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Prepare Yourself For The Next Great Spy Thriller Movie: ‘Tetris?’

Tony Schaab - Senior Editor — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 14:00:27 +0000

There are certain video games that have a natural path that can be traced in terms of what a move about that game would be about. Assassin’s Creed and time-travel undercover ops. Uncharted and a treasure-hunting mystery. Sonic the Hedgehog and a fast blue animal with rings. Super Mario Bros and plumbing. And the like. So, when the news came down about an upcoming film called ‘Tetris,’ it makes one’s brain start to think of the possibilities: will this be a movie along the same lines as Hasbro’s now-scuttled plans for turning its games into film properties? Will it be a tale about giant blocky alien ships invading Earth, and the only way for us to defeat them is to get them lined up next to each other so our missiles can make them “disappear?” (I’d watch that, probably.) Could it be a horror movie based on an ancient puzzle, and when the pieces align just so, it sends the user into a shadowy nether-realm? (I’d definitely watch that.) Well, no, that’s all wrong – and probably the furthest thing from our mind is actually the correct answer: ‘Tetris’ will be an espionage-style thriller, telling the true(ish) story of how the game […]

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Apple TV+’s ‘For All Mankind’ Has Resumed Production On Season 2

Jax Motes — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 23:51:25 +0000

Production on Apple TV+’s alternate history, Cold War on the moon series ‘For All Mankind’ on Monday, August 17. The show films in Culver City in Los Angeles County, CA. Reportedly, there are only two more episodes that remain to be filmed. Apple TV+ still managed to cobble together a trailer, which debuted at SDCC@Home in July. Before the first season even debuted, Apple TV+ ordered a second season last October. The series hails from the mind of ‘Battlestar Galactica’s Ronald D. Moore. The first season consisted of 10 episodes, and the second is expected to be the same length. In ‘For All Mankind’, the Soviet Union beat the US to the moon, devastating morale, forcing NASA to up its game to catch up. When the Soviets include a woman in a subsequent moon landing, the US must also up its game there, incorporating women and minorities in the space program, when as we all know, it took decades for women and other minorities to be integrated in reality. As Wrenn Schmidt, who portrays Margo Madison on the series stated during the show’s SDCC@Home panel: “I think when you lockout 50% of your population from bringing all of their talents […]

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SDCC: ‘For All Mankind’ Gets A Season 2 Trailer But No Release Date

Jax Motes — Sun, 26 Jul 2020 17:25:29 +0000

Production on the second season of Apple TV+’s ‘For All Mankind’ was halted due to the coronavirus, but that didn’t prevent the streaming service from releasing a new trailer for SDCC@Home. The series presents an alternate reality where the Soviet Union beat the US to the moon, which appears to be the new battleground for the Cold War, as the story jumps forward in time to 1983. ‘For All Mankind’ was created by and is executive produced by ‘Battlestar Galactica’s Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi. Moore participated in the virtual panel, along with cast members Joel Kinnaman (Edward Baldwin), Michael Dorman (Gordo Stevens), Sarah Jones (Tracy Stevens), Shantel VanSanten (Karen Baldwin), Jodi Balfour (Ellen Wilson), Wrenn Schmidt (Margo Madison), Sonya Walger (Molly Cobb), and Krys Marshall (Danielle Poole). As part of the alt-history set-up for the show, ‘For All Mankind’ features a more diverse astronaut line-up including women and persons of color. As Schmidt stated during the panel (via Comics Beat): “I think when you lockout 50% of your population from bringing all of their talents and intelligence to the things that they love best you really lose out by not having those resources.” Marshall added: “Women […]

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Apple TV+ Set To Adapt The Works Of Maurice Sendak

Jax Motes — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 11:00:34 +0000

Apple has struck a multi-year deal with The Maurice Sendak Foundation to produce shows and specials based on the late writer’s works for the fledgling streaming service Apple TV+. Sendak’s most famous book is, of course, ‘Where the Wild Things Are’, which has already been adapted a few times, including as an animated short in 1973, and opera (!) in 1980, and the 2009 live-action film, directed by Spike Jonze. The new projects for Apple TV+ will be developed with Sendak’s longtime collaborator, Arthur Yorinks, through his Night Kitchen Studios. ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ was first published in 1963, and was recognized with the Caldecott Medal, from children’s librarians. In a 2012, readers of ‘School Library Journal’ voted it the #1 picture book of all time. Among his other works are ‘In the Night Kitchen’ and ‘Outside Over There’. He also illustrated the ‘Little Bear’ books written by Else Holmelund Minarik. Sendak died on May 8, 2012, at age 83. This is the first time an overall deal has been struck with The Maurice Sendak Foundation to produce multiple projects for one outlet. Even though ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ is a beloved classic, the live-action movie, produced by Warner […]

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Apple TV+ Releases A Trailer/Making-Of Video For ‘Foundation’ Based On Isaac Asimov’s Classic

Jax Motes — Sat, 27 Jun 2020 01:37:23 +0000

Executive producer David S. Goyer refers to Isaac Asimov’s ‘Foundation’ as “the greatest science fiction work of all time.” Not too daunting, huh? But Goyer and his collaborator, Josh Friedman, felt they were up to the task of turning Asimov’s bestselling book series into an ongoing TV series on Apple TV+. In an extremely simplified summary, ‘Foundation’ is about “the thousand-year saga of The Foundation, a band of exiles who discover that the only way to save the Galactic Empire from destruction is to defy it.” The TV adaptation stars Jared Harris as main character Hari Seldon, Lee Pace as ruler Brother Day, Lou Llobell as Gaal, Laura Birn as Demerzel, Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn, and Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk. In the story, Seldon predicts that the Galactic Empire is about to collapse and in doing so, will bring a Dark Age that will last 30,000 years. However, he offers potential hope. If he can assemble a “Foundation” of scholars to put all of humanity’s knowledge into the Encyclopedia Galactica, the Dark Age will only last 1,000 years. However, many years later, it is discovered that this was all a ruse, and Seldon had different plans. The ‘Foundation’ […]

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‘Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet’ To Deliver A Special Quarantine Episode This Friday

Jax Motes — Tue, 19 May 2020 18:27:38 +0000

The casts of various past shows like ‘The Office’, ‘Parks & Recreation’ and ‘Community’ have been virtually reuniting to entertain fans during COVID-19 lockdowns, but now the cast of a current series is doing the same. A special episode of Apple TV+’s new comedy, ‘Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet’ has been created, with a quarantine theme and was written, filmed, and edited from the actors’ homes, using– what else?– iPhones. The episode, entitled “Mythic Quest: Quarantine” was written by series co-creators Rob McElhenney and Megan Ganz, plus co-star and executive producer David Hornsby. Quarantine finds the team behind the biggest multiplayer video game of all-time tasked with working from home. Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao) and Ian (Rob McElhenney) struggle with solitude, while Brad (Danny Pudi) and David (David Hornsby) start a charitable competition. Assistant Jo (Jessie Ennis) tries to explain video-conferencing to CW (F. Murray Abraham) with mixed results. To produce the episode, the cast and crew worked remotely in multiple locations across the country. In addition to those mentioned, the cast also includes Charlotte Nicdao, Imani Hakim, Ashly Burch, Craig Mazin, Naomi Ekperigin, Caitlin McGee, and Humphrey Ker. You can watch a teaser for the upcoming episode below (courtesy Deadline): This […]

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Netflix & Apple TV+ Shut Down All Productions; Pilot Season In Jeopardy Due To Coronavirus

Jax Motes — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 07:57:28 +0000

Basically, the COVID-19 coronavirus has shut down everything. Production on nearly every TV show and movie has been shut down. National treasure Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were the first celebrities that reported that they had contracted the illness during pre-production in Australia on his next movie, the untitled Baz Luhrman Elvis Presley biopic. Now comes word that both Netflix and Apple TV+ have shut down all of their original productions, and that pilot season is in turmoil as the networks now won’t be able to screen pilots of potential series on schedule. Among the Netflix shows that have shut down is ‘Stranger Things’, which JUST got started on production of the fourth season last week. Among the Apple TV+ shows that have shut down are ‘See’, ‘For All Mankind’, ‘Servant’, and ‘Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet’. Apple TV+ just launched late last year, so it is still building its audience. Who knows if this delay will cost them subscribers? Warner Brothers has also shut down all production on current series and pilots. That includes nearly everything on The CW, including ‘The Flash’ and ‘Batwoman’, as well as the pilot for ‘The Lost Boys’, a show that has been […]

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New Trailer Announces Steven Spielberg’s ‘Amazing Stories’ Will Launch On Apple TV+ In March

Jax Motes — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 07:37:43 +0000

Apple TV+ is doing its best to be the streaming David taking on the reigning Goliaths– Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc. Perhaps the next pebble in its slingshot is the reboot of Steven Spielberg’s ‘Amazing Stories’. Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (ABC’s ‘Once Upon a Time’) serve as executive producers and showrunners of this anthology. The first season will present five amazing stories, directed by Mark Mylod (‘Succession’, ‘Game of Thrones’), Chris Long (‘The Americans’), Michael Dinner (‘Unbelievable’), Sylvain White (‘The Rookie’), and Susanna Fogel (‘Utopia’). The first episode was directed by Mylod and is entitled “The Rift.” Kerry Lynne Bishé, Whitney Coleman, Trisha Mashburn, Austin Stowell, Edward Burns, and Juliana Canfield star. RELATED: ‘Once Upon A Time’ We Found Out Who Would Tackle Steven Spielberg’s ‘Amazing Stories’ Subsequent episodes will be named “Boogey Night,” “Dynoman and the Volt,” “The Cellar,” and “Signs of Life.” Among the stars that will appear are Dylan O’Brien (‘Maze Runner’, ‘Teen Wolf’), Victoria Pedretti (‘You’), Josh Holloway (‘Lost’, ‘Yellowstone’), and Sasha Alexander (‘Rizzoli & Isles’, ‘Shameless’). (Very little information has been released, so it isn’t clear yet which directors helmed which episodes and who acts in them.) One thing that can be […]

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Apple TV+’s ‘See’ Sets Its Sights On Adrian Paul For Season 2

Jax Motes — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 08:36:09 +0000

Adrian Paul is joining the second season of Apple TV+’s futuristic fantasy series ‘See’, set during at time after humanity has lost the sense of sight. Paul will portray Lord Harlan, the ruler of the strongest city in the kingdom. The series was created by Steven Knight and director Francis Lawrence, who helmed the first two episodes. Season 1 debuted on the new streaming service in November and had already been renewed for a second beforehand. Jason Momoa heads up the cast as Baba Voss, the leader of the Alkenny tribe, who becomes the adoptive father of twins, Kofun (Archie Madekwe) and Haniwa (Nesta Cooper), the first humans born with sight in as long as people can remember. This makes them the target of the powerful Queen Kane (Sylvia Hoeks), ruler of the Payan Kingdom, who sets her sights is determined to capture the children for her own use. RELATED: Apple TV+ Gives A First Look At Jason Momoa’s ‘See’ ‘See’ also stars Alfre Woodard (Paris), Mojean Aria (Gether Bax), Josh Blacker (Witchfinder Warrior), Christian Camargo (Tamacti Jun), Yadira Guevara-Prip (Bow Lion/The Shadow), and Hera Hilmar (Maghra). Last month, it was announced that David Bautista had also been cast […]

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Netflix REALLY Insists That ‘The Witcher’ Is One Of Its Most-Watched Shows Ever… With The Flimsiest Data Ever

Jax Motes — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 15:40:14 +0000

Netflix is touting the success of its newest hit series ‘The Witcher’, which is, without a doubt, a hit. Netflix doesn’t release its streaming numbers and the information it does release can’t be verified by an outside source, but when the remixes of “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher” started popping up, it was clear this show had struck a chord. At the end of December, Netflix announced that ‘The Witcher’, which had only been available to stream for less than two weeks at that point, was its second-most-watched original series of 2019. Some were skeptical. Now, in a fourth-quarter presentation to shareholders, Netflix has declared that ‘The Witcher’ is set to become the most-watched first season of an original show on the service ever! But what isn’t being divulged as openly is that Netflix has taken to using a loose definition of “watching.” Viewers who have “watched” S1 of ‘The Witcher’ now include anyone who “chose to watch and did watch for at least 2 minutes — long enough to indicate the choice was intentional.” RELATED: Lauren Schmidt Hissrich Confirms ‘The Witcher’ Timeline Will Be Straightforward In Season 2 For fans of shows that Netflix cancelled with […]

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Apple TV+ Renews ‘Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet’ From ‘It’s Always Sunny…’ Crew Before Its Premiere

Jax Motes — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 14:05:09 +0000

‘Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet’ has been renewed for a second season before the first has even premiered. The new comedy series from the ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ crew of Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Megan Ganz, follows the exploits of a team of developers “as they navigate the challenges of running a popular video game,” which bears a resemblance to ‘World of Warcraft’ and other expansive MMORPGs. The first season will arrive on Apple TV+ on February 7, and consist of nine episodes. Unlike some other Apple TV+ series, all episodes will be released at once, rather than doled out one per week. (At least for now, the only other Apple TV+ to be released all at once is ‘Little America’.) McElhenney stars as the fictional company’s creative director, Ian (pronounced “Eye-an”) Grimm. The ensemble cast also includes F. Murray Abraham as C.W. Longbottom, Ashly Burch as Rachel, Jessie Ennis as Jo, Imani Hakim as Dana, David Hornsby as David, Charlotte Nicdao as Poppy, and Danny Pudi as Brad. RELATED: Apple TV+’s ‘See’ Casts Dave Bautista To Star Opposite Jason Momoa In Season 2 Here is the full-length trailer for ‘Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet’: In addition […]

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Apple TV+’s ‘See’ Casts Dave Bautista To Star Opposite Jason Momoa In Season 2

Jax Motes — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 08:47:50 +0000

Get ready for a lot of testosterone in one setting! Dave Bautista has signed on to star opposite Jason Momoa on Season 2 of the Apple TV+ series ‘See’. The first season was available when Apple TV+ launched on November 1, and the service had already renewed it for a second season prior to that. The first season consisted of ten episodes and presumably the second will as well. Apple TV+ is spending a fortune on this series, with each episode of the first season costing a reported $15 million. Far in a dystopian future, the human race has lost the sense of sight, and society has had to find new ways to interact, build, hunt, and to survive. All of that is challenged when a set of twins is born with sight. Momoa plays the leader of his people, Baba Voss, the father of the twins born with sight. The cast of ‘See’ also includes Alfre Woodard (Paris), Mojean Aria (Gether Bax), Josh Blacker (Witchfinder Warrior), Christian Camargo (Tamacti Jun), Nesta Cooper (Haniwa), Yadira Guevara-Prip (Bow Lion/The Shadow), Hera Hilmar (Maghra), Sylvia Hoeks (Queen Kane), and Archie Madekwe (Kofun). ‘See’ was written by Steven Knight (‘Peaky Blinders’) and directed by […]

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Apple TV+’s Isaac Asimov-Based Series ‘The Foundation’ Adds Five Cast Members

Jax Motes — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 08:06:12 +0000

Apple’s series adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s ‘The Foundation’ has added five new regular cast members– Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, Terrence Mann, and Cassian Bilton. They join series stars Jared Harris and Lee Pace. Harris’ character is that of Hari Seldon, “a mathematical genius who predicts the demise of the empire,” and Pace portrays Brother Day “the current Emperor of the Galaxy.” Via Deadline, Llobell will portray Gaal, “a mathematical genius from a repressed rural planet,” while Harvey will play Salvor, “the protective and intuitive warden of a remote outer planet.” Birn will play Demerzel “the enigmatic aide to the Emperor of the Galaxy (Pace),” while Mann’s character is that of Brother Dusk, “the eldest living member of the ruling family.” Bilton plays Brother Dawn, “the youngest living member of the ruling family and next in line to be Brother Day.” The series follows “a band of exiles who discover that the only way to save the Galactic Empire from destruction is to defy it.” RELATED: Apple TV+’s Isaac Asimov-Based Series ‘Foundation’ Is Down One Showrunner Llobell is a relative newcomer, but will be seen in Neil Burger’s upcoming sci-fi thriller ‘Voyagers’, along with Colin Farrell, Lily-Rose […]

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Rupert Grint Discusses The Free-Wheeling Process Of Filming Apple TV+’s ‘Servant’

Jax Motes — Sat, 30 Nov 2019 00:40:48 +0000

Apple TV+ ‘Servant‘ looks to be one of the weirdest, creepiest shows around. Created by Tony Basgallop, and produced by M. Night Shyamalan, the series revolves around a married couple, Dorothy and Sean Turner, played by Lauren Ambrose and Toby Kebbell, who suffer the loss of their infant son, Jericho. When Dorothy can’t cope with the loss, Sean and Dorothy’s brother, Julian Pearce, played by Rupert Grint, come up with the idea of creating a life-like doll of Jericho for Dorothy to care for. But when Dorothy insists on hiring a nanny– Nell Tiger Free as Leanne Grayson– things get even more twisted. Grint, best known for playing Ron Weasley in the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise, described the audition process. “I was sent one scene, and it was very out of context. I had no idea what was going on. It was two guys having this intense conversation about a doll. There was just something very intriguing about this story. I loved the language, the dialogue was great. And, it was just this incredible surreal, deeply upsetting subject matter.” One way that people deal with upsetting things is to self medicate. Sean and Julian are frequently seen drinking alcohol, but Grint […]

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Apple TV+ Orders A Second Season Of M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Servant’ Ahead Of Its Premiere

Jax Motes — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 15:25:44 +0000

Apple TV+ has renewed the M. Night Shyamalan-produced thriller series ‘Servant’ for a second season prior to its premiere next week. The announcement came from Shyalaman himself, during an appearance on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’. Greenlighting a second season before the first is released is becoming more and more common and with the length of streaming series shortening — there are 10 episodes in the first season of ‘Servant’ — these shows need to last longer than one season in order to justify the investment. Though Shyamalan serves as executive producer and directs the pilot, ‘Servant’ was actually created by writer Tony Basgallop (’24: Legacy’, ‘Outcast’). Lauren Ambrose and Toby Kebbell star as married couple Dorothy and Sean Turner who hire a nanny to care for their infant son, Jericho. Nell Tiger Free plays the nanny, Leanne Grayson, and Rupert Grint plays Dorothy’s brother Julian Pearce. If you’ve seen the trailers for ‘Servant,’ you know that there is a bizarre twist to this story… actually there are a few of them and that’s just in the trailers. Shyamalan’s movies always include a surprise twist at the end, but it should be intriguing to see how things play out […]

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