NEW MOVIES: Nov 21-27, 2024, “Wicked,” “Gladiator 2,” “Spellbound,” “Flow”

WICKED

WICKED

Wicked (titled onscreen as Wicked: Part I) is a 2024 American epic musical fantasy film directed by Jon M. Chu from a screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. It is the first of a two-part film adaptation of the stage musical of the same name by Stephen Schwartz and Holzman, which in turn was loosely based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire.  [1]The film stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, with Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum in supporting roles.[6]

Set in the Land of Oz, largely before Dorothy Gale‘s arrival from Kansas, the plot covers the events of the musical’s first act, following green-skinned Elphaba‘s studies at Shiz University and the beginning of her path to ultimately becoming the Wicked Witch of the West, alongside an unlikely friendship with a classmate who later becomes Glinda the Good Witch of the North.[7]

Universal Pictures and Marc Platt, who produced the stage musical, announced the film adaptation in 2012. After a long development and multiple delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chu was hired to direct, with Erivo and Grande cast in their respective roles in 2021. It was also decided to split the film into two parts to meet the demands of the story’s epic scope and to expand upon the journeys of and relationships between the characters without cutting any songs and major plot points. Principal photography on both films began in December 2022 in England but was disrupted in July 2023 due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, concluding in January 2024.

Wicked premiered at the State Theatre in Sydney, Australia, on November 3, 2024, and is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on November 22, 2024. The sequel, Wicked Part Two, is scheduled to be released on November 21, 2025.

Cast

Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Glinda)

Jenna Boyd will appear in an undisclosed role.[17] Additionally, the lion makes an appearance as a Lion cub.  Dorothy Gale, a Kansas farm girl who is accidentally transported to the Land of Oz by a tornado with her dog Toto, will also be featured alongside the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and an adult version of the Cowardly Lion in a brief cameo early in the film. Ama Clutch, a character from the Wicked novels but not present in the musical, will also appear. [18]Composer Stephen Schwartz cameos as the Emerald City guard who announces to Elphaba and Glinda that “the wizard will see them now” during the “One Short Day” sequence. [19]Various notable West End actors appear in the film, including Kerry Ellis,[20] Luke Bayer, Georgina Onuorah, and Dianne Pilkington.[21]

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GLADIATOR 2

GLADIATOR 2

Gladiator II is a 2024 epic historical action film directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by David Scarpa, from a story he wrote with Peter Craig. Serving as a sequel to Gladiator (2000), the film was produced by Scott Free Productions and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, and Denzel Washington.[5] Jacobi and Nielsen reprise their roles from the first film, with Mescal replacing Spencer Treat Clark. Mescal portrays Lucius, the son of Maximus and Lucilla, who becomes a gladiator after his home is invaded by the Roman army led by General Marcus Acacius. Lucius seeks revenge against Acacius and fights as a gladiator for Macrinus, a former slave who plans to overthrow the emperors Geta and Caracalla.

A sequel to Gladiator was discussed as early as June 2001, with David Franzoni and John Logan set to return as screenwriters. Over the next few years, Scott offered occasional updates, including the possible involvement of the original film’s lead actor, Russell Crowe, along with plot ideas about the Roman afterlife and different historical time periods. Development was halted when DreamWorks sold the rights to the property to Paramount in 2006. The film was finally announced in 2018, and Mescal was cast in the lead role in January 2023, with a script by Scarpa. The rest of the cast signed on over the next several months. Filming occurred between June 2023 and January 2024, with a five-month hiatus due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes.

Gladiator II had its world premiere in Sydney, Australia on October 30, 2024, and was released in the United Kingdom on November 15, and will be released in the United States on November 22. It received generally positive reviews from critics and has grossed $87 million. Another sequel, Gladiator III, is in early stages of development.

Plot

Sixteen years after the death of Maximus,[a] Lucius Verus lives with his wife, Arishat, in Numidia under the name “Hanno”. The Roman army, led by General Marcus Acacius, invaded the city. Arishat is killed, and Lucius is taken into slavery. He is forced to fight baboons in the local arena as a test for dealers who wish to buy slaves as gladiators. Many slaves are killed, including his friend King Jubartha, but Lucius defeats the baboons and earns the crowd’s support.

Macrinus, an arms dealer, buys Lucius. Viggo, Macrinus’s assistant, trains Lucius to become a gladiator in Rome‘s Colosseum. Macrinus notices Lucius’s skill and anger, promising him revenge against Acacius if he remains his gladiator. Acacius returns to Rome as a war hero and meets the twin emperors Geta and Caracalla, who have been neglecting the people of Rome. They arrange games in the Colosseum to celebrate Acacius’s victory. Acacius requests respite from war to spend time with his wife, Lucilla. The emperors refuse and order Acacius to conquer Persia and India.

Macrinus brings Lucius to a party at senator Thraex’s house, where Lucius fights and kills Thraex’s famed gladiator champion in the emperor’s presence. Geta greets Lucius for his victory. After initially refusing to speak, an enraged Lucius recites lines of Virgilian poetry, which intimidates Geta. Macrinus defuses the situation, and Lucius is taken away to heal. The gladiators’ doctor, Ravi, treats Lucius’s injuries and befriends him.

Acacius and Lucilla conspire to overthrow the emperors and restore Rome to its former state.

Cast

  • Paul Mescal as Lucius “Hanno” Verus: The former heir to the Roman Empire and son of Maximus Decimus Meridius, the main character in Gladiator (2000).[6] He has had no connection with his mother, Lucilla, for around 15 years.[7] Lucius lives with his wife in Numidia but is taken prisoner by the Roman army after they invade his home and kill his wife. He becomes a gladiator and seeks revenge against the Romans. He was portrayed by Spencer Treat Clark in Gladiator, who appears in the film through archive footage in flashbacks.
  • Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius: A Roman general who trained under Maximus. He leads an army to take over North Africa and invades Lucius’s home, but refuses to send more men to war for the emperors.[8] He associates with Lucilla and is reduced to fighting as a gladiator in the Colosseum. According to Pascal, he is “a very, very good general, which can mean a very good killer”, serving as a symbol to Lucius of everything he hates.[9]
  • Connie Nielsen as Lucilla (based on the historical figure Lucilla): Lucius’s mother, who sent Lucius to Numidia after the death of Maximus to protect him from Rome’s corruption. She associates with Acacius and watches Lucius fight in the Colosseum but initially does not recognize him as her son.[9] She is feared and exploited by those in power, such as the emperors.[10] Nielsen reprises her role from the original film.[9]
  • Denzel Washington as Macrinus: A former slave who plans to control Rome.[8] He keeps a stable of gladiators and mentors Lucius. He also works as an arms dealer, providing food and oil to the armies in Europe. Scott described him as “pretty fucking cruel” to the arena fighters,[9] with Washington adding that he “wants to be Emperor and he’s willing to do anything to get there”.[11] Scott also noted that Macrinus has a “twinkle” of bisexuality, describing him as a gangster who started as a prisoner of war, became a gladiator, and earned his freedom.[12] A scene involving Macrinus kissing another man was deleted from the film.[13]
  • Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta (based on the historical figure Geta): The co-emperor of Rome alongside his brother, Caracalla. Director Ridley Scott described the pair as “damaged goods from birth” who are “almost a replay of Romulus and Remus“,[9] with two other inspirations being the titular characters of the MTV adult cartoon Beavis and Butt-Head.[14] Careful not to copy Joaquin Phoenix‘s performance as Commodus from the original film, Quinn took inspiration from Philip Seymour Hoffman‘s Owen Davian from Mission: Impossible III (2006) and Gary Oldman‘s Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg from The Fifth Element (1997) for playing his character.[15] One inspiration for Geta’s look was John Lydon.[14]
  • Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla (based on the historical figure Caracalla): The co-emperor of Rome alongside his brother, Geta. He has a pet monkey and is less stable than his brother due to cognitive erosion in his brain.[16] Hechinger discussed with Scott about finding inspirations to build Caracalla’s look from Sid Vicious,[17] with the monkey serving as another inspiration for the character’s “crazed behavior”.[16]
  • Lior Raz as Viggo: The trainer of gladiators for Macrinus. A former gladiator, Viggo is a “tough guy” who escorts the gladiators to their fights.[18]
  • Sir Derek Jacobi as Senator Gracchus: A member of the Roman Senate who opposes the growing corruption of the Imperial Court. Jacobi reprises his role from the original film.[10]
  • Peter Mensah as Jubartha: A black Numidian chieftain who mentored Lucius, with whom he is later enslaved and forced to become a gladiator.[19]
  • Matt Lucas as the Master of Ceremonies.
  • Alexander Karim as Ravi: A former gladiator who earned his freedom and then chose to serve as a doctor to wounded combatants.[19]
  • Tim McInnerny as Senator Thraex: a gambling-addicted, corrupt member of the Roman Senate who is manipulated by Macrinus.
  • Rory McCann as Tegula: the leader of the Praetorian Guard.
  • Yuval Gonen as Arishat: Lucius’s wife, who is killed during the Roman invasion of their home.[19]
  • Alec Utgoff as Darius: Second-in-Command of Acacius’s army.
  • Yann Gael as Bostar.

The original film uses archival footage of Russell Crowe as Maximus, Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus, Tomas Arana as Quintus, and Djimon Hounsou as Juba.[citation needed] May Calamawy, who was originally set to play an important character according to Deadline Hollywood,[20] appears in the final film in an uncredited, non-speaking background role as Macrinus’s companion.[21][22]

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SPELLBOUND

SPELLBOUND

Spellbound is an upcoming American animated musical adventure fantasy comedy film directed by Vicky Jenson from a screenplay by Julia Miranda and the writing team of Lauren Hynek and Elizabeth Martin. It features music composed by Alan Menken, who also wrote the songs with longtime collaborator and lyricist Glenn Slater.[1] Produced by Skydance Animation, the film features the voices of Rachel Zegler, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Tituss Burgess, Nathan Lane, Javier Bardem, and Nicole Kidman. Set in the world of magic known as Lumbria, the story follows Princess Ellian (Zegler), who must break the spell that has turned her parents into monsters and split her kingdom in two.

Initially titled Split, the project was announced in July 2017, shortly after Skydance Animation was formed in March 2017, with Paramount Pictures scheduling distribution for 2019. The film subsequently underwent changes, such as release dates, with Jenson later announced as the director, and the film’s title changed to The Unbreakable Spell [3] before eventually getting to its current title. Apple TV+ acquired the film in December 2020 before Netflix took over the rights in October 2023. Much of the main voice cast signed in June 2022, following Zegler’s casting in April 2022. Production was done remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Spellbound is scheduled for release on Netflix on November 22, 2024.

Premise

The story is set in Lumbria, a world of magic where a young girl named Ellian must break a spell that has split her kingdom in two and transformed her parents into monsters.[4]

Voice cast

Production

Development

In March 2017, Skydance Media formed a multi-year partnership with Madrid-based animation studio Ilion Animation Studios, forming an animation division called Skydance Animation.[6] In July, it announced Split, and it was revealed by Skydance Media CEO David Ellison that Linda Woolverton was writing the film.[7][8] It would be distributed by Paramount Pictures as part of their deal with Skydance Media and was given a release date for sometime in 2019. Following John Lasseter‘s hiring as CCO of Skydance Animation, then-chief of Paramount Animation Mireille Soria announced that Paramount Animation would end its informal work with Skydance.[9]

In April 2020, composer Alan Menken announced that he was working on the project with Lasseter,[10] which was renamed to The Unbreakable Spell before it became Spellbound.[1] The film would be directed by Vicky Jenson, from a screenplay by Woolverton and the writing team of Lauren Hynek and Elizabeth Martin, with songs by Menken and longtime collaborator Glenn Slater.[4] In July 2020, it was announced that Spellbound was still going to be released by Paramount Pictures without Paramount Animation[11] until Apple TV+ acquired the distribution rights in December 2020 as part of a larger pact with Skydance Animation.[12] Apple Studios would replace Paramount as a production company. However, in October 2023, Skydance Animation ended its deal with Apple, and later signed a multi-year deal with Netflix, which would take over distribution of the studio’s future films in production, including Spellbound.[13] In February 2024, Julia Miranda was revealed to have joined the writing staff. In June 2024, Woolverton was confirmed to be a producer on the film.[14]

Casting

In April 2022, Rachel Zegler was cast as the lead character.[15] Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, Nathan Lane, Jenifer Lewis, André De Shields, and Jordan Fisher were added to the cast in June.[16] In June 2023, Tituss Burgess joined the cast, replacing De Shields.[17][18]

Animation

Skydance Animation Madrid has provided animation with portions of production done remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.[19]

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FLOW

FLOW

Flow (Latvian: Straume) is a 2024 animated adventure fantasy film directed by Gints Zilbalodis and written by Zilbalodis and Matīss Kaža.[1] It was selected as the Latvian entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.[5]

Plot

A black cat wanders through a forest when a pack of dogs arrive by the river to catch fish. When two of the dogs fight over a fish, the cat takes the fish and is immediately chased by the dogs. The cat loses the dogs, but notices a deer stampede before a massive tidal wave catches it. The cat and the dogs survive the flood by reaching higher ground. A yellow Labrador Retriever follows the cat to an abandoned house decorated with wooden cat sculptures before they both notice the water level rising rapidly, and the Labrador joins the other dogs on a boat. With the house consumed by the flood, the cat climbs atop a giant cat statue until the waters reach the top of the statue’s head. Before completely submerging the statue, the cat jumps into an approaching sailboat with a capybara aboard.

Directed by Gints Zilbalodis[1]
Written by
  • Gints Zilbalodis
  • Matīss Kaža
Produced by
  • Gints Zilbalodis
  • Matīss Kaža
  • Ron Dyens
  • Gregory Zalcman
Music by
  • Gints Zilbalodis
  • Rihards Zalupe
Production
companies
  • Dream Well Studio
  • Sacrebleu Productions
  • Take Five
Distributed by UFO Distribution (France)
Release dates
  • 22 May 2024 (Cannes)[2]
  • 30 October 2024 (France)
Running time
 85 minutes[1]
Countries Belgium
France
Latvia
Budget €3.5 million[3]
Box office US$1 million[4]

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11/19/2024 #Wicked #Gladiator2 #Spellbound #Flow

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