Sam Mendes’ new project, “The Franchise,” takes a satirical look at superhero filmmaking and just big-budget franchise filmmaking, in general. And he has plenty of experience working under those conditions during his time in the world of James Bond. But years later, Mendes doesn’t believe he’s a good choice to helm a Bond film. 

READ MORE: ‘The Franchise’ Review: Witty, Behind-The-Scenes Look At Superhero Blockbusters Is Amusing Stuff

Speaking to Inverse, Sam Mendes talked about the idea of returning to the James Bond franchise and why he thinks it’s not going to happen.

Continue reading Sam Mendes Doesn’t Think He’ll Return To The Bond Franchise Because Producers Want Someone “More Controllable” at The Playlist.

Even though there is a bit of superhero fatigue in society, there’s no denying that superhero films are still a dominant force in Hollywood. Just look at “Deadpool & Wolverine” for proof. That said, there is plenty to mock about superhero filmmaking, and that’s exactly what you find in “The Franchise.”

READ MORE: Fall 2024 TV Preview: 40 Must-See Series To Watch

As seen in the trailer, “The Franchise” tells the story of a film crew attempting to make a superhero film.

Continue reading ‘The Franchise’ Trailer: Himesh Patel & Aya Cash Star In HBO’s Superhero Filmmaking Satire at The Playlist.

For the past 18 years, superheroes have dominated Hollywood storytelling, quickly becoming a pervasive genre, complete with singular tropes and themes. So ubiquitous and sometimes all too familiar, these clearly defined storytelling conventions make the superhero genre ripe fodder for satire. So, right on cue, from Armando Iannucci, a contemporary master of satire, the voice behind “Veep,” “In the Thick of It” and “Death of Stalin,” and Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes comes “The Franchise,” a half-hour comedy looking at the inside of the superhero factory-making machine.

Continue reading ‘The Franchise’ Teaser: Armando Iannucci & Sam Mendes’ New HBO Satire Pokes Fun At Superhero Filmmaking  at The Playlist.

What’s Sam Mendes have in store next for audiences after 2022’s “Empire Of Light“?  Well, World Of Reel reports (via The InSneider) that it may be not one movie, but four: biopics on each member of arguably the greatest pop-rock group ever, The Beatles.  Yup, that’s a movie each for John, Paul, George, and Ringo.  In other words, eat your heart of Peter Jackson: “The Beatles: Get Back” may no longer be the apex of Beatles visual projects any longer.

Continue reading Sam Mendes Casts Harris Dickinson, Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan & Charlie Rowe As The Fab Four In His Beatles Films [Report] at The Playlist.

It’s been a minute since we heard from director Sam Mendes and his uber-ambitious “Beatles” film plans. Known for the Oscar-winning “American Beauty” and the Bond films, “Skyfall,” and “Spectre,” Mendes isn’t just taking the bold step of making a fictional film about the Beatles, he’s making four of them, one about each member: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

Continue reading Paul Mescal Reportedly Being Eyed For Role In Sam Mendes’ ‘Beatles’ Movies at The Playlist.

Director Peter Jackson revitalized Beatlemania in 2021 with “The Beatles: Get Back,” his acclaimed three-episode, nearly eight-hour Disney+ series about the making of the British rock group’s Let It Be (which had the original working title of Get Back). And Apple certainly saw an opportunity to do much more. While Jackson has hinted at doing more Beatles, Today, Apple pivoted in another direction, announcing four Beatles movies—one about each member to be—directed by Sam Mendes (“Skyfall”) in a partnership between Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Mendes, and Neal Street Productions.

Continue reading Sam Mendes To Direct 4 Beatles Film Dramas Based On Each Band Member Band For 2027 at The Playlist.

We’ve already reached a point in the evolution of superhero filmmaking where the tropes of the genre have been deconstructed with projects like “The Boys” and “Watchmen.” Now, the very process of making superhero films is being dissected in the upcoming series, “The Franchise.”

READ MORE: ‘The Franchise’: Sam Mendes’ Superhero Satire HBO Pilot Adds Billy Magnussen, Daniel Brühl, Jessica Hynes, Richard E.

Continue reading ‘The Franchise’: HBO Orders A Season Of Sam Mendes’ Superhero Filmmaking Satire Starring Himesh Patel & Aya Cash at The Playlist.

Filmmaker Sam Mendes (“1917,” “Empire of Light”) is about to make his U.S. television directing debut with a new comedy series at HBO called “The Franchise.” It will see Mendes team up with comedy writer/director Armando Iannucci (“Avenue 5,” “In The Loop”), likely best known to American audiences for the political comedy series “Veep” and the hilarious Soviet-era satire “The Death of Stalin.

Continue reading ‘The Franchise’: Sam Mendes’ Superhero Satire HBO Pilot Adds Billy Magnussen, Daniel Brühl, Jessica Hynes, Richard E. Grant & More at The Playlist.

It goes without saying that some of the world’s foremost filmmakers were swept up in personal nostalgia during the stay-at-home period of the pandemic. Kenneth Branagh crafted Best Picture nominee “Belfast,” Steven Spielberg revisited his youth in “The Fablemans” and Alejandro Inarritu had something of an existential crisis with “Bardo.” It appears the world’s English-speaking critics have had enough after the recent response to Sam Mendes’ “Empire of Light.”

READ MORE: Olivia Colman is heartbreaking in Sam Mendes’ “Empire of Light” [Telluride Review]

Set in 1981, “Light” centers on Hillary (Olivia Colman), a lonely middle aged movie theater employee who is keeping her bipolar disorder secret from her colleagues.

Continue reading Sam Mendes Reflects On His Love Of Theaters & Olivia Colman [Interview] at The Playlist.

During my time working in a cinema, we used to joke that we needed our reality show. From making popcorn, shifting candy, getting stocklists, making sure the projectors are set, climbing up on a marquee to make sure it is up to date, joking about the things that you find while ushing, and the pure rush of adrenaline when you’re selling out showtimes left and right, a unique bond is formed behind the concession stand at a movie theater.

Continue reading ‘Empire Of Light’ Clip: Olivia Colman Shines In Sam Mendes’ Oscar Contender [Exclusive] at The Playlist.

Sam Mendes is one of the most acclaimed filmmakers working today. It seems that every time he releases a new film, it is in the awards season discussion. That’s exactly what’s happening with his new film, “Empire of Light.” However, that wasn’t the case when his second James Bond film, “Spectre,” was released. Unlike the massively popular “Skyfall,” his Bond followup, “Spectre,” was largely seen as a disappointment.

Continue reading ‘Spectre’: Sam Mendes Blames The Quick Turnaround Time & “Pressure” After ‘Skyfall’ For The Poor Reception Of His Bond Sequel at The Playlist.

With one Oscar, four BAFTA, and three Golden Globe wins, now seems as good a time as any for director Sam Mendes to make an ode to the art form that made his name. Like Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” and Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans,” Mendes’ latest film, “Empire of Light,” is not only about the power of cinema as an escape, but also its magical facility to bring strangers together.

Continue reading ‘Empire of Light’ Trailer: Sam Mendes Crafts An Ode To Cinema Starring Olivia Colman at The Playlist.

Getting started in the entertainment industry is difficult. Becoming successful in that same industry — even more so. Being considered by your peers to be one of the best examples of the craft to the point where you are nominated for screenwriting’s highest honor — nearly impossible. And for it to happen to anyone under the age of 40, that individual must be talented, passionate, and in her own words, “incredibly lucky.” 

Glasgow-born Krysty Wilson-Cairns’ career, at first glance, looks as if she was able to find every proverbial four-leaf clover along the path (if you’ll forgive the Irish analogy when speaking about a Scottish writer).

Continue reading Screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns Talks ‘The Good Nurse’ & Collaborating With Sam Mendes, Edgar Wright & More [The Fourth Wall] at The Playlist.

You could argue that Daniel Craig’s run as James Bond is highlighted by Sam Mendes’ “Skyfall.” Moreso than the other films over the actor’s tenure as 007, “Skyfall” seems to be the high watermark for the franchise in recent years. So, when you talk about where the James Bond franchise needs to go in the future, now that Craig is no longer involved, Mendes seems like a good person to ask.

Continue reading Sam Mendes Thinks “It Would Be Wonderful” To Have A Female Director In The Bond Franchise at The Playlist.

TELLURIDE – When has Olivia Colman ever been bad in anything? Think about it for a moment. Can you remember any performance of hers where you reacted with an “Eh, she was fine”? The answer is you have to do some serious digging to find a miss (we tried). Colman is simply one of the great film and television actors of our time. So, it’s no shock then that she’s once again utterly superb in Sam Mendes’ new drama “Empire of Light,” which debuted at the 2022 Telluride Film Festival.

Continue reading ‘Empire of Light’ Review: Olivia Colman Is Heartbreaking In Sam Mendes’ Drama [Telluride] at The Playlist.

Over the past 20+ years, filmmaker Sam Mendes has released numerous films, each earning acclaim. Even his two James Bond films, “Spectre” and “Skyfall,” are seen as high watermarks in the world of 007. So, it’s gotten to the point when each new Mendes film is an event, which has us really excited for his latest feature, “Empire of Light.”

As seen in the teaser for “Empire of Light,” the film is decidedly smaller-scale than his previous film, “1917,” and focuses on an English seaside town in the 1980s.

Continue reading ‘Empire Of Light’ Teaser: Olivia Colman Shows The Power Of Cinema In Sam Mendes’ Upcoming Drama at The Playlist.

After spending some time directing two James Bond films, “Skyfall” and “Spectre,” filmmaker Sam Mendes knows a thing or two about the ups and downs of franchise filmmaking. And that’s good because his next project, “The Franchise,” is putting a comedic light on the whole idea of tentpole filmmaking, following a crew that has to work on a superhero film. 

Continue reading Sam Mendes To Direct HBO Comedy Series About Superhero Filmmaking From Creator Of ‘Veep’ at The Playlist.

Michael Bay prides himself on the stunts and explosions in his neverending string of action films throughout his directing career. He’s likely best known for intense highway chases and an avalanche of destruction in his movies, and there are a lot of wheels in motion to keep a safe set with all that going on. A particular record held by Sam Mendes’ second James Bond installment, “Spectre,” gets under the filmmaker’s skin.

Continue reading Michael Bay Says It’s “Bullsh*t” That ‘Spectre’ Holds Guinness Record For Largest Movie Explosion Over ‘Pearl Harbor’ at The Playlist.

There’s a freedom to being done with a film franchise. We’ve seen quite a few instances where actors are finished with a big franchise and decide to actually open up quite a bit about the behind-the-scenes goings-on. With “No Time to Die” in the wild for months now, Daniel Craig is finally coming clean about some of the funny, somewhat shocking stories about his time as James Bond.

Continue reading Daniel Craig Said He Pitched Killing James Bond After The ‘Casino Royale’ Premiere at The Playlist.

After a couple of detours in the land of James Bond, filmmaker Sam Mendes delighted audiences in 2019 with the release of his one-take war film, “1917,” proving the director hasn’t lost a step after dabbling in the superspy franchise. Now, it appears Mendes is ready to begin work on his upcoming drama, “Empire of Light.”

READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2022

According to Deadline, Sam Mendes is beginning to round out the cast of his next film, “Empire of Light,” and has brought in folks such as Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Crystal Clarke, and Tanya Moodie for the feature.

Continue reading ‘Empire Of Light’: Colin Firth, Toby Jones & More Join Olivia Colman In Sam Mendes’ New Film at The Playlist.

“Small Axe: Lover’s Rock” and “Top Boy” breakout Micheal Ward is set to star alongside Olivia Colman in the new Sam Mendes-directed feature “Empire of Light,” Deadline reports. Produced by Searchlight, the film will mark Mendes’ first film since the one-take World War One drama “1917” and also marks his first solo script as a writer.

Continue reading ‘Small Axe’ Star Micheal Ward To Feature Alongside Olivia Colman In Sam Mendes’ ‘Empire of Light’ at The Playlist.

It’s been well over a year since Sam Mendes’ “1917” debuted in theaters and would go on to earn good box office and acclaim, including a stunning 10 Oscar nominations (winning 3). Clearly, Mendes is taking his time with choosing what will be his next feature. But it appears that after the long wait, we finally know which film the director will be helming next.

READ MORE: Christopher Nolan, Edgar Wright, Steve McQueen & More Warn That UK Cinema Is “On The Edge Of An Abyss”

According to Deadline, Sam Mendes is set to write and direct “Empire of Light,” with Oscar-winning actress Olivia Colman being eyed to star.

Continue reading ‘Empire Of Light’: Olivia Colman To Star In A Romantic Drama Written & Directed By Sam Mendes at The Playlist.

A lot of the discussion surrounding Christopher Nolan last year was how he wanted to release “Tenet” in theaters to help provide a spark for the industry to hopefully bring people back to cinemas and help resuscitate an industry that has been hit incredibly hard since the pandemic began. Now, almost a year after theaters around the world shut down, most territories are still struggling to get back to 100% and theaters (especially in North America and Europe) just haven’t seen the recovery that they were hoping.

Continue reading Christopher Nolan, Edgar Wright, Steve McQueen & More Warn That UK Cinema Is “On The Edge Of An Abyss” at The Playlist.

Sam Mendes is an award-winning filmmaker and clearly has a love of all forms of live entertainment. As someone that writes and directs films, working with actors of all types, he’s also very much a fan of live theater and stage plays. But COVID-19 has effectively closed all forms of live entertainment for the near future, putting the long term health of live theater in jeopardy. In an op-ed released by Financial Times, the filmmaker has an idea for how to help live theater survive the pandemic, and it’s going to require some support from Netflix, Amazon, and other streaming services.

Continue reading Sam Mendes Says Streaming Services Benefiting From Quarantine Should Help Live Theater Survive For Actors’ & Creators’ Sakes at The Playlist.

Every Tuesday, discriminating viewers are confronted with a flurry of choices: new releases on disc and on-demand, vintage and original movies on any number of streaming platforms, catalog titles making a splash on Blu-ray or 4K. This weekly column sifts through all of those choices to pluck out the movies most worth your time, no matter how you’re watching. 

Leading this week, we have the movie that seemed like a shoo-in for the Best Picture Oscar clear back in (checks notes) February is out this week on disc and demand, along with a pair of grisly little indies on your subscription streaming platforms.

Continue reading The 7 Best Movies To Buy Or Stream This Week: ‘1917,’ ‘Blow the Man Down’ & More at The Playlist.