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Two out-of-work actors set out to stage a rendition of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet inside the world of Grand Theft Auto in this hilariously poignant documentary. Here’s our Grand Theft Hamlet review.

Here are two things that don’t normally go together: Grand Theft Auto and Shakespeare. At first glance, the Bard’s poetic words might feel out of place in the violent works of GTA, but in Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls’ Grand Theft Hamlet, the two go together like peas and carrots.

In January 2021, while the world was still ravaged by the pandemic, Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen stumbled on an amphitheatre in Grand Theft Auto Online. Actors by trade, both were out of work, and with seemingly no hope on the horizon, GTA provided them with some much-needed escapism.

So naturally, the men decide to stage a performance of Hamlet inside the game. Crane’s filmmaker...

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Is there really such a thing as a perfect work of art? If you subscribe to the notion that everything man-made is inherently flawed in some aspect, then no -- though you've quite the uphill climb if you're looking to find fault with Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," William Shakespeare's "Hamlet," or Prince's "Little Red Corvette."

But perfection isn't strictly a judgment of nuts-and-bolts craftsmanship. It's a spiritual thing. And some works of art just feel flawless. This is particularly true of movies. Unless you're the kind of dullard who walks into a movie looking for continuity errors as stinging evidence of artistic shortcoming, you know that a movie that stirs you to the core of your being is a kind of ineffable achievement. It is perfect in every way to you, and that's all that matters.

This year’s edition of Tallinn Black Nights included a generous number of films from Asia across all sections of its vast programme. One of the titles that steered controversy due to its sensitive topic was Hou Dasheng‘s drama “Hani“, shot in the mountains near the China-Myanmar border, in Burmese and Mandarin language. The story follows the eponymous teen’s attempt to marry his love-interest – a 12-year-old girl by the name of Pushiha (Pu Juan). The wannabe groom (Gao Xiaokang), named after the people who inhabit the region, is only 14. Those two numbers are the source of many questions surrounding the plot line. Almost five centuries after William Shakespeare’s tragedy “Romeo and Juliet”, this starting point comes with a bag of problems in an era where the attempts to set an end to child marriages in certain parts of the world still occupies human right activists. The impression...

When Amy Heckerling scored a teen comedy hit in 1995 with "Clueless" by working from the Jane Austen's 1816 novel "Emma," Hollywood figured there might be a potential goldmine in youth-skewing films based on classic works of fiction. Gil Junger certainly found this to be the case with "10 Things I Hate About You," his high school-set take on William Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew," while Robert Iscove scored a box office hit with his "Pygmalion" riff "She's All That." So it wasn't all that shocking when Roger Kumble found intrigue and no shortage of sex appeal via "Cruel Intentions," his scheming rich kids reworking of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' "Les Liaisons dangereuses."

Why did the film work so well? Columbia Pictures' willingness to release the film with an R rating allowed Kumble to push much further with the sensuality. He also had an absolute juggernaut of a young cast in Sarah Michelle Gellar,...

From her feature film debut in Gillian Armstrong's 1994 adaptation of "Little Women" through the mid-2000s, Claire Danes was one of Hollywood's more visible "It" girls, appearing as the lead or the co-lead in about two dozen high-profile studio movies. In just a few years, Danes went from obscurity to the A-list. She made a habit of working with known filmmakers or associating with well-known properties. She was in Baz Luhrman's "Romeo + Juliet," Oliver Stone's "U-Turn," and Francis Ford Coppola's "The Rainmaker," as well as a film adaptation of "Les Misérables" and an update of "The Mod Squad." One cannot underestimate her ubiquity throughout the 1990s.

She might've been even more visible, too, had Danes accepted an offer to play Rose DeWitt Bukater in James Cameron's "Titanic."

In "Romeo + Juliet," Danes played Juliet opposite Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo. The film is a high-octane, ultra-modern...

This article contains spoilers for "Gladiator II."

There's a school of thought that all modern forms of drama have their origin in the works of William Shakespeare. While the people who would claim this are most likely devotees of the Bard's works, they do have a point, insofar as the sheer enduring popularity of Shakespeare's plays has kept them relevant for centuries and, thus, highly influential. Even though Shakespeare's use of Iambic Pentameter remains preserved in amber (thus confounding generations of high school students and theatergoers alike), the characterizations, tone, and plotting exhibited in so many of his classics continue to crop up in the most unlikely of places. Heck, his play "Much Ado About Nothing" just got reimagined into a rom-com box office hit in the form of last year's "Anyone But You."

On the whole, Shakespeare's history plays are less known and less popular than his comedies like "Much Ado,...

Bobby Bedi, one of India’s most successful film producers, unveiled a powerful multinational production slate ranging from dance documentary to soaring fantasy.

Speaking at a private event on the sidelines of the International Film Festival of India, in Goa, Bedi introduced “Mudras,” the journey of a Spanish dancer who travels to India in the 1980s and finds her form and identity in a blend of Flamenco, Bharat Natyam and Kathakali. More than 20 years later, the woman’s daughter makes a similar journey but emerges with very different results.

Currently in post-production the feature documentary produced is by Bedi and Anna Saura through Bedi’s Contentflow Studios, with Bedi and Maria Salgado co-directing. Bedi described the film as “a story of two ladies, two countries two cultures and two generations, exploring dance, exploring themselves and discovering themselves.”

The company is in pre-production on “Bandit Queen MP,” a title that builds...

Something Star Trek: Lower Decks does quite well is take characters and ideas from previous iterations of Star Trek and breathe new life into them with a new perspective. In "Of Gods and Angles," we see just that.

Episode summary (spoilers ahead)

This week on Lower Decks, the Cerritos is hosting peace talks between two photonic species, the Orbs and the Cubes. Amid the negotiations, Commander Ransom and Captain Freeman discuss their issues with Ensign Olly, who seems to cause constant problems. Of course, Beckett Mariner sees some of herself in Ensign Olly and volunteers to help her integrate with the crew.

Mariner also learns that Olly is the granddaughter of Zeus. This Zeus being an alien related to Apollo, who was introduced in the second season of the original Star Trek in the episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?" Olly claims not to have powers, however, and she and Mariner are assigned to babysit Quadralon,...

Physical media collectors, take note. The Criterion Collection has announced six new Blu-ray releases coming in February 2025, including titles from some of today’s most beloved auteurs and one famously elusive late-career work from a French New Wave legend.

The slate is headlined by Jean-Luc Godard’s “King Lear,” an essential work from the “Breathless” director’s experimental period that has long been unavailable to own or stream. The film uses William Shakespeare’s tragedy as a jumping off point for a postmodern riff on art in a world decimated by the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown. While it shares little DNA with the actual play that shares its name, “King Lear” contains some of the most striking imagery of Godard’s filmography, including the director himself donning a Rastafarian wig made entirely of electrical cables. The nonlinear film is a pastiche of influences, references, and ideas that stands out to many...

It’s always fun when a villain returns to a soap, especially a wacky one. Fans have enjoyed Louise Sorel’s character, Vivian Alamain, popping in a few times in the last few years on Days of Our Lives because she’s always got some crazy scheme going on. Now, Sorel opened up about one of Vivian’s most iconic moments, which was more disturbing than funny, and how that came to be.

To Jig, or Not to Jig

As if Vivian wasn’t nutty enough to begin with, in 1993, when she was under the influence of some herbs, she had her nemesis Carly (Crystal Chappell) buried alive in a coffin that was outfitted with oxygen, lights, and a walkie-talkie. She eventually came to her senses and told Lawrence (Michael Sabatino) about it, and he quickly rescued Carly.

“I was very grateful for that and that they allowed it to happen,...

A new remake of 1956’s sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet is officially in the works at Warner Bros. Read more about those plans below.

A new version of Forbidden Planet, Fred M. Wilcox’s 1956 sci-fi film, is in the works at Warner Bros, Deadline has revealed.

The film is set to be written by Brian K. Vaughan, a TV and comic-book writer who has penned several episodes of Lost as well as comic-books such as Y: The Last Man, Ex_Machina and Marvel’s Runaways. Emma Watts is in the producer’s chair and has previously worked on sci-fi films such as Avatar, Alita: Battle Angel and I, Robot.

The original film, which starred Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, and Leslie Nielsen, followed the crew of a starship who set out to find out what happened to a previous expedition on the planet Altair IV. Once they get there, they discover only two survivors...

Season 1, Episode 85 of Euro Arts, titled “Waldbühne 2014,” airs on Saturday, November 23, 2024, at 6:00 Am on UPtv. This episode features a captivating Philharmonic concert at the renowned Waldbühne, a venue that traditionally marks the end of the music season. The performance showcases two powerful pieces by Tchaikovsky: the “Tempest Symphonic Fantasy” and the “Fantasy Overture” from Romeo and Juliet. Both compositions are inspired by the timeless works of William Shakespeare, bringing a blend of drama and elegance to the stage.

As the orchestra performs, viewers are treated to a spectacular display of music, where Tchaikovsky’s skillful orchestration brings Shakespeare’s stories to life through rich, emotional melodies. The concert’s setting at Waldbühne, an iconic outdoor venue in Berlin, adds to the magic of the performance, making it a must-see for classical music fans. Euro Arts continues to provide viewers with extraordinary access to world-class performances, and this episode is no exception,...

In a thrilling update for sci-fi enthusiasts, Warner Bros. has announced plans to remake the 1956 film ‘Forbidden Planet,’ according to Deadline.

This ambitious project will see comic book writer Brian K. Vaughan, celebrated for his work on titles like ‘Saga’ and ‘Y: The Last Man,’ leading the charge with a fresh script that promises a new take on the original story.

The production will be helmed by Emma Watts, a veteran producer known for her work on major films such as ‘I, Robot’ and ‘Avatar.’ Watts’ experience with visually stunning and complex sci-fi films makes her a perfect fit for reviving this classic.

‘Forbidden Planet’ is a creative retelling of William Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest,’ set in the distant reaches of space.

The story follows Captain John J. Adams and his crew as they explore Altair IV to uncover the fate of a previous mission. They encounter Dr. Edward Morbius,...

Somewhere around the end of the first trimester of the year 2020, the entire world abruptly halted due to a pandemic. This sudden stop in our daily routines—professional, personal, or otherwise—offered a welcome respite, allowing us to take a moment to breathe deeply and reset, either to continue our regular lives or to change altogether. However, this worldwide catastrophe and the confinement it entailed also caused many struggles, both personal and interpersonal, as the interruption of every and all activity meant the termination of the human workforce who could no longer fulfill their responsibilities in the new home-office modality.

The arts also suffered because of this. Particularly those that require mass attendance, namely theater, film, and music concerts, causing production delays, postponing scheduled events, or simply resigning to seeing a project be totally scrapped regardless of how advanced it was in its making. British theater director Simon Godwin was...

Denzel Washington made his feature film debut over 40 years ago in 1981’s “Carbon Copy” and in the decades since has played everyone from real-life public figures such as civil rights activist Malcolm X and wrongly imprisoned boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter to crooked cops like Alonzo in “Training Day” and Joe Deacon in “The Little Things” to even William Shakespeare‘s most famed villain, Macbeth, in “The Tragedy of Macbeth.” His latest villainous turn is for the 2024 Ridley Scott sequel “Gladiator II.”

For his prolific nature and exemplary work, Washington has received numerous awards: he snagged his first Oscar nomination for 1987’s “Cry Freedom” and won his first Oscar two years later for 1989’s “Glory.” Twelve years after that, Washington made history when “Training Day” made him the first Black actor since Sidney Poitier (“Lilies of the Field” in 1963) to win in the Best Actor category. How much longer will he...

Six acclaimed production designers take us behind the scenes of their set designs to reveal what they love about their craft.

In an exclusive video roundtable interview with Gold Derby as part of our “Meet the Experts: TV Production Designers” panel, Mark Steel (“The Boys”), Jamie Walker McCall (“Doctor Odyssey”), Toni Barton (“Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist”), Mara LePere-Schloop (“Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire”), Claire Bennett (“Nobody Wants This”), and Jon Carlos (“Palm Roayle”) discuss their love of craft and how production design is all about problem solving. Watch the full roundtable above. Click on each person’s name to watch an individual chat.

Lepere-Schloop who had to design coffins and battlefields for vampires reveals, “all of us would do vastly different things on every project. But, at the heart, we are all problem solvers. You just figure out different ways to come to different visual conclusions.

As the great William Shakespeare himself once wrote, "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players." With their innovative, BIFA 2024-nominated documentary Grand Theft Hamlet, Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls take the Bard at his word as they chronicle Crane and fellow out of work actor Mark Oosterveen's madcap attempt to stage a production of Danish tragedy Hamlet within the unforgiving, unpredictable world of Grand Theft Auto Online. Part comedy goldmine, part poignant document of life — and the arts' existential crisis — during lockdown, this is one of those real seeing-is-believing type deals. Check out an Empire exclusive first look trailer for the movie below:

With its po-faced "To be or not to be"s, contemplative Jamie Perera piano score, and luscious vistas, you could be forgiven for thinking that we've all been duped, that Grand Theft Hamlet is in fact a live-action adaptation of Willy Shakes' tragic masterwork.

Denzel Washington is set to head to Wakanda as he reveals that Ryan Coogler is writing a part for him in Black Panther 3.

As we reach the release of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II – a long anticipated follow-up to his classic 2000 film – Denzel Washington, who plays Macrinus in the sequel, has been chatting about what he might be up to next. One of those upcoming gigs, he says, is a part in Marvel sequel Black Panther 3.

Despite reports that Washington is ready to wind down his career as an actor, he’s currently busier than ever. He will shortly be playing William Shakespeare’s Othello on the Broadway stage, a role he first played aged 22. According to Deadline, Washington has confirmed several of his upcoming film projects.

“At this point in my career, I’m only interested in working with the best,” he said. “I don’t know how many...

DC Studios co-ceo and co-chairman James Gunn has a lot on his shoulders. The writer, director, and producer is in charge of the new cinematic DC Universe (along with fellow co-ceo and co-chairman Peter Safran), and his upcoming "Superman" film is going to be the catalyst to kick it all off. Gunn's "Superman," starring David Corenswet as the titular Kryptonian, has to work for audiences and get people hooked on this new cinematic universe fast, as many of the DC characters (including Superman) will be entering the public domain in the next decade or two. Gunn previously wrote and directed "The Suicide Squad" in 2021, showing audiences what his unique voice could look like using DC Comics characters, and without many of the constraints of working within the other major comics super-franchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Gunn's "Guardians of the Galaxy" films are a lot of colorful fun, but with...

“Shrek” director Vicky Jenson celebrated the premiere of her new Netflix film “Spellbound,” the second animated feature from John Lasseter-led Skydance Animation, in New York City on Monday November 11. The story stars Rachel Zegler, Javier Bardem, and Nicole Kidman in a fairy tale that takes place in the mythical kingdom of Lumbria as Princess Ellian embarks on “an invigorating quest” to break the spell.

Bardem has had quite a busy last couple of months following the September premiere of Ryan Murphy’s “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.” Following the buzz from the show, the famous true crime case got a viral amount of attention nearly 30 years since the brothers were sentenced. On October 24, the Los Angeles district attorney recommended that Lyle and Erik Menendez be resentenced after being convicted of murdering their parents over three decades ago.

“Well, I think the reaction has been big,” Bardem told IndieWire.

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We talk a lot around here about the best episodes of "The Twilight Zone," an influential and heartfelt show that perfected the moralizing genre story more than half a century ago. There's no shortage of great episodes of Rod Serling's fantastical anthology series, from still-timely political allegories like "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" to innovative twist-filled tales like "The After Hours" and "Eye of the Beholder" to episodes with great punchlines, like "Time Enough at Last" (which was Serling's personal favorite) and "To Serve Man." When it comes to the question of which "Twilight Zone" episode is the best one, there are a dozen or more correct answers, but there's another question worth asking that's equally loaded: what is the single worst episode of "The Twilight Zone"?

You probably have an answer to this question in mind already.

All of us here at Bloody Disgusting are devastated to learn that horror icon Tony Todd, the legendary actor who played the title character in Candyman (1992) and its sequels, passed away on November 6 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 69. Deadline first reported the news.

The prolific actor amassed more than 240 film and TV credits spanning his four decade career. While the actor’s big break came when he was cast in Oliver Stone’s 1986 Vietnam War epic Platoon, he would secure his name in the genre pantheon just a few short years later.

Todd starred in Tom Savini’s 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead as Ben, the role played by Duane Jones in George A. Romero’s iconic 1968 original. Todd’s warm, commanding performance was one of the primary reasons this remake was so successful and it was a precursor to his turn as Candyman. Despite...

Stardom came quickly for Anne Hathaway when she first began her career. After one season on an unsuccessful sitcom, Hathaway found herself cast as the star of Garry Marshall’s film “The Princess Diaries.” It was kind of a case of art imitating life since in the film a young high school girl finds out she is really a princess and is launched into the public eye.

The same thing pretty much happened to Hathaway. The acting bug was in her system since after all she was named after the wife of William Shakespeare and her mother was a former actress who gave up her career to raise a family. In one great coincidence, her mom’s last role before motherhood was in a national touring company of “Les Misérables.” In that production she was an understudy for the role of Fantine, the doomed factory worker turned prostitute who sings...

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Glen Powell has quickly become one of Hollywood’s most prominent rising stars. After his charismatic performance in Top Gun: Maverick and Twisters, his fans have declared him the next Tom Cruise. In a time when people mostly agree that most movie stars have died out, Powell has made a career that is pretty similar to a movie star. So, if you love Powell’s brilliant performances and charismatic characters, you should check out these 7 best movies starring Glen Powell right now.

7. Anyone But You (Netflix & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Sony Pictures

Anyone But You is a romantic comedy film directed by Will Gluck who also co-wrote the screenplay with Ilana Wolpert. Based on William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, the 2023 film follows Bea and Ben, who hate each other’s guts despite having a good...

Denzel Washington‘s acting career has come full circle. Does this signal the conclusion of 42 years spent in the spotlight? When director Ridley Scott approached the 69-year-old about starring in Gladiator II, Washington could not turn down the chance to work with the esteemed director on the epic sequel set in Ancient Rome. As Denzel shines in one of his more acrimonious roles, he’s hinted at retirement.

Will Denzel Washington retire from acting after ‘Gladiator II’? Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington at a ‘Gladiator II’ press conference during the 2024 Tokyo International Film Festival | Mila Gruber/Getty Images

Denzel Washington stars in Gladiator II as Macrinus, a wealthy arms dealer who will do whatever it takes to become emperor. Set more than 20 years after the death of Russell Crowe’s Maximus in Gladiator, the sequel follows Lucius (Paul Mescal), one of Macrinus’s gladiators and mentees, who he employs to battle in the famed Colosseum.

David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin will return in for Ludwig series 2. More news can be found below these words.

David Mitchell has become a familiar face in UK comedy, whether trying to discern who’s telling the truth in Would I Lie To You? or as the uptight Mark Corrigan alongside long time comedy partner Robert Webb in Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain’s Peep Show.

He also took on the role of William Shakespeare in Ben Elton’s sitcom Upstart Crow, and reprised the role for a stage adaptation that opened in 2020 and then again when the play was restaged in 2022.

Just as Alan Davies took a left turn from stand-up comedy to drama in David Renwick’s superb Jonathan Creek, Mitchell recently moved into the realm of crime drama to play the title role in six part BBC series Ludwig.

Anna Maxwell Martin co-stars as Lucy Betts-Taylor,...

Othello, one of the greatest tragedy tales by William Shakespeare, is all set to return to the stages once again through Broadway. Set in Venice and Cyprus, it is widely regarded among the mastermind author’s major tragedies as it brings about the titular Moorish military commander’s story as he is manipulated by his ensign, Iago, into suspecting his wife Desdemona of infidelity.

Of course, as famous as it is, there have been innumerable other iterations of this play over the years. Multiple different star-studded actors have joined the cast of the same, and given epic performances that they continue to be renowned for. And now that Broadway is reviving the saga, a cast of critically applauded actors has once again united to give the performance of a lifetime.

Othello revival on Broadway. | Credits: @othellobway / Ig.

This time around, some of the major names connected to the cast are Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal,...

Actor says he took books after applying to acting school to impress a girl, but he now refuses to perform in Bard’s plays

Bill Nighy once stole the complete works of William Shakespeare from a library to help him get into drama school – but says he now refuses to perform the playwright’s work onstage.

The Love Actually actor said he took the books after applying to the Guildford School of Acting to impress a girl. Given an audition, he had to prepare two pieces – one from a modern playwright and the other from Shakespeare.

This is certainly the blurst of times.

The infinite monkey theorem states that a monkey hitting keys at random on a typewriter for an infinite amount of time will “almost surely” type any given text eventually, including the complete works of William Shakespeare or an original novel that has the potential to become the best-selling book of all time. The first recorded mention of this mathematical concept came from French mathematician Émile Borel in 1913, but the first megalomaniacal multi-millionaire to attempt to turn the infinite monkey theorem into a business model was Montgomery Burns in the 1993 all-time classic Simpsons episode “Last Exit to Springfield.”

Since Burns’ time on this Earth isn’t quite infinite (despite the fact that he was born when the only continent was Pangea), he attempted to speed up the process by chaining 1,000 chain-smoking monkeys to 1,000 typewriters in hopes that they could complete “the greatest novel known...

Quick ViewNYT Connections Words for Tuesday, October 29New York Times Connections Hints Today for October 29Additional Nyt Connections Hints for TodayNYT Connections Groups Today for October 29New York Times Connections Answers Today for October 29

If you are looking for The New York Times Connections hints today for October 29, you have come to the right place. Connections may seem simple on the surface and much easier than what the Nyt did with Wordle, but players who have actually checked it out know that is just not the case.

Despite having all of the words available, arranging them in different categories can prove to be quite challenging.

For the uninitiated, Connections is an online word game by Nyt that provides the player with 16 different words, which may not seem like they are connected to one another at first glance, but they have more in common than one might think.

The objective is...

Readers who regularly follow Gold Derby’s Oscar predictions may have noticed a movie quietly working its way up the ranks in various categories. That movie is “Conclave,” an adaptation of Robert Harris‘s best-selling 2016 novel, which was released nationwide by Focus Features on Friday, October 25. So now seems like a good time to look at which categories “Conclave” can thrive in.

Directed by Edward Berger (“All Quiet on the Western Front“), the movie follows Ralph Fiennes‘s Cardinal Lawrence, who has taken on the less than envious task of running the elections to select a new pope after the previous pontiff dies suddenly. Many cardinals are in the running, and some even want Lawrence to take on that lofty role, until someone lurking in the shadows begins revealing dirt on the candidates.

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To judge from the electric response of the youthful audience at the Sam Gold-helmed production of Romeo + Juliet, the casting of Rachel Zegler and Kit Connor as William Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers will be enough to persuade their fans that this story is dope Af. It’s not hard to imagine teens, having just watched Connor’s Romeo dangle in the air from Juliet’s suspended bed before doing a pull-up to hoist himself up to kiss her, begging their drama teachers to stage a Shakespeare tragedy this spring instead of, say, Clue.

In Gold’s previous Shakespeare outings on Broadway—2019’s Glenda Jackson-headlined King Lear and 2022’s Macbeth, starring Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga—you really had to know the plays well to have any idea of what was going on. While critics cited the incoherence of their abstractions, I found much to relish in the...

The British Independent Film Awards (Bifas) has unveiled the documentary and international film longlists for its 2024 ceremony, with films including in-videogame title Grand Theft Hamlet and Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner Anora.

Grand Theft Hamlet is on the 12-strong best feature documentary list. The film is the debut feature from directorial duo Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane; it premiered at SXSW this year and was recently acquired for a UK-Ireland theatrical release. It follows two struggling actors who find solace from lockdown isolation by staging William Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the online Grand Theft Auto game.

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Honestly, it's amazing that the original "Star Trek" cast managed to do six movies together. The Enterprise crew were already middle-aged when they first reassembled in 1979 for "Star Trek: The Motion Picture." Then the 1982 sequel "The Wrath of Khan" made it text that Captain Kirk didn't feel as young as he used to. Yet they all kept returning for nine more years.

They didn't quite make it to "Star Trek Xii: So Very Tired," but they got halfway there. "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" was definitely not the ending of all "Trek," but it was for the original cast. It was conceived that way, hence the ending where the Enterprise is set for decommission and Jim Kirk, in his final captain's log, says it's time for the next generation to have its moment in the sun.

Since making this film capped off a journey that began in 1966, the cast did a special commemoration.

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The most romantic season of the year is finally here and as the temperature cools down, Netflix has the perfect way to bring the heat. We are talking about its collection of spicy romantic comedy movies featuring salacious scenes and a lot of hilarious comedy. So, here are the best R-rated romantic comedy movies on Netflix you should check out right now.

Plus One Credit – Rlje Films

Plus One is a romantic comedy film written and directed by Jeff Chan and Andrew Rhymer. The 2019 film follows Ben King and Alice Mori, who have been friends since college and now that everybody around them is getting married they make a pact to attend the weddings together instead of being alone. Soon they start falling for each other but their wildly different personalities get in the way. Plus One stars...

Fresh off his West End turn leading William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” Tom Holland is ready to hit the ground running, debuting a brand-new non-alcoholic beer alongside his girlfriend and co-star Zendaya and providing a small update on development of the much-anticipated fourth entry in the MCU’s “Spider-Man” franchise. Speaking in a recent interview on the “Rich Roll Podcast,” Holland explained how he’s making “Spider-Man 4” a priority, especially in regards to his creative involvement.

“We have a creative and we have a pitch, and a draft which is excellent,” said Holland. “It needs work, but the writers are doing a great job. I read it three weeks ago and it really lit a fire in me. Zendaya and I sat down and read it together and we at times were bouncing around the living room like this is a real movie worthy of the fans’ respect,...

“I couldn’t possibly comment,” laughs Dame Pippa Harris when Deadline asks the British producer if she recognizes any colleagues among the hideous and hilarious characters in her latest series, The Franchise. Armando Iannucci’s HBO satire, going behind the scenes of a stodgy superhero franchise known as Tecto, has something for everyone who feels even slightly disenfranchised working inside the film and TV content machine.

There’s Richard E Grant’s Peter, an anti-woke thesp who is equal parts pompous and tempestuous as he embodies Tecto’s nemesis. Or what about Eric? Daniel Brühl’s deep-thinking director, who says things like, “The day hath come when the suits flutter down from the trees,” when executives visit set. Talking of whom, Pat Shannon (Darren Goldstein) is a sharply observed monster of a studio boss, who has no shame in intimidating toiling underlings at the alter of a washroom urinal.

‘The Franchise...

In news forcing us to deploy the word "machinima" in serious conversation, even though it's 2024, Mubi announced today that it's picking up distribution of SXSW winner Grand Theft Hamlet. Directed by Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane, the film is a documentary about two out of-work actors who, during the Covid-19 lockdowns,...

After facing a monumental leak in 2022, Rockstar Games ended up giving us our first look at Grand Theft Auto 6 with an epic trailer in December 2024. The 1-minute and 33-second trailer for GTA 6 went on to create history, being viewed well over 213 million times at the time of writing.

Someone has made an entire Hamlet film in GTA 5 before Rockstar even gave us GTA 6. (Image via Rockstar)

We’re almost approaching the trailer’s one-year anniversary, and Rockstar is still radio-silent about the next reveal. While gamers are desperate to see more of GTA 6, things are getting unhinged for its predecessor, GTA 5, as somehow, William Shakespeare’s Hamlet has found its way to the title.

Grand Theft Hamlet– a Movie Shot Entirely in GTA 5

Grand Theft Hamlet is about as crazy of a blend the title would make you believe. It’s a documentary that presents the life of Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen,...

Chicago – One of the greatest superhero movies of all time is about to get the “Super Emx” treatment. “Superman II” will be presented on the largest screen in Illinois, at the Emagine Batavia on October 11th, 2024, and will feature a two day event with Sarah Douglas, who portrayed Phantom Zone villain Ursa. For tickets and details, click Superman.

“Superman” (1978) and “Superman II” (1980) were filmed simultaneously by director Richard Donner. British actor Sarah Douglas portrayed the icy Kryptonian Ursa, a villain who was banished in the first Superman film to the “Phantom Zone” in space, imprisoning her and two colleagues (Terrance Stamp as General Zod and Jack O’Halloran as the mute Non). In “Superman II,” the detainees break free of the Zone and wreak havoc on earth, the new home planet of Superman (Christopher Reeve). When shooting pick ups for the second film, Richard Donner was summarily fired and replaced by director Richard Lester,...

Ariana Grande is to earworms what the bees are to honey—simply inseparable. After enchanting audiences as a child star, she skyrocketed to become one of the modern pop music scene’s true luminaries. But fame, as they say, is a double-edged sword. While her success has filled her coffers with the envy of nearly all mere mortals, dealing with the downsides of celebrity has been a horse of a different color.

Ariana Grande in Wicked (2024) | Credit: Universal Pictures

Grande is now stepping into the shimmering shoes of Glinda the Good Witch in the eagerly awaited film adaptation of Wicked. But here’s the rub—amidst all the fanfare and excitement, a tempest is brewing over a so-called “voice change”, sparking a fiery debate among her legion of fans and critics.

Ariana Grande’s Voice Change Debate: Criticism? What Criticism?

Ariana Grande, poised to sprinkle some enchantment in the upcoming film adaptation of Wicked,...

Dame Maggie Smith was many things. Hilarious and tragic. Elegant and aloof. Enchanting and deadly serious. Most will attribute their appreciation of her multiple-generation spanning career to roles in the “Harry Potter” or “Sister Act” franchises or perhaps “Downton Abbey,” which elevated her fame to a level she often spoke disdainfully of. For Smith was not an actress who was in it for the red carpets or accolades — though she received many, including two Oscars, five Baftas, four Emmys, and a Tony — but rather treated acting as a sturdy profession, one that required of her the utmost presence while on set or stage.

Beginning her career in the early 1950s, she played Viola in William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” at The Oxford Playhouse, followed later by roles in “As You Like It” and “The Merry Wives of Windsor” at London’s famed Old Vic theater. She rose to prominence on...

Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has teamed with Tony and Olivier Award-winning directors Steven Hoggett and Christine Jones to create a contemporary adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet scored by Radiohead’s 2003 album Hail to the Thief.

Titled Hamlet Hail To The Thief, the project will run at Aviva Studios in Manchester from 27 April – 18 May 2025 before transferring to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, where it will run from June 4 – 28, 2025.

Described as a “fast-paced distillation” of the play, producers have said Shakespeare’s words and Radiohead’s album “illuminate one another” as Radiohead’s music becomes a central part of the play’s narrative. The play is said to have been “personally reworked by Yorke.” The music will be performed live onstage by a cast of 20 musicians and actors.

“This is an interesting and intimidating challenge,” Yorke said of the production. “Adapting the original music of Hail To The Thief for...

Get the latest scoop on everything you need to know about today’s Jeopardy! episode airing on Wednesday, 25 September 2024 including the Final Jeopardy, contestants and today’s winner!

Today’s Final Jeopardy 9/25/2024 (Shakespeare) – Wednesday, 25 September 2024

“Blood will have blood”,” says this title character, who is later told “be bloody, bold, & resolute”

Today’s Final Jeopardy Answer – Wednesday, 25 September 2024

The Final Jeopardy Answer is: Macbeth

Final Jeopardy Explanation – Wednesday, 25 September 2024

The title character who says “Blood will have blood” and is later told to “be bloody, bold, & resolute” is Macbeth from William Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth.” This tragic play explores the rise and fall of Macbeth, a Scottish general whose ambitious pursuit of power leads him down a dark path of murder and madness. The phrase “Blood will have blood” reflects Macbeth’s realization that his violent deeds will inevitably lead to further bloodshed. The admonition to “be bloody, bold, & resolute...

Katy Perry‘s 143 is her attempt to reclaim her position as one of the Queens of Pop. It’s not surprising that the “Teenage Dream” singer is drawing inspiration from her back catalog. What’s shocking, however, is that she ripped off one of her lesser-known tracks. The song sounded better the first time around.

The complicated background of a Katy Perry single from ‘143’

Perry’s defining album is Teenage Dream. The album has some serious moments, but for the most part, it is pop culture candy. It even had cotton candy clouds on the cover! Tracks like “California Gurls,” “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” and “Firework” are perfect music for the dancefloor, the gym, or the mall.

The follow-up, Prism, was a little more grown-up. In it, Perry referenced William Shakespeare, dabbled in Eastern spirituality, and sang a power ballad about unconditional love. One of the highlights...

How do you make a King Lear? Put the queen in a bikini!

This incredibly crafted joke was not, in fact, written by William Shakespeare himself — it’s a quip that Krusty the Klown cracked in The Simpsons Season 11 episode, “Guess Who’s Coming to Criticize Dinner?” shortly before the tough crowd roundly booed The Bard.

While the brainiac, bookish, Harvard-educated nerds of The Simpsons’ writing staff have made numerous references to and jokes about the works of Shakespeare over the course of the show’s 35 seasons and counting, it’s fair to say that the citizens of Springfield aren’t the world’s biggest admirers of the most famous dramatist in history — nor are some Simpsons fans, apparently.

Right now, various Twitter fandoms are clashing over the definition of the phrase “locked in,” with stans of every singer, sports star, religious movement, actor, military power or TV show...

Exclusive: We hear that Candle Media’s Hello Sunshine has sold a film adaptation of the Alexene Farol Follmuth bestseller Twelfth Knight to Netflix, which Anyone But You scribe Ilana Wolpert will adapt.

Twelfth Knight was a Reese’s Book Club pick and spent four weeks on The New York Times bestseller list.

Twelfth Knight has a 10 Things I Hate About You meets Easy A sensibility and is a contemporary reimagining of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. The story follows 17-year-old Viola Reyes, a kick-ass gamer who has long written off football star and class president Jack Orsimi, until she discovers him playing her favorite online RPG. Sick of all the drama that comes with being a girl in the gaming world, Vi plays under the guise of a male avatar. In getting to know each other via their anonymous online personas, Jack believes he’s found a dude best...

Sometimes, as William Shakespeare once stated, “All that glitters is not gold”—even when it comes to icons like Brad Pitt. Did you know that the beloved star nearly hung up his cowboy boots before he fully embraced the role of Tristan Ludlow in Legends of the Fall? It’s as if Ed Zwick, the director, was handed a tough row to hoe when Tom Cruise bailed on the project over “ethical” concerns about the character.

Brad Pitt starred in Legends of the Fall | Credit: TriStar Pictures

Imagine stepping onto a film set with a director torn between his vision and a leading man second-guessing himself; it’s like dancing on a tightrope! And yet, the film turned out to be a cult classic, fascinating audiences worldwide. What led Pitt to stick it out, and how did he steer those tumultuous days on set?

Tom Cruise Almost Joined the Cast...

David Mitchell leads new BBC crime drama Ludwig, and the trailer for the show has landed. Anna Maxwell Martin co-stars.

David Mitchell has become a familiar face in UK comedy, whether trying to discern who’s telling the truth in Would I Lie To You? or as the uptight Mark Corrigan alongside long time comedy partner Robert Webb in Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain’s Peep Show.

He also took on the role of William Shakespeare in Ben Elton’s sitcom Upstart Crow, and reprised the role for a stage adaptation that opened in 2020 and then again when the play was restaged in 2022

Just as Alan Davies took a left turn from stand-up comedy to drama in David Renwick’s superb Jonathan Creek, Mitchell is now moving into the realm of crime drama to play the title role in six part BBC series Ludwig.

The synopsis reads as follows:

When...

We’re guessing Judd Apatow isn’t a Dr. Pepper fan. The “Knocked Up” filmmaker is attached to direct “Cola Wars,” a film about the battle for market share between Coca Cola and Pepsi to become America’s favorite soda, an individual with knowledge of the project told IndieWire.

Tag-teaming with him on the project is none other than Steven Spielberg, who will produce the film through his Amblin Entertainment production banner.

The individual adds that at this point, “Cola Wars” is in very early development stages, with Apatow and Spielberg joining based on a pitch that Sony acquired back in April.

The writers for the film are Ben Queen and Jason Shuman, who co-created and writes the Apple TV+ series “Acapulco” and was also a producer on the canceled HBO series “Winning Time.”

Few other details are available at this early stage of development, but Deadline, which first reported the news,...