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The Post Trailer – Meryl Streep & Tom Hanks star in Spielberg’s free press drama

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Steven Spielberg may be about to turn 71, but he’s showing no signs of slowing down. Indeed, the current political situation (i.e. Trump), caused him to slot in an extra movie that will be out soon, even though he was already busy making the big budget sci-fi movie, Ready Player One.

That extra film is The Post, but despite the fact it seemed to come together very quickly, Spielberg still managed to pull together an impressive cast, including Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, Bruce Greenwood, Matthew Rhys and Alison Brie.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘In June 1971 The New York Times, the Washington Post and the nation’s major newspapers took a brave stand for freedom of speech and reported on the Pentagon Papers, the massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned four decades and four US Presidents.

‘At the time, the Post’s Katherine Graham (Streep) was still finding her footing as the country’s first female newspaper publisher, and Ben Bradlee (Hanks), the paper’s volatile, driven editor, was trying to enhance the stature of the struggling, local paper. Together, the two formed an unlikely team, as they were forced to come together and make the bold decision to support The New York Times and fight the Nixon Administration’s unprecedented attempt to restrict the first amendment.’

The Post will be released in UK Cinemas on January 19th, 2018. Take a look at the trailer below. [Read more…]

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Mary Poppins Returns (In The Form Of Emily Blunt) In Some New Pics From The Sequel

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There are as many people who seem to be excited about a new Mary Poppins movie as there are people who think the whole thing is sacrilege. Indeed, it’s probably the movie in Disney’s new age of new takes on their classics that’s caused the most comment.

A new set of pics from the movie have now arrived, via EW, which suggest that Rob Marshall’s new Poppins will be both the same and different to the legendary 1964 movie. And part of that difference is that the setting has jumped forawrd a few decades.

EW also has the best description yet of what the movie is going to be about, saying, ‘Mary Poppins Returns, directed by Rob Marshall (Into the Woods), picks up 25 years after the events of the first film, fast-forwarding to London’s mid-1930s economic slump, the actual time period of Travers’ books. Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane has become the warm, loving home that banker and artist Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) shares with his wife and three children. But after the sudden death of Michael’s wife, the Banks family is shattered — even enthusiastic aunt Jane (Emily Mortimer), now a fervent union organizer, and long-time housemaid Ellen (Julie Walters) can’t help lift spirits — and so in time, the once-blossoming home is on the verge of foreclosure.

Cue the arrival of prim and peculiar Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt), who leads Michael’s wayward children (and Jane and Michael themselves) on a series of unbelievable adventures — to the top of Big Ben, the bottom of the ocean, into magical encounters with animated dancing penguins and upside-down cousins (hey, Meryl Streep!). If anyone can help this family find the light they’ve lost, it’s Mary Poppins.’

Mary Poppins Returns will once more be a musical, with new tunes from Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the Musical). It’ll be in cinemas in December 2018.

Take a look at the new pics below. [Read more…]

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Sarah Paulson, Matthew Rhys & More Join Steven Spielberg’s Pentagon Papers Film

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Back in March news emerged not just that Steven Spielberg was working on a film about the Pentagon Papers, but that he’d already got Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks onboard to star. Now the director has been filling out the acting ensemble, as Variety reports that Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Matthew Rhys, Bradley Whitford, Carrie Coon, Jesse Plemons, David Cross, Alison Brie, Bruce Greenwood, Tracy Letts, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Zach Woods have all signed onto the movie. There’s no news on the exact roles they’ll play.

The movie will be based on Liz Hannah’s spec script, which recently landed one of the top spots on the Black List of the best unproduced screenplays. It’s ‘a drama about the Washington Post’s role in exposing the Pentagon Papers in 1971, and how the Post’s editor Ben Bradlee and publisher Kay Graham challenged the federal government over their right to publish them.’

The Pentagon Papers were a Top Secret report commissioned to look at what was happening in the Vietnam War. It spoke of a dramatic escalation that was being hidden from the public, and much of its information seemed to support the growing idea that the war was unwinnable. After it was leaked to the Washington Post, the newspaper ended up in a legal battle with the government over whether they could publish more of what they’d learned from the report.

At a time when the current US President is at war with the media and angry about leaks, this look at freedom of the press, the First Amendment and government lies could end up being extremely timely. To ensure the film can properly address current events, the film is on an accelerated production schedule so that it can get an Oscar qualifying run at the end of the year, before getting a wider release in early 2018.

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Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep & Steven Spielberg Teaming For Pentagon Papers Movie, The Post

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She’s one of the most storied actresses in film history, but Meryl Streep has never appeared on-screen in a Steven Spielberg movie. They have worked together, as Streep voiced one of the mechas in Spielberg’s AI, but it’s only now that she’s planning to get in front of the director’s lens, for the Post.

The other star lined up is someone Spielberg has worked with numerous times before, Tom Hanks, who’s also signed up to take on this look at the Pentagon Papers scandal, according to Deadline.

The movie will be based on Liz Hannah’s spec script, which recently landed one of the top spots on the Black List of the best unproduced screenplays. It’s ‘a drama about the Washington Post’s role in exposing the Pentagon Papers in 1971, and how the Post’s editor Ben Bradlee and publisher Kay Graham challenged the federal government over their right to publish them.’

The Pentagon Papers was a Top Secret report commissioned to look at what was happening in the Vietnam War. It spoke of a dramatic escalation that was being hidden from the public, and much of its information seemed to support the growing idea that the war was unwinnable. After it was leaked to the Washington Post, the newspaper ended up in a legal battle with the government over whether they could publish more of what they’d learned from the report. At a time when the current US President is at war with the media and angry about leaks, this look at freedom of the press, the First Amendment and government lies could end up being extremely timely.

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Ben Whishaw May Join Mary Poppins Sequel

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lilting-ben-whishawDisney’s planned follow-up to Mary Poppins is fast coming together, with Emily Blunt in the lead role, Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda in the equivalent of the Dick Van Dyke role, and Meryl Streep in talks to play Poppins’ cousin, Topsy. Now THR reports that London Spy and Spectre star Ben Whishaw may be joining them.

He’s in talks to play an adult Michael Banks in the movie, which will be set in the 1930s and follow Michael and Jane Banks, as well as their children, after a major event takes place in their lives. That event results in the return of the magical Mary Poppins, who teams up with her lamplighter friend Jack (Miranda) to help the family.

Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray, Smash) will write the songs, with David Magee penning the script. Rob Marshall is set to direct. The current plan is to shoot early next year, for release December 2018.

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Meryl Streep In Talks To Star Alongside Emily Blunt In Disney’s Mary Poppins Sequel

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meryl-streepThere are very few movies that wouldn’t be made better by the presence of Meryl Streep, and we can’t imagine Disney’s planned sequel to Mary Poppins will be any difference. Emily Blunt if already signed up for the central role with Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda in the equivalent of the Dick Van Dyke role, and now Variety reports that Streep may well join her.

While the 1960s movie was mainly based in the first of Travers’ books, the new movie will explore Mary’s further adventures with the Banks family and beyond as illustrated by Travers’ seven additional novels. The the film will see Mary returning to help a grown-up Michael and Jane Banks, as well as their children, after a major events takes place in their lives.

Streep will play ‘Poppins’ cousin, Topsy, a supporting role that wasn’t in the 1964 classic’. It will also give her another chance to show off her singing skills.

Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray, Smash) will write the songs, with David Magee writing the script. Rob Marshall, who worked with Streep in Into The Woods, is set to direct.

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