Al Pacino and Jessica Chastain will lead the cast of ‘Lear, Rex’.
Bernard Rose adapted the play for the new movie and will direct.
Rachel Brosnahan, LaKeith Stanfield and Peter Dinklage are also all among a starry cast.
Al Pacino just can’t stay away from the Bard. The actor, who has appeared in several Shakespeare adaptations (and one or two movies inspired by his work), will once more tackle the legendary playwright’s work with a new interpretation of ‘King Lear’.
And he’ll be joined in what is called ‘Lear, Rex’ (“Rex” meaning “king”, “monarch” or “ruler” in Latin, language fans!) by occasional co-star Jessica Chastain and a host of famous faces.
yQxYH784Km1xwfdUpwFpT5
What’s the story of ‘Lear Rex’?
Oscar® nominee, Al Pacino arrives on the red carpet of The 92nd Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 9, 2020.
From the sounds of it, writer/director Bernard Rose is sticking relatively close to the story as laid out by the play… Pacino will be an aging King who divides his land between his three daughters to prevent future conflict.
But he rejects the youngest daughter, Cordelia who loves him and places his trust in her malevolent sisters, who strip him of his power and condemn him to a wretched wasteland of horror and insanity. Tch… you kids today, with your lust for power and your overthrowing of the monarchy!
(Far Left) Rachel Brosnahan on Prime Video’s ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.’ (Center Left) LaKeith Stanfield in ‘The Changeling,’ now streaming on Apple TV+. (Center Right) Peter Dinklage as Casca Highbottom in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close. (Far Right) Ariana DeBose at the 5th Annual Hollywood Critics Association Awards.
Alongside Pacino and Chastain (who plays Goneril, one of the older daughters who plot against their naive old dad), the already impressive cast for this one also includes Ariana DeBose as Cordelia (the youngest daughter), Rachel Brosnahan as Regan (Goneril’s scheme-happy sister), Peter Dinklage as the Fool, Danny Huston as Albany, Chris Messina as Cornwall, LaKeith Stanfield as Edmund, Ted Levine as Kent, Matthew Jacobs as Gloucester, Rhys Coiro as Oswald and Stephen Dorff as Poor Tom.
Barry Navidi is reuniting with Pacino to produce the new film, having worked on several movies with the star (including ‘Salomé’ and ‘Wilde Salomé’, which also starred Chastain.)
‘Lear Rex’: the director and producer speak
Al Pacino at the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.
“It is enormously exciting to get the opportunity to work with this extraordinary cast that Al, Barry and Sharon [casting director Sharon Howard-Field] have put together to tackle this radical, but accessible adaptation of Shakespeare’s greatest play.”
And here’s what producer Navidi had to say:
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with Bernard Rose. His artistic vision, combined with a talented ensemble cast of players led by Al Pacino, promises to take us on a remarkable and unforgettable cinematic experience. We are merging the worlds of Shakespeare and Hollywood. This marks the commencement of an exciting new chapter, one that Al has poured his heart and soul into. It is a privilege for me to join forces with my dear friend once more, and to contribute to his enduring legacy.”
When will ‘Lear Rex’ be in theaters?
With the distribution rights yet to be sold, there is no current release date for ‘Lear Rex’. The cameras are set to start rolling on August 12th and we can’t imagine such a star-studded film –– even a Shakespeare adaptation with its occasional cultural language barrier –– sitting in the marketplace for too long.
Al Pacino, Francis Ford Coppola and Robert De Niro onstage during the 50th anniversary tribute of “The Godfather” at the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.
(L to R) Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ is an entertaining prequel that dives deeper into the past of Donald Sutherland’s Coriolanus “Coryo” Snow (no played by Tom Blyth) and the history of the games but is surprisingly a musical at its core. Blyth and co-star Rachel Zegler give impressive performances, but the movie suffers from too many storylines and frivolous characters, resulting in the third act falling apart.
Story and Direction
Director Francis Lawrence in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Set 64-years before ‘The Hunger Games,’ ‘The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ begins by introducing us to a young Coriolanus Snow, played by Tom Blyth. Following the war, Snow’s family has fallen from grace in Panem and he is determined to rise through the ranks and return honor to his family name, no matter the cost. Attending the Academy and pretending to still be wealthy, Snow meets Casca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage), the creator of the Hunger Games and his teacher, who seems to dislike Snow. The class is soon told that to graduate and win the “prize,” they must all be mentors in the 10th Annual Hunger Games.
The head game maker, Dr. Volumnia Gaul (Viola Davis) explains that the games are in danger of being cancelled and begins to implement some of Snow’s new ideas to make them more popular. But Snow is surprised when he is assigned tribute Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) from District 12, a traveling musician who is not afraid to take the spotlight. As Lucy and Snow learn to trust each other, the games begin, and that trust is tested. Eventually Snow must choose between his ambition and the life he imagines for himself and his family, and the feelings he has for Lucy.
(L to R) Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird, Luna Steeples as Dill, Cooper Dillon as Mizzen, Producer Nina Jacobson and Lucas Wilson as Panlo in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Director Francis Lawrence certainly understands the world that author Suzanne Collins created in the pages of her books, having directed the last three films in the franchise including ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,’ ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1,’ and ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.’ While the tone and feel of the movie is like his other work within the franchise, Lawrence really takes delight in showing us a more primitive society. This is Panem over sixty years before Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) appeared, and while it looks familiar it also looks new and fresh compared to what we’ve seen before.
The script does a good job of reintroducing us to Panem and explains Snow’s family history, as well as setting the stage for his eventual ascension. The movie also takes time to explore some ideas from the original series, using a few callbacks that fans will recognize, but none of it really distracts from the main story, which is Snow and Lucy’s relationship. Thanks, partly to the strong performances from the lead actors, that relationship is believable, and you are invested in the outcome, even if we already know that Snow breaks bad.
It’s Really a Musical!
(L to R) Honor Gillies as Barb Azure, Konstantin Taffet as Clerk Carmine and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
One of the fun surprises of the film is that it is secretly a musical. But the music (and characters breaking into song) never feels forced and instead is tied to the story. Remember, Lucy Baird is a musical performer, which gives her an extra edge in this version of the games, and therefore explains why there is so much music in the movie. Obviously, ‘West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler was up to the task, and her musical performances are some of the best sequences in the movie. It also helps endear her character to the audience early on, so we are rooting for her once the games begin. Again, the musical numbers all make sense and do not distract from the rest of the movie, but rather makes the film standout instead of just being another prequel to a popular franchise.
(L to R) Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
While Rachel Zegler was uniquely qualified to play Lucy Baird given the actress’ musical skills, she also creates a loving, brave and extremely likable character that we root for throughout, even if she is doing a bit of a Dolly Parton impression. The sparks between Lucy and Snow are undeniable from the moment they meet, and while we know Snow’s ultimate outcome, we still root for the couple nonetheless because of the two actors’ wonderful chemistry together.
For his part, actor Tom Blyth probably had the most difficult role, humanizing a beloved villain, and filling the shoes of the great Donald Sutherland to make the two performances over the entire series seamless. Blyth, best known for playing the title character on ‘Billy the Kid,’ has a magnetic quality and absolutely nails the role. He’s completely believable as a young Snow, and yet you also accept him as his own character. While Zegler’s performance is the heart of the movie, Blyth really carries the film on his own throughout and gives a very impressive performance. Blyth has “movie star” written all over him, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the actor appear in more franchise movies in the future.
The Rest of the Cast
Peter Dinklage as Casca Highbottom in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Like most films in this franchise, the movie has a huge cast so I can’t name everyone, but I will say that I was impressed with the diverse cast of young actors that were chosen including Hunter Schafer and Sofia Sanchez, who are both standouts. Peter Dinklage is also very good as Snow’s advisor Casca Highbottom. The role has Casca at odds with Snow through most of the film, with his true intentions being revealed by the end, making for an interesting dynamic between the two characters.
But not all the performances worked for me. Viola Davis, who is unarguably one of the best actors working in movies today, is so over-the-top in her performance as Volumnia Gaul, it just took me out of the movie. I know that ‘Hunger Games’ characters can be flamboyant and eccentric, but she seemed more like she was channeling Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West in ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ It was just too much and didn’t seem like a real character.
Unfortunately, the same can be said for Jason Schwartzman, an actor I generally like, playing Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman. The character is the first TV host of the Hunger Games and assumed to be some relation to Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci) from the original series. While I’m sure Schwartzman based his performance in some way on Tucci’s, and of course was taking his cues from the script, again, the character seemed too over-the-top, even for this franchise, and was not believable in the end.
Viola Davis as Dr Volumnia Gaul in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Problems with the Third Act
Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
My biggest problem with the movie was the third act, which felt unnecessary and more like an epilogue or something that you would save for a sequel. We’ve come to expect that ‘Hunger Games’ movies usually end when the games are over and we have a clear winner, but that’s not the case with ‘The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.’ In fact, the film has another 30-45 minutes after that, and it begins to drag because the main story we are invested in, “Will Lucy survive the games?” has already ended. It seems like the movie would have benefited from 20-30 minutes being cut and saving the third act, which is basically Snow’s decision to be a villain, for a sequel.
Will Katniss be in ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes?’
Jennifer Lawrence in 2012’s ‘The Hunger Games.’
The short answer is no. Since the movie is set over sixty years before the events of the original series, Katniss Everdeen hasn’t even been born yet. So, don’t expect Jennifer Lawrence to show up. However, the movie does leave several Easter Eggs, many of which take place in Katniss’ home of District 12. While I won’t give away too many, I will say that the Mockingjays do play a role.
Final Thoughts
In the end, ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ is a worthy prequel and a justifiable continuation of the franchise. Its musical format is refreshing, and fans of the original series will enjoy returning to Panem and discovering Snow’s backstory. Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler’s strong performances and great chemistry together help carry the film, but with a third act that seems disjointed from the main story, the movie eventually falls under its own weight.
‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
U5NGv1rB0QpQgWj0tkBMm2
What is the plot of ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’?
Years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), the female tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy Gray’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.
Who is in the cast of ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’?
Tom Blyth as (‘Billy the Kid’) Coriolanus “Coryo” Snow
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Francis Lawrence and longtime ‘Hunger Games’ producer Nina Jacobson about their work on ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.’
The director and producer discussed their new movie, returning to Panem, the challenges of making a prequel, casting Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler, and how the film is really a musical!
(Left) ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ director Francis Lawrence. (Right) ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ producer Nina Jacobson.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.
Moviefone: To begin with, Nina, at what point did you realize adapting Suzanne Collins ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ and exploring Coriolanus Snow’s history would be the next chapter of this film series?
Nina Jacobson: I did not know that until late 2019. We were all in the depths of Covid and I got a phone call from Suzanne saying, “Both Francis and I’ve got something I want you to read. It’s in the world of ‘The Hunger Games.’ It’s period, it’s 64 years before the rest of the books and movies. There’s one critical character who is a carryover character from the movies and books and there’s a lot of music in it.” So that’s what we knew coming into it. Of course, the question is when you sit down to read a book or watch a movie that is about a character who you already know you don’t like, you hate him, that is a real challenge. But what I found that she did so effectively was on the one hand, to show him in all his dimensions, he is not a Boy Scout by any stretch. He is a flawed, complex self-interested survivor on the one hand, and yet he is also not fully formed, and he is, I think, really turned upside down by the events of this story and a lot of his most essential core assumptions are upended. That to see how all of that ultimately shapes and shifts him to become the man that he will be, and to know that he’s going to get there and still find yourself rooting for him to somehow go another way in spite of your knowledge that he will not, and yet find it super satisfying when he finally does break bad was actually a very fun thing to get to work on as long as we could find an actor who could do all of that. Because it really does take an enormous amount of skill, nuance and subtlety. We were very, very fortunate when we finally saw Tom to see that there was a young actor who could do all of the things that he would need to do and still conjure up the belief that this could be a person who would grow up to be Donald Sutherland.
Director Francis Lawrence in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
MF: Francis, as a director what was it like for you to return to the world of ‘The Hunger Games,’ which you helped create on screen, and have a chance to explore Snow’s backstory with this prequel?
Francis Lawrence: I mean, it was super exciting. Look, we were surprised that Suzanne wrote another book. There were no plans. When we finished ‘The Mockingjay,’ she was moving on to other stuff. Then in 2019 she called us and said, “I’m almost done with the book.” Nina and I were shocked, excited, read it, and then I got more excited. I love villain origin stories and was super excited and up for the challenge, as well as rebuilding Panem in a way, in essence doing a period piece to the original films. So it was just all around exciting to come back.
A scene from ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
MF: Obviously, fans are familiar with the world of ‘The Hunger Games,’ but this is an earlier time-period in the story than audiences have seen before. Can you talk about creating a new tone for this prequel?
FL: It’s interesting. I didn’t instinctively decide for the tone to feel different. I think what ended up happening, which was kind of a pleasant discovery, was that there’s something about the rudimentary nature of this world, the technology and the Games, and the period of it all that grounded it in a different way. So, the other ones, being a little further in the future, there’s a more fantastical element to some of the wardrobe, to the arenas for sure, that it just brought a more fantastical element to the tone, where this feels much more authentic, grounded, and realistic. I think makes some moments more intense and maybe more jarring than the other films. I was really pleased with that, that it still feels like a ‘Hunger Games’ movie, but it has its own sort of unique twist, tonally, obviously narratively, but also in the world building.
(L to R) Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Courtesy of Lionsgate Films. Photo Credit: Murray Close.
MF: Francis, can you talk about casting Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler and why they were the right actors for these pivotal roles?
FL: Tom kind of came out of the blue for me. I was not familiar with his show (‘Billy the Kid’). He did a self-tape. He read for the part. His tape came in and I thought, “Wow.” Physically, I could see how he, with his big blue eyes, could kind of become Donald Sutherland, Snow, when he got older. But he’s super talented, Julliard trained, and great at his craft. I knew he’d be able to pull off all the facets we needed for the journey. But also, he’s a very intelligent guy, very sophisticated, and that was one of the extremely important elements, that if you are believably going to become Donald Sutherland, you must be intelligent and you must be sophisticated. He had that. Rachel, Lucy Gray’s a performer. We needed a singer, and we also needed a great actress and somebody that could play all the different sides and facets to Lisa Gray. She’s a bit of a mystery, a little mercurial, extroverted, a charmer and a performer. Rachel could do all of that.
(L to R) Honor Gillies as Barb Azure, Konstantin Taffet as Clerk Carmine and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
MF: Finally, the movie is a musical! Can you both talk about that and why the music is important to the story you are telling?
FL: I mean music, it’s funny, when Suzanne first told me that she was writing this book and almost done she didn’t want to tell me the story, but she did say there was a big music element to it, which intrigued me. I then discovered that Suzanne is a big fan of country music and had written a bunch of the lyrics for the songs in the movie. We worked with Dave Cobb, the Nashville producer- songwriter who wrote the chord progressions, melodies, and put this great little band together. We built this roster of songs that are based on songs that would’ve been in Appalachia in the ’20s and ’30s, sort of like circa the Carter Family, which is also a period of country music that I’m a huge fan of. But it’s that idea that those songs are stories and ballads that have been passed down from England, Ireland, Scotland, through generations and then turned into songs. So, you feel a time and a place and there’s kind of a haunting quality to a lot of these songs. But I thought everybody just did a great job. Rachel sings live on this whole thing, I will say.
(L to R) Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird, Luna Steeples as Dill, Cooper Dillon as Mizzen, Producer Nina Jacobson and Lucas Wilson as Panlo in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
NJ: It was a real opportunity for us because music has always been instrumental in these stories, whether it’s James Newton Howard‘s incredible scores, or the way that songs like ‘The Hanging Tree,’ the song that Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) remembers from Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), the song that Katniss sings to her sister and to Rue (Amandla Stenberg). Music has always been super important. However, we have never had a character who is a performer who’s going to get up on stage and sing, and that was a huge opportunity for us. Also, a huge source of, “Well, we better not blow that, or It’s going to really be a disaster if the second she starts to sing, people burst out laughing.” So, getting it to fit tonally, making sure that it felt grounded, that it felt deserved, that it felt like an earned musical moment, not a number, was a real challenge. We were really blessed to have both in Suzanne, an incredible student of music history and fan of early American music, the roots of folk, country, Americana, and then to find in Dave Cobb, somebody who shared those obsessions. They had an incredible meeting of the mind, and then the melodies that he created and the way that he took her lyrics brought them to life, and then the musicians that he chose to record with to bring these songs off the page. It was an incredible moment of discovery, excitement and emotion, seeing Rachel sing those songs on set because she chose to sing live virtually every time, which is incredibly unusual. It’s a real rarity for a person to want to sing live every take, and then to just destroy it every time and just leave you like a puddle on the floor. It was really something, and it was enormously fun to get to do. The songs would get to be really stuck in your head, and you’d have to go and do a long Spotify playlist if you wanted to shake the earworm, that was the only downside.
U5NGv1rB0QpQgWj0tkBMm2
What is the plot of ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’?
Years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), the female tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy Gray’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.
Who is in the cast of ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’?
Tom Blyth as (‘Billy the Kid’) Coriolanus “Coryo” Snow
Yet the image comes with a drawback, as the studio has announced that the movie will now be released a year later than planned.
VOMHHYwbyPuRdWgtbxSbL2
What’s the story of ‘Snow White’?
‘Barbie’ Director/Writer Greta Gerwig attends a Photo Call at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. Photo Credit: Caroline McCredie Photography.
Adapted from both the original fairytale and Disney’s acclaimed 1937 animated adaptation (which launched the studio’s reputation for cartoon movies), the new film will have a script from Greta Gerwig and Erin Cressida Wilson that eschews the usual romantic subplot in favor of Snow White becoming the leader her father encouraged her to be.
So, in this case, the “fairest of them all” means something different.
Who else is in ‘Snow White’?
Gal Gadot attends the Netflix’s Tudum: A Global Fan Event 2023 at Fundação Bienal de São Paulo on June 17, 2023 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo by Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images for NETFLIX.
Disney has yet to confirm who is playing the dwarf characters, but we do know that the cast includes Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, Ansu Kabia as the Huntsman and Andrew Burnap as a new character named Jonathan.
Following an outcry about the use of dwarf characters, not least of which was from Peter Dinklage (who said, “You’re still making that f*****g backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, what the f*** are you doing, man?” on Marc Maron’s ‘WTF’ Podcast), Disney responded with an official statement on the matter.
Here’s what the studio said:
“To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community. We look forward to sharing more as the film heads into production after a lengthy development period.”
Now, of course, we can see for ourselves –– and honestly, they’re a little terrifying, walking the edge of the uncanny valley. Of course, movies have been in this situation before: there was the backlash over the initial look of ‘Sonic the Hedgehog,’ so the filmmakers have time to work on the characters before ‘Snow White’ is released.
And talking of the movie’s release…
When will I see ‘Snow White’ in theaters?
For those who had been eagerly awaiting more news about the live-action version of the story, there is a bad news side to the good news/bad news equation –– Disney has announced that the movie is going to be delayed, presumably a knock-on effect from the actors’ strike’s impact on the studio’s schedules.
Once targeted for a March 22nd, 2024, release, the movie will now be in theaters on March 21st, 2025. Does that make you grumpy?
Rachel Zegler and Gal GAdot at Disney D23 Expo 2022 Getty Images
Beyond Fest 2023 takes place September 26th – October 10th.
Now entering its 11th year, the highest-attended genre film festival in the US, Beyond Fest is back and bigger than ever.
The event, which has brought first looks at new movies and more to fans for years, is back this month, comprising 55 features, including 5 world premieres, 3 North American Premieres, 7 US premieres, and 18 West Coast Premieres.
When and where is Beyond Fest 2023 happening?
(Left) Nicolas Cage in ‘Dream Scenario.’ Courtesy of A24.
This year’s event runs between September 26th – October 10th.
In partnership with the American Cinematheque and presented exclusively by distributor NEON, Beyond Fest will screen at the Aero Theatre, Los Feliz 3 and Regency Village Theatre.
Here’s what Head of Programming Evrim Ersoy has to say about this year’s fest:
“With over 19,000 attendees in 2022, our goal this year was to go bigger while also exposing audiences to new filmmakers who represent the future. We’ve delivered on that promise with a program that has the world’s most celebrated artists like James Cameron, Guillermo del Toro, and Roger Corman joining us alongside some of Cinema’s boldest new voices including Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, Demián Rugna and Macon Blair.”
Among the offerings at this year’s event are Gareth Edwards’ sci-fi epic ‘The Creator’, which is the opening night movie at the Aero, while Kristoffer Borgli’s comedy-satire sensation, ‘Dream Scenario’, featuring Nicolas Cage, will close things out.
We can also expect to see Justine Triet’s Palme d’Or winner ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ and Kitty Green’s slow-burn outback thriller ‘The Royal Hotel’.
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in James Cameron’s ‘The Abyss.’ Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Talking of icebergs, James Cameron will also be in attendance: not bringing ‘Titanic’, but instead to introduce and then discuss the Special Edition of 1989’s ‘The Abyss’. You’d think the man would be too busy working on his ‘Avatar’ sequels, but Beyond Fest has him!
Guillermo del Toro will be there to mark 10 years of his robots-vs-giant-monsters pic ‘Pacific Rim’, and maintaining the theme, director Brad Bird will bring his much-loved animation classic ‘The Iron Giant’.
6408
Elsewhere, there will be a chance to see the remake of Troma classic ‘The Toxic Avenger’ starring Peter Dinklage as the mutated, mop-wielding hero, and so much more.
Peter Dinklage in ‘The Toxic Avenger.’ Credit: Legendary Pictures.
ONHy8weYYsZexyU7f3Yu66
How can I get tickets for the 2023 Beyond Fest?
A scene from ‘All of Us Strangers.’ Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.
Peter Dinklage in ‘The Toxic Avenger.’ Credit: Legendary Pictures.
Peter Dinklage is probably still best known as Tyrion Lannister in TV mega-hit ‘Game of Thrones’. But he’s taken on a character that has a chance to become just as recognizable –– especially since it has cult status.
In the first picture released by Legendary in honor of the movie’s planned debut at next month’s Fantastic Fest, we see Dinklage play ‘The Toxic Avenger,’ mop in hand.
Exactly how the new movie will update the story remains to be seen, but the 1984 original follows struggling everyman janitor Melvin, who is pushed into a vat of toxic waste. He’s transformed into a mutant freak who must go from shunned outcast to underdog hero as he races to save his son, his friends and his community from the forces of corruption and greed.
It’s not necessarily the sort of character and concept you might expect to enjoy evergreen status, but spoofing superhero tropes, it became a flagship brand for low budget studio Troma, spawning sequels, a stage musical, a comic and a kids’ cartoon series.
All we really know at this point is the latest movie is a reimagining, with Dinklage’s character called Winston Gooze. That’s one to stick in the memory.
“It’s a lot of fun. I just wanted to do something that I’ve never done before. So why not be a monster in an over-the-top, crazy movie? “It’s not a remake. I just like guerrilla filmmaking. Those movies –– they just made them, no matter what. They just did it because they love doing it. Some of them are not the best, but some are so much fun. When you make movies too clean, it can distance the audience. They want to feel the dirt under their fingernails. I think those Troma films definitely dipped the audience in toxic waste.”
How can I see the movie’s debut?
Fantastic Fest will take place in Austin, Texas on September 21st – September 28th. Photo courtesy of fantasticfest.com.
Along with many other titles, ‘The Toxic Avenger’ will debut at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. It’ll serve as the opening night movie.
The genre-heavy festival runs between September 21st and 28th this year and you can get badges to attend via this link.
This new ‘The Toxic Avenger’ doesn’t yet have a theatrical release date.
A scene from 1984’s ‘The Toxic Avenger.’ Photo courtesy of Troma Entertainment.
(L to R) Optimus Primal and Optimus Prime in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
Autobots, roll out! The latest installment of the Transformers franchise ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ transports the audience to the home world of the Maximals and introduces Unicron – also known as the Chaosbringer, who consumes planets.
The official synopsis for ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ is below:
“Returning to the action and spectacle that have captured moviegoers around the world, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a ’90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new faction of Transformer — the Maximals — to the existing battle on earth between Autobots and Decepticons.”
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ was released domestically on June 9, 2023.
zL42Zeufr7kEkO7JeJhCj7
Maximals On The Big Screen
(L to R) Optimus Primal, Cheetor, Wheeljack and Arcee in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
This is the first time the Maximals faction is introduced in the ‘Transformers’ franchise. They are descendants of the Autobots and in their fight with the Terrorcons, they are forced leave behind their homeworld and hide out on Earth until the Terrorcon figured out their location.
Similar to Autobots, the Maximals can also transform. Instead of transforming into vehicles and aircrafts, Maximals transform into Animal-like robots. The Maximals in the film are Optimus Primal, Apelinq, Airazor, Cheetor, and Rhinox.
Before they made their big screen debut, the Maximals were Introduced in Beast Wars – a computer animated TV series from 1996. There are four factions in Transformers – Autobots, Decepticons, Maximals, and Predacons.
Where Does This Take Place In The Transformers Franchise?
(L to R) Arcee, Optimus Prime, and Bumblebee in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
The first ‘Transformers‘ film was directed by Michael Bay and was released in 2007, starring Shia LeBeouf and Megan Fox. Since then, there have been six Transformers movies, include ‘Rise of the Beasts’. Director Michael Bay helmed the first five films until the franchise received a “soft reboot” in 2017 with Travis Knight’s ‘Bumblebee’, which starred Hailee Steinfeld and fan-favorite Autobot Bumblebee.
Knight’s film took place in the 1980s while Steven Caple Jr.’s film takes place in the 90s, serving as a sequel to ‘Bumblebee’. In the film, there was a small nod to the 2017 film where Optimus Prime acknowledges that Bumblebee has made a human friend during his initial arrival on Earth.
Paramount has already confirmed there will be two more sequels to follow, though it is unclear whether stars Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback will be involved. There is also a scene in the film that eludes to the Transformers franchise potentially having a cross-over with another Hasbro property. If this cross-over does happen, it would be the first time in live-action for these two Hasbro IPs exist in the same movie.
Where Can I Watch ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’?
Mirage in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
The movie held its premiere at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore on May 27, 2023. It was released domestically on June 9, 2023, and is currently playing in theaters in formats such as IMAX, RealD 3D, Dolby cinema, and 4DX. Be sure to check showtimes on Moviefone below.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ below:
67q7MUEr
As of July 11, 2023, the film has been made available on digital for rent or purchase. Services such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu, YouTube, Microsoft, Redbox, and Google Play will have it for $19.99 or $24.99 respectively.
For DVD and blu-ray release, that’ll come on October 10, 2023. Bonus content will include:
‘Human Affairs’ – In a world of robots, machines, and aliens, we explore the humans who help save the world.
‘Life in the 90s’ – The filmmakers discuss how the music, set design, fashion, and cultural references transport viewers to New York in the 90s.
‘Heroes’ – Get an inside look at the inspiration and thought process behind designing the Autobots and the Maximals.
‘Villains’ – Watch as the filmmakers bring the Terrorcons and Predacons to life.
‘The Chase’ – Meet Mirage, a new Autobot that converts into a 1993 Porsche, and experience the adrenaline-filled car chase through New York City.
‘The Battle of Ellis Island’ – Join the cast and crew as they go behind-the-scene of the epic battle sequence between the Autobots and the Terrorcons at the museum.
‘Into the Jungle’ – The Transformers franchise has been filmed all over the globe. This time, join the cast and crew as they explore the new and exotic location of Peru.
‘The Switchback Attack’ – Witness the wild and intense driving sequences filmed on location in Peru where the Autobots fight the Terrorcons through a town square and into the mountains 15,000 feet up.
‘The Final Conflict’ – Get a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s epic climax. Watch as the Autobots, Maximals, Noah, and Elena attempt to save the world
‘Extended/Deleted Scenes’ – Includes an alternate opening and ending to the film.
What is the plot of ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’?
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new faction of Transformers, the Maximals, to join them as allies in the existing battle for earth.
zL42Zeufr7kEkO7JeJhCj7
Who is in the cast of ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’?
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback about their work on ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,’ their love for the franchise, their characters, and working with the beloved robots.
(L to R) Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback star in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Ramos, Fishback, and Tobe Nwigwe.
Moviefone: To begin with, Anthony, how familiar were you with the ‘Transformers’ universe before making this movie?
Anthony Ramos: Very. ‘Beast Wars: Transformers’ was a childhood favorite and I love all the Maximals. I went crazy when Optimus Primal in the movie says, “Maximals maximize.” I promise you, I jumped out of my seat. That moment got me more hyped than the Autobots roll out, because ‘Beast Wars’ was such a huge part of my childhood, so I’m deeply connected to these characters. Then, I saw the ‘Transformers’ movies after that, so I’ve been a big fan.
(L to R) Arcee, Optimus Prime, and Bumblebee in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
MF: Dominique, how about you? Were you a fan of ‘Transformers’ before being cast in this film?
Dominique Fishback: Actually, when Anthony was watching the cartoons, I was watching a bunch of romances, so I was not aware. But I loved ‘Even Stevens,’ and I loved Shia LaBeouf in that show, and I was a huge Disney fan. I always wanted to be an actor. So when he went from ‘Even Stevens’ to ‘Transformers,’ I was like, “Oh man, okay.” I was mapping it out in my head, like, “Okay, I have to do something like that, a show and then a movie like ‘Transformers.’” I never thought that it would actually be ‘Transformers’, so it’s really incredible.
Anthony Ramos stars in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
MF: Anthony, can you talk about why Noah is so willing to help the Transformers and join forces with them?
AR: He’s broke. There’s a lot of things you’ll do when you are not making money, but he’s also desperate. He’s desperate too, and that desperation comes for his love for his family and wanting to be able to help them and support them and his sick brother. It almost seems like he feels like this is a last resort. Obviously, he probably eventually would’ve gotten a job, but I think it’s a movie about robots and Transformers, and it only seems right that his last resort is to join these robot aliens.
Dominique Fishback stars in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
MF: Dominique, can you talk about Elena’s growth as a character throughout the course of the movie?
DF: I think the growth is just being intentional with (director) Steven Caple Jr. and saying, “Okay, in acting school, you learn how is a character different from the beginning of the movie to the end of the movie, from the beginning of the scene to the end of the scene.” So she starts off, the beginning of the movie, really engaged in her books and not going for the adventure. I think too, she’s a little bit scared to put herself out there. She lives behind her books, and I think even in the beginning, it’s like, “Oh, you want me to go?” Then, by the end, there’s a sense of, “I’m here for this fight as well, and I’m not leaving either,” type of thing.
(L to R) Dominique Fishback and Anthony Ramos star in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’
Other Movies Similar to ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’:
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ is produced by Skydance, Paramount, di Bonaventura Pictures, Bay Films, New Republic Pictures, Tom DeSanto/Don Murphy Production, Hasbro Studios, Entertainment One, and Amblin Entertainment. It is set to release in theaters on June 9th, 2023.
(L to R) Optimus Primal and Optimus Prime in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
In theaters June 9th, ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ offers the usual combination of robo-clashes and half-hearted human characters while proving that the franchise is really starting to run out of invention or momentum.
zL42Zeufr7kEkO7JeJhCj7
What’s the story of ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’?
‘Rise of the Beasts’ opens on the planet of the Maximals, a group of Transformers who arrived years ago and assumed the forms of native fauna in order to blend in (sort of). But when Scourge (Peter Dinklage), the henchman of living planet Unicron (Colman Domingo) seeking a vital McGuffin, the heroic Maximals are forced to escape, ending up on Earth thousands of years before the Autobots.
Cut to Brooklyn of the 1990s, where Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) is trying to support his single mother and ailing younger brother while being turned down for various jobs. Drawn into a heist by an acquaintance, he accidently ends up stealing a Porsche that is actually the Autobot Mirage (voiced by Pete Davidson) and is suddenly thrust into a battle for the future of both the robots and the planet –– as Unicron, Scourge and their other evil associates have tracked the Maximals to Earth.
Noah agrees to help Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) and the other robots to find what they need to defeat Unicron, and that ends up pulling museum researcher Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback) into the mission. Soon, they’re racing to stop Unicron’s plan to devour the Earth, with the help of Maximals such as Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman) and Airazor (Michelle Yeoh).
(L to R) Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback star in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
Who else is in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’?
Director Steven Caple Jr. on the set of ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
Robots in Disappointment
If this was supposed to be Paramount’s big return for the ‘Transformers’ franchise, it is, sad to report, a big miss.
Directed by Steven Caple Jr. (who has already done decent work on a sequel with ‘Creed II’), the new movie mostly boasts re-heated plot elements and ideas, while throwing in very little that is fresh or new.
It’s yet another hunt for an energy thingy that will save or destroy everything, leading to very little that will engage all but the youngest cinemagoers.
Most annoyingly, while the movie does its best to hand wave the idea that humanity at large isn’t aware of the giant robots in their midst until the 2000s setting of the first Michael Bay film, the events that transpire here simply don’t support that.
Unicron, meanwhile, is far from a compelling baddie, mostly seen through communication with Scourge like an angry boss who keeps ranting at his employees. Scourge himself, despite the best efforts of the effects team, is a stock lead henchman who threatens our heroes.
(L to R) Nightbird, Scourge and Battletrap in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
And most annoyingly, he has a particular power used against one of the Maximals later in the film that is so effective you have to wonder why he doesn’t employ it more often. Maybe it takes a lot out of the poor guy. Not that anyone is expecting careful logic from a ‘Transformers’ movie, but it makes the experience of watching it that much more frustrating.
The action is relatively perfunctory, though clearer than the later Bay movies, even if Caple Jr. can’t compete with the stylish levels of “Bayhem.” There are still moments, though, where it’s tough to figure out which hunk of metal is battling which. And don’t get us started on a final act moment that comes across as the laziest rip-off of ‘Iron Man’ possibly conceived, suffering from cheap effects and a ludicrous deus ex Maximals.
Plus, between this and his useless cameo in ‘Fast X’, it might truly be time for a moratorium on movie appearances by Pete Davidson –– he’s such a one-note performer and Mirage is rarely as funny as he thinks he is. Thank goodness for Cullen, who, even when he’s playing a weirdly angry Optimus, does so with some flare.
As for the Maximals, they’re less believable performances from respected (and in Yeoh’s case, recently Oscar-winning) actors, and more the bored sound of people crammed into a voice booth and asked to recite trope-heavy dialogue that you’ve heard in a hundred movies such as this.
Oh, and because no giant studio movie can escape the lure of franchise building and potential crossovers, there’s a scene after the credits that nods towards connections with another big Hasbro property that has faltered on the big screen. It’s less likely to make fans cheer than make them sigh and wonder when the movie was going to earn this.
Bumblebee in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
What works?
The ‘Transformers’ movies have tried to nod towards its human characters’ storylines (‘Bumblebee’ most effectively), and ‘Rise of the Beasts’ offers Ramos and Fishback at least something to do outside of running and reacting to the giant metal creatures.
They’re pleasingly not forced into the cliched love story, and actually contribute to the narrative, even giving the likes of Noah’s ill younger brother something to do beyond look cute and be a driving force for him changing his life.
(L to R) Optimus Primal, Cheetor, Wheeljack and Arcee in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
Fans will be excited to see the Maximals enter the movie canon, though like the Dinobots before them, they largely end up as reasons for our heroes to go on a new mission rather than truly believable as characters in their own right.
The ‘Transformers’ team appears to have learned only a few lessons from ‘Bumblebee’, and ‘Rise of the Beasts’ mostly feels like a backwards step in a franchise that peaked with the 2007 original. It’s not entirely without merit, but the entertainment value could use more energon crystals.
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ receives 4 out of 10 stars.
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ rolls out into theaters on June 9th.
Other Movies Similar to ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’:
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ is produced by Skydance, Paramount, di Bonaventura Pictures, Bay Films, New Republic Pictures, Tom DeSanto/Don Murphy Production, Hasbro Studios, Entertainment One, and Amblin Entertainment. It is set to release in theaters on June 9th, 2023.
(L to R) Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird and Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Stars Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth are shown in character in what looks like a surprisingly relaxed moment for a ‘Hunger Games’ movie, which usually busy themselves with showing young people battling in a post-apocalyptic environment.
‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ is set 64 years before the story of Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen. In this throwback to an earlier era of the Hunger Games, the new narrative follows 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow (Blyth) long before he’s the cunning president of post-apocalyptic nation Panem.
Snow is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Zegler), the girl tribute from impoverished District 12.
But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird and a snake.”
Rachel Zegler to star as Lucy Gray Baird in Lionsgate’s ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo credit: Nathan Johnson.
It’s all adapted from ‘Hunger Games’ novelist Suzanne Collins’ 2020 prequel book, and the film, written by Michael Lesslie (working from initial drafts by Collins and Michael Arndt) does promise to be quite different from the other films – while still feeling of a piece.
“It’s completely different stylistically, in terms of design, character, and point of view,” producer Nina Jacobsontells Vanity Fair. “To be able to show a different side of Panem at a different time in its history has been really exciting.”
“This is very much a story about love,” Lawrence says. “It’s this kind of love story set in a different kind of a world in a different time. A very intimate love story.”
But fans of the original book trilogy and the four movies that it spawned won’t be let down in terms of callbacks.
“Suzanne has done such a great job of going back into the mythology and telling a story about the creation of the world,” adds Lawrence. “You get a little background of Katniss. You will obviously get a lot of the background of Snow, the history of the Games, the history of some of the music, where songs like ‘The Hanging Tree’ actually come from.”
