It’s about 8:15 in the morning on a warm, midsummer Friday about 40 miles north-northeast of the Hollywood TMZ, as I try to keep pace with the brown Porsche 911 in front of me.
We are winding through the back canyons of Angeles Crest Highway in Angeles National Forest on the way to Newcomb’s Ranch for the Good Vibes Breakfast Club. I pick up the walkie-talkie in the front seat of the Hyundai Elantra N — the tricked-out sport version of the brand’s sedan — and radio over, “Don’t wait for me, keep going.”
Moments later, the brown 911 — delightfully called “Rolling Coffee Bean” by its owner, actor and comedian Byron Bowers — speeds off through the straightaways and esses of Little Tujunga Canyon until it’s a smudge in the distance.
Good Vibes Breakfast Club isn’t a car meet and it’s not a car show; it’s a place...
We are winding through the back canyons of Angeles Crest Highway in Angeles National Forest on the way to Newcomb’s Ranch for the Good Vibes Breakfast Club. I pick up the walkie-talkie in the front seat of the Hyundai Elantra N — the tricked-out sport version of the brand’s sedan — and radio over, “Don’t wait for me, keep going.”
Moments later, the brown 911 — delightfully called “Rolling Coffee Bean” by its owner, actor and comedian Byron Bowers — speeds off through the straightaways and esses of Little Tujunga Canyon until it’s a smudge in the distance.
Good Vibes Breakfast Club isn’t a car meet and it’s not a car show; it’s a place...
- 8/23/2024
- by Jon Alain Guzik
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Despite rumors that the show had been scrapped, Marvel Studios' Wonder Man is still very much alive, and is continuing to round out its supporting cast.
According to Deadline, the latest actor to join the series is Byron Bowers, who is set to appear in the Alma Har’el-directed limited series Lady In The Lake alongside Natalie Portman. His other credits include Showtime’s The Chi, Honey Boy, Concrete Cowboy, No Sudden Move, and Kimi.
Bowers' character has not been disclosed - though that doesn't necessarily mean his role is being kept under wraps for any interesting reason.
As some predicted, it seems "Wonder Man" is going to be its own film franchise within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as recent set photos gave us a look at the movie's logo. Though the silhouette didn't feature Simon Williams' (Yahya Abdul-Mateen) likeness, it did give us a glimpse of the character's superhero chest emblem.
According to Deadline, the latest actor to join the series is Byron Bowers, who is set to appear in the Alma Har’el-directed limited series Lady In The Lake alongside Natalie Portman. His other credits include Showtime’s The Chi, Honey Boy, Concrete Cowboy, No Sudden Move, and Kimi.
Bowers' character has not been disclosed - though that doesn't necessarily mean his role is being kept under wraps for any interesting reason.
As some predicted, it seems "Wonder Man" is going to be its own film franchise within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as recent set photos gave us a look at the movie's logo. Though the silhouette didn't feature Simon Williams' (Yahya Abdul-Mateen) likeness, it did give us a glimpse of the character's superhero chest emblem.
- 7/16/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
“13-foot tall Black Man in Oakland.”
That’s how “I’m a Virgo” creator Boots Riley pitched his latest show to actor Jharrel Jerome. “This is the wildest title to an email I’ve seen. I don’t know what he’s talking about,” Jerome tells Variety‘s Awards Circuit Podcast. A week later, Riley was in his hotel room, with a briefcase painting a picture of how this show would look like – and he had mini figurines so Jerome could have a visual.
And yes, Jerome was concerned, he thought he’d be acting in front of a green screen all day long. But that wasn’t the case. Riley — who had the entire show mapped out in his mind, long before the streaming service was involved — wanted to do everything practical and in-camera. As part of that presentation, Riley showed how he’d use specific camera angles and...
That’s how “I’m a Virgo” creator Boots Riley pitched his latest show to actor Jharrel Jerome. “This is the wildest title to an email I’ve seen. I don’t know what he’s talking about,” Jerome tells Variety‘s Awards Circuit Podcast. A week later, Riley was in his hotel room, with a briefcase painting a picture of how this show would look like – and he had mini figurines so Jerome could have a visual.
And yes, Jerome was concerned, he thought he’d be acting in front of a green screen all day long. But that wasn’t the case. Riley — who had the entire show mapped out in his mind, long before the streaming service was involved — wanted to do everything practical and in-camera. As part of that presentation, Riley showed how he’d use specific camera angles and...
- 6/5/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Jordan Peele is dusting off his ten-gallon hat and sharpening his spurs for a potentially powerful docuseries about Black cowboys of the Wild West. Peele’s goal with his new project is to change the public perception of the Old West and the people who contributed to its identity. The docuseries is getting set up at Peacock, with Peele executive producing. Reports say the project aims to “dismantle the whitewashed mythology of the cowboy” and elaborate on themes featured in Peele’s 2022 invasion thriller Nope.
Peele is teaming up with By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem’s Keith McQuirter, who joins the untitled Black cowboy docuseries as showrunner and executive producer.
Here’s the official description for Jordan Peele’s Black cowboy docuseries:
“The untitled Black cowboy docuseries will rewrite a foundational piece of American history, unmasking the forces that erased the identity of the Black...
Peele is teaming up with By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem’s Keith McQuirter, who joins the untitled Black cowboy docuseries as showrunner and executive producer.
Here’s the official description for Jordan Peele’s Black cowboy docuseries:
“The untitled Black cowboy docuseries will rewrite a foundational piece of American history, unmasking the forces that erased the identity of the Black...
- 5/2/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Sam Mercer, producer on several M. Night Shyamalan movies and former head of Ilm, died Feb. 12 of younger onset Alzheimer’s in South Pasadena. He was 69.
Raised in Weston, Mass., he attended Occidental College and then started working as a location manager on 1980s classics including “Stripes,” “The Escape Artist,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure,” “Swing Shift,” “Peggy Sue Got Married” and “The Witches of Eastwick.”
He joined the Walt Disney Company as a production executive, supervising films including “Good Morning Vietnam,” “Three Fugitives” and “Dead Poets Society.” He then became VP of motion picture production at Hollywood Pictures, where he oversaw releases including “Quiz Show,” “The Joy Luck Club,” “Born Yesterday,” “Swing Kids,” “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” and “Arachnophobia.”
Mercer then worked as an independent producer, starting with “Congo,” “The Relic” and “Mission to Mars.” After working with Shyamalan on “The Sixth Sense,” then went on...
Raised in Weston, Mass., he attended Occidental College and then started working as a location manager on 1980s classics including “Stripes,” “The Escape Artist,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure,” “Swing Shift,” “Peggy Sue Got Married” and “The Witches of Eastwick.”
He joined the Walt Disney Company as a production executive, supervising films including “Good Morning Vietnam,” “Three Fugitives” and “Dead Poets Society.” He then became VP of motion picture production at Hollywood Pictures, where he oversaw releases including “Quiz Show,” “The Joy Luck Club,” “Born Yesterday,” “Swing Kids,” “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” and “Arachnophobia.”
Mercer then worked as an independent producer, starting with “Congo,” “The Relic” and “Mission to Mars.” After working with Shyamalan on “The Sixth Sense,” then went on...
- 3/14/2024
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Sam Mercer, who produced eight M. Night Shyamalan films starting with the spooky blockbuster The Sixth Sense, has died. He was 69.
Mercer died Feb. 12 at his home in South Pasadena after a battle with younger-onset Alzheimer’s, his wife, Tegan Jones, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Mercer was seen as an out-of-the-box hire when he joined Industrial Light & Magic in September 2015 to oversee and coordinate activities of the VFX giant’s studios in San Francisco, Vancouver, London and Singapore. However, he left the next year after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Mercer began his career as a location manager on films including Stripes (1981), National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983), Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985), Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) and The Witches of Eastwick (1987).
He joined Disney and was a production executive on such features as Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) and Dead Poets Society (1989), and as a production vp at Hollywood Pictures, he oversaw the release of films...
Mercer died Feb. 12 at his home in South Pasadena after a battle with younger-onset Alzheimer’s, his wife, Tegan Jones, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Mercer was seen as an out-of-the-box hire when he joined Industrial Light & Magic in September 2015 to oversee and coordinate activities of the VFX giant’s studios in San Francisco, Vancouver, London and Singapore. However, he left the next year after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Mercer began his career as a location manager on films including Stripes (1981), National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983), Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985), Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) and The Witches of Eastwick (1987).
He joined Disney and was a production executive on such features as Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) and Dead Poets Society (1989), and as a production vp at Hollywood Pictures, he oversaw the release of films...
- 3/14/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sam Mercer, who produced seven M. Night Shyamalan films including The Sixth Sense, headed Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light & Magic and was location manager on several classic 1980s pics, has died. He was 69.
His wife Tegan Jones told Deadline that Mercer died February 12 of younger-onset Alzheimer’s.
“He was the best big brother I could have hoped for,” Shyamalan said in a statement. “He made every movie a family, and I’ve tried to emulate that in every film since.”
Mercer moved to Los Angeles from Weston, Ma, to work in the movie industry. He began his career as a location manager on such 1980s gems as Stripes, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Peggy Sue Got Married and The Witches of Eastwick before moving to Walt Disney Studios.
Paul Reubens in ‘Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure’ (1985)
There he worked as a production executive, supervising movies including Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society,...
His wife Tegan Jones told Deadline that Mercer died February 12 of younger-onset Alzheimer’s.
“He was the best big brother I could have hoped for,” Shyamalan said in a statement. “He made every movie a family, and I’ve tried to emulate that in every film since.”
Mercer moved to Los Angeles from Weston, Ma, to work in the movie industry. He began his career as a location manager on such 1980s gems as Stripes, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Peggy Sue Got Married and The Witches of Eastwick before moving to Walt Disney Studios.
Paul Reubens in ‘Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure’ (1985)
There he worked as a production executive, supervising movies including Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society,...
- 3/14/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Tucker Tooley Entertainment has acquired the TV rights to a pair of books about First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis with plans to develop them into a limited series.
Variety has learned exclusively that the company has acquired the rights to the books ““Jackie: Public, Private, Secret” and “Jackie, Janet and Lee,” both written by by J. Randy Taraborrelli. The former book delves into many never-before-told details of Onassis’ life, while the second is a biography of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, her mother Janet Lee Auchincloss, and her sister, Princess Lee Radziwill. The books are published by St. Martin’s Press.
“Jackie Onassis is one of the most iconic, timeless, and multifaceted women of the twentieth century,” said Tooley. “Randy’s extraordinary access and meticulous reporting provide an incredible vehicle for two talented actresses to bring to life Onassis and her mother, Janet. We are excited to connect a whole new generation of viewers to Camelot.
Variety has learned exclusively that the company has acquired the rights to the books ““Jackie: Public, Private, Secret” and “Jackie, Janet and Lee,” both written by by J. Randy Taraborrelli. The former book delves into many never-before-told details of Onassis’ life, while the second is a biography of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, her mother Janet Lee Auchincloss, and her sister, Princess Lee Radziwill. The books are published by St. Martin’s Press.
“Jackie Onassis is one of the most iconic, timeless, and multifaceted women of the twentieth century,” said Tooley. “Randy’s extraordinary access and meticulous reporting provide an incredible vehicle for two talented actresses to bring to life Onassis and her mother, Janet. We are excited to connect a whole new generation of viewers to Camelot.
- 11/8/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Caleb McLaughlin first came to fame with his scene-stealing role as Lucas on "Stranger Things," and since then, his star has risen steadily. He appeared as Ricky Bell on BET's "The New Edition Story," Darius in "High Flying Bird," Cole in Netflix's "Concrete Cowboy," and - most recently - as Dru Joyce III in the movie adaptation of Lebron James's story, "Shooting Stars."
With "Concrete Cowboy," McLaughlin proved he can carry his own beside heavy hitters like Idris Elba, while in "Shooting Stars," which premiered on Peacock on June 2, the 21-year-old shows he's taking on Hollywood.
TV and movie acting is not where McLaughlin's talents begin and end. He's also a successful singer and stage-musical actor. While McLaughlin's dating life remains a mystery, there are other aspects of the actor's life that he's been an open book about. So, if you found yourself enthralled by his most...
With "Concrete Cowboy," McLaughlin proved he can carry his own beside heavy hitters like Idris Elba, while in "Shooting Stars," which premiered on Peacock on June 2, the 21-year-old shows he's taking on Hollywood.
TV and movie acting is not where McLaughlin's talents begin and end. He's also a successful singer and stage-musical actor. While McLaughlin's dating life remains a mystery, there are other aspects of the actor's life that he's been an open book about. So, if you found yourself enthralled by his most...
- 6/6/2023
- by Grayson Gilcrease
- Popsugar.com
Luther and Hobbs & Shaw star Idris Elba’s Green Door Pictures and wife Sabrina Elba’s Pink Towel have unveiled plans for Paid in Full: The Battle for Payback, a documentary about the music industry exploiting Black artists, for the BBC and CBC networks.
The three-parter, which will also explore reparations for Black artists, is produced by Zinc Media’s production label Supercollider in association with Canadian indie producer Catalyst.
“This is a story that touches all of us. It’s about the people who created the soundtracks of our lives in popular music and the pain of their exploitation. It’s also about bringing the music industry to account for the injustice inflicted on generations of musical talents who have been deprived of their rightful rewards both financially and in terms of status and respect. At the heart of it is the need to make amends — granting acknowledgement and paying back what is due,...
The three-parter, which will also explore reparations for Black artists, is produced by Zinc Media’s production label Supercollider in association with Canadian indie producer Catalyst.
“This is a story that touches all of us. It’s about the people who created the soundtracks of our lives in popular music and the pain of their exploitation. It’s also about bringing the music industry to account for the injustice inflicted on generations of musical talents who have been deprived of their rightful rewards both financially and in terms of status and respect. At the heart of it is the need to make amends — granting acknowledgement and paying back what is due,...
- 5/22/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Jharrel Jerome, the Emmy winner, Moonlight actor and EP/star of the upcoming Prime Video series, I’m a Virgo, which just premiered at SXSW, has signed on to star in Artists Equity’s tentatively titled Unstoppable, the Jennifer Lopez starring, Billy Goldenberg directing project we first told you about yesterday.
Robles is a three-time All-American wrestler born with one leg who won a national championship at Arizona State. Robles, we hear, will be heavily involved in the project which Amazon Studios is in talks to acquire. Robles in early 2019 broke the Guinness world record for most pull-ups in a minute with 62 reps.
Wrestler Anthony Robles accepts the ‘Jimmy V Award for Perservance’ onstage at The 2011 Espy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live (Photo by John Shearer/WireImage)
Robles was born without a right leg. At the age of 14, he tried out wrestling for the first time in Mesa,...
Robles is a three-time All-American wrestler born with one leg who won a national championship at Arizona State. Robles, we hear, will be heavily involved in the project which Amazon Studios is in talks to acquire. Robles in early 2019 broke the Guinness world record for most pull-ups in a minute with 62 reps.
Wrestler Anthony Robles accepts the ‘Jimmy V Award for Perservance’ onstage at The 2011 Espy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live (Photo by John Shearer/WireImage)
Robles was born without a right leg. At the age of 14, he tried out wrestling for the first time in Mesa,...
- 3/17/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Idris Elba and media mogul Mo Abudu on Thursday announced a partnership aimed at working to develop the television and movie industries across Africa and to bring “stories from Africa and the African diaspora to the world stage.”
The “Luther” actor and “Queen Nzinga” executive producer said the effort would be made through their respective production companies, Green Door Pictures and EbonyLife Media to build capacity and foster authentic representation in global film and TV projects set for production.
The two described a two-fold approached that would bring education and mentoring initiatives to help both young people and older creative professionals the opportunity to showcase their skills and tell their stories, and assist in large-scale productions.
Abudu, who has Nigerian roots, has deep ties to “Nollywood,” as the Nigerian film industry is known, producing multiple films in that space, including 2016’s “The Wedding Party,” which stood at the time as...
The “Luther” actor and “Queen Nzinga” executive producer said the effort would be made through their respective production companies, Green Door Pictures and EbonyLife Media to build capacity and foster authentic representation in global film and TV projects set for production.
The two described a two-fold approached that would bring education and mentoring initiatives to help both young people and older creative professionals the opportunity to showcase their skills and tell their stories, and assist in large-scale productions.
Abudu, who has Nigerian roots, has deep ties to “Nollywood,” as the Nigerian film industry is known, producing multiple films in that space, including 2016’s “The Wedding Party,” which stood at the time as...
- 3/16/2023
- by Eileen AJ Connelly
- The Wrap
Idris Elba and African media mogul Mo Abudu are joining forces to launch a film and TV joint venture that will back new projects and up-and-coming talent from Africa and the African diaspora.
The partnership between Elba’s Green Door Pictures and Abudu’s EbonyLife Media, announced Thursday, aims to “empower and uplift talent from Africa and the Diaspora” by backing a development slate of film and TV projects and, by supporting up-and-coming creatives and executives from those communities, to “build capacity and foster authentic representation” in the international industry, to give “stories from Africa and its Diaspora” the same “level of attention and respect as other cultures and communities.”
Elba and Abudu said their production slate would focus on “authentic, Afro-centric stories” that can resonate with audiences around the world. Projects, ranging from feature films to series for television or streaming partners, will be set up as co-productions between...
The partnership between Elba’s Green Door Pictures and Abudu’s EbonyLife Media, announced Thursday, aims to “empower and uplift talent from Africa and the Diaspora” by backing a development slate of film and TV projects and, by supporting up-and-coming creatives and executives from those communities, to “build capacity and foster authentic representation” in the international industry, to give “stories from Africa and its Diaspora” the same “level of attention and respect as other cultures and communities.”
Elba and Abudu said their production slate would focus on “authentic, Afro-centric stories” that can resonate with audiences around the world. Projects, ranging from feature films to series for television or streaming partners, will be set up as co-productions between...
- 3/16/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jharrel Jerome is the latest addition to the growing ensemble cast of Steven Soderbergh and Ed Solomon’s upcoming HBO Max series “Full Circle,” Variety has learned.
Other previously announced cast members include Dennis Quaid, Claire Danes, Zazie Beetz, and Timothy Olyphant. The official logline for the six-episode show reads, “An investigation into a botched kidnapping uncovers long-held secrets connecting multiple characters and cultures in present day New York City.” Character details are currently being kept under wraps.
Jerome is best known for his starring role in Ava DuVernay’s critically-acclaimed Netflix limited series “When They See Us,” based on the true story of five young men of color in New York City who were falsely accused of rape and spent decades in prison before being exonerated. Jerome won the Emmy Award for best actor in a limited series for the show in 2019.
Jerome’s other TV roles include the Audience Network series “Mr. Mercedes.
Other previously announced cast members include Dennis Quaid, Claire Danes, Zazie Beetz, and Timothy Olyphant. The official logline for the six-episode show reads, “An investigation into a botched kidnapping uncovers long-held secrets connecting multiple characters and cultures in present day New York City.” Character details are currently being kept under wraps.
Jerome is best known for his starring role in Ava DuVernay’s critically-acclaimed Netflix limited series “When They See Us,” based on the true story of five young men of color in New York City who were falsely accused of rape and spent decades in prison before being exonerated. Jerome won the Emmy Award for best actor in a limited series for the show in 2019.
Jerome’s other TV roles include the Audience Network series “Mr. Mercedes.
- 9/20/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Tilda Swinton must decide what wishes to make, or whether to make them at all, when she discovers a Djinn (genie) played by Idris Elba in the latest film from “Mad Max: Fury Road” director George Miller.
It’s based on “The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye,” a collection of short stories by “Possession” and “Angels & Insects” novelist A.S. Byatt.
Here’s all the information you need if you wish to see the film for yourself.
When Does “Three Thousand Years of Longing” Come Out?
The movie opened on Friday, Aug. 26.
Is “Three Thousand Years of Longing” Streaming or in Theaters?
Right now, “Three Thousand Years of Longing” is playing exclusively in theaters. While we don’t have an exact streaming release date yet, look for the movie to stream later on Prime Video. (Amazon acquired MGM earlier this year.)
Also Read:
George Miller on the Idris Elba...
It’s based on “The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye,” a collection of short stories by “Possession” and “Angels & Insects” novelist A.S. Byatt.
Here’s all the information you need if you wish to see the film for yourself.
When Does “Three Thousand Years of Longing” Come Out?
The movie opened on Friday, Aug. 26.
Is “Three Thousand Years of Longing” Streaming or in Theaters?
Right now, “Three Thousand Years of Longing” is playing exclusively in theaters. While we don’t have an exact streaming release date yet, look for the movie to stream later on Prime Video. (Amazon acquired MGM earlier this year.)
Also Read:
George Miller on the Idris Elba...
- 8/26/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
’André Rieu’s 2022 Maastricht Summer Concert: Happy Days Are Here Again’ plays widely this weekend.
Universal’s survival thriller Beast is the widest release among the features debuting at this weekend’s UK-Ireland box office, however event cinema André Rieu’s 2022 Maastricht Summer Concert: Happy Days Are Here Again boasts the overall largest figure.
Beast is directed by Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormakur. The survival thriller stars Idris Elba as a grieving widower, who must protect his daughters from a voracious lion. It is set to play at 601 sites this weekend.
Kormakur’s best known for 2015 real-life disaster thriller, Everest, which opened to £2.4m from 567 sites.
Universal’s survival thriller Beast is the widest release among the features debuting at this weekend’s UK-Ireland box office, however event cinema André Rieu’s 2022 Maastricht Summer Concert: Happy Days Are Here Again boasts the overall largest figure.
Beast is directed by Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormakur. The survival thriller stars Idris Elba as a grieving widower, who must protect his daughters from a voracious lion. It is set to play at 601 sites this weekend.
Kormakur’s best known for 2015 real-life disaster thriller, Everest, which opened to £2.4m from 567 sites.
- 8/26/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Click here to read the full article.
Idris Elba and David Leitch are teaming up for Bang! from Dark Horse Entertainment and headed to Netflix.
Concrete Cowboy star Elba will feature in the spy thriller, with Leitch directing after his work on Bullet Train and Deadpool 2. Based on the comic series by Matt Kindt and Wilfredo Torres, the feature adaptation will be written by Kindt and Zak Olkewicz.
Bang! will portray a terrorist cult that sets out to start the apocalypse with a series of novels meant to brainwash their readers, just as the world’s most celebrated spy is sent to track down and kill the author responsible. The Bang! producers are Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg for Dark Horse, Leitch and Kelly McCormick for 87 North and Elba.
As they extend their creative partnership, Netflix and Dark Horse Entertainment are also at work on Mind Mgmt, a series...
Idris Elba and David Leitch are teaming up for Bang! from Dark Horse Entertainment and headed to Netflix.
Concrete Cowboy star Elba will feature in the spy thriller, with Leitch directing after his work on Bullet Train and Deadpool 2. Based on the comic series by Matt Kindt and Wilfredo Torres, the feature adaptation will be written by Kindt and Zak Olkewicz.
Bang! will portray a terrorist cult that sets out to start the apocalypse with a series of novels meant to brainwash their readers, just as the world’s most celebrated spy is sent to track down and kill the author responsible. The Bang! producers are Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg for Dark Horse, Leitch and Kelly McCormick for 87 North and Elba.
As they extend their creative partnership, Netflix and Dark Horse Entertainment are also at work on Mind Mgmt, a series...
- 8/3/2022
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
High school basketball star Mookie Cook will play the young Lebron James in "Shooting Stars," the upcoming Peacock film adaptation of the 2009 memoir by James and "Friday Night Lights" author Buzz Bissinger. Caleb McLaughlin of "Stranger Things" fame will co-star.
"Shooting Stars" recently commenced production in Akron, Ohio, where current Los Angeles Laker James grew up before he went on to play first for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA. The book details his high school years and relationships with friends and teammates as they competed in national championships. According to The Hollywood Reporter, McLaughlin — who also co-starred in Netflix's "Concrete Cowboy" with Idris Elba and...
The post Universal Casts Mookie Cook As Young LeBron James in Shooting Stars appeared first on /Film.
"Shooting Stars" recently commenced production in Akron, Ohio, where current Los Angeles Laker James grew up before he went on to play first for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA. The book details his high school years and relationships with friends and teammates as they competed in national championships. According to The Hollywood Reporter, McLaughlin — who also co-starred in Netflix's "Concrete Cowboy" with Idris Elba and...
The post Universal Casts Mookie Cook As Young LeBron James in Shooting Stars appeared first on /Film.
- 5/16/2022
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
Rlje Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, will release the action/comedy Last Looks on DVD and Blu-ray April 12, 2022. Check out this exciting new trailer:
Now you can win the Blu-ray of Last Looks.. We Are Movie Geeks has two to give away. Just leave a comment below telling us what your favorite movie starring Mel Gibson is (I’d say Braveheart. It’s so easy!)
1. You Must Be A US Resident. Prize Will Only Be Shipped To US Addresses. No P.O. Boxes. No Duplicate Addresses.
2. Winner Will Be Chosen From All Qualifying Entries. No Purchase Necessary
Directed by Tim Kirkby and written by Howard Michael Gould (Mr. 3000), Last Looks features an all-star cast including Charlie Hunnam, Morena Baccarin, Mel Gibson, Rupert Friend, Lucy Fry, Clancy Brown, Dominic Monaghan, and Cliff “Method Man” Smith.
In Last Looks, Charlie Waldo (Charlie Hunnam) is an ex-LAPD superstar who left...
Now you can win the Blu-ray of Last Looks.. We Are Movie Geeks has two to give away. Just leave a comment below telling us what your favorite movie starring Mel Gibson is (I’d say Braveheart. It’s so easy!)
1. You Must Be A US Resident. Prize Will Only Be Shipped To US Addresses. No P.O. Boxes. No Duplicate Addresses.
2. Winner Will Be Chosen From All Qualifying Entries. No Purchase Necessary
Directed by Tim Kirkby and written by Howard Michael Gould (Mr. 3000), Last Looks features an all-star cast including Charlie Hunnam, Morena Baccarin, Mel Gibson, Rupert Friend, Lucy Fry, Clancy Brown, Dominic Monaghan, and Cliff “Method Man” Smith.
In Last Looks, Charlie Waldo (Charlie Hunnam) is an ex-LAPD superstar who left...
- 4/5/2022
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The bitcoin money laundering scandal, which has made headlines in the national news recently, will be the subject of two projects from Entertainment One and Forbes Entertainment. The companies have teamed to produce a scripted series and a documentary about the scandal following the Feb. 8 arrest in Manhattan of so-called “crypto couple,” Heather Morgan and Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein, who are awaiting trial on charges alleging they tried to launder $3.6 billion in stolen bitcoin. The scripted project is co-produced by eOne, Forbes Entertainment and Tucker Tooley Entertainment, and the documentary hails from eOne’s Blackfin and Forbes Entertainment.
The projects are based on Forbes’ reporting on the couple, the publication’s expertise in wealth and financial journalism and their unique perspective of having a relationship with Morgan, who, from July 2017 was a ForbesWomen Contributor on Forbes.com until Forbes ended its relationship with her September 2021.
“The Crypto Couple’s story reads...
The projects are based on Forbes’ reporting on the couple, the publication’s expertise in wealth and financial journalism and their unique perspective of having a relationship with Morgan, who, from July 2017 was a ForbesWomen Contributor on Forbes.com until Forbes ended its relationship with her September 2021.
“The Crypto Couple’s story reads...
- 2/16/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
A “Sonic the Hedgehog” series about Knuckles is in the works at Paramount Plus.
The announcement was made as part of the ViacomCBS (now Paramount) investor day presentation. Idris Elba, who will voice Knuckles in the upcoming second “Sonic” film, will voice the character again in the series. Like the films, the series will be live-action. It will be produced by Sega and Paramount and will launch in 2023.
“Sonic the Hedgehog 2” will debut in theaters on April 8. It was also announced that a third film is in the works, which can be read about more here.
“For more than three decades, Sonic the Hedgehog’s universe of vibrant, unique characters has generated one of the most passionate fanbases,” said Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon and chief content officer of Movies, Kids & Family for Paramount Plus. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Sega, Neal Moritz,...
The announcement was made as part of the ViacomCBS (now Paramount) investor day presentation. Idris Elba, who will voice Knuckles in the upcoming second “Sonic” film, will voice the character again in the series. Like the films, the series will be live-action. It will be produced by Sega and Paramount and will launch in 2023.
“Sonic the Hedgehog 2” will debut in theaters on April 8. It was also announced that a third film is in the works, which can be read about more here.
“For more than three decades, Sonic the Hedgehog’s universe of vibrant, unique characters has generated one of the most passionate fanbases,” said Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon and chief content officer of Movies, Kids & Family for Paramount Plus. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Sega, Neal Moritz,...
- 2/15/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix has emerged victorious in a bidding war for director Lee Daniels’ next movie.
Several Hollywood players, including MGM and Miramax, were vying for rights to the Oscar-nominated director’s upcoming project. Netflix’s $65 million price tag — a hefty sum covering the film’s production budget and buyouts — secured the sale, according to Deadline Hollywood, who broke the news.
The movie reunites Daniels and Andra Day, who recently worked together on Hulu’s musical biographical drama “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” Day will star alongside a buzzy cast that includes Glenn Close, Octavia Spencer, Rob Morgan, “Stranger Things” actor Caleb McLaughlin and “King Richard” breakout Aunjanue Ellis.
In addition to directing, Daniels is writing the screenplay with David Coggeshall and Elijah Bynum. The film does not have a title or official logline yet, but it will be based on a true horror story. Day will reportedly play an Indiana...
Several Hollywood players, including MGM and Miramax, were vying for rights to the Oscar-nominated director’s upcoming project. Netflix’s $65 million price tag — a hefty sum covering the film’s production budget and buyouts — secured the sale, according to Deadline Hollywood, who broke the news.
The movie reunites Daniels and Andra Day, who recently worked together on Hulu’s musical biographical drama “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” Day will star alongside a buzzy cast that includes Glenn Close, Octavia Spencer, Rob Morgan, “Stranger Things” actor Caleb McLaughlin and “King Richard” breakout Aunjanue Ellis.
In addition to directing, Daniels is writing the screenplay with David Coggeshall and Elijah Bynum. The film does not have a title or official logline yet, but it will be based on a true horror story. Day will reportedly play an Indiana...
- 1/24/2022
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: The devil got into Hollywood this weekend as seven bidders waged a head-spinning auction battle for a star-studded exorcism movie package that was won late last night by Netflix.
Lee Daniels will direct, reuniting with his Oscar-nominated The United States vs. Billie Holiday star Andra Day, who’ll star with Octavia Spencer, Glenn Close, Rob Morgan, Caleb McLaughlin and Aunjanue Ellis. Day will play the mother of an Indiana family whose children purportedly became demonically possessed in a thriller inspired by an actual case. Sources tell Deadline that the package closed upward of $65 million, covering the film’s budget and buyouts. Daniels, Tucker Tooley and Pam Williams are producing. It is fast-tracked to begin production by the middle of this year.
In a case widely covered at the time, Latoya Ammons and her three children experienced strange incidents in their Gary, In, home that grew progressively worse, with the children levitating,...
Lee Daniels will direct, reuniting with his Oscar-nominated The United States vs. Billie Holiday star Andra Day, who’ll star with Octavia Spencer, Glenn Close, Rob Morgan, Caleb McLaughlin and Aunjanue Ellis. Day will play the mother of an Indiana family whose children purportedly became demonically possessed in a thriller inspired by an actual case. Sources tell Deadline that the package closed upward of $65 million, covering the film’s budget and buyouts. Daniels, Tucker Tooley and Pam Williams are producing. It is fast-tracked to begin production by the middle of this year.
In a case widely covered at the time, Latoya Ammons and her three children experienced strange incidents in their Gary, In, home that grew progressively worse, with the children levitating,...
- 1/24/2022
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
by Team Experience
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... as is thirst. When we polled Team Experience for the hottest actors of 2021, the voting was all over the place and thus fairly close. So we ended up with a dozen people (after the jump) that had at least two ardent fans among our team members in the preferential ballots. Because the voting was so close they're presented in random rather than ranked order.
Other hotties that earned our lust, admiration, and aesthetic wonder included: Penelope Cruz in Parallel Mothers, Ruth Negga in Passing, Lady Gaga in House of Gucci, Idris Elba in Concrete Cowboy, Benedict Cumberbatch in Power of the Dog, and Rebecca Ferguson in Dune. And because thirst is not always singular, great pairings like Taylour Paige and Riley Keough (Zola), Melissa Barrera and Anthony Ramos (In the Heights), and Daniel Craig and Ana De Armas (No Time To Die...
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... as is thirst. When we polled Team Experience for the hottest actors of 2021, the voting was all over the place and thus fairly close. So we ended up with a dozen people (after the jump) that had at least two ardent fans among our team members in the preferential ballots. Because the voting was so close they're presented in random rather than ranked order.
Other hotties that earned our lust, admiration, and aesthetic wonder included: Penelope Cruz in Parallel Mothers, Ruth Negga in Passing, Lady Gaga in House of Gucci, Idris Elba in Concrete Cowboy, Benedict Cumberbatch in Power of the Dog, and Rebecca Ferguson in Dune. And because thirst is not always singular, great pairings like Taylour Paige and Riley Keough (Zola), Melissa Barrera and Anthony Ramos (In the Heights), and Daniel Craig and Ana De Armas (No Time To Die...
- 12/30/2021
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
The new James Bond film “No Time to Die” will open in Australia on Nov. 11 due to “changes specific to the Australian marketplace impacted by Covid,” according to MGM.
Most patrons would not have been able to see the Daniel Craig film in theaters, since more than 60% of the Australian marketplace is currently in a state of lockdown, which the government mandated will remain in place until 70% of the population is vaccinated. Businesses will be allowed to function normally after the country reaches an 80% vaccination rate, which is estimated to be in mid-November.
“No Time to Die” was originally set to open in Australia as well as in the U.K. on Sept. 30, a week ahead of the U.S. release date which is still set for Oct. 8.
Location Managers Awards Nominees Announced
The nominees for the 8th Annual Location Managers Guild International (Lmgi) Awards were announced today by Lmgi President John Rakich/Lmgi.
Most patrons would not have been able to see the Daniel Craig film in theaters, since more than 60% of the Australian marketplace is currently in a state of lockdown, which the government mandated will remain in place until 70% of the population is vaccinated. Businesses will be allowed to function normally after the country reaches an 80% vaccination rate, which is estimated to be in mid-November.
“No Time to Die” was originally set to open in Australia as well as in the U.K. on Sept. 30, a week ahead of the U.S. release date which is still set for Oct. 8.
Location Managers Awards Nominees Announced
The nominees for the 8th Annual Location Managers Guild International (Lmgi) Awards were announced today by Lmgi President John Rakich/Lmgi.
- 8/20/2021
- by Jennifer Yuma
- Variety Film + TV
The Location Managers Guild International Awards released their list of nominees on Friday, with Netflix dominating nearly every category.
The awards honor the outstanding and creative visual contributions by location professionals in film, television and commercials from around the globe. The Lmgi Awards also recognize outstanding service by film commissions for their support “above and beyond” during the production process.
Netflix had at least one nomination in every TV and film category (minus commercial). In the Outstanding Locations in a Period Film and Television Series categories, Netflix had three out of five nominations, as well as in the Outstanding TV Serial Program, Anthology or Limited Series.
Oscar darling “Nomadland” received a nod for Outstanding Locations in a Contemporary Film.
Winners will be revealed during the virtual awards gala “Celebrate the Where,” on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, at 2 p.m. Pst. See the full list of nominees below.
Outstanding Locations In A Period Film
Dreamland,...
The awards honor the outstanding and creative visual contributions by location professionals in film, television and commercials from around the globe. The Lmgi Awards also recognize outstanding service by film commissions for their support “above and beyond” during the production process.
Netflix had at least one nomination in every TV and film category (minus commercial). In the Outstanding Locations in a Period Film and Television Series categories, Netflix had three out of five nominations, as well as in the Outstanding TV Serial Program, Anthology or Limited Series.
Oscar darling “Nomadland” received a nod for Outstanding Locations in a Contemporary Film.
Winners will be revealed during the virtual awards gala “Celebrate the Where,” on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, at 2 p.m. Pst. See the full list of nominees below.
Outstanding Locations In A Period Film
Dreamland,...
- 8/20/2021
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
Glynn Turman, Emmy-winning actor and acclaimed cowboy and rodeo champion, is the face of Beyoncé’s new Ivy Park denim collection, showing off classic Western wear in an ad campaign that showcases the Black cowboy experience. His granddaughter Melinda appears in the ads with him. After 60 years in show business, and 30 years competing in the rodeo, Turman let his two worlds come together in the making of the launch. “I’m in the hippest campaign,” the 74-year-old actor tells Variety ahead of the collections launch on Aug. 12. “It doesn’t get any cooler than that!
Have you met Beyoncé?
Our family was actually vacationing together when the launch idea came about. It came up that she wanted to do something with her new line and I said she could use my ranch for that. I had no idea she was going to lasso me into the campaign!
What’s your favorite Bey song?...
Have you met Beyoncé?
Our family was actually vacationing together when the launch idea came about. It came up that she wanted to do something with her new line and I said she could use my ranch for that. I had no idea she was going to lasso me into the campaign!
What’s your favorite Bey song?...
- 8/12/2021
- by Jennifer Yuma
- Variety Film + TV
This just in, but The Suicide Squad star Idris Elba is joining Paramount’s Sonic The Hedgehog 2 voicing the famed character of Knuckles.
Knuckles is a red Echidna and he’s the guardian of the Master Emerald in the videogames. He is also known to be hot-headed and a fighter. Elba joins previously announced James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, and Jim Carrey
Jeff Fowler is returning to direct on the sequel after delivering a pre-pandemic blockbuster for Paramount with the first 2020 film which grossed close to $320M WW. Pat Casey, Josh Miller and John Whittington are writing the script off a story which Casey and Miller penned based on the Sega video game. Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, Toru Nakahara, Hitoshi Okuno are producing. EPs are Haruki Satomi, Yukio Sugino, Shuji Utsumi, Nan Morales and Tim Miller.
Elba is a 5x Emmy nominee,...
Knuckles is a red Echidna and he’s the guardian of the Master Emerald in the videogames. He is also known to be hot-headed and a fighter. Elba joins previously announced James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, and Jim Carrey
Jeff Fowler is returning to direct on the sequel after delivering a pre-pandemic blockbuster for Paramount with the first 2020 film which grossed close to $320M WW. Pat Casey, Josh Miller and John Whittington are writing the script off a story which Casey and Miller penned based on the Sega video game. Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, Toru Nakahara, Hitoshi Okuno are producing. EPs are Haruki Satomi, Yukio Sugino, Shuji Utsumi, Nan Morales and Tim Miller.
Elba is a 5x Emmy nominee,...
- 8/10/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Byron Bowers (Concrete Cowboy) and Tom Sturridge (Sweetbitter), in a recasting, have joined Alicia Vikander in HBO’s Irma Vep, a limited series based on Olivier Assayas’ 1996 feature film.
The series, loosely based on the film, will be written and directed by Assayas and produced by the team behind HBO’s Euphoria: A24, Sam Levinson and Kevin Turen.
Feature film Irma Vep starred Maggie Cheung as herself and Jean-Pierre Leaud as a middle-aged French film director. It screened in the Un Certain Regard section of the 1996 Cannes Film Festival.
The series, which is set against the backdrop of a lurid crime thriller, follows Vikander’s Mira, an American movie star disillusioned by her career and a recent breakup who comes to France to star as Irma Vep in a remake of the French silent film classic, Les Vampires. Mira struggles as the distinctions between herself and the character she plays begin to blur and merge.
The series, loosely based on the film, will be written and directed by Assayas and produced by the team behind HBO’s Euphoria: A24, Sam Levinson and Kevin Turen.
Feature film Irma Vep starred Maggie Cheung as herself and Jean-Pierre Leaud as a middle-aged French film director. It screened in the Un Certain Regard section of the 1996 Cannes Film Festival.
The series, which is set against the backdrop of a lurid crime thriller, follows Vikander’s Mira, an American movie star disillusioned by her career and a recent breakup who comes to France to star as Irma Vep in a remake of the French silent film classic, Les Vampires. Mira struggles as the distinctions between herself and the character she plays begin to blur and merge.
- 8/5/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Sylvie’s Love, which is currently streaming on Amazon, is a visually stunning love story centered around an ambitious woman (Tessa Thompson) and an up-and-coming saxophonist (Nnamdi Asomugha) who reconnect years after a sweet summer romance.
Amidst debates about whether projects steeped in Black trauma are necessary or exploitive, the Emmy-nominated film from Eugene Ashe offers something different: a beautiful celebration of Black love with a hopeful ending in which its young couple finds their way back to each other.
More from TVLineIs First Wives Club Worth Staying Committed? Grade the BET+ Drama's Season 2 Premiere!TVLine Items: L Word Season 2 Trailer,...
Amidst debates about whether projects steeped in Black trauma are necessary or exploitive, the Emmy-nominated film from Eugene Ashe offers something different: a beautiful celebration of Black love with a hopeful ending in which its young couple finds their way back to each other.
More from TVLineIs First Wives Club Worth Staying Committed? Grade the BET+ Drama's Season 2 Premiere!TVLine Items: L Word Season 2 Trailer,...
- 7/31/2021
- by Keisha Hatchett
- TVLine.com
As we enter the second half of 2021, the shortened awards period from March 1 until June 30 doesn’t necessarily suggest we have many movies that can be deemed “Oscar-worthy.” In a denser calendar year, every studio will be angling and fighting for their probable contenders to stand out from the pack. The difference is that the Academy is back to a guaranteed 10 nominees for best picture and has left the days of fluctuating numbers behind them. An Academy voter can select 10 movies on their ballot, which the last time it was the case, in the 2009 and 2010 awards seasons, offered up eclectic choices such as Neill Blomkamp’s sci-fi thriller “District 9” and John Lee Hancock’s box office smash, “The Blind Side.”
Interestingly, the first four months of the eligibility period have been dominated by animated features, a category which has not seen a nomination in best picture for its genre...
Interestingly, the first four months of the eligibility period have been dominated by animated features, a category which has not seen a nomination in best picture for its genre...
- 7/1/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Method Man has hopped on a new track with Massachusetts rap duo Jones Ink titled “Day Ones.”
The track is a punchy, at times poignant ode to the power of life-long friendships: “I gotta know who’s gonna ride with me?” goes the hook, “I’m taking off, who’s tryna fly with me?/No time for fake ones, I roll with my day ones.”
“Day Ones” arrives with an accompanying video, directed by Viso of Secret Society Films, that pairs footage of Method Man and Jones Ink performing the...
The track is a punchy, at times poignant ode to the power of life-long friendships: “I gotta know who’s gonna ride with me?” goes the hook, “I’m taking off, who’s tryna fly with me?/No time for fake ones, I roll with my day ones.”
“Day Ones” arrives with an accompanying video, directed by Viso of Secret Society Films, that pairs footage of Method Man and Jones Ink performing the...
- 6/21/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Concrete Cowboy Review — Concrete Cowboy (2020) Film Review, a movie directed by Ricky Staub, and starring Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, Lorraine Toussaint, Jharrel Jerome, Clifford “Method Man” Smith, Byron Bowers, Ivannah-Mercedes, Swen Temmel, Patrick McDade, Michael Ta’Bon, Jamil Prattis, Jennifer Butler, Continue reading: Film Review: Concrete Cowboy (2020): A Fascinating Blend of Aesthetics, Drama, and Perspective in Service of the Urban Cowboy...
- 5/21/2021
- by Jacob Mouradian
- Film-Book
Cliff “Method Man” Smith and his manager, Shauna Garr, have teamed to form the production company Six Am, An Entertainment Co., Variety has learned exclusively.
Six Am will aim to produce a diverse range of content for untold points of view for audiences of all ages. The company will specialize in projects distributed via streaming, social media platforms ,and other relevant technologies alongside traditional television and theatrical releases.
Their first project, “How High 3,” recently sold to Universal 1440 with the goal of reuniting Method Man and Redman, who starred in the first film. The duo recently appeared together in a special 4/20 edition of the Verzuz battle series. Method Man has produced several projects in the past, most recently serving as an executive producer on “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” at Hulu. Garr, meanwhile, recently executive produced “How High 2” for MTV after having produced the first film.
In 2020, Garr worked with Marvel New Media...
Six Am will aim to produce a diverse range of content for untold points of view for audiences of all ages. The company will specialize in projects distributed via streaming, social media platforms ,and other relevant technologies alongside traditional television and theatrical releases.
Their first project, “How High 3,” recently sold to Universal 1440 with the goal of reuniting Method Man and Redman, who starred in the first film. The duo recently appeared together in a special 4/20 edition of the Verzuz battle series. Method Man has produced several projects in the past, most recently serving as an executive producer on “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” at Hulu. Garr, meanwhile, recently executive produced “How High 2” for MTV after having produced the first film.
In 2020, Garr worked with Marvel New Media...
- 5/20/2021
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Idris Elba will fight for his survival against the King of the Jungle in his new movie “Beast,” set for release next summer.
Universal has set an August 19, 2022 release for “Beast,” which is directed by Baltasar Kormákur and finds Elba on a trip to South Africa, only for he and his two teenage daughters to be hunted by a massive rogue lion intent on proving that the savanna has but one apex predator.
And it’s got a dope tagline too: Sometimes the rustle in the bushes actually is a monster.
Idris Elba in “Beast” plays Dr. Nate Samuels, a recently widowed husband who returns to South Africa where he first met his wife on a long-planned trip with their daughters to a game reserve. But what begins as a journey of healing jolts into a fearsome fight for survival when a lion, a survivor of blood-thirsty poachers who now...
Universal has set an August 19, 2022 release for “Beast,” which is directed by Baltasar Kormákur and finds Elba on a trip to South Africa, only for he and his two teenage daughters to be hunted by a massive rogue lion intent on proving that the savanna has but one apex predator.
And it’s got a dope tagline too: Sometimes the rustle in the bushes actually is a monster.
Idris Elba in “Beast” plays Dr. Nate Samuels, a recently widowed husband who returns to South Africa where he first met his wife on a long-planned trip with their daughters to a game reserve. But what begins as a journey of healing jolts into a fearsome fight for survival when a lion, a survivor of blood-thirsty poachers who now...
- 5/18/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
In a rare week where no single program exceeded the 1 billion minute threshold, the Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer-led film “Thunder Force” opened with thunderous viewership on Netflix. The movie towered over all other programs on subscription-based streaming platforms in Nielsen’s Weekly Top 10 list, with 950 million viewing minutes for the week of April 5-11. The action-comedy flick also ended up in the number one slot on Nielsen’s Weekly Top 10 Movies list. It has been the strongest film release since Amazon’s “Coming 2 America” debuted in March.
In addition to the acquired content list, the global marketing research firm will also be pushing out weekly Top 10 lists that take into consideration original programming and movies in an effort to provide an expanded and more inclusive look at most streamed programs for that given week.
First in originals was Disney Plus’ second-ever Marvel Studios television series, the action-and-drama-packed...
In addition to the acquired content list, the global marketing research firm will also be pushing out weekly Top 10 lists that take into consideration original programming and movies in an effort to provide an expanded and more inclusive look at most streamed programs for that given week.
First in originals was Disney Plus’ second-ever Marvel Studios television series, the action-and-drama-packed...
- 5/6/2021
- by Mónica Marie Zorrilla
- Variety Film + TV
We interviewed this celebrity because we think you'll like their picks. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may get a commission if you purchase something through our links. Items are sold by the retailer, not E!. With Mother's Day just a few days away, the clocking is ticking to find a gift that will wow the mother figure in your life. Thankfully, the talented Lorraine Toussaint is here to lend her gifting expertise just in time for the big day! "Being a mother means I quietly belong to one of the best kept secret societies ever created," the Concrete Cowboy star explained to E!. "The quality and capacity of the love my daughter has unlocked, defies description and explanation. As...
- 5/5/2021
- E! Online
Idris Elba has a certain unmistakeable, charismatic vibe about him. The resulting magnetism extends to the wide range of characters he has brought to life over the years – from playing the second-in-command to a drug kingpin in The Wire to playing a guy who has to deal with the likes like Michael Scott in The Office, to playing a dedicated horseman committed to fighting off gentrifying developers in his neighborhood in the recently released Concrete Cowboy. Whether it’s as a leading man or part of a larger ensemble, Elba’s performances always stand out because of what he brings to each role.
Later this summer, Elba will make his DC Extended Universe debut in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad – a comic book adaption full of talent who could carry their own features if given the opportunity. We recently spoke with him about his role as the lesser-known comic...
Later this summer, Elba will make his DC Extended Universe debut in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad – a comic book adaption full of talent who could carry their own features if given the opportunity. We recently spoke with him about his role as the lesser-known comic...
- 4/27/2021
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
Photo: Dmx Our condolences go out to Dmx also known as Earl Simmons’s daughter, the ones he considered his family, and his close friends. Dmx - His Early Life Earl Simmons had a ridiculously rough childhood. Unfortunately, he grew up in an extremely abusive and neglectful household. He had been bounced around between various foster homes and got caught up in a world of trouble. There was a moment in his young life, where he was homeless, forced to sleep on the streets, and befriended stray dogs as companions. Despite this, Simmons found a profound love for hip-hop music, instruments, and beatboxing. Music truly healed his soul. Simmons called himself “Dmx” after the instrument Oberheim Dmx Drum Machine. This was an instrument he used often during his stay in one of the foster homes. Over time, the name had been interpreted as ‘Dark Man X’. Related article: ‘Concrete Cowboy...
- 4/14/2021
- by Danessa Naj'e Lopez
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Blend one well-known name with scandal; add an appealing subject. Bake in theatrical visibility and fold in home-friendly pricing. Best served with stale alternatives. With this well-tested recipe for VOD success, the long-delayed “City of Lies” stands out this week.
The troubled 2018 film stars Johnny Depp and Forest Whitaker as Los Angeles detectives investigating the murders of Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur. Open Road filed for bankruptcy shortly after it acquired the film. Legal and pandemic issues followed, and then Saban stepped in. A March 19 theater release roused $565,000; two weeks later, it debuted on VOD. It’s a trajectory similar to the one recently enjoyed by the disgraced Armie Hammer, who stars opposite Gary Oldman in another VOD hit, “Crisis.”
Priced at $6.99, “City of Lies” took first place at AppleTV, #4 at GooglePlay (both ranking by number of rentals) and an impressive fourth place at FandangoNow (which lists by revenue earned...
The troubled 2018 film stars Johnny Depp and Forest Whitaker as Los Angeles detectives investigating the murders of Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur. Open Road filed for bankruptcy shortly after it acquired the film. Legal and pandemic issues followed, and then Saban stepped in. A March 19 theater release roused $565,000; two weeks later, it debuted on VOD. It’s a trajectory similar to the one recently enjoyed by the disgraced Armie Hammer, who stars opposite Gary Oldman in another VOD hit, “Crisis.”
Priced at $6.99, “City of Lies” took first place at AppleTV, #4 at GooglePlay (both ranking by number of rentals) and an impressive fourth place at FandangoNow (which lists by revenue earned...
- 4/13/2021
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Hollywood has long fostered a love affair with Westerns and cowboys, but traditionally the depiction of cowboys has been white - insert John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and countless other white actors. However, Netflix's Concrete Cowboy brings the story of "urban" Black cowboys to life, shining a light on the significance of Black cowboy culture, a narrative rarely seen on screen, as well as Black fatherhood. The new film centers on the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, a community of Black cowboys that has existed in the North Philadelphia area for over a century. The story is told through the lens of father and son duo, Harp (Idris Elba) and Cole (Caleb McLaughlin), who are at odds with each other but find common ground through their shared love of horses.
The last time Black cowboys were the subject of their own movie was Mario Van Peebles's 1993 film Posse. To...
The last time Black cowboys were the subject of their own movie was Mario Van Peebles's 1993 film Posse. To...
- 4/12/2021
- by Ralinda Watts
- Popsugar.com
Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin discusses his new role in Netflix’s Concrete Cowboy in the latest episode of Rolling Stone’s The Breakdown.
In the film, McLaughlin plays Cole, a teenage boy living in Detroit who is taken by his mother to live in Philadelphia with his estranged father, Harp (Idris Elba), after getting expelled from his high school for fighting. Reluctant at first, Cole eventually integrates with the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club — the same club that his father, whom he initially holds in disdain, is a part of.
In the film, McLaughlin plays Cole, a teenage boy living in Detroit who is taken by his mother to live in Philadelphia with his estranged father, Harp (Idris Elba), after getting expelled from his high school for fighting. Reluctant at first, Cole eventually integrates with the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club — the same club that his father, whom he initially holds in disdain, is a part of.
- 4/9/2021
- by Adisa Duke
- Rollingstone.com
“Raya and the Last Dragon,” which grossed $32 million for its first month in theaters, made a strong general-public premium VOD debut. Everyone can now buy it at $29.99; previously, only Disney+ subscribers had the privilege with the same upcharge. The animated film took the top spot at FandangoNow as well as AppleTV which ranks by purchase volume.
“Black Widow” and “Cruella” are expected to follow suit in the coming months, but Disney+ availability looks a lot less threatening after the box-office success of “Godzilla vs. Kong,” which grossed $48.5 million — over 9 million tickets sold — even while available on HBO Max. In Canada, where most theaters are not yet open, it took in around $3 million U.S. as a PVOD offering.
After several weeks at $19.99, “Wonder Woman 1984” benefited from a price reduction to $5.99 three months after its theatrical debut — Aka normal practice. It is #1 at Google Play, and #2 at AppleTV and FandangoNow,...
“Black Widow” and “Cruella” are expected to follow suit in the coming months, but Disney+ availability looks a lot less threatening after the box-office success of “Godzilla vs. Kong,” which grossed $48.5 million — over 9 million tickets sold — even while available on HBO Max. In Canada, where most theaters are not yet open, it took in around $3 million U.S. as a PVOD offering.
After several weeks at $19.99, “Wonder Woman 1984” benefited from a price reduction to $5.99 three months after its theatrical debut — Aka normal practice. It is #1 at Google Play, and #2 at AppleTV and FandangoNow,...
- 4/6/2021
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Photo: 'Concrete Cowboy'/Netflix Netflix’s ‘Concrete Cowboy’ is a coming-of-age drama about Black cowboys in the outskirts of the city of Philadelphia based on G. Neri’s novel ‘Ghetto Cowboy.’ ‘Concrete Cowboy’ has western elements as expected with horseback riding but with the addition of modern Black neighborhood and cultural issues such as poverty, hunger, crime, and gentrification. The film stars Caleb McLaughlin, who is completely unrecognizable as the young boy we have come to know from ‘Stranger Things,’ instead, he appears as Cole, a troubled boy from Detroit whose mother Amahle (Liz Priestley) sends him off with two trash bags of clothes to live with his father he has never seen before. Cole's father, Harp, is portrayed by Idris Elba and is just as breathtakingly human as he teaches Cole the lessons he had to learn while growing up. Harp is a horseman with not much...
- 4/3/2021
- by Isabella Brownlee
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Idris Elba’s urban horseman in his new Netflix film is a welcome addition to the all-American anti-western
“The only home I’ve ever known is on the back of a horse.” It’s the kind of line, a bit cool and a bit corny all at once, that you might expect to hear from a grizzled John Wayne type in a vintage B-western, perhaps while staring up at a vast, starry sky in the Texas desert. In Concrete Cowboy, however, it’s said by a bearded, squinting Idris Elba, with nary a tumbleweed in sight. We’re in the hard-up streets of present-day north Philadelphia, where his character, gruff ex-convict Harp, works at the famous Fletcher Street Stables – a nonprofit riding club where the city’s black urban horsemen gather, and underprivileged youths learn another way of life.
That unique real-life setting is what makes this Netflix original immediately compelling.
“The only home I’ve ever known is on the back of a horse.” It’s the kind of line, a bit cool and a bit corny all at once, that you might expect to hear from a grizzled John Wayne type in a vintage B-western, perhaps while staring up at a vast, starry sky in the Texas desert. In Concrete Cowboy, however, it’s said by a bearded, squinting Idris Elba, with nary a tumbleweed in sight. We’re in the hard-up streets of present-day north Philadelphia, where his character, gruff ex-convict Harp, works at the famous Fletcher Street Stables – a nonprofit riding club where the city’s black urban horsemen gather, and underprivileged youths learn another way of life.
That unique real-life setting is what makes this Netflix original immediately compelling.
- 4/3/2021
- by Guy Lodge
- The Guardian - Film News
In Netflix drama Concrete Cowboy, an often underappreciated subculture of black Philadelphia cowboys is explored at a time when gentrification threatens their future
Ask someone what Philadelphia is known for and they are likely to answer cheesesteak, the declaration of independence or the Rocky films starring Sylvester Stallone. It is a safe bet they won’t say black cowboys.
Or a self-described black cowgirl like Ivannah-Mercedes. “When I tell people I ride horses, they’re like, ‘Here, in Philadelphia? Where are the horses?’” she says. “But when people see me on the horse in Philadelphia, it usually involves cameras and ‘Oh, my goodness, can I pet your horse? And where’d you guys come from?’...
Ask someone what Philadelphia is known for and they are likely to answer cheesesteak, the declaration of independence or the Rocky films starring Sylvester Stallone. It is a safe bet they won’t say black cowboys.
Or a self-described black cowgirl like Ivannah-Mercedes. “When I tell people I ride horses, they’re like, ‘Here, in Philadelphia? Where are the horses?’” she says. “But when people see me on the horse in Philadelphia, it usually involves cameras and ‘Oh, my goodness, can I pet your horse? And where’d you guys come from?’...
- 4/3/2021
- by David Smith in Washington
- The Guardian - Film News
Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland” may have been the biggest sensation to come out of 2020’s fall festival season, but it’s wasn’t the only film about a largely ignored community. In “Concrete Cowboy,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and comes to Netflix on April 2, the community is a stable in North Philadelphia where Black men and women have been keeping and riding horses for more than 100 years.
Here, too, professional actors are surrounded by non-pros from the actual community being depicted, and here, too, the filmmaker — in this case Ricky Staub — finds uncommon empathy in the depiction of the world in which its characters live.
The film is partly a father-and-son story and partly a coming-of-age saga, but it expands to be more than that, using the real-life Fletcher Street Stables to explore a subculture that has been largely ignored outside of Philadelphia for generations.
Here, too, professional actors are surrounded by non-pros from the actual community being depicted, and here, too, the filmmaker — in this case Ricky Staub — finds uncommon empathy in the depiction of the world in which its characters live.
The film is partly a father-and-son story and partly a coming-of-age saga, but it expands to be more than that, using the real-life Fletcher Street Stables to explore a subculture that has been largely ignored outside of Philadelphia for generations.
- 4/2/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Yes, there really have been cowboys in the streets of Philly. Netflix is riding on in with the Hollywood take in director Ricky Staub's Concrete Cowboy, which stars Stranger Things' Caleb McLaughlin and the one-and-only Idris Elba. While the coming-of-age film itself is a fictionalized drama, it's actually based on a real organization called the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, which has historically been an urban-based community of Black cowboys in north Philadelphia.
The film is based on Greg Neri's Ghetto Cowboy, a 2011 young adult (slash middle grade) novel about a 12-year-old boy named Cole who moves in with his father. Cole soon learns that his dad is part of a Philly Black riding community that steers kids away from drugs and gangs by teaching them how to care for horses. Before penning his book, Neri himself became inspired by Philadelphia's urban cowboys after reading a profile about them in Life Magazine.
The film is based on Greg Neri's Ghetto Cowboy, a 2011 young adult (slash middle grade) novel about a 12-year-old boy named Cole who moves in with his father. Cole soon learns that his dad is part of a Philly Black riding community that steers kids away from drugs and gangs by teaching them how to care for horses. Before penning his book, Neri himself became inspired by Philadelphia's urban cowboys after reading a profile about them in Life Magazine.
- 4/2/2021
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
As Idris Elba’s new movie Concrete Cowboy premieres on Netflix, let’s take a look at the real history of the Black horsemen of Philadelphia.
“Philadelphia holds the distinction of being called ‘the city of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.’ The city is surrounded by historical significance, cultural landmarks, and ethnic diversity. But one of Philadelphia’s best-kept secrets is the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, a horse stable for urban youth riders and home to a thriving community of Black cowboys that have been in existence here for more than a century.”
Read more at Mental Floss.
Check out some of the most entertaining and wholesome pranks to come out of yesterday’s April Fools’ Day.
“[In] the minefield that is April Fools’ Day this year, there are some legitimately fun ‘pranks’ by folks who remember that this is supposed to be a humorous day where the joke isn...
“Philadelphia holds the distinction of being called ‘the city of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.’ The city is surrounded by historical significance, cultural landmarks, and ethnic diversity. But one of Philadelphia’s best-kept secrets is the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, a horse stable for urban youth riders and home to a thriving community of Black cowboys that have been in existence here for more than a century.”
Read more at Mental Floss.
Check out some of the most entertaining and wholesome pranks to come out of yesterday’s April Fools’ Day.
“[In] the minefield that is April Fools’ Day this year, there are some legitimately fun ‘pranks’ by folks who remember that this is supposed to be a humorous day where the joke isn...
- 4/2/2021
- by Ivan Huang
- Den of Geek
In North Philadelphia, you are likely to see horses. More than likely, in fact: Go by the Fletcher Street stables, located in the middle of a string of residential houses and lots, during the daytime and you’ll catch those magnificent animals milling about near street corners and being trotted along the small patch of grass on the other side of the block. Head down there just after dusk and you’ll see cowboys. Real, honest-to-God cowboys, all black men and women, sitting around a version of a campfire. Some are drinking beer,...
- 4/2/2021
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
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