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Jurnee Smollett gained twenty pounds of muscle to inhabit Michelle Calderone, a former Marine now working as an arson investigator in Apple TV+ thriller Smoke, midway through its nine-episode run after debuting with a two-episode premiere on June 27.

The actor told People that the added mass helped convey a soldier’s “muscular presence,” a goal pursued with trainer Jeanette Jenkins through progressively heavier lifts. Smollett also conducted ride-alongs with fire investigators and spoke with Marines to ground the performance in real procedure.

Smoke, created by novelist Dennis Lehane and produced by Apple Studios, pairs Smollett with Taron Egerton as a detective chasing serial arsonists across Boston’s disused waterfronts, a storyline inspired by the Firebug podcast. Episodes land each Friday until the finale on August 15.

Apple’s teaser surpassed five million YouTube views within two months of release, signalling strong interest ahead of its launch on the service’s global platform.

Smoke will return with the sixth episode of its debut season on Friday, July 25. Ahead of the premiere, Cbr can unveil a new sneak peek featuring series star Taron Egerton.

In the clip, Dave Gudsen (Egerton) is investigating a past arson crime scene that occurred at Freddy Fasano's (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine) foster home, making him confident that Freddy was the offender. Titled "Manhood," the episode was written by Dennis Lehane and directed by Jim McKay. The official logline reads, "Esposito and Calderone urge Harvey to take action. A fully rogue Freddy reached out to an ally."

Check out the video below.

The series first debuted on Apple TV+ on June 27 and has already found success on streaming. Smoke, which is inspired by true events, follows a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator pursuing the trails of two serial arsonists. Lehane serves as showrunner on the series, which is...

Taron Egerton recently lit the world on fire with his performance in Carry-On, the Netflix original holiday thriller that rose the ranks to become one of the streamer’s most popular movies. However, his latest role comes in the form of a gritty detective series that’s been dominating streaming charts. Egerton stars alongside Jurnee Smollett and Rafe Spall in Smoke, the true-crime series following a troubled detective and an arson investigator who chase down two serial arsonists. The first four episodes of Smoke are currently streaming on Apple TV+, and the show is charting for Apple in more than 40 countries. It received mild reviews out of the gate thus far, earning a 70% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 72% on the audience-driven Popcornmeter.

Smoke is the perfect show to watch for fans who are missing True Detective, particularly the first season of the hit HBO series starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.

This 4th of July, ditch the crowds and crank up the A/C because Disney+ is serving up America on a whole new level. We’re talking shows that dig deeper than red, white, and boom. From star-spangled heroes wrestling with what that shield really means, to families flipping the script on the American Dream, these stories hit where it matters: heart, grit, and all the messy in-between.

Whether you’re vibing with Marvel mayhem, nostalgic cartoons, or stories that changed the game, these five picks prove one thing: patriotism isn’t one-size-fits-all. And well, that’s what makes it bada**.

1. ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ Redefines the American Hero

No better way to celebrate the 4th of July than diving into The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, a bold Marvel miniseries that reshaped what it means to carry the stars and stripes. Set six months after Avengers: Endgame,...

Plot: Inspired by true events, “Smoke” follows a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator as they pursue the trials of two serial arsonists.

Review: The 2023 Apple TV+ limited series Black Bird presented a true crime drama with stellar performances from Taron Egerton and Paul Walter Hauser. Created by acclaimed novelist Dennis Lehane, the series fostered a creative partnership that has led to the new series, Smoke. With Lehane as showrunner and Egerton in the lead alongside Jurnee Smollett, Smoke draws inspiration from the true crime podcast Firebug but expands into an original narrative about dueling arsonists wreaking havoc in the Pacific Northwest while former firefighter Dave Gudsen (Taron Egerton) and detective Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett) try to apprehend the criminals. It is a fascinating drama that draws on Lehane’s skill at chronicling cops and killers, mixed with multiple intricate characters. Smoke is a character study of the highest order,...

AMC Networks unveiled first-look photos of the new Anne Rice series “Talamasca” at an Atx TV Festival panel on Friday.

The supernatural thriller is set to debut in October on AMC+ and AMC, making it the latest addition to the Anne Rice Immortal Universe. Produced by AMC Studios, “Anne Rice’s Talamasca” centers on a secret society called Talamasca that’s responsible for tracking and containing witches, vampires and other mythical creatures.

During the discussion, co-showrunners and executive producers John Lee Hancock and Mark Lafferty announced two new additions to the cast lineup. Celine Buckens will join as a series regular and Jason Schwartzman is set to guest star. Other cast members include Nicholas Denton, Elizabeth McGovern, William Fichtner and Maisie Richardson-Sellers.

Rolin Jones, showrunner and executive producer of “Interview with the Vampire,” also sat on the panel and shared updates for the show’s third season. He announced that...

Apple TV+ is ready to set your summer on fire it’s new crime drama series, Smoke. The show is set to premiere on June 27, 2025, and will be a nine-episode limited series. Taron Edgerton and Jurnee Smollett will be seen in the pivotal roles in this gripping series, which is said to be inspired by true events.

The show is created by Dennis Lehane, the famous crime novelist, and takes a deep dive into the pursuit of two arsonists who terrorized the Pacific Northwest. The show takes inspiration from Firebug, the popular podcast detailing real-life crimes committed by the convicted arsonist John Leonard Orr. With the promising star cast and intriguing storyline, Smoke is poised to be a standout addition to Apple TV+’s June lineup.

Plot and inspiration for Apple TV+’s Smoke

Smoke is a story based on an investigator, Dave Gudsen, played by Taron Egerton, and Michelle Calderone,...

Where there’s “Smoke,” there’s fire. Taron Egerton reunites with his “Black Bird” creator Dennis Lehane for another Apple TV+ series, this time about an arson investigator who is haunted by the ashes of past cases.

The nine-episode crime drama “Smoke” is inspired by true events as captured in truth.media’s acclaimed “Firebug” podcast, hosted by Kary Antholis. The official synopsis for the series reads: “‘Smoke’ follows arson investigator Dave Gudsen (Egerton) who begrudgingly teams up with police detective Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett) as their race to stop two arsonists ignites a twisted game of secrets and suspicions.”

Greg Kinnear, John Leguizamo, Anna Chlumsky, Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, and Adina Porter also star. “Smoke” is created by Lehane, who also serves as writer and executive producer.

Egerton executive produces alongside Richard Plepler on behalf of Eden Productions and Bradley Thomas and Dan Friedkin through Imperative Entertainment,...

Apple TV+ has unveiled the trailer and key art for its upcoming crime drama Smoke, reuniting the creative team behind Apple TV+’s acclaimed hit limited drama Black Bird, and starring and executive produced by Emmy Award nominee Taron Egerton.

Smoke will make its global debut on Apple TV+ on June 27, 2025, with the first two episodes, followed by one episode weekly, every Friday through August 15, 2025.

Created and written by Dennis Lehane and inspired by true events, Smoke follows an arson investigator who begrudgingly teams up with a police detective as their race to stop two arsonists ignites a twisted game of secrets and suspicions.

Starring Taron Egerton as arson investigator Dave Gudsen and Emmy Award nominee Jurnee Smollett as police detective Michelle Calderone, the cast of Smoke also features Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, Emmy Award nominee Anna Chlumsky, Adina Porter, Academy Award and Emmy Award nominee Greg Kinnear,...

Exclusive: Agathe Rousselle, who broke out in 2021 Cannes Palme d’Or winning body-horror Titane, and Sallie Harmsen (Blade Runner 2049) have joined the cast of Apple TV+ heist series 12 12 12, alongside Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, who also produce.

Co-produced by Skydance Television and Anonymous Content, 12 12 12 unfolds across three timelines of a heist: the 12 months of planning, the 12 hours of the heist, and the 12 days following the heist.

The series follows a disgraced FBI agent (Mackie) and an American career criminal (Dornan) who play a zero-sum game of cat and mouse across Europe. At the center of it all is the daring, epic raid on a bank vault deep beneath the streets of Zurich.

The show is created and written by Dudi Appleton and Jim Keeble, who will also executive produce.

Kari Skogland will direct the pilot, as well as executive produce. Mackie executive produces via his Make It With Gravy production company alongside Jason Spire for Inspire Entertainment.

The casting announcement comes hot on the heels of news last week that Ólafur Darri Ólafsson has also joined the cast.

French actress Rousselle, who splits her time between Paris and San Francisco, and Dutch actress Harmsen have signed for regular roles in the series.

In the meantime, Rousselle will next be seen in French director Laurent Slama’s Paris 2024 Olympics-set and shot drama A Second Life, which world premieres in Tribeca in June. She co-stars opposite Alex Lawther (The End of the F**ing World) as a depressed woman working for a holiday lets concierge company, whose life changes when she meets a free-spirited traveller.

Other credits since Titane, in which Rousselle played a psychopath with a titanium plate in her head, have included French Netflix Original Feature Gold Brick and Australian drama How To Make Gravy, while she also appeared in Last Days, an opera based on the Gus Van Sant film, directed by Matt Copson, and performed at both the Royal Opera House in London and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Sallie Harmsen gained international attention in Blade Runner 2049 (2017) opposite Jared Leto, Devils (2020), The Postcard Killings (2020), directed by Oscar-winner Danis Tanović and the BBC-series Delia (2024).

She also starred in Drawback (2023) opposite Claes Bang and will soon be seen in a leading role in the series, Suga, for Amazon Prime Video. She’s been nominated for a Dutch Academy Award (Golden Calf) twice in The Netherlands.

Rousselle is is repped by CAA and Adéquat and Sallie Harmsen is represented by No19 Talent Management and United Agents.

12 12 12 is a co-production between Anonymous Content and Skydance Television. Skogland, Appleton, Keeble, Mackie, Dornan, and Spire will executive produce alongside David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Matt Thunell for Skydance Television, and David Levine and Garrett Kemble for Anonymous Content. Samantha Corbin-Miller and David Knoller also serve as executive producers.

Exclusive: Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Severance) is the latest to join the cast of 12 12 12, Apple TV+’s contemporary international heist series starring and executive produced by Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan. Jack Kesy and Kali Reis also star.

Co-produced by Skydance Television and Anonymous Content, 12 12 12 unfolds across three timelines of a heist: the 12 months of planning, the 12 hours of the heist, and the 12 days following the heist. The series follows a disgraced FBI agent (Mackie) and an American career criminal (Dornan) who play a zero-sum game of cat and mouse across Europe. At the center of it all is the daring, epic raid on a bank vault deep beneath the streets of Zurich.

12 12 12 is created and written by Dudi Appleton and Jim Keeble who will also executive produce. Kari Skogland will direct the pilot, as well as executive produce. Samantha Corbin-Miller serves as writer and executive producer. Mackie...

Exclusive: Kali Reis (True Detective: Night Country) has joined the cast of 12 12 12, Apple TV+’s contemporary international heist series starring and executive produced by Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan. Jack Kesy also stars.

Co-produced by Skydance Television and Anonymous Content, 12 12 12 unfolds across three timelines of a heist: the 12 months of planning, the 12 hours of the heist, and the 12 days following the heist. The series follows a disgraced FBI agent (Mackie) and an American career criminal (Dornan) who play a zero-sum game of cat and mouse across Europe. At the center of it all is the daring, epic raid on a bank vault deep beneath the streets of Zurich.

12 12 12 is created and written by Dudi Appleton and Jim Keeble who will also executive produce. Kari Skogland will direct the pilot, as well as executive produce. Samantha Corbin-Miller serves as writer and executive producer. Mackie executive produces via his...

Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan’s upcoming heist series at Apple TV+ has added Jack Kesy to its cast, Variety has learned.

The series landed at Apple back in May 2024. The official logline for the series states:

“’12 12 12′ unfolds across the three propulsive timelines of a heist: the 12 months of planning, the 12 hours of the heist, and the 12 days following the heist. The series follows a disgraced FBI agent (Mackie) and an American career criminal (Dornan) who play a zero-sum game of cat and mouse across Europe. At the center of it all is the daring, epic raid on a bank vault deep beneath the streets of Zurich.”

Kesy most recently starred in the feature “Hellboy: The Crooked Man,” making him the third actor to portray the iconic comic book character onscreen following Ron Perlman and David Harbour. His other film roles include “Deadpool 2,” “The Killer,” “Sheroes,” and “12 Strong.

Jack Kesy has been tapped for a main role in 12 12 12, Apple TV+’s contemporary international heist series starring and executive produced by Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan.

Co-produced by Skydance Television and Anonymous Content, 12 12 12 unfolds across three timelines of a heist: the 12 months of planning, the 12 hours of the heist, and the 12 days following the heist. The series follows a disgraced FBI agent (Anthony Mackie) and an American career criminal (Jamie Dornan) who play a zero-sum game of cat and mouse across Europe. At the center of it all is the daring, epic raid on a bank vault deep beneath the streets of Zurich.

Kesy is believed to be playing Dorman’s brother who also is involved in the heist.

12 12 12 is created and written by Dudi Appleton and Jim Keeble who will also executive produce. Kari Skogland will direct the pilot,...

After the epic conclusion to Season 3 of The Wheel of Time, iwot Studios is once again looking to expand the late Robert Jordan's 14-book series to a new medium. Variety exclusively reports that the production company is working on a new open-world Aaa video game through its new in-house iwot Games team led by Warner Bros. Games veteran Craig Alexander. The ambitious project is planned to build on the success of the Prime Video series and give fans a new way to explore the fantasy world from the Two Rivers to the White Tower and the Aiel Waste beyond. Production is planned to span around three years as the game eyes a launch on PC and consoles.

Finer details of the video game have yet to be unveiled, but iwot Studios CEO Rick Selvage promises "a lot of continuity" regarding the company's approach to the new title in comparison...

A video game based on Robert Jordan’s 14-book series “The Wheel of Time” is in the works at iwot Studios’ new games division.

Described as a Aaa open-world role-playing game (RPG), the “Wheel of Time” video game will be developed wholly in house by the team at the newly launched iwot games, which will be led by Warner Bros. Games vet Craig Alexander. The studio projects a three-year development process for the game, which it expects to launch on PC and consoles.

Per iwot, the studio’s new games division “will build on the global success” of Amazon Prime Video’s “The Wheel of Time” TV series adaptation, which is now in its third season, with this new project.

Based out of growing gaming development hub Montreal, the studio will be “spearheading the interactive entertainment pillar of the company’s multi-platform strategy to expand ‘The Wheel of Time’ across film,...

Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett in ‘Smoke’ (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)

Taron Egerton teams up with bestselling author Dennis Lehane once again on Apple TV+’s upcoming series Smoke. The crime drama, inspired by the “Firebug” podcast hosted by Oscar winner Kary Antholis, just unveiled its first batch of official photos.

“Inspired by true events, Smoke follows a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator as they pursue the trails of two serial arsonists,” reads Apple TV+’s synopsis. The first stills from the series feature Egerton as arson investigator Dave Gudsen and Emmy nominee Jurnee Smollett as police detective Michelle Calderone.

The cast also includes Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, Emmy Award nominee Anna Chlumsky, Adina Porter, Academy Award nominee Greg Kinnear, and Emmy Award winner John Leguizamo.

Taron Egerton as arson investigator Dave Gudsen (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)

The series, which reunites Black Bird‘s Egerton and Lehane,...

Apple TV+ has unveiled a first look at the new crime drama ‘Smoke,’ starring and executive produced by Taron Egerton and created by Dennis Lehane. Inspired by true events, the series follows a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator as they pursue the trails of two serial arsonists. Starring Egerton as arson investigator ‘Dave Gudsen’ and Emmy Award nominee Jurnee Smollett as police detective ‘Michelle Calderone,’ the cast also features Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, Emmy Award nominee Anna Chlumsky, Adina Porter, Academy Award and Emmy Award nominee Greg Kinnear, and Emmy Award winner John Leguizamo. Also in news – First Look images revealed for Apple feature ‘Echo Valley’ Lehane, who also serves as writer and executive producer, created the series. Egerton executive produces alongside Richard Plepler on behalf of Eden Productions and Bradley Thomas and Dan Friedkin through Imperative Entertainment as well as Kari Skogland,...

Apple TV+ today unveiled a first look at the new crime drama Smoke, starring and executive produced by Taron Egerton, and created by Dennis Lehane. The nine-episode series premieres globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, June 27, 2025 with the first two episodes, followed by new episodes every Friday through August 8, 2025.

Inspired by true events, Smoke follows a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator as they pursue the trails of two serial arsonists.

Starring Egerton as arson investigator Dave Gudsen and Emmy Award nominee Jurnee Smollett as police detective Michelle Calderone, the cast of Smoke also features Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, Emmy Award nominee Anna Chlumsky, Adina Porter, Academy Award and Emmy Award nominee Greg Kinnear, and Emmy Award winner John Leguizamo.

Hailing from Apple Studios, Smoke is created by Lehane, who also serves as writer and executive producer. Egerton executive produces alongside Richard Plepler on...

Today, Apple TV+ unveiled a first look at the new crime drama Smoke, starring and executive produced by Taron Egerton and created by Dennis Lehane.

The nine-episode series premieres globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, June 27, 2025, with the first two episodes, followed by new episodes every Friday through August 8, 2025.

Inspired by true events, Smoke follows a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator as they pursue the trails of two serial arsonists.

Starring Egerton as arson investigator Dave Gudsen and Emmy Award nominee Jurnee Smollett as police detective Michelle Calderone, Smoke also features Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, Emmy Award nominee Anna Chlumsky, Adina Porter, Academy Award and Emmy Award nominee Greg Kinnear, and Emmy Award winner John Leguizamo.

Hailing from Apple Studios, Smoke is created by Lehane, who also serves as writer and executive producer. Egerton executive produces alongside Richard Plepler on behalf of Eden Productions,...

Skeet Ulrich (Scream), Ashley Moore (“I Know What You Did Last Summer”), and Thomas Jane (The Mist) star in the new southern gothic thriller Salvation.

Deadline reports that ITN Distribution (Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey) has acquired the North American rights to the film.

Theo Rossi (“Sons of Anarchy”), Devon Bostick (Saw VI), and Claire Forlani (Mallrats) round out the key cast.

The film follows a troubled foster child who is given a final chance to make good when she is sent to live with a kind couple in rural Tennessee. But she soon learns that her foster family is not quite what they seem as she is drawn into their world of snake-handling worship, where even holy people can do evil things.

Produced by filmmaker Kari Skogland, Mackenzie Munro (Boot Camp) directs from a script by Alex Runnels.

The post Skeet Ulrich & Thomas Jane Star in Southern Gothic Thriller ‘Salvation’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!

Exclusive: ITN Distribution has acquired North American rights to Salvation, a new feature described as a “southern gothic thriller” starring Thomas Jane and Skeet Ulrich alongside Ashley Moore.

The film follows a troubled foster child who is given a final chance to make good when she is sent to live with a kind couple in rural Tennessee. But she soon learns that her foster family is not quite what they seem as she is drawn into their world of snake-handling worship, where even holy people can do evil things.

Theo Rossi, Devon Bostick, and Claire Forlani round out the key cast. Mackenzie Munro directed the film from Alex Runnels’ screenplay. The film was produced by Walk Like A Duck’s Rob Goodrich and Jason Armstrong alongside Kari Skogland. Munro and Amelia Baker served as executive producers for Blonde Mamba.

The North American rights deal was negotiated by ITN’s Stuart Alson...

The third season of The Wheel of Time, an adaptation of Robert Jordan's beloved epic fantasy books, is off and running on Prime Video, and so far, it's crushing it. Hopefully, the season is successful enough that Prime Video renews the show for more seasons, and fans will get to watch the whole story play out.

In the meanwhile, Wheel of Time spinoffs are bubbling in the background. We heard a while back that someone was trying to get a live-action trilogy of prequel movies off the ground; the first movie, The Age of Legends, is set to be directed by Kari Skogland, who previously worked on shows like The Walking Dead and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

These movies will be set thousands of years before the main events of The Wheel of Time TV show. We've seen that series visit the Age of Legends in flashbacks...

Exclusive: Public relations firm 42West has elevated five longtime publicity pros in its Entertainment Marketing Division to VP. The list includes Taylor James, Kate Lowell, Kabeer Malhotra, Stacey Tesser and Nesma Youssef.

42West’s Entertainment Marketing Division, headed by presidents Tom Piechura and Scott Feinstein in New York and Annalee Paulo in Los Angeles, develops and executes publicity campaigns for films, TV, podcasts, filmmakers, production companies, film festivals and more.

“Kabeer, Kate, Nesma, Stacey and Taylor are an integral part of our bicoastal team and have been the foundation of our success of 42West’s Entertainment Marketing Division for many years,” said Piechura, Feinstein and Paulo. “With their incredible expertise, solid industry relationships and never-ending commitment, they each excel at strategizing and driving first-rate campaigns for our clients. They are proven leaders and we are thrilled to launch this well-deserved new chapter in their careers.”

James joined 42West in September...

Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie first shared the screen as Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson in 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. They were later forced to be unwilling allies in Captain America: Civil War and then took centre stage as teammates in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier on Disney+.

During last night's Golden Globes, Stan took home an award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for his stellar performance in A Different Man.

However, it didn't long for Mackie, the McU's new Captain America, to crash the party. "We won," he joked, with Stan adding, "Captain America and the Winter Soldier, we're coming back!"

Mackie showed up during a separate interview, presenting his former co-star with a rose. When the interviewer asked Stan what it meant to get that sort of support from his fellow actor, he got serious for a moment and replied, "Listen, we...

Recent reports reveal that Gal Gadot, starring as the Evil Queen in Disney's highly anticipated live-action Snow White, may soon be headlining the long-delayed epic Cleopatra.

According to Production Bulletin, Cleopatra is currently in active development, with Universal Pictures and Atlas Entertainment attached to the likely big-budget epic period film. The report also suggests that the production team has narrowed down an exciting new location for the film, with Morocco listed as the filming destination. Morocco notably served as a filming location for Gladiator II, Ridley Scott's recent big-budget blockbuster. In Gladiator II, the opening scenes set in "Africa Nova" were filmed around the city of Ouarzazate, south of the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Morroco has also been used in other incredibly popular productions, including Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy, and Game of Thrones.

Related James Gunn Comments on Casting the Dcu's Wonder Woman

James Gunn weighs in...

Quick Links The Age Of Legends Is Confirmed The Age Of Legends Cast The Age Of Legends Story How Does The Age Of Legends Connect To The Wheel Of Time? The Age of Legends: Further News & Info

Prime Video has found success with its TV adaptation of The Wheel of Time, and now the studio is producing The Age of Legends, a prequel film as the first part of a planned trilogy. Based on the series of high-fantasy novels by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, The Wheel of Time chronicles Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike) as she seeks out the Dragon Reborn, the person prophesied as either the world's savior or destroyer. Adapting the massive series is no small feat, but Prime Video has made The Wheel of Time as epic as it needed to be.

Met with positive critical attention from the outset, The Wheel of Time also proved to...

Julia Fox, the it-girl who rose to fame in the Safdie Brothers’ anxiety-ridden thriller “Uncut Gems,” has joined the cast of the upcoming romantic drama “Perfect.”

She will star alongside Ashley Moore (“I Know What You Did Last Summer”) and newcomer Micaela Wittman. Millicent Hailes, who has directed music videos for artists such as Adam Lambert, Lil Yachty and Young Thug, is helming the film in her feature debut. Production is due to begin next month.

“Perfect” is set at a scenic-but-rundown lakeside resort in the California mountains in a time where climate change has contaminated the water supply. Fox will play a wealthy pregnant woman who is living out an escapist fantasy as she falls in love with a younger woman (Moore). Their sudden relationship is complicated by an upcoming birth, turbulent social events and clashing values about the world’s uncertain future.

Wittman will portray a town local...

Anthony Mackie’s journey to becoming the next Captain America has been fascinating. His first solo movie as the star-spangled soldier has been delayed and, until recently, had been undergoing heavy reshoots. On the 4th of July, however, the actor delivered a set photo of Cap’s new uniform.

Mackie posted a pic of the new red, white, and blue Captain America: Brave New World outfit on Instagram. It incorporates aspects of Falcon’s and Cap’s MCU and comic book costumes. That’s fitting since Mackie was introduced into the MCU as the high-flying Avenger in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

I’ll admit that this costume is a huge step up from the “You’ve got to do better, Senator” outfit we saw him wear in the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The shield also has an exciting change.

At least in the MCU,...

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was released in 2021 to mostly positive reviews, and while the Flag Smashers were a forgettable addition to the MCU, we were left with plenty of other big talking points.

Sam Wilson became Captain America, Bucky finally moved on from his past, U.S. Agent made his presence felt, and Sharon Carter was established as a deadly new villain.

Mackie first played The Falcon in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He later returned in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, so how did he feel about returning to television?

"Television is really hard. My first episode of television was Law & Order," Mackie told actor Tyler James Williams about the challenges of his transition in an interview with Variety. "It was the hardest seven days of my career. TV is real, TV is a different beast,...

Daniel Brühl made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as a reimagined take on Baron Zemo in Captain America: Civil War, before returning for the Disney+ The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series.

Already a somewhat sympathetic villain given everything he went through in Sokovia during the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Zemo put his differences with Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson aside in Tfatws to help them put a stop to the Flag Smashers - though he always had his own schemes in play.

Last we saw of him, he had agreed to return to The Raft to finish out his sentence for killing King T'Chaka in an attempt to frame Barnes for a terrorist attack.

When a Thunderbolts (since retitled Thunderbolts*) movie was announced, it was assumed that Zemo would be involved since he is so closely associated with the supervillain strike team in the comics. Marvel Studios went in a different direction,...

Some of the entertainment industry’s leading ladies celebrated The Hollywood Reporter‘s inaugural Women in Entertainment Canada event in Toronto on Thursday.

The all-day gathering at the Park Hyatt Hotel was attended by stars like Nia Vardalos, Lilly Singh, director Kari Skogland, Devery Jacobs and Catherine Reitman. “I’m not sure what the requirements are for being an icon, but I’m 67, and I’m rocking with that,” Kim Cattrall said when accepting the Icon Award at the Wie Canada Tribute Awards.

“Congratulations to all the other honorees. It’s amazing what women can do when we come together,” the Sex in the City star added. The event, which coincided with the publication of the Canadian Women’s Power List, focused on driving efforts to achieve gender equity and career breakthroughs for Canadian women in front and behind the camera.

“Load up your slingshot. Put three rocks in there.

Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan are going on a wild ride with Apple.

The tech giant and streamer has landed 12 12 12, a scripted thriller described as a “contemporary international heist” series. The streamer is nearing a formal series greenlight for the project that will reunite stars Mackie and Dornan after the 2019 feature Synchronic.

12 12 12 takes place over three timelines in a heist — the 12 months of planning to raid a bank vault beneath the streets of Zurich, the 12 hours of the actual heist and the 12 days after it. The drama revolves around an FBI agent (Mackie) and a career criminal (Dornan), who play a cat-and-mouse game across Europe.

Dudi Appleton and Jim Keeble (Silent Witness, Wild Bill) created and wrote the series. The duo will exec produce alongside Kari Skogland (Falcon and the Winter Soldier), who will direct the pilot.

The series is a co-production between Anonymous Content and Skydance Television. Mackie, Dornan...

The Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan heist series “12 12 12” has landed at Apple TV+ and is nearing a series order, Variety has learned exclusively.

The series was first reported to be on the market back in January. Mackie and Dornan will both star in the series in addition to executive producing.

The official logline for the series states that it follows “a disgraced FBI agent (Mackie) and an American career criminal (Dornan) who play a zero-sum game of cat and mouse across Europe. At the center of it all is the daring, epic raid on a bank vault deep beneath the streets of Zurich.” The series will take place across three timelines — the 12 months prior to the heist, the 12 hours of the heist, and the 12 days after.

The series is created by Dudi Appleton and Jim Keeble, who will also executive produce. Kari Skogland will direct the pilot and executive produce.

Apple TV+ is rounding out the cast of the upcoming drama series “Firebug” with four new additions.

Greg Kinnear, Rafe Spall, Hannah Emily Anderson, and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine have all joined the series. They will appear opposite previously announced series lead Taron Egerton as well as cast members Jurnee Smollett and John Leguizamo. The role marks a reunion for Kinnear and Egerton, who both appeared in the Apple series “Black Bird.”

Spall is repped by UTA and B-Side Management. Kinnear is repped by CAA and Goodman Genow. Mwine is repped by TalentWorks, Gallant Management, Sloane Offer, and Viewpoint. Anderson is repped by Gersh, Gga, and Atlas Artists.

“Firebug” was originally greenlit in December 2022. The nine-episode series is loosely inspired by true events presented in Truth Media’s “Firebug” podcast, which was hosted by Kary Antholis. The official description states the series “will follow a troubled detective and an enigmatic...

Renowned for her acting prowess, Angelina Jolie almost portrayed the historical figure Cleopatra in a film, which was ultimately canceled. Following the disastrous reception of Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s 1963 film, numerous filmmakers have expressed interest in bringing their vision of the Egyptian queen to the screen.

Angelina Jolie | Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Jolie was attached to one such project, with directors like David Fincher and Ang Lee also being involved before its cancellation. Brian Helgeland, the original screenwriter of the film, has recently provided insight into the canceled film, describing it as a love affair epic infused with elements like political thriller, assassinations, and romance.

Inside Angelina Jolie’s Canceled Epic of Cleopatra

Screenwriter and producer Brian Helgeland recently reflected on the canceled Cleopatra film, which was set to star Angelina Jolie. He shared that he was the “very first writer” to work on the film’s script, which aimed to...

Hollywood has been trying to get another Cleopatra movie off the ground for quite some time, and one of those iterations was set to star Angelina Jolie as the iconic Egyptian Queen.

Brian Helgeland was the first writer to take a stab at Angelina Jolie’s Cleopatra movie, and he shared a few details while talking with Inverse. “I was the very first writer on Cleopatra when it was being developed for Angelina Jolie to star in, which was almost made,” Helgeland said. “I don’t have anything to do with the current version unless they call me and want to use my draft.“

Helgeland continued, saying the movie “had elements of a political thriller with assassinations and sex,” but at its heart, it was an epic split between Cleopatra’s love affairs with Caesar and Mark Antony. “Lots of true events surprised me when I was writing it. For example,...

“Dune” filmmaker Denis Villeneuve has a lot of options for what he could make next, and one of them could be his long-gestating “Cleopatra” movie based on the Stacy Schiff novel “Cleopatra: A Life” for Sony Pictures.

Before that, however, some may remember the era when filmmaker David Fincher had a version of the movie set up at Paramount, circa 2012, that would have starred Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie (long before the competing Gal Gadot incarnation with Patty Jenkins and Kari Skogland).

Continue reading Brian Helgeland Shares Details On David Fincher’s Unmade ‘Cleopatra’ Film Almost Starring Angelina Jolie at The Playlist.

Long live Queen Cleopatra, even if her film adaptations have been plagued for more than half a century.

After Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s 1963 “Cleopatra” starring Elizabeth Taylor made history as one of the biggest box office disasters ever, a long-gestating adaptation was set with Angelina Jolie attached to star (and directors like David Fincher and Ang Lee being attached at different times). “A Knight’s Tale” and “Man on Fire” writer Brian Helgeland wrote the script, and while the film was “almost made,” it eventually fell by the wayside.

Now, Helgeland is recalling the details of the scrapped project in a new interview with Inverse. “I was the very first writer on ‘Cleopatra’ when it was being developed for Angelina Jolie to star in, which was almost made,” Helgeland said. “It had elements of a political thriller with assassinations and sex, but it’s an epic that’s divided between her...

Exclusive: Danny Huston (Wonder Woman), Oscar nominee Graham Greene (Dances with Wolves), Martin Sensmeier (Yellowstone), Oliver Trevena (Plane) and DeVaughn Nixon (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty) are joining Joel Kinnaman and Cara Jade Myers in thriller Ice Fall.

Also joining are Frida Gustavsson (Vikings Valhalla) and Will Fletcher (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power)

As we previously revealed, Stefan Ruzowitzky (The Counterfeiters) is directing from a script by George Mahaffey (Chief of Station). Filming is underway in Bulgaria.

The film centers on a young Indigenous game warden who arrests an infamous poacher only to discover that the poacher knows the location of a plane carrying millions of dollars that has crashed in a frozen lake. When a group of criminals and dirty cops are alerted to the poacher’s whereabouts, the warden and the poacher team up to fight back and escape across the...

Wind River sequel is happening without Taylor Sheridan, with a new director and different cast members. Wind River: The Next Chapter will have a new premise focusing on ritualistic murders on a reservation. The upcoming Wind River sequel might not match the original's success due to the lack of Sheridan's involvement.

Taylor Sheridan has seemingly revived Western stories on television with Yellowstone, but the filmmaker dipped his toe into the genre a year beforehand with his movie Wind River, which is surprisingly getting a sequel. The neo-Western crime film was directed and written by Sheridan and premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival before releasing in theaters in the United States on August 4, 2017. Most critics gave Wind River positive reviews, which praised the movie for the cast's performances, the compelling and significant story at the center of the mystery, and Sheridan's direction.

Wind River's story revolves around a...

John Leguizamo has joined the cast of the upcoming Apple TV+ drama series “Firebug,” Variety has learned. In addition, Kari Skogland has boarded the series as director and executive producer.

Leguizamo joins previously announced cast members Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett in the series. It was originally greenlit in December 2022.

The series is loosely based on true events and also draws from events documented in truth.media’s “Firebug” podcast. The official logline states that the show “will follow a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator (Egerton) as they pursue the trails of two serial arsonists.”

Leguizamo with play Esposito, described as “a former policeman with a lot of bad habits and a lot of good instincts.”

Leguizamo is a highly-versatile performer with a career spanning four decades. He is known for his roles in films like “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar” (which earned him a Golden Globe nomination), “Romeo + Juliet,...

Emmy and Tony winner John Leguizamo has been tapped to star alongside Taron Egerton in Apple’s upcoming drama series Firebug, from Apple Studios and creator Dennis Lehane. Additionally, Emmy-nominated and BAFTA-winning director Kari Skogland will direct and serve as executive producer.

Written by Lehane and loosely inspired by true events, Firebug will follow a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator (Egerton) as they pursue the trails of two serial arsonists.

Leguizamo with play Esposito, a former policeman with a lot of bad habits and a lot of good instincts.

Previously announced Jurnee Smollett also stars.

In addition to starring, Egerton will serve as executive producer alongside Richard Plepler through Eden Productions, Dan Friedkin and Bradley Thomas through Imperative Entertainment and Kary Antholis.

Firebug is the latest project hailing from Apple Studios and produced by Imperative Entertainment, joining Black Bird,...

Exclusive: Tatanka Means (Killers of the Flower Moon) has landed a heavily recurring role in the Netflix drama series Ransom Canyon, based on the book series by Jodi Thomas. He joins previously announced Josh Duhamel, Minka Kelly, James Brolin, Eoin Macken and Lizzy Greene.

From writer, creator and executive producer April Blair, Ransom Canyon is a romance-fueled family drama and contemporary western saga that charts the intersecting lives of three ranching families, all set against the rugged expanse of Texas Hill Country.

Means will portray Jake Longbow, Staten’s (Duhamel) trusted ranch manager and confidant. Accustomed to Staten’s gruff exterior and reading his moods, the two have a decades-long friendship that will be tested. Not afraid to question orders, Jake provides a moral central on the Double K Ranch, eventually bringing the young Lucas Russell (Garrett Wareing) on board.

The role of Jake arrives following Means’s big-screen turn...

Taylor Sheridan's absence from Wind River 2 is a major mistake, as he is not involved in any capacity, despite his connection to the original film and its themes. The Sicario franchise has managed to keep Sheridan involved in all three movies, highlighting the success of his collaboration in the film industry. Sheridan's busy schedule with his TV empire, including Yellowstone and its spinoffs, could explain his absence from Wind River He may simply be too busy to be involved in the sequel.

Taylor Sheridan's presence in Hollywood continues to grow, as Wind River 2 is happening, but the sequel is making a major mistake. Sheridan is now known for shepherding the Yellowstone franchise and many other TV shows for Paramount+, but the skilled writer and director started to leave his mark on the movie and TV industry years before. This came through his work on a variety of movies, including the 2017 crime thriller Wind River,...

Kari Skogland, acclaimed for her work on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, will direct the cinematic version of The Wheel of Time, titled The Age of Legends. She aims to honor the worldbuilding of the series while delving into the human stories beneath the legends. The Age of Legends is set thousands of years before the events depicted in the novels and TV series, offering a fresh perspective and introducing new heroes. It promises to transform the fantasy genre in the film industry. While the film is not a direct continuation of the TV series, it will resonate with it and offer fans a multi-dimensional experience. Skogland's human-centric approach to exploring flawed heroes and villains could bring new depth to the narrative. The release date remains a mystery, heightening anticipation for a transformative fantasy cinema experience.

The acclaimed series The Wheel of Time is poised to debut its cinematic version.

A Wheel of Time prequel movie called The Age of Legends is in development, exploring the origins of the Dark One. The Dark One is an ancient evil who is prophesized to either be supported or destroyed by the Dragon Reborn. The prequel movie is the first in an intended trilogy.

The Wheel of Time is getting a prequel. The Prime Video show, which has already run for two seasons with a third on the way, is based on the Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson fantasy novels of the same name. It follows an Aes Sedai member named Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike), who set off to discover the identity of the Dragon Reborn, a figure of prophecy who was said to either be destined to support or stand against the Dark One, an ancient evil force that threatens the world.

Per Deadline, a live-action prequel movie titled The Age of Legends is in development.

The Wheel of Time is leaping to feature film terrain with a trilogy of films exploring the origins of Robert Jordan’s bestselling book series. Getting behind the camera for the first chapter is Kari Skogland, who directed Marvel Studios’ Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Solider. Skogland directs the fantasy film from a script by Zack Stentz.

According to Deadline‘s exclusive report, the first film in The Wheel of Time trilogy is “set several millennia before the timeline of the books; the Age of Legends will chart the emergence of “the Dark One.” when the world descended into darkness and war. The film will delve into the corrosive nature of power and pride, as seen through the tragic tales of the Forsaken – once honored leaders who fell victim to the Dark One’s seduction, each personifying distinct elements of human weakness and ambition. The story will also...

While The Wheel of Time explores Moiraine Damodred's (Rosamund Pike) journey on television, a feature film based on the franchise will be directed by Kari Skogland, according to Deadline. Titled The Age of Legends, the movie will take place thousands of years before the events depicted in Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson's novels, bringing audiences to a completely different part of the timeline set in the world they already know and love. New heroes will be introduced in the upcoming story, with Eva Longoria serving as an executive producer for the project.

Exclusive: BAFTA winner and Emmy nominee Kari Skogland has been set to direct live-action feature The Age of Legends, the first installment in the planned trilogy of films that will explore the origins of Robert Jordan’s bestselling book series The Wheel of Time.

Screenplay comes from Thor, X-Men: First Class and Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous scribe Zack Stentz.

Set several millennia before the timeline of the books, The Age of Legends will chart the emergence of ‘the Dark One’, when the world descended into darkness and war. The film will delve into the corrosive nature of power and pride, as seen through the tragic tales of the Forsaken – once honored leaders who fell victim to the Dark One’s seduction, each personifying distinct elements of human weakness and ambition. The story will also portray the valorous sacrifices of unexpected heroes who rise against the Dark One to defend humanity...