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Michael C. Hall’s Underrated Crime Thriller (Photo Credit – Prime Video)

Emmy-nominated actor Michael C. Hall is all set to reprise his role as the iconic serial killer Dexter Morgan in the much-anticipated sequel Dexter: Resurrection, which premieres on Paramount+ with Showtime in the US on July 11, 2025.

In India, the eagerly anticipated series is expected to stream on Jio Hotstar. While fans await his return, there’s another gripping performance of his worth checking out — the underrated crime thriller Cold in July. Read on to find out what the film is about and where you can stream it on Ott.

Cold In July – Plot & Cast

Based on Joe R. Lansdale’s novel of the same name, this 1980s Texas-set crime thriller follows Richard Dane (played by Michael C. Hall), a mild-mannered family man who shoots and kills an intruder in self-defense. Hailed as a local hero, Richard’s world is...

It couldn't have been easy to grow up as the only son of "Shane," but Alan Ladd Jr. somehow made it work. Ladd père became a movie legend as the gunfighter protagonist of George Stevens' 1953 Western classic, but his oldest son, who would come to be known quite affectionately as Laddie, did not want to follow in the old man's footsteps. He began his showbiz career as an agent for Creative Management Associates before moving into film production in the United Kingdom (where he helped Gary Sherman make the gruesome horror classic "Raw Meat").

Laddie's sharp creative/commercial sensibilities caught the eye of 20th Century Fox, which brought him on as its Vice President of Creative Affairs in 1973. This might've been the most consequential hire in the studio's history, as Laddie championed such pop cultural touchstones as "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," "Young Frankenstein" and "Phantom of the Paradise." When...

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This July, Paramount+ is a little light on original content as nothing new is coming out on the streaming service aside from the new Dexter series and the third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Paramount+ next month and have a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the 13 best films coming to Paramount+ in July 2025 with a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

A Soldier’s Story (July 1) Rt Score: 90% Credit – Columbia Pictures

A Soldier’s Story is a mystery drama film directed by Norman Jewison from a screenplay by Charles Fuller. Based on Fuller’s 1981 play titled A Soldier’s Play, the 1984 film is set during World War II, and it follows Vernon Waters, an officer of the United States Army,...

In a way, both the crime thriller Killing them Softly and the sports drama F1 are about capitalism. One of them features a central character who isn't in it for the riches, while the other film ends with the protagonist literally demanding the money that's owed to him. Both movies star Brad Pittin the lead role, but only one of them has been successful. This weekend, F1generated nearly $150 million at the global box office, on the back of positive reviews and near-unanimous praise from audiences. At the same time, it ended up lapping Killing them Softly's entire box office haul four times in just three days. The crime thriller debuted back in 2012, received straight-up hate from audiences, and concluded its run with less than $40 million globally.

It was, however, a film of uncommonly high pedigree. Directed by Andrew Dominik, Killing them Softlycompeted for the prestigious Palme d'Or at...

If you've ever seen "Sling Blade," the 1996 directorial feature debut of Billy Bob Thornton, you know the man isn't just a phenomenal actor but a damn good writer and director, too. "Sling Blade" is old-school, smart, and sensitive — it's poetry in motion in a way that very few films are. It couldn't be made today for several reasons, but at the time, Thornton received the recognition for it that he deserved. It brought him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, but more importantly, he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

His career as a writer-director (in addition to being a busy actor) couldn't have had a better start. He was ambitious and creatively rich, having his own singular cinematic vision that had the potential to turn him into the type of actor-director that Clint Eastwood had become before him. But as it often happens in Hollywood, his next...

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The Waterfront is a family crime drama series created by Kevin Williamson. The Netflix series is set in North Carolina, and it follows the Buckley family, who own and operate the state’s most storied fishing empire, but when the family business faces trouble, they decide to turn to a life of crime and begin smuggling drugs. The Waterfront stars Holt McCallany, Maria Bello, Melissa Benoist, Jake Weary, Rafael L. Silva, Humberly González, Danielle Campbell, and Brady Hepner. So, if you loved the intense family drama, thrilling crime story, and compelling characters in The Waterfront, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Ozark (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

The chaos and the constant danger from both the drug dealers and cops is extremely thrilling to watch in The Waterfront, and that’s why this series had an...

Max’s vast library is packed with blockbusters and classics, but some of its best films fly under the radar. These hidden gems, often overlooked due to limited releases or overshadowed competition, offer unique stories, bold styles, and unforgettable performances.

We’ve ranked 10 lesser-known movies on Max, from intriguing to must-watch, that deserve your attention. Here’s why these obscure picks will surprise and captivate you.

10. The Florida Project (2017) Cre Film

A six-year-old girl and her struggling mom live in a motel near Disney World, chasing joy amid poverty. Sean Baker’s vibrant drama, led by Brooklynn Prince and Willem Dafoe, blends raw heart and colorful grit.

Its unflinching yet hopeful look at childhood feels fresh. We’re moved by its tender, overlooked story.

9. Shiva Baby (2020) Neon Heart Productions

A college student faces awkward chaos at a shiva when her sugar daddy shows up with his wife. Rachel Sennott’s...

Stars: Hugh Jackman, John Travolta, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, Sam Shepard, Vinnie Jones, Drea de Matteo, Rudolf Martin, Zach Grenier, Camryn Grimes | Written by Skip Woods | Directed by Dominic Sena

Question… What do Hugh Jackman, John Travolta, Halle Berry and Don Cheadle have in common? No, we are not talking about how they have all been in comic book movies! They were actually all together in one film that has become a cult classic over the years.

In 2001, Dominic Sena directed an epic thriller entitled Swordfish. It is hard to believe, but this film is coming up on its Silver Anniversary. But before it gets to that anniversary, Arrow Video has decided to give Swordfish a just as epic 4K UltraHD release.

Former master hacker Stanley Jobson (Hugh Jackman) is on parole after getting caught infiltrating an FBI program. Even so much as glancing at a computer could send him straight back to prison,...

People may not appreciate now just how much of an impact The Matrix had on action films. It came out in the spring of 1999; by the summer of 2000, every movie was copying it. That’s why you had Jet Li doing wire-fu in Romeo Must Die, Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt packing two pistols (and wearing a black leather trench coat) to Limp Bizkit performing the Mission: Impossible Theme in M:i:2, and the gals of Charlie’s Angels doing bullet time stunts. It changed the genre for a while, but one of the movies that owes the most to The Matrix is a little-remembered would-be summer blockbuster called Swordfish.

Not coincidentally, it was produced by Joel Silver, the man who produced The Matrix. It would include A Lot of nods to that film, including a massive opening bullet time explosion, a techno soundtrack by Paul Oakenfold (who had several tracks in...

Val Kilmer’s tragic passing shocked the world earlier this year, but his work will live on forever through his iconic and enduring filmography. One of Kilmer’s most critically acclaimed movies that has perhaps flown under the radar is Thunderheart, the 1992 R-rated contemporary Western that follows a young FBI agent assigned to work with a veteran investigator on a Sioux reservation murder. When most people think of a Kilmer Western, they think of Tombstone, but Thunderheart earned strong scores of 91% from critics and 75% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is currently streaming for free on Pluto TV, and it’s one of the most popular movies on the streamer, sitting at #5 at the time of writing. Thunderheart also stars Graham Greene and Sam Shepard.

Thunderheart was written by John Fusco, and Michael Apted directed the film. Fusco is still writing projects more than 30 years later, with his most...

Oscar-nominated actor John C. Reilly is also known for his prolific stage work, but broke into film with a small role in Brian DePalma's "Casualties of War" and carved out a successful career as a young character actor for years after that. He finally came to the public's attention in a big way as a lovable porn star in Paul Thomas Anderson's "Boogie Nights" (1997). Since then, Reilly has proceeded to steal films in supporting roles and has even headlined more than a few movies himself.

Reilly received an Oscar nomination in Rob Marshall's 2002 Best Picture winner "Chicago" for his performance as the schnook of a husband to Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger). In the course of his career, Reilly has earned four Golden Globe nominations and won a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble of "Chicago," as well as three additional SAG nominations. Reilly also...

Concord, considered to be the world’s leading independent music company, has acquired Broadway Licensing Global and its imprints Broadway Licensing, Dramatists Play Service, Playscripts, and Stage Rights.

All of the imprints will now become part of Concord Theatricals. The acquisition does not include Stageworks or the Broadway On Demand streaming service.

Concord Theatricals was formed in 2018 and has since become one of the world’s most significant theatrical companies, comprising the catalogs of Rodgers & Hammerstein Theatricals, Tams-Witmark, Samuel French and The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection, in addition to dozens of new signings each year. The firm provides comprehensive services to creators and producers of plays and musicals, including theatrical licensing, music publishing, script publishing, cast recording and producing. In all, the company supports more than 125,000 artists and songwriters whose works are licensed, marketed, and performed globally.

Concord’s catalog includes 1.3 million songs, compositions, sound recordings, films, plays, and musicals.

Filmed theater has its merits, the primary one being accessibility, but it seldom comes even close to matching the proximal experience of being there. Which makes David Mamet’s compelling screen version of his latest play, Henry Johnson, a curious anomaly. Rather than attempting to open out this characteristically talky, structurally stagey drama — four two-character scenes threaded together by narrative ellipses — the writer-director fully embraces the theatricality of the work. Reassembling the excellent cast from the low-profile 2023 premiere in Los Angeles, Mamet reels us in with some of his most trenchant writing in years.

To be clear, this is an actual movie, not to be confused with a live-capture quickie, in which cameras record a performance on stage. Real sets — a law firm office, a prison cell, the library at the same incarceration facility — replace a stripped-down, intimate staging in a black-box space. Beyond that, few concessions appear to have...

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Peacock is ready with an entertainment-packed May this year. The upcoming month will see the release of the much-anticipated Season 2 of the crime comedy-drama series Poker Face, as well as the streaming release of the brilliant spy thriller film Black Bag. Just like every month, Peacock is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 10 new movies and TV shows coming to Peacock in May 2025.

The Notebook (May 1) Credit – Warner Bros.

The Notebook is a romantic drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes from a screenplay by Jeremy Leven. Based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks, the 2004 film is set in the 1940s, and it follows a young couple as they fall in love despite their parents’ disapproval, while their stories are read from a notebook in...

Netflix is cranking out new shows every single week. It's easy to miss something that you might love. While many Netflix shows benefit from word-of-mouth promotion, a lot of good Netflix shows slip through the cracks and don't get in front of the right viewers. Even as the biggest streaming service in the world, Netflix still has a problem informing its users about the original shows they might like.

I've been covering Netflix for a long time, and I wanted to share a few good Netflix shows that most people haven't seen yet. By now, most of the shows are at least a few months old. Some are even a few years old at this point, but they still make for a good watch on Netflix.

So, if you're looking for a good Netflix show to watch right now, we have a list of six picks for you! Let's get...

Exclusive: Aidan Quinn and Steve Buscemi are working on a movie adaptation of the Sam Shepard play Ages Of The Moon. Quinn and Buscemi are working to get the indie project off the ground and have found their writer and cinematographer with a view to shooting this year.

The two-hander follows a pair of old friends, Byron and Ames. With bourbon in hand, and sitting on the front porch, they chew over decades of friendship and rivalry. Shepard’s play was first staged in 2009 at the Abbey Theatre – the national theater of Ireland. Quinn and Buscemi performed a reading of the play last year in the same venue before doing the same over three nights at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York in January.

“We had a great night in Dublin and I just fell in love with this piece so much that I’ve now bought the rights...

Motor neuron disease, better known as Als (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), is a devastating and terminal neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no cure. It's taken the lives of many wonderful people, such as David Niven, Sam Shepard, Ronnie Corbett, Aaron Lazar, Roberta Flack, Kenneth Mitchell, Charles Mingus, John Driskell Hopkins, Stephen Hawking, and Lou Gehrig, whose name has become associated with the disorder. It's a terrifying thing to be diagnosed with, with doctors giving most patients a life expectancy of two or three years (although Hawking famously lived for more than 50 years with it). Today, actor Eric Dane announced his Als diagnosis. "I have been diagnosed with Als,” Dane shared with People, adding:

“I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter. I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria...

[Editor’s note: This list was originally published in June 2017. It has since been updated with new entries.]

Ron Perlman would have us believe that war never changes, but the movies about it certainly have. The last 20 years have brought no shortage of films about the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan (for obvious reasons), but the best war movies of the 21st century show that World War II continues to fascinate filmmakers most of all.

While those conflicts have dominated the genre lately, everything from the Civil War to the Battle of Red Cliffs has found powerful expression onscreen. Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” tells us that “war is a drug,” and the films below suggest that movies about war are just as addictive — maybe even more so. We hope this list provides your fix.

With contributions from Anne Thompson and Michael Nordine.

27. “1917” (2019)

Drawing inspiration from his own grandfather’s war stories, Sam Mendes made a war film that’s as nakedly sentimental and admiring toward...

Legendary Entertainment is still working on a live-action adaptation of the classic anime, Gundam, and Sydney Sweeney could be one of its human stars.

The Japanese anime that launched a billion model kits, Gundam is currently being transformed into a live-action movie at Legendary Entertainment. It’s now being reported that the giant robot/mecha movie may have its first human star – Sydney Sweeney, who’s said to be in final talks to take a leading role according to Deadline.

Legendary’s been quietly building its Gundam film for at least four years now, with its original director announced as Jordan Vogt-Roberts, who previously made the monster movie Kong: Skull Island for the production company in 2017. In 2024, however, it was announced that Vogt-Roberts was out and indie filmmaker Jim Mickle was in. He’s perhaps best known for his acclaimed TV series Sweet Tooth, whose third season aired last year,...

Arrow Video has announced they’re bringing both the 2001 action thriller Swordfish and the 1998 sci-fi noir film Dark City to 4K in June – and they’re accepting pre-orders for both of the releases! The limited edition 4K release of Swordfish, which has a release date of June 9th, can be pre-ordered at This Link. The limited edition 4K release of Dark City, which will be released on June 24th, can be pre-ordered Here. If you don’t want a 4K Uhd disc, there’s a Blu-ray release of Dark City, also coming on June 24th, that can be pre-ordered Here.

Directed by Dominic Sena from a script written by Skip Woods, Swordfish has the following synopsis: Former master hacker Stanley Jobson is on parole after getting caught infiltrating an FBI program. Even so much as glancing at a computer could send him straight back to prison, but Stanley’s new...

Black Hawk Down, Ridley Scott's modern war thriller starring Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, and a whole cavalcade of great actors, has found a new streaming home. As of March 1, fans of the war genre have been able to stream the gritty and realistic movie on Netflix. The very same day, another great film by Ridley Scott was added to Netflix's library: Blade Runner: The Final Cut is available as well, giving Netflix users the chance to see the best Blade Runner version there is, and the only one Ridley Scott was in complete control of.

Based on the book Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War by Mark Bowden, Black Hawk Down was written by Ken Nolan. The war movie follows the events that transpired in Somalia during the Battle of Mogadishu when a helicopter carrying American soldiers was shot down in an area dominated by militia members loyal to Mohamed Farrah Aidid.

Author John Grisham has turned his legal experience into a host of best-selling novels, many of which have become television series and movies. Feature films based on Grisham's work have grossed hundreds of millions of dollars at the domestic box office alone, attesting to his widespread appeal.

Not every one of the nine feature films based on Grisham's works is about the law, however, with Christmas with the Kranks standing alone as a comedy. Grisham has also tried his hand at writing at least one movie screenplay, Mickey, but the best-known John Grisham movies are the legal thrillers based on the books for which he's so well known.

The chronology of movies based on Grisham's work is a fascinating look back at just how far his star has risen. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood have appeared in Grisham flicks, making them even more must-see movies.

Movie

Release Year...

Chicago – There are always life lessons in a Sam Shepard play, especially under the production magic of Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company. “Fool for Love,” first staged in 1983, is currently at the Halsted Street main stage and is extended through March 23rd, 2025. For tickets and more information, click Fool For Love.

Play Rating: 4.5/5.0

The story involves May (Caroline Neff) who is seemingly hiding in a motel room, and who she is hiding from becomes apparent when Eddie (Nick Gehlfuss) bursts in. They are former lovers, and Eddie wants them to get together again. But there is a secret to them, slowly revealed by an out-of-main-scene narrator (Tim Hopper), and told to Martin (Cliff Chamberlain), who shows up as May’s hapless date for the evening. Can this scenario, now out out of control, gain some perspective?

At the Steppenwolf Theatre Extended Thru March 23rd, 2025

Photo credit: Steppenwolf.org

Audio Theater...

Jules Feiffer, the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist who also wrote occasionally for the stage and screen, including Mike Nichols’ film “Carnal Knowledge” and Robert Altman’s “Popeye,” died on Jan. 17 at his home in upstate New York. He was 95. Feiffer’s wife confirmed to the Washington Post that he died of congestive heart failure.

Feiffer was a cartoonist with the Village Voice for more than 40 years until 1997.

His first connection with the film business came with the Oscar-winning 1961 animated short “Munro,” based on Feiffer’s story — a parable about the mindless military mentality in which the title character, a 4-year-old, is drafted.

Feiffer adapted his own play “Little Murders,” a dark satire about life in New York that had been briefly staged on Broadway in 1967, for the 1971 film of that name directed by Alan Arkin and starring Elliott Gould. Roger Ebert gave the movie four out of four stars and said,...

Jules Feiffer, the provocative satirist, cartoonist, playwright and 1960s counterculturist who wrote the screenplays for Mike Nichols’ classic Carnal Knowledge and Robert Altman’s Popeye, has died. He was 95.

A Pulitzer Prize winner, Feiffer died Jan. 17 at his home in Upstate New York of congestive heart failure, his wife, Jz Holden, told The Washington Post.

The Bronx native joined such luminaries as Samuel Beckett, Sam Shepard, John Lennon and Robert Benton in contributing material to the bawdy 1969 Broadway musical revue Oh! Calcutta!, and he earned a Tony nomination for best play in 1976 for Knock, Knock. Starring Judd Hirsch, it was “a wild spree of jokes, pratfalls, word games, collapsing scenery, falling bodies and burlesque sight gags,” according to The New York Times.

In 1967, his original comedy Little Murders made its Broadway bow with a cast that included Barbara Cook, Elliott Gould and David Steinberg, and Feiffer wrote the screenplay for...

Claire van Kampen, a theater director, composer and wife of actor Mark Rylance, died Saturday morning. She was 71.

Van Kampen died in Kassel, Germany, “surrounded by her family” following a battle with cancer, Rylance and her daughter Juliet shared in a statement. Saturday was also her husband’s 65th birthday.

“We thank her for imbuing our lives with her magic, music, laughter and love,” the family’s statement read. “Ring the bell, sound the trumpets reverie, something is done, something is beginning. One of the great wise ones has passed.”

Born on Nov. 3, 1953, in London, England, van Kampen went on to study music theory and piano, specializing in the performance of 20th-century music, at the Royal College of Music in London.

She began her professional career in theater in 1986 with the Royal Shakespeare Company. She joined the Royal National Theatre the following year.

Sam Shepard’s True West (2000) was credited as her first Broadway score.

Claire van Kampen, a composer of music for plays and television dramas, as well as a director, writer and frequent collaborator of her Oscar-winning husband Mark Rylance, died Saturday morning at age 71, her family has announced.

Formally know as Lady Rylance, van Kampen died in the ancient town of Kassel, Germany, surrounded by her family, said a statement issued by Mark Rylance and van Kampen’s daughter Juliet Rylance.

The statement noted that van Kampen died on Mark Rylance’s 65th birthday.

Van Kampen was an accomplished musicologist, and her compositions graced many theatrical productions in London and on Broadway. Her first credited Broadway score was for Sam Shepard’s True West in 2000, which starred Philip Seymour Hoffman, John C. Reilly, Robert LuPone and Celia Weston.

Five other shows, including Boeing-Boeing, La Bête, Richard III, Twelfth Night and Farinelli and the King all starred her husband.

Van Kampen wrote...

Romance is one of the most prolific genres, in literature, adaptations, music, and original stories. However, there's something undeniably timeless about Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams' 21-year-old drama, The Notebook.

The movie came out in 2004, a year that was great for Rachel McAdams, as she premiered the Nicholas Sparks adaptation, alongside Gosling, and also the iconic Mean Girls. The movie tells the story of Noah and Allie's romance over the years, including their beginning as teenagers, choosing each other years later, growing old together, and dealing with a heartbreaking disease. Just in time for Valentine's Day, The Notebook will be available to stream on Hulu starting Feb. 1.

Related Justin Baldoni Claims Blake Lively Didn't Read the Novel Before Filming It Ends With Us

Justin Baldoni's new lawsuit against Blake Lively brings to light new allegations.

The Notebook is one of romance author Nicholas Sparks' most famous novels and the 2004 adaptation is undeniably his most popular.

The incredible story told in Black Hawk Down, the 2001 war film directed by Ridley Scott, is getting its own documentary treatment. The documentary series is called Surviving Black Hawk Down, and it's being produced by Netflix and Scott's production company, Rsa.

Per the report by Deadline, Surviving Black Hawk Down is a three-episode documentary series that follows the true events that transpired in 1993 in Somalia. The testimonies by the survivors are the basis of the docu series that will be released on Feb. 10, exclusively on Netflix.

Scott's Black Hawk Down film was written by Ken Nolan, and was inspired by the book Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War by Mark Bowden. It follows the events of the Battle of Mogadishu when 160 U.S. soldiers saw themselves ambushed by hundreds of Somalis during a military operation. Per the film's synopsis:

The story of 160 elite U.S. soldiers who dropped...

Netflix is losing a Top Gun-esque movie starring Jamie Foxx and Jessica Biel. While the streaming service is known for original movies and TV shows including Stranger Things, Orange is the New Black, Wednesday, Carry-On, and Leave the World Behind, their library is also populated with titles that are licensed from other companies. As these licensing agreements expire or change quite often, every month there are usually quite a few titles either joining or leaving Netflix.

The Top Gun-inspired movie that is departing the platform soon is one of these licensed titles, and it is particularly star-studded. Jamie Foxx is a well known multihyphenate who is a stand-up comedian and musician along with being a decorated actor, having won an Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 musical biopic Ray. He was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor that same year for his work in Collateral.

One of the central purposes of Tony Shalhoub’s titular character in Monk throughout the series is solving the mystery behind the murder of his wife, Trudy. Adrian Monk is shown having had a loving relationship with his late wife and her tragic death intensified his obsessive-compulsive disorder and multiple phobias.

Interestingly, Shalboub has his own real-life Trudy—his wife, Brooke Adams—whose enduring love rivals the eternal love between Monk and Trudy on-screen.

Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk and Melora Hardin as Trudy in Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie | Credits: Peacock

Adams was an actress who ascended to fame with her role in the 1978 film Days of Heaven, in which she starred alongside Richard Gere and Sam Shepard. Although Adams’ career did not take off as she expected, her varied creative outlets helped her build a life that she is currently content with.

Who is Tony Shalhoub’s wife Brooke Adams?...

Richard Gere

Richard Gere has been a bona fide movie star for nearly half a century. But he didn’t necessarily set out to be.

“I was a little snobbish about movies,” says the youthful 75-year-old. “Certainly, I had a fascination and loved movies. But I also loved being in the theater.”

Gere points to his starring role in Sam Shepard’s 1975 play Killer’s Head as a key point in his transition to the big screen.

“It was a 30-minute monologue of this cowboy fuck-up who was in the electric chair, and it was his last thoughts before he was electrocuted,” he says, part of a conversation he had with THR for a new episode of the Awards Chatter podcast. “That was a decisive moment for me, of connecting with a more or less contemporary character. That in many ways was very filmic, albeit from a Sam Shepard point of view.

Brad Ingelsby is staying in business with HBO.

Variety has learned exclusively that the celebrated writer and producer has extended his overall deal with the premium cabler for a further three years. The news comes as Ingelsby is currently prepping the limited series “Task” at HBO, with that show set to debut in 2025.

Ingelsby has been based at HBO since 2021, the same year that “Mare of Easttown” debuted. Ingelsby created that limited series in addition to serving as executive producer and showrunner. The show, which followed a murder investigation in a suburb of Philadelphia, marked Ingelsby’s television writing debut.

“Mare of Easttown” proved to be a major critical success for HBO, with the show picking up 16 Emmy nominations. Series stars Kate Winslet, Julianne Nicholson, and Evan Peters all picked up Emmys for the series, while Ingelsby was nominated for best writing for a limited series. “Mare of Easttown” was...

Martin Benson, the co-founder and longtime artistic director of the Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory regional theater in Costa Mesa, California, died November 30 of a probable heart attack at his home in Huntington Beach, California. He was 87.

His death was announced by the theater’s Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Suzanne Appel. The likely cause was reported to The New York Times by his stepson Justin Krumb.

Founded in 1964 by Benson and his San Francisco State University classmate David Emmes, South Coast Rep would go on to become of the country’s leading regional theaters, launching careers and an august roster of Broadway- and Off Broadway-bound plays. Among the latter: Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Wit, Craig Lucas’ Prelude to a Kiss, Donald Margulies Sight Unseen, Richard Greenberg’s Three Days of Rain and The Violet Hour, Sam Shepard’s True West and Lynn Nottage’s Intimate Apparel.

Denzel Washington is one of the most celebrated actors of his generation. He has been acting for decades, and has been nominated for multiple Oscars along the way, including winning awards for Glory and Training Day. Contributing his talents to movies like Fences and Malcolm X, Washington's career is characterized by powerful drama. He recently set a career achievement through Gladiator II, as the movie became the highest-grossing within his filmography. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his work in Gladiator II, for playing Macrinus.

Ryan Reynolds is, in some ways, a very different actor than Washington. He is primarily known for comedy, frequenting movies like Free Guy and the like. Like Washington, 2024 has also been a fairly significant year for Reynolds' career. Most notably, he reprised his role as Deadpool for Deadpool & Wolverine, the first of the Deadpool movies to be officially part of the MCU.

Quick Links What is Days of Heaven About? Days of Heaven's Production Process Was Insane Days of Heaven Deserves Even More Love

Every actor strives to achieve a dynamic range in their movies. While being typecast as a certain type of character is fantastic for job security, it doesn't make for a very interesting career in the long run. Young actors, desperate for work, are likely to latch on to any role offered to them, but older actors have the luxury of picking and choosing interesting projects. The goal, even for the most committed single genre actors, is to be able to excel in any given role, but it's harder than fans may think.

Audiences are shocked year after year when performers shatter the preconceived notion that exists about them. Adam Sandler shattered expectations with 2019's Uncut Gems, Seth Rogen defied expectations with Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans, and...

Martha Luttrell, a talent agent who represented a notable array of directors, actors, writers and musicians, died on Dec. 9 in Calabasas, Calif. She was 80.

Luttrell’s death was confirmed to Variety by her friend Holly Goldberg Sloan, with the cause being pancreatic cancer.

As a one-time representative for directors Martin Campbell, Paul Weiland, Mick Jackson, Tony Bill and Jon Amiel, Luttrell also helped guide the careers of Stephen Rea, Julie Taymor, Dereck Joubert, Beverly Joubert, Susan Sarandon, Judy Davis, Sam Shepard, Waylon Jennings and Don Was.

Luttrell got one of her first jobs answering phones at Capitol Records. In the 1970s, she relocated to New York City and assisted Mike Nichols. After working with him on location for the film “The Day of the Dolphin,” she relocated to Los Angeles and got a job assisting Bill Robinson at The Robinson Agency, where she learned how to be an agent.

Robinson...

Martha Luttrell, the onetime ICM talent agent whose clients included Susan Sarandon, Sam Shepard, Waylon Jennings, Don Was and Martin Campbell, has died. She was 80.

Luttrell died Monday of pancreatic cancer in Calabasas, California, a family spokesperson announced.

Luttrell, who spent 25 years at ICM, also repped directors Paul Weiland, Mick Jackson, Julie Taymor, Tony Bill and Jon Amiel; actors Stephen Rea and Judy Davis; and filmmakers/conservationists Dereck and Beverly Joubert.

Luttrell was born in Vancouver on Halloween in 1944. Her father, James, was a salesman and her mother, Frances, a realtor. She knew at an early age that she wanted to be in show business and moved with her cousin to Los Angeles right out of high school. One of her first jobs was working at Capitol Records answering the phones.

In the early 1970s, Luttrell relocated to New York and became the assistant to Mike Nichols, whom she called...

Martha Luttrell, a veteran talent agent whose clients ranged from Susan Sarandon and Martin Campbell to Julie Taymor, Sam Shepard and Waylon Jennings and also worked with Mike Nichols and Bill Robinson, died Sunday of pancreatic cancer in Calabasas, CA. She was 80.

Her friend Holly Goldberg Sloan confirmed the news to Deadline.

Born on October 31, 1944, in Vancouver, Luttrell knew at an early age that she wanted to be in show business and moved with her cousin to Los Angeles right out of high school. Among her first jobs was answering phones at Capitol Records.

Luttrell relocated to New York City in the early 1970s and became the assistant to comedian-turned-Oscar-winning The Graduate filmmaker Mike Nichols. After working with him on 1973’s The Day of the Dolphin, she moved back to Los Angeles and got a job assisting Robinson at The Robinson Agency, where she learn the craft of agenting.

Related:...

The French-Danish actor Niels Arestrup passed away on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, according to his wife, the actor and writer Isabelle Le Nouvel. While he may not be well-known by mainstream Western audiences, he holds the record in France for the most César Awards for Best Supporting Actor, and has starred in films by many of Europe's best directors — Alain Resnais, Chantal Akerman, Claude Lelouch, Marco Ferreri, Jacques Audiard, Julian Schnabel, Bertrand Tavernier, Volker Schlöndorff, and Albert Dupontel, not to mention American directors like Steven Spielberg and Angelina Jolie. His wife wrote in an Afp press release:

I am extremely sad to announce the death of my husband, the immense actor Niels Arestrup, after a courageous fight against illness. He passed away surrounded by the love of his family.

Born to working-class parents and spending his youth in public housing projects, Arestrup failed school and took on odd jobs until he found...

Tom Cruise is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, with the actor working with some of the most acclaimed filmmakers, especially during the earlier stages of his career. As a result, Cruise appeared in some truly unique films. One of these was helmed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick and emerged as the most explicit movie in Cruise’s career.

Tom Cruise starred in 1999’s Eyes Wide Shut (Credit: Paramount Pictures).

However, Cruise wasn’t the first choice for the lead role in Kubrick’s 1999 film Eyes Wide Shut. Instead, Woody Allen and Tom Hanks were the favored choices among Kubrick’s wishlist of potential leading men for what turned out to be his final film as a director. Here is everything you need to know about the original choice for Eyes Wide Shut.

Woody Allen Almost Cast Instead of Tom Cruise in Eyes Wide Shut

Eyes Wide Shut was...

After 35 years, Steel Magnolias fans likely couldn’t imagine anyone but Julia Roberts playing the tragic role of Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie.

Marking the 35th anniversary of the southern comedy drama, Daryl Hannah revealed that director Herbert Ross originally wanted her to play Shelby, and she had to beg to audition for the part of soft-spoken newcomer Annelle Dupuy-DeSoto.

“He was like, ‘No, absolutely not, I don’t see it.’ And I said, ‘Please let me,'” recalled Hannah to People.

She ultimately went to the audition, styling her hair like the hairdresser character and wearing her own glasses. “And he didn’t recognize me. I love that feeling where you really turn into somebody else,” said Hannah.

Based on the 1987 play by Robert Harling, Steel Magnolias follows a group of women who bond through life and death in their small Louisiana town. The character Shelby was based on Robert’s sister Susan,...

An expert review of the 1983 historical drama The Right Stuff praises the space epic's realism. Directed by Philip Kaufman and adapted from Tom Wolfes 1979 book, the film chronicles the lives of Navy, Marine, and Air Force test pilots involved in pioneering aeronautical research, as well as the Mercury Seventhe first astronauts chosen for the first human spaceflight by the U.S. The film stars Dennis Quaid, Sam Shepard, Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Fred Ward, and Barbara Hershey, and went on to win four of its eight nominations at the 56th Academy Awards.

In an expert video with Insider, retired NASA astronaut Nicole Stott awarded the film a perfect 10 for its portrayal of space travel preparation. Stott particularly praised scenes showing John Glenns (Ed Harris) experiences with intense gravitational forces and reentry, noting how accurately the film captured these challenges. Read the full quote here:

I think about it now these days,...

Julia Roberts' co-star remembers her being mistreated by the director on the set of Steel Magnolias. Directed by Herbert Ross, based on the 1987 play and adapted to the screen by Robert Harling, the 1989 film follows the close-knit bond between a group of women in a small Southern town and how they navigate the loss of one of their own. The movie stars Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, Tom Skerritt, Dylan McDermott, Kevin J. O'Connor, and Sam Shepard.

In her new memoir The Wall of Life (via Variety), Shirley MacLaine remembered Julia Roberts being mistreated by director Herbert Ross on the set of Steel Magnolias. She says the director mistreated and was unfair to Roberts, and seemed threatened by her talent and beauty. Eventually, the rest of the cast collectively urged the director to stop his mistreatment of the young actress. Read MacLaine's full...

Director Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down was a standout release in a decade overwhelmed by a wave of war movies. The 2000s saw a revival of the genre spurred by the success of Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line in the late 90s.

Tubi adds Black Hawk Down to its film library this November. Ridley Scott's war drama joins blockbuster features Edge of Tomorrow, Furious 7, Tomb Raider, The Amazing Spider-Man 1 and 2, and more. Tubi will also stream Full Metal Jacket and The Patriot for free, expanding viewing options for fans of war movies. Black Hawk Down is a standout release of the 2000s for its visceral depiction of a real-life war story. Based on journalist Mark Bowden's non-fiction book, the film is a dramatization of U.S. Task Force Ranger's foiled attempt to capture Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid in October 1993.

Related 10 Most Realistic War...

The moon is shining bright over the Hollywood Bowl and Joni Mitchell lets out a laugh.

It’s the first of two sold-out Joni Jam concerts at the outdoor venue, her first headlining concert in Los Angeles in over 24 years; a couple years since Mitchell returned to the stage at the Newport Folk Festival, a year after her first ticketed concert in two decades at the Gorge — and about nine years after a brain aneurysm nearly killed her and sent her to the hospital. But for close to three hours on Saturday night,...

Diane Keaton is one of the most respected celebrities in the industry, famous not only for the unparalleled performances she brought to the table but also for the innumerable accolades and triumphs she holds to her name. But as much as her flattering beauty left even her co-stars mesmerized, the actress just never got around to tying the knot with anyone.

Diane Keaton. | Credits: Book Club/Paramount Pictures.

Although she has been linked to multiple celebrities throughout the era that she served as one of the most gorgeous actresses in all of Hollywood – the list of which includes even Al Pacino – Keaton simply never allowed herself to say ‘I do.’ And yet, it wasn’t like she didn’t want to get married. In fact, if anything, she herself admitted her regrets about never getting wed!

Diane Keaton Never Married, and Regrets It Now

Throughout the 78 years of her existence,...

The actor was told to act like smoke by Terrence Malick and saw Peter Bogdanovich soak his cravat in iced water before he wore it. She talks about shooting with Kristen Stewart, investigative acting, and filming The Teacher in Palestine

Imogen Poots has a confession. “I drew a man’s penis too big recently,” she says, her anime eyes widening. The 35-year-old London-born actor is sitting at home in New York in an olive baseball cap. Willygate occurred at a life-drawing class she attends in Brooklyn. “The art teacher said I needed to get my proportions right, so I erased what I’d done. But then the model, who looked like a young Sam Shepard, came over and saw where the original penis had been, and realised it had been downsized.” She is pondering whether to find another class. “There’s a bunch all over the city but I’m running out of options.

If there's one thing we know about the alien known only as The Thing, it's that it can appear as just about any living being that it wants to. In that spirit, it's no big surprise that the role of R.J. MacReady, the resident helicopter pilot of Outpost 31, was one that could've gone to any number of actors when director John Carpenter was developing "The Thing" at Universal Pictures in the early '80s. On the other hand, this fact may come as a surprise to those who hadn't realized other actors were in the running for the part, given that the role eventually went to one of Carpenter's muses: Kurt Russell. The marriage of Russell, Carpenter, and MacReady seems so natural in hindsight that it's wild to think about anyone else playing the part.

Even more surprising is Carpenter's admission that Russell wasn't his first choice for MacReady. There...

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His Three Daughters is a comedy-drama film written and directed by Azazel Jacobs. The Netflix film revolves around three estranged sisters as they reunite in New York City to take care of their ailing father but soon they find themselves fighting with each other due to their past issues and current predicament. His Three Daughter stars Elizabeth Olsen, Carrie Coon, and Natasha Lyonne in the lead roles with Jay O. Sanders, Jovan Adepo, Rudy Galvan, Jose Febus, and Jasmine Bracey starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the heartwarming comedy, dysfunctional family, and compelling characters in His Three Daughters here are some similar movies you should check out next.

This Is Where I Leave You (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Warner Bros.

This Is Where I Leave You is a comedy-drama film directed by Shawn Levy from a screenplay by Jonathan Tropper.