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Though controversial figures like Joe Rogan and Conor McGregor and organizations like the UFC have turned mixed martial arts into one of the most popular sports in the world, that popularity has failed to translate to the world of cinema. "Rocky" and "Raging Bull" showed what full-contact competitive fighting sports could uniquely bring to the sports subgenre, and the continued success of the "Creed" series proves that the appetite from audiences for this sort of film persists despite the Marvel-ification of the movie theater.

So why aren't there more Mma movies? It's likely because what few have been produced have, on the whole, been critical failures. But that doesn't mean this sub-subgenre is doomed altogether. We've found the 10 best Mma movies ever made, the best qualities of each arguably revealing what qualities future films need to master before entering the theatrical octagon themselves.

Read more: The 25 Best '80s Action...

Exclusive: Doug Johnson has left CAA to join WME as an agent in the non-scripted department. He starts in January. In addition to non-scripted, Johnson will continue to work across the scripted space with a focus on comedy. Joining him at WME are several longtime clients, Emmy-winning Abbott Elementary creator, executive producer and star Quinta Brunson; Saturday Night Live star Mikey Day; The Masked Singer host Nick Cannon; NBA analyst (and former star) Kenny “The Jet” Smith and film director Frank Coraci; with more expected to follow.

Throughout his career, Johnson has worked across both scripted and non-scripted. At CAA, he was member of the non-fiction department while also working as a literary and talent agent.

After a six-year stint at Management 360 early on, Johnson began his career as an agent in 2009 at UTA. He moved to ICM in 2011 where he moved up the ranks and became partner in...

Adam Sandler isn’t an actor that the audience associates with the Oscars, and surprisingly, his only Oscar-nominated movie to date is a comedy with 34% on Rotten Tomatoes. Adam Sandler is one of the most popular comedy actors of his generation, as well as one of the most profitable ones, even if many of his movies aren’t critical hits. Sandler’s acting career began on television when he played Smitty in The Cosby Show in 1987, while his film debut arrived in 1989 in the comedy Going Overboard. The following year, Sandler joined the cast of Saturday Night Live.

Sandler’s break arrived in 1995 with the comedy Billy Madison, and since then, he has appeared in a variety of comedies, some more successful than others. However, Sandler has also taken the time to explore other genres in his career, leaning more towards drama in movies like Punch-Drunk Love and Spanglish and...

In 2009, Disney purchased the film rights to Marvel Studios. In 2012, Disney purchased Lucasfilm. In 2017, Disney purchased the 20th Century Fox library. Thanks to these major buys, Disney now owns some of the most bankable films of all time. When not adjusted for inflation, Disney also owns a controlling stake in nine out of the 10 highest-grossing movies ever, including two "Avatar" movies, "Titanic," three movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a Pixar film, a "Star Wars" film, and a remake of an animated classic.

But every major hit seems to balance itself out with a major loss. Disney also has ownership of some of the biggest box office bombs of all time, as the "high risk, high reward" filmmaking model has proven unsuccessful at least as often as it has worked. Disney also owns major commercial duds like "The Marvels," "John Carter," "The Lone Ranger," "Mars Needs Moms," "Tomorrowland," "Onward," "Strange World,...

Alongside Kevin James, the cast of the 2011 comedy, Zookeeper, sees many high-profile celebrities help make it a memorable fantasy movie as they voice several of its anthropomorphic animals. James stars as the titular hero, who is considering a career switch as he feels thats the only way he can improve his chances at finding love. The news comes as a shock to his animal friends, and the zoo creatures try and set him up with someone else to convince him to stay. Zookeeper didnt fare well with most critics but is still worth a watch for family-friendly comedy fans.

What is worth noting about the Zookeeper cast is the stellar voice cast behind the animals and the actual animals themselves. The movie features some iconic animal performers, like Crystal the Monkey who provides the physical likeness for the tufted capuchin Donald, and the late Bart the Bear 2 who plays the grizzly bear Jerome.

With decades in show business and a legendary career, the best Henry Winkler movies and TV shows feature some true classics. Winkler began his on-screen career in the 1970s as one of the defining characters in television, playing The Fonz in Happy Days. While he would become somewhat stuck to that role for many years, Winkler eventually got more opportunities to showcase the different sides of his talents in a wide variety of movies and shows.

Winkler has come off as one of the sweetest and kindest characters on screen, but he has also shown a terrific talent for playing self-centered and deeply flawed people. He has built a career with a mix of dramatic and comedic roles, sometimes playing both aspects within the same role. With recent successes like Barry all the way back to the beginning of his career, Winkler has a number of stellar projects worth revisiting.

Blended is Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore's worst movie. Thankfully, Sandler and Barrymore are open to working together again. The Wedding Singer is the duo's best film.

Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore starred in the 2014 rom-com Blended, and given that it is their worst movie together, I desperately need them to make another film so that Blended is not their final one. Sandler and Barrymore have played love interests in three movies over the course of their acting careers, making them a notable duo in Hollywood. Given that they keep on making movies together, it stands to reason that Sandler and Barrymore have a good working relationship, which has resulted in fantastic chemistry and is why many seem to love their onscreen partnership.

Sandler and Barrymore first worked together when they played the leading roles in the 1998 rom-com The Wedding Singer. Six years later (to the day), Sandler and...

A new faith-based film fund has been set up by former Im Global executive Alexandros Potter and filmmaker Yelena Popovic, behind the hugely successful 2021 drama “Man of God,” about the Greek saint Nectarios of Aegina.

Simeon Faith, one of a number of new announcements in the faith-based film world in recent months, is a dedicated equity film fund focused on financing and producing what it describes as “talent-driven, high-end artistic and commercial fare with strong elements of faith for a global audience.”

The new fund aims to finance one to two films per year over the next four years. The first project on the slate is “Moses the Black,” a story of a gangster in modern day Chicago that is inspired by the fourth-century saint of the same name. The film is scheduled to go into production this year, with Popovic as writer and director.

Simeon Faith comes backed by...

City of Hope's Future Hope Committee, part of its Music, Film and Entertainment Industry (Mfei) volunteer fundraising group, hosted the annual All in for Hope Poker Tournament at the iconic Creative Artists Agency (CAA) office in Los Angeles.

Attendees included notable names from the entertainment industry, such as Grammy award winners Krish Sharma, Tom Syrowski and Theron “Neff-u” Feemster, director Frank Coraci, poker pro Robbi Jade Lew, actress Mimi Rogers, and songwriter Justin Jesso.

The All in for Hope Poker Tournament presented by the Natalie Cole Foundation goes well beyond the poker table by providing a unique day of celebration in support of City of Hope’s vital mission to treat, and ultimately cure, cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. In its 50-plus-year history, Mfei has raised over $150 million for City of Hope research and care.

The event featured activations, hospitality, live auctions and unique prizes provided by Aviator Nation,...

Debi Mazar regrets turning down a role in 'The Wedding Singer'.The 59-year-old actress was offered the role of Holly Sullivan, cousin and friend to lead character Julia Sullivan (Drew Barrymore) in the 1998 romantic comedy but revealed she rejected it, which she still regrets.Speaking on 'The Drew Barrymore Show', she said: "I wanted to do 'The Wedding Singer', and I got the part, and I was so excited because I really was such a huge fan of Adam [Sandler]. And then my agent said, you know, ‘Don’t do it, you’re not getting paid the right amount of money.’ And I was like, wait, what?"Debi explained she dropped out "only because my agent told me, ‘Just, just hang on, don’t do it'."Christine Taylor went on to play the role of Holly and Debi said: "I regret it to this day. I [said sorry] to Adam Sandler,...

Debi Mazar is still mourning a role she passed on in the 1998 beloved rom-com The Wedding Singer.

The actress revealed during a surprise virtual appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show Friday that she turned down the opportunity to play Holly Sullivan, cousin and friend to Julia Sullivan (Drew Barrymore), in the movie also starring Adam Sandler.

“I wanted to do The Wedding Singer, and I got the part, and I was so excited because I really was such a huge fan of Adam,” Mazar recalled. “And then my agent said, you know, ‘Don’t do it, you’re not getting paid the right amount of money.’ And I was like, wait, what?”

The Empire Records actress said she ultimately passed on it “only because my agent told me, ‘Just, just hang on, don’t do it.'” Christine Taylor, who was also a guest on Barrymore’s show Friday, ended up playing the character.

Loving Adam Sandler means making your peace with the actor's wildly inconsistent output. It's not like The Sandman has ever been a critical darling; even during his rise to superstardom in the '90s, "Happy Gilmore" and "The Wedding Singer" were the only movies of his that you could reasonably call well-reviewed (and that's coming from an ardent "Billy Madison" defender). But the films that he's churned out under his Happy Madison Productions, which was founded in 1999, have been all over the place quality-wise. Even most die-hard Sandlites probably wouldn't go to the mattresses over stinkers like "Jack and Jill" and "Grown Ups 2."

That's only become doubly true since Sandler entered his alliance with Netflix in the 2010s. Sometimes, you end up with little more than "content" for viewers to stream and immediately forget, but you can also get remarkably good stuff like "The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected...

The chemistry between Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore in their movie collaborations is electric, resulting in successful box office hits and positive critical reviews. Despite some setbacks in their careers, such as Sandler's string of less-than-stellar films, their partnership still manages to shine through and captivate audiences. Fans can look forward to a potential new collaboration between Sandler and Barrymore, as they actively search for a new project that showcases their chemistry while offering something fresh and intriguing.

The Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore movies ranked worst to best captures, at both ends of the scale, one of the most lucrative yet underrated comedic partnerships in Hollywood. Adam Sandler certainly has many detractors, but the box office proves his career has been highly successful. After Adam Sandler was unceremoniously fired from Saturday Night Live, he wasted no time becoming one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood, starring in 1990s classics like Billy Madison,...

Patrick Wilson reveals he wants to direct an adaptation of the comic book Hawaiian Dick, which he was even approached about many years ago. The actor has appeared in multiple comic book adaptations, starting with Zack Snyder's Watchmen as Daniel Dreiberg/Nite Owl and two different Dceu roles as the voice of the U.S. President in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Orm Marius/Ocean Master in Aquaman, which he reprises in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. However, Wilson is also well-known for horror movies, with his directorial debut Insidious: The Red Door releasing on July 7.

During a recent interview with ComicBook, Wilson revealed he already has an idea for a comic book movie he wants to direct – Hawaiian Dick. The actor was even approached about starring in an adaptation of the deep-cut comic book "a hundred years ago," though he has no clue who owns the rights anymore.

Way back in 2006, it was announced that Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer) had signed on to direct an adaptation of the supernatural private eye thriller comic book Hawaiian Dick, working from a script by Freddy vs. Jason writers Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. There was talk about Johnny Knoxville starring in the film and Patrick Wilson was approached about joining the cast, but the project never made it into production. Years have passed, but obviously something about the concept of Hawaiian Dick really stuck with Wilson, because in a recent interview he revealed that he would like to direct a Hawaiian Dick adaptation himself!

Wilson is currently doing the press rounds for his feature directorial debut Insidious: The Red Door, which is set to reach theatres on July 7th. While he was speaking with ComicBook.com, he was asked if there’s a comic book adaptation he’d be interested in directing.

Los Angeles, May 9 (Ians) Hollywood actress Emma Roberts, who is known for “Paradise Hills” and “Billionaire Boys Club”, is set to headline the comedy “Hot Mess”.

The movie marks the feature directorial debut for film and TV helmer Katie Locke O’Brien. The project was written by Gabrielle D’Amico and is produced by Debbie Liebling, Maggie Malina and Laura Lewis, reports ‘Variety’.

Currently in pre-production and scheduled to start shooting in early 2024, Mister Smith Entertainment will launch its international sales at this month’s Cannes market. Lewis at Rebelle Media is representing North American rights.

An official synopsis for the film, accessed by ‘Variety’, reads: “After imploding in the worst way possible on a wildly popular American dating show, Laurel Mack (Roberts) must do the ultimate walk of shame… back to her hometown.

“Having failed to win love on the show, Laurel finds herself living in her quirky parents’ basement, without any friends,...

Emma Roberts is set to headline the comedy “Hot Mess.”

The movie marks the feature directorial debut for film and TV helmer Katie Locke O’Brien. The project was written by Gabrielle D’Amico and is produced by Debbie Liebling (“South Park”), Maggie Malina (“Resort To Love”) and Laura Lewis (“Mr. Malcolm’s List”).

Currently in pre-production and scheduled to start shooting in early 2024, Mister Smith Entertainment will launch international sales at this month’s Cannes market. Laura Lewis at Rebelle Media is representing North American rights.

An official synopsis for the film reads: “After imploding in the worst way possible on a wildly popular American dating show, Laurel Mack (Roberts) must do the ultimate walk of shame… back to her hometown. Having failed to win love on the show, Laurel finds herself living in her quirky parents’ basement, without any friends, constantly bumping into the miserable ex the whole town adores, and...

On Feb. 13, 1998, New Line unveiled The Wedding Singer in theaters in time for Valentine’s Day audiences. The Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore rom-com went on to earn 123 million globally at the box office. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below.

We’ve all heard him, usually at weddings and bar mitzvahs where alcohol often blurs true appreciation of his talents. Song stylist extraordinaire, he has the uncanny ability to make virtually any song, even “In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida,” sound like “Hot Hot Hot.”

Now, thanks to Adam Sandler, he has been finally given his due in The Wedding Singer, a (for the most part) winning romantic comedy that plays off the per former’s sweet, loopy personality. Despite a saggy middle stymied by sappy good intentions, the picture stands as Sandler’s best effort.

Demographically, expect some thing of a trade-off. While all the lovey-dovey stuff might turn off some of his partying young male fans,...

On the heels of Robert Zemeckis’s live-action interpretation of Pinocchio, which debuted in September 2022, Disney is in desperate need of a rebooted live-action hit, with certain “enhanced CGI films” like Hercules, Bambi, and even Aristocats, potentially in the cards for the studio.

However, Disney’s live-action efforts have been met with a mixed reception. While projects like The Jungle Book received praise, Mulan and The Lion King failed to garner an enthusiastic response. However, some Redditors hope that Disney will consider their favorite films for a reboot adaptation, either giving interesting premises that suffered poor execution another chance or emboldening already-classic films.

Updated on December 6th, 2022 by Jordan Iacobucci:

There is no denying it--Disney has live-action fever, with almost all of its beloved animated classics receiving a reboot in the last several years. As Disney approaches the end of its Renaissance films, many fans are calling out for certain...

Exclusive: In-demand actress Emma Roberts is in final talks to join Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush in action-comedy Verona Spies, which will be directed by comedy veteran Frank Coraci, known for movies including The Wedding Singer and The Waterboy.

Luminosity Entertainment is handling world sales, co-financing and launching the project at the AFM this week.

Roberts, currently in production on Sony’s Spider Man spinoff Madame Web, will play the title role of Verona, “a loveable hot mess” who, through a case of mistaken identity, is hired as an escort/assassin. Her mission: to seduce a pharmaceutical executive and steal his formula for a revolutionary new drug that can change the world. When she meets her charmingly handsome target, sparks fly. Instead of killing him they decide to team up and flee for their lives as Big Pharma and hired killers come gunning for them. Casting for the pharma exec-come-lover is under way.

Click here to read the full article.

Adam Sandler, the beloved veteran actor who is best known for his work in big screen comedies, is set to be celebrated for a dramatic film next month.

The Newport Beach Film Festival will present Sandler with its inaugural Performance of the Year Award in recognition of his work in Jeremiah Zagar’s Hustle, the fest’s organizers announced Thursday. The 56-year-old will be feted at a noontime luncheon at the Resort at Pelican Hill on Saturday, Oct. 15, following an hourlong recording of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, which features career-retrospective conversations with Hollywood’s biggest names.

Sandler’s career took off with a five-year stint on Saturday Night Live, from 1990 to 1995, followed by a long string of comedic blockbuster films including Tamra Davis’s Billy Madison (1995), Dennis Dugan’s Happy Gilmore (1996), Frank Coraci’s The Waterboy (1998) and The Wedding Singer...

An untitled Jean-Marc Vallee feature and Zack Snyder’s Netflix film are among beneficiaries.

The California Film Commission (Cfc) has named 23 feature projects conditionally approved for credits in the latest round of allocations under the state’s film and TV tax credit programme.

Big-budget projects selected out of the 56 applications the Cfc received this round include Zack Snyder’s Netflix project Rebel Moon: Part 1, set to get an estimated credit of $18.5m on a qualified spend of $83m; Universal’s untitled Jean-Marc Vallee project, with an estimated credit of $17.3m on qualified spending of $86.7m; and Beverly Hills Cop 4,...

“Resident Evil” producer Constantin Film has acquired the rights to Lee Goldberg’s movie script for thriller “The Walk,” which he adapted from his bestselling novel. Goldberg has served as the showrunner of “Diagnosis Murder” and “Martial Law.”

In “The Walk,” after an apocalyptic earthquake, a studio exec is making his way by foot from downtown L.A. to the San Fernando Valley to find his family and has to reluctantly team up with an unusual traveler going the same direction. Yet nothing is as it seems and the walk proves to be full of unexpected traps and challenges.

Goldberg has published more than 40 novels, including “Lost Hills,” “True Fiction,” and five “Fox & O’Hare” novels (with Janet Evanovich), selling nearly two million copies worldwide.

Goldberg’s television credits include writing multiple episodes of the USA Network series “Monk,” and co-creating “Mystery 101,” Hallmark’s series of TV movies.

Robert Kulzer...

EntertainmentLakshmi Manchu is hosting a talk show for Rana Daggubati’s YouTube channel South Bay. Digital NativeLakshmi Manchu is hosting a talk show for Rana Daggubati’s YouTube channel South Bay. The multifaceted Lakshmi Manchu will have celebs like SS Rajamouli, fashion designer Bibhu Mohapatra, designer duo Shantanu and Nikhil, Taapsee Pannu, American filmmaker Frank Coraci, tennis champions Sania Mirza and Prakash Amritraj, and pastry chefs Pooja Dhingra and Anna Poliviou, among others on her show which will begin telecast on November 15. Sharing her experience on interviewing SS Rajamouli, Lakshmi had told Ians, “There is an episode where Rajamouli Gaaru was my guest. Just for fun, I told Rajamouli sir to make a one minute pitch for a film, and then I said ‘sir, your time starts now!’ He started laughing and said, ‘I am not a spontaneous person at all. I think you put me in a fix!’ I...

There are very few actors afforded the opportunity to steer the direction of their own careers without making any compromises, and Adam Sandler is one of the names on that exclusive list. His Happy Madison Productions outfit is responsible for the overwhelming majority of his output, and as a result, the 54 year-old essentially has carte blanche to do whatever he wants.

Outside of his rare forays into more dramatic territory, Sandler’s movies generally feature his established roster of supporting players that includes the likes of Kevin James, Rob Schneider, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Chris Rock, Peter Dante and Allen Covert to name but a small few. Even the crew largely remains the same, with writer Tim Herlihy scripting twelve of the actor’s star vehicles while directors Steven Brill, Dennis Dugan and Frank Coraci are responsible for helming a combined total of eighteen Happy Madison features.

Netflix Reveals First...

Nu Boyana Film Studios, the Bulgarian production hub that’s serviced Hollywood blockbusters like the “Expendables” franchise and the upcoming “Rambo V,” is preparing to break ground on a studio in Thessaloniki, Greece.

The partnership with John Kalafatis, CEO of the New York City-based York Studios, will be dubbed Nu Boyana Hellenic, and will highlight the growing cooperation between the neighboring countries, as the introduction of Greece’s 35% cash rebate last year has a ripple effect across the region.

“With Greece announcing its tax rebates, we started looking a lot more seriously at what opportunities are there,” says Nu Boyana Film Studios CEO Yariv Lerner. “We realized it’s a great country with great locations, but not much infrastructure.”

The studio is the latest investment by Nu Boyana in a Greek industry that’s gotten a boost from its new incentive scheme. Last fall Lerner announced a partnership with the...

Exclusive: The Wedding Singer and Around The World In 80 Days filmmaker Frank Coraci is set to direct The Legend Of Sinbad for The Expendables outfit Millennium and Middle East firm Eagle Films.

The big canvas English-language film will be based on the iconic One Thousand And One Nights character Sinbad, a fictional Middle East mariner who over the course of seven voyages across the seas east of Africa and south of Asia has spectacular adventures encountering monsters, magic and various supernatural phenomena. The film is expected to have a cast of Middle East origin, including in the lead role.

Screenplay comes from Andrew Cosby, writer of Lionsgate’s upcoming Hellboy reboot and creator of Syfy series Eureka, and Hank Woon (It Came From The Desert). Shoot is being lined up for this fall with location scouting underway.

Producers are Yariv Lerner (Acts Of Vengeance), Lloyd Levin (Hellboy) and Bea Levin,...

The 1998 romantic comedy The Wedding Singer won viewers' hearts with its fun songs, lighthearted comedy and dreamy love story. Directed by Frank Coraci and written by Tim Herlihy, the movie grossed more than $123 million worldwide on an $18 million budget. Set in 1985, aspiring rock star Robbie Hart (Adam Sandler) makes his living by playing at weddings. He’s finally on track to have his own fairy-tale nuptials when Julia Sullivan (Drew Barrymore) enters his life and everything goes awry.

Eight years later, the film was turned into a Broadway musical under the same name. With...

Alex Winter directing upcoming Frank Zappa doc with Oscar-winning producer Glen Zipper.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Frank Zappa

London-based Great Point Media has bolstered its sales slate ahead of this month’s European Film Market (Efm) in Berlin.

The company has picked up Zappa, Alex Winter’s upcoming documentary about the pioneering musician Frank Zappa. Currently in pre-production, the feature is from Glen Zipper, the Oscar-winning producer of American Football doc Undefeated.

Director Winter is known for his acting roles as Ted in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and its sequel Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. His previous filmmaking credits include docs Downloaded and Deep Web.

Previously titled Who The F*@% Is Frank Zappa, the project set a record on crowdsourcing platform Kickstarter in 2016 by raising more than $1.2m, the most ever for a documentary.

Currently in pre-production, Zappa will have unprecedented access to a vault of archive material (music, films, photography) about the musician...

Groundhog Day and 10 more films about time, dreams, and perceptionGroundhog Day and 10 more films about time, dreams, and perceptionAdriana Floridia2/2/2018 11:30:00 Am

Today is Groundhog Day, where the myth lives on that a groundhog who sees his shadow will doom us to a longer winter than we deserve. Then there is Harold Ramis’ Groundhog Day, the film in which Bill Murray’s weatherman, Phil Connors mysteriously finds himself living the same day over and over again. On a traditional level the movie is a comedy, but it actually touches upon some really dark philosophical themes. It’s estimated by the filmmakers that Phil lives the same day for 10 years.

In honour of Groundhog Day, we’re taking a look back at ten other films that deal with time, memory, dreams, and repeated experiences. While there may be no film that tackles the topic as precisely as Groundhog Day, these...

After naming Alfonso Cuarón the best director of the 21st century, Metacritic has gone ahead and averaged out filmmakers’ Metascores to name the worst directors since 2000. As with the first list, filmmakers must have made at least four movies in the last 17 years to be eligible — meaning that Tom Six (“The Human Centipede”) and Dinesh D’Souza (“Hillary’s America”) don’t qualify despite the fact that they’re far from critical darlings.

Read MoreAlfonso Cuarón Is the Best Director of the 21st Century, According to Metacritic — See the Top 25

Uwe Boll, known for his oft-panned video-game adaptations, comes in at #2; the dubious honor of defeating him goes to Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, whose average Metascore of 14.5 comes from directing spoofs like “Meet the Spartans,” “Date Movie,” and “Epic Movie.”

You might not be familiar with some of the other names to be found here, in part because directing...

Steve Coogan, Neve Campbell and Taylor Russell will star in Frank Coraci’s indie film Hot Air.

The project, which will start shooting in New York on July 24, follows a conservative talk radio host who finds his world turned upside down when his 16-year-old niece comes crashing into his life. What follows is a relationship that will change both their lives.

Aimee Keen, Coraci and Susan Leber are producing the project. Robert Halmi, Jim Reeve, Coogan, Will Reichel, Eric Robinson and Ellen Goldsmith-Vein will serve as executive producers on the film. Great Point Media is fully financing the film,...

Groundhog Day and 10 more films about time, dreams, and perceptionGroundhog Day and 10 more films about time, dreams, and perceptionAdriana Floridia2/2/2017 10:30:00 Am

Today is Groundhog Day, where the myth lives on that a groundhog who sees his shadow will doom us to a longer winter than we deserve. Then there is Harold Ramis’ Groundhog Day, the film in which Bill Murray’s weatherman, Phil Connors mysteriously finds himself living the same day over and over again. On a traditional level the movie is a comedy, but it actually touches upon some really dark philosophical themes. It’s estimated by the filmmakers that Phil lives the same day for 10 years.

In honour of Groundhog Day, we’re taking a look back at ten other films that deal with time, memory, dreams, and repeated experiences. While there may be no film that tackles the topic as precisely as Groundhog Day, these...

To call The Ridiculous 6 one of Adam Sandler’s worst movies might actually be giving it more credit than it deserves – that is to say, such a sentiment presumes this two-hours-too-long excrement heap of cringe-inducing dialogue and Razzie-worthy acting is a “movie” at all. It certainly doesn’t feel like one, given that actual movies usually possess some semblance of comprehensible plot, visual beauty or competently written dialogue. The Ridiculous 6 doesn’t have any of that.

Instead, this Netflix original (wisely buried by the streaming service, which foolishly agreed to make a total of four films with this team) plays more like a collection of lazily offensive (and, more to the point, unfunny) sketches connected by a supremely flimsy, not to mention consummately boring, story arc. It’s an homage to the Western genre seemingly acted, written and directed by a group of people who have never seen one in their lives.

Stars: Adam Sandler, Terry Crews, Jorge Garcia, Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider, Luke Wilson, Will Forte, Steve Zahn, Harvey Keitel, Nick Nolte, Jon Lovitz, Whitney Cummings, David Spade, Danny Trejo, Nick Swardson | Written by Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler | Directed by Frank Coraci

The Ridiculous 6 is a film of two firsts. It is the first parody Adam Sandler has made; and it is the first film in his four-movie deal with Netflix. It’s also, undoubtedly, one of the most controversial films of Sandler’s career… Even before it debuted there was news of its racist nature, the furore over the treatment of its Native American cast and, even worse, the cast walkouts. There are even those that say Netflix have lost their mind signing up Sandler – after all, many see Netflix as the home of “quality drama” such as Orange is the New Black and House of Cards, how dare...

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Adam Sandler's comedy western lands on Netflix. So: any good?

The comedy western movie is super hard to nail. For every Blazing Saddles, there’s a Wild Wild West. For every Rango, there’s a Shanghai Noon and for every The Good, The Bad, The Weird, there’s a Lightning Jack.

For The Ridiculous 6 – the first of four Netflix productions he’s signed on to make with the streaming provider – Adam Sandler has gone where (the relatively popular in comparison) Seth MacFarlane crashed and burned just last year with A Million Ways To Die In The West.

In this satire of The Magnificent Seven, Sandler stars as a man who is raised by Native Americans after his mother is killed walking him to school. After his estranged father (Nick Nolte) suddenly shows up to reconcile with him and is subsequently kidnapped, Sandler takes it upon...

The bad news: “The Ridiculous 6” is as offensive and trite as all of the controversy surrounding it promised. The good news: “The Ridiculous 6” should finally sound the death knell for the collaboration of comedian Adam Sandler, director Frank Coraci and writer Tim Herlihy. If the universe holds any mercy in it at all, that is. Netflix doesn’t really have anything to lose by distributing Adam Sandler‘s satirical Western comedy, which came under fire by Native American actors on set during filming. The film is a mere blip in the streaming giant’s roster of entertainment properties,...

The first trailer for The Ridiculous 6, Netflix’s first Sandler “comedy,” arrived yesterday, and though it’s been embedded at the top of this article, that’s far from a recommendation on my behalf that you watch it.

You see, though this is apparently meant to be a funny movie, there are absolutely zero laughs to be found in the preview. Instead, what we’ve got is an assortment of offensive stereotypes of Native Americans; some dumb exposition about why Sandler’s character, White Knife (ugh), ends up journeying across the Old West; people falling out of buildings; and a grotesquely long list of the actors cash-strapped enough to take on supporting roles. So, if you choose to skip it, you’re not missing much.

Click‘s Frank Coraci is reuniting with Sandler to direct The Ridiculous 6, which also stars Terry Crews, Jorge Garcia, Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider,...

The trailer for Netflix's Ridiculous 6, starring Adam Sandler and a bunch of other guys, is here. Check it out below!

The large cast includes Twilight's Taylor Lautner, Nick Nolte, Blake Shelton, Whitney Cummings, Luke Wilson, Steve Zahn, Danny Trejo, Chris Parnell and Lavell Crawford, Steve Buscemi, Rob Schneider, Dan Aykroyd, Will Forte, Nick Swardson, Terry Crews, Jon Lovitz and Vanilla Ice.

Sandler will play man who grew up as an orphan among an Indian tribe. Lautner, Schneider, Wilson and Crews are poised to play his half-brothers, while the final half-brother has yet to be cast. Nolte will play Sandler’s long-lost father; Parnell a bank manager; Lovitz a wealthy industrialist and Cummings his flirtatious wife. Forte and Trejo will play the leaders of rival gangs, while Buscemi will play a local jack-of-all-trades. Shelton is in line to play Wyatt Earp, while Vanilla Ice has been tipped to play Mark Twain.

The first in a four picture deal between Adam Sandler and Netflix, you have probably heard about The Ridiculous 6 because of the fierce controversy surrounding it and the fact that a number of Native American performers walking off set due to racially sensitive material. Despite that bit of bad press, the first trailer for the comedy western about a gang of outlaw half-brothers is here, and.....it’s an Adam Sandler movie, we know what to expect by now. While it elicited nary a chuckle from me, I have to hand it to Sandler and and his go to director Frank Coraci (Click, The Waterboy, The Wedding Singer) for assembling a pretty decent cast. Sure, the Sandler regulars are there (Terry Crews, Rob Schneider, Jon Lovitz, Steve Buscemi etc.), but it also has Harvey Kietel, Steve Zahn, Danny Trejo, Nick Nolte, Luke Wilson, and John Tuturro in the mix too.

"Who are you people?!" "We are the Stockburn Brothers!" Netflix has debuted the first trailer for the new comedy from Frank Coraci and Adam Sandler titled The Ridiculous Six. It's a western starring Adam Sandler as Tommy "White Knife" Stockburn who goes on a wild west adventure with his five brothers. The impressive comedic cast includes Steve Buscemi, Taylor Lautner, Terry Crews, Norm MacDonald, Danny Trejo, Will Forte, Nick Nolte, Rob Schneider, Luke Wilson, Steve Zahn and David Spade. If the cheesy lines don't sell you, maybe that cast will. This really does not look good at all, but maybe that's just my sense of humor, or... it's way too overdone. Not a moment of this made me laugh. It just looks ridiculous. Have fun! Here's the first trailer (+ poster) for Frank Coraci's The Ridiculous Six, direct from Netflix's YouTube: Synopsis: When his long-lost outlaw father returns, Tommy "White...

To the chagrin of his detractors, Adam Sandler has become a true icon of contemporary American cinema, the comedian a multiplex fixture on par with Tom Cruise, bags of popcorn and infinitely larger bags of popcorn for just 50 cents more. So, even if Sandler may not be the most critically lauded superstar in Hollywood, it was still a game-changer when he announced that four of his upcoming films would be exclusively released on Netflix ("'Netflix' rhymes with 'wet chicks,'" he explained). Now, a little over a year later, the...

Adam Sandler saddles up as Tommy, a.k.a. White Knife, in the first full trailer for Netflix’s “The Ridiculous 6,” which centers around a goofy gang of multicultural brothers. Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider, Luke Wilson, Terry Crews, Steve Buscemi and Nick Nolte co-star. Nolte plays the gang’s long-lost father, while Sandler’s character is an outlaw raised by Indians. Frank Coraci (“The Wedding Singer”) is directing from a script that Tim Herlihy co-wrote with Sandler, who is producing along with Allen Covert. Happy Madison’s Heather Parry and Barry Bernardi are executive producing the film, which will...

'Hotel Transylvania 2.' 'Hotel Transylvania 2' far surpasses expectations at domestic box office: Adam Sandler a hit when heard but not seen Adam Sandler has been having his share of domestic box office flops lately. Chris Columbus' Pixels, which opened in late July to scathing reviews and indifferent audiences, was the latest one: a reported $88 million production (plus marketing and distribution expenses) that earned $76.67 million in the U.S. and Canada (plus an estimated $145.1 million elsewhere). But now comes the Sony Pictures release Hotel Transylvania 2, the concisely titled sequel to the late Sept. 2012 hit Hotel Transylvania. Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, the $80-85 million-budgeted animated feature should open around $48 million from 3,754 theaters according to early weekend box office estimates found at Deadline.com. The report adds that some “rival studio box office analysts” believe Hotel Transylvania 2 may actually pass the $50 million mark. On Friday, Sept. 25, '15, it collected a better than expected (estimated) $13.5 million.

'Pixels' movie with Adam Sandler. 'Pixels' movie weekend box office: Adam Sandler vs. 'Ant-Man' Despite its underwhelming domestic box office debut last weekend, Marvel's Ant-Man may turn out to be the winner in North America this weekend (July 24–26, '15) thanks to another underwhelming debut: that of the Adam Sandler Pixels movie. According to weekend box office projections found at Variety, the Chris Columbus-directed Pixels is expected to open with $25 million from 3,723 locations – following a $10 million Friday take (including $1.5M from Thursday previews). If so, that'll place Adam Sandler's latest lowbrow comedy – now in 3D – on a par with Sandler domestic disappointments like Jack and Jill and Funny People. Deadline.com, for its part, is expecting $27-$28 million by Sunday evening. Sat., July 25, update: According to studio box office estimates, Pixels underperformed on Friday, taking in $9.2 million. That's below figures for Jack and Jill and, adjusted for...

Even as an Adam Sandler/Kevin James-vehicle, Pixels deserves to be more inspired. The arcade-loving, '80s-centric action-comedy transitioned to the big screen from Patrick Jean's inventive world-domination-by-8-bits short film wields the fine set pieces, tech resources and token-required games to earn a top score. But Sandler and his team don't even attempt to advance to the next level, constantly drawing on the comedian's trademark sophomoric cheat codes to hastily produce what's essentially the poor man's Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, global-annihilation movie. Make no mistake: this is a Happy Madison production through-and-through. Minus extensive pratfall jokes with James or unnecessary Rob Schneider or Steve Buscemi pop-ups, almost every check mark from the Sandler production list is marked. Cheap insults directed towards one physical trait from different supporting charactersc Check. Sandler getting the out-of-his-league girl (in this case, Michelle Monaghan) because he's our main slubby do-gooderc You bet.

Ahead of the release of his new film, Pixels, Adam Sandler has sprung to the defence of his upcoming western, The Ridiculous Six...

Earlier this year, Adam Sandler's first film for Netflix - comedy western The Ridiculous Six - found itself in the headlines when Native American actors walked off the film. The film was accused of being "totally disrespectful" of Apache culture, with one actor, Loren Anthony, telling AP that "right from the get-go, it didn't feel right. But we let it go". However, Anthony added that "once we found out more about the script, we felt it was totally disrespectful to elders and Native women".

Reportedly, character names in the movie include Beaver's Breath and No Bra. Sandler has co-written the movie, which has been described as a "broad satire of western movies".

Now, nearly three months after the controversy first surfaced, Adam Sandler himself has responded to the criticisms.

1. Netflix has set dates for its first slate of original feature films. Leading the pack is Cary Fukunaga's "Beasts of No Nation," which Netflix pushes into the awards corridor day-and-date on October 16. Since Netflix outbid Fox Searchlight for the film back in March, ticked-off exhibitors have dropped out of screening "Beasts," which shares its opening date with Steven Spielberg's "Bridge of Spies" and Guillermo del Toro's "Crimson Peak," and will be distributed in theaters by Netflix partner Bleecker Street. The first of four Adam Sandler vehicles set for Netflix, "The Ridiculous Six," will premiere in time for the holidays on December 11. A sendup of classic Westerns, the film is directed by co-writer Sandler's buddy Frank Coraci. Read More: Why Netflix Shelled Out for Cary Fukunaga's 'Beasts of No Nation,' Shunned by Exhibitors Two titles, however, we won't see until next year. "Pee-wee's Big Holiday"...

Bleecker Street to partner with Netflix to distribute Cary Fukunaga’s Beasts Of No Nation theatrically.

Netflix has announced that the rollout of its original film initiative will begin with Beasts Of No Nation, the new film written and directed by Cary Fukunaga (True Detective, Sin Nombre) starring Idris Elba (Luther, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom).

The film will debut on October 16 worldwide on Netflix in all territories where the internet TV network is available and on the same day in select Us theatres.

Andrew Karpen’s New York-based Bleecker Street will distribute the film theatrically. The deal builds on the relationship between Karpen and Fukunaga from the days when the former was co-ceo at Sin Nombre and Jane Eyre distributor Focus Features.

Bleecker Street, backed by 5-Hour Energy founder Manoj Bhargava, has established early ties with the entertainment world’s digital titans. It will serve as theatrical distributor on Elvis & Nixon, which [link=co...

Having revolutionized the television landscape by pioneering the modern phenomenon of binge-watching and bringing Oscar-caliber actors to the small screen, Netflix is now setting its sights on feature programming. Today, the streaming giant has firmed up plans to release its first sequence of theatrical-quality pics, including Beasts of No Nation and The Ridiculous Six.

Beasts of No Nation, directed by True Detective helmer Cary Fukunaga, will be released on Netflix and in select theaters on October 16. The award-tipped drama focuses on a child soldier (Abraham Attah) stolen away from his family and recruited into a civil war effort under the brutal tutelage of a warlord (Idris Elba). Its day-and-date theatrical and streaming bow will qualify the pic for Oscar attention, which had been a worry after the major theater chains boycotted the film over concerns that Netflix wasn’t honoring the typical route for theatrical releases.

Next up will be...