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  • ‘Over Your Dead Body’ Interview: Director Jorma Taccone

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    Opening in theaters on April 24th is ‘Over Your Dead Body‘, which is a remake of the Norwegian film ‘The Trip’ and was directed by Jorma Taccone (‘Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping’).

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    The film stars Jason Segel (‘Shrinking’), Samara Weaving (‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’), Paul Guilfoyle (‘Spotlight’), Keith Jardine (‘Shot Caller’), Timothy Olyphant (‘Alien: Earth’), and Juliette Lewis (‘Cape Fear’).

    'Over Your Dead Body' director Jorma Taccone.
    ‘Over Your Dead Body’ director Jorma Taccone.

    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.

    Related Article: Jason Segel Talks Apple TV+’s ‘Shrinking’ and Working with Harrison Ford

    (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.
    (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.
    (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.
    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.
    (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.
    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.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Over Your Dead Body’?

    • Jason Segel as Dan
    • Samara Weaving as Lisa
    • Paul Guilfoyle as Michael
    • Keith Jardine as Todd
    • André Eriksen as Hollywood Todd
    • Timothy Olyphant as Pete
    • Ilkka Villi as Hollywood Pete
    • Juliette Lewis as Allegra
    • Iina Kuustonen as Hollywood Allegra
    • Andy Cohen as Himself
    'Over Your Dead Body' opens in theaters on April 24th.
    ‘Over Your Dead Body’ opens in theaters on April 24th.

    List of Jorma Taccone Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Over Your Dead Body’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Jorma Taccone Movies on Amazon

     

  • Movie Review: ‘Michael’

    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in 'Michael'. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.

    Opening in theaters on April 24th is the long-awaited biopic ‘Michael’, which focuses on the life and career of legendary musician Michael Jackson and was directed by Antoine Fuqua (‘The Equalizer’).

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    The film stars Michael Jackson’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop, as well as Colman Domingo (‘Sing Sing’) as Joe Jackson, Nia Long (‘Friday’) as Katherine Jackson, and Miles Teller (‘Top Gun: Maverick’) as Jackson’s manager John Banca.

    Related Article: Director Antoine Fuqua and Producer Graham King Talk Biopic ‘Michael’

    Initial Thoughts

    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in 'Michael'. Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur.
    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur.

    Director Antoine Fuqua’s new biopic ‘Michael’ is a sanitized look at the legendary performer’s career from joining The Jackson 5 in 1964 to beginning the ‘Bad’ tour in 1987. While the film omits quite a bit of the legendary singer’s controversial past, it focuses on his abusive relationship with his father Joe Jackson, played by Colman Domingo, and Michael’s journey to become his own artist and get out from under his father’s control.

    While the movie hits on all the important moments in that time-period, it falls into familiar biopic pitfalls by not spending enough time in each moment and really exploring what happened and why it was important to Michael’s story. The film feels rushed at times, and really focuses on his relationship with Joe and leaving The Jackson 5, rather than exploring the moments that made him a superstar performer.

    However, despite the messy issues with the script and direction, the film is saved by Jaafar Jackson’s commanding performance. The actor perfectly channels his famous uncle, getting the attitude and personality of Michael pitch perfect, while also illuminating his gentle spirit. But Jackson is truly fantastic in the music and dance sequences, mimicking the King of Pop’s moves flawlessly.

    Story and Direction

    (L to R) Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and Director Antoine Fuqua on the set of 'Michael'. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.
    (L to R) Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and Director Antoine Fuqua on the set of ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.

    The film begins in the late 1960s and depicts the humble beginnings of The Jackson 5 and their move from a local band in Indiana to being nationally known. It’s here where we see the beginnings of Joe Jackson’s (Colman Domingo) abusive behavior towards his youngest son, Michael, played in those scenes by Juliano Krue Valdi. As the lead singer of the group, Michael feels the pressure put on him by his father and longs to have a normal childhood, which will be a theme across the singer’s entire life.

    Eventually, Joe gets the group signed by Motown Records and they become extremely successful, with the family eventually moving to California. It becomes clear quickly, to both Motown’s Berry Gordy (Larenz Tate) and super producer Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson), that Michael is the true star of The Jackson 5 and they encourage him to go solo, against the wishes of his father. This eventually leads to recording ‘Off the Wall’ and then ‘Thriller’, which suddenly made Michael (now played by Jaafar Jackson) the biggest star in the world.

    Joe starts trying to cash in on his son’s sudden success and forces Michael to join his brothers on a Jackson 5 tour, rather than a solo tour to support ‘Thriller’. Now, Michael must finally stand up to his father and make his own decisions if he is to truly become the King of Pop.

    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in 'Michael'. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.

    The biggest problem with ‘Michael’ is that too much is packed into the film, and it doesn’t leave enough room to truly explore those moments. Montages are used to show us the making of the ‘Thriller’ album and video, as well as his legendary performance at the Motown 25th Anniversary event where he did the Moonwalk for the first time. These moments are so big in Michael’s life and pop culture history, that you could make an entire film based on either one event but instead they are relegated to a quick montage.

    I also didn’t understand making such a big deal out of the ‘Victory Tour’ and having that be the centerpiece of the film. Although I understand that since they were focusing on Michael and Joe’s relationship, the final Jackson 5 tour seems like the logical place to have their final confrontation.

    But the film does seem odd at times, going out of its way to not include any of the controversial moments that happened later in Jackson’s life, although rumor is that some of those scenes were shot and removed for legal reasons. Also, the movie makes no mention of Janet Jackson, which I don’t understand. Michael’s other sister La Toya is depicted, so while it’s a weird choice to not even mention Janet, or pretend she doesn’t exist, I assume it was also a rights issue.

    (L to R) Judah Edwards as Young Tito, Jaylen Hunter as Young Marlon, Juliano Krue Valdi as Young MJ, Nathaniel McIntyre as Young Jackie and Jayden Harville as Young Jermaine in 'Michael'. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
    (L to R) Judah Edwards as Young Tito, Jaylen Hunter as Young Marlon, Juliano Krue Valdi as Young MJ, Nathaniel McIntyre as Young Jackie and Jayden Harville as Young Jermaine in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.

    The movie also makes mention of Michael’s fight with his brother Jermaine, but never explores it and the character of Jermaine basically disappears by the second half of the film, which is weird since the actor playing Michael is Jermaine’s real-life son. Awkward! And while Jackson’s mentors Berry Gordy and Quincy Jones are depicted, no real time is spent to explore their relationships to Michael and their influence on his career. But a scene featuring Joe making a deal with the shady Don King is shoehorned in for no real reason, which again, makes no narrative sense.

    Written by John Logan (‘Gladiator‘), the script bites off more than it can chew and again, doesn’t give us enough time to really get to know the character or understand the moments that made him great. However, Jackson’s music is pumped throughout the film, and it really is the soundtrack of our lives. The song choices are excellent and helps navigate us through Michael’s story. And kudos to costume designer Marci Rodgers who captured Michael’s fashion perfectly in every era.

    Director Antoine Fuqua is a master of the action genre with films like ‘Training Day’ and the ‘Equalizer’ franchise but seems out of his element here. He clearly has a love and passion for MJ’s legacy and does his best to bring it to the screen in a natural way, but it gets buried by the weight of Jackson’s achievements and his overreaching relationship with his father.

    Cast and Performances

    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in 'Michael'. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    The biopic’s success hinges on the performance of the actor playing Michael Jackson, and Jaafar Jackson is nothing short of brilliant in the role. In fact, Jaafar Jackson was born to play Michael Jackson, quite literally, as he is the son of Michael’s brother Jermaine.

    Besides the fact that he has a striking resemblance, Jaafar channels his uncle in the most surprising ways, capturing his soft voice, childlike attitude and walk perfectly. But it’s the musical and dance numbers where Jaafar really shines, and I promise you there will be moments when you forget you are not watching the real Michael. It’s also worth mentioning that Juliano Krue Valdi is great as young Michael and helps Jaafar create a rounded character.

    Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson in 'Michael'. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
    Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    Oscar nominee Colman Domingo gives a menacing performance as Joe Jackson, and while he steps up to the precipice of playing a caricature rather than a character, he never steps over the line. Joe’s abusive relationship with Michael is the heart of the story, and Domingo brings gravitas exploring the role.

    While she has limited screen time, actress Nia Long gives one of the best performances of her career as Michael’s mother, Katherine. As one of Michael’s only friends and a true supporter, Long brings an unconditional love to the role that helps illuminate her connection to her son. Finally, Miles Teller is fine as Michael’s manager and lawyer John Banca, but the role doesn’t give the actor much to do.

    Final Thoughts

    (L to R) Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and KeiLyn Durrel Jones as Bill Bray in 'Michael'. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.
    (L to R) Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and KeiLyn Durrel Jones as Bill Bray in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.

    In the end, ‘Michael’ is not a bad biopic, it’s just not great, and that’s what Jackson fans will expect from a movie about his life. To put it in perspective, ‘Michael’ is not as bad as other biopics like ‘Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ or ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere’ but it is also not as great as ‘A Complete Unknown’ or ‘Straight Outta Compton.’

    Director Antoine Fuqua does the best he can with the material but seems lost at times trying to tell Michael’s complex story. But its Jaafar Jackson’s once in a lifetime performance that really brings the King of Pop to life on screen and makes the film worth seeing for any Michael Jackson fan.

    ‘Michael’ receives a score of 65 out of 100.

    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in 'Michael'. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    What is the plot of ‘Michael’?

    Discover the story of Michael Jackson (Jaafar Jackson), one of the most influential artists the world has ever known, and his life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world, highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Michael’?

    'Michael' opens in theaters on April 24th.
    ‘Michael’ opens in theaters on April 24th.

    List of Musician Biopics:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Michael’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Michael Jackson Music on Amazon

  • ‘Michael’ Interview: Antoine Fuqua and Graham King

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    ‘Michael’, the long-awaited biopic based on the life and career of legendary musician Michael Jackson, opens in theaters on April 24th.

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    The film, which was directed by Antoine Fuqua (‘The Equalizer’) and produced by Graham King (‘Bohemian Rhapsody’), stars Michael Jackson’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop, as well as Colman Domingo (‘Sing Sing’) as Joe Jackson, Nia Long (‘Friday’) as Katherine Jackson, and Miles Teller (‘Top Gun: Maverick’) as Jackson’s manager John Banca.

    'Michael' producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua.
    ‘Michael’ producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Antoine Fuqua and producer Graham King about their work on ‘Michael’, developing the project, finding the right actor for the role, working with Jaafar Jackson, what moments from Michael’s life they wanted to focus on, which moments they wish they could have included or spent more time on, creating the costumes, and if Fuqua kept any mementos from the production.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

    Related Article: Director Antoine Fuqua Talks ‘The Equalizer 3’

    (L to R) Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and Director Antoine Fuqua on the set of 'Michael'. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.
    (L to R) Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and Director Antoine Fuqua on the set of ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Antoine, what was your first reaction to reading John Logan’s screenplay and why you personally wanted to tell Michael’s story on the big screen?

    Antoine Fuqua: My first reaction was that it’s a solid screenplay about Michael Jackson. My second reaction was, “Who’s going to play Michael Jackson?” When I met with Graham, he introduced me to Jaafar, and the rest is history as far as that goes. But, yeah, it’s daunting when you read a Michael Jackson script by John Logan. It’s a great script and then we had to find Michael and Jaafar was no question the right choice.

    MF: Graham, to that point, I understand that you discovered Jaafar and recommended him to Antoine. At what point did you realize he was the right choice?

    Graham King: Over lunch. I had a lunch with Jaafar. I know the family well and I’ve known (his father) Jermaine since 1981. I met with Jaafar and during that lunch, I kept asking him if he was auditioning, because he was channeling Michael. It was very eerie and weird. He kept saying, “I don’t want to be an actor. I’ve got no interest in acting.” I kept saying, “Just be honest with me.” Because obviously I’ve produced a few movies, and you know what it is when you sit down with an actor who wants a job, and I kept thinking it’s reverse psychology. “No, I don’t want to act.” But he really didn’t. Two weeks after that lunch, I said, “If you’re up for it, let’s go through some training and bootcamp.” Kind of like what I put Rami Malek through to play Freddie Mercury, but at a much different level. In fact, the first time he spent a month with Rich + Tone, who were Michael’s choreographers, and they said, “We’re not sure. We’re not confident that he can get these dance moves down.” He called me that night and he said, “Give me some time and then come and see. I’ll show you what I’ve got.” I think it was about a month later, we both went to Hayvenhurst, to the house that he was staying in, which is Michael’s house in Encino. He just blew us away with his dance moves. I mean, he got it down. The only thing he asked for in that month was, he kept saying, “I want mirrors. Just get me long, tall mirrors and let me do my thing.” I mean, look at that performance now. It’s incredible.

    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in 'Michael'. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.

    MF: Antoine, can you talk about the first time you did a screen test with Jaafar? Was that when you realized you found your Michael?

    AF: Yeah, it was. We did a screen test with Jaafar, and he came out as Michael. It was my first time seeing him in person as Michael, and I was kind of blown away just on his whole presence. That got me right away. Then we put him in front of the camera and started filming him doing different things. He would sing a little bit and dance a little bit. Then me and Graham were sitting there, and we asked Jaafar a question. I can’t remember what it was, but he answered it as if he was Michael and tears started flowing around the room. Our cinematographer was crying. I looked back, he had tears in his eyes. We were all trying to hide it, but he really answered in such an honest, pure way. He’s never acted in his life. I just thought, “This guy’s special.” That was the moment for me. It was just off the cuff. He didn’t know it was coming. I wanted to see if he was in the moment. Was he just here in makeup or was he in the moment? I threw something at him, and he just paused, and he thought about it, and he answered. It was just so beautiful, elegant, honest, and pure. I was like, “This Jaafar is special.”

    MF: Graham, why did you want to focus on this specific time in Michael’s life, and how do you think your experience producing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ prepared you to make this movie?

    GK: I guess I’ve made a career out of taking these iconic artists or people like Muhammad Ali, Howard Hughes, and Freddie Mercury, obviously, and showing the world a side that they’ve never seen before and humanizing them, these iconic people. I think it’s such a challenge to find that three act structure to make it an entertaining film and not a documentary. You kind of have fun with it. I have fun with it. Of course, there is also the music side, having the rights to Queen’s catalog and now Michael’s catalog, and really digging into the songs we’re going to use and the time periods of the movie. I was at Dodger Stadium in 1984 at the ‘Victory Tour’ when Michael quit. It was the most amazing organic third act drama and conflict moment you could ask for. You couldn’t ask for it any better. A writer couldn’t write it any better than that. I remember talking to Michael’s brothers about it, “Did you know that he was going to do this?” They were like, “No, we had no idea, and we kind of thought he was playing at the time. We didn’t know he was serious.” So that was sitting with John Logan and Antoine and saying, “Let’s head for that moment and make that the pinnacle point of the storytelling and put Joe at the side of the stage,” because he’s going to tell Joe, and he does it in front of 50,000 people at Dodger Stadium.

    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in 'Michael'. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.

    MF: Antoine, can you talk about recreating iconic moments in Michael’s life like the making of the ‘Thriller’ video and his performance at the Motown 25th Anniversary show and was there any one moment that you wish you had more time to explore?

    AF: I mean, everything. Right? Because being a director, you never have enough time. But it’s the quiet moments you got to get just right. It’s really the quiet moments. The bigger moments we know, the performances, and we knew what we needed to do. It was the more quiet, intimate moments that you hope you capture the spirit of Michael in each moment. What’s interesting with Jaafar is that we would try different things to find the right tone, and the right frequency. Again, Jaafar’s never acted before, but he was so good that I would forget. We’d go to Jaafar, try something, and he would nail it. Then we would realize, “This guy has never acted before in his life, and we’re throwing these things at him.” He would come through with flying colors every single time. I don’t remember him missing too many beats at all. But making the bigger moments was magical. Because of the authenticity of the film, it lives in all the real places like Hayvenhurst, we had where he recorded ‘Off the Wall’, where he shot the ‘Thriller’ video, and the Pasadena Civic Auditorium where Motown 25 took place, all real places. You get chills whenever you go to those kinds of places and remember those moments. The idea that we had the opportunity to recreate it and do that was a little of an out of body experience at times. It’s a big responsibility to get it just right. So, Graham and I, we really would study what it was and look at what we’re doing and compare it. Because we knew Michael’s audience, they’re going to do that, every little move. So, it was daunting, but exciting and magical. When we shot the ‘Thriller’ video, we had a full moon every night, which was amazing. I’ve never seen a crew more excited about a scene. When I got dropped off on the set, the grips and everybody had on wolf masks, and they were dancing around to ‘Thriller’. It was like this big event. It was like a movie within itself. So, that to me was a special day.

    MF: Graham, is there any moment from Michael’s life during this period that you wanted to put in the film but just couldn’t because of time?

    GK: Certainly, the ‘Dancing Machine’ era, when Michael was, I think, 16 or 17, around that era. We thought about putting that in. But when you’re making a film, you’ve got to have a certain running time and you can’t tell every story you want to tell, so you’ve got to make sacrifices. That cut from young Michael at the county fair to Michael at the window with Quincy Jones, I think that time cut worked well for our story as opposed to stopping in different times like the ‘Dancing Machine’ era.

    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in 'Michael'. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
    Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    MF: Finally, Antoine, can you talk about working with your costume designer Marci Rodgers to recreate all of Michael’s famous outfits for the film, and did you keep a sequenced glove for yourself as a memento?

    AF: I got the producer sitting here, I’m not going to tell. No, I didn’t keep anything. I wish I could. I mean, Marci did a great job, but we had a great crew and a great team. They really did their homework, and she did her homework. She would design these jackets, like when he’s holding the Grammys, and the jacket was about 15 pounds. It had all the jewels and everything. I thought, “Did it have to feel this heavy for Jaafar?” It was authentic though. Those were the real Grammys. Those were Michael’s Grammys he’s holding. I mean, the whole crew, they really cared so much about getting it right, every little detail.

    'Michael' opens in theaters on April 24th.
    ‘Michael’ opens in theaters on April 24th.

    What is the plot of ‘Michael’?

    Discover the story of Michael Jackson (Jaafar Jackson), one of the most influential artists the world has ever known, and his life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world, highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Michael’?

    'Michael' opens in theaters on April 24th.
    ‘Michael’ opens in theaters on April 24th.

    List of Musician Biopics:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Michael’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Michael Jackson Music on Amazon

     

  • Movie Review: ‘Hamlet’ (2026)

    Riz Ahmed stars in 'Hamlet'. Photo: Focus Features.
    Riz Ahmed stars in ‘Hamlet’. Photo: Focus Features.

    In theaters on April 10 is ‘Hamlet’, a fresh update of William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, which features Riz Ahmed (‘Sound of Metal’), who plays a version of the troubled Dane, here the heir to an elite South Asian empire in modern-day London.

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    The cast also includes Art Malik (‘True Lies’), Joe Alwyn (‘Kinds of Kindness’), Morfydd Clark (‘Saint Maud’), Timothy Spall (‘Mr. Turner’) and Sheeba Chaddha (‘Songs of Paradise’).

    Related Article: Riz Ahmed Talks ‘Hamlet’ and Why Shakespeare’s Play Is Still Relevant

    Initial Thoughts

    (L to R) Morfydd Clark and Riz Ahmed in 'Hamlet'. Photo: Focus Features.
    (L to R) Morfydd Clark and Riz Ahmed in ‘Hamlet’. Photo: Focus Features.

    If you’re going to tackle a Shakespeare play on film –– particularly the complex web of family tragedy that is ‘Hamlet’ — be prepared for challenges. But with this present-day version, director Aneil Karia and writer Michael Lesslie bring a fierce energy to their effort.

    Script and Direction

    (L to R) Riz Ahmed and Timothy Spall in 'Hamlet'. Photo: Focus Features.
    (L to R) Riz Ahmed and Timothy Spall in ‘Hamlet’. Photo: Focus Features.

    Shakespeare is not easy to adapt, and Lesslie here sticks to the traditional language for the most part (while still needing to cut plenty to avoid an overlong running time). But the changes and substitutions (London for Denmark and the use of Indian culture) truly work well.

    Karia, meanwhile brings real panache and style, making the world feel relevant and also, in places, timely.

    Cast and Performances

    (Far Left) Riz Ahmed stars in 'Hamlet'. Photo: Focus Features.
    (Far Left) Riz Ahmed stars in ‘Hamlet’. Photo: Focus Features.

    It’s really Ahmed’s show, and he chews on one of the trickiest parts in drama. Sequences such as the “To be or not to be” soliloquy give him something to truly work with.

    Which isn’t to dismiss an impressive supporting cast, especially Art Malik as scheming uncle Claudius and Morfydd Clark, who brings humanity to the relatively smaller role of Ophelia.

    Final Thoughts

    (L to R) Art Malik and Joe Alwyn in 'Hamlet'. Photo: Focus Features.
    (L to R) Art Malik and Joe Alwyn in ‘Hamlet’. Photo: Focus Features.

    Even if you’ve dismissed Shakespeare as impenetrable, the new ‘Hamlet’ shows what can happen in sure hands, the emotion on full display. Purists may balk at the changes, but this is a worthwhile adaptation.

    ‘Hamlet’ receives 75 out of 100.

    Joe Alwyn in in 'Hamlet'. Photo: Focus Features.
    Joe Alwyn in in ‘Hamlet’. Photo: Focus Features.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Hamlet’?

    • Riz Ahmed as Prince Hamlet
    • Art Malik as Claudius
    • Morfydd Clark as Ophelia
    • Joe Alwyn as Laertes
    • Sheeba Chaddha as Gertrude
    • Timothy Spall as Polonius
    • Avijit Dutt as the ghost of Hamlet’s father
    'Hamlet' opens in theaters on April 10th.
    ‘Hamlet’ opens in theaters on April 10th.

    List of Riz Ahmed Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Hamlet’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Riz Ahmed Movies on Amazon

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  • ‘From’ Season 4 Interview: Harold Perrineau

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    Premiering on MGM+ April 19th is the fourth season of the popular science fiction horror series ‘From’, which stars Harold Perrineau (‘Lost’ and ‘The Matrix Reloaded’) and Catalina Sandino Moreno (‘Ballerina’ and ‘The Rip’).

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    (L to R) Harold Perrineau as Boyd Stevens in 'From' season 4. Credit: Jessie Redmond/MGM+. Copyright: MGM+.
    (L to R) Harold Perrineau as Boyd Stevens in ‘From’ season 4. Credit: Jessie Redmond/MGM+. Copyright: MGM+.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Harold Perrineau about his work on ‘From’ Season 4, how his character has changed since last season, how the town has changed him, what it’s been like playing this role, and welcoming the new actors joining the cast.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

    Related Article: Harold Perrineau Talks MGM+’s ‘From’ Season 2 and the Show’s Mystery

    (L to R) Harold Perrineau as Boyd Stevens in 'From' season 4. Credit: Chris Reardon/MGM+. Copyright: MGM+.
    (L to R) Harold Perrineau as Boyd Stevens in ‘From’ season 4. Credit: Chris Reardon/MGM+. Copyright: MGM+.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about where we left Boyd at the end of the last season and where we find him at the beginning of the new season and what he’s dealing with?

    Harold Perrineau: Well, at the end of season 3, Boyd has been through a lot at this point. He’s been through the death of Tian-Chen and having to experience watching her die, then telling her son, and then his daughter-in-law being pregnant and torturing a boy. It’s been a lot. Then at the end of all of that, the one monster that he killed is back to life and is reincarnated. So, when Boyd starts in season 4, his mind is shattered. So, he must try to figure out how to put it all back together and keep moving forward to get everybody out of this town. But it’s not easy and it’s never going to be easy, and the town is becoming worse. So that’s where we start off season 4.

    MF: Is the pressure of leading this town starting to get to Boyd and is he becoming someone that can’t even recognize himself?

    HP: One hundred percent because he keeps being confronted with new things that he never expected to have to be confronted with. You never think that you’re going to have to torture some kid, so he’ll give you information about your daughter in-law. So, this season when we get back, we’ve got more of that kind of like, “Oh, you might have to do this, and Father Khatri is going to show up and say you got to do that,” and it’s just constant. It’s a nonstop barrage of terrible choices he must make. But if he wants to get out, that’s what he’s got to do.

    (L to R) David Alpay as Jade Herrera, Harold Perrineau as Boyd Stevens, and Catalina Sandino Moreno as Tabitha Matthews in 'From' season 4. Credit: Chris Reardon/MGM+. Copyright: MGM+.
    (L to R) David Alpay as Jade Herrera, Harold Perrineau as Boyd Stevens, and Catalina Sandino Moreno as Tabitha Matthews in ‘From’ season 4. Credit: Chris Reardon/MGM+. Copyright: MGM+.

    MF: What has it been like for you playing a character like this over four seasons?

    HP: At the end of the day, I love it. But I can’t say it’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done. You know what I mean? Like emotionally you wear yourself out. Because what I really hope is that I’m telling the truth so that the audience will stay on the ride with us, right? Because I think that people, they respond to other people in real emotions. So, that’s what I’m hoping for, and if I bring what is happening to me, then I must experience it. So, there’s a scene in the very first episode, and I couldn’t even say the words until we started running the cameras. I was able to do all the rehearsing and the blocking, but I couldn’t say any of the words because it was just too hard. Then when I got to do it and say it over and over, I could never say them again. Like that was just too much to carry. So, hopefully the audience will feel those things and I don’t have to do it again. But it is a real honor, and it is what I want to do. Whether it’s hard or not, that’s what I really want to do. I keep hoping that it works, and it feels like now that we have a season 4, it must be working on some level.

    MF: Finally, how does Boyd feel about the new characters introduced this season, and as an actor and producer, can you talk about welcoming new actors to the show?

    HP: Well, as an executive producer and a cast member, I am overjoyed by everybody who shows up. We have had and continue to have just amazing people who show up and work with us. We’ve got Julia Doyle, who’s playing Sophia, and she’s fantastic, and Robert Joy is always just a stunning joy to work with. So as a producer, and cast member, it’s great. Boyd, on the other hand, it’s just another person you can’t trust. So, another person you must save that you can’t trust, and this season, you really can’t trust anybody. Boyd can’t trust himself. So that’s the thing that’s tricky about this season and how dark it is. It’s darker than we’ve been in the past and we’ve been very dark.

    'From' season 4 premieres on MGM+ April 19th.
    ‘From’ season 4 premieres on MGM+ April 19th.

    What is the plot of ‘From’ Season 4?

    In Season Four, the closer the residents of town get to the answers they seek, the more terrifying their search becomes. Who is the Man in Yellow (Douglas E. Hughes), and what does he want? Will Jade (David Alpay) and Tabitha’s (Catalina Sandino Moreno) revelation be the key to finally going home? How much longer can Boyd (Harold Perrineau) hold the town together, even as his body and mind are falling apart? And what role will the town’s most recent arrival play in the events to come? Season Four will open doors that some in town will end up wishing had remained closed.

    Who is in the cast of ‘From’ Season 4?

    (L to R) Harold Perrineau as Boyd Stevens and Elizabeth Saunders as Donna Raines in 'From' season 4. Credit: Chris Reardon/MGM+. Copyright: MGM+.
    (L to R) Harold Perrineau as Boyd Stevens and Elizabeth Saunders as Donna Raines in ‘From’ season 4. Credit: Chris Reardon/MGM+. Copyright: MGM+.

    List of Harold Perrineau Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Harold Perrineau Movies on Amazon

  • ‘Wasteman’ Interview: David Jonsson and Tom Blyth

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    Opening in US theaters on April 17th is the new prison drama ‘Wasteman’, which was directed by Cal McMau and stars David Jonsson (‘Alien: Romulus’ and ‘The Long Walk’) and Tom Blyth (‘Billy the Kid’ and ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’).

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    (L to R) David Jonsson and Tom Blyth in 'Wasteman'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    (L to R) David Jonsson and Tom Blyth in ‘Wasteman’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with David Jonsson and Tom Blyth about their work on ‘Wasteman’, Jonsson’s first reaction to the screenplay, Blyth’s approach to his character, shooting the riot sequence and filming in a real former prison.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

    Related Article: Tom Blyth Talks ‘Billy the Kid’ Season 2 Part 2 and Making a Western

    David Jonsson in 'Wasteman'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    David Jonsson in ‘Wasteman’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    Moviefone: To begin with, David, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and why you wanted to help tell this story and play this character?

    David Jonsson: Well, I guess my first reaction to reading this screenplay was the feeling that this is real. I love films and making films is such a special process. But there’s very rare times when you’re working on something that has a root source material. So, I feel like that was in the script. The process of taking it from there to where it is now was very long. Making movies is heroic because nine times out of ten films fall apart, which is what happened with this film. Before either of us came aboard it, it fell apart and then years after it started to gain some momentum again. So, I’m grateful that we got to make this film not just because it feels like a special project, but because of what we were able to give to it, which I think was inherently quite deep.

    Tom Blyth in 'Wasteman'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    Tom Blyth in ‘Wasteman’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    MF: Tom, can you talk about the research you did for this role and how it shaped your approach and informed your performance?

    Tom Blyth: I started as I always do by reading and there’s a lot that goes into it, but I won’t bore the pants of you. I did some reading and listened to podcasts, and you listen, and you absorb as much as you can about the world that you’re living in. But then the main thing, honestly, was we had this charity on board called Switchback, who are a UK prison charity where they help recent prison parolees get back on their feet and get into work and accommodations and just have a place to go. They came on board as consultants, but very quickly became such an integral part of the film process that about 70% of the supporting cast are recent prison parolees who were involved in the charity. So, it gave the film this gritty realism, but at the same time it meant that we had this incredible living resource all around us. If at any minute we felt the “BS barometer” creeping up, you could turn to someone and go, “Is this feeling real to you? Would I be able to do this?” He’d turn around and say, “You know, maybe this way instead of that way. Or maybe you wouldn’t have that in your cell, so I’d get rid of that if I were you.” It just meant it was breathing the entire time and the whole thing felt rich and real.

    Tom Blyth in 'Wasteman'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    Tom Blyth in ‘Wasteman’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    MF: Tom, can you talk about shooting the riot sequence? Did you rehearse that scene or just go for it?

    TB: Most of the fight scenes were well planned and rehearsed, but that one was less so. That was one where they really did bring in six people with riot shields and riot gear and just threw them against us. Lorenzo (Levrini) our DP was amongst it with the camera, trying not to get hit. But there were gas canisters going off, like fake tear gas, and you couldn’t see a thing. You got all the guys playing in the background up above shouting and throwing water on us. It was chaos. It was absolute chaos and I ended up with a big gash in my hand and was bleeding all over the riot shields and you couldn’t quite tell what my blood was and what was the makeup blood. But the adrenaline was just so high, you just keep going and by the end, I was burned out. But it adds to the sense that you’re living it and it’s real.

    David Jonsson in 'Wasteman'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    David Jonsson in ‘Wasteman’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    MF: Finally, David, I understand that you shot the movie in a real former prison. What were the vibes like in there and do you think it added to the tone and mood of the movie?

    DJ: Oh, it was spooky. There were spooky vibes all around. You know, your environment informs a lot of what you do, which is why films try to go to the right place. But this film, filming in a natural prison just gave us everything that we needed. In my opinion, I think it adds to the pressure cooker of this film because I do think it is a pressure cooker. I think it’s based in that, as Tom said, gritty reality. So, shooting in an actual prison, I think it’s like, you couldn’t write it. It’s exactly what’s meant to be.

    'Wasteman' opens in theaters on April 17th.
    ‘Wasteman’ opens in theaters on April 17th.

    What is the plot of ‘Wasteman’?

    Taylor’s (David Jonsson) hopes for a fresh start post-parole are jeopardized by cellmate Dee’s (Tom Blyth) arrival. As Dee takes Taylor under his wing, a vicious attack tests their bond, forcing Taylor to choose between protecting Dee and his own chances at freedom.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Wasteman’?

    Tom Blyth in 'Wasteman'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    Tom Blyth in ‘Wasteman’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    Movies and TV Shows Featuring Tom Blyth:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Wasteman’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Tom Blyth Movies and TV on Amazon

     

  • Movie Review: ‘Mother Mary’

    Anne Hathaway in 'Mother Mary'. Photo: A24.
    Anne Hathaway in ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.

    Opening in theaters in limited release on April 17 and expanding on April 24 is ‘Mother Mary,’ written and directed by David Lowery and starring Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer, Atheena Frizzell, Kaia Gerber, Jessica Brown Findlay, Alba Baptista, Sian Clifford, and FKA Twigs.

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    Related Article: Anne Hathaway & Adam Driver Starring in ‘Alone at Dawn’ for Ron Howard

    Initial Thoughts

    Anne Hathaway on the set of 'Mother Mary'. Photo: A24.
    Anne Hathaway on the set of ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.

    David Lowery is nothing if not unpredictable. From Disney product like ‘Pete’s Dragon’ and ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’ to weird experimental dramas like ‘A Ghost Story’ and ‘The Green Knight,’ the director’s career has taken one wild swing after another. With ‘Mother Mary,’ he pivots back in the direction of arthouse fare, with the story itself (according to Lowery) inspired by his own bifurcated career choices.

    The result is an original, compelling — if not always coherent – hybrid of love story, psychological horror, and pop musical in which Anne Hathaway is outstanding as the title character, a mega pop singer about to make a comeback but unsure of who she is and aching with grief over a fractured relationship. Joining her is Michaela Coel (‘I May Destroy You’), the other half of that relationship, with both women yearning to repair their broken hearts and going to extreme lengths to do so.

    Story and Direction

    (L to R) Director David Lowery and Anne Hathaway on the set of 'Mother Mary'. Photo: A24.
    (L to R) Director David Lowery and Anne Hathaway on the set of ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.

    Mother Mary (we never know her real name) is a massive pop star – modeled after female musical icons ranging from Madonna to Taylor Swift – who’s about to attempt a career comeback after being derailed by a breakdown. On the eve of her first performance in years, she flees from rehearsals in L.A. to the English home and workshop of Sam Anselm (Coel), the fashion designer who created all her stage outfits for a while and with whom she shared a deeply symbiotic friendship (and perhaps more), until Mary’s fame fractured their relationship and put Mary’s costumes in the hands of top designers.

    Estranged for a decade, with Mary asking Sam to make her a new dress for her show, the two circle each other like wary combatants: Mary, so confident, charismatic and larger than life onstage, is a meek, shattered shell of herself, not sure of her music or even her identity anymore, while Sam, having established her own career, is nevertheless barely able to repress her fury at Mary after all these years.

    The two go through a long night of the soul in Sam’s atelier, a centuries-old converted barn full of shadows and mysteries, with ever-present rain and thunder rumbling in the background like restless spirits. As the two explore their past together and separately, a spirit literally comes into play as well – a red entity that, real or not, symbolizes both the creative spirit and sense of loss that both women feel, and that is equally comfort and torment to them both.

    (L to R) Michaela Coel and director David Lowery on the set of 'Mother Mary'. Photo: A24.
    (L to R) Michaela Coel and director David Lowery on the set of ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.

    Lowery stages all this as a mix of horror movie, character study, and pop spectacle, with scenes from Mary’s past stadium gigs filling the screen with light, sound, dancers, and hordes of people, alternating with the moody, dark sequences in Sam’s atelier and brooding home. The scenes between Mary and Sam come across almost as a stage play sometimes, while the narrative involving the spirit (known as the Red Woman, and initially conjured up by a medium played by FKA Twigs) heads into more phantasmagoric, almost Ken Russell territory visually. It’s a bracing, ever-changing cinematic style that certainly makes this Lowery’s most ambitious film yet.

    Yet the hallucinatory, expository nature of the story makes it self-consciously arty – much like ‘The Green Knight’ – which often keeps it at an emotional arm’s length. The result is a movie that is visually stunning, not easy to categorize, but also difficult to fully invest in.

    Cast and Performances

    (L to R) Michaela Coel and Anne Hathaway in 'Mother Mary'. Photo: A24.
    (L to R) Michaela Coel and Anne Hathaway in ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.

    Anne Hathaway (who has four other movies coming out this year) has been veering between mainstream titles like ‘The Hustle’ and more daring material like ‘Eileen’ in recent years, but ‘Mother Mary’ may be the most immersive performance she’s given in some time.

    As Mary, she must sing onstage (all original songs, penned by Jack Antonoff, Charli XCX and FKA Twigs) and project the veneer and physicality of a major pop star, complete with elaborate choreography which she replicates on her own for Sam in one riveting sequence. But she also exposes the wounded woman inside who is longing to find her creative spark again and grieving for the one true relationship she lost.

    Michaela Coel’s Sam is grieving as well, but turns it into a weapon of scorn, sarcasm, and rage that she coolly wields against Mary like a knife. But Sam herself is lonely and unmoored, and her interrogation of Mary slowly brings back her energy and inner light. Both women are fantastic in the film, giving such dominant performances that there’s little room for anyone else to shine – except for FKA Twigs, who shows off some eerie physical work in her one major scene, in which she opens the way for the Red Woman.

    Final Thoughts

    Anne Hathaway in 'Mother Mary'. Photo: A24.
    Anne Hathaway in ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.

    ‘Mother Mary’ is a deliberately experimental narrative, flashing back and forth in time and space, and despite what may seem like a conventional premise it delves into the mystical, spiritual, and existential in often bold ways, bolstered by its two fearless leading ladies.

    While a feast for the eyes and ears, the film is perhaps not as moving as it could be, thanks to its dislocating narrative shifts. Yet the bond between Sam and Mary, strained and torn as it is, is still made powerful by the work of the two actors. ‘Mother Mary’ is ultimately about healing one’s soul and rediscovering one’s muse, a potent message from a filmmaker who seems to have done just that.

    ‘Mother Mary’ receives a score of 80 out of 100.

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    What is the plot of ‘Mother Mary’?

    Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel) on the eve of her comeback performance.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Mother Mary’?

    • Anne Hathaway as Mother Mary
    • Michaela Coel as Sam Anselm
    • Hunter Schafer as Hilda
    • Atheena Frizzell as Emily
    • Kaia Gerber as Nikki
    • Jessica Brown Findlay as Tessa
    • Isaura Barbé-Brown as Kyla
    • Alba Baptista as Miel Contrera
    • Sian Clifford as Jade
    • FKA Twigs as Imogen
    'Mother Mary' opens in theaters on April 17th. Photo: A24.
    ‘Mother Mary’ opens in theaters on April 17th. Photo: A24.

    List of films directed by David Lowery

    Buy Tickets: ‘Mother Mary’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Anne Hathaway Movies on Amazon

  • ‘Lorne’ Exclusive Interview: Director Morgan Neville

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    Opening in theaters on April 17th is the new documentary from Oscar winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (‘Man on the Run’) called ‘Lorne’, which chronicles the life and career of ‘Saturday Night Live’ creator Lorne Michaels.

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    'Lorne' director Morgan Neville.
    ‘Lorne’ director Morgan Neville.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Morgan Neville about his work on ‘Lorne’, the style of the documentary, making it funny, his unprecedented access to ‘Saturday Night Live’, the show’s darkest period, conducting the interviews, what he learned about Lorne from making the movie, and the future of the long running show.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Related Article: Morgan Neville Talks Paul McCartney Documentary ‘Man on the Run’

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    Moviefone: To begin with, the film plays almost like an ‘SNL’ parody of a celebrity biopic with animated sequences and Chris Parnell’s narration. Was that what you set out to do from the beginning or did you have to pivot when you realized you might not get what you need from Lorne Michaels himself?

    Morgan Neville: I think my intent in the beginning was, I want this to be funny. I didn’t know how exactly. But beyond that, I don’t entirely have a plan about what the film is going to be. I know it had all these great ingredients. I know Lorne’s story is interesting. He’s a fascinating character who rarely does interviews or shows people into his life. I know the show is fascinating. I knew there were lots of interesting things, but I didn’t know how it would fit together. When we started shooting, what you see in the beginning of the film is my first day of shooting, where the cameras come out, and then Lorne vanishes. I felt like one of the themes of the film is basically the theme of me making the film. You go from somebody who really doesn’t seem like he wants a film made about him to somebody who has made his peace with it and is willing to give us a glimpse inside. That was my experience of making the film. So, the idea of bringing Chris Parnell in is a way of channeling ‘SNL’, but also the ‘TV Funhouse’. I mean, it’s also something that I’ve done with a lot of my films. I want the subject of the film to help me decide how to tell the story, so it feels like the telling of it is related to the subject. So, I just kept thinking, well, what is the ‘SNL’ version of a documentary about Lorne? Not to say that because it’s funny that there’s no substance there. Because one thing I’m also proud of is how the emotion sneaks into the film quietly, in a way you’re not expecting. Lorne, in the beginning, is like, “Why is this guy even here? Why is he torturing this poor crew?” But then you understand a lot more about what makes him tick and he opens in that way.

    MF: The movie is very funny. Can you set out to make a funny documentary, or is that a result of the subject you are focusing on?

    MN: I think humor is one of the great under discussed things in documentary film. I think some of my favorite documentaries are funny in different ways. That could be anything from the films that inspired me to make documentaries, like ‘Sherman’s March’, ‘Roger & Me’, and ‘The Atomic Cafe’. I mean, all the documentaries that got me excited, that are funny in different ways. Even in films I’ve made, like, ‘Best of Enemies’ or ‘Won’t you be my Neighbor?’ There are some big laughs in those films, too. But I think humor is such a great way of letting the audience exhale and open themselves up in a way if they’re laughing. They’re way more receptive to what you might want to share with them. So, I love that, and why can’t documentaries be comedies sometimes? So, this was me intentionally in the beginning saying, “I do want this to be a funny film.” Because it’s a film, most people who are going to watch it are comedy fans. I’ve seen a lot of documentaries about comedy that are really depressing. There are a lot of dark stories in comedy. But I always wanted to remember the comedy part of it, too. ‘Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces’ was the first comedy documentary I did that was purely comedy, and this is the second. With both, I tried to balance the funny with some weight or gravitas at the same time.

    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.
    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.

    MF: Can you talk about the unprecedented access that you had to Lorne and ‘Saturday Night Live’ and what did you learn about him as a person from your access?

    MN: I think people think of Lorne as sitting on a throne, deciding who makes it in comedy and who doesn’t make it, and that he is just sitting there, flipping his finger, and deciding the fate of people. I think Lorne sees himself as beleaguered, in the trenches, and worrying about next week’s show and making 100 phone calls to sponsors, network people, affiliates, agents, studios, and cast members to just keep all the plates in the air. So, it’s funny that everybody thinks Lorne is just sitting pretty. I think Lorne feels like he’s just barely making it, because I asked everybody in the film, “At what point do you think Saturday Night Live became a show that was not going to disappear?” Some people said, “Well, when the show reinvented itself after 1995 with Will Ferrell and that amazing cast, or maybe after 9/11, when it became a place where people came together and mourned and laughed together for the first time.” I asked Lorne that question, and he said, “Maybe this year.” You know, fifty years in! So, I think Lorne’s the last person to pat himself on the back and feel like, job well done, we don’t have to worry anymore. I think Lorne is thinking about, “When this cast gels, where’s it going to be in two years?” He’s thinking about things like that. “Oh, this writer I have who might want to leave, maybe I can get him to work on a TV show, and I can get him a development deal.” He’s constantly pulling levers to keep everything kind of bubbling along and that’s something, People don’t see him sweat, but I think he feels like he’s in the thick of it. I think it’s maybe part of why he made the film, is for people to understand that producing is a real job. It’s not just sitting back and collecting checks. It’s a lot of invisible things that people just don’t understand.

    MF: You mention in the film that the closest Lorne came to losing control of the show was in the mid- ‘90s, which culminated in the firing of Norm MacDonald. In discussing it with Lorne, did he express any regret in how that went down and being unable to protect Norm in the same way he has protected so many ‘SNL’ performers before and after?

    MN: I don’t think so. I love Norm’s comedy. But, let’s face it, Norm was asking for it and in the funniest way possible. Norm was warned again and again and again. So, I think Norm enjoyed poking the bear, and I don’t think Norm felt like Lorne was to blame for any of that. I think the other person in that equation was Jim Downey, the legendary writer who started in season two, and was on and off the show for decades, who I interviewed in the documentary. Jim, at that time, was running ‘Weekend Update’ with Norm, and the two of them were thick as thieves, and they were the ones who were enjoying poking the bear. When Norm got fired, Jim got fired too, but Lorne quietly got Jim back the next year. I think Lorne both felt a loyalty to Jim, and really wanted to protect Jim. Norm was going to be fine. Lorne told the bosses, “Okay, I’ll let them go,” and then quietly rehired Jim, and helped Norm land his next thing. Again, it’s something that made Lorne incredibly unhappy to have to go through, but he is the king of the long game. You may lose the battles, but he always wins the war.

    John Mulaney in 'John Mulaney: Baby J' Photo: Netflix.
    John Mulaney in ‘John Mulaney: Baby J’ Photo: Netflix.

    MF: Of all the interviews you conducted, who had the most insight into Lorne and was there anyone you wanted to interview but were unable to?

    MN: I mean, the only person I really wanted to interview who said no was Dan Aykroyd, and he had said he was just talked out from doing documentary interviews, which is fine. I get it. But at the same time, for a film like this, you could interview so many people, and I interviewed even more than I normally like to. I normally don’t like to interview a ton of people for a film because I want there to be a smaller chorus of voices. But even here, I could have interviewed another fifty people for this film easily. So, I wanted people from different chapters of his life, people like Howard Shore, who he met at camp as a 14-year-old to Rosie Shuster, his first wife he met in high school who became one of the original writers on ‘Saturday Night Live’. But one of my favorites was John Mulaney because he is both, such a great talker, but also a real student of Lorne’s. They’re friends, but I think John has studied Lorne, and I think when they’re together, John constantly peppers Lorne with questions, and he’s collecting as much information about Lorne as he can. So, I think he was ready to talk. I think he loved talking about Lorne. I think we did, like, a two-hour interview, and I said, “Well, I think that’s good,” and he was like, “Well, let’s keep going.” So we went for another hour, and then when we did the round table, he said, “Oh, I want to do that.” So, I got him together with Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, and Fred Armisen. But I think Mulaney was probably the MVP of talking about Lorne.

    MF: Finally, I get the sense from the film that Lorne Michaels is ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘Saturday Night Live’ is Lorne Michaels, and that there is no retiring for him. He’ll leave the show when he must and it may go on for a while, but that will be the end of the show as we currently know it. What is your sense of the future of the series and how long do you think it will go on without Lorne Michaels at the helm?

    MN: I think Lorne is not going to run the show for another fifty years, but he wants it to continue, and I think it will continue, just because, for no other reason, the IP of ‘SNL’ is very valuable, and people still watch and will continue to watch. It’s one of the last places where we come together to watch things. You know, it’s like sports and ‘Saturday Night Live’. There aren’t a lot of places where we all come together to watch things. So, I think there are a lot of reasons why it will continue. I just don’t think it’ll be the same, because, in part, Lorne’s not doing it, but also because I can’t imagine it continuing to be as wasteful as it is. I mean, Lorne says that in the film. It’s made wastefully, but that’s because by being wasteful, you get to discover more things. He’s producing way more than he needs for a week. So, if you’re able to throw out a third of all your work every week and just pick the best two thirds, it makes it better. But it’s also kind of crazy to know you’re going to throw out a third of all your work every week. I also don’t think there’s one person to fill Lorne’s shoes, which are impossible to fill. But I think the thing about Lorne is he’s managing two different ways. He’s managing down, which is him with the writers and the cast, and all of that, which he’s great at. You hear all those stories of how he works with cast members. But the other part of his job is he’s managing up. So, dealing with the network people, and the sponsors, and affiliates, and studios, and all of that, in a way that is invisible, and is a very different skill than dealing with writers. So, you know, part of me feels like it would take at least two people to do his job.

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    What is the story of ‘Lorne’?

    ‘Lorne’ is an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built the inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations. The documentary features exclusive footage, archival treasures, and candid interviews with the show’s most iconic cast members and writers.

    Who appears in ‘Lorne’?

    'Lorne' opens in theaters on April 17th.
    ‘Lorne’ opens in theaters on April 17th.

    List of Morgan Neville Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Lorne’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Morgan Neville Movies on Amazon

     

  • CinemaCon 2026: Disney Presentation

    (L to R) Denis Leary, Dana Walden, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment, Ray Romano, Tim Allen, Queen Latifah, Tom Hanks, Dwayne Johnson, Catherine Laga'aia, Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, Chris Evans, Joe Russo, Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios, Anthony Russo and Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment attend the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Disney.
    (L to R) Denis Leary, Dana Walden, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment, Ray Romano, Tim Allen, Queen Latifah, Tom Hanks, Dwayne Johnson, Catherine Laga’aia, Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, Chris Evans, Joe Russo, Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios, Anthony Russo and Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment attend the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Disney.

    Preview:

    • Walt Disney Studios made its presentation to the 2026 CinemaCon crowd.
    • Among the movies promoted were ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ and ‘The Dog Stars’.
    • And, of course, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’.

    Once the all-conquering ruler of the box office, Disney has seen its fortunes take a tumble in the last couple of years, with the likes of Marvel and Pixar movies suffering issues at the box office.

    Still, the Mouse House still has quite the line up, with the likes of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ as big hope points.

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    Pixar, meanwhile, has a new ‘Toy Story’ offering, and ‘Star Wars’ is back on the big screen. Plus ‘Moana’ is getting the live-action treatment. Let’s see what the company chooses to spotlight…

    Before the lights went down, attendees were given a ‘Mandalorian & Grogu’ popcorn bag and a ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’-branded diet coke.

    Related Article: First ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Tease Sees Chris Evans’ Back as Steve Rogers

    The typical studio sizzle reel kicked things off, with plenty of Disney highlights and wrapping with riffs on ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ –– the countdown clock that has been part of the promos so far counting down to zero and the caption “Disney will return to CinemaCon.”

    There is, of course, a little boasting to de done about last year’s success stories, including a joke about renaming ‘Zootopia 2’ to “Zootopia $1.9 billion”.

    ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’?

    (L to R) Matt Kalavsky, SVP, Domestic Distribution, The Walt Disney Company and Andrew Cripps, Head of Theatrical Distribution, Disney Entertainment Studios speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.
    (L to R) Matt Kalavsky, SVP, Domestic Distribution, The Walt Disney Company and Andrew Cripps, Head of Theatrical Distribution, Disney Entertainment Studios speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

    With the comedy sequel just a couple of weeks away from release, there wasn’t too much on it, just a quick video message from Anne Hathaway: “20 years later, we are back!” She also thanked theater owners for their support.

    But did also cue up some new footage from the movie. Three words: Miranda. Priestly. Zingers.

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    ‘Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu’

    Jon Favreau speaks during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.
    Jon Favreau speaks during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

    Surely one of the biggest titles (outside of the MCU) to be showcased here is the return of ‘Star Wars’ to the big screen.

    Writer/director Jon Favreau arrived on stage to remark how the opening shot of the original ‘Star Wars’ changed the path of his life, and how there will be plenty of IMAX footage in the new movie. Not to mention a fresh score from composer Ludwig Göransson.

    (L to R) Droid Mercenary Guard, Sister Hutt, Brother Hutt and Droid Mercenary Guard in Lucasfilm's 'The Mandalorian and Grogu'. Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm. © 2026 Lucasfilm Ltd™. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Droid Mercenary Guard, Sister Hutt, Brother Hutt and Droid Mercenary Guard in Lucasfilm’s ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’. Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm. © 2026 Lucasfilm Ltd™. All Rights Reserved.

    Favreau announced the final trailer for the movie (which you can see above) and also showed the opening sequence, which includes an AT-AT in the snow before we watch Mando (Pedro Pascal) get his next bounty hunting gig.

    If you’re wondering whether ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ got a mention, the answer is yes –– but only in picture form, and nothing we haven’t seen before.

    (L to R) The Mandalorian and Grogu in Lucasfilm's 'The Mandalorian and Grogu'. Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm. © 2026 Lucasfilm Ltd™. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) The Mandalorian and Grogu in Lucasfilm’s ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’. Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm. © 2026 Lucasfilm Ltd™. All Rights Reserved.
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    ‘Toy Story 5’

    (L to R) Tom Hanks and Tim Allen speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.
    (L to R) Tom Hanks and Tim Allen speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

    We went from the galaxy far, far away to the Pixar universe, via some ‘Toy Story 5’ footage. This time around, Woody (who has been off helping rescue other toys) and Buzz, along with their friends, must confront a new toy in Bonnie’s life –– a tech gadget called Lily Pad (voiced by Greta Lee).

    Tim Allen (Buzz) and Tom Hanks (Woody) strode on stage to talk about their latest animated effort. The pair exchanged light banter, made fun of working off of a teleprompter and gave plenty of love to the Pixar team. They also introduced a new clip from the movie, featuring their characters reuniting.

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    ‘Moana’

    (L to R) Catherine Laga'aia and Dwayne Johnson speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.
    (L to R) Catherine Laga’aia and Dwayne Johnson speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

    Next up is Disney’s ongoing effort to convert all of their animated output to live-action movies. ‘Moana’, which was a huge success in cartoon form back in 2016, is back with a mostly new cast, though retained Dwayne Johnson as Maui.

    He was on stage to discuss the film and gush about how much Maui means to him and how his performance was inspired by his grandfather. Johnson was joined by Catherine Laga’aia, who plays Moana, and she revealed that she’d done her very first interview for the movie today.

    And, as is standard, we got some new footage from the movie.

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    ‘The Dog Stars’

    (L to R) Jacob Elordi as Hig and Josh Brolin as Bangley in 20th Century Studios' 'The Dog Stars'. Photo by Fabio Lovino. © 2026 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Jacob Elordi as Hig and Josh Brolin as Bangley in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Dog Stars’. Photo by Fabio Lovino. © 2026 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Next up from the House of Mouse, an original – Ridley Scott‘s latest, ‘The Dog Stars’ Sir Rid himself appeared (on screen) to introduce the post-apocalyptic story, which stars Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley and Josh Brolin.

    It’s set after the world’s population has been ravaged by a pandemic, and follows Elordi’s Hig, who lives a lonesome existence in a Colorado airplane hangar with his dog and a dour gunman (Brolin) he has befriended. When a mysterious transmission comes through on the radio while he’s flying his old Cessna, it sparks a hunt for the provenance of the sound.

    Scott brought the audience first new trailer for the movie, which you can find above, and an early scene.

    (L to R) Jasper and Jacob Elordi as Hig in 20th Century Studios' 'The Dog Stars'. Photo by Fabio Lovino. © 2026 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Jasper and Jacob Elordi as Hig in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Dog Stars’. Photo by Fabio Lovino. © 2026 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
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    ‘Whalefall’

    We’re clearly in the “originals” section (okay, both ‘The Dog Stars’ and this are adapted from novels), as ‘Whalefall’ was next.

    The movie follows a scuba diver in search of his deceased father’s remains gets swallowed by an 80-foot, 60-ton sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out. After giving up on life, the young man is surprised to find a reason to live in the most dangerous and unlikely of places. Oh, and like Ridley Scott’s movie, this also features Josh Brolin.

    ‘Whalefall’ comes from director Brian Duffield, who previously brought us ‘No One Will Save You’. And the first look at the movie finds the main character, played by Austin Abrams, getting drawn into the mouth of the whale.

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    After a quick look at ‘Wild Horse Nine’ (the latest film from ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’s Martin McDonagh –– and no jokes about having to have seen the first eight ‘Wild Horses’, please), we moved on to…

    ‘Hexed’

    Andrew Cripps, Head of Theatrical Distribution, Disney Entertainment Studios speaks during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.
    Andrew Cripps, Head of Theatrical Distribution, Disney Entertainment Studios speaks during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

    The latest from Disney’s own animation studio sees what happens when an awkward teenage girl and her Type-A mom discover that what makes her unusual might be magical powers that will turn their lives and a secret world of magic upside down.

    There was a quick look at footage from the movie, which features the voices of Hailee Steinfeld and Rashida Jones.

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    Still on the animation front, Pixar’s 2027 feline-focused effort ‘Gatto’ got a quick shoutout before the studio rolled on to…

    ‘Ice Age: Boiling Point’

    (L to R) Queen Latifah, Denis Leary and Ray Romano speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.
    (L to R) Queen Latifah, Denis Leary and Ray Romano speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

    Some of the voice cast, including Ray Romano (Manny), Denis Leary (Diego), and Queen Latifah (Ellie) took the stage to introduce the first look at the sixth (count ’em) main movie in the franchise.

    We got a look at footage from the beginning of the movie, which features an adorable baby Scratch (the squirrel, in case you forgot).

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    Time for the big finale!

    ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    (L to R) Anthony Russo, Robert Downey Jr., Joe Russo, Chris Evans and Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.
    (L to R) Anthony Russo, Robert Downey Jr., Joe Russo, Chris Evans and Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

    Of course Marvel was going to wrap things up with what Disney is hoping will be one of, if not the biggest film of the year. No pressure, then…

    Marvel boss Kevin Feige arrived on stage to discuss ‘Doomsday’ and introduce something called ‘Infinity Vision’ which will enhance the viewing experience (read more about that here). He also mentioned that ‘Avengers: Endgame’ will be back in theaters ahead of the new movie.

    Chris Evans speaks during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.
    Chris Evans speaks during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

    Feige was joined by directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who talked about how Doctor Doom (played in the new movie, of course, by Robert Downey Jr.) is the best Marvel villain because he’s always three steps ahead.

    And then it was the turn of the man himself (RDJ, not Doom), on stage to announce he wants to give away all the spoilers, but isn’t permitted (and anyway, that’s Tom Holland‘s job).

    (L to R) Anthony Russo, Robert Downey Jr., Joe Russo, Chris Evans and Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.
    (L to R) Anthony Russo, Robert Downey Jr., Joe Russo, Chris Evans and Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios speak during the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

    A first proper trailer for ‘Doomsday’ played (lots of X-Men) action, and Chris Evans appeared on stage to admit he was only going to return to the MCU for a good reason (no jokes about dump trucks full of money, please). There was a mock argument between RDJ and Evans about their characters.

    The trailer played a second time, and let’s just say this… there was screaming in the audience.

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    And with that, Disney’s out! Which also marks the end of the studio presentations. Hope you enjoyed our coverage!

    (L to R) Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Ray Romano and Denis Leary attend the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Disney.
    (L to R) Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Ray Romano and Denis Leary attend the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Cinemacon 2026 on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Disney.

  • CinemaCon 2026: Paramount Presentation

    'Street Fighter' opens in theaters on October 16th.
    ‘Street Fighter’ opens in theaters on October 16th.

    Preview

    • Paramount Pictures made its presentation to the 2026 CinemaCon crowd.
    • Among the movies promoted were ‘Street Fighter’ and ‘Scary Movie’.
    • There was also a look at a new ‘Christmas Carol’ adaptation.

    Given the tumultuous behind-the-scenes business activity of first the Skydance/Paramount acquisition and now the combined studios’ ongoing mission to buy Warner Bros., it’s fair to wonder how much of that will be referenced at the company’s 2026 CinemaCon presentation.

    But as is more likely, we’re expecting a focus on movies including the new ‘Scary Movie’ entry and a fresh take on the ‘Street Fighter’ video game.

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    Unlike some of its competition, Paramount doesn’t have many of its big hitter franchises with ready entries, though we’ll likely get something from the early 2027 arrival of the fourth ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ movie.

    Related Article: Netflix Out of Bidding War for Warner Bros., Paramount Seemingly Wins

    Following a looong sizzle reel (narrated by Tom Cruise and ending with him chilling out on the lot’s iconic water tower), freshly minted Paramount/Skydance boss David Ellison took the stage to enthuse about storytelling and –– cross it off your bingo card! –– further confirm that a merged Paramount and Warner Bros. would commit to 30 movies a year theatrically, with healthy 45-day release windows.

    There was also a lot of chat about the IP-based movies they’re developing –– expect more ‘Star Trek’, ‘Transformers’, ‘World War Z’ and ‘Top Gun’, plus a ‘Call of Duty’ movie. Oh, and following the success of the first film via Neon, the studio is the new home of the ‘Longlegs’ franchise. And we also learned that classic antagonists Shredder and Kang will show up in the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ sequel, due in 2027.

    ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 4’

    'Sonic the Hedgehog 4' opens in theaters on March 19, 2027.
    ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 4’ opens in theaters on March 19, 2027.

    There wasn’t much on the fourth ‘Sonic’ beyond a quick video from the set that confirms Jim Carrey will be back. There was also a mention of Kristen Bell, who voices Amy Rose.

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    ‘Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour’

    Billie Eliish in 'Billie Eliish - Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D)'. Photo: Henry Hwu and Paramount Pictures.
    Billie Eliish in ‘Billie Eliish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D)’. Photo: Henry Hwu and Paramount Pictures.

    Eilish and director James Cameron (yes, that James Cameron) took the stage to showcase the tour movie (Live in 3D in case you forgot), with Cameron talking up how they developed new 3D tech to make the film –– and make it look amazing. He calls it a “VIP experience”.

    The audience were given 3D glasses to watch some new footage from the tour movie.

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    ‘Scary Movie’

    Marlon Wayans plays Shorty in 'Scary Movie' from Paramount Pictures.
    Marlon Wayans plays Shorty in ‘Scary Movie’ from Paramount Pictures.

    Next to take the stage was the ‘Scary Movie’ cast (well, Marlon and Shawn Wayans and Anna Faris) discuss the new reboot (or sixth film) in the horror spoof series. “Nobody is safe” seems to be the mantra here, and the Wayans introduced some fresh footage from the movie.

    (L to R) Anna Faris plays Cindy and Regina Hall plays Brenda in 'Scary Movie' from Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Anna Faris plays Cindy and Regina Hall plays Brenda in ‘Scary Movie’ from Paramount Pictures.

    That “nobody is safe” also applies to the genre titles this one takes pot shots at, including ‘Sinners’, ‘M3GAN’ and more.

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    ‘Jackass: Best and Last’

    2002's 'Jackass: The Movie'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    2002’s ‘Jackass: The Movie’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    The new –– and final? –– ‘Jackass’ saw main man Johnny Knoxville trying to convince us all that it really is the last one. Guessing they’re all getting a little too old for the crazy stunts.

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    ‘Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie’

    Carter Young as “Marshall” in 'Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie' from Paramount PIctures and Spinmaster.
    Carter Young as “Marshall” in ‘Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie’ from Paramount PIctures and Spinmaster.

    In what could be considered tonal whiplash, the next film to be name-checked was the latest ‘Paw Patrol’ movie, with a quick teaser.

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    ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’

    Logo for 'The Angry Birds Movie 3'. Photo: Paramount.
    Logo for ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’. Photo: Paramount.

    The new ‘Angry Birds’ film was also given a very brief check-in, and we learned that this one is about fatherhood.

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    ‘Street Fighter’

    Jason Momoa in 'Street Fighter'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Jason Momoa in ‘Street Fighter’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    The cast for the latest attempt to kick off a franchise based on the classic video game title arrived on stage to discuss it. Wrestler-turned-actor Cody Rhodes showed up dressed in costume as Guile.

    They introduced the first trailer for the movie, which you can see above.

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    Mr. Irrelevant: The John Tuggle Story

    David Corenswet as “John Tuggle” in 'Mr. Irrelevant' from Paramount Pictures.
    David Corenswet as “John Tuggle” in ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ from Paramount Pictures.

    The new movie from Jonathan Levine stars ‘Superman’s David Corenswet and focuses on the enduring impact John Tuggle had on his team and teammates after being drafted by the New York Giants.

    Corenswet appeared via video to introduce the film, talking about how he was inspired by Tuggle’s story but was also conflicted as an Eagles fan playing a Giants icon.

    David Corenswet as “John Tuggle” in 'Mr. Irrelevant' from Paramount Pictures.
    David Corenswet as “John Tuggle” in ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ from Paramount Pictures.
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    ‘Heart of the Beast’

    Brad Pitt poses backstage with the Oscar® for Actor In A Supporting Role during the live ABC Telecast of The 92nd Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 9, 2020. Credit/Provider: Nick Agro / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Brad Pitt poses backstage with the Oscar® for Actor In A Supporting Role during the live ABC Telecast of The 92nd Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 9, 2020. Credit/Provider: Nick Agro / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    The new David Ayer movie features Brad Pitt as a former Navy SEAL and his retired combat dog who attempt to return to civilization after a catastrophic accident deep in the Alaskan wilderness.

    Vc0YiCW41IHjbLw8oXVpF

    Following a quick look at K-Pop Superstar: The Movie, it was on to…

    ‘Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol’

    The new movie from Ti West (who has been better known for more brutal horror in the past) features Johnny Depp as Scrooge. Some footage was screened. Unsurprisingly, it’s leaning into the scarier elements of the story. Happy Christmas?

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    ‘Children of Blood and Bone’

    Oscar® nominee Viola Davis arrives on the red carpet of The 93rd Oscars® at Union Station in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, April 25, 2021. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Oscar® nominee Viola Davis arrives on the red carpet of The 93rd Oscars® at Union Station in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, April 25, 2021. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Gina Prince-Bythewood‘s new film adaptsTomi Adeyemi‘s novel, featuring a woman blessed with magical powers by the gods and living in a place where you are forbidden to use them, teams up with a princess to summon the gods and bring down the oppressive regime.

    A musical performance preceded the cast (including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Regina King, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, Thuso Mbedu)  and  Prince-Bythewood to the stage to talk up the film. We also got footage.

    The footage shows Viola Davis‘ Mama Agba and her allies smacking around some tax collectors. The film is a story about the struggle to bring back magic in a kingdom where magic users are routinely executed. The magic users have Targaryen-like white hair. We see one magician summon a tree fighter to battle enemy warriors. The movie looks unique.

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    Noticeably absent? ‘Avatar: Ang, The Last Airbender’, which Paramount originally planned for theaters and then decided to shove to its streaming service. But the biggest news? It recently leaked online….

    And with that, Paramount is done!

    'Street Fighter' opens in theaters on October 16th.
    ‘Street Fighter’ opens in theaters on October 16th.