PANSLAVIC SUPERSTAR MILOSH BIKOVICH TO PLAY PETER THE GREAT IN BIRTH OF AN EMPIRE HISTORICAL EPIC! ALEXANDER PETROV, VICTOR DOBRONRAVOV JOIN POLANSKI'S PALACE MOVIE! SEE DISNEY + MAGICAL WILLOW EPIC SERIES TRAILER

  BIRTH OF AN EMPIRE 

CASTS MILOSH BIKOVICH AS TZAR PETER THE GREAT

After becoming pretty much a Tom Cruise type of blockbuster superstar over in good old Russia, it was rather logical that Serbian actor and panslavic star Milosh Bikovich will sooner or later get an imperial role. And now he

Milosh Bikovich is Peter the Great

has! Hollywood Spy can exclusively announce that he is playing tzar Peter the Great in his younger years in new Russian historical epic movie THE BIRTH OF AN EMPIRE (Рождение империи) from director Aleksey Nuzhniy. It will cover 1698-1709 - ten years from the life of Peter the Great, during which he laid the foundations of the future Russian Empire. From the return of the great embassies from Europe to the Battle of Poltava. After the signing of a peace treaty with Sweden in 1721, Russia officially became an empire, and Peter became the first Russian emperor. The film, shot last autumn and winter, should premiere December 29th as the most beautiful New Year's present. The film will also include one of the actors from Western Europe as King Charles XII.

 

  PALACE MOVIE CASTS  

RUSSIA'S ALEXANDER PETROV AND VICTOR DOBRONRAVOV

Speaking of Russia, her actors Victor Dobronravov and Alexander Petrov will star in in Roman Polanski's new film PALACE, a black comedy which takes place at the ski resort Gstad in the Swiss Alps. The story

Victor Dobronravov and Alexander Petrov will star in Palace

covers 24 hours before the New Year, 2000. The cast also includes Mickey Rourke, Oliver Mazucci, Fanny Ardant, John Cleese, Joaquin de Almeida and Fortunato Cerlino! Out this November, this $17.8 million movie is a co-production between Italy, Switzerland and Poland. 

  MAGICAL WILLOW TRAILER  

FOR NEW DISNEY SERIES

Disney Plus has announced the November 30th start date of their new epic series WILLOW with the first, rather lovely, trailer. Warwick Davis is reprising his movie role of Willow Ufgood in a story of a child destined to be

Warwick Davis returns to his famous movie role of Willow

an empress, and the unlikely hero who would protect her. Ellie Bamber also stars in this film set in a magical world where sorcerers, trolls, and other mystical creatures flourish, and where the adventure continues, as an unlikely

The series will hit Disney Plus November 30th this year

group of heroes sets off on a dangerous quest to places far beyond their home, where they must face their inner demons and come together to save their world.

JEREMY IRONS, JANNIS NIEWOHNER, GEORGE MACKAY FIGHT HITLER IN 1ST MUNICH: EDGE OF WAR PICS! SEE CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG IN NEW TRAILER WITH JACK WHITEHALL, JOHN CLEESE

  MUNICH: EDGE OF WAR  

FIRST PHOTOS ARE HERE!

Premiering at London Film Festival and then in January on Netflix is new war drama movie MUNICH: THE EDGE OF WAR for which today I can show you the first photos which feature a rather strong cast indeed: our

Our beloved Jannis Niewohner takes the lead role

favourite German superstar wildly charismatic Jannis Niewöhner, George MacKay and Jeremy Irons! Based on a novel by Robert Harris, the film is set in Autumn, 1938: once again Europe is on the brink of war as Hitler eyes

George Mackay is British civil servant Hugh Legat

the nation of Czechoslovakia for his expansion of Nazi Germany. In Britain, the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain (Jeremy Irons), is desperately seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict, in the hope to avoid a

Jeremy Irons is British prime minister in the new movie

catastrophic war. Meanwhile, a British civil servant, Hugh Legat (George Mackay), and the German diplomat Paul von Hartmann (Jannis Niewöhner), travel to the Munich conference. Political Subterfuge threatens

The film will arrive to Netflix sometime next January

to destroy any hope of peace, as the pair face real danger while the eyes of the world are watching, in the hopes war will be averted. Jessica Brown Findlay plays Legat's wife.

 

  CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG 

NEW TRAILER IS HERE

Since this one was postponed to November 10th, we are now getting a new trailer for CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG comedy adventure which

Clifford will arrive November 10th

will hit cinemas and Paramount + streamer.  When middle schooler Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp) meets a magical animal rescuer (John Cleese) who gifts her a little, red puppy, she never anticipated waking up to find a giant ten-foot hound in her small New York City apartment. While her single mom (Sienna Guillory) is away for business, Emily and her fun but impulsive uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall) set out on an adventure that will keep you on the edge-of-your-seat as our heroes take a bite out of the Big Apple. Based on the beloved Scholastic book character, Clifford will teach the world how to love big!

IT IS CUTENESS OVERLOAD IN CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG TRAILER WITH JACK WHITEHALL, JOHN CLEESE! BARRY UNSWORTH'S 18TH CENTURY SLAVE SHIP NOVEL SACRED HUNGER TO BECOME EPIC TV SERIES

 SACRED HUNGER TO BECOME 

18TH CENTURY SET SERIES

The book written by Barry Unsworth actually won Booker Prize back in 1992 together with Michael Ondaatje's English Patient which then

The book will become a TV series

became an Oscar winning movie, but SACRED HUNGER will now finally get its own adaptation. It won't be a big screen one, but a TV series one to be produced by Chris Bongirne. The story follows the journey of a struggling young English doctor aboard 18th century slave ship the Liverpool Merchant. The trouble begins when the ship is stricken by disease, watching as its crew and their cargo of African prisoners, meant for the slave trade, unite in mutiny, a move that will ultimately free both from the period’s oppressive and dehumanizing grip of commerce and greed.

 

  CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG 

 IT'S A REALLY BIG ADVENTURE

If you are looking for something to cheer you up this week, how about a cute pup - but in a giant red version? CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG trailer is here for a film based on popular childrens' books by Norman

Clifford is out September 17th in theatres

Bridwell. It will bark its way into cinemas this September following middle schooler Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp) who, after meeting a magical animal rescuer (John Cleese) who gifts her a little, red puppy, never antici- pated waking up to find a giant ten foot hound in her small New York City apartment. While her single mom (Sienna Guillory) is away for business, Emily and her fun but impulsive uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall) set out on an adventure that will

Jack Whitehall takes the male lead in the new family movie

keep you on the edge of your seat as our heroes take a bite out of the Big Apple. Based on the beloved Scholastic book character, Clifford will teach the world how to love big!

IT'S A STELLAR HOLIDAY WITH JOHN CLEESE, KELSEY GRAMMER, ELIZABETH HURLEY, CAROLINE QUENTIN, NATHALIE COX IN HILARIOUS FATHER CHRISTMAS IS BACK TRAILER

 FATHER CHRISTMAS IS BACK 

STELLAR TRAILER IS HERE!

Fun is what awaits you in the first trailer for festive comedy movie FATHER CHRISTMAS IS BACK which will probably arrive for holidays this year with an ensemble cast that includes Elizabeth Hurley, John Cleese, Kelsey Grammer, Caroline Quentin and Nathalie Cox. It follows four very different sisters who have reunited for the Christmas Holiday

The movie will air on Amazon Prime

in Caroline and Peter’s Yorkshire mansion. Caroline Christmas (Nathalie Cox) is a control freak, who desires nothing more than a perfect Christmas to atone for the fact that their father, James, abandoned the whole family on Christmas Day, many years ago. Joanna Christmas (Elizabeth Hurley) is a fashion editor, who likes expensive clothes almost as much as she hates the countryside and children. She has brought along her new city boy lover, Felix (Ray Fearon) for the festivities. Vicky Christmas (Talulah Riley) is a man eater who changes boyfriends as often as most people change their underwear. Paulina Christmas (Naomi Frederick) is an introverted music professor who has been writing her PhD thesis on The Beatles

The film was shot in stately Birdsall House built in 1540

for a decade. Also along for the festive roller coaster ride is their butter wouldn’t melt mother, Elizabeth (Caroline Quentin); their plains speaking farmer uncle, John (John Cleese) Caroline’s long suffering husband, Peter (Kris Marshall); and their two children. The arrival of James (Kelsey

Father Christmas surprised the family by arriving with a young lover

Grammer), their long lost father, and his 35 year old American girlfriend Jackie (April Bowlby) ruins Caroline’s hope for the perfect Christmas and sets off a series of mishaps, inconveniences and misconstrued misunderstandings that uncover the long-buried secret that tore their family apart, so many years ago.

CHRISTMAS 2020 FILMS: CASTLE FOR CHRISTMAS WITH BROOKE SHIELDS, CARY ELWES, FATHER CHRISTMAS IS BACK WITH ELIZABETH HURLEY, JOHN CLEESE, KELSEY GRAMMER, CHRISTMAS SETUP WITH FRAN DRESCHER

 CHRISTMAS 2020 MOVIES

A CASTLE FOR CHRISTMAS

There is still a lot of time till Christmas, but some of the festive films have already been announced. A CASTLE FOR CHRISTMAS over at Netflix, will see Brooke Shields playing a famed American author, Sophie, who travels to Scotland and finds herself wanting to buy a castle, but the prickly

Mary Lambert is directing the movie this month in Scotland

owner, a Scottish Duke named Myles (Cary Elwes), is reluctant to sell to a foreigner. Working to find a compromise, the pair constantly butt heads, but along the way they just may find more than they bargained for.

THE CHRISTMAS SETUP

Lifetime has cast TV legend Fran Drescher for their THE CHRISTMAS SETUP movie aboutf New York lawyer Hugo (Ben Lewis) who heads to Milwaukee with his best friend Madelyn (Ellen Wong) to spend the holidays with his mom Kate (Fran Drescher), who is also in charge of the local Christmas celebrations. Ever the matchmaker, Kate arranges for

This will be Lifetime's first holiday movie with a gay lead

Hugo to run into Patrick (Ben's reallife partner Blake Lee), Hugo’s high school friend and secret crush, who has recently returned after a successful stint in Silicon Valley. As they enjoy the local holiday festivities together, Hugo and Patrick’s attraction to each other is undeniable and it looks as though Kate’s Santa-style matchmaking is a success. But as Hugo receives word of a big promotion requiring a move to London, he must decide what is most important to him.

FATHER CHRISTMAS IS BACK

Over in UK they are already shooting new festive comedy movie FATHER CHRISTMAS IS BACK with Elizabeth Hurley, John Cleese and Kelsey Grammer. It follows Caroline Christmas (Nathalie Cox), a control freak who desires nothing more than a perfect Christmas with her sisters at her lavish country manor to atone for the fact that their father abandoned the

Philippe Martinez is directing the movie over in York

family on December 25th many years ago. When on Christmas Eve their long-lost father arrives at their doorstep with his new girlfriend, chaos ensues. Through a series of mishaps and misunderstandings, Caroline uncovers a long-buried family secret. Can the family still celebrate Christmas together after all? Cleese will be Santa Claus!

1ST PHOTOS FROM 2067 SF MOVIE WITH RYAN KWANTEN, KODI SMIT MCPHEE, THE MARTINI SHOT WITH JOHN CLEESE, DEREK JACOBI, STUART TOWNSEND, 'PIXIE' WITH OLIVIA COOKE, BEN HARDY, ALEC BALDWIN

  '2067' SF MOVIE

FIRST PHOTOS FROM THE FUTURE

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.

DELIGHTFUL NEW COMEDIES: AUSTRALIAN THE NAKED WANDERER WITH ANGUS MCLAREN AND JOHN CLEESE, ODE TO JOY WITH MARTIN FREEMAN, MORENA BACCARIN

'THE NAKED WANDERER'

ANGUS MCLAREN IS NAKED!

Two delightfully fun projects for you today! You already know that your trusted spy absolutely adores Australian films and their stars (this nekkid cutie from the poster is one of them) and I'm more than happy that another

Angus will wander naked sometime this year!

adorable comedy is coming from Down Under!

THE NAKED WANDERER will hit cinemas sometime this year starring irresistible Angus McLaren as Jake who, devastated when girlfriend Jasmine turns down his proposal to marry, walks all but naked up the Indian Ocean coast for charity. He is driven by media scoundrel Brian King's (John Cleese) 200k incentive to complete the walk and an ulterior motive to prove his worth to Jasmine. The walk makes Jake a celebrity, which appeals to Jasmine, but it's too late. Jake has fallen for mesmerizing backpacker Valerie. A spiteful Jasmine flies in and declares she will marry Jake after all. Jake turns Jasmine down but then Valerie vanishes.

'ODE TO JOY' TRAILER WITH

NARCOLEPTIC MARTIN FREEMAN

Ode to Joy starts next month!

Meanwhile, over in USA, August 9th is bringing us new romantic comedy ODE TO JOY in which Martin Freeman plays Charlie who suffers from cataplexy, a symptom of narcolepsy that causes sudden bouts of paralysis whenever he experiences strong emotions - in particular, joy. He develops a variety of techniques to deny himself too much pleasure and happiness, but they're put to the ultimate test when he falls in love. Morena Baccarin plays the love interest, with Jane Curtin, Jake Lacy and Melissa Rauch also in the cast of the Jason Winer (Modern Family, Life in Pieces) directed movie.