News

Gemma Arterton will lead the cast of ITV’s new espionage drama, Secret Service.

Adapted from the novel by ITV News anchor Tom Bradby and produced by Potboiler Productions, Secret Service will be a five-part drama also starring Rafe Spall (The English, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) and Mark Stanley (Adolescence, Happy Valley).

The show follows senior MI6 officer Kate Henderson (Arterton). On the surface, her life appears ordinary— a civil servant married to Stuart (Spall) with two teenage children — however, to those who don’t know her well, Kate’s true role is heading the Russia Desk at the Secret Intelligence Service.

When her undercover operations reveal alarming evidence that a high-ranking U.K. politician may be a Russian asset, Kate finds herself in a desperate race to uncover their identity. “As a brutal murder thrusts her team into the spotlight, Kate must navigate the dangerous world of espionage while...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Adolescence is a British crime drama miniseries created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham. The Netflix series follows the lives of Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old boy and his family as Jamie is accused of murdering a girl from his class. Adolescence has a thrilling and intense storytelling style, as all of it is shot in one take. Adolescence stars Stephen Graham, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, Owen Cooper, Faye Marsay, Christine Tremarco, Mark Stanley, and Jo Hartley. So, if you loved the intense story, thrilling drama, and compelling characters in Adolescence, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Defending Jacob (Apple TV+ & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Apple TV+

Defending Jacob is a mystery legal crime drama miniseries created by Mark Bomback. Based on the 2012 novel of the same name by William Landay, the Apple TV+ series...

On Sunday 12 January 2025, Channel 4 broadcasts Sunday Brunch!

Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Sunday Brunch” promises to be an exciting mix of food, conversation, and music. Tim and Simon will be back in the studio, ready to welcome guests and share their usual light-hearted banter. The show is known for its relaxed vibe, making it a perfect way to spend a Sunday morning.

This week, Stephen Kunken will join the hosts to discuss his role in the play “Kyoto.” Viewers can expect an engaging conversation about the themes and challenges of the production. Stephen’s insights will likely provide a deeper understanding of what goes into creating a successful stage performance.

Rochenda Sandall will also make an appearance to talk about her latest TV series, “The Rig.” She will share her experiences on set and what audiences can look forward to in the show. Her passion for acting is sure to shine through,...

A highly divisive British supernatural thriller series is making waves on Prime Video. Debuting in 2023, with the second season landing on the streaming platform just last week, The Rig follows a group of workers on a remote oil rig who suddenly find themselves surrounded by a mysterious fog...and even more mysterious supernatural forces. The series has now entered the Prime Video top 10, landing at #4, with audiences clearly gripped by the show, which will have sci-fi and horror fans reminiscing about John Carpenter’s 1982 masterpiece, The Thing.

However, despite its streaming popularity, The Rig has proven to be deeply divisive among critics and audiences. The series, which stars Game of Thrones actor Iain Glen alongside Emily Hampshire (Schitt's Creek) and Martin Compston (Line of Duty), scored a reasonable 67% from critics for its first season, with the consensus reading, “The Rig may not plumb its full potential thanks to too many crude clichés,...

In this week’s episode of Sunday Brunch, hosts Tim and Simon bring you another lively and entertaining mix of food, chat, and music. Airing at 11:00 Am on Sunday, January 12th, on Channel 4, the show welcomes a host of exciting guests and highlights some fantastic entertainment.

Actor Stephen Kunken joins the duo to chat about his latest role in the play Kyoto, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the production and his character. Next, actress Rochenda Sandall stops by to discuss her role in the gripping TV series The Rig, giving viewers an insight into the intense drama and what it was like to work on such a thrilling project.

To top it all off, Sunday Brunch features live music from the popular band The Coronas. With their catchy tunes and upbeat energy, they’re sure to bring a lively atmosphere to the show.

If you’re looking for...

To celebrate the anticipated release of the second season of The Rig, we had the pleasure of chatting to the cast once again to find out more about the surprises in store in the sophomore season.

The second series of The Rig sees the surviving crew of the Kinloch Bravo arrive at a new secret offshore facility called the Stac, nestled deep in the extraordinary and deadly landscapes of the Arctic Circle. Here, the trapped crew must deal with the emotional and physical fallout of the devastating tsunami that destroyed the Bravo, and contend with swirling conspiracies, corporate conflicts, and new threats from the dark depths of the world’s ocean. The second series will continue exploring global themes – weaving together the past, present, and future of the planet while taking the viewer to spectacular environments and drawing on the frontiers of cutting-edge ocean technology – including the controversial world of deep-sea mining.

Nearly two years after Season 1 of Prime Video’s series The Rig premiered, one of the show’s stars is hyping up the start of the second season. Emily Hampshire, who plays Rose on The Rig, took to Instagram to promote Season 2, which is set to premiere on January 2, 2025.

On Dec. 4, Amazon release an official trailer for The Rig Season 2. Via her Instagram page, Hampshire shared the video clip teasing Season 2 of The Rig with the caption: “I can’t wait for everyone to see #TheRig season 2! Think John Carpenter’s #thething + James Cameron’s #theabyss to the power of climate change. I’m so proud to be part of this super special show.”

The trailer and Hampshire’s post with the clip can both be seen below.

Related Batwoman Showrunner Joins Amazon's Prequel Series for Hit 23-Year-Old Comedy

The CW's Batwoman creator joins the prequel series as co-showrunner.

View...

Prime Video has released the official trailer for The Rig Season 2, which will debut on the streaming service on January 2, 2025.

The six-part The Rig Season 2 was filmed at First Stage Studios in Edinburgh, Scotland. The first season premiered in 2023 and became a UK and international hit.

In the new season, helicopters have taken the surviving crew of the Kinloch Bravo to a new secret offshore facility called the Stac, nestled deep in the extraordinary and deadly landscapes of the Arctic Circle.

Here, the trapped crew must deal with the emotional and physical fallout of the devastating tsunami that destroyed the Bravo and contends with swirling conspiracies, corporate conflicts, and new threats from the dark depths of the world’s ocean.

The second season will continue exploring global themes – weaving together the past, present, and future of the planet while taking the viewer to spectacular environments and drawing on the frontiers...

Prime Video have unveiled the first look at series two of the highly-anticipated thriller, ‘The Rig. ‘The six-part series is set to premiere in January 2025.

Helicopters have taken the surviving crew of the Kinloch Bravo to a new secret offshore facility called the Stac, nestled deep in the extraordinary and deadly landscapes of the Arctic Circle.

Here, the trapped crew must deal with the emotional and physical fallout of the devastating tsunami that destroyed the Bravo and contends with swirling conspiracies, corporate conflicts, and new threats from the dark depths of the world’s ocean. The second series will continue exploring global themes – weaving together the past, present, and future of the planet while taking the viewer to spectacular environments and drawing on the frontiers of cutting-edge ocean technology – including the controversial world of deep-sea mining.

David Macpherson has created a new story that delivers epic thrills and gripping action...

The Rig will return to Prime Video for its second season in January, and the streaming service is giving viewers of the UK series a look at what is ahead. The streaming service series has released several first-look photos for season two, which was ordered in February 2023. Six episodes have been produced.

Iain Glen, Emily Hampshire, Martin Compston, Rochenda Sandall, and Mark Addy are returning for season two of The Rig, with Alice Krige, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Ross Anderson, Phil McKee, and Johannes Roaldsen Fürst joining the cast. The new season is set on a different Arctic glacier.

Read More…...

Prime Video has unveiled a first look at the second season of the thriller The Rig. The six-part season will premiere in January 2025.

The Rig Season 2 was filmed at First Stage Studios in Edinburgh, Scotland. The first season premiered in 2023 and became a UK and international hit.

In the new season, helicopters have taken the surviving crew of the Kinloch Bravo to a new secret offshore facility called the Stac, nestled deep in the extraordinary and deadly landscapes of the Arctic Circle.

Here, the trapped crew must deal with the emotional and physical fallout of the devastating tsunami that destroyed the Bravo and contends with swirling conspiracies, corporate conflicts, and new threats from the dark depths of the world’s ocean.

The second season will continue exploring global themes – weaving together the past, present, and future of the planet while taking the viewer to spectacular environments and drawing on the...

The Rig season 2 has revealed new information, including a first look. The Rig is a sci-fi thriller series about a group of Scottish oil rig workers who, right before a journey back to the mainland, are surrounded by a fog that contains supernatural forces. The series premiered on Prime Video in 2023 and had six episodes. It featured a leading cast including Emily Hampshire, Iain Glen, Molly Vevers, Abraham Popoola, Rochenda Sandall, Martin Compston, Owen Teale, Stuart McQuarrie, Calvin Demba, Mark Addy, Nikhil Parmar, and Richard Pepple.

As per Deadline, new information has been revealed about The Rig season 2. The show added new stars, including Alice Krige, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Ross Anderson, and Johannes Roaldsen Frst. Returning to the series are Hampshire, Compston, Glen, Sandall, Teale, Addy, Vevers, Popoola, Parmar and McQuarrie. Season 2 will also change the setting for The Rig, this time taking the workers to an Arctic glacier. In addition to this new info,...

Exclusive: The inhabitants of Prime Video’s UK thriller The Rig are heading to an Arctic glacier.

Amazon has unveiled new cast for Season 2 of the hit series, along with first looks, with Star Trek star Alice Krige and The Queen’s Gambit’s Jacob Fortune-Lloyd joining Emily Hampshire, Martin Compston and Iain Glen. Boarding The Rig alongside the new pair are Ross Anderson (The Last Kingdom), Phil McKee (Deadwater Fell) and Johannes Roaldsen Fürst (Hvite gutter). Returning for Season 2 are Rochenda Sandall, Owen Teale, Mark Addy, Molly Vevers, Abraham Popoola, Nikhil Parmar and Stuart McQuarrie. Fortune-Lloyd recently boarded another Prime Video series, Haven, while Krige’s past credits include the same streamer’s Carnival Row.

Deadline can reveal that Season 2 will be set on an Arctic glacier. The series begins with helicopters taking the surviving crew of the Kinloch Bravo to a new secret offshore facility called the Stac,...

Vito Coppola has won Celebrity MasterChef 2024, becoming the 19th champion of the popular BBC One series. Competing against 19 other celebrities, Coppola emerged victorious after six weeks of cook-offs and rigorous culinary challenges. He faced TV presenter Craig Doyle and actor Rochenda Sandall in the final, where judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode awarded […]

Vito Coppola Takes Home Celebrity MasterChef 2024 Trophy...

On Tuesday 20 August 2024, BBC One broadcasts Celebrity MasterChef!

Season 19 Episode 4 Episode Summary

The excitement builds for the upcoming episode of “Celebrity MasterChef” on BBC One. This episode marks the second heat week, bringing in five new contestants who are already well-known to the public. Each of them hopes to impress the judges and secure a spot in this week’s quarter-final.

Among the familiar faces is Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, a former sprinter for Team Gb and a star of the popular show “Gladiators.” His athletic background might give him an edge in the competition. Alongside him is Danielle Harold, an actor known for her dynamic performances. She brings her own flair to the kitchen, aiming to showcase her culinary skills.

Eshaan Akbar, a comedian and actor, adds a touch of humor to the competition. His personality could make for some entertaining moments in the kitchen. Rochenda Sandall, another talented actor, is also in the mix,...

Five new celebrities enter the MasterChef arena, kicking off the second heat week. They are ‘Gladiator’ and Team Gb sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, actor Danielle Harold, comedian and actor Eshaan Akbar, actor Rochenda Sandall, and reality star Chloe Burrows. The episode begins with a challenging task: “Under the Cloche.” Each celebrity lifts a silver dome to […]

Celebrity MasterChef: Season 19, Episode 4...

Coriolanus (2014)Caius Martius Coriolanus is a war hero, banished from his home, seeking to come back.Rating: 8.5/10Stars: Tom Hiddleston (Caius Martius Coriolanus), Rochenda Sandall (First Citizen), Mark Stanley (Second Citizen), Dwane Walcott (Third Citizen), Mark Gatiss (Menenius)Avengers: Endgame (2019)After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins.

Graphic: Images: IMDBCoriolanus (2014)

Caius Martius Coriolanus is a war hero, banished from his home, seeking to come back.

Rating: 8.5/10

Stars: Tom Hiddleston (Caius Martius Coriolanus), Rochenda Sandall (First Citizen), Mark Stanley (Second Citizen), Dwane Walcott (Third Citizen), Mark Gatiss (Menenius)

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.

It was only a few days ago that the Criterion Collection had a surprise flash sale. The home video company’s entire catalog was slashed down to 50% off list prices. While that sale only lasted for 24 hours, there are a number of titles that are still on sale for half-off at Amazon.

We rounded up the best deals on Criterion Collection releases, including Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing,” Dennis Hopper’s “Easy Rider,” Whit Stillman’s “The Last Days of Disco” and much more. In fact, even a few boxed sets are half off, such as Krzysztof Kieślowski’s “The Dekalog” and Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” anthology.

Ahead, check out the best Criterion Blu-ray discs currently on sale for 50% off at Amazon:

‘Do the Right Thing...

[Editor's Note: This post contains spoilers for the first two episodes of Hijack, "Final Call" and "3 Degrees."]

For frequent flyers, the most stressful moments in Apple TV+ thriller Hijack come in the premiere's opening minutes, long before the plane is overtaken by terrorists.

As Kingdom Airlines Flight 29 prepares to depart Dubai for London, passengers shuffle to their seats and gather their personal belongings for the seven-hour flight ahead. Almost immediately, familiar tensions emerge. A father (Marcus Garvey) struggles to fit his child's suitcase into the overhead bin, prompting eyerolls from his wife (Rochenda Sandall) and a reprimand from a woman in an adjacent seat (Liz Kingsman). When the woman insists the bin isn't "allocated" for their family alone, the wife matches her hostility, telling her new enemy, "It's not just us and our fruity water. We've got kids."...

The Rig is returning for a second season on Prime Video. The streaming service has confirmed that the UK supernatural thriller has been renewed. Production of new episodes will begin later this year in Edinburgh.

Starring Iain Glen, Martin Compston, Emily Hampshire, Rochenda Sandall, Owen Teale, Mark Addy, Molly Vevers, Abraham Popoola, and Stuart McQuarrie, The Rig series revolves around the crew of a Scottish oil rig in the North Sea. A mysterious fog cuts them off from the rest of the world, and spores in the fog bring on unexpected changes to members of the crew. An onboard scientist believes that an ancient parasite has been stirred up from the ocean floor.

Read More…...

Back in November, Amazon ordered two more seasons of their “spectacularly dark” thriller series The Devil’s Hour, and now they have renewed another one of their UK thriller Originals. This time, they have ordered a second season of the supernatural thriller series The Rig! The Rig season 2 will begin filming at FirstStage Studios in Edinburgh later this year with several season 1 cast members returning, including Iain Glen (Game of Thrones), Martin Compston (Line of Duty), Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek), Rochenda Sandall (Criminal: UK), Owen Teale (Game of Thrones), Mark Addy (Game of Thrones), Molly Vevers (The Spanish Princess), Abraham Popoola (Cruella), and Stuart McQuarrie (Des).

Created by David Macpherson, the six episode first season was set on the Kishorn Bravo oil rig, stationed off the Scottish coast in the dangerous waters of the North Sea. When the crew is due to return to the mainland, a mysterious and all-enveloping fog rolls through.

Exclusive: Amazon is returning to The Rig for a second season.

Prime Video’s supernatural thriller will begin shooting again later this year in Edinburgh, Scotland, with Martin Compston (Line of Duty), Iain Glen (Game of Thrones) and Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek) among the cast reprising their roles.

Related Story We’ll Be Back: Photo Gallery Of TV Series Renewed In 2023 Related Story Amazon, Disney Employees Petition Against Returning To Office Related Story Starz To Launch Bundle With MGM+ On Prime Video in the U.S.

The first season premiered in January and told the story of the Kishorn Bravo oil rig, stationed off the Scottish coast, which is enveloped in a mysterious fog that cuts off all lines of communication.

Season 2 will follow the surviving Kinloch Bravo crew as they are helicoptered off the rig and taken to a new location, where fresh danger awaits. They must contend with swirling conspiracies,...

Exclusive: Dyllón Burnside, star of Ryan Murphy shows Pose, American Horror Story and Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, will make his London stage debut in Black Superhero, the debut play from British actor, activist and playwright Danny Lee Wynter.

Florida-born Burnside will play King, a Black, queer movie star “with the world at his feet,” Wynter told Deadline.

King is “an out, global film star,” Wynter added. “He’s open about his sexuality but he’s not open about his private life, about whom he dates,” Wynter explained.

Burnside character King plays a superhero called Craw in the show that will run at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs located in Chelsea’s Sloane Square from March 14 through April 29. Official opening night is March 21.

Wynter, who is also starring in Black Superhero, made his mark in TV drama Joe’s Palace with Michael Gambon and Kelly Reilly and Capturing Mary...

Warning: Contains Spoilers for The Rig season 1The mysterious fog and ash are key to the environmental plot of Prime Video's new sci-fi thriller series The Rig, and here's how both elements work together. Created by Scottish novelist and screenwriter David MacPherson, The Rig centers around the isolated crew of Kinloch Bravo, an oil rig in the North Sea. When a thick fog descends around them, cutting off radio, TV, and internet signals, they must solve the mystery of the strange effect the fog is having on members of the crew, and what it means for the future of humanity.

Led by Iain Glen, who played Jorah in Game of Thrones, The Rig has an impressive cast of British and Canadian actors, including Martin Compston (Line of Duty) and Calvin Demba (Kingsman: The Golden Circle). This skilled cast of actors vividly brings the claustrophobia and paranoia of Kinloch Bravo's situation to life.

Today we’re going to look at where you can watch new drama, The Rig and what streaming service you can find it on.

If there is one thing that the North Sea off of Scotland’s east coast has been dominated by, it is oil rigs. There are very few people on the north-east coat of Scotland who won’t know someone who has worked on an oil rig. These rigs are now the main location of this new psychological drama, whose main protagonist is played by Martin Compston. Director John Strickland is no stranger to directing an intense UK-based drama, as proven previously while directing detective crime show Line of Duty, and he has drafted in local actors like Iain Glen (Game of Thrones) and Stuart McQuarrie (28 Days Later) to help place this drama firmly off the cold coast of Scotland. Other less familiar actors like Rochenda Sandall...

The Rig is a brand new supernatural thriller series, directed by the legendary John Strickland, and is making its way to Prime Video on January 6th. While the show may be entrenched in mystery, and dark themes, our two interviews with leading cast-members were quite the opposite, as we had a lot of fun chatting about this brilliant new series with Martin Compston and Emily Hampshire, as well as Iain Glen and Rochenda Sandall.

Of course we speak about the themes of the show, and shooting in Scotland, as well as working with Strickland and the other members of this talented ensemble. But we also speak about cups of tea and battered chocolate bars. We also speak about the challenges and joys for actors in being a part of successful series, as of course in Compston and Sandall we have two members of the Line of Duty collective, while Hampshire...

"The Rig" is the new supernatural, live-action TV series created by David Macpherson and directed by John Strickland, starring Emily Hampshire, Iain Glen,  Martin Compston, Mark Bonnar, Rochenda Sandall, Owen Teale, Richard Pepple, Calvin Demba and Emun Elliott, streaming January 6, 2023 on Prime Video:

"...when the crew of the North Sea stationed 'Kinloch Bravo' oil rig is due to return to the mainland, a mysterious fog rolls in and cuts off communication with the outside world. 

"The crew are driven to the limits of their endurance and loyalties...

"....forced into a confrontation with forces that are beyond their imagination..."

Click the images to enlarge...

The Rig Trailer — Prime Video‘s The Rig (2023) movie trailer has been released. The Rig trailer stars Emily Hampshire, Iain Glen, Martin Compston, Mark Bonnar, Rochenda Sandall, Owen Teale, Richard Pepple, Calvin Demba, and Emun Elliott. Crew John Strickland and Alex Holmes directed The Rig. David Macpherson, Matthew Jacobs Morgan, and Meg Salter wrote [...]

Continue reading: The Rig (2023) TV Show Trailer: Iain Glen Struggles to Survive a Supernatural Mist on a Oil Rig [Prime Video]...

"Nature isn't a balance, it's a war!" Amazon has revealed the official trailer for a new British mini-series titled The Rig, debuting for streaming on Prime Video in early January. The synopsis says it takes place on an oil rig in Scottish waters, and is Amazon's first series filmed entirely in Scotland. When the crew of the North Sea stationed Kinloch Bravo oil rig is due to return to the mainland, a mysterious fog rolls in and cuts off communication with the outside world. They will be driven to the limits of their endurance and loyalties and will be forced into a confrontation with forces that are beyond their imagination. The series stars Emily Hampshire as Rose, the oil company representative & scientist and a fresh face on the rig; Iain Glen as Magnus MacMillan, the leader of the crew and the offshore installation manager; with Martin Compston, Mark Bonnar, Rochenda Sandall,...

Amazon’s Prime Video has announced a January 6th premiere date for the supernatural thriller series The Rig, and along with that announcement comes the release of a trailer for the show! You can check it out in the embed above. John Strickland and Alex Holmes directed the six-part show from scripts by Meg Salter, Matthew Jacobs Morgan, and series creator David Macpherson.

The Rig is set on the Kishorn Bravo oil rig, stationed off the Scottish coast in the dangerous waters of the North Sea. When the crew is due to return to the mainland, a mysterious and all-enveloping fog rolls through. The rig is hit by massive tremors, and they find themselves cut off from all communication with the shore and the outside world. As the crew endeavor to discover what’s driving this unknown force, a major accident forces them to ask questions about who they can really trust.

BBC Studios Teams With ‘The Inbetweeners’ Star

BBC Studios has signed a development, production, and distribution deal with People Person Pictures, the company recently co-founded by The Inbetweeners star Simon Bird and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). BBC Studios will have global rights to People Person shows co-developed, co-produced and commissioned from BBC Studios Productions. Josh Cole, head of comedy at BBC Studios Production, said: “We are long-time admirers of Simon and Jonny’s work – they are not only exceptionally gifted writers and performers but also producers, working closely with the industry’s most exciting, emerging comic talent.”

ViacomCBS First-Look AGC Deal

ViacomCBS has inked a first-look deal for Spanish language content with AGC Television, the television division of Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios. The first project under the pact is human trafficking drama Te Buscaré Hasta Encontrarte (I Will Look for You Until I Find You).

Channel 4’s ‘Deceit’ Rounds Out Cast

Eddie Marsan,...

“This trial is about more than just our freedom,” declares Letitia Wright’s Altheia Jones-LeCointe to the unsteady Shaun Parkes-portrayed Frank Crichlow in Small Axe: Mangrove.

“What is being called into question in this case is the right of anybody, not just Black people, but the right of anybody to demonstrate,” the Black Panther leader says to the Notting Hill restaurant owner as they and the seven other defendants in the Mangrove Nine challenge the prejudices of British justice in the early 1970s-set Steve McQueen miniseries from Amazon. “So I’m not here just defending myself, but trying to defend us all”

Amidst an adroit depiction of the torturous real-life landmark UK discrimination case that turned a bright light on violent police harassment surrounding Crichlow’s joint and the neighborhood, Mangrove was not only directed by the 12 Years a Slave helmer, but also...

Six series in, and Line of Duty has pinged a Jack-in-the-Box into the audience’s face so many times that we’ve learned to approach new episodes with the vigilant, arms-crossed suspicion of a mum whose teenager wants to have a party. Have you forgotten what happened last time? You can promise whatever you like, son, but ever since that girl got pushed out of that window, we have no reason to believe you.

In this state of high-alert vigilance, Line of Duty fans trust nothing and nobody. Worse than that: we start to listen out for the next loud bang, trying to anticipate where the next shock will come from. That leads, inevitably, to nonsense.

Nonsense like the popular but spurious fan theory last series that Rochenda Sandall’s character Lisa McQueen would turn out to be the secret love child of series one characters Dci Tony Gates and murder victim Jackie Laverty.

Amazon Prime Video has unveiled casting on the highly-anticipated UK Amazon Original series The Rig, a six-part epic thriller produced by Wild Mercury Productions (part of Banijay UK), created by David Macpherson and directed by John Strickland. The series is set to film exclusively in Scotland later this month on an oil rig and at FirstStage Studios in Edinburgh.

Meet the crew of the Kinloch Bravo oil rig:

Iain Glen plays Magnus MacMillan, Offshore Installation Manager of the rig and leader of the crew, Emily Hampshire (Schitt's Creek) plays Rose Mason the scientist and oil company rep, a fresh face on-board the rig.

Martin Compston plays Communications Officer Fulmer Hamilton. Rochenda Sandall plays Medic Cat Braithwaite. Owen Teale is Head Driller Lars Hutton. Richard Pepple is crew boss Grant Dunlin and Mark Bonnar is Deck Foreman Alwyn Evans.

Calvin Demba plays Drill Hand Baz Roberts, Emun Elliott (Guilt) is rig mechanic Leck Longman.

Exclusive: Cast has been finalized for Amazon UK Original series The Rig, with Game Of Thrones star Iain Glen joining Schitt’s Creek actress Emily Hampshire as co-lead.

Joining Hampshire, Glen and the previously revealed Martin Compston (Line Of Duty) and Mark Bonnar (Quiz) will be Rochenda Sandall (Small Axe) as medic Cat Braithwaite; Owen Teale (Game Of Thrones) as head driller Lars Hutton; Richard Pepple (Bridgerton) as crew boss Grant Dunlin; Calvin Demba (Life) as drill hand Baz Roberts; Emun Elliott (Guilt) as rig mechanic Leck Longman; Abraham Popoola (Cruella) as rig crane driver Easter Ayodeji; Stuart McQuarrie (Des) as head chef Colin Murchison; and Molly Vevers (The Spanish Princess) as roustabout Heather Shaw.

Compston, Sandall, Pepple and Teale also star in BBC hit Line Of Duty.

As we revealed yesterday, Hampshire will play Rose Mason, the scientist and oil company rep. Glen will be Magnus MacMillan, the offshore installation...

Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for upcoming awards. To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Collective

2021 Golden Globe Final Predictions:

Best TV Movie/Limited Series

Updated: Feb. 24, 2021

Awards Commentary:

This year’s limited series category is an ambitious field, made up of personal tales like “Small Axe” and “Unorthodox,” an addictive mystery in “The Undoing” and a boundary-pushing, honest relationship tale with “Normal People.” But the compelling performance by Anya Taylor-Joy in “The Queen’s Gambit,” which manages to make chess exciting and one young woman’s personal journey combating her demons even more compelling, is the true frontrunner here.

And The Predicted Winner Is: "The Queen's Gambit" (Netflix)–

Executive Producers: William Horberg, Allan Scott, Scott Frank

Synopsis: Beth Harmon (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) is an orphan who becomes a chess prodigy, but alcoholism may prevent her from becoming the world champion.

Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for upcoming awards. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. Eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and will be displayed next to revision date.

To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Collective

Draft>>>Pre Season>>>Regular Season>>>Post Season

2021 Golden Globe Predictions:

Best TV Movie/Limited Series

Updated: Jan. 11, 2021

Awards Commentary:

Last year, the HFPA somehow completely missed out on honoring HBO’s “Watchmen,” the critically acclaimed limited series that went on to dominate the Emmys. This year, the limited series race is stacked with contenders — too many worthy programs to all make the cut. But don’t keep your eye on any TV movies — in comparison to limited series, there aren’t...

"As a collective, we stand a chance!" Amazon has released one more trailer for the fifth (and final) film in the Small Axe anthology series (now streaming) from Steve McQueen. This last one is titled Education, telling the coming-of-age story of 12-year-old Kingsley, played by Kenyah Sandy, who has a fascination for astronauts and rockets. Amazon (in the US) and BBC (in the UK) have been releasing the five films one at a time for the last few weeks following premieres at the London and New York Film Festivals earlier in the fall. Based on true stories, each of the five films celebrate little known stories of Black pride and resilience. Let's learn about what happens when even ordinary people stand up to police brutality and racial injustice to achieve something transformative. The casts include Letitia Wright, John Boyega, Malachi Kirby, Shaun Parkes, Rochenda Sandall, Alex Jennings, Jack Lowden, Micheal Ward,...

Steve McQueen’s Mangrove — which is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video — is an opening statement. The film is the first of a quintet of related-but-distinct feature films to be released on Amazon at the rate of one film per week. All five films, which range in style, tone, and subject, were directed by McQueen. The overall anthology, titled Small Axe, is intended to address and bring to vivid life a stretch of relevant, underexamined history. Namely, the black British experience — and even more specifically, the lives of Britain’s...

Small Axe Trailer — Steve McQueen‘s Small Axe (2020) TV mini-series trailer has been released by Amazon Prime Video and stars Letitia Wright, Shaun Parkes, John Boyega, Malachi Kirby, Rochenda Sandall, Alex Jennings, Jack Lowden, Micheal Ward, and Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn. Crew McQueen, Alastair Siddons, and Courttia Newland wrote the screenplays for [...]

Continue reading: Small Axe (2020) TV Mini-series Trailer: Great Britain-set Equal Rights Movement Anthology from Steve McQueen [Amazon]...

‘If you are the big tree, we are the small axe’

Made famous by Bob Marley and the Wailers’ 1973 song ‘Small Axe’, that’s the traditional proverb behind the title for a five-film series by Oscar-winning British director Steve McQueen.

Two of McQueen’s Small Axe films were selected for this year’s Cannes Film Festival and in October, one opened the 64th London Film Festival. Now, all five are coming straight to BBC One and iPlayer in the UK, and Amazon Prime Video around the world. The home release has nothing to do with the pandemic; it was always the plan for these feature-length films with a cast including Star Wars’ John Boyega and Black Panther’s Letitia Wright, to air for a mainstream audience on prime time UK television.

11 years in the making, the five films were funded by BBC Studios and made to celebrate key figures in...

"As individuals, we have an impossible battle. As a collective, we stand a chance." Amazon has released a final "extended preview" trailer for Steve McQueen's Small Axe, his thrilling new anthology of five films streaming on Prime Video later this month. A few of them just premiered at the New York & London Film Festivals to rave reviews. Small Axe consists of five different films - titled Mangrove, Lovers Rock, Alex Wheatle, Education, and Red, White and Blue. Based on true stories, they each celebrate little known stories of Black pride and resilience. Learn about what happens when even ordinary people stand up to police brutality and racial injustice to achieve something transformative. The casts include Letitia Wright, John Boyega, Malachi Kirby, Shaun Parkes, Rochenda Sandall, Alex Jennings, Jack Lowden, Micheal Ward, and Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn. The more we see from this, the better it looks! I can't wait to watch all five.

Mangrove, the second film from Steve McQueen’s Small Axe anthology series to premiere at the 58th NYFF, covers the incidents precipitating, and including, the trial of the Mangrove Nine, a group of British Black activists unduly tried for inciting a riot during a demonstration against the Metropolitan Police. The Mangrove, a West Indian restaurant in the Notting Hill area, was a crucial space for the surrounding Black community, and was the meeting place for many prominent intellectuals and Black Panther activists, like Darcus Howe (Malachi Kirby), Altheia Jones-LeCointe (Letitia Wright), and Barbara Beese (Rochenda Sandall). The Metropolitan Police sought fit to constantly harass its owner, Frank Crichlow (Shaun Parkes), and repeatedly raid the restaurant under suspicion of gambling, prostitution, and drug use. When a protest against the police turned violent, Crichlow and other community members find themselves on trial defending their right to exist against a colonialist system all...

The dramatic story of the Mangrove Nine, when a group of Black British activists fought back against racist police raids in a tense series of courtroom showdowns, practically pitched itself as a movie when it unfolded in 1970. It only took 50 years, but writer-director Steve McQueen’s “Mangrove” works overtime to fill the gap, resulting in .

Produced as part of the filmmaker’s ambitious five-film “Small Axe” anthology about Black British Londoners across several decades, “Mangrove” is a taut and thrilling judicial drama that transcends the genre even while acknowledging its barriers. Just as he used the heist genre as a Trojan horse for sociopolitical concerns, McQueen turns the courtroom formula inside out. In following the trial, “Mangrove” delves into the usual assemblage of passionate monologues about equal rights and dedication to the cause. But it’s also grounded in a detailed ecosystem so rich with the sentiments of the moment...

“Never count out an oppressed population” and “never count out a played-out genre” are just two of the notions that stayed with me after watching “Mangrove,” one of a five-part series of period films by Steve McQueen about London’s West Indian community.

It’s a movie about a real-life injustice followed by a courtroom drama, and if a long history of hacky biopics and feel-good activist cinema made you think this kind of story was beyond telling on film with power or efficacy, McQueen proves that there’s still a way to do it right. The tale of the Mangrove Nine was relevant in the late 1960s and early 1970s when it actually happened, it was relevant when McQueen and Alastair Siddons (“Tomb Raider” 2018) sat down to write about it, and it’s relevant today, tomorrow, and in the future, as unchecked police brutality continues to rain down on communities of color.

Spoiler Alert: Do not read if you have not yet watched “Ratched” or Season 2 of “Criminal: U.K.,” streaming now on Netflix.

Tony Award winner Sophie Okonedo has spent her whole career appearing on stage and notes she does a play every year. In that medium she has ample rehearsal time to study the script and utilize secondary sources to get into character.

When it comes to her on-screen work, though, she tells Variety she has only been apart of two projects that had the luxury of extensive rehearsal: BBC’s “The Hollow Crown,” which was a 2016 series of film adaptations of William Shakespeare’s historical plays, and the 2014 Tom Harper-directed feature film “War Book.” Both of those projects, she notes were “very wordy” and therefore called for sitting with the material for a decent amount of time before cameras rolled.

By contrast, she didn’t even know the...

"Don't you think it's time things were different...?" "We mustn't be victims but protagonists of our stories." Amazon has debuted a new promo trailer for Steve McQueen's Small Axe, an anthology series of five films debuting streaming later this fall. They're also playing at the New York & London Film Festivals - which is why this trailer is being released now. Small Axe consists of five different films - titled Mangrove, Lovers Rock, Alex Wheatle, Education, and Red, White and Blue. Based on true stories, they celebrate little known stories of Black pride and resilience, like the Mangrove March. Learn about what happens when even ordinary people stand up to police brutality and racial injustice to achieve something transformative. The very first trailer was only for the Mangrove film, this one features footage from all five. The casts include Letitia Wright, John Boyega, Malachi Kirby, Shaun Parkes, Rochenda Sandall, Alex Jennings,...

Amazon Prime Video has launched a new trailer for Steve McQueen’s five-film anthology series, ‘Small Axe’ starring Letitia Wright and John Boyega.

Based on a true story, Small Axe celebrates little known stories of Black pride and resilience, like the Mangrove March. Learn more about what happens when even ordinary people stand up to police brutality and racial injustice to achieve something transformative.

Directed by McQueen, the episode stars Letitia Wright, Shaun Parkes, Malachi Kirby, Jack Lowden, Rochenda Sandall, Sam Spruell, Nathaniel Martello-White and Gary Beadle.

Also in trailers – Lily Collins goes all Sex in the City in Paris in trailer for Netflix series ‘Emily in Paris’

Premiering on BBC One in the UK, the anthology heads to Prime Video in the US on November 20th.

The post Powerful new trailer arrives for Steve McQueen’s ‘Small Axe’ anthology appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Is it film? Is it television? Who cares! Amazon has premiered the first full trailer for Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen’s five-part anthology series “Small Axe,” and it’s a glorious look at the director’s latest assemblage of intimate and powerful character studies. A standout entry in the anthology, “Lovers Rock,” already premiered at the New York Film Festival to wall-to-wall raves on the event’s opening night, and two of the other entries, “Mangrove” and “Red, White and Blue,” will also bow at NYFF. Watch the trailer below.

The television debut of McQueen, “Small Axe” comprises tales inspired by real-life events about ordinary people showing courage, belief, and resilience to overcome injustice and achieve something transformative in their West Indian community. Among the ensemble throughout “Small Axe,” which will begin rolling out on BBC One and Prime Video on November 20, are Letitia Wright, John Boyega, Malachi Kirby,...