Alexander Skarsgard stars in ‘Mute’ (Photo by Keith Bernstein / Netflix)
Netflix has released the first three photos from its upcoming film, Mute, directed by Duncan Jones. The photos just unveiled feature the movie’s stars, Alexander Skarsgard (The Legend of Tarzan), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), and Justin Theroux (The Leftovers). The cast of the futuristic thriller also includes newcomer Seyneb Saleh.
Mute is directed by Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code) from a script he co-wrote with Michael Robert Johnson (Late Shift, Pompeii). Stuart Fenegan produced the thriller and Charles J.D. Schissel and Trevor Beattie executive produced. Netflix is targeting a 2017 premiere.
The Plot: Set in the near-future, Leo (Skarsgård) is a bartender living in the pulsing city of Berlin. Because of a childhood accident, Leo lost the ability to speak and the only good thing in his life is his beautiful girlfriend Naadirah (Saleh). When she vanishes without a trace, Leo’s search for her takes him deep into the city’s seedy underbelly. A pair of wise-cracking American surgeons (Rudd and Theroux) are the only recurring clue and Leo is forced to take on this teeming underworld in order to find his love.
Paul Rudd stars in ‘Mute’ (Photo by Keith Bernstein / Netflix)Justin Theroux stars in ‘Mute’ (Photo by Keith Bernstein / Netflix)
The CW’s Supergirl returns from its long season two winter break with a brand new episode on January 23, 2017 at 8pm ET/PT. Directed by Kevin Smith (Yoga Hosers), episode nine titled “Supergirl Lives” comes from a story by Andrew Kreisberg with the script by Eric Carrasco and Jess Kardos. Super comic book fan Smith is keeping his episode in the family as his daughter, Harley Quinn Smith, guest stars as a woman named Izzy.
The season two cast is led by Melissa Benoist as Supergirl and includes Chyler Leigh, Chris Wood, Mehcad Brooks, Jeremy Jordan, and David Harewood.
The Supergirl Lives Plot: ROULETTE RETURNS — Kara (Benoist) is moved by the story of a missing woman named Izzy (guest star Harley Quinn Smith) and decides to investigate despite Snapper Carr’s (guest star Ian Gomez) order to leave it alone. Kara takes Mon-El (Wood) with her to the last place Izzy was seen and the duo find themselves thrust through a portal to another planet, Slaver’s Moon, where the downtrodden are sold as slaves. The leader of the trafficking ring is none other than Roulette (guest star Dichen Lachman). To make matters worse, Slaver’s Moon has a red sun, which means Kara and Mon-El are stripped of their powers and stuck on the planet with no way home. Meanwhile, back on Earth, Alex (Leigh) blames herself for Kara’s disappearance, fearing she’s become too focused on her new relationship with Maggie (guest star Floriana Lima) and too complacent in watching out for her sister.
Disney’s 2017 preview of their upcoming slate of films includes the official description of the plot of Thor: Ragnarok, the third Thor film starring Chris Hemsworth. The 2017 comic book-inspired action movie was directed by Taika Waititi (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, What We Do in the Shadows) from a script by Eric Pearson. In addition to Hemsworth, the cast includes Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, and Sir Anthony Hopkins.
Stan Lee, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Victoria Alonso, and Thomas M. Hammel executive produced, with Kevin Feige produced. Thor: Ragnarok will open in theaters on November 3, 2017.
The first solo Thor film was released on May 6, 2011 and rang up $65 million domestically over its opening weekend. The film went on to gross $449 million worldwide before exiting theaters. Thor: The Dark World followed on November 8, 2013 and easily bested the first film’s opening weekend with an $85 million three day take. The second Thor also trounced the overall box office take of the 2011 movie, grossing $644 million during its theatrical run.
The Plot: In Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok, Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok – the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization – at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger – the Incredible Hulk!
Sterling K. Brown pictured with Sarah Paulson in FX’s ‘The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story’ (Photo Credit: FX Networks)
Marvel’s kicking off 2017 with the announcement that Sterling K. Brown has signed on to the cast of Black Panther. Brown recently earned an Emmy Award for his outstanding performance in the dramatic series The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. Brown played prosecutor Christopher Darden in the critically acclaimed series which followed Simpson’s murder trial, dubbed by the media as “The Trial of the Century.” The breakthrough role also earned Brown Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe nominations, and he received a second 2017 SAG nomination for his work in NBC’s This Is Us.
Brown joins Marvel Studios’ Black Panther as N’Jobu, “a figure from T’Challa aka Black Panther’s past.” Chadwick Boseman leads the cast in the title role. Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Forest Whitaker (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Lupita Nyong’o (Queen of Katwe), Angela Bassett (American Horror Story), Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead), Daniel Kaluuya (soon to be seen in Get Out), Winston Duke (Modern Family), and Florence Kasumba (Dominion) are also confirmed for Black Panther roles.
Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station, Creed) is directing and Marvel and Disney are targeting a February 16, 2018 theatrical release.
Netflix has just shared new photos from the upcoming series Santa Clarita Diet starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant (Justified). Barrymore and Olyphant are featured in the first photos, with two of the new pictures designed to look like diet campaign ads. In addition to starring in Santa Clarita Diet, Barrymore and Olyphant are executive producers along with showrunner Victor Fresco, Aaron Kaplan, Tracy Katsky, Chris Miller and Ember Truesdell.
Netflix has set a Friday, February 3, 2017 worldwide release date for the comedy series. Commenting on the series, Netflix vice president of original content Cindy Holland stated, “The genius casting of Timothy and Drew combined with Victor’s unique comedic sensibility will delight, and definitely surprise, our members around the world.”
In a recent interview with USA Today, Barrymore confirmed the mysterious new diet her character will be following has to do with eating people. Series creator Victor Fresco explained that Barrymore’s character will be feeling sick in the series opener and then her health will go downhill. She’ll die and will be turned into a functional zombie of sorts (think iZombie). “Presumably, she has been exposed to something — although we don’t know what — which is making her feel a bit off,” said Fresco.
Olyphant’s additional credits include Snowden, Mother’s Day, The Grinder, The Office, Damages, The Crazies, and A Perfect Getaway. Barrymore’s recent filmography includes Miss You Already, Blended, Family Guy, and Big Miracle.
The Plot: In Santa Clarita Diet, Joel (Olyphant) and Sheila (Barrymore) are husband and wife realtors leading vaguely discontented lives in the L.A. suburb of Santa Clarita with their teenaged daughter Abby (Liv Hewson), until Sheila goes through a dramatic change sending their lives down a road of death and destruction…but in a good way.
Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant in Netflix’s ‘Santa Clarita Diet.’ (Photo: Erica Parise, Netflix)
Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy. (Image Credit: LD Entertainment)
Nominees have been announced for the 21st Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards recognizing the best in feature films, television, commercials, and music videos released in 2016. The nominees were selected by the Art Directors Guild which is made up of 2,500 Production Designers, Art Directors, Assistant Art Directors; Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists; Illustrators and Matte Artists; Set Designers and Model Makers; and Previs Artists. Winners will be announced on February 11, 2017 during a ceremony set to take place at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood, CA.
In addition to revealing the winners in 11 categories, the Art Directors Guild will induct Oscar-winning Production Designer Gene Allen into its Hall of Fame during the 21st Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards ceremony. Emmy-winning Production Designer René Lagler, Scenic Artist Albert Obregon, Emmy-nominated Set Designer Cate Bangs, and Senior Illustrator Joseph Musso will be honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards during this year’s event.
Excellence in Production Design Awards 2017 Nominees:
PERIOD FILM
CAFÉ SOCIETY
Production Designer: SANTO LOQUASTO
FENCES
Production Designer: DAVID GROPMAN
HACKSAW RIDGE
Production Designer: BARRY ROBISON
HAIL, CAESAR!
Production Designer: JESS GONCHOR
HIDDEN FIGURES
Production Designer: WYNN THOMAS
JACKIE
Production Designer: JEAN RABASSE
FANTASY FILM
ARRIVAL
Production Designer: PATRICE VERMETTE
DOCTOR STRANGE
Production Designer: CHARLES WOOD
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM
Production Designer: STUART CRAIG
PASSENGERS
Production Designer: GUY HENDRIX DYAS
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY
Production Designers: DOUG CHIANG, NEIL LAMONT
CONTEMPORARY FILM
HELL OR HIGH WATER
Production Designer: TOM DUFFIELD LA LA LAND
Production Designer: DAVID WASCO
LION
Production Designer: CHRIS KENNEDY
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
Production Designer: RUTH DE JONG
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS
Production Designer: SHANE VALENTINO
ONE-HOUR PERIOD OR FANTASY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
GAME OF THRONES: “Blood of My Blood,” “The Broken Man,” “No One”
Production Designer: DEBORAH RILEY
STRANGER THINGS: “The Vanishing of Will Byers,” “Holly, Jolly,” “The Upside Down”
Production Designer: CHRIS TRUJILLO
THE CROWN: “Wolferton Splash,” “Hyde Park Corner,” “Smoke and Mirrors”
Production Designer: MARTIN CHILDS
THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE: “The Tiger’s Cave,” “Land O’ Smiles,” “Fallout”
Production Designer: DREW BOUGHTON
WESTWORLD: “Pilot”
Production Designer: NATHAN CROWLEY
ONE-HOUR CONTEMPORARY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
BETTER CALL SAUL: “Inflatable,” “Fifi,” “Klick”
Production Designer: TONY FANNING
BLOODLINE: “Part 16,” “Part 21”
Production Designer: TIM GALVIN
HOUSE OF CARDS: “Chapter 41,” “Chapter 47,” “Chapter 48”
Production Designer: STEVE ARNOLD
MR. ROBOT: “Eps2.0_unm4sk-pt1.tc,” “Eps2.4_m4ster-slave.aes,” “Eps2.9_pyth0n-pt1.p7z”
Production Designer: ANASTASIA WHITE
PREACHER: “See,” “South Will Rise Again,” “Finish The Song”
Production Designer: DAVE BLASS
TELEVISION MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES
AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ROANOKE: “Chapter 4”
Production Designer: ANDREW MURDOCK
BLACK MIRROR: “Nosedive,” “Playtest,” “San Junipero”
Production Designers: JOEL COLLINS, JAMES FOSTER, NICHOLAS PALMER
SHERLOCK: “The Abominable Bride”
Production Designer: ARWEL W. JONES
THE NIGHT OF: “Pilot”
Production Designer: PATRIZIA VON BRANDENSTEIN THE PEOPLE v. O.J. SIMPSON: AMERICAN CRIME STORY: “100% Not Guilty,” “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia,” “Manna From Heaven”
Production Designer: JEFFREY MOSSA
HALF HOUR SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
MOZART IN THE JUNGLE: “Now I Will Sing”
Production Designer: TOMMASO ORTINO
SILICON VALLEY: “Two In The Box,” “Vachmanity Insanity,” “Daily Active Users”
Production Designer: RICHARD TOYON
TRANSPARENT: “If I Were A Bell”
Production Designer: CAT SMITH THE LAST MAN ON EARTH: “Pitch Black,” “The Power of Power,” “Mama’s Hideaway”
Production Designer: BRUCE ROBERT HILL
VEEP: “Kissing Your Sister”
Production Designer: JIM GLOSTER
MULTI-CAMERA SERIES
2 BROKE GIRLS: “And The 80’s Movie,” “And The Godmama Drama,” “And The Two Openings: Part Two”
Production Designer: GLENDA ROVELLO
BABY DADDY: “Love & Carriage,” “Room-Mating,” “Stupid Cupid”
Production Designer: GREG GRANDE
THE BIG BANG THEORY: “The Positive Negative Reaction,” “The Big Bear Precipitation,” “The Fermentation Bifurcation”
Production Designer: JOHN SHAFFNER
THE GREAT INDOORS: “Pilot”
Production Designer: GLENDA ROVELLO
THE RANCH: “Leavin’s Been Comin’ (For A Long, Long Time)”
Production Designer: JOHN SHAFFNER
AWARDS OR EVENT SPECIAL
BEYONCÉ: “LEMONADE”
Production Designer: HANNAH BEACHLER
GREASE LIVE!
Production Designer: DAVID KORINS
HAIRSPRAY LIVE!
Production Designer: DEREK McLANE
THE 68TH PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS
Production Designers: TAMLYN WRIGHT, BAZ HALPIN
THE OSCARS
Production Designer: DEREK McLANE
SHORT FORMAT: WEB SERIES, MUSIC VIDEO OR COMMERCIAL
ADIDAS: “BASKETBALL NEEDS CREATORS”
Production Designer: RUTH DE JONG
BEYONCÉ: LEMONADE “6 Inch”
Production Designer: JC MOLINA
BEYONCÉ: LEMONADE “Denial”
Production Designer: JASON HOUGAARD
BEYONCÉ: LEMONADE “Hold Up”
Production Designer: JASON HOUGAARD
iPHONE 7: “Balloons”
Production Designer: JAMES CHINLUND
VARIETY, REALITY OR COMPETITION SERIES
AMERICAN GRIT: “Ruck Up”
Production Designer: MERCEDES YOUNGER
PORTLANDIA: “Weirdo Beach”
Production Designer: SCHUYLER TELLEEN
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: “Larry David/The 1975,” “Peter Dinklage/Gwen Stefani,” “Tom Hanks/Lady Gaga”
Production Designers: KEITH IAN RAYWOOD, EUGENE LEE, AKIRA
YOSHIMURA, N. JOSEPH DeTULLIO
THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW: “Ellen’s Halloween Show”
Production Designer: KAREN WEBER
THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON: “Ep. 0417,” “Ep. 0461,” “Ep. 0493”
Production Designers: EUGENE LEE, PETER BARAN
THE VOICE: “The Blind Auditions, Part 3,” “The Battles Premiere, Part 2”
Production Designers: ANTON GOSS, JAMES PEARSE CONNELLY
Bonnie Morgan as Samara in ‘Rings’ by Paramount Pictures (Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures)
Paramount Pictures just released the second official trailer for Rings, the third entry in The Ring horror franchise. There’s a creepy videotape involved once again and Samara still climbs out of television sets in this new addition to the horror film series. Directed by F. Javier Gutierrez (Before the Fall), the cast includes Matilda Lutz (Summertime), Alex Roe (The Fifth Wave), Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory), Aimee Teegarden (Notorious), Bonnie Morgan, and Vincent D’Onofrio (The Magnificent Seven).
Rings is set to open in theaters on February 3, 2017.
The Plot: A young woman becomes worried about her boyfriend when he explores a dark subculture surrounding a mysterious videotape said to kill the watcher seven days after he has viewed it. She sacrifices herself to save her boyfriend and in doing so makes a horrifying discovery: there is a “movie within the movie” that no one has ever seen before…
Michelle Monaghan and Jamie Foxx star in Open Road Films’ ‘Sleepless.’
Oscar winner Jamie Foxx (Ray) and Golden Globe nominee Michelle Monaghan (True Detective) teamed up for the thriller, Sleepless, from director Baran bo Odar (Who Am I). The new clip released by Open Road Films sets up the working relationship between Foxx and Monaghan’s characters as well as very briefly introduces the character played by Stranger Things‘ David Harbour. The cast also includes Dermot Mulroney, Gabrielle Union, Tip ‘T.I.’ Harris, Scoot McNairy, and Octavius J. Johnson. Sleepless is set to open in theaters on January 13, 2017.
Andrea Berloff wrote the screenplay and Roy Lee and Adam Stone served as producers. John Powers Middleton, Alex Foster, Tom Ortenberg, Peter Lawson, Lauranne Bourrachot, Marco Cherqui, and Jeremiah Samuel executive produced.
The Plot: Jamie Foxx stars as undercover Las Vegas police officer Vincent Downs who is caught in a high stakes web of corrupt cops and the mob-controlled casino underground. When a heist goes wrong, a crew of homicidal gangsters kidnaps Downs’ teenage son. In one sleepless night he will have to rescue his son, evade an internal affairs investigation and bring the kidnappers to justice.
Alan Shapiro (voice of Patton Oswalt), Pam Poovey (voice of Amber Nash), Cheryl (voice of Judy Greer), Lana Kane (voice of Aisha Tyler) Sterling Archer (voice of H. Jon Benjamin), Malory Archer (voice of Jessica Walter), and Cyril Figgis (voice of Chris Parnell) in ‘Archer’ (Photo: Copyright 2016, FX Networks)
FX Networks just announced the animated adult comedy series Archer is moving from FX to FXX beginning with the upcoming season. Archer‘s eighth season will debut this spring on FXX, and the critically acclaimed series has already earned renewal orders for seasons nine and 10. By making the move to FXX, the popular show will be joining that network’s comedy lineup that includes It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, You’re the Worst, and Man Seeking Woman.
The Emmy Award-winning comedy series was created by Adam Reed. The talented voice cast includes H. Jon Benjamin, Jessica Walter, Aisha Tyler, Judy Greer, Chris Parnell, Amber Nash, Lucky Yates, and series creator/executive producer Reed.
“Adam Reed, Matt Thompson and Floyd County continue to make one of the funniest shows on television and it’s great to see them earn the awards and acclaim that comes with one of the most loyal and avid fan bases in the industry,” said FX Networks President of Program Strategy and COO Chuck Saftler.
The Plot: The animated, half-hour comedy revolves around the hardboiled private eye Sterling Archer and his quest to find his partner’s killer in 1947 Los Angeles. The case proves to be more difficult than expected after Archer quickly gets mixed up in a deadly game of tug of war between Los Angeles’ most powerful crime bosses. Every clue leads Archer further away from his goal and deeper into a mystery involving kidnapping, prostitution and drug addiction.
Amy Adams stars as Susan Morrow in writer/director Tom Ford’s romantic thriller ‘Nocturnal Animals’ (Photo Credit: Merrick Morton/Focus Features)
The screenplay nominees have been announced for the 2017 Writers Guild Awards which are set to take place on February 19, 2017. The nominees represent the best in original screenplays, adapted screenplays, and documentaries released in theaters in 2016. The nominees were chosen by members of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), and ceremonies honoring the winners will take place on both coasts.
Per the WGA, in order to qualify for consideration a feature film must have screened theatrically in Los Angeles for a minimum of one week in 2016. The screenplay must have been “written under the WGA’s Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) or under a bona fide collective bargaining agreement of the Writers Guild of Canada, Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, Writers Guild of Ireland, Writers’ Guild of South Africa, New Zealand Writers Guild, Film Writers’ Association (India), La Guilde Francaise des Scénaristes (France), Scriptwriters Guild of Israel, Société des Auteurs de Radio, Télévision et Cinéma (Québec), or Verband Deutscher Drehbuchautoren (VDD/Germany), collectively known as affiliate Guilds.”
Documentaries qualified for consideration if they featured an onscreen writing credit and had a one week run in either Los Angeles or New York during 2016. Additionally, in order to be eligible a theatrical documentary “must have been produced under the jurisdiction of the WGA or an affiliate Guild.”
Manchester by the Sea, Written by Kenneth Lonergan; Amazon Studios/Roadside Attractions
Moonlight, Written by Barry Jenkins, Story by Tarell McCraney; A24
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Arrival, Screenplay by Eric Heisserer; Based on the Story “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang; Paramount Pictures
Deadpool, Written by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick; Based on the X-Men Comic Books; Twentieth Century Fox Film
Fences, Screenplay by August Wilson; Based on his Play; Paramount Pictures
Hidden Figures, Screenplay by Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi; Based on the Book by Margot Lee Shetterly; Twentieth Century Fox Film
Nocturnal Animals, Screenplay by Tom Ford; Based on the Novel Tony and Susan by Austin Wright; Focus Features
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Author: The JT LeRoy Story, Written by Jeff Feuerzeig; Amazon Studios
Command and Control, Telescript by Robert Kenner and Eric Schlosser, Story by Brian Pearle and Kim Roberts; Based on the book Command and Control by Eric Schlosser; American Experience Films
Zero Days, Written by Alex Gibney; Magnolia Pictures
