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Following a successful run at The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh earlier this year, Nicole Taylor's stage adaptation of Wild Rose, directed by Tony and Olivier Award winner John Tiffany, might be heading to London. According to Deadline, the musical's producers are currently in negotiations for a West End End transfer. Wild Rose is based on the critically acclaimed award-winning film of the same name featuring Jessie Buckley and Julie Walters, written by Nicole Taylor, directed by Tom Harper and produced by Faye Ward (Fable Pictures). There is only one thing in Rose-Lynn’s life that has ever made sense: country music. Fresh out of jail for past mistakes, and bursting with incredible raw talent, charisma and cheek, the free-spirited Rose-Lynn dreams of escaping Glasgow to make...

Exclusive: John Tiffany’s stage musical adaptation of award-winning 2018 feature Wild Rose could be headed to the London’s West End, following its critically acclaimed debut in Edinburgh.

Faye Ward of Fable Pictures, who produced the original film, lead theatre producer Patrick Daly at Caledonia Productions and Gavin Kalin at Totally Theatre Productions, who is also a producer on the show, are in negotiations for a West End run.

Ward, who is executive producer on the stage production with Nia Janis of Playful Productions, revealed the West End plans to Deadline on the fringes of the Scad Lacoste Film Festival in France in June.

“Talks are underway, and the hope is that we can bring it too London in the not-too-distant future,” she said.

The stage production debuted earlier this year with a critically acclaimed, extended six-week run at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh, which broke box office records for the venue.

Exclusive: Toby Jones, Stephen Frears, Christopher Hampton and costume designer Jany Temime have been unveiled as honorees of the Scad Lacoste Film Festival in France’s Provence region later this month.

Organized by the Savannah College of Art and Design (Scad), the festival’s fourth edition will run in the picturesque town in the Luberon Valley from June 26 to 28.

The three-day event gathers film and TV industry professionals related to Scad’s degree programs for acting, film and television, production design, costume design and fashion for a program of screening, talks and networking.

UK Bafta-winning actor Jones – who is known for his diverse repertoire ranging from Captain America and The Hunger Games to the more recent TV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office – will be presented with the Virtuoso Award.

He has chosen Matteo Garrone’s 2015 fantasy horror Tale of Tales – in which he co-starred alongside Salma Hayek, Vincent Cassel...

Banijay UK has entered a strategic partnership with scripted production company Popcorn Storm Pictures, led by Tom Harper and Negeen Yazdi. Popcorn Storm is a London-based, talent-led firm founded in 2018 by Harper, with Yazdi joining in 2024 to oversee the film and TV development slate.

The deal also includes a first-look distribution agreement with Banijay Rights and will see Harper and Yazdi develop premium scripted content with Banijay UK and its labels. With over two decades in the industry, Harper and Yazdi have built on their own 20-year friendship to craft extensive relationships with leading writers and actors. Marrying talent and IP from the ground up to tell bold and engaging stories from a British perspective for global audiences is central to their ethos.

Together, Harper and Yazdi have already built a robust slate at Popcorn Storm that includes projects in development with the BBC, Peacock, Netflix and Amazon. With access...

The British Independent Film Awards (Bifas)winners are being unveiled from a ceremony at London’s Roundhouse.

Scroll down for winners

Screen isupdating this page live from the ceremony as the winners are announced - refresh this page for the latest winners. Scroll down for the full nominations and craft winners.

Sophie Okonedo is receiving theRichard Harris award. The actor is best known for her Oscar-nominated performance in 2004’sHotel Rwanda while her other film credits includeThe Secret Lie Of Bees,Christopher Robin,Wild Rose,Death On The Nile andCatherine Called Birdy.

Bifa winners 2024

Winners in bold, latest award top

Best...

Sophie Okonedo will receive the Richard Harris Award at the 2024 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs), organizers unveiled Monday.

The Richard Harris Award recognizes the outstanding contribution of an actor to British film. Previous recipients of the honor include the likes of Samantha Morton, Riz Ahmed, Kristin Scott Thomas, Judi Dench, Vanessa Redgrave, Daniel Day-Lewis, Helena Bonham Carter, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Julie Walters, John Hurt, Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent and, last year, Stephen Graham.

“Sophie’s celebrated career has seen her embrace both U.K. independent and Hollywood film and has taken her from the National Theatre to Broadway and back, with a significant body of acclaimed television roles in between,” the BIFAs organizers said in a statement. “Sophie’s work has been recognized by, amongst others, BIFA, BAFTA, the Academy, Tony, Olivier, Screen Actors Guild and Emmy Awards.”

They also highlighted: “Her versatility as a performer has seen her in demand across all film genres,...

Sophie Okonedo will be honoured with the Richard Harris award at the 2024 British Independent Film Awards (Bifas).

The actor will receive the award at the Bifas ceremony held this Sunday, December 8, at the Roundhouse in London.

Okonedo is best known for her Oscar-nominated performance in 2004’s Hotel Rwanda while her other film credits include The Secret Lie Of Bees, Christopher Robin, Wild Rose, Death On The Nile and Catherine Called Birdy.

She was previously nominated for two Bifas - in 2002 for Stephen Frears’s Dirty Pretty Things and in 2009 for Anthony Fabian’s Skin.

On the TV side, Okonedo is...

Sophie Okonedo is set to receive the Richard Harris Award at the 2024 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) on Sunday 8 December.

The prize is given for an outstanding contribution by an actor to British film. Previous recipients include Samantha Morton, Riz Ahmed, Kristin Scott Thomas, Judi Dench, Vanessa Redgrave, Daniel Day-Lewis, Helena Bonham Carter, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Julie Walters, John Hurt, Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent and in 2023, Stephen Graham.

Stage and screen star Okonedo was Oscar-nominated for Hotel Rwanda in 2005 and won a Tony for A Raisin In The Sun in 2014. She has twice previously been nominated for a BIFA for roles in Skin and Dirty Pretty Things.

She made her way into acting at the Royal Court’s youth theatre in London, before going on to develop her craft at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (Rada). She made her big-screen debut in Isaac Julien’s enduring 1991 East-end drama Young Soul Rebels.

The CW has pulled The Wranglers from its Monday-night lineup and put the entire eight-episode season on The CW app and Cwtv.com.

The reality series about the lives of young staff members working at the Circle Bar Dude ranch in Montana debuted to 130,000 total viewers on Sept. 23, and averaged 160K over three airings —representing just 35% retention of Superman & Lois‘ audience.

More from TVLineThe Sex Lives of College Girls Releases Full Season 3 Trailer Ahead of November Premiere on MaxPresumed Innocent Season 2 to Feature Female Lead, Non-Scott Turow Book InspirationSuperman & Lois: Michael Cudlitz Says Lex Is 'Completely Broken' After Episode 5, Teases...

Allblk has greenlit Wild Rose, a new eight-episode drama series starring and executive produced by Omarion. Created by Deji Laray, the series presents a unique premise: a family of assassins who also run a non-profit organization. Omarion plays Roosevelt, aka “Rose,” a skilled hitman raised within this unusual family business. Rose’s world […]

Omarion Leads Allblk’s New Hitman Drama “Wild Rose”...

Omarion will star as a charismatic hitman with a conscience in a new original drama series from AMC Networks’ Allblk titled “Wild Rose.”

Created by Deji Laray, the series follows Roosevelt aka “Rose,” who “comes from a family of assassins that also happen to run a nonprofit organization,” according to the logline. “Behind the nonprofit facade is an elite, family-run, hired-gun agency known for taking down high-profile targets.”

Rose’s life turns upside down when his wife and daughter mysteriously walk out of his life and disappear for months. Suspecting foul play, Rose embarks on a journey to uncover the truth, unraveling a “web of secrets that force him to question his identity within his own family.”

“I’m ecstatic that I’m back on your television in a new way,” Omarion said in a statement. “I can’t wait for the Allblk fans and others to see a different side of me.

The upcoming “Peaky Blinders” movie has revealed more original series stars who are returning for the crime drama’s next chapter.

Stephen Graham; Sophie Rundle; Ned Dennehy; Packy Lee (“Blue Lights”); and Ian Peck are all set to reprise their roles alongside Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby. Jay Lycurgo has also joined the film in an undisclosed role.

In the final season of the original series, Graham portrays Hayden Stagg, the union leader for the Liverpool dock workers. Rundle was a mainstay throughout all six seasons as Tommy Shelby’s sister Ada, as was Dennehy as Charlie Strong, a sort of uncle to the Shelby siblings. Lee plays Johnny Dogs, a friend of Tommy’s, while Ian Peck is Curly, Charlie’s assistant.

Production on the film started last week and a first look at Murphy back in character was revealed. The plot of the film remains tightly under wraps,...

Netflix has announced that production commenced today on the highly anticipated Peaky Blinders movie, an epic continuation of the multi-award-winning gangster saga, set in the lawless streets of Birmingham in the 1900s.

Cillian Murphy reprises his role as the iconic Tommy Shelby in the film written by the show’s creator, Steven Knight, who produces alongside Patrick Holland, Cillian Murphy, and Guy Heeley. The film will be made in association with BBC Film.

Photo courtesy of Netflix

“I’m thrilled to see the cameras rolling on this new chapter of the Peaky Blinders story, set during World War II. The country is at war, and so, of course, are our Peaky Blinders,” said writer and producer Steven Knight.

Director Tom Harper added: “There’s a great feeling of anticipation and excitement amongst our outstanding cast and crew. We’re grateful to the fans for getting us to this point and...

No F**King Fighting! Ok, maybe a little, as the Peaky Blinders are set to return to Netflix, this time for a feature-length narrative entitled “A Peaky Blinders Film.” Announced June 2024, the film will see Cillian Murphy return to the role of gang leader, business man, and politician Tommy Shelby. The script has already been written by series creator Steven Knight and will be directed by Tom Harper, who helmed three episodes of the show in addition to directing features like “Wild Rose” and “The Aeronauts.”

In the official announcement, Murphy wrote, “It seems like Tommy Shelby wasn’t finished with me… It is very gratifying to be recollaborating with Steven Knight and Tom Harper on the film version of ‘Peaky Blinders.’ This is one for the fans.”

Harper added, “When I first directed ‘Peaky Blinders’ over 10 years ago, we didn’t know what the series would become, but we...

Tim Roth is joining Cillian Murphy, Rebecca Ferguson and Barry Keoghan in the Peaky Blinders film. More on the casting and film here.

The cast for the Peaky Blinders movie continues to expand, with the reveal that Tim Roth is the latest to sign up for the ensemble.

Headlining the film is Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy, reprising his role of Tommy Shelby from the his TV series. He’s already being joined by the previously-announced Rebecca Ferguson and Barry Keoghan, although what their exact roles are, for the minute at least, are being kept secret.

The film has been penned by series creator and overlord Steven Knight, with Tom Harper – who’s previously directed the likes of Wild Rose and The Aeronauts, as well as episodes of the series – helming the movie.

Peaky Blinders is currently in pre-production at the Digbeth Loc studios in Birmingham, the first major film to be shot at the new facility.

Tubi, Fox’s free streaming service, has announced its list of October titles. The Tubi October 2024 slate features new Tubi Originals and numerous action, art house, Black cinema, comedy, documentary, drama, horror, kids and family, romance, sci-fi and fantasy, thriller, and Western titles.

As a leading ad-supported video-on-demand service, the company engages diverse audiences through a personalized experience and the world’s largest content library: over 200,000 movies and TV episodes, a growing collection of Tubi Originals, and nearly 250 Fast channels.

You can watch the Tubi October 2024 lineup for free on Android and iOS mobile devices, Amazon Echo Show, Google Nest Hub Max, Comcast Xfinity X1, and Cox Contour.

You can also watch the service on connected television devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Vizio TVs, Sony TVs, Samsung TVs, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and on the Tubi site.

Tubi Originals

Documentary

Famously Haunted:...

Rebecca Ferguson is heading to Birmingham as she joins Cillian Murphy in the Peaky Blinders movie.

The Peaky Blinders film is starting to take shape. Netflix formally announced the film in June and Steven Knight had already assured us that Cillian Murphy would reprise his role as Tommy Shelby, but we haven’t heard any other specifics.

Deadline now reports that Rebecca Ferguson is joining the film, but details about her role are keeping under wraps for now. That’s all there really is to this news story, but in order to please the algorithm gods, we’ll natter on a bit more.

Knight is penning the script, but he confirmed a while ago he wouldn’t be directing the film. That mantle belongs to Tom Harper, who previously directed a few episodes of Peaky Blinders, making him well acquainted with its world of Birmingham gangsters. Harper also directed Jessie Buckley...

Jessie Buckley has one of the most exciting, albeit unorthodox, rises to prominence of any breakout actress of the past decade. Generally, it takes a role in a mainstream superhero project or a major dramatic television role to put a new face on the map. However, Buckleys talents are ones that speak for themselves, as shes managed to work with such highly respected storytellers as Sarah Polley, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Charlie Kaufman, and Noah Hawley within a relatively confined period of time. As easy as it may be to pin her string of successive hits on sheer luck, Buckleys talents were evident for anyone who saw her breakout performance in the underrated musical comedy Wild Rose.

For all the music acts that have broken into mainstream fame thanks to social media, countless others have surrendered their aspirations on the road to making it big. “Dandelion,” the sophomore effort from writer-director Nicole Riegel (“Holler”), observes the impromptu romance and creative synergy between two musicians on the precipice of giving up. The evocative visuals here sing in unison with the characters’ yearning to fulfill the promise of their lifelong dreams. They are chasing a glimmer of light before twilight.

Tired of singing in a Cincinnati hotel bar to an audience for whom she is no more than background noise, singer-songwriter Theresa (KiKi Layne), stage name Dandelion, travels to South Dakota for a competition to be the opening act at a major event. Though she fails to land the gig, she meets Casey (Thomas Doherty), a Scottish man in town to play with his old bandmates. The archetype of the scruffy indie musician,...

Netflix has confirmed a Peaky Blinders film is going ahead with Tom Harper set to direct.

The untitled feature, which carries on from the BBC hit series, was originally confirmed by series creator Steven Knight back in March but now Netflix has officially greenlit the project which will be made in association with BBC Film.

Cillian Murphy is returning to star as the infamous Tommy Shelby and will produce the film alongside Knight, Caryn Mandabach and Guy Heeley. Knight is also writing the script.

Production is set to begin later this year and will shoot at Knight’s own Digbeth Loc Studios in Birmingham.

By order of Netflix, Steven Knight's long-awaited Peaky Blinders movie is officially happening! Yes, three years since we first learned of showrunner Knight's plans to bring the Brum-set mob drama to the big screen – and two years since Series 6's epic finale saw Tommy Shelby riding off into the sunset – Deadline has confirmed that the series' feature-length follow-up has been greenlit at Netflix. And as if that ain't cause enough for celebration, Cillian Murphy will be back as Tommy Shelby for the film, with Blinders alum Tom Harper (Wild Rose) set to direct and Knight handling the script.

With a Peaky Blinders film finale having been on Knight's mind for a while now, we actually have a pretty solid idea of where our favourite flat-cap wearing clan's return will take us already. When Empire spoke to Knight back in 2022, the show's creator talked about how the Blinders story,...

The highly anticipated “Peaky Blinders” movie is set to bring back Cillian Murphy as the infamous Tommy Shelby. Directed by Tom Harper, who worked on the first season of the series, the film promises to condense the gripping narrative into a cinematic experience.

Netflix has officially announced the “Peaky Blinders” film adaptation on social media, showcasing a picture of the screenplay and featuring key contributors to the project. Tom Harper, known for his work on “Peaky Blinders” and “Wild Rose,” will direct the film, with a script penned by Steven Knight, acclaimed for “Eastern Promises” and the “Peaky Blinders” series.

Cillian Murphy shared his excitement about the film, remarking, “It seems like Tommy Shelby wasn’t finished with me…It is very gratifying to be re-collaborating with Steven Knight and Tom Harper on the film version of ‘Peaky Blinders.’ This is one for the fans.”

The announcement comes amid long-standing...

Thomas Shelby is back.

Oscar winner Cillian Murphy will return as the fearsome gangster in a “Peaky Blinders” film at Netflix, directed by Tom Harper, who directed episodes of the first season in 2013.

“It seems like Tommy Shelby wasn’t finished with me…It is very gratifying to be recollaborating with Steven Knight and Tom Harper on the film version of ‘Peaky Blinders.’ This is one for the fans,” Murphy said.

“When I first directed ‘Peaky Blinders’ over 10 years ago, we didn’t know what the series would become, but we did know that there was something in the alchemy of the cast and the writing that felt explosive. ‘Peaky’ has always been a story about family – and so it’s incredibly exciting to be reuniting with Steve and Cillian to bring the movie to audiences across the world on Netflix,” Harper added.

The continuation of the saga, set in...

Former eOne and Pathé UK marketing executive Chris Besseling has joined True Brit Entertainment, the UK distribution company run by Zygi Kamasa.

Besseling’s official title at True Brit is Head of Theatrical Distribution, Marketing, and Publicity. He will oversee the full theatrical distribution, marketing, and publicity function for True Brit Entertainment’s slate. He will be based in London and report to True Brit Entertainment CEO Kamasa.

Besseling began his career at the Metrodome, BFI, and Optimum Releasing. Since then, he has been responsible for launching over 200 films at the UK and Irish box office. During his time at eOne and Pathé, he spearheaded the theatrical campaigns for a wide array of titles, including 1917, Suffragette, Green Book, Selma, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Amongst Thieves, Wild Rose, The Death of Stalin, The Woman King, Stan & Ollie, Clifford The Big Red Dog, The House With A Clock In Its Walls, Blinded By the Light...

Exclusive: Veteran industry executive Negeen Yazdi has joined Tom Harper’s Popcorn Storm Pictures as Partner. Yazdi, who was formerly SVP of Film Development & Production at Fifth Season, will oversee Popcorn Storm’s film and TV development slate in a move that reunites her with Harper after the pair previously collaborated on 2016 BBC miniseries War & Peace.

Popcorn Storm is a London-based, talent-led firm founded in 2018 by Harper. His diverse portfolio spans two decades with credits including directing the first season of Peaky Blinders (2013), BBC miniseries War & Peace (2016) and features Wild Rose (2018), The Aeronauts (2019) and Heart of Stone (2023). Harper and Yazdi previously collaborated on the Emmy-nominated War & Peace which laid the foundation for this new partnership.

Yazdi’s appointment comes at an exciting time for Popcorn Storm which is building on the success of its current Paramount+ series A Gentleman in Moscow, exec produced by Harper and the...

The 2011 film adaptation of David Nichols‘ novel “One Day” starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess was met with decidedly average notices at best. However, Netflix’s new adaptation has corrected that misstep and the limited series has received overwhelmingly positive reviews and acclaim from all corners.

This new editions showcases “This is Going to Hurt” breakout star Ambika Mod in the Hathaway role (Emma) while “The White Lotus'” Leo Woodall takes up the Sturgess mantle (Dexter). Emma and Dexter meet by chance on the night of graduating from university and the next day they part ways. However, their relationship then charts years as their fates are tied together. Both stars excel here and their chemistry propels the series to soaring heights while creator and writer Nicole Taylor, who wrote the 2018 Jessie Buckley movie “Wild Rose,” masterfully presides over proceedings, hence the rave reviews.

Aramide Tinubu (Variety) called it a “beautiful...

Exclusive: Annette Bening is joining Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Frankenstein lore feature at Warner Bros; the studio making it official that this is a go-project. Cameras roll in Q1. This package with its attachments has been out there since it was at Netflix, and the deals have finally closed with everyone. Jessie Buckley is the star of the movie which follows Frankenstein’s pursuit of love.

There’s already been word out there about the cast, including Buckley, and it’s a murderers’ row with Christian Bale, Penélope Cruz, and Peter Sarsgaard. Bale and Buckley have been circling this project well before the strikes.

Logline: A lonely Frankenstein travels to 1930s Chicago to seek the aide of a Dr. Euphronius in creating a companion for himself. The two reinvigorate a murdered young woman and the Bride is born. She is beyond what either of them intended, igniting a combustible romance, the...

At the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) on Dec. 3, Andrew Haigh‘s “All of Us Strangers” domainted, winning seven races including Picture, Director, and Screenplay. Meanwhile, Mia McKenna-Bruce won Best Lead Performance for “How to Have Sex” while her co-star, Shaun Thomas, tied for Best Supporting Performance along with “All of Us Strangers” scene stealer Paul Mescal. But what do these little independent awards mean for the larger awards season? Let’s take a look.

Firstly, “All of Us Strangers” had a great night. The fantasy film also won Music Supervision, Cinematographer, and Editing. This overwhelming response from British voters could indicate that the same will happen at the BAFTAs. “All of Us Strangers” could be in line for nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor for Mescal, and Best Actor for Andrew Scott. There are some big names, of course, that these creatives will...

Born and raised in Ireland, Jessie Buckley has quickly made a name for herself in the world of acting and singing. Her talent and dedication have led to her recognition and success in both film and theatre, earning her nominations for prestigious awards such as the Academy Award and three BAFTA Awards.

Born on December 28, 1989, in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland, Jessie was the eldest of five children. Her mother, Marina Cassidy, was a vocal coach and inspired Jessie’s early interest in music and the performing arts. Jessie attended the all-girls Ursuline Secondary School in Thurles, County Tipperary, where her mother worked. She took part in numerous school productions, often playing male lead roles, including Tony in West Side Story and Freddie Trumper in Chess1.

In addition to acting, Jessie demonstrated a deep passion for music. She achieved Grade eight in piano, clarinet, and harp at the Royal Irish Academy...

Christos Nikou’s “Fingernails,” one of the buzziest films to premiere on the fall festival circuit this year, explores the problem with love in a recognizable world just slightly off its axis — that’s precisely because the “Apples” director, for his second feature, eschews any use of cell phones or 21st century onscreen technology.

Jessie Buckley plays Anna, a woman who’s comfortable and content but perhaps unchallenged by her relationship with sweet husband Ryan (Jeremy Allen White). They’ve mainly stayed together for a handful of years because of a test developed by The Love Institute, which uses a simple technology to determine if a couple is actually in love, and if you’re with the person you’re supposed to be.

“Fingernails” sounds like heady sci-fi on the surface, but its premise is pretty simple: Submit yourself to a research facility that rips you and your lover’s fingernails off,...

It’s turning out to be quite a summer for superspies and supercomputers.

A month after the action feast of “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part I”, in which Tom Cruise faced off with an AI supervillain called “the Entity,” comes a very “Mi”-like international espionage thriller with an equally fancy and powerful machine.

“Heart of Stone” stars Gal Gadot as Rachel Stone, an agent for an elite and clandestine intelligence agency called the Charter. Like “Mission: Impossible”, “Heart of Stone” hits glamorous global destinations and features lengthy actions sequence including a wingsuit skydive.

Read More: ‘Heart Of Stone’ Trailer: Gal Gadot, Jamie Dornan And Alia Bhatt Star In Thrilling Spy Film

Enzo Cilenti as Mulvaney in “Heart Of Stone”. — Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023. Gal Gadot as Rachel Stone in “Heart Of Stone”. — Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

Whereas “Dead Reckoning” pushed old-school filmmaking to extremes for a gripping theatrical experience,...

If Heart of Stone has any distinctive visual moments, they all involve a supercomputer called the Heart. The Heart appears in the form of holographic images surrounding operator the Jack of Hearts (Matthias Schweighöfer), who moves around digital objects and zooms in on key details by waving his hands and touching objects. Yes, we’ve seen many similar depictions of supercomputers ever since Tom Cruise stared intensely at future crimes in 2002’s Minority Report and Tony Stark threw hot rod red on his suit in 2008’s Iron Man. Heck, we’ve seen Jeff Goldblum wave his shockingly large hands around cg-landscapes in apartment commercials.

To his credit though, director Tom Harper doesn’t treat the visuals as anything groundbreaking or particularly exciting. It’s just shorthand for superspy technology. In fact, everything in Heart of Stone is superspy shorthand—a recitation of ideas and characters that we’ve seen time and again.

Gal Gadot leads the streamer’s latest ambitious franchise-starter that delivers just about enough dumb summer fun to have us curious for more

There were some impossible calculations made this summer in the making and marketing of Tom Cruise’s seventh mission as Ethan Hunt, the gambit of a gargantuan almost $300m budget yet to prove a decision well-made, the sequel heading for a somewhat destructive financial reckoning. But before the final tally is in, the film’s production company Skydance is hoping for a far easier win with similarly themed thriller Heart of Stone, a potential Netflix franchise-starter, cushioned by lower costs and lower stakes.

There’s also, predictably, a lower level of enjoyment to be had here but given the sky-high bar Cruise has set for the Mission: Impossible series, that doesn’t mean that the streamer’s copycat caper is as unrewarding as one might expect. Netflix...

We all know what a MacGuffin is: an object or event that the plot of a thriller hinges on, and which everyone onscreen keeps talking about, yet it has no intrinsic interest apart from how it serves the structure of the movie. The term was mythologized by Hitchcock, and as shorthand for the way a certain kind of movie works it has never gone out of style. But what do you call a MacGuffin that’s so boring the audience can’t pretend to care about it? Let’s call it a MacMuffin.

“Heart of Stone,” a double-crossing espionage thriller that is joyless, convoluted, and sludgy-looking — in short, abysmal — is a movie chockful of MacMuffins. Gal Gadot, working hard to come off as blithe and cool (something one should never work hard to do), plays Rachel Stone, an intelligence operative who is part of a chummy veteran spy team that...

Gal Gadot has made her fair share of action films, from her role as the Amazonian princess Diana in “Wonder Woman” and the DC universe to Netflix’s “Red Notice” to the long-running “Fast and Furious” franchise. But after those films, Gadot was eager to do more in the action space — specifically from a female point of view. So she willed “Heart of Stone” into being.

With Gadot’s new Netflix movie, the actress and producer on the project wanted to do more. “I grew up watching ‘Bond,’ and ‘Mission: [Impossible],’ and ‘Bourne Identity’ and ‘Die Hard,'” Gadot told TheWrap in an interview conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike. “I love these movies. I love the action, and the twists and turns and drama, the scope. I want to make movies that the audience can come in and we can take them through a journey for two hours, and make...

The first look of Alia Bhatt’s Hollywood debut film, Heart of Stone, has been released by Netflix and it promises to be a high-octane action spy thriller. The film stars Gal Gadot as Rachel Stone, a spy who embarks on a dangerous mission that will test her loyalty and courage. Alia Bhatt plays a pivotal role in the film, whose details are still under wraps. The film also features Jamie Dornan, who is best known for his role in the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise.

Heart of Stone is directed by Tom Harper, who has previously helmed films like The Aeronauts and Wild Rose. The film is produced by Skydance Media, which has also backed blockbuster films like Mission: Impossible, Terminator, and Star Trek. The film is slated to release on Netflix in 2023.

Heart of Stone Poster

Alia Bhatt, who is one of the most popular and versatile actors in Bollywood,...

True Detective producer Richard Brown’s Passenger has struck a first-look deal with Patrick Daly’s Caledonia Productions.

The pair will partner on some existing film and TV projects for the next two years, along with building a co-production slate. Fremantle, which bought Passenger late last year and counts Brown as a global drama exec, will handle global distribution of the projects.

“Fremantle is the most exciting home for world class storytelling, and coupled with Richard’s superb taste, passion for writers, and ambition for Passenger, makes it the perfect place for Caledonia to expand its TV and Film capabilities,” said Daly, while Brown added that he had been “keen to collaborate with Patrick for a long time.”

Brown’s Passenger is a co-producer on HBO’s True Detective, which is soon launching a Jodie Foster-starring fourth season, along with the likes of Sky’s This England. His creative...

“Nomadland” director Chloé Zhao has landed two heavy hitters for her next film, “Hamnet,” set up at Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners. Oscar nominees Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are both in talks to star in the film, an individual with knowledge of the project told IndieWire.

“Hamnet” is a historical fiction take on the Bard, William Shakespeare, that tells the story of his wife Anne “Agnes” Hathaway and her romance with the man who would become the world’s most famous playwright. The novel focuses on the death of the couple’s son, Hamnet, who died at age 11 in 1596 and has been speculated to be an inspiration for Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet.”

Specific character details for Buckley and Mescal were not disclosed.

“Hamnet” is based on a New York Times-best-selling novel from 2020 by author Maggie O’Farrell. Zhao is co-writing the script with O’Farrell.

Liza Marshall through Hera Pictures and Pippa Harris,...

Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen are back for Book Club: The Next Chapter, but that's not the only exciting detail about the anticipated sequel film, as it's set with a release date, exciting cast information, and a sun-soaked trailer promising a joyous romp of a plot. The original movie, 2018's Book Club, saw the four women reading Fifty Shades of Grey while trying to get the most out of dating, love, and sex in older age. In Book Club 2, they're reading The Alchemist, and the book's message of pursuing dreams leads them on some wild adventures.

Book Club 2's talented returning cast should be a big enough draw for the movie to find financial success. It certainly was for the original, which grossed over $100 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). When Book Club released in 2018, Grace and Frankie, the Netflix sitcom starring Fonda and Lily Tomlin,...

This past year, we've had a lot of discussions about whether Brendan Fraser should have been cast in Darren Aronofsky's "The Whale" due to him requiring a fat suit to play the role. On the one hand, we are all happy to see Fraser be given a lead role by a major director, which hasn't happened in many years. On the other, it is yet another entry on the long list of roles that should presumably have gone to fat actors but didn't. The likelihood that a central character is explicitly written to be large is already incredibly small, but if all those parts are getting taken by actors who need padding and prosthetics to make themselves appear large, when else are fat actors going to be given opportunities to lead films?

As someone who is indeed fat, I often find myself frustrated by this, but I also understand...

Sheila McCarthy on Jessie Buckley Jessie Buckley; Sheila McCarthy

I first met Jessie Buckley over an email while I was watching her in her extraordinary film Wild Rose. I will never forget her in that. Raw, funny, moving — everything. I tried to be very cool and nonchalant when we first started shooting Women Talking together, but I was fan-girling inside. She is artistry in motion as an actor. I relied on her entirely to help me get to the dark places in our hayloft. Mother to daughter. We held hands and I was a goner. Then we peed in the fields together and laughed our guts out, which made us pee even more. Our “wild wees,” she called them. Wild indeed, she is.

Colin Farrell on Brendan Gleeson Colin Farrell; Brendan Gleeson

The very nature of film, and any theatrical endeavor, is the nature of collaboration. With that in mind,...

It’s the end of the world as we know it and HBO Max feels fine. The Warner Bros. Discovery streamer’s list of new releases for January 2023 is highlighted by one long-awaited post-apocalyptic adventure.

HBO’s TV adaptation of beloved video game The Last of Us premieres on Jan. 15. Created by Chernobyl writer Craig Mazin, this story will follow the game storyline of Joel (Pedro Pascal) guiding 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) through a virus-ridden wasteland towards hope. It’s probably gonna be awesome.

The other big original series this month is animated mystery comedy Velma. Brought to life by Mindy Kaling, this show will be all about Scooby-Doo’s bespectacled buddy Velma Dinkley. Jinkies indeed!

There aren’t any major HBO Max original movie releases this January. The first of the month sees the arrival of Ghostbusters (1984), Hereditary, John Wick, and more. Recent theatrical release The Menu premieres on Jan.

The new year brings new offerings on HBO and HBO Max. There are a number of fresh titles hitting the streaming service on Jan. 1, perfect for watching with friends or family on the first day of 2023.

HBO is adding an eclectic list of dramas, comedies, action and horror films in January. There’s “Insidious: Chapter 2,” “The Cabin in the Woods” and “Hereditary” for those who prefer Halloween to New Year’s. Award-winning dramas coming to the platform include “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Captain Phillips,” and “The Artist.” Comedy offerings include “White Chicks,” “Horrible Bosses 2,” and “Our Idiot Brother.” And you can also check out the first three films in the John Wick franchise before “John Wick: Chapter 4” hits theaters this spring.

On the original programming side, there’s the Season 29 premiere of “Real Sports With Bryan Gumbel,” as well as the second season of “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?...

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey star in ‘The Last of Us’ (Photograph by Courtesy of HBO)

The Mandalorian‘s Pedro Pascal and Game of Thrones‘ Bella Ramsey star in the post-apocalyptic thriller The Last of Us, premiering on HBO Max on January 15, 2023. The streaming service’s January lineup also includes the new adult animated series Velma which delves into the backstory of Scooby-Doo’s Velma Dinkley. And Aquaman‘s Jason Momoa hosts the competition series The Climb featuring amateur climbers battling for a 100,000 cash prize.

HBO Max will also be debuting live sports beginning with coverage of the U.S. Women’s National Team vs. New Zealand soccer match on January 17th. In With the Old returns for its third season on January 11th and Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? is back for a second season starring January 6th.

Series & Films Arriving On HBO Max In January 2023:

January 1:

20 Feet From Stardom,...

First published June 11th, 2022, on Substack and Patreon.

Don’t spend hours scrolling the menus at Netflix, Prime Video, and other movie services. I point you to the best new films and hidden gems to stream.

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both sides of the pond

I’m a huge fan of Jessie Buckley, one of the most intriguing young actresses working today, which is why I’m so...

Note: This interview contains minor spoilers for “Men.”

Jessie Buckley didn’t come away from starring in “Men” with any answers. To her, pinning down the film’s exact meaning would be beside the point.

“I don’t really have a singular meaning to it,” the Irish actor and singer admitted in a recent interview with TheWrap. “I’m more interested in seeing what other people feel about [“Men”] – either side of it. If they hate it, or love it, then that’s absolutely fine.”

In writer-director Alex Garland and A24’s latest mindbender, Buckley plays Harper, a recently widowed woman who decamps to the English countryside hoping to heal. But she finds herself wrestling with more than just personal demons when her encounters with various men – all played by Rory Kinnear – become increasingly nightmarish.

Buckley, who broke out with her starring role in 2018’s “Wild Rose,” is a consummate performer...

Robert Lantos, the veteran Canadian producer of David Cronenberg’s “Crimes of the Future,” is set to produce a film adaptation of novelist Michael Ondaatje’s “In the Skin of a Lion,” with Simon Beaufoy, the Oscar-winning writer of “Slumdog Millionaire,” on board. Tom Harper, the BAFTA-nominated director of “Wild Rose” will direct.

The movie was co-developed by Lantos’ Toronto-based Serendipity Point Films, and Film4. Amazon Studios has boarded the project. Casting is underway.

Set in Toronto in the 1920s and 1930s, “In the Skin of a Lion” weaves romance, mystery and adventure through the story of Patrick Lewis, who arrives in Toronto and earns a living searching for a vanished millionaire. His life intersects with the orphaned girl Hana and the thief Caravaggio, who reappear in “The English Patient,” Ondaatje’s award-winning novel that was adapted into Anthony Minghella’s Oscar-winning movie with Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes.

“As with ‘Crimes of the Future,...

One day after nabbing her first Oscar nomination, Jessie Buckley’s full talents are on display in the first trailer for “Men,” a horror film from A24 and director Alex Garland. It will premiere in theaters May 20.

The official synopsis for “Men” reads: “In the aftermath of a personal tragedy, Harper (Buckley) retreats alone to the beautiful English countryside, hoping to have found a place to heal. But someone or something from the surrounding woods appears to be stalking her. What begins as simmering dread becomes a fully-formed nightmare, inhabited by her darkest memories and fears in Garland’s feverish, shape-shifting new horror film.”

In the trailer, Buckley walks through a vibrant green forest and approaches a foreboding, dark tunnel, all while seeing visions of a mysterious man. The horror film will also star Rory Kinnear and Paapa Essiedu (“I May Destroy You”).

Buckley received her first career Oscar nomination...

Olivia Colman currently leads the Best Actress Oscar odds for her performance as Leda in Netflix’s “The Lost Daughter,” but she isn’t the only actress who takes on the role in the film. Jessie Buckley co-stars as the younger version of Colman’s character, a mother of two daughters and a comparative literature scholar who valiantly tries to balance her demanding personal and professional lives. Though Buckley trails our predicted nominees in the Best Supporting Actress race, she still ranks in our top 10 contenders. Could a surprise nomination for Buckley be looming?

“The Lost Daughter” will certainly compete at the Oscars in other categories. In addition to Colman, our current combined odds predict a nomination for adapted screenplay, where it is second only to Best Picture frontrunner “The Power of the Dog.” The film has had a solid showing with the guilds, too, with nominations for Colman with the Screen Actors Guild,...

Already having made history at Netflix with the record-breaking “Red Notice,” Gal Gadot (“Wonder Woman”) will be returning to the streaming service for another genre film, “Heart of Stone.” Tom Harper, the helmer behind “Wild Rose,” directs from a script penned by comic book writer Greg Rucka (“The Old Guard”) and Allison Schroeder(“Frozen II,” “Hidden Figures”).

Continue reading Jamie Dornan Joins Gal Gadot In Netflix Spy Thriller ‘Heart Of Stone’ at The Playlist.