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It’s been a checkered start to the year with live-action releases of Snow White and Lilo & Stitch, but the next animated movie up on the slate for Disney’s Pixar company is picking up steam ahead of its release this weekend. Elio will touch down in theaters everywhere this Friday, but the review embargo for the film lifted yesterday, and early opinions for the film began pouring in. Elio has now registered enough reviews to be given an 83% from critics on the aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, a score which will be given the “certified fresh” label if it holds up. An audience score won’t be given until the film is playing in theaters, but this critics’ score is higher than Elemental and Lightyear, even if it does fall behind Inside Out 2.

Elio follows the titular character of the same name, who is a space fanatic with an active imagination.

Ryan Reynolds has established himself as one of the most popular actors in Hollywood due to the fact that he has been able to mix comedy with action successfully time and time again. The Canadian actor also continues to show his enthusiasm with more anticipated projects of different genres and styles.

Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool & Wolverine | Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

2024 had been quite successful for Reynolds with Deadpool & Wolverine, and now the actor has set up a slate of movies that seems to explore his other aspects with the potential to create new franchises. Let’s take a look at 5 of his most anticipated upcoming films.

Animal Friends Ryan Reynolds in If | Credit: Paramount Pictures

Animal Friends will be one of the most intriguing projects that Ryan Reynolds is taking up. It will be a live-action/animation hybrid comedy and will be rated R, reportedly. As of now,...

Ryan Reynolds is still working on his 'Boy Band' movie despite taking a break from filming.The actor has confirmed he's taking a step back from filmmaking after a hectic couple of years, but he's going to continue working on his latest project - a film about an ageing pop group being reunited later in life - and he's hoping to make the film an "absolute bargain" by working within a tight budget.He told The Hollywood Reporter: "I really want to make 'Boy Band', and I’m still trying to figure out the smartest way to put that together ... "I’m on a second draft. The first draft was incredible and written by one of my favourite writers, Jesse Andrews. Now I’m on my lonesome. "There are no dates or anything just yet. I’m not filming anything for at least a year.

The stars of this summer’s smash hit Deadpool & Wolverine may be reuniting on another project that could also include the film’s director, Shawn Levy. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Ryan Reynolds said he is working on the film Boy Band, which focuses on aging pop stars and wants Hugh Jackman involved in the project.

“I really want to make Boy Band, and I’m still trying to figure out the smartest way to put that together,” Reynolds said. Entertainment Weekly reports that a representative for the Wolverine actor confirmed that Jackman is in talks with Reynolds about joining the cast of Boy Band.

Reynolds is set to write, produce, and star in Boy Band while Levy will also produce the project for Paramount. Entertainment Weekly stated that representatives for Reynolds, Levy, and Paramount did not immediately respond when asked for comment.

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Related The Version of Logan in Deadpool & Wolverine,...

Deadpool & Wolverine was one of the biggest movies of the year, grossing over $1.3 billion worldwide. It’s only a matter of time before Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman reunite, and it seems that they already have a project in mind. According to THR, Jackman is in talks to join Reynolds in Boy Band, a comedy about former boy band members reuniting as middle-aged men. I love it.

Shawn Levy is expected to direct Reynolds and Jackman in Boy Band, as well as produce. Reynolds told THR that he’s in the midst of penning the second draft right now. “The first draft was incredible and written by one of my favorite writers, Jesse Andrews [Me and Earl and the Dying Girl]. Now I’m on my lonesome,” Reynolds said. “There are no dates or anything just yet. I’m not filming anything for at least a year.“

Reynolds continued,...

Ryan Reynolds may be taking a short break from acting in 2025, but that doesn't mean he's slowing down. In fact, the Canadian actor/director/writer/producer is already hard at work on what he hopes may be his next project with Deadpool & Wolverine co-star Hugh Jackman. The new comedy, Boy Band, is — as you probably guessed — a film about former boy band members reuniting in middle age.

And while some may be tired of the bromance heard 'round the world, we can't deny that the prospect of such a film does sound wildly entertaining. In a new profile for The Hollywood Reporter, Reynolds spoke about a host of things happening in his career with many faces, but the thing we are, perhaps, most interested in is this new film with frequent collaborator Shawn Levy (the director of the duo's last Marvel outing).

What Is 'Boy Band' And Who...

Right, before we say anything at all, we just want to get one thing absolutely clear straight out of the gate — this is not a Deadpool & Wolverine 2 announcement. We've Lfg'd and made special sock circles, but even the mighty Empire hasn't got the power to make that happen. Instead, perhaps more interestingly, this is a piece of news about a very intriguing project that Deadpool & Wolverine's Golden Trio — Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, and Shawn Levy — have been trying to get off the ground for some time: Boy Band.

Speaking to THR after having been named the outlet's Producer Of The Year for 2024, Reynolds was asked, perhaps unsurprisingly, what the future might hold for Deadpool after the third movie in the franchise smashed records at the box office this summer. As you'd probably expect, the Canadian star was pretty coy about the Merc With a Mouth's MCU future; but he was...

Deadpool & Wolverine co-stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman may be reuniting soon in a new project. Although both stars are known for a wide variety of roles, including Jackman's Oscar-nominated turn as Jean Valjean in 2012's Les Misérables and Reynolds' roles in comedies like The Proposal, both play iconic Marvel characters on the big screen. The former has played Wolverine in the X-Men franchise since he debuted the character in 2000 while the latter has played Deadpool in what is now a trilogy of movies featuring the foul-mouthed mercenary beginning in 2016.

Although the fourth-wall-breaking Deadpool frequently made references to Wolverine, the two characters did not appear onscreen together until 2024. Together, they led the Deadpool & Wolverine cast, which also included Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Aaron Stanford, and Matthew Macfadyen. In addition to earning a Certified Fresh score of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie was a smash hit,...

Ryan Reynolds has come a long way after fighting to bring his own version of Deadpool to the big screen in 2016. The character has received a fitting redemption after the epic fail portrayal in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool & Wolverine / Walt Disney Studios

As the actor can finally say he ‘owned’ the role, Reynolds received writing credits for Deadpool 2, giving him a say on how the character would fare throughout the story. He’s also one of the writers for Deadpool & Wolverine, an accomplishment that fans could say he truly earned.

Hugh Jackman Praises Ryan Reynolds’ Scriptwriting Skills

Ryan Reynolds has finally dived into the world of scriptwriting. After contributing to the script of Deadpool 2, he continued being part of the scribe team in the third installment. His co-star, Hugh Jackman, is very proud of his friend’s achievement. He said via Film Updates:

What a brilliant writer he is.

As Walt Disney Studios looks to rebound from a disappointing 2023, all eyes turn to what the Mouse House has in store for 2024. In addition to re-releasing three popular animated movies in theaters and through the Disney+ platform this calendar year, the studio has officially announced the upcoming release of three new animated movies for fans to look forward to. Meanwhile, a handful of unspecified Disney movies have been given 2024 release dates, leaving many to wonder which will be animated and which will be live-action.

To help moviegoers keep track of Disney's upcoming movie slate, including the studio's long-held partnership with Pixar Animation Studios, it's worth analyzing which animated movies are on pace to open theatrically in 2024. In addition to a pair of popular sequels opening in the summer and fall, Disney has plans to unveil its most ambitious original movie at the end of 2024. With springtime abound, it's time to...

Deadpool 3 filmmaker Shawn Levy won’t utter a peep about the prequel for fear of death.

And that boils down to if the trailer drops tomorrow during the Super Bowl.

All he had to say about that rumor was “I’ve heard that too.”

We caught up with Levy on the red carpet of the DGA Awards.

On why Levy needs to remain mum about the Marvel Studios’ threequel.

“I so cherish my friendship with Ryan Reynolds and it would be so sad if it ended in murder. And if I answered you with anything Deadpool related, it would end with my untimely death, and that would be so sad,” Levy quipped.

What Levy did concede to us on the DGA red carpet was that he’s reteaming with Reynolds on the movie Boy Band set up at Paramount under the comedic actor’s new reupped first-look feature deal.

Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy are teaming up for their fourth collaboration, Boy Band, along with Marvel's Deadpool 3 and an unnamed heist comedy. Levy's involvement in Boy Band has been confirmed as part of Paramount Pictures' renewed first-look deal with Reynolds' production company. Levy and Reynolds have a strong working relationship and were predicted to continue collaborating by Hugh Jackman, who has also worked with both actors.

Deadpool 3 star Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy are reteaming for the upcoming Boy Band. This will mark the fourth collaboration between the two, following Free Guy, The Adam Project, and Marvel's highly anticipated Deadpool 3. The two are also attached to a fifth project, an as yet unnamed heist comedy. While details surrounding Boy Band are scarce, we do know that Reynolds will star and produce, Levy will direct, and Jesse Andrews (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl...

Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy are teaming up again for their fourth collaboration, this time on the film Boy Band. Boy Band's plot is still a mystery, but with Reynolds and Levy's track record, anticipation is high. Reynolds Levy will be working with co-writer Jesse Andrews, known for his novel and screenplay for Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, to bring Boy Band to the screen.

The next movie collaboration between Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy has been revealed. This year, Levy and Reynolds collaborated together again on Deadpool 3. Releasing on July 26, Deadpool 3 features a leading cast including Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Morena Baccarin, Jennifer Garner, Patrick Stewart, and Matthew Macfadyen.

Paramount has announced the next project between Reynolds and Levy. According to the studio, the two will pair up again for the upcoming film Boy Band. Reynolds will star in the feature along with producing it,...

Paramount Pictures has renewed its first look development deal with Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort Productions for an additional three-years. The Melrose lot is releasing the Reynolds’ headliner and feature production, If, on May 17; that pic getting a big push during Super Bowl which is airing on the studio’s sister Paramount+ and CBS.

Reynolds’ new pact, which covers motion pictures at all budgets, will go through December 2026.

Brian Robbins, Paramount Pictures President & CEO, beamed, “Ryan and George epitomize the kind of creativity and innovative thinking that allow this industry to reinvent itself time and again. On behalf of everyone at Paramount, we’re thrilled to continue working with Ryan and the team at Maximum Effort to create theatrical projects that are as original, smart and fun as they are.”

“The Paramount partnership feels like home to everyone at Maximum Effort so another 3 years was a no-brainer,” said Maximum Effort Co-Founder Reynolds.

Paramount Pictures has renewed its first look development deal with Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort Productions for another three years.

The latest deal, to run through to Dec. 2026 and cover film development at Maximum Effort, extends an original first look agreement launched in 2021 and includes titles not yet announced. These include Starter Villain, with Jesse Andrews attached to adapt; an adaptation of the family book series Eloise, with partner MRC; and the original action comedy Gaslight Express, with Reynolds teaming up with Deadpool scribes Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese.

Reynolds launched the banner in 2018 with Maximum Effort co-founder George Dewey and co-presidents Ashley Fox and Johnny Pariseau running day-to-day operations out of Los Angeles.

“The Paramount partnership feels like home to everyone at Maximum Effort so another three years was a no-brainer,” said Maximum Effort Co-Founder Ryan Reynolds. “We’ve loved working with Brian, Daria, Mikey and Marc and are 100 percent...

Exclusive: London and LA-based management and production outfit 42 has hired Mxn Entertainment partner Michelle Knudsen in its LA office.

As a manager, Knudsen has focused on championing women and diverse voices. Her clients include Katie Silberman (Booksmart), Carrie Solomon, Lacey Duke (Insecure) and Jesse Andrews (Me & Earl & the Dying Girl). Most recently, she signed rising director Hiromi Kamata (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters).

As a producer, her film credits include the Netflix comedy, When We First Met, the music driven MTV Films documentary, No Cameras Allowed, and Melina Matsoukas’ feature directorial debut, Queen & Slim starring Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner Smith.

Knudsen grew up on Long Island with her Peruvian family and graduated from Columbia University.

42 Managing Partner and CEO Josh Varney said: “We’ve been huge fans of Michelle and her impeccable taste and clients for many years.

Sitting in Bars with Cake is a comedy-drama film directed by Trish Sie from a screenplay by Audrey Shulman. The Prime Video film is inspired by true events and it follows two best friends Jane (Yara Shahidi) and Corrine (Odessa A’zion) living in Los Angeles. Corrine is an extrovert and Jane is an introvert. In order to get Jane to meet more people Corrine gets her to bake cakes for a year and take them to a bar. But when Corrine gets a life-altering diagnosis, both Jane and Corrine’s friendship is put to the test. Sitting in Bars with Cake also stars Bette Midler, Ron Livingston, and Maia Mitchell in supporting roles. So, if you loved the Prime Video film here are some similar movies you could watch next.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Prime Video Add-On & Hulu Add-On) Credit – Searchlight Pictures

Synopsis: Me And Earl And The Dying Girl...

Bottoms is a teen sex comedy film directed by Emma Seligman, who also worked on the script with Rachel Sennott. The film follows two unpopular lesbian high school senior girls who set up a fight club in the name of a self-defense class in order to get with their crushes. Bottoms stars Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri in the lead roles of Pj and Josie. So, if you loved Bottoms here are some similar movies you could watch next.

Good Boys (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Universal Pictures

Synopsis: Just how bad can one day get? The creative minds behind Superbad and Sausage Party take on sixth grade hard in this innocent yet raunchy comedy. 12-year-olds Max, Thor, and Lucas decide to skip school in an attempt to learn how to kiss in time for a kissing party. Their odyssey of epically bad decisions involves some accidentally stolen drugs, frat-house paintball,...

Editor’s note: Jesse Andrews is author of the novel Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, which is one of five books pulled from the library shelves of high schools within the purview of Tallahassee, Florida-based Leon County Schools superintendent Rock Hanna, after the Leon County chapter of the conservative group Moms for Liberty petitioned the schools to remove the book because of the frank depiction of sex and gender identity issues. The others include Push, the Sapphire-penned book that inspired the film Precious; Doomed by Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk; Lucky by Alice Sebold; and Dead End by Jason Meyer. Still being scrutinized is an autobiography of tennis great Billie Jean King, because it discusses her sexuality. This has been an ongoing theme precipitated by policies passed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and legislative Republicans. DeSantis is running for president and probably figured to ride his brawl with Disney into the White House,...

Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy are set to collaborate yet again on a musical comedy called Boy Band. The star and director first teamed up for Free Guy, which was a surprise hit at the box office in the summer of 2021. The two then reunited on The Adam Project for Netflix, which was released in March 2022 and landed among the streamer's top 10 most-watched movies. Reynolds and Levy are currently gearing up to shoot the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Deadpool 3 this spring.

Now, the A-list star and director have set their fourth feature film collaboration together. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Reynolds is attached to star in and produce the musical comedy Boy Band. Levy is also producing the project for Paramount and is being eyed as a potential director, with scheduling being the primary determining factor.

Related: Why Ryan Reynolds Netflix Movies Are So Popular (Even If They're Bad)

Everything We...

Ryan Reynolds is facing the music.

This week, The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that the Canadian actor is teaming up with director Shawn Levy for the new comedy “Boy Band”.

Read More: Ryan Reynolds Is Building Canada’s Largest Film And TV Studio In Markham

Reynolds will star in the film and produce, as well as co-writing with Jesse Andrews, who wrote “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” and worked on “Luca”.

The actor has frequently collaborated with Levy, including on the recent films “Free Guy” and “The Adam Project”.

Levy is also directing the upcoming “Deadpool 3”, which will pair Reynolds up with his good friend Hugh Jackman, reprising his role as Wolverine.

Read More: Ryan Reynolds Partners With Terry Fox Foundation For 43rd Annual Run ‘Dear Terry’ T-Shirt

As for “Boy Band”, details about the film after being kept under wraps, but it is described as a “boy band reunion movie.

Despite preparing to play Deadpool again, shooting lots of ads for the companies he owns and watching Wrexham play footie Ryan Reynolds is still busy developing other movies. He's set up a new comedy called Boy Band at Paramount.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Reynolds is attached to star and produce the project, which he also co-wrote with Me And Earl And The Dying Girl's Jesse Andrews. Reynolds came up with the concept, which is being kept quiet for now, but would focus on a boy band getting back together.

Director/producer Shawn Levy, who has become a frequent collaborator of Reynolds after Free Guy, The Adam Project and Deadpool 3, which is scheduled to kick off shooting in London this spring.

Levy may end up directing Boy Band, but it'll more depend on his schedule, which will be filled with Deadpool duty for now.

Whatever it turns out to be,...

Ryan Reynolds is ready to rock his body as THR has reported that the actor is set to star in Boy Band, a comedy which he will also co-write with Jesse Andrews (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl).

The plot details are largely being kept under wraps, but it’s being described as a boy band reunion movie. It’s not certain what role Ryan Reynolds would take on in Boy Band, but the actor recently showed off his musical chops in Spirited, Apple’s modern retelling of A Christmas Carol, which also starred Will Ferrell. Reynolds will also produce through his Maximum Effort banner and hopes to start shooting the movie in fall 2023 or early 2024. Reynolds’ frequent collaborator Shawn Levy will produce the project through his 21 Laps Entertainment, but THR says that he’s also considering directing as well. That will all depend on scheduling, as Levy...

Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy seem to be getting a lot of ideas while working on Deadpool 3, and we're all here for it. According to The Hollywood Reporter, both are gearing up for yet another feature collaboration with the comedy film Boy Band to be set at Paramount. Both frequent collaborators will produce the pic with Levy being considered to take the director's seat. In addition to staring, the MCU star also wrote the script with scribe Jesse Andrews known for penning the screenplay for the feature Me & Earl and & Dying Girl.

Ryan Reynolds, a full-time K-Pop stan and occasional actor, has decided to dip his toes into the wonderful world of boybands. Gone are his days of admiring the artform from afar, as Reynolds is now attached to star in and produce "Boy Band," an upcoming comedy from Paramount. Reynolds penned the script with co-writer Jesse Andrews and will also reunite with frequent collaborator Shawn Levy.

Clearly, Levy and Reynolds are creatively infatuated — or just really good friends. The duo has made a habit of working together with Levy directing the actor in "Free Guy," "The Adam Project," "Deadpool 3" and potentially, "Boy Band." Per The Hollywood Reporter, the film is a potential directing venture for Levy but only if the timing works for his already jam-packed schedule. The two of them are currently in prep for "Deadpool 3," and Levy also has the upcoming season of "Stranger Things" on the near horizon.

Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool franchise) is attached to produce and star in Boy Band, a new comedy for Paramount Pictures, Deadline can confirm.

Plot details are under wraps. But Reynolds penned the script with Jesse Andrews (Me & Earl and & Dying Girl) from his own original story. He’ll also produce for his company Maximum Effort, which has a first-look deal with the studio, alongside his frequent collaborator Shawn Levy of 21 Laps Entertainment.

Levy may direct, having already been set to reteam with Reynolds for Deadpool 3, which is soon heading into production. But whether he’ll commit to the project in that capacity remains to be determined.

Reynolds has been on a tear of late, most recently starring opposite Will Ferrell in Apple TV+’s acclaimed musical comedy Spirited, based on Charles Dickens’ classic novella, A Christmas Carol. Prior to that he starred in Levy’s The Adam Project and...

Ryan Reynolds wants it that way.

The prolific A-lister has set up feature comedy Boy Band at Paramount, which reunites him once again with frequent collaborator Shawn Levy.

Reynolds is attached to star and produce the project, which he also co-wrote with Jesse Andrews, the scribe who penned Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and also worked on Disney Animation’s Luca. Reynolds, who originated the story, will produce via his Paramount-based banner, Maximum Effort.

Levy, who is also producing via his 21 Laps Entertainment, is eyeing the project as a potential directing vehicle, but scheduling would be a determining factor. Levy and Reynolds have worked together on several movies, including Free Guy and The Adam Project, and are currently in prep on Deadpool 3, which will shoot in London this spring. Reynolds is hoping to slot Boy Band for a fall 2023 or early 2024 shoot on his calendar.

Details...

Before she landed a lead role in HBO’s House of the Dragon as Alicent Hightower, Olivia Cooke starred in Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s Sundance darling Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015). Based on the novel by Jesse Andrews, the coming-of-age film took home the festival’s top prizes, winning both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize in the U.S. Drama category. The story follows the intertwined lives of three high school seniors: the socially awkward Greg (Thomas Mann), his charming and funny best friend Earl (Rj Cyler), and Rachel (Cooke), the “dying girl” they befriend at the urging of Greg’s mother after she is diagnosed with leukemia. Rachel, a teenage girl forced to grapple with mortality far too young, is masterfully and empathetically brought to life by Cooke, who shaved her head for the role. She brings the perfect combination of humor, pain, and anger to her performance,...

Gold Derby’s experts currently list the Pixar film “Luca” in fourth place in their Best Animated Feature odds. Twenty experts predict Disney’s “Encanto” will win, while one forecasts Netflix’s “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” and one chooses Neon’s “Flee.” The only film listed behind “Luca” at the moment is Disney’s “Raya and the Last Dragon.”

But I would suggest “Luca” should get more attention and consideration in the category because it’s a marvelously inventive tale of friendship, love, the need for change, and finding your own path. Telling the story of a half-human, half-sea monster who experiences an unforgettable seaside summer on the Italian Riviera, “Luca” marks the feature directorial debut of Enrico Casarosa, director of the Oscar-nominated 2011 Pixar short, “La Luna.” The original story was penned by Jesse Andrews and Mike Jones.

See 2022 Oscar nominations: Full list of nominees in all 23 categories at...

With its unparalleled mixture of dazzling visuals and literate screenplays, Pixar Animation Studio remains the gold standard in feature film animation. Critics have raved and audiences have flocked to most of the 24 feature films produced by the studio since 1995. With such adulation, awards attention has understandably followed, and Pixar’s success in garnering industry honors is unrivaled by most contemporary animation studios. From the studio’s 24 features, Pixar films have been nominated for 53 Academy Awards, winning 18 Oscars along the way. What may be most impressive, however, is Pixar’s success in the category of Best Animated Feature. In the 20 years since the category was first introduced, 11 Pixar films have won that coveted award. Hoping to make it number 12 this year is Pixar’s latest entry, “Luca.”

Directed by Enrico Casarosa (who was Oscar-nominated for his 2012 animated short “La Luna”), “Luca” is a sun-filled fable set in the summer of 1959 in...

Editors note: Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series debuts and celebrates the scripts of films that will be factors in this year’s movie awards race.

His name is Luca. He lives on the ocean floor. If you subscribe to Disney+ you may have seen him before.

Pixar’s latest movie takes a different perspective on the ocean from Finding Nemo. Where Nemo anthropomorphized real marine life, Luca creates a world of sea monsters, though they are also a family just like humans. Luca (voice of Jacob Tremblay) wants to go exploring, but his mother Daniela (Maya Rudolph) wants to keep him close and safe.

Fellow sea monster Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) shows Luca they can turn human when they emerge from the water. So, Luca spends the summer palling around with Alberto in the seaside town of Portorosso, where they make friends with Giulia (Emma Berman). But, any water...

Is it possible that every best picture nominee this year will be about families? Among the 2021 Oscar contenders are “Belfast,” “Coda,” “Dune,” “King Richard,” “Mass,” “Parallel Mothers” and “The Power of the Dog” and there are plenty of other serious contenders with a similar focus.

It’s not unusual for drama to center on families; that’s been going on since the 5th century B.C., when Aeschylus wrote his “Oresteia.”

However, it Is unusual for one subject to dominate the Oscar roster.

Usually the Academy Awards offer a mix of topics, as last year when the eight Bp contenders included two family-centric pieces, “The Father” and “Minari.” That modest percentage has been pretty consistent since the Oscars expanded the category with the 2009 films.

Many of the 2021 movies were planned long before Covid, so it’s interesting that they arrive at such a timely moment.

Sian Heder, the writer-director of “Coda,...

Features the voices of: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Glazer, Emma Berman, Sandy Martin, Sacha Baron Cohen, Saverio Raimondo | Written by Enrico Casarosa, Jesse Andrews | Directed by Enrico Casarosa

Pixar, after the moving and original film, Soul, is back to a more “traditional” film with their newest movie, Luca, that is now available on Disney+ in the States and in theaters overseas. Luca, like Soul, is included with your monthly fee for Disney+ (who did Pixar make angry at the House of Mouse?) and is a fun and enjoyable family film that harks back to the magic of Pixar’s older films.

The Plot:

Luca’s main plot revolves around the friendship between two teenage sea monsters, that magically turn human once they arrive on land, in a small Italian Rivera town in 1963. Luca Paguro (Jacob Tremblay) is a sea monster living with his over-protective but loving parents, voiced by comedians Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan,...

Chicago – Even as an adult, I am still in awe of how effective animated features are as narrative vehicles. As a kid, it was the thing I would consume the most, gorging myself into a stupor.

The cartoons didn’t even have to follow any set story structure, especially when some of my favorites included a cowardly dog, a cow and chicken as siblings, and even an underwater sponge that is friends with an aquatic squirrel.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

Utter nonsense, but as a kid, it easily became my main source of lessons during my formative years (for better or worse). As an adult, I can still enjoy a good animated show or film now that I am able to view it through the lens of an adult who remembers what it was like being a child. That’s how I can tell when something is reductively insulting to the viewer, and...

Chicago – Even as an adult, I am still in awe of how effective animated features are as narrative vehicles. As a kid, it was the thing I would consume the most, gorging myself into a stupor. The cartoons didn’t even have to follow any set story structure, especially when some of my favorites included a cowardly dog, a cow and chicken as siblings, and even an underwater sponge that is friends with an aquatic squirrel.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

Utter nonsense, but as a kid, it easily became my main source of lessons during my formative years (for better or worse). As an adult, I can still enjoy a good animated show or film now that I am able to view it through the lens of an adult who remembers what it was like being a child. That’s how I can tell when something is reductively insulting to the viewer, and...

Chicago – Even as an adult, I am still in awe of how effective animated features are as narrative vehicles. As a kid, it was the thing I would consume the most, gorging myself into a stupor. The cartoons didn’t even have to follow any set story structure, especially when some of my favorites included a cowardly dog, a cow and chicken as siblings, and even an underwater sponge that is friends with an aquatic squirrel.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

Utter nonsense, but as a kid, it easily became my main source of lessons during my formative years (for better or worse). As an adult, I can still enjoy a good animated show or film now that I am able to view it through the lens of an adult who remembers what it was like being a child. That’s how I can tell when something is reductively insulting to the viewer, and...

For quite some time now, films released by Pixar Animation Studios have held a certain level of gravitas and audiences have come to expect something special with almost every release. The latest offering from studio, Luca, while not on the level of its best films, is a charming and often endearing tale of a young person finding his place in the world while, at the same time, striving to make it better for others around him as well. In short, it’s a story and lesson that couldn’t come at a better time.

Set in a seaside town on the Italian Riviera, this coming-of-age story about a young boy named Luca (voice of Jacob Tremblay) and his adventures with a newfound best friend, Alberto (voice of Jack Dylan Grazer) as they explore the world above the water for the first time. Both Luca and Alberto are, after all, sea...

With the exception of the tot-friendly, adult-numbing “The Good Dinosaur” (2015), “Luca” is as much of a trifle as the Pixar Animation Studios have ever come up with. That sounds like a harsh judgment, but in light of Pixar’s recent track record there are worse things you could say. My own feeling, while far from universal, is that in the last five years some of the most ambitious Pixar projects have gone off the track. , as well as a perfectly pleasant fish-out-of-water fable — literally, since it’s about a boy sea monster who longs to go ashore.

The early parts are set under the sea, and if you’re thinking “The Little Mermaid” meets “Finding Nemo,” you wouldn’t be too far off. “Luca” is a film for kiddies that unabashedly recycles old formulas. Yet it’s built around one original minor trope of fairy-tale nonsense: In this movie, when...

The wonder of childhood is in the newness and possibility of everything. Without the biases and preconceptions we build up as we grow, the world of a child is one of boundless potential. Everything is a mystery, and in the unraveling of those mysteries one becomes a grand adventurer, a noble explorer. The very basic tenets of the world, what as adults we might consider to be almost genetic knowledge, to a child are grand revelations that open many more doors of inquiry and insight and belief. Not only that, but every friend you make is the truest and most amazing person in the world, and every enemy is the most evil and cunning. There is an operatic grandiosity to childhood––one that only increases if you happen to be a sea monster masquerading as a human in order to win a vespa to escape your overbearing parents.

While that...

Family films rarely succeed at one level of storytelling, so it’s particularly impressive that “Luca” operates so well on multiple levels. For children, this is a story about friendship and being true to yourself and coping with parents who are afraid to send you out into the world.

For adults, it’s all that and much more; for LGBTQ+ audiences, in particular, the film offers a powerful metaphor about the closet, about “passing” as something that you are not and about finding the people who will love you when they finally get to know the real you.

That might sound like a lot of heavy material for an animated feature, but Pixar vet Enrico Casarosa’s directorial debut is as light and lovely as a long summer afternoon with a new friend and a cold lemonade. Or a limonata in this case, as the film takes place in an...

A newly released trailer for Disney and Pixar's Luca dives deep into this coming-of-age story...with sea monsters. The movie, which will stream exclusively on Disney+ for all subscribers beginning June 18, 2021, showcases one incredible summer in the Italian seaside town of Portorosso-seen through the eyes of a sea monster named Luca. Along with the new footage, a poster has also been revealed that should have audiences and Pixar fans excited to return to the wonderful imagination of the award-winning animation studio.

Luca is Pixar Animation Studios' 24th feature film and tells a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water's surface.

The newly released trailer once again shows-off the vibrant colours and delightful,...

The recent news that upcoming Pixar flick, Luca, would follow Soul before it and be released straight to Disney+ has reportedly left those working at the beloved animation studio feeling demoralized. It was recently revealed that Luca, which was originally set to be theatrically released in the United States on June 18, 2021, would skip theaters entirely and would instead be made available to stream on Disney+. And not even Disney+'s new Premier Access.

Just talked to a Pixar friend who says Luca and Soul moves to Disney+ have been demoralizing for employees: “Forget theaters, we’re not even good enough for an upcharge?”

— Matthew Belloni (@MattBelloni) March 29, 2021"Just talked to a Pixar friend who says Luca and Soul moves to Disney+ have been demoralizing for employees: "Forget theaters, we're not even good enough for an upcharge?""

According to a tweet from former THR editor Matthew Belloni, the decision, which is...

Pixar’s “Luca” will skip theaters and debut as an exclusive on Disney+, Disney announced Tuesday along with a slew of other date changes and adjustments to the studio’s theatrical release plans.

Like “Soul” before it, “Luca” will be available at no additional charge to Disney+ subscribers on June 18, the same day it was originally meant to hit theaters. In international markets where Disney+ is not yet available, the film will be released theatrically, with premiere dates to be announced.

The release plans for Pixar’s latest are in contrast to the other moves Disney made today for “Black Widow” and “Cruella,” both of which will debut in theaters and on Disney+ on the same day, but as premium video on demand titles through Disney+’s Premier Access.

Releasing exclusively on Disney+ did not hurt “Soul” as being one of the most popular films of the year. It opened...

Luca Trailer — Enrico Casarosa‘s Luca (2021) teaser trailer has been released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and Pixar. The Luca trailer stars Jacob Tremblay, Maya Rudolph, Jack Dylan Grazer, Jim Gaffigan, Emma Berman, Marco Barricelli, and Saverio Raimondo. Crew Jesse Andrews and Mike Jones wrote the screenplay for Luca. Nicolle Castro was the storyboard [...]

Continue reading: Luca Trailer: Luca experiences an Unforgettable Italian Riviera Seaside Summer in Disney’s 2021 Animated Movie...

The first trailer for Disney and Pixar's upcoming original feature film Luca has now been released along with a gloriously bright, sun-kissed poster teasing the movie. The trailer is filled with the kind of kind-hearted humor and stunning, vibrant visuals that audiences have come to expect from the accomplished animation studio and should provide another delightful Pixar experience.

Luca is set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, with Disney and Pixar telling a coming-of-age story with a twist. The story follows one young boy as he experiences an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply held secret...they are sea monsters from another world just below the water's surface.

Luca is directed by Academy Award nominee Enrico Casarosa, who previously brought Pixar's La Luna to...

Pixar is inviting viewers to dive into the world of “Luca.” In the upcoming animated film, a boy finds a coming-of-age story in an Italian summer paradise, only to realize that his newfound best friend is a sea monster from a world below the water’s surface.

Jacob Tremblay lends his voice to title character Luca Paguro, a bright and inventive 13-year-old sea monster with endless curiosity — especially when it comes to the mysterious world above the sea. Jack Dylan Grazer voices Alberto Scorfano, the independent, free-spirited teenage sea monster with unbridled enthusiasm for the human world.

Emma Berman provides the voice of Giulia, an outgoing and charming adventurer who befriends Luca and Alberto. Jim Gaffigan voices Lorenzo, Luca’s father. Rounding out the voice cast are Maya Rudolph and Marco Barricelli, who voice Giulia’s parents.

“Luca” will be Pixar’s 24th feature, and director Enrico Casarosa, who helmed the Oscar-winning short “La Luna,...

Exclusive: Ridley Scott’s Scott Free is restructuring its TV operation, promoting longtime Us-based President of Television David W. Zucker to Head of Worldwide TV. In his expanded new role, he will oversee both Scott Free’s Us and UK TV divisions as the company is looking for stronger integration of its creative efforts on both sides of the pond and plans to more actively pursue co-productions.

In the new structure, Marina Brackenbury has been brought in as Head Film and TV in the UK, reporting to Zucker and working alongside Zucker’s top lieutenants in the Us, EVPs Jordan Sheehan and Clayton Krueger, with the three working across the company’s slate, domestically and internationally. Brackenbury succeeds Ed Rubin, who recently stepped down as Managing Director of Scott Free London as the company was getting ready to implement the reorganization.

Also promoted is Carina Sposato to VP in the company’s Los Angeles office,...

Stars: Angourie Rice, Justice Smith, Jeni Ross, Lucas Jade Zumann, Rory McDonald, Katie Douglas, Jacob Batalon, Ian Alexander, Colin Ford, Jake Sim, Nicole Law, Karena Evans, Owen Teague, Maria Bello, Michael Cram | Written by Jesse Andrews | Directed by Michael Sucsy

Based on the 2012 novel by David Levithan, Every Day serves up an intriguing blend of science-fiction fantasy and Ya romance. The film’s unusual conceit comes with a side order of problematic plot points, but the script and the performances ensure that its positive central message wins out.

Directed by Michael Sucsy, the film centres on a spirit known only as “A”, who wakes up every day in a different body, a bit like Sam Beckett in TV’s Quantum Leap. The bodies are always the spirit’s age (around 16) and always within the same geographical area, and A is careful not to meddle too much in the lives of each person he inhabits.

This captivating, thoughtful fantasy is like a teenaged Groundhog Day or Spike Jonze’s Her – just go with it

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Here is a weirdly beguiling movie, adapted by Jesse Andrews from David Levithan’s Ya novel of the same name, and directed by Michael Sucsy, who made the treacly Channing Tatum weepie The Vow. This is much better. I can only describe it as a metempsychotic teen romance, or palingenetic high-school fantasy. It doesn’t begin with any of the obvious comic or ironic palliatives to get you used to its bizarre high concept. It is offered absolutely straight, like a concerned “issue” movie about something non-supernatural. You have to just go with it, and not break the butterfly of its idea on the wheel of derision.

Since Daily Dead Managing Editor Heather Wixson gave it a five-star review at Fantastic Fest, we've been excited for readers to check out the zombie musical Anna and the Apocalypse, and now Orion Pictures has reportedly set a December release date for the horror comedy.

Deadline reports that Anna and the Apocalypse will be released in select Us theaters on Friday, December 7th, ahead of its nationwide release at a later date (that has yet to be announced). Stay tuned to Daily Dead for more updates and check out the previous press release and teaser trailer below:

Previous Press Release: Los Angeles — Orion Pictures, recently relaunched by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) as a new, stand-alone U.S. theatrical marketing and distribution company, has acquired the North American and Latin American rights to John McPhail’s award-winning zombie holiday musical Anna and the Apocalypse. The announcement was made today by John Hegeman, President,...