News

In the latest Shondaland/Netflix team-up comes a zany murder mystery helmed by Paul William Davies, who serves as creator, showrunner, writer and executive producer. Inspired by Kate Andersen Browser’s book The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House, the series follows Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba), a consulting detective for the Metropolitan Police Department tasked to solve the suspicious death of the White House chief usher (Giancarlo Esposito). Known for her wry humor, unconventional truth-seeking methods and a sharp eye for human behavior, Cordelia is the most sought-after detective in the world, who is (begrudgingly) paired with FBI Special Agent Edwin Park (Randall Park), to interview the eccentric White House guests and staff during a high-stakes State Dinner—where the crime was committed.

Here, Aduba tells Deadline about getting up close and comfortable with her role as the world’s greatest detective.

Deadline: What exactly did you...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Deep Cover is a British action comedy film directed by Tom Kingsley from a screenplay co-written by Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly, Ben Ashenden, and Alexander Owen. The Prime Video film is set in London, and it follows three improv actors who are recruited by the police to infiltrate the criminal underworld of London. Deep Cover stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed, Paddy Considine, Ian McShane, and Sean Bean. So, if you loved the hilarious comedy, entertaining characters, and compelling story in Deep Cover, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Lionsgate

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is an action comedy film directed by Tom Gormican, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Kevin Etten. The 2022 film follows a fictionalized Nicolas Cage who...

Over the past decade, Walt Disney Studios has taken a lot of flack for going back to the well and remaking or reimagining over a dozen of their classic animated movies in live-action (or photorealistic computer generated imagery in the case of "The Lion King") -- and there's a good reason for that. With the exception of "Cinderella," "The Little Mermaid," and "Cruella," most of Disney's revamps haven't come close to measuring up to their predecessors, with the live-action element taking away much of the personality and imagination of those beloved animated tales. The remakes often skew too close to the original without much innovation, or the enhanced and updated elements, which often include new original songs, don't add much to the magic that preceded it. 

That's why many (including yours truly) have been leery of the live-action remake of DreamWorks Animation's "How to Train Your Dragon" (despite its...

Having worked on “E.R” and “Presidio Med,” costume designer Lyn Paolo felt she didn’t feel the need to do another medical drama.

But when she read the scripts for “The Pitt” by former “E.R.” colleagues and producers John Wells and Noah Wyle, she couldn’t turn it down. “The scripts were brilliant, and they’re all so passionate about the project and highlighting the people that take care of us.”

The HBO Max series takes place within the course of one 15-hour shift at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. Paolo’s challenge was to make her costumes look and feel real.

Paolo describes Wyle’s Dr. Michael Robbie’s look as “downtrodden and worn out.” His Beers of the Burgh hoodie was “trashed. His pants weren’t new either,” Paolo says.

In comparison, the new people to the trauma center came in with a fresh and crisp look.

Filmmaker Dean DeBlois has been nominated for three Oscars and has written several beloved films like Lilo & Stitch(2002) and the animated How to Train Your Dragontrilogy. But, when it came to the live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon, DeBlois said he was “worried” about how fans would react.

DeBlois returned to the franchise, based on the books by Cressida Cowell, to write and direct DreamWorks Animation’s live-action How to Train Your Dragon,which will be released in theaters on June 13. The film premiered for the first time at CinemaCon and recently had its official premiere at the Isle of Berk in Universal’s Epic Universe.

How to Train Your Dragon Director: “I Wasn’t Confident”

Per CinemaBlend, during the Epic Universe premiere of the film, which stars Gerard Butler, Mason Thames, and Nico Parker, DeBlois touched on some doubts that he had ahead of the very first screening.

Emmy-Award winning costume designer Lyn Paolo is no stranger to working in the fictionalized world of the White House. With her work already featured in Shondaland’s Scandal and The West Wing, the veteran designer knows her way around a series’ Oval office. However, Paul William Davies‘ The Residence proved to present a new, unique challenge for the designer.

“As a costume designer, I will say that it was a really fun jigsaw puzzle, because you have all these elements, all these people, but then you have all the [White House] rooms,” Paolo tells The Hollywood Reporter.

In the series, Uzo Aduba and Randall Park are a detective duo enlisted to solve the murder of chief usher A.B. Wynter, who is killed during the most chaotic night for staff: the White House State Dinner. Aduba leads the ensemble cast as Cordelia Cupp, a consulting detective for the Metropolitan Police Department. FBI...

A live-action reboot of the 2010s DreamWorks animated fantasy trilogy, How to Train Your Dragon, is set to premiere in a couple of months, and as timing would have it, fans can catch up on the originals just in time for the live-action film. The entire How to Train Your Dragon trilogy will hit Peacock on April 1.

The first film, released in 2010, earned $494.8 million worldwide and starred Jay Baruchel as the voice of Hiccup, Gerard Butler as Stoick the Vast, and America Ferrera as Astrid. The movie follows Hiccup, a misfit Viking teenager who tries to change the course of the future of his people after he makes friends with an injured dragon named Toothless. The first film has a nearly-perfect Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 99%.

The 2 Sequels Were Box Office Hits

How to Train Your Dragon 2 dropped in 2014 and also featured Baruchel, Butler, and Ferrera, with the addition...

The incomparable Brad Pitt made a heartfelt revelation during an interview with W Magazinein 2012, one people weren't expecting. In the brief clip, he was asked about the films that pull at his heartstrings and make him cry. The Oscar-winning actor tried to keep a cool facade and said he's not much of a crier when it comes to films and that the occasional film might make him tear up, but a full-blown crying session is out of the question. However, one film touched him, and it's not what some people might've expected to hear from Pitt. He revealed that the animated movie How to Train Your Dragon made him cry at the end when Vikings and dragons lived in harmony with each other.

The animated film premiered in 2010 and was directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. How to Train Your Dragon is a coming-of-age story that follows a young...

A new official trailer for Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s live-action How to Train Your Dragonrecently dropped. The highly-anticipated reboot of the 2010 animated movie of the same name hits theaters on June 13. Now, ahead of the summer premiere, Dean DeBlois, who wrote and directed the new live-action movie and co-wrote and co-directed the 2010 film, is dishing about how the movies differ.

Speaking with TheWrap, DeBlois said that when Universal said they wanted to revisit How to Train Your Dragon,his team had to “pick a lane at the start.” The movie is a reimagining of the 2010 animated film, which was based on the book series by Cressida Cowell. The 2010 film starred Jay Baruchel as the voice of Hiccup, Gerard Butler as Stoick the Vast, Craig Ferguson as Gobber, and America Ferrera as Astrid.

In the new film, Butler reprises his role as Stoick while Mason Thames takes on the role...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Brothers is an action heist comedy adventure series directed by Max Barbakow from a screenplay by Macon Blair. The 2024 film follows the story of two twin criminal brothers and while one is trying to reform the other is trying to pull him in on a dangerous heist. With legal troubles, gunfights, and family drama they must reconcile their differences before they lose out on the score of a lifetime. Brothers stars Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage in the lead roles with Glenn Close, Brendan Fraser, Marisa Tomei, Jennifer Landon, M. Emmet Walsh, and Taylour Paige starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the hilarious comedy, dangerous thrills, and compelling characters in Brothers here are some similar movies you should check out next.

Logan Lucky (Netflix & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Bleecker Street

Logan Lucky is a...

Intro: Comedies involving a central pair of main characters usually have one thing in common; their premise is generally very simple. Take 1994’s Dumb and Dumber, for example. The Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels all-time classic comedy, in which two hapless, hopeless losers attempt to return a suitcase full of cash to its rightful owner, thrives on how simple both the plot and the two main characters are. The Farrellys had an amazing knack in the 1990s for delivering comedies that were hilarious because they had a simple idea for the plot, plus they weren’t worried about upsetting anybody with outrageous sequences. Those were the days. You couldn’t produce mainstream comedies such as Me, Myself and Irene, Kingpin or There’s Something About Mary nowadays, for fear of upsetting someone.

However, back in the late eighties, audiences, and studios, were a touch more liberal in their thinking, and...

Hulu is ready with an entertainment-packed August this year. The upcoming month will see the return of some of Hulu’s best original shows including Only Murders in the Building and also new hit movies like Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Just like every month, Hulu is ready to overload with you great content including new and old movies and TV Shows. So, we’re here to tell you about the 10 best movies and TV shows coming to Hulu in August 2024.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (August 2)

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a sci-fi action film directed by Wes Ball from a screenplay by Josh Friedman. The 2024 film serves as a standalone sequel to the 2017 film War for the Planet of the Apes and it is the fourth entry into the Planet of the Apes reboot film series and the tenth film in the overall film franchise.

Bond 17 could have featured a worn-out 007 years before Daniel Craig's era, giving a fresh take on the character's vulnerabilities. Timothy Dalton's script showcased an aging Bond dealing with insecurities, a departure from previous films' portrayal of strength. The timing of Daniel Craig's era was crucial, capturing a gritty and grounded version of Bond that resonated well with audiences.

There have been many points in the James Bond franchise where it could've taken a much different turn, including a crucial moment in the '90s that would've seen a key aspect of Daniel Craig's era happen over a decade sooner. Daniel Craig's time as Bond consisted of five movies released between 2006 and 2021, with his era being notable for its greater emotion and exploration of the central character. Nevertheless, if things had panned out differently, Craig's take on the character wouldn't have been quite so unique.

Based on the...

Nico Parker describes the How to Train Your Dragon live-action remake as "its own thing" with its own interpretation of the characters. Parker acknowledges the brilliance of the animated films and advises viewers not to expect a play-by-play remake. Parker expresses her excitement for the project and believes it will be wonderful, regardless of how closely it aligns with the animated versions.

Nico Parker, who will star as Astrid Hofferson in the upcoming live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon, has revealed how close to the beloved animated outing the remake will be. Speaking with Collider, Parker described the How to Train Your Dragon remake as “its own thing,” and revealed that all the cast will be playing “their own version” of the characters.

“I think it’s very much its own thing, but I’d like to think so much of that magic is also prevalent in this one.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and his "twin" Danny DeVito are back together again.

In 1988, Schwarzenegger and DeVito co-starred in Twins, a comedy film that imagined the two actors as twins separated at birth, despite their physical differences. 35 years later, Schwarzenegger saw DeVito and his daughter, Lucy DeVito, in the Broadway show I Need That. After the show, the three took a picture together, with Schwarzenegger subsequently sharing an image of the reunion on X.

Related Danny DeVito and Mara Wilson Planning to Reunite to Perform Matilda Live Danny DeVito reveals his plans to reunite with Mara Wilson to perform Matilda live, complete with an orchestra. My brother! It was fantastic to see @DannyDeVito on Broadway in “I Need Thatâ€.. He and Lucy and everybody involved kept the audience entertained! I can’t wait to work together again. pic.twitter.com/avJ1bIz6rE — Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) December 29, 2023

"My brother! It was fantastic...

American musical comedy film “Lyle Lyle Crocodile,” is set to release in mainland China cinemas, having received approvals for import and distribution from Chinese authorities. It will play in China from April 15, 2023.

The film was released in North America in early October last year and many other territories at the end of 2022. Parts of Asia have been later to receive the title with Korea and Taiwan play it from January and Japan set to open it from March 24.

The film has grossed $108 million worldwide, with $60.9 million of that coming from international markets and $46.8 million from the North American domestic market, studio backer Sony Pictures reported.

The film which mixes animation and live action is based on a best-selling book series by Bernard Waber.

When the Primm family moves to New York City, their young son Josh struggles to adapt to his new school and new friends. All of that changes...

Idw’s confirmed six of its comic books/graphic novels are now in the “active television series development” stage, including Korgi and Bacchus. Shows based on Dragon Puncher & Spoony, Lodger, Relic of the Dragon, and Satellite Falling are also in the development stage.

Idw’s announcement included details on writers and executive producers currently attached to the projects.

“It’s a dream to get to work on so many great properties with so many amazing talents,” stated Paul Davidson, Idw Executive Vice President. “This group of writers, directors, and showrunners represent some of the best and Idw is pleased to be working with them.”

Korgi – Aury Wallington (Spirit Untamed) joins as showrunner for the television series based on writer-artist Christian Slade’s beloved dog opus that follows the stories of a Korgi pup in epic fairy tales of adventure. A fantasy world filled with creatures both adorable and abominable, Korgi...

Comic and graphic novel publisher Idw has set six of its books to be developed into television projects with showrunners attached to each. The series in development include “Bacchus,” “Dragon Puncher & Spoony,” “Korgi,” “Lodger,” “Relic of the Dragon” and “Satellite Falling.”

Based on Eddie Campbell’s graphic novel published by Idw’s Top Shelf Productions, “Bacchus” will be written and executive produced by Will Davies and Chloe Moss. The drama series drops the gods of ancient Greece into present day as if they had never left.

Development will be led by Idw’s vice president of live action, Jonny Gutman, and director of live action, Julie Winograd. Davies is repped by UTA, 42 and Jackoway, Austen, Tyerman, Wertheimer, Mandelbaum, Morris, Bernstein, Trattner & Klein. Moss is repped by 42.

“Dragon Puncher & Spoony” will be showrun and executive produced by Holly Huckins. Based on the Top Shelf book by James Kochalka, the comedy...

Lyle, Lyle Crocodile Review — Lyle, Lyle Crocodile (2022) Film Review, a movie directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck, written by Will Davies and starring Javier Bardem, Constance Wu, Scoot McNairy, Brett Gelman, Shawn Mendes, Winslow Fegley, Sal Viscuso, Yussie Jupiter, Don Dipetta, Lyric Hurd, Adam Murray, Cora Maple Lindell, Rudie Bolton, Zeb [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022): Javier Bardem is Hilarious in a Cute, If a Bit Familiar, Family Film...

Bernard Waber’s “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” book series is now a major motion picture. The live action/CGI musical comedy stars a whole host of names, including one Canadian singer as the voice of a talented crocodile. The film will feature songs performed by star Shawn Mendes and written by the songwriting team behind “The Greatest Showman” — Benj Pasek and Justin Paul — with an ensemble cast that includes Javier Bardem and Constance Wu.

For “Lyle,” Pasek and Paul are joined by Ari Afsar, Emily Gardner, Xu Hall, Mark Sonnenblick and Joriah Kwamé. Will Speck and Josh Gordon directed and produced the film, with a screenplay by Will Davies. Hutch Parker also produces, and executive producers include Kevin K. Vafi, Dan Wilson, Robert J. Dohrmann, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Tarak Ben Ammar and Andy Mitchell.

For those wondering how to watch “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile,” we have the information below, along with who is in the film,...

Although the concept behind Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile – that a singing and dancing crocodile is afflicted with crippling stage fright – falls a bit on the side of unbelievability (just a bit), the heart and soul of this film is so spot on and the performances of all involved prove just as engaging, that this ultimately plays as one of the more entertaining family films in recent memory.

After moving to New York City, young Josh Primm (Scoot McNairy) finds himself struggling to make new friends and adapt to his new school. Then, he discovers a singing crocodile named Lyle (Shawn Mendes) living in the attic of his new home and his entire world begins to change. Of course, no relationship such as this is without its obstacles and the largest one threatening Josh and Lyle in the Primm’s neighbor, Mr. Grumps (Brett Gelman), who is dead set on getting to...

It's a bit surprising that Bernard Waber's children's story "Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile" hasn't already been made into a theatrical kids' film. After all, ever since its publication back in 1965, countless children have learned about the power of friendship and good Samaritanism through this friendly crocodile. While there was a straight-to-tv special released in 1987, this timeless tale hadn't been explored or reinvented -- until now.

Directors Will Speck and Josh Gordon signed on to direct a new script based on the classic story in 2021, with a screenplay written by William Davies. While the filmmaking duo was mostly known for PG-13 and R-rated comedies, this new production proved that they had the right chops for family entertainment as well. /Film recently spoke with Speck and Gordon to discuss the movie's extensive prep process, as well as what it was like filming elaborate scenes without the show's main star on set.

'Pain...

Whatever associations you may have with Lyle the crocodile, you probably didn’t imagine him crooning like Shawn Mendes. Based on Bernard Waber’s beloved children’s book originally published in 1965, the existence of a “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” movie proves nothing is sacred in Hollywood — especially nostalgic childhood storybooks.

If a CGI crocodile with the dulcet tenor of a pop idol seems at odds with Waber’s freehand illustrations, Javier Bardem is perfectly in step as eccentric showman Hector P. Valenti, star of stage and screen. Bardem’s lesser-seen playful side is on full display in “Lyle,” as he hoofs his way across New York City with madcap gusto. The minute he leaves the croc to fend for himself at the house on East 88th Street, his absence is sorely felt by all — not just lonely Lyle. Along with a few bouncy numbers from “The Greatest Showman” duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul,...

It was very New York of children’s author-illustrator Bernard Waber to turn an urban myth about misplaced reptiles into a beloved series of bedtime books about a city family adopting a friendly crocodile. And it’s very Hollywood to want to turn that beloved series of bedtime books into the unwieldy, CGI-splotched musical pablum that is “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile.”

Even with a mustachioed Javier Bardem doing his bonkers best to evoke a Fellini-esque sideshow vibe as flamboyant entertainer Hector P. Valenti, the titular amphibian’s first owner, if you didn’t know that the frenetic and tinny “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” had modestly charming literary origins, you’d swear the title of this corporatized kiddie-franchise fodder was a cheeky alternative acronym for LLC.

But hey, there has to be something at the other end of the quality spectrum from the joyful do-good magic of “Paddington,” and this overwrought, clunky creature-teacher-feature...

Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes debuted his new song, “Heartbeat” via Island Records last week. The track was written by Shawn, Jon Bellion, Amy Allen, Scott Harris, Jason “Tenroc” Cornet, Clyde Lawrence, and Jordan Cohen and produced by Shawn, Jon Bellion, TenRoc, and The Diner. The song will appear in the end title of Sony Pictures’ upcoming live-action/CGI musical comedy, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, which will be released in theaters on October 7th. You can check the video for the song out right above!

Alongside the song, it was also announced the original motion picture soundtrack for the film will be released on October 7th as well. The tracklist for the film was revealed last week, which you can see below. The soundtrack was written by Oscar winning duo, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and features Shawn Mendes, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John, as well as co-stars, Constance Wu,...

Grammy nominated, multi-platinum singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes debuted his new song, “Heartbeat”. The track was written by Shawn, Jon Bellion, Amy Allen, Scott Harris, Jason ‘Tenroc’ Cornet, Clyde Lawrence and Jordan Cohen and produced by Shawn, Jon Bellion, TenRoc, and The Diner. The song will appear in the end title of Sony Pictures’ upcoming live action/CGI musical comedy, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, out in theaters on October 7th.

Alongside the song, it was also announced the original motion picture soundtrack will be released on October 7th. The tracklist for the film was revealed last week. The soundtrack was written by Oscar winning duo, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and features Shawn Mendes, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John, as well as co-stars, Constance Wu, Javier Bardem, and Anthony Ramos.

Based on the best-selling book series by Bernard Waber, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, starring Academy Award-winner Javier Bardem, Constance Wu and Shawn Mendes,...

The complicated world of Hollywood is always a-changing, but if there's anything in this world that we can count on, it's talking animals befriending lonely children. In the vein of "Clifford The Big Red Dog," "Paddington" and maybe even "Detective Pikachu," comes "Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile." Based on the best-selling book series by Bernard Waber, the film tells the story of a friendly crocodile who loves baths, singing, and his local community. Oh, and Lyle is voiced by pop-singing sensation Shawn Mendes.

Obviously, you have some questions: will there be an in-universe explanation for why Lyle the crocodile can sing? How many of Shawn Mendes' actual songs will be in the movie? Will it ever get less weird to hear the pop star's voice come out of a CGI crocodile? I can answer absolutely none of these questions but here's what we do know — "Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile" involves lots of hijinks...

Photo: ‘Man Vs. Bee’ From Bean to Bee Rowan Atkinson is someone who needs no introduction. From gaining mainstream attention in classic British television comedies like ‘Blackadder’ and ‘Mr. Bean’ to starring in films like ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Johnny English’, he’s made quite a name for himself in the world of entertainment. And for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, Rowan Atkinson returns with ‘Man Vs. Bee’, a series he and ‘Johnny English’ writer William Davies created for Netflix. Going into this show, I remained cautiously optimistic. The logline didn’t exactly win me over, and the idea of it being a series rather than a movie came across as questionable, but Atkinson’s presence as star and co-creator did pique my interest. While I can admittedly be picky about comedy now and again, I do enjoy some well-timed slapstick, and out of anyone to...

Lyle takes a trip through New York in Columbia Pictures Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. Photo by: Courtesy of Sony Pictures

Watch the new trailer for Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile starring Shawn Mendes, Javier Bardem and Constance Wu.

Based on the best-selling book series by Bernard Waber, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is a live-action/CGI musical comedy that brings this beloved character to a new, global audience.

When the Primm family moves to New York City, their young son Josh struggles to adapt to his new school and new friends. All of that changes when he discovers Lyle – a singing crocodile (Shawn Mendes) who loves baths, caviar and great music-living in the attic of his new home. The two become fast friends, but when Lyle’s existence is threatened by evil neighbor Mr. Grumps (Brett Gelman), the Primm’s must band together with Lyle’s charismatic owner, Hector P. Valenti (Javier Bardem), to show...

What exactly is “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile?” It’s a kids musical about a crocodile! He wears a scarf, and he can sing! And he’s voiced by pop artist Shawn Mendes.

On Wednesday, Sony Pictures released the first trailer for “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile,” which is a live-action movie featuring Mendes as the singing, dancing, CGI reptile based on the children’s book series by Bernard Waber.

The film follows the Primm family, played by Constance Wu, Scoot McNairy and Winslow Fegley, as they move to New York City and find waiting for them in their bathroom tub Lyle… who we’ll remind you is a CGI singing crocodile. He also loves caviar. And the trailer shows the Primm family at one point making a painting of Lyle, as well as him sticking his head out a NYC cab like a puppy while wearing a Florida Gators jersey, causing countless unseen car wrecks.

For those waiting for the next animated adventure of Hiccup and Toothless in How to Train Your Dragon 3, you'll have to wait nearly one year longer. DreamWorks Animation revealed today that it has pushed the animated sequel from May 18, 2018 to March 1, 2019, where it currently has that particular weekend all to itself. It will, however, debut just one week before Marvel's long-awaited Captain Marvel, starring Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, and two weeks after an untitled Universal monsters reboot project. Take a look at the new plot synopsis for How to Train Your Dragon 3 below.

"As Hiccup fulfills his dream of creating a peaceful dragon utopia, Toothless' discovery of an untamed, elusive mate draws the Night Fury away. When danger mounts at home and Hiccup's reign as village chief is tested, both dragon and rider must make impossible decisions to save their kind."

Back in October 2014, director Dean DeBlois revealed that...

Producer Bonnie Arnold on the challenges of the How To Train Your Dragon movies, and looking back at Kevin Costner's Dances With Wolves.

Interview

Bonnie Arnold has had some career. As the latest film she's produced, How To Train Your Dragon 2, arrives in UK cinemas, she chatted to us about the movie, about the big problems making the first, and her earlier days helping to bring Dances With Wolves to light. And she didn't touch a drop of her tea while telling us all of this...

Digging into your background, from what I can tell you started as a writer? Can you fill in some of the blanks there?

Well, it wasn't really a writer as such. I studied journalism, but I actually started in publicity. I did unit publicity writing, so that's how I started really. Really it was in film, film production stuff. But I was writing press releases,...

Daniel Radcliffe is set to hit the track, with the star confirmed to play Seb Coe in Gold, a sporting biopic from BBC Films. The new film will chart the rivalry between Coe and his fellow middle-distance runner Steve Ovett, which reached boiling point at the Moscow Olympics of 1980. Radcliffe's casting will see him reunited with The Woman In Black director James Watkins, who has also signed on to join the project. With a first draft from William Davies having adapted the script from sports writer Pat Butcher's (not that one)...

.

Daniel Radcliffe has been confirmed to star as Sebastian Coe in Gold, a new feature which will tell the story of the Olympic gold medallist's rivalry with fellow athlete Steve Ovett in the years leading up to the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.

The film is based on the book The Perfect Distance by Pat Butcher, with a screenplay by Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) and Will Davies, and will reunite Radcliffe with Woman In Black director James Watkins.

It is not yet known who will play Ovett in the production.

Writer Beaufoy, who won an Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009, told the BBC earlier this year the film was "a brilliant story" with a "perfect end".

"I hadn't realised how good it was until you dig into their past," he said. "They were fantastically different athletes and different people. And they rarely met... apart from on the track - but not very often,...

Photo: Marco VitturBack in the dim, distant days of 2010, when Britain’s 2012 Olympic glory seemed like a fantasy, BBC Films decided to make a film about the rivalry between middle-distance runners Sebastian (Aka Lord) Coe and Steve Ovett. Gold, as it is now known, has been pottering along ever since but has now put on a burst of speed with news that The Woman In Black’s director James Watkins is aboard alongside that film’s star, one Daniel Radcliffe.Though the film wasn’t ready for 2012, the addition of this particular duo gives it a much better chance of finally reaching our screens. Radcliffe will play Coe, in a story that charts the rivalry between Coe and Ovett – at times fierce; at others cordial – which began with a school cross-country race in 1972 and came to a head at the Moscow Games in 1980.While Johnny English’s William Davies originally...

Continuing his rising career following the Harry Potter franchise, Daniel Radcliffe has intriguing projects like a new Frankenstein (he'll be playing Igor) and a gritty crime thriller called Tokyo Vice. While he was recently falsely rumored to play Freddie Mercury, that role is hoped to go to Ben Whishaw, but Radcliffe will take on another real-life figure, this time in the athletic world. Following his turn as Allen Ginsberg in Kill Your Darlings, BBC Films has announced Radcliffe will star in Gold, the story of runner Sebastian Coe and his famous rivalry with fellow athlete Steve Ovett leading up to the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. The film will reunite Radcliffe with director James Watkins, who teamed with the British actor for his first film outside of the Harry Potter franchise, The Woman in Black. Even better news is the screenplay comes from Slumdog Millionaire writer Simon Beaufoy and How to Train Your Dragon...

Daniel Radcliffe has signed on to play Sebastian Coe in the sports drama Gold, EW has confirmed.

Deadline, which first reported the news, notes that the movie will reunite the actor with his The Woman In Black director James Watkins. The story will be based on the book The Perfect Distance, with a script by Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) and Will Davies (How To Train Your Dragon).

The true story centers on the rivalry between Olympic runners Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett; Coe and Ovett started racing against each other in 1972 and were considered two of the fastest middle distance runners in the world.

Rush never caught fire in the way Universal hoped, but maybe audiences need a more relatable competition when it comes to a sports rivalry.  They may get it from director James Watkins, who will reteam with his The Woman in Black star Daniel Radcliffe for the Olympic drama, Gold.  According to BBC Films [via The Playlist], Watkins will work from a script from Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) and Will Davies (How to Train Your Dragon), which will focus on the rivalry between runners Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett.  Unlike the similar wealthy upbringings of the rivals from Rush, Coe and Ovett came from very different classes and upbringings, but "between them they won three Olympic gold medals, two silvers, one bronze, and broke a total of twelve middle-distance records," according to the source material,  The Perfect Distance by Pat Butcher. BBC Films doesn't say which athlete Radcliffe will play or who his co-star will be,...

Daniel Radcliffe is attached to play British politician and former Olympic athlete Sebastian Coe in "Gold" for Embankment Films.

Sounding like "Rush," but for the sport of middle distance running, Radcliffe plays the obsessive Coe in a film that deals with his rivalry with Steve Ovett.

Coe was a quiet loner driven to the limit of endeavour by his ambitious father. Ovett was an effortless and natural athlete fighting to prove himself in an elitist world.

James Watkins ("Eden Lake," "The Woman in Black") helms the film from a script by Simon Beaufoy and Will Davies.

Joanna Anderson, Vicky Licorish and Kevin Loader will produce. Filming will begin next year.

Source: Embankment Films...

Coe's long-running track rivalry with fellow middle-distance runner Steve Ovett to be focus of Gold

• Daniel Radcliffe named Britain's richest 'young celebrity'

• Daniel Radcliffe: nude no more

Daniel Radcliffe will play double gold medallist Sebastian Coe in a sporting biopic detailing the British middle distance runner's battles with rival Steve Ovett, reports Screen Daily.

The Harry Potter star will reunite with James Watkins, director of last year's supernatural box office hit The Woman in Black, on Gold. Producers have not yet cast Ovett, who was Coe's main British rival in the years leading up to the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Slumdog Millionaire's Oscar-winning writer Simon Beaufoy has written the screenplay with How to Train Your Dragon's Will Davies.

Coe and Ovett were fierce rivals from their junior days, but rarely raced each other at the pinnacle of their respective careers. Prior to the Moscow Olympics they were recognised as...

Embankment Films has announced that Daniel Radcliffe ("Harry Potter" films) is attached to play British politician and former track and field athlete Sebastian Coe in Gold , to be directed by James Watkins from a script by Simon Beaufoy and Will Davies. The film, which will be sold at Afm, is described as follows: Sebastian Coe (Daniel Radcliffe), obsessive and nurtured, is a quiet loner driven to the limit of endeavour by his ambitious father. Steve Ovett, effortless and natural, is a confident joker and outsider, fighting to prove himself in an elitist world. Both are fuelled by rivalry but burdened by the weight of expectation and fear of failure. Lovers, family loyalties and the human spirit are tested to breaking point in a relentless race for glory....

Harry Potter star and all-round top bloke Daniel Radcliffe is set to play Lord Sebastian Coe in the new new movie Gold. The film comes from the pen of Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) and Will Davies (How To Train Your Dragon) and will be directed by James Watkins who recently directed Radcliffe in The Woman In Black.

According to the site:

The script tells the story of Coe’s world-famous rivalry with fellow athlete Steve Ovett in the years leading up to the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.

Seb Coe has been in the spotlight an awful lot over the past five or six years in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics as he took on the lead role as Chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and brought in the likes of Danny Boyle to direct the opening ceremony. Coe set eight outdoor and three indoor...

Daniel Radcliffe will play Sebastian Coe in an upcoming biopic.

Screen Daily reports that the actor will reunite with The Woman in Black director James Watkins to play the four-time Olympic gold medallist in Gold.

The drama will follow Lord Coe in the years leading up to the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, and specifically his rivalry with fellow athlete Steve Ovett.

Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) and Will Davies (How To Train Your Dragon) co-wrote the script.

Gold is based on the book The Perfect Distance by former Times athletics correspondent Pat Butcher.

Shooting is due to begin in April of next year in locations in the UK and Russia.

Radcliffe's next film Kill Your Darlings is released in the UK on December 6.

Watch Radcliffe in a clip from Kill Your Darlings below:...

London -- Daniel Radcliffe is to play Sebastian Coe, a man famous to one generation of Brits as a Olympic gold medalist middle distance runner and another generation for overseeing the London Olympics 2012 as chairman of the Games' organizing committee.  Radcliffe will star as the athlete-turned-Olympic tsar in the film Gold, written by Oscar winning scribe Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) and Will Davies (How To Train Your Dragon). Photos: Growing Up 'Harry Potter': Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint The project will be directed by James Watkins, who directed Radcliffe in the box office horror smash Woman In Black.

read more...

Exclusive: Radcliffe to star as Olympic champion in Gold. Simon Beaufoy’s script to be directed by James Watkins, Embankment to handle sales.

Daniel Radcliffe is to play four-time Olympic gold medallist Sebastian Coe in what will be one of the hottest projects to hit the American Film Market (Afm) next month.

Radcliffe will reunite with Woman in Black director James Watkins on Gold, which will tell the story of Coe’s rivalry with fellow athlete Steve Ovett in the years leading up to the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.

The buzzed-about screenplay is by Oscar-winning writer Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) and Will Davies (How to Train Your Dragon).

Planning is underway for a shoot in the UK and Russia in April next year.

The film will be produced by Joanna Anderson and Vicky Licorish (Small Island) and Kevin Loader (Hyde Park on Hudson, Le Week-end).

BBC Films and the British Film Institute have developed the project with Al...

Lighthouse and Creative Skillset have confirmed a number of top filmmakers in mentoring scheme Guiding Lights.

The 2013 directing mentors include Oliver Parker, John Madden [pictured], Joanna Hogg and Lenny Abrahamson,

Writing mentors include Will Davies, Peter Straughan and Lucinda Coxon.

Producing mentors are Nira Park, Andrea Calderwood and Robyn Slovo.

This year’s participants are directors Afarin Eghbal, Laura Smith, Andrew Lang, Henry Darke and Carmel Winters, writers Andy Yerlett, Lucy Moore, Martin Wallace and Thomas Martin, and producers Jessica Levick, Rob Watson and Alexa Seligman.

Each mentor is paired with a mentee they work with over nine months. Some mentorships extend beyond this scheme — for instance producer Nicky Bentham was mentored by Eon’s Barbara Broccoli, who is now executive producing Bentham’s The Silent Storm.

Guiding Lights patron Alison Thompson, co-president of Focus Features International (Ffi), said, “During the four years that I’ve been involved with Guiding Lights, first as a mentor...

Fox 2000 and Chernin Entertainment have optioned John Rocco‘s illustrated book "Blackout" to turn into a live action feature.

The story follows a young New York City family, disconnected from each other by their obsessive everyday use of technology, who are separated during a New York City blackout and must find their way back to each other–literally and figuratively–in order to reconnect as a family.

"How To Train Your Dragon" scribe Will Davies will pen the script, while Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, and Rob Weisbach will produce.

In other book acquisition news, Fox Hill Productions has optioned "True Crime" and "Don't Say a Word" author Andrew Klavan's neo-noir thriller novel trilogy that began with "Dynamite Road".

The plan is to adapt the entire trilogy into a single feature with the same name as the final book - "Damnation Street."

The story follows a private detective and a...

Exclusive: Fox 2000 has optioned artist and author John Rocco‘s Caldecott-winning picture book Blackout for a live action feature that will be produced by Chernin Entertainment’s Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping, and producer/manager Rob Weisbach. Will Davies, who wrote How To Train Your Dragon, will pen the script. Rocco’s bestselling book follows a young New York City family, disconnected from each other by their obsessive everyday use of technology, who are separated during a New York City blackout and must find their way back to each other–literally and figuratively–in order to reconnect as a family. Rocco and Chernin’s Ivana Schecter-Garcia will be exec producers. It’s a highly relate-able movie concept by an accomplished visual author. Rocco studied illustration at Rhode Island School of Design and NYC’s School of Visual Arts and his first job as an illustrator was on Whoopi Goldberg’s children’s book Alice.

James Watkins got his name out in the open with February’s well-received The Woman in Black, and he’s using any newly-established sway to move forward with Second Is Nowhere. Written by William Davies (How to Drain Your Dragon), the film’s a true-life drama focusing on Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe, two Olympic mid-distance runners who formed a rivalry throughout the ’70s and ’80s. [ScreenDaily, via ThePlaylist]

The forthcoming London Olympics almost gives the impression of a tie-in to some global event, but producer (and BBC Films head) Christine Langan feels as though Second stands as “a really good British story that is very exciting and compelling” — and, in fact, says it might be wise to come after an event that inundates daily life to begin with. As someone who can barely tolerate talk of the Olympics when they air, it’d be fair to say I agree. So, with not...

The success of well-received ghost tale "The Woman In Black" has benefited pretty much everyone: Star Daniel Radcliffe has proven he can be a viable lead outside of the "Harry Potter" franchise, revived horror label Hammer Films has taken its place again at the top of the British genre tree (the picture has taken £20 million at the U.K. box office, making it the most successful home-grown horror picture ever), and director James Watkins has undoubtedly landed himself on the top of many wishlists.

Watkins, who made his debut with the Michael Fassbender-starring hoodie horror picture "Eden Lake," has sci-fi actioner "Methuselah" in the works from 'Potter' producer David Heyman, but it looks like that won't be his next picture: Screen Daily reports that he's changing lanes, excuse the pun, to direct the based-in-fact sports drama "Second Is Nowhere" for BBC Films and Al Films.

The script, penned by "Johnny English Reborn,...