Mad Max: Fury Road’s Hugh Keays-Byrne Dies at 73

The Mad Max franchise has seen a few iconic stars over the years, but one of the most notable was Anglo-Australian performer Hugh Keays-Byrne, the only one to portray two villains across the four films, but ComingSoon.net is sad to report (via ScreenCrush) that the actor has died at the age of 73.

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After making his acting debut in the 1967 TV series Boy Meets Girl, Keays-Byrne made the jump to big-screen features in the 1974 outlaw biker film Stone, which Mad Max co-creator George Miller credited as being a major inspiration for the original film and led him to casting the star as the action pic’s central villain, Toecutter. While Miller would go on to move outside of Australia for projects following the third Mad Max movie, Keays-Byrne would mostly remain in the country for other projects including the 1980 disaster thriller The Chain Reaction, the historical drama Strikebound and Australian-American co-produced sci-fi series Farscape and its miniseries finale The Peacekeeper Wars.

Click here to purchase the original Mad Max and Mad Max: Fury Road and witness two of Keays-Byrne’s most iconic performances!

Miller and Keays-Byrne were initially set to reunite in 2007 on the writer/director’s in-development Justice League: Mortal as Martian Manhunter, even doing a make-up and wardrobe test for the character, only for the project to be cancelled as the Writers Guild of America strike at the time and continued production delays from Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy continued to create problems for Warner Bros. and Miller. The two would eventually reunite for 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, in which he would star as the central antagonist Immortan Joe, becoming the only actor to portray two separate villains in the series, though some speculate he’s a more twisted version of a somehow-still-alive Toecutter. Though not retiring from acting after the film, it would mark his final career performance prior to his death.

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Many fans have taken to social media to express their grief over the loss of the star, some of which include:

Most people never play a great Mad Max villain. Hugh Keays-Byrne played two of em. RIP.

— Tom Breihan (@tombreihan) December 2, 2020

Happy trails, Immortan Joe.

Hugh Keays-Byrne, 1947-2020. https://t.co/tsENfIYS0L

— Alamo Drafthouse (@alamodrafthouse) December 2, 2020

I once attended a screening of FURY ROAD hosted by George Miller and Keays-Byrne, and that dude was one of the most effortlessly cool folks I’ve ever seen work a room. See you in Valhalla, Hugh. https://t.co/iRflJiYucv

— Scott Wampler (@ScottWamplerBMD) December 2, 2020

By all accounts, Hugh Keays-Byrne, who trained at the Royal Shakespeare Company, was an absolutely wonderful human who fought very hard for environmental and humanitarian issues. This photo of him from earlier this year says it all.

You will ride eternal, shiny and chrome. pic.twitter.com/5Fyzdj998F

— Ted Geoghegan (@tedgeoghegan) December 2, 2020

I interviewed the wonderful Hugh Keays-Byrne when FURY ROAD came out and he did almost the entire interview in-charaxter as Immortan Joe. One of the best interviews ever, and just a lovely man in general. RIP, sir. https://t.co/8E4zFjEABM

— Twas the Bibbs Before Christmas (@WilliamBibbiani) December 2, 2020

It’s a sad day to have to say goodbye to The Toecutter and Immortan Joe. RIP Hugh Keays-Bryne, who played indelible baddies in the first and last Mad Max films – 36 years apart. https://t.co/JxwESp57cP

— edgarwright (@edgarwright) December 2, 2020

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

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Aubrey Plaza Joins Jason Statham in Guy Ritchie’s Spy Thriller Film

Coming off from the successful premiere of Hulu’s Happiest Season, Deadline brings word that Aubrey Plaza has set up her next project as she officially signs on to star opposite Jason Statham in director Guy Ritchie’s forthcoming international spy thriller which was formerly titled Five Eyes.

Plaza gained recognition for her role as April Ludgate in the popular NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation which ran on-air for seven seasons from 2009-2015. Her notable film credits include: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, The Little House, Ingrid Goes West, Child’s Play, and the recently released Black Bear.

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In the untitled film, MI6 guns-and-steel agent Orson Fortune (Statham) is recruited by a global intelligence alliance ‘Five Eyes’ to track down and stop the sale of a deadly new weapons technology that threatens to disrupt the world order. Reluctantly paired with CIA high-tech expert Sarah Fidel, Fortune sets off on a globe-trotting mission where he will have to use all of his charm, ingenuity, and stealth to track down and infiltrate billionaire arms broker Greg Simmonds.

The film will be directed by Ritchie from a script written by Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies (The Gentlemen, Wrath of Man), with revisions by Ritchie. This project marks the latest collaboration between Ritchie and Statham, who have previously worked together on Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch and Revolver as well as the upcoming action thriller Wrath of Man.

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Five Eyes will be produced by Bill Block for Miramax, which is also fully financing the film. Ivan Atkinson also serves as producer. STXfilms has secured worldwide distribution rights to the film. STX will distribute directly in the US, UK, and Ireland, and STXinternational will launch sales to foreign buyers at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival. STXfilms had great success earlier this year with Ritchie’s The Gentlemen, which grossed $115 million at the worldwide box office.

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Gravitas Ventures unveils release date of Grizzly II: Revenge!

It’s been 37 years in the making and now Gravitas Ventures is finally bringing the previously-thought-to-be-lost horror sequel Grizzly II: Revenge to audiences and has revealed a new trailer and poster featuring a young George Clooney (The Midnight Sky), Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men) and Laura Dern (Jurassic World: Dominion)! Both can be viewed below!

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Grizzly II: Revenge is directed by André Szöts, written byDavid Shaldon and Joan McCall and stars George Clooney, Laura Dern, Charlie Sheen, Louise Fletcher, John Rhys-Davies and Steve Inwood. The thriller is slated to release in select theaters and on demand on January 8.

All hell breaks loose when a 15-ft grizzly bear, reacting to the slaughter of her cub by poachers, seeks revenge and kills anyone that gets in her way. In the 3 days before the major concert, the gigantic grizzly has brutally attacked campers, a poacher and a park ranger. The terror doesn’t end there as the giant grizzly bear finds its way to the concert grounds to go on a killing spree.

“Grizzly II is one of those true, diamond-in-the-rough projects,” Nick Royak, Senior Acquisition Manager at Gravitas Ventures, said in a statement. “It is a gem unearthed from a different moment in film history and we could not be more excited to be part of its continued journey through decades of culture. We tip our hats to Suzanne C. Nagy, who did what any good producer would do and coaxed this film to its finish line.”

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The film, which was previously believed to be lost due to a number of financing issues with an executive producer, is set to hit select theaters and video on demand on January 8!

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Babylon: Margot Robbie in Talks to Replace Emma Stone in Damien Chazelle’s New Film

According to Deadline, Oscar nominee Margot Robbie (I, Tonya, Birds of Prey) is currently in early negotiations for the female lead role in director Damien Chazelle’s upcoming period drama film Babylon for Paramount Pictures which would reunite her with Once Upon A Time in Hollywood co-star Brad Pitt. Should the deal pushes through, Robbie would be replacing Oscar winner Emma Stone, who has decided to exit the project because of scheduling conflicts. Stone had been attached to lead the film since last year and it would have been her second collaboration with Chazelle following 2016’s La La Land.

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Babylon is described as an original drama set in period Hollywood, a “bold auteur piece with a significant budget.” Lionsgate was previously in the lead to land the movie at auction until Paramount came through with the winning bid.

Paramount has high expectations for the project as they have already slated it for a limited Christmas Day 2021 release in theaters followed by a wide release on January 7, 2022, a prime slate for Oscar season, and given Chazelle’s 23 Oscar nominations across three films. However, given the world’s current situation, it remains unclear if the pandemic has also affected the project’s planned release.

RELATED: Quentin Tarantino Sets Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Novel for 2021

Chazelle, whose credits include 10 Cloverfield Lane, Whiplash, First Man, and The Last Exorcism Part II, wrote the script and will direct. Olivia Hamilton, Matt Plouffe, and Marc Platt will serve as producers.

(Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)

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Exclusive Stallone: Frank, That Is Trailer From Branded Studios’ New Documentary

ComingSoon.net is debuting the exclusive trailer for Branded Studios’ upcoming documentary Stallone: Frank, That Is, coming to VOD and Digital on Tuesday, January 19. You can check out the trailer now in the player below!

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Frank Stallone has remained one of the most versatile talents in Hollywood for over four decades. His music career has earned him three Platinum Albums, ten Gold Albums, five Gold Singles and seen him top the charts worldwide. His movie soundtracks have audiences across the globe gripped by some of the most iconic movies, including The Expendables 2, Rocky I, II and III, Rambo II, Paradise Alley, Over the Top, and the Saturday Night Fever sequel Staying Alive, which earned him Golden Globe and Grammy nominations. All the while Frank’s on-screen career has seen him act in over 60 films and TV shows, including Tombstone and the cult hit Barfly. So why does Frank remain one of the least known famous faces in Hollywood? Find out as we go behind the scenes of Hollywood’s elite, in this fascinating documentary, told by Frank himself and those that know him best.

Written and directed by Derek Wayne Johnson, the film features special appearances by Frank Stallone, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Billy Dee Williams, Billy Zane, Joe Mantegna, Talia Shire, Geraldo Rivera, Danny Aiello, Burt Young, Frankie Avalon, Richie Sambora, and John Oates.

RELATED: Exclusive The One You Feed Trailer From Drew Harwood’s Feature Film Directorial Debut

Stallone: Frank, That Is was produced by Emmett James, Chris May, David Polemeni, Frank Stallone, and Johnson, and executive produced by Ronald Zamber. Charlotte Fantelli and Simon Dolan serve as co-executive producers. The project is a Cinema 83 Documentary Films production in association with Visionary Media Group.

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BEGIN SLIDESHOW

Wonder Woman 1984 Advance Tickets Now Available!

For fans currently without an HBO Max account or looking to get out of the house on Christmas Day, Warner Bros. has taken to Twitter to announce that advance tickets for the highly-anticipated Wonder Woman 1984 are now officially on sale! Click the link below to purchase!

Contactless Tickets – Advance ticket purchase and Mobile ticket entry on Fandango! – Going back to movie theaters!

RELATED: Wonder Woman 1984 To Debut On HBO Max in 4K, HDR 10, Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos

The HBO Max experience, which will be available on supported devices including Apple TV 4K, Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, Amazon Fire TV Cube and 4K Fire TV Edition smart TVs, Chromecast Ultra, AT&T TV and supported Android TV devices, will be the first film to stream in 4K Ultra HD, HDR 10, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos on the platform. These capabilities will extend to other films and TV series throughout 2021.

Fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big-screen adventure finds her facing two all-new foes: Max Lord and The Cheetah. With director Patty Jenkins back at the helm and Gal Gadot returning in the title role, Wonder Woman 1984 is Warner Bros. Pictures’ follow up to the DC Super Hero’s first outing, 2017’s record-breaking Wonder Woman.

The film also stars Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as The Cheetah, Pedro Pascal as Max Lord, Robin Wright as Antiope, and Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta. Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder, Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot, and Stephen Jones are producing the film. Rebecca Steel Roven Oakley, Richard Suckle, Marianne Jenkins, Geoff Johns, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong Vo, and Wesley Coller are the executive producers. Patty Jenkins directed from a screenplay she wrote with Geoff Johns & David Callaham, story by Jenkins & Johns, based on characters from DC.

RELATED: Wonder Woman 1984 International TV Spot Features Some New Footage

The sequel was originally intended to be released in 2019 but was then delayed to June 5, 2020. However, due to the ongoing pandemic, the film was then pushed back to two times to August and October before finally landing on its current December 25, 2020, release.

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Lockdown: HBO Max Acquires Heist Rom-Com Starring Hathaway, Ejiofor & Stiller

Warner Bros. Pictures has acquired the upcoming heist/romantic comedy movie Lockdown for HBO Max, starring Oscar winner Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables, The Dark Knight Rises, Rachel Getting Married), Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave, The Old Guard, Dancing on the Edge), and Emmy winner Ben Stiller (Escape at Dannemora, Tropic Thunder, Zoolander) in a major worldwide rights deal, according to Deadline. The streamer is expected to premiere the feature as a Max Original in early 2021.

RELATED: Warner Bros. Considered an HBO Max Release for the Mortal Kombat Film

Lockdown is directed by Doug Liman (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Edge of Tomorrow) from a screenplay written by Steven Knight (Taboo, See). The project marks a reunion for Hathaway and Knight, who previously directed the Oscar-winning actress in the mystery thriller Serenity.

The film is being described as a “heist movie/romantic comedy set in the backdrop of the pandemic lockdown” that tells the story of how sparring couple Linda (Hathaway) and Paxton (Ejiofor) call a truce to attempt a high-risk, high-stakes jewelry heist at one of the world’s most exclusive department store, Harrods.

The movie also stars Stephen Merchant, Lucy Boynton, Ben Kingsley, Mindy Kaling, and Dule Hill

RELATED: Wonder Woman 1984 To Debut On HBO Max in 4K, HDR 10, Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos

Lockdown will be produced by P.J. van Sandwijk and Michael Lesslie of Storyteller Productions along with Alison Winter and Michael Lesslie. AGC Studios’ Stuart Ford and Miguel Palos are set as executive producers.

(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images,  Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic via Getty Images & Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

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Warner Bros. Considered an HBO Max Release for the Mortal Kombat Film

Following the game-changing announcement of Wonder Woman 1984′s simultaneous theatrical and HBO Max release, Variety brings word that Warner Bros. Pictures is currently considering the same distribution strategy for its other upcoming films such as Daniel Kaluuya’s Judas and the Black Messiah, Denzel Washington’s The Little Things, and Tom and Jerry remake. It is likely that the studio is still waiting to see how well the Gal Gadot-led DC sequel will perform with its theatrical and streaming debut before they’ll be able to decide on the future of some of their films.

In addition, the studio has even reportedly dabbled with the idea of giving the same treatment as Wonder Woman 1984 to James Wan’s upcoming live-action Mortal Kombat movie. However, it somehow fell through with Mortal Kombat still set for a theatrical release but will inevitably suffer a release date delay. The film adaptation was originally set for a January 15, 2021 release but was ultimately delayed according to producer Todd Garner due to the ongoing pandemic.

RELATED: Wonder Woman 1984 To Debut On HBO Max in 4K, HDR 10, Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos

Mortal Kombat is directed by Simon McQuoid from a script written by Greg Russo. James Wan (The Conjuring universe, Aquaman) and Todd Garner (Into the Storm, Tag) are producing. Larry Kasanoff, E. Bennett Walsh, Michael Clear and Jeremy Stein are serving as executive producers.

The diverse international cast reflects the global nature of the brand, with talent spanning the worlds of film, television and martial arts. The ensemble includes Joe Taslim as Sub Zero; Ludi Lin as Liu Kang; Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade; Josh Lawson as Kano; Tadanobu Asano as Raiden; Mehcad Brooks as Jackson “Jax” Bridges; Chin Han as Shang Tsung; Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion; Max Huang as Kung Lao; Sisi Stringer as Mileena; and Lewis Tan.

Mortal Kombat will be released in theaters worldwide on March 5, 2021.

RELATED: Disney Considering Disney+ Debut for Live-Action Films Like Cruella

Two Mortal Kombat movies were previously made. The first, simply titled Mortal Kombat, was directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and was released in 1995. It was followed two years later with a sequel, Annihilation, which also paved the way for two television series: the animated Defenders of the Realm and the live-action Konquest. Two web series have been released based on the property as well from director Kevin Tancharoen.

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Exclusive The One You Feed Trailer From Drew Harwood’s Feature Film Directorial Debut

ComingSoon.net is debuting the exclusive trailer for Gravitas Ventures’ upcoming drama thriller The One You Feed, helmed by Drew Harwood (Drifter, God Send) in his feature film directorial debut. You can check out the trailer now in the player below!

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The story is a sort of mirage. The Stranger is lost and he’s running from something. Ultimately, what he runs away from, he runs into. He finds someone he cannot leave. These two people, the Stranger and the Man, spend lifetimes finding and losing each other.

The film, written by Harwood and based on a story by Harwood and Gareth Koorzen (The Bone Box), stars Koorzen, Harwood, Rebecca Fraiser (Drifter), and Richard Watson (J’Tree).

“The concept for The One You Feed came to me in a dream. We wanted to tell this love story between two men in a dreamlike manner,” said Koorzen.

“We really wanted to make an LGBTQ film that expanded our current understanding of sexuality. We want to help normalize sexuality and sexual orientation and remove labels. So we decided that none of the characters would even have names. We wanted to display sexuality and sexual expression in its simplest form and for that to be beautiful. I really feel like we succeeded,” added Harwood.

The One You Feed was produced by Johnny Mocker, Koorzen, Harwood, and Katie Garland Noble.

“We truly put our entire lives on the line to make this movie. I always say we made it on a dime and a prayer,” said Noble. “The guys literally transformed their house into a farmhouse so we could shoot this. They scoured the streets of LA for abandoned furniture and used whatever treasures they picked up as the tables, chairs, and set decorations in the film. I couldn’t be more proud of every single person who helped make this film possible.”

“The One You Feed’s rhythmic score, beautiful cinematography and strange yet distinctive sense of place set the tone of this compelling thriller,” said Megan Huggins, Acquisitions Coordinator at Gravitas Ventures. “Filmmaker Drew Harwood has coupled these elements with a dangerous love triangle that defies norms and realized a tense, striking film.”

RELATED: Vanguard Trailer & Poster Starring Action Legend Jackie Chan

The film will be available to rent and own on North American digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms through Gravitas Ventures on December 29, 2020.

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POLL RESULTS: What 2020 movie are you most thankful for?

As families gathered, virtually or safely from a distance, for Thanksgiving, ComingSoon.net asked our readers to look back at the variety of films delivered to audiences in the year so far and decide which 2020 movie they were most thankful for and the results have come in and there was one clear winner amongst the bunch. Check out the results below!

RELATED: POLL RESULTS: Stream or Theatrical for Wonder Woman 1984?

What 2020 Movie Are You Most Thankful For?

TOP FIVE

1. Tenet (25%, 225 votes)
2. Bad Boys for Life (7%, 63 votes)
3. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (6%, 56 votes)
4. The Invisible Man (5%, 50 votes)
5. Sonic the Hedgehog (4%, 41 votes)

The rest of the results are as follows:

• Onward (4%, 34 votes)
• Hamilton (4%, 34 votes)
• Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (3%, 28 votes)
• The Gentlemen (3%, 27 votes)
• Palm Springs (2%, 21 votes)
• The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2%, 20 votes)
• The New Mutants (2%, 16 votes)
• The Old Guard (2%, 16 votes)
• Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2%, 15 votes)
• Mulan (1%, 11 votes)
• Love and Monsters (1%, 11 votes)
• The Hunt (1%, 11 votes)
• Scoob! (1%, 10 votes)
• Bloodshot (1%, 9 votes)
• Underwater (1%, 9 votes)
• The Devil All the Time (1%, 8 votes)
• Hubie Halloween (1%, 8 votes)
• Color Out of Space (1%, 8 votes)
• Da 5 Bloods (1%, 8 votes)
• Trolls World Tour (1%, 7 votes)
• Guns Akimbo (1%, 7 votes)
• I’m Thinking of Ending Things (1%, 7 votes)
• Enola Holmes (1%, 7 votes)
• Mank (1%, 7 votes)
• The Vast of Night (1%, 6 votes)
• Greyhound (1%, 6 votes)
• 1BR (1%, 5 votes)
• Fatman (1%, 5 votes)
• Run (1%, 5 votes)

While there were a number of films percentages of our readers were thankful for, there were quite a large group that landed in our unfortunate Zero Club, which are as follows: The King of Staten Island, The Croods: A New Age, Spenser Confidential, Freaky, The Way Back, The Witches, Antebellum, Honest Thief, The Empty Man, Over the Moon, The War With Grandpa, The Call of the Wild, An American Pickle, The Tax Collector, Let Him Go, The SpongeBob More: Sponge on the Run, First Cow, The Wretched, Becky, Shirley, Artemis Fowl, The Craft: Legacy, The Wolf of Snow Hollow, Dolittle, The One and Only Ivan, Unhinged, Fantasy Island, Capone, The Lovebirds, The High Note, You Should Have Left, Irresistible, My Spy, The Lodge, To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, The Photograph, Wendy, Coffee & Kareem, Bad Education, The Willoughbys, The Rental, Project Power, The Personal History of David Copperfield, The Broken Hearts Gallery, The Nest, Ava, Kajillionaire, The Boys in the Band, The Glorias, On the Rocks, Spontaneous, Possessor, Books of Blood, A Rainy Day in New York, The 40-Year-Old Version, Synchronic, Bad Hair, His House, Spell, Jungleland, The Informer, Hillbilly Elegy, Jingle Jangle, Dreamland, The Life Ahead, Sound of Metal, Happiest Season, Uncle Frank.

RELATED: POLL RESULTS: What is the Best Director’s Cut?

What do you think of the results for this poll? Any other films not included you’re thankful for? Let us know in the comments below!

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