Kevin Costner and Diane Lane are grandparents attempting to retrieve their grandson after a family tragedy in the gripping official trailer for Let Him Go. The film, based on the novel by Larry Watson, also just debuted new photos and an official poster.
In addition to two-time Oscar winner Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves) and Oscar nominee Diane Lane (Unfaithful), the cast includes Lesley Manville, Jeffrey Donovan, Kayli Carter, and Booboo Stewart. Thomas Bezucha adapted Watson’s novel for the screen and directed the 2020 drama, with Paula Mazur and Mitchell Kaplan producing.
Focus Features has set a November 6, 2020 theatrical release date. Fingers crossed that by then the Covid-19 pandemic will be under control enough to allow movie fans to safely visit theaters.
The Let Him Go Plot:
Following the loss of their son, retired sheriff George Blackledge (Costner) and his wife Margaret (Lane) leave their Montana ranch to rescue their young grandson from the clutches of a dangerous family living off the grid in the Dakotas, headed by matriarch Blanche Weboy. When they discover the Weboys have no intention of letting the child go, George and Margaret are left with no choice but to fight for their family.
Diane Lane (left) stars as “Margaret Blackledge” and Kevin Costner (right) stars as “George Blackledge” in ‘Let Him Go’ (Photo Credit : Kimberley French / Focus Features)Kevin Costner stars as “George Blackledge” (Photo Credit : Kimberley French / Focus Features)Diane Lane and Kevin Costner in ‘Let Him Go’ (Photo Credit: Kimberley French / Focus Features)Kevin Costner and Booboo’ Stewart (Photo Credit: Kimberley French / Focus Features)
The short teaser for season four of Netflix’s critically acclaimed award-winning drama, The Crown, provides a sneak peek at two new characters: Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher and Emma Corrin as Diana Spencer. The new video also confirms season four will premiere on November 15, 2020.
Olivia Colman returns as Queen Elizabeth II, Tobias Menzies reprises his role as Prince Philip, and Helena Bonham Carter is back to steal scenes as Princess Margaret. The season four cast also includes Erin Doherty as Princess Anne, Josh O’Connor as Prince Charles, and Marion Bailey as The Queen Mother.
The 10 episode season is set between 1979 and 1990.
Peter Morgan returned as writer and executive producer for the fourth season. Stephen Daldry, Andy Harries, Suzanne Mackie, Benjamin Caron, Robert Fox and Matthew Byam Shaw also executive produce.
The Season 4 Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:
As the 1970s are drawing to a close, Queen Elizabeth (Colman) and her family find themselves preoccupied with safeguarding the line of succession by securing an appropriate bride for Prince Charles (O’Connor), who is still unmarried at 30. As the nation begins to feel the impact of divisive policies introduced by Britain’s first female Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Anderson), tensions arise between her and the Queen which only grow worse as Thatcher leads the country into the Falklands War, generating conflict within the Commonwealth.
While Charles’ romance with a young Lady Diana Spencer (Corrin) provides a much-needed fairytale to unite the British people, behind closed doors, the Royal family is becoming increasingly divided.
A Look Back at Season 3:
The third season of The Crown sees a new guard sweep into Downing Street, as Queen Elizabeth and her family struggle to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing Britain. From cold-war paranoia, through to the jet-set and the space age – the exuberance of the 1960s and the long hangover of the 1970s – Elizabeth and the Royals must adapt to a new, more liberated, but also more turbulent world.
Covid-19 shut down film and television productions, shuttered businesses, and forced most of us to remain sheltered at home. With a pandemic raging across the globe, large gatherings of pop culture enthusiasts such as the San Diego Comic-Con, WonderCon, and the New York Comic Con canceled their 2020 events. DC found an alternative venue and is hosting the DC FanDome, a free virtual event showcasing their many current and upcoming television and film projects.
The DC FanDome was originally scheduled to be a one-day event jam-packed with DC goodies including the first sneak peeks at big projects, major announcements, and cast Q&As. But just days ahead of its launch, DC expanded the fan fest into two separate events: the DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes on August 22, 2020 (beginning at 10am PT) and DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse now scheduled for September 12th.
The DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes will be accessible on August 22nd for 24 hours via DCFanDome.com. The event is hosting panels featuring casts and creators from Wonder Woman 1984, The Suicide Squad, the Snyder Cut of Justice League, The Flash, Black Adam, Titans, Aquaman, SHAZAM!, The Batman, and Harley Quinn.
DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse follows on September 12th will feature Batwoman, Black Lightning, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, DC’s Stargirl, Doom Patrol, Lucifer, Pennyworth, Superman & Lois, Superman: Man of Tomorrow, Teen Titans GO!, Watchmen, and Young Justice: Outsiders casts and creators.
Both sessions also feature panels that focus on games and comics.
Fans are invited/encouraged to browse the lineup and create their own timeline using the Official DC FanDome Online Scheduler Tool in advance so as not to miss out on any of the action.
DC promises they’ll be showing off exclusive content throughout the virtual events, and director Zack Snyder teased what’s in store for his Justice League panel:
“There is no fan like a DC fan. For more than 85 years, the world has turned to DC’s inspiring heroes and stories to lift us up and entertain us, and this massive, immersive digital event will give everyone new ways to personalize their journey through the DC Universe without lines, without tickets and without boundaries,” said Ann Sarnoff, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Warner Bros. “With DC FanDome, we’re able to give fans from around the world an exciting and unparalleled way to connect with all their favorite DC characters, as well as the incredible talent who bring them to life on the page and screen.”
In addition to the DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes and the DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse, the official site will include other special content:
DC YouVerse: Venture into this world where the FANS are the stars to see the most amazing user-generated content, cosplay and fan art from around the world, including, perhaps, your own.
DC KidsVerse: Need a way to entertain your kids for hours on end? We’ve got you covered inside a special world, which can be accessed directly at DCKidsFanDome.com. This area features a broad range of family-friendly activations for our younger fans.
DC InsiderVerse: This creativity-based world contains a centerpiece video featuring legendary artist and DC CCO/Publisher Jim Lee, President of DC-Based Film Production Walter Hamada, and creator of the DC TV Arrowverse, Executive Producer Greg Berlanti, welcoming fans with a 101-style introduction to the DC Multiverse. From there, go behind the scenes with the master artisans who bring DC to life in all its forms, from comic books to games, TV, movies, theme parks, consumer products and more.
DC FunVerse: Take your DC FanDome experience and gather cool shareables; check out our comic book reader; DIY cool WW84 Golden Armor and Batmobile kits; plus digital giveaways and a store filled with merchandise, including some limited-edition exclusives.
Sean Teale and Brittany O’Grady star in ‘Little Voice’ (Photo Courtesy of Apple TV+)
They say write what you know. Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award nominee Sara Bareilles does just that with Apple TV+’s Little Voice, loosely inspired by moments in her life and thoroughly infused with a Bareilles vibe. Bareilles co-created the series with her Waitress collaborator Jessie Nelson and her songs drive the narrative of this New York-based story that’s appeal reaches far beyond existing Bareilles fans.
Little Voice centers around Bess (Brittany O’Grady), a struggling singer-songwriter who’s set up shop in a storage unit away from prying eyes and eavesdropping ears. She’s undeniably talented but after an unfortunate performance, she needs time to regain her confidence and allow her original songs to be heard by more than her super well-behaved – and adorable – dog.
Music doesn’t pay the bills and so she tends bar and works as a dog-walker to make ends meet. She fills what little downtime she has with her close circle of friends who support her through thick and thin. Benny (Phillip Johnson Richardson), a co-worker, is eternally optimistic and wholeheartedly believes in her talent. Roommate/BFF Prisha (Shalini Bathina) is a sounding board and confidante who’s hiding a huge secret from her caring but overbearing parents. Samuel (Colton Ryan) is a new member of Team Bess, a handsome and talented guitar player who challenges Bess and urges her to trust in herself.
And then there’s Ethan… Ethan (Sean Teale) also works out of a storage unit and is artistically inclined. A struggling filmmaker in a relationship that’s on its last legs, Ethan ignites a passion in Bess that helps restore her self-confidence.
Of course, there’s a ‘will she or won’t she thing’ going on with both Ethan and Samuel over the course of season one. Samuel’s decent, earnest, and a good match musically. Ethan, on the other hand, comes with a lot of baggage including a girlfriend who moved across the ocean to support him while he follows his dreams in America. One offers a smoldering, comfortable warmth while the other’s almost too hot to get close to for fear of permanent emotional damage.
Little Voice features existing songs Sara Bareilles wrote over the past few decades as well as new songs penned expressly for the series (including the gorgeous and mesmerizing “Ghost Light.”) The titular song was actually written when Bareilles was in her 20s and, in a fortuitous twist of fate, did not make it onto her first album as she had intended but instead fit snugly here.
“When Jessie Nelson and I were discussing the idea of a theme song, I tried to write something and just couldn’t seem to crack it. I remembered this song and sent it to her to see if there was anything that resonated about our show. And here we are,” recalled Bareilles in an interview with Variety.
Colton Ryan and Brittany O’Grady in ‘Little Voice’ (Photo Courtesy of Apple TV+)
Brittany O’Grady’s voice is perfectly suited to Bareilles’ smooth pop tunes and there’s a sweetness about her that makes you want to protect her as she slowly spreads her wings like a butterfly emerging from her comfortable, sheltering cocoon. O’Grady also has terrific chemistry with all members of Team Bess, but in particular with Sean Teale as Bess and Ethan gauge each other’s worth.
Bareilles and showrunner/writer/director Jessie Nelson incorporated select aspects of Bareilles’ life into Bess. Bess has a brother who is on the Autism Spectrum and Bareilles had an uncle with a developmental disability. And, like Bess, Bareilles practiced in a storage unit. Fans will also connect other attributes of Bess’ character to Bareilles, however, Little Voice doesn’t box out those who aren’t hip to the Bareilles Easter eggs.
Little Voice is sweet, genuine, and hopeful. It’s full of flawed people striving to achieve their dreams and not always making the best choices. Watching Bess find her way as she struggles to discover who she is as both an artist and a person is a journey well worth following.
GRADE: B
Little Voice season one consists of nine episodes. The drama premiered on Apple TV+ on July 10, 2020.
Carlotta Walls LaNier’s memoir A Mighty Long Way is being adapted into a television series with Eisa Davis (She’s Gotta Have It series) on board as writer and executive producer. Currently referred to as the Untitled Little Rock Nine Project, the limited series is being developed by UCP and Fuzzy Door’s Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins. X•ception Content’s Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) and Logan Coles are also executive producing.
The limited series will have the input of author Walls LaNier, the youngest member of the Little Rock Nine, who is confirmed as a consultant.
This is MacFarlane and Fuzzy Door’s second development project announced since they signed a deal to develop series for NBCUniversal. (The first was The Winds of War announced earlier this year.) It’s the first television production for X•ception Content after producing feature films Message from the King and 21 Bridges. Additional executive producers include Nick Marell, Coby Greenberg, and Joe Micucci.
UCP has not announced a targeted start date for production.
The Story, Courtesy of UCP:
In 1957, after the landmark Supreme Court decision of Brown v. Board of Education, 14-year-old Carlotta Walls is among the first black students to attend the all-white Central High in Little Rock, Arkansas. She walks into an unexpectedly violent struggle against integration, which suddenly turns her and the other black students into civil rights icons.
For Carlotta – a teenager at the center of a cataclysmic moment in American history – graduating with her diploma means risking her life. But Carlotta searches for a way to keep her humanity intact at school and beyond, losing then regaining her selfhood in a coming of age leavened by humor, family, friendship, and solidarity.
This isn’t a joke? There actually was a place called Action Park where multiple people died horrible deaths? HBO Max’s wild trailer for Class Action Park lays out the basic details of an amusement park that never should have existed.
HBO Max has set an August 27, 2020 premiere date for the documentary which is apparently the first-ever full-length doc to explore the bizarre history of Action Park.
Chris Charles Scott and Seth Porges directed and produced the documentary, with Authentic Talent & Literary Management’s Liz DeCesare executive producing. The Holladay Brothers provided the original score.
The Details, Courtesy of HBO Max:
The documentary reveals the truth about New Jersey’s Action Park; widely regarded as the world’s most dangerous amusement park and a staple of growing up in the New York/New Jersey area in the ’80s and ’90s. There have been many famous Action Park “alumni” that have shared their experiences over the years, inspiring feature films, scripted series, and most recently a tell-all book written by the son of the genius madman that founded the park. For the first time, fans new and old will be able to experience firsthand the insanity of this dangerous water park via real-life footage and testimonials.
Class Action Park is the first-ever feature-length documentary to explore the legend, legacy, and truth behind a place that long ago entered the realm of myth. To some, New Jersey’s infamous Action Park was the most spectacularly fun amusement park on Earth: A place where unruly 1980s teenagers were given free rein to go gonzo on strange contraptions that seemed to violate the laws of common sense (and perhaps physics). To others, it was an ill-conceived death trap. One thing is sure: It’s the type of place that will never exist again.
Shirking the trappings of nostalgia, the film uses investigative journalism, newly unearthed and never-before-seen documents and recordings, original animations, and interviews with the people who lived it to reveal the true story for the first time.
Poster for ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ season 6 (Photo Courtesy of AMC)
A little less than two months out from its season premiere, AMC just released the official poster for season six of the zombie apocalypse series Fear the Walking Dead. The just-released key art features Lennie James as Morgan Jones and warns “The Past is Dead.”
Season six is set to premiere on October 11, 2020. New episodes will air on Sundays at 9pm ET/PT.
“The cast and crew of Fear the Walking Dead are very excited to share this piece of key art with our amazing fans,” said Lennie James. “Last season left Morgan in a very perilous situation. We cannot wait for you to discover what happens next to him and the rest of the group in our new season this fall. A truly transformative season that will see all of the gang challenged in ways they haven’t ever been before. Some will rise. Some will fall. None will remain the same. The Past Is Dead! Tune in October 11 for the next chapter!”
In addition to Lennie James, the season six cast includes Alycia Debnam-Carey as Alicia, Colman Domingo as Strand, Jenna Elfman as June, Garret Dillahunt as John, Danay Garcia as Luciana, Austin Amelio as Dwight, and Karen David as Grace.
Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg are the showrunners and executive produce with Scott M. Gimple, Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero, and Dave Alpert.
The Season 6 Plot, Courtesy of AMC:
Season six of Fear the Walking Dead explores what has become of the unlikely family once united by a mission to help those in need. After being torn apart by Virginia (Colby Minifie) and her Pioneers, the group is now dispersed across her far-reaching settlements. Morgan’s (James) last message at the end of season five implored the group to “Just Live” and this season we’ll see what that means to each of them.
Some will find the stability and opportunity within Virginia’s communities to be intriguing, some will sink into darkness, while others will fight back against what has been forced upon them. Life behind Virginia’s walls will test each and every one of them in different ways, forcing them to define who they are in this new world.
Netflix confirmed six new episodes of the reinvigorated, reimagined Unsolved Mysteries series will premiere this October. Volume one’s six episodes premiered on July 1, 2020.
Volume two arrives on October 19, 2020.
The original docuseries creators Terry Dunn Meurer and John Cosgrove of Cosgrove/Meurer Productions are involved as executive producers along with Shawn Levy’s 21 Laps Entertainment.
Commenting on this new version executive producer Levy said, “The stories still range from supernatural occurrences to unthinkable crimes. The title music remains intact. Unsolved Mysteries originally included four cases per episode. We at 21 Laps — along with our partners at Cosgrove/Meurer Productions — made an early decision to have our storytelling dive deeper and establish a more intimate connection with the audience. To do that, you need time.
The people we’re interviewing on screen are often revisiting deeply painful experiences that are traumatic and not easy to discuss. These new episodes will each focus on a single case that is produced, directed, photographed, scored and edited at a high level. I think audiences are going to find it very satisfying.”
Series Details, Courtesy of Netflix:
Fusing signature elements from the original series with contemporary immersive, character-driven storytelling, the 12 new episodes are rooted in the experiences of ordinary people who have lived the unthinkable — from the trauma of a loved one’s unexplained disappearance or horrific death, to the shock of a bizarre paranormal encounter.
Alongside detectives and journalists, family members offer clues, present theories, and identify suspects, hoping one viewer holds the key to solving the mystery.
Volume 2: In six new episodes, Unsolved Mysteries profiles more unexplained disappearances, tragic events, and bizarre occurrences. Perhaps one viewer holds the key to solving these cases. Detectives, journalists, and family members offer intriguing theories in this gripping series.
Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro’s stop-motion animated musical Pinocchio just confirmed its impressive cast. Guillermo del Toro’s directing with Fantastic Mr. Fox‘s Mark Gustafson, and del Toro wrote the screenplay with Patrick McHale.
The cast of the Netflix feature film will be led by newcomer Gregory Mann as the title character. Ewan McGregor (Fargo) will play Cricket and David Bradley (Game of Thrones) is on board as Geppetto. Oscar winner Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton), two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained, Inglourious Basterds), Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine, The Aviator), John Turturro (The Batman), Ron Perlman (Nightmare Alley), Tim Blake Nelson (Watchmen), and Burn Gorman (Enola Holmes) have also been cast in Pinocchio.
“After years of pursuing this dream project, I found my perfect partner in Netflix. We have spent a long time curating a remarkable cast and crew and have been blessed by continuous support from Netflix to quietly and carefully soldier on, barely missing a beat. We all love and practice animation with great passion and believe it to be the ideal medium to retell this classic story in a completely new way,” said del Toro.
The film’s Pinocchio character was designed by Gris Grimly. Guillermo del Toro’s behind the scenes team also includes production supervisor Melanie Coombs, co-production designers Guy Davis and Curt Enderle, animation supervisor Brian Hansen, puppet supervisor Georgina Hayns, director of photography Frank Passingham, art director Rob DeSue, and animatic editor Ken Schretzmann.
Guillermo del Toro is producing with The Jim Henson Company’s Lisa Henson, Exile Entertainment’s Gary Ungar, and ShadowMachine’s Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico.
Filming began last fall in Portland, Oregon and has continued (safely) throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Netflix is targeting a theatrical release along with a release on the streaming service.
The Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:
Drawing on the classic Carlo Collodi tale, this stop motion musical follows the extraordinary journey of a wooden boy magically brought to life by a father’s wish. Set during the rise of Fascism in Mussolini’s Italy, del Toro’s Pinocchio is a story of love and disobedience as Pinocchio struggles to live up to his father’s expectations.
Is it just me or does this seem like a sexier version of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile than we’ve previously seen? Twentieth Century Studios just released the first trailer and teaser poster for the latest adaptation of Christie’s classic novel, along with a few new photos.
Kenneth Branagh (Murder on the Orient Express) directs and stars as Detective Hercule Poirot in the 2020 film. The ensemble cast also includes Tom Bateman, four-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening, Russell Brand, and Ali Fazal. Dawn French, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders, and Letitia Wright also star.
Death on the Nile is expected to open in theaters (unless they’re all shut down) on October 23, 2020.
The Plot:
“Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot’s Egyptian vacation aboard a glamorous river steamer turns into a terrifying search for a murderer when a picture-perfect couple’s idyllic honeymoon is tragically cut short. Set against an epic landscape of sweeping desert vistas and the majestic Giza pyramids, this tale of unbridled passion and incapacitating jealousy features a cosmopolitan group of impeccably dressed travelers, and enough wicked twists and turns to leave audiences guessing until the final, shocking denouement.”
