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Actress Milly Alcock, (“House of the Dragon"), cast as the new ‘Supergirl’ in the upcoming live-action DC Comics adaptation “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow”, poses for "Harper's Bazaar" magazine, photographed by Bryan Liston:

Alcock played 'Maya Nordenfelt' in the Showcase drama "Fighting Season".

She also appeared in the sixth and final series of "A Place to Call Home" as 'Emma Carvolth'...

...the Netflix series "Pine Gap" as 'Marissa Campbell'...

...and ABC series "Les Norton" as 'Sian Galese'.

In 2018 Alcock appeared in her first feature film "The School". In 2019, Alcock began starring in the Foxtel comedy-drama series "Upright" as runaway teenager 'Meg', hitchhiking across 2,000 miles of the Australian outback.

She also had supporting roles as 'Jenny McGinty' in the series "The Gloaming " and 'Sam Serrato' in the series "Reckoning".

Alcock was cast as young 'Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen' in the 2022 HBO fantasy series "House of the Dragon".

In...

Julianne Moore, Milly Alcock, and Meghann Fahy are all set for lead roles in the upcoming Netflix limited series “Sirens.”

Variety exclusively reported in February that the dark comedy series was coming to Netflix. It hails from “Maid” creator Molly Smith Metzler and is based on her play “Elemeno Pea.”

The series is told over the course of a weekend at a lavish beach estate. Per the official logline, “Devon (Fahy) thinks her sister Simone (Alcock) has a really creepy relationship with her new boss, the enigmatic socialite Michaela Kell (Moore). Michaela’s cult-ish life of luxury is like a drug to Simone, and Devon has decided it’s time for an intervention. When Devon tracks her sister down to say Wtf, she has no idea what a formidable opponent Michaela will be.”

Moore is one of the most celebrated actresses of her generation. She has received five Academy Award...

Actress Milly Alcock, (“House of the Dragon"), recently cast as the new ‘Supergirl’ in the upcoming live-action DC Comics adaptation “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow”, poses for "Harper's Bazaar" magazine, photographed by Bryan Liston:

Alcock played 'Maya Nordenfelt' in the Showcase drama "Fighting Season".

She also appeared in the sixth and final series of "A Place to Call Home" as 'Emma Carvolth'...

...the Netflix series "Pine Gap" as 'Marissa Campbell'...

...and ABC series "Les Norton" as 'Sian Galese'.

In 2018 Alcock appeared in her first feature film "The School". In 2019, Alcock began starring in the Foxtel comedy-drama series "Upright" as runaway teenager 'Meg', hitchhiking across 2,000 miles of the Australian outback.

She also had supporting roles as 'Jenny McGinty' in the series "The Gloaming " and 'Sam Serrato' in the series "Reckoning".

Alcock was cast as young 'Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen' in the 2022 HBO fantasy series "House of the Dragon...

Actressa Milly Alcock aka young 'Rhaenyra Targaryen' in HBO's "House of the Dragon" and ‘Kara’ in the upcoming feature “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow”, poses for "Harper's Bazaar" magazine, photographed by Bryan Liston:

Alcock played 'Maya Nordenfelt' in the Showcase drama "Fighting Season".

She also appeared in the sixth and final series of "A Place to Call Home" as 'Emma Carvolth'...

...in the Netflix series "Pine Gap" as 'Marissa Campbell'...

...and in the ABC series "Les Norton" as 'Sian Galese'.

In 2018 Alcock appeared in her first feature film "The School".

In 2019, Alcock starred in the Foxtel comedy-drama series "Upright" as runaway teenager 'Meg', hitchhiking across 2,000 miles of the Australian outback..

She also had supporting roles as 'Jenny McGinty' in the series "The Gloaming " and 'Sam Serrato' in the series "Reckoning".

Alcock was cast as young 'Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen' in the 2022 HBO fantasy series "House of the Dragon...

Warning: Contains Spoilers for Fire & Blood, the book on which House of the Dragon is based.

Milly Alcock returning as Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon is less likely now she's been cast as Supergirl in the DC Universe. Taking on such a major franchise role makes it harder - though not impossible - to come back, and it had previously been confirmed she wouldn't return in season 2 anyway. Flashbacks or visions of Rhaenyra's younger years would have been powerful storytelling devices to bridge the gap in her history and further explore her relationship with Alicent.

Hopes for one theory about Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 3 have, unfortunately, been dashed. Much of the excitement surrounding the Game of Thrones prequel is focused on the upcoming House of the Dragon season 2, which will release on HBO and Max in Summer 2024. The show is pretty much guaranteed a future beyond that,...

Take a look at actress Milly Alcock aka young 'Rhaenyra Targaryen' in HBO's "House of the Dragon", recently cast as the new ‘Supergirl’ in the upcoming DC Comics adaptation “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow”, posing for "Harper's Bazaar" magazine, photographed by Bryan Liston:

Alcock played 'Maya Nordenfelt' in the Showcase drama "Fighting Season".

She also appeared in the sixth and final series of "A Place to Call Home" as 'Emma Carvolth'...

...the Netflix series "Pine Gap" as 'Marissa Campbell'...

...and ABC series "Les Norton" as 'Sian Galese'.

In 2018 Alcock appeared in her first feature film "The School". In 2019, Alcock began starring in the Foxtel comedy-drama series "Upright" as runaway teenager 'Meg', hitchhiking across 2,000 miles of the Australian outback.

She also had supporting roles as 'Jenny McGinty' in the series "The Gloaming " and 'Sam Serrato' in the series "Reckoning".

Alcock was cast as young 'Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen'...

With the conclusion of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,’ the Dceu has officially wrapped up, making way for the Dcu to take charge. Despite James Gunn’s upcoming ‘Superman: Legacy’ being labeled as a soft reboot, it appears that under his guidance, the narratives of DC characters are heading in a fresh direction. Gunn, known for keeping fans informed through social media updates, recently addressed some production details on Threads.

According to Gunn, the development of ‘Superman: Legacy’ is progressing smoothly, with sets under construction, costumes finalized, and actors adapting to their roles. When asked about the cast, Gunn mentioned that over 90% are confirmed but not yet 100%, leaving some characters without attached actors, sparking further speculation.

Recent rumors from The Hollywood Reporter suggest that the selection for Dcu’s Supergirl has been narrowed down to Milly Alcock and Meg Donnelly after a screen test in Atlanta. This aligns with previous speculation,...

With the release of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ Dceu officially ended, and now Dcu is taking over. Even though Gunn’s reboot is supposed to be a soft reboot, it looks like the stories of DC characters under his leadership are going in a new direction. Since Gunn often likes to provide fans with updates via Social Media, he is always eager to answer questions regarding the development of his upcoming ‘Superman: Legacy’ the movie that is supposed to kick off the live-action portion of the Dcu.

Recently, Gunn used Threads to clear up some details regarding the production of the movie. He cleared up that the development so far is going “swimmingly” as sets are being built, costumes are finished, and actors are adjusting to their roles. One fan took the opportunity to ask Gunn how much the cast he has locked in for ‘Legacy,’ and Gunn was...

Lily Sullivan earned a lot of horror-loving fans with her performance in last year’s Evil Dead Rise, writer/director Lee Cronin’s addition to the Sam Raimi-created Evil Dead franchise. Those horror-loving fans are going to have a new Sullivan film to check out soon, when Well Go USA gives a theatrical and digital release to Monolith on February 16th – and with just a month to go before that date arrives, a trailer for the film has arrived online. You can check it out in the embed above.

The feature directorial debut of Matt Vesely, who has 15 years of short film credits on his filmography, Monolith was written by Lucy Campbell. This is Campbell’s first feature writing credit, following multiple script editor and script coordinator credits on projects like the Wolf Creek TV series, Wanted, Pine Gap, The Hunting, Upright, Stateless, A Sunburnt Christmas, Firebite, and Aftertaste.

The politics of Barbie Land just became a lot more real.

After the Greta Gerwig-directed film was banned in Vietnam prior to its July 21 release date, a spokesperson for Warner Bros. responded to claims that a map featured in the trailer features the “nine-dash line,” which indicates China’s territorial claims over the South China Sea in areas Vietnam say deny its own sovereignty.

“The map in Barbie Land is a child-like crayon drawing,” the spokesperson told Variety. “The doodles depict Barbie’s make-believe journey from Barbie Land to the ‘real world.’ It was not intended to make any type of statement.”

Vi Kien Thanh, director general of the Vietnam Cinema Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, announced July 3 that “Barbie” will not be allowed to commercially screen in the country, as decided by the National Film Evaluation Council.

“We do not grant license for the...

Greta Gerwig‘s Barbie will not be released in Vietnam. The country has banned commercial screenings of the film due to a scene that shows a map of the controversial “nine-dash line” in the South China Sea.

The U-shaped nine-dash line is a boundary China has used to claim territories in the South China Sea. This line is challenged by other nations in Southeast Asia such as Vietnam, which says the territorial declaration violates its sovereignty. Some of the contested areas are potentially rich in energy sources like oil and natural gas.

A court at The Hague in the Netherlands, which is home to the United Nation’s International Court of Justice, made a unanimous decision to reject the line, but China has ignored the ruling. There are currently no established tools for the implementation of the court’s verdict.

This is not the first movie Vietnam has banned because of the line.

While plenty of Western fans are hyping up for Greta Gerwig's upcoming Barbie film, the pinkest flick there probably ever will be, things aren't looking quite so bright across the Pacific. Per a report from Deadline, Barbie is apparently being banned from every single theater in Vietnam, over a political discrepancy regarding a map shown in the film depicting China's territorial claims in the South China Sea. The scene in question shows the map with the "nine-dash" line, which is contested by the Vietnamese government.

Related: Barbie's Box Office Opening Predicted To Blow Away Oppenheimer...and Most Other Summer Blockbusters

Barbie, which is set as a fantasy comedy based on Mattel's iconic fashion doll, is the latest film from acclaimed director Greta Gerwig. Her previous work includes two Oscar-nominated films, coming-of-age comedy Lady Bird (2017) and period drama Little Women (2019), which featured an all-star cast such as Florence Pugh...

Barbie Land just got a little smaller.

The highly-anticipated “Barbie” has been banned in Vietnam over the inclusion of the “nine dash line map” depicting islands in the South China Sea as being controlled by Beijing. Vietnamese politicians claim the map violates its sovereignty.

Vi Kien Thanh, director general of the Vietnam Cinema Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, announced that “Barbie” will not be allowed to commercially screen in the nation, as decided by the National Film Evaluation Council.

“We do not grant license for the American movie ‘Barbie’ to release in Vietnam because it contains the offending image of the nine-dash line,” the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper stated, citing Thanh (via Variety).

Previous films “Uncharted” and “Abominable” were similarly banned in Vietnam for the same cause, as well as series “Madam Secretary,” “Pine Gap,” and “Put Your Head On My Shoulder.”

The United Nations ruled...

The eagerly anticipated ‘Barbie’ movie, produced by Warner Bros and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, has been prohibited from distribution in Vietnam. This unexpected turn of events is due to a scene in the film displaying a controversial map depicting the Chinese territorial claims, also known as the “nine-dash line,” in the South China Sea.

Related: 10 Best Ryan Gosling Movies, Ranked by Viewers

The nine-dash line is a demarcation used by China to assert its sovereignty over substantial sections of the South China Sea. This claim is ardently disputed by various countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei, with each nation putting forth their own territorial claims in the region. Despite the international tribunal in The Hague ruling against the validity of the nine-dash line in 2016, China continues to disregard the judgment.

Vi Kien Thanh, head of the Department of Cinema in Vietnam, a governmental agency responsible...

China’s controversial ‘nine-dash line’ shown in scene.

Vietnam has banned the local release of Warner Bros’s Barbie over a scene that depicts a map with the “nine-dash line”, used on Chinese maps to show its claims over areas of the South China Sea.

The tentpole feature, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, was due to be released in the country on July 21, the same date as the US.

However, Vietnam’s National Film Evaluation Council has not issued a release licence for the film due to the inclusion of the map in an as-yet-unknown scene.

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie will not be headed to Vietnam. The country has banned commercial screenings of the film because of a scene that shows a map of the contested “nine-dash line” in the South China Sea.

The nine-dash line is a U-shaped demarcation China has used to assert territorial claims in the South China Sea. Those claims are contested by other nations in the area, including Vietnam. While a court at the Hague issued an international arbitration ruling in 2016 repudiating the line, China has ignored the decision.

The issue...

Vietnam has banned commercial screenings of Warner Bros’ Barbie due to a scene that depicts a map of the South China Sea with the “nine-dash line” that is contested by the Vietnamese government.

The film, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, was scheduled for release in Vietnam on July 21.

The controversial “nine-dash line” represents China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Vietnam disputes. The U-shaped line was also repudiated in an international arbitration ruling by a court in The Hague in 2016. China refuses to recognize the ruling.

Vi Kien Thanh, director general of the Vietnam Cinema Department, under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the ban was decided by Vietnam’s National Film Evaluation Council.

“We do not grant a licence for the American movie Barbie to release in Vietnam because it contains the offending image of the nine-dash line,...

Authorities in Vietnam have banned commercial screenings of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.”

The Warner Bros. film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, one of the most anticipated movies of the summer, was set to have been released in the country on July 21.

The film contains a scene that depicts a map with the “nine dash line,” a representation of China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Vietnam says violates its sovereignty.

Vi Kien Thanh, director general of the Vietnam Cinema Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said on Monday that the ban was decided by the National Film Evaluation Council.

Warner Bros. has not responded to Variety’s requests for comment.

Many of China’s neighbors, including Vietnam, have competing and overlapping territorial claims and strongly dispute China’s assertions. In 2016, a United Nations disputes resolution tribunal in The Hague ruled unanimously against the...

Actressa Milly Alcock aka young 'Rhaenyra Targaryen' in HBO's "House of the Dragon", poses for the April 2023 issue of "Harper's Bazaar" magazine, photographed by Bryan Liston:

Alcock played 'Maya Nordenfelt' in the Showcase drama "Fighting Season".

She also appeared in the sixth and final series of "A Place to Call Home" as 'Emma Carvolth'...

...the Netflix series "Pine Gap" as 'Marissa Campbell'...

...and ABC series "Les Norton" as 'Sian Galese'.

In 2018 Alcock appeared in her first feature film "The School". In 2019, Alcock began starring in the Foxtel comedy-drama series "Upright" as runaway teenager 'Meg', hitchhiking across 2,000 miles of the Australian outback..

She also had supporting roles as 'Jenny McGinty' in the series "The Gloaming " and 'Sam Serrato' in the series "Reckoning".

Alcock was cast as young 'Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen' in the 2022 HBO fantasy series "House of the Dragon".

In 2023, Alcock played the main character in the...

Playing a Targaryen is a tall order. Actors need both regal composure and would-burn-you-alive-if-you-put-a-foot-wrong unpredictability. They have to be fierce, boil with power, and somehow look convincing soaring into a scene on the back of a dragon while wearing a questionable wig.

Playing a Targaryen princess is an even taller order because actors have to do all of the above while also being about 12 years old.. Happily, House of the Dragon’s Milly Alcock, who plays the young Rhaenyra, is more than up to that challenge – as anybody who saw her in 2019 series Upright will already know.

Upright is by no means Alcock’s first acting job, the 22-year-old has already racked up major roles on Australian TV including spy thriller Pine Gap, Starz crime series The Gloaming and serial killer drama Reckoning. Upright though, is Alcock’s first co-lead and the first show to really prove what she’s capable of on screen.

Newcomer Milly Alcock stars as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in HBO's highly anticipated "Game of Thrones" prequel, "House of the Dragon." The actor made her big debut during the show's world premiere on Aug. 21, and she's already made quite the impression as the new heir to Viserys I's throne - but she has big shoes to fill as a core part of the show's story.

Alcock, who hails from Australia, has been acting since she was a teen, landing roles on shows like "High Life," "Pine Gap," and "The Gloaming." Despite coming from a "sporty family," the actor says she still managed to find her creative passion. "I think I got my interest in acting because everybody was uninterested in acting," she told Vogue Australia of her family in 2020. "I grew up in a predominantly rugby union household; it doesn't make any sense."

When Alcock auditioned for "House of the Dragon,...

The upcoming Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, will feature an extensive ensemble cast. Even though the focus of House of the Dragon will primarily be on the Targaryens and their bloody civil war, there are plenty of characters outside the titular house of dragons that will help expand the world of Westeros during this time period. Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, we get to see familiar houses and families at different stages of power, as well as powerful houses like the Velaryons who are all but wiped out by the time Game of Thrones begins. Like its predecessor, House of the Dragon will likely have plenty of drama, conspiracy, and questionable relationships between its characters as the season moves forward, but here’s what we know about the main cast so far.

Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen

King Viserys Targaryen, father to...

Milly Alcock stars as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in Season 1 of House of the Dragon. Pic credit: HBO/Ollie Upton

House of the Dragon tells the story of House Targaryen and is set to debut this Sunday night on HBO Max.

The story will commence some 200 years prior to the events that unfolded in the network’s original series, Game of Thrones.

There, the Targaryens were almost a dead house with only Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and Jon Snow Aka Aegon Targaryen, the last remaining members of this family.

However, in House of the Dragon, House Targaryen is in its heyday. Ruled by King Viserys (Paddy Considine), the line of succession is set to be passed down to his daughter, Rhaenyra Targaryen.

Rhaenyra’s story will be told from two perspectives, as an adult (and being portrayed by Emma D-Arcy) and as a young teen (Milly Alcock).

Now, Milly has only just...

The first two episodes of the much-anticipated Star Wars series "Obi-Wan Kenobi" finally premiered on Disney+ on May 27. Ewan McGregor reprises his role as the titular character in the live-action limited series, which picks up 10 years after the events of 2005's "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" - McGregor's last appearance in the Star Wars franchise before leading "Obi-Wan Kenobi." The series boasts an impressive ensemble of actors, with veteran Star Wars cast members, including Hayden Christensen, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, and more, slipping back into their beloved roles. However, fans were surprised to see that the role of Breha Organa, Princess Leia's foster mother and wife of Bail Organa, had been recast. The character was played by Rebecca Jackson Mendoza in "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith."

Who Is Rebecca Jackson Mendoza?

Mendoza, who first came to prominence as one-half of the pop-duo Jackson Mendoza with her sister Natalie...

Sony’s “Uncharted” will not open in Vietnam after the country’s department of cinema banned it for containing a map that favors China’s claims over areas in the South China Sea.

The image of the map in the film concerns the so-called “nine-dash line,” an area of reefs in the South China Sea that is rich with oil and other natural resources — and the subject of a long-running dispute between China and Vietnam despite being part of Vietnam’s continental shelf.

“The film was banned from distribution after we watched it and found it contained an illegal image of the infamous nine-dash line,” the state-run Vietnam News Agency reported (via Reuters) based on comments by Vi Kien Thanh, head of the Department of Cinema, a government body in charge of licensing and censoring foreign films.

Reps for Sony did not respond to a request for comment.

Vietnam previously...

Sony’s hit action adventure “Uncharted” has been banned in Vietnam over the film’s inclusion of a map that depicts China’s contested territorial claims in Southeast Asia.

The film, which stars Tom Holland, Mark Walhberg and Antonio Banderas was to have arrived in Vietnamese cinemas from March 18. Prior to this weekend, the film had grossed $278 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

Vietnamese state media announced the ban on Saturday. “The film was banned from distribution after we watched it and found it contained an illegal image of the infamous nine-dash line,” Vietnam News Agency reported. It cited Vi Kien Thanh, head of the Department of Cinema, the government structure responsible for licensing and censoring foreign films.

Sony did not respond to Variety’s request for comment.

The “nine dash line” loosely describes China’s claim to own most of the South China Sea as its own territory. The claimed area,...

It’s the beginning of the end on A Discovery of Witches. In the TV adaptation’s third and final season, Diana and Matthew return to the present to face a personal tragedy and deep political division among the creatures. The forces of conservatism seek to preserve the separation between vampires, witches and daemons; while reformers wish to dismantle the status quo. Threats from the Book of Life, the Oxford blood-rage killer, the Congregation and Peter Knox all continue, while Diana comes into her prophesied role as the witch who will change everything.

Joining the existing characters in the ongoing battle are newcomers Fernando (Olivier Huband), Ransome (Parker Sawyers), Geraldine (Genesis Lynea), Dr Roberts (Ivanno Jeremiah), and actor Toby Regbo. Season three also welcomes Peter McDonald, who takes over the existing role of Baldwin St Clair from Trystan Gravelle. Find out more about them all below, with mild spoilers right at the end.

David Gulpilil, an actor who who lit up the screen in his 1971 debut film “Walkabout” and recently starred in a biographical documentary about his remarkable life, has died. Gulpilil was diagnosed with lung cancer four years ago. He was 68.

The Australian actor was a pioneering indigenous performer with talents including acting, singing and painting. His film credits include “The Last Wave,” “Crocodile Dundee,” “The Tracker,” “Rabbit-Proof Fence,” “Ten Canoes,” “Goldstone” and “Charlie’s Country.” TV credits include “Pine Gap” and “The Timeless Land.”

“It is with deep sadness that I share with the people of South Australia the passing of an iconic, once-in-a-generation artist who shaped the history of Australian film and Aboriginal representation on screen – David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu (Am),” said South Australia’s Premier Steven Marshall in a statement.

“David Gulpilil was from the Mandhalpingu clan of the Yolŋu people, and was raised in the traditional ways in Arnhem Land.

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“Malignant,” James Wan’s latest horror offering, scared its way into theaters on Friday, but for those of you who want to watch from home, the film is streaming exclusively on HBO Max.

Annabelle Wallis stars in the spooky movie about a woman who discovers that her debilitating dreams are terrifying realities. Rounding out the cast are Maddie Hasson (“Novitiate”), George Young (“Containment”), Michole Briana White, Jake Abel, Jacqueline McKenzie, and Ingrid Bisu.

In order to watch “Malignant,” you must be subscribed to the HBO Max ad-free plan ($14.99 a month). The movie is available in 4K Ultra HD, Hdr 10, and Dolby Vision.

Don’t have HBO Max? Join today through Hulu and enjoy a free seven-day trial.

The “Game of Thrones” prequel series “House of the Dragon” at HBO is adding four new actors to its cast.

Steve Toussaint, Rhys Ifans, Eve Best, and Sonoya Mizuno are all joining the highly-anticipated prequel to the megahit HBO show. They join previously announced stars Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, and Matt Smith.

“House of the Dragon” is set a few hundred years prior to the events of “Game of Thrones” and tells the story of House Targaryen and the Targaryen civil war that became known as the “Dance of the Dragons.”

Toussaint will star as Lord Corlys Velaryon, “The Sea Snake.” Lord of House Velaryon, a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen. As “The Sea Snake,” the most famed nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros, Lord Corlys built his house into a powerful seat that is even richer than the Lannisters and that claims the largest navy in the world.

James Wan has announced that his new film Malignant has finished via Instagram and Facebook, along with this image.

Malignant comes out September 10th. I finally wrapped it last week. This was supposed to be my “little horror thriller” I do between the big ones, but the pandemic pushed it as long the big ones. I’m super excited for this film. I don’t even know how to describe it. I wanted to do something original and genre-bending, and different to my other work, but still in the spirit of the horror-thrillers I grew up with. More to come. #MalignantMovie

James Wan

Here’s the official site via WB: https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/malignant

It was announced December 17, 2019 that shooting wrapped in Los Angeles on Atomic Monster’s “Malignant,” the latest creation from “Conjuring” universe architect James Wan. The film marks director Wan’s return to his...

Exclusive: Australian actress Madeleine Madden, known for her work in Amazon’s Picnic At Hanging Rock and soon-to-be-seen in a starring role in The Wheel of Time, has signed with CAA for representation in all areas.

Madden stars as Egwene al’Vere in Rafe Judkins’ upcoming Amazon series The Wheel of Time, opposite Rosamund Pike, Daniel Henney, Sophie Okonedo, and Barney Harris.

Madden made her acting debut in the critically acclaimed Australian drama series Redfern Now. She also starred opposite Isabela Merced and Michael Peña in the live-action Paramount Players film Dora The Explorer. She co-starred as Marion Quade opposite Natalie Dormer and Samara Weaving in Amazon’s acclaimed miniseries, Picnic at Hanging Rock, as well as in Netflix’s Pine Gap and Tidelands, Australia’s first Netflix original series.

In 2010, at age 13, Madden became the first teenager in Australia to address the entire nation when she delivered a two-minute...

How does one go about deciding what to watch next? Perhaps you read articles like this, or perhaps you adhere to the recommendations that algorithms think you’ll enjoy. But those are run-of-the-mill. Instead, why not take them from a best-selling horror author whose works have been adapted for screen more than 50 times?

I am, of course, talking about Stephen King and the recommendations he’s long been beaming to his 6,000,000 Twitter followers. King’s newest favourite is Hanna, an Amazon Prime action drama that recently debuted its second season. The series “follows the journey of an extraordinary young girl raised in the forest, as she evades the relentless pursuit of an off-book CIA agent and tries to unearth the truth behind who she is.” And here’s what the author had to say about it on social media:

Hanna (Amazon Prime) is really smart and entertaining. Two seasons available.

Hannah Gadsby.

Facing the prospect that the Federal Government will impose local content spending obligations on SVOD services, Netflix asserts it wants the right to negotiate how much it invests over the next three years.

In its submission to the government’s ‘Supporting Australian Stories on Our Screens’ options paper review, the streaming giant proposes a “flexible, reasonably-set voluntary investment model that meets cultural policy goals and incentivises wider investment.”

Netflix rejects option 3, which is favoured by Screen Producers Australia and all industry guilds and would require all delivery platforms to invest a minimum percentage of their Australian revenues into local scripted content, with annual sub-quotas for drama, documentary and children’s programs.

This model has “the potential to cause significant problems for the sector, including the reality that there is currently insufficient physical production capacity for this option to work meaningfully in practice,” it says, which arguably ignores the...

Stephen King, also known as the world’s most successful author, has been giving out tons of viewing recommendations to help his fans get through the quarantine. In the past, the writer has stuck to his usual Mo: thriller and horror. Recently, however, he’s expanded his tastes quite a bit, and these are all the movies and shows on Netflix that he’s given the thumbs up to.

For starters, King recommended Spike Lee’s new film Da 5 Bloods almost as soon as it was released. The first picture which the acclaimed director and civil rights activist produced in collaboration with the streamer, it’s quite a departure from his previous work. Although it’s still very much focused on black life and culture, this tale, about a group of war veterans, takes place not in Bed Stuy, but the jungles of Vietnam. King called it “fabulous,” and we agree.

No matter how long the coronavirus-induced quarantine regulations will last, we’ll never run out of things to watch. Should you have already completed your personal watch list though, fear not, as internationally acclaimed horror and thriller writer Stephen King has you covered. And the best part is, all his picks are available on Netflix.

Mostly, King’s collection includes some predictably gory and suspenseful entries. His first, for instance, is the 2019 zombie apocalypse web drama Black Summer. Set in the same universe as the ambitious Syfy show Z Nation, it follows a team of ordinary people as they embark on a quest to transport the single survivor of a zombie virus plague from New York to California. King had some very lofty things to mention about the show in his recent tweet, and watching it during an actual pandemic might amp up the scare factor, too.

Black Summer (Netflix...

Asher Keddie and Darren Gilshenan in ‘Stateless’ (Photo: Lisa Tomasetti).

Netflix has acquired worldwide rights excluding Australia to Stateless, the six-part drama about four strangers whose lives collide in an immigration detention centre in the Australian desert, co-created by Cate Blanchett, Tony Ayres and Elise McCredie.

The series produced by Matchbox Pictures and Blanchett and Andrew Upton’s Dirty Films, which premieres on the ABC this Sunday, will roll out on the streamer later this year.

The first two episodes of the drama starring Yvonne Strahovski, Jai Courtney, Fayssal Bazzi, Asher Keddie and Blanchett have their world premiere on Wednesday night at the sixth edition of the Berlin International Film Festival’s Berlinale Series.

Emma Freeman and Jocelyn Moorhouse directed the series scripted by the showrunner McCredie and Belinda Chayko and produced by Sheila Jayadev and Paul Ranford.

Strahovski plays Sofie Werner, an airline hostess on the run from her...

(Photo credit: BBC).

Stan and the BBC have co-commissioned a six-part thriller from the producers of Fleabag, to be shot in South Australia with support from the South Australian Film Corporation (Safc).

Created and written by Two Brothers Pictures’ Harry and Jack Williams, The Tourist follows a British man who is pursued by a vast tank truck that tries to drive him off the road.

With echoes of Steven Spielberg’s Duel, a cat-and-mouse chase ensues and The Man later wakes in hospital, hurt but suffering from amnesia.

Pursued by figures from his past, his search for answers takes him through the outback and on to Singapore and Bali.

Lisa Scott will produce for Two Brothers Pictures and her new company Highview Productions while Chris Sweeney, whose credits include Liar, the ITV/Sundance TV thriller co-created by Harry and Jack Williams, and the BBC/Showtime comedy-drama Back to Life, will direct.

Exclusive: Michole Briana White and Jacqueline McKenzie have joined the growing ensemble cast of James Wan’s untitled Atomic Monster film, which marks a return to his indie horror roots.

They join already-cast Annabelle Wallis, Jake Abel, George Young and Maddie Hasson. The pic is in production in Los Angeles, a recipient of the Independent California Film Rebate.

White has appeared in such pics as Lila and Eve, She Hate Me, and Encino Man. She is represented by SMS and Silver J Mgmt.

McKenzie can be seen in the Netflix series Pine Gap, and she recently wrapped filming the reboot of the crime thriller miniseries Halifax: Retribution. She won the 2018 Most Outstanding Supporting Actress Logie (Australian Emmys) for her role as Gabe in Romper Stomper: Next Gen for Stan. She also stars in the miniseries Safe Harbour from NBC/Matchbox, which is currently streaming on Hulu. McKenzie is repped by the Burstein Company and Marquee.

The cast of ‘The Heights’ season 2 (Photo credit: Ben King).

Backed by Screen Australia, the second season of the ABC’s ground-breaking drama serial The Heights will start shooting in Perth on August 26, providing more opportunities for emerging directors, writers and actors.

Jub Clerc, whose short Storytime is featured in the horror anthology Dark Whispers – Volume 1 curated by Megan Riakos and Leonie Marsh, and Kelli Cross (Aussie Rangers) are joining the cohort of directors under the production’s mentorship program.

They will be mentored by Karl Zwicky, alongside another addition in Tenika Smith (Neighbours) and Renée Webster, who made her TV drama directing debut on the first season.

Season one writers Romina Accurso, Hannah Carroll Chapman, Megan Palinkas, Peter Mattessi, Dot West, Magda Wozniak, the showrunner/co-creator Warren Clarke and Katie Beckett return.

They are joined by recruits Tim Williams, Nora Niasari, Nayuka Gorrie, Cassandra Nguyen, Jane Allen, Alex Cullen,...

Kelton Pell.

Actor Kelton Pell is the first Western Australian to receive the Screen Legend accolade from CinefestOZ in the event’s 12-year history.

In a career spanning more than 25 years, his film credits include Blackfellas, Australian Rules, September, Bran Nue Dae, Mad Bastards, Looking For Grace, Red Dog:True Blue and Three Summers.

In his latest screen role he appeared alongside Bill Nighy, Victoria Hill and Milan Burch in director Tim Brown’s Buckley’s Chance, which was partly shot in Wa.

Nighy played Spencer, the estranged grandfather of Burch’s Ridley, who moved to Wa with his mother Gloria (Hill) after his father dies. Spencer tries to reconnect with the boy but he gets lost the outback.

Pell has been a familiar face in such TV shows as Pine Gap, The Gods of Wheat Street, The Circuit, Redfern Now and The Heights.

“It’s a huge honour,” he says of the award.

Tess Haubrich in ‘Bad Mothers.’

Tess Haubrich is making her Us TV series debut in Treadstone, a CIA drama commissioned by the USA Network.

The Bad Mothers, Nekrotronic, Pine Gap and Wolf Creek star has a recurring role in the Universal Cable Productions’ series which is shooting in Budapest.

Created by Tim Kring (Heroes) and Ben Smith, a producer of the Bourne franchise, the show explores the origins and present-day adventures of a CIA black ops program known as Operation Treadstone — a covert program that uses behaviour-modification protocol to turn recruits into nearly superhuman assassins.

The first season follows sleeper agents across the globe as they’re mysteriously “awakened” to resume their deadly missions.

The cast includes The Killing’s Michelle Forbes, Almost Famous’ Patrick Fugit, The Leftovers’ Michael Gaston and Bollywood star Shruti Haasan in her English-language debut.

Haubrich, who played Sarah in Bad Mothers, portrays Samantha, a nurse...

The Killing’s Michelle Forbes has joined USA Network’s CIA drama Treadstone alongside Almost Famous’ Patrick Fugit, The Leftovers’ Michael Gaston, Alien: Covenant’s Tess Haubrich and Bollywood star Shruti Haasan.

The actors join the likes of Jeremy Irvine and Brian J. Smith in the Ucp series, which is currently in production in Budapest. The drama comes from Heroes creator Tim Kring and Ben Smith, a producer of the ‘Bourne’ franchise.

Elsewhere, the cast includes Omar Metwally, Tracy Ifeachor, Hyo Joo Han, Gabrielle Scharnitzky and Emilia Schüle.

Written by Kring, Treadstone explores the origin story and present-day actions of a CIA black ops program known as Operation Treadstone — a covert program that uses behavior-modification protocol to turn recruits into nearly superhuman assassins. The first season follows sleeper agents across the globe as they’re mysteriously “awakened” to resume their deadly missions.

Forbes, who has also starred in Berlin Station and True Blood,...

Lucy Campbell.

Writer, director and producer Lucy Campbell is inaugural recipient of The Bird in Hand Nest Residency, an eight-week professional development program based in La and supported by Australians in Film (AiF), the South Australian Film Corporation (Safc) and Sa winery Bird in Hand.

Campbell wrote and directed online series The Big Nothing, co-produced short film Konya starring Ningali Lawford and Natasha Wanganeen, and has worked as a script editor and script co-ordinator on a wide range of productions including Wolf Creek, Upright, Pine Gap, The Hunting and Wanted.

Currently she is developing a feature film script with a Us production company, supported by the Safc, as well as a TV adaptation of The Big Nothing.

AiF and the Safc will curate a custom-made, eight-week residency program for Campbell in La, based at AiF’s Charlie’s, which will incorporate tailored mentoring, industry networking opportunities and access to AiF’s industry program.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

Labor has attacked the federal government for five and a half years of inaction over screen sector reforms while the Australian Greens have advocated a suite of measures to support the industry.

The Greens urged the government to impose a local content quota of at least 10 per cent on streaming services, harmonise the Producer Offset at 40 per cent and raise the Location Offset to 30 per cent.

The removal of the 65-hour cap for the Producer Offset, closing the New Zealand content ‘loophole,’ maintaining the existing content quota system and establishing terms of trade between broadcasters and producers were among the Greens’ proposals – all policies advocated by Screen Producers Australia.

Labor Senators accused the government of failing to articulate an agenda or vision for the Australian screen and music sectors and of cutting funding for public broadcasting by about $500 million.

They called on the government to ensure appropriate...

Exclusive: Starz is rounding out it series regular cast for upcoming drama P-Valley (working title). Carolyn Braver (The Iceman Cometh), Parker Sawyers (Pine Gap), Elarica Johnson (Blade Runner 2049) and Harriett D. Foy (Law & Order: Svu) have been cast opposite Brandee Evans and Nicco Annan in Katori Hall’s strip club drama based on her play Pussy Valley. Peter Chernin executive produces.

Created by Hall, who also showruns, the drama is set down deep in the Mississippi Delta, where lies an oasis of grit and glitter in a rough patch of human existence where beauty can be hard to find. The Southern-fried hourlong drama tells the kaleidoscopic story of a little-strip-club-that-could and the big characters who come through its doors: the hopeful, the lost, the broken, the ballers, the beautiful, and the damned. Trap music meets film noir in this lyrical and atmospheric series that dares to ask what happens...

Netflix has confirmed that 64 new original series, movies and specials will be debuting on the streaming service in December, including the red-hot Oscar contender “Roma.” Among the returning shows are the second half of season 3 of “The Ranch” and season 4 of “Fuller House.”

Available December 1

“8 Mile”

“Astro Boy”

“Battle” (Netflix original)

“Bride of Chucky”

“Christine”

“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”

“Crossroads: One Two Jaga” (Netflix original)

“Friday”

“Friday After Next”

“Hellboy”

“Man vs Wild with Sunny Leone,” Season 1

“Meet Joe Black”

“Memories of the Alhambra” (Netflix original)

“My Bloody Valentine”

“Next Friday”

“Reindeer Games”

“Seven Pounds”

“Shaun of the Dead”

“Terminator Salvation”

“The Big Lebowski”

“The Great British Baking Show: Masterclass,” Season 5 Masterclasses

“The Last Dragon”

“The Man Who Knew Too Little”

Available December 2

“The Lobster”

Available December 3

“Blue Planet II,” Season 1

“Hero Mask” (Netflix original)

“The Sound of Your Heart: Reboot,” Season 2 (Netflix original)

Available December 4

“District 9”

Available December 6

“Happy!

Stephen Curry, Jacqueline McKenzie and Steve Toussaint in ‘Pine Gap.’

October looms as a blue-ribbon month for Australian high-end drama with the premieres of Pine Gap and Fighting Season.

Screentime’s 6-part thriller set at the Us/Australian defence base in the Northern Territory will debut with a double episode on the ABC at 8.30 pm on Sunday October 14, with all episodes available to binge immediately after on ABC iview.

Goalpost Pictures’ 6-part drama about Australian soldiers returning from Afghanistan will launch on Foxtel’s showcase and on Foxtel Now at 8.30 pm on Sunday October 28.

Created and written by Greg Haddrick and Felicity Packard and directed by Mat King, Pine Gap examines the often turbulent relationships between the Australian and Us intelligence analysts working at the base.

With China encroaching, placing decades of stability under threat, the issues of trust, betrayal, love and loyalty all come into question. A shocking secret...

Australia’s two-time Oscar-nominated actress Jacki Weaver heads the cast of sci-fi series “Bloom.” An original commission for Australian streaming platform Stan, the six-part series is produced by Sony Pictures Television’s Playmaker.

The story takes place a year after a devastating flood has killed five locals in an idyllic country town, and when a mysterious new plant appears. The plant’s phenomenal ability to restore youth is so formidable that attempting to harness it means re-evaluating values. It is a miracle some will kill to keep secret.

With finance from Stan and federal funding body Screen Australia, production is now under way in Victoria state. Sony Pictures Television will distribute outside Australia.

The series is created by Glen Dolman. Production is by Sue Seeary and shot by Aacta-winning cinematographer Geoff Hall. The series is directed by John Curran and Mat King.

The lead cast includes Bryan Brown, Phoebe Tonkin,...

Former Rectify star Aden Young and True Blood alum Sam Trammell are set to headline Reckoning, a 10-episode straight-to-series psychological thriller drama, from writer David Hubbard (Noel), veteran showrunner David Eick (Falling Skies) and Sony Pictures Television Networks.

Rounding out the ensemble cast are Simone Kessell, Laura Gordon, Gloria Garayua Mitzi Ruhlmann, Milly Alcock, Ed Oxenbould, Finn Little, Anthony Phelan and Diana Glenn.

Produced by Sony Pictures TV-owned Australian company Playmaker (The Code), Reckoning began production this week in Sydney for premiere next year on Sptn’s international channels, including Axn, in select territories in Europe and Latin America. Set in California, the 10-episode series is being filmed and wholly produced and post-produced in Australia.