Netflix has released a new video clip from the much-anticipated upcoming second season of Marvel’s Luke Cage. The new video features an incredible bar fight involving Misty Knight (Simone Missick) and Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick of Marvel’s Iron Fist). The one minute 45 second clip shows the loss of Misty’s arm isn’t going to slow her down at all, and at one point she seems to forget the limb is missing.
In addition to Simone Missick and Jessica Henwick, the season two cast includes Mike Colter (Extinction), Alfre Woodard (12 Years a Slave), Theo Rossi (Sons of Anarchy), Mustafa Shakir (The Deuce), Gabrielle Dennis (Rosewood), and Rosario Dawson (Marvel’s Daredevil).
The action-packed series is executive produced by showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker (Ray Donovan), Jim Chory (Marvel’s Jessica Jones), and Marvel’s Head of Television Jeph Loeb (Marvel’s Jessica Jones). Lucy Liu directed the second season’s first episode.
Season two of Luke Cage will consist of 13 hour-long episodes. Netflix is set to launch the new season on June 22, 2018.
About Marvel’s Luke Cage Season Two: After clearing his name, Luke Cage (Colter) has become a celebrity on the streets of Harlem with a reputation as bulletproof as his skin. But being so visible has only increased his need to protect the community and find the limits of who he can and can’t save. With the rise of a formidable new foe, Luke is forced to confront the fine line that separates a hero from a villain.
A Look Back at Season One: After a sabotaged experiment leaves him with super strength and unbreakable skin, Luke Cage becomes a fugitive trying to rebuild his life in modern day Harlem, New York City. But he is soon pulled out of the shadows and must fight a battle for the heart of his city – forcing him to confront a past he had tried to bury.
In a devastating turn of events, the still memory-impaired Elijah chose his girlfriend’s family over his own in The CW’s The Originals season five episode six. The episode also featured the death of Hayley as she went out in a blaze of glory to protect Hope. On a lighter note, episode six also served up some delicious Klaus and Caroline moments while the two were on a road trip to save Hope.
Up next, season five episode seven titled “God’s Gonna Trouble the Water” airing June 6, 2018. Carl Seaton directed the episode from a script by Bianca Sams and Julie Plec.
The fifth and final season of The Originals stars Joseph Morgan as Klaus, Daniel Gillies as Elijah, Yusuf Gatewood as Vincent, Steven Krueger as Josh, Charles Michael Davis as Marcel, Riley Voelkel as Freya, Phoebe Tonkin as Hayley, Danielle Rose Russell as Hope, Nathaniel Buzolic as Kol, Candice King as Caroline, and Claire Holt as Rebekah.
The “God’s Gonna Trouble the Water” Plot: THE RETURN TO NEW ORLEANS — Ivy (guest star Shiva Kalaiselvan) reveals some startling news to Klaus (Morgan) about the dark magic that’s been keeping him away from his family. Elijah (Gillies) turns to some unexpected allies to save Antoinette’s (guest star Jaime Murray) life.
The Season 5 Plot: The final season of The Originals begins seven years after the core members of the Mikaelson family – Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah and Kol — each absorb a quarter of the Hollow’s dark energy and flee New Orleans in order to keep both their beloved city and young Hope (guest star Summer Fontana) safe. In the interim, Vincent and Josh preside over a Big Easy almost devoid of conflict, while Hayley and Freya watch Hope grow into a teenager, eventually opting to send her to the Salvatore School so that Caroline can keep an eye on her.
With Marcel following Rebekah out of town and Elijah stripped of his memory, the danger seems to be contained… until a sudden tragedy forces the siblings to return home. As the Mikaelsons return to New Orleans, bringing the pieces of a centuries old evil with them, it becomes clear that the closing chapter of this family saga will be as bloody and emotional as ever.
American Gods new season 2 cast (Photos Courtesy of Starz)
Starz’s American Gods season two has added three additional cast members in guest starring roles. Joining the cast for season two are Dean Winters (Divorce, John Wick), Devery Jacobs (Cardinal, The Order) and Kahyun Kim (Shameless, Freaky Friday).
The dramatic fantasy series is produced by FremantleMedia North America and stars Ricky Whittle (The 100) as Shadow Moon, Ian McShane (Deadwood) as Mr. Wednesday, Emily Browning (Sucker Punch) as Laura Moon, and Pablo Schreiber (Orange is the New Black) as Mad Sweeney.
The cast also includes Orlando Jones (Sleepy Hallow) as Mr. Nancy, Yetide Badaki (Masters of Sex) as Bilquis, Bruce Langley (Deadly Waters) as Technical Boy, Crispin Glover (Back to the Future) as Mr. World, Cloris Leachman (Malcolm in The Middle) as Zorya Vechernyaya, Peter Stormare (Fargo) as Czernobog, Mousa Kraish (Fast & Furious) as The Jinn, Omid Abtahi (Damien) as Salim, Chris Obi (Snow White and the Huntsman) as Anubis, and Demore Barnes (Waco) as Mr. Ibis.
Season two has Jesse Alexander (Hannibal, Heroes) guiding the series as showrunner. Alexander also serves as an executive producer along with Stefanie Berk, Neil Gaiman, Ian McShane, Craig Cegielski, and Scott Hornbacher. Chris Byrne directed the second season’s first episode.
“The first season was all about getting to the House on the Rock,” stated executive producer Neil Gaiman, commenting on the upcoming season. “It’s amazing to see everyone back, and to be entering the next stage of the story with the best bunch of actors around, along with some inspired filmmakers.”
American Gods season two will consist of eight one-hour episodes. Starz is targeting a 2019 premiere date.
Details on the New Characters:
Dean Winters has been cast in a guest role as Mr. Town. “A strong believer in progress, Mr. Town is tasked by Mr. World (Crispin Glover) to find out what Shadow (Ricky Whittle) knows about Mr. Wednesday’s (Ian McShane) plan. His brutal efficiency and technique just may get him the answers to his curious questions.”
First Nations actor Devery Jacobs joins the cast in the recurring guest star role of Sam Black Crow. “Sam, a college student, is spiritually cynical for someone who claims to believe in so much. She lives life with fierce confidence and openness, selling the chainsaw art she carves by the roadside for extra money.”
Kayhun Kim will be playing New Media. “New Media is the goddess of global content – and in this age, a cyberspace chameleon, who is also a master of manipulation.”
20th Century Fox and Regency Enterprises just released a riveting new trailer for Widows, a heist thriller directed by Oscar-winner Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave). McQueen wrote the screenplay with Gillian Flynn (author of Gone Girl, Dark Places), based on the six-part 1983 mini-series written by Lynda La Plante.
Oscar-winner Viola Davis (Fences) leads a cast that includes Michelle Rodriguez (the Fast and the Furious films), Elizabeth Debicki (The Cloverfield Paradox), Cynthia Erivo (Mr. Selfridge), Colin Farrell (Killing of a Sacred Deer), Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta), Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out), Garret Dillahunt (Fear the Walking Dead), Carrie Coon (The Leftovers), Jacki Weaver (Secret City), and Jon Bernthal (The Punisher). Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Robert Duvall, Lukas Haas, and Liam Neeson are also featured in the crime drama. Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Steve McQueen, and Arnon Milchan served as producers.
Widows will open in theaters on November 16, 2018.
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 (Viola Davis), Alice (Elizabeth Debicki), Linda (Michelle Rodriguez) and Belle (Cynthia Erivo) take their fate into their own hands and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.
Michelle Rodriguez, Viola Davis, and Elizabeth Debicki star in Twentieth Century Fox’s ‘Widows’ (Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox)Colin Farrell in a scene from ‘Widows’ (Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox)Daniel Kaluuya and Brian Tyree Henry in Twentieth Century Fox’s ‘Widows’ (Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox)Viola Davis stars in Twentieth Century Fox’s ‘Widows’ (Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox)
The new trailer for Disney’s animated sequel Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 acknowledges that the film should have been titled Ralph Wrecks the Internet, since the lead character’s name is Wreck-It Ralph. When Wreck-It Ralph questions the choice of title, he’s told “breaks the internet” is a thing although “wrecks the internet” does sound better.
The new two and a half minute trailer also finds Vanellope meeting the Disney Princesses, and the Princesses welcoming her as one of their own as they bond over the fact they’re tired of storylines in which men rescue them.
The voice cast is led by John C. Reilly as Ralph and Sarah Silverman as Vanellope von Schweetz. It also includes Taraji P. Henson, Jack McBrayer, and Jane Lynch. Rich Moore (Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph) and Phil Johnston (co-writer Wreck-It Ralph, Cedar Rapids) co-directed the film. Co-director Johnston and Pamela Ribon wrote the screenplay.
Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-Ralph 2 will open in theaters on Nov. 21, 2018.
The Plot:Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 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 (voice of John C. Reilly) and fellow misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) 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 a webite entrepreneur named Yesss (voice of Taraji P. Henson), who is the head algorithm and the heart and soul of trend-making site “BuzzzTube.”
Amazon Studios just released the first teaser trailer along with a new poster for Suspiria directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name). 2018’s Suspiria is a remake of the 1977 film from writer/director Dario Argento which starred Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, and Barbara Magnolfi. The remake was written by David Kajganich (The Terror) based on characters created by Argento and Daria Nicolodi.
Jessica Harper returns from the original cast for the 2018 version. The cast also includes Dakota Johnson (the Fifty Shades film franchise), Tilda Swinton (Doctor Strange, We Need to Talk About Kevin), Mia Goth (A Cure for Wellness), and Chloe Grace Moretz (Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, The 5th Wave).
The official teaser trailer features a score composed by singer/songwriter Thom Yorke (Radiohead).
Amazon Studios has set a November 2, 2018 theatrical release date. The original Suspiria was released on August 12, 1977. The 1977 R-rated horror/thriller earned three Saturn Award nominations in the Best Supporting Actress category (Joan Bennett) and for the Best DVD Classic Film Release and Best DVD/Blu-Ray Special Edition Release for the 40th Anniversary Edition.
The Suspiria 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.
Dakota Johnson stars in the horror film, ‘Suspiria’ (Photo Credit: Amazon Studios)Teaser poster for the 2018 remake of ‘Suspiria’ (Photo Credit: Amazon Studios)
Fox is returning the half-hour comedy Ghosted to its primetime schedule on Sunday, June 10, 2018 at 8:30pm ET/PT. Two episodes will air on June 10th, and then the series will air the remainder of season one’s new episodes on Sundays at 9:30pm ET/PT.
Ghosted stars Adam Scott as Max Jennifer, Craig Robinson as Leroy Wright, Ally Walker as Captain Ava LaFrey, Adeel Akhtar as Dr. Barry Shaw, and Amber Stevens West as Annie. The series was created by Tom Gormican, with Gormican, Kevin Etten, Craig Robinson, Adam Scott, Naomi Scott, Mark Schulman and Oly Obst executive producing.
Ghosted New Episode Descriptions:
“The Wire” Plot: When new cases become few and far between at the Bureau, Max obsesses over his multiverse theory and Leroy grows restless – until they discover a suspicious wire in the office that they think might be a secret surveillance system. They enlist the whole team to help uncover its source. Meanwhile, a customer (guest star Sam Richardson) arrives at the Bureau’s facade looking to purchase wire coat hangers and everyone must take turns distracting him from the chaos below in the all-new episode airing Sunday, June 10 (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT).
“The Demotion” Plot: Everyone, including Captain LaFrey, is surprised and alarmed when The Bureau Underground is assigned a new captain, Merv Minette (guest star Kevin Dunn). Minette doesn’t seem thrilled with his new post either, and halts Max and Leroy’s investigation of the suspicious wire in “The Demotion” episode airing Sunday, June 10 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT).
“The Promotion” Plot: Leroy decides to bring in a psychic to help The Bureau figure out who bugged their office. While he and the rest of the team are determined to make something of the findings so that they can reclaim the office from Merv (guest star Kevin Dunn), Max refuses to give in to the superstitions in “The Premonition” episode airing Sunday, June 17 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT).
“The Article” Plot: When an article is published revealing The Bureau Underground to the public, Merv asks Leroy to interrogate his coworkers to find out who may have leaked the information. Meanwhile, Max’s parents (guest stars Mindy Sterling and Robert Pine) arrive at the Bureau to express their concern about his career choice, and Ava gets closer to solving the mystery of who bugged the office in “The Article” episode airing Sunday, June 24 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT).
Three episodes in and I’m completed invested in AMC’s biting satire, Dietland. The new dark comedy/drama is based on the bestselling novel by Sarai Walker and stars Joy Nash, Julianna Margulies, Tamara Tunie, and Robin Weigert. Episode one sets up the bizarre characters who swirl around the series’ heroine, Plum Kettle. Episode two widens that world and introduces more empowered women willing to go to extraordinary lengths in their quest for justice. By episode three the series hits its stride while teasing multiple layers yet to explore.
Dietland tackles tough subjects including sexual abuse, body shaming, and the struggle to fit in in a world that idolizes wafer-thin models. From the opening credits, Dietland declares itself as a series that won’t be pussyfooting around delicate subjects.
At the heart of the series is Plum Kettle (Nash), a single woman who wanted to be a journalist or a baker but instead is employed as the ghostwriter of the “Dear Kitty” advice column credited to narcissistic magazine editor Kitty Montgomery (Margulies). When we’re introduced to Plum, she’s consumed with dieting in preparation for weight loss surgery. We also quickly learn she’s unsatisfied with her job and much happier when she’s baking yummy cakes for her best friend, Steven (Tramel Tillman), owner of a Brooklyn bakery.
Plum’s life is turned upside down with the appearance of a mysterious goth girl who stalks her for a short while before making her move. She scribbles “Dietland” on Plum’s arm, something Plum takes as an insulting comment on her weight. However, it turns out “Dietland” is actually an anti-dieting book by Verena Baptist (Weigert). Plum was once a “Baptist” (a believer in Verena’s body-positive teachings) and now Verena is interested in guiding Plum into a new way of thinking as part of her women’s collective, Calliope House.
Goth girl, whose real name is Leeta (Erin Darke), isn’t the only new interesting character who inserts herself into Plum’s life. After checking in with Kitty on her writing assignments, Plum’s told to press floor “SC” in the elevator. She follows instructions and enters The Beauty Closet, run by Julia (Tunie). The Beauty Closet’s filled with all sorts of beauty products designed to make women feel better about themselves. Julia’s invitation to Plum to enter this private warehouse is motivated by her desire to procure the list of women who’ve sought advice from “Dear Kitty.”
A third strand of the plot involves a secret radical organization known as “Jennifer.” Members of the vigilante group have been kidnapping men accused of despicable crimes against women (including rape). After videotaping their confessions, Jennifer members then toss the men from great heights onto busy streets and other assorted locations throughout the city.
Showrunner Marti Noxon strikes a unique tone with Dietland. The writing’s so clever that even though the series deals with heavy subjects, it never feels oppressive. What it does feel is incredibly timely, going hand-in-glove with the #MeToo movement. It’s also incredibly entertaining, weaving Plum’s tale in with storylines involving corporate espionage and murders committed by the Jennifer vigilante group. The vigilante group storyline, in particular, is fascinating. It represents the very real anger women feel, taking decades of oppression and abuse and using this vigilante organization to strike back against abuse.
Dietland uses hand-drawn animations to portray Plum’s state of mind in key moments. It’s a brilliant way of letting the audience into Plum’s head, as are the bizarre interactions Plum has while daydreaming and while withdrawing from prescription medication.
Joy Nash leads the cast and is fantastic as Plum, the heart and soul of the series and the character audiences will most relate to. It’s a treat to watch the entire cast – Julianna Margulies, Tamara Tunie, Robin Weigert, et al. – get into the interesting assortment of characters that populate Dietland.
AMC’s new series is funny and fierce, occasionally heartbreaking, but always deliciously wicked and entertaining.
GRADE: A-
* * * * * * *
Dietland premieres on Monday, June 4, 2018 with back-to-back hour-long episodes.
Joy Nash as Plum Kettle and Julianna Margulies as Kitty Montgomery in ‘Dietland’ season 1 episode 1 (Photo by Patrick Harbron/AMC)
Showtime’s set a July 15, 2018 return date for the animated series, Our Cartoon President. The return date announcement was accompanied by a short trailer featuring the animated versions of Donald Trump, Eric Trump, and Donald Trump Jr.
The original series order was for 10 episodes, but in March 2018 the popularity of the series spurred the network to order an additional seven episodes. The new episodes will air this summer on Sunday nights at 10:30pm ET/PT.
Our Cartoon President premiered on February 11, 2018 and finished up on April 8th. Those first 10 half-hour animated episodes averaged two million weekly viewers.
Our Cartoon President is executive produced by Emmy Award-winner Stephen Colbert, R.J. Fried (Problematic with Moshe Kasher), and Chris Licht (The Late Show). Fried also acts as the showrunner. Matt Lappin is the consulting producer and Tim Luecke is the lead animator. It was Luecke’s Cartoon Trump and Cartoon Hillary which debuted on Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show that inspired the half-hour series.
The voice cast of the political comedy includes Jeff Bergman as Donald Trump; Cody Lindquist as Melania Trump; Emily Lynne as Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, and Karen Pence; John Viener as Mike Pence; and Gabriel Gundacker as Donald Trump Jr, Stephen Miller, and Brian Kilmeade. Griffin Newman voices Jared Kushner, Molly Gordon is Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and James Adomian is Ted Cruz and Sean Hannity.
The Plot:Our Cartoon President follows the tru-ish misadventures of the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and his merry band of advisors and family members. The first season has already introduced audiences to Trump’s attempts at “winning” the State of the Union address, comforting disaster victims and rolling back President Obama’s accomplishments, as well as his co-dependent relationship with the media.
Cartoon Donald Trump in season 1 episode 2 of ‘Our Cartoon President’ (Photo: Courtesy of Showtime)
Disney and Lucasfilms’ Solo: A Star Wars Story took a steep dive at the box office over its second full weekend in release. Ron Howard directed the latest addition to the Star Wars film franchise which delves into the backstory of Han Solo and has Alden Ehrenreich taking on the lead role of the popular character as a young man. The prequel opened to a disappointing $103 million during the extended Memorial Day weekend, and only managed a $29 million second weekend in domestic release.
The first weekend in June saw the release of Shailene Woodley’s Adrift, writer/director Leigh Whannell’s Upgrade, and Johnny Knoxville’s Action Point. Adrift performed slightly below expectations at $11 million (its budget was in the $35 million range) while Upgrade posted a surprising $4.4 million, impressing critics and earning an 85% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Knoxville – without his full troupe of Jackass players – failed to find an audience for his latest film, Action Point. According to Box Office Mojo, Action Point now ranks 23rd on the worst wide openings list.
Next weekend, Solo: A Star Wars Story will likely lose its first place position to the female-driven Ocean’s 8 starring Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett. The critically acclaimed horror film Hereditary with Toni Collette and the R-rated action thriller Hotel Artemis starring Jodie Foster and Sterling K Brown are also set to enter theaters on June 8th.
Alden Ehrenreich is Han Solo in ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ (Photo Credit: 2018 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved)
The Solo: A Star Wars Story Plot: Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in Solo: A Star Wars Story, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo befriends his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and meets the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.
