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Marisa Tomei, who is attending the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia this week, is looking for film and stage roles that address the themes confronting women in the post #MeToo era, she tells Variety.

Tomei, who won the 1993 Oscar for best actress in a supporting role for “My Cousin Vinny” and received Oscar nominations in the same category for “In the Bedroom” in 2002 and “The Wrestler” in 2009, plays an outspoken psychologist in Ann Marie Allison’s debut feature “You’re Dating a Narcissist!,” now in post. The film will hit the festival circuit early next year. Allison recently wrote the screenplay for Jocelyn Moorhouse’s “The Fabulous Four,” starring Susan Sarandon and Bette Midler.

Tomei explains that the story for “You’re Dating a Narcissist!” revolves around a mother-daughter relationship. “My character is a psychologist who is trying to warn her daughter about this prevalent syndrome. She’s a...

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Paramount+ is ready with an entertainment-packed December this year. The upcoming month will see the premiere of some of the best Paramount+ original shows including Dexter: Original Sin and the streaming release of the comedy film The Fabulous Four. Just like every month, Paramount+ is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 5 best movies and TV shows coming to Paramount+ in December 2024.

King Richard (December 1) Credit – Warner Bros.

King Richard is a biographical sports drama film directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green from a screenplay by Zach Baylin. Based on the true stories of Serena, Venus, and Richard Williams, the 2021 film revolves around Venus and Serena Williams who rise to the top in the world of women’s tennis with the help and support of their strict father Richard Williams.

Susan Sarandon, Megan Mullally, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Bette Midler in The Fabulous Four. Courtesy of Bleecker Street

Bette Midler. Susan Sarandon, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Megan Mullally are the fabulous four actresses cast as best friends in The Fabulous Four, the latest comedy entry in the recent string of gal pal comedies featuring older, big-name actresses and silly antics. I might call them “broad comedies” but then someone might slap me (insert rim shot). While some of those comedies have been a bit forced, leaning heavily on too-familiar jokes, The Fabulous Four is fun, a lighter and more relaxed version, and less fully-packed with far-fetched comic bits. This femme-centric comedy about aging, friendship and new beginnings is femme-helmed too, with Australian writer/director Jocelyn Moorhouse at the helm and scriptwriters Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly backing her up.

In The Fabulous Four, four women who have been friends for decades,...

The Fabulous Four has a solid main story about friendship, but lacks depth in certain subplots and characters. The film successfully balances comedy with heartfelt moments, thanks to the cast's chemistry and genuine performances. Despite some underdeveloped elements, The Fabulous Four is an engaging and fun movie that explores the complexities of friendship.

The Fabulous Four (2024) is a very straightforward movie, though it doesnt get to the root of its problem until the end is upon us, and were lulled into the safety of a cheerful happy ending. The film contends with a strained friendship that fell apart because of a man and a lack of communication over hurt feelings. While I immediately wanted to sigh in frustration because of the reason, Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Millys script, while silly, doesnt treat it lightly. With a game and, dare I say, fabulous cast, the films at least more than its basic premise.

Earlier this summer we had to endure the misbegotten Summer Camp which was yet another attempt by Diane Keaton, joined by Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard, to mix comedy and later-in-life drama in an older female bonding flick. Keaton had great success in the first film that announced this subgenre, 2018’s Book Club, which smartly matched four veteran actresses including Jane Fonda that led to a more mixed-results sequel set in Italy. Fonda also found real success in the subgenre with the entertaining 80 For Brady with Sally Field, Rita Moreno and Lily Tomlin along for the ride. Thus it seemed natural that other beloved female stars of a certain age would also want to jump on board in this game attempt to reverse Hollywood’s youth obsession and provide a little something-something for aging boomers everywhere.

The Fabulous Four is the latest to try out the formula, and at least...

A huge misfortune befalls “The Fabulous Four” right out of the gate: its resemblance to the delightful and far superior “80 For Brady,” the 2023 comedy in which four aging women reclaim their youth and friendship on a Super Bowl misadventure. “The Fabulous Four” is by no means a knock-off — both films had been written before cameras had rolled on either one — but their similarities make “The Fabulous Four” look worse by comparison, given how little of its humor and drama hold up to the slightest scrutiny.

Rather than a Houston football final, the destination is a wedding in the Florida Keys, which sees four older women (played by stars in their 60s and 70s) reuniting despite a past fallout — whose details trickle out slowly over the course of 98 minutes — and meeting a few handsome gentlemen along the way. Despite the caliber of its cast, “The Fabulous Four” never shakes the...

Whether they travel in groups of three or four, accomplished women of a certain age and their wacky adventures are having a movie moment. The latest entry in this subgenre is a frothy outing that sometimes falls flat, but at least The Fabulous Four doesn’t oversell its theme of friendship or its aha moments of catharsis.

Whatever the feature’s shortcomings, its title is not false advertising; there’s nothing ho-hum about the central quartet of characters, longtime friends who gather when one of them decides, on very short notice, that she’s getting married. As with Book Club, though, the fabulosity is more about the actors — in this case, two true icons (Susan Sarandon and Bette Midler) and two supreme masters of quippery (Sheryl Lee Ralph and Megan Mullally). The opening credits are a valentine to all four.

Director Jocelyn Moorhouse is no stranger to powerhouse female casts,...

The trailer for “The Fabulous Four,” starring Bette Midler, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Megan Mullally and Susan Sarandon has dropped, wedding bells galore.

Per the film’s logline, “‘The Fabulous Four’ is an uproarious comedy about a group of life-long friends who travel to Key West, Fla., to be bridesmaids in the surprise wedding of their best college girlfriend Marilyn (Midler). Over the course of one outrageous trip, sisterhoods are rekindled, the past resurfaces and there are enough sparks, raunch and romance to change all their lives in unexpected ways.”

The trailer sees Marilyn remarrying just two months after her husband died, Lou (Sarandon) coming out of her cat-lady shell and Kitty (Ralph) questioning Lou about a kegel ball Marilyn gave her. The four gear up for Marilyn’s wedding, although not without some bumps in the road, like Marilyn getting dethroned on TikTok by Lou.

The film comes from Southpaw Entertainment and Hantz Motion Pictures,...

Bette Midler, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Megan Mullally and Susan Sarandon are having a very good time in the first trailer for The Fabulous Four.

The comedy follows lifelong friends who come together for what they think is a Key West vacation, only to find out it is the surprise wedding for their recently widowed girlfriend (Midler).

The new spot sees the four friends film TikToks, go parasailing and imbibe some champagne and weed. “Emotionally prepare yourself, Marilyn is on TikTok,” warns Mullally’s Alice, with Ralph’s Kitty offering a worried, “No!”

Jocelyn Moorhouse, who was behind Kate Winslet movie The Dressmaker, directed the movie from a script by Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly.

The Fabulous Four will hit theaters July 26 via Bleecker Street.

Exclusive: Oscar winner Marisa Tomei (Spider-Man: Far From Home), Good Trouble and Joy Ride star Sherry Cola and Cherry star Ciara Bravo have signed on to lead rom-com You’re Dating A Narcissist!

My Cousin Vinny and The Wrestler star Tomei will play an outspoken psychologist, burnt by love, who specializes in toxic relationships. Comedy ensues when she takes an emergency trip to Los Angeles with her best friend (Cola) to talk her smitten daughter (Bravo) out of marrying a man she is convinced is a narcissist.

Also starring are Marco Pigossi (Invisible City) and José María Yazpik (Narcos: Mexico).

Written by Ann Marie Allison (Golden Arm) and Jenna Milly (Golden Arm), the film will serve as Allison’s directorial debut.

Pic will be produced by Allison, Jorge Garcia Castro and The Wonder Company’s (Sacramento) Eric B. Fleischman and Chris Abernathy. Verve Ventures is representing sales.

Allison said: “I...

Sissy Spacek joins Susan Sarandon, Bette Midler and Megan Mullally in cast.

Bleecker Street has acquired North American distribution rights to comedy The Fabulous Four, with Sissy Spacek joining Susan Sarandon, Bette Midler and Megan Mullally to head the cast.

Jocelyn Moorhouse will direct, from a script she wrote with Jenna Milly and Ann Marie Allison, and principal photography is set to begin early next year in Australia. Bleecker is planning a nationwide theatrical release.

The comedy about three life-long friends who travel to Florida to be bridesmaids at the surprise wedding of their college girlfriend will be produced by...

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Bleecker Street has nabbed the North American rights to The Fabulous Four, a wedding comedy that stars Susan Sarandon, Bette Midler, Megan Mullally and Sissy Spacek as the titular foursome.

The feel-good film, to go into production in early 2023 in Australia, will be directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse, who co-wrote the script with Jenna Milly and Ann Marie Allison. Their comedy portrays three lifelong friends, played by Sarandon, Mullally and Spacek, who travel to Florida to be bridesmaids in a surprise wedding of their college girlfriend (Midler).

Once there, sisterhoods are rekindled, the past rises up again in all its glory, and there’s enough sparks, drinks and romance to change all their lives in ways they never expected.

Richard Barton Lewis’ Southpaw Entertainment and Goalpost Pictures’ Rosemary Blight will be producing, while Ben Grant, Kylie du Fresne, Gabrielle Jerou-Tabak, Andrew Karpen and Kent Sanderson...

Bleecker Street has acquired “The Fabulous Four,” a feel-good comedy featuring Susan Sarandon, Bette Midler and Megan Mullally.

Sissy Spacek has also newly joined the cast as the final member of the titular fearsome foursome.

The film, directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse (“The Dressmaker”) from a script she co-wrote with Jenna Milly and Ann Marie Allison, is going into production in early 2023 in Australia. Bleecker Street is planning a nationwide theatrical release, though the exact timing is yet to be determined.

“The Fabulous Four” will follow three life-long friends who travel to Key West, Fla., to be bridesmaids in a surprise wedding of their college girlfriend Marilyn (Midler). Once there, sisterhoods are rekindled, the past rises up again in all its glory, and there’s enough sparks, drinks and romance to change all their lives in ways they never expected.

Richard Barton Lewis of Southpaw Entertainment will produce “The Fabulous Four...

Bleecker Street has taken North American rights to the comedy The Fabulous Four, starring Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon (Feud: Bette and Joan), two-time Academy Award nominee Bette Midler (Hocus Pocus 2) and two-time Emmy winner Megan Mullally (Will & Grace), with Academy Award winner Sissy Spacek (Sam & Kate) coming aboard to round out its core cast.

Production is scheduled to kick off in Australia in early 2023, with Bleecker Street planning a nationwide theatrical release. Sierra/Affinity is repping international rights.

The film from director Jocelyn Moorhouse (The Dressmaker) follows three life-long friends who travel to Key West, Florida to be bridesmaids in the surprise wedding of their college girlfriend Marilyn (Midler). Once there, sisterhoods are rekindled, the past rises up again in all its glory, and there’s enough sparks, drinks and romance to change all their lives in ways they never expected.

The Fabulous Four...

Exclusive: Oscar winner Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise), Oscar nominee Bette Midler (The First Wives Club) and Emmy winner Megan Mullally (Will And Grace) are attached to star in The Fabulous Four from director Jocelyn Moorhouse (The Dressmaker).

The feel-good comedy will follow two life-long friends who travel to Key West to be bridesmaids in a surprise wedding of their college girlfriend Marilyn (Midler). When there, sisterhoods are rekindled, the past rises up, and sparks, drinks and romance fly.

The plan is to start pre-production in July and begin filming in September in Atlanta, Georgia and Key West, Florida.

Sierra/Affinity is launching international sales next week in Cannes and the project will likely have strong appeal for those in need of humour and diversion and looking to tap into the mature audience quadrant. CAA Media Finance and UTA Independent Film Group are representing the North American distribution rights.

Conflicted, unique underdogs often make the most fascinating characters, particularly when they’re determined women who must find a way to succeed and thrive in gritty new environments. That’s certainly the case with the two protagonists of actresses Mary Holland and Betsy Sodaro’s characters of Melanie and her best friend Danny in the new comedy, ‘Golden […]

The post Interview: Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly Talk Golden Arm (Exclusive) appeared first on Shockya.com.

Whether you love the Sylvester Stallone-starring arm wrestling comedy “Over the Top” or think, “eh, maybe I don’t need a Sylvester Stallone-starring arm wrestling comedy in my life,” there’s a new option that will be more appealing: Maureen Bharoocha’s “Golden Arm,” which that it should please every stripe of arm wrestling comedy fan. Aided by a go-for-broke performance by star Mary Holland — consistently the best thing in many projects, and here finally getting the lead role she deserves — “Golden Arm” might be destined for the same sort of cult status as Sly’s version, and that’s just fine for this charming indie comedy.

Written by screenwriting duo Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly, who make their feature debut with the film, “Golden Arm” ably contorts the usual sports film tropes — an unlikely contender, a big final match, plenty of personal demons — into a new take on the genre.

Exclusive: Netflix in a competitive situation has bought the comedy spec It’s Wednesday Night based on an original by Safe House scribe David Guggenheim.

Jenna Milly and Ann Marie Allison wrote the screenplay, which is billed as a cross between Bridesmaids and Game Night, but involving a group of single parents. With their exes watching the kids, the singles gather together to revel in their freedom and celebrate. But when a newly divorced mom disappears after partying too hard, it’s up to her best friend to track her down before she misses a court hearing that could jeopardize her custody agreement and lose her kids. Alexa Faigen and Guggenheim are producing.

When it comes to original comedy features, it feels like the only place you can find them nowadays is on Netflix. During the pandemic, the streamer snapped up Media Rights Capital/Paramount’s romantic comedy Lovebirds starring Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani,...

“Golden Arm,” a buddy comedy set in the world of ladies arm wrestling, has sold global rights to Utopia, Variety has learned. The film will be released theatrically in the first half of 2021. HBO has licensed rights to broadcast and stream “Golden Arm.”

“Golden Arm” was originally intended to premiere at this year’s SXSW, but those plans were upended when the festival was cancelled due to coronavirus. The movie centers on a tough lady trucker who trains her timid best friend to compete in the National Ladies Arm Wrestling Championship.

“Golden Arm” was directed by Maureen Bharoocha and boasts a cast that includes Mary Holland, Betsy Sodaro, Dot-Marie Jones, Eugene Cordero, Ron Funches, Dawn Luebbe, Ahmed Bharoocha, Aparna Nancherla, Olivia Stambouliah and Kate Flannery.

“‘Golden Arm’ is a true gem of a film that will delight and surprise audiences; a hilarious story of badass women and female friendship, set...

Indie comedy Golden Arm has rounded out its cast with Dot-Marie Jones, Eugene Cordero, Ron Funches as well as Dawn Luebbe (HBO’s High Maintenance), Ahmed Bharoocha (Adult Swim’s Dream Corp LLC), and Olivia Rose Stambouliah. They join previously announced stars Mary Holland and Betsy Sodaro. Maureen Bharoocha is directing the film, which is currently before cameras in Oklahoma. The buddy comedy follows a tough lady trucker who trains her timid best friend to compete in the National Ladies Arm Wrestling Championship. Jones will play Big Sexy, the rough-and-tumble mentor who puts her trainees through a rigorous schooling in order to create a winner. Cordero is Greg, an Mlb ref who – in the off-season – refs the National Ladies Arm Wrestling Tournament. Funches will portray Carl, the crass Mc of...

In today’s film news roundup, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” sets a Sony Pictures record, Chris O’Dowd is honored, “The Spongebob Movie” gets a date change, and arm-wrestling movie “Golden Arm” gets a director.

Box Office Milestone

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” has topped $170 million at the domestic box office to become Sony Pictures’ biggest animated film, surpassing the lifetime total of “Hotel Transylvania 2.”

Sony’s eighth weekend of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is heading for another $4 million at 2,234 venues this weekend as it battles Warner Bros.’ seventh frame of “Aquaman” and Universal’s 12th weekend of “Green Book” for fourth place.

Sources said in November before “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” opened that Sony Pictures was developing a sequel and spinoffs. The film, with Shameik Moore voicing Miles Morales/Spider-Man, has also taken in nearly $170 million from international markets.

Honor

Chris O’Dowd will be honored with an Oscar Wilde Award by the U.