Right after “Despicable Me 4,” another Will Ferrell film seemed inevitable, but who knew a heartfelt documentary about acceptance and friendship would be what we would get? Directed by Josh Greenbaum, who directed the award-winning documentary “The Short Game,” the new doc “Will & Harper” is about, as the title and plot suggest, Ferrell and Harper Steele’s friendship conveyed through a seventeen-day road trip through the United States (read our review here).

Continue reading ‘Will & Harper’: Will Ferrell & ‘SNL’ Writer Friend Go On A Trans-Centered Road Trip Film Of Love & Acceptance at The Playlist.

Bear with me. George Lucas once said audiences never understood the “Star Wars” prequels because his Lucasfilm classics were always meant for kids, not adults. But the truth of the matter is that good storytelling, like the original “Star Wars” movies or classic Pixar movies, works for and engages the hearts and minds of all audiences and not just children. The one exception to the rule might be the sometimes impossibly silly and zany “Despicable Me” franchise which is arguably generally geared at children only with its Minion mania chaos of fart jokes, pratfalls, burps, things that explode in your face, and pandemonium that’s more akin to classic “Tom & Jerry” or “Looney Toons” cartoons without the cleverness or elegance.

Continue reading ‘Despicable Me 4’ Review: Mega Minions & More Villains Add Extra Chaos To An Overstuffed Family Affair at The Playlist.

Will Ferrell is ready to make a Netflix series, and he’s teaming with Ramy Youssef to make it happen. 

According to a just-released Netflix announcement, Ferrell and Youssef are set to star opposite each other in the new series “GOLF” (yes, it’s capitalized). The exact plot of the series isn’t known, but we do know that Ferrell will play a fictional golf legend in the show.

Continue reading ‘GOLF’: Will Ferrell & Ramy Youssef To Star In A New Netflix Comedy Series at The Playlist.

Getting married is demanding enough, but perhaps one of the most stressful jobs on planet Earth, especially if you’re a family member, is the job of a wedding planner. So, a colossal wedding mix-up that creates a massive world of tension, anxiety, and stress is the launching pad idea for “You’re Cordially Invited,” an R-rated comedy about a pair of wedding planners who discover their destination wedding was accidentally double-booked. The comedy comes from writer/director Nicholas Stoller, who studied under the Judd Apatow school of comedy and directed such hit films as “Bros,” “Neighbors,” “Five Year Engagement,” and the co-creator of the Apple TV+ series, “Platonic.”

READ MORE: Summer Movie Preview: 50 Must-See Films To Watch

His raunchy and wild-looking comedy stars Will Ferrell as the father of a bride-to-be, alongside Reese Witherspoon, who is also planning her sister’s wedding.

Continue reading ‘You’re Cordially Invited’ Teaser Trailer: Reese Witherspoon & Will Ferrell Wedding Comedy Opens January 2025 at The Playlist.

Illumination’s “Despicable Me” franchise has grossed a total of more than $4.4 billion worldwide, and given the brand is the biggest global animated franchise in history, you can bet everyone wants more. So, today, Illumination and Universal revealed the first trailer for “Despicable Me 4,” the first film in the franchise in seven years (not counting “Minions” spin-offs and whatnot).

Continue reading ‘Despicable Me 4’ Trailer: Will Ferrell, Stephen Colbert & More Join Illumination’s Hit Franchise at The Playlist.

The premise of the documentary “Will & Harper” is so simple that it almost seems presentational, self-serving, or stunt-y. The idea is, after 30 years of friendship, comedian Will Ferrell learns, through a personal email, that an old friend and former “Saturday Night Live” writer, then Andy Steele (yes, the dead name is used briefly), is coming out as a trans woman. Ferrell is so shocked, wondering what it all means for their friendship.

Continue reading ‘Will & Harper’ Review: Will Ferrell’s Trans Road Trip Is A Poignant Tale Of Friendship & Acceptance [Sundance] at The Playlist.

Do you remember that era when we saw a ton of live-action talking animal movies? Most of the time, the films would show these extraordinary animals doing fantastical things and having laughs with their humans. The new talking animal film, “Strays,” is not that type of movie.

READ MORE: Summer 2023 Movie Preview: 52 Must-See Films To Watch

As seen in the trailer for “Strays,” the film tells the story of a group of dogs on a mission for revenge.

Continue reading ‘Strays’ Trailer: Will Ferrell & Jamie Foxx Are Two Dogs On A Revenge Mission In New Comedy Film at The Playlist.

David O. Russell made his comeback last year with “Amsterdam,” his first movie since 2015’s “Joy.” But neither critics nor audiences took to the period ensemble film that much. Maybe Russell will fare better in one of his two upcoming projects. First, there’s “Super Toys” with Sacha Baron Cohen and Keke Palmer. And now Deadline reports that Russell also has, “Madden,” about NFL legend John Madden, in the works with Amazon/MGM, with Will Ferrell in talks to star.

Continue reading ‘Madden’: Will Ferrell In Talks To Play The NFL Icon In David O. Russell’s Upcoming Film For Amazon/MGM at The Playlist.

Will Ferrell is no stranger to sports comedies, with the likes of “Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby,” “Semi-Pro,” and “Blades Of Glory” already under his belt. Now he’ll tackle territory similar to “Happy Gilmore” and “Caddyshack.” Deadline reports that Ferrell will headline an upcoming golf comedy series about a pro golfer who becomes the controversial face of a new league competing with the PGA.

Continue reading Will Ferrell Has Golf Comedy Series In The Works With Rian Johnson’s T-Street Productions at The Playlist.

Did you ever watch the classic kids’ film, “Homeward Bound,” and think there weren’t enough F-bombs? Well, you’re in luck because Hollywood has decided to correct this great injustice with the new film, “Strays.”

LISTEN: Will Forte Talks ‘Aliens Abducted My Parents’ & Hoping For More ‘MacGruber’ [The Playlist Podcast]

As seen in the trailer, “Strays” tells the story of a group of stray dogs, voiced by some great comedic actors, who work together to bring a new stray back home to his owner.

Continue reading ‘Strays’ NSFW Trailer: Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx & More Voice Dogs In This Raunchy, R-Rated Take On ‘Homeward Bound’ at The Playlist.

Is there any other movie hitting theaters in 2023 with more intrigue than Greta Gerwig‘s “Barbie“? Sure, maybe a couple, but Gerwig’s follow-up to 2019’s “Little Women” ranks high with moviegoers because it’s such an audacious concept. A $100 million live-action film about Mattel‘s legendary toy with Margot Robbie as the titular fashion doll? Don’t laugh if Gerwig and co-screenwriter Noah Baumbach pull off a cultural sensation with this one, especially if Ryan Gosling brings the “ken-ergy,” as he promises to…

READ MORE: ‘Barbie’: Saoirse Ronan Is “Gutted” She Won’t Be In Greta Gerwig’s Upcoming Film Due To Scheduling Conflicts

And Robbie and Gosling’s “Barbie” co-star Will Ferrell feels like Gerwig may be onto something special with the upcoming film.

Continue reading ‘Barbie’: Will Ferrell Says Greta Gerwig’s Upcoming Movie Is “The Ultimate Example Of High Art And Low Art” at The Playlist.

Will Ferrell is a multi-talented entertainer who loves to sing but too rarely gets the expansive opportunity for it on-screen. (We’ve heard the show-stopping and sincere performance of “Time to Say Goodbye” in “Step Brothers” or the hammy songs in Netflix’s “Eurovision” movie.) Thankfully, we now have the giddy song and dance of Sean Anders’ Christmas musical “Spirited,” which gives Ferrell’s tender tenor plenty of heartfelt scenes that allow him to be cartoonish but also musically sentimental.

Continue reading ‘Spirited’ Review: Ryan Reynolds & Will Ferrell’s Christmas Musical Is Surprisingly Irreverent & Entertaining at The Playlist.

Who do you think of when you think of Scrooge? Ryan Reynolds? Me neither. But the casting directors over at Apple TV+ are clearly working on a different wavelength from all of us because this holiday season they’re promising just such an unlikely pairing with “Spirited,” their musical adaptation of Dickens’ classic story, “A Christmas Carol.” And the brilliant chaos continues, with none other than Will Ferrell set to play The Ghost of Christmas Present.

Continue reading ‘Spirited’ Trailer: Ryan Reynolds & Will Ferrell Star In Musical Adaptation of Dickens at The Playlist.

Of all the stories associated with the holiday season, none have seen as many screen adaptations as “A Christmas Carol.” However, there hasn’t been a high-profile live-action update of the beloved Charles Dickens’ novella since 1992’s “The Muppet Christmas Carol.” That’s due to change with the premiere of “Spirited,” an upcoming feature-length musical from Apple TV+ reprising the classic tale in a contemporary setting. 

Continue reading ‘Spirited’ Teaser Trailer: Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell Star In Apple TV+’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ Update at The Playlist.

Director Nicholas Stoller is one of the more prolific modern comedic filmmakers, having helmed pics such as “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “Get Him To The Greek,” “The Five-Year Engagement,” “Neighbors,” “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,” and the upcoming Judd Apatow-produced “Bros” that stars/co-written by Billy Eichner.

Continue reading Reese Witherspoon & Will Ferrell Attached To Star In Nicholas Stoller’s Wedding Comedy at The Playlist.

It’s sort of mind-blowing to consider that Oscar-caliber filmmakers Greta Gerwig (“Little Women”) and Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story”) teamed up to co-write a live-action “Barbie” movie for Warner Bros. with Gerwig directing. The project has a heavyweight cast, too, with Australian actress Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street”) in the titular role after previous incarnations had Amy Schumer and Anne Hathaway drop away for various reasons.

Continue reading ‘Barbie’: Will Ferrell & More Join Margot Robbie’s Live-Action Toy Movie at The Playlist.

Over the past week or so, there have been multiple stories about the reasons behind the professional breakup of producing partners, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. The duo created the popular production company, Gary Sanchez, to only eventually go their separate ways. And apparently, it is all the result of a casting issue with McKay’s upcoming HBO Laker’s drama series. But what has been missing from all of this reporting, at least in McKays’ estimation, is talk about his upcoming film, “Don’t Look Up,” and the serious issue it attempts to tackle.

Continue reading Adam McKay Thinks People Focusing On Will Ferrell Feud Instead Of His Climate Change Film Is “A Scary Sign Of Our Times” at The Playlist.

With the bonkers comedy “Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar,” director Josh Greenbaum proved that he has the chops for ridiculous studio comedies, allowing leads Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo the wiggle-room to just go balls-out silly.

And thanks to the success of that film, Greenbaum already has a follow-up all lined up. Titled, “Strays” the comedy will feature comedic heavyweights with Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, and Will Forte, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Continue reading ‘Strays’: Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx & Will Forte To Lead Adult CGI-Hybrid Comedy From ‘Barb & Star’ Director at The Playlist.

In Hollywood, it’s rare that anyone is candid or truthful of much, usually offering diplomatic answers instead of delving into the truth. Take Will Ferrell discussing the nature of his split with director Adam McKay. The two had a longstanding working and creative relationship for years, Ferrell starring in many of McKay’s movies, and the two had a successful production company Gary Sanchez that released several successful comedies.

Continue reading Adam McKay Admits He “F*cked Up” His Relationship With Will Ferrell Who Hasn’t Returned His Emails at The Playlist.

The story of Dr. Isaac Herschkopf and Martin Markowitz is tragic and infuriating. The New York psychiatrist used his position of power over patient Markowitz to manipulate him to a startling, almost unprecedented degree. First, the doctor started by merely playing mind games with him but went so far as to eventually taking over his life, even moving into his home in the Hamptons and basically turning Martin into his servant. The story really broke when a neighbor assumed Martin was a maintenance worker at the home next door and learned his identity and how much he was being manipulated.

Continue reading ‘The Shrink Next Door’ TV Review: An Interesting, Unsettling True Story Is Stretched Too Thin In A Forgettable Series at The Playlist.

When it comes to modern Christmas classics, you can’t typically go wrong with suggesting the family sit around and enjoy “Elf.” The Will Ferrell comedy film was a massive success when it first hit theaters and has seemingly shot up the ranks of Christmas films, putting it shoulder-to-shoulder with “A Christmas Story,” “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” and even “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” This all makes it so surprising that 2003’s “Elf” was never given a sequel, which is also a time-honored Christmas film tradition.

Continue reading Will Ferrell Walked Away From $29 Million For ‘Elf 2’ Because The Script Was “Not Good” at The Playlist.

Who can you trust? It’s a hard question to face, especially when it comes to those tasked with protecting us. “The Shrink Next Door” tackles one such story of a psychiatrist and his patient. This Apple TV+ project may seem hard to believe but its narrative is rooted in one twisted true story. Originally appearing as a podcast, this tale tackles the dark motives of one person’s quest to control another. 

Continue reading ‘Shrink Next Door’ Trailer: Psychiatrist Paul Rudd Exploits His Hapless Patient Will Ferrell at The Playlist.

Apple TV+ has already scored several hits in the comedy department with pleasant offerings like “Ted Lasso” and “The Morning Show.”  But the pedigree behind the upcoming “The Shrink Next Door” might raise the bar a sight higher.

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TV Preview: Over 40 Series To Watch

Former “Anchorman” co-stars Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd get top billing in the dark comedy series, adapted from Wondery and Joe Nocera’s popular true-crime podcast.  The story, based on actual events, involves a psychiatrist, Dr.

Continue reading ‘The Shrink Next Door’ Trailer: Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd Enter The Dark Side Of Psychotherapy For Apple TV+ at The Playlist.

While last night was a night football fans across the country were eagerly anticipated, it was also a great night for fans of elaborated, gimmicky, and very expensive commercials. Like every year, celebrities, A-list directors, and giant corporations came together to try to sell us their products, but because it’s a long broadcast, many commercials can get lost as you go to the bathroom right as they air. That’s why we’ve compiled the five best commercials from this year’s Super Bowl.

Continue reading The Best Super Bowl Commercials Of 2021 at The Playlist.

The relationship between Will Ferrell and Adam McKay is legendary. Combined, the duo worked on a number of already-iconic comedy films such as “Anchorman,” “Step Brothers,” and “Talledega Nights.” But it’s a film that was never made, titled “August Blowout,” that might have been the most important collaboration between the duo.

Speaking on a recent edition of THR’s Awards Chatter podcast, Ferrell talked about “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,” and that film’s Oscar chances, which seems very real given that the soundtrack is now officially a Grammy nominee.

Continue reading Will Ferrell Talks ‘August Blowout,’ His First Adam McKay Collab Which Caught The Eye Of Paul Thomas Anderson at The Playlist.