by admin | Apr 18, 2025 | Moviephone News, News
(L to R) John Lennon and Yoko Ono in the documentary ‘One to One: John & Yoko’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
Opening exclusively in IMAX theaters on April 11th before opening wider on April 18th is the new documentary ‘One to One: John & Yoko’, which focuses on John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 18-month stay in Greenwich Village from 1971–1973, and leading up to their 1972 concert, “One to One”, which was the only full live concert that Lennon participated in after The Beatles broke up in 1970.
The film was directed by Kevin MacDonald (‘The Last King of Scotland’, ‘Marley’), and features never-before-seen footage from the “One to One” concert, with remastered audio overseen by Sean Ono Lennon.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with filmmaker Kevin MacDonald about his work on ‘One to One: John & Yoko’, how he became involved with the project, creating a film around the footage, focusing on this specific point in John and Yoko’s lives and American history, their incredible relationship, the genius of Yoko Ono, and what John was looking for at that point in his life.
Related Article: Mary McCartney Talks Abbey Road Documentary ‘If These Walls Could Sing’
‘One to One: John & Yoko’ director Kevin MacDonald. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about how you got involved with this project and your choice to focus on this specific time in John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s lives, as well as what was going on in America at that time?
Kevin MacDonald: Well, how this came to me is that the producer, Peter Worsley, had been chasing for years the rights to be able to use this concert. It’s a legendary concert, the only full-length concert that John ever gave after leaving The Beatles. So, it’s got incredible value, but it had always been swept under the carpet because it was so badly filmed and so badly recorded. So, the family didn’t really like it being out there because they felt like it didn’t represent John at his best. But with recent advances in sound technology, it sounds amazing, and it’s been remixed. We went back to the original negative of the film so we could improve everything. So, that became the core of the idea. It’s like he came to me and said, “Let’s make a film around that.” I’m a long time Beatles fan from when I was a kid, really. (John) was my first hero in pop culture, I suppose, when I was like 12 or 13, and then he died. So those things that meant a lot to you as a kid tend to be the things that are seared into you deep down. So, it is a lifelong dream to make something about him. But really there are three strands to the documentary. One is the musical strand, and that’s why it’s on IMAX. Because if you want to imagine what it was like to see John Lennon live, well this is your best opportunity to get close to that. The second strand is their personal life, what they’re going through. In this very brief period of about 15 months when they moved to New York from London, and they arrive in late ’71 until they move into the famous apartment in the Dakota building in New York in early ’73. So it is that time in this apartment where they’re living in a one room place with a huge bed and a big TV. They’re watching a lot of TV, and they’re mixing with all these radicals like Jerry Rubin and Allen Ginsberg, the poet, and all these people who are very activist and very progressive. They’re recording their own phone calls because they think the FBI are listening into them. So, they want to have their own record of what they’re saying. So, all the way through the film, you hear their intimate phone conversations. That’s the second strand. Then the third strand is what they’re watching on TV in their apartment, what I’m imagining they’re seeing on TV. So, it’s America in that period. So, you’ve got the whole lead up to Watergate, you’ve got the Vietnam War going on, you’ve got the Attica Prison riots, you’ve got also ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ and ‘Bonanza’ and all these ads for Chevrolet. It’s like basically what TV would’ve been like for them that they’re seeing. What’s so remarkable, I didn’t set out to make a political film, but when you watch this film, you’re like, holy s**t. America is the same now as it was then. You have somebody running for president being shot live on camera, you have a black woman running for president, you have sit-ins on the campuses because of a foreign war. Then it was Vietnam, now it’s Gaza. It’s just endless the number of similarities and echoes with today. But I also wanted to make a film that worked as a movie, that’s kind of a different movie experience. It’s not like a documentary, it’s not like a drama. It’s something immersive, but hopefully also emotional and obviously musical. You’ve got this great concert at the heart of it.
MF: In addition to the concert footage, as you mentioned, the film also includes footage from TV shows, commercials, and news reports from that time. How did you decide what clips to use and how they would fit in the narrative of the film?
KM: Well, we watched a lot of stuff. I mean, a lot. Hundreds of hours of material. So, you’d go like “I wonder what was happening in foreign policy then?” You’d go and look at all the stories and then go, “None of it’s that interesting.” Or we started looking through news shows and every day, it seemed like in 1972 there was a hijacking. So, we thought, “Well, we have to put in a plane hijacking because they’re just everywhere.” Then you start looking. “Who are the people who are doing the hijacking? Oh, it’s the Black Panthers or some offshoot of the Black Panthers.” So, you go down these wormholes and we tried to relate what was happening in John and Yoko’s life to what’s happening in what you’re seeing in the archive, but also relate it to the songs. So, there’s obviously a sequence which is about Vietnam and about the war and the horrors of the war and why they’re so active in trying to bring peace. We decided to set this footage as quite in your face footage of the war against ‘Instant Karma’, one of John’s great solo songs. Which is counterintuitive because Karma is not obviously a song about warfare or whatever, but it is a counterpoint that really is fun. Each one, the song makes you look at the footage differently and the footage makes you look at the song differently. Then there’s examples where, for instance, when we’re talking about John’s own personal life. He’s talking about how he has a huge chip on his shoulder, and trauma over his childhood. Not being brought up by his mother and father, and how his mother was killed almost in front of him by a drunken policeman driving too fast one night when he was 15. Then we go to ‘Mother’, the song that he wrote about his mother and how he felt abandoned. It’s one of the most moving parts of the film. So yeah, the personal and the political are intertwined in it.
(L to R) John Lennon and Yoko Ono in the documentary ‘One to One: John & Yoko’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
MF: Everyone knows that John Lennon was a genius, but Yoko Ono may be the most maligned and misunderstood person in pop culture over the last 60 years. However, I walked away from this film realizing that Yoko was a genius too, and the driving force behind John’s solo music and activism. Did you walk away from this project with a newfound respect for Yoko Ono as well?
KM: 100%. The more I saw of John and Yoko together, the more I realized how deep their love for each other was, but also their respect for each other. And how deeply John respected her, not just as a person, as a lover, but as an artist and how influential she was on him. I mean, for instance, it’s not in the film, but he has said elsewhere that ‘Imagine’, maybe his most famous song, she basically wrote the lyrics. They’re based on the poetry that she wrote in a book called ‘Grapefruit’, and he put the melody to it. So, they were sort of joined at the hip. I think what you realize is that when you look at the story of this period of the breakup of The Beatles and everything. From her point of view, not from his point of view, not from the fan’s point of view, you realize how difficult it was for her. She experienced a lot of racism, and she talks about it in the film. People had voodoo dolls that they stuck pins in of her, and it made her develop a stutter. She lost all her confidence and she had, I think two or three miscarriages at this period because of the pressure on her. You begin to then see her when she’s singing, and she’s singing from these incredible gutsy performances, these wailing songs which are so ahead of their time. It’s like punk, it’s like Johnny Rotten (Sex Pistols) singing or something like that. You see that she was his equal and maybe in some ways his inspiration.
MF: During the moment in time that the movie covers, John was really trying to distance himself from The Beatles legacy. Can you talk about his mindset at that time and what he was trying to accomplish both personally and professionally?
KM: He arrives in New York and one of the things we have at the beginning of the film is a radio recording in which has got John and Yoko and people are saying, “Welcome to New York.” They’ve obviously only been there for a day or two. John says, “I’m here because I want to move on from The Beatles”, effectively. “I want to be me now,” he says. That’s sort of the feeling you get through the film, is that here’s someone who has been one of the most famous people in the world, in the greatest rock band of all time, but he’s trying to find out “Who am I now? I’ve been through this tumult of fame and everything, but who am I and what should I do now with my life?” He’s only 31 years old. But he’s had this whole legendary career, and he is trying to figure out what do I do next? Who am I? I think that in one way you can see the whole movie as being an answer to that question. Of him struggling to figure out who am I? What do I do?
(L to R) Yoko Ono and John Lennon in the documentary ‘One to One: John & Yoko’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
MF: Finally, to follow up on that, do you think John eventually figured that out before his passing in 1980?
KM: I think he finally did. I think that in the years after our movie covers, he had basically a nervous breakdown. He split with Yoko, he went and had what’s called “The Lost Weekend” in LA where he got drunk for a year and a half every day and played music with Harry Nilsson and people. Then it made him miserable. I think he did have a nervous breakdown. I think partly because of all the effort they put in politically in the period we’re covering here, trying to get Nixon defeated, and then they failed miserably. They totally failed. He had to question the whole idea of maybe you can only do small things to change the world. You can raise money in the benefit concert, which is at the heart of this film, for Disabled kids. “I can do that. I can make their lives better. I can do these small things, but I’m not a politician. I’m going to concentrate on the things around me I can control.” I think that in the last period of his life, I think there was a contentment. He had a son, Sean Lennon, and he was basically a house husband. He looked after Sean a lot and still made some music, but he was very reclusive and very quiet. I think he found some sort of peace and some sort of harmony.
“A war of love and transformation.”
Showtimes & Tickets
An exploration of the seminal and transformative 18 months that one of music’s most famous couples — John Lennon and Yoko Ono — spent living in Greenwich Village,… Read the Plot
What is ‘One to One: John & Yoko’ about?
The film is centered around concert footage and audio from Lennon and Ono’s “One to One” benefit concert held at Madison Square Garden in August 1972 on behalf of children at the Willowbrook institution in Staten Island. The “One to One” benefit concerts were the only performances which Lennon performed following The Beatles’ split in 1970. The film also follows the trajectory of their 18-month stay in a Greenwich Village apartment from 1971–1973.
Who is featured in ‘One to One: John & Yoko’?
(L to R) Yoko Ono and John Lennon in the documentary ‘One to One: John & Yoko’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
List of Rock and roll Documentaries:
Buy Tickets: ‘One to One: John & Yoko’ Movie ShowtimesBuy Kevin MacDonald Movies On Amazon
by admin | Apr 18, 2025 | Moviephone News, News
(Left) Ryan Gosling at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 12, 2024. The 96th Oscars will air on Sunday, March 10, 2024 live on ABC. Credit/Provider: Mike Baker / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Shawn Levy attends the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024. Photo by StillMoving.Net for The Walt Disney Company Limited.
Preview:
- Lucasfilm has officially announced director Shawn Levy’s ‘Star Wars’ movie.
- Ryan Gosling will star in the film, titled ‘Star Wars: Starfighter.’
- It’ll be out on May 28th, 2027.
And just like that, Shawn Levy’s ‘Star Wars’ movie has made the leap from the rumor space to confirmed at hyper speed.
Described “as a stand-alone adventure that takes place a few years after the events of ‘The Rise of Skywalker’.” Read the Plot
Following reports this past January of Ryan Gosling in talks to star in the film, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni took the stage at Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Japan to announce that not only does the movie have a title –– ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ –– but it’ll be out in a couple of years’ time.
It’s certainly a bold move for the company, which has not released a movie since December 2019’s ‘The Rise of Skywalker,’ and has ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ in theaters on May 22nd, 2026.
Here’s the tweet that Lucasfilm put out at the same time as Kennedy and Filoni were on stage:
What’s the story of Shawn Levy’s ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’?
Director Shawn Levy from ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. Photo: Marvel Studios.
With the official news out there, we now have a proper, if basic bit of detail for the movie. It’s described as “a standalone adventure taking place approximately five years after the events of 2019’s ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.’ It is an entirely new adventure featuring all-new characters set in a period of time that has not been explored on screen yet.”
We do know that Levy, despite being seemingly busy with 500 different projects at once has been developing his untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie since at least 2022.
Jonathan Tropper, who collaborated with Levy on films such as ‘This is Where I Leave You’ and ‘The Adam Project,’ has been working on a script for over a year. Levy is also producing the feature via his 21 Laps banner, joining ‘Star Wars’ steward Kennedy.
Gosling’s deal has closed and production on the new movie will kick off in the fall, which means Levy will likely press pause on working on the planned boyband comedy that his usual Ryan –– that would be Reynolds –– has been developing. Still, given Levy’s work ethic, we wouldn’t be surprised if he knocked that out this summer before diving into ‘Star Wars.’
Related Article: ‘Barbie’s Ryan Gosling in Negotiations to Star in ‘Deadpool’ Director Shawn Levy’s ‘Star Wars’ Movie
What else does Ryan Gosling have going on?
Oscar® nominee Ryan Gosling arrives on the red carpet of the 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Credit/Provider: Kyusung Gong / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
Gosling, who was one of the key elements in 2023’s monster hit ‘Barbie’ had a slightly less successful 2023, as romantic action comedy ‘The Fall Guy’ –– which was perfectly entertaining in our opinion –– failed to land at the box office and only earned $181 million from a $125 budget.
He’ll be back on our screens next year in another space-based project, as he’s in the lead in ‘Project Hail Mary,’ the latest film adapted from the work of ‘The Martian’s Andy Weir, with Phil Lord and Chris Miller directing from a script by ‘Martian’ man Drew Goddard.
That one errs more towards the sci-fi than space opera, featuring an astronaut who has to try and save the planet. It’ll arrive on May 20th, 2026, and a first look was teased by Amazon MGM Studios at the company’s CinemaCon presentation this month.
Behind the camera, Gosling is an executive producer on a Donald E. Westlake adaptation called ‘The Actor,’ though that movie has yet to land a release date.
And oddly, Gosling’s name has been linked with ‘Star Wars’ in the past, when rumors spread online in 2013 that he and Zac Efron were being eyed by ‘The Force Awakens’ filmmaker J.J. Abrams for a part that may have eventually become Kylo Ren (as played in the sequel trilogy by Adam Driver).
Who else has been rumored for ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’?
Mikey Madison accepts the Oscar® for Actress in a Leading Role during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
From the sounds of recent reports, Disney and Lucasfilm nearly had something else to announce about the movie.
Reporter Jeff Sneider broke word that ‘Anora’ Academy Award winner Mikey Madison was in talks for a role in the movie a day or so ago.
But the same day, Variety reported that Madison had decided to pass on the role. While it seems as though she’s passing up a big opportunity, it’s not like the actor is exactly short of offers at the moment –– she is very much in demand, including by Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ reboot.
What else is in development for big screen ‘Star Wars’?
‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ Concept Art courtesy of Lucasfilm Ltd. ©2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
Jon Favreau’s ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ is first among ‘Star Wars’ equals right now, having shot last year and now speeding through post-production.
The Mandalorian and Grogu are embarking on a new adventure — to movie theaters. Plot TBA. Read the Plot
Favreau and Filoni introduced a new clip from the movie and a sizzle reel at the Celebration event.
The main scene was action packed, with Snowtroopers inside an AT-AT preparing to engage in battle. Pedro Pascal’s Mandalorian cuts open into the hull of the AT-AT, then, in one continuous take, blasts, stabs, pyros, and fights his way through the Snowtroopers, making his way through the hull and then hallway, ending at the door of the cockpit, which quickly closes.
The sizzle reel, meanwhile, offered a glimpse at Sigourney Weaver’s character –– for whom Mando apparently works –– plus battle scenes (including an AT-AT tumbling off a snowy cliff), Grogu using his powers and swimming. It ended with Jeremy Allen White-voiced Rotta the Hutt, the son of the crime lord Jabba the Hutt, raising his hands in triumph in some sort of fighting arena, and then cut to Grogu in the stands and eating what passes for the Star Wars version of popcorn.
(L to R) Director James Mangold, Dave Filoni, and director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy at Star Wars Celebration 2023.
‘Mandalorian’ co-creator and fellow steward Filoni is still putting the pieces together for his own film, while one that continues the story of Rey (Daisy Ridley) is in development from director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy but appears to keep hitting stumbling blocks and has been removed from the schedule for now.
And then there’s James Mangold’s film, which explores the origins of the Jedi and early force users and is awaiting a release date.
We’d guess that while Filoni (who promoted earlier this year to Chief Creative Officer at Lucasfilm) is still going full speed ahead on his movie, he’s also been busy figuring out a second season of ‘Ahsoka.’
Here’s what he said about that:
“I’m so well into that as well… I’ve been writing it, and I’m still the single writer on it, and so I’ve been enjoying doing that, but it’s a challenge, of course, and working some of these arcs through has been a challenge and making sure it’s all going to come out in a way that I think is exciting for fans. I know that they’re interested in where some of the things I developed in Season One. I’m pretty happy with it… Love working with Rosario [Dawson], so I can’t wait to get back to that.”
Beyond those, there are several movies (and potential trilogies) which don’t seem to be moving forward and may have been scrapped altogether, including new potential movies from ‘The Last Jedi’s Rian Johnson (who is busy with his ‘Knives Out’ movies and may not wish to dip back into the toxic stew of ‘Star Wars’ fandom after the divisive reaction to his first effort) and ‘Wonder Woman’s Patty Jenkins, who had a much-touted ‘Rogue Squadron’ story of rebel pilots that appears to have had trouble leaving the development hanger.
When will ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ be in theaters?
With ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ boasting a confirmed release date of May 22nd, 2026, we now have a second ‘Star Wars’ movie on the calendar.
‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ is now due to arrive on May 28th, 2027. Looks like Lucasfilm is finally ready to ramp back up to one movie a year from the galaxy far, far away.
‘The Mandalorian’ season 3 starring Pedro Pascal premieres March 1st on Disney+. Photo: Lucasfilm.
List of ‘Star Wars’ Movies and TV Shows:
Buy ‘Star Wars’ Movies On Amazon
by admin | Apr 17, 2025 | Moviephone News, News
(L to R) Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone, Han Gi-Chan and Bowen Yang in Bleecker Street’s ‘The Wedding Banquet’. Credit: Bleecker Street / ShivHans Pictures.
‘The Wedding Banquet’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
Opening in theaters on April 18th, ‘The Wedding Banquet’ presents a new take on the story brought to screens by Ang Lee’s 1993 romantic comedy of culture and confusion.
This brand new version, which moves the story forward to the present day and features two couples instead of one, is directed by ‘Fire Island’s Andrew Ahn.
Related Article: ‘Fire Island’ Exclusive Interviews
Is ‘The Wedding Banquet’ Worth Celebrating?
Joan Chen in Bleecker Street’s ‘The Wedding Banquet’. Credit: Bleecker Street / ShivHans Pictures.
It’s exceedingly rare for the writer of the original movie to be involved with a re-imagining, but here we have James Schamus, who worked on the Lee movie, back collaborating this time with director Andrew Ahn.
And the results speak for themselves –– the pair has come up with a sensitive, funny and warm new take on the story, expanding the world of the situation and exploring it through the lens of today’s LGBTQ+ attitudes and society.
Script and Direction
‘The Wedding Banquet’ writer and director Andrew Ahn. Photo: Janice Chung.
The script keeps the characters feeling grounded, even as the situation becomes more comical and, indeed, emotional and heartfelt.
Carefully charting the evolving dynamics of the various friendships –– not to mention their parents and other characters, this new ‘Wedding Banquet’ is a feast of entertaining moments, real drama and laugh-out loud scenes (including the titular ritual, which devolves into comic chaos).
Also, Ahn and Shamus smartly undercut expectations ––– when you think a character, particularly the older, more traditional types, are going to react one way, the script finds surprising, joyful and funny ways to go in a different direction.
Ahn infuses the movie with visual heart as well as the script’s existing power, guiding his cast to fully bring the characters to life.
Working with his team, he also brings the world to the screen with charm and effectiveness, the house that Angela, Lee, Min and Chris share feeling lived in and authentic. If it doesn’t always feel authentically set in Seattle (the movie was shot in Vancouver), that’s a minor issue.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Lily Gladstone and Kelly Marie Tran in Bleecker Street’s ‘The Wedding Banquet’. Credit: Bleecker Street / ShivHans Pictures.
Perhaps the biggest advantage that ‘The Wedding Banquet’ has is a leading ensemble with the chance to offer more than they’re often given to do on screen.
Kelly Marie Tran’s role as Angela might be closer to some other characters she’s played, but it also offers the chance to play someone more complicated –– far from perfect but doing her best to navigate the world.
Lily Gladstone has been playing dramatic roles primarily for a while, and though Lee certainly has those shades, it’s also a welcome opportunity for her to return to her comedic routes. And she grabs it with both hands, giving the role an accomplished, relatable side.
Bowen Yang is more normally found in smaller comic relief roles, and while Chris has some very funny moments, it likewise lets him expand out into all sides of the character, from his commitment phobia to his struggles over his relationship when it starts to evolve before his eyes.
(L to R) Bowen Yang and Han Gi-Chan in Bleecker Street’s ‘The Wedding Banquet’. Credit: Bleecker Street / ShivHans Pictures.
Han Gi-Chan has mostly worked in Korea, but he’s great as the conflicted Min, trying to balance family expectation with what is in his heart.
Around the main leads there are some equally excellent supporting turns, not the least of which are from Joan Chen and ‘Minari’ Oscar winner Youn Yuh-Jung.
Chen, playing Angela’s exuberant, supportive mother May, gets to have more fun than she has in some other roles and that spills out into the rest of the movie. She’s also a real mother, struggling with past choices and coming across as a rounded character despite more limited screentime.
Likewise Youn’s character Ja-Young (Min’s imposing grandmother), who initially comes across stoic and locked into her worldview, is revealed to be far more layered than that first impression.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Han Gi-Chan, Youn Yuh-Jung and Kelly Marie Tran in Bleecker Street’s ‘The Wedding Banquet’. Credit: Bleecker Street / ShivHans Pictures.
‘The Wedding Banquet’ represents a truly successful update of a much-loved movie that both infuses new life into the story and honors the original.
It’s the latest impressive piece of work from director Andrew Ahn and deserves to find a place in the heart of audiences beyond LGBTQ+ and Asian cinemagoers who will see themselves represented well here.
Showtimes & Tickets
Frustrated with his commitment-phobic boyfriend Chris and running out of time, Min makes a proposal: a green-card marriage with their friend Angela in exchange for… Read the Plot
What’s the plot of ‘The Wedding Banquet’?
Frustrated with his commitment-phobic boyfriend Chris (Bowen Yang) and running out of time, Min (Han Gi-chan) makes a proposal: a green-card marriage with their friend Angela (Kelly Marie Tran) in exchange for her partner Lee’s (Lily Gladstone) expensive IVF. Elopement plans are upended, however, when Min’s grandmother (Youn Yuh-jung) surprises them with an extravagant Korean wedding banquet.
Who stars in ‘The Wedding Banquet’?
- Bowen Yang as Chris
- Lily Gladstone as Lee
- Kelly Marie Tran as Angela
- Han Gi-chan as Min
- Joan Chen as May Chen
- Youn Yuh-jung as Ja-Young
Bowen Yang stars in ‘The Wedding Banquet’. Photo: Mary Ellen Matthews.
List of Bowen Yang Movies and TV Shows:
Buy Tickets: ‘The Wedding Banquet’ Movie ShowtimesBuy Bowen Yang Movies on Amazon
by admin | Apr 17, 2025 | Moviephone News, News
(L to R) Barry Keoghan as Lee and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye as Abel in ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’. Photo Credit: Andrew Cooper.
There is a long tradition of famous musicians playing fictional versions of themselves in movies.
Sometimes its just a cameo like David Bowie in ‘Zoolander’ or Bruce Springsteen in ‘High Fidelity’, and sometimes it is an entire film where the musician is playing themself like Robbie Williams in ‘Better Man’, the Spice Girls in ‘Spice World’ or the Foo Fighters in ‘Studio 666’.
The lasted example of this is the upcoming film ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow,’ which is scheduled for release on May 16th and is based on the album of the same name by Abel “The Weeknd’ Tesfaye, who plays a version of himself in the movie.
“Reality lies deeper than you think.”
Showtimes & Tickets
A musician plagued by insomnia is pulled into an odyssey with a stranger who begins to unravel the very core of his existence. Read the Plot
In honor of The Weeknd’s new film, which was directed by Trey Edward Shults and also stars Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, Moviefone is counting down the 20 best movies of all time featuring musicians playing fictional versions of themselves.
Note: For this list we are only including feature films and not documentaries. We are also only including movies where musicians play fictional versions of themselves and not new characters.
Let’s begin!
Dave Grohl in ‘Studio 666,’ an Open Road Films release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Andrew Stuart/Open Road Films.
Legendary rock band Foo Fighters (who play themselves) move into an Encino mansion steeped in grisly rock and roll history to record their much anticipated 10th album. Once in the house, Dave Grohl finds himself grappling with supernatural forces that threaten both the completion of the album and the lives of the band.
All the couples are back for a wedding in Las Vegas, but plans for a romantic weekend go awry when their various misadventures get them into some compromising situations that threaten to derail the big event. Drake appears as himself in the movie.
In 1978, a Kiss concert was an epoch-making event. For the four teen fans in Detroit Rock City getting tickets to the sold-out show becomes the focal point of their existence. They’ll do anything for tickets — compete in a strip club’s amateur-night contest, take on religious protesters, even rob a convenience store! The four original members of Kiss (Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss) all play themselves in the film.
A crew of savvy former strip club employees band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients. Usher appears as himself in the film.
The story of the rise and fall of the Pre-Fab Four. Mick Jagger appears as himself in the film.
“A living legend that will live long after other living legends have died.”
The story of the rise and fall of the Pre-Fab Four. Read the Plot
Backstreet Boys in ‘This Is the End’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
While attending a party at James Franco’s house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse. Members of the Backstreet Boys appear as themselves in the movie.
“Nothing ruins a party like the end of the world.”
Showtimes & Tickets
World famous pop group the Spice Girls (Victoria Beckham, Mel B, Emma Burton, Melanie C, and Geri Halliwell) zip around London in their luxurious double decker tour bus having various adventures and performing for their fans.
“You say you want a revolution?”
World famous pop group the Spice Girls zip around London in their luxurious double decker tour bus having various adventures and performing for their fans. Read the Plot
In New York City for their annual tradition of Christmas Eve debauchery, three lifelong best friends (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anthony Mackie) set out to find the Holy Grail of Christmas parties since their yearly reunion might be coming to an end. Miley Cyrus appears as herself in the movie.
“Their past, present and future. All in one night.”
After the lord of darkness decides he will not cede his throne to any of his three sons, the two most powerful of them escape to Earth to create a kingdom for themselves. This action closes the portal filtering sinful souls to Hell and causes Satan to wither away. He must send his most weak but beloved son, Little Nicky (Adam Sandler), to Earth to return his brothers to Hell. Ozzy Osbourne appears as himself in the film.
“If your father was the Devil and your mother was an angel, you’d be messed up too.”
A struggling musician (Himesh Patel) realizes he’s the only person on Earth who can remember The Beatles after waking up in an alternate reality where the group was forgotten. Ed Sheeran appears as himself in the film.
“Everyone in the world has forgotten The Beatles. Everyone except Jack…”
Showtimes & Tickets
(L to R) Annette Bening and Tom Jones in ‘Mars Attacks!’ Photo: Warner Bros.
A fleet of Martian spacecraft surrounds the world’s major cities and all of humanity waits to see if the extraterrestrial visitors have, as they claim, “come in peace.” U.S. President James Dale (Jack Nicholson) receives assurance from science professor Donald Kessler (Pierce Brosnan) that the Martians’ mission is a friendly one. But when a peaceful exchange ends in the total annihilation of the U.S. Congress, military men call for a full-scale nuclear retaliation. Tom Jones appears as himself in the film.
Three friends (Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn) attempt to recapture their glory days by opening up a fraternity near their alma mater. Snoop Dogg appears as himself in the film.
“All the fun of college. None of the education.”
A husband-and-wife team play detective (Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin), but not in the traditional sense. Instead, the happy duo helps others solve their existential issues, the kind that keep you up at night, wondering what it all means. Shania Twain appears as herself in the film.
After his long-time girlfriend dumps him, a thirty-year-old record store owner (John Cusack) seeks to understand why he is unlucky in love while recounting his “top five breakups of all time”. Bruce Springsteen appears as himself in the film.
“A comedy about fear of commitment, hating your job, falling in love and other pop favorites.”
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A group of young adults in their twenties, who share an apartment in the city of Seattle, ponder on love and face all the challenges of adulthood. Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder and Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell appear in the film.
“Love is a game. Easy to start. Hard to finish.”
Robbie Williams in ‘Better Man’ from Paramount Pictures.
Follow Robbie Williams’ journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.
The adventures of two amiably aimless metal-head friends, Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey). From Wayne’s basement, the pair broadcast a talk-show called “Wayne’s World” on local public access television. The show comes to the attention of a sleazy network executive (Rob Lowe) who wants to produce a big-budget version of “Wayne’s World”—and he also wants Wayne’s girlfriend, a rock singer named Cassandra (Tia Carrere). Wayne and Garth have to battle the executive not only to save their show, but also Cassandra. Alice Cooper appears as himself in the film.
Robbie (Adam Sandler), a local rock star turned wedding singer, is dumped on the day of his wedding. Meanwhile, waitress Julia (Drew Barrymore) finally sets a wedding date with her fiancée Glenn (Matthew Glave). When Julia and Robbie meet and hit it off, they find that things are more complicated than anybody thought. Billy Idol appears as himself in the film.
“He’s gonna party like it’s 1985!”
Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and Jay (Will Smith) reunite to provide our best, last and only line of defense against a sinister seductress who levels the toughest challenge yet to the MIB’s untarnished mission statement – protecting Earth from the scum of the universe. It’s been four years since the alien-seeking agents averted an intergalactic disaster of epic proportions. Now it’s a race against the clock as Jay must convince Kay – who not only has absolutely no memory of his time spent with the MIB, but is also the only living person left with the expertise to save the galaxy – to reunite with the MIB before the earth submits to ultimate destruction. Michael Jackson appears as himself in the film.
(L to R) Ben Stiller, David Bowie, and Owen Wilson in ‘Zoolander’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Clear the runway for Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller), VH1’s three-time male model of the year. His face falls when hippie-chic Hansel (Owen Wilson) scooters in to steal this year’s award. The evil fashion guru Mugatu (Will Ferrell) seizes the opportunity to turn Derek into a killing machine. It’s a well-designed conspiracy and only with the help of Hansel and a few well-chosen accessories like Matilda (Christine Taylor) can Derek make the world safe for male models everywhere. David Bowie appears as himself in the film.
‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ fan event screenings to take place on May 14th.
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by admin | Apr 17, 2025 | Moviephone News, News
(Left) Nicholas Galitzine stars in ‘The Idea of You’. Credit: Alisha Wetherill/Prime. Copyright: © 2022 Amazon Content Services LLC. (Right) Bill Skarsgård in the Horror/Thriller film ‘Locked’, a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
Preview:
- Nicholas Galitzine and Bill Skarsgård are aboard ‘Mosquito Bowl.’
- Director Peter Berg wrote the movie with Mark L. Smith.
- It adapts a based-on-truth tome by Buzz Bissinger.
Director Peter Berg seems to be on something of a winning streak in his deal with Netflix of late.
He directed limited series ‘Painkiller,’ which spent five weeks in the Global Top 10 TV List (English), garnering 29.1 million views. And more recently, ‘American Primeval’ was on the same list for four weeks, racking up 35.1 million views following its debut in January.
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After the attack on Pearl Harbor, four of America’s top college football stars set their fame aside to enlist in the Marines. As they prepare for the brutal invasion… Read the Plot
Now, via Deadline, the first project from the renewed contract is in the works, with Nicholas Galitzine and Bill Skarsgård attached to star in ‘Mosquito Bowl,’ which finds him in true-story territory (and sports, something which he’s done well with in the past).
Related Article: ‘Masters of the Universe’: Nicholas Galitzine to Play He-Man in the New Movie
What’s the story of ‘Mosquito Bowl’?
Bill Skarsgård in the Horror/Thriller film ‘Locked’, a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
The new movie is based on Buzz Bissinger’s New York Times bestseller ‘The Mosquito Bowl: A Game of Life and Death in World War II.’
The film is set after the attack on Pearl Harbor, when four of America’s top college football stars set their fame aside to enlist in the Marines.
As they prepare for the brutal invasion of Okinawa, they take part in a legendary game featuring some of the greatest players in history –– a game that, for many, will be the last they ever play.
We don’t yet know what roles Galitzine and Skarsgård are playing, but we can see them as two of the gridiron stars.
Berg is working once again with ‘The Revenant’ writer Mark L. Smith on the movie, continuing their partnership after collaborating on ‘American Primeval.’ We predict this one, while it doesn’t exactly have a happy ending (see: World War II and survival rates), should at least be slightly more positive than the hard-bitten frontier series.
And that’s not the only reunion here –– ‘Mosquito Bowl’ sees Berg back partnering with Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, who backed on the hit football movie ‘Friday Night Lights’ (which perhaps not-so-coincidentally was also based on a Bissinger tome) and the series take that followed. The pair are developing a reboot of the latter.
Where else can we see Nicholas Galitzine?
(L to R) Nicholas Galitzine and Anne Hathaway star in ‘The Idea of You’. Credit: Courtesy of Prime. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.
The rising star, who broke out with movies including ‘Purple Hearts’ and ‘The Idea of You’ (the latter opposite Anne Hathaway), has also been seen in historical TV drama ‘Mary & George’ with Julianne Moore, and ‘Red White and Royal Blue.’
His big new role is leading Amazon’s new take on ‘Masters of the Universe,’ which is in production now and will be on screens on June 5th, 2026.
In addition to that, he’s part of the cast for mystery drama ‘Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie,’ which was also touted at Amazon’s recent CinemaCon presentation, the indie movie ‘100 Nights of Hero’ and has lent his voice to animated pic ‘Wings of Freedom.’
What else has Bill Skarsgård worked on?
Bill Skarsgård in ‘The Crow.’ Photo Credit: Larry Horricks for Lionsgate.
Skarsgård, who has become something of a chameleon when it comes to roles, most recently put his skills on display in Robert Eggers’ Oscar-nominated ‘Nosferatu,’ which became Focus Features’ second highest-grossing film ever at the domestic box office following its Christmas Day debut.
Right now, the actor is starring opposite Anthony Hopkins in ‘Locked,’ the new thriller from director David Yarovesky.
And upcoming? He has ‘Dead Man’s Wire’ from Gus Van Sant, Michael Sarnoski’s ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ (which stars Hugh Jackman), and TV prequel ‘It: Welcome to Derry,’ for HBO/Max, where he reprises his breakout role as Pennywise the Clown.
There’s also historical drama ‘Emperor,’ Lee Tamahori’s movie about young Johanna “Of Ghent”, who seeks revenge on the holy Roman Emperor Charles V for the death of her father.
With Sophie Cookson as Johanna and Adrien Brody as the emperor, Skarsgård plays Philip II of Spain.
What else is Peter Berg developing?
Director Peter Berg. Photo: Daniel McFadden/Netflix.
Berg has recently worked on a documentary about music superstar Rihanna.
In addition to his own directorial gigs, Berg is a consistently busy producer, supporting other people’s work. He’s behind new TV series ‘Green Beret’s Guide to Surviving the Apocalypse’ and two movies.
‘The Beast’ stars Samuel L. Jackson and Joel Kinnaman in the story of the US President needing to rely on the defensive capabilities of his titular, tricked-out, secure main transport car when a militia of unidentified hostiles coordinates a coup against the U.S. That one has Renny Harlin in the director’s driving seat.
There’s also the in-development ‘Olympus,’ about a decorated soldier turned spy who finds out he is descended from the Greek Gods and could actually be humanity’s last hope. The movie appears to be in development limbo, but does feature a script from prolific TV creator Taylor Sheridan.
When will ‘Mosquito Bowl’ be on screens?
Netflix has yet to announce when the movie might hit its servers, but given that it has reached the casting stage, we’d be shocked if it wasn’t ready for release next year.
(L to R) Linda Fiorentino and Peter Berg in ‘The Last Seduction’. Photo: October Films.
List of Peter Berg Movies:
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by admin | Apr 16, 2025 | Moviephone News, News
(Left) Sam Neill in ‘Jurassic Park’. Photo: Universal Pictures. (Right) 2021’s ‘Godzilla vs. Kong.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Preview:
- Sam Neill is the latest recruit for the latest Godzilla and King Kong ‘Monsterverse’ movie.
- Grant Sputore is directing the new movie.
- Dan Stevens will be back as vet Trapper.
Given that he’s one of the key figures in the ‘Jurassic Park’ franchise (and who popped back up for ‘Jurassic World: Dominion,’ you might think that Sam Neill would want to avoid trouble with giant beasties in his cinematic career.
Yet here he is again, not back with the genetically returned dinosaurs this time, but instead taking his chances running around with another massive reptile –– Godzilla, who will be back on screens with best pal/frenemy King Kong for the next, still-to-be-officially-titled Monsterverse movie from Legendary and Warner Bros.
Features several new human characters alongside the beloved and iconic Titans Godzilla and Kong as they face off against a cataclysmic world-ending threat. Plot… Read the Plot
Deadline reports that Neill has joined the cast of the new movie, which is now in production.
Related Article: 12 Best Godzilla and/or King Kong Movies
What was the story of ‘Godzilla x Kong’?
(L to R) Godzilla and Kong in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The movie followed up the explosive showdown of ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat of a monstrous white ape hidden within our world, challenging their very existence –– and our own.
It delved further into the histories of these Titans, their origins, and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.
The new, untitled effort is still mostly being kept under wraps, but according to the first official details, it’ll follow “several new human characters alongside the beloved and iconic Titans Godzilla and Kong as they face off against a cataclysmic world-ending threat.”
Yep, apparently, there are still some giant threats lurking out there; so the big ape and the giant lizard will have to spring into action once again. But at least they have new some human friends (and potentially foes) to spend time with!
Who is working on the new movie?
Kong in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Alongside director Grant Sputore (who made his directorial debut with Netflix sci-fi thriller ‘I Am Mother’), the film will have a script from ‘Shang-Chi’ and ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ writer Dave Callaham.
And back in January, Deadline reported that the movie saw its first piece of casting as Kaitlyn Dever locked in a deal to star.
Best known for her roles in TV limited series ‘Dopesick’ and the 2019 movie ‘Booksmart,’ Dever has a key role in the second season of HBO’s ‘The Last of Us,’ which just returned to screens.
Kaitlyn Dever in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Details on her character are also, like much of the movie, a mystery, though apparently it represents a renewed push to add in solid characters, which has been a common complaint of especially some of the more recent Monsterverse efforts.
We can also add to the new recruit list the likes of ‘Unbroken’ and ‘Back to Black’s Jack O’Connell and Delroy Lindo, most recently seen in ‘The Harder They Fall’ and headed our way in Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ this week. Also aboard? Alycia Debnam-Carey, who last appeared in Netflix wellness scam drama ‘Apple Cider Vinegar,’ which coincidentally starred Dever.
As with Dever and Modine, we don’t yet know anyone is playing, but Dan Stevens is confirmed to reprise his role as Trapper, the cocky, thrill-seeking veterinarian who helps Kong when the giant ape is injured.
Where else have I seen Sam Neill?
(from left) Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon) and Kayla Watts (DeWanda Wise) in Jurassic World Dominion, co-written and directed by Colin Trevorrow.
As we mentioned above, Neill may still be best known for his role as warm-but-grouchy paleontologist Alan Grant in various ‘Jurassic’ movies.
Yet the versatile actor has enjoyed a long, successful career hopping between the giant likes of those blockbusters and more indie work.
In the last few years alone, he’s been seen in movies such as ‘Bring Him to Me,’ ‘The Portable Door’ and ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’
Further back, he’s been part of the cast for ‘The Piano,’ ‘The Dish’ and ‘Event Horizon.’ On TV, his back catalogue includes Apple TV+ series ‘Invasion,’ ‘Apples Never Fall’ and ‘Peaky Blinders.’
What has happened with the Monsterverse so far?
(L to R) Godzilla and Kong in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Already around for a decade, Legendary’s Monsterverse follows humanity’s battle to survive in a world facing a catastrophic new reality –– the monsters of our myths and legends are real.
It all kicked off with ‘Godzilla’ in 2014 and continued through 2017’s ‘Kong: Skull Island,’ 2019’s ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters,’ 2021’s ‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ and last year’s record-breaking ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.’
The Monsterverse has grossed more than $2.5 billion at the global box office and has expanded onto smaller screens via ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ for Apple TV+, which has been renewed for a second season.
When will the new Monsterverse movie be on screens?
The movie is currently scheduled for release on March 26th, 2027. Let’s hope theaters have time to reinforce their walls. And that it doesn’t inspire kaiju to start their own version of the ‘Minecraft’ audience chaos when it opens.
Godzilla in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
List of Movies and TV Shows in the Monsterverse Franchise:
Buy ‘King Kong’ Movies on AmazonBuy ‘Godzilla’ Movies on Amazon
