One of the first novel concepts introduced in Doug Liman’s tossed-off, super slight, and interminably paced “Locked Down” pandemic-set heist/relationship movie that tells you a little bit about the central couple’s status is the “confession avalanche.” The rather unpleasant Linda (Anne Hathaway) and disagreeable, perhaps vaguely mentally-unwell Paxton (Chiwetel Ejiofor) are weeks into the pandemic in London (circa April, at the height of people losing their minds), both are in the throes of existential self-annihilation and have decided to part ways after the COVID-19 epidemic is over.

Continue reading ‘Locked Down’ Is Like A Pandemic Birthday Do-Over From Doug Liman We Should Pretend Never Happened [Review] at The Playlist.

Recently, it was revealed that Doug Liman is taking a moment before he ventures off into space with Tom Cruise to work on a pandemic-inspired heist film, “Lockdown,” starring Anne Hathaway. And while the film is said to have a fairly modest budget, especially when you consider Liman’s usual blockbusters, “Lockdown” is still going to have quite an all-star cast.

READ MORE: ‘Lockdown’: Doug Liman To Direct Anne Hathaway In A Low Budget, Pandemic-Era Heist Film

According to Deadline, Hathaway is set to be joined by Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ben Stiller, Lily James, Stephen Merchant, Dulé Hill, Jazmyn Simon, and Mark Gatiss in the ensemble cast of Doug Liman’s upcoming heist film, “Lockdown.” The film is said to tell the story of a sparring couple (Hathaway and Ejiofor) that are willing to put their differences aside for one more heist, this time targeting the world-famous Harrods department store, which houses plenty of expensive jewelry.

Continue reading ‘Lockdown’: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ben Stiller, Lily James & More Join Anne Hathaway In Doug Liman’s Pandemic Heist Film at The Playlist.

What do you get when you mix the very British comedy of the co-creator of “The Office” with the hard-nosed, dark dramatic chops of the co-creator of “Mayans MC?” Well, according to a new report from Deadline, you get “The Offenders,” a new series coming from Amazon and BBC.

According to Deadline, Stephen Merchant, the aforementioned ‘Office’ co-creator and one of the funniest men on the planet, is teaming up with Elgin James, of “Mayans MC” fame, to develop a new series titled “The Offenders,” which aims to mix the sensibilities of both creators into something great.

Continue reading ‘The Offenders’: Stephen Merchant To Develop, Star & Direct A New Series With ‘Mayans MC’ Co-Creator at The Playlist.

“Fighting With My Family” is the first truly great movie of 2019. Director Stephen Merchant directs a top-notch cast in this ballbusting, feel-good movie filled with love, laughs, and electricity. This is a movie for the anyone that ever felt like an outsider, or felt their dreams were out of reach.

The movie tells the true story of Saraya-Jade Bevis (aka “Paige”) and her family as she rises through the ranks from local wrestling entertainer in her home town of Norwich, England, to meeting Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Diva’s Champion—and all the sacrifices she and her family had to make in the process.

Continue reading Florence Pugh Talks ‘Fighting With My Family,’ Wrestling & Her “Bizarre Filmography” [Interview] at The Playlist.

Did you ever think a 5’4 little English actress could pull off the role of a WWE star? Well, the 23-year-old Florence Pugh, the breakout star of “Lady Macbeth” and “The Little Drummer Girl,” may be tiny in size, but she has a massive presence, and that’s really more than enough to convince. Ever since her breakthrough turn in “Lady Macbeth,” she’s been bagging roles everywhere.

Continue reading ‘Fighting With My Family’: Florence Pugh Drops The Finishing Move In Final Trailer at The Playlist.

PARK CITY – A movie centered on the rags to riches story of a female WWE champion might not sound like a fit for the Sundance Film Festival, but push your prejudices aside and look closer.  Yes, “Fighting With My Family” is produced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and we admit having the WWE Studios banner on it could make it look like a simple marketing ploy.  In truth, it’s a feel-good flick from acclaimed writer and comedian Stephen Merchant (in his solo feature directing debut) that is hard to resist even if you haven’t watched more than a minute of televised wrestling in your life.  

Continue reading Florence Pugh Will Make You A Believer In ‘Fighting With My Family’ [Sundance Review] at The Playlist.

It feels as if most films from WWE’s studio tends to focus on one of its wrestlers leading some action film. These films are successful for what they are, but tend to really only be of interest to those WWE fans. However, that’s probably going to change with the new WWE film “Fighting with My Family.” You see, this time, the film features an incredible cast of well-known actors in a story that is equal parts “Rocky” and WWE.

Continue reading ‘Fighting With My Family’ Trailer: Nick Frost, Vince Vaughn, The Rock & More Tell The Story Of WWE’s Paige at The Playlist.

Who needs a female James Bond when we’ve already got “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” heroine Lisbeth Salander? Not only is she 007, Q, and M all rolled into one leather-clad package, but with the role’s third great iteration in eight years, the role has become a mantle that actresses like Noomi Rapace, Rooney Mara, and now Claire Foy, in “The Girl in the Spider’s Web: A New Dragon Tattoo Story” (the film’s full, very wordy title), can slip into and provide their own unique interpretation.

Continue reading ‘The Girl In The Spider’s Web’: Claire Foy’s Lisbeth Salander Is Your New Bond In This Gripping Thriller [Review] at The Playlist.

“Table 19” arranges a bountiful display of talent. Writer/director Jeffrey Blitz — the indie filmmaker behind the richly inspired “Rocket Science,” the heartfelt and touching National Spelling Bee documentary “Spellbound,” and Comedy Central’s bleakly hilarious, criminally underseen mockumentary “Review” — reunites with Anna Kendrick, the standout starlet from his first narrative feature, works from a story written by Mark and Jay Duplass, and rounds out his ensemble with friendly favorites, including Craig Robinson, Lisa Kudrow, Stephen Merchant, Wyatt Russell, Tony Revolori, June Squibb, Amanda Crew, Andy Daly, and the voice of Margo Martindale.

Continue reading Think Twice About RSVP-ing For The Ensemble Comedy ‘Table 19’ [Review] at The Playlist.

The year is 2029. As far as anyone knows, no new mutants have been born in the last twenty-five years, and the legend of the X-Men have been left to the pages of comic books. Always a perpetual loner, James Howlett aka Logan aka Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), has even further isolated himself, living off the grid in a remote industrial warehouse, where he cares for Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), the once great Professor X, who is now battling dementia and diminished control of his still fearsome powers.

Continue reading ‘Logan’ Finally Delivers A Wolverine Movie With A Bloody, Beating Heart [Review] at The Playlist.

While there has always been plenty of talk about making a superhero movie where the protagonist is aging out (such as Darren Aronofsky‘s mooted but never made Batman movie), mainstream cinema has never really gone down that path. But it seems “Logan” will put those cards on the table. Professor X has never been more helpless, while Wolverine is battle wearied and laying low. But as always, he’ll be drawn back into the fight.

Continue reading Hugh Jackman Fights For Mutant Lives In 2 New Trailers For ‘Logan’ at The Playlist.

At the behest of 20th Century Fox, we’ve removed what are deemed spoilers in this piece, fyi.

The single most undermining element in superhero movies has to be invulnerability. This fundamental flaw is something that filmmaker Duncan Jones recently commented and complained about, saying, “Mechanics & stakes of Green Lantern always bugged me. Ring that can do anything & you have a tough time winning fights? Hero, please!” What Jones was kvetching about was dramatic stakes and the lack thereof.

Continue reading First 40 Minutes Of ‘Logan’ Delivers On The Promise Of A Bloody & Badass Wolverine Film [Footage Review] at The Playlist.

For fourteen years, Hugh Jackman has not only watched the rise of the comic book movie into a staple of Hollywood’s business machine, he’s been a key cornerstone. He arguably stands next to Robert Downey Jr.‘s Iron Man in longevity, with his Wolverine one of the most beloved mutants to ever grace the big screen. But that journey ends next year with “Logan,” and Jackman and co.

Continue reading Hugh Jackman Is Back As Wolverine In The First Trailer For ‘Logan’ at The Playlist.

As fans patiently await the first trailer for “Logan,” the social media campaign continues unabated offering fresh peeks and clues for what’s coming in the final adventures of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. And today we actually get the first look at the title character in the movie, though it seems he’s a bit worse for the wear.

READ MORE: ‘Logan’ Villain Revealed Plus First Look At Patrick Stewart And More

With many expecting the upcoming film to borrow from the Old Man Logan storyline in the comics, this is certainly evidence that the heroic mutant is going to be looking a little beat up.

Continue reading Wolverine Looks Old In First Image Of Hugh Jackman In ‘Logan’ at The Playlist.

While the Duplass brothers hit a slight bump in the road this year when HBO canceled their excellent dramedy “Togetherness,” the prolific pair tend to have many projects on the go simultaneously, so it’s not a surprise there’s something new on the horizon from the duo. And this time around, it sees them bring their perceptive eye on comedic tragedy to a wedding day in the first trailer for “Table 19.”

READ MORE: The Quietly Radical ‘Togetherness’ Season 2

With a story from Mark and Jay Duplass, starring Anna Kendrick, Tony Revolori, Stephen Merchant, Lisa Kudrow, and Craig Robinson, and directed by Jeffrey Blitz (“Spellbound,” “Rocket Science“), the story centers on a woman who, after being dumped by the best man, attends a wedding anyway and sits at the dreaded singles table, unceremoniously relieved of her maid of honor duties.

Continue reading Anna Kendrick Is The Maid Of Dishonor In First Trailer For The Duplass Brothers’ ‘Table 19’ at The Playlist.

One of the many things that the American remake of “The Office” did well — aside from giving Steve Carell the perfect platform to launch his career — was embrace the caustic nature of its British predecessor. The abrasiveness of Carell’s Michael Scott combined with the earnest romantic will-they-won’t-they between Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) created an endearing cocktail of all-too-familiar awkwardness, that, for all its unbelievable absurdness, was ultimately relatable.

Continue reading Explore The Cringe Effect In Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant’s ‘The Office’ at The Playlist.

Watch: Johnny Depp Is Donald Trump In 50-Minute Mock Doc 'The Art Of The Deal: The Movie'

Continue reading Watch: Johnny Depp Is Donald Trump In 50-Minute Mock Doc ‘The Art Of The Deal: The Movie’ at The Playlist.

After courting nearly every male actor in town (and to be fair, finally landing two strong leads in the shape of Tom Hardy and Chris Pine) for the action-rom-com “This Means War,” which will also star Reese Witherspoon and Chelsea Handler, filming’s finally underway on that project in Vancouver, so those of you who’ve been missing your fix of hollow, idea-free action movies are in luck.

Continue reading McG To Direct ‘300’-Style Christopher Columbus Film; Halle Berry & Stephen Merchant Join Peter Farrelly’s ‘Truth Or Dare’ at The Playlist.

It’s a film we’ve been cautiously looking forward to: while Landis has been off his game for close to a quarter-century, the film, which follows the true story of the titular Victorian body-snatchers turned serial killers, has a starry cast of UK comic talent, with Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis in the leads, and Isla Fisher, Tim Curry, Tom Wilkinson, Christopher Lee, Jenny Agutter, Stephen Merchant, Bill Bailey, Jessica Hynes, Reece Shearsmith and Ronnie Corbett all involved.

Continue reading Watch: First Trailer For John Landis’ ‘Burke & Hare’ Starring Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis at The Playlist.

“Cemetery Junction,” the first directorial feature film effort by the usually fantastic duo of Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais, has been denied a US theater release and will go straight to DVD come August 17th thanks (or no thanks) to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. It’s hard to believe that the force behind hugely popular television shows “The Office” and “Extras” wouldn’t find even a limited release, especially when extremely small films such as “Cropsey” and “Delicious Peace Grows in a Ugandan Coffee Bean” (never heard of them?

Continue reading ‘Cemetery Junction,’ Written & Directed By Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant Goes Straight-To-DVD In The U.S. at The Playlist.

Continue reading Review: ‘Cemetery Junction’ Is A Half-Realized Coming-Of-Age Tale at The Playlist.

As a once aspiring pop star himself, Gervais is an avid music fan — he passionately controlled the playlist for his long running, über popular radio show with ‘Junction’ co-writer, co-director Stephen Merchant — and added that “even though the movie is a [work of] fiction, the values, themes and characters are based on my memory of growing up in Reading in the early 70’s.

Continue reading Ricky Gervais Talks Music In ‘Cemetery Junction’ at The Playlist.

The film stars Owen Wilson, Jason Sudekis, Amanda Bynes and Jenna Fischer and centers on two friends whose wives give them ‘hall passes,’ enabling them to engage in extra-marital affairs. Merchant and Smoove will play friends of Wilson and Sudekis who join them on their quest to cash in their passes.

Interestingly, Smoove is a regular co-star on Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” which we previously noted had a similar plot line in its fourth season.

Continue reading Stephen Merchant And J.B. Smoove Joins Farrelly Brothers’ ‘Hall Pass,’ Bruce Springsteen’s Inspiration on Merchant’s ‘Cemetery Junction’ at The Playlist.

Starring the relatively unknown quartet of Christian Cooke, Tom Hughes, Jack Doolan and Felicity Jones, the coming-of-age tale centers on three blue-collar friends in 1970’s England as they bide their time joking, drinking, fighting, chasing girls and the sexual revolution they’ve heard so much about.

Continue reading Promising Trailer For Ricky Gervais And Stephen Merchant’s ‘Cemetery Junction’ Leaks at The Playlist.

The film centers on three blue-collar friends in 1970’s London as they bide their time “joking, drinking, fighting and chasing girls” and has three unknowns as the leads – from left to right in the photo Jack Doolan, Christian Cooke and Tom Hughes.

Big names Ralph Fiennes and Emily Watson, meanwhile, will play Mr.

Continue reading Ricky Gervais Talks ‘Cemetery Junction,’ New Photos And Behind-The-Scenes Look Unveiled at The Playlist.