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Films Hollywood

Enola Holmes to arrive on Nov 4

The sequel and its predecessor are based on ‘The Enola Holmes Mysteries’, the young adult fiction book series created by Nancy Springer…reports Asian Lite News

Millie Bobby Brown’s Enola Holmes is back on the case in the official trailer for ‘Enola Holmes 2’, which will arrive on Netflix on November 4, reports ‘Variety’.

An extension of the iconic Sherlock Holmes character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the franchise, ‘Variety’ adds, stars Brown as the youngest sibling of the Holmes family, who must come into her own as a capable detective, while facing down her brother Sherlock (Henry Cavill).

The sequel and its predecessor are based on ‘The Enola Holmes Mysteries’, the young adult fiction book series created by Nancy Springer.

The first film chronicled Enola’s search for her mother Eudoria Holmes, played by Helena Bonham Carter, which offered many twists and turns for the young sleuth to navigate. Netflix describes the mystery of the sequel as one of “historic proportions”, needing “two Holmes to handle”, indicating a larger role for Cavill’s Sherlock.

Harry Bradbeer returns to direct the sequel, having previously helmed television episodes of ‘Fleabag’, ‘Ramy’ and ‘Killing Eve’ before taking on the ‘Enola Holmes’ franchise.

In addition to Cavill and Bonham Carter reprising their roles, the movie will also feature Louis Partridge, Adeel Akhtar, Susie Wokoma, Sharon Duncan-Brewster and David Thewlis playing supporting characters.

The original ‘Enola Holmes’ was initially planned for a theatrical release by Warner Bros. before Netflix picked up the distribution rights during the Covid-19 pandemic. Netflix released the first film on its streaming platforms in September 2020.

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Films Hollywood Lite Blogs

Chadwick receives posthumous Emmy, wife gets emotional

She concluded by saying: “Chad would be so honoured and I am honoured on his behalf.”…reports Asian Lite News

Late actor Chadwick Boseman’s wife, Taylor Simone Ledward gave a powerful speech while accepting an award on his behalf at the Creative Arts Emmys.

Ledward, 31, married Marvel film star Chadwick shortly before he lost his life following a secret battle against cancer in 2020 at the age of 43, reports Mirror.co.uk.

The late actor was recently awarded the Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance gong at the Creative Arts Emmys for his performance as Star Lord T’Challa in the animated Marvel TV series What If…? In an episode titled What If…T’Challa Became A Star-Lord?

According to Mirror.co.uk, the actor won the award over late actress Jessica Waler, who died aged 80 in March last year, for her voice work in the adult comedy animation Archer, as well as F. Murray Abraham who voiced Khonshu in the recent Marvel live action TV show Moon Knight.

Picking up the award on behalf of Chadwick, his widowed wife said, according to Deadline: “When I learned Chad was nominated, I started thinking of everything that was going on in the world and our world and being so in awe of his commitment and dedication and what a beautiful moment that one of the last things he would work on was something so important to him and to the world but also something new.”

She added: “You can’t understand your purpose unless you ask what if? What if the universe is conspiring in my favour? What if it’s me?”

She concluded by saying: “Chad would be so honoured and I am honoured on his behalf.”

Others nominated in the category included Dame Julie Andrews for her work as the voice of Lady Whistledown in ‘Bridgerton’, Maya Rudolph as Connie in ‘Big Mouth’, Stanley Tucci as Bitsy in ‘Central Park’, and Jeffrey Wright as The Watcher in ‘What If…?’.

Chadwick had died following a secret battle with cancer in August 2020. An announcement quoted by Mirror, stated at the time, “It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman. Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV.”

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Films Hollywood Lite Blogs

Two ‘Avengers’ movies ready for 2025 release

It was a more-or-less baldfaced ploy to juice toy sales and is not particularly well regarded among fans…reports Asian Lite News

At the Comic-Con in San Diego, Marvel Studios’ chief Kevin Feige announced that two new ‘Avengers’ films will end Phase 6. The films include ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’, which will be in theatres on May 2, 2025, and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ hitting the screens on November 7, 2025.

The announcement makes clear that the multiversal shenanigans of ‘Loki’, ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ and ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ are leading the Marvel Cinematic Universe to a cataclysmic crossover event to end all crossover events — quite literally, it could reshape the fundamental fabric of the MCU from the ground up, reports ‘Variety’.

It all revolves around a Marvel comics crossover miniseries from 2015 called Secret Wars, which evokes an earlier crossover miniseries from the mid-1980s also called Secret Wars. In the earlier iteration, every Marvel character imaginable is pitted against each other when a character called the Beyonder transports them all to a planet subtly called Battleworld.

It was a more-or-less baldfaced ploy to juice toy sales and is not particularly well regarded among fans.

According to ‘Variety’, the 2015 version took many of the same ideas but deployed them into a far more narratively complex storyline.

This time, the catalyst is the incursion between the main Marvel universe (Earth-616) and the Ultimate Marvel universe (Earth-1610) that causes the destruction of both.

In its wake, iterations of many Marvel characters find themselves living in a new, post-apocalyptic universe called Battleworld that is policed by every version of Thor in the multiverse called the Thor Corps and captained by Sheriff Strange.

Getting to this storyline, however, requires at least a few critical characters to make their MCU debut, especially the ‘Fantastic Four’ and their main nemesis, Victor Von Doom, as well as a character known as Molecule Man.

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Films Hollywood Lite Blogs

Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Fabelmans’ premiered at TIFF

Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Gabriel LaBelle, Seth Rogen, Jeannie Berlin, Julia Butters, Robin Bartlett, Keeley Karsten and Judd Hirsch star in the pic penned by Spielberg and Tony Kushner…reports Asian Lite News

‘The Fablemans’, directed by Steven Spielberg, is the filmmaker’s semi-autobiographical film based on his own family and upbringing. The movie will have its world premiere at the 47th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which is set to be held from September 8-18, reports Deadline.

The bow will mark Spielberg’s first appearance at the Toronto fest, which comes in the critical fall festival corridor that also includes Venice and Telluride. An exact date for The Fabelmans premiere has not been set, but it comes ahead of the Universal/Amblin film’s platform release November 11.

According to Deadline, The Fabelmans centres on a young man’s discovery of a shattering family secret and an exploration of the power of movies to help us see the truth about each other and ourselves. Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Gabriel LaBelle, Seth Rogen, Jeannie Berlin, Julia Butters, Robin Bartlett, Keeley Karsten and Judd Hirsch star in the pic penned by Spielberg and Tony Kushner.

The cast also includes David Lynch, Mateo Zoryon Francis-DeFord, Birdie Borria, Alina Brace, Sophia Kopera, Oakes Fegley, Sam Rechner, Chloe East, Jonathan Hadary and Isabelle Kusman. Kristie Macosko Krieger, Spielberg and Kushner serve as the producers on the project.

Deadline further states that the 47th annual TIFF is amassing an impressive list of high-profile pics for world premiere slots, including Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequel, Billy Eichner’s Bros, Clement Virgo’s Brother, On the Come Up from Sanaa Lathan, Harry Styles pic My Policeman and Viola Davis starrer The Woman King.

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Films Hollywood Lite Blogs

Woody Allen plans to shoot next film at Paris

‘Variety’ quoted Allen saying that the story of the film will be “in the same vein as ‘Match Point,’ a sort of poisonous romantic thriller…reports Asian Lite News

Legendary filmmaker-writer Woody Allen has plans of shooting his next movie in Paris for which some French actors have been approached. The auteur shared plans of his Paris movie while promoting the French release of his 2020 film ‘Rifkin’s Festival’, reports ‘Variety’.

The New York-based director told the French newspaper aLe Journal du Dimanche’ that he was aiming to relocate to Paris in September to lens his next project which he said will be a French-language movie with a local cast.

According to Variety’, while Allen said he was able to find the financing in the US but didn’t give any further detail, a source close to the project said the financing was not yet in place. The cast will be confirmed once the financing is locked and shooting dates confirmed. The budget is in the $10 million range.

‘Variety’ quoted Allen saying that the story of the film will be “in the same vein as ‘Match Point,’ a sort of poisonous romantic thriller.

He further said, “I kept a wonderful souvenir of the filming of ‘Midnight in Paris’ in 2010. I love this city very much and I’ve visited it often, discovering magical places every time. He revealed that his daughter Manzie Tio was currently on the shoot of ‘Emily in Paris’ in the French capital. Allen won an Oscar for best original screenplay with Midnight in Paris in 2011.

Reiterating what he had told Alec Baldwin in an interview on the actor’s Instagram account, Allen said he was considering ending his directing career after this next movie. “This will be my 50th feature. It might be the last one,” said the 86-year-old director.

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Hollywood Interview Lite Blogs

Brad Pitt: I always felt very alone in my life

It’s only one of several radical changes he’s made to his health over the past few years. After Pitt’s ex-wife Angelina Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, he got sober and spent a year and a half attending Alcoholics Anonymous…reports Asian Lite News

Contributor and author Ottessa Moshfegh meets actor and producer Brad Pitt at his Hollywood Hills home in a new cover story for GQ magazine’s August issue. Throughout their conversations, Pitt is open and honest about his career’s future, the various changes he’s made to improve his health, and his feelings of loneliness. He also talks about his upcoming projects, which include the action comedy Bullet Train.

Pitt is a legendary leading man, Hollywood power broker, and possibly the greatest heartthrob of all time. However, he has recently appeared onscreen less frequently and has been more focused on his role as a film producer. He tells GQ that he’s trying to think about what’s next and what kind of path he wants to take in the final stages of a prolifically creative career.

“I consider myself on my last leg, this last semester or trimester,” he says. “What is this section gonna be? And how do I wanna design that?”

Part of that design includes his production company, Plan B Entertainment. This year, Plan B is putting out Women Talking – an adaptation of Miriam Toews’s novel about a group of Mennonite women who unite against their rapists – directed by Sarah Polley.

“It’s as profound a film as anything made this decade,” Pitt remarks.

Like all accomplished actors, he has become more picky about which films he will appear in. Pitt, on the other hand, is happy to lend his talents to an unusual blockbuster when the timing is right, especially if there’s a personal connection. Pitt will star in Bullet Train, an action comedy thriller directed by David Leitch, who previously worked as Pitt’s stunt double in Fight Club, Troy, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Pitt plays Ladybug, an assassin on a train from Tokyo to Kyoto who has recently recovered from burnout and is returning to his high-stakes job with a somewhat erroneous sense of confidence in his fitness for duty.

“You know, you do a month of therapy, you have one epiphany, and you think you’ve got it all figured out, and you’re never going to be forlorn ever again,” Pitt says of his character. “That was that. I got this, I’m good to go!”

Pitt also tells GQ about his mission to improve his health. He explains that he quit smoking during the pandemic after offering Moshfegh a nicotine mint. Although he initially attempted to reduce the amount of cigarettes he smoked, he realised that simply cutting back on cigarettes wasn’t going to suffice-he needed to quit completely.

“I don’t have that ability to do just one or two a day,” he says. “It’s not in my makeup. I’m all in. And I’m going to drive into the ground. I’ve lost my privileges.”

It’s only one of several radical changes he’s made to his health over the past few years. After Pitt’s ex-wife Angelina Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, he got sober and spent a year and a half attending Alcoholics Anonymous.

“I had a really cool men’s group here that was really private and selective, so it was safe,” he tells GQ. “Because I’d seen things of other people, like Philip Seymour Hoffman, who had been recorded while they were spilling their guts, and that’s just atrocious to me.”

Pitt has talked in the past about how he struggles to remember new people, to recognize faces, and he fears it’s led to a certain impression of him: that he’s aloof and self-absorbed. Moshfegh, however, finds him to be the opposite. Pitt is deeply committed to forging meaningful connections, to probing life’s existential quandaries, and hearing the personal stories of others.

“I always felt very alone in my life,” he explains, “alone growing up as a kid, alone even out here, and it’s really not till recently that I have had a greater embrace of my friends and family. What’s that line, it was either Rilke or Einstein, believe it or not, but it was something about when you can walk with the paradox, when you carry real pain and real joy simultaneously, this is maturity, this is growth.”

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Films Hollywood Lite Blogs

No way to home returns to big screen with extended footage

‘Variety’ further states that ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ is the third biggest box office hit ever in the U.S., and sixth internationally – and could potentially soar higher thanks to ‘The More Fun Stuff Version’, as re-releases often do big business…reports Asian Lite News

Seems like there can’t be enough of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. After setting the box office on fire, the film is once again waiting to take the audience on a fantasy ride as its extended cut will soon make its way to theatres, reports ‘Variety’.

Sony Pictures announced that ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home – The More Fun Stuff Version’, a cut of the December 2021 Marvel film with added and extended scenes, will hit theatres over Labour Day Weekend.

The news came Friday evening (Pacific Standard Time) in celebration of 60 years of the Spider-Man comic book character and 20 years of Spider-Man films, along with a teaser featuring a clip from the movie where Tom Holland and previous ‘Spider-Man’ actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield unite.

“This is so cool. We should do this again,” says Garfield’s Peter Parker. “You got it,” Maguire’s Peter replies.

As per ‘Variety’, the extended cut will play in the U.S. and Canada, with more countries to be announced. Tickets will go on sale on August 9 with screenings beginning on September 2, including premium large formats such as IMAX.

‘Variety’ further states that ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ is the third biggest box office hit ever in the U.S., and sixth internationally – and could potentially soar higher thanks to ‘The More Fun Stuff Version’, as re-releases often do big business.

During the pandemic, in 2021, James Cameron’s groundbreaking sci-fi epic ‘Avatar’ returned to the big screen and reclaimed the title as the highest-grossing movie in history with $2.802 billion globally, after ‘Avengers: Endgame’ usurped it in 2019.

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Fashion Hollywood

‘World is now appreciating diverse forms of beauty’

I think finally studios and people in position and power, are realizing that lead roles can be filled by talent no matter their background…says actress Gemma Chan

 L’Oreal Paris, the official partner of the Cannes Film Festival, is a feminist brand that has been empowering women for 25 years. Last year, L’Oreal Paris took this effort to the next level and introduced a special annual award program for promising short filmmakers, the Lights On Women Award.

The brand announced the second annual winner of the award chosen from the Short Films Competition and La Cinef’s selection at Cannes. Mai Vu of Vietnam won first place for her 9-minute film, Spring Roll Dream, which depicted the simple yet profound importance of family tradition. The final choice was announced in person by Academy Award-winner, L’Oreal Paris spokesperson and Juror of the 2022 edition, Kate Winslet, during a special prize ceremony at the Jeune Cinema gala dinner held at the Cannes Film Festival on May 27, 2022.

“Sometimes a simple tale about the purity of a family tradition can mean the most of all,” says Kate Winslet, of Vu’s winning film.

“It is a sweet reminder that if we just take a step away from the chaos of daily life and let go of the emotional structures and boundaries that we create for ourselves and our children, we can reconnect with the things that matter most. We can remind ourselves that the smallest of pleasures can serve to anchor us in who we truly are. All these beautiful emotions are delicately displayed in Mai Vu’s exquisite film, Spring Roll Dream.”

Delphine Viguier-Hovasse, Global Brand President, L’Oreal Paris, adds, “This second edition of the Lights On Women Award represents L’Oreal Paris’ long-standing commitment to achieving greater gender balance in cinema. This year marks 25 years of L’Oreal Paris at Cannes, and we remain dedicated to creating a future where women may take their rightful place in the industry.”

This powerful night featured legendary actresses and speakers from L’Oreal Paris, Helen Mirren, Gemma Chan, Andie MacDowell, Camille Razat and Aja Naomi King.

At the sidelines of the event we caught up with actress Gemma Chan who celebrated and supported this next generation of talented female filmmakers.

Read Excerpts:

You have been lauded for your style on the red carpet, how important is it for one to be comfortable in their own skin?

Gemma: Whether one speaks of clothes or makeup, I am so glad that the world is now appreciating diverse forms of beauty, and the standards are no longer rigid. We are more appreciating that both women and men come in very different shades and features and its great that this is now mainstream, we should celebrate everyone for their unique qualities.

Asians and Indians are getting more prominent roles in American movies. Your thoughts on this?

Gemma: I think finally studios and people in position and power, are realizing that lead roles can be filled by talent no matter their background. I think its very important to recognize the importance, that if story is told well and you have the right fit for the role people will be appreciative of the work that is put in and the audience will be happy to see it.

I am so glad this is happening and we are moving in the right direction when it comes to representation. Asians, Indians and others are all appearing in mainstream films. I think we have further to go, and vast representation in our films lead to better stories, as we come from many different places and cultures.

Your thoughts on the 25-year anniversary of L’Oreal’s association with Cannes.

Gemma: I am so happy to be here with L’Oreal Paris, and to be together with everyone else and to celebrate this partnership which has been there for 25 years is just incredible. It shows how long and L’Oreal Paris has been committed to and supported cinema and how good partnership has been.

What would you like to say about the Lights on Women Awards?

Gemma: We had an amazing dinner last night in honour of the Lights on Women Awards, an initiative which L’Oreal Paris started last year to award promising female show makers. Kate Winslet was there last night with us, she gave a beautiful speech. Its wonderful that we support female filmmakers at the crucial stage in their career, and try and help them out with some financial support which they may need.

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Abu Dhabi Arab News Hollywood

Ranveer Singh gets vibrant mural at Yas Island in celebration of IIFA 2022

Ranveer Singh gets vibrant mural at Yas Island in celebration of IIFA 2022

The mural encapsulates everything IIFA stands for, with its bold and eye-catching nature…reports Asian Lite News

In celebration of the 2022 International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) which take place at Etihad Arena at Yas Bay waterfront, Yas Island Abu Dhabi between 3-4 June 2022, a colourful and opulent mural has been created by Yas Island Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s leading leisure and entertainment destinations to celebrate its association with Bollywood and brand ambassador, superstar Ranveer Singh and to countdown to the awards which are being hosted for the first time at the destination.

The mural encapsulates everything IIFA stands for, with its bold and eye-catching nature, making it the perfect visual to build buzz and anticipation ahead of the event.  The mural also creates a lasting legacy for the awards and is a nod to Yas Island’s standing relationship with Ranveer Singh, one of Bollywood’s most boundary-pushing star who is also Yas Island’s ambassador, as well as recognising the appeal of the destination to visitors from India and across the entire globe.

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Yas Island launched the now viral ‘Yas Hai Khaas’ campaign with Ranveer Singh earlier this year, receiving exceptional engagement across social media, with over 70 million views across Yas Island’s social channels as well as achieving 80% of 2019 full years website traffic in the first 10 days of the video launch.

The International Indian Film Academy Awards take place on 4th June 2022 at Etihad Arena, Yas Island.

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Hollywood Lite Blogs

Johnny Depp wins defamation case against ex-wife

Depp added that he was “overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world,” and that the verdict left him “at peace”…reports Asian Lite News

A Virginia jury has found that actress Amber Heard defamed Hollywood star Johnny Depp when she wrote a 2018 ‘Washington Post’ op-ed alluding to her past claims of domestic violence, reports ‘Variety’.

The jury also found that Depp defamed Heard, through his attorney, in the course of fighting back against her charges.

It awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages, plus $5 million in punitive damages, which Judge Penney Azcarate reduced to $350,000 in accordance with the state’s statutory cap.

Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages for her counterclaim.

The jury, five men and two women, who have been deliberating on their verdict since this past Friday, also found that Heard had acted with “actual malice”, meaning that they were convinced she had made the statements knowing they were false, according to ‘Variety’.

Responding to the verdict from the United Kingdom, where he has been attending concerts, Depp said Heard’s false claims had “a seismic impact on my life and my career”.

He said: “And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.”

Depp added that he was “overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world,” and that the verdict left him “at peace”.

Though the jury awarded damages to both sides, the outcome is a clear win for Depp, who lost a similar trial in the United Kingdom in 2020, notes ‘Variety’.

Depp brought that lawsuit after ‘The Sun’ newspaper called him a “wife beater”.

The judge had ruled that Heard’s allegations were “substantially true”. The lingering question now, according to ‘Variety’, is whether Depp can rehabilitate his film career, which has been moribund for the last four years.

In a statement, Heard said she was “disappointed” and “heartbroken” by the outcome.

“The disappointment I feel today is beyond words,” Heard said.

“I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence and sway of my ex-husband.”

She also pointed out that the verdict was “a setback” for women.

“It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.”

Raising the issue of freedom of speech, Heard said Depp’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook this “key issue” and “ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK”.

She concluded by saying: “I’m sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American — to speak freely and openly.”

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