‘Ron’s Gone Wrong’ Trailer: The Story of a Boy and His Dysfunctional Robot

By

-

June 8, 2021

I had no idea there was such a thing as “Best Friend’s Day” but apparently there is and 20th Century Studios launched the Ron’s Gone Wrong trailer to celebrate it. The animated comedy, which marks the first theatrical release from Locksmith Animation, finds a young boy bonding with his faulty robot.

The voice cast includes The Hangover co-stars Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms along with Jack Dylan Grazer (Shazam!), Olivia Colman (The Crown), Justice Smith (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), and Rob Delaney (Catastrophe). Kylie Cantrall (Gabby Duran and the Unsittables), Ricardo Hurtado (The Goldbergs), Marcus Scribner (black-ish), and Thomas Barbusca (Chad) also lend their voices to the family-friendly comedy.

20th Century Studios is planning an October 22, 2021 theatrical release.

Jean-Philippe Vine (story artist on Pixar’s Cars 3 and The Good Dinosaur) and Locksmith co-founder Sarah Smith (Arthur Christmas) directed, with Octavio Rodriguez (story artist on Coco and The Incredibles 2) co-directing. Smith co-wrote the screenplay with Peter Baynham (Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm). Locksmith co-founder Julie Lockhart and Lara Breay produced, with Baynham, Smith, and Locksmith chairman Elisabeth Murdoch executive producing.

The Plot:

20th Century Studios and Locksmith Animation’s Ron’s Gone Wrong is the story of Barney, a socially awkward middle-schooler and Ron, his new walking, talking, digitally-connected device, which is supposed to be his “Best Friend Out of the Box.” Ron’s hilarious malfunctions, set against the backdrop of the social media age, launch them into an action-packed journey in which boy and robot come to terms with the wonderful messiness of true friendship.

‘Hacks’ Starring Jean Smart Earns a Second Season Order

By

Rebecca Murray

-

June 8, 2021

Hacks Season 1 — Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart star in ‘Hacks’ (Photograph by Anne Marie Fox/HBO Max)

HBO Max has renewed the comedy series Hacks for a second season. The renewal announcement arrived two days prior to the release of season one’s final two episodes.

Emmy winner Jean Smart leads the cast as a Las Vegas comedian who very reluctantly allows a struggling young writer (played by Hannah Einbinder) to assist with her standup act. Commenting on the renewal, Smart said, “I am absolutely thrilled we are picked up for a second season and I told Hannah it’s ‘No more Miss Nice Guy; from now on it’s Bette and Joan! And guess who’s BETTE??!!’”

The season one cast also includes series regular Carl Clemons-Hopkins and recurring guest stars Kaitlin Olson, Christopher McDonald, Paul W. Downs, Mark Indelicato, Poppy Liu, Johnny Sibilly, Meg Stalter, and Rose Abdoo. Executive producers Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky, and Lucia Aniello created the series and serve as showrunners.

“We have been blown away by the positive reception to Hacks — we owe this renewal to every single person who tuned into the show and then told a friend to watch. We are so grateful we get to continue, and want to thank our partners at HBO Max and Universal Television for supporting the show so fiercely, and our wonderful cast and crew for delivering on every level. Many years ago, we set out to tell a deeply important story that needed to be told — that of a handsome, charming talent manager and his two demanding female clients. We’re so glad that story resonated with audiences, and we can’t wait to get to work on season two. See you soon!” – Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky.

According to HBO Max, the Max Original comedy ranks in the top 10 of the network’s most-viewed titles.

“We knew immediately that Lucia, Paul and Jen brought us a winner,” said Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content. “We couldn’t be happier about the tremendous response from our viewers and critics alike, and we salute the executive producers; Jean, Hannah and the rest of the brilliant cast; and our partners at Universal.”

The Plot, Courtesy of HBO Max:

Max Original Hacks explores a dark mentorship that forms between Deborah Vance (Smart), a legendary Las Vegas comedian, and an entitled, outcast 25-year-old (Einbinder).

First Look: ‘Locke & Key’ Season 2 Photos

By

Rebecca Murray

-

June 8, 2021

Locke & Key season 2 — HALLEA JONES as EDEN HAWKINS and GRIFFIN GLUCK as GABE in ‘LOCKE & KEY’ season 2 (Photo Credit: AMANDA MATLOVICH/NETFLIX © 2021)

Fans of the binge-worthy fantasy series Locke & Key are getting their first look at the upcoming second season with the release of the first official photos. Netflix just unveiled seven non-spoilery photos from season two ahead of its October 2021 premiere.

The season two cast includes Darby Stanchfield (Nina Locke), Connor Jessup (Tyler Locke), Emilia Jones (Kinsey Locke), Jackson Robert Scott (Bode Locke), Petrice Jones (Scot Cavendish), and Bill Heck (Rendell Locke). Thomas Mitchell Barnett (Sam Lesser), Coby Bird (Rufus Whedon), Jesse Camacho (Doug Brazelle), Asha Bromfield (Zadie Wells), Griffin Gluck (Gabe), Hallea Jones (Eden), Aaron Ashmore (Duncan Locke), Liyuo Abere (Jamie Bennett), and Brendan Hines (Josh Bennett) also star in the series adaptation of the IDW graphic novels by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez.

Carlton Cuse and Meredith Averil guide the series as showrunners. Cuse and Averill also serve as producers along with Joe Hill, Aron Eli Coleite, Lindsey Springer, and Chris Ryall. Producers also include IDW’s Lydia Antonini and Ted Adams; Take 5’s John Weber and Frank Siracusa; and Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, David Alpert, and Rick Jacobs for Circle of Confusion.

The Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:

After their father is murdered under mysterious circumstances, the three Locke siblings and their mother move into their ancestral home, Keyhouse, which they discover is full of magical keys that may be connected to their father’s death. As the Locke children explore the different keys and their unique powers, a mysterious demon awakens — and will stop at nothing to steal them.

From Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel) and Meredith Averill (The Haunting of Hill House), Locke & Key is a coming-of-age mystery about love, loss, and the unshakable bonds that define family.

‘Walker’ Season 1 Episode 13 Photos: “Defend the Ranch” Preview

By

Rebecca Murray

-

June 8, 2021

The CW’s Walker season one episode 13 finds Cordell defending his family from a threat from his past. Directed by Alex Pillai from a script by Seamus Kevin Fahey and Anna Fricke, episode 13 – “Defend the Ranch” – will air on June 10, 2021.

In addition to Jared Padalecki as Cordell Walker, the season one cast includes Kale Culley (Me, Myself and I) as August, Violet Brinson (Sharp Objects) as Stella, Keegan Allen (Pretty Little Liars) as Liam, Molly Hagan (Herman’s Head) as Abeline, and Mitch Pileggi (The X-Files) as Bonham. Coby Bell (The Gifted) plays Captain Larry James, Lindsey Morgan is Micki, and Jeff Pierre (Once Upon a Time) plays Trey Barnett.

“Defend the Ranch” Plot: THE WALKER FAMILY – Walker’s (Padalecki) past comes back with a vengeance and it threatens the very thing he loves the most – his family.

The Plot, Courtesy of The CW:

Walker stars Jared Padalecki as Cordell Walker, a widower and father of two with his own moral code, who returns home to Austin after being undercover for two years, only to discover there’s harder work to be done at home. He’ll attempt to reconnect with his creative and thoughtful son (Culley) and his headstrong, somewhat rebellious teenaged daughter (Brinson) and navigate clashes with his family – an ADA brother (Allen) who stepped in during Walker’s absence, his perceptive mother (Hagen) and his traditional rancher father (Pileggi).

Walker’s former colleague is now his Ranger Captain (Bell). Walker finds unexpected common ground with his new partner (one of the first women in Texas Rangers’ history) played by Lindsey Morgan, while growing increasingly suspicious about the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death.

Walker Episode 13 — Jared Padalecki as Cordell Walker and Matthew Barr as Hoyt in ‘Walker’ episode 13 (Photo: Rebecca Brenneman © 2021 The CW Network, LLC)

Taraji P. Henson Joins the ‘Annie Live!’ Cast as Miss Hannigan

By

Rebecca Murray

-

June 8, 2021

Taraji P Henson at the Larry Crowne Premiere — Taraji P Henson at the ‘Larry Crowne’ Premiere (Photo © Richard Chavez)

Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) has signed on to play Miss Hannigan in NBC’s Annie Live! airing Thursday, December 2, 2021. “Carol Burnett, who brought Miss Hannigan to life in the classic 1982 movie, is someone I have studied and idolized as far back as I can remember,” explained Henson. “So when the opportunity came to me to join NBC and this incredible group of producers, I jumped! Carol, I hope to do you proud!”

“When we decided to bring back NBC’s holiday musical tradition, we were looking for something that was critically acclaimed and universally beloved – and while that’s definitely the case with Annie, it absolutely applies to Taraji as well,” stated Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “Watching her take on this iconic role will be a thrill that has all the makings of must-watch television.”

The musical production’s titular role has yet to be cast. NBC is currently accepting auditions, with the casting taking place virtually. NBC’s looking for a young star of any ethnicity “to bring optimism, spunk, honesty and a wisdom beyond their years to the classic role.” More info’s available at https://castittalent.com/Annie_Live.

Lear deBessonet and Alex Rudzinski are attached to direct the live musical event based on the seven-time Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. Sergio Trujillo is on board as choreographer, Paul Tazewell is confirmed as the costume designer, and Jason Sherwood is the production designer. The music will be overseen by Stephen Oremus.

Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron, and Alex Rudzinsky are executive producing. Annie Live! is produced by Chloe Productions.

Taraji P. Henson recently starred as Cookie Lyon on six seasons of the critically acclaimed series, Empire. Her performance in that dramatic series set in the world of hip-hop earned her Critics Choice, Screen Actors Guild, and Golden Globe awards.

‘Legacies’ Season 3 Episode 14 Photos, Plot, and Trailer

By

Rebecca Murray

-

June 8, 2021

The CW’s Legacies will finally return with a new episode on Thursday, June 10, 2021 after taking a three week break. Directed by America Young from a script by Penny Cox, season three episode 14 – “This Feels a Little Cult-y” – finds the trio of Hope, Josie, and Lizzie heading off to a special retreat.

The cast includes Danielle Rose Russell plays Hope Mikaelson, Jenny Boyd is Lizzie Saltzman, Kaylee Bryant is Josie Saltzman, Quincy Fouse plays Milton “MG” Greasley, and Aria Shahghasemi stars as Landon Kirby. Peyton Alex Smith is Rafael, Chris Lee is Kaleb, Leo Howard is Ethan Mac, Ben Levin is Jed, and Matthew Davis plays Alaric Saltzman.

“This Feels a Little Cult-y” Plot: WITCHAPALOOZA — In an attempt to control some of Hope’s (Russell) negative emotions, Josie (Bryant) suggests they join Lizzie (Boyd) at a wellness retreat for witches. Alaric (Davis) and Dorian (guest star Demetrius Bridges) team up after learning MG (Fouse) may be in trouble.

Series Description, Courtesy of The CW:

Set in The Salvatore Boarding School for the Young & Gifted, and within The Vampire Diaries universe, Legacies tells the ongoing story of a new generation of supernatural students as they learn what it means to be special in a society that wouldn’t understand their gifts.

In season two, Hope Mikaelson returned to a world that had forgotten she ever existed and reunited with her former Headmaster, Alaric Saltzman. Working together, Hope and Dr. Saltzman ultimately rejoined The Salvatore School to lead their Super Squad of powerful vampires, witches and werewolves, including Lizzie & Josie Saltzman, MG, Rafael, and Kaleb and even a Phoenix, her true love Landon, into battle against a dizzying horde of fantastic and deadly monsters birthed from the Malivore Pit … and their old nemesis, The Necromancer, who was determined to resurrect Malivore.

As season three begins, Hope has risked everything to pull her friends back from the brink of a monstrous prophecy that threatened to doom them all. But when a heartbreaking loss shatters her whole world, Hope Mikaelson will be forced to fight fate itself.

Legacies Season 3 Episode 14 — Jenny Boyd as Lizzie Saltzman in ‘Legacies’ season 3 episode 14 (Photo © 2021 The CW Network, LLC)

‘No Sudden Move’ New Trailer: Soderbergh Plots Another Heist Film

By

Rebecca Murray

-

June 7, 2021

Warner Bros Pictures has released a new trailer for No Sudden Move which makes good use of Steven Soderbergh’s big name ensemble in just two minutes. The crime drama will be released exclusively on HBO Max on Thursday, July 1, 2021.

The talented ensemble includes Oscar nominee Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda), Oscar winner Benicio Del Toro (Traffic), David Harbour (Stranger Things), Amy Seimetz (The Comey Rule), and Brendan Fraser (Trust, Doom Patrol). Kieran Culkin (Succession), Noah Jupe (The Undoing), Julia Fox (Day by Day), Frankie Shaw (SMILF), Ray Liotta (Shades of Blue), and Bill Duke (Black Lightning) also star.

Soderbergh (Best Director Oscar winner, Traffic) reunited with writer Ed Solomon and producer Casey Silver on No Sudden Move after working with both on Mosaic, a murder mystery that aired on HBO in 2018. Julie M. Anderson serves as an executive producer.

The Plot:

Set in 1954 Detroit, No Sudden Move centers on a group of small-time criminals who are hired to steal what they think is a simple document. When their plan goes horribly wrong, their search for who hired them – and for what ultimate purpose – weaves them through all echelons of the race-torn, rapidly changing city.

‘The Boys’ Shows Off Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy

By

Rebecca Murray

-

June 7, 2021

The Boys Jensen Ackles — Jensen Ackles as “Soldier Boy” in Amazon Prime Video’s ‘The Boys’ season 3

Amazon Prime Video’s released the first look at Jensen Ackles in character as “Soldier Boy” in season three of The Boys. Ackles is going from 15 years of playing a demon hunter on The CW’s Supernatural to fan favorite Soldier Boy, a character described by costume designer Laura Jean Shannon as “the original badass.” Designer Shannon worked with concept artist Greg Hopwood to come up with just the right look for the Soldier Boy supersuit.

“Our goal was to highlight a bygone era of overt masculinity and grit,” stated Shannon. “With that pedigree we dove headfirst into baking in an all-American quality grounded in a military soldier’s practicality with a heavy dose of old-school cowboy swagger. We knew that the actor had to have Steve McQueen looks and chops with a John Wayne attitude, luckily Jensen Ackles embodies all of that.”

The Boys reunites Jensen Ackles with showrunner Eric Kripke, the creative force behind Supernatural.

“When I cast Jensen as Soldier Boy, the first thing I said was, ‘I’m most excited for you, because of the amazing process you’ll go through with LJ, our Super Suit designer.’ It took six months but the experience surpassed Jensen’s expectations,” explained Kripke. “LJ has made a work of art that tips its hat to the WWII Soldier Boy from the comics while taking it in a sleek new direction. And if you think the photos are cool, just wait till you see Jensen in action. It’s one of my very favorite suits. Also, now you can quit clogging my Twitter notifications with demands to see it.”

Ackles teased the supersuit’s reveal before it was released, tweeting, “Every dent, every scratch, every mark tells a story. A story that ends with me, winning.”

A Look Back at the Season 2 Plot, Courtesy of Amazon:

The Boys is an irreverent take on what happens when superheroes, who are as popular as celebrities, as influential as politicians and as revered as Gods, abuse their superpowers rather than use them for good. It’s the powerless against the super powerful as The Boys embark on a heroic quest to expose the truth about “The Seven,” and their formidable Vought backing.

The even more intense, more insane Season 2 finds The Boys on the run from the law, hunted by the Supes, and desperately trying to regroup and fight back against Vought. In hiding, Hughie (Jack Quaid), Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso), Frenchie (Tomer Capon) and Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) try to adjust to a new normal, with Butcher (Karl Urban) nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, Starlight (Erin Moriarty) must navigate her place in The Seven as Homelander (Antony Starr) sets his sights on taking complete control. His power is threatened with the addition of Stormfront (Aya Cash), a social media-savvy new Supe, who has an agenda of her own. On top of that, the Supervillain threat takes center stage and makes waves as Vought seeks to capitalize on the nation’s paranoia.

The Supes of The Seven also include Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott), A-Train (Jessie T. Usher), The Deep (Chace Crawford) and Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell).

‘Shadow and Bone’ is Picked Up for Season 2 by Netflix

By

Rebecca Murray

-

June 7, 2021

The stars of Netflix’s Shadow and Bone shared the news via video that the popular series has been renewed for a second season. A one minute video announcement featured the cast celebrating Netflix’s commitment to season two.

Season one of the fantasy series based on Leigh Bardugo’s bestselling book series was watched by 55+ million households over its first 28 days in release. According to Netflix, the second season will consist of eight one-hour episodes – just like season one.

“I’m honored and thrilled to return to the Grishaverse and continue the stories of these endearing characters, particularly Milo,” said showrunner, writer, and executive producer Eric Heisserer (Arrival, Bird Box).

“I’ve been writing in the Grishaverse for nearly ten years now, so I’m thrilled we get to keep this adventure going, stated author and executive producer Leigh Bardugo. “There are so many places we’ve barely gotten to visit and I can’t wait to introduce our audience to more of the saints, soldiers, thugs, thieves, princes, and privateers who make this world so much fun to explore. It’s going to be real magic to see our brilliant, talented cast expand.”

Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone trilogy and Six of Crows duology have spent over a month at the top of the NY Times bestseller list following the television adaptation’s debut on Netflix.

Returning season one cast members include Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov, Archie Renaux as Malyen Oretsev, Freddy Carter as Kaz Brekker, Amita Suman as Inej, and Kit Young as Jesper Fahey. Ben Barnes will reprise his role as General Kirigan, Danielle Galligan returns as Nina Zenik, and Calahan Skogman is back as Matthias Helvar.

In addition to Bardugo and Heisserer, Shadow and Bone is executive produced by 21 Laps Entertainment’s Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Dan Cohen, and Josh Barry, as well as Loom Studios’ Pouya Shahbazian.

Executive producer Shawn Levy also commented on the renewal. “My 21 Laps colleagues and I are thrilled that audiences around the world can continue to explore the Grishaverse and revel in the epic, unique storytelling of Shadow and Bone,” said Levy. “The fun of our jobs as producers is the collaboration with creative partners who inspire us. Leigh Bardugo and Eric Heisserer are two such partners; together they have created a world and pantheon of characters that fans all over the globe have embraced. We can’t wait to take viewers on the wild ride that comes next…”

A Look Back at Season One:

Based on Leigh Bardugo’s worldwide bestselling Grishaverse novels, Shadow and Bone finds us in a war-torn world where lowly soldier and orphan Alina Starkov has just unleashed an extraordinary power that could be the key to setting her country free. With the monstrous threat of the Shadow Fold looming, Alina is torn from everything she knows to train as part of an elite army of magical soldiers known as Grisha. But as she struggles to hone her power, she finds that allies and enemies can be one and the same and that nothing in this lavish world is what it seems.

There are dangerous forces at play, including a crew of charismatic criminals, and it will take more than magic to survive.

‘Rebel’ Season 1 and Series Finale: Photos, Plot, Cast and Trailer

By

Rebecca Murray

-

June 7, 2021

ABC’s first and only season of Rebel will conclude with back-to-back episodes on Thursday, June 10, 2021. Episode nine, “Trial Day,” will air at 9pm ET/PT followed by episode 10, “36 Hours,” at 10pm ET/PT.

Katey Sagal stars as Erin Brockovich, John Corbett plays Grady Bello, Lex Scott Davis is Cassidy, and Tamala Jones is Lana. Andy Garcia plays Cruz, Ariela Barer is Ziggy, James Lesure is Benji, Kevin Zegers is Nate, and Sam Palladio stars as Luke.

The series finale guest stars include Matthew Glave, Daniella Garcia, Abigail Spencer, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Mary McDonnell, Nina Millin, and Adam Arkin.

“Trial Day” Plot: Rebel’s personal life becomes headline news and she begrudgingly distances herself from the Stonemore Medical trial.

“36 Hours” Plot: Rebel, Cruz, Lana and Ziggy round up an army of support to bring the Stonemore Medical case to a close on the series finale.

Season 1 Description, Courtesy of ABC:

Inspired by the life of Erin Brockovich today, Annie “Rebel” Bello is a blue-collar legal advocate without a law degree. She’s a funny, messy, brilliant and fearless woman who cares desperately about the causes she fights for and the people she loves. When Rebel applies herself to a fight she believes in, she will win at almost any cost.