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Monday, August 3, 2015

Latest Movie News From Moviefone

Latest Movie News From Moviefone

Quiz: Which TV Show Should You Binge Watch?

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Need a new show to suck all of your free time right out from under you? We've got you covered. Find out which binge-watchable pleasure awaits you and your couch during these dog days of summer. Already watched it? Watch it again. We won't judge.

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'The Dressmaker' Trailer Has Sexy Kate Winslet, Shirtless Liam Hemsworth

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Everything about "The Dressmaker" -- a revenge dramedy described as "Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven with a sewing machine" -- looks perfect. There's gorgeous Kate Winslet in full glam mode as Tilly Dunnage, a beautiful misfit who returns to her middle-of-nowhere home in Australia after many years working as a dressmaker in Parisian fashion houses. There's Liam Hemsworth, all shirtless perfection, as pure-hearted star footballer (and love interest) Teddy. There's Judy Davis as Tilly's ailing, eccentric mother. And wouldn't you know it, there's Hugo Weaving dressing in women's clothes again.

"The Dressmaker" is based on the novel by Rosalie Ham, following Tilly as she transforms the locals with her fashions and, in the process, exacts revenge on those who once wrongly accused her of murder. Here's the new international trailer from Universal Pictures Australia:


"The Dressmaker" will premiere in September at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival and it's set for release October 22 in Australia. We'll have to wait and see what the official U.S. date turns out to be.

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Giant Inflatable Minion Flies Into Traffic, Causing Car Damage and Bad Puns

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Surely this is a sign of the apocalypse: On August 2, a giant -- 30-40 foot -- inflatable "Minions" character broke free and flew onto the highway north of Dublin, Ireland. One witness told the local news The Journal that the Minion knocked the side-mirror off his car. There were no human injuries reported, but traffic was stalled and the public was appalled. Because enough about the Minions already. They were everywhere all summer and now they have to take over the highways?

"I'm not sure how it got loose but I just saw it coming loose and flying across the road as we were driving," Erin Van Londen told The Journal. "We got quite a shock. Luckily it didn't seem to cause much damage."

Despicable! So much for the luck of the Irish -- the odds of this happening must've been a Minion to one! Even though the Minion was quickly deflated, the story is now being *blown* out of proportion across the web, with before-and-after photos from witnesses going viral:
Making this even more fun, a local councilor did not have a sense of humor about it; he referred the incident to the Dublin City Council's planning enforcement department to investigate whether the inflatable Minion was the subject of any planning regulation and if proper health and safety measures were in place. Hopefully something like this happens in the U.S. next so we can take it all the way to the Supreme Court. The Minions must be stopped!

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What's New on TV, Netflix, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: August 3 - 9

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At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what's streaming on Netflix, we've got you covered.

New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only

"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"
The final chapter of Bilbo Baggins' "Hobbit" adventure is airing August 8 on HBO as part of its Saturday Night Movies. It'll be on HBO Now, the network's standalone streaming service, on the same day. So if you don't already have HBO as part of your cable package but want to watch the TV shows ("Game of Thrones," "True Detective," etc.) and movies, you can just order HBO Now to stream the content.

"Difficult People"
Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner star in this new Hulu Original series, which premieres August 5. Julie and Billy play more annoying and less successful versions of themselves -- aspiring comics living, working and struggling in NYC as all of their friends move on to success and love. Amy Poehler is one of the producers and you can expect tons of great comedy guest stars (including Seth Meyers as a prostitute).

Check out the series trailer:

"Chocolate City"
If you liked "Magic Mike," you might want to visit "Chocolate City," which also follows the world of exotic male dancers and is out on DVD and Digital HD on August 4. Women go wild at the arrival of a young, new dancer named Michael (Robert Ri'chard) -- a college student struggling to help his mother (Vivica A. Fox) make ends meet. When his part time job doesn't pay the bills, he finds success at the nightclub dancing as "Sexy Chocolate." As the money starts rolling in, Michael must deal with the unexpected pressure of being the new favorite flavor while hiding his "job" from his mother and girlfriend. The DVD also includes a blooper reel.

New on DVD and Blu-ray

"Insurgent"
The second movie in the "Divergent" series -- starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James and Kate Winslet -- is coming home August 4, including more than four hours of bonus material: audio commentary with producers Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher; "Insurgent Unlocked: The Ultimate Behind-the-Scenes Access" feature-length documentary; and five featurettes: "Diverging: Adapting Insurgent to the Screen," "From Divergent to Insurgent," "The Others: Cast and Characters," "The Train Fight Unlocked," and "The Peter Hayes Story."

"Far From the Madding Crowd"
Carey Mulligan stars as Bathsheba Everdene in this sweeping adaptation of Thomas Hardy's classic novel, following an independent woman with three very different suitors: a sheep farmer (Matthias Schoenaerts); a soldier (Tom Sturridge); and a rich older bachelor (Michael Sheen). The Blu-ray comes with deleted scenes; an extended ending; the theatrical trailer, and the featurettes "Bathsheba Everdene;" "The Suitors;" "Adapting Far From the Madding Crowd;" "The Look of Far From the Madding Crowd;" "Gabriel Oak;" "William Boldwood;" "Sergeant Troy;" "The Locations of Far From the Madding Crowd;" and "Thomas Vinterberg.'

"True Story"
Jonah Hill plays a disgraced New York Times reporter who learns that an accused killer, played by James Franco, has been impersonating him, leading to a chilling game of cat-and-mouse. The Blu-ray has a ton of special features, including an alternate ending, deleted scenes, "Mike Finkel Featurette," "Who is Christian Longo?" "The Truth Behind True Story," "The Making of True Story," and audio commentary by director Rupert Goold.

"Blackbird"
In this inspiring drama, a 17-year-old singer (Julian Walker) struggles with his sexuality and the treatment of others while coming of age in a small Southern Baptist community. Since his father (Isaiah Washington) left, Randy takes care of his emotionally disturbed mother (Mo'Nique), and he's the kind of friend all of his classmates can depend on. As strong as he seems on the outside, Randy is hiding a secret denial of his true self. It's not until he opens himself up to love that he discovers that becoming a man means accepting who you really are.

New on Netflix

"The Hurt Locker"
Kathryn Bigelow won Best Director -- first woman to do so! -- for helming this harrowing 2008 war drama starring Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner. It came to Netflix on August 1, so go be reminded why it also won Best Picture.

"Dear Frankie"
This funny, touching 2004 drama follows a young boy named Frankie (Jack McElhone) who doesn't know his father because his mother, Lizzie (Emily Mortimer), ran away from the abuser when Frankie was just a baby. Instead of telling Frankie the truth, she spins an elaborate lie, and even writes letters for Frankie posing as his father. But things take an unexpected turn and she ends up having to invent a fake father. Enter Gerard Butler, the ideal fake husband/father.

"Bride & Prejudice"
Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" gets the Bollywood treatment in this charming 2004 romantic comedy/musical. Don't miss this one. Here's one of the dance scenes (you may recognize a few of the faces):

TV Worth Watching

"America's Next Top Model" (Wednesday at 8 p.m. on The CW)
Yes, this show is still on -- and it's still completely insane! Cycle 22 starts August 5 with more guy and girl models, more ridiculous photo shoots and -- surely -- more bizarre advice from Tyra Banks on how to be "flawsome" just as you are (or at least as you are after one of her makeovers). Watch the drama play out starting August 5.

"Project Runway" (Thursday at 9 p.m. on Lifetime)
That national treasure, Tim Gunn, is back with more advice for aspiring (but for some reason already arrogant) designers in Season 14 of the fashion favorite. Who will be the first designer to break down after a withering critique from Nina Garcia? It would be us if we were there, but instead we'll just watch and empathize from home.

"True Detective" (Sunday at 9 p.m. on HBO)
"True Detective" Season 2 has its defenders but way more detractors. Oh well. It can still end strong. It could also end weak, and we'll see which way it goes when Episode 8, "Omega Station," airs on August 9.

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New 'Spider-Man' Writers Confirm No Origin Story, Tease Peter Parker 'Departure'

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The new "Spider-Man" movie, starring Tom Holland as Peter Parker, is still in the "extremely early" stages. John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein have been announced as the writers, and while talking about their new movie "Vacation," they teased several details on the upcoming "Spider-Man" movie. They noted that they have a meeting set up at the end of the week to go over logistics and other ideas, so everything is only just starting to be put in motion. But Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige recently talked about the new movie being like a "soap opera in high school," comparing it to a John Hughes movie, and the writers shared more on that theme.

National Board of Review
As Daley told Grantland (see the video below):

We're so pumped about it and Marvel seems to be doing everything right. We're both such huge fans of the stuff that they've been putting out. And I think it'll be a fun departure from the Peter Parker that you've seen. Where now he is truly a kid and I think the stakes are increased in that his struggle through high school is very real and isn't just a sort of side note. It matters now.

Daley knows from high school struggles -- you may remember watching him in "Freaks and Geeks." Grantland noted that what made Spider-Man such a popular comic book character is his life navigating high school is just as difficult as his life as a superhero. They are equal struggles.

Goldstein added:

That's what we love about it. We want to explore that. Just because you get superpowers doesn't make you into a sophisticated, successful adult. He's still a kid and he's clumsy and he's a geek and he's a bit of an outcast and in many ways the superpowers amplify that and exacerbate his trying to fit in.

He has one more secret and burden beyond all the other crap he deals with as a teen. They also confirmed that this new "Spider-Man" will not be a retelling of the origin story.

As Goldstein noted:

I think that everybody feels like we know he got hit by a spider and know that Uncle Ben died and we probably don't need to revisit that.

Sorry, Uncle Ben! But, overall, it sounds like Peter Parker will remain an awkward geek with #nerdprobz, continuing his own education in school even as he battles a new enemy. Watch the full video for more, and stay toward the end for a completely generic tease on the new villain. Spoiler alert: He'll be a bad guy!


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Amy Schumer Makes Emotional Pitch for Tighter Gun Control, Mental Health Care

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Sen. Chuck Schumer And Amy Schumer Hold Joint Press Conf. On Combating Gun ViolenceIn late July, a shooter open fired during a showing of Amy Schumer's movie "Trainwreck," killing two people and injuring nine. Amy issued a brief statement after the tragedy, but she did not stop there. She and her cousin, who happens to be Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), held a press conference on Monday, August 3 to discuss the need for more gun control and mental health care to prevent future shootings.

Mashable has a breakdown of the press conference, during which the two Schumers proposed three actions.

1. Sen. Schumer unveiled new legislation that aimed to financially reward states that "submit all necessary records into the background check system and creates penalties for states that do not submit all records."

2. The pair called on the Department of Justice to write a report "comparing all states' standards for involuntary mental health commitment," and pushed for "federal recommendations" for best practices.

3. They called on Congress to fund mental health and substance abuse programs that provide treatment to those who need it most. They also urged increased funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Amy also made an emotional statement on the tragedy:

I'm not sure why this man chose my movie to end those two lives and injure nine others, but it was very personal for me. We always find out how the shooter got their gun and it's always something that never should have happened in the first place. ... These shootings have got to stop. I don't know how else to say it."

Here are some live tweets from the press conference:
Sen. Schumer also referenced the June church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, saying, "If there's anything that the mass shootings ... have taught us, it's that we should do everything in our power to close these loopholes. We all know that if laws were tighter, the shooter in Charleston would not have been able to purchase a gun." Amy added that she's had death threats for her comedy, so she expects more death threats for advocating for more gun control.

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An Animated Movie About Pez Dispensers? Yes, It's Happening!

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Pez-tastic Candy AisleSweet! As some wise Legos once sang, "Everything is awesome," so that has to include a Pez movie. Right?

According to Entertainment Weekly, Envision Media Arts is developing an animated movie based on the Pez candy dispensers. Cameron Fay, who wrote the comedy "Brother in Laws," is writing the script. EMA CEO and founder Lee Nelson said, in a statement via TheWrap, "Pez candy is beloved by children and adults alike. With Cameron Fay we've created a world unique to Pez and a story that will touch the hearts of many."

No word yet on the movie's plot, but if you've ever seen those rows of Pez candies you can imagine they have a ton of characters to work with. I mean, Star Wars Pez could take on the Smurfs or form an alliance with the X-Men Pez to conquer the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or Bugs Bunny could fall in love with Miss Piggy or one of the Disney princesses.

Hopefully whatever happens will be as fun as "The Lego Movie" and not just a gimmick they try to stretch for 90 minutes to 2 hours. One commenter has already compared the idea to "Toy Story with candy," which is actually a very complimentary tagline.

What do you think of this idea?

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Radio Hosts Defend Creepy, Awkward 'Fantastic Four' Interview

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First it was Cara Delevingne, now it's the cast of "Fantastic Four." Sigh. This interview, though, almost seems designed to go viral -- like that was the only point of the awkward commentary. But Buzzfeed talked to Rock 100.5 Morning host Jason Bailey, after his and Southside Steve Rickman's interview, and he insisted the questions and comments -- about Johnny and Sue Storm as black and white siblings, and Kate Mara having sexy toes and unsexy short hair -- weren't meant to get anyone worked up.

First, here's the interview, which was filmed to show the radio hosts as well as the cast:

Afterward, Jason Bailey had an e-mail exchange with BuzzFeed and said the questions weren't intended to be incendiary.

Absolutely not! That's not mine or the show's thing. Look, not a huge fan of these controlled 5-7 minute interview junkets they run in the first place but I was curious about the brother and sister thing. You have a white sister and black brother wouldn't you want to know how that happened? I did. The other Fantastic Four franchises explain the relationship so I figured with this new hipster version they'd have some different backstory.

The question about the black/white sibling relationship has been coming up a lot and it sounds like Sue Storm (ate Mara) was adopted into Johnny Storm's (Michael B. Jordan) family. That is a movie-related question that has some fans confused since it's a change from the comic book. But we can't blame the cast for being tired of talking about it -- like the whole movie grinds to a halt if it's not explained how people who don't look the same became siblings. But it's the personal comments about Kate's appearance that really seem to have no place in the interview. Of that, Bailey said...

My partner's (Southside Steve) conversation about Kate's hair is something that came up while Michael B Jordan took a phone call so I think they were kind of just going back forth in a playful way. As for him complimenting her toes and why people are upset about that...sorry...no idea. Steve likes girl's toes. People should be appreciative when they get complimented. Those that are upset on Twitter I guess don't get enough of them. Who knows?"

There you have it -- "people should be appreciative when they get complimented." It's Kate's problem if she was there as an actress to promote a movie and Rickman wanted to focus on her looks. He thought she was hot, so of course the questions for her were about her hair, toes, and ways she could improve her hotness level if there are sequels. So complimentary! Her male co-stars must've been jealous that they didn't get head-to-toe attractiveness assessments.

Bailey added that his only regret from the interview is that they never really answered his question and he never got to take a photo with the cast. The hosts seem to be enjoying the attention. The radio station and the DJs have even taken to Twitter to promote the interview as "awkward" and retweeted fan support.
It seems like, on one hand, they're insisting they wouldn't intentionally offend, and on the other hand they're promoting the interview because of how much it could potentially offend. Classic shock jocks. Hopefully they never get that "Fantastic Four" cast photo, and avoid future junkets. 'Cause, you know, they're not hot enough for this validation.

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Watch Deadpool Deliver a Foul-Mouthed Teaser for Tuesday's 'Deadpool' Red-Band Trailer

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It's no secret that the first "Deadpool" red-band trailer drops tomorrow, but that's not stopping the Merc With a Mouth from making damn sure you know it's coming. Watch and enjoy the foul-mouthed glee with which the message is delivered. If Tuesday's trailer is anything like what we saw at Comic-Con, we're all in for an expletive-laden treat.deadpool

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Watch Stephen Colbert's New 'Late Show' Promos, Featuring Mitt Romney

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David Letterman is irreplaceable, but Stephen Colbert is filling his shoes, and desk, as host of "The Late Show" starting September 8. CBS just started airing new "Late Show with Stephen Colbert" promos, with three brief spots appearing over the weekend.

Here are the new promos, including one with the real Mitt Romney and his pancake promise disappointment:



That was not the card we were thinking of, but totally agree that that's a sweet Trapper Keeper.

It'll be interesting to see how the late night world looks after this latest shift. There have already been a lot of changes this year. Craig Ferguson left "The Late Late Show" and James Corden stepped in, with his very Jimmy Fallon-like games and viral videos. David Letterman retired and now Stephen Colbert is ready to debut. And Jon Stewart is getting ready to leave on August 6, with Trevor Noah poised to take his spot on "The Daily Show" starting September 28.

Are you excited to see what Stephen Colbert brings to "The Late Show"? Check out all the videos and promos on the show's YouTube page.

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'Downton Abbey' Final Season Spoilers: 'Not Everyone Will Have a Happy Ending'

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Downton Abbey S4Please Credit Photographer Nick Briggs/Carnival.The fourth series, set in 1922, sees the return of our much loved characters in the sumptuous setting of Downton Abbey. As they face new challenges, the Crawley family and the servants who work for them remain inseparably interlinked.MICHELLE DOCKERY as Lady Mary, ELIZABETH MCGOVERN as Lady Cora and LAURA CARMICHAEL as Lady Edith Photographer Nick Briggs"Downton Abbey" Season 6, aka the final season, premieres Sunday, January 3, 2016 on PBS. We are expecting somewhat of a satisfying conclusion -- with weddings, reunions, and other stuff to give us the happy sniffles -- but it sounds like some sad tears may be shed as well.

"We've got 20 or so main characters. There's a lot to get done in these final nine episodes," executive producer Gareth Neame told TV Guide. "This is ultimately a happy show that people love, so I don't think we're going to end with lightning striking the house and the house is exploded or something. But not everyone will have a happy ending."

Downton Abbey Season 5 on MASTERPIECE on PBSPart FiveSunday, February 1, 2015 at 9pm ETRose makes a handsome new acquaintance. Something is wrong with Thomas. Edith’s link toMarigold draws attention. Bricker and Robert lose control.Shown: Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham(C) Nick Briggs/Carnival Films 2014 for MASTERPIECEThis image may be used only in the direct promotion of MASTERPIECE CLASSIC. No other rights are granted. All rights are reserved. Editorial use only. USE ON THIRD PARTY SITES SUCH AS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER IS NOT ALLOWED.
Is someone going to die? Not the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith), we hope. Or worse, will more anvils just fall in poor Edith's head while Mary laughs? #TeamEdith4Life

Speaking of Edith, who is now a newspaper owner, actress Laura Carmichael told TV Guide, "We'll see how the men of the 1920s take to being told what to do by a woman. She remains a kind of contributor, and there is an editor, Mr. Skinner, who we meet in the first episode. He's a nightmare, so yes, it's a question of can she work under him?" Why would she be under him, when she should be over him?

Here's a juicy Edith tease, and of course it connects to her chief nemesis, her sister Mary. "There's a great argument between the sisters, Lady Edith and Lady Mary," Joanne Froggatt (Anna) told TV Guide. "They've sort of mellowed a bit over the years, but this is a reminder of how things were. I can't say what it's about, but it's great. Everyone's going to be, [Gasps] 'I can't believe she actually said that!''" Please say it's Edith taking down Mary!

Downton Abbey S4The fourth series, set in 1922, sees the return of our much loved characters in the sumptuous setting of Downton Abbey. As they face new challenges, the Crawley family and the servants who work for them remain inseparably interlinked.BRENDAN COYLE as John Bates and JOANNE FROGGATT as AnnaPhotographer: Nick Briggs
But when someone mentions a lack of happy endings, we have to think of Bates and Anna, who have seen their share of (unnecessary) drama. Froggatt teased, "There is happiness for Anna and Bates, but it's not easily attained. They just have more problems thrown their way this year, a whole new set of problems that we didn't even know about. Yes, so there's a new challenge for Anna and Bates." Ugh!

Read TV Guide's full story for more spoilers, and cross your fingers that the Season 6 trailer they showed at the 2015 TCA press tour is released online soon. Are you Team Edith or Team Mary, and whom do you suspect will not have a happy ending?

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Channing Tatum Will Play Gambit After All (Sorry, Taylor Kitsch Fans)

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So now it's kind of awkward. Last week, TheWrap had a story saying Channing Tatum may not play superhero "Gambit" because his deal was potentially falling apart. They noted that a decision would have to be made quickly, since "Gambit" already had a release date, etc. It prompted the Taylor Kitsch fans who loved him in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" to jump in and say he should just get the role back. But never mind, because now it's official that Channing is going to be Gambit, and it sounds like he was never not going to be Gambit, he just had to finish his negotiations.

Here are some big picture details from The Hollywood Reporter:

One thing that needed figuring out was the extent of Tatum's involvement in the X-Men universe. Fox sees Tatum's Gambit, a mutant who harnesses kinetic energy, as one of the anchor characters of the X-universe, akin to Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, someone who would anchor his own movies and appear in numerous others. It's a commitment that could theoretically last more than a decade. (Jackman has been portraying Wolverine since 2000, for instance.)

Sources say that backend compensation was also a sticking point.

So if these movies -- however many he makes as Gambit -- make serious coin, Chan needs to be shown the money. But it is a bit awkward now, considering how many fans were fine -- even happy! -- about the idea of Channing dropping out, because they don't see him as a good Gambit. Then again, it's rare for fans to be 100 percent supportive of casting, especially comic book casting. Channing is a charmer and he'll probably win everyone over, we just have to wait and see.

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See Josh Gad's Bromantic 'Beauty and the Beast' Wrap Photo

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Never mind Belle and the Beast, we're ready for "Beauty and the Beast" to show the magical bromance of Gaston and Lefou! Disney's live-action remake -- starring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Emma Thompson, Kevin Kline, Ian McKellen, Ewan McGregor, and Stanley Tucci -- is wrapping up filming and two of the stars shared a sweet nostalgic photo on set.

Josh Gad plays Lefou, opposite Luke Evans as the cocky Gaston. Luke's Gaston may not find love with Emma's Belle, but it sounds like the actors are leaving with a strong bond. Check out this photo from Josh, which was also shared with a note from Luke:

That's a wrap! Will miss the cast of #beautyandthebeast especially my brilliant Gaston #LukeEvans

A photo posted by Josh Gad (@joshgad) on


Awwww! Director Bill Condon recently shared more "Beauty and the Beast" details with Vanity Fair, promising some "really magical" scenes. The movie is scheduled for release March 17, 2017 -- and yes, that's a long time to wait to be their guest. It should be worth it, though! In the meantime, relive classic scenes like this one:


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'Fear the Walking Dead' Zombie Apocalypse Won't Happen Until Season 2?

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You big tease! Fans may wince a little to hear the showrunner of "Fear the Walking Dead" openly admit, "We purposely built the show a bit more slowly than the original." Oof. One of the complaints about the original "The Walking Dead" -- especially in Season 2 -- was its slow pace. So if this one is going to be even slower, and the first season only has six episodes, are fans even going to have the patience to stick around for the full apocalypse in Season 2?

"Fear the Walking Dead" starts August 23 and (many) fans are excited to see the dawn of the zombie outbreak over in L.A. But we've been warned that this is a show about a dysfunctional family, and the world happens to end while they're dealing with other things. As showrunner Dave Erickson said at the TCAs press tour, "By design, we tried to make it as much about the anxiety and paranoia and tension that goes along with this outbreak as about the actual confrontations with the zombies." So the zombie show may not have that many zombies. TVLine added that the full-on apocalypse is mostly likely coming in Season 2, which has been OK'd for 15 episodes in 2016. "By the end of Season 1, we definitely know the world has changed," the showrunner continued. "It is the end of the world as we know it."

"Fear" will be calling the walkers "infected," kind of like "28 Days Later," and the six-episode first season, followed by a longer season, is the same schedule AMC did for the main TWD show (which is now up to 16 episodes and Season 6, which starts in October). But that main show started with walkers and didn't do a family drama build-up, so we'll have to see if the tease of "Fear" is enough to keep fans entertained. The trailer they showed at Comic-Con was awesome, so if that's what's coming this month, then we're psyched to see all of it ... and then we'll be really impatient to see more.

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'Game of Thrones' Season 6: Ian McShane to Play Sam's Father?

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"Game of Thrones" Season 6 is now filming and more characters are being added to the show. The amazing Ian McShane -- formerly of another HBO show, "Deadwood" -- has been announced for the 2016 season in an unnamed role. Entertainment Weekly was told "McShane has a relatively small amount of screen-time during the season, yet his character is of key importance."

Everyone has a relatively small amount of screen-time with such a large cast, but who will Ian be playing? The No. 1 guess is Randyll Tarly, Lord of Horn Hill, a fierce, renowned fighter and father of the very different Samwell Tarly (John Bradley). Sam and Gilly (Hannah Murray) are now on their way to the Citadel so Sam can train to be a maester, and that's close to where Sam grew up in Horn Hill. Also, King's Landing could use some help restoring law and order after the mess of Season 5, so Randyll Tarly could also be use over there.
Britain World Premiere of Cuban FuryA main reason Randyll is the casting guess is a GoT Season 6 casting notice for "Father" that was issued a while back, describing a character "Aged 50's to 60's, he's one of the greatest soldiers in Westeros- a humorless martinet, severe and intimidating. He demands martial discipline in the field and in his home. It's described as 'a very good part' for next year and that he's 'centrally involved' in a protagonist's storyline." A protagonist like Sam, or Cercise, or Margaery, or Tommen?

What do you think of Ian McShane joining the cast, and do you agree that he'll play Randyll Tarly or do you think he could be Euron Greyjoy (another popular guess, but he seems too old for that) or someone else?

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6 Reasons Why 'Mission: Impossible,' Nostalgia Ruled the Box Office

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The summer movie season, with its flood of sequels, remakes, and reboots, always gambles big on nostalgia. And Summer 2015 seems to be more dependent than most on good will and fond memories of past hits.

Of course, the gamble doesn't always pay off, as this weekend's box office results made clear.

"Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation," the fifth film in Tom Cruise's action franchise which began 19 years ago, opened with a better-than-predicted $56 million. "Vacation," on the other hand, opened much worse than expected. The attempt to reboot the 32-year-old franchise earned a disappointing $14.9 million over the weekend -- and $21.2 million since its Wednesday debut.

Why did the two films fare so differently? Here are six reasons to help explain when nostalgia works at the box office and when it doesn't.

1. Be Consistent

The five "Mission: Impossible" films haven't just hit upon a winning storytelling formula and an appealing repertory cast that includes Ving Rhames, Jeremy Renner, and Simon Pegg. They've also been consistent in their level of craftsmanship. Each one has had a different director, but they've all been top suspense storytellers. So the franchise as a whole has two decades worth of good will to carry forward.

The five "Vacation" movies, by contrast, have been wildly uneven in quality and at times even forgettable. (Quick, name someone, besides original "Vacation" director Harold Ramis, who directed any of the movies in the franchise.) So that good will isn't as strong, and neither is the sense among potential ticketbuyers that the latest installment is worthy of their box office dollar.

2. Don't Wait Too Long

Granted, it's hard to say how long is too long. After being dormant for 30 years, the "Mad Max" franchise came roaring back to life this summer with instant classic "Fury Road." Then again, "Magic Mike" and "Ted" put out sequels after just three years, and both underwhelmed. Still, "Mad Max: Fury Road" was universally acclaimed, while "Magic Mike XXL" and "Ted 2" were, uh, not. So execution is important. Nonetheless, the fact that the last "Mission: Impossible" was four years ago, while the last "Vacation" was nearly two decades ago, gives the action yarn a clear advantage over the road-trip comedy.

3. Star Power Helps

Say what you will about Tom Cruise, but even Americans will still flock to see him, especially if he's in a new "Mission." "Vacation" star Ed Helms may be popular from the "Hangover" movies, but only as part of an ensemble. He's not the draw there, and studios now know they can't really bank on him to carry a wide-release as the lead.

4. Ditto IMAX
"Rogue Nation's" jaw-dropping stunt work, particularly Cruise hanging off the side of a plane, seems like a natural draw for IMAX viewers, No doubt the IMAX surcharges helped boost the film's take this weekend.

5. Action Films and Dramas Reboot Better Than Comedies

Maybe its because laughter depends even more on surprise than drama does. Or maybe it depends more on language and less on spectacle. Or maybe it's just easier to shock and startle viewers than to make them chuckle. Comedy also tends to be more culturally specific than drama, so there goes the overseas audience.

6. Attract the Kids

This is much easier to do when the movie is rated PG-13, like "Rogue Nation," than when it's rated R, like "Vacation." In any case, it seems counterintuitive, but it's true: to succeed, a nostalgic movie needs to attract viewers too young to have much nostalgia for the title. Oldtimers alone aren't enough.

This is one reason why "Jurassic World" succeeded. All "Jurassic" needed to attract younger viewers was the spectacle of giant, ravenous dinosaurs. The sequel provided the right amount of nods to the beloved first film, while virtually ignoring the other sequels that people didn't care for much anyway. "Terminator Genisys" trashed its own mythology, too, but it trashed the key parts that people liked. All that was left was the attraction of Arnold Schwarzenegger's return to the franchise after 12 years, and while that appealed to older fans, it wasn't enough to make younger viewers care.

August will offer an interesting test of these lessons in the proper use of nostalgia. This coming weekend, we'll get "Fantastic Four," a reboot of a Marvel franchise just 10 years after the launch of the original, which has been hampered by bad buzz for most of this year. On August 14, "The Man From UNCLE" hits theaters, an adaptation of the 1960s Cold War TV series that no one under the age of 50 remembers first-hand.

Then again, "Mission: Impossible" started out as the adaptation of another '60s spy series -- here's hoping the audience that showed up for Cruise's films will do the same for "UNCLE" and the remainder of summer's nostalgic slate.

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