Following It Comes at Night‘s surprise world premiere at the Overlook Film Festival, A24 has unleashed a spooky new trailer for the horror film starring Joel Edgerton. The R-rated thriller screened on the festival’s closing night and has earned positive reviews from critics in attendance. Uproxx describes it as “almost relentlessly scary” and IndieWire says it’s “a top-notch psychological thriller.” Audiences will get to judge for themselves when the film arrives in theaters on June 9, 2017.
It Comes at Night was written and directed by Trey Edward Shults. In addition to Edgerton, the cast includes Riley Keough, Christopher Abbott, Carmen Ejogo and Kelvin Harrison Jr.
A24 also kicked up their marketing campaign for It Comes a Night by mailing creepy cards to the media promoting the film. Here’s short video showing what happens when you open the card:
Thanks for creeping me out, It Comes at Night marketing people (it's an A24 release). This card screamed at me when I opened it this weekend pic.twitter.com/ODCS83agB9
The Plot: Imagine the end of the world — now imagine something worse. Award-winning filmmaker Trey Edward Shults follows his incredible debut feature Krisha with It Comes at Night, a horror film following a man (Edgerton) as he is learns that the evil stalking his family home may be only a prelude to horrors that come from within. Secure within a desolate home as an unnatural threat terrorizes the world, the tenuous domestic order he has established with his wife and son is put to the ultimate test with the arrival of a desperate young family seeking refuge. Despite the best intentions of both families, paranoia and mistrust boil over as the horrors outside creep ever-closer, awakening something hidden and monstrous within him as he learns that the protection of his family comes at the cost of his soul.
Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright star in ‘House Of Cards’ season 5 (Photo by David Giesbrecht / Netflix)
30 days out from the fifth season premiere and Netflix has just unveiled an official trailer for House of Cards. Season five is set to debut on May 30, 2017 and stars Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Jayne Atkinson, Neve Campbell, Derek Cecil, Paul Sparks, and Joel Kinnaman. The series was created by Beau Willimon, with Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese showrunning season five. Gibson, Pugliese, Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, David Fincher, John Mankiewicz, Daniel Minahan, Joshua Donen, Dana Brunetti, Eric Roth, Michael Dobbs, and Andrew Davies also serve as executive producers on the Emmy Award-winning series.
The Plot: The series’s Golden Globe-winning stars Kevin Spacey (as Francis Underwood) and Robin Wright (as Claire Underwood), whose characters have always been each other’s strongest allies, show cracks in their relationship.
Apparently there was a good reason The Circle wasn’t screened for most critics. Not even the combined star power of Tom Hanks and Emma Watson could save this turkey, as ticket buyers awarded it a D+ according to CinemaScore. The critics who did take in a screening were equally disappointed in the film, with its rank on Rotten Tomatoes currently standing at just 17% fresh. The Chicago Sun-Times says it’s “one of the most crashing letdowns” of the year while the Boston Herald says “it also lacks common sense, commanding performances or surprise.”
While The Circle tanked, two less hyped new films snagged the second and third positions at the box office. The Fate of the Furious retained its lock on the top spot for the third weekend in a row, while Lionsgate’s How to Be a Latin Lover was a surprising second place finisher. Opening in just 1,118 theaters, the comedy starring Eugenio Derbez and Salma Hayek rang up $12 million. Great India Films’ Baahubali 2: The Conclusion edged out The Circle for third place while opening in 425 theaters compared to The Circle‘s 3,100+ theaters.
The Fate of the Furious will be saying goodbye to the #1 spot next weekend as Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 arrives in theaters. The Guardians of the Galaxy sequel is eyeballing a $150 million opening weekend.
Colin O’Donoghue, Keegan Connor Tracy, Josh Dallas, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Carlyle, Emilie de Ravin and Jennifer Morrison in ‘Once Upon a Time’ (ABC/Jack Rowand)
ABC’s Once Upon a Time season six episode 19 starts off with a flashback to many years ago as Fiona (Jaime Murray) delivers a healthy baby boy. Tiger Lily (Sara Tomko) and the Blue Fairy (Keegan Connor Tracy) arrive just after the birth and reveal a prophesy declared a baby would be born with great light magic that very night. The child would be known as the Savior and Tiger Lily would be his fairy godmother.
Flashforward to Storybrooke where Rumple (Robert Carlyle) believes a stinky unhatched dragon egg will revive Blue. Rumple’s upset when it doesn’t work and storms outside, and Belle (Emilie de Ravin) catches up to reassure him they will not let the Black Fairy harm their son. They’ll get Gideon’s heart back. Rumple confesses he thinks it’s his family’s fate to always get torn apart. Emma (Jennifer Morrison) interrupts with good news; the dragon’s egg worked and Blue is waking up. Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin), Hook (Colin O’Donoghue), and David (Josh Dallas) are also on hand to see Blue wake from her coma.
Before she’s fully awake, Hook asks where the other half of the wand he received from Tiger Lily is hidden. She struggles to answer it’s in the center of Storybrooke, and suddenly Snow puts her hands around Blue’s neck, telling her she shouldn’t share her secrets. Snow is actually the Black Fairy and David is actually Gideon (Giles Matthey), there to keep Blue from spilling dark secrets. The Black Fairy disappears with Blue and before Gideon can do anything, Rumple slaps a bracelet on his arm to block him from doing magic.
Zelena (Rebecca Mader), minus her magic, attempts to put together a crib and is fighting a losing battle. Regina asks if she needs help and reminds her sister that she went 28 years without magic. Regina promises it gets easier and Zelena’s worried because she was just defeated by a crib from IKEA. How will she protect her child? Regina says, “I have a thought,” and shows her a key.
Belle tries to get Gideon to reveal where the Black Fairy’s keeping his heart, but Gideon’s in pain as he talks to his mom and dad and so they stop. Emma comes into the shop and asks if they’ve had any luck locating the wand, but they haven’t. Rumple has an idea on how to speak to Gideon without hurting him but he needs Belle to trust him. She does and Rumple uses the Sands of Morpheus on Gideon, Emma, and himself, sending them all into the dream world.
Rumple says the Black Fairy can’t control the dream world and he tells Emma she’s there so that she won’t kill the Black Fairy before he gets his son’s heart back. They search for Gideon and instead find Rumple’s birthplace. The crib is rocking and they hear singing, and Rumple and Emma realize they’re in Rumple’s dream not Gideon’s. Still, Gideon is there somewhere too and they’ll find him.
A trip back in time finds Fiona unable to eat or sleep after finding out about the Savior. She’s armed with a sword in case someone tries to take her baby, and Tiger Lily arrives and apologizes for giving her The Book of Prophecy. The book tells of a great evil coming and her son will die during the final battle. Tiger Lily has brought more books because Fiona’s been researching the great evil which was born the same time as her son. Fiona cradles her baby and then offers to let Tiger Lily hold him. When Tiger Lily does, Fiona picks up her wand and chanting a spell, turns herself into a fairy so she can protect her son. Tiger Lily’s shocked at this turn of events.
Regina takes Zelena outside and tells her she needs to get out of Storybrooke and escape to New York when the final battle goes down. The only catch is that Zelena doesn’t know how to drive anything but a broom. Regina offers driving lessons which definitely don’t initially go well. Zelena can’t handle a stick and crashes into trash cans. She’s frustrated and says she’ll find another way, but Regina explains she needs Zelena to take Henry far away from the battle. She wants her sister to take Henry to New York with her to start a new life. Zelena’s touched that Regina trusts her to raise Henry, and Regina corrects her saying she trusts Henry to raise Zelena.
The driving lesson is put on hold when Snow calls asking for help. She, David, and Hook are at the clock tower which is the center of Storybrooke and they can’t find the wand. Snow reminds Regina that since she made the town, she must know what Blue meant when she said the wand was at the center of town. Regina figures out when a fairy talks about the center of something she means its heart, which means the wand is at Granny’s.
The Black Fairy holds Blue captive down in the mines, and she’s ready to torture her to get the location of the wand.
Back in time, Fiona and Tiger Lily search for the baby with the crescent scar without having any luck, but Fiona won’t stop until she finds the baby destined to kill her son. Fiona reveals she’s going to create a new spell, but Tiger Lily forbids her. (Fairies aren’t allowed to do that.) Fiona asks for her help, saying everything they need is in the sacred fairy vault.
Over in the dream world, Rumple and Emma continue their search for Gideon. Emma wants Rumple’s assurance he won’t turn on her when she tries to kill his mother, the Black Fairy. Rumple assures her he won’t, saying he doesn’t have any positive memories of his time with his mother. She didn’t even give him a name, and he won’t cry when she dies. Gideon shows up just then, and he and Rumple hug. Gideon thanks his dad for fighting for him and Rumple cries, as does Gideon. He asks where Gideon’s heart is, but he doesn’t have any idea. However, Gideon reveals the one thing the Black Fairy is afraid of is Rumple learning her darkest secret – the reason she gave him up.
Rumple, Gideon, and Emma look at Rumple’s baby blanket in a basket. Gideon’s figured out the answer to defeating the Black Fairy is buried deep inside Rumple.
In Storybrooke the gang is busy disrupting Granny’s business to search for the wand. They look everywhere and finally Hook and David decide to move the jukebox. They find a secret compartment under the floorboards and inside the case is the other half the wand. As they argue about turning it over to Regina, wondering if she’s the Black Fairy in disguise, the real Black Fairy shows up. Hook gives Regina the wand and the Black Fairy demands she hand it over. Regina refuses and the Black Fairy relishes the idea of killing a queen, something she’s never had the pleasure of doing before. Regina’s never killed a fairy before so now it’s game on. They disappear, leaving Hook, David, Snow, and Granny behind.
The Black Fairy and Regina materialize on Main Street, circling each other as Regina warns the others to stay back. The Black Fairy attacks but Zelena runs her over with her car. The Black Fairy vanishes and Zelena’s quite proud of her driving ability.
Meanwhile in the dream world, Rumple stares at the blanket wondering what to do next. Rumple says nothing’s happening, and Emma tries to reassure him they understand he’s scared. He’s never faced anything as terrifying as learning the truth about why his mother gave him up. Emma tells him to do it for his son. Rumple agrees and stares again at the blanket.
Rumple, Emma, and Gideon see back in time to when Rumple was a baby. They watch as Fiona sings to her child in the secret vault of the fairies, and Gideon’s shocked to learn Rumple’s mother wasn’t always the Black Fairy. They watch as Fiona mixes up a spell, and then Tiger Lily discovers it’s a curse. She can’t let Fiona cast the dark curse which will send every child far away to a land without magic. Fiona pleads with Tiger Lily to let her protect her child, and Tiger Lily reminds Fiona her son is destined to die so others may live. He is destined to be the Savior. The adult Rumple watches this and is shocked by what he’s learning. (Robert Carlyle is simply brilliant in this scene.) Fiona rips Tiger Lily’s heart from her chest, threatening to kill her to protect her child. It’s then that Fiona’s transformed into the Black Fairy. On her wrist is the crescent scar she’s been searching for among the babies. Tiger Lily says, “Evil was not born this winter, it was made.” The great evil is Fiona and she and her child are destined to destroy each other.
Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, Emilie de Ravin, and Robert Carlyle in ‘Once Upon a Time’ (ABC/Jack Rowand)
Rumple, Gideon, and Snow wake up back in Storybrooke just as Regina arrives with the wand. She tries to hand it to Emma, but Emma says Rumple is the Savior destined to fight the Black Fairy. Regina and Belle ask if it’s true and Rumple confirms it is. Belle says she’s known all along there was a good man behind the beast. Gideon says he’ll help but Rumple believes he needs to face his mother alone.
Rumple, wand in hand, meets his mother on the foggy banks of the river. He reminds Fiona he was meant to destroy her with this wand, and she now knows he discovered the awful truth. He knows he was meant to be the Savior and believes she left him because he was meant to kill her. He’s wrong. The Black Fairy reaches out and touches his face, revealing the real reason she left him.
Back in time, Tiger Lily begs Fiona not to do this. Blue arrives and snags Tiger Lily’s heart from Fiona, placing it back in Tiger Lily’s chest. Tiger Lily believes there’s a way to change their destiny, showing Fiona the shears that will sever her destiny from her child’s. The catch being Fiona must give up her powers. But, Fiona decides on a different option. She’ll sever her son’s destiny and he won’t be the Savior, therefore she won’t kill him. Blue begs Fiona not to do this because the child is destined to be a great hero. Fiona does it anyway and Blue and Tiger Lily send her away and keep the child.
Flashforward and Rumple wants to know why his mother never told him the truth. Fiona admits it was easier for him to hate her, and Rumple reminds her she made the decision to take his destiny and keep her power. She seems to believe she did it to protect him, but Rumple understands the truth and the appeal of power. Fiona tells him it’s a dangerous world and if her choice was wrong, at least she did it out of love. She apologizes for causing him pain and says the pain she caused Gideon made him strong. He tells his mother he became the Dark One to save Baelfire and that now he’s tried to keep Gideon from his fate.
Fiona says she loves him, believing they can now be a family. She asks for her son’s forgiveness.
Another flashback finds Blue and Tiger Lily visiting Rumple’s father. They let him know Fiona will not be coming back, telling him she tried to protect their son and it was an accident that she’s gone. He blames the baby for Fiona’s death and angry, with tears in his eyes, he names the child Rumpelstiltskin.
Rumple arrives at Granny’s and shows Emma, Hook, David, and Snow the Black Fairy’s heart. He assures them Blue is okay and back with her kind, and Emma says, “You did good, Savior.”
Rumple returns Gideon’s heart and frees him from his restraints. They hug and Gideon tells them he’s missed them, and he apologizes for letting the Black Fairy take control of him. Rumple assures him he’ll never have to worry about the Black Fairy again. Belle’s proud of Rumple, proud he fought for their family and saved Gideon. Rumple assures them everything he does is to keep them safe.
Henry (Jared Gilmore) arrives home and Hook pounces on him, stopping him from going up the stairs. Hook talks about the missions they’ve gone on together and says the most important mission is coming up: Operation Best Man. Henry says he’s honored and Hook makes him the keeper of the wedding rings. Emma wonders what they’re up to and wonders why Henry says he’ll see Hook tomorrow when Hook lives there now. Hook apparently is very old-fashioned and refuses to see the bride before the wedding, telling Emma, “A seafaring man does not take superstitions lightly.” He adds, “After tomorrow there will be no getting rid of me.” They kiss and off Hook goes.
And now we learn the truth… Rumple did not kill his mother. She asks if they believed him and he confirms they did. The Black Fairy wants him to admit he adores being the Dark One and he does, calling it the family trait. Belle and Gideon have no idea what’s to come, and the Black Fairy assures him it will be a happy ending for their family. The Black Fairy says tomorrow will be the day Emma dies. The final battle is here!
Ian McShane and Ricky Whittle in ‘American Gods’ episode 1 (Photo Credit: Starz)
The tale of a voyage to America is told as episode one of Starz’ American Gods begins. The year is 813, the Vikings are hungry, and the ocean is inhospitable. When they reach the shore, their fortunes don’t improve. Biting insects and snakes greet them, and they’re immediately fired upon with arrows when they attempt to leave the beach. They’re unable to sail away as the wind refuses to help, and they begin sacrificing their eyes to their god. The wind remains elusive so they sacrifice members of their party by burning them alive. When their god still doesn’t show, they engage in bloody, incredibly gruesome hand-to-hand combat. The wind finally arrives and those who’ve survived flee the New World, and none will ever set to sea again.
We’re told when Leif, the son of Erik the Red, arrived 100 years later, his god was waiting on the shore where he’d been summoned.
The story shifts to the introduction of American God‘s lead character, Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle). He’s in prison pumping iron, just trying to make it through each day. Shadow tells fellow inmate “Low Key” Lyesmith (Jonathan Tucker) he feels as if an axe is hanging over his head. Later, he calls his wife and tells her “something feels weird.” He can’t quite figure out what’s off, and Laura (Emily Browning) reminds him he has 120 hours left before he can come home. She assures him everything is fine and that they’re planning a surprise party for him to celebrate his return home. They exchange I love yous, yet Shadow remains on edge.
He’s restless in his cell, but finally falls asleep. He dreams of his wife and then the dream changes to one of him walking through a strange forest littered with human bones (the Bone Orchard of the episode’s title). Trees reach out and strike him in the face and a noose hangs in his path. The following morning a guard wakes him and he’s brought to see the warden. His prison term ends a few days early because his wife has been killed in an auto accident. Shadow goes through the motions of dressing for the outside world, slipping on his wedding ring and then he’s escorted from the jail by guards.
Shadow arrives at the airport but he’s told he can’t change his flight to Eagle Point without paying an extra $200. The ticket agent is less than helpful, not even sympathetic that he needs to get to a funeral. As he considers his options, he recalls some sage advice from Low Key in jail: Do not piss off those b*tches in airports. Keeping his cool, he asks for a ticket to fly out the next day.
After a sleepless night in the uncomfortable airport chairs, he leaves a message for his friend Robbie and tells him he’s on his way home. He hangs up and then listens in as a disheveled man (Ian McShane) tries to convince the same ticket agent that he has a first-class ticket and needs to get to his newborn son’s christening. She thinks he might be off, and decides to help him out by upgrading him to a first-class seat.
Shadow boards the plane but finds his seat is taken. The flight attendant points him to an empty first-class seat by the disheveled man who it turns out is completely sane and not in the least bit impaired. He’s such a smooth talker he even convinces the flight attendant to pour him a drink instead of collecting the one he already holds in his hand. Shadow admits he’s never flown before and the man tells him to pretend he’s a bird. Shadow congratulates this stranger on finagling a first-class seat, and the stranger tells him he’s already figured out Shadow is fresh out of prison, saying he has an eye for these things. Shadow Moon introduces himself and the man replies, “Oh my boy that is one outstandingly improbable name. Shadow Moon? Moon shadow, goddamn hippie parents.”
The stranger asks the day of the week and then calls himself Mr. Wednesday since it’s Wednesday. Shadow and Mr. Wednesday discuss their circumstances, with Mr. Wednesday wondering whether it’s fate or Mr. Newton keeping their plane aloft. Mr. Wednesday offers Shadow a job for good money, but Shadow claims to already have a job waiting for him. Mr. Wednesday doesn’t give up, offering bonuses and a pension. He even says Shadow could be the next king of America. Shadow continues to decline the offer and Mr. Wednesday falls sound asleep.
Shadow covers his eyes and once again sees the Bone Orchard. This time there’s a White Buffalo with smoke coming out of its eyes. He’s jarred awake by the flight attendant and surprised he slept through the entire flight and is the last passenger on the plane. Unfortunately, the plane made a detour and it will be one more day until he’s able to make it to Eagle Point. Needing to get home, he opts to rent a car for the remainder of his journey home.
Shadow makes a pit stop at Shakamak State Park where frustration, anger, sadness, and despair cause him to let loose with a blood-curdling cry.
We take a break from Shadow’s story for a brief interlude set in Hollywood. A woman (Yetide Badaki) looks at a photo of the man she’s meeting in person for the first time after connecting online and watches as he approaches. They chat and he admits he’s been on three dates with people he met online, but he’s still not sure about this method of finding romance. He compliments her and she shyly asks if he likes her. When he shakes his head yes, she leads him upstairs to a room lit with dozens of candles. The room is completely red – the bedspread, curtains, and candles – and the man is reluctant to have sex because he wants to see her again. When she reassures him they will be together again, he gives in, calling her the sexiest thing he’s ever touched for free. They make love and she asks him to worship her. “Pray to me like I’m your god, your goddess,” she hisses, switching places and climbing on top. She demands he say her name, Bilquis, and he does, repeatedly. He tells her he worships her and he asks for her unpure gift, promising to give her everything. As he says I love you, she absorbs him into herself, pulling him into her through her vagina.
Shadow kills time at a bar, asking what he can get for cheap. Jack (Beth Grant) suggests the buffalo burger and chili, but he can’t afford both. Strangely, Jack tells him he can and when he visits the restroom, guess who’s already there? Mr. Wednesday emerges from a stall, spouting facts about things that can and cannot be rushed into. Shadow tells him to f*ck off – again – but Mr. Wednesday is persistent. Shadow turns down the job offer – again – and Mr. Wednesday shocks him into continuing the conversation by mentioning Shadow’s friend Robbie’s “condition.” Mr. Wednesday informs Shadow that Robbie is dead.
Shadow reads the newspaper article which reveals his wife and Robbie were both killed in the same car accident. They were together in Robbie’s car when Robbie swerved into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Shadow doesn’t have a job (he was going to work for Robbie) and his fate is soon decided by the flip of a coin. He promises to work for Mr. Wednesday if he correctly guesses whether it will be heads or tails. Shadow rigged the toss but even still it came up heads, just like Mr. Wednesday predicted. Despite the fact, Shadow thinks this stranger who’s intruded into his life is creepy and despite the fact he doesn’t like him, he’s now obligated to work for him.
Shadow tosses the coin a few times and it continually lands on tails. One toss is intercepted by a passing stranger who takes the coin, flips it in the air, and it disappears. The stranger is named Mad Sweeney (Pablo Schreiber) and he introduces himself as a leprechaun. Given that Mad Sweeney’s taller than most men, Shadow finds this hard to believe. Mad Sweeney calls that a stereotype and Shadow’s coin finally falls from the air onto the table. He asks if Shadow knows who Mr. Wednesday really is and then Mr. Wednesday joins them with a tray of mead (honey wine). The drinks seal the deal and now Shadow is Mr. Wednesday’s bodyguard/aide-de-camp/driver. If necessary – but only if necessary – Shadow will “kick the asses of those whose asses require kicking.”
Mad Sweeney tosses darts, chiming in that Mr. Wednesday is a hustler. Mr. Wednesday admits that’s true, and Shadow says all he wants is to go to his wife’s funeral. He agrees to work for Mr. Wednesday for $2,000 a week after that, but says he won’t hurt anyone for fun or profit. Two more shots of mead and the deal is sealed.
Pablo Schreiber as Mad Sweeney in ‘American Gods’ (Photo Credit: Starz)
After Mr. Wednesday walks away, Mad Sweeney shows off his own coin trick, pulling gold coins out of the air and from behind his ear. He even spits one out of his mouth, and Shadow’s freaked out by this gigantic leprechaun. Mad Sweeney says he simply plucked them out of the air, offering to fight Shadow for the details on how he pulled off this mysterious gold coin trick. Shadow refuses to fight, but Mad Sweeney keeps egging him on, calling him a coward. He slaps Shadow with the newspaper open to Laura’s obituary while calling his dead wife a fine-looking lady. Shadow loses it and punches Mad Sweeney in the nose. Mad Sweeney tosses Shadow around, but Shadow manages to get in a few good licks. Mr. Wednesday looks on smiling as Shadow bloodies Mad Sweeney’s face. When Mad Sweeney asks him if he can feel the joy of the fight, Shadow declares the fight is over. It’s not, and Mad Sweeney attacks again.
The scene switches to the following day with Mr. Wednesday driving a hungover and sore Shadow. He asks if Mad Sweeney taught him the gold coin trick and Mr. Wednesday says he did, but Shadow’s new boss didn’t hear the details.
They pull over so Shadow can clean up for his wife’s funeral. They finally arrive in Eagle Point, check into a motel, and Shadow heads off to say goodbye to his wife. He finds an empty seat at the funeral service next to Robbie’s wife, Audrey (Betty Gilpin), and she says the funeral home did a good job of reconstructing Laura’s face for the open casket. After Shadow talks about how much Robbie and Laura loved her, Audrey breaks the news Laura died while performing fellatio in the car on Robbie while he was driving.
Shadow remains seated by Laura’s grave after the funeral is long over. It’s deep into the night when he finally speaks out loud, asking if it was a one-time thing or if it was love. He had a surprise for her – he read 813 books while he was locked up – because he wanted to come back better than when he left. He pulls out the gold coin and it lands on Laura’s grave.
Audrey stumbles up, either high or drunk, angry over attending two funerals in one day. She’s not sure how long Laura and Robbie were together, but she believes it was a long time. She also reveals Robbie’s penis was severed in the accident and she told the coroner to leave it where he found it. She adds that although that was Laura’s mouth, she actually had them put it “somewhere special.” Audrey suggests closure for both would be if she did to Shadow what Laura was doing to her husband when they crashed. Shadow keeps telling her no and demanding she stop, and finally, Audrey collapses in his arms and cries.
The gold coin sinks through the dirt on Laura’s grave and disappears.
Shadow walks away from the cemetery, keeping to the middle of the road. He hears weird sounds coming from behind him and sees little white lights flying a few feet off the ground. They disappear as he approaches and he finds some sort of metallic box with lights emanating from inside on the ground. It transforms into a small robot-like thing and flies up, attaching itself to Shadow’s face.
Technical Boy (Bruce Langley) materializes and Shadow asks to be dropped off at a motel in Maryland. He’s hit by two incompletely formed faceless bodyguards, and Technical Boy tells Shadow not to f*ck with him. Technical Boy confirms Shadow’s working for Mr. Wednesday and blows smoke in his face from synthetic toad skins. He asks what Wednesday’s game plan is and Shadow replies that he’s just an errand boy. The toad skin-smoking stranger says Mr. Wednesday and his ilk are forgotten and old, and as the smoke affects Shadow the stranger pixelates. Technical Boy asks again what Wednesday is up to and Shadow again says he doesn’t know. Technical Boy commands his bodyguards (now there are more than just two) to kill Shadow and then pauses their attack to advise Shadow that he won’t just be killed, he’ll be deleted. He presses a button and Shadow flies out of the car (or whatever vehicle he was in) with the robot-like thing still attached to his face. It falls off and Shadow lands and is immediately set upon by more faceless bodyguards who continue to beat him. They fasten a noose around his neck and hang him from a tree as he desperately tries to get free.
Shadow’s body stops moving and blood suddenly fills the air. The noose breaks and Shadow falls to the ground where he’s quickly coated with blood. American Gods season one episode one ends with Shadow looking out over dead bodies, all of whom have been chopped into pieces.
A scene from ‘The White Princess’ episode 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Episode three of Starz’ riveting period drama The White Princess begins with Lizzie (Jodie Comer) in pain and ready to give birth. King Henry (Jacob Collins-Levy) is busy organizing the diplomatic mission to Burgundy, with his decision on who to send being questioned. He sticks with his choice of Jasper Tudor (Vincent Regan) to lead the mission, despite the misgivings of others.
Lizzie’s being tended to by Maggie Plantagenet (Rebecca Benson) as Lizzie’s sister, Cecily (Suki Waterhouse), rushes to retrieve Lady Margaret (Michelle Fairley). Lizzie’s worried about the baby’s birth because of the curse and cries out for her mother to be brought to her, but no one obeys.
And now we see Lizzie’s mother, Dowager Queen Elizabeth (Essie Davis), penning a note to her sister-in-law begging for help. Elizabeth claims to have been kept from Lizzie for two months, blaming King Henry and his mother. She writes of how Lady Margaret murdered her sons and killed Richard. She tosses the note, which asks for Burgundy to wage war against King Henry, to the stable boy, Ned.
King Henry is elsewhere in the castle, worried that his son has not yet been born. Bishop Morton (Kenneth Cranham) reveals Elizabeth asked to be allowed to be with Lizzie, but he dismissed the request.
Jasper and his men prepare to sail to Burgundy to meet with the Duchess of Burgundy, the sister of King Richard III and King Edward IV.
Back with Lizzie, she’s being comforted but the baby is not coming. Lady Margaret tells her she must push harder, demanding she deliver the child. Lizzie is certain her baby will die but she pushes and screams, crying out in pain. Maggie can see the baby and encourages Lizzie to continue to push. The baby finally arrives and his little cries sound healthy. Lady Margaret immediately asks for the baby.
King Henry’s working out his frustration by sharpening his sword-fighting skills. Lady Margaret rushes into the garden and tells him Prince Arthur has arrived. Henry runs to be with his newborn son and wife, while his mother yells after him he’s not supposed to see the child yet. Henry doesn’t listen.
Lizzie cradles her son and Maggie asks her what she meant about the curse. Lizzie declines to explain, suggesting she not think about it. King Henry arrives just then and he’s beaming. He can’t believe the baby has arrived and is perfect. Henry calls his wife radiant and asks to hold his son. Henry tells Lizzie he’s in her debt, and assures her he’ll send for her mother. Henry races from the room, setting off to command the bells to ring and the bonfires to be lit.
After Henry leaves, Lizzie assures Maggie she’ll ask for Teddy to be freed from the tower. “I have delivered on my bargain, now he must give something in return,” says Lizzie.
At the Palace of Mechelen in Burgundy, the Duchess (Joanne Whalley) has been brought the note written by Dowager Queen Elizabeth asking for war. She has also received the note from King Henry seeking peace. The Duchess tells Duchess Cecily (Caroline Goodall) she never responded when informed of Jasper Tudor and Lord Strange’s upcoming visit. Frances Lovell (Anthony Flanagan), who’s been hiding out since his attack on King Henry, hopes the Duchess will stand with Elizabeth. However, she takes offense that he’s trying to tell her what to do. She chides him on failing to assassinate the King and says for now she’ll be a thorn in King Henry’s side. If King Henry’s envoy arrives, the Duchess has decided she will not receive them.
The mood lightens as her stepdaughter Mary (Emmanuelle Bouaziz) joins the group, and after the Duchess leaves Mary speaks of how her stepmother hasn’t yet mourned the death of her brother. She’s kept hidden inside and is not dealing with the death. It’s decided without the Duchess’ approval that it’s time to be a York and take a stand.
Elizabeth is finally brought to see her daughter and grandson. Lizzie says the baby is an answer to her prayer, not Lady Margaret’s prayer, and Cecily chimes in to comment on how loud Lizzie screamed. Elizabeth sends her away and unaware Lady Margaret is eavesdropping, she warns Lizzie the child belongs to the throne. She also reminds Lizzie the red in the rose represents the blood shed by her family and Richard. Lizzie’s quick to reply, “Richard is gone. All that there is now is Arthur.”
Jasper Tudor and Lord Strange’s party arrive at the castle where they find the citizens of Burgundy outside enjoying musicians. They discuss who really holds the power in Burgundy while watching the Duchess, who has not greeted them, move through the crowd.
Lady Margaret suggests an immediate christening, but Henry wants to wait. Lady Margaret is of the opinion it’s best to do it now so everyone is aware he has an heir. She’s obviously shocked when Henry wants to consult with Lizzie before making a decision.
The Duchess of Burgundy peeks around a curtain as Mary and her husband, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, meet with Jasper Tudor and Lord Strange. Jasper is told the Duchess won’t meet with the man who beat her brother on Bosworth Field, and Jasper says he’s sorry for her loss. He asks for leave to stay until the Duchess has had sufficient time to grieve. (He’s attempting not to rush the meeting or to appear insensitive.)
Outside the castle, Mary asks Lord Strange if he’d like to play sword fighting with her children. Her young son, Philip, immediately hits Lord Strange on the shoulder.
Lizzie asks Henry why Arthur must be christened at Winchester since it’s so far away, and his answer is that he’s agreed her mother can come with him in her place. Henry unveils a “badge” for Arthur that’s a red and white rose, a sign of the merging of the houses. She asks again if he’ll release Teddy, begging that he’s terrified. Henry agrees only to consider it when he returns.
Lady Margaret arrives to pick up the baby, and Lizzie asks why the christening can’t be in London so that she may attend. An unsympathetic Lady Margaret reminds Lizzie she can’t return to court until the priest sanctifies her. Outside, the power struggle continues as Lady Margaret and Dowager Queen Elizabeth both want to be in charge of the baby.
The Duchess of Burgundy finally grants Jasper Tudor an audience. He delivers a gift from King Henry – a solid gold coin with the King’s image. Jasper reiterates the King wants peace with Burgundy, but the Duchess shows little regard for what Henry desires. He hasn’t lost anybody and knows nothing of politics. Jasper reminds her she attempted to hand over Henry to her brother to be executed, but that doesn’t earn Henry any sympathy. She’s lost too many people and Henry’s lost no one.
Meanwhile, Lizzie is yearning to be with her son. Maggie keeps her company and again brings up the curse. Lizzie finally gives in and tells her it was a curse against whoever killed her brother. The curse specified that person’s male line would die, which is why Lizzie was scared for her newborn son. By trying to convince Maggie no harm will come to Arthur, Lizzie’s also attempting to quell her own fears.
Arthur is christened, crying his way through the ceremony. While Arthur is christened, Lizzie is sanctified by a priest and she can finally leave her room. When the christening ceremony ends, Lady Margaret signals to Bishop Morton to command Dowager Queen Elizabeth to come with him.
Maggie and Lizzie visit Teddy (Rhys Connah) in the tower and he’s anxious to leave. They can’t let him out yet, but Maggie assures him he’ll be freed and they’ll live peacefully far away from King Henry.
A feast celebrates Arthur’s christening, however, King Henry isn’t in the mood to celebrate. Lady Margaret informs him of Dowager Queen Elizabeth’s treachery and suggests he lock her away. Lady Margaret adds that Elizabeth has been telling York supporters she wants Edward (‘Teddy’) Plantagenet to sit on the throne.
Baby Arthur arrives back home and Lizzie rushes to the carriage to be reunited with her son. Cecily excitedly announces to her sister that she’s going to be married to John Welles, Lady Margaret’s half-brother. When Lizzie asks after her mother, Cecily suggests she ask her husband.
Lizzie catches up with Henry who tells her he’s locked her mother in the dungeon for plotting to kill him. Because of her plotting with Henry’s enemies, the King will no longer agree to free Teddy from the tower. Lizzie forbids Henry to keep Elizabeth in a dungeon, demanding she be moved to an Abbey. He changes the subject and discusses her upcoming coronation.
Jasper Tudor watches as the children and Lord Strange play, and he apologizes again to the Duchess for any pain he’s caused. She informs him she knows about the birth of Arthur and after talk of future marriages and alliances with France that will put Burgundy at a disadvantage, the Duchess admits she does not like King Henry. However, she doesn’t like war, either. They discuss the Battle of Bosworth, with Jasper saying he’d give his life for King Henry, calling him loyal, brave, and strong. “Then he would make someone a very fine dog,” replies the Duchess of Burgundy. Jasper doesn’t give up, convinced they can forge a peace between enemies.
The scene shifts to Bermondsey Abbey in London with Bishop Morton telling Dowager Queen Elizabeth she’s been shown mercy by King Henry. Elizabeth and her youngest daughters will live at Bermondsey but they will not be allowed any visitors, including her daughter Lizzie.
Cecily continues to show she’s an irritating self-centered twit, going on about the ugly clothes Lizzie will wear as Queen. Maggie arrives with a drink for Lizzie, and Lizzie passes her a note to give to her mother at Bermondsey. Lizzie now believes her mother is their only hope of getting Teddy freed.
King Henry sends for Lizzie, asking if she’s thankful about the coronation. She replies that unless he frees her mother and Teddy, she can’t be thankful. She also wonders what her role will be, and Henry takes her question as a jibe at his knowledge of how to rule. King Henry admits he waits from sun up to sundown to be killed by someone who hates him, and he knows people smile at his face and conspire against him behind his back. Lizzie asks point-blank why then did he want to become King, and he replies it’s what he’s been trained to do his entire life. He had no other choice. His mother believed he had a destiny, and his mother is actually the one who dreamed of power. He wonders what he would have become had his mother not set him on this path, and Lizzie understands. “That is what my life has been as well. A puppet for my mother’s own ambition,” reveals Lizzie. Lizzie only wanted to marry a man she loved, but her mother craved the throne for her.
Henry, speaking sincerely, addresses his wife who has tears in her eyes after realizing just how much they have in common. They open up their hearts to each other, with Henry admitting he hoped she would at least have a kindness toward him, a tenderness. Lizzie wonders if that would be enough for him, and Henry says he doesn’t know because he’s never had someone who longed to be with him and loved him for who he is. He acknowledges that she doesn’t love him, but asks that she not plot against him. Lizzie says nothing and Henry walks off, hurt she couldn’t promise even that.
Elizabeth, who’s been watching her daughters play in the limited time they have outside, receives a note tucked inside an apple. It was tossed to her by a young boy sitting high in a tree. The note from Lizzie informs her mother Teddy is still in the tower and she needs her mother’s guidance.
Lady Margaret approaches Lizzie while she’s holding Arthur, telling her that they’re now friends and joined together. “Any threat against Henry is a threat against our boy as well,” warns Lady Margaret.
The apple tree boy runs the reply back to Ned who delivers it to Lizzie. It’s not written down but instead recited. Dowager Queen Elizabeth advises Lizzie to come to her at the Abbey and also write to the Duchess of Burgundy saying they must go to war. Elizabeth believes that if Lizzie, who is just minutes from being crowned Queen, writes to the Duchess, the Duchess will agree to go to war. Lizzie’s puzzled about how this course of action would help either Teddy or Arthur.
Elizabeth of York is crowned Queen Elizabeth. The bells toll and the Dowager Queen listens to them from the Abbey.
King Henry and Queen Elizabeth are seated on their thrones and Henry asks if she feels different. Lizzie admits she feels as if she’s aged 1,000 years. He laughs and Lizzie feels better when Arthur’s brought to her. When Henry wonders how Arthur will feel when he’s King, if Henry’s enemies allow him to live, Lizzie tells her husband not to say such things.
Lizzie returns to her room and Maggie asks if she’s decided if she’ll try to go to her mother. Lizzie is considering it, but Maggie doesn’t want her to go. She believes Lizzie should earn Henry’s trust and maybe he’ll want to make her happy. Lizzie doesn’t know how she’d be able to choose between Arthur and her mother, and Maggie continues to urge her not to go.
Meanwhile in Burgundy, Jasper Tudor and Lord Strange continue their diplomatic mission. Lord Strange has been losing to the children in a variety of games (he claims he’s losing on purpose), and Mary suggests they have a race. Mary’s an expert rider so it should be yet another loss for Lord Strange.
The Duchess appears to be softening her stance toward Jasper Tudor. They take a walk and discuss what life would have been like for Jasper if he hadn’t gone to war. He confesses he was in love with a woman, but it wasn’t meant to be. The Duchess is pleasantly surprised by that answer.
Mary and Lord Strange race on horseback while the Duchess and Jasper talk, and now the Duchess is actually flirting with this man who represents her enemy.
Dowager Queen Elizabeth is beginning to realize Lizzie won’t be coming to her. Alone, she rails against those who have taken Cecily and now Lizzie from her, saying she won’t have it. As Elizabeth says, “Damn them all to hell,” while toppling a statue of the Virgin Mary, hundreds of miles away Mary of Burgundy falls from her horse. Everyone races to her side and it’s obvious she’s grievously injured.
Lizzie lies in bed, staring at the ceiling, decision made.
Duchess Cecily delivers the news to the Duchess of Burgundy that Mary’s back was broken in the fall. The Duchess and Mary’s husband hold Mary’s hand as she passes away.
Lizzie joins Henry in his bed. She touches him and he rolls over, just inches from her face. Lizzie closes her eyes and Henry’s now wide awake, obviously moved by this turn of events.
Mary’s body is laid out and Jasper tells the Duchess he’s sorry for her loss. Mary’s death has changed the Duchess and she kicks Jasper out, telling him he’s not welcome in Burgundy.
Showtime has set an August premiere date for Ray Donovan‘s fifth season. The critically acclaimed series will return on August 6, 2017 at 9pm ET/PT with Liev Schreiber, Paula Malcomson, Eddie Marsan, Dash Mihok, Steven Bauer, Katherine Moennig, Pooch Hall, Kerris Dorsey and Devon Bagby back in starring roles. The network also announced the fifth and final season of Episodes starring Matt LeBlanc will kick off on August 20th at 10pm ET/PT.
In addition, Showtime announced David Lynch’s Twin Peaks will move to Sundays at 8pm ET/PT on Sunday, August 6th.
Ray Donovan Season 5 Plot: The new season of Ray Donovan finds Ray (Schreiber) turning his attention back to Hollywood and his celebrity fixer firm. Meanwhile, Mickey (Jon Voight) is overjoyed to at last be welcomed into Ray’s home and swears to finally mend his criminal ways. Joining the series in a season-long arc is Oscar winner and four-time Emmy-nominated actress Susan Sarandon as legendary media mogul “Samantha Winslow,” who sets Ray against her own fixers in fear they may know too much. Additional season five guest stars include Brian White, Adina Porter, Rhys Coiro, Lili Simmons, Tara Buck, C. Thomas Howell, and Dominique Columbus.
Episodes Final Season Plot: At the start of the final season of Episodes, several months have passed and the game show is now a runaway hit. Unfortunately for Matt, this means he is now only thought of as a game show host, his years as an actor completely forgotten. Sean (Stephen Mangan) and Beverly (Tamsin Greig) are equally miserable. Sean’s loathsome ex-partner is now in charge of their new show, The Opposite of Us, and Sean and Beverly must now endure his utter lack of humor or talent as they watch him slowly destroy their show. The cast also includes John Pankow, Kathleen Rose Perkins and Mircea Monroe.
The Plot of Twin Peaks: Directed entirely by David Lynch, the new 18-part limited event series picks up 25 years after the inhabitants of a quaint northwestern town were stunned when their homecoming queen Laura Palmer was shockingly murdered. Twin Peaks will debut with a two-part premiere on Sunday, May 21 at 9 p.m. ET/PT across all Showtime platforms. Immediately following the premiere, Showtime subscribers will have access to the third and fourth parts exclusively on Showtime streaming and On Demand platforms, in advance of their linear airing on Showtime on May 28. One-hour parts will air in subsequent weeks, until the series moves to 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sunday, August 6. The series’ finale will air on Sunday, Sept. 3 from 8 to 10 p.m. ET/PT with two back-to-back parts.
Novelists Anne Rice and Christopher Rice are teaming up with Paramount Television and Anonymous Content on a television series based on The Vampire Chronicles. The television adaptation will be written by Christopher Rice and executive produced by Christopher, Anne Rice, David Kanter, and Steve Golin. The popular book series has sold more than 100 million copies, and fans of the novels have been frequently asked Anne Rice to work on a television adaptation that will feature Anne Rice’s charismatic vampire, Lestat.
“I’m thrilled beyond words to be working with Paramount TV and Anonymous Content — known for extraordinary cutting edge series such as True Detective, Quarry, and The Knick,” said Anne Rice. “In this unique golden age of television, I couldn’t ask for a finer or more passionate team to help bring my beloved vampire hero, Lestat, alive in a series of the highest quality. This is a dream come true, both for me and for Christopher and for the fans who have been asking to see the Brat Prince in this medium for years.”
“The first great day for me on this project was when my mother asked me to partner with her on it,” explained Christopher Rice. “The second, is the announcement of this thrilling partnership with Paramount Television and Anonymous Content. For decades now fans of The Vampire Chronicles have been clamoring for a long-form television adaptation of this galaxy of content. Just a glance at the libraries of these two innovative, groundbreaking companies makes clear why they’re perfectly suited to granting this wish. Add to that their passion and enthusiasm for the long term vision Mom and I share for this series, and we’re confident this exciting deal will result in many excellent things for Lestat in the universe of television.”
“It is undeniable that Anne Rice has created the paradigm against which all vampire stories are measured. The rich and vast world she has created with The Vampire Chronicles is unmatched and sophisticated with 90’s gothic undertones that will be perfectly suited to captivate audiences,” stated Amy Powell, President, Paramount TV. “The series is full of compelling characters led by Lestat, arguably one of the greatest original characters, literary or otherwise. We are thrilled to collaborate with Anne, Christopher and the team at Anonymous Content on this epic series.”
“Together with our partners at Paramount Television, we are embarking on a fantastic journey with Anne and Christopher Rice to bring Anne’s unparalleled imagination to television at the moment when the medium is experiencing a global apex in the demand for the most outstanding, exciting and heightened premium dramatic programming,” added Anonymous Content’s David Kanter. “The Vampire Chronicles, in its entirety, is not only a phenomenally complex universe of story-telling, it is also a world-wide readership whose connections to the books and their author are deep and abiding. It is a tremendous responsibility to help bring the books to television, and we are thrilled to have this opportunity.”
The CW’s The 100 season four episode nine set up the possible upcoming demise of at least one key character. Raven is tired of being in pain and is ready to float herself, and Harper and Jasper chose to decline their chance to survive and instead decided to party with their friends (who we don’t know), with Jasper sealing the deal by writing DNR (do no resuscitate) on his hand. Clarke almost became the commander and then Octavia arrived on a horse to save the day. Season four episode 10 titled ‘Die All, Die Merrily’ might be the final episode for at least one of the aforementioned characters…or maybe not. Directed by Dean White, the season’s 10th episode airing May 3, 2017 was written by Aaron Ginsburg and Wade McIntyre.
The 100‘s season four cast includes Eliza Taylor as Clarke, Bob Morley as Bellamy, Marie Avgeropoulos as Octavia, Devon Bostick as Jasper, Lindsey Morgan as Raven, Henry Ian Cusick as Marcus, Christopher Larkin as Monty, Richard Harmon as Murphy, Zach McGowan as Roan, Paige Turco as Abby, Isaiah Washington as Jaha, Chai Hansen as Ilian, and Luisa D’Oliveira as Emori.
The “Die All, Die Merrily” Plot – OCTAVIA FIGHTS FOR SURVIVAL — Octavia (Marie Avgeropoulos) fights in the final battle for her people’s survival, but not everyone is willing to play fair.
Harry Styles will be on the road with his first solo tour beginning on September 19, 2017 in San Francisco. Styles will stop in North American cities including Nashville, Chicago, and Atlanta before embarking on the international leg of his tour. Following his 13-city North America run, Styles has planned concerts in Japan, Paris, and Sydney, with the Live on Tour wrapping up on December 8th in Tokyo, Japan.
Tickets will go on sale for all stops on the tour (with the exception of Japan) beginning on May 5th. Fans can register now for tickets to the North American leg of the tour through Ticketmaster’s Verified fan program.
Harry Styles’ 10-track self-titled album will be available on Friday, May 12th. The album’s lead single, “Sign of the Times,” charted in more than 84 countries on the day it was released.
Harry Styles Live On Tour 2017 World Tour Dates:
9/19/2017 – San Francisco, CA at The Masonic
9/20/2017 – Los Angeles, CA at The Greek Theatre
9/25/2017 – Nashville, TN at Ryman Auditorium
9/26/2017 – Chicago, IL at The Chicago Theatre
9/28/2017 – New York, NY at Radio City Music Hall
9/30/2017 – Boston, MA at Wang Theatre
10/1/2017 – Washington DC at DAR Constitution Hall
10/4/2017 – Toronto, ON at Massey Hall
10/5/2017 – Upper Darby, PA at Tower Theater
10/8/2017 – Atlanta, GA at Roxy
10/10/2017 – Irving, TX at The Pavilion at Irving Music Factory
10/11/2017 – Austin, TX at ACL Live at The Moody Theater
10/14/2017 – Phoenix, AZ at Comerica Theatre
10/25/2017 – Paris, France at L’Olympia
10/27/2017 – Cologne, Germany at Palladium
10/29/2017 – London, UK at Eventim Apollo
10/30/2017 – London, UK at Eventim Apollo
11/1/2017 – Manchester, UK at O2 Apollo Manchester
11/2/2017 – Glasgow, UK at SEC Armadillo
11/5/2017 – Stockholm, Sweden at Fryshuset
11/7/2017 – Berlin, Germany at Tempodrome
11/8/2017 – Amsterdam, Netherlands at AFAS Live
11/10/2017 – Milan, Italy at Alcatraz
11/23/2017 – Singapore at The Star Theatre
11/26/2017 – Sydney, Australia at Enmore Theatre
11/30/2017 – Australia, Melbourne at Forum Theatre
