News Analysis India

Category: Entertainment

  • Joe Jonas sets acting debut with war drama ‘Devotion’

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: American singer Joe Jonas will make his acting debut with upcoming war movie “Devotion”.

    The film will be headlined by actors Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell with “Outsiders” star Christina Jackson playing the female lead, reported Deadline.

    Jonas, known for his pop band Jonas Brothers that he formed with brothers Kevin and Nick, joins the film’s cast along with actors Thomas Sadoski.

    The story will narrate the true tale of US Navy fighter pilots, Jesse Brown and Tom Hudner, two young men from different worlds.

    “Initiated together into the VF-32 squadron, they are pushed to their limits flying a new design of fighter jet.

    But their friendship is tested when one of them is shot down behind enemy lines,” the official plotline read.

    Jonas will essay the role of fighter pilot Marty Goode, while Sadoski will star as squadron leader Dick Cevoli.

    JD Dillard will direct the movie which is based on the book by Adam Makos.

    Jake Crane and Jonathan A. Stewart have adapted the screenplay.

    Molly Smith, Rachel Smith, Thad Luckinbill and Trent Luckinbill will produce the film through Black Label.

  • ‘Error in judgement’: ‘Die Hard’ actor Bruce Willis asked to exit LA store for refusing to wear mask

    By Online Desk
    WASHINGTON: American actor Bruce Willis was on Monday (local time) asked to leave a Rite Aid pharmacy in Los Angeles after he refused to wear a mask in the pharmacy premises.

    According to Page Six, the people inside the store got upset that the 65-year-old actor wasn’t wearing a mask despite the fact that he had a bandanna tied around his neck, which could have been used as a mask easily.

    The ‘Die Hard’ actor was photographed at the store without a mask and he was also asked to walk away without buying anything from the store.

    Clarifying his stance later, Willis in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE said that “it was an error in judgment,” and added that everyone should stay safe and “continue to mask up.”

    The Los Angeles County has become the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in California with the number of COVID-19 deaths passing 10,000.

    As per Page Six, Willis has spent most of the pandemic quarantining with his ex-wife Demi Moore and their children Scout, Rumer, and Tallulah at a home owned by the family in Idaho.

    (With ANI inputs)

  • Madonna visits five countries in three weeks amid pandemic

    By IANS
    LOS ANGELES: Singer Madonna has reportedly visited five countries in three weeks amidst the pandemic. The 62-year-old flew from Los Angeles to London with her backing dancer and boyfriend Ahlamalik Williams.

    They were accompanied on the Christmas Eve trip by her son David Banda, daughter Mercy James, and twin children Estere and Stella, reports thesun.co.uk. She returned to London for a few days before the family flew off again. They were joined by eldest son Rocco, who is UK-based.

    They all then flew to Malawi in late December, and had a stopover in Aswan, Egypt, followed by a week spent in Malawi where they met President Lazarus Chakwera, interacted with locals and visited a hospital that Madonna founded.

    Then, on last Wednesday they flew to Kenya, where they have been on safari.

    Sources said they have all been taking regular Covid-19 tests to ensure they are not carrying the virus.

    The music icon is believed to have travelled by private jet, and flown out personal photographer Ricardo Gomes to document her holiday in Malawi and Kenya.

  • Movie theatres in Malaysia to close again as coronavirus cases rise

    By ANI
    WASHINGTON: Movie theatres in Malaysia are set to shut down once again as the country is currently dealing with the third wave of the coronavirus.

    According to Variety, a nationwide state of emergency was announced early on Tuesday (local time) on behalf of the King Al-Sultan Abdullah.

    As per a palace statement quoted by Variety, the emergency could last until August 1, depending on the state of coronavirus infections, according to a palace statement.

    After the relaxation of social conditions in December, the positive coronavirus cases in Malaysia have jumped as the country on Monday (local time) recorded 2,232 new confirmed cases, bringing the active total to 28,500 and the running total since early 2020 to 135,000 with 550 deaths.

    Chains of movie theatres including Golden Screen Cinemas, TGV and others shared on their social media accounts that the theatres will be shut from Wednesday (local time) and that the cost of the pre-paid tickets will be reimbursed.

    “The effect is to put us back to where we were at the beginning of November. This time, we expect the MCO to be renewed for two weeks at a time for some months,” Irving Chee, GM at GSC, told Variety.

    As a result of the impact of the coronavirus on the economy, one of the country’s cinema chain, MBO, had earlier headed for liquidation.

  • Danny Boyle to direct series on British rock band ‘Sex Pistols’

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: British filmmaker Danny Boyle has set up limited series about legendary English band Sex Pistols at FX.

    According to Deadline, the show is based on the memoir of Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones who helped usher in a punk revolution in Britain in the 1970s.

    Titled “Pistol”, Boyle will executive produce and direct the six-episode series, which has been created by “Moulin Rouge!” writer Craig Pearce.

    Actor Toby Wallace will star as Jones, while “Game of Thrones” star Maisie Williams will essay the role of Pamela Rooke aka. punk icon Jordan.

    The cast also includes Anson Boon as singer John Lydon; Louis Patridge as bassist Sid Vicious; Jacob Slater as Paul Cook; Fabien Frankel as bass guitarist Glen Matlock; and Dylan Llewellyn as Wally Nightingale.

    Jones, Boyle, and Pearce serve as executive producers alongside Gail Lyon, Anita Camarata, Tracey Seaward, Paul Lee and Hope Hartman.

    “Pistol” will be produced by FX Productions.

  • Lana Del Rey defends herself from backlash over lack of diversity on new album cover

    By ANI
    WASHINGTON: Musician Lana Del Rey preemptively defended herself from criticism over her new album cover having a lack of diversity.

    The 35-year-old Grammy-nominated musician shared the cover of her much-awaited album ‘Chemtrails Over the Country Club’ on Instagram and defended the cover in the caption.

    The monochrome cover of the album features a group of women sitting around a picnic table laughing and smiling.

    “There’s always turmoil and upheaval and in the midst of it- there’s always beautiful music too introducing my new album chemtrails over the country club,” the musician wrote in the caption.

    Del Rey followed up in a lengthy note in the comment section noting that the group is a diverse group of ladies, reported Fox News.

    “I also want to say that with everything going on this year! And no this was not intended-these are my best friends, since you are asking today. And damn! As it happens when it comes to my amazing friends and this cover yes there are people of color on this records picture and that’s all I’ll say about that but thank you,” she wrote.

    The ‘Summertime Sadness’ singer also acknowledged that the women in the photo are her close friends as she also called out a few of them by their name.

    “These are my friends this is my life. We are all a beautiful mix of everything- some more than others which is visible and celebrated in everything I do. In 11 years working I have always been extremely inclusive without even trying to. My best friends are rappers my boyfriends have been rappers. My dearest friends have been from all over the place,” Del Rey wrote.

    She then ended the note by calling out the critics who incited her to defend herself and also mentioned those who stormed the Capitol building in Washington D.C. earlier last week.

    “So before you make comments again about a WOC/POC issue, I’m not the one storming the capital [sic], I’m literally changing the world by putting my life and thoughts and love out there on the table 24 seven. Respect it,” Del Rey wrote.

    The musician had previously faced backlash when she shared a video of herself in a mesh face mask that could not protect people against the coronavirus.

  • Sony delays release date of Jared Leto-starrer ‘Morbius’ to October 8

    By ANI
    WASHINGTON: The theatrical release of Jared Leto starrer comic-book thriller ‘Morbius’ has been postponed by Sony as the studios are grappling with the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the film industry.

    According to Variety, the movie, which has been delayed numerous times amid the COVID-19 crisis, was most recently scheduled to debut on March 19.

    It is now slated to release in theatres on October 8, 2021.

    ‘Morbious’ has been written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless and has been helmed by Daniel Espinosa.

    As per Variety, th film based on the much-loved Marvel Comicbook character, the superhero flick revolves around a biochemist who turns into a vampire after curing himself of a rareblood disease.

    Most of the movies that were scheduled to release in early 2021 have been pushed back in the view of the coronavirus pandemic.

    However, there are still some titles like Camila Cabello’s ‘Cinderella’ and 20th Century’s ‘The King’s Man’ that are set to release in the first few months of the year.

  • Want to work more in India, says ‘Tenet’ director Christopher Nolan

    By IANS
    NEW DELHI: Hollywood filmmaker Christopher Nolan said he wants to come back and shoot again in India, and work with Indian actors.

    “I never make plans so far ahead. But I had an amazing experience in India, and I definitely want to come back and work more in India with Indian actors. I don’t know what I’m doing next,” Nolan told IANS while talking about his experience of working in Indian and his next project.

    ALSO READ | Tenet Movie Review: Many heady pleasures in a film that’s not rousing as expected

    The Oscar-winning Hollywood maverick filmed crucial scenes of his 2012 global blockbuster “The Dark Knight Rises” in Jodhpur. He also shot portions of his new film “Tenet” in Mumbai. For “Tenet”, he panned his camera across Mumbai spots such as Breach Candy Hospital, Colaba Causeway, Colaba Market, Gateway of India, Grant Road, Royal Bombay Yacht Club, and the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.

    “Tenet”, which sees him explore the time dimension against a backdrop of a spy thriller, also stars Indian talent, including Bollywood actress Dimple Kapadia.

    “That experience of meeting filmmakers of Mumbai and getting to see the sights and sounds of Mumbai was very inspiring for me. It immediately set my imagination to work on how I could come back there and do some shooting,” he had previously said, adding: “It is a film we have shot all over the world. I think some of my favourite parts of the film, and some of my favourite images from the film were shot in Mumbai. I really had a tremendous experience. The love for films in that city is really palpable.”

    The Warner Bros. Pictures project also features Robert Pattinson, John David Washington, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Michael Caine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Clemence Poesy. The film has been shot across seven countries — India, the US, the UK, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, and Norway.

  • Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem in talks to star in Aaron Sorkin’s ‘Being the Ricardos’

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Actors Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem are in negotiations to board filmmaker Aaron Sokrin-directed “Being the Ricardos”.

    If the deal is locked, Kidman will play Hollywood icon Lucille Ball, while Barden will essay the role of her husband, Cuban-American actor Desi Arnaz.

    According to Deadline, Sorkin has penned the screenplay and will direct the film for Amazon Studios and Escape Artists.

    The story will take place during a production week on the set of  “I Love Lucy”, starting with a Monday table read through an audience shoot on Friday.

    “Ball and Arnaz will face challenges that could end their careers and their marriage,” the logline reads.

    Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch are producing the movie.

    Executive producers are Jenna Block, David Bloomfield, Stuart Besser, Lucie Arnaz, Desi Arnaz Jr, and Lauren Lohman.

  • Ben Affleck to direct ‘Keeper of the Lost Cities’ adaptation for Disney

    By ANI
    WASHINGTON: Ben Affleck has added another adaptation to his growing directorial slate. Affleck and his company Pearl Street Films production company are set to helm and produce an adaptation of the bestselling book series ‘Keeper of the Lost Cities.’

    According to Variety, Affleck will adapt the project’s script with Kate Gritmon, while Madison Ainley serves as an executive producer for the project based on Shannon Messenger’s novel.

    ALSO READ | Actor Ben Radcliffe comes aboard Netflix show ‘Anatomy of a Scandal’

    The series ‘Keeper of the Lost Cities’ revolves around a 12-year-old telepathic girl named Sophie who is looking for answers about her secret abilities.

    The actor-director, who starred in the critically acclaimed sports drama ‘The Way Back’, recently wrapped up shooting for Ridley Scott’s ‘The Last Dual’ and New Regency’s ‘Deep Water.’

    The series joins a list of directorial efforts by Affleck including ‘Gone Baby Gone,’ ‘Live By Night,’ ‘Argo,’ and ‘The Town.’