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An actor whose bravado has graced the silver screen for decades, Clint Eastwood is best known for his tough and apathetic characters. His roles became the archetype for cinematic heroes of the 60s and 70s, shaping an entire generation's understanding of heroism. However, in The Beguiled, Eastwood takes on a role that defies his usual tough-guy persona for something more vulnerable and exposed.

Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, The Beguiled is a psychological thriller that follows Eastwood’s John McBurney, a wounded Union soldier who finds refuge at a girls’ boarding school in Mississippi. Contrary to traditional war films, The Beguiled is a feministic exploration of power dynamics between soldiers and the women left behind. Through isolation and desire, the film explores how vulnerability and manipulation shape the struggle for survival.

The Beguiled Is an Atypical Exploration of Gender Dynamics

The Beguiled isn’t your typical Civil War film.

Thomas P. Cullinan's 1966 Southern Gothic novel, "The Beguiled," is a story about women. Here, the all-female residents of a seminary in Virginia are rattled by the arrival of a wounded Union soldier at the height of the Civil War, and what he might represent for each of them. This man, Corporal John McBurney, appears to be harmless at first but sets off an unsettling chain of events that incite rage, envy, and resentment among the women (and children). The slow-burn novel jumps across perspectives, helping us piece together a dizzying, suspenseful tale about the fallout of war, and how it extends to the secluded residents of the seminary.

However, Cullinan's agonizingly slow narrative grants agency to his female characters only in relation to McBurney, as their individual wants and desires vanish the moment he's not around. There is some interiority weaved in when the events culminate in acute tragedy, but...

Sofia Coppola has had a successful career as a director and writer of films like gothic horror The Beguiled and the biopic Priscilla, winning Best Director at the Cannes Film Festivalfor the former. However, her acting career certainly didn’t have people as complimentary, with her acting in The Godfather Part IIIas Michael’s (Al Pacino) daughter Mary being criticized as wooden. In fact, the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola described, in an interview with The Guardian, her most embarrassing moment as "Being on the cover of a magazine at 18 with the slogan: “Did she ruin The Godfather?”"...

Western movies have seen a variety of talented actors build their careers through roles as cowboys, lawmen, and bounty hunters, but few have commanded the genre as well as Clint Eastwood. Building up an image as a gritty, self-reliant, and morally grey antihero, the actor/director has left as strong an impression behind the camera as in front. The image he established in the Western genre was so strong and beloved that it followed him through other genres, such as action, thriller, and drama.

Clint Eastwood's leadership of the Western genre throughout the latter half of the 20th century defined his career, rarely turning in a bad movie. As great as roles like Dirty Harry may be, the actor has always been at his best in the Old West -- and some films are a stronger testament to this than others. Ranging from performances as bounty hunters to vengeful spirits,...

Isla Fisher is known for bringing her all to comedy roles, but the actress is now crediting her former co-star Kirsten Dunst for teaching her an invaluable trick of the trade: how to act drunk.

Fisher and Dunst co-starred together in 2012 film “Bachelorette,” which was directed by Leslye Headland and adapted from Headland’s off-Broadway show. The dark comedy had an all-star ensemble cast that included Lizzy Caplan, Rebel Wilson, James Marsden, Adam Scott, and Ann Dowd. And while Fisher had famously already played an unhinged character in “Wedding Crashers,” her “Bachelorette” role of an aging alcoholic former high school popular girl had a different level of nuance.

Fisher said during “The Drew Barrymore Show” while promoting “Dog Man” and “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” that it was Dunst who helped her embody the layers of the character. When asked by host Drew Barrymore which former co-star she learned the most from,...

Sofia Coppola has big plans for the 25th anniversary of her directorial debut “The Virgin Suicides.”

The 2000 feature, which premiered at Cannes, cemented Coppola as the director for young female angst. Kirsten Dunst led the film adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides’ 1993 novel that centers on the five fictional Lisbon sisters who kill themselves one by one. Kathleen Turner and James Woods play their overprotective, religious parents; Dunst stars as middle sister Lux. The film, despite grossing just under $5 million in the U.S. against a $9 million budget, later became of a cult classic that was synonymous with the melancholic realization that teenage longing and ennui can extend into adulthood.

Coppola told Elle that she and frequent collaborator Dunst have plans to mark the 25th anniversary of “The Virgin Suicides.” (Dunst and Coppola have reunited on features “Marie Antoinette” and “The Beguiled.”)

“I think Kirsten [Dunst] and I will plan to do some screenings or something around it,...

Nicole Kidman names an "overlooked" horror movie with an 84% Rotten Tomatoes score as the role she would like to revisit the most. The Australian actress is known for her contributions to both film and television across various genres. Kidman's achievements include an Academy Award for The Hours in 2002, two Primetime Emmy Awards for Big Little Lies in 2017, and a whopping six Golden Globe wins for Moulin Rogue! in 2001, Being the Ricardos in 2021, and more.

Known for movies across many genres, Kidman has naturally starred in a few horror films throughout her career. A few of these examples are independent films that often explore dark and tragic themes, such as Lars Van Trier's avant-garde thriller Dogville, Jonathan Glazer's psychological drama Birth, Yorgos Lanthimos' The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and Sofia Coppola's gothic thriller The Beguiled. However, one of Kidman's best horror movies has been "overlooked," according to the actress.

Clint Eastwood completely played against his macho screen image in creepy thriller The Beguiled - but the risk didn't pay off. There is a false assumption that the Dollars movie trilogy made Eastwood a movie star almost overnight, but it still took him a few years to become a major name in America. 1971 was a major breakthrough for Eastwood thanks to the original Dirty Harry movie, a groundbreaking (and deeply controversial) detective thriller. That same year saw Clint and his Dirty Harry helmer Don Siegel team up for The Beguiled, a dreamy blend of Southern Gothic, romance, and psychosexual melodrama.

Of course, none of these are in Eastwood's usual wheelhouse, with the film being an ensemble effort where his wounded Union soldier is cared for by the students and teachers at a Confederate boarding school. Eastwood once dubbed The Beguiled one of his biggest risks during an interview with Charlie Rose,...

As a maverick writer-director, remakes are not exactly in Sofia Coppola's wheelhouse, especially when it's a remake of a 1971 Gothic thriller starring Clint Eastwood. However, rather than re-working the Don Siegel film, The Beguiled, Coppola focused her attention on the source material, the novel of the same name by Thomas Cullinan, and re-contextualized it through not just modern sensibilities but her own cinematic tastes as well. This Civil War-set story about a wounded Union soldier treated by the pupils of an all-girls school in Virginia was a perfect platform for Coppola to engage with her portraits of Gilded Cages and melancholic feminity. While marred by controversy upon release in 2017 for desensitizing the Confederate South, The Beguiled, which won Coppola Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival, also features a career-best performance by Elle Fanning.

NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.

Roxy Cinema

Minority Report shows on 35mm Friday; The Beguiled, The Age of Innocence, and City Dudes play Saturday; Jean Rollin’s Lost In New York and The Sealed Soil screen on Sunday.

Film Forum

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town begins a 35mm run; The Umbrellas of Cherbourg‘s 4K restoration continues; Battling Butler screens Sunday.

Museum of the Moving Image

See It Big! Let It Snow brings Nanook of the North; Candyman screens on Saturday.

Museum of Modern Art

A dual celebration of Marcello and Chiara Mastroianni continues, this weekend bringing films by Fellini, Elio Petri and Antonioni.

Metrograph

Red Desert, L’eclisse, Playtime, Eyes Wide Shut, Moonstruck, and Con Air play on 35mm; The Holidays at Metrograph, It Looks Pretty from a Distance, Urban Ghosts, Absconded Art, and Nicolas Uncaged continue.

IFC Center

2001, Blood Simple, Eraserhead, and Society show late.

Radio Silence, the filmmaking team behind Ready or Not, Abigail, and the two most recent Scream sequels, are gearing up to go into production on Ready or Not 2 – but while Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are directing that sequel and producing it with Chad Villella, the trio are also producing a feature expansion of Colleen McGuinness’ short film Loser. Deadline reports that Angourie Rice, who also starred in the short, is set to star in the Loser feature alongside Ella Purnell (Fallout), Finn Bennett (True Detective: Night Country), and Lukas Gage (The White Lotus).

Details on the characters being played by Purnell, Bennett, and Gage have not been revealed, but we know that Rice will be playing Alice, a brilliant but troubled physicist, as she attempts to heal her trauma by using time travel, but gets caught in a twisty, cat-and-mouse game of murder and violence in New York City.

In 1971, legendary director and actor Clint Eastwood was mostly known for Westerns, but that year gave him both his directorial debut and one of his most iconic characters, and he didn't put a cowboy hat on in either film. Many of Clint Eastwood's best movies are Westerns, and he's known for playing some of the most legendary gunslingers in cinema. From the Man with No Name in the Dollars trilogy to the eponymous Outlaw Josey Wales, Eastwood dominated the genre throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He was one of - if not the - biggest names in Westerns, but Eastwood was destined for more.

When an actor truly dominates a genre like Clint Eastwood did with Westerns, it can be difficult for them to break out of their typical typecasting. Audiences know them for playing a specific type of role, and it would have been very easy for Eastwood to...

Elle Fanning's role in Predator: Badlands just got even more demanding... that's because she's actually playing multiple characters in the movie. Following the success of 2022's Prey, director Dan Trachtenberg is returning to the Predator franchise. However, before he makes the confirmed Prey 2, Trachtenberg decided to direct the upcoming Predator: Badlands. Unlike Prey, Badlands will take place in the future, and Trachtenberg seems to have several other unique ideas for the movie.

While most of the Predator movies have been set on Earth, Predator: Badlands will take place on an alien planet, and will actually feature the Predator itself as the protagonist, instead of a human character. Trachtenberg already revolutionized the franchise with Prey, and the aforementioned creative decisions prove that Predator: Badlands could also be one of the most unique movies in the series. Predator: Badlands could also end up being one of the best roles of Elle Fanning's career,...

The Substance, the Cannes Film Festival winning, Demi Moore body swap horror movie, is poised to bust to great heights at the global box office with a $70M-$75M take.

That’s quite a landmark for the Working Title produced-2 hour and 21-minute running, French shot movie which has the Ghost and $2.5 billion global grossing blockbuster actress in the awards season conversation for her portrayal of an aerobics instructor TV star, Elizabeth, who soon realizes her days are over in Hollywood. However, she gets the opportunity to participate in a body swap experiment which introduces the world, and her former TV audience, to much younger version of herself, under the new alias Sue (Margaret Qualley). Consequences, as unsexy as they are, ensue. The movie received a 13-minute standing ovation at its Cannes premiere back in May and won Best Screenplay for its filmmaker Coralie Fargeat. Moore has been public about...

Nicole Kidman will be honored with the International Star Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

The Film Awards will take place on Jan. 3, 2025, with the festival running from Jan. 2 to Jan. 13.

“Nicole Kidman once again showcases her unmatched talent for embracing bold and unexpected roles with remarkable ease. In Babygirl, she portrays a high-powered CEO whose life begins to unravel as she embarks on a dark, risky affair that threatens to shatter her carefully constructed world,” says Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “For this tour de force performance, we are honored to present her with the International Star Award, an accolade that truly embodies Nicole Kidman.”

The actress previously received the International Star Award for Lion, for which she also received a best actress Oscar nomination. Past recipients of the award include Carey Mulligan, Michelle Yeoh, Penélope Cruz, Helen Mirren, Saoirse Ronan and Charlize Theron. Yeoh went on...

Earlier this month, Warner Bros. (barely) released Clint Eastwood‘s 40th film as director, the exquisitely crafted and morally probing courtroom drama “Juror #2.” Like many of Eastwood‘s movies, it somehow feels like both a summation of all that came before it and something new in his oeuvre; it’s filled with the aesthetic preferences and thematic preoccupations that have obsessed him going back to the 1970s, but the abundance of rich visual and philosophical ideas are expressed with more clarity and concision than ever. With nothing to lose and nothing to prove, Eastwood has created a film as clean and fast as one of his 1990s programmers but as wrenching in its internal tensions as masterpieces like “Unforgiven” and “Mystic River.”

This is all in keeping with the overall trajectory of Eastwood’s career, as his filmmaking has grown increasingly confident with each film. Not every experiment has worked — even as an Eastwood partisan,...

There are three movies that Clint Eastwood considers to be his biggest career risks, but only one paid off at the box office. Despite the stardom Eastwood achieved as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's Dollars trilogy, it still took a few years for him to break through in America. The movie that truly cemented him was Dirty Harry, a controversial 1971 thriller that nonetheless was a gigantic success, and led to one of the few Clint Eastwood movie franchises.

Eastwood's screen persona quickly became that of the stoic man of action who said little - but always had a dry quip ready when required. From the 1970s through to the 1990s, most of his biggest hits came in the thriller or action genres, from The Gauntlet right on down to In the Line of Fire. That's not to say he didn't take any chances as a performer though,...

The recut version of the 1990 classic from Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather: Part III is set for a limited theatrical release on December 4, followed by its Blu-ray and digital drop on December 8. Andy Garcia recently watched the new cut with an intimate crew that included Al Pacino and Diane Keaton, and they were all thrilled with the results! Fans are eager to check it out as well!

Sofia Coppola as Mary Corleone in The Godfather III Credits: Paramount Pictures

Garcia, who plays Vincent Corleone in the original, revealed in a recent chat that he never really understood the original’s backlash, which mainly stemmed from the casting of Sofia Coppola, Francis’s daughter.

Why Did People Criticize Sofia Coppola in The Godfather III?

Sofia Coppola was cast as Mary Corleone, the daughter of Michael played by Al Pacino, and Kay played by Diane Keaton in The Godfather: Part III, but...

Director Francis Ford Coppola names his favorite of Sofia Coppola's films. Sofia Coppola is the daughter of auteur director Francis Ford Coppola, who is best known for his work on films such as Apocalypse Now, The Conversation, and The Godfather trilogy. Born in 1971, Sofia Coppola began directing feature films in 1999, when she made her feature debut with The Virgin Suicides. Since then, Coppola has been the mastermind behind several well-regarded films, including Lost in Translation, The Beguiled, The Bling Ring, and most recently, the Priscilla Presley drama Priscilla, which was released last year.

Speaking with Konbini, Francis Ford Coppola reveals what his favorite Sofia Coppola film is. The filmmaker began by praising his director daughter's work in general, saying that "most of her films are great." He then settled upon one of her films in particular, a movie called Somewhere. He said that Somewhere is "in some ways [his] favorite,...

There are actors who like to work and actors who love to work. Nicole Kidman has always belonged in the latter group. But lately, the two-time Emmy winner’s rigorous efforts to entertain have started to backfire. People are taking issue with her performances, her projects, and the overlap in each — specifically, when it comes to TV. What began as mere observations of chance similarities have escalated in recent months to reverberating reproach. Is Kidman making too much TV? Too much bad TV? Or is she simply a victim of timing and circumstance, as all famous and assiduous thespians are at one point or another?

Solving the problem begins by recognizing there is one, and in Kidman’s near-decade of steady TV work, patterns have emerged. Many of her TV picks — starting with HBO’s “Big Little Lies” in 2017 and running through this September’s Netflix series, “The Perfect Couple” — have been book adaptations.

The Predator has been released. The first plot details for the next Predator movie, Badlands, have reportedly been shared as production kicks off in New Zealand.

According to reports gathered by franchise fan site AvPGalaxy (via ComicBook.com), a mystery movie has begun filming in New Zealand under the working title "Backpack." A casting call page for the movie, however, mentions 20th Century Studios, director Dan Trachtenberg, and Badlands, which AvPGalaxy notes makes it pretty clear that "Backpack" is the codename being used for the new Predator movie. Furthermore, story details for the movie have also been shared, with Badlands set to focus on two sisters who are put to the ultimate test as they pursue divergent paths and missions. It is worth noting that 20th Century Studios hasn't confirmed AvPGalaxy's report at this time.

Related Did Jean-Claude Van Damme Quit the Role of the Original Predator?

In the latest Movie Legends Revealed,...

Cinespia is an organization that screens classic films at iconic locations, and every year they host a slumber part with a double feature. As part of its summer 2024 season, Cinespia invited Kirsten Dunst fans to Hollywood Forever Cemetery to get snuggly and see her two extremely different movies from 2000, Bring It On and The Virgin Suicides. Prior to the screenings, fans received an exciting surprise when the star herself, Dunst, appeared on-stage to introduce the movies.

As reported by Deadline, Dunst crashed the "Kirsten Dunst Slumber Party" this weekend by appearing on-stage and reciting her intro cheer from Bring It On, "Im Ta-Ta-Ta-Torrance, your captain Torrance! Let's go, Toros!" She thanked Cinespia and its founder, John Wyatt, before introducing the first film. She added that she was excited about watching the movies, having not seen them herself with an audience since she was a teenager:

Oh my god, you guys,...

Cailee Spaeny is rapidly emerging as a prominent figure in Hollywood. The actress came to the attention of many moviegoers thanks to her compelling portrayal of Priscilla Presley in the biopic Priscilla, and now she has another hit under her belt with Alien: Romulus, which has garnered critical acclaim and is crushing it at the box office. However, Spaenys journey to stardom has been anything but smooth. In a candid interview with Empire, Spaeny revealed that her first ever callback came from none other than Sofia Coppola. However, it wasnt for Priscilla, but for an adaptation of The Little Mermaid.

Having dreamed of starring in a big teen television show similar to Hannah Montana, Spaeny was wary of being typecast early in her career. But her fears were put to rest when Coppola, who envisioned the classic tale in her unique style, reached out to her. To Empire, Spaeny revealed:...

Alien: Romulus is the latest career highlight for Cailee Spaeny, whose performance in 2023's Priscilla earned acclaim from critics. The actor boasts a significant filmography that almost included Sofia Coppola's The Little Mermaid adaptation.

Cailee Spaeny is on a career-high after Alien: Romulus' breakout at the box office; her starring role as Rain Carradine is largely praised by audiences and critics. It's a confirmed winning streak following lauded performances in Civil War and in Priscilla, Sofia Coppola's biographical drama about Priscilla Presley. In an interview with Empire, Spaeny revealed she also auditioned for a part in a scrapped Coppola film. She said it was her first callback, which was casting for a dark adaptation of The Little Mermaid. Spaeny also confirmed that film would have been far removed from Disney's version of the Hans Christian Andersen story.

Related The Little Mermaid Gets Bloody in R-Rated Adaptation Trailer

A trailer...

Before there was Priscilla, Cailee Spaeny revealed that her first collaboration with Sofia Coppola was an eventually scrapped version of The Little Mermaid.

“My first-ever callback was through Sofia,” the Alien: Romulus star told Empire. “It was for [Coppola’s] The Little Mermaid, [which] ended up not getting made. I sent this weird self-tape, playing a mermaid with no dialogue.”

In true Coppola fashion, Spaeny said it was “very strange and avant-garde.”

In 2017, Spaeny and Coppola crossed paths again, when the actress auditioned for The Beguiled, a period drama starring Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Colin Farrell and Elle Fanning.

“That didn’t end up working out,” Spaeny recalled. “I was crushed, because Sofia is the director that I zeroed in on as a young teenage girl, especially living in the Bible Belt. There’s something so freeing [in her work] and something that wasn’t really talked about for young women where I grew up. She took young girls seriously.

Clint Eastwood's iconic Western A Fistful of Dollars is being remade, surprising many due to its classic status. The remake could potentially match the original's quality by choosing the right actor and modernizing themes, but it will be extremely difficult. Previous successful Clint Eastwood movie remakes, like the Japanese version of Unforgiven and Sofia Coppola's The Beguiled, offer lessons and hope for this project.

One of Clint Eastwood's most iconic Western movies is getting a remake 60 years after its initial release, and it's one that seemed truly untouchable. Over the course of his impressive career, Eastwood has appeared in plenty of Western movies, and many of them have become timeless examples of the genre. While not all of them were hits - Ambush at Cimarron Pass is at the bottom of the ranking of Eastwood's Western movies - he's made some of the most iconic movies the entire genre has to offer.

Netflix has a couple of major series airing all or part of their final seasons in July 2024. The hit Spanish drama Elite is set to premiere its eighth and final season in full this month with one final mystery (July 26), Vikings: Valhalla is setting off on one final adventure with its third season (July 11), and Cobra Kai is also entering its swan song era with the first part of its final sixth season arriving on Netflix July 18.

The most notable movie offering this month is Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (July 3). Thirty years after his last case, Eddie Murphy returns as the titular detective Axel Foley, teaming up with old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggart (John Ashton) to uncover a conspiracy and keep his daughter Jane (Taylour Paige) safe.

Here’s everything else coming to Netflix this month. Note that Netflix marks its international offerings with that respective country’s two-letter country code.

Elle Fanning is cheers-ing to a Coppola reunion.

The actress stars in Sofia Coppola’s latest commercial for The House of Suntory. Coppola previously filmed a Suntory ad with Keanu Reeves during the 20th anniversary of 2003’s “Lost in Translation.”

Fanning, who previously appeared in Coppola’s actual film “The Beguiled,” hosts a dinner party in Japan for the near-60-second spot that captures the “vibrant world of Roku Gin,” per the description. (Not to be confused with this Roku.)

“Sofia was the one who told me about this project,” Fanning said to Interview magazine about joining the campaign. “I think they had asked her if she wanted to direct a commercial and shoot the campaign for this. And she thought of me, which was very sweet. I mean, I’ll do anything for Sofia. But I loved the concept that Roku had come up with for this campaign, with the cherry blossoms,...

I have always been impressed by Elle Fanning’s elegant red carpet style, and her most recent ensemble—a vintage dress that accentuated her hourglass figure—is no exception.

On Thursday night, Elle attended The House of Suntory’s celebration of Roku Gin’s new “Come Alive with the Seasons” campaign vignette, where she portrays a party host. She dressed to impress as the evening’s headliner, opting for a vintage John Galliano look.

Elle Fanning at the celebration of her “Come Alive with the Seasons” campaign for The House of Suntory’s Roku Gin at 528 West 22nd Street in New York City (Credit: Jennifer Graylock / INSTARimages)

The House of Suntory Roku Gin Campaign

The 26-year-old Maleficent actress has been selected to star in The House of Suntory’s Roku Gin “Come Alive with the Seasons” campaign, inviting gin lovers to experience the best of every season amidst a rapidly becoming more digitally dominated society.

Modern Western films in the 2010s are critical of the genre's flaws and push boundaries. The Beguiled and The Salvation offer unique takes on the Western genre, exploring new territory. Films like Bone Tomahawk and Meek's Cutoff challenge traditional Western narratives and highlight diverse perspectives.

The Western movies that premiered in the 2010s are some of the most interesting and special, despite so few audience members having seen the films. As the Western genre moves into the contemporary era, fans most familiar with Westerns are keenly aware of the problems and attributes that accompany these films. When I watch classic Western movies, I'm not afraid to critique them, as being a fan of something means being aware of its flaws. Recent Westerns share this love and similarly look back at their legacy with a critical eye.

While some audiences might think of the Coen Brothers when contemplating the modern Western,...

After the success of Prey, director Dan Trachtenberg is reportedly working on his next standalone film in the Predator franchise. Titled Badlands, the film reportedly features Elle Fanning in the lead role. While no plot details have been revealed, the film will also be set in the Predator universe like Prey.

Amber Midthunder in a still from Prey | 20th Century Studios

Fanning’s casting might just be a masterstroke for the film as she has been known for her powerhouse performances. While she was recently seen in her Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated series The Great, Fanning has been delivering amazing performances since she made her debut as a child actress in I Am Sam. Here are five performances that prove why she is the best choice for Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator film.

1. The Beguiled (2017) A still from The Beguiled | Credits: American Zoetrope/Fr Productions

Elle Fanning first worked with director...

Given the success of the acclaimed 2022 Predator prequel film Prey, it's no surprise that the franchise will be moving forward and possibly circling another female star for its next movie. According to a new report from Deadline, Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actress Elle Fanning is currently in talks for the lead role in the standalone film Badlands from 20th Century and Prey director Dan Trachtenberg.

Trachtenberg will return to direct Badlands based on a script he co-wrote with Patrick Aison. The deal has not yet been formally announced, and 20th Century had no comment on the news, but if it does happen, it would be an exciting step forward for the film series. Many felt that Prey was one of the best horror films of the past decade, with actress Amber Midthunder earning high praise for her performance.

Fanning is already a respected actress with notable roles in The Great,...

It's "Alien" vs. "Predator" all over again. As the next installment of the classic horror franchise is set to arrive later this year with "Alien: Romulus," the rival "Predator" series is gearing up for a revival of its own. Director Dan Trachtenberg's "Prey" injected fresh blood into the IP in 2022, stripping away all the flashy bells and whistles from Shane Black's messy sequel and instead taking things back in time to colonial America. In fact, the Hulu film earned such glowing praise that it led to a buzzy announcement earlier this year, when we heard the promising news that 20th Century Studios would be bringing Trachtenberg back for more movies to come. At the time, all that was revealed was the title of the next planned feature -- "Badlands" -- but now we know which actor has been handpicked to lead Trachtenberg's new film.

According to Deadline, rising...

The Great star Elle Fanning has found her next project. The Emmy-nominated actor is reportedly in talks to lead the cast of 20th Century Studios' next Predator movie, Badlands.

According to Deadline, Fanning is in negotiations to star in Badlands, which will be directed by Dan Trachtenberg. 20th Century had no comment on the reported casting. Fanning is perhaps best known for her Emmy-nominated performance as Catherine The Great in the Hulu series, The Great. She has also appeared in several notable movies, such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), Super 8 (2011), and The Beguiled (2017), and as Princess Aurora in the live-action Disney movies Maleficent (2014) and its 2019 sequel, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. Audiences can see Fanning next in James Mangold's upcoming Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, opposite Timothe Chalamet.

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Related How to Watch the Alien vs. Predator Movies in Order

The Alien and Predator movies seemingly...

Emmy nominee Elle Fanning is in talks to star in “Badlands,” a standalone movie from Dan Trachtenberg that expands the “Predator” universe.

Trachtenberg is set to direct the movie for 20th Century Studios from a script he co-wrote with Patrick Aison. “Badlands” comes following the success of Trachtenberg’s “Prey” — the “Predator” prequel which was a critical hit and broke records with its release on Hulu. The 2022 film was nominated for five Primetime Emmys, winning one for sound editing; “Prey 2” is in early development, with its star Amber Midthunder potentially returning. “Badlands” was announced in February, with the film expected to begin production later this year. Plot details are being kept under wraps.

Fanning recently wrapped a three-season run as executive producer and star of Hulu’s “The Great,” where she starred as Russian monarch Catherine the Great and earned her first Emmy nomination (for outstanding lead actress in...

Fred Roos, the casting director turned producer who jump-started the career of Jack Nicholson and collaborated often with Francis Ford Coppola, sharing a best picture Oscar with the filmmaker for The Godfather Part II, has died. He was 89.

Roos died Saturday at his home in Beverly Hills, a publicist announced.

It’s part of Hollywood lore that before Harrison Ford became a famous actor, he was laboring as a carpenter to make ends meet. What some might not know is that it was at Roos’ house where Ford was woodworking when the casting director befriended him, eventually pushing him for roles in George Lucas’ American Graffiti (1973) and Star Wars (1977) and Coppola’s The Conversation (1974).

And it was Roos who convinced Lucas — who had been leaning toward Amy Irving — that Carrie Fisher should portray Princess Leia in Star Wars. (Roos did not have an official role on that film.)

Roos, however,...

Fred Roos, the Oscar-winning The Godfather Part II producer and longtime executive producer for Francis Ford Coppola and Sofia Coppola, died Saturday in Beverly Hills at 89, four days shy of his 90th birthday.

The news about Roos, who won his Godfather Part II Oscar and later was nominated for Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, comes as Francis Ford Coppola is here at the Cannes Film Festival, 45 years after winning the Palme d’Or for Apocalypse Now. Coppola is in town with his $120 million passion project Megalopolis, which had its world premiere last week. Roos is billed as producer on Megalopolis.

The news also comes after Coppola’s wife of 61 years, Eleanor, died April 12. Roos was an executive producer on Hearts of Darkness, her famed documentary about the making of Apocalypse Now that won them both an Emmy in 1992.

Roos was Francis Coppola’s co-producer on The Conversation, The Godfather Part II and Apocalypse Now,...

Four decades after her feature debut in 1983’s BMX Bandits, Oscar and two-time Emmy winner Nicole Kidman is set to receive a history-making honor: the AFI Life Achievement Award, which for the first time in 49 years will go to an Australian performer. But the (American-born) Kidman considers herself a part of world cinema, having worked with such renowned filmmakers as Stanley Kubrick (Eyes Wide Shut), Jane Campion (The Portrait of a Lady), Park Chan-wook (Stoker), Sofia Coppola (The Beguiled), Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!) and Jonathan Glazer (Birth). The actress and producer reflects on how the honor represents both a robust career and a life well traveled.

You’ve received many awards throughout your career. What is so special about this honor?

The list of honorees that have come before me. I’m floored, actually, because there are so few, and there are no Australians. I was overwhelmed by it.

Do...

The Western has been one of the most popular American film genres since the silent era of cinema. Even if 1939’s Stagecoach is credited with creating the modern version of the genre, Westerns existed before John Ford’s classic, and they have evolved significantly in the eight decades that followed. Many of these stories have become timeless, and remaking a beloved Western can sometimes create surprising results; for example, James Mangold’s 2007 remake of 3:10 to Yuma added more character depth to the 1957 original. While some Westerns don’t necessitate a remake, Don Siegel’s 1971 Clint Eastwood Western The Beguiled was one that was absolutely necessary. By changing the perspective of the story altogether in her 2017 remake, Sofia Coppola fixed the flaws in the original source material and turned a relatively disposable thriller into a modern classic about the complexities of 19th-century gender dynamics.

[Editor’s note: this list was originally published in September 2019. It has been updated with new entries to coincide with the release of “Civil War.”]

Kirsten Dunst has many talents as an actor, but one of her best virtues is quite possibly just how cool she is. From her days as a teen star in “Bring It On” and “The Virgin Suicides” to her current era as an adult who takes on adventurous, ambitious roles in movies like “The Power of the Dog” and “Civil War,” Dunst has always had a charm and ease to her that has made her feel both relatable and glamorous. Part of it is her wry, catlike smile which gives her movie star looks some individuality. Part of it is her interviews, in which she projects a down-to-earth nature that feels authentic rather than put-on. And most of it comes from her choice of projects, which shows a great sense of taste and a desire to do truly great, ambitious, and weird work.

Dunst has dabbled in plenty...

Clint Eastwood perfected the archetype of the witty, fast-shooting gunslinger in his Western films through collaboration with acclaimed directors. Not all Eastwood roles were deadly gunslingers; some showed complexity and romantic entanglements, like McBee in The Beguiled. Eastwood's portrayal of deadly gunslingers like Joe Kidd and The Stranger showcased intense, rough characters with layers of complexity.

Legend of the Western genre Clint Eastwood has played several deadly gunslingers across his acclaimed career. From Spaghetti Westerns to Hollywood blockbusters, Eastwood perfected the archetype of the witty, fast-shooting, lone anti-hero who was consistently embroiled in shootouts, standoffs, and vicious bar fights. Through Eastwood's work with acclaimed directors like Sergio Leone and Don Siegel, as well as the many movies he directed himself, Eastwood played countless intimidating, tough, and skilled gunslingers who left their mark on the often brutal and deadly landscape of the Wild West.

While Eastwood did appear in plenty of Western movies,...

Before his mid-career upswing — starting either with “The Lobster” or “The Beguiled” and running through recent scorchers like “After Yang” and “The Banshees of Inisherin” — it’s worth remembering that Colin Farrell used to make bad movies, too. Now, his hot streak includes an Oscar nomination and a successful blockbuster franchise (soon with its own TV spinoff), but back then, for every “New World” and “In Bruges,” there was a “London Boulevard” and “Dead Man Down.” “Disappointing” may be a better descriptor of his star-forming era, with the “Total Recall” and “Fright Night” reboots, as well as earlier flops like “Alexander,” “The Recruit,” and “S.W.A.T.” But no matter how you remember them (if you remember them), Farrell’s early career offered uncertain quality. Of course, TV fans needn’t be reminded that Farrell’s charming Irish talents have gone to waste in projects unworthy of his efforts. We shan’t...

In 2017, Sofia Coppola made history after becoming the second female filmmaker to win Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival for The Beguiled, starring, the Queen of Cannes, Nicole Kidman. On this historic occasion, the actress vowed to continue supporting women in the industry, which has been largely dominated by men since its very inception.

While other major A-listers have also spoken in support of female filmmakers, including Natalie Portman, it has been the Eyes Wide Shut Star, who has held her promise.

Nicole Kidman Continues to Deliver on Her Promise

Nicole Kidman | Credit: Expats

Having been surrounded by strong women throughout her life, Kidman has been pretty vocal about her fondness for working with women, stressing she feels safe and comfortable around them. And considering the stats for 2016 showed that only a minuscule percentage of the top films were directed by women, Kidman decided to ameliorate things herself. Staying...

Eastwood's Pale Rider marked his return to traditional Western films, blending biblical elements with supernatural themes. The film was a major success, grossing approximately $41.4 million domestically and praised for its unique take on forgiveness and redemption. Pale Rider showcases Eastwood's mysterious screen persona, dominating the film through the subtle portrayal of a vengeful avenging spirit.

Clint Eastwood first gained stardom with the role of Rowdy Yates, a former Confederate States Army corporal and veteran of the American Civil War, on the Western television series Rawhide, which aired on CBS between 1959 and 1965, over eight seasons. Eastwood’s contract for Rawhide restricted Eastwood, who stayed with the show throughout its run, from appearing in feature films that were produced in the United States. However, Eastwood’s contract did permit Eastwood to accept film roles in Europe, where he gained film stardom as the Man with no Name in Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy film series,...

The best villains in Clint Eastwood's Western movies are as memorable and essential as his iconic heroes. Eastwood's characters often operated in morally gray territory, reflecting the lawless nature of the Western genre. Great Western villains must be nuanced in their motivations and actions, with some being downright evil in their pursuit of power.

Clint Eastwood is widely regarded as one of the most prolific actors within the Western genre, but the best villains in his movies should not go unacknowledged. A hero has no reason to exist without an antagonist who provides a foil to their sense of morality. Eastwood appeared in many Westerns, but the best stand out because of the great performances and characterization of the evils that he fought against. After making so many iconic Western movies, it’s only fitting that his villains be regarded with the same notoriety.

A great villain should...

Seraphim Falls is a reimagining of Clint Eastwood's The Outlaw Josey Wales, with similarities in plot, characters, and chase sequences. Although Seraphim Falls deviates from the original, it owes a debt to The Outlaw Josey Wales and explores new elements in the genre. While The Outlaw Josey Wales is considered the superior revisionist Western, Seraphim Falls showcases that there is still potential for innovation in the genre.

The Western Seraphim Falls is trending on Netflix, and the underrated 2006 movie is a stealth re-imagining of a Clint Eastwood classic from 1976. Eastwood's movies have had an immeasurable influence on the Western genre. As an actor, Eastwood starred in Sergio Leone’s Dollars trilogy, which is among the most critically acclaimed spaghetti Westerns ever made. As a director, Eastwood helmed the revisionist Western Unforgiven, an elegiac masterpiece that redefined the rules of the genre. This is without even considering Hang ‘Em High,...

Header image credit: @acotarfan001

Danielle Rose Russell, known for her role in The Originals and Legacies, could excel in the role of Elain in the A Court of Thorns and Roses TV show. Elle Fanning, who played Aurora in the Maleficent movies, is a fitting choice to portray Elain due to her previous character's gentle and strong disposition. Millie Bobby Brown, from Stranger Things, is a versatile actress who can bring depth to any character but would be a challenge to cast due to her commitment to Netflix.

Hulu has its hands full finding the perfect cast for the upcoming A Court of Thorns and Roses TV show, and Elain Archeron is an important figure among the main characters. Based on Sarah J. Maas' bestselling fantasy series of the same name, A Court of Thorns and Roses follows human huntress Feyre Archeron as she is drawn into the dangerous world of the Fae courts.

It opens with energy and smarts to spare. Picture this: perpetual franchise breakouts Janis and Damian are guiding us (their already captive audience) through what’s to come, care of a fourth wall-breaking, high-energy musical sequence centered around the tantalizingly-named banger “A Cautionary Tale.” This tale is, of course, all about young Cady Heron, an awkward (but endearing) teenager who is about to move from Kenya (not Kentucky) to a suburban high school and get her life utterly rocked by the social mores of American teenagehood.

Somewhere, someone who doesn’t even go here is yelling, “This isn’t your mother’s ‘Mean Girls’!,” but actually, it mostly is, now just with song and dance. When “Mean Girls” went to the stage in 2017, it was aided immeasurably by persistence of vision: Tina Fey, who had initially adapted a non-fiction parenting book to make her 2004 teen hit, also penned the book that would bring the,...

One need only glance at the leading men and women of any given era to see Hollywood's perennial beauty standards. Most actors will know the pressure of keeping fit and aesthetic, especially after the mainstreaming of gym and fitness culture in the late 20th century. Take Superman, for example. Christopher Reeve was a tall and athletic man, but compared to Henry Cavill's cast iron physique, his rangy costume looks slightly pedestrian. It's not all about "looking good," of course. Some actors have drastically changed their bodies to better portray their characters, such as Robert De Niro in "Raging Bull," Christian Bale in "The Machinist," Matthew McConaughey in "Dallas Buyers Club," and Tom Hanks in "Cast Away."

Still, "looking good" is a prerequisite for many actors, and they often must obey the wishes of producers, directors, and casting managers, who are known to ask for weight loss, dental work, and even plastic surgery.

Priscilla, a biographical drama directed by Sofia Coppola, will be available for digital purchase and video-on-demand on December 15, just a month after its theater release. Critics and fans have given positive reviews to Coppola's past works, and Priscilla has received a favorable 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The performances of Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi as the main characters have been praised, and the film has grossed around $20.4 million, making it one of Coppola's highest-grossing films domestically.

Priscilla's video-on-demand release date has been revealed following its release in theaters just over a month ago. Directed by Sofia Coppola, the biographical drama, which is based on Priscilla Presley’s 1985 memoir, follows the titular woman through her long and turbulent relationship with the famous King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. Cailee Spaeny plays the lead character, while Jacob Elordi is Elvis. Other members of the Priscilla cast include Ari Cohen, Dagmara Domińczyk,...