Exclusive: Paradigm has signed actor, writer and producer Steve Zissis (Togetherness) for representation in all areas.
Best known for co-creating, writing and starring on HBO’s acclaimed comedy-drama Togetherness, Zissis collaborated with the Duplass Brothers on that series, as well as their films The Do-Deca Pentathlon, Jeff, Who Lives at Home, Cyrus and Baghead.
On the film side, he’s recently appeared in Bliss opposite Owen Wilson and Salma Hayek and Bad Hair from writer-director Justin Simien. Other notable credits include the Universal horror pic Happy Death Day 2 U, Jason Reitman’s The Front Runner opposite Hugh Jackman, Another Evil, and Spike Jonze’s Her.
In television, Zissis has been seen in the Golden Globe-nominated The Comey Rule (Showtime) as well as The Guest Book (TBS), I’m Sorry (TruTV), Single Parents (ABC), The League (FX), Arrested Development (Netflix), Parks and Recreation (NBC) and The Office (NBC).
Currently, Zissis...
Best known for co-creating, writing and starring on HBO’s acclaimed comedy-drama Togetherness, Zissis collaborated with the Duplass Brothers on that series, as well as their films The Do-Deca Pentathlon, Jeff, Who Lives at Home, Cyrus and Baghead.
On the film side, he’s recently appeared in Bliss opposite Owen Wilson and Salma Hayek and Bad Hair from writer-director Justin Simien. Other notable credits include the Universal horror pic Happy Death Day 2 U, Jason Reitman’s The Front Runner opposite Hugh Jackman, Another Evil, and Spike Jonze’s Her.
In television, Zissis has been seen in the Golden Globe-nominated The Comey Rule (Showtime) as well as The Guest Book (TBS), I’m Sorry (TruTV), Single Parents (ABC), The League (FX), Arrested Development (Netflix), Parks and Recreation (NBC) and The Office (NBC).
Currently, Zissis...
- 6/4/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Neon has done a great job of promoting the upcoming horror film Longlegs while also keeping the story’s secrets concealed. Although multiple teaser trailers and posters have made their way online, we still don’t know a whole lot about this movie, beyond the fact that it’s scheduled to reach theatres on July 12th. But if you want to know exactly how much we do know about it, just keep scrolling down, because we have compiled a list of Everything We Know About Longlegs.
Director
Longlegs, which is said to be “in the vein of classic Hollywood psychological thrillers”, is the latest genre project from director Osgood Perkins – who, yes, is the son of actor Anthony Perkins, best remembered for his performance as Norman Bates in the Alfred Hitchcock classic Psycho. The younger Perkins has been building a solid career of his own, though, with his previous directorial...
Director
Longlegs, which is said to be “in the vein of classic Hollywood psychological thrillers”, is the latest genre project from director Osgood Perkins – who, yes, is the son of actor Anthony Perkins, best remembered for his performance as Norman Bates in the Alfred Hitchcock classic Psycho. The younger Perkins has been building a solid career of his own, though, with his previous directorial...
- 5/16/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Exclusive: Tracey Lincoln has been appointed to the role of Vice President, Community and Brand Partnerships at Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment, the company’s President Justin Wilkes announced on Wednesday.
Lincoln joins from Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s Parkwood Entertainment, where she led social strategy and execution as Director, Social Media Strategy. In her new role, she will spearhead social strategy across Imagine’s upcoming releases and library, creating original short-form content, working with social creators to develop long-form projects, and expanding brand partnerships.
Her hiring comes as Imagine continues to build considerable momentum in brand-driven entertainment that has produced award-winning short-form, long-form, scripted and unscripted entertainment with brands such as Coca-Cola, Nike, Proctor & Gamble, Ford, Major League Baseball and a recently announced partnership with Lvmh.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tracey Lincoln to our team,” stated Marc Gilbar, President of Imagine Brands. “Storytelling on social platforms will only continue to grow,...
Lincoln joins from Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s Parkwood Entertainment, where she led social strategy and execution as Director, Social Media Strategy. In her new role, she will spearhead social strategy across Imagine’s upcoming releases and library, creating original short-form content, working with social creators to develop long-form projects, and expanding brand partnerships.
Her hiring comes as Imagine continues to build considerable momentum in brand-driven entertainment that has produced award-winning short-form, long-form, scripted and unscripted entertainment with brands such as Coca-Cola, Nike, Proctor & Gamble, Ford, Major League Baseball and a recently announced partnership with Lvmh.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tracey Lincoln to our team,” stated Marc Gilbar, President of Imagine Brands. “Storytelling on social platforms will only continue to grow,...
- 4/3/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Jeff Daniels contemplates life and death in a teaser trailer and first-look images for A Man in Full
“When you die, will people notice,” Charlie Croker (Jeff Daniels) asks in Netflix‘s teaser trailer for the upcoming limited series A Man in Full. The question is as old as time and something people often ask themselves when contemplating a swift exit from this mortal coil. What would prompt a real estate mogul to have such macabre thoughts? His bankruptcy and inevitable downfall, of course.
Here’s the official synopsis for A Man in Full courtesy of Netflix:
When Atlanta real estate mogul Charlie Croker faces sudden bankruptcy, political and business interests collide as Charlie defends his empire from those attempting to capitalize on his fall from grace.
A Man in Full is based on the New York Times best-selling novel by the late Tom Wolfe, who died of an infection in Manhattan in 2018. The six-episode limited series hails from David E. Kelley Productions and Royal Ties Productions Inc.
Here’s the official synopsis for A Man in Full courtesy of Netflix:
When Atlanta real estate mogul Charlie Croker faces sudden bankruptcy, political and business interests collide as Charlie defends his empire from those attempting to capitalize on his fall from grace.
A Man in Full is based on the New York Times best-selling novel by the late Tom Wolfe, who died of an infection in Manhattan in 2018. The six-episode limited series hails from David E. Kelley Productions and Royal Ties Productions Inc.
- 3/20/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Update 2/9 with IATSE statement: A fundraiser organized on behalf of rigging technician Juan “Spike” Wu Osorio, who died on the set of Marvel’s “Wonder Man” TV series on February 6, has raised over $110,000 in less than 24 hours. At this latest update, the fundraiser surpassed $162,000 and the goal has been increased to $200,000.
Bill Martel, a production sound mixer and president of Impact Av, organized the GoFundMe. He wrote that the incident at Radford Studio Center may have been “due to a potential structural failure.” When reached by IndieWire, Martel declined to comment in more detail about the nature of the accident.
“We are hoping the Production Company, The Facility, Mbs, Marvel Studios handles things properly, but expect a long road,” Martel wrote. “In the mean time, bills will be mounting and the widow, Boom Operator Joanne W., will be left to deal with everything. Help if you’re able, it’s greatly appreciated.
Bill Martel, a production sound mixer and president of Impact Av, organized the GoFundMe. He wrote that the incident at Radford Studio Center may have been “due to a potential structural failure.” When reached by IndieWire, Martel declined to comment in more detail about the nature of the accident.
“We are hoping the Production Company, The Facility, Mbs, Marvel Studios handles things properly, but expect a long road,” Martel wrote. “In the mean time, bills will be mounting and the widow, Boom Operator Joanne W., will be left to deal with everything. Help if you’re able, it’s greatly appreciated.
- 2/7/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Shining a light on the insidious child sex trade and the lives it seeks to destroy, director Gabriella A. Moses (“Sin Raíces”) exposes a Dominican community complicit by way of young Desi (Scarlet Camilo), an adolescent girl who dreams of parlaying her nascent musical talents into a full-fledged singing career.
“Boca Chica” takes place in a once serene beachside town, now bustling with foreign tourists. Desi, 12, works at the family restaurant alongside her aunt Nena ( Xiomara Rodríguez) and mother Carmen (Lía Chapman), constantly exposed to unwanted advances and crude comments from older men, both visiting and homegrown.
Music is her escape and, one day, she stumbles across a group of local rappers that set themselves apart from the scene. Her passions begin to boil to the surface as she seeks to avoid the common fate of growing mature before her time and falling prey to the morally bankrupt adults in...
“Boca Chica” takes place in a once serene beachside town, now bustling with foreign tourists. Desi, 12, works at the family restaurant alongside her aunt Nena ( Xiomara Rodríguez) and mother Carmen (Lía Chapman), constantly exposed to unwanted advances and crude comments from older men, both visiting and homegrown.
Music is her escape and, one day, she stumbles across a group of local rappers that set themselves apart from the scene. Her passions begin to boil to the surface as she seeks to avoid the common fate of growing mature before her time and falling prey to the morally bankrupt adults in...
- 11/10/2023
- by Holly Jones
- Variety Film + TV
We originally posted the below piece a couple of weeks ago to tout the in-person return of the annual Film Independent Forum to the DGA in Los Angeles, happening this weekend, September 29-30. Since then, two new events have been added to the Forum schedule: Pedro Almodóvar’s Strange Way of Life and buzzy Sundance hit Fair Play. Action-packed!
***
For the first time since 2019 (hello fidget spinners!) Film Independent’s autumnal industry gathering—the Film Independent Forum—will be taking entirely live in person at its traditional home, the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles. Alternate venues, hybrid virtual sessions and a friggin’ global pandemic may have made things difficult to pin down in recent years, but this year all your #FiForum23 filmmaker panels, keynotes, industry networking events and more will be exactly where you expect. And they’ll be there for two days only, September 29-30. Get your passes today.
***
For the first time since 2019 (hello fidget spinners!) Film Independent’s autumnal industry gathering—the Film Independent Forum—will be taking entirely live in person at its traditional home, the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles. Alternate venues, hybrid virtual sessions and a friggin’ global pandemic may have made things difficult to pin down in recent years, but this year all your #FiForum23 filmmaker panels, keynotes, industry networking events and more will be exactly where you expect. And they’ll be there for two days only, September 29-30. Get your passes today.
- 9/27/2023
- by Matt Warren
- Film Independent News & More
“Haunted Mansion” is ready to spook Disney+ customers in October.
Disney+ $9.99/Month Buy Now
Disney’s kid-friendly horror comedy, which is inspired by the classic theme park attraction, will hit the streamer on Oct. 4. Directed by Justin Simien, “Haunted Mansion” follows single mother Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her 9-year-old son (Chase Dillon), who enlist the help of so-called spiritual experts to exterminate their home of various ghosts, ghouls and ghastly creatures.
Coming 20 years after Eddie Murphy’s “The Haunted Mansion,” the new film stars Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Dawson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Jared Leto and more. Katie Dippold wrote the screenplay.
“Truth be told, the PG-13-rated feature — which marks the studio’s second big-screen adaptation of its spooky theme park attraction — isn’t really that scary,” Variety film critic Peter Debruge wrote in his review. “Director Justin Simien (‘Dear White People’) leans more on comedy than horror,...
Disney+ $9.99/Month Buy Now
Disney’s kid-friendly horror comedy, which is inspired by the classic theme park attraction, will hit the streamer on Oct. 4. Directed by Justin Simien, “Haunted Mansion” follows single mother Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her 9-year-old son (Chase Dillon), who enlist the help of so-called spiritual experts to exterminate their home of various ghosts, ghouls and ghastly creatures.
Coming 20 years after Eddie Murphy’s “The Haunted Mansion,” the new film stars Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Dawson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Jared Leto and more. Katie Dippold wrote the screenplay.
“Truth be told, the PG-13-rated feature — which marks the studio’s second big-screen adaptation of its spooky theme park attraction — isn’t really that scary,” Variety film critic Peter Debruge wrote in his review. “Director Justin Simien (‘Dear White People’) leans more on comedy than horror,...
- 9/10/2023
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
Among fans of all things spooky, Spooky Season -- the extended holiday period leading up to Halloween -- is generally recognized as beginning on July 5, since Halloween is the next major commercial holiday after Independence Day. Disney seems to have embraced this idea with the release of "Haunted Mansion," a family-friendly spookfest based on the Disney parks attraction, directed by Justin Simien ("Bad Hair") and starring Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Unfortunately for the ghosts and ghouls of "Haunted Mansion," the movie had two things working against it: a bloated $150 million budget, and a release date slotted for the weekend after Barbenheimer, the surprise team-up of Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" and Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" that has blown the box office away. Earlier this week, projections for "Haunted Mansion" pointed to a $30 million opening weekend, but after the movie grossed just $9.9 million on Friday including Thursday previews,...
Unfortunately for the ghosts and ghouls of "Haunted Mansion," the movie had two things working against it: a bloated $150 million budget, and a release date slotted for the weekend after Barbenheimer, the surprise team-up of Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" and Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" that has blown the box office away. Earlier this week, projections for "Haunted Mansion" pointed to a $30 million opening weekend, but after the movie grossed just $9.9 million on Friday including Thursday previews,...
- 7/29/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
“Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” ain’t afraid of no ghost.
Disney’s new “Haunted Mansion” is settling for third place behind the formidable pair of blockbusters. The reimagining earned $9.9 million from 3,740 locations on its opening day, a figure that includes $3.1 million in Thursday previews. The family-friendly funhouse feature was projecting an opening between $25 million and $30 million, a range that some rivals predict the debut will end up falling short of.
With a $150 million production budget, “Haunted Mansion” is looking to be another disappointing chapter for Disney’s summer slate. Things kicked off strong with Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which released in May and tallied up $358 million in North America. But after “The Little Mermaid” failed to make a substantial splash overseas, the studio followed with two costly underperformers in “Elemental” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.”
No doubt that a swath of family audiences have kept their attention on “Barbie.
Disney’s new “Haunted Mansion” is settling for third place behind the formidable pair of blockbusters. The reimagining earned $9.9 million from 3,740 locations on its opening day, a figure that includes $3.1 million in Thursday previews. The family-friendly funhouse feature was projecting an opening between $25 million and $30 million, a range that some rivals predict the debut will end up falling short of.
With a $150 million production budget, “Haunted Mansion” is looking to be another disappointing chapter for Disney’s summer slate. Things kicked off strong with Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which released in May and tallied up $358 million in North America. But after “The Little Mermaid” failed to make a substantial splash overseas, the studio followed with two costly underperformers in “Elemental” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.”
No doubt that a swath of family audiences have kept their attention on “Barbie.
- 7/29/2023
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
When director Justin Simien was looking for a composer to score Disney’s “Haunted Mansion,” he called his frequent collaborator Kris Bowers. The two had worked together on “Dear White People” and Simien’s last feature, “Bad Hair.” “I’ve always wanted to have that relationship with the director where you work on a number of projects and develop this trust,” says Bowers.
For their latest film, which opens in theaters July 28, Bowers pays homage to the Disney theme-park ride and its famous “Grim Grinning Ghosts” tune while making his mark on the feature. With “Haunted Mansion,” which stars Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson and Rosario Dawson, Bowers tinkered with ghostly organ sounds and brought in elements of New Orleans jazz for the film’s sonic landscape.
Although it’s inspired by the ride, which is established and beloved IP, the film delves into themes of grief and relationships.
For their latest film, which opens in theaters July 28, Bowers pays homage to the Disney theme-park ride and its famous “Grim Grinning Ghosts” tune while making his mark on the feature. With “Haunted Mansion,” which stars Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson and Rosario Dawson, Bowers tinkered with ghostly organ sounds and brought in elements of New Orleans jazz for the film’s sonic landscape.
Although it’s inspired by the ride, which is established and beloved IP, the film delves into themes of grief and relationships.
- 7/28/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
“Barbenheimer” fever shows no signs of slowing down. The combined forces of Warner Bros.’ “Barbie” and Universal’s “Oppenheimer” are setting up another huge weekend at the box office, but Disney’s new release “The Haunted Mansion” will have to settle for third place.
The kid-friendly horror film made $3.1 million in Thursday previews at the box office. “Barbie,” meanwhile, made $21.2 million on Thursday alone, bringing its domestic total after its first week to $258 million; “Oppenheimer” made $10 million on Thursday and has a $127 million first-week total.
Directed by Justin Simien, who made “Dear White People” and the horror comedy “Bad Hair,” “The Haunted Mansion” is the latest movie inspired by a Disneyland theme park ride (which range from successes like the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise and “Jungle Cruise” to the more forgettable “Tomorrowland” with George Clooney).
“The Haunted Mansion” is expected to make $25 million to $30 million in its opening weekend,...
The kid-friendly horror film made $3.1 million in Thursday previews at the box office. “Barbie,” meanwhile, made $21.2 million on Thursday alone, bringing its domestic total after its first week to $258 million; “Oppenheimer” made $10 million on Thursday and has a $127 million first-week total.
Directed by Justin Simien, who made “Dear White People” and the horror comedy “Bad Hair,” “The Haunted Mansion” is the latest movie inspired by a Disneyland theme park ride (which range from successes like the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise and “Jungle Cruise” to the more forgettable “Tomorrowland” with George Clooney).
“The Haunted Mansion” is expected to make $25 million to $30 million in its opening weekend,...
- 7/28/2023
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
Plot: A woman and her son enlist a paranormal tour guide/inventor to help them rid their new home of an evil spirit.
Review: Disney’s Haunted Mansion is another attempt to build a franchise out of one of their most famous rides. Heck, it worked pretty damn well for Pirates of the Caribbean and – to a certain extent – for Jungle Cruise. Of course, this isn’t the first Haunted Mansion flick, with Eddie Murphy leading a comedy version in 2003. This movie, from Justin Simien, is more serious than the Murphy version, aiming to deliver some legit thrills and chills, although it still has a reasonably comic vibe. Like many other Disney movies lately, it’s decent enough, even if it lacks the attitude to make an impact, as there’s nothing here you haven’t seen before.
Simien made a decent horror movie a couple of years ago called Bad Hair,...
Review: Disney’s Haunted Mansion is another attempt to build a franchise out of one of their most famous rides. Heck, it worked pretty damn well for Pirates of the Caribbean and – to a certain extent – for Jungle Cruise. Of course, this isn’t the first Haunted Mansion flick, with Eddie Murphy leading a comedy version in 2003. This movie, from Justin Simien, is more serious than the Murphy version, aiming to deliver some legit thrills and chills, although it still has a reasonably comic vibe. Like many other Disney movies lately, it’s decent enough, even if it lacks the attitude to make an impact, as there’s nothing here you haven’t seen before.
Simien made a decent horror movie a couple of years ago called Bad Hair,...
- 7/27/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Disney’s interest in making films based on its theme park attractions stretches back to 1997 and the now-forgotten Wonderful World of Disney TV movie, Tower of Terror. Since then offerings like Jungle Cruise, Tomorrowland, and of course the one time it worked, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, have all made it to the screen with varying degrees of success. And with each outing, filmmakers have tried to impose traditional narratives on experiences that are more sensory and immersive than story-driven.
Still, one of the most enduring attractions at many of the Disney parks, the Haunted Mansion, would seem to be a natural for a cinematic adaptation. However, the first attempt in 2003, which starred Eddie Murphy and directed by Rob Minkoff, was a critical disaster and only a tepid box office performer (it’s since gotten somewhat of a reassessment). Still, Disney is always one to try and try again.
Still, one of the most enduring attractions at many of the Disney parks, the Haunted Mansion, would seem to be a natural for a cinematic adaptation. However, the first attempt in 2003, which starred Eddie Murphy and directed by Rob Minkoff, was a critical disaster and only a tepid box office performer (it’s since gotten somewhat of a reassessment). Still, Disney is always one to try and try again.
- 7/27/2023
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
This past weekend’s hugely popular “Barbenheimer” double feature ended up being a huge boon for the box office, but can any new movies make any sort of dent against two unstoppable blockbusters? Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.
The first attempt has Disney releasing its third “Haunted Mansion” movie into over 3,700 theaters on Friday, almost 20 years after the Eddie Murphy movie based on the popular Disneyland and Magic Kingdom attraction. This one is directed by Justin Simien and stars Oscar nominee Lakeith Stanfield (“Judas and the Black Messiah”), Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish and Danny De Vito, as well as Oscar winners Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto as very specific ghosts. Stanfield plays Ben Matthias, an astrophysicist working as a ghost tour guide in New Orleans, called upon by a single mother (Dawson) who has moved into a mansion that is … you guessed it … haunted!
The first attempt has Disney releasing its third “Haunted Mansion” movie into over 3,700 theaters on Friday, almost 20 years after the Eddie Murphy movie based on the popular Disneyland and Magic Kingdom attraction. This one is directed by Justin Simien and stars Oscar nominee Lakeith Stanfield (“Judas and the Black Messiah”), Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish and Danny De Vito, as well as Oscar winners Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto as very specific ghosts. Stanfield plays Ben Matthias, an astrophysicist working as a ghost tour guide in New Orleans, called upon by a single mother (Dawson) who has moved into a mansion that is … you guessed it … haunted!
- 7/26/2023
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
The Haunted Mansion is that rare attraction that both people who adore haunted house rides and those who hate them agree is splendid. It's got lots of creepy atmosphere and some terrific jump scares (the best of which takes place in the stretching art gallery as your journey begins), but it's also got plenty of humorous moments, and Buddy Baker's "Grim Grinning Ghosts" is the perfect tone-setter for the attraction's whimsical sense of horror.
Yours truly even checked an item off their bucket list when I visited Disneyland in time for the ride's seasonal overlay themed after "The Nightmare Before Christmas." With respect to all the Haunted Mansion purists, the addition of Henry Selick and Tim Burton's twisted creations to the Mansion is a perfect marriage in my eye.
You can imagine, then, how pleased I am to see the trailers for Disney's second attempt at turning the ride into a movie,...
Yours truly even checked an item off their bucket list when I visited Disneyland in time for the ride's seasonal overlay themed after "The Nightmare Before Christmas." With respect to all the Haunted Mansion purists, the addition of Henry Selick and Tim Burton's twisted creations to the Mansion is a perfect marriage in my eye.
You can imagine, then, how pleased I am to see the trailers for Disney's second attempt at turning the ride into a movie,...
- 7/26/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
It’s been a minute since I visited “The Haunted Mansion” at Disneyland, and almost as long since I watched the Eddie Murphy vehicle that was adapted from the classic theme park attraction in 2003, but I still feel confident that neither of those creepy experiences can match the sheer terror summoned by Justin Simien’s take on the material during its opening credits alone. I’d even go so far as to say that the new “Haunted Mansion” only needs seven little words to establish itself as the spookiest movie of the year, let alone the most spine-tingling version of a dark ride that was designed to make 10-year-olds yelp and giggle with their siblings.
Those words, of course, are: “…and Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost.”
Talk about a jump scare! Superimposed over a shot of dark and scary night that barely registers by comparison, that blood-curdling bit of...
Those words, of course, are: “…and Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost.”
Talk about a jump scare! Superimposed over a shot of dark and scary night that barely registers by comparison, that blood-curdling bit of...
- 7/25/2023
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
If you thought making a superhero movie or a "Star War" as your first major blockbuster came fraught with the most pressure of any IP, well, may I kindly direct you to the theme park aficionados out there. Filmmaker Justin Simien would know. He's one of them.
The "Haunted Mansion" director has never quite tackled a production as large and with as many eyeballs on it as this one, but you wouldn't assume it from talking to him. He's all too eager to deftly spread the praise around like a seasoned pro, particularly to his creative team that helped him shape a movie that has remained in the thick of development hell for years. And yes, with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes currently ongoing, it's been left to the directors to take on the bulk of promotion for their respective projects ... but that doesn't mean Simien shies away from heaping...
The "Haunted Mansion" director has never quite tackled a production as large and with as many eyeballs on it as this one, but you wouldn't assume it from talking to him. He's all too eager to deftly spread the praise around like a seasoned pro, particularly to his creative team that helped him shape a movie that has remained in the thick of development hell for years. And yes, with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes currently ongoing, it's been left to the directors to take on the bulk of promotion for their respective projects ... but that doesn't mean Simien shies away from heaping...
- 7/24/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
20 years before Disney's latest attempt at a Haunted Mansion movie, the studio tried and failed to recreate the magic of the theme park ride.
This July, Disney is releasing "Haunted Mansion," an adaptation of one of its most beloved theme park attractions. The company has been trying to get this project off the ground for well over 13 years, with Guillermo del Toro, a Haunted Mansion superfan, at one point attached to direct. Justin Simien of "Dear White People" and "Bad Hair" fame is helming the finished project, and the comedy horror features a starry cast including Lakeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, and recent Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis. With a reported budget of over $157 million, it's a risky bet for Disney, which has seen a handful of commercial disappointments this year, including "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny." Whether or not general audiences are intrigued by a theme park ride adaptation remains to be seen,...
This July, Disney is releasing "Haunted Mansion," an adaptation of one of its most beloved theme park attractions. The company has been trying to get this project off the ground for well over 13 years, with Guillermo del Toro, a Haunted Mansion superfan, at one point attached to direct. Justin Simien of "Dear White People" and "Bad Hair" fame is helming the finished project, and the comedy horror features a starry cast including Lakeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, and recent Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis. With a reported budget of over $157 million, it's a risky bet for Disney, which has seen a handful of commercial disappointments this year, including "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny." Whether or not general audiences are intrigued by a theme park ride adaptation remains to be seen,...
- 7/24/2023
- by Kayleigh Donaldson
- Slash Film
“Haunted Mansion” director Justin Simien called out the hypocrisy of people that have criticized him for promoting the Disney film during the ongoing WGA and Sga strikes.
Simien, who is both a writer and director but did not write “Haunted Mansion,” attended the film’s premiere at Disneyland last Saturday, just one day after the SAG strike was authorized.
On Thursday, Simien reposted a video from Tiktok user @foreveralphanso on his Instagram account. In the video, @foreveralphanso outlined the reasons why the backlash to Simien attending the premiere was hypocritical or outright “just wrong.”
“A lot of people are attacking Justin Simien, the director of ‘Disney’s Haunted Mansion’, after he went to the Disney premiere. He only directed the movie. He did not write it and he did not star in the movie. He’s being labeled as a scab, people are saying he’s crossing the picket line,...
Simien, who is both a writer and director but did not write “Haunted Mansion,” attended the film’s premiere at Disneyland last Saturday, just one day after the SAG strike was authorized.
On Thursday, Simien reposted a video from Tiktok user @foreveralphanso on his Instagram account. In the video, @foreveralphanso outlined the reasons why the backlash to Simien attending the premiere was hypocritical or outright “just wrong.”
“A lot of people are attacking Justin Simien, the director of ‘Disney’s Haunted Mansion’, after he went to the Disney premiere. He only directed the movie. He did not write it and he did not star in the movie. He’s being labeled as a scab, people are saying he’s crossing the picket line,...
- 7/20/2023
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
Disney’s Haunted Mansion opens up for business in just one more week, and today Disney has unleashed the brand new final official trailer for the upcoming horror-comedy.
Disney’s new live action Haunted Mansion movie will be releasing in theaters on July 28, 2023, and it’s been rated “PG-13” for “thematic elements and scary action.”
Watch the brand new trailer below, which gives us a first look at Winona Ryder in Haunted Mansion while also unveiling Jared Leto as the iconic Hatbox Ghost.
Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) directed the new live action adaptation of the popular, long-running Disney theme park attraction that’s home to 999 haunts.
Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, and Danny DeVito star, with Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota and Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost.
Winona Ryder, Dan Levy, and Hasan Minhaj will also appear in the new movie.
“In this mysterious adventure,...
Disney’s new live action Haunted Mansion movie will be releasing in theaters on July 28, 2023, and it’s been rated “PG-13” for “thematic elements and scary action.”
Watch the brand new trailer below, which gives us a first look at Winona Ryder in Haunted Mansion while also unveiling Jared Leto as the iconic Hatbox Ghost.
Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) directed the new live action adaptation of the popular, long-running Disney theme park attraction that’s home to 999 haunts.
Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, and Danny DeVito star, with Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota and Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost.
Winona Ryder, Dan Levy, and Hasan Minhaj will also appear in the new movie.
“In this mysterious adventure,...
- 7/18/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
The last few years have been good ones for African American horror, with a number of new talents making a big impression. Alongside the mainstream successes of Jordan Peele have been independent works like Bad Hair, Antebellum and Death Ranch, all speaking to previously neglected audiences. Still, there’s a long way to go to achieve a proportionate presence in genre cinema, so it’s good to see a contribution from Chris Chalk, whose talent as an actor made him a standout in the likes of Gotham, Detroit and Godzilla Vs. Kong. Unfortunately, whilst his direction is effective and the acting is good all round, the script falls short of the mark.
Chalk plays Chance, whom we see in the opening scene exchanging wedding vows with Grace (Kd Chalk). A year later, they’re preparing to move to another state where Grace has got a job. She’s written a successful.
Chalk plays Chance, whom we see in the opening scene exchanging wedding vows with Grace (Kd Chalk). A year later, they’re preparing to move to another state where Grace has got a job. She’s written a successful.
- 7/5/2023
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Wigging Out.
We spent the first few weeks of June discussing a cisgender male demon trapped in a female body and genderfluid dinosaurs, and now we’re delving into the world of Black women’s hair in Justin Simien‘s horror comedy Bad Hair.
In the 1989-set film, an ambitious young woman named Anna (Elle Lorraine) gets a weave at the behest of her boss (Vanessa Williams) in order to succeed in the image-obsessed world of music television. However, her flourishing career may come at a great cost when she realizes that her new hair may have a mind of its own.
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get a new episode every Wednesday. You can subscribe on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, TuneIn, Amazon Music, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS.
Episode 235: Bad Hair (2020)
Don’t wig out and prepare for a whiter– *ahem* Wider audience,...
We spent the first few weeks of June discussing a cisgender male demon trapped in a female body and genderfluid dinosaurs, and now we’re delving into the world of Black women’s hair in Justin Simien‘s horror comedy Bad Hair.
In the 1989-set film, an ambitious young woman named Anna (Elle Lorraine) gets a weave at the behest of her boss (Vanessa Williams) in order to succeed in the image-obsessed world of music television. However, her flourishing career may come at a great cost when she realizes that her new hair may have a mind of its own.
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get a new episode every Wednesday. You can subscribe on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, TuneIn, Amazon Music, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS.
Episode 235: Bad Hair (2020)
Don’t wig out and prepare for a whiter– *ahem* Wider audience,...
- 6/26/2023
- by Trace Thurman
- bloody-disgusting.com
Disney’s Haunted Mansion opens up for business this summer, and a brand new featurette video that was just released this morning further previews the family horror film.
“I wanted everything to feel as if it came right off the ride,” director Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) explains in the new featurette video. “What we wanted to do was preserve the details that fans remember and expand the universe around them.”
Disney’s new live action Haunted Mansion movie will be releasing in theaters on July 28, 2023, and it’s been rated “PG-13” for “thematic elements and scary action.”
Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) directed the new live action adaptation of the popular, long-running Disney theme park attraction that’s home to 999 haunts.
Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, and Danny DeVito star, with Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota and Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost.
“I wanted everything to feel as if it came right off the ride,” director Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) explains in the new featurette video. “What we wanted to do was preserve the details that fans remember and expand the universe around them.”
Disney’s new live action Haunted Mansion movie will be releasing in theaters on July 28, 2023, and it’s been rated “PG-13” for “thematic elements and scary action.”
Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) directed the new live action adaptation of the popular, long-running Disney theme park attraction that’s home to 999 haunts.
Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, and Danny DeVito star, with Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota and Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost.
- 6/23/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Joanie, The Scammer
After spending two weeks talking about dinosaurs with Tammy and the T-Rex and then Jurassic Park last week, it seemed like a good time to revisit a very serious, very somber contemporary classic: Ari Aster‘s 2018 family melodrama, Heredtiary, just in time for its 5th anniversary.
In the film, grieving diorama creator Annie (Toni Collette) has recently lost her mother, with whom she had a very contentious relationship. Almost immediately the family is hit with another loss when daughter Charlie (Milly Shapiro) is killed in a freak accident.
As Annie’s husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne) tries to keep the family together, Annie is befriended by Joan (Ann Dowd), a member of her grief counseling group, while her son Peter (Alex Wolff) begins to come under psychic attack. What’s really going on with all of these unusual events? The truth lies in the treehouse; just mind your head!
After spending two weeks talking about dinosaurs with Tammy and the T-Rex and then Jurassic Park last week, it seemed like a good time to revisit a very serious, very somber contemporary classic: Ari Aster‘s 2018 family melodrama, Heredtiary, just in time for its 5th anniversary.
In the film, grieving diorama creator Annie (Toni Collette) has recently lost her mother, with whom she had a very contentious relationship. Almost immediately the family is hit with another loss when daughter Charlie (Milly Shapiro) is killed in a freak accident.
As Annie’s husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne) tries to keep the family together, Annie is befriended by Joan (Ann Dowd), a member of her grief counseling group, while her son Peter (Alex Wolff) begins to come under psychic attack. What’s really going on with all of these unusual events? The truth lies in the treehouse; just mind your head!
- 6/19/2023
- by Joe Lipsett
- bloody-disgusting.com
Paramount TV Studios Suspends Overall Deal With Justin Simien’s Culture Machine Amid Writers’ Strike
Justin Simien’s Culture Machine has launched a fundraising effort after the production company’s overall deal was suspended due to the writers’ strike.
“At 6:30pm on May 7, I sat surrounded by five incredible humans who’d gathered for my 40th birthday dinner, in awe of the fact that 10 years after my first feature I’d finally assembled this ferocious team of employees and moved us into our first office. At about 7:30 p.m., I received an email revealing that we might lose everything,” he wrote on a GoFundMe page, which has raised over $40,000 since launching three days ago.
“If you haven’t yet heard, the film and TV industry is facing sudden and unprecedented turmoil, and my company is in trouble,” he continued. “Culture Machine is the production company I founded to support my work like ‘Dear White People,’ ‘Bad Hair’ and my upcoming feature film ‘Haunted Mansion,...
“At 6:30pm on May 7, I sat surrounded by five incredible humans who’d gathered for my 40th birthday dinner, in awe of the fact that 10 years after my first feature I’d finally assembled this ferocious team of employees and moved us into our first office. At about 7:30 p.m., I received an email revealing that we might lose everything,” he wrote on a GoFundMe page, which has raised over $40,000 since launching three days ago.
“If you haven’t yet heard, the film and TV industry is facing sudden and unprecedented turmoil, and my company is in trouble,” he continued. “Culture Machine is the production company I founded to support my work like ‘Dear White People,’ ‘Bad Hair’ and my upcoming feature film ‘Haunted Mansion,...
- 5/26/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
Despite the general disapproval of 2003’s Eddie Murphy-starring The Haunted Mansion, director Justin Simien is hoping that foolish mortals will join the queue for his take on the iconic Disney ride, as he hopes his spin will correct the errors from 20 years ago.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Justin Simien said he has just as many issues with the 2003’s The Haunted Mansion as most others. “I had a little bit of beef with the first film, because the first thing you’ve got to give the kids is the candy of the mansion that they know and love,” adding he “looked at [the film] a lot, mostly to see how easy it would be to go awry in certain spots.” But Simien did backtrack a bit, saying, “Not to dunk on the movie…It’s a movie of its time, and it’s also a movie that, frankly, a lot of...
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Justin Simien said he has just as many issues with the 2003’s The Haunted Mansion as most others. “I had a little bit of beef with the first film, because the first thing you’ve got to give the kids is the candy of the mansion that they know and love,” adding he “looked at [the film] a lot, mostly to see how easy it would be to go awry in certain spots.” But Simien did backtrack a bit, saying, “Not to dunk on the movie…It’s a movie of its time, and it’s also a movie that, frankly, a lot of...
- 5/18/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Disney’s two-minute official Haunted Mansion (the 2023 version) trailer reveals that death lurks behind every corner and the ghosts who populate this particular mansion have no intention of leaving. “There’s so many bad people in the world, haunt them!” suggests Owen Wilson’s character. Nope, that’s not going to happen, but points for trying.
The trailer provides a new sneak peek at Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost and of new Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota. Additional creepy ghosts, recognizable from the Disney ride that inspired the movie, pop in to creep out the mansion’s living inhabitants.
Eddie Murphy starred in Disney’s 2003’s theme park ride-inspired film. 2023’s Haunted Mansion features Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, and Dan Levy.
Justin Simien directs and Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich serve as producers. Nick Reynolds and Tom Peitzman executive produce.
The trailer provides a new sneak peek at Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost and of new Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota. Additional creepy ghosts, recognizable from the Disney ride that inspired the movie, pop in to creep out the mansion’s living inhabitants.
Eddie Murphy starred in Disney’s 2003’s theme park ride-inspired film. 2023’s Haunted Mansion features Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, and Dan Levy.
Justin Simien directs and Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich serve as producers. Nick Reynolds and Tom Peitzman executive produce.
- 5/16/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Are you ready to enter the “Haunted Mansion?”
The live-action movie, based on the beloved Disney theme park attraction, is materializing on July 28. And thanks to a brand-new trailer, which you can watch above, we now know a little bit more about what goes on when hinges creak in doorless chambers and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls.
The new trailer gives a much better sense of the movie’s mixture of comedy and horror while also playing up its connections to the original attraction. You get the sense that much of the movie will be seen through the eyes of Ben (Lakeith Stanfield), a down-on-his-luck everyman who hosts ghost tours in New Orleans. He’s one of a group of paranormal experts called upon by a young single mother (Rosario Dawson) to try and rid her new home of 999 happy haunts. Among the others she calls upon are Tiffany Haddish’s psychic,...
The live-action movie, based on the beloved Disney theme park attraction, is materializing on July 28. And thanks to a brand-new trailer, which you can watch above, we now know a little bit more about what goes on when hinges creak in doorless chambers and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls.
The new trailer gives a much better sense of the movie’s mixture of comedy and horror while also playing up its connections to the original attraction. You get the sense that much of the movie will be seen through the eyes of Ben (Lakeith Stanfield), a down-on-his-luck everyman who hosts ghost tours in New Orleans. He’s one of a group of paranormal experts called upon by a young single mother (Rosario Dawson) to try and rid her new home of 999 happy haunts. Among the others she calls upon are Tiffany Haddish’s psychic,...
- 5/16/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
"This house is unhinged!" drawls out Kent, Owen Wilson's priest character, in the latest trailer for "Haunted Mansion," where all kinds of spooky specters have come out to scare and torment. This latest offering from Disney is a remake of the 2003 Eddie Murphy-starrer and is based on the popular theme park attraction of the same name, which aims to thrill and haunt at the same time.
A lot seems to be going down in the newest "Haunted Mansion" trailer — ghosts creep up on the current residents of the mansion and scare the bejeezus out of them, the residents consider teaming up and performing an exorcism, and a myriad of entities hound poor Ben Matthias (Lakeith Stanfield) for some odd reason. The tone of the film retains the humor of the 2003 original but dials it down a bit, as it balances it out with eerie scares that lurk in every corner of the,...
A lot seems to be going down in the newest "Haunted Mansion" trailer — ghosts creep up on the current residents of the mansion and scare the bejeezus out of them, the residents consider teaming up and performing an exorcism, and a myriad of entities hound poor Ben Matthias (Lakeith Stanfield) for some odd reason. The tone of the film retains the humor of the 2003 original but dials it down a bit, as it balances it out with eerie scares that lurk in every corner of the,...
- 5/16/2023
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
"This mansion is unhinged!" "These ghosts definitely don't wanna leave." Disney has revealed their first full-length official trailer for the Haunted Mansion movie, based on the beloved theme park attraction at Disneyland. The movie is directed by Justin Simien and will open in theaters in June. They dropped the first teaser a few months ago, with more haunted mansion footage to entice you in this one. A single mom named Gabbie hires a tour guide, a psychic, a priest, and historian to help exorcise their newly bought mansion; after discovering it is inhabited by ghosts. The film features an ensemble cast including Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Dan Levy, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Jared Leto as The Hatbox Ghost – who we finally get a glimpse of in this trailer. This look like fun! Didn't think I'd be so into this, but I'm ready for the ride.
- 5/16/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Disney takes you back inside their Haunted Mansion this summer with a brand new movie, and Entertainment Weekly has shared a new look at the film this afternoon.
Oscar-winning horror legend Jamie Lee Curtis plays the iconic Madame Leota in Haunted Mansion, and she’s clearly having a ball in the photo you’ll find down below.
“She starts off as one of the relics, one of the items, one of the aspects of the house that has to be discovered, but becomes a functional character and a useful ally in the film,” director Justin Simien explains to EW, teasing the role Jamie Lee Curtis will play in the new movie.
Disney’s new live action Haunted Mansion movie will be releasing in theaters on July 28, 2023, and it’s been rated “PG-13” for “thematic elements and scary action.”
Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) directed the new live action adaptation of the popular,...
Oscar-winning horror legend Jamie Lee Curtis plays the iconic Madame Leota in Haunted Mansion, and she’s clearly having a ball in the photo you’ll find down below.
“She starts off as one of the relics, one of the items, one of the aspects of the house that has to be discovered, but becomes a functional character and a useful ally in the film,” director Justin Simien explains to EW, teasing the role Jamie Lee Curtis will play in the new movie.
Disney’s new live action Haunted Mansion movie will be releasing in theaters on July 28, 2023, and it’s been rated “PG-13” for “thematic elements and scary action.”
Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) directed the new live action adaptation of the popular,...
- 5/10/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Disney is lighting up its Haunted Mansion.
The studio opened the door of its Justin Simien-directed film on Wednesday and offered CinemaCon attendees in Las Vegas a deeper peek inside the movie three months ahead of its July 28 release.
Disney head of theatrical distribution Tony Chambers introduced the footage by saying that the film has a mythology that rivals Pirates of the Caribbean. “The beloved theme park attraction comes to life in a frightfully funny and edge-of-your-seat experience,” he said, adding that it features cameos “that are truly to die for.”
The new footage dropped here a little more than a month after the studio released the official trailer for the reboot that is based on the popular Disney attraction. Helmed by Simien — known for his Hulu film Bad Hair and the indie feature-turned-Netflix series Dear White People — Haunted Mansion follows Rosario Dawson’s Gabbie, a single...
The studio opened the door of its Justin Simien-directed film on Wednesday and offered CinemaCon attendees in Las Vegas a deeper peek inside the movie three months ahead of its July 28 release.
Disney head of theatrical distribution Tony Chambers introduced the footage by saying that the film has a mythology that rivals Pirates of the Caribbean. “The beloved theme park attraction comes to life in a frightfully funny and edge-of-your-seat experience,” he said, adding that it features cameos “that are truly to die for.”
The new footage dropped here a little more than a month after the studio released the official trailer for the reboot that is based on the popular Disney attraction. Helmed by Simien — known for his Hulu film Bad Hair and the indie feature-turned-Netflix series Dear White People — Haunted Mansion follows Rosario Dawson’s Gabbie, a single...
- 4/26/2023
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Disney’s new live action Haunted Mansion movie will be releasing in theaters on July 28, 2023, and we’ve got a fresh new look at the cast today courtesy of the Summer 2023 cover of official magazine Disney Twenty-Three. Meet the cast by checking it out below.
Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) is directing the new live action adaptation of the popular, long-running Disney theme park attraction that’s home to 999 haunts.
Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, and Danny DeVito star, with Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota and Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost.
Winona Ryder, Dan Levy, and Hasan Minhaj will also appear in the new movie.
“In this mysterious adventure, a doctor (Dawson) and her 9-year-old son (Chase Dillon), looking to start a new life, move into a strangely affordable mansion in New Orleans, only to discover that the place is much more than they bargained for.
Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) is directing the new live action adaptation of the popular, long-running Disney theme park attraction that’s home to 999 haunts.
Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, and Danny DeVito star, with Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota and Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost.
Winona Ryder, Dan Levy, and Hasan Minhaj will also appear in the new movie.
“In this mysterious adventure, a doctor (Dawson) and her 9-year-old son (Chase Dillon), looking to start a new life, move into a strangely affordable mansion in New Orleans, only to discover that the place is much more than they bargained for.
- 4/20/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
MGM+ has greenlit a docuseries titled “Hollywood Black” directed by Justin Simien, who executive produces alongside Forest Whitaker.
In four parts, “Hollywood Black” focuses on the history of Black actors, writers, directors and producers who fought for their place in the entertainment industry. The series is based on the book of the same name by historian Donald Bogle.
Simien is best known for writing and directing the 2014 film “Dear White People” and creating the Netflix series of the same name. He also directed and wrote 2020’s “Bad Hair,” and directed “Haunted Mansion,” the 2023 horror film based on the Disney theme park ride, which debuts later this year.
Whitaker’s prominent credits as an actor include “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “Good Morning, Vietnam,” “The Butler,” “Black Panther” and more. In TV, he has narrated the 2002-2003 revival of “The Twilight Zone,” led the “Criminal Minds” spinoff “Suspect Behavior” and appeared in 11 episodes of “Empire.
In four parts, “Hollywood Black” focuses on the history of Black actors, writers, directors and producers who fought for their place in the entertainment industry. The series is based on the book of the same name by historian Donald Bogle.
Simien is best known for writing and directing the 2014 film “Dear White People” and creating the Netflix series of the same name. He also directed and wrote 2020’s “Bad Hair,” and directed “Haunted Mansion,” the 2023 horror film based on the Disney theme park ride, which debuts later this year.
Whitaker’s prominent credits as an actor include “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “Good Morning, Vietnam,” “The Butler,” “Black Panther” and more. In TV, he has narrated the 2002-2003 revival of “The Twilight Zone,” led the “Criminal Minds” spinoff “Suspect Behavior” and appeared in 11 episodes of “Empire.
- 4/11/2023
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
MGM+ has given the green light to Hollywood Black, a documentary series from director Justin Simien that aims to serve as “a definitive chronicle of a century of the Black experience in Hollywood.”
The four-part series, based on the work of scholar Donald Bogle, is being produced by Simien’s Culture Machine, Forest Whitaker and Nina Yang Bongiovi’s Significant Productions, and the Academy Award-winning production company RadicalMedia.
“We are thrilled to work with Justin Simien, Jeffrey Schwarz, RadicalMedia, and to expand our prolific creative partnership with Forest and Nina,” Michael Wright, head of MGM+, said in a statement. “Hollywood Black, like other recent MGM+ docuseries, is an entertaining and thoughtful look at a vital part of American culture, examining the evolution of Black cinema and the talented artists who built it. It is a timely and relevant look at the Black experience in Hollywood.”
Simien’s credits include directing the 2014 film Dear White People,...
The four-part series, based on the work of scholar Donald Bogle, is being produced by Simien’s Culture Machine, Forest Whitaker and Nina Yang Bongiovi’s Significant Productions, and the Academy Award-winning production company RadicalMedia.
“We are thrilled to work with Justin Simien, Jeffrey Schwarz, RadicalMedia, and to expand our prolific creative partnership with Forest and Nina,” Michael Wright, head of MGM+, said in a statement. “Hollywood Black, like other recent MGM+ docuseries, is an entertaining and thoughtful look at a vital part of American culture, examining the evolution of Black cinema and the talented artists who built it. It is a timely and relevant look at the Black experience in Hollywood.”
Simien’s credits include directing the 2014 film Dear White People,...
- 4/11/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.
The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.
We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.
Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.
Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.
Movies
1 April
Akbar Birbal – US
The American Game
The Aviator – US
Bal Ganesh...
The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.
We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.
Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.
Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.
Movies
1 April
Akbar Birbal – US
The American Game
The Aviator – US
Bal Ganesh...
- 4/10/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.
The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.
We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.
Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.
Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.
Movies
1 April
Akbar Birbal – US
The American Game
The Aviator – US
Bal Ganesh...
The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.
We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.
Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.
Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.
Movies
1 April
Akbar Birbal – US
The American Game
The Aviator – US
Bal Ganesh...
- 4/9/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.
The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.
We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.
Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.
Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.
Movies
1 April
Akbar Birbal – US
The American Game
The Aviator – US
Bal Ganesh...
The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.
We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.
Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.
Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.
Movies
1 April
Akbar Birbal – US
The American Game
The Aviator – US
Bal Ganesh...
- 4/7/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.
The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.
We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.
Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.
Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.
Movies
1 April
Akbar Birbal – US
The American Game
The Aviator – US
Bal Ganesh...
The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.
We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.
Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.
Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.
Movies
1 April
Akbar Birbal – US
The American Game
The Aviator – US
Bal Ganesh...
- 4/7/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.
The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.
We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.
Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.
Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.
Movies
1 April
Akbar Birbal – US
The American Game
The Aviator – US
Bal Ganesh...
The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.
We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.
Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.
Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.
Movies
1 April
Akbar Birbal – US
The American Game
The Aviator – US
Bal Ganesh...
- 4/1/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.
The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.
We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.
Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.
Movies
1 April
Akbar Birbal – US
The American Game
The Aviator – US
Bal Ganesh – US
Bee Movie – UK
Big Daddy – US
Bill – UK
Brokeback Mountain – US
The Bye Bye Man...
The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.
We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.
Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.
Movies
1 April
Akbar Birbal – US
The American Game
The Aviator – US
Bal Ganesh – US
Bee Movie – UK
Big Daddy – US
Bill – UK
Brokeback Mountain – US
The Bye Bye Man...
- 3/31/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
Grammy-winning singer and actress Kelly Rowland has signed with UTA for global representation in all areas.
Rowland has won four Grammy Awards and has been a chart-topping performer since Destiny’s Child launched its self-titled debut album in 1998. She has released four solo albums and has launched hits like “Stole,” “Dilemma” with Nelly, “Like This” and “When Love Takes Over” with David Guetta. Her massive hit “Motivation” won top R&b song at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards and song of the year at the 2011 Soul Train Music Awards.
The 42-year-old has also built her film and TV résumé over the last two decades. She is set to star in and produce Tyler Perry’s Mea Culpa on Netflix. Her other film credits include Paramount’s Fantasy Football, Netflix’s The Curse of Bridge Hollow, Bad Hair, The Seat Filler and Freddy vs. Jason, among others.
She starred in and produced...
Rowland has won four Grammy Awards and has been a chart-topping performer since Destiny’s Child launched its self-titled debut album in 1998. She has released four solo albums and has launched hits like “Stole,” “Dilemma” with Nelly, “Like This” and “When Love Takes Over” with David Guetta. Her massive hit “Motivation” won top R&b song at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards and song of the year at the 2011 Soul Train Music Awards.
The 42-year-old has also built her film and TV résumé over the last two decades. She is set to star in and produce Tyler Perry’s Mea Culpa on Netflix. Her other film credits include Paramount’s Fantasy Football, Netflix’s The Curse of Bridge Hollow, Bad Hair, The Seat Filler and Freddy vs. Jason, among others.
She starred in and produced...
- 3/6/2023
- by Mesfin Fekadu
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Second time's the charm? Disney is taking another stab at bringing the grim-grinning ghosts from its "Haunted Mansion" theme park ride out to socialize on the big screen. Its first attempt was in 2003 with Rob Minkoff's "The Haunted Mansion," a supernatural horror comedy anchored by Eddie Murphy that was basically Doa and has since been mostly forgotten. The studio is trying again 20 years later with "Haunted Mansion," a movie that defies the recent reboot trend by subtracting a "The" from the title rather than adding one.
"Haunted Mansion" comes from director Justin Simien and writer Katie Dippold ("Ghostbusters: Answer the Call"), both of whom have a clear affinity for horror-comedy. Indeed, the movie's trailer serves up equal-sized portions of laughs and scares, all set to the eerie tune of Roy Orbison's 1975 song "House Without Windows." Bear in mind, Orbinson's ditty on its own is more melancholy than spooky,...
"Haunted Mansion" comes from director Justin Simien and writer Katie Dippold ("Ghostbusters: Answer the Call"), both of whom have a clear affinity for horror-comedy. Indeed, the movie's trailer serves up equal-sized portions of laughs and scares, all set to the eerie tune of Roy Orbison's 1975 song "House Without Windows." Bear in mind, Orbinson's ditty on its own is more melancholy than spooky,...
- 3/3/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Something wicked this way comes in the haunting first look at Disney’s newest cinematic take on its popular amusement park attraction.
The studio dropped a teaser trailer for the upcoming pic, directed by Bad Hair and Dear White People’s Justin Simien, on Thursday. The minute-and-a-half look teases how Rosario Dawson’s Gabbie, a single mother and new owner of a very haunted mansion, teams up with a ragtag group to help her and her 9-year-old son, Travis (Chase Dillon), stave off the home’s spooky inhabitants.
“I know this place isn’t as … warm as I’d hoped,” Dawson’s Gabbie tells her son, Travis. “But I’m going to light a vanilla candle and it’s going to be a game-changer.”
“Will it though?” Travis responds before a terrifying vision of a ghost appears floating in the home. “We’re out,” Gabbie then quickly responds, grabbing his...
The studio dropped a teaser trailer for the upcoming pic, directed by Bad Hair and Dear White People’s Justin Simien, on Thursday. The minute-and-a-half look teases how Rosario Dawson’s Gabbie, a single mother and new owner of a very haunted mansion, teams up with a ragtag group to help her and her 9-year-old son, Travis (Chase Dillon), stave off the home’s spooky inhabitants.
“I know this place isn’t as … warm as I’d hoped,” Dawson’s Gabbie tells her son, Travis. “But I’m going to light a vanilla candle and it’s going to be a game-changer.”
“Will it though?” Travis responds before a terrifying vision of a ghost appears floating in the home. “We’re out,” Gabbie then quickly responds, grabbing his...
- 3/2/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Disney never lets a good franchise remain buried forever. Exactly 20 years after Eddie Murphy got chased by ghosts through a haunted mansion, a new film adaptation of the iconic Disneyland attraction is coming this Summer, and the first teaser trailer for the horror-comedy was released Thursday.
The original Haunted Mansion attraction first opened in 1969, and quickly became one of Disneyland (and the rest of the Disney theme parks’) most iconic rides. The “dark ride” has guests explore a haunted house area in “Doom Buggies,” while being jump-scared by a variety of macabre animatronics.
The attraction’s popularity spurred a film in 2003, the same year fellow beloved Disney ride “The Pirates of the Caribbean” was adapted for the big screen. Directed by Rob Minkoff and starring Murphy, the original film received negative reviews but performed well at the box office, grossing $182.3 million worldwide on a $90 million budget.
Like the original “Haunted Mansion” film,...
The original Haunted Mansion attraction first opened in 1969, and quickly became one of Disneyland (and the rest of the Disney theme parks’) most iconic rides. The “dark ride” has guests explore a haunted house area in “Doom Buggies,” while being jump-scared by a variety of macabre animatronics.
The attraction’s popularity spurred a film in 2003, the same year fellow beloved Disney ride “The Pirates of the Caribbean” was adapted for the big screen. Directed by Rob Minkoff and starring Murphy, the original film received negative reviews but performed well at the box office, grossing $182.3 million worldwide on a $90 million budget.
Like the original “Haunted Mansion” film,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
"This house has a way of playing tricks on you." Here we go!! Disney has unveiled the first teaser trailer for their Haunted Mansion movie, based on the beloved theme park attraction at Disneyland. They've been trying to turn this into a movie for years - at one point Guillermo del Toro was attached and even talked about it at Comic-Con. This final version is being directed by Justin Simien, and will open in theaters in June this summer. A single mom named Gabbie hires a tour guide, a psychic, a priest, and historian to help exorcise their newly bought mansion; after discovering it is inhabited by ghosts. The film features an ensemble cast including Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Dan Levy, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, with Jamie Lee Curtis, and Jared Leto as The Hatbox Ghost. This looks like Disney is trying to balance the...
- 3/2/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
20 years after Disney released Haunted Mansion starring Eddie Murphy, the Mouse House is at it again with a new comedy inspired by the popular theme park ride. 2003’s PG-rated family-friendly film rang up $24 million over its opening weekend and grossed $182 million worldwide before exiting theaters. The first teaser trailer for the 2023 version confirms it’s also targeting families and is going for the comically creepy adventure vibe.
2023’s Haunted Mansion stars Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, and Dan Levy. Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto pop in as The Hatbox Ghost.
Justin Simien directs and Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich serve as producers. Nick Reynolds and Tom Peitzman executive produce.
“As a lifelong fan of the Haunted Mansion attraction, I’m beyond excited to share the teaser trailer for our new film adaptation featuring an incredible cast. Our team has worked tirelessly to create a scary,...
2023’s Haunted Mansion stars Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, and Dan Levy. Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto pop in as The Hatbox Ghost.
Justin Simien directs and Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich serve as producers. Nick Reynolds and Tom Peitzman executive produce.
“As a lifelong fan of the Haunted Mansion attraction, I’m beyond excited to share the teaser trailer for our new film adaptation featuring an incredible cast. Our team has worked tirelessly to create a scary,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Disney is, once again, bringing one of its most popular theme park attractions to life on the big screen with a brand new adaptation of "Haunted Mansion." They did try this 20 years ago with Eddie Murphy in 2003's "The Haunted Mansion" which, interestingly enough, came out the same year as "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl." The latter worked out far better critically and commercially at the time, but Disney is ready to try it again. We first saw a glimpse of the final product at D3 last fall, but now we've got a trailer so the whole world can see the new take on the attraction.
"Haunted Mansion" is directed by Justin Simien, with a script by Katie Dippold. They're also working with an A-list cast, led by Rosario Dawson and Owen Wilson. Are these pieces going to make for a winning formula this time around?...
"Haunted Mansion" is directed by Justin Simien, with a script by Katie Dippold. They're also working with an A-list cast, led by Rosario Dawson and Owen Wilson. Are these pieces going to make for a winning formula this time around?...
- 3/2/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Disney’s new live action Haunted Mansion movie will be releasing in theaters on July 28, 2023, and we’ve been promised that the official trailer debuts tomorrow, March 2nd.
While you wait, check out the trippy official poster for Haunted Mansion below!
Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) is directing the new live action adaptation of the popular, long-running Disney theme park attraction that’s home to 999 haunts.
Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, and Danny DeVito star, with Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota and Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost.
Winona Ryder, Dan Levy, and Hasan Minhaj will also appear in the new movie.
“In this mysterious adventure, a doctor (Dawson) and her 9-year-old son (Chase Dillon), looking to start a new life, move into a strangely affordable mansion in New Orleans, only to discover that the place is much more than they bargained for. Desperate for help,...
While you wait, check out the trippy official poster for Haunted Mansion below!
Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) is directing the new live action adaptation of the popular, long-running Disney theme park attraction that’s home to 999 haunts.
Lakeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, and Danny DeVito star, with Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota and Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost.
Winona Ryder, Dan Levy, and Hasan Minhaj will also appear in the new movie.
“In this mysterious adventure, a doctor (Dawson) and her 9-year-old son (Chase Dillon), looking to start a new life, move into a strangely affordable mansion in New Orleans, only to discover that the place is much more than they bargained for. Desperate for help,...
- 3/1/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
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