Movies

It might seem difficult to believe, but there was a time – not very long ago, in fact – when zombies weren’t the cultural icons they are today. Horror fans have loved the undead since Hollywood first introduced them in the 1930s, but it wasn’t until the 1960s that critics and wider audiences began to

Jason Momoa is quite confident that “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” will not be his final outing as the eponymous superhero in the DC Universe. With James Gunn and Peter Safran now in charge of DC Studios and spearheading an overhauled DC Universe, many comic book movie fans are wondering if Momoa’s Aquaman will continue.

Jeremy Renner will appear in person at the “Rennervations” world premiere, taking place April 11 at Los Angeles’ Regency Village Theater, Variety has confirmed. The event will mark Renner’s first press event since the actor’s Jan. 1 snow plow accident, which landed him in the hospital for blunt chest trauma and orthopedic injuries. In trying

With Women’s History Month well underway, Variety asked female leaders in Hollywood a simple question: Are we better off today than we were five years ago? More pointedly, how many gains have there really been in the battle for gender equality since the industry’s great #MeToo reckoning – and what is the outlook for further

The big bads of the Marvel Cinematic Universe should be a breeze for the man that’s survived the Roy family for almost four seasons, as “Succession” star Matthew Macfadyen has been cast in “Deadpool 3,” Variety has confirmed. The Ryan Reynolds franchise will welcome Macfadyen, who plays the fan-favorite Tom Wambsgans on the HBO water-cooler

“Jackie the Wolf,” which will have its world premiere at Hot Docs in the World Showcase program, has debuted its trailer with Variety (below). Deckert Distribution has boarded the film as its world sales agent. The film is a personal exploration of the life and eventual death of right-to-die activist Jacqueline Jencquel, directed through the

“Book Lovers,” a subversive romantic comedy and bestselling novel from Emily Henry, is getting the feature film treatment. Movie rights have been picked up by Tango, Lia Buman’s film and television development financier and producer. Sarah Hayward (“Girls,” “Modern Love”) is attached to write the script. “Emily is a dominant force in the world of

It’s been more than 25 years since Ben Affleck became the youngest Oscar winner for best original screenplay for “Good Will Hunting,” which he co-wrote and starred in with Matt Damon. Isn’t it time for a sequel? Not so much. Damon laughed when revealing that Affleck was recently approached for a follow-up movie. “Someone just

The Cannes Screenplay List, an initiative backed by the talent platform Wscripted in partnership with MUBI, will be back for a third edition at the Cannes Film Festival’s Marché du Film. An international jury comprising filmmakers Mounia Meddour (“Papicha”, “Houria”), Funa Maduka (“Waiting for Hassana”), and Camille Griffin (“The Silent Night”) will sift through submitted

London-based sales outfit Taskovski Films has boarded Spanish documentary “Fauna,” soon to premiere at Visions du Réel and Hot Docs.  Pau Faus directs, while Sergi Camerón produces for Nanouk Films. Faus, Cameron and Julia R. Aymar are also credited as writers.   In the film, set on the outskirts of Barcelona, two realities collide as an

Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick are back in the new “Trolls Band Together” movie trailer, which is the third installment in the animated musical franchise. The film, due to be released on Nov. 17, is “chock full of surprises, music, new worlds and new characters,” says director Walt Dohrn. The “Trolls” family is also adding

When it opened in 1995 in Times Square, the All Star Café was supposed to be the sports world’s answer to Planet Hollywood. Not only was it developed by the same restaurant chain, but it borrowed from its playbook, attracting legends such as Joe Montana, Shaquille O’Neal, Ken Griffey Jr. and Andre Agassi to serve as ambassadors to

Writer-director Jesper Ganslandt has signed with CAA for representation. Ganslandt made his debut with “Falkenberg Farewell” in 2006. The coming-of-age film followed a group of friends who grew up in the titular town of Falkenberg and spend a last summer there before moving to the big city. The film debuted at Venice and had a

Village Roadshow Pictures has teamed with Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment for the U.K. release of the live-captured version of hit West End production “Heathers: The Musical.” The live-event style distribution strategy marks a first for both companies and will see a series of events premiering at more than 320 screens across the U.K. and Ireland from

Yash Raj Films’ “Pathaan” is the biggest Indian hit of the year so far grossing $130 million. The studio’s Akshaye Widhani also served as a co-producer on the film. Part of the release strategy around “Pathaan” was keeping Shah Rukh Khan away from the film’s promotions, creating curiosity around the superstar’s comeback film, the first

Swiss documentary film festival Visions du Réel (VdR) has unveiled the lineup of its 54th edition, which features a broad panorama of both established names and newcomers from around the world. The festival kicks off on April 21 with the world premiere of “Nightwatchers” by Juliette de Marcillac and runs through April 30. The event

Matt Damon told Variety‘s Marc Malkin Monday night that Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” runs a hefty three hours long. On the red carpet for “Air,” in which he co-stars, Damon also talked about Nolan’s upcoming historic drama in which he appears alongside Cillian Murphy. “It’s three hours. It’s fantastic,” Damon said, revealing that he’s seen “Oppenheimer.”

As a director, Ben Affleck has proven himself to be a versatile, compelling talent, moving seamlessly from the morally complex “Gone Baby Gone” to the stark crime drama “The Town” to the tense and thrilling best picture winner “Argo.” Even Affleck’s one directorial misstep, the critically panned box office bomb “Live by Night,” has an

John Wick is a man of few words. No really. A report from The Wall Street Journal reveals that Keanu Reeves’ eponymous assassin says only 380 words across 103 lines of dialogue during “John Wick: Chapter 4,” which runs nearly three-hours long with its 169 minute runtime. Nearly a third of Reeves’ dialogue in the

The retired optometrist who is suing Gwyneth Paltrow over a 2016 ski crash took the stand on Monday, telling the jury that he heard a “blood-curdling scream” just before being struck in the back. Terry Sanderson is suing Paltrow for $300,000, and alleges that he was left with a concussion, four broken ribs and a

Jonathan Majors was arraigned on Sunday on several assault and harassment charges, according to the Manhattan DA’s office. In the complaint, the unnamed female accuser claims the defendant did “strike her about the face with an open hand, causing substantial pain and a laceration behind her ear.” She also claims he “put his hand on her

Chris Pine is hopeful that “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” gives moviegoers a true escape from real-world problems. “I’ve seen this film probably more than I’ve seen many of my other films because I love watching it with an audience,” the actor told me on Sunday at the film’s Los Angeles premiere. “To come

Sundance Institute, which hosts the annual film festival in Park City, Utah, has announced the six people who were selected for its Trans Possibilities Intensive. The fellows for 2023 are Seyi Adebanjo, Rajvi Desai, Malik Ever, Nick Janaye, Jamie John and Tee Park Jaehyung. The second edition of the Trans Possibilities Intensive, which is a

Liv Tyler is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, 16 years after her last appearance. The actor will appear in 2024’s “Captain America: New World Order,” reprising her role from 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk” as scientist Betty Ross, the daughter of General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. That role was originated by the late William Hurt, who

Kelvin Harrison Jr. spent up to six hours a day playing the violin in preparation for his latest film “Chevalier.” The period drama, set before the French Revolution, follows the life of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, also known as Black Mozart. The Searchlight Pictures film also stars Samara Weaving, Lucy Boynton, Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo,

Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” a historical drama about the serial targeting and murder of members of the oil-rich Osage tribe, will open in limited theaters starting Oct. 6. The film will then have a wide release on Oct. 20. “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which is being produced by Apple Original Films,

A judge on Monday blocked the Santa Fe district attorney from appointing a new prosecutor in the “Rust” case, marking another setback for the prosecution. Mary Carmack-Altwies, the elected D.A., said at a hearing Monday that the office is in “dire straits” due to a manpower shortage, and needs an outside lawyer to help prosecute

Can the Cannes Film Festival top itself after a 2022 edition that premiered three picture nominees, “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Triangle of Sadness,” and “Elvis”? Cannes chief Thierry Frémaux certainly hopes so. In his first interview about the upcoming 76th edition, Fremaux tells Variety about his efforts to pull together another milestone edition, talks about his failed attempt to get a woman to preside over this

The crack of a bullwhip may soon echo around the Palais. Fifteen years after opening the Cannes Film Festival, the world’s most famous archeologist is expected to return to the Croisette, and follow in the footsteps of 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick” as this edition’s splashy Hollywood blockbuster premiere. The festival has invited Disney’s “Indiana Jones and

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the Oscar-winning director of “Summer of Soul,” is directing a remake of “The Aristocats” for Disney. Similar to “Sonic the Hedgehog” or “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” the adaptation of “The Aristocats” will be a blend of live-action and CGI. Thompson, the drummer of The Roots, is also executive producing and overseeing