News

Exclusive: Gemma Arterton has revealed to Deadline that she will star in the five-part ITV adaptation of Tom Bradby’s ITV spy thriller Secret Service.

She’ll play a senior UK intelligence officer who goes rogue in order to uncover a Russian mole embedded in the highest echelons of the British government. “It’s so timely,” Arteton tells me during an exclusive interview in which she notes that Russian influence is everywhere.

“Just look at what’s happening in America,” she adds ruefully, referencing President Trump’s ever growing bromance with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Bradby, whose day job is ITV News anchor, penned his page-turning novel in 2019. However, he and co-screenwriter Jemma Kennedy (Captain Webb) have shifted the book’s gripping storyline to 2026, which is when the Potboiler Productions series, directed by feature filmmaker James Marsh, will premiere on ITV1, Stv, Itvx and Stv Player.

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art...

And another one bites the dust. Netflix has become infamous for dropping that dreaded axe on popular and critically acclaimed shows, and now the action spy thriller series The Recruit has been added to that ever-growing list. Despite solid reactions, and even an improved second season, The Recruit has now been cancelled.

The disappointing news comes courtesy of cast member Colton Dunn, who stars in The Recruit as CIA agent Lester Kitchens alongside Noah Centineo’s CIA lawyer Owen Hendricks, who made the announcement on social media.

“The Recruit has been cancelled yall. Such a bummer. I’ll share some pics and fun memories on Ig but just wanted you to hear it from me. Thanks if you watched. I’m Available Now! Hire me for you tv story!!”

Why Was 'The Recruit' Cancelled? Netflix

Beginning back in 2022, the first season of The Recruit introduces audiences to Noah Centineo as Owen Hendricks,...

As fans of the Game of Thrones franchise may be aware, BAFTA-nominated actor James Norton is slated to play Ormund Hightower in HBO's smash hit the Game of Thrones spin-off, House of the Dragon. Fans of the fantasy drama may want to dig into Norton's lengthy filmography as they wait for him to make his Season 3 debut.

Norton is a well-established actor on the stage and screen who has turned in plenty of enthralling performances and been a part of critically renowned films and TV shows. However, even among the spoil of riches, a few roles stand out as particularly remarkable. Norton demonstrates a talent for imbuing his characters with a sense of quiet strength and complex emotions.

Norton Plays One of Bob Marley's Closest Collaborators Bob Marley: One Love (2024)

Norton portrays Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records and record producer to the trailblazing Reggae artist Bob Marley,...

If there's one thing audiences can't get enough of, it's a juicy mystery full of endless twists and turns that leave them on the edge of their seats until the credits start rolling. The 2022 thriller Rogue Agent proves just how exciting movies rooted in reality can truly be. British actors James Norton and Gemma Arterton headline the thriller, which focuses on notorious con man Robert Hendy-Freegard, who in the '90s and 2000s scammed countless people out of money while posing as an MI5 agent.

Rogue Agent features a cat-and-mouse game between Hendy-Freegard and one of his victims, Alice Archer (Arterton), who teams up with a policeman in the engrossing flick to finally put an end to the swindler's endless lies and deception and reclaim her power. The thriller currently holds a 73% Rotten Tomatoes score and was a knockout with audiences, with many shocked to learn that Norton's character was actually a real criminal.

While fans of Netflix's flashy spy series The Recruitwould love to see star Noah Centineo play the next James Bond, English actor James Norton is the current frontrunner. As of mid-February 2025, Oddschecker has Norton and Aaron Taylor-Johnson tied with the shortest betting odds to play 007 in Bond 26, with each given a 5/2 chance of winning the role. However, once Bond producers and casting agents see Norton in the underrated spy drama Rogue Agent, Norton's odds could increase considerably.

Released in 2022, Rogue Agent stars Norton as a conniving criminal who tricks the world into believing he is a top-ranking MI5 agent. Although he is not, Norton's performative ability to convince those around him that he's a skilled spy only bolsters his chances of proving his James Bond bona fides. Meanwhile, those drawn to The Recruit's stylish implausibility will enjoy Rogue Agent's extreme twists and turns.

Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars...

A long-time James Bond favorite demonstrates his affinity for espionage and joins forces with a former Bond girl in an underrated thriller that is now finding success on Netflix. Released in 2022, the mystery thriller Rogue Agent finds Quantum of Solace star Gemma Arterton sharing the screen with Happy Valley star and current 007 frontrunner James Norton in this true story of a conman who masqueraded as an MI5 agent.

Rogue Agent is now holding firm at #5, with the rest of the Netflix top 10 made up of several action movies, including Miss Congeniality, Rambo: Last Blood, and the Die Hard-esque Aftermath, which is now at #1. Directed by Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn in their feature-length debut, and based on a mysteriously unpublished article titled "Chasing Agent Freegard" by Michael Bronner, Norton stars as conman Robert Hendy-Freegard with Gemma Arterton playing the woman who fell in love with him...before discovering the truth and taking him down.

One of the most divisive action movies in the repertoire of Hollywood icon (and now a so-called "Special Ambassador" tasked with saving the industry) Sylvester Stallone is climbing the charts on Netflix. Released back in 2019, Stallone leads the final outing for one of his most beloved characters, John Rambo, in Rambo: Last Blood, which finds the hero battling a cartel after someone close to him is kidnapped.

Rambo: Last Blood is now #7 on the Netflix chart, just behind the likes of other action outings Miss Congeniality, Rogue Agent, and the Die Hard-esque Aftermath, which holds the top spot. Directed by Adrian Grünberg from a screenplay co-written by Matthew Cirulnick and Sylvester Stallone, Last Blood stars Paz Vega, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Adriana Barraza, Yvette Monreal, Genie Kim aka Yenah Han, Joaquín Cosío, and Óscar Jaenada alongside Stallone. You can check out the official synopsis below.

“Vietnam War veteran John Rambo tries...

Rogue Agent's arrival on Netflix called into question how much of the thriller is true.

The spy drama stars James Norton (recently seen in Bob Marley: One Love) as Robert Freegard, a conman who tricked several people into believing he was an undercover MI5 agent.

The movie flew under the radar when it was released in 2022 but earned a 72% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Read full article on The Direct.

In the same year, Netflix’s interest in real-life criminals led to the creation of two works on Robert Hendy-Freegard, a British con man. The first was the docuseries’ The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman’, and now there’s the feature film, ‘Rogue Agent,’ directed by Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn. It stars James Norton as Robert Freegard along with Gemma Arterton, Marisa Abela, Shazad Latif, and Sarah Goldberg. A ‘House of Games’ style story about a woman going after a con man to avenge herself, it’s a most competently helmed film that allows its complexities and web of deceit to unfold with patience. Given how randomly Netflix tends to label a film a thriller, this is the rare case of one that actually lives up to its promise.

Rogue Agent (2022) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:

In 1993, Robert Freegard took up a bartender position near Trent Hamilton University. It...

Big casting news has been revealed for the upcoming third season of House of the Dragon. Season 3 will serve as the penultimate season for the series, which was previously renewed through a fourth and final season.

Per Variety, actor James Norton has boarded the cast of House of the Dragon Season 3. He will play Ormund Hightower, a character who was referenced in Season 2 but not shown on-screen. A character description for Ormund reads, "Otto’s (Rhys Ifans) nephew, Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Gwayne’s (Freddie Fox) cousin, and the Lord of Oldtown. He is presently leading the Hightower host in a march on King’s Landing to support his house against Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy).”

Image via HBO

RelatedThe Folio Society's Fire and Blood is a Must Read for House of the Dragon Fans Who Want the Real Story

The Folio Society's Fire and Blood is the definitive take on...

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Hulu is one of the best places to find the best movies and TV shows you can watch on any streaming service. Every month, it adds hundreds of new titles to its content library, but with that, there are also some titles that have got to go. So, today, we are here to tell you about the best film you should watch before it leaves Hulu in February 2025.

The Beta Test (February 3) Credit – IFC Films

The Beta Test is a dark comedy thriller film co-written and co-directed by Jim Cummings and Pj McCabe. The 2021 film follows an engaged Hollywood agent, who has an intimate night with an anonymous woman but he soon becomes paranoid that his fiancée will find out about his infidelity. The Beta Test stars Jim Cummings, Pj McCabe, Virginia Newcomb, and Jessie Barr.

Spencer (February...

Sony Pictures Television (Spt) is getting into business with the creators of BBC hits The Salisbury Poisonings and Blue Lights.

Spt has forayed once again into the UK drama market by giving majority backing to Belfast-based Hot Sauce, the new label run by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson. Hot Sauce joins the likes of Left Bank and Bad Wolf in the Spt stable. The percentage stake in the fledgling outfit and deal terms are undisclosed.

Lawn and Patterson met whilst working on the BBC’s Panorama and went on to co-write hit drama The Salisbury Poisonings about the unbelievable events that took place in 2018 surrounding the novichok nerve agent and Russian spies. That catapulted them to factual drama royalty and they have since made Netflix movie Rogue Agent starring James Norton and BBC Northern Ireland police drama Blue Lights, which was recently handed a rare double recommission to take it...

Sony Pictures Television on Tuesday unveiled the launch of Hot Sauce, a Belfast-based production company run by investigative journalists-turned drama creatives Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, known for such projects as Netflix film Rogue Agent and BBC police drama Blue Lights.

“The backing from Spt will supercharge Hot Sauce and see it launched as a full production company,” Sony said. “As a majority-owned company, Hot Sauce joins the Spt International Production group portfolio, alongside fellow scripted companies Left Bank Pictures, Eleven, Eleventh Hour Films, and Cardiff-based Bad Wolf, and will be Spt’s second production company in Belfast, alongside non-scripted and formats specialist Stellify Media.”

Lawn and Patterson met while working for the BBC’s flagship current affairs show Panorama. They then co-wrote hit BBC drama The Salisbury Poisonings, which Sony highlighted became the BBC’s most-watched drama of 20201. Their first feature film Rogue Agent, starring James Norton and Gemma Arterton,...

Exclusive: Like the name of a band or title of a great album, the moniker given to a production company can come loaded with meaning.

“I wanted to make it something personal, rather than just cool-sounding and generic,” James Norton explains when asked about Rabbit Track Pictures, the film and TV production company he runs with Kitty Kaletsky. “I went through all these halcyon films and stuff, but actually, the rabbit track, for me, was somewhere as a child at the back of my garden. From the moment I can remember, it was the place where we were allowed to roam, and adventures would happen. It was fun and wild and feral.”

The name was chosen before Kaletsky came on board, but the production company has since been a joint enterprise. Kaletsky — formerly of Number 9 Films, Archery Pictures and Black Bear — often handles the day-to-day operations, notably when Norton is filming.

After filming three seasons of Industry, Marisa Abela said she’s “more careful now about what it is that’s being seen” when it comes to her frequent sex scenes.

The actress, who plays Yasmin in the popular HBO banking drama, recently told The Times of London that while she likes that her character is comfortable with her sexuality, she’s personally learned to speak up regarding what she’s comfortable with when filming intimate scenes.

“I don’t necessarily push back on the sex. I understand that it’s part of the show. I think I’m just more careful now about what it is that’s being seen,” Abela said. “The nudity aspect is not something that I minded in season one or two — it was like, ‘If it’s in my contract, I’ll do it.’ It was part of Yasmin and part of the fact that...

After nearly two years, “Industry” is back for a third season. And this time around, the HBO drama is chronicling a financial saga that will pull its antiheroes into the upper echelons of the financial, political and media worlds.

Created by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, “Industry” first premiered in 2020 as a steamy and high-stakes drama about a group of new hires at a top-tier London bank. Not all of those newbies lasted, but Down and Kay have found new ways to dive into this ever-stressful world. This season, they’re diving into the world of ethical investment through a new character played by Kit Harington.

Consider this your guide on who’s who in the cast of “Industry” Season 3.

“Industry” Season 3 (Photo Credit: HBO) Marisa Abela as Yasmin Kara-Hanani

Yasmin is one of two characters who has remained at Pierpoint and at the center of “Industry” since Season 1. Part...

Happy Valley has more than made its mark on British crime drama. Written by Sally Wainwright, the show involved all that could ever be hoped for from such a TV show. The acting was authentic, every episode had a purpose, and viewers were kept on edge the whole time. What separates Happy Valley from other shows is how realistic it is, delving into the grit and turmoil of the life of a heroic police officer who had her own life to deal with.

The writing was exquisite throughout, and a phenomenal cast was put together to do justice to Wainwright's work. The heroes in the story gave viewers reasons to be hopeful, while the villains made every day difficult for them. The cast deserves recognition and accolades that represent their outstanding work.

Catherine Cawood Was the Perfect Lead Role

Actor

Notable Works

Sarah Lancashire

Where the Heart Is

Coronation Street...

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has captured the attention of fans once again with its impressive Collector’s Edition. It is available for pre-order through the official website and will give every fan their own personal Lieutenant Titus captured in a single moment in a tremendous action fight against the known enemy.

After seeing this, the response from the community has been nothing but overwhelmingly positive as fans can’t stop praising the design of the Lieutenant Titus statue which is certainly the hallmark of the collector’s edition. Nevertheless, the bonuses don’t stop there.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Collector’s Edition is the Ultimate Pack for Every Tabletop Game Fan

The Collector’s Edition of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a pure testament to the dark and grim future of the 42nd millennium the game is set in.

Suggested“All of these questions are kinda important…”: Warhammer 40K:...

Back in Black is a new biopic about the life and career of Amy Winehouse. The former music superstar died in 2011. Before she died she released one of the best-selling albums in UK history and became a worldwide star. The movie hits theaters this month and we have all the info you need to know about it.

Here is the Back to Black release date, cast info, storyline, and everything else you need to know about the new Amy Winehouse movie.

When Does New Amy Winehouse Movie Come Out?

Back to Black hits theaters on May 17, 2024. It originally screened on April 11 in Australia and April 12 in the United Kingdom. Winehouse was born in London, England, and died in Camden TYown, England, explaining its priority in the UK.

This is a theatrical release, so it won’t be available on streaming services for quite some time, although expect it to hit...

Exclusive: In Playing Nice James Norton stars as Pete, a doting dad who finds out his son was switched at birth, giving him a different kind of hero to portray. “He’s a kind of small hero,” Norton told Deadline. “Unlike most of the characters I’ve played, he’s very likable, very amenable and recognizable. There’s a simplicity to him, which I hadn’t really played before, and a likability and quietness that made him feel very real.”

The adaptation of the Jp Delaney novel is produced by Studiocanal and Rabbit Track Pictures, the indie Norton set up with Kitty Kaletsky in 2019. It will bow on ITV in the UK and play on Canal+ in France. Studiocanal is handling international sales and will launch the series internationally this week in Cannes at MIPTV.

The baby-switch at the center of the story sets up an horrific dilemma for both...

Suits star Patrick J. Adams, Connor Swindells (Sex Education, Sas Rogue Heroes), Merritt Wever (Unbelievable, Godless) and Eddie Marsan (Ridley Road, The Pact) are part of the the cast of the upcoming six-episode series Lockerbie, about the December 1988 terrorist attack on Pan Am Flight 103, for the BBC and Netflix.

Further castmembers unveiled Tuesday include Peter Mullan (Ozark, Payback), Tony Curran (Mary & George, Mayflies), Lauren Lyle (Karen Pirie, Vigil), Andrew Rothney (The Undeclared War, Traces), Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey, Guilt), Parker Sawyers (Spy/Master, P-Valley), James Harkness (The Sixth Commandment, The Victim), Khalid Laith (Vigil, Cobra) and Amanda Drew (The Gold, Wolf).

The BBC and Netflix didn’t detail what roles each castmember will play, but said that filming on the show, described as a “factual drama” made by ITV Studios banner World Productions, has begun in Scotland.

“The six-part series is based on the real events surrounding the 1988 Lockerbie bombing and the joint Scottish-u.

Greta Gerwig and Mattel have delivered one of the biggest movies of summer 2023 with Barbie. Based on the classic children's toy, Barbie brings Barbieland to life, along with its many colorful inhabitants, all portrayed by some of Hollywood's biggest stars. In fact, even the Kens are played by several famous actors, including Ncuti Gatwa, Simu Liu, John Cena, and, of course, Ryan Gosling.

Barbie has received both praise and criticism for its feminist outlook, with some detractors claiming that the industry should be more focused on movies made by women rather than those about girls' toys. Margot Robbie leads the cast as Stereotypical Barbie, but she is far from the only version of Barbie present in the film. With a cast of Barbies ranging in profession and even species, the film sports some versions of Barbie that stand out as particular scene-stealers.

Updated on January 25, 2024, by Ajay Aravind: Barbie shattered...

Exclusive: Alfie Allen, Charlie Murphy and Jack Gleeson are to star in a Dutch-Belgian thriller series from Ozark co-creator Mark Williams, Night Train Media and Submarine.

They are starring alongside emerging Dutch star Martijn Lakemeier in the eight-part drama, which is for Dutch streamer Videoland and Belgium’s Streamz.

Production has begun in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, with Williams directing along with Arne Toonen, and we hear the ambition is for Safe Harbor to be a returner that aims to balance edge-of-the-seat thrills with character-based stories and a twisty plot line. Further shooting will take place in Belgium and Ireland, Deadline understands.

The series follows gifted hacker Tobias (Allen) and his ambitious best friend Marco (Lakemeier), who are intent on cracking into the tech billionaires club. They are plucked from quiet obscurity and plunged headfirst into...

Mister Smith Entertainment has hired Augusta Charlton as director, international sales and acquisitions.

Charlton will attend next week’s American Film Market, where Mister Smith’s slate includes “Greedy People,” a darkly comic crime thriller in the vein of the Coen Brothers, from the producers of “Palm Springs,” and featuring an ensemble cast including Lily James, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Himesh Patel and Tim Blake Nelson; “Joey Lauren Adams” from director Potsy Ponciroli (“Old Henry”); and the contemporary romantic comedy adaptation of Goethe’s 1774 novel “Young Werther,” starring Douglas Booth, Alison Pill, Patrick J. Adams and Iris Apatow, written and directed by José Avelino Gilles Corbett Lourenço.

Charlton joins the company from Great Point Media, where she was an associate director in their investments team. Prior to that, she was a sales executive at Gpm representing them at international markets.

Charlton started her entertainment career in development and production working for CrossDay Productions and BBC Studios,...

Mister Smith Entertainment has hired Augusta Charlton as Director, International Sales & Acquisitions.

Charlton joins the company from Great Point Media (Gpm), where she was an Associate Director in their Investments team, responsible for sourcing and structuring film and TV production finance opportunities in the UK and international markets. Prior to that, she was a sales executive at Gpm, representing the company at international markets. Charlton started her entertainment career in development and production, working for CrossDay Productions and BBC Studios.

During her previous tenure at Gpm, Charlton oversaw multiple film projects, including Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City; the 2023 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winner, Scrapper, starring Harris Dickinson; Blue Jean, starring Rosy McEwen, who won the Best Lead Performance Award for the film at the 2022 British Independent Film Awards; and Rogue Agent starring James Norton and Gemma Arterton.

Charlton’s first sales market for Mister Smith Entertainment will be the upcoming AFM,...

Banijay UK is investing in Happy Valley star James Norton’s Rabbit Track Pictures, we can reveal jointly with the Times Of London.

London based TV & film production company Rabbit Track was co-founded by film, TV and stage actor Norton and scripted executive Kitty Kaletsky. Deal terms were not disclosed.

The company launched in 2019 and has scripted projects green-lit for the BBC and Itvx and a growing development slate. Their first film, Rogue Agent, the Netflix thriller starring Norton, was released in 2022.

According to the companies, the investment, which comes via Banijay’s £50M UK Growth Fund, will allow Rabbit Track to “build its team and accelerate growth”, and it includes a first look with distributor Banijay Rights.

Great Point helped launch Rabbit Track, along with fellow founding partner The Development Partnership, by providing seed investment via its Great Point Ventures Eis fund. Both Great Point Media and The Development...

The quest to find the new James Bond continues and a series of AI art may provide a perspective of how each contender looks as 007. Since Daniel Craig bowed out of the role after 2021's No Time to Die, the search for his successor has been ongoing, and many names have been thrown into the fray. Idris Elba (Luther), Henry Cavill (Man of Steel), James Norton (Rogue Agent), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass), and many others have been raised as possible new James Bond stars, but none have emerged as top candidates just yet.

Recently, new AI-created art by Alper Yesiltas on Bored Panda and Instagram explores what some of those actors may look like in costume. Yesiltas' art includes ten potential James Bond candidates dressed in one of 007's many suits and standing in front of fancy black cars. Check out the art below:

View this post on Instagram A...

Pollen: "After a senior coworker assaults a bright-eyed young woman, her dream job becomes a living nightmare as she tries to keep her career together while being tormented at work, at home, and in her dreams by a mysterious tree monster."

Directed by: Dw Medoff

Starring: Ava Rose Kinard, Tyler Buckingham, Ashley Ames, Bennett Welsh, Leanna Adams, Ian Covell, Riley Madison Fuller, Kristen Taylor, Sajid Chaudhary

Now available from Gravitas Ventures, Pollen is available on Amazon, AppleTV, GooglePlay, Vudu, Xfinity, Fios and most other VOD platforms.

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A Voice In Violet: "Philly Chick Pictures Releases A Voice In Violet Audio Drama Thriller Series Podcast From Writer & Director Curt Wiser And Producer Brooke Lewis Bellas With A Star-studded Cast Of Voices"

"Violet, a damaged singer whose dreams were shattered, headlines at The Driftwood, an infamous Hollywood club. The comfort of that stage is not enough when her traumatic past comes to visit.

Northern Irish writing-directing duo Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn have signed with WME for representation in the U.S.

The pair’s latest work, precinct drama “Blue Lights,” for the BBC and Two Cities Television, will premiere March 27. It follows the lives of rookie police officers working in contemporary Belfast.

The creative team, who started out in investigative journalism, entered the TV drama world with their original series “The Salisbury Poisonings,” about the Novichok poisonings in the U.K. in 2018. The show starred Rafe Spall and Anne Marie Duff and was the BBC’s highest rated drama of 2020. It scored nominations at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTAs and Royal Television Society Awards.

Lawn and Patterson’s TV work also includes two episodes of Peter Kosminksy’s Channel 4/Peacock series, “The Undeclared War,” starring Hannah Khalique-Brown, Mark Rylance and Simon Pegg.

Patterson and Lawn...

It feels just like last month we were complimenting Hulu on its true crime offerings. Well, with its list of new releases for February 2023, Hulu is staying in the true crime lane. Suppose that’ll happen when you push back the release date of a series or two.

February sees the arrival of three notable true crime series on Hulu. Taiwan Crime Stories premieres on Feb. 1 and presents four true tales from Taiwan’s criminal “dark underbelly.” That will be followed by ABC News Studios’ Killing County on Feb. 3. That three-episode series ponders the question “what happens when police kill?” The most interesting true crime offering premieres on Feb. 9. That’s when Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence College shares its four-episode saga of Larry Ray and the young college students he victimized.

As far as non true crime offerings go, the third and final season of Hulu...

Abacus Media Rights (Amr), an Amcomri Entertainment Company, and Herbert L. Kloiber’s Munich-based Night Train Media (Ntm) are launching pre-sales this week on the dark truths series “Conquistadors: The Rise and Fall” as Content Americas and Realscreen lift off in respectively in Miami and Austin.

The launch comes after Amr took on global distribution rights in association with Ntm on the six-part factual series, produced by Emmy-nominated Dash Pictures and Ntm. It sheds light on the harsh truths surrounding Europe’s dramatic wave of expansion from 1492 after Colombus landed in the Caribbean.

Via reportedly lavish reconstructions, framed by in-depth analysis by historical experts from the Americas and Spain, the series will lift the lid on the reality of the nearly century-long Conquest.

The Conquistadores saw themselves as Christian warriors, bringing God’s word to the world. The reality is that the Conquest, fuelled by Conquistadors’ obsessions with gold, power...

February can be a weird month. It’s too late to wish anyone “Happy New Year,” late enough to abandon resolutions, and too early to leave the house if you want to avoid getting caught in nasty weather (even in Los Angeles).

This month also marks the third and final season of Hulu’s widely acclaimed “Wu-Tang: An American Saga,” which charts the rise of the Wu-Tang clan over time. Season 3 catches up with the Wu-Tang members after their first album, facing divergent paths in the years that follow. As with any group navigating the challenging lure of fame and money, it’s a treacherous road — but an indelible journey. “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” Season 3 premieres February 15 on Hulu.

Here’s everything coming to Hulu in February 2023.

February 1

“Taiwan Crime Stories” (Season 1)

“Impractical Jokers” (Seasons 1-3)

“Naruto Shippuden”

“Sherman’s Showcase” (Season 2B)

“2012” (2009)

“50/50” (2011)

“Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman” (2021)

“All...

Sam Taylor-Johnson to direct with production underway on Monday 16.

Filming will begin on Monday, January 16 on Studiocanal, Focus Features and Monumental Pictures’ Back To Black, starring Marisa Abela as music icon Amy Winehouse.

Sam Taylor-Johnson will direct the UK-us production, which will depict Winehouse’s vibrant years living in London in the early noughties and her intense journey to fame. A first look at Abela as Winehouse has been released, above.

Matt Greenhalgh wrote the Back To Black script; he previously collaborated with Taylor-Johnson on 2009’s Nowhere Boy, about the teenage years of The Beatles’ John Lennon.

Focus will distribute...

“Industry” breakout Marisa Abela has officially been tapped to star as Amy Winehouse in Focus Features’ “Back to Black.”

As previously announced, Sam Taylor-Johnson of the “Fifty Shades of Gray” franchise will direct and executive produce the film, which is said to cover Winehouse’s “vibrant years living in London in the early aughts and her intense journey to fame.” Matt Greenhalgh wrote the script.

Focus has landed U.S. rights, with Studiocanal handling distribution in the U.K., France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, Benelux, Scandinavia, and Poland. Universal Pictures International will oversee all other international distribution.

Production begins Monday in London.

Also Read:

Why ‘Elvis’ Director Baz Luhrmann and Editor Jonathan Redmond Gave the Real Elvis the Last Word in the Film | ‘How I Did It’

In a first-look image (see below) Abela emulates the Grammy-winning singer’s signature beehive ‘do and tattoos. The actress most recently starred...

The upcoming Amy Winehouse biopic “Back to Black” has unveiled a first look image of Marisa Abela in character as the Grammy-winning icon. The photo debuted as Studiocanal announced it was partnering with Focus Features and Monumental Pictures on the music drama. Sam Taylor-Johnson, best known for helming “50 Shades of Gray” and “Nowhere Boy,” is directing the biopic.

According to the studios, “Back to Black” will track “Amy Winehouse’s vibrant years living in London in the early aughts and her intense journey to fame.” Production on the movie kicks off Jan. 16 in London.

Variety exclusively reported in July that Abela had emerged as the frontrunner to play Winehouse in the biopic. Abela is best known for playing the privileged but troubled Yasmin Kara-Hanani in HBO’s “Industry,” which aired its second season last year. The British actor also starred in the Sky TV series “Cobra” and acted alongside...

Exclusive: Jimmy Akingbola, who plays Geoffrey in Peacock’s Bel-Air remake, has opened up about making a “positive story about adoption” to help inspire Black children in care in the upcoming ITV documentary Handle with Care.

Previous shows about adoption have tended to focus on “mining trauma,” the Kate & Kojo, In the Long Run and Ted Lasso star told Deadline, and he wanted to “flip the script but without dismissing these other stories” in Handle with Care.

“I have had to overcome a lot of difficulties but overall my experience was positive,” Akingbola said of his time growing up after being adopted by a white family at age 2, when he left his Nigerian parents.

“I felt like I hadn’t seen an inspiring, positive care story on TV and instead there is this trend of only putting something on if it is really harrowing. I wanted to go the other...

Protest

Oscar and Venice-winning filmmaker Laura Poitras and fellow filmmakers Georgia Oakley (“Blue Jean”), Roberto Minervini (“What You Gonna Do When the World’s on Fire?”) and Ondi Timoner (“Last Flight Home”) were among those who protested against the imprisonment of Iranian filmmakers and other incarcerated artists around the world, and to demonstrate support for the tenacious women of Iran who are challenging for their freedom at the BFI London Film Festival on Monday.

They joined festival director Tricia Tuttle, producer Madeleine Molyneaux (“Gospel Hill”); actors Aurélia Petit (“Saint Omer”) and Taki Mumladze (“A Room of My Own”); actor and writer Mariam Khundadze (“To Batumi and every single memory”); writer Morgan M. Page (“Framing Agnes”); industry leaders Tabitha Jackson, Clare Binns and Jason Wood; and other festival delegates in a moment of solidarity and reflection.

They stood together holding the names of imprisoned Iranian filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof, Mostafa Al-Ahmad and Jafar Panahi,...

First published August 19th, 2022, on Substack and Patreon.

Don’t spend hours scrolling the menus at Netflix, Prime Video, and other movie services. I point you to the best new films and hidden gems to stream.

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both sides of the pond

This is true: In the 1990s and into the early 2000s, a British man called Robert Freegard pretended to be an MI5 agent...

A simple listing, duplicated from the dvd/blu/vod US and Canada page, of new releases and other stuff currently available, for the benefit of those playing along by RSS or keeping up via the Weekly Digest emails (sign up here).

The most up-to-date version of this listing is always here.

new from Sep 13–16

Elvis (premium VOD/DVD/HBO Max) Breaking Lightyear (VOD/DVD/Disney+)

I’m planning to watch…

Confess, Fletch (premium VOD) God’s Country (premium VOD) Goodnight Mommy (Prime) The Invitation (premium VOD) Medusa Three Thousand Years of Longing (premium VOD) Queen of Glory Vesper (premium VOD) Where the Crawdads Sing

(films on regular VOD and/or DVD unless otherwise noted)

Stop endlessly scrolling Netflix, Amazon, and other VOD services! Get the Weekend Watchlist newsletter in your in-box every Friday with the best new films and hidden gems to stream. Only for paid Patreon and Substack subscribers.

recent...

A simple listing, duplicated from the dvd/blu/vod UK and Ireland page, of new releases and other stuff currently available, for the benefit of those playing along by RSS or keeping up via the Weekly Digest emails (sign up here).

The most up-to-date version of this listing is always here.

new from Sep 12–16

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande Nope (premium VOD) Where Is Anne Frank (Curzon Home Cinema)

I’m planning to watch…

Big Gold Brick Blind Ambition (premium VOD) Goodnight Mommy (Prime) Her Way Strawberry Mansion

(films on regular VOD and/or DVD unless otherwise noted)

Stop endlessly scrolling Netflix, Amazon, and other VOD services! Get the Weekend Watchlist newsletter in your in-box every Friday with the best new films and hidden gems to stream. Only for paid Patreon and Substack subscribers.

recent releases

Ali & Ava (Netflix/VOD) The Bad Guys The Batman Belfast Benedetta (DVD/VOD...

A simple listing, duplicated from the dvd/blu/vod US and Canada page, of new releases and other stuff currently available, for the benefit of those playing along by RSS or keeping up via the Weekly Digest emails (sign up here).

The most up-to-date version of this listing is always here.

new from Sep 06–08

Mrs Harris Goes to Paris (premium VOD/DVD) Beast (premium VOD)

I’m planning to watch…

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (premium VOD) Pinocchio (Disney+) Thor: Love and Thunder (premium VOD/Disney+) Where the Crawdads Sing (premium VOD)

(films on regular VOD and/or DVD unless otherwise noted)

Stop endlessly scrolling Netflix, Amazon, and other VOD services! Get the Weekend Watchlist newsletter in your in-box every Friday with the best new films and hidden gems to stream. Only for paid Patreon and Substack subscribers.

recent releases

Ali & Ava The Bad Guys The Batman Belfast (VOD...

A simple listing, duplicated from the dvd/blu/vod UK and Ireland page, of new releases and other stuff currently available, for the benefit of those playing along by RSS or keeping up via the Weekly Digest emails (sign up here).

The most up-to-date version of this listing is always here.

new from Sep 05–08

A Perfect Day

I’m planning to watch…

Pinocchio (Disney+) Pleasure Thor: Love and Thunder (Disney+)

(films on regular VOD and/or DVD unless otherwise noted)

Stop endlessly scrolling Netflix, Amazon, and other VOD services! Get the Weekend Watchlist newsletter in your in-box every Friday with the best new films and hidden gems to stream. Only for paid Patreon and Substack subscribers.

recent releases

Ali & Ava (Netflix/VOD) The Audition The Bad Guys The Batman Belfast Benedetta (DVD/VOD/Mubi) The Burning Sea The Card Counter The Cave Cop Secret Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of...

A simple listing, duplicated from the dvd/blu/vod US and Canada page, of new releases and other stuff currently available, for the benefit of those playing along by RSS or keeping up via the Weekly Digest emails (sign up here).

The most up-to-date version of this listing is always here.

new from Aug 30–Sep 02

Brian and Charles Elvis (premium VOD/HBO Max)

I’m planning to watch…

American Carnage Blind Ambition (premium VOD) Burial Minions: The Rise of Gru (DVD/premium VOD) The Phantom of the Open

(films on regular VOD and/or DVD unless otherwise noted)

Stop endlessly scrolling Netflix, Amazon, and other VOD services! Get the Weekend Watchlist newsletter in your in-box every Friday with the best new films and hidden gems to stream. Only for paid Patreon and Substack subscribers.

recent releases

Ali & Ava The Bad Guys The Batman Belfast (VOD/HBO Max) Benedetta The Book...

A simple listing, duplicated from the dvd/blu/vod UK and Ireland page, of new releases and other stuff currently available, for the benefit of those playing along by RSS or keeping up via the Weekly Digest emails (sign up here).

The most up-to-date version of this listing is always here.

new from Aug 29–Sep 02

Benedetta (DVD/VOD/Mubi) Alice DC League of Super-Pets (premium VOD) Lightyear (DVD/premium VOD/Disney+)

I’m planning to watch…

Explorer Joy Ride (premium VOD) The Railway Children Return (premium VOD) Wildhood

(films on regular VOD and/or DVD unless otherwise noted)

Stop endlessly scrolling Netflix, Amazon, and other VOD services! Get the Weekend Watchlist newsletter in your in-box every Friday with the best new films and hidden gems to stream. Only for paid Patreon and Substack subscribers.

recent releases

Ali & Ava (Netflix/VOD) The Audition The Bad Guys The Batman Belfast The Burning Sea...

A simple listing, duplicated from the dvd/blu/vod US and Canada page, of new releases and other stuff currently available, for the benefit of those playing along by RSS or keeping up via the Weekly Digest emails (sign up here).

The most up-to-date version of this listing is always here.

new from Aug 23–26

Ali & Ava Nope (premium VOD) Eiffel Mr Malcolm’s List Top Gun: Maverick (premium VOD)

I’m planning to watch…

DC League of Super-Pets (premium VOD) Samaritan (Prime)

(films on regular VOD and/or DVD unless otherwise noted)

Stop endlessly scrolling Netflix, Amazon, and other VOD services! Get the Weekend Watchlist newsletter in your in-box every Friday with the best new films and hidden gems to stream. Only for paid Patreon and Substack subscribers.

recent releases

The Bad Guys The Batman Belfast (VOD/HBO Max) Benedetta The Book Keepers Brian and Charles (premium VOD) The Burning...

A simple listing, duplicated from the dvd/blu/vod UK and Ireland page, of new releases and other stuff currently available, for the benefit of those playing along by RSS or keeping up via the Weekly Digest emails (sign up here).

The most up-to-date version of this listing is always here.

new from Aug 22–26

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (premium VOD) Men

I’m planning to watch…

A Chiara (Mubi) Notre-Dame on Fire (premium VOD) Official Competition (Curzon Home Cinema) Potato Dreams of America Samaritan (Prime) Wayfinder Wolf

(films on regular VOD and/or DVD unless otherwise noted)

Stop endlessly scrolling Netflix, Amazon, and other VOD services! Get the Weekend Watchlist newsletter in your in-box every Friday with the best new films and hidden gems to stream. Only for paid Patreon and Substack subscribers.

recent releases

Ali & Ava (Netflix/VOD) The Audition The Bad Guys The Batman Belfast Benedetta...

Rogue Agent Review — Rogue Agent (2022) Film Review, a movie directed by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, written by Michael Bronner, Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn and starring James Norton, Gemma Arterton, Rob Malone, Marisa Abela, Freya Mavor, Peter Heenan, Michael Drake, Julian Barratt, Jimmy Akingbola, Simon Chandler, Melissa Collier, Shazad Latif, Luke [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Rogue Agent (2022): Gemma Arterton is Outstanding in Dramatic Film About Love, Deceit and Justice...

In a strategic move by Universal, “Jurassic World: Dominion” (19.99) kept “Elvis” (Wbd/19.99) from two clear weeks at the top of VOD charts. Next week, all other game plans will be moot: “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount/19.99) comes to PVOD rental platforms Tuesday and will undoubtedly dominate for the foreseeable future.

Meantime, Netflix viewers continue to confound their overlords by preferring to watch the streamers’ less high-profile original films rather than the more expensive star-branded ones. “Look Both Ways” with “Riverdale” star Lili Reinhart as a college senior thinking through alternatives for her future knocked off Jamie Foxx’s “Day Shift” (now #3).

“Jurassic” will come to Peacock on September 2, with both the release version and one with extended scenes. The studio released the latter to PVOD this week. It was treated differently by different platforms — Google Play lists the two separately (at #2 and #3), while Vudu and iTunes combined revenues, landing it at #1 at the former,...

A simple listing, duplicated from the dvd/blu/vod US and Canada page, of new releases and other stuff currently available, for the benefit of those playing along by RSS or keeping up via the Weekly Digest emails (sign up here).

The most up-to-date version of this listing is always here.

new from Aug 16–19

Eiffel (cable VOD) Orphan: First Kill (premium VOD/Paramount+) Radium Girls The Immaculate Room Jurassic World Dominion (DVD/premium VOD) Spin Me Round (VOD/AMC+)

I’m planning to watch…

The Black Phone (DVD/premium VOD) Paris, 13th District The Phantom of the Open (premium VOD)

(films on regular VOD and/or DVD unless otherwise noted)

Stop endlessly scrolling Netflix, Amazon, and other VOD services! Get the Weekend Watchlist newsletter in your in-box every Friday with the best new films and hidden gems to stream. Only for paid Patreon and Substack subscribers.

recent releases

The Bad...

A simple listing, duplicated from the dvd/blu/vod UK and Ireland page, of new releases and other stuff currently available, for the benefit of those playing along by RSS or keeping up via the Weekly Digest emails (sign up here).

The most up-to-date version of this listing is always here.

new from Aug 15–19

Downton Abbey: A New Era Lightyear (premium VOD/Disney+) Memory (Prime)

I’m planning to watch…

Anaïs in Love Minions: The Rise of Gru (premium VOD)

(films on regular VOD and/or DVD unless otherwise noted)

Stop endlessly scrolling Netflix, Amazon, and other VOD services! Get the Weekend Watchlist newsletter in your in-box every Friday with the best new films and hidden gems to stream. Only for paid Patreon and Substack subscribers.

recent releases

Ali & Ava (Netflix/VOD) The Audition The Bad Guys The Batman Belfast Benedetta (Mubi) The Burning Sea The Card Counter The Cave...