Focus Features’ upcoming thriller 7 Days in Entebbe has released a new one-minute clip titled “Hijacking.” The film’s based on true events and stars Rosamund Pike (Hostiles, Gone Girl) and Daniel Brühl (Captain America: Civil War, The Alienist) in the lead roles.
In addition to Rosamund Pike and Daniel Brühl, the cast includes Eddie Marsan (Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House), Ben Schnetzer (Warcraft: The Beginning, Happy Town), Lior Ashkenazi (Good Family, Foxtrot), and Denis Ménochet (Assassin’s Creed, Spotless).
José Padilha (Narcos, Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, Robocop) directed the movie from a script by Gregory Burke (’71). Working Title’s Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner produced 7 Days in Entebbe with Kate Solomon, Ron Halpern, and Michelle Wright. Jo Burn, Liza Chasin, Olivier Courson, Jean-Claude Darmon, Jonathan King, Angela Morrison, and Jeff Skoll were on board as executive producers.
Focus Features has set a March 16, 2018 theatrical release date. The action thriller earned a PG-13 MPAA rating for violence, some thematic material, drug use, smoking and brief strong language.
The Plot: A gripping political thriller inspired by the true events of the 1976 hijacking of an Air France flight en route from Tel Aviv to Paris, the film depicts the most daring rescue mission ever attempted. 7 Days In Entebbe brings the longstanding conflict between Israel and Palestine into focus by recounting the heroic military mission while also exploring the nuanced perspectives of both sides.
7 Days in Entebbe is based on the 1976 true story of four hijackers who took a plane hostage and forced it to land in Entebbe, Uganda, while they demanded the release of dozens of Palestinian terrorists. The ticking-clock thriller follows the hijackers and hostages as well as the political leaders trying to decide whether to negotiate or send an elite special forces unit on a dramatic rescue mission to free the hostages.
Poster for the thriller ‘7 Days in Entebbe’ (Photo Credit: Focus Features)
Dan Stevens as David Haller in ‘Legion’ (Photo Credit: Matthias Clamer / FX)
FX has announced the return of the critically acclaimed comic book-inspired series, Legion, with the network setting an April 3, 2018 premiere date for season two of Legion. The series, set in the X-Men world, will air on Tuesdays at 10pm ET/PT.
Legion was created by Noah Hawley (Fargo) and is based on the Marvel Comics by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz. The cast of the popular series is led by Dan Stephens (Beauty and the Beast, Downton Abbey) as David Haller and includes Rachel Keller as Syd, Jean Smart as Melanie Bird, Jeremie Harris as Ptonomy, Amber Midthunder as Kerry, and Bill Irwin as Cary. The cast also includes Aubrey Plaza as Lenny, Jemaine Clement as Oliver Bird, Hamish Linklater as Clark, and Navid Negahban as Amahl Farouk.
Noah Hawley executive produces along with John Cameron, Lauren Shuler Donner, Simon Kinberg, Jeph Loeb, and Jim Chory.
The Plot:Legion is the story of David Haller (Stevens), a man who believed himself to be schizophrenic only to discover that he may actually be the most powerful mutant the world has ever seen.
From childhood, David shuffled from one psychiatric institution to the next until, in his early 30s, he met and fell in love with a beautiful and troubled fellow patient named Syd (Keller). After Syd and David shared a startling encounter, he was forced to confront the shocking possibility that the voices he hears and the visions he sees may actually be real.
Syd led David to Melanie Bird (Smart), a demanding but nurturing therapist who heads a team of specialists – Ptonomy (Harris), Kerry (Midthunder) and Cary (Irwin) – each of whom possesses a unique and extraordinary gift. Together, they helped David to recognize and harness his hidden powers. With their support, David finally unlocked a deeply suppressed truth – he had been haunted his entire life by a malicious parasite of unimaginable power. Known as the “Shadow King,” this malevolent creature appeared in the form of David’s friend Lenny (Plaza), but is actually an ancient being named Amahl Farouk.
In an epic showdown, David and his friends battled his demon, ultimately forcing it from David’s body. Unfortunately, Farouk found a new host – Melanie’s husband Oliver Bird (Clement) – and escaped. Just when they thought they’d earned a moment of respite, a mysterious orb appeared and took David away to an unknown place. With David and Oliver missing and Farouk on the loose, the team forms an unlikely alliance with their former enemy Clark (Linklater) and his well-funded government organization, Division III. Meanwhile, Amahl Farouk (Negahban) is on a new path to attaining infinite and world-ending power.
Following an episode that welcomed back Ruth Connell as Rowena, The CW’s Supernatural season 13 episode 13 welcomes another special recurring guest star – Danneel Ackles. Danneel and series star Jensen Ackles have been married since May 2010, but the February 8, 2018 Supernatural episode marks her first guest starring appearance on her husband’s long-running series.
Directed by Eduardo Sanchez from a script by Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner, season 13 episode 13 is titled “Devil’s Bargain.”
The season 13 cast includes Jensen Ackles as Dean, Jared Padalecki as Sam, Misha Collins as Castiel, Mark Pellegrino as Lucifer, Alexander Calvert as Jack, and Samantha Smith as Mary Winchester.
The “Devil’s Bargain” Plot: DANNEEL ACKLES GUEST STARS – Sam (Jared Padalecki), Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Castiel (Misha Collins) search for Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino) who, meanwhile, strikes an unlikely deal with a local faith healer named Sister Jo (guest star Danneel Ackles). Asmodeus (guest star Jeffrey Vincent Parise) inches closer to finding Jack (Alexander Calvert).
The Season 13 Plot: The exciting journey of the Winchester brothers continues as Supernatural enters its thirteenth season. Sam and Dean have encountered every kind of supernatural threat, facing down monsters, demons, and gods. Saving people, hunting things, and keeping the world safe. In the show’s twelfth season, the Winchesters were reunited with their long-dead mother, and joined forces with the British arm of the Men of Letters. But things turned from bad to worse, with the return of Lucifer and the surprising revelation that the Devil is expecting a child. Now, Sam and Dean find themselves facing a creature of almost unimaginable power… one that could save the world… or destroy it.
Tom Ellis and Lauren German in ‘Lucifer’ season 3 episode 14 (Photo by Jordin Althaus / Fox)
Fox’s Lucifer season three episode 14 puts Ella’s family in the spotlight, with Chloe (Lauren German) and Lucifer (Tom Ellis) investigating a murder that may have been committed by Ella’s older brother. Of course, dealing with Ella’s brother provides Lucifer plenty of opportunities to comment on his own relationship with his dad’s favorite son, Amenadiel.
The episode titled “My Brother’s Keeper” begins with a man’s phone ringing, indicating it’s the LAPD on the other end of the line. The call comes at the most inopportune time as he’s picking up a suitcase of diamonds, and the man in possession of the gems isn’t happy about any possible connection to the LAPD. It turns out the call is coming from Ella (Aimee Garcia). She’s dialed up her brother, Jay (Rey Valentin), and is not pleased to be sent straight to voice mail.
At the police station, Lucifer wants Cain (Tom Welling) to take off his shirt so he can look at the mark his dad left. It’s just a circle now because the skull and spears tattoo has healed and Cain hasn’t reapplied it yet. Lucifer doesn’t understand why Cain hates being immortal, and he’s pissed that his research – which amounted to watching Tom Hanks in The Da Vinci Code – hasn’t led to a way to kill him.
Cain and Lucifer agree that Amenadiel (DB Woodside), the brainy one, might have the answer.
Ella pays a visit to Chloe’s place and she and Trixie (Scarlett Estevez) high five after realizing they’re both wearing sushi shirts. Chloe’s out but Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt), who’s busy eviscerating a dummy, is actually who Ella’s there to see. While Maze talks to Ella, Trixie takes over with knife practice. (No way would Chloe allow this!)
Ella explains she can’t reach her brother and Maze, being Maze, doesn’t care. That is until Ella says she’ll pay for Maze to find him.
Back at Lux, Amenadiel refuses to help Lucifer kill Cain. Dad placed the curse and there had to be a reason. All Lucifer wants his brother to do is look at Cain’s mark, but Amenadiel wants none of it. He’s about to leave when Lucifer says, genuinely shocked, “We’ve been through a lot, you and I. I thought we were getting along. I thought we were brothers for once.”
Amenadiel agrees but reminds Lucifer their dad placed him on Earth as his test, and he’s there to protect Lucifer from himself. Amenadiel doesn’t care that Lucifer gave his word.
Maze and Ella make it over to the diamond dealer’s place and Ella explains that her brother is a diamond authenticator so it makes sense he would be there. When they enter the room, they find the diamond dealer, Fahrid Nasser, dead. Maze points out that means Ella’s brother might be the killer.
Ella calls in Chloe, much to Maze’s disappointment. Chloe and Lucifer arrive to investigate, and Ella explains that Jay is her older brother. He’s also the “good one” and they all look up to him. Lucifer, of course, makes the discussion about himself, saying older brothers are never there when you need them to help you kill someone. (It’s amazing how everyone just skips over Lucifer’s bizarre comments.)
Maze found Jay’s wallet in the room, so it’s obvious he was there and was probably the killer. Ella, attempting to clear Jay, points out powder burns indicate the killer was left-handed. Her brother is right-handed.
Chloe thinks Ella should excuse herself from the case, but Ella is determined to go find Jay with Maze. After they leave, Chloe says she trusts Ella’s instincts so she’ll pursue other angles. However, Lucifer’s just as sure that brothers can not be trusted. As he talks, Chloe finds what could be a piece of evidence – a loose diamond.
Charlotte (Tricia Helfer) pays a visit to Dr. Linda (Rachael Harris) after getting a recommendation from Lucifer. Dr. Linda, however, is obviously stunned and frightened to have Charlotte sitting on her couch. She’s not Lucifer’s mom anymore, but Linda struggles to see her as the old Charlotte Richards.
Charlotte’s never been to a doctor to talk about her feelings before and thinks Dr. Linda’s reaction is normal. She spills her story, saying she felt like she was in Hell during her near-death experience. Finally, Dr. Linda finds her voice and kicks Charlotte out. “I can’t help you. You need to leave now,” says Dr. Linda, leaving Charlotte to believe she’s beyond help.
Back at the station, Lucifer wishes he was able to kill his brother, like Cain did. Lucifer calls his brother a d*ck and Cain wonders how Lucifer knows Amenadiel is God’s favorite. Long story short, Lucifer reveals a book said it and therefore it must be true. However, he still thinks he can bring Amenadiel around.
Dan (Kevin Alejandro), Chloe, and Lucifer discuss Fahrid’s death, and Dan and Chloe are looking for someone other than Ella’s brother. Dan has learned the diamond Chloe found was reported stolen and it turns out diamonds have serial numbers laser etched in them. It’s possible the dead man is the one who stole it since he was a diamond broker for the store it was stolen from.
There wasn’t any surveillance camera footage or any witnesses at the store where the theft occurred, but Chloe thinks their victim may have been the thief. If he had a partner, that person might have killed him.
Chloe and Lucifer head to the store where the burglary occurred and Lucifer confesses he believes diamonds are huge practical jokes someone played since they’re just lumps of coal. Chloe and Lucifer pretend to be engaged and claim to be looking for a ring. (Lucifer had no idea Chloe was going to pull off this charade.)
After Chloe insults the diamonds on display, the salesman heads off to retrieve more expensive merchandise. While he’s gone, Chloe shows Lucifer all the surveillance cameras and points out that they’re not new. She thinks the theft was an inside job.
The salesman returns, shows off more unacceptable rings, and then Chloe whips out the bag with the stolen diamond. She lies and says Lucifer gave it to her for Valentine’s Day, and she thinks he’s cheap. She asks the salesman for his opinion and he tells them the diamond was stolen. Chloe cusses out Lucifer and makes a scene as the salesman begins to call the cops.
The salesman’s stopped in mid-dial by Tiffany James (Jackie Geary), the owner of the store. She doesn’t want the cops involved and swears she’ll find them the perfect diamond.
In Tiffany’s office, Chloe reveals she’s a detective and wonders why Tiffany robbed her own store. After clearing up that he’s not cheap, Lucifer asks Tiffany how she helped Jay Lopez murder Fahrid Nasser. Tiffany claims not to know Jay and not to know Fahrid is dead.
Chloe whispers to Lucifer that he needs to stop making everything about his fight with Amenadiel. She adds that she wishes she had a brother to fight with.
Tiffany admits to knowing Fahrid and then Lucifer does his Jedi mind trick. Tiffany’s biggest desire is to punch every millennial in the face. Sales are down because of them. She admits she was in on the robbery with Fahrid and that he was supposed to sell the diamonds back to her after he cleaned them. It was all just a big insurance scam because of the millennials.
Maze and Ella visit a cheap hotel and Ella believes her brother would never stay in such a place. Maze threatens the clerk and he turns over the guestbook. Ella recognizes her brother’s fake name, Michael Knight, the name of the lead character in Jay’s favorite show.
Lucifer shows up at Dr. Linda’s after receiving a text that she needed to see him. She’s pouring herself a drink when Lucifer barges in, and Linda reveals Charlotte came to see her as a client. Lucifer thinks that’s a good thing since Linda’s the best. Linda explains that when Charlotte sat in front of her, all of the horrible things that happened to her came back.
Lucifer patiently explains Charlotte did nothing wrong and his mother is gone for good. He calls her an innocent woman who needs Dr. Linda’s help.
Insurance adjuster Don Zeikel (Ed Kerr) visits the station and thanks Chloe for catching Tiffany James. He admits it’s not often they catch insurance fraud. He says it’s almost an untraceable crime because “cleaners” can get rid of the serial numbers on diamonds. Chloe and Dan realize Ella’s brother is once again a suspect.
Aimee Garcia in ‘ Lucifer’ season 3 episode 14 (Photo by Jordin Althaus / Fox)
Maze and Ella continue to track down Jay, with Ella breaking into his hotel room. Surprised, he swings a bat at Maze…never a good idea under any circumstances.
Over at Lux, Cain and Amenadiel finally meet and Amenadiel still won’t help him. Cain explains that being an immortal human being is boring, nothing surprises him anymore (Amenadiel helpfully suggests watching Game of Thrones), and it’s been a literal Hell on Earth. Amenadiel is not sympathetic, and then Cain asks if he’s the one who marked him. Amenadiel admits he did it, so Cain threatens to shoot him. He demands to know how to get rid of the mark.
Back at the hotel, Ella tells her brother his wallet was at Fahrid’s murder scene. He claims not to have known the diamonds were stolen and says Fahrid was jumpy. When Jay used the bathroom, he heard the gunshots and then took off running when he saw the dead body. Ella, angry at her brother, beats him with her shoe while cussing at him in Spanish.
Chloe calls while Ella and Maze are with Jay, and Ella lies and says she hasn’t located him. When Chloe hangs up, she knows Ella was lying. Lucifer and Dan try and figure out where Ella would take her brother, with Lucifer suggesting a strip club and Dan suggesting Comic-Con. Chloe, once again the voice of reason, thinks Ella will take Jay back to the crime scene to try and prove his innocence.
Meanwhile, Amenadiel continues to refuse to help Cain. Cain then threatens an innocent bystander to get Amenadiel to remove the mark, and finally Amenadiel reveals he doesn’t know how to remove it. Amenadiel was only the messenger.
Cain actually believes Amenadiel but that doesn’t stop him from clearing the club and kicking Amenadiel’s “angelic ass.” The two engage in hand-to-hand combat and it’s pretty even. Finally, Amenadiel’s had enough and he shoots Cain just to get a little rest. After he recovers, they return to fighting.
Maze and Ella have Jay walk them through Fahrid’s murder. Jay says he peeked out of the bathroom and saw the murderer standing over Fahrid’s body. He had a ski mask and Jay only remembers him wearing red wingtip shoes. When Ella tries to reenact Jay’s version, she determines it could not have gone down that way.
Maze finds Fahrid’s hidden stash room which has laser engraving equipment. Chloe and Lucifer arrive just as Maze breaks into it, and Chloe explains that that equipment’s used to clean stolen diamonds. Jay admits he was in that hidden room doing just that when Fahrid was murdered. He also claims it was a one-time thing.
Panicking, Jay pulls a gun on Chloe. He won’t put it down and Ella gets in the way, allowing Jay to make a run for it.
A short while later, Ella tries to convince Maze to continue to help her find Jay and get him out of trouble. Maze agrees but will only do so for a price. Ella’s disappointed Maze is only doing this for money, and she can’t believe her brother would lie to her like this.
Maze leaves and Ella, disappointed in pretty much everything and everyone at this point, taunts Lucifer to say he was right all along. Lucifer won’t and actually seems concerned. Just then Chloe yells from the stash room that maybe Ella’s brother wasn’t lying about seeing the killer.
The room is equipped with video surveillance equipment and Jay could have seen something. Ella tells Chloe what her brother said he saw, including the red wingtip shoes. That seems to ring a bell with Chloe and she thinks she knows who the killer is.
Jay also thinks he knows and confronts insurance adjuster Don Zeikel, telling him he won’t get away with Fahrid’s murder. Jay refuses to take the blame for the murder and Don says they can go to the cops and he’ll tell the truth. Unfortunately, it’s a ruse and Jay is easily disarmed. Don demands Jay clean the diamonds and then he’ll kill him.
Chloe and Lucifer make Ella stay outside the hotel as they head to Don’s room.
Once more back to Lux we go and Amenadiel and Cain are still going at it. Amenadiel wants Cain to just accept his punishment for killing his own brother. Cain reminds Amenadiel he also planned to kill his own brother, reminding him that he pawned the job of killing Lucifer off on someone else. Cain wonders what punishment Amenadiel deserves.
Ella waits outside as she was told and sees Jay leaving with Don. When she tries to stop them, Don turns the gun on her. Ella warns Don the LAPD is onto him, and Don admits he was working with Fahrid but Fahrid got greedy. Jay tries to get Don to leave Ella out of it, but he refuses. As Don’s about to shoot Ella, Maze tosses a knife and kills him. She leaves before Ella can even thank her.
As Don’s dead body is being taken away, Ella sticks to her story that the knife just came out of nowhere and anyone could have thrown it. However, Chloe knows it was Maze because she recognized the knife. Chloe assures Ella that Maze isn’t in trouble because she was just trying to save her life.
As Ella and Jay have a happy reunion, Chloe lets Lucifer know Jay’s probably not going to be charged. Lucifer compliments Chloe on keeping Jay out of jail, and she can’t believe it. “I’m sure if you had a brother, he would be very proud of you,” says Lucifer.
The bag of stolen diamonds has not been located, but Chloe’s sure they’ll show up.
Dr. Linda shows up at Charlotte’s office and apologizes for refusing to treat her. Charlotte realizes she must have hurt Linda during her lost time, but she doesn’t want a hand-out. She lets Linda off the hook, telling her she doesn’t need to treat her. Linda, however, believes she does. But first she stabs Charlotte’s hand with a pin to make sure she bleeds and feels pain. That accomplished, Linda relaxes.
Later that night, Lucifer catches Jay with the bag of diamonds. Lucifer calls him “Evil Lopez” and knows it wasn’t just a one-time thing. Jay explains he has to look out for everyone and it’s tough. Jay reveals it started small, helping out his family with one thing after another. He admits he takes a little bit for himself, too, and he wants to know if Lucifer will tell Ella what he’s learned. Lucifer says no because that would hurt Ella and he won’t allow that to happen. Jay turns over the bag of diamonds as Lucifer warns him he’ll be watching to make sure he never disappoints Ella again.
Lucifer arrives back at Lux to find the place destroyed. Amenadiel’s still around and he tells Lucifer he’s the one who gave Cain the mark. He continues to claim the mark is supposed to be there and he can’t remove it. Amenadiel warns Lucifer that Cain only has one goal and if he works with him, that will incur God’s wrath. Lucifer laughs, saying that’s the whole point.
Lucifer tells Amenadiel he doesn’t need protecting and warns his brother to stop meddling. Amenadiel doesn’t agree to leave his brother alone, saying he’ll continue to get in Lucifer’s way.
Melissa McCarthy’s new comedy film Life of the Party has just released the official trailer along with a new poster. The comedy was co-written by McCarthy and her husband, Ben Falcone, with Falcone also directing. Falcone also directed McCarthy in 2014’s Tammy and 2016’s The Boss.
The cast of the 2018 comedy includes Gillian Jacobs (Don’t Think Twice, Community), Maya Rudolph (Bridesmaids, Sisters), Julie Bowen (Modern Family, Jumping the Broom), Matt Walsh (Veep, Ghostbusters), and Molly Gordon (Love the Coopers, Animal Kingdom). Stephen Root (Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates), Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook, Animal Kingdom), Jessie Ennis (Better Call Saul), Adria Arjona (True Detective, Emerald City), Debby Ryan (Jessie), and Jimmy O. Yang (Silicon Valley) are also featured in the ensemble.
McCarthy and Falcone’s production company, On the Day, produced the New Line Cinema film. Chris Henchy also produced, with Toby Emmerich, Richard Brener, Michael Disco, and David Siegel executive producing.
Falcone and McCarthy reunited with The Boss‘ director of photography Julio Macat and production designer Rusty Smith for Life of the Party. The behind the scenes team also includes editor Brian Olds (Central Intelligence) and costume designer Louise Mingenbach (the The Hangover films). Fil Eisler (How to Be Single, Empire) was in charge of the film’s music.
New Line Cinema will release the PG-13 Life of the Party in theaters on May 11, 2018.
The Plot: When her husband suddenly dumps her, longtime dedicated housewife Deanna (McCarthy) turns regret into re-set by going back to college…landing in the same class and school as her daughter, who’s not entirely sold on the idea. Plunging headlong into the campus experience, the increasingly outspoken Deanna—now Dee Rock—embraces freedom, fun and frat boys on her own terms, finding her true self in a senior year no one ever expected.
Poster for New Line Cinema’s ‘Life of the Party’ starring Melissa McCarthy.
New Line Cinema announced production has officially gotten underway on Shazam! starring Zachary Levi (Chuck). The action film’s based on the popular DC comic book character and is directed by David F. Sandberg (Annabelle: Creation, Lights Out). Per New Line, Shazam! will be set in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but is being shot in Toronto.
The cast also includes Asher Angel (Andi Mack) as Billy Batson; Mark Strong (the Kingsman movies) as supervillain Dr. Thaddeus Sivana; Jack Dylan Grazer (It) as Billy’s best friend and ultimate superhero enthusiast, Freddy, part of the foster family that includes Mary, played by Grace Fulton (Annabelle: Creation); Darla, played by Faithe Herman (This is Us); Eugene, played by Ian Chen (Fresh Off the Boat); and Pedro, played by Jovan Armand (Hawaii Five-O). Cooper Andrews (The Walking Dead) and Marta Milans (Killer Women) play foster parents Victor and Rosa Vasquez, and Ron Cephas Jones (This is Us) is the Wizard.
Peter Safran (Aquaman, The Conjuring) is on board as producer, and Christopher Godsick, Jeffrey Chernov, Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, and Hiram Garcia are executive producing. Maxime Alexandre is the director of photography, Jennifer Spence is the production designer, Michel Aller is the editor, and Leah Butler is the costume designer.
Shazam! will open in theaters on April 5, 2019.
The Plot: We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson’s (Angel) case, by shouting out one word—SHAZAM!—this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult Super Hero Shazam (Levi), courtesy of an ancient wizard. Still a kid at heart—inside a ripped, godlike body—Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child. But he’ll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Strong).
Parisa Fitz-Henley and Murray Fraser will star in ‘Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance.’ (Photos Courtesy of Lifetime)
Of course there’s a film in the works at Lifetime about the relationship between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. It would be shocking if there wasn’t. The network announced Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance has found its stars in Parisa Fitz-Henley (Jessica Jones) and Murray Fraser (The Loch, Victoria), with Fitz-Henley prepared to take on the role of the popular actress and Fraser ready to step into Royal shoes to play Prince Harry.
Lifetime confirmed the romantic film will be directed by Menhaj Huda from a script by Scarlett Lacey and Terrence Coli. Merideth Finn and Michele Weiss are on board as executive producers.
According to the network, filming on Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance will begin later this month in Los Angeles and Vancouver. Lifetime’s targeting a spring premiere. The real Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding is scheduled for May 19, 2018 at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. And Markle will be leaving her regular role on USA Network’s Suits as of the season seven finale, prior to exchanging her vows.
Parisa Fitz-Henley’s credits include Midnight, Texas, Luke Cage, The Jane Austen Book Club, and Fist in the Eye. Fitz-Henley recently wrapped up work on the dramatic film Congo Cabaret. Director Menhaj Huda’s credits include The Royals, Coronation Street, Emmerdale Farm, By Any Means, Young Dracula, The Bill, and EastEnders.
The Plot: Chronicling the courtship and love story between a beloved prince and his new fiancée, the film will examine the history of Prince Harry (Murray Fraser) and Meghan Markle (Parisa Fitz-Henley) from the moment they met after being set up by friends, through their initial courtship when they were able to keep their romance under wraps, and ultimately the intense global media attention surrounding their relationship and Meghan’s life as a divorced American actress.
It doesn’t seem possible Dwayne Johnson has time to commit to a TV series, but apparently the popular actor has squeezed The Titan Games into his loaded schedule. The competition series is set up with NBC and, according to the network’s official announcement, was inspired by Dwayne Johnson’s “desire to motivate global audiences to reach their potential for greatness.”
Dwayne Johnson will be featured on the show’s 10 episode first season. He’ll also serve as an executive producer along with Arthur Smith, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Brian Gewirtz and Toby Gorman. The series is produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio (World of Dance), A. Smith & Co. Productions (American Ninja Warrior), and Seven Bucks Productions (Rock the Troops).
“We wanted to create a new kind of athletic competition unlike anything ever attempted before,” said Johnson, co-founder of Seven Bucks Productions. “The Titan Games will challenge competitors to succeed in ways no one thought possible while entertaining the whole world at the same time.”
“Dwayne’s passion and drive for excellence, coupled with his inherent knowledge of all things physical, make him uniquely qualified to partner with us for The Titan Games,” said Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Reality Group, NBC Entertainment.
“The Titan Games will not only be an athletic spectacle, but will intertwine compelling storylines with new heroes that viewers will fall in love with,” added Arthur Smith, CEO of A. Smith & Co. Productions.
The Plot: “The competition welcomes men and women who are strong enough to believe in themselves and simultaneously confident enough to test their own abilities by taking on physical challenges of epic proportions. The Titan Games will not only test the competitors’ physical strength, but also their mental and emotional endurance. Taking place in a thrilling arena, determination will be rewarded as a new breed of heroes will emerge.
In each episode, competitors from across America will step inside an electrifying arena and put themselves to the ultimate test by facing one of six reigning Titans. They will battle their opponents in remarkable feats that will require both mental stamina and physical strength. If a contender can defeat one of the existing Titans, they will take their place as a member of the elite Titan group. However, winning is just the start in this arena. Once one becomes a Titan, they will need to be victorious every week to remain at the top. The season finale will end with an epic battle where the Titans compete against one another in hopes to become the last male and female standing.
The nationwide search has begun. If you’re motivated, athletic and willing to push yourself beyond your limits, you could have the opportunity of a lifetime, courtesy of Dwayne Johnson. For those who think they have what it takes, visit nbc.com/Titans.”
HBO’s set to premiere the new dramatic series, Here and Now, starring Tim Robbins and Holly Hunter on February 11, 2018. The drama comes from Alan Ball (Six Feet Under, True Blood, Banshee) who executive produces along with Peter Macdissi (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks) and David Knoller (Big Love).
The 10 episode first season will also star Jerrika Hinton (Grey’s Anatomy), Daniel Zovatto (Don’t Breathe), Raymond Lee (Mozart in the Jungle), Sosie Bacon (The Closer), Andy Bean (Power), Joe Williamson (Looking), and Peter Macdissi (Six Feet Under).
In support of the series’ upcoming premiere, HBO has provided details on the first three episodes along with a lengthy plot description of Alan Ball’s latest collaboration with the network.
The Plot: On the surface, the Bayer-Boatwrights of Portland, Ore. are the model of a progressive, multiracial family. Greg is a respected philosophy professor and author; his wife, Audrey, is a former therapist turned conflict-resolution consultant for middle and high schools. Greg and Audrey have three adopted children, Ashley, Duc and Ramon, and a biological daughter, Kristen. But as Audrey prepares for Greg’s 60th birthday party, deep cracks begin to appear in the domestic façade, threatening to upend their very way of life, and they are eventually forced to take Ramon to Dr. Farid Shokrani, a Muslim psychiatrist with demons of his own.
Greg (Tim Robbins) and Audrey (Holly Hunter) adopted three children from different countries and backgrounds in an effort to create a family that reflects the multicultural potential of the country. The Colombian-born Ramon (Daniel Zovatto), who’s starting a relationship with Henry (Andy Bean), a barista, begins therapy with Dr. Farid Shokrani (Peter Macdissi) after hallucinogenic encounters with the numbers “11:11.” Duc (Raymond Lee), adopted from Vietnam, enjoys the fruits of a lucrative career as a “motivational architect,” but his celibacy troubles the family.
Liberian-born Ashley (Jerrika Hinton), who runs a retail-fashion business, begins to struggle with her identity as an African-American woman in modern-day America and is finding more and more reason to shake up her marriage with her husband, Malcolm (Joe Williamson). And Kristen (Sosie Bacon), the youngest child at 17, chafes at her banal life and heritage, especially compared to her more exotic siblings.
Tim Robbins and Holly Hunter star in ‘Here and Now.’ (Photo by Ali Paige Goldstein / HBO)
Here and Now February 2018 Episodes:
Episode #1: “Eleven, Eleven”
Debut date: SUNDAY, FEB. 11 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
As Audrey Bayer (Holly Hunter) puts the finishing touches on her husband Greg’s 60th birthday party – a milestone Greg (Tim Robbins) is loath to celebrate – cracks begin to emerge in their progressive, multiracial family. Ramon (Daniel Zovatto), the couple’s Colombian-born son, who’s just starting a relationship with Henry (Andy Bean), a barista, is having unexplained, recurring encounters with the numbers “11:11.” Duc (Raymond Lee), adopted from Vietnam, enjoys the fruits of a lucrative career as a “motivational architect,” but his celibacy troubles Audrey.
Liberian-born Ashley (Jerrika Hinton), a successful fashion-industry exec, is finding more and more reason to shake up her marriage with her husband, Malcolm (Joe Williamson). And 17-year-old Kristen (Sosie Bacon), the couple’s youngest child, chafes at her banal life, especially compared to her more exotic siblings.
After a troubling incident at the birthday party, Audrey and Greg take Ramon to a therapist, Dr. Farid Shokrani (Peter Macdissi), who has an unlikely and unexplainable connection to the young man.
Written and directed by Alan Ball.
Episode #2: “It’s Coming”
Debut date: SUNDAY, FEB. 18 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Ramon (Daniel Zovatto) and Shokrani (Peter Macdissi) explore the possible psychic connection between “11:11” and a photograph in the doctor’s office. Kristen (Sosie Bacon) and Ashley (Jerrika Hinton) run into trouble. Duc (Raymond Lee) gets good news about his self-help manuscript, but his mood is dampened by the publisher’s request. Audrey (Holly Hunter) is enlisted to help break up a politically incorrect new society at school. Disturbed in part by a medical diagnosis, Greg (Tim Robbins) loses his cool in the classroom. Ramon crashes a family meeting.
Written by Alan Ball; directed by Uta Briesewitz.
Episode #3: “If a Deer Sh*ts in the Woods”
Debut date: SUNDAY, FEB. 25 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Greg (Tim Robbins) gets detoured in the wilderness on the way to an ethics convention. Audrey (Holly Hunter) finds herself in the media crosshairs after a hate crime at school. Following a mountain-bike race with best friend Malcolm (Joe Williamson) and their pals, Duc (Raymond Lee) reveals the secret to staying in control, a credo that’s tested by Carmen (Fernanda Andrade), a fellow life coach. Haunted by a painful memory, Shokrani (Peter Macdissi) looks for unconventional help to get him through a wedding. With help from Ashley (Jerrika Hinton), Kristen’s (Sosie Bacon) crush on a predator comes to an end. Audrey ends an otherwise bad day with a rare good night with Greg.
Written by Mohamad El Masri; directed by Uta Briesewitz.
Vicky Krieps stars as “Alma” and Daniel Day-Lewis stars as “Reynolds Woodcock” in writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Phantom Thread’ (Photo by Laurie Sparham / Focus Features)
Actor Daniel Day-Lewis was nominated for his sixth Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in Phantom Thread. He has also announced that the film will be his last; he is retiring from acting. If the announcement sounds familiar, maybe it’s because this is not the first time that the actor has taken a break from acting.
Daniel Day-Lewis is widely acknowledged as one of the finest actors of our time and he has a record number of three Oscars for Best Actor to support that claim. He has nothing to prove and has never seemed to crave celebrity or the media spotlight, so stepping away from acting may not be that big a deal for him. He’s also known for being insanely “method” in his approach to acting.
To play Tomas in the film adaptation of Milan Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being he learned Czech even though the film, set during the Prague Spring, was shot in English. Then, to play Irish artist Christy Brown (who had cerebral palsy) in My Left Foot, he stayed in character by spending almost the entire shoot in a wheelchair. And to play Hawkeye in The Last of the Mohicans IMDb lists as trivia, “he built a canoe, learned to track and skin animals, and perfected the use of a 12-pound flintlock gun, which he took everywhere he went, even to a Christmas dinner.”
So here’s my theory. Daniel Day-Lewis throws himself so entirely into a role that each film leaves him emotionally drained in ways that he sometimes can’t ever imagine being able to put himself through the process again. So, he stops acting. But being an actor and loving his craft, the right director with the right project can pique his interest and lure him back to the screen.
Here are Day-Lewis’ 12 best films done as a timeline of his on-again/off-again career. You may see a pattern, and that pattern suggests that Day-Lewis may be back on the screen in about 2023, at which time he will be 65. That happens to be the exact age that Harland Sanders was when he found fame and fortune as the Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken. So maybe Day-Lewis could be lured back for a biopic of that iconic Southern businessman. Come on, just think about that!
Daniel Day-Lewis’ Top 12 Films:
1985 My Beautiful Laundrette
Day-Lewis made his first screen appearance (uncredited according to IMDb) in Paul Greengrass’ Sunday Bloody Sunday. Then he had a string of small but memorable roles in a succession of British films: Gandhi, The Bounty, and A Room with a View. But it wasn’t until he played the punky gay Johnny in Stephen Frears’ My Beautiful Laundrette that people really started to notice him.
Despite affiliations with a racist gang, Johnny partners with Omar, a Pakistani friend from school, to start a business and a love affair that both initially feel compelled to hide. The performance commanded attention and set Day-Lewis on a career of star-turn character performances.
1988 Unbearable Lightness of Being
Day-Lewis got to play the womanizing Czech doctor in Milan Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being and his sexy playfulness won him a whole new set of admirers. He got to play opposite Juliette Binoche and Lena Olin in Phillip Kaufman’s film of love, sex, and politics.
1989 My Left Foot
The physical and emotional demands of playing an artist with cerebral palsy are obvious so it’s not surprising that Day-Lewis’ performance as Christy Brown nabbed him his first Best Actor Oscar. In the bonus features of the film’s Special Edition DVD, Day-Lewis refused to come out of character, which meant staying in a wheelchair between takes, and people would have to help him with food at the set canteen.
1989-1992 First retirement
Mid-performance in a production of Hamlet at the National Theatre in London, Day-Lewis walked off the stage never to return to theatrical acting. The departure seems to have been prompted by a connection between Hamlet’s ghost and Day-Lewis’ memories of his own father, but the actor refuses to speak about it. He also took a few years off from film acting.
1992 Last of the Mohicans
Michael Mann’s adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper’s action adventure novel The Last of the Mohicans proved to be a physically demanding role of a very different kind from My Left Foot. Set during the French and Indian War in America, Day-Lewis plays trapper Hawkeye and sports some flowing black locks that once again turned him into a cinematic heartthrob.
He had been chosen as one of People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 1990 (not sure how that went over for a serious actor like Day-Lewis). Maybe that’s what kept him off the screen for a couple of years. He would be chosen number 11 on Empire Magazine’s 100 Sexiest Stars in Film History in 1995 and then again make the People Magazine list in 2003.
1993 Age of Innocence
There is a flurry of roles (by Day-Lewis standards) for the next few years. Martin Scorsese nabs him first for an adaptation of Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence. Day-Lewis plays Newland Archer, a proper New York gentleman who stirs scandal in high society by falling in love with a woman fleeing from a bad marriage while he’s engaged to the woman’s cousin.
As Archer, he plays a man who marries a woman he does not love because society tells him that is the right and proper thing to do. Scorsese and Day-Lewis convey the emotional violence of a society where certain etiquette is ruthlessly enforced. The emotional nuance of this performance provided a contrast to the more physically extroverted performance in The Last of the Mohicans.
1993 In the Name of the Father
This film reunited Day-Lewis with his My Left Foot director Jim Sheridan for another story taken from real life. This time out Day-Lewis plays Belfast native Gerry Conlon, who was wrongfully convicted of an IRA terrorist bombing on the basis of a coerced confession. He served 15 years in prison before finally being released. The film garnered him his second Best Actor Oscar nomination.
1996 The Crucible
Although this film adaptation of Arthur Miller’s play was a bit of a misfire, Day-Lewis perfectly captured the tortured soul of John Proctor.
1997 The Boxer
Day-Lewis returned to Ireland and director Jim Sheridan for another story with political overtones. Day-Lewis plays Danny Flynn, who returns to his old Belfast neighborhood after “taking the rap” for an IRA mission gone wrong and serving 14 years in prison. Day-Lewis trained for three years to be convincing in the ring and he absolutely is. But the film was a box office failure.
1997-2002 Second retirement
Day-Lewis disappears from acting for five years and takes up woodworking and shoemaking (he apprentices for Italian shoemaker Stefano Bemer who seemed to have the same sense of perfection and craft as the actor).
2002 Gangs of New York
Martin Scorsese lures Day-Lewis out of retirement with the juicy role of Bill the Butcher in Gangs of New York. Day-Lewis sinks his teeth into the role with chilling results and receives his third Best Actor Oscar nomination.
2002-2007 Third retirement Irish Times runs the headline: “Actor Daniel Day-Lewis Quits Film Business.” And he does for another five years.
2007 There Will Be Blood
This time it’s Paul Thomas Anderson who draws the reclusive actor out of retirement to play Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood. The ferocious performance was in part inspired by John Huston, especially in his vocal tones. The film won Day-Lewis his second Best Actor Oscar.
2007-2012 Fourth retirement
He made one inconsequential film, Nine in 2009, but otherwise refrained from acting in another lengthy hiatus.
2012 Lincoln
Steven Spielberg sparks Day-Lewis’ interest with the title role of Lincoln. Day-Lewis’ performance finds humor, humanity, slyness, and a raconteur’s charm as the famous American president. He wins an unprecedented third Best Actor Oscar for the role, which sends him into another retirement.
2013-2017 Fifth retirement
In 2013 Irish Central had a headline announcing, “Daniel Day-Lewis To Retire For Five Years To His Irish Farm.”
2017 Phantom Thread
Day-Lewis is seduced back to the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson for this highly original romance about the ever-shifting dynamics of a relationship that involves a high fashion designer (Day-Lewis), his muse (Vicky Krieps), and his sister (Lesley Manville). The performance is a study in minimalism and nuance, and could bring him his fourth Best Actor Oscar.
2018 Sixth retirement
Once again Day-Lewis is putting his career on mothballs and stepping out of the spotlight and off the screen. Let’s see how long this one lasts.
