‘American Dreamer’ Trailer: Peter Dinklage And Shirley MacLaine Are Unlikely Roomies In New Dark Comedy

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February 12, 2024

It takes a lot of adulting to be able to afford owning your own home. And just to be real, it’s not always within the realm of possibility. Sometimes it just takes a bit of luck for the financials to all work out. In American Dreamer, Peter Dinklage plays a man whose goal of home ownership can come true easier than he ever thought…but it comes with a very weird catch.

In American Dreamer, Dinklage’s character is based on the true story of Phil Loder, as heard in an episode of This American Life. Loder answers an ad for a mansion at the cost of only $240K, an offer too good to be true. So what’s the catch? Loder would have to live with the elderly woman who currently owns it. Hilarity ensues.

The film also stars Shirley MacLaine, Kim Quinn, Matt Dillon, Danny Glover, Daniel Pudi, and Michelle Mylett..

Paul Dektor makes his directorial debut, working from a script by Hidden Figures and The Starling filmmaker, Theodore Melfi.

Here’s the synopsis: American Dreamer, based on a true story from Chicago Public Radio’s The American Life, is the story of Phil Loder (Dinklage), a twice divorced, frustrated, underpaid professor of economics, whose grand dream of home ownership is tragically out of reach. When an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes his way, Phil strikes a deal with Astrid Finnelli (MacLaine), a lonely, childless, near-death widow who offers her sprawling estate for pennies. But Phil quickly learns the deal is too good to be true and the American dream is not quite what it used to be. The film also stars Matt Dillon, Danny Glover, Daniel Pudi, and Michelle Mylett.

American Dreamer opens in select theaters and VOD on March 8th.

‘Featherwood’: Scarlett Johansson To Star In Andrea Arnold’s FBI Informant True-Crime Drama

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Travis Hopson

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February 12, 2024

Scarlett Johansson to star in FEATHERWOOD from Andrea Arnold

Hard to believe it’s been eight years since Andrea Arnold gave us American Honey, her most recent narrative feature. A couple of years ago she directed the documentary, Cow, and faced a bunch of production problems while shooting HBO’s Big Little Lies season two. She will perhaps always be known for her early films, Fish Tank and Wuthering Heights, which makes any new project one to keep on the radar. And now we know what that’ll be, and considering it’ll star Scarlett Johansson, the eyes will definitely be on it.

Deadline reports Arnold will direct Johansson in Featherwood, a true-crime film based on the story of Carol Blevins. Penned by Ned Benson, who wrote Black Widow for Johansson previously, the film centers on Blevins, a heroin addict and “Aryan Princess featherwood” who worked undercover as an FBI informant, feeding them information on the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, a bunch of neo-Nazis.

Johansson has kept a low profile in the last couple of years, appearing in Kristin Scott Thomas’ film North Star, and in Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City. Coming up for her is the massive potential blockbuster, Project Artemis, opposite Channing Tatum.

Featherwood is currently being shopped around, but expect a studio to make a big play for it soon.

‘Scoop’ Teaser: Gillian Anderson And Rufus Sewell Star In Netflix Film About Prince Andrew’s Infamous BBC Interview

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Travis Hopson

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February 12, 2024

Gillian Anderson and Rufus Sewell in SCOOP — SCOOP

Want to see how a Royal gets taken down? Watch Prince Andrew’s crazy 2019 interview with Newsnight that hammered him for his connection to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Or you can watch Scoop, a dramatic retelling of the events leading up to that infamous interview, and adapted from the memoir by Newsnight editor Sam McAlister, Scoops: Behind The Scenes of the BBC’s Most Shocking Interview.

The film centers on the insane sequence of events leading up to the BBC interview with the Duke of York, also the Queen’s son. Billie Piper stars as McAlister, with Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew, and Gillian Anderson as interviewer Emily Maitlis.

You don’t see much of the interview in this short teaser, but it leads right up to the moment when Maitlis says “Your Royal Highness…” to start the conversation. And what a conversation it was. Andrew came across like an arrogant blowhard who thought that his bluster would shield him. He’s a powerful guy and acting tough had probably worked for him his entire life. But in this interview he just looked incredibly guilty.

The film is directed by Philip Martin, known for episodes of The Crown and the 2014 film The Forger. Peter Moffat (Hawking, Your Honor) adapted McAlister’s book for the screen.

Also in the cast are Keeley Hawes, Romola Garai, Connor Swindellis, and Charity Wakefield as Princess Beatrice.

Here’s the synopsis: Inspired by real events, SCOOP is the inside account of the tenacious journalism that landed an earth shattering interview – Prince Andrew’s (played by Rufus Sewell) infamous BBC Newsnight appearance. From the tension of producer Sam McAlister’s (played by Billie Piper) high stakes negotiations with Buckingham Palace, all the way to Emily Maitlis’ (played by Gillian Anderson) jaw dropping, forensic showdown with the Prince, SCOOP takes us inside the story, with the women who would stop at nothing to get it.

To get an interview this big, you have to be bold.

Scoop hits Netflix on April 5th.

Box Office: ‘Lisa Frankenstein’ Is DOA In Horrendous Super Bowl Weekend, ‘Argylle’ Remains On Top

By

Travis Hopson

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February 12, 2024

Argylle-$6.5M

How bad was the Super Bowl box office weekend? It was so crappy that Matthew Vaughn’s panned spy comedy Argylle won with just $6.5M and a 63% tumble from last week. Don’t get it twisted; Super Bowl weekend has historically been alright for business, but that’s not been the case recently and certainly not in 2024.

2. Lisa Frankenstein (review)- $3.8M

Well, this attempt at counterprogramming was a bust. Focus Features targeted young women with the Diablo Cody-penned horror comedy, Lisa Frankenstein, but this one earned just $3.8M in over 3000 theaters. Not a good look, even though nobody expected it to be huge or anything. I still believe this will fare better as a cult favorite years from now.

3. The Beekeeper– $3.4M/$54.7M

Anecdotal stuff here, but I went to see The Beekeeper again Saturday night with a friend, and our theater was maybe about half full. People are still loving this kick-ass Jason Statham flick, and I don’t blame them.

4. The Chosen S4: Episodes 1-3– $3.15M/$12.5M

5. Wonka– $3.12/$205.2M

6. Migration– $3M/$110.1M

7. Anyone But You– $2.7M/$80.1M

8. Mean Girls– $1.9M/$69.1M

9. American Fiction– $1.3M/$17.3M

10. Poor Things– $1.1M/$30.2M

‘The Fall Guy’ Big Game Spot: Ryan Gosling & Emily Blunt Star In The Film That Has “Everything”

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Travis Hopson

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February 11, 2024

Universal spent the big bucks to make sure they were all over the Super Bowl with new trailers (Twisters, Despicable Me 4, and Wicked already), and now you can add one more. The Fall Guy is based on the 1980s TV series that starred Lee Majors as a stuntman/bounty hunter, so it’s only fitting that it’s directed by ex-stuntman-turned-filmmaker David Leitch. This new version is led by Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, who look like they’re having a blast.

And why wouldn’t they? Leitch makes fun action flicks with a ton of humor, such as Bullet Train, Deadpool 2, and Hobbs & Shaw. In The Fall Guy, Gosling plays stuntman Colt Seavers, who is tasked with finding a missing Hollywood star and gets swept up in a conspiracy, all while trying to work on a film directed by his ex, played by Blunt.

Also in the cast are Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Winston Duke, Hannah Waddingham, Stephanie Hsu. The script was penned by Drew Pearce, known mainly for Iron Man 3.

Here’s the synopsis: Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling (Barbie, La La Land, Drive) stars as Colt Seavers, a battle-scarred stuntman who, having left the business a year earlier to focus on both his physical and mental health, is drafted back into service when the star of a mega-budget studio movie—being directed by his ex, Jody Moreno, played by Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer, A Quiet Place films, Sicario)—goes missing. While the film’s ruthless producer (Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham; Ted Lasso), maneuvers to keep the disappearance of star Tom Ryder (Golden Globe winner Aaron Taylor-Johnson; Bullet Train) a secret from the studio and the media, Colt performs the film’s most outrageous stunts while trying (with limited success) to charm his way back into Jody’s good graces. But as the mystery around the missing star deepens, Colt will find himself ensnared in a sinister, criminal plot that will push him to the edge of a fall more dangerous than any stunt.

The Fall Guy opens on May 3rd.

‘Twisters’ Trailer: Glen Powell And Daisy Edgar-Jones Chase Storms In Belated Blockbuster Sequel

By

Travis Hopson

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February 11, 2024

Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos, and Glen Powell in TWISTERS

This year is going to be the true test of Glen Powell’s star power. Following last year’s role in Top Gun: Maverick, and the surprising success of rom-com Anyone But You, Powell will be everywhere in two films where he is absolutely front and center. One is the tremendously funny Richard Linklater comedy, Hit Man (reviewed here), and the other is Twisters, a blockbuster sequel 27 years in the making.

The original movie was directed Jan de Bont and it was always a lot of fun. The storm chaser roles played by Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt have become fan favorites for a reason. But for various reasons a sequel never happened until now, with multiple filmmakers taking a pass then leaving. Better late than never, right?

Powell stars alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones, who had a big year with Fresh and Where the Crawdads Sing. They’re joined by a huge ensemble of Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Daryl McCormack, Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane, Kiernan Shipka, David Corenswet, and Tunde Adebimpe.

Twisters is directed by Lee Isaac Chung, who broke out with the immigrant drama Minari, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Director. He went on to helm episodes of The Mandalorian, as well.

Mark L. Smith (The Revenant) wrote the script, and best we can tell it’ll again center on storm chasers getting their adrenaline fix by risking their lives during a severe tornado outbreak.

Universal releases Twisters in theaters on July 19th.

‘Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Trailer: The Apes Still Rule As New Trilogy Launches In May

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Travis Hopson

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February 11, 2024

20th Century Studios has released a new trailer for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. This is the fourth movie in the most recent series that began with 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Matt Reeves’ War for the Planet of the Apes in 2017 marked the end of a trilogy, and it’s Wes Ball who has taken over the directing reins to continue the story in a new trilogy.

Ball directed The Maze Runner trilogy to surprisingly consistent success, which is what won him the job tackling Planet of the Apes. Gone are the big names of previous films, which makes sense considering its the VFX and motion-capture performances that matter most.

Owen Teague takes the lead mo-cap role as Noa, a young chimp born nearly 300 years after events from the previous movie. The Witcher‘s Freya Allen, Kevin Durand, William H. Macy, and Peter Macon are also in the cast.

Here’s the synopsis: Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously, and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes hits theaters on May 24th.

‘Wicked: Part One’ Trailer: Cynthia Erivo And Ariana Grande Finally Get Witchy This November

By

Travis Hopson

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February 11, 2024

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in WICKED

The Wizard of Oz is maybe the most beloved movie of all-time. That’s nice and all, but how can it be franchised? There have been many different spins on the original story by author L. Frank Baum. Remember Oz, the Great and Powerful? Yeah, me neither. Well, the most popular to emerge has been Wicked, the Broadway stage musical from Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz, an adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s 1995 book.

A feature film of Wicked has been in the works for ages, but the pieces didn’t come together until Universal hired Jon M. Chu to direct. He’s got a knack for big-screen musicals, having directed In the Heights, and other blockbuster films including Crazy Rich Asians and Now You See Me 2…and GI Joe: Retaliation.

Leading the cast are Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Throp, with the story centering on her journey to become the Wicked Witch of the West. Ariana Grande plays Glina Upland aka Glinda the Good.

Also in the cast are Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater, and Marissa Bode.

Here’s the synopsis: Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart. The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

It’s been a long road, and this is a big story, which is why it’s been split into two movies. Wicked: Part One opens in theaters on November 27th. Wicked: Part Two arrives on November 26th 2025.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Teaser: Ryan Reynolds And Hugh Jackman Slice Their Way Into The MCU

By

Travis Hopson

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February 11, 2024

The biggest event of the year is the perfect time to tease the most anticipated movie of the year. Marvel has dropped the first Deadpool 3 trailer, which now has the official title of Deadpool & Wolverine. It marks the ninth time that Hugh Jackman has suited up as Logan, the X-Men’s most feral mutant, and his first time teaming up with Ryan Reynolds, who obviously returns as Deadpool and has been campaigning for this movie to happen.

Directed by Shawn Levy, who knows Reynolds and Jackman very well at this point, the film appears to be a road trip movie of sorts. Both Deadpool and Wolverine were part of the Fox cinematic universe along with the X-Men, but this movie will bring them both into the MCU so they can hang out with Avengers and stuff.

The fun of this premise is similar to what Marvel and Sony did with Spider-Man: No Way Home. You can expect to see cameos from other characters from Fox/Marvel films in the past, with the rumor being that we’ll at least see Jennifer Garner as Elektra. But you have to assume that Patrick Stewart or James McAvoy will return as Charles Xavier, right?

Emma Corrin and Succession‘s Matthew Macfadyen are new additions to the cast. They join returning stars Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, Karan Soni as Dopinder, Stefan Kapičić as the voice of Colossus, Shioli Kutsuna as Yukio, and Rob Delaney as Peter. Some of the other ill-fated X-Force crew shows up, too, as you’ll see in the footage.

You’ll also see a fairly obvious connection to the Loki series.

Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters on July 26th, and is the ONLY Marvel movie this year.

‘Despicable Me 4’ Big Game Spot Has The Minions Goofing Around With AI

By

Travis Hopson

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February 11, 2024

Prior to the Super Bowl, Illumination has dropped the new Big Game teaser spot for Despicable Me 4. Good, get all of these damn things out of the way now so there are fewer during the game itself! Anyway, the footage barely looks like it’s for the upcoming sequel. Instead, it’s more like a skit involving the beloved Minions and the rise of Artificial Intelligence.

The teaser shows the Minions goofing around with AI, using it to create silly photos that they share with another. Zooming out, we see what looks like thousands of Minions doing the very same thing, with the voice of Jon Hamm telling us the “future is in good hands.”

Here is the synopsis: Following the 2022 summer blockbuster phenomenon of Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru, which earned almost $1 billion worldwide, the biggest global animated franchise in history now begins a new chapter as Gru (Oscar® nominee Steve Carrell) and Lucy (Oscar® nominee Kristen Wiig) and their girls —Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Madison Polan)—welcome a new member to the Gru family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal (Emmy winner Will Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Emmy nominee Sofia Vergara), and the family is forced to go on the run.

Also voicing characters in the film are Joey King, Stephen Colbert, and Chloe Fineman, with Pierre Coffin back voicing the Minions, and Steve Coogan as Silas Ramsbottom.

Minions co-creator Chris Renaud co-directs alongside Patrick Delage, from a script co-written by Ken Daurio and Mike White, creator of The White Lotus and writer of Migration.

Despicable Me 4 hits theaters on July 3rd.