The official trailer for Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building kicks off with a man named Tim joining his fellow “The Arconia” building residents in an elevator. He then turns to the camera to announce he’ll be murdered in 12 minutes. The game’s afoot when the threesome from the elevator decide it’s their duty to launch their own investigation after it’s determined someone in the building is the murderer.
The three amateur sleuths are played by Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short. Aaron Dominguez, Vanessa Aspillaga, Ryan Broussard, Jeena Yi, and Michael Cyril Creighton also star. Martin and John Hoffman (Gracie & Frankie) created the series and serve as writers. Martin, Hoffman, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Jamie Babbit, Dan Fogelman (This Is Us creator), and Jess Rosenthal executive produce.
Hulu will release the first three episodes on August 31, 2021. New episodes will arrive on subsequent Tuesdays.
Mabel (Selena Gomez), Oliver (Martin Short), and Charles (Steve Martin) in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ (Photo by: Craig Blankenhorn / Hulu)
The Plot, Courtesy of Hulu:
From the minds of Steve Martin, Dan Fogelman and John Hoffman comes a comedic murder-mystery series for the ages. Only Murders In The Building follows three strangers (Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez) who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one. When a grisly death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, the trio suspects murder and employs their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth.
As they record a podcast of their own to document the case, the three unravel the complex secrets of the building which stretch back years. Perhaps even more explosive are the lies they tell one another. Soon, the endangered trio comes to realize a killer might be living amongst them as they race to decipher the mounting clues before it’s too late.
The new official trailer for Ghostbusters: Afterlife makes us want to believe this latest entry in the franchise will recapture the spirit of the original. Mini versions of the STAY-PUFT Marshmallow Man put in an appearance, Ecto-1’s back on the road, and Annie Potts plays a key role as Egon’s widow. The cherry on top to the nostalgia-fest is the voice of Dan Aykroyd answering the Ghostbusters hotline and saying, “We’re closed.”
The action moves from New York to a small rural town and focuses on the family of Egon Spengler (played by the late Harold Ramis). Mom (Carrie Coon) has fallen on hard times and moves her kids (Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace) to Egon’s old place in the middle of nowhere. There, the kids clean up Ecto-1 and inadvertently unleash the dead and quite possibly bring about the apocalypse.
Paul Rudd joins the fun as Mr. Grooberson.
Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Sigourney Weaver reprise their roles for this long-awaited sequel. Originally set for a 2020 release but delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Sony Pictures is now ready to unleash Ghostbusters: Afterlife in theaters on November 11, 2021.
Four-time Oscar nominee Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Juno), son of Ghostbusters‘ original director Ivan Reitman, directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Gil Kenan. Ivan Reitman produces, with Gil Kenan, Dan Aykroyd, Jason Blumenfeld, and Michael Beugg serving as executive producers.
The Plot:
From director Jason Reitman and producer Ivan Reitman, comes the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe. In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, when a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.
Focus Features’ new trailer for The Card Counter finds Oscar Isaac (soon to be seen in Dune) covering all of the furniture in his hotel room with sheets. Although why is left hanging, we do learn his character’s been in jail, has learned how to count cards, and may be connected in some way to the military. Writer/director Paul Schrader’s new drama will premiere as part of the Competition lineup at the 2021 Venice Film Festival before launching in theaters on September 10, 2021.
In addition to Oscar Isaac, the cast includes Tiffany Haddish (Bad Trip), four-time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe (At Eternity’s Gate, The Florida Project, Shadow of the Vampire, Platoon), and Tye Sheridan (Ready Player One).
Braxton Pope, Lauren Mann, and David Wulf produce, with Martin Scorsese, William Olsson, Lee Broda, Ruben Islas, and Stanley Preschutti executive producing.
Writer/director Paul Schrader earned a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination for his most recent film, First Reformed. Schrader’s riveting drama was also nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards, an Alliance of Women Film Journalists award, and won for Best Original Screenplay at the Critics Choice Awards.
Oscar Isaac and Tiffany Haddish in ‘The Card Counter’ (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features)
The Plot, Courtesy of Focus Features:
Redemption is the long game in Paul Schrader’s The Card Counter. Told with Schrader’s trademark cinematic intensity, the revenge thriller tells the story of an ex-military interrogator turned gambler haunted by the ghosts of his past decisions, and features riveting performances from stars Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan and Willem Dafoe.
FX has just released the full official teaser for American Horror Story: Double Feature titled “Bad Omen.” The trailer involves aliens and other weird creatures, with the two chapters of the new season revealed to be “Red Tide” and “Death Valley.”
The trailer was released with the tagline “A collision of terror like you’ve never seen” and a new poster.
The upcoming season marks the anthology series’ 10th season, and Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk haven’t released many details on what it’s in store other than to tease “One by the sea… one by the sand.” We do know Double Feature will include many returning AHS players. Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Frances Conroy, Denis O’Hare, and Matt Bomer are returning, as are Finn Wittrock, Leslie Grossman, Billie Lourd, and Angelica Ross. Newcomers include Paris Jackson, Macaulay Culkin, and Kaia Gerber.
Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Alexis Martin Woodall, John J. Gray, and Manny Coto are executive producing.
AHS: Double Feature will premiere on August 25, 2021 at 10pm ET/PT.
Poster for ‘American Horror Story: Double Feature’ (Photo Credit: FX)
The CW’s Roswell, New Mexico season two ended with Liz (Jeanine Mason) hitting the road after accepting a job offer in LA and Max (Nathan Dean) discovering his doppelganger hidden in a cave. Season three episode one, “Hands,” picks up seconds after the season two finale, with Duplicate Max (sporting a full beard) calling the Max we all know and love “son.”
Duplicate Max, who calls himself Jones, realizes Max’s mom must have never mentioned him. Jones lays his hand on Max’s chest and although Isobel (Lily Cowles) and Michael (Michael Vlamis) immediately react and knock out Jones, he’s still successful in passing along his identity. It turns out Jones is the savior and Max is a clone! Show of hands as to who saw that twist coming.
A year passes and Max is busy typing a letter explaining what he’s going through. He’s always wanted to be “just a guy from Roswell” but has been unsuccessful in putting the past behind him. Max is full of questions about who he needs to be for the people he cares about.
He adds the completed letter to others he’s written for each of his loved ones. Finished, he buries the box containing the letters in the desert.
Meanwhile, Liz is busy in her new Genoryx lab with fellow researcher, Heath (Steven Krueger, The Originals). He’s undeniably charming but when he asks her out for a drink, Liz turns him down. Heath tries to convince her he’s not after a date and just wants a casual outing with a coworker. But then he immediately proves that declaration’s untrue by suggesting they get some wine which might then lead to them succumbing to the moment.
Their flirty chat’s interrupted by their boss, Dr. Margot Meyerson (GiGi Erneta), who delivers the news a skincare company wants their latest formula. Production can begin immediately. Liz is shocked to learn their breakthrough treatment for paraplegic spinal injury victims is going to be used to erase fine lines. Because the skincare company will own the patent, it can’t be used to help spinal injury victims for 10 years.
So, that’s the bad news. The good news: corporate is so pleased with their work they’re adding more money to Liz and Heath’s neuro research budget.
Back in Roswell, it’s obvious Max hasn’t gotten over Liz. Isobel and Michael watch as he mounts a mechanical bull outside The Wild Pony, and Michael wonders just how much Tequila Max has had to drink. Apparently, Max has been drowning his sorrows and fighting off Liz’s memory with a mix of alcohol and one-night stands.
Isobel zaps Max into a mindscape while he’s still riding the bull. Everyone disappears but the three siblings and Isobel reminds them they can’t lie in a mindscape. Michael gets Isobel to confirm she’s still dating the bartender chick and Max gets Michael to admit he’s having trouble building a cage to weaken Jones’ powers. Isobel cuts to the chase and asks if Max misses “the waitress who shall not be named.” Max is able to escape the mindscape before having to answer.
Max lightens the mood and challenges Michael to see who can get with the singer. After he walks away, Michael reveals he’s worried about Max because, strangely, Max seems to be having fun. Isobel wonders if his worry over Max is actually just a cover for his own nervousness about Alex coming home.
Max is most definitely not having anything resembling fun as he races back to his jeep, grabs a bottle of nail polish remover, loads up a syringe, and injects himself in the arm.
Gregory Manes (Tanner Novlan) carries a box of beer into the bar and delivers it to Maria (Heather Hemmens). He congratulates her on the success of the patio, and she realizes he’s supposed to be out on a date. He confesses dating sucks because everyone recognizes his last name. “I have to tell some lame lie because the truth doesn’t scream, ‘Will you be the father of my children?’”
Maria reminds him he’s actually a hero and asks for a ride home.
Kyle (Michael Trevino) is in LA for a medical convention and finally meets up with Liz before heading to the airport. They catch up on what’s happening in their lives and Kyle confesses Steph just broke up with him. He thinks that because Liz invented a cure that saved her, she doesn’t want to be tied to Roswell anymore.
Kyle has other big news to share – his old hospital in New York wants him back. He’s not sure what his future holds at this point.
Kyle gets Liz to admit that although she’s dreamed of visiting the beach since her school days, her work has kept her so busy she still hasn’t made it to the ocean. Liz doesn’t care about the beach – what she really wants is to find a way to stop Maria’s brain from degenerating with each new vision. She’s stymied without her previous research which she’s still angry at Max for destroying in a fire.
When Kyle gives her a hard time about not going on dates, she confesses she’s still hoping Max will show up. Kyle doesn’t think that’s ever going to happen. He wants her to do what makes her feel alive because Max has moved on.
Gregory drives Maria home and she’s impressed with his hot car. She can’t believe he used to drag race; that’s something Michael Guerin – her ex – would do. Gregory flirts a little and then while showing off his driving skills, Maria experiences another vision. It’s of a funeral and Isobel sobbing.
Alex (Tyler Blackburn) arrives via bus and is dropped off right in front of the new statue of his dad. Forrest (Christian Antidormi) is there to greet him with a few passionate kisses. Michael, who was also ready to welcome Alex home, watches from across the street. (Damn, it’s heartbreaking to watch his reaction to their reunion! #Malex might really be over.)
Rosa (Amber Midthunder) facetimes her sister prior to her first art therapy session. She’s having a tough time dealing with bipolar disorder on top of covering up an alien resurrection. Therapy discussion done; Rosa reveals why she really called. She received a package from their mom that contains her plans from last year to take down Jesse Manes and syringes loaded with the drug she used to wipe Jenna Cameron’s memory.
Maria’s latest vision sparked a visit to the doctor, and Kyle shows her the new scans of her brain reveal the dark parts of her right temporal lobe are expanding. She needs to put on her protective bracelet, but Maria’s unwilling to become like her mom and lose parts of herself. Maria wonders why she had a vision of a funeral if she’s not supposed to act on what she learns. Kyle doesn’t know the answer but does know the bracelet will keep her alive.
Alex and Forrest are in bed when a message from Gregory and Maria making sure he arrived home safely wakes them up. Now that they’re awake, Forrest brings up something he wanted to talk about but was distracted from doing so at the bus stop. He asks if Alex has ever heard of Deep Sky. Alex touches the ring on Forrest’s finger – a ring that’s design prominently features the initials DS.
Alex and Forrest argue over Forrest’s involvement in the group, with Alex labeling his lover a “cold-blooded mercenary.” Forrest claims he’s not and swears he was forced to keep his involvement a secret. “At Deep Sky, secrecy is the price of admission,” says Forrest.
Forrest admits he’s only revealing he’s part of Deep Sky now because they want to recruit Alex. Alex can’t believe they think he’ll go away to join a group of murderers. Forrest describes them as innovators who hold secrets to the universe. When Alex asks about the secrets, Forrest doesn’t give anything up. He does, however, say Alex is going to be offered a higher level of security clearance than he has.
Forrest confesses he doesn’t want to lose Alex to Deep Sky. If Alex gets in and goes deep, he’ll be cut off from everyone. Forrest asks Alex to leave with him that evening on his book tour. Alex doesn’t reply before Forrest heads out.
Max stops by the store and stocks up on nail polish remover. As he’s heading down the road, Kyle chases him down in an ambulance. Max has been missing all of his appointments which Kyle wouldn’t care about if it weren’t for the fact Maria had a vision of a funeral. Kyle’s figured out Max is dying (again) and demands Max come clean with everyone.
Heath comments on how well Liz cleans up once she’s out of her lab coat as she finally meets him for a glass of wine. They toast to making something great together just as they both receive a text informing them their patent was leaked. Heath notes Liz isn’t shocked by the news and quickly puts two and two together. He warns her she’s toast if Genoryx discovers she’s the leak.
Heath thinks he has a friend who can cover her tracks and then opens up about why he got into Genoryx in the first place. His mom had early-onset Alzheimer’s and died when he was just nine; he’s committed to finding ways to help people like his mom. If they fire Liz, it’s likely Genoryx will also let him go.
A short while later, Liz and Heath break into the lab after hours to cover Liz’s tracks. After they’re done, they return to her place, and she apologizes for not thinking things through. He suggests she do a better job of breaking the rules. And, of course, they kiss.
Rosa’s at art therapy when Wyatt arrives for the session. He doesn’t want to be there but was forced into undergoing therapy by the court. Rosa tries to keep him from spotting her but is unsuccessful and he immediately recognizes her. She claims she’s Rosa’s cousin, but Wyatt doesn’t believe her. She suggests the only other alternative is that she’s Rosa’s ghost.
Max is in the cave staring at Jones who’s securely back inside a pod. Michael and Isobel arrive, and Max is pissed Michael still hasn’t designed a cage to contain Jones. Michael reminds Max their mom called Jones the devil. Max thinks Jones has the answers to all their questions, but Michael believes he should remain locked away.
Tripp’s journals indicated Jones left a ship and started a war between humans and aliens with just the flick of his wrist. Max is adamant they need to question Jones and is about to leave when Isobel says she can feel something’s wrong. She knows Max is keeping a secret.
Max finally lets them in on the fact he’s dying. Isobel refuses to accept it; she’s sure he was getting better. Max admits his body is rejecting the heart transplant and his time is almost up. Max is barely holding it together as he says (probably for the first time out loud), “I’m dying.”
Max has known for a year and is only now letting his siblings in on the truth. Isobel’s justifiably pissed because she thinks they could have been working on saving him all this time. Max reveals he was just trying to leave them with good memories over the past year.
“You know, it was the craziest thing. My girlfriend dumped me, I’m broker than I’ve ever been, Alex took off, there was a global pandemic, and yet I was happy because this…because us three. We were good!” says Michael.
After leaving his siblings, Michael pays a visit to Maria at The Wild Pony. He explains he knows about her funeral vision and informs her it was Max in the coffin. Michael’s only telling her this so she won’t try and force another vision to see who’s in the coffin.
Isobel’s waiting inside Kyle’s place when he arrives home from work to talk about Max. She wants to know what they can do but Kyle doesn’t believe there’s any additional treatment he can provide. It took a miracle to bring Max back in the first place.
As they’re talking Isobel realizes Jones might actually hold the key to keeping Max alive.
Max is alone in the desert and retrieves his secret box. He listens to an audio recording of Liz describing the aftermath of his surgery and cries as Liz says, “Can you feel me holding your hand?”
Alex and Kyle are the next duo to sit down for a drink. Alex confesses Max’s situation is making him think about what he needs to do before time runs out. He reveals he has an opportunity to learn more than his dad ever did, but it will come at a high price. If he moves forward, he’ll have to cut himself off from everyone.
Kyle wonders what Alex’s heart is telling him to do and Alex doesn’t pause before saying his heart is saying not to do it. But, he’s conflicted. His family did everything wrong but what if someone out there did everything right?
Kyle can’t talk to other doctors about Max’s heart transplant and warns Alex that alone is a lonely place to be.
It’s late at night and Rosa is alone at the café when Wyatt breaks through the door. He’s ready to shoot her in order to confirm she’s really Rosa. The lights start flashing as he yanks off her necklace while she claims he’s crazy.
Wyatt begins smashing things and reminds Rosa that it’s her fault his sister died. As they struggle, Wyatt drops his gun. Rosa’s able to reach a syringe and stabs him in the neck.
Max is relaxing with a book in front of a fire at a coffee shop when he’s joined by the singer from earlier at the bar. The sparks fly as she takes a seat and he pours a little bourbon into her coffee.
They move the action to Max’s place and Max lays out the ground rules before they go any further. She assures Max she doesn’t want anything and isn’t even going to give him her number. It’s strictly a one-night stand.
Forrest takes a last look around at the bus stop before boarding the bus. He climbs on board, sits down, and then spots Alex standing outside. He quickly realizes Alex isn’t going to join him. (So you’re saying #Malex still has a chance?!)
Michael and Isobel return to the cave and it appears they’re about to set Jones free!
Season three episode one ends with Maria at the bar closing up for the night. She smiles as she spots a teddy bear Gregory left for her when suddenly the peaceful night is shattered by four men who break in wearing alien masks. Before they can attack, Maria experiences the funeral vision again but this time there’s an additional segment that includes Alex saying, “Of course I’m upset. This is like Noah all over again. We are covering up a murder.”
The lengthier vision also includes a very much alive Max.
Maria’s able to fend off her attackers. She’s alone in pain on the floor dealing with the realization that Max isn’t the one in the coffin while in the cave Jones awakens to discover he’s inside the cage Michael created to dampen his alien powers.
Matt Damon stars as “Bill” in director Tom McCarthy’s ‘Stillwater,’ a Focus Features release. (Credit Jessica Forde / Focus Features)
Matt Damon delivers an incredibly nuanced performance in Stillwater, the riveting tale of a father who goes to extraordinary lengths to prove his daughter’s innocence. Damon’s character’s emotional detachment has resulted in a dysfunctional relationship with his only child. Stillwater explores that broken relationship in unexpected ways.
Bill Baker (Damon) is a hardworking laborer from Stillwater, Oklahoma who struggles to get by. Bill’s a tiny cog in a big machine, a nameless, thankless worker bee who’s part of a crew that cleans up after disasters. (He’s been taking jobs as they come when he can’t find work on an oil rig.) The clean-up job pays the bills, but just barely.
From the moment Bill arrives on screen, it’s apparent he’s a man of few words. Bill’s a single dad who leads a simple life and doesn’t need much. His entire existence at this moment in time is dedicated to earning enough money to keep the lights on and allow him to travel to France to visit his daughter, Allison (Abigail Breslin).
It’s only after Bill checks into a Best Western in Marseilles that we understand there’s a lot going on beneath the surface. This is a man who would move mountains to free his daughter from prison. It’s been nearly five years since Allison was convicted of murdering her female roommate and Bill has consistently made the trek to France to visit her. He’s never given up and remains convinced she’s innocent.
After spending a few years behind bars, Allison now believes she’s obtained evidence that could lead to the identity of the real murderer. She enlists her dad’s help – but not to help track down the killer. Allison doesn’t believe he’s capable of that and wants him to simply deliver a letter to her attorney with the new information. She doesn’t have any faith in her father’s ability to handle something as complex as an investigation. There’s very little real trust on her part that her dad can do much more than clean her laundry and keep her updated on goings-on at home during his visits.
Allison greatly misjudges both her attorney’s reaction to the new lead and her father’s commitment to her cause. Once Bill realizes there’s a legitimate possibility of finding the person who really murdered the roommate, he’s like a dog with a bone. Bill becomes fixated on conducting his own investigation, come hell or high water.
Unfortunately, there’s a language gap and Bill takes a bull in a China shop approach to getting answers. He fails, miserably. It’s only after theatre actress Virginie (Camille Cottin) and her wise-beyond-her-years young daughter, Maya (Lilou Siauvaud), step up and volunteer to lend a hand that Bill’s investigation is able to move forward.
Virginie sees a project when she looks at Bill and takes pity on the poor American who resists changing his bulldog approach to getting information. Bill’s tactics have alienated some potential witnesses; prior to Virginie’s help he epitomizes the Ugly American. But with Virginie by his side, Bill allows himself time to understand the cultural differences and find a way to actually connect with these kind strangers. By opening up and making himself vulnerable to Virginie and Maya, he also learns how to connect on a deeper emotional level with his daughter.
The trailers attempt to sell Stillwater as a thriller. It’s not. There are a few sporadic scenes that might fit that description, but the film’s actually a character-driven relationship drama with two concurrent storylines driving it forward: the first involving a father/daughter relationship and the second, much more fulfilling plotline involving Bill’s relationship with a single mother and her bright young daughter.
Camille Cottin as “Virginie” and Matt Damon as “Bill” in Lilou Siauvaud as “Maya” in director Tom McCarthy’s STILLWATER, a Focus Features release. (Credit Jessica Forde / Focus Features)
Damon is so damn good at playing nice guys, but what he delivers in Stillwater is much more subtle than his past performances. Damon’s lines of dialogue are sparse, and nearly all of what he communicates on screen comes via his eyes and the way he holds his body. It’s fascinating to watch Damon play this ordinary small-town guy whose complicated story arc moves through a progression of increasingly emotional moments. Do we root for him? Of course. But there’s also a nearly visceral reaction to his unorthodox approach to obtaining answers.
Matt Damon and Camille Cottin have amazing chemistry, and their characters’ relationship has an incredible amount of layers. Cottin draws in the audience and her story is nearly as much a hero’s journey as Damon’s. Lilou Siayaud is equally terrific as the child who understands more than she should and who sees something in Bill that makes her trust this strange American. And Abigail Breslin, who has less screen time than Damon, Cottin, or Siayaud, is great as the distrustful daughter who’s having a difficult time adjusting to life behind bars.
Stillwater’s got far more going on than the trailers tease. Writer/director Tom McCarthy (Spotlight) and co-writers Marcus Hinchey, Thomas Bidegain, and Noé Debré’s screenplay has depth and a gritty realness to it. These are characters who react (most of the time) and interact as normal, who go through emotional journeys that are recognizable and heartbreaking.
Stillwater’s a tale of loyalty, love, familial bonds, and betrayal driven by topnotch performances. Damon has never been better.
GRADE: B+
Opening Date: July 30, 2021
MPAA Rating: R for language
Running Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Studio: Focus Features
Jon Bernthal as Chase Milbrandt in ‘The Premise’ (Photo by Ray Mickshaw/FX)
FX on Hulu’s new comedy anthology series created by B.J. Novak (The Office) has an official title and confirmed premiere date. The Premise will premiere on Thursday, September 16, 2021 with the release of the series’ first two episodes hosted by Novak.
The anthology’s cast includes Ben Platt, Tracee Ellis Ross, Daniel Dae Kim, Lola Kirke, Soko, Jermaine Fowler, Ayo Edebiri, and Eric Lange. Lucas Hedges, Kaitlyn Dever, Jon Bernthal, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Ed Asner, George Wallace, Boyd Holbrook and Beau Bridges also star in the anthology series’ first first episodes.
B.J. executive produces along with Oscar winner John Lesher (Birdman). Novak, Jake Schreier, Kitao Sakurai, and Darya Zhuk are the directors, and the writers include Novak, Josie Duffy Rice, and Jia Tolentino. The series is produced by FX Productions.
FX released the following descriptions of The Premise’s episodes:
“Social Justice Sex Tape” – When a white, woke, twenty-something ally to social justice causes (Platt) discovers video evidence of a disputed police incident in the background of his highly embarrassing sex tape, a savvy young lawyer (Edebiri) and her mentor (Ellis Ross) strategize on how to best use the tape and witness to save an innocent man (Fowler) from prison.
“Moment of Silence” – After losing his daughter to gun violence, a grieving father (Bernthal) pursues a new job as a PR director at the National Gun Lobby, where he’s befriended by a coworker (Holbrook) who starts to suspect the man’s motives may be far more dangerous than they seem.
“The Ballad of Jesse Wheeler” – A pop megastar (Hedges) returns to his high school to pledge a donation to build a new library, but instead promises to have sex with the school’s valedictorian as an academic achievement prize. The promise inspires the disillusioned Abbi (Dever) along with the rest of the student body, while the star’s manager (Jackson Jr.) and the school’s principal (Wallace) desperately try to walk back the promise.
“The Commenter” – A young woman (Kirke) with a happy life and loving partner (Soko) becomes obsessed with a critical anonymous comment online, eventually upending her life in a quest for the commenter’s approval.
“Butt Plug” – A once-poor child of immigrants (Kim) who has now become one of the world’s richest men presents a chance at redemption to his former school bully (Lange): an uninterrupted hour with his board of directors to pitch a very specific product.
Fox has set its fall 2021-2022 primetime lineup’s premiere dates, which includes series debut slots for The Big Leap, Our Kind of People, and Alter Ego. Fox’s fall schedule also includes the return of 9-1-1, the sixth season of The Masked Singer, and The Resident season five.
Fox’s Sunday “Animation Domination” programming block will launch new seasons of The Simpsons, The Great North, Bob’s Burgers, and Family Guy on September 26, 2021.
FOX FALL 2021 PREMIERE SCHEDULE
MONDAY, SEPT. 20
8:00-9:00 PM – 9-1-1 (Season Five Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM – THE BIG LEAP (new series)
TUESDAY, SEPT. 21
8:00-9:00 PM – THE RESIDENT (Season Five Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM – OUR KIND OF PEOPLE (new series)
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22
8:00-9:00 PM – THE MASKED SINGER (Season Six Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM – ALTER EGO (new series)
THURSDAY, SEPT. 23
8:00-9:00 PM – THE MASKED SINGER (Part Two)
9:00-10:00 PM – ALTER EGO (Part Two)
FRIDAY (ONGOING)
8:00-10:00 PM – WWE’S FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN
SATURDAY (ONGOING)
7:00-10:30 PM – FOX SPORTS SATURDAY
SUNDAY, SEPT. 26
8:00-8:30 PM – THE SIMPSONS (Season 33 Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM – THE GREAT NORTH (Season Two Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM – BOB’S BURGERS (Season 12 Premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM – FAMILY GUY (Season 19 Premiere)
THURSDAY, Beginning Oct. 7
8:00 PM – THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ON FOX
NEW FALL SERIES DESCRIPTIONS:
THE BIG LEAP The Big Leap is a modern tale about second chances, chasing your dreams and taking back what’s yours. From creator/executive producer Liz Heldens, director/executive producer Jason Winer, and executive producer Sue Naegle, the show revolves around a group of diverse, down-on-their-luck characters attempting to change their lives by participating in a potentially life-ruining reality dance show featuring a modern reimagining of “Swan Lake.”
The series stars Scott Foley, Teri Polo, Piper Perabo, newcomer Simone Recasner, Ser’Darius Blain, Jon Rudnitsky, Raymond Cham Jr., Mallory Jansen, Kevin Daniels, and Anna Grace Barlow.
OUR KIND OF PEOPLE
Inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s provocative, critically acclaimed book, Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class, the series takes place in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful black elite have come to play for over 50 years. From writer and executive producer Karin Gist and executive producer Lee Daniels, Our Kind of People follows a strong-willed, single mom as she sets out to reclaim her family’s name and make an impact with her revolutionary haircare line that highlights the innate, natural beauty of black women. But she soon discovers a dark secret about her own mother’s past that will turn her world upside-down and shake up this community forever.
The show is a soapy, thrilling exploration of race and class in America and an unapologetic celebration of black resilience and achievement. The series stars Yaya DaCosta, Morris Chestnut, Joe Morton, Nadine Ellis, Lance Gross, Rhyon Nicole Brown, Kyle Bary, and newcomer Alana Bright.
ALTER EGO
From FOX Alternative Entertainment and executive-produced by Matilda Zoltowski, Alter Ego is a first-of-its-kind avatar singing competition series and the next iteration of the musical competition show. Lost dreams and second chances are reignited when singers from all walks of life become the stars they’ve always wanted to be. However, these contestants won’t perform as themselves. Rather, they’ll be given the chance to show how they’ve always wanted to be seen, creating their dream avatar ALTER EGO to reinvent themselves, while showcasing their unique performance styles via motion capture technology.
In Alter Ego, talent and technology come together to create a singing competition unlike anything the world has ever seen. Some of the biggest names in music are set to join the judges table, including iconic singer/songwriter and seven-time Grammy Award winner Alanis Morissette; actor, singer and television personality Nick Lachey; acclaimed Canadian producer, songwriter, singer and visual artist Grimes; and multi-Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, producer, entrepreneur and actor will.i.am. Emmy Award-winning personality Rocsi Diaz will host the musical spectacle.
USA and Syfy dropped the first official trailer for the new horror series, Chucky, during their Comic-Con@home panel. The trailer finds the killer doll purchased at a garage sale by a teen who has no idea what he’s in for. The official trailer confirms Chucky will get busy building up his body count right after finding a new home.
Brad Dourif returns to voice the creepy “Good Guy” doll and Zackary Arthur stars as Jake, the teen whose life is thrown into chaos by the arrival of Chucky. The season one cast also includes Jennifer Tilly, Fiona Dourif, Alex Vincent, Christine Elise, Devon Sawa, Lexa Doig, Teo Briones, Alyvia Alyn Lind, and Bjorgvin Arnarson.
Chucky franchise creator Don Mancini serves as executive producer and showrunner. Mancini also directed the series’ first episode. David Kirschner, Nick Antosca, Alex Hedlund, and Harley Peyton also executive produce.
In an interview with EW, Don Mancini explained why he believes a Chucky series is the right direction to take the franchise. “One of the things I’ve always tried to do with the franchise over the years is find ways of reinventing it. I realized that taking it into the medium of television would change the lens through which we view the characters in the franchise in a potentially really fruitful way. Just having eight hours of story to deal with necessarily puts you in a position where you’re dealing much more with characters and relationships than you can in any single 90-minute movie,” said Mancini. “All of that just seemed really mouth-watering to me and I’m delighted and slightly shocked that it all worked out.”
Chucky is set to premiere on USA and Syfy on October 12, 2021 at 10pm ET/PT.
The Plot: Courtesy of USA & Syfy:
In the new television series, an idyllic American town is thrown into chaos after a vintage ‘Good Guy’ doll turns up at a suburban yard sale. Soon, everyone must grapple with a series of horrifying murders that begin to expose the town’s deep hypocrisies and hidden secrets. Meanwhile, friends and foes from Chucky’s past creep back into his world and threaten to expose the truth behind his mysterious origins as a seemingly ordinary child who somehow became this notorious monster.
Chucky and Zackary Arthur as Jake Wheeler (Photo by: Steve Wilkie/SYFY)Alyvia Alyn Lind as Lexy Cross, Chucky, and Zackary Arthur as Jake Wheeler (Photo by: Steve Wilkie/SYFY)Chucky and Zackary Arthur as Jake Wheeler in episode 1, “Death by Misadventure” (Photo by: Steve Wilkie/SYFY)Chucky and Zackary Arthur as Jake Wheeler (Photo by: Steve Wilkie/SYFY)Zackary Arthur as Jake Wheeler and Chucky (Photo by: Steve Wilkie/SYFY)
Showtime’s much-anticipated new season of Dexter hosted a Comic-Con@home panel, teasing fans with an incredible bunch of delicious tidbits as well as announcing the 10-episode revival will premiere on November 7, 2021. Series star and executive producer Michael C. Hall joined series newcomer Julia Jones along showrunner/executive producer Clyde Phillips, executive producer Scott Reynolds, and director/executive producer Marcos Siega for the virtual panel which included a new teaser trailer.
Michael C. Hall admitted he’s been leery about reviving Dexter but believes that enough time has passed that now it works to check in on America’s favorite serial killer. “It’s hard to point to just one thing. I think it’s certainly due in large part to the time that passed, to a sense of readiness on my part, and certainly, the chance to collaborate again with Clyde and Scott and Marcos directing,” explained Hall. “That was a huge part of what ultimately allowed me to take a leap of faith.”
Journalist Kristin Dos Santos did an outstanding job moderating the panel, touching on key questions Dexter fans have about the upcoming ninth season. Dos Santos didn’t let the group off the hook and instead brought up the fact fans were deeply disappointed in the series finale.
Hall confirmed the fact the ending wasn’t well-received was a huge part of why he wanted to come back. “I think the ending was mystifying, at best, to people. Confounding, exasperating, frustrating…on down the line of negative adjectives. I think this is a show that is very important to all of us and the chance to revisit it and maybe in the process redefine the sense of the show’s ending and the sense of the show’s legacy more broadly was certainly a part of our motivation. No doubt,” said Hall.
Executive producer Scott Reynolds summarized the season eight finale, reminding fans that Dexter ended up in Oregon working as a lumberjack. He’s surrounded by the sounds of chainsaws – a reminder of his mom’s death. “It was ambiguous about like is he here to be a part of the land of serial killers or is the sound of chainsaws that he’s surrounded by going to be the thing that keeps him abstinent? Those are the things that we answer in this new season,” explained Reynolds.
And speaking of abstinence, Hall said Dexter made a choice at the end of the series to go into a self-imposed exile. “I think he’s doing a very, very long protracted penance for the people who’ve died who were close to him and not intended victims because of how he’d been living…how he perhaps was playing fast and loose with the code, etc., etc.,” explained Hall. “I think as far abstinence goes, as I imagine it, I think Dexter is maybe exercising the power of his restraint. That his ability to not do it is something that he fixates on as a new kind of power. It’s the only way I can imagine him living without killing…if in fact he hasn’t been killing.”
Hall added, “When we meet him, I think he’s in a place where he realizes that – or at least he’s encouraged to believe – that he can’t have his cake and eat it too. That if he wants to live a life and continue to do this very quiet, unacknowledged penance for what he’s done, he’s not going to be able to go around killing people. And if he’s going around killing people, he’s going to struggle to have much of a life outside an allegiance to that. Though he does maintain, I think, a fantasy that he can manage to do both.”
Marcos Siega directs six of the 10 episodes of season nine, with the episodes shot simultaneously. “The approach was from a production standpoint we’re going to film this like a movie, but we’re making a 10-hour movie so it’s just a lot of material to keep tabs on. The conversations I had with the cast were just, ‘Be prepared. If you have questions let’s talk in advance.’ But I’ve got to say everyone shows up on the day. We’re mixing and matching episodes and we haven’t had any hiccups,” said Siega. “The cast has been fantastic and it looks beautiful. The scripts are amazing.”
As far as familiar Dexter cast members returning, showrunner/executive producer Clyde Phillips wouldn’t divulge anything specific. “I will say that there will be some returning cast members from the original series that will make some people’s brains explode,” said Phillips. “Everybody that we reached out to – which implies more than one – said, ‘Hell yeah, I’d love to. Let’s make the deal, I’ll be there.’
I was watching Michael’s Golden Globes acceptance speech the other day and he was talking about how committed everybody is on every level of the show – cast members, crew members, the network, everybody – and how delightful it was. That’s how it really was and that’s how it is once again. And when we reached out to the former cast members that we reached out to, it was met every time with great enthusiasm every time. ‘What can I do? I’ll change my schedule. I’ll be there.’”
Asked what it was like being back in Dexter’s skin, Hall replied, “It felt strange but mostly because of how strange it didn’t feel. It was a sense of time compressing, starting to wonder if all the time that’s passed since we last did it to now actually was a dream. It’s wild. It’s wild to reactive something that you thought was gone.”
Clyde Phillips believes the finale for this 10-episode ninth season is going to blow up the internet. “You know when we sit in the writing room, one of the first things we do is talk about – usually – what the ending will be. We call that putting our nose against the ending and then walking backward and filling in all the either 10 or 12 episodes. The ending of this one will be stunning, shocking, surprising, unexpected, and without jinxing anything I will say that the ending of this new season that what we’re doing will blow up the internet.”
Also Confirmed:
Dexter’s going by Jim Lindsay which is a nod to the real-life author of Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Jeff Lindsay.
The story leaps forward nearly a decade.
The small-town setting of Iron Lake, New York may help keep Dexter from finding as many victims.
Dexter still has a collection of knives, per the teaser.
Julia Jones’ character is in law enforcement which means Dexter once again has an in with cops.
