New this week: Will Smith, 'Pinocchio' and 'George & Tammy'
This week’s new entertainment releases include Will Smith’s comeback campaign in the Antoine Fuqua movie “Emancipation,” a documentary about Broadway star Idina Menzel, the video game “Dragon Quest Treasures” and a TV series exploring the tumultuous relationship between country music stars Tammy Wynette and George Jones.
New this week: Lizzo, 'Criminal Minds' and 'The Woman King'
This week’s new entertainment releases include an live posthumous album from Tom Petty, the criminal profile spinoff series “Criminal Minds: Evolution,” a documentary about the plucky Mars Rover Opportunity and a TV series that focuses on the backstage melodrama at the Chippendale’s male strip clubs.
Bono, Cruz to star in animated series on vaccine importance
Bono, Cruz and Oyelowo will lend their voices in an animated series to raise awareness about the importance of vaccine access. The ONE Campaign announced Wednesday that the series Pandemica will launch Thursday. (AP Photo)LOS ANGELES – Bono, Penélope Cruz and David Oyelowo will lend their voices in an animated series to raise awareness about the importance of global vaccine access. The series was created to bring attention to global vaccine access in an effort to end the COVID-19 pandemic. “Pandemica is a compelling illustration of the inequality around the world,” Cruz said.
Disney delays 'Black Widow,' Spielberg's 'West Side Story'
NEW YORK – The Walt Disney Co. has further postponed its next mega-movies from Marvel, including “Black Widow,” while also postponing Steven Spielberg's “West Side Story” a full year in the company's latest recalibration due to the pandemic. The Scarlett Johansson Marvel movie “Black Widow,” last set for Nov. 6, heads to May 7 of next year. That was the date set for “West Side Story,” but Spielberg's musical will instead debut in December 2021. Given the interconnected nature of Marvel releases, the latest delay of “Black Widow” had a domino effect on other films. Since the pandemic began, the company's “Mulan,” “Hamilton” and “Artemis Fowl” have gone direct to streaming, with “Mulan” made available for a $30 premium purchase by subscribers.
With quiet humanity, Chloe Zhao's 'Nomadland' makes noise
NEW YORK – What’s it like to be an international film festival sensation without hardly leaving your home? At the Venice Film Festival, it won the top prize, the Golden Lion. At the Toronto International Film Festival, it was hailed by many critics as the best movie of the year and a leading Oscar contender. Next week, it will play the New York Film Festival. “Every year or so I feel the urge to hit the road,” Zhao says.
Kumail Nanjiani is finding his way through 'The Weirds'
(Skip Bolen/Netflix via AP)NEW YORK Kumail Nanjiani has a few names for quarantine life. He's now finding his way in a Hollywood where South Asian actors, when they're cast at all, have usually been typecast. "But I dont feel Pakistani because I dont live in Pakistan. I dont feel American because a lot of Americans dont think of me as American. During quarantine, Nanjiani went back and watched three movies he hadnt seen since he was 10: Krull, Beastmaster and The Thief of Baghdad.Suddenly there would be an image and youre like, Oh, my God.
Creator of 'Batman: Arkham Origins' teases new Dark Knight game
In this 2015 photo, actor Kumail Nanjiani attends the "Batman: Arkham Knight" VIP Launch at The Line Hotel in Los Angeles. (CNN) - The creators of the acclaimed game "Batman: Arkham Origins" teased a new game in the series today. The WB Games Montral Twitter account had been inactive for nearly four years, which is when the last game in the series, "Batman: Arkham Knight," came out. WB Games Montral is responsible for developing "Batman: Arkham Origins," while the other games in the series -- "Batman: Arkham Asylum" (2009), "Batman: Arkham City" (2011), "Batman: Arkham Origins" (2013) and "Batman: Arkham Knight" (2015) -- were all developed by Rocksteady Studios. Batman comics writer Scott Snyder wrote in a now deleted tweet, "Wait for it: #bewarethecourtofowls," which seemingly confirms the inclusion of the secret society.