(L to R) Samara Weaving and Jason Segel in Jorma Taccone’s ‘Over Your Dead Body’. Courtesy of Independent Film Company. An Independent Film Company Release.
(L to R) Jason Segel and Samara Weaving in Jorma Taccone’s ‘Over Your Dead Body’. Courtesy of Independent Film Company. An Independent Film Company Release.
Marriages where the passion has long cooled have been a fertile source for bloody comedies in the past, including ‘The War of the Roses’ (remade recently as ‘The Roses’) into that genre steps ‘Over Your Dead Body’, which boasts the comic stylings of Jason Segel and the comedy/action chops of Samara Weaving. But does it deliver?
Script and Direction
‘Over Your Dead Body’ director Jorma Taccone.
Adapted from the Norwegian film ‘The Trip’ (which was co-written and directed by Tommy Wirkola), the new movie features a script from Nick Kocher (‘Pizza Movie’) and Brian McElhaney (‘Plus One’) that sets up the bad romance between Segel and Weaving’s characters before throwing all manner of comically violent twists in. It doesn’t always work, but when it hits, it hits hard.
Jorma Taccone, the Lonely Island co-founder, shows a knack for staging violent set pieces here, and keeps the movie feeling fun.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Juliette Lewis, Samara Weaving, and Timothy Olyphant in Jorma Taccone’s ‘Over Your Dead Body’. Courtesy of Independent Film Company. An Independent Film Company Release.
Segel and Weaving are excellent as the central pair, but kudos also to Timothy Olyphant, Juliette Lewis and Keith Jardine, who all give committed, loopy performances.
Final Thoughts
Timothy Olyphant in Jorma Taccone’s ‘Over Your Dead Body’. Courtesy of Independent Film Company. An Independent Film Company Release.
If you watch one action comedy this year where Samara Weaving regrets her choices and fights for her life, make it ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’. But if you’ve room for two, then ‘Over Your Dead Body’ has plenty to offer.
‘Over Your Dead Body’ receives 69 out of 100.
(L to R) Jason Segel and Samara Weaving in Jorma Taccone’s ‘Over Your Dead Body’. Courtesy of Independent Film Company. An Independent Film Company Release.
What is the plot of ‘Over Your Dead Body’?
A couple (Jason Segel and Samara Weaving) tries to reconnect while on vacation, only to find out they have plans to kill each other.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Jorma Taccone about his work on ‘Over Your Dead Body’, remaking ‘The Trip’, shooting the action sequences, the music, and putting together the exceptional cast.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.
(L to R) Jason Segel and Samara Weaving in Jorma Taccone’s ‘Over Your Dead Body’. Courtesy of Independent Film Company. An Independent Film Company Release.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and the challenges of remaking ‘The Trip’?
Jorma Taccone: Well, this is based on a Norwegian movie called ‘The Trip’, originally called ‘In Bad Days’ by Tommy Wirkola, and it’s a very funny movie. Tommy did movies like ‘Violent Night’. I was really a big fan of all his stuff. He’s more of an action-comedy guy. I’m more of a comedy-action guy. So, there’s a Venn diagram there. The original movie is very dark. It’s angry but it’s very funny too. I was very interested in, one, what a different cast would bring to it. There are some pretty big changes that have happened with our bad guys. When I read the original script, I was really impressed that Nick (Kocher) and Brian (McElhaney), who are very funny writers, had captured the tone that I really wanted to present, which is the characters being a bit more redeemable and really trying to earn the ending of the movie. It’s a series of tricks that this movie is doing of threading all these different needles. It’s like three movies in one. It’s this suspense/thriller, into almost a home invasion, into an action movie and it just ramps. So, it was pushing the comedy, which is obviously my heart, not wanting to break anything and having the reality of the world. But really doing all those tones, having all these twists and turns, and having the comedy stitch it all together in this way that felt like such an awesome challenge. Showing different shades of things that maybe people don’t expect from me.
(L to R) Timothy Olyphant, Juliette Lewis, and Keith Jardine in Jorma Taccone’s ‘Over Your Dead Body’. Courtesy of Independent Film Company. An Independent Film Company Release.
MF: Can you talk about your approach to filming the action sequences?
JT: I mean, there’s a lot of cool set pieces in this movie. With the days that you have and the time that you have, it’s always challenging to get. A half a page of action lines can take a full day to shoot. So, it’s always like that. There’s a whole action set piece that goes all around the front yard and there’s brutal stuff that happens. There are maybe ten different gags that happen that are just really over the top violent and it’s so fun. It’s also funny and disturbing. So, that was a fun one to block and choreograph with 87North Productions, who are known for ‘Bullet Train’, ‘Atomic Blonde’, ‘John Wick’. So, I had the best stunt team on the planet. Then I’m also weaving all my dumb comedy into it as well. So, it was those moments that you’re just like, “This is so fun to have so many different things going on in one scene.”
Samara Weaving in Jorma Taccone’s ‘Over Your Dead Body’. Courtesy of Independent Film Company. An Independent Film Company Release.
MF: Can you talk about the music you used in the film?
JT: I’m obsessed with audio. There’s all these EDM songs that are in the movie that I got Karen Gillan to do. So, she did this song, and Samara Weaving does a song. But if there is chaos, there’s even more chaos with audio and there’s this crazy song happening. So, it was fun to build all that stuff up.
(L to R) Samara Weaving and Jason Segel in Jorma Taccone’s ‘Over Your Dead Body’. Courtesy of Independent Film Company. An Independent Film Company Release.
MF: Finally, what was it like putting this cast together and working with them on set?
JT: Well, one of the things I’ve been saying, which I think holds very true, is that my wife (director Marielle Heller) was saying that there’s a head of every department and there’s always a head of the acting department. Jason Siegel was absolutely that for me. He was the hub of the wheel that we first got. Then to get Samara who works so well with him, and she’s so funny in this movie. She’s playing an Australian too, which was great for her improv to just be able to go toe to toe with Jason. There’s so much fun between them. But then Timothy Olyphant, who was difficult to convince, but I did it. Then him and Juliette are so funny. Then, Keith Jardine, who is mostly known for MMA fighting, but he’s been in a ton of stuff. He’s the sweetest man on the planet and he’s so funny in this. Then, Paul Guilfoyle, who’s unbelievable as this dad character. So, I got incredibly lucky. But Jason was the start of that, of the ball rolling towards this incredible cast.
Editorial Note: Tessa Smith conducted the interview and contributed to this article.
Timothy Olyphant in Jorma Taccone’s ‘Over Your Dead Body’. Courtesy of Independent Film Company. An Independent Film Company Release.
What is the plot of ‘Over Your Dead Body’?
A couple (Jason Segel and Samara Weaving) tries to reconnect while on vacation, only to find out they have plans to kill each other.
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Sydney Chandler as Wendy. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Preview:
‘Alien: Earth’ will return for a second season.
Creator Noah Hawley has signed a new deal with FX.
The new season will start shooting next year.
As one of the biggest, buzziest TV hits of the year, you might have expected an announcement about a second season of Noah Hawley’s ‘Alien: Earth’ to happen a little sooner.
Still, cable channel FX is making sure that Hawley and his show is not left in limbo long, locking the creator down to a rich new development deal and flashing the greenlight for a new season of the series.
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Here’s what Hawley had to say on the new development:
“I’m thrilled that this expanded deal opens the door to new opportunities across all of Disney Entertainment Television. FX has always supported bold, character-driven storytelling. From the very beginning with ‘Fargo,’ they’ve encouraged me to take creative risks and follow the story wherever it leads. I’m grateful to continue exploring the world of ‘Alien: Earth’ alongside our partners, cast, and crew as we begin the next chapter.”
Related Article: TV Review: ‘Alien: Earth’
What’s the story of ‘Alien: Earth’?
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Babou Ceesay as Morrow. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Set before the events of the original 1979 ‘Alien’ movie, ‘Alien: Earth’ follows what happens when a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, putting a mysterious young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers into a situation and a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat.
As for what will happen in the second season? Unlike ‘Fargo’, which tends to be an anthology series with loose connections, Hawley has said that ‘Alien: Earth’ will continue to follow the story of Chandler’s Wendy who (spoiler alert in case you’ve yet to watch the first run of episodes) ended up overtaking the Prodigy facility where her hybrid body was created, and bonding with one of the Xenomorphs.
The season left plenty of dangling questions to be answered about the situation, so we’re happy Hawley and his team will get the chance to answer them.
When can we expect the second season of ‘Alien: Earth’?
That’s the disappointing part of the news: the new season doesn’t kick off shooting until next year –– with production moving to London after the first shot in Thailand –– so we wouldn’t expect to see the show return to our screens until 2027 at the earliest.
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Sydney Chandler as Wendy. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Sydney Chandler as Wendy. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
‘Alien: Earth’ receives 9 out of 10 stars.
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Launching on FX and Hulu on August 12 with the first two episodes (six more debut once per week after that), ‘Alien: Earth’ is the latest attempt to get more mileage out of the venerable sci-fi/horror franchise birthed by writers Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett, alongside director Ridley Scott back in 1979 with ‘Alien’.
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Alex Lawther as Hermit. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
The ‘Alien’ franchise is one that can be truly hard to get a handle on. Following Ridley Scott’s genre-busting mash-up of sci-fi and haunted house movies in 1979, James Cameron blew the doors off the movie series with the superlative ‘Aliens’ in 1986, but since then it has been on something of a slippery slope –– David Fincher’s divisive ‘Alien³’ has its defenders, but even Scott’s more recent revisitation of the xenomorph universe headed into ponderous pretension.
Fede Alvarez’ 2024 effort ‘Alien: Romulus’ had better luck, but even that was derided for one or two choices (not the least of which was the dreadful application of a classic ‘Aliens’ line).
Now, here comes Noah Hawley, who has worked wonders mining established source material for new TV output, including Marvel’s ‘Legion’ and especially ‘Fargo’, which has evoked the Coen brothers’ movie while existing as its own beast.
He pulls off a similar trick here, respecting what has come before (or, er since this is a prequel, what will come after) with intensity, style and a healthy dose of humanity amongst the creature chaos.
Script and Direction
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Timothy Olyphant as Kirsh. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Hawley, leading an accomplished writing team that has worked on shows including ‘WandaVision’ and his own ‘Fargo’, treads the line between evoking what has gone before –– including thematically –– and invention, deepening and layering the story.
The ‘Alien’ franchise is ripe with subtext beyond the xenomorphs, and Hawley and his team take full advantage of the stories’ exploration of artificial intelligence and giant corporations (both could not be timelier).
And TV running times mean there is much more scope to take time with the characters, the initial beats of the first episode graceful and almost operatic, fully tuned into the working class “space-trucker” vibe of the original movie. It’s always compelling and never dull, interspersed with dynamic moments of horror as a deep-space vessel’s crew discovers that transporting weird creatures never works out in humanity’s favor.
There is also a welcome, skillful approach to exposition, bringing those who might not be familiar with the storylines up to speed.
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Adarsh Gourav as Slightly. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Hawley also directs the first episode (Dana Gonzales handles the second and the lion’s share of the season), kicking things off with real style and epic feel for when the space ship comes roaring back to Earth, out of control.
The horror sequences of people being stalked by creatures (xenomorphs and some lethal new friends) really work well, delivering intensity while not losing focus on the performances.
Cast and Performances
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Essie Davis as Dame Sylvia. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Sydney Chandler, as Wendy a “Hybrid” (a human consciousness transferred into a synthetic body) is our main way in as the show starts, and Chandler brings a healthy blend of emotion and levity to the show. She’s compelling and watchable, and leads her ragtag band of fellow “Lost Boys” (and girls –– ‘Peter Pan’ is another thematic touchstone here) as they are drawn into the wider story, including a link to her past.
Alex Lawther as Hermit, a military medic working off his contract with the sprawling, powerful Prodigy corporation (one of franchise stalwart Weyland-Yutani’s big competitors and the funding/science behind the programme that created Wendy), gives a soulful, nuanced performance.
On the Prodigy front, company founder and resident genius/trillionaire Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin) is also good value, a sort of Mark Zuckerberg type who is endlessly frustrated that no-one is on his level.
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Babou Ceesay as Morrow. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Elsewhere, Babou Ceesay is great as Morrow, the cyborg security chief of the crashing spaceship, whose concerns once things get out of hand are certainly not the safety of his crewmates, and he puts you in mind of Ian Holm‘s Ash from the original movie.
While what the production has done to Timothy Olyphant’s normally lustrous locks might be more horrifying than being stalked by a slavering beast, he’s typically excellent as the synth scientist at Prodigy who has become a father figure to Wendy.
Final Thoughts
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured (L to R): Samuel Blenkin as Boy Kavalier, Ade Edmondson as Atom Eins. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Chalk another win up to Hawley’s list of TV shows you thought might not work, as ‘Alien: Earth’, at least on the basis of its initial episodes, is a triumph. Dread drips into emotion, the effects are top notch and the writer/director has mined something special here.
It’s not hyperbolic to suggest that this is a better extension of the ‘Alien’ universe than many previous attempts. Perhaps the xenomorphs are better off on the small screen for now.
Be careful watching it with friends, though –– everyone will hear you scream.
What’s the plot of ‘Alien: Earth’?
When the mysterious deep space research vessel USCSS Maginot crash-lands on Earth, Wendy (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat.
Owen Wilson in ‘Stick,’ premiering June 4, 2025 on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+.
‘Stick’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
Released on Apple TV+ on June 4th with three episodes (followed by one every Wednesday through July 23rd), ‘Stick’ looks to play a similar game to Apple smash hit ‘Ted Lasso.’
(L to R) Owen Wilson and Peter Dager in ‘Stick,’ premiering June 4, 2025 on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+.
Despite its rampant popularity in the professional sporting world, and a legion of amateur club-swingers who head to courses across the world in their free time, golf is a pastime that hasn’t gotten the toe hold in popular culture to the same level as say football or even soccer.
True, there have been a wealth of movies, including the likes of ‘Tin Cup’ and ‘Happy Gilmore,’ but now ‘Stick’ is looking to level the playing field on the small screen. Or should that be course?
Mostly, though, the sport is more a backdrop for the character work, and especially the arc of Wilson’s Pryce, who seeks redemption on the green and off of it. And, much as with ‘Ted Lasso,’ the series around him aims to be a blend of sports story, hangout comedy and some deeper emotions, not all of them as sunny as the lead’s normal disposition.
Script and Direction
Judy Greer in ‘Stick,’ premiering June 4, 2025 on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+.
Here, teamed with showrunner Christopher Moynihan (‘Marlon,’‘100 Questions’), he looks to open up the world of golf in a way not really explored since Adam Sandler’s heavy hitter –– indeed, the character of teen prodigy Santi, played by Peter Dager, has some resonance with Happy Gilmore, since he’s similarly able to thwack a ball great distances (though he’s less burning with anger, more simmering with resentful tension).
The focus, though, is on Pryce, a man who once flirted with true golfing glory, only to let his own anger issues get in the way –– issues that were inflamed by a past tragedy in his life.
Keller and the writers find a way to play to Wilson’s mostly laidback strengths, but still give him opportunities to go in another, fiercer direction when needed.
(L to R) Marc Maron and Owen Wilson in ‘Stick,’ premiering June 4, 2025 on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+.
Around him, they’ve built an effective set of characters with interesting stories of their own (even Marc Maron’s Mitts, who is mostly the grumpy former caddy-turned-wise old owl has a chance to shine), and if some of the narrative hits a ball into sand trap, the writing retrieves it well enough.
Mariana Treviño in ‘Stick,’ premiering June 4, 2025 on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+.
Owen Wilson has found a good groove on the small screen of late –– he was a highlight of both seasons of ‘Loki’ and here is playing a character he can certainly make work. As Pryce “Stick” Cahill, his good-natured charisma shines through, but he’s also willing to go to darker places when necessary. And he plays well off of everyone else, not least Judy Greer (as Pryce’s ex-wife Amber-Lynn) and Peter Dager’s Santi.
Talking of the young golf whizz, Dager is handed and ably brings to life a more complicated role than just a moody teenager with one standout ability. He’s funny and charming at times, and also able to embody Santi’s frustration when life gets in his way.
As mentioned, Judy Greer has a supporting role, but is typically excellent, balancing exasperation with enthusiasm and real heart.
Peter Dager in ‘Stick,’ premiering June 4, 2025 on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+.
Santi’s mother Elena is brought to screens by ‘A Man Called Otto’s Mariana Treviño, and she’s also effective, treading a careful path between a mother worried about her son and looking to secure her own future. Her chemistry with Maron’s Mitts is particularly rewarding.
Maron always gives good gruff, and the role of Mitts fits him well. He’s got his own reasons for behaving the way he does, and his history with Pryce works.
Lilli Kay adds some romantic interest to Santi’s life, but is more than simply a reason for him to want to impress people. The role becomes more crucial as the story moves along, that Kay is more than up to the task.
Final Thoughts
Marc Maron in ‘Stick,’ premiering June 4, 2025 on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+.
It might not exactly have quite the same layers as ‘Ted Lasso,’ but if ‘Stick’ doesn’t exactly score a hole in one, it’s able to stay under par and prove to be an effective delivery system for both charming comedy and decent drama.
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What’s the plot of ‘Stick’?
Owen Wilson stars as Pryce Cahill, an over-the-hill, ex-pro golfer whose career was derailed prematurely 20 years ago.
After the collapse of his marriage and getting fired from his job at an Indiana sporting goods store, Pryce hedges his bets, and future, entirely on a troubled 17-year-old golf phenom named Santi (Peter Dager).
The new sports comedy is about a found family and their relationships set within the world of golf as it has never been shown before.
The first pictures of Tom Hardy in new thriller ‘Havoc’ are online.
He’ll play a detective who has to unravel a web of corruption.
Gareth Evans wrote and directed the movie.
A new action movie? From the director of ‘The Raid’ and its sequel, Gareth Evans? And starring Tom Hardy, a man with no little experience in the genre?
‘Havoc’ is the example of a movie we figured would be on the fastest of fast tracks, but despite backing from Netflix when it was originally announced in 2021, it has been a slow road to screens for the movie.
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Most of that can be chalked up to tricky scheduling –– after an initial shoot, he knew he needed to tweak certain scenes and had some footage he needed to add, but between the in-demand Hardy and the variety of brawlers and other actors in the cast, he had to wait.
Yet Evans, who has also worked on the likes of ‘Apostle,’ sees it as an advantage.
This is what Evans said about that to Empire:
“It’s had a profound effect on the film. It allowed me to better streamline it and make it what it was always intended to be, which is a blistering, fast-paced action-thriller with nods to the Hong Kong cinema that I grew up watching.”
After a drug deal gone wrong, bruised detective Walker (Hardy) must fight his way through a criminal underworld to rescue a politician’s estranged son, while unravelling a deep web of corruption and conspiracy that ensnares his entire city.
Here’s Evans talking up Hardy:
“When it comes to a film called ‘Havoc, with me and Tom Hardy, we deliver on the action front. That’s the primary focus. But with Tom, what you get as well is an intensely muscular central performance, and really well-developed character. There’s a lot going on under the hood.”
If you’ve been waiting for this one for a while, you’ll need to hold on a little while longer –– the movie is scheduled for a 2025 release on Netflix, but the streamer has yet to confirm an exact date.
We’ve had further movie sequels of varying quality and diminishing returns (even 2019’s ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’, which roped Cameron back in as producer, couldn’t crack the quality/box office appeal factor with anything like the success of the first two efforts).
Indeed, one of the more respected ‘Terminator’ treatments has been on TV, where ‘Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles’ ploughed its own furrow for a couple of seasons, with Lena Headey playing Sarah.
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But despite the seeming “Terminator Curse”, that hasn’t stopped other companies from taking a shot, and the latest is Netflix, which has animated series ‘Terminator Zero’ due in a couple of months.
2022: A future war has raged for decades between the few human survivors and an endless army of machines. 1997: The AI known as Skynet gained self-awareness and began its war against humanity.
Caught between the future and this past is a soldier (Mizuno) sent back in time to change the fate of humanity. She arrives in 1997 to protect a scientist named Malcolm Lee (Holland) who works to launch a new AI system designed to compete with Skynet’s impending attack on humanity.
As Malcolm navigates the moral complexities of his creation, he is hunted by an unrelenting assassin from the future which forever alters the fate of his three children.
Dawson is Kokoro, an advanced AI and Japan’s answer to Skynet, if brought online, Kokoro will be endowed with the same power as Skynet. Kokoro must calculate for itself: is humanity the plague Skynet believes? Or are human beings worth saving?
Dowd plays The Prophet. In the future, the Prophet is the philosophical guide for the human resistance, a light shepherding survivors in the darkness of the unknown future ahead.
As for Olyphant? He has the title role, in a version that sounds like the original movie’s killing machine: The Terminator is still out there. It still can’t be bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you’re dead (though we’re promised a fresh take on the iconic character).
Leading the creative team on the new show is Mattson Tomlin, who worked on 2022’s ‘The Batman’ with Matt Reeves and is co-writing the sequel with him.
Here’s Tomlin on ‘Terminator Zero’:
“Anyone who knows my writing knows I believe in taking big swings and going for the heart. I’m honored that Netflix and Skydance have given me the opportunity to approach Terminator in a way that breaks conventions, subverts expectations, and has real guts.”
When will ‘Terminator Zero’ be on our screens?
Netflix previously announced that the new show will hit its screens on the well-chosen date of “Judgement Day” from the movies –– which means August 29th if you’re not keeping track.
Appearing in-person were Zack and Deborah Snyder, Craig Robinson, Nick Kroll and Nathan Lane
Netflix announced several new animated movies and TV shows
Timothy Olyphant will voice the Terminator in ‘Terminator Zero’ and Hayley Atwell will voice Lara Croft in ‘Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft’
On Thursday June 6th, in Hollywood, Netflix held their Next on Netflix Animation Preview where they presented many of their upcoming animated movies and TV shows.
Moviefone had the pleasure of attending the event, with other members of the press, and even had a chance to speak one on one with Zach Snyder about his work on ‘Twilight of the Gods’.
Host Christopher Sean at Next on Netflix Animation Preview. Photo: Netflix.
The event began with a sizzle reel of Netflix’s upcoming animated projects, which you can watch above. Below is a list of projects presented at the event.
Adult series from action with ‘Arcane’, ‘Twilight of the Gods’ and ‘Terminator Zero’, to comedy with ‘Exploding Kittens’ and the final season of ‘Big Mouth’.
Following the success of all-audience hits like ‘The Sea Beast’ and ‘Leo’, come new films including ‘The Imaginary’, ‘Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie’, ‘Spellbound’, ‘That Christmas’, ‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’, ‘The Twits’, ‘K-Pop: Demon Hunters’, ‘Plankton: The Movie’, ‘Pookoo’; and series like ‘Motel Transylvania’ and ‘Jurassic World: Chaos Theory’.
Preschool shows featuring little ones’ favorite friends with ‘CoComelon’, ‘CoComelon Lane’, and ‘Gabby’s Dollhouse’, which collectively amassed more than 650M views last year.
The presentation saw the debut of images and footage from many of Netflix’s upcoming animated projects. Among the first look images presented were photos from Zack Snyder’s ‘Twilight of the Gods’, the SpongeBob SquarePants spinoff ‘Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie’, the new Wallace and Gromit movie ‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’ and from ‘Love Actually’ filmmaker Richard Curtis, ‘That Christmas’.
‘That Christmas’. Photo: Netflix.
The event also included several cast and project announcements including Natalie Portman and Emilia Clarke joining ‘Twits’, Simu Liu joining Craig Robinson in ‘In Your Dreams,’ Timothy Olyphant voicing the Terminator in ‘Terminator Zero’ and Hayley Atwell playing the lead character in ‘Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft’. Other announcements included another SpongeBob SquarePants spinoff ‘Plankton: The Movie’, as well as a TV series based on the ‘Hotel Transylvania’ franchise called ‘Motel Transylvania’.
We also screened footage from the series ‘Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft’, ‘Terminator Zero’, and ‘Twilight of the Gods’, as well as a teaser for a ‘Minecraft’ series, and concept art from upcoming ‘Ghostbusters’ and ‘Stranger Things’ animated shows. Footage from ‘Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie’, ‘In Your Dreams’, ‘That Christmas’, ‘The Twits’, and ‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’ was also shown.
‘Big Mouth’s Final Season
Nick Kroll at Next on Netflix Animation Preview. Photo: Netflix.
Comedian and actor Nick Kroll was on hand to discuss the 8th and final season of his popular adult comedy ‘Big Mouth’, and introduced a table read montage video from the series.
“We started ‘Big Mouth’ eight years ago. Season Eight will be coming out early next year. It’s our final season of the show. I think about where when we started, ‘BoJack Horseman’ had come out and we were in the next little round of animation at a time when Netflix itself was just beginning to do original programming. We had unbelievable freedom to create exactly the show we wanted to make. Netflix really gave us the freedom to do that. Eight seasons later, we will be the longest running series in Netflix history for an adult series. I’m incredibly proud of that and I’m proud of how we’ve made the show. I’m proud of the partnership we’ve had with Netflix, and it’s just been an unbelievable joy creating this show with Mark Levin, Jennifer Flackett and Andrew Goldberg, our unbelievable cast, our unbelievable writers, and are unbelievable storyboard artists, editors, everyone involved in the engineering of it, the producers, and our partners at Titmouse. This has been an incredible labor of love.”
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Craig Robinson’s Dual Roles
Craig Robinson at Next on Netflix Animation Preview. Photo: Netflix.
Actor, comedian, and singer Craig Robinson took the stage to discuss two upcoming films he will appear in. First, he introduced a scene from ‘Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie’.
“Hey, everybody! I’m here today because SpongeBob is back — and so are his friends. ‘Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie’ is coming exclusively to Netflix in August, and I’m so pumped to be in it”
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Craig Robinson at Next on Netflix Animation Preview. Photo: Netflix.
Robinson then discussed his other Netflix movie, ‘In Your Dreams’ before introducing a video of actor Simu Liu talking about his involvement in the project and presenting a clip from the film.
“As awesome as it was to finally reach a place in my career where I got to voice a Squirrel Dad, it pales in comparison to my next role. I think it proves I’m at the top of my game: A stuffed giraffe. I was told by the filmmakers that I was their first and only choice. They said, “Craig, you were born to play this part.” His name’s Tony Baloney, because he’s stuffed with processed meat. Oh, and he can shoot laser farts. That’s awesome. Daniel Day Lewis had ‘Lincoln’, I got Baloney Tony. I’m already working on my Oscar speech.”
Nathan Lane at Next on Netflix Animation Preview. Photo: Netflix.
Before introducing an animation test from the film ‘Pookoo’, acclaimed actor Nathan Lane discussed his upcoming animated movie ‘Spellbound’.
“’Spellbound’ is about Ellian, the tenacious young daughter of the rulers of Lumbria. She has a secret; a mysterious spell has turned her parents into monsters! Ellian loves her parents. That’s why she summons the mysterious Oracles of the Sun and Moon. I play the Oracle of the Moon and Tituss Burgess plays the Oracle of the Sun and we come to help her break the spell. The cast also includes some other great actors: Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, and Jenifer Lewis. It also has music by Academy Award winning composer Alan Menken. The film is directed by Vicky Jensen, who also directed a little movie you may have heard of called ‘Shrek.’ ‘Spellbound’ is a big adventure for the whole family, filled with incredible new characters you’ll love. I’m excited to share that the movie, which will release globally on Netflix on November 22, 2024.”
Director Zack Snyder and producer Deborah Snyder at Next on Netflix Animation Preview. Photo: Netflix.
Director Zack Snyder (‘Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire’) and his wife, producer Deborah Snyder presented footage and images from their new animated series ‘Twilight of the Gods’.
Zack Snyder said this about the series:
“’Twilight of the Gods’ was a show that we’ve been working on for quite some time, years in the making. I’ve always been obsessed with Norse mythology. I think it’s an amazing place. I love mythology in general, and so the idea of being able to dig into this rich tapestry of heroes and gods was an incredible opportunity for both of us. This show is really a story. It’s a story about love and revenge, and it just takes us across this massive and beautiful landscape in pursuit of, well, you’ll have to see.”
Deborah Snyder added this:
“As Zack said, it’s been about just over four years in the making, developing these scripts and then having an in-house team of about 48 artists who developed all the characters and the worlds. In animation, nothing is for free. Every prop and everything, as you know, must be created. We were so lucky to be able to work with this group of very global artists.”
Director Zack Snyder at Next on Netflix Animation Preview. Photo: Netflix.
After the presentation, Moviefone had the pleasure of speaking briefly with Zack Snyder one on one about his new animated project.
Moviefone: To begin with, what drew you to adapting Norse mythology for this animated series?
Zack Snyder: Well, we’ve been talking about doing an animated project with Netflix. That had been a conversation that was going on. We had that conversation and are doing an ‘Army of the Dead’ animated series, so that was kind of happening at the same time. This happened because I think (Director) Jay (Oliva) and I were talking about how we both love Norse mythology; wouldn’t it be cool to do something in that world. We started talking to Netflix about it and they said, “Yeah, do that!” So that started us on the journey of developing it.
MF: Finally, I think fans have been waiting for you to adapt this specific mythology for a long time. Did it seem like a no-brainer for you too?
ZS: I think it was easy in us being excited every day. I wasn’t like, “I got to do that Norse mythology thing.” We were utterly and completely off the chain with (the animation) too, so that was cool.
(Left) Timothy Olyphant in FX’s ‘Justified.’ (Right) 2012’s ‘Prometheus.’
Preview:
Timothy Olyphant will reunite with ‘Fargo’s Noah Hawley for his ‘Alien’ TV series.
The show will resume filming early next year.
On the big screen front, Cailee Spaeny has offered an update on Fede Alvarez’ ‘Alien’ movie.
Not content with ‘Fargo’ returning for a fifth season, Noah Hawley has been working on his ‘Alien’ prequel TV series for cable channel FX.
And it appears he’s recruited someone who has previously on the darkly comic crime series, as Timothy Olyphant is, according to Deadline, set to take one of the lead roles.
Olyphant, of course, appeared in Season 4 of ‘Fargo’, playing Dick ‘Deafy’ Wickware.
So far, very few details have been revealed about the new show. We do know that it’ll factor into the main ‘Alien’ storyline (so has no connection to the ‘Alien Vs. Predator’ movies, which were set on Earth and closer to present day) but located on Earth and taking place roughly 70 years in the future.
Thanks to the Deadline story, we now know that Olyphant is reportedly playing Kirsh, a synth who acts as a mentor and trainer for Sydney Chandler’s Wendy who is a hybrid, a meta-human who has the brain and consciousness of a child but the body of an adult. We’d caution that no official confirmation has arrived for that.
With ‘Alien’ director (and franchise overseer) Ridley Scott giving his stamp of approval as executive producer, the series kicked off shooting in Thailand on July 19th, just four days into the actors’ strike.
It initially got around the SAG-AFTRA shutdown film utilizing members of the cast who are affiliated with the British actors’ union Equity. But after a little more than a month, it had to stop.
Now, Hawley and his team will apparently gear the cameras back up in early 2024.
‘Alien’ On the Big Screen
(L to R) Cailee Spaeny in ‘Priscilla.’ Credit: Sabrina Lantos.
Our TV screens are not the only places those crafty xenomorphs are invading. Fede Alvarez has been hard at work on ‘Alien: Romulus’, the latest movie in the franchise.
Now, according to lead Cailee Spaeny (who was back on the press circuit for ‘Priscilla’), we now know when the movie will take place.
“It’s supposed to slot in between the first movie and the second movie. They brought the same team from ‘Aliens,’ the James Cameron film. The same people who built those xenomorphs actually came on and built ours. So, getting to see the original design with the original people who have been working on these films for 45-plus years and has been so much of their life has been really incredible.”
‘Alien: Romulus’ will be in theaters on August 16 next year.
Rock groups are often solid fodder for both cinematic and TV drama, and new Prime Video limited series ‘Daisy Jones and the Six’ is also throwing ill-fated romance into the mix.
Based on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel and developed for screens by ‘500 Days of Summer’ writing team Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (Neustadter also runs the show alongside ‘A League of Their Own’ TV creator Will Graham), ‘Daisy Jones’ got a leg up thanks to interest from Reese Witherspoon and her Hello Sunshine company.
Witherspoon has had a lot of luck finding popular books and bringing them to screens, including the likes of ‘Big Little Lies’, ‘Little Fires Everywhere’ on TV and ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ in cinemas.
‘Daisy Jones’ details the rise and precipitous fall of a renowned rock band. In 1977, Daisy Jones & The Six were on top of the world. Fronted by two charismatic lead singers—Daisy Jones (Riley Keough) and Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin)—the band had risen from obscurity to fame.
And then, after a sold-out show at Chicago’s Soldier Field, they called it quits. Now, decades later, the band members finally agree to reveal the truth. This is the story of how an iconic band imploded at the height of its powers.
(L to R) Suki Waterhouse (Karen Sirko), Will Harrison (Graham Dunne), Josh Whitehouse (Eddie Roundtree), Sebastian Chacon (Warren Rhodes), Riley Keough (Daisy Jones), and Sam Claflin (Billy Dunne) star in Prime Video’s ‘Daisy Jones and The Six.’ Credit: Pamela Littky/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
From the looks of the teaser, it’s a love connection between Jones and Dunne that helped the band rise but also contributed to its eventual collapse.
Directing duties for the first five episodes of the 10 fell to James Ponsoldt, who has history blending romance with other genres. Nzingha Stewart took on four others, with Graham directing one.
24 original songs were written for the series and recorded by the cast, and Atlantic Records will be dropping songs through the run of the show. The teaser features one of them, “Regret Me”.
‘Daisy Jones and the Six’ will launch on Prime Video on March 10th with the first three episodes, and the rest will follow in three-episode batches on Fridays.
(L to R) Sam Claflin (Billy Dunne), and Riley Keough (Daisy Jones) star in Prime Video’s ‘Daisy Jones and The Six.’ Credit: Lacey Terrell/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.(L to R) Josh Whitehouse (Eddie Roundtree), Suki Waterhouse (Karen Sirko), Sebastian Chacon (Warren Rhodes), Sam Claflin (Billy Dunne), Riley Keough (Daisy Jones), and Will Harrison (Graham Dunne) star in Prime Video’s ‘Daisy Jones and The Six.’ Credit: Lacey Terrell/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.(L to R) Riley Keough (Daisy Jones), and Sam Claflin (Billy Dunne) star in Prime Video’s ‘Daisy Jones and The Six.’ Credit: Lacey Terrell/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.(L to R) Sebastian Chacon (Warren Rhodes), Will Harrison (Graham Dunne), Josh Whitehouse (Eddie Roundtree) Suki Waterhouse (Karen Sirko), and Sam Claflin (Billy Dunne) star in Prime Video’s ‘Daisy Jones and The Six.’ Credit: Lacey Terrell/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.(L to R) Camila Morrone (Camila Dunne), Sam Claflin (Billy Dunne), and Riley Keough (Daisy Jones) star in Prime Video’s ‘Daisy Jones and The Six.’ Credit: Pamela Littky/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.(L to R) Suki Waterhouse (Karen Sirko) stars in Prime Video’s ‘Daisy Jones and The Six.’ Credit: Lacey Terrell/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
