by admin | Jul 31, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles
film adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey” is currently shooting on location all around the world. Matt Damon is playing Odysseus, with Tom Holland portraying Odysseus’ son, Telemachus. In addition, Charlize Theron is reported to be playing Circe, while the film boasts a giant cast of huge celebrities, including Zendaya, Anne Hatheway, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo, Elliot Page, Will Yun Lee, Mia Goth, and many others besides. Filming has taken place in Aït Benhaddou, Morocco, and various locations around Greece. Some scenes were filmed on Sicily, and others were filmed in the woods of Scotland or at a studio in Los Angeles. It appears that Nolan wanted to re-visit the real locations of the Mediterranean where “The Odyssey” takes place. Well, Scotland and L.A. notwithstanding.
According to a new report from Deadline, however, Nolan has filmed “The Odyssey” in a location that is politically problematic. Zendaya and Damon shot a few of their scenes recently in the region of Western Sahara near the city of Dakhla. This area of the world has been declared a “non‑self‑governing territory” by the United Nations, a designation it was given way back in 1963. Actual sovereignty of Western Sahara — a sparsely populated area of 600,000 people — has long been disputed. Western Sahara has been militarily occupied by Morocco, but Morocco hasn’t been internationally recognized as the rightful ruler of the area. That’s to say, the native Sahrawi population are being repressed.
Recently, though, the United States and the UK have claimed that Western Sahara is part of Morocco. Big U.S. and UK movie studios have even been negotiating with the Moroccan government to film there, leading to controversy and a tacit approval of Morocco’s occupation of the area. Now, by shooting “The Odyssey” in Western Sahara, Nolan has — perhaps unwittingly — given credence to the military occupation and the oppression and erasure of the Sahrawi people.
Christopher Nolan is filming The Odyssey in Western Sahara, a contested area of Northern Africa
Universal Pictures
Deadline pointed out that the Amazon series “The Wheel of Time” also previously filmed scenes in Western Sahara, outraging the board of the Western Sahara International Film Festival (or FiSahara). Although filmmakers are likely just looking for faraway and beautiful locales, the politics of their choices are insensitive. FiSahara released a statement on the matter, saying:
“Dakhla is not just a beautiful location with cinematic sand dunes. Primarily, it is an occupied, militarized city whose indigenous Sahrawi population is subject to brutal repression by occupying Moroccan forces. […] By filming part of ‘The Odyssey’ in an occupied territory billed as a ‘news black hole’ by Reporters Without Borders, Nolan and his team, perhaps unknowingly and unwillingly, are contributing to the repression of the Sahrawi people by Morocco.”
FiSahara seems to be giving Nolan the benefit of the doubt, understanding that the plight of the Sahrawi people is not well-perpetuated among Western news sources. Nolan may not know that the Sakrawi people can’t make their own movies. This, of course, inspired FiSahara to make the statement in the first place. It continued:
“We are sure that were they to understand the full implications of filming such a high-profile film in a territory whose indigenous peoples are unable to make their own films about their stories under occupation, Nolan and his team would be horrified. Morocco routinely touts Sahrawi cultural expressions as uniquely Moroccan. They created a film festival in Dakhla to counter ours and produce high-budget films that portray Western Sahara as part of Morocco. However, Sahrawis trying to make films about their lives are persecuted and must work clandestinely and at great risk to themselves and their families.”
One might think Nolan, when being made aware of this, would understand what his locations meant.
The history of Western Sahara
Tribeca Film
The issue was elucidated upon further in a recent report from The Guardian. Western Sahara was under the occupation of Spain until the government pulled out in 1976. Morocco then annexed the country and has been occupying it ever since. The UN, as mentioned, noted that Western Sahara is not officially ruled by Morocco, but that it doesn’t have its own official government yet either. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, no reporters have been allowed in the territory for the last nine years, and allegations have arisen that the Moroccan government is intimidating, observing, and discriminating against the Sahrawi people.
Amnesty International has also written reports on the oppression of the Sahrawi people, while Reporters Without Borders have noted that no one ever gets to go there to get the full scoop. It is, in their words, a desert for journalists.
The concern about shooting a high-profile feature film like “The Odyssey” in Western Sahara is that it may be a whitewashing of the repression. If a major Hollywood studio can write off on the oppression, then some may assume that it’s not so big a deal. Fans are more interested in Nolan’s craft and other “Odyssey” movies.
The shoot in Dakhla lasted a mere four days, and Nolan had already moved his production out of the territory before FiSahara made its statement (as noted by The Guardian). Universal has not yet said anything about the topic, and Nolan hasn’t gone on record on the matter. Further bulletins will be posted as events warrant.
“The Odyssey” opens in theaters on July 17, 2026.
by admin | Jul 31, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles
“The Fantastic Four: The First Steps” has become a hit for Marvel, while DC is on the up again thanks to Gunn’s “Superman.” As such, both studios can feel cautiously optimistic heading into the next calendar year — and four theatrical releases have already been confirmed.
Supergirl (June 26)
DC Comics
Now that “Superman” is a bona fide box office success story, James Gunn and DC Studios can look forward to expanding their DC Universe and keep the momentum going. Up next is director Craig Gillespie and writer Ana Nogueira’s “Supergirl,” which promises to be darker and more messed up than “Superman.” Indeed, as Gunn has noted, Milly Alcock’s version of Kara Zor-El is a product of her turbulent upbringing.
As such, “Supergirl” will touch upon Kara’s experiences prior to the events from “Superman,” which includes her witnessing the destruction of her home planet of Krypton and the death of her loved ones. While plot details are being kept close to the vest for now, the film’s story will draw inspiration from Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s comic book series “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” as its follows its heroine on an intergalactic adventure with, presumably, her faithful super-dog Krypto. Along the way, the pair meet Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley), setting the stage for a quest involving murder and revenge.
Given that Supergirl is one of several DC characters to cameo in “Superman,” it’s probably safe to assume that the Man of Steel (David Corenswet) will show up in her upcoming solo movie. If that’s the case, we should also get a better idea of what the long-term future holds for the Kryptonians as part of DC’s ever-evolving saga.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31)
Marvel Studios
The last time we saw Peter Parker (Tom Holland), he was going through a difficult time. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” ends with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) casting a spell that makes everyone forget about the arachnid hero (for the greater good, obviously), meaning that his soulmate and friends have no idea who he is. That would have been a depressing way to end Spidey’s story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the good news is that it isn’t over yet, as director Destin Daniel Cretton’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” will see Peter return for another adventure.
Until now, the MCU’s “Spider-Man” movies have chronicled Peter’s high school years. The fourth film, meanwhile, will see him focusing on his college studies and trying to put his superhero alter-ego to bed. Sadly, that’s easier said than done, as a new threat emerges that forces Spidey back into action. Similar to Michael Corleone in “The Godfather,” he always gets pulled back in whenever he thinks he’s out.
It remains to be seen if Peter will reconnect with MJ (Zendaya) and his buddies, but at least he will have plenty going on to distract him from his heartache. Not only that, but “Brand New Day” will also feature The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), and that’s always a sure-fire way to add some chaos to a story.
Clayface (September 11)
Warner Bros. Animation
James Gunn got his start making horror movies like “Slither,” and he hasn’t forgotten his roots now that he’s one of the main figureheads at DC Studios. Case in point: the upcoming “Clayface” movie, helmed by “Speak No Evil” and “Eden Lake” director James Watkins from a script by Mike Flanagan.
Watkins and Flanagan’s involvement suggests that “Clayface” will be scarier and bloodier than your average DC movie, and that appears to be the plan. The movie tells the story of a Hollywood actor who injects himself with a substance that allows him to reshape his face in monstrous ways, and Gunn has assured fans that it won’t hold back when it comes to the scare-faring. As he told “CBS Mornings:”
“We’ve got ‘Clayface,’ which is a totally different thing. Although it’s in the same universe, it’s a complete horror film. That’s one of the things we want to do. There’s not a company style. It’s not like every movie is going to be like ‘Superman.’ The artists — the directors and the writers — each one will bring their own sense to it. […] That’s what we want to bring to the films because we don’t want people to get bored. We want to invigorate people.”
September 2026 is still a long time away, but if you want a taste of what “Clayface” might entail, check out the “Batman: The Animated Series” episode “Feat of Clay.” Flanagan is on record saying that it was the biggest influence on his script and that it inspired him to write a story that’s as tragic as it is scary.
Avengers: Doomsday (December 18)
Marvel Studios
Every movie on this list is shrouded in secrecy to some degree, but Anthony and Joe Russo’s “Avengers: Doomsday” is shaping up to be the most surprising and storied of the bunch. From Robert Downey Jr. playing Doctor Doom to Chris Evans possibly reprising his role as Captain America, not to mention Fox’s original “X-Men” movie actors returning, the sequel is guaranteed to be eventful. So, what can we expect from it based on the little information Marvel’s top brass has let slip?
In this one, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will join forces with Wakandans, the Fantastic Four, X-Men, and the New Avengers (formerly known as the Thunderbolts) to stop Doom from causing havoc. This means that more multiversal mayhem will ensue, which should lead to some fun interactions between a myriad of characters. This is the main reason why Kevin Feige is excited for “Avengers: Doomsday,” anyway, as he explained in an interview with Marvel.com:
“The fun of an Avengers movie is introducing people to each other and seeing how very different personalities get along. In the case of a movie that involves the threat of worlds literally colliding, it’s fun to see them visit each other’s homes.”
“Avengers: Doomsday” has the potential to be the movie event of 2026 and one that will have serious effects on the Marvel Cinematic Universe afterward. Be sure to add this one to your calendars.
by admin | Jul 31, 2025 | Articles, Hollywood Reporter Articles
Horror meister Guillermo del Toro and two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster are set to receive TIFF Tribute Awards at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival.
Oscar winner del Toro will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award, while fellow Oscar winner Foster will receive the TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award on Sept. 7 during the annual festival fundraiser.
Del Toro is bringing his latest movie, Frankenstein, to Toronto for a North American premiere after a bow in Venice and ahead of a November global release on Netflix. Foster will return to Toronto with a star turn in Rebecca Zlotowski’s Private Life, a French psychological mystery that had a world premiere in Cannes.
Fest organizers also announced Thursday that Japanese writer, director and producer Hikari will pick up the TIFF Emerging Talent Award, while veteran South Korean actor and Squid Game star Lee Byung-hun will receive a TIFF Special Tribute Award.
Hikari is bringing Rental Family, which stars Brendan Fraser as an American actor in Japan, to Toronto for a world premiere. Fraser will also serve as TIFF honorary chair for the 2025 Tribute Awards. And Toronto has booked a North American premiere for Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice, in which Byung-un stars.
Proceeds from the Tribute Awards go towards the festival’s year-round talent development programs that encourage diversity, equity and inclusion in filmmaking. The gala dinner fundraiser for the fest’s philanthropic efforts is also an occasional harbinger of Oscar recognition and is held each year at Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
TIFF Tribute Award honorees tend to have films in Toronto’s official lineup. More Tribute Award honorees will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
The 50th Toronto Film Festival is set to run Sept. 4 to 14.
by admin | Jul 31, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles
the concept of this technology was only introduced in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” which takes place nearly 100 years after “Strange New Worlds.” But Goldsman (who has said canon can be loose) countered that “Star Trek: The Animated Series” depicted a similar device when Kirk was captain of the Enterprise. (The “Rec Room” in the episode “The Practical Joker,” specifically.)
“So we were like, ‘Okay. Well, if they have it one year beyond Kirk’s live-action Enterprise, then they must have beta tested it somewhere along the way. Why not beta test it in the flagship?'” explained Goldsman. Bringing in a holodeck beta test was the fine-tuning another episode premise needed.
A Space Adventure Hour looks Far Beyond The Stars
Paramount
According to Goldsman, the “Strange New Worlds” writers were working on “a standalone story about a science-fiction show at Paramount that was much more literal,” the way that “Far Beyond the Stars” set itself in the office of a 20th century science-fiction magazine. The episode would presumably still parallel real “Star Trek” history (and recast the regular actors in new roles), but wouldn’t have the holodeck framing device to ground the story in the literal reality of the show. Goldsman, though, said the idea starting getting away from them when they approached it as a standalone episode:
“The more we dug into it, the more complicated it got because in fact, the show that we were talking about that had a lot of characters in it that aren’t yet in the show, the original series had, there’s no Pike, so it stopped being literal and as we delved further and further into it. It started to get a little bit more hyperbolic and extreme and so then we moved it around and it found its way to the holodeck episode.”
Myers also compared “A Space Adventure Hour” to an episode from their first season, “The Elysian Kingdom.” In that one, the Enterprise crew become convinced they’re characters in a fantasy story book. The setting is very different from “Far Beyond The Stars” and now “A Space Adventure Hour,” but it has the same gimmick of placing the regular cast in different roles. Myers explained:
“We were essentially doing a style of episode that was very much like a holodeck where our characters got to become other characters, and we found a way to do that because that’s like a gift to your actors and it lets them play and have fun, and it makes the episode bigger and better in many ways.”
“The Elysian Kingdom” itself nods to “Far Beyond The Stars” with an Easter Egg — the story book was written by Benny Russell. It makes sense that Benny Russell is on the minds of the “Strange New Worlds” team, because the episode is one of the most beloved in all of “DS9” and “Star Trek” itself. Does “A Space Adventure Hour” come close to its primary influence?
Deep Space Nine went were other Star Trek shows wouldn’t
Paramount
“Star Trek” is about a utopian future where humanity has finally overcome its historical ills; greed, prejudice towards different groups of each other, etc. “Deep Space Nine” is the “Trek” that most remembers what humanity is like now and dares to explore how even paradise isn’t perfect.
In the two part episode “Past Tense,” the main characters go back to Earth in 2024, where homelessness has become an epidemic. The show’s grim prediction turned out to be spot on. In the “present day” of the 24th century there’s the alien race known as the Ferengi, and one Ferengi we get to know well is Quark (Armin Shimerman). The Ferengi are rapacious capitalists in a culture where profit comes before everything. They’re more like modern humans than the actual humans in “Star Trek” are. As Quark says to Sisko in season 2 finale “The Jem’Hadar,” “We’re a constant reminder of a part of [humanity’s] past you’d like to forget.”
Not coincidentally, “DS9” was the first “Star Trek” to have a Black man as its lead. Even if Sisko himself never faced racism for his heritage, the show wasn’t a color blind fantasy that pretended that racism never existed. In “Far Beyond the Stars,” there’s no nostalgia, and the episode confronts us with the fact that a mere 40 years before “DS9” aired, a man like Sisko would never be starring in a TV series. Benny writes a story about a space station commanded by a Black man and his editor Douglas Pabst (René Auberjonois) kills the story before it can be published.
“A Space Adventure Hour” plays it safer than “Far Beyond The Stars.” The heart of the episode, per Myers, is when Hollywood power agent Joanie Gloss (Celia Rose Gooding, who plays Uhura) explains that canceling “The Last Frontier” is a terrible idea because the show addresses social ills and can help people dream of a better world. But there’s no sign of those ills in the holodeck-generated 1960s.
As meaningful as it is to have Uhura’s actor sum up the importance of “Star Trek,” a Black woman having power in 1960s Hollywood is the sort of historical incongruity that never happens in “Far Beyond the Stars.” “Star Trek” invites us to dream of a better future, but whitewashing the past makes it hard to get there.
“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” is streaming on Paramount+, with new episodes premiering on Thursdays.
by admin | Jul 31, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles
the chicken jockey scene.
A lot can be argued about the overall quality of “A Minecraft Movie.” /Film’s review defended the film’s merits, while other critics have dismissed its ambitions and humor as being too juvenile. However, there’s no denying director Jared Hess brought his unique sensibilities to one of this year’s biggest box office hits. Known for his work on comedies such as “Napoleon Dynamite” and “Nacho Libre” (the latter of which also stars Black), Hess often tells stories about eccentric characters who are thrust into circumstances bigger than themselves. In some ways, these tales mirror the formula of the blockbusters that legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg helmed in his prime — making it all the more appropriate that “A Minecraft Movie” features a surprisingly clever callback to one of Spielberg’s classic sci-fi movies.
A Minecraft Movie references Close Encounters of the Third Kind in its opening scene
Warner Bros.
In the opening sequence of “A Minecraft Movie,” Jack Black’s Steve narrates about his childhood, in which he “yearned for the mines” (in one of the many memed-about lines that young audiences audibly recited in sold-out theaters back in April). Much to his chagrin, however, he grew up to be a miserable adult man working as a doorknob salesman. Then, one day, while feeling stuck in the rut of mundanity, Steve has an epiphany during his lunch break. While preparing a TV dinner for himself, he molds his side dish of mashed potatoes together to craft a mineshaft, which inspires him to dig deeper into the same one he yearned to explore in his childhood.
Steve’s mashed potato-induced epiphany is, of course, a direct reference to one of the most memorable moments from Steven Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” The scene in question involves the film’s protagonist, Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss), whose growing obsession following an encounter with a UFO leads to his crafting of mashed potatoes to resemble Devils Tower in Wyoming, where he’s drawn during the movie’s unforgettable climax. Much like how Roy is attracted to the allure of UFOs, Steve is drawn to the allure of where the mineshaft leads. This scene is not only referenced in “A Minecraft Movie” but also parodied in the “Simpsons” episode “Homie the Clown” and the “Weird Al” Yankovic film “UHF,” among other movies and TV shows.
Jared Hess has acknowledged Steven Spielberg’s influence on his films
Universal Pictures
If the “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” reference in the opening scene of “A Minecraft Movie” is any indication, it’s clear that, just like most other filmmakers working today, Jared Hess has been heavily influenced by the movies of Steven Spielberg. In fact, Hess has acknowledged another one of Spielberg’s sci-fi classics as being one of the films that influenced his video game adaptation. Fittingly, he was referring to the seminal family film “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.”
On Letterboxd, Hess shared a list of 10 films that served as a major influence on “A Minecraft Movie.” In acknowledging “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” the filmmaker had nothing but the highest praises for Spielberg’s 1982 cultural phenomenon, proclaiming via Letterboxd notes, “This is a perfect film. The BMX chase is probably my favorite scene in all of cinema.” Given the playful nature of some of the chase sequences in “A Minecraft Movie,” it’s not hard to see how Hess was inspired by the spectacle of that climactic moment.
“A Minecraft Movie” is available to own on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, and digital HD. It’s also available to stream exclusively on HBO Max.
by admin | Jul 31, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles
As documented by The Hollywood Reporter, Nicholas Hoult, Tom Brittney, and David Corenswet all received calls to audition for Superman in 2023. At the time, they were paired up with Rachel Brosnahan, Phoebe Dynevor, and Emma Mackey, respectively, who were all being considered for the role of Lois Lane, which ultimately went to Brosnahan. Hoult, on the other hand, was cast as Lex Luthor, and that’s a sweet gig in its own right.
The race didn’t end there, though. Hoult, Brittney, and Corenswet all faced competition from Andrew Richardson, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Jacob Elordi, each of whom was asked to either submit tapes or audition for the role of Krypton’s most noble hero. However, Elordi turned down the chance to read for “Superman,” revealing that the project was too dark for him (and this is the same guy who starred in “Saltburn” and “Euphoria”). Brittney, though, was very interested in landing the part, as he’s confirmed that he attended his audition and accidentally tore the same suit that was worn by Henry Cavill in the past.
Schwarzenegger, meanwhile, didn’t even make it to the in-person audition stage. During an interview with the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast (via Variety), he confirmed that he was asked to submit a tape, and it seems that it didn’t make an impression on Gunn and co. “I don’t think I got any feedback,” Schwarzenegger recalled. “I think it was like, ‘No, not for you.'”
Now that a “Superman” follow-up is reportedly in the works at DC Studios, fans can look forward to seeing Corenswet play the Man of Steel in more big screen adventures. The only downside is that the project isn’t the studio’s number one priority at the moment, as Gunn and the gang are focusing on building out the DC Universe one movie at a time.
“Superman” is currently playing in theaters.
