Season five of The CW’s Arrow will find Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne) still reeling from the death of his daughter, Laurel (Katie Cassidy). During roundtable interviews at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con, Blackthorne said season five opens with Lance wrestling with some old demons. Blackthorne didn’t say how that will affect his relationship with #TeamArrow, but he did reveal he’s enjoying the changing dynamics between characters that the writers have laid out this coming season.
Arrow season five premieres on October 5, 2016 at 8pm ET/PT.
Paul Blackthorne Interview:
How does he move forward and how does he support the idea of what the Arrow is about?
Paul Blackthorne: “Well, we don’t know what the Arrow (Stephen Amell) is going to be about coming into season five. We don’t know that yet, how that’s going to evolve. Lance is in a bad way. I think it’s one of the worst ways ever, believe it or not. I think it is. Yeah, it’s the worst way. He’s suffering badly.”
Are we going to see that play out this season?
Paul Blackthorne: “Yes. And there’s some interesting dynamics as to who he’s relating with these days as well. It was a nice surprise that the writers sort of threw up. We’ve started that now and it’s been enjoyable. So, yeah, you know every year the dynamics and relationships shift a bit. You know, ‘Love you. Hate you. Hate you. Love you,’ it all changes. They’ve done the same thing this year. It’s a nice shift among the characters.”
How difficult was it to do the scene in Legends of Tomorrow where Quentin breaks the news to Sara?
Paul Blackthorne: “Well, it felt like just doing a scene in Arrow, to be honest. Sat in the Arrow bunker and just wondering who the crew was – they were different. But, no, it was from a character point of view not much fun telling one daughter the other daughter’s dead. Not much fun. Nice to play; good stuff to play around with from an acting point of view. And the stuff we’ve been shooting the past few weeks we’ve been back, I hadn’t quite realized how heavy it was all going to be. I just seemed to burst into tears about every 10 minutes or so. (Laughing) There we go, season five. It’s good, though. Good stuff.”
You have such a good sense of humor and Lance is always so serious. Have you asked them to give you any comedic material to break things up?
Paul Blackthorne: “No, I would never ask for comedic material. I was terrified when I saw the bees script. I remember thinking, ‘What is this, an episode of Seinfeld or something? Why is this all so funny?’ Of course it was a brilliant move because it was the episode right before Laurel got killed and everything went dark for the last four episodes. I’m terrified of comedy but if you just stick to the truth…you don’t have to try and be funny. If you try and be funny you might as well forget about it. So I just sort of stuck to the truth of Lance and how he generally reacts to things as a grounded individual and it was kind of funny then.
I was caught by surprise when I saw some of it back. I was, ‘That’s quite funny!’ And then there was the piggyback thing when I Curtis and I are chasing the bees around, and that was a completely weird improv sort of moment. ‘Why am I suddenly piggybacking a 6’5″ man with huge hair? What is going on?’ But it happened and it stayed in the cut so that was funny.”
Watch the full Paul Blackthorne interview:
(Interview by Fred Topel. Article by Rebecca Murray.)
ABC’s Once Upon a Time returns for its sixth season on September 25, 2016 at 8pm ET/PT with an episode titled ‘The Savior.’ The new season will find the Storybrooke heroes squaring off against the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla). Plus, season six will involve storylines featuring Jafar (Oded Feher), Aladdin (Deniz Akdeniz), Hank Harris (Dr. Jekyll), Sam Witwer (Mr. Hyde), Farah Tahir (Captain Nemo), and Giles Matthey (Morpheus).
The returning cast includes Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as the Evil Queen/Regina, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Colin O’Donoghue as Hook, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills, Rebecca Mader as the Wicked Witch/Zelena and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold. Season 6’s premiere episode was written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, and directed by Eagle Egilsson.
The Season 6 Episode 1 Plot – The Savior:
Welcome to Storybrooke, a small town in Maine that you won’t find on any map. This town is full of magic, populated by fairytale characters once cursed by the Evil Queen Regina to live in our world — deprived of their memories and happy endings…until Emma Swan came to town and changed everything. With the help of her son, Henry, Emma embraced her true identity as the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming — the Savior destined to break the Curse. But even after returning everyone’s memories, Emma’s mission was far from over. With the Curse broken, Mr. Gold (aka Rumplestiltskin) was free to bring magic to Storybrooke. And magic ALWAYS comes with a price…
Creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz invite you to join everyone’s favorite fairytale characters as they face-off against this supercharged enemy. In the season premiere episode, ‘The Savior,’ as our heroes set out to stop Hyde, Emma develops a mysterious side effect, and Storybrooke becomes a haven for refugees from the Land of Untold Stories. Meanwhile, Regina and Zelena embrace their newfound sisterhood by becoming roommates, while Rumple tries to free Belle from the sleeping Curse with the help of a stranger. In flashback, Jafar confronts an afflicted Aladdin in Agrabah, and a secret about the Savior is revealed.
Fox just unveiled another short teaser trailer for season two of Scream Queens. The new season will kick off on September 20, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT and reunites the Chanels – Emma Roberts as Chanel Oberlin, Abigail Breslin as Chanel #5, and Billie Lourd as Chanel #3 – for another murder mystery.
In this second season, the story moves from college to a hospital, with Jamie Lee Curtis returning as Cathy Munsch, Lea Michele as Hester Ulrich, Keke Palmer as Zayday Williams, and Niecy Nash as Denise Hemphill. Joining the cast for season two are John Stamos as Dr. Brock Holt, Taylor Lautner as Dr. Cassidy Cascade, and James Earl as Chamberlin Jones.
Jerry O’Connell, Laura Bell Bundy, Colton Haynes, Cecily Strong, and Cheri Oteri guest star.
The Season Two Plot: Season two of Scream Queens graduates from the college campus and into a hospital with a haunted past, as a new and terrifyingly funny mystery begins. Each week, season two will delve deep into the fascinating and bizarre medical cases under observation at the hospital while using the building’s sordid history as the springboard for the series’ overarching mystery.
Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, and Harry Styles of One Direction (Photo by: Jeff Daly / NBC)
After leaving One Direction, Zayn Malik’s been keeping busy working on his solo career. He’s also apparently been working on a television project with Dick and Noelle Wolf, Len Blavatnik’s Unigram, and First Access Entertainment. Boys is currently in development at Universal Television and NBC, with Malik involved as an executive producer along with Dick Wolf, Noelle Wolf, Amanda Ghost, Peter Jankowski, Sherri Cooper Landsman, and Jennifer Levin. Landsman and Levin are also writing the script.
The series will follow “the formation of a hugely successful boy band and captures all the excitement, competition and fun, but also provides an inside look into the pressure that follows.”
“It’s exciting to be diving into this project with such passionate and prolific producers,” stated Jennifer Salke, President, NBC Entertainment. “Zayn certainly brings an authentic point of view to this world where kids are catapulted into fame at a dizzying speed. On top of our excitement around the creative ideas being discussed, we have a lot of respect for the musical and digital ambitions behind the project.”
“We were intrigued by the synergistic potential that Zayn brings to the project,” added Noelle Wolf. “Boys will be a show that’s totally integrated on broadcast and digital platforms. Casting and original music will be major components, giving the show promotional potential on multiple levels.”
“Dick Wolf is a legend and the opportunity to work with him and NBC to create a compelling drama series is awesome,” said Malik.
Expect a completely different Joe West in season three of The CW’s The Flash. Barry’s triggering of a new timeline means Joe, played by Jesse L. Martin, and the rest of #TeamFlash are at new places in their personal and professional lives as we pick up the popular comic book-inspired series. Sitting down to chat at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con, Williams didn’t reveal any spoilers but he did talk about Joe’s relationships with Barry, Iris, Wally, and the CCPD, and whether there’s a possibility this version of Joe will also be a singer.
The Flash season three will premiere on October 4, 2016.
Jesse L. Martin Interview:
Is Joe still a cop in Flashpoint?
Jesse L. Martin: “I’m totally still a cop in Flashpoint but literally personality altered. His idea of what good cop work is is completely altered. His relationship with Barry (Grant Gustin) is almost completely opposite. Some of the characters that Joe knew as part of #TeamFlash he doesn’t even know. He’s well aware of Kid Flash, but not so well aware of who Kid Flash might be. So, yeah, things are absolutely completely different. I’ve never been on a show or even seen a show where you’re playing one character and then suddenly season three you’re a different person all together.”
Do you like it?
Jesse L. Martin: “I do. I like it a lot. It’s yet to be seen how far this goes. […]I don’t know where it’s all going to end.”
Is the West family a strong unit?
Jesse L. Martin: “We are a unit…not so strong. Something happened between Joe and Iris (Candice Patton), and Iris is having a really hard time dealing with the family in general – or at least with Joe. So, things are a little rocky for the West family starting off.”
What will Joe’s relationship be like with Harrison Wells?
Jesse L. Martin: “We don’t know yet because we haven’t met him yet. I have no idea what it’s going to be like. My guess is there’s probably going to be a completely different Harrison and Joe’s still not going to like him for some reason. That’s my guess. No matter which Earth Harrison shows up, Joe’s still going to be like, ‘I don’t know about that dude.’ You know what I mean?”
Barry’s the only one who still retains memories from the other timeline and he’s happy about being back with his mom and dad. But do you think he will be missing Joe and the West family?
Jesse L. Martin: “My guess is yeah, that’s going to come into play. He will see, first of all, the fact that there’s a different dynamic between Joe and Iris. That will probably affect him in a real way. The same thing with the relationships between Joe and #TeamFlash, and the interpersonal relationships between the guys in S.T.A.R. Labs. Like, all those things are completely different. In order for us to fight crime, fight the metas – if you will – we do have to be a team and what we find out in the beginning is that team is completely off. So, that’s going to be something that is obviously going to move Barry to try to get things back together again. Whether he does that through going back into time or he does it with the strength of his own character right there in the present, we don’t know yet.”
Is it hard as an actor to keep being thrown new versions of Joe?
Jesse L. Martin: “No. That’s actually the coolest thing ever. I’ve never been on a show where you suddenly get to be a completely different character but the same person. That’s incredible. I love it.”
You said Joe isn’t completely sure about Kid Flash. Is he seeing him first-hand or just hearing stories?
Jesse L. Martin: “CCPD is well aware there’s a Flash out there; he fights crime and he actually helps us. But, the dynamic between CCPD and The Flash is completely different. We don’t necessarily have a relationship with Kid Flash. We just know that he’s out there fighting on our behalf. But the CCPD is not officially involved so much. He’s almost like a vigilante hero.”
What’s it like on the set when you have one of your castmates show up and they get to wear their suit for the first time?
Jesse L. Martin: “I’m insanely jealous. Joe’s got his outfit and that’s it. That’s my ‘suit.’ But the first time I saw Keiynan (Lonsdale) I was kind of just blown away. I was like, ‘How cool is that?’ The metas and the villains, the first time I saw Zoom I was like, ‘That’s really scary.’ I’m not a kid but if I’m a little kid and I’m watching this show and I see that guy with that mask and mouth thing, I’d be scared of that I think. I thought it was cool at the same time, but it’s really kind of scary.”
Are you going to be doing any singing as the new Joe?
Jesse L. Martin: “They haven’t mentioned it yet, but that doesn’t mean we’re not doing it. People really dug the whole idea of Earth-2 Joe being a singer, so I got a feeling that’s going to resurface. I don’t know if it’s Earth-2 Joe resurfacing but somebody who can sing resurfacing. Maybe all of us resurfacing as singers. I mean, we’ve got the perfect construct for it because if a meta shows up…I mean, there’s metas in the DC world that have everything to do with music, right, and manipulation, so who knows? But they haven’t told us. I’m just guessing. I know fans want it.”
Watch the full Jesse L. Martin interview:
(Interview by Fred Topel. Article by Rebecca Murray.)
The CW’s The Originals star Riley Voelkel was part of the cast who made it to this year’s San Diego Comic-Con to talk about the dramatic turn of events at the end of season three and what’s in store for season four. Riley Voelkel was really happy to be part of The Originals Comic Con gang, telling us during our roundtable interview that she was having an “awesome” time experiencing the event and interacting with fans.
During our interview Voelkel also provided a few details about what we can expect when we meet up again with Freya for season four, and she revealed she’s really ready for Freya to finally have a love interest!
Riley Voelkel Interview:
Where is this journey going to go for Freya?
Riley Voelkel: “I think she’s going to come right back into going to work, you know? It’s going to be finding the cures and saving her family first, so there’s going to be no time to think about anything else. Hopefully, if that happens, Hope is now a child and she’s probably going to connect with her in the sense that she’s been through the same things when she was a child with these powers. She’ll probably be able to teach her what to do, what not to do. Hopefully have a love interest. You haven’t really seen that side of Freya and I think that would be interesting. And just she’s going to go through a shift, a change. I think you’re going to see a little bit more of a malicious side of her which, again, family is always going to be first but if anyone comes against her, it doesn’t matter who – family comes first.”
How will all the time spent in isolation affect the Mikaelsons? Will they have bonded more?
Riley Voelkel: “You know, I mean maybe they will. But I think as soon as she’s out of that dreamscape, it’s just straight to saving their lives. I don’t think there’s a whole lot of relaxing in the dreamscape. It’s hoping that she’s left the right clues for Hayley to get them back and that she can do her job when she gets out and save them all, and then face the big bads – anyone coming against her which includes Marcel, unfortunately, who used to be part of the family. But again I think it just doesn’t matter to her if you come against the family.”
Does she have a big revenge plan?
Riley Voelkel: “I think she wants to put an end to any threat to the family. I don’t know if it’s so much revenge as it is she’s had enough of this. She’s going to do whatever it is to keep them safe and make them feel safe and stay connected. Of course, we know that it doesn’t always work out that way, but I think she’s had enough.”
We’ve never seen her test the limits to her magic. Will we see some of that?
Riley Voelkel: “Right. I hope so. I hope so because when she first came in you could see how powerful she’s capable of being. She’s extremely powerful. You’ve seen a lot of her weaknesses through the seasons but I’m hoping this season is going to be a lot more about the Mikaelsons’ strengths and what they can do and coming together because I think they’ve been through a lot and they’ve all had enough. So I think you’re going to see some more power coming out of her, for sure.”
Back to the love interest, is that something you really want for her?
Riley Voelkel: “Yeah. I think she deserves a love interest. I think we haven’t seen that side of her. I don’t think she’s planning on finding one. I don’t think that’s in her brain, but I think she’s very capable of love and hopefully, that happens for her.”
Have you been pitching the idea of a love interest for Freya?
Riley Voelkel: “It’s funny because the fans actually have been a lot. I was just in a convention in Brussels and they were all asking about it. I think they’d love to see that side to her. You know, we’ve seen party Freya, we’ve seen sarcastic Freya. It would be nice to see in love Freya. It would have to be a very strong character, I think. It would be an interesting character to come into but, yeah, I’m excited for that.”
CBS’ hit dramatic series Scorpion left fans wondering what was going on with Happy, who her mystery husband could possibly be, and what did this unknown husband mean for the Happy Quinn/Toby Curtis relationship (or as fans refer to it, ‘Quintis’). So, what’s in store for season three? Writer/executive producer Nicholas Wootton provided a sneak peek into the upcoming season during our roundtable interview at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con. During our interview Wootton said viewers will be learning more about each member of #TeamScorpion, Happy’s hidden marrriage, and if we’ll ever see the musical episode fans have been asking for.
Scorpion season three will premiere on October 3, 2016.
Nicholas Wootton Interview:
How are you going to top season 2?
Nicholas Wootton: (Laughing) “Just wait. Well, you have to find out who she’s married to, for one. What we did at the beginning of this season when we first got there we broke out, I would say, twice the amount of personal story stuff for every character than we ever did before. I think the things that we learned from season one and season two were our best episodes are our most personal episodes, and also technologically what we’re able to do in terms of visual effects we’ve learned a lot. So, we’re actually able to make bigger, more active episodes because we know what we can pull off. But, there’s going to be big character twists like what you saw at the end of last season which we normally don’t do. We have more of those coming up because they’re really fun and I think that it was so great for us at the end of the season.
We’ve learned so much over the last seasons about the depth that we can take these characters and these actors. You know, we gave little bits to Jadyn (Wong) in terms of emotional stuff because it just wasn’t her character. We really had to find those things, but now it’s going to be a huge part of the first 10 episodes is really her emotional story in so many ways with the marriage and other complications…other things that are going to reverberate out. There’s going to be so much more of that than I think we’ve ever done before. We’re all very, very excited about it.”
At what point in the process did you decide having Happy be already married was going to be the twist?
Nicholas Wootton: “Last season, about two-thirds of the way through the season we thought it would be a really, really fun final sentence of the season. For that revelation to come at the end, it was like, ‘Oh my…’ If you’re a fan, if you’re devoted to the show, you have to come back. It has to come back. You have to know who it is. It was great because we pitched it out to the network executives like, ‘Who is it?!’ And we’re like, ‘We’re not telling you.’ No, we told them and they told us, ‘That’s crazy!’
There’s a lot of sort of big emotional twists in there that we normally don’t do. I think that we can do them because you’ve seen these characters evolve and you’ve seen what they are great at and what we can get out of what we can do with them which is great emotional stuff, especially for the Happy character. We saw the stuff with her father and she was so deep and so wonderful. So, a lot more of that coming up.”
Do you have conversations with the actors so they know what’s happening or are they surprised when they get the script?
Nicholas Wootton: (Laughing) “They are surprised when they get the script. Honestly, they knew…we have a dinner every year at Robert Patrick’s house at Christmas. We all go – myself, Nick Santora, and the cast – and it’s usually around Christmas that we know where the season’s going to go and we kind of know where the beginning of the next season’s going to be. We told them generally what’s happening and that the reveal was going to be Happy was going to be married. So, they know that. They didn’t know who she was married to. She didn’t know who she was married to – no, we actually did tell her but literally about three days before she got the script. We’re like, ‘We probably should tell her who she’s married to.’ Number one, they’re used to it. But, they’re also hugely trusting of us. They love where the stuff is going and they just sort of go along, like, ‘Great. Fabulous.’ And I think that this season has proved that out more than any other how these arcs are going to be so rich for them to play. But, yeah, they’re like, ‘I didn’t know Happy was married!’ A lot of surprises for TeamScorpion behind the scenes.”
She’s not going to have a baby that we don’t know about?
Nicholas Wootton: “Maybe! I don’t know. We’ve got a lot more to break out. We’ve got 20-something episodes to do. She could have two babies by the time we’re done.”
How do you find the topics for each episodes? Is there a lot of research that goes into the different challenges the team faces?
Nicholas Wootton: “Well, at the beginning of the season what we had our writers do is come up with…submit stuff over hiatus. They find it from everywhere. Scientific America, blogs, journals, everywhere. You look online. Anybody that they know who’s in sort of a field, you mine technological sources or medical sources or so many different sources. The beauty of the show is you can draw from really any sort of intellectual community to take dilemmas or new technology that could go wrong or adventures.”
So when is the musical episode?
Nicholas Wootton: “Everybody’s asking about the musical episode! The answer I’ve given to this, and my partner would kill me, but I think there’s a great episode where they play a song and they have a band. I don’t think it can be like West Side Story. I don’t think you want them to start busting into song. I don’t think you can do that. But, obviously Kat (McPhee) is brilliant. Ari (Stidham) is a musician. Elyes (Gabel) is in a band. And, mathematics and music are very closely linked. Musical people tend to be, can be, very mathematically inclined. So, there is a way to do it but I don’t know. There is a way – we haven’t quite cracked it yet. I think one of these days it may happen because it’s really fun. It’s a fun idea.”
Pedro Pascal and Boyd Holbrook in ‘Narcos’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Juan Pablo Gutierrez/Netflix)
There’s great news for those of us who spent part of the Labor Day holiday weekend binge-watching Narcos. Netflix just officially announced the critically acclaimed dramatic series has been renewed for seasons three and four. According to the very brief renewal announcement, Narcos executive producers José Padilha (Elite Squad, RoboCop) and Eric Newman (Children of Men) will return for at least two more seasons.
Narcos seasons one and two are currently streaming on Netflix. The series stars Wagner Moura as Pablo Escobar, Boyd Holbrook as DEA Agent Steve Murphy, and Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones) as DEA agent Javier Peña. The cast also includes Joanna Christie, Paulina García, Paulina Gaitan, Martina Garcia, Leynar Gomez, Stephanie Sigman, Raúl Méndez, Damián Alcázar and Diego Catano.
The Season 2 Plot:Narcos chronicles the gripping real-life stories of the infamous drug kingpins of the late 1980s and the corroborative efforts of law enforcement to meet them head on in brutal, bloody conflict. Its gritty storytelling details the many, often-conflicting forces – legal, political, police, military and civilian – that clash in the effort to control cocaine, one of the world’s most valuable commodities. In the second season, notorious drug kingpin Pablo Escobar is on the run, with the Colombian authorities in relentless pursuit — and determined to put an end to his illegal activities.
Danny McBride, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, and Walton Goggins in ‘Vice Principals’ (Photo: Fred Norris / HBO)
HBO’s Vice Principals will wrap up its first season with two new episodes airing September 11, 2016 and September 18, 2016. The half-hour comedy series was created by Eastbound and Down‘s Danny McBride and Jody Hill along with Ben Best. In addition to McBride, the cast includes Walton Goggins, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Georgia King, Busy Phillips, Shea Whigham, and Sheaun McKinney. Guest stars in season one have included Bill Murray, Susan Park, and Maya Love. The series will supposedly run for only two seasons, both consisting of nine half-hour episodes.
The Plot: When the longtime principal of a suburban high school steps down, ambitious vice principals Neal Gamby and Lee Russell both set their sights on the vacated top spot – only to see new rival Dr. Belinda Brown enter the picture. Putting their mutual disdain aside, these bitter antagonists form an unholy alliance to bring down the outsider by any means necessary.
Vice Principals 2016 September Episodes:
Episode #8: “Gin”
Debut: SUNDAY, SEPT. 11 (10:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Other HBO playdates: Sept. 11 (midnight, 1:00 a.m.), 12 (3:00 a.m.), 13 (11:00 p.m.), 14 (4:00 a.m.), 15 (12:20 a.m.) and 17 (1:20 a.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Sept. 13 (2:30 a.m.), 17 (8:30 p.m.) and 24 (5:05 p.m.)
Gamby (Danny McBride) and Russell (Walton Goggins) look to finish what they started; Gamby confronts Amanda (Georgia King) about her relationship with Hayden (Mike O’Gorman).
Written by Danny R. McBride, John Carcieri & Tim Saccardo; directed by Jody Hill.
Episode #9: “End of the Line” (season finale)
Debut: SUNDAY, SEPT. 18 (10:30-11:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Sept. 18 (midnight, 1:00 a.m.), 19 (2:15 a.m.), 20 (10:35 p.m.), 21 (4:00 a.m.), 22 (12:35 a.m.) and 24 (12:35 a.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Sept. 20 (1:30 a.m.) and 24 (5:40 p.m., 8:30 p.m.)
Gamby (Danny McBride) and Russell (Walton Goggins) play their end game with Dr. Brown (Kimberly Hébert Gregory).
Written by Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri; directed by Jody Hill.
As summer comes to a close, vacations end, and kids head back to the classrooms, so ends the summer blockbuster season in order to make way for Oscar hopefuls as well as the films looking to entertain moviegoers this coming holiday season. It also means it’s time once again for the Fall Movie Preview. What can movie fans expect to see up on the big screen this fall and holiday season? Among the films headed to the theaters in the last few months of 2016 are a remake of a classic Western, the story of a pilot who became a worldwide hero, a permanently injured surgeon who becomes a superhero, a wizard hunting magical creatures, a WWII epic, and another new adventure in a galaxy far far away.
SEPTEMBER
SULLY – Starring Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, and Laura Linney (Release Date 9/9) The Plot – On January 15, 2009, the world witnessed the “Miracle on the Hudson” when Captain “Sully” Sullenberger (Hanks) glided his disabled plane onto the frigid waters of the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 aboard. However, even as Sully was being heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and his career.
Outlook – Directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Tom Hanks and Aaron Eckhart, Sully looks to be a stirring drama that just might lead to a few Oscar nominations for both its star and director. The story is still fresh in potential ticket buyers’ minds, and with Hanks in the lead Sully should perform strong at the box office. The only thing potentially holding it back are Clint Eastwood’s recent highly controversial comments on racism.
SNOWDEN – Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Rhys Ifans, and Melissa Leo (Release Date 9/16) The Plot – Snowden reveals the incredible untold personal story of Edward Snowden, the polarizing figure who exposed shocking illegal surveillance activities by the NSA and became one of the most wanted men in the world. He is considered a hero by some, and a traitor by others. No matter which you believe, the epic story of why he did it, who he left behind, and how he pulled it off makes for a compelling story.
Outlook – Directed by Oliver Stone and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the film hopes to capture the paranoia and fear that drove the main character to become the most wanted man in U.S. history. But will it draw in moviegoers who are tired of Stone’s conspiracy films and his style of filmmaking? The buzz hasn’t been quite as loud for this particular film as you’d expect.
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN – Starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Byung-Hun Lee, Martin Sensmeier, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Vincent D’Onofrio, Peter Sarsgaard, and Haley Bennett (Release Date 9/23) The Plot – With the town of Rose Creek under the deadly control of industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Sarsgaard), the desperate townspeople employ protection from seven outlaws, bounty hunters, gamblers and hired guns – Sam Chisolm (Washington), Josh Farraday (Pratt), Goodnight Robicheaux (Hawke), Jack Horne (D’Onofrio), Billy Rocks (Lee), Vasquez (Garcia-Rulfo), and Red Harvest (Sensmeier). As they prepare the town for the violent showdown that they know is coming, these seven mercenaries find themselves fighting for more than money.
Outlook – With a great cast and the director of the film Training Day at the helm, this remake might be an above average Western. However, it’s going to be compared to the 1960 original film which starred Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen and Eli Wallach and is still considered by movie fans and critics to be one of the best Westerns ever made. What may save it is its appeal to a younger demographic that likely hasn’t seen the classic film.
STORKS – Voiced by Andy Samberg, Kelsey Grammer, Keegan-Michael Key, and Jordan Peele (Release Date 9/23) The Plot – Storks deliver babies…or at least they used to. Now they deliver packages for a global internet retail giant. Junior, the company’s top delivery stork, is about to be promoted when he accidentally activates the Baby Making Machine, producing an adorable and wholly unauthorized baby girl. Desperate to deliver this bundle of trouble before the boss gets wise, Junior and his friend Tulip, the only human on Stork Mountain, race to make their first-ever baby drop – in a wild and revealing journey that could make more than one family whole and restore the storks’ true mission in the world.
Outlook – The trailer looks like combo of silly and zany, but at least it does boost a talented voice cast. There’s a possibility this goofy animated film will draw in families who are desperate for another animated movie to fill some weekend hours. However, the trailer for Storks just doesn’t hold up when compared to earlier 2016 animated offerings. Hopefully, the bird-friendly, family-friendly film is better than its promotional videos.
QUEEN OF KATWE – Starring Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo, and Madina Nalwanga (Release Date 9/23) The Plot – Queen of Katwe is based on the true story of a young girl from the streets of rural Uganda whose world rapidly changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of the support she receives from her family and community, is instilled with the confidence and determination she needs to pursue her dream of becoming an international chess champion.
Outlook – Based on a truly inspirational story, Queen of Katwe could be the inspiring underdog film of the year or it could be another forced misfire like the film Hands of Stone. Working in its favor are two award-winning lead actors and critically acclaimed director Mira Nair at the helm.
DEEPWATER HORIZON – Starring Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Gina Rodriguez, and Dylan O’Brien (Release Date 9/30) The Plot – On April 20th, 2010, one of the world’s largest man-made disasters occurred on the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico. Directed by Peter Berg, this story honors the brave men and women whose heroism would save many on board, and change everyone’s lives forever.
Outlook – The Deepwater Horizon disaster is still relatively fresh in our minds and the movie based on the devastating event may wind up being one of 2016’s best action films. Wahlberg reunites with his The Lone Survivor director Peter Berg who brought out the best in the rapper-turned actor, and the rest of the cast is also strong. Also working in its favor in building up momentum as it heads into theaters is an impressive trailer.
Poster for ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children’
MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN – Starring Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, and Chris O’Dowd (Release Date 9/30) The Plot – When Jake discovers clues to a mystery that spans alternate realities and times, he uncovers a secret refuge known as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As he learns about the residents and their unusual abilities, Jake realizes that safety is an illusion, and danger lurks in the form of powerful, hidden enemies. Jake must figure out who is real, who can be trusted, and who he really is.
Outlook – Tim Burton returns and his fans have been waiting for another Burton fantasy adventure, but is Miss Peregrine’s the right match of director and story? Also, for those who haven’t read the book series by Ransom Riggs the trailers thus far have made it seem like the world of Miss Peregrine’s is a lot like that of the X-Men franchise. This will be a real test to see if Burton has found his footing again and if Miss Peregrine’s is the launch a successful new film franchise.
OCTOBER
THE BIRTH OF A NATION – Starring Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aunjanue Ellis, Dwight Henry, and Aja Naomi King (Release Date 10/7) The Plot – Set against the antebellum South, The Birth of a Nation follows Nat Turner (Parker), a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner (Hammer), accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. As he witnesses countless atrocities – against himself and his fellow slaves – Nat orchestrates and uprising in the hopes of leading his people to freedom.
Outlook – The Birth of a Nation was a hit at Sundance and started off as a sure Oscar contender following its successful festival screenings. However, the film’s box office and awards season run will take a hit after Parker’s alleged involvement in the rape of a fellow college student once again has become a hot button topic.
THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN – Starring Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennett, Justin Theroux, and Luke Evans (Release Date 10/7) The Plot – In the thriller, Rachel (Blunt), who is devastated by her recent divorce, spends her daily commute fantasizing about the seemingly perfect couple who live in a house that her train passes every day, until one morning she sees something shocking happen there and becomes entangled in the mystery that unfolds.
Outlook – The trailer perfectly captured the story and the tone of the best-selling novel. The Girl on the Train is possibly this year’s Gone Girl – that rare film that remains true to the source material and entertains audiences who have not yet picked up the book.
THE ACCOUNTANT – Starring Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, Jon Bernthal, and J.K. Simmons (Release Date 10/14) The Plot – Christian Wolff (Affleck) is a math savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Behind the cover of a small-town CPA office, he works as a freelance accountant for some of the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations. With the Treasury Department’s Crime Enforcement Division, run by Ray King (Simmons), starting to close in, Christian takes on a legitimate client: a state-of-the-art robotics company where an accounting clerk (Kendrick) has discovered a discrepancy involving millions of dollars. But as Christian uncooks the books and gets closer to the truth, it is the body count that starts to rise.
Outlook – There really hasn’t been much of a theatrical release promotional campaign yet for The Accountant, which is unusual given the film’s star power. It’s tough to tell if this thriller will deliver the goods, but at least the premise sounds interesting.
AMERICAN PASTORAL – Starring Ewan McGregor, Jennifer Connelly, and Dakota Fanning (Release Date 10/21) The Plot – American Pastoral follows a family whose seemingly idyllic existence is shattered by the social and political turmoil of the 1960s. Ewan McGregor stars as Seymour “Swede” Levov, a once legendary high school athlete who is now a successful businessman married to Dawn (Connelly), a former beauty queen. But turmoil brews beneath the polished veneer of Swede’s life. When his beloved teenage daughter, Merry (Fanning), disappears after being accused of committing a violent act, Swede dedicates himself to finding her and reuniting his family. What he discovers shakes him to the core, forcing him to look beneath the surface and confront the chaos that is shaping the world around him.
Outlook – Directed by first-time feature film helmer Ewan McGregor and based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, American Pastoral may be an Oscar contender judging solely on its impressive first trailer. Philip Roth’s bestselling novel was published in 1997 but the story that unfolds is just as timely today as it was 20 years ago.
JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK – Starring Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, and Aldis Hodge (Release Date 10/21) The Plot – Major Susan Turner (Smulders) is the Army Major who heads Reacher’s old investigative unit. She is arrested for Treason and knowing that she is innocent, Jack Reacher (Cruise) must break her out of prison and uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy in order to clear their names and save their lives. On the run as fugitives from the law, Reacher uncovers a potential secret from his past that could change his life forever.
Outlook – Like him or not, Cruise knows how to make a high-energy action thriller, something he’s proven with the Mission Impossible franchise. 2012’s Jack Reacher made $218 million worldwide before exiting theaters and given the lack of real action hits in 2016, this Jack Reacher sequel may even do better.
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES – Starring Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher, Jon Hamm, and Gal Gadot (Release Date 10/21) The Plot – An ordinary suburban couple (Galifianakis, Fisher) finds it’s not easy keeping up with the Joneses (Hamm, Gadot) – their impossibly gorgeous and ultra-sophisticated new neighbors – especially when they discover that Mr. and Mrs. “Jones” are covert operatives.
Outlook – If the film is half as funny as the trailer, this will be the comedy hit of the fall season. Please don’t let the funniest parts be in the trailer.
INFERNO – Starring Tom Hanks, Ben Foster, and Felicity Jones (Release Date 10/28) The Plot – Inferno finds the famous symbologist (Hanks) on a trail of clues tied to the great Dante himself. When Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Sienna Brooks (Jones), a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memories. Together, they race across Europe and against the clock to foil a deadly global plot.
Outlook – 2006’s The Da Vinci Code made $758 million worldwide and the sequel, 2009’s Angels and Demons, exited theaters after only ringing up $485 million. There wasn’t much of a demand for a third film, but with Hanks and director Ron Howard back on board Inferno moved forward. But at this point do we really need another Robert Langdon story? It’s likely the other Langdon novel, The Lost Symbol, will never see the light of day as a feature film if Inferno doesn’t match or best Angels and Demons.
