‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ Poster Puts Anya Taylor-Joy At The Center Of A Desert Nightmare

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December 12, 2023

A recently-released trailer finally gave us what we had been so desperately wanting for so long; the first footage from Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. George Miller’s prequel to the stone cold classic Mad Max: Fury Road has Anya Taylor-Joy in the role made famous by Charlize Theron, a younger version of Imperator Furiosa. And now we’re getting an even better look at Furiosa in the post-apocalyptic wasteland in a brand new poster.

The image features Furiosa, along with other characters populating the desert nightmare of Miller’s creation. While a prequel, some things remain the same, such as Furiosa’s prosthetic arm. Not to mention that deadly scowl of hers. We also see an unrecognizable Chris Hemsworth as Warlord Dementus. We also see the return of Nathan Jones as Rictus Erectus, brother to Warlord Immortan Joe, who was previously played by Hugh Keays-Byrne. It’s unclear who is playing the younger version of Joe, but we do know that Tom Burke has a major part to play and that could be it.

It’s amazing how Miller has revitalized the Mad Max franchise, but that’s what having an all-time classic will do for ya. While the buzz for Furiosa isn’t on the same level, the excitement is definitely there to see if Miller can top himself. He’s set an incredibly high bar.

Here’s the synopsis: Snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers, young Furiosa falls into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel, presided over by the Immortan Joe. As the two tyrants fight for dominance, Furiosa soon finds herself in a nonstop battle to make her way home.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga storms into theaters on May 24th 2024.

Zachary Levi Takes Swipe At Sean Gunn: “When You’re The Brother Of The Guy Who Runs DC… You Get To Play Who You Want”

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Travis Hopson

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December 11, 2023

It was a rough year for the DCEU, and one of the films that got hit the hardest was Shazam: Fury of the Gods. It leaves open a major question as James Gunn gears up to launch the new DCU. Is there a place for Zachary Levi to return as Shazam? Or could he possibly do like other actors and take on a new role?

Speaking with Comicbook.com about the new Chicken Run sequel, Levi was asked about returning as Shazam when Gunn reboots the DCU. And Levi is definitely into the idea and working with certain actors and the superheroes they’re playing…

“I would love to be able to do more iterations of it,” Levi said. “I would love to collaborate with Nathan Fillion’s Green Lantern.”

A Shazam/Green Lantern team-up would be very cool. And with those actors? Probably very funny.

But would Levi be open to joining the DCU as a new character? Well, Levi had a swipe to take at James Gunn about that possibility…

“When you’re the brother of the guy who runs DC, I guess you get to play who you want,” replied Levi.

Shots fired!! This is obviously a reference to last weekend’s news that James Gunn hired his brother, Sean Gunn, to play the DC villain Maxwell Lord. But this has also been a consistent criticism of Gunn that he keeps hiring the same actors repeatedly, and gives roles to those closest to him. In the case of Sean Gunn, he played Kraglin in three Guardians of the Galaxy movies. He’s one of the few actors carrying over from the DCEU, where he played Weasel in The Suicide Squad, and will reprise the role in Creature Commandos, while also playing G.I. Robot. But those are voice roles, so nobody is going to see Sean Gunn’s face. We also know that Viola Davis and John Cena will be crossing over, Gunn’s partner Jennifer Holland will return for another season of Peacemaker, and it’s expected that Jason Momoa will ditch the Aquaman role for Lobo at some point.

I’m pretty sure Levi made this comment in jest. Still, he’s feeding into criticism of Gunn that’s already out there. If he thought there was a shot of playing Shazam once more I doubt he would’ve said anything. It’s not exactly a burned bridge, and Gunn doesn’t seem like the type to hold grudges, but it couldn’t have helped.

‘The Surfer’ First Look: Nicolas Cage Takes On A Surfer Gang In New Psychological Thriller

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Travis Hopson

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December 11, 2023

Recently, Nicolas Cage has been vocal that he’s nearly through with acting, saying that he’s got “maybe three or four more” movies left in him. That’s depressing news for Cage’s many fans, especially as he’s been on something of a roll lately, taking on better roles in much better films, such as Dream Scenario in theaters now.

But that also makes the movies Cage has coming up even more special. Deadline has the first look at Cage in the psychological thriller, The Surfer, which just wrapped shooting in Western Australia.

Cage plays an Australian man who returns home after years in the U.S., only to run afoul of and be humiliated in front of his teenage son by a group of local surfers who claim ownership of his childhood beach. Defiant, he sticks around and demands acceptance, causing an escalation in tensions, the fracturing of his sanity, and the questioning of his identity.

Also in the cast are Julian McMahon, Nicholas Cassim, Miranda Tapsell, Alexander Bertrand, Justin Rosniak, Rahel Romahn, Finn Little, and Charlotte Maggi.

The film is directed by Lorgan Finnegan, working from a script by Thomas Martin. Finnegan last directed the 2019 psychological thriller Vivarium.

The Surfer is an Australian/Irish production so we could see it debut in those locations before arriving stateside. If time is truly running out on Cage’s career this one is going to be a must-see for a lot of people.

‘Naughty’: Olivia Wilde To Direct Holiday Comedy From ‘Cocaine Bear’ Writer And Producer Margot Robbie

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Travis Hopson

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December 11, 2023

Olivia Wilde to direct 'Naughty' holiday comedy

Olivia Wilde’s follow-up to Booksmart, the suburban thriller Don’t Worry Darling, didn’t pack quite the same punch. Probably didn’t help all of the behind-the-scenes drama, too. That said, Wilde has a ton of talent as a filmmaker and any project she’s attached to must be kept an eye on. Next up for her is something different; a Christmas comedy titled Naughty.

According to Deadline, Wilde is attached to direct Naughty, a film that’s being described as “Bridesmaids in the North Pole”. The holiday comedy has a script by Cocaine Bear writer Jimmy Warden, and “follows Mallory, whose only hope of securing custody of her son from her gaslighting trash-bag ex is to find Santa Claus and convince him to testify in her divorce hearing.”

Also aboard is LuckyChap, the production banner started by Margot Robbie. Following their success with Barbie, all eyes are going to be on them to see if it can be replicated on another female-led comedy.

It’s too early to know for sure, but Naughty is likely to arrive around the holidays. Casting is going to be key on this one, too, so keep a lookout for info on that.

‘Two For The Money’: Charlize Theron And Daniel Craig Team-Up For Heist Flick From ‘Fast Five’ Director Justin Lin

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Travis Hopson

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December 11, 2023

If you ever wondered what would happen if James Bond met Furiosa and they were directed by the guy behind Fast Five, well, you’ll get a chance to find out. Apple has a major bidding war for Two for the Money, a heist flick starring Daniel Craig and Charlize Theron, with Justin Lin behind the camera. Damn.

With that amount of talent, you can see why studios were all over this hot package. The film is being described as a heist thriller from writer Dan Mazeau, who joined with Lin to co-write Fast X. THR doesn’t have a ton of details on the plot, but they say it centers on the evolving relationship between two career thieves during three big heists.

Mazeau and Lin pitched the idea to Theron during Fast X‘s shoot, and she jumped aboard both as a star and producer. She apparently fell in love for the “Cary Grant-Rosalind Russell snappy rapport vibe” and even suggested Craig to play her opposite.

Is it possible that Apple is beginning to surpass Netflix in big-budget, high-profile projects. Netflix has been cutting projects left and right recently, while Apple has been quite aggressive with Killers of the Flower Moon, Napoleon, Argylle, and more.

Golden Globes 2023: ‘Barbie’ And ‘Oppenheimer’ Top All Film Nominees

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Travis Hopson

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December 11, 2023

The Golden Globes are back, and today the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has announced the nominees for the 2023 Golden Globe Awards. This year, the event will be televised on CBS for the first time since 1982, is voted on a new batch of members, and includes a new category: Cinematic And Box Office Achievement, a mainstream category designed to lure in casual viewers.

The results so far? Barbie, the highest-grossing movie of the year, leads the pack with with nine total nominations, including Best Motion Picture, Best Actress Musical/Comedy for Margot Robbie, Best Supporting Actor for Ryan Gosling, three nominees for Best Original Song, and the aforementioned Cinematic And Box Office Achievement.

It’s worth noting the Cinematic And Box Office Achievement category is where we get to see Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour movie square off against The Super Mario Bros. and Oppenheimer.

Speaking of which, Christopher Nolan’s film, the other half of the Barbenheimer phenomenon, was a close second with eight total nominations.

The full list of film and TV nominees is below! The 2023 Golden Globes will air on CBS on January 7th 2024.

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DC Film Critics Name ‘American Fiction’ Best Film Of 2023

By

Travis Hopson

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December 10, 2023

The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), of which many of us here at Punch Drunk Critics are members, has announced the winners of the 2023 WAFCA Awards! This year, DC’s film critics have chosen Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut AMERICAN FICTION as the Best Feature of the year! The literary satire also took an award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Winning six WAFCA awards including Best Director for Christopher Nolan and Best Actor for Cillian Murphy was OPPENHEIMER! The summer blockbuster about the man behind the atomic bomb also won for Best Original Score, Best Ensemble, Best Editing and Best Cinematography.

Taking the Best Actress award was Lily Gladstone for her performance in Martin Scorsese’s KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON.

For her role in Alexander Payne’s holiday dramedy THE HOLDOVERS, Da’Vine Joy Randolph won the WAFCA Award for Best Supporting Actress! She’s joined by MAY DECEMBER actor Charles Melton, who won for Best Supporting Actor.

The full list of winners is below. For more on WAFCA, check out the group’s official page here. Or follow them on X by going here.

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Box Office: Studio Ghibli Nabs a Winning Weekend with ‘The Boy and The Heron’

By

John Nolan

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December 10, 2023

The Boy and The Heron (review)- $10.4M

While this weekend will likely come down as one of the lightest of the year I don’t think that should take away from the cheers for beloved animation studio, Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki, as the cement a first place finish at the box office. For all the talk of cinema dying and studios only putting out big blockbusters and comic book movies this year has certainly proven that outside interests are starting to creep into the mainstream. Whether that’s Indian cinema, Japanese animation, or concert films, it really feels like a change is in the air.

2. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes– $9.4M/$135.6M

3. Godzilla Minus One – $8.3M/$25.3M

4. Trolls Band Together – $6.2M/$83M

Oh those lovable Trolls. I’m not even embarrassed by how much I enjoy these films. They are just pure harmless joy. It seems I’m not the only one, while it didn’t break the bank Trolls Band Together did win the distinction of having the lowest drop of any film on the top 10 at just a scoch over 20%

5. Wish – $5.3M/$49.4M

6. Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce – $5M/$28M

Whoa, looks like Beyonce’s celebration of winning the box office last weekend was short lived. Adding three theaters to its run but dropping a massive 77% of it’s box office take, the Queen B posted the biggest fall amongst all top 10 films this week.

7. Napoleon – $4.2M/$53M

8. Waitress: The Musical – $4.3M

In yet another example of outside the box properties ranking in the top 10, Waitress: The Musical, a Broadway hit play starring Sara Bareilles pulled in $4.3M, the second instance of a filmed play charting in the last 5 years (with Hamilton) being the last. Sure, two in five years doesn’t a trend make BUT, it is further proof that non-standard titles are making progress in theaters across the country.

9. Animal – $2.2M/$11.5M

10. The Shift – $2.1M/$8.5M

James Gunn Casts Sean Gunn To Play Maxwell Lord In The DCU

By

Travis Hopson

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December 9, 2023

It’s good to be James Gunn’s brother and an actor in Hollywood. He won’t let you sit around doing nothing for long. In the case of Sean Gunn, who played Kraglin in three Guardians of the Galaxy movies, he’s now found a home within Gunn’s new DCU, as one of the biggest villains in the DC Universe: Maxwell Lord.

According to Deadline, Sean Gunn will play the villainous Maxwell Lord in the DCU. It’s unclear if he’ll first appear in Superman: Legacy, the film that kicks off Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Studios. The report states Lord “will be referenced in the background of Legacy but will appear in future DC projects. A similar motif will occur for other characters in the new DC Universe.”

Pedro Pascal most recently played Maxwell Lord in Wonder Woman 1984. Don’t expect to see that version ever again, further cementing a move away from Gal Gadot’s Diana Prince.

Maxwell Lord has been many things in the DC Universe. He was introduced in Justice League #1 as a savvy businessman in support of the team, helping to create the Justice League International. Later, he would become a villain who was secretly gaining intel on superheroes, leading him to ultimately murder Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, before then being “killed” by Wonder Woman.

Casting Gunn in the role suggests to me that Maxwell Lord might be more of a comedic bad guy than one to take seriously. Or perhaps they’ll revert Lord back to being an ally of superheroes, rather than someone actively trying to destroy them?

‘The Bikeriders’: Jeff Nichols’ Biker Drama With Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, & Jodie Comer Set For Summer 2024

By

Travis Hopson

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December 9, 2023

Jeff Nichols’ The Bikeriders is set to hit the open road in 2024. Focus Features has announced the ’60s-set biker drama will open on June 21st 2024. The film was expected to be an awards season favorite and should’ve been in theaters right now, but that’s not the way things turned out.

The Bikeriders stars Tom Hardy, Austin Butler, and Jodie Comer, one Hell of a trio to center a promotional campaign around. However, after the world premiere at Telluride, Disney and 20th Century Studios struggled to figure out how to push what is essentially an indie film. Eventually, it was shopped around and found a new home at Focus Features, who know exactly what to do with this size of project.

Here is the official synopsis: Inspired by Danny Lyon’s iconic book of photography, “The Bikeriders” immerses you in the look, feel, and sounds of the bare-knuckled, grease-covered subculture of ’60s motorcycle riders. Kathy, a strong-willed member of the Vandals who’s married to a wild, reckless bikerider named Benny, recounts the Vandals’ evolution over the course of a decade, beginning as a local club of outsiders united by good times, rumbling bikes, and respect for their strong, steady leader Johnny. Over the years, Kathy tries her best to navigate her husband’s untamed nature and his allegiance to Johnny, with whom she feels she must compete for Benny’s attention. As life in the Vandals gets more dangerous, and the club threatens to become a more sinister gang, Kathy, Benny and Johnny are forced to make choices about their loyalty to the club and to each other.

Also in the cast are Nichols favorite Michael Shannon, Norman Reedus, Boyd Holbrook, and Mike Faist who plays Danny Lyon, author of the book that inspired the film.

This marks Nichols’ first feature since he delivered both Loving and Midnight Special in 2016.

A bit of irony? The June 21st date sets The Bikeriders against…A Quiet Place: Day One, a spinoff that Nichols was originally attached to before dropping out. That should make for some interesting business chatter behind the scenes.