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When You Don’t Know Whether to Laugh or Cry: 11 of the Best Sitcom Finales Ever

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There’s nothing more bittersweet than the farewell episode of our favorite TV program, and comedies in particular have a knack of making that bitterness extra sweet.

The latest to go to the Great Big TV Graveyard in the Sky is Episodes, which bows out with a final fifth season starting on Showtime this Sunday (August 20). It’s got a tall order on its hands: thanks to some of the shows listed below, sitcom fans expect a finale episode to wrap up loose ends, resolve all plotlines, pay sentimental homage to all the characters, and still make us laugh.

Here’s some of the ones that did it best.

1. M*A*S*H (1983)

The Korean War series famously lasted eight years longer than the war itself, so when it went out, it went out with a bang. At 135 minutes, “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen” set the bar for sitcom finales, dealing with the genuine psychological horrors of war with grace, wit, and emotion.

2. Seinfeld (1998)

This comedy sign-off has become so synonymous with Disappointing Finales, Jerry Seinfeld himself referenced it during a mini Seinfeld reunion in Curb Your Enthusiasm, telling co-creator Larry David “we already screwed up one finale.” Nope, Jerry and Elaine didn’t suddenly get married. No, Kramer did not get his revenge on Newman. And no, George never fixed his second shirt button. Instead, they all ended up in jail for being “horrible people.”

3. The U.K. Office (2003)

The final scene in the original U.K. version of The Office not only saw David Brent (Ricky Gervais) get the girl and tell lecherous sales rep Finchy (Ralph Ineson) what for, but also saw Dawn (Lucy Davis) and Tim (Martin Freeman) finally get together after two seasons of “will they, won’t they?” — thus rendering an entire nation unable to hear “Only You” by Yazoo without bursting into tears.

4. The Office (2013)

The Dunder-Mifflin crew had their work cut out to match their U.K. counterparts’ finale, but they most definitely came through in the end. There were in-jokes and awkward silences galore as the gang reunited a year after the documentary aired for Dwight and Angela’s wedding. Even Steve Carell‘s prodigal Michael Scott returned as surprise best man. *Sniff*

5. Girls (2017)

No-one who saw the first episode of Lena Dunham‘s unflinching depiction of four young women living in New York could have guessed it would end with an episode about the difficulties of breastfeeding, but “Latching” (as the show’s final outing was called) didn’t disappoint. In it, the impossible happens: Hannah is forced to grow up.

6. Spaced (2001)

“The Staunton Lick” by Lemon Jelly memorably plays over a final montage in this last episode of Spaced, the flatshare sitcom from the team behind Shaun of the Dead. The characters get on wordlessly with their lives, leading up to Daisy (Jessica Hynes) and Tim (Simon Pegg) happily watching TV with their dog as the door closes on the camera. Will they? Won’t they? Who knows. (Though a DVD extra eventually gave Daisy and Tim — and all of us — a happy ending.)

7. The Larry Sanders Show (1998)

Garry Shandling‘s innovative and hugely influential HBO show was not known for its sentimentality, but even it indulged in a bit of emotion in its final episode. First, Jim Carrey spoke for all of us when he broke down mid-interview, before giving Larry a send-off Jennifer Holliday would be proud of. And then, as taping of the final show comes to a close, tough-as-nails producer Artie (the great Rip Torn) slipped away to have a good cry. Aww.

8. Friends (2004)

Closure? You want closure? This finale gave you closure. By the time the last scene rolled around, all six friends had been catered for: Ross and Rachel were finally in it for good, Monica and Chandler had twins, Phoebe was happily married to Mike, and Joey… well, Joey had a new chick and a duck. Let’s hope even Ugly Naked Guy got what he wanted.

9. Blackadder Goes Forth (1989)

Every season of historical sitcom Blackadder ended in a bloodbath: in the first, it’s at the hands of Percy the Poisoner (Tim McInnerny); the second, a murderous master of disguise called Prince Ludwig (House‘s Hugh Laurie); while in the third it is only the absurd Prince George (also Hugh Laurie) who dies. The final scene of the last season set during WWI took the biscuit, however. As Blackadder and his men prepare to head into No Man’s Land, you can hear the studio audience laugh uncertainly, unsure if they should be finding it funny or not. That’s no slight on the jokes, which are as sharply precise as ever. But by the final minute, the laughs are gone.

10. Sex and the City (2004)

The final episode of SATC divided fans. On the one hand, it satisfied those who were Big fans from the start, as the conflicted businessman (Chris Noth) finally said the three words Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) had been waiting to hear since season one: “I love you.” On the other, it betrayed what others felt the series had always been about, which is that women don’t necessarily find happiness from marriage. Hmm. Cue the montage.

11. 30 Rock (2013)

The last episode of Tina Fey‘s masterpiece was also the last episode of TGS, the SNL-like show her character Liz Lemon works on as head writer. Unlike other sitcom finales, 30 Rock was determined to stay weird until the bitter end, with Jack’s brief meltdown to a jump forward to the future, where Liz Lemon’s great granddaughter is pitching an idea for a new show about her ancestor’s TV career to an ageless Kenneth (Jack McBrayer). It fell to Jenna (Jane Krakowski) and her rendition of the “Rural Juror” theme over the final credits to jerk some tears, however. All together now: “these were the best days of my… flerm.”

What’s your all-time favorite sitcom sign-off?


WATCH: The Surreal First Trailer for ‘Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams’ Starring Timothy Spall

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The first trailer for the new sci-fi anthology series Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams landed Saturday (August 19), and it looks like it’s going to be every bit as weird as the stories that inspired it.

Those stories are of course by Philip K. Dick, the sci-fi writer whose imagination inspired films such as Blade Runner, Minority Report, and Total Recall. The series will be made up of 10 hour-long standalone episodes, each of which is dedicated to a single short story by the famed author.

Think Black Mirror mixed with The Twilight Zone, mixed with… well, Bryan Cranston. He’s behind the show, acting as executive producer, as well as heading up a cast that includes Steve BuscemiTrue Blood’s Anna Paquin, Mr. Turner’Timothy Spall, Empire’s Terrence HowardSherlock’s Lara Pulver, Hidden Figures’ Janelle Monáe, and Doctor Strange’s Benedict Wong.

Add to that a typically Philip K. Dick-esque landscape of deserted cities, robots, scientific labs, creepy children in the woods, and some kind of pig men, and you have a very intriguing new series indeed.

Here’s the trailer:

Wondering who “Stan” is? Well, it’s the name of the network in Australia that the new series will air on. In the U.S, it will launch on Amazon, while Channel 4 has the U.K. broadcast rights.

There’s no word yet as to when that will be, beyond “soon,” but we’ll keep you updated.

Are you looking forward to this one?

First Look: Margot Robbie is Unrecognizable as Queen Elizabeth I

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Suicide Squad and Wolf of Wall Street star Margot Robbie has undergone an Oscar-worthy transformation for her next role, judging by a photo that surfaced yesterday (August 21).

It was taken on the set of Mary Queen of Scots, a new movie about the legendary Scottish queen that started filming last week, and also stars Saoirse Ronan and David Tennant.

Margot plays Elizabeth I of England, who’s been portrayed in the past by Cate Blanchett, Dame Judi Dench, and, perhaps most memorably of all, Miranda Richardson in historical sitcom Blackadder.

When we first heard Margot would be portraying Elizabeth I, we must admit we couldn’t quite imagine it. Margot is utterly gorgeous, for one thing. And Elizabeth — well, let’s just say her looks weren’t uppermost in the list of reasons she’s considered one of England’s greatest monarchs.

So how would that possibly work? Well, here’s Margot, complete with fiery red hair and pockmarked skin to emulate the scarring Elizabeth suffered as a result of smallpox:

If that weren’t bad enough, she also appears to be wearing a prosthetic nose:

Margot is just the latest actor to undergo an astonishing physical transformation for a role. Remember Charlize Theron playing Aileen Wuornos in Monster? Christian Bale losing 60 pounds for his lead role in The Machinist? Or Ewan McGregor looking like a totally different person in Fargo?

And this isn’t the first time we’ve had to blink and refocus when we’ve seen Ms. Robbie in a new role. She’s mixed it up for every film she’s been in recently, from her peroxide pigtails as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad, to her chunkier frame in I, Tonya Harding, and her demure flapper ‘do in Goodbye Christopher Robin.

As for whether her performance in Mary Queen of Scots is worthy of a statuette, we’ll have to wait and see — but the hair and make-up team certainly deserve an Oscar.

Do you think Margot will make a good Queen Elizabeth?

Matthew Goode to Play Lead Vampire in ‘A Discovery of Witches’

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Move over, Robert Pattinson, there’s a new vampire in town! The latest star to snap on a pair of pointy fangs is Downton Abbey‘s Matthew Goode, according to Variety.

He’ll play charming bloodsucker Matthew Clairmont in an adaptation of A Discovery of Witches, the popular fantasy novel by author Deborah Harkness.

It tells the story of Diana Bishop, a professor in the history of alchemy at the University of Oxford, who, in the course of her research, stumbles on a secret underworld of demons and vampires.

So far, so Philip Pullman, crossed with a dash of Twilight and Harry Potter for good measure. Matthew’s character is a geneticist (not to mention a not-so secret vampire), who helps Diana decode a mysterious manuscript and embrace her own true nature as the descendent of witches.

Or, as the head of drama for British TV channel Sky, Anne Mensah, put it, expect a “proper love story” that also examines “science, magic and being ‘other’ in the modern world.”

Deborah was on hand yesterday (August 22) to make the casting announcement herself, calling Matthew an “amazingly talented and brilliant actor.” She also revealed that Teresa Palmer (Hacksaw Ridge) will take the role of Diana.

And according to Deborah, filming will start in Wales in a few weeks. The show will broadcast on Sky in the U.K., and, though it’s yet to be announced, is likely to air in the U.S. at some point too.

Can you see Matthew as a vampire?

First Look: Michelle Dockery Swaps Downton for the Wild West in ‘Godless’

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Netflix released the first photos of new series Godless yesterday (August 23), giving us our first glimpse at Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery as a nineteenth-century outlaw.

She plays Alice Fletcher, a widow living in a 1800s New Mexico mining town governed mostly by women, who gives refuge to Roy Goode (played by Skins and This is England star Jack O’Connell) as he flees grizzled outlaw Frank Griffin (the one and only Jeff Daniels).

Here’s Alice and Roy on her ranch:

(Photo: Netflix)
(Photo: Netflix)

Here she is, in a very non-Lady Mary type way, brandishing a rifle:

(Photo: Netflix)
(Photo: Netflix)

And here comes Frank on horseback, whatever his intentions are, the sitch doesn’t look good:

(Photo: Netflix)
(Photo: Netflix)

The cast is rounded out by Law and Order‘s Sam Waterson, Scoot McNairy (Halt and Catch Fire), Nurse Jackie‘s Merritt Weaver, Daredevil and Luke Cage‘s Rob Morgan, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Love Actually), who plays the town’s deputy.

The seven-part miniseries comes from Out of Sight duo Steven Soderbergh and Scott Frank, and debuts worldwide on Netflix this November 22.

See Comingsoon.net for all photos from the series.

Are you excited to see Lady Mary in a western?

Ben Whishaw Joins Hugh Grant for ‘A Very English Scandal’

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Former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has a new show in the works, and it’s going to star Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw.

Some names just make you sit up and notice, huh?

The show is called A Very English Scandal, and will dramatize a real-life political scandal in the 1970s in the U.K. when MP Jeremy Thorpe (Grant) was tried for conspiring to murder his ex-lover, Norman Scott (Whishaw). The trial changed British society forever, illuminating the darkest secrets of the establishment, and alleging such breathtaking deceit and corruption that, at the time, hardly anyone dared believe it could be true.

Russell announced Ben’s casting this morning (August 25) at the Edinburgh Television Festival, saying it was a “dream come true” to work with “one of Britain’s finest actors” playing “one of history’s most fascinating men.”

And while Ben is no stranger to TV, having starred in London Spy last year, it is Hugh’s first TV role in nearly 25 years, when he starred in an adaptation of The Changeling opposite Elizabeth McGovern and Bob Hoskins. Unless, of course, you’re counting charity appearances: Hugh famously did a brief turn as the “12th Doctor” in “The Curse of Fatal Death,” a Comic Relief sketch in 1999.

Hugh reportedly turned down Russell’s offer of playing the Ninth Doctor back in 2005, and Ben was supposedly a contender for the role after Peter Capaldi announced he was leaving the series.

A Very English Scandal will also see Hugh reunited with Stephen Frears, who wrote the screenplay for Florence Foster Jenkins, which saw Hugh nominated for a BAFTA, and will write this three-part drama.

There’s no confirmation of an air date yet, but rest assured we’re on it.

Are you looking forward to seeing Ben and Hugh on screen together?

10 Contenders for This Year’s Song of the Summer

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Just what is it that makes a great summer song? Should it sing of youth and freedom and a summer breeze? Should it be one of those dance anthems that dominate every club from Ibiza to Miami? Or should it be a simple pop song, ideally one that makes liberal use of unusual instruments like Spanish guitars or marimbas?

Those are the questions MTV viewers are asking themselves right now, as they vote for “Song of the Summer” at the MTV Video Music Awards this Sunday (August 27).

Chances are you’ve heard the nominees, whether you knew it or not (and whether you wanted to or not, in some cases). In no particular order, they are Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee‘s “Despacito” feat. Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran‘s “Shape of You,” Shawn Mendes‘ “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back,” Demi Lovato‘s “Sorry Not Sorry,” DJ Khaled‘s “Wild Thoughts,” feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller, Camila Cabello‘s “OMG” feat. Quavo, and Fifth Harmony‘s “Down,” feat Gucci Mane.

Phew. But what about those lesser known songs that summed up the summery season? Here are 10 summer-defining songs that didn’t make MTV’s cut.

1. “Cut to the Feeling” by Carly Rae Jepsen

Poppier than a bottle of fizzy pop that’s been shaken and left in the sun, this offcut from Ms. Jepsen‘s third album E•MO•TION is three minutes of pure euphoria. Prepare to be uplifted.

2. “Passionfruit” by Drake

Not all summer songs are happy-go-lucky, jump-on-the-table affairs, however. This low-key cut from Drake‘s More Life has all the atmospheric nostalgia of a summer classic, though the subject is far from uplifting. Drake sings instead of a relationship gone sour, in a voice so melancholy and devoid of affectation you have to believe he really means it. Yup. We’ve all had that kind of summer before, too.

3. “Shadow” by Chromatics

Okay, so this breezy melancholic gem was released way back in September 2015, but it had a new lease of life this summer when the band performed it at the end of the two-hour season premiere of Showtime’s Twin Peaks revival.

4. “Bad Liar” by Selena Gomez

Not many pop songs have David Byrne‘s seal of approval, but that’s the case for this stripped back banger from the former Disney star. Its use of Tina Weymouth‘s deft bass line from Talking Heads‘ 1977 hit “Psycho Killer” led the band’s frontman to tweet, “I really like the song… and her performance too.”

5. “The Man” by The Killers

This welcome injection of testosterone comes courtesy of Vegas’s finest, though lead singer Brandon Flowers‘s falsetto means it’s the least convincing display of masculinity since Michael Jackson pulled on a pair of leather pants. And for good reason too: drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr has called this shimmering, swaggering piece of disco funk a “tongue-and-cheek” take on what it means to be a man.

6. “LOVE. FEAT. ZACARI” by Kendrick Lamar

This is one big sticky swoon of a song, pleading for unconditional love in the face of fear and doubt. “If I don’t got you, I got nothing,” sings Kendrick, against a backdrop that sounds like someone’s turned down the tempo on a mid-80s Prince track, while Zacari‘s soothing falsetto will have you sinking deeper into your deckchair in no time.

7. “Green Light” by Lorde

As well as Drake’s More Life and Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN., Lorde‘s Melodrama is a strong contender for the title of best album of 2017. Its lead single sets the tone, with a post-breakup headiness that almost always precipitates a lengthy and painful comedown. Or “fall,” as it’s better known.

8. “Fast Wine” by Machel Montano

The undisputed king of contemporary soca music released this track in the wintry depths of December 2016, but its burst of Caribbean sunshine means it’s quickly become a party favorite over the warmer months.

9. “Everything Now” by Arcade Fire

Not only does the lead single from Arcade Fire‘s fifth studio album scream ABBA, but there’s also pan pipes and even some nah-nah-nahs thrown in for good measure. You’ll feel like you’re driving with the top down and the wind in your hair as soon as you press play (just try not to think too hard about the lyrics).

10. “Fior di Latte” by Phoenix

Imagine listening to 10cc’s “I’m Not in Love,” but sat on a sun-dappled lounger on the beach with a piña colada in one hand and a choc-ice in the other: That’s this track by French synthpop band Phoenix. It’s taken from their sixth album Ti Amo, and it has summer written all over it.

What gets your vote for song of the summer? 

First Look: Kit Harington in Explosive New Drama ‘Gunpowder’

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Game of Thrones may have ended its seventh season last night (August 27), but Kit Harington fans won’t have to wait long before he’s back on our screens.

He’s due to star in Gunpowder, a new three-part drama about the 1605 Gunpowder Plot due to air in the U.K. this fall, and the BBC just released photos and a short promo video with the caption “Autumn is coming.”

(Photo: BBC)
(Photo: BBC)

Kit doesn’t actually play Guy Fawkes, the man most readily associated with the plot to kill the king by blowing up London’s Houses of Parliament, thanks to the rather dubious annual British tradition of setting off fireworks and burning a stuffed effigy (called a “guy”) to celebrate the foiling of the plot.

As central as Fawkes is to the story of the plot, he is not the star of this particular telling of history. Kit will instead take on the role of Robert Catesby, the 30-year-old Warwickshire gentleman, who’s often referred to as the “mastermind” behind the failed plot.

Sure enough, the 30-second teaser follows a trail of gunpowder into a cellar where Fawkes (Downton Abbey‘s Tom Cullen) sits in wait, before turning to reveal Kit-as-Catesby behind him:

Gunpowder explores the real-life events behind the plot, following both the plotters and Robert Cecil (played by Sherlock‘s Mark Gatiss), the spymaster-in-chief of King James I (Derek Riddell).

Lord of the Rings star Liv Tyler also stars as Catesby’s cousin Lady Anne Vaux, who also became embroiled in the plot.

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Here she is with Kit, while Wolf Hall actor Edward Holcroft looks on as Catesby’s friend and co-plotter Thomas Wintour.

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And rounding out the cast are Happy Valley‘s Robert Emms as Father Gerard, a firebrand young priest; Broadchurch‘s Shaun Dooley as Sir William Wade, Lieutenant of The Tower and Robert Cecil’s right-hand man; with some possible light relief in the form of comic actors David Bamber as the Earl of Northumberland and Kevin Eldon as Sir Joseph Hawksworth.

So far all we know is that it’s due to broadcast in the U.K. in the “autumn,” and we’re willing to bet that might mean an air date close to November 5 (a.k.a. Guy Fawkes Night). We’ll let you know when a U.S. airdate is announced.

Are you glad to see more of Kit Harington?


‘Deadpool’ Star Ed Skrein Leaves ‘Hellboy’ Amid Claims of Whitewashing

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Ed Skrein has pulled out of the upcoming Hellboy reboot, after his casting was met with controversy over a white actor being chosen to represent a non-white character.

Ed’s involvement in the film was announced just last week, with Deadline reporting he’d play Major Ben Daimio, a “rugged military member of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense” who, due to a supernatural encounter, can “turn into a jaguar when angered or in pain.”

There was just one problem. In the original comic books on which Hellboy is based, Ben Daimio is Japanese-American, while Ed, on the other hand, is from Camden in London, England, and bears such a resemblance to the actor Jason Statham he replaced him in the Transporter movies.

Hmm. The news led some to object to Ed’s casting, calling it another example of Hollywood “whitewashing” a character. Recent castings that have been met by similar criticism include Tilda Swinton playing the Ancient One in Doctor Strange, who in the comics is a man from Kamar-Taj, a fictional kingdom in the Himalayas, and Scarlett Johansson playing the lead in this year’s Hollywood reboot of Japanese anime classic Ghost in the Shell.

In Ed’s case, though, the outcry was such that he decided to exit the film. The Deadpool star made the announcement himself on his Twitter account last night (August 28), saying he was stepping down “so the role can be cast appropriately:”

Fellow rapper and actor Riz Ahmed was quick to applaud Ed’s actions:

While Star WarsJohn Boyega also chimed in:

And film critic Rebecca Theodore had this to say:

Meanwhile, the reboot of the Hellboy franchise continues, with Neil Marshall (The Descent) in the director’s chair instead of Guillermo del Toro, who directed the first three Hellboy movies.

In a statement given to the Hollywood Reporter yesterday (August 28), the film’s producers — Larry Gordon, Lloyd Levin, Millennium and Lionsgate — said they supported Ed’s decision.

“Ed came to us and felt very strongly about this. We fully support his unselfish decision,” they said, before apologizing. “It was not our intent to be insensitive to issues of authenticity and ethnicity, and we will look to recast the part with an actor more consistent with the character in the source material.”

Whoever that may be will join a cast that already includes Stranger Things star David Harbour in the lead role, American GodsIan McShane as Professor Broom (a role previously played by the late, great John Hurt), and Resident Evil‘s Milla Jovovich as “Nimue the Blood Queen.”

Do you think Ed did the right thing?

J.K. Rowling Promises More ‘Cormoran Strike’ Novels as TV Adaptation Hits Screens

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It’s fair to say J.K. Rowling has never been one to stint on storytelling, but her Cormoran Strike crime novels might just take the cake.

First, of course, there was Harry Potter, which over the course of 4,224 pages and eight movies established Daniel Radcliffe as a Hollywood star. And then a decade of Eddie Redmayne‘s diary was filled by her decision to spread the Fantastic Beasts story over no fewer than FIVE movies.

The latest star to benefit from Ms. Rowling’s largesse is The Musketeers‘s Tom Burke, who stars as the eponymous hero in Strike, the series based on the three crime books she’s so far written under the pen name “Robert Galbraith.”

…”So far” being the operative phrase here. In an interview with the BBC published yesterday (August 29), Rowling let slip some news about the future of Strike that must have had Tom’s agent popping champagne corks.

“It’s always slightly unnerving,” she said of adapting her work for the screen, “because you are obviously giving up control, so you’d better really trust the people you’re working with. That’s key for me. Who am I going to be working with?

“For Strike that was even more important because literally, the first time I met Tom [Burke], I said, ‘Well I hope to God you do enjoy playing this character because I think I’ve got at least another 10 books in me, so you could be locked in for quite a few years here.'”

Yep. You read that right. 10 more books. Now, math was never our strong point, but we make that a total of thirteen.

Looks like we better settle in and make ourselves comfortable. Strike has already started airing in the U.K., with three hour-long episodes covering the plot of The Cuckoo’s Calling, another two planned to tell the story of the second book The Silkworm, and a further two for The Career of Evil.

Reviews so far have been good:

Wondering when it’ll be our turn? Well, never fear! Strike is due to air on HBO in the U.S. at some point, though the exact date has not yet been confirmed.

Are you in it for the long haul when Strike comes to America?

Casting News: Nicholas Hoult and Lily Collins to Star in ‘Tolkien’ Biopic

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Is there anyone Nicholas Hoult won’t play? With recent roles including J.D. Salinger, Nikola Tesla and now author J.R.R. Tolkien, it’s starting to be easier to count the famous people he hasn’t portrayed.

Variety reports the X-Men star’s next role will be the lead in Tolkien, a biopic focusing on the writer’s younger days and the formative experiences that would eventually fuel his fantasy.

It will follow the famed novelist as he finds love, friendship, and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts, until the horrors of World War I threaten to tear the “fellowship” apart. Tolkien served for four years in the British Army, before returning to Pembroke College in Cambridge, where he taught Anglo-Saxon literature and wrote his famous books.

Nicholas isn’t the only one of our Anglo faves to star in the film, either. Joining him is showbiz scion and The Last Tycoon star Lily Collins, who’ll play Edith Bratt, the love of Tolkien’s life and supposed inspiration behind the elven princess characters in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Lily confirmed the casting herself with a tweet last night (August 30) extolling the virtues of the Hobbit writer:

Anthony Boyle, most recently seen in Game of Thrones and on stage in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will also have a role in the film.

Do you think Nicholas and Lily will make a good Tolkien and elven princess?

Christopher Eccleston to Star in New Drama ‘Come Home’

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Christopher Eccleston is notoriously picky about his roles, so we tend to sit up and take notice when word reaches us he’s got a new one.

Well, that happened today (September 1), as the BBC announced the Ninth Doctor is down to star in a new drama called Come Home, playing a man whose wife walks out on him and their children.

The wife in question will be played by Paula Malcomson, who’s returning to British TV after 25 years working in the U.S. on shows such as Lost, Deadwood, and Ray Donovan.

Over the course of three hour-long episodes, Come Home will explore Marie’s reasons for walking out on her family, and the impact it has on her husband and children.

In a statement, Christopher said he was “proud” to be working “on this challenging and provocative drama,” before picking out Paula and the drama’s BAFTA Award-winning screenwriter Danny Brocklehurst (Shameless, The Five) for a special mention.

Danny replied in glowing terms: “Chris and Paula are two of the U.K.’s finest actors and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have them in Come Home,” he said in a statement. “The drama takes Greg and Marie on a hugely emotional journey as it explores the fallout from a mother leaving her children and it requires actors of their calibre to pull it off.

“I’ve been a fan of Chris Eccleston ever since I first saw him in Cracker and have wanted to work with him my entire career. Paula is a stunning character actress who brings credibility and depth to every role she plays. Their combination promises to be amazing.”

We’ll say. And yes, we’d watch Christopher in anything, but Come Home does sound particularly intriguing. It’s already started filming in Northern Ireland and is expected to air in the U.K. some time next year. Fingers crossed there’s a U.S. release date too.

Are you looking forward to seeing Christopher and Paula on screen together?

9 of Our Favorite Ever Hugh Bonneville Moments

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Viceroy’s House starring Hugh Bonneville opens in theaters today (September 1), and inevitably it’s got critics comparing it to Downton Abbey.

Okay, so it’s set in India, and the year is 1947, but Hugh does play a Lord (hooray!) — Lord Mountbatten, to be exact, the real-life last British viceroy to India before it finally gained independence in 1948. Gillian Anderson plays his wife Lady Edwina Mountbatten, with Manish Dayal (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D) and the late Om Puri (The Reluctant Fundamentalist) joining them, and Anglo veterans Simon Callow and Michael Gambon also popping up.

To celebrate Hugh’s return to his rightful role, we’ve put together some of his funniest and most surprising moments.

1. That Time He Didn’t Recognize Julia Roberts

Long before Hugh graced our TV screens on Downton, he made a small appearance in British rom-com Notting Hill, opposite Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. He played a bumbling character called Bernie, who couldn’t spot a Hollywood star if she, uh, sat right in front of him.

2. When He Reminisced About Being a Child Diva

And even further back than that, he was a dab hand with the dressing box. Here he is telling Kirsty Young on BBC Radio’s Desert Island Discs about the plays he put on as a child.

3. That Time He Wore Lipstick on Top Gear

Hugh’s Top Gear appearance caught people’s attention for reasons other than his position on the leaderboard. Specifically, it was that chunky knitted sweater — and his unusually ruby lips. Trust our Graham to bring it up when Hugh was a guest on his couch, prompting uncontrollable laughter from other guests Bill Murray and Matt Damon.

4. When He Understudied For Ralph Fiennes

Ever thought how much Hugh looks like Ralph Fiennes? Nope? Neither have we. But way back in 1986 he understudied for the Invisible Woman star in the role of Lysander in Shakespeare‘s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

5. When He Gave Lord Grantham an American Accent

We were all shook up when Stephen Colbert persuaded guests Hugh, Michelle Dockery and Allen Leech to drop their plummy accents for an American twang in this 2015 episode of The Late Show. Michelle and Allen brought a whole new angle to a rather dull conversation about building works, but it was Hugh who really threw himself into the role.

6. That Time He Did the Ice Bucket Challenge

Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge? In 2014 it was all the rage, and Hugh is nothing if not a good sport. His Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairy Tale co-star Kieran Bew nominated him to dunk a bucket of ice water over his head for charity, and he in turn nominated fellow Downton-ers Allen Leech and Jim Carter.

7. When He Crossed Downton with Breaking Bad

Stephen Colbert strikes again, with this 2012 sketch from The Colbert Report that spoofs both Downton Abbey and Breaking Bad. Hugh plays a foul-mouthed and distinctly Walter White-esque version of Lord Grantham, who, having fallen on hard times, has been forced to make and sell his own tea.

(Image: Tumblr)
(Image: Tumblr)

8. When He Did Improv with Mrs Overall

We know Julie Walters from roles such as her star turn in Mamma Mia! and Molly Weasley in the Harry Potter films. But before all that, she made her name as “Mrs Overall,” the doddering tea lady from Victoria Wood‘s classic “Acorn Antiques” sketch. Graham Norton convinced her to reprise the role for a spot of improv, and Hugh was, as ever, game for a laugh. What happened next made no sense at all, least of all to Graham’s other guest Nicole Kidman.

9. That Time He Was the Ultimate Good Sport

And then there was this moment, at the 2015 TV BAFTA Awards, when Hugh lost out to Toast‘s Matt Berry for the Male Performance In A Comedy Program gong. We’re not sure if that counts as a stiff upper lip, Hugh, but it’s a strong look nonetheless.

(Image: BBC)
(Image: BBC)

What’s your favorite Hugh Bonneville moment? 

First Look: ‘The Avengers’ Star Paul Bettany Joins Han Solo Movie

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Director Ron Howard has added long-time collaborator Paul Bettany to the cast of the Han Solo movie, prompting speculation about what role The Avengers star will play.

The news of Paul’s casting broke Friday (September 1) when Ron tweeted a picture of himself on set with the actor, writing: “The Outer Rim just got a bit wilder”:

When some fans speculated Paul might just be visiting the set, Ron was quick to confirm he would in fact be appearing in the film:

Not much is known about the film’s plot, meaning exactly which role Paul will be playing is shrouded in mystery.

The beleaguered Star Wars spin-off has had a bumpy ride so far, what with original directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord leaving the project three months into production, and the recent news that Michael K. Williams would no longer be appearing in the movie.

Ron was brought in to steer the ship in June this year, and since then he has been updating his followers with photos from set.

Any belief that he was simply there to see the project through was dispelled by the news of Paul’s casting, however. Paul has been in a number of Ron’s films, and his presence in the untitled Han Solo movie suggests the space smuggler’s origins story will now very much be a Ron Howard movie.

And we’re not complaining — we loved Paul in A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vinci Code. And he will join an exciting cast featuring Alden Ehrenreich  as the young Han Solo, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Thandie NewtonDonald Glover, and BBC AMERICA’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

The film remains on target for a May 25, 2018 release.

Does Paul Bettany’s involvement make you more excited for this film?

WATCH: Jamie Bell and Annette Bening in ‘Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool’

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The trailer was released yesterday (September 4) for Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, a British romcom with a twist starring Jamie Bell and Annette Bening.

It’s a rom com because it tells the love story between Liverpudlian Peter Turner, played by the all-grown-up star of Billy Elliot, and Gloria Grahame, played by the four-time Oscar nominee.

And the twist? Well, it’s a real-life tale. Gloria was a leading lady from the Golden Age of Hollywood, not to mention a legendary femme fatale, who met and fell in love with the much younger actor Peter during a stint on the London stage in 1978.

The film is based on Peter’s 1986 memoir of the same name, in which he details the love affair and the illness that eventually led to Gloria’s death. It’s just had its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival and is gaining rave reviews, with more than one suggesting Annette’s performance will score her a fifth Oscar nomination.

Watch the trailer to see what they mean:

The all-star supporting cast includes acting royalty Vanessa Redgrave, This is England‘s Stephen Graham and Doctor Who‘s Frances Barber, and even reunites Jamie with his Billy Elliot co-star Julie Walters.

We’ve got our eye on this one. It opens in the U.K. on November 17, so will probably hit theaters in the U.S. later in the year, slap bang in the middle of awards season.

Do you like the look of this too?


WATCH: Dan Stevens is Charles Dickens in ‘The Man Who Invented Christmas’ Trailer

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Well, this looks like a LOT of fun. Films about writers can be rather ponderous affairs, but we think The Man Who Invented Christmas starring Dan Stevens will prove to be the exception.

Dan plays a young Charles Dickens struggling to come up with a story that will sell after “a couple of flops” and sort out his ailing finances.

Joining him in his quest is Christopher Plummer as Dickens’ evergreen invention Ebeneezer Scrooge, Jonathan Pryce as his father John, Simon Callow (who has himself played Dickens on numerous occasions, most notably in Doctor Who), The Thick of It‘s Justin Edwards as Dickens’ friend and critic John Forster, and the inimitable Miriam Margoyles (The Age of Innocence).

And sell the story did, because the book in question is A Christmas Carol, the 1843 novella that established his reputation as a writer and, as the film argues, invented the concept of Christmas as we know it.

The trailer dropped yesterday (September 5), and gives us a glimpse of how the film will bring Dickens’ vivid imagination and unforgettable characters (literally) to life:

Dan himself has enthused about the film’s playful approach to literary genius, describing it as a “magical realist” story that at times plays fast and loose with the source material.

I just thought it was a really fresh take on that whole world,” he told Entertainment Weekly yesterday (September 5). “Particularly in England, Dickens is placed on a pedestal. But the guy was, at turns, quite playful and childish, and, at turns, quite dark and not a very pleasant man.”

It’s the latest in a long list of mercurial roles the Downton star has taken on since leaving the confines of the Crawley estate, including a murderous veteran in The Guest, a mutant with dissociative identity disorder in FX’s Legion, and the brutish Prince Adam in Beauty and the Beast.

The Man Who Invented Christmas opens in theaters on November 22, just in time for… well, you guessed it.

Do you like the look of this take on Charles Dickens?

‘Game of Thrones’ Star Jonathan Pryce Joins Anthony Hopkins for Netflix Movie ‘The Pope’

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It’s long been said that Game of Thrones star Jonathan Pryce (a.k.a. High Sparrow) bears a striking resemblance to the current Pope Francis, and now we’ll get to see how well he acts like him too!

Deadline reports the actor is down to play the leader of the Catholic Church in the new film The Pope, with Anthony Hopkins playing his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI.

Wondering about that likeness? Well, here’s Jonathan alongside Pope Francis:

https://twitter.com/mcqueen_kayla/status/867430906503589895

And here’s Benedict:

(Photo: Getty Images)
(Photo: Getty Images)

Sorry. Wrong Benedict. We’ll try that again.

Yeah, we’d say that’s a match.

The new Netflix movie will reportedly explore what happened when Pope Benedict was appointed in 2005 and subsequently resigned from the papacy almost eight years later, followed by Pope Francis being selected as the new head of the Catholic Church.

It will be directed by City of God‘s Fernando Meirelles and scripted by The Theory of Everything writer Anthony McCarten, with filming due to start in November in Argentina, Francis’s place of birth, so let’s put our hands together and pray for a late 2018 release.

Are you excited to see these two acting greats on screen together?

WATCH: Benedict Cumberbatch Electrifies in ‘The Current War’ Trailer

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Sparks fly as rival inventors Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse come face-to-face in the trailer for new film The Current War, released yesterday (September 7).

(Okay, okay, we’ll try to reign in the electricity puns from now on.)

In this big screen dramatization, these two bright sparks (sorry), played by Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Shannon respectively, race to develop and patent a sustainable electricity system.

The premise may sound a bit dry and technical for a Hollywood movie, but history buffs will know that the outcome of this particular conflict in the 1880s determined the future of the American electrical industry. Edison favored direct current (DC), while Westinghouse and several other companies preferred to push alternating current (AC).

Caught between the two was the maverick inventor Nikola Tesla, who was famously played in 2006’s The Prestige by the late, great David Bowie, and will be played by The X-Men‘s Nicholas Hoult in this movie.

Just watch the electricity crackle between the three of them:

Written by The Giver‘s Michael Mitnik, the film also stars Alien: Covenant‘s Katherine Waterston, new Spider-Man Tom Holland, SpooksMatthew McFadyen and Sense8‘s Tuppence Middleton.

It opens in U.S. theaters on November 24.

Are you wired to see this one?

The 10 Most Memorable ‘MTV: Unplugged’ Performances Ever

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Shawn Mendes will perform stripped-down versions of his hits like “Nothin’ Holdin’ Me Back” and “Treat You Better” tonight (September 8), in a performance MTV are hoping will breathe new life into their Unplugged format.

MTV Unplugged was responsible for some landmark performances in the ’90s and ’00s, with artists as varied as Florence and the Machine, Tony Bennett, and The Eagles putting away their big sets and pyrotechnics in favor of a microphone stand and acoustic guitar.

Here are 10 of the most memorable performances to celebrate its return.

10. Bruce Springsteen (1992)

This performance shouldn’t be included on technical grounds, of course — but you can’t argue with The Boss. After playing “Red Headed Woman” on acoustic guitar, he and his band promptly plugged in their Fender Telecasters, forcing MTV to cross out the first two letters of “Unplugged.”

9. Lauryn Hill (2002)

The award-winning Miseducation of Lauryn Hill had only come out four years previously, but the ex-Fugees star made the bold decision not to include anything from it in her Unplugged set. Instead she performed a slew of polticized folk songs, including “Mystery of Iniquity,” later immortalized by Kanye West in his 2004 hit “All Falls Down.”

8. Bon Jovi (1989)

Okay, so technically this wasn’t an episode of Unplugged, but Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora‘s stripped-back performance of “Livin’ On a Prayer” and “Wanted Dead or Alive” at the 1989 Video Music Awards gave MTV bigwigs the idea for a series of acoustic sets in the first place.

7. Rod Stewart (1993)

Old muckers Rod and Ronnie Wood were reunited for this show, for the first time since The Faces broke up in 1975. Rod played hits like “Have I Told You Lately,” but it was the inclusion of the gorgeous lesser-known “Handbags and Gladrags” that gained it inclusion in the Unplugged Hall of Fame.

6. Adele (2009)

Long before she was playing huge stadiums, the “Hello” songstress wowed viewers with this vocal performance accompanied only by a guitar and violins. It turned out to be a showcase not only for her voice, but for her larger-than-life personality as well. Before launching into an acoustic version of “Cold Shoulder,” she threw shade at her ex, saying, “I’m over that boy, I’ve gotten my revenge back on him… I’m doing MTV Unplugged, he still works at a phone shop”.

5. Maxwell (1997)

Singer-songwriter Maxwell performed his version of “This Woman’s Work” by Kate Bush for the first time during his Unplugged, leading some to argue it was better even than the original. The rendition was so warmly received, in fact, he included a studio version of it on his 2001 album Now.

4. Paul McCartney (1991)

The former Beatle provided an unplugged masterclass early on, mixing Beatles songs that fit the format perfectly (“Blackbird,” “And I Love Her”) with a handful of covers (“Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Blue Moon of Kentucky.”) Unplugged is at its best, however, when it brings to light a little known obscure song from an artist’s back catalog, and this performance was no exception: during it Paul played a beautiful rendition of “Every Night,” a song written in 1969 during the fallout of the Beatles’ break-up, and eventually included on his 1979 McCartney album.

3. Mariah Carey (1992)

Mariah was considered a studio artist only when she agreed to perform live and unplugged. The result blew her critics away: released to the public as an EP, it went on to become one of her best selling records to date — with the standout track being her version of Jackson 5 classic “I’ll Be There.”

2. Eric Clapton (1992)

From the reworked “Layla” to the moving “Tears in Heaven,” this episode became one of the format’s most popular episodes ever, leading it to it being released as an album that sold 10 million copies and won six Grammys, including Album of the Year.

1. Nirvana (1993)

This show first aired on 14 December 14 1993, but was played constantly throughout 1994 in the wake of lead singer Kurt Cobain‘s untimely death the following April. The band played only one of their hits (“Come As You Are”), but it was the more obscure songs and their cover of David Bowie‘s “The Man Who Sold the World” that resonated the most.

Which Unplugged performance do you think was the most memorable?

WATCH: The Mysteries Pile Up in Trailer for Margaret Atwood Adaptation ‘Alias Grace’

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The Handmaid’s Tale may have left our screens for now, but that doesn’t mean Margaret Atwood fans should despair.

An adaptation of her 1996 novel Alias Grace has been in production since last year, and a new trailer released Friday (September 8) gives us a longer look at the 1840s murder mystery before its debut on Netflix this fall.

It shows Sarah Gadon (11.22.63) in the eponymous role of Grace Marks, the real-life Canadian maid accused and convicted of murdering her employers in 1843. She claims she has amnesia and can’t remember anything about the crime, leading some to suggest she was merely a witness to the crimes — though her increasingly creepy stares in this trailer do give us cause to wonder.

Of course, those who’ve read the book know it’s not so much a whodunit as a didshedoit?, and, if this trailer is anything to go by, the small screen adaptation will be every bit as brooding and inscrutable.

Also visible in the trailer are Kingsman: The Secret Service star Edward Holcroft playing a young doctor obsessed with Grace and her case, and True Blood‘s Anna Paquin and Due South‘s Paul Gross, who play her employers and alleged victims.

We also briefly see Zachary Levi (Chuck) as Jeremiah Pontelli, the strange, mystical figure who warns Grace she’s “surrounded by dangers” while working as a maid.

What does it all mean? Is Grace guilty or not? Prepare to be perplexed when all six parts of Alias Grace debut on Netflix from November 3.

Will you be watching this one?

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