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It’s time to catch up with Bridget Jones once again and, as always, life is pretty different for her.

In “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy,” now streaming on Peacock, we find Bridget (Renée Zellweger) a mother of two and, sadly, a widow. Her husband died four years ago on a humanitarian mission in the Sudan.

But, in true Bridget Jones fashion, she’s got two new men in her life. And you’ll probably recognize both of them.

Here are the key players in “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.”

Renée Zellweger in “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” (Peacock) Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger)

Renée Zellweger returns as Bridget Jones, after playing her in the first three films. The two-time Oscar winning actress is of course also known for starring in “Chicago,” “Judy,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Bee Movie” and more.

Colin Firth and Renée Zellweger in “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy...

Bradley Whitford and Allison Janney are back together in the White House again.

It’s a “West Wing” reunion in “The Diplomat” Season 3, as Whitford has joined the cast as Todd Penn, husband to Janney’s Vice President Grace Penn. Netflix has released three first-look images from the upcoming season of the political thriller, which is currently in production and expected to debut sometime in 2025.

Whitford and Janney are once again playing major players in Washington, as the pair previously starred in Aaron Sorkin’s NBC political drama across its seven-season run. Janney played Press Secretary C.J. Cregg, while Whitford played White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman.

“The Diplomat” stars Keri Russell as Kate Wyler, the U.S. ambassador to the U.K. who must defuse international crises while dealing with her deteriorating marriage to career diplomat Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell). David Gyasi, Ali Ahn, Rory Kinnear...

Bradley Whitford is heading back to the White House, with the “West Wing” alum set for a recurring role in “The Diplomat” Season 3.

Variety has confirmed with sources that Whitford will appear in the upcoming third season of the Netflix political drama as the husband to fellow “West Wing” star Allison Janney’s character, Vice President Grace Penn.

Reps for Netflix declined to comment.

Spoiler’S Ahead

In the conclusion of Season 2 of “The Diplomat,” President William Rayburn (Michael McKean) dies unexpectedly, meaning Penn is now the U.S. President, making her husband the First Gentleman.

“West Wing” fans will no doubt be thrilled to see Janney and Whitford together again, with the pair having starred in the aforementioned NBC political drama across its seven-season run. Janney played Press Secretary C.J. Cregg, while Whitford played White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman.

Whitford won one of his three...

There are very few who don't know the name "Walt Disney." Along with being one of the few brands we've recognized since infancy, the Disney name was instrumental in the evolution of the entertainment and animation industry, but the studio has rarely shared the full picture.

If you're anything like this writer, you know that Walt Disney, the artist and innovator, was much more fascinating than the Uncle Walt persona the company portrays. However, he might not have been as magical as some would want us to believe either.

Walt: Disney's 'Oppenheimer'

While there have been several documentaries, only two successful biopics bring the man himself to life on the big screen. Although Walt Before Mickey (2015) gave us a solid background and Saving Mr. Banks (2013) gave a small taste of what he was like at the studio, Disney has been sitting on a golden opportunity for years.

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

"At that point I was bulletproof. I was the guru of all genre movies." Those are the words of Robert Downey Jr. in 2023 as "Oppenheimer" was making its way to theaters. That film went on to win "Best Picture" and made nearly $1 billion worldwide. It also won Rdj an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The point in time he was talking about? Around 2017 when he was cast in a film called "The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle," later shortened to just "Dolittle."

The resounding success of "Oppenheimer" cemented Downey as an unquestioned A-lister, even outside of the confines of "Iron Man" in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His turn as Tony Stark for more than a decade revived his career beyond even wildest expectations.

Universal Pictures’ blockbuster musical “Wicked” has been named best picture by the National Board of Review, the organization announced on Wednesday, in addition to taking home the directing prize for Jon M. Chu and a special award for the collaboration of stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

Over the last 40 years, most of the winners of NBR’s best film has gone on to receive an Oscar nomination for best picture, with the exception of films like 1998’s “Gods and Monsters,” 2000’s “Quills” and 2014’s “A Most Violent Year.” In the 1980s, there were technically two misses with 1987’s “Empire of the Sun” and 1983’s “Betrayal,” the latter of which won in a tie with “Terms of Endearment.” So far this decade, Spike Lee’s war drama “Da 5 Bloods” (2020) is the only film to fail to achieve Oscar recognition. Notably, since the Academy expanded the best picture lineup from...

Disney has just released a great special on the making of Mary Poppins that's a perfect tribute to the film's anniversary!

In the long history of Disney films, there have been a lot of live-action hits. There have been Oscar winners, there have been beloved films, cult classics and more. Yet somehow, 60 years after its release, Mary Poppins has a magic unlike any others. From those iconic songs to Julie Andrews Oscar-winning turn to Dick Van Dyke's wild accent to the groundbreaking special effects, the movie is arguably the best live-action Disney film ever and the last truly great one Walt Disney had a hand in. 

The movie has been celebrated often, yet 20/20 has worked with Disney for the new special The Untold Story of Mary Poppins. Airing on November 27 and now easy to stream on Disney+, the special may seem "fluff" at times, but it's good insight as...

Quick Links Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End Is A Swashbuckling Epic The Little Mermaid (2023) Shows Halle Berry To Be The Perfect Ariel Christopher Robin Has A Sellar British Cast Cruella Is One Of Disney's Darkest Movies The Jungle Book's Photorealistic Animals Are Superbly Realized Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Is An Action-Packed Adventure Saving Mr. Banks Is A Delightful Picture Who Framed Roger Rabbit Is A Love Letter To Animation Mary Poppins Has Many Catchy Tunes Johnny Depp Is Hilarious In Pirates Of The Caribbean: Curse Of The Black Pearl

While Disney may be best known for its animated features, it has also developed an impressive lineup of live-action movies. Their cinematic output is often deeply engrossing, capturing the magic and whimsy of the Disney brand. Walt Disney Studios has developed a great reputation for entertaining audiences of all ages, ensuring a great time at the theater.

Tom Hanks is known for his performances in some truly riveting movies, winning two Academy Awards in the process. The actor starred in the 2013 biographical drama Saving Mr. Banks, which became one of the most acclaimed movies of his career. It also presented Hanks with the challenge of undertaking the role of Walt Disney.

Tom Hanks played Walt Disney in 2013’s Saving Mr. Banks (Credit: Disney).

Walt Disney is a name that arguably has the greatest legacy in the entertainment business. However, some aspects of Disney’s life are rather unsavory and were explored in the movie. In an interview, Hanks particularly spoke about the contentious relationship between Disney and Mary Poppins author Pamela “P. L.” Travers, and here is what he revealed.

Tom Hanks Revealed Why Mary Poppins Author Hated Walt Disney

Tom Hanks played the role of the legendary Walt Disney in the 2013 biographical drama Saving Mr. Banks.

Saving Mr. Banks could have very easily happened without Emma Thompson, despite how vital she wound up being to the film. The biopic starring Tom Hanks tells the story of Walt Disney and the difficulties he encountered while acquiring the rights to Mary Poppins from its author, P. L. Travers, played in the movie by Emma Thompson. It ultimately became one of Emma Thompson's best Disney-related roles.

Saving Mr. Banks was a rather fitting project for Disney as it largely reflects the founder's image. However, integrating the tense dynamic between Disney and Travers with the studio's ethos presented a delicate challenge, as the film risked either descending into self-promotion or tarnishing the brand's reputation. Since Saving Mr. Banks' release 11 years ago, it is public knowledge that the Mary Poppins author hated the Disney movie. Travers opposed the live-action animation and musical sequences in the film, making excessive complaints to executives...

Before it became an Oscar-winning movie, My Fair Lady was a Broadway stage musical starring a young Julie Andrews. However, if Andrews had played Eliza Doolittle on screen, she might not have had the opportunity to take on one of her most iconic roles: Mary Poppins. When the musical was adapted into a movie, Andrews was passed over for the lead in favor of movie star Audrey Hepburn, even though Hepburns singing voice was dubbed over.

In the same year as her My Fair Lady disappointment, Walt Disney offered Andrews the chance to lead the cast of Mary Poppins, his upcoming musical project. My Fair Lady and Mary Poppins were both huge hits in 1964, competing against each other in major Oscar categories, although not Best Actress. Over time, Mary Poppins garnered a more lasting impact on pop culture, remaining one of Julie Andrews' best movies from her incredible career that would go on for decades.

Tom Hardy personally requested his longtime friend to take on the directing duties for Venom: The Last Dance. Hardy and Kelly Marcel have collaborated on the Venom trilogy for over seven years. In this latest installment, Marcel had the opportunity to make her directorial debut, an achievement in which Hardy had a role to play.

A still from Venom: The Last Dance | Credits: Sony Pictures Releasing

Marcel and Hardy were friends even before they worked together on Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. They met each other when Hardy hosted an acting workshop near the video rental shop in London where Marcel worked part-time in the late 2000s. He brought her in to do uncredited rewrites for his 2008 British film, Bronson.

Tom Hardy Wanted Kelly Marcel As The Director Of Venom: The Last Dance Tom Hardy in Kelly Marcel’s Venom: The Last Dance | Credits: Sony Pictures Releasing

Tom Hardy‘s Venom: The Last Dance...

“Venom: The Last Dance” has swayed into theaters.

The third – and potentially final – chapter of the “Venom” saga, which began in 2018, sees Tom Hardy and his alien symbiote Bff come under attack from a ruthless government agency (led by Chiwetel Ejiofor) and some marauding alien beasts, sent by an ancient space deity (Andy Serkis). It’s pretty much exactly what you would expect from one of these movies, although with noticeably more heart, thanks to Eddie’s involvement with a family. It’s both goofier and much sweeter than the earlier installments. And ripe for much discussion.

TheWrap spoke to writer/director Kelly Marcel, who has been with the franchise since the beginning, and star Tom Hardy about this latest entry in the franchise, what made Marcel such a great choice as director and whether or not they’d ever want to make a hard-r “Venom” feature.

You have both...

What is your favorite Sherman Brothers song from the endearing 1964 Walt Disney musical fantasy “Mary Poppins”? Perhaps it’s Robert B. and Richard M’s peppy “Spoonful of Sugar.” Or the Oscar-winning “Chim Chim Cher-ee” and tongue-twisting “”Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” It’s no secret that Disney himself loved the haunting “Feed the Birds.” Disney would often summon Richard M. to his office to play the ballad. “It’s about a lot more than birdseed for birds,” Sherman told me in a 2018 L.A. Times interview. “The song is about the simple act of giving. He’d just say, ‘Play it for me.’ And I’d sing and play it for him, and he’d say ‘Yep, that’s what it’s all about.”’

And it seems that even decades after his death in 1966, it was still what it was all about for Disney. Back in 2015, the studio unveiled the restoration of Disney’s office on the Burbank lot.

The tentatively named Bond 26, coinciding with the potential 2026 release, has had fans of the British Secret Agent speculating on the direction of the franchise after 2021's No Time to Die. Producer Barbara Broccoli has suggested that the new movie will see a "reinvention" of James Bond, indicating significant changes to the character in the upcoming film. However, we still don't know who will play Bond, which of Ian Flemming's novels will be adapted, or if it can even make a 2026 release window.

There is some exciting news, though, as some developments have been announced. The Telegraph has reported that several directors are being considered to helm the movie, taken from a meeting at Eon Productions UK studios. We will look at each and what they could bring to the table for the next entry in the James Bond franchise.

Edward Berger

Netflix

German filmmaker Edward Berger made an...

Some original live-action Disney movies like Hocus Pocus and Enchanted celebrate classic Disney tropes, providing humor and nostalgia. Movies like Tuck Everlasting and Saving Mr. Banks offer fresh perspectives on beloved stories outside of remakes. Pirates of the Caribbean and National Treasure showcase Disney's success with original live-action films beyond remakes.

In an age of cinema hugely characterized by all of Disney's live-action remakes, there are several original live-action Disney movies that are better than most of them. The Disney live-action remake trend took off in the mid-2010s, which can be traced back to the success of Cinderella. Maleficent came out earlier, serving as a soft retelling of Sleeping Beauty from its magnificent villainess' perspective. These movies have seen varying levels of success in capturing what made the original a hit while adding something to the story.

There are still plenty of upcoming Disney live-action remakes that will join the ranks of these titles.

The Blind Side's resurgence is the perfect reminder to watch Remember the Titans, a superior sports drama that stars Denzel Washington. Remember the Titans focuses on team unity and tackles integration in 1971, though it's only loosely based on real-life events. Unlike The Blind Side, Remember the Titans avoids perpetuating a harmful white savior narrative.

The Blind Side, an incredibly divisive biopic from 2009, is trending on Netflix but the film's sudden resurgence is actually the perfect reminder to watch a superior sports drama that stars Denzel Washington. Written and directed by John Lee Hancock (Saving Mr. Banks), the controversial movie adapts a 2006 book of the same name in order to tell The Blind Side's true story of Michael Oher, an offensive lineman who grew up in the foster-care system. Despite a difficult home life with his biological mother, who's navigating substance-use disorder, Michael leaves his new placements to return home.

Tom Hanks was seriously snubbed at the Oscars in 2014, particularly for "Captain Phillips" and "Saving Mr. Banks." Despite critical and financial success, these movies didn't receive Oscar nominations. Hanks' acting abilities sometimes go unacknowledged by the Academy Awards, but his fans appreciate his talents.

Tom Hanks has had a wildly successful acting career, but one of his best movies that was just added to Netflix highlights just how badly he was snubbed at the 2014 Academy Awards. Hanks has had a bit of good fortune with the Oscars: he's been nominated six times, with five of those nominations being for Best Actor. He also won the Best Actor Oscar twice in a row, for 1994's Philadelphia and 1995's Forrest Gump. All of Tom Hanks' best movies have been successful, usually both financially and critically, but some of them went underappreciated at the Oscars.

While he's far from the actor with the most Oscars,...

Who will direct the next Bond film? David Michôd and Kelly Marcel are reportedly in contention, as well as All Quiet On The Western Front’s Edward Berger.

Yesterday came a report that Edward Berger, director of the horrors-of-war epic All Quiet On The Western Front, is among the names being considered for the next James Bond film.

To that list we can now reportedly add Kelly Marcel (pictured), who’s currently putting the finishing touches to this autumn’s Venom: The Last Dance, and David Michod, who broke through in 2010 with his acclaimed crime drama, Animal Kingdom.

This latest report comes from Jeff Sneider, who seconds World of Reel’s earlier story that Berger is currently being considered by Eon and producer Barbara Broccoli.

Those are three markedly different filmmakers with their own markedly different sensibilities. The UK’s Kelly Marcel is better known for her work as a...

Fifty Shades of Grey adaptation could have been weirder, as it originated from Twilight fan fiction. Despite success at the box office, movies faced criticism for acting and lack of sex appeal. American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis campaigned to adapt the film and proposed casting ideas.

Although 2015s Fifty Shades of Grey adaptation was divisive, the movie version of El Jamess bestselling novel could have been much weirder. Originally written as Twilight fan fiction, the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy became a publishing sensation in 2011. The erotic romance trilogy followed Ana Steele, an inexperienced student, as she embarked on a steamy affair with her brooding billionaire boss, Christian Grey. Fifty Shades of Greys movie adaptations werent quite as explicit as the source novel series, but they still courted controversy when the movies landed on cinema screens. Fifty Shades of Grey was released in 2015.

The adaptation was a huge hit,...

Picnik Entertainment & The Movie Partnership has announced that ‘Vindication Swim’ will be released on digital platform from the 10th of June.

Breaking the top 20 at the box office earlier in the year for it’s theatrical release, the movie is Based on the inspirational true story of Mercedes Gleitze, who in 1927 became the first British woman to swim the English Channel. Vindication Swim depicts Mercedes’ upstream struggle in overcoming both the cold waters of the English Channel and the oppressive society of 1920s England. However, after a rival comes forward claiming to have accomplished the same feat, Mercedes is forced into battle to retain her record and her legacy.

Directed by Elliott Hasler, the cast includes Kirsten Callaghan, in the role of Mercedes Gleitze. It also stars John Locke (Poor Things), Victoria Summer (Saving Mr. Banks), James Wilby (Poldark) and Douglas Hodge (Joker).

Also in trailers – Nicola Coughlan, Nonso Anozie...

In his latest podcast/interview, host and screenwriter Stuart Wright talks to film producer Charlotte Atkinson of Our Daughter Productions about what a producer wants from writers and “3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life,” which includes:

Little Women (1994) Saving Mr Banks (2013) Cats (2019)

“3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life” is about those films that made you fall in love with film. The guest selects their trio of movies and we talk for 5 minutes, against the clock. When the alarm goes off for five minutes we move on to the next film.

Powered by RedCircle...

In Venom: The Last Dance, Tom Hardy returns as Venom, one of Marvel’s greatest and most complex characters, for the final film in the trilogy. Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie’s last dance.

Venom: The Last Dance stars Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Peggy Lu, Alanna Ubach and Stephen Graham. The film is directed by Kelly Marcel from a screenplay she wrote, based on a story by Hardy and Marcel.

The film is produced by Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal, Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy and Hutch Parker.

The film opens in theaters on October 25, 2024.

https://venom.movie

Marvel and all related character names: © & 2024 Marvel...

Richard Sherman, the youngest sibling in the iconic songwriting duo the Sherman Brothers, has passed away at the age of 95 from an age-related illness.

Richard and Robert Sherman – who passed away in 2012 at the age of 86 – provided moviegoers with some of the great songs in cinema, boosting every Disney or family-driven production they worked on and helping solidify them as classics.

The Sherman Brothers won the Best Original Song Oscar for “Chim Chim Cher-ee” from Mary Poppins, earning four other nominations in the category, including the title song for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and “The Age of Believing” from Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Mary Poppins would also land Robert and Richard Sherman the Best Original Score Oscar, a category they received four nods in. Retrospectively, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” was featured on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 greatest movie songs ever.

In a statement, The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger said,...

Richard M. Sherman, two-time Oscar winner who collaborated with brother Robert B. Sherman on the songs for “Mary Poppins,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and the enduring Disneyland tune “It’s a Small World (After All),” died Saturday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills due to age-related illness. He was 95.

The Sherman brothers worked in a job that no longer exists: inhouse songwriters for a studio. In their case, the studio was Disney, and the brothers were hired for that steady gig after their 1958 song “Tall Paul” was a hit for Mouseketeer Annette Funicello.

In the early 1960s, they penned tunes for Hayley Mills in Disney films “The Parent Trap,” “In Search of the Castaways” and “Summer Magic,” as well as songs for “The Absent-Minded Professor” and “Moon Pilot”; Walt Disney, always aware of synergy, made sure his family comedies had a tune with radio-play potential. The Shermans wrote for...

Colin Farrell is a versatile Irish actor who has excelled in a variety of genres, from action films to dramas and from wild comedies to very very dark comedies.

Farrell has had the good fortune to work with many of the best directors out there, including Terence Malick and Steven Spielberg. Two writers/directors in particular have been instrumental in pushing Farrell to new artistic ground. Martin McDonagh directed Farrell to his first Golden Globe win (Best Actor for “In Bruges”), and Yorgos Lanthimos led Farrell to his second Best Actor Globe nomination, this time for “The Lobster.”

And most recently, he has received acclaim for “The Banshees of Inisherin” with his first Oscar nomination and become a DC villain in “The Batman.”

Let’s raise a pint of Guinness for a toast and celebrate by counting down the 19 best screen performances of Farrell. Tour our photo gallery ranking his...

Netflix has scored a major win by acquiring the legal drama Monsanto, a highly anticipated package from this year's Cannes Film Festival. Directed by John Lee Hancock, known for his work on The Blind Side and Saving Mr. Banks, the film stars Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie, and Laura Dern. Monsanto tells the riveting true story of Brent Wisner (Powell), a young, ambitious lawyer who takes on a groundbreaking court case against the U.S. chemical giant Monsanto. Wisner represents Dewayne Lee Johnson (Mackie), a high school groundskeeper who claims that Monsanto's top-selling pesticide, Roundup, caused his cancer.

Netflix has acquired the legal drama “Monsanto,” a buzzy package from this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

John Lee Hancock directed the movie, which stars Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie and Laura Dern.

“Monsanto” tells the true story of young upstart lawyer Brent Wisner (Powell), who took on the court case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie). Johnson used the company’s product Roundup, a top-selling weed and grass pesticide killer, as part of his job as a high school groundskeeper. During the trial, Monsanto Company’s chief toxicologist Dr. Melinda Rogers (Dern), testifies that Roundup is safe. Hancock also wrote the screenplay with Michael Wisner, Alexandra Duparc.

“I was drawn to this contemporary David vs. Goliath true story because I found it dramatic, moving, quite funny and of critical importance in today’s world,” Hancock said prior to the film’s sale.

Netflix has tied up a deal in the $34M range for the John Lee Hancock-directed package Monsanto, we can reveal. The pic will star Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie and Oscar winner Laura Dern.

CAA Media Finance cut the presale after launching with Rocket Science last week. Netflix has been quieter at recent markets but is back at the table with the splashy deal.

This and Apple’s WW deal for Everest sherpa pic Tenzing are the two biggest deals to emerge from the Cannes market so far. The latter is understood to be in the $40M range.

Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell), who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie) who used Monsanto’s best-known product Roundup, a wildly financially successful weed and grass pesticide killer, as part...

Glen Powell’s newfound star power continues to fuel movie projects.

The Anyone But You actor will lead a cast that includes Anthony Mackie and Laura Dern to headline Monsanto, a legal drama from writer-director John Lee Hancock.

Rocket Science, the company that has been integral to the financing and producing of movies such as All Quiet on the Western Front and Ricky Stanicky, will launch international sales out of the Cannes Film Market later this month. CAA Media Finance is handling the domestic rights.

Adam McKay and Kevin Messick are producing via their HyperObject Industries banner. Moritz Borman, Eric Kopeloff, Philip Schulz-Deyle and Jon Levin are also producing.

Per the producers, Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell), who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie). Johnson used the company’s best-known product,...

Rocket Science and CAA Media Finance are launching foreign sales out of Cannes for the John Lee Hancock directed Monsanto starring Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie and Oscar winner Laura Dern.

Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell) who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie) who used Monsanto’s best-known product Roundup, a wildly financially successful weed and grass pesticide killer, as part of his job as a high school groundskeeper. During the trial, Dr Melinda Rogers (Dern), the chief toxicologist of the Monsanto Company, testifies with certainty that Roundup is safe.

Pic’s screenplay was developed in association with Karl Spoerri’s Zurich Avenue and penned by Michael Wisner, Alexandra Duparc, Ned Benson and Hancock. Producers are Moritz Borman, Eric Kopeloff, Philip Schulz-Deyle and Jon Levin alongside HyperObject Industries’ Adam McKay and Kevin Messick.

Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie, and Laura Dern will star in the drama Monsanto from writer-director John Lee Hancock, which Rocket Science and CAA Media Finance will introduce to Cannes buyers next week.

Powell, coming off the box office hit Anyone But You and star of Richard Linklater’s upcoming Hit Man, will play Brent Wisner, a young untested attorney who agrees to represent Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie) in a case against Monsanto after Johnson was diagnosed with cancer following years of he using the agrochemical giant’s weed killer in his job as a high school groundsman.

During the trial,...

Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie, and Laura Dern are set to star in “Monsanto,” a drama based on the true story of an upstart lawyer who took on one of the most powerful and controversial chemical corporations in the U.S.

“Monsanto” is being co-written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and it’s also being produced by Adam McKay, who has long been vocal about the climate crisis and the impact corporations like Monsanto in particular have had on the environment.

The film is being introduced to buyers at the Cannes Film Festival Marché du Film beginning next week, with CAA Media Finance handling domestic rights and Rocket Science handling international sales.

“Monsanto” tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell) who sues the giant U.S. chemical company on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie), who used Monsanto’s weed and pesticide product Roundup for his...

The Little Things features Denzel Washington in his 13th law enforcement role, showcasing his versatile talent in crime dramas over the years. Despite mixed reviews, The Little Things became a global hit on Netflix three years after its release, showcasing Washington's enduring appeal. Training Day and Inside Man stand out as Denzel Washington's best cop movies, with iconic performances and critical acclaim setting them apart.

The Little Things featured Denzel Washington in a familiar role despite its underwhelming critical reception. The Little Things, written and directed by John Lee Hancock, stars Washington alongside two fellow Oscar winners Jared Leto and Rami Malek in a tense crime drama set in Los Angeles. Washington plays Joe 'Deke' Deacon in The Little Things, a County Deputy Sheriff who becomes deeply ingrained in the search for a serial killer who is terrorizing Los Angeles.

Despite The Little Things divisive reception, it recently became...

Apple TV+ has ordered a series adaptation of Mick Herron’s “Down Cemetery Road” with Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson attached to star, Variety has learned.

This is now the second adaptation of Herron’s books to get the series treatment at Apple, with the other being the popular spy series “Slow Horses” starring Gary Oldman. Morwenna Banks, who is a writer on “Slow Horses,” will serve as lead writer on “Down Cemetery Road.”

The official logline of the new series states, “When a house explodes in a quiet Oxford suburb and a girl disappears in the aftermath, neighbor Sarah Tucker (Wilson) becomes obsessed with finding her and enlists the help of private investigator Zoë Boehm (Thompson). Zoë and Sarah suddenly find themselves in a complex conspiracy that reveals that people long believed dead are still among the living, while the living are fast joining the dead.”

Banks and Thompson...

When Sam Taylor-Johnson started working on her Amy Winehouse biopic, Back to Black, she asked screenwriter Matt Greenhalgh to listen to one of Winehouse’s tracks, “Tears Dry on Their Own,” before he started writing. “I kept saying in those early days, ‘I feel like this song is our path to understanding her,’ ” Taylor-Johnson says.

In the deceptively upbeat single about Winehouse’s tumultuous relationship with her on-again, off-again love, Blake Fielder-Civil, she sings, “It’s my responsibility/And you don’t owe nothing to me.”

For Taylor-Johnson, 57, that line spoke to something largely misunderstood about Winehouse, the English singer who died of alcohol poisoning in 2011: Just 27, she left behind an outsize cultural impact. Winehouse’s defining album, Back to Black, sold more than 16 million copies worldwide, and her unique mix of jazz and soul with punk-era defiance would go on to influence artists like Adele, Lady Gaga and Billie Eilish.

Dolittle brings to life a classic children's tale with a stellar voice cast and live-action allure, marking Rdj's return to the screen. While it bombed at the box office, the film's true magic lies in its enchanting cadre of CGI animals and an all-star voice cast. A celebration of conversing with animals, Dolittle injects a family-oriented zest with a diverse and talented vocal ensemble.

Starring the charismatic Robert Downey Jr. as the titular character, Dolittle marries a stellar voice cast with its live-action allure. Helmed by Stephen Gaghan and drawing inspiration from Hugh Lofting's classic 1922 children's tale, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, this live-action/CGI spectacle marks Downey Jr.'s much-anticipated return to the silver screen following his epic swan song in the previous year's cinematic titan, Avengers: Endgame.

While Dolittle boasts on-screen talents such as Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Jim Broadbent, and Jessie Buckley, the film's true magic...

Exclusive: Rebel Moon star Staz Nair is replacing Sacha Dhawan as lead of upcoming Bradford-set BBC crime thriller Virdee.

Doctor Who star Dhawan has dropped out due to scheduling issues, Deadline is told, and will be replaced in the Harry Virdee role by the actor who has also appeared in Game of Thrones and Supergirl.

The adaptation of AA Dhand’s thriller, which Dhand is penning, has unveiled full cast including Aysha Kala (Criminal Record, Indian Summers) as Saima Virdee, Harry’s wife, Nina Singh (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry) as Tara Virdee, Harry’s niece and a keen crime reporter, with Vikash Bhai (Crossfire, Limbo) playing Harry’s brother-in-law Riaz Hyatt. Kulvinder Ghir (Foundation, Blinded By The Light) and Sudha Bhuchar (Expats, Rules of the Game) will play Harry Virdee’s parents, Ranjit and Jyoti. Other cast include Elizabeth Berrington (Good Omens), Danyal Ismail (All the Lights Still...

The second season of “Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches” is now in production in New Orleans and will return to AMC later in 2024. AMC announced the start of production at the Television Critics Association press tour on Tuesday, along with several new additions to the cast led by Alexandra Daddario.

New additions include “Hocus Pocus” and “American Beauty” star Thora Birch, who will join the eight-episode Season 2 as a guest star; “Silence of the Lambs” and “Monk” actor Ted Levine, who joins as a recurring guest star and Alyssa Jirrels, who joins as a series regular.

All the new cast members will play a role in the title Mayfair family. Birch stars as Gifford, a self-deprecating tarot card reader and wannabe-bohemian who lately spends a lot of time at her lake house. Levine will play Julien, Cortland’s (Harry Hamlin) father; a master manipulator and diabolical presence that haunts the family.

Amy Winehouse had a quick rise to fame and unfortunately, it lasted just as quickly when her addictions would take a toll on her tumultuous life. Her talent would not go unnoticed as the singer gained a huge following, and her fans celebrate her music to this day. Focus Features has now released the official trailer for the biopic about Winehouse as it chronicles her meteoric celebrity and how the dark forces of it all would become too much for her. Marisa Abela, of the TV series Industry and Barbie, plays the singer. The film also stars Jack O’Connell, Eddie Marsan and Lesley Manville. The biopic comes from filmmaker Sam Taylor-Johnson.

The official plot synopsis from Focus Features reads,

“The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame from her early days in Camden through the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black that catapulted Winehouse to global fame.

Now that the BAFTA, Critics Choice, Golden Globe, and SAG Award nominations have all been announced, it’s time to take a closer look at what they all mean. Seven lead and six supporting performers reaped bids will all four of these precursor prizes (scroll down to see who’s on that list), but can they all count on hearing their names called when the Oscar nominations are unveiled on January 23?

Since the Critics Choice Awards joined the other three precursors in publicizing official nominations in 2002, there have been 11 instances when someone nominated across the board did not go on to contend at the Oscars. Given the lack of precedent for such an occurrence until 2012, the current hopefuls are unfortunately saddled with the implications of the adjusted average of about one case per year.

Just last year, Best Actress hopeful Viola Davis (“The Woman King”) joined this group of also-rans...

Amy Winehouse had a quick rise to fame and unfortunately, it lasted just as quickly when her addictions would get the best of her. Her talent would not go unnoticed as the singer gained a huge following, and her fans celebrate her music to this day. StudioCanal has just released the teaser trailer for the biopic about Winehouse as it chronicles her meteoric celebrity and how tumultuous it became for her. Marisa Abela, of the TV series Industry and Barbie, plays the singer. The movie comes from filmmaker Sam Taylor-Johnson.

According to Deadline, the biopic “charts Winehouse’s career from her years as a breakout in the London underground music scene to her rapid ascension to worldwide superstardom. Supporting Abela are BAFTA-winning actor Jack O’Connell as Blake Fielder-Civil, Eddie Marsan as Mitch Winehouse, Juliet Cowan as Janis Winehouse, and Golden Globe and Oscar-nominated Lesley Manville as Winehouse’s grandmother, Cynthia.

The film Saving Mr. Banks accurately portrays the critical responses of P.L. Travers to Walt Disney's adaptation of her work, as evidenced by actual recordings of her critiques in the end credits. Although there are some embellishments for dramatic effect, the film accurately portrays the historical inspirations behind Mary Poppins and stays true to the most important details of Travers' life. Saving Mr. Banks is a mature Disney film that deals with themes of grief and coping, teaching children important lessons while still providing the signature Disney magic and heartwarming moments. The performances by Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks are exceptional and anchor the film's success.

Saving Mr. Banks was released a little over one decade ago. It stars Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers, the author of the beloved book Mary Poppins, alongside Tom Hanks as Walt Disney. The film tells the true story of the clash of whimsical fantasy and sophisticated tradition.

Exclusive: Producers Ian Collie and Rob Gibson are best known for helping bring an injured mongrel dog into the global consciousness in Colin From Accounts. Ahead of a busy 2024, the pair sat down with Deadline to chat about plans for their Easy Tiger Productions imprint, the state of TV in Australia and signing with CAA.

And where else to start, but with Colin From Accounts, Australian streamer Binge’s romantic sitcom series written by and starring real-life couple Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer. Over the weekend, the critically acclaimed show, winner of the Most Outstanding Comedy Program at the Logies, went into production on Season 2 after a delay primarily caused by the U.S. writers strike.

Gibson was first alerted to what would become Colin just after leaving his post as Head of Originals at Binge rival Stan. “Harriet had given me the script as a writing sample for another show,...

The Palm Springs Film Awards will honor Paul Giamatti with the Icon Award for his performance in “The Holdovers.” He will receive the award at the Jan. 4 event at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

“In ‘The Holdovers,’ Paul Giamatti inhabits a complex character who is both challenging and rewarding, and ultimately reminds us of what it means to be connected as human beings,” festival chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said in a statement. “For his storied career of quintessential cinematic roles, it is our honor to present the Icon Award to Paul Giamatti for this career-best performance.”

In Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers,” Giamatti portrays a grumpy New England prep school teacher who forms a bond with a troubled student and the school’s head cook, who is grieving after the loss of her son. Giamatti currently stars in Season 2 of “30 Coins” and the final season of “Billions.” His other...

“Killers of the Flower Moon” has been named best picture by the National Board of Review, the organization announced on Wednesday.

Co-distributed by Apple Original Films and Paramount Pictures, the crime epic also nabbed prizes for director Martin Scorsese and actress Lily Gladstone. Scorsese’s win for directing is notable, as he is now tied with legendary filmmaker David Lean with four wins, the most of any director in NBR history. Interestingly, NBR has the least translation to an Oscar winner of all the major categories, the last being Scorsese for “The Departed” (2006).

Over the last 30 years, the winner of NBR’s best film has typically gone on to receive an Oscar nomination for best picture, except for once every decade — 2014’s “A Most Violent Year,” 2000’s “Quills” and 1998’s “Gods and Monsters.” In the 1980s, there were technically two misses with 1987’s “Empire of the Sun” and 1983’s “Betrayal,...

Studiocanal and Monumental Pictures announce the UK release date & first look image for ‘Back to Black,’ the highly anticipated feature film about Amy Winehouse’s vibrant years living in London and her intense journey to fame will open in UK and Irish cinemas 12 April 2024.

The movie will focus on Amy’s extraordinary genius, creativity and honesty that infused everything she did. A journey that took her from the craziness and colour of 90’s Camden High Street to global adoration – and back again, it crashes through the looking glass of celebrity to watch this journey from behind the mirror, to see what Amy saw, to feel what she felt.

(Images: Studiocanal/Monumental Pictures)

Also in news – All of Us Strangers wins big at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards

Acclaimed filmmaker and visual artist Sam Taylor-Johnson directs with break-out star Marisa Abela (Industry) in the coveted lead role supported by BAFTA winning actor Jack O’Connell,...

Anticipation for next year’s Amy Winehouse movie Back to Black is growing with Studiocanal unveiling a second image and announcing release dates.

The movie charting the life of the Rehab singer from Sam Taylor-Johnson, which stars Marisa Abela as the iconic artist, will launch in the cinemas in the UK and Poland on April 12 2024, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia on April 18 and France and New Zealand the following week. Focus Features will announce U.S. release date soon.

Logline for the movie reads: “Back to Black will focus on Amy’s extraordinary genius, creativity and honesty that infused everything she did. A journey that took her from the craziness and colour of 90’s Camden High Street to global adoration – and back again, Back to Black crashes through the looking glass of celebrity to watch this journey from behind the mirror, to see what Amy saw, to feel what she felt.

The Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, a day before the National Board of Review will weigh in on its selections for the best films and performances of 2023. They’ll be following the New York Film Critics Circle who kicked off the season last week by crowning Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” as its top choice. Its West Coast counterpart, Los Angeles Film Critics, will drop their choices on Sunday. Safe to say, the awards season is fully underway.

Celebrating the spirits of indie cinema, the unknown nominating committee will select movies with budgets $30 million and under. Some of this year’s presumed top contenders such as “Barbie,” “Maestro” and “Oppenheimer” go beyond those figures so don’t expect to see any of those called out tomorrow. However, we are suspecting a good day for Cord Jefferson’s “American Fiction,” Celine Song’s...

Wish Photo: Disney It was probably inevitable that Marvel’s world-building virus would infect its Disney host. But it’s still startling to see how urgently the new Disney animated fairy tale Wish attempts to retcon 86 years of disparate animated features into something like a shared universe—one where Peter Pan,...