Netflix announced the rollout of its original film initiative with Beasts of No Nation, the powerful new film written and directed by Emmy Award winner Cary Fukunaga (True Detective, Sin Nombre) and starring Golden Globe winner Idris Elba (Luther, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom) that will debut Friday, October 16, 2015 worldwide on Netflix, in all territories where the Internet TV network is available, and on the same day in select U.S. theaters. U.S. film distribution company Bleecker Street will partner with Netflix to distribute the film to theaters.
Beasts of No Nation is based on the highly acclaimed novel by Nigerian author Uzodinma Iweala, bringing to life the gripping tale of Agu, a child soldier torn from his family to fight in the civil war of an African country. Newcomer Abraham Attah gives a stunning portrayal of Agu, while Elba dominates the screen in the role of Commandant, a warlord who takes in Agu and instructs him in the ways of war. The film is produced by Amy Kaufman and Fukunaga (who previously worked together on Sin Nombre), Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Riva Marker and Dan Crown for Red Crown Productions, along with Elba. Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King are executive producers for Participant Media and Donna Gigliotti is executive producer for Levantine Films.
Rest of initial Netflix slate
The Ridiculous Six will be the first of four Adam Sandler films available only on Netflix. The film stars Sandler (Pixels, Grown Ups, Grown Ups 2), Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Expendables 3, The Longest Yard), Jorge Garcia (Lost, Hawaii Five-0, The Wedding Ringer), Taylor Lautner (Grown Ups 2, The Twilight Series), Rob Schneider (Real Rob, 50 First Dates, Grown Ups), Luke Wilson (The Skeleton Twins, Enlightened) and Nick Nolte (Parker, Warrior, Tropic Thunder). The film will premiere exclusively for Netflix members on Friday, December 11, 2015. A Happy Madison Production, The Ridiculous Six is a comedic, western ensemble produced by Sandler and Allen Covert. The film was directed by Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer) and written by Tim Herlihy (Pixels) and Sandler.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend will be released theatrically in China and on IMAX and on Netflix globally in the first quarter of 2016. The film is based on the acclaimed novel, Iron Knight, Silver Vase, by Wang Dulu (book 5 in the Crane-Iron Pentalogy) and was written by John Fusco (Marco Polo) was directed by Yuen Wo-Ping (Tai Chi Master), who was also the action choreographer on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Kill Bill; and The Matrix. The film stars Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Lady) reprising her role as Yu Shu-Lien; Donnie Yen (Ip Man 1&2, Monkey King 3D) as Silent Wolf; Harry Shum Jr (Glee, Revenge of the Green Dragons); Jason Scott Lee (Seventh Son, Hawaii Five-O); Roger Yuan (Bulletproof Monk); Eugenia Yuan (Revenge of the Green Dragons); and newcomer Natasha Liu Bordizzo. Produced by The Weinstein Company, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend echoes the themes of the original movie, but tells its own story — one of lost love, young love, a legendary sword and one last opportunity at redemption, set against breathtaking action in an epic martial arts battle between good and evil that will decide the fate of the Martial World. The film is produced by Harvey Weinstein (Academy Award winner – The King’s Speech, The Artist) and Peter Berg (Emmy Award winner – Friday Night Lights; Lone Survivor, Hancock) and Sarah Aubrey (Friday Night Lights; Lone Survivor, Hancock) and executive produced by Morten Tyldum (Headhunters, The Imitation Game), Ralph Winter (X-Men franchise), Anthony Wong, and Bey Logan (The Medallion).
And Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, starring fun-loving character Pee-wee Herman, will premiere on Netflix in March 2016. In Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, a fateful meeting with a mysterious stranger inspires Herman to take his first-ever holiday in this epic story of friendship and destiny. Judd Apatow (Anchorman, Bridesmaids) and Paul Reubens (Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Pee-wee’s Playhouse), worked together to bring the project to fruition and produced the film. It was written by Reubens and Paul Rust (Comedy Bang! Bang!, Arrested Development), and is directed by John Lee (Wonder Showzen, The Heart She Holler).
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More