News

Black Bag may not have found extraordinary success at the box office thus far, but the film has just jumped onto an elite list for director Steven Soderbergh. At the time of writing, Black Bag has grossed $9.2 million at the domestic box office and $5.3 million internationally for a global total of $14.5 million. This is enough to make it one of the top 25 highest-grossing movies ever that Soderbergh has been involved in either as a writer, director, or producer. Just in terms of films he has directed, Black Bag is currently the 17th-highest-grossing movie of his career. Black Bag stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett in lead roles, with Pierce Brosnan, Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, and Naomie Harris filling out the supporting ensemble.

A new spy movie starring Michael Fassbender and Pierce Brosnan has pulled off a box office feat. Fassbender is a versatile actor who is perhaps best known for playing the young Magneto in the X-Men prequel movies beginning with 2011's First Class. However, in addition to starring in big-budget genre movies such as the superhero franchise, Assassin's Creed, and Prometheus, he has starred in a variety of dramas such as Shame, A Dangerous Method, Song to Song, Steve Jobs and 12 Years a Slave, the latter two of which earned him Oscar nominations.

While Pierce Brosnan does not have any Oscar nominations under his belt, he does have ample experience in the spy genre, having starred in four James Bond movies between 1995 and 2002. He played the iconic superspy in GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day, stepping into the role after the two-movie tenure...

Steven Soderbergh's spy movieBlack Bag has captivated audiences with its mix of espionage and character-driven intrigue. Viewers are in the thick of it as George Woodhouse tries to identify a traitor among a select group of people -- including his wife Kathryn. Borderlands star Cate Blanchett portrays Kathryn, alongside Naomie Harris as Dr. Zoe Vaughan and Tom Burke as Freddie Smalls. The movie takes a classic idea in the spy genre and lifts it to another level.

Blanchett, Harris and Burke joined Cbr for an interview to discuss the twists and turns in Black Bag. The stars explained how they approached their characters in the midst of all the spy drama, and reflected on working with Soderbergh. Plus, find out what some of their favorite moments were in the film.

Cbr: Cate, the core of Black Bag is the marriage between Kathryn and George, played by Michael Fassbender. How...

Shaken, stirred, or even streamed, spy movies make up many of the most exciting, edge-of-your-seat stories the movies have to offer. From the harrowing heights of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise to the suave savvy of six James Bonds, espionage has become the thematic ground on which some of cinema’s most epic dramas, thrillers, and comedies are built. Even films primarily centered on other subject matter make frequent use of spy drama beats, proving it’s a bedrock source for onscreen entertainment.

The espionage genre is as old as filmmaking itself with silent spy movies set against the backdrop of World War I (1914’s “The German Spy Peril” is on YouTube) testing the medium’s limitations early in the 20th century. Literary works inspired many more of the spy movies to follow. Over the years, filmmakers have repeatedly adapted the works of John le Carré, Robert Ludlum, Ian Fleming, and...

The future of the James Bond franchise has never been as much of a hot topic as it is right now. With Amazon taking over creative control of the 007 saga from the long-term team of Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, what the next iteration of Bond will look like is unknown, but one former star of Daniel Craig’s era doesn’t want to see too much change.

Naomie Harris played Moneypenny in the last run of movies, which ended with 2023’s No Time to Die. More than just the usual secretary sitting behind a desk, Harris’ take on the character was modernized in her own way compared to those who came before her, but that does not mean she thinks there has be a big push to do the same for the franchise as a whole. She told Harpers Bazaar:

“I just hope they don’t try...

Regé-Jean Page swooned Bridgerton fans in the role of Simon Basset he played in the inaugural season of the Netflix period drama.

In a new interview promoting his latest film Black Bag, the actor was asked if he would ever consider returning to the show to wrap up his character.

“I’m very happy to support everyone who’s in the show,” Page told Entertainment Tonight. “Everyone’s finding fantastic success but with the show and personal projects, I’m just super happy to say that.”

Page is one of the recurring names that keep coming up when fan-casting the actor who could take over the James Bond role. However, Page told Et, “it’s not something I’ve thought about very much,” and is focusing on his current projects instead.

Michael Fassbender, Page’s Black Bag co-star, recently gave him a shoutout saying in an interview with Us Weekly...

(L to R) Regé-Jean Page as Col. James Stokes, Naomie Harris as Dr. Zoe Vaughn, Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse, Cate Blanchett as Kathryn St. Jean, Tom Burke as Freddie Smalls, and Marisa Abela as Clarissa Dubose in director Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag, a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

Like a smart, stylish, twisty spy thriller with a dash of dry British humor? Then Steven Soderbergh has a film for you. Black Bag stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchet as married spies George and Kathryn in this cleverly-written British-set spy thriller. When George is assigned to uncover a leak in MI6, one that risks exposing a top-secret plan called Severus, the pressure is on. “Fun and games,” as George puts it, ensue.

But it is not comedy but spy thriller jolts and twists we get. The film’s title comes from a term these married spies,...

On Sunday March 16 2025, CBS broadcasts Made in Hollywood!

Black Bag; The Wheel of Time: Season 3; Queen of the Ring Season 20 Episode 25 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Made in Hollywood” titled “Black Bag; The Wheel of Time: Season 3; Queen of the Ring” promises to be an exciting showcase of talent and creativity. This episode will feature a star-studded lineup, including Cate Blanchett, Rosamund Pike, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Naomie Harris, Emily Bett Rickards, Simone Ashley, and Tom Burke. Each guest brings their unique flair, making this episode a must-watch for fans.

Viewers can expect engaging interviews and behind-the-scenes insights from the cast of “The Wheel of Time,” which has captured the imagination of many. Rosamund Pike, who plays a key role in the series, is likely to share her experiences and challenges while portraying her character. Cate Blanchett’s presence adds an extra layer of excitement, as her talent and charisma are always captivating.

Black Bag North America Box Office: Release Day Update (Photo Credit – Instagram)

The American spy thriller Black Bag, starring Cate Blanchett, was released in the theatres this Friday. Although it has received excellent ratings from critics, the film is expected to bomb its debut weekend at the box office in North America. Scroll below for the deets.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the spy thriller has a stellar cast led by Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, and Pierce Brosnan. It has been released in the United States by Focus Features and by Universal Pictures, internationally.

Black Bag has been critically acclaimed, with a 97% rating from 155 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer. The collective consensus of the critics read, “Sleek in design and spiked with dry wit; Black Bag is an exemplary espionage caper that lets movie stars like Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender do what...

Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender team up in Black Bag, an espionage thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh. The film follows a married couple, both high-ranking operatives for Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre, as they navigate a mission where professional and personal loyalties collide. Fassbender’s character, George Woodhouse, is tasked with uncovering a double agent within the organization, only to find that one of the suspects is his own wife, Kathryn St. Jean, played by Blanchett.

“They have a strong marriage,” Fassbender said. “He feels like she’s in his corner. There’s a deep sort of respect and understanding of one another. So when this happens, for George, it’s like, where should his loyalty lie? With his country or with his wife?”

The film marks a reunion for both actors with Soderbergh—Blanchett having worked with him on The Good German and Fassbender in Haywire. The director’s signature style,...

Black Bag is a new spy thriller in which every character is a hero in their own story–and likely a villain in somebody else’s. It tells the tale of married intelligence agents George and Kathryn Woodhouse, whose relationship is put to the ultimate test when Kathryn is suspected of treasonous behavior. Despite the fact that Soderbergh has released a movie every year since 2017, Black Bag has won over critics and sits with a 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, proving that the beloved filmmaker is showing no signs of fatigue.

Soderbergh won big praise from ScreenRant’s Black Bag review for bringing back the “sexy thriller”, but the success of that aspect of the movie rests on the performances of stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett. As George and Kathryn Woodhouse, the stars have on-screen chemistry that has won over audiences and reviewers alike. The cast is rounded out...

Marriage is hard. Marriage between two spies is even harder. But it certainly makes for good onscreen entertainment.

And so we have Steven Soderbergh’s latest film “Black Bag,” starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as two high-level spies who are married to each other. But, when Blanchett is suspected of becoming a traitor, Fassbender is faced with a tough situation.

Here is everything you need to know about the film, including whether or not it’s streaming yet.

What is the release date?

“Black Bag” releases everywhere on Friday, March 14, 2025.

Is it streaming?

It is not. At least for a few weeks, you will only be able to catch “Black Bag” in theaters. When it comes time for streaming, it will almost certainly head to Peacock, since it comes from Focus Features, which is owned by Universal/Comcast.

Who’s in the cast?

In addition to Fassbender and Blanchett,...

Leave it to the multifaceted filmmaker Steven Soderbergh to make a thoughtful and pensive spy thriller that thrills while having something to say that is always bubbling beneath the surface. The director of Out of Sight, Sex, Lies, and Videotapes, and the Academy Award-winning film Traffic’s latest, Black Bag, is a sharp and engaging genre film with a license to thrill.

Black Bag explores power dynamics and existential themes in human relationships through a spy lens that is fun, sexy, and silky smooth—a thinking person’s popcorn film that has the common courtesy of allowing the viewer to catch up with the script, teaching up, not down, and never patronizing.

This is easily being Soderbergh’s most accessible movie since Ocean’s Eleven.

RelatedKinda Pregnant Review — Schumer’s Netflix Comedy is Brutally Unfunny and Misguided Black Bag Review and Synopsis

Working with a script from David Koepp (Spider-Man), Black Bag follows a married couple,...

Steven Soderbergh is undoubtedly an inspired and original filmmaker. From his critically acclaimed debut feature Sex, Lies, and Videotape to the recent Presence, he always approaches his work with style and generally a strong script without catering to the norm. Black Bag is a spy thriller. There is a little mystery, but more than anything, it offers a unique way to explore the genre. The cast is exceptional. It includes Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Tom Burke, Marisa Abela, Rege-Jean Page, Naomie Harris, and Pierce Brosnan. It’s a sharp feature that examines a little treachery with top-notch performances. Soderbergh continues to impress with his two very different, recent releases.

As you can imagine, it’s quite the feeling to sit across a Zoom screen with folks like Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender. Having admired both of their work from the beginning, talking about this sharp thriller was extra special. First up,...

Warning: Spoilers follow for Black BagThere’s maybe no filmmaker working today as prolific as Steven Soderbergh. Ever since breaking out in 1989 with the great Sex, Lies and Videotape, he’s maintained a consistent output (barring a short-lived "retirement" in the early 2010s), making a career out of throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks. And especially since he returned from retirement, he shows no signs of slowing down, sometimes releasing two or three films a year while constantly experimenting with genre, cinematography, and editing.

Indeed, even this early in 2025, he’s delivered two movies in a three-month period. January saw the release of Presence, a haunted house drama shot from the first-person perspective of a ghost, and this weekend, Black Baghits theaters. Soderbergh’s newest film is being advertised as a spy drama, but as always, it’s not that straightforward a genre exercise. In practice, it...

Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker for Wbgr-fm on March 13th, 2025, reviewing the new film “Black Bag,” featuring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as married spies. In theaters beginning March 14th

Cate Blanchett is Kathryn, an American intelligence agent who is suspected of treason. She is married to George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender), an internal investigator within the agency who “never lies.” When he is assigned his wife’s case, he will have to figure out a web of deceit, perpetrated by colleagues Freddie (Tom Burke), Clarissa (Marisa Abela), Zoe (Naomie Harris) and James (Regé-Jean Page). The director of the agency is the angry Arthur (Pierce Brosnan) who wants to get to the bottom of this seemingly bottomless pit of intrigue.

”Black Bag” is in theaters beginning on March 14th. Featuring Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Tom Burke, Marisa Abela, Naomi Harris and Regé-Jean Page.

Universal Pictures’ spy thriller Black Bag leads the way for new releases in UK and Ireland cinemas this weekend as Warner Bros’ Opus and Studiocanal’s In the Lost Lands also open.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh,Black Bagopens in 650 cinemas, up from Soderbergh’s last film Presence which debuted in 478 sites earlier this year. That title opened with a mild £292,058 for Warner Bros, ending its run on £825,587 total.

Black Bag will be aiming much higher with the help of strong reviews, a London-set premise and a starry ensemble led by Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett. The duo play husband and...

Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag isn’t just a spy thriller—it’s a masterclass in sleek, sexy, and intelligent filmmaking. With razor-sharp dialogue, visually stunning compositions, and a cast delivering powerhouse performances, Soderbergh crafts a polished and playfully intricate espionage thriller.

The story follows George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender), a British intelligence officer tasked with identifying a mole within his own ranks. His investigation takes a particularly personal turn when one of the prime suspects happens to be his own wife, Kathryn (a brunette Cate Blanchett is her most femme fatale role yet). What unfolds is a sophisticated game of deception, where truth is a luxury and betrayal lurks in every whispered conversation.

Soderbergh keeps the pacing tight as he blends classic spy intrigue with moments of biting wit. This isn’t your standard action-packed espionage flick—it’s a chess match played with cocktails in hand, where every glance and double entendre carries weight,...

On Friday March 14 2025, CBS broadcasts The Drew Barrymore Show!

Cate Blanchett; Naomie Harris; Marisa Abela Season 5 Episode 232 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “The Drew Barrymore Show” promises to be an exciting one, featuring three talented guests: Cate Blanchett, Naomie Harris, and Marisa Abela. This episode is set to air on CBS and is sure to draw in fans of all three actresses.

Cate Blanchett is known for her incredible range and powerful performances in films. Her presence on the show will likely bring a lot of interesting insights about her career and upcoming projects. Viewers can expect to hear about her latest roles and perhaps some behind-the-scenes stories from her time in the industry.

Naomie Harris, another remarkable actress, is also set to join the conversation. Known for her work in both dramatic and action-packed films, Harris has a unique perspective to share. Her experiences in the film industry...

Michael Fassbender has recalled his "terrible" audition for James Bond.The 47-year-old actor has revealed he was in the running to play 007 when producers were looking to replace Pierce Brosnan, but his try-out ended in disaster as he told Bond bosses to hire another actor - Daniel Craig - instead of himself.During an appearance on the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast, Michael explained: "I met with [former producer] Barbara Broccoli just you know through passing and I actually went in for an audition phase before Daniel [Craig] was cast, but I don’t think I was ever in the mix ... "But I remember going into that room and meeting with her and [fellow producer] Michael G.] Wilson and I think I was like: ‘Daniel Craig is [really good]… '"I don’t know why I was promoting him, I should have been promoting myself ... This is what I was saying, I was terrible at auditions."Craig got...

Steven Soderbergh’s modern Cold War thriller is one of the purest genre thrills you’ll get this year. Here’s our Black Bag review.

Every review of Black Bag – the latest spy thriller from director Steven Soderbergh – is going to start at the beginning. In a long, single shot, the back of Michael Fassbender’s head bobs into a pulsing London nightclub – the conspicuously clean kind with plentiful booths that exist only so this sort of meeting can happen in Soho on a Friday night.

Fassbender, obviously, is a spy, one working for a governmental intelligence agency that is nonetheless never referred to as MI6. His contact hands him a list of five names. One of them belongs to a mole. His wife (Cate Blanchett) is on the list. Find them, he’s told, or thousands of people will die. The plot might be Mr & Mrs Smith – but the...

Steven Soderbergh's 2011 film Contagion became a streaming hit back in 2020 during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, as the film had obvious parallels with the real-life pandemic the world was going through at the time. Now, fourteen years after it hit theaters, Soderbergh revealed he has had conversations about making a sequel to the 2011 film, which would bring original screenwriter Scott Z. Burns.

In an interview with Variety promoting his new film Black Bag, Soderbergh was asked about plans for a Contagion sequel, which he had proposed making back in 2020 when his film became an unexpected hit on streaming. "We’ve talked about it," Soderbergh told Variety. "It would have to be about something new, but also something that’s plausible. Part of the reason people were able to find resonance in that movie when it opened, and then 10 years later when the pandemic happened, was it was rooted in reality.

Before Daniel Craig was cast as the new James Bond in Casino Royale, Michael Fassbender was one of many young actors who auditioned for the role. However, Fassbender explained on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he spent his audition promoting another actor instead: Daniel Craig.

“I met with Barbara Broccoli just you know through passing and I actually went in to an audition phase before Daniel [Craig] was cast, but I don’t think I was ever in the mix,” Fassbender said. “But I remember going into that room and meeting with her and [Michael G.] Wilson and I think I was like, ‘Daniel Craig is…’ I don’t know why I was promoting him. I should have been promoting myself.“

Fassbender continued, “This is what I was saying. I was terrible at auditions. Obviously Daniel did a fantastic job and went on to be, I think, the most successful Bond in history.

Steven Soderbergh and David Koepp had a very offbeat idea for their next movie.

“David and I talked about what it would be like if George and Martha were spies,” Soderbergh says. “We wanted to make an espionage version of ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.'”

The result is “Black Bag,” a sleek, sexy and frequently surprising thriller that opens in theaters on Friday. It may be the breeziest movie Soderbergh has made since he stuffed George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez in the trunk of a car for “Out of Sight.” Only this time, it’s Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett providing the romantic sparks as George Woodhouse and Kathryn St. Jean, intelligence operatives whose marriage is threatened after he discovers that one of their colleagues is a traitor. The twist is Kathryn is a prime suspect.

To ferret out the mole, George hosts two dinner parties at their...

Cate Blanchett as Kathryn St. Jean and Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse in ‘Black Bag’ (Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025)

Is it possible to trust anyone—even your spouse—in a world of secrets, lies, and intrigue? The spy thriller Black Bag explores this very topic.

As the movie begins, National Cyber Security Centre Agent George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) meets secretly with fellow agent Meachum (Gustaf Skarsgard), who informs him that a mole has stolen a cyber-worm device called Severus, which can destabilize a nuclear facility. Meachum gives George a list of five names of agents, including his wife, Kathryn (Cate Blanchett), and tells him he needs to find the mole. “Give me two weeks,” says George. “Thousands of innocent people will die,” replies Meachum. “Okay, one week,” answers George.

George invites the four suspected colleagues—Colonel James Stokes (Regé-Jean Page), the in-house psychologist Dr. Zoe Vaughan (Naomie Harris), fellow...

Naomie Harris thinks her Black Bagco-star could be a candidate for the next James Bond. As the 007 franchise recently changed creative hands from Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson to Amazon, the search continues for a new lead for Bond 26. Harris has previously been a part of the Bond franchise, playing the role of Miss Moneypenny in Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time To Die. She is currently in the Steven Soderbergh-directed spy movie Black Bag, which premieres in theaters on March 14.

Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Harris suggested that her Black Bag co-star Regé-Jean Page should be the next James Bond. The interviewer asked Page for his thoughts on his potential Bond casting, to which he responded that he has not "thought about [it] very much." Harris chimed in, saying that she "thinks we should nominate Regé" and also bring back other actors such as herself. She said she would "vote...

Michael Fassbender loved the character-driven story of 'Black Bag'.The 47-year-old actor stars in Steven Soderbergh's spy movie as intelligence agent George Woodhouse - who is assigned to investigate his wife Kathryn St. Jean (Cate Blanchett) when she is suspected of treason - and admits that the flick's original premise held considerable appeal.Michael told IndieWire: "It was a fantastic collection of characters. And it falls into a film demographic that we just don't see a lot of these days. That it was going to get made was exciting. It's hard for film companies to support films in that budget category, there's not many $30 to $40 million films anymore, unfortunately."The 'Next Goal Wins' star continued: "As I started reading the script: 'Wow, this is smart and funny'. And it moved at a click. The pace at which I was propelled forward by these characters was exciting. "And we...

James Bond's Moneypenny star lists the qualities necessary in the next “male or female” 007, when the character returns in Bond 26. Times are changing for the venerable spy movie series, following Amazon MGM Studios’ Bond franchise acquisition from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson’s Eon Productions. It’s yet to be seen what happens with Bond 26 casting as the series passes into a new set of creative hands, but Amazon’s stewardship would seem to open a larger array of possibilities than Broccoli and Wilson were ever willing to consider, including the chance of a female Bond.

A gender-swapped Bond would indeed be a game-changer for the 007 franchise, but the series’ Moneypenny star Naomie Harris thinks there are certain bedrock qualities the next Bond actor must have, regardless of whether they’re male or female, and she recently listed them (via Radio Times):

Sophistication, sexiness, mystery,...

Michael Fassbender is back. After a recent four-year hiatus (2020-2023) to pursue sports car racing at Le Mans, he’s returned to acting with a vengeance.

In 2023, he played a perfectionist assassin in David Fincher’s “The Killer” (Netflix); an alcoholic soccer coach in Taika Waititi’s sports comedy “Next Goal Wins” (Searchlight); and took on his first TV series since his early years, as a London CIA agent in love with Jodie Turner-Smith’s Sudanese professor in “The Agency” (Paramount+/Showtime).

And, this week, his latest movie opens in theaters, Steven Soderbergh’s “Black Bag” (Focus), a rarity in today’s world: an original smart spy thriller for adults.

Fassbender is specializing in spies of late. In this witty British whodunit artfully written by Hollywood veteran David Koepp, the German-Irish Fassbender is George Woodhouse, a star spy at Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre, happily married to another star spy,...

Alex Garland is a fan of The Last of Us. The filmmaker recently revealed that he believes the HBO drama series to be better than his 2002 post-apocalyptic zombie movie 28 Days Later.

Garland shared his opinion during a discussion with The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann for Sony's Creator to Creator series. "Let me say this: The Last of Us is better than 28 Days [Later]," Garland said (via GamesRadar+). "The Last of Us is better than 28 Days, or at least the writing is. I'm not going to talk about directing, that would be a silly thing. So not that. I know what 28 Days is, I know what I did. I know what that process was. The thing about The Last of Us, I was like, 'Oh, this is so much more sophisticated and moving. It was moving. I'm not dissing 28 Days, I'm very proud of it. It's a nice part of my life.

Former James Bond star and Oscar-nominee Naomie Harris has now shared her thoughts on the franchise’s recent historical change, as Amazon takes over the creative reins from longtime producers Barabara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Harris was introduced as iconic character Eve Moneypenny alongside Daniel Craig’s iteration of the beloved spy in 2012’s Skyfall, returning to the role in both 2015’s Spectre, and 2021’s No Time to Die.

Now, speaking with Radio Times, Harris has revealed how she feels about one of the most contentious issues facing the franchise: “can James Bond be played by a woman?” And her answer is sure to cause some controversy among fans. Reasoning that, so long as the quintessential qualities of Bond are maintained, the role could potentially be either male or female. Harris explained...

"Sophistication, sexiness, mystery, sense of humour, charm – that should play the role, male or female."

Harris’ Moneypenny begins as a field agent,...

“The secret of a happy marriage remains a secret.” — Henny Youngman

Boundaries are important in any relationship, much less a till-death-do-us-part union in which both parties are spies involved in highly classified operations for a British intelligence agency. Steven Soderbergh and David Koepp get it. They understand the need for a little space between the personal and the professional when the fate of the world is at stake. Which is why the director and screenwriter of Black Bag have devised an easy one-stop-shop solution for the couple at the center of their espionage thriller.

The new James Bond will remain a mystery for who knows how much longer. It has been Years since Daniel Craig stepped down from the 007 throne and the kingdom is looking for their next leader ever since. From Henry Cavill to Aaron Taylor-Johnson, fans have been lobbying for their preferred actor to take over the mantle and the discussions are extremely entertaining, to say the least.

Daniel Craig in Casino Royale (2006) | Credits: Eon Productions

Among all these names that keep popping up, Bridgerton actor Regé-Jean Page also gets a mention here and there. While we won’t deny that the man certainly has got the looks to be the next James Bond, it looks like the public opinion may differ.

Can Regé-Jean Page be the next James Bond? Regé-Jean Page in Bridgerton (2020) | Credits: Netflix

Regé-Jean Page is best known for his work as Duke Simon Basset in Bridgerton, but...

The stars of the new thriller Black Bag are continuing to promote the film ahead of its release this weekend!

Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, and more were on the red carpet for a special UK screening on Tuesday (March 11) at the Curzon Mayfair in London, England.

Also in attendance were co-stars Rege-Jean Page, Naomie Harris, Tom Burke, and Marisa Abela, plus director Steven Soderbergh.

The movie is described as a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse and his beloved wife Kathryn. When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country.

Black Bag hits theaters on March 14. Watch the trailer here!

Fyi: Rege-Jean is wearing Giuliva Heritage.

Browse through the gallery inside for 45+ pictures of the cast at the premiere…...

For whatever reason, boxing plays better on the big screen than in real life. Perhaps it is the cinematic spectacle of watching two people square off in a boxing ring surrounded by rabid fans, or maybe it's the rush of watching a hero exorcise their demons while battling a seemingly superior foe, or perhaps we're all just suckers for fantastic workout montages set to Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger." At any rate, movies about boxing tend to hit harder than other sports dramas, literally and figuratively, producing classic underdog stories that stand the test of time.

You don't have to enjoy boxing to get a kick out of "Rocky" or know the difference between an uppercut and a hook to stand and cheer for "The Fighter." Need proof? Check out this terrific list of the 15 best boxing movies of all time, ranked, and try to find one that doesn't get your juices flowing.

Friday’s “Drew Barrymore Show” is all about movies and making the most of your weekend. Dylan Efron, fresh of his appearance on “The Traitors,” kicks things off by joining Drew and Ross to cover the latest headlines. Efron also sticks around to help viewers plan their perfect weekend with “The Weekender” segment, suggesting ideas for […]

The Drew Barrymore Show: Cate Blanchett, Naomie Harris, Marisa Abela, Dylan Efron...

Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender are hitting the red carpet together.

The co-stars posed for photos together at the premiere of their new spy thriller Black Bag on Sunday (March 9) held at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater in New York City.

Fellow cast members in attendance included Tom Burke, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, and Regé-Jean Page along with director Steven Soderbergh.

The movie is described as a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse and his beloved wife Kathryn. When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country.

Black Bag hits theaters on March 14. Watch the trailer here!

Fyi: Cate is wearing Givenchy. Marisa is wearing a Carolina Herrera dress. Regé-Jean is wearing a Dunhill suit and Doucal boots. Tom is wearing a Dunhill suit.

Click through the gallery inside for 15+ pictures of the cast at the premiere…...

This Monday, “Today with Jenna & Friends” gets a dose of athleticism and Hollywood glamour as NBA legend Dwyane Wade kicks off his week-long stint as co-host. Joining him and Jenna at the “Today” table is Naomie Harris, star of the upcoming project “Black Bag,” ready to dish on the details. Beyond the star power, […]

Today with Jenna & Friends: Dwyane Wade, Naomie Harris...

In Black Bag, viewers encounter a narrative that interlaces covert operations with the complexities of a long-term relationship. The film tells the story of a missing cyber-worm device, known as Severus, whose potential misuse sends ripples of suspicion among intelligence operatives.

The investigation ignites a tension that spills over into the personal lives of the agents, especially affecting the relationship between agent George Woodhouse and his wife, Kathryn St. Jean.

Steven Soderbergh brings his familiar style to the screen, marked by a measured visual rhythm and a thoughtful approach to the unfolding story. His work with screenwriter David Koepp results in a plot that gently exposes the simmering conflict behind a polished exterior.

The film’s setting in London transforms the city into both backdrop and participant, its modern elements blending with the time-honored motifs of spy fiction. The reliance on advanced technology contrasts with the classic world of espionage,...

Director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter David Koepp again deliver greatness with Black Bag, a crisp spy thriller and whodunit that will keep you guessing until the very end. Their second feature of the new year, after the creepy Presence, and third collaboration overall (including 2022's Kimi), boasts an all-star cast in a twisting odyssey of murder, betrayal, and lust. Black Bag skillfully avoids lame genre clichés by keeping the narrative taut and firmly grounded in realism. There are no overblown action scenes, silly gadgets, macho heroics, or slinky femme fatales here.

The opening scene introduces George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender), a senior British intelligence officer, at a roaring London nightclub. He clandestinely meets Meacham (Gustaf Skarsgård), a colleague assigned with a specific task. Meacham confirms that a top-secret program has indeed been stolen from the government. He hands George a list of five possible suspects with the clearance, aptitude, and opportunity to commit the crime.

The James Bond film media franchise has been a long ongoing one, starting from 1962’s Dr. No under Cubby Broccoli’s supervision down to the most recent from 2021, No Time to Die, under producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. But now the ownership for Bond has inevitably changed ships as it was recently sold by Broccoli and Wilson to Jeff Bezos’ Amazon.

James Bond’s No Time to Die. | Credits: Universal Pictures.

However, following this latest turn of events, Bezos doesn’t seem to be all that happy with Broccoli in the first place. To say the least, the latest reports are claiming that the CEO of Amazon ostensibly stumbled across Broccoli’s quote where she called Amazon executives “f–ing idiots,” following which he reportedly ordered her to be out of Bond irrespective of whatever it may cost.

Jeff Bezos ordered to get rid of Barbara Broccoli from James Bond Jeff Bezos.

George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) has a problem on his hands: his wife, Kathryn (Cate Blanchett), is a spy. Well, actually, they're both spies. Together with their few friends, they are top operatives in British Intelligence. The trouble is that Kathryn might have involved herself in a classic case of double-dealing, selling world-changing technologies to the highest bidder. The MacGuffin in this film is Severus, a digital worm that can wriggle itself right into the heart of a nuclear facility, allowing unsanctioned control over its core. Upon receiving a list of five names from a trusted colleague, George learns that Kathryn could potentially be brokering a deal that could come with a surcharge of 20,000 human lives.

For all intents and purposes, George and Kathryn are happily married; they host dinner parties, play parlor games, have a nightcap ritual of lovemaking, and, above all, maintain a strict and simple code that one would help the other,...

Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag is the kind of old-fashioned caper that the filmmaker can make in his sleep, and unfortunately in this case, it feels as if he did just that. Like the Ocean’s series, the film seeks to pay tribute to a bygone era of genre cool—to a brand of popular escapist cinema where beautiful people casually navigated high-stakes situations while trading blithe bon mots. That it ultimately comes to feel so inconsequential may be partly by design, but it’s hard not to wish that the newly prolific Soderbergh had woken up a bit to give the routine plot machinations in this London-set spy yarn the same spark that he’s brought to similar genre throwbacks in the past, among them 1998’s Out of Sight.

Black Bag drops us into the shadowy milieu of British intelligence agents with an opening one-take shot that follows top...

Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender unite in the new action thriller movie, Black Bag. Ahead of the movie's arrival in theaters on March 14, the film has garnered some very high marks from critics, earning a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes with its early reviews.

On Rotten Tomatoes, Black Bag has debuted with an approval rating of 96%. This number may fluctuate as more reviews are added to the website, but debuting with such a high score is a very promising start for the film. How much this might translate into added ticket sales remains to be seen, but the good reviews should help the movie get some attention. Critics are praising Black Bag for being visually appealing as well as telling a story that's gripping from start to finish.

"A sleek, tightly wound 90-minute spy thriller, [Black Bag is] brimming with tension and irresistibly stylish filmmaking," The Cinematic Reel critic David Gonzalez said of the movie.

There’s much concern in Black Bag about a missing cyber-worm device called Severus, capable of destabilizing a nuclear facility. But you can file that malware gadget alongside the Codex in the Superman universe and the unfortunately named Mother Boxes in Justice League. No matter how closely you pay attention, the precise functions of these power tools will be at best vaguely clear, not that it matters. In Steven Soderbergh’s sleek spy drama, a classy crew of actors keeps bringing up Severus in the direst of tones. But all that’s far less intriguing than the shifting allegiances and double-crosses among an elite group of Brit intelligence agents.

Following the taut, Hitchcock-meets-De Palma suspense of the tech thriller Kimi and the masterfully shivery ghost story Presence, this third consecutive collaboration between Soderbergh and ace screenwriter David Koepp is a mild disappointment. It’s witty, stylishly crafted and boasts a stellar ensemble,...

13 years after announcing his retirement, Steven Soderbergh is busier than ever. Black Bag is his second film out this year — it arrives just two months after his unconventional ghost story Presence – and marks his third collaboration with prolific screenwriter David Koepp. And it’s tremendous fun: think Ocean’s 11, if they were spies. As with his earlier Vegas-set escapades, Soderbergh’s camera is cool and confident; his handsome A-list cast are slick, sardonic and immaculately dressed; Koepp’s script is punchy and sharp, full of mile-a-minute back-and-forth rat-a-tat dialogue; and there’s a light, fizzy David Holmes soundtrack, too.

It is even partly plotted like a heist, narratively doling out just enough morsels to keep us, the viewer, on the hook. Our hero here is a turtlenecked George Woodhouse, an icy George Smiley-coded operative in a British espionage agency. His mission becomes clear within the first five minutes: he...

If a James Bond or Mission: Impossible film excised all its action scenes––save a stray explosion or gunshot––while employing a script with a pop John le Carré sensibility, it might resemble something like Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag. A hyper-slick, suave spy thriller, it’s mainly relegated to dinner tables and office rooms as stages for rapid-fire, gleefully barbed verbal sparring scripted by David Koepp, returning to the genre after Ethan Hunt’s first outing. Primarily focusing on a trio of couples working in British intelligence, Koepp’s script poses the question: it is possible to have a healthy relationship when there’s no such thing as separating work from life, particularly when your job description is one of a professional liar?

Although the budget allows a dash of globe-trotting requisite for its genre, most of the week-long story takes place in London. We’re introduced to George Woodhouse...

Steven Soderbergh’s third collaboration with David Koepp in two years (Kimi and Presence), and already the second to be released in 2025, proves to be the charm for both. Black Bag is an exceptionally sophisticated and adult spy thriller that’s also the story of a marriage made more complicated by the fact both husband and wife work in the same spy agency. With an A+ cast at the top of their game, a tight 93-minute running time and dialogue with wit and bite, this finds the director with one of his best opportunities to do what he does so well and give that older audience a reason to go back to the movies.

Set in London, Michael Fassbender plays George Woodhouse, an intelligence operative for the National Cyber Security Center, a kind of opposite of Mi as it deals more in the technology side of things and crucially has...

It’s always hilarious that the James Bond movies are part of the “spy” genre. Sure, that handsome devil is a secret agent who saves the world every couple of years, but he doesn’t do a whole lot of “spying,” does he? He doesn’t embed himself inside an enemy organization for years, insidiously gaining his co-workers’ trust and quietly feeding intelligence back to his handlers. He goes in guns a-blazing, not only giving out his real name but repeating it just for giggles. James Bond isn’t a spy. He’s a power fantasy with multiple product placement deals.

Steven Soderbergh’s new thriller “Black Bag” is a movie about actual spies. They’re probably not realistic either, but at least they’re putting in the damn work. They manipulate. They betray. And when they have sex with each other it’s not an unforgettable night on the Riviera with zero consequences.

Continuing to prove that retirement is not just overrated but a real impediment to an artist’s best work, in “Black Bag,” Steven Soderbergh dashes off a sleek little genre exercise. It’s a doodle really, at a stage in his career when he’s clearly just having fun, yet it proves to be one of his smartest and sexiest films yet. Heading up an impeccable cast are Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, who play George Woodhouse and Kathryn St. Jean, a Nick and Nora-like pair of spies so deeply, foolishly in love that they find it inconceivable that the mole in the British intelligence agency for which they both work could well be their spouse.

Most successful marriages are built on trust. Once that much is established, then there’s room — if not a psychological need — for both parties to maintain a sort of secret garden where they can keep a few things private.