Moviefone Editorial

Tag: rosaline

  • Casting Update: John Cena, Awkwafina and Simu Liu join ‘Grand Death Lotto’

    John Cena, Awkwafina and Simu Liu join director Paul Feig's ‘Grand Death Lotto.’
    (L to R) John Cena, Awkwafina and Simu Liu join director Paul Feig’s ‘Grand Death Lotto.’

    Paul Feig is putting together something of a ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ reunion, casting Simu Liu and Awkwafina in his latest, ‘Grand Death Lotto,’ with the additional bonus of John Cena.

    The new action comedy, which Feig will direct from Rob Yescombe’s script, will kick off filming next week and will premiere on Prime Video worldwide.

    Says Feig, “I love action comedy and extreme physical comedy and this movie has both in abundance, as well as a boatload of heart and hilarity. This lotto will make winners of us all.”

    According to Amazon and MGM Studios boss Jennifer Salke,

    “’Grand Death Lotto’ is the kind of original idea audiences have been craving, and there’s no one better than the endlessly talented Paul Feig to steer the ship. We can’t wait to watch John Cena, Awkwafina, and Simu Liu bring this fun, action-packed script to life for our Prime Video customers around the world.”

    Though he’s mostly been known for more straightforward comedy, Feig is hardly a stranger to adding action in the mix –– 2016’s ‘Ghostbusters’ featured plenty of spooky combat, while there was espionage threats in ‘Spy’, cop shootouts in ‘The Heat’ and magical battles in his recent ‘The School for Good and Evil’.

    Paul Feig attends the World Premiere Of Netflix's 'The School For Good And Evil' at Regency Village Theatre on October 18, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
    Paul Feig attends the World Premiere Of Netflix’s ‘The School For Good And Evil’ at Regency Village Theatre on October 18, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix.

    Related Article: Director Paul Feig Talks Netflix’s ‘The School for Good and Evil’

    What’s the story of Paul Feig’s new movie?

    The official synopsis reads: “In the very near future, the Grand Lottery has been established in economically challenged California. The only catch? Kill the winner before sundown and you can legally claim their prize. New LA transplant Katie (Awkwafina) accidentally finds herself with the winning ticket and must join forces with amateur jackpot protector Noel (Cena) to make it to sundown in order to claim her multi-billion dollar prize, all while dealing with Noel’s protection rival Louis Lewis (Liu), who also wants to get her to sundown in order to claim his rich protection commission.

    Awkwafina will next be seen in horror comedy ‘Renfield’ (in theaters on April 14th) and heard in Disney’s new version of ‘The Little Mermaid’, which will swim into theaters on May 26th.

    Liu has ‘One True Loves’ due out on April 7th and has a role in Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’, which is out on July 21st.

    And Cena –– assuming anyone can see him –– will reprise his role as Jakob Toretto in ‘Fast X’, headed our way on May 19th.

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

    The fear of violent death is also something that will concern Isabela Merced, who is transitioning from the romantic complications of Hulu’s ‘Rosaline’ to the new ‘Alien’ movie that Fede Álvarez is making.

    Having made the likes of ‘Don’t Breathe’ and ‘Evil Dead’, Álvarez surprised everyone by convincing Ridley Scott –– who is considered the man largely in charge of decisions about future movies containing killer xenomorphs and more –– to let him make a new entry in the long-running sci-fi terror franchise.

    Merced, who has also been seen in movies such as ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’ and the recent ‘Father of the Bride’, will join Cailee Spaeny in the film along with David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu.

    Isabela Merced as Juliet in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    Isabela Merced as Juliet in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    What is Fede Álvarez ‘s new ‘Alien’ movie about?

    Little is yet known about exactly what will happen in the movie, but according to the basic official logline, a group of young people on a distant world find themselves in a confrontation with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

    And we don’t, of course, know how Spaeny, Merced and the rest’s characters will factor into that, but we’d have to guess they’ll spend some time fighting for their lives.

    The new movie won’t directly follow the original series of extraterrestrial horror/action movies as kicked off by Scott’s ‘Alien’ in 1979, nor will it continue the story in the director’s ‘Prometheus’-led prequel films (Scott keeps saying he’ll make another of those himself).

    Álvarez certainly has the horror chops to pull off a compelling new ‘Alien’ movie, which for the past few years has largely been the province of Scott. And though he’s been prolific of late, he hasn’t returned to the universe since 2017’s ‘Alien: Covenant’.

    Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in James Cameron's 'Aliens.'
    Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in James Cameron’s ‘Aliens.’

    Neill Blomkamp took a crack around 2014/2015, releasing concept art for a movie that would follow Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley from the Scott films, but aside from a lot of social media activity, it eventually got delayed indefinitely so as not to muddy the xenomorph waters before ‘Covenant’.

    You can imagine, then, that Álvarez must have come up with something interesting to have Scott give him the thumbs up. Either that, or the venerable filmmaker has so many other projects on his plate between directing and producing duties that he simply realized he needed to give someone else a chance for a while. He has his ‘Napoleon‘ film, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby, in post-production now.

    Though it has yet to announce a release date, we can imagine that, with filming underway, the movie could well hit theaters in 2024.

    Merced has a couple of other movies on the way, including John Green adaptation ‘Turtles All the Way Down’ and Sony’s Spider-universe superhero film ‘Madame Web’, which will be out on February 16th next year.

    Prometheus Alien
    2012’s ‘Prometheus.’

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Grand Death Lotto:’

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    Buy Isabela Merced Movies On Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘Rosaline’

    Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Debuting October 14th on Hulu, the effervescent, witty ‘Rosaline’ proves to be more than your average rom-com.

    With ‘Yes, God, Yes’ and ‘Obvious Child’s Karen Maine in the director’s chair, ‘Rosaline’ was (loosely) adapted from Rebecca Serle’s 2012 novel by ‘500 Days of Summer’ writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. The film takes the modern-twist-on-Shakespeare concept from the book and resets it to a period setting.

    We’re introduced to Rosaline (Kaitlyn Dever), a member of the Capulet family of Verona, Italy. She’s trying to balance keeping her romance with Romeo (heir apparent of the rival Montague clan, played by Kyle Allen) secret against her father Adrian’s (Bradley Whitford) desire that she marry someone suitable. Or, preferably, someone suitably rich.

    When Rosaline’s latest suitor – the seemingly perfect, yet not-her-type (she thinks) – Dario, played by Sean Teale, takes her out boating, she misses a crucial masquerade ball. Romeo attends, and falls for Rosaline’s cousin, Juliet (Isabela Merced).

    Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline and Sean Teale as Dario in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    (L-R): Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline and Sean Teale as Dario in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Suddenly, all of Romeo’s time, affection, and perhaps most cuttingly, cringey love poetry is being directed towards the new love of his life, Rosaline seemingly now a passing fancy.

    Determined to win him back (even though any fool can see that Dario is a far better match), Rosaline plots to break up literature’s most famous pair, even as she can’t deny becoming friends with her cousin.

    The result is an uproarious comedy that delivers on several levels – it’s a smart, knowing romantic tale that is one of the stronger post-modern spins on Shakespeare to come along in a while.

    You think you know the story of this one – Romeo and Juliet forsake all others and choose ending their lives in star-crossed love when their warring families don’t approve. Here, it all wraps up in more farcical fashion, with a final, knowing nod to ‘The Graduate’.

    Isabela Merced as Juliet in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    Isabela Merced as Juliet in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    We’d totally avoid spoilers, but let’s be honest, the original play is more than 400 years old, and one of the most well-known romances produced throughout human history. Still, it’s wise to go in without knowing too much of the tweaks that ‘Rosaline’ makes to the story, so that you might enjoy them.

    And while Rosaline’s story is one that has been mined for screens big and small before (1966’s movie ‘Juliet in Mantua’, short-lived TV series ‘Still Star-Crossed’, which is set after the central pair breathe their last and saw Lashana Lynch as Rosaline) and recent stage musical ‘& Juliet’, the new movie still manages to say things about young love, the differences between men and women and how the conflict between the Capulets and Montagues was a ridiculous concept.

    Dever’s star has been on the rise for a while now; anyone who watched ‘Booksmart’, ‘Short Term 12’ or ‘Dopesick’ already knew she had the goods when it came to either comedy or drama (or both at once), and she nails the role of frustrated lead here. Whether she’s quietly grieving lost love or taking Juliet out to a local tavern to convince her to play the field instead of crushing on Romeo, she owns it.

    Around her, the film builds an ensemble that runs the gamut from handsome and adequate (Allen, though in his defence, he doesn’t get too much to do) to the endlessly entertaining Minnie Driver. Taking hold of the role of Rosaline’s Nurse (“Janet! Though no-one bothers to ask me my name”), she delivers a sarcastic treat of a performance that plays well off of Dever’s own snarky energy and steals every scene she so much as crops up in. (There is one moment, a camera pan, that plays almost like a jump scare, but comedic).

    Kyle Allen as Romeo in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    Kyle Allen as Romeo in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Somewhere in the middle are the likes of Teale, who does more than smolder, and Spencer Stevenson as Rosaline’s pal Paris, endlessly commenting on the chaos and at one point dragged in to become an unwilling potential groom for Juliet when her illicit romance is discovered. As the famous heroine, Merced shows comedy chops that works well alongside Dever’s.

    The tone of this one is somewhere between ‘Bridgerton’ (less the steamy scenes, since this is strictly PG-13 and more the wittiness/musical needle drops) and the cleverness of ’10 Things I Hate About You’ (when you see the film, try asking yourself whether Allen won the role of Romeo because he looks a lot like Heath Ledger in that movie).

    A seemingly lower budget means the movie sometimes struggles to portray its period setting, despite some location work in Italy. One or two sequences, especially those set on the water, have an awfully greenscreen look to them, which diminishes the effect – fortunately, the sparky dialogue saves the day and you’re too busy chuckling at Dever and Teale slinging shade at each other to really notice

    You could theoretically watch this in a double bill with ‘Catherine Called Birdy’ on Prime Video, which features another sprightly heroine (played there by ‘Game of Thrones’ Bella Ramsey), who is similarly chafing against expectations and wondering how her life will work out. Of the two, though, ‘Rosaline’ is the more purely entertaining. Like Birdy, Rosaline dreams of something very different than her family might wish and her era would suggest she’s destined for – all she really wants to do is become a cartographer.

    Sean Teale as Dario and Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    (L-R): Sean Teale as Dario and Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    It might be working within the conventions of the traditional rom-com, and it’s bound (mostly) by the events of ‘Romeo & Juliet,’ but ‘Rosaline’ still manages to carve out a darker, funnier, weirder way of telling such a story. It might not function as well if you don’t know the source material, but then that’s what Wikipedia is for, right?

    A smaller scale means it feels at home streaming rather than bemoaning the fact it didn’t get a theatrical release. ‘Rosaline’s power is in its performances and its screenplay. Don’t bite your thumb at us… Watch it.

    ‘Rosaline’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.

    Kyle Allen as Romeo and Isabela Merced as Juliet in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    (L-R): Kyle Allen as Romeo and Isabela Merced as Juliet in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
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  • ‘Rosaline’ Trailer Debuts

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    ‘Romeo & Juliet’ is easily one of the most adapted pieces of fiction in history. Shakespeare’s story of the doomed lovers has been the inspiration for all sorts of other movies, TV shows, books and more.

    But what about Rosaline? In the original play, she’s an unseen, unrequited love of Romeo’s before he falls for Juliet, mentioning that he writes her poetry.

    The new romantic comedy ‘Rosaline’, though, spins out the idea that she was actually his girlfriend before he met Juliet – and she’s pissed off that he’s thrown himself whole-hearted into this new relationship… in just three days.

    Kaitlyn Dever, who has been so good in the likes of ‘Booksmart’, ‘The Spectacular Now’ and on the small screen in ‘Dopesick’, ‘Unbelievable’ and ‘Justified’, is Rosaline here, who complains to her nurse (played by Minnie Driver) about how she feels. And soon, she’s planning to win him back.

    Of course, the fact that Juliet (Isabela Merced of the recent ‘Father of the Bride’) is her cousin makes that a little harder – though it does also give Rosaline an upper hand in influencing her (in one case here, trying to convince her to sample the buffet of men that is out in the wider world).

    But mostly, it’s a comic romp of her trying to throw a wrench in the world’s most famous romance.

    Isabela Merced as Juliet, Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline, and Spencer Stevenson as Paris in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    (L-R): Isabela Merced as Juliet, Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline, and Spencer Stevenson as Paris in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘West Side Story’s Kyle Allen here plays Romeo, while Sean Teale is Dario, with Henry Hunter Hall as Mercutio. And then there’s Bradley Whitford, who, we’re assuming from his stance in the trailer, plays Rosaline’s father.

    The new movie was directed by ‘Yes, God, Yes’ filmmaker Karen Maine from a script by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (who have some romantic movie experience via ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ and ‘(500) Days of Summer‘) who adapted the novel ‘When You Were Mine’ by Rebecca Serle.

    Oh, and one of the producers behind this one? Shawn Levy, who has a few projects on screens right now (maybe you’ve heard of ‘Stranger Things’ or ‘The Adam Project?)

    This is in keeping with what appears to be a trend at the moment – snarky takes on historical (even if this is fictional) stories. Lena Dunham’s medieval coming-of-age tale ‘Catherine, Called Birdy’ features ‘Game of Thrones’ Bella Ramsey as a young woman facing the prospect of being married off so her parents can profit, while ‘The Princess’ saw Joey King as a battling royal fighting back (literally) against the idea of being wed to a slimy suitor.

    And the tone here is definitely modern-meets-Shakespeare, with its poppy soundtrack and less-than-strictly-bard-style dialogue. Will anyone bite their thumb at anyone else? We’re not sure at this point. They’re probably more likely to flip the bird.

    ‘Rosaline’ will launch on Hulu on October 14th.

    Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline and Sean Teale as Dario in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    (L-R): Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline and Sean Teale as Dario in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Sean Teale as Dario and Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    (L-R): Sean Teale as Dario and Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Sean Teale as Dario in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    Sean Teale as Dario in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Minnie Driver as Rosaline's Nurse and Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    (L-R): Minnie Driver as Rosaline’s Nurse and Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Isabela Merced as Juliet in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    Isabela Merced as Juliet in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Isabela Merced as Juliet and Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline,' exclusively on Hulu.
    (L-R): Isabela Merced as Juliet and Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Isabela Merced as Juliet and Kyle Allen as Romeo in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    (L-R): Isabela Merced as Juliet and Kyle Allen as Romeo in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Kyle Allen as Romeo in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    Kyle Allen as Romeo in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Kyle Allen as Romeo and Isabela Merced as Juliet in 20th Century Studios' 'Rosaline.'
    (L-R): Kyle Allen as Romeo and Isabela Merced as Juliet in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Rosaline,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
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