The golden trio of the Harry Potter franchise Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint carried the popular film franchise for 8 films from 2001 to 2011. From Philosopher’s Stone to The Deathly Hallows Part 2, the franchise interestingly changed hands with four directors, ensuring a sense of freshness and distinct style within the films.
A still from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Warner Bros.
Chris Columbus, Mike Newell, David Yates and Alfonso Cuarón directed various films within the franchise. The latter directed the third film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which is considered by some as the best entry in the franchise. Watson and his friends had to up their game for Cuarón as he expected the best and was not going to spoon-feed them throughout filming.
Alfonso Cuarón’s ‘No Bullsh*t’ Directing Style Forced Emma Watson And Friends to Step Up Alfonso Cuarón took a matured...
A still from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Warner Bros.
Chris Columbus, Mike Newell, David Yates and Alfonso Cuarón directed various films within the franchise. The latter directed the third film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which is considered by some as the best entry in the franchise. Watson and his friends had to up their game for Cuarón as he expected the best and was not going to spoon-feed them throughout filming.
Alfonso Cuarón’s ‘No Bullsh*t’ Directing Style Forced Emma Watson And Friends to Step Up Alfonso Cuarón took a matured...
- 5/26/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
The prequel film we have all been waiting for is finally here and I am really happy to say that it is as brilliant and bombastic as the original film. Obviously, we are talking about Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, the prequel to George Miller‘s 2015 Mad Max: Fury Road. Directed by Miller from a screenplay by Nico Lathouris and Miller, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga follows the story of a young Furiosa as she is taken from Green Place of Many Mothers and tries to survive in the wasteland while trying to get back home but the war between great biker horde’s warlord Dementus and Immortan Joe makes it harder. Replacing Charlize Theron from Fury Road, Anya Taylor-Joy takes over the role of Furiosa in the prequel film and it also stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Lachy Hulme, John Howard, Angus Sampson, and Nathan Jones. So,...
- 5/26/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
We've written a lot here at /Film about how water can be a director's biggest nightmare, but it's also worth mentioning those pesky mirrors. Their reflective surfaces make it extra difficult to avoid the cameraman and other crew members accidentally popping up in the shot. It's something that really complicated the filming of franchises like "The Matrix," where half the characters are wearing reflective sunglasses most of the time. It also made that one mirror room sequence in "John Wick 2" nearly impossible to pull off.
The bright side of mirrors is that they do tend to make scenes look better. A room with mirrors looks more spacious than a room without them, and their reflections provide all sorts of opportunities for fun visual foreshadowing or thematic subtext. There's also the fun meta aspect of "how'd they pull this off?" for the audience. It's tough to figure out how Alfonso Cuarón...
The bright side of mirrors is that they do tend to make scenes look better. A room with mirrors looks more spacious than a room without them, and their reflections provide all sorts of opportunities for fun visual foreshadowing or thematic subtext. There's also the fun meta aspect of "how'd they pull this off?" for the audience. It's tough to figure out how Alfonso Cuarón...
- 5/25/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
When Alfonso Cuarón got the call to direct Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, arguably one of the best movies in the franchise, he was very unsure about it. The director was fresh out of an acclaimed erotic road trip drama Y tu mamá también and the sudden shift to a Harry Potter movie without having virtually no clues about it was not a cakewalk for the director.
Gary Oldman, Alfonso Cuarón, and Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Behind the Scene. Credit: Warner Bros. Ent. Harry Potter Publishing Rights J.K.R.
Guillermo del Toro, the Oscar-winning director who has been a long-time friend of Cuarón showed the right path. Cuarón’s Harry Potter movie was possible only for del Toro who insisted him to take on the project. The Mexican director listened to him, the mind behind the Oscar-winning fantasy The Shape of Water,...
Gary Oldman, Alfonso Cuarón, and Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Behind the Scene. Credit: Warner Bros. Ent. Harry Potter Publishing Rights J.K.R.
Guillermo del Toro, the Oscar-winning director who has been a long-time friend of Cuarón showed the right path. Cuarón’s Harry Potter movie was possible only for del Toro who insisted him to take on the project. The Mexican director listened to him, the mind behind the Oscar-winning fantasy The Shape of Water,...
- 5/25/2024
- by Lachit Roy
- FandomWire
For me, the news that Alfonso Cuarón was helming "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" was exciting. At the time, I only knew him for directing the thoroughly enchanting and visually splendiferous 1995 film version of "A Little Princess." As for everyone else? They were trying to make heads or tails of why the guy behind the indubitably erotic 2001 Mexican road trip drama "Y tu mamá también" had been hired by Warner Bros. to work on its golden goose (which really needs to cut ties with its transphobic creator already).
Cuarón was as baffled as anyone else when WB approached him. "I was confused because it was completely not on my radar," he explained to Total Film. "A Little Princess," while critically well-received, had barely made a dent at the box office, while the director's 1998 mid-budget modern-set retelling of Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" was an outright flop. However, this proved...
Cuarón was as baffled as anyone else when WB approached him. "I was confused because it was completely not on my radar," he explained to Total Film. "A Little Princess," while critically well-received, had barely made a dent at the box office, while the director's 1998 mid-budget modern-set retelling of Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" was an outright flop. However, this proved...
- 5/24/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Alfonso Cuarón revealed he nearly passed on directing 2004’s Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban before his fellow filmmaker Guillermo del Toro knocked some sense into him.
To mark the 20th anniversary of the hit movie franchise’s third film, the director spoke to Total Film, where he shared his reaction to being offered the job, as he wasn’t too familiar with the Wizarding World initially.
“I was confused because it was completely not on my radar,” Cuarón said, notably because his project before Harry Potter was a completely different genre, the Spanish-language erotic drama Y Tu Mamá También. “I speak often with Guillermo [del Toro], and a couple of days after, I said, ‘You know, they offered me this Harry Potter film, but it’s really weird they offer me this.'”
However, del Toro knew how massive the movie franchise was, especially after Chris Columbus’ first two films,...
To mark the 20th anniversary of the hit movie franchise’s third film, the director spoke to Total Film, where he shared his reaction to being offered the job, as he wasn’t too familiar with the Wizarding World initially.
“I was confused because it was completely not on my radar,” Cuarón said, notably because his project before Harry Potter was a completely different genre, the Spanish-language erotic drama Y Tu Mamá También. “I speak often with Guillermo [del Toro], and a couple of days after, I said, ‘You know, they offered me this Harry Potter film, but it’s really weird they offer me this.'”
However, del Toro knew how massive the movie franchise was, especially after Chris Columbus’ first two films,...
- 5/24/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Alfonso Cuarón marked the 20th anniversary of his film “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” with a new interview in Total Film magazine, in which he admitted that he felt totally strange when Warner Bros. called to offer him the chance to direct the third “Harry Potter” movie. Chris Columbus was stepping aside from the director’s chair after helming “Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Chamber of Secrets,” but the Mexican director behind the erotic road trip drama “Y Tu Mamá También” didn’t exactly scream “Harry Potter.”
“I was confused because it was completely not on my radar,” Cuarón said. “I speak often with Guillermo [del Toro], and a couple of days after, I said, ‘You know, they offered me this Harry Potter film, but it’s really weird they offer me this.'”
Del Toro realized what an opportunity the “Harry Potter” franchise was, so he gave his longtime friend...
“I was confused because it was completely not on my radar,” Cuarón said. “I speak often with Guillermo [del Toro], and a couple of days after, I said, ‘You know, they offered me this Harry Potter film, but it’s really weird they offer me this.'”
Del Toro realized what an opportunity the “Harry Potter” franchise was, so he gave his longtime friend...
- 5/23/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Twenty years after its theatrical release, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is still an undeniable leader of all the surveys that aim to find out which one of Harry Potter’s movies is the best.
The franchise’s third installment is constantly praised for setting the tone to the rest of the films that would come along later. On top of that, Alfonso Cuarón’s directorial vision definitely adds even more of magic to the wizard universe making it all look like a fascinating painting without detracting Chris Columbus’ contribution.
Now that it’s a hard task to imagine Harry Potter’s universe with not a single movie helmed by Cuarón, the director’s recent revelations prove that it could’ve been reality if, ironically, it hadn’t been for Guillermo del Toro.
Though now Cuarón is one of the most proclaimed directors of Mexican descent who over...
The franchise’s third installment is constantly praised for setting the tone to the rest of the films that would come along later. On top of that, Alfonso Cuarón’s directorial vision definitely adds even more of magic to the wizard universe making it all look like a fascinating painting without detracting Chris Columbus’ contribution.
Now that it’s a hard task to imagine Harry Potter’s universe with not a single movie helmed by Cuarón, the director’s recent revelations prove that it could’ve been reality if, ironically, it hadn’t been for Guillermo del Toro.
Though now Cuarón is one of the most proclaimed directors of Mexican descent who over...
- 5/23/2024
- by benjamin-patel@startefacts.com (Benjamin Patel)
- STartefacts.com
For some fans, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is their favourite movie in the franchise, largely thanks to Alfonso Cuarón’s stylistic direction. However, the Y tu mamá también director may not have taken the Harry Potter gig had it not been for some choice words from his friend Guillermo del Toro.
Alfonso Cuarón told Total Film that he was unfamiliar with the Harry Potter franchise when he was offered the chance to direct The Prisoner of Azkaban, but thankfully, Guillermo del Toro was. “I speak often with Guillermo [del Toro], and a couple of days after, I said, ‘You know, they offered me this Harry Potter film, but it’s really weird they offer me this,’” Cuarón explained. “He said, ‘Wait, wait, wait, you said you haven’t read Harry Potter?’ I said, ‘I don’t think it’s for me.’ In very florid lexicon, in Spanish, he said,...
Alfonso Cuarón told Total Film that he was unfamiliar with the Harry Potter franchise when he was offered the chance to direct The Prisoner of Azkaban, but thankfully, Guillermo del Toro was. “I speak often with Guillermo [del Toro], and a couple of days after, I said, ‘You know, they offered me this Harry Potter film, but it’s really weird they offer me this,’” Cuarón explained. “He said, ‘Wait, wait, wait, you said you haven’t read Harry Potter?’ I said, ‘I don’t think it’s for me.’ In very florid lexicon, in Spanish, he said,...
- 5/22/2024
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Gary Oldman is clarifying what he really regrets about playing Sirius Black in the “Harry Potter” film franchise.
At Cannes, Oldman cleared up any confusion about the time in December 2023 that he called his performance in the movies “mediocre.”
“What I meant by that is, as any artist or any actor or painter, you are always hypercritical of your own work,” Oldman said. “If you’re not, and you’re satisfied with what you’re doing, that would be death to me. If I watched a performance of myself and thought, ‘My God, I’m fantastic in this,’ that would be a sad day.”
Readers can watch the video of the Cannes press conference below.
Oldman added that he was not trying to “disparage anyone out there who are fans of ‘Harry Potter’ and the films and the character, who I think is much beloved.” Yet, according to the actor,...
At Cannes, Oldman cleared up any confusion about the time in December 2023 that he called his performance in the movies “mediocre.”
“What I meant by that is, as any artist or any actor or painter, you are always hypercritical of your own work,” Oldman said. “If you’re not, and you’re satisfied with what you’re doing, that would be death to me. If I watched a performance of myself and thought, ‘My God, I’m fantastic in this,’ that would be a sad day.”
Readers can watch the video of the Cannes press conference below.
Oldman added that he was not trying to “disparage anyone out there who are fans of ‘Harry Potter’ and the films and the character, who I think is much beloved.” Yet, according to the actor,...
- 5/22/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Last December, Gary Oldman surprised Harry Potter fans when he revealed how dissatisfied he is with one of his most famous performances: Sirius Black.
The Dark Knight Trilogy star first played the beloved J.K. Rowling creation in 2004's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, delivering a madcap performance before reprising the role (and somewhat dialling it back) in the next two movies. Eventually, Oldman bid farewell to the character when Sirius died in battle during Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Describing his work in the franchise as "mediocre," the screen icon said at the time, "Maybe if I had read the books like Alan [Rickman], if I had got ahead of the curve, if I had known what's coming, I honestly think I would have played it differently."
Oldman's comments generated a great deal of discussion among fans, with many quick to argue that his performance was anything but "mediocre.
The Dark Knight Trilogy star first played the beloved J.K. Rowling creation in 2004's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, delivering a madcap performance before reprising the role (and somewhat dialling it back) in the next two movies. Eventually, Oldman bid farewell to the character when Sirius died in battle during Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Describing his work in the franchise as "mediocre," the screen icon said at the time, "Maybe if I had read the books like Alan [Rickman], if I had got ahead of the curve, if I had known what's coming, I honestly think I would have played it differently."
Oldman's comments generated a great deal of discussion among fans, with many quick to argue that his performance was anything but "mediocre.
- 5/22/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
Guillermo del Toro did not mince words when trying to convince frequent collaborator Alfonso Cuarón to direct “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.”
According to Oscar winner Cuarón, fellow Academy Award winner del Toro simply called him an “arrogant asshole” for even hesitating to take on the beloved franchise installment. However, Cuarón might have had a point in questioning Warner Bros.’ decision to offer him the directing gig: At the time, his most recent film was “Y tu mamá también,” which is decidedly not YA material.
“I was confused because it was completely not on my radar,” Cuarón told Total Film of “Harry Potter”. “I speak often with Guillermo [del Toro], and a couple of days after, I said, ‘You know, they offered me this “Harry Potter” film, but it’s really weird they offer me this.’ He said, ‘Wait, wait, wait, you said you haven’t read “Harry Potter”?’ I said,...
According to Oscar winner Cuarón, fellow Academy Award winner del Toro simply called him an “arrogant asshole” for even hesitating to take on the beloved franchise installment. However, Cuarón might have had a point in questioning Warner Bros.’ decision to offer him the directing gig: At the time, his most recent film was “Y tu mamá también,” which is decidedly not YA material.
“I was confused because it was completely not on my radar,” Cuarón told Total Film of “Harry Potter”. “I speak often with Guillermo [del Toro], and a couple of days after, I said, ‘You know, they offered me this “Harry Potter” film, but it’s really weird they offer me this.’ He said, ‘Wait, wait, wait, you said you haven’t read “Harry Potter”?’ I said,...
- 5/22/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
It shouldn’t surprise you that Finneas is a great interview. Like his sister, Billie Eilish, he’s incredibly engaging and charming, and he’s more than willing to sit down and dive into his creative process, whether it’s on Eilish’s excellent new album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, his solo work, or scoring gigs for TV and film. We spent several hours with him for Eilish’s recent Rolling Stone cover story. Last week, we shared some of the outtakes from that story — but there’s even more.
- 5/20/2024
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
The Last of Us created by Craig Mazin, is one of the main HBO projects right now. Despite high ratings for the first season, it's too early to tell if The Last of Us will live up to expectations – the main action will unfold in the second season, which will be released in 2025.
Viewers unfamiliar with the source material will likely remember John Hillcoat's The Road and Alfonso Cuarón's Children of Men, two of the main sources of inspiration for the video game's creators. However, the series not only resembles post-apocalyptic road movies, but also Chernobyl, Craig Mazin's previous project.
It's easy to draw parallels between the opening scene of The Last of Us, in which a scientist explains that humanity is facing the threat of a cordyceps fungus pandemic due to possible global warming, and the miniseries, in which a problem-ignoring bureaucratic system tries to correct its own mistakes.
Viewers unfamiliar with the source material will likely remember John Hillcoat's The Road and Alfonso Cuarón's Children of Men, two of the main sources of inspiration for the video game's creators. However, the series not only resembles post-apocalyptic road movies, but also Chernobyl, Craig Mazin's previous project.
It's easy to draw parallels between the opening scene of The Last of Us, in which a scientist explains that humanity is facing the threat of a cordyceps fungus pandemic due to possible global warming, and the miniseries, in which a problem-ignoring bureaucratic system tries to correct its own mistakes.
- 5/17/2024
- by zoe-wallace@startefacts.com (Zoe Wallace)
- STartefacts.com
Industry veterans and producers Frida Torresblanco (Pan’s Labyrinth) and Frank Murray (First Reformed), have launched Hangtime, a transatlantic production company headquartered in both London and New York.
Unveiled Tuesday as the duo works from the Cannes Film Festival and market, Hangtime will develop and produce U.S. and regional content with global appeal.
The partnership will focus on specialist and mainstream content across film, television, and documentaries in both English and Spanish language. The team is backed by an eight-figure investment out of New York and are in the late stages of securing an additional development fund.
Their lineup across film and television will span all genres including drama, crime, thrillers, action/adventure, horror, and sci-fi.
Whilst remaining true to “unwavering creative integrity, the company is built as an agile development-to-delivery operation with a focus on the fundamentals of production efficiency.” Hangtime will also work with partners to be...
Unveiled Tuesday as the duo works from the Cannes Film Festival and market, Hangtime will develop and produce U.S. and regional content with global appeal.
The partnership will focus on specialist and mainstream content across film, television, and documentaries in both English and Spanish language. The team is backed by an eight-figure investment out of New York and are in the late stages of securing an additional development fund.
Their lineup across film and television will span all genres including drama, crime, thrillers, action/adventure, horror, and sci-fi.
Whilst remaining true to “unwavering creative integrity, the company is built as an agile development-to-delivery operation with a focus on the fundamentals of production efficiency.” Hangtime will also work with partners to be...
- 5/14/2024
- by Lily Ford
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Veteran producers Frida Torresblanco (Pan’s Labyrinth) and Frank Murray (First Reformed) have teamed up to launch Hangtime International Pictures, a new transatlantic production company headquartered in London and New York.
Backed by an eight-figure investment out of New York, the company will focus on developing and producing what London-based Murray and NYC-based Torresblanco described to us as “U.S. and regional content with global appeal.”
The partners told us they will work on high-end, specialist, and mainstream content across film, television, and documentaries in both English and Spanish. In addition to the US and Spain, Torresblanco and Murray told us they will prioritize producing content in other key markets, including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, and Latam. The company is currently in the process of securing cash for an additional development fund.
“We are so very thankful to our backers for believing in our vision for Hangtime,” Murray told us.
Backed by an eight-figure investment out of New York, the company will focus on developing and producing what London-based Murray and NYC-based Torresblanco described to us as “U.S. and regional content with global appeal.”
The partners told us they will work on high-end, specialist, and mainstream content across film, television, and documentaries in both English and Spanish. In addition to the US and Spain, Torresblanco and Murray told us they will prioritize producing content in other key markets, including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, and Latam. The company is currently in the process of securing cash for an additional development fund.
“We are so very thankful to our backers for believing in our vision for Hangtime,” Murray told us.
- 5/14/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
We can't say that we live in a boring world today. And when we say boring, what we really mean is the one where nothing happens. Every day we hear about different incidents, both man-made and natural, that make us wonder what the future will bring. But we still secretly wish we would never find out.
However, when a show or movie gives us the chance to see what the world would be like if something extraordinary happened, we never miss the opportunity to take it in. That's why the dystopian genre is so popular – because it gives answers to questions that no one is allowed to ask out loud.
And here we have the list of the 5 best dystopian dramas as voted by Redditors.
1. Cloud Atlas (2012)
Cloud Atlas is a movie that makes your brain work like crazy and frankly it seems like that’s something not every viewer is ready to experience.
However, when a show or movie gives us the chance to see what the world would be like if something extraordinary happened, we never miss the opportunity to take it in. That's why the dystopian genre is so popular – because it gives answers to questions that no one is allowed to ask out loud.
And here we have the list of the 5 best dystopian dramas as voted by Redditors.
1. Cloud Atlas (2012)
Cloud Atlas is a movie that makes your brain work like crazy and frankly it seems like that’s something not every viewer is ready to experience.
- 5/11/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Rachel Bailey)
- STartefacts.com
The San Sebastian Film Festival will fete Cate Blanchett with its honorary Donostia Award at its forthcoming 72nd edition.
Blanchett, the second Australian actor to receive San Sebastian’s highest honorary award after Hugh Jackman, will also serve as the image for the festival’s main poster. Check out the poster below.
Blanchett will receive the award in person in San Sebastian and it will be her first visit to the festival. But she has had several films screen at the fest, including Babel and Veronica Guerin.
Over a career spanning more than three decades, Blanchett has racked up more than 200 awards, including two Oscars, two Volpi Cups at the Venice Festival, four Baftas and four Golden Globes, an honorary César, and Goya for lifetime achievement. Her credits include collaborations with filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Terrence Malick, Steven Soderbergh, Steven Spielberg,...
Blanchett, the second Australian actor to receive San Sebastian’s highest honorary award after Hugh Jackman, will also serve as the image for the festival’s main poster. Check out the poster below.
Blanchett will receive the award in person in San Sebastian and it will be her first visit to the festival. But she has had several films screen at the fest, including Babel and Veronica Guerin.
Over a career spanning more than three decades, Blanchett has racked up more than 200 awards, including two Oscars, two Volpi Cups at the Venice Festival, four Baftas and four Golden Globes, an honorary César, and Goya for lifetime achievement. Her credits include collaborations with filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Terrence Malick, Steven Soderbergh, Steven Spielberg,...
- 5/9/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
If you have already seen The Idea of You and are looking for something similar, then these movies are for you.
1. Hello I Must Be Going, 2012
An indie rom-com that is most valuable for its lead actress – Melanie Lynskey, who started her career with a bang in Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures and went on to star in one of the biggest hits of recent years, Yellowjackets.
In Hello I Must Be Going, she plays a middle-aged divorced woman who loses everything and moves into her parents' house. She is sure that the dark streak in her life will never end, but a confident 19-year-old boy appears on the horizon and unexpectedly illuminates a possible path to a new life.
2. Licorice Pizza, 2021
Gary Valentine is a charismatic teenager who loves to go on adventures. It's the early 1970s and Gary is trying to become both an actor and an entrepreneur,...
1. Hello I Must Be Going, 2012
An indie rom-com that is most valuable for its lead actress – Melanie Lynskey, who started her career with a bang in Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures and went on to star in one of the biggest hits of recent years, Yellowjackets.
In Hello I Must Be Going, she plays a middle-aged divorced woman who loses everything and moves into her parents' house. She is sure that the dark streak in her life will never end, but a confident 19-year-old boy appears on the horizon and unexpectedly illuminates a possible path to a new life.
2. Licorice Pizza, 2021
Gary Valentine is a charismatic teenager who loves to go on adventures. It's the early 1970s and Gary is trying to become both an actor and an entrepreneur,...
- 5/8/2024
- by zoe-wallace@startefacts.com (Zoe Wallace)
- STartefacts.com
On the indie side of filmmaking life, Sean Price Williams has seen it all. He’s worked with the Safdies, Alex Ross Perry, Nathan Silver, Robert Green, and Athina Rachel Tsangari, and often more than once. He’s the premier chronicler of New York City independent movies behind the camera, typically shooting on celluloid, and bringing surreal, gritty poetry to character-driven stories that feel on the ground like portraits of versions of ourselves.
One of the most unabashedly movie-loving cinematographers working today, Williams last year moved to directing for the sprawling, scratchy-edged tale of East Coast youth, “The Sweet East,” which remains in theaters and features stars like Jacob Elordi, Simon Rex, Jeremy O. Harris, and Ayo Edebiri.
But even more recently than that directorial debut, he released a “1000 Movies” book via Metrograph Editions, a simple, unadorned paperback that offers, rather than commentary, pages listing his favorite essential films and...
One of the most unabashedly movie-loving cinematographers working today, Williams last year moved to directing for the sprawling, scratchy-edged tale of East Coast youth, “The Sweet East,” which remains in theaters and features stars like Jacob Elordi, Simon Rex, Jeremy O. Harris, and Ayo Edebiri.
But even more recently than that directorial debut, he released a “1000 Movies” book via Metrograph Editions, a simple, unadorned paperback that offers, rather than commentary, pages listing his favorite essential films and...
- 5/7/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
As Neil Young once sang, the now shuttered Participant is gone, but not forgotten.
Some of Tinseltown’s leading talents like Regina King, George Clooney, Ava DuVernay, Daniel Dae Kim, Martin Sheen, Regina King, Alfonso Cuaron, Matt Damon, Diego Luna and more have joined up with the National Domestic Workers Alliance to express “gratitude and pride” in the work put out by the Jeff Skoll-created shingle over the last two decades. At the same time, the A-Listers are imploring the ever increasingly conglomerated industry to keep their eyes on the social impact prize.
“As we say goodbye to Participant, we must underscore that values-based storytelling is needed now more than ever; to expand the room for debate, to open our hearts to experiences vastly different from our own, to immerse us in the beauty of humanity’s complexities,” the star-studded letter says. “And in the face of unprecedented change and uncertainty,...
Some of Tinseltown’s leading talents like Regina King, George Clooney, Ava DuVernay, Daniel Dae Kim, Martin Sheen, Regina King, Alfonso Cuaron, Matt Damon, Diego Luna and more have joined up with the National Domestic Workers Alliance to express “gratitude and pride” in the work put out by the Jeff Skoll-created shingle over the last two decades. At the same time, the A-Listers are imploring the ever increasingly conglomerated industry to keep their eyes on the social impact prize.
“As we say goodbye to Participant, we must underscore that values-based storytelling is needed now more than ever; to expand the room for debate, to open our hearts to experiences vastly different from our own, to immerse us in the beauty of humanity’s complexities,” the star-studded letter says. “And in the face of unprecedented change and uncertainty,...
- 5/7/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Dozens of top Hollywood creatives and activists have signed an open letter in response to the shuttering of production company Participant — imploring the industry to continue to effect change through film and television as the defunct company once did.
George Clooney, Aflonso Cuarón, Ava DuVernay, Jane Fonda, Regina King, Viola Davis, #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, Color of Change president Rashad Robinson and more are signators, in addition to groups like GLAAD and Human Rights Watch. The letter was coordinated by the National Domestic Workers Alliance (Ndwa), which collaborated with Participant and director Cuarón on a visibility campaign for his 2018 Oscar winner “Roma.”
“As we say goodbye to Participant, we must underscore that values-based storytelling is needed now more than ever,” the letter states. “There is a whole ecosystem of people, connected by the work of the last 20 years of Participant, ready to work with you.
George Clooney, Aflonso Cuarón, Ava DuVernay, Jane Fonda, Regina King, Viola Davis, #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, Color of Change president Rashad Robinson and more are signators, in addition to groups like GLAAD and Human Rights Watch. The letter was coordinated by the National Domestic Workers Alliance (Ndwa), which collaborated with Participant and director Cuarón on a visibility campaign for his 2018 Oscar winner “Roma.”
“As we say goodbye to Participant, we must underscore that values-based storytelling is needed now more than ever,” the letter states. “There is a whole ecosystem of people, connected by the work of the last 20 years of Participant, ready to work with you.
- 5/7/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Romance is complicated. The meshing together of two or more people isn’t designed to be a smooth process and art has reflected that for generations, most recently in the new Amazon MGM rom-com “The Idea of You”. In honor of the film dropping on Prime Video, IndieWire has compiled a list of the best age-gap romance films to enjoy after watching Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine’s jaunt within the genre. From the best-selling novel by Robinne Lee, “The Idea of You” follows a 40-year-old gallery owner and divorceé, who, after escorting her daughter to Coachella, ends up in a whirlwind romance with the 24-year-old lead singer of a famous boy band. The book was adapted for the screen by Michael Showalter, as well as Jennifer Westfeldt, who’s dabbled in complicated romances in the past with films like “Kissing Jessica Stein” and “Friends With Kids”.
In terms of...
In terms of...
- 5/3/2024
- by Harrison Richlin and Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
T.J. Newman was working as a flight attendant on the Virgin Airlines redeye flight from Los Angeles to New York when she had the idea for her debut novel Falling. That action thriller became a bestseller and was followed by Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421, which also became a bestseller. Film adaptations of both Falling and Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421 are already in the works – and now Deadline reports that the film rights to Newman’s third novel, Worst Case Scenario, are about to go up for auction.
Newman couldn’t get a lot of people interested in Falling at first. She was rejected by more than forty different agents. But then Shane Salerno and The Story Factory signed her, and her luck turned around in a major way. She landed a seven-figure deal with Avid Reader / Simon & Schuster, another seven figures for deals in thirty other countries…...
Newman couldn’t get a lot of people interested in Falling at first. She was rejected by more than forty different agents. But then Shane Salerno and The Story Factory signed her, and her luck turned around in a major way. She landed a seven-figure deal with Avid Reader / Simon & Schuster, another seven figures for deals in thirty other countries…...
- 4/29/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
This post contains spoilers for both "Challengers" and "Y Tu Mama Tambien."
It's only its first weekend in theaters, but "Challengers" has already gotten everyone talking. There's just something captivating about a love triangle where all sides touch, and it's even more captivating when all that lust and jealousy get boiled down to a single heated match of tennis. There is no greater upping-the-ante movie moment than when Patrick (Josh O'Connor) subtly signals to Art (Mike Faist) during the game that he's recently slept with his wife Tashi (Zendaya). There've been plenty of fictional sports matches where a mid-game twist got everyone on the edge of their seats, but "Challengers" casually outdid them all.
What made "Challengers" truly special is Art's reaction to Patrick's reveal: he simply says, "F**k off." It's a line that could easily have been delivered with straightforward rage, but Faist throws some bemusement into the mix,...
It's only its first weekend in theaters, but "Challengers" has already gotten everyone talking. There's just something captivating about a love triangle where all sides touch, and it's even more captivating when all that lust and jealousy get boiled down to a single heated match of tennis. There is no greater upping-the-ante movie moment than when Patrick (Josh O'Connor) subtly signals to Art (Mike Faist) during the game that he's recently slept with his wife Tashi (Zendaya). There've been plenty of fictional sports matches where a mid-game twist got everyone on the edge of their seats, but "Challengers" casually outdid them all.
What made "Challengers" truly special is Art's reaction to Patrick's reveal: he simply says, "F**k off." It's a line that could easily have been delivered with straightforward rage, but Faist throws some bemusement into the mix,...
- 4/28/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Back in 2016, 3 years after Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity and 2 years after Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, the filmmaker Morten Tyldum released his own take on modern science fiction. Famous mostly for his Oscar-nominated historical drama The Imitation Game (2014), he gained success with it from the public, but was destroyed by critics.
Nevertheless, the movie’s brand-new synopsis promises a capturing story, as the plot revolves around two passengers forced to live alone on a giant spacecraft due to a malfunction in the ship’s defense system. They were supposed to wake up from their induced hibernation 90 years later, like thousands of people carried to a space colony.
However, it’s not the very end of the sci-fi’s premise. It turns out that one of the two passengers, Aurora, was secretly awakened by another one, Jim, for companionship, and she, not being aware of it, starts to mutually fall for him.
Nevertheless, the movie’s brand-new synopsis promises a capturing story, as the plot revolves around two passengers forced to live alone on a giant spacecraft due to a malfunction in the ship’s defense system. They were supposed to wake up from their induced hibernation 90 years later, like thousands of people carried to a space colony.
However, it’s not the very end of the sci-fi’s premise. It turns out that one of the two passengers, Aurora, was secretly awakened by another one, Jim, for companionship, and she, not being aware of it, starts to mutually fall for him.
- 4/27/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Ava Raxa)
- STartefacts.com
Ray Chan, longtime production designer on some of Marvel’s biggest films died this week, according to a statement from Marvel Studios.
Chan was best known for his work on billion-dollar Marvel blockbusters such as Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame as well as the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine.
But he also worked with directors such as Ridley Scott, Michael Apted, Alfonso Cuarón, Ed Zwick, James Mangold and Antoine Fuqua, and on films as diverse as National Treasure, Nanny McPhee, Children of Men, Blood Diamond, Robin Hood, Knight and Day and Dungeons and Dragons.
He was nominated for an Art Director’s Guild Award five times, winning in 2015 and 2020 for Guardians of the Galaxy and Endgame, respectively.
“Ray was first and foremost a good friend to everyone at Marvel Studios. He was a talented collaborator who brought creativity and attention to detail to every frame of every movie he worked on,...
Chan was best known for his work on billion-dollar Marvel blockbusters such as Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame as well as the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine.
But he also worked with directors such as Ridley Scott, Michael Apted, Alfonso Cuarón, Ed Zwick, James Mangold and Antoine Fuqua, and on films as diverse as National Treasure, Nanny McPhee, Children of Men, Blood Diamond, Robin Hood, Knight and Day and Dungeons and Dragons.
He was nominated for an Art Director’s Guild Award five times, winning in 2015 and 2020 for Guardians of the Galaxy and Endgame, respectively.
“Ray was first and foremost a good friend to everyone at Marvel Studios. He was a talented collaborator who brought creativity and attention to detail to every frame of every movie he worked on,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
A quartet of fast-rising British names are coming together for a buzzy new project launching at the Cannes market.
Bella Ramsey, Louis Partridge and Ruby Stokes are set to lead Sunny Dancer, the sophomore feature from George Jaques. Embankment Films is handling global pre-sales of the film, which it says showcases the “best of new British talent.”
“Sunny Dancer” follows Ivy (Ramsey), a teenager in remission from cancer, whose gloriously outspoken mum and well-intentioned dad insist she attend Children Run Free Camp, a summer retreat for young adults affected by cancer. The camp’s slogan, “Where kids come to kid,” does little to alleviate Ivy’s apprehension, and a quick Google search confirms her fears when she stumbles upon a cringeworthy promotional video filled with tacky messages and clichéd sunsets. As if conquering cancer wasn’t enough of a challenge, Ivy now faces the prospect of spending her summer at what she calls “chemo camp.
Bella Ramsey, Louis Partridge and Ruby Stokes are set to lead Sunny Dancer, the sophomore feature from George Jaques. Embankment Films is handling global pre-sales of the film, which it says showcases the “best of new British talent.”
“Sunny Dancer” follows Ivy (Ramsey), a teenager in remission from cancer, whose gloriously outspoken mum and well-intentioned dad insist she attend Children Run Free Camp, a summer retreat for young adults affected by cancer. The camp’s slogan, “Where kids come to kid,” does little to alleviate Ivy’s apprehension, and a quick Google search confirms her fears when she stumbles upon a cringeworthy promotional video filled with tacky messages and clichéd sunsets. As if conquering cancer wasn’t enough of a challenge, Ivy now faces the prospect of spending her summer at what she calls “chemo camp.
- 4/25/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
At the Oscars in 2019, one production company was at the center of the year’s most talked about films and on the cusp of the industry’s sweeping trends. The man who backed it, however, wasn’t at the ceremony.
That year the films made by Participant Media collected 17 Oscar nominations, for Green Book, which eventually won best picture and went on to gross $321.8 million worldwide; Roma, which broke Netflix into the best picture race for the first time; and Rbg, the documentary about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg that managed to become one of the highest-grossing independent films of 2018.
In an indicator of Participant and its backer, tech billionaire Jeff Skoll’s unique, dual missions, the Oscar gatherings Participant threw that year included a viewing party for the National Domestic Workers Alliance at The Jane Club, a nod to the lead character in Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, and...
That year the films made by Participant Media collected 17 Oscar nominations, for Green Book, which eventually won best picture and went on to gross $321.8 million worldwide; Roma, which broke Netflix into the best picture race for the first time; and Rbg, the documentary about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg that managed to become one of the highest-grossing independent films of 2018.
In an indicator of Participant and its backer, tech billionaire Jeff Skoll’s unique, dual missions, the Oscar gatherings Participant threw that year included a viewing party for the National Domestic Workers Alliance at The Jane Club, a nod to the lead character in Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, and...
- 4/19/2024
- by Rebecca Keegan and Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
End of an era, end of a business model, end of a gravy train, end of the world. There were plenty of mixed emotions this week in response to the closure of Oscar-winning production company Participant, and at the very least the industry has agreed something has come to an end.
When Variety broke the news Tuesday that billionaire Jeff Skoll’s 20-year-old company will shut down — after fetching 21 Oscars and introducing a business model that prioritized social impact a bit more than profits – many in the industry were rattled. Not just that mid-level, standalone financier and producer had left the market, but what that means for the viability of movies and TV shows that ask vital questions about justice and the humanity’s future.
“The end of Participant Media is devastating news to anyone who cares about documentaries,” director Julie Cohen wrote bluntly on X. She’s the co-director...
When Variety broke the news Tuesday that billionaire Jeff Skoll’s 20-year-old company will shut down — after fetching 21 Oscars and introducing a business model that prioritized social impact a bit more than profits – many in the industry were rattled. Not just that mid-level, standalone financier and producer had left the market, but what that means for the viability of movies and TV shows that ask vital questions about justice and the humanity’s future.
“The end of Participant Media is devastating news to anyone who cares about documentaries,” director Julie Cohen wrote bluntly on X. She’s the co-director...
- 4/19/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Before teaming up with director Luca Guadagnino on Challengers, Zendaya sought advice from Dune co-star Timothée Chalamet, who starred in Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name in 2017.
“He said wonderful things,” Zendaya told The Hollywood Reporter at the Los Angeles premiere of Challengers on Tuesday. “Luca is brilliant and I’ve wanted to work with Luca for a very long time and this just seemed like the absolute perfect thing. When we first met about the script he had such a keen, deep understanding of the characters from the beginning and a clearer idea of the kind of movie he wanted to create. And the script was brilliant, [writer] Justin Kuritzkes is so talented and I’m so happy for him. So it all made sense.”
Zendaya reveals if Timothée Chalamet gave her any tips on working with director Luca Guadagnino and tells THR how she has wanted to work...
“He said wonderful things,” Zendaya told The Hollywood Reporter at the Los Angeles premiere of Challengers on Tuesday. “Luca is brilliant and I’ve wanted to work with Luca for a very long time and this just seemed like the absolute perfect thing. When we first met about the script he had such a keen, deep understanding of the characters from the beginning and a clearer idea of the kind of movie he wanted to create. And the script was brilliant, [writer] Justin Kuritzkes is so talented and I’m so happy for him. So it all made sense.”
Zendaya reveals if Timothée Chalamet gave her any tips on working with director Luca Guadagnino and tells THR how she has wanted to work...
- 4/17/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jeff Skoll, the billionaire philanthropist who launched Participant 20 years ago to champion socially conscious films, is closing down the impact producer-financier behind Spotlight, Roma, and Green Book.
In a memo to staff on Tuesday morning eBay co-founder Skoll said, ”I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability. Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created, distributed and consumed.”
The statement hinted at what may have driven the Canadian’s “very difficult decision”. Studios and streamers are scrutinising their spend more than ever,...
In a memo to staff on Tuesday morning eBay co-founder Skoll said, ”I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability. Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created, distributed and consumed.”
The statement hinted at what may have driven the Canadian’s “very difficult decision”. Studios and streamers are scrutinising their spend more than ever,...
- 4/16/2024
- ScreenDaily
Participant, the 20-year-old film and television production company whose mission was to inspire social justice and humanitarian action, is shutting down.
Founder Jeff Skoll broke the news to a staff of roughly 100 on Tuesday. Established in 2004, Participant co-produced or co-financed a number of notable movies including best picture Oscar winners “Spotlight” and “Green Book,” as well as Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” and the breakthrough documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Almost all of Participant’s employees will be dismissed, multiple sources familiar with its plans said, and no new content development or production will be pursued. What’s left will be a skeletal holding company overseeing the Participant library, which represents interests in the 135 films it has made.
“I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability. Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created,...
Founder Jeff Skoll broke the news to a staff of roughly 100 on Tuesday. Established in 2004, Participant co-produced or co-financed a number of notable movies including best picture Oscar winners “Spotlight” and “Green Book,” as well as Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” and the breakthrough documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Almost all of Participant’s employees will be dismissed, multiple sources familiar with its plans said, and no new content development or production will be pursued. What’s left will be a skeletal holding company overseeing the Participant library, which represents interests in the 135 films it has made.
“I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability. Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Outside of perhaps Steven Spielberg and Janusz Kamiński, there may be no director-cinematographer collaboration that’s more extensive in modern-day cinema than that of Wes Anderson and Robert Yeoman. Having shot all of his live-action features, along with his recent Oscar-winning The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, Yeoman is now taking a break for Anderson’s next feature The Phoenician Scheme.
Stepping in as director of photography, as he did for the Coens when Roger Deakins wasn’t available for Inside Llewyn Davis, is Bruno Delbonnel, who also shot Amélie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Across the Universe, and The Tragedy of Macbeth. However, it won’t be the first time the cinematographer has worked with Wes Anderson, as he shot his H&m holiday ad “Come Together” and even briefly appeared in The French Dispatch.
Co-written by Roman Coppola and Wes Anderson, this new film stars Benicio Del Toro,...
Stepping in as director of photography, as he did for the Coens when Roger Deakins wasn’t available for Inside Llewyn Davis, is Bruno Delbonnel, who also shot Amélie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Across the Universe, and The Tragedy of Macbeth. However, it won’t be the first time the cinematographer has worked with Wes Anderson, as he shot his H&m holiday ad “Come Together” and even briefly appeared in The French Dispatch.
Co-written by Roman Coppola and Wes Anderson, this new film stars Benicio Del Toro,...
- 4/9/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Calling all Latino filmmakers, John Travolta wants to work with you. Swinging by Panama to present his 1978 musical rom-com “Grease” at the 12th Panama International Film Festival (Iff Panama), Travolta professed his great love for “Mexico, Central America, South America, all of its parts.”
“There is an incredible humanity that prevails and is different from anywhere else in the world,” he told Variety.
Surprised to hear that Robert de Niro had starred in the Argentine series “Nada,” Travolta exclaimed: “I would have loved that, I would have enjoyed being lured to South America to play a part for a while.”
The closest he’s come to working with a Latino director was with Alfonso Cuarón, who produced the short film streaming on Disney+ “The Shepherd,” based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1975 novella, which follows a young Royal Air Force pilot flying home for Christmas across the North Sea. When the pilot...
“There is an incredible humanity that prevails and is different from anywhere else in the world,” he told Variety.
Surprised to hear that Robert de Niro had starred in the Argentine series “Nada,” Travolta exclaimed: “I would have loved that, I would have enjoyed being lured to South America to play a part for a while.”
The closest he’s come to working with a Latino director was with Alfonso Cuarón, who produced the short film streaming on Disney+ “The Shepherd,” based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1975 novella, which follows a young Royal Air Force pilot flying home for Christmas across the North Sea. When the pilot...
- 4/8/2024
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Channing Tatum is becoming a 1960s NASA administrator for Apple.
The actor stars alongside Scarlett Johansson, who also executive produces the film, for Apple Original movie “Fly Me to the Moon.” Directed by Greg Berlanti, the feature is set against the 1960s space race, with Johansson playing an ad shark who falls for a by-the-book launch director (Tatum) while he prepares for a mission during the high-stakes backdrop of NASA’s historic moon landing.
Woody Harrelson, Ray Romano, Jim Rash, Nick Dillenburg, Anna Garcia, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Christian Zuber, and Donald Elise Watkins round out the cast.
Rose Gilroy wrote the script based on the story by Bill Kirstein and Keenan Flynn.
Along with actress Johansson, Jonathan Lia, Keenan Flynn, and Sarah Schechter also produce, with Robert J. Dohrmann serving as an executive producer.
The project was first announced in 2022 with the title “Project Artemis.” Jason Bateman was set...
The actor stars alongside Scarlett Johansson, who also executive produces the film, for Apple Original movie “Fly Me to the Moon.” Directed by Greg Berlanti, the feature is set against the 1960s space race, with Johansson playing an ad shark who falls for a by-the-book launch director (Tatum) while he prepares for a mission during the high-stakes backdrop of NASA’s historic moon landing.
Woody Harrelson, Ray Romano, Jim Rash, Nick Dillenburg, Anna Garcia, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Christian Zuber, and Donald Elise Watkins round out the cast.
Rose Gilroy wrote the script based on the story by Bill Kirstein and Keenan Flynn.
Along with actress Johansson, Jonathan Lia, Keenan Flynn, and Sarah Schechter also produce, with Robert J. Dohrmann serving as an executive producer.
The project was first announced in 2022 with the title “Project Artemis.” Jason Bateman was set...
- 4/8/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Carter Cohn, an alum of the agencies CAA and ICM, has joined Anonymous Content as a manager, Deadline has learned. He starts in his new role effective immediately and will be based out of the company’s Los Angeles office.
Cohn joins from ICM, where he was named founding partner in the agency’s management buyout of 2012. Following the June 2022 acquisition of ICM by CAA, bombshell news which we were first to report, he transitioned to CAA’s Motion Picture department, having begun his career in the industry as a mailroom assistant.
Cohn brings with him a diverse roster of film and television actors and filmmakers including Golden Globe nominee Rebecca Ferguson, SAG Award nominee Kelly Reilly, Joe Manganiello and Marwan Kenzari, to name a few.
Most recently, esteemed management and production company Anonymous Content...
Cohn joins from ICM, where he was named founding partner in the agency’s management buyout of 2012. Following the June 2022 acquisition of ICM by CAA, bombshell news which we were first to report, he transitioned to CAA’s Motion Picture department, having begun his career in the industry as a mailroom assistant.
Cohn brings with him a diverse roster of film and television actors and filmmakers including Golden Globe nominee Rebecca Ferguson, SAG Award nominee Kelly Reilly, Joe Manganiello and Marwan Kenzari, to name a few.
Most recently, esteemed management and production company Anonymous Content...
- 3/27/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The press are the good guys, but also kind of the bad guys, in Alex Garland’s virtuosic “Civil War,” a jarring ground-level account of what a near-future disunification of the United States might look like. Intended as a wake-up call, the long-fuse thriller — which starts slow and snowballs to a jaw-dropping raid on Washington, D.C. — embeds viewers alongside a dedicated team of journalists making their way to the Capitol while the country unravels around them. It’s the most upsetting dystopian vision yet from the sci-fi brain that killed off all of London for the zombie uprising depicted in “28 Days Later,” and one that can’t be easily consumed as entertainment. A provocative shock to the system, “Civil War” is designed to be divisive. Ironically, it’s also meant to bring folks together.
Led by veteran war photographer Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst), the tight crew of journalists are total pros.
Led by veteran war photographer Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst), the tight crew of journalists are total pros.
- 3/15/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Production has begun on the new Netflix series The Gringo Hunters in Mexico City and the core cast has been revealed. They include José María Yazpik, Sebastian Roché, Harold Torres and Mayra Hermosillo. Plans to shoot in Tijuana are also in place.
Torres and Hermosillo are part of the gringo hunters’ core group alongside Manuel Masalva, Andrew Leland Rogers, Héctor Kotsifakis, Dagoberto Gama and Regina Nava. Gerardo Trejoluna and Paulina Dávila also star. All 11 are contracted as series regulars on the bilingual crime series which will be shot mostly in Spanish with some English.
As Deadline revealed exclusively in 2022, a series based on The Washington Post story “A U.S. murder suspect fled to Mexico. The Gringo Hunters were waiting,” by Kevin Sieff was in development for Netflix. The series is inspired by a real elite...
Torres and Hermosillo are part of the gringo hunters’ core group alongside Manuel Masalva, Andrew Leland Rogers, Héctor Kotsifakis, Dagoberto Gama and Regina Nava. Gerardo Trejoluna and Paulina Dávila also star. All 11 are contracted as series regulars on the bilingual crime series which will be shot mostly in Spanish with some English.
As Deadline revealed exclusively in 2022, a series based on The Washington Post story “A U.S. murder suspect fled to Mexico. The Gringo Hunters were waiting,” by Kevin Sieff was in development for Netflix. The series is inspired by a real elite...
- 3/12/2024
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
[Editor’s note: this list was originally published in December 2017. It has since been updated with new entries.]
The 21st Century is only two decades old, but its first batch of Best Picture winners already paints an extraordinary portrait of a world in flux. From historical epics to intimate digital indies, from a musical that riffs on showbiz standards to period drama that reflects on present crises, from a sparse modern western to an overstimulating multiverse martial arts story, these 24 films range from “problematic” to “perfect” and hit all points in between. More than that, they illustrate Hollywood’s evolving definition of greatness and the relationship between the film industry and the times that forge it.
Here are the 24 Best Picture winners of the 21st century, ranked from worst to best.
With editorial contributions from David Ehrlich and Eric Kohn.
24. “Crash” “Crash” ©Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection
“Brokeback Mountain” deserved better, but the Academy didn’t know it. Paul Haggis’ painfully obvious ensemble drama about racial prejudices in Los Angeles was a smug,...
The 21st Century is only two decades old, but its first batch of Best Picture winners already paints an extraordinary portrait of a world in flux. From historical epics to intimate digital indies, from a musical that riffs on showbiz standards to period drama that reflects on present crises, from a sparse modern western to an overstimulating multiverse martial arts story, these 24 films range from “problematic” to “perfect” and hit all points in between. More than that, they illustrate Hollywood’s evolving definition of greatness and the relationship between the film industry and the times that forge it.
Here are the 24 Best Picture winners of the 21st century, ranked from worst to best.
With editorial contributions from David Ehrlich and Eric Kohn.
24. “Crash” “Crash” ©Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection
“Brokeback Mountain” deserved better, but the Academy didn’t know it. Paul Haggis’ painfully obvious ensemble drama about racial prejudices in Los Angeles was a smug,...
- 3/11/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Netflix has won a total of 23 trophies through the years, a number that keeps growing every awards season. “All Quiet on the Western Front” is the streaming giant’s biggest winner to date with four Oscars, followed by “Roma” at three, and then “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Mank” with two apiece. In terms of major categories, Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”) and Alfonso Cuarón (“Roma”) both claimed Best Director, while Laura Dern took home Best Supporting Actress for “Marriage Story.” So far the studio has yet to win the Best Picture award, though it’s been nominated there multiple times. Scroll through our photo gallery below to see all of the historical Netflix Oscar movies, beginning with the most recent winners.
- 3/11/2024
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Streamers narrowly avoided getting shut out at the 2024 Oscars: Netflix came away with just one trophy and Apple left empty-handed, after they garnered a total of 32 nominations.
Netflix collected its one win for Wes Anderson’s “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” an adaptation of a Roald Dahl story, in the live action short film category. The 40-minute film, with a cast that includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes, is the first Oscar for Anderson (who wasn’t in attendance to receive the award).
Read More: See all the 2024 Oscar winners here.
Heading into Sunday’s 96th Academy Awards, Netflix led all studios and platforms with 19 nominations across 11 films, including seven for Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro” — which was shut out. Apple had picked up 13 nods, including 10 for Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which also drew a goose egg.
Since 2017, Netflix has now won 23 Oscars in all.
Netflix collected its one win for Wes Anderson’s “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” an adaptation of a Roald Dahl story, in the live action short film category. The 40-minute film, with a cast that includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes, is the first Oscar for Anderson (who wasn’t in attendance to receive the award).
Read More: See all the 2024 Oscar winners here.
Heading into Sunday’s 96th Academy Awards, Netflix led all studios and platforms with 19 nominations across 11 films, including seven for Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro” — which was shut out. Apple had picked up 13 nods, including 10 for Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which also drew a goose egg.
Since 2017, Netflix has now won 23 Oscars in all.
- 3/11/2024
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
The Oscar Awards is almost here, and what better way to get ready for it than to reminisce about the most outrageous and shocking winning moments that happened in the past years.
While some names and titles are already taking up space and garnering unanimous votes, there will be controversial results that will go down in history, just like these Academy Award winners.
Will Smith
Will Smith in King Richard
The comedian-actor has always been a crowd favorite, and his Best Actor win for the biographical sports drama King Richard at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022 was supposed to be a glorious moment. But, just before he was announced as the winner, the infamous Oscar slap shocked the entire world.
SUGGESTEDYou May Have Watched Them Over and Over Again But These 6 Movies Never Won a Single Oscar
The award-giving body was criticized for letting Will Smith receive his award and...
While some names and titles are already taking up space and garnering unanimous votes, there will be controversial results that will go down in history, just like these Academy Award winners.
Will Smith
Will Smith in King Richard
The comedian-actor has always been a crowd favorite, and his Best Actor win for the biographical sports drama King Richard at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022 was supposed to be a glorious moment. But, just before he was announced as the winner, the infamous Oscar slap shocked the entire world.
SUGGESTEDYou May Have Watched Them Over and Over Again But These 6 Movies Never Won a Single Oscar
The award-giving body was criticized for letting Will Smith receive his award and...
- 3/10/2024
- by Ariane Cruz
- FandomWire
Sacha Baron Cohen and Chris Rock had the good sense to arrive early at the Jean-Michel Basquiat Made on Market Street exhibition at the Larry Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills.
They surveyed the 30 or so Basquiat art works in relative peace ,before the throng arrived.
Cohen tells me he came straight from writing something “for TV” that might shoot in Los Angeles or in London, he wasn’t sure. Interesting.
There may also be a film. But before anything else he’ll be seen along with Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville and Louis Partridge in Disclaimer, the TV drama thriller Alfonso Cuarón has written and directed for Apple TV+.
Jeffrey Wright at the Basquiat exhibition. Photo Bamigboye/Deadline.
Rock and Cohen had skedaddled with pal Guy Oseary to see Madonna by the time Oscar nominee Jeffrey Wright presented himself at the gallery. It was wholly appropriate that the American Fiction star be there.
They surveyed the 30 or so Basquiat art works in relative peace ,before the throng arrived.
Cohen tells me he came straight from writing something “for TV” that might shoot in Los Angeles or in London, he wasn’t sure. Interesting.
There may also be a film. But before anything else he’ll be seen along with Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville and Louis Partridge in Disclaimer, the TV drama thriller Alfonso Cuarón has written and directed for Apple TV+.
Jeffrey Wright at the Basquiat exhibition. Photo Bamigboye/Deadline.
Rock and Cohen had skedaddled with pal Guy Oseary to see Madonna by the time Oscar nominee Jeffrey Wright presented himself at the gallery. It was wholly appropriate that the American Fiction star be there.
- 3/8/2024
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2024 Oscar nominees for Best Director are Jonathan Glazer (“The Zone of Interest”), Yorgos Lanthimos (“Poor Things”), Christopher Nolan (“Oppenheimer”), Martin Scorsese (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), and Justine Triet (“Anatomy of a Fall”). Our odds currently show that Nolan (3/1) is most likely to win, followed in order by Lanthimos (4/1), Glazer (9/2), Triet (9/2), and Scorsese (9/2).
Three of these five filmmakers have been nominated at least once before, with Scorsese standing out as the only previous victor in the group. Now on his 10th bid (only two behind category record holder William Wyler), he initially triumphed on his sixth for “The Departed” (2007), which is also the only Best Picture winner in his filmography. He earned his remaining notices for “Raging Bull” (1981), “The Last Temptation of Christ” (1989), “Goodfellas” (1991), “Gangs of New York” (2003), “The Aviator” (2005), “Hugo” (2012), “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2014), and “The Irishman” (2020).
Having previously ranked as the third oldest directing nominee ever...
Three of these five filmmakers have been nominated at least once before, with Scorsese standing out as the only previous victor in the group. Now on his 10th bid (only two behind category record holder William Wyler), he initially triumphed on his sixth for “The Departed” (2007), which is also the only Best Picture winner in his filmography. He earned his remaining notices for “Raging Bull” (1981), “The Last Temptation of Christ” (1989), “Goodfellas” (1991), “Gangs of New York” (2003), “The Aviator” (2005), “Hugo” (2012), “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2014), and “The Irishman” (2020).
Having previously ranked as the third oldest directing nominee ever...
- 3/7/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
The films in contention for the 2024 Best Cinematography Oscar are “El Conde,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” “Oppenheimer,” and “Poor Things.” Our odds currently favor “Oppenheimer” (31/10) taking the prize, followed in order by “Killers of the Flower Moon” (4/1), “Poor Things” (4/1), “Maestro” (9/2), and “El Conde” (9/2).
After 2013 and 2016, this is the third time that a 21st century cinematography lineup has exclusively consisted of previously nominated lensers. This case differs from the preceding two, however, in that none of the current contenders have ever won before. The one with the most losses so far is Rodrigo Prieto, whose bid for “Killers of the Flower Moon” is his third for a Martin Scorsese-directed film, following “Silence” (2017) and “The Irishman” (2020). Having initially earned a notice for his work on “Brokeback Mountain” (2006), he remains the category’s second most recognized Latin American-born nominee behind fellow Mexican Emmanuel Lubezki.
Currently on their respective third nominations...
After 2013 and 2016, this is the third time that a 21st century cinematography lineup has exclusively consisted of previously nominated lensers. This case differs from the preceding two, however, in that none of the current contenders have ever won before. The one with the most losses so far is Rodrigo Prieto, whose bid for “Killers of the Flower Moon” is his third for a Martin Scorsese-directed film, following “Silence” (2017) and “The Irishman” (2020). Having initially earned a notice for his work on “Brokeback Mountain” (2006), he remains the category’s second most recognized Latin American-born nominee behind fellow Mexican Emmanuel Lubezki.
Currently on their respective third nominations...
- 3/6/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Progress, but not perfect.
Thirty-two percent of the 2024 Oscar nominees are women, tying the all-time high first reached in 2021, a new study by Dr. Stacy L. Smith, the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, and Adobe Foundation has found.
Twenty percent of nominees in the 19 categories (the ones related to feature-film awards) they examined were from an underrepresented racial/ethnic group. That ranks third all-time, behind 2021’s 24 percent and 2019’s 21 percent. Women of color hold 5.7 percent of the nominations in 2024; the all-time high was again in 2021, with 11 percent.
“The study reveals how often the Academy Awards recognize the talent and work of women and people of color,” Dr. Smith said in a statement sent to media. “For those who want to say that the Awards are improving, it is critical to note that in 2024, the percentage of women and people of color nominated for awards in feature categories still falls far below proportional representation.
Thirty-two percent of the 2024 Oscar nominees are women, tying the all-time high first reached in 2021, a new study by Dr. Stacy L. Smith, the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, and Adobe Foundation has found.
Twenty percent of nominees in the 19 categories (the ones related to feature-film awards) they examined were from an underrepresented racial/ethnic group. That ranks third all-time, behind 2021’s 24 percent and 2019’s 21 percent. Women of color hold 5.7 percent of the nominations in 2024; the all-time high was again in 2021, with 11 percent.
“The study reveals how often the Academy Awards recognize the talent and work of women and people of color,” Dr. Smith said in a statement sent to media. “For those who want to say that the Awards are improving, it is critical to note that in 2024, the percentage of women and people of color nominated for awards in feature categories still falls far below proportional representation.
- 3/6/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Wes Anderson is long overdue an Oscar. The iconic director has been nominated seven times and lost on all seven occasions. He earned his eighth nomination this year for Best Live Action Short Film for his Roald Dahl adaptation “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” (shared with Steven Rales).
However, Anderson could find himself trumped again as there is an impactful, emotional, heartfelt obstacle in his way: Misan Harriman‘s “The After.” Harriman, who rose to prominence as a photographer, has created one of the year’s most talked about short films with “The After.” The Netflix short follows David Oyelowo as a man who suffers an extraordinary loss and attempts to go through the ensuing healing process.
The movie has earned plenty of A-list supporters, with Angelina Jolie, Jeff Bridges, and Oprah all making it known how much they adored the tragic short film. Meghan Markle also conducted a...
However, Anderson could find himself trumped again as there is an impactful, emotional, heartfelt obstacle in his way: Misan Harriman‘s “The After.” Harriman, who rose to prominence as a photographer, has created one of the year’s most talked about short films with “The After.” The Netflix short follows David Oyelowo as a man who suffers an extraordinary loss and attempts to go through the ensuing healing process.
The movie has earned plenty of A-list supporters, with Angelina Jolie, Jeff Bridges, and Oprah all making it known how much they adored the tragic short film. Meghan Markle also conducted a...
- 3/6/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Every cinephile knows that “What was the best movie of the year?” and “What movie will win Best Picture at the Oscars?” are two entirely different questions. In 2023, the answer for both was arguably the same.
The Daniels’ “Everything Everywhere All at Once” — A24’s mind-bending mother-daughter story about life’s unexplainable questions and the lengths we will go for love — won over audiences and critics before taking home Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (for Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (for Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (for Jamie Lee Curtis), and Best Original Screenplay at the 95th Academy Awards. Still, despite the film’s accolades, it has its critics — and you’re likely to find many a pundit who feels that the top prize ultimately should have gone to Todd Field’s chillier, less crowd-pleasing “Tár” instead.
As long as there have been award shows, movie fans have...
The Daniels’ “Everything Everywhere All at Once” — A24’s mind-bending mother-daughter story about life’s unexplainable questions and the lengths we will go for love — won over audiences and critics before taking home Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (for Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (for Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (for Jamie Lee Curtis), and Best Original Screenplay at the 95th Academy Awards. Still, despite the film’s accolades, it has its critics — and you’re likely to find many a pundit who feels that the top prize ultimately should have gone to Todd Field’s chillier, less crowd-pleasing “Tár” instead.
As long as there have been award shows, movie fans have...
- 3/2/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Following a years-long development process, Apple will officially make a TV series based on William Gibson’s acclaimed sci-fi novel Neuromancer.
The tech giant and streamer has handed out a 10-episode series order to the drama based on the 1984 cyberpunk novel that launched Gibson’s career and the so-called Sprawl trilogy that also includes novels Count Zero (1986) and Mona Lisa Overdrive (1988).
Dark Winds creator Graham Roland and J.D. Dillard (The Twilight Zone) created the series for television. The series, a co-production between Skydance Television and Anonymous Content, will see Roland serve as showrunner with Dillard on board to direct the pilot.
Apple says Neuromancer revolves around a “damaged, top-rung super-hacker named Case who is thrust into a web of digital espionage and high stakes crime with his partner Molly, a razor-girl assassin with mirrored eyes, aiming to pull a heist on a corporate dynasty with untold secrets.”
“We’re incredibly...
The tech giant and streamer has handed out a 10-episode series order to the drama based on the 1984 cyberpunk novel that launched Gibson’s career and the so-called Sprawl trilogy that also includes novels Count Zero (1986) and Mona Lisa Overdrive (1988).
Dark Winds creator Graham Roland and J.D. Dillard (The Twilight Zone) created the series for television. The series, a co-production between Skydance Television and Anonymous Content, will see Roland serve as showrunner with Dillard on board to direct the pilot.
Apple says Neuromancer revolves around a “damaged, top-rung super-hacker named Case who is thrust into a web of digital espionage and high stakes crime with his partner Molly, a razor-girl assassin with mirrored eyes, aiming to pull a heist on a corporate dynasty with untold secrets.”
“We’re incredibly...
- 2/28/2024
- by Lesley Goldberg and Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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