Movies

Timothee Chalamet-starring fantasy “Wonka” claimed the top spot in the weekend’s South Korean box office chart, in an opening that was nearly two months later than many other territories. It delivered a modest jolt to the otherwise slow theatrical market. “Wonka” earned $3.97 million between Friday and Sunday in Korea, according to data from Kobis,

Now that Ryan Gosling‘s “Barbie” power ballad “I’m Just Ken” is an Oscar nominee for best original song, one of the biggest questions facing the upcoming Academy Awards telecast is whether Gosling will take to the stage to perform the viral hit live. Variety‘s Marc Malkin posed the question to “Barbie” soundtrack producer and “I’m

Reflecting on his near-fatal snow plow accident over a year after the incident, Jeremy Renner said he will be “strong enough” to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “[I’m doing] probably 90 percent of all the things I needed to be doing … I think another six months will be hopefully running [more] … I

Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest” and Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers” led the 44th annual London Critics’ Circle Awards with three wins apiece. Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” and Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” which had seven and five nominations respectively, left the ceremony empty handed. German-language film “The Zone of Interest” was named film of the

“Anyone but You,” starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell as romantic partners who hate each other, has become that all too rare thing, a sleeper hit. The film’s box-office success has surprised a lot of people — though not me, since I’m one of the only critics who liked it. I called it “a rom-com

Agent Argylle couldn’t crack the box office code. Matthew Vaughn’s globe-trotting spy comedy “Argylle” sputtered in its box office debut, earning a dismal $18 million from 3,605 North American theaters. The movie, backed by Apple and distributed by Universal, cost $200 million to produce and is shaping up to be the year’s first big misfire.

Every 15 minutes, according to a title at the end of director Anne Fontaine‘s latest film, someone on earth plays Maurice Ravel’s “Boléro.” It’s a largely unprovable statement that is nonetheless borne out anecdotally by the familiarity of the tune, which crops up so frequently in concerts, movies, TV shows, commercials, dance recitals and at

International Film Festival Rotterdam winner and debuting director Toshihiko Tanaka is set to follow “Rei” with “Shumari,” once again set in Japan’s Hokkaido. “Over there, you can find the largest artificial lake in the country. It’s man-made, but it still beautifully harmonizes with the surrounding nature, creating a stunning landscape. It will be a suspenseful

Denis Lavant, the iconic French actor of Claire Denis’ “Beau Travail” and Leos Carax’ “Holy Motors,” stars in “Redoubt,” the feature debut of rising contemporary artist-turned-director John Skoog. Currently in post, the black-and-white film is produced by Plattform Produktion, the Goteborg-based banner run by two-time Palme d’Or winning director Ruben Ostlund (“Triangle of Sadness”) and

A filmmaker with an affinity for the dark, Daniel Espinosa allowed himself to get off track. After attracting global (and Hollywood) attention with 2010 Swedish thriller “Easy Money,” the Chilean-born, Sweden-based director couldn’t resist the lure of making an American studio movie. Or three. Coming on the heels of ill-advised snabba cash project “Morbius” in

Sterling K. Brown, who received an Oscar nomination for best actor in a supporting role for his turn as Clifford Ellison in “American Fiction,” doesn’t think he’ll be taking home the coveted trophy at this year’s awards ceremony. During a guest appearance on “The Graham Norton Show” on Friday, Brown said he knows he won’t

Niclas Larsson’s “Mother, Couch” was awarded the Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film at Goteborg, taking home the considerable amount of SEK 400,000 ($38,000).  Led by Ewan McGregor – this year’s recipient of the Honorary Dragon Award – the U.S.-Swedish-Danish co-production also features Ellen Burstyn and “Bones and All” breakout Taylor Russell, making it one

Closing this year’s International Film Festival Rotterdam, M. Raihan Halim’s “La Luna” pushes the boundaries of Malay-language comedy by chronicling the changes brought by the opening of a lingerie shop in a conservative rural community in Malaysia. Titled after the eponymous shop, the film follows a rebellious woman who opens the lingerie parlour not only

Serbian director Emilija Gašić will follow International Film Festival Rotterdam premiere “78 Days” with the “atmospheric and tense” psychological thriller “Witches,” she reveals to Variety exclusively. “I’ve always been drawn to scary elements in films — especially if there are moments of comic relief. Growing up in Serbia, I was surrounded by stories and legends.

Helsinki-based production company It’s Alive Films has boarded upcoming “Copernicus Secrets” as ca o-producer, joining Orka Studio’s Magdalena Zimecka (Poland) and 4film’s Anita Juka (Croatia.) Recently, Orka co-produced Naomi Watts survival drama “Infinite Storm” by Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert, as well as Marta Minorowicz’s “Illusion.” “We like to try new things and we have

There’s a luxuriantly sensuous quality to the prose of British novelist Deborah Levy — a tactile grasp of land, weather and flesh — that feels intensely cinematic while reading it, as well as an elliptical, concentrated interior psychology that feels liable to trip up any potential adapters. Those rewards and risks hold true in “Swimming

Body swaps are usually bad news in movies. I was a real estate agent close to a big deal, now I have to find a date for junior prom? Then, a wacky journey back to status quo — because the way things were is how they should be. Or not, forwards “Skin Deep,” the intimate

As the final work in progress wrapped on Friday, Göteborg ‘s head of TV Drama Vision Cia Edström and head of industry and Nordic Film Market Josef Kullengård could finally relax after a mission well accomplished. Two of their biggest challenges this year – hosting an industry showcase for 700-plus international delegates in a brand-new

More than a week after this year’s Oscar nominees were unveiled, the documentary world is still reeling from this year’s selections and trying to figure out what they might mean for the struggling sector. Notably, all filmmakers were international and the majority lacked distribution by major streamers; presumed favorites backed by Netflix, Apple TV+ and

The Berlin International Film Festival has issued a statement regarding its decision to invite two elected members of the German far-right Alternative for Germany party to the opening ceremony of the 74th Berlinale. The festival confirmed that AfD members Kristin Brinker and Ronald Gläse were invited to the opening ceremony on Feb. 15, but that

Cat’s out of the bag — “Argylle” is shaping up to be the first high-profile box office misfire of 2024. The espionage action-comedy only saw $6.5 million in ticket sales from 3,605 North American venues across opening day and preview screenings. That is not a good start for a presumed crowdpleaser with a star-studded ensemble

Nils Gaup, behind Oscar-nominated “Pathfinder,’ intends to follow his latest film “The Riot” with a new documentary about shamanism. Under the working title “Koven” and named after its protagonist, it will focus on a Sámi man whose ancestor was Norway’s biggest shaman. “He is this extremely well-educated guy. A scientist, a sceptic. And then he experiences

Composer Lorne Balfe has spent his career working on blockbusters including “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning” but even so, Matthew Vaughn’s spy thriller “Argylle,” which features an all-star cast including Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell and Henry Cavill, was one for the books. For a start, the soundtrack incorporates the Beatles’

Italian directors Marco and Antonio Manetti, a.k.a. the Manetti Bros. and best known for the “Diabolik” franchise, are producing the next film by “Orlando” filmmaker Daniele Vicari. The film, titled “You Get Tired of Killing,” is based on the life of a real-life gangster who grew tired of being in charge of running the Mafia’s

Sylvester Stallone is paying tribute to his longtime friend and “Rocky” co-star Carl Weathers, who died Thursday at age 76. Speaking through a video posted to his Instagram Friday evening, Stallone recalled his longtime partnership with Weathers, through the “Rocky” series and their decades-long friendship. The star gave the message while standing in front of

Seven years after his mesmerizing sci-fi drama on extraterrestrial sex, “The Untamed,” genre-defying Mexican auteur Amat Escalante switches gears once again to try his hand at a sharp-edged, quasi-detective story with “Lost in the Night.” His approach expectedly deviates from a straightforward whodunit. Escalante rejects both simplified villainy and stainless heroism, crafting individuals with clear

It’s a huge month on streaming thanks to the long-awaited arrival of Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” on Peacock. The atomic bomb epic, led by Cillian Murphy, grossed more than $950 million at the worldwide box office during a lengthy theatrical run that made “Oppenheimer” the highest-grossing biographical drama in history. It then became an awards season

Don Murray, who received an Oscar nomination for his performance opposite Marilyn Monroe in the 1956 film adaptation of William Inge’s play “Bus Stop,” has died. He was 94. His son Christopher confirmed his death to the New York Times. In the 2017 reboot of “Twin Peaks,” he played Bushnell Mullins, the chief executive of

Adam Sandler and more are paying tribute to veteran actor Carl Weathers following his death on Feb. 1 at the age of 76. Among many notable roles in “Happy Gilmore,” “The Mandalorian,” “Predator” and more, Weathers is known for playing boxer Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” franchise. “A true great man. Great dad. Great actor.

“Licorice Pizza” star Alana Haim is reuniting with filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson for his next film. Anderson wrote the script and is directing the currently untitled film for Warner Bros., led by Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy (who gave a green light to “Licorice Pizza” when they ran MGM).  Along with Haim, other new