Following the recent casting of Captain Marvel star Lashana Lynch as Miss Honey, Netflix has confirmed the main cast of their upcoming musical film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s novel Matilda with newcomer Alisha Weir officially taking on the titular iconic role. Oscar winner Emma Thompson (Nanny McPhee) has also signed on to portray the role of Crunchem Hall Primary School’s evil headmistress Miss Trunchbull.
*Alisha Weir as Matilda*
*Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull*
*Lashana Lynch as Miss Honey*
That’s magic. That’s MATILDA. Director Matthew Warchus’ musical adaptation, coming to Netflix. pic.twitter.com/CcTbItI8TV
— NetflixFilm (@NetflixFilm) January 15, 2021
It was previously reported that Ralph Fiennes was attached to play Miss Trunchbull. However, it seems like that the deal with Fiennes fell through and the producers have ultimately decided to differ from the popular UK and Broadway musical play that the project will also be based on which featured the strict headmistress being played by a man.
RELATED: Taika Waititi to Direct Charlie & the Chocolate Factory Animated Series
“Matilda will be an imaginative and fresh retelling of the award-winning musical, ‘Matilda,’ featuring talented young newcomers, alongside established stars. I look forward to introducing this beloved and powerful story to a new generation of fans around the world,” the play’s original director Matthew Warchus said in a statement (via TheWrap).
First published in 1988, the novel revolves around the story of a 5-year-old named Matilda Wormwood, who likes to play pranks on her negligent parents such as secretly bleaching her father’s hair. Other than her parents, the cruel headmistress Miss Agatha Trunchbull is also her biggest nemesis. Although she seems like a mischievous girl, Matilda has promising and high intellectual abilities which are far different from other kids of the same age. The only adult who appreciates and understands her is her teacher, Ms. Jennifer Honey.
Pick up a copy of the book here!
Matilda was first adapted into film in 1996 by actor-director Danny DeVito with Mara Wilson taking on the titular role. Meanwhile, Dennis Kelly’s Matilda The Musical has been running in London since 2011 and had also had a successful Broadway run from 2013-2017. The Netflix film will also be helmed by the original show’s director Matthew Warchus.
RELATED: No Time to Die: Lashana Lynch on Film’s Approach to Female Characters
Based on the hit UK and Broadway musical stage play titled Matilda The Musical, the film will be directed by Matthew Warchus from a screenplay being adapted by the original musical’s writer Dennis Kelly. The Netflix adaptation will also feature the original music and lyrics by Tim Minchin with Working Titles’ Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner serving as producers alongside Luke Kelly for The Roald Dahl Story Company.
Roald Dahl stories have long inspired award-winning feature films and stage productions. But now, for the first time, Netflix in partnership with The Roald Dahl Story Company will bring together the highest quality creative, visual, and writing teams to extend the stories in this first-of-its-kind slate of premium animated event series and specials for audiences of all ages and for families to enjoy together. Netflix intends to remain faithful to the quintessential spirit and tone of Dahl while also building out an imaginative story universe that expands far beyond the pages of the books themselves.
The post Matilda: Emma Thompson & Alisha Weir to Star in Netflix’s Musical Film appeared first on ComingSoon.net.
Hey there fellow Couch Potatoes! As expected, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet fended off lackluster competition to remain on top in the DEG’s Watched at Home List, though Honest Thief (No. 2), The War with Grandpa (No. 3) and Love and Monsters (No. 4) are nipping at its heels.
RELATED: January 12 Blu-ray, Digital and DVD Releases
There was only one new entry, the supernatural thriller Parallel, but otherwise the list remained quite similar to last week save for a few shuffles here and there. Notably, Lord of the Rings popped back on the list after taking a hiatus for a few weeks. Kudos to all of you for making this happen … we’re filled with Frodo-sized tears and yearn to reach out and hug you the way Legolas hugged Aragorn — too far? That’s probably too far.
RELATED: 3D Rendering Helps Explain Tenet’s Confusing Finale
1 Tenet (Warner Bros.)
2 Honest Thief (Briarcliff Entertainment)
3 The War with Grandpa (Universal)
4 Love and Monsters (Paramount)
5 Yellowstone: S3 (Paramount)
6 Yellowstone: S1 (Paramount)
7 Yellowstone: S2 (Paramount)
8 The Office Season 1-9 (Universal)
9 Unhinged (Lionsgate)
10 Harry Potter: Complete 8-Film Collection (Warner Bros.)
11 Rupaul’s Drag Race: S13 (VHI)
12 The Craft: Legacy (Sony)
13 The Informer (Vertical Entertainment)
14 Buddy Games (Paramount)
15 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Warner Bros.)
16 The New Mutants (Fox)
17 Hunter Hunter (IFC Films)
18 The Phenomenon (1091)
19 The Upside (STX, 2019)
20 Parallel (Vertical Entertainment)
The post Watched at Home: Top Streaming Films for the Week of January 9 appeared first on ComingSoon.net.
After its breakout premiere at the brand-new Nightstream virtual film festival, ComingSoon.net got the opportunity to chat with writer Robert Benjamin to discuss the horror-comedy Bloody Hell, which is now in select theaters and on VOD! Our interview can be viewed in the player below!
RELATED: Bloody Hell Red-Band Trailer Teases Wild, Gory and Hilarious Ride!
The film centers on a man with a mysterious past as he flees the country in hopes of escaping his own personal hell, only to arrive somewhere much, much, much worse. In an effort to survive this new horror, he must rely on the help of his personified conscience.
Bloody Hell is directed by Alister Grierson (Sanctum, Nowhere Boys) and penned by Robert Benjamin (Welcome to Acapulco, A Wanted Man) and consists of a cast led by Ben O’Toole (Hacksaw Ridge, The Water Diviner, Detroit) and co-starring Caroline Craig (Underbelly, Anzac Girls), Meg Fraser in her feature acting debut, Matthew Sunderland (The Lost City of Z, The Nightingale), Travis Jeffery (Preacher, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), Jack Finsterer (Home and Away, Is This the Real World) and Ashlee Lollback (Harrow, Don’t Tell).
Click here to rent or digitally purchase Bloody Hell!
The film first debuted at October’s Nightstream Film Festival, a special online event that saw the Boston Underground, Brooklyn Horror, North Bend, The Overlook and Popcorn Frights film festivals band together to get around the global pandemic and deliver fans exciting new titles in their favorite genres from outright horror pics to darker comedies. It received rave reviews from critics and currently sits with a 96 percent approval rating from critics on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes.
RELATED: Nightstream Reviews: Dinner in America, Bloody Hell & More!
Bloody Hell is now in select theaters, drive-ins and VOD and will hit shelves on Blu-ray and DVD on January 19!
The post CS Video: Bloody Hell Interview With Writer Robert Benjamin appeared first on ComingSoon.net.
With two months still to go until the arrival of the first fully-online version of the iconic festival, South by Southwest (SXSW) has revealed a handful of the titles set to screen, including the YouTube Originals docuseries Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil, which will make its world premiere as the Opening Night Headliner!
RELATED: Sundance 2021 Full Lineup Unveiled Including Robin Wright’s Land
We’re thrilled to share a preview of the 28th annual #SXSWFilm Festival including the World Premiere of Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil as our opening night headliner! https://t.co/Ek3VALwH2z
— SXSW (@sxsw) January 14, 2021
This year, the acclaimed program will be online, where it will draw thousands of fans, filmmakers, press, and industry leaders to immerse themselves in the smartest, most innovative and entertaining new films of the year, as well as giving access to hundreds of Conference Sessions, Music Showcases, Online Exhibitions, Mentoring, Meetups and Special Events that define the cross-industry event.
Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil explores every aspect that led to Lovato’s nearly fatal overdose in 2018, and her awakenings in the aftermath. Director Michael D. Ratner was granted unprecedented access to the superstar’s personal and musical journey during the most trying time of her life as she unearthed her prior traumas and discovered the importance of her physical, emotional, and mental health. Far deeper than an inside look beyond the celebrity surface, the docuseries is an intimate portrait of addiction, and the process of healing and empowerment.
“It’s impressive and rare to see a pop superstar tell their story so authentically and without pretense,” Janet Pierson, SXSW Director of Film, said in a statement. “We’re privileged to present this intimate journey told with such vulnerability. Demi Lovato’s profound interest in mental health awareness is helping change the landscape of a crucial issue in this year of national and international trauma and loss. We are excited to share a handful of films from various sections of the festival (Headliners, Episodic Premieres, Doc and Narrative Spotlight, Midnighters, Global, 24 Beats Per Second, 2020 Spotlight) to give you a taste of the talent, risk-taking, passion, and achievements that we will be announcing in early February and share together online in March.”
The complete film festival lineup will be announced Wednesday, February 10, with the 2021 online platform featuring the schedule set to launch on February 15.
RELATED: The World to Come Trailer: Waterston & Kirby Lead Period Romantic Drama
Highlights from the 2021 SXSW Film Festival:
Confronting A Serial Killer
Director: Joe Berlinger, Showrunner: Po Kutchins
Joe Berlinger’s newest docuseries Confronting a Serial Killer follows reporter Jillian Lauren who lures the most prolific serial killer in American history — Sam Little. The series will follow their unsettling and unlikely relationship. (World Premiere) (Episodic Premiere)
Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil
Director/Screenwriter: Michael D. Ratner
Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil is a powerful YouTube Originals documentary event, exploring every aspect that led to Lovato’s nearly fatal overdose in 2018, and her awakenings in the aftermath. (World Premiere) (Headliners)
The Hunt for Planet B
Director: Nathaniel Kahn
The Hunt for Planet Bf ollows a diverse group of scientists on a quest to find another Earth among the stars. From the hi-bays of NASA to the edge of the universe and the bottom of the sea, the film offers a way to see our own planet with new eyes. (World Premiere) (Documentary Spotlight)
Hysterical
Director: Andrea Nevins
Hysterical is an honest and hilarious backstage pass into the lives of some of stand-up comedy’s most boundary-breaking women, exploring the hard-fought journey to become the voices of their generation and their gender. Featuring Margaret Cho, Fortune Feimster, Rachel Feinstein, Marina Franklin, Nikki Glaser, Judy Gold, Kathy Griffin, Jessica Kirson, Sherri Shepherd, Iliza Shlesinger and more. (World Premiere) (Documentary Spotlight)
Jakob’s Wife
Director: Travis Stevens, Screenwriters: Travis Stevens, Kathy Charles, Mark Steenland
The disappearance of a young woman threatens to change the beige and banal lives of Anne Fedder (Barbara Crampton) and her pastor husband Jakob Fedder (Larry Fessenden) forever. Cast List: Barbara Crampton, Larry Fessenden, Bonnie Aarons, Mark Kelly, Sarah Lind, Robert Rusler, Nyisha Bell, Phil Brooks (World Premiere) (Midnighters)
Luchadoras (Germany)
Directors: Paola Calvo, Patrick Jasim, Screenwriters: Patrick Jasim, Paola Calvo, Phillip Kaminiak
Luchadoras portrays the courageous female wrestlers of Ciudad Juárez, a city known for its high murder rate against women — who fight in the ring and in their daily lives to redefine the image of what it means to be a woman in Mexico. (World Premiere) (Global)
Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché
Director: Paul Sng, Celeste Bell, Screenwriters: Celeste Bell, Zoë Howe
The death of punk icon and X-Ray Spex frontwoman Poly Styrene sends her daughter on a journey across the world and through her mother’s archives to reconcile their fraught relationship. (North American Premiere) (24 Beats Per Minute)
Recovery
Director: Mallory Everton, Stephen Meek, Screenwriters: Whitney Call, Mallory Everton
Two directionless sisters brave a cross-country road trip to rescue their grandmother from a COVID outbreak at her nursing home. Cast: Whitney Call, Mallory Everton, Anne Sward Hansen, Julia Jolley, Baylee Thornock, Jessica Drolet, Stephen Meek, Tyler Andrew Jones, Tori Pence, Dora McDonald (World Premiere) (Narrative Spotlight)
Violet
Director/Screenwriter: Justine Bateman
A film development executive realizes that the “guiding voice” inside her head has been lying to her about everything. Cast List: Olivia Munn, Luke Bracey, Justin Theroux (World Premiere) (2020 Spotlight)
The post SXSW Announces 2021 Headliner & Early Highlight Titles! appeared first on ComingSoon.net.
In a recent interview with Good Morning America, Grey’s Anatomy alum Patrick Dempsey has finally confirmed that he has signed on to reprise his Enchanted role in Disney+’s long-in-development sequel titled Disenchanted, reuniting him with co-star Amy Adams after 13 years since the first film’s theatrical debut. He also went on to reveal that the studio is planning to begin production this Spring.
“I just got this script for the second movie, and then I’m starting to go through and get notes together,” Dempsey said. “There’s talk that we’ll start shooting that in the spring, which is exciting.”
RELATED: Hocus Pocus 2 Confirmed for an Exclusive Disney+ Release!
In the follow-up, Adams returns as Giselle, who found her life flipped upside down when she fell out of her animated fantasy world and discovered herself stuck in real-life Manhattan. Dempsey will be reprising his role as Robert Philip, who at the end of the first film marries Giselle.
Click here to purchase the original 2007 hit!
Disenchanted will be directed by Emmy nominee Adam Shankman (Hocus Pocus 2, Hairspray, Rock of Ages) with screenwriters including Rita Hsiao, Jessie Nelson, J. David Stem, David N. Weiss, based on original characters by Enchanted writer Bill Kelly.
RELATED: Akiva Schaffer to Helm Chip ‘n Dale Movie With Samberg & Mulaney!
The original animated/live-action hybrid, made for about $85 million, earned an impressive $340.5 million worldwide. $127.8 million of that came from North America and $212.7 million from overseas. Kevin Lima directed the movie from a script by Bill Kelly. It starred Amy Adams (American Hustle, The Woman in the Window), Patrick Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy, Bridget Jones’s Baby), James Marsden (X-Men franchise, Sonic the Hedgehog), Timothy Spall (Harry Potter franchise, Perpetual Grace, LTD), Idina Menzel (Frozen II, Uncut Gems), Rachel Covey and Susan Sarandon (Rick and Morty, The Death and Life of John F. Donovan).
The post Disenchanted: Patrick Dempsey Confirms Return in Disney+ Sequel appeared first on ComingSoon.net.
Following its rave debut at the Venice International Film Festival this past September, Bleecker Street has unveiled the first trailer for the period gay romantic drama The World to Come led by Katherine Waterston (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald) and Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman). The trailer can be viewed in the player below!
RELATED: I Care a Lot Trailer: Rosamund Pike Hustles the Wrong Woman
In this powerful 19th century romance set in the American Northeast, Abigail (Waterston), a farmer’s wife, and her new neighbor Tallie find themselves irrevocably drawn to each other. A grieving Abigail tends to her withdrawn husband Dyer as free-spirit Tallie bristles at the jealous control of her husband Finney, when together their intimacy begins to fill a void in each other’s lives they never knew existed.
Alongside Kirby and Waterston, the cast for the film includes Oscar winner Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea, The Old Man & The Gun), who also produces the film, as Dyer and Golden Globe nominee Christopher Abbott (Catch-22, Possessor, Black Bear) as Finney.
Click here to purchase Jim Shepard’s collection of stories, including the film’s source story!
The film is scripted by Ron Hansen (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) and Jim Shepard based on Shepard’s story of the same name and helmed by Mona Fastvold (Vox Lux, The Sleepwalker, The Childhood of a Leader). Affleck produces the film alongside Pamela Koffler (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Z: The Beginning of Everything), David Hinojosa (First Reformed, Carol), Whitaker Lader (Light of My Life) and Margarethe Baillou (Call Me By Your Name).
RELATED: Falling Trailer & Poster Released for Viggo Mortensen’s Directorial Debut
The World to Come is set to hit select theaters on February 12 and VOD on March 2!
The post The World to Come Trailer: Waterston & Kirby Lead Period Romantic Drama appeared first on ComingSoon.net.
In time for the film’s debut in select theaters and on VOD, ComingSoon.net got the opportunity to chat with star Ben O’Toole to discuss the Nightstream breakout horror-comedy hit Bloody Hell. Our interview can be viewed in the player below!
RELATED: Bloody Hell Red-Band Trailer Teases Wild, Gory and Hilarious Ride!
The film centers on a man with a mysterious past as he flees the country in hopes of escaping his own personal hell, only to arrive somewhere much, much, much worse. In an effort to survive this new horror, he must rely on the help of his personified conscience.
Bloody Hell is directed by Alister Grierson (Sanctum, Nowhere Boys) and penned by Robert Benjamin (Welcome to Acapulco, A Wanted Man) and consists of a cast led by Ben O’Toole (Hacksaw Ridge, The Water Diviner, Detroit) and co-starring Caroline Craig (Underbelly, Anzac Girls), Meg Fraser in her feature acting debut, Matthew Sunderland (The Lost City of Z, The Nightingale), Travis Jeffery (Preacher, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), Jack Finsterer (Home and Away, Is This the Real World) and Ashlee Lollback (Harrow, Don’t Tell).
Click here to rent or digitally purchase Bloody Hell!
The film first debuted at October’s Nightstream Film Festival, a special online event that saw the Boston Underground, Brooklyn Horror, North Bend, The Overlook and Popcorn Frights film festivals band together to get around the global pandemic and deliver fans exciting new titles in their favorite genres from outright horror pics to darker comedies. It received rave reviews from critics and currently sits with a 96 percent approval rating from critics on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes.
RELATED: Nightstream Reviews: Dinner in America, Bloody Hell & More!
Bloody Hell is now in select theaters, drive-ins and VOD and will hit shelves on Blu-ray and DVD on January 19!
The post CS Video: Bloody Hell Interview With Star Ben O’Toole! appeared first on ComingSoon.net.
ComingSoon.net has an exclusive clip from Screen Media Films’ new action movie Skyfire, directed by Simon West (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, The General’s Daughter) and starring Golden Globe nominee Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter films, The Patriot, Black Hawk Down), Xueqi Wang (Iron Man 3, Bodyguards and Assassins), and Hannah Quinlivan (Skyscraper, S.M.A.R.T. Chase). You can check out the clip now in the player below and order your copy of the movie here!
RELATED: Skyfire Trailer: Simon West’s New Action Film Starring Jason Isaacs & Hannah Quinlivan
Tianhuo Island is a beautiful paradise. It almost makes people forget that it is located in the “Ring of Fire” the world-famous Pacific Rim volcanic belt. A young scientist (Hannah Quinlivan) invents a cutting-edge volcanic warning system and returns to the island where her mother tragically died, hoping she can prevent future deaths. The island is now home to the world’s only volcano theme park and resort, the brainchild of its reckless owner Jack (Jason Isaacs). Chaos soon erupts when the once dormant volcano starts to rumble. It’s a battle with nature to get off the island while fiery death and destruction rains down from the mountain.
The movie, written by Wei Bu and Sidney King, also stars Shayn Dou (Under The Hawthorn Tree, The Flowers of War), Liang Shi (Blackhat, Silence), and Alice Rietveld (Ant-Man and the Wasp, Divergent).
RELATED: Exclusive Burn It All Trailer & Poster Starring Elizabeth Cotter
Skyfire is available now on Digital and On Demand.
The post Exclusive Skyfire Clip Starring Jason Isaacs in the New Action Feature appeared first on ComingSoon.net.
Lionsgate has released the first Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar clip from their newest comedy film, featuring Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo as their characters get excited for their hotel room. The film will be making its debut on February 12, 2021 on PVOD.
RELATED: Lionsgate Lands Zachary Levi to Lead The Unbreakable Boy
Take a trip and break out of your shell with Barb and Star. From the gals who brought you Bridesmaids comes Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. Lifelong friends Barb and Star embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they decide to leave their small Midwestern town for the first time…ever to go on vacation in Vista Del Mar, Florida, where they soon find themselves tangled up in a villain’s evil plot to kill everyone in town.
The film will be led by Kristen Wiig (Wonder Woman 1984) and Annie Mumolo (Bad Moms). It will also feature Jamie Dornan, Damon Wayans Jr., Fortune Feimster, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Rose Abdoo, Vanessa Bayer, Phyllis Smith, Kwame Patterson
RELATED: Lionsgate Lands Victoria Mahoney to Helm Shadow Force
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is directed by Josh Greenbaum (New Girl, Becoming Bond) from a screenplay co-written by Wiig and Mumolo. Jessica Elbaum’s female-focused production company Gloria Sanchez Productions is producing the project together with Wiig and Mumolo. It is also produced by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, and Margot Hand.
This film will mark the second collaboration between Wiig and Mumolo, whom have both worked together on the award-winning comedy film Bridesmaids which starred Maya Rudolph, Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, and Rose Byrne.
The post Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar Clip Features Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo appeared first on ComingSoon.net.
Netflix has released the official I Care a Lot trailer for their upcoming comedy thriller film, featuring Oscar nominee Rosamund Pike as her character’s usual schemes turned sideways when her chosen elderly client isn’t what she seems to be. Also starring Emmy winner Peter Dinklage and Oscar winner Dianne Wiest, the film will be available for streaming on Friday, February 19, 2021. Check out the video in the player below!
RELATED: Netflix 2021 Film Preview: First Look at Red Notice, Don’t Look Up & More
I Care a Lot will follow crooked legal guardian Marla Grayson, known for her successful work of using the law to the benefit of herself but to the disservice of her elderly clients. But she apparently meets her match when a woman she tries to swindle turns out to be more than she first appears.
The film will be led by Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Eiza González (Baby Driver), Dianne Wiest (Bullets over Broadway), and Chris Messina (Birds of Prey).
RELATED: David E. Kelly’s The Lincoln Lawyer Gets Series Order at Netflix
I Care a Lot is written and directed by J Blakeson (The Disappearance of Alice Creed). It is produced by Teddy Schwarzman through his banner Black Bear and Blakeson’s Sugar November, alongside Ben Stillman and Michael Heimler, with Sacha Guttenstein executive producing the project.
The film had its world premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival.
The post I Care a Lot Trailer: Rosamund Pike Hustles the Wrong Woman appeared first on ComingSoon.net.