“I was shocked when I read it,” Kruger told The Times about a scene in which a film studio head played by Donald Sutherland coerces a tense sexual encounter between Kruger and his young girlfriend. “It is what it’s supposed to be, right? It’s to irk the viewer. And we all now know those horrible people in my industry that are thankfully now in jail.” Kruger portrays Joyce Holt, a studio executive who has been a victim of sexual assault and harassment throughout her career, but is now wielding her deserved power over a young assistant (Shipka)....

In an interview for the May 2021 print edition of Rolling Stone (via /Film), Feige confirmed that Doctor Strange was in the works to include in the “WandaVision” finale. Those buzzy commercial breaks that aired during “WandaVision” episodes had been originally set up to serve as coded messages Wanda was sending to Doctor Strange as he “attempted to break through her sitcom fabrication.” Doctor Strange was going to arrive in the finale, and “Marvel had even finalized a deal with Cumberbatch to appear in the season’s final episode....

A now-viral clip of “Don’t Worry Darling” actor Styles seeming to spit on co-star Chris Pine before sitting next to him at the Venice Film Festival premiere has been dismissed by Pine’s representatives. Pine was seated between director Olivia Wilde and her off-screen partner Styles at the premiere, igniting a “ridiculous story” about a brewing feud, according to Pine’s rep. “This is a ridiculous story,” Chris Pine’s representative shared in a statement with IndieWire....

The Daily Beast previously reported an exposé citing background actors’ claiming the Season 2 set was toxic and led to multiple SAG-AFTRA union complaints “over the production failing to provide them meals on time and refusing to let people use the bathroom,” as well as a lack of a proper holding area for extras. Per unnamed sources, “there were so many complaints called into SAG-AFTRA that a union rep turned up to set....

“Congress can save cinemas by including $15 billion for grants for independent venues in a COVID-19 relief package,” the National Association of Theater Owners announced in a November 9 press release touting the Save Our Stages Act. “Without industry-specific assistance, movie theaters simply will not survive the economic impact of the pandemic.” It’s a dire pleading that evokes the hologram of Princess Leia imploring Obi-Wan Kenobi as her only hope (a speech recently repurposed as a way to ensure proper hand-washing practices)....

In November 2018, Fox Nation launched to satiate the Fox News obsessive who (somehow) couldn’t get enough of Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, and the rest of the gang over on cable. It originally provided content a step or two beyond the news and opinion programming from the popular Fox News Channel personalities, and has since added the linear channel’s primetime shows on-demand, as well as original history, lifestyle, and travel programming — even Christmas movies....

“At a time when the most conservative of Americans are calling for a boycott of the film ‘Cuties,’ we would like to support its director, Maimouna Doucouré, who won the Best Direction award at the Sundance Film Festival,” an official L’ARP statement reads. “This film, produced in France, then bought by Netflix for distribution in the United States, is emblematic of the indispensable freedom of expression that cinema, in all its diversity, needs to address disturbing topics, therefore it’s necessary for the exercise of democracy....

McDormand beat out Viola Davis in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” Carey Mulligan in “Promising Young Woman,” Vanessa Kirby in “Pieces of a Woman,” and Andra Day in “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” “Nomadland” won Best Picture right before the presentation of Best Actress, the first time the top award hadn’t been issued at the very end of the ceremony since the 1972 show. Despite the BAFTA win and Golden Globe, Independent Spirit, SAG, and Critics Choice nods for her performance, McDormand was not widely viewed as the frontrunner in this year’s race....

Langella is also theater over film, usually, but he was delighted to make the exception for Aaron Sorkin, whom he compares to Shakespeare. “All the classics I’ve done, I’m safe inside these brilliant writers,” he said. “There are not many today. With Aaron, you never feel you’re being abandoned: ‘How do I play this?’ Aaron has a delicious chocolate cake, and you cut it up any way you want to and it will always be good....

If you’re a “Star Trek” fan, the future it presents has always been part of its appeal: that humanity will unite as one while celebrating our differences, put war and hatred and discrimination and poverty behind us, and dedicate our lives to bettering ourselves through discovery among the stars. This has never been just another sci-fi franchise. “Star Trek” came with its own philosophy, and its particular optimism right now may feel less suited for sci-fi than fantasy....

“The Daily Wire is helping make one of my dreams — to develop and produce my own film — come true,” Carano told Deadline. “I cried out and my prayer was answered. I am sending out a direct message of hope to everyone living in fear of cancellation by the totalitarian mob. I have only just begun using my voice which is now freer than ever before, and I hope it inspires others to do the same....

When you think about scrappy, micro-budget, guerrilla filmmaking of the ’90s, you think of Gregg Araki films. Shot on shoestring budgets with little more than his own two hands (he shot and edited his first three films, all on celluloid), Araki’s films were marked by a certain kind of radical punk rock aesthetic that mirrored the grunge era in music. Described as a gay “Thelma and Louise,” he began the decade with “The Living End” (1992), a sexy road trip comedy about two young guys living with HIV....

Production was suspended on March 13 due to the pandemic, but resumed safely in September. The film shot mainly in Toronto. Based on the novel by William Lindsay Gresham, the film centers on an ambitious young carny (Cooper) with a talent for manipulating people with a few well-chosen words. He hooks-up with a female psychiatrist (Blanchett) who, it turns out, is even more dangerous than he is. The film, which looks at the dark side of show business, was first adapted into a 1947 noir directed by Edmund Goulding, starring Tyrone Power alongside Joan Blondell, Coleen Gray, and Helen Walker....

Lippman wrote an op-ed letter to The Guardian on January 12 to clarify her comments surrounding Mirren taking on the role of former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, despite not being Jewish herself. “Helen will be great. Good actress, sexy and intelligent. Looks the part. [But] my opinion, and that’s what it is, a mere opinion, is that if the character’s race, creed or gender drives or defines the portrayal then the correct — for want of an umbrella [term] — ethnicity should be a priority,” Lippman said....

Our four charts each have a different film at #1; another two titles made all four charts. Apple TV has “The Grinch” on top even after weeks of Netflix play. GooglePlay still ranks “The New Mutants” as #1. Premium VOD entry “Let Him Go” leads at Spectrum, which counts by transactions; with a $19.99 price, that’s impressive. Revenue-based FandangoNow leads with “Honest Thief,” one of the top theatrical releases this fall....

“The way the film looks and feels like a live-action film we’re very proud of,” said director Don Hall (“Big Hero 6”). “I felt a similar thing on ‘Big Hero 6’ and technology has advanced quite a bit since then and allows for an even more immersive experience.” But after a solid foundation was firmly established for the Southeast Asian world-building and core dynamic between Raya and the magical water dragon, Sisu (Awkwafina), the theme of trust required further sharpening....

Pretty sweet deal, right? It becomes a little more sour when factoring in The CW’s current losses, which sources who spoke with The Wall Street Journal, the publication that first reported details on this round of negotiations, said could exceed $100 million. But that’s the burden Nexstar would be taking on, and the relief for the respective balance sheets of current CW parents Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global. Spokespeople for Warner Bros....

And as the annual exhibitor convention CinemaCon convenes in Las Vegas next week, we debate the theatrical future. Theaters may be reducing costs via revised rents and fewer shows, but they are also looking to alternatives to movies. More films are showing in theaters, including Sundance breakout and Oscar hopeful “CODA,” also streaming on AppleTV+ last weekend. But just how did the movie open? Not with as much buzz as Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite,” which built a lot more excitement over many months in theaters ahead of its 2020 Oscar wins....

Super Bowl LV will be aired on CBS at 6:30 p.m. ET and will be announced by Jim Nantz and Tony Romo. Viewers can check their local TV listings to determine which channel CBS is on in their area. Coronavirus-related safety measures mean that the upcoming Super Bowl will boast a more limited in-person audience than prior Super Bowls. Only 22,000 fans will be able to attend the game. The National Football League announced earlier in January that it would give 7,500 free tickets to vaccinated health care workers....

Launched early in 2020, Framestore Pre-production Services (FPS) delivered 90 minutes of postvis for David Yates’ director’s cut, as well as using virtual production tools to help plan and visualize some of the film’s key set pieces, including the chaotic Berlin political rally, and the final battle in Bhutan between Dumbledore (Jude Law) and dark wizard Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen). FPS utilizes virtual scouting and virtual cameras to interactively stage previs via fARsight, Framestore’s proprietary virtual production tool....