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Photograph by Courtesy of HBO Mark your calendars, folks! On Friday, May 23rd, HBO is set to premiere a fascinating two-part documentary, Pee-wee As Himself, that promises to peel back the layers of the enigmatic Paul Reubens and his unforgettable creation, Pee-wee Herman. Airing back-to-back starting at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt and available to stream on Max, this is a must-watch for anyone who ever giggled at the Playhouse or embarked on Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. Right from the outset, the official synopsis reveals this isn’t just a nostalgic look back. Drawing upon over 40 hours of interview footage filmed before 2023, Director Matt Wolf (The Stroll) explores Reubens’ personal story, combining a wealth of historical footage and personal images. Prepare to delve into the experiences that shaped him, from his circus town upbringing to his avant-garde theater beginnings. Within the renowned Groundlings improv group, Pee-wee Herman was born. We...

The HBO Original two-part documentary Pee-wee as Himself, directed by Matt Wolf (HBO’s The Stroll), debuts Friday, May 23 (8:00 p.m.-11:20 p.m. Et/Pt) with both parts airing back-to-back on HBO and will be available to stream on Max.

Driven by a soul-baring interview with Paul Reubens, the man behind the iconic character Pee-wee Herman, Pee-wee as Himself is the definitive portrait of the comedic performer, and a window into his never-before-discussed personal life.

Determined to correct the record and tell the factual story of his life, Reubens excavates his kaleidoscopic influences, origins in the circus and avant-garde performance theater, and career choices, while reflecting on the reasoning behind, and the consequences of, severing his beloved alter ego from his authentic self.

Woven together from over 40 hours of interview footage filmed before Reubens’ premature death in 2023, 1,000 hours of archival footage, and tens of thousands of never-before-seen photographs from his personal collections,...

Quick LinksShrek's 2020s Makeover for 'Shrek 5'The Positive Side of Shrek's Redesign

Animation lovers, rejoice! Shrek is coming back to the big screens in late 2026. This DreamWorks franchise is easily one of the most popular animated properties of this century. So a new film should have united fans both young and old, right? Right? Not exactly, as all anyone can talk about online is the new design of the characters in Shrek 5. It's difficult to define just what exactly is upsetting fans, but it mostly boils down to Shrek looking "different."

This redesign isn't that unexpected, as it's been nearly 16 years since the last Shrek movie. CGI animation has improved in that time, with DreamWorks utilizing new technological methods. It's also been a full 25 years since the inaugural Shrek film, released when CGI was in its infancy. Each of the three subsequent films preserved most of the designs...

While George Clooney has garnered acclaim for directing films like Good Night, and Good Luck, The Ides of March, and The Midnight Sky, his first foray into filmmaking was controversial. George Clooney stepped behind the camera for his directorial debut with the espionage drama Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, starts streaming on Prime Video on March 6.

The film assembled a star-studded cast to tell the biography of game show host Chuck Barris, who claimed to have worked as a CIA assassin while creating hit television programs. Its arrival on Amazon's streaming platform signals a chance for cinephiles and Clooney lovers to revisit an underrated entry from the movie star's past.

RelatedGeorge Clooney and Adam Sandler Join Forces in New Netflix Comedy From Barbie Co-Writer

The upcoming Netflix film has been in production for a long time.

George Clooney Teamed Up With Renowned Screenwriter For Directorial Debut

Confessions of a Dangerous...

The new documentary The Dating Game is lining up dates at film festivals around the world. Director Violet Du Feng’s film — about men in China struggling ardently to find spouses — heads to the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in Greece for its international premiere this Saturday.

From there it’s on to the Human International Documentary Film Festival in Oslo, Norway. “After that we’re going to Cph:Dox [in Copenhagen],” followed by several U.S. festivals, the filmmaker tells Deadline. “Some of these festivals haven’t been announced yet, but it’s going to be a tour, busy time.”

It may be hard to top her experience at True/False in Columbia, Mo, where The Dating Game screened several times, including on the documentary festival’s opening night on Thursday.

“There are 1,200 seats,” Feng said. “I’m like, ‘That’s big responsibility.’ So, I was really nervous.” But she needn’t have been.

As Cph:dox gears up for its 2025 edition, organizers have unveiled an audacious program of more than 200 films with a sharp focus on human rights under the theme “Right Here, Right Now.”

With 94 world premieres – 68 of them feature-length, the highest number in the festival’s history – Cph:dox continues to expand its global footprint.

For the third consecutive year, all main competition titles are world premieres. While this is not a formal selection criterion, artistic director Niklas Engstrøm tells Variety, “The fact that top directors chose to premiere their films with us speaks volumes about how the festival has grown.” He adds that shifting the festival from November to March in 2017 strengthened its global standing, positioning it as the go-to European launchpad for U.S. filmmakers after Sundance.

Niklas Engstrom

Hot Sundance titles heading to Cph:Dox include “Mr Nobody against Putin,” “The Dating Game” and “Zodiac Killer Project.”

Among the world...

Cph:dox has selected 68 feature-length world premieres for its 2025 event – a record across the 22 editions of the festival.

The festival has unveiled its full programme, with out of competition titles including Animality, the new film from Germany-based Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei.

Animality examines humans relationship with animals, travelling through China, Egypt and to Danish mink farms.

The festival has added a new thematic strand, ‘Right Here, Right Now’, for films focusing on human rights and the rules-based international order.

The curated programme for the non-competitive section will include films, debates and talks with international guests including Ai Weiwei, Ukrainian activist Inna Shevchenko,...

Anna Kendrick's roles in different films have showcased her versatility as a Hollywood actress.Netflix/YouTube; Universal Studios/YouTubeKatherine McKay in '50/50'LionsgateFilmsUK/YouTube

Anna Kendrick plays the role of young therapist Katherine McKay in the 2011 film 50/50, inspired by writer Will Reiser's cancer battle. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Adam Lerner receives treatment from the inexperienced psychologist and Ph.D. candidate, but Katherine successfully manages to make him open up to her until their relationship progresses.

Stephanie Smothers in 'A Simple Favor'Lionsgate Movies/YouTube

Kendrick appears in the 2018 film A Simple Favor as Stephanie Smothers, a widowed single mother who forms a friendship with Emily Nelson (Blake Lively). Her life turns upside down when Emily goes missing, leading her to investigate and solve the disappearance.

Alice in 'Alice, Darling'Lionsgate Movies/YouTube

The Mary Nighy-directed 2022 film Alice, Darling sees the 39-year-old play the role of Alice, a young woman...

“This whole generation grew up without love,” remarks Hao, the slick dating coach at the center of Violet Du Feng’s documentary The Dating Game. Hao is what the kids might call a “sigma.” For him, finding a partner in China, a country where men outnumber women by 30 million, is all about gaming the system and crafting a façade of success. That means, say, posting pictures of yourself wearing trendy clothes and posing in front of fancy vehicles. It worked for Hao, who appears happily married to his wife, Wen, and now runs a service to help other men, particularly from China’s countryside, find wives.

What begins as a goofy sojourn inside Hao’s seven-day boot camp turns into a reckoning with reality for three bachelors, who bond over shared issues of self-confidence, shyness, and loneliness. Right out of the gate, Feng lucidly frames the men’s predicament in...

A Brigham Young University graduate and longtime Utah resident, Cole Webley’s repeatedly testified how much it means to have his debut feature premiere here after years of rejected shorts. The Utah runs deep in Omaha, whose opening minutes seem to take place in, if not the exact neighborhood, a dead ringer for the suburban setting of fellow Byu alum and screenwriter Robert Machoian’s The Killing of Two Lovers. One morning a father (John Magaro) wakes adolescent daughter Ella (Molly Belle Wright) and even younger son Charlie (Wyatt Solis), piles them and adorable golden retriever Rex into the car, and gets […]

The post Sundance 2024: Omaha, Seeds, The Dating Game first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

A Brigham Young University graduate and longtime Utah resident, Cole Webley’s repeatedly testified how much it means to have his debut feature premiere here after years of rejected shorts. The Utah runs deep in Omaha, whose opening minutes seem to take place in, if not the exact neighborhood, a dead ringer for the suburban setting of fellow Byu alum and screenwriter Robert Machoian’s The Killing of Two Lovers. One morning a father (John Magaro) wakes adolescent daughter Ella (Molly Belle Wright) and even younger son Charlie (Wyatt Solis), piles them and adorable golden retriever Rex into the car, and gets […]

The post Sundance 2024: Omaha, Seeds, The Dating Game first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

China’s One-child policy may have ended in 2015, but the impact of its legacy is still being felt by the millions (upon millions) of people who were born while it was being enforced. Due to a variety of factors that include food scarcity, sex-selective abortions, and gendered physical violence, the disproportionate majority of those people are boys.

China now has 30 million more men than women, which means that legions of eager twentysomethings are chronically single with no end in sight — subject to a cruel game of musical chairs that feels especially stacked against working-class kids whose rural hometowns were abandoned during the country’s push towards urbanization at the end of the 20th century. In the words of Hao, a Chongqing-based dating coach who’s mentored some 3,000 young men on the modern art of seduction: “This whole generation grew up without love.”

That phenomenon is at the heart of...

Films are made over many days, but some days are more memorable, and important, than others. Imagine yourself in ten years looking back on this production. What day from your film’s development, production or post do you think you’ll view as the most significant and why? To me, making films has been driven by the desire to express myself. But for filmmakers like me from more oppressive societies, for our films to reach audiences, we often learn to express ourselves indirectly, through metaphors, creating evocative atmospheres, or embedding subversion into narrative structures. In The Dating Game I was determined to express myself freely without […]

The post “All of Us Cracked Up Hysterically” | Violet Du Feng, The Dating Game first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Films are made over many days, but some days are more memorable, and important, than others. Imagine yourself in ten years looking back on this production. What day from your film’s development, production or post do you think you’ll view as the most significant and why? To me, making films has been driven by the desire to express myself. But for filmmakers like me from more oppressive societies, for our films to reach audiences, we often learn to express ourselves indirectly, through metaphors, creating evocative atmospheres, or embedding subversion into narrative structures. In The Dating Game I was determined to express myself freely without […]

The post “All of Us Cracked Up Hysterically” | Violet Du Feng, The Dating Game first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

If you thought dating was bad stateside, take comfort in knowing the odds could be so much worse.

Director Violet Du Feng decided to capture the staggering disillusionment of straight men in China, where “eligible” male suitors outnumber women by 30 million. Du Feng’s documentary “The Dating Game” centers on one dating coach who is enlisted by a trio of bachelors to teach them how to find wives. All it takes, apparently, is an intensive seven-day dating camp.

The official synopsis reads: “Zhou, Li, and Wu are the three bachelors who embark on a seven-day dating camp, led by Hao, one of China’s most sought-after dating coaches. In their last-ditch effort to find love, the bachelors chuckle and bond as Hao makes them over, altering how they look and act online—and in real life. It’s all part of Hao’s signature ‘strategic deception,’ a series of techniques designed to,...

While we were eager to tell you last year about Sundance premieres starring Kristen Stewart and Pedro Pascal, the unlikely “Thelma” became the true indie success story of 2024. Unexpected buyer Magnolia Pictures turned the June Squibb film into a hit, opening the doors for other buyers to take their own risks this year.

Heading into 2025, uniqueness is the name of the game, as is picking out the discovery that you won’t see coming, and not necessarily the movie with the big cast, commercial pedigree, or crowdpleaser premise. Last year, we were pretty spot on with “A Real Pain” and “My Old Ass” surviving the long haul, and we were among the few to tell you about “It’s What’s Inside” before Netflix plunked down $17 million to buy it; we were way off on a few others.

The below list is not a collection of movies certain to sell or do so for eight figures,...

Making movies can be hard, unpredictable work, so it makes sense that, prior to beginning principal photography, many directors try to assemble a team of familiar faces and proven talents. John Ford frequently collaborated with producer Merian C. Cooper; screenwriters like Nunnally Johnson, Dudley Nichols, and Frank S. Nugent; and a whole stock company of actors that included Victor McLaglen, Jack Pennick, Harry Carey Jr., and, of course, John Wayne. On a smaller scale, you've got Joe Dante, who cast character actor Dick Miller in almost all of his movies, and Ron Howard, who's been finding small parts for his brother Clint Howard since making his feature directing debut with 1977's "Grand Theft Auto."

This cohesion gives film productions a sense of built-in camaraderie and purpose; it also conveys an air of confidence in that everyone working on the movie trusts this group of craftspeople knows how to deliver a high-quality picture.

Since her explosion onto the film scene in 2008's Twilight, Anna Kendrick has risen to become a permanent fixture in Hollywood, portraying a variety of different roles. From aspiring music producer Beca Mitchell in Pitch Perfect to Cinderella in Into the Woods, she's seemingly done it all. However, perhaps none of her performances have been more powerful than that of Alice in the 2022 thriller Alice, Darling, which has recently climbed to the number three spot on Hulu's Top 10 most-watched movies.

Helmed by first-time director Mary Nighy, Alice, Darling focuses on Kendrick's character of Alice and the psychologically abusive relationship she finds herself in with her boyfriend, Simon (Charlie Carrick). As she vacations with her two best friends, Tess (Kaniehtiio Horn) and Sophie (Wunmi Mosaku), without Simon's knowledge, she gets the chance to reevaluate her life, but not before her controlling partner shows up, which leads to a tense...

Having grown up in the 1960s, The Far Side's Gary Larson is well-versed in the Golden Age of Television, with a young Larson watching a bevy of classics that ultimately endured for decades. It therefore makes sense that Far Side parodied a lot of legendary TV shows, but which of Larson's classic TV show jokes was the funniest? In February 2024, we asked you to settle that question.

Screen Rant's poll ran as part of our article '10 Funniest Far Side Comics That Reference Classic TV Shows,' with over 1900 readers choosing the best of the best from comics that parody shows including Lassie, Bewitched and The Brady Bunch. Enjoy the runners-up by opening the image gallery below:

Voting was relatively competitive, with even our last-place entry receiving the support of 65 people. Classic sitcoms Bewitched, The Love Boat and Mr. Ed were still fondly remembered, but the strongest performers were...

It should be no surprise that, as another year winds to a close, horror continued to dominate in 2024. Terrifier 3, for example, became the highest-grossing Unrated movie in box office history, throwing all the indie cinema rules out the window in the process. Longlegs caught everyone off guard, becoming Neon‘s highest-grossing film upon release in July, and streaming service Mubi smartly acquired the body horror movie The Substance, where it became the platform’s highest-grossing film at the box office.

That doesn’t even touch on the huge studio earners like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, or Alien: Romulus. Yet the surprises extend well beyond how well horror performed at the box office; 2024 horror is defined by the way it refused to stay within its tidy genre bounds.

This is reflected in the way that 2024 horror found new angles to push franchises forward through prequels and sequels,...

Love it or hate it, Netflix is still a dominating force in the streaming wars. As of 2024, the platform has 282 million paid subscribers worldwide, with roughly 96 million of those coming from North America alone. That means if you recommend a worthwhile Netflix original movie for someone to check out, there's a good chance they already have a subscription lined up to watch it. And recommendations can be so very crucial, as Netflix constantly cycles through movies and TV shows to the degree that it's easy for a real gem to get lost in the mix.

Many Netflix movies don't wind up in theaters at all, with a few noteworthy exceptions. That means there's typically a small window where a film can make an impact and get some buzz going before it's shifted out of the carousel at the top of the homepage. 2024 had a host of great Netflix originals, from...

Top L–R: The Legend of Ochi, Rabbit Trap, East of Wall, Seeds Center Row L–R: Rebuilding, Together, Love, Brooklyn, Jimpa Bottom L–R: Hal & Harper, Selena y Los Dinos, The Dating Game, Brides screen at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival‘s lineup will include 87 feature films and six episodic projects. Sundance received 15,775 submissions from 156 countries, including 4,138 feature-length film submissions. The 87 films selected represent 33 countries and territories, with 36 of the chosen films coming from first-time feature filmmakers.

“The Sundance Film Festival remains steadfast in its commitment to elevating unique and urgent voices in independent storytelling. Audiences can expect a 2025 program that showcases varied and vibrant filmmaking globally,” stated Robert Redford, Sundance Institute Founder and President.

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival will run January 23rd through February 2nd. For ticket information, visit festival.sundance.org.

“The Festival is our most significant public program as an Institute and builds...

It’s a week of drama that packs a wallop and some gunfire, according to the Days of our Lives spoilers preview. Hope’s suspicions could lead to nailing a thief, while a new couple meets big-time resistance, and the plot to take down Clyde ends with gunfire. Here’s your Days video preview for the week of December 9-13, 2024.

Suspicious Minds

Hope (Kristian Alfonso) can’t shake the feeling that something is amiss with her new family member, Doug Williams. So she broaches the subject with Steve (Stephen Nichols) and Kayla (Mary Beth Evans). “Have you met my father’s long-lost grandson,” Hope asks them.

And her suspicions are definitely justified. Back at the Horton house, Julie realizes something precious is missing from the time capsule Ciara (Victoria Konefal) opened. “What happened to our grandmother’s necklace? It’s gone,” Julie tells Jennifer (Melissa Reeves) as Doug (Peyton Meyer) looks on.

The arrival of December means that 2024 is nearly over, with a new year right around the corner. But 2024 has unleashed a dizzying number of horror releases both in theaters and on streaming, so much so that it’s been nearly impossible to catch up.

If you’re looking to catch up on the freshest new horror or you’re simply seeking titles that may have quietly flown under the radar, this week’s streaming picks are dedicated to 2024 horror movies that have recently made their streaming debuts.

Whether you’re looking for intense new twists on familiar subgenres like true crime thrillers, taboo-shattering grim dark horror comedies, or theatrical summer blockbusters, these five 2024 horror releases showcase some of the year’s best highlights.

Here’s where you can stream them this week.

For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.

Alien: Romulus – Hulu

Fede Alvarez gives a thrilling...

Chuck Woolery, who served as host for Love Connection, Wheel of Fortune, and other popular television game shows and later went on to co-host a right-wing podcast, died on Saturday at his home in Texas. He was 83.

Mark Young, the co-host of their podcast Blunt Force Truth, confirmed the news to The Associated Press via email. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote via The AP.

Woolery served as the first host of Wheel of Fortune...

Chuck Woolery has died at the age of 83.

The original Wheel of Fortune host passed away in his Texas home, according to a longtime friend.

As AP News reports, Chuck’s podcast co-host and friend, Dr. Mark Young, shared the news on Sunday morning.

In an email to AP News, Dr. Young stated that Chuck passed away with his wife, Kristen, present.

Dr. Young wrote, “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith. Life will not be the same without him.”

Over on X (formerly Twitter), Dr. Young shared the news in a public tweet, along with a collage of photos of himself and Chuck.

It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away. Life will not be the same without him,Rip brother pic.twitter.com/OVPgG195RX

— Dr. Mark Young (@MarkYoungTruth) November 24, 2024

“It...

Former Wheel of Fortune Chuck Woolery died. The long-time gameshow host was 83. Other than Wheel of Fortune, he was known for hosting Love Connection and had high-profile gigs throughout his life. It helped to increase his wealth and made him a very successful man.

Here is a look at Chuck Woolery’s net worth at the time of his death.

What Was Chuck Woolery’s Net Worth?

Chuck Woolery was a veteran game show host throughout his life. He first appeared on a 1974 episode of Your Hit Parade and then joined Merv Griffin’s empire as a gameshow host for many years.

Chuck Woolery Youtube

Woolery worked on Wheel of Fortune from 1975 to 1981. Pat Sajak replaced him as the host after he left that job. He then moved on to Love Connection, a hosting job he held from 1983 to 1994. During the same time, he hosted Scrabble from 1984 to 1990 and again...

Wheel Of Fortune star Chuck Woolery is one of the most beloved game show hosts in the entertainment industry. He had hosted multiple TV shows and was the original host of Wheel Of Fortune and The Love Connection. The world is now mourning the loss of the game show legend who passed away at home in Texas.

Wheel Of Fortune: Who Is Chuck Woolery?

Chuck started his career as a singer and was the other half of the pop duo, The Avant-Garde. In 1975, he was hired for the TV game show Wheel Of Fortune. After six years in the program, Chuck was replaced by Pat Sajak. But his career didn’t stop there, Chuck later hosted Love Connection in 1983 and stayed on the show for 11 years. He has also appeared as a host and co-host for other variety game shows, such as Scrabble from 1984 to 1990 and Home & Family...

Veteran game show host Chuck Woolery, who is best known for his years on the syndicated dating show Love Connection, has died at the age of 83, TVLine has confirmed.

Woolery died Saturday at his home in Texas, TMZ reports. “It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother [Chuck Woolery] has just passed away,” Woolery’s friend and podcast partner Mark Young shared on social media. “Life will not be the same without him.”

More from TVLineTony Todd, Candyman Star and Star Trek TV Veteran, Dead at 69Quincy Jones, Grammy-Winning Titan of the Music Industry, Dead at 91Alan Rachins,...

Chuck Woolery, a television pioneer who helped design modern game shows and became a household name as the host of iconic series like “Wheel of Fortune” and “Love Connection,” died on November 23 at 83, according to his friend and podcast co-host Mark Young.

Young announced the news on social networking platform X, writing, “With a crushed heart, I inform you that my dear brother Chuck Woolery has just gone away. “Life will not be the same without him.”

Woolery’s television career lasted over four decades, beginning with his historic role as the inaugural host of “Wheel of Fortune” in 1975. He ran the show for six years before Pat Sajak took over, which he held until his recent retirement announcement.

His career reached another high point 1983 with “Love Connection,” a dating show that became a global sensation. Woolery’s engaging charisma helped make the show a fan favorite and cemented his...

Chuck Woolery, the veteran game show host who gained fame as the original emcee behind “Wheel of Fortune” and later as the face of the popular syndicated dating show “Love Connection,” has died. He was 83.

The news was first reported on the social media site X by Woolery’s friend Mark Young, who noted that “it is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away. Life will not be the same without him, Rip brother.”

The website TMZ confirmed the news, reporting that Woolery died in his Texas home after having trouble breathing.

Woolery, who spent more than ten years as host of “Love Connection” (where he famously told viewers before commercial breaks that the show would be back in “two and two”), became known in more recent years as a conservative talk show host and pundit. He hosted a nationally syndicated radio commentary show,...

Game show veteran Chuck Woolery, who hosted the original versions of Wheel of Fortune and Love Connection, died November 23. He was 83.

Woolery’s passing was announced on X by his longtime friend and Blunt Force Truth podcast co-host Mark Young.

“It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away,” he wrote. “Life will not be the same without him.”

Young told TMZ that Woolery died at his Texas home after experiencing trouble breathing.

Woolery, who started his career as a country singer and was half of pop duo The Avant-Garde, was hired as Wheel of Fortune host when the show first launched in 1975. After hosting the program for seven years, he departed over a salary dispute and was replaced by Pat Sajak.

“Chuck Woolery was without doubt the Real Deal. He was an original. There was no one like Chuck,...

Netflix has another hit with Woman of the Hour. The crime thriller, which debuted on Oct. 18, has both high viewership along with critical acclaim.

Since Woman of the Hour debuted on Netflix last month, the series has been consistently holding a spot in the Top 10 list on the Reelgood streaming chart. Its latest ranking, for the week of Nov. 7-13, sees the film sitting in the No. 9 position above the Apple TV+ series Shrinking. The list is topped by Yellowstone on Peacock, which was given a surge in streaming with the show's final episodes now airing on Paramount Network.

Related Recent Netflix Hit With 94% Rotten Tomatoes Score Gets Exciting Season 2 Update

The wait in between seasons won't be long, according to this new update.

Along with its viewership, Woman of the Hour has been a critical success. The film holds a Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes of 91%, drawing very...

Anna Kendrick has chosen to donate her earnings from her Netflix directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, to charity, expressing that profiting from a project centered on tragic events felt “gross.”

In recent interviews and podcast appearances, Kendrick revealed that her decision stemmed from deep ethical considerations about monetizing true-crime stories, which often highlight the traumatic experiences of victims.

Details On ‘Woman of The Hour’

In the October 18 Netflix movie, Woman of the Hour, Cheryl Bradshaw, a contestant on the 1978 TV show The Dating Game, unwittingly crossed paths with serial killer Rodney Alcala.

Starring and directing, Kendrick raised awareness of a case that examines the effects of abuse on women. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (Rainn) and the National Center for Victims of Crime (Ncvc) received Kendrick’s revenues despite the success of the play.

Speaking on the Crime Junkie Af podcast with Ashley Flowers, Kendrick shared her thought process.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 9:00 Pm Et/Pt, when Fox airs an intense encore episode of 48 Hours titled “Rodney Alcala: The Killing Game.” This gripping two-hour special delves deep into the dark and disturbing case of Rodney Alcala, one of the nation’s deadliest serial killers whose body count continues to grow.

In this episode, Peter Van Sant and the 48 Hours team revisit the horrifying trail left by Alcala, a charming photographer and former contestant on “The Dating Game.” Known for his ability to blend into society, Alcala managed to evade capture for years, leaving behind a string of victims across the country. The investigation uncovers chilling details about his modus operandi and the relentless efforts of law enforcement to bring him to justice.

One of the episode’s highlights includes an interview with Sweetwater County Sheriff Corporal Jeff Sheaman, who expresses his belief that Alcala may have up to 200 victims.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 9:00 Pm Et/Pt, when CBS brings back a chilling episode of 48 Hours titled “Rodney Alcala: The Killing Game.” Hosted by Peter Van Sant, this special dives deep into the dark history of one of America’s most elusive and deadly serial killers.

Rodney Alcala, once a charming photographer and contestant on “The Dating Game,” led a double life that shocked the nation. Known for his intelligence and charisma, Alcala’s sinister side remained hidden as he crisscrossed the country, leaving a trail of victims in his wake. This episode explores just how many lives he may have taken, with experts suggesting the number could be much higher than previously known.

Sheriff Corporal Jeff Sheaman from Sweetwater County, Wyoming, shares his thoughts on the ongoing investigation, expressing concerns that Alcala could have up to 200 victims. The episode also recounts Alcala’s capture and...

Anna Kendrick surprised us all this past month when her disturbing, gritty directing debut Woman of the Hour dropped on Netflix. The film tells the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala and the women who crossed paths with him. Woman of the Hour is chock-full of impressive performances from Daniel Zovatto as Alcala, Tony Hale as The Dating Game show host Ed Burke, and breakout roles from Kathryn Gallagher and Autumn Best as Charlie and Amy, two victims of Alcala's crimes. For the film, Kendrick both acted in the lead role and directed, requiring wearing many hats, but that's not all that she did on set. Kendrick's background as a singer may have gone under the radar for this film, but ended up serving an important role in her vision for the film. Kendrick's innovative musical oversight of Woman of the Hour shows her dedication to every level of the movie,...

Woman of the Hour director Anna Kendrick discussed plans for her next movie after the success of her directorial debut. Woman of the Hour currently has a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, and tells the true story of Sheryl Bradshaw, played by Kendrick, who appeared on an episode of The Dating Game in 1978, which also included a contestant who was later revealed to be serial killer Rodney Alcala. In addition to Kendrick, the cast of Woman of the Hour includes Daniel Zovatto, Autumn Best, Nicolette Robinson, and Tony Hale.

Following her successful directorial debut, Kendrick admits to Variety that she currently does not know what her next movie will be. Originally, Kendrick was doubtful Woman of the Hour would be successful at all. However, after its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024, Netflix purchased the movie, and Woman of the Hour has received a slew of positive reviews. She...

Anna Kendrick realizes she has a lot to live up to following the success of her directorial debut “Woman of the Hour.”

She is still looking for her next directorial effort.

“I haven’t found anything that I’m as passionate about because I think I really hit the jackpot with ‘Woman of the Hour’ — the script and the actors and everything about it,” she tells Variety at the Lacma Art-Film Gala on Saturday night in Los Angeles. “So it’s been very daunting to try to find something that I care that much about.”

The film tells the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala’s 1978 appearance on the “The Dating Game.” In addition to directing the film, Kendrick also stars as the game show contestant Sheryl Bradshaw, opposite Daniel Zovatto as Alcala.

Photo Gallery: From Charli Xcx and Troye Sivan’s Sweat Tour Reunion to Kim Kardashian Wearing...

Quick Links Kendricks Direction Created Some of the Scariest Scenes of the Year Woman of the Hour Put its Focus on the Victims

This article will contain spoilers for Woman of the Hour.

The first ten months of 2024 contained some of the most chilling and tense thriller and horror films of the entire year. From the creepy, dread-filled Longlegs to the pulpy rollercoaster ride of Love Lies Bleeding, the year was full of movies that elevated audiences heart rates. While fiction often created tension and real feelings of suspense in the bodies and minds of audiences, stories ripped straight from real life headlines were often more chilling and terrifying than purely fictitious ones.

After its 2023 premiere at TIFF, Anna Kendrick's directorial debut Woman of the Hour was acquired by Netflix for $11 million dollars. After a year of waiting, the film finally became available for streaming on October 18th, and...

The run-up to Halloween is peak spooky season, and this week’s Samba TV Weekly Wrap Report proves that streaming audiences are flocking to scary fare. Yet despite an influx of horror flicks, thrillers, and serial killer content, none of it can scare “The Penguin” out of the top spot.

Collin Farrell’s turn as Gotham City’s bird-like crime boss has held the top spot for six consecutive weeks and shows no sign of stopping, with two more episodes to go in the Max/HBO series.

Now, let’s count the creepies. “Woman of the Hour,” in second place again this week, tells the how-can-this-be-real-life story of serial killer Rodney Alcala appearing as a contestant on “The Dating Game” in the 1970s. Newcomer “Don’t Move” is No. 4 this week, with 1.1 million households watching the Netflix horror movie in the first three days it was available.

Director M. Night Shyamalan,...

Anna Kendrick may have made her directorial debut with Woman of the Hour but she made no profit from it after deciding to donate all of her pay to Rainn (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) and the National Center for Victims of Violent Crime.

While appearing on the Crime Junkie Af podcast to chat about the Netflix film, Kendrick reflected on making the decision for her donation.

“This was never a money-making venture for me. All the resources went to actually just making the movie,” Kendrick told host Ashley Flowers.

She said that things took a turn ahead of taking the film to the Toronto International Film Festival where she realized money would become involved in conversations about the film: “I went from being like, ‘Let me know when the movie happens,’ to being like, ‘Oh god I am responsible for this,’ and then it was making the movie — we...

This article covers topics such as rape and sexual violence, which some individuals may find distressing.

Anna Kendrick, who starred in and directed the 2024 true-crime movie Woman of the Hour, admitted that she didn't want to make any money off of the film. Woman of the Hour serves as Kendrick's directorial debut and chronicles Sheryl Bradshaw's 1978 appearance on the show The Dating Game, where one of the contestants would later be revealed as a serial killer. In addition to Kendrick, the Woman of the Hour's cast also includes Daniel Zovatto, Autumn Best, Nicolette Robinson, and Tony Hale.

In an appearance on the Crime Junkie Af podcast, Kendrick revealed that she never intended Woman of the Hour to be a "money-making venture" for her, since it told the story of several horrific murders. Therefore, she says that she donated all of her earnings from the movie to Rainn and...

Anna Kendrick made a point to not profit off of true crime with her directorial debut “Woman of the Hour.”

Kendrick, who also stars in and executive produces the film, donated her salary to organizations Rainn and the National Center for Victims of Violent Crime.

“Woman of the Hour” captures the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto), who appeared on “The Dating Game” in 1978. Kendrick portrays “The Dating Game” contestant Sheryl Bradshaw who chose Alcala. Prior to his appearance on the reality show, Alcala had served three years in prison for assaulting two underage girls prior to murdering five women under the guise of photographing them for The Los Angeles Times, where he worked.

Kendrick said during the “Crime Junkie Af” podcast in the below video that she did not want to “feel gross” about making money from telling the story of Alcala, who was later convicted of killing five people.

Anna Kendrick says she felt "gross" profiting from her new Netflix crime thriller Woman of the Hour, so she donated her pay to survivors of sexual abuse. Kendrick stars in and directs the true crime thriller based on the harrowing story of serial killer Rodney Alcala. In 1978, Alcala appeared on an episode of The Dating Game, where, sight unseen, he won a date with a woman named Cheryl Bradshaw. Despite picking Alcala as her potential suitor, Bradshaw's instincts deterred her from ever going through with a date. At the time, Alcala had committed several murders and was a registered sex offender.

During an appearance on the Crime Junkie Af podcast, Kendrick described why she ultimately decided to donate her salary from the film:

"It wasn't until the week before TIFF [Toronto International Film Festival] that I thought 'Oh, the movie is going to make money. I went from being like, 'Let me know when the movie happens,...

Anna Kendrick made her feature directorial debut with Women of the Hour, the film based on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala. She also plays the lead role in the film as a character that draws from Cheryl Bradshaw, who narrowly escaped Alcala’s violence after encountering him on the series The Dating Game in the 1970s. Before money started flowing in after the film was purchased by Netflix, Kendrick made a conscious choice to redirect her portion of the proceeds to abuse charities and organizations.

“I sort of asked myself the question,...

Anna Kendrick revealed during an interview on the “Crime Junkie Af” podcast that she made no money from directing “Woman of the Hour” because she donated her pay to Rainn and the National Center for Victims of Violent Crime. These organizations are two of the country’s leading nonprofits that support survivors of sexual abuse and violence.

“This was never a money-making venture for me,” Kendrick said. “Eventually, Netflix bought the movie. But it wasn’t until, like, the week before [the movie’s premiere at] TIFF that I thought, ‘Oh, the movie’s gonna make money. I asked myself the question of, ‘Do you feel gross about this?’ And I did.”

“So I’m not making money off of the movie,” she continued. “The money is going to — or has gone to — Rainn and to the National Center for Victims of Violent Crime. That felt like the least that I could do.”

“We’re...

After making her directorial debut Woman of the Hour, Anna Kendrick is donating her earnings to survivors of sexual abuse.

While opening up about the Netflix true-crime thriller, the Oscar nominee explained why she felt “gross” being paid for a film about ‘The Dating Game Killer’ Rodney Alcala‘s victims and survivors.

“Believe me, this was never a money-making venture for me, because all the resources went to actually making the movie,” she explained on the Crime Junkie Af podcast.

In addition to directing, Kendrick plays Cheryl Bradshaw, an aspiring actress in 1970s Los Angeles who finds herself courted by a serial killer (Daniel Zovatto) in the midst of a years-long killing spree, when they cross paths as contestants on popular game show The Dating Game.

“It wasn’t until the week before TIFF that I thought ‘Oh, the movie is going to make money,'” she added. “I went from being like,...

Lock your doors, draw the curtains, and keep the lights on — these true crime shows aren’t just here to entertain, if “entertain” is even the right word.

They’re here to send shivers down your spine and make you rethink how safe you really are.

With chilling tales of real-life horrors, sinister secrets, and the kind of mysteries that get under your skin, these series are guaranteed to make you uneasy.

(Prime Video/Screenshot)

You’ll come face to face with serial killers who lurk in plain sight, elusive predators who evade justice, and twisted family secrets that unravel into chaos.

Each show dives deep into the darkest corners of human nature, exposing the sinister truths that make everyday life feel a little less safe.

If you’re brave enough to watch, these 21 shows will leave you questioning every creak in the night — and sleeping with one eye open.

Anna Kendrick is detailing an “icky” on-set experience with an unnamed director.

Kendrick said during Josh Horowitz’s “Happy Sad Confused” podcast in the below video that a filmmaker encouraged her to improvise during a production, only to then publicly “embarrass” her by suggesting she just stick to the script after all.

“I remember a director once in a room full of 100 extras or something being like, ‘Hey, on this next one just try something. Just make something up. Just improv something,’” Kenrick said. “And I did it and then the director called cut and came over and, once again in front of 100 extras, was like, ‘Oof, let’s go back to the script!’ It really felt like a very specific power move thing to embarrass me, to gain dominance. It was very icky.”

Yet Kendrick’s improv, though, ended up making it into the trailer for the film.

“And...