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Britt Allcroft, the producer who adapted Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends for television, has died. She was 81.

According to Allcroft’s daughter Holly Wright, she died on Wednesday, Dec. 25 in Los Angeles, The New York Times reported.

Allcroft was responsible for bringing Reverend Wilbert Awdry’s books The Railway Series to British TV in 1984 as a children’s show narrated by Ringo Starr. The series ran for 24 seasons through 2021, before the animated series Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go debuted on Netflix. The show also spawned multiple specials and movies, as well as popular toys and merchandise.

In 1979, Allcroft met Awdry while making a documentary about British steam engines. Falling in love with the characters, she brought the book to television then-husband, producer Angus Wright.

Allcroft wrote and directed the 2000 feature adaptation Thomas and the Magic Railroad, which premiered in theaters with a star-studded cast that included Mara Wilson, Alec Baldwin and Peter Fonda.

Britt Allcroft, a British television producer and writer who helped to develop “Thomas & Friends” based on “The Railway Series” books and its characters including Thomas the Tank Engine, died on Dec. 25, 2024. She was 81.

Allcroft’s daughter, Holly Wright, confirmed her death to the New York Times. Director Brannon Carty announced her death on X earlier today, writing: “It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing of Britt Allcroft…Britt was an adoring mother and wife. A visionary producer. She brought so much joy and happiness to people everywhere during her time on Earth.”

Born Hilary Mary Allcroft in 1943, she later changed her name to Britt at the age of 16 as her career in British television expanded.

Hailing from Worthing, England, she served as a producer on a number of British television shows throughout the 1970s. Among her first projects was “Get It-Got-It-Good.” She eventually secured...

Robert Zemeckis' next movie, which features a Forrest Gump reunion of Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, will now release in theaters earlier than originally expected.

Per Variety, the new Zemeckis film titled, Here, will now have a wide release of Nov. 15, 2024. Originally, the film was set to premiere nationwide on Nov. 27, 2024. In addition to Hanks and Wright, the film also stars Paul Bettany (Avengers: Infinity War), Kelly Reilly (Sherlock Holmes), Michelle Dockery (The Gentlemen), and Jonathan Aris (The Martian). Zemeckis shares writing credits with screenwriter Eric Roth, and is based on the Richard McGuire graphic novel of the same name. Zemeckis will also produce alongside Jack Rapke, Derek Hogue, Bill Block, Jeremy Johns, Andrew Golov and Thom Zadra.

Related 10 Best Tom Hanks Movie Performances, Ranked

Tom Hanks is one of Hollywood's most beloved stars and films like Forrest Gump and Big are some of his greatest performances.

The upcoming drama,...

Oscar winner Julianne Moore (Still Alice) and Nicholas Galitzine lead the cast of Starz’s new period drama Mary & George. Episode one, “The Second Son,” premieres on April 5, 2024 at 9pm Et/Pt and finds Moore as Mary Villiers plotting how to improve her family’s standing.

The cast also includes Tony Curran (Mayflies) as King James I, Nicola Walker (The Split) as Lady Hatton, Niamh Algar (The Wonder) as Sandie, Trine Dyrholm (The Legacy) as Queen Anne, and Sean Gilder (Slow Horses) as Sir Thomas Compton. Adrian Rawlins (Living) plays Sir Edward Coke, Mark O’Halloran (The Miracle Club) is Sir Francis Bacon, Laurie Davidson (Masters of the Air) is Earl of Somerset, Samuel Blenkin (The Witcher: Blood Origin) is Prince Charles, and Jacob McCarthy (Sas: Rogue Heroes) as Kit Villiers.

“The Second Son” Plot: Mary Villiers develops a cunning plan to transform her family’s fortunes forever, but first,...

Early in Mary & George, George Villiers (Nicholas Galitzine) halfheartedly attempts suicide in protest of his family’s refusal to let him marry the lowborn Jenny (Emily Fairn), despite his insistences that she’s no mere servant girl “in my heart.” When his mother, Mary (Julianne Moore), finds him, however, she reacts not with worry, but annoyance. “That’s not how it works. That’s not how a single thing fucking works,” she snaps. “Are you five?”

Thus the tone is set for DC Moore’s take on what will turn out to be a romantic affair so potent, it’ll help to define the last days of King James VI and I (Tony Curran). (The monarch’s confusing double title pertains to his sovereignty over Scotland and over England and Ireland, respectively.)

In short: earnest, heartfelt sentiment is out; icy pragmatism is in. The approach does not always serve the Starz miniseries flawlessly,...

Having collaborated with Writer Frank McGuinness on a number of projects including their BAFTA-nominated short film The Stronger, Actor/Filmmaker Lia Williams returns to the director’s chair for another McGuinness-penned script in the form of Jsb Films produced historical prison drama Samovar. The story is an imagining of Swedish Architect and Humanitarian Raoul Wallenberg’s life spent behind bars in a Soviet prison and the development of a tender relationship he forms with a fellow inmate, who recounts to him the impact of humanitarian actions. It’s a fascinating rendering of the prison life of a man who remains quietly defiant of a bleak and brutal world and Dn is delighted to Premiere Samovar online accompanied by an interview with Williams about her ongoing working relationship with Frank McGuinness, the practical challenges of shooting alongside a working prison, and the empathetic understanding she has for the actor’s process.

Disney's Pinocchio remake featured some lackluster visuals, and a group of VFX artists now explain why the movie's CGI looks so wonky. Released in the fall of last year to generally poor reviews from audiences and critics alike, the film stars Tom Hanks as Geppetto, a woodcarver who creates a wooden puppet he names Pinocchio. The movie, which is directed by Robert Zemeckis, is the latest in a long line of live-action Disney remakes, which includes the likes of The Lion King, Dumbo, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast, among others. In addition to Hanks, Pinocchio also stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Angus Wright, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Cynthia Erivo, and Sheila Atim.

On the latest episode of the "VFX Artists React" YouTube series from Corridor Crew, the team of VFX artists take a look at the CGI in Pinocchio and explain why it ultimately doesn't look as good as it could.

The ocean scenes in Pinocchio,...

Pinocchio Review — Pinocchio (2022) Film Review, a movie directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Chris Weitz, Robert Zemeckis and Carlo Collodi and starring Tom Hanks, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Angus Wright, Cynthia Erivo, Sheila Atim, Lorraine Bracco, Keegan-Michael Key, Jamie Demetriou, Giuseppe Battiston, Jaquita Ta’le, Lewin Lloyd and Luke Evans. Tom Hanks stars [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Pinocchio (2022): Tom Hanks is Geppetto in a Harmless Live-Action Remake of the Classic Cartoon...

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

Black Film Archive

Created by Maya Cade, the newly-launched Black Film Archive is an essential resource featuring every Black film made between 1915 and 1979 that is currently available stream. With over 200 films indexed, if you’re looking for a place to start, check out Cade’s curator picks, ranging from Ousmane Sembène’s Black Girl to Perry Henzell’s The Harder They Come to Madeline Anderson’s I Am Somebody. Also, if you’re able to help the evolving, self-funded project, consider supporting their PayPal, Cash App, or their monthly Substack here.

Where to Stream: Black Film Archive

The Courier (Dominic Cooke)

Early on in The Courier, directed by Dominic Cooke, British salesman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) realizes he’s sitting at a...

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options—not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves–each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

The Courier (Dominic Cooke)

Early on in The Courier, directed by Dominic Cooke, British salesman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) realizes he’s sitting at a table with both a MI6 officer (Angus Wright) and a CIA officer (Rachel Brosnahan). Excited, he admits: “I can’t believe I’m having lunch with spies!” It’s a moment of brevity that speaks to the interesting tonal dance the filmmakers are trying at. – Dan M. (full review)

Where to Stream: VOD

Hope (Maria Sødahl)

While writer/director Maria Sødahl never really leaves Anja’s side to focus on what Tomas is feeling, her film Hope makes certain we know. It’s in...

Bob Odenkirk's Nobody is the clear winner of this weekend's box office battle with an impressive $6.7 million debut. Los Angeles is leading the pack in North America for the second weekend in a row after opening theaters for the first time since the pandemic took place, and is keeping its stamina up from last weekend. Nobody is an action thriller film directed by Ilya Naishuller from a script by Derek Kolstad. It stars Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, RZA, Aleksei Serebryakov, along with Christopher Lloyd, and follows a man who helps a stranger being harassed, only to become the target of a vengeful drug lord. Globally, Nobody took in $11.7 million.

Los Angeles is the number one market in North America with $1.1 million. While it's definitely good news that LA is getting back on track, movie theaters across the United States are still at only 25% capacity, though that is expected to change by next weekend.

Over the years, the greatest mark of extreme method acting in Hollywood has come to be seen as an actor willing to lose a drastic amount of weight for a role. Christian Bale did it for The Machinist, Joaquin Phoenix did it for Joker, and now Benedict Cumberbatch has lost over twenty pounds in preparation for playing the lead role in The Courier. In a recent interview, Cumberbatch admitted the process of shedding the required pounds was far from pleasant.

"I lost about a stone and a half (21 lbs), and it was through the usual methods of dieting, but also some extreme exercise. I was very fit. It was all done in a healthy way. It wasn't about atrophy or lethargy, it was very much about trying to shred everything to shrink wrap my body mass around muscle. But when you do start to feel slightly kind of, I can't...

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Courier.

Photo Credit: Liam Daniel. Courtesy of Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions

Benedict Cumberbatch stars in the true-story The Courier, an entertaining Cold War-era spy tale told in a pleasingly classic style. Grounded by sterling performances by Cumberbatch and Merab Ninidze, from TV’s “McMafia,” this is a true story about an ordinary British citizen Greville Wynne (Cumberbatch) recruited by MI6 and the CIA to contact a high-level Soviet military intelligence colonel Oleg Penkovsky (Ninidze), and who ends up at a courier carrying intelligence back to London as the Cold War heats up, intelligence that proves crucial in the Cuban Missile Crisis. The two men form a unexpected friendship, bonding as family men who both want to avoid nuclear war, something the Russian colonel fears Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev is moving towards.

In the long Cold War, the most heated moment was the Cuban Missile Crisis, when...

(Note: This post was originally published on Jan. 19, 2020.)

“The Courier” (formerly titled “Ironbark”) director and Sundance Institute creative advisor Dominic Cooke dropped by TheWrap Studios at the 2020 Sundance film festival to discuss how his suspenseful political drama, based on a true story, differed from other espionage thrillers.

“I was sent the script by my agent along with a bunch of other scripts and it just stood out from the rest so immediately,” Cooke tells The Wrap. “I just think it’s written with such heart and vision, and it’s a true story but I didn’t know that when I first read it.”

“I think it kind of takes you into a very different place in terms of the espionage movie in that it’s much more of an emotional relationship based story about the cost of heroism and the cost of acting for the greater good, and all...

While the spy thriller The Courier is the true-life story of British businessman Greville Wynne (played with bravado by Benedict Cumberbatch), it is also the tale of a friendship between two men that transcends borders and political ideologies.

Set in the early 1960s, the film follows Wynne, who has been recruited by Mi-6 and the CIA to partner with a high-ranking Soviet officer named Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) to gather intelligence in an effort to defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis and avert an all-out nuclear war. Wynne is tasked by CIA operative Emily Donovan (Rachel Brosnahan) and Mi-6 agent Dickie Franks (Angus Wright) to relay messages and state secrets between themselves and Penkovsky under the guise of the normal course of his regular business trips. Everything goes according to plan, that is until the Kgb begins to suspect that something is afoot and the whole operation and the safety of...

The Courier Trailer — Dominic Cooke‘s The Courier (2020) movie trailer has been released by RoadsideFlix. The Courier trailer stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Jessie Buckley, Rachel Brosnahan, Merab Ninidze, Anton Lesser, Angus Wright, Miles Richardson, Keir Hills, David Bark-Jones, Charles Walters, Mariya Mironova, Vladimir Chuprikov, Merab Ninidze, and James Schofield. Cast and crew Tom O’Connor wrote the [...]

Continue reading: The Courier Trailer: Benedict Cumberbatch is a Businessman-turned-spy in RoadsideFlix’s 2020 Espionage Film...

"The Courier" (aka "Ironbark"), set in 1962, is the new dramatic thriller, directed by Dominic Cooke, starring Benedict Cumberbatch ("Doctor Strange"), Rachel Brosnahan, Jessie Buckley, Merab Ninidze, Angus Wright and Kirill Pirogov, releasing March 19, 2021:

"...'The Courier' tells the true story of the British businessman who helped the 'CIA' penetrate the Soviet nuclear programme during the Cold War. 

"Wynne and his Russian source, 'Oleg Penkovsky' (codenamed 'Ironbark'), provided crucial intelligence that ended the 'Cuban Missile Crisis'..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Lionsgate is in the final stages to acquire U.S. distribution rights to the Benedict Cumberbatch thriller “Ironbark,” an individual with knowledge of the deal said. Roadside Attractions will handle theatrical distribution as part of the deal following the film’s Friday night premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

Director Dominick Cooke’s film, which also stars Merab Ninidze, Rachel Brosnahan and Jessie Buckley, is based on the true story of a British businessman who is unwittingly recruited into an international effort to end the Cuban Missile Crisis of the 1960s.

Tom O’Connor wrote the script, which follows Cumberbatch as Greville Wynne, who leads a quiet life with his wife Sheila (Jessie Buckley) until he’s recruited because of his ordinariness to serve his country when rumblings of a mole in the Soviet Union government reach British intelligence agent Dickie Franks (Angus Wright) and CIA official Emily Donovan (Rachel Brosnahan...

North American rights to Benedict Cumberbatch’s civilian spy thriller “Ironbark” have been acquired by Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate out of the Sundance Film Festival, insiders close to the deal told Variety.

Roadside, the specialty label currently behind Oscar contender “Judy,” and partial owner Lionsgate emerged out of a competitive, days-long bidding process and won the title. UTA Independent Film Group repped filmmakers in the sale for domestic rights, with FilmNation handling international.

Spokespeople for Roadside and Lionsgate had no immediate comment on the matter. “Ironbark” previously sold out international territories at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018. Lionsgate grabbed U.K. rights during those sales.

The movie was one of the most anticipated sales titles headed into the annual Park City event, and serves as confirmation that the sales marketing is heating up after days of premieres and overnight negotiations. The world premiere was held on Friday night at the Eccles Theater.

Early on in Ironbark, directed by Dominic Cooke, British salesman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) realizes he’s sitting at a table with both a MI6 officer (Angus Wright) and a CIA officer (Rachel Brosnahan). Excited, he admits: “I can’t believe I’m having lunch with spies!” It’s a moment of brevity that speaks to the interesting tonal dance the filmmakers are trying at.

In 1960, Russian colonel Oleg Penkovsky (codename “Ironbark”) sent a message to the West: he wanted to avert catastrophe under the impulsive rule of Nikita Khrushchev. To help recruit their source, Western intelligence enlisted Wynne to begin a business relationship with Penkovsky in order to smuggle confidential documents out of the Soviet Union. The two men become fast friends, complicating a dangerous situation that will ultimately converge at the Cuban Missile Crisis.

From the start, Cooke directs this film at a fast clip. Montages abound with...

While not quite as stiff as its title might suggest, Dominic Cooke’s “Ironbark” is unambiguously dad cinema down to its core. , it’s the perfect movie for anyone who watched “Bridge of Spies” and thought: “If only that had been 30 minutes shorter, a bit less artful, and a lot more British.” Never fear, the director of “On Chesil Beach” is here, and he’s naturally brought along Benedict Cumberbatch for good measure.

Holding a magnifying glass to a remarkable (but rather unheralded) footnote of Cold War history, “Ironbark” tells the story of how two men from opposite sides of the Iron Curtain forged a bond that would help avert nuclear armageddon. Cooke’s lean version of events begins in the heart of the Soviet Union circa the autumn of 1960, when a war hero and military intelligence colonel by the name of Oleg Penkovsky has become so desperate to de-escalate...

It’s another Sundance Film Festival full of slopes, snow, stars and sales. That’s right, the market at the Sundance Film Festival is gearing up yet again with some buzzy titles among those just premiering at the festival and those in competition. And after last year produced some mega deals for movies like “Late Night,” “The Farewell” and “Brittany Runs a Marathon” to name just a few, these are the features and documentaries TheWrap will be keeping an eye on while in Park City.

Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen

In “Disclosure,” trans director Sam Feder sits down with Hollywood’s other leaders and thinkers in the trans community like Laverne Cox, Lilly Wachowski, Yance Ford, Mj Rodriguez, Jamie Clayton and Chaz Bono. The documentary grapples with the history of trans characters in TV and movies, going way back to “Dog Days Afternoon” and “Boys Don’t Cry” up through FX’s “Pose.

Dominic Cooke directing Cold War drama.

Irish rising star Jessie Buckley has boarded Ironbark, Dominic Cooke’s Cold War drama that will star Benedict Cumberbatch and Rachel Brosnahan.

Merab Ninidze, Angus Wright, and Kirill Pirogov have also joined the cast of the film, which starts shooting in the UK on Monday (Oct 15).

Buckley, a Screen Star of Tomorrow in 2017, was the breakout star of Michael Pearce’s psychological thriller Beast last year, and has just fronted Tom Harper’s Toronto premiere Wild Rose, which was picked up for Us rights by Neon.

In Ironbark, Buckley will play Sheila Wynne, the...

Ewan McGregor and Rufus Sewell are to team up as part of a madcap Shakespeare experiment at London's Globe theatre.

The two actors will play multiple roles in Hamlet as part of a midnight production of the classic play on 6 September.

It will mark the one-year anniversary of The Factory theatre troupe's first frenetic hit, during which castmates swapped characters during the show.

The idea became an instant hit and sold out shows have been taking place in and around London every Sunday for the past year.

They are advertised online at the last minute.

The one-off Globe anniversary show, in which Sewell and McGregor will play multiple characters, will also feature actor Will Keen, Angus Wright and "an exceptionally special guest".