Thunderbolts* remains one of Marvel Studios' most mysterious and intriguing upcoming movies, with that asterisk only serving to heighten anticipation for a project many believe is secretly Dark Avengers.
There are perhaps a few too many heroes on the team for that to happen, with it currently looking a lot like a sequel to Black Widow and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
In the latter, Bucky Barnes was fully freed from his Winter Soldier programming and now seems to be working with the CIA as part of this government-approved team. Rumour has it his role in Thunderbolts* isn't massive, leading to concerns this could be where the hero's story ends.
We'll see, but a new set photo has surfaced today showcasing Bucky's overhauled appearance.
He's not suited up but is wearing a traditional suit and rocking a pretty mean goatee. Is he undercover or just shaking up his appearance?...
There are perhaps a few too many heroes on the team for that to happen, with it currently looking a lot like a sequel to Black Widow and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
In the latter, Bucky Barnes was fully freed from his Winter Soldier programming and now seems to be working with the CIA as part of this government-approved team. Rumour has it his role in Thunderbolts* isn't massive, leading to concerns this could be where the hero's story ends.
We'll see, but a new set photo has surfaced today showcasing Bucky's overhauled appearance.
He's not suited up but is wearing a traditional suit and rocking a pretty mean goatee. Is he undercover or just shaking up his appearance?...
- 5/10/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
Julia Louis-Dreyfus was one of the main attractions of the hit NBC series Seinfeld. The brainchild of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, many of its storylines were inspired by real-life experiences of Seinfeld’s life. The series ran for 9 successful seasons and is considered one of the most influential sitcoms of all time.
A still from Seinfeld
The show in total consisted of 180 episodes throughout its entire run and while the makers pulled off some risky one-liners and jokes through them, one episode proved to be too extreme for the cast and they had to pull the plug on the episode. The details of that episode titled The Bet have been released online and one can understand why they did not go forward with the episode.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Was Against Going Forward With Seinfeld Episode The Bet Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s rejection of one controversial Seinfeld episode led to its cancellation
Jerry Seinfeld...
A still from Seinfeld
The show in total consisted of 180 episodes throughout its entire run and while the makers pulled off some risky one-liners and jokes through them, one episode proved to be too extreme for the cast and they had to pull the plug on the episode. The details of that episode titled The Bet have been released online and one can understand why they did not go forward with the episode.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Was Against Going Forward With Seinfeld Episode The Bet Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s rejection of one controversial Seinfeld episode led to its cancellation
Jerry Seinfeld...
- 4/30/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
Ethan Coen has assembled a stellar cast for “Honey Don’t!,” his follow-up to this year’s “Drive-Away Dolls.”
Thirteen new actors have joined the cast of “Honey Don’t!” that already includes stars Chris Evans, Margaret Qualley, and Aubrey Plaza. Rounding out the ensemble are “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” star Charlie Day, “Bros” star and comedian Billy Eichner, and “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” actress Talia Ryder, IndieWire has learned. Also joining the cast are Lera Abova, Jacnier, Gabby Beans, Kristin Connolly, Lena Hall, Don Swayze, Josh Pafchek, Kale Brown, Alexander Carstoiu, and Christin Antidormi.
“Honey Don’t!” is filming now in New Mexico and will be released by Focus Features, which also released “Drive-Away Dolls,” Ethan Coen’s first feature as a solo director separate from his brother Joel Coen. The new film is reportedly set in Bakersfield, California, with Evans playing a cult leader, Qualley portraying a private investigator, and Plaza as a mystery woman.
Thirteen new actors have joined the cast of “Honey Don’t!” that already includes stars Chris Evans, Margaret Qualley, and Aubrey Plaza. Rounding out the ensemble are “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” star Charlie Day, “Bros” star and comedian Billy Eichner, and “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” actress Talia Ryder, IndieWire has learned. Also joining the cast are Lera Abova, Jacnier, Gabby Beans, Kristin Connolly, Lena Hall, Don Swayze, Josh Pafchek, Kale Brown, Alexander Carstoiu, and Christin Antidormi.
“Honey Don’t!” is filming now in New Mexico and will be released by Focus Features, which also released “Drive-Away Dolls,” Ethan Coen’s first feature as a solo director separate from his brother Joel Coen. The new film is reportedly set in Bakersfield, California, with Evans playing a cult leader, Qualley portraying a private investigator, and Plaza as a mystery woman.
- 4/19/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Several weeks back, Florence Pugh led us through the ‘Thunderbolts*’ set and showcased her new costume. At one point in the movie, a chair can be seen with the new logo of the movie. Fans were quick to notice that the new logo had an asterisk, but most attributed this to being in some way related to production.
Then came this year’s CinemaCon, during which Feige presented both the new logo and confirmed the title change, saying that the asterisk will be explained later but not before the movie releases.
Yesterday, Atlanta_filming posted a now-deleted Instagram post in which it refers to ‘Thunderbolts*’ as ‘Thunderbolts* Part 1.’
Many fans are now theorizing that the asterisk is actually hiding the fact that Thunderbolts will be a series of movies instead of just a standalone movie meant to introduce the team to the MCU.
The nature of the Instagram post is truly weird,...
Then came this year’s CinemaCon, during which Feige presented both the new logo and confirmed the title change, saying that the asterisk will be explained later but not before the movie releases.
Yesterday, Atlanta_filming posted a now-deleted Instagram post in which it refers to ‘Thunderbolts*’ as ‘Thunderbolts* Part 1.’
Many fans are now theorizing that the asterisk is actually hiding the fact that Thunderbolts will be a series of movies instead of just a standalone movie meant to introduce the team to the MCU.
The nature of the Instagram post is truly weird,...
- 4/13/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Comic Basics
The Secret Behind Mysterious ‘Thunderbolts*’ Asterisk May Have Been Solved Indicating Movie’s Future
A few weeks ago, Florence Pugh gave us a tour of the ‘Thunderbolts*’ movie set and showed off her new costume. In one scene, there’s a chair with the movie’s new logo. Fans spotted an asterisk in the logo, thinking it might be part of the production.
At CinemaCon this year, Feige showed the new logo and announced the title change. He mentioned the asterisk would be clarified after the movie’s release.
Yesterday, Atlanta_filming shared an Instagram post, now deleted, where they called ‘Thunderbolts‘ ‘Thunderbolts Part 1.’
Now, many fans are guessing that the asterisk hints that Thunderbolts might not be just one movie but a series. They think it won’t just introduce the team but will lead to more movies in the MCU.
The Instagram post is strange because why would they refer to the movie so specifically? Especially when it hasn’t even come...
At CinemaCon this year, Feige showed the new logo and announced the title change. He mentioned the asterisk would be clarified after the movie’s release.
Yesterday, Atlanta_filming shared an Instagram post, now deleted, where they called ‘Thunderbolts‘ ‘Thunderbolts Part 1.’
Now, many fans are guessing that the asterisk hints that Thunderbolts might not be just one movie but a series. They think it won’t just introduce the team but will lead to more movies in the MCU.
The Instagram post is strange because why would they refer to the movie so specifically? Especially when it hasn’t even come...
- 4/13/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Fiction Horizon
This is a stacked weekend for movies that could get awards attention but probably won’t, both in theaters and on digital platforms. First up is a lively ode to one of cinema’s musical masters.
The contender to watch this week: “Ennio”
Giuseppe Tornatore‘s documentary about influential composer Ennio Morricone has been a long time coming, and not only because Morricone’s career dates back to 1946. “Ennio” premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in 2021 and was released in Italy in 2022. But don’t take its delayed domestic debut as a bad omen: The movie is a spellbinding tribute to the two-time Oscar winner, who wrote the scores for “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” “Days of Heaven,” “The Untouchables,” “The Hateful Eight,” and Tornatore’s own “Cinema Paradiso.” The talking heads include Quentin Tarantino, Clint Eastwood, Quincy Jones, and Bruce Springsteen. Following a theatrical run in February,...
The contender to watch this week: “Ennio”
Giuseppe Tornatore‘s documentary about influential composer Ennio Morricone has been a long time coming, and not only because Morricone’s career dates back to 1946. “Ennio” premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in 2021 and was released in Italy in 2022. But don’t take its delayed domestic debut as a bad omen: The movie is a spellbinding tribute to the two-time Oscar winner, who wrote the scores for “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” “Days of Heaven,” “The Untouchables,” “The Hateful Eight,” and Tornatore’s own “Cinema Paradiso.” The talking heads include Quentin Tarantino, Clint Eastwood, Quincy Jones, and Bruce Springsteen. Following a theatrical run in February,...
- 4/13/2024
- by Matthew Jacobs
- Gold Derby
One of the most anticipated MCU projects is ‘Thunderbolts.’ It was supposed to start filming in Summer 2023, with actors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But the SAG-AFTRA strike halted everything for over 3 months, delaying the movie. We don’t know much about the plot, except it follows a group of antiheroes on government missions.
A couple of weeks back, Florence Pugh shared a video giving fans a peek at the set, revealing the updated ‘Thunderbolts*’ title with an asterisk. Fans initially thought it might be a production detail until CinemaCon.
At the Marvel Studios presentation, Feige confirmed the title change, but he didn’t spill on the significance of the asterisk. So, it seems there’s something crucial tied to it that we’ll find out when the movie hits theaters.
Kevin Feige confirms ‘Thunderbolts*’ is the official title.
“We won’t talk about the asterisk until after release” pic.
A couple of weeks back, Florence Pugh shared a video giving fans a peek at the set, revealing the updated ‘Thunderbolts*’ title with an asterisk. Fans initially thought it might be a production detail until CinemaCon.
At the Marvel Studios presentation, Feige confirmed the title change, but he didn’t spill on the significance of the asterisk. So, it seems there’s something crucial tied to it that we’ll find out when the movie hits theaters.
Kevin Feige confirms ‘Thunderbolts*’ is the official title.
“We won’t talk about the asterisk until after release” pic.
- 4/11/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Fiction Horizon
One of the most exciting upcoming MCU projects is ‘Thunderbolts.’ Production was slated to kick off in Summer 2023, and the cast was expected to include actors already associated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Marvel Studios making efforts to ensure their availability.
Then, the SAG-AFTRA strike happened and paralyzed the industry for more than 3 months and stalled the progress of the movie. Little is known about the overall plot, except that it will see a group of antiheroes as they go on various missions for the government.
A few weeks ago Florence Pugh uploaded a video showing the fans around the set and we could spot the newly changed ‘Thunderbolts*’ title, with an added asterisk. Many fans assumed that it was some kind of production thing, until CinemaCon.
During the Marvel Studios presentation, Feige confirmed that the movie’s title did in fact change, but the asterisks won’t be...
Then, the SAG-AFTRA strike happened and paralyzed the industry for more than 3 months and stalled the progress of the movie. Little is known about the overall plot, except that it will see a group of antiheroes as they go on various missions for the government.
A few weeks ago Florence Pugh uploaded a video showing the fans around the set and we could spot the newly changed ‘Thunderbolts*’ title, with an added asterisk. Many fans assumed that it was some kind of production thing, until CinemaCon.
During the Marvel Studios presentation, Feige confirmed that the movie’s title did in fact change, but the asterisks won’t be...
- 4/11/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Comic Basics
Take a look at more footage from “Drive-Away Dolls”, the new road comedy feature, written and directed by Ethan Coen, starring Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp and Matt Damon, streaming April 12, 2024 on Peacock:
“…’Jamie’, an uninhibited free spirit bemoans yet another breakup with a girlfriend, while her demure friend ‘Marian’ desperately needs to loosen up.
“In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of creeps along the way…”
Click the images to enlarge…...
“…’Jamie’, an uninhibited free spirit bemoans yet another breakup with a girlfriend, while her demure friend ‘Marian’ desperately needs to loosen up.
“In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of creeps along the way…”
Click the images to enlarge…...
- 4/5/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
An upcoming Marvel project, ‘Thunderbolts*,’ was set to start filming in Summer 2023 with MCU actors reprising their roles. However, the SAG-AFTRA strike halted production for over 3 months, delaying the movie’s progress. The plot revolves around a team of antiheroes on government missions, but further details remain scarce.
Now that filming for ‘Thunderbolts*’ is underway, numerous set photos are making their way to the public eye. In the latest batch of images, we catch a glimpse of Florence Pugh donning her new costume, alongside Geraldine Viswanathan and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Take a look at the gallery below, courtesy of atlanta_filming.
Fans noticed that Sebastian Stan’s character, Bucky, was missing from recent set photos. Insiders clarified that Stan’s absence is because his scenes haven’t been filmed yet. Last week, Florence shared a video on her private Instagram, giving fans a tour of the set. It was rumored that a scene in the vault,...
Now that filming for ‘Thunderbolts*’ is underway, numerous set photos are making their way to the public eye. In the latest batch of images, we catch a glimpse of Florence Pugh donning her new costume, alongside Geraldine Viswanathan and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Take a look at the gallery below, courtesy of atlanta_filming.
Fans noticed that Sebastian Stan’s character, Bucky, was missing from recent set photos. Insiders clarified that Stan’s absence is because his scenes haven’t been filmed yet. Last week, Florence shared a video on her private Instagram, giving fans a tour of the set. It was rumored that a scene in the vault,...
- 4/5/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Fiction Horizon
One of the most exciting upcoming MCU projects is ‘Thunderbolts*.’ Production was slated to kick off in Summer 2023, and the cast was expected to include actors already associated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Marvel Studios making efforts to ensure their availability.
Then, the SAG-AFTRA strike happened and paralyzed the industry for more than 3 months and stalled the progress of the movie. Little is known about the overall plot, except that it will see a group of antiheroes as they go on various missions for the government.
Now, that ‘Thunderbolts*’ has begun shooting officially plenty of set photos are “leaking” into the public, and in the last batch of photographs we can see Florence Pugh’s new costume, Geraldine Viswanathan and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. You can check out the photos in the gallery below, courtesy of atlanta_filming.
Fans once again pointed out the absence of Sebastian Stan’s Bucky, while...
Then, the SAG-AFTRA strike happened and paralyzed the industry for more than 3 months and stalled the progress of the movie. Little is known about the overall plot, except that it will see a group of antiheroes as they go on various missions for the government.
Now, that ‘Thunderbolts*’ has begun shooting officially plenty of set photos are “leaking” into the public, and in the last batch of photographs we can see Florence Pugh’s new costume, Geraldine Viswanathan and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. You can check out the photos in the gallery below, courtesy of atlanta_filming.
Fans once again pointed out the absence of Sebastian Stan’s Bucky, while...
- 4/5/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Comic Basics
Hollywood isn't investing nearly as much in straight-up comedies as they used to. While 2023 saw many of the best comedies of the year come from the indie and arthouse world. "Barbie" was a big winner last year, but that's a blockbuster doing a lot more heavy-lifting than just bringing laughs, with an adventure fueled by one of the most recognizable intellectual properties of all time. "No Hard Feelings" and "Anyone But You" brought some raunchy, romantic laughs to the proceedings, and we were certainly grateful that Jennifer Lawrence and Sydney Sweeney took risks as producers on R-rated studio comedies like that. Otherwise, most of the laughs come from cross-genre comedy hybrids that have bigger box office potential because of a high-concept story that just so happens to bring some hilarity, such as "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" or "Cocaine Bear."
So how is comedy shaping up in 2024? Unfortunately, with some worrisome box office potential,...
So how is comedy shaping up in 2024? Unfortunately, with some worrisome box office potential,...
- 3/29/2024
- by SlashFilm Staff
- Slash Film
Fans got a first glimpse of the production of Marvel’s Thunderbolts* after Florence Pugh posted a behind-the-scenes video on her social media. The BTS video was a welcome move from Pugh, as it helped fans regain confidence in the film after its several production issues. However, the video also allegedly spoiled one of the major plotlines of the film as Pugh unintentionally showed a structure behind her during the set tour.
Florence Pugh posted a new BTS video from the sets of Thunderbolts*
After the promotional tours for Dune: Part Two, Florence Pugh joined the sets of Thunderbolts* in Atlanta. The filming was significantly delayed due to the strikes and the extensive rewriting of the film’s script. One of the other major highlights of the new update from Pugh was the addition of an asterisk to the title.
Florence Pugh’s BTS Video Gives Away One Major Thunderbolts...
Florence Pugh posted a new BTS video from the sets of Thunderbolts*
After the promotional tours for Dune: Part Two, Florence Pugh joined the sets of Thunderbolts* in Atlanta. The filming was significantly delayed due to the strikes and the extensive rewriting of the film’s script. One of the other major highlights of the new update from Pugh was the addition of an asterisk to the title.
Florence Pugh’s BTS Video Gives Away One Major Thunderbolts...
- 3/28/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
‘Thunderbolts*’ has finally started filming after facing some challenges during development and dealing with cast issues following the SAG-AFTRA strike. Recently, Florence Pugh shared a video on her social media, giving fans a tour of the set.
In the video, we got a glimpse of her new costume and the updated title of the movie, ‘Thunderbolts*’ with an asterisk. However, the significance of the asterisk hasn’t been explained by officials yet. Filming officially began at the end of February at Trilith Studios and Atlanta Metro Studios in Atlanta. Reports have surfaced indicating that Sebastian Stan, who plays Bucky, was completely absent from the set a few days ago.
Alex Perez, a well-known industry insider and leaker, confirmed this and provided a plausible explanation. According to him, Bucky is set to join the team later in the filming process, so it’s reasonable for him not to be on set from the beginning.
In the video, we got a glimpse of her new costume and the updated title of the movie, ‘Thunderbolts*’ with an asterisk. However, the significance of the asterisk hasn’t been explained by officials yet. Filming officially began at the end of February at Trilith Studios and Atlanta Metro Studios in Atlanta. Reports have surfaced indicating that Sebastian Stan, who plays Bucky, was completely absent from the set a few days ago.
Alex Perez, a well-known industry insider and leaker, confirmed this and provided a plausible explanation. According to him, Bucky is set to join the team later in the filming process, so it’s reasonable for him not to be on set from the beginning.
- 3/28/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Fiction Horizon
‘Thunderbolts*’ was recently confirmed to start filming finally, after a somewhat troubled development and problems with the cast following the SAG-AFTRA strike. Recently Florence Pugh uploaded a video to her social media accounts guiding the fans through the set.
We got a good look into her new costume as well as the new title of the movie ‘Thunderbolts*’ with an asterisk, which wasn’t clarified by the officials yet. The filming technically at the end of February at Trilith Studios and Atlanta Metro Studios in Atlanta, and a few days ago, reports suggested that Sebastian Stan, reprising his role as Bucky was absent from the set completely.
Alex Perez, a notable industry insider and leaker explained that it is correct and gave us a good reason why. According to him, Bucky is supposed to join the team later on, which means that there’s little reason for him to be...
We got a good look into her new costume as well as the new title of the movie ‘Thunderbolts*’ with an asterisk, which wasn’t clarified by the officials yet. The filming technically at the end of February at Trilith Studios and Atlanta Metro Studios in Atlanta, and a few days ago, reports suggested that Sebastian Stan, reprising his role as Bucky was absent from the set completely.
Alex Perez, a notable industry insider and leaker explained that it is correct and gave us a good reason why. According to him, Bucky is supposed to join the team later on, which means that there’s little reason for him to be...
- 3/28/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Comic Basics
Florence Pugh is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Yelena Belova in Thunderbolts, which has started production in Atlanta. The Oppenheimer actress shared a behind-the-scenes video from the film studio on her Instagram page, teasing the sets and crew.
“Hey guys, how are you doing?” she says in the video while wearing Yelena’s combat suit. “I know I’ve dropped off for a little bit, but that’s partially because I was whisked off to Atlanta to shoot a movie that I’m not really supposed to talk about.
“Hey guys, how are you doing?” she says in the video while wearing Yelena’s combat suit. “I know I’ve dropped off for a little bit, but that’s partially because I was whisked off to Atlanta to shoot a movie that I’m not really supposed to talk about.
- 3/28/2024
- by Emily Zemler
- Rollingstone.com
One of the highly anticipated future MCU projects is ‘Thunderbolts.’ Production was scheduled to begin in Summer 2023, with the cast likely to feature actors already part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the SAG-AFTRA strike halted progress for over three months, affecting the movie’s development. While details about the plot remain sparse, it’s understood that the story will follow a group of antiheroes undertaking government missions.
Now that ‘Thunderbolts’ has started filming, Florence Pugh, reprising her role as Yelena Belova, has shared behind-the-scenes details in her Instagram video.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Florence Pugh (@florencepugh)
Florence guided fans around the set, though she couldn’t reveal much. She offered a peek at her new outfit and took us into the studio while filming was underway. She paused to chat with director Jake Schreier, casually mentioning that the new title of the movie is...
Now that ‘Thunderbolts’ has started filming, Florence Pugh, reprising her role as Yelena Belova, has shared behind-the-scenes details in her Instagram video.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Florence Pugh (@florencepugh)
Florence guided fans around the set, though she couldn’t reveal much. She offered a peek at her new outfit and took us into the studio while filming was underway. She paused to chat with director Jake Schreier, casually mentioning that the new title of the movie is...
- 3/28/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Fiction Horizon
One of the most exciting upcoming MCU projects is ‘Thunderbolts.’ Production was slated to kick off in Summer 2023, and the cast was expected to include actors already associated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Marvel Studios making efforts to ensure their availability.
Then, the SAG-AFTRA strike happened and paralyzed the industry for more than 3 months and stalled the progress of the movie. Little is known about the overall plot, except that it will see a group of antiheroes as they go on various missions for the government.
Now, that ‘Thunderbolts’ has begun shooting officially, Florence Pugh returning as Yelena Belova shared some of the behind-the-scenes details in her Instagram video.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Florence Pugh (@florencepugh)
Florence walked the fans through the set admitting that she can’t really show that much, but she did give us a glimpse of her new outfit...
Then, the SAG-AFTRA strike happened and paralyzed the industry for more than 3 months and stalled the progress of the movie. Little is known about the overall plot, except that it will see a group of antiheroes as they go on various missions for the government.
Now, that ‘Thunderbolts’ has begun shooting officially, Florence Pugh returning as Yelena Belova shared some of the behind-the-scenes details in her Instagram video.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Florence Pugh (@florencepugh)
Florence walked the fans through the set admitting that she can’t really show that much, but she did give us a glimpse of her new outfit...
- 3/28/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Comic Basics
Florence Pugh is back on a Marvel set. The actress shared a behind-the-scenes tour of the Atlanta set where she is currently filming the upcoming Thunderbolts on Wednesday.
“Hey guys, how are you doing? I know I’ve dropped off for a little bit, but that’s partially because I was whisked off to Atlanta to shoot a movie that I’m not really supposed to talk about,” Pugh said in a video posted to Instagram. “But I can show you things, sneakily, as long as you don’t tell anyone…I can show you a sneak peek of the set.”
Pugh plays assassin Yelena Belova in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her character first appeared in 2021’s Black Widow and later in the Disney+ series Hawkeye.
In her video, Pugh appears in costume, lifting the camera to show off Yelena’s suit and then moving to reveal several of the structures under construction for Thunderbolts.
“Hey guys, how are you doing? I know I’ve dropped off for a little bit, but that’s partially because I was whisked off to Atlanta to shoot a movie that I’m not really supposed to talk about,” Pugh said in a video posted to Instagram. “But I can show you things, sneakily, as long as you don’t tell anyone…I can show you a sneak peek of the set.”
Pugh plays assassin Yelena Belova in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her character first appeared in 2021’s Black Widow and later in the Disney+ series Hawkeye.
In her video, Pugh appears in costume, lifting the camera to show off Yelena’s suit and then moving to reveal several of the structures under construction for Thunderbolts.
- 3/28/2024
- by Zoe G Phillips
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Florence Pugh is suited up once again and returning to the MCU filming Thunderbolts in Atlanta.
The star shared a video on Instagram as she filmed the Marvel film where she is set to reprise her role of Yelena Belova, which she originated in 2021’s Black Widow.
“Hey guys, how are you doing? I know I’ve dropped off for a little bit, but that’s partially because I was whisked off to Atlanta to shoot a movie that I’m not really supposed to talk about,” Pugh says in the video. “But I can show you things, sneakily, as long as you don’t tell anyone…I can show you a sneak peek of the set. They’re shooting. I’ll be quiet now.”
Pugh then ran into director Jake Schreier, busy at work, who said, “I don’t even think you’re supposed to be doing this.”
“Someone...
The star shared a video on Instagram as she filmed the Marvel film where she is set to reprise her role of Yelena Belova, which she originated in 2021’s Black Widow.
“Hey guys, how are you doing? I know I’ve dropped off for a little bit, but that’s partially because I was whisked off to Atlanta to shoot a movie that I’m not really supposed to talk about,” Pugh says in the video. “But I can show you things, sneakily, as long as you don’t tell anyone…I can show you a sneak peek of the set. They’re shooting. I’ll be quiet now.”
Pugh then ran into director Jake Schreier, busy at work, who said, “I don’t even think you’re supposed to be doing this.”
“Someone...
- 3/27/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Marvel’s Thunderbolts movie is now in production in Atlanta, and Florence Pugh has shared a sneaky little set video on Instagram, which honestly shows off more than I would have expected. Those Marvel snipers must have been on break.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Florence Pugh (@florencepugh)
The Thunderbolts set video begins with Pugh exiting her trailer in full costume, with her hair looking shorter than it was in Black Widow. As she moves into the Atlanta studio, we see pieces of large sets before she comes across director Jake Schreier. You can see the Thunderbolts logo on the back of a chair as well as a brief snippet of footage on the monitor, which shows Yelena pointing a gun at someone. With any other movie, this might not seem particularly revealing, but for a Marvel movie… well, I’d be putting my will in order.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Florence Pugh (@florencepugh)
The Thunderbolts set video begins with Pugh exiting her trailer in full costume, with her hair looking shorter than it was in Black Widow. As she moves into the Atlanta studio, we see pieces of large sets before she comes across director Jake Schreier. You can see the Thunderbolts logo on the back of a chair as well as a brief snippet of footage on the monitor, which shows Yelena pointing a gun at someone. With any other movie, this might not seem particularly revealing, but for a Marvel movie… well, I’d be putting my will in order.
- 3/27/2024
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Florence Pugh is back in Marvel movie mode and shared to Instagram a first look set video from the Atlanta studio where “Thunderbolts” is now in production. The tentpole will mark Pugh’s latest appearance as the assassin Yelena Belova, a role she debuted as in “Black Widow” and reprised on the Disney+ series “Hawkeye.” The set video includes a first look at one of Yelena’s combat-ready suits in the film. Pugh is also sporting some blue eyeliner.
“Hey guys, how are you doing? I know I’ve dropped off for a little bit, but that’s partially because I was whisked off to Atlanta to shoot a movie that I’m not really supposed to talk about,” Pugh told her followers in the video. “But I can show you things, sneakily, as long as you don’t tell anyone…I can show you a sneak peek of the set.
“Hey guys, how are you doing? I know I’ve dropped off for a little bit, but that’s partially because I was whisked off to Atlanta to shoot a movie that I’m not really supposed to talk about,” Pugh told her followers in the video. “But I can show you things, sneakily, as long as you don’t tell anyone…I can show you a sneak peek of the set.
- 3/27/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
One of the highly anticipated upcoming projects in the MCU is ‘Thunderbolts.’ Production was planned to begin in Summer 2023, with the cast likely to include familiar faces from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the industry was halted for over three months due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, causing delays in the movie’s progress. While little is known about the overall plot, it’s understood to follow a group of antiheroes on government missions. With ‘Thunderbolts’ now slated for shooting, official casting calls may offer insights into the plot elements to expect.
Social media discussions suggest that Central Casting Georgia is in search of a photo double for a 14-year-old white girl with brown hair. This could indicate that the studio is seeking a younger version of Antonia Dreykov, suggesting potential flashbacks in the film. This information was initially reported by Thunderbolts updates on X.
Olga Kurylenko is set to...
Social media discussions suggest that Central Casting Georgia is in search of a photo double for a 14-year-old white girl with brown hair. This could indicate that the studio is seeking a younger version of Antonia Dreykov, suggesting potential flashbacks in the film. This information was initially reported by Thunderbolts updates on X.
Olga Kurylenko is set to...
- 3/22/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Fiction Horizon
One of the most exciting upcoming MCU projects is ‘Thunderbolts.’ Production was slated to kick off in Summer 2023, and the cast was expected to include actors already associated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Marvel Studios making efforts to ensure their availability.
Then, the SAG-AFTRA strike happened and paralyzed the industry for more than 3 months and stalled the progress of the movie. Little is known about the overall plot, except that it will see a group of antiheroes as they go on various missions for the government. Now, that ‘Thunderbolts’ is scheduled to shoot officially casting call might reveal more about the plot elements that are going to be used.
According to the social media chatter, Central Casting Georgia is looking for a photo double to portray a 14-year-old white girl with brown hair, possibly indicating that the studio is looking for a “younger” version of Antonia Dreykov, which...
Then, the SAG-AFTRA strike happened and paralyzed the industry for more than 3 months and stalled the progress of the movie. Little is known about the overall plot, except that it will see a group of antiheroes as they go on various missions for the government. Now, that ‘Thunderbolts’ is scheduled to shoot officially casting call might reveal more about the plot elements that are going to be used.
According to the social media chatter, Central Casting Georgia is looking for a photo double to portray a 14-year-old white girl with brown hair, possibly indicating that the studio is looking for a “younger” version of Antonia Dreykov, which...
- 3/22/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Comic Basics
A raucous and raunchy road-movie, Drive Away Dolls finds ways to replicate screwball comedies and noirish mcguffins that are entertainingly chaotic. Directed by Ethan Coen, it forms an intriguing counterpoint to his brother Joel's solo effort The Tragedy Of Macbeth. Fans and scholars of film would do well to see this, that, and any of the Coen's ensemble efforts to see how distinct sensibilities can synthesise. Drive Away Dolls has more to commend it than its origins, but everything has to start somewhere.
Here it's a messy break-up, not unearned, and a need for a fresh start. There's more before, but we'll get to that, past body shots and some remodelling that puts quite different weights on 'do it yourself'. Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) are looking to get away, and fate will drop something in their laps. More than fate, in fact, there's also a whistle.
Here it's a messy break-up, not unearned, and a need for a fresh start. There's more before, but we'll get to that, past body shots and some remodelling that puts quite different weights on 'do it yourself'. Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) are looking to get away, and fate will drop something in their laps. More than fate, in fact, there's also a whistle.
- 3/21/2024
- by Andrew Robertson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
"Drive-Away Dolls" Ethan Coen branches off from working with brother Joel Cohen and directed “Drive-Away Dolls” with a script he co-wrote with his wife Tricia Cooke. The film stars Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp, and Matt Damon. https://youtu.be/yhPxumWcCKQ?si=UZp0BhfrAil2wZy7 "Ordinary Angels" Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank returns to
The post Movie Reviews: “Drive-Away Dolls,” “Ordinary Angels” appeared first on Manny the Movie Guy.
The post Movie Reviews: “Drive-Away Dolls,” “Ordinary Angels” appeared first on Manny the Movie Guy.
- 3/19/2024
- by manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Rank Film (distributor) Three-day gross (Mar 15-17) Total gross to date Week 1. Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros) £4m £26.2m 3 2. Wicked Little Letters (Studiocanal) £588,034 £7.3m 4 3. Migration (Universal) £573,719 £19m 7 4. Bob Marley: One Love (Paramount) £509,000 £16m 5 5. Imaginary (Lionsgate) £406,382 £1.4m 2
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.27.
Warner Bros’ Dune: Part Two remains on top of the UK and Ireland box office while Ethan Coen’s Drive-Away Dolls opens just outside of the top five for Universal.
The Dune sequel raked in £4m on its third weekend - dropping just 31% and bringing its total to £26.2m.
In second place is Wicked Little Letters which dipped just...
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.27.
Warner Bros’ Dune: Part Two remains on top of the UK and Ireland box office while Ethan Coen’s Drive-Away Dolls opens just outside of the top five for Universal.
The Dune sequel raked in £4m on its third weekend - dropping just 31% and bringing its total to £26.2m.
In second place is Wicked Little Letters which dipped just...
- 3/18/2024
- ScreenDaily
Despite Marvel Cinematic Universe’s success through the decades, the franchise is currently facing issues regarding “superhero fatigue” and is failing to hold onto viewership. Amid such tumultuous times, the MCU started witnessing another major problem with actors quitting their films, even before production.
A still from MCU’s Thunderbolts
Stepping down from their Marvel franchise roles for various reasons, stars like Ayo Edebiri are making headlines for quitting the MCU. But surprisingly it’s not just her, according to reports, there are currently two more renowned actors who quit Marvel, before they even began filming. Steven Yeun and Aaron Pierre are among the few who recently quit Marvel.
1. Ayo Edebiri
Among Marvel’s few of the most anticipated projects, Thunderbolt is currently making headlines, which is set to go into production in spring. Being a part of Phase Five of the MCU, the film has become the talk of...
A still from MCU’s Thunderbolts
Stepping down from their Marvel franchise roles for various reasons, stars like Ayo Edebiri are making headlines for quitting the MCU. But surprisingly it’s not just her, according to reports, there are currently two more renowned actors who quit Marvel, before they even began filming. Steven Yeun and Aaron Pierre are among the few who recently quit Marvel.
1. Ayo Edebiri
Among Marvel’s few of the most anticipated projects, Thunderbolt is currently making headlines, which is set to go into production in spring. Being a part of Phase Five of the MCU, the film has become the talk of...
- 3/18/2024
- by Krittika Mukherjee
- FandomWire
Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell’s Anyone But You brought a resurgence to the rom-com genre. The huge success of the film proved that people are craving the return of feel-good rom-coms on the big screen. Amidst the dominance of big-budget superhero and franchise films, Anyone But You‘s success came as a breath of fresh air.
Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney in Anyone But You
Sweeney and Powell received great praise for their sizzling chemistry on-screen. The success of the film seems to have brought an interesting point of discussion. Actress Geraldine Viswanathan recently stated that while Anyone But You‘s success is great, she wants to see more inclusion in the rom-com genre.
Geraldine Viswanathan Wants More Diversity in Modern Rom-Coms
Geraldine Viswanathan currently stars in Ethan Coen’s Drive-Away Dolls
2023’s Anyone But You became a surprise hit and revitalized the rom-com genre. Sydney Sweeney and Glen...
Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney in Anyone But You
Sweeney and Powell received great praise for their sizzling chemistry on-screen. The success of the film seems to have brought an interesting point of discussion. Actress Geraldine Viswanathan recently stated that while Anyone But You‘s success is great, she wants to see more inclusion in the rom-com genre.
Geraldine Viswanathan Wants More Diversity in Modern Rom-Coms
Geraldine Viswanathan currently stars in Ethan Coen’s Drive-Away Dolls
2023’s Anyone But You became a surprise hit and revitalized the rom-com genre. Sydney Sweeney and Glen...
- 3/16/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
Well, it’s over. Now that the 2024 film awards season is in the rearview mirror, the onslaught of prestige titles hitting digital platforms will come to a temporary halt. Thankfully, this week still brings a pretty decent crop of new releases.
The contender to watch this week: “Drive-Away Dolls“
Ethan Coen‘s second movie without Joel — his first was the documentary “Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind,” which is streaming exclusively on Prime Video — has posted modest box-office returns, but the breezy road comedy seems destined for cult-favorite status. Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan play friends who get caught up in a band of maladroit criminals during a road trip down South. Co-written with Tricia Cooke, who edited “The Big Lebowski” and other Coen-brother movies, “Drive-Away Dolls” also features Beanie Feldstein, Pedro Pascal, Matt Damon, and newly minted Oscar nominee Colman Domingo. It’s available to rent or purchase on VOD.
The contender to watch this week: “Drive-Away Dolls“
Ethan Coen‘s second movie without Joel — his first was the documentary “Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind,” which is streaming exclusively on Prime Video — has posted modest box-office returns, but the breezy road comedy seems destined for cult-favorite status. Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan play friends who get caught up in a band of maladroit criminals during a road trip down South. Co-written with Tricia Cooke, who edited “The Big Lebowski” and other Coen-brother movies, “Drive-Away Dolls” also features Beanie Feldstein, Pedro Pascal, Matt Damon, and newly minted Oscar nominee Colman Domingo. It’s available to rent or purchase on VOD.
- 3/16/2024
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Stars: Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp, Matt Damon | Written by Ethan Coen, Tricia Clarke | Directed by Ethan Coen
Directed by Ethan Coen, who co-wrote the script with his wife, Tricia Clarke, Drive-Away Dolls (previously known as Drive-Away Dykes) is a queer road movie-slash-crime caper anchored by a pair of delightful performances by co-leads Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan. The plot is admittedly slight and the jokes will almost certainly prove too puerile for some tastes, but it has attitude to spare and the fun characters carry it through.
Set in 1999, on the eve of Y2K, the film begins in Philadelphia, where Texan good-time-girl Jamie (Qualley) has just broken up with her hot-tempered cop lover Sukie (Beanie Feldstein). Needing to get out of town, Jamie jumps at the chance to accompany her strait-laced lesbian best friend Marian (Viswanathan) on a road trip to Tallahassee,...
Directed by Ethan Coen, who co-wrote the script with his wife, Tricia Clarke, Drive-Away Dolls (previously known as Drive-Away Dykes) is a queer road movie-slash-crime caper anchored by a pair of delightful performances by co-leads Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan. The plot is admittedly slight and the jokes will almost certainly prove too puerile for some tastes, but it has attitude to spare and the fun characters carry it through.
Set in 1999, on the eve of Y2K, the film begins in Philadelphia, where Texan good-time-girl Jamie (Qualley) has just broken up with her hot-tempered cop lover Sukie (Beanie Feldstein). Needing to get out of town, Jamie jumps at the chance to accompany her strait-laced lesbian best friend Marian (Viswanathan) on a road trip to Tallahassee,...
- 3/15/2024
- by Matthew Turner
- Nerdly
Ethan Coen’s action-comedy Drive-Away Dolls leads a quiet weekend at the UK and Ireland box office, opening in 533 cinemas for Universal, as Warner Bros’ Dune: Part Two continues to dominate with over £20m taken after two weeks on release.
The first solo narrative feature from one half of the Coen Brothers follows two lesbian roommates whose road trip quickly escalates to a crime caper when they find a valuable suitcase in the trunk. A notable ensemble cast, led by Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan, features appearances from Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon.
The last time Ethan Coen...
The first solo narrative feature from one half of the Coen Brothers follows two lesbian roommates whose road trip quickly escalates to a crime caper when they find a valuable suitcase in the trunk. A notable ensemble cast, led by Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan, features appearances from Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon.
The last time Ethan Coen...
- 3/15/2024
- ScreenDaily
It’s hard to put into words the kind of the disappointment that comes with realising that one of your favourite filmmakers has made a truly terrible movie. That realisation hit me approximately 10 minutes into Drive-Away Dolls, the new film by one half of acclaimed filmmaking duo The Coen Brothers.
Alongside his brother Joel, Ethan Coen has given us more than 4 decades of brilliant films ranging from quirky black comedies – A Serious Man, Hail, Caesar!, Inside Llewyn Davis – to beautifully devised crime capers – Blood Simple, No Country for Old Men and True Grit being just a few – but recently the prolific brothers took a break from working together. This resulted in Joel Coen’s multi-awarded nominated The Tragedy of Macbeth in 2021, and the soon to be released chaotic lesbian sexploitation comedy Drive-Away Dolls from his brother Ethan.
Written by Coen and Tricia Cooke, Drive-Away Dolls follows the antics of Jamie...
Alongside his brother Joel, Ethan Coen has given us more than 4 decades of brilliant films ranging from quirky black comedies – A Serious Man, Hail, Caesar!, Inside Llewyn Davis – to beautifully devised crime capers – Blood Simple, No Country for Old Men and True Grit being just a few – but recently the prolific brothers took a break from working together. This resulted in Joel Coen’s multi-awarded nominated The Tragedy of Macbeth in 2021, and the soon to be released chaotic lesbian sexploitation comedy Drive-Away Dolls from his brother Ethan.
Written by Coen and Tricia Cooke, Drive-Away Dolls follows the antics of Jamie...
- 3/14/2024
- by Linda Marric
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Florence Pugh’s Thunderbolts has had a bit of a bumpy ride on the way to production. The new Marvel film has been faced with scheduling conflicts, and the SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023 further delayed the film. When Steven Yeun stepped down from the role of Sentry, it caused a bit of a headache for the studio.
Sentry is one of the most powerful characters about to be introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the absence of Yeun, fan theories abound about which actor might be the most suitable to don the mantle. Now, new fan art with a star from the Fast and Furious franchise might have stirred the speculation pot once again.
Sentry had to be recast (Source: Marvel)
Who is this actor, and what makes him the perfect choice for Sentry?
Sentry is a beloved character, and the hype around him only grew when Marvel announced the Thunderbolts.
Sentry is one of the most powerful characters about to be introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the absence of Yeun, fan theories abound about which actor might be the most suitable to don the mantle. Now, new fan art with a star from the Fast and Furious franchise might have stirred the speculation pot once again.
Sentry had to be recast (Source: Marvel)
Who is this actor, and what makes him the perfect choice for Sentry?
Sentry is a beloved character, and the hype around him only grew when Marvel announced the Thunderbolts.
- 3/13/2024
- by Sreshtha Roychowdhury
- FandomWire
Florence Pugh’s Thunderbolts has been riddled with production issues, and the film is facing a major problem in casting its central villain, Sentry. Beef star Steven Yeun recently backed out of the role due to scheduling conflicts, and Marvel has been on a search for perfect casting. While Top Gun: Maverick‘s Lewis Pullman is the new favorite for the role, one rumored Sentry arc is stirring some controversy among fans.
Thunderbolts‘ new rumored Sentry arc may turn out to be controversial
Marvel Studios may replace Sentry with one of his gender-swapped versions at the end of the movie, and many fans are not happy with this rumored development. According to rumors, a relatively new comic book arc is used to develop the film’s storyline where Mallory Gibbs, a young journalist with cerebral palsy who gets the powers of the Sentry.
Florence Pugh’s Thunderbolts Allegedly Sidelines Sentry...
Thunderbolts‘ new rumored Sentry arc may turn out to be controversial
Marvel Studios may replace Sentry with one of his gender-swapped versions at the end of the movie, and many fans are not happy with this rumored development. According to rumors, a relatively new comic book arc is used to develop the film’s storyline where Mallory Gibbs, a young journalist with cerebral palsy who gets the powers of the Sentry.
Florence Pugh’s Thunderbolts Allegedly Sidelines Sentry...
- 3/13/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
Take a look at more footage from “Drive-Away Dolls”, the new road comedy feature, written and directed by Ethan Coen, starring Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp and Matt Damon, now available for rent or purchase on digital platforms from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment:
“…’Jamie’, an uninhibited free spirit bemoans yet another breakup with a girlfriend, while her demure friend ‘Marian’ desperately needs to loosen up.
“In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of creeps along the way…”
Click the images to enlarge…...
“…’Jamie’, an uninhibited free spirit bemoans yet another breakup with a girlfriend, while her demure friend ‘Marian’ desperately needs to loosen up.
“In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of creeps along the way…”
Click the images to enlarge…...
- 3/13/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Geraldine Viswanathan lends a quiet seriousness to her role that anchors this otherwise flimsy, silly story
Here is a saucy, silly, queer road-movie caper from director Ethan Coen and his partner, co-writer and co-producer Tricia Cooke; it’s Coen’s second film without his brother, Joel, following his Jerry Lee Lewis documentary in 2022. Drive-Away Dolls is a flimsy lark wrapped up smartly and economically in 84 minutes with a perfunctory (and cheerfully nonsensical) MacGuffiny premise that makes it look like a Xerox of Coen brothers classics such as No Country For Old Men or Fargo. Lead player Margaret Qualley’s twangy down-home accent is moreover something that could have been re-thought in rehearsal. But it rattles along watchably enough. Geraldine Viswanathan nicely underplays her part and Beanie Feldstein delivers the gags with resounding gusto. There’s a nice sprinkling of A-lister cameos, including Colman Domingo, who I wished had been in the action a bit more.
Here is a saucy, silly, queer road-movie caper from director Ethan Coen and his partner, co-writer and co-producer Tricia Cooke; it’s Coen’s second film without his brother, Joel, following his Jerry Lee Lewis documentary in 2022. Drive-Away Dolls is a flimsy lark wrapped up smartly and economically in 84 minutes with a perfunctory (and cheerfully nonsensical) MacGuffiny premise that makes it look like a Xerox of Coen brothers classics such as No Country For Old Men or Fargo. Lead player Margaret Qualley’s twangy down-home accent is moreover something that could have been re-thought in rehearsal. But it rattles along watchably enough. Geraldine Viswanathan nicely underplays her part and Beanie Feldstein delivers the gags with resounding gusto. There’s a nice sprinkling of A-lister cameos, including Colman Domingo, who I wished had been in the action a bit more.
- 3/13/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Warner Bros.’ “Dune: Part II” continued its reign at the U.K. and Ireland box office for the second weekend in a row with £5.9 million ($7.5 million), according to numbers released by Comscore.
Denis Villeneuve’s anticipated sequel has an all-star cast including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling and Javier Bardem reprising their roles from the first film, with Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken and Léa Seydoux joining them. After two weekends, the film’s total stands at £19.4 million in the territory.
In second place, Studiocanal’s “Wicked Little Letters” collected £898,390 in its third weekend for a total of £6 million. In its fourth weekend, Paramount’s “Bob Marley: One Love” earned £830,382 in third position for a total of £15.1 million. In fourth place, Universal’s “Migration” took in £671,666 in its sixth weekend for a total of £18.3 million.
Lionsgate’s “Imaginary” debuted in fifth...
Denis Villeneuve’s anticipated sequel has an all-star cast including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling and Javier Bardem reprising their roles from the first film, with Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken and Léa Seydoux joining them. After two weekends, the film’s total stands at £19.4 million in the territory.
In second place, Studiocanal’s “Wicked Little Letters” collected £898,390 in its third weekend for a total of £6 million. In its fourth weekend, Paramount’s “Bob Marley: One Love” earned £830,382 in third position for a total of £15.1 million. In fourth place, Universal’s “Migration” took in £671,666 in its sixth weekend for a total of £18.3 million.
Lionsgate’s “Imaginary” debuted in fifth...
- 3/13/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
"Drive-Away Dolls" may be fresh out in theaters, but the wild (and wildly entertaining) road trip comedy from Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke has already reached one destination quicker than expected: it's now available on digital platforms.
If you missed your chance to catch "Drive-Away Dolls" in cinemas -- which, given the lackluster box office impression it made during its late February debut, wouldn't be surprising -- you can still watch the ribald queer comedy from the comfort of your living room for about the price of two matinee tickets. The movie is currently available to rent or own on premium video-on-demand platforms, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, and Google Play. Each platform seems to be offering a 4K Ultra HD rental option for $19.99, while some also include a purchase price of $29.99. When it comes to the film's rollout on the home market, though, "Drive-Away Dolls" still has some road left to travel.
If you missed your chance to catch "Drive-Away Dolls" in cinemas -- which, given the lackluster box office impression it made during its late February debut, wouldn't be surprising -- you can still watch the ribald queer comedy from the comfort of your living room for about the price of two matinee tickets. The movie is currently available to rent or own on premium video-on-demand platforms, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, and Google Play. Each platform seems to be offering a 4K Ultra HD rental option for $19.99, while some also include a purchase price of $29.99. When it comes to the film's rollout on the home market, though, "Drive-Away Dolls" still has some road left to travel.
- 3/12/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
A thriller feature that is set to star Kim Kardashian has landed at Amazon MGM Studios.
Plot details are currently under wraps for the untitled project that stemmed from an original idea by Natalie Krinsky, who will write the script. Krinsky conceived the idea with Kardashian in mind, and it has yet to be determined whether the film will be planned for theatrical or streaming.
Kardashian, Krinsky and Made Up Stories’ Bruna Papandrea are set to produce.
Krinsky is known for writing and directing the 2020 romantic comedy The Broken Hearts Gallery that starred Geraldine Viswanathan, Dacre Montgomery and Utkarsh Ambudkar. She has also written for such series as Red Band Society and the original Gossip Girl.
This is the latest acting move for Kardashian, who currently stars on the Hulu unscripted series The Kardashians after rising to prominence with her family’s longtime E! show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
Plot details are currently under wraps for the untitled project that stemmed from an original idea by Natalie Krinsky, who will write the script. Krinsky conceived the idea with Kardashian in mind, and it has yet to be determined whether the film will be planned for theatrical or streaming.
Kardashian, Krinsky and Made Up Stories’ Bruna Papandrea are set to produce.
Krinsky is known for writing and directing the 2020 romantic comedy The Broken Hearts Gallery that starred Geraldine Viswanathan, Dacre Montgomery and Utkarsh Ambudkar. She has also written for such series as Red Band Society and the original Gossip Girl.
This is the latest acting move for Kardashian, who currently stars on the Hulu unscripted series The Kardashians after rising to prominence with her family’s longtime E! show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
- 3/4/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Image: The A.V. Club, Warner Bros., The A.V. Club, Warner Bros., Graphic: The A.V. Club, Karl Gustafson, Photo: Larry Horricks/Netflix, Jon Pack, Screenshot: 20th Century Fox11 movies to check out on Netflix this MarchClockwise from left: Damsel (Netflix), Shirley (Netflix), Spaceman (Netflix)Image: The A.V. Club
A...
A...
- 3/2/2024
- avclub.com
As far as Marvel movies go, Black Widow is one of the most divisive entries in the long-running series of inter-connected superhero slugfests. While some fans feel the movie was too late to the party, others say it was a questionable display of Marvel’s dependence on shotty VFX above character-driven narratives. On another end of the spectrum, Ray Winstone, who plays Dreykov, the film’s Big Bad and dominating force behind the Red Room project, says making the movie was a nightmare. Winstone’s experience in the film was so exhausting that the actor tried to have himself recast.
Speaking with Radio Times, Winstone said, “It was fine until you have to do the reshoots,” Winstone said about his Black Widow experience. “Then you find out that a few producers have come down, and your performance is too much, it’s too strong… That’s the way Marvel works.
Speaking with Radio Times, Winstone said, “It was fine until you have to do the reshoots,” Winstone said about his Black Widow experience. “Then you find out that a few producers have come down, and your performance is too much, it’s too strong… That’s the way Marvel works.
- 2/29/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Margaret Qualley has been to some interesting venues to promote her new film, Drive-Away Dolls.
The actress stopped by Late Night With Seth Meyers where she discussed the project from Ethan Coen and his wife, Tricia Cooke. While chatting with Meyers, Qualley explained that its press tour took her to a vibrator museum in San Francisco.
“It was memorable,” she told the late night host. “You know, I wanted more time there, but I left thinking, like, ‘I don’t know that anyone should put that inside of them.’ Like, those ancient vibrators… It seemed dangerous.”
She and Meyers went on to joke about how the scientists who worked on the technological improvements of more recent vibrators were the “real heroes,” who should have TV shows made about them, instead of those made about people at NASA.
Elsewhere in the appearance, Qualley noted that the film was originally titled Drive-Away Dykes...
The actress stopped by Late Night With Seth Meyers where she discussed the project from Ethan Coen and his wife, Tricia Cooke. While chatting with Meyers, Qualley explained that its press tour took her to a vibrator museum in San Francisco.
“It was memorable,” she told the late night host. “You know, I wanted more time there, but I left thinking, like, ‘I don’t know that anyone should put that inside of them.’ Like, those ancient vibrators… It seemed dangerous.”
She and Meyers went on to joke about how the scientists who worked on the technological improvements of more recent vibrators were the “real heroes,” who should have TV shows made about them, instead of those made about people at NASA.
Elsewhere in the appearance, Qualley noted that the film was originally titled Drive-Away Dykes...
- 2/28/2024
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Directed by and co-written with collaborator and husband, Ethan Coen, filmmaker and editor Tricia Cooke’ Drive Away Dolls finds her doing sapphic donuts around classic movies like Kiss Me Deadly and even a little North By Northwest. As Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) decide to take a trip to Tallahassee, they’re dogged by inept criminals seeking a package and suitcase in the back trunk of the car the pair have rented. If the road trip movie and film noir have long been exercises to explore the American psyche and the landscape’s possible […]
The post “I Want All The Lesbian Experiences I Can See On Film”: Tricia Cooke on Drive-Away Dolls first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “I Want All The Lesbian Experiences I Can See On Film”: Tricia Cooke on Drive-Away Dolls first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/27/2024
- by Kyle Turner
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Directed by and co-written with collaborator and husband, Ethan Coen, filmmaker and editor Tricia Cooke’ Drive Away Dolls finds her doing sapphic donuts around classic movies like Kiss Me Deadly and even a little North By Northwest. As Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) decide to take a trip to Tallahassee, they’re dogged by inept criminals seeking a package and suitcase in the back trunk of the car the pair have rented. If the road trip movie and film noir have long been exercises to explore the American psyche and the landscape’s possible […]
The post “I Want All The Lesbian Experiences I Can See On Film”: Tricia Cooke on Drive-Away Dolls first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “I Want All The Lesbian Experiences I Can See On Film”: Tricia Cooke on Drive-Away Dolls first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/27/2024
- by Kyle Turner
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Do you know the movie about a protagonist who goes on a mission to prevent Wwiii by uncovering a time manipulation technology that has made certain objects and people have their entropy reversed? Well, even if you were to be told it is the movie, Tenet by Christopher Nolan, you still may not know it. Not that the people who don’t get it are any less, it is just a movie made for the more cerebrally powered individuals with an encyclopaedia for a brain.
Christopher Nolan’s Tenet (2020)
And yet the rising star, Ayo Edebiri seems to know exactly what the movie means while at the red carpet of the SAG Awards.
Ayo Edebiri Knows Exactly What Christopher Nolan’s Tenet Is About Ayo Edebiri (image via The Bear)
Christopher Nolan is known for making movies that take a bit of time, multiple viewing, and often a some research to really understand and appreciate.
Christopher Nolan’s Tenet (2020)
And yet the rising star, Ayo Edebiri seems to know exactly what the movie means while at the red carpet of the SAG Awards.
Ayo Edebiri Knows Exactly What Christopher Nolan’s Tenet Is About Ayo Edebiri (image via The Bear)
Christopher Nolan is known for making movies that take a bit of time, multiple viewing, and often a some research to really understand and appreciate.
- 2/27/2024
- by Maria Sultan
- FandomWire
This past weekend was sort of the calm before the storm at the box office, with "Bob Marley: One Love" sort of holding it down until "Dune: Part Two" arrives to help rescue 2024's abysmal ticket sales thus far. But a couple of new movies did hit theaters, with "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba—To the Hashira Training" leading the way and maintaining the trend of anime finding its audience in theaters. Unfortunately, the weekend's other big new release, Ethan Coen's "Drive-Away Dolls," didn't fare nearly as well and now ranks as one of the year's early theatrical disappointments.
The film earned just $2.4 million in its debut, placing eighth on the charts just behind "Wonka" ($2.45 million), a film in its 11th weekend, and just ahead of "The Beekeeper" ($1.9 million), a film in its seventh weekend. The Focus Feature release is essentially dead on arrival as the next few weeks are going to be very busy,...
The film earned just $2.4 million in its debut, placing eighth on the charts just behind "Wonka" ($2.45 million), a film in its 11th weekend, and just ahead of "The Beekeeper" ($1.9 million), a film in its seventh weekend. The Focus Feature release is essentially dead on arrival as the next few weeks are going to be very busy,...
- 2/26/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
From left: Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan in Drive-Away Dolls (Focus Features), Kathryn Hunter in The Tragedy Of Macbeth (Apple), Denzel Washington in The Tragedy Of Macbeth (Apple)Graphic: Karl Gustafson
“I had a partner. He threw himself off the George Washington Bridge.” - Llewyn Davis
Absence defines Joel and...
“I had a partner. He threw himself off the George Washington Bridge.” - Llewyn Davis
Absence defines Joel and...
- 2/26/2024
- by Matt Schimkowitz
- avclub.com
The last full weekend of February was another dour and dreary time at the box office as none of the three new wide releases made much of a mark. Read on for the weekend box office report.
Despite the release of three new movies, Paramount’s biopic, “Bob Marley: One Love,” starring Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch, remained atop the box office despite a fairly large 53% drop from Presidents Day weekend. It took first place with an estimated $13.5 million, bringing its domestic total to $71.2 million. Over the weekend, it hit $100 million globally in less than two weeks of release, adding another $15 million internationally for a global total of $120.6 million.
Opening in 1,949 theaters, Crunchyroll’s Anime “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To The Hashira Training” was actually a combination of episodes from the previous season of the series and a preview of the upcoming season. It gave fans a first...
Despite the release of three new movies, Paramount’s biopic, “Bob Marley: One Love,” starring Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch, remained atop the box office despite a fairly large 53% drop from Presidents Day weekend. It took first place with an estimated $13.5 million, bringing its domestic total to $71.2 million. Over the weekend, it hit $100 million globally in less than two weeks of release, adding another $15 million internationally for a global total of $120.6 million.
Opening in 1,949 theaters, Crunchyroll’s Anime “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To The Hashira Training” was actually a combination of episodes from the previous season of the series and a preview of the upcoming season. It gave fans a first...
- 2/25/2024
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
Sunday Am: Grosses haven’t changed seismically from yesterday in what is hopefully the last less-than-$70M weekend for a while. Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love is coming in at $13.5M, -53%, for a $71.1M total by Eod. But here’s the short and sweet takeaway from today: Exhibition (and studios) scream that they need product coming out of Covid, and even more so after the strikes turned the first half of the 2024 theatrical release calendar inside out. But there’s the deal: There were three wide releases this weekend — three.
Sony/Crunchyroll’s Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training did its job, bringing its fanbase out and opening to $11.6M. Great for TV episodes on the big screen, and higher than Demon Slayer‘s $10.1M start last August.
But two other movies –a very highly reviewed faith-based Kingdom Story movie, Ordinary Angels, and a prolific star-studded Focus Features, Ethan Coen-directed movie, Drive-Away Dolls, (which was getting pushed to theater owners as early as last CinemaCon) were respectively meh ($6.5M opening for a $12M-$13M movie) and ‘Christ, really?’ ($2.4M start off a $20M negative pick-up cost; shockingly lower than the $3.69M of Focus’ fresh face genre pic Lisa Frankenstein).
Ordinary Angels‘ not over-performing off its great diagnostics is perplexing, and Drive-Away Dolls failure apparently gets pinned on the fact that it’s a bad movie.
But here’s the long-winded point, and this relates to both Ordinary Angels and Drive-Away Dolls: In this post- pandemic environment, studios are cutting their marketing expenses, not really aiming for any type of robust theatrical number, so that they can get these movies into the downstream home entertainment windows where they break-even or perhaps make a little money. If no muscle is provided in sending a message to audiences that these titles should be seen in a theater, and a studio just automatically expects people to show up, then what hope is there for counterprogramming on the big screen?
It’s clear on these smaller films, theatrical is just merely being used as a form of advertising to tell people to watch these movies at home. Hey?! Why am I picking on these two little guys? Because a big deal was made back in the fall to protect these movies and move them away from a strike environment where actors couldn’t promote (Ordinary Angels says it moved because of Taylor Swift). Now, both titles open and they’re putting up box office that’s akin to opening in a strike-laden marketplace. Which begs the question of how much oomph was put behind them.
There’s something else going on with Ordinary Angels. Why did Jesus Revolution rally to a $15M opening, and not this? It had Jesus in the title. Quite often, what makes a faith-based film catapult to another stratosphere is its faithful-per-minute moment. Ordinary Angels doesn’t have that 100%, and that’s what is keeping the churchgoers at bay, despite the fact that this drama was screened a lot.
In the case of Drive-Away Dolls, Focus cut a fun trailer. And they chose a good date with a vacancy on the calendar. But apparently, both weren’t good enough to spur traffic to this Margaret Qualley, Beanie Feldstein, Geraldine Viswanathan, Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon romp. As far as the movie not doing more business, a major studio isn’t going to throw good money after bad and strain to rein in an audience on a title that has these types of audience scores (although critics were Ok with the movie at 65% fresh).
Any studio executive who is preaching about a diverse film slate and more non-tentpole films to bring moviegoers back — it’s not happening unless you financially support these movies and make them niche draws.
We’ll have the chart soon in what will be a crazy Indie Spirit Awards and PGA Awards fun-filled day in the City of Angels.
Speaking of supporting counterprogramming — raise a glass to Sony for getting the comeback romcom Anyone But You over the $200M global mark. The $25M production is going to make more profit than the Culver City’s lot beaten-down Madame Web.
1.) Bob Marley: One Love (Par) 3,597 (+58) theaters, Fri $3.7M Sat $6M Sun $3.78M 3-day $13.5M (-53%) Total $71.1M/Wk 2
2.) Demon Slayer…(Sony) 1,949 theaters Fri $5.5M Sat $3.5M Sun $2.5M 3-day $11.6M/Wk 1
3.) Ordinary Angels (LG) 3,020 theaters Fri $2.33M Sat $2.32M Sun $1.85M 3-day $6.5M/Wk 1
4.) Madame Web (Sony) 4,013 theaters, Fri $1.6M Sat $2.6M Sun $1.7M 3-day $6M (-61%) Total $35.4M/Wk 2
5.) Migration (Ill/Uni) 2,434 (-21) Fri $660K Sat $1.36M Sun $980K 3-day $3M (-22%) Total $120.4M/ Wk 10
6.) Argylle (App/Uni) 3,060 (-587) theaters, Fri $740K Sat $1.27M Sun $790K 3-day $2.8M (-43%) Total $41.6M/ Wk 4
7.) Wonka (WB) 2,203 (-144) theaters, Fri $605K Sat $1.17M Sun $760K 3-day $2.53M (-28%) Total $214.5M/Wk 11
8.) Drive-Away Dolls (Foc) 2,280 theaters Fri $1M Sat $840K Sun $550K 3-day $2.4M/Wk 1
9.) The Beekeeper (Amz MGM) 2,157 (-400) theaters, Fri $504K Sat $911K Sun $547K 3-day $1.96M (-39%) Total $63.1M/Wk 7
10.) Chosen Season 4, Eps 4-6 (Fath) 2,090 (-138) theaters Fri $518K Sat $747K Sun $530K 3-day $1.79M (-50%), Total $7.8M /Wk 2
Saturday Am Writethru after Friday night post: Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love remains on uppers at the weekend box office with a $3.7M Friday, and a 3-day of $13.95M at 3,597 theaters, -51% which will get the Reinaldo Marcus Green directed title to $71.6M by Sunday. Through yesterday, global is already at $101.1M. That’s a great piece of counterprogramming business in a struggling marketplace. Say what you will, S&P Global about putting Paramount Global on “credit watch negative,” but the film studio has a vibrant theatrical release schedule this year with Gladiator 2, Quiet Place: Day, If and Smile 2 to name a few.
Sony/Crunchyroll’s Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training which is not a movie, but “is the last episode (episode 11) of the Swordsmith Village Arc and the first episode of the Hashira Training Arc” is looking at $10.8M after a $5.5M Friday (including those $1.8M previews) at 1,949 locations. I’m told that some of the fanboys here were also customers of Sony’s Madame Web last weekend.
Demon Slayer devotees gave this edition a B+, which is the same grade they gave last year’s big screen version of the anime toon. ComScore/Screen Engine PostTrak audiences gave it an 84% positive and a 68% definite recommend. Male leaning at 66% with 75% of those who bought tickets between 18-34 and 25-34 the biggest demo at 45%. Diversity demos were 43% Latino and Hispanic, 23% Caucasian, 13% Black and 14% Asian. IMAX and Plf screens are responsible for a third of the weekend’s ticket sales as Demon Slayer slayed in South Central, West and Mountain regions. AMC Burbank is the highest grossing theater so far with a near $19K since Thursday.
Thank God for Crunchyroll during depressed times at the box office; they can fill the void. However, the overall box office stands at $64M, -32% from a year ago. March couldn’t get here any faster with Dune Part Two.
Third goes to Lionsgate/Kingdom Story’s Ordinary Angels, which despite an awesome A+ CinemaScore (typical for a faith-based movie), solid reviews at 80% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and a 100% Rt audience score — isn’t wildly overperforming. Right now a $2.3M Friday is yielding a $6.5M result in third place. The reason why some believed this could beat its $5M-$7M projection is because faith-based audiences often fly under the radar of tracking services. Last February’s Kingdom Story movie, Jesus Revolution, hit a homerun with a $15.8M opening and $52.1M. Where’s the seat fillers?
It’s odd considering there was positive chatter for Ordinary Angels from RelishMix: “Audiences who are drawn to see Reacher star Alan Ritchson headlining the film, appreciate the different type of performance than his action-oriented roles and there’ enthusiasm to see Hilary Swank return to theaters.” However, the social media metric company does report, “Ordinary Angels social media universe stats run -31% under indie-drama norms at 38.1M across Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok combined.”
Right now, Spider-Man clairvoyant Madame Web is showing a -64% second frame drop (which is bad though not as atrocious as Marvels -78% second weekend freefall or Sony/Marvel’s Morbius‘ -74%) with an estimated $5.56M in 4th place at 4,013 theaters after a $1.5M Friday. She’ll stand at $35M by Sunday. Still, both Marvels and Morbius look like crowdpleasers next to Madame Web respectively at $84.5M and $73.8M domestic finals. Let’s not put lipstick on this. If you’re going to make a superhero movie going forward, really focus on it in development and hire solid directors. The theatrical business can’t afford cookie-cutter any more.
Universal’s tenth weekend of Illumination’s Migration continues to nest in the top five at 2,422 theaters with a $700K Friday, $3.3M weekend, -14%, $120.7M by Sunday. Given the lack of family animated movies, many are betting big on Uni/DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 4 when it hits in the post Dune 2 slot of March 8. A $50M opening wouldn’t be shocking.
And in the dust is Focus Features’ Ethan Coen directed title Drive-Away Dolls at 2,279 theaters with a $1M Friday (including previews) for a $2.5M opening. That start is lower than Focus Features’ Lisa Frankenstein ($3.69M), and that Zelda Williams-directed movie cost less ($13M) than what Drive-Away Dolls was acquired for. I hear that Lisa Frankenstein (with a gross of $8.8M through yesterday), will wind up making a little profit for Focus at the end of the day. Sure, there’s a big difference in demand when two Coen Brothers’ names show up in the trailer instead of one. It’s not often that a Coen Brothers movie goes wide in its first weekend, and in the case of when a studio doesn’t platform a title, it means they have to segue a movie quick from theatrical into home ancillary markets so that it makes money. With a 66% Rt critic score and current 37% audience score, you can see why Focus went wide and fast with this one.
RelishMix notes that as far as the social media wattage for Drive-Away Dolls, which counts 73M followers, that “Star power on the film sits in the wings as most of the star cast are non-social or not activated.”
RelishMix on the social media reaction to the movie, “Though the appearances of Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon are exciting fans, some are bemoaning that their roles are likely small and being overly used to promote the film. Many compared the film to ‘Dumb and Dumber but with females’, while some argued that the film is derivative, saying ‘Even though it’s new, I feel like I’ve already seen this movie.'”
Friday Am: Sony/Crunchyroll’s Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training had the most action among three wide entries last night in previews with $1.8M from 1,870 locations that started showtimes at 4Pm. That was boosted, in standard Sony/Crunchyroll fashion, by PLFs and Imax. The movie is only suppose to do in the high single digits this weekend, much lower than other Demon Slayer movies as it’s a TV episode that’s been streamed on Crunchyroll, just shown on the big screen for the first time. In sum, it’s not a movie. 2021’s Demon Slayer movie posted $3.8M in previews.
Hilary Swank in ‘Ordinary Angels’
Lionsgate/Kingdom Story’s faith-based Hilary Swank drama Ordinary Angels saw $285K off previews that began at 6Pm. While that’s low, there’s hope that this movie could over exceed its $5M-$7M projection given its pretty good reviews of 78% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. We’ll see.
Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan in ‘Drive-Away Dolls’
Focus Features has the Ethan Coen directed comedy caper Drive-Away Dolls. They moved the movie out of the fall due to the actors strike so that it has a shot at some livelihood. Despite a NYC premiere and reviews at 68% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes — it has none. So much, that the distributor isn’t reporting preview grosses today. That means the movie made less than the $700K they did report for Lisa Frankenstein on its previews, however that included previews outside Thursday. Oy. Industry estimates are figuring around $450K. Lisa Frankenstein with its fresh face cast opened to $3.6M; and Drive-Away Dolls could be lower or about the same. How is that possible? Coen Brother=hip. Margaret Qualley, Beanie Feldstein, Geraldine Viswanathan and Matt Damon=hip. Tracker Quorum reports, “Sadly, Focus struggled to build awareness for the film. Dolls arrives in theaters with only 20% awareness. Of the 17 films over the past two years with awareness of 20% or lower, none opened above $4M. That’s a challenging trend to buck.”
‘Bob Marley: One Love,’ and ‘Madame Web’
As we told you, it’s Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love which will keep everyone together at cinemas this weekend with around $15M, -45%. The pic had a great Thursday hold, -4% from Wednesday with $1.6M ending its running total through nine days at $57.6M at 3,539 theaters. That’s 25% ahead of Rocketman through nine days, and that movie ended its domestic run at $96.3M.
Sony/Marvel’s Madame Web eased 9% on Thursday with $786K at 4,013 ending its nine-day run with $29.4M. If the panned femme superhero movie is lucky, it will only ease -55% this weekend for a $6.8M. That would be mindboggling.
Sony/Crunchyroll’s Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training did its job, bringing its fanbase out and opening to $11.6M. Great for TV episodes on the big screen, and higher than Demon Slayer‘s $10.1M start last August.
But two other movies –a very highly reviewed faith-based Kingdom Story movie, Ordinary Angels, and a prolific star-studded Focus Features, Ethan Coen-directed movie, Drive-Away Dolls, (which was getting pushed to theater owners as early as last CinemaCon) were respectively meh ($6.5M opening for a $12M-$13M movie) and ‘Christ, really?’ ($2.4M start off a $20M negative pick-up cost; shockingly lower than the $3.69M of Focus’ fresh face genre pic Lisa Frankenstein).
Ordinary Angels‘ not over-performing off its great diagnostics is perplexing, and Drive-Away Dolls failure apparently gets pinned on the fact that it’s a bad movie.
But here’s the long-winded point, and this relates to both Ordinary Angels and Drive-Away Dolls: In this post- pandemic environment, studios are cutting their marketing expenses, not really aiming for any type of robust theatrical number, so that they can get these movies into the downstream home entertainment windows where they break-even or perhaps make a little money. If no muscle is provided in sending a message to audiences that these titles should be seen in a theater, and a studio just automatically expects people to show up, then what hope is there for counterprogramming on the big screen?
It’s clear on these smaller films, theatrical is just merely being used as a form of advertising to tell people to watch these movies at home. Hey?! Why am I picking on these two little guys? Because a big deal was made back in the fall to protect these movies and move them away from a strike environment where actors couldn’t promote (Ordinary Angels says it moved because of Taylor Swift). Now, both titles open and they’re putting up box office that’s akin to opening in a strike-laden marketplace. Which begs the question of how much oomph was put behind them.
There’s something else going on with Ordinary Angels. Why did Jesus Revolution rally to a $15M opening, and not this? It had Jesus in the title. Quite often, what makes a faith-based film catapult to another stratosphere is its faithful-per-minute moment. Ordinary Angels doesn’t have that 100%, and that’s what is keeping the churchgoers at bay, despite the fact that this drama was screened a lot.
In the case of Drive-Away Dolls, Focus cut a fun trailer. And they chose a good date with a vacancy on the calendar. But apparently, both weren’t good enough to spur traffic to this Margaret Qualley, Beanie Feldstein, Geraldine Viswanathan, Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon romp. As far as the movie not doing more business, a major studio isn’t going to throw good money after bad and strain to rein in an audience on a title that has these types of audience scores (although critics were Ok with the movie at 65% fresh).
Any studio executive who is preaching about a diverse film slate and more non-tentpole films to bring moviegoers back — it’s not happening unless you financially support these movies and make them niche draws.
We’ll have the chart soon in what will be a crazy Indie Spirit Awards and PGA Awards fun-filled day in the City of Angels.
Speaking of supporting counterprogramming — raise a glass to Sony for getting the comeback romcom Anyone But You over the $200M global mark. The $25M production is going to make more profit than the Culver City’s lot beaten-down Madame Web.
1.) Bob Marley: One Love (Par) 3,597 (+58) theaters, Fri $3.7M Sat $6M Sun $3.78M 3-day $13.5M (-53%) Total $71.1M/Wk 2
2.) Demon Slayer…(Sony) 1,949 theaters Fri $5.5M Sat $3.5M Sun $2.5M 3-day $11.6M/Wk 1
3.) Ordinary Angels (LG) 3,020 theaters Fri $2.33M Sat $2.32M Sun $1.85M 3-day $6.5M/Wk 1
4.) Madame Web (Sony) 4,013 theaters, Fri $1.6M Sat $2.6M Sun $1.7M 3-day $6M (-61%) Total $35.4M/Wk 2
5.) Migration (Ill/Uni) 2,434 (-21) Fri $660K Sat $1.36M Sun $980K 3-day $3M (-22%) Total $120.4M/ Wk 10
6.) Argylle (App/Uni) 3,060 (-587) theaters, Fri $740K Sat $1.27M Sun $790K 3-day $2.8M (-43%) Total $41.6M/ Wk 4
7.) Wonka (WB) 2,203 (-144) theaters, Fri $605K Sat $1.17M Sun $760K 3-day $2.53M (-28%) Total $214.5M/Wk 11
8.) Drive-Away Dolls (Foc) 2,280 theaters Fri $1M Sat $840K Sun $550K 3-day $2.4M/Wk 1
9.) The Beekeeper (Amz MGM) 2,157 (-400) theaters, Fri $504K Sat $911K Sun $547K 3-day $1.96M (-39%) Total $63.1M/Wk 7
10.) Chosen Season 4, Eps 4-6 (Fath) 2,090 (-138) theaters Fri $518K Sat $747K Sun $530K 3-day $1.79M (-50%), Total $7.8M /Wk 2
Saturday Am Writethru after Friday night post: Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love remains on uppers at the weekend box office with a $3.7M Friday, and a 3-day of $13.95M at 3,597 theaters, -51% which will get the Reinaldo Marcus Green directed title to $71.6M by Sunday. Through yesterday, global is already at $101.1M. That’s a great piece of counterprogramming business in a struggling marketplace. Say what you will, S&P Global about putting Paramount Global on “credit watch negative,” but the film studio has a vibrant theatrical release schedule this year with Gladiator 2, Quiet Place: Day, If and Smile 2 to name a few.
Sony/Crunchyroll’s Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training which is not a movie, but “is the last episode (episode 11) of the Swordsmith Village Arc and the first episode of the Hashira Training Arc” is looking at $10.8M after a $5.5M Friday (including those $1.8M previews) at 1,949 locations. I’m told that some of the fanboys here were also customers of Sony’s Madame Web last weekend.
Demon Slayer devotees gave this edition a B+, which is the same grade they gave last year’s big screen version of the anime toon. ComScore/Screen Engine PostTrak audiences gave it an 84% positive and a 68% definite recommend. Male leaning at 66% with 75% of those who bought tickets between 18-34 and 25-34 the biggest demo at 45%. Diversity demos were 43% Latino and Hispanic, 23% Caucasian, 13% Black and 14% Asian. IMAX and Plf screens are responsible for a third of the weekend’s ticket sales as Demon Slayer slayed in South Central, West and Mountain regions. AMC Burbank is the highest grossing theater so far with a near $19K since Thursday.
Thank God for Crunchyroll during depressed times at the box office; they can fill the void. However, the overall box office stands at $64M, -32% from a year ago. March couldn’t get here any faster with Dune Part Two.
Third goes to Lionsgate/Kingdom Story’s Ordinary Angels, which despite an awesome A+ CinemaScore (typical for a faith-based movie), solid reviews at 80% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and a 100% Rt audience score — isn’t wildly overperforming. Right now a $2.3M Friday is yielding a $6.5M result in third place. The reason why some believed this could beat its $5M-$7M projection is because faith-based audiences often fly under the radar of tracking services. Last February’s Kingdom Story movie, Jesus Revolution, hit a homerun with a $15.8M opening and $52.1M. Where’s the seat fillers?
It’s odd considering there was positive chatter for Ordinary Angels from RelishMix: “Audiences who are drawn to see Reacher star Alan Ritchson headlining the film, appreciate the different type of performance than his action-oriented roles and there’ enthusiasm to see Hilary Swank return to theaters.” However, the social media metric company does report, “Ordinary Angels social media universe stats run -31% under indie-drama norms at 38.1M across Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok combined.”
Right now, Spider-Man clairvoyant Madame Web is showing a -64% second frame drop (which is bad though not as atrocious as Marvels -78% second weekend freefall or Sony/Marvel’s Morbius‘ -74%) with an estimated $5.56M in 4th place at 4,013 theaters after a $1.5M Friday. She’ll stand at $35M by Sunday. Still, both Marvels and Morbius look like crowdpleasers next to Madame Web respectively at $84.5M and $73.8M domestic finals. Let’s not put lipstick on this. If you’re going to make a superhero movie going forward, really focus on it in development and hire solid directors. The theatrical business can’t afford cookie-cutter any more.
Universal’s tenth weekend of Illumination’s Migration continues to nest in the top five at 2,422 theaters with a $700K Friday, $3.3M weekend, -14%, $120.7M by Sunday. Given the lack of family animated movies, many are betting big on Uni/DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 4 when it hits in the post Dune 2 slot of March 8. A $50M opening wouldn’t be shocking.
And in the dust is Focus Features’ Ethan Coen directed title Drive-Away Dolls at 2,279 theaters with a $1M Friday (including previews) for a $2.5M opening. That start is lower than Focus Features’ Lisa Frankenstein ($3.69M), and that Zelda Williams-directed movie cost less ($13M) than what Drive-Away Dolls was acquired for. I hear that Lisa Frankenstein (with a gross of $8.8M through yesterday), will wind up making a little profit for Focus at the end of the day. Sure, there’s a big difference in demand when two Coen Brothers’ names show up in the trailer instead of one. It’s not often that a Coen Brothers movie goes wide in its first weekend, and in the case of when a studio doesn’t platform a title, it means they have to segue a movie quick from theatrical into home ancillary markets so that it makes money. With a 66% Rt critic score and current 37% audience score, you can see why Focus went wide and fast with this one.
RelishMix notes that as far as the social media wattage for Drive-Away Dolls, which counts 73M followers, that “Star power on the film sits in the wings as most of the star cast are non-social or not activated.”
RelishMix on the social media reaction to the movie, “Though the appearances of Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon are exciting fans, some are bemoaning that their roles are likely small and being overly used to promote the film. Many compared the film to ‘Dumb and Dumber but with females’, while some argued that the film is derivative, saying ‘Even though it’s new, I feel like I’ve already seen this movie.'”
Friday Am: Sony/Crunchyroll’s Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training had the most action among three wide entries last night in previews with $1.8M from 1,870 locations that started showtimes at 4Pm. That was boosted, in standard Sony/Crunchyroll fashion, by PLFs and Imax. The movie is only suppose to do in the high single digits this weekend, much lower than other Demon Slayer movies as it’s a TV episode that’s been streamed on Crunchyroll, just shown on the big screen for the first time. In sum, it’s not a movie. 2021’s Demon Slayer movie posted $3.8M in previews.
Hilary Swank in ‘Ordinary Angels’
Lionsgate/Kingdom Story’s faith-based Hilary Swank drama Ordinary Angels saw $285K off previews that began at 6Pm. While that’s low, there’s hope that this movie could over exceed its $5M-$7M projection given its pretty good reviews of 78% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. We’ll see.
Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan in ‘Drive-Away Dolls’
Focus Features has the Ethan Coen directed comedy caper Drive-Away Dolls. They moved the movie out of the fall due to the actors strike so that it has a shot at some livelihood. Despite a NYC premiere and reviews at 68% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes — it has none. So much, that the distributor isn’t reporting preview grosses today. That means the movie made less than the $700K they did report for Lisa Frankenstein on its previews, however that included previews outside Thursday. Oy. Industry estimates are figuring around $450K. Lisa Frankenstein with its fresh face cast opened to $3.6M; and Drive-Away Dolls could be lower or about the same. How is that possible? Coen Brother=hip. Margaret Qualley, Beanie Feldstein, Geraldine Viswanathan and Matt Damon=hip. Tracker Quorum reports, “Sadly, Focus struggled to build awareness for the film. Dolls arrives in theaters with only 20% awareness. Of the 17 films over the past two years with awareness of 20% or lower, none opened above $4M. That’s a challenging trend to buck.”
‘Bob Marley: One Love,’ and ‘Madame Web’
As we told you, it’s Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love which will keep everyone together at cinemas this weekend with around $15M, -45%. The pic had a great Thursday hold, -4% from Wednesday with $1.6M ending its running total through nine days at $57.6M at 3,539 theaters. That’s 25% ahead of Rocketman through nine days, and that movie ended its domestic run at $96.3M.
Sony/Marvel’s Madame Web eased 9% on Thursday with $786K at 4,013 ending its nine-day run with $29.4M. If the panned femme superhero movie is lucky, it will only ease -55% this weekend for a $6.8M. That would be mindboggling.
- 2/25/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
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