News

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

Prime Video is ready with an entertainment-packed July this year. The upcoming month will see the release of the much-anticipated final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty, and also the release of John Cena and Idris Elba‘s action comedy film Heads of State. Just like every month, Prime Video is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the best 8 new movies and TV shows coming to Prime Video in July 2025.

Sherlock Season 1 (July 1) Credit – Netflix

Sherlock is a British detective mystery crime drama series co-created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat. Based on the Sherlock Holmes stories created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the BBC series is set in modern-day London, and it follows the eccentric consultant detective Sherlock Holmes as he begins living with former British Army...

MGM+ has announced the titles coming to the premium linear channel and streaming service in May. The MGM Plus May 2025 lineup includes new episodes of Godfather of Harlem Season 4 and the film Better Man.

MGM+, an Amazon company, is a premium linear channel and streaming service delivering a broad lineup of exclusive original series and docuseries, the latest movie releases, and classic film franchises—all available in the U.S. on TV, on demand, online, and across devices.

MGM Plus May 2025 Schedule

Series

Godfather of Harlem Season 4

The fourth season continues on Sundays

Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) continues his bloody war for control of Harlem against New York’s Mafia families while contending with the arrival of gangster Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn).

After Malcolm X’s (Jason Alan Carvell) tragic assassination, Bumpy must also grapple with his daughter Elise’s (Antionette Crowe-Legacy) involvement with the Black Panthers.

Produced by 20th Television,...

The American moviegoing audience might have a hard time mustering the strength, or interest, to drag themselves to their local theaters to see Better Man. It's not that the film's subject — bad boy pop star Robbie Williams — is offensive by any means, though his wry and self-effacing humor might not appeal to audiences with a low tolerance for that particular British register. A record-maker and breaker, Williams is undoubtedly a figure of certain repute, but his oeuvre has left little to no impact on the aural American landscape. If a whole portion of the box office doesn't seem to be particularly keen on embracing a multi-award-winning hitmaker, then why on Earth would they want to sit through a film about his life? Better Man, directed by Michael Gracey, who co-wrote the film alongside Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole, is acutely aware of the star's reputation, or lack thereof.

Sitting somewhere...

The biopic formula has become rather mundane and uninteresting, save for the few biopics that actually pull us in and dare to do something memorable. But for all their posturing, Better Man is perhaps the weirdest, coolest biopic I’ve seen in recent memory — and most definitely in the least year. Directed by The Greatest Showman’s Michael Gracey, Better Man, which follows the rise of British pop star Robbie Williams, is a spectacle, with many sequences shot like music videos. The spectacle doesn’t mean there’s no heart at the story’s core, and it kept me watching despite being overlong.

Directed by Michael Gracey, Better Man explores the life and career of singer Robbie Williams through his own eyes.

Release Date December 25, 2024Genres Biography, MusicCast Jonno Davies, Alison Steadman, Steve Pemberton, Anthony Hayes, Kate Mulvany, robbie williams, Damon HerrimanDirector Michael GraceyWriters Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole, Michael GraceyStudio(s) Showman,...

Stars: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvany, Frazer Hadfield, Damon Herriman, Tom Budge, Jake Simmance, Liam Head, Leo Harvey-Elledge, Chris Gun, Chase Vollenweider, Jesse Hyde | Written by Michael Gracey, Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole | Directed by Michael Gracey

It’s an understatement to call Robbie Williams a big star. Finding fame at age 15 as a member of Take That, the singer departed from the band to launch a solo career, which resulted in a record number of Brit Awards, a Guinness World Record, and the largest British record deal in history. Considering he would become one of the best-selling music artists of all time, a biopic seemed inevitable, hence we have Better Man.

Although, there is one notable way that this film stands apart from other biopics, as Williams is portrayed entirely on-screen by a CGI monkey (performed in motion-capture by Jonno Davies and voiced...

Released in limited theaters on Christmas 2024, Better Man is one of the most ambitious docudramas of its kind. The lofty $110 million production charts the life and career of famous British pop star Robbie Williams, employing the cutting-edge Weta digital FX to represent Williams as a tuxedo-dressed monkey. While jarring and hard to accept from the onset, the creative inspiration makes logical sense by channeling Williams' psychological state as he reflects on his past.

As Williams' fans ponder venturing to cinemas to watch Better Man, detailing the bizarre choice to represent the beloved pop singer as an anthropomorphic monkey will foster a better understanding of the movie's message. Far from just a silly audiovisual gimmick, here's how the movie came about and why Better Man excels due to, not despite, depicting Robbie Williams as a Planet of the Apes-like primate.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has...

Better Man, the biopic about British pop star Robbie Williams, has been absolutely delighting the critics. The film, in which the singer is portrayed as a CGI chimpanzee, currently holds a 92% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 77 reviews. That's significantly better than another big musical biopic released the same day, A Complete Unknown, which only has a 79% approval rating among critics. Better Man has quickly become one of the most acclaimed music biopics of all time. Just compare it to the scores of recent music biopics like Bohemian Rhapsody (60%), Rocketman (89%), Elvis (77%), Back to Black (35%), and many others, and it's clear that Better Man is, well, better. It helps that it's helmed by the director of The Greatest Showman.

If you're unfamiliar with Robbie Williams, that's surprising, but he's most famous in the United Kingdom. After his time in the band Take That, he went on to become one of...

Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series spotlighting the scripts fueling the year’s most talked-about movies continues with Better Man, Paramount’s musical biopic based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall and resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams. The script was penned by Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole and Michael Gracey.

Gracey directs the uniquely personal film about Williams, capturing his wit, resilience, and extraordinary journey. From boyband stardom with Take That to a record-shattering solo career, the film explores the highs and lows of his success. And only Williams could get away with telling his life story through the unique lens of a chimpanzee, a truly unexpected perspective that distinguishes this biopic from others.

Gracey explains the inspiration for portraying Williams as a monkey came from Robbie himself.

“Rob would say things like, ‘I’m up the back dancing like a monkey,’ or ‘I was completely out of it,...

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) has unveiled the nominations for its 14th International Awards, with Michael Gracey’s Robbie Williams biopic “Better Man” securing six nods.

The film earned nominations for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, along with acting nominations for its cast.

“The Brutalist” follows with five nominations, including a Best Supporting Actor nod for Australian actor Guy Pearce. “Emilia Perez,” which has already received Golden Globe recognition, earned four nominations, while “Anora” and “Dune: Part Two” round out the Best Film category.

George Miller received a Best Director nomination for “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” while fellow Australians Toni Collette and Nicole Kidman earned acting nominations for their performances in “Juror #2” and “Babygirl” respectively.

In television categories, “Shogun” received three nominations, matching “The Bear,” which competes in the Best Comedy Series category. The Australian production “Boy Swallows Universe” earned a Best Drama Series nomination,...

“Better Man,” the Australian-made biopic inspired by the life of British pop star Robbie Williams, received a leading six nominations for the 2025 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) International Awards on Tuesday. That reinforced the Oz academy’s love affair with writer-director Michael Gracey‘s (“The Greatest Showman”) musical spectacular, in which Williams is transformed into a chimpanzee, after it garnered a record-breaking 16 nominations at Aacta’s local awards earlier this month. “Better Man” is nominated for Best Film alongside “The Brutalist,” which tied with six noms, as well as Denis Villeneuve‘s epic sequel “Dune: Part Two” and critical darlings “Anora” and “Emilia Pérez.”

This is the fourth year that the Aussie kudos have included categories for television, with FX’s “Shōgun” and “The Bear” leading with three nominations each.

This year’s Aacta International Awards also marked a historic moment with the inclusion of motion-capture and...

A new behind-the-scenes featurette for the upcoming film Better Man has been released. The film will be in select theaters on December 25, 2024 and nationwide on January 17, 2025!

Synopsis: Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey, the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

About The Film

Genre: Docudrama, Biography, Fantasy, Musical Starring: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge, Anthony Hayes Director: Michael Gracey Screenplay: Simon Gleeson,...

The Robbie Williams biopic “Better Man” has taken center stage in the 2025 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) Awards nominations.

“Better Man” earned a record-breaking 16 nominations, the most ever received by a single film in the awards’ 66-year history. Directed by Michael Gracey, the musical film secured nods across key categories, including Best Film, Best Direction, and Best Screenplay, as well as multiple acting, technical, and creative honors.

“Better Man” is joined in the Best Film category by George Miller’s “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “How to Make Gravy,” both with 15 nominations, the horror standout “Late Night with the Devil” with 14, the animated feature “Memoir of a Snail” with 11, and “Runt,” which received four.

For the first time, the Aacta Awards have recognized motion capture and voice performances in acting categories. Jonno Davies received a nomination for his motion capture portrayal of Robbie Williams in “Better Man,...

As awards buzz accumulates for Paramount’s eclectic Robbie Williams biopic Better Man and the ABC Sports Munich Olympics thriller September 5, the studio is tweaking both titles’ theatrical rollout plan.

September 5, which was scheduled to open exclusively on Black Friday, November 29, and expand on December 13, will now bow on December 13 exclusively and go wide on January 17 for MLK Day weekend. The Tim Fehlbaum-directed movie is 86% fresh with critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Meanwhile, Better Man, will still open exclusively on Christmas Day. But instead of going wide over MLK weekend, it now will go coast-to-coast on January 10. The Michael Gracey-directed feature is 87% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with critics.

Related: ‘Better Man’ Review: Robbie Williams Musical Wins Points For Most Unusual Star Casting In Movie Biopic History

Written by Moritz Binder and Fehlbaum, September 5 follows the ABC Sports control room in Germany during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics as the sports-focused...

The official trailer and poster for Better Man have been released (check them out above and below). The film will be in select theaters on December 25, 2024 and nationwide on January 17, 2025!

Synopsis: Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey, the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

About The Film

Genre: Docudrama, Biography, Fantasy, Musical Starring: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge,...

Paramount Pictures has revealed the official trailer and poster for the Robbie Williams movie Better Man, which will open in select theaters on December 25, 2024, and nationwide on January 17, 2025.

Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey, the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit.

Directed by Michael Gracey, the film follows Robbie’s journey from childhood to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

In addition to Robbie Williams, the cast includes Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge,...

With all these musical biopics being released, many are questioning how many of these life stories can be told in a more refreshing way without falling into the traps that Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story parodied. Well, Robbie Williams and the creatives behind Better Man have attempted a slightly different approach. The film inspired by Williams’ life has him being portrayed by a CGI chimpanzee with a performance capture by Jonno Davies. Our own Chris Bumbray loved the movie at TIFF, saying in his review, “The craziest thing about Better Man isn’t the fact that Robbie Williams is presented as a CGI chimpanzee but rather that this risky conceit works quite well. […] While I went into Better Man with a raised eyebrow, wary of the chimpanzee aspect, to my delight, it worked wonderfully. As far as big-screen biopics go, this is a pretty deliriously entertaining one, and I had a blast watching it.

Everything You Need to Know About Robbie Williams biopic Better Man ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Hold onto your hats, folks! Better Man, the eccentric biopic about Robbie Williams, is gearing up to hit theaters. Directed by the talented Michael Gracey—known for The Greatest Showman—this film promises a fresh take on the biopic genre. In a surprising turn, Robbie is depicted as a CGI chimpanzee! Yes, you read that right. Jonno Davies takes center stage, channeling the pop star’s spirit with added fur and cheekiness.

Premiering at the Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2024, and hitting U.S. theaters on December 25, Better Man is set to make your holiday season even more memorable. This musical journey will not only tickle your funny bone but also tug at your heartstrings, chronicling three decades of Robbie’s rollercoaster career—from his rise with Take That to his solo superstar antics.

The project...

This biopic has the potential to redefine Robbie Williams’ legacy! The beloved UK pop artist is stepping into a truly unconventional role, a CGI monkey, to be more precise, in his upcoming biopic called Better Man. While many audiences in the U.S. might not yet be aware of his remarkable career, this unique approach could finally bring him into the spotlight.

Robbie Williams’ biopic Better Man Credits: Paramount

Since the teaser for Better Man dropped, fans around the world have been intrigued by the choice and questioning why a monkey? Today, we delve into the reasons behind this decision and explore how it could not only resonate with existing fans but also intrigue new audiences, as it is already doing.

Robbie Williams’ Biopic Announcement Leaves the U.S. Asking, Who Is He?

In the States, many folks are blissfully unaware of the UK phenomenon known as Robbie Williams. The...

The teaser trailer (above) and “Why the Monkey” featurette (below) for the new film Better Man have both been released.

Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

About The Film

Genre: Docudrama, Biography, Drama, Music Starring: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge, Anthony Hayes Director: Michael Gracey Screenplay: Simon Gleeson,...

“Monkey Man” was already taken as a title, so Robbie Williams’ unconventional biopic is called “Better Man.” Just kidding, it’s named after his 2000 single — but he is a monkey man in the film, as the new trailer makes clear.

“Better Man,” which opens in U.S. theaters on Christmas Day, is a “satirical biopic” in which the British pop superstar is depicted as a chimpanzee. Why? Because it’s “an extraordinary journey that can’t be told in an ordinary way,” according to Paramount, which is distributing the film in the U.S. Jonno Davies (“Hunters”) performs the motion capture for the ape-man and the voice work, while Williams provides his singing voice. The film is directed by Michael Gracey (“The Greatest Showman”) and written by Gracey, Oliver Cole, and Simon Gleeson. The monkey VFX were provided by Weta, the same company that does the “Planet of the Apes” films.

Leave it to Robbie Williams to inspire the strangest musical biopic to date. The Better Man teaser trailer shows a reimagined version of Williams, with a CGI monkey in his stead.

“Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit,” reads the official synopsis. “It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.”

The cast includes Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, and Raechelle Banno. Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield,...

With all these musical biopics being released, many are questioning how many of these life stories can be told in a more refreshing way without falling into the traps that Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story parodied. Well, Robbie Williams and the creatives behind Better Man have attempted a slightly different approach. The film inspired by Williams’ life has him being portrayed by a CGI chimpanzee. Our own Chris Bumbray loved the movie at TIFF, saying in his review, “The craziest thing about Better Man isn’t the fact that Robbie Williams is presented as a CGI chimpanzee but rather that this risky conceit works quite well. […] While I went into Better Man with a raised eyebrow, wary of the chimpanzee aspect, to my delight, it worked wonderfully. As far as big-screen biopics go, this is a pretty deliriously entertaining one, and I had a blast watching it. It’s...

Paramount Pictures has revealed the teaser trailer for the anticipated Robbie Williams movie Better Man, which will open in select theaters on December 25, 2024, and nationwide on January 17, 2025.

The studio has also brought online a featurette in which director Michael Gracey explains why Robbie Williams is a monkey in the biographical film.

Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey, the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit.

The film follows Robbie’s journey from childhood to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

In addition to Robbie Williams,...

The trailer for Better Man has arrived. The upcoming musical biopic is the sophomore feature from the director of the smash hit 2017 musical The Greatest Showman. While it tells the story of English pop star Robbie Williams, who is known for being part of the group Take That as well as hit solo singles including "Rock DJ" and "Millennium," he will be presented as a CGI monkey, belying the filmmaker's background in visual effects. In addition to Williams voicing himself, the cast includes Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, and Alison Steadman.

Paramount Pictures has unveiled the official trailer for Better Man. Williams, who narrates the trailer, introduces the CGI monkey concept by explaining that "I've always seen myself a little less evolved." While the short clip, which is just over a minute long, features many typical music biopic elements, including a downtrodden childhood, a big concert, and party scenes, the peculiar...

Michael Gracey’s somewhat unconventional Robbie Williams biopic Better Man has just debuted its first trailer and you can watch it here.

“I’ve always seen myself as little less… evolved.”

These words are heard in the first trailer for Better Man in the voice of Robbie Williams. That makes sense, since Better Man is a biopic of Williams and how he became as famous as he is. Nothing new or unexpected there, really. Hollywood loves a biopic.

But Michael Gracey’s biopic has a big surprise up its sleeve.

Take a look at the first trailer to find out what it is.

That’s right, Williams is portrayed here as a CGI monkey. Hey, you can’t accuse Gracey of playing it safe, at least. The news of such a biopic did land all the way back in 2021, so you’d be forgiven if you forgot all about it.

Well, that's one way to kick off your Wednesday morning. If you came away assuming Coralie Fargeat's goopy body horror flick "The Substance" would end up being the strangest film of 2024 ... you're probably right. But 2025 already has a strong contender in that arena in the form of "Better Man," a musical biopic about the life and times of English pop music superstar Robbie Williams. As Paramount's official synopsis explains, the movie follows Williams as he goes from "being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist -- all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring." Sounds like your average, cookie-cutter musician biopic right?Before you start pulling out your box of old "Walk Hard" references, though, here's the big thing this summary conveniently leaves out: Williams is depicted as a CGI chimpanzee in the film.

How do you top “The Greatest Showman”? Well, for writer/director Michael Gracey, that meant turning to the apes…literally.

Gracey directs the musical biopic “Better Man” based on British pop star Robbie Williams. The only catch? Williams is portrayed by a computer-generated monkey. The Paramount film is billed as being an “extraordinary visual spectacle” that embraces Gracey’s “expansive vision.” Gracey enlisted Weta FX and Jonno Davies in motion-capture suit to bring Williams as a monkey to life.

Jonno Davies voices the monkey as Williams. Steve Pemberton and Raechelle Banno also appear in the feature.

Gracey co-wrote the film with Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson. “Better Man” debuted at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival, where IndieWire critic David Ehrlich wrote in the review that having Williams portrayed by a computer-generated monkey makes “Better Man” a better film.

“You will see a monkey bleach its hair. You will see a monkey party with Oasis.

Robbie Williams fans will go bananas over the trailer for “Better Man” — literally.

Paramount released the first trailer for the musical biopic from Michael Gracey, director of “The Greatest Showman,” which uses a CGI monkey as a stand-in for the British pop singer. Yes, really.

“I know what you’re thinking. What’s with the monkey? I’m Robbie Williams. I’m one of the biggest pop stars in the world. But I’ve always seen myself a little less evolved,” Williams narrates in the trailer. The first look at the musical film appears to be like any other musical biopic about a superstar, but every scene with Williams replaces him with a “Planet of the Apes”-like monkey double.

The trailer shows Williams’ early life growing up and playing soccer, where he’s shown as a monkey wearing clothes. It then gives a highlight reel of Williams performing on...

Michael Gracey’s Better Man was sparked by a conversation with Robbie Williams in which the singer reportedly told the Greatest Showman filmmaker that he often views himself as a dancing monkey. The film presents the British pop bad boy as an anthropomorphized CG primate, who looks as if he walked out of one of the new Planet of the Apes movies. Walking a dizzying line between the stupid and the profound, this exuberant, positively unique biopic is as hard to resist as it is to believe that it got made in the first place.

Beginning with his youth in Staffordshire in the center of England, Better Man traces Williams’s career trajectory from his early days in youth theater, to his time as one-fifth of the boy band Take That, to his eventual emergence as a solo artist. Along the way, he grapples with the burden of fame, music...

It is sometimes amazing to see what directors who have made a successful movie can get away with. One hit, and studios are willing to hand these people a fortune for their dream projects. Heaven’s Gate comes to mind as one archetypal example, but there are many other misfires from award-winning filmmakers. A few years ago director Michael Gracey scored a surprise smash with an original musical, The Greatest Showman. And now he has a new musical film about British pop star Robbie Williams — with a CGI monkey in the leading role.

That’s right, a monkey. This fact was kept under wraps before the first Telluride screening of Better Man. But I guess now the ape is out of the bag. Good luck to Paramount, who will release the movie in December.

In the past there have been classic movies with monkeys as central characters — King Kong, of course,...

Ladies and gents, this is the moment you’ve waited for (woah woah!): “The Greatest Showman” director Michael Gracey has returned from whatever alien planet he comes from, and he’s brought another electrifyingly demented musical biopic along with him. This one’s a long-overdue corrective to the wave of fully authorized, insufferably generic rise-fall-recover stories that have turned celebrity estates into every film critic’s greatest threat.

“Better Man” tells the story of Robbie Williams, the bad boy of British pop, and it’s a story you’ve heard a thousand times before. A big-eyed kid dreams of becoming a star in order to fix the hole in his heart; he achieves more success than he ever dared to imagine; it affords him the money to make his problems so much worse at the expense of his personal relationships; and then he snaps out of it before it’s too late.

When Robbie Williams told an interviewer that he felt like a performing monkey, he didn’t mean it literally. But that’s exactly how “The Greatest Showman” director Michael Gracey interprets the remark in “Better Man,” an off-the-wall musical biopic that surely would have seemed banal — as opposed to downright bananas — had it featured a flesh-and-blood actor in the Robbie Williams role.

Gracey takes audiences through all the expected beats of Williams’ career, from his breakthrough as a member of Take That to his record-breaking solo concert at Knebworth, but does so with a CG chimpanzee standing in for the Britpop bad boy. Against all odds, the gimmick works, distinguishing the project from so many other cookie-cutter pop-star hagiographies. If you want to fawn over this boy-band backup singer turned solo superstar for four hours, check out the “Robbie Williams” doc series on Netflix. But if you want to see...

Paramount wasn’t messing around during their CinemaCon panel today, giving attendees previews of movies like Smile 2, Gladiator II, A Quiet Place: Day One, Transformers One, and If, revealing The Running Man casting news, and announcing several movies, including a live-action comedy from Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Scary Movie 6, a Transformers / G.I. Joe crossover, and a live-action, R-rated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. They also unveiled several titles on their 2024 – 2026 slate, and we can’t possibly cover them all… so we have gone ahead and dropped the full list into this article. Scroll down to see what Paramount has in store for us over the next couple years.

If

Release Date: May 17, 2024

Written and Directed by: John Krasinski

Producers: Allyson Seeger, p.g.a., John Krasinski, p.g.a., Andrew Form, p.g.a., Ryan Reynolds

Executive Producers: John J. Kelly, George Dewey, Kimberly Nelson LoCascio

Cast: Cailey Fleming,...

After paying a reported $25m for North American rights to the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man, Paramount has set a December 25 exclusive release, expanding wide on January 17, 2025.

Paramount reportedly paid $25m for North American rights to the feature in early February and is building its stable of musicals or music-related films.

Bob Marley: One Love ranks number one in its second weekend on release in North America and has grossed $71m, while the Mean Girls musical ranked number one for three weekends in January and earned more than $72m.

Michael Gracey, who directed The Greatest Showman and produced Rocketman, directs Better Man,...

A long-gestating reboot of the “Naked Gun” franchise with Liam Neeson is finally moving forward at Paramount, landing a release date of July 18, 2025.

The currently untitled project will be directed and executive produced by Akiva Schaffer, who co-wrote the draft script alongside Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, reprising their partnership from the Emmy-winning film “Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers.” Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins are producing via their company Fuzzy Door. The new movie is based off the widely popular “Naked Gun” franchise and television series “Police Squad!” by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker.

Meanwhile, two successful animated franchises’ next films have also been added to Paramount’s release schedule. “Paw Patrol 3,” a Spin Master Entertainment production in association with Nickelodeon Movies, is slated for July 31, 2026 with distribution from Paramount Pictures. The follow-up to “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” from director Jeff Rowe and produced by Point Grey Pictures...

Exclusive: Buoyed by the overperformance of music-driven films Bob Marley: One Love and Mean Girls, Paramount Pictures has slotted Better Man for an exclusive qualifying release on December 25, followed by a wide theatrical release on January 17 in the heat of awards season. The film is an original musical by The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey, based on the life and music of singer Robbie Williams.

Paramount earlier this month made a $25 million commitment for North American rights to the film, one of the largest indie film rights deals in years. The studio believes it has a winner — it leaned into Bob Marley and the film has so far grossed north of $123M worldwide on a $70 million budget. The challenge on Better Man will come in the marketing: North America is about the only place on the planet where Williams is not a megastar singer, even though he spends most of his time in the U.

In a huge deal for a film originating in the independent marketplace, Paramount Pictures sources have confirmed the studio’s acquisition of North American rights to the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man.

Michael Gracey, who directed The Greatest Showman and produced Rocketman, will direct the film about the life of the former Take That band member who went on to become a solo star.

Paramount is eying an end of year theatrical release after negotiating the deal with CAA Media Finance and reportedly paying $25m. Rocket Science has sold out international rights.

The Better Man deal comes as Paramount continues...

Exclusive: Paramount Pictures has stepped up for a $25 million commitment for North American theatrical rights to Better Man, a fantastical original musical directed by Michael Gracey, helmer of the blockbuster musical The Greatest Showman. The film is about the unlikely rise of celebrated singer-songwriter Robbie Williams.

The deal marks the year’s biggest North American deal for an independent film in years, and Paramount is going to give it a full theatrical release, eyeing later this year. Studio is coming off the success of Mean Girls, which led the box office last month and grossed $92 million worldwide so far. It also is aggressively rolling out globally Bob Marley: One Love, a film that bows February 14, as Paramount leans into films in the musical space.

Rolling out Better Man late in the year gives the studio plenty of time to address a challenge in the U.S. and Canada for the conundrum that is Robbie Williams.

Exclusive: Rocket Science has scored a raft of international pre-sales on Michael Gracey’s (The Greatest Showman) Better Man, based on the life of singer Robbie Williams.

Significant deals have closed in the UK (Entertainment), Germany & Austria (Tobis), Australia (Village Roadshow), Italy (Lucky Red), Cis/Baltic States (Volga) and Scandinavia (Nordisk).

Pacts have also been secured in Eastern Europe (Vertical), Benelux (The Searchers), Switzerland (Ascot Elite), Middle East (Front Row), Greece/Cyprus (Odeon), Portugal (Lusomundo), and Israel (Forum).

Production is slated for summer 2021 on the feature, which will explore the experiences that made Williams who he is, and the demons he battled both on and off the stage. We hear there will be a strong CGI component to the film, which will negate the need to cast a big name to portray Williams.

Written by Gracey and first-time screenwriters Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson, the film is being produced by...

Exclusive: The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey is set to direct Better Man, a fantastical coming of age story about the unlikely rise of celebrated singer/songwriter Robbie Williams. The package is going out shortly to the Berlin buying crowd, for a film that Gracey wrote along with first-time screenwriters Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson. The film tells the story of Williams’ ascent, exploring the experiences that made him who he is, and the demons he battled both on and off the stage as he became a huge star on the back of hits like Angels.

Jules Daly for Big Red Films (The Tomorrow War) Craig McMahon for McMahon International (Three Thousand Years Of Longing) and Gracey are producing. Production is slated to begin this summer.

Williams first became famous at 16 as a singer in the boy band sensation Take That, but really hit stride as a solo artist. It happened fast,...

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in Washington, DC, Phoenix, Singapore and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include a 'bold, new' The Taming Of The Shrew in DC, Hostages in Phoenix, and an interview with Simon Gleeson on the Singapore return of Les Mis, just to name a few.

Helpmann Award winners Simon Gleeson Jean Valjean and Kerrie Anne Greenland Eponine, current stars of the international touring production of Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil's phenomenal musical Les Miserables, took time out from their daily performances at the Theatre at Solaire, Solaire Resorts and Casino, to launch their newest solo albums held at Pangea Ultra Lounge at City of Dreams last Wednesday, March 30.

Australian actors Kerrie Anne Greenland Eponine, Chris Durling Enjolras, and Emily Langridge Cosette will join previously announced cast members Simon Gleeson Jean Valjean, Earl Carpenter Javert, and Rachelle Ann Go Fantine when the new Asian Tour of the newly reimagined Les Miserables Les Mis kicks off at The Theatre at Solaire 1 Aseana Ave. Entertainment City, Paranaque City in March 2016. Visit TicketWorld.com.ph to buy tickets.

Chicago – The astonishing financial success of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” is a testament to the enduring power of spectacle. Sure, Charles Hart and Robert Stilgoe’s pedestrian lyrics may have all the charm of plywood, but audiences couldn’t care less with an unstable chandelier dangling over their heads and a wealth of atmospheric scenery filling their field of vision.

What made “Opera” so memorable wasn’t the lyrics or even the love triangle between the beautiful Christine Daaé, the prissy Raoul and the mysterious Phantom. It was Webber’s melodies, particularly the iconic half-tone chords that open the show (which Roger Waters alleges was plagiarized from his song “Echoes”) that truly linger in audience’s memories. “Phantom” may not be a great show, but it certainly makes for a great night of live theatre.

Blu-ray Rating: 1.5/5.0

Webber’s inexplicable sequel, “Love Never Dies,” feels...

Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies is heading home via DVD, Blu-ray, Digital Download, and On Demand on May 29th from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and we have two copies of the Blu-ray to give away to a pair of lucky Dread Central readers.

The ultimate love story continues in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s spectacular musical Love Never Dies, a sequel to the legendary Phantom of the Opera. From musical theater’s most captivating composer and featuring the new highly-acclaimed Australian production filmed in Melbourne, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies arrives on Blu-ray with perfect hi-def picture and perfect hi-def sound, DVD, Digital Download, and On Demand on May 29, 2012. With lush visuals and a mesmerizing score that rivals the original in power and beauty, this live production of Love Never Dies is a necessity for every Phantom fan’s collection.

The year is 1907, and ten years have...

Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies is heading to home video on May 29th from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and we've got a look at the cover art along with the bonus features you'll find included in the release.

From the Press Release:

The ultimate love story continues in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s spectacular musical Love Never Dies, a sequel to the legendary Phantom of the Opera. From musical theater’s most captivating composer and featuring the new highly-acclaimed Australian production filmed in Melbourne, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies arrives on Blu-ray with perfect hi-def picture and perfect hi-def sound, DVD, Digital Download, and On Demand on May 29, 2012. With lush visuals and a mesmerizing score that rivals the original in power and beauty, this live production of Love Never Dies is a necessity for every Phantom fan’s collection.

The year is 1907, and ten years have passed...