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Gladiator II Box Office (China): Release Day Update ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

Gladiator II had a lukewarm welcome at the box office in China even though the film grossed winning collections in some parts of the world. It is even below The Beekeeper and Shazam 2. Denzel Washington is being praised the most in the ensemble cast headlined by Paul Mescal. Scroll below for more.

For the unversed, it is the sequel to the 2000 historical action drama by Ridley Scott. It was one of the highest-grossing films of 2000. It was also a critical success, winning five Oscars, including Best Picture. Russell Crowe won the Best Actor in a Leading Role Academy Award for playing the role of Maximus. Paul plays the son of Maximus in the sequel and has received good ratings on Rotten Tomatoes as well.

According to Luiz Fernando’s report, Gladiator II collected only $858K on Friday when it opened in Chinese theatres.

Exclusive: Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting) and Patrick Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy) are in talks to star in Emma-Kate Croghan’s dramedy The Household Guide to Dying, based on the book by Debra Adelaide.

The film marks Australian director Croghan’s return to features after a 25-year absence. The director first made waves in 1996 with debut Love And Other Catastrophes, which garnered five Australian Film Institute award nominations and was picked up by Fox Searchlight.

She followed that up in 1999 with Strange Planet, starring Naomi Watts, but has only returned since then to direct a segment of music documentary I’m Only Looking: The Best of Inxs back in 2004.

Ellen Wander of Film Bridge International is selling The Household Guide to Dying at this week’s American Film Market in Las Vegas. CAA Media Finance and WME Independent are co-repping domestic.

The plot reads: “Acerbic household influencer Delia Bennett decides to...

“Starring Jerry as Himself” is a truly amazing movie experience that breaks the rules of traditional storytelling. This groundbreaking movie tells the story of Jerry Hsu, a Taiwanese-American immigrant in his 70s, in a way that blurs the lines between factual and dramatic reconstruction.

The movie takes place in Orlando, Florida. It is about Jerry’s unexpected participation in what initially seems to be a high-stakes international investigation. When he gets a strange phone call from people saying they are Chinese police, Jerry gets caught up in a complicated situation that makes watchers question what they think they know about reality.

The documentary-fiction mix lasts about 70 minutes and creates a unique watching experience. It opens in some theaters on November 6 and is available on VOD by November 8. Law Chen, the director, tells a story that makes you think. It’s also a cautionary tale, a personal study, and a meta-commentary on storytelling itself.

The Substance Box Office (Worldwide): Earns More Than Twice Its Budget & Has Achieved A Mean Feat (Photo Credit – Instagram)

The Substance, starring Demi Moore, is setting records every day. It has now entered the list of highest-grossing original films of this year. It is on the list with films like Channing Tatum’s Blink Twice, If, Longlegs, and others. It has already achieved another fantastic feat at the North American box office. Made on a meager budget of around $17.5 million, the movie continues to impress us with its achievements. Scroll below to see the list of top 10 highest-grossing original films of 2024.

Tatum’s Blink Twice was Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut. She and Channing have been in a relationship for a few years and are engaged as well. However, according to E News, the couple has called it quits after being together for three years. They got engaged only last year.

Multiple bigwigs of Hollywood came out to endorse and encourage the public to vote for the US presidential elections. James Gunn also stepped forward to reveal that he had cast his vote while encouraging others to also partake in the action.

However, the director may not have envisioned his simple election post to reignite an older movement related to the DC franchise. Since the release of Suicide Squad in 2016, fans have been urging the makers to reveal David Ayer’s cut for the film. The Training Day director confessed that the final output greatly differed from his vision, and fans are eager to witness the changes.

The better Suicide Squad?: The long-fought battle Margot Robbie in Suicide Squad | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

Ever since the Margot Robbie starrer Suicide Squad was released in 2016, fan’s opinions have been divided. This debate caught more fuel when the director David Ayer revealed a shocking fact,...

Exclusive: Kate Winslet movie Lee has unseated Ferrari as Sky’s biggest original movie at the UK box office.

Ellen Kuras’ biopic of American photographer Lee Miller has taken £4.3M ($5.6M) since opening in theaters on September 13 in more than 600 locations across the UK and Ireland, according to Sky, which launches the movie on the small screen tomorrow.

The movie has attracted positive reviews and been paired with a splashy Sky marketing campaign. It stars Winslet as Miller alongside the likes of Marion Cotillard, Andrea Riseborough and Andy Samberg, following the protagonist from her career as a model to enlisting as a photographer to chronicle the events of World War II for Vogue magazine as told to an interviewer in 1977. The movie also generated headlines after Winslet revealed how a crew member suggested she sit up straighter to hide her “belly rolls” during filming. “Not on your life! It was deliberate,...

Exclusive: Chris Long, the veteran producer behind The Beekeeper franchise, has launched Longshot Productions, a new production company with backing from Kevin Shields’s Griffin Capital.

Long’s goal with Longshot will be to produce a slate of films and television series (including unscripted programming) alongside A-list talent, continuing to bolster bold, authentic stories that captivate audiences and push boundaries. Officially, his banner has been around for about two years, though it’s now graduated from a mere financial asset for productions to a full-fledged production company.

Notable upcoming projects for Longshot Productions include Levon Cade, starring Jason Statham, which will be released in theaters by Amazon MGM Studios next year, and the sequel to the studio’s 2024 blockbuster hit The Beekeeper, also starring Statham, which shoots early next year.

Joining Long at his new company as President of Production is Anthony Scott, who formerly worked alongside him at Cedar Park Entertainment,...

Exclusive: Lionsgate Play will provide free access to its entire content library for one week from October 18 to 24 as part of its “Gatecrash Lionsgate” campaign in India — just before the country’s major Diwali holiday.

This campaign will include complimentary access on Lionsgate Play to the Indian premiere of Paris Has Fallen, part of the Has Fallen franchise and starring Mehdi Meskar, Tewfik Jallab and Ritu Arya.

Now in its fourth year, the streaming service from Lionsgate India and Starz has focused on building a content library centered on Hollywood action films, with titles dubbed into four to five Indian languages.

Rohit Jain, President of Lionsgate Play (Asia), told Deadline that besides action, Lionsgate Play is seeing strong audience uptake in the horror genre — and he is also keenly tracking the popularity of Korean content.

“We are probably going to take some bets in the coming year on Korean content,...

Netflix has found its Ruth and Boaz.

Serayah, Tyler Lepley and Phylicia Rashad are set to lead the ensemble cast of “R&b,” the first film out of the streaming giant’s creative partnership to produce faith-based films with DeVon Franklin and Tyler Perry Studios.

Alanna Brown will direct the modern-day retelling of the iconic biblical love story following Ruth and Boaz. Set in Tennessee, “R&b” is about a young woman who escapes the Atlanta music scene to care for an elderly widowed woman, and in the process finds the love of her life and gains the mother she never had.

Michael Elliot (“Brown Sugar”) and Cory Tynan (“Play’d”) penned the script for the project, which will be produced by Franklin and Perry. Angi Bones, Tony L. Strickland and Bart Lipton executive produce.

Walnette Santiago, Nijah Brenea, James Lee Thomas, Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds, Jermaine Dupri and Lecrae Moore round out the cast.

Having carved his niche as a bonafide action star over a multi-decade career, Jason Statham needs no introduction in the entertainment industry. With blockbuster hits like The Meg and The Expendables franchise under his belt, the actor has reportedly become one of the wealthiest British talents in Hollywood.

Jason Statham in The Transporter | image: 20th Century Studios

But for those who aren’t well versed with Jason Statham, the actor used to work as a street merchant when he was first exposed to the big screen through Guy Ritchie’s 1998 film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Two years later, he was cast alongside Brad Pitt in 2000’s Snatch and since then, Statham never had to look back.

Jason Statham’s Early Life and Rise as a Movie Star

Born on July 26, 1967, in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, Jason Statham grew up in a working-class family. Before his Hollywood dreams took flight, he...

Jason Statham has earned himself a reputation as an action star in Hollywood. From Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels to his recent film The Beekeeper, Statham has amazed fans with his action roles. Interestingly, he earned his role in Lock, Stock thanks to his shady past in the streets of London.

Jason Statham in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels | Credits: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Statham allegedly worked as a young street hustler in the market and his work was not exactly legal. Ritchie wanted some new faces with street credibility for his film and Statham was perfect for the role. However, Ritchie’s film would’ve never seen the light of day if it wasn’t for Tom Cruise.

Jason Statham’s Street Cred Got Him A Role That Launched His Career Jason Statham in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels | Credits: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Jason...

Stars: Frank Grillo, Eden Brolin, Melissa Leo, Andy Garcia, Mekhi Phifer, Beau Knapp, George Carroll, Josh Hutcherson, Juan Pablo Raba | Written by John Swab, Santiago Manes Moreno | Directed by John Swab

Long Gone Heroes marks the fifth collaboration between director John Swab and actor Frank Grillo beginning with Body Brokers and most recently One Day as a Lion. They might not be great cinema, but they’ve been well enough received, and more importantly, they’ve proven popular enough that they keep getting money to make more of them.

This time out, Grillo plays Gunner, ex-special forces, ex-husband, and all the other usual exes. His niece Julia is a journalist working on a story about a group violating US sanctions and bringing Venezuelan oil into the country. This gets her grabbed by some very dangerous people.

Complicating matters further is that her mother Olivia is not only a US senator,...

Jason Statham is one of the busiest actors in Hollywood right now and he's got plenty more coming down the pipe in the years ahead.

The British action star worked on four movies in 2023 alone, starring in The Meg 2: The Trench, Fast X, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, and Expend4ables. Not to mention Statham most recently appeared as the lead in the 2024 action thriller, The Beekeeper. 

The actor is also a producer with his own production company, Punch Palace Productions.

Read full article on The Direct.

Arri has published the Alexa 35 Showreel for 2024. This showreel aims to demonstrate the cinematographic diversity of projects shot on the Arri 35, from blockbusters to indie commercials, and also to show the camera’s stunning imagery and dynamic range. Check it out.

Alexa 35 + Xelmus Anamorphic: Test Shots The Alexa 35 Showreel 2024: From blockbusters to indie films

As stated by Arri: We are proud to present the new Alexa 35 showreel, highlighting the wide variety of productions and looks that have been captured with the camera. Thank you to all the cinematographer for their contributions. Featuring a global mix, the showreel includes not only major blockbusters but also indie films, TV series, commercials, music videos, and art projects. The visual styles and aesthetics are incredibly diverse, crafted by talented directors and DPs using various lenses, lighting setups, production designs, and postproduction techniques, not to mention different features of the Alexa 35, such as Extended Sensitivity modes and Arri Textures.

Antoine Fuqua's 2001 cop drama "Training Day" is notable for its hellish tone, gritty photography, and amazing central performance from the incomparable Denzel Washington. Indeed, "Training Day" won Washington his second acting Academy Award for playing LAPD Detective Alonzo Harris, the most horrible and corrupt cop on the force. Ethan Hawke plays Jake Hoyt, the cop assigned to learn from Alonzo on the day before his promotion. Hoyt will get a disturbing crash course in how deeply the violence and corruption of the LAPD really runs. 

Although Alonzo is a terrible person, he's an appealing villain, and many viewers came to love his gnashing and displays of brazen power. Alonzo's line "King Kong ain't got nothing on me," written by David Ayer, was briefly a part of the oft-repeated pop canon. "Training Day" was Fuqua's third feature as a director (after "The Replacement Killers" and "Bait"), but it was the...

Ah, the age-old question: Who would win in a fight between two action stars? It’s a conundrum that has tickled the imaginations of fans and armchair fighters alike. Now, rub elbows with a few prolific action stars, and you’ll find Jason Statham shining like a diamond in a coal mine, known for his epic butt-kicking on screen.

Jason Statham in The Beekeeper | Credits: Amazon MGM Studios

Taking names in smash hits like Transporter, and The Expendables, Statham has masterfully transformed each fight scene into a high-octane ballet. But wait! There’s one MCU actor who could be a massive fly in Statham’s action-packed ointment—even with his lethal moves. You guessed it—Idris Elba.

The Martial Arts Styles That Shape Jason Statham’s Roles

On-screen, Jason Statham is the quintessential action hero, turning every punch, kick, and heart-pumping stunt into a masterclass of cinematic combat. From his...

Mutiny is currently filming in UK, with Jason Statham starring and the director of Plane calling the shots. More here.

Jason Statham kicked off the year in some style with The Beekeeper. It remains one of the most fun films of 2024, as The Statham managed to kick seven shades of shit out of people, all while tending to his non-metaphorical hive. Sequels would be very much appreciated.

The Statham hasn’t been sitting back and counting the coins from The Beekeeper’s surprise box office success, though. He’s already reteamed with the director of that particular film, David Ayer, for Levon’s Trade. That’s based on a screenplay from Sylvester Stallone, and in turn on the book of the same name by Chuck Dixon. It’s set for release this coming January.

Now though, cameras are rolling on Mutiny, another action thriller that’s shooting in the UK. It...

Jason Statham’s name in Hollywood is almost always synonymous with action films. From Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels to his recent film The Beekeeper, Statham has amazed fans with his well-executed stunts. He is famous in the industry as one of the few actors to perform his own stunts. His stunt skills made him an easy choice for franchises like The Expendables and Fast & Furious.

Jason Statham in Expend4bles | Credits: Lionsgate

Despite his expertise in several martial arts forms, Statham’s favorite action style is kickboxing. He is athletic as well, having played soccer professionally and being part of Britain’s national diving team in the 1990 Commonwealth Games.

Jason Statham’s Preferred Fighting Style Is Kickboxing Jason Statham recently starred in David Ayer’s The Beekeeper | Credits: Amazon MGM Studios

Jason Statham went on to build a $1.5 billion career, becoming one of the most...

Flight Risk, the action thriller which marks Mel Gibson’s first time in the director’s chair since Hacksaw Ridge was supposed to be released on October 18th, but Lionsgate announced today that they have pushed that release back to January 24, 2025. While this delay is disappointing, mid-budget action movies such as Flight Risk can do well in January; David Ayer’s The Beekeeper is a recent example.

Directed by Mel Gibson and written by Jared Rosenberg, Flight Risk finds Wahlberg playing a pilot transporting an Air Marshall (Michelle Dockery) accompanying a fugitive (Topher Grace) to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar, and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.”

Our own Chris Bumbray was able to see a trailer for Flight Risk at CinemaCon in Las Vegas earlier this year and teased that Wahlberg is playing “Way against type” in the movie.

Peaky Blinders and Malignant star Annabelle Wallis is ready to join Jason Statham to co-headline the forthcoming action thriller Mutiny from Lionsgate. The hard-boiled project finds Statham producing through his newly established Punch Palace Productions banner alongside Marc Butan of MadRiver Pictures. Jean-François Richet directs Mutiny from a script by J.P Davis and Lindsay Michel.

When principal photography begins this fall in the UK, Mutiny aims to tell the story of Cole Reed, a man set up to take the fall after his billionaire boss is murdered in front of him. Fearing for his life, Cole goes on the run while trying to uncover an international conspiracy at the heart of the crime.

Of course, Annabelle Wallis is a seasoned actor with many memorable characters to her credit. She plays Grace Shelby in the BBC-Netflix series Peaky Blinders, Rebecca Crosby in one of my comfort watches, Tag, the character...

“I think it’s a really fun era,” Minnie Driver told IndieWire of her career. “This is my chaos era. This is great!”

Driver has been popping up in delectable supporting roles for the last few years, from the hard-as-nails agent on “Starstruck” to the CIA director in Jason Statham action flick “The Beekeeper” and the Penguin on this summer’s animated “Batman: Caped Crusader.” But nowhere does she sow more chaos than as Elizabeth I on Season 2 od Starz’ “The Serpent Queen,” where she offers a dazzling new spin on film’s favorite Tudor.

Equal parts Alexis Carrington and Patsy Stone, Driver’s Elizabeth is flirty, flinty, and all-together formidable — even as those she encounters underestimate her at face value. Always a fatal mistake, and for many in the second season of the Samantha Morton-starring show about Catherine de Medici, literally so.

“Everything about Elizabeth was about the presentation,...

Ben Affleck and director Gavin O’Connor are set to reteam in thriller sequel The Accountant 2, which has now apparently wrapped up filming…

Update: Well, wouldn’t you know it. Not only did, as the following original story from January 2024 note, The Accountant 2 would be filming in March, it’s now wrapped up production. Inverse reports that filming is complete, and the aim now is for an April 2025 release date.

Our original story from last January is here…

Don’t worry if you completely forgot about 2016 action thriller The Accountant – director Gavin O’Connor and star Ben Affleck haven’t. According to World Of Reel, the long-in-gestation sequel is set to go into production in March, with its release currently pencilled in for the following spring.

The last time we heard any news about The Accountant 2 was in September 2021 – back then, O’Connor was talking about the potential...

David Ayer has been a celebrated filmmaker who wrote the Oscar-winning film Training Day. The filmmaker has made some amazing films including End of Watch, Fury, and most recently directed the Jason Statham starrer The Beekeeper. The director also played in the superhero sandbox with 2016’s Suicide Squad which was unfortunately panned by critics and fans.

A still from 2016’s Suicide Squad | Warner Bros Pictures

Since the release of the film, Ayer has talked about how studio interference resulted in an inferior cut of the film and he has been campaigning for his cut of Suicide Squad to see the light of day. He has talked highly of the film he has made and continues to push for the film’s release someday. On the 8th anniversary of the film’s release, he posted some shots from his cut of the film that confirm the fate of one key character.

Former Netflix film head Scott Stuber has closed a deal with Amazon MGM Studios to relaunch the United Artists label and finance and release features from his new production company.

The arrangement includes a first-look deal with Amazon MGM Studios and will see Stuber based on the Culver City lot, producing several films a year under the UA label for release theatrically and on Prime Video.

Stuber will be involved in all projects released by the new UA including those that do not originate from his company. UA was launched in 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks...

On Thursday 25 July 2024, Talk broadcasts Es.TV!

Episode Summary

In this episode of “Es.TV” on Talk, viewers can look forward to an exciting lineup of guests. John Krasinski from “A Quiet Place: Day One” will be sharing insights and stories from his latest projects. Jamie Campbell Bower and Abbey Lee will also be present to discuss “Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1.”

Fans of Kevin Bacon can catch him on the show as he talks about his role in “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.” Additionally, Phylicia Rashad will be joining the conversation to shed light on her latest project, “The Beekeeper.” Mike Merrill and Ayra Starr with her hit “Last Heartbreak Song” will also be part of the episode, adding more excitement to the lineup. Stay tuned for an engaging and entertaining episode of “Es.TV” with these talented guests.

What Time is the Episode On?

The episode of Es.TV...

It may be less than two weeks into its theatrical run, but it's fair to say that "Longlegs" is, without a doubt, the horror surprise of the year. The latest from director Oz Perkins was released by Neon in theaters on July 12 and, with two weekends under its belt at the box office, this buzzy genre flick only becomes more impressive by the moment. To that end, despite facing down heavy competition from "Twisters," which opened to $80.5 million, as well as holdovers like "Despicable Me 4" and "Inside Out 2," Perkins' twisted serial killer tale more than held its own on its second weekend.

"Longlegs" pulled in $11.7 million in its second frame, landing at number four on the charts. More importantly, this represents a mere 48% drop compared to the film's downright shocking opening weekend north of $22 million, which was, without exaggeration, one of the most impressive openings in recent memory.

Following the critical and commercial triumph of “The Beekeeper,” anticipation is building for Jason Statham’s upcoming action thriller, “Levon’s Trade.” Set for release on January 17, 2025, the film is generating excitement among fans and industry observers alike.

“The Beekeeper,” which grossed $152 million worldwide against a $40 million budget, has become Statham’s 13th highest-grossing film of 2024. More significantly, it achieved Statham’s best Rotten Tomatoes score since 2015, with audiences awarding it a 91% approval rating – the highest for a Statham movie in over a decade.

“Levon’s Trade” appears to be following a similar formula to “The Beekeeper,” with Statham playing Levon Cade, a former Special Forces operative drawn back into a world of violence. Based on Chuck Dixon’s 2014 novel, the film’s screenplay is penned by action icon Sylvester Stallone and features a star-studded cast including David Harbour, Jason Flemyng, and Michael Peña.

The plot revolves around Cade, who has left...

The ward of Shibuya in Tokyo, Japan, recently held an exhibition in honor of Jujutsu Kaisen and Gege Akutami. The mangaka themselves were present for the exhibition, and they made some very interesting revelations about the manga series and the franchise as a whole. These revelations have come as a big shock to all the Jujutsu Kaisen fans.

Jujutsu Kaisen | Mappa Studios

Most of these revelations were regarding the characters that have been a part of the series since the beginning and helped in the overall development of the franchise. One such character is the fan-favorite Toji Fushiguro, the infamous sorcerer killer. Toji was one of the most important characters in the series, and he certainly proved his worth.

While the character has bid adieu to the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, he is still loved and appreciated by fans, and Akutami’s disclosure about the real-life inspiration behind the character...

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

32 Sounds (Sam Green)

Filmmaker Sam Green captures something so specific here: he makes audio the star of a motion picture. It’s a lovely inclination and a worthwhile escapade. There are funny moments, clever moments, plenty that are heartfelt. Sound can do so many different things! This is an exceedingly well-produced work, its perfect length and the audible narrative it designs building succinctly to a lovely finale. Toss on those headphones and get lost in 32 Sounds for a while. – Dan M.

Where to Stream: The Criterion Channel

Babes (Pamela Adlon)

Transitioning the naturalistic comic sensibilities that made Better Things a success, Pamela Adlon’s feature debut Babes manages to co-opt the rhythms of a romantic comedy to explore the relationship between two...

Apple TV+ is adding another high-profile actor to The Morning Show.

Oscar and Emmy winner Jeremy Irons is joining the show’s cast for its upcoming fourth season. He’ll play Martin Levy, the father of Jennifer Aniston’s Alex Levy. It will be his first TV role since Netflix’s The Pentaverate in 2022.

Irons joins Marion Cotillard as a newcomer to The Morning Show’s cast for season four. The coming season will jump ahead two years from the season three finale cliffhanger that saw Alex’s fellow TV anchor Bradley (Reese Witherspoon) taken into FBI custody.

“We re-enter the world mid-chaos,” Aniston, who’s also an executive producer, told The Hollywood Reporter after season three ended. “Because [Alex is] jumping into something that has never existed. She’s a bit of a pioneer, and she is kind of left alone on a buoy.”

Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Néstor Carbonell, Karen Pittman,...

Exclusive: Miramax has appointed Kirby Adams as Head of Physical Production.

In his new role, Adams will oversee all aspects of production management for Miramax’s film and TV slate. He will report directly to Miramax CEO Jonathan Glickman.

Adams comes from Warner Bros, where he served as a senior executive in physical production. He most recently oversaw Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! for the Burbank lot. Prior to that, he was EVP Physical Production at MGM, where he worked on such films as Michael B. Jordan’s Creed III; Ron Howard’s Thirteen Lives; Snoop Dogg starred The Underdoggs and Doug Liman’s recent Jake Gyllenhaal-led Road House.

Prior to MGM, Adams spent more than a decade at Paramount Pictures, having last served as SVP Physical Production. During his tenure, he was the executive in charge of production on such movies as Rocketman, Coming 2 America and Without Remorse.

The Morning Show is adding a second Oscar winner to its Season 4 cast. Jeremy Irons has been tapped for a major role on the Apple TV+ drama. He will play Martin Levy, Alex Levy’s (Jennifer Aniston) father. Irons joins fellow new Season 4 cast addition Marion Cotillard.

The Levy family drama that Martin’s arrival is bound to bring will likely compound the headache Alex is facing at work as she grapples with the aftermath from the thwarted Uba sale to Paul Marks’s (Jon Hamm) tech company and a potential merger with rival network Nbn.

From stars/executive producers Aniston and Reese Witherspoon and Media Res, The Morning Show explores the cutthroat world of morning news. The ensemble drama also stars Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Nestor Carbonell, Karen Pittman, Greta Lee, Hamm and Nicole Beharie. Julianna Margulies will not be returning next season.

The most recent third season grew...

Amazon Prime Video is the place to go for movies this month, with a plethora of original films as well as new library additions for just about every movie fan. The Emma Roberts-led original Space Cadet hits the streaming service aptly on the Fourth of July, for anyone looking for a fish-out-of-water style comedy. My Spy the Eternal City, the newest film in the Dave Bautista-led family action series also drops on July 18.

Action film fans are also in for a treat with recent films The Beekeeper and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning coming to Prime Video in July.

As far as TV shows go, the most notable addition this month is the adult animated series Sausage Party: Foodtopia, a continuation of the 2016 film Sausage Party.

Here’s everything coming to Prime Video and Freevee in July – Amazon originals are designated with an asterisk.

New on Amazon Prime Video...

And just like that, 2024 is already half over. Crazy, isn’t it? It feels like Christmas was just a minute ago, but here we are in the middle of summertime. Before we know it, the fall festivals will open up, the awards race will begin, and people will start debating the year’s best movies.

But here’s the thing – whenever people start talking about the best movies of the year, they always neglect all of the films that came out in the first half of the year. Studios know this, which is why high-profile, prestigious movies always bow in the fourth quarter of the year. So, to give these movies a bit of a spotlight, we here at JoBlo have decided to list the 10 best movies of 2024…so far (in no particular order).

Dune: Part 2:

Denis Villeneuve’s epic conclusion to his two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert’s...

Exclusive: Tfc Management has signed Josh Hutcherson for representation in all areas.

Best known for roles in the Hunger Games franchise and Future Man series, Hutcherson can currently be seen in David Ayer’s action pic, The Beekeeper, opposite Jason Statham and Jeremy Irons. Last year, Josh starred in the record-breaking horror film, Five Nights at Freddy’s, for Blumhouse. Universal defied the odds with a theatrical day-and-date on Peacock for its feature take on the 2014 video game.

The horror pic delivered producer Blumhouse its biggest opening ever at $80 million stateside and an overall global debut of $131M. The film followed Mike (Hutcherson), a troubled security guard who accepts a night-time job at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a once successful abandoned entertainment center that becomes dangerous after midnight. Blumhouse recently announced a sequel and will begin production later this year.

In addition to Tfc, Josh is also represented by Gersh and Hansen,...

Film financier, producer and distributor Sky Original Film has acquired U.K. rights to upcoming action-thriller “Mutiny,” starring Jason Statham.

“Mutiny” follows Statham as Cole, an ex-Special Forces and New York cop who was kicked off the force and now works in private security for Thai shipping tycoon and friend, Tibu. Cole is framed for the murder of Tibu at the hands of corrupt cops, forcing him to escape through Tibu’s freight ships, where Cole discovers that the corruption is deeper and more sinister than ever expected.

Principal photography on the film, directed by Jean-Francois Richet, will commence at U.K. locations in September. The film is written by J.P. Davis (“Plane”) and Lindsay Michel (“Sandpiper”).

Statham will produce “Mutiny” under his production company Punch Palace Productions alongside Marc Butan for MadRiver Pictures. Sky Original Film will release “Mutiny” on Sky Cinema and theatrically, alongside Lionsgate which recently picked up North American rights.

Exclusive: Corey Stoll (Billions) and Bobby Naderi (The Beekeeper) have been tapped for series regular roles opposite Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks in Prime Video’s thriller series The Better Sister, based on the novel by Alafair Burke.

Stoll plays Adam, who has muscled his way from a local boy in Ohio to the white shoe law firms of New York City, but finds it difficult to embrace the high-class life his wife Chloe (Biel) has built around them. A devoted father, he worries about the impact their new wealth has on his son Ethan.

Naderi plays Matt Bowen, the younger partner of Nancy Guidry, a detective investigating the murder of Chloe’s husband Adam. Matt approaches things with a kinder style, but that softer approach doesn’t entirely mask his profound ambition.

Hailing from Tomorrow Studios, which will co-produce with Amazon MGM Studios, The Better Sister meditates on the...

Big-budgeted films with a stellar cast are normally expected to perform better at the box office than low-budgeted films. However, the 2024 box office so far has seen more major flops, big-budget films failing to make it to the breakeven point, and low-budgeted movies garnering millions across the world. And so it was for actors like Henry Cavill and Ryan Gosling, who despite their fanfare and talent, failed to woo the audiences with their feats.

Henry Cavill in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare | Lionsgate Films

While Henry Cavill so far has recorded two flops this year (Argylle & The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) despite some pretty astounding collaborations, last year’s box-office dominating stars Gosling and Emily Blunt failed to live up to expectations with their action-packed romantic comedy, The Fall Guy.

So while Henry Cavill and Ryan Gosling try to figure out what made their movies perform way below expectations, here...

In a deal sealed at Cannes, Spain’s Film Factory has closed France with Wild Bunch on action film “The Gentleman” as well as crime thriller “Undercover.”

The directorial debut of seasoned Mexican cinematographer Luis Gabriel Beristáin, “The Gentleman” stars Ron Perlman as Theo, an aging former U.S. soldier who pays Olga, a prostitute, to talk with him about who he once was and what he might have been. When Olga is brutally murdered, Theo embarks on bloody revenge.

“The Gentleman” is produced by Spain’s Esto También Pasará (“Ferocious Wolf”). Now shooting, “The Gentleman” will be released by Universal in Spain next year.

From Goya winner Arantxa Echevarría (“Lola and Carmen”), “Undercover” is inspired by the real-life story of Spain’s only police officer to successfully infiltrate Eta. Carolina Yuste (“Saben aquell”) and Luis Tosar (“Maiaxabel”) headline; Bowfinger Intl. Pictures and Beta Fiction Spain produce, with the latter...

“Sas: Red Notice,” the action thriller from director Laurence Malkin that became a hit for U.K. platform Sky Cinema in 2021, is getting a sequel.

Creative details are currently under wraps, but development funding for the sequel was provided by Sky Original Films and the film will be executive produced by Sky’s director of original film, Julia Stuart. Sky will co-finance and take all rights for the U.K. and Ireland. Production financing will come from Ashland Hill Media Finance, led by Joe Simpson, Simon Williams, and Jonathan Bross.

“The global success of the first film inspired me to amplify the Sas universe and deepen our understanding of covert operations,” said Malkin. “The use of psychopaths, both good and bad, was something we touched upon in the first film. This time we’ll get inside the minds of these unique operators and deliver even more visceral action sequences, elevating...

Jason Statham is heading to Scotland for an untitled action thriller from director Baltasar Kormakur. More on the project here.

Jason Statham’s already scored a delightfully fun hit movie this year with The Beekeeper, which has turned in a good profit after its cinema run back in January. He made that with director David Ayer, and the pair are now working on a new film, Levon’s Trade, based on a script written by Sylvester Stallone. It’s currently set for release at the start of 2025.

By the time that particular film arrives with us though, Jason Statham will be on a remote Scottish island, filming his next movie after that. It’s a film without a title at the moment, but we know that it’s going to be directed by Baltasar Kormakur, who previously brought Everest to the big screen.

Ward Parry has written the script for Untitled...

Did anyone expect “The Beekeeper” to do as well at the box office as it’s doing? The mid-budget action film has earned more than $152 million worldwide. You have to assume a lot of that success rests on the shoulders of star Jason Statham, who has been solid at the box office for years now. And fresh off the success of “The Beekeeper,” Statham continues to add to his schedule of future films.

Continue reading Jason Statham To Star in Baltasar Kormákur’s New Action Film at The Playlist.

Jason Statham is someone who is admirably unpretentious and genuinely grateful for his success, and within that, he has a definite preference of films that can predominantly define his career. Earlier this year, Statham was seen in The Beekeeper, a seemingly usual action B-movie fare with the star, but the movie from Suicide Squad director David Ayer would throw in some bold conceptual curve balls to the normal vengeance tale. Deadline has now reported that Statham will be working with director Baltasar Kormákur for his next action film.

Kormákur’s resume features such credits as Contraband, 2 Guns, Everest and the recent Idris Elba lion attack film, Beast. According to Deadline, “In the currently untitled pic, Statham will play Mason who lives in isolation in a remote Scottish island. When he rescues a young girl from the ocean in a terrible storm, he sets a chain of events in motion...

Exclusive: Jason Statham (Fast & Furious) has been set to lead a new action-thriller from director Baltasar Kormákur (Everest), which Black Bear is launching this week for the Cannes market.

In the currently untitled pic, Statham will play Mason who lives in isolation in a remote Scottish island. When he rescues a young girl from the ocean in a terrible storm, he sets a chain of events in motion that brings a violent attack to his hideaway, forcing him back into the world to confront the ghosts of his past.

Principal photography is scheduled to commence in November in the UK and Iceland with production services and filming to take place at Kormákur’s Rvk Studios facility in Reykjavik. Script comes from Ward Parry.

Producers include Statham (Levon’s Trade) for Punch Palace Productions, Kormákur for Rvk Studios, John Friedberg (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) for Black Bear, and Jon Berg...

If there’s anything worse than a millionaire who fails to contribute anything meaningful to the world, it’s taking the fall for one who’s murdered and finding yourself in the crosshairs of thugs and criminals. Jason Statham is back in business with Lionsgate to star in the upcoming action-thriller Mutiny with Plane and Blood Father director Jean-Francois Richet at the helm.

Lionsgate, MadRiver, and Punch Palace are teaming up to release the film in theaters. Lindsay Michel and J.P. Davis wrote the screenplay for Mutiny, with principal photography beginning in September in the UK. Statham produces through his newly-founded Punch Palace Productions, with Marc Butan via his MadRiver Pictures studio.

In Mutiny, after his billionaire industrialist boss is murdered in front of him, Cole Reed is set up to take the fall for the crime— leaving him on the run as he works to uncover an international conspiracy.

Exclusive: Ahead of the Cannes market, Lionsgate has taken North American rights off the table on one of the bigger-budget new packages that’ll be on sale next week: that’s action-thriller Mutiny, which will star action evergreen Jason Statham (Fast & Furious) and be directed by Jean-François Richet (Plane).

Lionsgate, which we understand stumped up eight figures for Na rights, says it has committed to a wide theatrical release on the project which is based on a script by Lindsay Michel and J.P. Davis (Plane). Principal photography is due to begin this September in the UK.

In Mutiny, after his billionaire industrialist boss is murdered in front of him, Cole Reed is set up to take the fall for the crime— leaving him on the run as he works to uncover an international conspiracy.

The film is produced by Statham and his newly minted production company Punch Palace Productions...

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Welcome back, physical media fans. It's time for another Blu-ray round-up, and this particular edition features a study in contrasts. On one hand, we have what many will consider to be one of the best movies of the year: "Dune: Part Two" (you can read our review right here). On the other, we also have what is arguably one of the worst movies of the year: Sony's woefully inept "Madame Web" (check out our review here). But that's not all! We also have new 4K releases of several great "older" titles. Throw in the latest from one of the Coen Brothers and a Jason Statham action pic as well, and you've got yourself a jam-packed Blu-ray round-up. So keep spinning those discs and read on.

Read more: The Dark Knight Rises Ending Explained: Batman Ends

Dune: Part Two

Denis Villeneuve...

Theaters are in a slump longer than they should be. The last five weekends averaged about $70 million total, while in 2019, the same five weekends with lower ticket prices averaged $190 million. That means success in VOD revenue is all that more important for studios. Even so, on the two top 10 lists from iTunes (ranking by transactions) and Fandango (by revenue), half the slots are taken by companies other than the usual top five.

Results overall reflect the cutback in releases due to last year’s strikes, some longer windows for bigger-grossing studio releases, and, in most cases, a weaker response to other films that made little theatrical impact. All that made it easy for “Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.), by far the year’s biggest hit, to repeat as #1 on both charts for the third week. And that’s with a higher price than usual.

Jerry Seinfeld’s feature directorial debut “Unfrosted,...

MGM+ has announced the titles coming to the premium linear channel and streaming service during the month of May. The MGM Plus May 2024 lineup includes new Beacon 23 Season 2 episodes and the films French Girl and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning.

MGM+, an Amazon company, is a premium linear channel and streaming service delivering a broad lineup of exclusive original series and docuseries, the latest movie releases, and classic film franchises—all available in the U.S. on TV, on-demand, online, and across devices.

MGM+ is a destination for premium content, with original series including sci-fi horror series From, Emmy-winning series Godfather of Harlem, the Western adventure Billy the Kid, the anticipated new series Hotel Cocaine and Emperor of Ocean Park, the limited series A Spy Among Friends, and cinematic dramatic series Rogue Heroes, War of the Worlds, and Beacon 23.

The network is also the home of acclaimed docuseries,...

More than 30 years after Reversal of Fortune, Jeremy Irons and Glenn Close are ready for their Encore.

The pair, who faced off as Claus and Sunny von Bülow in the 1990 Oscar-winning thriller are set to reteam in the upcoming best-agers comedy, from British director Simon Curtis (My Week with Marilyn, Downton Abbey: A New Era).

Close and Irons, who also co-starred in Mike Nichols’ award-winning Broadway play The Real Thing, both winning Tony Awards for their performances, last shared the screen in 1993’s The House of Spirits. In Encore, they will play two former Broadway icons, Marie and Nigel, who become residents of a retirement home. Once there, they discover a community of forgotten talents and Marie decides to put on a show, hoping to revive Nigel’s passion for theatre and help him embrace this new chapter in their lives.

Henry Winkler (Barry, Arrested Development) and Don Johnson (Knives Out) are attached to co-star.