the set in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Batman,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

And though the considerable PR campaign spend means it’ll need to keep earning, Cruise’s star power and interest in the legacy sequel concept has meant that crowds are turning out for it.

Most importantly, they have kept turning out for it everywhere the movie is playing, and ‘Maverick’s worldwide totals are all the more impressive given that it isn’t playing in Russia or China, usually huge earning drivers for big blockbusters.

Plus, while ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ knocked it from the top of the weekend charts, ‘Maverick’ boasts better reviews and will likely enjoy longer legs than even the giant dinosaurs.

It’s a far cry from the days of the 1986 original, which was made for $15 million (much of that was on jets and baby oil) and, adjusted for inflation, has earned $440 million worldwide.

This latest release also marks a big success for Cruise, whose biggest movies before this were two of the ‘Mission: Impossible’ entries. Paramount is no doubt thrilled that two more are on the way to ride the Cruise wave next year and in 2024.

Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
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June 16, 2022
Giovanni Ribisi Talks ‘The Offer’

Giovanni Ribisi as Joe Colombo of the Paramount+ original series ‘The Offer.’ Photo: Nicole Wilder/Paramount+ ©2022 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Airing its finale on Paramount+ June 16th is the 10-part miniseries about the making of ‘The Godfather’ entitled ‘The Offer.’ The series chronicles producer Albert S. Ruddy’s journey to turn author Mario Puzo’s famous novel into a movie.

The series stars Miles Teller as Ruddy, Juno Temple as Ruddy’s assistant Bettye McCartt, Matthew Goode as head of Paramount Pictures Robert Evans, Burn Gorman as Gulf and Western Industries’ Charles Bluhdorn, Colin Hanks as Bluhdorn’s right-hand man Barry Lapidus, Dan Fogler as filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, and Giovanni Ribisi as mob boss Joe Colombo.

Actor Giovanni Ribisi began his career at a very young age appearing in such successful 90’s sitcoms as ‘My Two Dads’ and ‘The Wonder Years,’ before making the jump to the big screen with Tom Hanks’ directorial debut, ‘That Thing You Do!”

Since then he has appeared in several popular movies including ‘Saving Private Ryan,’ ‘Gone in 60 Seconds,’ ‘Lost in Translation,’ Public Enemies,’ ‘Ted,’ ‘Gangster Squad,’ and ‘Selma,’ as well as starring in Prime Video’s ‘Sneaky Pete’ in 2017.

But the actor is probably best known for playing Parker Selfridge in James Cameron’s ‘Avatar,’ and will reprise his role later this year in the long-awaited sequel, ‘Avatar: The Way of Water.’

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Giovanni Ribisi about playing Joe Colombo in ‘The Offer.’
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You can read our full interview with Giovanni Ribisi below or click on the video player above to watch out interviews with Ribisi and Dan Fogler about ‘The Offer.’

Moviefone: To begin with, were you aware of all the legendary behind-the-scenes stories of the making of ‘The Godfather’ before you started making this miniseries?

Giovanni Ribisi: There were so many things that were so intriguing about the story and the making of, but I’d also categorized ’The Godfather’ as it came out of the 70’s as sort of the wild and crazy days of filmmaking. So, for that reason, it wasn’t all together shocking, but just still amazing to me. What Al Ruddy did to achieve what he did.

MF: Can you talk about your approach to playing Joe Colombo and the differences between the character depicted in the series and the real-life mob boss?

GR: For any biopic or even documentary for that matter, there’s always an interpretive factor and a lens that you’re looking through to create the whole story. I think for me, I had read a book that was written by Don Capria, and actually Joe Colombo’s son, Anthony Colombo, which was better than some sort of sensationalized mobster biography. It was something that was from having grown up with this man, looking up to him as a father and it really humanized him for me.

But there was also definitely for the story, a comedic aspect to the nature of everything. Also, just how ridiculous it got, especially by today’s standards of again, what protagonist Al Ruddy was going through and the hurdles he had to overcome in order to achieve what he did. So, for me, I think at a certain point in reading the scripts, I just decided to have fun with it. I wanted to look at it from, I wouldn’t say comedic, but just try to find the humor just to balance the severity, I guess.

MF: In your opinion, why did Joe Colombo hate Mario Puzo’s novel ‘The Godfather’ so much, and how did producer Albert S. Ruddy convince him to let them make the movie?

GR: That’s a great question. This is just my theory, because I don’t know for sure. But what it seemed like Joe Colombo was doing, and I think the common ground that he found with Al Ruddy was that he was trying to bring in and usher in the new guard of what his life was. I think that the book, and the way things were depicted, and Frank Sinatra‘s take on it were just not conducive to him trying to reidentify, restructure his life and the business that he was in.

I think that you can make the argument that there’s movies before ’The Godfather’ and after ‘The Godfather,’ not just because of the nature of filmmaking. I mean, largely of course because of that, but also because the way they went about things. Mike Nichols was the maverick of Hollywood and he was trying to rescue this thing from corporate America and bring the creative nature of films, and the possibilities of that to the films that he was making.

I think that from just that notion of thinking outside of the box, Al Ruddy and all that, I think that’s where they connected. Al really changed Joe’s mind. I mean, he was adamantly against it. He was trying to deny the ideas of the mafia or La Cosa Nostra. Joe Colombo was trying to do that.

(L to R) Miles Teller as Al Ruddy and Giovanni Ribisi as Joe Colombo of the Paramount+ original series ‘The Offer.’ Photo: Nicole Wilder/Paramount+ ©2022 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

MF: What was it like working with actor Miles Teller on Colombo and Al Ruddy’s friendship?

GR: I just can’t say enough positive things about my experience with Miles and just what a class act he is. He reminds me of an old school movie star. He’s just got taste, and he’s really smart, and he challenges the material in all the best ways. So, it was easy to find for me personally, to find that connection and that bond with him and to have that hopefully translate through the characters.

MF: ‘The Offer’ reveals that Luca Brasi actor Lenny Montana was actually a member of Joe Colombo’s crew. Were you aware of that before making the series?

GR: Oh, I had no idea. Then when you look him up, it’s incredible because he was a 1950s wrestler, in the sort of the lower brow version. He was just such a character and that’s also part of, I think Coppola’s genius and Al Ruddy just looking at somebody like that, hiring them and making them perform the way they did. Because that’s one of the most, for me, one of the most memorable scenes of the movie and something that I flash on whenever anybody brings up ‘The Godfather.’

MF: In the series, Lenny Montana is played by ‘The Incredible Hulk’ actor Lou Ferrigno, which was perfect casting. What was your experience like working with Ferrigno?

GR: I mean, he was the guy that for everybody on set, when he came on set, we were all star-struck because he’s such a huge, almost pivotal masculine figure in our Freudian minds of the formative years. ‘The Incredible Hulk’ and watching that show, anybody who’s as old as I am now, remembers that.

Lou Ferrigno as Lenny Montana of the Paramount+ original series ‘The Offer.’ Photo: Nicole Wilder/Paramount+ ©2022 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

MF: Finally, you worked with director Sofia Coppola on ‘The Virgin Suicides’ and ‘Lost in Translation.’ How do you think this series honor’s her father, her family, and their cinematic legacy?

GR: I really hope it honors their cinematic legacy. That was definitely minimally an intention from all of us and just by virtue of the fact that it is about what they did and what it takes to make a movie. Not just to go through that, because a lot of people go through experiences or extreme experiences like that and they don’t make ‘The Godfather.’

But this was something that is just, again, just such a seminal important piece of work for what we all do. I think movies would be completely different had ‘The Godfather’ not been made. Yeah, it’s definitely a tribute to them.

Giovanni Ribisi as Joe Colombo in the Paramount+ original series ‘The Offer.’ Photo: Nicole Wilder/Paramount+ ©2022 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
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You can watch an exclusive scene from the finale of Paramount+’s ‘The Offer,’ featuring the premiere of ‘The Godfather,’ by clicking on the video player above.

June 15, 2022
Neve Campbell Won’t be Back for Next ‘Scream’ Movie

Neve Campbell (“Sidney Prescott”) stars in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s “Scream.”

In the months since the most recent entry in the Ghostface franchise – simply titled ‘Scream’, despite being the fifth movie – we’ve had a flurry of stories that represent good news for fans.

In February, a month after the latest movie opened, we learned that the next one is already in the works, with directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, part of the filmmaking collective known as Radio Silence, returning behind the camera along with writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick.

That was followed by word that ‘Scream 4’s Hayden Panettiere would be back as her character, Kirby Reed. And just this month, Dermot Mulroney was recruited to join the movie, set to play a cop (which doesn’t point to the healthiest life expectancy for his character).

But then came the bad news: Neve Campbell, one of the veterans of the franchise, the woman who has brought stalker slasher survivor Sidney Prescott to life in every one of the movies so far, would not be returning for this new one.

And, as it turns out, it’s because she’s taking a stand over a lowball pay offer. “Sadly, I won’t be making the next ‘Scream’ film,” Campbell says in a statement. “As a woman I have had to work extremely hard in my career to establish my value, especially when it comes to ‘Scream’. I felt the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise.”

Neve Campbell (“Sidney Prescott”) stars in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s “Scream.”

Campbell has a point – this is a run of movies that has so far made around $774 million in the last two decades plus, and fans do keep coming back to see how Sidney fares.

She goes on to add: “It’s been a very difficult decision to move on. To all my ‘’Scream fans, I love you. You’ve always been so incredibly supportive to me. I’m forever grateful to you and to what this franchise has given me over the past 25 years.”

The movie has yet to start shooting, so there remains hope that Paramount could dig into its pockets (recently lined with lots of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ money) and put forth a better offer.

Fellow ‘Scream’ stalwart Courtney Cox will be back for the new movie as Gale Weathers, and the cast is led by the survivors of this year’s ‘Scream’ – Melissa Barrera (Sam Carpenter), Jasmin Savoy Brown (Mindy Meeks-Martin), Mason Gooding (Chad Meeks-Martin) and Jenna Ortega (Tara Carpenter), whose characters are moving out of Woodsboro to try and start the next chapter of their lives.

Little else is known about the plot so far, save that Ghostface will naturally be back to terrorize everyone and there’ll be plenty of references to horror movies. Ortega has described the script as getting “more and more gory” as it goes along, and that the masked menace will be “the most aggressive and violent version” yet.

‘Scream 6’ is due in theaters on March 31, 2023.
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June 8, 2022