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For forty years, the movie that has come to mind whenever the title Night Patrol came up was a goofball comedy starring the Unknown Comic Murray Langston and Linda Blair – but now director Ryan Prows is aiming to give us another Night Patrol to think about. This one is a horror film with a cast that includes Jermaine Fowler (The Blackening), Justin Long (Tusk), wrestler Cm Punk (Girl on the Third Floor), Dermot Mulroney (Young Guns), Rj Cyler (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), Freddie Gibbs (Down With The King), Yg (White Boy Rick), Flying Lotus (Ash), Jon Oswald (Lowlife), and Nicki Micheaux (Lowlife). Filming took place in Los Angeles and wrapped earlier this month.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, this Night Patrol follows an LAPD officer (Fowler) who must put aside his differences with the area’s street gangs when he discovers a local police task force is...

Scream King Justin Long (Barbarian) and WWE superstar Cm Punk (Girl on the Third Floor) have been set to star in an upcoming horror movie titled Night Patrol, THR reports.

Jermaine Fowler, Dermot Mulroney, Rj Cyler, Freddie Gibbs, Yg, Flying Lotus, Jon Oswald, and Nicki Micheaux will also star in the upcoming Night Patrol.

In the horror-thriller, “An LAPD officer (Jermaine Fowler) must put aside his differences with the area’s street gangs when he discovers a local police task force is harboring a horrific secret that endangers the residents of the housing projects he grew up in.”

THR reports, “David S. Goyer and Keith Levine are producing via the duo’s Phantom Four banner. Also producing is Josh Goldbloom, known for the recent V/H/S horror entries. James Harris and Mark Lane of Tea Shop Films (47 Meters Down) are also producing the movie, which wrapped principal photography in Los Angeles this week.

Justin Long, Jermaine Fowler and Rj Cyler are starring in Night Patrol, an indie horror feature from director and co-writer Ryan Prows.

David S. Goyer and Keith Levine are producing via the duo’s Phantom Four banner. Also producing is Josh Goldbloom, known for the recent V/H/S horror entries. James Harris and Mark Lane of Tea Shop Films (47 Meters Down) are also producing the movie, which wrapped principal photography in Los Angeles this week.

Dermot Mulroney and WWE superstar Cm Punk have key roles, while Freddie Gibbs (Down With The King), Yg (White Boy Rick), Flying Lotus (Ash) Jon Oswald (Lowlife) and Nicki Micheaux (Lowlife) round out the cast.

In Patrol, an LAPD officer (Fowler) must put aside his differences with the area’s street gangs when he discovers a local police task force is harboring a horrific secret that endangers the residents of the housing projects he grew up in.

Power Rangers fans are disappointed with the latest update from the upcoming live-action show. Netflix has reportedly abandoned the project and Hasbro is looking for a new partner to take on the project. The series was in development for more than two years under Supernatural story editor Jenny Klein and The End Of The F***ing World co-creator Jonathan Entwistle.

A still from Power Rangers 2017 | Scg Films

However, fans have suggested another solution for the Hasbro property to emerge stronger than ever. Before Hasbro took over, Saban developed a film version of the 1993 show, Power Rangers, in 2017. The film was a commercial failure, but fans have grown to like it and want Hasbro to pursue a sequel.

Power Rangers Fans Want A Sequel For The 2017 Film After Netflix Abandons The Series Naomi Scott, Rj Cyler, Dacre Montgomery, Ludi Lin, and Becky G in Power Rangers 2017 | Scg Films

According to TVLine, Hasbro...

Exclusive: Jason Isbell joins actors Shameik Moore and Paris Jackson on One Spoon of Chocolate from original screenplay directed amnd written by RZA who is producing the feature with producer Paul Hall (White Men Can’t Jump and Shaft), executive producers Talani Diggs, Mitchell Divine Diggs, and Joe Genier (Bigger).

In addition Jason Isbell, Isaiah Hill (Swagger) and James Lee Thomas (Bad Boys: Ride or Die) join Shameik Moore and Paris Jackson with actors Rj Cyler (The Harder They Fall), Harry Goodwins (The Gentlemen), Johnell Young (Wu-Tang: An American Saga), Michael Harney (Iron Claw), Rockmond Dunbar (911 and Prison Break), E’myri Crutchfield (Dark Harvest and Fargo), and Blair Underwood (Origin) have joined the cast.

The film follows an ex-military convict who leaves the city for a small town where he ends up finding love, danger and more trouble than he can handle.

Jason Isbell is...

Fledgling US distributor and international sales agency The Forge, led by longtime producer and Vashon Island Film Festival director Mark Mathias Sayre, is heading to Cannes with a slate including Civil War epic Freedom’s Path.

Brett Smith’s drama stars Gerran Howell, Rj Cyler, and Ewen Bremner and centres on a Union solider who flees battle and is rescued by a free Black man operating a section of the Underground Railroad.

The roster includes Matthew Mishory’s documentary Fioretta, which will open in the US through Gravitas Ventures and profiles lawyer and philanthropist Randy Schoenberg’s search for his oldest recorded ancestor.

Jordan Peele is dusting off his ten-gallon hat and sharpening his spurs for a potentially powerful docuseries about Black cowboys of the Wild West. Peele’s goal with his new project is to change the public perception of the Old West and the people who contributed to its identity. The docuseries is getting set up at Peacock, with Peele executive producing. Reports say the project aims to “dismantle the whitewashed mythology of the cowboy” and elaborate on themes featured in Peele’s 2022 invasion thriller Nope.

Peele is teaming up with By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem’s Keith McQuirter, who joins the untitled Black cowboy docuseries as showrunner and executive producer.

Here’s the official description for Jordan Peele’s Black cowboy docuseries:

“The untitled Black cowboy docuseries will rewrite a foundational piece of American history, unmasking the forces that erased the identity of the Black...

Shameik Moore and Paris Jackson have grabbed lead roles in the drama One Spoon of Chocolate, which has started production in Atlanta.

Rapper and filmmaker Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, also known RZA, is directing from his own screenplay. The feature follows an ex-military convict leaving the city for a small town where he ends up finding love, danger and more trouble than he can handle, according to a synopsis from the producers.

RZA made his directorial debut with 2012’s The Man With the Iron Fists, in which he starred as the title character and penned the script alongside producer Eli Roth. His directorial follow-up, the Lionsgate rap and poetry drama Love Beats Rhymes, starred Azealia Banks, Common, Jill Scott and Lorraine Toussaint.

RZA’s acting credits include Paul Walker’s final film Brick Mansions, Fox’s Gang Related (as a series regular) and Ridley Scott’s American Gangster, for which he...

The season of the very first sign of the zodiac is here, and that’s exactly why being a leader comes so easy for Aries folks.

And that’s no joke, Aries really don’t know what else to be but a boss, CEO or innovator, because they’d rather play by their own rules. They march to the beat of their own drum and rarely ever need anyone to play backup instrumentals. Their charm, playful personality and great sense of humor make up for their impulsiveness and sometimes hot-temper, and there’s absolutely no other sign who will keep it all the way real with you like an Aries does, even if it’s something you don’t want to hear. They tell it like it is, as dishonesty goes against their entire m.o.

As ambitious as they are — known for being some of the greatest to ever...

Calls for pay equity continued at the 26th annual Costume Designers Guild Awards (Cdga), held on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at NeueHouse Hollywood and hosted by Wendi McLendon-Covey. Winners were announced in nine categories, including a new one for excellence in costume illustration. Also new this year was recognition of the primary assistant costume designer, who received an award alongside the head costume designer in each category.

The show marked the debut of the Vanguard Spotlight Award to celebrate an influential performance artist, underlining the breadth of costume design beyond film and television. Costume designer-stylist Shirley Kurata, who styled Billie Eilish’s music video for the Oscar-nominated Barbie song “What Was I Made For?,” presented the award, emphasizing Eilish’s fashion focus on sustainability, individuality and a vegan lifestyle.

“I don’t think people necessarily realize that those artists need costume designers for their music videos and performances; we have members who...

Actors, filmmakers, costume designers, and artists came together to celebrate excellence in film, television, short-form costume design and costume illustration. The 26th Annual Costume Designer Guild Awards ceremony took place on Wednesday, February 21st at The NeueHouse in Hollywood.

The gala event was attended by Lily Gladstone, Shangela, Cheyenne Jackson, Rj Cyler, Olivia Thirlby and Sherry Cola, Sophie Canale, Holly Waddington, Jacqueline Durran, B. Åkerlund, Phoebe Darling, Michelle Page Collins, Shirley Kurata, Elissa Alcala and many more.

Wendi McLendon-Covey hosted the event, where Francine Jamison-Tanchuck received the Career Achievement Award from The Color Purple star, Danielle Brooks. Annette Bening was honored with the Spotlight Award by Bening’s Costume Designer from Nyad, Kelli Jones and the legendary Costume Designer, Albert Wolsky, who accepted on her behalf.

Related: Costume Designers Guild Awards: ‘Barbie’, ‘Poor Things’ & ‘Saltburn’ Take Film Prizes – Winners List

Billie Eilish was awarded the Vanguard Spotlight Award, which celebrates...

Biblical epics used to be Hollywood's bread and butter. From "The Ten Commandments" to "Ben-Hur," the unique blend of high-stakes drama, and big-scale spectacle used to dominate the box office as well as awards season. Today, they've all but disappeared from the filmmaking landscape. This makes the release of a movie like "The Book of Clarence" all the more special.

Written and directed by Jeymes "The Bullitts" Samuel ("The Harder They Fall"), "The Book of Clarence" combines a biblical epic with the comedic tone of Monty Python's "Life of Brian" or Mel Brook's "History of the World," poking fun at the story of a rising messiah, and the man who sees that fame and power and decides to get some of that for himself.

/Film's own Witney Seibold reviewed "The Book of Clarence" and called it "aspirational, unique, moving, funny, weird, and very shaggy." The film stars Lakeith Stanfield ("Atlanta...

Exclusive: Independent Artist Group has signed Nicholas Pinnock, one of the stars of TriStar/Legendary’s The Book of Clarence, for representation.

A biblical dramedy written and directed by The Harder They Fall‘s Jeymes Samuel, Pinnock’s latest feature centers on Clarence (Lakeith Stanfield), who finds himself captivated by the power of the rising Messiah while struggling to find a better life, soon risking everything to carve a path to a divine existence. In it, he portrays Jesus, also starring opposite Omar Sy, Rj Cyler, Anna Diop, David Oyelowo, Alfre Woodard and many more. World premiering at last year’s BFI London Film Festival, the film was released in U.S. theaters on January 12.

Later this year, Pinnock will be seen in This Town, a limited series created for BBC by Steven Knight. Other upcoming projects include Robert Zemeckis’ film Here, based on the graphic novel by Richard McGuire,...

Apple TV’s Messi Documentary Series Gets Trailer

Apple TV+ has released the official trailer for its highly anticipated documentary event “Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend.” The four-part series will track the career of international superstar and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi throughout his record-setting, multi-decade career with the Argentina national football team up through their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 win.

Through personal interviews with Messi and conversations with his teammates, coaches, competitors, devout fans, and commentators, the docuseries explores the ups and downs of the champion’s tenure thus far, including his early retirement in 2016 and his comeback in 2022 as the FIFA World Cup’s best player.

Watch the trailer for “Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend” below:

“Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend” is set to premiere globally on Feb. 21 on Apple TV+.

7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month apple.com...

Max has cancelled Rap Sh!t after two seasons. The second season finale of the comedy series was released on the streaming service last month. A total of 16 episodes were produced during the show's run.

Starring Aida Osman, KaMillion, Jonica Booth, Devon Terrell, Rj Cyler, Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut, Daniel Augustin, Amandla Jahava, Jaboukie Young-White, Brittney Jefferson, and DomiNque Perry, the series created by Issa Rae follows a pair of estranged high school friends from Miami who reunite to form a rap group.

Read More…...

Max has opted not to proceed with a third season of Issa Rae’s comedy series Rap Sh!t. The decision comes a month after the show’s Season 2 finale dropped on the streamer.

The second season of Rap Sh!t, originally scheduled for an August 10 debut, was pushed to November because of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes with the hope of giving it a better shot by having the creative team and cast promote it.

Max, along with other streamers, has been trimming its lineup of originals. Rap Sh!t‘s cancellation leaves five returning comedy series on the platform: Hacks, And Just Like That…, The Sex Lives of College Girls, Peacemaker and the recently renewed Bookie.

Related: ‘Schmigadoon!’ Canceled After 2 Seasons At Apple TV+

“We are extremely grateful to Issa Rae for creating Rap Sh!t, a one-of-a-kind comedy with compelling social commentary that reached viewers in a way only Issa’s talents can accomplish,...

The second season of the Max comedy series “Rap Sh!t” will be its last.

Created by Issa Rae, who also executive produced alongside showrunner Syreeta Singleton, “Rap Sh!t” charted the ascent of Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion), estranged high school friends from Miami who reunite to form a rap duo and try to make it big in the music business. The dramedy also starred Jonica Booth (Chastity), Rj Cyler (Lamont) and Daniel Augustin (Maurice).

“I’m so proud of and grateful for Syreeta, our cast, writers and crew that made this show possible,” Rae tells Variety in a statement. “Thanks to Sarah Aubrey and Suzanna Makkos for championing the show, and much love to the fans that tuned in weekly to root for our girls.”

Adds Singleton: “I love this show and I am so proud of the work we’ve done. We created something fun, raw, and original...

The cancellations continue at Max.

The Warner Bros. Discovery-backed streamer has canceled Rap Sh!t, the scripted comedy series created by Issa Rae and starring Aida Osman after a two-season run.

“We are extremely grateful to Issa Rae for creating Rap Sh!t, a one-of-a-kind comedy with compelling social commentary that reached viewers in a way only Issa’s talents can accomplish,” a Max spokesperson said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “A huge thank you to Issa, showrunner Syreeta Singleton and the teams at Hoorae and 3 Arts Entertainment for introducing us to Shawna and Mia, a duo whose journey fans have been invested in and who they have continued to root for through everything. We’ll never get Seduce and Scheme out of our heads and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Osman starred as Shawna Clark, a struggling rapper who works at a hotel.

Jeymes Samuel’s biblical epic was slated to be released tomorrow (19th January), but the film has disappeared from the UK release schedule.

Jeymes Samuel’s biblical dramedy The Book Of Clarence has been quietly removed from the UK release calendar – mere hours before it was supposed to appear in cinemas. The film was originally slated to come out tomorrow, 19th January.

Samuel’s film received its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival last October. Reviews were lukewarm, but all of its promotional materials mentioned that aforementioned release date.

Deadline also reports that Sony and Legendary, which apparently requested the move, are now planning a March release for the film instead.

The Book Of Clarence stars Lakeith Stanfield as the titular character, who tries to capitalise on the rise of Jesus Christ and fakes being a Messiah, spinning an impressive web of lies.

The large ensemble cast also includes Benedict Cumberbatch,...

Exclusive: The Book of Clarence, the Legendary and Jay Z-produced adventure-comedy, won’t be released in UK cinemas this week as planned.

The biblical epic has quietly dropped off the UK release schedule at the eleventh hour after initially being lined up for a January 19 release by Sony. UK exhibitors were set for a January 19 launch — the film has been listed on multiple cinema sites as opening this week — and marketing materials were deployed with a January 19 listing.

We understand a March release is now more likely. Sony is handling UK distribution, but we understand the decision to push back the release came from Legendary, which produced and financed the film.

News of the calendar switch comes after the pic recently opened stateside, taking just $3M over the 4-day MLK Jr. holiday weekend, giving the film a ninth-place debut on the charts. We hear that a later UK date...

The MLK holiday weekend proved to be surprisingly fruitful at the box office thanks to strong showings from both the "Mean Girls" movie musical and Jason Statham's new beat-em-up, "The Beekeeper." Unfortunately, they can't all be winners and Sony Pictures' new comedic Biblical epic "The Book of Clarence" faltered in its debut. It now has the distinction of being the first true theatrical disappointment of 2024.

Directed by Jeymes Samuel, the film opened to just $2.5 million over the weekend, with that number growing to $3 million when accounting for the Monday holiday, per The Numbers. It placed 10th on the charts, barely squeaking into the top 10 sandwiched between a pair of holdovers in the forms of "The Boys in the Boat" ($3.4 million) and "The Iron Claw" ($2.4 million). A rough start, to be certain. And yes, certain parts of the U.S. are experiencing terrible winter weather, which impacted moviegoing for sure.

Mean Girls is easily winning the box office popularity contest at the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend box office with an estimated domestic opening of $33.2 million, coming in ahead of expectations.

The Paramount film arrives in 3,791 North American theaters 20 years after the Lindsay Lohan-led cult classic Mean Girls, which was directed by Mark Waters from Tina Fey’s script, strutted into cinemas. Fey returned to write the new film, which is based on the Broadway musical that was in turn adapted from the 2004 film. Overseas, it launched in only a few major markets but got off to a first-rate start in Australia and Mexico, where it came in No. 1. Its foreign opening tally is $6.5 million for a global start of $37.5 million against a production budget of $36 million before marketing.

Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auli’i Cravalho, Bebe Wood and Christopher Briney star in the new movie, with Fey and Tim Meadows...

Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Mean Girls, Masters of the Air, True Detective, Echo and The Curse.

The Book of Clarence premiere

Director Jeymes Samuel and producer Jay-Z joined stars Lakeith Stanfield, James McAvoy, David Oyelowo, Alfre Woodard, Caleb McLaughlin and Rj Cyler at their film’s Los Angeles premiere on Jan. 5.

Micheal Ward, Anna Diop, Nicholas Pinnock, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, David Oyelowo, Lakeith Stanfield, Jeymes Samuel aka The Bullitts, Rj Cyler, Alfre Woodard, Babs Olusanmokun and Caleb McLaughlin Jeymes Samuel and Jay-Z

Mean Girls premiere

Lindsay Lohan made a surprise appearance at the Mean Girls musical movie premiere in NYC on Monday, joining Tina Fey, Lorne Michaels and new stars Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auli’i Cravalho, Jaquel Spivey, Avantika, Bebe Wood and Christopher Briney.

Reneé Rapp, Lorne Michaels, Tina Fey and Lindsay Lohan Auli’i Cravalho,...

Jeymes Samuel can take the heat when it comes to commentary about his work. And he’s expecting plenty to follow the release of his latest film, The Book of Clarence, a biblical epic set for release on Jan. 12 about a man who, witnessing the rising popularity of Jesus the Messiah, attempts to cash in on that fame by performing fake miracles to get out of debt.

“People always see things the wrong way and they call it backlash,” says the director who also wrote and produced the film and its accompanying soundtrack, which arrives Friday along with the feature. “It’s conversation. I like the smoke. Let’s talk.”

Lakeith Stanfield stars in the lead role of Clarence, which reunites him with his The Harder They Fall co-star R J Cyler among a large ensemble cast that includes Omar Sy, Caleb McLaughlin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anna Diop and James McAvoy.

Plot: In A.D 33, Jerusalem, a hustler named Clarence (Lakeith Stanfield), thinks he’s found the perfect con – he’s going to pose as a new messiah. Yet, when the plan works better than expected, he finds something he never thought he would – faith.

Review: It’s interesting that people are comparing The Book of Clarence to Life of Brian, as other than the A.D 33 setting, they have next to nothing in common. When people heard Jeymes Samuel would be making an off-kilter comedy set at the time of Jesus Christ, they assumed it would be a hard-hitting satire. But the truth is that The Book of Clarence is ultimately a morality tale with heavy Christian themes. While the apostles may take a ribbing, Jesus himself is presented as an unassailably positive character. The result is a movie that will probably have a more challenging time crossing over to...

Pontius Pilate (James McAvoy) and Clarence (Lakeith Stanfield) in The Book Of Clarence. Courtesy of Sony

Director/writer Jeymes Samuel seems to have been inspired by those Hollywood’s long tradition of epic Biblical movies, like Ben Hur and The Robe to try his own version of those big-screen extravaganzas mixing Bible stories with adventure and action for The Book Of Clarence – but with a big comic twist. With a plenty of humor, some social commentary and with a mostly Black cast playing the Jewish population of “Lower Jerusalem” in 33 A.D., Jeymes Samuel aimed to create a new, entertaining version of this venerable movie genre. The result is a movie with one foot in something like Ben Hur crossed with Monty Python’s Life Of Brian, with a touch of Mel Brooks’ History Of The World Part 1. The Book Of Clarence is a cinematic creation that teeters precariously and...

Mean Girls strutted to $3.3 million in previews at the North American box office, on par with Wonka.

Paramount’s movie adaptation of the Broadway musical is based on the 2004 big-screen teen comedy that turned into a cultural classic. The new movie is expected to open to as much as $30 million over the long Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, easily enough for a first-place finish.

Directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr., Mean Girls cost a relatively modest $36 million to produce before marketing, and is the latest musical to brave the big screen after Wonka and The Color Purple.

The female-fueled film arrives on the big screen 20 years after the Lindsay Lohan-led cult classic Mean Girls, which was directed by Mark Waters and written by Tina Fey.

Fey latter returned to pen the script for the new film, which stars Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auli’i Cravalho, Bebe Wood and Chris Briney.

It’s just another day on the mean streets of Judea circa 33 A.D., where people hang out on sunbaked corners talking smack, working-class stiffs scramble to get by, and Roman centurions — the LAPD of their day — stop and frisk anyone who they feel matches the description of a suspect. (As in: anyone that does not look like a white Roman centurion.) If you’re lucky, you might get to see a chariot street race already in progress, like the one between Clarence (Lakeith Stanfield) and Mary Magdalene (Teyana Taylor...

Lakeith Stanfield in The Book Of Clarence Photo: Moris Puccio/Legendary Entertainment In The Book Of Clarence, writer and director Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall) imagines a 13th apostle who lies his way into being a disciple of Jesus. Set in Jerusalem in the year 33, the film follows a...

Lakeith Stanfield in The Book Of ClarencePhoto: Moris Puccio/Legendary Entertainment

In The Book Of Clarence, writer and director Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall) imagines a 13th apostle who lies his way into being a disciple of Jesus. Set in Jerusalem in the year 33, the film follows a charming...

Mean Girls should do nice business in its box office debut.

Paramount’s movie adaptation of the Broadway musical that was, in turn, based on the 2004 big-screen teen comedy is expected to open to as much as $30 million over the long Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.

That would mark a great start for a studio film that cost a relatively modest $36 million to produce before marketing, not to mention a musical, a genre that has become an endangered species (Wonka aside).

The musical arrives on the big screen 20 years after the Lindsay Lohan-led cult classic Mean Girls, which was directed by Mark Waters and written by Tina Fey. The latter returned to pen the script for the new film, which stars Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auli’i Cravalho, Bebe Wood and Chris Briney. Fey and Tim Meadows also reprise their roles from the 2004 movie.

Female-fueled films — look no further...

In The Book of Clarence, Jeymes Samuel applies his jocular style — anachronistic music, rapid-fire banter and winking asides — to a Biblical epic that ends up strangely self-conscious when it comes to its comic ambitions. The director’s latest venture whisks audiences off to ancient Jerusalem, where locals grumble about the Romans and circulate news of a Messiah. Rumor has it he calls himself the son of God (something about an Immaculate Conception) and can turn water into wine. He leads a flock of apostles, 12 men devoted to spreading his gospel (they believe all men are born equal). Few people have seen this Jesus, but his existence excites them.

Clarence (Lakeith Stanfield), a peddler whose cocksure attitude shrouds the softer parts of his heart, doesn’t buy it. The claims made on behalf of Jesus are strong. (Walking on water? Really?) God doesn’t exist and you can’t raise the dead,...

The holidays were dominated by two movie musicals — “Wonka” and “The Color Purple” — and just two weeks into January, we get a third one. “Mean Girls” is likely to not only be the biggest movie of the extended MLK Jr. weekend, but of the entire month. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.

Twenty years after Tina Fey‘s influential comedy “Mean Girls” introduced the world to the elitist high school clique known as the Plastics, with a cast that included Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lizzy Caplan and Amanda Seyfried, “Mean Girls” returns to theaters, this time as a musical transposed from a successful run on Broadway.

Fey is back as teacher Ms. Norbury, as is her “SNL” cast mate Tim Meadows as his character from the 2004 movie. They’re joined by a new young cast that includes Angourie Rice (from the “Spider-Man” movies) as Cady Heron – the...

Jeymes Samuel, aka The Bullitts, directed a Western in 2021 called "The Harder They Fall," which took the names of real post-Civil War cowboys and gunslingers and put them into a highly stylized, highly fictionalized adventure story that was exhilarating to watch and refreshingly complex. What Samuel seemed to be doing was reclaiming the Western genre from the hands of boors like John Wayne and his associated "white savior" stories that, for many Hollywood generations, deliberately ignored the Black experience. 

Samuel now takes a similar approach to the Hollywood Biblical epic with "The Book of Clarence," an exciting, ambitious, sloppy, but somewhat excellent New Testament remix, replete with a mishmash of tones, anachronisms, and interesting ideas. "Clarence" sees Jerusalem in Ad 33 as the setting of a modern crime drama, wherein the title character (Lakeith Stanfield) interacts with a slap-happy John the Baptist (David Oyelowo), his own bitter twin brother Thomas the...

The Bible being written about a region populated by brown people should be a matter of empirical fact for anyone trying to make a visual representation of the Old Testament. And yet, by and large, it’s just one of those facts that few creatives really run with, often settling for a Jerusalem awash in swarthy white guys, and to the embarrassment of all.

With that in mind, Jeymes Samuel gets points just for the sheer audacity of making, with The Book of Clarence, a big, beautiful, Biblical epic where, with only one exception, the only pale faces involved are Romans. It really, really shouldn’t feel like a big swing, but it is.

It’s likely with that sense of risk in mind that The Book of Clarence feels breathless, desperate as it is to cram every version of what a Black Bible story could look like into one film.

Enter this contest by following the link at the bottom of this page for your chance to win a pair of passes to attend an advance screening of The Book Of Clarence on Thursday, January 4, 2024 at 7:00pm at the Emagine Royal Oak!

Synopsis: From visionary filmmaker Jeymes Samuel, The Book of Clarence is a bold new take on the timeless Hollywood era Biblical epic. Streetwise but struggling, Clarence (Lakeith Stanfield) is trying to find a better life for himself and his family, make himself worthy to the woman he loves, and prove that he’s not a nobody. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, a journey through which he finds redemption and faith, power and knowledge. The Book of Clarence Official Soundtrack features new music by Jeymes Samuel, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne,...

From visionary filmmaker Jeymes Samuel, The Book of Clarence is a bold new take on the timeless Hollywood era Biblical epic. Streetwise but struggling, Clarence (Lakeith Stanfield) is trying to find a better life for himself and his family, make himself worthy to the woman he loves, and prove that he’s not a nobody. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, a journey through which he finds redemption and faith, power and knowledge. The Book of Clarence Official Soundtrack features new music by Jeymes Samuel, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kid Cudi and more.

The film stars Lakeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, Anna Diop, Rj Cyler, David Oyelowo, Micheal Ward, Alfre Woodard, Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Marianne Jean-Baptiste with James McAvoy and Benedict Cumberbatch.

https://www.thebookofclarence.movie/

The St. Louis advance screening is Thursday,...

Jeymes Samuel unveiled the music video for “Hallelujah Heaven” on Wednesday, the first single from the soundtrack for his upcoming film, The Book of Clarence.

The director and musician appears alongside Lil Wayne, Buju Banton, and Shabba Ranks, plus cameos from the movie’s stars, Lakeith Stanfield & Rj Cyler. Directed by Child, and filmed in Jamaica and Los Angeles, the video follows the trailer release for The Book of Clarence, which is scheduled to hit theaters on Jan. 12, 2024.

“The Book of Clarence is a film that I wanted to make for many years.

Sony Pictures has launched a new trailer for Jeymes Samuel’s new take on a Biblical epic ‘The Book of Clarence.’

Streetwise but down on his luck, Clarence (Lakeith Stanfield) is struggling to find a better life for his family, while fighting to free himself of debt. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, and ultimately discovers that the redemptive power of belief may be his only way out.

Written and Directed by Jeymes Samuel, the cast includes Lakeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, Anna Diop, Rj Cyler, David Oyelowo, Micheal Ward, Alfre Woodard, Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, with James McAvoy and Benedict Cumberbatch.

The film features new music by Jeymes Samuel, Jay-Z, and more.

Also in trailers – “You were meant for cuddling…” Trailer sweeps in for ‘Teddy’s Christmas...

Is there anything more sacrilegious than pretending to be Jesus Christ? Lakeith Stanfield is about to find out in "The Book of Clarence," the new movie from "The Harder They Fall" director Jeymes Samuel. Set back during the time of Jesus Christ, the story follows a down on his luck man named Clarence who is trying to help his mother, impress a woman he loves, and generally prove that he's not a nobody. Since everyone seems to be smitten with the miracles of a certain prophet, Clarence comes up with a plan to make a name for himself by pretending he has the same abilities as Jesus.

As you can see in the new trailer for "The Book of Clarence" above, even though this is a Biblical tale, it has a modern filmmaking style, complete with a hip hop fueled soundtrack provided by the likes of Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kid Cudi,...

We’re still in the heart of the 2023 awards season, but an early 2024 contender has started to ramp up its marketing campaign in earnest. Sony debuted a new trailer for “The Book of Clarence” on Tuesday, alongside a supplemental interview with director and writer Jeymes Samuel.

“As a storyteller, I want to give audiences something they’ve never seen before. I want a deeper understanding of the historical context that has helped shape our beliefs. And as an entertainer, I want to show you a wicked dope time,” Samuel said in an interview provided by Sony. “Where those three points intersect is ‘The Book of Clarence.’”

Set to debut in theaters on January 12, 2024, “The Book of Clarence” is a Biblical epic that stars Lakeith Stanfield as the title character and tells a story in parallel with the Bible’s depiction of Jesus Christ. “Streetwise but struggling, Clarence (Lakeith Stanfield) is...

"How far would you go to prove you're not a nobody?" Sony Pictures has revealed the full official trailer for The Book of Clarence, the new film from filmmaker Jeymes Samuel - who last made the slick Black western The Harder They Fall (great film). This time he's bringing us a biblical musical epic called The Book of Clarence, a clever story set during the times of Jesus. A down on his luck Jerusalemite embarks on a misguided attempt to capitalize on the rise of celebrity and influence the Messiah for his own personal gain. The journey leads him on an exploration of faith and an unexpected path. Lakeith Stanfield stars in this film as Clarence, a streetwise but down-on-his-luck guy who decides to start his own religion; with a full cast including Omar Sy, Anna Diop, Rj Cyler, David Oyelowo, Micheal Ward, Alfre Woodard, Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Eric Kofi-Abrefa,...

Filmmaker and musician Jeymes Samuel has linked up with Lil Wayne, Buju Banton, and Shabba Ranks for “Hallelujah Heaven,” the first offering from the soundtrack for Samuel’s upcoming movie, The Book of Clarence.

Samuel served as director, writer, producer, and composer on The Book of Clarence, and in a statement, he noted “the story and music” for the film was “always there percolating in my mind” as he worked on other projects (like his 2021 feature The Harder They Fall).

“There was never a question as to whether I would...

Jeymes Samuel was intent on putting a “hood” vibe into his Biblical epic The Book of Clarence starring Lakeith Stanfield as the eponymous Clarence, a local lad in the Holy Land who gets by dealing weed and holding chariot races against a no-nonsense Mary Magdalene. Clarence soon sees an opening to make some bucks in the Messiah business but then he realizes that miracles can happen when you least expect them. The Book of Clarence, which also features Rj Cyler, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Omar Sy, David Oyelowo, Teyana Taylor, Anna Diop and Michael Ward, follows the director’s debut feature, The Harder They Fall, which spiced up the Western genre.

Deadline: All praise to you because I usually run so fast from Biblical movies, but this one answered my prayers.

Jeymes Samuel: Yeah, we know we’re just in a place and time that we’ve never been. I think...

Rap group Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion) are headed on tour in the sophomore installment of Issa Rae’s “Rap Sh!t,” but tensions mount as the duo struggles to get on the same page, with Rae noting “they don’t trust each other.”

“Trust is literally the biggest thing — trusting each other, but also trusting each other’s intentions for the group and for where they’re headed,” showrunner Syreeta Singleton told TheWrap. “Where you find them, even in Season 2, I don’t know that they’re completely aligned. They’re both still very much figuring out what they want for themselves and are both, at many moments, coming at it from a selfish place.”

After landing their first show together at the end of the Max comedy’s freshman season, Shawna immediately compromised their reputation — and Mia’s trust — with an unpredictable performance going back to her masked video days.

After the writers’ and actors’ strikes delayed the premiere of Season 2, Issa Rae’s “Rap Sh!t” is back on Max beginning this week for an eight-episode second season. Shawna and Mia are still on their unlikely road to hip-hop stardom, but the realities of life in the music industry are beginning to make it clear that what they pictured becoming rap superstars would be like, is not how the game actually works. Don’t miss any of the second season, starting on Thursday, Nov. 9. You can watch Rap Sh!t: Season 2 with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max.

How to Watch ‘Rap Sh!t’ Season 2 Premiere When: Thursday, November 9, 2023 Where: Max Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max. 7-Day Free Trial$9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com

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About ‘Rap Sh!t’ Season 2 Premiere

Rap Sh!T follows two estranged high school friends from...

Max out your November viewing with Max! The streamer is starting the new month with a wide variety of additions to its combined library of HBO and Max exclusives, plus titles from Food Network, Cartoon Network, HGTV, and more.

While also racing toward the official holiday season with dozens of Christmas classics like “A Christmas Story” and “Elf,” you can also stream new documentaries on Albert Brooks and Little Richard, catch the premieres of new seasons of “Rap Sh!t” and “Julia,” and much more.

Check out The Streamable’s top picks for what’s new this month on Max, and then continue below to see the full list of everything new in November!

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What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Max in November 2023? “Rap Sh!t” Season 2 | Thursday, Nov. 9

Issa Rae is back on her “Rap Sh!

Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2023 London Film Festival. Sony releases the film in theaters on Friday, January 12.

Presenting the story of a struggling “nobody” whose exploits run parallel with those of Jesus of Nazareth in AD33, “The Book of Clarence” is less “Life of Brian” and more a fan-fiction version of the gospels, though the eponymous star of Jeymes Samuel’s latest film (played by Lakeith Stanfield) does share the Monty Python protagonist’s co-living situation with his mother (Marianne Jean-Baptiste). And, much like Brian, he’s a “very naughty boy,” at least early on.

Unlike “Life of Brian” or Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Temptation of Christ,” Samuel’s New Testament reworking is unlikely to offend anyone of Christian faith, outside of outright racists or people who strongly object to use of the term “motherfucker.” Giving the final days of Christ a contemporary, allegorical spin,...

The grand-scale Biblical epics that midcentury Hollywood churned out to roaring box-office returns had many drawcards as (so to speak) mass entertainment — brawny action, transporting spectacle, then jaw-dropping effects — but a sense of humor, by and large, wasn’t one of them. That’s something British musician-turned-filmmaker Jeymes Samuel attempts to rectify in his offbeat messiah story “The Book of Clarence,” a newly invented tale that runs parallel to the life and death of Jesus in ways both blithely blasphemous and sincerely Christian. Following on from Samuel’s debut, the rollicking hip-hop western “The Harder They Fall,” with its flagrantly anachronistic remix of genre traditions and a predominantly Black cast, “Clarence” clearly seeks to be the first film loosely of its type to make any pop-cultural impact since Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” nearly 20 years ago.

It’ll certainly prove a hard sell to the U.S.

“I wanted to tell a story about the environment that I grew up in but based in the biblical era and merge the two,” Jeymes Samuel told Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye of the idea behind his latest pic, The Book of Clarence, at London Contenders.

Starring Lakeith Stanfield, David Oyelowo, and Benedict Cumberbatch, The Book of Clarence tells the story of Stanfield’s streetwise but down-on-his-luck Clarence, who is struggling to find a better life for his family while fighting to free himself of debt. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his path to divine life and ultimately discovers that the redemptive power of belief may be his only way out.

The film’s cast is rounded out by Omar Sy, Rj Cyler, James McAvoy, Anna Diop, Teyana Taylor, Alfre Woodard, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Caleb McLaughlin, Babs Olusanmokun, Eric Kofi-Abrefa,...