As many cinephiles already know, the 1970s was a fantastic time for paranoid political thrillers (“The Parallax View,” “All The President’s Men”), assassin movies (“The American Friend”), and films based on the rising tide of terrorism (“Black Sunday”; in fact we devoted an entire feature to this genre several years ago). One film that covered all those bases and was pretty popular then was 1973’s “The Day Of The Jackal,” directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Edward Fox and Michael Lonsdale.

Continue reading ‘Day Of The Jackal’ Trailer: Eddie Redmayne & Lashana Lynch Star In A Cat & Mouse Spy Peacock Series at The Playlist.

Filmmaker Reinaldo Marcus Green seemingly rose quickly in Hollywood. Still, the reality is he toiled away in shorts and TV for years before his big breakout feature-length directorial debut, “Monsters and Men,” made a huge splash at Sundance in 2018. Still, everything seemingly changed overnight, and in quick succession, he helmed “Joe Bell” with Mark Wahlberg, a critically acclaimed series (HBO’s “We Own This City”), and directed Will Smith to an Oscar Best Actor award in “King Richard” among other projects.

Continue reading ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ Trailer: Kingsley Ben-Adir Stars The Legendary Reggae Artist In February at The Playlist.

Kingsley Ben-Adir has quietly become an actor to watch thanks to memorable roles in the likes of “Peaky Blinders,” “The OA,” “One Night In Miami…” and the upcoming “Barbie.” Now Ben-Adir gets his biggest role yet in the upcoming biopic “Bob Marley: One Love,” where he plays the iconic Jamaican singer-songwriter.

READ MORE: Kingsley Ben-Adir To Play Reggae Legend Bob Marley In Biopic From ‘King Richard’ Director Reinaldo Marcus Green

Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch co-star in “One Love” as Bob and Rita Marley, from Marley and his band The Heartbreakers rise to fame to the singer’s death in the 1980s.

Continue reading ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ Trailer: Kingsley Ben-Adir Becomes The Iconic Jamaican Singer On January 12, 2024 at The Playlist.

Don’t be tempted to sleep on “Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical.” While it’s being given a limited theatrical release in the U.S. ahead of a Netflix streaming release on Christmas Day, that in no way reflects on the quality of this telling of the classic children’s story. 

While the digital platform is where most American audiences will discover it, this iteration belongs on the big screen and, like the stage musical it is based on, with an audience.

Continue reading ‘Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical’ Review: Emma Thompson Steals The Show As The Wicked Miss Trunchbull at The Playlist.

What’s not to love about Roald Dahl‘s “Matilda“? The 1998 children’s novel follows a precocious young girl who discovers she has superpowers and uses them to take charge of her destiny against the likes of her rotten headmaster, Miss Trunchbull. Movie fans of a certain generation will remember the 1996 film, but the book also became an award-winning musical in 2010. Now, Netflix has their version of that musical set to premiere this holiday season.

Continue reading ‘Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical’ Trailer: Netflix’s Take On The Hit Musical Premieres On Christmas Day at The Playlist.

When fans complain about the inclusion of women of color in action franchises, they often fall back on the same talking points: it’s not about sexism, it’s just that filmmakers should create different, original movies for Black and Brown actors. Gina Prince Bythewood has done just that with “The Woman King” and proven what we already knew: that women always have and always will make formidable action heroes.

Continue reading ‘The Woman King’ Review: Viola Davis Leads Gina Prince Bythewood’s Fierce, Action-Packed Drama [TIFF] at The Playlist.

We’ll be seeing actor Kingsley Ben-Adir (“One Night In Miami“) taking on the role of legendary Reggae singer Bob Marley in a new biopic film at Paramount Pictures that is being helmed by “King Richard” director Reinaldo Marcus Green. The combination of director and actor gives the impression that it could end up becoming a festival/awards darling as another impressive addition to the cast has been announced.

Continue reading Paramount’s Bob Marley Biopic Casts Lashana Lynch As Iconic Singer’s Wife, Rita Marley at The Playlist.

Was Ana de Armas the most memorable Bond Girl of recent memory? The actress was only in last year’s “No Time To Die” for a scant fifteen minutes or less, playing off of Daniel Craig‘s James Bond during a mission in Cuba. But what a memorable fifteen minutes it was. De Armas’ Paloma did it all (arguably better than Bond), and in a little black dress to boot.

Continue reading Ana de Armas Says “There’s No Need” For A Female James Bond, But Women Need More Recognition In The Franchise at The Playlist.

Last awards season’s Best Actress race was one of the most turbulent. Post-Golden Globes, Nicole Kidman, seemed a lock for her role in “Being the Ricardos,” despite the initial industry buzz for Kristen Stewart, the ever-lively Lady Gaga bandwagon, and some not totally unreasonable outside shouts for Olivia Colman, while Jessica Chastain ultimately took it all. With the industry now at its most productive since the pandemic began, this year’s race is shaping up to be just as fierce as the last: Margot Robbie, Danielle Deadwyler, and Naomi Ackie are already in the running, as is Viola Davis, whose film “The Woman King” now has its first trailer.

Continue reading ‘The Woman King’ Trailer: Viola Davis Leads A Fierce Tribe Of African Warriors This September at The Playlist.

What’s better than Roald Dahl‘s 1988 novel “Matilda,” about a young girl with psychokinetic powers who uses them to transcend her life’s crappy circumstances? For some, it might be Danny Devito‘s 1996 adaptation of the Dahl book, beloved by those the age of this writer. For others, it could end up being “Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical,’ a new adaptation based on the Tony and Oliver award-winning play.

Continue reading ‘Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical’ Teaser: Meet The Exception To The Rules This Holiday Season On Netflix at The Playlist.

If you’re a fan of the James Bond film franchise, you’re likely well aware of the duo of Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the two people that seemingly call all the shots, creatively, when it comes to the iconic superspy and his adventures. And though there seems to be a big outcry over recent years for more Bond content, such as potential TV shows and spinoffs, those are ideas that don’t seem to be of much interest to the producers.

Continue reading Barbara Broccoli Doesn’t “Have Any Plans” To Produce Spinoffs Of The James Bond Franchise In The Future at The Playlist.

Since Daniel Craig nearly left the iconic 007 role, following the disaster of “Spectre,” the title of his final Bond film, director Cary Joji Fukunaga’s “No Time To Die,” has carried a cruelly ironic tone. Craig has had nothing but time: days, months, and now years added to his sentence as the man who orders his martini best shaken, not stirred. Since his 2006 debut in “Casino Royale,” Craig’s Bond, the actor himself now age 53, more than any other iteration of the character, grappled with loss, mortality, and heartbreak.

Continue reading ‘No Time To Die’: Daniel Craig’s Final Bow As James Bond Is Worth Toasting [Review] at The Playlist.

Back in July 2019, it was revealed that Lashana Lynch’s new role in the upcoming James Bond film, “No Time to Die,” would actually be in a position that fans are very familiar with. Though her character might be new, Lynch begins the film as the new 007, a title/designation normally carried by the suave superspy played by Daniel Craig. And when this news was revealed, there were “fans” (aka trolls) that cried foul and complained that a Black woman shouldn’t be given the title of 007.

Continue reading Lashana Lynch Talks “Abuse” She Received From Fans After Being Named New 007 In ‘No Time To Die’ at The Playlist.

Christopher Nolan was supposed to save cinemas with “Tenet” this summer, but
lukewarm reviews and an ongoing box office-challenging pandemic may still want
a word on that final verdict. But that said, if Nolan can’t do it, maybe filmmaker
Cary Joji Fukunaga can with the upcoming 007 film, “No Time
To Die.”

READ MORE: Fall Film Preview: 40 Most Anticipated
Films To Watch

While summer movies took a lot of narrative hits this year from the various release date shuffles (see Nolan’s movie), MGM might have fared best by being one of the first major studios to seemingly recognize the dangers of the pandemic and act accordingly.

Continue reading New ‘No Time To Die’ Trailer: Daniel Craig Stars In A Final Mission That Changes Everything at The Playlist.

With seven years having passed since its release, it’s safe to say that the 23rd entry into the James Bond franchise, “Skyfall,” is the most significant in the series.

READ MORE: ‘No Time To Die’ & The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2020

Beyond making well over a billion dollars and winning the series its first Oscar since 1965, it established the series’ aesthetic, tone, and action that has led to its resurgence in the last few years.

Continue reading ‘No Time To Die’ Trailer: Cary Fukunaga Takes Daniel Craig Out For One Last James Bond Adventure at The Playlist.

James Bond is back, for the 25th time. With the countdown to “No Time to Die,” the super spy’s latest film, under six months, it’s time for the marketing wheels begin to turn. And thankfully, for fans, that means we get the requisite array of character posters and teaser for the teaser. You know the drill.

READ MORE: Daniel Craig, Once Again, Says He’s Done With Bond Forever & Has Zero Interest Directing

The quick teaser doesn’t necessarily do much to get you amped up for the release of the film.

Continue reading Daniel Craig & The ‘No Time To Die’ Cast Get Character Posters Along With A Quick Teaser For The Latest Bond Film at The Playlist.

For many people, actress Lashana Lynch is probably best known as playing Maria Rambeau in the recent Marvel Studios blockbuster, “Captain Marvel.” However, next year, the biggest role of her career is going to arrive, with the upcoming 25th James Bond film, “No Time to Die,” where the actress is said to be playing a new 007. That’s right, with Bond retired, Lynch is stepping into the role of 007 at the beginning of the film.

Continue reading Lashana Lynch Isn’t Worried That ‘Bond’ Fans Are Mad She’s The New 007: “It Doesn’t Dishearten Me” at The Playlist.

“Bond 25” hasn’t had the easiest time getting to the big screen, what with all the new writers and rewrites, a delayed release date, a near delay in production, and a significant injury for its star Daniel Craig. That said, the picture is starting to come together. We know that Christoph Waltz is returning as Blofeld, but not as the main villain (that’s Rami Malek) and now new reports are surfacing that are already disturbing the 007 status quo.

Continue reading ‘Bond 25’: Lashana Lynch Will Reportedly Be Introduced As The New 007 at The Playlist.

After a short game of director roulette (finally landing on Cary Fukunaga) and a couple of release date delays, the production of “Bond 25,” the final film in the series for star Daniel Craig, is now underway, officially. And to kick off the production of the 25th entry in the decades-spanning franchise, the producers decided to spill all the goods on what fans can expect in the new film.

Continue reading ‘Bond 25’ Reveals Cast, The Return Of Jeffrey Wright, & Synopsis But Still Doesn’t Unveil Title at The Playlist.

The long-in-development FX series “Y: The Last Man” (now, apparently only called “Y”) is finally coming together. In preparation of the beginning of production of the pilot episode, FX has filled out the cast of the new series, based on the comic books by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra, according to Deadline.

Diane Lane, Barry Keoghan, Imogen Poots, Lashana Lynch, Juliana Canfield, and Marin Ireland have all been cast in the new series.

Continue reading Diane Lane, Barry Keoghan, & Imogen Poots Lead Strong Cast For FX’s ‘Y: The Last Man’ Series at The Playlist.