Crafting a documentary around a larger-than-life figure is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you have a copious wealth of material, anecdotes, and legacy to utilize in the storytelling around your subject. On the other, the richness of their life and the iconicity surrounding them means you risk painting an incomplete portrait of them, of only being able to capture so much within the real estate of a movie. What subject provides a grander combination of these benefits and challenges than Superman?

Continue reading ‘Super/Man’Directors Ian Bonhôte & Peter Ettedgui Talk Christopher Reeve, Robin Williams, & The Art Of Documentary [Interview] at The Playlist.

Adam Wingard has always had a flair for the most ultra-vibrant and loud segments of the color spectrum. Growing up in the ’80s, the golden age of movie tie-in merchandise, the director vividly remembers the neon palette, the yellows, blues, and reds of seemingly every toy from “Transformers” to “Thundercats” to even just “the mellow yellow NASCAR” from “Days of Thunder.” Bold visuals and bright colors were a staple of “Godzilla vs.

Continue reading ‘Godzilla X Kong’: Adam Wingard Talks ‘New Empire,’ Toys, Toho, & Godzilla’s Atomic Half-Life [Interview] at The Playlist.

“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is on the horizon, and it’s shaping up to be one of the more exciting entries in the MonsterVerse to date. Not only is the film clearly channeling the weird, psychedelic, absurdist charm of the Shōwa Era Godzilla films, but “Godzilla vs. Kong” director Adam Wingard returns to push the boundaries and scale of Legendary’s cinematic universe and the legacy of the King of the Monsters himself as “The New Empire” is the first Godzilla movie filmed for IMAX.

Continue reading Adam Wingard On Designing ‘Godzilla x Kong’ For IMAX at The Playlist.

It’s taken years to get here, but the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” movie we’ve all anticipated is finally here, from Blumhouse Pictures and director Emma Tammi. The film is set at an abandoned family entertainment center and stars Josh Hutcherson as Mike Schmidt, a security guard coping with past traumas while accepting a graveyard shift at the FEC, where he discovers that the facility’s animatronic creatures come to life and kill anyone who is on the grounds after midnight.

Continue reading ‘Five Nights At Freddy’s’: Director Emma Tammi On A “Beautiful & Creepy” Horror Adaptation & Potential Sequel Lore [Interview] at The Playlist.

With a budget of $80 million—a pittance compared to the budgets of most modern blockbusters— Gareth Edwards has made his long-awaited return to science-fiction on the big screen with “The Creator,” a provocative sci-fi adventure set roughly 50 years in the future, where Western society is devastated by and at war with artificial intelligence (read our review). Whereas the East, having not undergone a similar tragedy, has embraced and fostered the technology.

Continue reading ‘The Creator’: DP Greig Fraser & VFX Supervisors Explain Why The Sci-Fi Film Cost $80 Million, But Still Looks Like A Blockbuster [Creatives Interview] at The Playlist.

He’s captivated our imaginations with iconic monsters and futuristic space battles, using a symphony of light, scale, sound, and mastery over visual effects. Oh, and he really knows how to make Darth Vader scary. No, we’re not talking about George Lucas. We’re talking about Gareth Edwards. Though we might as well be talking about Lucas, given how much the Welsh filmmaker channels the former’s philosophy into his work. It also helps that he has a penchant for inspired collaborations with ILM (Industrial Light and Magic) while proving himself a distinct, spiritual voice in science fiction.

Continue reading ’The Creator’: Gareth Edwards Talks The Dangers & Advancement Of A.I., The ‘Star Wars’ Influence & More [Interview] at The Playlist.

One of the most anticipated sci-fi film of 2023 — particularly now, with “Dune: Part Two” having been pushed back to 2024 — has got to be Gareth Edwards‘ latest feature,”The Creator.” Edwards’ first film since 2016’s “Rogue One” Lucasfilm movies, this new thriller is set in the year 2070, in the midst of a war over the future of artificial intelligence.

Continue reading ‘The Creator’ In IMAX: Director Gareth Edward’s Says His Sci-Fi Epic Is “‘Apocalypse Now’ Meets ‘Blade Runner’” [First Look Recap] at The Playlist.

Angel Manuel Soto is a filmmaker who directs to capture specific, authentic experiences, especially if they relate to his heritage. Born in Puerto Rico, many of Soto’s earliest short films – including several non-narrative works such as “The Second Line: A Parade Against Violence” – as well as his feature directorial debut, “La Granja,” contrast a pride in his Latin roots against the inequalities that come with it.

Continue reading ‘Blue Beetle’: Director Angel Manuel Soto Talks ‘Injustice’ Influence, ‘Power Rangers’ & Ari Aster [Interview] at The Playlist.

“Blue Beetle” is a milestone film for the superhero genre. Within the narrative of the DCU, Blue Beetle himself is the first hero to be brought aboard by James Gunn and also the big screen’s first Latino lead superhero. Xolo Maridueña debuts as Jamie Reyes, who accidentally fuses with the Scarab, an ancient alien biotechnical relic, to become the Blue Beetle. Director Angel Manuel Soto helms the first in a planned trilogy of “Blue Beetle” films.

Continue reading Angel Manuel Soto Gives Details On His Bane Origin Movie & Potential ‘Blue Beetle’ Trilogy at The Playlist.

For many Marvel fans, the worst news to come out if this year’s Comic-Con was James Gunn‘s confirmation that “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” would bring a close to the director’s trilogy of sci-fi hijinks. And while the first trailer for the film might have been a Comic-Con exclusive, here’s everything we saw – and what you can expect when the teaser finally drops online (we assume sometime in the next few weeks).

Continue reading ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3’ Trailer Description: Get Ready To Learn Rocket’s Tragic History [Comic-Con] at The Playlist.

One of the bigger announcements at Comic-Con this weekend was Kevin Feige‘s explanation of how Marvel Studios‘s Phase 5 and Phase 6 programming would shake out. To the surprise of many, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” would be the official kickoff to Phase 5, moving the studio to what they’ve officially dubbed “The Multiverse Saga.” But while the first trailer for ‘Quantumania’ might’ve been a Comic-Con exclusive, we are able to provide a brief description of what we saw in the trailer.

Continue reading ‘Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania’ Trailer Description: Bill Murray Enters The Quantum Realm [Comic-Con] at The Playlist.

Marvel Studios was anything but stingy with this year’s Comic-Con footage. New trailers for “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” and, most importantly, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” were released online in a matter of minutes, allowing fans around the world to join in the celebration of all things Phase 4. But Comic-Con was also home to several exclusive trailers for Marvel’s upcoming slate of shows and movies, including the much-anticipated “Secret Invasion,” the Disney+ show that potentially sets the stage for a full-fledged alien invasion of Earth.

Continue reading ‘Secret Wars’ Trailer Description: Marvel’s Alien Invasion Series Promises Cold War-Style Paranoia [Comic-Con] at The Playlist.

Warner Bros and DC Entertainment brought thunder – and lightning – to San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday with an electrifying look at upcoming DC projects “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” and “Black Adam.” Moderator Tiffany Smith opened proceedings with Shazam himself, Zachary Levi, to introduce a new trailer for the hotly anticipated sequel to 2019’s “Shazam!

Continue reading Warner Bros Panel Recap: DC’s Zachary Levi, Dwayne Johnson Bring Down The House [Comic-Con] at The Playlist.

If there are two things American moviegoers love most, the first is football, and the second is a good underdog story. This Christmas, the two are being combined for a touchdown reception on the big screen in the appropriately titled “American Underdog,” starring “Shazam!” star himself, Zachary Levi, as Kurt Warner, the talented and dedicated quarterback who fought his way into the NFL in the ‘90s.

Continue reading Zachary Levi Talks ‘American Underdog,’ ‘Shazam 2’ & More [The Fourth Wall] at The Playlist.

Few actors are defined by the word “badass” the way that Jon Bernthal is. From playing the tragic villain Shane Walsh on “The Walking Dead” to the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s version of the brutal Frank Castle in “The Punisher,” right down to roles where he isn’t cracking heads—his eerily spot-on portrayal of Lee Iacocca in “Ford v Ferrari,” for example—Bernthal exudes an endless cool and charisma, while still looking like he could take on anyone in the room if he needed to.

Continue reading Jon Bernthal Talks ‘King Richard,’ How To Reboot ‘The Punisher’ & What Makes A Great Coach [The Fourth Wall Podcast] at The Playlist.

For years, George MacKay has been one of the most fascinating and versatile actors working out of the U.K. Having made his acting debut in 2003, in P. J. Hogan’s magnificent adaptation of “Peter Pan,” MacKay quickly went on to give diverse but invariably gripping performances in films such as “Defiance,” “The Thief Lord,” “The Boys are Back,” and “Private Peaceful,” all before he turned 20.

Continue reading George MacKay On Perfecting The Howl & Prowl Of ‘Wolf’ [Podcast Interview] at The Playlist.

In 2019, I spoke with legendary composer Hans Zimmer about his music for the live-action reimagining of “The Lion King.” It was a conversation that spanned such topics as his collaborations with Christopher Nolan, live performances, and, most notably, his work on Denis Villeneuve‘s adaptation of Frank Herbert‘s iconic sci-fi novel “Dune.” Zimmer instantly fell in love with Herbert’s original novel during his teens relating heavily to the moodiness and angst of Paul Atreides and when I previously asked about what we could expect for the soundscape of Villeneuve’s “Dune,” Zimmer hinted at the fact that he’s been waiting for this moment his whole life, refining the sounds of Arrakis, House Atreides, and the rest of Herbert’s vast world in his head.

Continue reading Hans Zimmer Talks ‘Dune,’ Working With Denis Villeneuve & The Need For Epic Bagpipes [Interview] at The Playlist.

When Daniel Craig was announced as the sixth James Bond, the media had a field day. He wasn’t tall enough, good looking enough, lackluster, underwhelming, a “Blond Bond?” Rubbish. In the mind of a vocal minority that was blown way out of proportion, Craig did not fit the traditional stereotype of what a Bond actor should look like and took a thrashing for it. Nevertheless, he held his head high because he knew the work they were doing on “Casino Royale” was something special and would immediately shut down the naysayers.

Continue reading Daniel Craig & Jeffrey Wright Talk ‘No Time To Die,’ The Legacy Of James Bond & More [The Fourth Wall Podcast] at The Playlist.

The list of names of those who have had a greater impact on television than David Chase is exceedingly short, if such a list exists at all. Chase made his debut in the medium in 1971, as a one-off writer for “The Lawyers,” penning the episode “In Defense of Ellen McKay.” Chase went on to work as the story editor for the influential horror-thriller series “Kolchak: The Night Stalker,” and then as a writer and producer for four seasons of “The Rockford Files,” where he won his first Emmy.

Continue reading David Chase Talks ‘Many Saints Of Newark,’ ‘Sopranos’ & The Secret To Good Gangster Films [Fourth Wall Podcast] at The Playlist.

“F9,” the latest entry in the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise, exploded onto screens worldwide this May, garnering commercial success to the tune of some $700 million and giving the series an opportunity to live long past its upcoming tenth and eleventh installments. Helmed by series mainstay Justin Lin, who has directed most of the entries since “Tokyo Drift” in 2006, “F9” is making one more quarter-mile run at top speed as it arrives on home media today, featuring a director’s cut with 7 minutes of new footage.

Continue reading Sung Kang, Jordana Brewster & Justin Lin Talk ‘F9: Director’s Cut,’ ‘Tokyo Drift’ & The Future of ‘Fast’ [Interview] at The Playlist.

It should be a point of pride for any filmmaker who can be credited for “saving” a cinematic franchise. However, Martin Campbell sits in the singular position of having achieved this twice. When the James Bond franchise awoke from a six-year hiatus where there was no longer a Cold War to fight, and the interest in the character was uncertain, Campbell introduced the world to Pierce Brosnan in 1995’s “GoldenEye,” which went on to be a smash hit at the box office, and remains frequently cited as a fan favorite Bond film.

Continue reading Martin Campbell Talks ‘The Protégé,’ Reinventing James Bond & The Importance Of Character-Driven Action [The Fourth Wall Podcast] at The Playlist.

Lisa Joy hardly needs an introduction. Having entered television as a writer on Bryan Fuller’s beloved series “Pushing Daisies,” Joy went on to write a whopping 19 episodes of “Burn Notice” before, in 2016, co-creating HBO’s “Westworld” with her husband, Jonathan Nolan. Having now guided the dystopian sci-fi series through three critically acclaimed seasons, Joy found herself in the director’s chair for the first time, directing the season two episode “The Riddle of the Sphinx.” “I learned a lot about my directorial style,” said Joy about her work on the episode, “which is, before I even start prep, I normally have the whole [episode/movie] cut together in my head.

Continue reading Lisa Joy Talks ‘Reminiscence,’ The Future Of ‘Westworld,’ ‘Blade Runner’ & More [The Fourth Wall Podcast] at The Playlist.

Few performers manage to maintain a high profile in the public eye and are as coveted by filmmakers as Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Having started as a child actor in hit films like “A River Runs Through It” and “Angels in the Outfield,” Gordon-Levitt came into adulthood while starring in the iconic sitcom “3rd Rock from the Sun” and the fan-favorite rom-com “10 Things I Hate About You.” It was in the 2000s where his star rose into the stratosphere, turning in widely acclaimed work in films such as “Mysterious Skin,” “Inception,” and his frequent collaborations with Rian Johnson, including the lead roles in “Brick” and “Looper.” This is all without mentioning his Golden Globe-nominated performances in “(500) Days of Summer” and “50/50,” or his directorial debut firestorm, “Don Jon,” which Gordon-Levitt also wrote and starred in, or the fact that Gordon-Levitt is as talented a musician and singer as he is a performer and filmmaker.

Continue reading Joseph Gordon-Levitt Talks Apple TV+’s ‘Mr. Corman,’ Fatherhood, & HITRECORD [The Fourth Wall Podcast] at The Playlist.

A great comic book movie requires a lot of elements to fall into place. You need a great special effects team, at least one compelling hero or antihero to rally behind for two hours, and a snappy script peppered with engaging action. However, most of all, you need a fearless and endlessly inventive director bringing all of the other pieces together. Without fail, the greatest comic book films have had extraordinary creatives at the helm, whether it be Christopher Nolan‘s ‘The Dark Knight‘ Trilogy Sam Raimi with “Spider-Man,” James Mangold with “Logan”…or James Gunn when he successfully brought the Guardians of the Galaxy to life catapulting them from obscure to iconic in the public eye overnight instantly becoming MCU fan favorites.

Continue reading James Gunn Talks ‘The Suicide Squad,’ ‘Peacemaker’ & Reinventing Task Force X [The Fourth Wall Podcast] at The Playlist.

Before even turning thirty, Alicia Vikander had already starred in the sci-fi thriller “Ex Machina,” teamed up with Matt Damon in “Jason Bourne,” was in pre-production as the lead in the reboot of the action franchise “Tomb Raider,” and had won an Academy Award for her performance in “The Danish Girl.”  Whether it be the three projects she has coming out this year, her marriage to fellow actor (and former co-star) Michael Fassbender, or time spent enjoying life’s simple pleasures, Vikander remains one of the busiest and most underrated gems in the industry.

Continue reading Alicia Vikander Talks ‘The Green Knight,’ Magic Of ’80s Fantasy Films, ‘Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ & More [The Fourth Wall] at The Playlist.