Jamaica Vaughan, Nick E. Tarabay, and Ivana Baquero in ‘Spartacus: House of Ashur’ (Photo Credit: Starz)
Starz’s Spartacus: House of Ashur starring Nick Tarabay has added 12 guest stars to its cast. The much-anticipated new addition to the Spartacus franchise is in production in New Zealand, with Spartacus creator, writer, and executive producer Steven S. DeKnight guiding the series as showrunner.
“Spartacus: House of Ashur will be a history-bending, erotic, thrilling, roller-coaster experience that builds on everything that made the original series a colossal hit,” reads Starz’s synopsis. “The series poses the question: what if Ashur, played by fan favorite Nick Tarabay, hadn’t died on Mount Vesuvius at the end of Spartacus: Vengeance? And what if he had been gifted the gladiator school once owned by Batiatus in return for aiding the Romans in killing Spartacus and putting an end to the slave rebellion?”
In addition to Tarabay, the previously announced cast includes Lucy Lawless as Lucretia, Graham McTavish as Korris, Tenika Davis as Achillia, Jamaica Vaughan as Hilar, and Ivana Baquero as Messia. Jordi Webber plays Tarchon, Claudia Black is Cossutia, India Shaw-Smith is Viridia, and Leigh Gill is Satyrus.
Spartacus: House of Ashur‘s new guest stars include Dan Hamill (Love Child) as Celadus, Andrew McFarlane (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart) as Gabinius, Jackson Gallagher (Playing for Keeps) as Caesar, Jaime Slater (Pacific Rim Uprising) as Cornelia, and Simon Arblaster (Shortland Street) as Proculus. Arlo Gibson (The Sounds) guest stars as Opiter, Cameron Rhodes (Housebound) is Uvidus, Evander Brown (The Dead Lands) is Ephesius, Graham Vincent (My Life is Murder) is Hedylus, and Louis Hunter (Troy: Fall of a City) is Erato.
Donald Ross (My Life is Murder) will play Salvius and Duane Wichman Evans (Shortland Street) is Dacus.
Starz hasn’t announced a premiere date for the 10-episode season.
Adam Pearson and Sebastian Stan in ‘A Different Man’ (Photo Credit: Matt Infante / Courtesy of A2)
After working with him on 2018’s Chained for Life, writer/director Aaron Schimberg seems to have found a muse in actor Adam Pearson. Pearson is probably best known as “The Deformed Man” who attempted to escape from Scarlett Johannson in Jonathan Glazer’s surreal 2013 sci-fi film Under the Skin, but Schimberg has found a way to give the unique actor meatier roles. And that’s exactly what he does with A Different Man.
A Different Man is about a struggling actor named Edward (Sebastian Stan from Captain America: The Winter Soldier) who is inflicted with neurofibromatosis, a condition which has resulted in deformations on his head and face. He discovers that he is a candidate for an experimental treatment, and the results are miraculous. To go along with his new face, he decides to change his entire identity, becoming “a different man” named Guy.
Meanwhile, his neighbor, an aspiring playwright named Ingrid (Renate Reinsve from The Worst Person in the World), misses him when he unexpectedly disappears from her life and writes a play in which the old Edward is the main character. Guy auditions for the part, unrecognized by Ingrid with his new face and name. But his biggest competition for the role is another actor with the same condition named Oswald (Pearson) who may be a better Edward than Edward ever was.
A Different Man is a quirky little movie that’s hard to pin down. It’s equal parts black comedy, intellectual drama, and psychological horror. The little bursts of humor are only rivaled by the sporadic shocks in an otherwise serious film. It’s powerful and thoughtful filmmaking that does go off the rails a bit at the end, but that’s the point. It takes the viewer on a journey that isn’t always pleasant but feels necessary, and as it gets deeper into its story, it drifts farther and farther away from reality.
One interesting facet of A Different Man is the use of makeup prosthetics to make Sebastian Stan look like the early Edward. Of course, this is done to facilitate the “handsome” face he gains after his medical procedure, but it does bring up the question: is Pearson (and by extent his real condition) being exploited by being included in the movie? There’s a particularly well-written scene that addresses that concept, ostensibly talking about Ingrid’s play, but could just as easily be applied to Schimberg’s movie as well. There’s a thin line between representation and exploitation in this case, and Schimberg’s treatment leans towards the former.
Which brings us to Pearson’s performance. While Pearson’s neurofibromatosis plays into his character of Oswald, the condition doesn’t define him like Edward’s does. Rather than being seen as an oddity like he has been in other roles, Pearson brings real life and spark to Oswald. Aided by Schimberg’s writing, Pearson’s portrayal makes Oswald human, and, quite frankly, turns him into the only redeemable character in the film.
That’s really the crux of the movie. In trying to better his life, Edward becomes the villain when he turns into Guy. Oswald is the hero that Edward wishes he could have been before his procedure. There’s some jealousy there, and not just because Oswald seems to get everything Edward wants. Oswald is intelligent, charming, talented, and sophisticated. Oswald is an admirable character, while Edward is not. Oswald is everything Edward is not. And Edward hates that.
Although it’s hardly a feelgood story, A Different Man isn’t a tearjerker, either. It’s a character study of two men who are complete opposites despite sharing many of the same traits, interests, and desires. It’s grotesquely funny in places, to the extent where the audience often wonders if it’s acceptable to laugh, and it has more than a few jolts that seem to exist solely to make the viewer uncomfortable, but mostly, it’s a movie that will make you think. And that’s a good discomfort, the kind that keeps going long after you’ve left the theater.
GRADE: B+
MPAA Rating: R for some violent content, graphic nudity, sexual content, and language
Release Date: September 20, 2024 Limited
Running Time: 1 hour 52 minutes
Studio: A24
In addition to dropping the rap music, Paramount Pictures’ new trailer for Gladiator II drops a confirmation that Lucius’ father was Maximus. Of course, given that this is a sequel and that Maximus was killed in the original film, we won’t be seeing Russell Crowe involved in his son’s life in the gladiator arena.
The trailer shows off a CGI baboon and a flooded arena, and includes Lucius uttering Maximus’ famous line: “I will have my vengeance.”
“From legendary director Ridley Scott, Gladiator II continues the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome. Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist,” reads Paramount Pictures’ official synopsis. “With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.”
Paul Mescal (All of Us Strangers) leads the cast as Lucius. Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) stars as General Marcus Acacius, Joseph Quinn (A Quiet Place: Day One) is Emperor Geta, Fred Hechinger is Emperor Caracalla, Derek Jacobi is Gracchus, Connie Nielsen returns as Lucilla, and Denzel Washington stars as Macrinus.
David Scarpa wrote the screenplay and Douglas Wick, Ridley Scott, Lucy Fisher, Michael Pruss, and David Franzoni serve as producers. Executive producers include Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald, Raymond Kirk, and Aidan Elliott.
Paramount Pictures is releasing Gladiator II in theaters, Dolby Cinema, and IMAX on November 22, 2024.
‘1984’ by George Orwell (Photo Credit: Penguin Random House)
The American Library Association (ALA) runs the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) to track attempts to ban or restrict access to books across the United States, and then to inform the public about censorship efforts in our libraries and schools. The last week of September is usually the time it sets aside for its annual Banned Books Week, which celebrates the freedom to read whatever you want. And what better way to celebrate that than by watching 10 films based on banned books that also ran into censorship issues? Celebrate the freedom to watch!
From the ALA website: “In 2023, OIF documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources, the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. 4,240 unique book titles were targeted for censorship in 2023, a 65% increase compared to 2022 numbers. A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials.”
Book banning is a real and current threat, but it dates back thousands of years. Pretty much as soon as humans figured out how to write and share ideas, somebody else wanted to censor them. Around 212 B.C., Chinese emperor Shih Huang Ti not only burned books but reportedly had more than 400 Confucian scholars buried alive because he perceived the ideals they wrote about as a threat. The Bible and Shakespeare’s plays have also suffered censorship and banning over the centuries and in various places.
We also need to remember that the popularity of horror, crime, and suspense comics in the late 1940s and early 1950s prompted Congress to hold an official inquiry into comics and juvenile delinquency in 1954, prompting cities to pass or consider bans on comic books in general. Al Feldstein and Harvey Kurtzman, editors of the highly successful EC Comics (Tales from the Crypt, Shock SuspenStories), were forced to cancel many of their comics lines between 1954 and 1956 because of self-censorship pressures from the comics industry (instigated to avoid government censorship) and a conflict with the industry’s Comics Code Authority.
Book banning, burning, and censorship have been used throughout history as a means of political control to keep certain ideas, such as freedom, from the public. It has also been used to supposedly protect people from things deemed immoral or obscene. And it remains a constant threat that we need to be vigilant about. So here are 10 films based on banned books that also ran into censorship problems.
10 Films Based on Banned Books
1. 1984
Book by George Orwell, 1949
Film by Michael Radford, 1984
Reasons for ban or censorship: Social and political themes (including being seen as pro-communist), explicit sexual content.
Might as well start at the top. If you search for “the most banned book,” then the Internet will reply with: George Orwell’s 1984. Orwell depicts a dystopian world in which a totalitarian state uses Thought Police to exert hypervigilant control over its people and where Big Brother is always watching. But the protagonist, Winston Smith, decides to engage in forbidden love and and join a revolutionary group to bring down the Party and challenge their authority.
Let’s be honest, there is nothing that terrifies those in power more than a free-thinking population willing to question its government. By sympathizing with those living under an oppressive regime, and showing them fighting back, the book has been banned and burned in multiple countries over the years, proving the book remains a powerful argument for freedom of speech and expression.
Although the USSR banned the book till 1988, Jackson County, Florida felt the need in 1981 to declare the book “pro-communist” and attempted to ban it (it also was not happy with the explicit sexual content). The Florida challenge seemed to ignore that much of the book is actually anti-communist (dissidents in Russia embraced it). In truth, the book is anti-government and is meant as a warning against the totalitarianism Orwell saw happening in Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia.
The film of 1984 faced far less controversy, but just to prove how dangerous ideas can be, a 2014 screening of the film was canceled in Thailand because of how it might have heightened the political unrest in the country at the time.
‘A Clockwork Orange’ by Anthony Burgess (Photo Credit: W.W. Norton & Company)
2. A Clockwork Orange
Book by Anthony Burgess, 1962
Film by Stanley Kubrick, 1971
Reasons for ban or censorship: Objectionable language, sexual violence, pornography.
I remember reading this in high school, and my dad having to write a note to the school and my English teacher explaining that he knew I was reading it, and he knew what it was about, and it was okay for me to read about a bit of the ultra-violence. Burgess’ book presented a dystopian world desensitized to violence and where young men like Alex ran wild committing horrific crimes. The 1971 film received an X rating on release in the U.S. and Kubrick censored less than a minute out to get a revised R rating on re-release.
Ironically, one of the scenes he cut was a humorous one where Alex and two women were enjoying an energetic threesome at a sped-up frame rate as the “William Tell Overture” played. Apparently, the censors were more comfortable with a woman being raped (which occurs graphically in the film) than with women enjoying sex. The film was blamed for some copycat crimes. Kubrick apparently received death threats and consequently pulled the film from distribution in the United Kingdom until after his death.
3. The Last Temptation of Christ
Book by Nikos Kazantzakis, 1952
Film by Martin Scorsese, 1988
Reasons for ban or censorship: Depicting the life of Jesus Christ and his struggle with various forms of temptation including fear, doubt, depression, reluctance, and lust. The book and the film depict Christ engaged in sexual activities, which caused it to be condemned as blasphemy by some religious groups.
This is another instance of dual censorship as both the 1952 book and the 1988 film were condemned by the Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches as blasphemous. So, in this case, it was not the government or schools calling to ban them but religious organizations. The main objection and root of the religious controversy comes from the novel’s conceit that presents Jesus Christ dying on the cross and imagining an alternate existence in which he was not the son of God but instead a mortal man living a normal life with a wife and family. The film had a disclaimer stating: “This film is not based on the Gospels but upon the fictional exploration of the eternal spiritual conflict.”
I remember having to cross a picket line to see the movie and thinking there are young people on dates in line to see a movie about Jesus Christ, shouldn’t the churches be applauding that? Scorsese, who wanted to be a priest at one point, is absolutely reverent with the material and eager to contemplate both the divine and the human in the sincerest manner, thus making the religious outrage seem completely misplaced.
‘Lolita’ by Vladimir Nabokov (Photo Credit: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group)
4. Lolita
Book by Vladimir Nabokov, 1955
Film by Stanley Kubrick, 1962
Reasons for ban or censorship: Obscenity, sexual content, specifically for depicting a sexual relationship between a 37-year-old man and his 12-year-old stepdaughter.
Ironically, Lolita was categorized as obscene in France and England and banned for a few years in the 1950s but was not banned in the U.S., which gave the book a major publicity boost. But that is not to say it was warmly welcomed throughout the U.S. In 1958, the Cincinnati Public Library voted to ban it, and as recently as 2006 Florida challenged the book for its themes of pedophilia and incest.
It remains controversial because the story deals explicitly with the sexual relationship between the middle-aged Humbert Humbert (who would be played in the film by James Mason) and the 12-year-old Lolita/Dolores (played by a 14-year-old Sue Lyon in the film). Adding to the controversy of both the book, and perhaps more so the film, was the humorous tone taken in telling Humbert’s story. The levity (acerbically satirical as opposed to just jokey) contrasted with the seriousness of the topic. It also confused and offended some, making it more difficult for them to determine if what they were reading/watching was depicting or endorsing Humbert’s behavior.
The film received an X rating in Britain, limiting who could see it. In the U.S., Kubrick had to appease the censors in advance of shooting the film regarding certain things such as minimizing focus on the age of Lolita. Religious groups (The U.S.’ National Legion of Decency and the UK’s Moral Law Defence Association and Christian Action) protested the film. The National Legion of Decency insisted that 30 seconds of footage be cut from the final film to avoid it receiving the Legion’s C (C for condemned). It also demanded that the film advertising contain the warning: “no one under 18 would be admitted.”
‘The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini (Penguin Random House)
5. The Kite Runner
Book by Khaled Hosseini, 2003
Film by Marc Forster, 2007
Reasons for ban or censorship: Sexual content, violence, unsuited to age group, profanity
(top challenges about using the novel in high schools).
The Kite Runner tells the story of Amir, which is set against the backdrop of Afghanistan’s political turmoil, from the fall of the monarchy to the rise of the Taliban regime. The story included incidents involving rape and torture.
ALA cited the book as being challenged in 2008 (for offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group), 2012 (for homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit), and 2014 (for offensive language, unsuited to age group, violence). ALA also noted that in 2017, The Kite Runner ranked as the fourth most challenged book. While the most frequent challenges were regarding sexual violence, Islamophobia was also cited with complainants suggesting the novel could inspire terrorism and promote Islam.
The government of President Hamid Karzai’s Afghanistan banned the film from theaters and DVD shops, because of the rape scene and the ethnic tensions.
‘From Here to Eternity’ by James Jones (Photo Credit: Penguin Random House)
6. From Here to Eternity
Book by James Jones, 1951
Film by Fred Zinnemann, 1953
Reasons for ban or censorship: Language, sexual content, depiction of the military.
As with the self-censorship of the Comics Code Authority and the self-censorship of Hollywood’s Production Code, sometimes the censorship comes prior to a book or a film ever reaching the public. When Scribner was working with Jones on From Here to Eternity, they had to consider that the U.S. Postal Service would not carry material it considered obscene. So, Scribner, for what it deemed practical financial reasons, needed to make sure Jones’ book was not labeled obscene. This led to the publisher telling Jones to remove certain four-letter swear words and to remove scenes involving explicit homosexuality.
Similarly, the film had to make censorship decisions in advance of shooting to change Lorene from being a prostitute at a brothel to being a hostess at a private social club. And Karen’s hysterectomy – caused in the book by her unfaithful husband transmitting gonorrhea to her – ends up in the film being prompted by a less controversial miscarriage. The changes were made to satisfy the Hollywood Production Code.
The Navy chose to forbid its servicemen from seeing the film on its ships or shore installations, calling it “derogatory of a sister service” and a “discredit to the armed services.”
7. All Quiet on the Western Front
Book by Erich Maria Remarque, 1929
Film by Lewis Milestone, 1930
Reasons for ban or censorship: Pacifism, obscenity.
The novel follows Paul and his classmates as war breaks out in Germany in 1914, and they eagerly enlist in the army to show their dedication to their fatherland. But they get a shocking dose of reality once they hit the battlefield. Remarque wanted to depict the realities of war, to show the violence as senseless with the soldiers not as heroes but rather as youths ill-prepared for the violence and hardships of war. Remarque took a distinct anti-war stance.
It might be a badge of honor that All Quiet on the Western Front was one of the books burned by the Nazi Party after Hitler took power. The Nazis did not appreciate Remarque’s depiction of German soldiers as disillusioned or his anti-war tone that they read as anti-German. Remarque’s writing was even declared “unpatriotic” by propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.
But the novel faced censorship outside of Germany as well. The English translation of the novel was banned in Boston on grounds of obscenity. But the most common reason for banning in multiple countries was regarding its anti-war, pacifist stance. The Czech military libraries removed the book from their shelves, while Italy just flat-out banned the novel.
The 1930 film version was banned in Germany by Hitler’s regime in 1933, because it challenged their ideals of honor, sacrifice, nationalism, and militarism. But in places like Australia the film was banned on the grounds of pacifism for several years.
‘Persepolis’ by Marjane Satrapi (Photo credit: Penguin Random House)
8. Persepolis
Book by Marjane Satrapi, 2000
Film by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, 2007
Reasons for ban or censorship: Gambling, profanity, political viewpoint, depiction of torture.
The autobiographical graphic novel traces Satrapi’s life in pre- and post-revolutionary Iran and then in Europe, as she evolves into a rebellious, punk-loving teenager. But in the background, Iran is troubled by growing unrest and members of Satrapi’s liberal-leaning family are detained and then executed.
Not surprisingly, Satrapi’s critical commentary on Iran led to the book being banned in that country. It also faced a brief ban in Lebanon prompted by clerics who deemed the book “offensive to Iran and Islam.”
In 2013, Chicago Public Schools removed the graphic novel from some classrooms and libraries, but public pushback led to the ban being lifted.
The film was also temporarily banned in Lebanon because of its portrayal of sex and events in the Iranian Revolution (Satrapi shows dissidents being tortured by the Iranian government).
‘The Godfather’ by Mario Puzo (Photo credit: Penguin Random House)
9. The Godfather
Book by Mario Puzo, 1969
Film by Francis Ford Coppola, 1972
Reasons for ban or censorship: The Italian American Civil Rights League protested the film’s depiction of Italian Americans; complaints were also made about the violence, supposed glorification of crime, and sexual content.
If you watched the streaming series The Offer, then you will have some insight into the issues Coppola faced making the movie and side-stepping the complaints of certain Italian American civil liberty groups. While many films faced censorship over using obscene language, Coppola had to navigate around the words “mafia” and “Cosa Nostra,” which were avoided in the film so as not to offend Italian American groups.
To air on TV, Coppola had to trim some scenes of violence.
10. The Exorcist
Book by William Peter Blatty, 1971
Film by William Friedkin, 1973
Reasons for ban or censorship: Immorality; challenged as vulgar and obscene based on most religious standards.
The Exorcist deals with a young girl who appears to be possessed by a demon and the Catholic priests who attempt to exorcise the demon.
As with Martin Scorsese, William Peter Blatty was a Catholic schoolboy with a great reverence for the church. Blatty described his book as an “argument for God.” So, it is ironic that some religious groups complained about the book as blasphemous. Ironic but not surprising when you consider the language the possessed girl uses and some of the highly sexualized scenes. Needless to say, the film met with similar responses. Adding to the film’s controversy was the fact it supposedly provoked fainting, vomiting, and heart attacks in U.S. cinemas.
The British Board of Film Classification initially passed the film with an “X” certificate but then revisited the film after the Video Recordings Act (VRA) was introduced in 1984 and the BBFC had to decide if the video version of the film could remain on the shelves. The censors were concerned that because the protagonist was 12 the film might appeal to under-aged viewers who could access a video more readily than enter a cinema. So, the BBFC, at the beginning of 1988, decided to remove the video from the shelves (after years of availability) and it was to remain unavailable for 11 years because the BBFC felt that a restrictive rating was not enough to protect and prevent young viewers from watching it.
At the film’s initial release, Singapore initially banned it and then re-rated it for M18 after cuts to “a scene of a disfigured statue of the Virgin Mary, and a scene of the possessed girl stabbing herself in the crotch with a crucifix while uttering ‘Jesus f**k you!’”
To conclude I will leave you with this lovely comment from DC’s Politics and Prose website to sum up the spirit of this list: “In celebration of Banned Books Week, Politics & Prose Bookstore tips its cap to the books that offended, outraged, and generally poisoned the minds of the masses with wanton creative expression. Though our selections make great kindling, we assure you they’re much more enjoyable when read. Join us all week on the slide into moral turpitude with the best-censored reading material the canon has to offer.”
Zoe Saldana returns to star in season two of Paramount+’s espionage thriller Lioness. The first full trailer for season two shows a new operative’s been recruited who needs some convincing that their actions are for the good of their country.
In addition to series star/executive producer Zoe Saldana, the returning cast includes Laysla De Oliveira, Emmy nominee Michael Kelly, Oscar winner Nicole Kidman, Oscar winner Morgan Freeman, Dave Annable, and Jill Wagner. Genesis Rodriguez, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Thad Luckinbill, and Hannah Love Lanier also star.
Zoe Saldana as Joe in ‘Lioness’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Lynsey Addario/Paramount+)
“In season two, as the CIA’s fight against terror moves closer to home, Joe (Saldaña), Kaitlyn (Kidman), and Byron (Kelly) enlist a new Lioness operative to infiltrate a previously unknown threat. With pressure mounting from all sides, Joe is forced to confront the profound personal sacrifices she has made as the leader of the Lioness program,” reads Paramount+’s synopsis.
Lioness was created by Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown). Sheridan executive produces along with Nicole Kidman, Jill Wagner, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, David Lemanowicz, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Friedman, and Keith Cox. The series is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios.
Paramount+ is launching season two on October 27, 2024, with the release of the first two episodes. New episodes of the eight-episode season stream on Sundays.
Miya Cech joins ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (Photo courtesy of Netlix)
Miya Cech (Surfside Girls) is officially on board season two of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cech will be taking on the fan-favorite role of Toph, “a master earthbender who was born blind and trained to feel and sense the world around her.”
Cech’s casting was announced during Netflix’s Geeked Week Live celebration. The streamer also revealed that production is currently underway on the new season.
“I’ve been in boot camp for about a week and a half now and still have a lot of work to do, but it’s super fun. I have some martial arts experience,” said Cech in an interview with Tudum. “I have a great instructor who I take private classes with back home in Northern California, and he keeps me in shape when I’m not working. I also have some dance experience from when I was younger that has been very helpful as I learn about Toph’s movements.”
Cech joins a cast that includes Gordon Cormier as Aang, Ian Ousley as Sokka, and Kiawentiio as Katara. Daniel Dae Kim plays Fire Lord Ozai and Dallas Liu is Crown Prince Zuko.
“I personally am of Chinese and Japanese American descent and I’m so excited to represent my Chinese heritage in Toph Beifong,” explained Cech. “One of the most incredible aspects of this show is the diversity of the Asian cultures in the ATLA world. Even though the universe is fantasy, it feels like every culture is represented in some way and tied to the history and traditions of that culture or country. Just a few years ago, you might have seen one or two of these actors in a show or movie, but on this show we are all able to represent this world together and work together and collaborate. It’s really amazing and a gift as an actor.”
Discussing the new season with Tudum, executive producers Christine Boylan and Jabbar Raisani said, “We’re looking forward to working with all of our actors again and digging into the deeper, more complicated relationships that develop as their journey continues in season two. We are going to show the real-world versions of iconic scenes from the original, and explore some of the stories that the animation didn’t. Mainly — we’re looking forward to seeing our gang all together again.”
Avatar: The Last Airbender Synopsis:
“Water. Earth. Fire. Air. The four nations once lived in harmony, with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keeping peace between them. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and wiped out the Air Nomads, the first step taken by the firebenders towards conquering the world. With the current incarnation of the Avatar yet to emerge, the world has lost hope. But like a light in the darkness, hope springs forth when Aang, a young Air Nomad — and the last of his kind — reawakens to take his rightful place as the next Avatar.
Alongside his newfound friends Sokka and Katara, siblings and members of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang embarks on a fantastical, action-packed quest to save the world and fight back against the fearsome onslaught of Fire Lord Ozai. But with a driven Crown Prince Zuko determined to capture them, it won’t be an easy task. They’ll need the help of the many allies and colorful characters they meet along the way.”
Peacock’s official Teacup trailer warns that “it’s coming and it kills everything that gets in its way.” And as the trailer unfolds, it appears that the terrifying warning was spot-on.
The new horror series is inspired by Robert McCammon’s bestseller Stinger and stars Yvonne Strahovski (The Handmaid’s Tale), Scott Speedman (You), and Chaske Spencer (Marvel’s Echo). Kathy Baker, Boris McGiver, Caleb Dolden, Emilie Bierre, and Luciano Leroux also star.
Poster for Peacock’s ‘Teacup’
“Teacup follows a disparate group of people in rural Georgia who must come together in the face of a mysterious threat in order to survive,” reads Peacock’s synopsis. Ian McCulloch (Yellowstone) serves as showrunner and executive producer, with Francisca X. Hu, Kevin Tancharoen, author Robert McCammon, and Atomic Monster’s James Wan (The Conjuring Universe, Archive 81, M3GAN), Michael Clear (Swamp Thing), and Rob Hackett (I Know What You Did Last Summer) involved as executive producers. E.L. Katz (The Haunting of Bly Manor) directed the first two episodes and executive produces.
“Teacup defies easy labels,” says James Wan. “It’s a genre-bending blend of horror, mystery, and drama, with layers that unfold like a captivating puzzle. It goes beyond chills and thrills and holds up a mirror to humanity, exploring the darkness that resides within us all.”
Teacup will premiere on October 10, 2024 with the release of the first two episodes. Two new episodes will be released on subsequent Thursdays through Halloween.
Season one of NBC’s primetime drama Found ended with Gabi coming clean about her deep, dark secret to M&A after Sir escaped from her basement. Dhan, who was already in the know, set to work tracking down Sir, while Gabi and the team worked on finding Dashika following a new tip. A tip that, unfortunately, turned out to have come from Sir. The first season ended with a cliffhanger, with Sir poisoning Lacey’s dog and then hiding in her closet.
Season two episode one, “Missing While Bait,” will find the team adjusting to Gabi’s betrayal. The new season premieres on NBC on Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 10pm ET/PT.
Showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll gave TV Guide a preview of what’s in store for M&A now that the team knows Gabi has been lying to them. “It sets them back in a very detrimental way — both individually and M&A as a whole. Everyone at M&A is probably guilty of a little bit of hero worship of Gabi. She came into their lives at a point where they were at their lowest and gave them the inspiration and strength to turn their trauma into purpose. M&A exists because Gabi saved their lives in emotional ways — and in Lacey’s case, it was an actual, physical saving of her life. She is such a cornerstone of their mental health and healing journey,” said Okoro Carroll.
Okoro Carroll continued: “So when that gets absolutely shattered, which we see from their reactions, even though we can’t hear what’s being said, that is not something that’s going to be repaired quickly. It wouldn’t have been something that could be repaired easily with fully healthy individuals, let alone the kinds of individuals that have experienced the trauma that these guys have experienced.”
Shanola Hampton leads the cast as Gabi Mosely, Mark-Paul Gosselaar stars as Sir, Kelli Williams plays Margaret Reed, and Brett Dalton is Mark Trent. Gabrielle Walsh is Lacey Quinn, Arlen Escarpeta is Zeke Wallace, and Karan Oberoi is Dhan Rana.
“Missing While Bait” Plot: Gabi and her team at Mosely & Associates begin to spiral amid her shocking revelation. Lacey’s childhood flashbacks begin to resurface, providing vital clues as Sir remains at large.
Shanola Hampton as Gabi, Dionne Gibson as Gina, and Kelli Williams as Margaret in ‘Found’ season 2 episode 1 (Photo by: Matt Miller/NBC)
Found Season 2 Description, Courtesy of NBC:
In any given year, more than 600,000 people are reported missing in the U.S. More than half that number are people of color that the country seems to forget about. Public relations specialist Gabi Mosely (Hampton), who was once herself one of those forgotten ones, and her crisis management team make sure there is always someone looking out for the missing. Gabi, however, has a chilling secret: In the midst of grief, she imprisoned her childhood kidnapper, Sir (Gosselaar). Now Sir has escaped and is on the loose, and her biggest secret is now her biggest threat.
Shanola Hampton as Gabi and Brett Dalton as Detective Mark Trent in season 2 episode 1 (Photo by: Matt Miller/NBC)Brett Dalton as Detective Mark Trent, Anisa Nyell Johnson as Detective Shaker, Karan Oberoi as Dahn, Shanola Hampton as Gabi, and Kelli Williams as Margaret in season 2 episode 1 (Photo by: Matt Miller/NBC)Anisa Nyell Johnson as Detective Shaker, Shanola Hampton as Gabi, and Kelli Williams as Margaret in season 2 episode 1 (Photo by: Matt Miller/NBC)Arlen Escarpeta as Zeke and Karan Oberoi as Dahn in season 2 episode 1 (Photo by: Matt Miller/NBC)Karan Oberoi as Dahn and Arlen Escarpeta as Zeke in season 2 episode 1 (Photo by: Matt Miller/NBC)
Jeffrey Dean Morgan to host ‘Destination X’ ((Photo by: Danny Ventrella/NBC)
Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead: Dead City, The Boys) is apparently against having any downtime. Morgan’s just signed on to host NBC’s Destination X, an adventure competition series based on the Belgian format.
Morgan will also serve as an executive producer.
“Destination X captivated me with its blend of travel, mystery, and gaming,” said Morgan. “I can’t wait to embark on this wild guessing game across the globe as Master of Ceremony, navigating players through challenges that test their mental and physical abilities.”
Additional executive producers include Andy Cadman, Lee Smithurst, and Twofour Managing Director Dan Adamson and Chief Creative Director David Clews. The unscripted competition series is produced by Twofour, part of ITV Studios, and Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group.
“Jeffrey Dean Morgan embodies the mischievous international man of mystery, making him the perfect host and puppet master for this new travel adventure series,” stated Corie Henson, Executive Vice President, Unscripted Content, Competition and Game Shows, NBCUniversal Entertainment. “He’s dashing, charming, playful, and the ultimate travel companion!”
NBC released this description of Destination X:
“Merging fantasy with reality in this larger-than-life adventure competition series, viewers will follow contestants as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime but have no idea where they are. In order to win, they must figure out their mystery locations. Once they’re on the blacked-out Destination X bus, the journey transforms into a real-life game board, with challenges designed to offer clever clues as to their location, along with a few misdirects to keep them guessing.
At the end of each episode, contestants must guess where they are and the furthest from the actual location is sent packing. The first participant to reach Destination X will be crowned the winner. With high stakes and mind-blowing spectacular gameplay, the series will keep viewers engaged and take them along for the ride.”
Ghost Adventures‘ Zak Bagans is expanding his paranormal investigator resume with Destinations of the Damned with Zak Bagans. The new Discovery Channel series, which finds Bagans visiting the most cursed locations in the world, premieres on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at 11pm ET/PT.
Bagans will be traveling to locations including a mansion in Malaysia that is supposed to have otherworldly portals. He’ll also visit an asylum in Italy that’s a hub of demonic activity and a Philippines hotel with an evil past. Plus, he’ll check out a castle in the Czech Republic and a Singapore island where residents were forced to flee by sinister forces.
Poster for Discovery Channel’s ‘Destinations of the Damned with Zak Bagans’
Discovery Channel offered this description:
“In this chilling series, viewers are transported on a mysterious journey where haunts and horrors reign at every destination. These are the world’s darkest and most evil locations. Driven by the macabre history and hair-raising unexplained activity that surrounds each nefarious site, Bagans sends his documentary film crew around the globe to explore what lurks within.
Connecting with resident eyewitnesses and paranormal practitioners, the crew navigates local legends, historic mysteries, diverse cultural beliefs and real-life horrors to document claims of hauntings, possessions and curses. What terror inhabits these sites, and condemns the communities that live within them? Bagans narrates as cameras cross into the forbidden and foreboding zones of each deeply troubled location.
In the premiere episode, Zak Bagans sends his team to Armero, Colombia, where thousands perished after a volcanic eruption in 1985. Was it a horrific natural occurrence, or did a murdered priest’s last words cause this unprecedented disaster? Does his vengeful curse still echo through the jungle?”
