Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has captured audiences – and critics – in its web. The animated superhero film posted a $35 million opening weekend domestically and rang up an additional $21 million at the foreign box office. With a production budget of $90 million-ish, Sony’s got to be pretty happy about the animated Spidey’s number. Its 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes bodes well for its shot at a Best Animated Film Oscar nomination.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse now sits in the top spot among animated films’ opening weekends in December. Spider-Man pushed Sing into second, The Princess and the Frog into third, and Beavis and Butthead Do America into fourth. However, Sing opened on a Wednesday so its weekend box office take isn’t necessarily a fair comparison.
Universal Pictures found a lump of coal in their stocking this weekend after the numbers were reported for their big-budget release, Mortal Engines. The PG-13 sci-fi action adventure entered theaters following a surprisingly low-key marketing campaign for a film with a $100 million budget. Opening in 3,000+ theaters, Mortal Engines stalled with a measly $7.5 million opening weekend.
Warner Bros Pictures’ latest Clint Eastwood film, The Mule, rode into 2,500 theaters over the December 14-16 weekend. The studio should be satisfied with its $17 million opening which is pretty much in line with pre-release expectations.
Up Next: Disney will kick off the December 21-23 weekend early by popping Mary Poppins Returns into theaters on December 19th. Aquaman, Bumblebee, Welcome to Marwen, and Second Act will all be vying for moviegoers’ dollars beginning December 21st.
“Phil Lord and Christopher Miller bring their unique talents to a fresh vision of a different Spider-Man Universe, with a groundbreaking visual style that’s the first of its kind. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse introduces Brooklyn teen Miles Morales, and the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask.”
Claire Foy as Janet Armstrong in ‘First Man’ (Photo Credit: Universal Pictures)
The 24th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards will recognize Claire Foy and prolific producer Chuck Lorre with special awards. Foy has been selected to receive the #SeeHer Award, joining previous honorees Viola Davis and Gal Gadot. Award-winning producer Lorre will be recognized with the Critics’ Choice Creative Achievement Award.
According to the Broadcast Television Journalists Association and Broadcast Film Critics Association*, the #SeeHer award was created to recognize “a woman who embodies the values set forth by the #SeeHer movement — to push boundaries on changing stereotypes and recognize the importance of authentic portrayals of women across the entertainment landscape. #SeeHer is spearheaded by the ANA (Association of National Advertisers), the largest marketing and advertising association in the United States. The mission of #SeeHer is to accurately portray all women and girls in media so that by 2020, the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, they see themselves reflected as they truly are.”
“We are very honored to recognize this acclaimed actress with our third annual #SeeHer Award,” stated ANA CEO Bob Liodice. “Claire has delivered many powerful, compelling performances on TV and film, including The Crown, The Girl in the Spider’s Web and First Man. Her portrayals of such strong female characters is an inspiration for our movement.”
“It’s wonderful to see Claire Foy receive this award,” said Fiona Carter, chief brand officer, AT&T Communications. “When we shine a light on stories that ring true for all women, and celebrate the creators bringing them to life, we come a step closer to a world in which women are authentically portrayed in media and popular culture. It’s why AT&T, as one of the largest advertisers in the country, is proud to support the #SeeHer movement.”
Foy is also nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award in the Best Supporting Actress category for her performance in First Man.
Chuck Lorre’s the creative force behind such popular shows as The Big Bang Theory, Mom, Young Sheldon, and The Kominsky Method. He was chosen to receive the Critics’ Choice Creative Achievement Award in recognition of his decades-long work in television. The award “recognizes a body of work that stands out for its sustained excellence over a period of decades on programs that have delighted huge audiences with tremendous laughter and clever insights into the human condition.”
“The Big Bang Theory has been called the most successful television comedy ever, so it seems like the perfect time to honor Chuck as that show gets ready to ride off into the sunset,” said BFCA President Joey Berlin. “Thankfully, we still have Mom, Young Sheldon, and his latest gift to comedy lovers, The Kominsky Method going strong to help us get over the loss. For a quarter of a century Chuck has been keeping us in stitches with comedies of remarkable hilarity and consistency, delighting viewers and critics alike.”
The 24th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards will be held on Sunday, January 13, 2019. The awards show will air live on The CW Network beginning at 7pm ET (tape-delayed on the West Coast).
‘The Voice’ season 15 finalists Kirk Jay, Kennedy Holmes, Chris Kroeze, and Chevel Shepherd (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)
NBC’s announced the lineup of performers for the season 15 finale of The Voice set to air on Tuesday, December 18, 2018 at 8pm ET/PT. Among the artists confirmed to take the stage during the two-hour season finale are EGOT Winner John Legend and current The Voice coaches Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson.
John Legend was recently announced as a coach on season 16 of The Voice. He’ll be making his coaching debut next season alongside returning The Voice veterans Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, and Kelly Clarkson.
The season 15 finale will also feature performances by Dierks Bentley, Halsey, Marshmello and Bastille, Panic! At The Disco, and season 14 winner Brynn Cartelli.
In addition to announcing the talent taking the stage to help crown this season’s champion, NBC released the list of songs each artist will perform. Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Clarkson will get in the holiday spirit with “O Holy Night,” and John Legend will sing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” with Esperanza Spalding from his first Christmas album.
Dierks Bentley will perform “Burning Man” from his bestselling album, The Mountain. Halsey’s singing “Without Me” and DJ/producer Marshmello’s confirmed to perform “Happier” with Bastille. Panic! At The Disco’s doing a medley of “High Hopes” and “Hey Look Ma, I Made It” from their #1 album, Pray for the Wicked.
Season 14 winner Brynn Cartelli returns to The Voice stage with “Last Night’s Mascara,” a song she wrote that will be featured on her forthcoming album.
According to The Voice, the four finalists will also collaborate on musical performances during the finale. Season 15’s four finalists represent Team Jennifer (Kennedy Holmes), Team Blake (Chris Kroeze, Kirk Jay), and Team Kelly (Chevel Shepherd). Coach Adam Levine lost his final team member when the field was narrowed from eight to four.
The two-part finale begins on Monday, December 17th with each finalist performing three songs: one solo, one duet with their coach, and their original single.
The trailer for HBO Films’ Brexit opens with Benedict Cumberbatch staring into the camera. He calmly announces, “Everyone knows who won. But not everyone knows how.” The two minute trailer declares we’re about to meet the man behind Brexit.
Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Doctor Strange, Patrick Melrose) stars as lead strategist and Campaign Director of “Vote Leave” Dominic Cummings and Rory Kinnear (The Imitation Game, Penny Dreadful) plays Craig Oliver, Prime Minister David Cameron’s Director of Communications. The cast also includes Lee Boardman, Jay Simpson, Oliver Maltman, and Mary Antony.
Olivier Award winner James Graham (Quiz, Ink, Coalition) wrote the screenplay and Toby Haynes (Black Mirror, Sherlock, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell) directed. Haynes won a Hugo Award in 2005 for Doctor Who and was nominated for a Directors Guild of Great Britain award for Coming Up.
Brexit was produced by Lynn Horsford and executive produced by James Graham, Juliette Howell, and Tessa Ross. The drama’s an HBO Films, BBC Studios, Channel 4 and House Productions presentation.
The behind the scenes team includes production designer Ed Turner, costume designer Matthew Price, and hair designer/makeup designer Angie Mudge.
HBO’s set a Saturday, January 19, 2019 premiere date.
The Plot:
“The result of the Brexit referendum in summer 2016 caused a political earthquake that laid waste to the normally stable British establishment and sent political tremors around the world. Cumberbatch portrays Dominic Cummings, who spearheaded the Vote Leave campaign. Rory Kinnear plays Craig Oliver, Prime Minister David Cameron’s director of communications and head of the Remain campaign.
This provocative feature-length drama goes behind the scenes, revealing the personalities, strategies and feuds of the Leave and Remain campaigns. The tactics employed by Vote Leave during the data-driven campaign swayed a historically silent voting bloc that would ultimately decide the outcome of the referendum, as well as affecting future elections around the world.”
The cast of The CW’s new sci-fi drama Roswell, New Mexico made the trek to the 2018 New York Comic Con to promote the series. The original Roswell premiered in 1999 and starred Jason Behr, Katherine Heigl, Brendan Fehr, and Shiri Appleby. The new version’s cast includes Nathan Parsons, Jeanine Mason, Lily Cowles, and Michael Vlamis.
Roswell, New Mexico is set to join The CW’s primetime lineup on January 15, 2019 at 9pm ET/PT. Discussing the series at NYCC, Nathan Parsons explained that he expects the series to play an older demographic than a lot of the network’s popular shows. Roswell, New Mexico‘s lead characters are in their late twenties and the stories they tell will reflect their life experiences.
What can you tell us about your character?
Nathan Parsons: “I play Max Evans. I am a cop, a deputy, in Chaves County where Roswell is. I’ve lived there my whole life, and I protect my brother and my sister. We’re trying to protect ourselves from the world because we are aliens and we don’t know how we got here or where we came from or the extent of our abilities. We have to keep that between us.”
How does it feel to play someone who’s an alien? What do you do extra that kind of gives it that new dimension?
Nathan Parsons: “Well, you know what’s funny about it is I think everyone, as people, we’ve all felt alien at some point in our lives. We’ve all felt like we don’t necessarily belong somewhere. So, that’s just amped up to a slightly higher level. I don’t know how you’re doing today, I don’t know how you’re feeling today – I’m not in your skin, that’s something that I think is just a very human experience. It’s almost just deepening that sort of understanding.
Otherwise, we don’t know any different. Me and Michael and Isobel, we don’t know what another way of living would be. We’ve only known this one way. It’s sort of fun to play with.”
Did you draw any inspiration from the original series?
Nathan Parsons: “I had never watched it originally and when I got cast in this, I asked Carina MacKenzie – our creator – if I should watch it. She said no because here’s the deal, we’re taking these characters from the books and we’re jumping ahead 10 years in their lives. They’re not in high school anymore. We’re adults. We’ve had life experiences. We’ve had heartbreaks. It’s not this sort of young love full of hope thing. That’s still there – there are still roots of it and we see those start to come out as Liz comes back and myself and Liz get to know each other again. There’s 10 years of life that we get to fill in. So, we’re starting fresh.”
Is there anything in particular you really love about Max?
Nathan Parsons: “Yes, his loyalty. His loyalty to his family and to the people he cares about. That’s been very important in my life and to be able to share that with Lily Cowles and Michael Vlamis who play Isobel and Michael it’s been really fun to build that relationship. I just love playing with those two. The banter and the history, it all sort of comes together.”
How do you make the adjustment from the no-holds-barred True Blood to working on a show for The CW?
Nathan Parsons: “It can be frustrating at times. Like you said, when you’re doing a show like that on HBO you don’t feel restrained in any way. Obviously, a different situation here, but I’ve worked on shows like this as well. (Laughing) You just amend your language is the main thing. Watch your mouth. Pretend you’re around your friends’ parents and you’ll be fine. That’s really the only adjustment.”
How are you involved in the series’ murder mystery?
Nathan Dean Parsons: “I can’t give too much of that away. I’m involved because it’s Liz’s sister who we’re trying to figure out what happened to. So, that being said, I care very much for Liz and everything she’s going through I take on a little bit of just because I’ve known her my entire life. I go with her on her journey to try and figure out the truth.”
Do you believe in aliens?
Nathan Parsons: “I do. I absolutely do. I have for a long time. I love the science channel; I watch it all the time. I love how the universe works and it’s unbelievable to me with the vastness of space and the vastness of the universe that we’re the only tiny little speck that has life. No way! That’s absurd.”
How is the show actually portraying aliens?
Nathan Parsons: “Well, we’re talking about alienation and aliens in several different contexts. We have the literal aliens who are sort of the obvious hammer to the face of alienation. But then we also have immigration which we talk about. We’re talking about illegal aliens, people coming across the border. Even within the community how different alien populations alienate each other. So, there’s a whole lot of different ways that we’re talking about aliens. Now the literal sci-fi ones, we haven’t really explored yet. We’ll get to that. But the idea of an alien, we play with in a lot of different levels. Hopefully, we can keep doing that.”
Is there a particular scene you’re looking forward to viewers getting to watch, without giving away any spoilers?
Nathan Parsons: “I would say one broad moment that I think a lot of people will be looking forward to is when Liz and Max are finally on the same page, which will take a little while. I won’t tell anyone when. I won’t tell anyone why or how, but I think that’s a moment that will, including for a lot of fans of the original, it will be what the newer fans have been fighting with us towards. So, I’m really excited to move towards that as we get towards the end of the season.”
How much information did that give you about Max’s backstory?
Nathan Parsons: “Quite a bit. And we use flashbacks a lot to sort of explore why things are happening the way they’re happening and how relationships started, and how people fell apart. I get a lot of feedback. The creators of the show have been really great about sitting with us and talking things out. If we have questions, they’re really good about talking to us. Now, there’s some things that even they don’t know. We aren’t sure exactly how the show ends this season; they aren’t either. They have an idea, but they don’t want to tell us something that turns out to be completely wrong because then we build that into what we’re doing.
They’re very good about communicating with us which is really, really helpful. I worked on shows where they weren’t and that’s very frustrating. So, it’s been a good experience.”
How easy is it to get into the role of Max?
Nathan Parsons: “Honestly, it wasn’t difficult to play Max at all. When we first were casting, I was reading for Michael, actually. They couldn’t find a Max, couldn’t find a Max, and then someone was just like, ‘Have Nathan do it.’ And so I had to shift my entire world view and just really settle into Max’s perspective. Suddenly it felt much more comfortable and it really just blossomed.
It was very strange how that worked. I’ve loved playing this character and I’m so excited going forward to see what else we can do. It’s been a blast.”
That’s a huge shift.
Nathan Parsons: “Oh, it was. I had to re-read the script. I had to erase everything and read it fresh with fresh eyes. I’d never had to do that before. It was super fun and super fun to explore. I find Max mirrors my life a little bit better than Michael even. Yeah, it’s just crazy how these things happen.”
What is it with Kit Harington and dragons? The just-released new “lost” audition tape for How to Train Your Dragon shows the Game of Thrones star meeting the star of the How to Train Your Dragon franchise. In the entertaining video, Harington finds out what it’s like to have Toothless as a co-star. Toothless doesn’t always hit his mark, he’s apparently a pretty good mimic, and the popular dragon finds electric cords to be tasty treats. But he’s also a sympathetic ear – sort of – when Harington needs a sounding board.
Harington’s work as Jon Snow on HBO’s Game of Thrones provides fodder for much of the two and a half minute audition video. Harington asks his dragon scene mate, “Be honest, Toothless, do I come across as too broody? Because half the time I’m just trying to remember where I left my keys.”
Harington also confesses he’s not completely sure about his character’s arc. “I’m a little confused about my part, really. I mean, first I’m dead, then I’m not. No one knows who my mother is,” says Harington.
The video also features Harington reaching out to gently touch Toothless’ nose and getting blasted with a sneeze in return. That definitely wasn’t the reaction of Daenerys’ dragon in season seven of Game of Thrones.
The new audition video proves Harington’s a good sport and doesn’t mind making fun of himself. The video also convinces Harington’s fans we need a movie – or at least a one-hour TV special – expanded from this How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World promotional video.
Kit Harington voiced Eret in 2014’s How to Train Your Dragon 2 and will be reprising the role for 2019’s How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. The third film of the How to Train Your Dragon franchise is set to open in theaters on February 22nd.
The Plot:
“From DreamWorks Animation comes a surprising tale about growing up, finding the courage to face the unknown…and how nothing can ever train you to let go. What began as an unlikely friendship between an adolescent Viking and a fearsome Night Fury dragon has become an epic adventure spanning their lives. Welcome to the most astonishing chapter of one of the most beloved animated franchises in film history: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.
Now chief and ruler of Berk alongside Astrid, Hiccup has created a gloriously chaotic dragon utopia. When the sudden appearance of female Light Fury coincides with the darkest threat their village has ever faced, Hiccup and Toothless must leave the only home they’ve known and journey to a hidden world thought only to exist in myth. As their true destines are revealed, dragon and rider will fight together—to the very ends of the Earth—to protect everything they’ve grown to treasure.”
Focus Features and Carnival delivered an early Christmas present to Downton Abbey fans with the release of a teaser trailer. The one minute trailer shows the house being readied for the return of the Crawley family. The series’ theme music along with clips of the servants uncovering furniture greet fans of the series in the short teaser.
The cast of the film inspired by the critically acclaimed series is led by Hugh Bonneville. Returning cast members also include Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Kevin Doyle, Joanne Froggatt, Matthew Goode, Harry Hadden-Paton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Lesley Nicol, Penelope Wilton, and two-time Academy-Award winner Maggie Smith (California Suite, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie).
New to the Downton Abbey world are Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Pride), Geraldine James (Anne with an E, Beast), Simon Jones (The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Brideshead Revisited), David Haig (Killing Eve, Penny Dreadful), Tuppence Middleton (War and Peace, The Imitation Game), Kate Phillips (Peaky Blinders, The Crown), and Stephen Campbell Moore (History Boys, Lark Rise to Candleford).
Series creator Julian Fellowes wrote the script and Michael Engler directed the feature film adaptation. Fellowes also served as a producer along with Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge.
Focus Features and Carnival are targeting a September 20, 2019 theatrical release date.
The cast of ‘Downton Abbey.’ (Photo Credit: Nick Briggs @ Carnival Films)
The Plot:
“The television series Downton Abbey followed the lives of the Crawley family and the servants who worked for them at the turn of the 20th century in an Edwardian English country house. Over its 6 seasons, the series garnered 3 Golden Globe Awards, 15 Primetime Emmy Awards, 69 Emmy nominations in total, making Downton Abbey the most nominated non-US television show in the history of the Emmys – even earning a Special BAFTA award and a Guinness World Record for the highest critically rated TV show along the way.”
Michiel Huisman, Victoria Pedretti, and Elizabeth Reaser in ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (Photo by Tina Rowden/Netflix)
2018 was such an outstanding year in television that rumors of the death of the new Golden Age of TV may have been premature. The quality might have decreased over the past few years on the four major networks, but Netflix, Amazon, FX, BBC America, Showtime, and HBO continue to step up their games with the launching of compelling new series.
Among our picks for the best of the 2018 crop of new shows are groundbreaking series that finally opened doors that should have already been pushed aside. FX and Ryan Murphy’s critically acclaimed Pose features the largest ensemble of transgender actors in series regular roles, among other firsts. Killing Eve‘s Sandra Oh made history when she earned a well deserved Emmy nomination in the Lead Actress in a Drama Series category, marking the first time an Asian actress has achieved that honor. 2018’s pack of new primetime shows pushed boundaries and found innovative ways to enthrall viewers.
Three women who turn to crime to help with their financial problems, a sci-fi drama with a definite Lost vibe, and a new chapter in the Narcos saga made the cut for the best new shows of 2018. Kevin Costner topped a talented ensemble with Yellowstone, Sorry for Your Loss found Elizabeth Olsen delivering her best work to date, and Richard Madden (the would-be King in the North who died in the Red Wedding) had viewers glued to the screen with the riveting thriller, Bodyguard.
My Brilliant Friend might not be on everyone’s radar, but this beautiful, heartbreaking series is a must see. (Give it time, it’s a slow build.) Succession introduced one of the most dysfunctional families ever to grace the small screen while Bill Hader teamed up with Henry Winkler for the dark comedy Barry, a surprisingly moving tale of a hitman/wannabe actor. Kurt Sutter captivated Sons of Anarchy fans with an intense sequel/spinoff, and who would have thought a series about Sabrina the Teenage Witch would wind up featuring some of the best supporting performances of 2018.
Oscar winner Julia Roberts held out for the perfect project to make her debut as the lead of a television series with Homecoming. That series along with Killing Eve and the outstanding The Haunting of Hill House vied for the top spot on this list. Killing Eve, Homecoming, and The Haunting of Hill House could easily swap spots in the top three, but ultimately we settled on The Haunting of Hill House. The Netflix series was complex yet accessible, shocking and satisfying, and each episode was masterfully written, shot, directed and acted.
2018’s Best New TV Shows
15. Manifest starring Josh Dallas, Melissa Roxburgh, Athena Karkanis, J.R. Ramirez, Luna Blaise, Jack Messina, and Parveen Kaur The Plot: When Montego Air Flight 828 landed safely after a turbulent but routine flight, the crew and passengers were relieved. Yet in the span of those few hours, the world had aged five years and their friends, families and colleagues, after mourning their loss, had given up hope and moved on. Now, faced with the impossible, they’re all given a second chance. But as their new realities become clear, a deeper mystery unfolds and some of the returned passengers soon realize they may be meant for something greater than they ever thought possible.
14. Good Girls starring Christina Hendricks, Retta, Mae Whitman, and Matthew Lillard The Plot: When three suburban moms get tired of trying to make ends meet, they decide it’s time to stick up for themselves by robbing the local grocery store. But when the manager catches a glimpse of one of them and the loot is far more than they expected, it doesn’t take long for the three best friends to realize the perfect getaway will be harder than they think.
13. Sorry for Your Loss starring Elizabeth Olsen, Kelly Marie Tran, Jovan Adepo, Mamoudou Athie, and Janet McTeer The Plot: The sudden death of her husband upends and transforms every relationship in Leigh Shaw’s life.
12. Yellowstone starring Kevin Costner, Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille, Danny Huston, and Gil Birmingham The Plot: Kevin Costner stars as John Dutton, who controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States, under constant attack by those it borders — land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first National Park. It is an intense study of a violent world far from media scrutiny — where land grabs make developers billions, and politicians are bought and sold by the world’s largest oil and lumber corporations. Where drinking water poisoned by fracking wells and unsolved murders are not news: they are a consequence of living in the new frontier. It is the best and worst of America seen through the eyes of a family that represents both.
11. My Brilliant Friend starring Elisa Del Genio, Ludovica Nasti, Margherita Mazzucco, and Gaia Girace The Plot:My Brilliant Friend is the tale of Elena Greco and the most important friend in her life. She met Raffaella Cerullo, whom she has always called Lila, in the first year of primary school in 1950. Set in a dangerous and fascinating Naples, their story goes on to cover more than 60 years of their lives and explores the mystery of Lila, Elena’s brilliant friend and – in a way – both her best friend and her worst enemy.
10. Bodyguard starring Richard Madden, Keeley Hawes, and Gina McKee The Plot: Set in and around the corridors of power, Bodyguard tells the fictional story of David Budd (Madden), a heroic, but volatile war veteran now working as a Specialist Protection Officer for the Royalty and Specialist Branch (RasP) of London’s Metropolitan Police Service. When he is assigned to protect the ambitious and powerful Home Secretary Julia Montague (Hawes), Budd finds himself torn between his duty and his beliefs. Responsible for her safety, could he become her biggest threat?
Diego Luna stars in Netflix’s ‘Narcos: Mexico.’
9. Narcos: Mexico starring Diego Luna, Michael Pena, Aaron Staton, Alejandro Edda, Alfonso Dosal, Alyssa Diaz, Clark Freeman, Ernesto Alterio, and Fermín Martinez The Plot: Shifting away from Colombia where Narcos spent three seasons, Narcos: Mexico explores the origins of the modern drug war by going back to its roots, beginning at a time when the Mexican trafficking world was a loose and disorganized confederation of independent growers and dealers. Witness the rise of the Guadalajara Cartel in the 1980s as Félix Gallardo (Luna) takes the helm, unifying traffickers in order to build an empire.
When DEA agent Kiki Camarena (Peña) moves his wife and young son from California to Guadalajara to take on a new post, he quickly learns that his assignment will be more challenging than he ever could have imagined. As Kiki garners intelligence on Félix and becomes more entangled in his mission, a tragic chain of events unfold, affecting the drug trade and the war against it for years to come.
8. Succession starring Kieran Culkin, Hiam Abbass, Sarah Snook, Alan Ruck, Nicholas Braun, Matthew Macfadyen, Natalie Gold, Peter Friedman, and Rob Yang The Plot: The Roy family – Logan Roy and his four children – controls one of the biggest media and entertainment conglomerates in the world. The HBO drama series tracks their lives as they contemplate what the future will hold for them once their aging father begins to step back from the company.
7. Barry starring Bill Hader, Henry Winkler, Sarah Goldberg, Stephen Root, and Paula Newsome The Plot:Barry is a dark comedy starring Bill Hader as a depressed, low-rent hitman from the Midwest. Lonely and dissatisfied in his life, he reluctantly travels to Los Angeles to execute a hit on an aspiring actor. Barry follows his “mark” into an acting class and ends up finding an accepting community in a group of eager hopefuls within the LA theater scene. He wants to start a new life as an actor, but his criminal past won’t let him walk away — can he find a way to balance both worlds?
6. Pose starring Billy Porter, Mj Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Indya Moore, Hailie Sahar, Angelica Ross, Evan Peters, Kate Mara, James Van Der Beek, Charlayne Woodard, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Dyllón Burnside and Angel Bismark Curiel The Plot: Set in the 1980s, Pose is a dance musical that explores the juxtaposition of several segments of life and society in New York: the ball culture world, the rise of the luxury Trump-era universe and the downtown social and literary scene.
Clayton Cardenas as Angel Reyes amd JD Pardo as EZ Reyes in ‘Mayans M.C.’ season 1 episode 10 (Photo by Prashant Gupta / FX)
5. Mayans M.C. starring JD Pardo, Clayton Cardenas, Edward James Olmos, Sarah Bolger, Michael Irby, Carla Baratta, Richard Cabral, and Danny Pino The Plot: Set in a post-Jax Teller world, Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes (Pardo) is fresh out of prison and a prospect in the Mayans M.C. charter on the Cali/Mexi border. Now, EZ must carve out his new identity in a town where he was once the golden boy with the American Dream in his grasp.
4. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina starring Kiernan Shipka, Miranda Otto, Lucy Davis, Ross Lynch, Michelle Gomez, Chance Perdomo, Jaz Sinclair, and Richard Coyle The Plot:Chilling Adventures of Sabrina imagines the origin and adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, this adaptation finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.
3. Homecoming (Amazon Prime) starring Julia Roberts, Stephan James, Bobby Cannavale, Shea Whigham, Sissy Spacek, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Alex Karpovsky, Jeremy Allen White, and Dermot Mulroney The Plot: Homecoming features Julia Roberts as Heidi Bergman, a caseworker at the Homecoming Transitional Support Center, a facility that helps soldiers returning home from war. She develops a complex relationship with a young veteran eager to rejoin civilian life named Walter Cruz, played by breakout newcomer Stephan James. Cannavale appears as Bergman’s erratic offsite supervisor Colin Belfast, withKarpovsky as the facility’s life-skills coach, Craig. Jean-Baptiste plays Walter’s mother Gloria, while JWhite and Mulroney fill out the cast as Heidi’s ex-boyfriend and a fellow Homecoming veteran, respectively.
This narrative alternates with another, taking place four years later, when we find Heidi in a new life as a small-town waitress living with her mother, portrayed by Spacek. When a Department of Defense auditor (Whigham) questions her about her departure from the Homecoming facility, Heidi begins to question the narrative — and reality — she has spun for herself.
2. Killing Eve (BBC America) starring Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh The Plot:Killing Eve is a dramatic thriller revolving around a psychopathic assassin and the woman charged with hunting her down. It is a combination of brutal mischief making and pathos, filled with sharp humor, originality and high stakes action.
BBC America’s Killing Eve centers on two women; Eve is a bored, whip-smart, pay-grade security services operative whose desk-bound job doesn’t fulfill her fantasies of being a spy. Villanelle is an elegant, talented killer who clings to the luxuries her violent job affords her. Killing Eve topples the typical spy-action thriller as these two fiercely intelligent women, equally obsessed with each other, go head to head in an epic game of cat and mouse.
1. The Haunting of Hill House starring Michiel Huisman, Carla Gugino, Timothy Hutton, Elizabeth Reaser, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Henry Thomas, Kate Siegel, and Victoria Pedretti The Plot: A modern reimagining of Shirley Jackson’s iconic novel, The Haunting of Hill House explores a group of siblings who, as children, grew up in what would go on to become the most famous haunted house in the country. Now adults, and forced back together in the face of tragedy, the family must finally confront the ghosts of their past — some of which still lurk in their minds while others may actually be stalking the shadows of Hill House.
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Not eligible for this list because they’re limited series but worthy of mentioning: Trust starring Hilary Swank, Donald Sutherland, and Harris Dickinson; the 2018 installment of American Crime Story, The Assassination of Gianni Versace; A Very English Scandal with Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw; and Escape at Dannamora starring Patricia Arquette, Benecio Del Toro, and Paul Dano.
If sooner or later everything old is new again, isn’t it time for film studios to get back into the business of putting out quality romantic comedies? Remember back in the ’90s when Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts, and Meg Ryan romantic comedies were a box office staple? Given the state of the world, we need more lighthearted, escapist fare. It’s time for studios to stop neglecting the romantic comedy genre.
2019’s roster of romantic comedies is so slim that we wound up adding two films that in better rom-com years wouldn’t be considered for this list. The live-action version of Aladdin and the new Lady and the Tramp remake aren’t truly romantic comedies but made the cut to pad out the list so it doesn’t look quite so pathetic.
2019 Romantic Comedies Preview:
Aladdin – May 24
Starring Will Smith, Billy Magnussen, Naomi Scott, Mena Massoud, Nasim Pedrad, Marwan Kenzari, Numan Acar, and Navid Negahban The Plot: A live-action retelling of the classic animated Disney film with Will Smith playing the Genie.
Booksmart – TBD 2019
Starring Kaitlyn Dever, Billie Lourd, Lisa Kudrow, Jason Sudeikis, Skyler Gisondo, and Will Forte The Plot: The story follows Dever and Feldstein’s characters, two academic superstars and best friends who, on the eve of their high school graduation, suddenly realize that they should have worked less and played more. Determined never to fall short of their peers, the girls set out on a mission to cram four years of fun into one night. (Courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes)
Isn’t It Romantic – February 13
Starring Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, Adam Devine, and Priyanka Chopra The Plot: New York City architect Natalie (Rebel Wilson) works hard to get noticed at her job, but is more likely to be asked to deliver coffee and bagels than to design the city’s next skyscraper. And if things weren’t bad enough, Natalie, a lifelong cynic when it comes to love, has an encounter with a mugger that renders her unconscious, waking to discover that her life has suddenly become her worst nightmare—a romantic comedy—and she is the leading lady.
Five Feet Apart – March 22
Starring Cole Sprouse, Haley Lu Richardson, Moises Arias, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Paraminder Nagra, and Claire Forlani The Plot: Stella Grant (Richardson) is every bit a seventeen-year-old…she’s attached to her laptop and loves her best friends. But unlike most teenagers, she spends much of her time living in a hospital as a cystic fibrosis patient. Her life is full of routines, boundaries and self-control – all of which is put to the test when she meets an impossibly charming fellow CF patient named Will Newman (Sprouse).
There’s an instant flirtation, though restrictions dictate that they must maintain a safe distance between them. As their connection intensifies, so does the temptation to throw the rules out the window and embrace that attraction. Further complicating matters is Will’s potentially dangerous rebellion against his ongoing medical treatment. Stella gradually inspires Will to live life to the fullest, but can she ultimately save the person she loves when even a single touch is off limits?
Flarsky – June 7
Starring Alexander Skarsgard, Charlize Theron, Andy Serkis, Seth Rogen, and Randall Park The Plot: Fred Flarsky (Rogen), an unemployed journalist battered by his own misfortune, endeavors to pursue his childhood crush and babysitter who now happens to be one of the most powerful and unattainable women on the planet (Theron).
Lady and the Tramp – TBD 2019
Starring Tessa Thompson, Justin Theroux, Janelle Monáe, Kiersey Clemons, Ashley Jensen, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Thomas Mann The Plot: A CGI and live-action remake of the beloved 1955 classic film. (Calling it a romantic comedy is a stretch.)
Last Christmas – November 15
Starring Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, and Emma Thompson The Plot: Kate (Clarke) harumphs around London, a bundle of bad decisions accompanied by the jangle of bells on her shoes, another irritating consequence from her job as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop. Tom (Golding) seems too good to be true when he walks into her life and starts to see through so many of Kate’s barriers. As London transforms into the most wonderful time of the year, nothing should work for these two. But sometimes, you gotta let the snow fall where it may, you gotta listen to your heart … and you gotta have faith.
Superintelligence – December 25
Starring Melissa McCarthy, Bobby Cannavale, Brian Tyree Henry, Jean Smart and James Corden The Plot: Nothing extraordinary ever happens to Carol Peters (McCarthy), so when she starts getting snarky backtalk from her TV, phone and microwave, she thinks she’s being punked. Or losing her mind. In fact, the world’s first superintelligence has selected her for observation, taking over her life…with a bigger, more ominous plan to take over everything. Now Carol is humanity’s last chance before this artificial intelligence-with-an-attitude decides to pull the plug.
What Women Want – February 8
Starring Taraji P. Henson, Aldis Hodge, Richard Roundtree, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Tracy Morgan The Plot: Ali Davis (Henson) is a successful sports agent who’s constantly boxed out by her male colleagues. When Ali is passed up for a well-deserved promotion, she questions what else she needs to do to succeed in a man’s world… until she gains the ability to hear men’s thoughts! With her newfound power, Ali looks to outsmart her colleagues as she races to sign the next basketball superstar, but the lengths she has to go to will put her relationship with her best friends and a potential new love interest (Hodge) to the test.
Yesterday – June 28
Starring Himesh Patel, Kate McKinnon, Lily James, and Ed Sheeran The Plot: Yesterday, everyone knew The Beatles. Today, only Jack remembers their songs. He’s about to become a very big deal. From Academy Award-winning director Danny Boyle and Richard Curtis, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually and Notting Hill, comes a rock-n-roll comedy about music, dreams, friendship, and the long and winding road that leads to the love of your life.
Jack Malik (Patel) is a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie (James). Then, after a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that The Beatles have never existed … and he finds himself with a very complicated problem, indeed.
Performing songs by the greatest band in history to a world that has never heard them, and with a little help from his steel-hearted American agent, Debra (McKinnon), Jack’s fame explodes. But as his star rises, he risks losing Ellie — the one person who always believed in him. With the door between his old life and his new closing, Jack will need to get back to where he once belonged and prove that all you need is love.
Elizabeth Olsen and Kelly Marie Tran star in ‘Sorry for Your Loss’ (Credit: Facebook Watch)
Sorry for Your Loss will return for a second season. Facebook Watch has given the critically acclaimed drama a renewal order for season two, with the renewal coming hot on the heels of the show’s star, Elizabeth Olsen, picking up a Critics’ Choice Awards nomination in the Best Actress in a Dramatic Series category.
Sorry for Your Loss premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival where it received a warm reception from critics. The series currently sits at 96% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Plus, the original drama made The New York Times, The Atlantic, and New York Magazine’s best series of 2018 lists.
Award-winning playwright Kit Steinkellner created the series and James Ponsoldt (The Spectacular Now) directed multiple episodes of the show’s first season.
In addition to Elizabeth Olsen (Avengers: Infinity War), the cast of season two includes Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi), Mamoudou Athie (The Front Runner), Jovan Adepo (The Leftovers), and two-time Oscar nominee Janet McTeer (Tumbleweeds, Albert Nobbs). Olsen serves as an executive producer along with Kit Steinkellner, James Ponsoldt, Robin Schwartz, Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf, Cynthia Pett, Brad Petrigala, and Jon Liebman. Big Beach produced the series.
“Everyone involved in this project put their hearts on the screen. Kit Steinkellner created an honest and vibrant world anchored by James Ponsoldt’s accomplished direction and Elizabeth Olsen’s superlative and deeply affecting performance. I was moved and surprised by the immediate outpouring of empathy that the show created on this budding streaming service and I look forward to providing more space for these important conversations during season 2,” said Big Beach TV’s Robin Schwartz.
The Plot:
“The sudden death of her husband upends and transforms every relationship in Leigh Shaw’s life.”
