Jacob Elordi stars in director Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla.’
Preview:
Jacob Elordi’s in talks for ‘The Dog Stars’
If he signs on, he’d replace Paul Mescal in the lead.
Ridley Scott is on board to direct.
What Ridley Scott utters, so it shall come to pass. Okay, so the last time he was asked about the subject, the venerable director didn’t exactly confirm that Paul Mescal, the star of his most recent film, ‘Gladiator II’ might be about to drop out of one of his next planned projects, but he didn’t not confirm it either.
The issue here appears to be Mescal’s schedule. While he’s previously said he’d happily reunite with Ridley for any movie, it would seem that the Irish actor has instead signed on for Sam Mendes’ ambitious plan to make a biopic of the Beatles.
More specifically, four biopics, one for each band member, and crossing the stories between the films. Though no official casting information has emerged, Mescal is hotly tipped to be playing Paul McCartney.
Here’s what Scott said about Mescal acting in his next project when asked by Christopher Nolan in a conversational Q&A held before the holidays at the Director’s Guild of America:
“Yes. Maybe. Paul is actually stacked up, doing the Beatles next. So I may have to let him go.”
Looks like he’s letting him go and moving on to another young actor whose career is skyrocketing. Mescal need not worry too much, though –– Denzel Washington worked with Scott in 2007’s ‘American Gangster’ and it only took 16 years for them to reunite on ‘Gladiator II…’
What’s the story of The Dog Stars’?
(L to R) Director Ridley Scott and Paul Mescal on the set of ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world in which a virus has wiped out most of humanity, the protagonist is Hig (Elordi, assuming his deal closes), a pilot who survived the flu that killed everyone he knew, his wife included.
He lives in the hangar of a small, abandoned airport with his dog, his only neighbor a gun-toting ex-Marine. Hig sometimes heads off in his 1956 Cessna, where he can fish, and pretend things are how they used to be.
When a random transmission somehow beams through his radio, the voice ignites a hope deep inside him that a better life might exist if he flies a bit further. He risks it all to chase a possible haven in Grand Junction.
Where else have I seen Jacob Elordi?
Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Elordi got his big break in Netflix rom-com ‘The Kissing Booth,’ and went on to appear in three films in the franchise.
On the big screen, he’s been seen in the likes of ‘2 Hearts,’ ‘Deep Water,’ ‘The Sweet East’ and ‘Priscilla,’ in which he played Elvis Presley. And in ‘Saltburn,’ he was the privileged scion of a wealthy British family whose decision to bring home a less fortunate student from his university proved to be a very bad idea.
Elordi also scored attention playing Nate Jacobs in TV sensation ‘Euphoria,’ though his packed film schedule likely means he may not return for Season 3 (though he could well find time, given how delayed the shooting schedule for the third season of the show has been).
Next up for the actor most likely is a reunion with ‘Saltburn’ director Emerald Fennell, who has been busy working on an adaptation of Emily Brontë’s ‘Wuthering Heights.’ Elordi would play Heathcliff alongside Margot Robbie as doomed love Catherine Earnshaw.
Then there’s another sci-fi project, ‘Parallel,’ which posits a world where parallel dimensions are accessible, but only known to a select group of people –– and travelling between worlds is highly illegal.
What else is Ridley Scott working on?
(L to R) Pedro Pascal, Director Ridley Scott and Paul Mescal on the set of ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
With Elordi in the midst of a deal, that points to ‘The Dog Stars’ ramping up as the next movie that Scott will shoot (and it’s also listed as in pre-production on the IMDb.).
Yet Variety’s story also mentions the director’s plan to make a Bee Gees biopic, something he has had sitting on his To Do list for a while now. And there’s every chance the biopic could leapfrog ‘The Dog Stars.’
The Bee Gees film would re-team Scott with one of his collaborators on the original ‘Gladiator,’ writer John Logan.
And it’s far from the only movie the busy director has on his potential projects list –– there is a wealth of others, before we even mention the long batch of TV series on which he’s listed as producer. It’s a wonder the man ever sleeps.
That’s a big question at this point. Since Scott has yet to fully start on either ‘The Dog Stars’ or his Bee Gees project, there is no telling when either might be released.
Still, given the prolific nature of the (checks notes) 87-year-old director, we wouldn’t be too shocked if at least one was ready for some point in 2026. Let’s not forget: this is the same filmmaker who has brought us three movies across the last four years.
Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
(Left) Barry Keoghan in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+. (Right) Ringo Starr in ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. Photo: United Artists.
Preview:
Ringo Starr says Barry Keoghan will play him for director Sam Mendes’ ambitious multi-biopic plan
He’ll make one film about each member’s time in the iconic band.
Apple Corps and the band have granted full life rights.
In fact, his idea was not to simply make one about the Liverpool-based supergroup whose music has dominated corners of the public consciousness for years, but four –– one each for members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison, their stories intertwining to produce a fuller picture of their rise to pop and rock stardom in the 1960s.
Naturally, there has been feverish speculation about which rising stars or establish actors might be cast to play the four Beatles (not to mention those who were in the group before they hit it big and any appropriate partners etc.)
“I think it’s great. I believe he’s somewhere taking drum lessons, and I hope not too many.”
Yep, Ringo’s got jokes.
What’s the plan for Sam Mendes’ Beatles films?
(L to R) George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon in ‘The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years.’
With the backing of Sony Pictures Classics –– not to mention being granted full life story and music rights by Beatles holding company Apple Corps Ltd. (no, not the company behind the Mac), surviving members McCartney and Starr and the families of deceased colleagues Lennon and Harrison –– Mendes will make four different biopics, covering each Beatles’ experiences during the band’s rise to massive popularity.
A strict time period for what the movies will cover has yet to be announced.
Here’s what Mendes had to say about the project:
“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies.”
And this is the statement from Mendes’ Neal Street Productions partner Pippa Harris:
“We intend this to be a uniquely thrilling, and epic cinematic experience: four films, told from four different perspectives which tell a single story about the most celebrated band of all time. To have The Beatles’ and Apple Corps’ blessing to do this is an immense privilege. From our first meeting with [Sony execs] Tom Rothman and Elizabeth Gabler, it was clear that they shared both our passion and ambition for this project, and we can’t think of a more perfect home than Sony Pictures.”
Who else has been rumored for Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics?
Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
At this point, we can only imagine the size of the casting net Mendes and his producers have been throwing for the project, not to mention the clamoring of agents to get their clients either a meeting or an audition.
As for the other main Beatles, the rumors so far have swirled around ‘Gladiator II’s Paul Mescal circling the role of Paul McCartney, ‘The Iron Claw’s Harris Dickinson linked to John Lennon, and Mescal’s fellow ‘Gladiator II’ actor Joseph Quinn (who will also be appearing in next year’s ‘Fantastic Four’ movie for Marvel) to portray George Harrison.
Essentially, it’s been a who’s who of who’s hot. Mendes, of course, will make his choice in due time (assuming he hasn’t already) and we’ll have to wait for a big announcement to see who actually ends up on screen.
Mendes’ movies will be highly anticipated, and not just for the scope of their ambition –– you need to find a way to stand out in the music biopic business; just look at the upcoming film on the life of Robbie Williams, which sees the pop star brought to life as a CG ape.
The Beatles, of course, are on a whole other level.
And interest in them continues to be high –– we’ve only just seen the latest documentary about the group, ‘Beatles ‘64’, which blends previously-shown footage with some new interviews.
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When will Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics hit theaters?
Given the scope of the movies, the current aim is to have the movies in theaters by 2027, with the plan for their release dates still to be announced. Will we see them release a month apart? Spread out across the years? It’s too early to tell.
“You have to match the boldness of the idea with a bold release strategy. There hasn’t been an enterprise like this before, and you can’t think about it in traditional releasing terms.”
(L to R) Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon in ‘The Beatles: Get Back – The Rooftop Concert.’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Nykiya Adams about her work on ‘Bird’, her first reaction to the screenplay, her character, her relationship with her father and Bird, working with Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski, collaborating with director Andrea Arnold on set, and if she had fun making her first movie.
Nykiya Adams in ‘Bird’. Photo: Atsushi Nishijima.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and how you became involved with this project?
Nykiya Adams: I didn’t know the script, so I think it was more of just a surprise. My mum didn’t tell me anything. She was like, “Nykiya, you’ve got to get this.” So, I was like, “I’ll try my best.” But obviously it’s a wonderful experience and I’d love to do it again.
MF: How would you describe your character in your own words?
NA: She’s a little diva because she doesn’t care what anyone thinks. If she wants to get the something done and no one wants to do it for her, she’ll go get it done herself. I’ll do the same, so Bailey’s just a more extreme version of me. I can relate to Bailey in a lot of ways. I think because she’s going through changes, she thinks she’s growing up, she’s going to be 13 going on 30. But I think near the end of the film, she realizes she’s got to dial down a bit because at the end of the day, she’s not that old. She doesn’t have to grow up quick, and I think she realizes that. She’s a kid and she must let things happen and fall into place. I can relate to her in a lot of ways. She gets very frustrated very fast. She knows how to deal with it, and she knows how to express her emotions.
Barry Keoghan in ‘Bird’. Photo: Robbie Ryan.
MF: Can you talk about her relationship with her father?
KA: It’s like a brother and sister relationship because the way they clash so much and the way they make up is like, “Oh, I hate you, but you’re still family, so I love you.” So, it’s that kind of a crazy experience.
MF: What was it like working with Barry Keoghan?
KA: It was very easy to create the relationship with him because he’s such a big kid. He’s such a lovely person to be around, and he’s so down to earth. Working with him on set, we’d just switch into our characters, bang, and then we just switch out. We’d literally just be laughing the next minute, and he was just so fun to be around.
Franz Rogowski in ‘Bird’. Photo: Robbie Ryan.
MF: Can you talk about what Bailey sees in Bird and their unlikely friendship?
KA: I think she just sees herself in him because of how free he is, and she just wants to be like that. I think she just realizes you must take your time with everything and let everything come to you at once. I think that’s why she can warm up to him so quick, because Bird feels like a safe place for her.
MF: What was it like working with Franz Rogowski to create that relationship?
KA: The friendship was literally, when Bailey was just getting warm to Bird, it was Nykiya getting warm to Franz. So, the first time Bailey met him was the first time I met him, so the reaction was just real.
Franz Rogowski in ‘Bird’. Photo: Atsushi Nishijima.
MF: What was director Andrea Arnold like to collaborate with on set?
KA: She loves nature. I was given an on-set phone, so I’ll just take pictures of nature and everything. You can see that I took some videos, and it’s in the credits. So, it was fun, and the way she works is just so beautiful.
MF: Finally, this is your first movie. Was it fun to make and would you like to make more movies in the future?
KA: Loads of fun. The amount of food I ate, honestly, it’s crazy. Yes, 100%.
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What is the plot of ‘Bird’?
12-year-old Bailey (Nykiya Adams) lives with her single dad Bug (Barry Keoghan) and brother Hunter (Jason Buda) in a squat in North Kent. Bug doesn’t have much time for his kids, and Bailey, who is approaching puberty, seeks attention and adventure elsewhere.
There was no casting attached at the time, but now Deadline reports that the new movie will mark a dual reunion for Fennell, as she’s landed Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi for the lead roles.
Robbie and Fennell’s collaboration stretches back to the director’s film debut, 2020’s ‘Promising Young Woman,’ in which Robbie was originally going to star, but stepped aside because she felt Carey Mulligan would be a better choice. That was, as it happens, the right move, with Mulligan earning an Oscar nomination.
Still, Robbie and her LuckyChap company produced the movie, and reunited with Fennell for her next film, ‘Saltburn’ (which starred Elordi as wealthy scion Felix Catton). Fennell also worked with Robbie by appearing in ‘Barbie’.
1939’s ‘Wuthering Heights’. Photo: United Artists.
Brontë’s book, published in 1847 under her pseudonym Ellis Bell, follows Heathcliff (Elordi), an orphan-turned-foster-son who falls in love with the daughter of the family who owns the estate on which he now lives, Wuthering Heights.
After running away, Heathcliff rises up through the ranks of the gentry and exacts revenge on the families — the Earnshaws and the Lintons — who kept him from his true love, Catherine Earnshaw (Robbie).
What previous adaptations of ‘Wuthering Heights’ have there been?
(L to R) Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche in 1992’s ‘Wuthering Heights’. Photo: United Artists.
Upcoming for Elordi is Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’ and a TV series called ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North,’ directed by Justin Kurzel.
When will Fennell’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ be seen on screens?
The new ‘Wuthering Heights’ is in pre-production and will shoot next year in the UK.
While it has MRC agreeing to stump up the money to produce the film, it has yet to lock down a studio home. Though we can imagine many companies will be happy to snatch this one up given the pedigree of Fennell and Robbie in particular.
Barry Keoghan in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Preview:
‘The Banshees of Inisherin’s Barry Keoghan is joining the ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie.
Cillian Murphy is aboard to star in and produce.
Rebecca Ferguson also recently joined the cast list.
With ‘Peaky Blinders’ making the leap from highly successful BBC series to big screen outing thanks to added popularity from its showing on Netflix (which is also backing the film), the cast around star Cillian Murphy is really starting to come together.
We learned back in July that Rebecca Ferguson was the first high-profile performer to join Murphy in the cinematic version, and now we can add Barry Keoghan to the list.
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What’s the story of ‘Peaky Blinders’?
Cillian Murphy in ‘Peaky Blinders’. Photo: Netflix.
The series, which began life on Britain’s BBC Two in 2013, is a crime drama centered on a family of mixed Irish Traveler and Romani origins based in Birmingham, England, starting in 1919, several months after the end of World War I.
It’s named after the Peaky Blinders street gang and their ambitious, cunning crime boss Shelby (Murphy). The show has since run for six seasons.
Netflix, spotting an opportunity to pick up a well-loved series, snagged the rights in 2014 and it has since gone on to win multiple awards.
In case you’re wondering, the “peaky blinders” referred to the gang’s sartorial efforts. distinctive fashion sense, including colorful clothing and peaked newsboy caps. At the time, “peaky” was a common term for flat caps with a peak, and “blinder” was a Birmingham slang term for someone who looked dapper. In less legal terms, they were also infamous for pulling the brims of their caps down when they attacked someone so as not to be recognized.
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What will the ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie be about?
Cillian Murphy in ‘Peaky Blinders’. Photo: Netflix.
When we last saw Tommy Shelby, he had killed off his cousin Michael (Finn Cole) and rode off into the sunset on a white steed after handing the reins of the family business to sister Ada (Sophie Rundle).
Nothing has been officially released about the movie’s plot yet, though Knight has previously suggested that it’ll chronicle the gang’s efforts during World War II.
Who else is joining Cillian Murphy in the ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie?
Aside from Ferguson, who would be a new character, there is no official confirmation for anyone besides Murphy.
But there has been plenty of speculation that the likes of Rundle, Paul Anderson, Finn Cole, Natasha O’Keefe, and Harry Kirton, who play members of the Shelby family, could all show up.
Keoghan’s character, like Ferguson’s is, reports Deadline, a mystery. But who wouldn’t want to see him go toe to toe with Murphy as another criminal type?
Emerald Fennell has teased she’ll adapt ‘Wuthering Heights’.
It’ll be based on Emily Brontë’s novel.
No casting has been announced yet.
Given that her first two movie projects –– one an Oscar winner for Best Original Screenplay –– were stories she wrote and directed herself, it’s almost surprising to learn that Emerald Fennell has her eyes on an adaptation.
And not just any source material, but Emily Brontë’s gothic classic ‘Wuthering Heights’, which has hit screens a variety of times in the past. Still, it appears that is no barrier to a fresh take, particularly one from the filmmaker behind ‘Promising Young Woman’ and ‘Saltburn’.
Fennell teased her new project via a social media post:
Of course, a tweet is one thing; what the actual project will entail is quite another, but whatever Fennell chooses to do will surely be anticipated.
Fennell has previously written about how gothic themes influence her –– and played into ‘Saltburn’ in a column for the Los Angeles Times:
“I’ve always been obsessed with the gothic. Whether it was Edward Gorey’s children who are variously choked by peaches, sucked dry by leeches or smothered by rugs; Du Maurier’s imperiled heroines or the disturbing erotic power of Angela Carter’s fairy tales, the gothic world has always had me in its grip. It’s a genre where comedy and horror, revulsion and desire, sex and death are forever entwined, where every exchange is heavy with the threat of violence, or sex or both.”
So, ‘Wuthering Heights’ certainly makes sense for her.
1939’s ‘Wuthering Heights’. Photo: United Artists.
Brontë’s book, published in 1847 under her pseudonym Ellis Bell, follows Heathcliff, an orphan-turned-foster-son who falls in love with the daughter of the family who owns the estate on which he now lives, Wuthering Heights.
After running away, Heathcliff rises up through the ranks of the gentry and exacts revenge on the families — the Earnshaws and the Lintons — who kept him from his true love, Cathy Linton.
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What previous adaptations of ‘Wuthering Heights’ have there been?
(L to R) Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche in 1992’s ‘Wuthering Heights’. Photo: United Artists.
On the small screen, 2009 saw a TV miniseries with Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley in the lead roles, and series in 1978 and 1998.
And not forgetting Kate Bush’s 1978 song “Wuthering Heights”.
When will Fennell’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ storm its way on to screens?
Since all we know about the project at this point is that Fennell intends to make it (or at least something based on it), there are zero details to offer on a release date, since it doesn’t have a studio or streaming home yet.
(L to R) Carey Mulligan, Emerald Fennell, and Laverne Cox on the set of ‘Promising Young Woman.’
The 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards were handed out Sunday evening.
‘Oppenheimer’, ‘Barbie’ and ‘The Holdovers’ took home multiple trophies.
‘Succession’, ‘Beef’ and ‘The Bear’ also did well.
Awards season continued on Sunday evening with the trophies handed out by the Critics Choice Association at Santa Monica Airport’s Barker Hanger on Sunday night.
There were, it must be admitted, few surprises –– ‘Oppenheimer’, ‘Barbie’ and ‘The Holdovers’ continued their cinematic award dominance, while on the small screen front, creative teams from ‘Succession’, ‘The Bear’ and ‘Beef’ found themselves on the stage making speeches.
Emma Stone won for ‘Poor Things’, while Robert Downey Jr. lifted another award for his role in ‘Oppenheimer’ and gave a funny speech referencing negative reviews he’s been given through the years.
It was somewhat disappointing to see certain categories reduced to mentions on cards before and after commercial breaks –– you can’t imagine the winners of the Screenplay and Score categories were thrilled to be consigned to a brief mention. Host Chelsea Handler (who included a dig at Golden Globes host Jo Koy in her funny opening monologue) even went rogue –– or at least as rogue as the show’s producers would allow –– and brought Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig to up to accept Best Comedy, which had been another of the card categories.
(Front Row L to R) Christopher Denham as Klaus Fuchs, Seth Neddermeyer is Devon Bostick, Emily Blunt is Kitty Oppenheimer, Gustaf Skarsgård is Hans Bethe, and Josh Peck is Kenneth Bainbridge in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
Eric Roth & Martin Scorsese – ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
(L to R) Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer, Olli Haaskivi is Edward Condon, Matt Damon is Leslie Groves, and Dane Dehaan is Kenneth Nichols in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
(L to R) Emily Blunt is Kitty Oppenheimer and Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
(Left) Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios. (Right) 1931’s ‘Frankenstein.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Preview:
‘Saltburn’s Jacob Elordi has boarded Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’.
He replaces Andrew Garfield in playing the monster.
Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz are all aboard the Netflix film.
Mary Shelley’s classic, literary horror-genre-goosing novel ‘Frankenstein’ is something that filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has had on his To-Do list for more than a decade.
Now, Deadline reports that Garfield has had to drop out, just one more ripple effect of last year’s strikes still impacting schedules. But the good news for the director is that Jacob Elordi, whose star is on the rise thanks to ‘Saltburn’ and ‘Priscilla’, is now lined up to step in.
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What’s the story of ‘Frankenstein’?
1931’s ‘Frankenstein.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Shelly’s literary game-changer follows Victor Frankenstein (Isaac), a brilliant but egotistical scientist who brings a creature (Elordi) to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.
Del Toro is writing, directing and producing alongside J. Miles Dale, who served as a producer on del Toro’s ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ for Netflix, where this new movie is also based.
Who else is in Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’?
What has del Toro said about ‘Frankenstein’ in the past?
Director Guillermo del Toro for ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.’
“The only way to do the Shelley novel is to actually do a four-hour miniseries,” he told MTV in 2008. “But I think there are permutations in which you can tell the myth in a different way.”
Obviously, he’s clearly found a way to make the story work as a movie –– and has now cracked the script.
It’ll need to be something fresh –– Shelley’s book has been adapted many times in many ways for all sorts of media. But we can trust del Toro will bring his distinctive stamp to the story of the doctor who reanimates dead bodies and the creature he creates that faces hatred from the local villagers.
Guillermo del Toro poses backstage with the Oscar® for Animated Feature Film during the live ABC telecast of the 95th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023.
Quite what he intends to do with it is a mystery for now, but he may choose to tweak it in a modern-day setting or stick to more of a period feel. Either way, this is certainly something we know this director can do.
And hopefully, Netflix will give the result some proper big-screen treatment before it ends up on the company’s servers, and we’re glad del Toro is getting to tick another long-held dream film off his list.
As for Elordi, he’s worked on Paul Schrader’s next film, ‘Oh Canada’ and indie drama ‘On Swift Horses’. He’ll also be back for the next season of HBO’s ‘Euphoria’, due in 2025.
Directed by James Gunn, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
(L to R) Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence) and Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘No Hard Feelings.’
Directed by Gene Stupnitsky, Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence) thinks she’s found the answer to her financial troubles when she discovers an intriguing job listing: wealthy helicopter parents looking for someone to “date” their introverted 19-year-old son, Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman), and bring him out of his shell before he leaves for college. But awkward Percy proves to be more of a challenge than she expected, and time is running out before she loses it all.
Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Napoleon,’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
Directed by Ridley Scott, ‘Napoleon’ is an epic that details the checkered rise and fall of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix) and his relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby).
(L to R) Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ coming soon to Apple TV+.
Directed by Martin Scorsese, when oil is discovered in 1920s Oklahoma under Osage Nation land, the Osage people are murdered one by one—until the FBI steps in to unravel the mystery.
(L to R) Jake Ryan, Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks in director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
Directed by Wes Anderson, the itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention (organized to bring together students and parents from across the country for fellowship and scholarly competition) is spectacularly disrupted by world-changing events.
Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka in ‘Wonka.’ Photo by Eric Charbonneau.
Directed by Paul King, Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) – chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time – is proof that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.
(L to R) Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry and Julianne Moore as Gracie Atherton-Yoo in ‘May December.’ Photo: Francois Duhamel / courtesy of Netflix.
Directed by Todd Haynes, twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple (Julianne Moore and Charles Melton) buckles under pressure when an actress (Natalie Portman) arrives to do research for a film about their past.
Directed by David Fincher, after a fateful near-miss, an assassin (Michael Fassbender) battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn’t personal.
Directed by Nida Manzoor, a merry mash up of sisterly affection, parental disappointment and bold action, ‘Polite Society’ follows martial artist-in-training Ria Khan (Priya Kansara) who believes she must save her older sister Lena (Ritu Arya) from her impending marriage. After enlisting the help of her friends, Ria attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists in the name of independence and sisterhood.
Owen Wilson as Carl Nargle in the comedy film, ‘Paint,’ an IFC Films release. Photo courtesy of IFC Films.
Directed by Brit McAdams, Carl Nargle (Owen Wilson), Vermont’s #1 public television painter, is convinced he has it all: a signature perm, custom van, and fans hanging on his every stroke… until a younger, better artist (Ciara Renée) steals everything (and everyone) Carl loves.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Directed by Chad Stahelski, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.
Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’
Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson and Kemp Powers, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’ After reuniting with Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.
(L to R) Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny in ‘Priscilla.’ Credit: Philippe Le Sourd.
Directed by Sofia Coppola, when teenage Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny) meets Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi) at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a vulnerable best friend.
Laya DeLeon Hayes as Vicaria in the horror/thriller, ‘The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster,’ an AllBlk/Shudder/RLJE Films release. Photo courtesy of AllBlk/Shudder/RLJE Films.
Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes) is a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal and sudden murder of her brother, she embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life. Inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, ‘The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster’ thematically challenges our ideas of life and death. Bomani J. Story, the film’s writer and director, crafts a thrilling tale about a family that, despite the terrors of systemic pressure, will survive and be reborn again.
‘American Fiction’ is Cord Jefferson’s hilarious directorial debut, which confronts our culture’s obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment profiting from “Black” entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write an outlandish “Black” book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.
(Center) Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Directed by Emerald Fennell, struggling to find his place at Oxford University, student Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) finds himself drawn into the world of the charming and aristocratic Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi), who invites him to Saltburn, his eccentric family’s sprawling estate, for a summer never to be forgotten.
From award-winning director Ben Affleck, ‘Air’ reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. This moving story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother (Viola Davis) who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become
(L to R) Harris Dickinson as David Von Erich, Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich, Stanley Simons as Mike Von Erich, and Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich in ‘The Iron Claw.’ Photo: A24.
Directed by Sean Durkin, the true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers (Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson and Stanley Simons), who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach (Holt McCallany), the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports.
Directed by Bradley Cooper, this fearless love story chronicles the complicated lifelong relationship between music legend Leonard Bernstein (Cooper) and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (Carey Mulligan).
Directed by Greta Gerwig, Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) are having the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.
From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, ‘The Holdovers’ follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker (newcomer Dominic Sessa) — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da’Vine Joy Randolph).
Olivia Wilde has found a potential new directing job in Christmas comedy ‘Naughty.
It’s being described as ‘Bridesmaids’ at the North Pole.
Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap company will produce the movie.
Olivia Wilde broke out big as a director thanks to ‘Booksmart’ back in 2019, though her cache took a hit after the reviews and controversies of ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ (it’s worth noting that the thriller did make $87 million off of a $20 million budget).
She is still, however, a sought-after filmmaker, and has a few projects in the works (more on that lower down the page) and is adding another potential to the list, agreeing to make Christmas comedy ‘Naughty’, at least according to a report from Deadline.
The film follows Mallory, whose only hope of securing custody of her son from her gaslighting trash-bag ex is to find Santa Claus and convince him to testify in her divorce hearing.
Given how ‘Cocaine Bear’ turned out, we’d expect this to be another wild comedy with a lot of ludicrous behavior.
Who is producing the new film?
Actor/Producer Margot Robbie attends the ‘Barbie’ Press Junket Photo Call at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. Photo by Eric Charbonneau.
The biggest element to make this one attractive to potential buyers besides the presence of Wilde is word that Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap company is attached to produce the movie.
LuckyChap is behind the year’s biggest box office hit and buzziest movie in ‘Barbie’ (which starred Robbie) and also Emerald Fennell’s follow-up to ‘Promising Young Woman’, ‘Saltburn’, which is on limited release now before going wider on December 22nd.
Whether Robbie ends up acting in the movie remains to be seen –– she hasn’t appeared in every project from the company. But the lead role here is clearly something she could make work.
It remains to be seen which company might pick this one up –– expect plenty of interest from the usual studios and streaming services.
What else is Olivia Wilde working on?
Olivia Wilde in ‘Meadowland.’
Wilde has a few other projects on her To Do list, including sports biopic ‘Perfect’ about gymnast Kerry Strug, which stars Thomasin McKenzie and McKenna Grace and should be shooting in 2024.
There are others in development, including an untitled new comedy that reunites her with ‘Booksmart’s Katie Silberman and a yet-to-be-released movie in Sony’s Spider-Man adjacent universe.
And on the TV front, she’s been linked to adaptations of Jennifer Egan’s novels ‘A Visit from the Goon Squad’ and ‘The Candy House’.
