Apple TV+’s exercised its options and is stretching Rose Byrne’s run as a fanatic fitness, renewing Physical for a second season. The renewal announcement arrives just days ahead of the series’ season one finale.
Physical season one also stars Rory Scovel, Dierdre Friel, Della Saba, Lou Taylor Pucci, Paul Sparks, Ashley Liao, and Geoffrey Arend.
Series creator Annie Weisman serves as showrunner, writer, and executive producer on the half-comedy adult dramedy. Director Craig Gillespie, director Stephanie Laing, Byrne, Alexandra Cunningham, John McNamara, Sera Gamble, and Tomorrow Studios’ Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements also executive produce.
“We couldn’t be more proud to showcase Annie Weisman’s singular take on this darkly funny, heartbreaking and bold story,” stated Michelle Lee, director of Domestic Programming, Apple TV+. “And then we got to watch Rose Byrne inhabit this incredible, multi-layered character, giving us an unforgettable tour de force performance. We have been thrilled to see audiences around the world fall in love and feel seen by this show and we can’t wait for everyone to experience the next chapter in Sheila’s journey towards personal empowerment.”
The Plot, Courtesy of Apple TV+:
Set in the idyllic but fragile beach paradise of sunny 1980s San Diego, Physical is a half-hour dark comedy following Sheila Rubin (Byrne), a quietly tortured, seemingly dutiful housewife supporting her smart but controversial husband’s bid for state assembly. But behind closed doors, Sheila has her own darkly funny take on life she rarely lets the world see. She’s also battling a complex set of personal demons relating to her self-image … that is, until she finds release through the unlikeliest source: the world of aerobics.
At first hooked on the exercise itself, Sheila’s real road to empowerment comes when she discovers a way to merge this newfound passion with the burgeoning technology of videotape to start a revolutionary business. The series tracks her epic journey from a stifled, overlooked enabler to a powerful, confident economic force, as Sheila transforms into someone we take for granted today (but was entirely radical at the time)—the female lifestyle guru.
1999’s She’s All That becomes 2021’s He’s All That with a gender switch and an updated storyline involving a social media influencer. The official trailer stars TikTok celeb Addison Rae as the social media influencer – obviously – and Cobra Kai‘s Tanner Buchanan as the “project” she takes on in order to win a bet.
The original film was released back in 1999 and starred Freddie Prinze Jr as the popular high school football player who fell for the socially awkward ugly duckling (played by Rachael Leigh Cook) who transformed under his tutelage. Cook shows up for the remake as does Matthew Lillard who played a narcissistic reality TV star in the original. The 1999 coming of age romantic comedy also featured Paul Walker, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, Anna Paquin, and Kieran Culkin.
Madison Pettis, Peyton Meyer, Isabella Crovetti, Myra Molloy, and Annie Jacob co-star in the 2021 release.
He’s All That was directed by Robert Iscove while She’s All That has Mean Girls‘ Mark Waters at the helm. R. Lee Fleming, Jr. returns as screenwriter, with Andrew Panay, Jennifer Gibgot, and Bill Block serving as producers.
Netflix has set an August 27, 2021 premiere date.
The Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:
Padgett (Rae) has mastered her perfect high school life: She’s a popular beauty influencer with a huge following, and her hot pop star boyfriend makes her the envy of everyone on her feed. But after she catches him cheating while livestreaming, she goes viral for all the wrong reasons. To repair her reputation, Padgett makes a risky bet that she can turn her scruffy antisocial classmate Cameron (Buchanan) into prom king material.
Things get complicated when she finds herself falling for him IRL—and learning no one is quite who they seem on social media, least of all herself.
Apple TV+ has set a September 10, 2021 premiere date for the filmed production of Come From Away, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. The Apple Original Films production was shot in May at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in front of an audience made up of 9/11 survivors and front-line workers.
Cast members from the original production star alongside members of the current production. The Broadway musical’s original director, Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley (Best Direction of a Musical), is at the helm of the filmed production which features choreography by Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine.
Olivier Award winners Irene Sankoff and David Hein wrote the original book, music, and lyrics. Sankoff and Hein serve as executive produces along with RadicalMedia’s Jon Kamen, Dave Sirulnick, and Meredith Bennett.
Come From Away earned seven Tony Award nominations and won four Olivier Awards. The popular musical also picked up five Outer Critics Circle Awards and three Drama Desk Awards.
Apple TV+ released the following description and cast list:
“Come From Away tells the story of 7,000 people stranded in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland after all flights into the US are grounded on September 11, 2001. As the people of Newfoundland graciously welcome the ‘come from aways’ into their community in the aftermath, the passengers and locals alike process what’s happened while finding love, laughter, and new hope in the unlikely and lasting bonds that they forge.”
• Petrina Bromley (original cast member of Come From Away, The Sound of Music) as Bonnie and others.
• Jenn Colella (original cast member and Tony Award nominee for Come From Away, If/Then) as Beverley/Annette and others.
• De’lon Grant (National tour for Jersey Boys) as Bob and others.
• Joel Hatch (original cast member of Come From Away, Billy Elliot, Annie) as Claude and others.
• Tony Lepage (Rock of Ages) as Kevin T. and others.
• Caesar Samayoa (original cast member of Come From Away, Sister Act, The Peewee Herman Show) as Kevin J./Ali & others.
• Q. Smith (original cast member of Come From Away, Mary Poppins, Les Misérables) as Hannah and others.
• Astrid Van Wieren (original cast member and Dora award nominee for Come From Away) as Beulah and others
• Emily Walton (Peter and the Starcatcher, August: Osage County) as Janice & others.
• Jim Walton (Sunset Boulevard, The Music Man) as Nick/Doug and others.
• Sharon Wheatley (original cast member of Come From Away, Avenue Q, Les Misérables, Cats, and The Phantom of the Opera) as Diane and others.
• Paul Whitty (Once, Gettin’ the Band Back Together, Amélie, The Full Monty) as Oz and others.
The official casting announcements have begun for Paramount+ and MTV Entertainment Studios’ upcoming Yellowstone prequel, 1883. The streaming service confirmed the Grammy Award-winning couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill will play James and Margaret Dutton, with Oscar nominee Sam Elliott (A Star is Born) on board to star as a rugged cowboy named Shea Brennan.
Paramount+ released the following description of the prequel:
“1883 follows the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America. It is a stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one family fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land — Montana.
Elliott is set to play Shea Brennan, a tough-as-nails, handsome cowboy with immense sadness in his past. He has the herculean task of guiding a group from Texas to Montana, and he does not suffer fools. McGraw and Hill will portray James and Margaret Dutton, the patriarch and matriarch of the Dutton family, respectively.”
The Yellowstone prequel was created by Taylor Sheridan, with Sheridan, John Linson, Art Linson, David Glasser, Ron Burkle, and Bob Yari executive producing.
“It all starts with the writing, and Taylor Sheridan is a brilliant writer,” stated Elliott. “I think the Western genre speaks clearly to both of us. The classic struggles of man against man, man against nature, and man against himself. It’s all there, in 1883, and I’m honored to be a part of it.”
Commenting on the project, Faith Hill said, “This is the opportunity of a lifetime. The Duttons are a formidable family and it is an absolute dream to bring such a strong female character like Margaret Dutton to life. I am humbled and honored to work with Taylor and his entire team.”
“This is truly a dream job,” added Tim McGraw. “Taylor has found a way of storytelling that brilliantly creates these epic dramas and family sagas with so much depth and creativity. The Duttons are tremendous characters and it’s so thrilling to be able to bring them to life. As a kid growing up riding horses, you think about dream jobs like this and I am just so excited to work with this amazing cast and crew.”
The new series has 101 Studios and Bosque Ranch Productions on board as production partners.
“We are thrilled to have Academy Award nominee and acting legend Sam and hugely talented, award-winning artists Faith and Tim all join the Taylor Sheridan universe,” said David Glasser, CEO of 101 Studios. “Taylor’s proven his immense capability of creating captivating characters and immersive worlds, and there’s no exception here with 1883 and Sam, Faith, and Tim’s characters. We are looking forward to this further expansion of the world of Yellowstone and bringing it to audiences everywhere.”
Season three of Yellowstone finished up in August 2020. Season four, starring Kevin Costner, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Luke Grimes, and Cole Hauser, is expected to premiere this fall.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars as an assassin with a limited time to live in Netflix’s action film, Kate. The streaming service just dropped an official trailer and poster for the thriller set to premiere on Netflix and in limited theaters on September 10, 2021.
Screen Actors Guild Award nominee Winstead is joined by Tadanobu Asano, Miyavi, Michiel Huisman, Miku Martineau, Jun Kunimura, and Woody Harrelson in the R-rated action-heavy drama.
Cedric Nicolas-Troyan (The Huntsman: Winter’s War) directed from a screenplay by Umair Aleem. Bryan Unkeless, Kelly McCormick, and Patrick Newall served as producers.
The Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:
Meticulous and preternaturally skilled, Kate is the perfect specimen of a finely tuned assassin at the height of her game. But when she uncharacteristically blows an assignment targeting a member of the yakuza in Tokyo, she quickly discovers she’s been poisoned, a brutally slow execution that gives her less than 24 hours to exact revenge on her killers. As her body swiftly deteriorates, Kate forms an unlikely bond with the teenage daughter of one of her past victims.
Kate follows a burned assassin’s furious pursuit of one last self-appointed job.
Will The Suicide Squad do for rats what 101 Dalmatians did for spotted dogs? Rats have a bad rap but they’re actually smart, sort of cute, and love to cuddle. And, as seen in The Suicide Squad, they can be quite heroic. #TeamRats
Granted, kicking off a review of The Suicide Squad with a paragraph on a rodent is a weird choice. But embracing the weird is key to enjoying James Gunn’s gory, expletive-filled, hilariously twisted take on DC Comics’ fictional antihero team.
The Suicide Squad assembles in much the same way as the group did in 2016. Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) selects a group of super-villain convicts with special skills, injects them with a chip that can literally blow their minds, dubs them Task Force X, and sends them off on a mission with the promise of knocking 10 years off their sentences if they survive.
Savant (Michael Rooker, James Gunn’s good luck charm) has the honor of being the first of the dozen+ players introduced. Savant’s highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat and a beast at handball. Blackguard (Pete Davidson) has super strength; T.D.K. (Nathan Fillion, another frequent James Gunn collaborator) can send his arms into a fight without his body; Mongal (Mayling Ng) is an alien with anger issues; and Javelin’s (Fiula Borg) name pretty much describes his particular talent. (Borg insists Javelin’s second superpower is his lovemaking skills.) Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), the sole member of the squad who doesn’t care if he survives, tosses dots of death as a form of therapy to deal with his mommy issues.
Bloodsport (Idris Elba) is the most reluctant member of the squad, forced into joining only after Amanda Waller threatens his daughter with life in prison. The tough-as-nails, take-no-prisoners killer who never misses his target has his title as the most lethal assassin challenged by Peacemaker (John Cena), a muscle-bound douchebag version of Captain America with a broken moral compass.
Returning players include everyone’s favorite squad member, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). Harley’s freed to unleash mayhem as a more fully evolved badass than in previous films. She’s also allowed to let her emotions and wicked sense of humor show more so this time around. Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) returns as the wrangler of the squad, a dedicated military man forced into keeping this gang of lethal lunatics in line. And Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) comes out to play once again, complete with his infectious gold-toothed grin and new and improved versions of his weapon of choice.
Among the squad members representing the animal side of supervillains is King Shark (voiced by Sylvester Stallone), the son of a shark god who’s on the slow side, has trouble making friends (because he eats them), and will absolutely steal your heart with his innocence and basic goodness (if you can overlook the eating people for lunch part). Think big, dumb, goofy dog but with razor sharp teeth.
There’s also a bizarre hairy thing that’s called Weasel (Sean Gunn) but could quite possibly be a werewolf. And last but not least, there’s Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior) and her trusty companion, Sebastian the rat. Ratcatcher 2’s capable of controlling rats, a superpower that comes in handy in nearly every environment and geographic location. She’s also capable of pulling the protective instincts out of Bloodsport.
Once assembled, Task Force X is sent off to the island of Corto Maltese to infiltrate and destroy Project Starfish, a super-secret operation under the control of Thinker (Peter Capaldi) and Corto Maltese’s corrupt government. Chaos ensues, bodies are ripped apart/blown up/squashed/otherwise obliterated, and sides are taken as two jam-packed, gloriously deranged, explosive hours of entertainment pass by on screen.
Everything fans and critics (and critics who are fans) hated about the 2016 adaptation has been fixed in Warner Bros. Pictures’ R-rated 2021 release. My review of the 2016 film warned moviegoers to save their time and money by avoiding the film and instead just watching the trailers. The exact opposite can be said about the newest take. Go all in on this one and see it on the largest screen possible while keeping safe, of course.
The Suicide Squad outdoes Deadpool 2 and James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy 1 & 2 in sheer over-the-top explosive action and adult jokes that hit their marks. It sounds cliché but The Suicide Squad is exactly what we need at the moment. Free to let loose, Gunn makes full use of the film’s R rating and ups the bar on comic book-inspired insanity.
The chemistry between the actors playing the assorted supervillains is better than anything we’ve seen in recent films of this genre. It’s difficult to decide which of the pairings winds up with the best lines, but I’m going with the “who’s got the biggest one” battle between Bloodsport and Peacemaker. Bloodsport’s lines bite harder but Peacemaker’s warped interpretation of righteousness gives John Cena the chance to play the dude who doesn’t get that he’s the butt of the joke.
Every delicious line of dialogue Margot Robbie delivers as Harley perfectly fits the character, and Harley’s costumes are infinitely better in The Suicide Squad than her previous onscreen apparel. Gunn and Robbie incorporate more levels and even – in a strange and unexpected way – more nuance to her madness.
The action scenes are explosive, ultra-violent, and gleefully absurd. From the opening kill, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad embraces anarchy and signals nothing and no one is safe. That opening scene and the first action sequence also send a warning to the audience not to get overly connected with any one character as he/she/it is likely to bite the dust before the credits roll. (And speaking of the credits, yes, there is an extra scene worth waiting around for.)
Writer/director James Gunn’s extensive knowledge of the source material is evident in every line, and he maintains a firm grip on the tone throughout. If ball juggling were an Olympic sport, Gunn would nab the gold for being able to keep so many characters actively involved and the audience engaged during the film’s swift two-hour and 12 minutes.
The best thing about The Suicide Squad…it’ll wipe away the bad taste left lingering from the 2016 film.
GRADE: A
MPAA Rating: R for drug use, brief graphic nudity, language throughout, some sexual references, and strong violence and gore
Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (The Help) returns as podcaster Poppy Parnell in the second season of Apple TV+’s critically acclaimed drama Truth Be Told. The new trailer introduces Oscar nominee Kate Hudson (Almost Famous) as an old friend of Poppy’s who reaches out for help.
Season two of the anthology series marks Hudson’s first starring role in a TV series.
The cast also includes Mekhi Phifer as Markus Killebrew, Christopher Backus as Holt Redding, Tracie Thoms as Desiree Scoville, and Haneefah Wood as Cydie Scoville. In addition, season two features Alona Tal as Ivy Abbott, David Lyons as Detective Aames, Andre Royo as Demetrius, and Merle Dandridge as Zarina Killebrew.
Ron Cephas Jones plays Leander “Shreve” Scoville, Katherine LaNasa is Noa Havilland, Mychala Faith Lee is Trini Killebrew, Michael Beach is Ingram Rhoades, and Tami Roman plays Lillian Scoville.
Truth Be Told‘s 10-episode second season premieres on August 20, 2021. New episodes drop on Fridays.
Nichelle Tramble Spellman created the series and writes, executive produces, and serves as showrunner. Mikkel Nørgaard, Octavia Spencer, and Hello Sunshine’s Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter also executive produce along with Chernin Entertainment’s Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping.
The Plot, Courtesy of Apple TV+:
Descending into the world of true-crime podcasts, season two follows Octavia Spencer as podcaster Poppy Parnell, who risks everything — including her life — to pursue truth and justice. Poppy dives into a new case that deeply involves her childhood friend, media mogul Micah Keith (Hudson). As developments unfold, their lifelong friendship is put to the ultimate test.
Carola Lovering’s Tell Me Lies is being adapted into a series, with Hulu announcing Grace Van Patten is on board to star. Van Patten also has a role in Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers, starring Oscar winner Nicole Kidman (The Hours) and two-time Oscar nominee Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Bridesmaids), debuting on August 18, 2021.
Emma Roberts and Karah Preiss are executive producing through their Belletrist production company. Meaghan Oppenheimer will write the pilot and will also executive produce, along with Rebelle Media’s Laura Lewis and Vice Studios’ Shannon Gibson.
Author Lovering will be involved as a consulting producer.
Hulu released the following description of Tell Me Lies:
Tell Me Lies follows a tumultuous but intoxicating relationship as it unfolds over the course of 8 years. When Lucy Albright and Stephen DeMarco meet at college, they are at that formative age when seemingly mundane choices lead the way to irrevocable consequences. Although their relationship begins like any typical campus romance, they quickly fall into an addictive entanglement that will permanently alter not only their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.
Grace Van Patten will play Lucy Albright, on the surface, a sheltered but well-adjusted girl from an affluent Long Island town. Her acerbic humor and often cool demeanor has earned her the label of “Ice Queen” among her friends. But beneath her confident façade Lucy is hiding a childhood trauma that has left her feeling disconnected from her peers. When she meets Stephen, Lucy sees a dark streak in him that she recognizes in herself, and will inadvertently bring her demons to light.
Camila Cabello stars as an aspiring fashion designer determined to start her own business in the official trailer for Amazon Studios’ fresh take on Cinderella. The romantic musical’s new trailer, which teases this is the legend you know but the story you don’t, also introduces Billy Porter as this adaptation’s fabulous version of Cinderella’s fairy godmother.
The cast also includes Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Robert, Idina Menzel as the evil stepmother, Minnie Driver as Queen Beatrice, and Pierce Brosnan as King Rowan. James Corden, James Acaster, and Romesh Ranganathan play the mice who are transformed into footmen.
Kay Cannon (Blockers, Pitch Perfect) adapted the classic fairy tale and directed the PG-rated 2021 version. Leo Pearlman, James Corden, Jonathan Kadin, and Shannon McIntosh served as producers.
Amazon Studios has set a September 3, 2021 premiere date on Amazon Prime Video.
The Plot, Courtesy of Amazon:
Cinderella is a modern musical with a bold take on the story you grew up with. Our ambitious heroine (Cabello) has big dreams and with the help of her Fab G, she perseveres to make them come true.
Nicholas Galitzine and Camila Cabello star in Amazon’s ‘Cinderella’
Critics Choice Awards winner Christian Slater (Mr. Robot) and two-time Emmy winner Tony Hale (Veep) will lend their voices to the upcoming Halloween special, LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales. The cast announcement was accompanied by the official poster for the upcoming special.
Tony Hale will voice Vaneé and Christian Slater is on board as Ren. Hale and Slater join LEGO Star Wars cast members Jake Green as Poe Dameron, Raphael Alejandro as Dean, Dana Snyder as Graballa the Hutt, and Trevor Devall as Emperor Palpatine. Mary Elizabeth McGlynn is NI-L8 and Matt Sloan is Darth Vader.
Ken Cunningham directs and David Shayne writes and executive produces. James Waugh, Josh Rimes, Jacqui Lopez, Jill Wilfert, Keith Malone, and Jason Cosler are also on board as executive producers.
The new animated special will premiere on Disney+ on October 1, 2021.
LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales Plot, Courtesy of Disney+:
After the events of The Rise of Skywalker, Poe and BB-8 must make an emergency landing on the volcanic planet Mustafar where they meet the greedy and conniving Graballa the Hutt who has purchased Darth Vader’s castle and is renovating it into the galaxy’s first all-inclusive Sith-inspired luxury hotel. While waiting for his X-Wing to be repaired, Poe, BB-8, Graballa, and Dean (a plucky and courageous young boy who works as Graballa’s mechanic) venture deep into the mysterious castle with Vader’s loyal servant, Vaneé.
Along the way, Vaneé shares three creepy stories linked to ancient artifacts and iconic villains from across all eras of Star Wars. As Vaneé spins his tales and lures our heroes deeper into the shadowy underbelly of the castle, a sinister plan emerges. With the help of Dean, Poe and BB-8 will have to face their fears, stop an ancient evil from rising, and escape to make it back to their friends.
