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As much as actor Harrison Ford has cemented his career playing fantastical protagonists — Indiana Jones, Han Solo, Dr. Richard Kimble (to a lesser extent) — the man is no stranger to stepping into the shoes of darker and grittier characters. There is 1986’s The Mosquito Coast and 2000’s What Lies Beneath, which both have him play someone evolving into a twisted and evil person by the movie’s end. More prominently though, 1982’s Blade Runner saw him play a cold and detached police officer who kills androids because of an ignorant social bias. If Ford has already proven that he could play anywhere on the character trait chart, why did he surprisingly bow out of playing private detective Scudder in 2014’s A Walk Among the Tombstones?

In an interview with Daniel Robert Epstein (writing for The Suicide Girls), Scott Frank (the director of the aforementioned movie) says that the Star Wars actor “chickened out.

Ever since the technology first became widely utilized during World War II, submarines have become the subject of many great war and espionage thrillers. Whether it's the movie star prowess of Crimson Tide, the anxiety-inducing tension of The Hunt For Red October, or the historical context of Das Boot, great submarine thrillers have examined the inherent tension that comes with managing a virtually undetectable vessel. Although submarine thrillers are often works of entertainment, first and foremost, Kathryn Bigelow told a more grounded, thought-provoking story with her underrated film K-19: The Widowmaker. Although it sadly underperformed upon its initial theatrical debut, K-19: The Widowmaker is an underrated gem thanks to the great performances by Liam Neeson and Harrison Ford.

Actor Harrison Ford has been pretty picky about his roles over the years, carefully choosing roles that suit his cocky charm, but he hasn't always made perfect choices. While the actor has dozens of truly great movies under his belt, he also has a few stinkers, like historical submarine thriller "K-19: The Widowmaker" and utopia-building drama "The Mosquito Coast," though Ford has rather thoroughly defended both. There's one box office bomb that he hasn't been as effusive about, however, in large part because he was admittedly never on the film's wavelength. 

The 2011 sci-fi action western "Cowboys & Aliens" had all of the ingredients for major blockbuster box office success. Based on Scott Mitchell Rosenberg's 2006 Platinum Studios graphic novel of the same name, "Cowboys & Aliens" was directed by Jon Favreau, fresh off the success of the first two "Iron Man" films. It starred Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde,...

The intense Cold War thriller K-19: The Widowmaker, starring Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson, will soon be available for streaming.

Starting Jan. 1, 2025, Paramount+ subscribers can dive into this gripping story of duty, sacrifice, and survival. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, known for Keanu Reeves' Point Break and Hurt Locker, the 2002 film is based on the true story of the Soviet submarine K-19 and its near-catastrophic nuclear reactor failure. Ford stars as Captain Alexei Vostrikov, tasked with leading the ill-fated submarine’s crew, while Liam Neeson plays the loyal but conflicted executive officer, Mikhail Polenin. The film’s dramatic performances and historical tension make it a standout entry in the Cold War thriller sub genre.

Related 'Why Not Me?': Harrison Ford Talks Succeeding William Hurt as the New Thunderbolt Ross in Captain America 4

Captain America: Brave New World star Harrison Ford addresses becoming the new U.S. President in the upcoming MCU blockbuster.

Colin Chilvers, a pioneering, Oscar-winning Hollywood visual effects artist who created movie magic for Superman, apocalyptic scenarios and even The Who’s Tommy, died November 19 in Fort Erie, Ontario, where he lived. He was 79.

His death was first reported Wednesday by the news station 101.1 FM in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Among Chilvers’ more memorable feats were the effects that gave Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder the illusion of flying in Richard Donner’s 1978 classic Superman, work that had him share in a team Oscar for Visual Effects.

In 1986, Chilvers created the dazzling trickery that allowed Michael Jackson to defy gravity by leaning forward 45 degrees with no visible means of support in the music video for “Smooth Criminal.” Chilvers directed the video, along with various other Jackson video collections.

Chilvers’ post-Superman credits from the ’80s through the 2000s also included Superman 2 and Superman 3, Bride of Chucky, X-Men and K-19: The Widowmaker.

Liam Neeson in The Grey Image: Open Road Films The winter movie season is often a time of treasure to trash. It begins with a progressively lavish banquet of prestigious awards hopefuls and holiday event films, then peters out as January approaches and the studios offload their castoffs and leftovers...

Liam Neeson in The GreyImage: Open Road Films

The winter movie season is often a time of treasure to trash. It begins with a progressively lavish banquet of prestigious awards hopefuls and holiday event films, then peters out as January approaches and the studios offload their castoffs and leftovers into...

Harrison Ford in “Shrinking,” now streaming on Apple TV+. The Critics Choice Association (Cca) announced today that legendary actor Harrison Ford will receive the Career Achievement Award at the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards. The awards show, hosted by Chelsea Handler, will broadcast Live on The CW on Sunday, January 14, 2024. Ford currently stars in Apple TV+’s comedy series Shrinking for which he earned a Critics Choice Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series this year, and stars opposite Helen Mirren in the Yellowstone spinoff series 1923. Ford will next be seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World, alongside Anthony Mackie and Liv Tyler. Harrison Ford has starred in many of the most successful and acclaimed films in cinema history, including the landmark Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises and a total of eight Best Picture Oscar®-nominated movies.

British actor Joss Ackland, who had more than 130 acting credits to his name, has passed away.

Per Deadline, Ackland's death was announced by his family on Sunday, but no details about a cause or location were given. In a statement, the family said, "With his distinctive voice and commanding presence, Ackland brought a unique intensity and gravitas to his role. He will be remembered as one of Britain’s most talented and beloved actors.” Ackland was 95 years old.

Ackland was born in London in 1928, and he was performing as an actor on stage as a teenager. From there, he would start to pick up roles in movies and TV shows in the 1950s and beyond. Among his many memorable roles is the character Hans, a mentor to Emilio Estevez in the hit 1992 Disney movie The Mighty Ducks. The actor would reprise his role for the 1996 sequel, D3: The Mighty Ducks.

Joss Ackland, a familiar face to eighties and nineties movie fans, is dead at 95. According to Variety, the actor died of natural causes. Famous for playing the loathsome South African villain in Lethal Weapon 2, Ackland had a long and distinguished career in film, TV and on-stage. Arguably, his most memorable screen moment came at the climax of Lethal Weapon 2 when, after pumping Mel Gibson’s Riggs full of bullets, he taunts Danny Glover’s Murtagh by boasting “diplomatic immunity,” to which Murtagh, in a crowd-pleasing moment, cocks his head and blows the bad guy away.

Ackland also made for a memorable bad guy in Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, where he played the villain, De Nomolos. He was also in The Hunt for Red October, K-19: The Widowmaker, and played Emilio Esteves’s kindly former coach in The Mighty Ducks. He also famously appeared in the Pet Shop...

Joss Ackland, the veteran British stage and screen actor who was known for starring in “White Mischief” and “Lethal Weapon 2,” died on Sunday. He was 95.

“Joss was a long term client and great friend who remained lucid, erudite and mischievous to the very end, he died peacefully with his family this morning,” said his rep, Paul Pearson.

In Richard Donner’s “Lethal Weapon 2,” his villainous diplomat character notably utters the line “Diplomatic immunity!” before being shot by cop Roger Murtaugh, played by Danny Glover.

With over 130 film and television credits, Ackland appeared in a wide range of projects, including “K-19: The Widowmaker,” “Bill & Ted” and “The Hunt for Red October,” where he starred alongside Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin. His television work includes “Shadowlands,” where he played C.S. Lewis, and “Midsomer Murders.”

Ackland was made a Cbe for services to drama in 2001. He earned two BAFTA nominations...

W​e all know Harrison Ford as a big movie star now, but he only had a handful of credits when George Lucas decided to cast him as Han Solo. After that, nothing would be the same. Suddenly, he was in one of the world’s biggest movies. He would go on to have a very storied career and play some of the biggest icons on the big screen. With Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny, he is putting one of his most enduring characters to rest. Now, it’s time to go back and look at his filmography and seek out some of the most underrated Harrison Ford movies.

K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)

F​ord plays Russian Submarine Captain Alexei Vostrikov in the true story of the K-19 Russian submarine. During the 60s Cold War, Russia hurries to compete with the United States’ nuclear submarine capabilities. They hastily put...

I'm not sure of the exact point at which Harrison Ford transmogrified from charmingly wry leading man to Hollywood's biggest grump, but it might have been around the time "K-19: The Widowmaker" flopped at the box office. Either way, it's been a genuine delight to see the now famously crotchety veteran star angrily dismiss questions about "Star Wars" and Han Solo — arguably his biggest character alongside Indiana Jones — ever since.

Come to think of it, Ford has always had a healthy disdain for the franchise that turned him into a star. He's known for not being the biggest fan of George Lucas' "Star Wars" writing, famously telling the director, "You can type this s***, but you sure can't say it!" And that was way before his later descent into grumpiness. But the light-hearted ribbing of his former director developed into palpable scorn as Ford aged, with the actor telling ABC News...

Our latest roundup of new books related to the world of cinema is full of indelible imagery––the pale face of Lost Highway’s Mystery Man, John Ford’s craggy visage, and, of course, the Neverland sets from Hook.

Lost Highway: The Fist of Love by Scott Ryan (Tucker DS Press)

Last year, Scott Ryan covered David Lynch’s Twin Peaks prequel in Fire Walk With Me: Your Laura Disappeared. (We featured it here.) In 2023, Ryan studies what he calls “the lowest-grossing, most forgotten film of [Lynch’s] career.” Ryan’s Lost Highway: The Fist of Love is every bit as enthralling and insightful as Your Laura Disappeared. The author zeroes in on the elements of Lost Highway that turned off most (but not all) audiences in 1997 but are titillating new (and revisiting) viewers today. Ryan should know; he was one of those who looked away in the nineties: “The first time I saw it,...

Harrison Ford is one of the most recognizable and beloved actors of our time.

He has played some of the most iconic characters in film and television, ranging from Han Solo in Star Wars, to Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark, and President James Marshall in Air Force One. His performances have inspired generations of moviegoers and his career has spanned over five decades.

In this article, we take a look at Harrison Ford’s many roles over the years, examining how he has evolved as an actor, his unique style and presence onscreen, and how his characters have impacted popular culture. We also explore his lesser-known roles and provide a glimpse into what makes him such a beloved actor.

You’ll be amazed by all the facets of this versatile performer as we discuss why he remains one of the most revered actors today.

Harrison Ford. Depostiphotos...

The late '90s/early 2000s were a rough patch for Harrison Ford. Aside from 2000's "What Lies Beneath," the veteran star just couldn't seem to pick the right projects, with everything from 1999's "Random Hearts" to 2002's "Hollywood Homicide" (in which Ford agreed to star without seeing a finished script) struggling to make a critical or financial impression. But perhaps the lowest point came in 2002 when Ford starred in Kathryn Bigelow's sort of historical retelling of a narrowly averted Soviet submarine disaster, "K-19: The Widowmaker."

Loosely based on the story of the Soviet Union's first nuclear-powered submarine, which malfunctioned in 1961 and caused the death of 28 sailors from radiation poisoning, "K-19" was doomed from the outset. The film, as the Chicago Tribune put it, used a "fraction of the truth," noting that this was the National Geographic Society's first foray into blockbuster filmmaking. The company's then head...

Who's your favorite Jack Ryan? For author Tom Clancy, who created the Ryanverse and wrote or co-wrote 17 novels set within it, it wasn't Harrison Ford.

The Jack Ryan role has changed hands five times onscreen; Alec Baldwin first played the character in "The Hunt for Red October" in 1990, before Ford took over and delivered the one-two punch of "Patriot Games" and "Clear and Present Danger" in 1992 and 1994. After Ford vacated the role, a succession of younger actors — Ben Affleck, Chris Pine, and John Krasinski — would appear as the titular CIA analyst in the movies "The Sum of All Fears" and "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit," as well as the Prime Video series "Jack Ryan."

It seems "younger" was what Clancy always had in mind. According to Indiewire, Ford was director John McTiernan's first choice to play Jack Ryan in "The Hunt for Red October." However, in a 2002 interview with film...

Liam Neeson recalls how he came to star in Taken and reveals why he thought the action thriller would go straight to DVD. First released in France in 2008 and given a North American theatrical release almost a year later in 2009, Taken sees Neeson playing retired CIA operative Bryan Mills, who uses his lethal set of skills to recover his kidnapped daughter in Europe. The movie, which is directed Pierre Morel, ended up earning more than 226 million at the box ofifce, starting a franchise that now consists of three films in total and a short-lived TV show.

In a recent interview with IndieWire in which he looks back at some of the highlights in his long career, Neeson reveals that he originally didn't have high hopes for Taken. The actor recalls that he wanted the part because Leon: The Professional filmmaker Luc Besson was behind the script and because it...

Harrison Ford will probably be remembered foremost as Han Solo — but not if he can help it. While Ford may well be the greatest movie star of the latter 20th century, it feels like he would've preferred to be a character actor, one that would sink into part after different part, not play the same archetype over and over.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ford mentioned that he "likes to change genres" from film to film. Not all of these genres have been successful for him, though he maintains that even his flops, "were entered with the best of intentions." Still, when Ford stars in an unsuccessful film like "Morning Glory" or "Cowboys & Aliens," he tries not to dwell on it:

"The first job of a movie is to make its money back. God knows why something doesn't work. It doesn't usually make that much difference...

Harrison Ford is one of the most iconic and bankable movie stars of all time, but even he has had his share of flops, duds and wherever Six Days Seven Nights falls.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Harrison Ford touched on some of the movies that didn’t exactly fare well. And yes, he was characteristically…shall we say curt? When the interviewer asked him about one particular string of bad movies, Ford challenged him to name them–which maybe he shouldn’t have done because there are indeed plenty of lousy ones in that stretch. When they began rattling off titles–beginning with Firewall and Cowboys & Aliens–Ford cut them off, saying they were “all entered with the best of intentions.” Surely he means in this period only, as even Ford must have a hard time defending the Star Wars Holiday Special…

Harrison Ford chimed in on other poor movies,...

Harrison Ford likes trying new things. While the actor does seem to keep coming back to certain roles like Han Solo and Indiana Jones, Ford insists that variety is the spice of life. For instance, in George Lucas' 1973 coming-of-age story "American Graffiti," Ford added some sweet, sweet Rodgers & Hammerstein tunes, just because he felt like it worked for the character. When it comes down to it, Ford just wants to be artistically fulfilled. And, honestly, no one can really blame him for that. 

For a guy neck deep in extended franchises that are, for better or for worse, meticulously plotted out, there was a time when he longed for something a little more freeform. Something a little more creatively flexible. Something comical. Enter "Hollywood Homicide," a 2003 action comedy that didn't even have a complete script when he was offered the leading role. In fact, the half-finished screenplay was actually a selling point.

When you see the phrase "based on a true story" attached to a Hollywood movie, you should always take it with a grain of salt. But in the case of Kathryn Bigelow's 2002 film "K-19: The Widowmaker," there might not be enough salt in the ocean -- at least according to the people that survived the real-life ordeal depicted in the movie.

The film is based on Russia's first nuclear-equipped submarine, the K-19, and the near-meltdown in the ship's reactor in 1961. What survivors didn't know is that, years later, they'd have another fight on their hands: A battle to have their story...

The post Why the Real Survivors Of K-19: The Widowmaker Weren't Fans of the Script appeared first on /Film.

Ravil Isyanov, a film, television and voice actor who had worked in the entertainment industry for more than 30 years, died on Sept. 29 after a long illness. He was 59.

Isyanov’s death was confirmed to Variety by his longtime agent Tanya Kleckner.

“He was a true gentleman and worked up until [his] passing. I’ve worked with him for 20 years and we became firm friends,” Kleckner wrote. “He will be sorely missed. We are all heartbroken by this tragic loss, a beautiful soul gone way too soon.”

Isyanov was born in 1962 in the city of Voskresensk in the Soviet Union. After completing two years in the Soviet Air Force, Ravil worked at the Khabarovsk Theatre before studying at the Moscow Art Theatre School and the Oxford branch of the British American Drama Academy. In 1998, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in screen acting, where he worked and lived for the rest of his life.

Ravil Isyanov, a Soviet-born American character actor who appeared in movies including Defiance, K-19: The Widowmaker and Transformers: Dark of the Moon and in numerous TV series, most recently playing Kirkin on CBS’ NCIS: Los Angeles, died Sept. 29 at his home in Los Angeles after a long illness. He was 59.

Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery

Isyanov was born August 20, 1962 in Voskresensk, Russia (then part of the Ussr). Drawn to performing arts from a young age, he enrolled in Perm Institute of Culture to study directing after graduating from high school in 1980. His studies were interrupted in 1982 when he left to complete a two-year mandatory military service in the Soviet Air Force and was stationed in the Russian Far East.

He then worked at the Khabarovsk Theatre for two seasons, after his caricatures of the theater’s actors caught the eye of its director, before getting into...

"He really, truly may be innocent and there's not a damn thing anybody can do to stop this." Greenwich Ent. has released an official trailer for a documentary called The Phantom, made by award-winning doc filmmaker Patrick Forbes. This is arriving in theaters and on VOD at the start of July for those curious to find out the true story. A film about one of the darkest episodes in the long history of American justice. Carlos DeLuna was arrested in 1993, aged 21, for the murder of Wanda Lopez, and protested his innocence until his execution, declaring that it was another Carlos who committed the crime. A case in which – for the first time – it can be proven that the US courts executed a blameless man. This uncovers the shocking truth behind a tale of murder, corruption and lies that unfolded in the dusty, desperate streets of a ...

Edward S. Feldman, the longtime Hollywood movie and TV producer whose credits included the Oscar-nominated Witness and K-19 The Widowmaker both starring Harrison Ford, died October 2 in Los Angeles, his publicist said. He was 91.

Feldman was nominated for the Oscar for producing Witness, Peter Weir’s 1985 drama starring Ford as a cop who goes undercover in Amish country to protect a boy who witnessed a murder. It scored eight Oscar nominations including Best Picture and won for its writing and editing.

Feldman would later reunite with Weir for 1998’s The Truman Show starring Jim Carrey which scored three Oscar nominations. His other film credits include Save the Tiger, The Other Side of the Mountain, Near Dark, The Hitcher, Honey I Blew Up The Kid, Hot Dog…The Movie, The Golden Child, Wired, Green Card, The Doctor, Forever Young, the live-action The Jungle Book, and the live-action 101 Dalmatians and its sequel 102 Dalmatians.

Academy Award nominated film producer Edward S. Feldman, known for producing hits such as 1985’s “Witness” and 1998’s “The Truman Show,” died Friday night Oct. 2, in Los Angeles at the age of 91, according to his spokesperson.

Feldman, whose career began during the golden age of Hollywood and lasted for over six decades, worked with such Hollywood legends as Glen Close, Debbie Reynolds, Harrison Ford, Jack Lemmon, Charlton Heston, John Cassavetes, Gena Rowlands, Rutger Hauer, Burt Reynolds, Yul Brynner, Eddie Murphy, Mel Gibson and Gerard Depardieu. Feldman’s final film in 2002 reunited him with Harrison Ford at Paramount, “K-19 The Widowmaker,” when he decided to retire and spend more time with his family.

Feldman was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture for “Witness” and the BAFTA Award for Best Film for “Witness” and “The Truman Show.” In 2001, the Hollywood Film Festival honored him for Outstanding Achievement in Producing.

Born in The Bronx,...

Film producer Edward S. Feldman, who received an Academy Award best picture nomination for “Witness,” died on Oct. 2 in Los Angeles, according to his publicist. He was 91.

He was also nominated for BAFTA Awards for “Witness” and “The Truman Show.” In 1977, he received an Emmy nomination in the limited series category for “21 Hours at Munich” and was nominated the following year in the same category for “King.”

His feature film producing credits included “What’s the Matter With Helen?,” “Save the Tiger,” “The Other Side of the Mountain,” “Two-Minute Warning,” “The Last Married Couple in America,” “Hot Dog…The Movie,” “The Golden Child,” “Wired,” “Green Card,” the 1994 live-action “The Jungle Book,” the live-action “101 Dalmatians,” its sequel “102 Dalmatians” and “K-19: The Widowmaker.”

“Witness” starred Harrison Ford as a detective protecting a young Amish boy who becomes a target after he witnesses a murder in Philadelphia. The film received eight Oscar nominations,...

Edward S. Feldman, the studio publicist turned producer who guided such films as the best picture nominee Witness, The Truman Show and The Hitcher, died Friday in Los Angeles, his family announced. He was 91.

During his six-decade career, the Bronx native also produced movies including Save the Tiger (1973), an Oscar winner for Jack Lemmon; The Golden Child (1986), starring Eddie Murphy; the live-action features The Jungle Book (1994), 101 Dalmatians (1996) and 102 Dalmatians (2000); and Harrison Ford’s K-19: The Widowmaker (2002), his final film.

For television, Feldman produced such miniseries as the fact-based 1976’s 21 Hours at Munich, 1978’s King — both of which earned him Emmy ...

Edward S. Feldman, the publicist turned producer who guided such films as the best picture nominee Witness, The Truman Show and The Hitcher, died Friday in Los Angeles, his family announced. He was 91.

During his six-decade career, the Bronx native also produced movies including Save the Tiger (1973), an Oscar winner for Jack Lemmon; The Golden Child (1986), starring Eddie Murphy; the live-action features The Jungle Book (1994), 101 Dalmatians (1996) and 102 Dalmatians (2000); and Harrison Ford’s K-19: The Widowmaker (2002), his final film.

For television, Feldman produced such miniseries as the fact-based 1976’s 21 Hours at Munich, 1978’s King — both of which earned him Emmy Award ...

Shadowhunters may have come to a bittersweet conclusion, but another one of its actors had landed a new TV role.

Dominic Sherwood, who played Jace on the recently canceled Freeform drama, has joined the cast of Showtime's Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.

He is one of six new additions, joining the series alongside Adam Rodriguez, Michael Gladis, Lorenza Izzo, Thomas Kretschman, and Ethan Peck.

The new series is set in 1938 Los Angeles, and focuses on Det. Tiago Vega (Daniel Zovatto), who becomes embroiled in an epic story following a murder that shocks the city.

It quickly paves the way for Tiago and his family “grappling with powerful forces that threaten to tear them apart,” according to the official logline.

Related: Penny Dreadful Sequel Ordered to Series

Sherwood will play Kurt, the chauffer and bodyguard for Richard Goss (Kretschmann). There's more to Kurt than meets the eye: an unexpected depth and surprising background.

“Penny Dreadful: City of Angels” is rounding out its cast with the addition of six new actors.

Michael Gladis has joined the show as a series regular, while Lorenza Izzo, Adam Rodriguez, Thomas Kretschmann, and Dominic Sherwood will appear in recurring roles. Ethan Peck will guest star in multiple episodes. The six join previously announced cast members Natalie Dormer, Daniel Zovatto, Kerry Bishé, Adriana Barraza, Rory Kinnear, Jessica Garza, Johnathan Nieves, Nathan Lane, Amy Madigan, Brent Spiner, and Lin Shaye.

Described as a spiritual descendant of the original “Penny Dreadful,” the new series opens in 1938 Los Angeles. When a grisly murder shocks the city, Detective Tiago Vega (Zovatto) is embroiled in a story that reflects the history of Los Angeles: from the building of the city’s first freeways and its deep traditions of Mexican-American folklore, to the dangerous espionage actions of the Third Reich and the rise of radio evangelism.

Leeding Media, a company which straddles the U.S. and Chinese film industries, has set up a development deal with prominent Hollywood independent producer Revolution Studios. The agreement follows renewal of most of Leeding’s portfolio of movie rights for China.

“This is a very flexible deal that see the two companies jointly develop film and television properties based on Revolution Studios’ extensive library. We are looking at possible TV adaptations, remakes and Broadway shows,” Leeding Media CEO and founder David U. Lee told Variety. “This deal is possible now that Leeding Media’s China library business is well established. Our new focus on development and production is about achieving global distribution, not just China.”

The development agreement was born from a long-standing personal friendship between Lee, who has previous executive roles at Idg Asia and the Weinstein Company, and Revolution’s co-executive producer Vince Totino. As well as international insight,...

Only nine women directors so far have ever been given a budget north of $100 million. Even fewer have done so without also having a male co-director or on projects that aren’t animated. That needs to change, and with “Captain Marvel” opening this weekend, hopefully that changes soon.

Kathryn Bigelow – “K:19 – The Widowmaker” (2002) – $100 Million

Before she became the first (and only) woman to win the Oscar for Best Director, Kathryn Bigelow was the first woman director to earn a $100 million budget for her 2002 submarine thriller “K-19: The Widowmaker.”

Jennifer Yuh Nelson – “Kung Fu Panda 2” (2011) – $150 Million

Jennifer Yuh Nelson directed the $150 million sequel to “Kung Fu Panda.” She came back for the third film as well with a similar budget, but would then be paired with male director Alessandro Carloni.

Lana and Lilly Wachowski – “Cloud Atlas” (2012) and “Jupiter Ascending” (2016) – $128.5 Million and $176 Million

Lana Wachowski came out publicly as a transgender...

Okay film fans, buy your ticket, settle into your seat, and grab the armrests as you prepare to submerge! Dive, dive, dive into the murky depths of another underwater adventure (and just hope you don’t become “Spam in the can”). This subset of the war film genre has been cruising the cinemas for well over 75 years, longer if you count the movie adaptations of Jules Verne’s Captain Nemo. The gold sub flick standard might have been the two torpedo blasts from 1958’s Run Silent Run Deep and 1961’s Sf-themed Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea (which spawned a weekly TV series soon after). Things were quiet beneath the waves (well after The Incredible Mr. Limpet scuttled the U-boat menace) until the Cold War set 1989 smash The Hunt For Red October which began a 13-year wave of ocean thrillers including Crimson Tide, U-571, and K-19: The Widowmaker. After some time away,...

This weekend in history: Two films directed by African-Americans took the top two spots, for the first time ever. “Wrinkle,” directed by Ava DuVernay, is a rare film directed by a woman budgeted over $100 million. (Kathryn Bigelow’s “K-19: The Widowmaker” and Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” preceded it among non-animated films, but it’s the first from a black woman.

This breakthrough should not be diminished, but it’s only one of several important takeaways this weekend — not all so encouraging. We’re 10 weeks into 2018; last year at this point, five films had opened at $40 million or more. This year, there’s only “Black Panther” and its phenomenal success (it’s approaching $1.1 billion worldwide) may mask some significant issues.

Grosses are still up around 8 percent for the year so far, down from over 12 percent at the end of February That’s nothing compared to the likely drops in upcoming weeks,...

Jennifer Lee never expected to be this busy. She just flew in from previews on “Frozen: The Broadway Musical” (March 22) to promote “A Wrinkle in Time,” which she wrote after 2014 musical “Frozen” turned into the Oscar-winning, top-grossing worldwide animated blockbuster of all time.

She’s still writing the sequel to “Frozen,” too. “I was joking that if I have time, I have to write the climax for ‘Frozen 2’ for tomorrow morning,” said Lee. “It’s a Champagne problem, to have too much to do, when you love what you do.”

Lee wrote two animated features that grossed over $1 billion worldwide: She was on the Oscar-winning “Zootopia” writing team with college chum Phil Johnston, as she was on “Wreck-It-Ralph.” But after she and director Chris Buck wrote “Frozen,” Disney asked her to be co-director, having found out that she trained to be a director at Columbia film school.

With “Frozen,...

Jennifer Lee never expected to be this busy. She just flew in from previews on “Frozen: The Broadway Musical” (March 22) to promote “A Wrinkle in Time,” which she wrote after 2014 musical “Frozen” turned into the Oscar-winning, top-grossing worldwide animated blockbuster of all time.

She’s still writing the sequel to “Frozen,” too. “I was joking that if I have time, I have to write the climax for ‘Frozen 2’ for tomorrow morning,” said Lee. “It’s a Champagne problem, to have too much to do, when you love what you do.”

Lee wrote two animated features that grossed over $1 billion worldwide: She was on the Oscar-winning “Zootopia” writing team with college chum Phil Johnston, as she was on “Wreck-It-Ralph.” But after she and director Chris Buck wrote “Frozen,” Disney asked her to be co-director, having found out that she trained to be a director at Columbia film school.

With “Frozen,...

Only nine women directors so far have ever been given a budget north of $100 million. Even fewer have done so without also having a male co-director or on projects that aren’t animated. That needs to change, and with “A Wrinkle In Time” opening this weekend, hopefully that changes soon. Kathryn Bigelow – “K:19 – The Widowmaker” (2002) – $100 Million Before she became the first (and only) woman to win the Oscar for Best Director, Kathryn Bigelow was the first woman director to earn a $100 million budget for her 2002 submarine thriller “K-19: The Widowmaker.” Jennifer Yuh Nelson – “Kung...

Disney's adaptation A Wrinkle in Time is shaping up to be one of next year's most highly-anticipated films, as fans wait for the next batch of footage following the first A Wrinkle in Time trailer that dropped at the D23 Expo back in July. There has been no confirmation as to when the next footage may arrive, but director Ava DuVernay just recently dropped an interesting piece of news on social media, confirming that Game of Thrones composer Ramin Djawadi has come aboard to do the score. The director included a photo of herself alongside the composer in the editing bay, where fans can get a new glimpse of Storm Reid's pivotal character Meg Murry.

The director revealed on social media that she has "listened to his music for years and swooned," before confirming that he will compose the score for A Wrinkle in Time. It's possible that the...

Kathryn Bigelow has often been at her best when detailing the vaguely homoerotic, exceedingly intimate relationships between men, and what drives these men. This is certainly the case with Point Break and arguably with K-19: The Widowmaker too. There’s a volatile current of Oedipal details flowing underneath the action in Near Dark, and the boy’s club mentality of the military can be gleaned in fascinating flecks of dialogue and gestures in The Hurt Locker. In all these movies, including her latest film, Detroit, the way that men compete and speak with one another, whether in a combative …...

We wondered, when Kathryn Bigelow’s “Detroit” was set for a late-summer release, if it might mean that the film was a bit of a misfire — often, seemingly awards-baity stuff like this, especially coming from a director with two Best Picture nominees in a row (and one winner), is held for the fall. Was it a sign that the film was more “K-19: The Widowmaker” than “The Hurt Locker?”

But reviews have hit for the film ahead of its opening (look for ours in the next hour or two), and they suggest that Bigelow and writing partner Mark Boal have delivered again with their look at the 1968 Detroit Riots, and the Algiers Motel Incident that took place during them that resulted in the death of three black teenagers.

Continue reading Watch A Gripping Final Trailer For Kathryn Bigelow’s ‘Detroit’ Starring John Boyega at The Playlist.

As a summer superhero movie directed by and starring a woman, the greatest feat for “Wonder Woman” will be its refusal to be crushed by expectations. So let’s get this out of the way now: It almost certainly won’t be the biggest-grossing movie with a female director. That honor goes to “Frozen,” which was written and co-directed by Jennifer Lee. However, “Wonder Woman” stands a good chance of becoming the biggest live-action movie ever (at least domestic) with a female lead character.

The latest collaboration between Warner Bros.’ and D.C. Comics, “Wonder Woman” has received excellent reviews — the best in recent D.C. memory, and equal to most of the top Marvel Studios entries. It is poised to be a strong box office performer.

Read More: ‘Wonder Woman’ Makes History: How Patty Jenkins Lost the Chance to Direct One Big Superhero Movie and Landed a Better One...

Katie Smith-Wong May 31, 2017

With plans afoot for a live action take on Mulan, we look at the challenges facing Disney...

After more than 50 years of making animated features, Disney have now turned their attention to live-action adaptations of their famous films. After releases such as 101 Dalmatians (1996), Maleficent (2014) and Cinderella (2015), the studio's new creative direction has earned critical acclaim and financial success. It is also making its mark on the global box office, as the recently released Beauty And The Beast remake has earned small change in the region of $1.2bn and counting.

Among the upcoming remakes planned is Mulan, which already has fans of the 1998 Disney film debating about its faithfulness to the animated feature. That's especially so given reports about director Niki Caro's indecisiveness regarding the inclusion of songs such as Honour To Us All and I'll Make A Man Out Of You, as well as the...

Comic book movies have been a thing for about as long as Hollywood has been a thing, but the modern age of Superhero movies didn't really get going until around 2000. That was when X-Men came out, which changed everything. Cut to 17 years later and we still have yet to have a good, female-led superhero movie in the modern era. Wonder Woman is hoping to change that this summer.

Warner Bros. may be a little late to the game in terms of making a cinematic universe around their DC Comics superheroes when compared to Marvel Studios, but they are beating Marvel to the punch on this one. Marvel Studios has strong female heroes like Black Widow and Scarlet Witch, but after nearly a decade of making comic book movies, they have yet to make a movie featuring a female as the lead. Warner Bros. is releasing Wonder Woman as their fourth...

The Golden Door International Film Festival has announced its 2016 lineup today. The New Jersey festival features a mix of indie winners and mainstream majors. It runs from September 22nd through the 25th and it’s held at the beautiful Landmark Loews, Beacon Paramount theatre, and Rialto-Capital.

Read More: Watch: This Wacky Rom-Com Will Keep You Guessing in ‘Who’s Jenna…?’ Trailer

The festival will host the world premiere of Chris Robert’s film “Another You,” which follows young and ambitious science major Sydney Jameson who finds love and refuses to let it go, turning an ordinary relationship into a dangerous fixation. Sydney soon loses herself in a scientific break through, finding a way to use the theory of De Ja Vu to explore her past mistakes. It stars Ksenia Solo (“Black Swan), Kris Holden-Ried (“K-19: The Widowmaker”), Diego Boneta (“Scream Queens”), and Richard T. Jones (“Judging Amy”). Watch an exclusive clip from the film below.

Girl Talk is a weekly look at women in film — past, present, and future.

IndieWire recently published a pair of lists that singled out 25 working female filmmakers that we deemed “ready” to make a blockbuster. From many readers, we got this response: “But do they even want to?”

It seemed like a strange question: Has anyone ever wondered, much less asked, if male directors were interested in big-budget movies? Nevertheless, we reached out to the filmmakers on our lists, and the response was nearly unanimous: Yes, of course they do.

That said, it wasn’t the first time they’d been asked. And, as it turns out, there are a number of reasons that might make them decide to steer clear.

“That Dream Is Not Gendered”

“Most filmmakers dream of breaking into Hollywood with a short film or indie feature and then getting recruited by the studios to make bigger movies,...

Ever since Selma was released in 2012, Ava DuVernay has been one of the most sought after talents in the industry. The movie was nominated for several Academy Awards and was met with nearly universal critical praise. That movie may have put her on everyone's radar, but it is far from her first. DuVernay has been working in Hollywood for a long time, and that hard work is paying off in a big way, as she is about to break new ground for women in Hollywood.

According to Deadline, DuVernay's upcoming live-action adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time for Disney is set to enter production with a budget of more than $100 million. That makes her the first woman of color in history to direct a movie with a budget of $100 million or more, and only the third woman period to direct a movie with such a budget. Patty Jenkins upcoming Wonder Woman,...

As we reported earlier this year, Selma’s Ava DuVernay is set to direct Disney’s film adaptation of A Wrinkle In Time, which will star Oprah Winfrey. And according to the La Times, DuVernay’s new gig marks a major milestone: She will become the first woman of color to direct a live-action film with a nine-figure production budget. Yup, in directing A Wrinkle In Time, DuVernay is smashing through the glass ceiling to become the first woman of color to direct a movie with a budget over $100 million, joining the very small ranks of women who have directed a movie of that scale.

The only other women who have helmed live-action projects of that size are Kathryn Bigelow for the 2002’s K-19: The Widowmaker and Patty Jenkins, who is directing next year’s Wonder Woman movie. The pool of directors of color who have made $100 ...

Girl Talk is a weekly look at women in film — past, present and future.

Earlier this week, the state of California released a seemingly innocuous list of upcoming films set to receive tax credits for their production. Among that list — which only includes films that are operating with budgets larger than $75 million — there was at least one title that stood out in a huge, boundary-busting way. As Women and Hollywood confirms, Ava DuVernay’s next film, a big screen adaptation of the Madeleine L’Engle classic “A Wrinkle in Time,” will be made with a budget that will exceed $100 million. That a female director is helming such a deep-pocketed live-action film is news in and of itself — DuVernay joins a select club that so far only includes Kathryn Bigelow (“K-19: The Widowmaker”) and Patty Jenkins (“Wonder Woman”) — but that’s not all, because DuVernay is now starting her own club.