Is it just us, or is there something very familiar about the character David Tennant voices in an upcoming special episode of British kids’ show Fireman Sam?
He plays Buck Douglas, a spirited, alien-hunting TV presenter who wears a long coat and unleashes chaos when he rolls into the Welsh town of Pontypandy.
Sound familiar? Watch this behind-the-scenes video to see if it rings any bells:
Did someone say allons-y?
The special feature-length episode “Alien Alert – The Movie” celebrates 20 years of the animated series about a plucky fire fighter, making it one of the U.K.’s longest-running series (after Doctor Who, of course).
“We are fascinated by the idea of aliens, aren’t we?,” David recently told HuffPost,”the idea that there is something out there that we don’t understand and also that there might be another world like ours but different. It’s tantalizing.
“It’s a little bit scary too, but I think the sense that we don’t want to be alone, you know, we want to feel like there is untold mysteries out there to discover somewhere.”
The BBC will start filming a landmark adaptation of Shakespeare‘s King Lear later this month, and as usual they haven’t stinted on the cast.
Sir Anthony Hopkins will star as the dethroned king, whose mental decline sees him eventually rage against the wind on the cliffs at Dover. Sir Anthony’s recent performance in The Dresser makes him perfect for the part, as he depicted an aging but demanding actor getting ready backstage to play Lear in an English regional theater.
Joining him is his Howard’s End and Remains of the Day co-star Emma Thompson, who’ll play Lear’s oldest daughter Goneril alongside Apple Tree Yard‘s Emily Watson and Lady Macbeth star Florence Pugh as his daughters Regan and Cordelia.
And if that wasn’t enough to make it a must-watch, Ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston will be popping up as Goneril’s sycophantic servant Oswald; Game of Thrones‘ Jim Broadbent will play the bumbling Earl of Gloucester, who famously loses his eyes in one blood-curdling scene; and Sherlock‘s Andrew Scott will play Edgar, the Earl of Gloucester’s faithful son.
Rounding out the cast are Tobias Menzies (Outlander) as the Duke of Cornwall, Anthony Calf (New Tricks) as the Duke of Albany, Jim Carter (Downton Abbey) as the Earl of Kent, John Macmillan (Hanna) as Edmund, while Karl Johnson (Rome) will play the Fool.
The production follows in the footsteps of The Hollow Crown, a TV retelling of Shakespeare’s history plays that starred Tom Hiddleston, Ben Whishaw and Benedict Cumberbatch.
One of the directors of that series of plays, Richard Eyre, who’s also responsible for films such as Iris and Notes on a Scandal, will helm King Lear.
King Lear is expected to air first in the U.K. in 2018, before being made available on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S.
The one and only Graham Norton returns to BBC America this Saturday (7 October) at 10/9c, a show famous for its relaxed chat and formidable line-ups.
This often gives rise to some surprising celebrity behavior, though, in his role as master of ceremonies, Graham is largely unflappable.
Some moments, however, are impossible to ignore, so to celebrate the return of The Graham Norton Show, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most shocking talkshow moments — ones that left even the host open-mouthed and unsure how to continue.
10. Meg Ryan clams up on Michael Parkinson
You can’t blame Meg Ryan for not warming to British talkshow host Michael Parkinson. She admitted during a 2003 appearance on Parkinson that she didn’t enjoy the spotlight, before launching into a butt-clenchingly awkward demonstration. Eventually things got so bad Michael asked Meg what he should do, and her advice came as a relief to everyone watching: “Wrap it up.”
9. Dame Helen Mirren leaves Stephen Colbert speechless
“I suddenly can’t remember any questions.” Those are the first words Stephen Colbert uttered after receiving a rather seductive kiss on the lips from Helen Mirren during her appearance on his show in 2016, proving there really is nothing like a dame.
8. The Bee Gees walk out on Clive Anderson
The Bee Gees‘ 1997 appearance on Clive Anderson Talks Back turned out to be much shorter than anticipated, when the brothers Gibb took umbrage at the talk show host’s odd line of questioning. First Barry walks off, then Robin, until just Maurice is left on stage. Awks.
7. Kanye West cries in front of Jay Leno
Kanye West has never been one to hide his emotions, but his 2009 appearance on The Jay Leno Show took the cake. Days after he’d invaded the stage and interrupted Taylor Swift‘s acceptance speech at the VMA Awards, he appeared on the show looking contrite and visibly chastened — and then Jay brought up his recently deceased mother.
6. Hugh Grant ‘fesses up on Jay Leno
Hugh Grant was slated to appear as a guest on The Tonight Show in 1995 to promote new movie Nine Months. The trouble was, just two weeks before he’d been caught in a rather, uh, compromising position on Sunset Boulevard, while he was still dating Elizabeth Hurley. Jay started with the question that was on everyone’s mind: “What the hell were you thinking?”
5. Mark Ruffalo challenges Jon Stewart
The Daily Show‘s erstwhile presenter Jon Stewart had many strengths, but watching his guests’ films or reading their books before interviewing them was not one of them. During one of his final shows in 2015, Jon was surprised by Mark Ruffalo, who introduced a video collecting all his fake compliments together, before giving him a taste of his own medicine.
4. Mark Wahlberg sits on Graham Norton’s lap
When Mark Wahlberg appeared on The Graham Norton Show in 2013, many assumed he’d become a little too, uh, refreshed from the show’s famously generous, um, beverage allowance for interviewees. As fellow guest Sarah Silverman gamely tried to finish her story about a childhood sleepover, he shifted along the sofa, got up, and eventually ended up on Graham’s knee.
3. Drew Barrymore flashes David Letterman
Say what you like about Drew Barrymore, but she’s good at gift giving.In a notorious 1995 Late Show appearance, she got on top of David Letterman‘s desk, danced for him, and flashed him in honor of his 48th birthday. Now that’s a nice present.
2. Nicole Kidman admits she once tried to hook up with Jimmy Fallon
It’s not often Jimmy Fallon is rendered speechless, but when guest Nicole Kidman revealed in 2015 that he’d passed up on the chance to date her, not only was he unable to speak, but he also went bright red and had to take a lie down.
1. Tom Cruise jumps on Oprah’s sofa
Nicole’s ex Tom Cruise was positively giddy when he appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2005. The reason? His burgeoning romance with Dawson’s Creek star Katie Holmes, whom he eventually married and had a daughter with. The pair may have split since, but his happiness here is palpable — if a little disconcerting. Just watch Oprah’s face from 09:33.
Which moment will you be watching over and over for years to come?
Long before Fargo, long before Twin Peaks even, there was Castle Rock – a fictional town in Stephen King‘s native Maine – and now it’s getting a TV series of its own.
The setting of many of King’s most famous novels will be brought to life in Hulu’s new 10-part anthology series Castle Rock, and the first look arrived yesterday (October 8), courtesy of a trailer unveiled at New York Comic Con.
It shows Moonlight‘s André Holland in the lead role as attorney Henry Deaver, as well as Pennywise himself, Bill Skarsgård, and Sissy Spacek, who returns to King’s world for the first time since her breakthrough role in 1976’s Carrie. They play Deaver’s death-row inmate client, and his mother Ruth, respectively.
It also features J.J. Abrams‘ name pretty prominently; as we reported in February, the brains behind the current Star Wars trilogy will be producing this series too, just as he did with time travel thriller 11.22.63, another series based on a King novel and starring James Franco
Most importantly, though, are the tiny details noted by eagle-eyed King fans desperate to know more about the series. People on social media have so far spotted blood pouring down the stairs at the start, which, along with the feet in a bath and a freaky looking animal mascot, is reminiscent of The Shining; and then there’s the “Missing Child” poster and the presence of Skarsgård, both of which suggest the events of IT will be covered.
References to other King classics such as Cujo, Misery, and The Shawshank Redemption have all been spotted, too. And then there’s that burning VHS tape, the shrink-wrapped coffin, and what looks like an alligator in Maine.
What can it all mean? See if you can spot any other references to King stories:
As for storylines, though, the trailer offers very few clues. It’s fair to say the voiceover is bang on the money when it says, “You have no idea what’s happening here… do you?”
The first full trailer for Star Wars: the Last Jedi was finally released last night (October 9), and it hasn’t disappointed.
But before we reveal how fans responded on social media, check out the trailer for yourself:
Excited much? We don’t know about you, but we were pretty much in a state of extreme ecstasy as soon as the duh-duh-duhhh-duh-der-derrs started.
But how have fans reacted to this latest peek at the next part of their beloved space saga? The Last Jedi will be the eighth installment since the story began way back in 1977, which means it’ll have to start tying up storylines before the final outing is released in 2019.
Well, some have been quick to pick up on the movie’s apparently darker tone, thanks to Looper director Rian Johnson. The last film, 2015’s The Force Awakens, was a much more Spielbergian affair, with J.J. Abrams bringing warmth and playfulness to the remote desert planet of Jakku.
This one, on the other hand, looks like it may have more in common with last year’s gritty prequel Rogue One:
New Star Wars trailer. I got cold chills and watery eyes. This is going to be intense. #TheLastJediTrailer
And then there’s the small matter of just who exactly the title refers to. Is Rey the last Jedi? Or could it be Finn (John Boyega)? He pops up in the trailer, but only briefly, while Rey appears to be tempted by the dark side when Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) offers her his hand.
In fact, some people are upset that it gives away too much, and by “some people,” we mean director Rian Johnson, who tweeted on Sunday (October 8): “If you want to come in clean, absolutely avoid it.”
Wrapping things up in the penultimate film of nine also means the return of some of the original characters, from a grizzled-looking Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who was largely absent from the previous film in the series, The Force Awakens, to Chewbacca, who appears to have a new friend.
Woke up and my Twitter feed is filled with this thing from Star Wars.
The cute little critter is called a “port,” and is already being likened to the ewoks in Return of the Jedi, or a certain clumsy, well-meaning Gungan leader from The Phantom Menace:
Star Wars fans hating on the porgs now should remember that everyone hated on Jar Jar too and now everyone…….okay bad example pic.twitter.com/FXe1POYqBD
And then there’s General Leia, played by the late and irreplaceable Carrie Fisher. Carrie completed her scenes for The Last Jedi before her untimely death last December, but where her character will end up and how she’ll feature in the final episode is anyone’s guess.
Whatever the outcome, her inclusion in the footage caused many to express their sadness:
Rejoice! There’s more good news for David Tennant fans, as he’s landed yet another part. But it’s bad news for fans of David’s actual face, because that role is animated.
It’s been announced today (October 11) that he’s going to star in The Highway Rat, a one-off festive adaptation of a bestselling children’s book by The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler.
David will play the eponymous rodent robber, whose craving for buns, cookies and all things sweet drives him to commit roadside larceny, with the catchphrase, “Give me your pastries and puddings! Give me your chocolate and cake! For I am the Rat of the Highway, and whatever I want I take!”
Here’s a look at David reimagined as rodent:
Allons-y! David Tennant as the sweet-toothed Highway Rat. (Image: BBC)
Voicing animated characters has become somewhat of a trend for David, what with his upcoming portrayal of Buck Douglas in the Fireman Sam special, and Disney’s Scrooge McDuck in the DuckTales reboot. His lack of visual performance in the latter is more than made up for, however: not only does it give him the opportunity to unleash those Scottish vowels, but, according to Den of Geek, an upcoming episode will also see him reunited with Catherine Tate, a.k.a. Doctor Who‘s Donna Noble.
The Highway Rat will also feature the voices of some of faves, from The Trip‘s Rob Brydon as the narrator, and The Night Manager‘s Tom Hollander as Squirrel, to Love Actually‘s Nina Sosanya as Duck, and Harry Potter‘s Frances de le Tour as Rabbit.
It’s also made by the same team who put together The Stick Man, the animated festive treat that starred Sherlock’s Martin Freeman as a twig desperately trying to get home for Christmas.
That got a global release, not to mention numerous awards, and eventually found its way onto Netflix, so it’s not too much of a stretch to expect The Highway Rat will make it to the U.S. in the near future.
An alien hunter, a miserly duck and now a criminally minded rat — what do you think of David’s cartoon roles?
C’mon — ‘fess up. We’ve all messed up with our cell phones — though perhaps not in quite so public a manner as Mark Ruffalo on Tuesday (October 10).
The Hulk star was attending the L.A. premiere of Thor: Ragnarok, the third installment in Marvel’s Thor franchise that opens in theaters on November 3, when the phone malfunction occurred.
And this wasn’t just an embarrassing buttdial, or liking an ex’s tweet by mistake. Oh no. Mark accidentally live broadcast the first 10 minutes of one of the most hotly anticipated movies due out this fall, made by a company famous for its secrecy.
It all began as Mark live-streamed the event via Instagram, showing co-stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, and Cate Blanchett as they arrived on the red carpet. What he didn’t realize, however, as he settled in his seat in Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre to watch the film alongside the rest of the cast, is that the livestream was still running.
Eesh. Luckily almost 2,500 of his followers noticed:
The stream had no discernible video, on account of it presumably being in Mark’s pocket. But the audio of the film, complete with audience laughs and cheers, was enough to send those watching into paroxysms of excitement.
Mark was quick to own up to the mistake, posing rather sheepishly with his camera during the curtain call at the end of the movie:
L-R: Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett and Mark Ruffalo go on stage after the premiere of ‘Thor: Ragnarok’. (Photo: Getty Images for Disney)
The good news is that Mark’s faux pas did not detract from what was happening in the theater, with many of the film fans and critics in attendance tweeting praise for director Taika Waititi‘s addition to the franchise.
That didn’t mean Mark was off the hook, however. After a day of being ribbed by his fellow cast members and on social media, last night (October 11) Mark issued a fulsome apology:
It’s Friday the 13th, so prepare to get spooked — and possibly develop a phobia of washing machines.
The first chilling trailer for The New Mutants was released today (October 13), and gives us our first glimpse at the next phase in the X-Men story, from The Fault in Our Stars director, Josh Boone.
It stars Game of Thrones‘ Maisie Williams as Wolfsbane, a Scottish mutant conflicted about her ability to turn into a wolf, and Split‘s Anya Taylor-Joy as Magik, a Russian sorceress who uses teleportation. Rounding out the group of young mutants are Stranger Things‘ Charlie Heaton as Cannonball, 13 Reasons Why‘s Henry Zaga as Sunspot, and The Originals‘ Blu Hunt as Mirage.
Basically the whole thing is to X-Men what Muppet Babies was to The Muppets, and based on a group of teenaged mutant superheroes-in-training who first appeared in Marvel comics in 1982.
Thankfully City of Gods‘ Alice Braga is there to look after them all as medical doctor Cecilia Reyes, and, if one mentor weren’t enough, there are rumors of a substantial role for James McAvoy-as-Professor X.
The New Mutants is the latest addition to the already bulging at the seams X-Men universe. There’s the main film franchise about a set of mutants led by Professor X; the delightfully irreverent Deadpool, which gets its first sequel next year; the Wolverine films, which reached a crescendo in this year’s Logan; a solo Gambit movie due in 2019; TV spin-offs Legion starring Dan Stevens and The Gifted; plus a possible X-Force movie.
The trailer signals a significant difference in tone, however, with the dark hospital setting, the creepy white masks, and even what appears to be a blood-curdling shower scene, all suggesting this particular mutants’ story will be more horror than superhero action movie.
Here it is:
The New Mutants opens in theaters on April 13, 2018 — another Friday 13th, fittingly.
Celebrity interviews are a tricky affair. The stars involved are often midway through a lengthy promotional tour, a long way from home, and not in the mood for laughs or wacky gimmicks, which can lead to some famously tetchy encounters.
So it was with considerable relief last week when we saw this hilarious interview with Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling. It started out straightforwardly enough: two chairs set up in a London hotel room, a set time limit, and mugs of tea for all.
After a minute or two of British TV presenter Alison Hammond‘s questions, however, Harrison and Ryan were reaching for an altogether different kind of refreshment…
The whole thing got us thinking — which are the funniest interviews out there, where the celebrity involved drops the act and just lets rip? Here are ten of our favorites.
10. Michael Caine does his best Michael Caine impression
Sir Michael Caine discussed his time in Korea, the Stanislavsky school of acting and crying on cue in this wide-ranging 2007 interview with British talkshow host Sir Michael Parkinson. The subject he got most worked up about, however, was all those terrible Michael Caine impressions.
9. Steve Carrell scares Ellen DeGeneres
The warmth between real-life friends Steve Carrell and Ellen DeGeneres is obvious in this clip from 2010, despite the latter’s desperate desire for revenge. The reason? An earlier interview, where Steve got her good and proper.
8. Eminem in sense-of-humor shocker
Eminem has a somewhat formidable reputation, so it’s no surprise that talkshow host Jonathan Ross began this 2009 interview on the back foot. For starters, he asked if he should call his guest “Eminem” or “Marshall” or “Slim,” a question sure to get short shrift — until it didn’t. It’s fair to say no-one was expecting a Yoda impression.
7. Russell Brand hijacks Morning Joe
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what went wrong and when in this 2013 interview with the definitely un-messianic Russell Brand, but it’s tempting to say it was right at the start. Russell certainly looks uncomfortable at the suggestion that presenter Mika Brzezinski doesn’t know who he is, and it goes downhill from there, with Russell eventually berating his hosts on their lack of manners. Trust ol’ Russ to make it funny though.
6. Mila Kunis is a freakin’ good sport
In March 2013, British radio presenter Chris Stark was given ten minutes’ notice that he’d be interviewing Mila Kunis about her new film Oz the Great and Powerful. The result was a line of questioning that barely referenced the film, and instead revolved around Chris’s local pub, football club, a certain British chicken restaurant, and drinking games with his friends. He invited Mila to all four, getting “massive lad points” when she said she’d do her best to attend. Mila, on her part, said it was the “best interview of the day.”
5. Bruce Willis vs. Stephen Colbert
Bruce Willis is a famously prickly character when it comes to interviews, for instance when this 2013 junket interview went badly wrong for Magic FM radio host Jamie Edwards. So this contretemps with Stephen Colbert looked extremely plausible when Bruce appeared on The Late Show in 2015 — until, that is, it didn’t.
4. Zig and Zag meet their match in Robin Williams
Puppet aliens Zig and Zag haunted British TV in the 1990s, causing mayhem on various shows until they were given their very own interview slot in the daily morning show The Big Breakfast. Sequestered in an upstairs bathroom, their bonkers brand of questioning perplexed stars such as Robin Gibb, Mike Myers, and Aerosmith — until finally they met their match in the one and only Robin Williams.
3. Jack Nicholson interrupts Jennifer Lawrence
It’s one thing to win an Oscar, and it’s quite another to be hit on by Jack Nicholson live on camera. That’s what happened to Jennifer Lawrence during an interview on Oscars night in 2013, and her face says everything there is to say, really.
2. Craig Ferguson Interviews His Old Mucker Peter Capaldi
In November 2009, long before he was even announced as the twelfth Doctor, Peter Capaldi appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson to promote new film In the Loop, in which he reprised his role of the foul-mouthed Malcolm Tucker. Peter and Craig go way back, of course — and the result is a hilarious trip down memory lane.
1. Will Smith on Graham Norton
Okay, so it’s not an interview as such, although Will’s chat with Graham was as funny as usual. What happened next though had us — not to mention fellow guests Bradley Cooper and Heather Graham — grinning from ear to ear. First, Will and his son Jaden Smith got the audience on their feet, then introduced DJ Jazzy Jeff for a rendition of the theme tune to The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. And if that wasn’t enough, even Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) got in on the act. Just try and keep a straight face watching this.
Kit Harington may have risen to fame as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones and be about to star as a seventeenth-century religious zealot in Gunpowder, but he’s had his fill of historical dramas.
“I’m personally done now with medieval in the 1600s,” he told press yesterday (October 15) at the launch of his new series Gunpowder, which depicts the story of the so-called “gunpowder plot” to blow up London’s Houses of Parliament and kill King James I in 1605.
The series also stars Sherlock‘s Mark Gatiss, The Leftovers‘ Liv Tyler and Ozark‘s Peter Mullan in its tale of the run-up to the failed plot, with Downton‘s Tom Cullan playing its most famous member, Guy Fawkes.
According to Digital Spy, Kit then added: “Why I would ever desire to film in cold, muddy places on horses, I have no idea. It must be some desire that’s built into me from a past life, I think.”
That’s fair enough. They don’t have to deal with mud or horses on Downton Abbey.
That “past life” he’s referring to is the real-life Robert Catesby, the mastermind behind the plot who was executed alongside his fellow co-conspirators shortly after their plans were discovered. Not only does Kit play him in Gunpowder, but he’s also related to him as well.
“I suppose I want to avoid the term ‘passion project’,” Kit explained, “but the idea spawned from a piece of family curiosity, which is that my mother’s maiden name is Catesby, my middle name is Catesby… and it was always the thing that we were told, growing up, that we were related to the leader of the gunpowder plot.”
The plot has particular significance in the U.K. and is still commemorated every November 5 with fireworks and bonfires, though its historical context and the background of religious persecution that led to the conspiracy is less well-known.
“It’s such a significant piece of typically English folklore and we mark it every year… it just seemed odd to us that it hadn’t been dramatized, so that’s where the idea spawned from – from a family connection, but more from the fact that it seemed like an idea that was quite ripe for doing.”
The three-part series will start airing in the U.K. from Saturday (October 21), just in time for the next celebrations, and we’ve got our fingers crossed for a U.S. release soon thereafter.
As for Kit, he may have had it up to here with costume drama, but there are some advantages to playing a seventeenth-century religious fanatic.
“I think [the role of Robert] fit quite well with me not being able to cut my hair!” Kit quipped, referring to Jon Snow’s equally shaggy locks. He’s due to get back into the role of the White Wolf, as filming for Game of Thrones‘ eighth and final season starts this month.
And after that? Well, don’t expect Kit’s next role to be a gritty modern-day drama, however; he’s not jumping that far ahead in time just yet.
As he explained: “Moving forward, [I’d like] something with guns! Just move my way slowly more modern, century by century.”
You heard it here, folks. Next up: Kit playing an eighteenth-century dandy.
Are you ready for Kit to be smartly dressed and clean-shaven?
Arguably, the most sought-after acting role of all time isn’t James Bond, or Doctor Who even, but Hamlet — and the latest actor to be linked with it is Emmy award-winner, Riz Ahmed.
According to Deadline, he’s currently in talks to star in a new adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy bound for Netflix.
If true, he’ll be added to a long line of Anglo faves who’ve tackled the role in recent years, from David Tennant, Rory Kinnear, and Oscar Isaac, to Benedict Cumberbatch, who gave it his best shot on the London stage, followed by his Sherlock nemesis Andrew Scott and his War Horse co-star Tom Hiddleston.
Not many have committed the performance to film, however, though some live productions have been broadcast to theaters worldwide. It’s not since Sir Kenneth Branagh‘s seminal production in 1996, which starred himself as the Danish prince and Kate Winslet as Ophelia, followed by a modern 2000 film adaptation starring Ethan Hawke and Bill Murray as Polonius, that the play has been made specifically for the screen.
That now looks set to change. This new version of the play will be set in a modern-day London of economic and political uncertainty, so “London” basically.
Not only is Riz slated to star, but he has also had a hand in its production, having helped develop the script with his university friend Michael Lesslie, one of the writers behind the 2015 film adaptation of Macbeth starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard. (There was also a little help from William Shakespeare, of course.)
So far Netflix has agreed to finance the film and launch it on their online service, with the possibility of a limited run in theaters. The next step will be to find a director, not to mention a supporting cast.
Seasons four and five of Peaky Blinders have yet to air, but its star Cillian Murphy has hinted a big screen version might already be in the works.
This isn’t the first time a film about the notorious Shelby gang has been mooted, either. Creator Steven Knighttold Digital Spy last year that he’d already been in discussions about a movie spinoff, saying “I think it’d be great to have a series, then a film, a series, a film… why not?”
Why not, indeed. Executive producer Caryn Mandabach went on to cite how “many people in America” love the series, including certain movie stars who’ve allegedly expressed an interest in taking a role in the show.
“We heard Julia Roberts wants to do it — but this is hearsay… I don’t really know for sure.”
Julia Roberts?! That’s possibly a little far-fetched for a series set in the crime world of 1920s Birmingham, England. But, since then, Oscar winner Adrien Brodyhas come on board for the show’s fourth season, joining Dunkirk stars Cillian and Tom Hardy in an as-yet undisclosed role.
Anything, then, is possible. Cillian, for his part, was ambivalent about the notion of a movie when Deadline asked him about it last year, calling it a “sexy idea.” He went on to say he’d have to “reserve judgement” until it was actually offered to him.
Now, though, it seems Cillian is a lot more inclined to discuss the prospect. In an interview with Esquire magazine published yesterday (October 17), he said Steven Knight “has some ideas” about how to translate the show’s action to a feature length format, and that he’d be “curious to do it.”
It’s sounding promising, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There’s two more seasons of the gritty drama to soak up first, with the fourth expected to start airing in the U.K. next month and launch on Netflix in the U.S. soon after. We’ll just have to wait and see if they decide to push back the fifth and final season to make way for a film.
Would you want to see Peaky Blinders on the big screen?
How does one top an Oscar? Well, this year’s Academy Award-winning lead actor Casey Affleck is rounding off a successful year with his first ever TV role.
According to Deadline, the Manchester by the Sea star has added a TV series directed by the visionary filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón to his slate, making him the latest Hollywood A-lister to move from big to small screen.
Casey’s slate was already bulging, of course, thanks to the prestige of his big win earlier this year. Up next for him are roles in The Old Man and the Gun alongside Robert Redford; Light of My Life, which he also wrote and directed; and the lead role in Stoner, the adaptation of John Williams‘ cult novel.
And having wowed audiences with his performances in The Assassination of Jesse James by The Coward Robert Ford and Gone Baby Gone, directed by brother Ben Affleck, this new project will be the first time the Oscar winner has acted on TV.
Not much is known about the show, apart from the fact it’s a horror and apparently tracks the origins of a cult. That sounds particularly well-suited to Cuarón, whose films include Y Tu Mamá También, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Children of Men, as well as his most recent multiple award-winning feature, Gravity.
The as-yet untitled horror project is currently being pitched to networks, cable outlets and streaming services, with Cuarón writing, directing and executive producing, while Affleck will star and produce.
It looks like the Hellboy reboot is back on track, with Sophie Okonedo, Brian Gleeson and Alistair Petrie the latest names to be added to the cast.
Things looked a little dicey there back in August, when Ed Skrein made a surprise departure amid claims his casting as Major Ben Daimio amounted to whitewashing. The role has since been filled by Daniel Dae Kim, the Korean-American actor best known for playing Jin-Soo Kwon on Lost.
And thanks to Hellboy’s original creator Mike Mignola, we’ve also had our first peek at Stranger Things‘ David Harbour as the half-demon in question:
The new movie will effectively reboot the Hellboy franchise, ten years after the last of the two films made by visionary director Guillermo del Toro. It follows the hero (Harbour) and his ragtag team of paranormal researchers, including American Gods‘ Ian McShane, who replaces John Hurt as Professor Broom, as they try to save the world from a medieval sorceress who wants to destroy humankind (Resident Evil‘s Milla Jovovich).
Now things are really looking up for the production, as a slew of great actors are added to the cast list. According to Deadline, The Hollow Crown‘s Sophie Okonedo will exchange one noble character for another to play Lady Hatton, a seer at the Osiris Club, an “ancient English club” dedicated to “uncovering supernatural mysteries.”
The Night Manager and Sherlock star Alistair Petrie will play Lord Adam Glaren, a member of the club, while Brian Gleeson, who’s most recently popped up in Logan Lucky and Mother! (and yes, is Brendan‘s son and the younger brother of Star Wars‘ Domhnall Gleeson), will play a wizard named Merlin.
The cameras started rolling in the U.K. and Bulgaria last month, meaning it’s finally all systems go. After a lengthy break, we can now expect the Red One to rock up in theaters in early 2019.
A new biopic about Hollywood legend Judy Garland is in the works, with Bridget Jones star Renée Zellweger set to play the lead role.
Rather than tell the story of the whole of Judy’s life, however, Variety reports that Judy will focus on her tumultuous final year, when she traveled to London to perform what would turn out to be her final concerts in 1969.
Set nearly 30 years after The Wizard of Oz made her an international movie star, the biopic will follow Judy as she prepares for her sold-out shows at The Talk of the Town nightclub, where she sang classics such as “Over the Rainbow” and “The Trolley Song.”
A biopic wouldn’t be a biopic without a certain degree of tragedy, of course, and Judy’s life offered it in spades. Behind the scenes of the show, she reportedly fought with management, feeling overworked after a lifetime spent in show business and missed her children terribly, even contemplating walking away from the stage altogether. At the same time she met entrepreneur and musician Mickey Deans, whom she married a few months later.
It’s been written by The Crown and Strike writer Tom Edge, and will be helmed by Tony nominee and two-time Olivier winner Rupert Goold, who recently directed the late Tim Pigott-Smithin King Charles III.
So can Renée pull off playing such an iconic figure? It’s expected to have some pushback from ardent fans, but we’d like to take a step back to the other time Renée’s casting raised more than a few eyebrows. That was way back in 2001, when she first took on the role of that other female icon, Bridget Jones. Back then, ol’ Bridge was considered so quintessentially British, it was unimaginable that an American could play her on the big screen. Fast forward 16 years, of course, and we couldn’t imagine anyone else in the role.
Perhaps the same will happen as soon as we see her in this one.
Judy will start filming in February 2018, with a theatrical release expected some time in 2019.
The Taboo and Dunkirk star plays antihero Venom, a.k.a. Eddie Brock, the first victim to fall prey to the so-called “Venom” parasite and former adversary of one Peter Parker. In fact, this isn’t first time the character has appeared on the big screen. The role was initially played by Topher Grace in 2007’s Spider-Man 3 — not to be confused with Spider-Man 1 and 2, the 2012 reboot featuring Andrew Garfield as the arachnoid one, or the recent Spider-Man outing starring Tom Holland.
Got it? Phew.
Tom (Hardy, that is) will be joined in the Venom ensemble by Riz Ahmed (Rogue One, The Night Of), Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea), Jenny Slate (Zootropolis), Reid Scott (Veep) and Scott Haze (Midnight Special), though which roles they’ll take is not yet known.
So, let’s recap: other than the title role, we don’t know who — or what — anyone will play. We also don’t know what the film’s about. But hey, it’s got Tom Hardy in it, and that’s good enough for us.
Venom is due to open in theaters on October 5, 2018.
Are you looking forward to seeing Tom in another superhero movie?
No doubt there’ll be many attempts to spook us between now and October 31, but anything starring Dame Helen Mirren is bound to be a cut above the rest.
The Dame plays real-life heiress Sarah Winchester in Winchester: the House that Ghosts Built, which isn’t due out in theaters until early 2018, but got its first trailer yesterday (October 24) in time for Halloween.
Whoa! Yep, that’s suitably terrifying.
The story behind the film is a sad one. Sarah was the wife of William Wirt Winchester of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, makers of the Winchester rifle, who left Sarah a $20.5 million fortune and nearly 50% of the company when he died.
Worried that she’d be plagued by the spirits of everyone who had ever died at the hand of a Winchester rifle (quite a few, given this was the 1880s and the Civil War was still a recent memory), Sarah set about building a house in northern California to contain them. Though “house” might be understating it. The build, which was never finished, continued for decades and resulted in a sprawling house with multiple floors and hundred of rooms.
The ghoulish residence is now known as the Winchester Mystery House, which you can actually visit and see for yourself the doors and staircases that go to nowhere, the dead-end passageways, windows overlooking other rooms within the house, and all the other fantastic oddities that were designed either to trick ghosts or simply extend the construction process.
It’s long been considered one of the world’s most haunted houses, and is therefore ripe for the horror movie treatment. The presence of Dame Helen suggests there’ll be more to this film than spooky ghosts and jump-out-of-your-seat moments, however: it also promises a harrowing portrayal of a woman plagued by guilt and grief who lost her grip on reality.
Winchester opens in theaters on February 2, 2018.
Are you looking forward to seeing Dame Helen in this?
We think of Brits as famously polite, but last night (October 25) it was Stephen Colbert who took Hugh Laurie to task over an apparent lack of manners.
Hugh was on The Late Show to promote the second season of Chance, which started on Hulu earlier this month. He’s been a regular guest on the show since his stint as House M.D. made him a big name in America, meaning he and Stephen go way back, with his last visit coinciding with the final Presidential Debate just over a year ago.
Back then, Stephen noticed Hugh enjoyed using a segway during breaks in filming, so, being the kind and thoughtful person he is, he bought one for the The Night Manager star and had it delivered in time for Christmas.
So far, so festive. But when Stephen reminded Hugh of his generous gift last night, the expression on Hugh’s face said it all… specifically, that he’d neglected to say thank you.
Uh-oh. The awkwardness didn’t end there, either. Stephen seemed eager to grill his guest over his rudeness, first showing him a printout of the delivery confirmation email he received, and then handing him another gift: a brand new box of thank you notes.
The nights are drawing in, and if there’s one thing we like as much as curling up and watching our favorite shows, then it’s reading books written by our favorite stars.
Thousands of celebrity memoirs are published every year, each one devoted to the intimate details of famous lives, and described by the famous themselves, to varying degrees of success. But which ones — if any — are worth your time and effort?
We’ve perused our shelves and picked out ten of the very best.
10. Frank Langella, Dropped Names (2012)
“I think I’ve been writing this book all my life,” says acting legend Frank Langella, and we’re grateful for it, as his enthralling memoir preserves a life and career that brought him into contact with stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Arthur Miller, John Gielgud, and Rita Hayworth. He’s as lively a writer as he is a performer, with each chapter dedicated to one of the Hollywood greats he knew.
9. Shonda Rhimes, The Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person (2015)
Shonda Rhimes may be the genius showrunner behind Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, but she still struggled with a lack of self-confidence, stage fright, and was prone to panic attacks. This funny and honest memoir details the year in which she challenged herself to say yes to everything, including delivering a commencement speech at her alma mater, doing a guest spot on The Mindy Project, and even meeting Oprah. Oo-er.
8. Bryan Cranston, A Life in Parts (2016)
The Breaking Bad star may not have faced the adversities of Walter White, but he didn’t have it easy, either. His recent memoir offers a rare glimpse into his private life. He covers everything from growing up in a broken home and getting out of a dangerous relationship to plucking up the courage to propose to his wife, and how becoming a father informed his acting.
7. Mindy Kaling, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) (2011)
In recent years there’s been a glut of funny books by very funny women, such as Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Sarah Silverman, Jane Bussman, and Amy Schumer, but this one stands out for its honesty and revealingness. Not that there’s much salacious stuff to reveal (Mindy is the first to admit she’s not led a life full of eye-popping antics), but she writes captivatingly about growing up with immigrant parents, worrying too much, and eventually succeeding in the very male world of TV writing.
6. Alan Cumming, Not My Father’s Son (2014)
The Good Wife star’s memoir is not his first book — that was a novel published 12 years earlier — but it is his first to tackle his difficult upbringing head on. Telling on the one hand the story of his fractious relationship with his bullying father, it also details the unusual life of Alan’s maternal grandfather, an altogether gentler man whose story Alan discovered during his 2010 Who Do You Think You Are? appearance.
5. Miranda Hart, Is It Just Me? (2012)
The star of Call the Midwife and Miranda offers something a little more creative than the usual celebrity memoir here: namely, a kind of absurdist self-help book based on the moments of extreme social awkwardness that we know and love her for. The result is a chummy (see what we did there?) read, starting from the very first page, where we’re referred to directly as “my dear reader chum.”
4. Andre Agassi, Open (2009)
Let’s face it: sports biographies can be a little dull, detailing a lifetime of practice, practice, practice. That couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to this memoir by tennis legend Andre Agassi, which is unstinting in its account of his personal demons, failures and drug addictions.
(Image: HarperCollins)
3. Lauren Bacall, By Myself (1978)
The Hollywood star won a National Book Award for this memoir, and, boy, did she deserve it. A characteristically sly-eyed account of a “nice Jewish girl from Brooklyn” who grew up to marry Humphrey Bogart, it captures the magic of Hollywood without pulling any punches. It was such a success, she updated it in 2005 with details of her life with pampered pooch Sophie, who was among the beneficiaries of Lauren’s will when she died in 2014.
(Photo: Getty Images)
2. Gene Wilder, Kiss Me Like a Stranger (2005)
If you weren’t already half in love with Gene Wilder from his roles, then expect to fall hard reading this book. It’s a memoir of his life that also offers nuanced portraits of his wife Gilda Radner and troubled co-star Richard Pryor, but the whole thing is structured by the search for love Wilder believes is at the heart of everything he’s done. It’s as charming as it is frank, just like the man himself.
1. Carrie Fisher, Wishful Drinking (2008)
Carrie’s juiciest memoir was arguably last year’s The Princess Diarist, in which she revealed she’d had an affair with her Star Wars co-star Harrison Ford. This earlier volume, based on her wildly successful one-woman show, is more intriguing, however, as she details her life, addictions and mental illness, with a frankness and wit we’d come to expect from the late and deeply missed star.
We’ll be sad to see Claire Foy go at the end of the next season of The Crown, but we couldn’t be happier at today’s news (October 27) about who’ll replace her.
Variety reports that none other than Olivia Colman is next in line to the throne, by which we mean will be the next actress to play Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix’s epic series.
We’ve known this regeneration was in the works for a while. Series creator Peter Morgan has explained they’d be replacing key cast members after season two, which is due to start this December and cover the period 1956-63.
The reason? Well, the series will apparently last 60 episodes over the course of six seasons, so expecting the same actress to play a role for what might be six or seven years is asking a lot.
Not only that, but by the third and fourth seasons the queen will be in forties and fifties, and as wonderful an actress as Claire is, we think playing someone 20 years older than her might be a stretch. We hope it’s not unchivalrous to suggest Olivia will make the perfect successor, as Queen Elizabeth faces the Swinging Sixties and the comparatively dour 1970s.
Olivia’s casting answers one question — who’ll play Lizzie in the next two-season block? But it prompts even more. For instance, what about her third incarnation in the fifth and sixth seasons? Dame Judi, perhaps? Or will we come full circle, and see Dame Helen Mirren reprise the role she played so beautifully in The Queen?
And then there’s her husband Prince Philip, currently played by TARDIS resident no.11, Matt Smith. Who will replace him when Olivia replaces Claire? Ooh, did someone say “David Tennant“? Do we smell a Broadchurch reunion in the works?
Okay, so that last one might be wishful thinking, but it’s fun guessing who it could be anyway.
Can you think of a more perfect casting than Olivia?
