GUY PEARCE, ANDY SERKIS, JOE ALWYN, RUTGER HAUER TO LEAD BBC & FX MINI SERIES A CHRISTMAS CAROL! LISTEN TO ZAYN'S A WHOLE NEW WORLD FOR DISNEY'S LIVE ACTION ALADDIN

   BBC'S 'A CHRISTMAS CAROL'

PUTS GUY PEARCE IN THE LEAD

After Dickensian, BBC has a plan of turning other of Dickens' works into series and the first one will be A CHRISTMAS CAROL which will air this Christmas with Guy Pearce taking the lead role of Ebenezer Scrooge in the

The first look at Guy Pearce as Ebenezer Scrooge!

series which will also air on FX in USA. The 3 part special is a unique and original take on the Charles Dickens’ iconic ghost story by Steven Knight (Taboo, Peaky Blinders) and a haunting, hallucinatory, spine-tingling immersion into Scrooge’s dark night of the soul.

  THE REST OF THE CAST
has also been announced and it will include: Andy Serkis as Ghost of Christmas Past; Stephen Graham as Jacob Marley; Charlotte Riley (who happens to be the producers wife, talk about nepotism) as Lottie; Joe Alwyn

Stephen Graham and Joe Alwyn have joined the cast as well

as Bob Cratchit; Vinette Robinson as Mary Cratchit; Rutger Hauer as the Ghost of Christmas Future; Kayvan Novak as Ali Baba and Lenny Rush as Tim Cratchit. Tom Hardy and Ridley Scott are producing.

   ZAYN'S A WHOLE NEW WORLD

IS HERE FROM DISNEY'S ALADDIN

Aladdin is ready to fly into cinemas May 24th

And here it is: the latest rendition of timeless classic A Whole New World set as the end title for Disney's live action ALADDIN which flies into theatres this month. It is performed by surprisingly good Zayn and awfully mismatched vocals from a singer called Zhavia Ward (I've never heard of her, but her singing sounds ghastly bad in the song, even offensively disrespectful to the genre, but that's a millennial for you, sadly)! Beside new versions of the old songs, the soundtrack will have a new song as well. Will Smith and DJ Khaled will cover classic Oscar nominated song Friend Like Me. New song Speechless is performed by

The movie is a live action version of the animated hit

Princess Jasmine herself. 

LIVE ACTION ALADDIN  
directed by Guy Ritchie, is written by John August and Ritchie based on Disney’s classic animated adventure. The film stars Will Smith as the larger than life Genie; Mena Massoud as the charming scoundrel Aladdin; Naomi Scott  as Jasmine, the beautiful, self determined princess; Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, the powerful sorcerer; Navid Negahban as the Sultan concerned with his daughter’s future; Nasim Pedrad as Dalia, Princess Jasmine’s free spirited best friend and confidante;

Mena Massoud is Aladdin in the live action remake

Billy Magnussen as the handsome and arrogant suitor Prince Anders; and Numan Acar as Hakim, Jafar’s right-hand man and captain of the palace guards. Read more in our spotlight on the movie!

PREMIUM SPOTLIGHT ON DISNEY'S LIVE ACTION VERSION OF ALADDIN ADVENTURE WITH STUNNING NEW CHARACTER POSTERS!

  NEW 'ALADDIN' POSTERS

DISNEY'S $200 MILLION RISK

World is definitely waiting with baited breath to see whether Disney's live action movie version of their famous animated classic ALADDIN will be a

Aladdin flies into cinemas May 24th

success or massive flop when it opens in cinemas May 24th! There are many factors which could possibly influence its fall in theatres: 1. most people are not really thrilled with a hip hop version of famous Genie (Will Smith seems to be the most mediocre choice for this role). 2. they gave lead roles to utterly unknown generic young stars who look like they came out of Hannah Montana or High School Musical. 3. the trailer gives an impression of a very cheap, kitschy movie more suited for Disney Channel than cinemas. 4. they gave the helm of a family adventure  to Guy Ritchie, a director known for bizarrely brutal and violent movies, who

The movie is also include famous tiger, parrot and pet monkey!

literally pissed around with the legend of Camelot in his previous movie on King Arthur which was a hugely embarrassing disaster of a movie. What are

The movie had a budget close to $200 million

your expectations? Will Aladdin's magic carpet fly or rot filled with fleas?

 LIVE ACTION ALADDIN IS
a thrilling and vibrant live action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic, is the exciting tale of the charming street rat Aladdin, the courageous and self determined Princess Jasmine and the Genie who may be the key to their future. It is a fast-paced, visceral action set in the fictitious port city of Agrabah! Eight time Academy Award winning composer Alan Menken provides the score, which includes new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and lyricists Howard

Mena Massoud plays the lead role of Aladdin

Ashman and Tim Rice and includes new music written by Menken and Oscar and Tony Award winning songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul from The Greatest Showman.

WHO IS IN THE GANG?

 The film stars Will Smith as the Genie with the omnipotent power to grant three wishes to whoever possesses his magic lamp; Mena Massoud as Aladdin, an Agrabah thief and street rat who is smitten with the Sultan's

Naomi Scott plays the role of Princess Jasmine

daughter; Naomi Scott as Jasmine, the Sultan's daughter and the princess of Agrabah who wants to have a say in how she lives her life; Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, a nefarious and deceptive sorcerer, the Grand vizier of Agrabah and

Marwan Kenzari plays the role of evil Vizier Jafar

the chief advisor to the Sultan who secretly devises a plot to overthrow the Sultan as the ruler of Agrabah by acquiring the magic lamp containing the Genie; Navid Negahban as the Sultan, the wise ruler of Agrabah who is

Will Smith is a controversial choice for Genie

eager to find a capable husband for his daughter Jasmine; Nasim Pedrad as Dalia, Jasmine's loyal handmaiden and confidante; Billy Magnussen as Prince Anders, a suitor and potential husband for Jasmine from the kingdom of Skånland; and Numan Acar as Hakim, Jafar's right-hand man and head of the palace guards.

SKY RELEASES TRAILER AND AIRING DATE FOR THE THIRD AND FINAL SEASON OF JAMESTOWN EPIC SAGA WITH NAOMI BATTRICK, JASON FLEMYNG, MATT STOKOE, STUART MARTIN, BEN STAR, BEN BATT! NEW ALADDIN TRAILER IS HERE!

'JAMESTOWN' EPIC SERIES

TRAILER FOR FINAL 3RD SEASON!

Woe is us, spylings, Sky Atlantic has just released the airing date and trailer for the third season of their beloved historical series JAMESTOWN,

The eight episode final season will hit UK April 26th!

but, alas, it will also be the final one! Starting April 26th, it will see the ultimate showdown between Naomi Battrick's Jocelyn and Jason Flemyng's Governor Yeardley. 

IN THE THIRD SEASON
With trade booming and the tobacco farms thriving, the settlers’ pioneering aspirations soon clash with the realities of creating a new nation on foreign

Naomi Battrick's Jocelyn is ready for the last stand against the governor

soil. Tensions rise as the flourishing community seeks expansion onto Pamunkey land, and with politics rife in the air, the idealism of the New World

Stuart Martin gets a whole new image as his character joins the Pamunkey tribe

is tested. As Yeardley’s thirst for power and wealth grows, there are far reaching consequences. And how far will Native American chief

Matt Stokoe returns to the role of local blacksmith in love with Jocelyn

Opechancanough go to protect his land? Set in the 17th century popular historical series also stars Stuart Martin, Matt Stokoe, Ben Starr, Max

Ben Starr as Jamestown's doctor and Jason Flemyng as Yardley!

Beesley, Sophie Rundle and Niamh Walsh as well as a brilliant new cast member Ben Batt. Don't miss the final season of Jamestown this spring on Sky One!

NEW 'ALADDIN' TRAILER WITH

A NEW A WHOLE NEW WORLD

The main movie event of the day was Disney's release of first full trailer for their live action version of ALADDIN which should fly into cinemas this May.

Aladdin is out this May in cinemas

It is the exciting tale of the charming street rat Aladdin (Mena Massoud), the courageous and self determined Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) and the Genie (Will Smith) who may be the key to their future. Guy Ritchie directs the story set in the fictitious port city of Agrabah, written by John August and based on the animated classic. The cast also includes Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, Navid Negahban as the Sultan, Nasim Pedrad as Dalia and Billy Magnussen as Prince Anders. Eight time Academy Award winning composer Alan Menken provides the score, which includes new recordings of the original songs as well as two new ones.

NEW DISNEY'S LIVE ACTION ALADDIN PHOTOS REVEAL MENA MASSOUD, WILL SMITH AND NAOMI SCOTT AS ALADDIN, GENIE AND PRINCESS JASMINE

   NEW 'ALADDIN' PHOTOS

ARRIVE FROM EW AND DISNEY!

The latest First Look edition of Entertainment Weekly is out bringing us first glimpses into upcoming 2019 movie and TV projects! Gracing their cover this

Guy Ritchie is, sadly, directing this one!

week is the lead cast of Disney's new live action movie adaptation of ALADDIN including Will Smith as the new Genie,  Mena Massoud as the affable, quick thinking, optimistic dreamer and street thief Aladdin and Naomi Scott as indomitable and benevolent Princess Jasmine (the two of them were chosen after six months of auditions). Loosely based on Arabian folktales from One Thousand and One Nights, this epic adventure, which is still in post

Surprisingly, the movie was not shot in Arabia, but England and Jordan

production, should fly its magic carpet into cinemas around the world May 24th! Both Aladdin and Jasmine will have their solo songs in the film written

Super hunky Marwan Kenzari is evil Vizier Jafar!

by composer Alan Menken with lyrics from The Greatest Showman songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul!

THE REST OF THE CAST!  
The cast also includes Nasim Pedrad as Jasmine’s handmaiden and best friend Dalia, who helps princess navigate the suitors attempting to win her

The movie will also include the original songs from the animated classic

hand (among whom is also blond super hunk Billy Magnussen who is portraying Prince Anders of Skånland)! Equally hunky Marwan Kenzari is

Nasim Pedrad plays Jasmine's handmaiden Dalia!

Sultan's (played by Navid Negahban) evil Grand Vizier and deceptive sorcerer Jafar who needs the magical lamp for his own nefarious reasons!

Naomi Scott plays princess Jasmine in the movie

Numan Acar stars as Hakim, Jafar's right-hand man and head of the palace guards. Check out the trailer released earlier this year!

DISNEY'S LIVE ACTION 'ALADDIN' TEASER IS HERE WITH MENA MASSOUD AS THE LEAD HERO!

 1ST 'ALADDIN' TEASER

REVEALS CAVE OF WONDERS

Choose wisely, says the lamp!

You've probably seen it by now, but here it is at your Spy's lair too: first teaser for Disney's live action version of ALADDIN which will arrive into cinemas next May. The casting process has pretty much turned me away from it, but maybe you will like it. The good news is that the teaser doesn't have Will Smith in it as genie. Mena Massoud plays Aladdin, Naomi Scott is Jasmine! Billy Magnussen is Prince Anders, while Marwan Kenzari is Jafar. The most bizarre of things is that it is being directed by gangsta loving Guy Ritchie. What a disappointing choice for a fairy tale movie.

Unknown actor Mena Massoud takes the role of Aladdin

SLATE OF LIVE ACTION REMAKES
Will Disney ruin this one like they did with mediocre and sadly miscast versions of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast?  As you know they're also

Famous Cave of Wonders will open worldwide next May

turning animated classics Dumbo, Little Mermaid, Lady and the Tramp, Mulan and Lion King into live action movies.

DISNEY SUNDAY: CLIP OF EMILY BLUNT AS 'MARY POPPINS RETURNS'! 'A WRINKE IN TIME' TRAILER WITH CHRIS PINE, OPRAH WINFREY. MENA MASSOUD, NAOMI SCOTT ARE 'ALADDIN' AND PRINCESS JASMIN

DISNEY'S 'ALADDIN'

 REVEALS ITS CAST AT LAST

Mena Massoud is the new Aladdin

Comic Con news from Disney today, but I'm afraid not all are good ones. There have been rumours in recent months that Disney and director Guy Ritchie (whose King Arthur has flopped infamously this summer in cinemas) were having big trouble founding young stars for the live action ALADDIN musical movie and when you see who they've just cast you will realize the rumours were probably true... I mean, if these two are their best picks..... Mena Massoud has been announced as ALADDIN with Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmin, and the internet hasn't reacted well to this choice and especially not to Will Smith

Naomi Scott is Princess Jasmin

being cast as Genie. While Massoud is an absolute unknown, and doesn't look much like a leading hero, at least to me, while young Naomi Scott starred in Power Rangers earlier this year and that movie also flopped big time on the box office. The role of villain Jafar is yet to be announced but the movie won't be out any time soon, set only  for Spring 2019 release. Meanwhile, Disney's live action movie version of Mulan has been delayed to 2019! That one will have an all Chinese cast and will be a martial arts extravaganza.

'MARY POPPINS RETURNS'

ENCHANTS WITH EMILY BLUNT
Disney has also thrilled the audience with the first clip from the live action movie THE LION KING (in which Hugh Jackman will lend his voice to Scar), and they announced that Helen Mirren will be playing

Mary Poppins returns Christmas 2018!

Mother Ginger in Lasse Hallstrom's live action NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS movie with Morgan Freeman also cast. However, the audience gave biggest ovations to the announcement of Emily Blunt as MARY POPPINS RETURNS. Check it below.

'A WRINKLE IN TIME' TRAILER

NEW EPIC ADVENTURE

Disney has also released the first trailer for their movie adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's A WRINKLE IN TIME and I have to say it looks

Time will Wrinkle next March

very trashy and almost ridiculous to me, especially the casting. The epic adventure is set for next March.

Meg Murry (Storm Reid) is the daughter of two world renowned physicists, she is intelligent and uniquely gifted, as is Meg's younger brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe), but she has yet to realize it for herself. Making matters even worse is the baffling disappearance of Mr. Murry (Chris Pine), which torments Meg and has left her mother (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) heartbroken. Charles Wallace introduces Meg and her fellow classmate Calvin (Levi Miller) to three celestial guides, Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), Mrs. Whatsit

Oprah Winfrey plays one of the celestial guides

(Reese Witherspoon) and Mrs. Who, who have journeyed to Earth to help search for their father, and together they set off on their formidable quest. Travelling via a wrinkling of time and space known as tessering, they are soon transported to worlds beyond their

The visuals in the first trailer seem rather unfinished and chaotic

imagination where they must confront a powerful evil. To make it back home to Earth, Meg must look deep within herself and embrace her flaws to harness the strength necessary to defeat the darkness closing in on them.

DAZZLING NEW 'PAN' TRAILER WITH HUGH JACKMAN! DISNEY TO MAKE 'GENIES' 'ALADDIN' PREQUEL LIVE ACTION MOVIE! 'EMPIRE' SECOND SEASON PROMO WITH TARAJI P. HENSON! 'HERALD' COMIC BOOK ON TESLA TO BECOME TV SERIES

  DISNEY TO MAKE' GENIES'

LIVE ACTION 'ALADDIN' PREQUEL

The news of the day is that Disney is preparing ALADDIN prequel movie titled GENIES in order to set the ground for the live action ALADDIN movie which would happen after GENIES. While ALADDIN was an adaptation of ancient Arabic folk tale about a lowly street kid who finds a magical lamp with a wish granting genie the prequel GENIES would be set in the world of those magical creatures, describing how Aladdin's genie ended up in the magical lamp. As I've reported before BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and MULAN are also getting live action versions!

  'HERALD' COMIC BOOK

ON TIME TRAVELLING TESLA TO BECOME TV SERIES 
Speaking of adaptations, comic book series HERALD will be turned into a television series! Coming from writer John Reilly, and artists Tom Rogers and Dexter Weeks, the comic book to be turned into small screen show brings an alternate universe story in which a time travelling legendary Serbian scientist Nikola Tesla teams up with famous writer H.P. Lovecraft and other historical characters to save the world from various cosmic horrors.
'EMPIRE' PROMO POSTER
You can also check out the promo art for the second season of Fox's hit show EMPIRE showing Taraji P. Henson (who got nominated for Emmy today for this role) and Terrence Howard on their Lion family thrones. The show returns September 23rd!

 DAZZLING NEW 'PAN' TRAILER

 HUGH JACKMAN IS BLACKBEARD

A gorgeous new trailer for you today from upcoming adventure movie PAN filled with mermaids and fairies. Opening this October it will follow mischievous Peter (Levi Miller) who is whisked away from the orphanage and spirited off to a fantastical world of pirates and fairies called Neverland. There, he finds amazing adventures and fights battles while trying to uncover the secret of his mother, who left him at the orphanage so long ago, and his rightful place in this magical land. Teamed with the warrior Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara) and a new friend named James Hook (Garrett Hedlund), Peter must defeat the ruthless pirate Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman) to save Neverland and discover his true destiny - to become the hero who will forever be known as Peter Pan!