After years – decades, almost – of a terrible reputation for dodgy quality and lack of faithfulness, video game adaptations are finally having their moment. Even if movies such as ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ don’t exactly set critics’ hearts on fire, they’re successful and spawn sequels the way characters in some titles spawn new lives.
And with an expansive, well-designed and much-loved game like ‘The Last of Us’, the small screen and healthy-budget streaming environs would seem to be the ideal venue for a solid adaptation. Hopes are high, then, for HBO Max’s series based on ‘The Last of Us’.
The prestige on the creative front is already high for this one: you have Craig Mazin, who went from writing movies including ‘The Hangover’ to creating ‘Chernobyl’, one of the most respected and polished HBO dramas of recent years, as one of the main executive producers, sharing show-running duties with Neil Druckmann, who ‘Last of Us’ fans will know as the writer and developer behind the game itself.
Launched in 2013 by company Naughty Dog, ‘The Last Of Us’ is set in a post-apocalyptic world 20 years after a strange fungal outbreak began mutating people into vicious creatures. The storyline focuses on smuggler Joel, and Ellie, who may just be the key to a cure for the pandemic that has wrecked the planet.
When Joel is hired to smuggle Ellie out of an oppressive quarantine zone, he thinks it’ll be a quick job and an easy payday. But it soon become a brutal journey across the US and a struggle for survival. The show, which is intending a longer run than the limited, self-contained ‘Chernobyl’, will cover the events of the first game, with the option to also tackle the sequel, which came out in June 2020.
Though it had been developed as a movie, the idea moved to streaming once big screen development stalled.
(L to R) Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie in HBO’s ‘The Last of Us.’
“Neil Druckmann is without question the finest storyteller working in the video game medium, and ‘The Last of Us’ is his magnum opus,” says Mazin, who is a fan of the game, when he first came aboard the concept in 2020. “Getting a chance to adapt this breathtaking work of art has been a dream of mine for years, and I’m so honored to do it in partnership with Neil.”
“From the first time I sat down to talk with Craig I was equally blown away by his approach to narrative and his love and deep understanding of ‘The Last of Us,’” Druckmann enthused. “With ‘Chernobyl’, Craig and HBO created a tense, harrowing, emotional masterpiece. I couldn’t think of better partners to bring the story of ‘The Last of Us’ to life as a television show.”
Alongside them are Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Joel’s younger brother, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, leader of a resistance movement (and playing the same role she does in the game) and Anna Torv as Tess.
From all appearances, Mazin, Druckmann and their team have conjured up a gloriously devastated, emotional world with just a hint of Western flavor in amongst the ruined buildings and creeping terror.
(L-R) Emily Swallow, Katee Sackhoff, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Dave Filoni, Rosario Dawson, Giancarlo Esposito, Brendan Wayne, Rick Famuyiwa, Lateef Crowder, Carl Weathers, Pedro Pascal and Jon Favreau attend the panel for “The Mandalorian” series at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 28, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
Day three of Star Wars Celebration got kicked off on Saturday at the Anaheim Convention center with thousands of fans gathering to watch ‘The Mandalorian’ season 3 presentation.
On hand were the show’s creators and executive producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. “For me it’s been a dream come true,” Favreau began. “The type of story I wanted to tell fits the small screen. I wanted to set it in a small part of the larger Star Wars universe.”
“Star Wars TV, I’m up for it since 2008,” said Filoni. Favreau went on to explain that it was difficult keeping the big secrets from the first and second seasons, which included Grogu in season 1 and Luke Skywalker in season 2.
Favreau also talked about the direction ‘Star Wars’ television is taking on Disney+. “When I first saw ‘Star Wars’, it was a continuation of serialized stories,” he explained. “So, with television, you get six or eight a year, and they are a lot of fun to write. We also can tell the story over several hours and this job is the most fun I’ve ever had. I’m going to keep doing it for a while.”
Pedro Pascal attends the panel for “The Mandalorian” series at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 28, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
But it wouldn’t be a ‘Mandalorian’ panel without Mando himself, Pedro Pascal, who quickly joined the producers on stage. Pascal began by talking about his favorite moments “Luke would be up there, but there are too many to choose.” Pascal also discussed Mando’s relationship to Grogu and how difficult their time apart was. “It’s very hard to be separated and it’s the closest I’ve ever come to being a dad. You watch the show, and you see how much that child loves his dad. Maybe it’s time for me to have one now.”
Filoni talked about the plan to bring Grogu and Mando back together in ‘The Book of Boba Fett.’ “What was interesting, is that we already had the plan to have Luke train Grogu,” he explained. “So, it made sense to have him train him based on the philosophy that began in the original trilogy. Which is why I wanted to direct the episode, and bring Ahsoka in, which made a significant moment.”
Favreau compared the moment in ‘Book of Boba Fett,’ where Luke makes Grogu choose between going back to Mando or becoming a Jedi and compared it to the Peter Bogdanovich film ‘Paper Moon.’
Joining the panel were actors Giancarlo Esposito (Moff Gideon), Carl Weathers (Greef Karga), and Emily Swallow (The Armorer), who all had something to say about their time on the show.
Giancarlo Esposito attends the panel for “The Mandalorian” series at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 28, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
Esposito started things off in jokingly villainous style: “I will squash that little Baby Yoda!” But he continued with his heart on his sleeve. “I want the child within me to come back through the child in Grogu. But that child has been reunited with his father now and I am so happy to be part of this franchise.”
He also described part of his process. “I make up a backstory for myself and that sometimes does not correspond with the backstory they write for me,” he admitted. “The creators of the show give me hints that allow me to fill in the blanks of my character. But when you work with people that are as playful as they are, you get a sense of what they want. The most compelling moment for me was when Jon and Dave came on set and saw what I was doing. Jon said, ‘You’ve been doing this for a longtime and I trust you.’ When you work with people that trust you, that empowered me. and that is what this show is about. It elevated and uplifted me, and I will never forget it.”
Swallow clearly gets a kick out of playing the mysterious, Zen-like Mandalorian Armorer. “I love inhabiting her space. She is wise and she waits,” the actress said. “The bond of community that the Mandalorians have, especially with the armorer, speaks to what ‘Star Wars’ is about, and I really love that about this character.”
Carl Weathers was taken aback by the large crowd in the hall and thanked them for their support with the show. Weathers, who also directs ‘The Mandalorian’, discussed his work on the series. “I owe it all to Jon Favreau. If Jon hadn’t invited me to be in this, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now. Working with Dave has also been phenomenal, and I owe so much to those guys.”
Asked to tease a little bit about directing an episode from season 3, Weathers got playful, threatening Filoni and Favreau that he was about to reveal a spoiler. “I can run faster than you!” taunted Weathers, before continuing. “Okay, here is the spoiler: in the spring of 2023 ‘The Mandalorian’ will be out again! No, no spoilers, it along with the other episodes will be spectacular. I’m just really lucky that I got a good script, good actors, and help from Jon and Dave who know everything about ‘Star Wars’. It’s a lovely sandbox to play in.”
Temuera Morrison attends the panel for “The Mandalorian” series at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 28, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
The panel then shifted to talk of ‘The Book of Boba Fett,’ with Fett himself, Temuera Morrison taking the stage and thrilling the crowd with a Fett version of a Māori Haka war dance. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare anyone. Just thought I’d wake you all up,” the actor said.
Morrison discussed what it was like making ‘Book of Boba Fett’, but first recalled his time on ‘Star Wars: Attack of the Clones’. “We had a wonderful time in Sydney,” he said. “Many. many years later, I think Boba had to look a little bit like me, so. I want to thank everybody. They’re the ones who work hard making us look good in front of the camera, so I want to acknowledge everybody from our crew. We have a lot of crew and people behind the scenes out there in the crowd with us.“
Co-star Ming-Na, who plays Fennec Shand, couldn’t be there because she has covid. The crowd cheered for her. “Ming-Na sends her apologies,” said Morrison.
After that, it was time for more ‘Mandalorian’ season 3 talk. Katee Sackhoff, who played Mandalorian Bo-Katan Kryze in two episodes of season 2, then took to the stage. She’s primed to return in a big way for the third season, especially since she still wants to get her hands on the Darksaber that is in Mando’s possession.
Also new on stage? Rick Famuyiwa, who has directed three episodes of the show as well as cameoing as X-Wing pilot Jib Dodger. He’s been promoted to executive producer alongside Filoni and Favreau for the third season.
(L-R) Rick Famuyiwa and Katee Sackhoff attend the panel for “The Mandalorian” series at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 28, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
“Jon saw my film ‘Dope’ and said, ‘that is Star Wars material,” Famuyiwa explained. “The first film I saw in a movie theater was ‘Star Wars’. I went to see that movie and from the moment I saw the opening crawl, my life was changed. So, this has always been a dream of mine to tell stories in this universe. It was an honor and I have been around for the ride ever since. I’m excited for next season!”
“My dad raised me on Science fiction and strong characters,” said Sackhoff. “When I was little, you didn’t have a lot of strong female characters to choose from. We had Sigourney Weaver, but I wanted to be Bruce Willis. Playing this character is such a gift. Jon and Dave are responsible for creating so many strong characters. To be able to start with her ten years ago and that Dave trusted me to bring her to live-action means the world to me, and you are in for a treat.”
Favreau then introduced some exclusive footage of ‘The Mandalorian’ season three. The trailer is mostly the same footage that was shown during the opening day presentation on Thursday, but is much longer and contains some new shots, and also features Mando and Grogu together again, as well as actors Katee Sackhoff, Carl Weathers and Amy Sedaris (who plays tech expert Peli Motto).
What can you expect? More moments of multiple Mandalorians (try saying that three times fast) roaring into the sky using their rocket packs, a white colored protocol droid, several creatures the same species as ‘The Rise of Skywalker’s Babu Frik (hey-heeeey!) and a grounded Star Destroyer were all spotted during the screening.
Rosario Dawson attends the panel for “The Mandalorian” series at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 28, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
The panel then pivoted to ‘Ahsoka’. Dave Filoni said of making the series, “I’m very happy because no one knows anything about that or where it is filming.” As he said that, Ahsoka Tano herself, actress Rosario Dawson, took to the stage in a surprise appearance that thrilled the crowd.
Dawson told the audience that it has been amazing filming so far and that cameras have been rolling for three weeks. “We started filming on my birthday, May 9th!” she enthused.
And according to Dawson, she always wanted to play Ahsoka. “It’s because of people like you that I’m here,” she told the audience. “I was a fan cast online so I just retweeted that and when Jon and Dave started working on ‘Mandalorian’ they looked at the timeline and I was the right age now. It’s been an honor to bring this character to life and to see how much everyone wants to see her come to life in this series.”
Another big surprise – Dawson summoned Chopper, the droid from the Filoni-created animated series ‘Star Wars Rebels’ on stage. The chatty character (for whom Filoni also provided the electronic ‘voice’ on the show) was a huge hit with the audience.
(L-R) Temuera Morrison, Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder attend the panel for “The Mandalorian” series at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 28, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
Then It was time for a sizzle reel of footage from that initial ‘Ahsoka’ shooting period. It featured Dawson’s Jedi walking on to the bridge of the ship Ghost from ‘Rebels’, with characters from that show in live action, including Twi’lek pilot Hera Syndulla (though only from behind and without revealing her casting). Cut to ‘Rebels’ own Mandalorian, Sabine Wren (played in the ‘Ahsoka’ show by Natasha Liu Bordizzo) looking at the image of the animated ‘Rebels’ cast as seen in the series finale.
After the footage screening, Bordizzo herself walked on stage. “I feel like I have just been adopted into a new family,” she said. “It is the most welcoming and creative set I’ve ever been on. I know how much Sabine means to people in the room. She means a lot to me too, and I think you’ll be really excited about the journey she is about to have.”
Finally, to end the presentation, Favreau reached below his table and lifted up Grogu, who was moving and waving to the crowd. Pascal was excited and referred to himself, Filoni and Favreau as Grogu’s “My Three Dads.” The entire cast finished the panel by taking a group photo with “the artist formerly known as Baby Yoda.”
Jon Favreau attends the panel for “The Mandalorian” series at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 28, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
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You can watch our interviews with the casts of ‘The Mandalorian,’ ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ and ‘Ahsoka’ at Star Wars Celebration by clicking on the video player above.
Star Wars Celebration at the Anaheim Convention Center
Star Wars Celebration got off with a bang on Thursday May 25th as thousands of fans gathered at the Anaheim Convention Center for the first day of the big event.
After the montage, a full choir dressed in black surrounded by smoke appeared to sing the Darth Vader theme (aka ‘The Imperial March’) live, while Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen took the stage together for the first time in decades to a standing ovation. “Hello everyone, we are back,” said Christensen. President of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy, ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ director Deborah Chow, Moses Ingram and Rupert Friend took the stage to discuss the new Disney+ series which drops its first two episodes on May 27th.
(L-R) Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Deborah Chow, Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm, Ewan McGregor, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Hayden Christensen attend the studio showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration for “Obi-Wan Kenobi” in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. The series streams exclusively on Disney+. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
After Kennedy addressed the crowd teasing what fans will experience over the next few days, McGregor talked about the new show and returning to the character. “It was really special to come back and play him with Deborah, and our brilliant cast,” he said. “In the last few years, we’ve really felt the love from you for the prequels we made. That has meant a lot to us, and me personally. It made the whole experience a lovely thing. It was fun to take the Obi-Wan that we all know and take him to a darker and more broken place. It was a great challenge in a way.”
Hayden Christensen also talked about returning to play Darth Vader. “Thank you so much, It’s been an amazing thing to return to ‘Star Wars’ and pick up a lightsaber again. It’s been incredible.” Rupert Friend, who plays one of the show’s villains discussed his character’s lightsaber. “Mine is double ended, and it’s very hard not to make the noise all the time.”
McGregor then invited everyone in the hall to return this evening to watch the first two episodes of ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ with the cast at the Anaheim convention center, a few hours before it premieres around the rest of the world.
Disney
Kennedy introduced a teaser for ‘Andor,’ which will premiere on Disney+ this summer, then Diego Luna, who plays Cassian Andor from ‘Rogue One’ took to the stage along with other members of the cast. The series will be 12 episodes long and take place five years before ‘Rogue One.’ It will be a two season show, with the second season ending right before ‘Rogue One’ begins.
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Luna discussed returning to his ‘Rogue One’ role. “It feels amazing. When I made the film, I lived everyday like it was the last. I did not know this was possible. I love what he represents. He is of the people, and this story is about the power we have and the awakening we deserve.”
Genevieve O’Reilly returns as Mon Mothma and the actress discussed reprising her role. “It is such a gift to come back to this role. I first played this woman almost 17 years ago, so to continue to play her now, I feel so lucky.” It was also announced that ‘Dune’ actor Stellan Skarsgård will be playing a Rebel leader in the series.
Luna then revealed the official teaser poster for ‘Andor,’ as well as a teaser trailer for the new show. The footage began with a village of people ringing a warning bell as the Empire attacks. We get our first look at Skarsgård’s new character, as well as Mon Mothma, and Cassian piloting a starship. The series will launch on August 31st with a two-episode premiere.
Disney original series ‘Willow’
The presentation then transcended the ‘Star Wars’ world to give a sneak peek at another George Lucas-created property, ‘Willow.’ Original film director Ron Howard appeared to present the upcoming Disney+ series based on the 80’s film. “I’ve had a lot of great experiences throughout my career but nothing like making ‘Solo,’” Howard said. Then he welcomed on stage “Willow” himself, Warwick Davis. “I’m back playing the character and it is something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s a dream come true. Making the movie was one of the best experiences of my life, and I’ve been in ‘Star Wars’,” said Davis.
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Joanne Whalley was also announced to return from the original movie for the new series and then appeared to address the crowd. “It’s incredible to be back and have her sword in my hand again,” said Whalley. The new series will take place 25 years after the original and feature all new characters in addition to the return of Davis and Whalley. It was also announced that Davis’ real-life daughter will play Willow’s daughter in the new series, while his son is his stunt double. The presentation ended with footage from the new show
Kennedy, who left the stage to put on a cowboy hat, then introduced ‘The Mandalorian’ team of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. Favreau began by complimenting Kennedy on being the “best producer in the business.” The two filmmakers are also working on the upcoming ‘Ahsoka’ series, as well as ‘The Mandalorian’ season three.
“I know I don’t get to do any of this without the support I get from fans and Lucasfilm. ‘Ahsoka’ is going great. We are lucky to have Rosario Dawson fronting this. She is not here because she is shooting scenes so you can see it soon.” Dawson in full costume appeared in a short video teasing the new series and saying, “Maybe I’ll see you next time.” ‘Ahsoka’ will premiere in 2023 according to Filoni.
Pivoting to season three of ‘The Mandalorian,’ Favreau announced that actress Katee Sackhoff will be returning as Bo Katana, and the actress was on hand to appear. Releasing in 2023, Favreau said that they have wrapped filming, and are now in the editing process. He then showed footage from the upcoming season.
Katee Sackhoff attends the studio showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
Opening with ‘The Mandalorian’ theme, Mando is told he is no longer a Mandalorian because he removed his helmet. We get many shots of Grogu, as well as Bo Katan and the return of Carl Weathers as Greef Karga. Mando then says that he is returning to Mandalore to be punished for his transgressions.
Favreau then introduced director Jon Watts, who is working on a secret new ‘Star Wars’/Disney+ show. “So, this is a show we have been working on for a long time. It is about a group of kids that get accidentally lost in the Star Wars world and are now trying to get home. It’s a story about kids, but it’s not just a show for kids,” he explained. Watts then revealed that it takes place in the same ‘Star Wars’ timeline as ‘The Mandalorian’ and ‘Ahsoka.’ The series will be titled ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ and stars Jude Law. Watts said that they begin shooting soon, and that it will be released next year.
Finally, to celebrate the 90th birthday of ‘Star Wars’ composer John Williams, he took to the stage with a full orchestra to perform for the first time ever, the new theme to ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi.’
“Thank you all so much for being here. I know this is a ‘Star Wars’ convention, and this is not ‘Star Wars’, but you might know it,” said Williams before conducting the orchestra performing the “Indiana Jones Theme.” Then, Harrison Ford shocked the audience by walking on stage.
Harrison Ford of the upcoming fifth installment of the “Indiana Jones” franchise honors composer John Williams on his 90th birthday at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).
”It’s a great honor to be here and congratulate John on his 90th birthday. That music follows me everywhere I go, and I am happy about it,” said Ford. “What I’ve come to appreciate is the generosity of this man, and what a wonderful talent we are blessed with,” the actor said of Williams, fighting back tears. “We are looking forward to the next ‘Indian Jones.’ We had a great time working with James Mangold and I am very proud of the movie we have made. So, I will be seeing you around campus.”
Finally, Ford announced that the ‘Untitled Indiana Jones‘ will be released on June, 30th 2023, while Williams and the orchestra played “The Imperial March.”
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You can watch our exclusive red carpet interviews with the casts of ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi,’ ‘Andor,’ and ‘Willow’ by clicking on the vide player above.
Nicolas Cage (“Nick Cage”) contemplates his career while poolside in Mallorca, Spain in ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.’ Photo credit: Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate.
Nicolas Cage is one of those actors who has built a mythology around himself – or in some cases, had one thrust upon them. His career is marked by huge highs: he won an Oscar for ‘Leaving Las Vegas’ and has received acclaim for many of his dramatic and comedic performances. He also managed to carve out time as an action star in the likes of ‘Con Air’ and ‘The Rock’.
More recently, though, his performances have dived into straight-to-home-entertainment territory, with madcap action movies sharing shelf space with more nuanced indies. He’s still putting in solid performances (last year’s ‘Pig’ was a quiet triumph that put him into awards consideration once more), but he’s not quite scoring the higher profile parts he once did.
Which means that this latest job is a chance to show he’s in on the joke.
Co-written by director Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten, ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ channels all shades of Cage in what amounts to a light satire of the man, his movies, and his quirks. This is, after all, an actor who once blew $150 million on a dinosaur skull, pygmy heads and two European castles. Who has named his children Weston (neutral, probably unlikely to cause trouble at recess and Kal-El (AKA Superman’s Kryptonian name, because Cage is a Super-fan who almost played the character for Tim Burton and got to voice him in ‘Teen Titans Go! To the Movies’).
‘Massive Talent’ features Cage playing ‘Nick Cage’, a meta-referential (and self-parodying) version of himself. This Cage is creatively unfulfilled, facing financial ruin and worried about his degrading relationship with his daughter, Cage decides to announce his retirement. But not before accepting a $1 million offer to attend the birthday of a seeming superfan called Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal). Javi’s a giggly, enthusiastic Cage worshipper, who claims ‘Face/Off’ as his favorite movie and is ready to show the actor the time of his life.
(L to R) Pedro Pascal and Nicolas Cage in ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate.
That includes some random improv, speeding around in a jeep and diving from a dangerous cliff near Javi’s palatial Mallorca compound. And he also has an extensive collection of memorabilia from Cage’s movies, which initially throws off the actor, but he soon embraces it.
There’s just one teeny tiny catch: Javi is also apparently a wanted arms dealer with blood on his hands. Cage is recruited by a pair of CIA operatives (Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz) and forced to spy on his new best buddy, with the hope that he’ll track down the kidnapped girl sequestered within the compound, the focus of the crime lord’s attempt to influence an election.
Though he initially embraces the idea of “spy stuff”, Cage soon realizes he’s in over his head, and his life could well be forfeit if he can’t pull it off. And that’s before he learns the true temperature of the hot water he’s landed in.
Gormican keeps the tone fun, varying between laidback bonding sessions between Cage and Javi, and frantic action moments. He also loads the film with Cage references – a key plot point, for example, revolves around a gruesome, expensive waxwork of ‘Face/Off’s Castor Troy boasting two (working) golden guns, while dialogue drops and riffs factor in everything from his classics to his clunkers.
Pedro Pascal in ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate.
Pascal brings a nervy, boyish energy to Javi, who can’t contain how excited he is to meet his idol (and pitch his script to him, of course). Elsewhere, there’s Sharon Horgan as Cage’s ex-wife Olivia, who wants him to step up and be a better dad to their daughter Addy (Lily Sheen, who knows a thing or two about being the daughter of actors, given that her real-life progenitors are Michael Sheen and Kate Beckinsale). Horgan finds nuance within Olivia, elevating her from the usual frustrated ex trope. While they’re initially sidelined, mother and daughter do re-enter the story as it moves along, upping the stakes for our hero.
Haddish and Barinholtz have less to do, but make their scenes work, the former in particular bouncing well off of Cage and stepping up when the moment calls for it. Neil Patrick Harris, meanwhile, puts in a solid performance as Cage’s agent, the superbly named Richard Fink.
And then, there’s Nicky. A de-aged, ‘Wild at Heart’-era Cage (also played by the actor), Nicky serves as a Greek chorus, urging Nick to rekindle and embrace his superstar status and to lean into his more manic impulses. Nicky is an inspired addition, and well-brought to life by Cage, contrasting his more mellow, if frustrated, older persona. The back and forth between the two is used judiciously so Nicky never wears out his welcome. His enthusiastic shout of their shared name is one for the ages and a meme waiting to happen.
On the downside, several of the gags are expected and a little cheap and the movie does tend to run out of steam before the finale – a few trims here and there could have tightened it up to flow a little more smoothly as it barrels towards the finish. Some of the story turns come across as fairly predictable too, meaning the entertainment factor is slightly reduced. With such a comedically talented cast, not all of the laughs land, either.
That said, ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ is largely light on its feet and very funny. It also doesn’t alienate those without an encyclopedic knowledge of Cage’s canon. The movie still works as the study of an actor finding himself again at a low point and an action comedy that delivers (if more on the comedy than the action front for the most part).
It’s a Cage match-up that super-fans will love and in which everyone else will find something to enjoy.
‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ receives 3.5 out of 5 stars.
‘Nicolas Cage’ (Nicolas Cage) greets ‘Javi Gutierrez’ with a ‘Palm Hold Fist’ salute as he arrives in Mallorca, Spain. Photo Credit: Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate.
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He’s travelled in time before, appeared in the other big franchise with ‘Star’ in its title and had a role in ‘Taxi’, but where Christopher Lloyd is going next, they don’t need roads. Mostly because they have spaceships. The ‘Back to the Future’ icon is joining the cast of ‘The Mandalorian’.
While The Hollywood Reporter brings word of Lloyd appearing in Season 3, no details have been revealed as to who he’ll be playing in what is being described as a guest-starring role, which probably means an episode or two rather than several. There has been fan speculation that he could be part of the Mandalorian order to which Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin belongs.
Yet Lloyd has the range to play literally anyone in the ‘Star Wars‘ universe – everything from a scheming villain to a loveable goof.
In his long career, he’s had several iconic roles beyond that of Dr. Emmett Brown in the ‘Future’ trilogy. Lloyd scored plenty of fans playing Reverend Jim Ignatowski in hit sitcom ‘Taxi’ during the 1970s and ‘80s. He was Klingon Commander Kruge in ‘Star Trek III: The Search for Spock,’ Judge Doom in ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ and Uncle Fester in the live action ‘Addams Family’ movies.
More recently, he appeared as a gun-toting grandpa in ‘Nobody’ and a grumpy grandpa in ‘The Tender Bar’.
Christopher Lloyd in ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit.’
‘The Mandalorian’ is in production on its third season, and continues the story of Djarin, the bounty hunter and warrior who ends up protecting Grogu (aka the meme-factory that is Baby Yoda), a child Jedi with a powerful connection to the force.
Debuting in 2019 as a flagship show for streaming service Disney+, it has grown into a pop culture sensation (powered partly by the popularity of Grogu) and created a whole new corner of the ever-expanding galaxy far, far away.
Created by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, the series has spun off last year’s ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ (which hasn’t seen quite the same level of success) and the incoming likes of ‘Ahsoka’ (starring Rosario Dawson as the Jedi character originating in animated shows who appeared in ‘Mandalorian’ Season 2).
In addition to Pascal, the cast for the series also includes Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito and Amy Sedaris. Favreau and Filoni have also shown a knack for casting recognizable genre faces – the likes of Michael Biehn, Katee Sackhoff and Timothy Olyphant have all shown up, while the show has dipped fully into ‘Star Wars’ history with the character of Luke Skywalker (brought to life via a combination of CG, voice AI and stand-ins).
Disney+ has yet to announce a date for the return of the series, though all ‘Star Wars’ fans’ eyes are currently on the next show to launch on the service, ‘Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi’, which touches down on May 25. That one stars Ewan McGregor, who returns as the venerable troubled Jedi Knight. Great Scott!
‘The Mandalorian’ season one poster. Courtesy of Disney+.
“Nick Cage” (Nicolas Cage) greets “Javi Gutierrez” (Pedro Pascal) with a ‘Palm Hold Fist’ salute as he arrives in Mallorca, Spain in ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.’ Photo Credit: Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate.
Nicolas Cage has always been an actor – and a man – marching to his own particular drumbeat. He’s been garlanded with Oscars, fronted giant blockbusters, and had quieter runs on straight-to-home entertainment stragglers. He’s quirky, he’s weird, but he also has a huge following.
It’s perhaps not shocking, then, that a meta comedy about him getting into hot water with a big fan would eventually be made. That comedy is ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ and it stars Nic Cage, as, well, “Nick Cage”. The movie has a new trailer online.
In the movie, we find a semi-fictionalized leading man teetering on the edge of giving up the ol’ acting lark once and for all, especially once he gets turned down for Quentin Tarantino’s latest movie. Creatively unfulfilled and facing financial ruin, this Cage must accept a $1 million offer to attend the birthday of a dangerous superfan (Pedro Pascal).
Things take a wildly unexpected turn when Cage is recruited by a CIA operative (Tiffany Haddish) and forced to live up to his own legend, channeling his most iconic and beloved on-screen characters in order to save himself and his loved ones. With a career built for this very moment, the seminal award-winning actor must take on the role of a lifetime: Nicolas Cage.
Yes, it turns out Pascal’s Javi, Cage’s biggest fan is not, as he was initially concerned into weird sex stuff, he is in fact into massively criminal stuff. And when Javi discovers that Cage was recruited by the government to investigate his supremely dodgy dealings, things become violent. Soon, Cage is longing for the moments when his biggest concern was Javi asking him which of his movies is his favorite. Or viewing Javi’s extensive collection of props from NC’s movies, which also includes a “grotesque” waxwork of his ‘Face/Off’ character, which Cage offers to buy for a healthy sum.
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Haddish’s agent, meanwhile, has backup from Ike Barinholtz’s fellow CIA operative, and it’s clear that Barinholtz’s character has no time for Cage’s more family friendly output – he’s all about the action movies.
On Cage’s business side of things, we have Neil Patrick Harris as his agent, the man who first approaches him with Javi’s offer.
And in case one version of Cage just wasn’t enough, the movie features two, with the actor also playing “Nicky”, an imaginary younger version of himself, who torments “Nick” from time to time.
“I wasn’t too excited about the idea of playing myself, but when Tom sent me this script, Nicky reminded me a little of Jerry Lewis’ Buddy Love in ‘The Nutty Professor,’” Cage told Entertainment Weekly. “I always admired what he did with that movie. For me, Nicky steals the show.”
Co-written and directed by Tom Gormican, ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ will bring “Nick fuckin’ Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaage” back into theaters on April 22.
“Nick Cage” (Nicolas Cage) contemplates his career while poolside in Mallorca, Spain in ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.’ Photo credit: Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate.
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Given that it spread quickly around social media and beyond, you’ll probably have seen the trailer for Netflix’s ‘Cliff Beasts 6’, which landed on Wednesday much to general amusement and some small confusion.
It was, as most people quickly twigged, a meta first look at Judd Apatow’s new movie, ‘The Bubble’, which takes as its basic concept the idea of a group of actors and filmmakers trying to make the best of it in a quarantine hotel while shooting the aforementioned dino-laden blockbuster.
Loosely based on what they’d heard from the cast of ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ and other movie crews who had had to quarantine while making a movie, Apatow and ‘South Park’ veteran Pam Brady whipped up the story of the cast of ‘Cliff Beasts 6’, who must contend not just with greenscreen work, clashing egos, crazy film executives and long hours, but also being cooped up – albeit in luxurious style – while the production continues.
Naturally, tempers begin to fray, illness (though apparently it’s the “good virus” influenza) spreads and people are either plotting an escape or hooking up like rabbits.
From the look and tone of the trailer, the feel here is a little like TV’s ‘The White Lotus’ crossed with classic Hollywood takedown ‘The Player’ – a bunch of privileged (or desperate) people come into contact with the staff at the hotel, and the latter soon comes to hate the former.
There’s the fact that the studio behind the fake movie is struggling and really needs this latest ‘Cliff Beasts’ to be a hit, while many of the cast seem to be over it and ready to check out – literally trying to escape from a world that has become all about masks, nasal swab tests, zones for cast and crew and, in the words of Harry Trevaldwyn’s crew member Gunther, replacing physical touch with “making sweet eyes at each other” (he’s also part of a gag where he starts to resemble Benedict Cumberbatch through some deepfake technology – or in the movie’s case, some drugged up actors).
It’s a different milieu for Apatow, who has usually made movies about people trying cope with life changes or aging through more down-to-earth life experiences, but he’s spent enough time on film sets to know of what he speaks, and he’s certainly got the comedy touch.
Satires like this exist already, though (we already discussed ‘The Player’ as a classic example, and you have the likes of ‘America’s Sweethearts’, so ‘The Bubble’ will need to go some to find new things to say beyond “movie-making is madness” and “actors are demanding”. Still, the pandemic angle has promise for comedy fodder, and there’s a solid cast involved who clearly threw themselves into the roles.
Oh, and in addition to the trailer, there’s also a featurette about ‘Cliff Beasts’ to clue you into the “history” of this “franchise” and the “making” of the current “movie”.
‘The Bubble’ will arrive on Netflix on April 1. As for ‘Cliff Beasts 6?’ That all depends on how much fake footage they shot…
(L to R) Vir Das, Keegan-Michael Key, Pedro Pascal, Karen Gillan, Leslie Mann, David Duchovny, and Iris Apatow in Netflix’s ‘The Bubble.’
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(L to R) Guz Khan, Keegan-Michael Key, Pedro Pascal, Karen Gillan, Leslie Mann, David Duchovny, and Iris Apatow in Netflix’s ‘Cliff Beasts 6.’
Exciting times for monster movie fans today as the trailer for ‘Cliff Beasts 6: The Battle for Everest’ is online. And it promises all the giant creature action you could hope for.
The ‘Cliff Beasts’ movie franchise has a storied (if relatively recent) history in Hollywood. Launched a few years ago with the first outing, simply known as ‘Cliff Beasts’, it followed a heroic group of humans who discover a giant new threat in the shape of a dinosaur species dubbed the Cliff Beasts.
Somehow surviving the extinction of their fellow creatures, these mysterious monsters show up at some of the world’s most treacherous territory: high peaks.
That original movie was lambasted by critics for its slipshod plot and ludicrous dialogue, but audiences embraced it, and it quickly spawned sequels. A franchise was born, and while it sometimes faced challenges at the box office (the fourth film was a particular disappointment), it has surged in popularity.
Through the years, the cast has changed slightly, but the core remains strong, and in ‘Cliff Beasts 6: The Battle for Everest’, the team reunites after five long years to tackle the latest problem, this time, as the subtitle suggests, on Mount Everest.
Of course, there are the usual interpersonal dynamics at play, but the real issue here is the hulking creatures that they must survive. Flying beasties! Roaring beasties! And, naturally, a load of teeth just waiting to chomp down on unwitting humans.
We do wonder how some of these characters are climbing to such altitudes without oxygen supplies, but then logic has never really been the strongest element of these movies.
‘Cliff Beasts 6: The Battle for Everest’ will make it to Netflix on April 1. Hang on, on which date?
All right, so ‘Cliff Beasts’ as a franchise doesn’t exist outside of Judd Apatow’s new movie, ‘The Bubble’, and this is a meta-tastic teaser for that.
Written by Apatow and ‘South Park’ veteran Pam Brady, the movie is loosely inspired by the experiences of the ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ cast and crew, who had to spend their filming time in a quarantine hotel.
As the official (and officially brief) synopsis suggests: “Sneaking out. Hooking up. Melting down. The cast and crew of a blockbuster action franchise attempt to shoot a sequel while quarantining at a posh hotel.”
But does anyone else hope that they shot enough of “Cliff Beasts” for that to eventually show up in full? Come on Netflix, you’ve got the cash.
We can expect a proper trailer for the movie on Friday, while ‘The Bubble’ itself will be on Netflix on April 1. Yes, for real this time.
(L to R) Guz Khan, Keegan-Michael Key, Pedro Pascal, Karen Gillan, Leslie Mann, David Duchovny, and Iris Apatow in Netflix’s ‘Cliff Beasts 6.’
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Yesterday at Star Wars Celebration, the official Star Wars convention currently being held in snowy Chicago, fans were treated to something genuinely new: a peek at “The Mandalorian,” the first-ever live-action “Star Wars” television series and the first flagship series on the soon-to-launch direct-to-consumer Disney+ platform. And as both the first step into a new corner of the “Star Wars” galaxy and the initial offering for a game changing service, what we were shown exceeded expectations. Disney+ already has its “Game of Thrones” and it hasn’t even started yet.
After a brief intro from Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy (who serves as an executive producer on the series), creator, writer and showrunner Jon Favreau was joined on stage by executive producer and director Dave Filoni (making his live-action debut), who more or less served as the emcees for the hourlong panel. The two have a jovial, brotherly charm, coming from the fact that Filoni directed Favreau, who appeared on Filoni’s “The Clone Wars” animated series (as a Mandalorian!) and you could tell they were very excited to finally tell people about the project.
Favreau said that he was compelled to see “what happened after the celebration at the end of ‘Return of the Jedi.’ What would happen and what type of characters would survive before the New Republic took over? You have chaos taking over the galaxy.” He said that this setting provided “a rich environment and tone.” Inspired by “old westerns and samurai films,” as well as the “post-Civil War old west” (the character of the Mandalorian was often described in the panel as a “gunslinger”), Faveau was inspired by a rich melting pot of ideas. Amongst the other “elements” he wanted to contribute to this new series was “everything from the original trilogy, the prequels, the sequels, ‘Clone Wars,’ even bringing in things from Legends” (the decommissioned official “extended universe” that Disney jettisoned after purchasing Lucasfilm). Filoni noted that they even tipped their collective hat to the infamous “Star Wars Holiday Special,” which marked the first appearance of Boba Fett (you can see that influence in The Mandalorian’s pronged weapon that looks like a cross between a shotgun and a tuning fork).
One of the more interesting anecdotes that Filoni and Favreau shared was that the Mandalorian’s ship, The Razorcrest, was brought to life via models. Favreau joked that Guillermo del Toro taught him to “make practical effects so that you can have them in your place” and that “you can’t hang a QuickTime file up in your office,” so they built a miniature Razorcrest, first as a kind of test, and then to actually appear in the show, with Jon Knoll, an absolute visual effects legend at Industrial Light & Magic, building the motion control rig that photographed the miniature ship. It seemed to really bring out some enthusiasm at ILM, with Favreau joking that “a lot of people came out of the woodwork” to be a part of it. They then showed lighting passes on the ship, including a really cool pass with just the ship’s engines firing (thanks to flickering LED lights). The mood and texture of these test alone was jaw-dropping; seeing them composited into a final shot will be pretty transcendent.
And, of course, we were introduced to the cast of the show. Pedro Pascal is playing the titular “bounty hunter and gunfighter” (according to Favreau). Pascal described him as “a mysterious gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy. I would say he has moral questionable.” Also, quipped Pascal: “He’s a bad-ass.”
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Meanwhile, former MMA fighter Gina Carano plays another new character named Cara Dune, another soul searching for stability in the post-war galaxy. “She’s an ex-Rebel shock trooper,” Carano said. “I’m a bit of a loner. I’m having trouble reintegrating myself into society.” (Carano seemed very excited to be a part of the project but also very scared about spilling any secrets prematurely.)
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And Carl Weathers, who was also on hand for the panel (“I’m really happy to be here, of all the things I’ve been involved with, I don’t think anything has come close to this”), is playing a character called Greef Karga. “He’s a guy who is running a group of bounty hunters,” Weathers explained. “The Mandalorian is a guy he figures can get the job done so he hires him and sends him out there.” (More on this in a minute.)
But the actors were joined on set one day by some very special guests: members of the 501st Legion, a group of amateur Stormtroopers that are recognized by Lucasfilm and called on for special events or charity functions. “We had production meetings and after seeing the set we realized that we didn’t have Stormtroopers and there were only so many uniforms we had and thought it wasn’t going to do the trick for the storytelling,” Favreau said. “But I know a bunch of Stormtroopers,” Filoni interjected. So the team called on the 501st. Filoni said that he wasn’t worried about the costumes. “They held up,” he said. They initially weren’t even told what they were needed for. “They said, ‘What for?’ And we said, ‘Just come down,’ Filoni said. To which Jon Favreau responded, “I didn’t realize that they weren’t told what it was for.” Later, he said they were “so polite and nice.” And Carano seemed genuinely shocked at the level of detail in their handmade costumes and Weathers expressed even more admiration: “They work really hard. They were on point the entire time they were there. It was so cool. I learned stuff from watching those guys and women.” Well said!
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There were also two batches of footage that they showed: initially they showed a kind of behind-the-scenes sizzle, showcasing the talent behind the camera (including directors Bryce Dallas Howard and Taika Waititi) as well as in front of it, with rough, approximate shots that might end up in the series. Then, at the end of the panel, as people were streaming out of the auditorium, Favreau told everybody to turn around and sit down because he had some “real” footage to show them. And it was pretty great.
This “real” footage started with a fairly prolonged scene. The Mandalorian was in some kind of cantina-like space, sitting across from Greef. Greef is offering him jobs, which are too low for the Mandalorian’s liking. He asks for a bigger job but Greef says that this one is more dangerous. The Mandalorian takes it anyway.
We then cut to him visiting a hole in the wall (he’s scanned by the same robot that Jabba has at his palace), taking an audience with an unnamed character played by the great German filmmaker Werner Herzog. Herzog is surrounded by dirty Stormtroopers and a weaselly guy in a lab coat named Dr. Pershing (played by Omid Abthai). The bounty that Herzog gives him requires him to bring back the mark alive but, hey, if the target dies, he understands.
From there we were treated to a really fabulous montage, featuring (but not limited to) shots of the Razorcrest flying through deep space, Cara Dune kicking ass, Giancarlo Esposito as an unnamed character flanked by Death Troopers (the super scary Stormtroopers first introduced in “Rogue One“), another shot of Esposito piloting a TIE Fighter, lots of creatures (including the same kind of creature Salacious Crumb is, plus various crazy monsters from the Mos Eisley Cantina), an assassin droid voiced by Waititi (rumored to be named IG-11) and the Mandalorian, running, hiding, shooting but never, ever taking off his helmet.
The footage made the show look huge, which is not an easy feat, especially considering it was shot entirely in Los Angeles. (It is the first “Star Wars” project filmed in the United States.) Still, this is the one of the few television series ILM has ever worked on and they seem to be working at the absolute top of their game. The tone definitely seems like it has wandered from the hopefulness of most “Star Wars” projects, and the amount of deep cut characters and references seems to lend it its own idiosyncratic, esoteric vibe. The television format seems to have freed the show’s creators from having to color inside the lines. It’s a show set in wild, untamed space, and the show feels like it is charting similarly adventurous ground. Must-see TV doesn’t even justly describe “The Mandalorian;” it is now one of the most rabidly anticipated events in all of pop culture. And for good reason too – it looks that good.
“The Mandalorian” launches with the rest of Disney+ on November 12.
There’s a reason why Hollywood coined the term “development hell” — namely, because even when there’s lots of interest in a project and motivation and big stars and distributors, the process of making a movie can be a protracted, painful experience. Since first garnering attention in 2010, “Triple Frontier” went through director and casting changes, studio shake-ups and more before finally getting released this week via Netflix, a distributor fast gaining a reputation for swooping in and supporting films that are obscure passion projects, underfunded or otherwise troubled. To commemorate its opening, we decided to look back at just a few of those stumbling blocks the filmmakers faced while attempting to get it to the screen.
When the project was first announced in October 2010, Johnny Depp and Tom Hanks were in talks to star in the film for director Kathryn Bigelow, still hot off of “The Hurt Locker.” Hanks was officially cast a month later and production was set to start early the next year. But some five years later, there was no movement on the project — Bigelow moved on to “Zero Dark Thirty,” and a project focusing on US soldier Bowe Bergdahl and his time as a prisoner in Afghanistan. After “All Is Lost” and “A Most Violent Year” made waves with critics groups, writer-director J.C. Chandor entered into talks in 2015 to direct the project from Mark Boal’s script for Paramount Pictures. He later signed on to direct the film in September of that year.
By then, Hanks’ commitment to the film was on shakier ground, though he and Will Smith were still negotiating the possibility of joining the film. Additionally, Depp’s name re-entered the picture as a potential star as Smith left the film due to scheduling conflicts for “Collateral Beauty.” But by January 2017, Depp and Hanks were out, and Channing Tatum and Tom Hardy were being considered for roles in the film, followed by Mahershala Ali, who was collecting accolades for his work in “Moonlight.” All three joined the production officially, but by April of that year, Paramount dropped the project altogether, and only Ali remained among the confirmed cast members, now joined by Adria Arjona (HBO’s “True Detective”).
One month later, Netflix began negotiating for the rights to the film, eyeing Ben Affleck and his brother Casey for the roles that were previously to be filled by Tatum and Hardy. Ben Affleck left the film a month later citing “personal reasons,” and Mark Wahlberg entered into talks to replace him. By July 2017, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund and Pedro Pascal had joined the film, even as Ali was forced to drop out due to production delays. And less than a year later, in March 2018, began production in Oahu, Hawaii, with Ben Affleck once again in the lead role.
In addition to Affleck, Hunnam, Hedlund and Pascal, Oscar Isaac also eventually joined the film — a big get for Chandor, who wanted to reunite with his “A Most Violent Year” star (timing originally prevented them from working together). Chandor, who is a writer or co-writer on all of his films, eventually received a co-writing credit alongside Mark Boal, who first conceived the story. At various stages, the film was also rumored to receive a name change to “Sleeping Dogs,” but clearly that idea didn’t take.
Nevertheless, Deadline’s Mike Fleming had it right back in March of 2018 when he considered the movie’s endurance a “study in how a worthy script can stay alive , despite setbacks that are often fatal.” “Triple Frontier” is not just a prestige project or star-studded, military-themed thriller, but a testament to the longevity of good ideas and the fortitude of producers and filmmakers committed to bringing them to the screen.
