Exclusive: Angela Bassett confirms return for more Mission: Impossible

As details have slowly trickled in regarding who we can expect to see return for the highly-anticipated seventh and eighth installments of the Mission: Impossible franchise, ComingSoon.net has learned exclusively that Fallout star Angela Bassett will indeed be returning for more Tom Cruise-starring thrills.

RELATED: Tom Cruise & Hayley Atwell Go On a Wild Ride in Mission: Impossible 7 Set Photos

While chatting with the Oscar and Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner for her role in Pixar’s forthcoming fantasy adventure Soul, Bassett revealed that there is indeed plans in the works to have her reprise her role of CIA Director Erika Sloane, and though not mentioning which sequel she would be appearing in, she expressed excitement over getting to return to the franchise.

“The real conversation is when, I think they’ve begun filming, or that was the plan, but you know in these trying times, the best laid plans of mice and men sometimes go awry,” Bassett explained. “But I do have the pages, we’ll just see when I get the ticket to fly and go do my part, but that’s coming up and I’m really excited about it.”

Click here to purchase the latest outing in the Mission: Impossible franchise!

Joining Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell are returning Mission: Impossible alums Rebecca Ferguson (Doctor Sleep), Simon Pegg (Ready Player One), Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction), Vanessa Kirby (Hobbs & Shaw) and Henry Czerny (Ready or Not) along with newcomers Shea Whigham (Joker), Pom Klementieff (Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Avengers: Infinity War) and Esai Morales (La Bamba, Titans) who will replace Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road) for the villain role.

Following the large critical and commercial success of the past two installments, writer/director Christopher McQuarrie signed a new deal with Paramount to return to write and direct the next two installments, turning down other studio offers to continue his long-running partnership with franchise star Tom Cruise. Skydance Media, who joined the franchise with the fourth installment, Ghost Protocol, will be returning to produce the next two entries.

RELATED: Tom Cruise Partnering With NASA For Space-Set Project

The Mission: Impossible franchise spans almost 25 years and six films, starting off with modest critical and major box office success in the first two films before launching its lead protagonist into grittier and more explosive stories, each film getting progressively better reviews than its predecessor, with the most recent installment, Fallout, earning the highest reviews for both the franchise and the action genre, currently maintaining a 97% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes while also acquiring the highest box office gross of the franchise at over $790 million worldwide.

Mission: Impossible 7 is set to premiere on November 19, 2021 followed by Mission: Impossible 8 on November 4, 2022, with Pixar’s Soul set to hit Disney+ this Christmas Day!

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Rating: 

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9/10

Cast:

Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner

Tina Fey as 22

Questlove as Curly

Phylicia Rashad as Libba Gardner

Daveed Diggs as Paul

Angela Bassett as Dorothea Williams

Graham Norton as Moonwind

Rachel House as Terry

Richard Ayoade as Jerry

Alice Braga as Jerry

Wes Studi as Jerry

Fortune Feimster as Jerry

Co-Written and Directed by Pete Docter; Co-Written & Co-Directed by Kemp Powers; Co-Written by Mike Jones

Soul Review:

Pixar for years has explored the concept of loss and the very nature of life and existence in their films, but the studio has rarely full-on touched up on the themes of death and what comes next and with their latest effort, Soul, the Oscar-winning animation house has delivered another beautifully animated and emotionally powerful tale full of unique and compelling thoughts on the afterlife, even if a fairly familiar formula and rushed pacing occasionally hamper the experience.

Joe Gardner, a middle school music teacher, has long dreamed of performing jazz music onstage, and finally gets a chance after impressing other jazz musicians during an opening act at the Half Note Club. However, an untimely accident causes Gardner’s soul to be separated from his body and begin to proceed to the Great Beyond, and Gardner escapes to the Great Before, a world where souls develop personalities, quirks, and traits before being sent off to Earth. There, Gardner must work with souls in training at the Great Before, such as 22, a soul with a dim view on the concept of life, in order to return to Earth before his body dies.

It’s not often films in general, especially animated films, have been willing to examine existentialism and what happens in life after death, with Pixar’s Coco being one of the most notable and recent, but unlike the Mexican culture-inspired adventure through the Land of the Dead, the world of the afterlife established in Soul may be one of the most fascinating and original to date, even if it feels as though the filmmakers are unwilling to go one step further and establish what the “end” may entail. The Great Beyond feels a little underwhelming as not only are we offered any kind of explanation of what comes from going there, but its design also feels a little too simple, appearing as one giant light for souls to head towards akin to what everyone supposedly sees whilst dying.

The land of The Great Before and the job of the mentors is such a captivating and spellbinding idea with beautiful areas to look at, including the enthralling Hall of You, in which mentors can share their past experiences with their new souls, the magical Hall of Everything, in which new souls can find what their creative spark is to head down to Earth, and the colorful and vibrant Personality Pavilions, where new souls are given their various character traits. The problem with them, however, is that despite the amount of thought and creativity clearly poured into these areas and the potential hijinks to be had here, as well as the mesmerizing Astral Plane where souls when they’re “in the zone,” we race through these worlds to get back to Earth for a fairly predictable fish-out-of-water-meets-Freaky-Friday adventure.

Granted, this formula is a necessity for the film’s themes and offers a lot of great gags and powerful moments, from Joe learning he doesn’t know the closest people in his life as well as he thinks to finally being able to have an honest conversation with his dream-critiquing mother. The problem with this, though, is that it’s a story that we’ve seen time and again in countless body swap films and feels like a waste of originality that the film established in its opening act.

Some story problems aside, however, the film is an absolute thrill and full of emotional gut punches that Pixar knows how to do best, but it also offers one of its most refreshing and entertaining protagonist in Joe and the world of jazz he’s so attracted to in New York City, as well as everything from his local barber to his mom’s tailor shop. Every moment on Earth feels like a fully-realized and thoroughly-authentic depiction of many of its cultural touchstones, cementing Pixar’s first African-American protagonist as a very real and grounded portrayal rather than a failed attempt at offering a diverse story and character that some blockbuster studios still have problems depicting (cough, cough, Star Wars).

In addition to the beautiful animation, compelling story concepts and powerful voice cast, the film thoroughly shines thanks to its hypnotic soundtrack from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross and exciting jazz compositions from John Batiste. The Nine Inch Nails founder and frontmen bring their distinctive ethereal sounds to the soul worlds while Batiste brings appropriately dazzling jazz notes to the mix, all of which helps add to the excitement of the story without ever distracting from the character moments or voice acting throughout.

Pixar rarely delivers a miss and Soul certainly keeps their winning streak alive thanks to its compelling themes and story, stellar animation, brilliant voice cast and captivating music, delivering one of its most mature and emotional films to date from the studio that mostly overcomes its rushed ending and poor pacing.

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Monster: Netflix Acquires Drama Starring Jennifer Hudson, Kelvin Harrison Jr. & John David Washington

Netflix has acquired the rights to director Anthony Mandler’s drama Monster (formerly titled All Rise) starring Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) and Kelvin Harrison Jr. (The Trial of the Chicago 7), according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018.

RELATED: The Umbrella Academy Renewed for a Third Season at Netflix

The movie follows a 17-year-old honor student (Harrison) from Harlem whose world comes crashing down around him when he is charged with felony murder.

Monster also stars Golden Globe nominee John David Washington (Tenet, BlacKkKlansman), Golden Globe winner Jeffrey Wright (Angels in America, Westworld), Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us, Moonlight), Jennifer Ehle (Zero Dark Thirty), Tim Blake Nelson (Watchmen), Nasier “Nas” Jones, and Rakim Mayers aka rapper A$AP Rocky.

Written by Colen C. Wiley, Janece Shaffer, and Radha Blank, the movie is based on the bestselling novel by Walter Dean Myers.

Pick up your copy of the novel here!

“Netflix has time and time again stood behind films with a strong social message. Helping to curate an audience and create content that is both entertaining as well as thought-provoking. I’ve always seen my film as a medium of and for change. I couldn’t think of a better platform for Monster,” said Mandler.

RELATED: Maya Hawke & Camila Mendes to Star in Netflix’s Dark Comedy Strangers

BRON Studios, ToniK Productions and Get Lifted Film Co. are behind the movie, in association with Charlevoix, Red Crown, and Creative Wealth Media. Tonya Lewis Lee, Nikki Silver, Aaron L. Gilbert, Mike Jackson, and Edward Tyler Nahem produced. John Legend, Ty Stiklorius, Dan Crown, Yoni Liebling, Wright and Jones, executive produced, along with Brenda Gilbert, Steven Thibault, Brad Feinstein, Joseph F. Ingrassia, Ali Jazayeri, David Gendron, Linnea Roberts, Jason Cloth, and Richard McConnell.

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The Burial: Jamie Foxx to Star in and Produce Amazon Studios’ Legal Drama

Variety brings word that Oscar winner Jamie Foxx (Ray, Collateral, Just Mercy) is now attached to star in and produce Amazon Studios’ The Burial. The movie is centered on a legal battle over a funeral home chain set in the 1990s.

RELATED: Amazon Studios Greenlights Horror-Thriller Series The Rig

The Burial is based on the 1992 article written by Jonathan Harr for the New Yorker “about the contractual dispute case brought against funeral home executive Ray Loewen by Mississippi businessman Jeremiah O’Keefe, who hired the flamboyant attorney Willie Gary. The jury awarded O’Keefe a total of $500 million, an amount which would bankrupt Loewen’s company.”

Maggie Betts (Novitiate, The Carrier) will direct from the script written by Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife, Grey Gardens, Quills).

RELATED: Nicole Kidman Sets Third Series Project at Amazon Studios

The movie’s production companies include Amazon Studios, Bobby Shriver Inc., and Double Nickel Entertainment. Bobby Shriver, Double Nickel’s Adam Richman, Jenette Kahn, and Datari Turner will produce.

(Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

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Marry Me: Universal Delays Jennifer Lopez & Owen Wilson Rom-Com to May 2021

Universal Pictures has pushed back the release date for the upcoming romance comedy Marry Me, starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The feature, originally scheduled for February 12, 2021, will now release on May 14, 2021, and will open against Paramount Pictures’ Rumble. Marry Me is taking DreamWorks Animation’s Spirit Untamed slot, which will now release on June 4, 2021.

RELATED: Saigon Bodyguards: Chris Pratt to Star in English Remake of Vietnamese Action-Comedy Film

Kat Valdez (Lopez) is half of the sexiest celebrity power couple on Earth with hot new music supernova Bastian (Maluma, making his feature-film debut). As Kat and Bastian’s inescapable hit single, “Marry Me,” climbs the charts, they are about to be wed before an audience of their fans in a ceremony that will stream across multiple platforms.

Divorced high-school math teacher Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson) has been dragged to the concert by his daughter Lou (Chloe Coleman, HBO’s Big Little Lies) and his best friend (Sarah Silverman, Ralph Breaks the Internet). When Kat learns, seconds before the ceremony, that Bastian has cheated on her with her assistant, her life turns left as she has a meltdown on stage, questioning love, truth, and loyalty. As her gossamer world falls away, she locks eyes with a stranger—a face in the crowd.

If what you know lets you down, then perhaps what you don’t know is the answer, and so, in a moment of inspired insanity, Kat chooses to marry Charlie. What begins as an impulsive reaction evolves into an unexpected romance. But as forces conspire to separate them, the universal question arises: Can two people from such different worlds bridge the gulf between them and build a place where they both belong?

RELATED: Jordan Peele’s Next Horror Film Lands 2022 Release at Universal

Marry Me is directed by Kat Coiro (FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Netflix’s Dead to Me) from a screenplay by John Rogers (TNT’s The Librarians) and Tami Sagher (NBC’s 30 Rock) and Harper Dill (Fox’s The Mick) based on the graphic novel by Bobby Crosby. The film is produced by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas (Hustlers, Maid in Manhattan), Jennifer Lopez, Benny Medina (Hustlers, NBC’s The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), and John Rogers. The film’s executive producers are Alex Brown, Willie Mercer, Pamela Thur, and J.B. Roberts.

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DMG Founder Says Vin Diesel Will Be Back For Bloodshot 2

Sony kicked off the blockbuster season a little early this year with Bloodshot, an adaptation of the Valiant Comics superhero. Unfortunately, the film opened just as the coronavirus made its way to the U.S. and prompted movie theaters to close. That put a nasty dent in its box office intake. But according to the CEO of Valiant’s parent company, DMG, this isn’t keeping the movie from getting a sequel. According to Dan Mintz, Vin Diesel is already set to reprise his starring role in Bloodshot 2 (via SuperHeroHype).

CBR recently caught up with Mintz to discuss Bloodshot’s franchise potential. Surprisingly, he appeared to cite the first film’s VOD and home media performances as the drivers behind a sequel.

“I think [Bloodshot] was very successful in that respect,” said Mintz. “A lot of people saw it and it did very well in the post-release rollout but you can’t use the same evaluation process, pre-COVID, to this. [Are] Vin Diesel and all those people going to still continue? Yes, because it did so well and the response to it has been so well, it’s just that the response has been in a non-transparent environment, as opposed to a transparent environment like box office numbers.”

RELATED: Bloodshot is Getting a Second Chance in Movie Theaters

Mintz’s comments are somewhat surprising. After all, Bloodshot only raked in $33.48 million (via Box Office Mojo), and failed to recoup its $45 million budget. The movie arrived on VOD less than two weeks after its March theatrical debut, and later hit Blu-ray in May. In August, AMC announced that Bloodshot would be getting a second theatrical run as theaters were getting ready to re-open.

As of now, neither Sony nor any major trade publication has confirmed that a Bloodshot sequel is in the works. Regardless, Hollywood still has big plans for the Valiant Comics library. Bloodshot was supposed to be the first big-screen entry in the Valiant cinematic universe.

Are you happy to hear that Bloodshot might be getting a sequel? Let us know in the comments below!

Recommended Reading: Bloodshot Vol.1: Setting The World On Fire

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Maya Hawke & Camila Mendes to Star in Netflix’s Dark Comedy Strangers

According to Deadline, Stranger Things star Maya Hawke and Riverdale‘s Camila Mendes have officially been cast for the leading roles in Netflix‘s forthcoming dark comedy film titled Strangers. The project hails from Someone Great director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.

RELATED: Awkwafina & Sandra Oh to Lead Untitled Netflix Comedy

Strangers is being described as a subverted Hitchock-ian dark comedy featuring the scariest protagonists of all: teenage girls. The film will center around Drew (Alpha, it girl) and Eleanor (beta, alt girl) who, after a clandestine meet-cute, team up to go after each other’s bullies.

The film is directed and executive produced by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson from a screenplay she co-wrote with Celeste Ballard. Anthony Bregman and Peter Cron of Likely Story are also set as producers.

RELATED: Escape the Upside Down at The Stranger Things Drive-Into Experience

Mendes is best known for her role as Veronica Lodge in The CW’s Riverdale series which is currently filming its fifth season. Strangers will mark the third collaboration between Mendes and the streamer, who have previously worked together on the rom-com film The Perfect Date and the thriller Dangerous Lies.

Hawke is the daughter of famous actors Ethan Hawke and frequent Tarantino collaborator Uma Thurman (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill). She gained worldwide recognition for her role as Robin Buckley in the third season of Netflix’s Stranger Things and is set to return for the sci-fi series’ upcoming fourth season.

(Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images & Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for MTV)

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Wild Mountain Thyme Trailer Starring Emily Blunt & Jamie Dornan

Lionsgate UK has released the official Wild Mountain Thyme trailer for their upcoming romantic drama film, featuring Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt and Jamie Dornan as they portray star-crossed lovers Rosemary and Anthony. Also starring Jon Hamm and Christopher Walken, the film is currently scheduled for a December 11, 2020 release. Check out the video in the player below!

RELATED: Loving’s Jeff Nichols Tapped to Write/Direct Third Quiet Place Film!

An epic love story with soaring lyricism, Wild Mountain Thyme is set against the breath-taking landscapes of rural Ireland, where everyone is half-mad with loneliness or love, and the weather is terrible. Anthony and Rosemary are star-crossed lovers, whose families are caught up in a feud over a hotly contested patch of land that separates their two farms.

Anthony (Dornan) always seems to be out in the fields working, worn down by his father’s constant belittling. But what really stings is his father’s threat to bequeath the family farm to his American cousin Adam. Rosemary (Blunt) at first seems to hold a grudge for having been shamed by Anthony in childhood, but the sparks between them would keep a bonfire blazing through the night. Her mother Aoife strives to unite the families before it is too late. Just when we think Anthony will pluck up the courage to face up to his repressed feelings, cousin Adam (Hamm) steps in with a plan to sweep Rosemary off her feet, romancing her over a magical 24 hours in Manhattan. But true love is never defeated!

Based on John Patrick Shanley’s 2014 Tony-nominated Broadway play, the film stars Emily Blunt (Mary Poppins Returns), and Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades of Grey franchise), along with Golden Globe winner Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Oscar-winning veteran actor Christopher Walken. It will also feature Dearbhla Molloy and Danielle Ryan.

RELATED: Joshua Jackson to Replace Jamie Dornan in Peacock’s Dr. Death Series

Shanley wrote and directed the film adaptation of Wild Mountain Thyme, marking his second foray behind the camera developing his own stage material for the big screen after 2008’s Oscar- and Golden Globe-nominated period drama Doubt.

Bleecker Street has acquired the U.S. rights to the project with Lionsgate acquiring the U.K. rights. The film is set to be produced by Mar-Key Pictures, Leslie Urdang (Rabbit Hole), Anthony Bregman (Foxcatcher) from Likely Story, Michael Helfant and Bradley Gallo from Amasia Entertainment (Them That Follow), and Martina Niland (Sing Street) of Port Pictures, with Andrew Kramer, Jonathan Loughran, and Stephen Mallaghan set to executive produce.

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Animated adventure Fireheart lines up ensemble cast including Cooke & more

L’Atelier Animation’s upcoming animated adventure, Fireheart, has begun assembling an all-star roster of talent for its voice cast including Ready Player One‘s Olivia Cooke and five-time Oscar nominee Kenneth Branagh (Death on the Nile), according to Variety.

RELATED: New Death on the Nile Photos Featuring Gal Gadot, Kenneth Branagh & Armie Hammer

The film, written by Laurent Zeitoun (Leap!), Daphne Ballon (Life with Derek) and Jennica Harper (Some Assembly Acquired), is set in the roaring twenties and revolves around sixteen-year-old Georgia Nolan (Cooke) who has the impossible dream of becoming a firefighter at a time when women are not allowed to serve. When a mysterious arsonist starts burning down Broadway, one by one all the firemen in the city disappear. Georgia’s beloved father, Shawn (Branagh), is called out of retirement by the Mayor of NY (William Shatner) to lead the investigation as Captain in the FDNY. Desperate to help her father and save her city, Georgia resorts to disguising herself as a young man called “Joe” and joins the small group of misfit firefighters trying to stop the arsonist, risking everything she loves to do it.

In addition to Branagh and Cooke, the cast for the film will include William Shatner (Star Trek), who stars as the Mayor of New York, and The Walking Dead and The Americans alum Laurie Holden. The film is being produced and created by Zeitoun and Yann Zenou for their Montreal-based L’Atelier Animation studios alongside Main Journey (Leap!), Anton (Paddington, His Dark Materials) and Caramel Films, with a slated completion of 2021.

“Fireheart is one of the most highly anticipated independent animated features amongst our buyers and the studio-level quality of L’Atelier Animation’s work is outstanding,” Cecile Gaget, President of International Production and Distribution for Anton, said in a statement. Gaget previously collaborated with Zeitoun and Zenou during her time at Gaumont, where she handled the international sales of the duo’s previous hit film Leap!

RELATED: Exclusive Henchmen Clip With Thomas Middleditch & Rosario Dawson

In addition to co-creating and co-writing the script, Zeitoun will co-direct the film alongside Ted Ty (How to Train Your Dragon 2), who previously was the animation director on Leap!.

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Jordan Peele’s next horror film lands 2022 release at Universal

After attaching himself as a producer on a number of genre projects on both the big and small screens, Jordan Peele is officially stepping back into the feature director’s chair for a new horror film at Universal Pictures, which the studio has just set for a July 2022 release!

RELATED: Jordan Peele Teaming With Universal for People Under the Stairs Remake

Plot details are currently being kept close to the chest on the project for the time being, but should they follow in the same vein as his past two directorial efforts, they will be terrifying and subversive tales full of socially-conscious thematics in regards to race and society.

Universal’s announcement of the release date for Peele’s new film comes hours after Warner Bros. announced that Fantastic Beasts 3, the third installment in the studio’s Harry Potter prequel franchise led by Eddie Redmayne (The Trial of the Chicago 7), would hit theaters on July 15, 2022, one week prior to Peele’s new film. The fantasy production has seen a number of speed bumps in its production, including delays due to the global pandemic as well as the recent announcement that WB had asked Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean franchise) to resign from his role after he lost his libel case against the English publisher News Group Newspapers.

After scoring rave reviews for his work in the comedy field for years, Peele surprised the world with Get Out, his 2017 directorial debut that landed firmly in the horror genre and received universal acclaim from critics and audiences alike, netting Universal over $255 million worldwide at the box office and seeing Peele become the first Black winner for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars, while also garnering nominations for Best Picture and Best Director.

Peele followed it up with another horror outing in 2019’s Us, which also received rave reviews from critics and grossed over $255 million at the global box office for Universal, though was sadly snubbed in major awards nominations.

RELATED: Jordan Peele & Issa Rae To Produce Universal’s Sinkhole

The 41-year-old co-developer/host/narrator of CBS All Access’ The Twilight Zone reboot is currently awaiting for the release of the Nia DaCosta co-written/directed Candyman revival, which he produced and co-wrote with partner Win Rosenfeld, as well as helping develop a remake of Wes Craven’s The People Under the Stairs, both of which are set at Universal Pictures.

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