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Befitting a festival with a strong interdisciplinary spirit and a crowd that skews young, the Neuchâtel Intl. Fantastic Film Festival has given Swiss streaming sensation Baghera Jones carte blanche to program three films close to her heart.

Her choices — Thomas Vinterberg’s “The Celebration,” Paul Verhoeven’s “Starship Troopers” and Bong Joon-ho’s “The Host” — align perfectly with Nifff’s editorial vision, and that’s no coincidence. Born and raised in Neuchâtel, Jones grew up alongside the festival, her tastes and sensibilities shaped through years of attendance.

“We’re putting an audience member in the spotlight, which is a deliberate choice,” says Nifff director Pierre-Yves Walder. “We’d never done that before. We only realized she was a longtime fan when her festival posts went viral. Today, fantastic cinema exists across micro-cultures, platforms and spaces of influence, and we wanted to reflect that by handing the mic to someone like her.

The Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2025 (Ssff & Asia), one of the largest international short film festivals in Asia and officially recognized by the U.S. Academy Awards®, celebrated the opening of this year’s event with a Red Carpet and Opening Ceremony on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at Takanawa Gateway City, which just opened to the public this March. Marking its 27th edition, this year’s festival theme is “creative active generative.” Gathering “creative” talent from filmmakers around the world, the festival aims to actively create a space where films meet audiences and creators connect with companies—fostering new and exciting collaborations. The theme also reflects the festival’s vision for the future, embracing emerging technologies such as generative AI to inspire a new era of creativity. This year, the festival received 4,592 submissions from 108 countries and regions, with approximately 250 carefully selected films to be screened both at physical venues and through the online Grand Theatre platform.

Barry Keoghan and Christopher Abbott in ‘Bring Them Down’ (Photo Courtesy of Fantastic Fest)

Bring Them Down starring Christopher Abbott, Barry Keoghan, Colm Meaney, and Nora-Jane Noone was named Best Picture at the 2024 Fantastic Fest held September 19-26 in Austin, TX. The annual festival spotlights the best in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, and action. Screenings at the popular festival have included the world or US premieres of critically acclaimed films including Smile, Frankenweenie, Parasite, Jojo Rabbit, John Wick, and There Will Be Blood.

“Our jurors faced the formidable challenge of selecting winners from a remarkable array of stories, each representing different cultures and perspectives. Their task was not easy, but it truly reflects what Fantastic Fest is all about: embracing the richness of global cinema and the shared human experiences that unite us all,” stated Annick Mahnert, Director of Programming for Fantastic Fest.

“Main Competition” Features

Best Picture: Bring Them Down,...

“Bring Them Down,” a dark Irish drama in the vein of “The Banshees of Inisherin” (which played the festival in 2021), has won Best Picture in the main competition at Fantastic Fest 2024, TheWrap can exclusively reveal.

The film, which stars Christopher Abbott and Barry Keoghan, is described in the official program as “beautifully crafted and assured character piece.” Best Director and Best Actor in the same category went to “The Rule of Jenny Pen’s” James Ashcroft and Geoffrey Rush. The film is described in the program as “a truly demented, shifty thriller that pits venerable character actors Rush and John Lithgow against one another with the gloves off.”

Other awards at arguably the country’s greatest genre film festival, held at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar in Austin, Texas, went to Karan Kandhari’s debut feature “Sister Midnight” (in the “Next Wave” category) and “Chainsaws Were Singing” (in the...

At the San Diego Comic-Con today, Peacock took attendees behind the scenes of the gladiator epic Those About to Die. All ten episodes of the series are now streaming on Peacock.

The behind-the-scenes video dives into the Roman Empire’s explosive intersection of sports, politics, and dynasties, as featured in Those About to Die. You can watch the video here.

If you are at the San Diego Comic-Con, you can immerse yourself in the glory of Ancient Rome with Those About to Die: The Chariot Race. Step inside the betting tavern, join one of the coveted factions and experience the adrenaline thrill of the chariot race itself.

Inspired by the new Original series, Peacock’s in-world activation will bring the ancient “Circus Maximus” to life right in the Gaslamp District. Upon entry, guests will be divided into the 5 factions from the show and given the chance to whip a pair...

Rome is starving. Early into Those About to Die, as the Roman Empire reels from civil war and rebellion in Judea, running its grain stores scarce, the people’s hunger for food swells into an appetite for revolt. Rome’s rulers turn to entertainment to pacify their citizens, eventually enlisting Tenax (Iwan Rheon), the rare self-made man who’s managed to claw his way toward the city’s elite, to orchestrate arena spectacles for the public. “I grew up in those stinking stands. I know what the mob wants to see,” Tenax tells his crew toward the end of the show’s first season. “Remember: Enough is good. More is better. Too much is perfect.”

Tenax’s directive encapsulates the ethos of Those About to Die, which treats viewers to excess and indulgence befitting ancient Rome. Created by Robert Rodat and based on Daniel P. Mannix’s book of the...

In most promos for Peacock’s new 10-part drama Those About to Die, Anthony Hopkins gazes out like a gnarled marble bust brought partially to life. Even the commercials that acknowledge that the series is perhaps a bit more of an ensemble piece feature the multiple Oscar winner in a badly photoshopped human pyramid, the recognizable pinnacle atop a promotional Eye of Providence.

It is more a service than a spoiler to decry this blatant bait-and-switch. While there may or may not be other reasons to watch Those About to Die, I can clarify: For a small number of episodes, Hopkins is perhaps the 10th or 12th most important part of the ensemble and for the rest of the series he doesn’t even rise to that level.

There is surely a story of some sort that explains or justifies how Hopkins came to be involved in the first place.

Peacock invites you to take a behind-the-scenes look at Roland Emmerich’s Those About to Die and an exclusive Sneak-Peek at Atomic Monster’s Teacup to take place during Peacock’s Back-to-Back Panel Block on Thursday, July 25 in Ballroom 20!

Thursday, July 25 – Sunday, July 28:

Those About To Die: The Chariot Race

Immerse yourself in the glory of Ancient Rome at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 with Peacock’s “Those About To Die: The Chariot Race.” Step inside the betting tavern, join one of the coveted factions and experience the adrenaline thrill of the chariot race itself. Inspired by the new Original series, Peacock’s in-world activation will bring the ancient “Circus Maximus” to life right in the Gaslamp District. Upon entry, guests will be divided into the 5 factions from the show and given the chance to whip a pair of reins to power their team’s chariot to victory.

The activation...

In the epic new Peacock show Those About To Die, Dimitri Leonidas plays Scorpus, one of Rome’s top charioteers, and Gabriella Pession plays Antonia, a Patrician pulling many strings in this criminal underworld of ancient Rome.

We at FandomWire got to speak with Leonidas and Pession about their roles in Those About To Die, what the show has to say about ancient Rome, and filming the show using virtual production technology (like we’d seen in The Mandalorian and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania). Check out the full interview here:

Those About To Die — Episode 101 — Pictured: Dimitri Leonidas as Scorpus — (Photo by: Reiner Bajo/Peacock)

Those About To Die Interview

FandomWire: We’ve seen plenty of movies and shows about gladiators and charioteers, but I think what makes Those About To Die stand out is that it shows us a side of this that we’ve not really seen before.

Are you not entertained? You will be when you watch Peacock’s Those About to Die trailer. The new series revolves around gladiatorial combat, political upheaval, and deception lurking around every piss-soaked corner of an evolving empire. Peacock‘s Those About to Die series hails from director/executive producer Roland Emmerich, who details his passion for the project in today’s press release and shares its origin.

“I have always been fascinated by the history of the Roman Empire. So much still seems relevant for our society today – from the entanglement of politics and sports to the disciplines of the competitions, which haven’t changed much either over the last 2000 years. The most electrifying spectacles for the masses still involve two men in an arena, beating each other up, and the chariots of today are called race cars whose drivers still crash and often pay with their lives,” Emmerich writes.

NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock has revealed the first photos from Roland Emmerich’s epic drama series Those About to Die, set in ancient Rome. Emmerich directs the series and serves as executive producer.

Those About to Die stars two-time Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins and a cast that includes Iwan Rheon, Sara Martins, Tom Hughes, Jojo Macari, and Moe Hashim. All ten episodes of the series will launch on July 18.

Those About to Die is an epic drama set in the corrupt world of spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition. It explores a side of ancient Rome never before told—the dirty business of entertaining the masses and giving the mob what they want most…blood and sport.

The series introduces an ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who collide at the explosive intersection of sports, politics, and dynasties.

“I have always been fascinated by the history of the Roman Empire.

The fourth and final season of “Evil” will premiere Thursday, May 23, on Paramount+, the streamer announced Monday. Production recently began in New York City on the previously announced four bonus episodes. Season 4 will include 14 episodes premiering weekly.

The series is a psychological thriller that investigates the origins of evil and the church’s unexplained mysteries including demonic possession. The official description of the upcoming season reads: “Kristen, David and Ben continue to assess cases that involve wayward technology, possessed pigs, demonic oppression and infestation, a dance muse conjured by alleged witches and an evil relic.”

The series stars Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, Kurt Fuller, Andrea Martin, Christine Lahti, Brooklyn Shuck, Skylar Gray, Maddy Crocco and Dalya Knapp.

“Evil” is produced by CBS Studios in association with King Size Productions. Robert King, Michelle King, Liz Glotzer, Rockne S. O’Bannon and Sam Hoffman serve as executive producers.

Watch the official trailer below.

Those About to Die finally has a premiere date. The new drama series about a gladiator competition will arrive on Peacock in July. All ten episodes will be released at once.

Starring Anthony Hopkins, Sara Martins, Dimitri Leonidas, Iwan Rheon, Liraz Charhi, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Rupert Penry-Jones, Eneko Sagardoy, Pepe Barroso, Gonçalo Almeida, Kyshan Wilson, and Alicia Edogamhe, the series is based on the nonfiction book by Daniel Mannix and shows the complicated times of Ancient Rome.

Read More…...

Those who know who Roland Emmerich is will probably know that the director is known for his epic films, a lot of which are also major disaster films. Some of these major titles include Universal Soldier (1992), Stargate (1994), Independence Day (1996) and its sequel Independence Day: Resurgence (2016), Godzilla (1998), The Patriot (2000), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), 10,000 BC (2008), 2012 (2009), White House Down (2013), Midway (2019), and Moonfall (2022). But, Emmerich is now shifting to television, as his new project is about to be released on Peacock this summer. Ahead of the premiere, a teaser trailer has been released.

The project in question is the epic sword-and-sandal series Those About to Die, which is set in Ancient Rome. The series will be based on the book of the same name by writer and journalist Daniel P. Mannix; interesting enough, the same book served as the basis for Ridley Scott’s epic classic, Gladiator.

The series will star acting legend...

Anthony Hopkins will soon be seen in his next role, starring in Peacock's upcoming series Those About to Die. On Sunday, the streamer shared the first official teaser trailer for the series along with a premiere date, announcing that the show will drop all ten episodes on Thursday, July 18, 2024.

This will be the first major role in a series since Hopkins was featured as one of the stars of HBO's Westworld. The actor, who also won an Oscar for his role in The Father, has since had roles in the movies The Son, Freud's Last Session, and Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon. For a look at the 86-year-old in his newest role, the trailer for Those About to Die can be viewed below.

Related Anthony Hopkins Set to Star in New Adaptation of The Island of Dr. Moreau Oscar-winning actor Anthony Hopkins will next in a new film based on H.G. Wells...

NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock revealed the teaser for Those About to Die during WWE WrestleMania Xl and announced a July 18 premiere date. Roland Emmerich directs the series and serves as executive producer.

Those About to Die stars two-time Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins alongside a cast that includes Iwan Rheon, Sara Martins, Tom Hughes, Jojo Macari, and Moe Hashim.

Those About to Die is an epic drama set in the corrupt world of the spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition, exploring a side of ancient Rome never before told — the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most…blood and sport.

The series introduces an ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who collide at the explosive intersection of sports, politics, and dynasties.

All ten episodes of Those About to Die launch July 18, just in time for viewers to also watch the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Peacock has set the premiere date and released the first trailer for gladiator epic Those About To Die, starring Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins. All ten episodes of the series will drop Thursday, July 18 on the streamer.

Written by Robert Rodat, based on Daniel P. Mannix’s nonfiction classic of the same name, the series stars Hopkins as Emperor Vaspasian during the height of the Roman Empire. The epic drama is set in the corrupt world of the spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition, exploring a side of ancient Rome never before told — the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most…blood and sport. The series introduces an ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who collide at the explosive intersection of sports, politics, and dynasties.

The ensemble cast also includes Iwan Rheon, Sara Martins, Tom Hughes, Jojo Macari, Moe Hashim, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Rupert Penry-Jones,...

Amazon Prime has given Roland Emmerich’s Those About To Die the thumbs up, taking rights to the upcoming gladiator action series across most of Europe. Anthony Hopkins stars as Roman emperor Vespasian in the 10-part series, inspired by the nonfiction book of the same name by Daniel P. Mannix.

Amazon picked up exclusive rights to Those About To Die for its services in the five largest territories in Europe (Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Spain) as well as in Portugal, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, Poland, Turkey, Andorra, Monaco, Luxembourg, and Belgium. Amazon will have exclusive rights for the show in those territories, with free-tv rights negotiated separately. Servus TV has secured the free TV window for Austria for the show, which will go out on Peacock in the U.S.. NBCUniversal’s streaming platform gave a straight-to-series order for the show.

Oscar-nominated screenwriter Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan...

Nine actors have joined the cast of the upcoming Those About To Die series. The Peacock series, inspired by the nonfiction book by Daniel Mannix, is set in the time of gladiators and follows the “complex and corrupt world of ancient Rome’s spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition.” The book was previously used as the basis for the Gladiator feature film.

Iwan Rheon, Liraz Charhi, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Rupert Penry-Jones, Eneko Sagardoy, Pepe Barroso, Gonçalo Almeida, Kyshan Wilson, and Alicia Edogamhe have been cast in the show. Anthony Hopkins, Sara Martins, and Dimitri Leonidas have already been cast for key roles. Filming is underway in Rome.

Read More…...

Do you like movies about gladiators?

Hollywood is betting you do.

There are a trio of sword-and-sandal epics in the works, including a long-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning 2000 movie Gladiator and a reboot of Starz’ groundbreaking TV series Spartacus.

The curious surge of Ancient Rome titles in the pipeline seems to be purely coincidental, but it also makes sense given that studios have been searching for the next genre title that might break out — particularly since the end of HBO’s Game of Thrones — and given the revival of another muscular old-time Hollywood genre, the Western, following the explosive popularity of Yellowstone. Each project has roots in a different take on the material, and two of the projects had major casting news within the past week.

The gladiator genre actually has cinema roots dating all the way back to the 1913 silent film The Last Days of Pompeii. The...

Roland Emmerich’s large-scale gladiator series “Those About to Die,” starring Anthony Hopkins as Emperor Vespasian, has started shooting at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios.

Several new cast members have been announced, including “Game of Thrones” alumn Iwan Rheon.

Rheon, who in “Thrones” played the villainous Ramsay Bolton – and can currently be seen in Emmerich-produced film “The Magic Flute” – will replace Lorenzo Richelmy who has exited the Peacock show due to scheduling conflicts.

Also joining the “Those About to Die” cast are Liraz Charhi (“Tehran”) who will play Berenice, Queen of the conquered Judeans; and Rupert Penry-Jones (“The Batman”) as retired general Marsus who aspires to succeed Vespasian on the imperial throne (they are pictured above).

Other new cast additions to the swords and sandals series shot at Cinecittà are Johannes Haukur Johannesson (“Vikings”) as Norse gladiator Viggo; Eneko Sagardoy (“Elite”) as talented chariot driver Andria; Pepe Barroso (“45 rpm”) as Fonsoa...

Game of Thrones star Iwan Rheon is one of nine joining the cast of Peacock’s epic gladiator drama Those About to Die, as principal photography on the Roland Emmerich show kicked off at Rome’s historic Cinecittà Studios.

Rheon, best known as Ramsay Bolton in Game of Thrones, has has been cast as ambitious crime boss Tenax and will replace Lorenzo Richelmy, who dropped out over scheduling conflicts. Rheon is appearing in The Magic Flute and has appeared in the BAFTA-winner Misfits and Netflix’s The Dirt.

Related: 2023 Peacock Series & Pilot Orders

Also joining the cast are Liraz Charhi, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Rupert Penry-Jones, Eneko Sagardoy, Pepe Barroso, Gonçalo Almeida, Kyshan Wilson and Alicia Edogamhe.

Inspired by Daniel Mannix’s nonfiction book, Those About to Die is billed as an epic drama set in the complex and corrupt world of ancient Rome’s spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition. AGC Television is the studio,...

Roland Emmerich is filling out his Colosseum, with a new troop of actors to complete the cast of Those About to Die, a gladiator action series which the Independence Day director has begun shooting in Rome.

Game of Thrones star Iwan Rheon, Vikings actor Johannes Haukur Johannesson and Alicia Edogamhe, best-known for Netflix series Summertime, are among the new additions to the ensemble cast, as well as Tehran actress Liraz Charhi, Britain’s Rupert Penry-Jones (Mi-5), Elite actor Eneko Sagardoy, Gonçalo Almeida (Amor Amor), Kyshan Wilson (Viola) and Pepe Barroso (Neill Blomkamp’s upcoming Gran Turismo).

They join two-time Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins headlines the series as Roman emperor Vespasian. Previously-announced cast include Tom Hughes, Sara Martins, Jojo Macari, Gabriella Pession, Dimitri Leonidas, and Moe Hashim.

Rheon has been cast as ambitious crime boss, Tenax. He replaces the previously announced Lorenzo Richelmy, who was unable to participate in the series due to scheduling conflicts.

Less Is More (Lim), a European development scheme for limited-budget feature films has unveiled its selection of 16 projects, four of which are from Ukrainian writers and filmmakers.

The initiative is backed by the Media Programme of the European Union. The French national board (Cnc) has come on board to support this year’s special spotlight on Ukrainian projects, alongside the Terrarium, a platform for Ukrainian screenwriters.

The programs, which develops first, second and third feature projects, is organized by the Groupe Ouest, a film org created in 2006 in Brittany, in Northwest France, and headed by Antoine Le Bos and Charlotte Le Vallégant.

Commenting on the lineup, Le Bos said the “darkness of the geopolitical context of 2023 pushes us to redefine what films are made for.” “Our selection team has been pushed to look at all the projects received this autumn with new lenses,” Le Bos continued. He said “the nature...