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If you think Zendaya’s Challengers is the hottest tennis drama, think again! Because, nearly 20 years ago, Scarlett Johansson came and conquered the genre alongside Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The duo had set the screen on fire in director Woody Allen’s steamy thriller Match Point (2005).

A still from Zendaya’s Challengers | image: Amazon MGM Studios

Well, the story and the stars’ performance were so passionate, that Woody Allen himself called Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Rhys Meyers a “very hot team” in an archive of The Close-Up podcast. Perhaps, the 2005 movie being ahead of its time, has the potential to compete with Zendaya’s Challengers.

Woody Allen praised Scarlett Johansson’s 2005 steamy thriller

Those who think Zendaya’s Challengers is setting new standards for on-screen heat might have forgotten about Match Point. The 2005 thriller starring Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Rhys Meyers was so steamy that even its director, Woody Allen,...

Having grown stale in his native New York, Woody Allen took an extended trip to Europe, where he made some of his best films of the 21st century. England gave us Match Point, France gave us Midnight in Paris, and Spain gave us Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Of the three, Allen's Spanish escapade has the most in common with his most famous New York movies, comedic studies of intellectuals who are constantly foiled by matters of the heart. Yet there's an added element of danger to this one, as it explores the complications that arise when passion and violence become intertwined, and how art and love become inseparable.

Renowned director Noah Baumbach, who co-wrote the script for 2023's Barbie with his wife, Greta Gerwig, has a new project set to premiere on Netflix this year. The project, which has been in development for over a year, boasts a star-studded ensemble cast.

The movie, titled Jay Kelly, is set to premiere on Netflix sometime this fall. Although there are few details about what it's about, its star-studded cast is enough to tune in. Although Netflix has a history of not always delivering when putting together an A-list cast, Tudum reports the film will have Baumbach working with George Clooney and Adam Sandler in what's described as a "new, heartbreaking comedy."

RelatedNetflix Reveals First Look at Tyler Perry's Next Madea Movie

Netflix shares an exclusive tease of their latest Tyler Perry collaboration, Madea's Destination Wedding.

The Oscar-nominated filmmaker wrote and directed the movie. His previous credits include Netflix's 2022's...

The year 2024 will be noted as a better one for Indian cinema, particularly for its storytellers. It was a year when promising mainstream directors broke their shell to narrate familiar tales with a personal and empathetic touch. A significant national conversation revolved around the country’s need for constructive cinematic literacy. The preference for Kiran Rao’s ‘Laapataa Ladies’, an enjoyable yet flawed film, over Payal Kapadia’s luminous Grand Prix-winning work, highlighted the myopic vision of India’s film circles towards non-Hindi films. It also exposed the inadequate male-centric views of a National Board of thirteen middle-aged male apologists, particularly in their perception of femininity.

This list aims to be broader, more informed, and naturally, more willing to engage. Featuring a mix of surprisingly well-crafted Hindi films and outstanding regional productions, a prominent feature of Indian cinema this year has been the fluidity of spoken dialogue used by many films.

Former NFL standouts Vernon Davis and Omar Bolden are tackling a new path.

The pair, who were both members of the Denver Broncos when the team won Super Bowl 50 in 2016, are set to star in the comedy series Match Point. Created by Sports Emmy-nominated director Joslyn Rose Lyons, the mockumentary project launches its first two episodes on-demand via Apple TV and Prime Video on Feb. 11, 2025. The rest of the 10-episode first season will roll out after that.

Match Point centers on Max (Davis) and Anthony (Bolden), two former tennis stars who co-host a new podcast together. The series follows their behind-the-scenes efforts to launch the podcast alongside a high-strung producer (Ashley Haas) and a ratings-obsessed talent booker (Rob Gordon), all while dealing with pushy executives and a dysfunctional crew.

Davis, Lyons, Johanna Saldaña and Dominique Mouton serve as executive producers. A trailer for Match Point, which is distributed through Filmhub,...

Although Jonathan Rhys Meyers was a promising rising star in the late 90s and early aughts, his screen appearance has diminished over the years, making it hard not to wonder what happened to him. Today, Meyers may only be associated with his recent recurring role in Vikings. However, long before Jonathan Rhys Meyers became Bishop Heahmund in the historical drama, he was known for starring in several popular films and series like The Tudors and Match Point. Despite building a strong portfolio for himself, Meyers somehow faced a downturn in his Hollywood career.

Some might even remember him for his earlier years in Hollywood, where he played a diverse set of roles in movies like Vanity Fair, August Rush, and Bend it Like Beckham. However, regardless of how audiences remember him, he seems to have gone relatively silent in recent years, with fewer mainstream movie and TV projects showing up in his acting resume.

The best Woody Allen movies all mostly deal with quirky people in uncomfortable situations, often musing about life and its idiosyncrasies. Allen is one of the most acclaimed American filmmakers in history, with a record 16 nominations for the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, while winning four Academy Awards during his career. He has also been recognized by the BAFTA Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Tony Awards, Emmy Awards, and even the Grammys. He also won the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2014.

Allen started his career as a writer for television before moving on to films, where he developed a reputation for dialogue-driven dramas, often with long monologs, sometimes performed by Allen himself. He has made everything from slapstick comedies to romantic comedies to dramas and psychological thrillers, and for several years, he seemed to have his choice of the best actors in Hollywood, clamoring to work with him. In...

Woody Allen is a four-time Academy Award winner who has proved incredibly prolific in his decades-long career, writing, directing, and oftentimes starring in nearly a film a year for over 50 years. But how many of those are classics? Let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

After years as a joke writer and standup comic, Allen transitioned into filmmaking penning such screenplays as “What’s New Pussycat?” (1965) and starring in such titles as “Casino Royale” (1967). His first credit as a director was the comedically overdubbed Japanese spy thriller “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?” (1966).

The Woody Allen as we know him emerged in 1969 with the farcical mockumentary “Take the Money and Run” (1969), made when he was 34 years old. The success of that film led to a string of critically acclaimed absurdist comedies, including “Bananas” (1971) and “Sleeper” (1973).

He established himself as an important filmmaker with the romantic...

Known for his jaw-dropping stunts and relentless commitment in the Mission: Impossible franchise, Tom Cruise almost shared the screen with Scarlett Johansson in the third installment of the franchise. However, the thrilling team-up never made it to the big screen, leaving fans to mourn the untapped chemistry and exhilarating action.

Mission: Impossible 3 | Credit: Paramount Pictures

The actress later reflected on the missed opportunity prompted by the filmmaker J.J. Abrams taking over the project after David Fincher stepped down as the director due to creative differences.

How J.J. Abrams Robbed Fans of a Tom Cruise And Scarlett Johansson Action Team-Up

Renowned filmmaker J.J. Abrams took over as the director for the 2006 film Mission: Impossible 3 after David Fincher stepped down due to creative differences, choosing instead to focus on his 2007 thriller Zodiac.

Tom Cruise and Michelle Monaghan in Mission: Impossible 3 | Credit: Paramount Pictures

However, when Abrams stepped...

Scarlett Johansson is one of the most recognized stars in the world and has been one of the highest-paid actresses. While her role as Black Widow made her a global star, she has also been a critical darling and has performed in Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated roles. In one such Golden Globe ceremony, however, a terrible incident occurred.

When attending the ceremony and making her red-carpet appearance, Johansson was groped by TV presenter and fashion icon Isaac Mizrahi. Claiming to be figuring out how the dress was made, the event was broadcast live and ignited strong responses from the Academy and fans.

Scarlett Johansson’s Reaction To Isaac Mizrahi Groping Her On TV Was Strange The cast of Match Point | Credits: DreamWorks Pictures

Isaac Mizrahi is known as a fashion designer and became well-known for his no-holds-barred style of hosting and fashion opinions. He was associated with E! News and...

Plex is gearing up for an exciting lineup of films and series in November 2024. Viewers can look forward to a variety of new additions, including Blue Ridge, But I’m A Cheerleader, Call Jane, and Empire State. Cult classics like The Grudge, Hard Candy, House of 1000 Corpses, and The Midnight Meat Train are also hitting the platform, alongside more recent hits like Wind River and Where’d You Go, Bernadette? For fans of horror, thrillers, and emotional dramas, there’s no shortage of options. However, Plex is also bidding farewell to a number of films and shows in November. Among those leaving are 24 Hours to Live, Drive Angry, The Devil’s Rejects, Snowpiercer, and USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage. If you’ve been meaning to watch these titles, now is the time to catch them before they disappear. For those looking to binge their favorites, many notable titles are still available for streaming.

Challengers is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, and the $94 million sports movie starring Zendaya is one of the year's best new releases, making it a must-watch. Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino's new sports romance film follows a love triangle of tennis players over the course of several years in their lives, examining their power dynamics at work on and off the court. The spicy drama earned immediate critical and audience acclaim, with an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes, praising the Challengers cast for their performances and intense chemistry.

Luca Guadagnino's films have consistently been met with divisive responses, and Challengers' 73% audience score is no different. In this instance, the critics are worth listening to, especially for fans of the director or any of the actors involved, all of whom are at their best. It's Zendaya's first major movie star role outside of her franchise appearances, and...

Mia Farrow understands if actors want to continue to collaborate with Woody Allen. That's surprising, given the history between the two; their 12-year romantic relationship concluded after Farrow discovered nude pics of her adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn that Allen had taken. Following their split, things got worse. Farrow and Allen's adopted daughter Dylan, then 7, made allegations of molestation against the Academy Award-winning filmmaker.

While appearing on CBS Sunday Mornings on September 1, journalist Seth Doane asked Farrow:

"Are you able to separate the experience as an actor in those films from the personal trials and tribulations that would follow?"

Farrow responded:

"Oh yeah, yeah.I com pletely understand if an actor decides to work with him. I'm not one who'd say, 'Oh, they shouldn't.'"

Related Woody Allens Coup de Chance Boasts Best Rotten Tomatoes Score for the Filmmaker in Over a Decade

Woody Allen's Coup de Chance currently holds the...

Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Match Point), Ashley Greene (The Twilight Saga), Thomas Kretschmann (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) and Praya Lundberg (The White Lotus) have signed on to star alongside Anthony Hopkins in Eyes in the Trees, a sci-fi thriller serving as a modern reimagining of H.G. Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau, on which we were first to report.

Ashland Hill has also come aboard to finance alongside Bgg Capital, with Palisades Park Pictures launching worldwide sales ahead of the Toronto Film Festival. The film is set to enter production in Thailand later this year.

Eyes in the Trees follows a video journalist and his film crew as they embark on a journey into an isolated forest, only to find their excursion turned into a fight for survival for not just themselves, but the entire human race. Vince Henway (Meyers) and...

Scarlett Johansson is herself a force to reckon with but even she felt a little nervous while working with the renowned director, Woody Allen. Known for films like Annie Hall, Manhattan, Midnight in Paris, and so on, Woody Allen has won four Academy Awards, 10 BAFTAs, 2 Golden Globes and so much more. All in all, he is a well-decorated filmmaker and it’s no surprise that actors would feel a little intimated in front of him.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Scarlett Johansson in Match Point (2005) | BBC Films

Despite the fact that Scarlett Johansson had been in plenty of projects before starring in Woody Allen’s Match Point, she was still a tad bit nervous. Due to her nerves, the actress had a hard time filming on her first day but eventually decided to put her head in the game.

Scarlett Johansson was Nervous to Film with Woody Allen

A still from...

In the current era of filmmaking, a movie is only as good as its marketing strategy. No other film proved this better than Scarlett Johansson’s sci-fi action thriller The Island, which opened in 2005 to lackluster box office collections. However, the film later gained a cult following, with many appreciating the film’s ethical themes.

Johansson herself blamed the bad publicity and promotions that the studio did for the original sci-fi movie. Directed by Michael Bay before his Transformers days and co-written by Star Trek’s Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci, the film only earned $162 million against a $126 million budget.

Scarlett Johansson Blamed Studio For The Failure Of The Sci-Fi Movie The Island A still from Under the Skin | Credits: StudioCanal/A24

Actress Scarlett Johansson has a wide variety of genres in her filmography. Apart from her appearance as Natasha Romanoff a.k.a Black Widow in the MCU, she...

Scarlett Johansson’s impressive filmography showcases a talent that goes beyond her stunning good looks and toned physique. While the star has been praised for the kind of roles she has chosen, there is no denying the fact that her s*x appeal has played a significant part in her massive popularity.

Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow (image credit: Marvel)

While these high expectations in Hollywood can naturally put pressure on any actor to maintain their appearance, Johansson faced it pretty intensely when she signed on to be Black Widow in the MCU. Getting into a form-fitting costume to play a swashbuckling superhero was a daunting task that saw the celebrity almost having a meltdown about getting into perfect shape for the role.

Scarlett Johansson Had Nightmares About Her MCU Role For This Reason

The charismatic Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow was brought to life perfectly by Scarlett Johansson in the MCU.

Scarlett Johansson is one of the A-list actresses who has always tried to strike a balance between big-budget blockbusters and small character-driven dramas. The actress refuses to be stuck in one particular genre and does her best to diversify her filmography. Her most popular and celebrated role is undoubtedly Black Widow, which she played in the MCU for over 10 years.

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff in Black Widow | Marvel Studios

After being a part of the Og Avengers in the MCU, the actress is set to lead the next Jurassic World movie which will be directed by Gareth Edwards. Despite being one of the leading stars in the MCU, Johansson always wanted to join the Jurassic World franchise and would have done anything to be in one of the films.

Scarlett Johansson Is Giddy With Excitement About Joining The Jurassic World Franchise

Scarlett Johansson is a huge fan of Jurassic Park...

Scarlett Johansson has cemented herself among the most influential Hollywood celebrities thanks to her impeccable acting skills. She entered the entertainment industry at a young age and transitioned to adult roles, earning critical acclaim for her work. Along the way, her prominence also started reflecting on her personal life as her off-the-screen life garnered public attention.

Scarlett Johansson in the MCU as Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow [Credit: Marvel Studios]While one may be aware of her high-profile marriage with ex-husband Ryan Reynolds, it might be surprising to learn her candid take on the institution of marriage, shared long before meeting him.

Scarlett Johansson Got Candid About Marriage

Like many Hollywood celebrities, Scarlett Johansson has enjoyed love at quite a young age, which was great, even for a short while. Her love chapter with Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds is quite similar.

But before their bond blossomed, the Black Widow actress expressed...

Throughout the duration of her lengthy career, Scarlett Johansson has worked with some of the most talented people in Hollywood. Be it her time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or her various other pursuits, she has worked with the best that the film industry has to offer and eventually became a part of the category itself.

Scarlett Johansson in Match Point l Paramount Pictures

She has also worked with several extremely attractive co-stars. Many years ago, there were rumors floating around about her being involved with her Match Point co-star, Jonathan Rhys Myers. During an interview, she debunked these in a manner that was not flattering to her co-star.

Scarlett Johansson Debunks The Rumors

When actors are involved with each other on screen, it is quite common for spectators to think that something else is going on outside of the movie itself. Actors are coupled together, rumors float around, and all of a sudden,...

Watching Woody Allen's 1979 romantic comedy "Manhattan" in 2024 is certainly a fraught affair. For decades after its release, "Manhattan" was hailed as one of the filmmaker's best, frankly and stylishly telling a story of modern New York life, revealing the embarrassing impulses of a neurotic man struggling through his own acknowledged sexual and romantic weaknesses. In the film, Allen plays Isaac, a 42-year-old, twice-divorced comedy writer trying to pen a book about how much he loves New York City. As part of his midlife crisis, he is romantically and sexually involved with Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), a 17-year-old prep school student.

Allen's fictional relationship with an underage girl was, at the time, seen as a strange quirk of the modern cosmopolitan arts milieu, and many critics remained unconcerned. It wouldn't be for a few more years, in 1991, that details of Allen's personal life would begin to emerge. He married the much-younger...

Jonathan Rhys Meyers from The Tudors and Match Point has been cast in the sci-fi thriller It’s Okay Go Back To Sleep, which Scatena & Rosner Films (S&r) has acquired for sales here in Cannes.

Currently in production in the UK, the film follows a scientist working on a device to heal paralysed people who is tormented by his own sleep paralysis as boundaries blur between what is real and imagined.

Edmund Kingsley, Poppy Drayton, Oliver Trevena, Henning Baum, and Pippa Bennett-Warner round out the key cast. Brian Klemesrud directs from his screenplay.

Sasha Yelaun, Dominic Burns, Mark Schimmel...

Sports and romance movies intersect in love triangles, combining competition and complex relationships for compelling storytelling. Challengers, a new tennis drama starring Zendaya, brings the niche of sports romance movies back to the mainstream. Love triangles in movies like Match Point and Love & Basketball delve deep into themes of greed, entitlement, and personal growth.

The intersection between Sports Movies and romance movies doesn't include the highest volume of films, but the great love triangles that bridge the gap between genres make for excellent storytelling. These types of movies have been made since the beginning of cinema, as many romance movies have employed the trope of the love triangle. Challengers is a new tennis drama starring Zendaya that brings this niche of cinema back to the mainstream and has caused quite a stir with its promise of incredible romantic tension.

Themes like competition, insecurity, and the drive to be the...

Luca Guadagnino’s love triangle drama Challengers starts its UK-Ireland box office campaign this weekend through Warner Bros.

Opening in 702 sites with additional venues still being added, the film stars Zendaya, 2016 Screen Star of Tomorrow Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist in the story of three aspiring tennis professionals fighting both for championships and romantically.

Initially programmed as the opening film of last year’s Venice Film Festival, Challengers was withdrawn following the actors’ strike, which would have prevented its starry cast from promoting the release.

It is Italian filmmaker Guadagnino’s eighth feature film. He broke out internationally with his fifth,...

Zack Snyder wanted Tom Cruise to portray Ozymandias in Watchmen, but ended up not appearing in the film, with Matthew Goode taking on the role instead. Cruise had his eyes set on playing Rorschach, but the role went to Jackie Earle Haley, who delivered an incredible performance in the 2009 movie adaptation. Ozymandias himself, Goode, also portrays another villain in the new horror film Abigail, which is now playing in theaters.

Tom Cruise wanted to portray Rorschach in the Watchmen feature film. At the end of the day, though, Jackie Earle Haley ended up winning the role of the one superhero whose conscience proved to be his undoing at the conclusion of Zack Snyder’s 2009 superhero flick. However, had the filmmaker had his way, Cruise would have appeared in the movie as an entirely different character, the deceitful and scheming Ozymandias. Snyder said during his sit-down on the Happy Sad Confused...

Bill Maher welcomed Katie Couric onto his “Club Random” podcast and passionately defended Woody Allen while the two discussed canceled artists in Hollywood. Maher said “I don’t think he committed that crime” in reference to Dylan Farrow’s molestation allegation against Allen, adding: “There was two police investigations that exonerated him.”

“There’s these actors who won’t work with him anymore and some of them made movies with him are saying, ‘I regret doing that.’ What a bunch of pussies!” Maher said. “First of all, it’s a very improbable crime that they’re accusing him of. Plainly, the other party had motivation and [was] vindictive.”

Maher referenced the HBO documentary “Allen v. Farrow” and said it was all from Mia Farrow’s point of view, alluding that it can’t fully be trusted as an unbiased account of what allegedly happened between Woody Allen and his adopted daughter,...

58 years after making his debut feature, Woody Allen is sitting “on the fence” about whether his latest movie Coup de Chance, his 50th feature, will be his last cinematic outing.

The veteran filmmaker has given an interview to AirMail, in which he was asked whether Coup de Chance, an erotic thriller filmed in France, with French-speaking actors, will be his last movie.

Allen said:

“I’m on the fence about it. I don’t want to have to go out to raise money. I find that a pain in the neck,” he says. “But if someone shows up and calls in and says we want to back the film, then I would seriously consider it. I would probably not have the willpower to say no, because I have so many ideas.”

Coup de Chance was released in the US by MPI Media Group, distributors of Allen’s last two titles,...

Bad Luck Banging: Luck is a Fickle Mistress in Allen’s Amusing Gallic Debut

For his fiftieth (and rumored to be last) film, Woody Allen’s French language debut, Coup de chance (Stroke of Luck) also happens to be one of his most enjoyable offerings in the last half of his career. A crime comedy in the vein of Crimes & Misdemeanors (1989) and Match Point (2005), infidelity is once again the dramatic catalyst for a devious chain of events which results in an unpredictable denouement despite the best laid plans of all involved. As the title suggests, a chance reunion on the bustling streets of Paris between a pair of thirty-somethings who used to be students in New York spins into a consuming love affair, leading an aggressive, jealous spouse to violence.…...

Woody Allen’s Coup de Chance starts appropriately with a random encounter and finishes with an out-of-nowhere intervention. But what lies in between those moments of chance is tightly scripted and purposeful, with barely a scene or line out of place. The film is at once among Allen’s most economical works and one of his most free-spirited.

When Alain (Niels Schneider), a fiction writer, runs into Fanny (Lou de Laâge) on a Parisian street near the art auction house where the latter works, it’s a seemingly fleeting moment. Fanny seems charmed but not overly impacted by this encounter with Alain, a passing acquaintance from their time at the Lycée Français in New York. Slightly restless in her marriage to Jean (Melvil Poupaud), a financier whose one-percenter friends describe her as a “trophy wife,” Fanny sees no harm in reconnecting with Alain. You can imagine where this might go.

As one of the most renowned actresses in the industry, Scarlett Johansson is not a stranger to Red Carpets. But her appearance at 2006’s Golden Globe Red Carpet has been highly controversial due to a viral mysterious clip. The internet was flooded with conspiracy theories after the mysterious video footage showed a woman disappearing behind Johansson.

Scarlett Johansson in Asteroid City

Finally, after many conspiracies and chatter, the video was debunked by the Avengers actress when she went to Jimmy Fallon’s talk show in 2023. Surprisingly, the real story behind the creepy video turned out to be hilarious. The audience went into a laugh riot when Scarlett Johansson clarified about the footage and revealed who the mysterious woman was.

Who was behind Scarlett Johansson in 2006’s viral video?

Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow

When Scarlett Johansson appeared on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, the host did not hesitate to...

New York, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Woody Allen’s newest film is set for release in select theaters across the United States on April 5, 2024. Coup De Chance, a romantic thriller shot entirely in French and starring an acclaimed international cast including Lou de Laâge (International Emmy winner. The Mad Women’s Ball), Valérie Lemercier, (The Visitors), Melvil Poupaud, (Eric Rohmer’s A Tale of Summer), and Niels Schneider (Heartbeats, How I Killed My Mother) is Allen’s 50th film as director.

A sensation when it debuted at the Venice Film Festival, Coup De Chance has received glowing reviews during its international release across Europe and Asia with comparisons to some of Allen’s most acclaimed masterpieces including Blue Jasmine, Match Point, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Midnight in Paris.

In English, the title means “stroke of luck,” and the film centers around the central role of chance and luck in our lives. Fanny (de Laâge) and Jean (Poupaud,...

When the news broke that Scarlett Johansson had been hired to star in Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin in 2013, a lot of people were caught off guard. After all, just a few years prior, David Fincher famously refused to cast the Lucy actress in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) because he felt she was too sexy for the role.

Well, it seems The Zone of Interest director saw something in Johansson that Fincher did not. Not only that, Glazer, 58, was proven right when Under the Skin was chosen as the best film of the year by multiple critics and publications.

Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow

In an industry that often overlooks talent in favor of appearance, it’s refreshing to see someone like Glazer recognizing Johansson as more than just a pretty face. While she’s unquestionably one of the most beautiful actresses working today, her performance in...

Last week, The Hollywood Reporter reported that cinephiles were sharing “samizdat” links to Woody Allen’s latest film Coup de Chance from a French-to-Dutch-to-English translation, and New Yorkers were attending clandestine screenings at an East Village bar/event space. Today, THR can exclusively report that those who wish to see the 88-year-old’s latest project, which debuted at the Venice Film Festival in early September to (mostly) positive reviews, can do so without slinking around or needing secret codes.

MPI Media Group will release the picture, Allen’s 50th theatrically released feature film as a director, for North American markets on April 5, 2024. A digital/VOD release will follow on April 12.

The movie, shot in France in French, stars Lou de Laâge (Respire, The Mad Woman’s Ball) as a self-aware trophy wife who reconnects with an old chum from the Lycée Français in New York, played by Niels Schneider (Heartbeats,...

Bigger and longer are not always better. Case in point: Freud’s Last Session, the lavish film based on a modest off-Broadway play that captivated theater audiences a decade ago. Playwright Mark St. Germain worked with director Matthew Brown (The Man Who Knew Infinity) to reshape his two-character drama about an imaginary conversation between Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis as they debate the existence of God. That provocative exchange is still in the movie, and it sometimes crackles, thanks to the performances of Matthew Goode as Lewis and, especially, Anthony Hopkins as Freud. But the heart of the story is constantly undermined by a surfeit of asides about Lewis’ experiences in the First World War, Freud’s highly charged relationship with his daughter Anna, and several other subplots.

The main culprit here may be the current fashion for time-fractured, nonlinear narratives. It is rare these days to see a movie...

Paddington 3 is now titled "Paddington in Peru" and a release has been revealed. Ben Whishaw will reprise his role as the voice of Paddington, while Imelda Staunton returns as Aunt Lucy. Emily Mortimer, Carla Tous, and Olivia Colman join the cast for this new installment. The third film in the beloved franchise will take the friendly bear and the Brown family on an incredible adventure through the Amazon rainforest.

Paddington is ready for another epic adventure. The famous bear is making his way back to the big screen in Paddington 3, which finally has an official release date and title. Created by British author Michael Bond in 1958, Paddington Bear is the protagonist of a children's book series of which more than 100 stories have been published, and remains an icon of British literature. After several television adaptations, Paddington came to the big screen in 2014 with director Paul King behind the project,...

Tempting though it is to pen this review in the voice and style of Mort Rifkin, the most indelible Woody Allen character in years, the embattled New York-born director deserves a fairer shake––maybe a fair trial, if we could say. In this early-2020s era of a gradual pushback against MeToo morality, Allen actually found himself, with Coup de Chance, enjoying a high-ish-profile Venice premiere earlier this week on the verge of a legitimate comeback. A new Variety interview hinted at a path for resuming work in his former production model, an absolute pick of American A-listers again if (perhaps) just one of them scabs. But do we want this? Isn’t it all still enveloped in a kind of discomfort?

Making a very natural transition into classy Francophone cinema, here he has the choice of a potential royal flush of French stars. Coup de Chance is rather pleasurable...

“Coup de Chance” bowed at the 2023 Venice Film Festival on Monday, September 4. Written and directed by Woody Allen, it’s the filmmaker’s 50th feature and the first shot entirely in the French language with English subtitles. The 87-year-old Allen was controversially on hand to attend the screening in person, drawing a small group of protestors on site due to longstanding but never substantiated child sexual abuse allegations made by his daughter Dylan Farrow. The audience in attendance at the world premiere warmly embraced the feature and its writer-director with a reported three-minute ovation upon its conclusion.

Premiering out of competition at the festival, the film was shot in Paris and features an all-French cast. A twisty tale of murder, “Coup de Chance” stars Lou de Laage and Melvil Poupaud as Fanny and Jean, described as “an ideal couple who have everything. Fulfilled in their professional life, they live in...

Woody Allen received a three-minute standing ovation at the Venice premiere of “Coup de Chance” on Monday night, which would have gone on longer had the filmmaker not started to exit. After two minutes and 30 seconds of sustained applause once the film finished, Allen began to make his way toward the door, cutting the standing ovation short. The filmmaker looked visibly moved during the reaction and at one point took out a tissue.

Allen was greeted in the theater by a standing ovation before the movie even screened as fans tried to catch video of him. The reception was the same on the red carpet, with fans cheering him on enthusiastically — however, just outside the carpet a group of protesters walked by. According to social media posts, the protesters removed their shirts and handed out sheets of paper encouraging the fest to “turn the spotlight off of rapists.”

“This year...

If you’re looking for an inviolable law of cinema, the Venice Film Festival just confirmed an ironically delightful one. It is this: Murder agrees with Woody Allen. We already knew that, of course. We knew it from “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” a drama that was shocking when it came out in 1989 — and if you see it today, it’s still shocking, because the theme of the movie isn’t just that ordinary people commit murder (we see that in movies every day). It’s that they seem disturbingly ordinary even as they’re doing it, which is a bit scary. Martin Landau, as a mild bourgeois ophthalmologist who hires someone to kill off his mistress, seemed to be playing the squirmy essence of every amateur criminal, and the fact that he got away with it was the unsettling part. It made you think: How many people like that are out there?...

Exactly who are these people? They’re rich, obviously. They’re Parisian, which means that they are already fantasy figurines in the European curiosity shop of Woody Allen’s imagination. But does any actual modern man, no matter how rich and unfathomably French, come home from work in 2023 to request a cognac from his wife, who then calls out to the maid to bring Monsieur a cognac while she configures herself into a glamour position on the couch? Is this actually 1953? Or maybe 1923 – the Gatsby era, where Woody Allen is clearly a very enthusiastic visitor?

Coup de Chance is Woody Allen’s 50th feature film. At the grand age of 87, he has made his first film in the French language, for which all due kudos. He brings his usual potpourri of plot points – a rich couple, infidelity, an interfering mother-in-law, the aperçu that money and bookish bohemianism make restive bedfellows – to this new tale,...

Let’s address the elephant in the room first: Woody Allen hasn’t made a great film in years. Opinions vary enormously, of course, on which one was the last top-notch effort: Some would go to bat for, say Blue Jasmine (2013), while others defend Match Point (2005). Many others reckon that Husbands and Wives (1992) was the last gasp of greatness before it all started going bumpily downhill.

And of course there are those, especially among younger filmgoers who didn’t grow up with Allen as a kind of mascot for American East Coast Jewish identity, who just don’t get what the fuss was ever about — and/or why the olds so want to defend someone who has been accused by his daughter Dylan Farrow of sexual abuse, even if charges were never brought against him.

Oh yeah, that’s another elephant, isn’t it?

That last controversy may not put...

The standing-room-only press conference for Woody Allen’s “Coup de Chance” was held Monday afternoon at the Venice Film Festival, with the director making a rare public appearance to promote the French-language thriller. It premieres out of competition on the Lido this evening.

As with Allen’s 2020 “Rifkin’s Festival,” “Coup de Chance” is a European production; Allen has not shot a film in his hometown since 2019’s “A Rainy Day in New York,” starring Timothee Chalamet and Selena Gomez. Amazon Studios pulled that film from release following the resurgence of sexual abuse allegations against Allen stemming from his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow in 1992. Support for Allen now largely comes from abroad and at European festivals.

There were no prohibitions on any kinds of questions being asked by the journalists in attendance, but none asked Allen anything controversial.

When asked if he would make another film in New York, Allen said,...

Challengers release date is delayed due to SAG-AFTRA strike, but there are other great tennis movies to watch in the meantime. Wimbledon and Match Point are must-watch tennis movies to get excited for Challengers. King Richard, Borg vs. McEnroe, and Final Set offer insights into competitive tennis and will get viewers hyped for the upcoming Zendaya movie.

Those excited for Zendaya's upcoming tennis movie Challengers should watch 10 other fantastic tennis movies. Challengers follows a retired tennis player turned coach named Tashi who gets caught in a love triangle with her husband Art and their former best friend Patrick. This comes to a head when Art and Patrick go up against one another in a challenger competition, the lowest level of professional tennis tournament. Based on the movie's trailer, Challengers is filled with a great cast, and it's expected to be spicy and dramatic.

The much-anticipated romantic dramedy Challengers was...

One could make -- and no doubt some resourceful Marvel Cinematic Universe fans have made -- a video about Loki (Tom Hiddleston) hooking up with different characters in the MCU using footage from Hiddleston's non-Marvel projects. The actor had a tragic affair with Rachel Weisz (Melina Vostokoff in "Black Widow") in "The Deep Blue Sea," played one-half of a pair of vampiric lovers along with Tilda Swinton (the McU's Ancient One) in "Only Lovers Left Alive," and starred as Hank Williams in "I Saw the Light," with the Scarlet Witch herself, Elizabeth Olsen, playing the late country music legend's wife. Hiddleston even had a fling with Elizabeth Debicki (Ayesha in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films) in "The Night Manager," in addition to a non-zero amount of sexual tension with "Captain Marvel" actor Brie Larson in "Kong: Skull Island."

Tragically, Hiddleston did not romance Owen Wilson during the film they...

Determining what the sexiest sport is at any given time may come down to the players themselves instead of what happens on the pitch, on the field, or on the court. In Luca Guadagnino's upcoming seductive drama "Challengers," stars Zendaya, Mike Faist ("West Side Story"), and Josh O'Connor ("The Crown") bring their undeniable chemistry to the world of tennis to help add a little spice to a game that prides itself on tradition and sportsmanship. Judging by the playful seduction going on in the trailer, what happens on the baseline looks to be a lot less important than what's going down in the bedroom. 

As a rising star that looks poised for greatness and grand slam success, Zendaya's character Tashi has all eyes on her, including the attention of two suitors looking to take the competition to the next level. For passionate tennis fans (myself included), Tashi could be...

Cinedigm has acquired all North American rights to the 80s-inspired horror comedy Shaky Shivers, from director Sung Kang, known for reprising his role as Han in Fast X. The company plans to release Shaky Shivers in theaters this fall, followed by an exclusive release on its horror streaming platform Screambox.

Shaky Shivers won the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Gasparilla International Film Festival in Tampa, Florida.

In Kang’s directorial debut, Shaky Shivers takes viewers on a hilarious and nostalgic journey to an abandoned camp where two young women, played by Brooke Markham (In the Dark) and VyVy Nguyen (The Sympathizer), stumble upon a book of magical spells. Surrounded by classic monsters and drawing inspiration from 80’s horror films, Karen and Lucy find themselves facing a series of supernatural occurrences after a fateful encounter with an old woman. As zombies, werewolves, and BigFoot wreak havoc, the...

The 50th movie from controversial filmmaker Woody Allen is a thriller that was shot in French and will be making its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, which is set to run from August 30th through September 9th. The film is called Coup de Chance (or Stroke of Luck), and an English-subtitled trailer can be seen in the embed above.

Allen has described Coup de Chance as a “poisonous romantic thriller” and spiritual successor to his popular 2005 psychological thriller Match Point. This one has the following synopsis: Fanny and Jean have everything of the ideal couple: fulfilled in their professional life, they live in a magnificent apartment in the beautiful districts of Paris and seem to be in love as on the first day. But when Fanny crosses, by chance, Alain, a former high school friend, she is immediately capsized. They see each other again very quickly and get closer and closer.

Potential star power on the red carpet amid the strikes; a heavy Netflix presence; and another poor showing for women directors.

The line-up for the 80th Venice film festival (August 30-September 9) was unveiled today by artistic director Alberto Barbera and Venice Biennale president Roberto Cicutto.

Screen rounds up the major talking points from this year’s selection, including potential star power on the red carpet amid the strikes and another robust Netflix presence.

Will any A-list actors or directors actually be on the Lido?

With several major US titles in the selection, the question now is which US talent will...

Peter Webber has signed on to direct the wartime thriller “Irena Sendler.” It tells the true story of Irena Sendler, a Polish social worker who defied the Nazis and organized a team of young women to smuggle 2,500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust. Casting is currently underway and production is expected to start in Poland later this year or early in 2024.

The script was penned by Agatha Dominik, Brian Pittman & Rachel Long, Stuart Hazeldine, and Jeff Most. The film will be produced by Most (“The Crow”), BAFTA Award winning and Academy Award winning producer Ewa Puszczyńska, Jeff Rice, Armory Films’ Christopher Lemole and Tim Zajaros, and Golden Globe winning producer Gareth Wiley of Phoenix Wiley.

“Irene Sendler was an icon, an inspiration, an incredibly brave young woman who risked her own life to save hundreds of young children in the Warsaw Ghetto from certain death at...

Roughly a month before Venice Film Festival’s 2023 lineup announcement, the buzz around the competition is heating up with several star-studded films by heavyweight directors in the mix, including Pablo Larrain (“El Conde”), Michael Mann (“Ferrari“), Sofia Coppola (“Priscilla“), Yorgos Lanthimos (“Poor Things”) and Michel Franco (“Memory”).

These titles are believed to have been officially invited to the Lido in competition, according to sources.

Larraín’s follow-up to “Spencer,” “El Conde” depicts dictator Augusto Pinochet as a Vampire with a cast led by Chilean star Alfredo Castro.

Another film with a genre element, Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” is a surrealist science-fiction romance based on an adaptation of Alasdair Grey’s novel of the same name, and starring Emma Stone as Belle Baxter, a Frankenstein-like woman who is brought back to life after her brain is replaced with that of her unborn child. Stone stars opposite Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, Christopher Abbott and Margaret Qualley.