FX and Hulu’s debuted new footage from the Shogun limited series during a :30 Super Bowl TV spot and then brought the final – and lengthy – new trailer online. The 10-episode series, based on James Clavell’s bestselling novel, will premiere on February 27, 2024 on Hulu with the release of the first two episodes.
New episodes of the 10-episode season will stream on Tuesdays.
Cosmo Jarvis as John Blackthorne and Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko in ‘Shogun’ (Photo CR: Katie Yu / FX)
FX offered this detailed description of the plot, cast, and characters:
Shogun is set in Japan in the year 1600, at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Producer Hiroyuki Sanada stars as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, who is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him. When a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village, its English pilot, John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), comes bearing secrets that could help Toranaga tip the scales of power and devastate the formidable influence of Blackthorne’s own enemies — the Jesuit priests and Portuguese merchants.
Toranaga’s and Blackthorne’s fates become inextricably tied to their translator, Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), a mysterious Christian noblewoman and the last of a disgraced line. While serving her lord amidst this fraught political landscape, Mariko must reconcile her newfound companionship with Blackthorne, her commitment to the faith that saved her and her duty to her late father.
The limited series also features:
Tadanobu Asano as Kashigi Yabushige, a notorious backstabber and close ally of Toranaga.
Hiroto Kanai as Kashigi Omi, the young leader of the fishing village where Blackthorne’s ship was found.
Takehiro Hira as Ishido Kazunari, a powerful bureaucrat who is Toranaga’s chief rival.
Moeka Hoshi as Usami Fuji, a widow who must find new purpose amidst her lord’s fight.
Tokuma Nishioka as Toda Hiromatsu, Toranaga’s trusted general and closest friend.
Shinnosuke Abe as Toda Hirokatsu, Mariko’s jealous husband.
Yuki Kura as Yoshii Nagakado, the brash son of Toranaga with a strong desire to prove himself.
Fumi Nikaido as Ochiba no Kata, the revered mother of the heir who will stop at nothing to put an end to Toranaga and his threat to her son’s power.
Tobias Menzies and his onscreen nemesis Anthony Boyle talk about Apple TV+’s limited series Manhunt, based on James L. Swanson’s bestselling non-fiction book Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer. The two-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, released on Abraham Lincoln’s 215th birthday, features cast interviews and shows off new clips from the historical drama set to premiere on March 15, 2024 with the release of the first two episodes.
New episodes stream on Fridays.
Tobias Menzies (Outlander) stars as Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, Hamish Linklater (Midnight Mass) plays President Abraham Lincoln, and Anthony Boyle (The Plot Against America) is Lincoln’s killer, John Wilkes Booth. The cast also includes Lovie Simone (Greenleaf), Will Harrison (Daisy Jones & The Six), Brandon Flynn (13 Reasons Why), Damian O’Hare (Hatfields & McCoys), Glenn Morshower (The Resident), Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio), and Matt Walsh (Veep).
Emmy, Golden Globe, PGA, and WGA-nominated writer/producer Monica Beletsky (Fargo, Leftovers, Friday Night Lights) created the series and serves as showrunner and executive producer. Additional executive producers include author Swanson, Layne Eskridge, Kate Barry, Michael Rotenberg, Richard Abate, Frank Smith, and Naia Cucukov.
The Twisters trailer doesn’t kick off slowly and build to a big tornado reveal. No, it cuts straight to the action, with a devastating tornado filling the trailer’s opening seconds.
Top Gun: Maverick‘s Glen Powell stars as a tornado wrangler whose catchphrase is, “If you feel it, chase it.” The film also stars Daisy Edgar-Jones (Where the Crawdads Sing), Anthony Ramos (In the Heights), Brandon Perea (Nope), Sasha Lane (American Honey), Daryl McCormack (Peaky Blinders), Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Nik Dodani (Atypical), and Maura Tierney (Beautiful Boy).
Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones), Javi (Anthony Ramos), and Tyler (Glen Powell) in ‘Twisters’ (Photo Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures & Amblin Entertainment)
“Twisters stars Golden Globe nominee Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell as opposing forces who come together to try to predict, and possibly tame, the immense power of tornadoes,” reads Universal Pictures’ synopsis. “Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Ramos) to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew, the more dangerous the better.
As storm season intensifies, terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed, and Kate, Tyler, and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.”
Oscar-nominated writer-director Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) directs from a screenplay by Mark L. Smith (The Revenant).
Twister, starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, opened in May 2006 and grossed $495 million during its theatrical run. Twisters is set to roar into theaters on July 19, 2024.
Netflix’s first teaser trailer for Scoop declares that one interview can change everything as Prince Andrew (Emmy nominee Rufus Sewell) and Emily Maitlis (two-time Emmy winner Gillian Anderson) sit down for the Royal’s disastrous 2019 interview. Directed by Philip Martin and based on the memoir of an insider, Scoop is set to premiere on Netflix on April 5, 2024.
In addition to Gillian Anderson and Rufus Sewell, the drama’s cast includes Billie Piper, Keeley Hawes, and Romola Garai. Peter Moffatt and Geoff Bussetil wrote the screenplay, and The Lighthouse Film & TV’s Hilary Salmon and Radford Neville served as producers.
Gillian Anderson and Rufus Sewell in ‘Scoop’ (Photo Credit: Netflix)
“Inspired by real events, Scoop is the inside account of the tenacious journalism that landed an earth-shattering interview – Prince Andrew’s infamous BBC Newsnight appearance,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “From the tension of producer Sam McAlister’s high-stakes negotiations with Buckingham Palace, all the way to Emily Maitlis’ jaw-dropping, forensic showdown with the Prince, Scoop takes us inside the story, with the women who would stop at nothing to get it.
To get an interview this big, you have to be bold.”
Theo James as Eddie Horniman in ‘The Gentlemen’ (Photo Credit: Christopher Rafael/Netflix)
Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen series, set in the same world as his 2020 The Gentleman film, will premiere on Netflix on March 7, 2024. Ritchie created the series, writes, directs, and executive produces the eight-episode season starring Theo James.
Joining Theo James are Kaya Scodelario, Daniel Ings, Joely Richardson, Vinnie Jones, Giancarlo Esposito, Chanel Cresswell, Michael Vu, and Max Beesley. Jasmine Blackborow, Harry Goodwins, Dar Salim, Pearce Quigley, Ruby Sear, Peter Serafinowicz, Ray Winstone, and Guz Khan also star.
Ritchie’s co-writers include Matthew Read, Haleema Mirza, Billy and Theo Mason Wood, Stuart Carolan, and John Jackson. Nima Nourizadeh, Eran Creevy, and David Caffrey serve as directors.
“The Gentlemen sees Eddie Horniman (Theo James) unexpectedly inherit his father’s sizable country estate – only to discover it’s part of a cannabis empire. Moreover, a host of unsavory characters from Britain’s criminal underworld want a piece of the operation,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “Determined to extricate his family from their clutches, Eddie tries to play the gangsters at their own game. However, as he gets sucked into the world of criminality, he begins to find a taste for it.”
The Gentlemen Cast and Characters:
THEO JAMES as EDDIE HORNIMAN “The Duke”
Eddie is the second son of the Duke of Halstead, and as such, never expected to inherit a thing. That’s why he created a life for himself, excelling at Sandhurst and achieving the rank of Captain in the British Army. But when his father suddenly dies, stipulating in the will that his title and the accompanying 15,000 acres of land will go to his second rather than firstborn son, Eddie’s life makes a fundamental pivot. It’s a role he never wanted and perhaps believed wasn’t within him, but gradually, Eddie will find himself increasingly comfortable in his father’s shoes. As Eddie contends with the unexpected criminal responsibilities that come with owning this English country estate, his character will be tested like never before.
KAYA SCODELARIO as SUSIE GLASS “The Boss”
Effortlessly stylish, sardonic, and inheriting her fair share of Bobby Glass’ steeliness, Susie oversees her father’s criminal organisation on his behalf. Susie is something of a chameleon, from inner-city boxing gyms to high-society galas, there are few places she can’t seamlessly fit in. Susie uses a combination of sophistication and sophistry to iron out the usual kinks which occur in the running of Bobby’s business, but when Eddie starts making problems for her early on, she finds her patience quickly wearing thin. Susie slowly begins to see the rationale for her father’s interest in this enterprising young man, as her and Eddie’s relationship and rapport develop across the series. However, when the Glass empire comes under increasing pressure, Susie is clear where her ultimate priorities lie.
DANIEL INGS as FREDDY HORNIMAN “The Liability”
Freddy always knew he was the heir to the Halstead estate, which is why he never succeeded at anything. His life to-date has been an inconsequential stream of parties, drug-taking, and embarrassing business misadventures. He is the Anti-Midas, everything he touches turns to dust and debt. When he discovers that his inheritance has been passed over to his younger brother, a fissure erupts within Freddy which no amount of cocaine can fill. Freddy is bereft of purpose and leans even harder into his impulsiveness and reactivity. But when the criminal elements at Halstead begin to infiltrate the lives of the Hornimans, a creative spark begins to flicker within Freddy: this might just be the making of him.
VINNIE JONES as GEOFF SEACOMBE “The Gamekeeper”
Geoff is the gamekeeper of Halstead Manor. He knows every inch of the estate and cares deeply for the land, as well as the assortment creatures that roam upon it. Stoic, stolid, and unswervingly loyal to the Hornimans, Geoff takes a certain pride in knowing his exact place within society’s structure and is ever respectful of the line between family and staff. There is a quiet sorrow to Geoff, owing to a secret he has kept for many years, nevertheless, as Eddie learns to deal with the illicit activity on the Halstead grounds, Geoff will make himself available as an ever-present rock to the new Duke. A repository of sage wisdom and sloe gin is always to be found within the gamekeeper’s cottage.
JOELY RICHARDSON as LADY SABRINA “The Matriarch”
Sabrina Horniman, Eddie’s mother, is the Dowager Duchess of Halstead. Upstanding and honest, she exudes a chilly maternal gentility. Though she may present as a part of the typical horse-riding country set, this is a front for a more salacious past, and a caustic sense of humour. Often the smartest person in the room, but with very little need to prove it, Sabrina becomes increasingly concerned for the danger Eddie encounters as he tangles with the particulars of the criminal world. Though we sense that there are parts of Sabrina’s life of which her family is not yet aware, Sabrina is resolute in supporting all her children with a discretion learned from years by the side of their father.
GIANCARLO ESPOSITO as UNCLE STAN “The American”
An extravagantly wealthy American, Stanley Johnston A.K.A Uncle Stan, is not your archetypal dealer and distributor of methamphetamines. Uncle Stan is obsessed with the history, iconography, and architecture of the British aristocracy. He retains a manservant, socializes with a minor European royal, and practically lives in the most exclusive gentlemen’s club in London. Stan’s fascination with all things posh might go some way to explaining his tailored interest in the new Duke of Halstead, but there are those who suspect Stan’s attack may be two-pronged: with his true goal set on securing Bobby Glass’ substantial market share.
CBS’s Tracker snagged the coveted spot following the Super Bowl, kicking off the network’s new primetime drama in what was supposed to be the best possible time slot to draw in viewers. Unfortunately for the series, the Super Bowl went into overtime which meant Tracker didn’t debut on the East Coast until after 11pm.
Based on Jeffrey Deaver’s The Never Game, the action drama stars This Is Us’ Justin Hartley as a loner who has a particular skill set that makes him the perfect person to track missing people. Episode one, “Klamath Falls,” introduces Hartley as Colter Shaw, a survivalist who earns a living by searching for missing people and collecting rewards. With support from his close-knit team – Robin Weigert as Teddi, Abby McEnany as Velma, Eric Graise as Bobby, and Fiona Rene as Reenie – Colter takes on cases that have stumped local law enforcement.
Prepare for a lengthy recap. There’s a lot going on that sets up the first season of Tracker in “Klamath Falls.”
Tracker‘s premiere opens with Colter Shaw using his natural charm and reassuring manner to calm Jessica, an injured hiker in Black Rock Desert, Nevada. He manages to convince her that everything will be fine if she just follows his lead, and as he takes care of her leg, Colter reveals a little of his backstory. His dad taught him how to track and a little first-aid, and he knows the mild hypothermia she’s suffering from will likely lead to death if they wait around for her to be airlifted out.
Colter gets her to his truck and then into a waiting ambulance. Mission accomplished.
Colter’s a good guy, but he’s not out there putting his life at risk performing rescues just to build up good karma. Colter expects a payday at the end, and in this case, the reward for Jessica’s rescue is $50,000. And as Colter explains, rewards are binding contracts.
Job done, he returns to his Airstream and checks in via Facetime with Velma and Teddi Bruin (in Denver), his handlers/family by choice rather than by blood. Both women are super protective of Colter, who’s currently shirtless and nursing a beer.
Velma’s a huge dog lover and tries to convince Teddi they need to adopt another cute rescue dog. Colter prefers to avoid the “is there such a thing as too many dogs” debate and asks about his next job. There isn’t one lined up yet, but they let him know an old friend from Devil’s Notch is trying to get ahold of him. He doesn’t explain but just says to ignore those calls.
It turns out the person has been calling Colter, too, but Colter doesn’t pick up.
The first Corgi sighting of the season arrives with a morning call from Teddi informing Colter of his next job. (Warning: all subsequent Corgi sightings will probably be mentioned. Sorry, not sorry.) A $20,000 payday is waiting if Colter can find Gilbert Brown, a 14-year-old who was supposedly taken by Edward Brown, his non-custodial parent. He was last seen in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and his mom and stepdad are offering the reward.
Colter visits the worried parents and explains that he makes his living collecting rewards. He doesn’t take any fees/expenses upfront. Mom Sarah says Gil and his dad haven’t had any contact in years; he apparently was into drugs and petty theft. Plus, he did six months for robbing a Juul (vape) store.
Gil told his brother that he was meeting his real dad for breakfast and would see him at school. He never showed up.
After everyone but Sarah leaves, Colter demands to know why she’s lying. Her story doesn’t add up, and Colter points out that he notices things. Sarah confesses she’s recently been talking to Eddie and that a few weeks back, he asked to speak to Gil. And it turns out Gil’s been texting his dad, but Sarah didn’t know Eddie would kidnap him.
Colter spots a photo of Gil in the woods with his dad and asks to take it. Plus, he needs a school photo and Gil’s phone number. Sarah didn’t tell her current husband about Eddie because it would break his heart.
Colter has a flashback to his dad teaching him how to climb. His dad also had a calm demeanor and convinced Colter never to let panic take the wheel.
Back to current events and Colter calls Bobby Exley, another member of his support team. Bobby’s incredibly tech-savvy and can track down info online on anyone. Colter asks for anything he can dig up on Edward Monroe Brown. Bobby’s willing to do a little dirty work (in the legal grey area) to obtain a text exchange, but it’ll cost Colter double. They have a great relationship, and Colter hints that he saved Bobby in the past.
The caller Colter’s been ignoring texts him that they need to talk. That sparks a flashback to a night that his dad lost his cool and grabbed his younger sister Dory (age 9) and his older brother Russell (age 18) defended her. Their mom wasn’t there, and Colter’s dad took off – leaving the three kids on their own in a cabin.
Bobby worked miracles and got the text exchange, and it looks like Eddie convinced Gil not to tell his mom and to meet him at Burger Bin. Colter heads to the restaurant, spots a surveillance camera, and asks about the security camera. Accessing the footage needs corporate approval and Colter knows that will take too long. He takes matters into his own hands and enters the office to look for himself.
Unfortunately, two cops are eating in the restaurant and order him to leave the office. Colter refuses to come out until he sees the footage. He uses his phone to take a photo of Gil with a man and quickly sends it to Sarah. The man who took Gil is not his father!
Colter’s placed under arrest and wakes up Velma and Teddi by calling in the dead of night. The Corgi reacts by immediately barking – because that’s just what Corgis do – and Velma answers the phone, learns Colter’s in jail, and starts to work getting him set up with a lawyer.
Officer Amini (Paniz Zade) books him into jail, and Colter’s sure it’s an overreaction. He wasn’t resisting arrest, he was “grudging.” She doesn’t really care that he’s working with a family to find a missing child; she uses the term “mercenary” as a derogatory description. Colter corrects her and says he prefers being called a “rewardist.”
Officer Amini makes it clear she believes Colter’s only in it for the money and that he doesn’t care about the missing boy or his family.
Velma and Teddi work the phones and can’t find anyone to get Colter out of his predicament. Only attorney Reenie Green reaches out and will do it, but she wasn’t their first choice. Reenie and Colter have history, and Teddi thinks Colter’s going to kill them for sending her in to help.
Colter reacts as expected but then slips into apologetic mode, knowing he has no choice. Reenie speaks to the desk officer and ignores Colter, calling Colter a pathological narcissist whom she doesn’t really want to help. She also calls him a handsome idiot and says the last time she saw him, they had dinner, wine, and sex, and then Colter snuck off like a guilty frat boy.
Colter pleads his case, but Reenie doesn’t care. Fortunately for Colter, Reenie had an in at the Klamath Superior Court, and he’s free to leave. She’s sticking around for a few days, and Colter misreads the room and thinks she wants to hook up. She absolutely does not!
Officer Amini’s shocked Cotler’s walking free, but she did look at the tape and has put out an APB on the kidnapper. Gil’s bike was found in a dumpster, and they’re checking for prints. Officer Amini’s also surprised when Colter suggests an officer should check on the family and make sure they’re okay. She didn’t expect him to care about the family.
As Colter walks away, Reenie tells Officer Amini that she needs to tread carefully if she gets involved with him.
Bobby dug up more info, and it turns out Eddie Brown’s been dead for six months. Colter visits the halfway house where Eddie was staying and speaks with guys who knew Eddie. They also recognize the kidnapper. His name’s Jack Horvath and he probably impersonated Eddie because Eddie used to tell a story about $100,000 that he buried.
The guys reveal that Eddie buried it where he and his son camped, which means Gil would know the location. (Also, it’s the location where the photo Colter took from Sarah was taken.)
Colter meets with officers at Sarah’s house, and they’ve tracked Horvath’s truck to Sun Pass State Forest’s monitoring station. He’s probably up there now, and the officer in charge says the State Police are ready to search for Horvath and Gil. But Colter believes a show of force is the wrong move.
Horvath is dangerous and unpredictable, and Colter volunteers to go retrieve Gil without resorting to an armed response and helicopters. Colter believes the photo shows exactly where to look for Gil, but the cops disagree. Fortunately, Sarah trusts Colter’s judgement, so he’s given a two-hour head start before officers move in.
Officer Amini drives him to the location and tries to get him to explain why he chose to be a rewardist. Colter admits his childhood was unusual. His parents were professors at Berkeley until something happened with his dad. His dad then moved them to a compound in the forest and taught them to live off the grid. His dad kept claiming people were out to get them, so he taught his kids tracking, hunting, free-climbing, and how to survive on their own.
When he was just 15, the flashback from earlier in the episode took place. His dad ordered them to get their go-bags and then stormed out on his own, but not before pulling a knife on Russell. Russell was okay with him leaving because his condition was getting worse, but Colter was upset, so Russell volunteered to track him down.
When his mom got home, Russell was still gone. Colter looked for them and found his dad dead at the base of a cliff. His brother was on top, just looking down at him in the rain.
They arrive near the location and Colter goes in on his own to find Gil. He finds the teen handcuffed and lying in the bed of Jack Horvath’s truck. Horvath spots Colter and orders him to drop his gun. Colter complies and tries to make a connection with Jack, letting him know he understands what happened. Jack’s in a dire situation now, and Colter reminds him that this is kidnapping with a weapon. However, he has half an hour before the cops get there. Colter will take Gil and go, leaving Jack time to escape – if he leaves right now. If he refuses, the cops will catch Jack and he’ll either go back to jail or be shot dead. It’s not much of a choice.
Jack gives Colter the handcuff key and just as Colter sets Gil free, a helicopter appears overhead. Jack panics and shoots Colter before taking off with Gil still in the back of the truck. Officer Amini heads towards the gunshot as an injured Colter tries to cut Jack off by taking shortcuts down the hill.
Colter finally catches up and leaps into the back of the moving truck. He and Gil hold on as Jack takes the turns way too fast. Cops chase Jack into a dead-end outlet and have him surrounded. Colter holds Jack at gunpoint through the back window, and Jack knows the jig is up. He takes his own life, and his foot leaves the brake, causing the truck to roll backward to the edge of a cliff.
Gil and Colter dangle 100 feet up, with Colter explaining they need to let go and drop into the river. There’s not enough time for them to be rescued before the truck plunges off the cliff with them in the back.
Gil trusts Colter and they let go, landing safely in the river.
Colter gets fixed up at the hospital, and the cop in charge apologizes for getting antsy and going in early. Colter accepts the reward money while he’s checking on Gil, who survived just fine thanks to the rewardist. Gil knows his dad is dead, and Colter points out he has a helluva stepdad.
“You’ve got a lot of good people around you. Lean on the people you’ve got,” suggests Colter, who knows a thing or two about dead dads.
Reenie calls with the good news that the local cops are letting him go. The charges from the Burger Bin have been dropped. She says the problem with him is that he’s so damn interesting. She wants to be first on the call list next time Velma and Teddi need help.
Officer Amini is now off duty and with Colter at his RV. She doesn’t want to talk and prefers to just enjoy each other’s bodies.
Back at the Bruins’ home, Velma’s upset because someone adopted the rescue she wanted, and it turns out Teddi did it! Velma tells her partner she loves her as she holds their newest furry family member.
Colter and Officer Amini are in bed when Teddi calls with his next case in Colorado Springs.
Colter hits the road but makes a pit stop in Devil’s Notch. He pauses in front of his dad’s grave and relives finding him dead. He screamed up at his brother, asking what he did. Russell didn’t reply.
Colter’s mom joins him at the grave, which is right in front of her cabin. He informs her that Russell called, and although he didn’t speak to him, he knows Russell won’t stop calling. Russell texted him that there’s something he needs to know. His mom suggests he ignore Russell and block the number. She’s asked very little of him and wants him to leave it be, for everyone’s sake.
* * * * * *
So, what did we learn from Tracker‘s first episode? Colter’s good at his job, has an awesome support team, and a traumatic backstory. We also learned that Justin Hartley’s pretty good at playing the strong, silent type.
New season one episodes of Tracker will air on Sundays at 9pm ET/PT.
The Fall Guy, and the movie within the movie, has everything – action, drama, romance, twisted metal, cardio, space cowboys, aliens, and teamwork. Directed by David Leith (a stunt man), The Fall Guy stars two actors up for 2024 Oscars – Ryan Gosling (Barbie) and Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer).
The cast also includes Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, and Stephanie Hsu.
Poster for Universal Pictures’ ‘The Fall Guy’
Universal Pictures offers this synopsis of the action comedy:
“He’s a stuntman, and like everyone in the stunt community, he gets blown up, shot, crashed, thrown through windows and dropped from the highest of heights, all for our entertainment. And now, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, this working-class hero has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right?
From real-life stunt man and director David Leitch, the blockbuster director of Bullet Train, Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and the producer of John Wick, Nobody, and Violent Night, comes his most personal film yet. A new hilarious, hard-driving, all-star apex-action thriller and love letter to action movies and the hard-working and under-appreciated crew of people who make them: The Fall Guy.
Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling stars as Colt Seavers, a battle-scarred stuntman who, having left the business a year earlier to focus on both his physical and mental health, is drafted back into service when the star of a mega-budget studio movie — being directed by his ex, Jody Moreno, played by Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt — goes missing.
While the film’s ruthless producer (Waddingham), maneuvers to keep the disappearance of star Tom Ryder (Taylor-Johnson) a secret from the studio and the media, Colt performs the film’s most outrageous stunts while trying (with limited success) to charm his way back into Jody’s good graces. But as the mystery around the missing star deepens, Colt will find himself ensnared in a sinister, criminal plot that will push him to the edge of a fall more dangerous than any stunt.”
Glinda tells Elphaba not to be afraid and Elphaba replies, “I’m not. It’s the Wizard who should be afraid of me,” in the first trailer for Universal Pictures’ Wicked. Grammy winner Ariana Grande stars as Glinda and Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba in the film adaptation of the long-running musical.
Wicked is the untold story of the witches of Oz and focuses on Elphaba, “a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power,” and Glinda, “a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.”
Per Universal: “The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.”
Poster for ‘Wicked,’ courtesy of Universal Pictures
The cast also includes Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University’s regal headmistress Madame Morrible; Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, a roguish and carefree prince; Tony nominee Ethan Slater as Boq, an altruistic Munchkin student; Marissa Bode in her feature-film debut as Nessarose, Elphaba’s favored sister; and pop culture icon Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz.
Pfannee and ShenShen, two conniving compatriots of Glinda, are played by Emmy nominee Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James, and Tony nominee Keala Settle plays a new character created for the film, Miss Coddle.
Jon M. Chu (In the Heights) directs the first chapter of a two-part story. Wicked opens in theaters on November 27, 2024, followed by Wicked Part Two on November 26, 2025.
King Proximus declares that apes will learn and conquer the world in the official trailer for 20th Century Studios’ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. The action-packed trailer shows Proximus prepared to wipe humans out of existence. Fortunately for mankind, there are apes who believe we’re worth saving.
The first film of the new chapter of the Planet of the Apes franchise stars Owen Teague (IT), Freya Allan (The Witcher), Kevin Durand (Locke & Key), Peter Macon (Shameless), and William H. Macy (Fargo). Wes Ball directs from a screenplay by Josh Friedman, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Patrick Aison, based on characters created by Jaffa and Silver.
“Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows,” reads 20th Century Studios’ synopsis. “As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.”
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes opens in theaters on May 10, 2024.
Marvel Studios dropped a Deadpool & Wolverine teaser as the 2024 Super Bowl got underway, and then immediately dropped the two-minute trailer online. Ryan Reynolds is the focus of the trailer, and it’s not until the very end that Wolverine arrives – but only as a shadow.
Hugh Jackman’s back as X-Men fan-favorite Wolverine. The cast also includes Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, and Matthew Macfadyen. Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells, and Shawn Levy wrote the screenplay, and Shawn Levy directs.
Deadpool & Wolverine opens in theaters on July 26, 2024.
(Update: Marvel Studios’ trailer release broke global records following its release on Sunday, netting 365 million views in just 24 hours. That makes it the most-viewed movie trailer of all time.)
