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Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger’s ‘Conclave’ (Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024)

Oscar-winning director Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) believes Conclave comes as close to the truth about what transpires during the selection of a pope as any outsider has ever come. Based on Robert Harris’ bestselling novel, Conclave presents the secretive papal election as a high-stakes thriller, with the Catholic Cardinals manipulated like chess pieces by those who crave ultimate power.

A progressive pope’s death sets the game in motion, with Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), the dean of the College of Cardinals, overseeing the conclave to select the next pope. The gurney carrying the pope’s body is barely out of sight when the jockeying for position begins. Alliances are forged, and plans are put in place to secure the required 72 votes to become pope.

The pope’s death comes...

Hollywood may be enjoying a long weekend giving thanks, cooking turkeys, and parading supersized Spider-Mans (Spider-Men?), but that doesn't mean this week's Empire Podcast is any less stuffed to the gills with guests, greatness, and guesty greatness than usual. And talking of guesty greatness, our first guest this week is Auli'i Cravalho, Moana herself, who sits down with Chris Hewitt to talk about returning as a master wayfinder in this week's newly released Moana 2 — and to talk about the art of not talking to people on planes [16:03 — 29:35 approx]. And then, tripling down on the guesty greatness, Ian Freer has an audience with… well, if not the Pope, then the next best thing in the guise of legendary trio Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and Isabella Rossellini, the stars of new papal conspiracy thriller Conclave [46:49 — 1:04:52 approx].

Either side of those, with Chris incapacitated by a last-minute case of *checks notes* neck-knack, Helen O'Hara...

Exclusive: In a highly competitive situation, 20th looks to have found something to be thankful for as it has landed rights to The Barrier, the hot time-travel package teaming All Quiet on the Western Front helmer Edward Berger and Elvis Oscar nominee Austin Butler. Based on the short story by MacMillan Hedges, Deadline first reported that package was hitting the market before Thanksgiving holiday last Wednesday and had every major bidder in town chasing.

Insiders say the package had 11 studios chasing it with 20th landing winning bid and while exact details are unknown sources say the sale came in around the seven figure range for the rights as well as for Hedges to adapt.

Disney Live-Action And 20th Century Studio President David Greenbaum was very hands on in the process and insiders say one of the big selling points was a blind script deal for another project for Hedges down the road.

It’s one of the biggest weekends of the year, not just because we’ve all stuffed ourselves with turkey and pie, and not just because we’re all madly dashing to get our shopping done for the holidays. It’s also that rare, long weekend where we have time to actually go to the movies, and possibly bring the whole family. This year there are a lot of great movies at the multiplex, from award-winning international features, Academy Awards contenders with ambition to spare, beautiful movies the whole family can enjoy, and genre flicks aplenty to scare and to thrill you. So to help make the decision of what to see if you want to ditch streaming for a day, we’ve curated a helpful list.

These are the best of the very best movies in theaters this weekend.

A still from “All We Imagine as Light.” All We Imagine As Light...

Directed with precision and flair by Edward Berger (All Quiet On The Western Front) and adapted from Robert Harris’s gripping 2016 novel by Peter Straughan, Conclave is a masterful blend of mystery, political intrigue, and character drama. Anchored by a tour-de-force performance from the always brilliant Ralph Fiennes, the film takes us deep into the corridors of the Vatican, where faith and ambition collide in the wake of a papal death.

The plot centres on Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Fiennes), a dutiful, introspective leader tasked with overseeing the election of the next pope after the sudden death of the Holy pontiff. What begins as a solemn ritual soon spirals into a taut thriller as Cardinal Lawrence uncovers secrets and scandals surrounding some of the candidates. The arrival of the enigmatic Archbishop Vincent Benitez (Carlos Diehz), who claims to have been made a cardinal of Kabul in secret, adds another layer of...

Focus Features has acquired worldwide distribution rights, excluding Poland, Greece, and France, to “Hot Spot,” a near-future thriller about artificial intelligence from director Agnieszka Smoczyńska.

The film, which wrapped production in Greece on Nov. 22, marks Smoczyńska’s second collaboration with the studio following “The Silent Twins.”

Set in a society ruled by sentient AI, the film follows a private investigator who stumbles upon a rebel group capable of undermining the digital overlord while investigating a murder case. BAFTA nominee Noomi Rapace stars alongside Andrzej Konopka and Reika Kirishima, working from an original script by Smoczyńska’s frequent collaborator Robert Bolesto.

Polish production company Madants’ Klaudia Śmieja-Rostworowska, Smoczyńska’s longtime producing partner, and Bogna Szewczyk-Skupień are producing. Co-producers include Amanda Livanou (Neda Film), Kristina Börjeson (Film i Väst), Lizette Jonjic (Zentropa), Canal+ Polska’s Beata Ryczkowska and Filip Bałdyga, and Adam Gudell from Moderator Inwestycje. Gregory Jankilevitsch, Marcin Czernik, and Christos V.

Moana 2 takes to the seas at the UK and Ireland box office this weekend as the Disney sequel launches in 630 cinemas.

The sequel opens wider than the 533 venues of its predecessor back in 2016. That title debuted with a mild £2.2m but had a solid run overall, surpassing £20m.

Moana 2sees the eponymous islander, voiced by Auli‘i Cravalho, embark on a journey to find a mythical, lost island. Dwayne Johnson also returns to the voice cast while new additions include comedian Rose Matafeo and Hualalai Chung.

It will have fierce competition from Wicked, fresh from having the UK’s biggest...

Did Emily Blunt almost quit A Quit Place sequel? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Not the story or differences, nope, the culprit was Covid. Emily Blunt and hubby John Krasinski had already wrapped filming and were all set for a March 2020 release. Then, bam—pandemic. The world shut down, and so did their movie debut.

March 12, 2020. The release was pushed back, and A Quiet Place Part II was left in limbo. Blunt? She dove straight into quarantine life. Instead of dodging creepy monsters, she was homeschooling her kids, getting lost in books, and popping up in quarantine projects—like Some Good News with Krasinski. Let’s not forget her cameo in Stanley Tucci’s iconic cocktail tutorials. Just your average pandemic life, right?

But here’s the kicker: The iconic actress wasn’t even sure she’d return to the A Quiet Place universe at one point. “I don’t believe that everything should be sequel-sized,...

Fiennes is broodingly compelling as a potential English pope caught up in murky Vatican intrigue around choosing the next pontiff

Who knew that the laborious process of democracy, of simply voting over and over again, could be so exciting and so amusing? Edward Berger’s drama is adapted with masterly flair by screenwriter Peter Straughan from the Robert Harris pageturner; Ralph Fiennes is on sumptuous form as the deeply troubled Cardinal Lawrence at the centre of a murky Vatican plot. The result is a high-camp gripper, like the world’s most serious Carry On film.

Fiennes’ character is Italian in Harris’s book, but Straughan makes him an Englishman: an unquiet soul who is theoretically on the verge of becoming the first English pope since Adrian IV, although no one is so vulgar or nationalistic as to point that out. With the ailing pope in extremis, Cardinal Lawrence arrives at...

Ralph Fiennes impresses as a doubtful cardinal tasked to find a new Pope in Edward Berger’s thriller. Here’s our Conclave review.

Filmmakers have a habit of telling stories about men of God having doubts. Films like Signs, Silence and The Exorcist have certainly engaged audiences through the years, but director Edward Berger takes a different approach to religion and the Catholic church with Conclave. Based on Richard Harris’ novel of the same name, Conclave exhibits doubt over the entire institution, which is a risky, bold stand to take for a big screen wide release feature.

Plot-wise, after the current pope suddenly dies, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked to arrange the eponymous conclave to choose a replacement. Several cardinals from all over the world shut themselves into a building to debate and vote for a new pope, but as it turns out, this lot of men are just...

Conclave Box Office (North America): 5th Weekend Update (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Indie or arthouse films really ruled the theatres these past few months. From Terrifier 3 to Civil War, and more emerged as winners at the domestic box office and worldwide, too. Conclave is a significant film that has been in the domestic top 5 list for weeks. It held its ground at the US box office despite other releases. Scroll below for the deets.

It was released at the same time as Venom: The Last Dance in the US. It was released in 1,753 theatres and collected $6.60 million on its opening weekend. It is also raking in winning numbers on its fifth weekend. The mystery thriller film was directed by Edward Berger and features Ralph Fiennes in the lead role, alongside Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, and Isabella Rossellini. The film’s estimated budget was $20 million.

According to BoxOfficeReport.

Universal’s screen adaptation of “Wicked” dominated the U.K. and Ireland box office with a commanding £13.7 million ($17.2 million) debut, according to numbers from Comscore.

The musical fantasy leads a robust frame that saw Paramount’s “Gladiator II” maintain strong momentum in its sophomore session with £4.7 million, pushing its cumulative total to £18.4 million.

Studiocanal’s “Paddington in Peru” continues to demonstrate impressive holds in its third weekend, collecting £4.2 million for a running total of £24.5 million. Warner Bros.’ “Red One” secured fourth position with £866,764, bringing its three-week total to £5.9 million.

Entertainment Film Distributors’ “Heretic” rounded out the top five with £205,457, accumulating £5.4 million over four weeks. Universal’s “The Wild Robot” placed sixth with £183,578 (£13.5 million total), while Lionsgate U.K.’s “Small Things Like These” ranked seventh with £166,803 (£3.5 million total).

Trafalgar Releasing’s Metropolitan Opera presentation of “Tosca” debuted in eighth place with £129,206, followed by Polish holiday entry “Listy Do M. 6” from Magnetes Pictures,...

On Tuesday November 26 2024, PBS broadcasts Lidia Celebrates America!

Changemakers Season 11 Episode 1 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Lidia Celebrates America,” titled “Changemakers,” promises to be an inspiring look at the people who are transforming the American food landscape. This episode will air on PBS and highlight the efforts of chefs, farmers, and entrepreneurs who are dedicated to changing what food is available and how it is perceived in the country.

Viewers can expect to see stories of individuals who are passionate about food and its impact on communities. These changemakers are not just cooking or farming; they are working to reshape the food system. They aim to make fresh ingredients more accessible and encourage healthier eating habits among Americans. The episode will showcase their innovative ideas and hard work, illustrating how they are making a difference.

Throughout “Changemakers,” Lidia will meet these inspiring figures and explore their unique approaches to food.

If the 2025 Oscars nominations were announced today, what would Gold Derby predict as the nominees and winners? Since our predictions center opened on July 1, 2024, more than 6,000 people have made their forecasts in 18 top categories. So who’s out front to claim these golden trophies, according to the Gold Derby Oscar predictions 2025?

Below, see a snapshot in time of our racetrack odds for the 97th Academy Awards, updated on Nov. 25, 2024. See how the odds and rankings have changed over time by examining our previous Oscar snapshots on July 3, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 29, Aug. 6, Aug. 19, Aug. 28, Sept. 11, Sept. 19, Sept. 23, Sept. 30, Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 22, Oct. 28, Nov. 4, Nov. 11, and Nov. 18.

Now expected to receive a nomination since the last update: Yura Borisov (“Anora”) in Best Supporting Actor. The Neon film centers around the titular character, a sex worker (Mikey Madison) who embarks on a whirlwind romance with a client, the young son of a Russian oligarch.

With the Governors Awards just behind us, the Thanksgiving break right in front of us, every major awards hopeful having finally screened for pundits (the last one was unveiled on Wednesday evening) and the 97th Oscars exactly 100 days away, now seems as good a time as any to do a thorough temperature-check of the Oscar race.

Best picture

The main headline, at this point, is that there is no clear frontrunner, unlike a year ago when Oppenheimer was clearly ahead of the pack. Rather, there are, in my estimation, six films that look all but assured of landing one of the category’s 10 slots. Alphabetically, they are: Neon’s Anora, A24’s The Brutalist, Focus’ Conclave, Netflix’s Emilia Pérez, Paramount’s September 5 and Universal’s Wicked. Let’s discuss them one by one.

Anora, which won Cannes’ Palme d’Or, is Sean Baker’s portrait of a stripper-turned-sex worker...

Edward Berger’s follow-up to All Quiet On The Western Front is a slickly enjoyable papal popcorn piece about faith in institutions. Conclave may be set in the Vatican, but it’s practically modelled on American politics: one character even compares one of the movie’s many backroom meetings to a US political convention. And yet, Berger’s rich detail is specific, nicely combining the worlds of political and religious power play.

The movie opens on a distraught Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) making his way to the Holy Father’s chambers to confirm the Pope’s demise and prepare to elect his successor. Soon, all the pieces are in play, as Peter Straughan’s clockwork screenplay (adapted from the novel by Robert Harris) swiftly establishes each character and plot point like dominoes to be knocked down by hubris, interpersonal tensions hidden by smiling faces. The result is a wildly entertaining balancing act of egos,...

Stanley Tucci is a celebrated actor known for his impressive array of work across film and television. His talent has earned him multiple awards, including six Emmys and two Golden Globes. Interestingly, Stanley Tucci shares a unique connection with the talented British actress Emily Blunt.

Stanley Tucci in The Devil Wears Prada | Credit: 20th Century Studios

Both actors starred in the popular 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada, which turned out to be a major milestone in their careers. While they aren’t related by blood, their bond runs deep.

How Stanley Tucci is Related to British Actress Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt, known for her stellar performances across a variety of genres, has built quite a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most versatile actresses. While many recognize her for her stellar performances and her famous actor husband, John Krasinski, not everyone knows that she shares a family connection with another talented star,...

Director Edward Berger, known for All Quiet on the Western Front, and Elvis Oscar nominee Austin Butler are teaming up for The Barrier, a time-travel film that’s creating a lot of excitement in the industry.

Based on a short story by MacMillan Hedges, details about the plot are being kept secret, but insiders are comparing it to Interstellar mixed with Top Gun. Berger will direct and produce, working from a script by Hedges, who is also producing.

Butler is set to star and will executive produce. The project hit the market on Wednesday, sparking interest from top executives just ahead of Thanksgiving.

Berger, who won four Oscars for All Quiet on the Western Front (including Best International Feature Film), is now one of the most sought-after directors. His latest movie, Conclave, a thriller starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini, debuted in U.S. theaters in October after premiering at Telluride.

In Edward Berger’s Oscar-tipped drama, the three actors play cardinals vying to become pope. Ahead of the film’s UK release, they form a huddle to discuss fame, food – and why Trump won

Faith, death and vengeful vaping: of all the Oscar contenders this year, Conclave is the one that best combines chewy religious inquiry and lavish side-eye. Adapted by Wolf Hall screenwriter Peter Straughan from the Robert Harris novel, Conclave has been directed by All Quiet on the Western Front’s Edward Berger as a heavy-breathing battle for hearts, minds and power.

Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence, who, after the sudden death of the pope, must park his own religious doubts to wrangle the 113 cardinals who have descended on the Vatican. These men will be sequestered until they can elect one of their number as the new pontiff. Among them are the gentle progressive Bellini (Stanley Tucci...

Exclusive: All Quiet on the Western Front helmer Edward Berger and Elvis Oscar nominee Austin Butler are out to the town with The Barrier, a hot time-travel package that is expected to spur competitive bidding, sources tell Deadline.

Plot details for the film, based on a short story by MacMillan Hedges, are under wraps, though we hear it’s been discussed as Interstellar meets Top Gun. Berger will direct from a script by Hedges and produce alongside the scribe, with Butler to star and executive produce. The package hit the market Wednesday, as a big buzz title heading into Thanksgiving, with top executives around town asking to meet and hear the take.

After seeing his Netflix WWI epic All Quiet on the Western Front snap up four Oscars, including Best International Feature Film, the German-born Berger has emerged as one of the most sought-after directors around town. He’s in...

On Wednesday, AARP The Magazine announced its 2025 Movies for Grownups Awards nominations. Papal thriller “Conclave” leads with six nominations, including Best Picture/Best Movie for Grownups, Best Director for Edward Berger, and Best Actor for Ralph Fiennes. Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown” is in second place, with five nominations. TV nominees with multiple nominations include “Hacks,” “The Morning Show,” “Shōgun,” and “Slow Horses.”

The American Association of Retired People’s Movies for Grownups program champions movies and TV “for grownups, by grownups,” meaning 50-plus.

“A Complete Unknown,” “Conclave,” “Emilia Perez,” “Gladiator II,” and “September 5” are the Best Picture/Best Movie for Grownups nominees.

In the Best Actress category, nominees are Pamela Anderson (“The Last Showgirl”), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Hard Truths”), Nicole Kidman (“Babygirl”), Demi Moore (“The Substance”), and June Squibb (“Thelma”). The Best Actor nominees are Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”), Daniel Craig (“Queer”), Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing”), Ralph Fiennes (“Conclave...

AARP The Magazine has announced the nominees for the annual Movies for Grownups Awards. The best picture contenders are “A Complete Unknown,” “Conclave,” “Emilia Pérez,” “Gladiator II” and “September 5.”

The best actress race includes Pamela Anderson (“The Last Showgirl”), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Hard Truths”), Nicole Kidman (“Babygirl”), Demi Moore (“The Substance”), and June Squibb (“Thelma”). The best actor category has Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”), Daniel Craig (Queer), Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing”), Ralph Fiennes (“Conclave”), and Jude Law (“The Order”).

Best director nominees include Pedro Almodóvar (“The Room Next Door”), Jacques Audiard (“Emilia Pérez”), Edward Berger (“Conclave”), James Mangold (“A Complete Unknown”), and Ridley Scott (“Gladiator II”).

“Passionate for sophisticated, high-quality content, older audiences have the ability to propel film and TV content into mainstream popularity,” says AARP film and TV critic Tim Appelo. “With this year’s Movies for Grownups nominations, AARP spotlights the talents and work that resonate with this powerful demographic.

Edward Berger’s papal thriller Conclave and the upcoming Timothée Chalamet-starring Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown lead the nominations for the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, which annually champion movies for grownups, by grownups and encourage films and TV shows that resonate with older viewers.

Focus Features’ Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes, scored a leading six nominations, while Searchlight’s James Mangold-directed Complete Unknown, which hits theaters on December 25, had five noms. The two pics are nominated for the Mfg’s marquee Best Picture/Best Movie for Grownups Awards, alongside Paramount’s Gladiator II and September 5 (which had four noms apiece) and Netflix’s Emilia Pérez, (three noms).

Last year’s Best Picture winner, Killers of the Flower Moon, went on to nab 10 Oscar nominations.

Other notable nominees include Robert Zemeckis’ Miramax-produced, Sony-distributed generation-spanning Here, starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright and penned by Eric Roth in...

Edward Berger’s Conclave, which takes viewers into the drama behind the selection of a new pope, leads this year’s Movies for Grownups Awards nominees with six nods, including for the top prize of best picture.

James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, starring Timothée Chalamet as the legendary musician, landed five nods, followed by four-time nominees Gladiator II and September 5 and triple nominees Sing Sing, Emilia Pérez and The Brutalist.

The best picture category sees Conclave face off against A Complete Unknown, Emilia Pérez, Gladiator II and September 5.

In addition to best picture, Conclave is represented in the categories of best actor (Ralph Fiennes), best supporting actor (Stanley Tucci), best supporting actress (Isabella Rossellini), best director (Berger) and best screenwriter (Peter Straughan).

A Complete Unknown is up for best picture, director (Mangold), screenwriter (Mangold and Jay Cocks), ensemble and Best Time Capsule.

Gladiator II, in addition to best picture,...

How do the 2025 Oscars Best Picture contenders stack up on Rotten Tomatoes? And does the film with the highest freshness rating have a better shot at winning the big prize?

While critics’ scores don’t determine the Best Picture lineup (there are thousands of highly-rated movies each year), once the lineup is selected by AMPAS, there are at least a few tea leaves worth noting. For instance, the only film to win Best Picture in the last 10 years with a freshness rating lower than 90% is “Green Book,” which has a Tomatometer score of just 77%.

Last year’s winner, “Oppenheimer,” holds a formidable 93%, but it didn’t rank first among it’s competitors. That distinction went to “The Holdovers,” which has a rating of 97%. So, a movie doesn’t have to have the highest score, but it certainly helps its chances. And falling below 90% would put any movie at an extreme disadvantage,...

Model, actor and animal behaviorist Isabella Rossellini has no regrets. At the golden age of 72, the child of actress Ingrid Bergman and Italian director Roberto Rossellini has learned her fair share of lessons during her five decades-long career. Now, in Edward Berger’s papal whodunnit Conclave, Rossellini transfers that resilience to Sister Agnes, a primarily silent yet intimidating nun tasked with caring for the cardinals as they meet to elect a new Pope after the former one dies under mysterious circumstances. As the candidates, marshaled by Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), backstab and clandestinely strategize, Sister Agnes holds crucial information.

Deadline: You’ve had so many varied roles in your long career. What made you want to be a part of this one?

Isabella Rossellini: The script was a page-turner. I read it several times, especially the ending. It is a very surprising ending that I found very moving because...

In her nearly 50-year film career, Isabella Rossellini has played everything from a tortured nightclub singer to Beethoven’s lover to a mysteriously young 71-year-old doctor. Most recently, Rossellini received acclaim for her role as a nun in “Conclave,” and so it’s the perfect time to take a look back at her life and eclectic film career. Scroll through our photo gallery above (or click here for direct access) to see the 10 best Isabella Rossellini movies, ranked.

Rossellini and her twin sister Isotta were born in Rome on June 18, 1952, to Golden Era legend Ingrid Bergman and Italian director Roberto Rossellini. As a child, Rossellini underwent 18 months of grueling procedures to correct scoliosis. In 1976, she made her film debut with a small role as a nun caring for a dying countess played by her mother in the Vincente Minnelli fantasy film “A Matter of Time.” However, it was a few...

In her nearly 50-year film career, Isabella Rossellini has played everything from a tortured nightclub singer to Beethoven’s lover to a mysteriously young 71-year-old doctor. Most recently, Rossellini received acclaim for her role as a nun in “Conclave,” and so it’s the perfect time to take a look back at her life and eclectic film career. Scroll through our photo gallery below to see the 10 best Isabella Rossellini movies, ranked.

Rossellini and her twin sister Isotta were born in Rome on June 18, 1952, to Golden Era legend Ingrid Bergman and Italian director Roberto Rossellini. As a child, Rossellini underwent 18 months of grueling procedures to correct scoliosis. In 1976, she made her film debut with a small role as a nun caring for a dying countess played by her mother in the Vincente Minnelli fantasy film “A Matter of Time.” However, it was a few more years before her acting career took off,...

Updated with latest: Angelina Jolie will receive the Palm Springs Film Festival’s 2025 Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress, for her “extraordinary portrayal” of Maria Callas in Maria.

“Maria presents the iconic Angelina Jolie in the role of a lifetime as she embodies Maria Callas, the world-renowned opera legend. Jolie’s extraordinary portrayal captures the heart and complexity of an artist whose life was as captivating as her music,” said festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “In honor of her mesmerizing transformation into this groundbreaking yet tragic figure, we are thrilled to present Angelina Jolie with the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress.”

The festival runs January 2-13 in the desert city east of Los Angeles, and its film awards will be handed out January 3 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. See the other announced honorees below.

Updates, November 15: Nicole Kidman will receive Palm Springs Film Festival’s International Star Award for...

After four weeks on the big screen, “Conclave” has managed to do something that few other adult-skewing films have achieved in the post-pandemic era: Sell some tickets.

Director Edward Berger’s mystery thriller about the politicking and backstabbing behind the selection of a new pope has generated $26.5 million at the domestic box office since late October. Ticket sales are projected to surpass $30 million and counting — and that’s thanks to its atypical release strategy, stellar reviews and even stronger word-of-mouth.

This year, only a handful of arthouse films have exceeded $20 million, and most of those breakouts — including Neon’s occult-tilted thriller “Longlegs”, A24’s dystopian “Civil War”, Cineverse’s ultra-gory slasher “Terrifier 3” and A24’s tear-jerker “We Live in Time” — were geared toward younger or horror-loving crowds.

“It’s been a tough road of late for adult-skewing films in the theatrical marketplace,” says box office analyst Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations.

If the 2025 Oscars nominations were announced today, what would Gold Derby predict as the nominees and winners? Since our predictions center opened on July 1, 2024, more than 5,700 people have made their forecasts in 18 top categories. So who’s out front to claim these golden trophies, according to the Gold Derby Oscar predictions 2025?

Below, see a snapshot in time of our racetrack odds for the 97th Academy Awards, updated on Nov. 18, 2024. See how the odds and rankings have changed over time by examining our previous Oscar snapshots on July 3, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 29, Aug. 6, Aug. 19, Aug. 28, Sept. 11, Sept. 19, Sept. 23, Sept. 30, Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 22, Oct. 28, Nov. 4, and Nov. 11.

Now expected to receive a nomination since the last update: Universal Pictures’ “Wicked” in Best Visual Effects. The movie adaptation of the popular Broadway musical is also predicted to receive nominations in Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Ariana Grande), Best Costume Design, Best Makeup & Hairstyling,...

“The Electric State” is the upcoming $320 million budgeted, live-action science fiction comedy feature, based on the 2018 illustrated art book by Simon Stålenhag, starring Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Ke Huy Quan, Jason Alexander, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Giancarlo Esposito and Stanley Tucci, streaming March 14, 2025 on Netflix:

“…set in an alternate 1994…

“…a young girl is approached by a robot…

“…who claims to know the whereabouts of her missing brother…

“…and together they set out to find him…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Isabella Rossellini knows why Edward Berger’s papal thriller “Conclave” inspires fervor. Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, the actress said she initially found the script “very interesting and very intellectual.” However, she said it was never claustrophobic thanks to the drama of “the Catholic Church and the church is so theatrical.”

Rossellini grew up in Rome and said while the church has always had its controversies, she still sees it as a place where people from all over the world can come together.

“Rome was a big capital, but very provincial at the time,” said Rossellini. “The Vatican was where you found bishops and nuns from the Philippines, from South America, from Africa. The universities and the Catholic schools were the ones that offered foreign languages and diversity. You had many different backgrounds, many different races, many different cultures. As a Roman, you always looked at the Vatican as...

Conclave Box Office (North America): Hits $25M ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

Ralph Fiennes starrer mystery thriller, Conclave scored winning numbers after the exhibitors added significant number of theatres on Friday. It has once again earned decent numbers on its 4th weekend and has hit a minor milestone at the US box office. Keep scrolling for the deets.

It had been in the domestic top five for some time, and despite losing its spot, it is still there in the top ten. It has been awarded a B+ on CinemaScore, and its Rotten Tomatoes ratings are impressive. Despite a limited release, the movie has generated copious Oscar buzz and recovered its $20 million production budget. Big-budget films like Red One and Venom: The Last Dance are not taking away its audience, but the film’s breakeven point is around $50 million or more. It will become harder now with the holiday movies making their way to the cinemas.

Gold Derby has been predicting the Oscars (and other Hollywood races) for more than two decades now. But how do our current Academy Awards predictions compare to those made by a new player in the game — artificial intelligence?

On Nov. 16, we asked Gemini, Google’s new AI, to predict the nominations in six categories for the 2025 Oscars: picture, director, lead actor, lead actress, supporting actor, and supporting actress. You can see those results below. For the uninitiated, Gemini is a chatbot “that uses machine learning and natural language processing to provide human-like responses to text, image, and audio prompts.”

Comparatively, Gold Derby’s Oscar predictions are derived from the combined forecasts of four unique groups: experts we’ve polled from major media outlets, editors who cover awards year-round for this website, top 24 users who had the best accuracy scores last year, and the mass of users who make up our biggest predictions bloc.

Denzel Washington is rising in Gold Derby’s Oscar odds for Best Supporting Actor for Paramount Pictures’ “Gladiator II,” according to our combined predictions. Many pundits are singling him out as the standout performance in Ridley Scott’s latest sequel, as a former slave who plots to be the emperor of Rome. Interestingly enough, the only other actor in Scott’s entire filmography to emerge victorious at the Academy Awards for one of his movies was Russell Crowe (with whom Washington worked with on Scott’s “American Gangster” in 2007) for the original epic 24 years ago. Will Washington follow in Crowe’s footsteps and secure another performance victory for the franchise?

Back in 2000 when the first “Gladiator” premiered, it smashed box office numbers, becoming the second-highest grossing movie of the year, and won five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe. However, Crowe’s triumph was a bit...

Oscar winner Nicole Kidman will be honored by the Palm Springs International Film Festival with its 2025 International Star Award, the festival announced on Friday.

The prize is in recognition of Kidman’s acclaimed performance in the daring “Babygirl,” for which she won the Venice Film Festival’s best actress award.

“Nicole Kidman once again showcases her unmatched talent for embracing bold and unexpected roles with remarkable ease,” said festival chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “In ‘Babygirl,’ she portrays a high-powered CEO whose life begins to unravel as she embarks on a dark, risky affair that threatens to shatter her carefully constructed world. For this tour de force performance, we are honored to present her with the International Star Award, an accolade that truly embodies Nicole Kidman.”

In addition to her Oscar-winning performance as Virginia Woolf in “The Hours,” Kidman has also been nominated for “Moulin Rouge,” “Rabbit Hole,” Lion” and “Being the Ricardos.

The Academy Awards are still months away but the best picture landscape is already taking shape. Some question marks remain — for example, both “Nosferatu” and the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown” have yet to be widely seen. And the staying power of smaller indies like “A Real Pain” and “Nickel Boys” has yet to be tested. Critical attention could boost films like “I’m Still Here” and “Hard Truths.” And it’s been a great year for animation with films like “Inside Out 2” and “The Wild Robot” — can they break the bias into the lead race?

While we’ll have to wait a bit longer for answers, here’s a look at some of the films that are generating the most discussion to take home the top prize in March.

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Anchored by Mikey Madison’s force-of-nature performance in the title role, Sean Baker’s tale of a...

On Friday, the Palm Springs International Film Festival announced that Nicole Kidman will receive the International Star Award at their upcoming awards show. The special honor comes for her performance in A24’s “Babygirl,” in which she plays a powerful CEO who has an affair with a young intern (Harris Dickinson). The Australian actress is also receiving Oscar buzz for the role.

The Palm Springs International Film Awards will take place at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Jan. 3, 2025, with the film festival itself running between Jan. 2 and Jan. 13.

Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said, “Nicole Kidman once again showcases her unmatched talent for embracing bold and unexpected roles with remarkable ease. In ‘Babygirl,’ she portrays a high-powered CEO whose life begins to unravel as she embarks on a dark, risky affair that threatens to shatter her carefully constructed world. For this tour de force performance, we are honored to...

“The best antidote for a bad election is a good movie,” Richard M. Nixon once proclaimed, and for many filmgoers this week Conclave helped blot out the political noise. A papal thriller with a shock ending, Conclave’s impact again raises the question of whether serious adult fare can again command a strong market niche.

The setting of Conclave is itself a departure: The Pope is dead. The Vatican’s prayerfully powerful College of Cardinals is locked in its sanctorum, weathering intrigues about a potential new leader.

Directed by Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front), a regally robed cardinal, Ralph Fiennes, struggles to sustain calm in the face of sexual and political challenges raised by Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow, among others.

The Focus Features unit of Comcast once provided a major dent in...

Director Edward Berger‘s award-winning last film, “All’s Quiet on the Western Front,” recounting the horrors of war, but the battles waged in his latest film, “Conclave,” are of a far more subtle nature, though perhaps equally treacherous. For Berger, though, both films are connected by a personal motivation.

“I need to feel that I have something to say with this movie and that I connect to it, that it comes from within me, that I know why I’m getting up in the morning,” he tells Gold Derby. “That’s the main thing. I need to know why am I making this movie, who am I making it for, and why am I making it now…. That’s what drives me.”

“Conclave,” which is currently among the top five films predicted to be nominated for Best Picture, along with other categories, is a thrilling drama starring Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence,...

Bei der Verleihung des Ensemblepreises werden die Hauptdarsteller von Edward Bergers „Konklave“ auf dem Palm Springs International Film Festival erwartet.

Das Ensemble von Edward Bergers „Konklave“ (hier unsere Spot-Besprechung), der am 21. November in den deutschen Kinos startet, wird am 3. Januar beim Palm Springs International Film Festival (2. bis 13. Januar) mit dem Ensemblepreis ausgezeichnet.

Wie das Festival jetzt bekannt gegeben hat werden die Darsteller Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini, John Lithgow und Lucian Msamati zur Preisverleihung erwartet.

„‚Konklave‘ ist ein nachdenklich stimmendes Drama, das durch sein hervorragendes Schauspielerensemble, darunter Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati und Isabella Rossellini, für Spannung sorgt. Gemeinsam liefern sie in Edward Bergers Film kraftvolle und vielschichtige Darbietungen, die das Publikum in dieser Preisverleihungssaison in ihren Bann ziehen werden. Für die brillanten und fesselnden Charakterisierungen dieser Schauspieler verleihen wir ‚Konclave‘ den diesjährigen Ensemble-Performance-Preis“, erklärt “, so der Vorsitzende des Palm Springs International Film Festival, Nachhattar Singh Chandi.

A turkey’s not the only thing getting roasted at the Krasinski house on Thanksgiving. So is John Krasinski. The reason? Because he’s been selected as People’s 2024 Sexiest Man Alive. The actor and filmmaker expects certain family members—ahem, his two siblings—won’t waste any time teasing him about the title on Thanksgiving.

Krasinski has 2 older brothers

So, who is Krasinski almost certain will tease him on Thanksgiving? His two older brothers, Paul Krasinski and Dr. Kevin Krasinski. The former is a tech CEO, and the latter is a surgeon. The three Krasinski brothers grew up in Newton, Mass., near Boston. Their parents, Ronald and Mary, both worked in medicine (via People).

The director of A Quiet Place rarely talks about his family publicly. Save for, of course, the occasional mention of his wife, actor Emily Blunt, or his famous brother-in-law, Stanley Tucci, who is married to Blunt’s sister,...

The Palm Springs International Film Awards will honor Edward Berger’s Catholic drama “Conclave” with the ensemble performance award on Jan. 3 at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, which runs from Jan. 2-13.

Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini, John Lithgow, and Lucian Msamati are expected to be on hand to accept the award.

“’Conclave’ is a thought-provoking drama, one which delivers edge-of-your-seat suspense by way of its outstanding ensemble of actors including Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati and Isabella Rossellini,” said festival chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “Together, they deliver powerful and multi-layered performances in Edward Berger’s film that will mesmerize audiences throughout this award season. For these actors’ brilliant and captivating characterizations, we present ‘Conclave’ with this year’s ensemble performance award.”

“Conclave,” based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris, follows Thomas Lawrence (Fiennes), a Cardinal of waning faith who must lead the selection of...

Move over Lidia Bastianich. Watch out, Stanley Tucci. The Pasta Queen is becoming America’s most beloved and popular interpreter of Italian cuisine.

The Rome-born Nadia Caterina Munno, a Tampa-based influencer and food guru who only moved to the United States in 2015, has 11.5 million followers across social media platforms. On Instagram, she has 4.5 million, on Tiktok 3.8 million, on Youtube 1.2 million, on Facebook 1.1 million followers.

Munno got her start on TikTok in the midst of the pandemic, where she endeared herself to viewers with lively cooking videos focused on Italian cuisine and, more specifically, pasta. The flamboyant social media star is known for her catch phrase “just gorgeous,” which she says with flair when revealing her plated dishes. The mother of four has partnered with brands like Williams-Sonoma and Whole Foods and has a line of high-end copper cookware with Ruffoni.

Munno is about to publish her second cookbook with Simon & Schuster...

Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce are the latest awards contenders to receive honors at this year’s Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

On Tuesday, festival organizers revealed “The Brutalist” co-stars will be given the Cinema Vanguard Award at the 40th annual Sbiff next year.

“Both Adrien and Guy have had lengthy, rewarding, and uncompromising careers – and in this year’s ‘The Brutalist’ they each give us their best work to date,” remarked Sbiff’s Executive Director Roger Durling.

Set for release in December, “The Brutalist” is Brady Corbet’s American epic about post-war American life in the 1940s as seen through the eyes of a Hungarian immigrant, played by Brody. Pearce plays a mid-Atlantic titan of industry who hires Brody’s Lazlo Toth, an architect of great renown, to help him with a new project.

Brody is the youngest Best Actor winner ever, having won the award for “The Pianist...

Exclusive: The Santa Barbara Film Festival is lauding The Brutalist stars, Oscar winner Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce, with the Cinema Vanguard Award during the 40th annual event on February 13, 2025.

The Cinema Vanguard Award recognizes actors who have forged their own path, taking artistic risks and making a significant and unique contribution to film. Previous honorees include Paul Giamatti, Colin Farrell & Brendan Gleeson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Carey Mulligan, Laura Dern, Michael B. Jordan, William DaFoe, Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Rooney Mara, Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Amy Adams, Jean Dujardin, Bernice Bejo, Nicole Kidman, Peter Sarsgaard, Christoph Waltz, Vera Farmiga, Kristin Scott Thomas, Stanley Tucci and Ryan Gosling.

Directed by Brady Corbet with a scheduled release from A24 on December 20, The Brutalist follows an immigrant architect (Brody) who makes waves in post-World War II America, working for a fierce industrialist (Pearce). They plan to erect a mesmerizing, and defying,...

If the 2025 Oscars nominations were announced today, what would Gold Derby predict as the nominees and winners? Since our predictions center opened on July 1, 2024, more than 5,500 people have made their forecasts in 18 top categories. So who’s out front to claim these golden trophies, according to the Gold Derby Oscar predictions 2025?

Below, see a snapshot in time of our racetrack odds for the 97th Academy Awards, updated on November 11, 2024. See how the odds and rankings have changed over time by examining our previous Oscar snapshots on July 3, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 29, August 6, August 19, August 28, September 11, September 19, September 23, September 30, October 7, October 14, October 22, October 28, and November 4.

Now expected to receive a nomination since the last update: “Wicked” in Best Picture, Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Hard Truths”) in Best Actress, and both “September 5” and “The Substance” in Best Original Screenplay.

See Make your Oscar predictions right now — it’s fun and easy!

Gold Derby’s...

“Conclave” costume designer Lisy Christl made some changes to the vestments worn by the Catholic cardinals, whose look in real life is quickly recognizable, to bring them to the screen. The first change: the fabric. Christl opted for a heavier wool than what is used in the real-life clothing.

The other big modification was to the standard red. For the film, Christl explains, “I went to a costume house in Rome, and they gave me an original robe. I showed it to [director] Edward Berger and our Dp (Stéphane Fontaine) and said, ‘If you look at this for two hours, it might be difficult on your eyes.’” Christl, who was nominated for an Oscar in 2012 for “Anonymous,” looked at older robes dating back to the 15th century through the 1960s and noted they were darker. She chose that darker shade because it would read better on camera.

The film, currently in theaters,...

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Citadel: Honey Bunny is an action spy thriller drama series created by Sita R. Menon, Raj, and Dk. The Prime Video series is the third entry in the Russo Brothers‘ Citadel franchise and it follows Honey, a struggling actress who was recruited by Bunny, a stuntman for a side gig as a spy. Years later Honey has a daughter and she is hunted by agents and she must find a way to protect herself and her daughter. Citadel: Honey Bunny stars Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu in the lead roles with Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon, Sikander Kher, and Saqib Saleem. So, if you loved the explosive action, thrilling espionage drama, and compelling characters in Citadel: Honey Bunny here are some similar movies you should check out next.

Citadel (Prime Video) Credit – Prime Video

Citadel is a...