Month: June 2024

Universal Pictures dropped the trailer for the initial installment of the two-part film adaptation of the stage musical, Wicked. The studio shared the trailer featuring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, posting on social media: “Pink goes good with green. #WickedMovie trailer .”  The film version of Wicked is written by Winnie Holzman and directed by Jon M. Chu (‘Crazy Rich Asians’).

Wicked, based on the Broadway musical and Gregory Maguire novel, is inspired by L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The film tells the origin story of the witches of Oz — Elphaba (Erivo), the future Wicked Witch of the West, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Glinda, the future Glinda the Good, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.  The trailer shows Glinda and Elphaba meet as students at Shiz University in the Land of Oz, forging an unlikely but profound friendship.

An official film synopsis reads: “Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future.”  The cast also includes Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University headmistress Madame Morrible, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, Marissa Bode as Nessarose and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz.

Part One of ‘Wicked’ is set to open in theaters Nov. 27; with Part Two to follow on Nov. 27, 2025.  Take a look at the trailer: here.

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie and Laura Dern have signed on to star in “Monsanto,” the latest film from writer-director John Lee Hancock (“The Blind Side,” “Saving Mr. Banks”).

Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell) who in 2019 takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie) who used Monsanto’s best-known product Roundup, a wildly financially successful weed and grass pesticide killer, as part of his job as a high school groundskeeper. Dern plays Dr. Melinda Rogers, the Monsanto Company’s chief toxicologist, who testifies with certainty that Roundup is safe during the landmark cancer trial.

Hancock said: “I was drawn to this contemporary David vs. Goliath true story because I found it dramatic, moving, quite funny and of critical importance in today’s world. My ambitions are to deliver a smart, thoughtful and commercial legal drama that takes the audience on a human journey.”

Powell said of the project: “I’ve always been fascinated by true stories of ordinary people against extraordinary odds. This story encapsulates that spirit with a critical issue that affects us all. And it’s a privilege to bring it to audiences with an exceptional filmmaker and powerful cast.”

Dern added: “I’ve loved my collaborations with John Lee and look forward to working with him again. There couldn’t be a more vital story to be a part of.”

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

Apple TV has released the latest trailer for the drama film, Fancy Dance, featuring the directorial debut of Erica Tremblay and starring Lily Gladstone and Isabel Deroy-Olson. Fancy Dance, from Apple Original Films, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023

Gladstone stars as Jax, a woman scraping by on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation on Oklahoma, who has cared for her niece Roki (Deroy-Olson) since her sister’s disappearance. At the risk of Jax losing custody to Roki’s grandfather, Frank (Shea Whigham), Jax and Roki hit the road and scour the backcountry to track down Roki’s mother in time for an upcoming powwow. The cast also includes Ryan Begay, Crystle Lightning, Audrey Wasilewski.

The film’s synopsis reads: “Following her sister’s disappearance, Jax and her niece Roki must stick together. Desperate to keep what’s left of their family intact, Jax and Roki defy the law and hit the road on a journey to the Grand Nation Powwow in Oklahoma City .. What begins as a search gradually turns into a far deeper investigation into the complexities and contradictions of indigenous women moving through a colonized world while at the mercy of a failed justice system.”

Fancy Dance opens in select theaters June 21 and will start streaming June 28 on Apple TV+; you can watch the trailer – here.

Jennifer Lopez has canceled her This Is Me…Now The Tour, which was set to kick off next month.

Rumors had been circulating in recent months that many shows were set to be canceled due to poor ticket sales; however, Lopez shared that the tour cancellation was done so to take time off to spend with her ‘children, family, and close friends,’ which was announced directly to fans via her ‘OntheJLo’ Newsletter. Lopez, 54, wrote: “I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down. Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary. I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again. I love you all so much. Until next time…”  The news also comes amid rumors that Lopez and her husband, Ben Affleck, have separated.

The 30+ city tour was set to begin on June 26th in Orlando with stops across North America in Miami, Los Angeles, Toronto, her hometown of New York City, and more before wrapping up in Houston on August 31st. The tour was intended to support the release of Lopez’s first studio album in nearly a decade, ‘This Is Me…Now’, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart.

Live Nation said fans who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster will automatically be refunded. Lopez is currently promoting the release of her Netflix movie “Atlas,” which debuted on the streaming platform on May 24.

Editorial credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com

Ellen DeGeneres is returning to Netflix with a new stand-up special, her second for the streaming service, and according to the comedian, ‘her last.’ DeGeneres said in a statement: “To answer the questions everyone is asking me — yes, I’m going to talk about it. Yes, this is my last special. Yes, [wife] Portia [de Rossi] really is that pretty in real life.”

DeGeneres’s special comes six years after the former talk-show host’s last comedy special, 2018’s “Relatable,” as part of a two-special deal with Netflix. The special also marks DeGeneres’ first special since the 2022 end of her eponymous daytime talk show after 19 seasons, which came after she faced personal criticism and claims of a toxic workplace in the summer of 2020. Robbie Praw, VP of stand-up and comedy formats at Netflix, shared in a statement: “There is nobody quite like Ellen. She is a true legend and pioneer in so many ways. We can’t wait to bring fans another one of her hilarious comedy specials later this year.”

DeGeneres is also set to embark on a standup tour titled “Ellen’s Last Stand… Up.” A press release from the show’s producer Live Nation reads: “this summer, she will grace stages across North America for the last time, delivering her iconic and hilarious performances. This will be the last opportunity for fans to witness a comedy legend in her final curtain call.”  

DeGeneres also posted the news on her social media channels, with the caption: “Here it is! These are the cities and dates for my final stand-up tour. ..  Get your tickets at ellenshop.com/tour.”.  The tour will kick-off beginning in San Diego, Calif. on June 19, and culminate in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Aug. 17.  Head HERE for more information.

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com