The ‘true crime’ genre is all the rage in popular culture right now, with several shows, podcasts, and books achieving blockbuster status. They typically document stories of factual crimes, the psychological motivation behind them, and the ensuing investigation and fallout. Fictional adaptations on the small screen have been star-studded, widely seen, and award-winning. Notable hits include “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” with Penelope Cruz, “The Dropout” with Amanda Seyfried, and “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” with Evan Peters.

Continue reading ‘Eden’ Review: Ana De Armas Is A Force Of Nature In Ron Howard’s Island-Set True Crime Thriller [TIFF] at The Playlist.

The Glen Powell business is booming in Hollywood, and if “Twisters” does well in theaters this weekend, expect the actor’s ascension to superstardom to happen even more swiftly than it already is. “Twisters” is Powell’s last big release of 2024, but he has Ari Aster‘s “Huntington“ and Edgar Wright‘s “The Running Man” remake on the way, too.

Continue reading ‘Backdraft’: Glen Powell May Star In An Upcoming Remake Of Ron Howard’s 1991 Firefighting Film at The Playlist.

How did Jim Henson inspire generations of dreamers? Director Ron Howard chronicles the life and legacy of this master puppeteer in “Jim Henson Idea Man.” The documentary follows Henson’s life from working on local television to crafting a highly regarded filmography. Along the way, he would see The Muppets become pop culture icons in their own right with a TV series and several box office hits. Henson’s work also extended to children’s education programming with the much beloved “Sesame Street.” 

READ MORE: Scott Derrickson To Direct A Sequel To Jim Henson’s ‘Labyrinth’

This film is far from the first documentary by Howard — his non-fiction projects span several decades.

Continue reading ‘Jim Henson Idea Man’ Trailer: Ron Howard Directs New Doc About Beloved ‘Muppets’ & ‘Sesame Street’ Puppet Genius at The Playlist.

It really does feel as if it’s been a minute since Ron Howard has directed a beloved film. His most recent films, “Hillbilly Elegy” and “Thirteen Lives,” both had big awards season aspirations but seemed to fall short. Then there’s the whole “Solo: A Star Wars Story” debacle. All that to say, Howard, over the past few decades, has been one of the most consistently commercial directors we’ve had.

Continue reading ‘Eden’: Vanessa Kirby & Sydney Sweeney Join Ana De Armas & More In Ron Howard’s New Film at The Playlist.

The Cannes Film Festival begins this week and with that also comes the Cannes Film Market, as you might suspect it’s an industry marketplace where various film projects are out to potential buyers, financiers, and distributors. One of those movies on the auction block is director Ron Howard‘s survival thriller “Origin of The Species” based on two different accounts of a true story.

Continue reading ‘Origin Of the Species’: Ana De Armas, Jude Law, Alicia Vikander & Daniel Brühl Assemble For Ron Howard’s Survival Thriller at The Playlist.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away (or, in 2018, before the likes of “The Mandalorian” and “Andor“), Ron Howard‘s “Solo: A Star Wars Story” was a big deal to “Star Wars” fans. The film did alright commercially, taking in $393 million at the box office off a $300 million budget, but critics didn’t care for it.

Continue reading Ron Howard On Potential ‘Solo’ Sequel: Not A “Lucasfilm Priority” But “Never Say Never” at The Playlist.

It’s almost impossible not to find the story of a young football team and their coach who found themselves trapped in a cave in northern Thailand in 2018 for 18 days utterly compelling. What unfolded at Tham Luang Nang Non—the infamous young soccer team stuck in Thai caves with rising water all around them story in 2018— became headline news around the world, and at the time, people described the events as being like something out of a Hollywood movie.

Continue reading ‘Thirteen Lives’ Review: Ron Howard’s Thai Cave Rescue Drama Is One Of His More Engrossing Films at The Playlist.

Ron Howard is a critically-acclaimed and Academy Award-winning director. Looking at his filmography, it’s hard to find something that he hasn’t done as his decades-long career spans multiple genres and mediums, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that his next upcoming project, “Thirteen Lives,” is a film based on a true story.

“Thirteen Lives” tells the story of the 12 junior association football (soccer) players and their assistant coach who were stuck in the Tham Luang caves in Thailand for over two weeks in the summer of 2018.

Continue reading ‘Thirteen Lives’ Trailer: Viggo Mortensen, Joel Edgerton, Colin Farrell & More Star In Ron Howard’s Harrowing New Film at The Playlist.

In a move that may foretell the future of movie releases, Amazon has switched up its release for Ron Howard‘s latest film, “Thirteen Lives.” Initially set for a November 18 wide release later this year through MGM, those plans switched up after Amazon finalized its purchase of the Hollywood studio for $8.5 billion this March. 

READ MORE: Amazon Secures $8.45 Billion Deal To Acquire MGM

Now, instead of a wide fall release, “Thirteen Lives” gets a limited theatrical release this summer before it quickly debuts on Amazon Prime Video.  The switch-up is part of Prime Video’s new summer event movie strategy and signals an early shift in how Amazon will handle its new MGM properties differently.

Continue reading Ron Howard’s ‘Thirteen Lives’ Thai Cave Rescue Drama To Skip Wide Theatrical Release For Amazon Prime Joint Release at The Playlist.

Stephen Colbert joked that Ron Howard had finally made his first superhero movie. The statement, however, is actually rather accurate. 

In “We Feed People,” Howard chronicles José Andrés’ journey from glitzy James Beard Award-winning chef (the Oscars’ culinary equivalent) to scrappy DIY humanitarian aid activist. It mightn’t scream “Marvel origin story,” but it has all the ingredients (pun intended).

Continue reading ‘We Feed People’ Trailer: Ron Howard Makes An Origin Story Of An Unexpected Superhero at The Playlist.

Lucasfilm‘s “Solo: A Story Wars Story” was a costly venture for the studio, as they fired the original directors, Chris Miller and Phil Lord, leading to very expensive reshoots led by acclaimed director, Ron Howard. And as we all know, those reshoots were quite extensive, greatly changing quite a bit of the story along the way, apparently including the fate of at least one of the main characters.

Continue reading ‘Solo’: Thandiwe Newton Says Val Wasn’t Supposed To Die In The ‘Star Wars’ Spinoff & Calls The Death “A Big, Big Mistake” at The Playlist.

No matter how you look at it, James Cameron is one of the biggest filmmakers working today. Though he doesn’t make films every couple of years, when he does release a feature, it is always an event and often shatters box office records. But in his new series of MasterClass videos (via /Film), the filmmaker admits that he could be a better director, specifically when it comes to his on-set behavior.

READ MORE: Vin Diesel Teases Potential Dom Toretto ‘Furious’ Solo Films & Role In James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ Sequels

According to /Film’s breakdown of James Cameron’s MasterClass, the filmmaker talked about his regrets when it comes to dealing with people on set during productions.

Continue reading James Cameron Regrets Being A “Tinpot Dictator” On Set & Strives To Be More Like Ron Howard at The Playlist.

Last year, around this time, people were predicting that Ron Howard’s most recent film, “Hillbilly Elegy,” would be a major Oscars player and potentially land Amy Adams her first trophy. Well, things didn’t necessarily go as planned. But that isn’t going to stop Ron Howard from landing major actors for his films that seemed primed for more awards consideration, such as his upcoming drama, “Thirteen Lives.”

READ MORE: ‘Apollo 13’ Viewer Calling It “More Hollywood Bullsh*t” Inspired Ron Howard To Do More Fact-Based Films

According to Deadline, Ron Howard has signed Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, and Joel Edgerton to star in his upcoming drama, “Thirteen Lives.” The film tells the incredible real-life story of the brave cave divers that went on a mission to save 13 people in Thailand.

Continue reading ‘Thirteen Lives’: Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell & Joel Edgerton Headline Ron Howard’s Upcoming Drama at The Playlist.

Ron Howard is an incredibly accomplished filmmaker. Let’s not forget that he’s won Best Director and Best Picture Oscars for his film, “A Beautiful Mind,” and is the filmmaker behind major blockbusters like “The Da Vinci Code,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” and “Apollo 13.” However, it’s that latter film that might be the reason the filmmaker has ventured more into real-life stories over the years.

Continue reading ‘Apollo 13’ Viewer Calling It “More Hollywood Bullsh*t” Inspired Ron Howard To Do More Fact-Based Films at The Playlist.

Positioned as a from-the-trenches commentary on “economic anxiety,” Ron Howard’s adaptation of J.D. Vance’s bestseller is just another tired, flavorless addiction melodrama.

Continue reading The Noxious ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ Is The Year’s Most Shameless Film [Review] at The Playlist.

Even though you can pretty much just mention the word “Disney” to a diehard “Star Wars” fan and they’ll likely lose their mind and go off on a rant about how the studio has failed the franchise. But even in terms of the entire post-2015 Disney-era of “Star Wars,” the biggest disappointment, if there is one to point out more than others, is probably ‘Solo.’ No matter if you’re a new fan or old, most can agree that ‘Solo’ was a really big missed opportunity and the biggest box office black eye for the Mouse House and its recent “Star Wars” features.

Continue reading Ron Howard Isn’t Hopeful About A ‘Solo’ Sequel But Says There’s “Interest” In The Characters & “Gangster World” at The Playlist.

Though there are awards predictions and buzz around Ron Howard’s upcoming film, “Hillbilly Elegy,” that drama may not be his best film of 2020. You see, the filmmaker has already released “Rebuilding Paradise,” a heartwarming documentary about a town that unites to rebuild after a terrible tragedy. And if that wasn’t enough to interest you, how about the fact that two of the best film composers working today, Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe, collaborated on the score?

Continue reading ‘Rebuilding Paradise’ Exclusive Music: Listen To A Track From Hans Zimmer & Lorne Balfe For Ron Howard’s Doc at The Playlist.

Having not seen the film, “Hillbilly Elegy,” and only watching the trailer, it’s clear that Ron Howard’s new drama starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close is a clear Oscar front-runner. The trailer features extreme emotions from two incredible actresses bringing their A-game, as well as highlighting some pretty great, subtle visual effects to make these beautiful women look, well, rough. But perhaps one of the biggest parts of an Oscar-winning film’s campaign is the theatrical release, which is made difficult in a post-COVID world.

Continue reading Ron Howard Isn’t Sure What The Theatrical Release For Netflix’s ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ Will Look Like: “It Is What It Is” at The Playlist.

What will the film industry look like in 10 years? Hell, what will it look like next year? No one really has any idea what to expect after everything settles down and the pandemic is in our rearview mirror. However, according to Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, one thing is for sure, there will be lasting effects, particularly with how feature films are released.

Cinemark Has Reportedly Sold 22,000+ Private “Watch Parties” As Consumers Are Looking For Safer Ways To Enjoy New Films

Grazer and Howard recently spoke at the Wall Street Journal‘s Tech Live conference (via Deadline).

Continue reading Ron Howard Thinks The Movie Theater Experience Will Be More Like Broadway After The Pandemic at The Playlist.

We’ve been talking about a new “Willow” project for over two years now. What started as talk about a sequel film morphed into discussions about a TV series, but time after time, there was nothing confirmed. It was mainly just Ron Howard wishing it into existence. Well, it appears that Disney is ready to get the ball going officially, and the studio knows the filmmaker that will expand the fantasy universe of the 1988 film.

Continue reading Jon M. Chu To Direct Disney+ ‘Willow’ Series Written By Jonathan Kasdan at The Playlist.

Ron Howard teams with Amy Adams for “Hillbilly Elegy,” a Netflix drama about a Yale law student (Gabriel Basso) who drawn back to his hometown and grapples with family history, Appalachian values, and the American dream. The first trailer for the film has arrived. “Hillbilly Elegy” stars Amy Adams, Glenn Close, Gabriel Basso, Haley Bennett, Freida Pinto, Bo Hopkins, and Owen Asztalos.

Continue reading ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ Trailer: Amy Adams Turns To Appalachian Oscar-Bait For Director Ron Howard at The Playlist.

Normally, news of a brand-new film from Ron Howard would garner happy reactions from film fans. Though he doesn’t always wow us with his films, when Howard is on his game, the filmmaker has the chance of turning in something special. But with the latest announcement about a new film project from Howard, at least one major film fan isn’t excited at all.

READ MORE: ‘Rebuilding Paradise’: Ron Howard Looks At The Aftermath Of 2018’s Californian Traumatic Firestorms [Review]

According to Deadline, Howard is signed on to direct and produce a new biopic about Chinese pianist Lang Lang.

Continue reading Lulu Wang Criticizes Ron Howard For Directing Upcoming Biopic About Chinese Pianist Lang Lang at The Playlist.

November 8th, 2018 feels like several lifetimes ago. 85 lifetimes, if you want to put a precise number on it. That’s how many people died that day in Paradise, California. 50,000 more were left homeless in what would later be called “the worst fire in California history.”

READ MORE: The Best Documentaries Of The Decade [2010s]

The documentary “Rebuilding Paradise,” directed by Ron Howard, follows several citizens and council people of Paradise, and their agonizing effort to rise from the ashes.

Continue reading ‘Rebuilding Paradise’: Ron Howard Looks At The Aftermath Of 2018’s Californian Traumatic Firestorms [Review] at The Playlist.

To the surprise of no one, it seems “Solo: A Star Wars Story” will remain as a solo film, with Ron Howard himself confirming the lack of any plans for a sequel. So, please, can we stop pretending there will be one?

READ MORE: Alden Ehrenreich Teases ‘Solo’ Sequel Discussions But Isn’t Sure He’d Want To Return

While talking to SiriusXM’s Radio Andy, Howard confirmed the obvious when asked about returning to work on the sequel.

Continue reading ‘Solo’ Director Ron Howard Confirms There Is No Sequel In The Works, So Please Stop Saying There Is at The Playlist.

The story goes that Bill Murray and screenwriter Howard Franklin developed their adaptation of Jay Cronley’s novel “Quick Change” – released in theaters thirty years ago this week – with Jonathan Demme in mind to direct, but the filmmaker turned it down to make “The Silence of the Lambs.” (That abrupt transition mostly serves as a reminder of what a shift “Silence” was for Demme; “Quick Change” is much more in the mold of his earlier ‘80s films like “Married to the Mob” and “Something Wild.”) They asked Ron Howard, who turned it down because “he didn’t know who to root for.” (“He lost me at that moment,” Murray said.

Continue reading ‘Quick Change’ At 30: No One Directed Bill Murray Quite Like Bill Murray at The Playlist.