News

Amazon Prime subscribers have long had the added perk of a robust library of film and television at their disposal. This August, Prime Video added a number of significant entries to their service from acclaimed directors like Ryan Coogler, Nancy Meyers, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino.

Check out the seven best movies coming to Prime Video in August.

Michael B. Jordon stars in “Creed.” (Warner Bros. Pictures) “Blow Out”

One of several films on this list that is either a cult classic or a favorite of Quentin Tarantino’s, “Blow Out” has gained a significant reputation over the years as one of Brian De Palma’s best films. The neo-noir follows John Travolta’s Jack Terry, a sound man for a low-budget horror film who inadvertently records evidence that a supposed accidental tire blowout was in reality an assassination effort against a presidential hopeful. While this thriller isn’t as...

Nicholas Colia’s feature directorial debut “Griffin in Summer” is aptly getting a summer release. The writer-director helms the indie coming of age story that debuted at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival and subsequently won the Founders Award at the festival for best U.S. narrative feature and best screenplay in a U.S. narrative feature. The film also landed a special jury mention for director Colia, who went on to be nominated for the Someone to Watch Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

“Griffin in Summer” centers on an ambitious 14-year-old playwright Griffin Nafly (Everett Blunck) who is determined to self-produce a divorce drama titled “Regrets of Autumn” while living with his mom (Melanie Lynskey). Yet a newfound friendship with Brad (Owen Teague), an older performance artist and handyman, changes Griffin’s plans for stardom. Kathryn Newton and Abby Ryder Fortson co-star.

The IndieWire review credited Colia for infusing the film with “cheeky humor,...

The coming-of-age feature Griffin in Summer has landed a theatrical release in an appropriate season.

Writer-director Nicholas Colia’s film that debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival is set to hit theaters Aug. 29 from Vertical, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively. Everett Blunck, Owen Teague, Melanie Lynskey, Abby Ryder Fortson and Kathryn Newton round out the cast.

Griffin in Summer centers on Blunck as ambitious 14-year-old playwright Griffin Nafly, who lives with his mom (Lynskey) and is attempting to self-produce his divorce drama Regrets of Autumn. But things change when Griffin begins a summer friendship with Brad (Teague), a handsome 25-year-old performance artist and handyman.

“I need you to fire the pool boy,” Blunck tells Lynskey in the trailer that is exclusive to The Hollywood Reporter and can be seen below. “He’s making noise. Art comes from a quiet place.”

The movie premiered at last year’s Tribeca Festival,...

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

Prime Video is ready with an entertainment-packed August this year. The upcoming month will see the release of the much-anticipated final season of Upload and the prequel series of The Terminal List. Just like every month, Prime Video is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the best 12 new movies and TV shows coming to Prime Video in August 2025.

30 Rock Seasons 1-7 (August 1) Credit – NBC

30 Rock is a surrealist sitcom series created by Tina Fey. The NBC series is set in New York City, and it follows Liz Lemon, the head writer of a Saturday Night Live-like TV series, as she deals with her eccentric staff and cast and arrogant Network bosses. 30 Rock stars Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski, Jack McBrayer, Scott Adsit, Judah Friedlander,...

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

This August, HBO Max is bringing you a lot of entertainment, from the highly anticipated streaming releases of Final Destination: Bloodlines to the release of the next season of James Gunn‘s Peacemaker. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to HBO Max next month and have a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the 5 best films coming to HBO Max in August 2025 with a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

It’s Always Fair Weather (August 1) Rt Score: 91% Credit – MGM

It’s Always Fair Weather is a musical romantic comedy film co-directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen from a screenplay co-written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The 1955 film revolves around three soldiers in New York who decide to part ways and meet ten years later but when...

They say that the threshold for success these days, especially for big-budget tent poles, is $400 million worldwide. A movie that crosses this milestone is more likely to get a sequel than one that doesn't. There have, however, been films that concluded their runs above this benchmark, but weren't rewarded with follow-ups. The biggest example, for the longest time, was Tron: Legacy, which made over $400 million in its theatrical run more than a decade ago. A follow-up to that film, titled Tron: Ares, will be released later this year. On the other hand, Duncan Jones' Warcraft has no chance of getting a sequel, despite making over $430 million worldwide. Both films cost around the same to produce, as did last year's Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which made a hair under the $400 million mark worldwide. The movie has now been overtaken by Brad Pitt's F1.

The generally well-received movie...

Exclusive: Vertical has acquired North American rights to Griffin in Summer, the breakout debut feature of writer-director Nicholas Colia, for release in theaters this summer.

Starring Everett Blunck, an up-and-comer who can currently be seen at Cannes in Charlie Polinger’s The Plague, Griffin in Summer is a comedy that cleaned up in its world premiere at last year’s Tribeca Festival, winning Best U.S. Narrative Feature, Best U.S. Narrative Screenplay, and Special Jury Mention for New Narrative Director.

Also garnering Colia a 2025 nomination for the Indie Spirits’ Someone to Watch Award, the film follows Griffin Nafly (Blunck), who is the most ambitious playwright of his generation. He’s also 14 years old and living with his parents in a humdrum suburb. But when a handsome 25-year-old (Owen Teague) enters the picture, Griffin’s life — and his new play — take an unexpected turn.

“Having been lucky enough to travel...

After teasing subscribers with some first-look images, the streaming platform formerly known as Max decided to unveil the first trailer for its upcoming thriller series Task. The show stars Mark Ruffalo (All The Light We Cannot See) and Tom Pelphrey (Ozark) on opposite sides of the law. Ruffalo's Tom Brandis has to command a task force that needs to investigate and put an end to a series of home invasions led by Pelphrey's Robbie Prendergrast in Pennsylvania. HBO Max also revealed the release window for the series: We can expect to see it this September.

The trailer for Task suggests that it will be a high-stakes kind of thriller and reveals that we will follow the story from two distinct POVs. On one side, we will follow Tom and his team. He's not really happy with the people selected for the task, so chances are that they will have their differences.

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

Station Eleven is a post-apocalyptic thriller drama series created by Patrick Somerville. Based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Emily St. John Mandel, the HBO Max series is set twenty years after a flu pandemic which caused the collapse of human civilization. The story revolves around a group of travelling performers who are hunted by a violet cult. Station Eleven stars Mackenzie Davis, Himesh Patel, Matilda Lawler, David Wilmot, Nabhaan Rizwan, Daniel Zovatto, Philippine Velge, and Lori Petty. So, if you loved the post-apocalyptic setting, thrilling story, and compelling characters, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

The Leftovers (Max & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – HBO

The Leftovers is a supernatural mystery thriller drama series created by Damon Lindelöf and Tom Perrotta. Based on Perrotta’s 2011 novel of the same name, the HBO series...

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

Dying for Sex is a comedy-drama miniseries created by Kim Rosenstock and Elizabeth Meriwether. Based on the podcast of the same name by Wondery and Nikki Boyer, the FX on Hulu series follows Molly, a middle-aged woman who is unhappy with her marriage and has never experienced an orgasm. When she is diagnosed with breast she decides to end her marriage and live out her sexual desires. Dying for Sex stars Michelle Williams, Jenny Slate, David Rasche, Kelvin Yu, Rob Delaney, Jay Duplass, and Sissy Spacek. So, if you loved the hilarious comedy, feel-good story, and compelling characters in Dying for Sex, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Sex Education (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Sex Education is a British teen sex comedy-drama series created by Laurie Nunn. The Netflix series is set in the fictional town of Moordale,...

A new adaptation of Alex North's best-selling novel "The Whisper Man" on Netflix has found its star-studded cast. Academy Award-winning actor Robert De Niro will lead the new crime thriller and Michelle Monaghan, Adam Scott (Mark Scout in Severance), Michael Keaton (Spotlight), and more will also star. It was first reported that the streaming platform was eyeing the project from Agbo in 2022, but the studio didn't confirm it until February 2025. Agbo is Anthony and Joe Russo's production company, with the brothers having directed several popular Marvel films and Netflix's recent sci-fi epic The Electric State. The filmmaking pair is on board to produce The Whisper Man.

According to Netflix, the film will follow the plot of North's New York Times best-selling book. It's the story of a widowed crime writer whose eight-year-old son is abducted after moving to a new home for a fresh start. The writer looks to his father,...

Michael Keaton is to appear alongside Robert De Niro in the crime thriller ‘The Whisper Man’.The 73-year-old actor will cameo opposite the ‘Heat’ star, 81, in director James Ashcroft’s upcoming film for Netflix and Agbo, Deadline reports.The outlet added that Keaton’s role in ‘The Whisper Man’ will be small, though will be a big moment for the ‘Batman’ star and De Niro as it will be the first time the two actors have shared the screen since 1997’s ‘Jackie Brown’.‘The Whisper Man’ - which is slated to enter production this spring on the US East Coast - will also star John Carroll Lynch, Hamish Linklater, Owen Teague, Acston Luca Porto, Adam Scott and Michelle Monaghan. The film will be an adaptation of author Alex North’s 2019 novel ‘The Whisper Man’, which tells the story of a widowed crime writer whose search for his abducted eight-year-old son...

Bill Murray is currently making the rounds, promoting his new films Riff Raff and The Friend. The Friend is based on the novel of the same name by Sigurd Nunez, who won the National Book Award for her work. Outside of Murray and his co-star, Naomi Watts, the supporting cast features Sarah Pidgeon, Carla Gugino, Constance Wu, Ann Dowd, Noma Dumezweni, Felix Solis, Owen Teague, and more. The movie is directed by the longtime team of Scott McGehee and David Siegel, whose first film Suture came over 30 years ago.

Variety reports that Murray appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Watts and he reflected on his friend, Bruce Willis. Murray and Willis became friends while making Moonrise Kingdom together and the former Ghostbusters star talked about being at Saturday Night Live and Willis working at NBC as a page. Murray started off by saying, “Moonrise Kingdom was a really beautiful,...

Following a six-year hiatus, the next era of “The McConaissance” may be upon us, as Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey returns in the mystery crime thriller The Rivals of Amziah King. The thriller has now debuted at SXSW 2025 and is already being hailed as one of the best movies of the year, with McConaughey being praised for his performance as the movie lands a hugely promising score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Written and directed by Andrew Patterson, The Rivals of Amziah King stars Matthew McConaughey as the titular Amziah King alongside Kurt Russell, Cole Sprouse, Owen Teague, Scott Shepherd, Rob Morgan, Tony Revolori, Jake Horowitz, and Angelina LookingGlass as Kateri, and now boasts a near-perfect score of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. Details of the crime thriller have largely been kept under wraps but, following the debut, we now have some idea of the plot.

The Rivals of Amziah King finds McConaughey starring as Amziah King,...

Naomi Watts has her family’s support at the premiere of her new movie, The Friend!

The Oscar-nominated actress was joined by her husband Billy Crudup and her 16-year-old daughter Kai Schreiber at the premiere on Monday night (March 24) at the iPic Theater in New York City.

Also in attendance at the event were Naomi‘s co-stars Bill Murray, Sarah Pidgeon, Constance Wu, Noma Dumezweni, Felix Solis, Owen Teague, Carla Gugino, and Josh Pais.

Based on the bestselling novel, writer and teacher Iris (Watts) finds her comfortable, solitary New York life thrown into disarray after her closest friend (Murray) leaves her his beloved 150 lb. Great Dane Apollo, immediately creating practical problems, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones. Yet as Iris finds herself unexpectedly bonding with Apollo, she begins to come to terms with her past, and her own creative inner life in this story of healing,...

Those who live in the Tri-State area—or are masochistic voyeurs of Manhattan real estate—may experience writer-directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s The Friend more like a home-invasion horror film than a drama. Writer and professor Iris (Naomi Watts) can afford to live in the West Village off of Washington Square Park thanks to inheriting a rent-controlled unit from her father. But that sweet deal comes under threat when she’s forced to assume custodianship of Apollo, a Great Dane belonging to her recently departed mentor, Walter (Billy Murray), as her apartment building has a rule against pets.

Discount some of those localized stakes, though, and this adaptation of Sigrid Nunez’s source novel plays more like a standard-issue story about learning to live with grief. Murray is perfect casting for a character like Walter, who only appears in a few scenes. His larger-than-life persona casts a long shadow even in his absence.

Matthew McConaughey’s first lead role in over five years comes in The Rivals of Amziah King, and the film is earning strong reviews at SXSW. The Rivals of Amziah King follows Amziah (McConaughey), a foster parent who takes in Kateri (Angelina LookingGlass) after she loses her mother. The film has earned a strong 95% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, signaling a strong return to form for McConaughey, who has been absent from major roles since starring in The Gentlemen for Guy Ritchie. In addition to McConaughey, The Rivals of Amziah King also stars Kurt Russell (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters) and Owen Teague (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), and the film was written by James Montague and Andrew Patterson with Patterson also directing.

Ghostbusters' Bill Murray and Ed Harris are set to reunite once again, following their recent collaboration, for a gripping new neo-noir crime thriller movie.

Following their recent collaboration in the dark comedy Riff Raff, Murray and Westworld's Ed Harris are set to reunite for The Ploughmen, a neo-noir crime thriller directed by Harris. Based on Kim Zupan’s acclaimed novel, the film will begin production in Oklahoma in July 2025, according to TheCinemaholic. Harris, who also wrote the screenplay, will step behind the camera for the first time in 17 years to bring the story to life.

The cast features an impressive lineup, including Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' Owen Teague, Hulk's Nick Nolte, Amy Madigan, and Lily Harris. The film follows Val Millimaki (Teague), a young deputy sheriff in Montana tasked with interrogating a captured murderer, Gload (Nolte). As Millimaki struggles with the moral burden of his job,...

Matthew McConaugheyhas revealed which season of the HBO crime anthology True Detectivehe thinks is the best of all. The actor was featured alongside Woody Harrelson in True Detective Season 1, one of the most acclaimed standalone TV seasons in modern television. His character, Rust Cohle, is a deeply scarred man with far too many demons inside him, and McConaughey is perfect in the role. But as good as his performance was, does that mean that True Detective Season 1 is also McConaughey's favorite season of the anthology series? What do you think?

After four seasons, and four completely different storylines, the series stands as one of the best of its genre. However, opinions vary on which season is the best one. Only a few details were enough to confirm that all seasons could be taking place in the same universe, but they vary in tone and characters.

Nevertheless, as McConaughey has said to Variety,...

In The Rivals of Amziah King, Andrew Patterson crafts a loving portrait of an Oklahoma community around the sweet relationship between a beekeeper and his estranged foster daughter. The director borrows from different genres — nostalgic Westerns, propulsive crime thrillers, high-stakes heist films and even musicals — to tell this winding tale about what makes a place and its people feel like home.

There’s an admirable audacity to the film, which premiered at SXSW; you can feel Patterson, who garnered critical acclaim for his slender and accomplished debut The Vast of Night, exploring new ways to tell a familiar story. But a blinkered narrative coupled with misty-eyed aesthetic choices yield a strange and scattershot result.

The film starts on assured but sentimental footing. Patterson delivers a compelling opening sequence with the glossy finish of a music video. Trucks pull into an outdoor eatery, and out of them emerges a gaggle of...

Though he’s in less than half of Andrew Patterson’s Oklahoma Western “The Rivals of Amziah King,” Matthew McConaughey looms over the film like a myth in human form. His role as the title character, a mandolin-playing beekeeper out of Oklahoma, is also the twangy Oscar winner’s first screen role in six years. And it’s a testament to how mythic McConaughey himself is, and how much we take the Texan’s presence as granted and a given, that his absence from our movies and television didn’t register at all. He, like Amziah, looms regardless.

Oklahoma writer/director Patterson pays homage to his roots — and the people who laid their foundation — in his high-spirited, energetic follow-up to the 2019 Slamdance winner “The Vast of Night.” Where that 1950s-set UFO chiller blended “The X-Files,” B movies, and classic radio dramas, “The Rivals of Amziah King” cross-pollinates a bluegrass musical,...

Matthew McConaughey’s latest film, The Rivals of Amziah King, received a standing ovation during its world premiere at the Paramount Theatre in Austin. The western-musical-drama, directed by Andrew Patterson, played to an engaged audience with its mix of humor, emotion, and music, standing out among the SXSW screenings.

The film follows Amziah King, a musically gifted beekeeper in rural Oklahoma who leads a bluegrass band of misfits while overseeing the town’s most successful honey-making operation. When his estranged foster daughter returns, he sees an opportunity to rebuild their relationship and turn their business into a family enterprise. However, his ambitions are threatened by rivals determined to undermine everything he has built.

McConaughey introduced the film at the premiere, reflecting on what drew him to the project. “It’s been six years since I did a film or was onscreen. Why did I come to this film? Not often...

Standing ovations are rare at SXSW, but the Matthew McConaughey starring western/musical/drama The Rivals of Amziah King was far more than all right, all right, all right, earning one from the Paramount Theatre crowd in Austin on Monday.

On a sleepy night when all the big studio movies already have played, from out of the blue comes this heartwarming, unconventional feature from filmmaker Andrew Patterson. SXSW launched an Oscar Best Picture winner three years ago in A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once, and it could have another one on their hands if a buyer gets off their butt and takes this WME sales title. There’s been some deliberation and waiting by buyers when it comes to acquiring movies. No need to wait on this one, studios or streamers: This played in the heartland to rolling laughs, tears and cheers tonight.

Not only is the pic another...

The Academy determined the most worthy films of last year at the 97th Oscars on Sunday. However, the number of awards for these films doesn’t necessarily give us a full picture of the films’ popularity with the audience. New data reveals the most streamed Oscar-nominated films and fans would be surprised to learn that some of the big winners at the Oscars are absent from this list.

Anora was the leading winner of the Oscars night and won five awards, including four wins for director Sean Baker. Adrien Brody’s The Brutalist won three awards, while Emilia Pérez, Dune: Part Two, and Wicked won two awards each.

Best Picture winner Anora isn’t one of the most streamed Oscar nominated movies | Credits: Neon

However, none of these top winners were the most streamed movies. In fact, some of the non-winners took the top spots on this list. Some of...

In 2020 I reviewed a film premiering on Amazon called The Vast of Night, a small southwestern town drama that felt part Twilight Zone, part Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Its debuting filmmaker was Andrew Patterson, and I started my review predicting that based on that movie he was destined to become a very big thing.

Now five years later he has delivered his second film The Rivals of Amziah King, premiering Monday at SXSW, and he is working with much bigger name actors like Matthew McConaughey and Kurt Russell in a larger-scale crime drama/beekeeping/musical/character study, but still keeping it rural and real. Structurally, The Rivals of Amziah King seems to be two or three movie ideas rolled into one (at one point he was planning it as a seven-part limited TV series), which relies on the audience to follow the unfolding saga wherever it wants to take us.

The Planet of the Apes franchise has always been built on legacies. With Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024), a new chapter unfolds centuries after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes (2017). At the heart of the film is Noa (Owen Teague), a young chimpanzee from a peaceful community called the Eagle Clan, who stirred many fan questions about his connection to Caesar (Andy Serkis) — the revolutionary leader who redefined the fate of ape civilization.

Ed Harris has had a long and storied career as an actor, earning high praise for his roles in Westworld, Snowpiercer, The Abyss, and The Truman Show. But he's also an accomplished director, having helmed and starred in the incredible Pollock (2000) about famed painter, Jackson Pollack, and Appaloosa (2008). Harris has been trying to get his next film off the ground, and recently spoke with Collider about its multi-year delay.

While promoting My Dead Friend Zoe, Harris explained the difficulties of getting his next movie, The Ploughman, made. He spoke about how tough it is to find money for an indie film, explaining:

"I haven't been able to get the financing together. It's an indie film that probably costs more than it should, and I’ve been trying to slash the budget down, but I don't want to make it on a shoestring because it deserves certain production values, so I don't know.

Freya Allan was thrown into the spotlight for her role as Ciri in Netflix’s The Witcher, an adaptation of the story by Andrzej Sapkowski, which inspired video games of the same name. Allan also starred in last year's Planet of the Apes reboot, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Allan is one of the big up-and-comers of the last few years and was previously listed among 2024's "Hollywood Rising" stars by Elle alongside Sophie Thatcher (Companion), Ella Purnell (Fallout), and Anna Sawai (Shogun). Allan's next big role is slated to be that of late English singer and actress Marianne Faithfull. She will be playing Faithfull, per Variety.

Related10 Strongest Apes In The Planet of the Apes Franchise, Ranked

The Planet of the Apes franchise has delivered some complex storytelling and memorable characters, where some formidable apes leave an impact.

What Is Known About the Marianne Faithfull Movie

Aside...

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesdirector Wes Ball has a lot on his plate, as he is currently working on multiple projects including the Legend of Zelda and Ruiner adaptations. However, Planet of the Apes fans have no reason to worry as he recently confirmed that plans are in place for the sequel to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Speaking to Collider, Ball confirmed that work was currently being done on the sequel, which was recently announced to be coming to theaters in 2027. While he didn't reveal plot details regarding the sequel, he shared his excitement about the many ideas he has about expanding the franchise moving forward.

"Yeah, we're talking about it. That's all I can say, really. But I'm greedy," Ball said. "I've got multiple things that I'm playing with right now. I'd love to do all of them, but there are so many cool...

Stephen King is one of the most prolific and influential authors of all time, and the authority on the horror and sci-fi genre. His books have been adapted into countless films and television projects, some of them even more than once.

Many iconic filmmakers have attempted to adapt King's works, and some of them were successful, like frequent collaborator Mike Flanagan, and others were not on King's favorite list due to the many changes to their material. One horror veteran auteur who hasn't attempted to adapt one of King's works is James Wan, famous for works like Saw, Insidious, and The Conjuring. In a new appearance on The Kingcast, Wan revealed that the "only" novel for him to adapt is one of King's most ambitious works: The Stand.

Related'Just Perfect': Stephen King Shares Exciting Update for Mike Flanagan's Delayed The Dark Tower Series

Although there aren't any real development news about The Dark Tower,...

It took a village of storytellers to bring “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” to life.

At the heart of it all was VFX house Wētā, which had a crew of over 1000 artists working on delivering 1500 visual effects shots. The film, which won Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature at the Visual Effects Society Awards, is also nominated for an Oscar in the VFX category.

Speaking at the Variety FYC screening, presented by 20th Century Studios, VFX supervisor Erik Winquist explained how performance capture technology had advanced since the last film, “War of the Planet of the Apes.” Over six years, tech advancements allowed Winquist and his team to give the apes even more realistic features. He explained, “All the advancements had been brought into the mix. Instead of using a single camera on active spaces, we’re using a pair of cameras that allowed us to get...

Wes Ball's continuation of the Planet of the Apes franchise, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, earned an Academy Award nomination this year for Best Visual Effects, alongside other majorly talented nominees, for their innovative combination of CG and live-action. This sprawling epic had the task of bridging the Caesar Trilogy to the original 1968 film and included more talking apes" than the movies before, as well as "33 minutes of 100% full CG." To pull this off, Ball collaborated with the top of their profession, with a team from Wētā Workshop and a stellar ensemble cast featuring Owen Teague, Kevin Durand, Frey Allan, and Peter Macon.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes director Wes Ball has now revealed that the sequel, which will no doubt opt for an even longer title, is now being discussed. And could be the best movie in his planned Planet of the Apes trilogy. Released last year, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes continues to explore the ever-emerging titular world ruled over by our simian brethren. Met with both positive reviews and a modest box office return, updates on the follow-up have been scarce, but Ball has now confirmed that talks are happening.

Speaking with Collider, Ball teased the “cool places” and multiple ideas he has in mind for the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sequel. And while he keeps things close to his chest, he reveals that there are several clues that audiences may have missed in the first movie...

"Yeah, we're talking about it. That's all I can say,...

There’s a lot of pressure involved in trying to follow a trilogy as acclaimed and accomplished as the Andy Serkis-led “Planet of the Apes” saga, which culminated with 2017’s “War for the Planet of the Apes.” For “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” director Wes Ball, actor Owen Teague, animation supervisor Paul Story and visual effects supervisor Erik Winquist, making their blockbuster sequel involved a lot of both looking behind and ahead of them as they pushed the visual effects of the franchise even further.

“The challenge with this movie was that we both had to give people what they were expecting, but also surprise them,” Ball told TheWrap for a new installment of How I Did It, presented by 20th Century Studios. “We’re standing on what’s done before and elevating [it] into a level that wasn’t possible a couple years ago.”

The starting point for Winquist,...

"I could feel him missing Walter in the same way I did." Bleecker Street has revealed an official trailer for The Friend, one of the best dog movies ever made, based on the book. Directed by Scott McGehee & David Siegel, The Friend first premiered at the 2024 TIFF & NYFF festivals last fall to mostly positive reviews (I loved it). Adapted from the bestselling novel also titled "The Friend" by Sigrid Nunez, it's a story about love, friendship, grief and healing, following a writer who adopts a Great Dane that belonged to a late friend and mentor. Naomi Watts stars as Iris, who takes in this massive, 150lbs Great Dane named Apollo (played by a real doggie named Bing). He immediately creates practical problems for Iris, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones, his looming presence constantly reminding her of her friend's problematic choices in both life and death.

The Friend received strong reviews out of its Telluride Film Festival debut last year, further building its reputation at TIFF. It was here that word grew enough that it seemed a sure thing it would get a respectable release. And after Bleecker Street nabbed the rights, it was on its way to 2025. It flew a bit under the radar there for a while but now, ahead of its debut in a couple of months, we have the first trailer.

Here is the official synopsis, as per Bleecker Street, who will be distributing the drama: “In The Friend, adapted from the bestselling novel, Iris (Naomi Watts) finds her comfortable New York life upended when her friend and mentor Walter (Bill Murray) bequeaths her his Great Dane, Apollo. The regal yet intractable beast is a constant reminder of Walter and causes various problems— yet as Iris bonds with Apollo, she begins to cope with her past,...

Naomi Watts grapples with grief and becomes a dog caretaker in the first trailer for The Friend. On Tuesday, Bleecker Street released the clip for the upcoming film, which poignantly captures Watts dealing with the loss of a good friend, played by Bill Murray, as she adopts his pet Great Dane.

The trailer opens with Murray asking: “What’s going to happen to the dog?” The trailer devolves into Watts’ character having to take in the Great Dane following Walter’s death, since it was what he wanted when he died.

“The Friend” is almost here.

The drama from directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel opens exclusively in New York on March 28 before its wide release on April 4. And you can watch a brand-new trailer for the Naomi Watts-led film below.

“The Friend,” based on Sigrid Nunez’s 2018 book of the same name, stars Bill Murray as a man who leaves his beloved Great Dane to his friend (Watts). Wouldn’t you know it, she learns more from the dog than the dog could ever learn from her? Sarah Pidgeon, Constance Wu, Ann Dowd, Noma Dumezweni, Owen Teague and Carla Gugino also star.

The movie premiered at last year’s Telluride Film Festival and screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and New York Film Festival. Bleecker Street acquired the North American rights to the film, which tentatively planned an early 2025 release. Now we know the release isn’t quite...

The highly-anticipated Daisy Edgar-Jones and Jacob Elordi romance “On Swift Horses” will make its U.S. premiere at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival. The film’s start marks the festival’s end.

IndieWire can announce that the epic from “Fellow Travelers” director Daniel Minahan is the Closing Night feature for SXSW. As previously confirmed, “Another Simple Favor” will make its world premiere as the Opening Night selection; Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s Apple TV+ series “The Studio” is the Opening Night TV premiere. Check out the full SXSW Film & TV Festival lineup here.

“On Swift Horses” stars Elordi as veteran Julius, who upends his brother’s (Will Poulter) newlywed bliss after he returns from the Korean War, as his appearance sparks something unexpected in his new sister-in-law (Edgar-Jones). “On Swift Horses” is based on the 2019 novel by Shannon Pufahl, and Bryce Kass adapted the novel for the screen.

“On Swift Horses...

South by Southwest has rounded out its film lineup for the 2025 edition, while also announcing that Daniel Minahan’s On Swift Horses will close the Film & TV Festival in its U.S. premiere.

Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi and Will Poulter starring movie follows Muriel (Edgar-Jones) and her husband Lee (Poulter) as they are about to begin a bright new life, which is upended by the arrival of Lee’s brother. Muriel embarks on a secret life, gambling on racehorses and discovering a love she never thought possible. The Sony Pictures Classics romance also features Diego Calva and Sasha Calle. Pic was produced by Peter Spears, Daniel Minahan, Tim Headington, Mollye Asher, Theresa Steele Page, Michael D’Alto and written by Bryce Kass. On Swift Horses made its world premiere at TIFF back in September.

SXSW

Making its world premiere is Jillian Bell’s feature directorial debut Summer of 69 which the...

SXSW announced the rest of its 2025 film and television lineup on Wednesday, including the world premiere of Jillian Bell's directorial debut Summer Of '69. It was also announced that the festival will feature the U.S. premiere of On Swift Horses, directed by Daniel Minahan. The film stars Jacob Elordi...

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

2024 was a great year for sci-fi fans, as many brilliant movies like Dune: Part Two came out this year. The sci-fi genre has always been one of the most beloved among cinephiles as it gives us a new look at a particular technology or our world. So, let’s check out which of the best sci-fi movies that came out last year you should not miss.

The Substance (Mubi & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Mubi

The Substance is a sci-fi body horror film written and directed by Coralie Fargeat. The 2024 film follows Elisabeth Sparkle, an aging celebrity who is slowly losing her fame. She soon discovers a black market drug that can create a younger version of herself, but that comes with unexpected side effects. The Substance stars Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid, Edward Hamilton Clark, Gore Abrams,...

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

2024 was a good year for the action genre fans as this year saw the release of many brilliant films like Monkey Man and The Fall Guy. While many films like Dune Part Two had great action in them, they weren’t actually action films. We didn’t include those, so let’s find out which of the 2024 action films were the best.

Civil War (Max & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – A24

Civil War is a dystopian action thriller film written and directed by Alex Garland. The 2024 film is set in a dystopian future America as civil war rages on, and it revolves around a group of journalists as they race to Washington, D.C., to interview the President before rebel factions descend upon the White House. Civil War stars Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson,...

Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen to star in ‘JonBenet Ramsey’ series

Paramount+ announced its previously untitled limited series on the murder of JonBenét Ramsey is part of their new Unspeakable anthology series focusing on unsolved crimes. Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey is currently filming in Canada with Oscar nominees Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen starring as JonBenét’s parents, Patsy and John Bennett Ramsey.

Besides McCarthy and Owen, the limited series stars Emily Mitchell, Garrett Hedlund, Alison Pill, Shea Whigham, Owen Teague, Clifton Collins Jr, and Rory Cochrane. Chris Bauer, Angus Caldwell, Will Patton, John Billingsley, Jeremy Bobb, Jaime Ray Newman, and Josh Stamberg also star. Margo Martindale guest stars.

“At its heart, the series centers on the story of Patsy and John Ramsey, exploring their unbreakable partnership and the complex dynamics of their marriage and parenting,” reads Paramount+’s synopsis. “It delves into how they crafted a narrative of a perfect,...

Paramount+’s JonBenét Ramsey series will be part of an anthology series that will tackle heartbreaking and gripping unsolved crimes.

The previously announced limited series now has a working title — Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey — and stars Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen as Patsy and John Bennett Ramsey, the parents of 6-year-old JonBenét Ramsey who was murdered in 1996. Patsy Ramsey died in 2006 after twice battling ovarian cancer.

The streamer announced the title during the 2025 Golden Globes, where McCarthy was a presenter for best comedy or musical series (Hacks won).

A premiere date for Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey has yet to be announced.

Here’s the logline: “At its heart, the series centers on the story of Patsy and John Ramsey, exploring their unbreakable partnership and the complex dynamics of their marriage and parenting. It delves into how they crafted a narrative of a perfect, privileged life for...

Paramount+ has unveiled the working title of its forthcoming anthology true crime series, the first installment of which will delve into the JonBenét Ramsey story, featuring stars Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen. The news comes after McCarthy’s on-stage broadcast presenting spot during the Golden Globes, airing now on CBS and Paramount+.

Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey (wt) is produced by Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios. Each season will delve into “some of the nation’s most heartbreaking and gripping unsolved crimes,” per the streamer.

As previously reported, McCarthy will play mother Patsy Ramsey and Owen will portray patriarch John Bennett Ramsey in the project.

At its heart, the series centers on the story of Patsy and John Ramsey, “exploring their unbreakable partnership and the complex dynamics of their marriage and parenting. It delves into how they crafted a narrative of a perfect, privileged life for themselves...

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

This January, Netflix is bringing you a lot of entertainment, from the highly anticipated second season of The Night Agent to an action comedy film titled Back in Action. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Netflix this month and have a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the seven best films that are coming to Netflix in January 2025 with a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

Apollo 13 (January 1) Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96% Credit – Universal Pictures

Apollo 13 is a docudrama film directed by Ron Howard from a screenplay co-written by William Broyles Jr. and Al Reinert. Based on the 1995 non-fiction book Lost Moon by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kruger, the 1995 film follows astronauts Lovell, Haise, and Swigert as they find themselves stranded on the moon after...

Director Wes Ball’s “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” takes place 300 years after the death of Caesar (Andy Serkis) and the previous “Planet of Apes” trilogy, when humanity lost the wars and Apes ruled the world for generations. With the fourth installment, Ball wanted to push visual effects supervisor Erik Winquist and the Wētā FX performance capture team well past their prior achievements.

The Caesar trilogy featured a mix of human and ape characters, with many apes using sign language to communicate. In “Kingdom,” humans take a back seat with 12 new ape leads that walk-and-talk like Aaron Sorkin characters. Ball also envisioned it as a road film with Noa (Owen Teague) crossing an ever-changing landscape to find his abducted clan.

Dating back to “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (2011), the franchise always pushed performance capture beyond the soundstage but production still centered around carefully prepped principal exterior sets.

(L-r): Noa (played by Owen Teague), Soona (played by Lydia Peckham), and Anaya (played by Travis Jeffery) in 20th Century Studios’ Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced shortlists in 10 categories for the 97th Academy Awards®: Documentary Feature Film, Documentary Short Film, International Feature Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, Sound and Visual Effects.

Documentary Feature Film

Fifteen films will advance in the Documentary Feature Film category for the 97th Academy Awards. One hundred sixty-nine films were eligible in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

“The Bibi Files”

“Black Box Diaries”

“Dahomey”

“Daughters”

“Eno”

“Frida”

“Hollywoodgate”

“No Other Land...

The Hollywood Creative Alliance has announced the winners for the 2024 Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards on Sunday, Dec. 8. The organization hosted two ceremonies – a luncheon and dinner – at the Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles. Actor, comedian and writer Peter Kim hosted the Astra Creative Arts Awards and two-time Emmy and NAACP-winning comedian Loni Love hosted the Astra Film Awards.

Universal Pictures’ “Wicked” came out on top with eight wins including Best Picture, Best Director for Jon M. Chu, Best Actress for Cynthia Erivo, and Best Supporting Actress for Ariana Grande (tie with Zoe Saldaña). Coming in second place was Warner Bros.’ “Dune: Part Two” and Netflix’s “Emilia Pérez” with four wins each. See the full list of winners below.

In addition, the Hollywood Creative Alliance honored costume designer Colleen Atwood with the Inaugural Artisan Icon Award, composer Kris Bowers received the Artisan Achievement Award, and cinematographer Giovanni Ribisi...