Most Anticipated Hollywood News Roundup June 01, 2024
Over the weekend, an email from The Cabot theater in Beverly, Massachusetts started circulating on social media. It was an apologetic follow-up to an event titled “An Evening with Richard Dreyfuss + Jaws Screening,” wherein the theater stressed that “The views expressed by Mr. Dreyfuss do not reflect the values of inclusivity and respect that we uphold as an organization.” Reading about how what “was meant to be a conversation to celebrate an iconic movie instead became a platform for political views,” many wondered: what the hell did Richard Dreyfuss say to prompt such an apology? – Mary Kate Carr
Jerry Seinfeld is somehow still going this week, even though his Pop-Tart movie Unfrosted already came out like a month ago—an eternity, in the world of made-for-Netflix movies. Apparently invigorated by society paying serious attention to the things he has to say for the first time since The Marriage Ref, Seinfeld went on Bari Weiss’ podcast this week to express his feelings on—what else?—the “agreed-upon hierarchy” of post-World War II American society and the appeal of “dominant masculinity.” – William Hughes
Somehow, no matter what existential questions the entertainment industry poses, the answer they provide themselves always ends up being “Established IP!” Pixar, the legendary, award-winning animation studio within the Disney corporation, used to be known primarily for its original storytelling, though sequels have always been in the mix. In recent years, Pixar has struggled to gain the traction that its original films used to manage effortlessly. And so, inevitably, the studio seems to be circling back on its sequels. – Mary Kate Carr
Tom Cruise has long been a controversial figure in Hollywood, but he’s always had plenty of cheerleaders, too. (Yes, even ones outside the hallowed halls of Scientology’s Celebrity Center.) He can count as one of his most ardent supporters the up-and-coming movie star Glen Powell, who counts Cruise as a friend and one of his foremost Hollywood mentors. (The other being cinema elder statesman Denzel Washington.) We’d already heard in a previous profile how Powell keeps a journal of “icon wisdom” that includes a lot of advice from Mr. Cruise. In a new interview with GQ, Powell delves deeper into their bromance, which to a layman’s ears might sound a bit like psychological torture. – Mary Kate Carr
Yesterday, we declared that it was officially Knives Out casting season (a.k.a., the “cinephile’s version of the NBA draft”), and Rian Johnson just continues to deliver. For all of you betting types out there, the next Benoit Blanc mystery—officially titled Wake Up Dead Man—is clearly angling for the top of the league. Having already claimed number one seeds like Josh O’Connor (Challengers), Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla), and Andrew Scott (Ripley)—not to mention legacy player Daniel Craig—the Netflix film has also added Kerry Washington to its star-studded roster (per Deadline). – Emma Keates
Perhaps the most discomforting movie trailer we’ve ever seen that also contains a very silly shot of dogs all driving a car, the new promo for Yorgos Lanthimos’ new anthology film Kinds Of Kindness has now arrived on the internet. A cinematic short story collection anchored by Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, and Lanthimos’ Poor Things and The Favourite star Emma Stone (accompanied by Hunter Schaeffer, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, and Mamoudou Athie), the film got strong, if slightly concerned, reviews out of Cannes, where Plemons took home the best acting trophy. – William Hughes
Guy Ritchie is returning to 221B Baker Street. Nearly 15 years since he played A Game Of Shadows, Ritchie is set to direct and executive produce a new Young Sherlock Holmes series for Prime Video, per Variety. The eight-episode series, based on Andy Lane’s novels, will star Hero Fiennes Tiffin as the socially awkward master detective. – Matt Schimkowitz
Whether we like it or not, The Crow is flying back into theaters this summer. The newer, bigger, and, apparently, more expansive Crow promises not a remake of the infamous 1994 blockbuster but a new adaptation of the comic it’s based on. Still, considering the original’s production ended with the tragic death of Brandon Lee, many fans are pretty protective of the property, even Skarsgård. There have been several other Crows since the 1994 film, but Skarsgård is the first to play the original Crow, Eric, since Lee. Unfortunately, while the hype for the new movie is percolating, especially in a summer movie season mostly devoid of superheroes, Skarsgård seems a little down on it, particularly the ending. “I personally preferred something more definitive,” Skarsgård tells Esquire. We guess he’s not a fan of sequels. – Matt Schimkowitz
This is a cinephile’s version of the NBA draft or the frenetic energy of a trade deadline: a respected director is putting together a big ensemble cast for a highly anticipated new feature. Remember the glee, the anticipatory delight, of watching every actor you’d ever heard of filter into Team Barbie or Team Oppenheimer? (In that showdown, everybody won.) With his Benoit Blanc movies (or “Knives Out mysteries,” as Netflix demands to subtitle them), Rian Johnson has helpfully created a semi-annual casting celebration where Hollywood’s who’s-who all sign up for a new whodunit. All this to say, Variety has now confirmed that Andrew Scott has joined the cast of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. – Mary Kate Carr