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Marcus Loges has been named the new head of production at storied German backlot Studio Babelsberg, the studio unveiled on Wednesday. On Jan. 1, he will take over from Henning Molfenter, who has run Babelsberg’s production operations for the past 20 years.

Loges has production credits on multiple features that shot at Babelberg, including on sci-fi epic Cloud Atlas, co-directed by the Wachowski siblings and German helmer Tom Tykwer, and on the Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit. He worked on several Wachowskis-produced projects that shot in Germany, including as a producer on the Wachowskis’ Netflix show Sense8 and as a production manager on James McTeigue’s V for Vendetta and Ninja Assassin.

More recently, Loges worked as a line producer on the hit German series Babylon Berlin, co-created by Tykwer, Henk Handloegten, and Achim von Borries.

“It is a great honor and pleasure for me to return to Babelsberg – to a...

December 2024 won’t have a lot of Christmas movies on Max, but there are still some exciting releases to look forward to. Dcu is finally starting with Creature Commandos, coming out on December 5. DC fans will also enjoy the documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. And to top it off, the classic favorite The Goonies will also be available!

Here is the list of every movie & TV show arriving on Max this December!

Arriving on December 1

Cedar Rapids (movie)

Clash of the Titans (movie)

Cop Out (movie)

Death Race (movie)

Glee The 3D Concert Movie (movie)

Hamlet 2 (movie)

How I Live Now (movie)

Invisible Stripes (movie)

It All Came True (movie)

Jupiter Ascending (movie)

Key Largo (movie)

Kid Galahad (movie)

King of the Underworld (movie)

Lightning Strikes Twice (movie)

Lord of the Rings (movie)

Man from God’s Country (movie)

Marine Raiders (movie)

Marked Woman (movie)

Meet Me in St. Louis...

December 2024 won’t bring that many Christmas titles to Max. Still, there are some interesting titles we can look forward to. Dcu finally kicks off with the release of Creature Commandos on December 5.

Furthermore, DC fans will also be pleased with the release of the documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. To spice things up, fan-favorite The Goonies also arrives on the platform!

Here is the list of every movie & TV show arriving on Max this December!

Arriving on December 1

Cedar Rapids (movie)

Clash of the Titans (movie)

Cop Out (movie)

Death Race (movie)

Glee The 3D Concert Movie (movie)

Hamlet 2 (movie)

How I Live Now (movie)

Invisible Stripes (movie)

It All Came True (movie)

Jupiter Ascending (movie)

Key Largo (movie)

Kid Galahad (movie)

King of the Underworld (movie)

Lightning Strikes Twice (movie)

Lord of the Rings (movie)

Man from God’s Country (movie)

Marine Raiders (movie)

Marked Woman (movie)

Meet Me in St.

Japanese actor and singer Anna Sawai has become the first Asian woman to win the Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Drama for her role in Shōgun. The historical drama had a record win for a single season of 18 Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series and Lead Actor for Hiroyuki Sanada.

Sawai’s performance as Lady Mariko has been appreciated ever since the FX/Hulu series came out. Apart from the Emmy win, Sawai seemed to have another win when actress Kathy Bates appreciated her performance on the red carpet for the Emmys. The Japanese star got teary-eyed and thanked the legendary Misery actress for her compliments.

Kathy Bates Made Anna Sawai Cry Tears Of Joy Even Before She Won The Emmy A still from Shōgun | Credits: FX/Hulu

Anna Sawai was a star even before she had her acting breakthrough in F9 and Pachinko. The actress was known for...

Anna Sawai has won the Emmy for best actress in a drama series for the FX series “Shogun,” becoming the first actor of Asian descent to ever win in the category.

With her victory, Sawai beat out fellow nominees Jennifer Aniston (Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show”), Carrie Coon (HBO’s “The Gilded Age”), Maya Erskine (Amazon’s “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”), Imelda Staunton (Netflix’s “The Crown”) and Reese Witherspoon (Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show”).

Sawai thanked the “Shogun” team but also paid tribute to her mom, who served as her inspiration. “Thank you John Landgraf and the whole FX team for believing in our story. Thank you, Justin and Rachel, for believing in me and giving me this role of a lifetime,” she said.

“Lastly, thank you to my team and thank you to my family. Mom, I love you. You are the reason I’m here.

Anna Sawai may become the first Japanese actress to take home an Emmy win for her role as Lady Toda Mariko on FX’s Shōgun. The actress, who found fame in J-Pop before transitioning to acting, still tries to wrap her head around the fact that she’s made it to Hollywood.

Credits: Anna Sawai in Shōgun / FX

Based on James Clavell’s best-selling novel, the series takes place in Feudal Japan where Hiroyuki Sanada’s Lord Yoshii Toranaga uncovers the secrets behind the mysterious European ship found in a nearby village. As for her possible Lead Dramatic Actress win, Sawai immediately shoved the praises to the side, perhaps out of disbelief or genuine humility.

Anna Sawai Still Criticizes Her Performance In FX’s Shōgun

After appearing on 2009’s Ninja Assassin and 2021’s F9: The Fast Saga, New Zealand-born Japanese actress Anna Sawai still finds it hard to believe she...

Anna Sawai’s story is the perfect example of how the universe works its magic. She once had her heart set on being part of the Suicide Squad, but fate had other plans as she wasn’t even allowed to audition for the role.

Anna Sawai plays one of the leads in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters | Credits: Apple TV+

Yet, just as one door closed, Shogun opened a whole new world of opportunities. With Shogun’s huge success, Sawai is now closer than ever to breaking into the Dcu, if she is still interested, turning her dreams into reality. The universe knew exactly what it was doing, guiding her to an even bigger and better chance!

Why Shogun‘s Anna Sawai Wasn’t Allowed to Audition for Suicide Squad?

The now-celebrated actress Anna Sawai got her start in the world of J-Pop as part of the group Faky. During her training,...

Remember that time Mark Wahlberg said he could've stopped 9/11? He later apologized, but it seems the world-famous hamburger salesman likes to fantasize about being present for ripped-from-recent-headlines tragedies as a way of "honoring" the real people involved. In fact, he did this on no less than three occasions in the 2010s with director Peter Berg; first on the film "Lone Survivor" in 2013, and then twice in a single year with "Deepwater Horizon" and "Patriots Day" in 2016.

Of these three, "Deepwater Horizon" is probably the best, if only because it's devoid of the suspect political overtones of the other two. The film dramatizes the 2010 Deepwater Horizon semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit explosion and oil spill, pointing the finger of blame squarely at the corner-cutting Bp middle managers who ignored safety concerns raised by the rig's workers. With Wahlberg off playing action hero for most of the movie as Chief Electronics Technician Michael "Mike" Williams,...

Director James McTeigue has signed with Gersh for representation in all areas.

McTeigue is the filmmaker behind several major features and series, including his 2005 directorial feature debut “V for Vendetta,” the cult favorite dystopian comic book adaptation starring Natalie Portman, John Hurt and Hugo Weaving. He followed that film with the 2009 martial arts film “Ninja Assassin,” led by Korean star Rain. His other films include the Edgar Allan Poe detective thriller “The Raven,” starring John Cusack, Luke Evans and Brendan Gleeson, as well as “Survivor,” starring Milla Jovovich and Pierce Brosnan.

More recently, McTeigue produced the 2021 sci-fi revival “The Matrix Resurrections” and the commercially successful Gabrielle Union thriller “Breaking In,” which he also directed. His TV directorial credits include episodes across two seasons of “Sense8,” the political thriller “Messiah” and the historical series “Marco Polo.” McTeigue has also directed commercials for Heineken, Samsung, Powerade, Rexona, Deutsche Bank and Guild Wars 2, amongst several other brands.

It turns out that Anna Sawai, the breakout star of the hit FX series Shogun, might have broken out even sooner had she not been denied an audition for a dream project.

The 31-year-old former J-Pop singer, speaking with The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, revealed that she was forced to turn down an audition for the part of Katana in the 2016 film Suicide Squad — which was eventually played by Karen Fukuhara — because the company behind Faky, the girl group to which she then belonged, forbid it.

In 2006, Sawai auditioned for and was signed by Avex, one of Japan’s major entertainment companies, which operates a music and dance boot camp in the hope of turning out J-Pop stars. “After the training — multiple years of training — you are either lucky and join a group, or debut as a solo singer, or you’re gone,” she explained.

During her training,...

She’s 47, and she still has it! Naomie Harris made a stunning entrance at the Icons Shine with Omega event in Milan on Tuesday, looking sensational as she walked the Maka Loft black carpet in her striking pink and purple gown. Alessandra Ambrosio joined her at the event.

Harris has been an ambassador for the Swiss luxury watchmaker since making her debut as Eve Moneypenny in the 2012 James Bond movie Skyfall. Her consistent display of grace and elegance in her wardrobe selections reflects the brand’s refinement and timeless glamour.

The No Time to Die actress couldn’t be missed in her vibrant pink and purple gown that immediately caught my attention.

A Look into the Dress’s Details

Created by Lebanese fashion designers George Azzi and Assaad Osta of Beirut-based label Azzi & Osta, the dress features a sleek, asymmetrical silhouette. It highlights the design duo’s skill in fabric manipulation and signature aesthetic,...

The wave of Live-Action adaptations of popular anime is now awaiting the release of the highly anticipated Naruto live-action movie after the success of One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action adaptations. The movie is being developed by Lionsgate and has been in the talks for a long time.

Kakashi Hatake – Naruto

While the actors who would play the role of major characters from the series like Naruto and Sasuke have not yet been unveiled, fans have made some speculations regarding the perfect choice for the role of such characters. One such character that fans are most excited to see get cast is Kakashi Hatake, the sensei of the infamous team 7.

Although there are many strong contenders for the role of Kakashi, there is one South Korean Actor who fits perfectly for the portrayal of the super-strong teacher of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. The plus point is that he...

Produced by Warner Bros. Television, the sci-fi series Babylon 5 ran for a total of five seasons and 110 episodes, wrapping up in 1998. There were also six TV movies, a short-lived spin-off series called Crusade, tie-in novels and comic books… and series creator J. Michael Straczynski has been hoping to revive the show in some way for quite a while. In 2014, we heard he was planning to make a Babylon 5 feature film. In 2021, it was announced that he had set up a reboot series at The CW. Now Straczynski has taken to social media to reveal that a Babylon 5 animated movie is coming from Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment – and it’s already finished and in the can! He said the release date will be “very soon”.

Straczynski said the animated movie is “classic Babylon 5: raucous, heartfelt, nonstop, a ton of fun through time and space,...

A “Babylon 5” animated movie is in the works from original series creator J. Michael Straczynski.

“Babylon 5 Animated Movie [sic] coming from Warner Bros. Animation & WB Home Entertainment!” Straczynski announced via Twitter. “Classic B5: raucous, heartfelt, nonstop, a ton of fun through time and space & a love letter to the fans. Movie title, release date and other details coming one week from today.”

Straczynski further said that the film is “already finished and in the can” and that “it feels the most B5-ish of anything we’ve done since the original show.”

The original “Babylon 5” was produced by Warner Bros. Television. The series ran in syndication and on TNT for five seasons, 110 episodes, and seven TV movies, including the 1993 pilot film. The show is considered one of the best sci-fi series ever made by many critics and won numerous awards throughout its run, including two Hugo Awards and a Saturn Award.

Four “Hunger Games” movies are coming to Fox’s free streaming service Tubi beginning May 1. The games begin with one girl and one boy from each district trained in the art of survival and ultimately, battling to the death. Unless your character is played by Jennifer Lawrence, in which case, all bets are off.

Watch the trailer for “The Hunger Games”:

Also coming is the Tubi original comedy “Pastacolypse” on May 21. When a global ban on gluten destroys the life of billionaire celebrity chef Alfredo Manicotti, he leads a pasta uprising that threatens humanity. It’s up to his spoiled heiress daughter to save the world.

The true-crime story of Joseph DeAngelo arrives May 10. A devoted family man and police officer, DeAngelo was also the Golden State Killer. For 40 years, he raped and murdered women in California. “Evil Among Us: The Golden State Killer” reveals how a genetic match...

With the new month come new arrivals to all TV and movie streamers, including Hulu. The August 2022 slate contains many classic re-watch options as well as new seasons of original shows and new movies as well.

For those who couldn’t get enough of Keke Palmer in Jordan Peele’s latest movie “Nope” (2022), one of her breakout films “Akeelah and the Bee” (2006) has landed on Hulu. Tom Hanks’ “Cast Away” (2000), Natalie Portman’s “Black Swan,” the first two “Despicable Me” films and Tobey Maguire’s “Spider-Man” trilogy also arrive this month.

FX’s “Reservation Dogs” Season 2 arrives exclusively on Hulu Aug. 3. The Hulu Original film “Prey” arrives Aug. 5. “Legacy: The True Story of the L.A. Lakers” premieres on Hulu Aug. 15. Another exclusive heading to Hulu later in August is Steve Carell’s limited series “The Patient,” available to stream Aug. 30.

Here’s what’s new on Hulu in August 2022.

Also...

You ever notice how HBO’s releases tend to do the heavy lifting in HBO Max’s content library? That makes plenty of sense given that HBO has a track record of producing hits well before the streaming era even began. Well, a similar concept is now playing out over on Hulu. Like many monthly releases before it, Hulu’s list of new releases for August 2022 is highlighted by a whole bunch of FX TV shows.

The initiative once known as “FX on Hulu” is no more but that’s not stopping the cable network-turned quality TV brand from churning out some intriguing titles for the streaming world this month. It all starts early on with season 2 of the delightful comedy Reservation Dogs on Aug. 3. That is followed up by the docuseries Children of the Underground on Aug. 13, Little Demon on Aug. 26, and The Patient of Aug. 30. The most interesting of the bunch,...

Kylie Liya Page (“The Girl From Plainville”) has joined the cast of “Darby Harper Wants You to Know,” TheWrap has exclusively learned.

Details about Page’s role are being kept under wraps. Page joins a cast which includes Riele Downs (“Henry Danger”), Auli’i’ Cravalho (“Moana”), Asher Angel (“Shazam”), Chosen Jacobs (“It”) and Derek Luke (“Captain America: The First Avenger”).

The project, a 20th Century Studios film for Hulu, is currently in production.

The story follows Darby Harper, who after suffering a near-death experience as a child is granted the ability to see ghosts. To combat the existential boredom of high school, she runs a side business counseling local spirits in her spare time. When an unexpected occurrence happens between Darby and Capri, the most popular girl at her high school, Darby reluctantly agrees to help her and in the process learns how to fit in with the living world again.

Exclusive: MPI Original Films has acquired film and TV rights to William Forstchen’s bestselling John Matherson Trilogy, consisting of the books One Second After, One Year After and The Final Day, for series development with Michael J. Straczynski attached to write the pilot. MPI will co-produce with Vince Gerardis’ Startling Inc. (Game of Thrones).

The potential series is described as an emotionally poignant and terrifyingly real story of America’s immediate and devastating return to a pre-technological dark age in the wake of a terrorist attack.

Set in the hills of North Carolina, college professor and former military officer John Matherson must fight to preserve the lives of his family and neighbors in the wake of an electromagnetic pulse (Emp) attack. In just one second the US is completely incapacitated, thousands are killed, and millions are stranded. Planes fall from the sky, electricity goes out everywhere, supply lines collapse,...

A “Babylon 5” reboot is in development at The CW, Variety has learned.

Original series creator J. Michael Straczynski is onboard to write the project. He will also executive producer under his Studio Jms banner. Warner Bros. Television, which produced the original series, will produce the reboot.

The new iteration of the sci-fi series is described as a “from-the-ground-up reboot.” In the series, John Sheridan, an Earthforce officer with a mysterious background, is assigned to Babylon 5, a five-mile-long space station in neutral space, a port of call for travelers, smugglers, corporate explorers and alien diplomats at a time of uneasy peace and the constant threat of war. His arrival triggers a destiny beyond anything he could have imagined, as an exploratory Earth company accidentally triggers a conflict with a civilization a million years ahead of us, putting Sheridan and the rest of the B5 crew in the line of fire as the last,...

A new version of the Emmy-winning space opera television series Babylon 5 is in the works. The CW has put in development Babylon 5, described as a “from-the-ground-up reboot” of the critically acclaimed 1990s series, from original series creator J. Michael Straczynski and Warner Bros. Television.

Written by Straczynski, the reboot revolves around John Sheridan (played by Bruce Boxleitner in the original series), an Earthforce officer with a mysterious background, who is assigned to Babylon 5, a five-mile-long space station in neutral space, a port of call for travelers, smugglers, corporate explorers and alien diplomats at a time of uneasy peace and the constant threat of war. His arrival triggers a destiny beyond anything he could have imagined, as an exploratory Earth company accidentally triggers a conflict with a civilization a million years ahead of us, putting Sheridan and the rest of the B5 crew in the line of fire as the last,...

You know what everyone could use in the sweltering summer months? A nice, cold glass of…anime. At least that’s the particular theme that comes up in Netflix’s list of new releases for June 2021.

Netflix has been quietly expanding their anime offerings for awhile now but June is a particularly anime-heavy month. The absolutely metal sounding Record of Ragnarok arrives this month. So too do parts 1 and 2 of the newest Sailor Moon film on June 3 and Godzilla Singular Point on June 24.

Read more TV Yasuke Review: Netflix Anime Reclaims The Story of a Black Samurai By Caroline Cao TV Anime For Beginners: Best Genres and Series to Watch By Daniel Kurland

But for those who aren’t ready to dip their toe in the anime pool yet, Netflix has some other originals of note in June. Sweet Tooth, the ambitious comic adaptation starring Will Forte premieres on June 4. Then,...

Hey, remember when they released that picture of the CGI movie Sonic the Hedgehog and it was so freakish and unnerving that animators had to work overtime to fix it? Anywho, Sonic the Hedgehog is coming to Hulu this month.

The heroic blue hedgehog who just wants to go fast is far from the only exciting new film or TV show coming to Hulu in February 2021. The library titles are unusually packed this month. In addition to Sonic, the sublimely goofy Mars Attacks!, 2020 horror film Possessor, and the first six Star Trek films all arrive on Feb. 1. Later on in the month are Antebellum (Feb. 5) and Nomadland (Feb. 19).

It’s a good thing that the library titles are strong because Hulu isn’t brining many originals of note to the table in February 2021. Into the Dark continues on its spooky mission with the Valentine-centric Tentacles dropping on Feb. 12. That will...

November is the last month of the year for sensible viewing, before our TV screens become full-time broadcasters of golden retrievers saving Christmas and Will Ferrell wearing tights. Take the opportunity then, to get some good stuff in before the festivities.

In terms of good stuff, Netflix is offering the second series of the brilliantly wry and surprisingly touching The End of the F***ing World for any UK viewers who didn’t catch it on Channel 4. There’s also the excellent animated feature Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (we loved it. 5 stars.) as well as Boots Riley’s inventive, funny, political satire Sorry to Bother You (we also loved it. 4.5 stars.) On top of that, you can take a nostalgic trip to Capeside with all six seasons of Dawson’s Creek or watch emotionally repressed royals deal with the advent of the 1980s in season four of The Crown.

Here, in alphabetical and date order,...

Apple has set the cast for Pachinko, its epic international drama series based on Min Jin Lee’s bestselling novel, from studio Media Res. Production is set to begin October 26 on multiple continents on the anticipated series.

Written and executive produced by Soo Hugh (The Terror), who also serves as showrunner and created the vision for the series, Pachinko chronicles the hopes and dreams of four generations of a Korean immigrant family. Epic in scope, intimate in tone, the story begins with a forbidden love and crescendos into a sweeping saga that journeys between Korea, Japan and America to tell the unforgettable story of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning. The series will be told in three languages: Korean, Japanese and English.

Media Res acquired the rights to the novel for Hugh.

Min Ho Lee will play Hansu, an enigmatic outsider and...

Apple has officially announced the cast for its “Pachinko” series, with Korean superstar Lee Min Ho among those starring in the series.

Set to begin production on Oct. 26, “Pachinko” is an adaptation of the Min Jin Lee novel of the same name. It chronicles the hopes and dreams of four generations of a Korean immigrant family. The story begins with a forbidden love and moves into a saga that journeys between Korea, Japan and America to tell the story of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning. The story will be told in Korean, Japanese, and English.

Lee will play Hansu, described as an enigmatic outsider and merchant with ties to organized crime who embarks on an illicit romance with far-reaching consequences. Lee’s other notable roles include “Boys Over Flowers,” “The Heirs,” “Gangnam Blues,” “Bounty Hunters,” and “The King: Eternal Monarch.” He is repped by Artist International Group,...

Ninja Assassin director James McTeigue and The Wachowskis adaptation of Alan Moore’s graphic novel V for Vendetta with Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving is finally coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. Here’s a quick glimpse. This hasn’t been officially announced, so there’s no word on special features or a release date. But come on, it […] More...

“Hobbs & Shaw” director David Leitch and his producing partner Kelly McCormick are leaving WME and are signing with CAA, an individual with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap.

The individual said the duo, and their production company 87North, is signing with CAA. Representatives for CAA have not yet responded to TheWrap’s request for comment.

His other recent directing credits include “Deadpool 2” and “Atomic Blonde,” while he recently executive produced “John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum.” McCormick produced “Atomic Blonde” and was the EP on “Deadpool 2” and “Hobbs & Shaw.” She previously served as executive vice president of production and acquisitions at Sierra Affinity where she packaged and produced Academy Award®-winning and nominated films such as “Hell or High Water,” “Whiplash,” “Nightcrawler,” and “Manchester By The Sea.”

Also Read: David Leitch to Direct Thriller 'Bullet Train' for Sony

Leitch will next direct and produce “Bullet Train,” starring Brad Pitt,...

Exclusive: Anna Sawai, who was recently cast in Universal’s upcoming Fast & Furious 9 opposite Vin Diesel, Charlize Theron and Helen Mirren, has signed with Wme.

The move comes after Sawai, who made her feature film debut in 2009 with a co-starring role in Warner Bros’ Ninja Assassin, co-starred this fall on Season 1 of the BBC Two crime drama Giri/Haji. The series hits Netflix in the U.S. next year.

The New Zealand-born Sawai had also been lead singer of the all-girl J-Pop band Faky before departing last year to focus on acting.

She continues to be repped by United Agents, Zero Gravity Management and Felker Toczek.

Diesel broke the news of Sawai’s casting in Fast 9 in July via Instagram during the shoot (see below). The pic opens May 22, 2020.

View this post on Instagram

So blessed to be working with such beautiful people...

If you’re a longtime fan of The Matrix franchise just as I am, then you’ve probably spent the past sixteen years wondering when Warner Bros. would green light as fourth installment – if ever. That’s in stark contrast to our present situation, as the film is now coming together so quickly that it’s hard to believe this is actually happening.

To briefly recap what’s transpired thus far, the next chapter in the beloved science fiction saga will be directed and co-written by series co-creator Lana Wachowski, with lead actors Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss both returning. Joining them in front of the camera will be Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (theories place him as being a young Morpheus) and Neil Patrick Harris. Jada Pinkett Smith, meanwhile, may come back as well, which should satisfy those who relished delving deeper into her character via the Enter The Matrix video game.

David Leitch, the director of films such as John Wick, Deadpool 2, Hobbs & Shaw, and more, got his start in the entertainment industry doing stunt work in film and TV. He worked on films such as Fight Club, Blade, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Daredevil, and The Matrix franchise.

Well, he had such a great time working on the Matrix films that he would love to return to work on Matrix 4 and is willing to take on any kind of job to be a part of it. During an interview with ComingSoon, the filmmaker said:

“If Lana called and wanted me to do anything on that movie, I would come, I’d carry a c-stand or sandbags. I loved working with her and I loved working with her sister and I feel like I owe so much of my filmmaking background to working on not only the Matrix movies, but also Speed Racer,...

Crossover film and music superstars, Wang Leehom and Jung Ji-hoon are to be honored by the Asia Society next month in Los Angeles. Bob Weis, president of Walt Disney Imagineering and Zhang Wei, president of Alibaba Pictures, will also receive prizes.

The inaugural Game Changer Awards will be presented on Nov. 5 at a gala dinner to follow the U.S.–Asia Entertainment Summit. The summit is in its tenth year. And, where previous editions had concentrated on U.S.-China relations, the event this time has been given a broader focus examining the wider connections between the U.S. and Asia entertainment businesses.

“Lost” star, Daniel Dae Kim, who has broadened his operations from acting to directing and producing through his 3Ad Media company, will be a highlight of the conference section. He will be quizzed by “Late Night” director Nisha Ganatra on The New Hollywood: Have the Asians Arrived?...

Birds of Prey (or to give it its full title, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)) has had a rocky few weeks. A leaked plot report indicated that Ewan McGregor’s take on Batman villain Black Mask may play into homophobic stereotypes, with the story apparently revolving around the character’s stolen dick pics.

That came on top of reports that Warner Bros. are concerned about how the project is shaping up. Now, this concern may have taken another step forward today, as we’re hearing that John Wick director Chad Stahelski is reshooting some of the film’s action sequences with Birds of Prey‘s credited director, Cathy Yan, on second unit duties.

Reports say that Stahelski is busy reworking the action scenes to improve them, using the skills he displayed to winning effect across the John Wick trilogy. He has an astonishing track...

Exclusive: Finn Cole, Anna Sawai and Vinnie Bennett have joined the cast of the ninth chapter in the Fast & Furious saga. Character descriptions for the latest installment are being kept under the hood.

Franchise mainstay Justin Lin (Fast & Furious 6) returns to direct and franchise forefather Vin Diesel stars as Dominic Toretto alongside new cast members and returning favorites. Dan Casey wrote the screenplay from a story by Lin and Alfredo Botello. The pic goes into production this month and for a May 22 release.

Diesel produces for his One Race Films alongside Samantha Vincent, and Lin produces for his Perfect Storm Entertainment. Jeffrey Kirschenbaum and Joe Roth also will produce for Roth/Kirschenbaum Films. Diesel has produced the five highest-grossing films in the Fast & Furious franchise: The Fate of the Furious, Furious 7, Fast & Furious 6, Fast Five as well as Fast & Furious.

Cole, who stars...

A big holiday’s approaching, and you’ve not gotten a thing for Mom? Instead of waiting in line for Brunch or picking through the last few roses at the flower shop, how about a movie? The studios are way ahead of you. Opening this weekend are two distinctly different motherhood movies on the screens not filled with that superhero smack-down. Competing for your cash are the collegiate comedy Life Of The Party with Melissa McCarthy getting her degree alongside her daughter, and this action thriller with Gabrielle Union going to extreme lengths to protect her kids from a quartet of creeps. Ms. Union’s character is a new addition to the long list of tough movie moms from Greer Garson’s Oscar-winning turn as Mrs. Miniver to Sally Field’s seeker of revenge in Eye For An Eye, and finally the very similar defender played by Jodie Foster in...

In his new feature film Breaking In, director James McTeigue offers a predictable, yet hugely watchable home-invasion thriller, which is likely to owe most of its box-office success to the brilliance of its female lead. Staring Gabrielle Union as a determined and mightily pissed-off mother of two, the film tells the story of a family caught up in a robbery gone wrong, resulting in a showdown between a gang of murderous criminals and a mother who will stop at nothing to protect her family.

Shaun Russell (Gabrielle Union) is still reeling from the violent death of her rich estranged father, a man she had disowned many years prior to his untimely death due to his less than orthodox dealings with the law. Arriving at the family home accompanied by her teenage daughter Jasmine (Ajiona Alexus) and young son Glover (Seth Carr), Shaun soon discovers that her father had made his...

In David Fincher‘s underrated 2002 thriller, Jodie Foster defends her home and protects her daughter (Kristen Stewart), from a bunch of thugs (led by Jared Leto) who are trying to break in and steal something secret contained within the walls of the house. The upcoming “Breaking In” turns that premise inside out.

Starring Gabrielle Union, Billy Burke, Richard Cabral, Seth Carr, and Ajiona Alexus, and directed by James McTeigue (“V For Vendetta,” “Ninja Assassin“), the story follows a woman who has to break into an impenetrable fortress of a house, after her two kids are taken hostage.

Continue reading ‘Breaking In’ Trailer: Payback Is A Mother In This Reverse ‘Panic Room’ at The Playlist.

Lionsgate’s “Wonder” made third place look sexy over Thanksgiving. After doubling predictions with $27.5 million on its opening weekend, it fell less than 18 percent on its second weekend— compared to the 56 percent drop for “Justice League” and 29 percent for “The Star,” the other two films that opened November 17. With $73 million domestic as of November 29, “Wonder” is fast approaching profit on a $20 million production budget.

In some key aspects, “Wonder” resembles “The Blind Side.” Both are based on feel-good best sellers (“Wonder” a novel, “The Blind Side” nonfiction) about young people who overcome school-year odds with the help of dedicated parental figures. Both films opened the weekend before Thanksgiving as counter-programming against a blockbuster (“The Twilight Saga: New Moon” then, “Justice League” here).

Read More:‘Wonder’ Review: Jacob Tremblay Faces Middle School In this Emotionally Generous Family Drama

For a small family film, the date was a risk. While it could...

Filming on X-Men: Dark Phoenix is due to commence next month, that much we know, but one cast member that allegedly won’t be involved whatsoever is Rain, the South Korean singer and actor who became linked with an undisclosed role in the 20th Century Fox tentpole earlier this year.

First reported by South Korean outlet JoongAng Ilbo – and relayed to us by Newsarama – a scheduling conflict has now forced Rain to exit Dark Phoneix altogether. Best known on these shores for his performances across Speed Racer, Ninja Assassin and The Prince, the news was initially revealed by fellow actor Lee Beom Soo, who’s set to star alongside Rain in the upcoming Korean thriller, Uhm Bok-dong. It’s scheduled to film throughout the course of the summer, thereby clashing with Fox’s own production plan for X-Men: Dark Phoenix. Not only that, but we understand that Rain is attached...

Chad Stahelski spent most of his career being the guy filmmakers swap in when a stunt is too complex - or life threatening - for their actors to perform. Can't hit your actual star with a car? Get Stahelski. An actor can't believably fight ten guys at once? Get Stahelski.  Stahelski became such a go-to secret weapon for action movies that he stepped up from stunt man to second unit director, overseeing the stunt-intensive action scenes on movies like The Hunger Games, Ninja Assassin and Captain America: Civil War. But in 2014 Stahelski and his longtime collaborator David Leitch stepped fully into the spotlight to direct John Wick. Audiences instantly fell in love with the result. So if you've been wondering why John Wick has such incredible...

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Exclusive: MGM has optioned "Rising Stars," the Top Cow comic series created by J. Michael Straczynski. He is set to write the script, and Alex Gartner and Richard Suckle will produce for Atlas Entertainment. Straczynski created/produced the Emmy and Hugo-winning Babylon 5 series, and he most recently wrote and exec produced with Lily and Lana Wachowski the Netflix series "Sense 8", and his script credits include Changeling, Ninja Assassin, Thor, Underworld Awakening and World…...

Daredevil season 2 arrives on Netflix in a little over a week and I’m already planning to binge the entire thing in a sitting or two. After all, I’m still high over how much I enjoyed Jessica Jones and the early reviews for this new season suggest that everything that worked about about the first […]

The post ‘Daredevil’ Season 2 Teaser: A Blind Superhero, a Ninja Assassin, and a Brutal Vigilante Walk Into Netflix… appeared first on /Film.

Park Heung Shik’s Memories of the Sword is a historical film set in the Goryeo period of Korean history starring Lee Byung Hun (Red 2; The Good, the Bad, the Weird) , Jeon Do Yeon (The Shameless), Kim Go Eun (Monster) and Lee Jun Ho (2Pm member, Twenty).

This story of betrayal and retribution wasn’t told from the usual “revenge for pain” standpoint. Instead, retribution came in the form of repentance, which was as unexpected as it was oddly satisfying. Even though I know in my mind that these revenge stories are basically all the same, this one didn’t feel like the others. I had no idea what to expect all throughout the movie.

My assumptions of what was about to happen almost never came true. I felt like if I stopped anywhere in between that I would be left with an agonizing doubt that would gnaw at me until I finished this movie.

Joseph Baxter Jan 31, 2020

Fast & Furious 9, planned as the penultimate film in the main series, puts the pedal to the metal this May.

The Fast and the Furious franchise remains profitable and shows no signs of pumping the brakes, despite claims of hanging up the monkey wrenches on the mainline series after the 10th installment. Not only did its first spinoff film, the Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham two-hander with a daisy of a title, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, successfully expand its territory of bankability, but plans are in the works for a female-fronted spinoff movie and even an animated Netflix series. Of course, lest we forget, there’s two more films from the main series set to arrive, with our focus here being on this May's penultimate offering, 9.

Indeed, 2017’s The Fate of the Furious, was, according to Vin Diesel, the kickoff for a trilogy of...

With its still-mostly-unique binge-centric approach to programming, Netflix is the sort of creative incubator that inspires writers to say that the story they're telling could only have been told at Netflix. That's not always true. It is, however, probably true when it comes to "Sense8," an almost description-proof sci-fi drama from "Babylon 5" creator J. Michael Straczynski and "Matrix" masterminds The Wachowskis. "You literally drop the audience into the middle of the story and because again we’re staying with subjective point of view, the audience only knows as much as the characters know," Straczynski tells me. "As the characters figure out over the course of the next X number of episodes what’s going on, like a mystery structure, the audience also figures it out. And we knew that that would be really, really difficult to pull off on a regular network." Nearly every piece of that quote may be an understatement.

There was a time when James McTeigue’s ascendance as a top tier blockbuster director seemed assured. After working with the Wachowskis on “The Matrix” trilogy as first assistant director, he made his debut feature with the smash hit “V For Vendetta,” which the siblings endorsed with a producing credit. But from there things took a decidedly downward turn. The next team up between the Wachowskis and McTeigue, “Ninja Assassin,” was a flop, and so too was his outing behind period pulp piece “The Raven.” And things continue in a downward trajectory with “Survivor,” a thriller that lines up decent actors for a credulity straining affair that aims to honor American law enforcement for stopping terrorist attacks post-9/11, but winds up trivializing their job in the process. Milla Jovovich leads the movie as Kate Abbott, a hot shot security expert brought in to help the American embassy in London look...

After squaring away a significant amount of Bond movies, Pierce Brosnan still can’t shake off the action. In his post-007 career, the actor has turned in a handful of standard shoot-em-up affairs, but none that are likely to stand the test of time in comparison to the world’s favorite secret agent. Bearing that in mind, will 2015 be Brosnan’s year to shine? It just may be, as he has another couple of actioners due for release, including No Escape and the subject of today’s trailer: Survivor.

Directed by James McTeigue (V For Vendetta, Ninja Assassin) the movie revolves around a Foreign Service Officer (Milla Jovovich). The target of a ruthless assassin (Brosnan) attempting to take her out for a terrorist hit she committed, she must avoid his deadly attempts, try to clear her name after being framed And stop the actual perpetrators of the attack.

Caught between...

Pierce Brosnan played James Bond from 1994 to 2005, so clearly he knows his way around action fare. Yet his latest attempts at trying to position himself as a Liam Neeson-esque aging action star haven't been working out. You probably already forgot about last year's "The November Man," and this coming summer he's got the pretty terrible looking "No Escape" with Owen Wilson, but first is "Survivor" which I didn't even know existed, and a new trailer has arrived. James McTeigue ("V For Vendetta," "Ninja Assassin") directs this film about a Foreign Service Officer who is targeted by a ruthless assassin while trying to clear his name after being framed for a terrorist bombing and to stop the real bad guys' actual plan. That sounds exhausting. Dylan McDermott, Angela Bassett and Robert Forster also feature in this movie that has no shortage of electronic gadgets and actors looking aghast. "Survivor" arrives in theaters.

"If you get her in your sight, do no hesitate." Pierce Brosnan took the hero role in last year's action thriller The November Man, but this year he's in villain mode for a new action thriller called Survivor. This time it's Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil) on the run as she's being framed for a terrorist bombing that Brosnan's infamous assassin character executed. It seems like a pretty generic plot, but Brosnan is doing some pretty slick stuff in this trailer. In fact, he seems to get more screentime than Jovovich, which doesn't really seem fair to the actress, but Brosnan is a James Bond veteran, so he'll help sell the movie too. Watch? Here's the first trailer for James McTeigue's Survivor, originally from Yahoo: Survivor is directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta, Ninja Assassin, The Invasion, The Raven) and written by Philip Shelby (Mechanic: Resurrection). After being mysteriously framed for a terrorist bombing,...

Remember James McTeigue, director of V for Vendetta, Ninja Assassin and The Ravenc Well, it appears his career continues its steady slide as he has now directed a movie I didn't even know existed until a few minutes ago, which is a bit of a curiousity considering the cast includes Pierce Brosnan, Milla Jovovich, Dylan McDermott, Angela Bassett and Robert Forster. The movie is Survivor and it centers on a Foreign Service Officer (Jovovich), who must evade government capture and death by a ruthless assassin (Pierce Brosnan) in order to stop the real perpetrator of a terrorist bombing she is being framed for. Alchemy will release Survivor in theaters and on demand on May 29 and just below is the first trailer if you're interested in checking it out.