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Fittingly, on the 19th anniversary of The Devil Wears Prada's release, 20th Century Studios has confirmed that the original cast members will return for The Devil Wears Prada 2. A sequel to the 2006 comedy has been in development for some time, with the movie gaining significant momentum as Disney assigned the film to the May 1, 2026, release slot initially reserved for Avengers: Doomsday. With The Devil Wears Prada 2 now marking the official start of the summer 2026 movie season, there was still considerable uncertainty about whether the film's original stars, such as Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, or Stanley Tucci, would return.

Deadline has confirmed that Hathaway, Streep, Blunt, and Tucci will all reprise their roles for The Devil Wears Prada 2. In addition, Kenneth Branagh, best known for his work in films like Henry V, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and Tenet, has joined the cast...

The "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "The Defector" begins with Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) watching Data (Brent Spiner) enacting a scene from William Shakespeare's "Henry V" on the holodeck. For those who missed reading "Henry V" in high school, the story follows the young, recently crowned King Henry as he gears up to invade France. The young Hal struggles to be taken seriously, as his youth was spent carousing with drunks and lowlifes (as seen in "Henry IV" parts I and II). Hal, however, proves to be an inspiring battlefield presence, giving his fellow Englishmen the encouraging speeches they need to charge into battle. The play culminates at the Battle of Agincourt, which took place in 1415. 

On "Star Trek," the scene that Data performs comes from Act IV, scene I, when King Henry has disguised himself as one of his own soldiers. He aims to infiltrate his men...

In the "The Twilight Zone" episode "The Purple Testament", an American soldier named Lieutenant "Fitz" Fitzgerald (William Reynolds) fighting in World War II suddenly develops the ability to see when someone is near death. He can look at his compatriots and see an eerie glow coming from their faces. Given that this is wartime, Fitz will have plenty of opportunities to see people shortly before they die. Fitz initially tries to warn the soldiers that they are fated to be killed, but his declarations (as one might expect) prove to be damaging to the troops' morale. The story will end when Fitz sees an eerie glow coming from his own face. He drives off in a jeep with two other soldiers ... whose faces are also glowing. On the battlefield, death is inevitable. 

Then Rod Serling appears to deliver his closing monologue, explaining the episode's title. He says: 

"From William Shakespeare,...

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 Announces New Cast Members (Photo Credit – Prime Video)

Andrew Richardson, Zubin Varla, and Adam Young have officially joined the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power for its upcoming third season, which recently began filming at the series’ new production home at Shepperton Studios in the UK.

While Prime Video has roped in Richardson as a series regular, Varla and Young will appear in recurring roles. Continue scrolling to learn more about the cast members.

Who Are The New Cast Members Of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power? Andrew Richardson Adam Richardson will be a series regular in Lotr: Trop Season 3 (Photo Credit- Prime Video)

Richardson is a Canadian-born British actor who made his professional theatre debut in the Olivier Award-nominated Guys & Dolls, directed by Sir Nicholas Hytner at the Bridge Theatre in London.

Laurence Olivier was the greatest Shakespearean actor of the 21st century, an unrivaled master of technique who brought the Bard to the big screen with an invigorating cinematic bravado and refreshing absence of preciousness. Olivier was a sensation on the boards, but he came to believe in the power of movies and, via such masterpieces as "Hamlet," "Richard III," and "Henry V," made a strong case that these works belonged to everyone, regardless of their economic or cultural upbringing.

Olivier's openness to the movies during the advent of the talkies perturbed some of his most valued colleagues. Noël Coward, the boundlessly witty playwright who gave us "Blithe Spirit," "Private Lives," and "Design for Living," once told his friend, "You've no artistic integrity, that's your trouble; this is how you cheapen yourself." Coward might've had a point in that Olivier, at the time of this comment, was mulling an Rko contract offer that would've paid him,...

As with any job, no one signs up for a film expecting the worst. However, there have been projects that made actors want to downright quit Hollywood altogether. Sometimes, it's about the immense shame they feel starring in dud productions; other times, it's about everything else around the movies that leaves a bitter taste in their mouths. Then, there are also the films where the actors expected their careers to skyrocket to superstardom, but the stars simply did not align.

Whichever way, it isn't all sunshine and rainbows in showbiz, because the entertainment industry knows how to shatter hearts and leave a boulevard of broken dreams in its bloody wake. The good news is that even though the likes of Christian Bale and Margot Robbie thought about calling it a day at a point in their careers, they didn't. They stuck around, and Hollywood is better off because of their perseverance.

Laurence Olivier was an Oscar-winning thespian best remembered for his psychologically intense Shakespeare adaptations, both as an actor and a director. Yet his filmography extends well past the Bard's work. Let's take a look back at 15 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Born in 1907 in Surrey, England, Olivier first came to prominence on the British stage. A series of acclaimed theatrical performances, most notably in Noel Coward's "Private Lives," caught the attention of filmmakers both in the UK and the US.

He earned his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor for William Wyler's "Wuthering Heights" (1939), competing the very next year for Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca" (1940). Having firmly established himself as a formidable talent in front of the camera, he stepped behind it to great success with "Henry V", the first of three films he would direct and star in based on the works of William Shakespeare.

Exclusive: FX’s drama pilot Seven Sisters has cast the remainder of the siblings joining Elizabeth Olsen and Cristin Milioti as part of the core family: Meredith Hagner, Odessa Young, Zoë Winters, Bridget Brown, and Carolyn Kettig play the remaining five sisters, and Philip Ettinger will play their brother.

They join Anthony Edwards and J. Smith-Cameron, who play the patriarch and matriarch, Paul and Franchesa Bosco, respectively.

The project, from FX Productions, follows a large, tight-knit family that begins to unravel when a sister (Olsen) starts communicating with a voice no one else can hear, forcing them to confront long-buried secrets.

Seven Sisters is executive produced by Will Arbery, who wrote the pilot; Sean Durkin, who will direct it; and Garrett Basch. If the pilot goes forward, it would mark Basch’s fifth series for FX, where his company Dive has a long-standing first-look deal, following Devs, Reservation Dogs, What We Do in the Shadows,...

The next James Bond film will have a new casting director following the casting retirement of Debbie McWilliams, who has cast each of the last 13 James Bond films.

“I have now hung up my casting hat and have moved on to other film-related projects,” said McWilliams in an email to Screen.

McWilliams made her decision to retire from casting prior to Amazon MGM Studios acquiring creative control of the James Bond franchise from longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, announced last week.

McWilliams has cast each of the last 13 James Bond films for Eon Productions, from 1981’s For Your Eyes Only...

Colman Domingo, the star of shows like Euphoria and films like The Color Purple and If Beale Street Could Talk, has shared that his role as Victor Strand in the spin-off in The Walking Dead universe,Fear the Walking Dead, changed his entire career.

His role in Fear the Walking Dead was not exactly his first performance on television. Domingo had been featured before in numerous Law & Order episodes, but afterward he mostly stayed on the stage playing several characters in theater adaptations of classics like A Christmas Carol, Henry V and The Taming of the Shrew. In 2015, all that would change.

Domingo was a guest on theHappy Sad Confused podcast, and he recalled being approached with the idea of starring in a TV show and his initial thoughts were, "I was a theater snob. I was like, 'Absolutely not.'" The actor claims that it took a little...

Men in suits of armor. Courtly romance. Raging bouts of plague and pillaging. All these and more are the hallmarks of a good old-fashioned medieval movie. So many of our most enduring legends have their start in the Middle Ages, from King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table to Robin Hood, and for good reason -- their classic tales of adventure and noble battles for justice have won over audiences for hundreds of years.

Although adventures are never in short supply, whether our heroes are off fighting in the Crusades, waging a seemingly endless war in France over the right to rule France, or battling smaller tyrannies on the home front, films set in medieval times aren't just limited to the action genre. We've put together a comprehensive list of some of the best medieval films of all time, running the gamut from dramas and tales of adventures to horror,...

Phyllis Dalton, the revered British costume designer who created Peter O’Toole‘s iconic white desert robe for David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia and won Oscars 24 years apart for her work on Lean’s Doctor Zhivago and Kenneth Branagh’s Henry V, has died. She was 99.

Dalton died Thursday, The Telegraph reported. No other details were immediately available.

During her storied 50-year-plus career, Dalton also received an Oscar and BAFTA nomination for Carol Reed’s Victorian-era best picture winner Oliver! (1968); won a BAFTA for The Hireling (1973), set in post-World War 1; and landed an Emmy for Clive Donner’s 1982 telefilm The Scarlet Pimpernel, which takes place amid the French Revolution.

She started out as a wardrobe assistant on Laurence Olivier’s Henry V (1944) and got her first costume designer credit dressing Richard Todd and Glynis Johns on Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue (1953). She even aided the legendary Edith Head on Alfred Hitchcock...

With Nosferatu a critical, audience, and box office hit, viewers can't seem to get enough of vampire movies as Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula has become a streaming hit on Tubi, hitting number six on the charts. The film stars Gary Oldman as a scenery-chewing Dracula along with Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, and Sir Anthony Hopkins as Van Helsing. It received positive reviews at the time of its release and did well at the global box office, earning nearly $216 million globally on a $40 million budget.

Coppola's adaptation is a gothic and atmospheric take on the original book by Stoker. But don't expect anything in the realm of Universal Studio's classic monster movies as this film was produced and released by TriStar Pictures (Sony). Oldman's initial appearance as Dracula is different, to say the least. He appears as an old man with an interesting hair-do, robe, and long nails.

In the past four decades since he first came to the film world’s attention with his dazzling screen adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Henry V,” Sir Kenneth Branagh has constantly surprised us. Just when we thought he would be content just setting Shakespeare to film, Sir Kenneth has directed an array of film treats, from a neo-noir thriller and a classic Disney remake to a Marvel superhero epic and even a musical comedy. Branagh, who has received Academy Award nominations for his acting, writing, producing and directing, has quickly and clearly become one of the most successful multi-hyphenates of his generation.

In addition to his eight Oscar nominations (including a 2021 win for writing “Belfast”), Branagh has been nominated for the DGA Award, PGA Award, six BAFTA, five Golden Globe and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Besides directing himself to an Oscar nomination for “Henry V,” Branagh has worked with such acclaimed filmmakers as Richard Curtis,...

Oscar-nominated producer Adam Somner, who was among the most in-demand first assistant directors in the business during the past few decades, died November 27 from anaplastic thyroid cancer. He was 57.

Somner was the go-to Ad for the likes of Steven Spielberg (12 films), Paul Thomas Anderson (six) and Ridley Scott (six). He also worked multiple times with Scott’s brother Tony, Alejandro G. Iñárritu and James Mangold. His most recent films include Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, Steve McQueen’s Blitz and Anderson’s upcoming untitled Warner Bros. film starring Leonardo Di Caprio.

Somner, who had more than 75 Ad credits on features, shorts and music videos, and fellow Licorice Pizza producer Sara Murphy were Oscar-nominated for their work on Anderson’s 2022 pic.

Somner’s dozens of films as first Ad include Best Picture Oscar winners Birdman and Gladiator; Spielberg’s West Side Story, Lincoln, Munich, Warhorse and two Indiana...

Exclusive: Jason Patric, known for his roles in features such as The Lost Boys, The Beast, After Dark My Sweet and Rush, has signed with More/Medavoy Management.

Patric can currently be seen in Cineverse’s horror film Terrifier 3, which opened strong at the box office this past weekend. In the film, written and directed by Damien Leone, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) is set to unleash another round of chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.

Patric also starred in the drama Narc for writer, director Joe Carnahan and The Alamo for director John Lee Hancock, as well as Downloading Nancy, Expired, My Sister’s Keeper and The Losers.

His other previous film credits include starring roles in Geronimo: An American Legend, The Journey of August King, Sleepers and Your Friends and Neighbors, which was the first feature...

10-time Oscar nominee Laurence Olivier has the lowest winning percentage of any other actor who has even been nominated for multiple Academy Awards. Olivier was a renowned stage and film actor who starred in many classic movies, such as Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca (1949) and Richard Attenborough's A Bridge Too Far (1977). Laurence Olivier's greatest films also include Sleuth (1972) which stars Michael Caine, Wuthering Heights (1939) which garnered Olivier's first Oscar nomination, and Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus (1960).

Olivier was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar nine times, winning only for his leading role in 1948's Hamlet, which he also directed. He was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor on one occasion for 1976's Marathon Man, which starred Dustin Hoffman and Roy Scheider. Olivier won two Honorary Academy Awards, one in 1947 for his achievement as director, producer, and lead actor in 1947's Henry V, and one in 1979 for his full body and work...

Principal photography has wrapped on “Think of England,” a satirical WWII drama from BAFTA-nominated writer/director Richard Hawkins.

The newly-announced film is set in the run up to the Allied invasion of France, when two British film projects are commission at the very highest level. For one, Winston Churchill himself insists that Laurence Olivier immediately embark upon a lavish production of Shakespeare’s “Henry V,” securing for him a state-of-the-art, 3-strip Technicolour camera and all of the available film stock.

As the description goes, “Think of England” is the story of the other, following a small and very disparate group of people sent to a remote Orkney island beach and tasked with a top secret mission — the making of pornographic films for the boys at the front. “For who knows how long this war still has to run, and fighting morale — as we learned only too well from the last one — is everything,...

Exclusive: Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is set to recur in the Peacock series Law & Order: Organized Crime for Season 5 as Isabella Spezzano, a figure from Stabler’s (Meloni) past.

Law & Order: Organized Crime follows the detectives of the Organized Crime Control Bureau as they take on New York City’s most vicious and violent criminal syndicates. In addition to Meloni, Danielle Moné Truitt and Ainsley Seiger also star.

The show was renewed for a fifth season in April following the announcement the procedural would move from NBC to its streamer Peacock. The move gives Peacock an original Dick Wolf drama series to go with the Wolf Entertainment library and next-day runs of the company’s remaining NBC series Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, Law & Order and Law & Order: Svu, which are among the platform’s most viewed titles.

The best medieval movies showcase why films filled with knights, castles, swords, and (sometimes) sorcery remain popular with audiences. Good medieval movies require endless research to prevent them from becoming inaccurate, huge budgets to cater to the elaborate sets, costumes, and props required, and must often strike a balance between staying true to history and entertaining a modern audience, which isn't easy. Despite the difficulties, the best medieval movies have been incredibly successful, both commercially and critically. From A Knights Tale to Henry V to The Name of the Rose, these are must-watches for any film fan.

The medieval period is fertile ground for epic tales of glory on the battlefield and romanticized reimaginings of historical events. High fantasy stories set in fictional worlds seem to be much more prevalent, but, as great as Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones may be, they shouldn't be a complete replacement for the medieval setting.

Helena Bonham Carter is a name synonymous with eccentricity, bold outfits, and a penchant for quirky roles. But her personal life, too, has been no less dramatic, filled with its own twists and turns. One particularly colorful chapter began in 1994 when she became romantically involved with Kenneth Branagh on the set of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

Kenneth Branagh & Emma Thompson in Dead Again (1991) | Credit: Paramount Pictures

But wait…this was a classic love triangle. Well, Branagh was still married to Emma Thompson at the time. The affair concluded not only in significant emotional upheaval for the Harry Potter actress but ultimately led to the end of her marriage in 1995.

Thompson, however, being the high road-taker extraordinaire, later stated in a 2013 interview that she’s no longer interested in revisiting old conflicts as she made peace with Bonham Carter long ago.

The Surprising Truth Behind Emma Thompson & Kenneth Branagh’s Split...

When the Wizarding World collides with real-life drama, you get plot twists worthy of any spellbook. This time, it’s about Kenneth Branagh, the actor behind Gilderoy Lockhart, who somehow managed to turn his personal life into a Harry Potter-esque soap opera. Because, not only did he cast a spell of infidelity, but he also entangled himself in a love triangle.

Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson in Much Ado About Nothing | image: BBC

Married to Emma Thompson in 1989, the actress who played the ever-enchanting Sybil Trelawney, Kenneth Branagh apparently cheated on her with Helena Bonham Carter, the psychotic Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange. Well, anyone who thought wizarding drama was dark and complex, they were clearly unaware of the Harry Potter actors’ off-screen shenanigans!

Kenneth Branagh’s Love Triangle with Emma Thompson and Helena Bonham Carter

In a wild tale straight out of J.K. Rowling’s magical drama, a few Harry...

Kenneth Branagh's upcoming psychological thriller has an exciting cast, including Patricia Arquette, Jodie Comer, and Michael Sheen. Branagh is a great director, and an original project like The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde is much more exciting than adaptations like his Hercule Poirot franchise. Branagh will likely continue to make Hercule Poirot films after The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde, as A Haunting in Venice teased his next case.

Kenneth Branagh's next psychological thriller film already seems much better than a continuation of his murder mystery Hercule Poirot franchise. Kenneth Branagh is best known for his work in front of the camera, as he's starred in some major movies like Henry V and the Hercule Poirot franchise. He's also had a wildly successful career behind the camera, though, as he directed all the Hercule Poirot films and even original movies like Belfast. Now, Branagh is set to continue his...

"Star Trek" fans are a notoriously finicky and aggressively opinionated lot, but I don't think it's terribly controversial to suggest that, of the six films featuring "The Original Series" cast, the majority of Trekkers hold the two directed by Nicholas Meyer, "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" and "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," to be the best of the bunch.

Made for $32 million less than Robert Wise's "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," Meyer, who'd never seen a single episode of the show, got the franchise's big-screen iteration back on track by dispensing with the previous film's occasionally draggy reverence. Though he inherited the notion of calling back to Tos' "Space Seed" episode, Meyer placed his stamp on the film by imbuing the tale with evocative literary allusions to Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" and Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities." It's a tightly structured yarn that managed...

Ian Holm, the versatile and accomplished British actor, has had a long and varied career in film, television, and theater. Some of his most notable roles include: Napoleon in "Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story" (1987) - In this TV mini-series, Holm plays both Napoleon and his doppelgnger, Eugene Lenormand, whom he replaces himself with. The movie explores the power and legacy of Napoleon, with Holm delivering a perfect performance as the iconic French emperor. Fluellen in "Henry V" (1989) - Holm appeared in numerous Shakespeare plays as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. In Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of "Henry V," Holm plays Fluellen, a Welsh Captain who leads a band of soldiers to support King Henry V's army in France. His performance is both loyal and brave, showcasing his versatility as an actor.

Even at only 5' 5", Sir Ian Holm Cbe was a giant of theater, television, and movies...

April 25, 2024 – A trio of stellar actors give voice to the featured members of the Dickens family as Academy Award winner Kenneth Branagh portrays Charles Dickens, Oscar nominee Uma Thurman plays Catherine Dickens and Golden Globe nominee Roman Griffin Davis gives life to Walter Dickens in Mofac Animation’s upcoming The King of Kings, an animated family film inspired by a little-known short story by Charles Dickens depicting the life and times of Jesus Christ.

Renowned for his big screen adaptations of William Shakespeare and Agatha Christie tales, Branagh changes gears to portray one of the greatest authors of the ages for The King of Kings. As Charles Dickens, Branagh portrays a man conflicted between his burgeoning career and his role as father to the Dickens clan and, in particular, his youngest son Walter (Davis). It’s his wife, Catherine Dickens, brought to animated life by Thurman with an even balance...

The 2024 Oscar nominees for Best Actor are Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”), Colman Domingo (“Rustin”), Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”), Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”), and Jeffrey Wright (“American Fiction”). Murphy (16/5) is favored to win by our odds, followed in order by Giamatti (18/5), Cooper (9/2), Wright (9/2), and Domingo (9/2).

Whereas last year’s lead male lineup was the first in almost nine decades to consist entirely of Oscars newcomers, this one includes three rookies and two general veterans. Standing alone in having already competed for this specific award is Cooper, who was previously recognized for “Silver Linings Playbook” (2013), “American Sniper” (2015), and “A Star Is Born” (2019). Since he personally helmed both “A Star Is Born” and “Maestro,” he is now the fourth person to direct himself to multiple acting nominations, following Laurence Olivier, Warren Beatty, and Clint Eastwood.

Cooper is concurrently nominated for co-writing the original screenplay for “Maestro” with past winner Josh Singer and is directly involved...

With the Screen-to-Stage-back to Screen adaptation of Mean Girls landing in first place this weekend, we wanted to know what film based on a play has been your favorite? Are Oscar winning musicals such as Chicago or Amadeus your favorite? Maybe the classics like Grease or Little Shop of Horrors are more your speed? Or perhaps a nice court room drama such as A Few Good Men ranks number one for you? If you don’t see your favorite listed click the “Other” button and let us know what your favorite is in the comments.

Favorite Stage-to-Screen AdaptationCasablanca (1943)West Side Story (1961)My Fair Lady (1964)The Sound of Music (1965)A Man For All Seasons (1966)Oliver! (1968)Amadeus (1984)Driving Miss Daisy (1989)Chicago (2002)Alfie (1966)American Buffalo (1996)Annie (1982)Annie Get Your Gun (1950)A Bronx Tale (1993)Bug (2007)Cabaret (1972)Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)Children of a Lesser God (1986)Closer (2004)The Crucible (1996)Cyrano (2021)Dear Evan Hansen...

Lt. Commander Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation learns a valuable lesson about humanity from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Data seeks feedback from Captain Jean-Luc Picard on his performance as Scrooge, which teaches him about what it means to be human. Patrick Stewart, who played Picard, also portrayed Scrooge and had a personal connection to the story, emphasizing the themes of kindness and compassion.

Charles Dickens' enduring novella A Christmas Carol taught Star Trek: The Next Generation's Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) a valuable lesson about humanity. Tng's beloved android finally became human in Star Trek: Picard season 3, but Data was always one of the most human of souls aboard the USS Enterprise-d. Data's quest to understand more about humanity took in the great literary works of human history from Shakespeare to Dickens. Data was also keen to understand humanity through acting, and would regularly seek feedback...

A Haunting in Venice is a mystery movie directed by Kenneth Branagh, based on the novel by Agatha Christie.

As you may know, Kenneth Branagh, an excellent actor and film and theater director, has taken it upon himself to revive Agatha Christie and portray her iconic detective, Hercule Poirot. He skillfully blends classic novel elements with a distinct, visually striking cinematic style.

In our opinion, this is the most accomplished adaptation on a cinematographic level. The atmosphere and story lend themselves to elaborate compositions and chiaroscuro effects.

Branagh’s adaptations of Agatha Christie’s works are, without a doubt, the finest ones to date. Whether you enjoy this kind of mystery and intrigue or not is a different matter.

A Haunting in Venice Plot

A writer seeks Poirot’s help, even though he has retired from investigative work, to expose a psychic who meets a tragic end. The investigation leads...

Kenneth Branagh is back for this third — and by TheWrap’s account, best — appearance as Agatha Christie’s detective Hercule Poirot in “A Haunting in Venice.” He also directs the spooky mystery, which boasts a terrific lineup of murder suspects (and potential victims), including Michelle Yeoh, Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan and Kelly Reilly.

Here’s who plays which character in the film based on Christie’s 1969 novel “Hallowe’en Party” — and where you might have seen the less familiar names before.

“A Haunting in Venice” is now streaming on Disney+.

20th Century Studios.

Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot

British actor Kenneth Branagh reprises his role as the fussy Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, whom he previously played in the recent remakes “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile.” The film begins in 1947 with Poirot retired from sleuthing and leading a quiet life in Venice — until he’s dragged into a new case.

“A Haunting in Venice,” the latest all-star mystery film starring and directed by Kenneth Branagh, tells the story of the detective Hercule Poirot trying to uncover another killer after someone is murdered at a séance in Italy. With Branagh’s latest movie currently in theaters, let’s look back at his eight Oscar races and talk about how the actor-director finally won his first gold trophy just last year.

In early 2022, Branagh broke the record for nominations in the highest number of different categories at the Academy Awards. Of his eight Oscar mentions, he has competed in seven categories total — Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Screenplay and Best Live Action Short Film. The first two he made it into were Director and Actor for “Henry V,” the William Shakespeare adaptation released in 1989. His directorial debut resulted in an Academy Award win for Best Costume Design,...

Kenneth Branagh's newest film, "A Haunting in Venice" is his spookiest to date. Based on the 1969 novel "Hallowe'en Party," "Haunting" sees Hercule Poirot (Branagh) hauled out of retirement by a mystery author named Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey) to investigate the veracity of an itinerant psychic named Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh). Joyce Reynolds has been hired by a wealthy Venitian socialite named Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly) to attend a Halloween party for children and, once the lights are out, host a séance. Poirot and Ariadne don't believe Joyce has authentic psychic powers, but can't prove she doesn't. 

There are about seven other main characters, each with a mystery or a personal tragedy of their own.

The bulk of "A Haunting in Venice" takes place in Rowena Drake's labyrinthine, shadowy Venetian manse, with Poirot exploring its many secret passageways and darkened corridors. As this is a murder mystery, one of the...

This generation of filmgoers mostly probably thinks of Irish actor-director Kenneth Branagh as Agatha Christie’s mustachioed detective Hercule Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express (2017), Death on the Nile (2022) and the upcoming A Haunting in Venice.

But there is so much more to Branagh’s career. As a director, he’s dabbled in multiple genres, including fantasy, action, science fiction, thriller, comedy and superhero.

Branaghs career as an actor has been equally as diverse. He’s acted in legal thrillers, Westerns, romantic thrillers, animation, fantasy pics and dramedies.

And then there’s Shakespeare. There’s always Shakespeare. Branagh has a self-professed love of the Bard. He’s acted in and directed...

Disney has kept Kenneth Branagh’s 20th Century Studios Hercule Poirot franchise going following its inception at Fox with 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express, but recent installments have yet to reach that first pic’s box office heights.

The latest Branagh adaption of an Agatha Christie tome, A Haunting in Venice, looks to make around $12 million this weekend and could possibly push Nun 2 out of No. 1 in its second weekend, that is if the Conjuring spinoff sequel falls worse than 60%. But that $12M is still far from the surprising $28.6M opening weekend from Orient Express , which wound up being an adult holiday sleeper with $102.8M.

A Haunting in Venice‘s start isn’t expected to be far from its previous chapter, Death on the Nile, which opened in early February 2022 to $12.8M at a time when its older core demo was still concerned about Covid. A Haunting in Venice,...

In the world of Agatha Christie adaptations, there’s always a delicate balance to strike between remaining faithful to the source and modernizing the narrative for contemporary audiences. A Haunting in Venice is Kenneth Branagh’s third venture in this territory and may have finally found his rhythm with these films. In addition to Branagh, the film stars Tina Fey, Michelle Yeoh, Kelly Reilly, Jamie Dornan, Camille Cottin, and others.

In Venice 1947, Hercule Poirot (Branaugh) is retired and no longer a detective, but Adriane (Fey), a mystery novel writer looking for her next hit story, convinces him to accompany her to a seance to find out if the medium chosen for the event is a liar. What they find is that this home is the location of a tragedy. The current owner of the Palazzo, Rowena (Reilly), an opera singer, has contacted a medium Ms Reynolds (Yeoh) to connect with a relative who died there.

It's been said before, it'll be said again: so much of casting involves typecasting, where an actor lands a part not just for their ability but for their looks and overall vibe. Many's the occasion where a director has picked an actor for a role after just holding a general meeting with them or even after seeing them merely walk into an audition room.

Of course, for the actor, this can be a double-edged sword. Actors need to work, no doubt, yet they also want to be fulfilled by the work and not feel like they're doing the same thing over and over again. One such actor was the late Robbie Coltrane, who began his career proving his versatility on stage as well as in the alternative comedy series "The Comic Strip Presents." That versatility led to further roles in film and television, particularly as characters who were highly colorful; in other words,...

Kenneth Branagh returns as Hercule Poirot in the third movie of the series, A Haunting in Venice, where Poirot is living in exile and must solve a murder after attending a séance. The star-studded cast of A Haunting in Venice includes Michelle Yeoh, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, and Kelly Reilly, adding to the movie's intrigue and appeal. A Haunting in Venice introduces new characters and changes elements from the original novel, demonstrating Kenneth Branagh's ability to reinvent the story while staying true to Agatha Christie's legacy.

The third movie in Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot series is on its way with the A Haunting in Venice cast continuing the trend of a star-studded murder mystery ensemble based on Agatha Christie's 1969 novel Hallowe'en Party. Following Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, Branagh returns as director for this third adaptation of Agatha Christie’s work...

The following contains spoilers for Oppenheimer, which is now playing in theaters.

Christopher Nolan's new historical epic Oppenheimer is set to become one of the biggest movies of the summer. The film explores the life and career of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer is a deep and contemplative film looking at mankind's propensity to destroy itself.

Aiding Nolan in this powerful tale of ambition and consequence is a star-studded group of actors and actresses that remains one of the most impressive casts assembled in recent memory. The members of this Avengers-level cast has a long and impressive history in Hollywood, appearing in several popular films and television series throughout the years.

Related: 10 Best Historical Epics, Ranked

Kenneth Branagh King Henry V, Henry V

A frequent collaborator with Christopher Nolan, Sir Kenneth Branagh has a minor role in Oppenheimer. Branagh plays the noted scientist Niels Bohr,...

The fourth and final season of “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” arrives on Prime Video on June 30. It finds Ryan — now the new acting CIA director — unearthing internal corruption and suspicious black ops that leaves the United States vulnerable to attack. John Krasinski stars as the tough-as-nails Ryan.

Watch the “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” trailer:

“Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” is a new docuseries that reveals the truth behind the myth of the wholesome religious family and their involvement with the predatory Bill Gothard and The Institute in Basic Life Principles. The organization’s abusive practices — and the insidious long political game it plays — is revealed on June 2. The Duggars and their 19 “happy” kids are exposed as frauds, while also being manipulated by Gothard and enduring the scandal of Josh, their sexually abusive son.

Check out the “Shiny Happy People” trailer:

When a body is found on the beach in the Tasmanian town of Deadloch,...

A common theme in U.S. network coverage of King Charles’ coronation was, why are Americans so fasciated by this?

Starting around 5 a.m. Et, the better question might as well have been, why are they up watching this?

As the king started their procession down the streets of London, commentator after commentator weighed in. On MSNBC, historian Jon Meacham quoted Shakespeare’s Henry V and said of the pageantry unfolding, “It is this marvelous cocktail, if you will, of the human, the divine, the democratic, the monarchial, the English and to some extent American.”

Others mentioned the colonial history of the U.S. and the special relationship between the two countries.

Perhaps the most succinct explanation came from Fox News’ Benjamin Hall, recently returned after recovering from severe injuries while covering the war in Ukraine, who said, “You’ve got pomp and circumstance, you’ve got a bit of...

Disney showed off a spooky new trailer for Kenneth Branagh’s latest Agatha Christie adaptation, A Haunting in Venice here at CinemaCon today. The ensemble murder mystery begins international rollout on September 14 and hits North America on September 15. There’s been some speculation it could world premiere at the Venice Film Festival ahead of that.

Branagh is back as Inspector Hercule Poirot, retired and living in self-imposed exile in the titular city. He reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.

Related: CinemaCon 2023 – Deadline’s Full Coverage

In the trailer shown today during Disney’s presentation, the séance is led by Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh’s medium as one of those present seeks to hear the voice again of her daughter who met a tragic end a year prior. Before this,...

For centuries, actors have endured a unique position in society. After dazzling audiences with their talent on the silver screen or stage, many talented individuals move behind the camera to become directors. With this transition comes great respect from those who recognize their performances as an actor and their skills in directing films that capture hearts and minds worldwide in spectacular fashion.

Related: Top 10 Richest Actors in the World [2022]

We wanted to know which actors make up some of our favorite director-actor combinations. So we dove into IMDb’s extensive collection of movie ratings, searching for insight into history’s best actor-directors based on viewer opinion alone. What follows is ten beloved actor-directors who saw success on either side (or both!) throughout various stages throughout showbiz’ past decade: Charlie Day, Zoë Kravitz, and Chris Pine, among others, all turn out award-winning feature productions utilizing decades worth of experience knowing precisely...

Sharon Acker, the Canadian actress who portrayed Lee Marvin’s unfaithful wife in the 1967 neo-noir classic Point Blank and the right-hand woman Della Street opposite Monte Markham on a rebooted Perry Mason in the 1970s, has died. She was 87.

Acker died March 16 in a retirement home in her native Toronto, her daughter Kim Everest, a casting director, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Star Trek fans know Acker for her January 1969 turn as Odona, a desperate woman from an overpopulated planet, on the third-season episode “The Mark of Gideon.”

She also starred on a 1976-77 CBS adaptation of Executive Suite, playing the wife of Mitchell Ryan‘s Dan Walling. (Acker and Ryan assumed the parts performed by William Holden and June Allyson in the 1954 MGM film directed by Robert Wise.)

In John Boorman’s Point Blank, Acker’s character takes up with John Vernon’s Mal Reese after he shoots Walker (Marvin...

Oscar-winning UK producer David Parfitt shared insights from the highs and lows of his 35-year producing career at a masterclass for the Doha Film Institute’s Qumra talent incubator over the weekend.

“I have been staggeringly lucky,” said Parfitt, who won an Oscar in 1999 for Shakespeare in Love with other high-profile credits including Much Ado About Nothing, The Madness Of King George, My Week With Marilyn and the Oscar-winning drama The Father.

Parfitt, who has worked in film and TV most of his life having started out as a child actor in the 1970s, said he knew from adolescence that he wanted to stay in the business but not in front of the camera. He credited Kenneth Branagh for enabling his crossover into producing.

The pair met on a West End theatre show in the 1980s.

“We had next-door dressing rooms. We were young and had too much time on our hands.

“You Can Call Me Bill” is the latest documentary from director Alexandre O. Philippe, who specializes in plucking tasty subjects out of the pop cosmos and doing deep-dive meditations on them. Philippe often leans into horror, but even with other subjects, what he’s always looking for is the heady ineffable curveball insight. So if you go into his new movie, which is all about William Shatner, presuming that it’s going to be something other than a conventional portrait of William Shatner, you’d be quite correct. The movie is built around an interview with the legendary 91-year-old actor, still vigorous and voluble, with a seize-the-day cornball glow to him. In “You Can Call Me Bill,” Shatner sits under the hot lights, with the camera close to his face, talking, talking, and talking — about life, death, acting, fame, love, desolation, and trees.

No one else is interviewed. At no point is Shatner called “Bill,...

”Our Hamlet is set in the UK in the future; politics have collapsed, the monarchy have taken over again.”

Producer David Parfitt is talking about “two or three people” for the role of Hamlet in upcoming Shakespeare adaptation Hamlet, Prince Of Wales.

The feature film is in development, and will be produced by Parfitt’s UK firm Trademark Films.

“Everything is cast-dependent” and depends on “if we can find that key piece of talent,” Parfitt told Screen in Doha, where he is attending the Qumra incubator as a master. “The twist on our Hamlet development is it’s Hamlet set in the UK.

To describe William Shatner, who turns 92 later this month, as “full of life” would be a gross understatement. When Deadline spoke with him about the documentary You Can Call Me Bill, which is making its world premiere at SXSW, he was about to go horseback riding. At a time when many people his age, those fortunate few to reach their 90s, are getting about with walkers or wheelchairs, he’s hoofing it.

“After this interview I’m gonna get on a horse,” he told us, with some astonishment. “I’m not going to get in a wheelchair. I’m gonna go on a reining horse and practice.”

William Shatner speaks onstage at 2022 Los Angeles Comic Con on December 4, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.

He said he can’t quite believe the term “91-year-old” applies to him. “Every time I hear that figure I think, ‘That’s right. That’s me. My God,...

With Michael B. Jordan making his directorial debut with Creed III this weekend, we wanted to know what film by a first time Actor turned Director has been your favorite? Some came out of the gates with Oscar Glory (Kevin Costner/ Robert Redford) while others found a passion they haven’t looked back from (Ron Howard/ Sofia Coppola). If you don’t see your favorite listed, please let us know what (and who) it is in the comments section.

Update: I have rightly been called out for listing Braveheart as Mel Gibson’s first film when he actually directed a film prior to that called The Man Without a Face in 1993. So I guess the results are slightly skewed, but really, wasn’t Braveheart the first Mel Gibson directed film we all saw?!

Favorite Film by a First Time Actor Turned DirectorThat Thing You Do! (1996) (Tom Hanks)Ordinary People (1980) (Robert Redford)In a World…...

Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.

The Movie: "Much Ado About Nothing" (1993)

Where You Can Stream It: HBO Max, DirecTV

The Pitch: Kenneth Branagh's film adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Henry V," the filmmaker's first feature, was a massive success when it was released in 1989. Branagh was nominated for Best Actor and Best Director, and Phyllis Dalton won the Oscar for Best Costumes. The film caused a great deal of buzz around Branagh, and audiences kept a close eye on him. In 1989, he married actress Emma Thompson (who played Katherine in "Henry V"), and the two of them would proceed to work together incredibly well on several notable films. Thompson co-starred with Branagh in the excellent reincarnation thriller "Dead Again" in 1991, and she appeared as...