News

As the format continues to gain traction, here’s our regularly-updated list of upcoming 4K Ultra HD disc releases in the UK.

Sitting alongside our list of upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases (that you can find here), we’re also keeping a calendar for those who support the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc format. As we learn of new UK releases, we’ll add them to this list.

We have started adding shopping links too. We’d be obliged if you clicked on them, as it really helps us in our quest to make the Film Stories project of magazines, website and podcast profitable. We’re a 100% independent publisher, and we quite like drinking coffee. It’d be lovely to afford some more.

Without further ado, here are the titles we know about…

Out now

24th February: Star Wars: The Mandalorian season 3 (Steelbook)

24th February: Crossing Delancey (Criterion)

24th February:...

A glimpse at upcoming UK DVD and Blu-ray release dates well into 2025: here’s what’s coming to disc and when.

Here, then, are a few of the upcoming dates for new movies on DVD and Blu-ray that may not yet have been officially announced. Note that all dates are for the UK.

Also: We’ve started adding affiliate links. If you click on those, we benefit, and can spend more money paying more people to write more things for this website. No pressure, just hugely obliged.

Obviously in the current climate everything is subject to change, of course…

Just released

First Time On UK Blu-ray: No Way Out (Film Stories Blu-ray #2)

First Time On UK Blu-ray: Bull Durham (Film Stories Blu-ray #3)

Scroll to the bottom of the this list for more releases over the last few weeks.

Last two weeks

10th March: Father Brown series 12

10th March: St...

Chris Pine has been set to lead the Texas crime thriller ‘Nowhere Fast’ from Noah Hawley.

The movie follows a small-town criminal who inadvertently kills the nephew of his boss.

Set to be written and directed by ‘Fargo’ and ‘Legion’s’ Noah Hawley, 26 Keys Productions, Hawley’s Austin-based film and TV production company, is producing. Further casting is currently underway.

Also in news – Anna Friel, Connor Swindells & more added to the cast of BBC series ‘The Dream Land’

30West, which exec produced and financed Pine’s ‘The Contractor,’ is financing and will co-represent the U.S. rights for “Nowhere Fast” alongside CAA Media Finance. AGC International, the international sales arm of thriving independent studio AGC Studios, will represent the foreign rights.

Pine most recently lent his voice to the animation ‘Wish’, having previously starred in and directing ‘Poolman’. He also starred in ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honour amongst Thieves’ and ‘Don’t Worry Darling.

Actor Chris Pine’s next role will be taking him Nowhere Fast - literally. The Wonder Woman actor will star in Nowhere Fast, a new crime thriller written and directed by Fargoand Legion creator Noah Hawley, per Variety.

Pine has been cast as the lead in Nowhere Fast,billed as a Texas crime thriller that follows a small-town criminal who accidentally kills the nephew of his boss. Hawley most recently directed the forthcoming Alien: Earth series. His television production company, 26 Keys Productions, is producing the new movie.

30West, the company that financed and executive produced Pine’s The Contractor (2022), is financing Nowhere Fast and will co-represent the rights for the film in the U.S. with CAA Media Finance. 30West is behind recent projects like Day Drinker, which stars Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz and Power Ballad, starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas. Acg Studios’ international sales arm Acg International,...

Chris Pine is heading back into some dark territory after movies like Don’t Worry Darling with his upcoming crime thriller Nowhere Fast. Variety has reported that Pine is set to star in the film that is written by Noah Hawley, who has created the FX shows Fargo and Legion in addition to directing an episode of the upcoming series Alien: Earth. Hawley’s film and TV production company that is based out of Austin, 26 Keys Productions, will be producing the new project.

According to Variety, Nowhere Fast is “a Texas crime thriller following a small-town criminal who inadvertently kills the nephew of his boss.” 30West, who had executive produced and financed another Chris Pine film, The Contractor, will be financing and co-represent the U.S. rights for the crime thriller along with CAA Media Finance. AGC International, which is the international sales arm of the thriving independent production company AGC Studios,...

Chris Pine appears to be heading back into “Hell or High Water” waters with a role in a new crime thriller.

The “Star Trek” and “Don’t Worry Darling” star will take the lead in “Nowhere Fast,” a Texas crime thriller following a small-town criminal who inadvertently kills the nephew of his boss. The film is being written and directed by Noah Hawley, who created the FX series “Fargo” and “Legion” and most recently created — and directed — the upcoming series “Alien: Earth.”

26 Keys Productions, Hawley’s Austin-based film and TV production company, is producing.

30West, which exec produced and financed Pine’s “The Contractor,” is financing and will co-represent the U.S. rights for “Nowhere Fast” alongside CAA Media Finance. AGC International, the international sales arm of thriving independent studio AGC Studios, will represent the foreign rights. Additional casting is currently underway.

30West’s recent projects include Michael Shanks’ “Together,...

Action thrillers are easy wins on free streaming, and that is proven again as the little known Chris Pine and Kiefer Sutherland movie The Contractor debuted on the Freevee chart at number two. Released in 2022, the movie had a very low-key box office run, and very quickly disappeared into the bargain bin. Now, its arrival on Freevee has had the expected effect of putting the forgotten thriller in front of an eager waiting audience.

Directed by Tarik Saleh, The Contractor follows the story of James Harper (Pine), a former Special Forces sergeant struggling to make ends meet after being involuntarily discharged from the army. Desperate to provide for his family, he joins a private contracting organization run by Rusty Jennings (Sutherland). But when a covert mission goes awry, Harper finds himself on the run, unsure whom he can trust and torn between loyalty to his country and his own survival.

In the latest issue of the Deluxe reprint of The Walking Dead, Robert Kirkman named two villains he conceived of, who never made it into the comic series – one of whom is set to play a pivotal role in the upcoming spin-off graphic novel, Clemetine: Book Three, serving as the greatest antagonist yet for the hero of Telltale's Walking Dead video game.

The Walking Dead Deluxe #104 – written by Robert Kirkman, with art by Charlie Adlard – includes a peek at the author's handwritten notes for the series, which he points out includes a reference to "The Contractor," a character concept that never materialized on the page.

Kirkman also used this annotation to tease "The Gardener," another mysterious potential foe for Rick Grimes and his group of survivors. Now, it seems that some version of the character will finally appear in franchise canon, though how much this character has developed over...

Kiefer Sutherland returns his action roots in a new Sierra Madre image as hopes remain high he'll return for a 24 movie. Directed by Justin Chadwick, Sierra Madre stars Sutherland as Captain Jordan Wright, the leader of an elite squadron who finds himself in a battle with violent cartels after he and his men take leave for a wedding in Mexico. Delbert Hancock and Ian Mackenzie Jeffers penned the script for the film, which also stars Ashton Sanders, Laura Osma, Solly McLeod, and Omar Chaparro, among others.

Screen Daily now provides a first look at Sutherland in Sierra Madre, which they say is currently filming in Colombia. The image features Sutherland, sporting a beard and wearing a black jacket in a jungle-like environment, holding a submachine gun and looking worriedly at something off-screen. No other cast members are present in the image, unfortunately, but the star certainly looks right at home back in the action genre.

Jason Stathams latest action thriller, Mutiny, is an exciting prospect thanks to the directors previous actioner and a team-up with a fan-favorite Peaky Blinders actor. As superheroes and other I.P.s are becoming the new movie stars, the traditional movie star is becoming a thing of the past. From Tom Cruise to Leonardo DiCaprio, there are very few actors left whose name alone can draw a big crowd to a movie theater to see their latest starring vehicle. Most modern A-listers rely on the brand name of a franchise to turn their films into blockbuster hits.

But Statham is a consistent hit-maker. Hes never made a direct-to-video movie or even a streaming exclusive; every single one of his movies has gotten a theatrical release. And even in the fraught post-covid times, he can turn an original action movie like The Beekeeper into a massive box office success. At a...

Borderlands movie breaks records with a disappointing 9% Rotten Tomatoes score, disappointing many involved. Cate Blanchett and eight other actors set personal record lows with their involvement in Borderlands. Director Eli Roth sees Borderlands as his worst-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes, with only a 9% rating.

Borderlands' Rotten Tomatoes score breaks several records, just not in the way everyone involved would have hoped. The first-ever live-action adaptation of 2K and Gearbox's popular video game franchise attracted top talent from across Hollywood. Lionsgate eventually landed Eli Roth as the director, with Cate Blanchett and others headlining Borderlands' cast of characters. The talent involved even grew through the movie's reshoots, which brought Deadpool's Tim Miller aboard to handle the additional photography. All this was done in the hopes that the Borderlands' reviews and the general response would be favorable, leading to a box office hit franchise.

Unfortunately, the reaction to the 2024 video...

In The Contractor, ex-Green Beret James Harper faces betrayal and danger on a private mission gone wrong. In the film, James fights to protect his family by taking down a corrupt operation and honoring his fallen friend. At the ending of The Contractor, James learns from his own father's mistakes and chooses to return home to his family.

In The Contractor, Chris Pine's James Harper is an ex-Green Beret struggling to make ends meet after moving back to his small town. He's saddled with debt, and unfortunately, after being forced into an "honorable discharge" due to drug intake for his bad knees, he lost his pension and benefits. As a result, James needed quick cash to take care of his family, resulting in him signing up with his former colleague and best friend Mike (Ben Foster) for a private contracting gig.

However, while on a black ops mission in Berlin,...

Cannes and Sundance-winning filmmaker Tarik Saleh starts shooting tomorrow (May 15) on political thriller Eagles Of The Republic with Playtime on board for international sales. Memento Distribution will release in France and Sf Studios has bought Nordic rights.

Eagles Of The Republic is third and final film in Saleh’s Cairo trilogy after Sundance Grand Jury prize winner The Nile Hilton Incident (2017) and Cannes screenplay winner Cairo Conspiracy aka Boy from Heaven (2022).

Written and directed by Saleh, its cast includes Swedish actor Fares Fares, French star Lyna Khoudri, American-Palestinian actress Cherien Dabis, French-Moroccan actress Zineb Triki and Finnish-Syrian actor Sherwan Haji.

If there’s anything worse than a millionaire who fails to contribute anything meaningful to the world, it’s taking the fall for one who’s murdered and finding yourself in the crosshairs of thugs and criminals. Jason Statham is back in business with Lionsgate to star in the upcoming action-thriller Mutiny with Plane and Blood Father director Jean-Francois Richet at the helm.

Lionsgate, MadRiver, and Punch Palace are teaming up to release the film in theaters. Lindsay Michel and J.P. Davis wrote the screenplay for Mutiny, with principal photography beginning in September in the UK. Statham produces through his newly-founded Punch Palace Productions, with Marc Butan via his MadRiver Pictures studio.

In Mutiny, after his billionaire industrialist boss is murdered in front of him, Cole Reed is set up to take the fall for the crime— leaving him on the run as he works to uncover an international conspiracy.

In the upcoming episode of “Seal Team,” titled “Violence of Action,” Bravo Team continues their intense mission in South America, grappling with the complexities of thwarting the Iranian nuclear project. Airing at 10:01 Pm on Thursday on CBS, this high-octane installment promises a riveting blend of strategic military operations and escalating interpersonal tensions within the team.

As multiple high-stakes missions unfold, the strains among Bravo Team members become increasingly palpable. “Violence of Action” not only showcases the squad’s exceptional combat skills but also lays bare the personal dynamics and conflicts that simmer beneath the surface. Viewers can expect a rollercoaster of emotions as the team navigates through the volatile mix of duty, camaraderie, and individual struggles. With its gripping narrative and pulse-pounding action, this episode is poised to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.

Release Date & Time: 10:01 Pm Thursday 11 January 2024 on CBS

Seal Team Violence of...

Chris Pine's directorial debut, Poolman, disappoints critics with an 11% Tomatometer score, marking his worst-rated movie to date. Despite only nine reviews so far, the low initial score is likely to seal the fate of Poolman as a poorly received film. Critics have criticized the movie's kookiness and tonal chaos, with some suggesting that audiences would be better off rewatching The Big Lebowski instead.

Chris Pine's directorial debut, Poolman, disappoints critics. Poolman, in which Pine also stars as the lead, follows pool worker and would-be philosopher Darren Barrenman, who suddenly finds his day job at the Tahitian Tiki apartments. Things take an unexpected turn when he uncovers the greatest water heist in history. Poolman is co-written by Pine and Ian Gotler with the cast including Jennifer Jason Leigh, Annette Bening, Danny DeVito, and DeWanda Wise.

Unfortunately, Pine's first foray as a director doesn't impress the critics. As of writing, Poolman...

The highly anticipated spy thriller “Special Ops: Lioness” arrives on Paramount+ on July 23. The original series from Taylor Sheridan is based on a true story and stars Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Nicole Kidman, and Morgan Freeman. De Oliveira plays a CIA undercover operative, a “lioness,” charged with befriending someone close to a high-value enemy target, a key member of a state terrorist organization.

Catch the “Special Ops: Lioness” trailer

Also coming to Paramount+ next month will be a reunion filled with humor and romance. New film “Zoey 102” will premiere on July 28 and reunite many of the cast members from the beloved high-school series “Zoey 101.” The gang is getting back together in Malibu to attend Logan and Quinn’s wedding, but that is not the only romance in the air. Jamie Lynn Spears, Sean Flynn, Christopher Massey, Erin Sanders, and Abby Wilde star in the sequel film.

Watch...

Exclusive: Korean multi-hyphenate powerhouse Don Lee (aka Ma Dong-seok) is set to star in and produce an English-language feature adaptation of New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sansbury Smith’s dystopian sci-fi novel series Hell Divers. The film will draw from the first three books in the series whose first installment was published by Blackstone in 2016; there are 10 books in total.

Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Emmy Yu of Arad Productions are producing alongside Oscar nominated VFX supervisor and animation director Jerome Chen. Lee and Chris S Lee of B&c Content are producing under their U.S. banner, Gorilla 8 Productions. The adaptation will be penned by J.P. Davis. There is currently no director attached.

Lee, who is known for his performances in such Korean hits as Train to Busan; The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil; and The Roundup movies, including recent smash The Roundup: No Way Out,...

Chris Hemsworth returns as Tyler Rake in Extraction 2, the sequel to Netflix’s blockbuster action film Extraction. After barely surviving the events of the first movie, Rake is back as the Australian black ops mercenary, tasked with another deadly mission: rescuing the battered family of a ruthless Georgian gangster from the prison where they are being held.

Hemsworth reunites with director Sam Hargrave, with Joe and Anthony Russo’s Agbo producing and Joe Russo writing. Golshifteh Farahani reprises her role from the first film, with Adam Bessa, Olga Kurylenko, Daniel Bernhardt and Tinatin Dalakishvili also co-starring.

The film hits Netflix on June 16.

This is a sequel to the first film that was based on the graphic novel ‘Ciudad’ by Ande Parks, from a story by Ande Parks, Joe Russo & Anthony Russo, with illustrations by Fernando León González. Extraction 2 is produced by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Mike Larocca, Angela Russo-Otstot,...

Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.

The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.

We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.

Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.

Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.

Movies

1 April

Akbar Birbal – US

The American Game

The Aviator – US

Bal Ganesh...

Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.

The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.

We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.

Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.

Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.

Movies

1 April

Akbar Birbal – US

The American Game

The Aviator – US

Bal Ganesh...

Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.

The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.

We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.

Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.

Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.

Movies

1 April

Akbar Birbal – US

The American Game

The Aviator – US

Bal Ganesh...

Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.

The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.

We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.

Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.

Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.

Movies

1 April

Akbar Birbal – US

The American Game

The Aviator – US

Bal Ganesh...

Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.

The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.

We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.

Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.

Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.

Movies

1 April

Akbar Birbal – US

The American Game

The Aviator – US

Bal Ganesh...

Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.

The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.

We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.

Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.

Movies

1 April

Akbar Birbal – US

The American Game

The Aviator – US

Bal Ganesh – US

Bee Movie – UK

Big Daddy – US

Bill – UK

Brokeback Mountain – US

The Bye Bye Man...

Picturehouse Entertainment has debuted the trailer for the political thriller ‘Cairo Conspiracy.’

Adam (Tawfeek Barhom), the son of a fisherman, is offered the ultimate privilege to study at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the epicentre of power of Sunni Islam. Shortly after his arrival in Cairo, the university’s highest-ranking religious leader, the Grand Imam, suddenly dies and Adam soon becomes a pawn in a ruthless power struggle between Egypt’s religious and political elites.

A blistering political thriller brimming with tension, the film follows wide-eyed Adam as he becomes entangled in a deadly game of cat and mouse with wily state security officer Colonel Ibrahim (Fares Fares). Forced to infiltrate certain cliques in the religious seat of learning, Adam finds himself in increasingly dangerous situations, the threat of exposure ever imminent.

The film stars Fares Fares (The Nile Hilton Incident) and Tawfeek Barhom (The Way of the Wind)

Previously...

Kiefer Sutherland returns to television in a new paranoid spy thriller from Paramount+. The Hollywood Reporter has the new details of Sutherland’s new series as a teaser gets released. The new trailer for the drama showcases the actor in familiar territory as the former 24 and Designated Survivor star is once again caught up in conspiracies where there is no clear enemy or ally and you can’t trust anyone.

Sutherland plays a character named John Weir, who has been described as a master of deception. Weir finds himself approached by a mysterious figure, played by Charles Dance of Game of Thrones, who tells him about the world he doesn’t know he’s in when he is “framed for murder by powerful forces who have the ability to influence and control populations.”

Kiefer Sutherland is joined by a cast featuring Charles Dance, Meta Golding, Enid Graham, Jason Butler Harner,...

Kiefer Sutherland is back and channeling some Jack Bauer vibes in his upcoming TV series.

After a mysterious teaser trailer, the official first look at Sutherland’s forthcoming Paramount+ series Rabbit Hole reveals more about the 24 hero’s next leading role.

In Rabbit Hole, launching March 26, Sutherland plays John Weir, who has been described as a master of deception who is “framed for murder by powerful forces who have the ability to influence and control populations.”

The trailer (below) sees Sutherland’s John threatening a security guard with a remote-detonated bomb and then being recruited to save the world — something the actor is familiar with after nine seasons as a counter-terrorist agent on the Fox series 24. This time, however, it’s amid a backdrop of the world of corporate espionage and global threats of technology.

Sutherland also executive produces the series, alongside the This Is Us duo of writer-directors John Requa and Glenn Ficarra,...

Exclusive: Kiefer Sutherland (24) is set to star in action-thriller The Winter Kills from director John Stalberg, Jr. (Crypto).

Sutherland will portray a disgraced cop pursuing the serial killer who murdered his partner ten years ago — and has resurfaced to kill again.

Written by Ben Floro Carney, the film is produced by Patrick Rizzotti, Paul Johansson, David Guglielmo, John Jr, Wyatt Russell, Oliver Hudson and XYZ Films.

Pic is set to shoot this spring in New Jersey with debt financing to be provided by Blue Fox Financing. XYZ Films is also financing and will introduce the film to buyers at this week’s European Film Market in Berlin.

“Kiefer Sutherland is more than just the perfect actor for this film, he’s an absolute legend, and I’m beyond thrilled to match his rare talent with a role that will require every ounce of it. I couldn’t imagine a better team of professionals,...

You Gotta Have Faith: Saleh Explores Corruption of Institutions in Procedural Thriller

“Power is a double edged sword. Sometimes it cuts the hand that wields it,” is the overtly stated adage in the final moments of Cairo Conspiracy, director Tarik Saleh’s return to his native Egypt hot on the heels of his Chris Pine led English language debut, The Contractor. It’s an unnecessary statement considering the more than obvious events transpiring in the film, which for the majority of its running time add up to a thoughtful but pulpy thriller.

A procedural about the corrupting nature of power, whether in state or religious institutions, Saleh keeps distance from the parallel protagonists working to instill a puppet figurehead in Al-Azhar, Egypt’s oldest degree granting university, referred to as the beacon of Islam in the world.…...

The Locksmith featuring Crash star Ryan Phillippe and Superman Returns star Kate Bosworth is arriving this week. The plot follows an ex-con and expert locksmith, Miller, who plans to turn his life around after prison. But after an unexpected turn of events, he gets pulled back into the world of crime and corrupt cops, which forces him to use his skills one last time. The all-new action thriller is directed by Nicolas Harvard in his feature film debut. While this is his first directorial as a filmmaker, many might not be aware that Harvard has been an assistant director with movies like Whiplash, Wind River, The Circle, The Contractor, etc., and hit television projects like Yellowstone and The First Lady, among others. The movie is based on an original story by Blair Kroeber, with Joe Russo of the Russo Brothers writing the script along with John Glosser, Chris Lamont, and Ben Kabialis.

Prime Video’s first teaser trailer for The Power introduces a world in which teenage girls grow an extra organ. And in a bizarre twist, that organ allows them to generate electricity. That’s life-altering news for teenagers who felt powerless and now are all-powerful.

The series is based on Naomi Alderman’s bestselling novel and stars Oscar nominee Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense) as Mayor Margot Cleary-Lopez, John Leguizamo (The Menu) as Rob Lopez, Auli’i Cravalho (Moana) as Jos Cleary-Lopez, and Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso) as Tunde Ojo. Josh Charles (We Own This City) plays Daniel Dandon, Eddie Marsan (The Contractor) is Bernie Monke, Ria Zmitrowicz (Mr. Selfridge) plays Roxy Monke, Zrinka Cvitešić is Tatiana Moskalev, and Halle Bush stars as Allie Montgomery.

The teaser trailer was accompanied by the news that The Power will premiere on March 31, 2023 on Prime Video. New episodes will follow on subsequent Fridays, with...

Plane star Gerard Butler shares the story of how he accidentally burned himself with dangerous acid while filming the upcoming action thriller. Best known for movies like 300, Law Abiding Citizen, Olympus Has Fallen, and Greenland, Butler continues to make a name for himself in the action genre. While not all of his films are critical darlings, the movies generally prove popular with audiences with the Has Fallen franchise alone now gearing up for its fourth installment. Butler's latest movie, Plane, sees the actor playing pilot Brodie Torrance who is forced to land his aircraft in a warzone during a storm.

In a recent interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Butler recalls one particularly unpleasant experience while filming Plane that involved burning his face and hands with phosphoric acid.

The actor reveals that he somehow got the acid on his hands while pretending to fix part of the plane...

The Action Scene is a column that explores the construction of action set pieces in order to deepen appreciation for and spark discussion about action cinema.2022 was a standout year for action cinema in terms of the sheer variety and virtuosity of action scenes it gave us. The following article rounds up some of the best. Like last year’s installment, the focus on action scenes—compressed, relatively self-contained displays of action filmmaking craft—means that some otherwise strong action or action-adjacent films didn’t make the cut and a couple of included films are less than compelling beyond their set pieces. All featured movies made their official, non-festival, US theatrical and/or streaming debut in 2022, hence disqualifying otherwise surefire inclusions like Limbo and Good Morning, Sleeping Lion (here’s hoping they get stateside distribution in 2023). For variety’s sake, I’ve limited myself to one scene per film.And now,...

This is no wonderland.

On Monday, Paramount+ announced the new espionage thriller series “Rabbit Hole”, starring Kiefer Sutherland, will premiere with two episodes on Sunday, March 26.

Read More: Kiefer Sutherland Isn’t Closing The Door On More ’24’: ‘The Story Is Unresolved’

Paramount+

In the series, which was shot in Toronto, “nothing is what it seems when John Weir (Sutherland), a master of deception in the world of corporate espionage, is framed for murder by powerful forces with the ability to influence and control populations.”

Charles Dance as Ben Wilson in “Rabbit Hole” – Photo: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ Rob Yang as Edward Homm in “Rabbit Hole” – Photo: Marni Grossman/Paramount+

The cast also includes Charles Dance (“Game of Thrones”), Meta Golding (“Empire”), Enid Graham (“Mare of Easttown”), Jason Butler Harner (“Ozark”), Walt Klink (“Arctic Circle”) and Rob Yang (“Succession”), with John Requa and Glenn Ficarra serving as showrunners.

Read More: Kiefer...

You know you’re in for a terrible time when an emergency plane landing is the least of your problems. Lionsgate is taking off on a harrowing adventure today with a Plane trailer that will have you placing your head between your legs and kissing your ass goodbye. Jean-François Richet directs from a screenplay by Charles Cumming and J.P. Davis. The film stars Gerard Butler as a pilot caught in a war zone after he has to land his commercial aircraft during a terrible storm.

Butler is joined in the cast by Mike Colter (Luke Cage), Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World Dominion), Yoson An (Mortal Engines), Tony Goldwyn (Ghost), Paul Ben-Victor (The Wire), Remi Adeleke (The Terminal List), and Joey Slotnick (Twister).

Here’s the official synopsis for Plane:

Brodie Torrance (Butler) saves his passengers from a lightning strike by making a risky landing on a war-torn island – only to...

What happened to Guy Ritchie’s Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre? The big-budget spy caper was initially set for a March 2022 theatrical release from STX, only to see its debut cancelled at the eleventh hour. While many have blamed the fact that some of the baddies are apparently Ukrainian (a faux pas given the war in Ukraine), a new report in Deadline suggests this is only a minor concern and that distributor STX’s behind-the-scenes turmoil is more to blame. Indeed, the trade is now saying Operation Fortune will likely make its debut via a high-profile streaming release, although none has been named yet.

The report notes that, for a time, Lionsgate – who have picked up many of the STX films – was willing to release it, only for them to back down once they realized it would go up against Gerard Butler’s Plane, which is getting excellent early buzz.

Three years have gone by since Millennium Media greenlit three more sequels in the Has Fallen franchise, but we’re still waiting for Night Has Fallen to make it into production. Thankfully, franchise star Gerard Butler has kept busy making action movies where he doesn’t play Mike Banning – movies like Greenland, Copshop, Last Seen Alive, and the upcoming Lionsgate release Plane. Plane is scheduled to reach theatres on January 27th, and a trailer has arrived online to start building the hype. Check it out in the embed above!

Directed by Jean-François Richet, whose previous credits include Blood Father and the Assault on Precinct 13 remake, Plane has the following synopsis:

Brodie Torrance saves his passengers from a lightning strike by making a risky landing on a war-torn island – only to find that surviving the landing was just the beginning. When most of the passengers are taken hostage by dangerous rebels,...

Nina Hoss is the eyes and ears of “TÁR,” Todd Field’s new movie about a decorated Berlin Symphony conductor’s cosmic undoing. Her character, Sharon, is the wife of Lydia Tár, played by Cate Blanchett, but she’s hardly second fiddle to her spouse: Sharon is concertmaster and First Violin, meaning she knows the score. As Lydia’s longstanding abuse of power over her young and hungry protégés finally begins to detonate her life, there are revelations for Sharon.

But Hoss’ character is largely unfazed by Lydia’s behavior — long, late hours, barely-there parenting of their small adopted daughter, a detachment from tenderness that at one point finds Lydia wincing “it burns” when Sharon tries to comfort her after a fall. That’s because she’s as much the keyholder to their transactional relationship as Lydia. In the movie’s opening, as Lydia flings vinyls around her apartment deciding which symphony to record,...

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Sweden has selected Boy From Heaven, an Egypt-set political thriller from director Tarik Saleh, as its contender for the 2023 Oscars in the best international feature category.

Boy From Heaven premiered in competition in Cannes this year, where it won best screenplay honors for Saleh.

Set within Cairo’s historical Al-Azhar mosque and university (though shot largely in Istanbul), Boy From Heaven follows Adam (newcomer Tawfeek Barhom) on his journey from innocent country boy to promising young Muslim scholar at the world-renowned school, who becomes a target for Ibrahim (veteran Swedish actor, and Saleh regular, Fares Fares), a corrupt state security officer tasked with spying on Al-Azhar. When the film begins, the institution’s Grand Imam has just died, leaving behind a power vacuum that the Egyptian government hopes to fill by putting its man at the head of the mosque.

Memento International...

“The Exorcist” and “The French Connection” auteur William Friedkin is gearing up to direct his first film in five years, an adaptation of the play “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,” and “24” star Kiefer Sutherland is in talks to star in the film, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

Sutherland would play Lt. Commander Queeg in the film, which is an adaptation of the two-act play by Herman Wouk, itself based on Wouk’s own Pulitzer Prize-winning novel from 1951 “The Caine Mutiny.” And the screenplay for Friedkin’s film is in fact from Wouk himself, a 50-year-old draft based on the original source material, with Friedkin making revisions.

“The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” in particular only shows the court martial scene from the larger story, and it puts the audience in the position of the jury as we only know what’s said in the trial, none of the events that led to the mutiny.

One of the projects I’ve been most intrigued about in recent years has been Greg Mottola’s upcoming Fletch reboot starring Jon Hamm. A few weeks ago, we revealed that the film, Confess, Fletch, would be getting a low-key theatrical/PVOD release on September 16th, before a bow later this year on Showtime (in a similar deal to what happened to Chris Pine’s The Contractor). Just a few weeks before it’s supposed to come out, Miramax has finally delivered a trailer revealing Jon Hamm’s take on the iconic character.

For those not in the know, Fletch is based on a series of books by Gregory McDonald. In the books, Fletch is an investigative journalist who writes under the name Jane Doe. Known for his sense of humor (and – in the movies anyway – his disguises), he typically becomes part of whatever story he’s pursuing. He’s...

Exclusive: Joaquim de Almeida (Searching 2), Darren Barnet (Never Have I Ever), Kevin Carroll (Showtime’s Let the Right One In) and Jd Pardo (Mayans M.C.) have signed on for roles in Prime Video’s reimagining of the 1989 MGM film Road House, which has entered production in the Dominican Republic.

The actors join an ensemble led by Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal, which also includes two-time UFC champion Conor McGregor, Billy Magnussen, Daniela Melchior, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Lukas Gage, Hannah Love Lanier, Travis Van Winkle, B.K. Cannon, Arturo Castro, Dominique Columbus, Beau Knapp and Bob Menery, as previously announced.

The original action-thriller, which Rowdy Herrington directed from Hilary Henkin’s script, centered on Dalton (Patrick Swayze), a tough bouncer hired to tame a dirty bar. The new take from director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) follows a former UFC fighter (Gyllenhaal) who takes a job as a bouncer at a rough-and-tumble roadhouse in the Florida Keys,...

Exclusive: Basil Iwanyk’s Thunder Road Pictures has optioned the original contemporary supernatural spy thriller, Enigma, from scribe Kat Wood.

A cross between Bond and Tomb: Raider, Enigma follows Emma Taylor, a British spy, who is suddenly tasked with hiding a mysterious and dangerous artifact that falls into her hands so the world never finds it again. It’s a spy pic where nuclear codes are not at stake. Unlike other adventure pics, Enigma tells the unique story of the person whose job it is to hide precious artefacts, and set traps, diversions, red herrings so it’s never found again.

Wood is also serving as EP.

Wood was named one of Screen International’s “UK Stars of Tomorrow”. She most recently sold her original pitch Fuel to Amazon with Misha Green and Jurnee Smollett producing, and the latter attached to star. Previously, Wood wrote Ruby, an original screenplay which...

Last week, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (Disney/19.99) was the big new release for home platforms. While we have no reports yet for its impact on Disney+ streaming subscribers, on the PVOD charts, the Marvel Cinematic Universe entry currently sits at #1 on both Vudu and Google Play and #2 at iTunes (where it had been in first its initial four days).

Otherwise, this week’s charts suggest a continuing a trend detected last week: outside of the week’s hottest new title, consumers are actively looking for films available to view for 5.99 or less, rather than opting for higher priced PVOD picks.

Case in point? “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (Lionsgate/5.99). The Nicolas Cage-starring meta comedy, which sees the actor starring as a version of himself (complete with winking and nodding at many of his on-screen characters), is currently #1 at iTunes, fifth on both Vudu and Google Play.

New Release Wall

“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (Lionsgate) could very easily have been a one-joke movie, but Nicolas Cage playing a less successful and more venal version of himself is just the launching point for a clever and engaging film about fame, the movies and male bonding. When “Cage” accepts a gig to appear at the birthday of a nefarious Spanish billionaire (a hilarious Pedro Pascal), it’s one surprise after another both for our hero and for the audience.

Also available:

“Ambulance” (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment): Michael Bay puts the robots away for this heart-thumping caper starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

“The Bad Guys” (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment): Animated anthropomorphic villains seek some redemption in this Dreamworks comedy.

“The Contractor” (Paramount Home Entertainment): Chris Pine stars as a desperate veteran who gets tied up with an underground paramilitary force.

“Eraser: Reborn” (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment...

Exclusive: Amira Casar (The Contractor), Billie Boulet (The Worst Witch) and Ashley Brooke (The Blacklist) are set as series regulars, joining Bel Powley, Liev Schreiber and Joe Cole in Disney+’s A Small Light, a limited series from National Geographic that tells the remarkable story of a Dutch woman who risked her life to shelter Anne Frank’s family from the Nazis for more than two years and then preserved Anne’s diary. The project comes from Grey’s Anatomy alums Joan Rater and Tony Phelan, Susanna Fogel, ABC Signature and Keshet Studios.

The eight-episode limited series centers on 20-something secretary Miep Gies (Powley), who didn’t hesitate when her boss Otto Frank (Schreiber) asked her to hide him and his family from the Nazis during World War II. For the next two years, Miep, her husband Jan (Cole) and several other everyday heroes watched over the eight souls hiding in the secret annex.

Links: Today’s Deals | Best Sellers | Pre-orders | New on 4K Ultra DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra, and Digital Releases for The Week of June 7, 2022 — New films and TV shows have been released on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra, and Digital HD this week, including [...]

Continue reading: DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra, & Digital Releases – The Week of June 7, 2022: The Northman, The Contractor, LA Brea: Season 1, & More...

Paramount is having a great week.

Not only is “Top Gun: Maverick” projected to have the best Memorial Day weekend gross in perhaps 25 years (adjusting for inflation) with an estimated 156 million U.S./Canada gross through Monday, with nearly 300 million worldwide — they also dominate this week’s VOD charts, including placing #1 at Netflix.

Three Paramount films — “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” (19.99), “The Lost City” (5.99), and “Top Gun” all placed #1 on at least one site. Among the three VOD charts below, they took six of the nine #1, 2, and 3 slots.

Not bad when all of these films also are streaming (on Paramount + for subscribers). It’s bonus revenue for the studio, which has flourished in theaters as well this year. Of the seven releases to gross 100 million of more, they have had three, more than any of their competitors.

“Hedgehog,” which has had a surprising 185 million domestic gross, added home platforms 47 days after its theatrical start.

IndieWire reached out to the directors of photography whose feature films are premiering at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival to find out which cameras and lenses they used and, more importantly, why these were the right tools to create the look and visual language of these highly anticipated films.

Page 1: Competition (Palme d’Or Contenders)

Page 2: Out of Competition, Premieres, and Special Screenings

Page 3: Un Certain Regard, Critics’ Week, and Acid

Page 4: Directors’ Fortnight and Marché du Film

(Films are in alphabetical order by title.)

Competition (Palme d’Or Contenders)

“Boy from Heaven”

Dir: Tarik Saleh, DoP: Pierre Aim

Format: 4K Arriraw

Camera: Arri Lf

Lens: Scorpio 40mm

Aim: “Boy from Heaven” is the third film I made with Tarik after “The Nile Hilton Incident” and “The Contractor.” To shoot Tarik’s latest film, we only used one lens: the 40mm scope Scorpio. The general idea of...