Henry Cavill at the ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ premiere (Photo by Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Henry Cavill, best known for playing Superman in DC’s recent superhero films, has signed on to star in Netflix’s The Witcher. The series is based on Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski’s book series and has Lauren Schmidt Hissrich (Marvel’s Daredevil, Marvel’s The Defenders, Umbrella Academy) on board as executive producer and season one showrunner.
According to Netflix’s official announcement, Henry Cavill will take on the lead role of Geralt of Rivia in the series. Netflix says Cavill’s “a massive fan of Andrzej Sapkowski’s series of fantasy short stories and novels about the witcher Geralt of Rivia.”
Season one will consist of eight episodes. Executive producer Alik Sakharov (House of Cards, Game of Thrones) will direct the first episode as well as three additional episodes. Alex Garcia Lopez (Marvel’s Luke Cage, Utopia) will direct two episodes as will Charlotte Brändström (Outlander, Counterpart, Disparue).
“Andrzej Sapkowski has created a rich and memorable world, at once magical and familiar,” stated Erik Barmack, Netflix Vice President, international series, when the series was announced back in August 2017. “We couldn’t be more excited about bringing The Witcher saga to Netflix members around the world.”
“I’m thrilled that Netflix will be doing an adaptation of my stories, staying true to the source material and the themes that I have spent over thirty years writing,” stated author Sapkowski. “I’m excited about our efforts together, as well as the team assembled to shepherd these characters to life.”
Henry Cavill’s credits include Mission: Impossible – Fallout, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Tudors, Cold Light of Day, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and Immortals.
The Witcher Plot: Based on the best-selling fantasy series, The Witcher is an epic tale of fate and family. Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. But when destiny hurtles him toward a powerful sorceress, and a young princess with a dangerous secret, the three must learn to navigate the increasingly volatile Continent together.
Edward James Olmos as Felipe Reyes and JD Pardo as EZ Reyes in ‘Mayans M.C.’ (Photo by Prashant Gupta / FX)
Return to the world of Sons of Anarchy in Kurt Sutter’s new FX drama Mayans M.C.. There’s another gang of outlaw bikers, the all-Latin motorcycle club the Mayans. Edward James Olmos plays Felipe Reyes, father of EZ Reyes (JD Pardo).
Olmos spoke with reporters after the TCA panel for Mayans MC. Always outspoken about real-world issues, Olmos related the biker show to representation for Latinos and spoke about some of his own social initiatives too. Mayans M.C. premieres September 4, 2018 at 10pm ET/PT on FX.
Do you get to ride on Mayans M.C.?
Edward James Olmos: “No, no, I would not ride. I quit riding when I was around 24, 25 when I had my first kid. Not that I’m not a good rider. I rode very well on a 650 Norton and some nice bikes. I never had a Harley or anything that big. It just is too dangerous. It’s not even me, the driver of the motorcycle, as much as people didn’t see them. So constantly, every day, on the radio I hear, ‘Bike down.’ Every day. There’s always a bike down. ‘Bike down on the 405. Bike down on the 5. Bike down on the 10.’ People hit them.
We weren’t even allowed to go through the cars. Now they allow that. I don’t know why that happened and when it happened. These guys could go twice the speed of whatever the traffic is going down the middle of the cars. That, to me, is really suicidal. So, it’s really ugly. It’s not safe. I would not ride.”
You’ve done a lot of television in your career, but Kurt Sutter is not your average showrunner. What is that experience like with him?
Edward James Olmos: “It’s intense. He’s a completely different kind of showrunner and creator. It’s hard. It’s not easy. He’s very, very disciplined in his own work and that’s good. At the same time, he just goes and goes. We can’t move unless he’s moving. That’s hard. It’s really hard because he has moments where he’s contemplating and we’re all sitting there going, ‘Hey, man. We’re about three weeks behind schedule. Stop with the thinking and start doing.’ And you can’t. You can’t speed that process up. It’s really hard. It’s been very difficult. I’d say this is probably one of the most difficult shoots I’ve been on.”
Do you see a lot of comparison between Mayans M.C. and American Me?
Edward James Olmos: “No, not that there’s connections so much. It’s just the fact that it’s really a negative, very dark representation of the cultures. Therefore, people get very, very upset because we haven’t had enough Stand and Delivers to offset the amount of times we’re going to the dark side, but the dark side is what makes people the financial rewards that they want. This is a business. This is the entertainment business, not the entertainment socially relevant artform.”
How do you think roles for Latinos have evolved since you did The Family on PBS?
Edward James Olmos: “Well, they haven’t. We’re still so unbelievably underrepresented. It’s 2018. It’s going to be like this I think until I guess maybe… maybe this. I think this will be very successful and that success will breed others. The same thing happened in the African-American experience in the ‘70s. It just like took off and they started to make more and more, and they all worked, especially in comedy.
I think comedy will come back in our community. We had George Lopez for a long time, which I was very grateful for. We had Freddie Prinze and had moments in time when we had individual situations that arise, but as far as cumulative amount of work that’s being done, it’s worse now because we have so many more people. So many more, millions and millions and millions of us more and we’re still not even close.”
Are you filming in Boyle Heights?
Edward James Olmos: “Yes, my house is in Boyle Heights.”
What do you think about the gentrification there?
Edward James Olmos: “Whenever you displace people who can’t really afford to get displaced, it’s really not good. It’s like Chavez Ravine is not good. I don’t care how beautiful Dodger Stadium is and all that. Too many people are just displaced and never got what they needed to ever get back.
You’re taking people out of their homes. This is the same thing. I was by Echo Park the other day just a couple of days ago, walking through Echo Park and the diversity in Echo Park was much higher than it was maybe 10 years ago. Now it’s like, ‘Whoa. Where’d all these people come from? Are they visiting?’ But they live there. It’s become a real issue.”
They say it brings more jobs.
Edward James Olmos: “I hope that’s a positive. I hope the people who can’t afford to live in a place where they’ve lived for 50 years find a way of existing and going forward and feeling good about themselves and not feel so displaced that they end up feeling less than who they are. That’s really the sadness of this whole experience that we’re having.”
Edward James Olmos as Felipe Reyes in ‘Mayans M.C.’ (Photo by James Minchin / FX)
Have you been doing activism to fight the immigration policies of this administration?
Edward James Olmos: “Yeah, of course. Basically, any time that we can use our name to help bring awareness to any of the issues. It’s really difficult. The only positive thing about all of this is that it will change. It’s going to change. The change is going to be brutal. There will be a very difficult moment in time when this changes because this kind of change brings revolution. There will be people that will be physically angry and become militant.
So, we’re going to go through some very difficult changes, but in essence, it will change. Those that get to that point of being angry and militant will have to suffer the consequences as will the people who are accountable.”
What else are you working on?
Edward James Olmos: “I just finished directing and producing a film called The Devil Has a Name. It’ll probably premiere sometime in January. It’s about water contamination in the central valley. It’s a dramatic film.”
Are there any specific charities you work with?
Edward James Olmos: “Right now, I’ve been working so hard on the Youth Cinema Project. It’s been very, very productive. That’s where change is going to come. If you haven’t been able to understand what that is, the Youth Cinema Project, go online and check it out. There are over 1,200 students from fourth grade up who are in it all the way through high school in 16 different school districts in the state of California.
It’s a very, very, very incredibly powerful understanding of how to use the medium of motion picture. We’re teaching children how to make films from the very basic core of pre-production and writing all the way through the post-production, all the way through distribution, marketing and even building their LLCs. When you see a fourth grader who understands the LLC, you realize, ‘Wow, this is amazing. Limited Liability Corporations being taught to fourth graders is a really good thing.’
Last year we made 128 films. We’re the biggest production house of filmmakers in the country. One group. Youth Cinema Project, you can’t beat it. They want it in Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Florida and New York. We will get there inevitably, but we just are not going to lessen the quality of what we do. We send in two teachers, mentors to go into the classroom 90 minutes during the class day. Not during an afterschool special. It’s from the first day all the way through the final day of school. It changes their whole perspective on schools.
Every kid that has been able to be inside of that classroom, when that classroom becomes a production house, when they start making movies for those 90 minutes twice a week, that classroom becomes someplace else for them. They are dying to get back to that classroom. Their math, their history, their language, all the different classes benefit. It’s like a magic pill. That’s why it grew so fast. 1,200 kids last year, this year we’re almost doubling it.”
Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz square off and battle for Olivia Colman’s attention in the official trailer for The Favourite. The awards season release is set in the 18th century and finds Stone and Weisz playing companions of Queen Anne, played by Olivia Colman.
In addition to Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, and Olivia Colman, the cast of The Favourite includes Nicholas Hoult, Joe Alwyn, and Mark Gatiss. Yorgos Lanthimos (The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Lobster) directed from a screenplay by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara.
Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos, and Lee Magiday served as producers. Andrew Lowe, Daniel Battsek, Rose Garnett, Ken Kao, Josh Rosenbaum, Tony McNamara, and Deborah Davis executive produced.
The behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Robbie Ryan, costume designer Sandy Powell, production designer Fiona Crombie, editor Yorgos Mavropsaridis, and hair and makeup designer Nadia Stacey.
Fox Searchlight will open The Favourite in select theaters on November 23, 2018. The film expands into wide release in January 2019.
The Plot: Early 18th century. England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne (Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Weisz) governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne’s ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant Abigail (Stone) arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing and Abigail sees a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots.
As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen’s companion. Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfill her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way.
Poster for the Fox Searchlight film, ‘The Favourite.’
Ryan Gosling stars in Universal Pictures’ ‘First Man.’
Fall is generally when studios roll out films they hope will garner awards nominations, and the 2018 fall season is full of movies earning early Oscar buzz. Beautiful Boy starring Steve Carell and Timothee Chalamet, Boy Erased with Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe, and the remake of A Star is Born are just a few of the upcoming theatrical releases that are likely to become major players during awards season.
The Conjuring spinoff The Nun kicks off the fall season, and horror fans also have Halloween starring Jamie Lee Curtis to look forward to in October. Smallfoot, Ralph Breaks the Internet, and The Grinch should play well to family audiences, while adults have plenty of dramas to choose from over the next few months. Aquaman and Venom get their own solo films, the second movie in the Fantastic Beasts series arrives, and moviegoers will experience Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon as First Man heads to theaters as part of the fall movie season.
Here’s a preview of this fall’s most anticipated releases, listed in release date order.
September 2018
The Nun (Sept 7) starring Demian Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Charlotte Hope, Ingrid Bisu, and Bonnie Aarons
The Plot: When a young nun at a cloistered abbey in Romania takes her own life, a priest with a haunted past and a novitiate on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate. Together they uncover the order’s unholy secret. Risking not only their lives but their faith and their very souls, they confront a malevolent force in the form of the same demonic nun that first terrorized audiences in The Conjuring 2, as the abbey becomes a horrific battleground between the living and the damned.
Lizzie (Sept 14) starring Kristen Stewart, Chloe Sevigny, Kim Dickens, Denis O’Hare, Jeff Perry, Fiona Shaw, and Jamey Sheridan
The Plot: In 1892, Lizzie Borden, a seemingly proper young lady from an upstanding Massachusetts family, was accused of brutally murdering her father and stepmother. Although she was tried and acquitted by an all-male jury, no other suspect was ever located. More than a century later, the crime continues to fascinate, puzzle and repulse. Did Lizzie really kill her parents? If so, what drove her to commit such an unthinkable act? And if she didn’t, who did?
Lizzie delves deep into the circumstances surrounding the notorious unsolved murders, as Lizzie and her housemaid Bridget Sullivan inch their way into a forbidden romance that shocks the family and sparks an unthinkable act of violence. The film explodes some of the many myths that have grown up around Borden in a compelling snapshot of two passionate and unconventional women trapped in the constrained life of 19th-century New England.
The Predator (Sept 14) starring Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Munn, Sterling K. Brown, Alfie Allen, Thomas Jane, Augusto Aguilera, Jake Busey, and Yvonne Strahovski
The Plot: From the outer reaches of space to the to the backwoods of southern Georgia, the hunt comes home in Shane Black’s explosive reinvention of the Predator series. Now, the universe’s most lethal hunters are stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever before. And only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and an evolutionary biology professor can prevent the end of the human race.
A Simple Favor (Sept 14) starring Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Linda Cardellini, Jean Smart, and Rupert Friend
The Plot:A Simple Favor, directed by Paul Feig, centers around Stephanie (Kendrick), a mommy vlogger who seeks to uncover the truth behind her best friend Emily’s (Lively) sudden disappearance from their small town. Stephanie is joined by Emily’s husband Sean (Golding) in this stylish thriller filled with twists and betrayals, secrets and revelations, love and loyalty, murder and revenge.
White Boy Rick (Sept 14) starring Matthew McConaughey, Richie Merritt, Bel Powley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brian Tyree Henry, Rory Cochrane, RJ Cyler, Jonathan Majors, Eddie Marsan, Bruce Dern, and Piper Laurie
The Plot: Set in 1980s Detroit at the height of the crack epidemic and the War on Drugs, White Boy Rick is based on the moving true story of a blue-collar father and his teenage son, Rick Wershe, who became an undercover police informant and later a drug dealer, before he was abandoned by his handlers and sentenced to life in prison.
Colette (Sept 21) starring Keira Knightley, Dominic West, Denise Gough, Fiona Shaw, Robert Pugh, and Eleanor Tomlinson
The Plot: After marrying a successful Parisian writer known commonly as “Willy,” Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette is transplanted from her childhood home in rural France to the intellectual and artistic splendor of Paris. Soon after, Willy convinces Colette to ghostwrite for him. She pens a semi-autobiographical novel about a witty and brazen country girl named Claudine, sparking a bestseller and a cultural sensation.
After its success, Colette and Willy become the talk of Paris and their adventures inspire additional Claudine novels. Colette’s fight over creative ownership and gender roles drives her to overcome societal constraints, revolutionizing literature, fashion and sexual expression.
Life Itself (Sept 21) starring Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde, Mandy Patinkin, Olivia Cooke, Laia Costa, Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, and Alex Monner
The Plot: As a young New York couple goes from college romance to marriage and the birth of their first child, the unexpected twists of their journey create reverberations that echo over continents and through lifetimes in Life Itself. Director and writer Dan Fogelman examines the perils and rewards of everyday life in a multigenerational saga.
Set in New York City and Carmona, Spain, Life Itself celebrates the human condition and all of its complications with humor, poignancy and love.
The Sisters Brothers (Sept 21) starring Joaquin Phoenix, John C. Reilly, Jake Gyllenhaal, Riz Ahmed, Carol Kane, and Rutger Hauer
The Plot: From acclaimed director Jacques Audiard, and based on the novel by Patrick deWitt, The Sisters Brothers is a reimagining of the cinematic Western as a dangerous, witty, and emotionally cathartic exploration of what it means to be a man.
It is 1851, and Charlie and Eli Sisters are both brothers and assassins, boys grown to men in a savage and hostile world. They have blood on their hands: that of criminals, that of innocents…and they know no state of existence other than being gunmen. The older of the two, introspective Eli rides hard with his younger sibling yet dares to dream of a normal life. The younger of the two, hard-drinking Charlie has taken charge with gusto as lead man on the duo’s assignments. Each increasingly questions, and quibbles with, the other’s methods.
The Sisters brothers find themselves on a journey through the Northwest, bringing them to the mountains of Oregon, a dangerous brothel in the small town of Mayfield, and eventually, the Gold Rush land of California – a journey that will test the deadly family ties that bind. But, can it also be the path to rediscovering what remains of their humanity?
Night School (Sept 28) starring Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Rob Riggle, Taran Killam, Romany Malco, Anne Winters, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Megalyn Echikunwoke, and Al Madrigal
The Plot: Star Kevin Hart and producer Will Packer, who partnered for the hit Ride Along and Think Like a Man series, bring their signature style to Night School. The comedy from director Malcolm D. Lee follows a group of misfits who are forced to attend adult classes in the longshot chance they’ll pass the GED exam.
The Old Man and the Gun (Sept 28) starring Robert Redford, Casey Affleck, Tika Sumpter, Isiah Whitlock Jr, John David Washington, Tom Waits, and Sissy Spacek
The Plot:The Old Man and the Gun is based on the true story of Forrest Tucker, from his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 to an unprecedented string of heists that confounded authorities and enchanted the public. Wrapped up in the pursuit are detective John Hunt, who becomes captivated with Forrest’s commitment to his craft, and a woman who loves him in spite of his chosen profession.
Smallfoot (Sept 28) with voices by Channing Tatum, James Corden, Zendaya, Common, LeBron James, Gina Rodriguez, Danny DeVito, Yara Shahidi, Ely Henry, and Jimmy Tatro
The Plot: An animated adventure for all ages, with original music and an all-star cast, Smallfoot turns the Bigfoot legend upside down when a bright young Yeti finds something he thought didn’t exist—a human. News of this “Smallfoot” throws the simple Yeti community into an uproar over what else might be out there in the big world beyond their snowy village, in an all new story about friendship, courage and the joy of discovery.
October 2018
A Star is Born (Oct 5) starring Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Andrew Dice Clay, Dave Chappelle, and Sam Elliott
The Plot: In this new take on the tragic love story, he plays seasoned musician Jackson Maine, who discovers—and falls in love with—struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer… until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally’s career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.
Venom (Oct 5) starring Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Reid Scott, and Scott Haze
The Plot: One of Marvel’s most enigmatic, complex and badass characters comes to the big screen, starring Academy Award nominated actor Tom Hardy as the lethal protector Venom.
Bad Times at the El Royale (Oct 12) starring Chris Hemsworth, Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Lewis Pullman, and Nick Offerman
The Plot: Seven strangers, each with a secret to bury, meet at Lake Tahoe’s El Royale, a rundown hotel with a dark past. Over the course of one fateful night, everyone will have a last shot at redemption… before everything goes to hell.
Beautiful Boy (Oct 12) starring Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet, Maura Tierney, and Amy Ryan
The Plot: Based on the best-selling pair of memoirs by David Sheff (author of Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction) and Nic Sheff (author of Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines), Beautiful Boy chronicles the heartbreaking and inspiring experience of survival, relapse, and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years.
First Man (Oct 12) starring Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Patrick Fugit, Ciaran Hinds, Ethan Embry, Shea Whigham, Corey Stoll, and Pablo Schreiber
The Plot: On the heels of their six-time Academy Award-winning smash, La La Land, Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for Universal Pictures’ First Man, the riveting story behind the first manned mission to the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the decade leading to the historic Apollo 11 flight. A visceral and intimate account told from Armstrong’s perspective, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the film explores the triumphs and the cost — on Armstrong, his family, his colleagues and the nation itself — of one of the most dangerous missions in history.
Halloween (Oct 19) starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Virginia Gardner, and Nick Castle
The Plot: Jamie Lee Curtis returns to her iconic role as Laurie Strode, who comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago. Inspired by Carpenter’s classic, filmmakers David Gordon Green and Danny McBride crafted a story that carves a new path from the events in the landmark 1978 film.
Serenity (Oct 19) starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jason Clarke, Djimon Hounsou, Jeremy Strong, and Diane Lane
The Plot: From the creative mind of Oscar nominee Steven Knight comes a daringly original, sexy, stylized thriller. Baker Dill is a fishing boat captain leading tours off a tranquil, tropical enclave called Plymouth Island. His quiet life is shattered, however, when his ex-wife Karen tracks him down with a desperate plea for help. She begs Dill to save her – and their young son – from her new, violent husband by taking him out to sea on a fishing excursion, only to throw him to the sharks and leave him for dead. Karen’s appearance thrusts Dill back into a life he’d tried to forget, and as he struggles between right and wrong, his world is plunged into a new reality that may not be all that it seems.
Suspiria (Oct 26) starring Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, Lutz Ebersdorf, and Chloe Grace Moretz
The Plot: A darkness swirls at the center of a world-renowned dance company, one that will engulf the troupe’s artistic director, an ambitious young dancer, and a grieving psychotherapist. Some will succumb to the nightmare. Others will finally wake up.
November 2018
Bohemian Rhapsody (Nov 2) starring Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Aidan Gillen, Tom Hollander, and Mike Myers
The Plot:Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career.
Boy Erased (Nov 2) starring Nicole Kidman, Lucas Hedges, Russell Crowe, Cherry Jones, Michael “Flea” Balzary, Xavier Dolan, Troye Sivan, Emily Hinkler, Jesse LaTourette, David Joseph Craig, Théodore Pellerin, and Britton Sear
The Plot: The film will tell the story of Jared, the son of a Baptist pastor in a small American town, who is outed to his parents at age 19. Jared is faced with an ultimatum: attend a gay conversion therapy program – or be permanently exiled and shunned by his family, friends, and faith. Boy Erased is the true story of one young man’s struggle to find himself while being forced to question every aspect of his identity.
Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (Nov 2) starring Mackenzie Foy, Keira Knightley, Morgan Freeman, Jayden Fowora-Knight, and Helen Mirren
The Plot: All Clara wants is a key – a one-of-a-kind key that will unlock a box that holds a priceless gift from her late mother. A golden thread, presented to her at godfather Drosselmeyer’s annual holiday party, leads her to the coveted key—which promptly disappears into a strange and mysterious parallel world. It’s there that Clara encounters a soldier named Phillip, a gang of mice and the regents who preside over three Realms: Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers and Land of Sweets.
Clara and Phillip must brave the ominous Fourth Realm, home to the tyrant Mother Ginger, to retrieve Clara’s key and hopefully return harmony to the unstable world.
A Private War (Nov 2) starring Rosamund Pike, Jamie Dornan, Stanley Tucci, and Tom Hollander
The Plot: In a world where journalism is under attack, Marie Colvin is one of the most celebrated war correspondents of our time. Colvin is an utterly fearless and rebellious spirit, driven to the frontlines of conflicts across the globe to give voice to the voiceless, while constantly testing the limits between bravery and bravado. After being hit by a grenade in Sri Lanka, she wears a distinctive eye patch and is still as comfortable sipping martinis with London’s elite as she is confronting dictators.
Colvin sacrifices loving relationships, and over time, her personal life starts to unravel as the trauma she’s witnessed takes its toll. Yet, her mission to show the true cost of war leads her – along with renowned war photographer Paul Conroy – to embark on the most dangerous assignment of their lives in the besieged Syrian city of Homs.
The Front Runner (Nov 7) starring Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons, and Alfred Molina
The Plot: The film follows the rise and fall of Senator Hart, who captured the imagination of young voters and was considered the overwhelming front runner for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination when his campaign was sidelined by the story of an extramarital relationship with Donna Rice.
As tabloid journalism and political journalism merged for the first time, Senator Hart was forced to drop out of the race – events that left a profound and lasting impact on American politics and the world stage.
The Plot:The Grinch tells the story of a cynical grump who goes on a mission to steal Christmas, only to have his heart changed by a young girl’s generous holiday spirit. Funny, heartwarming and visually stunning, it’s a universal story about the spirit of Christmas and the indomitable power of optimism.
Academy Award nominee Benedict Cumberbatch lends his voice to the infamous Grinch, who lives a solitary life inside a cave on Mt. Crumpet with only his loyal dog, Max, for company. With a cave rigged with inventions and contraptions for his day-to-day needs, the Grinch only sees his neighbors in Who-ville when he runs out of food. Each year at Christmas they disrupt his tranquil solitude with their increasingly bigger, brighter and louder celebrations. When the Whos declare they are going to make Christmas three times bigger this year, the Grinch realizes there is only one way for him to gain some peace and quiet: he must steal Christmas. To do so, he decides he will pose as Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, even going so far as to trap a lackadaisical misfit reindeer to pull his sleigh.
Meanwhile, down in Who-ville, Cindy-Lou Who—a young girl overflowing with holiday cheer—plots with her gang of friends to trap Santa Claus as he makes his Christmas Eve rounds so that she can thank him for help for her overworked single mother. As Christmas approaches, however, her good-natured scheme threatens to collide with the Grinch’s more nefarious one. Will Cindy-Lou achieve her goal of finally meeting Santa Claus? Will the Grinch succeed in silencing the Whos’ holiday cheer once and for all?
The Girl in the Spider’s Web (Nov 9) starring Claire Foy, Sverrir Gudnason, Lakeith Stanfield, Sylvia Hoeks, Stephen Merchant, Claes Bang, Christopher Convery, Synnøve Macody Lund, and Vicky Krieps
The Book’s Plot: A genius hacker who has always been an outsider. A journalist with a penchant for danger. She is Lisbeth Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo. He is Mikael Blomkvist, crusading editor of Millennium. One night, Blomkvist receives a call from a source who claims to have been given information vital to the United States by a young female hacker.
Blomkvist, always on the lookout for a story, reaches out to Salander for help. She, as usual, has plans of her own. Together they are drawn into a ruthless underworld of spies, cybercriminals, and government operatives—some willing to kill to protect their secrets.
Outlaw King (Nov 9) starring Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh, Tony Curran, Stephen Dillane, Billy Howle, James Cosmo, and Sam Spruell
The Plot:Outlaw King tells the untold, true story of Robert the Bruce who transforms from defeated nobleman to outlaw hero during the oppressive occupation of medieval Scotland by Edward I of England. Despite grave consequences, Robert seizes the Scottish crown and rallies an impassioned group of men to fight back against the mighty army of the tyrannical King and his volatile son, the Prince of Wales.
Overlord (Nov 9) starring Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, John Magaro, Mathilde Ollivier, Pilou Asbæk, Bokeem Woodbine, Iain De Caestecker, and Jacob Anderson
The Plot: The R-rated horror film is set on the eve of D-Day and follows a group of American paratroopers who take heavy fire as they’re dropped behind enemy lines. Their mission is critical to the invasion’s success. However, as they approach their target, they are shocked to realize there is something incredibly evil going on in the Nazi-occupied village. They soon realize there’s something much more going on than just a simple military operation.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (Nov 16) starring Eddie Redmayne, Zoe Kravitz, Jude Law, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Carmen Ejogo, Poppy Corby-Tuech, and Johnny Depp
The Plot: At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander. But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.
In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.
Widows (Nov 16) starring Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Garret Dillahunt, Carrie Coon, Jacki Weaver, Jon Bernthal, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Robert Duvall, Lukas Haas, and Liam Neeson
The Plot: From Academy Award-winning director Steve McQueen and co-writer and bestselling author Gillian Flynn comes a blistering, modern-day thriller set against the backdrop of crime, passion and corruption. Widows is the story of four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands’ criminal activities.
Set in contemporary Chicago, amid a time of turmoil, tensions build when Veronica, Alice, Linda and Belle take their fate into their own hands and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.
Creed 2 (Nov 21) starring Michael B Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Russell Hornsby, Florian “Big Nasty” Munteanu, Andre Ward, Phylicia Rashad, and Dolph Lundgren
The Plot: Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family’s past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what’s worth fighting for, and discover that nothing’s more important than family.
Creed II is about going back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion in the first place, and remembering that, no matter where you go, you can’t escape your history.
Green Book (Nov 21) starring Viggo Mortensen, Linda Cardellini, Sebastian Maniscalco, Dimiter D. Marinov, and P.J. Byrne
The Plot: When Tony Lip, a bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley, a world-class Black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on “The Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for African-Americans. Confronted with racism, danger-as well as unexpected humanity and humor-they are forced to set aside differences to survive and thrive on the journey of a lifetime.
Ralph Breaks the Internet (Nov 21) featuring the voices of John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Gal Gadot, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Ed O’Neill, and Taraji P. Henson
The Plot: Ralph Breaks the Internet leaves Litwak’s video arcade behind, venturing into the uncharted, expansive and thrilling world of the internet—which may or may not survive Ralph’s wrecking. Video game bad guy Ralph and fellow misfit Vanellope von Schweetz must risk it all by traveling to the world wide web in search of a replacement part to save Vanellope’s video game, Sugar Rush.
In way over their heads, Ralph and Vanellope rely on the citizens of the internet—the Netizens—to help navigate their way, including Yesss, who is the head algorithm and the heart and soul of the trend-making site “BuzzzTube,” and Shank, a tough-as-nails driver from a gritty online auto-racing game called Slaughter Race.
Robin Hood (Nov 21) starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx, Ben Mendelsohn, Eve Hewson, Tim Minchin, and Jamie Dornan
The Plot: Robin of Loxley a war-hardened Crusader and his Moorish commander mount an audacious revolt against the corrupt English crown in a thrilling action-adventure packed with gritty battlefield exploits, mind-blowing fight choreography, and a timeless romance.
The Favourite (Nov 23) starring Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, and Nicholas Hoult
The Plot: Early 18th century. England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne’s ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant Abigail arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing and Abigail sees a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots.
As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen’s companion. Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfil her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way.
December 2018
Ben is Back (Dec 7) starring Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, Courtney B. Vance, and Kathryn Newton
The Plot:Ben is Back is a drama that follows the charming, yet troubled, Ben Burns who returns home to his unsuspecting family one fateful Christmas Eve. Ben’s wary mother, Holly Burns welcomes her beloved son’s return, but soon learns that he is still very much in harm’s way. During the 24-hours that may change their lives forever, Holly must do everything in her power to avoid the family’s downfall.
Mary Queen of Scots (Dec 7) starring Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie, Jack Lowden, Joe Alwyn, Gemma Chan, Martin Compston, Ismael Cordova, Brendan Coyle, Ian Hart, Adrian Lester, James McArdle, David Tennant, and Guy Pearce
The Plot:Mary Queen of Scots explores the turbulent life of the charismatic Mary Stuart. Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary defies pressure to remarry. Instead, she returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. But Scotland and England fall under the rule of the compelling Elizabeth I.
Each young Queen beholds her “sister” in fear and fascination. Rivals in power and in love, and female regents in a masculine world, the two must decide how to play the game of marriage versus independence. Determined to rule as much more than a figurehead, Mary asserts her claim to the English throne, threatening Elizabeth’s sovereignty. Betrayal, rebellion, and conspiracies within each court imperil both thrones – and change the course of history.
The Plot: From the dazzling imagination that brought you It Follows comes a delirious neo-noir fever dream about one man’s search for the truth behind the mysterious crimes, murders, and disappearances in his East L.A. neighborhood.
Sam is a disenchanted 33-year-old who discovers a mysterious woman, Sarah, frolicking in his apartment’s swimming pool. When she vanishes, Sam embarks on a surreal quest across Los Angeles to decode the secret behind her disappearance, leading him into the murkiest depths of mystery, scandal, and conspiracy in the City of Angels.
From writer-director David Robert Mitchell comes a sprawling, playful and unexpected mystery-comedy detective thriller about the Dream Factory and its denizens—dog killers, aspiring actors, glitter-pop groups, nightlife personalities, It girls, memorabilia hoarders, masked seductresses, homeless gurus, reclusive songwriters, sex workers, wealthy socialites, topless neighbors, and the shadowy billionaires floating above (and underneath) it all.
Mining a noir tradition extending from Kiss Me Deadly and The Long Goodbye to Chinatown and Mulholland Drive, Mitchell uses the topography of Los Angeles as a backdrop for a deeper exploration into the hidden meaning and secret codes buried within the things we love.
Mortal Engines (Dec 14) starring Robert Sheehan, Hugo Weaving, Hera Hilmar, and Stephen Lang
The Plot: Following the conclusion of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies, three-time Academy Award-winning filmmakers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh return to the screen with a startling and sweeping new vision of a future where Earth’s cities now roam the globe on huge wheels, battling each other in a struggle for ever-diminishing resources.
This is the world of Mortal Engines, the story of how two unlikely heroes come together and change the course of the future.
Roma (Dec 14) starring Marina de Tavira and Yalitza Aparicio
The Plot:Roma follows Cleo, a young domestic worker for a family in the middle-class neighborhood of Roma in Mexico City. Delivering an artful love letter to the women who raised him, Cuarón draws on his own childhood to create a vivid and emotional portrait of domestic strife and social hierarchy amidst political turmoil of the 1970s.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Dec 14) featuring the voices of Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Liev Schreiber, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, and Lily Tomlin
The Plot: 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.
Mary Poppins Returns (Dec 19) starring Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, and Dick Van Dyke
The Plot: The film is set in 1930s depression-era London (the time period of the original novels) and is drawn from the wealth of material in PL Travers’ additional seven books. In the story, Michael and Jane are now grown up, with Michael, his three children and their housekeeper, Ellen, living on Cherry Tree Lane. After Michael suffers a personal loss, the enigmatic nanny Mary Poppins re-enters the lives of the Banks family, and, along with the optimistic street lamplighter Jack, uses her unique magical skills to help the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. Mary Poppins also introduces the children to a new assortment of colorful and whimsical characters, including her eccentric cousin, Topsy.
Alita: Battle Angel (Dec 21) starring Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Jackie Earle Haley, and Keean Johnson
The Plot: Set several centuries in the future, the abandoned Alita is found in the scrapyard of Iron City by Ido, a compassionate cyber-doctor who takes the unconscious cyborg Alita to his clinic. When Alita awakens she has no memory of who she is, nor does she have any recognition of the world she finds herself in. Everything is new to Alita, every experience a first. As she learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield Alita from her mysterious past while her street-smart new friend, Hugo, offers instead to help trigger her memories.
A growing affection develops between the two until deadly forces come after Alita and threaten her newfound relationships. It is then that Alita discovers she has extraordinary fighting abilities that could be used to save the friends and family she’s grown to love. Determined to uncover the truth behind her origin, Alita sets out on a journey that will lead her to take on the injustices of this dark, corrupt world, and discover that one young woman can change the world in which she lives.
Aquaman (Dec 21) starring Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman, Ludi Lin, and Temuera Morrison
The Plot: From Warner Bros. Pictures and director James Wan comes an action-packed adventure that spans the vast, visually breathtaking underwater world of the seven seas, Aquaman, starring Jason Momoa in the title role. The film reveals the origin story of half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry and takes him on the journey of his lifetime—one that will not only force him to face who he really is, but to discover if he is worthy of who he was born to be…a king.
Bumblebee (Dec 21) starring Hailee Steinfeld, Pamela Adlon, John Cena, Stephen Schneider, Jorge Lendeborg Jr, Jason Drucker, John Ortiz, Kenneth Choi, Ricardo Hoyos, Abby Quinn, Rachel Crow, and Grace Dzienny
The Plot: On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie, on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.
Welcome to Marwen (Dec 21) starring Steve Carell, Leslie Mann, Diane Kruger, Merritt Wever, Janelle Monáe, Eiza González, Gwendolyn Christie, Leslie Zemeckis, and Neil Jackson
The Plot:Welcome to Marwen tells the miraculous true story of one broken man’s fight as he discovers how artistic imagination can restore the human spirit.
When a devastating attack shatters Mark Hogancamp and wipes away all memories, no one expected recovery. Putting together pieces from his old and new life, Mark meticulously creates a wondrous town where he can heal and be heroic. As he builds an astonishing art installation—a testament to the most powerful women he knows—through his fantasy world, he draws strength to triumph in the real one.
In a bold, wondrous and timely film from this revolutionary pioneer of contemporary cinema, Welcome to Marwen shows that when your only weapon is your imagination…you’ll find courage in the most unexpected place.
On the Basis of Sex (Dec 25) starring Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Kathy Bates, Sam Waterston, Erwin Griswold, and Cailee Spaeny
The Plot: The film tells an inspiring and spirited true story that follows young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she teams with her husband Marty to bring a groundbreaking case before the U.S. Court of Appeals and overturn a century of gender discrimination. The feature will premiere in 2018 in line with Justice Ginsburg’s 25th anniversary on the Supreme Court.
Destroyer (Dec 25) starring Nicole Kidman, Sebastian Stan, Toby Kebbell, and Bradley Whitford
The Plot: In Karyn Kusama’s riveting new crime thriller Destroyer, the receipt of an ink-marked bill in the office mail propels veteran LAPD detective Erin Bell on a perilous journey to find the murderer and gang leader, Silas, and perhaps to finally make peace with her tortured past.
Written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi who also produced the film alongside Fred Berger, the epic odyssey through the underbelly of Los Angeles and nearby desert communities reunites Bell with members of the criminal gang she once joined as an undercover FBI agent; an assignment which ended disastrously and has taken a heavy psychological and physical toll on her life.
Warner Bros Pictures held onto the top two spots on the box office chart over the Labor Day holiday weekend. Crazy Rich Asians secured first place for the third weekend in a row, upping its domestic release total box office to $117 million. Overall, the film’s taken in $136 million worldwide and is still going strong.
The holiday weekend’s new releases, Operation Finale and Kin, snagged 4th and 12th place finishes. Operation Finale got an early jump on the weekend with an August 29, 2018 release and has rung up $9.5 million domestically over its first six days in theaters. Kin played in 2,100 theaters and grossed a measly $3.6 million. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes awarded Operation Finale a 62% fresh rating while Kin failed to impress and registered 34% rotten.
Up next, The Conjuring spinoff – The Nun – and the action thriller Peppermint starring Jennifer Garner will take on Crazy Rich Asians over the September 7-9th weekend.
The Crazy Rich Asians Plot: The story follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she accompanies her longtime boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding), to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Excited about visiting Asia for the first time but nervous about meeting Nick’s family, Rachel is unprepared to learn that Nick has neglected to mention a few key details about his life.
It turns out that he is not only the scion of one of the country’s wealthiest families but also one of its most sought-after bachelors. Being on Nick’s arm puts a target on Rachel’s back, with jealous socialites and, worse, Nick’s own disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh) taking aim. And it soon becomes clear that while money can’t buy love, it can definitely complicate things.
Once Upon a Time‘s Princess Anna, Elizabeth Lail, and Gossip Girl‘s Dan Humphrey, Penn Badgley, return to series television with starring roles in Lifetime’s You. The new dramatic series is based on Caroline Kepnes’ bestselling novel and has Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble as executive producers. Berlanti and Gamble adapted Kepnes’ book for the show.
Season one of You is made up of 10 episodes and will premiere on September 9, 2018 at 10pm ET/PT. Prior to its season one debut, Lifetime awarded the series a second season renewal. Season two will follow Caroline Kepnes’ Hidden Bodies and will begin shooting later this year.
The You Cast:
Penn Badgley takes on the role of Joe Goldberg, Elizabeth Lail stars as Guinevere Beck, and Luca Padovan (Super Wings!) is Paco. Zach Cherry (Our Cartoon President) plays Ethan, Shay Mitchell (Pretty Little Liars) is Peach Salinger, Nicole Kang plays Lynn, and special guest star John Stamos (Scream Queens) plays Dr. Nicky.
What’s You About?
You is a 21st century love story that asks, “What would you do for love?” When a brilliant bookstore manager crosses paths with an aspiring writer, his answer becomes clear: anything. Using the internet and social media as his tools to gather the most intimate of details and get close to her, a charming and awkward crush quickly becomes obsession as he quietly and strategically removes every obstacle – and person – in his way.
Season two will follow Joe Goldberg as his search for love takes him to Hollywood where dreams can be made or shattered.
Elizabeth Lail and Penn Badgley star in Lifetime’s new series ‘You’ (Photo Courtesy of Lifetime Copyright 2018)Penn Badgley stars in Lifetime’s ‘You’ (Photo Courtesy of Lifetime Copyright 2018)Shay Mitchell in Lifetime’s ‘You’ (Photo Courtesy of Lifetime Copyright 2018)John Stamos guest stars in ‘You’ (Photo Courtesy of Lifetime Copyright 2018)Elizabeth Lail in ‘You’ (Photo Courtesy of Lifetime)Penn Badgley (Photo Courtesy of Lifetime Copyright 2018)
Grammy Award-winner Tim McGraw contributes an original song to the upcoming National Geographic Documentary Films project, Free Solo. McGraw co-wrote “Gravity” with Grammy Award-winner Lori McKenna (“Girl Crush”) for the film and performs the song on the documentary’s soundtrack.
Free Solo was directed by Chai Vasarhelyi (Incorruptible, Meru) and Jimmy Chin (Meru) and documents Alex Honnold in what’s described by The New York Times as “one of the greatest athletic feats of any kind ever.” The film had its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival and will open in theaters on September 28, 2018.
McGraw’s “Gravity” will be released digitally later this year.
“There are few people who pursue their passion with the fearlessness of Alex Honnold. It’s both terrifying and exhilarating to be on that journey with him when you watch Free Solo. Lori McKenna and I wanted the lyrics of ‘Gravity’ to be a reminder that fear is a battle fought on a variety of planes, from mental to spiritual to physical. We tend to think ‘fearlessness’ is synonymous with big, bold gestures, but there’s also a fragility inherent in risk — and we wanted that to come through. In the studio, Byron Gallimore and I wanted a track that sonically resonated with Marco Beltrami’s score and felt as big as El Capitan,” stated McGraw.
“It was an honor to work with Tim McGraw, and he truly delivered a stunning song with ‘Gravity,’” says music supervisor Tracy McKnight. “The song perfectly captures the heart and soul of this remarkable film and Alex Honnold’s extraordinary achievement.”
“We are thrilled to be partnering with two of the most phenomenally talented artists in the world — music superstar Tim McGraw and top-tier songwriter Lori McKenna,” said Ashley Winton, vice president, music, National Geographic Partners. “Their genuine passion and honesty shines through in the track, ‘Gravity,’ further connecting audiences to the profoundly aspirational story told in Free Solo.”
The Plot:Free Solo is a stunning, intimate and unflinching portrait of free soloist climber Alex Honnold, as he prepares to achieve his lifelong dream: climbing the face of the world’s most famous rock … the 3,200-foot El Capitan in Yosemite National Park … without a rope. The edge-of-your-seat thriller is an inspiring portrait of an athlete who challenges both his body and his beliefs on a quest to triumph over the impossible, revealing the personal toll of excellence.
Tim McGraw (Photo Courtesy of National Geographic)
CBS is set to premiere the new one-hour drama God Friended Me on Sunday, September 30, 2018. Season one of the series has snagged the network’s 8-9pm ET/PT time slot where it will air in between the 51st season of 60 Minutes and the 10th season of NCIS: Los Angeles.
Prior to its network premiere, CBS has made the first episode of the new series available via CBS app, CBS All Access, CBS.com, Facebook Premieres, Twitter, Instagram’s IGTV and multiple EST platforms (including iTunes, Vudu, Google and Sony) as of August 31st. According to CBS Marketing Group President George Schweitzer, the network decided on the early premiere because they believe it deserves early exposure.
“Once people see God Friended Me, they respond to its positive and life-affirming values,” stated Schweitzer. “Our marketing strategy is to get it previewed a full month early – free and uninterrupted – so viewers can sample it for themselves and help spread the word to friends and family before the broadcast premiere.”
The new series stars Brandon Micheal Hall as Miles Finer, The Flash‘s Violett Beane as Cara Bloom, Suraj Sharma as Rakesh, Javicia Leslie as Ali Finer, and Joe Morton as Reverend Arthur Finer.
God Friended Me was created by Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt, co-creators of 2012’s Alcatraz. Lilien, Wynbrandt, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Marcos Siega serve as executive producers.
The Plot:God Friended Me is about an outspoken atheist whose life is turned upside down when he receives a friend request on social media from “God” and unwittingly becomes an agent of change in the lives and destinies of others around him. Miles Finer is intelligent, hopeful and optimistic, but he doesn’t believe in God. This puts him at odds with his father, Reverend Arthur Finer, a beloved preacher at Harlem’s Trinity Church for 25 years who is stung by his son’s strong rejection of his faith. Miles feels he’s found his purpose in life hosting a podcast where he’s free to speak his mind, but that changes when he receives the ultimate friend request.
After repeated pokes by “God,” Miles’ curiosity takes over, and he accepts the request and follows the signs to Cara Bloom, an online journalist suffering from writer’s block. Brought together by the “God” account, the two find themselves investigating “God’s” friend suggestions and inadvertently helping others in need. Joining them on their journey are Miles’s supportive sister, Ali, a doctoral psych student by day and bartender by night, and his best friend, Rakesh, a sometime hacker who helps Miles and Cara research the enigmatic account. Miles is set on getting to the bottom of what he believes is an elaborate hoax, but in the meantime he’ll play along and, in the process, change his life forever.
Jenna Elfman as Naomi in ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ season 4 episode 12 (Photo by Ryan Green / AMC)
AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead season four episode 12 finds the group still split apart. June’s with Al, Morgan’s with his new friends, and Alicia’s apparently off on an adventure elsewhere with Charlie. Unfortunately, there also aren’t any updates on John, Strand, or Luciana in this episode.
Episode 12 opens with June (Jenna Elfman) watching the video interview Al (Maggie Grace) did with John (Garret Dillahunt) and then exits the van to try and make contact with John via walkie-talkie. She apologizes for leaving John at the bus before the storm hit, even though she doesn’t believe he’s listening. Her confession continues and she admits that when the going gets tough, she runs. When she releases the button, there’s only static on the line.
Al returns with an empty gas can after an unsuccessful search for diesel. They must conserve all their resources, including the batteries on the walkie-talkies.
Days pass, they’re out of water, and June decides they need to leave the van behind and find resources. As she’s talking, the walkie crackles to life but what’s said is indecipherable.
Not too far away, Morgan (Lennie James) and his new traveling companions, Sarah (Mo Collins), Wendell (Daryl “Chill” Mitchell), and Jim (Aaron Stanford), are on the road in the semi and Morgan is determined to keep trying to reach his friends on the walkie.
Al and June are unaware it’s Morgan whose voice they heard, but June wants to try and find whoever is on the walkie. Al’s not feeling well and wants to stay with the van, but June convinces her that fresh air will do her good.
Sarah wonders if Morgan really believes his people can hear him, and he recalls how Rick once left a channel open for him. It didn’t work back then, but Morgan believes it will this time.
Al and June come upon a truck with a walker that they easily take out, and now they have a vehicle to use. They head toward what they hope is higher ground so they can find the person at the other end of the walkie.
Elsewhere, the mysterious woman (Tonya Pinkins) with the pet zombie from the end of season four episode 11 is also on the road. She hears June call over the radio but doesn’t respond.
Morgan makes his friends wait at the semi while he also checks for higher ground and a stronger signal. June hears Morgan but still can’t make out his voice or any words. Al’s getting increasingly sick but springs into action when her van speeds by. Al channels her inner race car driver to stay on its tail, but doesn’t see an obstacle in the road and spins out. It’s only then that she confesses her medication is in the van and she desperately needs it.
As Morgan’s walking to get a signal he spots the mysterious woman at a box they just left on the side of the road. She looks through the box and he assures her she can take what she needs. She explains she’s not weak and doesn’t need help, and Morgan decides to continue his walk.
As Morgan walks away, she warns him to be careful.
June changes their flat tire as Al lies down in the backseat, sweating and in pain. June tries to keep her talking but they’re interrupted by the sound of gunfire from Al’s van. Al wants June to follow the sound and find the van, but June’s reluctant to leave her behind. (She doesn’t have a good track record when she leaves without her companions.)
Really, the only option is to try and find the van so June sets out on foot. She comes across a bus on its side and then spots the van parked 100 feet in front of it. As she looks in the bus, a man sneaks up on her and points a gun at her head. He makes her drop her gun and forces her to her knees.
June tries to talk herself out of the situation, telling this stranger they all need to work together. She attempts to explain she only needs the meds from the van, but the guy’s convinced she’ll turn on him if he trusts her.
June, realizing she has no choice, goes for his gun. She knocks it away and it goes off. They struggle over the weapon and June finally gets the upper hand. She doesn’t kill the stranger and tries to start the van. He reveals it’s out of gas and thought he could get diesel from the bus. He couldn’t, and there’s no fuel.
June can’t find the medication and he swears he didn’t touch it. He doesn’t want to leave the van, but June reminds him he was going to kill her and she’s not going to let him stay. Once he’s outside, June radios to Al back at the truck asking where the medication is kept.
Meanwhile, Al hears the shot and stumbles from the truck, attempting to finish replacing the tire. She hears June on the radio and tries to make her way to it, but falls. She’s weak and can’t get up, and a walker slithers its way over and attacks. She tries to fight him off, going for her knife in her belt but she has a difficult time getting it out of its sheath. She finally manages to use her legs to push the walker under the truck and then kicks out the jack. The truck squishes the walker.
Al makes it to the walkie and confesses there isn’t any medicine. She lied just to get the van back.
June returns to the truck with medication from the bus. June’s pissed Al tricked her and almost made her kill a stranger. Al reminds her the guy stole her van, but June’s upset about the lies and about the fact she almost regressed and became the person she didn’t want to be again.
Al finally confesses she needs the van because of the tapes. The tapes can help people, plus some of the tapes are of people she loved. She refuses to leave them behind.
Morgan climbs a water tower and tries again to make contact. He informs whoever is listening he’s on mile marker 27. June grabs the walkie and replies but Morgan can’t hear her. The radio dies as June tries to tell him she’s with Al.
They look at a map and determine Morgan’s 50 miles away. Al doesn’t want to abandon the van, but June knows if they don’t leave now they’ll miss their opportunity. June thinks John might be with Morgan, and she tries to convince Al those who are alive are more important than the tapes now. It doesn’t work and Al packs a bag and a gun.
As June drives away, Al fires into the air. She decides to get back in the truck and they head out.
Lennie James as Morgan Jones and Daryl “Chill” Mitchell as Wendell in ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ season 4 episode 12 (Photo by Ryan Green / AMC)
Morgan returns to the semi and Wendell says they should get back on the road. Morgan reluctantly agrees. Jim passes him a beer and Morgan takes it, ready for the road trip. As they’re about to leave, Al and June drive up.
June asks about John and everyone else, and Morgan says they’re still looking for them. Introductions take place and June and Al are given food and water. Morgan explains they’re making drops along the way as they attempt to return the stolen truck.
June uses the radio to apologize to the stranger she fought with. She gives him their location and invites him to join them for food, water, and other supplies. He responds and says he found diesel. She invites him again, telling him she won’t think of him as just the guy who pointed a gun at her. They introduce themselves over the radio and it turns out the stranger’s name is Quinn (Charles Harrelson).
Morgan reminds Al she’s still welcome to join him on the trip to Alexandria. Talk turns to whoever owned the truck, and Morgan explains what he knows. Al laughs and says she really wished she had her camera.
Quinn contacts June, wondering where she is. He claims to be at mile marker 27 and he doesn’t see anyone. She tells him to check again and he discovers someone’s made the 1 into a 7, and he’s really at mile marker 21. Before he can tell June what happened, the mysterious woman’s pet zombie attacks him. He bites into Quinn as the woman watches.
The mysterious woman picks up the walkie-talkie but doesn’t speak. She gets into Al’s van and then sets her pet zombie free. After all, she has a new one. She writes “People you know” on Quinn’s face.
Jude Law and Eddie Remayne from ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald’ surprise fans during the ‘Back to Hogwarts’ Day celebration (Photo by Jeff Spicer / Getty Images for Warner Bros)
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald stars Eddie Redmayne (‘Newt Scamander’) and Jude Law (‘Albus Dumbledore’) surprised Harry Potter fans gathered at King’s Cross railway station on September 1, 2018. Redmayne and Law were on hand for the annual “Back to Hogwarts” Day celebration and the countdown to the 11am departure of the Hogwarts Express from Platfom 9 3/4.
Every witch and wizard (and reader of J.K. Rowling’s books) knows September 1st is the day when students head off to class at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
While attending the “Back to Hogwarts” Day event, Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law posed for photos with Wizarding World fans dressed up as characters from J.K. Rowling’s magical universe. They even led this year’s countdown to the 11am Hogwarts Express departure.
Per Warner Bros: “Fans lined up for hours at a popular photo point to get a shot of themselves pushing a luggage trolley ‘through’ the brick wall to recreate Harry and others’ passage through the magical barrier and onto Platform 9 ¾, with staff on-hand to help with the finishing touches, such as their Hogwarts scarf. But in the place of staff members, fans reached the front of the line to find none other than Redmayne and Law standing by to assist.”
Muggles worldwide can check out the second adventure in Warner Bros Pictures’ Fantastic Beasts series, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, in theaters on November 16, 2018. In addition to Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law, the cast includes Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Zoë Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Carmen Ejogo, Poppy Corby-Tuech, and Johnny Depp.
David Yates directed from a screenplay by J.K. Rowling. David Heyman, Steve Kloves, Lionel Wigram and Rowling produced, with Tim Lewis, Neil Blair, Rick Senat and Danny Cohen executive producing.
The Plot: At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.
In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.
Jude Law and Eddie Redmayne from ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald’ surprise fans at platform 9 3/4 during ‘Back to Hogwarts’ day celebration (Photo by Jeff Spicer / Getty Images for Warner Bros)
Jude Law and Eddie Redmayne from ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald’ at the ‘Back to Hogwarts’ day celebration at Kings Cross Station (Photo by John Phillips / Getty Images for Warner Bros)
