Lucasfilm and Disney will be releasing the new trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens during halftime of ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast of the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles game on October 19, 2015. The game will start at 5:15pm PT so you can expect halftime about 6:45ish.
With the trailer set to debut tomorrow, today Lucasfilm unveiled a poster that’s loaded with clues. In fact, there might be too much going on in the poster but curiously Mark Hamill is nowhere to be seen even though Harrison Ford’s Han Solo and Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia are present. And once again John Boyega’s Finn is seen with a lightsaber.
In addition to the new poster and trailer, Lucasfilm and Disney confirmed online ticket sellers will begin selling tickets to the much-anticipated December 18, 2015 release of the new Star Wars film following the launch of the trailer.
J.J. Abrams directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens which stars Boyega, Hamill, Ford, Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max Von Sydow.
Sebastian Stan at the ‘Iron Man 3’ premiere (Photo By Richard Chavez)
Showtime’s signed Oscar winner Melissa Leo and Clark Duke to star in I’m Dying Up Here, a new dark comedy pilot from writer/executive producer Dave Flebotte (Masters of Sex). If the pilot’s picked up, Sebastian Stan would guest star (he’ll star in the pilot episode). The cast also includes Ari Graynor, Andrew Santino, RJ Cyler, Erik Griffin, and Stephen Guarino. Jim Carrey, Michael Aguilar, and Christina Wayne are on board as executive producers and Jonathan Levine (Warm Bodies) is directing the pilot.
Filming is expected to take place this fall. I’m Dying Up Here is based on William Knoedelseder’s non-fiction book.
The Plot:
Set in L.A.’s celebrated, infamous stand-up comedy scene of the 1970s, during which the careers of most of our comedy superstars began, the pilot will delve into the inspired and damaged psyches that inhabit the hilarious, but complex business of making an audience laugh.
Leo will play the role of “Goldie,” a brassy comedy club owner who rules over her business with an iron fist and nurtures her comedians with tough love. Stan will play “Clay,” a funny, charming comedian on the rise, who declares irrelevancy as his biggest fear. He is idolized by his ex and fellow comedian Cassie (Graynor). Duke will play “Larry,” a ballsy young comedian from Boston who moves to L.A. with the hopes of making it big.
Missy Peregrym, Benz Antoine, and Ben Bass in ‘Rookie Blue’ (Photo by Caitlin Cronenberg / ABC via Getty Images)
ABC has ended the run of Rookie Blue starring Missy Peregrym after six seasons, with the recent season finale now serving as the series’ finale. Creator Ilana Frank confirmed the decision, saying, “On behalf of the whole Rookie Blue family, thank you to all the fans for your dedication over the last six years. After six fun and dramatic seasons, our story has come to a natural close.”
Series stars Peregrym, Enuka Okuma, and Priscilla Faia took to twitter to thank fans for their six years of support:
“Message to the fans from Charlotte Sullivan. She is forever grateful for you support and wanted to say….”They’ve burst my heart open and I’m going to need biomaterials to replace my busted heart. I will never be the same.” – Charlotte AKA Gail” – @mperegrym
“6 amazing years of memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. Thank u @RookieBlue_ABC @Rookiebluetv and LOVE 2 the best FANS ever!” – @enukaokuma
“With the official word out. I would like to thank all of you for your undying support. Some of the best times in my life. @Rookiebluetv” – @priscillafaia
Syfy is also saying goodbye to two of its primetime shows. Neither Defiance nor Dominion will be returning for additional seasons. Defiance‘s third season ratings were down from season two while Dominion just never caught on with viewers and will end after two seasons.
Confirming the cancellation of Defiance, Syfy released a statement: “Defiance was a truly groundbreaking series, delivering an immersive, cross-platform experience that transcended the television screen in a way that viewers had never seen before. We are incredibly proud of the work of the extraordinary cast, writers, artists and designers — and especially showrunner Kevin Murphy — who together brought the rich world of Defiance to life over its three season arc.”
Dominion star Chris Egan also tweeted a thanks to his fans:
Its been a privilege being a part of this show. And to each and everyone of the #Dominion fam, I'd fight beside any of you in battle!
Nicholas Hoult stars in the action film ‘Collide.’
Director Eran Creevy’s Collide has been picked up by Open Road and will open in theaters on April 1, 2016. Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road) leads the cast which includes Felicity Jones, Anthony Hopkins, and Ben Kingsley.
Creevy’s Collide (previously known as Autobahn) was originally slated for release this year by Relativity but returned to IM Global after Relativity filed bankruptcy. Open Road acquired the U.S. distribution rights in a deal with IM Global which was officially announced by Open Road Films CEO Tom Ortenberg and IM Global Founder and CEO Stuart Ford.
Joel Silver, Ben Pugh, Rory Aitken, and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones produced Collide.
The Plot:
In Collide a young American couple Casey (Hoult) and Juliette (Jones) are plunged into an adrenaline- pumping game of cat and mouse across Germany when they find themselves caught between two ruthless feuding criminals (Hopkins and Kingsley).
“The next mistake our countries make could be the last one,” says Jim Donovan (Tom Hanks) to one of the chief KGB negotiators while trying to come to an agreement about the United States and Russia swapping spies during the height of the Cold War in the thriller, Bridge of Spies.
Jim Donovan is an insurance lawyer who is handpicked by the U.S. government for the unwanted and undesirable task of representing and defending KGB spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) who’s on trial for the crime of espionage against the United States. Donovan struggles to do his best to build a case with a client who is guilty and a family who doesn’t understand why he has to be the one to defend an enemy of the state. He finds his will, determination, and belief in the law to be his only allies in trying to deliver a solid defense and fair trial for Mr. Abel. Despite his best efforts, Rudolph Abel is found guilty of his crimes. However, thanks to Donovan having had a discussion with the judge about not sentencing Abel to death for doing his job for his country, using the argument that it might influence Russia to make the same decision if they ever catch a U.S. spy, Abel is instead sentenced to serve a jail term.
Almost as though Donovan had seen a glimpse of the future it’s not long before the famous CIA U-2 spy plane is shot down and pilot Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell) is captured, put on trial, and found guilty of espionage. This is when the CIA reaches out to Donovan and recruits him for the intense mission to negotiate the release of Powers in exchange for the Russian spy Abel. Both countries agree to have the negotiations in Berlin just as the city is being split in two by the Berlin Wall dividing East and West, with the East side being communist loyal to Russia.
Based on a true story and expertly directed by Steven Spielberg, Bridge of Spies is a suspenseful, taut, engaging, historical spy drama that brings back to life up on the big screen the fear, hatred, and mistrust that existed between the U.S. and Russia in the late 1950s and into the 1960s. It’s an incredibly engaging film with a tight script and two stand-out performances.
Tom Hanks delivers another dynamic performance as Jim Donovan the insurance lawyer who loves the law and gets pulled into a very dangerous and intense game of spy trade for the good of both countries. It’s the classic situation of an everyman being in way over his head and rising to the occasion. Hanks displays perfectly the concern, frustration, fear, and determination Donovan goes through trying to make this historical, never been done before swap and becomes even more steadfast in being successful when the stakes are raised and he has to try to get two Americans back for the price of one KGB agent.
The other stand-out performance is given by Tony Award-winner Mark Rylance as the seasoned KGB spy Rudolph Abel. It’s a low-key almost mild-mannered performance of a man who views himself as a patriot to his country and just doing his job, which happens to be espionage. The scenes between Rylance and Hanks are some of the best in the film, with both actors having real chemistry on screen and showing how these two men eventually grow from being lawyer and client to borderline friends. Here’s hoping Rylance’s performance is remembered by Academy Awards voters when considering nominees in the Best Supporting Actor category.
The production design, costumes, set design, and cinematography are all excellent in bringing to life the late 1950s and early ’60s so vividly that audiences are sure to feel teleported back to a time when the U.S., Russia, and Germany were full of mistrust, suspicion, hate, and even courage.
Compelling and intriguing, Bridge of Spies is an extremely well-crafted historical drama that’s sure to entertain as well as enlighten moviegoers. It’s one of this year’s best films.
GRADE: B+
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violence and brief strong language
Steve McQueen as Jimmy Borrelli in ‘Chicago Fire’ (Photo by Elizabeth Morris / NBC)
Season four of NBC’s popular dramatic series Chicago Fire kicked off on October 13, 2015 with an episode that found Lt. Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) stripped of his leadership duties and a new cadet making quite an impression – mostly negative – on Chicago Firehouse 51. The new cadet is played by The Vampire Diaries‘ Steven R. McQueen who joins the cast as Jimmy Borrelli. With the season just getting underway, Chicago Fire newbie McQueen joined Kara Killmer who plays paramedic Sylvie Brett and executive producer Matt Olmstead on a conference call to discuss what’s in store for Chicago Fire‘s fourth season.
Matt, how did you go about casting Steven as Jimmy Borrelli?
Matt Olmstead: “We opened to casting and it was Jason Beghe who plays Voight on Chicago P.D. who called me and mentioned Steven. They know each other… I don’t know how exactly they know each other.”
Steven R. McQueen: “We workout together in (Alba).”
Matt Olmstead: “[…]And I’m like, ‘Yes, can we get him? I know he’s come off the show.’ And he, Jason, talked up Steven not only as a talent but as a person which goes a long way. Because you go to Chicago, you’re away from home. You kind of have a new family. You’re going through the cold, and it takes a certain personality. You kind of have to go through it together and so when we were looking to get a read for it and it’s one of those things. You know, it’s like when Kara read for Brett, it was just, ‘This is it.’ And so it came through Jason. He recommended and did little phone calls and negotiated and we made it happen. And, we’re very fortunate.”
How much involvement does Dick Wolf have in the series now?
Matt Olmstead: “He has a lot, by his own assessment. He likes to keep, as he’ll say, a light hand on the wheel. When it’s going well, he encourages everybody to do their job, put them in the position to succeed. And when it starts to wobble or when there’s interference, infrequently I’ll say, from network on something that’s when he gets involved which is nice to have, I might add, you know?. The, ‘Call Dick,’ is nice to kind of be able to pull out of your pocket when you need it.
But in particular he’s involved at the beginning of each season, in terms of making sure the shows are going in the right direction. There’s enough conflict. He’s fully aware of the fact that with these relationship ensembles, you can burn through stories. If you’re going to do it, you’ve got to have new characters or new conflicts like that. It was his idea to introduce this Patterson character having come in at the beginning of the season and the Riddle character, and it was a good idea. He’s there with fresh eyes to assess and make sure that everybody’s doing their best work and that the material is feeding, hopefully the prior season’s material.”
Steven, how many takes did you do of your introduction scene in episode one of this season?
Steven R. McQueen: “We had to do it a couple of times but it was a lot of fun. It was a great way to meet the cast and crew. You know, everyone was there. I met them all when my box is wrapped up in toilet paper. So, you know, I don’t think there’s a better way to make an entrance – or break the ice at least.”
The character got hazed. Did any of the actors do any hazing as well?
Steven R. McQueen: “You know what? That’s honestly been one of the coolest parts about this experience is coming to Chicago and then being in a new place. This cast and this crew has been so incredibly welcoming that it’s made it feel more like a family than work.”
Kara, after a season of playing Sylvie, what are some of the things you like most about the character?
Kara Killmer: “I think what I love about Sylvie is that she comes from a small town. Obviously I know all about that. And similar just even to my own personal [life], she’s having to figure out how to kind of start over. She’s figuring out what she’s made of and she’s having to learn how to do that with this incredible group of people who are very supportive but very challenging. So I think throughout last season and certainly through this season, you get to see different scenarios where Sylvie is really having to kind of reach in for her inner gumption. I really like that about her because she seems very resilient and sort of an eternal optimist.”
How will Jimmy’s arrival affect the house and the squad this season?
Kara Killmer: “I think with last season obviously we start out by losing Leslie Shay. And then at the end of the season we lose Peter Mills, so I think that the house, Firehouse 51, is still just a tad bit raw from all of the transitions. But I think that people really welcome him in. There’s always an adjustment period. You know, there’s always a period and I think you can see that well in the first couple of episodes where people are still just trying to kind of figure him out, as you would. Because if you’re running into a burning building, you need to know that the person who’s running in there with you is going to have your back. And so I think you really see everyone trying to figure him out and really kind of testing him in a good way, in a friendly way.”
Steven R. McQueen: “Yes. I mean from the new guy’s perspective, you’re the cadet so people are going to – I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this – but bust your balls. But the thing about Jimmy is he’s kind of a hard worker and he finds a way to wean himself in there right away. So while they’re tough on him, he finds a way to hold his own pretty quick.”
Steven, how are you holding your own in Chicago?
Steven R. McQueen: “You know what? It’s a beautiful city. You know, we get to shoot on location a lot of the time during these action sequences. It’s cool. I get to see just this and that.”
Dora Madison as Chili and Kara Killmer as Sylvie Brett in ‘Chicago Fire’ (Photo by Elizabeth Morris / NBC)
Kara, Sylvie went through so much last season but are there any particular challenges that she’ll will have to face this season?
Kara Killmer: “Oh yes. I think towards the end of last season we introduced Dora Madison’s character, Chili, as Sylvie’s new partner. And while they’ve had a few opportunities to kind of adjust to one another, I think the season is really going to be about them really coming together as partners and as friends. There’s just a rainbow of different scenarios that paramedics get met with. And, you know, we’ve seen Sylvie go through a journey of having to kind of toughen up and get thicker skin whenever she’s running on some of these emergencies. But I think season four is really taking it to the next level. I mean, there’s so much emotion and so much at stake; it’s just a taxing job physically and emotionally. The writers have written a lot of conflicts and just very challenging circumstances that Sylvie’s going to have to overcome emotionally and physically. And [she’s] trying to figure out who can she lean on for those things and bond with in the process, so there’s going to be a lot of that this season.”
What can you tell us about Jimmy that we don’t know yet?
Steven R. McQueen: “Well I think that’s going to be kind of the fun of it. You know, you kind of see it as it comes. He’s the new guy so he’s got to earn his place, but he’s eager and hardworking and he wedged himself in there, you know?
It was interesting. When I first got to Chicago, I got to talk to a couple of firefighters and asked them what it was like fighting their first fire. None of them said fear. They all said it was kind of like clockwork. You all have to move like gears working together to accomplish one goal. So if you’re the cadet, you’ve got to find your place in that clock. You’ve got to become a gear and you’ve got to make it work.”
Matt, how has the writing process changed from when you first started to this season? Have you evolved in a certain sort of way or figured out some shortcuts?
Matt Olmstead: “Not really. You know, one of the things, if you’re fortunate you can get some great writers on your staff. In my opinion, based on my experience, that makes or breaks the show. We’ve had Andrea Newman and Michael Gilvary since day one and they’re still on the show. Derek and Michael who created Chicago Fire are still on the show, so there’s been a continuity since the beginning. And bringing in new voices always helps certainly.
But the process doesn’t really change because there really is a tried and true formula that works on any show and has for many, many years that you don’t really mess with it. You’ve got to have the right people hopefully and work your ass off and cross your fingers.”
Kara and Steven, how do you feel right before you read a script? Are you excited? Are you nervous?
Steven R. McQueen: “I’m absolutely excited. It’s exciting to see what’s coming next.”
Kara Killmer: “It’s less stressful. These last couple of episodes have been like a page-turner. I’ve got to stop reading them on set because they’ll be like, ‘Kara, we’re calling you. Can you please come?’ It’s like, ‘I’m finishing this last page, just let me, okay, okay here I go.’
These last couple have just been kind of riveting. So, it is exciting. It is exciting to see where they take things. And I feel like even as an audience member watching the show, it’s interesting to see the arcs that the writers are able to put into the stories. Like, I feel like it’s sort of a pendulum swing. It always goes back and forth between conflict that’s happening within the house and within the characters with conflict that’s happening outside of the house and the adversity that they’re met with and that forces them to kind of stick together. I feel like you can really see the pendulum swing back and forth between those two things, and it just makes it so interesting and keeps things fresh.”
Steven R. McQueen: “Yes, the same. I mean, I get excited with every script. And for myself, since this is a newer character for me, I kind of like [that] I get to see more parts of Jimmy with every episode. So I’ll see like some episodes where he’s just a super nice guy and some moments where he kind of snaps and it’s fun. It keeps it fun.”
How is the series going to handle Casey’s pregnancy?
Matt Olmstead: “That is a big turning point for the show, for the character, for the Casey character. You can’t be an active duty firefighter while pregnant and so she goes to work for Arson Investigation. And Severide had kind of helped there a little bit in the past. He was recruited to work there. His dad, Benny, had worked there so it’s kind of in the blood a little bit. He had shown an aptitude towards it and so had Dawson when they both investigated the Shay death/arson, and so it’s already in her wheelhouse. There are already connections there so it’s a pretty easy move for her, though jarring because she’s away from her extended family. She’s away from the adrenaline of being a firefighter which she really wanted to be and was intending on doing it for many, many years.
It’s at once a step down and a step up because fairly quickly she is in charge of investigating an arson that 51 responded to and 51 is in hot water for. She has a lot on the line in terms of investigating this arson to see if she can essentially clear the name of 51. But arson, as it’s been pointed on the show and in reality, is difficult to prove. It’s a slower process than perhaps 51 would care for but she is doing the best she can. So, yes, she transfers over to Arson Investigation and does that.”
How does Severide’s demotion affect his relationship with his peers and his superiors as well?
Matt Olmstead: “Actually it’s a pretty cool storyline and going back to a question that was posed earlier about that, that was a Dick idea in terms of how to shake things up. Because, just to go back to the question a little bit to inform this question that you really do have to be vigilant, storytelling wise. There is an old tip that was brought up by a screenwriter many, many years ago to me who said you can’t have your story turn into village of the happy people. If you take your eye off the ball, all of the sudden everybody kind of gets along. Everybody is friends and then you’re like, ‘Oh sh*t, where did all the conflict go?’ And maybe it’s too late, hopefully it’s not too late.
There was this assessment at the beginning of the season how to bring in some conflict that is natural, that is organic. That’s real world for firefighters. And we looked at Severide’s track record and you start to add up the people who’ve rotated through the squad, friends, not friends and that becomes a black mark on his record. That’s why he gets dinged. And for Severide in particular, it’s great because he has to when he’s demoted it’s humiliating. His approach to it is, ‘I can either do what I’ve always done in life and in relationships which is just breeze on out of here and go to the next girlfriend, or the next town, or the next job, or the next whatever which I’m good at. Or am I at the place in my life and is this house worth fighting for and sticking around with to suck it up and work my way back. And, also, is there a part of me that admits that maybe they’re right in a way? Maybe I am too aloof as a manager, a leader. Maybe I can get better at it.’ So he has to step down and work for somebody else for a while in hopes of one day getting his lieutenantship back and take over a squad. So, it really throws him in the deep end.”
Stephen S. Campanelli makes his feature film directorial debut with the action thriller Momentum starring Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace) and James Purefoy (The Following). Campanelli’s background is as a camera operator on films including American Sniper, The Maze Runner, Seven Psychopaths, and Invictus, and he learned from years of work behind a camera how to frame shots and set up action scenes. And to his credit, both are done well in Momentum.
It’s not the pacing of the film or the stunt sequences that trip up momentum’s Momentum; it’s strictly the story that makes Momentum easily forgettable.
Kurylenko plays Alex, an “infiltration expert” who participates in a bank heist with the target being a cache of diamonds. The film kicks off with the completely disguised team of bank robbers (complete with voice-altering mechanisms) pulling off the heist but not without a few hitches, including in-fighting and the reveal of Alex’s face to bystanders being held hostage inside the bank. Things continue to get messy as she’s now on an assassin known as Mr. Washington’s bad side. He needs to get the diamonds to their ultimate destination, but finding them requires taking on Alex who has a particular set of skills that includes being able to one-up a master assassin.
There actually isn’t much to the story until the film’s final 10 minutes when a surprise reveal is made and the plot, as they say, thickens. However, by that point, it’s obvious Momentum is simply paving the way for a sequel – a sequel that has the potential to be a lot more entertaining than Momentum.
Kurylenko is up to the task of leading this action film and is completely believable as an action heroine. But the script lets her down as Alex isn’t a character who displays any emotions or personality, and nothing about Alex makes the audience cheer her on. Likewise for Purefoy who is also given a one-note character who does nothing but pursue Alex from the moment the character’s introduced.
Momentum has its moments of fun, but overall it’s a well-shot, capably acted run-of-the-mill action film that tells the simplest of stories and never engages the audience. The hour-and-a-half-long film is all about moving things forward action scene by action scene, letting character development fall by the wayside in order to squeeze in more stunts. Did I care who lives or dies in Momentum? No, not in the least. Do I want to see the sequel that this film so obviously sets up? Regrettably, no, because even though it seems like it could be a much more engaging film, nothing about Momentum would make me want to spend more time with Alex or her cohorts in crime.
Powers Boothe (Deadwood) will have a recurring role in the action series Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., as just announced by Marvel Studios. Boothe will be playing Gideon Malick, a character described as a “notorious man whose loyalties remain a mystery.” Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is currently airing season three on Tuesday nights at 9pm ET/PT on ABC and is executive produced by Joss Whedon (Marvel’s The Avengers), Jed Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, Jeffrey Bell, and Jeph Loeb.
“Gideon is incredibly menacing, and in him, we have a character that even the stone-cold Grant Ward would fear,” explained Head of Marvel Television Jeph Loeb. “Only someone of Powers’ caliber could deliver the type of ominous and powerful performance we needed.”
Boothe’s no stranger to the world of Marvel, having had a small role in The Avengers. Other credits include Nashville, 24, Sin City, Men of Honor, Nixon, and Tombstone.
The Plot:
In the aftermath of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s battle with Jiaying and the Inhumans, Director Coulson will search the world for more powered people and will face threats unlike the world has ever seen. However, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will soon find out they’re not the only ones tracking down these new Inhumans.
The legendary curse of the Bell Witch is explored in A&E Network’s new series Cursed: The Bell Witch. Debuting on October 26, 2015 at 10pm ET/PT, the series stars Bell Witch curse descendant John Ceallach who believes his son is next in line for the curse. The original series is executive produced by Rebecca Toth Diefenbach, Valerie Haselton, Lucilla D’Agostino, Phil Davis, Elaine Frontain Bryant, Brad Abramsonm and Laurie Sharpe.
The Plot: “Legend has it that in the early 1800s, a Tennessee landowner named John Bell had a child out of wedlock with a local witch named Kate Batts. To cover his tracks, it is believed he murdered her and in turn she cursed his family bloodline from her grave; the first-born male of each generation would either be driven insane or suffer a mysterious, untimely death. Since then, five Bell men are reported to have suffered this fate and today, John Ceallach, a direct descendent of John Bell, finds that his 14-year-old son could be next in line.
Ceallach and his best friend Chad Higgenbotham, both armed with expert military experience, will embark on a haunted investigation as they enlist the help of psychics, shamans, paranormal investigators and demonologists to get to the bottom of the curse that has plagued John’s family for generations. In the end, they hope to find the origin of the curse and the closure needed for this long-standing spell to be broken.”
The Walking Dead‘s Lauren Cohan stars in the horror film The Boy alongside a creepy, life-sized doll that’s equally as scary as The Conjuring‘s Annabelle. STX Films just released a new trailer for the thriller directed by William Brent Bell and co-starring Rupert Evans, Jim Norton, Diana Hardcastle, Ben Robson, and James Russell. The Boy will be helping to kick off 2016 with a January 22nd theatrical release.
The Plot:
Greta (Cohan) is a young American woman who takes a job as a nanny in a remote English village, only to discover that the family’s 8-year-old is a life-sized doll that the parents care for just like a real boy, as a way to cope with the death of their actual son 20 years prior. After violating a list of strict rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events bring Greta’s worst nightmare to life, leading her to believe that the doll is actually alive.
