SEE GREGG SULKIN AND NATASCHA MCELHONE IN THE TRAILER FOR HULU'S NEW THRILLER TV SERIES THE KOLLECTIVE

  THE KOLLECTIVE SERIES  

TRAILER WITH GREGG SULKIN

The Kollective starts next month on Hulu

Hulu has sent us the trailer for their new drama thriller series THE KOLLECTIVE which will arrive to the streamer June 10th starring our gorgeous Gregg Sulkin alongside Natascha McElhone. All six episodes will be available for streaming immediately revealing a deadly game of citizen journalism. 

 

THIS BRAND NEW TV SERIES FOLLOWS 

a group of intrepid young citizen journalists who, after a sudden tragedy, find themselves sucked into a globe-spanning web of government lies and corruption. Through a dangerous international investigation, the group exposes nefarious activities of rogue governments and discovers the human price of keeping truth alive. It is interesting that the series comes from The Netherlands, but it was shot in Hungarian capital Budapest. Check out the rather cheap looking trailer below and tell us what you think.

 

YOUNG SHERLOCK SERIES: COLIN FIRTH JOINS JOSEPH AND HERO FIENNES AND NATASCHA MCELHONE IN GUY RITCHIE'S SERIES

 YOUNG SHERLOCK SERIES 

COLIN FIRTH JOINS THE MAIN CAST

After casting Joseph Fiennes and Natascha McElhone as parents of Hero Fiennes Tiffin's YOUNG SHERLOCK over at Prime Video, Guy Ritchie has cast Colin Firth as Sir Bucephalus Hodge. The series will re-imagine Sherlock Holmes at age 19. Disgraced, raw, unfiltered, and unformed, he finds himself caught up in a murder mystery at Oxford University which threatens his freedom. Diving into his first-ever case with a wild lack of discipline, Sherlock manages to unravel a globe-trotting conspiracy that will change his life forever.

JOSEPH FIENNES, NATASCHA MCELHONE TO PLAY HERO FIENNES TIFFIN'S PARENTS IN YOUNG SHERLOCK TV SERIES

 YOUNG SHERLOCK SERIES 

ADS JOSEPH FIENNES, NATASCHA MCELHONE

We already announced that Hero Fiennes Tiffin will lead Guy Ritchie's YOUNG SHERLOCK series but we now hear that Joseph Fiennes is joining his real life nephew as his father Silas Holmes with Natascha McElhone as his mum Cordelia. Silas is a scientist, explorer and self-made businessman, while Cordelia is a devoted mother, artist and matriarch of the Holmes clan. Prime Video's eight episode series follows the 19-year-old, disgraced, raw, unfiltered, and unformed genius, when he finds himself caught up in a murder mystery at Oxford University that threatens his freedom. Diving into his first-ever case with a wild lack of discipline, Sherlock manages to unravel a globe-trotting conspiracy that will change his life forever.

PREMIUM SPOTLIGHT ON HOTEL PORTOFINO PERIOD SET SERIES SEASON 3 WHICH ARRIVES THIS SUMMER

    HOTEL PORTOFINO   

THIRD SEASON IS COMING THIS SUMMER

Hotel Portofino opens this summer again

I must admit I am surprised this one got pass the first season, but it seems HOTEL PORTOFINO is returning for the third one this summer Sunday July 28th on PBS. As you know, the series takes place in the late 1920s following the Ainsworth family who move from England to the Italian coastal city of Portofino to open an upscale hotel. The story is set after World War I when the world is in a global post-war upheaval. The charming Italian seaside town with its warm climate and enchanting culture and townspeople provides the perfect respite for the elite British traveler. The main characters are Bella (Natascha McElhone) and her estranged husband Cecil (Mark Umbers) together with their son Lucian (Oliver Dench), his wife Rose (Claude Scott-Mitchell) and sister Alice (Olivia Morris). If I got it right, six episode season 3 is already available in UK on BritBox before arriving to ITV later this year in linear viewing, and also on Sky Italia and Foxtel in Australia.

  IN THE THIRD SEASON OF THE SERIES

Bella is preparing for her father and sister’s arrival but is thrown off when Cecil appears requesting a divorce. Over the weeks, Bella must decide her future as well as avoid fascist leader Danioni. But with the Wall Street stock market crash, things get worse, and Bella and Cecil lose everything. Dark secrets are exposed during another adventure in this sun-soaked 1920s Italian drama. Louisa Binder returns as Constance March, Lucian's true love interest and the nanny of his sister's daughter, Pasquale Esposito as Signor Danioni, Lily Frazer as American singer and actor Claudine Pascal, who has become Bella's best friend, and Daniele Pecci as the rich Count Albani, who is Bella's advisor and Alice's love interest. Check out the third season trailer below:

 

Back again in the Italian seaside town of Portofino 🍷#HotelPortofino, Thursday 25 April at 8.30pm AEST on Showcase, or Watch On Demand on #Foxtel pic.twitter.com/fXcx2t6fN6

— Foxtel (@Foxtel) April 21, 2024

PREMIUM SPOTLIGHT ON HOTEL PORTOFINO PERIOD SET SERIES SEASON TWO WHICH IS BACK THIS AUTUMN!

   HOTEL PORTOFINO SERIES   

SECOND SEASON BACK OCTOBER

Hotel is open again this October on PBS

Back in January your trusted spy told you that Australian Foxtel and Binge streamers will stream the second season of HOTEL PORTOFINO period set drama earlier than the rest of the world and it really did air there in February and also on Sky in Italy and possibly some other countries, but later this year it is finally coming to PBS in USA and also on their Masterpiece channel on Prime Video, October 15th to be exact. It will air on Sunday nights together with World on Fire series returning season. In UK it should air sometime on ITV but given that they only aired the first season this spring, God only knows when will the six part second season arrive to poor old Brits. In Germany it will be soon on Magenta TV.

 

SET ON THE ITALIAN RIVIERA

 in the 1920s, HOTEL PORTOFINO tells the story of the Ainsworth family that has relocated to Italy to set up a quintessentially British hotel in the beautiful coastal town of Portofino. Amidst the rise of Fascism in Mussolini’s Italy, season two will see Ainsworth family relations reach breaking point and the future of the hotel threatened.New faces and old — some more welcome than others — stir up adventure, romance and drama at the Hotel Portofino. With Cecil eyeing control of the Hotel, Nish moving against Mussolini’s Fascists and Rose and Lucian’s marriage growing more precarious, Bella will have more than tight budgets and grand galas to worry about.

 

WHO'S BACK IN THE HOTEL?

Embracing themes of sexual and social liberation, season two will see Natascha McElhone reprise her role as owner of Hotel Portofino and family matriarch, Bella Ainsworth. Mark Umbers plays her charming but dangerous aristocratic husband, Cecil, Oliver Dench is their handsome son Lucian, Daniele Pecci as the dashing count Albani, and Lily Fraser will return as the hotel’s most famous guest singer-turned-movie star, Claudine Pascal. Assad Zaman is back as Lucian's best friend, the Hindi gay student of medicine. Roby Schinasi has joined the cast as the handsome Victor Michel. Check out the trailer below:

 

HOTEL PORTOFINO OPENS ITS ITALIAN RIVIERA DOORS AGAIN IN THE SECOND SEASON TRAILER FOR THE PERIOD SET SERIES! NICHOLAS GALITZINE JOINS JULIANNE MOORE IN MARY & GEORGE PERIOD SET SERIES

 NICHOLAS GALITZINE JOINS 

JULIANNE MOORE IN MARY & GEORGE COSTUME DRAMA

After announcing Julianne Moore as the lead star of their new costume series MARY AND GEORGE, Sky and AMC have cast Nicholas Galitzine as her son George. In the eight part series she will play Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham, who in 17th century England molded her beautiful son, George (Galitzine), to seduce King James I and become his all-powerful lover. Through outrageous scheming, the pair rose from humble beginnings to become one of the richest, most titled and influential mother and sons England had ever seen. 

   HOTEL PORTOFINO   

SECOND SEASON TRAILER!

The second season returns this February

Well, it comes sooner than I expected, but Australian Foxtel has released today a trailer for the second season of HOTEL PORTOFINO period set drama which hits the streamer February 12th and will air on ITV February 3rd and later this year on PBS in USA. Set on the Italian Riviera in the 1920s, HOTEL PORTOFINO tells the story of the Ainsworth family that has relocated to Italy to set up a quintessentially British hotel in the beautiful town of Portofino. Amidst the rise of Fascism in Mussolini’s Italy, season two will see Ainsworth family relations reach breaking point and the future of the hotel threatened. Embracing themes of sexual and social liberation, season two will see Natascha McElhone reprise her role as owner of Hotel Portofino and family matriarch, Bella Ainsworth. Mark Umbers plays her charming but dangerous aristocratic husband, Cecil, Oliver Dench is their handsome son Lucian, Daniele Pecci as the dashing count Albani, and Lily Fraser will return as the hotel’s most famous guest singer-turned-movie star, Claudine Pascal. Roby Schinasi has joined the cast as the handsome Victor Michel.

Let the good times roll. #HotelPortofino Season 2 premieres February 12 on Foxtel. pic.twitter.com/pTllDpr4oE

— Foxtel (@Foxtel) January 12, 2023

SEE A HEARTWARMING AND SPIRITED TRAILER FOR CARMEN MOVIE DRAMA WITH NATASCHA MCELHONE, BILL NIGHY IN PERIOD SET DRAMA LIVING TRAILER

 CARMEN MOVIE TRAILER 

WITH NATASCHA MCELHONE

I don't have much for you today, but what I do have is quite lovely: a trailer for new inspiring and spirited movie drama CARMEN with Natascha McElhone in the

Carmen is out this September in cinemas

lead role and Valerie Buhagiar as the director and writer.

  Out this weekend in Canada and September 23rd in US theatres and on VOD, CARMEN is a charming story, inspired by true events, set in a village in Malta. Carmen has looked after her brother, the priest at the local church, since she was sixteen years old. Now almost fifty, she is suddenly left to start a new life after he passes away and she is no longer needed to dedicate her life to him and the church. Facing her past, Carmen brings colour to the lives of the villagers in this compelling story about a woman finding her voice.

 

 LIVING MOVIE TRAILER 

STARRING BILL NIGHY

We also have a trailer for Bill Nighy's new movie LIVING which is out this Christmas! Set against a post-World War 2 London it follows Williams, an impotent cog within the city’s bureaucracy as it struggles to rebuild. After years of dull work routine and a lonely home, Williams' life has become one that is empty and meaningless. However, things take a turn after Williams receives a life-shattering prognosis. Determined not to let the rest of his life go unfulfilled, Williams decides to make the best of the time he has left.

SF TUESDAY: SEE NEW CHARACTER POSTERS FOR PARAMOUNT'S SF TV SERIES HALO WITH PABLO SCHREIBER, NATASCHA MCELHONE! NETFLIX' BLACK CRAB POST APOCALYPTIC MOVIE TRAILER SENDS NOOMI RAPACE, JAKOB OFTEBRO TO FROZEN ARCHIPELAGO

   HALO SF TV SERIES   

LANDS CHARACTER POSTERS

Halo will launch March 24th this Spring

There is a number of big epic series arriving this year, and among them is Paramount + TV series adaptation of famous HALO video game which has just got a set of character posters after we got the new trailer and a launch date from March 24th a few weeks ago! Pablo Schreiber leads the cast as Master Chief, the Spartan in the middle of an epic 26th century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as The Covenant, who happens to be humanity’s best weapon against the invading alien race, as he was enhanced an trained for one purpose: to win this war. At least that is what Natascha McElhone’s Dr. Halsey says in the trailer. The cast also includes Jen Taylor as Cortana, Bokeem Woodbine, Shabana Azmi, Natasha Culzac, Olive Gray, Yerin Ha, Bentley Kalu, Kate Kennedy, a rather unrecognisable Charlie Murphy, Danny Sapani, alongside Ryan McParland, Burn Gorman and Fiona O’Shaughnessy. Watch below the trailer which opens to the brilliant and haunting new sf version of In the Air Tonight by Phill Collins. The series was created by Steven Kane and Kyle Killen and shot over in Hungary. It was originally set over at Showtime before it moved to Paramount Plus streamer. Jonathan Liebesman who helmed Shanara Chronicles and Otto Bathurst who is also helming Billy the Kid series over at Epix are directing the episodes.

 

 

  BLACK CRAB TRAILER  

FOR NETFLIX SF MOVIE

The mission starts March 18th at Netflix

Speaking of sf genre, check out the first trailer and poster for post apocalyptic sf movie BLACK CRAB which lands at Netflix March 18th coming from Sweden and starring Scandinavian stars Noomi Rapace and Jakob Oftebro and directed by Adam Berg who also worked on the scenario for the movie.  Set in a post apocalyptic world, this Swedish action thriller follows six soldiers sent on a covert mission to transport a mysterious package across a frozen archipelago without knowing what dangers lie ahead or who - if anyone - they can trust.But for speed skater turned soldier Caroline Edh, the mission is about something else entirely as she needs to save her daughter as well.

 

BOOK OF LOVE TRAILER SENDS SAM CLAFLIN TO MEXICO! SEE SUPER EXPENSIVE LOOKING TRAILER FOR PARAMOUNT'S HALO SF EPIC TV SERIES

 BOOK OF LOVE TRAILER 

SENDS SAM CLAFLIN TO MEXICO

Sam Claflin plays the lead role in Book of Love romcom

Although his new hairdo could use a comb, we still think Sam Claflin is the cutest thing ever and you can see why in the trailer for BOOK OF LOVE romantic comedy which will arrive to Amazon Prime February 4th. In the film, he plays young, uptight and unsuccessful English writer Henry whose novel sells to no one. But when his book is suddenly a surprise hit in Mexico, his publicist insists he travel there on a promotional tour. Upon arrival, a confused Henry discovers the reason behind his novel's popularity - Mexican translator Maria has rewritten his dull book as a steamy erotic novel.Henry, furious, and Maria, reluctant, must now travel together on a book tour across Mexico. As tempers flair and sparks begin to fly, the two begin to find love and lust despite themselves.

 

 HALO SERIES TRAILER 

LOOKS HALOWA EXPENSIVE

Halo arrives to Paramount + sometime next year

Paramount + has released first atmospheric trailer for their sf epic TV series HALO which will arrive sometime next year based on the popular video game. With Pablo Schreiber in the lead role of Master Chief, Paramount+’s upcoming series dramatizes an epic 26th century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant while weaving deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future. It also features Natascha McElhone as Dr. Halsey, the brilliant, conflicted and inscrutable creator of the Spartan super soldiers, and Jen Taylor as Cortana, the most advanced AI in human history, and potentially the key to the survival of the human race.

TONI COLLETTE, MONICA BELLUCCI TO LEAD MAFIA MAMMA COMEDY! FIRST HOTEL PORTOFINO PERIOD SET SERIES PHOTOS WITH NATASCHA MCELHONE, ADAM JAMES!

  MAFIA MAMMA COMEDY 

CASTS TONI COLLETTE AND MONICA BELLUCCI

I'm not into movies that glorify mafia, but at least this one sounds funny: Catherine Hardwicke has cast Toni Collette as the lead in her new comedy MAFIA MAMMA which already has Monica Bellucci. Toni will

Toni  Collette and Monica Bellucci will star in Mafia Mamma

play a suburban American woman who inherits her grandfather’s Mafia empire, and guided by the Firm’s trusted consigliere defies everyone’s expectations, including her own, as the new head of the family business.

  FIRST HOTEL PORTOFINO 

PICS FROM PERIOD SET DRAMA

Beside Sisi and La Fortuna, our dear Beta Film has, over at MipCom, also closed deals for another of their period set series HOTEL PORTOFINO which has been sold now to Scandinavia and Holland and will air on ITV and

Natascha McElhone will lead the cast of the new series

PBS, Sky Italia and Foxtel in Australia. Embued with the emancipated social attitudes of the 1920s, and set on the enchanting, beautiful Italian Riviera, The

Mark Umbers is also in the Hotel Portofino cast

six episode series follows a British family who emigrate to open a high-end hotel in Italy, and captures the long-established literary tradition of comic and

Adam James also stars in the series shooting in Croatia

idiosyncratic British “innocents abroad,” set against the historical backdrop of the rise of Fascism in Mussolini’s Italy. Beside Natascha McElhone, it also stars Adam James, Mark Umbers, Anna Chancellor, Daniele Pecci, Lorenzo Richelmy and Rocco Fasano.

RALPH FIENNES, ANYA TAYLOR JOY TO LEAD THE MENU DARK COMEDY MOVIE! NATASCHA MCELHONE, LORENZO RICHELMY, DANIELE PECCI, MARK UMBERS TO LEAD HOTEL PORTOFINO 1920S ITALIAN RIVIERA SET MINI TV SERIES

  THE MENU DARK COMEDY 

CASTS RALPH FIENNES AND ANYA TAYLOR JOY AS LEADS

 As Deadline reports, Mark Mylod will direct a new dark comedy movie for Searchlight titled THE MENU and he has already found his leads in Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor Joy. The film is a psychological thriller set in the

Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor Joy will lead the cast

world of eccentric culinary culture, centering on a young couple who visit an exclusive restaurant on a remote island where an acclaimed chef has prepared a lavish tasting menu. Taylor Joy will play one half of the couple. Fiennes is the chef.

 

  HOTEL PORTOFINO SERIES 

COMING TO ITV AND BRITBOX

Good news, period drama lovers! ITV and Britbox have hired our dear Beta Film and Eagle Eye Drama (owned by super lovely Walter Iuzzolino)

Daniele Pecci will be Count Carlo Albani

to produce 1920s Italian riviera set mini series HOTEL PORTOFINO which will also air on Sky Italia and Foxtel in Australia, and possibly on PBS in USA.  Created and written by Matt Baker, it already has Natascha McElhone cast in the lead role of the daughter of a wealthy industrialist who moves to Italy to set up a quintessentially British hotel in the beautiful town of Portofino. Shooting this summer in Portofino and on the Croatian coast, the series will also star Mark Umbers (as her charming but dangerous husband, Cecil), Anna Chancellor (as Lady Latchmere, the hotel’s most influential but hard to please guest), Daniele Pecci (as charismatic Count

First look on Natascha McElhone in the series!

Carlo Albani), Marco Polo's star Lorenzo Richelmy (as his son Roberto Albani) and Rocco Fasano (as anti fascist activist Gianluca Vitali). This whodunit mystery and also a family drama captures the long established

Mark Umbers and Lorenzo Richelmy will also star!

literary tradition of comic and idiosyncratic British ‘innocents abroad,’ but also reveals darker, more serious storylines, set against the historical backdrop of the rise of Fascism in Mussolini’s Italy.

SF TUESDAY: AMBER HEARD TO LEAD STEPHEN KING'S THE STAND EPIC SF SERIES WITH JAMES MARSDEN! NATASCHA MCELHONE AND OTHERS JOIN PABLO SCHREIBER IN HALO EPIC SF TV SERIES

    'THE STAND' SF SERIES CAST

AMBER HEARD & JAMES MARSDEN

Two pieces of news today from the sf front  that I'm a bit late in reporting! The TV series adaptation of Stephen King's THE STAND which will air over at CBS All Access is rounding up the cast. After James Marsden, the

Amber Heard will lead the cast with Marsden

latest additions are Amber Heard, Odessa Young and Henry Zaga! It has also been revealed that King will write a new ending of his story just for the show!

   THE STAND
 is set in a world decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108 year old other Mother Abagail and a handful of survivors.

 James Marsden will be Stu Redman, an ordinary working class factory man in an extraordinary situation with a damaged quality to him that belies his exterior. Amber Heard will be Nadine Cross, a deeply conflicted woman who feels the consequences of her actions, but is still compelled by her allegiance to Randall Flagg, the Dark Man who is the main enemy of the survivors. Odessa Young is Frannie Goldsmith, a pregnant young woman navigating a strange new world, who also has the

Henry Zaga has also been cast in The Stand sf series

foresight to recognize that there is evil lurking beyond the Dark Man. Henry Zaga will be Nick Andros, a young deaf and mute man who finds himself in a position of authority when the unthinkable happens. He has a habit of risking his own well-being for the safety of others.

    'HALO' EPIC TV ADAPTATION

BOARDS NATASCHA MCELHONE

Natascha McElhone has join Halo

Over at Showtime, they are also continuing with the casting for their epic sf series adaptation of HALO video game. Natascha McElhone has been set as the lead opposite Pablo Schreiber in the series that will depict an epic 26th century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant. McElhone will play both Dr. Catherine Halsey, the brilliant, conflicted and inscrutable creator of the Spartan super soldiers and Cortana, the most advanced AI in human history, and potentially the key to the survival of the human race. Bokeem Woodbine will play Soren-066, a morally complex privateer at the fringes of human civilization. Shabana Azmi will be Admiral Margaret Parangosky, the head of the Office of Naval Intelligence. Bentley Kalu will play Spartan Vannak-134, a cybernetically augmented super soldier conscripted at childhood who serves as the defacto deputy to the Master Chief. Natasha Culzac will be Spartan Riz-028, a focused, professional and deadly, cybernetically enhanced killing machine. Kate Kennedy is Spartan Kai-125, an all-new courageous, curious and deadly Spartan supersoldier.