Samuel Goldwyn Films has debuted a new trailer for the dramatic film, Back Roads. The movie marks Alex Pettyfer’s directorial debut and is based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Tawni O’Dell. O’Dell and Adrian Lyne wrote the screenplay.
Pettyfer (Elvis & Nixon) pulls double duty starring in the film alongside Once Upon a Time‘s Jennifer Morrison. The cast also includes Oscar nominee Juliette Lewis (Cape Fear), Nicola Peltz (Transformers: Age of Extinction), Robert Patrick (Scorpion), Chiara Aurelia (Gerald’s Game), Hala Finley (Man with a Plan), and June Carryl (Dead Women Walking).
The film had originally been set up back in 2012 and was going to be the first project Adrian Lyne had directed since 2002’s Unfaithful. Andrew Garfield, Jennifer Garner, and Marcia Gay Harden were all attached to the project when Lyne was on board to direct. Lyne – director of Fatal Attraction, Indecent Proposal, and Flashdance – remained involved as an executive producer years later when the film ultimately went into production with Pettyfer as director.
The thriller will be released in theaters and VOD on December 7, 2018.
Jennifer Morrison and Alex Pettyfer star in ‘Back Roads’ (Photo Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyns Films)
The Back Roads Plot:
After his mother, (Lewis), is imprisoned for killing his abusive father, Harley Altmyer (Pettyfer) is left to care for his three younger sisters in rural Pennsylvania. Harley forgoes his college education, working dead-end jobs to pay the bills and raise his siblings, including his rebellious and promiscuous 16-year-old sister, Amber (Peltz). Scarred by his past, Harley becomes infatuated with Callie Mercer (Morrison) the older married woman who lives nearby. Things take a dangerous turn when they embark on an affair and shocking family secrets soon begin to emerge. As Harley’s life spirals out of control, unspoken truths leading to a devastating conclusion come to the surface and threaten to consume him.
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in ‘The Walking Dead’ season 9 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis / AMC)
Spoiler alert: Don’t read any further if you haven’t watched The Walking Dead season nine episode five. The episode was advertised as Andrew Lincoln and his character Rick Grimes’ final episode in the series, but what AMC didn’t reveal in advance was that season nine episode five didn’t put a period at the end of Rick Grimes’ story.
Immediately after the show aired, Chief Content Officer Scott M. Gimple for The Walking Dead Universe revealed plans for a series of AMC Studios Original Films. The films will continue Rick’s story, with the first film set to go into production early next year. Andrew Lincoln will continue to play the character in the films.
Per AMC: “In Lincoln’s final appearance on the hit series The Walking Dead, the character of Rick Grimes is mortally wounded and last seen being flown away by helicopter to an unknown destination. The first film will explore the story of where Rick is taken and what he faces in a new corner of the zombie apocalypse.”
In an interview on Talking Dead, Andrew Lincoln discussed the new projects that will allow him to continue playing Rick. “It’s not the beginning of the end, it’s the end of the beginning. And I like the idea that we get to tell a bigger story, maybe with a sort of wider vista,” said Lincoln. “And I’ve always been interested in what’s going on out there, you know, whether or not there is contact with the wider world. I want to know the meta of it all. And I suppose to be able to kind of touch upon that in a contained story for me is a very exciting proposition … Maybe it’s the start of a bigger story.”
Gimple also revealed there will be other films that focus on different characters and storylines within the The Walking Dead Universe. In addition to the original films, Gimple and AMC are planning specials, series, and digital content in this new expanded TWD universe.
“We have a lot on the horizon – starting with a new epic featuring one of the greatest leading actors in television history and one of the best people I’ve ever met,” stated Gimple. “These films are going to be big evolutions of what we’ve been doing on the show, with the scope and scale of features. We’re starting with the first part of the continuing story of Rick Grimes, and there is much more on the way, featuring yet-unseen worlds of The Walking Dead and faces from the show’s past, as well as new characters we hope to become favorites, told by TWD veterans and emerging voices. We want to break new ground with different, distinct stories, all part of the same world that’s captured our imagination for nearly a decade of the Dead.”
“We believe this is a world and narrative with many possibilities and opportunities for character development and we’re excited to expand the series into a franchise that can live across multiple formats,” said David Madden, president of original programming for AMC, SundanceTV and AMC Studios. “For many years, fans have talked about things in the apocalypse they want to see and now we have an opportunity to explore those stories, beginning with the character who started it all, Rick Grimes.”
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in ‘The Walking Dead’ season 9 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis / AMC)
Ready or not, it’s time to say goodbye to Rick Grimes, the leader of the ragtag group of zombie apocalypse survivors played for nine seasons by Andrew Lincoln. Season nine episode five is titled “What Comes After” and marks the end of the road on AMC’s The Walking Dead for Rick and Andrew. Rick’s farewell episode found him taking a stroll down memory lane, reuniting with characters who’ve exited the series in previous seasons.
The very emotional season nine episode five opens with injured Rick telling an unconscious Rick in a hospital bed to wake up. He finally takes his own advice and wakes up, still pierced by rebar with blood pouring from his wound. The slowest bunch of walkers ever appearing in The Walking Dead can’t close the 20’ gap before Rick can muster the strength to remove the rebar.
Stumbling away, he makes it to his very patient horse, climbs in the saddle, and sets off on a slow pace just ahead of the merging hordes.
Elsewhere, Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) attempts to start a car as the voice on the walkie-talkie asks for her location and if she has the “A.” She gives her location and says she has the “A” and is ready for transport. He warns her if it’s a trick, there will be consequences.
Back with Rick, his white horse has turned a disturbing shade of pink from the blood. He tries to talk himself into staying awake but he’s having a rough time of it. The walkers nearly reach him as he briefly passes out while scenes from his past flash through his head.
Meanwhile, Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Dianne (Kerry Cahill) continue their ride to Alexandria, taking out walkers as they come upon them. Maggie’s current weapon of choice is the crowbar and she’s brutally wielding it.
Rick notices a mailbox up ahead and has a renewed burst of energy. He and the horse pick up the pace and disappear from sight of the horde. He stumbles into a cabin and rips apart sheets to try and stop the bleeding. The cabin was the scene of a shootout and the walls are dotted with bullet holes.
He passes out again and has a dream in which he’s talking to Shane Walsh! (Welcome back Jon Bernthal, however temporarily!) They talk and Rick says he’s looking for his family. Shane asks after his baby girl, and they joke about whether Judith has Shane’s eyes or nose. “Good thing she ain’t got my ears, man,” laughs Shane.
It’s a good-natured reunion in which they call each other assholes, but out of love. The talk does turn serious when they discuss Shane’s final days. Shane warns Rick he has to remember when he was mean and dirty and return that way to finish this job now. He has to dig down deep to get this done. “You can do it, brother,” says Shane.
Rick apologizes to Shane and then Shane screams, “Wake up!” in his face in the dream, just as a walker’s about to make a meal out of the slumbering, wounded Rick. Rick jolts awake in time to avoid the bite. He breaks through a wall and barely escapes ahead of the front of the horde.
Rick manages to get back on his horse who has, once again, remained bizarrely calm with all the walkers nearby.
Over at Alexandria, Judith and Michonne (Danai Gurira) are going about their day like normal. The calm is shattered by the surprise arrival of Maggie.
Maggie carries the crowbar as a weapon and demands Michonne get out of her way when she heads over to kill Negan. Michonne refuses to budge even though Maggie reminds her what Negan did. She admits she’s not sure what Glenn would have wanted, but she never got to say goodbye. She’s furious that Michonne and Rick took away the only thing she wanted – getting to see Glenn’s murderer die.
Maggie insists killing Negan would help start things over. She tries to get Michonne to admit that if Negan butchered Rick in front of her and left her with a baby to raise alone she’d do the same thing. Maggie has suffered a year and a half and refuses to suffer any longer. Maggie gets emotional as she says she can’t keep living like this, and Michonne even tears up.
Michonne hands over the keys after a final warning that Maggie might not be able to live with herself after she kills Negan.
The moment’s come and Maggie is face-to-face with Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Negan looks at Maggie and says, “I remember you screaming in that clearing. I remember how much I broke you breaking open your husband’s head like I did,” taunts Negan.
“Glenn,” replies Maggie. “His name was Glenn.”
Maggie claims she’s there for justice, not revenge. She demands Negan get on his knees but instead, Negan keeps describing what he did to Glenn in graphic detail. He even admits he enjoyed killing Glenn.
Negan finally gets on his knees and Maggie’s about to open the cell, even as Negan continues to taunt her, but something makes Maggie think twice about her actions. Instead of unlocking the cell, she instructs Negan to come into the light. He doesn’t, continuing to verbally abuse her. When she won’t open the door, Negan begins crying and begging her to kill him.
Maggie finally unlocks the cell and tosses Negan across the room, into a wall. He begs her again and she demands to know why he wants to be dead. He cries, confessing he just wants to be with his wife, Lucille. He can’t kill himself, so it has to be Maggie that kills him. “I should be dead,” cries Negan. “I have to be dead.”
He continues to beg her to not make him stay like this. He wants Maggie to settle it and put him out of his misery. When she tells him to get back in his cell, he begs her to finish him. She won’t kill him because he’s already worse than dead. Negan continues to cry as the cell door locks behind him.
Maggie emerges from the jail and Michonne immediately notices her crowbar is clean. They look at each other, understanding what happened. Dianne interrupts and tells them something’s up at the camp.
Rick’s back on the horse, barely conscious and continuing to have flashbacks. He sees Hershel (Scott Wilson, may he rest in peace), and together they look out over the farm. Rick praises the place, calling it beautiful, and then they hug. Rick says he’s sorry for what happened to him and for everything Maggie’s lost. “My girl, she’s strong. And my grandson, he’ll only make her stronger. You ain’t got to worry about her,” says Hershel.
Rick says he needs to find his family because he must keep them together. Hershel tells him he doesn’t and that everyone will get to the place they need to be. Rick admits he’s tired and that maybe he can find his family here. Hershel responds, “No, Rick. You have to wake up,” and then nudges him back to consciousness.
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in ‘The Walking Dead’ season 9 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis / AMC)
The horse is the only thing keeping Rick ahead of the walkers as Rick’s no longer strong enough to lead the way.
Rick passes out again and walks through bloody halls in a hospital. He emerges into the light, standing on top of a sea of dead people. Daryl, Maggie, Jesus, Rosita, and more are among the dead. He turns and Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) rises up. Rick’s confused about why everyone is dead and Sasha tells him it’s okay. She assures him he did his part, just like she did hers. She reminds him the others gave him the strength to do what they must do. “We make each other better, and it never ends,” says Sasha. Rick replies, “It feels like it’s ending.” (This episode is absolutely heart-wrenching.)
“It’s never the end of everything because we don’t die. It’s not about you or me or any one of us. It’s about all of us. And I don’t think it just evens out. I think it always crosses over toward the good, toward the brave, toward love,” says Sasha. She tells an emotional Rick that his family isn’t lost and neither is he.
She wakes him up as he falls from his horse. This time the ever-patient horse races off without him.
Blood pours from his wounds as he makes it into the bridge camp. Saviors who’ve been turned into walkers wander toward him. Rick picks up his gun and begins taking them out. The gunshots attract more walkers who tear down the camp as they walk through it.
Rick gets to his feet and walks at a pace barely above a walker’s back to the road. He glances over his shoulder as his pace slows down even further. Finally, he falls just feet from the bridge. With his vision blurring, he hears Daryl (Norman Reedus) call his name. He then sees his friends all running past him to take on the horde. Ezekiel, Maggie, and even Eugene have arrived to save the day.
Michonne stops to help him, but Rick wants her to fight the walkers. She insists it’s not over and that they don’t die. Rick shakes his head in agreement. Michonne reveals she fell in love with him because he’s a fighter and never gives up. She asks him to keep fighting now. “Fight for me. Fight for all of us,” says Michonne. Rick replies, “You’re my family. I found you.” As they look into each other’s eyes, he says, “This isn’t real.”
Michonne tells Rick it is real, gives him a kiss, and then says to wake up.
Rick comes to once again, feet from the bridge. He manages to get back on his feet and walks across the bridge. He stumbles once on the other side but gets to his feet again. As the horde walks over the bridge, it holds together and Rick can’t believe the bridge didn’t fail. He’s no longer able to walk ahead of the walkers and as one approaches to take a bite, an arrow takes it out.
Rick glances over and sees Daryl and his friends but, of course, he doesn’t believe they’re real. Another walker gets within biting distance, and another arrow from Daryl fells it.
Carol (Melissa McBride), Eugene (Josh McDermitt), Maggie, Jesus (Tom Payne), Michonne, and more have actually arrived and they realize Rick’s hurt and that he’s trying to bring down the bridge. Maggie wants the horde to turn around and tells the gang to fire their guns to divert them. It doesn’t work.
Rick tries to signal to his friends to go away because there are too many walkers. Daryl continues to pick off the walkers who get close to Rick. As the walkers head toward him, Rick notices they’ve knocked over a box of dynamite.
Maggie and the crew race along the road toward the bridge as the walkers continue to march forward.
Daryl runs out of arrows.
Rick raises his gun and takes aim at the dynamite as Michonne screams, “Rick!” Rick pulls the trigger and says, “I found them.” (Damn it, Rick! If you’d just done what Daryl had suggested and led the walkers to the bridge in the first place, you’d still be living happily with your friends and family in Alexandria.)
The bridge goes up in a massive ball of flames.
Daryl sobs as he looks toward the last place he saw his friend.
Walkers on fire plunge to their final deaths off the destroyed bridge. Nearby, Michonne is overcome with grief and Maggie and Carol try their best to comfort her.
Daryl, alone, walks slowly into the woods.
Jadis sees the smoke as a helicopter arrives. She then watches as body parts float by in the river. However, that’s not all she sees. Rick, barely alive, is near the river. She calls the chopper and says she never had an A but she has a B who’s badly hurt. She asks if they can help. She assures them it’s not a trick and that she’s just trying to save a friend who saved her. She demands to know if they have a deal. In response, the chopper lands.
Rick’s loaded in the helicopter with Jadis, and she assures him she’s going to save him. They fly away with Rick being tended to.
The episode ends with a group of people attempting to hold off attacking walkers. Shots are fired and a path is opened up for them to escape into the woods. There, they encounter a young girl who asks their names. The young girl bends to pick up a familiar hat, places it on her head, and introduces herself as Judith Grimes.
We’re apparently leaping forward in time once again. The previews for the next three episodes show Carol with longer hair, Michonne with a different style, Eugene sporting a new haircut, and a still alive Negan.
Goodbye to Andrew Lincoln:
Thank you Andrew Lincoln for nine seasons of playing a character we loved, sometimes hated, occasionally got frustrated by, but ultimately had come to really feel like we knew.
Season nine episode five ended with a plot twist that left open the possibility Rick Grimes/Andrew Lincoln could eventually return. That Rick’s exit would come as part of the Jadis/helicopter storyline was unexpected but actually a pretty interesting way to end his The Walking Dead storyline.
During Talking Dead, Scott Gimple cleared up what the episode’s ending means. Gimple explained this would be the end of Rick Grime’s story on The Walking Dead but not the end of Rick Grime’s story. Rick’s story will be told in a series of original films on AMC. Gimple also said there’s a lot of story to tell and that the original films will expand The Walking Dead universe. The original films will screen on AMC, but they’ll have the scope of a feature film. “We’ll be seeing an epic story told over years,” said Gimple. There will also be much more to this expanded universe than just Rick Grime’s story.
Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan in ‘Outlander’ season 4 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Droughtlander is OVER!!! Season four episode one of Starz’s Outlander opens well before that period though, 2000 BCE (“before common era”) to be exact. The scene is not from the book, given the time frame is thousands of years ago with North American natives. They’re building a standing circle with stacks of stones. The natives start dancing ritualistically around the circle, just as we’ve seen performed at Craig Nah Dun in Scotland.
You will see a reoccurring theme of ‘circles’ throughout the episode. The concept of a circle of standing stones in North America was introduced much later in the books but does make sense to keep that in front of the season so viewers understand the stones are closer than our hero and heroine might expect. The books explain a lot more about the concepts of the stones and other mysteries they hold, but I won’t get ahead of the show. You’ll have to read the books or wait for the season to unfold. Into the wilds of colonial America we go.
We see a rather sturdy scaffold with a hangman’s noose as we jet to North Carolina 1767. Not one of my favorite circles I must say, but a hangman’s noose is a circle nonetheless. Claire’s (Caitriona Balfe) voice-over takes us to where she and the rest of the shipwrecked cast have now traveled…the colony of North Carolina from Georgia over a four-month period. Jamie (Sam Heughan) has kin in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
Jamie slinks through the crowd and into the area behind the scaffold to visit one of several prisoners headed for that cringe-worthy noose. His good friend, Hayes (James Allenby-Kirk), has managed to get himself into a rather bad spot. Naturally, Jamie and the others are willing to break him out of the situation, but Hayes tells Jamie to let it ride as ordered by the magistrate. We don’t see that scene in the book. Claire just speaks to Jamie’s wish to comfort a friend and be there for him in his hour of greatest need. We don’t see Jamie get his first look at Stephen Bonnet (Edward Speleers) at that moment in the book, but it makes sense given all the condemned men are being held together.
The others in Jamie and Claire’s party are surprised they’re not breaking Hayes out when Jamie returns outside with the crowd. As the men are brought out to meet their fate, the occasion is very solemn as you might expect. Hayes looks around to find Jamie and his dear comrade-in-arms, Lesley (Keith Fleming). Hayes has rung a promise from Jamie to be the face of a friend staring back at him as they drop the trapdoor and send him to his maker. As Hayes is positioned in the noose, he has a little look of panic since he cannot see Jamie anywhere. Jamie and Lesley force their way through the crowd, so they’re standing close enough for Hayes to see.
Jamie and Hayes smile as Hayes is dropped into oblivion. Lesley is not so peaceful about it and tries to push his way to his friend. The stir allows two of the others waiting for their chance to fight gravity, and lose, to make a run for it. Naturally they don’t get very far, but it’s enough to allow the cool and collected Stephen Bonnet to slip away successfully into the crowd and down the side street.
Que the new intro with amazingly beautiful title cards. Love the episode title scene where the Bald Eagle is snatching a fish from the waters of a lake. America the Beautiful indeed!
The group retire to a tavern to plan their next move. One key deviation from the book is that Marsali (Lauren Lyle) is not in Jamaica at that time; she’s sitting with Jamie and Claire in the North Carolina tavern. Fergus (Cesar Domboy) and Lesley return after trying to find a churchyard in which to bury poor Hayes. Jamie and Lesley opine about how afraid of spirits Hayes was, so they’ll not see him laid to rest anywhere that isn’t consecrated ground. The story that Jamie and Lesley reference about a spirit Hayes encountered will raise the hair on the back of your neck. They don’t go into it in the show, but I would recommend reading it in the book. Super creepy doesn’t even cover it.
They decide to lay him to rest in the churchyard after dark. Lesley believes his dear friend should have a proper Scottish lament sung over him, so he starts low and soft. Jamie and the others at the table join in, and suddenly the entire tavern is giving a rousing chorus to dear departed Hayes. In the book, Jamie doesn’t sing because he’s tone-deaf, but it’s a subtle detail that doesn’t bother me at all to see Jamie join in for his friend in the show. Slainte Mhath!
As Jamie and young Ian (John Bell) are digging the grave for Hayes, Ian starts having a PTSD flashback about the deeds that Geillis had him do with/to her in Jamaica. He explains he didn’t want to do what she wanted, but she forced him into performing sex anyway. Jamie is all too familiar with being forced to do things against his will, sexual or otherwise. The flesh is weak as the saying goes. I do very much like how Jamie puts it to Ian. “Your cock doesna have a conscience, but you have.”
Jamie manages to get Ian on his feet and they go to get Hayes from the wagon. As Lesley is letting down the tailgate, something comes rising out of the wagon. Lesley and Ian freak out like it’s a spirit, but Jamie tests if the form is more substantial by hitting it with the shovel. Surprise, surprise, it is the crafty opportunist du jour, Stephen Bonnet.
Bonnet explains he had been lying next to Hayes since noon, and in the book, you get the understanding of the sacrifice that took, so you feel a bit sorry for him. The body would have been rather ripe all that while, and under the tarp it would have been extremely warm during the day making the odor even worse. Not exactly a restful afternoon.
Jamie inquires about the reason Stephen was headed to the noose. As Bonnet explains his reasons, they mirror several occasions Jamie had faced himself. Very silver-tongued in his begging of help from the group is Stephen. If you haven’t read the books, you don’t know the mask being worn by the very charismatic Bonnet.
After they bury Hayes, Jamie and Claire take Bonnet to a place near the river where he indicated he should have companions waiting for him. In the book, everyone goes together to take Bonnet, but in the show, it’s just Jamie and Claire driving the wagon. They’re stopped by British soldiers – not good! It’s just like our Jamie to put his neck on the line for someone he feels has had a hard and forced path, such as his life has been. He doesn’t know yet that Bonnet chose the path he walked and that led him to the noose. But he soon finds out the hard way, as tends to be the case with our honorable Fraser family.
The soldiers are picking around the back of the wagon when Jamie indicates a body is there. The soldier decides to test Jamie’s assertion that the body is a corpse by taking a bayonet and stabbing the leg. In the book, the bayonet is plunged into Bonnet’s leg, but in the show, he missed most of Bonnet’s leg and got a leg of venison instead. But Bonnet didn’t get away without a bit of a wound that Claire must fix up for him.
Bonnet comments about Claire’s rings when she’s tending to his leg. They don’t have this exchange in the book, but it’s a way for him to deceptively charm Claire. It’s also another reference to the underlying theme of the ‘circle’ for the rings and the hangman’s noose. Bonnet explains he has a fear of drowning, not the noose. I don’t recall the book having this level of vulnerability about Bonnet as he explains his fear to Claire. She reveals she nearly drowned in the hurricane landing in Georgia those months before. Bonnet gets to his feet and bids the couple goodbye, but not before warning them of thieves and outlaws infiltrating the woods. You can’t say he didn’t warn you!
Jamie and Claire decide it would be best to camp in the woods and not take the risk of passing the soldiers again. Here comes more of those amazing Diana Gabaldon lines fans love so much as Jamie and Claire are alone together for one of those rare moments of intimacy. Given the events of the day, they of course talk about death. Claire voices her concern about death parting them again, but Jamie says death is a small thing compared to the bond they share. Their souls are together no matter life or death. They decide to feel alive instead of dead and take full advantage of their time alone by joining their living flesh together as one.
The next morning, Claire’s looking out into the mountains from where they camped. She explains much about modern-day America including what the American Dream is and why people come to the American shores. Jamie asks about Native Americans and what becomes of them. He sees the parallels to the Highland way of life. It is true that America isn’t without her growing pains and deep scars that every nation inflicts upon itself.
Jamie and Claire get ready for a dinner with Governor Tryon (Tim Downie) of the territory, invited because of Jamie’s kinship with River Run Plantation and his Aunt Jocasta. Jamie is able to get one of their gemstones mounted so Claire can wear it to the dinner. They need to sell one for spending money and transport to River Run and then back to Scotland.
At the dinner party, there’s the typical talk of taxes being imposed by the Crown. A very hot topic in any day or time. {snort} Catty women are jealous of Claire, and lecherous men eye her ruby necklace and the fleshly setting it ordains. The Governor speaks to Jamie about his aunt and her land. Jamie mentions his intentions to see her and his eventual departure back to Scotland.
After dinner the Governor invites Jamie to a private conversation about furthering his stay in America. They speak of land grants and subtle undertones of allegiance to the Crown. Jamie, no stranger to hidden meanings, is fully aware of the strings that come with such a land grant. They don’t mention the religious element to the issue in the show. In the book, it’s explained that Jamie’s Papist beliefs could be ignored, but the subtle understanding of it being a decidedly heavy string that could be pulled if necessary, for loyalty to the Crown. The Protestant and Papist war is in full bloom for Scots and Brits during this time.
Back in their room, Jamie and Claire discuss the events of the evening. Claire managed to sell the stone to a particularly lecherous ogler who Jamie didn’t find to his liking. But the money is very needed, so he let it pass.
As Claire heard Jamie mention returning to Scotland, she looked sullen and turned quiet. It doesn’t go unnoticed by Jamie, but Claire deflects with the half excuse of the offer made by the Governor. If you have read the book you know that’s not the only concern on her mind. The stone in the churchyard she found 200 years in the future came to mind if Jamie returned to Scotland. The conversation between the pair turns to the stirrings of the Revolutionary War that’s to come a short eight years hence. Another war! Je Suis Prest! But Jamie has another reason to see this war as his cause…Brianna’s future is part of the outcome.
Rollo and John Bell (Young Ian) in ‘Outlander’ season 4 (Photo Courtesy of Starz)
The next morning Jamie and Claire meet a new friend, though it is more Ian’s new best friend. Rollo!!! The white ghost wolf-like dog was won by Ian in a game of dice with sailors. The confession that he was playing dice isn’t welcome news to Jamie and Claire. In the book we meet Rollo much sooner, shortly after Hayes was executed.
Jamie and Claire tell the group as they’re all sitting down to a meal at a nearby tavern that they’ve decided to stay in America to make a home. The group goes around the table making their own decisions about whether to stay to help the Frasers in their task of making a life there. However, Fergus and Marsali have a bit of news of their own. They’re expecting a child. The first Fraser grandchild, given that Fergus is their adopted son and took the name of Fraser at the wedding on Jamaica. It seems all feel they should make their home in America.
As the group’s traveling downriver Jamie’s explaining about his aunt’s life and how she ended up in America. Claire takes notice of the black man managing the pole guiding the barge and assumes he’s a slave. The captain of the boat explains that he was a slave but was given his freedom. The slave saved the captain’s life, so the captain returned the favor by giving his slave his life to manage as he chose.
Claire’s visibly surprised and pleased to hear the news.
As Claire’s getting instructions about the workings of the oar, Jamie calls her over to give her an anniversary present. Jamie found a complete and full surgeon’s kit in Wilmington. Claire’s overjoyed to receive the thoughtful gift. Jamie regrets not having been able to give her very much, but Claire points out all the amazing gifts he has given her. Brianna, for starters. They’ve had a tumultuous 24 years as husband and wife, but neither regret any of it.
That night as all are asleep, Bonnet and friends storm the barge looking for stuff they can steal. Jamie gets tricked to leave the cabin and is overpowered and beaten in the front of the boat. Inside the cabin, Claire, Ian, and Lesley are fighting with a few of the crew. In the scuffle to save Claire from one of the attackers Lesley manages to get caught from behind by Bonnet.
As Claire watches, Bonnet slits Lesley’s throat. He then approaches Claire in expectation of taking her rings. The gold band from Frank and the silver band from Jamie are all she ever wears. Claire manages to get them off her fingers and shoves them in her mouth to swallow them. Bonnet chokes her and attempts to retrieve them from her mouth. He does get one ring out; the silver ring Jamie gave her. In the book, it was the gold band he took. The entire time all this is happening in the cabin, Jamie’s being dreadfully beaten on deck. The gang take their leave and the episode ends with Jamie staggering to make his way to see the heartbreak inside the cabin.
Bonnet’s character has come full circle. I see him as Black Jack Randall with charisma, but that’s just me. {wink} His path crossing with the Frasers’ has only just begun. If you’re a fan of the books you probably were hoping for a certain entertaining rough-edged character to show up with a rather poorly placed hernia. I hope we do still get to see him in the next episode somehow. I cracked up at him several times in the book. Television viewers, sorry but you must read the book to find out of whom I speak. Tulach Ard! And NO, the man isn’t a Scot.
Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Rami Malek and Joe Mazzello in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (Photo Credit: Alex Bailey, Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox)
Propelled by a riveting performance by Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody made its debut in theaters over the November 2-4, 2018 weekend. The musical biopic about Queen and its iconic lead singer Freddie Mercury took over the top spot on the box office chart, posting a $50 million opening weekend.
The PG-13 rated drama had to overcome pre-release negative publicity following the firing of its director, Bryan Singer, prior to the end of filming. (Dexter Fletcher finished up the shoot.) Critics were split over the movie, although even those who gave the film negative reviews approved of Malek’s take on Freddie Mercury. Audiences, however, greeted the film much more enthusiastically. According to Cinemascore, a sampling of ticket buyers awarded Bohemian Rhapsody an A average. The film’s Rotten Tomatoes score currently sits at 60% fresh.
The first weekend in November also saw The Nutcracker and the Four Realms and Nobody’s Fool open in theaters. Finishing in second and third place, respectively, Nutcracker and Nobody’s Fool had a hard time winning over critics but scored well with ticket buyers surveyed. Nobody’s Fool nearly made back its budget over its first three days in theaters, but Disney will have a more difficult time recovering its $130+ million budget and marketing costs for The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.
As with Bohemian Rhapsody, two directors also worked on bringing The Nutcracker and the Four Realms to the screen. However, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms’ behind-the-scenes switch had to do with reshoots and the original director, Lasse Hallström, being unable to return due to scheduling conflicts. Joe Johnston handled the reshoots, and both Hallström and Johnston are credited as co-directors. Only Bryan Singer is credited with Bohemian Rhapsody.
“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.
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.”
Kat Dennings poses at the London ‘Thor: The Dark World’ premiere (Photo Courtesy of Marvel Studios)
Hulu’s given a 10 episode series order to the comedy Dollface created and written by Jordan Weiss (Harley Quinn). 2 Broke Girls star Kat Dennings is on board to lead the cast and will executive produce.
Ira Ungerleider is the season one showrunner and will also executive produce along with Margot Robbie, Brett Hedblom, and Tom Ackerley from LuckyChap Entertainment. Nicole King and Stephanie Laing are on board as exeuctive producers as well as Bryan Unkeless and Scott Morgan for Clubhouse Pictures. Dollface is an ABC Signature Studios production.
Matt Spicer (Ingrid Goes West) will direct the first episode. Filming is expected to get underway in 2019.
“Reading Jordan’s script was like opening a window into my own brain,” said Kat Dennings. “I’m so inspired by the stellar team we have around us and the unique world of this show, especially with Matt Spicer at the helm.”
“Jordan is an exciting, new voice that has something specific and provocative to say about her generation,” said Hulu’s SVP of Content, Craig Erwich. “As we seek out fresh perspectives and new, thought-provoking projects, Dollface is exactly the type of relatable, yet distinct, series we know our audience will love. We can’t wait to work with Jordan and Kat, as well as our partners at ABC Signature Studios, LuckyChap Entertainment and Clubhouse Pictures, to bring this series to life.”
“We are thrilled to expand our partnership into television and produce Dollface with such fantastic and collaborative partners as we continue to champion strong and unique female characters onscreen,” added LuckyChap Entertainment and Clubhouse Pictures. “We couldn’t be more excited that Kat Dennings will take on this incredible and complex character.”
Kat Dennings’ other credits include Thor, Thor: The Dark World, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and The-40 Year-Old Virgin. She recently finished up work on Friendsgiving, an independent comedy with Jane Seymour and Malin Akerman.
The Dollface Plot:
“The comedy follows a young woman who – after being dumped by her longtime boyfriend – must deal with her own imagination in order to literally and metaphorically re-enter the world of women, and rekindle the female friendships she left behind.”
François Arnaud as Manfred and Jaime Ray Newman as Patience in ‘Midnight, Texas’ season 2 episode 2 (Photo by: John Golden Britt / NBC)
NBC’s Midnight, Texas season two episode two jumps right into the action at the Crystal Desert Hotel and Spa. Kai (Nestor Carbonell) continues to use his powers which have confounded the Midnight, Texas residents. He heals a young man who’s incredibly grateful his arm is no longer in pain.
Meanwhile, #TeamMidnight’s gathered to rehash the “Manfred being possessed by a demon” event. Olivia (Arielle Kebbel) remains skeptical of Kai, even though she admits he was helpful. Manfred (François Arnaud) isn’t in a great mood since Creek left and just isn’t into this discussion.
He grabs a beer and stands outside by his van. Glancing up at the hotel, Manfred spots a ghost and rushes in to help. By the time he arrives in the room, the dude with the healed arm is dead in the bathtub. Kai’s wife and co-owner of the hotel, Patience (Jaime Ray Newman), seems genuinely shocked that a ghost could kill someone.
As the dead body’s being taken away, Kai, Patience, and Manfred discuss what really happened to the deceased man. Kai also claims ghosts can’t kill people and Manfred explains the older, angrier ones can. Patience wants to shut down the hotel, but Kai’s worried about their business. Manfred suggests keeping that room off limits. He’ll look into getting the ghost (a female) to move on.
Over at Fiji’s place, she and Bobo (Dylan Bruce) try and figure out why all of her plants have suddenly died. He blames it on a malfunctioning fan. Fiji (Parisa Fitz-Henley) remembers Colconnar was responsible for things dying last time, and maybe this time it’s also demonic. As Bobo reaches for the fan, it turns on, barely missing slicing his fingers. Still, ever the optimist, Bobo thinks the plants’ deaths are natural and easily explainable.
Joe (Jason Lewis) pitches in on the ghost hunt, and he believes he’s figured out the identity of the hotel’s ghost. Joe shows Manfred a photo from the newspaper and Manfred recognizes the woman as the hotel’s ghost. She’s Carolyn Baker, and she and her husband, Bruce, bought the hotel in the 1950s. She also drowned in the bathtub, just like the hotel’s dead guest.
Lemuel (Peter Mensah) watches Olivia show off her line-dancing skills at the bar. Drunks attempt to hit on her and Olivia replies, “Guys, I love this top. Don’t make me get your blood on it.” (Oh, go ahead guys, we love to see Olivia kick ass!)
They don’t quit and Olivia’s about to fulfill her promise when Lemuel hisses and flashes his teeth at the idiots. Olivia reminds him she’s used to taking care of herself and it’ll take a while for her to get used to Lemuel standing up for her.
Back at the hotel, Manfred warns Patience not to come into the room no matter what she hears. He makes a circle of salt and calls out for Carolyn. She arrives and warns him to leave the room, but he tells her not to take her death out on innocent people.
Carolyn’s confused at first and then realizes Manfred thinks she killed the hotel guest. As they talk, the window flies open and the salt blows across the floor. Carolyn doesn’t have time to explain that her husband killed her before he arrives and tosses Manfred across the room toward the bathtub. He dunks Manfred’s head underwater (the tub is apparently always full in this particular room) and Manfred struggles to free himself. He finally manages to and Patience opens the door just in time for Manfred to escape Bruce’s clutches.
Everyone thought Bruce moved away but he actually shot himself after drowning Carolyn.
Meanwhile, Lemuel and Olivia have made it home and while making out, Lemuel realizes Olivia isn’t into it. Olivia’s had enough of this psychic connection, but, as Lemuel explains, unfortunately, the only way to break it is for her to become a vampire. Neither wants to engage in that particular fight again.
Joe visits the pawn shop to retrieve something he left there decades ago. Bobo hands him the box and then reveals he gave Walker Joe’s number. Walker called the bar and knew Joe was an angel, so Bobo assumed they were friends.
Fiji ticked three causes of plant death off her list: Colconnar, pixie infestation, and over-watering. Bobo tries to get her not to obsess about dead plants by instigating a make-out session. As they kiss, they fail to notice screws coming out of a wall. Antlers swing down and only Fiji’s quick reaction saves them from slamming into Bobo.
Fiji is convinced someone/something is trying to hurt Bobo.
At the hotel, Manfred wants to do a spell to keep all the guests safe from spirits. Patience agrees, but Kai doesn’t because his work needs energy and life can’t exist without death. Manfred suggests they call in the big guns…Fiji. Patience is skeptical, but Manfred warns her Fiji’s strong and not to piss her off.
Bobo shows up for bartending duty and Fiji’s not far away, keeping him safe. Lemuel’s also at the bar and he orders Whiskey, something he never does on normal nights. He blames the need for alcohol on marriage.
A woman (Marissa Cuevas) who noticed his fangs when he defended Olivia during her encounter with the drunks takes a seat next to Lemuel. Her name’s Dawnette and she really wants him to turn her, but he claims his teeth were simply a trick of the light. She hates her job and was in town applying for a position at the Crystal Desert Hotel. The owner wouldn’t even consider her. While Lemuel’s distracted, the woman pours something into his drink. He takes a sip and passes out.
When he comes to, he’s lying on top of the pool table. She explains she had to knock him out and then she shows off her new vampire teeth. “Hey, daddy,” says Dawnette with a huge smile.
Peter Mensah as Lemuel and Arielle Kebbel as Olivia in ‘Midnight, Texas’ season 2 episode 2 (Photo by John Golden Britt / NBC)
Fully awake, Lemuel returns home with the girl and tries to explain the situation to Olivia. He leeched Dawnette after she turned and now Olivia wants to stake her. Lemuel stops her, saying the girl’s had a hard life and to make matters worse, she has a 40-year-old DJ boyfriend.
Olivia finally gives in and doesn’t kill her. But, Dawnette can’t sleep on her couch.
The next morning, Manfred and Patience tell Fiji they need a spell to banish ghosts that won’t make the hotel inhospitable to the dead. As she looks for the spell, Fiji asks how Manfred’s handling the breakup. He pretends everything’s fine and Fiji reminds him he almost buried Creek alive and she reacted by moving across the state. He claims he and Creek have been through worse.
Fiji locates a spell that should do the trick, but she’ll need the bones of Carolyn and Bruce to make it work. Unfortunately, Patience isn’t aware of where either set of bones is located.
Manfred returns to the hotel room to find out what happened when Carolyn died. He allows her to enter him to determine the events of her death. When Carolyn claims Bruce thought she was having an affair, Bruce disagrees. He’s next to enter Manfred to unveil his version of events, and he confesses he was desperate to save their marriage. The dead married couple use Manfred to argue about their relationship. Bruce says he didn’t want to hurt Carolyn, and finally Manfred yells at them both to stop arguing.
Manfred tries to get Bruce to say what he did with Carolyn’s bones. He also sides with Carolyn in this argument, agreeing Bruce is evil.
Manfred leaves the hotel room and explains to Patience that he saw everything he needed to see. Bruce killed himself while cradling Carolyn’s dead body. They’re entombed in the hotel in something that looks like a coal room – or at least used to look like a coal room.
Patience and Manfred search for blueprints of the hotel in the office. The painting Olivia saw Kai talking to in episode one is on the wall, and Patience reveals it’s been in her family for years. Olivia admits she doesn’t know who the woman is.
Blueprints found, Manfred recalls the direction Bruce went with Carolyn’s body. He figures out the coal room’s most likely location.
Manfred and Patience discuss Creek while Manfred uses a sledgehammer to smash the coal room’s wall. He’s sure he and Creek aren’t finished as a couple. Manfred opens up a large hole in the wall and the bodies of Bruce and Carolyn, now just skeletons in fancy clothing, are revealed.
Now that they have the bones, Fiji can conduct the spell. The guests have all been sent away on a meditation retreat so the hotel’s clear, and there’s a salt line on the floor so Bruce can’t attack. Bruce’s angry and frustrated and as Fiji prepares to burn the bones, all the lights go out.
Patience sends Kai off to find the breaker box. Fiji continues the spell as Bruce screams about wanting to remain with Carolyn. Manfred tries to speed things up, but Fiji says ancient spells cannot be rushed.
Bruce launches a vase that shatters, causing Patience to step over the salt line. Before Bruce can attack, Carolyn appears to defend Patience, Fiji, and Manfred. Manfred’s with Patience in the danger zone and Carolyn’s unable to hold off Bruce. Fiji finally lights the bones on fire and as she does Bruce’s ghost goes up in flames. Carolyn’s also on fire but unlike her dead husband, she’s smiling. She thanks Manfred and then says, cryptically, “There’s secrets behind the woods.”
Over at the bar, Joe’s avoiding someone’s call. Bobo wonders if he’s okay, and Joe says he feels like he doesn’t have a purpose anymore. Bobo confesses he felt the same way and then opened this bar. He tells Joe he just needs to find his “bar.”
After Bobo walks away, Joe pulls out the box he retrieved from the pawn shop. Inside is a large and very lethal-looking butcher knife. Joe touches the blade and smiles.
Hours later, Olivia returns home wearing a wig and hospital scrubs. She snagged bags of blood for Lemuel’s new daughter who apparently is sleeping in. When they check on Dawnette, she’s disappeared.
They head out on the road, looking for the girl and stopping at any likely destinations. They can’t find her and Olivia asks Lemuel to describe what he knows about her. He knows she hates the strip club, hates how men treat her there, and wants to be a nurse. Olivia figures out the strip club would definitely be the best place to check next. Dawnette’s getting revenge. Olivia knows this because it’s what she would do.
Olivia was right and Dawnette’s at the club. She sees her boyfriend flirting with another girl. Taking the stage, she grabs the pole, bends over backward, and says, “Hello, boys,” as she flashes her teeth.
Lemuel and Olivia arrive too late for a lot of the male patrons of the club. One of the female survivors explains that Dawnette bit two strippers and then the three of them took off.
The newly turned vamps head over to Crystal Desert Hotel.
Fortunately, Lemuel and Olivia aren’t far behind when the stripper vampires arrive at the hotel. They take on the new vampires, although Olivia admits she doesn’t really want to kill a stripper. “Isn’t patriarchy the real enemy here?” Olivia asks just as Dawnette launches an attack.
They hear a scream and find one of the vampires has just killed someone. Olivia stakes the vampire and then she and Lemuel search for Dawnette.
Kai’s made it down to the breaker box to find the wires have been cut. Dawnette surprises him in the dark, reminding Kai he wouldn’t even give her a chance and didn’t interview her for the front desk job.
Manfred and Patience talk as they make their way downstairs. He confesses he’s learned his lesson and isn’t going to chase after Creek. They stop when they spot the dead body now floating in the lobby’s pool. Manfred recognizes it as the work of a vampire and Patience is immediately worried about Kai.
Kai tries to convince Dawnette he made a mistake, but she doesn’t care. She’s about to attack when Lemuel, Olivia, Manfred, and Patience arrive. Lemuel informs Dawnette that her two friends had to be put down and that every life she takes will always weigh on her. Dawnette insists she just didn’t want to be used or groped or looked down on any longer. Lemuel understands her situation and can help her find a way to use her powers for good, but Olivia’s done giving her chances.
Kai stops everyone, insisting he can cure Dawnette. He’s sure he can remove the vampire from Dawnette. He asks if she wants to be human again and says he can give her back her future. Dawnette agrees that’s what she wants, and Kai touches her chest before kissing her and withdrawing the vampire. She’s cured.
Lemuel is incredulous as is Manfred. “You can make supernaturals human again,” says an awestruck Manfred.
The next day Manfred tells Joe what he witnessed, and they both agree that’s a game-changer. They also realize this means Kai would be able to take Manfred’s powers away and give him a normal life. However, Manfred has figured out this is who he is. (Joe’s angel energy is entirely different so he can’t change.) Joe wonders if Manfred’s questioning Kai’s intentions, like Olivia. “Olivia doesn’t trust the sun to shine, but that doesn’t mean she’s wrong,” admits Manfred.
Bobo uses a hammer at Fiji’s and nothing unusual happens. Fiji credits a protection potion she used, and she admits she’s worried she’ll lose him right after they found each other. Another make-out session occurs, and Bobo tosses his shirt onto the workbench. A shelf falls and a knife flies toward him. Fiji stops it in midair and then sends it crashing to the floor. Fiji realizes that it’s their sex life that’s causing the random accidents. She doesn’t think it’s even safe for them to touch until she figures things out.
Season two episode two ends with Manfred sneaking into the office at the hotel, following a hunch. Carolyn’s final words sparked an idea and he touches the woods in the painting of the veiled woman. He realizes there’s something behind it and then slides the painting to the side. He sees the severed demon’s head and has a flash of an arm with a gold band cutting the demon’s head off. Manfred falls to the floor, unconscious.
The search is on for a tall girl to star in Netflix’s upcoming action comedy film. Netflix announced details on a worldwide casting call for Tall Girl, to be directed by Nzingha Stewart (Grey’s Anatomy, A Million Little Things) from a script by Sam Wolfson (Andi Mack, Finding Carter).
The action comedy revolves around a six-foot-tall 16 year old who comes to embrace what it is that makes her stand out among her peers. Netflix is looking to cast the female lead and has opened auditions to 13 to 21 year-olds who are at least 5’10”. For details on how to audition, visit www.tallgirlcasting.com before November 21, 2018.
“Tall Girl is about all the places where we feel awkward or tender, and learning not only to accept those places, but to shower them with unconditional and radical love,” explained director Nzingha Stewart.
“At Netflix we are committed to being a platform where tweens can find movies that inspire and empower them. One of the many reasons we’re excited to make Tall Girl is the refreshing way it speaks to this audience with humor and heart about embracing what makes them different and special using height as a framing device,” said Melissa Cobb, vice president of kids and family at Netflix. “We look forward to canvassing the world for our very own Tall Female Lead who can draw on her unique experience to authentically depict the challenges and the lessons wrapped up in this tricky stage of life.”
Wonderland’s McG, Mary Viola and Corey Marsh are producing. Barbara McCarthy (The Duff, Mother’s Day) is the casting director. Tall Girl is expected to start shooting in January 2019.
The Tall Girl Plot:
“Tall Girl is the 2019 Netflix original comedy about Jodi, the tallest girl in her school, who has never quite felt comfortable in her own statuesque skin. All of that changes when she falls for the handsome (and equally tall) foreign exchange student Stig, who of course gets Jodi’s quirky, best, male friend Dunkleman and his hippie mom as a host family. As a result, Jodi gets embroiled in a surprising love triangle, which helps her realize she’s far more than her insecurities about her height have led her to believe.”
The CW’s The Originals spinoff, Legacies, season one episode two featured a football game between the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and Gifted and the local high school. It also found Hope, Alaric, and Rafael tracking Landon which led to a face-to-fiery-face battle with a dragon.
Up next, season one episode three titled “We’re Being Punked, Pedro” airing November 8, 2018. The episode was directed by Carol Banker from a script by Julie Plec and Sherman Payne.
The season one cast includes Danielle Rose Russell as Hope, Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman, Jenny Boyd as Lizzie Saltzman, Kaylee Bryant as Josie Saltzman, and Quincy Fouse as Milton Greasley/MG. Aria Shahghasemi is Landon Kirby and Peyton Alex Smith plays Rafael Waithe.
The “We’re Being Punked, Pedro” Plot: KEEPING SECRETS — As punishment for breaking the rules, Hope (Russell), Lizzie (Boyd), Josie (Bryant) and MG (Fouse) are forced to participate in a community service project in the Mystic Falls town square. Meanwhile, Landon (Shahghasemi) and Rafael’s (Smith) attempt at a carefree life on the road takes a dangerous turn when they become unsuspecting targets. Finally, Alaric (Davis) realizes that keeping secrets from his students may be causing more harm than good.
The Season One Plot:
“For the last decade, the iconic heroes and villains of The Vampire Diaries and The Originals have captivated audiences worldwide. They left an enduring legacy of love and family in their wake, which continues in Legacies, a thrilling new drama that tells the story of the next generation of supernatural beings at The Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and Gifted. It’s here that Klaus Mikaelson’s daughter, 17-year-old Hope Mikaelson; Alaric Saltzman’s twins, Lizzie and Josie Saltzman ; and other young adults — including high-energy vampire MG, newly-triggered werewolf Rafael Waithe and the mysterious Landon Kirby — come of age in the most unconventional way possible, nurtured to be their best selves…in spite of their worst impulses.
Will these young witches, vampires and werewolves become the heroes they want to be — or the villains they were born to be? As they fight to protect their secret, their town of Mystic Falls and eventually the world, they will have to rely on ancient folklore and tales to learn how to battle their far-reaching enemies.”
The teaser trailer for the romantic drama Five Feet Apart has a real The Fault in Our Stars vibe, or maybe it’s more like Midnight Sun or Everything, Everything. Riverdale‘s Cole Sprouse and The Edge of Seventeen‘s Haley Lu Richardson co-star as teenagers suffering from cystic fibrosis forced to remain apart so as not to share their germs.
Jane The Virgin‘s Justin Baldoni makes his feature film directorial debut with the romance. Mikki Daughtry (Sleep Tight, The Children) and Tobias Iaconis (Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia, The Children) wrote the screenplay, and Baldoni and Cathy Schulman (The Foreigner, The Space Between Us) produced.
In addition to Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson, the cast includes Moises Arias (The Kings of Summer, Ben-Hur), Kimberly Hébert Gregory (Vice Principals), Paraminder Nagra (ER, Bend it Like Beckham), and Claire Forlani (Crystal Inferno, Precious Cargo).
CBS Films has set a March 22, 2019 theatrical release date.
Haley Lu Richardson and Cole Sprouse in ‘Five Feet Apart’
Stella Grant (Haley Lu 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 (Cole 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?
