Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dakota Fanning about her work on ‘Vicious’, her first reaction to the screenplay and her character, the unusual gift and news her character receives, how she would react to that choice in real life, and the challenges of acting alone.
Dakota Fanning stars in ‘Vicious.’
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Dakota Fanning stars in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Vicious.’
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and what were some of the aspects of this character that you were excited to explore on screen?
Dakota Fannig: Well, when I first read it, I was very struck by the challenge of it all. I knew that it would be a very physically and emotionally demanding experience. I felt like I hadn’t properly gotten to dive into a pure horror film, which I felt like this would really be that. Brian is obviously very skilled and prolific in that genre. So, I knew that I could trust him. Talking with him, I knew that the creative collaboration between us would be wonderful, and it was. So, I just felt like it was something that I hadn’t done before, and I thought, why not give it a try?
Dakota Fanning stars in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Vicious.’
MF: Can you talk about Polly’s reaction to receiving this gift and the news about her future that comes with it, and how do you think you would react in real life if given the same information?
DF: Oh, my gosh, I don’t know. I don’t know that I would have gotten myself into the predicament that Polly did. If people ring my door, or ring my gate, I just pretend I’m not home. So, I don’t know. But, that moment of her receiving the mysterious gift is the beginning of this kind of psychological battle that she ends up having with herself. When I first read the script and was thinking about it and thinking about like what would keep me grounded in this experience, I remembered I had this dream once that was a truly lucid dream where I woke up in the morning and didn’t know if it had been real or not. It took place in my apartment, and I woke up and was like, “I’ve lost my mind”. You know what I mean? I really had one of those moments. It was crazy. So, that was my inspiration for this was the feeling that dream had given me. I feel like Polly is locked in that feeling throughout the whole film. That’s a scary thing when the thing that is scaring you the most is yourself and your own thoughts. So, that was what I leaned into when I was making it. That would keep me grounded when things would get out of control, or I was trying to find something to hold onto. I would remember that crazy, scary dream that I had, and I’d go back into that feeling.
Dakota Fanning stars in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Vicious.’
MF: Finally, you spend a lot of the movie acting by yourself. Can you talk about the challenges of that and were you super excited on the few days when you did have a scene partner?
DF: Yes, I was thrilled when there were other people to act with for sure. They’re obviously super important moments that involve other actors. But for the majority at the time, I am alone. I knew that would be something different, a challenge and something that I hadn’t done before. Even though I developed such a strong rapport with the crew and with Brian and with Tristan (Nyby), the DP and so I never felt alone. I always felt like I had a collaborative support system around me and they may not have always been actors, but they were creative people, and we were all there on the same journey. So, even though I maybe looked alone, I never really felt alone. I always felt like I had them there to collaborate with. So that was nice.
‘Vicious’ will premiere on Paramount+ beginning October 10th.
What is the plot of ‘Vicious’?
A young woman (Dakota Fanning) must spend the night fighting for her existence as she slips down a disturbing rabbit hole contained inside a mysterious gift from a late-night visitor (Kathryn Hunter).
Her new film, ‘The Watchers‘ opens in theaters on June 7th and was written and directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan, the daughter of filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan.
In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down the 20 best movies of Dakota Fanning’s career, including her latest.
A scene from 2018’s ‘Ocean’s 8.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock), a criminal mastermind, gathers a crew of female thieves to pull off the heist of the century at New York’s annual Met Gala.
Set in South Carolina in 1964, this is the tale of Lily Owens (Fanning) a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson), her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother’s past.
Wilbur (Dominic Scott Kay) the pig is scared of the end of the season, because he knows that come that time, he will end up on the dinner table. He hatches a plan with Charlotte (Julia Roberts), a spider that lives in his pen, to ensure that this will never happen.
Forks, Washington resident Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is reeling from the departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), and finds comfort in her friendship with Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), a werewolf. But before she knows it, she’s thrust into a centuries-old conflict, and her desire to be with Edward at any cost leads her to take greater and greater risks.
A newly married couple (Fanning and Theo James) are forced to navigate the all-consuming interest of a powerful, mysterious, and possessive philanthropist.
(L to R) Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning in director Steven Spielberg’s ‘War of the Worlds.’ Photo: Dreamworks/Paramount.
Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) is a divorced dockworker and less-than-perfect father. Soon after his ex-wife (Miranda Otto) and her new husband drop off his teenage son (Justin Chatwin) and young daughter (Fanning) for a rare weekend visit, a strange and powerful lightning storm touches down.
After the birth of Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy), the Cullens gather other vampire clans in order to protect the child from a false allegation that puts the family in front of the Volturi.
Errol Flynn (Kevin Kline), the swashbuckling Hollywood star and notorious ladies man, flouted convention all his life, but never more brazenly than in his last years when, swimming in vodka and unwilling to face his mortality, he undertook a liaison with an aspiring actress, Beverly Aadland (Fanning). The two had a high-flying affair that spanned the globe and was enabled by the girl’s fame-obsessed mother, Florence. It all came crashing to an end in October 1959, when events forced the relationship into the open, sparking an avalanche of publicity castigating Beverly and her mother (Susan Sarandon) – which only fed Florence’s need to stay in the spotlight.
Set in postwar America, a man (Ewan McGregor) watches his seemingly perfect life fall apart as his daughter’s (Fanning) new political affiliation threatens to destroy their family.
Molly Gunn (Brittany Murphy), the freewheeling daughter of a deceased rock legend, is forced to get a job when her manager steals her money. As nanny for precocious Ray (Fanning), the oft ignored daughter of a music executive she learns what it means to be an adult while teaching Ray how to be a child.
When 28-year-old artist Mina (Fanning) finds shelter after getting stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers that are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night.
During a rainy day, and while their mother is out, Conrad (Spencer Breslin) and Sally (Fanning), and their pet fish, are visited by the mischievous Cat in the Hat (Mike Myers). Fun soon turns to mayhem, and the siblings must figure out how to rid themselves of the maniacal Cat.
After his father, an assassin, is brutally murdered, Nick Gant (Chris Evans) vows revenge on Division, the covert government agency that dabbles in psychic warfare and experimental drugs. Hiding in Hong Kong’s underworld, Nick assembles a band of rogue psychics dedicated to destroying Division. Together with Cassie (Fanning), a teenage clairvoyant, Nick goes in search of a missing girl and a stolen suitcase that could be the key to accomplishing their mutual goal.
David Callaway (Robert De Niro) tries to piece together his life in the wake of his wife’s suicide and has been left to raise his nine-year-old daughter, Emily (Fanning) on his own. David is at first amused to discover that Emily has created an imaginary friend named ‘Charlie’, but it isn’t long before ‘Charlie’ develops a sinister and violent side, and as David struggles with his daughter’s growing emotional problems, he comes to the frightening realization that ‘Charlie’ isn’t just a figment of Emily’s imagination.
Emma (Dakota Fanning) reports to Frank what is happening in Italy in Columbia Pictures ‘The Equalizer 3.’ Photo: Stefano Montesi.
Since giving up his life as a government assassin, Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) has struggled to reconcile the horrific things he’s done in the past and finds a strange solace in serving justice on behalf of the oppressed. Finding himself surprisingly at home in Southern Italy, he discovers his new friends are under the control of local crime bosses. As events turn deadly, McCall knows what he has to do: become his friends’ protector by taking on the mafia.
Sam (Sean Penn), a neurodivergent man, has a daughter with a homeless woman who abandons them when they leave the hospital, leaving Sam to raise Lucy (Fanning) on his own. But as Lucy grows up, Sam’s limitations as a parent start to become a problem and the authorities take her away. Sam convinces high-priced lawyer Rita (Michelle Pfeiffer) to take his case pro bono and in turn teaches her the value of love and family.
Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) and Cherie Currie (Fanning), two rebellious teenagers from Southern California, become the frontwomen for the Runaways — the now-legendary group that paved the way for future generations of female rockers. Under the Svengali-like influence of impresario Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon), the band becomes a huge success.
Los Angeles, 1969. TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a struggling actor specializing in westerns, and stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), his best friend, try to survive in a constantly changing movie industry. Dalton is the neighbor of the young and promising actress and model Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who has just married the prestigious Polish director Roman Polanski (Rafał Zawierucha).
(L to R) Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington in director Tony Scott’s ‘Man on Fire.’
Jaded ex-CIA operative John Creasy (Washington) reluctantly accepts a job as the bodyguard for a 10-year-old girl (Fanning) in Mexico City. They clash at first, but eventually bond, and when she’s kidnapped he’s consumed by fury and will stop at nothing to save her life.
‘The Watchers’, which marks the feature film debut of director Ishana Night Shyamalan, daughter of M. Night Shyamalan (‘The Sixth Sense’) who is also a producer on the film, opens in theaters on June 7th.
Director Ishana Night Shyamalan delivers a satisfying and entertaining supernatural thriller that shows a lot of potential for the young filmmaker, even if the movie does become predictable at times and is weighed down by the expectation of a “Shyamalan twist.” Actress Dakota Fanning gives a moody yet layered performance as the lead character and is flanked by an excellent supporting ensemble that includes Georgina Campbell and Olwen Fouéré.
The movie begins by introducing us to Mina (Dakota Fanning), a young American living in Ireland who is struggling with guilt from a personal family tragedy. Mina works in a pet store and is asked to deliver a rare bird to a sanctuary miles away. On her journey, Mina’s car breaks down in an untouched forest in western Ireland. While looking for help, Mina’s car mysteriously disappears, and she starts to have visions of things that are not there.
As the sun goes down, Mina soon meets an older woman named Madeline (Olwen Fouéré) who warns her that if she wants to live, she must follow her into a strange building located in the woods. Mina agrees and soon meets two other strangers, Ciara (Georgina Campbell) and Daniel (Oliver Finnegan). It is explained to Mina that there are creatures in the woods known as “The Watchers,” who only come out at night and to survive they must all live together in this room, which has windows for the Watchers to observe them through.
Reluctant at first, Mina eventually agrees to the conditions and lives with the others for months, secretly sneaking out during the day to find a way out of the woods. However, she begins to question what they know about the creatures observing them, and soon realizes that things are not as they appear. Now, it is up to Mina to discover the truth about the Watchers if she wants to ever escape the forest and overcome her own insecurities and fears.
Ishana Night Shyamalan’s screenplay is well crafted and builds the suspense throughout. With only four main characters, the script allows time to explore but only Mina and Madeline are given true arcs, and it would have been nice to see more character development with Ciara and Daniel. A big question in the film is “who are the Watchers”? Shyamalan keeps that answer close to her vest through most of the movie, and when it is finally revealed, it’s a bit predictable and not the mind-shattering twist that you might expect.
But Shyamalan does deliver an impressive directorial debut, with excellent shot selection between her and the cinematographer Eli Arenson. While there is only really one set, the production design also is impressive, and the scenes in the woods are moody, and well lighted even at night. As for the design of the creatures, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before, but they did work well within the context of the film. It’s also worth mentioning that the movie features a fake reality show that the characters watch on TV, which is very funny and was also written and directed by Shyamalan.
The problem with having the last name “Shyamalan’ is that it comes with the expectation of a wild twist ending. Of course, this is because of movies like ‘The Sixth Sense’ and ‘Split’, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, which featured shocking twist endings. Now audiences expect that from M. Night with every film he makes, and I’m afraid that the same will be expected form Ishana’s new movie. Because we as an audience now expect that type of ending from anyone named Shyamalan, it makes the twists and turns in ‘The Watchers’ seem slightly predictable. The twist still works and is satisfying and entertaining, but you’ll probably be able to see it coming. Again, this isn’t Ishana’s fault, the twist is well executed, it just doesn’t land as the big surprise that it was intended because of the audience’s expectations.
We’ve all watched Dakota Fanning grow up on screen from her early roles in ‘I Am Sam’ and ‘Man on Fire’ to making more adult fair like ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ and ‘The Equalizer 3’. ‘The Watchers’ marks Fanning’s first lead role as an adult and she carries the film well. Fanning plays Mina as a dark, moody and guilt-stricken young woman, who refuses to give up. The actress has some great scenes with Fouéré and overall, a good chemistry with the rest of the cast.
For her role, Olwen Fouéré brings a lot of mystery to Madeline, which helps the third act twist. The actress, who was also recently seen in ‘Tarot’ plays the “creepy lady” role well with her distinctive signature look and brings a strong presence to the film. As for Georgina Campbell and Oliver Finnegan both give solid performances, especially Campbell, but are each shortchanged by the script. We hardly get to know who Daniel was before he came to the woods, and Ciara’s missing husband is not explored as much as it could have been.
Ishana Night Shyamalan’s directorial debut is an impressive one, even if the film is not perfect. The director creates a suspenseful mood with the help of Dakota Fanning’s captivating performance, but the supporting characters could have been developed more. While the third act twist is predictable due to the “Shyamalan Effect’, even with its predictability, the final twist is still interesting and feels like a satisfying conclusion to the movie.
‘The Watchers’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘The Watchers’?
28-year-old artist Mina (Dakota Fanning) gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland. Upon finding shelter, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with Dakota Fanning to talk about her work on ‘The Watchers’, her first reaction to the screenplay, collaborating with director Ishana Night Shyamalan on set, working with a bird, and the challenges of being part of a small cast.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Fanning, Georgina Campbell and director Ishana Night Shyamalan.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and what were some of the aspects of this character you were excited to explore on screen?
Dakota Fanning: I was excited to portray a character that’s at that in between in their life where they’re not super young, and they’re obviously not old, and they’re still at the beginning of their life, but you’re at that crossroads, that standstill. I felt a little like that when we were making the movie. I was in my late 20s, which was not the best time in my life. I just turned 30, and I’m like, I love it so much. Not that there was anything wrong. You just feel in between something. You know? So, I could relate to that aspect of it. When you’re a searcher. That’s what I really felt when I read this character. She’s clearly a searcher. She’s burying things from her past, and she’s looking and looking. Then I was also really excited by the mythical, fairy tale, folklore aspect of the story. It felt like it was something I hadn’t seen before. Mixing that with this suspense and a genre movie, and I was really excited by that. Ishana is just an inspiring person to talk to. She’s so full of creativity, and I was excited to be a part of her first film, and it clearly won’t be the last.
MF: What was your experience like collaborating with director Ishana Night Shyamalan on set?
DF: It was great. I mean, she’s so knowledgeable about what she wants to do. She had a very clear vision always about what she was looking for. I found her collaboration with the DP Eli (Arenson) on this movie, I felt that she had a lot of ideas for the shots that were not what you would expect. We never did a master two shot. It just wasn’t traditional. It was a non-traditional approach to how she would cover scenes and a little bit unconventional. It was cool to be part of something new. She just is a great person. She has big smile on her face all the time, even on the coldest, wettest day in the forest. So, I can’t help but have that rub off on me.
MF: Can you talk about the challenges of working with a bird?
DF: The bird was fine. Honestly, the bird gave me no problems. It did bite me one day, I think it was just trying to climb on my fingers with its beak, so it didn’t mean to. It was a very nice bird. The bird’s name was Sunshine in real life, and the bird got a lot of attention. People really doted on the bird. It was a great scene partner. The bird was happy.
MF: Finally, can you talk about the benefits of being part of a small cast, and what was it like working with your co-stars Georgina Campbell, Olwen Fouéré and Oliver Finnegan?
DF: Oh, it was so great. I mean, it’s such an interesting group, the four of us. Everybody has a different age, a different time in our lives. So, I think it was a cool group. Talk about inspiring. Olwen is by far the most physically capable one out of all of us. She’s like, “I want to do the fights.” We’re like, “Olwen, relax.” But she’s so fun to be around and such a gentle person. Georgina’s awesome, and Oliver’s awesome. Everyone was just cool. It was just us figuring it out, and we had a great time together.
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What is the plot of ‘The Watchers’?
28-year-old artist Mina (Dakota Fanning) gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland. Upon finding shelter, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night.
Summer 2024 is almost here and with it comes the sun, the beach and summer movies!
The summer movie season will officially begin on May 3rd when the big screen adaption of the popular 80’s TV series ‘The Fall Guy,’ which stars Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, opens in theaters.
Johnny Depp in ‘Jeanne Du Barry.’ Photo: Vertical.
The life of Jeanne Bécu (Maïwenn), who was born as the illegitimate daughter of an impoverished seamstress in 1743 and went on to rise through the Court of Louis XV (Johnny Depp) to become his last official mistress.
He’s a stuntman (Ryan Gosling), and like everyone in the stunt community, he gets blown up, shot, crashed, thrown through windows and dropped from the highest of heights, all for our entertainment. And now, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, this working-class hero has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right?
Harriet Slater in ‘Tarot’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
When a group of friends recklessly violates the sacred rule of Tarot readings they unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil trapped within the cursed cards. One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against death.
(Left) Justice Smith in ‘I Saw the TV Glow’. Photo: A24.
Teenager Owen (Justice Smith) is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.
Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
Lee (Ashley Judd) protects her orphaned nieces Imogen (Katie Douglas) and Maeve (Sarah Pidgeon) from a self-destructing world, raising them in isolation until an outsider threatens their peaceful existence.
Richard Brake as Beau in the western/crime/thriller, ‘The Last Stop In Yuma County,’ a Well Go USA release. Photo courtesy of Well Go USA.
While awaiting the next fuel truck at a middle-of-nowhere Arizona rest stop, a traveling young knife salesman is thrust into a high-stakes hostage situation by the arrival of two similarly stranded bank robbers with no qualms about using cruelty—or cold, hard steel—to protect their bloodstained, ill-begotten fortune.
Sasha Pieterse, Parker Young, Nestor Carbonell, and Academy Award® winner Mira Sorvino star in this twisted tale of deception and desire based on the bestselling thriller by Adele Parks. Identical twins Anna and Zoe find their bond tested over Anna’s new love, Nick. While the trusting Anna is head over heels, her skeptical sister Zoe senses a web of deceit. But as Zoe digs for the truth, they’re all pulled into a dangerous game where honesty could prove fatal.
(L to R) Cailey Fleming and Blue star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘IF.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
The story of a girl (Cailey Fleming) who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends — and what she does with that superpower — as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids.
Marisa Abela stars as Amy Winehouse in director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s ‘Back To Black,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Dean Rogers/Focus Features.
The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame from her early days in Camden through the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black that catapulted Winehouse to global fame. Told through Amy’s (Marisa Abela) eyes and inspired by her deeply personal lyrics, the film explores and embraces the many layers of the iconic artist and the tumultuous love story at the center of one of the most legendary albums of all time.
(L to R) Froy Gutierrez as “Ryan” and Madelaine Petsch as “Maya” in ‘The Strangers’ Trilogy, a Lionsgate release. Photo Credit: John Armour for Lionsgate.
After their car breaks down, a couple driving cross-country to begin a new life in the Pacific Northwest is forced to spend the night in a secluded rental, where they are terrorized from dusk till dawn by three masked strangers.
Jean-Claude Van Damme in ‘Darkness of Man’. Photo: Saban Films.
Russell Hatch (Jean-Claude Van Damme), an Interpol operative who takes on the role of father figure to Jayden (Emerson Min), the son of an informant killed in a routine raid gone wrong. Years later, Hatch finds himself protecting Jayden and his uncle from a group of merciless gangs in an all-out turf war, stopping at nothing to protect Jayden and fight anyone getting in his way. Including supposed allies with hidden agendas and nefarious intents.
Garfield (Chris Pratt), the world-famous, Monday-hating, lasagna-loving indoor cat, is about to have a wild outdoor adventure! After an unexpected reunion with his long-lost father – scruffy street cat Vic (Samuel L. Jackson) – Garfield and his canine friend Odie (Harvey Guillén) are forced from their perfectly pampered life into joining Vic in a hilarious, high-stakes heist.
(Right) Greg Kinnear in ‘Sight’. Photo: Angel Studios.
Dr. Ming Wang (Terry Chen) is not simply an eye surgeon: he is a beacon of empathy for humankind. Based on his incredible true story, ‘Sight’ offers glimpses of hope at times when it feels the hardest to find.
Daisy Ridley stars as the accomplished swimmer who was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905. Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the staggering achievement – a 21-mile trek from France to England.
(L to R) Leon Bridges as “River” and Kiersey Clemons as “Celestina” in the drama ‘The Young Wife’, a Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label) release. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).
A young woman (Kiersey Clemons) grapples with the meaning of love and commitment over the course of her “non-wedding” day.
(L to R) Oliver Finnegan as Daniel, Olwen Fouere as Madeline, Dakota Fanning as Mina and Georgina Campbell as Ciara in New Line Cinema’s and Warner Bros. Pictures’ fantasy thriller ‘The Watchers,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
When 28-year-old artist Mina (Dakota Fanning) finds shelter after getting stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers that are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night.
(L to R) Martin Lawrence and Will Smith in ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
After their late former Captain is framed, Lowrey (Will Smith) and Burnett (Martin Lawrence) try to clear his name, only to end up on the run themselves.
A mild-mannered professor (Glen Powell) moonlighting as a fake contract killer sparks a chain reaction of trouble when he falls for a client (Adria Arjona).
Teenager Riley’s mind headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale) and Disgust (Liza Lapira), who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.
(L to R) David Duchovny, Stephanie Beatriz and Logan Marshall-Green in ‘Bucky F*cking Dent’. Photo: Vertical.
Follows Ted (Logan Marshall-Green), an aimless thirty-something who moves in with his father Marty (David Duchovny) when he develops a fatal illness. Marty’s health suffers every time the Boston Red Sox lose, so to keep him happy and alive, Ted enlists Marty’s grief counselor Mariana (Stephanie Beatriz) and friends to fake a Red Sox winning streak.
(L to R) Stephen Fry and Lena Dunham in ‘Treasure’. Photo: Bleecker Street.
Poland, 1990 – American music journalist Ruth (Lena Dunham) takes her father Edek (Stephen Fry), a Holocaust survivor, on a journey to his childhood haunts, hoping to make sense of her family’s troubled past. When Edek, reluctant to face his trauma, undermines their trip with his unpredictable and more eccentric than usual demeanor, Ruth is forced to challenge him and the values with which he raised her.
(L to R) Jodie Comer and Austin Butler in ‘The Bikeriders.’ Photo: Focus Features.
Kathy (Jodie Comer), a strong-willed member of the Vandals who’s married to a wild, reckless bikerider named Benny (Austin Butler), recounts the Vandals’ evolution over the course of a decade, beginning as a local club of outsiders united by good times, rumbling bikes and respect for their strong, steady leader Johnny (Tom Hardy). As life in the Vandals gets more dangerous, and the club threatens to become a more sinister gang, Kathy, Benny and Johnny are forced to make choices about their loyalty to the club and to each other.
Chuck Norris as Alastair in the action, sci-fi film, ‘Agent Recon’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
A covert military task force tracks a mysterious energy disturbance at a secret base in New Mexico that is suspected of experimenting on alien technology. Once there, the team encounters an unknown being of extraordinary strength and speed, and the ability to control an army of mindless warriors. The trio must fight through the unstoppable hordes to prevent humanity’s demise.
‘Horizon: An American Saga: Chapter 1.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Explore the lure of the Old West and how it was won—and lost—through the blood, sweat and tears of many. Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, embark on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.
Detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is back on the beat in Beverly Hills. After his daughter’s life is threatened, she (Taylour Paige) and Foley team up with a new partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy.
(Center) Emma Roberts in ‘Space Cadet’. Photo: Prime Video.
It follows the Florida party girl Rex (Emma Roberts), who turns out to be the only hope for the NASA space program, after a fluke puts her in training with other candidates who may have better resumes, but don’t have her smarts, heart and moxie.
Elizabeth Mitchell in ‘Possum Trot.’ Photo: Angel Studios.
Twenty-two families from a rural black church in the small East Texas town of Possum Trot adopt seventy-seven of the most difficult to place kids in the foster system.
(L to R) Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in ‘Fly Me to the Moon’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Sparks fly in all directions as marketing maven Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson), brought in to fix NASA’s public image, wreaks havoc on Apollo 11 launch director Cole Davis’ (Channing Tatum) already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as backup, and the countdown truly begins.
Johnny Depp as “Johnny Puff” in the family, comedy, animation film, ‘Johnny Puff: Secret Mission’, an International Media Network release. Photo courtesy of International Media Network.
Johnny Puff (Johnny Depp) and his friends go on a secret mission to save Taigasville from the evil plans of the villainous engineer Otto von Walrus.
(from left) Lily (Sasha Lane) and Tyler (Glen Powell), in ‘Twisters’ directed by Lee Isaac Chung.
As storm season intensifies, the paths of former storm chaser Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones), lured back to the open plains after a devastating encounter years prior, and reckless social-media superstar Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) collide when terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed. The pair and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.
Tami Stronach in ‘Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps’. Photo: Fathom Events.
Three Mysterious Curses, two lost souls… and one incredibly difficult dance. A lowly goatherd seeks out a reclusive witch (Tami Stronach) to break the evil enchantment that has long kept him from taking a wife. When he completes the three impossible trials the witch prescribes, the man (Greg Steinbruner) earns the hand of the legendary Princess, only heir of the Old King of the Cursed Kingdom. But when he arrives at the altar with a perfect fairytale ending hanging in the balance, both the goatherd and mysterious witch who helped transform him into the perfect eligible bachelor find that there is one enchantment they can’t figure out how to break… true love.
Cate Blanchett as Lilith in ‘Borderlands.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
After returning to her home-planet Pandora, infamous outlaw, Lilith (Cate Blanchett), is given a dangerous mission and forms an alliance (and potential friendship) with other criminals; including former mercenary Roland (Kevin Hart), demolitionst Tiny Tina and her protector Krieg, insane scientist Tannis, and the wisecracking robot Claptrap (Jack Black). The mission: find and protect the missing (and important) daughter of a very powerful man named Atlas. Although, things may not be as they seem, as the girl holds the key to great power, one that can change the fate of the entire universe.
(L to R) John Cena and Awkwafina in ‘Jackpot!’ Photo: Prime Video.
Set in a very near future where a Grand Lottery has been founded in economically struggling California. The only caveat? If you want to legitimately claim the award, you must murder the winner before sunset.
‘Chapter 2’ continues to explore the lure of the old West and takes audiences on a treacherous journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.
Bill Skarsgård in ‘The Crow.’ Photo Credit: Larry Horricks for Lionsgate.
Soulmates Eric Draven (Bill Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right.
‘The Watchers’ director Ishana Night Shyamalan at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Scheduled to open in theaters on June 14th is the new supernatural thriller ‘The Watchers,’ which is based on the novel of the same name by author A.M. Shine and was produced by acclaimed filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan (‘Unbreakable’) and directed by his daughter, Ishana Night Shyamala (‘Servant’).
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending an event called “Summer of Shyamalan,” which included the screening of the new trailer from M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Trap,’ as well as 10 minutes of footage from first time feature film director Ishana Night Shyamalan’s ‘The Watchers.’
(L to R) Oliver Finnegan as Daniel, Olwen Fouere as Madeline, Dakota Fanning as Mina and Georgina Campbell as Ciara in New Line Cinema’s and Warner Bros. Pictures’ fantasy thriller ‘The Watchers,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
The screening began with a sequence from the film that features Dakota Fanning’s Mina traveling in a car with her pet bird, Darwin. When Mina comes across a “Point of No Return” sign, her car breaks down and she begins walking in through looking for help. Mina soon begins lost and cannot find her way back to the car. After she is attacked by a group of bats, Mina sees someone running through the woods and she follows.
Mina discovers an older woman standing in front of a mysterious door in the woods. The woman says, “If you want to live, you’ll have to run.” Mina runs into the doorway and is lead to a strange room where she is locked in with the woman and two other strangers. It is explained to Mina that she will be safe if she stays in the room because the Watchers can’t come in.
Mina notices a large window in the room and suddenly is told to get in a line with the other strangers to meet the Watchers. The sequence ends with a character saying, “Welcome to the show.” The scene was followed by a screening of the new trailer, which was released today and you can watch below.
(L to R) Georgina Campbell as Ciara and Dakota Fanning as Mina in New Line Cinema’s and Warner Bros. Pictures’ fantasy thriller ‘The Watchers,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
What did Ishana Night Shyamalan say about ‘The Watchers’?
‘The Watchers’ director Ishana Night Shyamalan at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
After the screening, we had a chance to speak exclusively with writer and director Ishana Night Shyamalan about her work on ‘The Watchers’.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about adapting the novel and the themes you wanted to explore with this movie?
Ishana Night Shyamalan: I think so many things. That was something I was very considerate about when entering. Now I know it’s an incredible amount of work and takes a lot of endurance and you lose yourself in so many ways. My dad gave me this advice, he’s like, “Look for the piece that has an unending well for you. That sort of feels like you can never stop thinking about it, and you go deeper and deeper.” This book came to me and felt like it had that. It had the fantasy bend that I’m interested in and a very beautiful horror structure to it, and characters that I felt like could be painted and played with. So, it just had those elements and it felt also very representative of me and what I was dealing with now.
MF: Obviously, with your last name, audiences will be expecting a certain type of movie from you. Did you embrace that or deliberately try to invert expectations?
INS: Absolutely. I think I’ve always been very acutely aware of at least in my mind, what the perception will be and what the expectations are. I was really interested in playing with those expectations. So, starting with something that felt expected and then expanding into something that’s very me and kind of like an indication of what I want to do. So, my hope is that it does that where it satisfies the feeling that you come in wanting, but then kind of takes you somewhere else a bit.
MF: Finally, did you seek advice from your dad while making the movie, or did you want to do it on your own?
INS: He’s been just the most incredible mentor throughout this process. He cares so much, which can be very overwhelming for me at moments. I think there’s constantly an ego thing in it for me where I’m like, “I want to do this on my own. I don’t want to be tethered to your way of thinking.” That’s just me being an egotistical young person. So, I constantly am trying to honor the opportunity I’ve been given. I was born in this life where I have access to an incredible artist here. So, it’s just a wonderful, wonderful thing. I hope I’ve made him proud in the process.
When Will ‘The Watchers’ Be in Theaters?
‘The Watchers’ is scheduled for release on June 14th.
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What is the plot of ‘The Watchers’?
28-year-old artist Mina (Dakota Fanning) gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland. Upon finding shelter, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night.
(L to R) Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan of ‘Trap’ and writer/director Ishana Shyamalan of ‘The Watchers’ attend the “Summer of Shyamalan” event at Soho House on April 16, 2024 in West Hollywood, California. Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Warner Bros.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending an event called “Summer of Shyamalan,” which included a screening of the new trailer from ‘Trap’ that dropped today and you can watch above. As well as screening 10 minutes of footage from the new movie by M. Night Shyamalan’s other daughter, filmmaker Ishana Night Shyamalan, entitled ‘The Watchers.’
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M. Night Shyamalan Introduces the ‘Trap’ Trailer
Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan of ‘Trap’ attends the “Summer of Shyamalan” event at Soho House on April 16, 2024 in West Hollywood, California. Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Warner Bros.
Before we screened the new trailer, the director explained the genesis of the project and developing it with his daughter, Saleka Shyamalan.
So, ‘Trap’ was this kind of very interesting genesis of each time out, I’m trying to do something, I think that fusion of genres a little bit. So just for me, it’s exciting. For 30 years I’ve been making movies now and the idea of that. You’ve got the comic that’s distinct and unique. I know sometimes the system doesn’t like that, that it’s completely original, completely different. But I think more and more that’s becoming a signature beacon that kind of pops out to the audience, and they’re so savvy, they can feel that. In this case, my oldest daughter, Saleka is an amazing musician that’s classically trained, a pianist and was going to go do that for her life and go to conservatory. Then she started to write and sing. Then she started touring and she signed to Columbia Records. We would follow her around the country and be backstage at Radio City Music Hall or wherever it was and got to see that life a bit. We started talking about the idea of the experience of seeing a concert and the experience of seeing a movie as these kinds of beautiful last experiences that we do together. We started talking and I said, “What if we did one together?” This is going to sound crazy after you see the trailer but, we’re huge fans of ‘Purple Rain.’ So, I was like, it’s a narrative structure, a diegetic where the song is part of the story and fusing these two worlds together. It doesn’t happen very often, if ever, as opposed to the U2 song playing over a montage or something like that. But the characters are experiencing that thing. So, me and her started talking about, “Hey, we should think of something because this is one house where you could write the album and we can make the movie.” So, one day I got this idea and I said, “Oh my gosh, I got this idea to do this, it takes place at a concert.” Then I thought for a bit, I didn’t know exactly the point of view of how to do it. Then one day I was like, “What if I did it from that angle?” I told her and she was like, “Oh my God, let’s do this.” So, this is two years later and here is that experiment.
What does the trailer reveal about the plot of ‘Trap?’
Josh Hartnett in ‘Trap’. Photo: Warner Bros.
The trailer reveals that ‘Trap’ is about a father, played by Josh Hartnett, who takes his daughter to a famous pop singer’s stadium concert. The musician is portrayed by Saleka Shyamalan and is clearly a Taylor Swift level performer.
Hartnett’s character soon discovers that the entire concert is really a trap set by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to capture a notorious serial killer. Shyamalan is best known for the surprising twists in his movies, and ‘Trap’ is no exception as the end of the trailer leads one to believe that Hartnett is really playing the killer who has been trapped.
But we’ll have to wait and see what other twists and turns Shyamalan has in store for us when ‘Trap’ hits theaters on August 9th.
M. Night Shyamalan Explains ‘Trap’
‘Trap’ director M. Night Shyamalan at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Moviefone had a chance to speak with M. Night Shyamalan after the screening to talk about his work on ‘Trap.’
Moviefone: Can you talk about coming up with the concept for ‘Trap’ and what were the themes you wanted to explore with this movie?
M. Night Shyamalan: The idea was, how can we do diegetic music in a thriller that’s not fluff, that it’s really conveying the circumstances and the tone of the piece and is tied to characters very deeply. So, that thought pattern, because of the arenas and these concert venues that I’ve seen Saleka in and playing. I was like, “Wow, we should set it in there. It could be a larger version of one of my movies, like a house.” A lot of times, I have characters just trapped in a house. So, this is a larger version of that. So, having that conversation and talking with Saleka about that character and, as a real character, why do they sing what they sing? What did these songs mean to her fans?
MF: At this point in your career, audiences expect a certain kind of movie from you as a director, something in the horror genre. But ‘Trap’ seems more like a suspenseful thriller. Can you talk about the genre and subverting expectations with this film?
MNS: I love ‘Shadow of a Doubt.’ I have that poster up in the house and it has a wicked tone about it. The uncle that’s so sweet and it turns out he’s not so sweet. The young woman who’s his niece and all that stuff, that’s named after him/ and all of that. The humor of that movie. So, Hitchcock will forever be the teacher. Somewhere deep in my childhood the DNA is built in there about these archetypes of the bad guy you love.
(L to R) Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan of ‘Trap’ and writer/director Ishana Shyamalan of ‘The Watchers’ attend the “Summer of Shyamalan” event at Soho House on April 16, 2024 in West Hollywood, California. Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Warner Bros.
(L to R) Willem Dafoe, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Michael Keaton, Monica Bellucci, and director Tim Burton for ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Preview:
Warner Bros. showed off its upcoming slate at CinemaCon Tuesday.
Movies such as ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ and ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ were promoted.
Talent including George Miller and Todd Phillips took to the stage to show off footage.
Warner Bros. was the first of the major studios to make a big presentation to theater owners at CinemaCon, so naturally it had to kick off by celebrating the box office success enjoyed by ‘Dune: Part Two’, ‘Wonka’, ‘Godzilla x Kong’ and, oh yes… a little movie called ‘Barbie’.
And it was also about looking forward to this year’s offerings, with the executive team dressing in Beetlejuice costumes. Got to love a slightly awkward business type outside of their comfort zone.
Director Bong Joon-ho for ‘Mickey 17’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Of note in the opening montage? Footage from Bong Joon Ho’s sci-fi thriller ‘Mickey 17’, which stars Robert Pattinson and is scheduled for January next year. Its presence hints at more today…
The presentation, once the initial sizzle was over and done with, kicked off properly with…
(L to R) Director George Miller, Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth for ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. was always going to launch with one of its bigger guns, and there are few bigger than this prequel to ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’.
Director George Miller took the stage alongside his stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. Miller admitted that the movie had only just been finished the week before the presentation –– just in time for its launch at the Cannes Film Festival next month.
Miller explained why ‘Furiosa’ came about: “To tell the story of Mad Max, we had to know where every vehicle, every character, every prop, every gesture came from. We wrote backstories of Furiosa overall these years and Mad Max the year before. When ‘Fury Road’ had enough traction we figured we had to do ‘Furiosa.’”
(L to R) Anya Taylor-Joy director George Miller and Chris Hemsworth for ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Taylor-Joy admitted that as a ‘Mad Max’ mega-fan, she was pinching herself every day on set, hardly able to believe she was on set. She called the movie “the story of one woman’s commitment to unrelenting hope,” and we can all use some of that.
Miller, for his part, explained that he cast Taylor-Joy because she’s the type of person he would want to hang out with during the apocalypse. Oh, and that the movie spans roughly 16-18 years of the narrative.
Hemsworth, meanwhile, described his character –– Dr. Dementus –– as “twisted” and “cruel”, but ultimately charming, since he has a following. And let’s be honest: even with a big fake nose, he still mostly looks like Chris Hemsworth!
And this being CinemaCon, there was an extended look at the film, which is suitably dystopian and crazed in the best Miller style.
‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ will be in theaters on May 24th.
Director Ishana Night Shyamalan for ‘The Watchers’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
A sneak peak of the new trailer for the Ishana Night Shyamalan thriller, which stars Dakota Fanning as a young woman who gets lost in a forest and ends up trapped inside a weird glass-walled structure where she and several others are observed by mysterious creatures/people.
(Center) James Gunn and the cast of ‘Superman.’ Photo: James Gunn’s Instagram Account.
In between presentations there was a video message from DC Studios co-chief James Gunn, who thanked theater manages for helping with the success of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,’ and teased his July 2025 release ‘Superman’ –– with a logo shown on screen. Sounds like he’ll be stopping by Las Vegas next year…
Christopher Reeve in ‘Superman.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Following Gunn, it was the turn of his DC Studios colleague Peter Safran, who introduced a look at the moving documentary about the career and legacy of Christopher Reeve, who famously played Supes on screen in the Richard Donner movies and beyond.
‘Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story’ also tracks his time after a riding accident left his paralyzed. The documentary will be in theaters this September. Even the trailer when it arrives may make you tear up.
Costner explains that he prefers “Journey Movies” over “Plot Movies,” preferring audiences take a ride with the characters. The first two chapters of ‘Horizon’ covers 12 years of time, starting before the Civil War and through it.
And because two chapters surely isn’t enough, he intends to make two more. He’s hoping audiences will binge the movies in theaters.
Warner Bros. will be releasing the first two chapters of the film series this year. ‘Chapter 1’ moseys in on June 28th, with ‘Chapter 2’ following on August 16th.
Robert Pattinson for ‘Mickey 17’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
As the sizzle reel predicted, Bong Joon Ho and Robert Pattinson took the stage to show the trailer for their sci-fi movie, which sees the latter playing a cloned worker in space who takes on dangerous jobs.
Bong explained the movie’s title shift (the source novel is called ‘Mickey 7) –– he’s killed the character an addition 10 times (no word on whether we’ll see them all). And Pattinson plays two versions at once –– including Mickey 18, who decides he should kill his fellow clone.
And the tone of the movie certainly looks to learn towards the dark comedy vibes of ‘Snowpiercer’.
Why did Bong cast Pattinson? “He has a crazy thing in his eyes.”
‘Mickey 17’ appears to be worth waiting for… and we will have to wait until January 31 next year.
Director M. Night Shyamalan for ‘Trap’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
While his daughter’s film (‘The Watchers’) had just a trailer, M. Night Shyamalan himself was on stage to preview his next movie, ‘Trap’, his first with Warners.
Using the words “provocative” and “unusual” to describe his latest, Shyamalan explained that cinemagoers will feel like part of the audience attending a concert to see a performance by a singer called Lady Raven. Things take… a dark turn. Twist!
The story involves a father and a daughter attending the concert, only to learn that it’s all been organized as a trap for a local serial killer.
Saleka Shyamalan for ‘Trap’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
And in keeping with the performance feel, he had his daughter Saleka perform a song. 2024 is a family affair for the director.
The trailer played, but that one is best left to see for yourself.
Of course, the angle here is heavily on the legacy of Tim Burton, and his commitment to making the new movie as practically as possible.
To big that up, a behind-the-scenes video was shown of filming on both the original and the sequel.
Burton took the stage with some of his cast, including Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Willem Dafoe, and, of course, Michael Keaton. The director admitted that his original focus was on Lydia Deetz (Ryder), but shifted to the family as a whole, and the different generation of Deetz women. He says the movie feels like a big family reunion.
(L to R) Director Tim Burton, Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux and Monica Bellucci for ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Keaton kept things low key with his praise for the movie: “It’s really f*****g good. It’s really, really good. Actually, it’s great.”
Justin Theroux, meanwhile, shared that he found the experience “fun” (everyone crossed that out on their bingo card). There was praise for Ortega, who is apparently a natural fit for the story.
And they couldn’t stay too long, as Burton said he’s expected back in London to continue editing the movie itself.
Director Todd Phillips for ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Co-writer/director Todd Phillips was on stage, thanking cinema chains for supporting the first ‘Joker’ and mentioning “bizarre rumors” about it leading to violence that swirled ahead of its release.
He went on to add that while he called ‘Joker’ a one-off while promoting it, he and Joaquin Phoenix had talked about sequel ideas on set.
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo: Todd Phillips’ Instagram.
As for Lady Gaga, he described her as “magic” and knew from producing ‘A Star is Born’ that she was the right person to star alongside Phoenix.
And though he stopped short of describing the movie as a musical, he did say that it plays an important part. “Arthur has music to him. He has a dance to him.”
The first teaser trailer was shown, and you can find it below:
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‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Emma (Dakota Fanning) reports to Frank what is happening in Italy in Columbia Pictures ‘The Equalizer 3.’ Photo: Stefano Montesi.
Preview:
Dakota Fanning will star in new horror movie ‘Vicious’.
‘The Strangers’ Bryan Bertino is writing and directing.
The movie is scheduled for release in August next year.
Dakota Fanning certainly seems to be in a horror mood of late. She already has the Ishana Night Shyamalan thriller ‘The Watchers’ headed to screens in June, and now, via Variety, the actor will lead the cast of new chiller ‘Vicious’.
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What’s the story of ‘Vicious’?
Fanning will star as a young woman who is left a strange present by a late-night visitor, and quickly realizes she is fighting for her life after slipping down a disturbing rabbit hole contained inside the gift.
Which all makes it sound like a valuable lesson in not accepting gifts from strangers, something every parent drills into their child and, if we’re honest, has been a truth since the days of the Trojan Horse.
The new movie comes from Bryan Bertino, who broke out writing and directing sleeper horror hit ‘The Strangers’ in 2008, which featured other people terrorized in their house by unexpected visitors.
He has had other projects in development, but it appears ‘Vicious’ is jumping to the head of the queue.
‘Vicious’ comes from Paramount Pictures, which has seen success with horror of late, including 2022’s ‘Smile’, which has a sequel on the way this October (so if you see random standing around with creepy grins, you know the promotional campaign has ramped up again) and ‘Pet Sematary: Bloodlines’, which while the prequel to the Stephen King story didn’t get great reviews, it did do well for streaming service Paramount+.
In addition to ‘The Watchers’, Fanning will be seen in the Netflix adaptation of ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’, titled simply ‘Ripley’ (out on April 4th) and ‘The Perfect Couple’, which stars Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber, and will also be on the streaming service, but has yet to announce a date.
And on top of that, she’s busy as a producer through her Llewellyn Pictures company. Projects include a four-part documentary series called ‘Mastermind’ for Hulu, which chronicles the experience of the legendary Dr. Ann Burgess and her trajectory from nurse to criminal profiler for the FBI, an adaptation of ‘Paris: The Memoir’, and TV series ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’, which will star Fanning’s sister Elle.
When will ‘Vicious’ be in theaters?
Paramount has scheduled ‘Vicious’ for an August 8th, 2025 release.
(L to R) Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington on the set of ‘The Equalizer 3.’ Photo: Stefano Cristiiano Montesi.
