News

Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden, Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen, Paris Jackson and Skeet Ulrich are among the latest to join the ensemble cast of Catherine Hardwicke’s “Street Smart.”

Skylar Astin, Sally Struthers and Tyson Ritter have also signed on to the feature, which centers on a group of unhoused young adults in Venice, Calif., and the eccentric characters they interact with.

They join previously announced stars Isabelle Fuhrman, Yara Shahidi, Michael Cimino, Daniel Zovatto, Kaitlyn Kemp, Miles McKenna, Sylvester Powell, Harvey Guillén and pro skateboarder Isiah Hilt. Colleen Camp, Rio Mangini, Bevin Bru and JJ Green board the project in supporting roles.

Hardwicke co-wrote the drama with New York Times best-selling author and screenwriter Nic Sheff, which is said to offer a “gripping” look into the lives of the lively group who “come together with humor and a bit of Robin Hood-style larceny, forging unbreakable bonds and...

Catherine Hardwicke’s new film Street Smart has rounded out its supporting cast with seven actors: Skeet Ulrich (Scream), Paris Jackson (American Horror Stories), Skylar Astin (So Help Me Todd), Marcia Gay Harden (Mystic River), Virginia Madsen (Prey for the Devil Sideways), Sally Struthers (All in the Family), Tyson Ritter (Preacher). Production recently concluded in Los Angeles.

The drama feature heralds Hardwicke’s return to her storytelling roots from such past work as Lords of Dogtown and Thirteen, while revisiting her exploration of found-family dynamics in Twilight. She co-wrote Street Smart with New York Times bestselling author and screenwriter Nic Sheff.

Street Smart offers a gripping look into the lives of a lively group of unhoused young adults in the iconic beach town of Venice, CA. They come together with humor and a bit of Robin Hood-style larceny, forging unbreakable bonds and redefining what it means to be a family.

After more than a decade, Final Destination: Bloodlines is bringing its chilling supernatural horror back to the big screen. This sixth installment in the franchise has fans buzzing, with the return of Tony Todd in his iconic role and the promise of more deadly, fate-driven chaos. But despite the excitement, many millennials are still unsure about revisiting the series.

A still from Final Destination: Bloodlines’ trailer | Credits: Warner Bros.

While the trailer has generated plenty of buzz, there’s one reason some fans are holding back, and it’s deeply tied to their memories of the earlier films.

Why are millennials hesitant to watch Final Destination: Bloodlines?

As the sixth movie in the franchise Final Destination: Bloodlines is set to scare a new generation of viewers, and the first trailer gives us a sneak peek at the thrilling deaths that fans expect. One big part of the excitement is that...

It always hurts when one of our legends passes away. Wes Craven, George Romero, and Tobe Hooper were 3 of the big 4 that horror enthusiasts grew up watching. While the movies that came out close to the time of their passing never matched up with their all-time classics, but it was always a shot to the gut when they were suddenly gone. Actors are no different and while Tony Todd has over 240 credits to his name, Daniel Robitaille, The Candyman will always be his most recognizable and terrifying character. The movie was a success and set off a small franchise and larger than life character but who was almost cast as the titular hook wearer and how did Todd feel when he had to pass the torch? Get in front of a mirror and say his name 5 times as we find out what happened to Candyman.

Clive Barker is no stranger...

On Nov. 4, the world of cinema lost one of the greats when Tony Todd passed away. While he was primarily known for his roles in the horror genre, Todd’s career stretched far and wide to reach the theater, audio dramas, and video games. Along the way, he was known by his peers as one of the kindest men you’d ever meet, something that was reaffirmed by his Candyman co-star Virginia Madsen, who penned a touching tribute to her late friend on what would have been his 70th birthday.

Madsen took to Variety on Dec. 4 to share what Todd meant to her, recalling how she first met the 6' 5" star before cameras began rolling on their 1992 seminal horror classic that was based on the Clive Barker story, The Forbidden. "I first met Tony at a lunch," she recalled, before noting that she was only cast opposite Todd after the director’s wife got sick.

We were all shocked to learn of Tony Todd’s death last month, and Virginia Madsen has penned a lovely tribute to her late friend and Candyman co-star.

“I believe Tony is one of the iconic greats, up there with Dracula — and when you think about the power they have, it’s not strength. It’s seductive and romantic and draws you in,” Madsen wrote. “On top of that, he had the most beautiful voice. He could just say ‘Hi,’ and it would resonate through your whole body. I remember when ‘Candyman’ came out some people asked me what they did to his voice to make it so smooth and powerful. I was like, ‘No, it’s just like that!’“

Madsen continued, “I first met Tony at a lunch. I was originally going to play Helen’s best friend, Bernadette. Bernard’s wife at the time, Alexandra Pigg, was going to play Helen.

Alexander Payne had modest expectations for Sideways when his unassuming indie about an antic-filled buddy road trip through idyllic California wine country hit theaters in the fall of 2004. With an estimated budget of $16 million, the film wound up raking in more than $100 million worldwide and an Academy Award for best adapted screenplay — in addition to nominations for best picture, best director and best supporting actor (Thomas Haden Church) and actress (Virginia Madsen).

“As we were making Sideways, I thought it was just a nice little comedy and had no idea that it would ever stand the test of time,” says Payne. “And the merlot line that supposedly changed the wine industry? Well, it was just a joke, one single line in a movie. Who could have ever predicted that?”

The line in question comes about halfway into the movie. Miles, the pinot noir fanatic played by a typically agitated Paul Giamatti,...

Actor Tony Todd, renowned for his iconic role in the Candyman horror films, has passed away at the age of 69.

Over his 40-year career, Todd portrayed the ghostly character of Candyman in the horror series. Candyman, known for having a hook for a hand, could be summoned by saying his name five times in front of a mirror. Todd originated the role in the first film released in 1992 and continued to play Candyman in sequels released in 1995 and 1999. He reprised his role in 2021 for a fourth film that serves as a direct sequel to the original.

Todd took on the iconic role of Daniel Robitaille, better known as Candyman—a tragic figure shrouded in mystery and pain. As a tortured ghost adorned with swarming bees, Candyman embodies the legacy of an African American artist and son of a slave, whose life was brutally cut short because of his forbidden love for a white woman.

Candyman star Tony Todd, who died Wednesday after a long illness, is being remembered by his co-star Virginia Madsen.

The Oscar nominee, who played graduate student Helen Lyle who’s stalked by Todd’s titular hook-handed killer while investigating urban legends at a Chicago housing project in the 1992 horror film, paid tribute to Todd with a series of posts on Instagram.

Madsen initially shared a brief video post after she heard the news of Todd’s death, in which she said she didn’t “know what to say” but called Todd her “beloved.”

“May you rest in power sweet to the sweet in heaven,” Madsen wrote in the caption alongside a video. “The great actor Tony Todd has left us and now is an angel. As he was in life. More later but I can’t right now. I love you.”

In the video, she shared that she “just found...

The pain, I can assure you, will be exquisite. As for our deaths, there is nothing to fear. Our names will be written on a thousand walls. Horror fans all over lost one of the greats this week, as Tony Todd – most famous for portraying Candyman across the namesake series – passed away at the age of 69. Now, his Candyman co-star, Virginia Madsen, is paying tribute.

Posting to Instagram following the news of Tony Todd’s death, Virginia Madsen – who played graduate student Helen Lyle in 1992’s Candyman – expressed her shock and thanked fans for reaching out. “Hey you guys, I just, just, just found out about Tony, and I will…I don’t know what to say right now. But yeah, I know about it. I will say more about my beloved Candyman. Anyway, thanks for your kind wishes.” In an accompanying caption, Madsen wrote, “My beloved. May you rest...

As Candyman fans mourn the death of scream king Tony Todd, his co-star Virginia Madsen addressed the horror hive.

Shortly after Deadline reported that Todd died at age 69, the Oscar nominee reacted to his passing with an impromptu video statement she shared on Friday with her Instagram followers.

“My beloved. May you rest in power sweet to the sweet in heaven,” Madsen wrote in the caption. “The great actor Tony Todd has left us and now is an angel. As he was in life. More later but I can’t right now. I love you.”

In the video, Madsen said, “Hey you guys, I just, just, just found out about Tony, and I will — I don’t know what to say right now. But yeah, I know about it. I will say more about my beloved Candyman. Anyway, thanks for your kind wishes.”

Based on Clive Barker‘s The Forbidden,...

Tony Todd, an American actor known for leading the “Candyman” horror franchise as its eponymous hook-wielding ghost, died Wednesday at his home in Marina Del Rey, Calif. He was 69.

Todd’s death was confirmed by a representative for the actor. A cause of death was not disclosed.

A reliable presence in genre fare across four decades, Todd’s series of credits include iconic titles such as Alex Proyas’ comic book adaptation “The Crow,” Michael Bay’s Alcatraz actioner “The Rock” and the elaborate killing-set-piece series “Final Destination.” One of his earliest film performances came in his early thirties in Oliver Stone’s Oscar-winning war epic “Platoon.” On “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” Todd donned alien make-up to play Kurn, a Commander in the Klingon Defense Force and the brother of Worf (played by series regular Michael Dorn).

But Todd secured his name in the genre pantheon with his performance in Bernard Rose’s “Candyman,...

The curtains have closed on the production of A Corpse in Kensington, an ambitious horror project that promises to blend chilling suspense with moments of darkly humorous romance. Helmed by writer-director Brian Patrick Butler, known for his innovative film Friend of the World, the film is set in the atmospheric neighbourhood of Kensington in San Diego, California. The story follows a trio of entangled characters who find themselves stalked by a menacing killer. A unique touch? The killer may not be entirely human—or could be someone dangerously close, hiding in plain sight.

Derrick Acosta (Mega64) leads the cast as Lionel, a solitary figure haunted by a past infatuation. When he reconnects with his childhood crush, it appears he might get a second shot at love. However, his ambitions are complicated by her unpredictable boyfriend and a terrifying predator lurking in the shadows. The film’s plot intensifies as Lionel,...

Copenhagen-based TrustNordisk continues to score with the thriller “Boundless,” starring Ulrich Thomsen as maverick detective Carl Mørck from author Jussi Adler-Olsen’s “Department Q” crime series.

The latest deals were closed with Plaion for Germany and Austria, Movies Inspired for Italy, Cinemania Group for former Yugoslavia and Albania, Media4Fun for Poland and Palace Films for Australia and New Zealand.

A total of 26 territories now hold the rights including France (Wild Bunch Distribution), Spain (Vértigo Films) and Switzerland (Frenetic Films). According to TrustNordisk’s sales manager Frederik Hemmingsen, 65% of the buyers are the same ones who acquired earlier “Department Q” films.

Currently ranking second at the 2024 Danish box office with over 311,000 admissions, “Boundless” is the second of six “Department Q” standalone features produced by Nordisk Film Production Denmark, after “The Marco Effect.” Four earlier film adaptations produced by Zentropa turned into major hits: “The Keeper of Lost Causes,” “The Absent One,...

John Travolta, who plays Vincent Vega in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, reflects on the movie's impact on his career. Pulp Fiction celebrated its 30th anniversary on October 14, 2024. The cult classic crime movie revived Travolta's career while paving the way to stardom for Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman.

Reflecting on Tarantino's decision to cast him in the lead role, Travolta told Variety the offer back then was "certainly a next level, upper echelon opportunity more along the lines of the Oscar nomination-type performance." His last big role before Pulp was in Look Who's Talking, and Tarantino's offer "raised the bar" for him with "a second chance at a high-end career." Travolta revealed that he was "one of" the director's "favorite actors growing up" and may have something to do with Tarantino's love for "Pauline Kael." Check out what Travolta said:

The last success [Id experienced] before 'Pulp Fiction' was the 'Look Whos Talking' films,...

On Monday 14 October 2024, Great! Action broadcasts Wild West Chronicles!

Law Comes to No Man’s Land Season 4 Episode 9 Episode Summary

In the upcoming episode titled “Law Comes to No Man’s Land” of *Wild West Chronicles*, viewers will follow the journey of Marshal Chris Madsen as he joins forces with newly appointed judge John Buford to establish law and order in the untamed territory of No Man’s Land in Oklahoma’s Panhandle. This episode promises an exciting glimpse into the challenges of bringing justice to a lawless region.

As Madsen and Buford work together, they face the daunting task of escorting a wagon train filled with prisoners to Beaver City. Along the way, they encounter various obstacles that test their resolve and commitment to justice. The duo’s efforts to set up the first courthouse in a rowdy saloon highlight the struggle to maintain order amidst chaos.

Viewers can expect a blend of action,...

As movie theaters fight for relevancy in an age of streaming, both Kevin Smith’s The 4:30 Movie and Concessions aim to make light and pay tribute to the theater-going experience. Consessions is a new comedy about cinema employees from writer/director Mas Bouzidi, which he initially made as a short film at NYU. The producers on the feature version are Ram Segura Khagram, Malcolm Brainerd, and Sophia Winkler, and co-producer is production company Kebrado.

Deadline has now revealed that the ensemble cast set to star in the film will include Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs), Steven Ogg (Walking Dead), Josh Hamilton (Eighth Grade), Ivory Aquino (When They See Us), Lana Rockwell (Sweet Thing), Rob Riordan and Jonathan Lorenzo Price.

The synopsis reads,

“Set during the last day at the closing Royal Alamo Cinema, pic follows two slackers working the final shift, who cross paths with outcasts and oddballs in interwoven stories of rejection,...

August 29, 2024 – Hollywood tough guy Michael Madsen shatters expectations in his latest film, Mr. Wonderful, which just wrapped production in Los Angeles. The Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill star trades his signature intensity for surprising vulnerability in this indie dramedy, marking a dramatic departure from his iconic crime roles.

Madsen stars as Prof. Brian Fenton, a jaded academic fighting to keep his job while his world crumbles around him. He’s caught between a millennial son on the run from drug dealers and a father battling senility – who’s harboring shocking secrets of his own. This multi-generational family drama promises to reveal a side of Madsen audiences have never seen before.

Director Mark David (Texas Heart) describes the film as “reminiscent of David O. Russell or Judd Apatow,” adding, “It was thrilling to take a star like Madsen, known for tough crime thrillers, and watch him excel as the lead in...

Al Pacino is known for his gangster roles in films such as The Godfather trilogy, but the actor played against type in the film Donnie Brasco. Co-starring with Johnny Depp in the titular role, Pacino starred as Lefty Ruggiero, a mafia enforcer of a crime family in New York, and garnered universal acclaim.

While the lead cast had two legends, the supporting roles too were played by stalwart actors. Michael Madsen, who was known for his role as Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs, played Sonny Black in the film. He reportedly refused to audition for the role and only went for it after meeting Al Pacino.

Michael Madsen Refused To Audition For Al Pacino’s Donnie Brasco Al Pacino and Johnny Depp in Donnie Brasco | Credits: Sony Pictures

Based on the non-fiction book Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia, the film Donnie Brasco is a tale of betrayal,...

The actor Michael Madsen, best known for his roles in Quentin Tarantino films such as Reservoir Dogs (1992) and Kill Bill Vols 1 and 2 (2003 and 2004), was arrested in Malibu early on Saturday for domestic battery after a fight with his wife, DeAnna Madsen.

Incident Details

Deputies with the Malibu/Lost Hill Sheriff’s Station responded to a domestic incident call at the residence shortly after midnight on August 17.

The 66-year-old actor was arrested at around 12:15 am for misdemeanor domestic battery under California Penal Code 243(e)(1): ‘Beating, wounding, torturing, or otherwise injuring a cohabitant or engaged to a cohabitant; placing a cohabitant in reasonable apprehension of imminent serious bodily injury.’

He was booked at the station at 1:40 am and released after posting a $20,000 bond.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the incident occurred Friday afternoon on Broad Beach Road in Malibu, when deputies were dispatched regarding a disturbance...

Michael Madsen is speaking out after his arrest on charges of domestic battery.

The actor, 66, a fixture of Quentin Tarantino’s films, was booked in Malibu in the early hours of Aug. 18 after police responded to a “family disturbance” report involving his wife, DeAnna Madsen, 64.

The two separated following the devastating 2022 suicide of the couple’s 26-year-old son, Hudson, a U.S. Army sergeant who served in Afghanistan. Tarantino was Hudson’s godfather.

The two have another son, Luke, 18, who continues to live at his father’s house amid his parents’ separation.

According to Perry Wander, Madsen’s longtime attorney, DeAnna “broke into” Madsen’s Malibu home. “He confronted her and asked her to leave,” he says, noting it “has been an ongoing problem.”

“Michael has shown immense compassion and restraint during this period towards his estranged wife,” Madsen’s attorney continues. “He’s definitely not guilty of domestic violence.”

Madsen was released on $20,000 bail.

Veteran actor Michael Madsen, known for his iconic roles in Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, was arrested early on August 17 following an alleged domestic altercation with his wife, DeAnna Madsen. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call regarding a family disturbance at approximately 12:15 a.m. on the 31600 block of Broad Beach Road in Malibu.

According to a press release from the sheriff’s department, a female adult, later identified as DeAnna Madsen, claimed that her husband had pushed her and locked her out of their home. Upon arrival and after a preliminary investigation, deputies determined that Michael Madsen was involved in a domestic incident and arrested him on charges of misdemeanor spousal battery under California Penal Code 243(e)(1).

Madsen was taken to the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station, where he was booked. Authorities noted that the investigation remains ongoing and that the case will be...

Michael Madsen, the actor best known for his role in Quentin Tarantino‘s classic Reservoir Dogs, was arrested on a charge of misdemeanor domestic battery over the weekend. According to online arrest records, Madsen was taken into custody in Malibu at about 12:15 a.m. on Saturday, August 17, and charged under California Penal Code section 243(e)(1), which is battery of a spouse. His bail was set at $20,000. In a statement to TMZ, a rep for the actor said of the incident, “It was a disagreement between Michael and his wife [DeAnna Madsen], which we hope resolves positively for them both.” The rep also told People that Madsen has since posted bail and returned home. “On August 17, 2024, at approximately 12:15 Am, deputies responded to the 31600 block of Broad Beach Road in the City of Malibu regarding a family disturbance. The informant stated that a female adult alleged her husband pushed her...

Michael Madsen was arrested over the weekend.

At 1:15am on Saturday morning (August 17), the 66-year-old Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill actor was arrested on charges of battery stemming from an alleged “disagreement” with his wife DeAnna Madsen.

Keep reading to find out more…“On August 17, 2024, at approximately 12:15 Am, deputies responded to the 31600 block of Broad Beach Road in the City of Malibu regarding a family disturbance,” the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department shared in a press release with EW. “The informant stated that a female adult alleged her husband pushed her and locked her out of their residence.”

The statement continued, “Based on the initial investigation, deputies determined Michael Madsen was involved in a domestic incident involving his wife. Mr. Madsen was arrested for misdemeanor Spousal Battery (violation of 243(e)(1) P.C.). He was transported and booked at Malibu/Lost Hill Sheriff’s Station. The investigation is ongoing...

Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill actor Michael Madsen has been arrested in Malibu on a charge of domestic battery, ahead of being freed from jail.

The Los Angeles Sheriff Department in an Aug. 18 booking report said Michael Soren Madsen, 66, had been booked into the Malibu/Lost Hills Station at 1:40 a.m. after an arrest for a domestic battery misdemeanor 25 minutes earlier.

A representative for the Malibu/Lost Hills Station in a separate statement told The Hollywood Reporter deputies at 12:15 a.m. on Aug. 18 arrived at a residence in Malibu to answer a “family disturbance” report.

“The informant stated that a female adult alleged her husband pushed her and locked her out of their residence,” the police statement added. After an initial investigation, “deputies determined Michael Madsen was involved in a domestic incident involving his wife,” and he was arrested soon afterwards.

“The investigation is ongoing and will be...

Actor Michael Madsen, 66, was arrested this weekend for domestic battery, a Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station jailer told TheWrap. Madsen allegedly pushed his wife DeAnna and locked her out of their Malibu home late Friday night, according to media reports, with his arrest coming around 1:15 a.m., according to jail records reviewed by TheWrap.

“It was a disagreement between Michael and his wife, which we hope resolves positively for them both,” a spokesperson for Madsen said in a statement to the media.

The actor was booked on misdemeanor domestic battery and released on $20,000 bond, returning to his home, his spokesperson told TheWrap.

Madsen has been a frequent collaborator of director Quentin Tarantino, beginning with “Reservoir Dogs.” His role as Mr. Blonde was Madsen’s breakout part, creating an iconic scene where his sadistic character cut off a police officer’s ear and doused him in gasoline while “Stuck...

Michael Madsen was arrested over the weekend for misdemeanor domestic battery after Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies responded to call of a disturbance between the actor and his wife at their Malibu home, Deadline has confirmed.

Deputies were called to the home shortly after midnight Saturday by a female adult who alleged Madsen pushed her and locked her out of the house, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Adam Zeko told Deadline. When they arrived the woman was safely with a security team, Zeko said. Madsen was taken to the Malibu/Lost Hills sheriff’s station at about 1:40 am where he was booked on misdemeanor domestic battery and released on $20,000 bond.

Misdemeanor domestic battery falls under Penal Code 243(e)(1), meaning force or violence was allegedly used against a cohabitant.

Madsen is best known for his collaborations with Quentin Tarantino on films like Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood,...

Kill Bill star Michael Madsen was arrested over the weekend on a domestic violence charge, according to TMZ.

Madsen was arrested on Saturday (August 17th) after allegedly pushing his wife and locking her out of their home in the Los Angeles area during an argument. He was brought into jail by deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The frequent Quentin Tarantino collaborator was released from custody after posting a $20,000 bond. His team shared the following statement: “It was a disagreement between Michael and his wife, which we hope resolves positively for them both.”

Madsen’s filmography also includes notable roles in Reservoir Dogs, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and The Hateful Eight. He was previously arrested for trespassing in February 2022 — one month after his son died by suicide. In 2019, he received a brief jail sentence for a drunk driving crash that took place earlier that year.

Michael...

Michael Madsen was arrested in Malibu on Saturday morning on charges of domestic battery following “a disagreement between” the actor and his wife, DeAnna Madsen.

Authorities based at the Malibu/Lost Hill Sheriff’s Station responded to a call shortly after midnight on Aug. 17. The 66-year-old actor was arrested for a domestic battery misdemeanor under Penal Code 243(e)(1), meaning force or violence was allegedly used against a cohabitant. The actor was booked at the Station at 1:40 a.m.

“It was a disagreement between Michael and his wife, which we hope resolves positively for them both,” a representative for Madsen said in a statement to Variety. Madsen is no longer in custody after posting a $20,000 bond.

Madsen is best known as a regular star in the films of Quentin Tarantino. The actor made a splash in the director’s 1992 debut thriller “Reservoir Dogs,” which featured Madsen as Mr. Blonde, the...

Thirty years ago, the release of Pulp Fiction saw Quentin Tarantino reach the peak of his international celebrity. A look back at the Tarantinomania of 1994:

Joining Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino became one of a vanishingly small number of filmmakers who could be described as a household name in the early 1990s. Having broken through with the blackly comic and unabashedly violent Reservoir Dogs in 1992, his fame arguably reached its peak in 1994; to borrow a term from critic Joshua Mooney, it was a time of Tarantinomania.

That year saw the release of Pulp Fiction, which soon became more than merely a popular low-budget thriller: it was a pop cultural event, with its music, snappy dialogue and hip 50s styling appearing all over the place. But 1994 was also the year of Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers, and the US release of low-budget heist thriller Killing Zoe...

John Travolta’s acting genius is now known to many; however, with a string of success always comes its fair share of setbacks, which even the Grease actor was not immune to. The 1990s were not kind to the actor after a series of box office failures such as Two of a Kind, The Experts, and Perfect.

John Travolta in Pulp Fiction || Miramax Films

Whatever he tried at this point in his career was leading to failure and box-office disasters. But this one movie, directed under the brilliance of Quentin Tarantino, proved to be a career-saving move for Travolta.

How did Quentin Tarantino save John Travolta’s failing Hollywood career?

While many wondered, it was a miracle in itself that Travolta was even getting cast after his back-to-back debacles; however, Quentin Tarantino had other plans for the actor and approached him for his crime movie Pulp Fiction (1994).

John Travolta and...

Pulp Fiction turned 30 this year and fans love the film even more when they hear the rare behind-the-scenes stories from the Quentin Tarantino classic. Well, here’s one that most fans might have missed — John Travolta was never the first choice for the role of Vincent Vega. Tarantino had another actor in mind who worked with him in his 1992 film, Reservoir Dogs.

John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson in a still from Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction | Miramax

Michael Madsen is a frequent collaborator on Tarantino films. However, when he was offered Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction, he had to turn it down due to his commitment to the 1994 Western flick Wyatt Earp. However, Madsen felt that Travolta’s addition to the film was one of the major reasons behind the success of Tarantino’s Oscar-nominated film.

Michael Madsen Shares Why His Replacement John Travolta Was Perfect For Pulp Fiction...

The enchanting world of Harry Potter has captured the hearts of fans worldwide, whether through J.K. Rowling’s books or the live-action film adaptations starring Daniel Radcliffe. However, in 2023, a new contender for the best adaptation emerged that promised to take the wizarding world to another height: Hogwarts Legacy.

Hogwarts Legacy allows players to delve deeper into the wizarding world of J.K Rowling Books | Avalanche Software

Hogwarts Legacy is an action role-playing game set in the magical universe, where players can experience and explore the lobbies of the iconic Hogwarts School. Developers also believed that they could bring more depth to the wizarding world than movies.

Recreating J.K. Rowling’s Vision in Hogwarts Legacy

The Harry Potter films, starring Daniel Radcliffe, earned widespread affection and were able to capture the essence of J.K. Rowling’s Books. However, with Hogwarts Legacy, developers at Avalanche Software aimed to surpass...

Exclusive: Michael Madsen (Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood), Jaime King (Sin City) and Michael Milligan (Outer Banks) have wrapped roles opposite Tanner Beard in Blood Behind Us, a dramatic thriller from directors Brendan Gabriel Murphy (Fluxx) and Shaun Hart (The Fall).

Supporting cast for the Texas-shot indie includes Ramsey Krull (What Did Deborah Do), Katie Leclerc (Switched at Birth), Russell Quinn (Romantic Rewrite), Wally Welch (The Magnificent Seven), and Brook Sill (Stranger Things).

The story follows Johnny Philobosian (Beard), a former Army Ranger who after the Afghanistan War joins a motorcycle gang, causing him to spiral into a life of crime and addiction. Finally breaking away from the grips of the brutal gang, he turns on his crew, bringing down the entire organization.

With the leader Ramsey (Krull) heading to prison, Johnny enters witness protection, changing his identity to Casey Hatfield and relocating to Utah. After several years of hiding,...

Bridgerton Season 3's most unanticipated character arc absolutely belongs to Jessica Madsen's Cressida Cowper, whose temperamental mean girl ways are slightly reforming. But what's more unexpected about Madsen is her under-the-radar role in a notorious horror franchise that made a significant impact on its legacy. Before donning her lingering snarl with shiny jewels, tight curls, and ballgowns, Madsen played the unpredictable psychopath, Clarice, in Leatherface (2017). Clarice becomes one of the key contributors to the birth of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre's legendary killer, Leatherface, whose villain origin story is chronicled in an ambiguous manner in the 2017 film. This ambiguity leaves us wondering which one of the escaped psychiatric facility patients actually becomes the chainsaw-wielding killer, with Clarice herself in the running. But the most exciting part about Madsen's character is really how she was created, from her inspiration to Madsen's interpretation of this manic pyromaniac.

Dearest readers: It’s Bridgerton Week at IndieWire. We’re celebrating the new season by diving deep on one of the best romance shows on TV.

Season 3 of “Bridgerton” promises everything audiences love about the show: gossip, gloves, and games. This season finally focuses on the romance between Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin (Luke Newton) which isn’t an easy road because there’s someone else in the mix, Lord Debling (Sam Phillips). Other storylines include Francesca Bridgerton’s (Hannah Dodd) introduction into society which she doesn’t take too well.

A longtime series writer, Jess Brownell, steps into season three’s showrunner shoes and brings back a mix of old favorite characters into a greater spotlight and new characters to come in and shake up society. Here’s all the actors who are main players and who they’ll be playing in season 3.

Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton)

Newton with...

Xbox's Free Play Days offers Crime Boss: Rockay City for Game Pass subscribers this weekend. Crime Boss: Rockay City has improved gameplay with frequent updates, making it more exciting to play with friends or AI teammates. Free Play Days also include other fantastic titles like Cities: Skylines Remastered and Destiny 2's more recent expansions.

Xbox Game Pass is offering users an opportunity to break bad with the likes of Chuck Norris, Danny Trejo, and Michael Madsen with this weekend's iteration of Free Play Days. Every week, Microsoft dishes out some extra bonuses to the platform's subscribers that provide an opportunity to play some games that may not necessarily be available on the service. Fortunately, if those users enjoy the experience, they're able to pick up the games on trial with a substantial discount so the fun needn't come to a halt just because the weekend's run its course.

Via Pure Xbox,...

The 48th annual San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (aka Frameline48) has announced its opening night film for 2024 and a block party to celebrate Juneteenth. The first-ever Castro neighborhood celebration of Juneteenth, Frameline48’s free outdoor event will feature an afternoon of music plus a screening of “Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero.”

In addition to joining Frameline48’s attempt to organize the largest, queerest Electric Slide ever, Bay Area moviegoers can attend 80-plus programs during the festival, which runs June 19–29. (The full program will be announced May 21). The 11-day celebration of film, queerness, and the San Francisco Bay Area will carry on the 2023 festival’s “Neighborhood Nights” spirit. The Juneteenth opening night film and block party will be followed by screenings all over the Bay in beloved venues like the Roxie Theater, the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, the Herbst Theatre, the Vogue Theater, and The New Parkway Theater in Oakland.

Universal’s “Dark Universe” may have gone up in flames right out of the gate, but that’s not stopping other studios from (unofficially) making their own Universal Monsters mashups.

All the classic monsters unite to brawl in The Asylum’s Monster Mash, which is coming to select theaters as well as VOD outlets at home on the same day, Friday, March 29, 2024.

Who brings them all together, you ask? Michael Madsen, of course!

In Monster Mash, “A dying Dr. Frankenstein is determined to meld the world’s strongest monsters into a singular, unstoppable creation. Now the monsters—including Dracula, Werewolf, and the Invisible Man—must work together to stop him before it’s too late.”

The film will be opening theatrically in the following locations:

Laemmle – Glendale, California Hickory Ridge Cinemas – Brunswick, Ohio Trylon Cinema – Minneapolis, Minnesota O Cinema – South Beach, Miami, Florida Aurora Cineplex – Roswell, Georgia

Ethan Daniel Corbett...

Alexander Payne movies always do well in two areas come the Oscar nominations: writing and acting. Five of Payne’s movies have been nominated for writing while five of his flicks have also snagged acting bids. However, while “Sideways” and “The Descendants” both took home Oscars for their writing (both for Best Adapted Screenplay), no Payne movie has ever won for acting. Here’s the record.

“About Schmidt” procured a Best Actor nomination in 2003 for Jack Nicholson. He was in a two-horse race for the Best Actor gong with “Gangs of New York” star Daniel Day-Lewis but it was Adrien Brody (“The Pianist”) who ended up winning by splitting the votes. Kathy Bates was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for “About Schmidt” but she lost to Catherine Zeta-Jones (“Chicago”).

Paul Giamatti was cruelly snubbed for a Best Actor bid for “Sideways” in 2005 but two of his costars were nominated.

Exclusive: International Artists Management (Iam), the London agency that claims to rep stars including Steve Guttenberg and Gary Dourdan, has admitted sending a client misrepresented invites for self-tape auditions in an attempt to secure him work.

Mark Barrett, whose credits include Outlander, has blown the whistle on his former agent, gathering evidence showing that he was emailed at least six illegitimate self-tape invites between February 2022 and January 2024. In five of the purported invites, Iam appeared to change the wording of emails from casting directors to make it seem as if they had requested Barrett to tape for a role when in fact he had not been called to audition.

Barrett accused Iam of giving him false hope after he received the purported invites to audition for major roles in films and TV shows, including Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen and BBC drama Shetland. He invested time and effort into recording the tapes,...

Frameline has made it official: Allegra Madsen has been named executive director.

Madsen took over the post six months ago on an interim basis but the San Francisco-based LGBTQ+ media arts organization made it official, effective immediately, after an extensive search process led by the firm Scott Miller Executive Search that engaged 150 candidates.

“Allegra’s proven track record of success in leading nonprofit organizations, combined with her understanding of the LGBTQ+ landscape and passion for building community through art and film, make her the ideal person to lead Frameline into the future,” said Ryan McNeill, president of Frameline’s board of directors.

Prior to assuming the post as interim executive director, Madsen served as Frameline’s director of programming for three years, helping to coordinate content for what Frameline is perhaps best known for — San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ film festival. Prior to her Frameline tenure, Madsen served as the director...

Frameline, the San Francisco-based LGBTQ+ media arts organization and hosts 0f the annual San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, announces the selection of Allegra Madsen as Executive Director, effective immediately.

“Allegra’s proven track record of success in leading non-profit organizations, combined with her understanding of the LGBTQ+ landscape and passion for building community through art and film, make her the ideal person to lead Frameline into the future,” said Ryan McNeill, President of Frameline’s Board of Directors. Allegra has spent the last six months as Frameline’s interim Executive Director, providing leadership during this critical time. She brings her knowledge of nonprofit leadership, fundraising and arts management.

Prior to her role as interim Executive Director, Allegra was Frameline’s Director of Programming for 3 years. She led programming for Frameline as the festival evolved post pandemic, creating the largest festival screenings in Frameline’s history at AT&T Park,...

Frameline, the San Francisco-based LGBTQ+ media arts organisation that hosts the annual San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, has named Allegra Madsen as executive director, effective immediately.

Madsen becomes the first woman of colour to assume the role and

spent the last six months as Frameline’s interim executive director.

Before that the executive served as Frameline’s director of programming for three years, creating the largest festival screenings in Frameline’s history at AT&T Park, and spearheading its growing and expanding presence in Oakland.

Prior to Frameline, Madsen served as the director of programming for the Bayview Opera House.

Actress Virginia Madsen spoke about her experience working alongside first-time director Nicola Peltz Beckham on the drama series Lola in her exclusive new uInterview.

Lola, released on February 9, focuses on a young woman (played by Peltz Beckham) as she struggles to save enough money to save herself and her younger brother from their toxic home.

When asked about the journey Madsen’s character, Lola’s mother Mona, goes on through the story, Madsen told uInterview founder Erik Meers, “Mona is a sad, abusive person who is not walking through life; she’s stuck. She’s stuck in hate and resentment and real loneliness. She thinks her daughter is a terrible person, she has disdain for her own child. And her little boy, her youngest, she’s afraid that he too will go down the path of sin, and so she’s trying to correct him because she believes she’s...

Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti’s latest film, The Holdovers, is in the awards conversation for its tale of holiday mischief and misfits at a remote New England boarding school. In it, Giamatti plays a cranky history teacher tasked with looking after students who aren’t going home for winter break. Almost 20 years ago, Payne and Giamatti earned awards acclaim for their first collaboration: 2004’s Sideways.

For Giamatti, who had built a career as a character actor, the film marked his second as a lead (after American Splendor the year before). He plays Miles, a depressed middle-aged English teacher, unpublished writer and wine snob on a vineyard-hopping road trip through California’s Santa Ynez Valley with his friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church), a down-on-his-luck actor about to get married. Payne and co-writer Jim Taylor adapted the screenplay from Rex Pickett’s novel of the same name and filmed on location at hotels,...

Exclusive: Vertical has acquired North American rights for Lola, written, directed by, and starring Nicola Peltz Beckham (Transformers: Age of Extinction). Marking Peltz Beckham’s directorial debut, the film also stars Virginia Madsen (Sideways), Trevor Long (Ozark), Luke David Blumm (Where the Crawdads Sing), Raven Goodwin (Smilf), Richie Merritt (Euphoria), and Will Peltz (The List).

Vertical has slated the film for a day & date release on February 9, 2024.

Set in 2002 Middle America, Lola revolves around nineteen-year-old Lola James (Peltz Beckham) who is desperately working to save enough money to get her little brother, Arlo (Luke David Blumm), out of their toxic home dominated by their mother, Mona (Madsen). All Lola wants is for Arlo to have a chance at the life she never had, nor will. One tragic night her whole world gets uprooted, and from that moment on, nothing will ever be the same.

Filmmaker and star Peltz Beckham stated,...

The Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) is celebrating the cinematic contributions of Oscar winner Alexander Payne, including his latest film, “The Holdovers.”

The Queens-based MoMI is curating a special Payne retrospective, culminating in a screening of “The Holdovers” with Payne in attendance on January 10. The exhibit kicks off January 5 with Payne’s feature debut “Citizen Ruth,” which was released in 1996. The independent dark comedy stars Laura Dern as a pregnant woman being used on opposing ends of the abortion debate.

“Alexander Payne has always put this country’s cultural, political, and emotional realities under a microscope — while never forgetting to also make viewers laugh,” the official MoMI press statement reads. “This rare talent, coupled with an enormous skill directing actors, many of whom give career performances under his watchful eye, has carried him through all his films, psychologically acute and often poignant inquiries into the lives of taciturn American...

Vienna-based Autlook has boarded sales on the Danish docu project “Architecture as Invention” in which seasoned doc filmmaker Michael Madsen shares existential and creative conversations with U.S./Polish star architect Daniel Libeskind.

The IDFA Forum Pitch entry is Autlook Film Sales’ third Madsen doc pick-up after his multi-awarded “Into Eternity,” IDFA Green Screen Doc winner in 2010, and Sundance 2015 selected “The Visit.”

“Michael Madsen’s distinguished approach to themes and grand ideas creates films that endure; they are timeless and iconic, always speaking for humanity, much like the architecture of one of the greatest architects of our time, Daniel Libeskind,” said Autlook CEO Salma Abdalla.

A trained architect himself, Madsen has an intimate knowledge of the discipline, explored diversely in his earlier works “Into Eternity,” which delved into the construction of a nuclear waste bunker in Finland, and the 26-minute “Halden Prison,” part of the Wim Wenders-initiated “Cathedrals of Culture.

Crime and mafia movies have had a major cultural appeal due to their exploration of dangerous and exciting aspects of life that appeal to audiences. Actors like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro have made a name for themselves in the gangster genre, with De Niro having the highest quantity of acclaimed starring roles. Other actors like Michael Madsen, Frank Vincent, Edward G. Robinson, Chazz Palminteri, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Humphrey Bogart, and James Cagney have also made significant contributions to the gangster genre with their memorable performances.

Crime and mafia movies defined the film industry for decades, with certain actors making their careers out of playing villainous gangster characters. With organized crime and the Mafia so prevalent in American news in the 20th century, it's no wonder the genre garnered a mass cultural appeal. Exploring criminals and the darker aspects of life allows audiences to escape into something dangerous and exciting,...