And it is such a massively stellar ensemble movie: Sir Ian McKellen's movie FRANK AND PERCY which also stars Roger Allam will also have Hugh Skinner, Sir Stephen Fry, Dame Joanna Lumley, Sir Derek Jacobi, Rob Brydon and Dame Sian Phillips in the cast. The story follows two older men who meet while walking their dogs on Hampstead Heath. What begins as a casual conversation about the weather and aching hips gradually deepens into an unexpected friendship – and perhaps something more.
Sky has released a poster and trailer for their festive comedy TINSEL TOWN which will arrive to Sky Cinema December 5th with Kiefer Sutherland as Bradley Mack, a failed Hollywood action star who ends up in a small, snow-dusted village to star in the town’s eccentric production of Cinderella. Here, he encounters a colourful cast of oddball locals who slowly come to hold a special place in his heart, including no-nonsense choreographer Jill. Derek Jacobi, Alice Eve, Lucien Laviscount, Katherine Ryan, Danny Dyer also star.
Thisone definitely hasquite a cast: Derek Jacobi as the Friar, Jason Isaacs as lord Montague, Rupert Everett as lord Capulet, Rupert Graves as prince Escalaus, Clara Rugaard as Juliet, Jamie Ward as Romeo, Rebel Wilson as lady Capulet, all star in JULIET AND ROMEO, Timothy Scott Bogart’s pop Romeo & Juliet musical, the first film in an original pop musical
trilogy based around the real-life story that inspired
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Ferdia Walsh-Peelo and Dan Fogler are also starring in the film which was originally supposed to arrive two years ago titled Verona but is now finally being released into cinemas from May 9th and you can check out the first colourful trailer below and tell us what you think. Grammy award winner Ewan Kidd Bogart was responsible for the original songs in the movie. He is known for Beyonce's Halo.
SET IN YEAR 1301
at the end of Medieval times,JULIET AND ROMEO
finds our most famous star-crossed lovers turning the tides on the
history Shakespeare based his own story on, as they reveal the truth to
the very future of the Empire. But the biggest twist in this most
beloved of tales, is leaving the poetry of Iambic Pentameter in the
past, for the original pop music that rockets these ever-present themes
right to the heart of our characters in the most surprising, and
perhaps
most powerful way that has ever been seen, or heard, before... The
greatest love story of all time, set to the greatest music of our time.
This one definitely has quite a cast: Derek Jacobi as the Friar, Jason Isaacs as lord Montague, Rupert Everett as lord Capulet, Rupert Graves as prince Escalaus, Clara Rugaard as Juliet, Jamie Ward as Romeo, Rebel Wilson as lady Capulet, all star in VERONA, Timothy Scott
First image of Rebel Wilson as Lady Capulet in Verona
Bogart’s pop Romeo & Juliet musical, the first film in an original pop musical
trilogy based around the real-life story that inspired
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Ferdia Walsh-Peelo and Dan Fogler are also starring in the film which was originally supposed to arrive this Christmas.
We are going British today, starting with the first images from THE LONG SHADOW true crime drama which is coming to ITV and ITVX next month! The seven part series depicts the desperate five-year hunt for serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, sensitively focussing on the lives of the victims who crossed his path and those of the officers at the heart of the police investigation. With the victims, their families and the survivors at the heart of this series, we get a new perspective to a well-documented story.
Meticulously researched and drawing upon the most extensive archive of the investigation, comprising of hundreds of case files, interview transcripts and police reports, the series stars Toby Jones as DCS Dennis Hoban, who initially led the enquiry, with David Morrissey taking the role of DCS George Oldfield, who famously took on the investigation. Lee Ingleby is DCS Jim Hobson, whilst Katherine Kellyplays Emily Jackson with Daniel Mays as her husband, Sydney Jackson.
Jill Halfpenny plays Doreen Hill, with Shaun Dooley as DCS Chris Gregg.
FIRST BBC TEASER FOR
THE FOLLOWING EVENTS ARE BASED ON A PACK OF LIES SERIES
Starting as soon as August 29th on BBC One and also on iPlayer, is new thriller series THE FOLLOWING EVENTS ARE BASED ON A PACK OF LIES. This is the story of two very different women (Alice Newman and Cheryl Harker) and the conman Dr Rob Chance they have in common; a dark, funny, and unpredictable thriller about three remarkable characters trapped in a tangled triangle of complexly layered half-truths and lies of epic proportions. Cheryl is a bestselling fantasy fiction author who, recently bereaved, now lives alone with her poodle, Goblin. Alice is a formidable but long-underestimated PA who lives in a bungalow with her young son, magician partner. Rob (Alistair Petrie) is an eccentric and celebrated ecopreneur (allegedly). Three apparent strangers with nothing in common... except Rob’s dupes, deceptions and delusions. This is a story about lies and artifice, about our weakness for self-deception, and about the rapid ascent of the modern fraudster.
It is the story of an unexpected friendship between two very different women and the power they’ll discover when theyraise their voices in joyous rage. As they finally find the courage and self-belief to take charge, the con is on to try and take a sociopathic predator down. Derek Jacobi also stars!
One of the first English language novels to feature blood-sucking creatures, 19th century Gothic novel The Vampyre by John William Polidori will be adapted into a movie with Malcolm McDowell and Derek Jacobi! THE VAMPYRE: BLOOD AND INK will follow Lord Ruthven, a mysterious and magnetic nobleman who captivates London society with his charismatic charm. Aubrey, a young Englishman, becomes infatuated with Ruthven and is drawn into a world of secrets and supernatural horror. As Aubrey uncovers the truth about Ruthven’s sinister nature, he finds himself trapped in a perilous battle against the allure of the vampire’s deadly powers. Polidori was the personal doctor of Lord George Byron, who became an allegory for the character he has created – Lord Ruthven.
Two British projects for you today, starting with a trailer for two part series MAYFLIES which will air on BBC during the holidays, December 28th! The adaptation of Andrew O'Hagan's acclaimed novel sees a friendship forged between James and Tully in a small Scottish town in 1986. One weekend, they make a vow to each other to go at life differently. But then, 30 years on, half a life away, the phone rings. Tully (Tony Curran) has the worst kind of news. He has cancer and he makes a request that tests his and James' (Martin Compston) friendship to the limit. After sharing his devastating news, Tully asks his old pal for help ending his own life, yet James isn’t comfortable keeping their plan a secret from Tully’s partner Anna (Ashley Jensen).
1ST ALLELUJAH TRAILER
WITH JUDI DENCH, DEREK JACOBI AND JENNIFER SAUNDERS
A delight coming from Pate Films today is the first trailer from ALLELUJAH movie starring Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi, Russell Tovey, Jennifer Saunders, David Bradley and Julia McKenzie. The
film is out March 17th, at the anniversary of British NHS.
WHEN THE GERIATRIC WARD
of a small Yorkshire hospital is threatened with
closure, the hospital decides to fight back by galvanizing the local
community. They invite a
news crew to film their preparations for a concert in honour of the
hospital’s most distinguished nurse. What could go wrong? ALLELUJAH celebrates the spirit of the elderly patients whilst paying tribute to the deep humanity of
the medical staff battling with limited resources and ever-growing
demand. But in the midst of the tears and the laughter, we slowly
realise that there is something threatening the hospital that is far
more lethal than the politicians demanding efficiency at any cost…
A little bit of everything today, starting with Emily Watson who will lead new WW2 romance movie LATE IN SUMMER with Harriet Walter and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje! Set just as WWII draws to a close, the film will chart how a brief encounter leads to a love affair that ignites a dormant passion in a lonely farmer’s wife and an American GI. With the world around them conspiring against their relationship, it’s not long before the realities of their existence force them to make a very difficult decision. Timothy Spall is producing.
1ST ALLELUJAH IMAGES
WITH JUDI DENCH, DEREK JACOBI AND JENNIFER SAUNDERS
Speaking of British thespians, check out the first images from ALLELUJAH movie starring Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi, Russell Tovey, Jennifer Saunders, David Bradley and Julia McKenzie. The film should arrive next year at the anniversary of British NHS. When the geriatric ward of a small Yorkshire hospital is threatened with closure, the hospital decides to fight back by galvanizing the local community. They invite a news crew to film their preparations for a concert in honour of the hospital’s most distinguished nurse. What could go wrong? ALLELUJAH celebrates the spirit of the elderly patients whilst paying tribute to the deep humanity of the medical staff battling with limited resources and ever-growing demand. But in the midst of the tears and the laughter, we slowly realise that there is something threatening the hospital that is far more lethal than the politicians demanding efficiency at any cost…
JULIA SERIES 2ND SEASON
HIRES RACHEL BLOOM
Although we are still not shocked but scandalised and disgusted that HBO's Julia Child series JULIA did not score any Emmy nominations, not even Sarah Lanchashire for the lead, while some Korean garbage and other undeserving trash did, we are looking forward to the second season which has just cast Rachel Bloom. She will have a recurring role as Elaine Levitch, a dynamo who comes to WGBH by way of CBS to work with Julia on ‘The French Chef.'
BBC'S FOLLOWING EVENTS ARE BASED ON A PACK OF LIES SERIES
BBC has announced a production on new five part unconventional dark and funny thriller series THE FOLLOWING EVENTS ARE BASED ON A PACK OF LIES. It is the story of two very different women and the conman they have in common; a dark, funny, and unpredictable thriller about three remarkable characters trapped in a tangled triangle of complexly layered half-
Acting legend Derek Jacobi will star in the series
truths and lies of epic proportions. Cheryl (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is a bestselling fantasy fiction author who, recently bereaved, now lives alone with her poodle, Goblin. Alice (Rebekah Staton) is a formidable PA, a mother, and a lifelong Madonna fan. Rob (Alistair Petrie) is an eccentric and celebrated ecopreneur (allegedly). Three apparent strangers with nothing in common... except Rob’s dupes, deceptions and delusions.
This is a story about lies and artifice, about our weakness for self-deception, and about the rapid ascent of the modern fraudster. Asking why do ‘respectable’ psychopaths rise to the top? Why does a posh man in a suit still seem so plausible next to a working-class mum in a pink cape? And if you can’t beat them, is joining them really so bad?
Above all, this is also the story of an unexpected friendship between two very different women and the power
Rebekah Stanton, Alistair Petrie, Julian Barratt will star
they’ll discover when they raise their voices in joyous rage. As they finally find the courage and self-belief to take charge, the con is on to try and take a predator down.
Joining the trio are Romola Garai as Juno Fish, Alice’s boss and a prominent designer who is famous for her unique brand of idiosyncratic floral patterns and products, Derek Jacobi as Sir Ralph Unwin who may or may not be being scammed by Rob, Julian Barratt as Alice’s painfully predictable, deeply kind, magician husband Benjy, Karl Johnson as Bill, Alice’s father and confidant, and Ellie Haddington as Diane, Alice’s long suffering, insufferable mother.
BECOMING ELIZABETH
STARZ RELEASES TRAILER!
Starz has released a trailer for their new historical series BECOMING ELIZABETH which arrives June 12th! Long before she ascended the throne,young Elizabeth Tudor (Alicia von Rittberg), was an orphaned
The series starts June 12th on Starz
teenager who became embroiled in the political and sexual politics of the English court.
The death of King Henry VIII sees his nine-year-old son Edward (Oliver Zetter ström) take the throne and sets into motion a dangerous scramble for power, when Elizabeth, Edward, and their sister, Mary (Romola Garai) find themselves pawns in a game between the great families of England and the powers of Europe who vie for control of the country. Thomas Seymour (Tom Cullen), the new King’s uncle, quickly marries King Henry’s widow, Catherine Parr (Jessica Raine), but soon takes an interest in the teenage Elizabeth while Duke of Somerset (John Heffernan), loses no time in claiming the position of Lord Protector for himself when the old King dies. The series will air on Starz Play internationally as well.
Here's another amazing ensemble: Richard Eyre has cast Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi, Russell Tovey, Jennifer Saunders, David Bradley for his new movie ALLELUJAH over at Pathe! The story is set on a geriatric
The film has already started shooting over in London
ward in a small Yorkshire town that comes under threat of closure, and attempts to fight back by inviting a news crew to film their preparations for a concert in honour of the hospital’s most distinguished nurse.
LAST KINGDOM EPIC SERIES
TO END WITH A FEATURE FILM
While we are waiting for the fifth and final season to start next year, Netflix has announced that their THE LAST KINGDOM series will be crowned by a feature film as well SEVEN KINGS MUST DIE in which Alexander Dreymon will reprise his role of Uhtred along with the rest of
The film will start shooting early next year in Budapest
the crew of one of world's most popular historical series ever. Set in the 9th century, the series covers the resistance of the Kingdom of Wessex to ongoing Viking incursions to Southern England. The shooting of the film will start shortly before the final season starts airing.
DEREK JACOBI, AIDAN TURNER, SAM NEILL, DUSTIN HOFFMAN
Well, it certainly is a stellar cast: Simon Callow has added Derek Jacobi, Sam Neill, Aidan Turner, Dustin Hoffman, Roger Allam and Eileen Atkins to MR. SHAW GOES TO HOLLYWOOD comedy movie which tells the story of what happened before Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion became a worldwide phenomenon and answers the question of who will come out on top when the Irish born writer meets with the Hollywood elite. It starts
Aidan Turner, Sam Neill, Derek Jacobi lead the cast
in 1933, when Shaw (Derek Jacobi), goes to Hollywood with his wife Charlotte (Eileen Atkins) to see whether Shaw's most successful play Pygmalion should be turned into a film as everyone in Hollywood competes for his attention! Hoffman will be studio boss Louis B Mayer, co-founder of MGM, Aidan Turner will be Clark Gable and Sam Neill will be William Randolph Hearst.
NEW GOLD MOUNTAIN TRAILER
FOR NEW EPIC TV SERIES
Continuing our week of epic delights (which will actually culminate on Sunday with our mega list of all the historical and epic shows to air till the
New Gold Mountain starts October 13th
end of the year) here is a trailer that Australian SBS has published for their new four part mini series NEW GOLD MOUNTAIN which will arrive October 13th depicting the Gold Rush in 1850s Australia.
NEW GOLD MOUNTAIN opens in Ballarat, in 1857, where European, Chinese and
Indigenous Australian characters live together in a wild-west frontier
town as they seek to strike it rich by finding gold. Tensions between
rival camps run high, and Wei Shing (Yoson An), the charismatic
leader of the Chinese operation, struggles to remain in control as he
secretly amasses his own riches. A further threat to his authority is
Cheung Lei (Mabel Li), a formidable woman who has arrived
Alyssa Sutherland and Yoson An lead the cast
with
orders from China from her powerful father. When a white woman is found
murdered, Shing is fearful the prejudiced Europeans will blame the
New Gold Mountain will air in four hourlong episodes
Chinese. Determined to remain in power and keep his fortune, Shing must
find out what really happened. As Shing unravels the mystery, he
encounters
Mabel Li also stars in the new SBS historical series
the recently widowed Belle (Alyssa Sutherland), who is
making her name in town through the local newspaper she has inherited,
and Hattie, a young Aboriginal girl trying to get by.
And what legends they are indeed: as Deadline reports Derek Jacobi and Rupert Everett will lead LEAD HEADS movie together with Tom Felton, Luke Newberry and Mark Williams.Giles Borg directed drama is a
Rupert Everett and Derek Jacobi will lead the cast
movie about greed, following a group of men corrupted by greed, who, in their desperation, are drawn together for one night to play a game that may cost them both their souls and lives. The shooting will start next spring in London.
FIRST TRAILER IS IN FOR
DR. BIRD'S ADVICE FOR SAD POETS
The movie is out next January in USA
If you are in the mood for something more psychedelic, what is more psychedelic than a film with a pigeon as a shrink? Yaniv Raz' movie adaptation of Evan Roskos' book DR. BIRD'S ADVICE FOR SAD POETS will be out January 12th starring Jason Isaacs, Tom Wilkinson, David Arquette and Taylor Russell
next to Lucas Jade Zumann in the lead role! In the emotionally charged, wild and humorous world of sixteen year old James Whitman, we see his struggle to overcome anxiety and depression by seeking advice from Dr. Bird - an imaginary pigeon therapist - in the wake of his sister's disappearance.
First photos from new films today as well, but today a selection of more modern films, starting with sf film 2067 which takes place in a world plagued by a disease after climate change has forced the adoption of artificial oxygen.
The story of the movie is set in year 2067 plagued by a disease
With his wife sick and little hope for survival, Ethan (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is forced to travel to the future in search of a cure for the mysterious illness. Not
Australian superstar Ryan Kwanten stars in the movie
knowing who to trust, he has to navigate a future filled with imminent danger and the possibility of never coming home. Ryan Kwanten also stars as Jude Mathers, who serves as Ethan’s protector and his conscience.
'THE MARTINI SHOT'
1ST PHOTOS WITH JOHN CLEESE
There are also first photos from a rather stellar drama movie THE MARTINI SHOT, an Irish project scheduled for December release with the ensemble cast that includes John Cleese, Derek Jacobi, Stuart
Matthew Modine leads the stellar cast of Martini Shot
Townsend, Jason London and Matthew Modine. This existential drama follows an ailing movie director as he begins to shoot what he believes to be
Stephen Wallis has both written and directed the movie
his final work of art. What starts out as a normal movie, ends up being an exploration of mortality and one's profound effect on the world.
FIRST 'PIXIE' PHOTO
SENDS OLIVIA COOKE ON A HEIST
Over from the United Kingdom arrives the first cast photo from PIXIE action comedy which stars Olivia Cooke, Ben Hardy, Alec Baldwin,
Ben Hardy and Olivia Cooke lead the Pixie cast with Daryl McCormack
Colm Meaney and Sebastian de Souza. To avenge her mother's death, Pixie (Olivia Cooke) masterminds a heist but must flee across Ireland from gangsters, take on the patriarchy, and choose her own destiny.
Jacobi, Rob Brydon and Dame Sian Phillips in the cast. The story follows two older men who meet while walking their dogs on Hampstead Heath. What begins as a casual conversation about the weather and aching hips gradually deepens into an unexpected friendship – and perhaps something more. 
Jacobi, Rob Brydon and Dame Sian Phillips in the cast. The story follows two older men who meet while walking their dogs on Hampstead Heath. What begins as a casual conversation about the weather and aching hips gradually deepens into an unexpected friendship – and perhaps something more. 
