Tag: Zoe Saldana

  • Zoe Saldana to lead ‘The Bluff’

    By Express News Service

    Zoe Saldana will be playing the lead in an upcoming action survival film titled The Bluff, produced by the Russo brothers. Zoe’s professional relationship with the Russo brothers is thereby expanding beyond the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Anthony Russo and Joe Russo will be backing the film under their AGBO Productions banner.

    An epic adventure, The Bluff will revolve around pirates and buccaneers who face off against each other on a Caribbean island in the 19th century.   

    The project was originally set on Netflix. However, for some unknown reasons, it re-entered the market and has now been bought by Prime Video. The Bluff will be directed by Frank E Flowers from a script from Joe Ballarini.

    Also producing under AGBO is Angela Russo-Otstot, and Zoe will also produce alongside her sisters Mariel Saldaña and Cisely Saldaña for Cinestar. So far, Zoe Saldana remains the only cast member announced for the project. The Bluff marks the third collaboration between Zoe Saldana and the Russo brothers after they produced both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

    Zoe Saldana will be playing the lead in an upcoming action survival film titled The Bluff, produced by the Russo brothers. Zoe’s professional relationship with the Russo brothers is thereby expanding beyond the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Anthony Russo and Joe Russo will be backing the film under their AGBO Productions banner.

    An epic adventure, The Bluff will revolve around pirates and buccaneers who face off against each other on a Caribbean island in the 19th century.   

    The project was originally set on Netflix. However, for some unknown reasons, it re-entered the market and has now been bought by Prime Video. The Bluff will be directed by Frank E Flowers from a script from Joe Ballarini.

    Also producing under AGBO is Angela Russo-Otstot, and Zoe will also produce alongside her sisters Mariel Saldaña and Cisely Saldaña for Cinestar. So far, Zoe Saldana remains the only cast member announced for the project. The Bluff marks the third collaboration between Zoe Saldana and the Russo brothers after they produced both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

  • Avatar: The Way of Water first impressions: Mesmerising visuals gloss over more than a few frays

    By Express News Service

    Stepping out of the office at 7.30-8 pm on Thursday,  a tweet popped up on my phone announcing that a 12 am show for Avatar: The Way of Water was added across the city on a few screens.

    The city premiere was to start in just four hours, and the seats were predominantly available at that time. Taking a calculated guess, I bought dinner for home and checked my phone. The city premiere was to start in just three hours. The seats were gradually filling up, and my favourite seats were getting picked one after the other, and I randomly booked my seat for a 12.05 am show. 

    Four hours since the announcement, three hours after I booked the tickets, and two hours after I finished my dinner, I reached the theatre that was jam-packed with people who were talking about anything and everything about James Cameron’s magnum opus that hit the screens this Friday. 

    Avatar 2 wastes no time in introducing the movers and shakers of Pandora, and we are thrown right into the narrative that begins with Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) being fully inducted into the Na’vi race, and raising a family with his fiery wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). They have four kids, and a feral human who hangs out with them. It is in these portions that we revisit Pandora and the world of the Na’vis is beautifully explored in this 180-plus minute runtime of the film. However, restlessness was prevalent in not just the Na’vis but the audience members too who were fidgety considering the first hour or so feels more like an extension of the Avatar 1 final act. It almost felt like a prologue that overstayed its welcome, especially when there was a collective sigh of relief when Sully and his family go to an island… the island that we have all seen in the magnificent promos, which promised a deep dive into the marine world of Pandora. 

    One of Sully’s kids, Kiri, an adopted girl, is awestruck by the marine life around her when she first takes a dive into the ocean floor. There is complete silence as she just waddles in the depths as the fishes in different shapes and sizes dance around her. It was almost like Kiri was taking her time to take in the beauty of the world around her. For people dwelling in the greenery of the forests, the effervescence of turquoise must surely be overwhelming. And for the longest time in Avatar: The Way of Water, where we are introduced to bigger creatures, fascinatingly beautiful surroundings, and picture-perfect environments, we too feel like Kiri. We are just in awe of the world James Cameron and Co have created for us. The strength of Avatar: The Way of Water lies in doling out these spectacular visuals at regular intervals. Imagine a whale-sized creature and a young adult holding hands in the water and swimming towards the setting sun. Even writing about this gives me goosebumps because the image is forever etched in my head. Many such images are there for the taking in the film, where the focus has been more on how the film looks rather than how it feels. We also have social commentary on the refugee crisis, forced relocation of people in the name of commercialisation, whale killing, and a beautiful overarching theme about water’s nature being connected to our life and death. Despite touching upon so many different topics, the rather template nature of the film never really evokes any emotion other than complete awe at how things are unfolding visually. 

    Of course, the climactic showdown is one for the ages. Again, it is a trope that we have seen in films from across the globe, including ones closer home like a Karnan. Pardon my comparisons, but there is a bit of Radhe Shyam and Titanic too. Again, none of these is to belittle the kind of grand vision that James Cameron had for the Avatar films. Just that, it is clear where the focus was. There are very few filmmakers who can make audiences across the world collectively gasp at the same things, and the experience of watching Avatar: The Way of Water is so immersive that we don’t mind the cliches and conveniences. 

    Coming back to the climactic showdown that is one for the ages… it definitely is one for the ages. It is visual mastery at its finest, and emotion-driven stunt sequences at its best. Each kick, each arrow, each bullet, each wallop, and each surprise attack from the Na’vi against the Sky people were met with a thunderous response from an audience, who were craving for this big action set piece for a bit too long, and every moment was worth it. 

    Post the Marvelisation of the cinema-watching experience, the habit of waiting for the post-credits or mid-credits sequence was inculcated in the audience. But it is rare to make an entire theatre, who made sudden plans to be here after a long day, and forgot the concept of rest and sleep, actually stay back knowing there were no mid-credits or post-credits scenes waiting for them. They were just strapped onto their seats to see the visuals of the aquamarine-coloured world that drew them in for the past 180-odd minutes. They were just mesmerised by the sheer massiveness of some of the beings, the inventiveness of some of their strengths, and the beauty of their uniqueness, and basically… all of them just became Kiri from Avatar: The Way of Water. We might have liked the film, not liked the film, or even flippant about its impact, but there is no doubt that the maverick James ‘Pied Piper’ Cameron still holds the strength to sway his audience according to his tunes, and the world will continue to be enchanted for whatever is waiting to come out of his fascinating mind, and… Pandora.

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

    Stepping out of the office at 7.30-8 pm on Thursday,  a tweet popped up on my phone announcing that a 12 am show for Avatar: The Way of Water was added across the city on a few screens.

    The city premiere was to start in just four hours, and the seats were predominantly available at that time. Taking a calculated guess, I bought dinner for home and checked my phone. The city premiere was to start in just three hours. The seats were gradually filling up, and my favourite seats were getting picked one after the other, and I randomly booked my seat for a 12.05 am show. 

    Four hours since the announcement, three hours after I booked the tickets, and two hours after I finished my dinner, I reached the theatre that was jam-packed with people who were talking about anything and everything about James Cameron’s magnum opus that hit the screens this Friday. 

    Avatar 2 wastes no time in introducing the movers and shakers of Pandora, and we are thrown right into the narrative that begins with Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) being fully inducted into the Na’vi race, and raising a family with his fiery wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). They have four kids, and a feral human who hangs out with them. It is in these portions that we revisit Pandora and the world of the Na’vis is beautifully explored in this 180-plus minute runtime of the film. However, restlessness was prevalent in not just the Na’vis but the audience members too who were fidgety considering the first hour or so feels more like an extension of the Avatar 1 final act. It almost felt like a prologue that overstayed its welcome, especially when there was a collective sigh of relief when Sully and his family go to an island… the island that we have all seen in the magnificent promos, which promised a deep dive into the marine world of Pandora. 

    One of Sully’s kids, Kiri, an adopted girl, is awestruck by the marine life around her when she first takes a dive into the ocean floor. There is complete silence as she just waddles in the depths as the fishes in different shapes and sizes dance around her. It was almost like Kiri was taking her time to take in the beauty of the world around her. For people dwelling in the greenery of the forests, the effervescence of turquoise must surely be overwhelming. And for the longest time in Avatar: The Way of Water, where we are introduced to bigger creatures, fascinatingly beautiful surroundings, and picture-perfect environments, we too feel like Kiri. We are just in awe of the world James Cameron and Co have created for us. The strength of Avatar: The Way of Water lies in doling out these spectacular visuals at regular intervals. Imagine a whale-sized creature and a young adult holding hands in the water and swimming towards the setting sun. Even writing about this gives me goosebumps because the image is forever etched in my head. Many such images are there for the taking in the film, where the focus has been more on how the film looks rather than how it feels. We also have social commentary on the refugee crisis, forced relocation of people in the name of commercialisation, whale killing, and a beautiful overarching theme about water’s nature being connected to our life and death. Despite touching upon so many different topics, the rather template nature of the film never really evokes any emotion other than complete awe at how things are unfolding visually. 

    Of course, the climactic showdown is one for the ages. Again, it is a trope that we have seen in films from across the globe, including ones closer home like a Karnan. Pardon my comparisons, but there is a bit of Radhe Shyam and Titanic too. Again, none of these is to belittle the kind of grand vision that James Cameron had for the Avatar films. Just that, it is clear where the focus was. There are very few filmmakers who can make audiences across the world collectively gasp at the same things, and the experience of watching Avatar: The Way of Water is so immersive that we don’t mind the cliches and conveniences. 

    Coming back to the climactic showdown that is one for the ages… it definitely is one for the ages. It is visual mastery at its finest, and emotion-driven stunt sequences at its best. Each kick, each arrow, each bullet, each wallop, and each surprise attack from the Na’vi against the Sky people were met with a thunderous response from an audience, who were craving for this big action set piece for a bit too long, and every moment was worth it. 

    Post the Marvelisation of the cinema-watching experience, the habit of waiting for the post-credits or mid-credits sequence was inculcated in the audience. But it is rare to make an entire theatre, who made sudden plans to be here after a long day, and forgot the concept of rest and sleep, actually stay back knowing there were no mid-credits or post-credits scenes waiting for them. They were just strapped onto their seats to see the visuals of the aquamarine-coloured world that drew them in for the past 180-odd minutes. They were just mesmerised by the sheer massiveness of some of the beings, the inventiveness of some of their strengths, and the beauty of their uniqueness, and basically… all of them just became Kiri from Avatar: The Way of Water. We might have liked the film, not liked the film, or even flippant about its impact, but there is no doubt that the maverick James ‘Pied Piper’ Cameron still holds the strength to sway his audience according to his tunes, and the world will continue to be enchanted for whatever is waiting to come out of his fascinating mind, and… Pandora.

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

  • ‘Avatar’ to re-release on September 23

    By Express News Service

    James Cameron’s Academy Award-winning 2009 epic adventure Avatar, returns to theatres on September 23, 2022. The film will be released in 4K High Dynamic Range format. The team has released a new trailer and poster to celebrate the rerelease of the 2009 film.

    The much-awaited sequel Avatar: The Way of Water will be releasing on December 16, 2022. The Way of Water will be followed by Avatar 3 which was shot back to back with the upcoming film. Avatar 4 and 5 will also hit production soon, but, Cameron has shared doubts about his directorial return. The director will concentrate on other projects in the meantime.

    Avatar stars Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, Zoe Saldana as Neytiri, Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch, Sigourney Weaver as Dr Grace Augustine, and the upcoming sequel adds Kate Winslet as Ronal among others.

    James Cameron’s Academy Award-winning 2009 epic adventure Avatar, returns to theatres on September 23, 2022. The film will be released in 4K High Dynamic Range format. The team has released a new trailer and poster to celebrate the rerelease of the 2009 film.

    The much-awaited sequel Avatar: The Way of Water will be releasing on December 16, 2022. The Way of Water will be followed by Avatar 3 which was shot back to back with the upcoming film. Avatar 4 and 5 will also hit production soon, but, Cameron has shared doubts about his directorial return. The director will concentrate on other projects in the meantime.

    Avatar stars Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, Zoe Saldana as Neytiri, Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch, Sigourney Weaver as Dr Grace Augustine, and the upcoming sequel adds Kate Winslet as Ronal among others.

  • Zoe Saldana reveals she was once advised to adopt a stage name

    By ANI

    WASHINGTON: Hollywood actor Zoe Saldana, in a recent interview, has revealed that she was once advised to go adopt a stage name when she first became an actor.

    Saldana told Entertainment Weekly that during the early days in her career, around the time she landed her first major acting role in ‘Center Stage’, she was told it would benefit her career to change her name.

    “When I did Center Stage, I remember being discouraged by my management at that time to use my name,” said Saldana.

    The actor further stressed that her team was not trying to be malicious at the time and said, “But their intention was never for me to stop being who I am. They celebrated who I was.”

    “But my manager at the time was a former singer and a ballroom performer, and she did change her name as well when she was a teenager back in the ’60s, I believe. And she said it’s what everybody does,” Saldana continued.

    As per Entertainment Weekly, she added, “That today is advice we consider poor, but that was her doing the best that she wanted for me. But I still knew that I liked my name.”

    Today, the 43-year-old actor stars in some of the biggest film franchises out there, including ‘Star Trek’, ‘Avatar’ and Marvel’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’. 

  • HBO Max orders ‘Gordita Chronicles’ comedy series

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Streamer HBO Max has given a series order for half-hour scripted comedy “Gordita Chronicles”.

    Newcomer Olivia Goncalves will headline the single-camera comedy series, which hails from Sony Pictures Television, actor Zoe Saldana’s Cinestar Pictures And Osprey Productions, HBO Max said in a press release.

    Actor Eva Longoria will direct the pilot for the show, about a 12-year-old Dominican girl who struggles to fit into hedonistic 1980s Miami as her family pursues the American dream. Claudia Forestieri wrote the pilot and will serve as executive producer alongside Longoria.

    Brigitte Munoz-Liebowitz is the showrunner. In the series, Goncalves will star Carlota ‘Cucu’ Castelli, a willful, confident, reluctant Dominican immigrant with a heart of gold. Cucu is overzealous in her quest to regain the queen bee status in her new school, when her parents and older sister move to Miami for her dad’s new job.

    Actors Diana Maria Riva and Juan Javier Cardenas will play Cucu’s parents Adela and Victor Castelli, respectively. Savannah Nicole Ruiz will appear as Emilia, Cucu’s older sister, while Noah Rico will portray Yosmel ‘Yoshy’ Hernandez, a Cuban refugee and Cucu’s first friend in Miami.

    Cosette Hauer will essay the role of Ashley, an optimistic go-getter desperate to ?t in, but nevertheless always sticks out. Executive producers on the project include Josh Berman, Jennifer Robinson, Chris King, Munoz-Liebowitz, Saldana, Mariel Saldana and Cisely Saldana.

  • Zoe Saldana to headline in Netflix’s ‘The Bluff’

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: “Guardians of the Galaxy” star Zoe Saldana will be playing the lead role in the movie “The Bluff”.

    According to Deadline, streamer Netflix recently bagged the project in a hotly contested auction.

    Filmmaker Frank E Flowers, who worked with Saldana for 2004 movie “Haven”, will direct the film from his own script.

    Set in the Cayman Islands in the 1800s, “The Bluff” will feature Saldana as Ercell, a Caribbean woman whose secret past is revealed when her island is invaded by vicious buccaneers.

    Anthony and Joe Russo are producing the title, along with Mike Larocca and Angela Russo-Otstot for their banner AGBO, and Mariel and Cisely Saldana for Cinestar.

    Saldana will next star in filmmaker James Cameron’s “Avatar 2”, which is the sequel to her 2009 blockbuster “Avatar”.

    She is currently filming for director David O Russell’s next, alongside a cast that includes Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, Anya-Taylor Joy, Rami Malek, John David Washington and Robert De Niro.

  • Zoe Saldana to headline in Netflix’s ‘The Bluff’

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: “Guardians of the Galaxy” star Zoe Saldana will be playing the lead role in the movie “The Bluff”.

    According to Deadline, streamer Netflix recently bagged the project in a hotly contested auction.

    Filmmaker Frank E Flowers, who worked with Saldana for 2004 movie “Haven”, will direct the film from his own script.

    Set in the Cayman Islands in the 1800s, “The Bluff” will feature Saldana as Ercell, a Caribbean woman whose secret past is revealed when her island is invaded by vicious buccaneers.

    Anthony and Joe Russo are producing the title, along with Mike Larocca and Angela Russo-Otstot for their banner AGBO, and Mariel and Cisely Saldana for Cinestar.

    Saldana will next star in filmmaker James Cameron’s “Avatar 2”, which is the sequel to her 2009 blockbuster “Avatar”.

    She is currently filming for director David O Russell’s next, alongside a cast that includes Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, Anya-Taylor Joy, Rami Malek, John David Washington and Robert De Niro.