As everyone knows, the otherwise untouchable Marvel Studios had a particularly rough 2023. The disappointment of “Ant-Man: Quantumania,” the box office flop of “The Marvels,” and the critically reviled Disney+ series, “Secret Invasion,” severely put the studio on the ropes for the first time ever. But the studio is seemingly getting its house back in order. After a strong late 2023/early 2024 with the animated series, “What If…?,” the live-action series, “Echo” and the adored animated revival, “X-Men: 97,” and the promise of a reduced output, leaving fans wanting more, Marvel only has one film for 2024, “Deadpool & Wolverine,” and they seem to be totally ok with that.

Continue reading Marvel Execs Acknowledge “Rough” 2023, But Say Studio Has “Learned Their Lesson” With Rethink Approach at The Playlist.

Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland is one of the greats. A three-time Academy Award nominee—1990’s “Europa Europa,” 1993’s “Angry Harvest” and the Holocaust drama “In Darkness”— Holland is also known for her celebrated prestige TV work, particularly on the David Simon series’ “The Wire,” and “Treme” and shows like “The Killing,” and “House Of Cards.” But her best-known feature work has always leaned towards social justice and socially-conscious dramas, which brings us to her latest, “Green Border,” an bracing portrait of Europe’s refugee crisis that has been hailed as a “humanitarian masterpiece.”

READ MORE: ‘Green Border’ Review: Agnieszka Holland Won’t Let You Turn A Blind Eye To Suffering In Devastating Refugee Drama [TIFF]

Our review of the film described “Green Border” as “devastating” and “nightmarish.” “Holland has made a righteous, masterful work, arguably her best since ‘Europa Europa,’ but it’s not for the faint of heart or those inclined to turn a blind eye to suffering,” our review wrote.

Continue reading ‘Green Border’ Trailer: Agnieszka Holland’s Urgent New European Refugee Crisis Drama Arrives in June at The Playlist.

It’s May 4th, and you know what that means. In honor of the annual “Star Wars” fan holiday (“May The Force”), Lucasfilm has revealed the new trailer for “The Acolyte,” and if you were maybe a bit underwhelmed by the secretive nature of the first teaser, well, this trailer rips off the mask, unveils secrets and looks pretty damn great. The suspenseful new live-action “Star Wars” series, which seems to have a lot of connections to “The Phantom Menace” era of conspiracy, lies, and hidden truths, premieres on Tuesday, June 4, with the first two episodes exclusively on Disney+.

Continue reading ‘The Acolyte’ Trailer: Lucasfilm Reveals More Secrets In Terrific New May The 4 Teaser at The Playlist.

As you are likely well aware, the Walt Disney Company bought 20th Century Fox back in 2019, just one year after “Deadpool 2” hit theaters, and in the process, became the owners of all of Fox’s Marvel properties, The Fantastic Four, X-Men, and the Deadpool franchise. But if you’re wondering why it took so long for a third ‘Deadpool’ movie to happen, six years after the second film, well, we finally have answers.

Continue reading Marvel’s Kevin Feige Admits He Turned Down Ryan Reynolds’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Pitch At First at The Playlist.

Marvel’s upcoming blockbuster “Captain America: Brave New World” isn’t due in theaters until February 2024, but as you may have noticed by now, companies like McDonald’s are already advertising the film, and various pieces of marketing have revealed some early spoilers (beware, spoilers discussed below in this article). The issue, it seems, is that “Captain America: Brave New World” was initially scheduled for release this summer, with a date that once included May 3, 2024, and a subsequent date for July 26, 2024.

Continue reading New ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ First Look May Explain Why Some Spoilers Are Out Super Early at The Playlist.

With the Cannes Film Festival right around the corner, the Cannes film market is really heating up this week, with dozens of new projects up for grabs. One of the most exciting projects coming together from HanWay Films is “This “Blue Is Mine,” a new psychosexual thriller starring “Atlanta” and “Deadpool 2” star Zazie Beetz and Elizabeth Debicki from “The Crown” and “The Guardians of The Galaxy” franchise.

Continue reading ‘This Blue Is Mine’: Zazie Beetz & Elizabeth Debick To Star In New Psychosexual Sci-Fi Drama at The Playlist.

Relatively still fresh on his Emmy and Golden Globe-winning performance for his supporting turn in the Apple TV+ series, “Black Bird,” acclaimed actor Paul Walter Hauser (“I, Tonya,” “Richard Jewell”) is looking to chart his next on-screen appearances for 2025.  Having just booked a role in “The Naked Gun” reboot starring Liam Neeson, Hauser has landed a role in Marvel’s “The Fantastic Four.”

No character details are available, but Hauser will be joining a big ensemble that includes Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr.

Continue reading Paul Walter Hauser Joins ‘The Fantastic Four’ & ‘The Naked Gun’ Reboot at The Playlist.

Yes, the countdowns to “Deadpool & Wolverine” have started; they are real; there are websites dedicated to it, and as of right now, the film is 85 days away from release. The irony around it all might be Marvel’s release strategy. Following the failure of “The Marvels” (and the 2023 strikes that delayed everything), Marvel and Kevin Feige have decided not to rush things and release only one movie this year, “Deadpool & Wolverine.” However, the way the movie industry seems to be sitting around waiting for the film makes it feel like Marvel could have easily sustained more than one film in 2024.

Continue reading Kevin Feige Says He Once Urged Hugh Jackman To Not “Undo” ‘Logan’ Ending Or Return As Wolverine at The Playlist.

Ever since co-directing the “John Wick” franchise in 2014 and then splitting off on his own from partner Chad Stahelski, filmmaker David Leitch has been one of the most in-demand action directors on the planet. Almost taking the most recent “Jurassic World” reboot before rethinking it ultimately, since ‘John Wick 1,’ Leitch has directed a “Fast And Furious” spin-off, “Atomic Blonde,” “Bullet Train,” “Deadpool 2,” and his upcoming film “The Fall Guy” which opens tomorrow and stars Ryan Reynolds and Emily Blunt.

Continue reading David Leitch Says He Pitched Brad Pitt As Cable & ‘Deadpool’ Meetings Were Initially About ‘X-Force’ at The Playlist.

The 2022 Sundance Film Festival arguably was among the best years for recent breakout filmmakers. Several new filmmakers jumped out as promising voices: Cooper Raiff with “Cha Cha Smooth,” Nikyatu Jusu with “Nanny,” and Julian Higgins with “God’s Country.” But arguably, the film that popped the most, perhaps because of its second life on Netflix and streaming services, was John Patton Ford’s “Emily The Criminal” starring Aubrey Plaza.

Continue reading Margaret Qualley, Glenn Powell & Ed Harris Join A24’s ‘Huntington’ From Director John Patton Ford at The Playlist.

One year after it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, the New Zealand black comedy “Bad Behaviour,” starring Jennifer Connelly (“Top Gun: Maverick,” “Snowpiercer”), is finally coming out in North America. The film is the directorial debut of actor-turned-filmmaker Alice Englert. Englert made some noticeable turns in “Ginger & Rosa” (2012), playing Lena Duchannes in the film “Beautiful Creatures” (2013), and in “Top Of The Lake China Girl” (2017), but she is also known as the daughter of famous New Zealand filmmaker Jane Campion, so clearly filmmaking runs in their blood.

Continue reading ‘Bad Behaviour’ Trailer: Jennifer Connelly & Ben Whishaw Star In New Black Comedy Opens June 12 at The Playlist.

Yes, “Presumed Innocent” was a late 1980 legal thriller directed by Alan J. Pakula, and starring Harrison Ford, and well, everything is due for a remake of some kind these days, right? Enter “Presumed Innocent,” based on the same source material, the limited series from TV super producer David. E Kelly (“Big Little Lies,” among dozens of other huge TV hits spanning multiple decades) and J.J.

Continue reading ‘Presumed Innocent’ Teaser Trailer: Jake Gyllenhaal Stars In David E. Kelly’s New Apple Limited Series at The Playlist.

Filmmaker Zach Cregger’s next film, the thriller “Weapons,” looks like it’s armed and ready to do fire. Yesterday, Alden Ehrenreich joined the cast, which already includes Josh Brolin and Julia Garner, indicating how fast Cregger shot to the A-list of directors. Previously, Cregger had been a member of the comedy troupe “The Whitest Kids U’ Know,” an actor in sitcoms, and had directed one feature, 2009’s comedy, “Miss March,” not exactly known as an auteur-like filmmaker.

Continue reading Josh Brolin Says Zach Cregger’s ‘Weapons’ Is “Brilliantly Designed” & “Better Than ‘Barbarian” at The Playlist.

Every year in the spring, Film at Lincoln Center honors a luminary of the film industry with the prestigious Chaplin Award. This year’s honoree is Academy Award-winning actor, beloved screen icon, and the dude himself, Jeff Bridges, the actor known for unforgettable classics like “The Last Picture Show,” “Fearless,” “The Big Lebowski,” “True Grit,” “Heaven’s Gate,” “Thunderbolt and Lightfoot,” “Starman, “Crazy Heart” and more.

Continue reading ‘Tron: Ares’: Jeff Bridges Reveals He’ll Appear In Third Film & Says ‘Old Man’ Season 2 Is Done Shooting at The Playlist.

Exclusive: Prime Video’s excellent Western sci-fi series the “Outer Range” returns this May for a second season on Prime Video, and it’s as gripping and enigmatic as ever. Josh Brolin, the series’ star, recently stopped by our Bingeworthy TV podcast to discuss the new season, but given all the many secrets and spoilers of that show, we’ll save that conversation a little closer to its release (May 16 on Prime).

Continue reading ‘Sicario 3:’ Josh Brolin Says Christopher McQuarrie No Longer Involved, Taylor Sheridan A Question Mark, But It’s Getting “Closer” at The Playlist.

Following the massive success of “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame,” there was a time when the Russo Brothers were the biggest filmmakers on the planet, and most fans presumed, don’t worry, they’ll be back to direct “Avengers: Secret Wars.”

But much has changed in the ensuing years. The Russos, via their AGBO company, have delivered two films in that time that they themselves have directed, the drama “Cherry” with Tom Holland for Apple and the would-be Netflix franchise “The Gray Man” with Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, an expensive affair that never took off with critics.

Continue reading The Russo Brothers Say They “Want To Build Our Own ‘Star Wars’” & Still Hope For ‘Gray Man 2.’ at The Playlist.

Earlier this month, as you’ve likely heard, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, and Harvey Keitel reunited at the TCM Classic Film Festival to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Quentin Tarantino’s classic 1994 film “Pulp Fiction.” The filmmaker himself was sadly not in attendance, presumably busy with his reportedly endless writing on the now scrapped tenth and supposedly final film, “The Movie Critic.”

TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz interviewed the cast in a fascinating and enlightening conversation about the interconnected, talky gangster movie set in Los Angeles.

Continue reading ‘Pulp Fiction’ & “The Art Of Small Talk”: Samuel L. Jackson Says “Gangsters Don’t Talk About That Stuff” In 30-Minute Q&A [Watch] at The Playlist.

If The Marvel Cinematic Universe wobbled in 2023 because of the poorly received ‘Ant-Man 3’ “The Marvels,” and “Secret Invasion” series, many might argue part of that is the loss of its big stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johannsson in the post “Avengers: Endgame” universe.

All three of their characters, Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Widow, respectively, either died or were essentially taken off the battlefield (Captain America came back from his time travel exploits as an old man).

Continue reading ‘Avengers’ Directors Say Robert Downey Jr. ‘Open To Returning’ Comments Are Confusing: “We Closed That Book” at The Playlist.

The movie industry is arguably waiting around for “Deadpool & Wolverine” to hit theaters, Marvel Studios’ only film of 2024, though hopefully someone enlivens the box office before then. Originally scheduled to be a May 3 release at the top of the summer, the film was delayed because of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike of 2023, moving the film into July (before that, there were two previous fall dates in 2023 that the film also had to push off from).

Continue reading Shawn Levy Says ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Will Require No MCU “Homework” For Audiences at The Playlist.

When one thinks of auteur-driven Peak TV in the streaming age, the first shows that generally come to mind are “House Of Cards” (2013) with David Fincher at the helm (at least for the first few eps), “True Detective” (2014) by director Cary Fukunaga, and Steven Soderbergh’s “The Knick” (2014). Crucial to the mix, but sometimes missing in that conversation, is Jane Campion’s “Top Of The Lake” starring Elisabeth Moss, which debuted in 2013, right at the beginning of this new second golden age of TV.

Continue reading Elisabeth Moss Says “‘Top Of The Lake’ Has More To Say” & Wants To Reunite With Jane Campion For Season 3 at The Playlist.

It’s wild to think that Jeremy Renner was facing life-threatening injuries in January 2023 following his snowplow accident. Yet, about a year later, he was on the set of his crime and prison industrial complex series, “Mayor Of Kingstown,” shooting a third season. And that third season is almost upon us as Paramount+ revealed the full official trailer for “Mayor of Kingstown” S3 today. The series returns and premieres Sunday, June 2, in the U.S.

Continue reading ‘Mayor Of Kingstown’ Trailer: Jeremy Renner Returns For A Third Season Of His Prison/Crime Series On June 2 at The Playlist.

One of the most bizarre TV series to ever air since David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks: The Return,” and certainly one of the oddest shows of this decade, is Showtime’s “The Curse,” which could potentially have more in store.

Created by deadpan comedian Nathan Fielder (“Nathan For You,” “The Rehearsal”) and filmmaker Benny Safdie (“Uncut Gems”) and starring Fielder and Emma Stone (both of them also executive producers along with Safdie), “The Curse,” which premiered last fall on Showtime, is a satirical black comedy thriller.

Continue reading ‘The Curse’: Emma Stone & Nathan Fielder Suggest Bizarre Series Could Continue & Was “Mapped Out” Beyond Season 1 at The Playlist.

One of the most talked about series of 2024 is FX’s feudal Japan series, “Shōgun,” which just ended its ten-episode run on Hulu. The acclaimed series centers on the collision of two ambitious men, an English sailor (Cosmo Jarvis), who is shipwrecked in Japan, and Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), a shrewd, powerful Japanese feudal lord, at odds with his own dangerous, political rivals. Together, they form a tentative alliance that mutually benefits their aims of staying alive in a foreign land and staying in power amid much dissension.

Continue reading ‘Shōgun’ Creators Are Open To Season 2, But Caution “It’s A Tough One” Even If The Audience Wants It at The Playlist.

Between shows like “Halston,” “The New Look,” “The Collection,” and Ridley Scott’s movie “House Of Gucci,” stories about the fashion empire seem to be on the neverending rise. And in the era of Peak TV—which hasn’t really subsided despite reports to the contrary—it seems like almost anyone is worthy of their own mini-series. To that end, one of the most famous icons of modern fashion, eccentric German designer Karl Lagerfeld, is getting the biopic treatment, or rather, origin story in the new Hulu mini-series, “Becoming Karl Lagerfeld.”

The 70 Most Anticipated TV Shows & Mini-Series Of 2024

Lagerfeld was one of the larger-than-life figures in fashion with his trademark look of white mane, ponytail, black gloves and dark sunglasses.

Continue reading ‘Becoming Karl Lagerfeld’ Trailer: Daniel Brühl Becomes The Famous Fashion Icon On June 7 at The Playlist.

Zoë Kravitz sure turned heads with the announcement of her directorial debut, a crazy island thriller initially titled “Pussy Island.” Eventually changed to the less provocative, more-marketable “Blink Twice” —a reference to being kidnapped and blinking to convey you’re in danger—the film is a psychological thriller about a cocktail waitress who becomes infatuated with a tech billionaire and travels with him to his private island, where things begin to go wrong.

Continue reading ‘Blink Twice’ Trailer: Channing Tatum & Naomi Ackie Star In Zoë Kravitz’s Crazy Trapped-On-An-Island Thriller at The Playlist.