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Ed Skrein has built a solid Hollywood career with diverse roles ranging from small indie crime movies to blockbuster superhero films. Skrein's versatile acting shines in his underrated projects, showcasing new sides of his personality in roles that differ from his usual confident characters. From playing a menacing drug dealer in Ill Manors to a heroic WWII pilot in Midway, Skrein's range as an actor is evident in each role.

After first catching people's attention as Daario Naharis in HBO's Game of Thrones, British actor Ed Skrein has built a solid movie career over the years. Skrein has appeared in a number of notable TV roles, such as the crime series The Tunnel and the miniseries All the Light You Cannot See, but audiences are likely more familiar with his movie roles which include small indie crime movies and giant superhero blockbusters.

Though Skrein was recast as Daario on Game of Thrones,...

Another Game of Thrones Prequel Nears With Lead Director Attached - Main Image

After House of the Dragon, another Game of Thrones spinoff is progressing. Owen Harris of Black Mirror fame has been announced as the lead director of the first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

Some of Harris’s directorial credits include acclaimed episodes of the anthology series Be Right Back, San Junipero, and Striking Vipers. He also helmed the first episode of Jordan Peele’s revival of The Twilight Zone and made his big screen debut in Kill Your Friends (2015) starring Nicholas Hoult.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is based on George R.R. Martin’s novella The Hedge Knight, about the improbable partnership of Ser Duncan the Tall or Dunk, described as a young, naive, yet courageous knight, and his squire Egg. The story will be set a century before the events of Game of Thrones...

Some breaking news from Westeros: The Game of Thrones prequel series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has added a major talent from Black Mirror to serve as its debut season’s lead director, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Owen Harris has boarded the HBO drama as an executive producer and will also direct the first three episodes, establishing the directorial vision for the series. Harris is best known for helming two of Black Mirror‘s finest episodes — “Be Right Back” and the widely acclaimed “San Junipero.”

In addition, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ episode count has now been revealed: The first season will be six episodes, making for a tighter opener than the 10-episode first seasons of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. The run time seems appropriate given Knight is an adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s 160-page novella The Hedge Knight rather than one of his 900-page epic novels.

Nicholas Hoult's experience playing complex and subtle villains makes him a perfect choice to portray Lex Luthor in the DC Universe's debut film, Superman: Legacy, and beyond. Hoult's previous roles as villains in projects like The Great, Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Menu, and Kill Your Friends showcase his ability to deliver a range of emotions and motivations, which is essential for portraying the layered character of Lex Luthor. With the rebooted DC Universe aiming for lighter tones, Hoult's potential to provide comic relief as Lex Luthor, as seen in his previous roles, makes him an ideal casting decision for the iconic villain.

Despite auditioning for the role of Superman, Nicholas Hoult has been cast as Lex Luthor in the DC Universe for its debut feature film, Superman: Legacy, and this casting choice is actually much better suited to the actor. After Superman: Legacy was first announced...

Still Up is the latest charming Apple TV+ series that has been garnering critical acclaim and patiently building its audience. As Ed Power of The Daily Telegraph writes, "Still Up draws a moving portrait of two people in a crowded city desperately trying not to feel alone. You’ll laugh and you’ll cry." Starring Antonia Thomas and Craig Roberts, Still Up is co-created and written by a pair of British actors/writers, Steve Burge (Blunder) and Natalie Walter (I May Destroy You). We have an exclusive (and adorable) clip from the fourth episode:

Related: 50 Best New TV Shows to Watch on Streaming

Craig Roberts Stars in Another Acclaimed Project

Actor Craig Roberts continues his march through delightful projects which began with The Story of Tracy Beaker and the phenomenal Richard Ayoade film, Submarine. Since then, he's appeared in acclaimed films like Jane Eyre, Comes a Bright Day, The Double,...

Summer 2021 is the 25th anniversary of one of the biggest concerts in British music history: Oasis at Knebworth. The two-day event saw 250,000 mad-for-it fans of Liam and Noel Gallagher swarm the grounds of a country house in southern England for a murderer’s row of Britpop heavyweights. No performers stood taller that day than the headliners, the brash, Beatles-meets-Sex-Pistols from Manchester. For a brief period of time, Oasis was the biggest rock band in the world. None of this––literally none––would have happened had it not been for a sarcastic, caustic, hedonistic and drug-fueled Scotsman named Alan McGee. As his biopic Creation Stories opens he is introduced as a “music industry kingpin, guru, and former head of Creation Records.”

That is all true, though as a title card reads, “Most of this happened. Some of the names have been changed… to protect the guilty.” One’s interest in the...

Leslie K. Barry’s upcoming novel “Newark Minutemen” has been optioned by Fulwell 73, the independent production company behind “The Late Late Show with James Corden.” John Niven and Nick Ball are attached to pen the screenplay.

“Newark Minutemen” is based on an incredible true story. It centers on a Jewish boxer who goes undercover for the mob and FBI to fight fascism in New Jersey during the Great Depression. His mission takes place as a substantial portion of the American public was pushing neutrality as Hitler consolidated power in Europe. In this chaotic time, he joins the Newark Minutemen, a band of other Jewish boxers, who rose up to fight a Nazi shadow party that was emerging in the States. The novel is based on the real-life experiences of author Leslie K. Barry’s uncle, a Newark Minuteman boxer, and was pieced together from first-hand accounts from her 93-year old mother and her cousin,...

A brand new trailer for Supervised has arrived online. Superhero movies are the biggest thing in Hollywood right now and they've been that way for more than a decade. At some point, studios are going to have to find ways to try and reinvent the genre in order to give audiences something a little fresh. That doesn't always mean better, but it's an inevitability. In this case, Lionsgate is giving us a look at some Hollywood veterans as retiree superheroes. To what degree that may be appealing, as presented, very much depends on the viewer's sensibilities.

The trailer begins with a look at a retirement home specifically designed for superheroes who have aged out of the job. Their powers are being kept in check and everyone seems to be pretty miserable. It's not long before we realize that something isn't as it seems and a few of these old-school heroes...

Asymmetric survival multiplayer game Dead by Daylight is getting a little long in the tooth, but it looks like it’s still capable of a surprise or two. Released on PC in 2016, it’s since appeared on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and most recently the Switch. Since its launch, the game has seen a steady stream of Dlc, including appearances from Freddy Krueger, Leatherface and Michael Myers (and allowed players to take control of Laurie Strode). And now it’s looking like you’ll be able to step into the shoes of Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams.

The clues came with the Demise of the Faithful update, which introduced some interesting new perks in the Kill Your Friends mode. These include Mettle of Man, Flip-Flop and Buckle Up, and are all termed Ashley J. Williams perks. Fans of Evil Dead will, of course, know that these reference lines from across the famed horror franchise.

Yellow Bird U.K., part of TV giant the Banijay Group, has optioned the rights to Straight White Male, the 2013 novel by Scottish writer John Niven.

Niven – author of Kill Your Friends, which was made into a film starring Nicholas Hoult and James Corden in 2015 – will adapt his own book, which follows the personal and professional misadventures of unreconstructed Irish writer Kennedy Marr.

For 15 years, he has lived the high life in L.A., womanizing, writing movies and spending every dollar he earns. He’s got away with it because he’s charming and talented and delivers ...

John Niven is adapting his book “Straight White Male” for TV with the U.K. arm of “Wallander” producer Yellow Bird.

The author’s “Kill Your Friends” was adapted for the big screen in 2015, and he will now take “Straight White Male” to TV. The book follows the personal and professional misadventures of Kennedy Marr, an unreconstructed, hard-living Irish writer living in Los Angeles. To keep the the tax man at bay, he’s forced to return to England to accept a lucrative prize from a British university.

“I’ve long thought that ‘Straight White Male’ had all the ingredients for a great TV series, and that Kennedy Marr’s singular approach to life and love is more relevant than ever,” Niven said. “Getting the chance to develop the show with Yellow Bird U.K., who share my passion for this character, feels ridiculously fortunate.”

It is the second project...

Exclusive: Gianni Nunnari’s Hollywood Gang has optioned Second Coming, the satirical novel by Scottish author John Niven. Italian filmmaker Paolo Genovese (Perfect Strangers) is circling the project to write and direct.

In Second Coming, God takes a much needed holiday, which in Heaven-lapsed time is a leisurely week of celestial relaxation. But on Earth, several hundred years have passed. When God returns from his break, he discovers a modern day world gone awry and littered with contemporary societal issues from war and genocides to racism, violence, terrorism and an unhealthy obsession with celebrity culture. So who best to fix today’s problems of the here and now? God sends his dope smoking son to straighten things out.

Niven is best known for his music industry novel Kill Your Friends. “This is the book of mine that has sold by far the most copies around the world,” he said. “I...

The final trailer and poster for the return of the Abbatastic musical, Mamma Mia Here We Go Again has dropped ahead of its June 1st release.

Reprising their roles from Mamma Mia! The Movie is Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep as Donna, Julie Walters as Rosie and Christine Baranski as Tanya. Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper reunite as Sophie and Sky, while Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård and Oscar® winner Colin Firth return to play Sophie’s three possible dads: Sam, Bill and Harry.

Joining the cast are Lily James as a Young Donna. Filling the roles of Young Rosie and Young Tanya are Alexa Davies (A Brilliant Young Mind) and Jessica Keenan Wynn (Broadway’s Beautiful). Young Sam will be played by Jeremy Irvine (War Horse), while Young Bill is Josh Dylan (Allied) and Young Harry is Hugh Skinner (Kill Your Friends).

Ol Parker, the writer of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,...

Disney's Maleficent 2 is finally moving forward, with the studio bringing aboard Ed Skrein to play the new villain. Unfortunately, no details about his character were given at this time, with the actor joining original Maleficent stars Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning in this sequel. This report doesn't reveal any details about when production may or may not take place, and Disney hasn't set a release date at this time, but there was previously a report that indicated filming was supposed to start yesterday.

The last we heard about Maleficent 2 was back in January, when it was revealed that director Joachim Ronning has entered pre-production on the sequel, with principal photography reportedly set to begin on April 16 in London. That report also indicated that filming was slated to last until August, with Angelina Jolie reportedly choosing this project over the prospect of starring in Universal Pictures' Bride of Frankenstein,...

Universal Pictures released a brand new 60-second TV spot for Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again, during the Grammy Awards telecast last night. This video features new footage of Cher as Ruby Sheridan, the mother of Meryl Streep's Donna and grandmother of Amanda Seyfried's Sophie. Cher is seen belting out the Abba hit song "Fernando" while also offering her thanks when Tanya (Christine Baranski) toasts to "the woman of this, and every hour," unaware that Donna was referring to Sophie.

Get ready to sing and dance, laugh and love all over again. Ten years after Mamma Mia! The Movie grossed more than $600 million around the world, you are invited to return to the magical Greek island of Kalokairi in an all-new original musical based on the songs of Abba. With the film's original cast returning and new additions including Lily James as the young Donna and Cher as her mother,...

Author: Zehra Phelan

A brand new trailer and poster have arrived for the musical comedy return of Mamma Mia Here We Go Again which surprisingly welcomes Cher to the family.

Related: First Mamma Mia Here We Go Again trailer and images

Reprising their roles from Mamma Mia! The Movie is Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep as Donna, Julie Walters as Rosie and Christine Baranski as Tanya. Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper reunite as Sophie and Sky, while Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård and Oscar® winner Colin Firth return to play Sophie’s three possible dads: Sam, Bill and Harry.

Joining the cast are Lily James as a Young Donna. Filling the roles of Young Rosie and Young Tanya are Alexa Davies (A Brilliant Young Mind) and Jessica Keenan Wynn (Broadway’s Beautiful). Young Sam will be played by Jeremy Irvine (War Horse), while Young Bill is Josh Dylan (Allied) and Young...

The first trailer for Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again has arrived online. In Hollywood, it seems like it's never too late to do a sequel and that's certainly the case with Mamma Mi! right now. The original was a massive hit and it's honestly surprising a sequel wasn't made earlier. But Universal Pictures has just released the trailer for Mamma Mia 2 online, giving us our first real look at the sequel, which arrives in theaters next summer.

Ten years after Mamma Mia! brought in $609 million worldwide, you are invited to return to the magical Greek island of Kalokairi in an all-new original musical based on the songs of Abba. With the film's original cast returning and new additions including Lily James (Cinderella). This is easily her biggest role sing starring in Edgar Wright's Baby Driver earlier this year. The musical comedy will open on July 20, 2018, putting it right...

Legendary Pictures has released the first trailer for the musical comedy Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, the sequel to the hit 2008 musical. If you enjoyed the first film, which was released ten years ago, then I'm sure you'll like what you see in this trailer for the sequel. Yeah, I know this movie isn't for everyone, but there are still a good amount of people that will enjoy it.

The sequel continues the story of Amanda Seyfried's Sophie, who finds herself pregnant. This event brings back Meryl Streep as Donna, Julie Walters as Rosie and Christine Baranski as Tanya to be by her side. The movie also tells the story of Steep's character when she was young, and that younger version of her is being played by Lily James (Baby Driver).

The movie also stars Dominic Cooper as Sky, Pierce Brosnan as Sam, Stellan Skarsgård as Bill, and Colin Firth as Harry.

Get ready to sing and dance, laugh and love all over again with Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

Ten years after Mamma Mia! The Movie grossed more than $600 million around the world, you are invited to return to the magical Greek island of Kalokairi in an all-new original musical based on the songs of Abba.

With the film’s original cast returning, Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters, Amanda Seyfried, and Christine Baranski as well as new additions including Cher, Andy Garcia and Lily James (Cinderella, Baby Driver), the musical comedy will open on July 20, 2018.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is produced by Judy Craymer and Gary Goetzman, producers of the original film. Craymer is also the creator and producer of the worldwide smash-hit stage musical.

Ol Parker, writer of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, writes and directs the sequel from a story by Catherine Johnson,...

It's happening again! Universal Pictures announced today that principal photography has begun on Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again. Ten years after Mamma Mia! The Movie grossed more than $600 million around the world, you are invited to return to the magical Greek island of Kalokairi in an all-new original musical based on the songs of Abba. With the film's original cast returning and new additions including Lily James (Cinderella, Baby Driver), the musical comedy will open on July 20, 2018.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is produced by Judy Craymer and Gary Goetzman, producers of the original film. Craymer is also the creator and producer of the worldwide smash-hit stage musical.

Ol Parker, writer of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, writes and directs the sequel from a story by Catherine Johnson, Richard Curtis and Parker. Benny Andersson and Bj&#246rn Ulvaeus return to provide music and lyrics and serve as executive producers.

A report surfaced last week that revealed a number of Hellboy characters from the comics will be featured in the new Hellboy reboot, such as Abe Sapien, Alice Monaghan, played by the most recent casting addition, Sasha Lane, and Ben Daimio. Today we have word that Ed Skrein, who is coming off his villainous role as Ajax in last year's Deadpool, will play Major Ben Daimio, who is described as a "rugged military member" of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.). It's possible that Abe Sapien's casting will be just around the corner, as we get closer to a September production start.

The Hollywood Reporter reveals that this B.P.R.D. character Ben Daimio can transform himself into a jaguar, when he's angered or when he's in pain. While Abe Sapien was featured in the original Hellboy movies, starring Ron Perlman and directed by Guillermo del Toro,...

04.27.17: This list is now final. While I may in the future see additional films that were released in the awards year of 2016, no more films will be added to this list. (I may add links to reviews of films listed here.)

This ranking includes only new theatrical releases viewed for the awards year of 2016 (for eligibility for the Academy Awards and the Ofcs and Awfj awards); some films released in the UK without Us releases (and so ineligible for those awards this year) may also be included, for my own bookkeeping purposes. Links go to my review. Numbers after each entry are Date First Viewed/NYC Release Date/London Release Date; year is 2016 unless otherwise noted.

worth paying multiplex prices for

[5 stars]

Arrival (10.10/11.11/11.10)

La La Land (10.07/12.09/01.13.17)

A Monster Calls (10.06/12.23/01.01.17)

The Lobster (07.16.15/05.13/10.16.15)

Zootropolis (aka Zootopia) (02.22/03.04/03.25)

A Bigger Splash (10.08.15/05.04/02.12)

Miss Sloane (11.20/11.25/05.12.17)

London Road (06.03.15/09.09/06.12.15)

The Girl with All the Gifts (07.26/02.24.17/09.23)

I, Daniel Blake...

Author: Zehra Phelan

Another new Netflix original feature length film looks set to thrill in the Spring of 2017 with a trip to the second Gulf War and a couple of familiar faces – Henry Cavill and Nicholas Hoult – at the forefront as American soldiers.

Related: Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck on Batman v Superman

This British made war drama sees screenwriter Chris Roessner recounting a story infused with his own personal experiences from his own time in Iraq. It is an honest and candid look at the war from his standpoint and the eyes of the American Soldiers who stood by his side on the front lines of this war. Sand Castle is only the second feature film from acclaimed Brazilian director Fernando Coimbra (A Wolf at the Door), who has also directed episodes from Season One of the Netflix global-hit series “Narcos.”

Joining Henry Cavill (Batman V Superman, Man from U.

For its third season, and first on Netflix, “Black Mirror” brought some bigger stars, bigger budgets, and more recognizable names behind the camera. And while the nature of anthology shows means that not every episode is going to work, it’s been near unanimous that “San Junipero” is among the finest of season three, and arguably the show’s history. And it’s not just because of Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mackenzie Davis’ performances, or the direction by Owen Harris (“Kill Your Friends,” “Secret Diary Of A Call Girl”).

Continue reading Exclusive: Stream Soundtrack Preview Of Clint Mansell’s Score For ‘Black Mirror’ Episode ‘San Junipero’ at The Playlist.

Sierra/Affinity to handle sales at Afm on Craig Gillespie drama-biopic I, Tonya.

Len Blavatnik’s AI Film will fully finance Craig Gillespie’s upcoming, I, Tonya, with Sierra/Affinity due to commence international sales at this year’s Afm.

Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad) is in negotiations to star as American figure skater Tonya Harding as well as produce the edgy comedy, with Bryan Unkeless (The Hunger Games) for Clubhouse Pictures, Tom Ackerley for LuckyChap Entertainment and Steven Rogers already attached to produce.

Blavatnik and Aviv Giladi of AI Film are executive producing. UTA Independent Film Group and CAA are representing Us domestic rights.

I,Tonya focuses on Harding’s sensationalized involvement in the 1994 attack on Nancy Kerrigan, which became an infamous tabloid scandal.

Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl) directs a script penned by Steven Rogers (P.S. I Love You).

Aviv Giladi, chairman of AI Film, said of the announcement: “AI Film is thrilled to be collaborating...

Sierra/Affinity to handle sales at Afm on Craig Gillespie drama-biopic I, Tonya.

Len Blavatnik’s AI Film will fully finance Craig Gillespie’s upcoming, I, Tonya, with Sierra/Affinity due to commence international sales at this year’s Afm.

Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad) is in negotiations to star as American figure skater Tonya Harding as well as produce the edgy comedy, with Bryan Unkeless (The Hunger Games) for Clubhouse Pictures, Tom Ackerley for LuckyChap Entertainment and Steven Rogers already attached to produce.

Blavatnik and Aviv Giladi of AI Film are executive producing. UTA Independent Film Group and CAA are representing Us domestic rights.

I,Tonya focuses on Harding’s sensationalized involvement in the 1994 attack on Nancy Kerrigan, which became an infamous tabloid scandal.

Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl) directs a script penned by Steven Rogers (P.S. I Love You).

Aviv Giladi, chairman of AI Film, said of the announcement: “AI Film is thrilled to be collaborating...

Two programmes aim to facilitate budding producers with the skills to deliver first and second features.

UK creative industries agency Creative England has launched two initiatives aimed at emerging film producers.

Producer Hothouse will be a professional development programme in which up to ten successful applicants will undertake a six-month placement at an established production company.

The potential host companies are: Sheffield’s Warp Films (This Is England); Ridley Scott’s London-based Scott Free Productions (Before I Go To Sleep); 42 (Welcome To The Punch), Altitude Film Entertainment (Kill Your Friends), Number 9 Films (Made In Dagenham), Pulse Films (American Honey), Trademark Films (My Week With Marilyn) and Vertigo Films (StreetDance).

The programme will be open to producers based outside of London in England or Scotland who are working on either their first or second features. Entrants will be able to progress their own projects alongside development responsibilities at host companies. They will also receive a bursary of $12,000 (£9,000) to...

Yes, there is another actor from the Gleeson family. While his brother Domhnall and father Brendan Gleeson have worldwide attention for their various roles, Brian Gleeson has been receiving acclaim on the Irish TV and film circuit. Ahead of a part in Assassin’s Creed and Darren Aronofsky‘s next film, he’ll be seen in Tiger Raid, which screened at Tribeca Film Festival this year.

Directed by Simon Dixon, the first trailer has now arrived for the film, which follows Gleeson and Damien Molony (Kill Your Friends) as they are assigned to kidnap a character portraying by Sofia Boutella, who will be seen in Star Trek Beyond this month. The trailer paints an intense, small-scale drama, and will hopefully help it get in the eyes of potential distributors here in the United States.

Check it out below, along with the poster.

Tiger Raid tells the story of two mercenaries,...

Will Clarke’s Altitude Film Distribution has acquired UK and Ireland rights to Simon Dixon’s Tiger Raid. Bankside is handling international sales. The film, which stars Brian Gleeson (Assassin's Creed), Damien Molony (Kill Your Friends) and Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: Secret Service), tells the story of Joe and Paddy, members of a private security crew working in the Middle East. They have been assigned to kidnap the daughter of a powerful man as part of a major robbery – a…...

Team Experience is at the Tribeca Film Festival. Here's Jason on Equals.

I'd be curious to know if Lil Nicky Hoult got into his parents Blockbuster stash around the tender age of eight and saw some things he wasn't supposed to see... like perhaps the 1996 film Trainspotting and the 1997 film Gattaca? Because he's totally spent the past year trying to remake the two of them. Kill Your Friends, the Trainspotting wannabe, has already come and gone without much love lost or gained, and now we have Equals, a shiny "doomed by science fiction" romance for the Swipe Right Age.

Equals - the tale of a gleaming future where emotion's verboten - makes a much more successful case for itself. Yes it echoes Andrew Niccol in every perfume-ad pretty shot, all futuristic silvers and golds shimmering beneath the camera's upturned palm. You've never seen skin as devastatingly luminescent as Hoult's here...

It's contest time again, and this one is quite impressive. We've partnered up with our friends at Well Go USA to present a chance to celebrate the theatrical release of Owen Harris's Kill Your Friends, starring Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road), on April 1 -- that's today! The film takes a look at the late '90s British music industry through the eyes of the savagely ambitious Steven Stelfox (Hoult). Apart from the comparisons to American Psycho, which are definitely appealing, the film also features an amazing soundtrack of BritPop and dance hits from bands like Blur, Oasis, Radiohead, Prodigy, and The Chemical Brothers. Kill Your Friends is based on the critically acclaimed book of the same name by John Niven, who also wrote the...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Based on cult author John Niven’s best-selling novel, Kill Your Friends, starring Nicholas Hoult as you’ve never seen him before, will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD 4 April and you can own it first on Digital Download now. Balanced again the backdrop of a cocksure London, Hoult plays the ultimate anti-hero Steven Stelfox: a

The post Win the dark, satirical and hysterically funny Kill Your Friends on DVD appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Music is an ever-changing business and that business is fickle. Few lines of work are more cut-throat than the music biz and Hollywood loves to accentuate that about it’s sister industry. It’s a fascinating, frustrating free-for-all watching the players and heavy hitters crossing lines and breaking rules, all vying for the next big hit song or hot band. Ethics, morals, loyalty… these have no place here.

Kill Your Friends is the newest film to examine these escapades, written by and based on John Niven’s novel, the film is directed by Own Harris, who cut his teeth making episodes of edgy television shows like Misfits and Black Mirror. Harris definitely brings an edgy style to the film, one that is both unique and influenced by modern masters, undoubtedly including Danny Boyle among a few others.

Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road) plays Stelfox, an ambitious English A&R...

Thirty seconds into "Kill Your Friends" we're informed that A&R men, the elite trendsetters who decide which albums get spun into consumable product and which ones end up in the trash bin, "Have no obligation to make art ... we have an obligation to make money." Oddly enough, freshman director Owen Harris has somehow managed to make neither. As a clunky, ersatz "American Psycho," it's unlikely the film will be a critical darling or a box office smash come its release.  Adapted from Scottish author John Niven's acclaimed novel, the film is set in 1997, at the apex of the Britpop music movement. The man most eager to ascend to the top of that scene is Steven Stelfox (Nicholas Hoult), equal parts opportunistic and mendacious. In the film's first scene, our protagonist appears as an ambitious twenty-something fresh out of university having just majored in Apathy and minoring in Amoralism.

Thanks to my daily alter ego as a 9-6 business professional (hard air quotes), I’m continually drawn to dark cinematic interpretations of corporate navigation. It’s intriguing to watch these far-fetched sleazeball fantasies play out, bringing physical meaning to the term “cut-throat business practices.” I’m referring to movies like American Psycho, about a smooth-talking wolf in Valentino’s clothing, or Bloodsucking Bastards, a sharp-tongued satire of skeevy salespeople. What could be more fun than obscuring regularity and exploiting herd mentalities for the horrors we’ve become blind to?

Owen Harris’ Kill Your Friends is no different, as John Niven’s source novelization translates one record producing guru’s ruthless, can-do attitude into serial assassinations. Think of it as a modern version of Vinyl, with a lot more intentional bloodshed, less coherency where morality complexes are concerned and the same amount of snorted narcotics. A&R departments have to...

Self-indulgence, rampant cocaine use and murder... welcome to the music business. It's 1997 London and the competition to find "the next big hit" gets elevated to new heights with Stelfox, a young A&R executive, who must get creative if he hopes to survive the "Britpop" music explosion in the outrageous comedy Kill Your Friends. Get a glimpse into the hedonistic world of Kill Your Friends in this Fandango Movieclips exclusive clip that finds things not going quite...

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Our resident VOD expert tells you what's new to rent and/or own this week via various Digital HD providers such as cable Movies On Demand, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play and, of course, Netflix. Cable Movies On Demand: Same-day-as-disc releases, older titles and pretheatrical exclusives for rent, priced from $3-$10, in 24- or 48-hour periods The Hunger Games: Mockingjay—Part 2 (Ya action-adventure sequel; Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks; rated PG-13) Daddy’s Home (comedy; Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini; rated PG-13) James White (drama; Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon; rated R) Kill Your Friends (comedy-thriller; Nicholas Hoult, James Corden, Ed Skrein, Rosanna...

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Did you know the acting talent in the Hoult family extends beyond established movie star Nicholas? Meet the Mad Max: Fury Road star's older sister Rosanna, who had a small role in Captain America: The First Avenger and co-starred with Nicholas in the 2015 dark comedy Kill Your Friends. Here are five things to know about the up-and-coming actress: She was bit by the acting bug after winning a national singing competition at age 7"I'm focusing on acting at the moment but if the right part came up I’d be tempted," Hoult tells People of potentially tapping back into her vocal talents.

Did you know the acting talent in the Hoult family extends beyond established movie star Nicholas? Meet the Mad Max: Fury Road star's older sister Rosanna, who had a small role in Captain America: The First Avenger and co-starred with Nicholas in the 2015 dark comedy Kill Your Friends. Here are five things to know about the up-and-coming actress: She was bit by the acting bug after winning a national singing competition at age 7"I'm focusing on acting at the moment but if the right part came up I’d be tempted," Hoult tells People of potentially tapping back into her vocal talents.

Alien: Covenant: Demian Bichir (The Hateful Eight, above) has joined the cast of Alien: Covenant, which will be directed by Ridley Scott. Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterstone and Danny McBride lead the cast; Bichir's role has not yet been disclosed. The movie is scheduled for release on October 6, 2017. [Deadline]   The Ruins: Filmmaker Joe Wright (Pan, above left) is developing supernatural thriller The Ruins, with the idea that he might direct it. Not to be confused with the same-titled 2008 horror movie, Jon Croker (The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death) is writing the new project; all that's known about the story is that it's set in India. [Deadline]   Kill Your Friends Trailer: Nicholas Hoult stars in Kill Your Friends as a British music...

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A few months ago we got our first look at actor Nicholas Hoult in Kill Your Friends. In the John Niven adaptation, Hoult plays an A&R man, Steven Stelfox, who literally starts killing off the competition. A story about a young, handsome, murderous and successful businessman is bound to draw comparisons to American Psycho, which this Kill Your Friends trailer actually embraces. Watch the […]

The post ‘Kill Your Friends’ Trailer: Welcome to the Music Industry appeared first on /Film.

Owen Harris’ directorial debut Kill Your Friends has premiered a new trailer today, taking you into the dark and twisted mind of Nicholas Hoult’s seedy A&R (artists and repertoire) man, Steven Stelfox.

Part American Pyscho, part Wolf of Wall Street, Stelfox’s general irreverence for the world around him is captured brilliantly in the latest sizzle reel, as Hoult’s businessman embarks on a power-mongering – and seemingly bloodthirsty – climb to the top of the British music scene of the mid-90s.

Thanks in large part to genre-defining hits from Blur, The Stone Roses, Oasis and the like, the industry was enjoying a historic high before the turn of the millennium, and those themes of fame and excess will underpin Hoult’s burning desire to continue his winning streak.

Lifted from John Niven’s novel of the same name, Kill Your Friends also stars James Corden, Tom Riley, Joseph Malwe,...

The music industry ain't pretty. It's a notion that's explored in "Kill Your Friends," bringing an almost "American Psycho" vibe to the story of one young man trying to make his mark on the '90s "Cool Britannia" scene that yielded Oasis, Radiohead and Blur. Read More: Tiff Review: 'Kill Your Friends' Starring Nicholas Hoult, Craig Roberts, James Corden & Rosanna Arquette Based on the novel by John Niven and starring Nicholas Hoult, Craig Roberts, James Corden, Tom Riley, Joseph Mawle, Georgia King, Ed Skrein, Jim Piddock, Edward Hogg and directed by Owen Harris ("Secret Diary Of A Call Girl," "Black Mirror"), this film follows a young man willing to go to extreme lengths to stay one step ahead in his job as an A&R man at a London record label. London, 1997; the British music industry is on a winning streak. Britpop bands Blur, Oasis, Radiohead rule the airwaves and Cool Britannia.

A new trailer has been released for the Nicholas Hoult-led dark comedy "Kill Your Friends". Tom Riley, James Corden, Craig Roberts, Ed Skrein and Joseph Malwe also star in the film which opens in cinemas and on VOD on April 1st.

Set in the British music industry in the late 1990s, Hoult plays a ambitious, cutthroat A&R man who will stop at nothing to take his deserved place at the head of his department. Things take an "American Psycho"-style turn from there.

Entertainment One

Featuring an all-star leading Hollywood cast including Charlize Theron (Prometheus, A Million Ways to Die in the West, Mad Max: Fury Road) as Libby Day, Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Kill Your Friends) is as Lyle Wirth, and Christina Hendricks (Drive, I Don’t Know How She Does It, Mad Men) as Patty Day, Dark Places is the gripping and suspenseful story based on Gillian Flynn’s New York Times® best-selling novel of the same name.

Almost thirty years after her family were brutally murdered Libby Day (Theron) agrees to revisit the crime to try and uncover the wrenching truths that led up to that tragic night. Accompanied by Lyle Wirth (Hoult), a leader of cold case enthusiasts the Kill Club, a group made up by people fascinated with true crime, they discover that it is sometimes to leave the past where it belongs.

Shooting has started and cast been set on The Collection, a period family saga set in the post-war Paris fashion world. Leading the drama are Richard Coyle (Crossbones), Tom Riley (Da Vinci's Demons, Kill Your Friends), Frances de la Tour (The Lady In The Van, Vicious), and Mamie Gummer (The Good Wife, Ricki And The Flash). Lookout Point (Ripper Street, War And Peace) is making the eight-part series that was greenlighted by Amazon in November. This is the first UK…...

Istanbul event will host a total of 23 gala screenings, including the latest films from Charlie Kaufman and Jean-Marc Vallee, as well as a David Bowie tribute programme.Scroll down for the full line-up

!f Istanbul Independent Film Festival has revealed its programme for the 2016 edition (February 18-28).

Charlie Kaufman’s Anomalisa, which premiered at Telluride last year, and Jean-Marc Vallee’s Demolition, which opened the Toronto International Film Festival in 2015, will open and close the festival respectively.

!f Istanbul - in its 15th edition - will host screenings, competitions and events dedicated to bringing the best of independent film to the Turkish city.

Other gala presentations will include Luca Guadagnino’s A Bigger Splash, Gaspar Noé’s Love 3D, Jeremy Saulnier’s Green Room and Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s BAFTA-nominated The Assassin.

In memory of the late musician David Bowie, the festival will show remastered versions of his films The Man Who Fell To Earth and The Hunger...

Pinewood Group has recruited the producer of Fortitude, The Enfield Haunting and The Last Kingdom to lead its newly-formed TV production company.

Pinewood Television, a joint venture with StoryFirst Pst, has hired Helen Gregory as creative director to create, develop and finance drama series for the international TV market.

Pinewood Group opened conversations with experienced producers in 2011, with the new division expected to produce its own content as well as work as a co-production partner on dramas in need of funding.

Pinewood has already invested in a dozen feature films, including A Fantastic Fear of Everything and Kill Your Friends, and said it now planned to develop, produce, market and distribute high-end TV drama to build up a library of TV content. It is currently arranging long-term external financing from a group of investors and banks.

Chief executive Ivan Dunleavy said: “The global demand for high-end television continues to rise dramatically and, with high-end...

Netflix

Get ready to say goodbye to your social life, as Netflix have announced the dates when 11 of their original comedy, drama, and kids series will be returning in 2016. And, as if finding out when the likes of House of Cards and Orange is the New Black are coming back wasn’t exciting enough, there’s also casting information for Black Mirror, and the confirmation of a second season of Jessica Jones.

What a time to be a Netflix subscriber!

Jessica Jones’ first 13-episode season dropped into Netflix back in November, and it’s been a waiting game since then to see if it would get a second outing. Given the popularity and critical success of the series it seemed a certainty, and now that’s thankfully proven to be the case. However, don’t expect the return of Krysten Ritter and co. too soon, as with Daredevil and Luke...

Netflix, the world's leading Internet TV network, today announced premiere dates for several upcoming comedy series and kids series, the renewal of its acclaimed drama Marvel's Jessica Jones and casting on the highly-anticipated series Black Mirror. British star Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Beyond the Lights, Concussion and Doctor Who) and Canada's Mackenzie Davis (The F Word, Halt & Catch Fire and The Martian) have been cast in lead roles in one of the episodes of the Netflix original series Black Mirror. Owen Harris (Kill Your Friends) will direct the episode. Created and written by Charlie Brooker, the series is produced by House of Tomorrow, and Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones serve as executive producers.

Netflix also announced that Marvel's Jessica Jones will return for a second season. Currently streaming its first season on Netflix, Marvel's Jessica Jones is a suspenseful, edgy look into the life of Jessica Jones, one of the most popular...