Kristen Stewart, zuletzt mit „Love Lies Bleeding“ beim Sundance Film Festival und der Berlinale präsent, gibt mit der Miniserie „The Challenger“ ihr Debüt im Fernsehbereich. Amazon soll als Streamingpartner kurz vor Vertragsabschluss stehen.
Kristen Stewart (Credit: Imago / Future Image)
Kristen Stewart wechselt von der Kinoleinwand auf den Home Screen. Anfang des Jahres war sie noch mit „Love Lies Bleeding“ in Sundance und auf der Berlinale präsent (Kinostart bei Plaion ist am 18. Juli). Mit der Miniserie „The Challenger“ soll sie nun ihr Debüt in einer Serienproduktion geben. Der Stoff erzählt die Geschichte von Astronautin und Physikerin Sally Ride, die als erste Amerikanerin und erste Person der LGBTQ+ Community ins Weltall geflogen ist als Teil des NASA-Astronautenteams von 1978, das das erste war, das nicht ausschließlich aus weißen Männern bestand. Maggie Cohn leitet das Projekt als Showrunnerin und Drehbuchautorin und stützt sich dabei auf Meredith E. Bagbys Buch „The New Guys“. Bagby...
Kristen Stewart (Credit: Imago / Future Image)
Kristen Stewart wechselt von der Kinoleinwand auf den Home Screen. Anfang des Jahres war sie noch mit „Love Lies Bleeding“ in Sundance und auf der Berlinale präsent (Kinostart bei Plaion ist am 18. Juli). Mit der Miniserie „The Challenger“ soll sie nun ihr Debüt in einer Serienproduktion geben. Der Stoff erzählt die Geschichte von Astronautin und Physikerin Sally Ride, die als erste Amerikanerin und erste Person der LGBTQ+ Community ins Weltall geflogen ist als Teil des NASA-Astronautenteams von 1978, das das erste war, das nicht ausschließlich aus weißen Männern bestand. Maggie Cohn leitet das Projekt als Showrunnerin und Drehbuchautorin und stützt sich dabei auf Meredith E. Bagbys Buch „The New Guys“. Bagby...
- 6/8/2024
- by Barbara Schuster
- Spot - Media & Film
Deadline reports that Kristen Stewart will make her small-screen debut with The Challenger, a limited series following Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space.
The Challenger is based on The New Guys, written by Meredith E. Bagby, and comes from Kyra Sedgwick’s Big Swing Productions, which set it up at Steven Spielberg’s Amblin. Sally Ride was part of the first class of NASA astronauts to include women. After completing her training, she flew aboard the space shuttle Challenger on several missions, becoming the first American woman to fly in space. When the Challenger exploded in 1986, she became part of the Rogers Commission, which investigated the reason behind the explosion. It was later revealed that she had provided key information about the O-rings, which were later determined to be the cause.
Related Flesh of the Gods: Kristen Stewart, Oscar Isaac to star in ’80s vampire...
The Challenger is based on The New Guys, written by Meredith E. Bagby, and comes from Kyra Sedgwick’s Big Swing Productions, which set it up at Steven Spielberg’s Amblin. Sally Ride was part of the first class of NASA astronauts to include women. After completing her training, she flew aboard the space shuttle Challenger on several missions, becoming the first American woman to fly in space. When the Challenger exploded in 1986, she became part of the Rogers Commission, which investigated the reason behind the explosion. It was later revealed that she had provided key information about the O-rings, which were later determined to be the cause.
Related Flesh of the Gods: Kristen Stewart, Oscar Isaac to star in ’80s vampire...
- 6/7/2024
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Though many of our most popular films about astronauts are about men, like the true stories behind "Apollo 13" and "The Right Stuff," there are some incredible women who have explored the cosmos, chief among them Sally Ride. Ride was the first American woman in space as one of the crew of a Challenger expedition to launch new satellites in 1983, and she went into space a second time on the Challenger in 1984, spending a total of around 14 days in orbit. She was a trailblazer who not only broke barriers in space travel but was an incredible mind, earning four different degrees from Stanford University, including a doctorate in physics. Though she retired from NASA in 1989 to pursue a career in academia, Ride held the unique distinction of being the only person to serve on the investigation boards for both NASA shuttle accidents, including the 1986 Challenger explosion. Sadly, Ride died in 2012 at...
- 6/7/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Following her turn in the provocative thriller “Love Lies Bleeding,” Academy Award-nominated actress Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”) has set up one of her next projects, and it’s a first. Stewart will make her TV starring debut in the limited series “The Challenger,” about astronaut and physicist Sally Ride, best known as the first American woman in space.
Maggie Cohn, known as a writer on “American Crime Story,” “The Staircase” and “Narcos: Mexico,” will serve as the writer and showrunner.
Continue reading The Challenger: Kristen Stewart To Star In Limited Series About Astronaut Sally Ride at The Playlist.
Maggie Cohn, known as a writer on “American Crime Story,” “The Staircase” and “Narcos: Mexico,” will serve as the writer and showrunner.
Continue reading The Challenger: Kristen Stewart To Star In Limited Series About Astronaut Sally Ride at The Playlist.
- 6/7/2024
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
Kristen Stewart is reaching for the stars: The Oscar nominee has signed on to play famed astronaut Sally Ride in an upcoming limited series chronicling the 1986 Challenger disaster, marking her first lead role in a TV series, our sister site Deadline reports.
The series, titled The Challenger and reportedly nearing a deal with Amazon, will follow Ride and her diverse class of NASA astronauts, with Ride becoming the first American woman in space in 1983. Ride was not a passenger on the ill-fated space shuttle the Challenger — which exploded in 1986, killing everyone on board — but she was part of the committee...
The series, titled The Challenger and reportedly nearing a deal with Amazon, will follow Ride and her diverse class of NASA astronauts, with Ride becoming the first American woman in space in 1983. Ride was not a passenger on the ill-fated space shuttle the Challenger — which exploded in 1986, killing everyone on board — but she was part of the committee...
- 6/7/2024
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Exclusive: Kristen Stewart will make her TV series starring debut in The Challenger, a limited series in which she’ll play Sally Ride, the astronaut and physicist who became the first American woman to fly in space. She did this as part of a NASA space shuttle astronaut class of 1978 that was the first to be diversified and not comprised of all white men.
Kyra Sedgwick’s Big Swing Productions developed and brought the project to Amblin and is Executive Producing with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners and Stewart’ through her Nevermind production label.
Maggie Cohn will serve as the writer and showrunner, and her credits include American Crime Story, The Staircase and Narcos: Mexico. This has been the hot property on the TV auction block this week, and Amazon is close to tying it down. The series Series executive producers are Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners, Kyra Sedgwick’s Big Swing Productions,...
Kyra Sedgwick’s Big Swing Productions developed and brought the project to Amblin and is Executive Producing with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners and Stewart’ through her Nevermind production label.
Maggie Cohn will serve as the writer and showrunner, and her credits include American Crime Story, The Staircase and Narcos: Mexico. This has been the hot property on the TV auction block this week, and Amazon is close to tying it down. The series Series executive producers are Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners, Kyra Sedgwick’s Big Swing Productions,...
- 6/7/2024
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Long live the queen! This week, Netflix dropped the trailer for “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,” which will stream on May 4. The “Bridgerton” prequel series focuses on the marriage between Charlotte and King George and how their loving union created social shifts resulting in the Ton world inherited by future “Bridgerton” characters.
Watch the trailer for “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story”: Sign Up $6.99+ / month netflix.com
“Love & Death,” a new HBO Max series, takes a dramatic look at the true-crime story of Candy Montgomery on April 27. The devout Christian housewife (played by Elizabeth Olsen) started an affair with a fellow congregant (Jesse Plemons) — which ultimately led to her killing his wife with an ax in 1980. The murder shocked her close-knit community and the husband who initially stood by her. The story was also the impetus for Hulu’s 2022 series “Candy,” which starred Jessica Biel.
Check out the “Love & Death...
Watch the trailer for “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story”: Sign Up $6.99+ / month netflix.com
“Love & Death,” a new HBO Max series, takes a dramatic look at the true-crime story of Candy Montgomery on April 27. The devout Christian housewife (played by Elizabeth Olsen) started an affair with a fellow congregant (Jesse Plemons) — which ultimately led to her killing his wife with an ax in 1980. The murder shocked her close-knit community and the husband who initially stood by her. The story was also the impetus for Hulu’s 2022 series “Candy,” which starred Jessica Biel.
Check out the “Love & Death...
- 3/24/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
HBO Max is going beneath the sheets for a new drama based on the life and times of Heidi Fleiss, the infamous and former ‘Hollywood Madam’ who ran a prostitution ring with a high-profile clientele. Maggie Cohn (The Staircase) is writing and executive producing the Heidi Fleiss drama for HBO Max, with Fleiss consulting.
As you may recall, Fleiss was arrested in 1993 on a series of prostitution charges. The media transformed Fleiss’ trial into a circus, splashing the proceedings across television and tabloid rags. Fleiss never revealed her client list, though many celebrities are suspected or confirmed to have used her services. Charlie Sheen once testified to using Fleiss’ service on multiple occasions.
Fleiss was convicted in state court, but the terms didn’t stick on account of the case being overturned after an appeals court ruled jurors had swapped votes to avoid a deadlock verdict. Fleiss was later convicted...
As you may recall, Fleiss was arrested in 1993 on a series of prostitution charges. The media transformed Fleiss’ trial into a circus, splashing the proceedings across television and tabloid rags. Fleiss never revealed her client list, though many celebrities are suspected or confirmed to have used her services. Charlie Sheen once testified to using Fleiss’ service on multiple occasions.
Fleiss was convicted in state court, but the terms didn’t stick on account of the case being overturned after an appeals court ruled jurors had swapped votes to avoid a deadlock verdict. Fleiss was later convicted...
- 3/22/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
HBO Max is delving into the life of one of the more infamous figures in Hollywood’s recent history.
The streamer is developing a drama based on the life of Heidi Fleiss, the former “Hollywood Madam” who ran a prostitution ring that had a number of high-profile clients. The project comes from writer and executive producer Maggie Cohn (The Staircase), with Fleiss serving as a consultant on the project.
Fleiss was arrested on a number of prostitution charges in 1993, and her trial on the charges was a media sensation. Though Fleiss herself never revealed names of her clients, Charlie Sheen testified that he had used Fleiss’ services numerous times; Australian media mogul Kerry Packer was also named during the trial.
Fleiss was convicted in state court, though that was overturned after an appeals court ruled jurors had swapped votes to avoid a deadlock. She was convicted on separate federal charges...
The streamer is developing a drama based on the life of Heidi Fleiss, the former “Hollywood Madam” who ran a prostitution ring that had a number of high-profile clients. The project comes from writer and executive producer Maggie Cohn (The Staircase), with Fleiss serving as a consultant on the project.
Fleiss was arrested on a number of prostitution charges in 1993, and her trial on the charges was a media sensation. Though Fleiss herself never revealed names of her clients, Charlie Sheen testified that he had used Fleiss’ services numerous times; Australian media mogul Kerry Packer was also named during the trial.
Fleiss was convicted in state court, though that was overturned after an appeals court ruled jurors had swapped votes to avoid a deadlock. She was convicted on separate federal charges...
- 3/22/2023
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
HBO Max is developing a drama series based on the life of Heidi Fleiss, Variety has learned exclusively.
The untitled series hails from writer and executive producer Maggie Cohn, who most recently served as the co-showrunner on HBO Max’s critically acclaimed limited series “The Staircase.” Fleiss will serve as a consultant on the project.
Emma Tillinger Koskoff of First Love Films will also executive produce, along with Alex Goldstone (“Dickinson”) for Anonymous Content, Bill Gerber of Gerber Pictures, and David Bernon, Paul Bernon, and Sam Slater of Burn Later Productions.
Fleiss formerly operated a prostitution ring in Los Angeles that reportedly catered to wealthy clients such as actors, sports figures, directors, business executives, and more, earning her the nickname “The Hollywood Madam.” She was arrested in the early ’90s on multiple charges and ultimately served nearly two years in prison. She has gone on to make appearances on shows...
The untitled series hails from writer and executive producer Maggie Cohn, who most recently served as the co-showrunner on HBO Max’s critically acclaimed limited series “The Staircase.” Fleiss will serve as a consultant on the project.
Emma Tillinger Koskoff of First Love Films will also executive produce, along with Alex Goldstone (“Dickinson”) for Anonymous Content, Bill Gerber of Gerber Pictures, and David Bernon, Paul Bernon, and Sam Slater of Burn Later Productions.
Fleiss formerly operated a prostitution ring in Los Angeles that reportedly catered to wealthy clients such as actors, sports figures, directors, business executives, and more, earning her the nickname “The Hollywood Madam.” She was arrested in the early ’90s on multiple charges and ultimately served nearly two years in prison. She has gone on to make appearances on shows...
- 3/22/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
The freshman series “Abbott Elementary,” “Andor,” “The Bear” and “Severance” and returnees “Better Call Saul,” “Hacks” and “Barry” are among the nominees for the 2023 Writers Guild Awards for television, new media, news, radio/audio, and promotional writing announced today by WGA West and WGA East. “The Bear,” “Severance” and “Saul” all landed three nominations apiece, as did “The Simpsons” in animation. “Yellowjackets” and “The Crown” will join “Saul,” “Andor” and “Severance” in the drama series lineup, while comedy series features “Only Murders in the Building” taking on “The Bear,” “Hacks,” “Barry” and “Abbott.” In the new series category, “Bad Sisters” fills out the list alongside “Andor,” “Abbott,” “The Bear” and “Severance.” Vying in the limited series lineup are “The Dropout,” “Fleishman Is In Trouble,” “Pam & Tommy,” “The Staircase” and Emmy/Golden Globes champ “The White Lotus.” See‘Abbott Elementary,’ ‘The White Lotus,’ ‘House of the Dragon’ among big TV...
- 1/11/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
AMC’s veteran drama series “Better Call Saul” is sharing the spotlight with newcomers FX’s “The Bear” and Apple TV+’s “Severance,” as all three shows scored three nominations for this year’s WGA Awards. Other new series nabbing multiple nominations include Apple TV+’s “Bad Sisters,” ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” and Disney+’s “Andor,” with HBO Max’s “Hacks” also garnering two mentions.
The Writers Guild of America West (Wgaw) and Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) announced nominees for TV and news categories on Wednesday morning. Winners will be awarded at the guilds’ annual ceremony on March 5.
In animation, Fox’s “The Simpsons” was thrice nominated, with network stablemate “Bob’s Burgers,” Prime Video’s “Undone,” and Adult Swim’s “Tuca and Bertie” rounding out the category.
For limited series, Hulu and HBO/HBO Max split the category, with Hulu’s “The Dropout,” “Fleishman Is In Trouble,” and...
The Writers Guild of America West (Wgaw) and Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) announced nominees for TV and news categories on Wednesday morning. Winners will be awarded at the guilds’ annual ceremony on March 5.
In animation, Fox’s “The Simpsons” was thrice nominated, with network stablemate “Bob’s Burgers,” Prime Video’s “Undone,” and Adult Swim’s “Tuca and Bertie” rounding out the category.
For limited series, Hulu and HBO/HBO Max split the category, with Hulu’s “The Dropout,” “Fleishman Is In Trouble,” and...
- 1/11/2023
- by Libby Hill
- The Wrap
Newcomers “The Bear” and “Severance” and departing drama “Better Call Saul” were among the frontrunners, with three nominations each, as Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America, East announced nominations for outstanding achievement in television, new media, news, radio/audio, and promotional writing during 2022. Winners will be honored at the Writers Guild Awards ceremony taking place Sunday, March 5, 2023. Here are this year’s noms:
Drama Series
“Andor” — Written by Dan Gilroy, Tony Gilroy, Stephen Schiff, Beau Willimon; Disney+
“Better Call Saul” — Written by Ann Cherkis, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Ariel Levine, Thomas Schnauz, Gordon Smith, Alison Tatlock; AMC
“The Crown” — Written by Peter Morgan; Netflix
Severance, Written by Chris Black, Andrew Colville, Kari Drake, Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman, Helen Leigh, Anna Moench, Amanda Overton; Apple TV+
“Yellowjackets” — Written by Cameron Brent Johnson, Katherine Kearns, Jonathan Lisco, Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, Liz Phang, Ameni Rozsa, Sarah L. Thompson,...
Drama Series
“Andor” — Written by Dan Gilroy, Tony Gilroy, Stephen Schiff, Beau Willimon; Disney+
“Better Call Saul” — Written by Ann Cherkis, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Ariel Levine, Thomas Schnauz, Gordon Smith, Alison Tatlock; AMC
“The Crown” — Written by Peter Morgan; Netflix
Severance, Written by Chris Black, Andrew Colville, Kari Drake, Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman, Helen Leigh, Anna Moench, Amanda Overton; Apple TV+
“Yellowjackets” — Written by Cameron Brent Johnson, Katherine Kearns, Jonathan Lisco, Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, Liz Phang, Ameni Rozsa, Sarah L. Thompson,...
- 1/11/2023
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
The Writers Guild of America has revealed the nominations for its 75th anniversary WGA Awards in the television, new media, news, radio/audio and promotional categories. The full list is below.
Nominees in the marquee TV categories include reigning Comedy Series champ Hacks, but 2022’s Drama Series winner Succession isn’t in play this year. In fact, only Yellowjackets makes a return trip to the nominees circle in that category. It will go up against the category’s newcomers: Andor, Better Call Saul, The Crown and Severance.
Related: 2022-23 Awards Season Calendar – Dates For The Oscars, Grammys, Guilds & More
Meanwhile, Hacks will vie for the Comedy Series prize against triple Golden Globe winner Abbott Elementary, The Bear and Only Murders in the Building — all of which also are up for New Series trophy — and Barry. Andor and The Bear round out the New Series combatants.
The Limited Series race will be among The Dropout,...
Nominees in the marquee TV categories include reigning Comedy Series champ Hacks, but 2022’s Drama Series winner Succession isn’t in play this year. In fact, only Yellowjackets makes a return trip to the nominees circle in that category. It will go up against the category’s newcomers: Andor, Better Call Saul, The Crown and Severance.
Related: 2022-23 Awards Season Calendar – Dates For The Oscars, Grammys, Guilds & More
Meanwhile, Hacks will vie for the Comedy Series prize against triple Golden Globe winner Abbott Elementary, The Bear and Only Murders in the Building — all of which also are up for New Series trophy — and Barry. Andor and The Bear round out the New Series combatants.
The Limited Series race will be among The Dropout,...
- 1/11/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The Writers Guild has revealed its nominees in the categories of TV, new media, news, radio/audio and promotional writing.
Abbott Elementary, Andor, Bad Sisters, The Bear and Severance were all nominated in the new series category; Abbott and The Bear also earned nominations for comedy series, while Andor and Severance earned nods for drama.
Better Call Saul, The Crown and Yellowjackets also earned drama nods, while Barry, Hacks and Only Murders in the Building picked up comedy nominations.
The limited series nominees include The Dropout, Fleishman Is in Trouble, Pam & Tommy, The Staircase and The White Lotus.
Better Call Saul earned two additional nominations in the episodic drama category, which also includes nods for Bad Sisters, The Good Fight, Ozark and Severance. In the episodic comedy category, The Bear faces off against Grace and Frankie, Hacks, Julia, Reservation Dogs and What We Do in the Shadows. A notable...
Abbott Elementary, Andor, Bad Sisters, The Bear and Severance were all nominated in the new series category; Abbott and The Bear also earned nominations for comedy series, while Andor and Severance earned nods for drama.
Better Call Saul, The Crown and Yellowjackets also earned drama nods, while Barry, Hacks and Only Murders in the Building picked up comedy nominations.
The limited series nominees include The Dropout, Fleishman Is in Trouble, Pam & Tommy, The Staircase and The White Lotus.
Better Call Saul earned two additional nominations in the episodic drama category, which also includes nods for Bad Sisters, The Good Fight, Ozark and Severance. In the episodic comedy category, The Bear faces off against Grace and Frankie, Hacks, Julia, Reservation Dogs and What We Do in the Shadows. A notable...
- 1/11/2023
- by Tyler Coates
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
HBO Max’s “The Staircase” takes a unique approach to the true crime genre: Any dramatization of the case against Michael Peterson — accused of killing his second wife, Kathleen, after she was found dead at the foot of the stairs in their North Carolina home — would have to acknowledge the other “Staircase,” Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s acclaimed 2004 documentary that brought the Peterson trial to the attention of a global audience. But this one incorporates the making of that documentary into its narrative. With Colin Firth as Michael and Toni Colette (in flashbacks) as Kathleen, the series moves back and forth in time, and the secrets of the Peterson family are slowly revealed alongside a depiction of the French documentary crew that followed Michael’s story and ultimately became an integral part of it. The result is a murder mystery less about solving the crime than examining the complexities of the human heart.
- 12/7/2022
- by Jim Hemphill, Chris O'Falt and Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
“The Batman” meets “The Staircase,” thanks to the latest HBO Max series centered on Arkham Asylum.
“The Staircase” helmer Antonio Campos is set to direct the upcoming spinoff show of Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” about Gotham City mental institute Arkham Asylum. Campos will also serve as showrunner and executive producer. Variety reported the news. IndieWire has reached out to representatives at HBO Max for comment.
In addition to directing, show-running, and executive-producing HBO Max’s “The Staircase” with Maggie Cohn, Campos previously directed films including “The Devil All the Time” for Netflix, plus indies “Simon Killer” and “Christine.” He also helmed episodes of “The Sinner.”
Campos is the third writer brought onto the DC project, originally given a series order in July 2020. The Arkham Asylum series was initially imagined as “Gotham City P.D.” with Terence Winter as showrunner. He left in November 2020 over creative differences, with Joe Barton stepping in to fill his shoes.
“The Staircase” helmer Antonio Campos is set to direct the upcoming spinoff show of Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” about Gotham City mental institute Arkham Asylum. Campos will also serve as showrunner and executive producer. Variety reported the news. IndieWire has reached out to representatives at HBO Max for comment.
In addition to directing, show-running, and executive-producing HBO Max’s “The Staircase” with Maggie Cohn, Campos previously directed films including “The Devil All the Time” for Netflix, plus indies “Simon Killer” and “Christine.” He also helmed episodes of “The Sinner.”
Campos is the third writer brought onto the DC project, originally given a series order in July 2020. The Arkham Asylum series was initially imagined as “Gotham City P.D.” with Terence Winter as showrunner. He left in November 2020 over creative differences, with Joe Barton stepping in to fill his shoes.
- 10/25/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Plot: A storm rages. A young girl is kidnapped. Her mother teams up with the mysterious woman next door to pursue the kidnapper – a journey that tests their limits and exposes shocking secrets from their pasts.
Review: For every heavily marketed movie premiering on Netflix, there are dozens that fly under the radar. More often than not, these movies are throwaway programming designed to bulk up the selection that Netflix has to offer but every now and then there is a solid flick that is worth your attention. Lou is an unexpected action movie with an even more unexpected lead role from Oscar-winning actress Allison Janney who earns a spot alongside Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron, Bob Odenkirk, and Joey King in the John Wick school of action heroes. A nice throwback to action movies of the 80s and 90s, Lou is a badass thriller that should be at the top...
Review: For every heavily marketed movie premiering on Netflix, there are dozens that fly under the radar. More often than not, these movies are throwaway programming designed to bulk up the selection that Netflix has to offer but every now and then there is a solid flick that is worth your attention. Lou is an unexpected action movie with an even more unexpected lead role from Oscar-winning actress Allison Janney who earns a spot alongside Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron, Bob Odenkirk, and Joey King in the John Wick school of action heroes. A nice throwback to action movies of the 80s and 90s, Lou is a badass thriller that should be at the top...
- 9/23/2022
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Hollywood history is replete with examples of characters whose past comes back to haunt them in one way or another: the return of an old nemesis, falling back into an old life, a character realizing their buried sins won't remain that way. It's a family of tropes that have fueled many an action-thriller from Darth Vader's connection to Obi-Wan Kenobi to a number of James Bond and "Mission: Impossible" villains, and in "Lou," these classic tropes once again find traction in a simple story that's elevated by solid performances, but not quite enough to escape the limitations of well-tread territory.
"Lou" is interesting in a number of ways. Allison Janney really works in the kind of sort of stoic and mysterious role that's typically reserved for Clint Eastwood or Liam Neeson of late, and it's a nice change of pace. Also pleasant is the story's grounding in real-world political...
"Lou" is interesting in a number of ways. Allison Janney really works in the kind of sort of stoic and mysterious role that's typically reserved for Clint Eastwood or Liam Neeson of late, and it's a nice change of pace. Also pleasant is the story's grounding in real-world political...
- 9/23/2022
- by Jeff Ewing
- Slash Film
So many skilled and watchable actors have been plugged into poorly made “Taken” rip-offs over the last dozen years or so — including Jennifer Garner, Pierce Brosnan, Zoe Saldaña, Liam Neeson, Liam Neeson, and Liam Neeson — and yet I still couldn’t help but get excited by the idea of casting Allison Janney as a grizzled “old woman” who grabs the nearest shotgun when some military-grade baddies kidnap the little girl who’s living on her property. C.J. Cregg doing Clint Eastwood? If that’s not enough to pump fresh life into action cinema’s hackiest sub-genre then I don’t know what is.
Neither, apparently, does anyone involved in .
The premise couldn’t be any simpler, even if the wisps of a plot that screenwriters Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley layer on top of it are impressively absurd: Janney plays Lou, a suicidal crank who lives on a forest-y...
Neither, apparently, does anyone involved in .
The premise couldn’t be any simpler, even if the wisps of a plot that screenwriters Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley layer on top of it are impressively absurd: Janney plays Lou, a suicidal crank who lives on a forest-y...
- 9/22/2022
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
A storm rages. A young girl is kidnapped. Her mother (Jurnee Smollett) teams up with the mysterious woman next door (Allison Janney) to pursue the kidnapper – a journey that tests their limits and exposes shocking secrets from their pasts.
That's the logline for the latest Netflix movie that incorporates a talented cast in an action-thriller scenario.
Most of us would follow Janney anywhere, and Smollett is gaining a similar group of fans. So, does that make Lou a movie worth watching?
From the outside, it looks like Hannah (Smollett) and Lou (Janney) have little more in common than residing on the same plot of land.
Hannah is a caring mother, doting on her daughter Vee. Lou is a survivalist whose closest pal is a dog, which, admittedly, she dotes on as much as Hannah does Vee.
Both women have fled their previous lives, finding a fresh start far away from the daily grind.
That's the logline for the latest Netflix movie that incorporates a talented cast in an action-thriller scenario.
Most of us would follow Janney anywhere, and Smollett is gaining a similar group of fans. So, does that make Lou a movie worth watching?
From the outside, it looks like Hannah (Smollett) and Lou (Janney) have little more in common than residing on the same plot of land.
Hannah is a caring mother, doting on her daughter Vee. Lou is a survivalist whose closest pal is a dog, which, admittedly, she dotes on as much as Hannah does Vee.
Both women have fled their previous lives, finding a fresh start far away from the daily grind.
- 9/22/2022
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
If you’re looking for a fright this fall, Netflix has you covered. The streamer has unveiled its “Netflix and Chills” slate of new horror movies and TV shows coming to Netflix in October and beyond. This includes films like the witchy “The School for Good and Evil,” which debuts Oct. 19 and stars Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington. There’s also Tim Burton’s TV series “Wednesday,” which doesn’t yet have a release date but is a series-long spin on the Addams Family daughter starring Jenna Ortega.
And master of Netflix horror Mike Flanagan – the mind behind the “Haunting of Hill House” and “Bly Manor” shows as well as “Midnight Mass” – is back with his Christopher Pike adaptation “The Midnight Club,” which premieres Oct. 7. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” director Henry Selick also returns with a new film, “Wendell & Wild,” on Oct. 28.
Check out the full slate of new...
And master of Netflix horror Mike Flanagan – the mind behind the “Haunting of Hill House” and “Bly Manor” shows as well as “Midnight Mass” – is back with his Christopher Pike adaptation “The Midnight Club,” which premieres Oct. 7. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” director Henry Selick also returns with a new film, “Wendell & Wild,” on Oct. 28.
Check out the full slate of new...
- 9/6/2022
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Lou Trailer — Anna Foerster‘s Lou (2022) movie trailer has been released by Netflix. The Lou trailer stars Allison Janney, Jurnee Smollett, Logan Marshall-Green, and Ridley Asha Bateman. Crew Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley wrote the screenplay for Lou., “from a story by Maggie Cohn. It’s produced by Bad Robot’s J.J. Abrams, [...]
Continue reading: Lou (2022) Movie Trailer: Allison Janney & Jurnee Smollett star in Netflix’s Kidnap Thriller Film...
Continue reading: Lou (2022) Movie Trailer: Allison Janney & Jurnee Smollett star in Netflix’s Kidnap Thriller Film...
- 8/23/2022
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
Netflix has debuted a new trailer for the Allison Janney-led thriller ‘Lou.’
Thinking she’d put her dangerous past behind her, Lou (Allison Janney) finds her quiet life interrupted when a desperate mother (Jurnee Smollett) begs her to save her kidnapped daughter. As a massive storm rages, the two women risk their lives on a rescue mission that will test their limits and expose dark and shocking secrets from their pasts.
Academy Award winner Allison Janney and Emmy Award nominee Jurnee Smollett star alongside Logan Marshall-Green and Ridley Asha Bateman. The film is directed by Anna Foerster from a screenplay by Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley, with Bad Robot’s JJ Abrams, Hannah Minghella, and Jon Cohen producing.
Also in trailers – Trailer lands for new series ‘Vampire Academy’
The film releases on September 23rd.
The post Allison Janney stars in trailer for thriller ‘Lou’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.
Thinking she’d put her dangerous past behind her, Lou (Allison Janney) finds her quiet life interrupted when a desperate mother (Jurnee Smollett) begs her to save her kidnapped daughter. As a massive storm rages, the two women risk their lives on a rescue mission that will test their limits and expose dark and shocking secrets from their pasts.
Academy Award winner Allison Janney and Emmy Award nominee Jurnee Smollett star alongside Logan Marshall-Green and Ridley Asha Bateman. The film is directed by Anna Foerster from a screenplay by Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley, with Bad Robot’s JJ Abrams, Hannah Minghella, and Jon Cohen producing.
Also in trailers – Trailer lands for new series ‘Vampire Academy’
The film releases on September 23rd.
The post Allison Janney stars in trailer for thriller ‘Lou’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 8/23/2022
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The new trailer for Netflix’s action-packed “Lou” has been released.
Allison Janney and Jurnee Smollett hunt for the latter’s kidnapped daughter in the upcoming “Taken”-style flick.
Janney tells Smollett’s character in the teaser, “If you slow me down I will leave you behind,” as the pair begin their quest for the missing child.
“Lou”: Allison Janney as Lou, with Jurnee Smollett as Hannah. — Liane Hentscher / Netflix © 2022 “Lou”: Allison Janney as Lou. Credit: Liane Hentscher / Netflix © 2022
Read More: Jon Bernthal Is Out For Revenge In Sizzling New ‘American Gigolo’ Trailer
A synopsis reads, “Thinking she’d put her dangerous past behind her, Lou (Janney) finds her quiet life interrupted when a desperate mother (Smollett) begs her to save her kidnapped daughter.
“As a massive storm rages, the two women risk their lives on a rescue mission that will test their limits and expose dark and shocking secrets from their pasts.
Allison Janney and Jurnee Smollett hunt for the latter’s kidnapped daughter in the upcoming “Taken”-style flick.
Janney tells Smollett’s character in the teaser, “If you slow me down I will leave you behind,” as the pair begin their quest for the missing child.
“Lou”: Allison Janney as Lou, with Jurnee Smollett as Hannah. — Liane Hentscher / Netflix © 2022 “Lou”: Allison Janney as Lou. Credit: Liane Hentscher / Netflix © 2022
Read More: Jon Bernthal Is Out For Revenge In Sizzling New ‘American Gigolo’ Trailer
A synopsis reads, “Thinking she’d put her dangerous past behind her, Lou (Janney) finds her quiet life interrupted when a desperate mother (Smollett) begs her to save her kidnapped daughter.
“As a massive storm rages, the two women risk their lives on a rescue mission that will test their limits and expose dark and shocking secrets from their pasts.
- 8/23/2022
- by Becca Longmire
- ET Canada
Oscar winner Allison Janney has a very special set of skills — including how to kick ass.
For the Netflix action film “Lou,” Janney stars as the titular retired vigilante whose life is interrupted after a desperate mother (Jurnee Smollett) begs her to help save her kidnapped daughter. Per an official synopsis: “As a massive storm rages, the two women risk their lives on a rescue mission that will test their limits and expose dark and shocking secrets from their pasts.”
Logan Marshall-Green, Matt Craven, and Ridley Asha Bateman also star in the film, directed by Anna Foerster (“Underworld: Blood Wars”) from a script by Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley. Bad Robot’s JJ Abrams, Hannah Minghella, and Jon Cohen are producing, with lead stars Janney and Emmy nominee Smollett executive producing. Lindsey Weber, behind Prime Video’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” is also serving as an executive producer.
For the Netflix action film “Lou,” Janney stars as the titular retired vigilante whose life is interrupted after a desperate mother (Jurnee Smollett) begs her to help save her kidnapped daughter. Per an official synopsis: “As a massive storm rages, the two women risk their lives on a rescue mission that will test their limits and expose dark and shocking secrets from their pasts.”
Logan Marshall-Green, Matt Craven, and Ridley Asha Bateman also star in the film, directed by Anna Foerster (“Underworld: Blood Wars”) from a script by Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley. Bad Robot’s JJ Abrams, Hannah Minghella, and Jon Cohen are producing, with lead stars Janney and Emmy nominee Smollett executive producing. Lindsey Weber, behind Prime Video’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” is also serving as an executive producer.
- 8/22/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Academy Award winner Allison Janney stars alongside Jurnee Smollett (Birds of Prey) in Netflix‘s Lou, an upcoming action thriller that just received an official trailer today.
Lou comes to Netflix on September 23. Watch the trailer below, which makes an action star out of Allison Janney. And it looks like she’s about to make even John Rambo proud.
In Lou, “Thinking she’d put her dangerous past behind her, Lou (Allison Janney) finds her quiet life interrupted when a desperate mother (Jurnee Smollett) begs her to save her kidnapped daughter. As a massive storm rages, the two women risk their lives on a rescue mission that will test their limits and expose dark and shocking secrets from their pasts.”
Logan Marshall-Green and Ridley Asha Bateman also star.
The film is directed by Anna Foerster from a screenplay by Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley, with Bad Robot’s JJ Abrams,...
Lou comes to Netflix on September 23. Watch the trailer below, which makes an action star out of Allison Janney. And it looks like she’s about to make even John Rambo proud.
In Lou, “Thinking she’d put her dangerous past behind her, Lou (Allison Janney) finds her quiet life interrupted when a desperate mother (Jurnee Smollett) begs her to save her kidnapped daughter. As a massive storm rages, the two women risk their lives on a rescue mission that will test their limits and expose dark and shocking secrets from their pasts.”
Logan Marshall-Green and Ridley Asha Bateman also star.
The film is directed by Anna Foerster from a screenplay by Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley, with Bad Robot’s JJ Abrams,...
- 8/22/2022
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Allison Janney…action hero? As unlikely as that sounds, it appears to be true as confirmed with the release of Netflix’s official trailer for Lou. The action thriller finds Oscar winner Allison Janney trying to help a desperate mother, played by Emmy nominee Jurnee Smollett (Lovecraft Country), find her kidnapped daughter.
The thriller’s cast also includes Logan Marshall-Green, Ridley Asha Bateman, and Matt Craven. Anna Foerster (Underworld: Blood Wars) directed from a screenplay by Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley.
Bad Robot’s J.J. Abrams, Hannah Minghella, and Jon Cohen produced, with Janney, Smollett, Cory Bennett Lewis, Lindsey Weber, Brendan Ferguson, and Braden Aftergood executive producing.
The official trailer arrived along with a new poster and three photos from the action film which is set for release on September 23, 2022.
Netflix released the following synopsis of Lou:
Thinking she’d put her dangerous past behind her, Lou (Janney) finds her...
The thriller’s cast also includes Logan Marshall-Green, Ridley Asha Bateman, and Matt Craven. Anna Foerster (Underworld: Blood Wars) directed from a screenplay by Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley.
Bad Robot’s J.J. Abrams, Hannah Minghella, and Jon Cohen produced, with Janney, Smollett, Cory Bennett Lewis, Lindsey Weber, Brendan Ferguson, and Braden Aftergood executive producing.
The official trailer arrived along with a new poster and three photos from the action film which is set for release on September 23, 2022.
Netflix released the following synopsis of Lou:
Thinking she’d put her dangerous past behind her, Lou (Janney) finds her...
- 8/22/2022
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Allison Janney is not f*cking around in Netflix‘s new Lou trailer. Tucked deep in the Pacific Northwest, a woman named Lou (Janney) is minding her own business with a loyal canine at her side. When a massive storm hits the area, the daughter of Lou’s neighbor (Jurnee Smollett) gets kidnapped. Terrified and needing someone with specific skills, the neighbor and Lou join forces to locate the child and bring her home safely. The Lou trailer mixes the urgency of Taken with the brutality of John Wick as Janney goes on the warpath, and I am all about it.
Reports indicate that Janney partnered with Daniel Bernhardt for Lou, the same fight choreographer who worked with Charlize Theron and Halle Barry in Atomic Blonde and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, respectively. Anna Foerster directs Lou from a screenplay by Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley. J.J. Abrams produces through Bad...
Reports indicate that Janney partnered with Daniel Bernhardt for Lou, the same fight choreographer who worked with Charlize Theron and Halle Barry in Atomic Blonde and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, respectively. Anna Foerster directs Lou from a screenplay by Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley. J.J. Abrams produces through Bad...
- 8/22/2022
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Netflix has unveiled a trailer and first-look photos for its action-thriller Lou, starring Oscar winner Allison Janney and Emmy nominee Jurnee Smollett (Lovecraft Country), which is slated for release on September 23rd.
The film from cinematographer-turned-director Anna Foerster (Westworld) follows Lou (Janney), a woman who thinks she’s put her dangerous past behind her, but finds her quiet life interrupted when a desperate mother (Smollett) begs her to help save her kidnapped daughter. As a massive storm rages, the two women risk their lives on a rescue mission that will test their limits and expose dark and shocking secrets from their pasts.
Written by Maggie Cohn (The Staircase) and Jack Stanley, from a story by Cohn, Lou also stars Logan Marshall-Green, Ridley Asha Bateman and Matt Craven. Bad Robot’s J.J. Abrams, Hannah Minghella and Jon Cohen produced, with Janney and Smollett exec producing alongside Braden Aftergood, Brendan Ferguson,...
The film from cinematographer-turned-director Anna Foerster (Westworld) follows Lou (Janney), a woman who thinks she’s put her dangerous past behind her, but finds her quiet life interrupted when a desperate mother (Smollett) begs her to help save her kidnapped daughter. As a massive storm rages, the two women risk their lives on a rescue mission that will test their limits and expose dark and shocking secrets from their pasts.
Written by Maggie Cohn (The Staircase) and Jack Stanley, from a story by Cohn, Lou also stars Logan Marshall-Green, Ridley Asha Bateman and Matt Craven. Bad Robot’s J.J. Abrams, Hannah Minghella and Jon Cohen produced, with Janney and Smollett exec producing alongside Braden Aftergood, Brendan Ferguson,...
- 8/22/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Of all the actors in recent months and years who have tried transforming into John Wick in punishing, stylized action movies, Allison Janney in her new film “Lou” may be the most surprising transformation yet.
Janney leads the Netflix action movie “Lou” that also stars Jurnee Smollett and Logan Marshall-Green and is produced by J.J. Abrams.
In the film, she plays a woman named Lou with a dangerous and mysterious past living in the tranquil Pacific Northwest and whose only companion (you guessed it John Wick fans) her dog. As a massive storm threatens to set in on the community, Lou’s neighbor (Smollett) begs her to help save her kidnapped daughter, unaware of Lou’s many secrets.
Also Read:
The Next Shaky-Cam? How Drones Are Changing the Way Action Movies Are Made
This first trailer for the film though shows some of Janney’s biting wit matched with some punishing hand-to-hand combat,...
Janney leads the Netflix action movie “Lou” that also stars Jurnee Smollett and Logan Marshall-Green and is produced by J.J. Abrams.
In the film, she plays a woman named Lou with a dangerous and mysterious past living in the tranquil Pacific Northwest and whose only companion (you guessed it John Wick fans) her dog. As a massive storm threatens to set in on the community, Lou’s neighbor (Smollett) begs her to help save her kidnapped daughter, unaware of Lou’s many secrets.
Also Read:
The Next Shaky-Cam? How Drones Are Changing the Way Action Movies Are Made
This first trailer for the film though shows some of Janney’s biting wit matched with some punishing hand-to-hand combat,...
- 8/22/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Academy Award and Emmy Award-winner Allison Janney is adding action star to her very long resume with the upcoming Netflix film "Lou." The streamer just released a new trailer for the film in which she co-stars with Jurnee Smollett.
In "Lou," Janney plays a woman who has left a life of danger behind her, and has settled into a normal existence. That all changes when the mother of a kidnapped daughter (Smollett) begs her to help bring the child home. They'll have to risk everything to survive the rescue mission, a massive storm, and test their own limits to pull this off. Also starring in the film are Logan Marshall-Green and Ridley Asha Bateman ("Shattered").
Janney trained for "Lou" with fight choreographer Daniel Bernhardt at the 87Eleven studio, where Charlize Theron trained for "Atomic Blonde," and Halle Berry trailed for "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum." If the fight scenes in...
In "Lou," Janney plays a woman who has left a life of danger behind her, and has settled into a normal existence. That all changes when the mother of a kidnapped daughter (Smollett) begs her to help bring the child home. They'll have to risk everything to survive the rescue mission, a massive storm, and test their own limits to pull this off. Also starring in the film are Logan Marshall-Green and Ridley Asha Bateman ("Shattered").
Janney trained for "Lou" with fight choreographer Daniel Bernhardt at the 87Eleven studio, where Charlize Theron trained for "Atomic Blonde," and Halle Berry trailed for "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum." If the fight scenes in...
- 8/22/2022
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
Patrick Schwarzenegger now knows what it’s like to be pregnant. Well, kind of.
While the “Terminal List” actor’s father Arnold Schwarzenegger played a man who could conceive and carry a child in 1994 comedy “Junior,” Schwarzenegger revealed he wore a “pregnancy belly” prosthetic to show his “The Staircase” character’s physical change over the course of the HBO limited series.
“He got really heavy,” Schwarzenegger told Variety of playing real-life North Carolina resident Todd Peterson, who battles alcohol and drug abuse. “I had to wear a four-month pregnancy belly. It was weird.”
Schwarzenegger’s Todd is the son of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth) and Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette) who are caught up in a twisted true crime case after Kathleen is found dead at the foot of the stairs. While the real Michael Peterson has slammed the HBO series for being inaccurate, co-showrunner and executive producer Maggie Cohn assured...
While the “Terminal List” actor’s father Arnold Schwarzenegger played a man who could conceive and carry a child in 1994 comedy “Junior,” Schwarzenegger revealed he wore a “pregnancy belly” prosthetic to show his “The Staircase” character’s physical change over the course of the HBO limited series.
“He got really heavy,” Schwarzenegger told Variety of playing real-life North Carolina resident Todd Peterson, who battles alcohol and drug abuse. “I had to wear a four-month pregnancy belly. It was weird.”
Schwarzenegger’s Todd is the son of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth) and Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette) who are caught up in a twisted true crime case after Kathleen is found dead at the foot of the stairs. While the real Michael Peterson has slammed the HBO series for being inaccurate, co-showrunner and executive producer Maggie Cohn assured...
- 7/27/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
There are 110 submissions on the 2022 Emmys ballot for Best Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Writing, resulting in six nominees. As a reminder, last year’s winner was “I May Destroy You” (Michaela Coel) and the other nominees were “The Queen’s Gambit” (Scott Frank), “Mare of Easttown” (Brad Inglesby) and three episodes from “Wandavision”.
The low number of entries in this year’s Best Limited/Movie Writing category can be attributed to the fact that all the top contenders have submitted only one or two episodes from their series when given the option. Danny Strong, a previous winner for “Game Change” in this category a decade ago, entered the “Dopesick” finale, “The People vs. Purdue Pharma.” Other programs that submitted their final episodes were “Maid” (“Snaps”) and “Station Eleven” (“Unbroken Circle”) by their respective showrunners Molly Smith Metzler and Patrick Somerville, which is not a bad method given that seven...
The low number of entries in this year’s Best Limited/Movie Writing category can be attributed to the fact that all the top contenders have submitted only one or two episodes from their series when given the option. Danny Strong, a previous winner for “Game Change” in this category a decade ago, entered the “Dopesick” finale, “The People vs. Purdue Pharma.” Other programs that submitted their final episodes were “Maid” (“Snaps”) and “Station Eleven” (“Unbroken Circle”) by their respective showrunners Molly Smith Metzler and Patrick Somerville, which is not a bad method given that seven...
- 7/10/2022
- by Christopher Tsang
- Gold Derby
Warning: This post contains spoilers for all eight episodes of HBO Max’s The Staircase.
The Staircase took eight episodes to make its case… but it ultimately left the verdict up to us.
More from TVLineThe Staircase Finale Recap: Is Michael's Case Closed? — Plus, Grade the SeriesRun the World: Did the Season 2 Finale Make a Strong Case for Another Season? Grade It!The Summer I Turned Pretty Stars Break Down 'Brutal' Belly/Conrad Scene, Big Book-to-Screen Change - Watch Video
The HBO Max limited series dramatized one of the most infamous true crime cases in recent years: the case of Michael Peterson,...
The Staircase took eight episodes to make its case… but it ultimately left the verdict up to us.
More from TVLineThe Staircase Finale Recap: Is Michael's Case Closed? — Plus, Grade the SeriesRun the World: Did the Season 2 Finale Make a Strong Case for Another Season? Grade It!The Summer I Turned Pretty Stars Break Down 'Brutal' Belly/Conrad Scene, Big Book-to-Screen Change - Watch Video
The HBO Max limited series dramatized one of the most infamous true crime cases in recent years: the case of Michael Peterson,...
- 6/20/2022
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
If it were up to Michael Peterson, Brad Pitt would've played him in HBO Max's The Staircase. Instead, Colin Firth played the author in Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn's adaptation of the true-crime documentary. "I will forever be known as Colin Firth," Michael told Variety June 15. "It could be worse, I suppose. He's not my favorite actor. Get Brad Pitt!" Michael, who hasn't seen the series, continued, "To me, Colin's a great actor but I can't think of any roles that weren't dull as dirt that he's ever played and that's fine." Michael has previously spoken out against the adaptation, in...
- 6/15/2022
- E! Online
Michael Peterson has spent the last 20 years explaining the death of his wife Kathleen. First, he stood trial for allegedly murdering her, and was convicted in 2003 and sentenced to life. He was released pending a new trial in 2011, and in 2017 pleaded guilty to manslaughter in an Alford plea.
After being released from prison, he largely kept a lower profile, mainly talking about his life in relation to the investigation and trial as it was presented in the 2004 documentary “The Staircase,” which he participated in with his four children — Clayton and Todd Peterson and Margaret and Martha Ratliff. (He also had a 13-year relationship with one of the editors of the doc; they broke up shortly after he was released from jail.)
But Peterson’s quiet period appears to have ended. Of late, after being back in the news because HBO Max has semi-fictionalized his family tragedy into a limited series called “The Staircase,...
After being released from prison, he largely kept a lower profile, mainly talking about his life in relation to the investigation and trial as it was presented in the 2004 documentary “The Staircase,” which he participated in with his four children — Clayton and Todd Peterson and Margaret and Martha Ratliff. (He also had a 13-year relationship with one of the editors of the doc; they broke up shortly after he was released from jail.)
But Peterson’s quiet period appears to have ended. Of late, after being back in the news because HBO Max has semi-fictionalized his family tragedy into a limited series called “The Staircase,...
- 6/15/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
What’s harder to work with when it comes to writing a limited series — true stories taken from real life, or the stuff of fiction? A panel of top writers debated the challenges of working with headline-driven and historical material during the final hour of Variety‘s Night in the Writers’ Room on June 9 at 1 Hotel in West Hollywood.
“There’s a little bit of a tightrope-walk in a true story that you don’t necessarily have to walk in fiction,” said Dustin Lance Black, the writer-producer behind FX’s “Under the Banner of Heaven.” He noted that the series, about the 1984 murder of a woman and her infant daughter in Salt Lake City, deals with three intertwined stories, one of which is fictional. “That one to me, I had a slightly easier time with. If I hit a dramatic wall and needed a complication, I was able to make it up.
“There’s a little bit of a tightrope-walk in a true story that you don’t necessarily have to walk in fiction,” said Dustin Lance Black, the writer-producer behind FX’s “Under the Banner of Heaven.” He noted that the series, about the 1984 murder of a woman and her infant daughter in Salt Lake City, deals with three intertwined stories, one of which is fictional. “That one to me, I had a slightly easier time with. If I hit a dramatic wall and needed a complication, I was able to make it up.
- 6/10/2022
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
“The Staircase” debate takes another spiraling turn.
After the true-crime show — although the words “true crime” don’t easily apply to the murky death at the center of the HBO Max series — concluded on June 9, the real-life players are speaking out on its accuracy. “The Staircase” centers on North Carolina-based novelist and would-be politician Michael Peterson, played by Colin Firth, who is accused, convicted, and then cleared of killing his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette), who died bloodily and presumably alone at the foot of their staircase.
The Peterson case was at the center of a documentary directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade that debuted in 2004; additional installments as the case progressed were subsequently released, while editor Sophie Brunet (played by Juliette Binoche in the HBO series) also started a romantic relationship with Peterson. Brunet has since disputed the timeline of these events.
But now, Peterson and de Lestrade are duking it out over the fictionalized depiction,...
After the true-crime show — although the words “true crime” don’t easily apply to the murky death at the center of the HBO Max series — concluded on June 9, the real-life players are speaking out on its accuracy. “The Staircase” centers on North Carolina-based novelist and would-be politician Michael Peterson, played by Colin Firth, who is accused, convicted, and then cleared of killing his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette), who died bloodily and presumably alone at the foot of their staircase.
The Peterson case was at the center of a documentary directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade that debuted in 2004; additional installments as the case progressed were subsequently released, while editor Sophie Brunet (played by Juliette Binoche in the HBO series) also started a romantic relationship with Peterson. Brunet has since disputed the timeline of these events.
But now, Peterson and de Lestrade are duking it out over the fictionalized depiction,...
- 6/10/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
[Editor’s note: The following story contains spoilers for the end of “The Staircase.”]
Maybe he didn’t push her, but oh, he pushed her.
That’s more or less the takeaway from the final episodes of HBO Max’s “The Staircase,” which exploded a wobbly real-life murder case into a fascination of true-crime-ish television.
Is Antonio Campos’ drama series true crime at all if there maybe wasn’t even a crime truly committed? Across eight episodes, writer/director Campos and writer/producer/co-showrunner Maggie Cohn reopened the Pandora’s box of the Michael Peterson (Colin Firth) case, in which a well-liked Durham, North Carolina novelist and would-be local politico was accused, convicted, and then cleared of the killing of his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette). Peterson became a free man after eight years in prison in 2017, escaping a life of incarceration through a legal loophole known as the Alford plea, which reduced his charge to manslaughter. By pleading guilty, he was able...
Maybe he didn’t push her, but oh, he pushed her.
That’s more or less the takeaway from the final episodes of HBO Max’s “The Staircase,” which exploded a wobbly real-life murder case into a fascination of true-crime-ish television.
Is Antonio Campos’ drama series true crime at all if there maybe wasn’t even a crime truly committed? Across eight episodes, writer/director Campos and writer/producer/co-showrunner Maggie Cohn reopened the Pandora’s box of the Michael Peterson (Colin Firth) case, in which a well-liked Durham, North Carolina novelist and would-be local politico was accused, convicted, and then cleared of the killing of his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette). Peterson became a free man after eight years in prison in 2017, escaping a life of incarceration through a legal loophole known as the Alford plea, which reduced his charge to manslaughter. By pleading guilty, he was able...
- 6/9/2022
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
This story first appeared in the Emmy Race Begins issue of TheWrap magazine.
The critical response to HBO Max’s limited series “The Staircase” has been overwhelmingly positive. But Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, the French filmmaker who directed the Peabody award-winning docu-series of the same name on which the new drama is based, is not participating in the applause.
In a recent interview, de Lestrade told Vanity Fair that he felt “betrayed” by the HBO Max adaptation because he believes it questions his integrity and professionalism. The eight-episode drama tells the story of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), the crime writer who was convicted in 2003 of killing his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette), whom he claims fell to her death on the stairs in their Durham, North Carolina home. (He was retried in 2011 and eventually took an Alford plea.) In addition to chronicling the trial and aftermath, “The Staircase” also features de Lestrade...
The critical response to HBO Max’s limited series “The Staircase” has been overwhelmingly positive. But Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, the French filmmaker who directed the Peabody award-winning docu-series of the same name on which the new drama is based, is not participating in the applause.
In a recent interview, de Lestrade told Vanity Fair that he felt “betrayed” by the HBO Max adaptation because he believes it questions his integrity and professionalism. The eight-episode drama tells the story of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), the crime writer who was convicted in 2003 of killing his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette), whom he claims fell to her death on the stairs in their Durham, North Carolina home. (He was retried in 2011 and eventually took an Alford plea.) In addition to chronicling the trial and aftermath, “The Staircase” also features de Lestrade...
- 6/1/2022
- by Missy Schwartz
- The Wrap
While “The Staircase,” HBO Max’s dramatized re-telling of the 2004 true crime documentary, isn’t exactly a recreation, it’s easy to get confused between the fact and fiction of the two while watching them back-to-back.
David Rudolf — the real-life North Carolina defense lawyer who represented Michael Peterson after he was accused of killing his wife Kathleen — knows this, and he isn’t happy about it.
“I get it,” Rudolf told Variety. “And that’s the problem.”
The new series takes a bird’s-eye-view of the case, and includes the documentarians as characters in the story. Following the premiere of the new series on May 5, in a lengthy May 13 story in Vanity Fair, Rudolf and the documentary’s original filmmakers — director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, producers Allyson Luchak and Matthieu Belghiti, and editors Scott Stevenson and Sophie Brunet — accused the new show’s creator, writer and director Antonio Campos, as well as co-showrunner Maggie Cohn,...
David Rudolf — the real-life North Carolina defense lawyer who represented Michael Peterson after he was accused of killing his wife Kathleen — knows this, and he isn’t happy about it.
“I get it,” Rudolf told Variety. “And that’s the problem.”
The new series takes a bird’s-eye-view of the case, and includes the documentarians as characters in the story. Following the premiere of the new series on May 5, in a lengthy May 13 story in Vanity Fair, Rudolf and the documentary’s original filmmakers — director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, producers Allyson Luchak and Matthieu Belghiti, and editors Scott Stevenson and Sophie Brunet — accused the new show’s creator, writer and director Antonio Campos, as well as co-showrunner Maggie Cohn,...
- 6/1/2022
- by Sasha Urban
- Variety Film + TV
The Staircase documentary seemed like the definitive source for all information on the Michael Peterson trial. After all, the documentarians were there in the room, speaking to prosecutors, defense attorneys and the real-life people whose lives were irrevocably changed by the death of Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette). But HBO Max's adaptation of the docuseries is likely to plant new questions in viewers' minds. This is, by the way, totally intentional. Showrunners Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn want you to question what you thought you knew. Maggie explained to E! News that the whole series questions the "idea that anything can be fully accurate or there could be a single...
- 5/20/2022
- E! Online
Toni Collette has asserted herself as one of the most versatile actresses of her generation, proven once again by her phenomenal work in the HBO Max limited series “The Staircase.”
Variety has confirmed that Collette has been submitted for an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a limited series for her turn as Kathleen Peterson, the dead wife (accidental or murdered?) of Michael, played by Emmy nominee and Oscar winner Colin Firth.
Read more: Variety’s Awards Circuit Emmys Predictions Hub
The miniseries, based on the documentary of the same name that steamed on Netflix in 2018, tells the story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist, who is accused of bludgeoning his wife Kathleen to death after she is found at the bottom of a staircase in their home. As the clues and investigation unravel, a French documentary team begins filming the events, creating unexpected consequences.
The Australian actress is beloved:...
Variety has confirmed that Collette has been submitted for an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a limited series for her turn as Kathleen Peterson, the dead wife (accidental or murdered?) of Michael, played by Emmy nominee and Oscar winner Colin Firth.
Read more: Variety’s Awards Circuit Emmys Predictions Hub
The miniseries, based on the documentary of the same name that steamed on Netflix in 2018, tells the story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist, who is accused of bludgeoning his wife Kathleen to death after she is found at the bottom of a staircase in their home. As the clues and investigation unravel, a French documentary team begins filming the events, creating unexpected consequences.
The Australian actress is beloved:...
- 5/20/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
HBO Max’s new series “The Staircase” dramatizes the real-life events covered in the French docuseries of the same name created by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. It explores the life of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette). Even though there are still a lot of ambivalent feelings about the case in general and Michael specifically, the creative minds behind this series were very much interested in embracing that ambiguity. “What was always fascinating about Michael was that he was impossible to pin down,” says creator, showrunner, executive producer and director (of six episodes) Antonio Campos in an exclusive new interview for Gold Derby, in which he is joined by fellow showrunner and executive producer Maggie Cohn. “Having this maze of a character within a maze of a story was what fascinated us.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
- 5/18/2022
- by Luca Giliberti
- Gold Derby
When the cast and showrunners of “Yellowjackets” took the stage at IndieWire’s Consider This FYC Brunch, everyone in the room wanted to learn the secret sauce behind the Showtime blockbuster. But the team made sure to emphasize that there was no single thing that set the show apart. Instead, the show succeeds because of how it delicately balances multiple aspects of the series that seemingly contradict each other. (Full videos of all five panels will be published next week.)
“Tonally, I think we were all wondering if the filaments would come to the magnet,” said executive producer and co-showrunner Jonathan Lisco while speaking on a panel moderated by IndieWire editor-in-chief Dana Harris-Bridson. “Because there’s a lot of different tonalities in here, which we thread together into this single impact on our audience.”
The “Yellowjackets” team wasn’t alone in juggling that problem. A common topic at the brunch...
“Tonally, I think we were all wondering if the filaments would come to the magnet,” said executive producer and co-showrunner Jonathan Lisco while speaking on a panel moderated by IndieWire editor-in-chief Dana Harris-Bridson. “Because there’s a lot of different tonalities in here, which we thread together into this single impact on our audience.”
The “Yellowjackets” team wasn’t alone in juggling that problem. A common topic at the brunch...
- 5/13/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
“The actual point of the show is that you can never actually know anything.”
That’s Maggie Cohn, co-showrunner, EP, and writer on “The Staircase” about the new HBO Max original series, created and directed by Antonio Campos. But one thing the creative team on the series did know for certain was early-2000s fashion and makeup — to the consternation of star Sophie Turner in one case.
The story of Michael and Kathleen Peterson (played by Colin Firth and Toni Collette on the new series) was originally told by French documentarian Jean-Xavier de Lestrade across 13 episodes, the first of which — in a mark of how much distribution for true crime has changed — aired in an abbreviated form on ABC’s “Primetime Thursday” in 2004.
At the IndieWire Consider This Brunch May 12, Cohn, along with makeup artist Elle Favorule and costume designer Jennifer Starzyk, told IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill about how recreating...
That’s Maggie Cohn, co-showrunner, EP, and writer on “The Staircase” about the new HBO Max original series, created and directed by Antonio Campos. But one thing the creative team on the series did know for certain was early-2000s fashion and makeup — to the consternation of star Sophie Turner in one case.
The story of Michael and Kathleen Peterson (played by Colin Firth and Toni Collette on the new series) was originally told by French documentarian Jean-Xavier de Lestrade across 13 episodes, the first of which — in a mark of how much distribution for true crime has changed — aired in an abbreviated form on ABC’s “Primetime Thursday” in 2004.
At the IndieWire Consider This Brunch May 12, Cohn, along with makeup artist Elle Favorule and costume designer Jennifer Starzyk, told IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill about how recreating...
- 5/12/2022
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
As the production designer of “The Staircase,” HBO Max’s adaptation of the seminal true-crime docuseries, Michael Shaw had immense challenges in front of him, chief among them the series’ namesake.
The show, which premiered May 5, explores the confounding circumstances of the death of Kathleen Peterson (played by Toni Collette), whose body was found at the bottom of a narrow staircase in the back of the North Carolina home she shared with her novelist husband Michael (Colin Firth) and their five children. Although the original French documentary series captures the Peterson family and their house in great detail, when Shaw first signed on alongside set decorator Edward McLoughlin, he hadn’t seen the documentary — and didn’t plan to.
“I wanted to read the episodes and interpret it as if it wasn’t a real event,” Shaw said. “It was important to create something that wasn’t a replica of the doc.
The show, which premiered May 5, explores the confounding circumstances of the death of Kathleen Peterson (played by Toni Collette), whose body was found at the bottom of a narrow staircase in the back of the North Carolina home she shared with her novelist husband Michael (Colin Firth) and their five children. Although the original French documentary series captures the Peterson family and their house in great detail, when Shaw first signed on alongside set decorator Edward McLoughlin, he hadn’t seen the documentary — and didn’t plan to.
“I wanted to read the episodes and interpret it as if it wasn’t a real event,” Shaw said. “It was important to create something that wasn’t a replica of the doc.
- 5/12/2022
- by Sasha Urban
- Variety Film + TV
Spoiler Alert: This interview contains spoilers through Episode 4 of “The Staircase,” which hit HBO Max on May 12.
Despite her death being the catalyst for a highly publicized court case and miniseries, not much is publicly known about Kathleen Peterson’s life and personality. “The Staircase,” HBO Max’s true crime miniseries from Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn, seeks to change that by fleshing out Kathleen as a human being.
“I just love that the show on the whole is a more balanced view of their family,” Toni Collette, who plays Kathleen Peterson in the series, tells Variety. “Ultimately, to me, I think it’s about the breakdown of a marriage, and you just see her as a whole person. You see all of them as whole people. People living in this funny little community in the middle of North Carolina, you just can’t imagine the stuff that goes on.
Despite her death being the catalyst for a highly publicized court case and miniseries, not much is publicly known about Kathleen Peterson’s life and personality. “The Staircase,” HBO Max’s true crime miniseries from Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn, seeks to change that by fleshing out Kathleen as a human being.
“I just love that the show on the whole is a more balanced view of their family,” Toni Collette, who plays Kathleen Peterson in the series, tells Variety. “Ultimately, to me, I think it’s about the breakdown of a marriage, and you just see her as a whole person. You see all of them as whole people. People living in this funny little community in the middle of North Carolina, you just can’t imagine the stuff that goes on.
- 5/12/2022
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
Sophie Turner and Odessa Young took their roles as sisters on HBO Max’s “The Staircase” seriously. “I would feel anxiety if I wasn’t with her on set for a day,” Turner says of her co-star. “Anytime that we were doing a scene together, I’d be like, ‘Oh, thank God.’”
Young and Turner star as sisters Martha and Margaret Ratliff, the adopted daughters of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth). Their biological mother, Elizabeth Ratliff, was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in 1985. Resurfaced evidence from her death played a prominent role in the case against Peterson for the 2001 death of his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette), also discovered at the bottom of a staircase.
The series, created by Antonio Campos with showrunner Maggie Cohn, breathes new life into a highly-publicized true crime case, originally told as a 2004 miniseries that was republished with new episodes by Netflix in 2018.
In...
Young and Turner star as sisters Martha and Margaret Ratliff, the adopted daughters of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth). Their biological mother, Elizabeth Ratliff, was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in 1985. Resurfaced evidence from her death played a prominent role in the case against Peterson for the 2001 death of his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette), also discovered at the bottom of a staircase.
The series, created by Antonio Campos with showrunner Maggie Cohn, breathes new life into a highly-publicized true crime case, originally told as a 2004 miniseries that was republished with new episodes by Netflix in 2018.
In...
- 5/5/2022
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
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