The daughter of actor Sam Waterston, Katherine Waterston has accumulated a prestigious filmography over the past decade in her own right, working with industry heavyweights such as Martin Scorsese (“Boardwalk Empire“), Paul Thomas Anderson (“Inherent Vice“), Danny Boyle (“Steve Jobs“), Ridley Scott (“Alien: Covenant“), and Steven Soderbergh (“Logan Lucky“).

Continue reading Katherine Waterston Talks ‘State Like Sleep,’ Returning To ‘Alien’ Franchise, ‘Fantastic Beasts’ & More [Interview] at The Playlist.

The Academy of Motion Pictures announced the 20 contenders in the running for the 2019 Visual Effects Oscar this afternoon. There were a few notable snubs among the submissions including “Venom,” “A Wrinkle in Time,” “The Meg” and “Rampage.”  Some of the surprise entries included “Isle of Dogs,” “Mary Poppins Returns” and “Incredibles 2.”

READ MORE: ‘Aquaman’ early reactions: ‘Avatar’ meets ‘Jupiter Ascending’

The full list of all 20 films still in the race are as follows:

“Ant-Man and the Wasp”
“Aquaman”
“Avengers: Infinity War”
“Black Panther”
“Bumblebee”
“Christopher Robin”
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”
“First Man”
“Incredibles 2”
“Isle of Dogs”
“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”
“Mary Poppins Returns”
“Mission: Impossible – Fallout”
“Mortal Engines”
“The Nutcracker and the Four Realms”
“Paddington 2”
“A Quiet Place”
“Ready Player One”
“Solo: A Star Wars Story”
“Welcome to Marwen”

The Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the preliminary list of films eligible for further awards consideration.

Continue reading ‘Aquaman,’ ‘Black Panther’ & ‘First Man’ Among 20 Visual Effects Oscar Finalists at The Playlist.

Last week, the box office report featured several major storylines with just a large amount of movement over the Thanksgiving holiday. However, this weekend saw the release of only one major wide release and one limited release. So, as you might expect, there weren’t any broken records. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few standout storylines we’ve been following.

First, we need to take a look at last weekend’s major releases and see how they’ve handled themselves in their second weekends.

Continue reading ‘Ralph 2’ Continues Box Office Dominance As ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Flops Hard In China at The Playlist.

Going into the weekend, fans knew that J.K. Rowling had some surprises in store in the new “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.” The ‘Harry Potter’ prequel/spin-off told the further adventures of Newt Scamander and Pals, as they continue their quest to stop the titular villain. It was also the first time that fans would be introduced to Jude Law’s Albus Dumbledore. However, what people probably never saw coming was the twist at the end.

Continue reading Not Even Ezra Miller Fully Believes That ‘Fantastic Beasts 2’ Reveal Is True at The Playlist.

As expected, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” easily topped the box office chart this weekend. However, as expected, the film did so while simultaneously posting the worst domestic opening for a Wizarding World film (which includes the hugely popular ‘Harry Potter’ franchise). So, while the news is good for Warner Bros., there is a slight cause for alarm.

It’s rare that a film can debut with a $62.2 million domestic box office total and be deemed a bit of a disappointment.

Continue reading ‘Fantastic Beasts 2’ Disappoints In The U.S. But Is Magical Overseas In Its Box Office Debut at The Playlist.

2016’s “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” promised to be a new, tonally distinct chapter in the so-called Wizarding World. Based on a slender, canon-adjacent book by J.K. Rowling (who also provided the film’s screenplay), it was sold as an airy romp following a foppish Brit (Eddie Redmayne) as he scampered around Jazz Age Manhattan collecting magical creatures and attempting to prevent the human world from getting wind of his misadventures.

Continue reading ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ Is A Magical & Surprisingly Relevant Addition To The Wizarding World [Review] at The Playlist.

Despite the decidedly mixed reviews, one thing many critics can agree on about the upcoming “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” is that writer J.K. Rowling has taken the time to put a little bit of the current-day political climate in this chapter of the Wizarding World. So, it comes as no surprise that when actress Zoe Kravitz is asked about the film, the topic of the current political situation is brought up.

Continue reading Zoe Kravitz Says She’ll Never Work With Woody Allen Because “He Doesn’t Put People Of Color In His Films” at The Playlist.

One of fall’s biggest films is only a week away, and while there are plenty of Potterheads out there surely excited, it appears that “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” is perhaps a film better left unseen.

The second film in the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ series, and the tenth in the entire ‘Harry Potter’ franchise, ‘Crimes of Grindelwald’ brings fans back to the world of Newt Scamander and the characters you know and love from the first film, while also adding Jude Law and Johnny Depp.

Continue reading ‘Fantastic Beasts 2’ Early Reviews Point To A “Confusing Jumble” That Will Make “Fans Weep In Frustration” at The Playlist.

Until the end of the year, it would seem that the trend of simply not having enough time in the day/week to see what we both want to watch and what we feel obliged to see will continue. Add to that the stress of watching as many films on our FilmStruck watch lists before the site is shut down at the end of the month. Frankly, the amount of buzz-worthy films being released in November is almost unfair.

Continue reading 16 Must-See Movies For November: ‘Favourite,’ ‘Widows,’ ‘Beale Street’ & More at The Playlist.

‘Fantastic Beasts’ star Ezra Miller has heard everyone’s complaints about Albus Dumbledore’s sexuality not being spoken about in ‘The Crimes of Grindelwald’ and is sick of it. In a new interview, Miller discusses the sexuality of the classic ‘Harry Potter’ character and how in the upcoming movie, it is dealt with in an open and obvious way.

READ MORE: ‘Fantastic Beasts: Crimes Of Grindelwald’ Trailer: The Magic Is Back

For those unaware of the controversy, after the publication of the entire ‘Harry Potter’ series of books, writer J.K.

Continue reading Ezra Miller On ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Sexuality Controversy: “Wait Until You See The Film Before You Start Talking Sh-t” at The Playlist.

The magic of Harry Potter’s wizarding world is returning with “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.” From the beginning, The Boy Who Lived stole our hearts first with the book series, then again when we saw the magic on the big screen. Author J.K. Rowling built a world so complex in detail it leaves room for more than one story to be told, so that is what she did.

Continue reading ‘Fantastic Beasts: Crimes Of Grindelwald’ Trailer: The Magic Is Back at The Playlist.

Fans of The Wizarding World have been waiting a while to get the first confirmation on film that one of the most revered characters in the lore is, in fact, gay. For years now, author J.K. Rowling has said that Albus Dumbledore is a gay man, but there hasn’t been any sort of confirmation in official lore to support her assertion. And with the famous wizard playing a seemingly large role in the upcoming “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” many fans were hoping that they’d finally see his sexuality explored.

Continue reading Jude Law Confirms Dumbledore’s Sexuality Will Not Be Addressed In New ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Film at The Playlist.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” managed to do what very few prequels are able to; it retained the mystical spirit of the beloved “Harry Potter” franchise, all while creating a world that could be appreciated on its own merit. The film gave us a new characters to root for including Newt Scamander, played by Eddie Redmayne, a socially awkward “magizoologist” (One who studies magical creatures), as well as an environmental conservation message that today, feels importantly timed.

Continue reading ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ Trailer Returns To Newt Scamander’s Wizarding World at The Playlist.

It seems that “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald” just keeps walking into controversy. First there was director David Yates‘ and creator/screenwriter J.K. Rowling‘s rather weak defence over the casting of Johnny Depp in the series as Grindelwald. Now comes word that the sexuality of young Dumbledore, played by Jude Law in the forthcoming film, will pretty much be kept under wraps.

Continue reading ‘The Crimes Of Grindelwald’ Will Keep Dumbledore’s Sexuality Hidden at The Playlist.

As #MeToo and #TimesUp continues to sweep through Hollywood, one actor who has so far been largely spared is Johnny Depp. Despite allegations by Amber Heard of domestic abuse and assault, Depp has continued to notch high profile roles, including in Kenneth Branagh‘s hit, “Murder On The Orient Express,” and the upcoming “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.” The latter in particular has raised many eyebrows and criticisms, which some calls to recast the role, but Depp has been vigorously defended by director David Yates and author J.K.

Continue reading Daniel Radcliffe Responds To Johnny Depp’s ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Casting Controversy at The Playlist.

Sometimes, you have to choose the hill you’re going to die on, and right now, Johnny Depp probably isn’t the battle you want to stick with. The actor, at least online, has become something of a pariah, due to the allegations by Amber Heard of domestic abuse and assault. Nevertheless, his career has hardly hiccuped, as Hollywood continues to stick with Depp, with the actor most recently appearing in Kenneth Branagh‘s hit, “Murder On The Orient Express.” Beyond that, he’s got a juicy role in the upcoming “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” and presumably one that will extend into the planned sequels, and people aren’t having it.

Continue reading J.K. Rowling Defends Casting Johnny Depp In ‘Fantastic Beasts’ at The Playlist.

In the post-Harvey Weinstein era, audiences and the industry are becoming far more critical about the filmmakers they’ll work with and endorse. However, there are still some stars facing serious allegations that are still managing to hang on to their A-list status. Enter Johnny Depp, who for the past two years, has been dogged by allegations of domestic violence by his former wife Amber Heard. Despite an increasing amount of corroborating evidence, the actor continues to enjoy mainstream success, recently starring in “Murder On The Orient Express.” Now, he’s wrapped a big role in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” but audiences aren’t happy about it.

Continue reading ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Director David Yates Defends Johnny Depp: “He’s Full Of Decency And Kindness” at The Playlist.

Time to get out your wands and whatnot. The sequel to “Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them” is on the way, and today we have our first look at the assembled crew who will once again take audiences on a magical, prequel journey.

“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald” will be notable for “Harry Potter” fans for a number of reasons, but mostly in that it has Jude Law playing Albus Dumbledore.

Continue reading First Look: ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald’ With Jude Law As Albus Dumbledore at The Playlist.

Making a prequel is always a risky endeavor. Often times, they can be odds with what made the previous film successful by making something off-tone and disconnected. But with “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” director David Yates is treading in familiar territory.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” essentially introduced Potter fans to a new time and different setting in the Magical world.

Continue reading ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ Trailer: The Fate Of One, The Future Of All at The Playlist.