Lionsgate has revealed a first look image on behalf of THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES, featuring Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird.
Directed by: Francis Lawrence Screenplay by: Michael Arndt and Michael Lesslie Based on the Novel by: Suzanne Collins Produced by: Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Francis Lawrence
This Film Is Not Yet Rated
Return to The Hunger Games, the landmark film franchise that has earned over $3 billion globally, with Lionsgate’s adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ #1 New York Times Bestseller The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Return to The Hunger Games, the landmark film franchise that has earned over $3 billion globally, with Lionsgate’s adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ #1 New York Times Bestseller The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), the girl tribute from impoverished District 12.
But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy Gray’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.
The reveal comes after the recent casting news of Viola Davis as Dr. Volumnia Gaul. Additional cast includes Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, and Jason Schwartzman.
Road House a Go at Prime Video Starring Jake Gyllenhaal in Doug Liman-Helmed Film Produced by Joel Silver
Billy Magnussen, Daniela Melchior, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Lukas Gage, and others also set to join the Gyllenhaal-led action pic
CULVER CITY, California— Prime Video announced today Academy Award-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal (The Guilty, Nightcrawler, Brokeback Mountain) is set to star in Road House, a reimagined take on the 1989 MGM movie, with Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Mr. & Mrs. Smith) directing from a script written by Anthony Bagarozzi (The Nice Guys) & Charles Mondry. Joel Silver (The Matrix, Die Hard) is producing for his company, Silver Pictures. JJ Hook, Alison Winter, and Aaron Auch will serve as executive producers.
The cast also includes Billy Magnussen (No Time to Die), Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad), Gbemisola Ikumelo (A League of Their Own), Lukas Gage (The White Lotus), Hannah Love Lanier (A Black Lady Sketch Show), Travis Van Winkle (You), B.K. Cannon (Why Women Kill), Arturo Castro (Broad City), Dominique Columbus (Ray Donovan), Beau Knapp (Seven Seconds), and Bob Menery.
Since the 1989 debut of the beloved original starring Patrick Swayze, the film and its lead character, Dalton, have cemented themselves globally in modern entertainment ethos. The new take follows a former UFC fighter (Gyllenhaal) who takes a job as a bouncer at a rough-and-tumble roadhouse in the Florida Keys, but soon discovers that not everything is what it seems in this tropical paradise.
“Road House is a homerun for us. Not only is it a nod to fans of the original, but it is also a big, fun, broad audience movie,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Joel, Doug, and this great cast led by Jake Gyllenhaal, and for them to come together to reimagine the classic MGM film as an action-packed adventure for our global audience.”
“I’m thrilled to put my own spin on the beloved Road House legacy. And I can’t wait to show audiences what Jake and I are going to do with this iconic role,” said director Doug Liman.
“The original Road House has a special place in my heart and I am so excited to bring this newly imagined version to audiences around the world. Doug and I have each made some big, boisterous action movies and are ready to bring everything we have to this one,” said producer Joel Silver.
The Amazon Original Movie is set to go into production in the Dominican Republic this month and will stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide at release.
An Academy Award and Tony Award-nominated actor, Gyllenhaal can next be seen in Guy Ritchie’s upcoming film The Interpreter. Gyllenhaal’s work as a producer is equally noteworthy and his production company Nine Stories has established itself as a force, most recently producing Antoine Fuqua’s The Guilty also starring Gyllenhaal, which was Netflix’s #1 film for over three weeks.
Liman is a film and television director and producer, best known for directing beloved and critically acclaimed films such as Swingers, The Bourne Identity, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, American Made, and Live Die Repeat (Edge Of Tomorrow). His television credits include Suits, The O.C., Covert Affairs, and the upcoming Netflix series The Recruit. He also serves on the board of the Legal Action Center and the Arthur Liman Center for Public Interest Law at Yale Law School.
Silver is returning to the beloved classic after serving as the producer on the original 1989 film. Silver has also produced or executive produced over 100 films and television shows including The Book of Eli, The Nice Guys, the Sherlock Holmes films, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, the Lethal Weapon films, the first three Matrix films, Swordfish, Demolition Man, Predator andPredator 2, Die Hard and Die Hard 2, Speed Racer, V for Vendetta, House of Wax, RocknRolla, Project X, Brewster’s Millions and 48 Hrs. He also executive produced the original Veronica Mars series.
This documentary tells the story of a young Korean immigrant who is plucked off the lawless streets of Chinatown by a justice system that shows no justice. It’s a David and Goliath tale but this time, David has no sling until the battle is over. As well as shining a painful spotlight on the plight of child immigrants, it also highlights the searing inequities of life in America in general. It’s definitely not pretty.
Chol Soo is born in the crossfire of the Korean war to a single mother. When she marries an American, she abandons both her land and her child. 12 years later, and newly divorced, she swoops back in and takes Chol Soo to live in a country he’s never even heard of. He’s isolated both in school and in his neighborhood. His mother beats him daily, simply because she can. Chol Soo often runs away and, as time goes by, he stops going back home at all, and drifts onto the streets that are ruled by violent gangs.
By association and a minor rap sheet, he comes to the attention of the local police. And when they need a fall guy for a major crime, he’s their victim of choice. Despite evidence to the contrary, 20 year-old Chol Soo is convicted of murder and handed a life sentence. He undoubtedly would have stayed there had it not been for the fortitude of an intrepid investigate journalist.
K.W. Lee was a Korean reporter when he came across Chol Soo’s case. He realized a grave injustice had been done, and in an attempt to highlight the young man’s plight, Lee turned to the Korean community for support. And support him they did. Not only did they fight for justice, but they inspired a whole generation of Pan Asian American activists. They even wrote a song, ‘The Ballad of Chol Soo Lee’ that filled the airwaves for months. The charismatic young Korean became the symbol of their cause.
With so much publicity, Chol Soo’s murder conviction was eventually revisited. It could be assumed that the result of this retrial is where the story ends but, in fact, this is not the case.
Chol Soo’s saviors had done such a great job of alerting Chicago to his plight, by the time he returned to court, he had reached the status of an icon. That’s a high bar for anyone to balance on, but if you’re a street urchin who’s only known hardship, it’s difficult to know where to start. In other words, when Chol Soo finally got handed a sling, he had absolutely no idea what to do with it.
Anthony Gaudette is an all-around artist whether performing for the camera, directing or painting houses. For several years he has worked on projects which require him to paint walls, ceilings, doors, windows, cabinets, deck and fences. I had the pleasure to interview Anthony about his artistic endeavors.
Fred: Where were you born? What activities did you enjoy growing up?
Anthony: I was born in Methuen, MA but I was only there for my first two years of existence and later grew up in Derry New Hampshire.
In school, I liked to play sports and do outdoor activities. I was really into basketball, snowboarding and biking.
When did you become involved with performing?
I got involved during my final year of college while pursuing my bachelor’s in business communications. Halfway through my last year I decided to take some film/video production classes and acting lessons for fun. I was always interested in how movies were made and wanted to get involved in that process firsthand. James Dean was an early inspiration of mine, and I admired his story of how he became an actor. He built himself up from nothing with little support from his direct family. Dean was an early influence in the method style of acting sending shockwaves through the youth culture in the 50s. He was ahead of his time and then died tragically young.
Was your family supportive of you wanting to become a professional actor?
Yes, I had a lot of support from my family. They’re behind me in everything I do which means everything.
What was your first performing experience like?
My first performing opportunity was acting on a production which we were making in film class. It was a horror short and a lot of fun. The film involved friends going to a cabin for the weekend. A little cliche. The experience was really cool because I got to direct a couple of scenes and witness the editing process. We screened the final product and when it was all said and done, I was hooked!
You have appeared in several short films. Any particular favorites?
A couple of my favorites I’ve done are “The Second Life” and “Love Without Loss”. “The Second Life” is a story about reincarnation, and I play a character who lives a full life and dies. I become reborn with all the knowledge and experience from the moment of birth that he had at the end of his first life. The film shows the journey of the character during his second life through childhood towards young adulthood. The character I portray becomes terribly withdrawn because of his previous experiences. Instead of choosing to learn and grow in this new life, from the pain experienced in his former life, he becomes incredibly reclusive and withdrawn. Eventually he crosses eyes with one woman who changes everything for him. It was a period piece set in the late 1800’s and actually based on a real story by Machado de Assis. The film can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icw2sTXkRtE . “Love Without Loss” is about a guy who writes and pitches this great story to a bunch of producers. He’s an unknown writer/director but is given a budget and green light to direct the film while given full creative control. He casts his girlfriend and best friend in pivotal roles but becomes obsessed with the project. His actions lead to the point he becomes verbally abusive toward the girlfriend. He feels she is not getting from her what the film needs. While the production is commencing, he’s hurting his relationship more and more until it reaches a breaking point. Although he creates the film so desired his relationship and friendships in the process are destroyed. The film is very bittersweet.
Any favorite genre you perform enjoying in?
I really like anything and performed in all sorts of genres. I do like a good dramatic role. It forces me to do a lot of homework on a character’s backstory/motivations and this process is always interesting.
Your films have been shown in festivals. What were some of the festivals where your movies have been screened? Were you in attendance?
I had a film at the New Hampshire film festival in Portsmouth. For the Shawna Shea film festival, I was nominated for best actor in a feature. I wasn’t able to make the New Hampshire film festival screening but did make the one in Shawna Shea.
When you were offered the lead role of a gay superhero in the feature film comedy, “DynaStud” did you have to think about playing a role which may have in sighted controversy, positive or negative?
I was offered the role of “Dynastud” back in 2018 and felt totally comfortable taking on this role. I had worked with this director a few times in the past and he’s really a great guy. If there was anything I was ever uncomfortable with or unsure about, I could always come to him about it. With that said, the role was very unique and a lot of fun. The film is very campy and has a cheeky style of humor. It’s different from the normal role for sure but in many ways that drew me to it. Also, the crew/cast involved are really some of the best and most hard-working people in the New England indie film scene. Working with them always seems like a no brainer decision for me. Check out the hilarious trailer at Code Name: Dyna Stud – Watch Gay Romance Movies Online – GayBingeTV Trailer – YouTube
Where has the film been screened and what was the audience reaction?
“Dynastud” has played at the Rockbar in New York City. It also screened at the Route One Cinema Pub in Attleboro Massachusetts. The film was also shown at the Shawna Shea film festival in Sturbridge Massachusetts. There have been several other screenings. The audience reaction has generally been a combination of utter shock and gut-wrenching laughter.
When you’re performing in a role where the state of undress is required in several scenes do you get paid more money?
Yeah I’ve been in both cases where it does and doesn’t. Particularly with this film, I wasn’t going to taking on extra pay for shirtless or anything like that Like I mentioned before, these are people I’ve worked with. We have a great relationship. I’m comfortable with them and more than happy to be involved in whatever project they have going on no matter the circumstances.
You’re also well- skilled behind the scenes as a director.
I’ve directed a couple films thus far and it’s something I’m interested in doing more of. Early in my acting career I directed a feature “Clown Shank”. It was a learning experience project for me both in acting and directing. It’s a whacky film about a man who loses everything and becomes a clown. Eventually he also becomes a killer. The plot is a bit contrived and can be tough to follow at times. I’m still proud of it. It was the first thing I did and had a lot of fun. Since then, I directed a short film a few years ago just before COVID. It was a film which had won the script to screen contest at the Sanford film festival “Staring Down a Barrel”. The film revolves around three buddies who come across this duffel bag of cash which had been stolen by another group of dangerous individuals. They end up tracking the friends down and don’t expect to leave any witnesses.
In addition to performing and directing you’re a professional painter.
I own a house painting business which I’ve been doing for about seven years. I originally took up painting to earn some extra money. My stepdad had been flipping/renting out properties around my area which always needed work done. I took it upon myself to help with the painting and just naturally grew a good skill set. I paint mostly interior—walls, ceiling, trim work. I’ve also done exterior house painting and deck staining. I enjoy it a lot—while hard work—it provides me a lot of flexibility to pursue acting. As the owner, I make my schedule and can dip out of a job to go do a last second audition if I need to. It works out nicely for me to support myself and still be able to have the time to do acting work!
What future acting projects do you have coming up?
Presently I’ve been shooting commercials. One was for MaidPro and the other Hannifords grocery store. I do have one film role lined up at the moment. It’s a coming-of-age story involving a group of young adults at a summer camp. I’m playing the role of the bombastic and insecure jerk camp counselor. It’s sure to be a lot of fun!
Thank you for the interview, Anthony and best of luck in your artistic projects on and off camera.
After 45 years, the most acclaimed, revered horror franchise in film history reaches its epic, terrifying conclusion as Laurie Strode faces off for the last time against the embodiment of evil, Michael Myers, in a final confrontation unlike any captured on-screen before. Only one of them will survive.
Four years after the events of last year’s Halloween Kills, Laurie is living with her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and is finishing writing her memoir. Michael Myers hasn’t been seen since. Laurie, after allowing the specter of Michael to determine and drive her reality for decades, has decided to liberate herself from fear and rage and embrace life. But when a young man, Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell; The Hardy Boys, Virgin River), is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, it ignites a cascade of violence and terror that will force Laurie to finally confront the evil she can’t control, once and for all.
Halloween Ends co-stars returning cast Will Patton as Officer Frank Hawkins, Kyle Richards as Lindsey Wallace and James Jude Courtney as The Shape.
From the creative team that relaunched the franchise with 2018’s Halloween and Halloween Kills, the film is directed by David Gordon Green from a screenplay by Paul Brad Logan (Manglehorn), Chris Bernier (The Driverseries), Danny McBride and David Gordon Green, based on characters created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill. Halloween Ends is produced by Malek Akkad, Jason Blum and Bill Block. The executive producers are John Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis, Danny McBride, David Gordon Green, Ryan Freimann, Ryan Turek, Andrew Golov, Thom Zadra and Christopher H. Warner.
Universal Pictures, Miramax and Blumhouse present a Malek Akkad production, in association with Rough House Pictures.
Genre: Horror
Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney, Will Patton, Rohan Campbell, Kyle Richards
Directed by: David Gordon Green
Written By: Paul Brad Logan, Chris Bernier, Danny McBride, David Gordon Green, based on characters created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill
Producers: Malek Akkad, Jason Blum, Bill Block
Executive Producers: John Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis, Danny McBride, David Gordon Green, Ryan Freimann, Ryan Turek, Andrew Golov, Thom Zadra, Christopher H. Warner
This fall, everyone’s favorite leche-loving, swashbuckling, fear-defying feline returns.
For the first time in more than a decade, DreamWorks Animation presents a new adventure in the Shrek universe as daring outlaw Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for peril and disregard for safety have taken their toll. Puss has burned through eight of his nine lives, though he lost count along the way. Getting those lives back will send Puss in Boots on his grandest quest yet.
Academy Award® nominee Antonio Banderas returns as the voice of the notorious PiB as he embarks on an epic journey into the Black Forest to find the mythical Wishing Star and restore his lost lives. But with only one life left, Puss will have to humble himself and ask for help from his former partner and nemesis: the captivating Kitty Soft Paws (Oscar® nominee Salma Hayek).
In their quest, Puss and Kitty will be aided—against their better judgment—by a ratty, chatty, relentlessly cheerful mutt, Perro (Harvey Guillén, What We Do in the Shadows). Together, our trio of heroes will have to stay one step ahead of Goldilocks (Oscar® nominee Florence Pugh, Black Widow) and the Three Bears Crime Family, “Big” Jack Horner (Emmy winner John Mulaney, Big Mouth) and terrifying bounty hunter, The Big Bad Wolf (Wagner Moura, Narcos).
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish features an all-star comedic cast that includes Oscar® winner Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone (Black Widow), Samson Kayo (Sliced), Emmy nominee Anthony Mendez (Jane the Virgin) and Tony nominee Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Trolls World Tour).
The long-awaited follow-up to the 2011 Academy Award®-nominated blockbuster, The Last Wish is directed by Joel Crawford and produced by Mark Swift, the creative team behind DreamWorks Animation’s smash, The Croods: A New Age. The film’s executive producer is Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri.
The character of Puss in Boots first appeared in 2004’s Oscar®-nominated Shrek 2 and instantly became a global, scene-stealing sensation. Puss then co-starred in two other Shrek sequels and his solo film, as well as in multiple DreamWorks Animation videos and TV series. The Shrek and Puss in Boots films have collectively earned more than $3.5 billion worldwide.
Genre: Animated Comedy Adventure Cast: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Olivia Colman, Harvey Guillén, Samson Kayo, Wagner Moura, Anthony Mendez, John Mulaney, Florence Pugh, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Ray Winstone Director: Joel Crawford Producer: Mark Swift Executive Producer: Chris Meledandri
This fall, Universal Pictures proudly presents the first romantic comedy from a major studio about two gay men maybe, possibly, probably, stumbling towards love. Maybe. They’re both very busy.
From the ferocious comic mind of Billy Eichner (Billy on the Street, 2019’s The Lion King, Difficult People, Impeachment: American Crime Story) and the hitmaking brilliance of filmmakers Nicholas Stoller (the Neighbors films, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Judd Apatow (The King of Staten Island, Trainwreck, The Big Sick), comes Bros, a smart, swoony and heartfelt comedy about finding sex, love and romance amidst the madness. Starring Billy Eichner, the first openly gay man to co-write and star in hi
s own major studio film, Bros is directed by Nicholas Stoller from his screenplay with Eichner. The film is produced by Judd Apatow, Stoller and Joshua Church (co-producer Trainwreck, Step Brothers). The film is executive produced by Eichner.
Genre: Romantic Comedy Cast: Billy Eichner Directed by: Nicholas Stoller Written by: Nicholas Stoller and Billy Eichner Producers: Judd Apatow, Nicholas Stoller, Joshua Church Executive Producer: Billy Eichner
)Posted by Entertainment Magazine/Universal Pictures)
HALLELUJAH: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song is a definitive exploration of singersongwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, “Hallelujah.”
This feature-length documentary weaves together three creative strands: The songwriter and his times; the song’s dramatic journey from record label reject to chart-topping hit; and moving testimonies from major recording artists for whom “Hallelujah” has become a personal touchstone.
Approved for production by Leonard Cohen just before his 80th birthday in 2014, the film accesses a wealth of never-before-seen archival materials from the Cohen Trust including Cohen’s personal notebooks, journals and photographs, performance footage, and extremely rare audio recordings and interviews.
DIRECTED BY: Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine
SELECTIONS: Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, and more
INSPIRED BY THE BOOK:The Holy of the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley & the Unlikely Ascent of Hallelujah
FEATURING: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, John Cale, Brandi Carlile, Eric Church, Judy Collins, Bob Dylan, Glen Hansard, Sharon Robinson, Rufus Wainwright and many others
Charlize Theron Debuts New Look as She Talks Daughters, ‘Doctor Strange,’ and More
It was a big weekend for Charlize Theron as she held her 15th annual Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project block party. “Extra’s” Terri Seymour caught up with Charlize, fresh off a plane from Rome with a new ‘do and jet black hair.
Theron joked, “I’m so happy to be here, but I’m going to be great after a cup of coffee.”
Charlize has been in Italy getting ready to film “The Old Guard 2,” the sequel to the hit Netflix action thriller.
Terri asked, “How is the body doing? Are you taking a beating? How is the back?”
Charlize answered, “There’s a reason I’m in a longsleeve shirt… We have a great team, and it’s really exciting to try and do something that is better than the last… We are a few days away from trying to actually shoot… We’ve all been waiting for this moment and COVID really pushed us back.”
The upcoming movie also stars “Kill Bill’s” Uma Thurman. Theron said, “I think I’ve seen all the ‘Kill Bills’ a hundred times… I was, like, fanning out. I had to keep my sh*t together. Uma Thurman has no idea what a fan girl I am.”
Charlize also made a surprise superhero cameo in the “Doctor Strange” sequel with Benedict Cumberbatch.
She told Terri, “It is something that happened kind of fast. Before I knew it, I was in a superhero outfit on the set. I couldn’t believe it… I really like the Doctor Strange universe, I am really excited about the possibilities about where we can take it.”
She revealed her kids Jackson, 10, and August, 7, were in on the secret.
“I was like, ‘You can’t tell any of your friends.’ It was so top secret and they did really well. They managed to keep it a secret.”
Her daughters did not attend the event, though. She explained, “It was heartbreaking tonight because they are at a dance recital and I’m missing…” Seymour interjected, “Can I just say Charlize is a hardcore dance mom,” and Theron went on, “I’m gonna cry. It was so brutal. My little one was like, “It’s okay, Mom, it’s okay. So my mom is there taking videos.”
Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project works to launch HIV/AIDS prevention programs.
The children know how important their mom’s charity work is. Charlize said, “We go to South Africa… They kind of know what the work is… They love the experience… being in the environment where they are not the minority and they get to talk to other girls like them… I think it will be something that will stay with them for the rest of their lives… It will somehow impact them as human beings because I have moments where I’m really proud of them when I feel like they say something so small but it makes me realize that they’re seeing outside their bubble… I just want them to know the world is much bigger than all of what we have here.”
Terri asked, “What are you hoping to do in the next 15 years?” Charlize said, “I think, ultimately, the dream is to not have to do this work. I don’t know how realistic that is but that’s the thing we aim for is to get enough of the advocacy out there… To really kind of support anything they need to be as good as they can be.”
Oscar® winner Jordan Peele disrupted and redefined modern horror with Get Out and then Us. Now, he reimagines the summer movie with a new pop nightmare: the expansive horror epic, Nope.
The film reunites Peele with Oscar® winner Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah), who is joined by Keke Palmer (Hustlers, Alice) and Oscar® nominee Steven Yeun (Minari, Okja) as residents in a lonely gulch of inland California who bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery.
Nope, which co-stars Michael Wincott (Hitchcock, Westworld) and Brandon Perea (The OA, American Insurrection), is written and directed by Jordan Peele and is produced by Ian Cooper (Us, Candyman) and Jordan Peele for Monkeypaw Productions. The film will be released by Universal Pictures worldwide.
Genre: Horror Epic Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott, Brandon Perea Written and Directed by: Jordan Peele Producers: Ian Cooper, Jordan Peele
