News

Bectu Launches Biggest Ever Survey

British broadcasting union Bectu is launching what it is calling its largest ever survey of those working behind the scenes in TV and film. The union is asking workers across the UK’s creative industries about their experiences and views on key issues facing the sector, including pay, employment practices, mental health and wellbeing and finances. The move comes with the freelance workforce in a perilous position, with thousands exiting the sector as they struggle for work and grapple with low pay and poor conditions. Bectu has repeatedly stressed that this is worsening as time goes on. “Creative industry workers are critical to our economy and to our social and cultural fabric,” said Bectu head Philippa Childs. “But data on creative workers is lacking. The freelance nature of the creative industries means that freelancers often fall through data gaps on employment statistics, while without formal employment structures,...

The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang remake has found its director. The 1968 musical fantasy movie starring Dick Van Dyke is among the iconic actor's most beloved movies. A remake was previously confirmed to be in development at Amazon MGM Studios, with James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson's Eon Productions attached to the project. The original movie was produced by Broccoli's father, Albert R. Broccoli.

Variety has now confirmed that Matilda the Musical's Matthew Warchus will direct Amazon's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang remake. In addition to Matilda the Musical, Warchus directed the 2014 movie Pride starring Bill Nighy, and has directed numerous musicals and plays, including God of Carnage, for which he won a Tony Award. The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang remake script is being written by the screenwriter and Tony Award-winning playwright Enda Walsh.

What This Means For The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Remake Development Is Moving Quickly...

The Artful Dodger has been renewed for a second season. Hulu has picked up the period drama series for eight new episodes, which will follow the events of season one. Production will begin in early 2025 in Sydney, Australia.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster, David Thewlis, Maia Mitchell, Damon Herriman, Tim Minchin, Miranda Tapsell, Luke Carroll, Kim Gyngell, Vivienne Awosoga, Nicholas Burton, Susie Porter, Damien Garvey, Lucy-Rose Leonard, Jessica De Gouw, and Andrea Demetriades star in the series, which is follow up to Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist.

Read More…...

Welcome to the surreal world of Scarygirl, an imaginative animated adventure brought to life by Australian creative talents. Produced in 2022, the film tells the story of Arkie, a part-octopus girl who sets off on a quest to rescue her father from the diabolical Doctor Maybee. Along the way, viewers are treated to a vibrant visual spectacular that draws influence from comics, video games, and contemporary animators.

Arkie calls a beautiful seaside peninsula home. She lives there with her father Blister, a gentle giant of an octopus with a special gift for regeneration. Arkie too possesses unique abilities and a curious mind that lead her on adventures. But when Blister is captured, Arkie must venture into the intriguing yet intimidating City of Light to save him. There, under the governance of the sinister Doctor Maybee, dark secrets and danger lurk around every corner.

Through Arkie’s journey, Scarygirl weaves themes of bravery,...

"Who is Matilda Wormwood if not Carrie White without religious trauma?" This is a joke I made when interviewing "Abigail" directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett for the /Film Daily podcast after complimenting them on their decision to cast Netflix's "Matilda the Musical" star Alisha Weir as their titular ballerina vampire. "Matilda" is one of author Roald Dahl's most beloved characters, offering children both the fantastical wish-fulfillment of having telekinetic superpowers, as well as the ever-important message that reading is cool. The 1988 novel has been adapted multiple times across various media, most notably the 1996 feature film directed by Danny DeVito and starring Mara Wilson, the two-part BBC Radio 4 special, the stage musical featuring music by Tim Minchin and Dennis Kelly, and the Netflix film adaptation of said musical.

"Matilda" consistently ranks as one of the most important children's novels and she was even given a Royal Mail...

Nicole Scherzinger, Succession star Sarah Snook, Game of Thrones and Sherlock actor Mark Gatiss, a revival of the musical Sunset Boulevard and the play Stranger Things: The First Shadow were among the winners at the 2024 Olivier Awards, which celebrate achievements in London theater. The ceremony at Royal Albert Hall in the British capital was hosted by Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham.

The revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s Sunset Boulevard, which has starred Scherzinger as Norma Desmond and is set to come to Broadway this year, won the best musical revival award, the best actress honor for the former Pussycat Dolls singer and five other honors after also leading the nominations with 11.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a prequel to the Netflix hit series, which has hinted at its Broadway ambitions, won the best new entertainment or comedy play award, as well as the Olivier for best set design.

Dear England,...

Sarah Snook, Sarah Jessica Parker, Andrew Scott and David Tennant were among the nominees for the 2024 Olivier Awards, which celebrate achievements in London theater.

Parker was nominated for best actress for her role in Plaza Suite, opposite her husband, Matthew Broderick, while Snook was nominated in the same category for her one-woman take on The Picture of Dorian Gray. Tennant was nominated for best actor for his role in Macbeth, in the same category as Andrew Scott, in a one-man version of Vanya.

Sunset Boulevard, which starred Nicole Scherzinger, who is also nominated, and is set to come to Broadway next year, received 11 nominations, while Dear England, a play by James Graham about an English football manager, received nine nominations. Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a prequel to the television series, which has also hinted at its Broadway ambitions, is up for best new entertainment or comedy play.

The Olivier...

Stars including Sarah Jessica Parker, Sarah Snook, Andrew Scott and David Tennant will compete for Olivier Awards at the UK’s most prestigious theater ceremony next month.

The Sex and the City stars is up for Best Actress for her performance in Plaza Suite – her first Olivier – while Succession’s Snook has picked up a nod for her critically-acclaimed performance as 26 characters in The Picture of Dorian Gray.

In the Best Actor category, Scott’s performance in Vanya will come up against Tennant’s role in Macbeth, while the starry nominee list also includes Joseph Fiennes for Dear England, which is being made into a BBC series, Mark Gatiss for The Motive And The Cue and James Norton in A Little Life.

Other notable nominations include for singer Nicole Scherzinger in Sunset Boulevard, where she has picked up a nod for Best Actress in a Musical. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s...

Before she took on the title of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon, and before she was cast as the Dcu's Supergirl, Milly Alcock was already giving award-winning performances. In her breakout role, Alcock starred alongside actor and musician Tim Minchin in a road trip series called Upright. Not even 20 years old, Alcock gives a multifaceted performance as the young Meg Adams, who, by accident, literally crashes Lucky's (Minchin) life. After getting cast in the show, Alcock, then 18, dropped out of school to fully pursue acting. While some might call that a risky move, it proved fruitful. With two full seasons, if you were a fan of Alcock during her short time on House of the Dragon or if you're looking forward to her suiting up as a Kryptonian, Upright needs to be on your watchlist.

Just in time for the holiday season, Hulu's irreverent Charles Dickens-inspired action-adventure drama The Artful Dodger is premiering, featuring Thomas Brodie-Sangster as the eponymous Artful Dodger. The cast is filled with familiar faces, including Maia Mitchell as Lady Belle Fox, Damon Herriman as Captain Lucien Gaines, musician and composer Tim Minchin as Darius Cracksworth, and legendary British actor David Thewlis as an unexpected face from The Dodger's past. The first episode is written by series creator and showrunner James McNamara, directed by Jeffrey Walker, with director of photography Damian Wyvill.

Picking up fifteen years after the conclusion of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, The Artful Dodger revives one of his most iconic characters, elaborating the future of a character that was originally conceived of almost two centuries ago. Late in the novel Oliver Twist, it is briefly alluded that The Artful Dodger, real name Jack Dawkins, has been caught...

The Hulu television series "The Artful Dodger" takes place 15 years after the events of "Oliver Twist." Thomas Brodie-Sangster plays the titular character, Jack Dawkins/the Artful Dodger, who is haunted by his past. The cast includes familiar names like David Thewlis, Maia Mitchell, Damon Herriman, Tim Minchin, and Damien Garvey, among others.

The Artful Dodger tells the story of Jack Dawkins, a young surgeon in Australia in the 1850s who often gets himself in trouble, and the cast list contains a handful of familiar names. The 2023 Hulu television series is based on characters from Charles Dickens's 1838 novel, Oliver Twist. However, instead of being yet another adaptation of the famous novel, the show puts its own spin on the story by taking place 15 years following the events of Oliver Twist. As a result, the majority of characters are original and created for the series, while two are pulled directly from Dickens's work.

David Thewlis and Damon Herriman can’t contain their enthusiasm for The Artful Dodger. The duo costar alongside Thomas Brodie-Sangster in Hulu’s breathtakingly fun Charles Dickens tale, which catapults the Oliver Twist character Jack Dawkins/Dodger (Brodie-Sangster) into 1850s Australia, where he’s intent on being a top surgeon. If only he can clear his debts and fend off a rag-tag team of sinister fellas out to get him.

Created by James McNamara, David Maher, and David Taylor, the series also stars Maia Mitchell (Good Trouble), Damien Garvey (Harrow), Lucy-Rose Leonard, Robert McFarlane, Tim Minchin (Upright), and a bevy of other stars. Bound to be one of the finest offerings Hulu delivers this year, The Artful Dodger moves at a breezy pace in its elaborate 19th century setting. David Thewlis and Damon Herriman opened up about taking on their roles and much more in this exclusive MovieWeb interview, and...

Mel Giedroyc in a musical version of one of the best British rom coms of the 2000s, Starter For Ten? Sign us up!

We here at Film Stories love a bit of theatre. Theatre based on films, even better. Give us some theatre based on films starring national treasure Mel Giedroyc and we might just explode.

Our many limbs were scattered to the winds, then, when this little tidbit entered our inbox. The Bristol Old Vic are putting on the world premiere of a new musical based on David Nicholls’ noughties classic, Starter For Ten.

Check out the synopsis, and a music video for the first song from the musical, below:

“What is eighteen-year-old Brian Jackson’s proudest achievement to date? His A-level results. His idol? Kate Bush. His lifelong dream? To compete on legendary TV quiz show University Challenge. It’s 1985 and, leaving Southend to start his first year at Bristol University,...

At the end of Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist, Jack Dawkins, the impish pickpocket known as the Artful Dodger, is presumably transported from London to Australia after being caught attempting to pickpocket. Fagin, the old man who masterminded the gang of juvenile criminals of which Dawkins was a part, had abandoned him, while Oliver Twist had been delivered back into the hands of his wealthy benefactor.

James McNamara and Jeffrey Walker’s The Artful Dodger sees “Dodge” (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) living lawfully in Australia years later. Always renowned for his fast fingers, he has traded life as a pickpocket for a distinguished career as a surgeon. All would be well except that Dodge has racked up a sizeable gambling debt with a cards cheat, Darius (Tim Minchin), who’s threatened to cut off one of his hands unless he pays the money in full.

Dodge’s quest to find the required...

The Artful Dodger is coming soon to Hulu, and viewers are getting another look at the drama series based on the work of Charles Dickens. The streaming service has released a new trailer and poster for the series.

Starring Thomas Brodie-Sangster, David Thewlis, Maia Mitchell, Damon Herriman, Tim Minchin, Miranda Tapsell, Luke Carroll, Kim Gyngell, Vivienne Awosoga, Nicholas Burton, Susie Porter, Damien Garvey, Lucy-Rose Leonard, Jessica De Gouw, and Andrea Demetriades, the series is set in 1850s Australia and follows the life of an adult Jack Dawkins, aka the Artful Dodger from Dickens' 1838 novel, Oliver Twist.

Read More…...

Hulu’s official trailer for The Artful Dodger shows Thomas Brodie-Sangster as the titular character trying to pass as a doctor and a gentleman before being reluctantly drawn back into a life of crime. The eight-episode Australian original series will premiere on Hulu on November 29, 2023, with all episodes dropping at once.

Brodie-Sangster stars as Jack Dawkins (also known as The Artful Dodger), David Thewlis is Fagin, and Maia Mitchell is Lady Belle Fox. Damon Herriman, Tim Minchin, Miranda Tapsell, Susie Porter, Damien Garvey, Kym Gyngell, Vivienne Awosoga, and Albert Latailakepa also star.

James McNamara, David Maher, and David Taylor created the series based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel, with McNamara writing and executive producing along with Andrew Knight. Executive producer Jeffrey Walker directs and Ross Allsop serves as a producer. Additional executive producers include Curio Pictures’ Jo Porter and Beach Road Pictures’ David Maher and David Taylor.

“The Artful Dodger...

Hulu is ready to bring bibliophiles on a grand adventure with The Artful Dodger trailer, starring Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Charles Dickens‘ famous Prince of Thieves, Jack Dawkins! All eight episodes of the action-packed series premiere on Hulu on Wednesday, November 29!

Here’s the official synopsis for The Artful Dodger:

The Artful Dodger explores the adult double life of Charles Dickens’ famous prince of thieves, Jack Dawkins, aka The Artful Dodger, whose fast pickpocketing fingers have turned into the skilled hands of a surgeon.

Set in 1850s Australia, in the lively colony of Port Victory, Dodger’s past returns to haunt him with the arrival of Fagin, luring him back into a world of crime. A greater threat – to Dodger’s heart – is Lady Belle, the Governor’s daughter, determined to become the colony’s first female surgeon.

From heists to life-and-death surgeries to the harsh realities of the criminal...

"This isn't London, Jack. There's nowhere to hide..." Hulu has revealed the official trailer for The Artful Dodger, a spin on Charles Dickens' classic story Oliver Twist. Set in 1850s Australia the series follows adult double life of Charles Dickens' famous prince of thieves Dodger, now a surgeon, but who can't shake his predilection for crime. Dodger's past returns to haunt him with the arrival of Fagin, who wants to lure him back into a world of crime. And an even greater threat — to Dodger's heart — is Lady Belle Fox (as played by Maia Mitchell), the Governor's daughter, who is determined to become the colony’s first female surgeon. The series stars talented young actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Jack Dawkins, with David Thewlis (looking grimy), Damon Herriman, Tim Minchin, Miranda Tapsell, Luke Carroll, Kim Gyngell, Vivienne Awosoga, and Nicholas Burton. It looks quite fun, a pick-pocket series about thieves getting back together,...

Disney+ has unveiled the official trailer for ‘The Artful Dodger,’ its latest Australian Original series which will premiere all eight episodes on January 17, 2024 in the UK and Ireland.

Set in 1850s Australia, in the lively colony of Port Victory, Jack Dawkins, aka The Artful Dodger, is now a surgeon who still has a penchant for crime. When Dodger’s past returns to haunt him with the arrival of Fagin, he is lured back into a world of crime. From heists to life-and-death surgeries, to the harsh realities of the criminal world mingling with the middle ground and gentry, this is a tale of reinvention, betrayal, redemption, and love with a twist.

The cast includes Thomas Brodie-Sangster, as Jack Dawkins aka The Artful Dodger; David Thewlis as Fagin; and Maia Mitchell as Lady Belle Fox. An all-star Australian lineup of talent completes the cast, featuring Damon Herriman, Tim Minchin, Miranda Tapsell,...

Heartfelt adventure film about a young girl overcoming her fears has half-baked environmental messages and mistakes colour for creativity

Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email

Scarygirl is one of those animated productions so loaded with colour and bling, so lit up like a pinball machine, that merely absorbing it makes you feel old. While watching I couldn’t help but wonder if today’s youth consume too many flashing lights and loud noises – and, by the way, keep it down, some of us have to work in the morning.

Once accustomed to the film’s retina-straining shininess, it became increasingly clear the creative elements conjured by the directors Ricard Cussó and Tania Vincent are relegated almost entirely to the surface, because under the hood it’s very familiar indeed. An archetypal hero’s journey in which a youngster heeds the call of adventure, steps out of their comfort zone...

"If you have any ambition, then you have you fight for it." Hulu has revealed the first teaser trailer for a series called The Artful Dodger, a spin on Charles Dickens' classic story Oliver Twist, this time down in Oz. Set in 1850s Australia the series follows adult double life of Charles Dickens' famous prince of thieves Dodger, now a surgeon, but who can't shake his predilection for crime. Dodger's past returns to haunt him with the arrival of Fagin, who wants to lure him back into a world of crime. And an even greater threat — to Dodger's heart — is Lady Belle Fox (played by Maia Mitchell), the Governor's daughter, who is determined to become the colony’s first female surgeon. Starring talented young actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Jack Dawkins, along with David Thewlis, Damon Herriman, Tim Minchin, Miranda Tapsell, Luke Carroll, Kim Gyngell, Vivienne Awosoga, and Nicholas Burton. This actually looks quite good,...

The Artful Dodger is set to arrive in November, and viewers are getting another look at the eight-episode series ahead of its premiere. Hulu has released a trailer and new key art for the historical series based on the adult life of the popular character from the Oliver Twist novel by Charles Dickens.

Starring Thomas Brodie-Sangster, David Thewlis, Maia Mitchell, Damon Herriman, Tim Minchin, Miranda Tapsell, Luke Carroll, Kim Gyngell, Vivienne Awosoga, Nicholas Burton, Susie Porter, Damien Garvey, Lucy-Rose Leonard, Jessica De Gouw, and Andrea Demetriades, the series follows an adult Jack Dawkins in 1850s Australia.

Read More…...

Thomas Brodie-Sangster takes on the iconic character of the Artful Dodger in Hulu's upcoming series based on Oliver Twist. Oliver Twist is a highly acclaimed 19th-century novel that provides a vivid depiction of life during the Victorian era in London, particularly from the perspective of a young orphan. The Artful Dodger series is set in 1850s Australia and follows the adult life of Charles Dickens' famous thief, exploring themes of reinvention, betrayal, redemption, and love with a twist.

The Maze Runner star Thomas Brodie-Sangster becomes an iconic character from Oliver Twist in The Artful Dodger, Hulu's upcoming original series premiering November 29. Published between 1837 and 1839 in the magazine Bentley's Miscellany, Oliver Twist is one of the most acclaimed novels of the entire 19th century, of the entire Dickens bibliography, and in the history of literature. The story perfectly describes life on the Victorian era in London, from the perspective of a young orphan.

Exclusive: We’re getting an exclusive look at the first footage and key art from Hulu original The Artful Dodger, Disney’s Australian series starring Thomas Brodie-Sangster, David Thewlis and Maia Mitchell. It’s set to premiere Wednesday, November 29 on Hulu in the U.S.

Billed as an irreverent follow-up to Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist exploring the adult double life of the famous prince of thieves, the series is set in 1850s Australia where Jack Dawkins, aka young rogue The Artful Dodger (Brodie-Sangster), is now all grown up and has transferred his skills as a pickpocket to the nimble fingers of a surgeon.

His past returns to haunt him with the arrival of Fagin (Thewlis), luring him back into a world of crime, while the local governor’s daughter (Mitchell), who is determined to become the colony’s first female surgeon, appears to be a greater threat, at least to his heart.

Not so long ago, the only Australian TV shows imported by the UK and US were soaps and the odd kids’ series. Neighbours, Home & Away, Prisoner: Cell Block H, Heartbreak High, and child trauma factory Round the Twist went overseas, but not much else.

It didn’t make for a very complete picture. 30 years ago, if you’d asked a British person to conjure up Australia based solely on its available TV output, they’d have pictured a land of bait shops, haunted lighthouses, prison wings, and cul de sacs where good neighbours become good friends. Ask one now, and thanks to streaming, it’d be a much broader church, based on viewing comedies, thrillers, dramas, detective shows and more.

Here are some of the best Australian TV series currently available to stream in the UK and US. We’ll update this selection as new series arrive.

Mr Inbetween...

The Artful Dodger has a premiere date. The new Hulu series, inspired by the character in Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist novel, will arrive in November, and first-look photos have been released.

Starring Thomas Brodie-Sangster, David Thewlis, Maia Mitchell, Damon Herriman, Tim Minchin, Miranda Tapsell, Luke Carroll, Kim Gyngell, Vivienne Awosoga, Nicholas Burton, Susie Porter, Damien Garvey, Lucy-Rose Leonard, Jessica De Gouw, and Andrea Demetriades, the series follows the double life of the adult Jack Dawkins in 1850s Australia. Eight episodes were produced.

Read More…...

One of literature’s most famous pickpockets is on the prowl again.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster (The Queen’s Gambit, Game of Thrones) stars in Hulu’s The Artful Dodger, which will premiere Wednesday, Nov. 29, the streamer announced on Wednesday. The Australian import is billed as “an irreverent follow-up to Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist exploring the adult double life of the famous prince of thieves,” per the official description.

More from TVLineSaturday Night Live Sets Return Date; Pete Davidson to Host Season 49 PremiereThe Drew Barrymore Show Sets Season 4 Return Following Strike Snafu - Get New Premiere DateIt's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: The...

Parents play a vital role in the upbringing of a child by instilling in them basic values, mannerisms, morals, and preparing them for the real world. But when they neglect their own offspring, it might lead to bitter consequences in the future, affecting a kid's psychological and mental health. In fact, Hollywood has shown us numerous portrayals of what bad parenting looks like while making us think that the child deserves to be treated better. Indeed, Matilda the Musical is one such movie that teaches us the lessons of being kind, standing up against bullies, helping others, and never letting go of dreams, no matter the circumstances.

More importantly, the Netflix film also sheds light on how parents should treat their children with equality, love, and affection rather than just ignoring them and making them long for good caregivers. Directed by Matthew Warchus, Matilda the Musical is based on Roald Dahl...

It is, unignorably, right there in the title: Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical. The 1996 American movie adaptation of Dahl’s 1988 children’s book might have snuck by under the unassuming name of just plain Matilda, but the 2022 film version came with a warning: this is a Roald Dahl tale; expect pain.

Dahl stories don’t shield young readers from danger, they delight in showing it off from every angle. His imaginary worlds aren’t places of safety where adults are uniformly kind and kids are adored, they’re places where cruelty thrives… until it’s made to stop. Sadistic teachers, nasty grandmothers, giant bullies and abusive aunts all operate with impunity, right up until the point that they’re dealt with. Ejected with telekinesis, shrunk by a magical potion, trapped in a massive pit, crushed to death by a giant peach… Goodness wins out, but first, it has a fight on its hands.

In December 2022, the critically acclaimed, mega-successful stage musical based on Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s book Matilda came to cinemas translated into a punchy, inventive feature film. Written by playwright and screenwriter Dennis Kelly with songs and lyrics by comedian and writer Tim Minchin (Upright), the musical – like the book – is a terrific blend of poignancy and rebellious satire.

Famously adapted for a 1996 American feature film starring writer Mara Wilson in the title role, Matilda is the story of an extraordinary young girl born into a neglectful family who are unable to see, or appreciate her uniqueness. Matilda Wormwood isn’t just an academic genius, and when she goes up against the cruel, child-hating headmistress Miss Trunchbull, she uses her powers to right a generational wrong.

The new film retains the original musical’s anarchic heart, chiefly by retaining its director Matthew Warchus, who pulled the whole thing together...

"We shouldn't have to change... No one should." Madman Films in Australia has unveiled an official trailer for a new animated movie called Scarygirl, based on an original idea by creator Nathan Jurevicius. This recently premiered at the 2023 Sydney Film Festival in Australia, hence why this new trailer is out now to follow up that debut. Arkie is an adopted 12-year-old girl, blind in one eye and with a tentacle-like arm, who lives on an isolated peninsula with her over-protective father Blister, a giant octopus. When her world is threatened by a loss of sunlight, a young girl must overcome her fears and journey to a fantastical city, save her father from a mysterious scientist and prevent the destruction of her planet. Starring Jillian Nguyen as the voice of Arkie, plus Sam Neill, Tim Minchin, Anna Torv, Liv Hewson, Mark Coles Smith, Deborah Mailman, and Dylan Alcott. Wow this looks way better than expected.

That's right, woodchuck-checkers, it's Groundhog Day Day! The sensational musical adaptation of the beloved Harold Ramis/Bill Murray comedy is now back on the London stage at The Old Vic.

In this interview special, Chris Hewitt sits down with Danny Rubin, writer of the original movie and the book for the musical, Tim Minchin, the mastermind behind the music and lyrics, and director Matthew Warchus, to talk about taking another bite of the cherry, the songs of the musical, its ill-fated Broadway stint, and much, much more. Enjoy.

Listen to the episode on the pod app of your choice — or via the PlanetRadio player above.

He’s the anarchic comedian behind the musicals Matilda and Groundhog Day. He talks about dashed Hollywood hopes, the dangers of modernising Roald Dahl and feeling out of step with his progressive fanbase

The Australian composer and entertainer Tim Minchin sits outside a rehearsal room in London. It is a pleasant day in April. Tooled up on tea and creative adrenaline, talking quickly and well, the 47-year-old is comparing the experience of working on two big stage musicals. In 2010, there was Matilda, the planet-devouring omni-smash, which flourished in the West End, on Broadway and on family car journeys, transforming Minchin from an anarchic musical comedian who could fill a good-sized room at the Edinburgh festival into a feted and wealthy man. “I mean, Matilda, fuck,” is all the loquacious Minchin can say about that show’s successes for now. More interesting to him, because more troubled, was the follow-up, Groundhog Day,...

Chloé Hayden has taken the world by storm, not only for her role as Quinni in the popular Netflix series Heartbreak High, but for her authenticity as an advocate for disability rights and diversity. Now, Chloé has teamed up with Nova Entertainment to launch the new original podcast Boldly Me, launching today.

‘Boldly Me’ will see Chloé Hayden interview people who, just like herself, are living life boldly as their true selves. Each episode will see Chloé joined in conversation with someone known for living their life authentically and with confidence, sharing everything from life lessons to advice for overcoming challenges, and learning to embrace your sparkle. ‘Boldly Me’ will be the perfect companion for anyone needing a confidence boost to fully embrace their most authentic self.

Guests include high-profile names including Grace Tame, Nedd Brockmann, Deni Todorovic, Dylan Alcott, Tim Minchin, Brihony Dawson and Rj Mitte, alongside many interesting...

Remember how you felt after watching Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse for the first time? Exhilarated, slightly speechless, strongly considering going straight back to the box office and getting another ticket to launch yourself straight back in? Same. Now, its sequel Across the Spider-Verse is almost here to leave you feeling like that all over again, and the new issue of Empire is about to take you through the wormhole and into the Spider-Verse itself. We’ve caught up with Miles Morales Dr. Seuss movie The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. Warning: contains scenes of child actors going mad with their pay cheques, gorging on hot dogs and vomiting all over the set.

The Deep Dive: Musso & Frank

You know Musso & Frank, even if you’ve never popped in for a quick lobster thermidor. Its wood-panelled walls and plush bar have featured in Ocean’s Eleven, Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood, Ed Wood,...

The Late Late Show is (soon to be) dead; long live @midnight! Last week came word that CBS will end The Late Late Show after host James Corden’s departure this spring and replace that long-running talk show with a reboot of the 2010s-era show @midnight. According to Deadline, which reported the news, Stephen Colbert would exec-produce the new @midnight, which would again be a Funny or Die production. In case you missed the original @midnight, the Comedy Central show aired 600 episodes between 2013 and 2017, with Chris Hardwick hosting the improvisational, Internet-focused game show. Hardwick isn’t expected to be a part of the rebooted version, but as seen in the sidesplitting clips below, the format is a winner. Rip.gov After coming across a treasure trove of bizarre government websites, @midnight had Tim Minchin, Rich Fulcher, and Rhys Darby (of Our Flag Means Death fame) imagine other absurd .gov sites — including AlloGuv.

To mark the release of Upright Season 2 on 27th February, we’ve been given a DVD copy of Season 2 to give away to one winner.

It’s four years since we left the adventurous pair. Lucky (Tim Minchin) has returned to Sydney where he’s finally achieved the musical success he’s always longed for…. but fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be… now he’s an emotional mess, with a drinking problem and his relationship with his TV star girlfriend is on the rocks. As if things couldn’t get any more chaotic, there’s a knock on the door… Meg (Milly Alcock) is back, and she needs Lucky’s help.

Trading the desert for the steamy tropics of Queensland, Lucky and Meg embark on a new quest – to find Meg’s mum, Linda, who left when she was a child. But things don’t always run smoothly…...

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical has grossed over 33M in UK cinemas since its release on November 25 last year, picking up two BAFTA nominations along the way. In a unique deal, Sony/TriStar retained UK rights to the movie while Netflix financed the pic and took the rest of the world, debuting it on the service December 25 where it landed at No. 2 in the global Top 10 of English-language movies.

The Matthew Warchus-directed charmer then remained in the Top 10 every week through the end of January, logging over 77M viewing hours, and continued to perform in UK theaters. Meanwhile, Sony this year launched a sing-along version to play alongside the regular version in select UK cinemas.

At BAFTA this weekend, Matilda, starring Alisha Weir, Emma Thompson, Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough, is up for Outstanding British Film and Make Up And Hair. Its UK box office exceeds...

One of my favorite songs to listen to around the holiday season is British-Australian musician/comedian Tim Minchin of "Matilda the Musical" and "Back to the Outback" fame's delightful "White Wine in the Sun." It's a really beautiful song about why Christmas can still be enjoyed by people who aren't religious and find the gross display of commercialism pretty egregious. It's also one of the few holiday songs that isn't constantly mentioning snow, cold, or a burning fire. Minchin celebrates the day in Australia, which means December 25th falls during the summer season — hence drinking white wine in the sun.

Whenever this song is played on my wife and I's annual holiday playlist, there's always at least one person who hears the lyrics and is incredibly confused by the sentiment of Christmas being warm and sunny. My response is usually the same — "I, uh, don't know how to explain the...

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical Review — Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical (2022) Film Review, a movie directed by Matthew Warchus, written by Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin and starring Alisha Weir, Emma Thompson, Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough, Carl Spencer, Lauren Alexandra, Winter Jarrett-Glasspool, Meesha Garbett, Katherine Kingsley, James Laurenson and Ann [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Roald Dahl’S Matilda The Musical (2022): An Overlong but Endearing Family Film with Likable Performers...

There's nothing like a "Top 10 Movies of the Year" list to make me realize just how deeply cursed the United Kingdom is when it comes to movie distribution.

"Tár"? I don't know her, and won't get the chance until midway through January. "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On"? Sounds cute! I look forward to checking it out in February, seven months after the United States release. "Pearl"? It would be faster to import the U.S. Blu-ray than to wait for the UK theatrical release in March of 2023. "On the Count of Three"? There's seemingly no intention of releasing Jerrod Carmichael's feature directorial debut over here at all. Somehow, and I don't know how, Brexit is to blame for this.

Fortunately, every now and then, a movie does manage to make the journey across the Atlantic to bless our humble screens. This year brought some true gems from the U.

Plot: Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical is an inspirational musical tale of an extraordinary girl who discovers her superpower and summons the remarkable courage, against all odds, to help others change their stories, whilst also taking charge of her own destiny. Standing up for what’s right, she’s met with miraculous results.

Review: Roald Dahl’s novels have long made for wonderful cinematic adaptations from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to James and the Giant Peach, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Witches, and The Bfg. While Danny DeVito’s 1996 adaptation has remained a cult and nostalgiac favorite for many, the 2011 stage musical brought a more faithful and expansive take on Dahl’s beloved novel about a little girl with big brains and bigger superpowers. In the decade since it hit the stage, an adaptation of Matilda The Musical has been in the works and now has debuted...

Netflix UK users have vented their fury after Matilda the Musical began streaming in the US.

The acclaimed musical film, adapted from Tim Minchin’s hit stage show, launched on the US version of the streaming site over Christmas, and currently sits near the top of its most-watched ranking.

However, because the film was given a full theatrical release in Britain by Sony’s TriStar Pictures banner, it will not arrive on Netflix UK until summer 2023.

It is of course, a double-edged sword, with many in the US lamenting the lack of a proper cinematic release for a film that has been praised as a “frothy, whimsical delight” by The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey.

Nonetheless, many in the UK have bemoaned the delay between its streaming releases each side of the Atlantic.

“I’d been excited to watch Matilda the Musical all day and just realised it’s not added...

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, an adaptation of the hit stage musical, came to Netflix on Christmas day and features 13 songs, and the musical numbers are all memorable in their own way. Matilda the Musical was the first musical by composer and lyricist Tim Minchin, who has a background as a theater actor and musical comedian. Of the 13 songs in the film, all but one had appeared in the stage show, with Minchin having composed a brand-new finale number. Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical is full of musical numbers ranging from soft ballads to large ensemble numbers that make for an interesting ranking.

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical is not Netflix’s first movie musical adapted from a stage show, recently having distributed adaptations of Jason Robert Brown’s 13: The Musical and Jonathan Larson’s Tick, Tick … Boom, the latter being the critically acclaimed directorial debut of Lin Manuel Miranda.

After star actor Emma Thompson was injured on the set of Matilda the Musical, she questioned if she would really be able to complete the necessary stunts. Matilda the Musical, an adaptation of Raold Dahl's Matilda, was released on Netlix in December 2022. The project promises to follow the adventures of the young genius Matilda Wormwood (Alisha Weir) and her conflict with an authoritarian headmistress, Miss Trunchbull (Emma Thompson), who wants nothing more than to crush Matilda's spirits and see her fail. Unfortunately for Trunchbull, Matilda's telekinesis makes that mission considerably more difficult.

With Matilda's powers in play, there are some stunts in the production. For Thompson, who broke her ankle partway through production, that makes filming Matilda the Musical considerably more difficult, especially when she also has to contend with her bodysuit and the prosthetics required for the role. To make matters even more challenging, singing and dancing are critical parts of any musical,...

Roald Dahl’s 1988 children’s novel “Matilda” is a beloved, acclaimed book — consistently named one of the best children’s books of all time — for good reason. Dahl was the kind of writer who expressed universal truths about the harshness of childhood and the darker aspects of life as a kid by mining his own childhood experiences and woes, affording his underdog protagonists the kind of wildly imaginative adventures and fantastical comeuppance of which a kid could only dream.

In “Matilda,” as in Stephen King’s “Carrie,” a bookish, abused, and neglected girl asserts her own empowerment against the brawny bullies of the world using her brains; it’s a redemptive and hopeful fable for the scrawny bookworms of the world. That unlikely hero’s story, written with an emotional depth not often afforded to children’s literature, is what makes “Matilda” such a resonant classic, a story to be returned to again and again.

Also out during the Christmas and New Year period: ’Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical Singalong’ and ’Peter von Kant’.

In a special festive edition of the UK-Ireland box office preview, Screen has pulled together all the new titles to hit cinemas from December 23 up until January 1, including Corsage, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody and a singalong version of Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical.

Out this weekend (December 23) is Wildcat for Dogwoof, in partnership with Amazon Studios. The documentary, which premiered this year at Telluride, follows a British soldier grappling with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after...

Also out during the Christmas and New Year period: ’Corsage’ and ’Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody’.

In a special festive edition of the UK-Ireland box office preview, Screen has pulled together all the new titles to hit cinemas from December 23 up until January 1. A singalong version of Road Dahl’s Matilda The Musical is the widest release of the period, set to play at 775 locations from January 1.

Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical is directed by Matthew Warchus, with Dennis Kelly writing and Tim Minchin composing, and is based on the stage musical created by the same trio.

Tim Minchin: Back is available to own on DVD, Blu-ray and digital from 12th December and to celebrate, we are offering 3 lucky readers the chance to win a copy of the Blu-ray.

The critically acclaimed show was watched by thousands of fans across a total of 133 shows in 39 venues around the world, which also makes Minchin the #1 selling solo performer in Australia and New Zealand since 2019. Now, UK and Eire have the chance to relive the show.

Filmed live at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, with an 8-person band, Tim Minchin: Back is a comedy and music extravaganza that critics have called “Spectacular” (The Times) and a “Roof-raising return” (The Sunday Telegraph). Minchin is the composer-lyricist of the hit musical, Matilda, which won 85 international awards and recently celebrated 10 years on the West End. His second musical, Groundhog Day, won the Best Musical Olivier Award (West End) and was nominated...

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical star Emma Thompson details her grueling transformation process to become Miss Trunchbull. Originally based on Roald Dahl's popular 1988 novel Matilda, the film is a movie adaptation of the 2011 stage musical of the same name. Matilda the Musical tells the story of a precocious young girl who is neglected by her family. When Matilda (Alisha Weir) finally attends school, she befriends her teacher, Miss Jennifer Honey (Lashana Lynch), while avoiding the wrath of tyrannical headmistress, Miss Agatha Trunchbull.

While at the Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical New York premiere, Thompson spoke with Variety and broke down her exhausting transformation process to become Miss Trunchbull. The actor explained that it would take three and a half hours a day to apply makeup, facial prosthetics, and an assortment of paddings. Read what Thompson described below:

“‘Cruella’ was a long time, actually, but this was the longest. There’s an actual body suit,...