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Last month, California Governor Gavin Newsom came to Los Angeles and announced a long overdue change to the state’s tax credit program for film and TV production. The state would allocate $750 million of tax dollars — up from $325 million — to film productions in an effort to keep filming in California.

Scott Budnick, an appointee of Newsom’s and a producer known for “The Hangover,” said at IndieWire’s Future of Filmmaking Summit over the weekend that Newsom announcing his budget plans in October ahead of the full budget in January is “pretty unprecedented.”

“He was very, very concerned and understood the urgency and the emergency of the moment and knew he had to do something immediately,” Budnick said on a panel discussion titled “Filming Outside Hollywood: Challenges, Opportunities, and Passports,” presented by United for Business.

Budnick was joined by FilmLA President Paul Audley and Entertainment Partners’ Sarah Westman-Liu to explain...

Mike Tyson was an undefeatable beast when it came to boxing, and now he’s one of the few athletes who successfully transitioned to the big and small screens, amassing even more following and respect. His rise to becoming a legend in the ring is a story for the ages, but his Hollywood journey is just as colorful.

Mike Tyson | The Knockout / ABC

Through all his appearances and roles, Tyson has proved that he has a sense of humor, which instantly made him a fan favorite. Needless to say, “the baddest man on the planet” brought in some hefty numbers through his work in the entertainment industry. But how much did he make from all these endeavors? Let’s find out!

Mike Tyson’s Movie Earnings: A Look at His Hollywood Payday Mike Tyson | All The Smoke Fight/YouTube

Mike Tyson made a lucrative career move when he went from...

The name Terry Gene Bollea will probably not mean that much to you unless you’re a proper fan, but the name Hulk Hogan probably will. And yes, they are the same person, the two of them. Hulk Hogan is a former professional wrestler with a famous career path, but also a very popular celebrity.

Back in 2019, it was announced that a Hulk Hogan biopic was in the works and that The Hangover and Joker director Todd Phillips was attached to direct, with Chris Hemsworth set to play Hogan. The film has been in developmental hell for years before, earlier this year, Phillips confirmed that the movie had been scrapped.

Hogan was recently a guest on the Pbd podcast, and among the topics discussed there was the canceled movie. Hogan was asked about the cancelation and the former wrestler revealed what actually happened and why the movie ended up being...

“Joker” and “The Hangover” director Todd Phillips recently participated in a Hollywood poll for Empire magazine about the future of moviegoing and expressed his desire for movie theaters to get rid of showing commercials before films. Phillips joined fellow filmmakers like George Miller, Sean Baker and Daniel Scheinert in being confident that movie theaters will never go out of style, but that doesn’t mean the theatrical experience couldn’t use a few updates.

“We are hard-wired to gather in the sharing of stories,” Miller said about why movie theaters won’t cease to exist in the future. “I believe cinemas are, for the most part, doing everything they can…”

Phillips suggested theaters could be doing a bit more, especially to combat the desire from audiences just to stream films at home. He sent theaters the following message: “Stop showing commercials before the movies. We’ve paid for our tickets.

UK-Ireland box office figures for October 2024 were down 17% compared to the previous year, causing the year-to-date figure to fall back to 11% down.

The underperformance of Joker: Folie À Deux meant the year-to-date comparison dropped from 10% down at the end of September. The 2024 box office is currently at £799.1m; total revenue for 2023 was £1.1bn.

UK-Ireland top 10 titles October 2024 Rank Title Distributor October gross Total gross Release date 1 Joker: Folie À Deux Warner Bros £10.2m £10.2m 4/10/2024 2 The Wild Robot Universal £9.5m £9.5m 18/10/2024 3 Venom: The Last Dance Sony £6.9m £6.9m 25/10/2024 4 Smile 2 Paramount £4.9m £4.9m 18/10/2024 5 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Warner Bros £4.3m £25.9m 6/9/2024 6 Transformers One Paramount...

Oftentimes, studio interference hinders the quality of the final product, and Warner Bros. has been infamous for impending with the director’s vision, especially in the now-defunct Dceu. On the flip side, giving the director the full creative freedom has often led to great returns, with Todd Phillips’ Joker being one of the biggest examples.

Joker: Folie à Deux | Credit: Warner Bros.

However, the reception to Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker: Folie à Deux has been a total contrast to that of the first release, and fans aren’t slowing down with the jokes, as the film inches towards its digital release.

Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker 2 Is Set To Hit Digital After Disappointing Box-Office Run Joker: Folie à Deux | Credit: Warner Bros.

While the first Joker didn’t do huge numbers critically, most resonated with Arthur’s story of being pushed down by society, and the box office collection certainly reflected that.

Whether he knew it or not, Joaquin Phoenix might have been destined to play The Joker. His portrayal of the Batman villain in “Joker” won him his first Oscar for Best Leading Actor — though his return to the role in the musical sequel “Joker: Folie à Deux” turned into a critically panned box office bomb. But years before those projects were a twinkle in the eye of the man who directed “The Hangover,” Phoenix came close to donning clown makeup for another acclaimed take on the character.

In a recent interview on the podcast “Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin,” Phoenix revealed that he was initially in the mix to star in Nolan’s film in the role that ultimately went to Ledger.

“I remember I talked to Chris Nolan about ‘The Dark Knight’ and that didn’t happen for whatever reason,” Phoenix said. “I wasn’t ready then. That’s one...

Ken Jeong has always been a scene-stealer — even as a chorus member with no lines in a Duke University production of “Kiss Me Kate” when he was 18. “I still have the review in my office; it says, ‘Did I mention Ken Jeong, a puckish performer in the chorus who best watch his back if he keeps stealing scenes from the principals?’” recalls the actor. “So, I think it’s always been in my DNA.”

Jeong has never lost that playful quality as he moved from an actual doctor to stand-up comedian to film and TV doctor (“Knocked Up” and “Dr. Ken”) and into several of the most popular movies of the last 20 years. In addition, he’s managed to maintain a reputation as one of the most lovable and adored personalities on TV thanks to appearing as himself in hits like “The Masked Singer” and hosting “I Can See Your Voice.

Any film with an ensemble Hollywood royalty cast is almost always guaranteed to be a box office hit. Last Vegas is an incredibly inventive play on words, featuring a group of retirees looking to have one last rodeo together in the world’s gambling capital. Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, and Morgan Freeman – the cast probably couldn’t get any more box office if it tried – although rumors were circulating at the time that Jack Nicholson would be involved.

Film production and setting

Once the film’s production was underway, it became clear that Nicholson had bypassed the project. He can be very selective of his work now that he’s in the twilight years of his life, starring in only two films since his incredible performance in Martin Scorsese’s The Departed. Yet, maybe his intuition about what it takes to make a good film might have played a...

Upcoming horror thriller movie Don’t Move, from the mind of Impractical Jokers star James “Murr” Murray, adapts best-selling 2020 novel of the same name from co-authors Murray and Darren Wearmouth. Per THR, Don’t Move has found its stars and already wrapped principal photography.

Lyndsy Fonseca (Kick-Ass), music star Russ, and Tom Cavanagh (The Flash) will star in the horror thriller.

Don’t Move follows “Megan Forrester (Fonseca), who joins her church group on a camping getaway after losing her family in a tragic accident. The trip takes a turn when the group, including mysterious member Ricky Vargas (Russ), mistakenly ends up in an area of the forest targeted by a dangerous predator.”

Maclain Nelson (Vamp U) directed the film from the script he co-wrote with Murray and Wearmouth.

Hunter King (Life in Pieces), Rob Riggle (The Hangover), and Joseph Lee Anderson (Young Rock) round out the ensemble cast. Expect plenty of cameos,...

The Los Angeles City College Foundation has zeroed in on a comedy star to take home an award named for icon Rodney Dangerfield. At the foundation’s upcoming gala — set to take place at L.A.’s Skirball Cultural Center on Oct. 23 — actor, writer and producer Ken Jeong will be feted with he Rodney Respect Award.

The gala, which will carry at theme of Celebrating the Caregivers as a nod to Lacc’s Radiologic Technology, Nursing and Public Health Science programs, will also see Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’ executive director of external affairs Ellen Zaman honored with a humanitarian award and Wesley Health Centers and Jwch Institute CEO Al Ballesteros with a distinguished alumnus prize. The program will feature a musical performance by Lacc’s renowned student artists.

Lacc’s Rodney Dangerfield Institute was founded in his honor in cooperation with widow Joan Dangerfield, the honorary chair of the Rdi advisory board.

Legendary Entertainment, the producer of the “Dune” franchise, has bought out Dalian Wanda Group’s stake in the company. The pact leaves Legendary and Apollo Global Management in control. Terms of the sale, which Legendary financed itself via cash on its balance sheet, have not been disclosed. Legendary said it did not rely on outside financing for the transaction.

Dalian Wanda Group, a Chinese conglomerate, bought the entertainment company in 2016 for $3.5 billion. Apollo later bought a stake in Legendary in 2022 for $760 million.

Talks to buy out Wanda started roughly six months ago. In an interview, Josh Grode, the CEO of Legendary, said he couldn’t remember if the discussions originated with Legendary or Wanda, but said the deal will help the company when it comes to possible expansion.

“We have a good amount of excess liquidity on our balance sheet and this was a chance for us to do something...

It would be weird for fans to see Todd Phillips back to direct the Wolfpack members on another adventure gone wrong. The Hangover was a film that worked on a particular formula, that has been used over and over again in its sequels and other similar comedy films. While Bradley Cooper may want to go down his comedy roots again with a fourth film, it just doesn’t make any sense at this point.

A still from Todd Phillips’ The Hangover | Credits: Legendary Pictures

The original film starred Cooper, Ed Helms, Zack Galifianakis, and Justin Bartha as the four protagonists who always end up in a hangover mess when they get together. While the first film became the highest-grossing R-rated comedy at the time, the two sequels failed to live up to the original.

Todd Phillips Returning To The Hangover 4 Would Be a Significant Downgrade Bradley Cooper, Ken Jeong, Ed Helms,...

Spoiler Alert: The story includes details about Episode 10 of Apple TV+’s Bad Monkey.

Season 1 of Bill Lawrence’s Apple TV+ crime series Bad Monkey, based on Carl Hiaasen’s novel, wrapped its run with a jam-packed finale that saw the demise of three main characters. Gracie, aka the Dragon Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith), died at the hands of Eve (Meredith Hagner), who also pushed her wheelchair-bound husband Nick (Rob Delaney) into the ocean. As the show continued to weave magic into reality, the Dragon Queen’s dying wish to Eve, “I hope you choke … on your lies,” basically came true as Eve choked on a baby carrot and then was pulled by an invisible force to the edge as she jumped off a building to her death after escaping to Portugal.

Yancy (Vince Vaughn) was back at his job as a health inspector in the Florida Keys, with Madeline and...

The general reception to the ending of Joker: Folie à Deux has been a complete 180 to that of the first film, which saw Phoenix’s Arthur smearing blood on his mouth to create a smile. While the scene was commended by fans and critics, Todd Phillips’ original plan for the scene would’ve been more in line with The Dark Knight.

Heath Ledger | Credit: The Dark Knight/Warner Bros.

However, given Christopher Nolan’s presence at Warner Bros. at the time, The Hangover filmmaker’s original plan was scrapped in favor of a blood-coated smile, as the former allegedly wanted to avoid similarities with Heath Ledger.

Christopher Nolan Allegedly Asked For the Joker Ending To Be Changed Joker | Credit: Warner Bros.

While one can go back on forth over the best incarnations of Jokers onscreen, it’s important to acknowledge that each interpretation so far isn’t exactly similar to one another.

When Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy took over as co-heads of Warner Bros.’ movie studio in early June 2022, one of the first decisions they made was to move forward with a sequel to Joker, the Oscar-winning, $1 billion hit that helped redefine the heights a comic book movie could reach.

Virtually all the key deals were already put in place by their predecessor, Toby Emmerich, with A-list director Todd Phillips and star Joaquin Phoenix getting $20 million paydays and the film landing a rich net budget of $190 million (the first film cost $55 million). Phillips is a huge asset for Warner, his home studio.

One small outstanding matter was Lady Gaga’s perk package. Within weeks, the papers were signed — her pay was $12 million — and she officially joined Joker: Folie à Deux.

Abdy and De Luca could have said no to making the film, but they would have been the laughing stocks of Hollywood,...

Acting is one of the highest-paying jobs in the film industry and when one is a star, they can command salaries in the millions. Many actors have increased their net worth to hundreds of millions due to their increased salaries. However, some have also fumbled and reduced their worth by spending lavishly.

From A-listers to reality TV stars, many have been vocal about their poor financial decisions, to the point where some have even declared bankruptcy. While some actors attributed it to spending more than their income, some just made poor spending decisions that ended up biting them back. Here are 10 Hollywood actors who went broke for dumb reasons.

1. Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage is one of the most divisive Hollywood actors. While he absolutely kills it in films like the Oscar-winning Leaving Las Vegas, Adaptation, and more, he has made some questionable acting choices in The Wicker Man. Similarly, the...

Recently, while Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis received criticism from audiences and critics alike, a few filmmaking peers had given their impressions of the film with some high praise. Guillermo Del Toro glowed about the Coppola passion project when he said, “Francis is still the same bold, fearless, inventive filmmaker that he was in his 20’s. I was Swept by Megalopolis!” And Steven Soderbergh, who has the horror film, Presence, coming out, reacted, “Wow! This might be the craziest thing ever shot on American soil. Certainly, one of the most sustained acts of pure imagination I’ve ever seen. I dreamt about it all night—it was inspiring!”

Now that Joker: Folie à Deux has been released, and to its own underwhelming response, one filmmaker that has come to its defense is Coppola. The Megalopolis director, who has been outspoken about the Marvel films, took to his official Instagram account...

Screen Legend Francis Ford Coppola Shows Support for Joker: Folie à Deux - Main Image

Francis Ford Coppola will forever be a legend because of his work on The Godfather films and Apocalypse Now, but he’s recently been receiving some bashing with the release of his passion project Megalopolis.

Joker: Folie a Deux has also been getting the same kind of online hate that Megalopolis received, and Coppola has decided to reach out in solidarity with director Todd Phillips.

Francis Ford Coppola Congratulates Joker 2

In a recent post on his Ig, Coppola shared how he has been a fan of Phillips since his work on The Hangover, and talks about enjoying the latest Joker film. Here’s his post:

The caption reads:

“@ToddPhillips films always amaze me and I enjoy them thoroughly. Ever since the wonderful “The Hangover” he’s always one step ahead of the audience never doing what they expect.

Almost exactly five years ago, the industry as a whole had been slathering on their own clown makeup in celebration of the fact that director Todd Phillips R-rated "Joker" defied all expectations and pre-release backlash on its way to a billion-dollar heist at the box office. This October has unfolded slightly differently, unfortunately. The long-awaited sequel seemed like a slam dunk. Taking a Best Actor-worthy performance, adding Lady Gaga to the mix as a co-lead, and tripling down on the original movie's pitch-black tone? What could go wrong!

As it turns out? A heck of a lot could go wrong. Dismal tracking numbers, a muted reception following its film festival premiere, and unfathomably bad audience scores all combined into one perfect storm to sink "Joker: Folie À Deux" before it could even get started. Naturally, blame quickly came pouring in from all directions and pointed towards all sorts of different targets.

Moviegoers are currently watching two highly controversial films: Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis and Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux. Both movies are unique in their own right, but they have struggled significantly at the box office, receiving negative reviews from both fans and critics.

Interestingly, both films started with high expectations. Megalopolis was meant to mark Coppola’s grand return to filmmaking, a project he had tried to bring to life for decades. Meanwhile, Joker: Folie à Deux was anticipated as the sequel to one of the most acclaimed comic book films ever made.

However, both films have failed to meet those expectations. Megalopolis has been labeled an unwatchable, incoherent mess, while Joker: Folie à Deux is criticized as a poorly written sequel that doesn’t live up to its predecessor. Amidst their struggles, one director has come forward to defend the other, adding another layer to this intriguing narrative.

Movie lovers are currently able to see two very controversial movies in cinemas. One is Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, while the other is Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux. Both movies are special in their own way and while they are doing horribly at the box office and with both the fans and critics, there seems to be something between them that connects them.

Namely, both movies were initially met with high expectations. Megalopolis was supposed to be Coppola’s grand return, a project he finally managed to make after decades of trying. Phillips’ movie was the sequel to one of the best comic book movies of all time.

But, despite all the hype, both movies have underperformed in every way imaginable: Megalopolis is considered an unwatchable, incoherent mess, whereas Joker: Folie à Deux is simply a badly written movie that does not deserve to be a sequel to the original.

Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola has shared high praise for Joker: Folie à Deux and director Todd Phillips.

The divisive DC Comics sequel opened well behind expectations after - hard as it may be to believe - becoming the first comic book movie in history to receive a D CinemaScore. Despite backlash from a lot of fans, the movie does have its share of defenders, and can now count Coppola among them.

“Ever since the wonderful The Hangover, he’s always been one step ahead of the audience, never doing what they expect. Congratulations to Joker: Folie à Deux,” Coppola wrote on Instagram.

Folie à Deux definitely didn't give audiences what they were expecting... for better or worse. Instead of following the Joker after the events of the first film, the story focuses on Arthur Fleck taking responsibility for the crimes he committed and rejecting his Joker persona. In Arkham,...

In its eternal quest to upend expectations and give fans something particularly twisted, Joker: Folie À Deux has pissed off fans and critics alike. Even those who enjoyed Todd Phillips' first unpleasant jaunt through Gotham seem disappointed by the director's desire to withhold anything remotely entertaining in his long-awaited sequel.

Even as their latest films face difficulties at the box office, two legendary directors are showing support for each other’s creative visions. Francis Ford Coppola recently praised Todd Phillips’ musical follow-up to 2019’s “Joker.” Coppola’s comments come as “Joker: Folie à Deux” earned less than expected in its opening weekend.

The “Joker” sequel debuted to $20 million on its first day. Projections now estimate $40-50 million for the opening weekend. This is far lower than the original “Joker” which earned $96 million domestically. Audiences also seem split on the new format, as “Folie à Deux” received a rare D CinemaScore. The film blends the antihero story with musical elements, a choice that divided some fans.

Despite the box office setbacks, Coppola showed support on Instagram. The director of “The Godfather” wrote, “Ever since the wonderful ‘The Hangover,’ Phillips has always been one step ahead of the audience.” Coppola suggested that...

Francis Ford Coppola has heaped praise on fellow director Todd Phillips.The 'Megalopolis' helmsman has offered support to the 53-year-old filmmaker after his latest work, 'Joker: Folie a Deux', has opened behind expectations and became the first Hollywood comic book movie to receive just a D in Cinemascore, and he praised the 'Hangover' director for always surprising audiences.Sharing a poster for 'Joker: Folie a Deux' - which stars Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga and features music prominently - Francis wrote on Instagram: "@ToddPhillips films always amaze me and I enjoy them thoroughly. Ever since the wonderful “The Hangover” he’s always one step ahead of the audience never doing what they expect. Congratulations to Joker: Folie à Deux!"The 85-year-old director - whose own latest movie, 'Megalopolis', has also performed poorly at the box office and with critics - also thanked cinematographer Lawrence Sher...

Hang in there, Todd Phillips.

That was the message Francis Ford Coppola tried to get across in a social media post on Saturday. As his new film Megalopolis continues to bomb at the box office, he praised Todd Phillips for making Joker: Folie à Deux, which is likewise struggling.

The Joker sequel, which is launching in theaters around the globe this weekend, is opening well behind expectations after becoming the first Hollywood comic book pic in history to receive a D Cinemascore. The audience backlash isn’t a huge surprise, considering that the follow-up is a musical, making for an unusual hybrid that fanboys might not have wanted.

Coppola says Phillips’ films have always amazed him and provided enjoyment. He also suggested that moviegoers may not be ready for a film such as Joker: Folie à Deux. “Ever since the wonderful The Hangover, he’s always been one step ahead...

There was a time when fans of popular movies were actually thrilled about sequels. Given the directors used to handle the same with care without jeopardizing the already established story arc. However, recently, the production of sequels has begun to feel more like a money grab than an effort to enhance the cinematic experience for audiences. In light of this, a past interview with director Todd Phillips has resurfaced.

Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in Joker 2 | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

Phillips, known for his work on the Hangover trilogy and the recently released Joker 2, which has received mixed reviews from the public, shared his insights on the topic. His reasoning raises concerns about the future of Hangover 4, casting a shadow over the possibility of another installment in the beloved franchise.

Todd Phillips’ Sequel Ideas Raise Concerns for Hangover 4 After Joker 2’s Mixed Feedback

Todd Phillips can easily...

When the Todd Phillips-directed crime drama Joker opened in theaters in 2019, the War Dogs and The Hangover helmer surprised cinephiles with something different from the DC Universe. Joker’s dark and exploratory take on the classic Batman villain immediately became a cinematic sensation, with scores of moviegoers divided about the film’s unique vision of the Jester of Genocide and the beginnings of his hold over Gotham’s less fortunate and frustrated. Fans demanded a sequel after the gripping film banked over a billion dollars at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film before Deadpool & Wolverine ate Arthur’s lunch. Well, Todd Phillips answered the call, but Joker: Folie à Deux is one of 2024’s most divisive features, with fans and critics feeling confused about its bizarre direction.

Fans entered Panic Mode when Todd Phillips revealed the sequel’s musical roots. How many songs are we talking about here?...

The new movie Joker: Folie à Deux opens this weekend, and if people like this sequel half as much as they liked the 2019 original movie, Joker, we could be in for a loud couple of weeks. The first starred Joaquin Phoenix as the Clown Prince of Crime, only not really, because he's technically a new guy named Arthur Fleck and Batman only shows up very tangentially. The movie is set in Gotham City, but still stands very much on its own. The new movie is more of the same, with director Todd Phillips drafting pop superstar Lady Gaga to play the Joker's comic book girlfriend Harley Quinn, but it'll probably be a different version of Harley than a lot of fans have come to know.

It's a delicate dance Phillips and his cast are engaged in. Making a sequel almost seems like tempting fate, but Phillips explained to NPR that...

Five years after the release of the first Joker — which made over $1 billion and won Joaquin Phoenix an Oscar — the sequel has now arrived and is expected to be the end of the supervillain road for writer-director Todd Phillips.

Joker: Folie à Deux sees Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck meeting the love of his life, Harley Quinn (played by Lady Gaga), while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital and awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. At the film’s Los Angeles premiere on Monday, Phillips admitted that he was nervous to go out to Gaga for the role, but she was quickly on board.

“I think we sent her half the script, and she texted me pretty quickly that she was really into it, that she loved it and everything you want to hear,” the filmmaker told The Hollywood Reporter. “And then I went out to her house, and we...

(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.)

"I called my agent and said 'Why don't they want to take one of these characters and just make a lower budget film about it, a movie but a character study, and why not take one of the villains?'" That's how Joaquin Phoenix's journey with "Joker" began, per a 2018 interview with Collider. At the time it was a novel idea. Can these comic book characters be used as serious character studies, rather than big-budget blockbuster fare?

Several years before the R-rated DC Comics origin story for Batman's greatest foe came to be, Phoenix merely mused about wanting such a thing to exist. At the time, he didn't think Joker was on the table. Warner Bros. thought differently of it and,...

"Joker: Folie à Deux" wouldn't have happened without Joaquin Phoenix. That's one of the main points director Todd Phillips seemed to want audiences to take away at a press Q&a attended by /Film's Bill Bria ahead of the sequel's theatrical release. In fact, Phillips told listeners, the seed of an idea for a follow up was already planted mid-way through the first film's production, when it became clear just how much Phoenix and Phillips cared about the Arthur Fleck character.

"I'll tell you, it was very motivated by Joaquin, as crazy as that sounds," Phillips revealed. "Because you all have probably interviewed and know Joaquin and know that he's not a sequel guy, necessarily." Phillips added that (despite the "Hangover" trilogy) he isn't much for sequels as well, as he's typically more than ready to be done with a movie by the time production ends. "Normally, when a movie's done,...

Considering how much of a grand backdrop casinos can provide in a movie, it’s fair to say that they haven’t featured in movies as often as some people might think. Even when we collated our top five films today, there’s not a huge range to choose from. Sure, movies might feature an odd scene or two in a casino, but the number of films that actually revolve around the inner workings of a casino or have multiple scenes set in and around them is minimal.

There are still some great films to choose from, though, and if the glitz and glamour of a casino is right up your street, then we’ve tried to handpick the films that we think will most appeal to you. We appreciate that casino gaming has changed since many of these classics first hit the big screen. Gone are the days of...

"Joker: Folie á Deux" — the highly-anticipated sequel to Todd Phillips' first "Joker" film that drew totally chaotic reactions when it premiered at the Venice Film Festival — features Lady Gaga's first turn as the legendary DC Comics character Harleen Quinzel. So, how did the pop star and actor get involved with Phillips' project in the first place? It all has to do with Bradley Cooper.

/Film's own Bill Bria attended a Q&a with Phillips and screenwriter Scott Silver before a screening of "Joker: Folie á Deux" and learned that Phillips, who produced Cooper's directorial debut "A Star is Born," knows Lady Gaga (who plays the titular "birthed star" Ally in the film alongside Cooper's fading musician Jackson Maine). "Well, I was lucky enough to know her because I was a producer on Bradley's movie, 'A Star is Born,'" Phillips clarified. (Phillips and Cooper have been working together...

The world of sports and entertainment is full of money, luxury, comfort, and extravagance, but not everyone manages to salvage and retain it. A classic example of this would be Mike Tyson. The heavyweight boxing champion, during his rise in the 1980s, went on to become one of the richest athletes in the world.

Especially during his peak years in the 1990s, the boxing legend was earning massive purses from his fights, sponsorships, and endorsements, catapulting his net worth to staggering levels. However, his financial journey has not been as rosy as his life, for it received a heavy blow when he filed for bankruptcy in 2003.

Mike Tyson | Credit: Law & Order / NBC

Even though the legend underwent some serious career and life-damaging challenges, being the fighter that he is, Tyson bounced back. Currently worth $10 million compared to his once $400 million empire, it is startling nonetheless the career and financial trajectory Iron Mike has had.

The 4:30 Movie, the sixteenth feature film from director Kevin Smith, received a theatrical release on September 13th, and now it has been revealed that the movie is coming to 4K and Blu-ray on November 5th! Copies of the physical media versions of the movie are available for pre-order on Amazon – including an Amazon-exclusive steelbook edition where the case is designed to look like a large VHS tape and the discs look like VHS tape spools! A fitting design for a movie that’s set in 1986. Images of the steelbook design can be seen right here:

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The 4:30 Movie is a coming-of-age comedy that follows three sixteen-year-old friends who spend their Saturdays sneaking into movies at the local multiplex. But when one of the guys also invites the girl of his dreams to see the latest comedy, each...

Khanna and his friends share an important bond, the kind that withstands life’s difficulties. So when heartbreak strikes Khanna, his friends rush to support him—even embarking on a sunny road trip straight to his ex’s wedding. Directed by Simarpreet Singh with a screenplay by Luv Ranjan and others, Wild Wild Punjab aims to take this crew on a carefree comedy cruise through Punjab’s picturesque towns and countryside.

Of course, the best-laid plans have ways of going awry. Playboy Maan, family-tied Gaurav, enthusiastic Honey, and brokenhearted Khanna load into Honey’s colorful truck for the short drive to Pathankot. But unexpected turns soon emerge, as funny incidents like a mistaken marriage swiftly pull our travelers off course.

Did the film manage to keep its road trip rolling on a path of pure pleasure? Or did diverting storylines and character issues bog things down?

By exploring how the...

Todd Phillips' "Joker" is the most divisive film to ever gross over $1 billion worldwide. This might sound like a strange thing to say about a film that was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won two, but many of the film's detractors absolutely abhor the film. There are several reasons for this (one of them being certain critics' knee-jerk hatred of all things comic book related), but Phillips' most egregious offense might've been paying aggressive homage to Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver" and "The King of Comedy." These are two of the most emotionally scarring character studies of psychically damaged loners ever put to film; they're peak Scorsese, and they are not to be touched by a filmmaker best known for his rowdy R-rated comedies about men who, in their way, are every bit as dangerous to society as Travis Bickle and Rupert Pupkin.

The problem with "Joker" for me is that it is,...

There are some minor Spoilers ahead if you don’t want anything about writer/director Kevin Smith’s new film The 4:30 Movie given away before you see it… but for those of you who would like to weigh whether not these are the sort of spoilers you feel you should avoid, I will say that this only concerns one exchange of dialogue and some of the special thanks seen in the end credits. Now, to get to the point: The 4:30 Movie is in theatres as of today, and since its release date also happens to be a Friday the 13th, I thought it was worth pointing out and celebrating the fact that Jason Voorhees, the iconic star of the Friday the 13th franchise, gets a shout-out in the movie!

Set in the summer of 1986, The 4:30 Movie is a coming-of-age comedy that follows three sixteen-year-old friends who spend...

Exclusive: CBS’ Elsbeth is gearing up for its Season 2 return on October 17 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt and Deadline has your first look at the trailer above.

Additionally, Pamela Adlon (Better Things), Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty), Rob Riggle (The Hangover) and Brittany O’Grady are set to guest star this season with Aisha Tyler directing one episode.

Based on the character featured in The Good Wife and The Good Fight, Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston), the astute but unconventional consent decree attorney working with the NYPD to catch New York’s well-heeled murderers utilizing her unique point of view.

Showrunner Jonathan Tolins teases what the new season will bring, “As Season 2 begins, just as Elsbeth Tascioni begins to settle into her new life and career in New York, mistakes she made in Chicago come back to haunt her. Officer Blanke (Carra Patterson) and Captain Wagner (Wendell Pierce) face challenges of their own...

There’s no doubt that Clint Eastwood is an extraordinary director, as well as a remarkable actor. His deep understanding of the craft and his passion for filmmaking are evident in every project he takes on. This was especially clear in American Sniper, where Bradley Cooper delivered one of the standout performances of his career under Eastwood’s expert direction.

Clint Eastwood as Earl Stone in The Mule | Credits: Warner Bros Pictures

Now, fans are eagerly anticipating the magic that Eastwood and Nicholas Hoult will bring to their next collaboration, Juror #2. With Eastwood’s proven track record and Hoult’s rising fame, expectations are sky-high for this new venture.

How Clint Eastwood Made 2014 Bradley Cooper’s Year

It was truly surprising when the highest-grossing film of 2014 wasn’t a Marvel blockbuster or part of a big franchise. Instead, it was American Sniper, a biographical war drama about Navy Seal Chris Kyle,...

Daniel Cullen’s Stag started off strong but lost its spark as the story went on, and the ending didn’t provide the answers the audience would hope for, and honestly felt like an unsatisfying cliffhanger. I mean, if you’re thinking the series is like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara or The Hangover, you would be disappointed. The story is about a guy named Stu, who, with his best friends, went to South America for his last big party of freedom before he gets married, but sadly, due to their own mess up, they end up in a notorious prison named El Puerco Negro. Now, the big question is, do they escape the prison? Let’s see what happened in the end from this explainer.

Spoilers Ahead

How did Stu and his friends land up in the prison?

When Stu and his friends went to South America for his bachelor party,...

Judd Apatow and Steven Spielberg are to team up for 'Cola Wars'.The 'Knocked Up' filmmaker is to direct the movie about Pepsi's attempts to challenge Coca-Cola during the 1980s with the legendary 'Jaws' helmer on board as a producer through his Amblin Entertainment company.The movie delves into the Cola Wars as Pepsi tried to challenge Coca-Cola's long reign as the world's top cola with key events including Michael Jackson's hair being set on fire when a stunt for a Pepsi advert went awry in 1984 as well as Coca-Cola's disastrous introduction of 'New Coke' the following year.'Cola Wars' is in development at Sony and is being written by Jason Shuman and Ben Queen and it is thought to be similar to the film 'Air', which was directed by Ben Affleck and told the story of how Nike were able to transform their...

Gravitas Ventures has acquired the North American distribution rights to Lou Simon’s “9 Windows,” a modern re-telling of Director Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 classic, “Rear Window.”

A modern take on the Hitchcockian classic, “9 Windows” made history as the first feature-length, live-action film shot entirely on an extended reality film stage. The film stars Independent Spirit Award Nominee Michael Forsythe and Michael Paré

“On the day of her graduation, Liza and her parents are driving to a restaurant to celebrate when a truck slams into their car. Eighteen months after the car accident, Liza is unable to walk and lives alone after her parents’ death. Feeling responsible, Liza spends her days trolling vloggers on a local website. Late one night, a new video is uploaded in which a man sets fire to a dog. She reports it to the police, but the police detective, Boyle, cannot be bothered with a misdemeanor.

When speaking about films in an increasingly saturated and click-hungry media landscape, very few descriptors are so rarely merited and so often used as “divisive.” But if there is one recent film deserving of the adjective, it is Todd Phillips’s “Joker.”

After a career built on directing American comedies like “The Hangover” and “School of Scoundrels,” Phillips turned his attention to a very different kind of comic to craft his take on the infamous green-haired villain.

Continue reading ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Review: This Sequel May Cost Phillips Some Fans, But It Will Convert the Agnostics [Venice] at The Playlist.

It would seem that Todd Phillips has not taken kindly to the notion that his mega-grossing, Oscar-winning, career-defining “Joker” was some kind of incel rallying cry. To Phillips’ mind, his comic book-fueled Scorsese homage was a sad clown story about the cruelty of our unempathetic world, told through the eyes of a man who’d been violently denied the love we all need to suffer through it.

Yes, “Joker” ended with Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck shooting his favorite talk show host on live TV, the murder sparking a copycat riot that saw a mob of angry Gothamites set fire to the city in Arthur’s image, but the director would argue that rage fantasies aren’t endorsements, even in a semi-triumphant blockbuster that seduced multiplex audiences to share in their catharsis. It’s just entertainment, after all, and Phillips doesn’t feel he should be held responsible for a...

The last decade saw Bradley Cooper shifting to more nuanced and complex projects, which allowed him to put his dramatic chops to display, and has now scored a total of 12 Oscar nods, 4 of them being for acting. However, if it wasn’t for one 2009 comedy that put him on the map, the actor might’ve never transitioned into the prolific A-lister he is now.

Bradley Cooper | Credit: Burnt/The Weinstein Company

Interestingly, the Silver Linings Playbook star initially feared that this was indeed the case, as he wouldn’t get any definitive response from Todd Phillips for four months.

Bradley Cooper Initially Felt He Missed out on the Hangover Bradley Cooper | Credit: The Hangover/Warner Bros.

Prior to The Hangover, Bradley Cooper was fairly notable for starring in raunchy comedies, including the likes of Wet Hot American Summer and Wedding Crashers. While some did get to see a glimpse of...

Every agreeably great director seems to have a distinct style, a personal voice, a kind of film that only they could make right. Do it long enough and online film enthusiasts will add the hallowed suffix “-esque” to the director’s name in a feeble attempt to define what makes their films so good. Until 2019, for Todd Philips this personal style came in the form of slapstick, yet astoundingly successful, road-trip comedies like “The Hangover” and “Due Date.

Continue reading ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Clip: Joaquin Phoenix & Lady Gaga Bring Music To Todd Phillips’ Sequel at The Playlist.

Joker: Folie à Deux is the next big thing in director Todd Phillips’ release list and the world is excited. Joaquin Phoenix will reprise his iconic role of Arthur Fleck and will be joined by Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn in the upcoming movie.

Joaquin Phoenix in a still from Joker | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

However, there have been numerous iterations of the Joker and most would agree that Heath Ledger’s portrayal remains undefeated. Well, some fans are concerned about Joker: Folie à Deux since there doesn’t seem to be a master criminal plan in action.

Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker Isn’t a Mastermind Criminal?

Although it would come as a shock to several people, Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck is in fact, not a mastermind criminal. The character is somewhat different from Heath Ledger’s Joker, who robs a bank and burns the money for fun.

A...