Shudder’s diving back into the V/H/S horror anthology series with V/H/S/Beyond, the seventh installment of the popular franchise. The first teaser features bizarre creatures, a plane falling from the sky, and lots of freaked-out people.
The newest installment in the found footage franchise includes “six new bloodcurdling tapes, placing horror at the forefront of a sci-fi-inspired hellscape,” per Shudder. Jordan Downey and Kevin Stewart co-wrote “Stork,” with Downey directing. Christian Long and Justin Long wrote and directed “Fur Babies.” The “Live and Let Dive” segment comes from director Justin Martinez with Ben Turner writing the screenplay.
Virat Pal and Evan Dickson co-wrote “Dream Girl,” with Pal directing. And Mike Flanagan (Fall of the House of Usher, The Haunting of Hill House) wrote “Stowaway” and Kate Siegel directed. The seven installment also includes a special presentation by Cursed Films‘ Jay Cheel.
V/H/S/Beyond will have its world premiere at the 2024 Fantastic Fest before streaming on Shudder on October 4, 2024.
Bleecker Street’s Rumours teaser trailer is weird. Really weird, but in a good way.
Described as part political satire, part pulp horror comedy, Rumours‘ big-name cast includes Cate Blanchett, Charles Dance, Alicia Vikander, Roy Dupuis, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Takehiro Hira. Denis Ménochet, Rolando Ravello, and Zlatko Buric also star.
“Ricocheting between comedy, apocalyptic horror, and swooning soap opera, Rumours follows the seven leaders of the world’s wealthiest democracies at the annual G7 summit, where they attempt to draft a provisional statement regarding a global crisis,” reads Bleecker Street’s synopsis. “These so-called leaders become spectacles of incompetence, contending with increasingly surreal obstacles in the misty woods as night falls and they realize they are suddenly alone. A genre-hopping satire of political ineptitude, the latest film from incomparable directors Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson is a journey into the absurd heart of power and institutional failure in a slowly burning world.”
Liz Jarvis, Philipp Kreuzer, and Lars Knudsen serve as producers. Executive producers Ari Aster and Cate Blanchett.
Zoe Saldana in ‘Lioness’ season 2 ( Photo Credit: Ryan Green/Paramount+)
Paramount+’s spy thriller Lioness returns for season two on October 27, 2024. The new season starring Zoe Saldana will kick off with the release of the first two episodes, followed by new episodes on Sundays.
The upcoming season is currently shooting in Texas, with Saldana reprising her starring role as Joe. 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.
“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,” reads Paramount+’s synopsis. “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.”
Nicole Kidman as Kaitlyn Meade in season 2 (Photo Credit: Ryan Green/Paramount+)
Taylor Sheridan created the series and executive produces along with series stars Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman. Additional executive producers include David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, Jill Wagner, David Lemanowicz, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Friedman, and Keith Cox.
Morgan Freeman as Secretary of State Mullins in season 2 (Photo Credit: Ryan Green/Paramount+)Genesis Rodriguez as Josie Carillo in season 2 (Photo Credit: Ryan Green/Paramount+)Bruce McGill as NSA Chief Damian Hollar, Jennifer Ehle as Chief of Staff Mason, Morgan Freeman as Secretary of State Mullins, Michael Kelly as Bryon Westfield and Nicole Kidman as Kaitlyn Meade in ‘Lioness’ episode 1, season 2 (Photo Credit: Ryan Green/Paramount+)
Season two of Peacock’s addictive comedic thriller Based on a True Story finds Ava doing her best to stifle her true crime obsession. Expect more twists and turns as Ava and her hubby are drawn back into a new murder mystery when season two premieres on November 21, 2024.
Kaley Cuoco returns as Ava, Chris Messina’s back as Nathan, Tom Bateman reprises his role as Matt, and Liana Liberato returns as Tory.
“Season two finds new parents Ava and Nathan Bartlett three months into parenthood. Focused on taking care of her family, Ava is determined to resist her true crime obsession and return to work as a real estate agent while Nathan trains private tennis clients,” reads Peacock’s synopsis. “But a series of new murders pulls her back in – is Matt behind the slayings? Is Tory, now entangled in a relationship with Matt, in danger? For a while, life is good — Ava’s TikTok habit and her new friend Drew provide a welcome distraction, and Nathan’s all in on reigniting his tennis career as well as his friendship with Matt — until danger comes knocking, literally.”
Kaley Cuoco as Ava and Chris Messina as Nathan in ‘Based on a True Story’ season 2 (Photo by: Colleen Hayes/Peacock)
Season two showrunner, executive producer and writer Annie Weisman teased what’s in store. “I first discovered Based on a True Story as a fan of Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina, and I instantly loved the show’s addictive blend of dark humor, pulpy action, and relatable characters. In Season 2, we’ve built on those exciting themes while introducing propulsive new character dynamics and a forward-moving murder mystery,” stated Weisman. “I can’t wait for you to join us on this wild ride. Murder Bunnies, assemble!”
Kaley Cuoco, Chris Messina, Craig Rosenberg, and Aggregate Films’ Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan executive produce. Jaclyn Moore serves as a writer and executive producer, with executive producer Alex Buono directing four episodes of season two.
Oscar winner Halle Berry stars as a mom dedicated to keeping her young sons safe from an unknown evil in Lionsgate’s Never Let Go. The trailer shows the family literally tethered to each other, with their home the only safe harbor in a world turned upside down.
Lionsgate offers this description of the thriller:
“From visionary director Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Crawl) and the creative minds behind Stranger Things and Arrival comes Never Let Go. In this new psychological thriller/horror, as an evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother, played by Academy Award winner Halle Berry (Actress in a Leading Role, 2001 – Monster’s Ball), and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond.
Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.”
KC Coughlin and Ryan Grassby wrote the screenplay, and director Aja, Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, and Dan Levine serve as producers.
Never Let Go opens in theaters on September 20, 2024.
Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings) and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) make up the titular five in Netflix’s upcoming unscripted sports series Starting 5. Premiering this October, the 10-episode series will provide an inside look at the 2023-2024 NBA season, focusing on five key players.
“The series captures their battles on and off the court as they chase greatness, push through injuries, and balance the demands of family and legacy,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “James pushes himself harder than ever to stay healthy – and dominant – in his 21st season, while Edwards electrifies with his rapid rise. Butler’s relentless drive propels the Heat, Sabonis anchors the Kings with his versatile play, and Tatum leads the Celtics in their quest for a record 18th championship. Starting 5 delivers an unfiltered view of life at the pinnacle of professional basketball.”
The new series comes from LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s UNINTERRUPTED in association with Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions and Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions. Executive producers include Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson, Philip Byron, Randy Mims, former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Vinnie Malhotra, Ethan Lewis, Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, and Sam Pepper.
Peter J. Scalettar guides the series as showrunner and directs along with Susan Ansman and Trishtan Williams.
Starting 5 premieres on Netflix on October 9 2024.
The new Sonic the Hedgehog 3 trailer provides our first good look at Shadow, voiced by Keanu Reeves. Shadow’s a super-powered foe, and it’ll be up to #TeamSonic to save the world from total destruction.
Ben Schwartz voices the titular character, Idris Elba’s back as Knuckles, and Colleen O’Shaughnessey is Tails. James Marsden stars as Tom, Tika Sumpter is Maddie, Jim Carrey plays Gerald/Ivo Robotnik, Krysten Ritter is Director Rockwell, and Lee Majdoub plays Agent Stone. Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, Adam Pally, James Wolk, and Alyla Browne also star.
“Sonic the Hedgehog returns to the big screen this holiday season in his most thrilling adventure yet. Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before,” reads Paramount Pictures’ synopsis. “With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.”
Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2‘s Jeff Fowler returns as director. Pat Casey, Josh Miller, and John Whittington wrote the screenplay, and Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, Toru Nakahara, and Hitoshi Okuno serve as producers. Executive producers include Fowler, Haruki Satomi, Shuji Utsumi, Yukio Sugino, Tommy Gormley, and Tim Miller.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 opens in theaters on December 20, 2024.
Charlie Vickers and Charles Edwards in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Ben Rothstein / Prime Video)
Charlie Vickers’ character’s secret identity was revealed at the end of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season one. It turns out Halbrand wasn’t the King of the Southlands and was only masquerading as an ally to Galadriel. Halbrand is Sauron, and in season two, we’ll see Vickers disguised as Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, to deceive the elves.
Teaming up with Charles Edwards for interviews at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con, Vickers discussed his season two transformation. And Edwards talked about Sauron’s influence over Celebrimbor in the new season premiering on August 29, 2024.
Charles Edwards and Charlie Vickers Season 2 Interview
So, season two is the season of the villain.
Charlie Vickers: “Apparently. That’s what we keep getting told as well.”
How would you describe it?
Charlie Vickers: “It’s darker. It’s grittier, and I think that there’s a lot going on all the time. It’s like it snowballs constantly. It’s like it constantly is put on the accelerator.”
Charlie Vickersin ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Prime Video)
Does your character go through a physical transformation?
Charlie Vickers: “Yeah. There’s no two ways to say it. He’s changed. I won’t say when it happens, but when it does happen, you’re like, ‘Okay, yeah, he’s different.’ Yeah, and it is all…what I really learned throughout all the physical changes and the vocal changes it all has to connect to where I’ve started in the first season, right? They’re the same character; he just looks a bit different.”
The trailer reveals that we’re seeing a very vulnerable Celebrimbor in season two. Is that right?
Charles Edwards: “Well, he gets drawn into this very destructive pairing, and whilst it remains a power struggle between the two of them – because he wants what [Sauron] has, and likewise, so they’re co-dependent in that way – it goes to a place of desperation, as you will see towards, without spoiling, towards the end of the series. It goes to a very dark place, and what you see in the trailer is kind of the beginning of that realization.”
Charlie Vickers: “I mean, if you’re emotionally getting your heartstrings tugged by what you see in the trailer, it gets 10 times worse than that.”
Charles Edwards: “It does.”
The final episodes of season one felt like Sauron was trying to seduce Galadriel to the dark side. What do you think was the motivation behind that?
Charlie Vickers: “I think she brings something… He saw in her something that maybe he didn’t possess. Which is quite rare for Sauron, I think, because he’s a pretty – I’d say he’s quite a self-obsessed guy. I think he’s got everything covered. But I think he saw this connection to light in her. And I don’t think it was ever to the point where it was like, ‘We’re going to be king and queen.’ Although maybe he said that. He did say that, but it was never going to be like…saying it is one thing. I think in practical terms, he was in charge. And she was going to maybe offer some qualities to whatever this kingdom was going to be, that he could, yeah, use her.
It was all for his own personal gain, right? And if she joined him, I think his job would have been easier, because she brings with her all the elves. But she didn’t.”
But there’s no way you view him as a villain, is there?
Charlie Vickers: “I don’t think it’s helpful for me to. I mean, I know he is a villain, right? And Tolkien said unequivocally he’s a villain in his letters. He’s the epitome of evil in this show. But it’s not helpful for me to view him as a villain. I just have to find, like all actors do, to try and find something that he connects to and something that he seeks. And I think in this season, it is unifying and healing and bringing Middle-earth together as one. Hence, you know, help me make these rings and give them to everyone and it’s going to be great.”
He’s uniquely motivated.
Charlie Vickers: “Exactly.”
One of the things revealed during the Comic-Con panel was a segment about forging the rings. Your delivery of the dialogue was incredible.
Charles Edwards: “I mean, these things, as we’ve said, you know, you do these things, two years ago – I can’t remember when that was shot. You forget all about it. I never knew I was being filmed either when I was making my ring. I loved that. It was lovely to see it again. But yeah, the section of the Black Speech was amazing.”
Charlie Vickers: “Is that you saying…”
Charles Edwards: “…Three rings for the Elven Kings under the sky.”
Do you remember how it felt to say those lines?
Charles Edwards: “I knew I had to get it right in that moment. That’s why I learned it so thoroughly because I was in a very compromising position. And if I mucked up my dialogue at that point, they’d have to reset and reshoot. So, I learned it. But it’s a balance of, you know, you want to do it in the way that he would do it, but also it’s like a demonic possession kind of thing. It kind of vomits out. Which is kind of what the Black Speech is meant to be, isn’t it? Like a wretch, a guttural wretch.”
Did you enjoy the more restrained Halbrand in season one or embracing the more aggressive Sauron in season two?
Charlie Vickers: “I think it was two-fold. I loved doing the Halbrand thing, but it was kind of like a real first-time adventure for all of us, right? We were in, you know, it was a completely novel environment, a show of this scale. So, I think I went into season two feeling a lot more comfortable and it’s just like understanding what we were doing. And there was this element where I had been thinking about playing Annatar for ages. I was like, ‘If we do this, I know exactly what I want to do.’ So, it was really fun for me getting a chance to sort of put these ideas that had been in my mind for so long into practice. So, yeah, I loved it.”
MORE THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER SEASON 2 INTERVIEWS:
Neil Brown Jr. as Ray Perry and David Boreanaz as Jason Hayes in ‘SEAL Team episode 5, season 7 (CREDIT: Michael Moriatis/Paramount+)
Paramount+’s SEAL Team season seven episode four found Ray questioning Jason’s motivations. And the description of episode five, “A Perfect Storm,” seems to indicate there will be a little trouble in the ranks. Episode five streams on Sunday, September 1, 2024.
Season seven stars David Boreanaz as Jason Hayes, Neil Brown Jr. as Ray Perry, A.J. Buckley as Sonny Quinn, Toni Trucks as Lieutenant Lisa Davis, Raffi Barsoumian as Omar Hamza, and Beau Knapp as Drew Franklin.
“A Perfect Storm” Plot: Even the closest of brothers fight eventually. Tempers flare during a surveillance mission in Malaysia. As the team sets up camp in scorching hot temperatures, grievances are aired and Drew finally reveals why he’s been so closed off.
A.J. Buckley as Sonny Quinn in season 7 episode 5 (CREDIT: Michael Moriatis/Paramount+)
The series follows the lives of the Navy SEALs’ most elite unit as they execute dangerous high-stakes operations to defend their country at a deeply personal cost. In the final season, Jason Hayes (Boreanaz) struggles to balance his warrior’s existence with the responsibilities of single fatherhood. Ray Perry (Brown Jr.), his trusted second in command, questions whether he will be able to leave the battlefield behind as his retirement nears. Dedicated door-kicker Sonny Quinn (Buckley) battles against changing tides as Jason and Ray’s shifting focus means that other teammates must shoulder more responsibility. Both Omar Hamza (Barsoumian) and Drew Franklin (Knapp) find diving into work an effective way to distance themselves from their past traumas.
Vital to mission success is Lieutenant Lisa Davis (Trucks), a no-nonsense officer who ushers the team into a new era of warfare against powerful rivals for supremacy on the world stage. Ripped away from their loved ones at a moment’s notice to be deployed across the globe, Bravo team remains dedicated to their duties. Even in the face of overwhelming odds, they know this is the price to keep the families they left behind safe.
Raffi Barsoumian as Omar Hamza and Neil Brown Jr. as Ray Perry in episode 5 of season 7 (CREDIT: Michael Moriatis/Paramount+)Neil Brown Jr. as Ray Perry, Justin Melnick as Brock Reynolds, Tyler Grey as Trent Sawyer, A.J. Buckley as Sonny Quinn, Beau Knapp as Drew Franklin, and Raffi Barsoumian as Omar Hamza in ‘SEAL Team’ season 7 episode 5 (CREDIT: Michael Moriatis/Paramount+)A.J. Buckley as Sonny Quinn, Beau Knapp as Drew Franklin and David Boreanaz as Jason Hayes in episode 5, season 7 (CREDIT: Michael Moriatis/Paramount+)A.J. Buckley as Sonny Quinn in “The Perfect Storm” episode (CREDIT: Michael Moriatis/Paramount+)Neil Brown Jr. as Ray Perry, Raffi Barsoumian as Omar Hamza, A.J. Buckley as Sonny Quinn and Beau Knapp as Drew Franklin in season 7 episode 5 (CREDIT: Michael Moriatis/Paramount+)
Angourie Rice to star in ‘CC Emily’ (Photo Credit: David Roemer / Provided by Focus Features)
Filming’s now underway on CC: Emily, a romantic comedy starring Mean Girls‘ Angourie Rice and Alien: Romulus‘ Spike Fearn. Shooting’s taking place in Manchester, with Alicia MacDonald making her feature film directorial debut with the project.
Focus Features and Working Title Films offered this synopsis of the rom-com: “In CC: Emily, when a lovesick musician is given the wrong number for his dream girl, he teams up with a driven psychology student to find her. Together, they spark a hilarious campus-wide frenzy that tests their own hearts and ambitions along the way.”
MacDonald’s television directing credits include Pure, Flack, The Outlaws, and Too Much. Rachel Hirons (Breaking Point) wrote CC: Emily‘s screenplay.
Angourie Rice’s recent credits include Mare of Easttown with Kate Winslet, The Last Thing He Told Me with Jennifer Garner, and as Cady in Mean Girls. In addition to Alien: Romulus, Spike Fearn starred in Aftersun with Paul Mescal, Back to Black with Marisa Abela, and Tell Me Everything. Fearn recently finished work on director James L. Brooks’ Ella McCay starring Emma Mackey and Jamie Lee Curtis.
