The 2013 horror comedy This Is The End starring Seth Rogen and James Franco inspired a new maze at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. The 3D maze will open on September 18, 2015 and will run through November 1st, with guests entering “James Franco’s house before the Apocalypse strikes and they find themselves trapped in a life-and-death struggle against the demons of the underworld.”
Other attractions at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights include the Terror Tram, Guillermo del Toro Presents Crimson Peak: Maze of Madness, The Walking Dead: Wolves Not Far, Insidious: Return to the Further, and Halloween: Michael Myers Comes Home. Dance crew Jabbawockeez will be taking the stage every night during the Halloween event.
“This is the End brings a new dimension of fear to Halloween Horror Nights by fusing the best of two extreme worlds — horror and comedy — to create a literal and figurative three-dimensional experiential version of the film,” said John Murdy, Creative Director at Universal Studios Hollywood and Executive Producer of Halloween Horror Nights. “Our collaboration with James Franco, Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill to transform this outrageous movie into a terrifying maze underscores the impact of ‘Halloween Horror Nights’ as one the most influential Halloween events around.”
Zachary Levi as Luke Collins in ‘Heroes Reborn’ (Photo by: Christos Kalohoridis / NBC)
NBC’s Heroes Reborn will have its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. The series will debut as part of the new Primetime lineup at the 40th TIFF. Six television programs were selected overall: Heroes Reborn, Casual, CROMO, Keith Richards: Under the Influence, The Returned (Les Revenants), and Trapped (Ófærð). In addition to screening the TV shows, Q&As will be held with the series’ creators.
“The growing convergence and artistic equality between television and cinema has ushered in a new era of high-quality, small-screen programming,” said Piers Handling, Director and CEO of TIFF. “Primetime aims to spotlight the cross-pollination of these two moving image cultures, showcasing the bold and impressive work that’s being produced on an international scale.”
“Television has entered an artistic renaissance; we’re seeing, among other things, many filmmakers experimenting with that medium to broaden their forms of storytelling,” said Festival Programmer Michael Lerman. “The strongest storytellers are masters of change, and TV offers a narrative flexibility, a platform and a luxury for filmmakers to explore ways of telling longer stories that delve deeper into their characters.”
Details on the shows screening at TIFF, courtesy of NBC:
Casual created by Zander Lehmann and directed by Jason Reitman, USA – World Premiere
Festival favourite Jason Reitman (Juno, Up in the Air) directs this wonderfully endearing and quirky comedy from Hulu and Lionsgate that follows the story of young internet entrepreneur, Alex Cole, and his recently divorced therapist sister, Valerie. The creator of a popular dating website, Alex pledges to mentor Valerie as she attempts to embrace the craziness of single life. Meanwhile, he’s not above using his newfound success to supply himself with an endless string of beautiful but emotionally shallow women, none of whom will ever make him happy. Living under the same roof for the first time in years, brother and sister soon discover that while life can be both heartbreaking and hilarious, it’s anything but casual. Starring Tommy Dewey, Michaela Watkins and Tara Lynne Barr. The Festival presents the series premiere of Casual, episodes 1 and 2.
CROMO created by Lucía Puenzo and Nicolás Puenzo, Argentina – World Premiere
Directors Lucía Puenzo (XXY, Wakolda), Pablo Fendrik (Blood Appears, El Ardor) and Nicolás Puenzo team up for this timely eco-thriller, based on the real stories of a team of scientists that set out to expose environmental crimes in the dangerous and exotic wetlands of northern Argentina. Starring Germán Palacios, Guillermo Pfening, Emilia Attias, Alberto Ajaka and Malena Sanchez. The Festival presents the series premiere of CROMO, episodes 1, 2 and 8.
Heroes Reborn created by Tim Kring, USA – World Premiere
From creator/executive producer Tim Kring, who imagined NBC’s original critically-acclaimed 2006 Heroes series, comes Heroes Reborn, an epic 13-episode event series that chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. The series stars Jack Coleman, Zachary Levi, Robbie Kay, Kiki Sukezane, Ryan Guzman, Gatlin Green, Henry Zebrowski, Judith Shekoni, Danika Yarosh and Rya Kihlstedt. The Festival presents the series premiere of Heroes Reborn, episode 1: “Brave New World” and episode 2: “Odessa”.
Keith Richards: Under the Influence directed by Morgan Neville, USA – World Premiere
From Academy Award-winning director Morgan Neville (Twenty Feet from Stardom), this beautifully documented portrait of Keith Richards takes audiences on the road to discover the genesis of his sound as a songwriter, guitarist and performer. This Netflix Original is rich with music and archival materials, drawing upon hours of new, intimate and reflective conversations with Keith. It charts the journey of his sound and influences, back to the music that inspired him then and now — electric blues, country honky-tonk, southern soul, and more — as he creates his first solo album in 23 years.
The Returned (Les Revenants) created by Fabrice Gobert, France – International Premiere
The recently deceased return to (some kind of) life in a small mountain village, in this International Emmy-winning supernatural drama series based on Robin Campillo’s 2004 film Les Revenants, from creator Fabrice Gobert (Simon Werner a disparu…). Starring Anne Consigny, Clotilde Hesme, Céline Sallette, Fédéric Pierrot, Laurent Lucas, Grégory Gadebois, Guillaume Gouix, Pierre Perrier, Ana Girardot, Yara Pilartz, Jenna Thiam, Swann Nambotin and Jean-François Sivadier. The Festival presents the season 2 premiere of The Returned, episodes 1 and 2.
Trapped (Ófærð) created by Baltasar Kormákur, Iceland – World Premiere
In this noir-ish thriller series from director Baltasar Kormákur (Everest, The Deep, 101 Reykjavik), an unidentified torso is found in a small town in Iceland. When a blizzard makes the road out of town impassable, order disintegrates into chaos as the residents realize they are all possible murder suspects or all possibly in danger. A ruthless and troubled cop risks his life, his family and the town’s safety, in order to solve this mystery in the hope of recovering his tarnished reputation. Starring Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Ilmur Kristjánsdottir, Ingvar Sigurðsson, Nina Dögg Filipusdottir and Bjarne Henriksen. The Festival presents the series premiere of Trapped, episode 1.
The 1964 TV series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. starring Robert Vaughn and David McCallum provides the basis for this stylish action film with Superman‘s Henry Cavill taking on Vaughn’s role as Napoleon Solo and The Lone Ranger‘s Armie Hammer stepping into McCallum’s shoes as Illya Kuryakin. The series found rival agents from the U.S. and Russia forced into teaming up as part of the United Network Command for Law Enforcement, and that premise is also the setup for the 2015 feature film from director Guy Ritchie.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is set during the Cold War and finds Solo and Kuryakin starting off on the wrong foot after attempting to kill each other while on separate assignments. Their first meeting as partners almost ends in Illya strangling Napoleon, and only their handlers are able to keep the two from finishing each other off. Their rocky start as a newly formed team doesn’t smooth out as each has their own style of approaching the job of infiltrating a terrorist organization, battling each other over the pettiest of items including how to dress the woman, Gaby (Alicia Vikander), they’re charged with protecting.
And speaking of the woman Solo and Kuryakin are protecting, in a refreshing twist, Gaby isn’t exactly the shy damsel in distress who doesn’t know her own mind but instead is just as adept at pulling off a double cross as the handsome agents who believe they’re the ones with the upper hand. She’s even the seducer rather than seducee in a scrumptious dance scene set to “Cry to Me.”
Ritchie not only directed this entertaining romp but also co-wrote the script with his Sherlock Holmes collaborator Lionel Wigram. The ‘60s come alive on screen in this gorgeous production featuring striking costumes, hair, and makeup, and the retro vibe is absolutely pitch-perfect. Ritchie’s energetic style fits the international spy tale well, with the film’s snappy pace and jazzy action scenes keeping the audience engaged. Ritchie intersperses his action scenes with humor, and in particular a scene of Cavill’s Napoleon relaxing in the cab of a truck, munching away on someone’s leftover lunch while Hammer’s Illya tries to outrace gunboats in a manmade inlet is hysterical.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (shouldn’t it be Men From U.N.C.L.E.?) is Bond-ish but less violent and it never takes itself seriously. The plot is fairly basic but that doesn’t matter as what makes this spy film worth the price of a ticket is the chemistry between Cavill and Hammer. Cavill’s Napoleon does a wink and a nod in Bond’s direction before taking the character and making him his own. Cavill shows he can tackle the film’s light humor (we already knew he could handle action scenes).
Hammer’s Russian accent is deliberately cartoonish and yet it completely works because of the actor’s commitment to playing it straight. The banter between Hammer and Cavill is wickedly sharp, and it’s fun to watch the two attempt to one-up each other be it in selecting wardrobes, choosing weapons, or hand-to-hand fight scenes. Both men look incredible in their ‘60s attire and while Hammer’s character is constantly made fun of and compared to a walking Greek statue, Cavill’s no slouch when it comes to chiseled bodies.
The cast, the cars, the score, the wardrobe…everything about The Man From U.N.C.L.E. works together to make this wild ‘60s spy thriller not only surprisingly fresh and entertaining but also worthy of a sequel.
GRADE: B
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for action violence, some suggestive content, and partial nudity
HBO Films say production has started on All the Way starring Bryan Cranston reprising his Tony Award-winning role as President Lyndon B. Johnson. Jay Roach (Game Change) is directing with Robert Schenkkan adapting his critically acclaimed award-winning play.
The cast also includes Anthony Mackie as Martin Luther King, Melissa Leo as Lady Bird Johnson, Bradley Whitford as Hubert Humphrey, and Stephen Root as J. Edgar Hoover. Marque Richardson will play Bob Moses, Aisha Hinds is Fanny Lou Hamer, Todd Weeks plays Walter Jenkins, Mo McRae is Stokely Carmichael, Spencer Garrett is Walter Reuther, and Frank Langella is Sen. Richard Russell.
Schenkkan, Roach, Cranston, Steven Spielberg, Darryl Frank, and Justin Falvey are executive producing.
The Plot:
All the Way is a riveting behind-the-scenes look at President Lyndon B. Johnson’s tumultuous first year in office as he takes the oath in the wake of President Kennedy’s assassination, navigates the escalation of the Vietnam War and balances opposing interests to launch his landmark civil rights bill and win election to his first full presidential term.
Daniel Barber (Harry Brown) directs Brit Marling in The Keeping Room, an intense Western co-starring Hailee Steinfeld, Sam Worthington, and Muna Otaru. Drafthouse Films has released a new trailer for the dramatic movie written by Julia Hart and heading to theaters in limited release on September 25, 2015.
The Plot:
In this radically reimagined American Western set towards the end of the Civil War, Southerner Augusta (Marling) encounters two renegade, drunken soldiers (Worthington) who are on a mission of pillage and violence. After escaping an attempted assault, Augusta races back to the isolated farmhouse that she shares with her sister Louise (Steinfeld) and their female slave Mad (Otaru). When the pair of soldiers track Augusta down intent on exacting revenge, the trio of women are forced to take up arms to fend off their assailants, finding ways to resourcefully defend their home–and themselves–as the escalating attacks become more unpredictable and relentless.
Tina Fey (Photo by Richard Chavez / ShowbizJunkies)
Tina Fey and Robert Carlock are teaming up with NBC for an untitled comedy from Emmy winning writer Tracey Wigfield. The comedy’s been given a pilot order and will be executive produced by Fey, Carlock, Wigfield and David Miner. The new comedy “centers on a mother-daughter relationship that is challenged when an overly involved New Jersey mom gets an internship at her daughter’s workplace, a cable news network.”
“Tina and Robert are two of the pre-eminent voices in comedy, and we couldn’t be more thrilled that they’re bringing their next project to NBC,” stated Jennifer Salke, President, NBC Entertainment, announcing the pilot order. “We also adore Tracey, who has written some brilliant episodes of both 30 Rock and The Mindy Project. With this super-talented trio at the helm, we’re eagerly looking forward to their next great show.”
Carlock and Fey wrote/produced NBC’s 30 Rock and Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Wigfield is a writer on The Mindy Project and won an Emmy for 30 Rock‘s series finale.
NBC’s upcoming musical event The Wiz Live! has just added Common, Elijah Kelley, and Ne-Yo to its cast. The three join previously announced cast members Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, David Alan Grier, Uzo Aduba, Amber Riley, Stefanie Mills, and Shanice Williams in the TV production based on the Broadway musical adapted from L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Per NBC, Common will play Emerald City’s gatekeeper, the Bouncer. Kelley was cast as Dorothy’s traveling companion, the Scarecrow. Ne-Yo will handle the role of the Tin Man. Queen Latifah is the Wiz, Mary J. Blige is the Wicked Witch of the West, Uzo Aduba is the Good Witch of the South, Amber Riley is the Good Witch of the North, David Alan Grier is the Cowardly Lion, Stefanie Mills is Auntie Em, and Shanice Williams is Dorothy.
The Wiz Live! will air on December 3, 2015. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are executive producing the show, with Kenny Leon and Matthew Diamond directing.
Spike TV’s moving forward on its first scripted dramatic series in nine years with Harvest from executive producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman as well as Warner Horizon Television. Ian Sobel and Matt Morgan (12 Monkeys) are writing the 10 episode series which will premiere next year on Spike.
“We are thrilled to partner with the incredibly creative and innovative visionary Jerry Bruckheimer and Warner Horizon Television for our first scripted dramatic series in almost a decade,” said Sharon Levy, Executive Vice President, Original Series, Spike TV. “We are confident that Harvest will build off the success of Tut which delivered strong ratings and new viewers to the channel.”
“It is very exciting to have the opportunity to be the first scripted series on Spike,” said Bruckheimer. “This network is the perfect place to push the envelope with edgy characters and unique material. Sharon Levy and her team have supported and nurtured this great concept.”
Filming’s expected to begin this fall.
The Plot:
Harvest centers on a dedicated father, working two jobs to support his teenage daughter and give her the life he never had. By day, he’s a cemetery caretaker, by night he attends nursing school. However, when his own estranged father tracks him down and threatens to expose a terrible secret – he is compelled to partner with him in a black-market tissue and body parts trade.
Channing Tatum and host Jimmy Fallon perform “Kid Theater” (Photo by: Douglas Gorenstein / NBC)
NBC wants Emmy winner Jimmy Fallon to stick around as the host of The Tonight Show and has just added six years to his deal, extending Fallon’s contract through September 2021. With Fallon as host, The Tonight Show has been solidly winning the late night competition in total number of viewers.
“Jimmy has been an important member of the NBCUniversal family for 17 years. He is extraordinarily talented, hard-working and brings a level of creativity and energy every single day that is simply unmatched in television,” stated Steve Burke, Chief Executive Office, NBCUniversal, announcing the contract extension. “The success of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon has been nothing short of remarkable. We couldn’t be prouder of the show he and his team put on every night and couldn’t be happier that he will remain with us at 30 Rock at least through 2021.”
“Jimmy Fallon is simply the best that there is, the most versatile star of a show anywhere in television in my opinion,” added Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “The Tonight Show has always been an institution, but he’s remade it into a destination for the largest audience anywhere in late night. He’s the face of NBC in a lot of ways and we’re thrilled he’s going to be hosting The Tonight Show for many years to come.”
Fallon TV credits include Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and hosting the 2010 Primetime Emmy Awards. The married father of two is the author of three books, including the just-released New York Times bestseller Your Baby’s First Word Will Be Dada.
Ed Skrein stars in ‘The Transporter Refueled’ (Photo Courtesy of EuropaCorp)
The new trailer for The Transporter Refueled features lots of action and not much in the way of story. And, that’s fine for fans of the franchise as gritty action sequences are what sells the Transporter films. Directed by Camille Delamarre (Brick Mansions), Ed Skrein takes on the lead role in this PG-13 action film. The cast also includes Ray Stevenson, Loan Chabanol, Radivoje Bukvic, Gabriella Wright, Anatole Taubman, and Tatiana Pajkovic.
EuropaCorp is releasing The Transporter Refueled in theaters on September 4, 2015.
The Plot:
Frank Martin (Skrein), a former special-ops mercenary, is now living a less perilous life – or so he thinks – transporting classified packages for questionable people. When Frank’s father (Stevenson) pays him a visit in the south of France, their father-son bonding weekend takes a turn for the worse when Frank is engaged by a cunning femme-fatale, Anna (Chabanol), and her three seductive sidekicks to orchestrate the bank heist of the century. Frank must use his covert expertise and knowledge of fast cars, fast driving and fast women to outrun a sinister Russian kingpin, and worse than that, he is thrust into a dangerous game of chess with a team of gorgeous women out for revenge.
