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British writer Suzanne Heathcote (Fear the Walking Dead) has signed a two-year overall deal with AMC. Under the pact, she has just joined acclaimed BBC America drama series Killing Eve as lead writer and executive producer for its newly ordered third season. The second season of the thriller debuted last night and is simulcast on AMC Networks’ BBC America and AMC.

In addition to running Killing Eve, Heathcote will develop new series projects for AMC Networks/AMC Studios. She is returning to the AMC fold after serving as Executive Story Editor for the flagship network’s Fear the Walking Dead.

Heathcote’s writing career began at the Royal Court Theatre, where she attended the Young Writers Program and Advanced Writers Group. She has written a number of plays, including Plot 10, Unspoken, Taken, So., I Saw My Neighbor on the Train and I Didn’t Even Smile. She has been a...

Here’s a real kick in the head: It’s been 35 years since Columbia Studios released The Karate Kid. Fathom Events is marking the anniversary by bringing the 1984 classic back to the big screen Sunday and this Tuesday at more than 600 theaters nationwide. The special screenings are more than memory-lane matinees, they will be accompanied by a Season 2 preview of Cobra Kai, the acclaimed YouTube hit series (50 million views) that rekindles the Reagan Era rivalry between Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and pulls a second generation into the All Valley Championships grudge match.

The Cobra Kai success has been a pleasant surprise for Macchio, now 57, but then again role of Daniel Larusso has never really faded from his day-to-day life. Asked, for instance, how often fans approach him and reenact Larusso’s fighting stance — the loose-limbed, one-legged “crane kick” pose — Macchio estimated that it might be...

Nearly two months after admitting to the London newspaper The Independent that he tried to bait a black man into accosting him in an irrational attempt to avenge a friend who was raped by a man of the same skin color 40 years ago, Liam Neeson has reevaluated his shocking revelation, and its polarizing aftermath. He just issued a new apology:

“Over the last several weeks, I have reflected on and spoken to a variety of people who were hurt by my impulsive recounting of a brutal rape of a dear female friend nearly 40 years ago and my unacceptable thoughts and actions at that time in response to this crime. The horror of what happened to my friend ignited irrational thoughts that do not represent the person I am. In trying to explain those feelings today, I missed the point and hurt many people at a time when language is so...

Layoffs have hit Fox following the entertainment company’s sale to Disney.

The staff cuts are hitting employees at the Svp, Evp, and president level. Senior staff is expected to be among the first to be impacted. However, the cuts will be deep, with the ax falling hardest of Fox’s film team. There could be as many as 4,000 jobs cut in the merger, according to some reports. On the studio side, the first wave of job losses is relatively small and targeted.

One of the most prominent names to lose his post is domestic distribution head Chris Aronson, a fixture at Fox, who was given his 60 day notice on Thursday. The blunt-spoken Aronson helped oversee the rollout of such Fox hits as “Life of Pi,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and “Kingsman.”

“It has been an honor and a privilege to lead the domestic distribution team, which I consider to be the gold standard in the business,...

The 90s provided a wealth of action movies from the campy to the iconic. At the tail end of the decade, however, The Matrix came in and changed the way action films appeared on screen and how they were made. Today, I’m taking a look at how it drastically altered the Action Movie genre, the key person behind it.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since the arrival of The Matrix, a film that thoroughly blew my mind with it’s heady concepts and stunning action. As a nerdy kid and a Martial Artist, there were a lot of concepts that spoke specifically to me. As the years have gone by, however, it’s easy to see the impact the film has had on the film industry, in general. Garrett detailed many of these in his article the other week, but I wanted to take the...

Dietland alumna Erin Darke is set as the lead in YouTube Premium’s comedy pilot It’s a Man’s World (working title), from Smash creator Theresa Rebeck, Christina Wayne’s Assembly Entertainment and ITV Studios America. In addition, Romeo Tirone has been tapped to direct and executive produce the pilot. Production began February 25 in New York.

Written by Rebeck, the story centers around Emma (Darke), a successful video game design executive and the sole breadwinner for her family, who is used to dodging the landmines that come with being a woman in a male-dominated field. When she gets fired without explanation and finds that she’s being blacklisted by everyone in her industry, Emma decides to dress as a man to get a new job and to continue supporting her family. As strange and politically incorrect as Emma’s new life may be, she starts to...

Taken star Clive Standen is returning to NBC as a lead opposite Sarah Wayne Callies in Council of Dads, NBC’s drama pilot inspired by Bruce Feiler’s book, from Doubt creators Joan Rater and Tony Phelan, Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Universal TV.

Written by Rater and Phelan, Council of Dads is the story of Scott Perry and his family, whose lives are thrown into upheaval when he gets a potentially terminal diagnosis. Facing his mortality, he and his wife, Robin (Callies), assemble a unique group (council) of carefully chosen friends to support his family and guide them through the ups and downs of life’s many challenges.

Standen plays Anthony Lavelle. One of Scott’s oldest friends, Anthony is a chef and wears his heart on his sleeve. Michele Weaver, J. August Richards and young actor Blue Chapman co-star.

Rater and Phelan executive produce via their Midwest Livestock Productions with Bruckheimer,...

Clive Standen could be returning to NBC.

Variety has learned that the former “Taken” star has been cast in the NBC drama pilot “Council of Dads.”

Based on Bruce Feiler’s memoir of the same name, the project follows Scott Perry and his family, whose lives are thrown into upheaval when he gets a potentially terminal diagnosis. Facing his mortality, he and his wife, Robin, assemble a unique group of carefully chosen friends to support his family and guide them through the ups and downs of life’s many challenges.

Standen will play Anthony Lavelle, one of Scott’s oldest friends. Anthony is a chef and wears his heart on his sleeve. Standen joins previously announced cast members Sarah Wayne Callies, Michele Weaver, Blue Chapman, and J. August Richards.

Standen was the star of NBC’s series adaptation of “Taken” for its two-season run. He is also known for his...

Stars: Liam Neeson, Laura Dern, Micheál Richardson, Michael Eklund, Bradley Stryker, Wesley MacInnes, Tom Bateman, Domenick Lombardozzi, Nicholas Holmes | Written by Frank Baldwin | Directed by Hans Petter Moland

Liam Neeson stars as a grizzled snow plough driver on a bloody revenge spree in Hans Petter Moland’s English-language remake of his 2014 Norwegian thriller, In Order of Disappearance. As such, Moland sticks closely to the template of his original film (even the running times are identical), but some of the jet-black humour appears to have been lost in translation.

Neeson plays Nels Coxman, a humble snow plough driver in Kehoe, who’s recently been voted Citizen of the Year. When his adult son Kyle is killed by a vicious drug gang, Nels embarks on a violent revenge quest, murdering his way up the Kehoe crime hierarchy until he has druglord Trevor “Viking” Calcote (Tom Bateman) in his sights. Meanwhile, Nels unwittingly...

Several family-friendly holdover titles looking for strong holds.

Studiocanal’s revenge thriller Cold Pursuit will aim to weather the storm of recent controversy around star Liam Neeson to challenge a selection of family titles at the UK box office this weekend.

In the film, Neeson plays a snowplough driver who seeks revenge against the drug dealers he believes killed his son. Hans Petter Moland directs, with the film based on his 2014 Norwegian title In Order Of Disappearance.

Neeson has fronted a string of box office hits in recent years, led by the Taken series. The first title started with £1.2m in September 2008, finishing on £6.4m.

Stars: Liam Neeson, Laura Dern, Micheál Richardson, Michael Eklund, Bradley Stryker, Wesley MacInnes, Tom Bateman, Domenick Lombardozzi, Nicholas Holmes | Written by Frank Baldwin | Directed by Hans Petter Moland

Quiet family man and hard-working snowplow driver Nels is the lifeblood of a glitzy resort town in the Rocky Mountains because he is the one who keeps the winter roads clear. He and his wife live in a comfortable cabin away from the tourists. The town has just awarded him “Citizen of the Year.” But Nels has to leave his quiet mountain life when his son is murdered by a powerful drug lord. As a man who has nothing to lose he is stoked by a drive for vengeance. This unlikely hero uses his hunting skills and transforms from an ordinary man into a skilled killer as he sets out to dismantle the cartel. Nels’ actions ignite a turf war between a...

The Flash alumna Jessica Camacho is breaching over to a new TV project: The actress — who recurred on the aforementioned CW series as earth-hopping bounty hunter Gypsy — has been cast in CBS’ legal drama pilot Courthouse, our sister site Deadline reports.

The potential series follows “the dedicated, chaotic, hopeful and sometimes absurd lives of the judges, assistant district attorneys and public defenders as they work with bailiffs, clerks, cops and jurors to bring justice to the people of Los Angeles.”

Camacho — who most recently co-starred in NBC’s Taken —will play the determined public defender Emily Lopez-Berarro.

Ready for more of today’s newsy nuggets?...

Exclusive: Taken alumna Jessica Camacho is set as a series regular in CBS’ legal drama pilot Courthouse, from writer Greg Spottiswood (Remedy) and Warner Bros. TV.

Written and executive produced by Canadian writer Spottiswood and directed by Mike Robin, Courthouse is a show that pulls back the curtain on the court system. It follows the dedicated, chaotic, hopeful, and sometimes absurd lives of the judges, assistant district attorneys, and public defenders as they work with bailiffs, clerks, cops and jurors to bring justice to the people of Los Angeles.

Camacho will play Emily Lopez-Berarro, a tough and determined public defender who is undaunted in her efforts to prove her clients’ innocence.

Len Goldstein and Robin also executive produce. Warner Bros. TV is the studio.

Camacho can soon be seen in HBO’s The Watchmen and most recently recurred on the Netflix sci-fi drama, Another Life. Camacho has also recurred on...

Witness a story of courage and strength that the world needs now more than ever as Steven Spielberg’s cinematic masterpiece, Schindler’s List debuts on 4K Ultra HD for the first time with a 25th Anniversary Edition, also available on Blu-ray and DVD on February 25. To celebrate the release, we are giving You the chance to win a copy on 4K Ultra HD.

In 1993, Academy Award®-winning director Steven Spielberg created one of the most historically significant films of our time with his critically acclaimed film, Schindler’s List, the unforgettable true story of the courage and faith that continues to inspire. Now, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment commemorates the film’s release with Schindler’s List: 25th Anniversary Edition.

This special anniversary edition includes an all new bonus feature, Schindler’s List: 25 Years Later, where Director Steven Spielberg joins actors Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Embeth Davidtz and Caroline Goodall...

It’s not often that we here at TVLine deliver movie-related news. But when movies become TV? That’s another matter.

As the #PeakTV era continues, we’re seeing (with increasing frequency) a number of small-screen projects that got their start on the silver screen. In recent years, films such as Dear White People, Rush Hour, Get Shorty, Taken and more have gotten TV adaptations of some sort — and the trend isn’t stopping anytime soon.

To that end, we’ve compiled a handy gallery to help you keep track of the many movies that have TV versions in various stages of development.

Cold Pursuit is a remake of the Norwegian film In Order of Disappearance and stars Liam Neeson and Laura Dern. We follow a small town snow plow driver who goes on a revenge rampage after his son is killed by a local drug dealer. On the surface it sounds a lot like Taken and just about every other recent Neeson action film, but don’t be fooled, I was completely surprised. Do you agree or disagree? Let me know down in the comments below.

Watch the 60-second review from One Minute Critic:

You can check out more 1-minute reviews on One Minute Critic's Instagram or Youtube page.

With the news of the Liam Neeson controversy from Monday circling the media, it’s no surprise that his promotions are falling through. And now, the Irish actor’s most recent action movie “Cold Pursuit” will be without a red carpet premiere because of Neeson’s unplanned, and unwanted, media storm, according to THR.

The famous and once-beloved Irishman of “Taken” fame has fallen from grace after a comment he made during a press interview with The Independent this week.

Continue reading ‘Cold Pursuit’ Won’t Have Red Carpet Premiere Due To Liam Neeson Controversy at The Playlist.

The red carpet at the premiere for Liam Neeson’s latest action movie has been canceled a day after the actor told a British journalist a shocking story of racist revenge. A person familiar with the matter told Deadline that the New York event wouldn’t be appropriate under the circumstances. The premiere screening at AMC Loews Lincoln Square itself will go on as planned.

The move comes as backlash grows over the actor’s admission in an interview with The Independent that he once took to the streets decades ago with a mission to murder a random “black bastard” in revenge over a black man’s rape of one of the actor’s friends.

Neeson told the paper that his friend “handled the situation of the rape in the most extraordinary way.” However, his reaction was a bit different. He asked her a bunch of questions including what color the assailant was.

Liam Neeson recently did a catastrophically bad interview with The Independent in which he explained how he concocted a racist revenge plan and walked the streets waiting for a chance to carry it out.

The interview was to promote his latest film, Cold Pursuit, in which Neeson plays a snowplow driver out for revenge against the drug dealers he believes killed his son. Things didn’t start off too bad for the actor, but when the topic of conversation turned to the morality of revenge, Neeson began talking about his reaction to one of his friends being raped, saying:

“She handled the situation of the rape in the most extraordinary way,” Neeson says. “But my immediate reaction was… I asked, did she know who it was? No. What colour were they? She said it was a black person. I went up and down areas with a cosh, hoping I’d...

Repentant actor speaks of shame over ’awful’ experience.

Update: Liam Neeson has responded after his controversial interview comments sparked a social media backlash, as Lionsgate cancelled Tuesday’s red carpet for the premiere in New York of the actor’s revenge thriller, Cold Pursuit.

Speaking to Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts on Tuesday (5), he said: “I’m not a racist. I was trying to show honour, to stand up for my dear friend in this terrible, medieval fashion.”

“I am a fairly intelligent guy and that’s why it kind of shocked me when I came down to Earth after having these horrible feelings.

Repentant actor speaks of shame over ’awful’ experience.

A repentant Liam Neeson, whose career exploded with the role of a vengeful father in the Taken franchise, has ignited a social media storm after revealing how he roamed the streets hoping to kill a black man to avenge the rape of someone close to him.

Speaking to the UK’s The Independent on a press tour for this week’s release through Lionsgate/Summit of Cold Pursuit, in which he plays a snowplough driver who seeks to avenge his son’s death, the veteran actor appeared to take even his co-star...

Liam Neeson, whose career exploded with the role of a vengeful father in the Taken franchise, has ignited a social media storm after revealing an account of how he roamed the streets hoping to avenge the rape of someone close to him.

Liam Neeson, whose career exploded with the role of a vengeful father in the Taken franchise, has ignited a social media storm after revealing an account of how he roamed the streets hoping to avenge the rape of someone close to him.

Speaking to the UK’s The Independent on a press tour for this week’s release...

Liam Neeson has revealed a shocking, never before heard story in a new interview, saying that he was "hoping" to kill a black man following the rape of one of his friends years ago.

The Oscar-nominated actor told the story, unprompted, in a recent interview while promoting his latest movie, Cold Pursuit, a revenge thriller for which he has become known for over the course of the last decade. Neeson explained that a friend of his was raped when he was out of the country. Upon returning to the U.K., he learned of the situation. Neeson had the following to say in regards to what happened afterward.

"I'll tell you a story. This is true. She handled the situation of the rape in the most extraordinary way. But my immediate reaction was, I asked, did she know who it was? No. What color were they? She said it was a black person.

Director Hans Petter Moland’s Norwegian black comedy, 2014’s In Order of Disappearance, didn’t get a huge amount of attention on release, certainly not in the UK or Us.

As popular as it was with those who did see it, garnering comparisons to the likes of Fargo, it’s likely the quirky humour didn’t carry over to mainstream audiences, even with the McU’s Stellan Skarsgard in the lead role.

In this remake, Skarsgard makes way for Liam Neeson, who plays Nels Coxman, a snowplow driver in a snowy resort town by the Rocky Mountains. His job is pretty simple – to keep the main artery road clear for tourists and townsfolk to get to and from the nearby city.

It’s a job that earns him the local Citizen Of The Year accolade, but his sleepy life, holed up in a log cabin with his wife Grace (Laura Dern...

Liam Neeson’s annual winter bloodbath has some unexpected quirks. But is that enough to warm viewers towards it?

For much of the last decade, it’s become an annual January/February ritual: a crime thriller starring Liam Neeson slips into theaters during what is usually one of the most barren corridors of the year in terms of cinematic quality. This all started back in 2008 with Taken, which became such a monster hit that studios have been trying variations on the same theme ever since -- Neeson as an everyman/cop/government agent (retired or otherwise) who finds himself up against an extraordinarily dangerous killer/plot/conspiracy and must use his wits/common sense/special skills to survive and win.

The trailer for his new thriller, Cold Pursuit, is designed to make viewers think that the film is more of the same -- lots of quick cuts of Neeson fighting...

“Cold Pursuit” might have all the trappings of those junky late-era Liam Neeson movies where the aging Irish actor murders a small army of people like some kind of Aarp-eligible Rambo, but Hans Petter Moland’s mordantly hilarious comic thriller doesn’t wait long to defile expectations. The fact that it opens with an Oscar Wilde quote should be enough to confuse anyone who’s bracing for another tedious riff on “Taken.” The quote reads: “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go,” and while that may seem like a pretentious little preamble for a film that features Neeson shooting a bridal shop clerk in the face with a sawed-off sniper rifle, it turns out to be the perfect table-setting for a fiendishly entertaining, pitch-black revenge story about a decent man who develops a violent knack for being the worst the worst part of anyone’s day.

Liam Neeson has become a bit of an action icon, thanks to his recent film work. And he returns to the action genre in the upcoming film, “Cold Pursuit.” However, before that, Neeson was a bit of a chameleon, specializing in high-profile drama work, such as “Schindler’s List.” But that all changed with “Taken,” which sent his career on a very different trajectory.

Continue reading Liam Neeson Says ‘Taken’ Was An “Accident” & He Thought The Film Would Go “Straight-To-Video” at The Playlist.

A new clip from Cold Pursuit has been released and it features Liam Neeson's Nels Coxman revealing that he's already killed three people. The clip showcases the dark comedy from the upcoming movie, which is set to hit theaters next month. The movie is a remake of the 2014 Norwegian action-packed black comedy directed by Hans Petter Moland, who is also on board for the North American remake, which stars Neeson, Laura Dern, Emmy Rossum, and Tom Bateman.

Liam Neeson's Nels Coxman learns the circumstances surrounding his son's murder in the Cold Pursuit clip. Coxman's son was murdered after stealing cocaine from a drug dealer named Viking, according to his brother, played by William Forsythe. Coxman announces that he's going to kill Viking, to which his brother laughs. Forsythe and Neeson have a good back and forth as the black comedy roots start to become more noticeable. However, getting to...

French director Pierre Morel has come on board an untitled movie project about notorious French gangster and jailbreaker Rédoine Faïd.

Condé Nast Entertainment and Sentient Entertainment are producing the project, based on Julie Miller’s Vanity Fair story “How Hollywood Inspired France’s Most Daring Prison Escape.”

Faïd had been on the lam for three month after a daring helicopter escape from a penitentiary in July before he was re-captured last week. Faïd has an obsession with Hollywood films, which has inspired his career of armed robberies and breakouts from prison and led to him being called “The Jailbreak King.”

In 2013, Faïd was on the run for more than a month after he broke out of the Sequedin prison, using explosives to blast through five prison doors, holding four prison wardens hostage during the escape and employing the use of a getaway car, which he burned in Lille and left in another vehicle.

Kirsten Howard Oct 10, 2018

There's no proof (yet) but you never know...

This article comes from Den of Geek UK.

Huge news broke this week that the lovable Liam Neeson, star of such films as Taken, Taken 2, and Taken 3, has become convinced that a horse that pulled his wagon during production on Netflix's upcoming Coen brothers movie, The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, remembered him from another film.

The internet meme machine quickly got to work on the revelation after the actor appeared at this year's New York Film Festival, stating to the gathered audience "This horse knew me. He actually remembered me from another western we made a while back … He whinnied when he saw me. And pawed the ground. I love animals. When we worked together before I took special care of him. I fed him treats. Gave him apples.”

That's brilliant, because horses love apples. They do.

Jennifer Beals is set for a key recurring role opposite Crystal Reed and Maria Sten on Swamp Thing, the upcoming streaming drama series based on the DC characters created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. The project, which hails from James Wan’s Atomic Monster in association with Warner Bros. Television, is set to premiere in 2019 on the DC Universe digital subscription service.

Written by Mark Verheiden and Gary Dauberman, Swamp Thing follows Abby Arcane (Reed) as she investigates what seems to be a deadly swamp-born virus in a small town in Louisiana but soon discovers that the swamp holds mystical and terrifying secrets. When unexplainable and chilling horrors emerge from the murky marsh, no one is safe.

Beals will play Sheriff Lucilia Cable. Tough as nails and pragmatic, Sheriff Cable’s fierce devotion to her son, Matt, is rivaled only by her sworn duty to serve and protect the town of Marais.

Jennifer Beals has joined the cast of the upcoming “Swamp Thing” series at DC Universe, Variety has learned.

Beals will appear in the recurring guest star role of Sheriff Lucilia Cable. Described as tough as nails and pragmatic, Cable’s fierce devotion to her son, Matt, is rivaled only by her sworn duty to serve and protect the town of Marais. As the community she has dedicated her life to defending is beset by strange forces, she must double down in her efforts to safeguard everyone she holds dear.

She joins previously announced cast members Crystal Reed and Maria Sten.

Beals most recently joined the cast of “After,” the adaptation of Anna Todd’s series of five bestselling Ya novels. She also recently starred in the NBC series “Taken” and the Amazon series “The Last Tycoon.” Her other TV roles include “Proof” at TNT, “The Chicago Code” for NBC, and “The L Word,...

Californication alum Evan Handler is set as a new series regular on season 6 of Power, and Mike Dopud and Monique Gabriela Curnen, who recurred in seasons 4 and 5, have been promoted to regulars for the upcoming season of Starz’s hit drama series.

Handler will play Jacob Warner, the new U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, there to clean up one too many messes and not built to play nice. Formidable and powerful, he will use the position and authority to challenge those around him to get answers.

Dopud plays Jason Micic, a brutal and ruthless Serbian crime boss, and Tommy’s connect, with sights on expanding his network to both coasts at any cost.

Curnen plays Blanca Rodriguez, the incorruptible NYPD Internal Affairs investigator that zeroed in on Angela Valdes while conducting the investigation of the disappearance and probable murder of Detective Raymond Jones, Raina’s killer and a suspected dirty cop.

It seems like a long time since Peppermint star Jennifer Garner has kicked some major butt when we last saw her on the small screen in creator J.J. Abrams's spy series  Alias. In fact, Garner is no stranger to action-oriented butt-kicking on the big screen either (remember her feisty assassin in the frenetic yet forgettable 2005 superhero bomb Elektra?). Now Garner is back in raw form looking to bang heads in the name of retaliation courtesy of director Pierre Morel's toothless revenge thriller Peppermint. Morel and screenwriter Chad St. John ("London Has Fallen") look to breathe some lurid, excitable life into this cockeyed confection of furious feminine-driven strife. Garner is such an adventurous actress. Her range in various genres, for the most part, is considered reasonable and resilient. Whether it...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Chicago – When a revenge film gets a bit stale, as they tend to do, the best way to pass the time is to start counting how many people are indiscriminately killed. “Peppermint,” which has the former “Alias” star Jennifer Garner going back to an action mode, had 36 (give or take) quality kills, with the last one taking the longest between executions.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

Garner is actually not that bad in the film, she is game, but the script lets her down and the scenario seemed easier to settle than what was on screen. The director of the film is Pierre Morel, who did the first “Taken” with Liam Neeson in 2008. He hasn’t learned anything new on this revenge spin, and the story also contains many stereotypes having to do with a vague drug cartel. In a sense, it’s a revenge fantasy in Trump’s world, as the white woman...

“The Nun” (Warner Bros.), the fifth film in the “Conjuring”/”Annabelle” franchise, opened to a way-over-estimate $53.5 million. That’s the best debut in the series’ history, even adjusted for inflation(the first “Annabelle” grossed $49 million), and just ahead of “A Quiet Place” to be the best opening for a horror movie this year.

The weekend after Labor Day often ranks at or near the bottom of any given year. That changed it 2017, when Warner Bros. opened “It” to $123 million, and this gross tops anything from January, March, or even August of this year.

“It” appears to have changed the calendar for good (the sequel opens this date next year). That means this weekend’s gross dropped less less than it has in the past — although, because “It” was so strong last year, it was still down 28 percent) — but the number still stands out on its own. Three weeks ago, when...

Plot: After receiving no justice in the aftermath of the murders of her husband and daughter by gang members, a frustrated woman reinvents herself as a vigilante, one determined to punish those responsible for ruining her life. Review: I had certainly assumed Peppermint would be trash, but would it be the right kind? A revenge thriller from the director of Taken starring Jennifer Garner as a woman out to... Read More...

Jennifer Garner has a very particular set of skills. Skills she had already acquired at the start of her long acting career. Skills that, with a few noble exceptions, Hollywood has had a nightmare of a time trying to properly showcase. In the vigilante film “Peppermint,” “Taken” director Pierre Morel finally looks to exploit one of Garner’s defining skillsets that has long gone untapped, giving this effortlessly empathetic yet deceptively steely actress her first chance to play a kick-ass action star since the deservedly beloved “Alias” and the deservedly forgotten “Elektra.” As a onetime Girl Scout den mother turned brass-knuckled avenging angel, Garner gives everything that is asked of her, from brute physicality to dewy-eyed tenderness, but this half-witted calamity botches just about everything else. Drably by-the-numbers except for the moments where it goes gobsmackingly off-the-rails, “Peppermint” misfires from start to finish.

Garner stars as Riley North, whom we...

Since 1974, there have been dozens of riffs on “Death Wish” featuring men driven to violent acts of vengeance (including a tepid remake earlier this year), so there’s no reason there shouldn’t be one about a woman. But “Peppermint” is in such a hurry to deliver the payoff of watching an aggrieved mother exact her revenge on the drug lord who killed her husband and daughter that it completely ignores the much bigger and more interesting story of exactly how she prepared for that showdown.

The formidable Jennifer Garner has already shouldered her fair share of badass characters, so the toughness required of her character here is entirely believable. But a script that seems to have been assembled by algorithm, plus routine direction by “Taken” helmer Pierre Morel, hobbles what might have been a moderately rousing (if in no way original) transformation story.

Garner plays Riley North, a vigilante...

“Alias,” the J.J. Abrams spy drama that made Jennifer Garner a household name, went off the air more than a decade ago. In that time, Garner has played a 13-year-old trapped in an adult body (“13 Going on 30”), an AIDS doctor (“Dallas Buyers Club”), and the mom of the first gay teenager to get major studio treatment. Still, there is nothing Garner does better than kick serious ass. The new action flick “Peppermint” is a rare return to form for Garner, who doles out her vigilante justice with effortless charm. Unfortunately, that’s about the only reason to see “Peppermint.”

An oddly sweet title for a movie that drops more bodies than “The Wire,” “Peppermint” follows grieving mother Riley North (Garner) on an epic killing spree to avenge the unexpected deaths of her husband and daughter. Told in a lengthy flashback five years prior to the main action, Riley’s husband...

The three French majority productions playing in competition in Venice are entirely different from one another in style and tone, and even more so in terms of their American distribution strategies.

Both Jacques Audiard’s “The Sisters Brothers” and Olivier Assayas’ “Double Lives” will be released under significantly different conditions, while David Oelhoffen’s “Close Enemies” will hit the Lido still looking for a buyer. Taken all together, however, these three cases offer a reasonable snapshot of the current U.S. market for French cinema.

Audiard’s “The Sisters Brothers” stands as the outlier, one of the rare French productions to land U.S. distribution before the cameras ever rolled. L.A.-based production company Annapurna Pictures came on board in May 2017 and announced that it would release the English-language Western through its nascent distribution arm.

Time will no doubt tell, but Annapurna’s interest in the project likely does...

Take a look at more footage of actress Jennifer Garner in the upcoming revenge action thriller "Peppermint", directed by Pierre Morel ("Taken") opening September 7, 2018:

"...when the husband and daughter of 'Riley North' (Garner) are killed in a drive-by shooting by members of a cartel, with the killers walking free, North takes matters into her own hands and seeks vigilante justice against those who destroyed her life..."

Cast also includes John Gallagher Jr., John Ortiz, Method Man, Richard Cabral, Annie Ilonzeh, Juan Pablo Raba, Tyson

Ritter, Pell James, Chris Johnson, Kyla Drew and Caily Fleming.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Peppermint"...

A new behind-the-scenes look at Peppermint showcases the training that Jennifer Garner underwent to bring the Riley North character to life. The action-revenge movie find's Garner's North character witness the drive-by shooting that kills her husband and daughter. After the justice system fails her, North goes into hiding for five years, training to become a lethal assassin in order to take justice into her own hands. Garner talks about the film, as well as getting in fighting shape, in the latest Peppermint featurette.

Jennifer Garner was drawn to Peppermint because of the original storyline and for the reason that it puts a strong female as the focus. Director Pierre Morel, who also directed Taken, says that the 46-year old actress was already physically fit before taking on the project, but that she trained a lot to prepare. Garner shed some light on what kind of training she did to get ready for Peppermint.

Sylvester Stallone’s done a lot of memorable work over the years, but without a doubt, there are two roles that immediately spring to mind whenever his name is mentioned, those being Rocky Balboa and John Rambo. Having first played them at a younger age, Sly eventually reprised both characters decades later, further cementing their place in the annals of cinematic history.

The veteran actor/filmmaker isn’t finished with them, either, as he’s got Creed II coming in November and Rambo 5 was announced not long ago. From what we understand, the fifth entry into the beloved franchise will see the titular hero take on a Mexican drug cartel in an effort to find his friend’s kidnapped daughter. Presumably, it’ll also be a whole lot more exciting than the Taken films.

So, with production set to get underway this September, it comes as no surprise that...

Keanu Reeves stars in the gripping thriller Siberia, arriving on Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD and Digital September 18 from Lionsgate.

Keanu Reeves stars in the gripping thriller Siberia, arriving on Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD and Digital September 18 from Lionsgate. This film is currently available On Demand. The film tells the tale of a U.S. diamond merchant who begins an intense love affair with a local woman and finds himself falling deeper into the treacherous world of the diamond trade. The Siberia Blu-ray and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $21.99 and $19.98, respectively.

Keanu Reeves delivers the action in this thriller packed with pulse-pounding suspense. In Russia to sell rare jewels to a businessman with underworld connections, U.S. diamond merchant Lucas Hill (Reeves) falls into a torrid affair with Katya (Ana Ularu), a local café owner. When the deal suddenly goes south, Lucas and Katya are caught...

Former Nurse Jackie star Dominic Fumusa is set for a key recurring role in the upcoming The Purge series for USA Network.

Based on the hit movie franchise from Blumhouse Productions, The Purge revolves around a 12-hour period when all crime, including murder, is legal. Set in an altered America ruled by a totalitarian political party, the series follows several seemingly unrelated characters living in a small city. As the clock winds down, each character is forced to reckon with their past as they discover how far they will go to survive the night.

Fumusa will play Pete the Cop, a keen eyed, no bullshit, ex-military and ex-cop with a mysterious past and a dry sense of humor. He’s extremely connected and respected by the community, and has his finger on the pulse of the city.

The Purge is written and executive produced by the film franchise creator James DeMonaco...

Is Liam Neeson’s new movie, “Hard Powder” where he plays a snowplow driver seeking revenge, the gritty reboot of Homer Simpson’s Mr. Plow we never knew we needed?

Probably not, but that didn’t stop people on the internet from making the same reference to a classic “Simpsons” episode, where Homer Simpson becomes Springfield’s favorite snow plow driver.

“Man, the Mr. Plow sequel got Dark,” wrote sports media website Awful Announcing’s Andrew Bucholtz.

Also Read: Viola Davis Loads up in New Trailer for Steve McQueen's 'Widows' (Video)

Man, the Mr. Plow sequel got Dark. https://t.co/R3VK93PLqT

— Andrew Bucholtz (@AndrewBucholtz) August 16, 2018

In the fourth season episode of “The Simpsons” titled “Mr. Plow,” Homer purchases a snow plow, and even turns it into a successful business (with a catchy theme song to boot). That is, until his friend Barney Gumble starts...

Though Sylvester Stallone has certainly starred in his share of movies over the years, there are two roles that immediately spring to mind whenever his name is mentioned, those being Rocky Balboa and John Rambo. Having originally played them at a younger age, Sly eventually reprised both decades later, further cementing their place in the annals of cinematic history.

Believe it or not, the veteran actor/filmmaker looks to be far from finished, as Rambo 5 was announced not long ago. In it, the titular hero will take on a Mexican drug cartel in an effort to find his friend’s kidnapped daughter. If I were to hazard a guess, this picture will prove to be even more intense than an entry in the Taken franchise.

So, with filming set to commence this September, it comes as no surprise that Stallone make sure he’s in proper shape. I mean,...

Ryan Hurst is joining the cast of Amazon drama series Bosch for the upcoming fifth season. Hurst will play Hector Bonner, a former client of attorney Honey Chandler (Mimi Rogers), currently working as her investigator.

Based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling novels, Bosch stars Titus Welliver as homicide Detective Harry Bosch, Jamie Hector as Jerry Edgar, Amy Aquino as Lt. Grace Billets, Madison Lintz as Maddie Bosch and Lance Reddick as Deputy Chief Irvin Irving.

The role reunites Hurst with Welliver, with whom he worked on Sons of Anarchy. Hurst is known for his role as Opie Winston on the AMC series. His additional television credits include Bates Motel, Outsiders, Medium, King & Maxwell, Wanted and Steven Spielberg’s Syfy miniseries Taken. His film credits include his breakout performance opposite Denzel Washington in Disney’s Remember the Titans, for which he also directed the film’s second unit footage.

Ryan Hurst is joining fellow “Sons of Anarchy” alum Titus Welliver for Season 5 of Amazon’s “Bosch,” it was announced Wednesday.

Hurst will play Hector Bonner, a former client of attorney Honey Chandler (Mimi Rogers), currently working as her investigator. “Bosch” is based off Michael Connelly’s novels that follow Lapd Detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller.

The series, which is Amazon’s longest running original drama, stars Welliver as the titular detective along with Jamie Hector (“The Wire”) as Jerry Edgar, Amy Aquino (“Being Human”) as Lt. Grace Billets, Madison Lintz (“The Walking Dead”) as Maddie Bosch and Lance Reddick (“The Wire”) as Deputy Chief Irvin Irving.

“Bosch” is executive produced by Eric Overmyer, who developed the series for television, and Daniel Pyne, Henrik Bastin, Pieter Jan Brugge,...