Movie News

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), the largest union representing behind-the-scenes workers in North America, has joined the growing number of critics expressing their disapproval of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ decision to pre-record eight craft categories at the Oscars.

The eight categories to be aired retroactively as part of the awards broadcast on March 27 include film editing, make-up and hairstyling, production design, animated short and sound.

The statement released by IATSE President Matthew Loeb said, “By the nature of our jobs, behind the scenes, workers get little recognition as is, despite being the backbone of every production. The Academy Awards has been virtually the only venue where the very best on and off the big screen, above and below the line gather to honor each other’s incredible contributions through their crafts, inspiring millions who tune into the TV Broadcast in the process. We

Today Warner Bros. has released a just over three minute video of a live performance of the Academy Award-winning soundtrack to "Dune," with composer Hans Zimmer himself on electric guitar (and the sound mix board) -- and oh my gosh, I want to see this group perform the entire thing. I will give you all my monies. Please take them and give this to my ear holes and eyeballs. 

I have shouted my love for "Dune" over social media, and though the classic Frank Herbert novel it's based on wasn't my thing, I am devoted to this film. One of the reasons is the incredible soundtrack...

The post Watch Rock God Hans Zimmer Perform the Dune Score Live appeared first on /Film.

Updated March 21: “Dune” got two big boosts with Mpse and Cas wins, bolstering its Oscar chances on Sunday. The sci-fi epic took feature effects/foley at the virtual 69th annual Mpse Golden Reel Awards on March 13, and then live-action sound mixing at the 58th annual Cinema Audio Society Awards at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown.

Updated February 11: The sound Oscar nominees — “Belfast” (Focus Features), “Dune” (Warner Bros.), “No Time to Die” (MGM/UA), “West Side Story” (20th Century/Disney), and “The Power of the Dog” (Netflix) — provide a range of imaginative soundscapes that connect to the personal stories in fresh ways.

However, the sonic power and complexity of Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” is going to be hard to beat. Its great achievement is creating a grounded reality that is both innovative and believable. So, rather than relying on over-hyped sounds, the sound team conveyed an otherworldly palette that is hallucinatory yet gritty,

Updated March 21: “Dune” cinematographer Greig Fraser won the feature film prize March 20 at the 36th annual ASC Awards (held at the organization’s clubhouse in Hollywood). He now has critical momentum going into Sunday’s Oscars, bolstered by his recent BAFTA prize and praise for his dark and gritty “The Batman.”

However, don’t be surprised if Wegner (winner of the Critics Choice Award) pulls off an upset over her fellow Australian and becomes the first woman to win the Oscar for cinematography. Her director, “Power of the Dog’s” Jane Campion, is expected to win the Oscar for Best Director. Previously, Rachel Morrison (“Mudbound”) was the only woman cinematographer ever nominated for both the ASC and Oscars.

Updated February 9: The frontrunning “Dune” (Warner Bros.) competes against “The Power of the Dog” (Netflix), “West Side Story” (20th Century/Disney) “Nightmare Alley” (Searchlight/Disney), and the black-and-white “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (Apple TV+). Significantly,

Following her breakout performance in James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad" in 2021, fans have been clamoring to see what Portuguese actress Daniela Melchior would be doing next. While many were hoping for a "Peacemaker"-esque spinoff for Ratcatcher 2 and Sebastian, her next film will be "Assassin Club" featuring "Crazy Rich Asians" star Henry Golding. 

But with that film already in post-production and expected to drop at some point this year, Melchior's schedule looks to be open. And according to the latest reports, she'll be filling it with something more fast ... and furious.

After The Rock and Vin Diesel failed...

The post The Suicide Squad Star Daniela Melchior (Aka Ratcatcher 2) in Talks to Join Fast & Furious 10 appeared first on /Film.

With “Dune,” Denis Villeneuve confirms that he is a visionary director. Adapted from Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, “Dune” is set in the year 10191 and Villeneuve salutes his artisans who helped him create the look and sound of the film, which covers multiple interplanetary cultures and locations.

Patrice Vermette, production design

Patrice preps a lot. He is a workaholic and it’s all about details and massive visual research — whether you dig in the past or project into the future, it requires research. I knew he would add the right sensibility in the architecture, and in the way we approach the light and texture of the film.

Patrice put his imprint on every set, every detail, even the way the sand is seen. Some of these sets were so gigantic, there was no stage to hold them, so we had to build them outside. Patrice has an amazing cultural background and

When it comes to Shonda Rhimes’ success, there is no “Grey” area.

The “Grey’s Anatomy” creator redefined the network TV landscape before moving on to Netflix in an unprecedented first-look deal for the streamer. There, Rhimes has produced the record-breaking “Bridgerton” and created viral true crime sensation “Inventing Anna,” all while paving the way for other Black female showrunners, according to SXSW virtual panel “Female Showrunners Breaking the Mold.”

At the event, select OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and The CW filmmakers discussed the “Shonda effect” on modern television, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Produced by Warner Bros Television and Ava DuVernay’s Array, the “Breaking the Mold” panel included Dee Harris-Lawrence (“All Rise”), Jill Blankenship (“Naomi”), Shaz Bennett (“Queen Sugar”), Janine Sherman Barrois (“The Kings of Napa”), and Teri Schaffer and Raynelle Swilling (“Cherish the Day”). TVLine editor Mekeisha Madden Toby moderated the virtual panel.

(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)

The Movie: "Coming To America" (1988)

Where You Can Stream It: HBO Max

The Pitch: If it's been a while, you might want to book a return trip to Zamunda and visit Prince Akeem and Semmi. "Coming to America" is Eddie Murphy taking his already fast-tracked career and hitting the turbo booster. Funny, foul, and warm-hearted all at the same time, the story and characters have...

The post The Daily Stream: Coming to America Still A Perfect Star Vehicle for One of Our Most Talented Comedic Minds appeared first on /Film.

The movies vying for Oscars this year are all built on firm foundations. With all the major precursor awards behind us, Oscar watchers have some idea of where Academy voters will go on the big night. (Ballots are due March 22.) But this year, the question of whether or not you win your Oscar pool could come down to the two most contentious races: Adapted and Original Screenplay. Anything can happen. Sometimes the Screenplay Oscars match up to Best Picture winners, but in recent years there have been more splits. One thing is consistent: voters tend to reward original auteur visions.

In Adapted Screenplay, a close race among three women directors, WGA and BAFTA-winner Sian Heder (“Coda”), Critics Choice-winner Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”), and USC Scripters and Indie Spirits winner Maggie Gyllenhaal (“The Lost Daughter”) could make it easier for Denis Villeneuve’s space epic “Dune” or Ryusuke

The most obvious get for this year’s Oscars telecast producer, Will Packer, was Beyonce. Nominated for the first time for co-writing “Be Alive” from “King Richard,” an appearance by the 28-time Grammy winner would at least increase the Academy Award’s ratings by a 10th of a point. And, surprise, it’s likely happening.

Read More: “Power of the Dog” leads with 12 Oscar nominations [Complete List]

Multiple reports say that Beyonce is interested in either pre-taping a performance of the song at the Compton tennis courts where “King Richard’s” real-life subjects, Venus and Serena Williams, trained or a live version at the Dolby Theater.

Continue reading Surprise: Academy Wants Beyonce To Perform At The Oscars at The Playlist.

Jack Nicholson’s last Oscar nomination came in 2003, but according to Adrien Brody, he almost skipped the event entirely.

In a new interview with the Sunday Times (via Yahoo), Brody reminisced about his 2003 Oscar win for his performance in “The Pianist.” That year, the Academy Awards were held on March 23, just four days after the United States began its invasion of Iraq. With much of Hollywood uniformly opposed to the war, the invasion cast a shadow that loomed over the entire ceremony. But it was almost much more prominent, as Brody revealed that Nicholson attempted to organize a boycott of the show.

Before the ceremony, Nicholson convened his fellow Best Actor nominees at his house to discuss ways to protest the war. Over scotch and cigars, they debated skipping the Oscars to show solidarity with the Iraqi people, with Nicholson urging the other actors not to attend.

Ultimately, however, they decided to go.

April is already right around the corner, which means flowers are about to bloom and "Saturday Night Live" is releasing its latest lineup. The upcoming hosts and musical guest were announced via the long-running comedy show's official Twitter today.

First up, on April 2, Jerrod Carmichael will be kicking off the month as the show's host. This will be the stand-up comedian and "The Carmichael Show" creator's first time taking to the Studio 8H stage as a host. Carmichael's latest special, "Rothaniel," just dropped a teaser today. The HBO special will be directed by Bo Burnham, and based on the brief first...

The post SNL Announces Hosts and Musical Guests for April, Including Jake Gyllenhaal and Lizzo appeared first on /Film.

Marvel's new Disney+ series "Moon Knight" is set to premiere at the end of this month, and star Oscar Isaac is playing a character with dissociative identity disorder. One part of his character is Steven Grant, a mild-mannered museum gift shop worker. He speaks with a delightful British accent, and now we're learning about where that accent came from.

A lot of people thought the accent Oscar Isaac adopted for this role sounded strange in the trailer, and I must agree. Having seen more than the trailer, though, I can tell you that it not only works, but it's pretty great! (Please note that I am...

The post Oscar Isaac Explains the Origin of His Wild Moon Knight Accent appeared first on /Film.

This year, AMC Networks will end three hit series — “Better Call Saul,” “The Walking Dead,” and “Killing Eve” — and replace them with an army of undead I.P. There’s “Interview With a Vampire” starring Eric Bogosian, and “Mayfair Witches,” led by Alexandra Daddario, both from the Anne Rice universe, along with next month’s return of “Fear the Walking Dead” and new episodic anthology series “Tales of the Walking Dead” later this year.

Next year their legions will grow with “Isle of the Dead,” starring popular “Walking Dead” alums Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan, as well as a previously announced “Walking Dead” spinoff returning Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride. All told, that makes for five spinoffs of the original “Walking Dead” series. (“The Walking Dead: World Beyond” ended last year after a two-season run.)

Filling the shoes of long-running O.G. “Walking Dead” is a tall order — in its heyday,

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a formula, one that the studio has built over 20+ movies in almost 15 years. But we're seeing the formula evolve, with movies like "Iron Man 3," or now with TV shows like "WandaVision," changing up the format and delivering exciting movies that feel unlike anything that came before it.

Now, it seems the next title to follow that trend is "Moon Knight," the new Marvel show coming to Disney+ which promises to be full of brutal, gritty action, and also a nuance portrayal of mental health that we haven't seen in the MCU yet. Still, this...

The post How Moon Knight Stands Out from the Rest of the MCU, Both Comedically and Heroically appeared first on /Film.

One criticism often made about the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that many of its villains leave much to be desired. The ones that have managed to break through, including Loki and Thanos, did so by being built up over years and multiple projects, as opposed to one-and-done. Now, Ethan Hawke looks to buck the trend in the upcoming "Moon Knight" series by turning the whole superhero/villain dynamic on its head. Specifically, he is looking to play a "sane lunatic," as he calls it, in bringing the villain Arthur Harrow to life.

The actor recently spoke during a press conference in anticipation of the...

The post Ethan Hawke Describes His Moon Knight Villain as a 'Sane Lunatic' appeared first on /Film.

If there happened to be a general consensus regarding who holds the title of "most annoying living method actor," chances are Jared Leto would be unanimously voted as victor. The actor became particularly well-known for his ultra-immersive antics while filming 2016's "Suicide Squad," which included gifting co-star Margot Robbie a live rat and doling out used condoms as a cast-wide wrap present. According to Leto, these gestures were merely a symbol of how deeply committed he was to portraying the sick, twisted persona of the Joker — a practice that proved unnecessarily grandiose considering how limited the villain's role ultimately ended up being...

The post Jared Leto Was Never The Same After Requiem For A Dream appeared first on /Film.

Organizers behind the Oscars are pulling out all the stops to land an iconic performance from best original song nominee Beyoncé, multiple sources close to the show told Variety.

While the superstar made nary an awards campaign stop over the past months in support of her track “Be Alive,” co-written with artist Dixson for the film “King Richard,” Beyoncé’s camp has been in deep talks with producers to mount a satellite performance of the song — one that would possibly open the show, and broadcast live from tennis courts in Compton, Calif. The concept began solidifying last Monday, three individuals with knowledge of the talks said.

The location, of course, is where sports legends Venus and Serena practiced relentless drills in their youth under the watchful eye of their father, Richard. One possible scenario would have Will Smith, who plays the titular character in the film, appear onsite with Beyoncé

With the debut of the Marvel and Disney+ series "Moon Knight" just around the corner, we can't get enough of Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, and all things Marc Spector/Steven Grant/Moon Knight. While all superheroes have their "normal/civilian" alter egos, the human conduit for the Egyptian moon god Khonshu is a human man suffering from blackouts and memories from another life due to his dissociative identity disorder. Mr. Knight doesn't have one alter ego, he has several, all played by Oscar Isaac with varying degrees of personality. While Isaac originally didn't want to tackle the role, he was won over...

The post Moon Knight Hired Oscar Isaac's Brother to Help Act Out the Split Personalities on Set appeared first on /Film.

Staff partnering with America For Bulgaria, US Embassy, The American College in Sofia.

Millennium Media’s Nu Boyana studio facility in Bulgaria has begun finding work, training and shelter for displaced Ukrainians and refugees and has been operating a weekend job fair.

At time of writing Yariv Lerner, CEO of the studio complex in Sofia, said he had found work for five people in Bulgaria and four in Nu Boyana’s facility in Greece, where Millennium is currently filming The Bricklayer. Two more displaced Ukrainians arrived late last week.

Lerner and his colleagues are working with the grant-making foundation America For Bulgaria,