James Franco on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ (Photo by Lloyd Bishop / NBC)
James Franco, Martin Freeman, and Amy Adams will be hosting the final three Saturday Night Live shows of 2014 as just announced by NBC. James Franco will be handling the hosting gig for his third time when he takes the stage on December 6th. Franco, who has The Interview coming to theaters on Christmas, will be joined by Nicki Minaj as the episode’s musical guest. Minaj’s appearance will be her second on the late-night variety show.
Saturday Night Live newbie Martin Freeman will make his hosting debut on the December 13th episode. Freeman will soon be seen in the final entry in the Hobbit saga, The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies. The musical guest for Dec. 13th will be another SNL newbie, Charli XCX.
And finishing up the year will be Oscar nominee Amy Adams who stars opposite Christoph Waltz in Big Eyes, opening in theaters on December 25th. Adams will be joined by boy band One Direction who’ll be making their third appearance as musical guests.
Relativity Studios is greeting 2015 with the release of The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death because nothing says Happy New Year better than a creepy ghost story. Coming to theaters on January 2, 2015, the sequel to the 2012 horror hit starring Daniel Radcliffe is directed by Tom Harper and features a new cast led by Phoebe Fox, Jeremy Irvine and Helen McCrory.
The Plot:
During the London bombings of World War II, school teachers Eve Parkins (Phoebe Fox) and Jean Hogg (Helen McCrory) lead a group of children in evacuation to Crythin Gifford, a remote village outside of the city. When the group takes up residence at the Eel Marsh House, 40 years after Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) investigated the first haunting, Eve soon realizes they are not alone. The longer they stay in the house, the more the awful past of the residence unravels itself and the evil spirit that lurks around them threatens the well-being of the children. With the help of a pilot (Jeremy Irvine), Eve does all that she can to protect the children and discover the truth behind the Woman in Black.
Grammy Award nominated singer/songwriter KT Tunstall performs three new songs in the animated family-friendly film Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast. Tunstall sings “Float” and “1000 Years” by Bleu and “Strange Sight” by Rob Cantor in the upcoming March 2015 release directed by Steve Loter and featuring the voices of Ginnifer Goodwin, Mae Whitman, Rosario Dawson, Lucy Liu, Raven-Symoné, Megan Hilty, Pamela Adlon and Anjelica Huston.
“KT is a celebrated songwriter and musician,” said director Loter. “She reminds me of Fawn in a way with her big heart and this amazing voice that has a little bit of edge and a tremendous amount of appeal.”
“It’s a real action-adventure movie,” explained Tunstall. “The characters are so cool. I was over the moon to take part. Disney Animation has such an incredible heritage of work, spanning decades, and it’s really special to be part of that.”
“Float” is the theme song for the movie’s central character, Fawn the fairy. “It’s fantastic how she spends her days looking after all the animals around Pixie Hollow,” offered Tunstall. “The song says, ‘I’ll just float.’ She doesn’t have to have a reason, she just really loves having a pair of wings, so she’s going out for a fly, getting into trouble and mischief.”
The Plot:
The new story explores an ancient myth of a fabled creature whose distant roar sparks the curiosity of Tinker Bell’s good friend Fawn (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin), an animal fairy who’s not afraid to break the rules to help an animal in need. But this animal—massive and strange with glowing green eyes—is not really welcome in Pixie Hollow, and the scout fairies are determined to capture the mysterious beast before it destroys their home. Fawn, who sees a tender heart beneath his gruff exterior, must convince Tink (voice of Mae Whitman) and the girls to risk everything to rescue the NeverBeast before time runs out.
The first trailer for Pitch Perfect 2 kicks off with “Cups” and then gets wild and crazy as the Barden Bellas get set to take on the world in the a cappella World Championship. The sequel’s directed by returning cast member Elizabeth Banks and includes Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Rebel Wilson, Adam DeVine, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Alexis Knapp, Ester Dean, Hana Mae Lee, Hailee Steinfeld, John Michael Higgins, and Katey Sagal.
Pitch Perfect 2 opens in theaters on May 15, 2015.
Paris Barclay (Photo by Frank Micelotta / Picture Group / FX)
Filming is expected to begin early next year in Wales on The Bastard Executioner, Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter’s next project for FX. Sons of Anarchy will be ending its seven-season run in early December and Sutter’s set to get into production soon after on the new drama series which will have nothing to do with outlaw bikers.
The Bastard Executioner will reunite Sutter with Paris Barclay who served as an executive producer and director on SoA. Barclay’s confirmed to direct The Bastard Executioner pilot and serve as an executive producer on the series. Sutter created the series, is writing the pilot, and is also executive producing.
During a conference call in support of the final season of Sons of Anarchy, Sutter’s wife/SoA star Katey Sagal also confirmed she’ll have a role in the new series. “I’m going to be in it. We don’t know in what capacity yet, because he’s now working on it, but that is where we’re going, yes,” said Sagal. “I will definitely be involved in it.”
The Bastard Executioner Plot:
The Bastard Executioner is a period drama that tells the story of a warrior knight in King Edward II’s charge who is broken by the ravages of war and vows to lay down his sword. But when that violence finds him again he is forced to pick up the bloodiest sword of all.
BBC America’s released the first official photo from the drama series Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell based on the book by Susanna Clarke. The seven-part series will debut on BBC America sometime next year and stars Eddie Marsan as Mr. Norrell and Bertie Carvel as Jonathan Strange. Peter Harness (Wallander) adapted the novel, and Toby Haynes directed the limited series.
Alice Englert, Marc Warren, Samuel West, and Charlotte Riley are also featured in the series.
The Plot:
Set at the beginning of the 19th century, England no longer believes in practical magic. The reclusive Mr Norrell (Marsan) of Hurtfew Abbey stuns the city of York when he causes the statues of York Cathedral to speak and move. With a little persuasion and help from his man of business Childermass (Enzo Cilenti), he goes to London to help the government in the war against Napoleon. It is there Norrell summons a fairy (Warren) to bring Lady Pole (Englert) back from the dead, opening a whole can of worms…
Robert Taylor, Katee Sackhoff and Bailey Chase star in ‘Longmire’ (Photo by Cathy Kanavy / Copyright 2013)
Netflix confirmed Longmire has been given a fourth season order by the streaming network after being canceled by A&E following season three. The Western drama’s season four will be made up of 10 brand new episodes and will star Robert Taylor, Katee Sackhoff, Lou Diamond Phillips, Bailey Chase, Cassidy Freeman, and Adam Bartley.
Season four will air sometime in 2015.
“When Warner Horizon Television came to us with the idea for a new season of Longmire, we were intrigued because the series is so unique and consistently great. We are thrilled to help continue Walt Longmire’s story for his large and passionate following,” said Cindy Holland, Vice President of Original Content at Netflix.
The Longmire Season 4 Plot:
Season four of Longmire picks up moments after season three’s exciting finale. Walt Longmire (Taylor), having found out who was behind the murder of his wife, succumbs to his darker impulses and takes off in pursuit of the killer with murder on his mind.
Meanwhile, Branch Connally (Chase), the deputy who Walt fired for erratic, violent behavior, believes he has already figured out who the real culprit is. But during his confrontation with this suspected killer, a gun goes off. Now the audience will finally learn what happened, and whether Walt can be stopped before he makes a fatal choice.
Ewan McGregor, Brenton Thwaites, and Alicia Vikander star in the dramatic thriller Son of a Gun which has just released a new poster and trailer. The R-rated drama was co-written and directed by Julius Avery and will be available on DirectTV December 11, 2014 followed by a theatrical release on January 16, 2015.
The Plot:
In the criminal world, life is like a game of chess. To gain control, you have to stay a few moves ahead of your opponent. Lose that control, and you risk becoming a pawn in their very dangerous game.
During a six-month stint inside a West Australian prison, rookie criminal JR (BRENTON THWAITES) meets the smart and enigmatic Brendan Lynch (EWAN McGREGOR). In exchange for protection on the inside, JR agrees to help Brendan get outside, hooking up with the influential Sam Lennox (JACEK KOMAN) to orchestrate a daring prison escape that frees Brendan, and inmates Sterlo (MATT NABLE) and Merv (EDDIE BAROO).
JR is rewarded for his efforts, and with a taste of the high life and flirtations with Sam’s beautiful girl Tasha (ALICIA VIKANDER), he gets sucked deeper into Brendan’s criminal world. But whose game is he playing?
Becoming a father-like mentor to JR, Brendan convinces him to join on another high stakes job – robbing a Kalgoorlie gold mine. But with millions of dollars at stake, it’s hard to tell whom JR can trust, and whose side each player is actually on. And with his feelings for Tasha increasing, and his faith in Brendan decreasing, JR must figure out his next move… before its check, mate.
“American Crime” stars Richard Cabral as Hector Tonz, Elvis Nolasco as Carter, Caitlin Gerard as Aubry, Johnny Ortiz as Tony Gutierrez, Benito Martinez as Alonzo Gutierrez, Timothy Hutton as Russ, Felicity Huffman as Barb, W. Earl Brown as Tom and Penelope Ann Miller as Eve in ‘American Crime’ (Photo Credit: ABC / Bob D’Amico)
ABC will be debuting the first episode of American Crime on Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 10pm ET/PT. American Crime is written, directed and produced by John Ridley (screenwriter of 12 Years a Slave) and stars Felicity Huffman, Timothy Hutton, W. Earl Brown, Richard Cabral, Caitlin Gerard, Benito Martinez, Penelope Ann Miller, Elvis Nolasco, and Johnny Ortiz. Season one will consist of 11 episodes.
The network also announced that the murder mystery Secrets and Lies will premiere on March 1, 2015 at 9pm ET/PT. The 10 episode season one will star Ryan Phillippe, Juliette Lewis, KaDee Strickland, Natalie Martinez, Dan Fogler, Indiana Evans, and Belle Shouse.
Secrets and Lies is based on the Australian show created by Stephen Irwin. The American version was developed by Barbie Kligman who executive produces with Aaron Kaplan, Tracey Robertson, Nathan Mayfield, and Charles McDougall. McDougall also directed the pilot.
The American Crime Plot:
A young couple in Modesto, California were brutally attacked in their home leaving Matt Skokie, a war vet, murdered, and his wife, Gwen, unconscious, barely hanging on. The crime sends shock waves throughout the community stirring up tensions across socioeconomic and racial lines in this gritty new drama – from the points of view of all those involved.
The Secrets and Lies Plot:
Ben Crawford (Ryan Phillippe) is about to go from Good Samaritan to murder suspect after he discovers the body of his neighbor’s young son, Tom Murphy, in the woods. Even as Detective Andrea Cornell (Juliette Lewis) digs for the truth in her investigation and pegs Ben as a “person of interest,” the case unfolds from Ben’s perspective — whether he is guilty or not. In trying to clear his name, it is Ben who peels back the layers of these suburbanites’ lives in their quiet cul de sac, revealing their dirty little deceptions and all-too-crowded closets overflowing with skeletons. No one is above suspicion. Ben’s family’s life, already privately in disarray, is turned upside down as he sets out on a complicated journey to prove his innocence.
Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman) and Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) in THE AGE OF ADALINE. (Photo Credit: Diyah Pera)
Lionsgate’s released the first trailer for the romantic drama The Age of Adaline starring Blake Lively and directed by Lee Toland Krieger. The film, which finds Lively never aging, also features Harrison Ford, Michiel Huisman, Kathy Baker, Amanda Crew, and Ellen Burstyn.
The Age of Adalind opens in theaters on April 24, 2015.
The Plot:
After miraculously remaining 29 years old for almost eight decades, Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) has lived a solitary existence, never allowing herself to get close to anyone who might reveal her secret. But a chance encounter with charismatic philanthropist Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman) reignites her passion for life and romance.
When a weekend with his parents (Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker) threatens to uncover the truth, Adaline makes a decision that will change her life forever.
