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The Survivors is an Australian mystery thriller crime drama miniseries created by Tony Ayres. Based on the 2020 novel of the same name by Jane Harper, the Netflix series is set in the small coastal town of Evelyn Bay, Tasmania, and it follows Kieran Elliott, who returns to his hometown after 15 years. His return dredges up a tragic past involving a deadly storm that took the lives of three young people. The Survivors stars Charlie Vickers, Yerin Ha, Robyn Malcolm, Thom Green, George Mason, Don Hany, Jessica De Gouw, Damien Garvey, Martin Sacks, and Catherine McClements. So, if you loved the thrilling drama, gripping mystery, and compelling characters in The Survivors, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Broadchurch Credit – ITV

Broadchurch is a British mystery crime drama series created by Chris Chibnall. The ITV series...

MGM+ has announced the titles coming to the premium linear channel and streaming service in May. The MGM Plus May 2025 lineup includes new episodes of Godfather of Harlem Season 4 and the film Better Man.

MGM+, an Amazon company, is a premium linear channel and streaming service delivering a broad lineup of exclusive original series and docuseries, the latest movie releases, and classic film franchises—all available in the U.S. on TV, on demand, online, and across devices.

MGM Plus May 2025 Schedule

Series

Godfather of Harlem Season 4

The fourth season continues on Sundays

Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) continues his bloody war for control of Harlem against New York’s Mafia families while contending with the arrival of gangster Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn).

After Malcolm X’s (Jason Alan Carvell) tragic assassination, Bumpy must also grapple with his daughter Elise’s (Antionette Crowe-Legacy) involvement with the Black Panthers.

Produced by 20th Television,...

The biopic formula has become rather mundane and uninteresting, save for the few biopics that actually pull us in and dare to do something memorable. But for all their posturing, Better Man is perhaps the weirdest, coolest biopic I’ve seen in recent memory — and most definitely in the least year. Directed by The Greatest Showman’s Michael Gracey, Better Man, which follows the rise of British pop star Robbie Williams, is a spectacle, with many sequences shot like music videos. The spectacle doesn’t mean there’s no heart at the story’s core, and it kept me watching despite being overlong.

Directed by Michael Gracey, Better Man explores the life and career of singer Robbie Williams through his own eyes.

Release Date December 25, 2024Genres Biography, MusicCast Jonno Davies, Alison Steadman, Steve Pemberton, Anthony Hayes, Kate Mulvany, robbie williams, Damon HerrimanDirector Michael GraceyWriters Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole, Michael GraceyStudio(s) Showman,...

“Better Man” is a new live-action feature, directed by Michael Gracey, showcasing the life of Brit popstar Robbie Williams, as a motion capture, photo-realistic monkey, with Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge and Anthony Hayes, wide releasing January 10, 2025 in theaters:

“…’Better Man’ is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams.

“The film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit.

“It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband ‘Take That’, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist…

“…all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Released in limited theaters on Christmas 2024, Better Man is one of the most ambitious docudramas of its kind. The lofty $110 million production charts the life and career of famous British pop star Robbie Williams, employing the cutting-edge Weta digital FX to represent Williams as a tuxedo-dressed monkey. While jarring and hard to accept from the onset, the creative inspiration makes logical sense by channeling Williams' psychological state as he reflects on his past.

As Williams' fans ponder venturing to cinemas to watch Better Man, detailing the bizarre choice to represent the beloved pop singer as an anthropomorphic monkey will foster a better understanding of the movie's message. Far from just a silly audiovisual gimmick, here's how the movie came about and why Better Man excels due to, not despite, depicting Robbie Williams as a Planet of the Apes-like primate.

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Amid the rave reviews for the newly-released Robbie Williams biopic, Better Man, the film's director reveals that one of the singer's biggest fans provided its inspiration. Helmer Michael Gracey reveals how acclaimed actor Hugh Jackman and The Greatest Showman led to Williams' life story being told.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gracey, who also directed The Greatest Showman, shared how Jackman's preparation for the film led to him making Better Man, given how the Australian actor used Williams as a reference point. When Williams heard the music used in The Greatest Showman during preproduction, he gave Jackman the best motivation possible to proceed with the project.

Related Hugh Jackman's 7-Year-Old Oscar-Nominated Film Shouldn't Get a Sequel, Co-Star Says

Ladies and gents, this isn't the moment you've waited for.

"Williams was his point of reference during Showman. He’d say, 'I can be that charismatic entertainer.' It became...

2025 is kicking off with a variety of movies releasing in theaters, such as a peculiar semi-biographical musical, two horror versions of well-known children’s characters, a remake of a horror classic, and more. 2024 was an interesting year for cinema, with big hits and unexpected surprises from different genres. 2024 saw hits like The Fall Guy, Longlegs, Wicked, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Anora, The Substance, and Terrifier 3, though also some big disappointments, as was Joker: Folie à Deux, Megalopolis, and The Crow.

December closed 2024 with some of the most anticipated movies of the year, such as Sony’s Spider-Man Universe’s Kraven the Hunter, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Disney’s photorealistic prequel Mufasa: The Lion King, the biopic A Complete Unknown, and Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu. January 2025 is now bringing movies for all tastes, such as Robbie Williams’ life and career told in an unconventional way, Leigh Whannell’s latest horror project, two horror versions of children’s characters,...

“Better Man” is a new live-action feature, directed by Michael Gracey, showcasing the life of Brit popstar Robbie Williams, played by a self-deprecating CG, photo-realistic monkey, with Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge and Anthony Hayes, releasing December 25, 2024 in theaters:

“…’Better Man’ is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams.

“The film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit.

“It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband ‘Take That’, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist…

“…all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

British pop superstar Robbie Williams gets a raw, dazzling, long but exceedingly clever musical biopic in Better Man, which sees him portrayed as a CGI, motion-captured chimpanzee from boyhood through tumultuous stardom. The reason why becomes obvious as the narrative progresses. Director/co-writer Michael Gracey infuses the film with a bold creative vision that adds a refreshing new take on a known commodity. Stories of rags-to-riches celebrities struggling with addiction and depression are standard Hollywood fodder. Better Man addresses those themes while Williams' narrates the painful truth behind glitz and glamour. Fame is a seductive narcotic that fuels our worst impulses. A dream come true can easily become a nightmare.

We're introduced to "Robert" (Carter J. Murphy) as a brash young chimp in the poverty-stricken town of Stoke-on-Trent. He's awful at school and sports but loves being the center of attention. He inherits the need for a spotlight from his wannabe performer father.

Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series spotlighting the scripts fueling the year’s most talked-about movies continues with Better Man, Paramount’s musical biopic based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall and resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams. The script was penned by Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole and Michael Gracey.

Gracey directs the uniquely personal film about Williams, capturing his wit, resilience, and extraordinary journey. From boyband stardom with Take That to a record-shattering solo career, the film explores the highs and lows of his success. And only Williams could get away with telling his life story through the unique lens of a chimpanzee, a truly unexpected perspective that distinguishes this biopic from others.

Gracey explains the inspiration for portraying Williams as a monkey came from Robbie himself.

“Rob would say things like, ‘I’m up the back dancing like a monkey,’ or ‘I was completely out of it,...

A new behind-the-scenes featurette for the upcoming film Better Man has been released. The film will be in select theaters on December 25, 2024 and nationwide on January 17, 2025!

Synopsis: Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey, the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

About The Film

Genre: Docudrama, Biography, Fantasy, Musical Starring: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge, Anthony Hayes Director: Michael Gracey Screenplay: Simon Gleeson,...

“Better Man” is a new live-action feature, directed by Michael Gracey, showcasing the life of Brit popstar Robbie Williams, played by a self-deprecating CG, photo-realistic monkey, with Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge and Anthony Hayes, releasing December 25, 2024 in theaters:

“…’Better Man’ is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams.

“The film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit.

“It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband ‘Take That’, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist…

“…all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

As awards buzz accumulates for Paramount’s eclectic Robbie Williams biopic Better Man and the ABC Sports Munich Olympics thriller September 5, the studio is tweaking both titles’ theatrical rollout plan.

September 5, which was scheduled to open exclusively on Black Friday, November 29, and expand on December 13, will now bow on December 13 exclusively and go wide on January 17 for MLK Day weekend. The Tim Fehlbaum-directed movie is 86% fresh with critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Meanwhile, Better Man, will still open exclusively on Christmas Day. But instead of going wide over MLK weekend, it now will go coast-to-coast on January 10. The Michael Gracey-directed feature is 87% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with critics.

Related: ‘Better Man’ Review: Robbie Williams Musical Wins Points For Most Unusual Star Casting In Movie Biopic History

Written by Moritz Binder and Fehlbaum, September 5 follows the ABC Sports control room in Germany during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics as the sports-focused...

The official trailer and poster for Better Man have been released (check them out above and below). The film will be in select theaters on December 25, 2024 and nationwide on January 17, 2025!

Synopsis: Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey, the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

About The Film

Genre: Docudrama, Biography, Fantasy, Musical Starring: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge,...

Paramount Pictures has revealed the official trailer and poster for the Robbie Williams movie Better Man, which will open in select theaters on December 25, 2024, and nationwide on January 17, 2025.

Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey, the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit.

Directed by Michael Gracey, the film follows Robbie’s journey from childhood to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

In addition to Robbie Williams, the cast includes Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge,...

With all these musical biopics being released, many are questioning how many of these life stories can be told in a more refreshing way without falling into the traps that Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story parodied. Well, Robbie Williams and the creatives behind Better Man have attempted a slightly different approach. The film inspired by Williams’ life has him being portrayed by a CGI chimpanzee with a performance capture by Jonno Davies. Our own Chris Bumbray loved the movie at TIFF, saying in his review, “The craziest thing about Better Man isn’t the fact that Robbie Williams is presented as a CGI chimpanzee but rather that this risky conceit works quite well. […] While I went into Better Man with a raised eyebrow, wary of the chimpanzee aspect, to my delight, it worked wonderfully. As far as big-screen biopics go, this is a pretty deliriously entertaining one, and I had a blast watching it.

"Don't want to be a nobody..." Oh my.

The teaser trailer (above) and “Why the Monkey” featurette (below) for the new film Better Man have both been released.

Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

About The Film

Genre: Docudrama, Biography, Drama, Music Starring: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge, Anthony Hayes Director: Michael Gracey Screenplay: Simon Gleeson,...

Leave it to Robbie Williams to inspire the strangest musical biopic to date. The Better Man teaser trailer shows a reimagined version of Williams, with a CGI monkey in his stead.

“Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit,” reads the official synopsis. “It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.”

The cast includes Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, and Raechelle Banno. Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield,...

As music-based biopics have slowly become a well-worn genre, directors have embraced new techniques and measures to shock audiences into theaters to watch their movies. Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) is doing exactly that with his upcoming biopic, Better Man, focused on British music icon Robbie Williams. So what is Gracey doing that's so revolutionary? Will Robbie Williams be made entirely of Lego (see Piece by Piece)? Is the musical sort of a musical, but not really a musical ( la Joker: Folie deux)? Or does he stray away from the true story and tell an epic tale of drug syndicates and Madonna tributes (like Weird: The Al Yankovic Story)? Nope, he turned Robbie Williams into a monkey.

Following the release of the first trailer for Better Man, Robbie Williams and Michael Gracey sat down to discuss the bizarre creative decision. Like a hard-hitting reporter, Williams opened the featurette with the question on everyone's minds,...

With all these musical biopics being released, many are questioning how many of these life stories can be told in a more refreshing way without falling into the traps that Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story parodied. Well, Robbie Williams and the creatives behind Better Man have attempted a slightly different approach. The film inspired by Williams’ life has him being portrayed by a CGI chimpanzee. Our own Chris Bumbray loved the movie at TIFF, saying in his review, “The craziest thing about Better Man isn’t the fact that Robbie Williams is presented as a CGI chimpanzee but rather that this risky conceit works quite well. […] While I went into Better Man with a raised eyebrow, wary of the chimpanzee aspect, to my delight, it worked wonderfully. As far as big-screen biopics go, this is a pretty deliriously entertaining one, and I had a blast watching it. It’s...

"For the next two hours, your ass is mine!" Wow.

Paramount Pictures has revealed the teaser trailer for the anticipated Robbie Williams movie Better Man, which will open in select theaters on December 25, 2024, and nationwide on January 17, 2025.

The studio has also brought online a featurette in which director Michael Gracey explains why Robbie Williams is a monkey in the biographical film.

Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey, the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit.

The film follows Robbie’s journey from childhood to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

In addition to Robbie Williams,...

The trailer for Better Man has arrived. The upcoming musical biopic is the sophomore feature from the director of the smash hit 2017 musical The Greatest Showman. While it tells the story of English pop star Robbie Williams, who is known for being part of the group Take That as well as hit solo singles including "Rock DJ" and "Millennium," he will be presented as a CGI monkey, belying the filmmaker's background in visual effects. In addition to Williams voicing himself, the cast includes Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, and Alison Steadman.

Paramount Pictures has unveiled the official trailer for Better Man. Williams, who narrates the trailer, introduces the CGI monkey concept by explaining that "I've always seen myself a little less evolved." While the short clip, which is just over a minute long, features many typical music biopic elements, including a downtrodden childhood, a big concert, and party scenes, the peculiar...

Robbie Williams fans will go bananas over the trailer for “Better Man” — literally.

Paramount released the first trailer for the musical biopic from Michael Gracey, director of “The Greatest Showman,” which uses a CGI monkey as a stand-in for the British pop singer. Yes, really.

“I know what you’re thinking. What’s with the monkey? I’m Robbie Williams. I’m one of the biggest pop stars in the world. But I’ve always seen myself a little less evolved,” Williams narrates in the trailer. The first look at the musical film appears to be like any other musical biopic about a superstar, but every scene with Williams replaces him with a “Planet of the Apes”-like monkey double.

The trailer shows Williams’ early life growing up and playing soccer, where he’s shown as a monkey wearing clothes. It then gives a highlight reel of Williams performing on...

Michael Gracey’s Better Man was sparked by a conversation with Robbie Williams in which the singer reportedly told the Greatest Showman filmmaker that he often views himself as a dancing monkey. The film presents the British pop bad boy as an anthropomorphized CG primate, who looks as if he walked out of one of the new Planet of the Apes movies. Walking a dizzying line between the stupid and the profound, this exuberant, positively unique biopic is as hard to resist as it is to believe that it got made in the first place.

Beginning with his youth in Staffordshire in the center of England, Better Man traces Williams’s career trajectory from his early days in youth theater, to his time as one-fifth of the boy band Take That, to his eventual emergence as a solo artist. Along the way, he grapples with the burden of fame, music...

Australian actors Deborah Mailman and Rachel Griffiths have begun production on the final six-episode season of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s award-winning female-led political drama series “Total Control.”

With screenplays by Stuart Page, Julia Moriarty, Pip Karmel and Meyne Wyatt, season three picks up almost two years after the explosive events of the second season.

Outsider turned kingmaker, Alex Irving (Mailman), is completely at home in the nation’s capital. While Rachel Anderson (Griffiths), now an occasional ally, is threatening to upend the entire system by establishing her own political party. However, as Alex attempts to carve out a nation changing legacy, a controversy engineered by her enemies threatens to destroy her career and public reputation. In the final season, Alex must make a choice: either she can stay true to her principles and accept defeat, or she can get her hands dirty and fight back.

Directed by Wayne Blair and Jub Clerc,...

Exclusive: Animal Planet and War Machine actor Anthony Hayes is seeking to finance sci-fi film trilogy Retrogression through a digital collection created with Nft marketplace platform Mogul Productions.

Retrogression is being billed as a dark dystopian sci-fi epic set 300 years in the future, where The Dark Army polices slave factories on an island called Omega. The Dark Army Nft series draws inspiration from these enforcers on Omega’s ravaged landscape.

Actor and filmmaker Hayes is the producer/director of the Zac Efron-starring Gold and has appeared in several films and TV series. He has been developing Retrogression in recent months and has now partnered with Mogul to raise capital.

The 1,530-strong Nft series will be called ‘The Dark Army,’ and its proceeds will be used to fund production, with ‘Rare Tier’ Nft holders taking executive producer credits on the first Retrogression film and others entitled to unique experiences such...

Exclusive: Principal photography has begun on Better Man, and Deadline has the first image from production. This is the musical feature film based on the life of singer Robbie Williams, with Australian filmmaker Michael Gracey at the helm. Gracey’s debut film, The Greatest Showman, grossed over 435M at the global box office.

Williams makes his feature debut playing one of the iterations of himself, of which there are several. Another is played by rising UK star Jonno Davies, who plays Williams throughout his younger adult life, with British stage and screen veterans Steve Pemberton and Alison Steadman. The film’s Australian cast includes Damon Herriman (Judy & Punch), Kate Mulvany (Elvis) and Anthony Hayes (War Machine).

Currently filming in Melbourne, Australia, Better Man is an introspective look at the rise, fall and resurrection of UK superstar Robbie Williams,...

In his latest video, Kevin sits down once again to talk about the new Zac Efron flick Gold. Written and directed by Anthony Hayes, Gold is at its heart a story about what people will put themselves through in promise of something better…

When two drifters are travelling through the South Australian desert, they stumble across the biggest gold nugget ever found. The dream of enormous wealth and greed takes hold. They hatch a plan to protect and excavate their bounty with one man leaving (Keith aka Man #2) to secure the necessary equipment to pull it out of the earth. The other man (Virgil aka Man #1), remains on the spot and must suffer the harsh desert elements, preying wild dogs and mysterious intruders, whilst fighting the tumbling suspicion that he has been abandoned to his own fate.

Gold Review — Gold (2022) Film Review, a movie directed by Anthony Hayes and starring Zac Efron, Anthony Hayes, Susie Porter and Andreas Sobik. Zac Efron is one of the most underrated actors working today even though he has had some pretty well-received films throughout his career. We haven’t seen him get a lot of [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Gold (2022): Zac Efron Turns in A Physically Demanding Performance in a Futuristic Drama...

This far into his screen career, it shouldn’t be a revelation to anyone that Zac Efron can act. He’s shown canny comic chops in the “Neighbors” films, wounded all-American ennui in “We Are Your Friends” and “At Any Price,” even a credible against-type chill as Ted Bundy in “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” — none of which has been enough to overtake his bland, floppy-banged, career-minting “High School Musical” persona in the popular imagination.

In “Gold,” an otherwise ordinary survival thriller from actor-director Anthony Hayes, Efron resorts to the same kind of extreme measures that fellow heartthrob Ryan Reynolds took to prove his worth in “Buried”: headlining a one-location genre piece so leanly conceived that it has scarcely anything to showcase but his commitment and grit. As a lone drifter guarding a precious quarry in deadly desert conditions in a faintly futuristic nowhereland, he’s good, as...

A single, bare tree interrupts the vast emptiness of the indeterminate desert landscape where “Gold” takes place. It’s a pathetic speck of shelter that does little to prevent the relentless heat from tormenting Zac Efron’s nameless character for the bulk of the film, his progressively weathered face giving new meaning to the words “blistering sun.” The location brings to mind the sparse set design of “Waiting for Godot,” (Beckett’s stage directions read: “A country road. A tree.”) as does the film’s narrative itself, a tale of similarly hopeless anticipation in the bleakest of atmospheres.

. Overall, however, “Gold,” like its title, does little to stand out in a crowd, so committed to its stripped-down style of storytelling and monotonous sepia color scheme that there’s little left for the audience to connect with, leaving us parched for something to focus on besides the purulent third-degree sunburn on Efron’s face.

Take a look at the new Australian-produced 'survival thriller' feature "Gold", directed by Anthony Hayes, starring Zac Efron, opening in North America, March 11, 2022:

"...when two drifters traveling across a deserted wasteland stumble across the biggest gold nugget ever found, the dream of immense wealth and greed takes hold. But the discovery soon becomes problematic when they realize a large part of the nugget is buried underground.

"They hatch a plan to protect and excavate the gold, with one man leaving to secure the necessary equipment. The other man remains and must endure the harsh desert elements while battling suspicion he has been abandoned to his own fate.

"Two-way radios keep them in contact, but with days of dead airtime in between each communication, the stranded man begins to run out of supplies. Water is scarce, food even more so.

"Then his plans to protect the gold are interrupted by...

"Out here, things start to get real strange..." Screen Media Films has revealed the official US trailer for the film Gold, which is arriving in theaeters in the US starting this March. When two drifters traveling through the desert stumble across the biggest gold nugget ever found, the dream of immense wealth and greed takes hold. They hatch a plan to protect and excavate their bounty with one man leaving to secure the necessary equipment. The other remains and must endure harsh desert elements, ravenous wild dogs, and mysterious intruders, whilst battling the sinking suspicion that he has been abandoned to his own fate. Zac Efron co-stars with Anthony Hayes, who also directs the film. Not to be confused with the other Gold film starring McConaughey. We featured the first trailer a few months ago. This still reminds me of David Michôd's film The Rover with its gritty post-apocalyptic style.

Director-actor Anthony Hayes and his famous co-star deliver strong performances, but this dystopian vision becomes gratingly thin

Director Anthony Hayes is far from the first film-maker to have realised that the Australian outback provides great scaffolding for sparse dystopias, his tough and tense survival thriller Gold emphasising the vast, screen-buckling nothingness. Led by a grubby-looking and banged-up Zac Efron, continuing a long tradition of actors seeking critical acclaim by messing up their photogenic faces, the film is introduced with the text: “Some Time. Some Place. Not Far From Now…”

This is another way of saying that this South Australia-shot production is set during what Mad Max director George Miller describes as “next Wednesday”: a time in which “all the bad things we read in the news come to pass”. Happy happy joy joy Gold is not, in other words, with its vision of an ecologically ruined world that’s gone to the dogs.

Take a look at the upcoming Australian-produced 'survival thriller' feature "Gold", directed by Anthony Hayes, starring Zac Efron, opening January 13, 2022:

"...when two drifters traveling across a deserted wasteland stumble across the biggest gold nugget ever found, the dream of immense wealth and greed takes hold. But the discovery soon becomes problematic when they realize a large part of the nugget is buried underground.

"They hatch a plan to protect and excavate the gold, with one man leaving to secure the necessary equipment. The other man remains and must endure the harsh desert elements while battling suspicion he has been abandoned to his own fate.

"Two-way radios keep them in contact, but with days of dead airtime in between each communication, the stranded man begins to run out of supplies. Water is scarce, food even more so.

"Then his plans to protect the gold are interrupted by two strangers who...

"You've gotta watch your water, stay out of the town. Ain't no joke out here." Madman Films in Australia has unveiled an official trailer for the film Gold, not to be confused with the other Gold film with Matthew McConaughey. This one is a thriller about two drifters traveling across a deserted wasteland who stumble across the biggest gold nugget ever found. It was filmed in Australia last year, and opens down there first starting in January. No US release is set yet. Zac Efron co-stars with Anthony Hayes, who also directs the film. The cast also features Susie Porter. Set in an unforgiving landscape, Gold is a film about what motivates greed and the lengths people will go to in order to secure themselves. At first glance, this seems like a spiritual sequel to David Michôd's underseen & underrated The Rover, also shot in Australia. Looks like another chance...

The second season of Total Control will launch on the ABC November 7.

In the first season, political newcomer Alex Irving (Deborah Mailman) engineered a coup against Rachel Anderson (Rachel Griffiths), the Prime Minister who appointed her to the Senate.

In season two, both Alex and Rachel find themselves treading different political paths. After being dumped by her own party, Rachel relies on strategist Nick Pearce (Alex Dimitriades) to guide her political ambitions, while Alex finds herself surrounded by a new team, led by her brother Charlie (Rob Collins). But politics can be a nasty business. Will Alex’s determination and the tenacity of her grass-roots driven team be enough? Can she survive a system determined to shake everything she values? And can these political adversaries become political allies?

Reprising their roles in the Blackfella Films series are Rob Collins, Wes Patten, Anthony Hayes, William McInnes, Huw Higginson and Lisa Flanagan,...

Former Home and Away heartthrob Dieter Brummer has died aged 45.

The actor appeared in 557 episodes of the soap from 1991-96, playing Shane Parrish. He also had roles in Neighbours, Underbelly, and Winners & Losers.

Nsw Police confirmed that local officers responded to reports of a concern for welfare at a home in Glenhaven, Sydney on Saturday and that the body of a man was located inside the home. His death is not believed to be suspicious.

In a statement, Brummer’s family confirmed the “handsome, funny, complicated, and beloved” actor had died on Saturday morning.

I wrote for him on H and A and later on Crash Palace where he was a senior cast member and was really modest and helpful to everyone. Rip https://t.co/YBCNOcCEtT

— B E Ayshford (@episode2480) July 26, 2021

“He has left a massive hole in our lives and our world will never be the same,...

Zac Efron returned to Instagram this week to celebrate the two Daytime Emmy nominations for his Netflix documentary series Down to Earth with Zac Efron. In this travel show, he journeys around the world with wellness expert Darin Olien in search of healthy, sustainable ways to live. "Feeling so grateful for these Daytime emmy nominations. So proud of this show and love the entire team behind Dte," he wrote in his Instagram story. The popular actor has been quiet on social media for the past couple months.

The Daytime Emmys were announced on June 25th, but not all of them. On Saturday, July 17 and Sunday, July 18, more Emmy winners will be announced in the Daytime Emmy Awards Lifestyle Programming ceremony, which includes animated, nonfiction, children's, and daytime fiction programming. Zac Efron's documentary series will be recognized on these nights. The show revolves around Zac Efron and his travels around the world to France,...

Sam Worthington (“Avatar”) has signed on for crime thriller “Transfusion.” Altitude Media Group will represent the project at the upcoming Cannes Marche du Film (June 21-25).

The feature is helmed by actor, writer and director Matt Nable (“Arrow”) and represents his directorial debut. He previously wrote biker film “Outlaws”.

It began shooting in Sydney, Australia earlier this week.

Worthington is joined by fellow Australian Phoebe Tonkin (“The Vampire Diaries”) in the film, about a former Special Forces operative who finds himself in a criminal underworld as he tries to keep his son from being abducted.

“Transfusion” is produced by John Schwarz and Michael Schwarz of Deeper Water Films. Cailah Scobie from Stan and Paul Wiegard from Madman Entertainment will executive produce. Altitude Media’s Will Clarke, Andy Mayson and Mike Runagall will also executive produce.

“In ‘Transfusion’ we’ve found a movie that has that special combination of visceral action and achingly beautiful emotion,...

Altitude Film Sales has also closed sales for Latin America and the Middle East.

Altitude Film Sales has closed a raft of deals in major territories across Europe and Asia for Anthony Hayes’ upcoming survival thriller Gold, starring Zac Efron.

The film has been acquired for German-speaking Europe (Leonine Studios), Italy (Adler), Benelux (Just Entertainment), Spain (Youplane), Scandinavia (MisLabel), Cis (Exponenta Films) and Latin America (CDC).

Further deals have been struck for South Korea (Joy N Contents Group), Taiwan (MovieCloud), Greece (Spentzos), Hungary (Ads), Poland (Best Film), former Yugoslavia (McF), Baltics (Latvian Theatrical), Middle East (Phars), Turkey (Filmarti), Thailand (Sahamongkolfilm...

Bloody Disgusting has the first image of Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile‘s Zac Efron in the survival thriller Gold, in which he must not only fight off ravenous wild dogs but also mysterious intruders. We’ve also learned that Screen Media has acquired North American rights to the Anthony Hayes-directed thriller, which was filmed in South Australia […]...

The Zac Efron survival thriller “Gold” has sold to Screen Media following a competitive bidding situation that saw several studios and distributors circling the project.

The film co-stars Anthony Hayes who co-wrote the script in addition to directing the picture. Susie Porter rounds out the cast.

“Gold” centers on two men who stumble across the biggest gold nugget ever found while traveling through a remote desert. They hatch a plan to protect and excavate the gold, a scheme that requires one man to leave to secure equipment while the other stays behind to protect the discovery… at all costs. “Gold” was filmed in South Australia late last year and is currently in post-production.

“It is always every filmmaker’s dream to make a film and snag a large North American release for their film and a bidding war is even more rare,” said Hayes. “It is a testament to our...

Deborah Mailman and Rachel Griffiths will be joined on screen by a host of new faces for the second season of the ABC/Blackfella Films’ Total Control, including Wayne Blair, who will also direct all six episodes.

Steph Tisdell stars in her first dramatic role, alongside other new cast members such as Alex Dimitriades, Colin Friels, Harry Greenwood, Rob Carlton, Daniella Farinacci, Brenna Harding, Benedict Hardie, and Anita Hegh.

Returning are Rob Collins, Anthony Hayes, William McInnes, Huw Higginson, Wes Patten, Lisa Flanagan and Harry Richardson.

Filming is currently underway, with production to take place across Sydney; Canberra, including at Parliament House, and Broken Hill.

The first season of the multiple Aacta Award-winning drama saw political newcomer Alex Irving (Mailman) engineer a coup against Rachel Anderson (Griffiths), the Prime Minister who appointed her to the Senate.

Season two sees Alex running as an independent. She’ll be ready for the...

Two feature films, three TV dramas, one children’s series, and one online project will share in $5.9 million of production funding from Screen Australia.

The projects include feature How To Please A Woman about a woman’s choice to take her all-male housecleaning business to a more intimate level; the previously announced ABC anthology drama series Fires, set during last summer’s devastating bushfires; Stan feature Gold, and a comedy about a single woman and her database of potential sexual partners in Spreadsheet for Viacom CBS.

Screen Australia’s head of content Sally Caplan said it was a testament to the resilience of the screen industry to have so many projects move into production during such a challenging period.

“It’s fantastic to kick off 2021 with such a great sample of the premium dramas that have been greenlit across the country,” she said.

“We’re so pleased to have supported...

Zac Efron to Star in Anthony Hayes’s Gold — Zac Efron has been cast in director Anthony Hayes’s survival thriller Gold, based on a screenplay he co-wrote with Polly Smyth. Hayes will direct and co-star along with Efron — who is known for his acting in The Greatest Showman and the High School Musical trilogy — in the [...]

Continue reading: Gold: Zac Efron to Star in Anthony Hayes’s Survival Thriller...

Zac Efron has joined the cast of the Australian survival thriller ‘Gold’ set at streaming service Stan.

The film will follow two strangers travelling through a desert who stumble across the biggest gold nugget ever found. They hatch a plan to protect and excavate their bounty with one man leaving to secure the necessary equipment. The other man (Efron) remains and must endure harsh desert elements, ravenous wild dogs and mysterious intruders, whilst battling the sinking suspicion that he has been abandoned to his own fate.

‘Animal Kingdom’ and ‘The Light Between Oceans’ Anthony Hayes will helm and star in the feature from the screenplay he co-wrote alongside Polly Smyth.

Also in news – Lily James and Emma Thompson to lead rom-com ‘What’s Love Got To With It?’

“This is an exciting, gripping and timely tale about greed, humanity, who we are, what we’ve done to the world and...

Zac Efron is set to star in “Gold,” a survival thriller from director Anthony Hayes that will be introduced to buyers at the upcoming American Film Market.

Altitude Film Sales and CAA Media Finance will co-represent domestic sales on the film, and production is expected to begin in Australia later this month.

Hayes (“Animal Kingdom”) will also co-star in the film alongside Efron in a film about two strangers who together find a giant gold nugget while traveling through the desert. While one man leaves to go find supplies and return, the other is left to guard the gold, which puts him up against the elements of the desert, ravenous wild dogs, mysterious intruders and his own sanity that he’s been left here to die.

Hayes also co-wrote “Gold” with Polly Smyth, and he’ll produce for Rogue Star Pictures along with John Schwarz and Michael Schwarz through their Deeper Water Films banner.