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Ben Taylor wanted to direct Joy from the first moment he learned of the script, which chronicles the uphill journey of three British innovators who made in vitro fertilization a reality in the 1970s. Not only had the Sex Education director and executive producer been a longtime fan of Jack Thorne, who worked with his wife, screenwriter Rachel Mason, on the story, but Taylor also shared an affinity with the project and its writers. “I needed to do the job because IVF has been a huge part of my life over the last 10 years. I was desperate to be a part of it if possible,” says Taylor, whose family — along with Thorne and Mason’s — benefited from the technology.

To do the revelatory story justice, Taylor and his team cast Bill Nighy as obstetrician and gynecologist Patrick Steptoe, Thomasin McKenzie as nurse and embryologist...

James Norton has a solo trip to Japan booked for mid-January, but the actor can’t seem to get the time away from work.

“I keep having to delay the flights,” the British star confesses to The Hollywood Reporter. At the time of writing, he is shooting House of Guinness, a new Netflix series from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight detailing the birth of the Irish stout empire. “It’s Steven firing on all cylinders,” Norton teases about the tightly-under-wraps show. “He’s having the time of his life. You can tell he’s loved writing it because it’s just so fun and powerful. It’s sexy and smoky. Even in the [script], you can taste the soot and the beer and the sweat.”

Norton plays Guinness factory foreman Sean Rafferty, who splits his time between the depths of the brewery and high-society Dublin (“I beat up all the men...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences aren't taking any prisoners this year, as they've just announced that, of the 323 films eligible for Oscar nominations this year, a whopping 116 of those have already been excluded from the Best Picture category. Throughout 2024, fans were accruing their own lists of potential Best Picture nominees. But, your list could be drastically cut short by the new ruling from The Academy.

There are some potentially heavy hitters among the 116 listed by The Academy. Ben Taylor's moving drama about the discovery of IVF, Joy, Anna Kendrick's directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, and the Barry Keoghan-led drama, Bird, all failed to meet the necessary criteria from The Academy to qualify. The official ruling states:

"Feature films must open in a commercial motion picture theater in at least one of six U.S. metropolitan areas: Los Angeles County; the City of New York; the Bay Area; Chicago,...

Here’s the latest episode of The Filmmakers Podcast, part of the podcast roster here on Nerdly. If you haven’t heard the show yet, you can check out previous episodes on the official podcast site, whilst we’ll be featuring each and every new episode as it premieres.

For those unfamiliar with the series, The Filmmakers Podcast is a podcast about how to make films from micro-budget indie films to bigger-budget studio films and everything in between. Our hosts Giles Alderson, Dom Lenoir, Dan Richardson, Andrew Rodger and Cristian James talk about how to get films made, how to actually make them and how to try not to f… it up in their very humble opinion. Guests will come on and chat about their filmmaking experiences from directors, writers, producers and screenwriters, to actors, cinematographers and distributors.

The Filmmaker’s Podcast #427: ‘Joy’ and ‘Sex Education’ director and Exec...

Standing on the shoulders of Oscar-bothering British boffin dramas such as The Theory of Everything and The Imitation Game, Ben Taylor's (Sex Education) big-screen debut is a gentle proposition that would fit snugly into the Christmas TV schedules. It follows young nurse/embryologist Jean (Thomasin McKenzie), scientist Dr Robert Edwards (James Norton), known as Bob, and obstetrician Patrick Steptoe (Bill Nighy) from 1968-1978 as they create the first “test-tube baby” through painstaking — and often painful — trial and error.

While the script serves up a few clunkers — “You truly are impossible, aren’t you?” Jean tells Bob with an indulgent smile; “We’re making the impossible possible!” he marvels — it always has the ring of emotional truth about it. Screenwriter Jack Thorne (Enola Holmes) and his wife Rachel Mason, who developed the story with Emma Gordon and Shaun Topp, went through IVF themselves, so they know how brutal even a...

Joy – The Birth of IVF falls under that particular category of movies that usually don’t work for me. They’re never really bad and always have a genuinely inspiring, heartwarming real-life story at the center, but most of them lack cinematic quality. It probably wouldn’t be wrong to call them ‘joyless’ even. But Ben Taylor’s IVF drama has turned out to be a rare exception. Even though the film follows that very familiar template, it works out wonderfully thanks to the writing, which is on point, and the cast—Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton, and the legendary Bill Nighy—which is absolutely perfect. The end result is quite a triumph, I would say. Let us take a closer look.

Spoilers Ahead

What happens in the movie?

In the year 1969, young nurse Jean Purdy walks into biologist Bob Edwards’ lab in Cambridge to interview for a job. She doesn...

An important figure in the 2024 British drama Joy, Patrick Steptoe's fate after the events depicted in the film underscores his important achievements in the development of IVF. Directed by Ben Taylor, Joy depicts the true events of how three scientific researchers studied the issues of infertility in women and worked together to develop in vitro fertilization in England. The movie offers a deeply accurate representation of the real story of the development of IVF, which ultimately led to the successful birth of the first IVF baby in 1978.

The cast of Joy features Bill Nighy as Patrick Steptoe, who meets with Robert Edwards and Jean Purdy, to develop IVF. The movie debuted with a high score on Rotten Tomatoes and has been praised by critics for its historical accuracy and performance. Joy depicts how Patrick Steptoe played a significant role throughout the development of IVF. The real-life Steptoe continued his...

In the past, 90 Day Fiance fans didn’t see many photos of the family of David Toborowsky on social media. But since Annie Suwan fell pregnant, he started sharing more. This week, the TLC star dropped some rare photos of his mom, Linda.

David Toborowsky Shares His Family

Not long ago, Annie Suwan’s husband shared that his son, Jacob had gotten engaged. Additionally, he shared some photos of his daughter, Ashley. And, TLC fans love to see the picture because they are not all that common. Furthermore, as many of them include Annie Suwan, it’s clear that the 90 Day Fiance star is a welcome member of his family.

Not much is known about the mom of David Toborowsky. But as he occasionally shares about her, TLC fans at least know that she seems to be well. Recently, she celebrated a birthday, and her son dropped a handful of pictures of her.

There may be no greater joy than realizing a long-harbored, seemingly impossible dream. A dream that is kept alive by the slimmest of hope. “Joy” (2024) starring Bill Nighy, Thomasin McKenzie, and James Norton is a conventionally crafted, gently stirring search for that joy regarding motherhood. The Netflix drama, directed by Ben Taylor and scripted by Jack Thorne, sifts through the historical events that precede the birth of the world’s first ‘test-tube baby,’ Louise Joy Brown. The formulaic yet nuanced approach works well for the film as it manages to tug the right kind of heartstrings.

Thorne’s breezy script does not take time to jump into the proverbial action. It is the late 1960s, and we have Jean Purdy (McKenzie) meet visionary physiologist Robert Edwards (James Norton) right away. Jean gets pulled into Robert’s ambitious dream, which would eventually pave the way for IVF (In vitro fertilization). All...

“Joy, The Birth of Ifv” is a Netflix drama movie starring Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton, and Bill Nighy. It is directed by Ben Taylor.

In 1978, Louise Joy Brown entered the world as the first “test-tube baby,” a groundbreaking moment in medical history. This achievement was the result of immense effort, overcoming substantial criticism and numerous ethical dilemmas. At its core, it was a fight to help women conceive children.

“Joy” narrates the determined endeavor of three individuals who made this monumental advancement possible. Their work has enabled countless women to fulfill their dreams of motherhood through scientific assistance, marking one of the most significant breakthroughs in recent times.

About the Film

Classic, melodramatic, and imbued with noble intentions and deep human sentiment. Is it sophisticated and revolutionary in its aesthetic ambitions? No, it does not strive for that.

“Joy, The Birth of Ifv” is a biographical account centered on Jean Purdy,...

A year and a half ago, Netflix announced they had given a series order to The Boroughs, a supernatural mystery show that’s executive produced by Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers. A couple of months ago, they revealed an impressive cast had been assembled: Alfred Molina (Spider-Man: No Way Home) plays Sam, Geena Davis (Blink Twice) plays Renee, Alfre Woodard (Salem’s Lot) plays Judy, Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story) plays Wally, Clarke Peters plays Art, and Bill Pullman (Independence Day) plays Jack. Now, the names of more cast members have been revealed. Variety reports that the previously announced actors have been joined by Dee Wallace (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial), Ed Begley Jr. (Better Call Saul), Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle), Rafael Casal (Loki), Eric Edelstein (Twin Peaks: The Return), and Mousa Hussein Kraish (American Gods).

Details on the characters the new additions will be playing have not been revealed.

Its the wake of Christopher Nolans Oppenheimer, were likely going to see a slew of follow-ups based on similar stories that will capitalize on audiences interest in biographical films of those who made great breakthroughs in the world of science. Netflixs Joy from director Ben Taylor, although it chronicles a development in science, takes a wildly different approach from Nolans Great Man epic. The story of the three people who worked tirelessly for over a decade to find a cure for childlessness is one of, naturally, heightened emotions. The film includes the playing God anxieties and rage that the public, government, church, and medical community threw at the team, considering them Dr. Frankenstein types. Its two hours of highs and lows, as each step towards changing the world comes with three steps backward.

There’s so much heart in Ben Taylor’s Joy that you won’t even hold its very formulaic filmmaking against it. While remembering and celebrating Jean Purdy, the most unacknowledged part of the trio behind one of the most groundbreaking scientific achievements in reproductive medicine, Joy doesn’t gloss over the universal implications of Jean’s story. On the surface, this is a movie about how nurse and embryologist Jean Purdy, obstetrician Patrick Steptoe, and Cambridge scientist Robert Edwards achieved the first in vitro birth while combating the wrath of the reactionary media and God-fearing society. But when you read between the lines, you’ll see that at its core, Joy is a feminist story that doesn’t want you to forget how hard the fight for rights and choices has always been.

Spoiler Alert

What happens in the film?

A young Jean didn’t even know what exactly...

The filmmakers of the British drama, Joy, were tasked to find a cast of talented actors to help in recreating the events of one of the biggest medical breakthroughs in history. Directed by Ben Taylor, Joy follows a surgeon, Patrick Steptoe, and a scientist, Robert Edwards, who team together with embryologist nurse Jean Purdy to work on solving the medical puzzle of infertility. The trio pioneers the breakthrough of in vitro fertilization, which ultimately leads to the birth of the world's first IVF baby, born in 1978.

Joy portrays the determination and dedication that the three have in terms of their research, and helping women who are struggling with fertility. But as shown in the Joy movie trailer, it also masterfully displays the media scrutiny, religious outrage and public scorn they were forced to endure in the process. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes have described the movie as a triumphant representation of...

The latest collaboration between Netflix and Executive Producers The Duffer Brothers (“Stranger Things”) is the supernatural mystery series “The Boroughs.” Per Variety, six new cast members have been added, including actors Dee Wallace and Ed Begley Jr. (Strange Darling).

Rafael Casal, Jane Kaczmarek (“The Changeling”), Eric Edelstein, and Mousa Hussein Kraish have also joined the cast.

The logline for the upcoming series sounds like a blend of “Stranger Things“ and Cocoon that sees Senior citizens saving the world from an otherworldly threat. The official logline:

“In a seemingly picturesque retirement community in the New Mexico desert, a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have… time.”

The six new cast additions join previously announced cast members Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, and Bill Pullman. In other words, “The Boroughs“ is shaping up to have an impressive cast.

New casting information has just been revealed for The Boroughs, the next Netflix series executive produced by Ross Duffer and Matt Duffer. This will mark the follow-up show for the Duffer Brothers after they conclude their work on Stranger Things.

Per Deadline, a slew of new names have been announced for The Boroughs. Among them is Jane Kaczmarek (The Changeling), who was previously nominated for an Emmy for playing the family matriarch in the hit sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. Other new names joining The Boroughs include Rafael Casal, Ed Begley Jr., Eric Edelstein, Mousa Hussein Kraish, and horror genre icon Dee Wallace. Each of these actors is reportedly set to be featured in a recurring role.

Related Netflix Unveils New Stranger Things Season 5 Set Photos and Episode Titles

Stranger Things Season 5's first teaser has just revelaed the titles of the episodes.

Other cast members who were previously announced...

The upcoming Netflix supernatural drama “The Boroughs” has added six new cast members.

Rafael Casal, Dee Wallace, Ed Begley Jr., Jane Kaczmarek, Eric Edelstein, and Mousa Hussein Kraish have all joined the show, which hails from creators Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews and boasts the Duffer brothers among its executive producers.

They join previously announced cast members Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, and Bill Pullman will all star in the eight-episode series, which was greenlit at the streamer back in April 2023.

The series’ logline states, “In a seemingly picturesque retirement community, a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have… time.”

Casal is repped by CAA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman. Wallace is repped by Amsel Eisenstadt Frazier & Hinojosa Talent Agency and Kramer Management. Begley is repped by Innovative Artists and Constellation Media Group.

Exclusive: Rafael Casal (Loki), Dee Wallace (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial), Ed Begley Jr. (Young Sheldon), Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle), Eric Edelstein (Twin Peaks: The Return) and Moursa Hussein Kraish (American Gods) have joined The Boroughs, Netflix’s upcoming supernatural mystery series from the Duffer brothers, for what are believed to be recurring roles.

Created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, who also serve as showrunners, The Boroughs is set in a seemingly picturesque retirement community where a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have… time.

Casal plays Neil; Wallace is Grace; Begley Jr. portrays Edward; Kaczmarek plays Lilly; Edelstein is Hank and Kraish plays Dr. McGinnis.

They join previously announced cast Alfred Molina as Sam, Geena Davis as Renee, Alfre Woodard as Judy, Denis O’Hare as Wally, Clarke Peters as Art, and Bill Pullman as Jack,...

Every birth is extraordinary in its own way. But that was never more true than in the case of Louise Joy Brown, the first “test-tube baby.” Born in 1978, Louise’s extraordinary birth was the result of a decade of work by surgeons, scientists, and embryologists.

Directed by Ben Taylor (Sex Education), and co-created by Jack Thorne and Rachel Mason, Joytells the remarkable story of those hardworking men and women — and how their work paved the way for the advent of in vitro fertilization (IVF).

You can check out the trailer for Joy above, and read on to learn more.

Joy tells the remarkable true story behind the birth of Louise Joy Brown in 1978, the world’s first “test-tube baby,” and the tireless 10-year journey to make it possible. The film is told through the perspective of Jean Purdy, a young nurse and embryologist who joined forces with scientist Robert...

Top Things To Watch Between November 18 To 24 (Photo Credit – Facebook)

This week in November, our list starts with a Netflix documentary about a renowned lady superstar, followed by a British film based on the world’s first in vitro fertilization baby. Additionally, there’s a Hindi web series and a comedy show to enjoy. We also have two exciting sci-fi titles on different platforms: Jio Cinema and Disney Plus Hotstar.

Apple TV Plus presents a World War II historical drama film, while other Ott platforms bring diverse content. Heading to the silver screen, there are two films, one in Telugu and the other in Marathi. Continue reading for the complete lineup for November 18 to 24, including other shows and movies not mentioned here.

Netflix

Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale (English)

Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale is a documentary chronicling the life of the lady superstar Nayanthara. It captures her journey through...

A new Netflix movie that's based on a true story has just debuted on Rotten Tomatoes, and critics are being very positive. Though Netflix offers plenty of originals in the sci-fi and fantasy genres, more grounded shows and movies based on true stories have also historically been popular at the streamer. These sometimes take the form of true-crime shows, such as the popular Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, but they have also been more straightforward dramas.

The Founder, for example, starring Michael Keaton, was well-received in 2017, with its story of how McDonald's became one of the biggest restaurant chains in the world. 2023 was a particularly strong year for the based-on-a-true-story movie at Netflix, with Nyad, Bradley Cooper's Maestro, and Rustin all earning positive reviews and awards recognition. Another 2024 Netflix movie based on true events now seems poised to join this respectable club.

Joy Debuts On Rotten Tomatoes...

It’s a unique feeling to be both mostly won over by and ultimately disappointed by a film. Yet cinema, even when it lets us down just as it builds us up, is often beautiful precisely for the sense of emotional limbo it creates. In the case of Netflix’s “Joy,” this stems from the sturdy yet rather standard execution of what is far from a standard moment in still relevant history. Not to be confused with the largely forgettable 2015 Jennifer Lawrence film of the same name, this more heartfelt historical drama centers on the creation of the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) baby, the years of research that went into the achievement and the lives of those working tirelessly to make such treatment possible. It’s also an unfortunately timely work as body autonomy and choice over birth, including IVF, again face an uncertain future.

Those doing the fighting...

There is no happiness on this Earth more primal or profound than having a baby, and yet the expectation to do so has forever been wielded against women as a misery; it’s been a cross to bear for the people who get pregnant, a pariah-level sin for the people who choose not to, and — perhaps most unfairly of all — a curse from God for the people who can’t.

I trust you’re not hearing about this for the first time in a review of a pleasantly forgettable Netflix film starring Bill Nighy, but the fact remains that “society” has been content with that arrangement for much of the last few millennia, and science’s best efforts to amend it have invariably been met with scorn. Indeed, the work of developing in vitro fertilization was so controversial that it had to be hidden from the church and the tabloids alike.

A topical historical drama depicting the creation of IVF; a paranoid thriller series starring Colman Domingo; a bracingly original crime musical, and awards contender, from Jacques Audiard; the second part of the final season of Cobra Kai; and a reverential big-screen adaptation of a Pulitzer-winning August Wilson play are some of the highlights among the new films and series hitting Netflix in November.

On Nov. 7, action and mystery drama Outer Banks returns to Netflix. The first half of season four ended with several cliff-hangers for the Pogues, many of which should be resolved, to some degree, in the second half of the season. Over on Kildare Island, Rudy Pankow’s JJ probably gets the biggest bomb dropped on him when he learns that he’s not the son of his alcoholic and abusive father, Luke. The cast have promised “craziness” so expect some more jaw-dropping revelations.

In a big movie month for Netflix,...

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Netflix is ready with an entertainment-packed November this year. The upcoming month will see the premiere of many of Netflix’s Christmas romantic comedy films including Hot Frosty and also new brilliant movies like Spellbound and The Piano Lesson. Just like every month, Netflix is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 10 movies coming to Netflix in November 2024.

Rob Peace (November 11)

Rob Peace is a biographical drama film written and directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Based on the 2014 biography The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace by Jeff Hobbs, the 2024 film follows Rob Peace, a Yale University graduate who begins to deal drugs while maintaining his lifestyle after his father was arrested for crimes he may not have committed. Rob Peace stars Jay Will, Ejiofor, Mary J. Blige, Camila Cabello,...

History is brimming with untold stories and forgotten heroes—a catalog cinema is slowly chipping away at between Marvel releases, sometimes for lack of original ideas (or lack of a guaranteed audience to watch the ideas without the holy promise of fanservice) and sometimes, as is the case with “Joy” because it’s a story that needs to be told.

Director Ben Taylor is the perfect man to tell such a tale, intrinsically linked to this incredible true story of IVF treatment due to the fact his own children were made possible through such medical breakthroughs. Many viewers will likely know—consciously or otherwise—friends, family members, colleagues, or acquaintances who have some association with IVF (In vitro fertilization), or even themselves be born via a “test tube.” Miraculous as the science is that’s unburdened thousands—millions—of childless women across the world, it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies for those involved.

The events leading up to July 1978 and the birth in Manchester of the world’s first “test tube baby” — the tabloid term for the process known more soberly as IVF (in vitro fertilization) — are fascinating by any metric. It’s a story of determination, skill and genuine genius, focusing on three modest and largely unsung heroes driven in the main by a spirit of pure human kindness. Fascinating as that is, however, Ben Taylor’s warm, intelligent and never less than respectful movie, which received its world premiere at the London Film Festival this week, struggles to harness the same kind of lightning that science did.

Ostensibly an ensemble piece, Joy is actually a vehicle for the charming Thomasin McKenzie, the young New Zealand actress who broke out in 2018’s Leave No Trace and makes a welcome return to drama here. In a rare instance of age-appropriate casting, she plays Jean Purdy,...

In the early 1970s, a team of dedicated researchers in England took the first steps toward a medical milestone. Led by biologist Robert Edwards and including obstetrician Patrick Steptoe and nurse Jean Purdy, they aimed to solve infertility through a new technique—in vitro fertilization.

Faced with skepticism and opposition, their goal was to help couples struggling to conceive by assisting the natural process in a laboratory setting. After nearly a decade of tests and setbacks, they achieved a breakthrough with the 1978 birth of Louise Brown, the world’s first “test tube baby.”

The film Joy dramatizes this true story that changed lives worldwide. Directed by Ben Taylor, it stars James Norton, Bill Nighy, and Thomasin McKenzie as Edwards, Steptoe, and Purdy. Witnessing their perseverance through scientific challenges and social resistance, we glimpse the human faces behind a discovery that has since enabled millions to start families.

While the medical realities lend intrigue,...

London film festival

Bill Nighy, James Norton and Thomasin McKenzie form the unlikely trio who doggedly, quietly and courageously made the discovery that would change lives around the world

There is sympathy, warmth and directness – though perhaps not much in the way of explicit joy – in this intensely English true story that made headlines and changed lives around the world.

Screenwriters Jack Thorne and director Ben Taylor, dramatise the heartache and strain and triumph that led to the first ever birth of what the press with a mixture of hostility and awe called “a test-tube baby” – that is, a baby conceived through in vitro fertilisation – on 25 July 1978: a little girl called Louise Brown (middle name Joy).

“Joy” has been a much-used title in recent years, one that a new film about the battle to develop in-vitro fertilization treatment justifies recycling once more with a late-film reveal: It was the middle name given to Louise Joy Brown, the world’s first so-called “test-tube baby,” and the first successful outcome in over a decade of agonized, controversial medical research. But joy is also the primary Mo of this debut feature from British TV comedy director Ben Taylor, which assigns itself the somewhat tricky task of fashioning an uplifting audience-pleaser from story material in which moments of elation are considerably outnumbered by those of crushing heartbreak.

To this day, after all, the odds are stacked against women applying for IVF, given its daunting success rate (still well below 50%) and sometimes prohibitive costs: While at least 12 million children have been born via the procedure in the last 45 years, many more...

The quest to develop IVF plays out in predictable and thoroughly heartwarming fashion in Ben Taylor’s Netflix film. Here’s our Joy review.

Picture the scene: James Norton, looking less like Happy Valley’s rotten ruffian Tommy Lee Royce and more like an overenthusiastic biology postgrad, is desperate to convince a colleague of his revolutionary idea. What if, he posits with the scientific professionalism of a vaguely northern labrador, we could fertilise an egg outside the womb? What if we could produce an embryo in, to pick a piece of lab equipment entirely at random, a test tube?

The colleague isn’t convinced. “We’ll unite them all against us”, Bill Nighy’s character reminds him. The church, the medical establishment, the media. But Doctor Marley & Me has his trump card. “We’ll have the mothers”, he whispers. The score swells; Nighy’s eyes twinkle; history is made.

If...

It’s hard to build dramatic momentum out of scientists hunched over microscopes peering at petri dishes. Indeed, director Ben Taylor struggles to clear that hurdle in his conventional but watchable enough account of the development of what became known as in vitro fertilization. While it’s more compelling as human drama than science, the film benefits from timeliness, given right-wing efforts to curb women’s reproductive freedoms and recent moves by Senate Republicans to block a bill protecting the right to IVF. That factor, plus the very capable cast, should help Joy find an audience on Netflix, though anti-choice extremists won’t be among them.

If the production looks and sounds like a movie but plays more like dated television, the fault lies mainly with Jack Thorne’s by-the-numbers script. The writer takes Brit historical dramas like The Imitation Game as his model to map a breakthrough in 20th...

Exclusive: Thomasin McKenzie says that because of her youthful appearance — she’s 24 — it has been “a bit of a struggle” to play her own age or older, but those worries are banished with her latest role. In the wonderful movie Joy, she delivers a remarkable portrait of Jean Purdy, one of the founding pioneers of human in vitro fertilization therapy, commonly known as IVF.

If gynecologist Dr. Patrick Steptoe and physiologist Robert Edwards are regarded as the “fathers” of IVF, then Purdy, a nurse and embryologist, is its godmother.

It’s a spot-on perfect part for the New Zealander who starred in Jojo Rabbit, Last Night in Soho and The Power of the Dog, and she shines brilliantly as Purdy alongside Bill Nighy as Steptoe and James Norton as Edwards, who later was knighted for his services to medical research.

Joy has its would premiere screening at the BFI London...

Netflix has released the official trailer for the film ‘Joy’ ahead of its World Premiere at 68th BFI London Film Festival on Tuesday 15th October.

The film tells the remarkable true story behind the ground-breaking birth of Louise Joy Brown in 1978, the world’s first ‘test-tube baby’, and the tireless 10-year journey to make it possible. Told through the perspective of Jean Purdy, a young nurse and embryologist, who joined forces with scientist Robert Edwards and surgeon Patrick Steptoe to unlock the puzzle of infertility by pioneering in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The film celebrates the power of perseverance and the wonders of science as it follows this maverick trio of visionaries who overcame tremendous odds and opposition to realise their dream, and in doing so allowed millions of people to dream with them.

Directed by Ben Taylor, the cast includes Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton and Bill Nighy.

Also in trailers...

This is England screenwriter Jack Thorne has penned the IVF drama, Joy, which is coming to Netflix in October. Here’s a trailer:

Prolific screenwriter Jack Thorne is probably best known for his collaborations with filmmaker Shane Meadows, from the This Is England series to the astonishingly powerful The Virtues.

He has now penned Joy, a period drama about the birth of the first IVF baby.

The synopsis reads as follows:

Joy tells the remarkable true story behind the ground-breaking birth of Louise Joy Brown in 1978, the world’s first ‘test-tube- baby’, and the tireless 10-year journey to make it possible. Told through the perspective of Jean Purdy, a young nurse, and embryologist, who joined forces with scientist Robert Edwards and surgeon Patrick Steptoe to unlock the puzzle of infertility by pioneering in vitro fertilization (IVF). The film celebrates the power of perseverance and the wonders of science as it...

Netflix has released the first trailer for its upcoming drama Joy. The film is based on the true story of Louise Joy Brown, the first test-tube baby, and will aim to tell the story of the pioneers who made it happen. Directed by Ben Taylor, the film boasts an impressive cast that includes Thomasin McKenzie (The Power of the Dog) as Jean Purdy, James Norton (Black Mirror) as Robert Edwards, and Oscar-nominated actor Bill Nighy (Love Actually) as Patrick Steptoe. The movie is directed by Ben Taylor, with Jack Thorne as the screenwriter.

Now, Netflix has released the trailer for Joy. The trailer offers glimpses of an incredible journey and advancement in science, as McKenzies Jean teams up with Robert and Patrick to make their dreams and the wishes of their patients come true. The heart of the story, however, seems to be Jean, as she has one of the best quotes in the trailer,...

"You're aware we will unite the world against us." Netflix has debuted the official trailer for Joy, telling the story of the very first "test tube baby" born in 1978. This is premiering at the 2024 London Film Festival first, then will be available streaming on Netflix worldwide in November. This films tells the story of three British trailblazers: a young nurse, a visionary scientist and an innovative surgeon – facing opposition from the church, state, media and medical establishment, in their pursuit of the world's first "test tube baby" – Louise Joy Brown. An uplifting and emotional film based on the story of the birth of IVF - a major moment in science & medical histroy. Starring Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton, and Bill Nighy as the three maverick visionaries who overcame tremendous odds and opposition. Lff adds: "Ben Taylor's finely tuned debut boasts an impressive cast working to Jack Thorne’s script, which...

Netflix has revealed the official trailer and poster for Joy, which is based on the remarkable true story of the world’s first “test-tube baby,” Louise Joy Brown.

From producers of An Education and Brooklyn, the film will have its World Premiere at the 68th BFI London Film Festival on Tuesday, October 15. It will be available on Netflix globally on November 22.

Joy tells the remarkable true story behind the ground-breaking birth of Louise Joy Brown in 1978, the world’s first ‘test-tube- baby,’ and the tireless 10-year journey to make it possible.

The film is told through the perspective of Jean Purdy, a young nurse and embryologist, who joined forces with scientist Robert Edwards and surgeon Patrick Steptoe to unlock the puzzle of infertility by pioneering in vitro fertilization (IVF).

The movie celebrates the power of perseverance and the wonders of science as it follows this maverick trio of visionaries who...

Exclusive: The Duffer Brothers‘ upcoming Netflix supernatural mystery The Boroughs, created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, has added Jena Malone (Love Lies Bleeding), Carlos Miranda (Station 19), Seth Numrich (Under the Banner of Heaven) and Alice Kremelberg (The Sinner).

Malone plays “Claire”; Miranda plays “Paz”; Numrich plays “Blaine”; and Kremelberg plays “Anneliese.” They join the previously announced cast of Alfred Molina as “Sam, ”Geena Davis as “Renee,” Alfre Woodard as “Judy,” Denis O’Hare as “Wally,” Clarke Peters as “Art,” and Bill Pullman as “Jack.”

Created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, who also serve as showrunners, The Boroughs is set in a seemingly picturesque retirement community where a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have… time.

Some have speculated the eight-episode drama will be a Stranger Things with an older cast or Stranger Things set in a retirement community.

About a year and a half ago, Netflix announced they had given a series order to The Boroughs, a supernatural mystery show that’s executive produced by Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers. Now they’ve revealed the impressive cast that has been assembled for the series: Alfred Molina (Spider-Man: No Way Home) plays Sam, Geena Davis (Blink Twice) plays Renee, Alfre Woodard (Salem’s Lot) plays Judy, Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story) plays Wally, Clarke Peters plays Art, and Bill Pullman (Independence Day) plays Jack.

Created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance), who also serve as showrunners, The Boroughs has the following logline: In a seemingly picturesque retirement community in the New Mexico desert, a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have… time.

Hilary Leavitt, who works at the Duffers’ production company Upside Down Pictures,...

Matt and Ross Duffer struck gold when they created the supernatural drama Stranger Things for Netflix. That series is set in the 1980s, a period the Duffers are clearly enamored with. The show is coming to an end with a final season to air hopefully next year, but the brothers have other irons in the fire, including a new Netflix show called The Boroughs.

The Duffers will only be involved in a producing capacity; showrunning duties will fall to Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, the guys behind the canceled-too-soon series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Ben Taylor will direct several episodes including the pilot, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

But I still see the Duffers' fingerprints all over this show, which is about "a group of unlikely heroes" living in a retirement community who must "band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don't have — time.

Matt and Ross Duffer, the creative minds behind the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, are working on a new show for the streamer. The project, which forms part of the duo's overall deal with the platform, has already signed up its first actors.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Geena Davis and Alfred Molina will star in The Boroughs as Renee and Sam respectively, alongside Alfre Woodard as Judy, Denis O'Hare as Wally, Clarke Peters as Art and Bill Pullman as Jack. There is currently no further information about the show's characters other than their first names.

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The Boroughs will be written by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, who will also work as showrunners. "In a seemingly picturesque retirement community, a...

Alfre Woodard, Bill Pullman, Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Denis O’Harke, and Clarke Peters star in ‘The Boroughs’ (Photos Courtesy of Netflix)

Netflix has released new details on The Boroughs, a project from the Stranger Things and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance teams that was announced back in April 2023. Described as a sci-fi / supernatural mystery, the upcoming series just announced a big-name cast and confirmed an eight-episode season.

“In a seemingly picturesque retirement community, a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have… time,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. The streamer didn’t indicate a target time frame for The Boroughs to premiere.

Alfred Molina (Spider-Man: No Way Home) plays Sam, Geena Davis (Blink Twice) stars as Renee, Alfre Woodard (Salem’s Lot) is Judy, Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story) plays Wally, Clarke Peters (Da 5 Bloods) is Art,...

Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Geena Davis, Bill Pullman, Denis O’Hare and Clarke Peters are all heading to The Boroughs — as in Netflix’s supernatural drama that counts Stranger Things‘ Duffer Brothers amongst its executive producers.

Ordered to series back in April 2023, The Boroughs hails from The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance creators Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, who will serve as exec producers/showrunners, and is described as a supernatural mystery.

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Alfred Molina and Geena Davis will lead The Duffer Brothers’ new supernatural mystery “The Boroughs” for Netflix.

“In a seemingly picturesque retirement community, a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have… time,” the logline for the eight-episode drama states.

The “Spider-Man: No Way Home” star portrays Sam, while the “Thelma and Louise” actress plays Renee. The pair are joined by Alfre Woodard as Judy, Denis O’Hare as Wally, Clarke Peters as Art and Bill Pullman as Jack.

In addition to The Duffer Brothers’, “The Boroughs” is executive produced by creators and showrunners Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (“The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance”), Upside Down Pictures’ Hilary Leavitt and Ben Taylor, who will direct multiple episodes including the pilot.

“The Boroughs” marks the latest series under Netflix’s overall deal with Upside Down Pictures, which includes...

Up next from Netflix and Executive Producers The Duffer Brothers (“Stranger Things”) is the supernatural mystery series “The Boroughs.” Today, Netflix announced that Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, and Bill Pullman are set to star.

Here’s the logline for the upcoming sci-fi series, which sounds like a mixture of “Stranger Things” and Cocoon. Senior citizens saving the world from an otherworldly threat? We’re in.

“In a seemingly picturesque retirement community in the New Mexico desert, a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have… time.”

Character names have been revealed, too:

Alfred Molina plays “Sam”

Geena Davis plays “Renee”

Alfre Woodard plays “Judy”

Denis O’Hare plays “Wally”

Clarke Peters plays “Art”

Bill Pullman plays “Jack”

Ben Taylor will serve as Executive Producer and will direct multiple episodes including the pilot.

Netflix and Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer have lined up an A-list cast for the brothers’ next series.

The show, titled The Boroughs, has cast Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters and Bill Pullman. Details on their roles are being kept under wraps for now, save for their character names: Sam (Molina), Renee (Davis), Judy (Woodard), Wally (O’Hare), Art (Peters) and Jack (Pullman).

Additionally, Ben Taylor (Catastrophe, Sex Education) has joined The Boroughs as an executive producer and will direct several episodes, including the series premiere.

The Boroughs comes from writers and showrunners Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance). The show’s logline reads, “In a seemingly picturesque retirement community, a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have — time.”

The Boroughs is part of...

The Netflix supernatural mystery series “The Boroughs” from creators Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews and executive producers the Duffer brothers has set a star-studded main cast.

Variety has learned that Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, and Bill Pullman will all star in the eight-episode series, which was greenlit at the streamer back in April 2023. It was also revealed that Ben Taylor will direct multiple episodes, including the first, in addition to executive producing.

The series’ logline states, “In a seemingly picturesque retirement community, a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have… time.”

Molina will play Sam in “The Boroughs.” Molina is known for his roles in films like “Frida,” “Boogie Nights,” and his appearances in multiple “Spider-Man” films. Davis will play Renee. She previously appeared in the Netflix series “Glow” and in films like “Beetlejuice,...

The 68 th BFI London Film Festival has announced the full programme line-up, which will be presented in cinemas and online, across the UK.

The Lff will present a vibrant and diverse programme of 253 features, shorts, series and immersive works from 79 countries, featuring 63 languages playing across the 12 days of the festival. This includes 112 works made by female and non-binary filmmakers – 44% of the programme.

World Premieres

From filmmakers and artists include: Steve McQueen’s Blitz which opens the festival, Ben Taylor’s Cunard Gala Joy starring Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton and Bill Nighy, the BFI National Archive and The Film Foundation’s restoration Silent Sherlock, Darren Thornton’s Irish comedy film Four Mothers, spellbinding performance film from Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard The Extraordinary Miss Flower, thriller series A Thousand Blows from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, the latest documentary from Oscar®-winning directing duo Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin Endurance,...

Fifteen features will world premiere at the 68th BFI London Film Festival (Lff), including Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s documentary Endurance, and previously announced opening title Steve McQueen’s Blitz.

The festival takes place from October 9-20.

Free Solo and Nyad directing duo Vasarhelyi and Chin direct Endurance alongside Natalie Hewit, which examines the lost ship of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. Further world premieres include Sophie Compton and Daisy-May Hudson’s documentary Holloway, about one of the largest women’s prisons in Europe.

Steven Knight’s Victorian boxing series A Thousand Blows, starring Stephen Graham, will receive its world premiere.