Neuigkeiten

The world of cinema is both remarkably expansive and amusingly small all at once. To wit: While there are new and unique filmmakers emerging onto the scene with each passing year, the way that the business of show has operated since its inception has been to lure audiences into a new film by way of familiar faces. In some cases, movie stars are intentionally interested in working with each other over and over. However, in other cases, the stars of one film will find themselves sharing the screen with an old castmate of theirs. This might be because a film's casting director liked the way two (or more) people looked on screen together before ... or it might be total happenstance.

Whatever the case was when it came to the casting of Nick Frost and Peter Serafinowicz in the live-action remake of "How to Train Your Dragon," it just so happens...

From Garth Marenghi to The Mighty Boosh, Paddington’s blockbuster success stands on a TV comedy golden age and the early work of Paul King.

“The very gates of Hell” might not be the first place you’d look to find Paddington’s origin story. But with Paul King as director and future ursine-alumni Alice Lowe and Richard Ayoade on the stage, the 2000 Edinburgh Fringe run of Garth Marenghi’s Fright Knight proved not to be a half-bad training ground for the man behind the most successful comedy franchise of the last decade.

Pitched as a gory and melodramatic spoof of Stephen King-style scares, the show centred around Matthew Holness’ fictional horror author, Marenghi, and his inspired telling of another writer’s fight to rescue his muse from the forces of darkness. Fright Knight was nominated for a Perrier award. The follow-up, 2001’s Netherhead, won one. TV beckoned, and soon King,...

Joanna Scanlan and Tamsin Greig have been confirmed to star in Sally Wainwright’s new BBC and Britbox drama “Riot Women.”

“Riot Women” is the new drama from “Happy Valley” creator Wainwright, about a group of middle-aged women who decide to enter a talent contest by forming a punk-rock band. After writing their first song, however, they realize they have plenty to say and now, the means to say it.

Scanlan, who is currently appearing in “Slow Horses” and “A Very Royal Scandal,” will play Beth while Greig, who’s known for “Black Books” and “Sexy Beast,” plays Holly. Joining them will be Rosalie Craig (“Moonflower Murders”) as Kitty, Lorraine Ashbourne (“Sherwood”) as Jess and Amelia Bullmore (“The Buccaneers”) as Yvonne.

The six-part series is produced by Drama Republic, the Mediawan-owned banner behind “One Day,” and has been commissioned by the BBC and BritBox. The project was originally announced...

When it comes to profound comedy, very few sitcoms can match up with the success of Red Dwarf. After becoming one of the best sitcoms in the late 1980s, the show has gone on to release multiple movies, books, and a spectacular reboot. Admittedly, the show is not to everybody's taste and tends to mix high-end sci-fi terms with a good dosing of toilet humor. Yet, it's hard to ignore the show's cult following.

Though Red Dwarf has collected a wealth of success in its own right, many fans were initially drawn to the show because it reminded them so much of Star Trek. The sitcom may not have the same American charm as the long-running sci-fi show, but it still explores what life is like in space. So, what's Red Dwarf about, and why is it so enticing to Star Trek fans?

Red Dwarf Feels Like the Ultimate Buddy...

Halina Reijn’s frank sexual odyssey begins as it means to go on, with a level of candor that many audiences will find hard to process. They’ll buy into Nicole Kidman’s performance alright, since it’s hard to ignore the amount of dedication, not to mention naked flesh, that she brings to the role. But though there are wry laughs to be had, from the exquisite awkwardness of the setup alone, Babygirl was received by many at its Venice premiere as a comedy, which trivializes the extraordinary atmosphere that Reijn creates. Her experiences working as an actor for Paul Verhoeven (on 2006’s Black Books) clearly rubbed off, since her third feature owes a small debt to his controversial revenge thriller Elle, which raised a similarly provocative debate about male aggression and female sexuality.

If that sounds intense, you may fall at the opening fence; Babygirl opens on Kidman...

Black Books defies typical sitcom conventions, focusing on the bleak yet comedic daily lives of Bernard, Fran, and Manny. Manny's character provides comedic relief and balance to the dark humor seen throughout the show, adding a unique touch. The show's connections to other British sitcoms like Spaced hint at a larger shared universe, making it a standout in British comedy.

When it comes to sitcoms, many audiences usually associate them with belly laughs and quick punchlines. Occasionally, a show will come along that completely turns the genre on its head, surprising viewers with a plethora of witty jokes and dark undertones. Though black humor may not be to everybody's taste, it's a fantastic example of how situations adapt and change over the course of many generations.

Black Books is a particularly niche sitcom, mainly because of its simplicity. Bernard, Fran, and Manny are usually quite gloomy and feel as if...

Curb Your Enthusiasm is ending with its 12th season, but there are plenty of other cynical TV comedies to fill the void, such as Party Down and BoJack Horseman. Veep offers a darkly humorous take on the world of U.S. politics, while Black Books provides refreshing cynicism in every episode. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia combines the Seinfeld formula with cartoonish humor, while Loudermilk explores the struggle to overcome addiction with cranky "old man yells at cloud" rants.

Curb Your Enthusiasm is heading into its final season, but there are plenty of other cynical TV comedies to fill the Curb void after Larry David’s groundbreaking series ends. The 12th season of Curb Your Enthusiasm is set to premiere on HBO on February 4. David has always made each season of Curb Your Enthusiasm as though it would be the last – the season 5 finale is literally called “The End” – but...

This March, stand-up, actor and Off Menu podcaster James Acaster can be seen in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire alongside Dan Aykroyd, Carrie Coon, Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard, and Paul Rudd. In the sequel to the Ghostbusters revival, Acaster plays boffin Lars Pinfield, a scientist described by writer-producer Jason Reitman as an “Egon Spengler type”.

One month later in April, Acaster fans will be chuffed to know that the mash king is back on the big screen in Andy Riley and Curtis Vowell’s historical comedy Seize Them!

Seize Them! is a who’s-who of British comedy, with a cast including Derry Girls, Bridgerton and soon-to-be Doctor Who guest star Nicola Coughlan, Sex Education and Living’s Aimee-Lou Wood, Ghosts and Saltburn’s Lolly Adefope, plus a Spaced reunion in the form of UK comedy stars Nick Frost and Jessica Hynes. See the first trailer below.

The film is the story of...

Historical British comedy Seize Them! lands in UK cinemas in April, and the trailer has landed.

Prolific comedy writer Andy Riley, along with his writing partner Kevin Cecil, has written for numerous comedy shows including Trigger Happy TV, So Graham Norton, Smack the Pony, The Armando Iannucci Shows, Black Books, Harry and Paul, Big Bad World and Veep. They also created and wrote the underrated Matt Berry sitcom Year of The Rabbit for Channel 4.

On the big screen, Cecil and Riley wrote the scripts for Gnomeo And Juliet and the sequel, Sherlock Gnomes.

Now, Riley has written the screenplay for Seize Them! a historical comedy with a huge ensemble cast of familiar faces from the British comedy scene. Originally set for release last year, we’re delighted to see it’s now returned to the cinema release schedule.

The synopsis reads as follows:

Brimming with warmth, humour and swordfights,...

The good times just keep on rolling at Plex. The service started the week by offering 20% off a lifetime subscription to its Plex Pass, and is finishing it by adding an impressive array of new, free streaming channels to its platform.

Plex is adding a total of 25 free ad-supported TV (Fast) channels this week. There’s something for everyone on this channel list, from fans of classic TV shows to anime to horror films, and everything in between. These new additions boost Plex’s channel count to well over 300, and the service is supplementing that lineup seemingly every month.

The new channels available to stream now on Plex include:

21 Jump Street: To combat a rise in school crimes, LAPD sends four young-looking officers to high school to pose as students. Starring Johnny Depp, Holly Robinson, Peter DeLuise and Dustin Nguyen.

Unsolved Mysteries: Hosted by Robert Stack, this series...

Keira Knightley is set to star in Netflix series “Black Doves,” the streamer unveiled today.

Written by “Giri/Haji” showrunner Joe Barton, the drama will see Knightley star as Helen, a woman with a secret identity who embarks on a passionate affair. When her lover falls victim to London’s shadowy underworld, Helen’s employers send an old friend, Sam, to protect her. The two of them soon embark on a high octane adventure set against a backdrop of diplomatic tension and Christmas.

“‘Black Doves’ is the story of two old friends coming back together, finding trust in one another in a world where trust can get you killed and, ultimately, changing the course of each other’s lives forever,” reads the logline.

The show will be produced by Barton’s production company Noisy Bear and Sister (“Chernobyl”). Barton and Knightley will exec produce alongside Jane Featherstone and Chris Fry for Sister.

Over the course of his career, Simon Pegg has become a beloved actor, with the British star being involved in several top movies and television shows. The best Simon Pegg movies and shows are a mix of comedy, drama, fantasy, action, and sci-fi. Because he has such a varied career, it isn't easy choosing Simon Pegg's 10 greatest roles. Many of these roles were played by Pegg alongside his frequent collaborators, director Edgar Wright and actor Nick Frost — but the best Simon Pegg movies go far beyond Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World's End.

Notably, Simon Pegg (via Instagram) has expressed a desire to do a follow-up to the infamous Cornetto trilogy, tagging Frost and Wright with a poster of himself for The World's End and the caption, "it’s about time we assembled again, isn’t it?" It has been a decade since The World's End — the...

Graham Linehan has spoken out about the resulting fallout after sharing his views opposing the trans rights movement, claiming he was asked to disassociate himself from the Father Ted stage musical.

Linehan is known to many for being the co-creator and co-writer of the classic sitcom, along with Arthur Mathews, as well as of shows including Black Books and The It Crowd.

He was suspended from Twitter in 2020 after making a series of controversial remarks about transgender people, but has since been reinstated on the platform.

Though he was reinstated in 2022, Linehan has claimed that his career and social status have not recovered since he began making critical remarks about the trans community.

In an interview with The Times, Linehan claimed that despite previously being involved in reforming Father Ted for the theatre, he’d been asked to end his involvement with the show due to the controversy surrounding him.

This list applies to UK streaming services

If you’ve had a tough day and need a laugh, this list’ll see you right. These are the British big guns. Big comedy guns, firing… laughter-bullets! Ak-47s of mirth, spraying chuckles through… look, yes, okay, that’s terrible. A stop to that. Agreed. We’re all just trying to do our best here.

Helping us to keep a grip when the world seems a scary place are these excellent British comedies, all available to stream on the UK’s various platforms. Find a bunch of comforting and familiar favourites and some newer arrivals below.

We’ll keep this list updated as shows enter and exit the streaming catalogues. Parents may also like a look at our best kids’ TV streaming recommendations, while here are our picks of the best British TV dramas to stream in the UK.

After Life

Ricky Gervais...

Trailer

Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins can be heard narrating “The Smeds and the Smoos,” the upcoming BBC adaptation of the book of the same name by beloved children’s writer Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler, in a new trailer released today.

A loose re-telling of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” the charming adaptation, from Magic Light Pictures, “The Smeds and the Smoos” also features the voices of “Bridgerton’s” Adjoa Andoh and comedian Bill Bailey (“Black Books”) as well as Meera Syal (“Roar”), Rob Brydon (“Gavin and Stacey”), Ashna Rabheru (“Sex Education”) and Daniel Ezra (“All American”).

It will air in the U.K. on Christmas Day.

Check out the trailer below:

Commission

A biopic of one of the U.K.’s most famous soccer siblings, Justin and John Fashanu, has been set at U.K. broadcaster ITV. Justin, who became Britain’s first Black soccer star to command £1 million,...

It’s hard to believe that the legendary cult British sitcom Black Books is over 20 years old. Two decades after its release and the classic comedy about a crotchety drunkard bookshop owner named Bernard (Dylan Moran), his slightly more sociable but equally selfish best friend, Fran (Tamsin Greig), and his neurotic and pedantic employee, Manny (Bill Bailey), is still as quotable as ever.

Google, it is reported, offers employees gourmet dining experiences on its campus. Apple, meanwhile, hired Stevie Wonder to play for its workforce. If the BBC is considering introducing a new employee perk to energise its staff, I’d like to suggest complimentary couples counselling. After the critically acclaimed misery of Stefan Golaszewski’s Marriage last month, comes the lighter companion piece, Stuck, a sitcom about the claustrophobia of cohabitation.

Dylan Moran is Dan, a recently laid-off jingle writer struggling to get his life back on track. Morgana Robinson is his long-term partner, Carla, some sort of new age therapist, pushed into looking after this man, who is a decade her senior. “Is this it?” she asks him. “Just me, flat out, and you farting about like an old fart?” Moran is on safe ground, doing Moran things. He pairs a world-weary cynicism with a skittish energy, not dissimilar to the...

Netflix is about to remove a alrge selection of movies and TV shows from its service.

Every month, without fanfare, numerous titles are removed from the streamer.

This means that, should something be on your watchlist, it will vanish until it’s added again.

Netflix doesn’t publicise the titles it will remove – and users will only be alerted to something’s imminent removal if they happen to select the title in question.

But, with help from the team at What’s on Netflix, we’ve compiled the full list – and you can find the compilation of everything being added this month here.

What’s leaving Netflix UK in September 2022?

1 September

Aakhri Adaalat

Alive

All at Sea

Anaconda

Angels & Demons

Armored

Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable

The Bang Bang Club

Blow

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Carbon

Cemetary Junction

Chadi Jawani Budhe Nu

Chicago Fire season one to four

Chicago Med...

Netflix is about to remove a alrge selection of movies and TV shows from its service.

Every month, without fanfare, numerous titles are removed from the streamer.

This means that, should something be on your watchlist, it will vanish until it’s added again.

Netflix doesn’t publicise the titles it will remove – and users will only be alerted to something’s imminent removal if they happen to select the title in question.

But, with help from the team at What’s on Netflix, we’ve compiled the full list – and you can find the compilation of everything being added this month here.

What’s leaving Netflix UK in September 2022?

1 September

Aakhri Adaalat

Alive

All at Sea

Anaconda

Angels & Demons

Armored

Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable

The Bang Bang Club

Blow

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Carbon

Cemetary Junction

Chadi Jawani Budhe Nu

Chicago Fire season one to four

Chicago Med...

Netflix is about to remove a alrge selection of movies and TV shows from its service.

Every month, without fanfare, numerous titles are removed from the streamer.

This means that, should something be on your watchlist, it will vanish until it’s added again.

Netflix doesn’t publicise the titles it will remove – and users will only be alerted to something’s imminent removal if they happen to select the title in question.

But, with help from the team at What’s on Netflix, we’ve compiled the full list – and you can find the compilation of everything being added this month here.

What’s leaving Netflix UK in September 2022?

1 September

Aakhri Adaalat

Alive

All at Sea

Anaconda

Angels & Demons

Armored

Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable

The Bang Bang Club

Blow

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Carbon

Cemetary Junction

Chadi Jawani Budhe Nu

Chicago Fire season one to four

Chicago Med...

Netflix is about to remove a alrge selection of movies and TV shows from its service.

Every month, without fanfare, numerous titles are removed from the streamer.

This means that, should something be on your watchlist, it will vanish until it’s added again.

Netflix doesn’t publicise the titles it will remove – and users will only be alerted to something’s imminent removal if they happen to select the title in question.

But, with help from the team at What’s on Netflix, we’ve compiled the full list – and you can find the compilation of everything being added this month here.

What’s leaving Netflix UK in September 2022?

1 September

Aakhri Adaalat

Alive

All at Sea

Anaconda

Angels & Demons

Armored

Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable

The Bang Bang Club

Blow

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Carbon

Cemetary Junction

Chadi Jawani Budhe Nu

Chicago Fire season one to four

Chicago Med...

Netflix is about to remove a alrge selection of movies and TV shows from its service.

Every month, without fanfare, numerous titles are removed from the streamer.

This means that, should something be on your watchlist, it will vanish until it’s added again.

Netflix doesn’t publicise the titles it will remove – and users will only be alerted to something’s imminent removal if they happen to select the title in question.

But, with help from the team at What’s on Netflix, we’ve compiled the full list – and you can find the compilation of everything being added this month here.

What’s leaving Netflix UK in September 2022?

1 September

Aakhri Adaalat

Alive

All at Sea

Anaconda

Angels & Demons

Armored

Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable

The Bang Bang Club

Blow

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Carbon

Cemetary Junction

Chadi Jawani Budhe Nu

Chicago Fire season one to four

Chicago Med...

Netflix is about to remove a alrge selection of movies and TV shows from its service.

Every month, without fanfare, numerous titles are removed from the streamer.

This means that, should something be on your watchlist, it will vanish until it’s added again.

Netflix doesn’t publicise the titles it will remove – and users will only be alerted to something’s imminent removal if they happen to select the title in question.

But, with help from the team at What’s on Netflix, we’ve compiled the full list – and you can find the compilation of everything being added this month here.

What’s leaving Netflix UK in September 2022?

1 September

Aakhri Adaalat

Alive

All at Sea

Anaconda

Angels & Demons

Armored

Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable

The Bang Bang Club

Blow

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Carbon

Cemetary Junction

Chadi Jawani Budhe Nu

Chicago Fire season one to four

Chicago Med...

Netflix is about to remove a alrge selection of movies and TV shows from its service.

Every month, without fanfare, numerous titles are removed from the streamer.

This means that, should something be on your watchlist, it will vanish until it’s added again.

Netflix doesn’t publicise the titles it will remove – and users will only be alerted to something’s imminent removal if they happen to select the title in question.

But, with help from the team at What’s on Netflix, we’ve compiled the full list.

What’s leaving Netflix UK in September 2022?

1 September

Aakhri Adaalat

Alive

All at Sea

Anaconda

Angels & Demons

Armored

Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable

The Bang Bang Club

Blow

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Carbon

Cemetary Junction

Chadi Jawani Budhe Nu

Chicago Fire season one to four

Chicago Med season one to four

The Conjuring

Cujo

Deliver Us from Evil

The Distinguished...

Netflix is about to remove a alrge selection of movies and TV shows from its service.

Every month, without fanfare, numerous titles are removed from the streamer.

This means that, should something be on your watchlist, it will vanish until it’s added again.

Netflix doesn’t publicise the titles it will remove – and users will only be alerted to something’s imminent removal if they happen to select the title in question.

But, with help from the team at What’s on Netflix, we’ve compiled the full list.

What’s leaving Netflix UK in September 2022?

1 September

Aakhri Adaalat

Alive

All at Sea

Anaconda

Angels & Demons

Armored

Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable

The Bang Bang Club

Blow

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Carbon

Cemetary Junction

Chadi Jawani Budhe Nu

Chicago Fire season one to four

Chicago Med season one to four

The Conjuring

Cujo

Deliver Us from Evil

The Distinguished...

Dylan Moran, who wrote and starred in cult show “Black Books” alongside Bill Bailey, is returning to television with a new comedy series “Stuck,” starring Morgana Robinson (“The Windsors”).

The series, which will begin shooting in Belfast this month, is described as “sometimes dark, sometimes surreal.” It is produced by Hat Trick Productions with Ian FitzGibbon (“Hullraisers”) set to direct.

“Stuck” explores the relationship between Dan (played by Moran) and Carla (Robinson) a couple with an age gap who are at a cross-roads. Dan has been made redundant; Carla is dissatisfied with her life. When Carla’s ex-girlfriend Maya re-appears, things start to get even more tricky.

As well as “Black Books,” Moran has appeared in “Shaun of the Dead,” “Notting Hill” and TV series “Uncle.” He can currently be seen as Uthrok One-Nut in “The Witcher: Blood Origin.”

Robinson played Mrs Jenkins in “The Witches” and has appeared in...

Exclusive: Fantasy film Man & Witch has announced the addition of Jennifer Saunders, Eddie Izzard, Daniel Portman (Game of Thrones), Bill Bailey and more as shooting wraps in Los Angeles and Scotland.

Saunders, Izzard, and Bailey voice the characters of goose, sheep, and donkey, respectively, in the family film about a lonely goatherd looking for love. The trio join previously announced Sean Astin who portrays the dog. All together they support the goatherd, played by screenwriter and star Greg Steinbruner.

The animals come to life through photo-realistic puppets created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.

“The goatherd is a bit of a lonely figure and an outsider who is at the bottom of the pecking order but always kind to his animals,” the film’s star Tami Stronach, of The NeverEnding Story fame, said of her real-life...

FilmRise has licensed more than 500 hours of content from Nent Studios UK, the production and distribution entity of the Nordic Entertainment Group (Nent).

Under the deal, FilmRise has acquired all digital rights, including AVOD and SVOD for the content in both the North and South American territories.

The package includes the British comedy “Peep Show,” which won a BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy; “Black Books,” which also won the BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy; and the original British version of “Shameless,” which won prizes at the BAFTA TV Awards and the British Comedy Awards.

FilmRise has also acquired the exclusive ad-supported rights to the first five seasons of “Doc Martin,” the British medical comedy drama series, and will be bringing Season 6 to platforms. The show won the British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Drama in 2004, and has been widely popular. Its ninth season aired last year.

“This new partnership...

FilmRise has signed a deal with Nent Studios UK to license 500-plus hours of content, including the original British version of the Showtime hit “Shameless” and six seasons of the beloved comedy “Doc Martin.”

Under the deal with the Nordic Entertainment Group’s production/distribution business, FilmRise will pick up North and South American digital rights, including AVOD and SVOD, for a range of shows, including “Peep Show,” the longest-running comedy in the history of the U.K.’s Channel 4 history; the BAFTA-winning comedy “Black Books” and more.

“Shameless,” a Manchester-set comedy that ran for 11 seasons in the U.K. from 2003-11, helped launch the career of a young James McAvoy and spawned a successful Showtime version set in Pittsburgh and starring William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum.

“This new partnership with Nent Studios UK is very exciting for us,” FilmRise CEO Danny Fisher said in a statement. “It...

Exclusive: Olivia Cooke, Ben Hardy, and Daryl McCormack will star in Pixie, a comedic thriller directed by Oscar nominee Barnaby Thompson and written by Preston Thompson. Rounding out the cast are Colm Meaney (Layer Cake), Dylan Moran (Black Books), and multiple Emmy and Golden Globe winner Alec Baldwin.

Filming is currently underway. The plot centers on Pixie (Cooke), who wants to avenge her mother’s death by masterminding a heist, but her plans go awry and she finds herself on the run with two young men who are way out of their depth being chased across the Wild Irish countryside by gangsters. She has to pit her wits against everyone, taking on the patriarchy to claim the right to shape her own life.

Thompson, who picked up an Oscar nom as a producer of the short film Dear Rosie,...

"No matter what you do, evil always finds a way." Fans of The Boy (2016) might be interested to know that a sequel is on the way courtesy of STXfilms and Lakeshore Entertainment. Director William Brent Bell is returning to helm the sequel, with principal photography starting on January 14, 2019. It was already announced that the movie will star Katie Holmes, and now we have news on new additions to the cast: Owain Yeoman (The Belko Experiment ) will play Holmes' husband Sean, while Ralph Ineson (The Witch) will be playing a character named Joseph.

Press Release: STXfilms, a division of Stx Entertainment, and Lakeshore Entertainment announced today that Owain Yeoman and Ralph Ineson will star alongside Katie Holmes and Christopher Convery in William Brent Bell’s latest horror-thriller, The Boy 2. Principal photography will begin in Victoria, British Columbia on January 14th, 2019.

Brent Bell returns to the helm following the success of...

Exclusive: American Sniper and Turn actor Owain Yeoman and Ready Player One actor Ralph Ineson are joining Katie Holmes and Christopher Convery in William Brent Bell’s horror thriller The Boy 2, from STXfilms and Lakeshore Entertainment.

In the sequel to the 2016 film, a young family moves into Heelshire Mansion, unaware of the terrifying history of the estate. Soon, their young son makes an unsettling new friend, an eerily lifelike doll he calls Brahms. Yeoman will play Sean, the husband to Holmes’ Liza. Ineson has been cast in the role of Joseph. Convery co-stars as their son Jude.

Bell’s The Boy grossed $68M worldwide. Cameras roll on the sequel in Victoria, BC on January 14, 2019.

Stacey Menear, who also penned the first chapter, wrote The Boy 2. Pic will be produced by Lakeshore’s Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi and Eric Reid, in addition to Matt Berenson, Jim Wedaa and Roy Lee.

Autuerism and sports fandom aren’t as far apart from each other as the adherents of either might think. The cinephile and fan are both quick to announce their chosen favorites, accumulate vast bodies of arcane knowledge, and build peculiarly personal relationships with lofty, distant figures, Olympian personalities celebrated as much for individuality and style as sheer ability. Regarding the objects of their passions, both are equally quick to effusive tenderness and vindictive hostility. I am, of course, hardly the first to make this connection. In a 1997 article in Britain’s Neon magazine, Irish comic and then-future Black Books creator Graham Linehan penned a kind of comic fantasy envisioning film lovers as gangs of rival hooligans. “Kieslowski fans are bad enough,” decries Linehan’s narrator, a Greenaway partisan, “but when it comes to the worst of the worst, the lowest of the low, everyone agrees at the end of the...

Nira Park, producer of Baby Driver and Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s Cornetto trilogy, is to leave Big Talk Productions, the film and TV firm she founded.

Park, who has had a long-standing producer relationship with Edgar Wright and also produced Sacha Baron Cohen’s Grimsby, founded the company in 1995.

She produced films including Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End as well as Joe Cornish’s Attack The Block and is currently producing The Kid Who Would Be King starring Rebecca Ferguson and Patrick Stewart, due for release in early 2019 for 20th Century Fox.

In TV, she produced British sitcom Spaced as well as Black Books, Him & Her and Free Agents, which was adapted by NBC.

Park sold the business to ITV Studios in 2013 and is planning to “pursue other opportunities.”

Park said, “When I set up Big Talk, the dream was to create...

Those who've never seen How I Met Your Mother have a little less than a month to stream all 208 episodes on Netflix. On Monday, the company announced which titles will be no longer be available in November, including films like Christmas With the Kranks, Get Rich or Die Tryin', Goosebumps, Hannah Montana: The Movie, Hugo and Twilight, as well as hit series like Cristela. All title and dates are subject to change. The news is sure to upset some subscribers, as films like The Matrix were only added in August. Leaving 11/1/17 Back to the Secret Garden Black Books: Series 1-3 Christmas With the Kranks Get Rich or Die Tryin' Hard...

Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Tuesday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best show currently on TV?” can be found at the end of this post.)

This week’s question: Which lesser known network or streaming service deserves more love? Why?

Damian Holbrook (@damianholbrook), TV Guide Magazine

I just wrote about this for TVInsider.com! Recently, I am obsessed with truTV, which has unleashed two of my favorite summer programs: “The Chris Gethard Show” and Andrea Savage’s perfect “I’m Sorry.” The first is the “Pee Wee’s Playhouse” of live late-night talk shows featuring the supremely likable comedian and the second, sort of a “Curb Your Enthusiasm” for suburban marrieds, Finally gives Savage a chance to carry a show after years of scene-stealing support. Originally designed as a true-crime network, the rebranding to comedy (and edgy comedy at that!

Twelfth Night, Your Name and Ted come to theatres in our April Events list Twelfth Night, Your Name and Ted come to theatres in our April Events list Scott Goodyer3/30/2017 10:13:00 Am

April is here and we can almost feel that spring weather just around the corner. So we wanted to give you that extra bounce in your step with some great new monthly cinema events! Check out the list below of a few highlights: WWE Wrestlemania 33

The biggest event in WWE history, featuring Universal Champion Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar, WWE Champion Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton and much more, broadcast live to cinemas from Florida's Orlando Citrus Bowl. All this epic action is a must see on the big screen!

Show date: April 2nd

Twelfth Night National Theatre Live

Tamsin Greig is Malvolia in a new twist on Shakespeare’s classic comedy of mistaken identity. A ship is wrecked on the rocks.

Louisa Mellor Sep 26, 2016

When life hurts, well-crafted, traditional sitcom like Count Arthur Strong can be an indispensable salve…

There’s a period a little while after a family death, after the days spent in a traffic jam of errands, decisions and phone calls, when you have to merge back into the regular lane. Normal life demands to re-start. The fridge needs filling and the lawn needs mowing, even if, impossibly, the person who usually does both has vanished forever.

For my family like most others, normal life means watching television. Telly is the cradle that rocked us through the decades. Whatever happened to us happened against a backdrop of soaps and sitcoms.

Losing our dad though, changed things. In the flayed-skin sensitivity of the days around his funeral, flicking through the channels meant running a gauntlet. A murder on EastEnders brought unwelcome ambulances and coroners back into our living room.

Once known for her experimental theatre and playful roles in hit British television comedies such as Black Books and The It Crowd, Alice Lowe has now hacked and slashed her way into the male-dominated world of the cult slasher with her debut feature Prevenge. The results are undeniably glorious, and they provide an incredibly lively and fresh take on the genre. Having worked extensively with the legends behind a number of the Garth Marenghi TV series, this comedic pedigree really shows in Prevenge and it comes across a bit like Garth Marenghi does Kill Bill. Both directing and taking this film's lead role, Lowe holds the screen like a maniacal, pregnant Ruth Jones who wields a kitchen knife she most certainly is not afraid to...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Simon Brew Aug 15, 2016

From Edge Of Tomorrow to Commodore 64s and Bond villains - we chat to Mr Bill Bailey about No Man's Sky...

The mighty Bill Bailey is always a busy man, and right now, he's finishing off his latest tour. But he's also been working with Sony, on the launch of the colossal new videogame, No Man's Sky. What's more, Sony arranged for us to have a little chat with the man himself. And every now and then, we remembered to talk about No Man's Sky as part of it.

Take heed at the part at the bottom of this interview, too. Bill Bailey for Mayor of Den Of Geek, anyone?...

I’ve just been watching the promotional video for No Man’s Sky [it's down at the bottom if you've not seen it]. And I know I’m supposed to start off talking about that, but the video brought to mind the moment where Manny assimilated The Little Book Of Calm.

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If only Stan Lee’s Lucky Man would fully commit to its pulp silliness, it could be an invigorating, fun watch…

This review contains spoilers.

1.2 Win Some, Lose Some

The moment a strip club owner (Omid Djalili, playing his character from Black Books) delivers the line “why don’t you put the cuffs on me and we can cha-cha?” is the moment a TV series loses any claim to credibility. Handily for Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, credibility is overrated. If only this show would realise that and fully commit to its pulp leanings.

It clearly wants to, but like a self-conscious toe-tapper on the edge of a dancefloor, it can’t quite bring itself to jump in with both feet and start having any real fun. Until it does, it’s doomed to remain in the uncomfortable no-man’s land between entertaining schlock and serious crime thriller,...

This past weekend we here in Washington DC got a lot of snow. Um… “A whole lot of snow”? …Okay, how about, “a metric ton of snow”? Ooh… “The fourth heaviest snowstorm dating to 1884.” There. I think that sums it up nicely.

Given this, I (not even kidding) have not left my home in five days (but I’m still sane! No really, I promise! The purple bunnies in my pantry told me so.) And of course, being a very practical person, since I knew the storm was coming I ensured I was well-stocked with all the necessary items beforehand. But then, around the end of Day 1, as the snowdrifts began inching into the two-foot range on my windowsills, I began to wonder what I would do to entertain myself if the power went out (taking with it, one might assume, the Internet).

“Ah-ha!” I said to myself. “I have...

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Film directors and their crew discuss the techniques and approaches to capturing fruitiness on the big (and small) screen...

John Badham has written a couple of excellent books where he passed on advice about directing movies, and the lessons he's learned across his own career. In the latest, John Badham On Directing, he raises the spectre of filming sex scenes, and the problems that ensue.

Actors get really spooked when it comes to intimacy in a scene, even kissing", he wrote. "This is where the director has to be extremely patient with the actors and know that the emotional or intimate part of scenes don’t always shoot as easily as the production department thinks they should. The actors are not robots on a Toyota assembly line".

But just how do different filmmakers approach putting intimacy on film? In lots of different ways, is the answer...

Noel Clarke...

So you’ve just finished Making a Murderer, your favorite weekly shows are on holiday break, and you think your roommate might actually murder you if you watch through all of Parks and Rec for a 27th time. Well, it’s the holiday season, which means that treacly “very special episodes” and sentimental Christmas songs abound. And, sure, all that can be fun for a while, but if you’re starting to feel like it’s all so sweet you might get sick, why not take a break from wholesome family time and stream a pitch-dark British comedy show? There isn’t a single genre more antithetical to American holiday-season sentimentality. Ahead, our recommendations for shows readily available online that might make you cringe and will definitely make you laugh.Black Books What’s it about? Bernard Black (Dylan Moran) is a hard-drinking bookshop owner who hates everyone and everything.

Not to make you feel old, but Black Books turns 15 today. That's right, every slob and pessimist's hero Bernard Black first emerged on our TV screens back on September 29, 2000 on Channel 4.

Dylan Moran and Graham Linehan's comedy has become a cult classic over the years, and we will forever be quoting Bernard, Manny and Fran's struggles through life, especially when we're hungover ("Shut up all of you, I'm dying").

Digital Spy recently caught up with Manny himself Bill Bailey and spoke to him about the show's continued popularity, and whether it could one day make a comeback.

"It's been wonderful watching it have this big long life after it went out on TV," Bill told us. "It's developed this cult following around the world. I get security guards in airports in Eastern Europe rubbing the breasts going 'Bernard Bernard Bernard Bernard'."

When asked what he thought of the...

We met the actor and comedian Bill Bailey (the same person), to talk about his role as Baloo in a new Jungle Book audio production…

Bill Bailey has had a soft spot in geek hearts since time immemorial (aka the 1990s), with roles in Spaced, Black Books and Doctor Who complimenting his uncountable appearances on Never Mind The Buzzcocks and other assorted panel shows. Of course, the man can put on a hell of a show by himself, as well.

Now, Bill Bailey has signed up for the role of Baloo in Audible’s new audio production of The Jungle Book: The Mowgli Stories. We met up with Bill Bailey at Audible’s recording studios to discuss The Jungle Book, the chances of him cameo-ing in Star Trek Beyond, and a whole lot more besides…

So, what made you want to get involved with The Jungle Book?

Well! Well,...

A warm but never schmaltzy, perfectly formed family sitcom with no weak links in its cast, here's why you should watch The Middle...

Family sitcoms aren’t exactly thin on the ground, so finding a new spin on the format is always going to take some work. Originally intended as a vehicle for Ricki Lake, The Middle is a case in point. After several years in development, it finally aired in autumn 2009 with a new lead: Patricia Heaton, one of the stars of hugely popular show Everybody Loves Raymond. Writers Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline had previously been responsible for Roseanne, so the track records of all involved boded well for the series’ prospects. Six seasons later – with a seventh confirmed in May – expectations have well and truly been proved correct.

The Middle is a warm, beautifully performed and acutely observed portrait of a family struggling to cope with the...

Dylan Moran and Graham Linehan's Channel 4 sitcom Black Books, starring Bill Bailey and Tamsin Greig, was comedy genius. Here's why...

Everyone loves second-hand bookshops, don’t they? The satisfaction of leafing through some dusty volume of antiquarian musings, the rich scent of aged leather bindings, redolent of the past… Add to all that the opportunity to indulge in some intellectual posing and impress the philosophy student lounging in the corner, and you’ve got yourself a full Saturday afternoon’s entertainment.

That is, of course, unless you happen to find yourself in one particular Bloomsbury establishment, presided over by a certain Bernard Black. Make no mistake: our Bernard (Dylan Moran) may have an aesthete’s tousled pallor, but there’s nothing remotely poetic about his attitude to running a shop. Only dimly familiar with the concept of customer service, he rules his domain with a rod of iron.

The British have perfect the art of inappropriate behavior--at least when it comes to comedy. From angry Irish bookshop proprietor Bernard Black’s constant verbal and physical abuse of his loyal assistant Manny (not to mention his own customers) on Black Books, to Hr nightmare David Brent’s insensitive comments to his various employees on The Office, to spin doctor Malcolm Tucker’s ability to take vile cursing to new artistic heights on The Thick of It, British comedy thrives upon the dark humor that can be found in the awkward, the rude and the socially inept. You wouldn’t welcome these characters into your home in person, but inviting them in via your television set is downright delightful. Perhaps some of it has to do with those exceedingly polite-sounding accents, which are capable of making even the worst insults sound almost palatable. Nonetheless, in the wake of England’s latest,...

Feature Sarah Dobbs 3 Apr 2014 - 07:00

What have Matthew Holness, Richard Ayoade, Alice Lowe and Matt Berry been up to in the decade since Garth Marenghi's Darkplace?

It’s been ten years now since author, visionary, and dreamweaver Garth Marenghi’s legendary horror TV show, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, was rescued from a vault in Peru and broadcast to a largely unappreciative audience.

Or, you know, in the reality we actually inhabit, it’s been ten years since a group of comedians donned 80s costumes and pretended to be aging filmmakers commenting on their own ‘lost’ series. Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace was a perfect send-up of both trashy low-budget horror and science fiction productions and pompous creators, as a bewigged Matthew Holness straight-facedly explained the unique genius of his horror writing alter ego even as his greatest creation, Dr Rick Dagless M.D., mugged away in the background.

It was a ludicrously high concept show,...