News

Earlier this week, Netflix dropped the first trailer for That Christmas, which is based on the children's book trilogy by Richard Curtis, best known for his romantic comedy hits like Love Actually and Notting Hill, and it looks like becoming a beloved holiday staple! The movie will also mark the feature film directorial debut for Simon Otto, who's previously been known for his work on How to Train Your Dragon. Working alongside Otto are producers Nicole P. Hearon and Adam Tandy. In addition to the new trailer, LightBox Expo attendees, including Collider's Aidan Kelley, were given a sneak peek at the opening sequence for the film. Here's what he saw:...

Brian Cox’s Santa Claus is coming to town in the first trailer for Netflix’s animated holiday comedy That Christmas.

In the film’s first trailer, the Succession actor is sporting Kris Kringle’s standard uniform — a beard, red suit with a white fur trim and boots — as he delivers presents to children on the busiest night of the year, Christmas Eve.

That Christmas is based on a trilogy of children’s books by award-winning writer-director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually and Yesterday) and marks his first leap into animation. The film features entwined stories about family and friends, love and loneliness and Santa Claus making a big mistake.

In her review, The Hollywood Reporter‘s Lovia Gyarkye praised the “charming animation” while adding that the movie “slyly avoids the usual mawkishness by grounding its whimsical story in the real and prickly emotions of life.

Brian Cox is coming down the chimney.

In the first trailer for Netflix’s animated holiday comedy “That Christmas,” the “Succession” alum suits up as Santa Claus as he tells the story of one of the most challenging nights in his career.

Based on the charming trilogy of children’s books by beloved multi award-winning writer/director Richard Curtis, “That Christmas” follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love, loneliness and Santa Claus making a big mistake — not to mention an enormous number of turkeys.

The ensemble cast includes Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith, Freddie Spry and Ava Talbot with Bill Nighy and Rhys Darby.

Curtis makes his first foray into animation as the Locksmith Animation comedy’s writer and executive producer.

The trailer for Netflix‘s upcoming Christmas family film has arrived. That Christmas is adapted from the successful series of children’s books by Love Actually writer Richard Curtis and the voice cast is packed to the brim with names like Brian Cox [Santa], Fiona Shaw [Ms Trapper], Jodie Whittaker [Mrs Williams], Lolly Adefope [Mrs McNutt], Alex Macqueen [Mr Forrest], Katherine Parkinson [Mrs Forrest], Sindhu Vee [Mrs Mulji], India Brown [Bernadette], Zazie Hayhurst [Sam], Sienna Sayer [Charlie], Jack Wisniewski [Danny], Rosie Cavaliero [Mrs Beccles], Paul Kaye [Yirrell], Guz Khan [Dasher], Andy Nyman [Mr Beccles], Kuhu Agarwal [Nisha], Bronte Smith [Eve], Freddie Spry [Teddy], Ava Talbot [Scarlett], with Bill Nighy [Bill] and Rhys Darby [Mr McNutt].

The official synopsis reads,

“Based on the successful series of children’s books by BAFTA winner and Academy Award® nominee Richard Curtis, Locksmith Animation’s heartwarming film marks the feature film directorial debut of renowned character animation and story artist veteran Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy). That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about love and loneliness,...

Netflix revealed the official That Christmas trailer, which comes from Locksmith Animation (Ron’s Gone Wrong) and director Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy). Debuting on December 4, the film has been rated PG for thematic elements, some language, and rude humor.

That Christmas is an adaptation of the beloved children’s book series written by acclaimed BAFTA Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis.

That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys! A film of firsts, it marks Curtis’s first animation project and the directorial debut of animation veteran Otto.

The film stars Brian Cox as Santa, Fiona Shaw (Ms. Trapper), Jodie Whittaker (Mrs. Williams), and Bill Nighy (Bill) as the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas.

Leave it to rom-com staple Richard Curtis to transform Logan Roy into Santa Claus.

Curtis is turning to the world of animation with Netflix film “That Christmas,” which stars “Succession” alum Brian Cox as St. Nick. “Love Actually” and “About Time” writer/director Curtis adapted the script from his own bestselling children’s book series; Curtis and Peter Souter share screenplay credit. Veteran character animator and story artist Simon Otto (“How to Train Your Dragon”) makes his directorial debut with the film.

“That Christmas” follows a series of entwined tales about love and loneliness, family and friends, and Santa Claus making one big mistake, according to the official synopsis. Oh, and there is also “an enormous number of turkeys!”

The ensemble cast includes Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Rhys Darby, Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan,...

Sheeran’S Seasonal Song

Ed Sheeran has written and recorded “Under The Tree,” an original song for Locksmith Animation’s upcoming CG animated feature “That Christmas.” The film, set to debut on Netflix on Dec. 6, is directed by Simon Otto and written by Richard Curtis and Peter Souter.

The star-studded voice cast includes Brian Cox as Santa, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, and Bill Nighy. The story unfolds in a seaside town where Christmas takes an unexpected turn. Based on Curtis’ children’s book trilogy, “That Christmas” marks his first venture into animation. The film is produced by Nicole P. Hearon and Adam Tandy, with executive producers including Curtis, Mary Coleman, Natalie Fischer, and Julie Lockhart.

Sheeran said: “I find since having kids, there’s a real lack of great animated children’s Christmas movies, so I thought this was such an amazing thing to make and put into the world.

Richard Curtis brought Christmas cheer to an unseasonably drizzly day at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on Tuesday as he presented his first animated feature That Christmas in a Work in Progress session.

“I really adore Christmas. Whenever I’m kind of thinking of stories, that’s the first place that my mind goes to,” the screenwriter and director told the audience of animation professionals and students.

Having made one of the definitive Christmas movies of all time with live action hit Love Actually, the Bridget Jones Diary and Notting Hill rom-com king has his sights on realizing a similar achievement in animation.

His Netflix-backed animation debut is directed by How To Train Your Dragon animator Simon Otto and produced by Nicole P. Hearon and Adam Tandy For Locksmith Animation.

“It’s the best time of the year,...

Netflix has unveiled the voice cast and brand new images from Locksmith Animation (Ron’s Gone Wrong) and director Simon Otto’s (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy) upcoming CG animated feature That Christmas.

That Christmas is an adaptation of the beloved children’s book series written by acclaimed BAFTA Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis.

That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys! A film of firsts, it marks Curtis’s first animation project and the directorial debut of animation veteran Otto.

The film stars Brian Cox as Santa, Fiona Shaw (Ms. Trapper), Jodie Whittaker (Mrs. Williams), and Bill Nighy (Bill) as the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. The movie will debut on Netflix later this year.

Netflix on Wednesday unveiled the voice cast of CG animated feature film That Christmas from Locksmith Animation (Ron’s Gone Wrong) and director Simon Otto’s (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy). The movie will star Brian Cox as Santa, Fiona Shaw as Ms. Trapper, Jodie Whittaker as Mrs. Williams, and Bill Nighy as Bill.

They are the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. The film will debut on Netflix later this year.

That Christmas is an adaptation of the children’s book series (The Empty Stocking, Snow Day and That Christmas) written by BAFTA Award-winning and Oscar-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Yesterday). “A film of firsts, it marks Curtis’ first animation project as well as the directorial debut for animation veteran Otto,” Netflix said.

The film also stars Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen,...

Brian Cox, Bill Nighy and Fiona Shaw are among the voice cast for Netflix animated feature That Christmas from Locksmith Animation.

Cox will voice Santa Claus in the adaptation of Richard Curtis’ trilogy of children’s books about multiple interweaved stories of love, loneliness, family and friends at Christmas time.

Other voice cast include Jodie Whittaker, Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith, Freddie Spry, Ava Talbot and Rhys Darby.

Curtis penned the script and will executive produce That Christmas while Simon Otto,...

An A-list cast including Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, and Bill Nighy will lend their voices to That Christmas, an animated feature from Netflix penned by Richard Curtis and directed by Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy).

That Christmas is an adaptation of the children’s book series written by Curtis. The pic also marks the directorial debut of animation vet Otto.

Cox voices Santa in the pic. Shaw is Ms. Trapper, Whittaker is Mrs. Williams, and Nighy is Bill, residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. The full synopsis reads: That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys. Also starring are Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown,...

Brian Cox is set to voice Santa Claus in Netflix’s upcoming festive animated feature “That Christmas.”

Due later this year, the film marks the directorial debut of animation veteran Simon Otto and comes from Locksmith Animation (“Ron’s Gone Wrong”). “That Christmas” is adapted from the children’s book series by BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis.

Alongside Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker and Bill Nighy have also joined the film as the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. Other voice stars include Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith, Freddie Spry, Ava Talbot and Rhys Darby.

‘That Christmas’

“Becoming an animator had been on my Christmas wish list ever since I was a child and watching animated movies was...

The streaming platform has also picked up ‘Scrooge: A Christmas Carol’.

Locksmith Animation’s adaptation of Richard Curtis’ children’s book That Christmas is among the four animated titles Netflix has unveiled ahead of the 61st Annecy International Film Festival (June 13-18).

That Christmas is directed by Swiss-born filmmaker Simon Otto, best known for his How To Train Your Dragon trilogy, and follows multiple interweaved stories of love, loneliness, family and friends. It is produced by Nicole P. Hearon and Adam Tandy. Curtis is writing the screenplay with Peter Souter.

Another title announced is Scrooge: A Christmas Carol from Timeless Films.

In the run up to Annecy festival, Netflix has unveiled a powerful slate of talent-driven animated films and series, including “That Christmas” based on BAFTA winner Richard Curtis’s children’s books, and “Ember,” Sergio Pablos’ follow-up to the Oscar-nominated “Klaus.”

Netflix’s roster of animated features also boasts the musical “Scrooge: A Christmas Carol” which features songs by Leslie Bricusse; an untitled animated film by Steve Box, the Oscar-winning “Wallace & Gromit” alumni. Netflix has also boarded new original series productions including “Bad Dinosaurs” from Snafu Pictures and Able & Baker; “Mermaid Magic” from Rainbow, “The Seven Bears” from Folivari, as well as “Wereworld” which is based on the series of fantasy novels by Curtis Jobling and is produced by from Lime Pictures.

“Ember” is a hand-drawn epic adventure tale of humankind’s quest for fire told through the eyes of young Dikika who embarks on an impossible race...

Click here to read the full article.

Ahead of this month’s Annecy Film Festival, Netflix has unveiled a slate of new animated films and series from creatives across Europe.

The eight-strong list includes Ember, Sergio Pablos’ follow-up to his BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated Klaus, Scrooge: A Christmas Carol, featuring songs by Oscar winner Leslie Bricusse, That Christmas, based on the children’s books by Richard Curtis and from Ron’s Gone Wrong studio Locksmith Animation, and an untitled animated feature by Oscar winner Steve Box, who was a key animator on Chicken Run and co-wrote and co-directed Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

These projects join a growing list of animated titles from Europe, including My Father’s Dragon from Cartoon Saloon and Oscar-nominated director Nora Twomey and will debut on Netflix this fall, as well as Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget and an untitled Wallace & Gromit project from Aardman out of the U.

An animated Christmas Carol, follow-up to Academy Award-nominee Klaus, adaptation of Richard Curtis’ That Christmas and untitled project from Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit’s Steve Box feature on an eight-strong slate of Netflix animated films and TV series.

The streamer is taking the projects from the UK, Spain, Italy and France to Annecy International Animation Film Festival next week as it doubles down on animated projects.

Scroll down for the full list but leading the slate is Ember from Klaus creator Sergio Pablos and The Spa Studios, an epic adventure tale of humankind’s quest for fire told through the eyes of young Dikika, who embarks on an impossible race to a distant volcano to retrieve the precious spark that will save her tribe.

Next comes the latest Scrooge: A Christmas Carol adaptation, directed by Stephen Donnelly, with the ageless classic reborn as a musical adaptation...

Michaela Coel’s “I May Destroy You” won two BAFTAs in a year where there was no single dominant winner at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts’ (BAFTA) Television Awards on Sunday.

The BBC/HBO show won best mini-series and leading actress for Coel, who dedicated the award to the production’s director of intimacy Ita O’Brien.

“Thank you for your existence in our industry, for making the space safe for creating physical, emotional, and professional boundaries so that we can make work about exploitation, loss of respect, about abuse of power, without being exploited or abused in the process,” Coel said.

Paul Mescal won leading actor for BBC/Hulu show “Normal People.”

In the coveted drama series category, Lennie James’ Sky Atlantic show “Save Me Too” won over fancied rivals “The Crown,” “Gangs of London” and “I Hate Suzie.”

At the BAFTA TV Craft Awards that were announced in May,...

Exclusive: BritBox will stream Season 6 of cult BBC comedy Inside No. 9 in the U.S. and Canada following its premiere in the UK.

The anthology comedy, created by and starring Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, will premiere stateside on June 22, with each of the six episodes being released on a weekly basis. BritBox has streamed previous seasons of the show.

Season 6 is comprised of the usual mix of horror, thriller, drama, and comedy, with each episode telling a unique story, featuring some of the UK’s finest acting talent. The likes of Sian Clifford, Gemma Whelan, and Lindsay Duncan guest star in the new season.

Inside No. 9 is produced by BBC Studios. Jon Plowman is the executive producer, while Adam Tandy produces. Check out the trailer below:...

Steve McQueen’s anthology series leads the pack with 15 nominations.

Small Axe leads the nominations for this year’s Bafta Television and Bafta Craft awards, which take place on June 6 and May 24, respectively.

The BBC mini-series, created and directed by Steve McQueen, is up for 15 awards (six television and three craft), including best mini-series, John Boyega and Shaun Parkes for leading actor, Letitia Wright for leading actress, and Malachi Kirby and Michael Ward for supporting actor.

Small Axe was produced by Turbine Studios and Lammas Park alongside the BBC and Amazon Studios. Two episodes – Mangrove and Lovers Rock – were picked...

Well, thank goodness for that. Or more properly, thank the BBC, Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton and producer Adam Tandy. As BBC Two rounds off the current run of Inside No. 9 with tonight’s ‘The Stakeout’, confirmation arrives that a further two series are on their way.

A total of 12 new episodes for the inventive storytelling anthology have been ordered, taking the grand total of original half-hour instalments up to 43.

Just take a moment to think about that: 43 distinct scenarios and characters. New locations, new sets, new costumes, new music and new co-stars, every time. An original premise played with for just 30 minutes and then onto the next thing. And the next. And the next. And the next. Careers have been built on a fraction of that much invention.

It’s no wonder creators Shearsmith and Pemberton describe themselves as “delighted and exhausted in equal measure at the prospect of...

Exclusive: NBC has handed a put pilot commitment to Home, a single-camera comedy about an American couple who take in a Syrian refugee. It is based on the British series, which was created by Rufus Jones and originally aired on Channel 4 in the UK. The adaptation will be written/executive produced by former Black-ish Ep Stacy Traub and directed/executive produced by Ben Stiller.

It marks the second project to emerge out of Lionsgate and BBC Studios’ development deal and comes on the back of CBS nabbing an adaptation of BBC One comedy Ghosts.

Home follows a new couple, Mark and Melanie, who go on a long weekend trip to a cabin in the woods with Melanie’s son Jonah. Their plan to come back with a tan and some happy memories is interrupted when they return with Jay, a Syrian refugee who moves in with them, and the cobbled-together...

U.S. cable network IFC and British broadcaster Channel 4 have ordered Year of the Rabbit, a six-part comedy starring Toast of London’s Matt Berry. The two broadcasters have commissioned the show from All3Media-backed Objective Fiction after it was piloted by C4 last year.

The news was announced today at the Atx Television Festival in Austin.

The series follows a group of Victorian detectives; Berry, who stars in Jim Hosking’s An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn and Matt Groening’s Netflix animation Disenchantment, plays Detective Inspector Rabbitt, a hardened booze-hound who’s seen it all, and his new, hapless, by-the-books partner, played by Parade End’s Freddie Fox. While investigating a local murder, the chief of police’s lewd but insightful adoptive daughter, played by Chewing Gum’s Susan Wokoma, becomes the country’s first female officer. Together, the trio must fight crime while rubbing shoulders with street gangs,...

Louisa Mellor Feb 6, 2018

BBC Two has renewed its excellent anthology Inside No. 9 for a fifth series. Top work all round...

Inside No. 9 is stunning television. It's ever surprising, clever and inventive, and to judge by its excellent fourth series, which concludes tonight at 10pm on BBC Two, it's only getting better.

See related Call Of Duty: WWII review

Knowing a good thing when it has one, the BBC has renewed the anthology show for a fifth series, six new episodes of which are due to air in 2019. Tremendous news.

The official press bumf promises that series five will "stay true to the show's anthology format, with each episode bringing an original story, a new raft of characters and surprising twists" with yet more top-notch guest stars. Adam Tandy will once again produce.

Here's what series creators Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith had to say on the renewal:

"Having tried and...

Louisa Mellor Feb 14, 2017

Ace anthology series Inside No. 9 returns next week for its third run. Here’s what its creators had to say at the press launch…

Having made audiences wince at characters put through all manner of horrors—murder, suicide, demonic possession—sadism would seem a fair accusation to level at Inside No. 9’s creators. It doesn’t stand of course, because the show’s so good that it’s all pleasure and no pain. Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith don’t seek to make people suffer in writing the series. “I wouldn’t say that’s what we enjoy, we’re not sadists!” Pemberton laughs at the series three press launch. “For us, it’s all about the narrative and taking that half-hour we have for each episode and weaving the story that takes you on the biggest journey.”

See related Tom Hiddleston interview: The Avengers,...

facebook

twitter

google+

An unconfirmed report claims that BBC Two has given Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton's Inside No. 9 a third series…

Now here’s a cause for celebration – it looks a lot like BBC Two has greenlit series 3 of Inside No. 9.

The British Comedy Guide is reporting that work is underway for a third run of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton's dark comedy anthology series. The BBC has yet to confirm the news with an official press statement, but the Comedy Guide apparently has intel that Shearsmith and Pemberton are already working on the new series.

In an old interview, Mr Pemberton told the Comedy Guide that “You go into a new series of Inside No. 9 with literally everything to play for. We're not wedded to any characters, we're not worried about story arcs... Reece and I can sit down and go 'right, what are we going to do?...

Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones will be searching for festive items in a Christmas special of Detectorists later this year.

The critically-acclaimed BBC Four comedy will return for a six-part second series in late 2015, followed by a festive episode in December.

However, the show will remain on BBC Four despite producer Adam Tandy suggesting to Digital Spy that it could move to BBC Two last year.

Detectorists follows friends Andy (Crook) and Lance (Jones), who share a love for metal detecting in the English countryside in the hopes of finding a real treasure.

The second series will involve Lance dealing with the departure of his wife, while Andy has become a parent with his wife Becky (Rachael Stirling).

Co-writer and director Crook said of the second series: "To be back in Suffolk filming in the glorious English countryside for a second summer is more than I could have hoped for.

It's won a BAFTA - and now Detectorists could be moving channels too.

The series, written by and starring Mackenzie Crook, was named best Situation Comedy at Sunday night's House of Fraser BAFTA Television Awards.

Speaking to press including Digital Spy backstage, producer Adam Tandy suggested that a move to another channel is "inevitable" following the success of the first series.

"I think that's inevitable," he said. "It's too successful to be enjoyed by a very small, select audience on BBC Four."

He added: "[Though] we were getting very respectable figures on BBC Four - probably as much as a show on Sky Atlantic. We were getting people."

Detectorists also triumphed at April's BAFTA TV Craft Awards, with Crook winning in the 'Writer: Comedy' category.

The series - picked up for a second series back in November - stars Crook and Toby Jones as two friends who share a passion for metal detecting.

Here's a spoiler-free look at what to expect from the second series of Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith's glorious Inside No. 9...

Inside No. 9 returns to BBC Two on Thursday the 26th of March for six more ingenious genre slices of horror, suspense and psychology. Those who were rattled and gripped by the first round of half-hour plays from Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith know to expect to be skilfully sucker-punched with sharp, tricksy writing and well-drawn characters.

Viewers engrossed by the psychological character focus of series one’s Tom & Gerri, the jump scares of series finale The Harrowing, and the unexpected emotional sting of opener Sardines have lots to look forward to from the second series’ first brace of episodes. La Couchette and The 12 Days Of Christine tell the respective stories of a fraught overnight train journey and a woman plagued by a mysterious visitor, featuring guest roles from Mark Benton,...

Channel 4 Orders Comedy Pilot From Rob Delaney, Sharon Horgan The UK’s Channel 4 has commissioned the pilot Catastrophe from Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan. The pair will write and star in the single-camera comedy about an Irish woman and an American man who make a bloody mess as they struggle to fall in love in London. Catastrophe is an Avalon Production for Channel 4. Adam Tandy will serve as a non-writing producer with Avalon Television UK producing. Delaney won the award for “Funniest Person on Twitter” at the Comedy Central Comedy Awards. His television credits include Comedy Central’s Key & Peele, Fuel TV’s The Daily Habit, and the pilot Movie Nook for TBS. Delaney is repped by Kara Baker at Avalon Management, Wme and CAA Touring. Endemol Bets $13M On Social Casino Gaming Company Plumbee Endemol said today that it has invested $13 million in social casino gaming company Plumbee.

In the Loop - a political farce set in London and Washington - is the brilliant cinematic debut of Armando Iannucci. Here, in a candid behind-the-scenes diary, the satirist reveals the joys of playing basketball with star James Gandolfini and the pleasure of a hometown screening in front of his eightysomething mum ...

We didn't even have a piece of paper to start with. I'd been told that most films start with a small piece of paper. On it is written a one-line version of your film. "Imagine Vera Drake meets The Cider House Rules." "It's like Fantastic Four, but with Anthony Hopkins on a horse." "A small-town family murder their cleaner and then bury her in some waste ground that then gets built on by a shoe manufacturer, whose shoes are haunted by her deranged spirit, resulting in a little girl kicking the town's mayor to death but with very...

The Thick of It will have less swearing in its upcoming fourth series, producer Adam Tandy has revealed. The political comedy will return for a fourth run in the autumn on BBC Two. Known for its heavy use of expletives - especially from spin doctor Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi) - the latest series will be "rather less raucous", in order to reflect the current coalition government. "It is marginally less," Tandy is quoted as saying about the swearing in The Sun. "As a bunch of people they are more prim." Actor Roger Allam (Peter Mannion) said: "There are more of us [coalition government politicians] in the new series and we are less imaginatively sweary. "Malcolm is one of those characters that has perfectly formed sentences with lots of incredibly (more)...

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced Tuesday (April 24) the nominations for its 2012 television awards. British miniseries "Appropriate Adult," which chronicles the real-life serial killer Fred West, leads the way with four nominations.

Other notable nominations include Dame Maggie Smith up for Supporting Actress for her work on "Downton Abbey" - it's the only nomination "Downton" received, after earning two nominations the previous year. "Modern Family" also earned a nomination in the International category.

The full list of nominations:

Leading Actor

Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock (BBC One)

Dominic West - Appropriate Adult (ITV)

John Simm - Exile (BBC One)

Joseph Gilgun - This is England '88 (Channel 4)

Leading Actress

Emily Watson - Appropriate Adult (ITV1)

Nadine Marshall - Random (Channel 4)

Romola Garai - The Crimson Petal and the White (BBC Two)

Vicky McClure - This is England '88 (Channel 4)

Supporting Actor

Andrew Scott - Sherlock...

Sky 1 HD are continuing to announce new UK productions and their second of the day is a two-hour comedy crime drama titled A Touch of Cloth which promises to be ‘a spoof of every British crime drama made in the last decade.’ We would imagine most obviously A Touch of Frost but no doubt Taggart, Rebus, Silent Witness…. all them shows that send people to sleep and will be like a U.K. version of Police Squad.

Written by Charlie Brooker (Dead Set) and Daniel Maier (Harry Hill’s TV Burp) the one-off show will star John Hannah as the awesomely named Dci Jack Cloth a “maverick, heavy drinking loner who has thrown himself into his work following the mysterious death of his wife”, a role that he has probably played straight a few times in his career, alongside the “plucky no-nonsese” female partner DC Anne Oldman (Suranne Jones).

Brooker...

David Walliams and Matt Lucas - the men behind Little Britain - are coming back to prime time. For those unfamiliar, Little Britain was a sketch comedy show pitched as a sort of moc-travel doc visiting different areas of Britain with Walliams and Lucas playing virtually all of the characters. By the third season and the eventual Us-produced block for HBO the show had descended badly into trite repetition of catch phrases and become virtually unwatchable but the first two series are absolute comic gold and are still absolutely hysterical. My hopes are that they'll regain that form with their new venture.

And here's what it is. Currently in pre-production for airing on BBC One later this year, Come Fly With Me is a six part series that looks to essentially take the Little Britain formula and move it into an airport. Walliams and Lucas will again play virtually all the characters,...

The Hurt Locker was named Best Film at the British Academy Film Awards, held at London’s Royal Opera House. The film also won five other awards: Director for Kathryn Bigelow, the first woman to win the award, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing and Sound.

Avatar won the BAFTAs for Production Design and Special Visual Effects. Up took home the awards for Animated Film and Music. The Young Victoria won the Costume Design and Make Up & Hair awards.

Carey Mulligan was awarded the BAFTA for Leading Actress for An Education. The Supporting Actress BAFTA went to Mo’Nique for her role in Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire. Colin Firth won the Leading Actor award for A Single Man and the Supporting Actor award was presented to Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds. All four were first-time winners.

Up in the Air won the BAFTA for Adapted Screenplay. A Prophet...

Honoring the best and brightest in entertainment, the 2010 Orange British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) took place in London, England on Sunday evening (February 21).

Held at the Royal Opera House, the big winner ended up being "The Hurt Locker" - which took home Best Director, Original Screenplay and Film on its way to six total awards.

Meanwhile, Carey Mulligan was named Best Actress while Colin Firth scooped up the Best Actor trophy during the evening ceremony.

Other winners included "Twilight" actress Kristen Stewart, who received the Rising Star Award while Vanessa Redgrave was presented with the Academy Fellowship.

The complete list of 2010 BAFTA winners is as follows:

Best Film

Avatar - James Cameron, Jon Landau

An Education - Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey

Winner: The Hurt Locker - Nominees Tbc

Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire - Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness

Up In The Air - Ivan Reitman,...

Kathryn Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" was the big winner at the 2010 Orange British Academy Awards. The Iraq War drama won best film, best director, best original screenplay, best cinematography, best sound and best editing.

"Avatar," nominated in eight categories, won the special visual effects and production design awards.

Colin Firth for "A Single Man" was named best actor, while Carey Mulligan received the best actress award for "An Education." Mo'Nique and Christoph Walt continued to dominated the awards season as each picked up the best supporting actress and actor awards respectively.

2009 BAFTA Awards Winners (highlighted)

Academy Fellowship

Vanessa Redgrave

Outstanding British Contribution To Cinema

Joe Dunton

Best Film

Avatar James Cameron, Jon Landau

An Education Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey

The Hurt Locker Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier, Greg Shapiro

Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness

Up In The Air Ivan Reitman,...

As the great and good are quickly ushered out of London's salubrious Royal Opera House, shoved into the nearest waiting limo and whisked to their respective after-show parties, the time has come to tally and take stock of the big winners at this year's British Academy Film Awards.

As with all of the major films awards of 2010 thus far, the big battle at this year's Baftas was between James Cameron's Avatar and his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker and the big winner on the night was Ms Bigelow who blew away all the competition with a grand total of six awards including (surprisingly but brilliantly) Best Film and Best Director. Avatar, meanwhile, was relegated to two relatively minor awards for Best Production Design and Best Special Effects.

Quite how this will affect the runners and the riders for this year's Oscars remains to be seen but it...

James Cameron’s Avatar (Weta / 20th Century Fox) Best Film Avatar – James Cameron, Jon Landau An Education – Amanda Posey, Finola Dwyer * The Hurt Locker – Nominees Tbc Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire – Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness Up In the Air – Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Daniel Dubiecki Outstanding British Film An Education – Amanda Posey, Finola Dwyer, Lone Scherfig, Nick Hornby * Fish Tank – Kees Kasander, Nick Laws, Andrea Arnold In the Loop – Kevin Loader, Adam Tandy, Armando Iannucci, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche Moon – Stuart Fenegan, Trudie Styler, Duncan Jones, Nathan Parker Nowhere Boy – Kevin Loader, Douglas Rae, Robert Bernstein, Sam Taylor-Wood, [...]...

Well, here we are Live at the 2010 Orange BAFTA Awards and I can’t describe what the atmosphere is like. We’re currently waiting for the awards themselves to start and while you’re getting your beverage of choice, check out the photos that I took from the red carpet which I’ll get posted here as fast as I can.

I’ve placed all the nominees below and we’ll be updating them as each winner is announced live from the awards. Each time a winner is announced, I’ll change the winner to bold and red so that you can spot them easily.

Remember, this is a completely interactive evening so please comment on what you think of the results, check out our live tweets here and discuss away as much as you can. Remember to hash-tag your tweets with #BAFTA and then they’ll be easy to...

The 2010 BAFTA nominations have been announced. The British film awards, celebrating talent both homegrown and international has become the main precursor to The Oscars.”The Hurt Locker,” “An Education” and “Avatar” leading the way with eight nods

The surprise on this year’s list is the Peter Jackson-produced and South Africa-set sci-fi film “District 9,” which secured seven nominations, one more than “Inglourious Basterds” and “Up in the Air.“

In the best actor category, nominees include Golden Globe winner Jeff Bridges (“Crazy Heart”), George Clooney (“Air”), Colin Firth ( “A Single Man”), Jeremy Renner (“Locker”) and Andy Serkis (“Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll”).

The BAFTA winners will be announced in a ceremony in London at London’s Royal Opera House on February 21.

Here is the full list of nominees:

Best Film

Avatar – James Cameron, Jon Landau An Education – Amanda Posey, Finola Dwyer The Hurt Locker – Nominees Tbc Precious: Based on the...

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has narrowed down its longlist and unveiled the nominations of the 2010 BAFTA awards. "Avatar," "The Hurt Locker," and "An Education" each scored eight nominations but "District 9" was close behind with seven.

"Inglourious Basterds" and "Up in the Air" both received six nominations. The awards will be revealed in London on Feb. 21.

Here's the complete list of the Orange British Academy Film Award Nominations

Film

"Avatar," James Cameron, Jon Landau

"An Education," Amanda Posey, Finola Dwyer

"The Hurt Locker," nominees to be confirmed

"Precious," Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness

"Up in the Air," Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Daniel Dubiecki

Director

"Avatar," James Cameron

"District 9," Neill Blomkamp

"An Education," Lone Scherfig

"The Hurt Locker," Kathryn Bigelow

"Inglourious Basterds," Quentin Tarantino

Original Screenplay

"The Hangover," Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

"The Hurt Locker," Mark Boal

"Inglourious Basterds," Quentin Tarantino

"A Serious Man," Joel Coen,...

An Education, Avatar, and The Hurt Locker each saw eight nods as this year’s BAFTA awards nominees were announced Thursday. District 9 came in with seven while Up In The Air and Inglourious Basterds both received six nominations.

Here’s the list of nominations for the Orange British Academy Film Awards:

Best Film

Avatar James Cameron, Jon Landau An Education Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey The Hurt Locker Nominees Tbc Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness Up In The Air Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Daniel Dubiecki

Outstanding British Film

An Education Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey, Lone Scherfig, Nick Hornby Fish Tank Kees Kasander, Nick Laws, Andrea Arnold In The Loop Kevin Loader, Adam Tandy, Armando Iannucci, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche Moon Stuart Fenegan, Trudie Styler, Duncan Jones, Nathan Parker Nowhere Boy Robert Bernstein, Douglas Rae, Kevin Loader, Sam Taylor-Wood, Matt Greenhalgh...

The nominations for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards were announced this morning, and leading with eight each are An Education, Avatar, and The Hurt Locker. The line-up looks much like what we’ve seen in earlier awards with the obvious skew towards British-born selections like Carey Mulligan, underrated comedy In the Loop, and first time director Duncan Jones.

Notable snubs include Bright Star shut out in every category but costume, Avatar missing a spot for screenplay to The Hangover, and Sam Rockwell for Moon.

Winners will be announced February 21. Here are the nominees:

Best Film

Avatar James Cameron, Jon Landau

An Education Amanda Posey, Finola Dwyer

The Hurt Locker Nominees Tbc

Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness

Up In The Air Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Daniel Dubiecki

Outstanding British Film

An Education Amanda Posey, Finola Dwyer, Lone Scherfig,...

The Brits certainly like our flicks with Avatar and The Hurt Locker scoring eight nominations each from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). However, they didn’t overlook one of their own accomplished films with An Education also grabbing eight nominations. But what’s really impressive about the BAFTA nominations isn’t where they’ll most likely overlap with the Oscar nominations, but where they’re going to diverge. District 9 has seven nominations and matches Avatar in every category except Best Picture and Best Director (but it also has a Best Screenplay nomination, while Avatar does not). I am a little surprised that in their Best Supporting Actor category, they overlooked Peter Capaldi for In the Loop, but you have to love a country where Andy Serkis can get nominated for Best Actor (that’s not meant ironically; it truly is great–we should’ve nominated...

London -- James Cameron's " Avatar," Kathryn Bigelow's " The Hurt Locker" and Lone Scherfig's " An Education" emerged with eight nominations apiece for this year's Orange British Academy Film Awards, including noms for best film and best director.The big surprise on this year's list is the Peter Jackson produced South African set sci-fi " District 9" which secured seven nominations, one ahead of this year's six times nominees " Inglourious Basterds" and " Up in the Air."To win this year's best film award, recent Golden Globe king Cameron and his other worldly blue people drama will have to see off competition from " Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire" and "Up In The Air" as well as "The Hurt Locker" and "An Education."Presented by the British Academy Of Film and Television Arts, the Orange Bafa for best director is a face-off for votes with "District 9" director Neill Blomkamp...

Check out the full list of the 2010 Orange British Academy Film Awards below!

Best Film

Avatar James Cameron, Jon Landau

An Education Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey

The Hurt Locker Nominees Tbc

Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness

Up In The Air Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Daniel Dubiecki

Outstanding British Film

An Education Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey, Lone Scherfig, Nick Hornby

Fish Tank Kees Kasander, Nick Laws, Andrea Arnold

In The Loop Kevin Loader, Adam Tandy, Armando Iannucci, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche

Moon Stuart Fenegan, Trudie Styler, Duncan Jones, Nathan Parker

Nowhere Boy Robert Bernstein, Douglas Rae, Kevin Loader, Sam Taylor-Wood, Matt Greenhalgh

Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer

Lucy Bailey, Andrew Thompson, Elizabeth Morgan Hemlock, David Pearson Directors, Producers –

Mugabe and the White African

Eran Creevy Writer/Director – Shifty

Stuart Hazeldine Writer/Director – Exam

Duncan Jones Director...

After the trial run that was the Golden Globes, award season is getting into full swing proper with this morning's announcement of the BAFTA award nominations. Films getting the nod include Avatar (obviously!) and some perhaps more deserving films such as The Hurt Locker and our very own An Education - which have all collected nominations in eight categories.

See below for the full list.

Best Film

Avatar James Cameron, Jon Landau

An Education Amanda Posey, Finola Dwyer

The Hurt Locker Nominees Tbc

Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness

Up In The Air Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Daniel Dubiecki

Outstanding British Film

An Education Amanda Posey, Finola Dwyer, Lone Scherfig, Nick Hornby

Fish Tank Kees Kasander, Nick Laws, Andrea Arnold

In The Loop Kevin Loader, Adam Tandy, Armando Iannucci, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche

Moon Stuart Fenegan, Trudie Styler, Duncan Jones,...

Photo: Orange British Academy Film Awards Today the nominations for the 2010 Orange British Academy Film Awards were announced and Avatar, An Education and The Hurt Locker lead the way with eight nominations each followed closely by District 9 with seven and Inglourious Basterds and Up In the Air each pulling in six each. The only film not amongst the nomination leaders that was nominated for Best Film is Lionsgate's Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire, which did manage four nominations.

Looking over the nominations there are a few that stand out as breaking from the norm, such as Neill Blomkamp (District 9) and Lone Scherfig (An Education) both getting directorial nominations alongside James Cameron, Kathryn Bigelow and Quentin Tarantino. Both District 9 and An Education have enjoyed plenty of love during the awards season, but this is a nice bonus that both Blomkamp and Scherfig should be proud of.