“Do your parents keep any creepy stuff around?” asks Daniela (Katie Sarife). “They keep it all locked away in a room so we’re safe,” answers Judy Warren (Mckenna Grace) to her babysitter’s friend who has more than a mild interest in the supernatural in the third film in the Annabelle spinoff series, Annabelle Comes Home.
Ed and Lorraine Warren (The Conjuring original stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) return home after helping college students who had in their possession a child’s doll named Annabelle, which the Warrens believe has the power to draw evil spirits and demons. Determined to make sure the doll doesn’t endanger anyone else, they lock it in the room designated for objects that are either haunted, cursed, or have been used in ritualistic practices.
Placed behind special enhanced glass and blessed by a priest, the Warrens have contained the evil in Annabelle.
When the Warrens are called out at night on a case, they leave their daughter, Judy, with her friend and trusted babysitter, Mary (Madison Iseman). While Mary and Judy are planning to celebrate Judy’s birthday early, Mary’s best friend Daniela arrives uninvited. She’s there partly to help celebrate but mostly to see what haunted artifacts the Warrens keep in their home.
When Daniela discovers the room full of cursed objects, she sneaks in and touches almost every item in the collection. As if that wasn’t enough of an invitation to supernatural activity, she opens the glass case that holds Annabelle. In doing so Daniela has unknowingly released the evil spirits connected with the items in the room, freeing them to target Judy, Mary, and Daniela.
Not in the same league as The Conjuring or its sequel The Conjuring 2, Annabelle Comes Home is, however, a creepy, goosebumps-inducing jump fest that’s the best of the Annabelle films. It turns the Warrens’ home into a spooky haunted house where shadows, bumps in the night, and mist are sinister and even deadly.
The three young main actresses give above average performances in the film. Strongest is Mckenna Grace (Designated Survivor) as young Judy who’s starting to realize she has her mother’s gift and has the most common sense of the three young girls. Grace portrays Judy as a likeable and at times melancholy child who just wants to have friends and be a kid despite growing up in such a unique house.
Madison Iseman is solid as Mary, the classic, trustworthy, “good girl,” dependable babysitter who genuinely likes Judy and tries to look out for her like a big sister would. She’s reminiscent of the character Laurie Strode in the first Halloween film. Katie Sarife is effective as Daniela, Mary’s best friend who has become focused on the Warrens and the supernatural for deeply personal reasons.
Director Gary Dauberman tries to emulate James Wan’s style with the use of shadows, lighting, and sounds to create an eerie and scary haunted house the three young girls must struggle to survive in. However, Dauberman does resort to more traditional jump scares than Wan’s style of building true tension and suspense.
The Conjuring kicked the franchise off, setting the bar impossibly high for spinoffs and origin stories. Still, Annabelle Comes Home is effective and creepy. It’s a simple, scary, and fun haunted house film.
Lionsgate’s debuted the first teaser trailer for the action drama, Midway, inspired by true events. The two-minute trailer arrived with a batch of photos featuring the big name cast.
Midway stars Ed Skrein as Dick Best, Patrick Wilson as Edwin Layton, Luke Evans as Lieutenant Commander Wade McClusky, Aaron Eckhart as Lt. Commander Jimmy Doolittle, Nick Jonas as Bruno Gaido, Etsushi Toyokawa as Admiral Yamamoto, Tadanobu Asano as Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi, and Luke Kleintank as Lieutenant Clarence Earle Dickinson.
Jun Kunimura is Admiral Nagumo, Darren Criss is Lt. Eugene Lindsey, Keean Johnson is James Murray, Mandy Moore is Ann Best, Dennis Quaid is Admiral William “Bull” Halsey, and Woody Harrelson is Admiral Chester Nimitz. Alexander Ludwig also stars in the drama directed by Roland Emmerich (The Day After Tomorrow, White House Down).
Wes Tooke wrote the screenplay and Harald Kloser produced the Lionsgate release. The behind the scenes team includes director of photography Robby Baumgartner, editor Adam Wolfe, production designer Kirk M. Petruccelli, and costume designer Mario Davignon.
Midway is set to open in theaters on November 8, 2019.
The Plot:
“Midway centers on the Battle of Midway, a clash between the American fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy which marked a pivotal turning point in the Pacific Theater during WWII.
The film, based on the real-life events of this heroic feat, tells the story of the leaders and soldiers who used their instincts, fortitude and bravery to overcome the odds.”
Dick Best (Ed Skrein) and Ann Best (Mandy Moore) in ‘Midway’ (Photo credit: Reiner Bajo)Darren Criss stars as ‘Lt. Eugene Lindsey’ (Photo credit: Reiner Bajo)Nick Jonas stars as ‘Bruno Gaido’ (Photo credit: Reiner Bajo)Luke Evans stars as ‘Lt. Commander Wade McClusky’ (Photo credit: Reiner Bajo)Dennis Quaid stars as ‘Admiral William “Bull” Halsey’ (Photo credit: Reiner Bajo)Patrick Wilson stars as ‘Edwin Layton’ (Photo credit: Reiner Bajo)
CBS’s summer action adventure series Blood & Treasure continues season one with “The Lunchbox of Destiny” – not to be confused with “The Buffet Tray of Fate” or “The Thermos of Luck.” Seriously, love that title. Nice job, Blood & Treasure writers. Season one episode eight was directed by Holly Dale from a script by Kevin Chesley and Bryan Shukoff. “The Lunchbox of Destiny” will air on Tuesday, July 2, 2019 at 10pm ET/PT.
Episode eight’s guest cast includes Judson Leblanc, Ali Hassan, Conrad Pla, James Loye, Rick Gomez, Mark Valley, Philippe Hartmann, and Catherine Audet Lapointe. Susan Bain, Anna Silk, Anthony Jones Nestoras, Al Goulem, and Abdellatif Chaouqi also guest star.
The cast is led by Matt Barr (Valor) as Danny McNamara and Sofia Pernas (The Brave) as Lexi Vaziri. Michael James Shaw is Aiden Shaw, Katia Winter is Gwen Karlsson, James Callis is Simon Hardwick, Oded Fehr is Karim Farouk, Alicia Coppola is Dr. Anna Castillo, and Mark Gagliardi plays Father Chuck. Antonio Cupo, Tony Nash, and Mohamed El Husseini play recurring roles in season one.
“The Lunchbox of Destiny” Plot – The FBI offers Danny and Lexi information that will help them in their search for Cleopatra, but only if Danny is able to get his incarcerated father, Patrick (Mark Valley), to give up the location of paintings that he helped steal 20 years earlier. Also, Farouk deals with a loose end and takes a big step forward in his master plan.
The Season 1 Plot, Courtesy of CBS:
“Blood & Treasure is a globe-trotting action-adventure drama about a brilliant antiquities expert and a cunning art thief who team up to catch a ruthless terrorist who funds his attacks through stolen treasure. Danny McNamara is a former FBI agent specializing in stolen arts and antiquities. Lexi Vaziri is a resourceful art thief who is haunted by the tragic loss of her father, which she blames on Danny. When terrorist Karim Farouk absconds with a priceless artifact and kidnaps Danny’s mentor, Dr. Anna Castillo, Danny recruits Lexi to help him bring Farouk to justice and rescue Anna.
As they chase down Farouk, they encounter unscrupulous individuals who may either be useful allies or dangerous enemies, including Aiden Shaw, an arms dealer who acts solely in his self-interest, and Simon Hardwick, an expert at procuring pilfered artifacts. Danny and Lexi are assisted by Father Chuck, a childhood friend of Danny’s who works at the Vatican Foreign Ministry in Rome.
Their hunt draws the attention of Interpol agent Gwen Karlsson, who wants Farouk brought to justice, but won’t allow Danny and Lexi to break international laws in the process. As they crisscross the world hunting their target, Danny and Lexi unexpectedly find themselves at the center of a 2,000-year-old battle for the cradle of civilization.”
Luke Grimes and Cole Hauser come to blows on ‘Yellowstone’ season 2 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Paramount Network)
Paramount Network’s Yellowstone season two premiere ended with John Dutton (Kevin Costner) being rushed to the hospital, suffering from a ruptured ulcer. He owes his life to a veterinarian who happened to be on the ranch, and the medical emergency has forced him to examine his relationships and future.
Season two episode two opens in the hospital. John’s on his feet and ready to go home, against his doctor’s orders. Reluctantly he gives in and allows his doctor to check out the sutures. The incision’s healing, but the doctor’s not happy with how John’s taking care of himself. He orders him to rehab by swimming twice a week. He also reminds John he brought this on himself by not following up when he was told there was a mass on the CT scan. A pill could have taken care of this problem if only he’d done what he was supposed to. (John had assumed he was dying of cancer.)
Kayce (Luke Grimes) plays chauffeur and gives his dad a ride home, and the two bicker over potholes and bumpy roads. John winces in pain with each jolt and blames Kayce for aiming for the rough spots on the road.
John needs a break on the ride home and while he’s stretching his legs, he and Kayce continue arguing. John segues from criticizing Kayce’s driving to how Kayce’s handling himself now that he’s back home on the ranch. John reminds him he’s not supposed to fight. He should have let the wranglers take care of themselves after the barfight.
“How am I supposed to sleep in the same room with men I won’t defend?” asks Kayce. John has an unexpected answer. “You aren’t. I’m going to fix that problem too,” says John.
John gets philosophical, telling his son he’s figured him out. Kayce was convinced death was coming and believed his days didn’t matter. John reminds him he’s alive and needs to face up to decisions he made when he didn’t think he’d be sticking around. John, fresh off his own near-death experience, tells his son he needs to start living again. Kayce confesses he doesn’t know how.
Beth (Kelly Reilly) meets with Bob Schwartz (Michael Nouri) in her new office to begin snatching up the land surrounding Yellowstone Ranch. She’s her usual wicked self to the real estate agent handling one parcel, insulting everything from his teeth to his sense of humor.
Kelsey Asbille in ‘Yellowstone’ season 2 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Paramount Network)
Meanwhile, Monica (Kelsey Asbille) shows up for her first day teaching and is immediately the brunt of a misogynistic joke. She handles the student responsible well, calling out his condescending attitude while putting his behavior in historical context. (Very impressive, Monica!)
Beth and Bob check out a large parcel the realtor who disgusted Beth had mentioned. It’s not for sale, but Beth assures the owner that in fact everything has its price. She asks him to name his and as soon as he says $9 million, Bob writes a check.
15 minutes into the episode and we finally catch up with the wranglers. They’re busy working on stringing up a new barb wire fence when Rip (Cole Hauser) gets into again with Walker. (They butted heads during the bar fight revenge attack.) The other wranglers look on but remain silent. Rip believes Walker (Ryan Bingham) is disloyal to the ranch, something Rip cannot tolerate. More words are exchanged and then fists begin to fly. Walker pulls out a knife while Rip taunts him. The others realize they’re going to have take sides, but fortunately the fight’s over quickly when Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith) puts a gun to Walker’s back and threatens to pull the trigger.
Walker’s done with Yellowstone Ranch and as he rides off, Rip warns he’ll find him no matter where he goes.
Cowboy’s hanging out in the bunkhouse when Walker arrives to pack up his stuff. Cowboy (Steven Williams) delivers some wise parting advice. “You run into trouble, walk the other way,” he says as Walker’s leaving.
Walker’s heading out as Kayce and John pull up to the ranch. Walker informs them he quit because of what went down at the bar. That’s not what he hired on to do. Plus, he’s not sure who’s really in charge. “I run it, and he runs it. You don’t listen to anybody else,” says John, sending Walker back to the bunkhouse.
As they drive off, John informs Kayce he’s making some changes.
John has Kayce sign a couple of papers making the chain of command official. Kayce wonders when he’ll begin his training, but John realizes they need to set the bunkhouse right first.
John changes the subject and asks about Monica and Tate. He wants to know why Kayce isn’t with them and tells Kayce he expects him to run the place “fair and honest,” just like his deceased brother did while he was in charge. In order to do that, he needs to set his life right.
Rip’s not done with Walker. He enters the bunkhouse in a rage and is about to go after Walker when Kayce grabs him, telling him John needs to see him at the big house.
John begins his meeting by telling Rip he’s the only person he can trust. Rip agrees but isn’t prepared for what’s coming next. John realizes this will be hard on Rip, but he needs Kayce out of the bunkhouse as he learns to run the ranch. That means Rip will have to give up his place and move back in with the wranglers. Rip is speechless as John explains what else he needs.
The men are having a good time watching sports and poking fun at Jimmy (Jefferson White) when Rip walks in with his bags. The room quiets as Rip grabs a beer and takes a seat at the table. The silence is broken when Rip talks about one of the teams. Jimmy further lightens the mood by making a joke about Colby’s mom.
However, the tension remains so thick you could cut it with a knife between Rip and Walker.
The following morning the wranglers are waiting around, unsure of what’s expected. Rip says it’s not up to him as Kayce has a quiet conversation with his dad. Kayce realizes Rip will be working against him, and John reminds Kayce that Rip’s respect doesn’t matter; he needs respect from the wranglers.
Kayce takes charge, issuing orders. Rip’s unimpressed but falls in line.
The wranglers round up cattle, but Jimmy allows a few to break through the line. Walker works on the strays and Rip follows…but not to herd the cattle. Rip rides up on Walker’s mount, chasing him through the trees. Rip knocks Walker from his horse and into a tree.
“You dead?” asks Rip. When Walker moves, Rip adds, “You’re about to be.”
Rip rides a short distance away and then gallops at Walker, still on the ground next to the tree. Before Rip can reach Walker, Kayce intervenes. Kayce rides his horse into Rip’s path, forcing him to rein in his horse. Kayce’s about to go after Rip when Rip tells him they’re going to do this in front of the men. Rip warns he’s not going to take it easy.
Walker gets to his feet and seems okay. He limps to retrieve his horse.
The wranglers circle up as Rip and Kayce fight. They appear evenly matched and are bloodied in short order. John watches from nearby, advising the wranglers to stay out of it. After the fight’s gone on a while, Rip whispers, “Come on, Kayce, take it.” Kayce punches him once more in the face, knocking Rip to the ground.
Kayce addresses the wranglers, reminding them there isn’t any fighting on this ranch. Anyone who wants to fight will need to fight him.
After the wranglers leave, John thanks Rip for making Kayce earn it. John wants Rip to get along with Kayce and to be there for him when needed. Rip admits he’s not sure John’s faith in Kayce is warranted.
Later at the dinner table Beth wonders why Kayce’s face is shredded. John warns her not to talk about work at the table and Beth goes off. She doesn’t want to be told what to talk about. She tosses her napkin and leaves the table.
Kayce chuckles, realizing nothing’s changed.
Beth spots Rip sitting out in a field, alone. She realizes what Rip is sacrificing for her family – in particular for her brother – and Rip acknowledges it’s what John wants. She admits that she worried her father would love Rip more than her but knows he doesn’t. Rip confesses this is his family, even if they don’t consider him a member.
It’s late when Beth visits her brother at his place (formerly Rip’s). She wonders why he doesn’t live in the big house and allow Rip to remain where he was comfortable for years. Kayce makes the excuse “grown men don’t live with their fathers,” but Beth’s not having it. She replies, “They also don’t kick other men out of the only home they’ve ever had.” (Beth remains my favorite character.)
Kayce thinks Rip is a bully, but Beth begs to differ. She blames Rip’s behavior on their father and the way he molded him growing up. When Beth tells her brother it sure seems easy for him to walk away from the life he built, Kayce says Monica doesn’t want that life anymore. The extremely perceptive Beth knows Monica left because she didn’t want Kayce turning into his father, which is exactly what he’s doing.
Kayce explains he’s just trying to protect the ranch because it’s all he has to give his family. Beth, fed up and frustrated, yells that she’s the one protecting it. She knows he doesn’t have it in him to sit on boards, go to meetings, and play the political games. Beth believes he’ll eventually get into a fight, injure someone, go to jail, and then lose the ranch.
“Go home, Kayce,” says Beth, not mincing words. “Go work on this. And you stay far away from him. When he dies, you can have this f*cking place. I will give it to you.”
Beth walks away before Kayce can reply.
The next day Kayce delivers his dad to the rec center for swim therapy. The pool’s filled with kids screaming and having a good time. Kayce parked so he could watch the therapy and he smiles as his dad warns him not to say a word while he kicks to the therapist. John, embarrassed to use a kickboard for this specific exercise, tosses it aside. He dives underwater and swims through the crowd while Kayce smiles and shrugs at the therapist.
John comes up for air right where Monica happens to be doing her own physical therapy. They’re shocked to see each other in the pool, and then they hear Tate yelling out for his dad. Kayce’s surprised to see his son at the pool and exchanges a look with Monica. Will he follow Beth’s advice?
The official trailer’s arrived for IFC Films’ Official Secrets, based on true events. Keira Knightley takes on the role of the real life whistleblower Katharine Gun in the drama from director Gavin Hood (Eye in the Sky, X-Men Origins: Wolverine).
In addition to two-time Oscar nominee Knightley (The Imitation Game, Pride and Prejudice), the Official Secrets cast includes two-time Oscar nominee Ralph Fiennes (The English Patient, Schindler’s List), Matthew Goode (A Discovery of Witches), Matt Smith (The Crown), and Rhys Ifans (Berlin Station).
The film’s based on the book The Spy Who Tried to Stop a War: Katharine Gun and the Secret Plot to Sanction the Iraq Invasion by Marcia Mitchell and Thomas Mitchell. Director Gavin Hood, Gregory Bernstein, and Sara Bernstein wrote the screenplay. Hood’s behind the scenes team includes director of photography Florian Hoffmeister, editor Megan Gill, and production designer Simon Rogers.
Official Secrets opens in theaters on August 30, 2019.
The Plot:
“She risked everything to stop an unjust war. Her government called her a traitor. Based on world-shaking true events, Official Secrets tells the gripping story of Katharine Gun (Knightley), a British intelligence specialist whose job involves routine handling of classified information.
One day in 2003, in the lead up to the Iraq War, Gun receives a memo from the NSA with a shocking directive: the United States is enlisting Britain’s help in collecting compromising information on United Nations Security Council members in order to blackmail them into voting in favor of an invasion of Iraq. Unable to stand by and watch the world be rushed into an illegal war, Gun makes the gut-wrenching decision to defy her government and leak the memo to the press. So begins an explosive chain of events that will ignite an international firestorm, expose a vast political conspiracy, and put Gun and her family directly in harm’s way.”
Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, and Shailene Woodley in ‘Big Little Lies’ season 2 (Photo: Jennifer Clasen/HBO)
HBO has avoided the dreaded sophomore slump with season two of Big Little Lies. Equally as gripping as season one, the one-hour drama continues with episodes four and five airing June 30th and July 7th, respectively. HBO’s released details on what’s in store for those two episodes including brief plot descriptions.
The cast of season two is led by Reese Witherspoon as Madeline Martha Mackenzie, Nicole Kidman as Celeste Wright, Shailene Woodley as Jane, Laura Dern as Renata Klein, Zoë Kravitz as Bonnie Carlson, and Meryl Streep as Mary Louise Wright. Adam Scott, James Tupper, Jeffrey Nordling, Douglas Smith, Kathryn Newton, and Iain Armitage also star in season two.
Robin Weigert plays Dr. Amanda Reisman, Crystal Fox is Elizabeth Howard, Martin Donovan is Martin Howard, Denis O’Hare is Ira Farber, Poorna Jagannathan plays Katie Richmond, Sarah Sokolovic is Tori Bachman, and P.J. Byrne plays Principal Nippal.
The critically acclaimed award-winning hour long drama was created by David E. Kelley, based on Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel. Andrea Arnold directed all seven episodes and David E. Kelly wrote the scripts. Kidman, Witherspoon, Kelley, Jean-Marc Vallée, Bruna Papandrea, Per Saari, Gregg Fienberg, Nathan Ross, Andrea Arnold, and author Liane Moriarty serve as executive producers.
Season two consists of seven episodes airing on Sundays at 9pm ET/PT.
The Season 2 Plot:
“On the surface, in the tranquil seaside town of Monterey, California, everything seems the same. The mothers continue to dote, the husbands support, the children remain adorable and the houses are just as beautiful. But the night of the school fundraiser changed all that, leaving the community reeling, as the ‘Monterey Five’ – Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata and Bonnie – bond together to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.”
Big Little Lies June 30 and July 7 Episodes:
Season 2, episode 4: “She Knows”
Debut date: SUNDAY, JUNE 30 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Celeste (Nicole Kidman) accuses Mary Louise (Meryl Streep) of overstepping boundaries with Jane (Shailene Woodley). Renata (Laura Dern) endures a prying court hearing with Gordon (Jeffrey Nordling). Jane opens up to Corey (Douglas Smith) at Amabella’s (Ivy George) birthday party. Madeline (Reese Witherspoon) continues to try to make things right with Ed (Adam Scott).
Teleplay by David E. Kelley; story by David E. Kelley and Liane Moriarty; directed by Andrea Arnold.
Season 2, episode 5: “Kill Me”
Debut date: SUNDAY, JULY 7 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Renata (Laura Dern) deals with the fallout from Gordon’s (Jeffrey Nordling) legal troubles and attempts to help Celeste (Nicole Kidman). Bonnie (Zoë Kravitz) relives painful memories from her past.
Teleplay by David E. Kelley; story by David E. Kelley and Liane Moriarty; directed by Andrea Arnold.
The ‘Ghost Hunters’ team – Richel Stratton, Brian Murray, Kristen Luman, Grant Wilson, Daryl Marston, Brandon Alvis and Mustafa Gatollari (Photo by Justin Bettman/A&E Copyright 2012)
A&E Network has brought Ghost Hunters back from the dead with original team leader Grant Wilson on board to lead the hunt for things that go bump in the night. The network also announced they’re working on reimagined versions of Psychic Kids and Celebrity Ghost Stories.
Going all-in on ghosts and spirits from beyond, A&E Network has greenlit the new original series Trey the Texas Medium and is working on a two-hour World’s Biggest Ghost Hunt special.
“A&E has been on the forefront of programming in the paranormal space and with that success, we have been eager to bring the genre back to the network for some time,” stated Elaine Frontain Bryant, EVP and Head of Programming, A&E Network. “Each of these series has a unique point of view, but will collectively give our audience a window into a world of spellbinding stories that have to be seen to be believed.”
Ghost Hunters returns to primetime on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 9pm ET/PT for a 20 episode season. Grant Wilson will lead a team of new paranormal investigators that includes Daryl Marston, Kristen Luman, Brandon Alvis, Mustafa Gatollari, Brian Murray and Richel Stratton.
Psychic Kids will air right after Ghost Hunters at 10pm ET/PT. Trey the Texas Medium, Celebrity Ghost Stories, and World’s Biggest Ghost Hunt will premiere later this year.
Ghost Hunters Details:
Fifteen years after introducing the world to the field of authentic paranormal investigation, Ghost Hunters returns to television on Wednesday, August 21 at 9pm ET/PT. The series that terrified and captivated fans for 11 seasons will follow one of the original team leaders, Grant Wilson, and his handpicked group of professional ghost hunters as they use their decades of field experience to investigate hauntings across the country. Engaging forensic experts, historical records and the most innovative technology available, the new squad will help everyday people who are struggling with unexplained supernatural phenomena. The team is committed to discovering the truth to give relief to those plagued by paranormal activity and will follow the evidence they uncover wherever it may lead.
Psychic Kids Plot:
Ten years ago, the series chronicled the journeys of children who were learning to control their extraordinary abilities – and it changed their lives. In eight all new episodes, those original kids, who are now successful young adults, will work to empower a new generation of young psychics alongside trained licensed therapists. They will spend time with the children and their families to assist them in not only taking control of their paranormal abilities, but also showing them the remarkable power of their immense gifts.
Trey the Texas Medium (working title) Details:
Trey the Texas Medium centers on Trey Ganem, a successful businessman in Edna, TX, who creates one of a kind, custom caskets. While refining his skills as a master carpenter, Trey cultivated his deeper talent of mediumship. His special gift first manifested as a child, but was not encouraged by his parents. When Trey’s business brought him closer to those grappling with death, he realized his ability to speak to the dead could be put towards a higher purpose. Using both of his talents, he brings messages of love that aid families in finding the closure needed to move forward.
Celebrity Ghost Stories Description:
Celebrity Ghost Stories follows paranormal storyteller and world-renowned psychic-medium Kim Russo of The Haunting Of fame. Kim, whose abilities have only gotten stronger over time, is bringing some of the biggest names in entertainment back to the sites of their paranormal experiences for an unfiltered and, in some cases, dangerous reunion with the ghosts of their past. The series combines the thrill of ghost hunting with the emotion of psychic-medium readings to push the limits, showing a deeply raw and authentic side of some of America’s favorite celebrities.
World’s Biggest Ghost Hunt (working title) Plot:
World’s Biggest Ghost Hunt is the longest continuously filmed paranormal investigation in television history, where five paranormal investigators are locked inside the legendary Pennhurst Asylum in Pennsylvania for two weeks to document unexplained recent reports of paranormal activity. From 1908 to 1987, the 110-acre hospital had more than 10,000 residents, mostly children, confined in the most brutal conditions. Pennhurst is known as one of the most haunted locations in the United States, but recently, workers at the site have reported a sharp uptick in paranormal activity including mysterious noises and voices while others claim they were being physically attacked by spirits.
Determined to get to the bottom of these claims, the owner has granted the team of investigators unprecedented access to the entire property including areas of the asylum that are closed to the public. The team will hunt the sprawling, spine-tingling property using their formidable skills and a wide array of top-notch tech gear to capture paranormal activity working to uncover the Asylum’s darkest secrets and help determine why the paranormal activity is spiking.
The action adventure drama Blood & Treasure will be sticking around for a second season. CBS made it official, announcing today the series has earned a season two renewal order.
Blood & Treasure debuted on May 21, 2019 and currently airs on Tuesdays at 10pm ET/PT. According to CBS, season one episodes attract 5.71 million viewers, and the series ranks first among new scripted summer shows. It’s increased viewership for the network in its time slot year-over-year by 17+%.
“Blood & Treasure is a fun, escapist adventure with comedic elements filmed in multiple locales around the world that has been a great performer and a wonderful addition to our summer schedule,” stated Amy Reisenbach, Executive Vice President, Current Programs, CBS Entertainment. “We’ve heard the story pitch for season two and look forward to seeing all-new exploits from Russia to Southeast Asia next year.”
The cast of season one is led by Matt Barr and Sofia Pernas. Michael James Shaw, Katia Winter, James Callis, Oded Fehr, Alicia Coppola, and Mark Gagliardi are also season one regulars.
The action series was created by Matthew Federman and Stephen Scaia. Federman and Scaia executive produce with Taylor Elmore, Ben Silverman, Marc Webb, Mark Vlasic and Howard T. Owens.
The Season One Plot:
“Blood & Treasure is a globe-trotting action-adventure drama about a brilliant antiquities expert and a cunning art thief who team up to catch a ruthless terrorist who funds his attacks through stolen treasure. Danny McNamara (Barr) is a former FBI agent specializing in stolen arts and antiquities. Lexi Vaziri (Pernas) is a resourceful art thief who is haunted by the tragic loss of her father, which she blames on Danny. As they crisscross the world hunting their target, Danny and Lexi unexpectedly find themselves at the center of a 2,000-year-old battle for the cradle of civilization.
Lena Headey voices Maudra in Netflix’s ‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’
The voice cast of Netflix’s upcoming original series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance has just expanded by six. Game of Thrones‘ Lena Headey joins to voice Maudra Fara and Sigourney Weaver (Avatar) has been cast to voice The Myth-Speaker. Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians) will voice The Collector, Benedict Wong (Avengers: Endgame) is The Collector, Hannah John-Kamen (Ant-Man and The Wasp) is Naia, and Dave Goelz is voicing the Fizzgig, Baffi.
“I am so grateful to this dedicated and gifted ensemble who has so beautifully voiced the characters performed by our puppeteers. Gathering such highly skilled performers was only possible because of their love and respect for Jim Henson’s work and his ongoing legacy,” said Louis Leterrier, Director and Executive Producer of The Dark Crystal prequel series.
Season one consists of 10 one-hour episodes directed by Louis Leterrier. Leterrier, Lisa Henson, and Halle Stanford serve as executive producers.
Netflix has set an August 30, 2019 premiere date.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Plot, Voice Cast and Characters:
Based on The Dark Crystal, Jim Henson’s groundbreaking 1982 feature film, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance tells a new story, set many years before the events of the movie, and realized using classic puppetry with cutting edge visual effects. The world of Thra is dying. The Crystal of Truth is at the heart of Thra, a source of untold power. But it is damaged, corrupted by the evil Skeksis, and a sickness spreads across the land. When three Gelfling uncover the horrific truth behind the power of the Skeksis, an adventure unfolds as the fires of rebellion are lit and an epic battle for the planet begins.
The Gelfling:
Taron Egerton (Rocketman) as Rian
Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch) as Brea
Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Thrones) as Deet Caitriona Balfe (Outlander) as Tavra
Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech) as All-Maudra
Harris Dickinson (Trust) as Gurjin
Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones) as Onica
Eddie Izzard (Ocean’s Thirteen) as Cadia
Theo James (The Divergent Series) as Rek’yr
Toby Jones (Wayward Pines) as Librarian
Shazad Latif (Star Trek: Discovery) as Kylan
Gugu Mbatha-Raw (The Cloverfield Paradox) as Seladon
Mark Strong (Kingsman) as Ordon
Alicia Vikander (Tomb Raider) as Mira
The Skeksis & Mystics:
Harvey Fierstein (Torch Song Trilogy) as The Gourmand
Mark Hamill (Child’s Play, Star Wars) as The Scientist
Ralph Ineson (Game of Thrones) as The Hunter
Jason Isaacs (The OA) as The Emperor
Keegan-Michael Key (Toy Story 4) as The Ritual Master
Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (True Detective) as The Archer
Simon Pegg (Mission Impossible) as The Chamberlain
Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine Nine) as The Heretic
Aughra will be voiced by Donna Kimball (The Happytime Murders). Alice Dinnean is The Ornamentalist, Louise Gold is Maudra Argot, Neil Sterenberg is The Scroll-Keeper, and Victor Yerrid voices Hup.
The CW’s summer primetime lineup adds season two of the fantasy adventure series The Outpost on July 11, 2019. Season two episode one titled “We Only Kill to Survive” was directed by Marc Roskin from a script by Jason Faller and Kynan Griffin.
Season two will air on Thursdays at 9pm ET/PT.
The season two cast is led by Jessica Green as Talon. Imogen Waterhouse plays Gwynn, Anand Desai-Barochia is Janzo, Jake Stormoen is Captain Garret Spears, Philip Brodie is Everit Dred, Robyn Malcolm is The Mistress, and Andrew Howard plays Marshal Withers.
Jason Faller and Kynan Griffin created the series and serve as executive producers with Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan-Wilson. Jennifer Griffin and Jonathan English produce.
The “We Only Kill to Survive” Plot: SEASON TWO PREMIERE – Talon (Green) summons a new threat, recalling the ghosts of her childhood. Meanwhile, while Garret (Stormoen) hunts for Dred, Gwynn (Waterhouse) prepares the Outpost for war. Lastly, a messenger brings devastating news.
The Outpost Plot:
“Having defeated Dred and retaken the Outpost, Talon (Green) and Gwynn prepare for war. Talon delves deeper into demon summoning, while Gwynn (Waterhouse) recruits allies. The Prime Order trinity known as “The Three” reveal mysterious powers as they send spies, assassins, and a devastating weapon to the Outpost. As Talon uncovers the legacy of her people, she must decide who to trust, and separate her real friends from her enemies before the Prime Order attacks.”
