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Zootopia 2 is still under wraps, but fans are already losing it over one unexpected twist. Disney’s latest “thirst trap” isn’t a dashing prince or a roguish hero…it’s the new mayor. The internet has spoken, and this sleek, smooth-talking character’s quickly become the animated obsession no one saw coming.

With perfectly groomed fur, undeniable swagger, and that power suit energy, even the most serious Zootopia fans are blushing. Disney may’ve aimed for leadership vibes, but they accidentally unlocked fan thirst in the process.

Zootopia 2‘s new mayor is already breaking hearts and the internet Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps and Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde in a still from Zootopia | Credits: Walt Disney Animation Studios

Zootopia 2 just dropped its first major reveal, and fans are already collectively sweating. Enter: Mayor Winddancer, a buff, stallion politician with movie-star charm and muscle to match.

Pixar showed up to the Annecy International Animation Festival with the goods. The animation studio announced a new film slated for the summer of 2027, an original film called “Gatto” from “Luca” director Enrico Casarosa.

Pixar announced the film from the Annecy stage on Friday and showed some concept art from the film, which you can see above. “Gatto” returns Casarosa to Italy, but this time to Venice, and follows a black cat named Nero who, after years of maneuvering the canal-ridden, superstitious city, begins to question whether he’s lived the right lives. Indebted to a local feline mob boss, Nero finds himself in a quandary and is forced to forge a truly unexpected friendship that may finally lead him to his purpose — unless Venice gets the better of him first.

Casarosa is directing the film, his follow-up to 2021’s Italian Riviera-set “Luca,” and producer Andrea Warren is also re-teaming with Casarosa on the feature.

Today, at Annecy’s International Animation Film Festival, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios presented a series of surprises that thrilled festivalgoers.

In the morning, Jared Bush, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ chief creative officer and director/writer of the upcoming Zootopia 2, made his first appearance in Annecy to debut new footage and images from the anticipated sequel of the beloved Oscar-winning global hit film, which will be theatrically released this November.

Zootopia 2

The footage screened featured returning characters Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin), Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman), and Mr. Big (voice of Maurice Lamarche), and new characters Gary De’Snake (voice of Ke Huy Quan), Nibbles (Fortune Feimster) and Dr. Fuzzby (voice of Quinta Brunson).

The audience was particularly delighted when learning that French actor Jean Reno will lend his voice to a cameo role as an officer of the Zootopia Police Department.

Great Mystery — Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Zootopia 2” welcomes back to the big screen rookie cops Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman). When a snake called Gary De’Snake (voice of Ke Huy Quan) arrives on the scene, he kicks off a great mystery—but Nick and Judy are on the case. From the Oscar-winning team of Disney Animation chief creative officer Jared Bush and Byron Howard (directors) and Yvett Merino (producer), “Zootopia 2” releases in theaters Nov. 26. © 2025 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Today, at Annecy’s International Animation Film Festival, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios offered a series of surprises that thrilled festival goers.

In the morning, Jared Bush, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ chief creative officer and director/writer of the upcoming “Zootopia 2,” made his first appearance in Annecy to debut new footage and images from the...

Walt Disney Animation Studios pulled back the curtain on Zootopia 2 on Friday, offering the first major preview of the highly anticipated sequel during a packed presentation at the Annecy international animation film festival.

Director and writer Jared Bush, who also serves as Disney Animation’s new chief creative officer, made his Annecy debut with the film, unveiling new footage from Zootopia 2 at the Bonlieu Scène Nationale. The sequel to Disney’s 2016 Oscar-winning hit reunites audiences with rabbit police officer Judy Hopps and former con-artist fox Nick Wilde as they investigate a mysterious new arrival in the mammal metropolis: a reptile named Gary De’Snake (voiced by Everything Everywhere All At Once star Ke Huy Quan).

Bush revealed they cast Quan after spotting the excitable Oscar-winner doing an interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and decided he had exactly the right energy to play Gary the venomous but misunderstood snake.

At the Annecy Animation Festival this Friday morning, Walt Disney Animation Studios offered a first look at its highly anticipated sequel, “Zootopia 2,” coming to theaters on Nov. 26.

Walt Disney Animation Studios chief creative officer and director/writer of the upcoming “Zootopia 2,” Jared Bush, made his first appearance in Annecy to delight the Bonlieu audience with new footage and images from the upcoming sequel to the beloved Oscar-winning film.

“Over the last few months, I’ve been thinking a lot about this moment,” Bush told the audience. “Being here with all of you, like all of us, together in this amazing global community of artists and dreamers who love animation. We all live for it.”

A crowd consisting of industry vets, studio execs and several hundred artists and students responded with laughs, audible “awws” and tremendous excitement to the footage, which featured returning characters Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), Nick Wilde...

A year has passed since we heard that director Luc Besson was making a “big-budget reimagining” of the Dracula concept that will feature “some epic and potentially spectacular set pieces,” and now that film is ready to start making its way out into the world. Besson’s Dracula has yet to secure distribution in the United States, but Snd will be giving it a theatrical release in France on July 30th – and with that date right around the corner, a trailer for the film has dropped online. You can check it out in the embed above.

Also known as Dracula: A Love Tale, the film is, as that title gives away, a love story, following Dracula as he connects with a woman in Belle Epoque Paris, who resembles his beloved wife Elisabeta, who died in mid-15th century Transylvania. Per legend, it was Elisabeta’s suicide that led Romanian ruler...

What are the greatest action movies of all time? It’s a controversial question, isn’t it? Any time any publication or site puts out a new list of what they consider the best action movies of all time, it can’t help but generate a ton of controversy. Nevertheless, we here at JoBlo have decided to throw our hats into the ring with a list we really hope generates some nostalgia among our viewers but also encourages them to seek out the movies on this list that they may not have seen. But first, some may wonder where superhero movies are on this list. Given how broad that genre is, we decided to stick to old-school action, so we have left them off the list, as they deserve their own ranking. There are also a few absences from the list, notably some Jackie Chan Hong Kong films (like Police Story...

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Fountain of Youth is an action-adventure heist film directed by Guy Ritchie from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt. The Apple TV+ series follows Luke Purdue, a disgraced archaeologist who teams up with his sister to go on a dangerous adventure to find the mythical fountain of youth while being chased by the Interpol and an ancient secret society. Fountain of Youth stars John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, Eiza Gonzalez, Domhnall Gleeson, Arian Moayed, Laz Alonso, Carmen Ejogo, and Stanley Tucci. So, if you loved the globetrotting adventure, death-defying action, and entertaining characters in Fountain of Youth, here are some similar films you should check out next.

National Treasure Credit – Walt Disney Pictures

National Treasure is an action-adventure heist film directed by Jon Turteltaub from a screenplay co-written by Jim Kouf, Cormac Wibberley, and Marianne Wibberley. The 2004 film follows Benjamin Franklin Gates,...

The adventures of Robert Langdon are far from over. Nine years after Tom Hanks last played him, a new live-action project featuring the Harvard professor of symbology is in the works at Netflix.

According to Deadline, Netflix has won a bidding war for the rights to The Secret of Secrets, the upcoming sixth book in Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series. Set for publication on September 9 by Doubleday, The Secret of Secrets follows symbologist Robert Langdon as he races against ancient forces and time to rescue a missing scientist and her groundbreaking manuscript whose discoveries have the power to forever change humanity’s understanding of the mind. Brown will co-create the untitled series adaptation with Carlton Cuse, with the latter also serving as showrunner.

The Robert Langdon novels and films were extremely popular in the 2000s. Brown's The Da Vinci Code, in particular, was a major bestseller, becoming the must-read novel of the mid-2000s.

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It’s hard to imagine Tom Cruise saying goodbye to Ethan Hunt, the character he’s dutifully portrayed since 1996’s Mission: Impossible. But everything from the name (The Final Reckoning) to the trailer’s closing moment (“I need you to trust me one last time”) sure makes it seem like the end of the road for a character that’s outlasted countless crises, two James Bonds, and five presidential administrations.

“The White Lotus” actor Tom Hollander has joined Jean Reno in the period action-thriller “The Butler,” directed by Tom Edmunds, helmer of “Dead in a Week (Or Your Money Back).”

In the film, Reno plays a former WWI commando turned domestic servant whose peaceful life is upended by mobsters collecting an old debt. The narrative blends period drama with relentless action, described by Edmunds as “equal parts ‘Downton Abbey’ and ‘Die Hard.’”

K5 Intl. introduced the project at the European Film Market in Berlin and since then has closed a raft of presales in major territories, including Splendid (German-speaking territories), Mediaset (Spain), Spi Intl. (Eastern Europe and Benelux), Cinesky (airlines), Arna (Cis and Baltics), Falcon Films (Middle East) and Pt Prima (Indonesia), with more territories to be announced soon.

The screenplay was written by Edmunds and Craig McInnes, based on an original story by McInnes.

“The Butler” is produced by Christopher Tuffin,...

Prestige International Pictures, a film sales, financing and production company, will be launching at the Marché du Film during the Cannes Film Festival. The company will be headed by sales industry veteran Carlos Rincon as the president and co-founder. Prestige will be announcing its Cannes slate in the coming days.

Joining Rincon at Prestige as partners and co-founders are producers Chris Lemos, Luis Guerrero, William Knochel and Brad Friedlander of Vital Pictures.

Prestige describes itself as being a distribution company “by filmmakers, for filmmakers” as the producing founders have “lived through all the experiences and challenges that filmmakers face while seeking distribution for their film,” according to a statement. In addition to representing third-party content, Prestige will also represent Vital’s slate of in-house titles.

The company will be based on the West Coast (Los Angeles) and East Coast (Atlanta) to “further enhance relationships with filmmakers on both coasts.”

Previously,...

Following The Beekeeper, The Bricklayer and more, Dennis Quaid and Jean Reno are to star in the occupation-based action flick, The Florist.

Have you ever wanted to see Dennis Quaid repeatedly hit a man in the face with a bunch of daffodils? If so, there’s potentially good news on the horizon. The Jaws 3 star has teamed up with Leon and Godzilla actor Jean Reno for an action thriller called The Florist.

Directed by London Has Fallen's Babak Najafi, The Florist recently wrapped filming, and, according to Deadline, its protagonist is a chap named Carl Rikker (Quaid), an “introverted, quiet horticulturalist” who’s also an assassin. Trouble beckons when he “forms an unlikely friendship with a teenage girl.”

Quaid is therefore set to join Jason Statham, Aaron Eckhart, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Ben Affleck in a growing phenomenon we’ve previously dubbed the occupation-based action genre. The success of John Wick in 2014 has,...

Exclusive: Film Bridge International has wrapped filming in New Jersey and New York on action-thriller The Florist, starring Dennis Quaid (The Substance), Jean Reno (Léon: The Professional), and Sky Katz (Raven’s Home).

Babak Najafi (London Has Fallen) directs from a script written by Eran Creevy (Welcome To The Punch) and Scott Windhauser (Mafia Wars). The film also features Anna Schafer (The Trials of Cate McCall) and Leonidas Gulaptis (A Nice Girl Like You).

Pic follows Carl Rikker (Dennis Quaid), an introverted, quiet horticulturist who loves his day job. However, he holds a dark secret – at night, he moonlights as a ruthless assassin. His identity is threatened when he forms an unlikely friendship with a teenage girl.

Film Bridge has secured international distribution partners including Square One (Germany), Mediaset (Italy and Spain), Monolith Films (Poland), Rialto Films (Australia/Nz), Cinesky (Airlines/Ships), Falcon Films (Middle East), Spenztos (Greece), and Pt Prima...

After making her onscreen debut at 11, Natalie Portman quickly learned to separate herself from her public image.

The Oscar winner recently opened up about being subjected to “a long Lolita phase” when she was “really sexualized” as a child actor, making her debut performance in Luc Besson’s Léon: The Professional.

“I think there’s a public understanding of me that’s different from who I am,” she told Jenna Ortega for Interview. “I’ve talked about it a little before—about how, as a kid, I was really sexualized, which I think happens to a lot of young girls who are onscreen. I felt very scared by it. Obviously sexuality is a huge part of being a kid, but I wanted it to be inside of me, not directed towards me. And I felt like my way of protecting myself was to be like, ‘I’m so serious. I’m so studious.

Natalie Portman is often seen as a serious figure, but that isn’t exactly how the actress looks at herself. While in conversation with Jenna Ortega for Interview Magazine, the actress revealed how her early start in the industry, and the sexualization that came with it, led to her putting up barriers that many people just see as being her.

Portman made her movie debut at the age of 12 in Leon: The Professional, in which she played a young girl with an uncomfortable relationship with Jean Reno’s middle-aged killer and courted controversy for the “Lolita” style appearance in the film – which was actually meant to see the pair become lovers in an early draft of the script. Speaking to Ortega, Portman said:

“I think there’s a public understanding of me that’s different from who I am. I’ve talked about it a little before—about how, as a kid,...

Hollywood might be the world’s largest film industry, but even the entertainment powerhouse has drawn ideas from international films. While remakes have always existed, most cinema buffs remain ignorant that some of their beloved Hollywood blockbusters owe their origins to overseas classics.

The rise of remakes in Hollywood is no coincidence—studios often lean toward stories that have already proven successful. But in doing so, the originals sometimes get overshadowed. Here’s a look at ten Hollywood hits that were actually inspired by international films, proving that great storytelling transcends borders.

The Departed – From Infernal Affairs A still from The Departed | Credit: Warner Bros.

Martin Scorsese’s The Departed is often hailed as a modern classic, but did you know it’s actually a remake of a Hong Kong crime thriller? It is the remake of a film named Infernal Affairs. The movie became very popular and also paved...

The host of the Netflix show Million Dollar Secret is the unforgettable Peter Serafinowicz, who brings his sharp sense of humor to the reality competition proceedings. It's his job to oversee the challenges and moderate the bickering that goes on at The Stag, often with a well-placed verbal jab. But how did the star of The Tick wind up playing the part of an enigmatic master of ceremonies?

In an interview with Cbr, Serafinowicz discussed how he became the host of Million Dollar Secret and what interested him in the role. He also spoke about what it was like interacting with the contestants as they pushed themselves out of their comfort zones for a chance at the titular cash prize. Plus, find out what else this incredibly versatile performer has planned.

Cbr: Million Dollar Secret is your first reality TV hosting credit, but you have appeared as yourself on numerous British panel shows.

Call My Agent Berlin [working title] is heading to Disney+.

The latest adaptation of the French hit comedy comes from Germany, telling the story of the Stern actors agency and its agents. German stars including Lucas Gregorowicz, Karin Hanczewski, Michael Klammer, Gabrielle Scharnitzky, Dana Herfurth, Benny O. Arthur, Janina Elkin and Taynara Silva-Wolf play the agents from the Stern talent agency in Call My Agent Berlin [working title], which Disney+ said has just finished filming. More special guests will likely be unveiled.

The series is being showran by Johann Buchholz, who runs producer Friday Film. Boris Kunz and Laura Lackman are directing. “Many of the country’s most skillful manipulators work in the film business. We are erecting a monument to them,” joked Buchholz.

Benjamina Mirnik-Voges, Director Original Productions, The Walt Disney Company in Gsa, said: “We are delighted and proud to be working with Friday Film to adapt this special dramedy for the...

Exclusive: Emmy-winning writer-producer René Balcer has signed with Verve for representation.

The Montréal, Canada native is known for his work as showrunner of Law & Order, which he ran for eight years of its initial 20-year run. During his tenure, L&o won the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series, secured a five-season network pickup; and tied Gunsmoke for longest-running series.

Balcer went on to create and showrun the spinoff Law & Order: Criminal Intent, which ran for ten seasons, as well as limited series Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, which earned Edie Falco a Best Actress Emmy nomination, and CBS’ procedural FBI: Most Wanted.

Balcer is also active in the international space, having created the UK series Jo starring Jean Reno, as well as Bodyguards for TF1.

Additionally, Balcer wrote, co-directed and produced several documentaries, including 2017’s Above the Drowning Sea, narrated by Julianna Margulies and Tony Goldwyn,...

Léon: The Professionalstar Gary Oldman reveals that his iconic "Everyone!" line delivery was never intended to make the final cut of the movie. Released in 1994, director Luc Besson's action thriller stars Jean Reno as Léon, an assassin who takes the 12-year-old Mathilda (Natalie Portman) under his wing after her family is murdered. Oldman plays Léon: The Professional's main villain, Stansfield, a corrupt and violent DEA agent. One of the most iconic lines of Oldman's career comes when he demands that a subordinate bring him "everyone" as backup before he then repeats the word in an exaggerated yell.

During a recent interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Oldman reveals that his shouting delivery of the word "everyone" was actually intended as a joke for Besson. The actor recalls wanting to make the director laugh on one particular take, but then the moment ended up in the final cut of the movie.

Gary Oldman’s iconic “Bring Me Everyone” scene from “Léon: The Professional” was originally just an outtake the actor filmed to get a laugh out of director Luc Besson, but the filmmaker ended up keeping it.

“I did a couple of takes, ‘Bring me everyone, everyone.’ And to make Luc Besson laugh as a joke, I went to the sound guys and I said, ‘I’m going to be really, really loud,'” Oldman explained during a sit-down with “The Late Show’s” Stephen Colbert. “And I did that, and he kept it and put it in the film — that was just an outtake. It was just me having fun.”

The “Slow Horses” actor went on to give more details about his time shooting the movie in New York, mentioning that during a building explosion scene and while a huge crowd was watching the crew work, a real-life bank robbery took place across the street.

Christina Ricci has been an accomplished actress and has starred in several popular films and series since her big screen debut in Mermaids (1990). But one role she missed out on was that of Mathilda in the classic 1994 film, Léon: The Professional, losing out to Natalie Portman. And in a new interview with the YouTube show, First We Feast (via The Wrap), Ricci reveals the ridiculous reason why: she was "too common and healthy looking."

That may come as a surprise to some, considering one of Ricci's most famous roles was the rather gothic Wednesday Addams in the early 1990s hit film, The Addams Family and its sequel. She explained to her Yellowjackets co-star Melanie Lynskey why she lost out on her "dream role:"

"I really wanted to be in 'Léon: The Professional,' but I was too common and healthy-looking. What a time to be twelve."

Léon: The Professional,...

Christina Ricci talks about how she lost a major role to Natalie Portman. The Yellowjackets star started her career as a child star, featuring in the 1990 movie, Mermaids, and scored her big break portraying Wednesday Addams in the 1991 movie The Addams Family. She transitioned into more adult-themed roles in 200 Cigarettes, The Ice Storm, Buffalo '66, and many more. In the Tim Burton-directed Netflix series Wednesday, she appeared as Marilyn Thornhill, a teacher at Nevermore Academy.

Most recently, Ricci played a sadistic healthcare worker in the hit show Yellowjackets. The show follows a group of girls who are stranded in the wilderness after a plane crash, taking place in dual timelines. Ricci's character, Misty, is one of the survivors in the present timeline who is still haunted by what happened to them in the woods. While promoting the show's season 3, Ricci reflects on her childhood career, where she admits...

Filmmaker Roland Emmerich’s much-maligned Godzilla (1998) is never going to make any Top 10 lists featuring the King of the Monsters' must-see installments from the film franchise. However, if fans and/or newcomers want to give the movie, which so poorly represents the world’s most famous kaiju, a chance — there will never be a better time to do it. The Matthew Broderick-led Godzilla is now available to stream for free on Tubi.

The main problem with co-writer and director Emmerich’s take on the 71-year-old monster, which is almost too egregious to comprehend, was the way 1998’s Godzilla was inaccurately designed to look more like a dinosaur from Jurassic Park than the all-powerful kaiju. Plus, it didn’t help that Emmerich’s film decided to pull a King Kong (1933) and kill off the ambiguous creature to wrap things up. The flick’s co-writer and producer, Dean Devlin, said in...

Godzillafans everywhere will get to experience the franchise's most universally loathed feature film courtesy of its new streaming home.

Per Tubi, the completely free streaming platform will be the new home to 1998's Godzilla beginning on March 1. Considering how widely bemoaned the film is, fans might not see this as a good thing, although the addition of 2014's Godzilla to the same streaming service on the very same day is sure to make up for any disappointment they might initially feel.

RelatedCaptain America 4 Director Explains Thanking Oscar Winner in the Credits Who's Not in the Film

Julius Onah explains why Brave New World features a special thanks to an acclaimed actor who does not appear in the film.

Directed by Roland Emmerich from a script cowritten alongside Dean Devlin, 1998's Godzilla was the first attempt to bring the long-running franchise to life on the silver screen via an American film studio.

“Pretty Little Liars” and “Which Brings Me to You” star Lucy Hale will topline the romantic comedy “Princess” from “The Cooler” screenwriter Frank Hannah.

Daniel Baur’s K5 Intl. has boarded “Princess” as its international sales agent and will commence sales at Berlinale’s European Film Market.

The plot centers on a woman who finally meets the man of her dreams, but first, she must contend with her beloved’s bulldog, Princess, who has a history of destroying any relationship her owner engages in. Think “Monster-in-Law” in tone.

Principal photography is anticipated to commence in Ireland spring 2025.

Best known for her breakout role on the hit series “Pretty Little Liars,” Hale has gone on to become an international star through films such as the romantic comedy “Which Brings Me to You,” Vertical’s “The Hating Game” and Sony’s “Fantasy Island.” Hale will star in Lionsgate and BuzzFeed Studios’ upcoming action comedy “F Marry Kill,...

"The penguin is not a communist." Sony Pictures Classics has debuted their own official trailer for the new film titled The Penguin Lessons, a cute dramedy about rescuing a penguin in Argentina. A similar story to My Penguin Friend with Jean Reno from last year year, but not the same. This is opening at the end of March in US theaters. Starring Oscar nominee Steve Coogan, this endearing new film from director Peter Cattaneo follows an Englishman's personal and political awakening after he adopts a little penguin during a cataclysmic period in Argentine's history. He finds the small penguin covered with oil and cleans him up, making a new friend in the process. The main ensemble cast includes Björn Gustafsson, David Herrero, Jonathan Pryce, Vivian El Jaber, Aimar Miranda, Micaela Breque, Tomas Pozzi, and Ramiro Blas. The film played at TIFF and got glowing reviews, a few of which are quoted in this trailer.

As the European Film Market kicks off Feb. 13 in Berlin with a new market head, Tanja Meissner, at the helm, this year’s buzziest titles suggest the industry will be looking toward tried-and-true genre fare and splashy, star-driven packages to thaw the winter chill.

Bankable stars are expected to heat things up in Berlin, with Ari Aster and A24’s “Eddington”, Guy Ritchie’s “Wife & Dog”, Ernest Dickerson’s untitled hitman thriller and Kantemir Balagov’s “Butterfly Jam” showcasing how marquee names remain a safe bet as uncertainty continues to reign in the theatrical market.

On the genre side of things, horror is still expected to scare up sales, with buyers looking to sink their fangs into Isabelle Huppert’s 16th-century vampire mystery “The Blood Countess” and Jacob Chase’s killer canine genre-bender “Bad Boy,” starring Ke Huy Quan and Lili Reinhart. Meanwhile, comedy could be making a comeback,...

The era of the aged action hero continues, with Léon: The Professional star and genre icon Jean Reno the latest star to add his name to the ever-growing roster. Following in the footsteps of Taken star Liam Neeson and The Old Man’s Jeff Bridges, Reno will lead the upcoming revenge thriller, The Butler, which finds the French-Spanish actor starring as a man with a violent past who has turned his life around in the name of service. Of course, his quiet life could never last, and he is soon forced to once again call upon his particular set of skills when his life, and the lives of the family he now buttles for, are threatened. Which sounds very unlike 2013's The Butler starring Forest Whitaker...

The project is all set to be directed by Tom Edmunds (Dead in a Week: Or Your Money Back), working from a script written by Craig McInnes,...

Exclusive: Two-time Oscar nominee John Travolta (Pulp Fiction), Emmy and Tony winner Mandy Patinkin (Homeland), and SAG nominee Dermot Mulroney (August Osage County) have been set to headline JFK thriller November 1963 from two-time Oscar nominee Roland Joffé (The Killing Fields).

K5 International has boarded international sales ahead of next week’s European Film Market in Berlin.

November 1963 unfolds within the intense 48-hour period surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The film sheds light on crime group the Chicago Outfit’s alleged involvement in the assassination and draws directly from first-hand accounts, including insights from the family of crime boss Sam Giancana.

John Travolta will star as Johnny Roselli, a key figure in organized crime and the Outfit’s man on the West Coast and Vegas. Mandy Patinkin will star as Anthony Accardo, a powerful and calculating head of the Chicago Outfit, considered one of the most powerful crime...

Léon: The Professional and Ronin actor Jean Reno is ready to take out the trash in The Butler, an upcoming action thriller from Dead in a Week: Or Your Money Back director Tom Edmunds. According to Variety, the project finds Reno dusting off a twisty revenge tale with over-the-top action and “upstairs/downstairs family drama.” Expect more casting announcements as the feature-length endeavor develops.

The Butler could become a hot ticket at Berlin’s EFM (European Film Market) festival next week, with principal photography arranged in Ireland for the early summer. As an esteemed member of the action genre’s old guard, Jean Reno is always ready to throw down in the face of danger. In The Butler, Reno plays a retired World War I commando who surrendered his fatigues for a quiet and orderly life as a family butler. Still, when mobsters disrupt his tranquil life to collect an unpaid debt,...

Jean Reno is attached to headline the action-thriller “The Butler,” directed by Tom Edmunds (“Dead in a Week: Or Your Money Back”). The stylish period film will deliver a fresh twist on the revenge thriller genre, combining high-octane action with upstairs/downstairs family drama.

Additional casting will be announced shortly.

Daniel Baur’s K5 Intl., whose recent films include Kevin Costner’s “Horizon: An American Saga,” has boarded “The Butler” as its international sales agent and will commence sales at Berlinale’s European Film Market. Principal photography is anticipated to commence in Ireland early summer 2025.

In “The Butler,” Reno takes on the role of a retired World War I commando who has traded a life of violence for the serene routine of a family butler. When mobsters arrive to collect on an unpaid debt, his tranquil world is torn apart, forcing him to confront his past in a pulse-pounding showdown.

Legendary director John Frankenheimer’s penultimate effort, “Ronin” (1998) finds him returning to firm action-thriller footing after the disaster of “The Island of Dr. Moreau” remake. But what’s most interesting about the film is that noted playwright and screenwriter (and director) David Mamet worked as a script doctor. As such, you’re left with an interesting hybrid of wordplay, plotting, and muscular action filmmaking. Frankenheimer, whose career dates to Hollywood’s golden age and who made several interesting and intelligent political thrillers in the 60s and 70s and Mamet’s dialogue-driven formation make a fascinating pairing.

Mamet chose to write under a pseudonym after not receiving sole credit, but his fingerprints are unmistakable all the same as his word plays and sly deconstruction of the action genre plays counterpoint to Frankenheimer’s straightforward presentation. In principle, these two contrasting approaches may have canceled each other out, but while they don’t sit perfectly together,...

Ronin received great reviews when it was released and performed fairly well at the box office but, nearly three decades later, the spy thriller has seemingly faded from the memory of most of the genre's fans. Starring Robert De Niro and Jean Reno, the action movie featured a fun story, full of twists and turns, and excellent performances from the entire cast. It also included some memorable gunfights and a chase scene that rivals classics like those in The French Connection and James Bond films. While it's now been relegated to the status of a hidden gem, it's definitely deserving of being rediscovered by modern audiences.

It may be an older movie, but Ronin continues to hold up, and fans of action movies, thrillers, and spy dramas will all find something to like. Further, it continues to stand out as one of Robert De Niro's best performances. Films like The Godfather Part II,...

Babygirl is climbing a major chart as it nears one full month in theaters. The A24 movie, which was written and directed by Halina Reijn, stars Nicole Kidman as Romy Mathis, a CEO who begins an illicit affair with her intern Samuel (Harris Dickinson) which allows her to explore her repressed sexual desires. The Babygirl release kicked off on Christmas Day and, while it was the third highest-grossing new release of the day behind Nosferatu and A Complete Unknown, it has quickly earned back its $20 million budget in theaters.

Per The Numbers, Babygirl has reached a worldwide gross of $29.3 million as of Friday, January 17. This sees it climbing the chart of the highest-grossing A24 movies of all time, surpassing 2017's The Disaster Artist ($28.72 million) to become the nineteenth best-performing release by the independent studio and distributor. However, it is still quite far from the grosses of the movies at the top of the chart,...

Harris Dickinson, star of A24's erotic drama Babygirl, said there was a particular line in the film he didn't want to say to co-star Nicole Kidman during filming.

During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show (via The Wrap), the actor told the host that he related to his character Samuel's position in the film as a lowly young intern approaching and ultimately dominating powerful CEO Romy, given that he himself is a relative newcomer in the film business sharing such emotionally and physically intimate scenes with a powerhouse actor like Kidman.

"For an intern to do that as well to the boss — that was hard to do, as well," Dickinson said. "Like for me to have to come in and do that to Nicole Kidman, and I was like, well how do I do this?"

Admiring and respecting her as he did, Dickinson revealed that he was worried...

Thanks to Babygirl, Nicole Kidman just crossed a major box office milestone for the first time in nearly two decades. The 2024 release sees Kidman as CEO Romy Mathis as she attempts an affair with Harris Dickinson's Samuel. Babygirl has earned exceptional reviews, with Screen Rant's Alex Harrison describing it as "fascinating to watch" and "calibrated exactly right to its time". It was officially released on December 25, 2024, and has already earned back its $20 million budget.

This movie is a massive success for Kidman, no matter how its run ends. After all, for the first time since Australia (2008), Kidman has earned over $20 million domestically. Her latest movie currently sits at $21.7 million at the domestic box office, as per The Numbers. While she has achieved that total with other projects, including both the Aquaman movies and Paddington (2014), none of those works saw her in a leading role. It is her first...

This review was originally published on August 30, 2024, as a part of our Venice Film Festival coverage.

It's easy to be excited by a thriller, especially an erotic one. The genre is designed to elicit that response in us. But with Babygirl, writer-director Halina Reijn has delivered an erotic thriller so confident and so fully formed that it also left me excited for it. I can't wait to see this movie released in the world. It feels calibrated exactly right to its time.

A high-powered CEO risks everything when she embarks on a passionate and illicit affair with her much younger intern.

Director Halina ReijnRelease Date December 25, 2024Writers Halina ReijnCast Leslie Silva, Anoop Desai, Sophie Wilde, John Cenatiempo, Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Jean Reno, Antonio BanderasGenres Mystery, Thriller, CrimeRuntime 114 Minutes

It's undoubtedly a discourse grenade – or, rather, a pathogen. Babygirl sees Romy (Nicole Kidman), a high-powered CEO who is sexually dissatisfied with her otherwise happy marriage,...

Avatar and MCU star Zoe Saldana takes the lead in a divisive action thriller from 2011, which is due to land on Netflix in the new year. Not only does the movie find the Guardians of the Galaxy actor at the forefront, it was co-written and produced by controversial Taken and The Fifth Element filmmaker Luc Besson, and helmed by Transporter 3 and Taken 2 director Olivier Megaton. So, it has quite the action movie pedigree, if not the critical response to back it up.

Co-written and produced by Luc Besson and directed by Olivier Megaton, the action outing is titled Colombiana and stars Zoe Saldaña alongside the likes of Michael Vartan, Cliff Curtis, Lennie James, Callum Blue, and Jordi Mollà. Colombiana is all set to hit Netflix in the new year on January 1, and could make the perfect post-New Year’s Eve viewing. You can check out the official synopsis below.

The Babygirl release will follow a typical route from theaters to digital to streaming. The 2024 erotic thriller was written and directed by Halina Reijn (Bodies Bodies Bodies) and features an ensemble cast that includes Oscar winner Nicole Kidman, Oscar nominee Antonio Banderas, two-time BAFTA nominee Harris Dickinson, and rising star Sophie Wilde.

Early Babygirl reviews, many of which came out of its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in August, have earned the movie a solidly Fresh score of 89% on the review aggregator web site Rotten Tomatoes. While it has not yet been officially Certified Fresh on the platform, it seems highly likely to earn that honor as more reviews are added, even though that could also cause its score to fluctuate somewhat. Because it is a buzzy awards season release, it will eventually be available to screen in a variety of venues.

Related Babygirl Cast & Character Guide: Who...

Last year was unforgettable when it came to the movies that were released. July alone will always be remembered for “Barbenheimer,” but that was just one chapter in 2023’s impressive list of highlights. 2024 instantly had the tough task of living up to the previous calendar year, but the world of movies hasn’t disappointed. While there have been some surprises at the box office, 2024 has featured some great quality films in theaters and on streaming.

Among 2024’s best of the best are a few franchise sequels, some fantastic original stories, and even a prequel that didn’t dominate the box office but deserves praise nonetheless. As we’ve learned time and time again, some of the best movies aren’t blockbusters. Whether they are streaming gems or indie titles that require digging deeper to find, it’s always worth considering movies of all sizes. Therefore, the team at Screen Rant...

In a pairing that initially seems odd but eventually makes total sense, Variety reports that rapper, actor, and media personality Snoop Dogg will star in and co-produce director Luc Besson's upcoming film The Last Man. The new movie is said to be a comedic sci-fi adventure in the vein of The Fifth Element, Besson's 1997 blockbuster starring Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, and Gary Oldman. As of this writing, no other casting decisions have been made.

Besson and Snoop first collaborated on the 2006 live-action-animated hybrid film Arthur and the Invisibles, in which the latter voiced the character Max. According to Besson, the pair have been eager to team up on a new project ever since.

Related Luc Besson's 10 Best Movies, Ranked

From action to sci-fi to crime thrillers, these 10 movies offer a glimpse into what makes Besson's storytelling so entertaining and thought-provoking.

"I’ve been a big fan of Snoop Dogg...

Film Bridge International has added Sidhartha Mallya (“Mafia Wars”) to the cast of “Thrill Ride,” with production scheduled to commence in the U.K. during the first quarter of 2025.

The thriller, helmed by Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura from a script by Chad Law (“Lights Out”) and Christopher Jolley (“Granny Krampus”), follows a group of passengers trapped upside down on a roller coaster when a mysterious saboteur threatens to drop them to their deaths one by one. Mallya steps into the role of Trey.

During the American Film Market, Film Bridge International landed several distribution deals, with Volga Films taking Cis and Benelux territories, and Falcon Films securing the Middle East. Signature acquired U.K. rights during the Cannes Film Market. Additional territory sales are pending announcement.

Mallya, who recently appeared alongside Tom Welling and Cam Gigandet in “Mafia Wars,” is represented by Untitled Entertainment and Carey Dodd Associates in the U.

Only 1 in 5 people have dyslexia, yet nearly half of everyone incarcerated suffers from the learning disability. Those ratios don’t match, and a new documentary, “Left Behind,” aims to address the dyslexia problem at its source: the public school system.

IndieWire can exclusively share the trailer for “Left Behind,” which Abramorama is releasing in theaters on January 17, 2025. The film follows a group of New York City mothers who band together to try and form a school dedicated to helping kids specifically struggling with dyslexia. It shows the journey of the moms who established the The South Bronx Literacy Academy in NYC, which helps open additional schools and programs for kids struggling to read, as well as testing for students to diagnose dyslexia.

One such concerned parent who has been moved by the work of the Literacy Academy is Larry Mullen Jr., the drummer from U2. His child also suffers from dyslexia,...

"Is life always this hard, or is it just when you're a kid??" Madman has revealed their brand new re-release trailer for the action classic Leon: The Professional, written & directed by Luc Besson, first released in late 1994. Also known as just The Professional in the US, this has gone on to become a cult classic with a ton of fans who absolutely love it. Celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year, Madman is releasing a new Blu-ray 4K Special Edition for anyone to add to their shelves. 12-year-old Mathilda is reluctantly taken in by Leon, a professional assassin, after her family is killed. An unusual relationship forms as she becomes his protégé and learns the assassin’s trade with him. This stars Jean Reno as Léon, Natalie Portman as Mathilda, Gary Oldman, Danny Aiello, Michael Badalucco, & Ellen Greene. I always like the little plant she has. Roger Ebert originally gave it...

Known for his creative flair and business acumen as much as for his talent for throwing the best parties, French entrepreneur and producer Pascal Breton is celebrating a milestone in the 11-year history of his Paris-based Federation Studios. That is the launch of “The Agency,” the anticipated U.S. remake of “Le Bureau des Legendes” starring Michael Fassbender, which Federation executive produced alongside George Clooney and is co-distributing internationally with Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Federation Studios previously sold Eric Rochant’s smash hit spy series “Le Bureau des Legendes” widely, but retained the IP, allowing the outfit to make a lucrative deal with Paramount for the remake and remain in the picture as co-distributor and executive producer.

A disruptor at heart, Breton was vying for a career in academics after getting a PhD in political science with a prophetic thesis about how television has changed the rules of political life.

Nicole Kidman stars in an upcoming erotic thriller from the director of 2022’s Bodies Bodies Bodies. Here’s the trailer for Babygirl:

Fans of grown-up cinema releases are about to hit something of a dry spell over Christmas once Edward Berger’s Conclave is released at the end of this month. Still, the beginning of January 2025 heralds a new year and plenty of films with mature themes and ideas to get excited about. One of them is Babygirl, an erotic thriller that comes courtesy of A24. Nicole Kidman will be joined by Triangle Of Sadness’ Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas alongside Jean Reno and Sophie Wilde, star of 2022’s horror breakout, Talk To Me.

The film will be directed by Halina Reijn, who was behind 2022’s sharp horror satire, Bodies Bodies Bodies. This looks to be something of a genre shift for Reijn, but we’re hoping Babygirl can realise...

A24 has just released the trailer for Babygirl — an intense and unconventional erotic thriller that plays with power struggle, consent, grooming, and coercion. Our own Chris Bumbray enjoyed the provocative film at TIFF this year, saying in his review, “It’s controversial, but it’s also one of the sexier films to come along in recent memory. Kidman deserves major praise for her consistent refusal to play it safe as an actress.”

Babygirl stars Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos), Antonio Banderas (Desperado), Harris Dickinson (The Iron Claw), Sophie Wilde (Talk to Me), and Jean Reno (Léon: The Professional). Babygirl will cheekily be released in theaters just in time for Christmas viewings, giving it a December 25 release date. That’s the same weekend Disney is releasing Mufasa, Paramount is releasing Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and Angel Studios is releasing the faith-based post-apocalyptic film Homestead.

Reijn directed Babygirl from a screenplay she wrote herself.