Moviefone Editorial

Tag: pj-byrne

  • ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ May Have Found a Distributor

    (L to R) Wile E. Coyote and Will Forte in 'Coyote vs. Acme.' Photo: Warner Bros. Discovery.
    (L to R) Wile E. Coyote and Will Forte in ‘Coyote vs. Acme.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Discovery.

    Preview:

    • Warner Bros. shelved ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ may yet be saved.
    • Will Forte and John Cena are among the human stars.
    • The movie getting dumped caused an outcry from filmmakers.

    Just when we thought it had fallen completely off a cliff while trying to catch a Roadrunner, it would seem that there is a chance ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ might hit a handy, ACME-manufactured trampoline and rebound into theaters.

    Yes, following the decision by Warner Bros. boss David Zaslav to thrust the movie into a vault and write it off for tax reasons (especially since the company had been going through restructuring), it looked as though ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ might finally see the light of day –– or more accurately, a projector’s bulb.

    As, according to Deadline, Gareth West’s distributor-financier Ketchup Entertainment is negotiating an all-rights acquisition in the $50M range for the animated/live-action hybrid project.

    jcSgHJvodgh3q2UmbeUsa3

    This wouldn’t be the first time that the company had plucked a Warner Bros. project from the brink of burial –– last year it nabbed fellow Looney Tunes title (this one fully animated) ‘The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie,’ and put it in theaters in a limited run.

    Let’s face it; even if this means ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ has a small theatrical run but is then allowed to land on home entertainment so that fans might actually see it, that counts for something.

    Unaware what has happened to date? Allow us to explain…

    What’s the story of ‘Coyote vs. Acme’?

    Wile E. Coyote in 'Coyote vs. Acme.' Photo: Warner Bros. Discovery.
    Wile E. Coyote in ‘Coyote vs. Acme.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Discovery.

    ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ follows Wile E. Coyote, who after ACME products fail him one too many times in his dogged pursuit of the Roadrunner, decides to hire a billboard lawyer to sue the ACME Corporation.

    The case pits Wile E. and his lawyer against the latter’s intimidating former boss (John Cena), but a growing friendship between man and cartoon stokes their determination to win.

    Dave Green directed the movie, from a script by Samy Burch, itself derived from a story crafted by Jeremy Slater and James Gunn (yes, the current chief of DC Studios at Warner Bros.) The original idea came from a 1990 New Yorker humor piece written by Ian Frazier.

    Aside from Cena, the cast includes Lana Condor, P.J. Byrne, Will Forte and Eric Bauza (who voices Wile E. Coyote).

    It was originally greenlit in December 2020, and was targeted for what was then called HBO Max. But then the announcement came it would get a July 2023 release. But come April 2022, it was pulled from the release calendar and replaced with a little movie called ‘Barbie’.

    While that obviously worked out for Warner Bros., this latest move is proving to be a lot more controversial.

    Unlike even ‘Batgirl’, which was shelved in 2022, ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ was finished and had reportedly tested very well with recruited audiences.

    And other filmmakers, who had seen the movie, have weighed in to criticize the decision. BenDavid Grabinski, a colleague of Green, tweeted the following:

    Director Dave Green’s statement

    Wile E. Coyote. Photo: Warner Bros.
    Wile E. Coyote. Photo: Warner Bros.

    Director Green put his own statement out on social media:

    “For three years, I was lucky enough to make a movie about Wile E. Coyote, the most persistent, passionate, and resilient character of all time. I was surrounded by a brilliant team, who poured their souls into this project. Along the ride, we were embraced by test audiences who rewarded us with fantastic scores. I am beyond proud of the final product, and beyond devastated by WB’s decision. But in the spirit of Wile E. Coyote, resilience and persistence win the day.”

    Related Article: Will Forte Says fans ‘Probably Never will See’ ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’

    Will Forte on ‘Coyote vs. Acme’

    Will Forte in 'MacGruber'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    Will Forte in ‘MacGruber’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    Forte was also outspoken on the film’s original fate. Here’s his statement in full via his twitter post:

    He finishes with this line:

    “You would be so proud of it — a movie that should be seen but won’t. Please know that all the years and years of hard work, dedication and love that you put into this movie shows in every frame.”

    What did Warner Bros. Say About the New Decision?

    Warner Bros. Discovery Logo. Photo: Warner Bros.
    Warner Bros. Discovery Logo. Photo: Warner Bros.

    Here’s the statement from a Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group spokesperson:

    “With the re-launch of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation in June, the studio has shifted its global strategy to focus on theatrical releases. With this new direction, we have made the difficult decision not to move forward with ‘Coyote vs. Acme’. We have tremendous respect for the filmmakers, casts, and crew, and are grateful for their contributions to the film.”

    So, when will ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ be in theaters?

    Patience, animation fans. While the deal for Ketchup Entertainment is looking good, it has not yet been locked down, which means it could still fall apart.

    Still, per Deadline, the current plan on successful signing of the contract is for the movie to finally see screens in 2026. So either way, you’ll be waiting a little longer.

    At least it’s hopeful news on this movie for once!

    Wile E. Coyote. Photo: Warner Bros.
    Wile E. Coyote. Photo: Warner Bros.

    Other Looney Tunes Movies: 

    Buy Will Forte Movies On Amazon

    KznSGMpe

  • ‘Dear Santa’ Interview: Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly

    AkS91H3Z

    Premiering on Paramount+ and digital platforms November 25th is the new Christmas comedy ‘Dear Santa’, which was directed and produced by Bobby Farrelly (‘Champions’) and written and produced by Peter Farrelly (‘Green Book’).

    The new movie reunites the Farrelly brothers with ‘Shallow Hal’ star Jack Black (‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’), and in addition features Robert Timothy Smith (‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’), Brianne Howey (‘Batwoman’), Hayes MacArthur (‘The Way Back’), Keegan-Michael Key (‘Wonka’), P.J. Byrne (‘The Wolf of Wall Street’), and Post Malone as himself.

    (L to R) Director and producer Bobby Farrelly and screenwriter and producer Peter Farrelly talk 'Dear Santa'.
    (L to R) Director and producer Bobby Farrelly and screenwriter and producer Peter Farrelly talk ‘Dear Santa’.

    Related Article: Woody Harrelson and Kaitlin Olson Talk Basketball Comedy ‘Champions’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bobby and Peter Farrelly about their work on ‘Dear Santa’, developing the screenplay, getting the movie greenlit, reuniting with Jack Black, directing children, the movie’s tone, P.J. Byrne’s unusual performance, casting Post Malone, and their favorite Christmas movies.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

    (L to R) Director and producer Bobby Farrelly and screenwriter and producer Peter Farrelly talk 'Dear Santa'.
    (L to R) Director and producer Bobby Farrelly and screenwriter and producer Peter Farrelly talk ‘Dear Santa’.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Peter, can you discuss developing the screenplay with the other writers and the themes you wanted to explore with this movie?

    Peter Farrelly: Well, it wasn’t my idea. It came from Kevin Barnett and Pete Jones, guys we collaborate with a lot. They just came in and said, “What about this? A kid writes a letter to Santa, but he misspells it and instead writes it to Satan.” I was like, “Yeah, let’s do it.” That’s a good movie. It’s a comedy first. It’s like there was a devil in ‘Damn Yankees’ but it never got dark, and that’s what this is. And no better person to play the devil than Jack Black who’s innately lovable. You know his heart is in the right place. I’m not saying Satan’s is, but this Satan’s heart is in the right place.

    MF: Bobby, is a Christmas movie about Satan a difficult project to get greenlit?

    Bobby Farrelly: Well, it is a movie that we worked on for many years. It took 10 years to get the script right. So along the way, we did have studios who were interested in the concept, but we never felt like it was at the right place. So finally, Jeremy Kramer, over at Paramount who had been working with us for years on this, shepherding, got Pete’s and Ricky Blitt‘s new script, and he thought, “You know what? This is it. The time’s right, let’s do it.” So, Paramount did it, and here we are. The trick is doing it in a way where it’s fun and it’s not too dark, and it’s a Christmas story, and then it has a nice happy message and that sort of thing. We didn’t want to turn it into a horror movie by any stretch of the imagination.

    Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, 'Dear Santa'.
    Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.

    MF: Peter, was it more difficult to get this movie made than some of your past films?

    PF: They’re never easy. There are no easy movies to make. But Jeremy Kramer, he took the bull by the horns and really made this thing happen because it wasn’t easy. After ‘Dumb and Dumber’, you would’ve thought we could walk in anywhere and make a movie. No. They’re like, “Yeah, well that was a Jim Carrey movie. You guys are lucky to be at the party.” So, you’re still going to fight to get your next movie on, which was ‘Kingpin’, but it’s not easy. They’re never easy. So, no matter what you do, it’s hard in this space.

    MF: Peter, can you talk about creating the right tone for the screenplay?

    PF: I don’t think the tone is dark. I would never describe it as dark. I mean, it’s a light telling of the thing. It’s slightly edgy for a PG-13 movie and this is a goofy Satan. This isn’t ‘The Exorcist’. This is a goofy Satan who’s moved by a kid’s niceness to become nice. The message is quite uplifting, I think, at the end.

    (L to R) Director Bobby Farrelly and Jack Black on the set of Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, 'Dear Santa'.
    (L to R) Director Bobby Farrelly and Jack Black on the set of Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.

    MF: Bobby, can you talk about finding the right tone for the movie on set?

    BF: It feels like when (Satan) shows up, it feels like this might get dark, but it’s Jack, and he plays it in a way where he’s very likable and you go with him. He’s won over by the kid and what a nice kid he is and the spirit of Christmas and all that. So, he changes much more than the kid changes. The kid doesn’t get swayed at all by him. In fact, to the contrary, Jack’s character has an arc to him.

    MF: Bobby, what was it like directing young actor Robert Timothy Smith, and is there a trick to getting a great performance from a child actor?

    BF: Well, we’ve directed some kids in the past, but never this many. What I learned about kids is first, you treat them like everyone else because they are just as talented as any adults we’ve ever worked with. It’s a shorter day. There’s a lot of things that must happen. They must go to school, and you can only work so many hours and all that. But boy, they’re good actors, and they can keep up with the adults even if they improvise or go off the page. It was a joy. It was a lot of fun working with this talented young actor and the kids around him. Kai Cech who plays his girlfriend and Jaden Carson Baker, who plays his best friend, Gibby, those guys were all great, and they’re nice kids too, so it was a lot of fun to work with.

    (L to R) Jack Black and Robert Timothy Smith star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, 'Dear Santa'.
    (L to R) Jack Black and Robert Timothy Smith star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.

    MF: Peter, why was Smith the right young actor for this role?

    PF: That kid, he reminded me of a young Albert Brooks. His delivery is very adult, but it’s like a nebbish kind of Woody Allen. I thought the kid was good.

    MF: Peter, what was it like working with Jack Black again after ‘Shallow Hal’ and can you talk about what he brings to this role?

    PF: Well, again, because he’s supposed to be like a goofy Satan, you want somebody who’s lovable and not dark and somebody who everybody is familiar with. He’s the way he was in ‘School of Rock’ where he was a little edgy, and he is dealing with kids, but he’s also adult because he’s trying to teach the kids something, but he’s not teaching in this one. But in any case, you need somebody like that, and that openness and that likability carries the movie. I hate to think what would’ve happened if we’d made the movie with somebody who has a dark element.

    (L to R) Robert Timothy Smith, Jaden Carson Baker, Jack Black and Post Malone star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, 'Dear Santa'.
    (L to R) Robert Timothy Smith, Jaden Carson Baker, Jack Black and Post Malone star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.

    MF: Bobby, what was it like working with Post Malone and when you cast a popular musician in a movie to perform one of their own songs, are you able to request the song they sing or did Malone choose the song himself that he performs in the concert sequence?

    BF: Here’s the thing. You can write him into the script, but he’s probably going to be out touring or doing something. Those guys are busy. But we were able to get him to come in and he was touring, but we were able to get him to come for three or four days into his schedule, because he read the script and he said, “This is going to be fun.” So, he came and totally delivered it. I love that song that he plays in the movie. It’s called ‘I Like You’, and it was perfect for what we needed our young Liam character to be dancing to on stage. So, it was the perfect song. He was more than happy to do it. We were super lucky to get him. And boy, was he fun to work with. He’s like, “You guys all have to play beer pong with me.” All right. Everyone’s playing beer pong. We worked it into the movie with Robert Timothy Smith’s character. It was a lot of fun. Post, that’s a thing that he does. Anyone he meets, he wants to (play beer pong) after the show. He wants to just do a little bit of that. That’s his version of shooting pool or something. He wants to play a little bit of beer pong, and so we worked it into the story when he was there.

    MF: Bobby, actor P.J. Byrne’s gives an unusual performance with a very specific accent and almost speaks like an English gentleman from the 1800s. Did you direct him to speak like that or did he come up with that on his own?

    BF: You know what? I got to give P.J. his due. He came in with that sort of take on the professor, and as soon as he did it, I was like, “I love it. Absolutely perfect.” P.J.’s, that kind of actor. He has a definite defined take on how he’s going to play it. It wasn’t necessarily how we saw it, but that’s why we hired him. We knew he’d deliver.

    (L to R) Jack Black and Robert Timothy Smith star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, 'Dear Santa'.
    (L to R) Jack Black and Robert Timothy Smith star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.

    MF: Peter, what is the secret to making a great Christmas movie?

    PF: Well, I would say the secret is heart, having heart, but then ‘Bad Santa’ is one of my favorites, and it didn’t have a ton of heart. But it did have some. I guess I’d have to say my favorite Christmas movie is ‘Elf’. I loved ‘Elf’. I could watch ‘Elf’ every year. It’s a fun one to watch. In fact, when we were making ‘Green Book’, we were doing it in December. Viggo Mortensen rented out a whole theater and the whole cast and crew went to watch ‘Elf’ because he loves that movie. It’s interesting, if you look at ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, there’s some dark little bits in there. Yet ultimately, it’s an uplifting movie, and that’s what we wanted this to be.

    MF: Finally, Bobby, what is your favorite Christmas movie?

    BF: I loved ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, which is one of the original Christmas classics. But I just loved the way it did have some real drama in it, and real storytelling. It wasn’t a comedy for most of it, but boy, it had a sweet, happy ending. That’s the formula I wanted to follow with ‘Dear Santa’. It’s a tight balance between telling a dark story here or telling a story that’s got a lot of heart and a lot of happiness and ends with a big up note.

    I6Q6mX011OYNklSGi1hUT6

    What is the plot of ‘Dear Santa’?

    A young boy (Robert Timothy Smith) accidentally mixes up his spelling and sends his Christmas list to Satan (Jack Black) instead of Santa.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Dear Santa’?

    • Jack Black as Asmodeus/”Santa Claus”
    • Robert Timothy Smith as Liam Turner
    • Jaden Carson Baker as Gibby
    • Kai Cech as Emma
    • Brianne Howey as Molly Turner
    • Hayes MacArthur as Bill Turner
    • Keegan-Michael Key as Dr. Finklman
    • P. J. Byrne as Mr. Charles
    • Post Malone as himself
    Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, 'Dear Santa'.
    Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.

    Other Farrelly Brothers Movies:

    Buy Farrelly Brothers Movies on Amazon

     

  • Will Forte Talks ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’s Cancelation and Future

    Wile E. Coyote in 'Coyote vs. Acme.'
    Wile E. Coyote in ‘Coyote vs. Acme.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Discovery.

    Preview:

    • Will Forte has commented on twitter about ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’s future.
    • Warner Bros. opted to use it as a tax write-off rather than a release.
    • The movie also stars John Cena and Lana Condor.

    It was all going so well for ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’… Until it wasn’t.

    The movie, a blend of live-action and animation had a fun concept, a great cast led by John Cena and Will Forte, and was on track for a prime summer 2023 release.

    Until Warner Bros. got cold feet about the idea of the movie being a success (despite positive reviews from friends and family screenings), handed its date to ‘Barbie’ and then announced it was pulling a ‘Batgirl’ again, putting the movie on a shelf and taking a tax write-off instead of spending the money to market and release it.

    A cavalcade of complaints from filmmakers who have seen the finished film led to a brief process of inviting bids from other companies, but now according to Forte, who hit twitter to share his feelings on the matter, it’s likely to never see the light of day.

    Related Article: Warner Bros. has Opted to Shelve Completed John Cena Live-Action/CG Movie ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’

    What’s the story of ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’?

    Wile E. Coyote and Will Forte in 'Coyote vs. Acme.'
    (L to R) Wile E. Coyote and Will Forte in ‘Coyote vs. Acme.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Discovery.

    ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ follows Wile E. Coyote, who after ACME products fail him one too many times in his dogged pursuit of the Roadrunner, decides to hire a billboard lawyer to sue the ACME Corporation.

    The case pits Wile E. and his lawyer (Forte) against the latter’s intimidating former boss (Cena), but a growing friendship between man and cartoon stokes their determination to win.

    Dave Green directed the movie, from a script by Samy Burch, itself derived from a story crafted by Jeremy Slater and James Gunn (yes, the current chief of DC Studios at Warner Bros.) The original idea came from a 1990 New Yorker humor piece written by Ian Frazier.

    Aside from Cena, the cast includes Lana Condor, P.J. Byrne and Eric Bauza (who voices Wile E. Coyote).

    Will Forte on ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’

    Here’s Forte’s statement in full via his twitter post:

    He finishes with this line:

    “You would be so proud of it — a movie that should be seen but won’t. Please know that all the years and years of hard work, dedication and love that you put into this movie shows in every frame.”

    It’s telling that the movie was greenlit by a previous Warner Bros. administration, and that the current one is on a huge cost-cutting run, slashing talent and producer deals and looking to stick to big potential successes such as ‘Dune: Part Two’.

    The attitude has not won it many fans among filmmakers in particular, who have reacted much like Forte. But as the studio pushes ahead making deals with stars such as Tom Cruise, it may not worry too much about that.

    Will Forte in 'MacGruber.'
    Will Forte in ‘MacGruber.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.

    Other Looney Tunes Movies: 

    Buy Will Forte Movies On Amazon

    KznSGMpe

     

  • Warner Bros. Shelves ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’

    (Left) John Cena in The Roku Channel's 'Die Hart 2: Die Harter.' (Right) Wile E. Coyote. Photo: Warner Bros.
    (Left) John Cena in The Roku Channel’s ‘Die Hart 2: Die Harter.’ (Right) Wile E. Coyote. Photo: Warner Bros.

    Preview:

    • Warner Bros. is no longer releasing ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’.
    • John Cena stars in the movie alongside some CG characters.
    • The studio was planning a tax write-down but may now shop the movie.

    Warner Bros. is drawing plenty of criticism, particularly on social media, for its decision to shelve new John Cena live-action/CG comedy ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’.

    The studio has decided that instead of putting the roughly $72 million-budgeted movie in theaters, it will instead take a tax write-down and stuff ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ into a vault, never to see the light of day.

    XAkzhbllVYXSxWI9y7ESf5

    What’s the story of ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’?

    Wile E. Coyote.
    Wile E. Coyote. Photo: Warner Bros.

    ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ follows Wile E. Coyote, who after ACME products fail him one too many times in his dogged pursuit of the Roadrunner, decides to hire a billboard lawyer to sue the ACME Corporation.

    The case pits Wile E. and his lawyer against the latter’s intimidating former boss (Cena), but a growing friendship between man and cartoon stokes their determination to win.

    Dave Green directed the movie, from a script by Samy Burch, itself derived from a story crafted by Jeremy Slater and James Gunn (yes, the current chief of DC Studios at Warner Bros.) The original idea came from a 1990 New Yorker humor piece written by Ian Frazier.

    Aside from Cena, the cast includes Lana Condor, P.J. Byrne, Will Forte and Eric Bauza (who voices Wile E. Coyote).

    It was originally greenlit in December 2020, and was targeted for what was then called HBO Max. But then the announcement came it would get a July 2023 release. But come April 2022, it was pulled from the release calendar and replaced with a little movie called ‘Barbie’.

    While that obviously worked out for Warner Bros., this latest move is proving to be a lot more controversial.

    Unlike even ‘Batgirl’, which was shelved last year, ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ was finished and had reportedly tested very well with recruited audiences.

    And other filmmakers, who had seen the movie, have weighed in to criticize the decision. BenDavid Grabinski, a colleague of Green, tweeted the following:

    Director Dave Green’s statement

    Director Green put his own statement out on social media:

    “For three years, I was lucky enough to make a movie about Wile E. Coyote, the most persistent, passionate, and resilient character of all time. I was surrounded by a brilliant team, who poured their souls into this project. Along the ride, we were embraced by test audiences who rewarded us with fantastic scores. I am beyond proud of the final product, and beyond devastated by WB’s decision. But in the spirit of Wile E. Coyote, resilience and persistence win the day.”

    Related Article: Paul Feig Casts John Cena, Awkwafina and Simu Liu in ‘Grand Death Lotto’

    What did Warner Bros. say about the new decision?

    Here’s the statement from a Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group spokesperson:

    “With the re-launch of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation in June, the studio has shifted its global strategy to focus on theatrical releases. With this new direction, we have made the difficult decision not to move forward with ‘Coyote vs Acme’. We have tremendous respect for the filmmakers, casts, and crew, and are grateful for their contributions to the film.”

    A new hope for ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’?

    Yet there is hope for the movie! According to the Puck newsletter, Warners film chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, along with Warner Animation boss Bill Damaschke have heard the outcry and also been in heated meetings with representatives for the director and stars. Though there had been plans to pay the top talent a streaming fee despite the shelving, the idea now is to let the producers shop the movie around.

    The likes of Amazon had already reportedly been interested in picking up the movie, so perhaps it has a chance of seeing the light of day after all. Let’s just hope it’s not a train speeding down a tunnel, as it would be for Wile.

    John Cena in 'F9.'
    John Cena in ‘F9.’

    Other Looney Tunes Movies: 

    Buy John Cena Movies On Amazon

    zb4Y12og

  • New Trailer for Prime Video’s ‘The Boys’ Spinoff ‘Gen V’

    An official teaser trailer for ‘Gen V’ has been released. As a spin-off for the superhero Prime Video series ‘The Boys’, the trailer gives us a look at what we can expect from the upcoming show ahead of its September 29th premiere. The spin-off will follow a group of new students attending Godolkin University – a school named after John Godolkin, where the superpowered can train and learn more about their abilities. Setting the scene, the teaser opens up with familiar faces of A-Train, Queen Maeve, and Homelander, followed by quick flashes of things going terribly wrong.

    Just like ‘The Boys,’ the teaser trailer for ‘Gen V’ promises the same amount of blood, gore, and strong language with images of blood, guts, and violent action sequences. While a school welcome announcement calls the university “a safe space to thrive,” the teaser shows just how competitive the students can be. Lead character Marie Moreau who dreams of being the first Black woman in The Seven is told she could be the top-ranking freshman in the history of the school, but given the competitive nature of the school, it will also place a target on her back.

    It seems there’ll be more than just a group of highly competitive superpowered students doing the damage in the series, as there’s a line in the trailer alluding to more, “There are dangerous, evil people at that school.” Clancy Brown’s Richard “Rich” Brinkerhoff (also known as Coach Brink) ominous line of “Being a hero is not about glory, it’s about sacrifice,’ hints that not everyone will graduate from Goldolkin University. And from the looks of it, aside from the blood and gore, we’re getting dismembered puppets as well.

    The series is set to premiere with three episodes, with subsequent episodes airing weekly.

    Related Article: TV Review: ‘The Boys’ Season 3

    Who Is In The Spin-off Series?

    Jaz Sinclair as Marie Moreau in Prime Video's 'The Boys' spinoff, 'Gen V.'
    Jaz Sinclair as Marie Moreau in Prime Video’s ‘The Boys’ spinoff, ‘Gen V.’

    The series is led by Jaz Sinclair, who plays Marie Mareau, a blood-bender. The series also stars Chance Perdomo as Andre Anderson, Lizze Broadway as Emma Meyer, Maddie Phillips as Cate Dunlap, Derek Luh as shapeshifter Jordan, Shelley Conn, London Thor, Asa Germann, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sean Patrick Thomas, Marco Pigossi, Clancy Brown, Alexander Calvert, and Jason Ritter. The spin-off will also feature guest appearances from ‘The Boys’ cast, such as Jessie T. Usher, Colby Minifie, Claudia Doumit, and P.J. Byrne.

    Showrunners for ‘Gen V’ are Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters. Eric Kripke, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Neal H. Moritz, James Weaver, Ori Marmur, Pavun Shetty, Ken Levin, Jason Netter, Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson, Craig Rosenberg, Nelson Cragg, Zak Schwartz, Erica Rosbe, and Michaela Starr also serve as executive producers.

    Prime Video's 'The Boys' spinoff, 'Gen V.'
    Prime Video’s ‘The Boys’ spinoff, ‘Gen V.’

    Movies Similar to ‘Gen V’:

    Buy ‘The Boys’ On Amazon

     

  • Jack Black to Make Christmas Comedy with the Farrelly Brothers

    Jack Black as R. L. Stine in 2015's 'Goosebumps.'
    Jack Black as R. L. Stine in 2015’s ‘Goosebumps.’

    It has been a few years since the Farrelly brothers worked as a team on a movie –– though they’ve supported each other. Peter has been on the awards beat with the likes of ‘Green Book’ (which was successful to the point of a Best Picture Oscar) and ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever’ (which, er, wasn’t).

    Bobby, meanwhile, dealt with the tragic death of his son and did more producing and working on shorts, though he did return to directing with this month’s ‘Champions’.

    Now, though, the sibling filmmakers are returning in force, and looking to work again with Jack Black, who starred for them in 2001’s ‘Shallow Hal’ on ‘Dear Santa’. Bobby is directing, and Peter will produce.

    I6Q6mX011OYNklSGi1hUT6

    Black has teased something of a festive nature with a cryptic Instagram post featuring him posing with a Christmas decoration.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CpqUUYtvuwn/

    What’s the story of ‘Dear Santa’?

    The film is actually listed as ‘Dear Satan’ on the IMDb, which makes sense, though in the reports about Black’s attachment, it’s called ‘Dear Santa’.

    Either title works, actually, as this is the story of a young boy who, in writing his yearly note to Santa, mixes up the letters and sends it to Satan instead.

    Deadline doesn’t specify who Black is playing in the movie, but again, the IMDb shows him as Satan.

    This is a movie that the Farrellys have been associated with since at least 2012, when it was set up at 20th Century Fox (before Disney snapped it up).

    Dan Ewen wrote the original script after being inspired by a young girl he was babysitting misspelling Santa on her Christmas wish list. “There was this cute little card, covered in candy canes and glitter,” Ewen told Variety at the time. “I fell in love with the idea of this note mistakenly being delivered to the Prince of Darkness and the fiery wackiness that would ensue.”

    Since then, Peter and Bobby have worked with Ricky Blitt on the script, which has seemingly shifted the gender of the child character. And the movie has switched studio homes to Paramount.

    Bobby Farrelly directs 'Champions.'
    Bobby Farrelly directs ‘Champions.’

    Related Article: ‘Champions’ Interview: Woody Harrelson and Kaitlin Olson

    Who else is in the new Farrelly brothers film?

    The cast for ‘Dear Santa’ also includes Robert Timothy Smith, Keegan-Michael Key, Brianne Howey, Hayes MacArthur,  PJ Byrne, Jaden Carson Baker, Kai Cech and Austin Post.

    Next up for Black is voicing Bowser in ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ (in theaters on April 5th) and fellow video game adaptation ‘Borderlands’, which is still making its way through post-production and doesn’t have a release date yet.

    Jack Black as Jeff Portnoy in Ben Stiller's 'Tropic Thunder.'
    Jack Black as Jeff Portnoy in Ben Stiller’s ‘Tropic Thunder.’

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Dear Santa:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘Champions’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Jack Black Movies On Amazon