News

Marcel Ophuls, the Oscar-winning, German-born French filmmaker whose powerfully eloquent documentaries confronted difficult political, moral and philosophical issues, has died. He was 97.

Ophuls “died peacefully” at his home in the south of France, his grandson Andreas-Benjamin Seyfert told The Hollywood Reporter.

Ophuls earned his Academy Award — as well as prizes from the Cannes and Berlin film festivals— for Hotel Terminus (1988), a 4-hour, 27-minute documentary that examined the life of the notorious Klaus Barbie, convicted in Bolivia of his Nazi war crimes in 1987.

Ophuls’ best known work, however, came almost two decades earlier with The Sorrow and the Pity (1969), which explored the reality of the Nazi occupation in the small industrial French city of Clermont-Ferrand.

Ophuls spent more than two years compiling the more than 60 hours of footage that was eventually boiled down to that 4-hour, 11-minute film, which delineated France’s compliance with Nazi Germany. (Some in the country supported...

Untamed. (L to R) Eric Bana as Kyle Turner, Lily Santiago as Naya Vasquez in episode 102 of Untamed. Cr. Ricardo Hubbs/Netflix © 2025

Untamed, Netflix’s new crime drama, will star Eric Bana as a special agent for the National Park Service. Here’s everything you need to know about the new season, which has just been confirmed for a July 2025 release on Netflix globally.

Officially unveiled in June 2024, Untamed is an upcoming crime drama series created and produced by Elle Smith and Mark L. Smith. The series’ executive producers are Eric Bana, Todd Black, Tony Shaw, Steve Lee Jones for Bee Holder Productions, and John Wells for John Wells Productions.

What is the plot of Untamed?

We have the following synopsis for Untamed:

“The mystery thriller follows Eric Inman, a special agent for the National Parks Service who works to enforce human law in nature’s vast wilderness.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has replaced legendary production designer Rick Carter’s two Oscars after they were lost in the Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year.

Carter, who won two Academy Awards for his work on 2009’s Avatar and 2012’s Lincoln, was among thousands whose homes were destroyed when wildfires ripped through the Pacific Palisades and Altadena in January.

On Monday, the Academy shared on its official Instagram account that CEO Bill Kramer presented Carter with his new statuettes. “Today we had the honor of replacing the Oscars that legendary production designer Rick Carter won for Avatar and Lincoln — awards he lost when the LA fires destroyed his home earlier this year,” the caption read.

“Presented by Academy CEO Bill Kramer, these new statuettes stand in for more than what was lost. They honor a visionary whose work has defined the visual language of modern film...

Ayelet Zurer might be tearing up the screen these days as Vanessa Fisk in Daredevil: Born Again, but long before she ever portrayed the wife of one of the McU's most complex villains, the Israeli-born actress got her big Hollywood break thanks to Steven Spielberg. Zurer took on the role of Daphna Kaufman in one of the director's most underrated films, Munich, which helped kick-start her career in America. Now, 20 years later, she recalls what it was like working with Spielberg on the 2005 Academy Award-nominated film.

Speaking with MovieWeb's own George Edelman, Ayelet touched on Munich to discuss what it was like to go from a star in Israel to being featured in a movie by one of the most celebrated directors in history. She mentioned that while she obviously played a pivotal part in the historical drama, Spielberg himself didn't realize how important it was until the film was...

Marvin Levy, a longtime film publicist closely associated with director Steven Spielberg, died on April 7 at the age of 96. Known for his decades of work in motion picture promotion, Levy was the first publicist to receive an honorary Oscar, awarded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2018.

Levy worked on a wide range of films over his career, many of them landmark titles in American cinema. His credits include E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Munich, The Color Purple, Lincoln, and Bridge of Spies. He also led publicity efforts for Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Taxi Driver, Men in Black, Sophie’s Choice, Gladiator, and Shrek. Five of the films he supported went on to win Best Picture.

Spielberg, who collaborated with Levy for more than five decades, described him as “a deeply loyal and exceptional collaborator.” In a statement, Spielberg said, “To...

Marvin Levy, the veteran marketing and communications executive and longtime publicist for Steven Spielberg, died on Tuesday (April 7). He was 96.

In a career spanning 70 years, Levy established himself as one of the most influential public relations executives in Hollywood. In 2018 he became the first and only marketing or PR professional to win an honorary Oscar.

In a statement on Tuesday evening Spielberg said, “Marvin’s passing is a huge loss for me and our industry writ large. There are many talented PR executives, but Marvin was one of a kind.”

Spielberg continued, “For over 50 years, he was a deeply loyal...

Marvin Levy, Steven Spielberg’s longtime publicist, has died. He was 96.

Levy, a renowned marketing and communications executive, who received an honorary Oscar in 2018, died on April 7.

“Marvin’s passing is a huge loss for me and our industry writ large. There are many talented PR executives, but Marvin was one of a kind,” Spielberg said. “For over 50 years, he was a deeply loyal and exceptional collaborator who was respected and appreciated by all those who were lucky enough to learn from his counsel. When it came to handling the press, he had no peer.”

Spielberg continued, “To the media-and the world of exhibition, Marvin was the face of Amblin. We were opposite ends of the movie-making process. Every time I reached the end of production on a film, Marvin’s work had only begun. Through countless films, tv series, Amblin events, awards campaigns and our public relations strategy—this is where Marvin came alive.

Marvin Levy, the legendary Hollywood publicist known for his decades-long partnership with Steven Spielberg and for being the first member of his profession to receive recognition from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, died Monday. He was 96.

“Marvin’s passing is a huge loss for me and our industry writ large. There are many talented PR executives, but Marvin was one of a kind. For over 50 years, he was a deeply loyal and exceptional collaborator who was respected and appreciated by all those who were lucky enough to learn from his counsel. When it came to handling the press, he had no peer,” Spielberg said in a statement. “To the media-and the world of exhibition, Marvin was the face of Amblin. We were opposite ends of the movie-making process. Every time i reached the end of production on a film, Marvin’s work had only begun. Through countless films,...

Charlie Heller (Rami Malek), the mad-as-hell secret-agent geek brainiac at the center of “The Amateur,” is a CIA analyst who works five floors underground at Langley, in the Decryption and Analysis department. There, he’s a master of all things coded and virtual, a surveillance hacker par excellence. Out of the office, he and his adoring business-person wife, Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan), reside in a renovated farmhouse and appear to have the perfect life. So when Sarah, on a corporate trip to London, gets taken hostage by a cadre of terrorists and is killed on the spot, it’s as if Charlie’s entire existence had been wiped away. Since the tragedy was an international incident, his bosses at the Agency assure him that the perpetrators will be hunted down. But that’s not enough for Charlie. It won’t sate his rage, his desire for vengeance. Instead, Charlie says, “I want to kill them himself.

Apple TV+ has revealed BAFTA Award nominee Maxine Peake, Brendan Cowell, Daniel Henshall, Jessica Wren, Zahra Newman and newcomer Chloe Geisker have joined the cast of the new six-episode thriller ‘The Dispatcher.’

The newly revealed cast joins previously announced Gotham Award winner Patrick Brammall in the lead role.

The story follows Police Detective Ian Hunt, whose life fell apart ten years ago when his young daughter Maggie disappeared without a trace. Now, working as a police dispatcher, the only thing that has kept him going is his implacable refusal to accept that she might be gone forever. When he receives a distress call from a young girl he is certain is Maggie, he will stop at nothing to find her and reunite his broken family, whatever the cost.

Also in news – Nick Frost in final negotiations to play Hagrid in ‘Harry Potter’ series

Directed and executive produced by Emmy Award-nominated filmmaker Christian Schwochow,...

There was never a point after the blockbuster triumph of "Jaws" when it could be said Steven Spielberg needed a hit, but in 1992, coming off a string of critical and commercial disappointments in "Empire of the Sun," "Always," and "Hook," his future as a filmmaker did look a bit cloudy. His last two certified box office smashes at this point were "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" and "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," and while both were the work of an energized director, he clearly had loftier ambitions. And when the critics failed to realize he'd made a stone-cold masterpiece in "Empire of the Sun," he had cause to wonder if they were going to irrationally hold his unprecedented rush of success against him forever.

We know how this played out. Spielberg eventually reinvented the blockbuster with "Jurassic Park," and finally, in the eyes of critics, proved himself...

“Daredevil: Born Again” is here, blending the original Netflix series with Disney’s MCU. As a result, there is a blend of new and old characters in the series.

In the first two episodes, now streaming on Disney+, we get the set-up of the new story, which sees crimelord Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) successfully run to become the mayor of New York. Meanwhile, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) has put his days as Daredevil behind him after a tragedy.

But Cox and D’Onofrio aren’t the only familiar faces in the first two episodes. Here’s who you need to know.

Charlie Cox in “Daredevil: Born Again” (Credit: Marvel Studios) Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox)

Charlie Cox returns as Matt Murdock/Daredevil, after shooting to fame with the role in the original Netflix series, and has since appeared in “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “She-Hulk” and “Echo.” But non-Marvel fans might also recognize him from “Stardust,...

The recent era of Steven Spielberg's career has been punctuated by a turn toward more adult and dramatic films, often centering around real-world political events that serve as a perfect allegory for modern issues. Starting with the immense success of movies like Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List, his historical films like Bridge of Spies, The Post, and Munich represent a quieter and more contemplative side of one of the best directors of all time.

Arguably Steven Spielberg's best piece of historical fiction came with his fantastic 2012 drama Lincoln, a biopic centering on the 16th President's attempts to simultaneously end the Civil War and pass the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, forcing the end of the Confederacy while also securing the end of slavery in America. The film, anchored by Daniel Day Lewis' unbelievable performance as Abraham Lincoln, features a number of fantastic scenes where the characters...

“House of David” tells the coming-of-age story of the Biblical hero, who took down the giant Goliath with a simple slingshot and later became King of Israel.

Newcomer Michael Iskander stars in the new Prime Video series that tracks David’s rise to power from simple shepherd boy to becoming the third king of the united monarchy.

Executive producers Jon Gunn and Jon Erwin have said the show’s plot line derives primarily from the first few chapters of 1st Samuel in the Bible with many of David’s Psalms included in the show. In addition to being a faithful shepherd, David expressed his adoration for God through poems and music, both of which will be featured in the series.

The first three episodes of “House of David” are available now on Prime Video. Keep reading to discover who will bring the Biblical cast of characters to life on screen.

Exclusive: I thought I’d seen it all in trade journalism, but the piranha-like frenzy on Kathleen Kennedy and the successor speculation that followed Matt Belloni’s Puck report that Disney was putting her out to pasture is a new one on me. Belloni for years has been beating on Kennedy like she owes him money, and this week he reported Kennedy was retiring. I recall he essentially did the same thing more than a year ago, and yet here she still is, producing The Mandalorian movie and prepping the Shawn Levy-directed Star Wars film that Ryan Gosling is circling, as well as numerous other film and streaming projects with A-list participants.

Still, the trades followed with gusto, dishing speculative reporting on who might succeed Kennedy. The takeaway was chaos and that Kennedy was being pushed. The reality is different and far more orderly.

According to insiders, Kennedy has...

New York, New York – May 10: Eric Bana attends a conversation for “Force Of Nature” at SAG-AFTRA Foundation Robin Williams Center on May 10, 2024, in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Untamed, Netflix’s new crime drama will star Eric Bana as a special agent for the National Parks Services. Filming is to get underway this Summer, and we’ll be following everything you need to know about Untamed on Netflix.

Untamed is an upcoming Netflix Original crime drama series created and produced by Elle Smith and Mark L. Smith.

The series’ executive producers are Eric Bana, Todd Black, Tony Shaw, Steve Lee Jones for Bee Holder Productions, and John Wells for John Wells Productions.

What is the plot of Untamed?

We have the following synopsis for Untamed:

“The mystery thriller follows Eric Inman, a special agent for the National Parks Service who works to enforce human...

The ten outstanding actresses and actors from all over Europe have arrived in Germany’s capital city today eagerly waiting to immerse themselves in a tailor-made programme of profile-rising events during this year’s Berlinale.

The ten selected European Shooting Stars for 2025 are: Marina Makris (Cyprus), Besir Zeciri (Denmark), Maarja Johanna Mägi (Estonia), Devrim Lingnau (Germany), Elín Hall (Iceland), Kārlis Arnolds Avots (Latvia), Šarūnas Zenkevičius (Lithuania), Lidija Kordić (Montenegro), Vicente Wallenstein (Portugal) and Frida Gustavsson (Sweden).

Find out more about 2025’s 10 participants

The four-day intensive programme provides a powerful platform for the selected talent giving them the chance to meet international journalists, casting directors, producers and filmmakers, unique opportunities to build a professional network, and equipping the young talents with the necessary means to embark on an international career.

The programme concludes on Monday, 17 February with the European Shooting Stars Awards ceremony at the Berlinale Palast where each actress and...

Eric Bana loves a good Steve McQueen movie. During his visit to the Criterion Closet, the Australian actor — known for his performances in Steven Spielberg’s “Munich” and Ang Lee’s “Hulk” — started his selections by praising the work of Anthony Hopkins in Jonathan Demme’s “The Silence of the Lambs,” but quickly shifted gears toward one of McQueen’s first films, the 1958 version of “The Blob.”

“I grew up in a time where these movies weren’t readily accessible, so you’d have to wait for them to come on television,” said Bana. “And if it was a Saturday and ‘The Blob’ came on, it was like, ‘Game on, we are sitting through ‘The Blob.” I’ve probably seen this film 10 times over the course of my life.”

He added, “This is one of Steve McQueen’s early films, but…one of the most ridiculous films of all time.

An upcoming Netflix thriller, Apex, is set to bring together new and old Marvel stars Charlize Theron and Eric Bana, along with Carry-On'sTaron Egerton. Apex is “described as Free Solo meets Silence of the Lambs.”

Eric Bana is the latest actor to be added to the Apex cast, as Deadline reports, although his role is not known. The film sees Theron playing a rock climber who finds herself in the terrifying situation of being hunted in the wilderness. Egerton plays the psychopath stalking Theron’s character. The Carry-On star was announced as an Apex cast member in November 2024. Reykjavík, Iceland-born filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur is set to direct the film while the screenplay was written by Jeremy Robbins, whose credits include The Purge television series.

While further details of Apex are in short supply, another piece of the puzzle has fallen into place with the addition of Eric Bana, who will...

Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, the wife-and-husband producers who have 13 Oscar nominations and an Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award between them, will be honored at the Oscar Wilde Awards next month.

The 19th annual event is scheduled for Feb. 27, three days before the Academy Awards, at the historic Ebell theater in Los Angeles. Actors John C. Reilly and Éanna Hardwicke will be saluted as well.

Also new to the lineup is Will Ferrell, who will introduce Reilly and hand him his trophy. The pair, of course, have co-starred in such films as Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), Step Brothers (2008) and Holmes & Watson (2018).

Created by the US-Ireland Alliance, the Oscar Wilde Awards celebrate the work of those from Ireland — and some who are not — who contribute to film, television and music. (Kennedy, with eight Oscar noms, and Marshall, with five, are Californians born in Berkeley and Glendale, respectively.

Paramount Pictures’ “September 5,” the film that unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today, set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. the film that unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today, set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. Courtesy of Paramount

The tragic events at the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, when Palestinian terrorists attacked Israeli athletes and took some hostage, has been to subject of other movies, including Stephen Spielberg’s Munich, but September 5 tells that story from a unique viewpoint, that of the new media on site to cover that sporting event, and now thrust into a very different role. September 5 is a taut historic drama specifically takes the perspective of the ABC Sports TV crew that was on-site when the attacks took place. As well as a shocking event that shattered the since of...

September 5 star John Magaro knows he’s had a charmed run the last five years, but his Cleveland-area upbringing won’t let him get too comfortable.

Ever since his Carol director, Todd Haynes, endorsed his casting to First Cow filmmaker Kelly Reichardt in 2018, Magaro has been working like there’s no tomorrow. You can currently find him on the big screen in Tim Fehlbaum’s September 5, as well as on the small screen in the George Clooney-produced series, The Agency. He also has two films on the festival circuit this year before he’s set to appear in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! this fall. If that wasn’t enough, he just wrapped The Mastermind, his third movie with Reichardt in the last handful of years.

Magaro’s work ethic is a byproduct of growing up in Northeast Ohio, a region that’s “used to disappointment,” as he once put it.

It’s been a month of Ted Bundy on Murder Made Fiction, but we’re not quite done with the notorious serial killer of women just yet. After kicking things off with a primer (listen), Jenn and I tackled Matthew Bright’s sleazy 2002 entry (listen), as well as former Disney star Zac Efron’s turn in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile (listen).

Now we’re comparing and contrasting as another teen heartthrob takes a walk on the dark side. In director Daniel Farrands‘ film Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman (2021), former One Tree Hill star Chad Michael Murray tries his hand at playing the notorious killer…to mixed results.

In the film, Bundy is in the midst of his 70s killing spree, which ranges from Utah to Florida over the course of several years. Hot on his heels are Detective Kathleen McChesney (Teen Wolf‘s Holland Roden) and FBI profiler Robert Ressler...

When people remember the "Harry Potter" movies, they're usually at least partially thinking about the score from the legendary John Williams. In terms of how memorable and evocative it is, "Hedwig's Theme" is up there with "The Imperial March" from "Star Wars" or "He's a Pirate" from the "Pirates of the Caribbean Movies," in that everyone can remember and accurately hum it at a moment's notice. Regularly producing bangers like this, it should be no surprise that John Williams has earned over 50 Oscar nominations over his career.

That's why it's a little surprising that Williams wasn't actually there for most of the "Harry Potter" films. The soundtrack for "Goblet of Fire" was composed by Patrick Doyle, "Order of the Phoenix" and "Half-Blood Prince" were composed by Nicholas Hooper, and both "Deathly Hallows" films were composed by Alexandre Desplat. An attentive ear will notice these changes throughout the series, but considering...

A 2005 Steven Spielberg movie receives a fair accuracy score from a counterterrorism expert. Steven Spielberg's best movies cover a wide range of genres, from the Holocaust drama Schindler's List to the science-fiction adventures in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Spielberg gained widespread recognition for his direction of Jaws, which was the first of many box office successes Spielberg would direct in the ensuing years, with the Indiana Jones trilogy and Jurassic Park among his many movies that became immensely popular.

1998's Saving Private Ryan proved to be another Steven Spielberg World War II movie that became a critical and commercial hit. In the 2000s, Spielberg continued to direct a rich variety of movies, with the historical drama Lincoln and his remake of the musical West Side Story being among the most critically acclaimed. In 2022, Spielberg's The Fabelmans was released, which is inspired by the filmmaker's youth, where his passion for making movies began.

The following contains spoilers for "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" season 1, episode 4, "Can't Say I Remember No At Attlin."

"Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" episode 4 once again brings Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law) and his adolescent castaway crew to a new planet, where we meet just enough new faces that they get a chance to make an impact. One key figure on the episode's planet, At Achrann, is Troik clan member Hayna (Hala Finley), who soon gains respect for Neel (voiced by Robert Timothy Smith) and his anti-violence streak. While Finley has a good few projects on her acting CV, film fans might perk up their ears even more when they see her father, Troik leader General Strix. 

If Strix looks familiar, you've probably paid attention to international cinema in the 1990s and 2000s. The general with a penchant for training child soldiers is played by none other than actor and filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz,...

The career of director Steven Spielberg has practically defined modern blockbusters, but he’s also been able to craft more personal films as well. Let’s rank Spielberg’s entire filmography from worst to best in a new photo gallery of his 33 theatrical features.

Spielberg’s reputation as a master entertainer came with the release of “Jaws,” his 1975 shark attack thriller. Made when he was just 29 years old, the film set box office records and made the summer safe for blockbusters again. Such following films as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977), “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982) cemented Spielberg’s ability to create spectacular amusements that brought audiences to their feet.

He later moved into serious filmmaking with “The Color Purple” (1985), which paved the way for his 1993 Holocaust drama “Schindler’s List” (1993). That film swept the Academy Awards, bringing Spielberg Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture.

Pierce Brosnan exited the role of James Bond after Die Another Day to pave the way for Daniel Craig in Casino Royale. The British actor had been trying out a variety of roles in his career up until that point and revealed that he almost turned down the offer. Craig feared that he would be stuck playing Bond forever. His initial decision almost seems insane, now that he earned $82.4 million for the role.

Daniel Craig as James Bond in Spectre | Credits: Eon Productions

However, playing the role got to him as he revealed that he was so exhausted after filming each Bond film. He shared that when he prioritized his work life, it took a hit on his personal life. Craig is married to actress Rachel Weisz and they share a daughter, Grace, who is six years old.

Daniel Craig Almost Turned Down His Lucrative James Bond Role Daniel Craig...

While Hollywood has played a prominent role in giving a voice to the martyrs through war drama and historical documentaries, more often than not, these stories get swept up in overly patriotic sentiments rather than giving precedence to factual accuracy. But Steven Spielberg has singlehandedly managed to harness both expansive cinematography as well as emotional storytelling through his research into world war stories.

Band of Brothers [Credit: HBO]

Through an obsessive retelling of World War II stories, Spielberg has never grown bored or tired of the era that has caused so much grief, strife, and pain among the people. With films like Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Schindler’s List, Munich, and Bridge of Spies, the Oscar-winning director has shed more light on the war than any other director.

However, not all of them have been received well by the audience.

Steven Spielberg’s obsession with World War II Band of Brothers...

John Magaro and Leonie Benesch are at the heart of one of the world's most harrowing events in September 5. While he's been acting for the better part of 20 years, Magaro has found more mainstream success over the past decade with everything from Netflix's The Umbrella Academy and Orange is the New Black to the Sopranos prequel movie, The Many Saints of Newark, and Oscar-nominated drama Past Lives. After primarily working in her home country of Germany, Benesch has found international success with the Oscar-nominated Teacher's Lounge and PBS/BBC One's Around the World in 80 Days series.

September 5 takes viewers into the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today in which an American sports broadcasting team quickly adapted from sports reporting to live coverage of the Israeli athletes taken hostage during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. Magaro, who previously appeared in Steven Spielberg's similar-subject thriller Munich,...

The upcoming historic drama September 5, which chronicles the 1972 Munich Massacre at the Summer Olympics, will be released on December 13. The Tim Fehlbaum directorial has been nominated for the Golden Globe Awards in the Best Picture—Drama category and has received rave reviews during its festival run.

The film has been in the news due to its subject matter i.e. the tragic deaths of Israeli athletes at the hands of the Palestinian militant group Black September. The topically relevant subject matter as well as its focus on the ABC Sports network’s coverage of the events has made it one of the most interesting films of the year. Here are three reasons why you should watch it.

1. September 5 Deals With The 1972 Munich Massacre From Another Perspective A still from September 5 | Credits: Paramount Pictures

The 1972 Munich Massacre during the Summer Olympics in Germany was one of the most harrowing incidents in history.

Daniel Craig reflected on his more than 30-year career during a conversation at the BFI in London on Monday night, including his time as James Bond. Though he said he “loved every second” of playing 007, he admitted that the level of fame was “emotionally difficult” not only for him but for his family.

When asked by film critic Mark Kermode if he enjoyed playing Bond, Craig replied: “I did. I loved every second of it. I mean, some of it was tough and weird and strange and emotionally kind of difficult for everybody, including my family. The fame is weird.”

Pre-Bond, Craig was known for his role in Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated “Munich” (2005) and had supporting turns in films like “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” (2001) and Sam Mendes’ “Road to Perdition” (2002). But Bond changed everything.

“I was working and had a little bit of fame and it bought me, you know,...

The HBO drama Succession followed the corporate wars between Brian Cox’s Logan Roy and his three children, who struggled to gain control of their media conglomerate company Waystar RoyCo. The series was widely regarded for its performances, and writing, and also won the Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy for Best Drama Series.

While Cox’s character faced many obstacles in his bid to save his empire, no one was as dangerous as Marcia Roy, his third wife played by Hiam Abbass. The Palestinian actress had been in multiple films such as Blade Runner 2049 and Munich before she joined the series. Abbass mentioned that she was against TV shows before joining Succession.

Succession’s Hiam Abbass Hated TV Before Joining The Show A still from Succession | Credits: HBO

In the four seasons of Succession, Brian Cox’s Logan Roy has faced several obstacles including his children, brother, son-in-law, and his own trusted advisors.

Over the more than three decades during which Daniel Craig has been acting in the movies, there’s not much that the British A-lister hasn’t done. Most famously, he played James Bond in five films over 15 years (2006’s Casino Royale, 2008’s Quantum of Solace, 2012’s Skyfall, 2015’s Spectre and 2021’s No Time to Die). He has also worked with many of the greatest filmmakers (e.g. Steven Spielberg on 2005’s Oscar-nominated Munich and David Fincher on 2011’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and actors (e.g. Tom Hanks and Paul Newman on 2002’s Road to Perdition) of his time. And he is at the center of Netflix’s biggest film franchise (playing detective Benoit Blanc in 2019’s Knives Out, 2022’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and the forthcoming Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery).

Never, though, has Craig, 56, been nominated for an Oscar. That could...

Adam Somner, an award-winning assistant director, producer and longtime collaborator of Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson, has died. He was 57.

Somner died Wednesday of anaplastic thyroid cancer, a family spokesperson announced.

Born in the U.K., Somner built a successful career in Hollywood, working alongside Spielberg, Scorsese, Anderson, Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Ridley Scott. His most recent project was Anderson’s untitled Warner Bros. film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Some of the movies Somner worked on with Spielberg throughout his career were West Side Story, Lincoln, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Ready Player One, Bridge of Spies and Munich. As for Scorsese, he worked on Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wolf of Wall Street. He collaborated with Anderson on Licorice Pizza, Phantom Thread, Inherent Vice, The Master and There Will Be Blood. Somner worked with Scott on All the Money in the World,...

Adam Somner, a respected assistant director and producer for filmmakers including Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson, Alejandro Inarritu and Ridley Scott, died Wednesday of thyroid cancer in Studio City. He was 57.

Most recently, Somner served as producer and assistant director on Anderson’s upcoming Warner Bros. film starring Leonardo Di Caprio. He was part of the producing team for Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza,” which was nominated for a best picture Oscar.

Born in the U.K., Somner got his start assisting on films such as “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” before moving into assistant directing. He was third assistant director on Spielberg’s “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” and continued working with the director on numerous films including “West Side Story,” “Ready Player One,” “Lincoln,” “Munich” and “War of the Worlds.”

Spielberg remembered Somner in a statement, saying, “The job title ‘assistant director’ is insufficient to describe what...

Historical drama September 5 charts the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis and is tipped to be an Oscar contender. A trailer:

September 5 is releasing in the US this week, which means we’ve got a final trailer to absorb before the film itself lands. Based on the hostage crisis that occurred during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, September 5 is a Paramount film that is said to cover the events from a different angle from previous explorations of the story, including Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film, Munich.

According to the synopsis:

‘The story focuses on Geogg, a young and ambitious producer striving to prove himself to legendary TV executive Roone Arledge. Together with German interpreter Marianne and his mentor Marvin Bade, Geoff unexpectedly takes the helm of the live coverage.’

Some are speculating that the film is so good that it’ll son be in awards contention. Early reviews are strong, and while early critical...

Spoiler Alert: Spoilers follow for 'Munich'

Quick Links What Is Steven Spielberg's 'Munich' About? 'Munich' Is One of Steven Spielberg’s Best Films — And One of Daniel Craig’s Too 'Munich' Is a Fantastic Spy Thriller

Over the last decade, Daniel Craig has ably proven that he’s more than just Agent 007. After winning unanimous praise from critics and fans alike as arguably the best actor to ever play James Bond, it would’ve been easy for that role to overshadow Craig for the rest of his career. Thankfully, he’s dispelled those fears at seemingly every turn, showcasing a surprising knack for comedic timing in Knives Out and the underrated Logan Lucky, and now he’s getting long-overdue Oscar buzz for supposedly career-best work in Luca Guadagnino’s Queer.

However, many knew that Daniel Craig had acting chops long before...

Former James Bond actor Daniel Craig reflects on how he dealt with his newfound fame following the release of Casino Royale in 2006. After Die Another Day in 2002, Craig was chosen as Pierce Brosnan's replacement, a decision that was initially met with a great deal of skepticism. Martin Campbell's Casino Royale was an undeniable hit critically and commercially, however, and Craig went on to play 007 four more times, bidding farewell to the franchise with the explosive No Time To Die ending in 2021.

During a recent interview with The New Yorker, Craig reflects on the period of his life immediately following the release of Casino Royale. "I was really rocked by it," Craig says, "Really rocked." Craig recalls the pendulum swing from nobody thinking he was right for the part to everyone loving Casino Royale, using the experience to speak more broadly about his loss of privacy and anonymity:

F-cking disaster.

John Magaro is the glue that holds September 5 together. He stars as ABC Sports producer Geoffrey Mason, who was covering the 1972 Munich Olympics when Black September terrorists took Israeli athletes hostage in the Olympic compound. Magaro must convey the enormous pressure and responsibility placed on Mason as he is suddenly thrust into the hot seat to produce live coverage. Director Tim Fehlbaum chose Magaro because, he says, “He’s one of the best there is.” Next, Magaro is set to appear with Michael Fassbender in the spy drama The Agency, followed by Maggie Gyllenhaal’s film The Bride.

Deadline: You weren’t even born then, but what did you already know about Munich ’72?

John Magaro: I knew about it. I don’t know why I knew about it. I mean, I’ve always been a lover of history. My mother’s Jewish. I was raised Jewish, so I think...

Paul Engelen died on November 3 at his home in West Sussex, England. He was a famous makeup artist who made players into unforgettable characters in movies and TV shows. Daniel Lawson Johnston, a fellow makeup artist and his son-in-law, said he was 75 years old and had been fighting cancer.

Over more than 50 years, Engelen had an amazing career in which he worked on some of the most famous movies ever made. For his work as a makeup artist, he won two Emmys and was nominated for two Academy Awards, solidifying his reputation as a master.

Engelen got his start in the business as an assistant makeup artist on Carol Reed’s “Oliver!” in 1968. He quickly became a major creative force in the field. Along with six James Bond movies, he worked on Steven Spielberg’s “Empire of the Sun” and “Munich,” as well as the first three seasons of HBO’s “Game of Thrones.

Paul Engelen, the British makeup designer who earned two Emmys and two Oscar nominations in a fabulous career that included work on Reds, Batman, The Phantom Menace, Gladiator and Game of Thrones, has died. He was 75.

Engelen died Nov. 3 of cancer at his home in West Sussex, England, his son-in-law (and fellow makeup designer) Daniel Lawson Johnston told The Hollywood Reporter.

Engelen also did makeup for three James Bonds — Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig — on the 007 films The Man With the Golden Gun (1974), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), Die Another Day (2002), Casino Royale (2006) and Quantum of Solace (2008).

He teamed with Blake Edwards on Victor/Victoria (1982), Trail of the Pink Panther (1982) and Curse of the Pink Panther (1983), with Steven Spielberg on Empire of the Sun (1987) and Munich (2005) and with Ridley Scott on Gladiator (2000), Kingdom of Heaven (2005) and Robin Hood (2010).

Engelen shared his first Academy Award nom with Rick Baker...

Daniel Craig rose to international fame with his role as the fictional spy created by Ian Fleming, James Bond. Until his role in Casino Royale, his most prominent roles were alongside Angelina Jolie in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and in the Steven Spielberg film Munich. The role of Bond even got him into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Daniel Craig in a still from No Time to Die | Credits: Eon Productions

Craig’s salary for James Bond may not be the highest in his career, but it was enough for him to top actors like Pierce Brosnan and Sean Connery as the highest-paid Bond actor. The achievement came as no easy feat as Craig spent a good 15 years of his career in the role.

Daniel Craig Holds The Record For The Highest Paid James Bond Actor Daniel Craig as James Bond in Spectre | Credits: Eon Productions

The search for...

I love spy movies. Realistic spy movies, unrealistic spy movies, whatever—you name it and I’m there. If the entertainment quotient isn’t undermined too much by the government propaganda, you have my curiosity and my attention. I have watched the Bond movies, the Mission: Impossible films, the Bourne movies, the Kingsman films, the Yrf Spy Universe stuff, the Jack Ryan movies, Munich, Bridge of Spies, the Spy Kids movies, and more. But for some reason, when this genre enters the small screen and takes the episodic route, it loses my attention. I liked the first season of Jack Ryan, but with every subsequent installment, it got worse. Mr. & Mrs. Smith was horrible. The difference in quality between the first and second seasons of The Family Man was hilarious. Now, we have a TV series franchise in the form of Citadel. Ironically, I have no memory of watching the...

Disney+'s new documentary, Music by John Williams, offers insight into the life of the famed composer and the legendary music that led him to achieve multiple records at the Oscars. John Williams is one of the most celebrated composers in history with a career spanning more than 70 years. He has the unique ability to convey a story and themes through emotional and powerful orchestration. John Williams is responsible for many acclaimed movie scores, and is considered one of the movie industry's most influential composers.

The documentary looks into Williams' impressive career and his decades-long friendship with director Steven Spielberg; since 1974, he has scored music for 29 of Spielberg's movies, including the Indiana Jones franchise, Saving Private Ryan, and Munich. For his musical talents, Williams has been recognized multiple times at different award ceremonies, including the Oscars, where he holds one remarkable record that looks unlikely to ever be broken.

John Magaro went from an extra on a Steven Spielberg film to leading his own movie about the same tragic events 20 years later.

Magaro has steadily built a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors, seamlessly transitioning between indie gems and major studio films such as “Not Fade Away” and “Past Lives.” But despite his steady rise in the industry, he remains grounded and deeply connected to the craft of acting, driven by a passion for storytelling and a dedication to exploring the complexities of each role.

In this episode of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Magaro discusses his latest project, Paramount Pictures’ “September 5” — a dramatic thriller about the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis. He also reflects on his early days in the business, which included an unexpected start as an extra in Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film “Munich,” a full-circle moment for him. Listen below.

“What makes this...

The journalism thriller has been a quintessential subgenre of American historical cinema for decades, with Alan J. Pakula’s classic “All The President’s Men” often heralded as the best example. The reason that this perspective holds so much value is simple; by looking back at the ways in which news professionals covered a certain event, it becomes easier for the filmmaker to explore the profound impact that historical milestones had in real time. “September 5” could have easily been misconstrued as an attempted parallel to the current political crisis that has divided the world, but instead it reveals itself to be a thrilling procedural that examines the challenges of breaking a live story.

Tim Fehlbaum’s breakneck, 94-minute thriller examines the direct response and aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympic hostage crisis, in which the Israeli Olympic team were held hostage by terrorists. The incident was not only the first instance of...

Will Smith and Steven Spielberg were on a similar wavelength in the 2000s. After he finished licking his wounds from 1999's "Wild Wild West," Big Willie was hungry to prove his mettle as a dramatic actor. Adapting a bit of a one-for-them-one-for-me mentality, Smith earned his first two acting Oscar nods for "Ali" and "The Pursuit of Happyness" in-between nodding his head as Agent J and tearing up the streets of Miami again as Mike Lowrey. Even his tentpoles started to get a little darker and heavier along the way, with the actor anchoring a big screen rendition of Richard Matheson's end-times sci-fi horror tale "I Am Legend" and playing a hard-edged, heavy-drinking superhero in "Hancock."

Spielberg, meanwhile, spent the first decade of the 21st century redefining his work. Really, there was very little he didn't try his hand at during this period, from crafting disquieting, noirish visions of...

Bilal Hasna is transforming into Layla, the title drag queen in Amrou Al-Kadhi’s feature directorial debut.

“3 Body Problem” star Hasna leads “Layla,” which centers on an eponymous British-Palestinian drag queen in London who falls in love with an advertising executive (Louis Greatorex), all while navigating their identity around family and friends. Think a modern-day, queer take on “Romeo & Juliet.”

The British indie film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and later opened the BFI Flare: London Lgbtiq+ Film Festival. “Layla” also screened at the London Film Festival and Newfest.

Director Al-Kadhi previously worked as a drag performer before becoming a filmmaker. Al-Kadhi acted in Steven Spielberg’s “Munich,” “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” “The Souvenir: Part II,” and “American Horror Stories.” They helmed shorts “Anemone,” “Run(a)Way Arab,” “Clash,” and “Define Gender: Victoria Sin” before making their feature debut with “Layla.”

IndieWire’s...

Paramount Pictures’ historical drama, “September 5,” which recounts the harrowing true story of the 1972 Munich Olympic hostage crisis, is gearing up for the upcoming Oscar race with a full-scale awards campaign.

Following enthusiastic receptions at the Venice and Telluride film festivals, the film’s ensemble cast, including Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, and Leonie Benesch, will compete in the supporting acting categories. In addition, the film is set to contend in major categories such as best picture, director, and original screenplay. Paramount Pictures acquired the film from its boutique label Republic Pictures shortly after yjr festival debuts.

“September 5” joins Paramount’s awards slate, which also includes Ridley Scott’s epic sequel “Gladiator II,” two music biopics — Michael Gracey’s Robbie Williams biopic “Better Man” and Reinaldo Marcus Green’s “Bob Marley:One Love” — and Josh Cooley’s animated feature “Transformers One.”

Directed by Tim Fehlbaum, who co-wrote the screenplay with Moritz Binder,...