Tag: rachel bloom

  • ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’ Set for January 2027

    2016's 'The Angry Birds Movie'. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
    2016’s ‘The Angry Birds Movie’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

    Preview:

    • Paramount has snatched up the ‘Angry Birds’ movie franchise from Sony.
    • Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad and Danny McBride are back to lend their voices.
    • ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’ will be out on January 29th, 2027.

    After flinging two movies at theaters in 2016 and 2019, it appears that Sony is ready to let go of the ‘Angry Birds’ franchise.

    While it has made more than half a billion dollars so far with ‘The Angry Birds Movie’ and ‘The Angry Birds Movie 2,’ the company is no longer in charge of the franchise, which adapts the popular Rovio video game titles.

    Paramount Pictures has now announced that it will be distributing the movies going forward, and has set ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’ for release in a couple of years.

    gehGLE36Ka2NrYTJdtQ8R7

    It’s an interesting gamble, since ‘Angry Birds’ as a game doesn’t have quite the same cultural cachet as other titles –– its younger audience has moved on to others such as ‘Minecraft’ and ‘Fortnite.’

    But as ‘Minecraft’ has just proved, video game movies can still do big business at the box office, and Paramount is clearly hoping that ‘Angry Birds’ will spawn the same sort of success as enjoyed by its own ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ franchise.

    Just in case you’re not sure what we’re talking about…

    What is the ‘Angry Birds’ franchise?

    2016's 'The Angry Birds Movie'. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
    2016’s ‘The Angry Birds Movie’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

    Jaakko Iisalo created the original game for Rovio Entertainment in 2009, which focuses on the titular flock of colorful angry birds who try to save their eggs from green-colored pigs.

    Players look to take down the pigs and their structures by flinging the birds –– who have different destructive capabilities –– at the pigs via slingshots. Physics and comedy are intertwined in the games, which have grown into a series.

    The original title also spawned a huge multimedia franchise of products and cartoons and SEGA acquired Rovio in 2023 (which might point to why Paramount is now involved, since SEGA also makes the ‘Sonic’ games and co-produces the movies).

    ‘The Angry Birds Movie’ featured the voices of Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Kate McKinnon, Sean Penn, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Bill Hader, and Peter Dinklage.

    The film is focused on Red (Sudeikis), an outcast in an island of anthropomorphic flightless birds, as he suspects a newly arrived crew of pigs led by Leonard (Hader) of plotting an evil plan, and attempts to put a stop to them with the help of his newfound friends Chuck (Gad) and Bomb (McBride).

    Sequel ‘The Angry Birds Movie 2’ saw newcomers Leslie Jones, Rachel Bloom, Awkwafina, Sterling K. Brown and Eugenio Derbez joining the ensemble voice cast.

    skcANxPA

    In the story, the birds are forced to team up with the pigs to stop Eagle Island’s leader from destroying both of their islands.

    Sudeikis, Gad, Bloom and McBride are all back for the third, with newcomers this time including Emma Myers, Keke Palmer, Tim Robinson, Lily James, Marcello Hernandez, Walker Scobell, Sam Richardson, Anna Cathcart, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Nikki Glaser, James Austin Johnson and Psalm West.

    Plot details have not been released, but we can guess it’ll feature more conflict between our feathered friends and either the pigs or some new threat.

    The new movie will come from director John Rice (who worked on ‘The Angry Birds Movie’) and writer Thurop Van Orman, who contributed to the script for ‘The Angry Birds Movie 2.’

    And composer Heitor Pereiram, who scored the last two movies, is also back for the new one.

    Related Article: ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Exclusive Interviews

    ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’: The Backers Talk

    2016's 'The Angry Birds Movie'. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
    2016’s ‘The Angry Birds Movie’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

    As with any big release for a franchise film, especially with new owners, there was of course the statements of excitement from the producers and studio.

    Here’s producer John Cohen:

    “We’re very excited to be partnering with Paramount Pictures and extremely proud of our incredible cast. Not only do we have Jason, Josh, Rachel and Danny returning to voice their fantastic characters, but they’re surrounded by an all-star ensemble of comedic talent. These are some of the funniest people out there today, and we’re so thrilled to have them all on board.”

    And this was the statement from Paramount president of worldwide marketing and distribution Marc Weinstock:

    “Angry Birds transcends mediums and has been embraced and celebrated the world over. We couldn’t be happier to be partnering with SEGA/Rovio and these other great partners to bring this latest instalment, featuring an incredible voice cast, to big screens everywhere.”

    This came from Flywheel Media boss Don McGregor:

    “We’re thrilled to announce that our first theatrical distribution partnership is with Paramount Pictures. As a film production company focused on bringing the best family movies to global audiences, we couldn’t have a better start than ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3.’ ”

    Finally, here’s Rovio’s Alex Pelletier-Normand:

    “The Angry Birds brand has demonstrated remarkable versatility, evolving from a global mobile gaming phenomenon to licensed products, animation, and a thriving cinematic franchise. It has been a deeply collaborative effort to create a film that will resonate with the millions who interact with our catalog of games and products every day. We are confident that with this talented team at the helm, ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’ will delight longtime fans and create new fans in those discovering our flock for the first time.”

    When will ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’ be in theaters?

    Paramount’s announcement includes word that the new movie will be on screens on January 29th, 2027.

    2016's 'The Angry Birds Movie'. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
    2016’s ‘The Angry Birds Movie’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

    List of Movies in the ‘Angry Birds’ Franchise:

    Buy ‘The Angry Birds’ Movies On Amazon

     

  • ‘The School for Good and Evil’ Trailer Brings the Magic

    ZMIrzK7b

    Paul Feig has leapfrogged across different genres in his filmmaking career so far, though he might be best known for the comedy likes of ‘Bridesmaids’, ‘Spy’ and the 2016 ‘Ghostbusters: Answer the Call’.

    Now, with Netflix’s ‘The School for Good and Evil’, he’s headed into fairytale territory, and he’s bringing the likes of Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington and Michelle Yeoh into this magical world.

    Adapted from Soman Chainani’s best-selling book series, our story starts in the village of Gavaldon, where two misfits and best friends, Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso) and Agatha (Sofia Wylie), share the unlikeliest of bonds. Sophie, a lover of fairy tales, dreams of escaping her ordinary village life, while Agatha, with her grim aesthetic, has the makings of a real witch. Then one night under a blood red moon, a powerful force sweeps them away to the School for Good and Evil — where the true story of every great fairy tale begins.

    Yet something is amiss from the start: Sophie is dropped into the School for Evil, run by the glamorous and acid-tongued Lady Lesso (Theron), and Agatha in the School for Good, overseen by the sunny and kind Professor Dovey (Washington).

    As if navigating classes with the offspring of Cinderella, Captain Hook, and the dashing son of King Arthur (Jamie Flatters) wasn’t hard enough, according to the Schoolmaster (Laurence Fishburne), only true love’s kiss can change the rules and send the girls to their rightful school. But when a dark and dangerous figure (Kit Young) with mysterious ties to Sophie reemerges and threatens to destroy the school and the rulebook entirely — the only way to a happy ending is to survive the fairytale first…

    Kerry Washington as Professor Dovey, Charlize Theron as Lady Lesso in 'The School for Good and Evil.'
    (L-R) Kerry Washington as Professor Dovey, Charlize Theron as Lady Lesso in ‘The School for Good and Evil.’ Photo: Helen Sloan / Netflix © 2022.

    As the new, full trailer suggests, Sophie is all too ready to embrace her bad side, while Agatha will have to fight to save her.

    They’ll have help from the likes of Yeoh as Professor Anemone, who teaches beautification at the School for Good. From the looks of the trailer, she’s got a nice line in zingers to go with her powers.

    There’s plenty of subversive fantasy action to be found here, which will hopefully lift this above the many movies that have come along in the wake of the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise, many of which wouldn’t even make the grade at Hogwarts.

    And given the presence of Feig (who wrote the script with David Magee) behind the camera, there’s plenty of scope for this to have a decent vein of humor running through it.

    The cast for this one also includes Patti LuPone, Rachel Bloom, Ben Kingsley, Earl Cave, Demi Isaac Oviawe, Rob Delaney, Mark Heap, Freya Parks, Kaitlyn Akinpelumi, Holly Sturton, Emma Lau, Briony Scarlett, Ally Cubb, Rosie Graham, Joelle, Chinenye Ezeudu, Oliver Watson, Ali Khan, Myles Kamwendo and Misia Butler.

    ‘The School for Good and Evil’ will arrive on Netflix on October 19th.

    Michelle Yeoh as Professor Anemone in 'The School For Good And Evil.' Photo: Helen Sloan / Netflix © 2022.
    (L to R) Michelle Yeoh as Professor Anemone in ‘The School For Good And Evil.’ Photo: Helen Sloan / Netflix © 2022.
  • ‘Pitch Perfect’ Star Skylar Astin Joins ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’

    ‘Pitch Perfect’ Star Skylar Astin Joins ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’

    TBS

    Get excited, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” fans: Dearly departed character Greg is returning for the show’s final season. But prepare for him to look a bit different.

    That’s because the role is being recast — or as the creative team calls it, “reimagined” — for season four. Skylar Astin (“Pitch Perfect“) will be taking over for Santino Fontana (“Frozen“), who last appeared on the show way back in the early days of season two.

    So how on earth will the series explain why Greg is suddenly someone else? During an appearance at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, co-creators Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna revealed their thought process. The decision was both a logistical solution (they asked Fontana to return, and it didn’t work out), and an outlet to explore a new, creative approach to the character.

    “With an actor leaving suddenly, it left this exciting gap. His character’s almost become like lore in the show,” Bloom said of the looming presence of Greg. “We have this opportunity to bring back this mythic figure and look at him in a new way.”

    That decision is admittedly “a big leap and feels experimental and playful for our show,” Bloom continued, “but as you see when the show airs it will be kind of a great statement on how our perception of people changes. … Greg is a barometer of [that] because Rebecca has not seen him for two years.”

    And no, the recasting won’t go without some meta commentary, the actress said.

    “It’s not a Becky on ‘Roseanne’ situation,” Bloom explained. “Rebecca’s going to call it out and be like, ‘This person is different, what the f—?’”

    It sounds totally bonkers, but also totally in keeping with the spirit of “CXG.” We trust Bloom and co. to pull it off.

    Check out the new (and improved?) Greg when “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” returns for its farewell season on October 12.

    [via: Variety]

  • Neil Patrick Harris Apologizes to Rachel Bloom for Tony Awards Diss

    Neil Patrick Harris served up a mea culpa on his Twitter today to Rachel Bloom for dissing her during the Tony Awards broadcast on Sunday.

    Harris tweeted his confusion over the identity of the show’s backstage host, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” star Bloom, and his son’s critique of her dialogue. Bloom then responded that she had met Harris, a former Tony host and musical theater mainstay, several times and that her husband had even written an episode of “How I Met Your Mother”:

    And in a recent GQ interview, Bloom admitted she was “kind of devastated” by Harris’ tweet, especially since they run in similar musical theater circles. Now, Harris has finally apologized:

    Bloom instantly replied, “Hi, thank you for this! Apology accepted.”

    Even if Harris didn’t do what she suggested in the GQ interview: Promote her show.

    “He could check out an episode of the musical TV show ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ — which is, right now, the only musical show on television. And tell his 27 million Twitter followers to check it out,” she said. “I wouldn’t hate that!”

  • ‘Angry Birds 2’ Cast Announced, Including Sterling K. Brown and Leslie Jones

    Concept art from The Angry Birds The Movie. [PNG Merlin Archive]“The Angry Birds” had better get ready to welcome some new friends — and enemies.

    The movie’s sequel, “The Angry Birds Movie 2,” has added a bunch of new names to its voice cast, including “This Is Us” star Sterling K. Brown, “Saturday Night Live” player Leslie Jones, and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” creator Rachel Bloom.

    Also joining in the fun for round 2 are Eugenio Derbez (the “Overboard” remake), Zach Woods (“Silicon Valley”), Awkwafina (“Ocean’s 8”), Lil Rel Howery (“Get Out”), Dove Cameron (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”), Beck Bennett (“SNL”), and Brooklynn Prince, the 7-year-old breakout from “The Florida Project.”

    The sequel also brings back Jason Sudeikis (Red), Josh Gad (Chuck the Yellow Bird of Speed),Danny McBride (Bomb the Bird of Bomber), Bill Hader (Leonard), and Peter Dinklage (Mighty Eagle). It’s unclear if Maya Rudolph will return as Matilda.

    Jones will voice the villain, but the new cast members’ roles remain unidentified.

    “The Angry Birds Movie 2” is set for release September 20, 2019 — which coincides with the 10th anniversary of the game’s release.

  • ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ Star Rachel Bloom Says Season 4 Is the Show’s Last

    The CW’s recent renewals brought reason for “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” fans to cheer — if only for a short while.

    The musical comedy-drama was one of 10 series to be renewed by the network Monday, which put its fourth season in motion. Unfortunately, it seems the upcoming season will be its last. “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” star Rachel Bloom — who is also one of the show’s co-creators, executive producers, and writers — indicated later on Monday that it was a “final season” scenario.

    “Just turned on my wifi on our flight to Chicago and found out that #CrazyExGirlfriend has been renewed for a final season,” she tweeted alongside a smiling photo.

    With Bloom so heavily involved in the show, both in front of and behind cameras, she’s certainly a credible source. That said, all is hope isn’t necessarily lost yet. The CW has yet to confirm that “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” will end after Season 4, and in fact, the network has declined to comment on the subject, according to Variety.

    Fans on Twitter weren’t crazy about the idea of the series ending, but they are glad to at least be getting a swan song.

    The “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” Season 4 premiere date has not yet been announced.

    [via: Variety]

  • Rachel Bloom Had to Buy Her Emmys Dress Because She’s ‘Not a Size Zero’

    69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards - ArrivalsWhile many celebs who attend red carpet events have their pick of designers sending them free clothes, there’s a big void when it comes to stars whose bodies don’t fit in the typical sample size box. And sadly, that’s also true for award-winning actors like Rachel Bloom, who revealed in a pre-Emmys interview on Sunday night that she bought her own gown because she’s “not a size zero.”

    Chatting with E! News on the red carpet, Bloom — the Golden Globe-winning star of CW musical rom-com “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” — noted that while her dress was Gucci, she didn’t get it from the fashion house itself.

    “I bought this dress because Gucci is not lending me a dress,” she told E! of the gown, which retails for $3,500. ” … I said in an interview before it is hard to get places to lend to me because I am not a size zero, but also I can afford it, so it’s okay.”

    The actress later clarified on Twitter that Gucci didn’t turn down a request to borrow a gown; rather, she didn’t even ask the fashion house for one because “they loan to very few” and “pickings are still slim for non-sample size ladies.”

    The interview to which Bloom is referring, given to Wealthsimple back in August, mentions that the actress frequently will spend anywhere from $500 to $3,000 to dress herself for events, all thanks to her curvy figure.

    “A lot of fashion houses are reluctant to lend clothes that aren’t in the sample sizes of 0 and 2, so it’s getting harder and harder for me to find clothes without buying them,” Bloom told Wealthsimple. “That’s the whole problem with the fashion industry: My body size is literally normal and healthy, but when you put me next to a model, I look obese.”

    But Bloom is making the most of the situation: She has an account on consignment website The RealReal, and plans on making some cash from her frock.

    “Take a look on The RealReal for this dress tomorrow,” she told E!

    [via: People]