News

"You don't have to do all of this weird s*!t to hang with us." Mubi has revealed the first official trailer for a sneaky thriller titled Lurker, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year (it made my Best of the Fest list). Lurker is the feature directorial debut of writer / director Alex Russell, who already made a name for himself writing for the "Beef" series and episodes of "The Bear" & "Dave" previously. This fantastic parasocial, paranoid film arrives to watch in the US in theaters this month. Starring Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Zack Fox, Havana Rose Liu, Wale Onayemi, Daniel Zolghadri, and Sunny Suljic. When a wannabe-famous nobody working at a clothing store surprisingly befriends a famous celebrity musician, he'll do anything (anything!!) to stay in his orbit and leech off of his fame. "A screw-turning psychological thriller made for the moment." Online fixation meets reality...

As the summer comes to an end, August delivers the season’s most eclectic lineup of films. From a few studio highlights to Cannes premieres to festival favorites some years back that are finally arriving, there are many worthwhile opportunities to beat the heat.

14. Harvest (Athina Rachel Tsangari; Aug. 1 in theaters and Aug. 8 on Mubi)

One of the most beautifully shot films of the year, courtesy of Sean Price Williams, Athina Rachel Tsangari’s period piece Harvest is rolling out this month. Savina Petkova said in her Venice review, “An unnamed village, an unknown time; somewhere in Britain, sometime in the Late Middle Ages, something is about to end. Athina Rachel Tsangari’s Harvest sees the twilight of an old social order, but is not mourning a paradise lost. That would be too simplistic a comparison for a filmmaker whose work has always succeeded in weaving the allegorical with the political,...

What’s the difference between love and obsession? Find out in the Lurker trailer below.

Described as “Nightcrawler for the social media generation,” the psychological thriller opens in theaters on August 22 via Mubi.

With an incisive view to contemporary culture, Lurker presents an exhilarating take on the music industry, the blurred line between friend and fan, and our universal search for validation.

When 20-something Los Angeles retail clerk and loner Matthew encounters rising pop star Oliver, he takes the opportunity to edge his way into the in-crowd. But staying there isn’t easy.

With an entire entourage vying for attention, Matthew must prove himself to Oliver as more than just a follower. As their bond grows strained and mainstream fame appears within reach, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.

Théodore Pellerin (Beau Is Afraid) and Archie Madekwe (Saltburn) star with Zack Fox (“Abbott Elementary”), Havana Rose Liu (Bottoms), Wale Onayemi,...

"We all want the same thing... I just want it more." Mubi has revealed the first official trailer for a superb thriller titled Lurker, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year (it made it onto my Best of the Fest list). Lurker is the feature directorial debut of writer / director Alex Russell, who already made a name for himself writing the script for the "Beef" series as well as episodes of "The Bear" and "Dave" previously. He's made his mark with this one. This fantastic parasocial, paranoid film arrives to watch in the US starting this August. The film stars Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Zack Fox, Havana Rose Liu, Wale Onayemi, Daniel Zolghadri, and Sunny Suljic. When a wannabe-famous loser working at a clothing store befriends a famous celebrity musician, he'll do anything to stay in his world and leech off of his fame. "A screw-turning psychological thriller made for the moment.

Where does the boundary between lust, obsession, fandom, and devotion lie? Alex Russell’s directorial debut “Lurker” explores the twisted nature of celebrity in Los Angeles. The feature, which wowed at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, stars Théodore Pellerin as Matthew, a socially-obsessed videographer who becomes entangled with a rising pop star, Oliver (Archie Madekwe).

Zack Fox, Havana Rose Liu, Wale Onayemi, Daniel Zolghadri and Sunny Suljic co-star. Pat Scola was the cinematographer.

Russell has been known for his writing and supervising producing work on TV series “The Bear” and “Beef.” His debut “Lurker” became one of the most buzzed-about sales titles at Sundance; it was later acquired by Mubi.

“The characters in this movie are archetypes,” Russell told IndieWire earlier this year. “I’ve seen every character in this movie 10 times over. Relating to Matthew is very important because the movie is subjective in that way, whereas a lot of movies about an obsessive person,...

Earlier this year, JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray had the chance to watch Lurker, the boundary-pushing debut feature from writer/director Alex Russell, at the Sundance Film Festival. Describing the film as “a terrific blend of black comedy and psychological thriller” and “exactly the kind of movie I want to see when I hit Sundance,” Bumbray gave Lurker a 9/10 review that can be read at This Link. Recently, it was announced that film distributor Mubi (which is also a streaming service and production company) is planning to give Lurker a North American theatrical release on August 22nd – and now, with that date just two months away, a trailer for the film has dropped online. You can check it out in the embed above.

Here’s the official synopsis: When a twenty-something retail clerk encounters a rising pop star, he takes the opportunity to edge his way into the in-crowd. But...

One of the most buzzed-about films to come out of Sundance and New Directors/New Films this year, Lurker marks the directorial debut from The Bear and Beef writer-producer Alex Russell. The cat-and-mouse thriller starring Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Zack Fox, Havana Rose Liu, Wale Onayemi, Daniel Zolghadri, and Sunny Suljic has been set for an August 22 release from Mubi and now the first trailer has arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “When a twenty-something retail clerk encounters a rising pop star, he takes the opportunity to edge his way into the in-crowd. But as the line between friend and fan blurs beyond recognition, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.”

Daniel Eagan said in our Nd/Nf preview, “The thirst for celebrity drives Lurker, a canny, mean-spirited look at a music industry driven by viral videos. Matthew (Théodore Pellerin), a clerk in a clothing store, worms his...

Earlier this year, JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray had the chance to watch Lurker, the boundary-pushing debut feature from writer/director Alex Russell, at the Sundance Film Festival. Describing the film as “a terrific blend of black comedy and psychological thriller” and “exactly the kind of movie I want to see when I hit Sundance,” Bumbray gave Lurker a 9/10 review that can be read at This Link. Now, it has been announced that film distributor Mubi (which is also a streaming service and production company) is planning to give Lurker a North American theatrical release on August 22nd. Hopefully we’ll be seeing a trailer for this one very soon.

Here’s the official synopsis: When a twenty-something retail clerk encounters a rising pop star, he takes the opportunity to edge his way into the in-crowd. But as the line between friend and fan blurs beyond recognition, access and proximity...

Hot off the success of The Substance, Mubi will release Lurker in theaters on August 22.

The announcement comes with new stills of stars Théodore Pellerin (Beau Is Afraid) and Archie Madekwe (Midsommar), pictured above and below.

The parasocial, paranoid thriller follows a 20-something retail clerk who encounters a rising pop star, taking the opportunity to edge his way into the in-crowd. As the line between friend and fan blurs beyond recognition, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.

“The Bear” and “Beef” writer-producer Alex Russell makes his feature directorial debut from his own script.

Havana Rose Liu (Bottoms), Sunny Suljic (The Killing of a Sacred Deer), Daniel Zolghadri (Y2K), and Zack Fox (“Abbott Elementary”) round out the cast.

High Frequency Entertainment, MeMo, Arts & Sciences, Twin Pictures, and Case Study Films produce.

Lurker premiered to critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival in January. It’s set...

Exclusive: The Substance distributor Mubi has announced a North American release date for Lurker, its Sundance cat-and-mouse thriller starring Théodore Pellerin (Beau Is Afraid) and Archie Madekwe (Saltburn), also unveiling a pair of new stills, which you can view above and below.

The film is set to hit theaters on August 22, opening against Lionsgate’s indie Sydney Sweeney vehicle Americana and Vertical’s thriller Eden from Ron Howard.

World premiering to critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival, where it notched one of this year’s few deals, Lurker watches as a 20-something retail clerk encounters a rising pop star, taking the opportunity to edge his way into the in-crowd. As the line between friend and fan blurs beyond recognition, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.

Set to close out New Directors/New Films in New York City after making its international premiere at the Berlinale,...

Jonah Hill is being eyed to star in and direct ‘Cut Off’.The ’21 Jump Street’ actor, 41, is in negotiations with Warner Bros. to lead the film both in front of and behind the camera, while also writing the script for the movie.The flick is said to be about two rich siblings who are cut off from their parents.While the project is in its early days, Deadline has reported the production has notched a $10 million California tax credit for what is expected to be a $49 million production, with ‘Cut Off’ planning to enter principal photography this summer.However, no release date or actors have been attached to ‘Cut Off’ yet.If Hill does helm ‘Cut Off’, it will make the picture his third feature film as a director, after he started his filmmaking journey with the 2018 comedy/drama ‘Mid90s’, and the upcoming ‘Outcome’ for Apple.‘Outcome’ - which stars Hill,...

Focus Features has bought international rights to “Lurker,” Alex Russell’s directorial debut about clout-chasing and the dark side of fame that became one of the standouts hits from this year’s Sundance, Variety has learned.

Arthouse distributor Mubi had already picked up the film for the U.S. out of the festival in a rumored mid-seven-figure deal, as Variety reported.

A tense feature about an ambitious hipster and the rising pop star he exploits, “Lurker” stars Théodore Pellerin as Matty, a lowly clerk at a high-end sneaker and apparel store in Los Angeles. When his favorite singer (“Saltburn” star Archie Madekwe) saunters in, Matty starts cozying up to the social media star. Before long, he’s installed himself in a world of hedonism and opportunity — and he can stay, as long as he manages the pecking order of the entourage and the fickle demands of celebrity. Everything that can go wrong does,...

The democratization of celebrity in the 21st century has accelerated the process of audience capture: Tell fans what they want to hear and reap the rewards. Lurker portrays an even more contemporary permutation of this feedback loop by dismantling the presumed hierarchy of its participants. The artist and audience member are coequal—and codependent—in this perceptive drama about a parasocial relationship that enters the realm of reality.

The value exchange is clear from the moment in Alex Russell’s film where Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) steals an Av jack at the clothing store where he works to blast a song meant to resonate with rising music star Oliver (Archie Madekwe). Instead of professing his deep knowledge of Oliver’s work, Matthew plays dumb and lies that his selection of the song, which inspired the artist, was just pure coincidence. Mistaking the artificial meet-cute for an authentically serendipitous connection, Oliver invites...

“The Substance” distributor Mubi has acquired Sundance favorite “Lurker” following a highly competitive bidding war and will release the movie in theaters later this year. The film will receive its international premiere at the 2025 Berlinale.

The film, which made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this year, tells the story of a retail employee who infiltrates the inner circle of a music artist on the verge of stardom. But, “as he gets closer to the budding music star, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.”

Writer and director Alex Russell has been part of major shows like “Dave” and “The Bear,” but “Lurker” marks his feature directorial debut.

“It was already such a privilege to show our movie at Sundance last week. I’m honestly still reeling and recovering from that experience” said director Russell in an official statement. “To have found such an ideal...

Riding momentum from its five Academy Award nominations for “The Substance,” boutique movie distributor Mubi has picked up another buzzy indie film for the U.S. market.

“Lurker,” a tense feature about an ambitious hipster and the rising pop star he exploits for fame and community, has been snapped up by Mubi following this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Screening in the fest’s premiere section, Mubi took “Lurker,” written and directed by Alex Russell, in a competitive situation for a mid-seven-figure price tag.

Exact numbers weren’t disclosed but one person with knowledge of the deal told Variety that the sale represents a significant domestic theatrical release commitment from Mubi. The indie distributor previously released “The Substance” and “Decision to Leave.”

Rising star Théodore Pellerin plays Matty, a lowly clerk at a high-end sneaker and apparel store in Los Angeles. When his favorite singer (Archie Madekwe of “Saltburn”) saunters in,...

“I’m not a fan,” snaps Matthew, the master manipulator in the guise of a harmless nobody eager to soak up some of the refracted rays of celebrity in Lurker. Once he has penetrated the inner circle of emerging pop star Oliver, a fan is the most insulting thing you could call him. Proximity gives Matthew — played by Théodore Pellerin with an evil innocence from which you can’t look away — the illusion of being a best friend, a bro, a creative collaborator to the mononymous singer. Everyone in his entourage wants to bask in Oliver’s glow, but nobody wants it as badly as Matt.

Alex Russell, a writer on The Bear, Beef and Dave making an assured feature directing debut, clearly knows the Los Angeles music scene, with its aspirational strivers and anointed supernovas, its hangers-on, its calculating opportunists and, yes, its lowly fans for whom an all-access...

Alex Russell is already an Emmy-winning writer and producer, but with “Lurker,” he steps into the director’s chair — and he got some advice from Baz Luhrmann before he did it.

The film, which made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this year, tells the story of a retail employee who infiltrates the inner circle of a music artist on the verge of stardom. But, “as he gets closer to the budding music star, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.”

Russell has been part of major shows like “Dave” and “The Bear,” but “Lurkers” marks his feature directorial debut. Sitting down at TheWrap’s Sundance Studio presented by World of Hyatt, he revealed that Luhrmann actually gave him some lasting writing advice that he put to work in the project.

“He wrote it in my notebook, and it said something like, when you’re...

A transfixing morality tale cleverly turned on its head, “Lurker” opens with an overture: its protagonist, Matthew (Théodore Pellerin), goofing around for a camcorder wielded by a friend. When the person holding the camera jokingly asks Matthew where he sees himself in five years, Matthew replies sincerely. “I already have everything I want,” he says, stealing a glance into the lens.

Rewind to the before times, when Matthew is living with his grandma and working as a retail employee at a hip clothing store in Los Angeles. In walks Oliver (Archie Madekwe), a pop music artist famous enough to cause a murmur among the store patrons. Matthew, abuzz with anticipation, pops on a track that impresses the VIP, and the next thing he knows he’s being folded into the small, sycophantic entourage of not-quite friends and not-quite collaborators fortunate enough to accompany Oliver on his excursions.

So begins a...

Following last week’s lineup announcement, the Berlinale 2025 has now fleshed out its slate with the Competition, Special, and Perspectives sections. Highlights include the world premieres of Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon starring Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Bobby Cannavale, and Andrew Scott; Radu Jude’s Kontinental ’25; Hong Sangsoo’s What Does that Nature Say to You; Michel Franco’s Dreams starring Jessica Chastain; Lucile Hadžihalilović’s The Ice Tower starring Marion Cotillard; and Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s Hot Milk with Emma Mackey, Fiona Shaw, and Vicky Krieps.

The festival will also include international premieres from Julia Loktev, Mary Bronstein, Kahlil Joseph, and more. In terms of omissions for films that potentially could have been a strong fit: there’s no Steven Soderberg’s Black Bag, Wes Anderson’s German production The Phoenician Scheme, nor Berlinale regular Christian Petzold, who wrapped Miroirs No. 3 only a few months ago.

Check out the lineup...

The films of Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos aren't for everyone. They're aggressively uncomfortable, poking and prodding the audience with all manner of shocking content and even more shocking ways of presenting it, but there is a lot to love in his deliciously disturbing filmography. Whether he's working from a screenplay he developed with frequent collaborator Efthimis Filippou or one written by "The Great" creator Tony McNamara, Lanthimos manages to inject his films with his unique vision, using characters that seem totally inhuman to force the audience to contemplate their own humanity. This can lead to his films being a little confusing, and that includes his 2017 thriller "The Killing of a Sacred Deer." 

"The Killing of a Sacred Deer" stars Colin Farrell as heart surgeon Steven Murphy, who develops a bizarre relationship with 16-year-old Martin Lang (Barry Keoghan), whose father died on Steven's operating table. Martin begins to insert himself into the Murphy family,...

Freya, a key character in the God of War series, has captured fans’ hearts with her unique and significant journey. Danielle Bisutti, a well-known voice actor, voiced this character; as a result of her outstanding performance, this character is a fan favorite.

While God of War Ragnarök neatly finished up Kratos’ saga, and the Valhalla Dlc was a fantastic addition to the series, more God of War content is always appreciated by the community. Additionally, if Sony agrees with Freya’s voice actor, the goddess may appear on a solo journey.

With Krato’s journey coming to an end in the God of War franchise, the unclear ending of the previous game may lead to newer adventures, with potential alternatives for spin-off releases where other characters take the lead role and discover a different viewpoint on the game.

Danielle Busitti Is All Set for a Freya spin-off in God of War(Gow) Freya,...

Eric Kripke is one of the most prolific television producers having created shows like The Boys and Supernatural. He served as a showrunner on the latter series which ran for fifteen seasons. However, Kripke departed the hit fantasy drama about two monster-hunting brothers after five seasons. Nonetheless, his name is forever tied to the now iconic show.

Eric Kripke created the fantasy series Supernatural (Credit: EW | YouTube).

During an interview, Kripke spoke about how he conceived the show’s core idea after taking inspiration from The House With a Clock on Its Walls. Kripke adapted the book into a 2018 feature film, starring Jack Black in the lead role, which earned $131.5 million at the global box office. Here is what Kripke had to say about the book’s role in the creation of Supernatural.

Eric Kripke Revealed How The House With a Clock on Its Walls Inspired Supernatural

Supernatural is a...

A24 and Regal Cinemas are teaming up for a special Halloween screenings event to usher in the spooky season. A24 presents 'An Eerie Series' exclusively at Regal Cinemas, with the event bringing several beloved horror hits back to the big screen throughout the month of October. A selection of A24 horror films will return to the big screen every Tuesday night, with the studio's frightening flicks being screened at a discounted price of $8. The movies returning to theaters include The Killing of a Sacred Deer, It Comes at Night, Hereditary, and more. Regal Cinemas announced the event, which will see several movies screen at over 100 Regal theaters across the country. Audiences can purchase tickets in advance or at theater box office kiosks. The Regal promotion reads:

"From suspenseful thrillers to psychological dramas, theres a title for every horror movie loverfor just $8 per ticket. Dont miss a single spine chilling or...

The Killing of a Sacred Deer parallels the Greek myth of Iphigenia, with Steven acting as an Agamemnon-like character. Key scenes reference the myth to unveil the movie's true nature and provide a fable-like context. The Killing of a Sacred Deer delves into themes of justice, revenge, and humanity's struggle against fate.

Greek film director Yorgos Lanthimos has carved out an interesting niche in the world of modern auteurs. His 2017 psychological horror/thriller The Killing of a Sacred Deer is a prime example of his strengths, becoming something of a cult favorite. The central plot of The Killing of a Sacred Deer is simple enough, but the distinctly exposition-free approach can make the question of what is going on? pretty difficult to parse. But the movie directly references the key behind unpacking its true nature.

The superficial story of The Killing of a Sacred Deer centers on respected cardiovascular surgeon...

Alex Russell, whose writing credits include FX’s “Dave” and “The Bear” and Netflix’s “Beef,” is making his directorial debut with the upcoming thriller “Lurker,” starring and Théodore Pellerin (“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”) and Archie Madekwe (“Saltburn”).

Havana Rose Liu, Sunny Suljic, Daniel Zolghadri and Zack Fox round out the cast of “Lurker,” which follows a retail employee (Pellerin) who infiltrates the inner circle of an artist on the verge of stardom (Madekwe). As he gets closer to the budding music star, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.

WME Independent will represent worldwide sales for the film, which begins shooting this spring.

Pellerin’s credits include Philippe Lesage’s “Genesis,” Eliza Hittman’s “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” and Joel Edgerton’s “Boy Erased.”

Last year Madekwe starred as Farleigh Start in Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn” and as Jann Mardenborough in Sony’s “Gran Turismo.” His...

Out with the old, in with the new! As Netflix begins cleaning house for both a new month and a new, several of its biggest titles will sadly have to say goodbye. January 2024 will be your last month to watch several modern classics, including Jordan Peele’s culture-changing horror debut “Get Out,” the Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone-starred “La La Land,” and “Poor Things” director Yorgos Lanthimos’ Greek tragedy retelling “The Killing of a Sacred Deer.”

Now’s your last chance to watch everything before they’re gone— get started with The Streamable’s Top 5 picks for everything leaving Netflix in January and see everything that will be removed from the platform throughout the month below!

Sign Up $6.99+ / month netflix.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Leaving Netflix in January 2024? “BlacKkKlansman” | Friday, Jan. 5

Ron Stallworth’s memoir about infiltrating the local Ku Klux Klan chapter after being...

Saltburn is a dark comedy psychological thriller written and directed by Emerald Fennell. The acclaimed director’s second film revolves around Oliver who is invited to his eccentric classmate’s estate for the summer holidays. Saltburn is part dark comedy, part erotic thriller, and part psychological drama. Saltburn stars Barry Keoghan in the lead role of Oliver, with Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Carey Mulligan, Alison Oliver, Archie Madekwe, Ewan Mitchell, and Richard E. Grant in supporting roles. So, if you loved Saltburn, here are some similar movies you could watch next.

A Simple Favor (Prime Video & MGM+) Credit – Lionsgate

Synopsis: A Simple Favor, directed by Paul Feig, centers around Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), a mommy vlogger who seeks to uncover the truth behind her best friend Emily’s (Blake Lively) sudden disappearance from their small town. Stephanie is joined by Emily’s husband Sean (Henry Golding) in this stylish thriller filled with twists and betrayals,...

Absurd, Uncomfortable Transactions

March wound up being a wild mix of episodes, starting with the classic thrills of UK haunted house film The Haunting, followed by a return to Woodsboro for last year’s Scream (2022), celebrating the 25th anniversary of Erotic Thriller Wild Things, as well as the practical effects of low budget creature feature Splinter, before wrapping things up with Canadian coming of age film Closet Monster.

For our first episode of April, we’re hitting the discomfort button hard with our very first Yorgos Lanthimos film, The Killing of a Sacred Deer. In the film, successful cardiovascular surgeon Steven (Colin Farrell) befriends weird teen Martin (Barry Keoghan) after accidentally killing the boy’s father during surgery. When Martin becomes too demanding, Steven tries to pull away, prompting the teen to initiate a curse: Steven must kill one of his family members – wife Anna (Nicole Kidman), daughter Kim (Raffey Cassidy...

Prime Video announced recently that its live-action adaptation of "God of War" will be focused on the 2018 entry in the video game series. Considering the most recent entry, "God of War: Ragnarök" swept this year's Game Awards with an impressive six wins, including Best Narrative, Best Score and Music, and Best Performance, the iron literally could not be any hotter for the striking.

The "God of War" series which, as of this writing, features nine installments, has sold over 51 million individual copies. Of that astronomical number, "Ragnarök" can claim a little over 5 million (it only released in November of this year), and approximately 23 million sales can be attributed to the 2018 entry, simply titled "God of War."

It is perhaps for this reason, then, that Prime Video's live-action production will begin with the 2018 game, which is functionally the fourth main title, the fifth being "Ragnarök." In commercial terms, sure, it makes...

God of War Ragnarök has been performing admirably as it sells more games than any other first-party game. It also is one of the nominees for Game of the Year, as well as the game with the most nominations out of all the categories.

God of War Ragnarök uses a motion capture that uses real actors for many of the cutscenes in the games. There are many notable actors and voice actors that appear in the games that players will likely have seen in previous movies, shows, or other video games. However, it can be difficult to place just who these actors are at first.

Sunny Suljic — The Killing Of The Sacred Deer

Sunny Suljic is of course best known for his role as Atreus in God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök. He hasn't had many major roles in movies or television and for video games, he's stuck...

The newest episode of the God of War Ragnarok behind-the-scenes series details how animators, directors and cinematics producers constructed the game's most adorable scene. The epic sequel is filled with earth-shattering battles and emotional moments, with both helping to drive Kratos and Atreus' latest journey. One moment involving Kratos, Atreus and the wolf Fenrir is particularly memorable, and Santa Monica Studio has now outlined how the scene was constructed.

[Warning: This article contains story spoilers for God of War Ragnarok.]

The eighth episode of the God of War Ragnarok making-of series, posted to YouTube by PlayStation, breaks down the creation of a masterful cinematic. The video focuses on the scene where Kratos and Atreus encounter Fenrir, newly reborn in the massive body of Garm, in the cold wastes of Helheim. Pre-visualization helped plot out the movement of the game's no-cut camera, with Christopher Judge and Sunny Suljic portraying Kratos and Atreus via motion capture. The enormous Fenrir was brought to life...

The prologue of “God of War Ragnarök” peaks with a dramatic moment that fans of Sony’s blockbuster video game franchise have been waiting for since it was teased at the end of the previous installment in 2018: The reveal of the saga’s big bad, a Norse deity whose obsessive desire to rip apart the fabric of fate itself has severely complicated the former God of War’s quest to scatter his wife’s ashes from the highest peak in all the nine realms and establish an emotional bond with the child he seldom refers to by name.

The wall of ice between Kratos (Christopher Judge) and Atreus (“Mid90s” breakout Sunny Suljic) has only gotten more frigid now that the boy is a bonafide teenager, and with Fimbulwinter blanketing Midgard under mile-deep sheets of white snow — the cold snap heralding the deadliest battle the world has ever known — it...

Here’s a pairing you may not have seen coming. Deadline reports that Jonah Hill is about to step back into the director’s chair for a secret project by the name of Outcome which has Keanu Reeves attached to star. In addition to directing the project, Hill also co-wrote the script alongside Ezra Woods.

Plot details for Outcome are being kept under wraps at this point, but the project is expected to receive a lot of interest from studios and streamers once it hits the market. Although we know next to nothing about Outcome, I’ve got to admit that the pairing of Jonah Hill and Keanu Reeves is enough to pique my interest. This wouldn’t be Jonah Hill’s direct movie as he made his feature directorial debut with Mid90s, a coming-of-age comedy drama which starred Sunny Suljic as Stevie, a thirteen-year-old in 90s-era LA who...

The latest God of War Ragnarök behind-the-scenes video delves into the creation of Kratos with actor Christopher Judge and various Santa Monica Studio developers. The mythic sequel serves as a direct follow-up to the franchise's 2018 entry, with Kratos and Atreus finding themselves wrapped in Odin's twisted schemes as the titular world-ending event approaches. Christopher Judge and Santa Monica Studio granted Kratos both power and humanity in the previous game, and God of War Ragnarok manages to evolve that masterful portrayal.

The fifth episode of the God of War Ragnarok behind-the-scenes series has been posted to YouTube by PlayStation, and the video focuses entirely on Kratos. The game's animators and choreographers, together with Christopher Judge's motion capture performance, helped give the Ghost of Sparta's movements a sense of purpose and power. Judge's vocal performance conveys Kratos' uncertainty and love for Atreus, too, with his physical performance inspiring the character's alternate language voice actors.

Bear McCreary, the composer of 2018's God of War and its upcoming sequel, will appear in God of War Ragnarök as a voiced non-player character. McCreary and his amazing soundtrack played a critical role in establishing the Nine Realms that Kratos and Atreus journeyed through in the series' previous installment. The release of God of War Ragnarok is now drawing very near, and McCreary has been given an extra role to play in the upcoming sequel.

As revealed by Santa Monica Studio on Twitter, Bear McCreary will actually portray a dwarven musician named Raeb in God of War Ragnarok. Presumably found within the dwarven realm of Svartalfheim in God of War Ragnarok, Raeb will appropriately be playing a hurdy-gurdy when Kratos and Atreus stumble upon him. Bear McCreary performed motion capture and voice work to bring the dwarven musician to life, immortalizing the legendary composer as part of God of War Ragnarok.

God of War Ragnarok is many things, but one of the game’s best features is its nearly unrivaled cinematic presentation style. Of course, the sequel’s ambitious narrative and storytelling would be nothing without the perfect cast of voice actors to play every character.

Thankfully, Ragnarok features such a cast. While many of the game’s principal characters (and voice actors) are returning from 2018’s God of War, those familiar faces and voices are joined by some fully-realized new characters that help make this game the most epic God of War adventure yet.

Before we dive a bit deeper into all that, you should know that the full God of War: Ragnarok cast is massive. Not only would it be incredibly difficult to list every single voiced character in the game in anything close to a legible format, but we would be spoiling a significant portion of the game...

How can we be better for our children? Can anyone ever truly change? Those are the questions at the core of God of War Ragnarök, the ninth(!!!) installment of the now iconic PlayStation series.

By the events of 2018’s soft reboot God of War, Kratos, the titular god, has spent a lifetime acting out violent delights in service of his own grief for being a bad father (Bad like, “accidentally killing his own wife and daughter” bad). It’s been years since he chose to leave behind his blood soaked...

Mikey Alfred is no stranger to rejection.

When pitching the script for his feature directorial debut, “North Hollywood,” to distributors, the 26-year-old L.A. native was met with the same response from all of them: “No.”

“I didn’t even get like, ‘Yeah, we’ll hit you back,'” Alfred tells Variety. “It was just like, ‘no,’ everywhere.”

It’s not like Alfred is a complete outsider to Hollywood — he was a producer on Jonah Hill’s critically-acclaimed film “Mid90s,” appeared as himself in the HBO series “Ballers” and directed a documentary short about rapper Tyler, the Creator. But Alfred was told that the semi-autobiographical “North Hollywood” — about a teenage boy’s choice between following his dream of becoming a pro skater or going to college — wouldn’t relate to a wide enough audience.

“I categorically disagree with that,” Alfred says. “I feel that it caters to a really niche...

2020's Christmas cheer got a bit of help from Netflix with the release of The Christmas Chronicles 2. Starring Kurt Russell as Santa Claus, and Goldie Hawn as Mrs. Claus, the movie also featured an evil elf from Santa's village who turns into a human, played by Deadpool 2 star Julian Dennison. In an interview with CinemaBlend, Dennison revealed that the scene showing his transformation from elf to man almost ended up being Nsfw.

"I remember transforming into a human ... the barn scene. We were in the stable, and I'm next to the sleigh, I remember this whole bit, transforming in the shadows, running off. I remember in an earlier draft, I was supposed to be butt naked. I was supposed to be naked, and they were going to get me to run through the [forest.] Like, you could tell I'm naked, but not really, because I'd be running through the forest and shadows.

Stars: Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Darby Camp, Julian Dennison, Jahzir Bruno, Darlene Love, Tyrese Gibson, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Sunny Suljic | Written by Matt Lieberman, Chris Columbus | Directed by Chris Columbus

The first Christmas Chronicles movie released two years ago was a Netflix Original hit. A fantastic family Christmas movie that made you wonder why no-one had cast Kurt Russell as Santa Claus before. So it’s no surprise that a sequel was made a short time later, but would it be Lost in New York or Holiday Heist? The daughter from the last movie, Kate is now a moody teenager but is soon reunited with Santa when Belsnickel tries to steal Christmas.

The main cast are back for The Christmas Chronicles 2 but this time Goldie Hawn gets a bigger role as Mrs Claus, Jahzir Bruno comes in as Jack – another child to help Santa and Julian Dennision (Hunt For The Wilderpeople...

Update (4:50pm Et): Variety has revealed it was the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that had the winning bid for the “Midsommar” May Queen flower dress.

Earlier: When A24 announced at the end of April it would be auctioning off props from its films and television series for charity, all eyes immediately went to one item and one item alone: The flower dress worn by Florence Pugh in “Midsommar.” A24 auctioned the original 10,000-silk-flower May Queen gown on April 27 as part of its “Midsommar Hårga Collectibles for Fdny Foundation” event. The item was so in-demand that it even drew the attention of global pop stars Ariana Grande and Halsey. No wonder the flower dress then sold for a huge $65,000 during the auction, easily the most expensive sale among the “Midsommar” props.

In total, A24’s “Midsommar” auction raised well over $100,000 dollars for the Fdny Foundation, a...

Warning: If it wasn't obvious, we're spoiling the heck out The Killing of a Sacred Deer below. In some ways, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is Yorgos Lanthimos' most direct, explicitly stated narrative taken to its most direct, explicitly clear ending to date. Martin (Barry Keoghan) tells Dr. Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell) that, in light of Steven botching Martin's father's surgery resulting in his death, Steven's family will die from a mysterious illness with mysterious symptoms, unless Steven himself chooses one to kill. The family starts experiencing all …...

Stars came out for City Year Los Angeles’ 9th annual Spring Break: Destination Education.

Simon Cowell, Terry Crews, and Rebecca King-Crews

Credit/Copyright: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for City Year Los Angeles

Spring Break: Destination Education is the organization’s largest fundraising event and celebration where A-list celebrities and industry insiders, along with their teens and tweens, came out in support of education in Los Angeles. The event featured a special performance by Brynn Cartelli, as well as food, games and interactive booths sponsored by top brands including Amazon, Aramark, Comcast NBCUniversal, E!, Jp Morgan Chase/Atom Tickets, Karma Tequila, Netflix, People, RealD, Sony, Spotify, Walmart, and Westfield.

The event was attended by 1,400 guests and raised $2.2 million.

City Year AmeriCorps members and supporters including Jonathan Adams, Sheldon Bailey, Jaylen Barron, Parker Bates, Garcelle Beauvais, Paxton Booth, Bre-z, Yvette Nicole Brown, Logan Browning, Janie Bryant, Dan Bucatinsky, Sierra Capri, Tia Carrere,...

Skaters vie for status in a directorial debut that mixes Scorsese-like extravagance with moments of smartly observed subtlety

Skateboarding movies look as if they’ve absorbed the aesthetic of skateboarding itself: reckless, affectless, directionless and anaesthetised, the kind of activity where it’s important to mask pain if you fall heavily on the asphalt, though the pain is there. They have created a distinct style of their own over the years, since the mid-90s, in fact: a kind of indie-stonewashed, handheld moviemaking, lit as it were from the glow of a setting sun across an empty parking lot, and filmed as if by the participants themselves or by someone too old to be hanging out with them. For his debut movie as a writer-director, 35-year-old Jonah Hill has come up with an accomplished and watchable film in this style, nearly a pastiche, about a very male world as these...

‘Shazam!

New Line/DC Entertainment’s family superhero adventure Shazam! was the dominant title in Australia last weekend without matching the heights of its Us launch while Paramount’s horror remake Pet Sematary underperformed.

Despite the new entrants the national box office trailed the previous frame, weighed down by a lousy debut for Paramount’s animated fantasy adventure Wonder Park and steep second weekend drops by Disney’s Dumbo and Universal’s Us.

Among the specialty releases, Icelandic environmental comedy drama Woman at War had a decent start and Us coming-of-age film Mid90s opened impressively.

The top 20 titles’ takings dropped by 10 per cent to $13.5 million, according to Numero. Directed by David F. Sandberg (best known for horror films Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation), Shazam! conjured up $4.4 million on 507 screens and $4.7 million including previews for Warner Bros.

In the Us the movie starring Asher Angel as a teenager who transforms...

Netflix may get most of the attention, but it’s hardly a one-stop shop for cinephiles who are looking to stream essential classic and contemporary films. Each of the prominent streaming platforms — and there are more of them all the time — caters to its own niche of film obsessives. From chilling horror fare on Shudder, to esoteric (but unmissable) festival hits on the newly launched Ovid.tv, IndieWire’s monthly guide will highlight the best of what’s coming to every major streaming site, with an eye towards exclusive titles and bonus features that may help readers decide which of these services is right for them.

Here’s the best of the best for April 2019.

Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime has become the most reliable platform for exclusive streaming access to exciting indie and foreign movies. Netflix might get “Infinity War,” but Amazon Prime gets “Shoplifters.” Netflix might get “Solo,” but Amazon Prime gets “Cold War.

Actor Jonah Hill’s feature debut Mid90s is a masterfully executed, tender and beautifully evocative coming-of-age story. Written as well as directed by Hill, the film follows a teenage boy in 1990s-era Los Angeles as he spends his summer forming new and dangerous friendships away from his troubled home life.

13-year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic) lives in La with his aggressive older brother Ian (Lucas Hedges) and single mother Dabney (Katherine Waterston). In between taking regular beatings from Ian for no apparent reason and playing truant from school, Stevie becomes fascinated by a group of older punk skaters after a chance meeting at the Motor Avenue Sketeshop. Back home, the teenager trades with his brother for an 80s kids skateboard and later brings it to the shop in the hope of fitting in with the others. There, he befriends Ruben who later introduces him to the rest of the group: Ray,...

The critics have spoken.

See who took home trophies for this year’s best TV shows and movies at the 2019 Critics Choice Awards, broadcast Sunday night on the CW, below.

Film

Best Picture

Black Panther

BlacKkKlansman

The Favourite

First Man

Green Book

If Beale Street Could Talk

Mary Poppins Returns

Roma

A Star Is Born

Vice

Best Director

Damien Chazelle – First Man

Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born

Alfonso Cuarón – Roma

Peter Farrelly – Green Book

Yorgos Lanthimos – The Favourite

Spike Lee – BlacKkKlansman

Adam McKay – Vice

Best Actor

Christian Bale – Vice

Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born

Willem Dafoe – At Eternity...

“Roma” was the big winner at the Critics’ Choice Awards, winning Best Picture, Foreign-Language Film, Director, and Cinematography (both for Alfonso Cuarón). Other honorees include Christian Bale, who was named Best Actor for his performance as Dick Cheney in “Vice,” and Lady Gaga (“A Star Is Born”) and Glenn Close (“The Wife”), who tied for Best Actress.

Hosted by Taye Diggs and presented by the Broadcast Film Critics Association (Bfca) and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association (Btja), this year’s ceremony finds “The Favourite” living up to its name by leading all films with 14 nominations. Yorgos Lanthimos’ period piece is followed by fellow Best Picture nominees “Black Panther” (12 nods), “First Man” (10), and “Vice” (9).

The broadcast is airing live on the CW, and IndieWire will be updating the list of winners throughout the show.

Best Picture

“Black Panther”

“BlacKkKlansman”

“The Favourite”

“First Man”

“Green Book”

“If Beale Street Could Talk”

“Mary Poppins Returns...

The awards shows will continue until morale improves. Next up in the season that never truly ends are the Critics’ Choice Awards, which air on The CW tonight at 7:00 p.m. Est. Taye Diggs is hosting the ceremony, which takes place at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica and is presented by the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association. “The Favourite” leads all films with 14 nominations, followed by fellow Best Picture nominee “Black Panther.” So how to watch the ceremony if you don’t have cable?

It may be a little tricky. You can use an over-the-air antenna on the off chance that you have one (and The CW’s website has information on how to find your local channel), or you can use YouTube TV, Hulu With Live TV, or DirecTV Now. If none of those work for you, worry not: IndieWire will be...