Britt Hayes is a writer, movie lover, and sensible sweater enthusiast living in Austin, Texas. She watches too much TV and never eats her vegetables.
Britt Hayes
‘Isle of Dogs’ Trailer: Wes Anderson’s Back With a Doggone Delightful Stop-Motion Adventure
Sorry not sorry about that headline, folks, but a trailer for a new Wes Anderson movie is something to get super-silly-stoked about. For his second stop-motion animated film, the director who’s made a habit of killing dogs in his movies finally gives canines their due. The first trailer for Isle of Dogs has arrived, and I regret to inform you that it’s going to make the wait until next March that much more painful.
What’s Expiring From Netflix: October 2017
By now you’ve probably heard that 30 Rock is leaving Netflix Instant, and if you’re anything like me, you are distraught. Inconsolable, even. The good news is that we still have Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Parks and Recreation, so there’s that, at least. Anyway, 30 Rock isn’t the only title expiring from Netflix in October, so let’s commence the mourning, shall we?
New Netflix Instant Releases: October 2017
Let’s just get this out of the way up front: Yes, the highly-anticipated second season of Stranger Things is coming to Netflix in October. If you’re a fan of the ’80s throwback sci-fi series, that’s probably the only new release you’re thinking about right now...
‘Kingsman’ Director Matthew Vaughn Confirms ‘Man of Steel’ Sequel Talks With Warner Bros.
Back in March it was reported that Warner Bros. was eyeing Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn to helm the sequel to Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. Although not officially confirmed, Vaughn seemed like a good, sensible choice; the director who (along with screenwriter Jane Goldman) revitalized the X-Men franchise with First Class could probably steer Henry Cavill’s Superman in the right direction. And that might be the case, as Vaughn says he has indeed had talks with Warner Bros. about helming Man of Steel 2.
Jamie Lee Curtis to Reprise Iconic ‘Halloween’ Role for New Film
Here’s a surprising bit of news for your Friday: Jamie Lee Curtis is returning to the Halloween franchise to reprise her iconic role as Laurie Strode in David Gordon Green’s new sequel. As Blumhouse CEO Jason Blum promised earlier this week, that film – simply titled Halloween — will arrive in 2018. If it doesn’t meet that deadline, Blum says you can kill him. (But, you know, don’t do that.)
‘Star Wars: Episode IX’ Pushed Back to December 2019
And in other, totally unsurprising Star Wars: Episode IX news… Following this morning’s announcement that J.J. Abrams is returning to direct (and co-write) the trilogy finale comes word that the release date has been pushed back seven months from May 24, 2019 to December 20. Meanwhile, despite a change in directors and Ron Howard’s ongoing reshoots, the Han Solo spinoff weirdly remains the one Star Wars property that won’t be released in December.
‘The Commuter’ Trailer: Liam Neeson’s on a Hell of a Train Ride
Before Liam Neeson completely retires from the Liam Neeson action thriller genre, he has two films on tap: Hard Powder (in which he plays a snowplow driver who goes up against drug dealers, as only Liam Neeson could), and The Commuter, which reunites the actor with Non-Stop and Run All Night director Jaume Collet-Serra. On the heels of Neeson’s retirement announcement comes the first trailer for the latter, which basically seems like Non-Stop, but this time it’s on a train and Vera Farmiga is apparently playing the evil twin of her character from The Departed.
J.J. Abrams Officially Returning for ‘Star Wars: Episode IX’
We knew it wouldn’t take Lucasfilm long to find a new director for Star Wars: Episode IX. When Colin Trevorrow parted ways with the studio last week, it seemed obvious that there would be two names at the top of their list: Rian Johnson, director of The Last Jedi, and J.J. Abrams, Star Wars executive producer and director of The Force Awakens. Johnson took his name out of the running pretty early on, and now it seems as though Abrams is stepping up to the plate.
‘IT’ Director Spills Details on ‘Chapter Two’ and the Future of the Losers Club
Although Warner Bros. and New Line have yet to formally greenlight IT: Chapter Two, director Andy Muschietti and his producing partner (and sister) Barbara are already developing the follow-up to one of this year’s biggest hits. With a record-breaking opening weekend and screenwriter Gary Dauberman reportedly on board for the sequel, it shouldn’t be long before WB gives the go-ahead. Until then, Muschietti is spilling the beans on his plans for Chapter Two and how the young cast factors into the story, which is set 27 years after the first film.
Who Should Play the Grown-Up Losers in the ‘IT’ Sequel
The latest adaptation of IT hits theaters this weekend, bringing Stephen King’s horror epic back to frightening (and weirdly fun) life. But director Andy Muschietti and screenwriter Gary Dauberman have only given audiences half of the story, which takes place in the ’80s and follows a group of misfit tweens — self-described as the Losers Club — as they confront the evil entity that’s been killing kids in their town. The second half follows the Losers almost 30 years later, when they return home to destroy that evil once and for all. Before casting begins for the sequel, which won’t arrive until 2019, we came up with some ideas of our own.
James Franco, Seth Rogen and More Surprise High School Students by Starring in Their Short Film
Seth Rogen and longtime partner Evan Goldberg recently launched And Action!, a new high school program that offers young, aspiring filmmakers the chance to learn the business by making a short film. But it probably never occurred to 17-year-old director Eduardo Cho and his creative collaborator, 16-year-old Kimberly Carrillo, that Rogen himself would actually show up to set — and bring several of his famous friends with him to star in Cho’s short.
‘IT’ Review: The Latest Stephen King Adaptation Is Scary Good – And Surprisingly Funny
Stephen King adaptations are a dime a dozen these days (almost literally; rights to his books are famously cheap), but a good Stephen King adaptation, like a properly cooked steak or a movie where Harrison Ford is actually awake, is exceedingly rare. Of the two adaptations of beloved King novels released this year, the idea that IT might be the superior of the pair seemed laughable a few months ago. IT is better than The Dark Tower in every conceivable way, but beyond the inevitable comparison, it’s just really good. Scary good, even.
Jared Leto Is Not Pleased With WB’s Desire to Start Seeing Other Jokers
Jared Leto is like that one dude you date who’s kind of a hot mess. He’s really fun and spontaneous, and sure, okay, he really opens you up to new experiences but his sense of humor is weird as hell and he makes some questionable fashion choices. Let’s say the “you” in this scenario is Warner Bros., and you’ve grown a little weary of Leto’s dubious sense of mischief, and also a little tired of all your friends clowning on him on Twitter — so you float an idea that should appeal to his “free spirit”: An open relationship. He’s free to keep making his Joker movies, and you’re free to see other Jokers.
‘IT’ Director Explains Why Stephen King Wasn’t Involved With the New Adaptation
Historically speaking, Stephen King adaptations tend to be better when the master of literary horror isn’t involved — which may bode well for Andy Muschetti’s new adaptation of IT, as the author recently revealed that he did not participate in the development of his iconic tale of terror. For his part, Muschietti apparently had his reasons, and the way he tells it, they seem like pretty good ones.
Live-Action ‘Aladdin’ Adds ‘Prison Break’ Star Numan Acar
Things are moving along quite nicely for Disney’s live-action redo of Aladdin, and the casting momentum of recent weeks continues today with yet another new addition: Numan Acar, best known for recurring roles on Homeland and FOX’s Prison Break revival, has joined the ensemble for Guy Ritchie’s upcoming reimagining of the 1992 animated classic.
Mark Hamill and Rian Johnson Want You to Avoid ‘The Last Jedi’ Marketing
You’ve probably noticed that The Last Jedi has been taking up quite a bit of internet real estate over the last few days. With the latest chapter in the Star Wars saga hitting theaters in four months, this week’s flood of new photos and plot details is just the tip of the promotional iceberg — and we’re bound to see a steady increase in marketing from now until December, making The Last Jedi impossible to ignore. And yet, Mark Hamill and director Rian Johnson want you to do just that.