Writer/director Parker Finn’s sequel to his 2022 horror film Smile is aiming for an October 18th theatrical release date – and with that date just six months away, Paramount decided to start building the hype for Smile 2 during their panel at CinemaCon today. They showed a teaser trailer to the people who attended their panel, and in the audience was JoBlo’s own Lance Vlcek!
Lance describes what he saw in this teaser: “Story appears to be set around a Taylor Swift type of mega-star artist (Naomi Scott) who gets sucked into the curse of Smile. The sequel has a bigger budget and slicker look, seems to be bigger in scope. There was a very cool scene where a crowd of people under control of the entity are in a tight backstage hallway chasing Naomi Scott, all of the smiling in that creepy way. Plot-wise, it doesn’t give much away.
Lance describes what he saw in this teaser: “Story appears to be set around a Taylor Swift type of mega-star artist (Naomi Scott) who gets sucked into the curse of Smile. The sequel has a bigger budget and slicker look, seems to be bigger in scope. There was a very cool scene where a crowd of people under control of the entity are in a tight backstage hallway chasing Naomi Scott, all of the smiling in that creepy way. Plot-wise, it doesn’t give much away.
- 4/11/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
From December through February, we followed the progress as writer/director Parker Finn assembled the cast for a sequel to his 2022 horror film Smile (read our review Here, watch the movie Here) – a project we’re referring to as Smile 2 until we hear otherwise. The cast includes Naomi Scott of Aladdin and Charlie’s Angels, Lukas Gage of The White Lotus and You, Rosemarie DeWitt of La La Land and the Poltergeist remake, Dylan Gelula of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Dream Scenario, Raúl Castillo of Army of the Dead and Knives Out, Miles Gutierrez-Riley of The Wilds and On The Come Up, and Kyle Gallner (Red State), reprising the role he played in the first movie. The film is aiming for an October 18, 2024 theatrical release date, so we knew it had to be going to production soon, if it wasn’t already filming – and now Gage has confirmed that production is already underway.
- 3/12/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Backstage at the Independent Spirit Awards on February 25, Da’Vine Joy Randolph told reporters she wasn’t counting on anything major this Oscars weekend: “I’m not expecting anything,” Randolph said when asked about her Oscar chances. “I’m not betting on anything. I’m just happy to be invited into the building. To me, I’ve already won, because I’ve gained the respect of you guys. That’s what matters to me the most.”
A lovely sentiment, but it became Oscar official on Sunday evening when Randolph won the 2024 Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Mary Lamb in “The Holdovers,” a cook at a private school in the 1970s dealing with the recent death of her son in Vietnam.
Co-starring Paul Giamatti (who is also nominated tonight) and Dominic Sessa, the true three-hander from Alexander Payne is nominated for a total of five Oscars, including Best Picture,...
A lovely sentiment, but it became Oscar official on Sunday evening when Randolph won the 2024 Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Mary Lamb in “The Holdovers,” a cook at a private school in the 1970s dealing with the recent death of her son in Vietnam.
Co-starring Paul Giamatti (who is also nominated tonight) and Dominic Sessa, the true three-hander from Alexander Payne is nominated for a total of five Oscars, including Best Picture,...
- 3/10/2024
- by Erin Strecker
- Indiewire
Let’s rewind back to November 2023, the very first weekend after the historic Screen Actors Guild strike ended. Back then, star Da’Vine Joy Randolph shared with IndieWire that she was already at ease with how “The Holdovers” would be received, despite only director Alexander Payne being able to promote it during its first couple of months of screening.
“I knew that we would reach people’s hearts,” said the eventual frontrunner for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, who plays Mary Lamb, a prep school head chef and grieving mother in the Focus Features release. “I feel like I was a part of something really special that could have sustained and held it, even if [the strikes] went all the way through the end of the year.”
Sparkling in a plush green full-length dress with fuzzy trimming, seated inside one of the hospitality rooms inside a Beverly Hills hotel, Randolph described her role...
“I knew that we would reach people’s hearts,” said the eventual frontrunner for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, who plays Mary Lamb, a prep school head chef and grieving mother in the Focus Features release. “I feel like I was a part of something really special that could have sustained and held it, even if [the strikes] went all the way through the end of the year.”
Sparkling in a plush green full-length dress with fuzzy trimming, seated inside one of the hospitality rooms inside a Beverly Hills hotel, Randolph described her role...
- 2/27/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
Mara Brock Akil’s Netflix series adaptation of the 1975 Judy Blume novel “Forever” has found its two series leads, Variety has learned.
Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. are set to star in the series, which was originally ordered at Netflix back in 2022. In addition, Regina King has boarded the series as an executive producer and will direct the first episode.
The official logline states the series is “an epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts, set in Los Angeles, 2018.”
Simone will star as as Keisha Clark, described as “a young confident, smart, and fiery track star with clear dreams for life after high school.” Cooper will play Justin Edwards, “a young man who is a nerd at heart disguised in an athlete’s body. Justin dreams of playing D1 basketball and achieving more than his successful parents.
Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. are set to star in the series, which was originally ordered at Netflix back in 2022. In addition, Regina King has boarded the series as an executive producer and will direct the first episode.
The official logline states the series is “an epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts, set in Los Angeles, 2018.”
Simone will star as as Keisha Clark, described as “a young confident, smart, and fiery track star with clear dreams for life after high school.” Cooper will play Justin Edwards, “a young man who is a nerd at heart disguised in an athlete’s body. Justin dreams of playing D1 basketball and achieving more than his successful parents.
- 2/15/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Paramount’s Smile sequel is rounding out its cast with Raúl Castillo (Cassandro) and Miles Gutierrez-Riley (The Wilds). The film’s plot and character details are being kept under wraps.
The duo joins the previously announced cast: Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage, Kyle Gallner, Rosemarie DeWitt and Dylan Gelula.
Smile writer and director returns for the second installment to again direct from his own script, with Temple Hill producing. Smile 2 is currently slated for release on October 18, 2024, when it will go up against a still-unnamed title from Universal Pictures.
Going on to gross over $217M in theaters, even if it was initially set up for release on Paramount+, Smile was one of the great, unexpected box office successes of 2022. One of several original studio horror films of late to expand into a franchise, it tells the story of Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), a psychiatrist who becomes increasingly convinced...
The duo joins the previously announced cast: Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage, Kyle Gallner, Rosemarie DeWitt and Dylan Gelula.
Smile writer and director returns for the second installment to again direct from his own script, with Temple Hill producing. Smile 2 is currently slated for release on October 18, 2024, when it will go up against a still-unnamed title from Universal Pictures.
Going on to gross over $217M in theaters, even if it was initially set up for release on Paramount+, Smile was one of the great, unexpected box office successes of 2022. One of several original studio horror films of late to expand into a franchise, it tells the story of Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), a psychiatrist who becomes increasingly convinced...
- 2/14/2024
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
The Golden Globe-winning star of The Holdovers on sparring with comedy greats, switching from opera to acting, and cooking as therapy
A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, Philadelphia-born actor Da’Vine Joy Randolph was nominated for a Tony award for her breakthrough performance in the 2012 Broadway stage production of Ghost: The Musical. Since then, she has worked in TV and film, starring opposite Eddie Murphy in Dolemite Is My Name and as Aunt Pooh in On the Come Up. Last week she won for best supporting actress award at the Golden Globes for her role in Alexander Payne’s bittersweet tragicomic three-hander, The Holdovers. She plays a recently bereaved mother and the longsuffering head cook at an elite New England boarding school in the 1970s, opposite Paul Giamatti’s curmudgeonly teacher, and newcomer Dominic Sessa as a troubled student.
When you were first approached by Alexander Payne, you didn’t know who he was.
A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, Philadelphia-born actor Da’Vine Joy Randolph was nominated for a Tony award for her breakthrough performance in the 2012 Broadway stage production of Ghost: The Musical. Since then, she has worked in TV and film, starring opposite Eddie Murphy in Dolemite Is My Name and as Aunt Pooh in On the Come Up. Last week she won for best supporting actress award at the Golden Globes for her role in Alexander Payne’s bittersweet tragicomic three-hander, The Holdovers. She plays a recently bereaved mother and the longsuffering head cook at an elite New England boarding school in the 1970s, opposite Paul Giamatti’s curmudgeonly teacher, and newcomer Dominic Sessa as a troubled student.
When you were first approached by Alexander Payne, you didn’t know who he was.
- 1/14/2024
- by Wendy Ide
- The Guardian - Film News
Stars: Odessa A’zion, Michael Cooper Jr., Lizze Broadway, Dermot Mulroney, Mary Buss, Kenneisha Thompson, Ryan Francis | Written by Kevin Bachar | Directed by Jerren Lauder
The Inhabitant opens with a series of title cards, some over photos of the victims, telling the viewer the story of Lizzy Borden and allegations of possession and a family curse that seems to persist to the present day passed down among her female descendants.
Tara is stressed out. Her boyfriend Carl is planning on attending college at Stanford. Even worse, her home life is a mess, something not even her best friend Suzy can help her deal with. She’s had past issues with depression which has her parents Ben and Emily concerned. That’s not entirely her fault though, she has a newborn brother, and her mother’s sister Diane was committed to an institution for smothering a newborn and burying the body, and...
The Inhabitant opens with a series of title cards, some over photos of the victims, telling the viewer the story of Lizzy Borden and allegations of possession and a family curse that seems to persist to the present day passed down among her female descendants.
Tara is stressed out. Her boyfriend Carl is planning on attending college at Stanford. Even worse, her home life is a mess, something not even her best friend Suzy can help her deal with. She’s had past issues with depression which has her parents Ben and Emily concerned. That’s not entirely her fault though, she has a newborn brother, and her mother’s sister Diane was committed to an institution for smothering a newborn and burying the body, and...
- 8/4/2023
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
On “Dave,” a show co-created by and starring Dave Burd that dramatizes his exploits as terminally navel-gazing hip-hop star Lil Dicky, there can be little room to explore the lives of others in his orbit. But since the 2020 pilot, Davionte “GaTa” Ganter has not-so-quietly been stealing scenes as Burd’s hype man and closest confidante.
Not only has GaTa become the sounding board and best friend that everyone wishes they had (whether they’re a famous rapper or not), he has offered an intimate window into his own mental health struggles, reenacting them on screen with devastating vulnerability.
As tough as his journey has often been to watch throughout the series, GaTa says that performing heavy scenes comes naturally. This is despite the fact he has no prior acting experience. “It’s easy for me to get emotional,” he says. “And I’m also a Cancer, and they say we’re emotional people.
Not only has GaTa become the sounding board and best friend that everyone wishes they had (whether they’re a famous rapper or not), he has offered an intimate window into his own mental health struggles, reenacting them on screen with devastating vulnerability.
As tough as his journey has often been to watch throughout the series, GaTa says that performing heavy scenes comes naturally. This is despite the fact he has no prior acting experience. “It’s easy for me to get emotional,” he says. “And I’m also a Cancer, and they say we’re emotional people.
- 5/25/2023
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
A few main cast members have left ABC‘s The Rookie over five seasons. Mercedes Mason, who played Zoe Andersen, and Afton Williamson, who played Talia Bishop, exited the series during and after the first season. But the most heartbreaking departure came when The Rookie killed off Titus Makin Jr.’s character Jackson West in the season 4 premiere.
Titus Makin Jr. as Jackson West | Gilles Mingasson via Getty Images Titus Makin Jr. played Jackson West in ‘The Rookie’ until the character’s death
The Rookie introduced Titus Makin Jr.’s character Jackson West during the series premiere. He, Nathan Fillion’s John Nolan, and Melissa O’Neil’s Lucy Chen were all rookies assigned to the Mid-Wilshire station in the LAPD. Jackson’s training officer was Angela Lopez, and the two developed a close friendship over their time together.
Jackson also trained in the academy alongside Nolan and Chen, so they had a close bond.
Titus Makin Jr. as Jackson West | Gilles Mingasson via Getty Images Titus Makin Jr. played Jackson West in ‘The Rookie’ until the character’s death
The Rookie introduced Titus Makin Jr.’s character Jackson West during the series premiere. He, Nathan Fillion’s John Nolan, and Melissa O’Neil’s Lucy Chen were all rookies assigned to the Mid-Wilshire station in the LAPD. Jackson’s training officer was Angela Lopez, and the two developed a close friendship over their time together.
Jackson also trained in the academy alongside Nolan and Chen, so they had a close bond.
- 3/13/2023
- by Sarah Little
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Exclusive: Sony has rounded out the cast for its untitled, R-rated rom-com, led by Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, with the addition of actor and rapper GaTa (Dave).
Details as to the plot of the film currently being shot in Australia and GaTa’s role in it are under wraps. But Will Gluck is directing from a script by Ilana Wolpert, which he rewrote.
Related Story ‘Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham Joins ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 2’ Related Story Sydney Sweeney And Julianne Moore To Star In Apple Original Films' 'Echo Valley' Related Story 'Scream VI' Stabbing At Franchise-Best $50M+ Global Opening – Box Office Preview
Dermot Mulroney, Rachel Griffiths, Michelle Hurd, Bryan Brown, Darren Barnet and Hadley Robinson also star in the pic which Joe Roth, Jeff Kirschenbaum and Gluck are producing. Sweeney is exec producing for Fifty-Fifty Films, along with Natalie Sellers and Alyssa Altman for Rk Films,...
Details as to the plot of the film currently being shot in Australia and GaTa’s role in it are under wraps. But Will Gluck is directing from a script by Ilana Wolpert, which he rewrote.
Related Story ‘Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham Joins ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 2’ Related Story Sydney Sweeney And Julianne Moore To Star In Apple Original Films' 'Echo Valley' Related Story 'Scream VI' Stabbing At Franchise-Best $50M+ Global Opening – Box Office Preview
Dermot Mulroney, Rachel Griffiths, Michelle Hurd, Bryan Brown, Darren Barnet and Hadley Robinson also star in the pic which Joe Roth, Jeff Kirschenbaum and Gluck are producing. Sweeney is exec producing for Fifty-Fifty Films, along with Natalie Sellers and Alyssa Altman for Rk Films,...
- 3/10/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The 54th NAACP Image Awards, which aired on CBS from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium Saturday night, has wrapped. Queen Latifah hosted the proceedings, which honored the best in Black entertainment for the proceeding year. Inclusive awards that they are, the Image Awards often give a hat-tip to performers of color who aren’t Black, though: Tenoch Huerta Mejía won Best Supporting Actor for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” which also won Outstanding Motion Picture.
That film received another big award in the form of Best Supporting Actress for Angela Bassett, who is by far now the frontrunner for the Academy Award. It was one of two awards of the night for Bassett, as she also won Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for her role in “9-1-1.”
Among other notable winners, Will Smith won Best Actor for his role in “Emancipation.” And “P-Valley” won Outstanding Drama Series, along with Nico...
That film received another big award in the form of Best Supporting Actress for Angela Bassett, who is by far now the frontrunner for the Academy Award. It was one of two awards of the night for Bassett, as she also won Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for her role in “9-1-1.”
Among other notable winners, Will Smith won Best Actor for his role in “Emancipation.” And “P-Valley” won Outstanding Drama Series, along with Nico...
- 2/26/2023
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
New Release Wall
“John Wick” 1 – 3 Stash Book Collection (Lionsgate): As the Keanu Reeves-loving world awaits the March release of “John Wick: Chapter 4,” superfans get an early gift with this box set of the first three films — in which the titular hit man Wick annihilates bad people for good reasons — in 4K Ultra HD. The three individual films arrive in steelbooks emblazoned with details specific to them, which in turn fit into a replica of Wick’s “stash book.” In other words, fans of excessive violence now get to house their preciouses in a cozy little death-house, and that’s adorable.
Also available:
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel): After the death of King T’Challa, the grieving citizens of Wakanda — including Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku and the Dora Milaje — fight to protect it from outside forces.
“Detective Knight: Independence” (Lionsgate): The final chapter of the...
“John Wick” 1 – 3 Stash Book Collection (Lionsgate): As the Keanu Reeves-loving world awaits the March release of “John Wick: Chapter 4,” superfans get an early gift with this box set of the first three films — in which the titular hit man Wick annihilates bad people for good reasons — in 4K Ultra HD. The three individual films arrive in steelbooks emblazoned with details specific to them, which in turn fit into a replica of Wick’s “stash book.” In other words, fans of excessive violence now get to house their preciouses in a cozy little death-house, and that’s adorable.
Also available:
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel): After the death of King T’Challa, the grieving citizens of Wakanda — including Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku and the Dora Milaje — fight to protect it from outside forces.
“Detective Knight: Independence” (Lionsgate): The final chapter of the...
- 2/20/2023
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
On the Come Up follows the story of 16-year-old Bri who dreams of becoming one the greatest rappers ever. It becomes more than a dream when she has no choice but to succeed to help her family avoid eviction.
Michael Cooper, who plays Malik, and Miles Gutierrez-Riley, who plays Sonny, recently sat down for a conversation with uInterview founder Erik Meers to discuss starring opposite icons like Mike Epps and Method Man as young actors.
“Everyone approached it with such humility,” Gutierrez-Riley said. “Everyone is so gracious. Everyone had a real appreciation for the actual crafts of both acting and storytelling. It was so easy to learn from them because they were so supportive. You also felt challenged because you had to rise to the occasion to match the legacy of these incredibly talented actors and musicians. It was a cool opportunity as a young actor.”
“Definitely working with some...
Michael Cooper, who plays Malik, and Miles Gutierrez-Riley, who plays Sonny, recently sat down for a conversation with uInterview founder Erik Meers to discuss starring opposite icons like Mike Epps and Method Man as young actors.
“Everyone approached it with such humility,” Gutierrez-Riley said. “Everyone is so gracious. Everyone had a real appreciation for the actual crafts of both acting and storytelling. It was so easy to learn from them because they were so supportive. You also felt challenged because you had to rise to the occasion to match the legacy of these incredibly talented actors and musicians. It was a cool opportunity as a young actor.”
“Definitely working with some...
- 10/4/2022
- by Rose Carter
- Uinterview
On the Come Up follows the story of 16-year-old Bri who dreams of becoming one the greatest rappers ever. It becomes more than a dream when she has no choice but to succeed to help her family avoid eviction.
Jamila Gray, who plays Bri, recently sat for an exclusive with uInterview founder Erik Meers to discuss how her musical background helped her on screen.
“I have dabbled in music quite a bit. I had a very musical childhood,” Gray said. “My dad actually makes music. I’ve recorded a song or two and I have one out. I’m actually a DJ on the weekends, so I DJ a lot of hip-hop shows in my area. I have a heavy music background.”
Gray also revealed how she got ready to play Bri.
“Most of the prep came emotionally and just trying to understand Bri’s pain and portray that accurately,...
Jamila Gray, who plays Bri, recently sat for an exclusive with uInterview founder Erik Meers to discuss how her musical background helped her on screen.
“I have dabbled in music quite a bit. I had a very musical childhood,” Gray said. “My dad actually makes music. I’ve recorded a song or two and I have one out. I’m actually a DJ on the weekends, so I DJ a lot of hip-hop shows in my area. I have a heavy music background.”
Gray also revealed how she got ready to play Bri.
“Most of the prep came emotionally and just trying to understand Bri’s pain and portray that accurately,...
- 9/27/2022
- by Rose Carter
- Uinterview
On the Come Up follows the story of 16-year-old Bri who dreams of becoming one the greatest rappers ever. It becomes more than a dream when she has no choice but to succeed to help her family avoid eviction. The film is based on a book by the same name.
Author Angie Thomas recently sat down with uInterview founder Erik Meers to discuss the representation of Black women in On the Come Up.
“The fact that she’s a young girl rapper is something we don’t see a lot,” Thomas said. “Especially in hip-hop films. A lot of the time in hip-hop films, women are pushed to the side. Now you have On the Come Up. Now You have Issa Ray‘s show. We have these projects that are bringing women to the forefront in hip-hop because women have always been at the forefront of hip-hop in more ways than one.
Author Angie Thomas recently sat down with uInterview founder Erik Meers to discuss the representation of Black women in On the Come Up.
“The fact that she’s a young girl rapper is something we don’t see a lot,” Thomas said. “Especially in hip-hop films. A lot of the time in hip-hop films, women are pushed to the side. Now you have On the Come Up. Now You have Issa Ray‘s show. We have these projects that are bringing women to the forefront in hip-hop because women have always been at the forefront of hip-hop in more ways than one.
- 9/26/2022
- by Rose Carter
- Uinterview
Things were looking only slightly brighter at the box office with the release of Olivia Wilde’s sophomore feature, the thriller “Don’t Worry Darling,” starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, especially after it took in 3.1 million in Thursday previews (which also included sold-out Monday IMAX shows). With 9.4 million grossed on Friday in 4,113 theaters (which includes that 3.1 million), the anticipated movie ended up being front-loaded, though, winding up with an estimated 19.2 million for the weekend, just slightly better than the opening of Viola Davis’ “The Woman King” last weekend.
Regardless of any negative reviews and the tabloid gossip surrounding the film, audiences seemed to enjoy the movie, as it received a CinemaScore of “B-” (same as last week’s “Pearl”), and its Audience Score at Rotten Tomatoes was at 80. “Don’t Worry Darling” also grossed 10.8 million overseas this weekend, including a 3.1 million debut in the United Kingdom.
Gina Prince-Bythewood’s historic epic...
Regardless of any negative reviews and the tabloid gossip surrounding the film, audiences seemed to enjoy the movie, as it received a CinemaScore of “B-” (same as last week’s “Pearl”), and its Audience Score at Rotten Tomatoes was at 80. “Don’t Worry Darling” also grossed 10.8 million overseas this weekend, including a 3.1 million debut in the United Kingdom.
Gina Prince-Bythewood’s historic epic...
- 9/25/2022
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
MSNBC’s “Model America” exposes the myth that Teaneck, NJ was a post racial utopian society for Teaneck, NJ by delving into the horrific shooting of Phillip Pannel in 1990.
Growing up in Teaneck, New Jersey, co-director Dani Goffstein first learned about Phillip Pannel, a 16-year-old Black man killed by a white police officer, when his father pointed out a yellow house as they walked home from synagogue. The story of injustice in what many label as a model community of America stayed with him into adulthood when the 2014 killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri prompted Goffstein to examine the similarities of the cases.
“There were two different narratives of what what happened there,” Goffstein told TheWrap. “There was the one from the cop saying that this guy was trying to like shoot him or assault him and the witnesses saying he had his hands up saying ‘don’t shoot.
Growing up in Teaneck, New Jersey, co-director Dani Goffstein first learned about Phillip Pannel, a 16-year-old Black man killed by a white police officer, when his father pointed out a yellow house as they walked home from synagogue. The story of injustice in what many label as a model community of America stayed with him into adulthood when the 2014 killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri prompted Goffstein to examine the similarities of the cases.
“There were two different narratives of what what happened there,” Goffstein told TheWrap. “There was the one from the cop saying that this guy was trying to like shoot him or assault him and the witnesses saying he had his hands up saying ‘don’t shoot.
- 9/24/2022
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
Actress Sanaa Lathan makes her directorial debut with the teen drama “On the Come Up,” centering on teenager Brianna ‘Bri’ Jackson (Jamila C. Gray), who is striving to make her mark as a rapper, initially through rap battles. Because her father, Lawless Jackson, is a legend who not only won battles but also got to record prior to being killed, Bri has huge shoes to fill.
Making it as a rapper is not Bri’s primary challenge, however. When her mother Jay (Lathan), a recovering drug addict, loses her job, the family faces even greater financial pressure. To help make ends meet, Bri is already selling candy, but that stops when she is frighteningly manhandled by school security, bringing a racial-justice story into the fold. Her family’s need for money makes her even more determined to achieve success.
While rap-battling offers her that opportunity, the potential an even bigger...
Making it as a rapper is not Bri’s primary challenge, however. When her mother Jay (Lathan), a recovering drug addict, loses her job, the family faces even greater financial pressure. To help make ends meet, Bri is already selling candy, but that stops when she is frighteningly manhandled by school security, bringing a racial-justice story into the fold. Her family’s need for money makes her even more determined to achieve success.
While rap-battling offers her that opportunity, the potential an even bigger...
- 9/23/2022
- by Ronda Racha Penrice
- The Wrap
Sanaa Lathan came out swinging with her directorial debut, "On the Come Up," which finally made its way to streaming and select theaters on Sept. 23. The veteran actor brought Angie Thomas's bestselling 2019 novel of the same name to life with a hip-hop coming-of-age tale - which premiered at this year's Toronto Film Festival - starring herself, Jamila C. Gray, Method Man, Lil Yachty, Mike Epps, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, GaTa, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Titus Makin Jr., and Michael Anthony Cooper Jr.
"['On the Come Up'] is really a coming-of-age story, and the hip-hop part of it is part of what gets her to step into her power."
While "On the Come Up" marks Lathan's first time behind the camera for a film, she's no stranger to telling music-inspired stories. The actor's many credits include "Love & Basketball," the Best Man franchise, and Rick Famuyiwa's hip-hop rom-com "Brown Sugar," in...
"['On the Come Up'] is really a coming-of-age story, and the hip-hop part of it is part of what gets her to step into her power."
While "On the Come Up" marks Lathan's first time behind the camera for a film, she's no stranger to telling music-inspired stories. The actor's many credits include "Love & Basketball," the Best Man franchise, and Rick Famuyiwa's hip-hop rom-com "Brown Sugar," in...
- 9/23/2022
- by Njera Perkins
- Popsugar.com
Image Source: Getty / Marla Aufmuth
From a bestselling novel to the big screen, "On the Come Up" tells a vibrant hip-hop tale that feels all too real - mainly because it stems from reality. The Sanaa Lathan-directed film based on Angie Thomas's bestselling novel of the same name premiered on Sept. 23. Newcomer Jamila C. Gray stars as the film's leading lady, Bri, a high school student and battle rapper who has dreams of taking the music world by storm. Joining her in the movie are Lathan, Method Man, Lil Yachty, Mike Epps, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, GaTa, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Titus Makin Jr., and Michael Anthony Cooper Jr.
"I also hope that it makes them look at the real Bris out here who are doing their thing and give them a little more homage and respect."
The film, which is billed as a "love letter to hip-hop," follows after Thomas's previous book-to-movie offering,...
From a bestselling novel to the big screen, "On the Come Up" tells a vibrant hip-hop tale that feels all too real - mainly because it stems from reality. The Sanaa Lathan-directed film based on Angie Thomas's bestselling novel of the same name premiered on Sept. 23. Newcomer Jamila C. Gray stars as the film's leading lady, Bri, a high school student and battle rapper who has dreams of taking the music world by storm. Joining her in the movie are Lathan, Method Man, Lil Yachty, Mike Epps, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, GaTa, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Titus Makin Jr., and Michael Anthony Cooper Jr.
"I also hope that it makes them look at the real Bris out here who are doing their thing and give them a little more homage and respect."
The film, which is billed as a "love letter to hip-hop," follows after Thomas's previous book-to-movie offering,...
- 9/23/2022
- by Njera Perkins
- Popsugar.com
This year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is well underway, and stars from all over have traveled up north to promote some of the most anticipated titles of the year. The 47th annual festival kicked off on Sept. 8 with the world premiere of Sanaa Lathan's directorial debut, "On the Come Up," which now has a limited theatrical release, in addition to its streaming Sept. 23 premiere. Screenings for Viola Davis's "The Woman King," Daniel Radcliffe's "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story," Harry Styles's "My Policeman," and more followed after.
TIFF successfully returned for a full in-person event after two years of challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic. "We never had any doubt that we are still TIFF," TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey said in a statement, per CTV News. "It is exciting to know that we can come back strong but we never doubted who we were and we knew...
TIFF successfully returned for a full in-person event after two years of challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic. "We never had any doubt that we are still TIFF," TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey said in a statement, per CTV News. "It is exciting to know that we can come back strong but we never doubted who we were and we knew...
- 9/14/2022
- by Njera Perkins
- Popsugar.com
Gina Prince-Bythewood knows a little something about the power of persistence. When the filmmaker set out to make her feature directorial debut, “Love & Basketball,” in the late-’90s, the semi-autobiographical sports-centric romance seemed doomed to never get made. It was only after Prince-Bythewood was invited to the Sundance director’s lab to work on the script, where she staged a table reading of her work so fantastic that it sparked a bidding war (Spike Lee and his 40 Acres and a Mule won out), that the film was shot.
“I will never get over it,” Prince-Bythewood told IndieWire during a recent interview of the film’s legacy. “Every single studio turned it down. Every single production company turned it down. Sundance saved it.”
Released in April 2000 by New Line Cinema, the film proved to be a hit: earning second place at the box office in its first week of release...
“I will never get over it,” Prince-Bythewood told IndieWire during a recent interview of the film’s legacy. “Every single studio turned it down. Every single production company turned it down. Sundance saved it.”
Released in April 2000 by New Line Cinema, the film proved to be a hit: earning second place at the box office in its first week of release...
- 9/14/2022
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Is the show going to be over for Showtime?
Paramount Global is having “early” discussions about shutting down Showtime as a standalone service and migrating Showtime’s slate of premium content into its flagship streamer, Paramount+, according to a Wall Street Journal report, citing anonymous sources. Paramount has “broached the idea” of shuttering Showtime in talks with “at least one major pay-tv partner,” per the report.
According to company insiders, there are no imminent changes being contemplated for the Showtime brand. However, sources confirmed to Variety that the media conglomerate is floating the prospect of combining Paramount+ and Showtime as part of long-term discussions with distributors. Meanwhile, next week, SkyShowtime — a joint venture between Comcast and Paramount Global — is launching in the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, before expanding into the Netherlands in Q4.
In a statement, Paramount did not directly address the question of whether Showtime...
Paramount Global is having “early” discussions about shutting down Showtime as a standalone service and migrating Showtime’s slate of premium content into its flagship streamer, Paramount+, according to a Wall Street Journal report, citing anonymous sources. Paramount has “broached the idea” of shuttering Showtime in talks with “at least one major pay-tv partner,” per the report.
According to company insiders, there are no imminent changes being contemplated for the Showtime brand. However, sources confirmed to Variety that the media conglomerate is floating the prospect of combining Paramount+ and Showtime as part of long-term discussions with distributors. Meanwhile, next week, SkyShowtime — a joint venture between Comcast and Paramount Global — is launching in the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, before expanding into the Netherlands in Q4.
In a statement, Paramount did not directly address the question of whether Showtime...
- 9/13/2022
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Paramount+ launch in US, Canada, Italy, with further international markets to follow,
Buoyed by the strong reception at TIFF for Sanaa Lathan’s feature directorial debut On The Come Up, Paramount has set a limited theatrical release to go day-and-date with the streaming debut on Paramount+ on September 23.
The drama will open across the top 50 US markets while the platform launch will take place in the US, Canada and Italy, with further international markets to follow later this year, Paramount announced on Monday (September 12).
On The Come Up premiered in Toronto on September 8 and is based on the novel by...
Buoyed by the strong reception at TIFF for Sanaa Lathan’s feature directorial debut On The Come Up, Paramount has set a limited theatrical release to go day-and-date with the streaming debut on Paramount+ on September 23.
The drama will open across the top 50 US markets while the platform launch will take place in the US, Canada and Italy, with further international markets to follow later this year, Paramount announced on Monday (September 12).
On The Come Up premiered in Toronto on September 8 and is based on the novel by...
- 9/12/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Thanks to a successful launch at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Sanaa Lathan-directed movie “On the Come Up” has nabbed a day-and-date theatrical release from Paramount.
Initially set to launch exclusively on Paramount+ on Friday, Sept. 23, the studio announced Monday that the film will now also be released in limited theaters across the top 50 market.
The movie marks the feature directorial debut from Lathan, who pulls double duty on the project, co-starring in the film as Jayda “Jay” Jackson, mother to the story’s central character Bri.
Based on the best-selling 2019 YA novel by Angie Thomas (“The Hate U Give”), “On the Come Up” follows Bri, a talented 16-year-old high school student who dreams of making it big in the world of battle rap, with aims to lift up her family and honor the legacy of her father — a local hip-hop legend whose career was cut short by gang violence.
Initially set to launch exclusively on Paramount+ on Friday, Sept. 23, the studio announced Monday that the film will now also be released in limited theaters across the top 50 market.
The movie marks the feature directorial debut from Lathan, who pulls double duty on the project, co-starring in the film as Jayda “Jay” Jackson, mother to the story’s central character Bri.
Based on the best-selling 2019 YA novel by Angie Thomas (“The Hate U Give”), “On the Come Up” follows Bri, a talented 16-year-old high school student who dreams of making it big in the world of battle rap, with aims to lift up her family and honor the legacy of her father — a local hip-hop legend whose career was cut short by gang violence.
- 9/12/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Updated: In the wake of Sanaa Lathan’s world premiere of On the Come Up here at TIFF, the pic is getting a limited theatrical release in the top 50 markets nationally in sync with its Friday, Sept. 23 Paramount+ drop date. Previews start on Thursday, Sept. 22.
Said Paramount Pictures President of Domestic Distribution Chris Aronson, “We’re thrilled to share this incredible adaptation of Angie Thomas’s moving novel with audiences everywhere, across multiple platforms. Seeing Sanaa Lathan’s visionary direction and watching the remarkably talented Jamila C. Gray and the rest of the cast light up the screen, viewers will see what we already know: that this is an exceptional film, not to be missed. A heartfelt thanks to our partners at State Street and Temple Hill. We can’t wait to share On the Come Up with the world on September 23.”
Deadline film critic Valerie Complex exclaimed about On...
Said Paramount Pictures President of Domestic Distribution Chris Aronson, “We’re thrilled to share this incredible adaptation of Angie Thomas’s moving novel with audiences everywhere, across multiple platforms. Seeing Sanaa Lathan’s visionary direction and watching the remarkably talented Jamila C. Gray and the rest of the cast light up the screen, viewers will see what we already know: that this is an exceptional film, not to be missed. A heartfelt thanks to our partners at State Street and Temple Hill. We can’t wait to share On the Come Up with the world on September 23.”
Deadline film critic Valerie Complex exclaimed about On...
- 9/12/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s fitting that Emmy-nominated actress Sanaa Lathan is making her feature directorial debut with a drama about the power of legacy. The veteran performer is the child of both another actress (Eleanor McCoy) and another filmmaker (Stan Lathan). She is likely well-acquainted with the pressures and pleasures of having great things expected of her because of her name and lineage. She doesn’t need to worry, because
Based on the best-selling YA novel by Angie Thomas, “On the Come Up” follows a rising rap star intent on making a name for herself while honoring her late father. “On the Come Up” embraces its fairy-tale feeling early on, opening with a title card that tells us it’s set “somewhere in America,” before zooming in on the fictional, mostly Black community of Garden Heights. But this fairy tale doesn’t have a happy start, as we meet young Bri (played...
Based on the best-selling YA novel by Angie Thomas, “On the Come Up” follows a rising rap star intent on making a name for herself while honoring her late father. “On the Come Up” embraces its fairy-tale feeling early on, opening with a title card that tells us it’s set “somewhere in America,” before zooming in on the fictional, mostly Black community of Garden Heights. But this fairy tale doesn’t have a happy start, as we meet young Bri (played...
- 9/11/2022
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Movies, at least the ones Hollywood has produced for over a century, frequently leave a lot of people out of the frame.
But with the industry under pressure to tell more diverse stories, several of the movies that are premiering and screening at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival are highlighting protagonists who are Black, queer, indigenous or members of other underrepresented groups. In the process, many of these films deal with pieces of forgotten history (“The Woman King” with its true story of a all-female warrior unit protecting a West African kingdom), a fading past and a rapidly changing present.
Often, these films are deeply personal efforts. Take “The Inspection,” one of the festival’s opening night films and the story of a gay man who enlists in the army during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” era. Director Elegance Bratton drew on his own service to...
But with the industry under pressure to tell more diverse stories, several of the movies that are premiering and screening at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival are highlighting protagonists who are Black, queer, indigenous or members of other underrepresented groups. In the process, many of these films deal with pieces of forgotten history (“The Woman King” with its true story of a all-female warrior unit protecting a West African kingdom), a fading past and a rapidly changing present.
Often, these films are deeply personal efforts. Take “The Inspection,” one of the festival’s opening night films and the story of a gay man who enlists in the army during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” era. Director Elegance Bratton drew on his own service to...
- 9/11/2022
- by Brent Lang and Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
IndieWire celebrated “On the Come Up,” the directorial debut of “Love and Basketball” icon Sanaa Lathan, on Friday, September 9 at the Toronto International Film Festival. The dinner, presented by Canada Goose and held at Vela in downtown Toronto, brought out the cast, crew, and friends of this coming-of-age story about 16-year-old Bri (Jamila Gray) who takes the battle rap scene by storm in the fictional Garden Heights.
Lathan’s film is based on the novel by “The Hate U Give” author Angie Thomas, who attended the event along with Lathan, Gray, and fellow cast members Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, and Michael Cooper Jr., plus musicians Rapsody and Lady London.
“The process of making a movie is a constant unfolding. It was a two-year process. I got ready with my collaborators. I had a very clear vision. I was very lucky to surround myself with people who just wanted to fulfill that and uplift it,...
Lathan’s film is based on the novel by “The Hate U Give” author Angie Thomas, who attended the event along with Lathan, Gray, and fellow cast members Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, and Michael Cooper Jr., plus musicians Rapsody and Lady London.
“The process of making a movie is a constant unfolding. It was a two-year process. I got ready with my collaborators. I had a very clear vision. I was very lucky to surround myself with people who just wanted to fulfill that and uplift it,...
- 9/10/2022
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Five days before filmmaker Sally El Hosaini (My Brother the Devil) was ready to declare “Action, background action” on the set of The Swimmers, the film fell apart due to the pandemic. “We just thought it was curtains for the film, which was heartbreaking,” the director recalled. “It just came to a halt, and there could be no promises of anything for anyone.”
The film, which opened the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday night, had been set up at Working Title with backing from Focus Features.
Toronto Film Festival 2022 Photo Gallery: Daniel Radcliffe And Weird Al Yankovic; ‘The Swimmers’, ‘On The Come Up’, ‘Handmaid’s Tale’, More
It already was a bit of a gamble before Covid reared its head. The story of two sisters, Yusra and Sarah Mardini — who left war-torn Syria to make a perilous journey across the Aegean Sea to Eastern Europe, and then, by hook or by crook,...
The film, which opened the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday night, had been set up at Working Title with backing from Focus Features.
Toronto Film Festival 2022 Photo Gallery: Daniel Radcliffe And Weird Al Yankovic; ‘The Swimmers’, ‘On The Come Up’, ‘Handmaid’s Tale’, More
It already was a bit of a gamble before Covid reared its head. The story of two sisters, Yusra and Sarah Mardini — who left war-torn Syria to make a perilous journey across the Aegean Sea to Eastern Europe, and then, by hook or by crook,...
- 9/9/2022
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Netflix’s The Swimmers, Sally El-Hosaini’s drama based on the real journey of two young sisters from war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics, earned a four-minute standing ovation at the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday night.
And the biggest cheers from the rapturous Toronto audience were for Lebanese actresses and real-life sisters, Manal and Nathalie Issa, who played real-life sisters Yusra and Sarah Mardini as all four young women appeared on stage at Roy Thomson Hall for the film’s world premiere.
“It’s an inspirational story,” director El-Hosaini said during a post-screening Q&a when explaining why she took on the project, as the Toronto festival looks to crowd-pleasing The Swimmers, with its tears and emotional breakthroughs, to possibly be this award season’s Coda, which pulled out a best picture win at last year’s Oscars.
The Swimmers traces the incredible...
Netflix’s The Swimmers, Sally El-Hosaini’s drama based on the real journey of two young sisters from war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics, earned a four-minute standing ovation at the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday night.
And the biggest cheers from the rapturous Toronto audience were for Lebanese actresses and real-life sisters, Manal and Nathalie Issa, who played real-life sisters Yusra and Sarah Mardini as all four young women appeared on stage at Roy Thomson Hall for the film’s world premiere.
“It’s an inspirational story,” director El-Hosaini said during a post-screening Q&a when explaining why she took on the project, as the Toronto festival looks to crowd-pleasing The Swimmers, with its tears and emotional breakthroughs, to possibly be this award season’s Coda, which pulled out a best picture win at last year’s Oscars.
The Swimmers traces the incredible...
- 9/9/2022
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, Al Yankovic (Daniel Radcliffe) is a curly-haired, awkward kid with no friends and no excitement in his life. Until one day when he ends up at a turnt-up polka party where he wows the party crowd by shredding on the accordion. His parents, Mary and Nick Yankovic (Julianne Nicholson and Toby Huss), disapprove of him playing, and his relationship with them becomes strained.
As he grows older, he moves away and lives with his four friends, who encourage him to find inspiration for his music after Al claims to love taking well-known songs and changing the words — thus making parody records. He records a song called “My Bologna” and sends it to the Captain Buffoon radio show. They love it and play it in heavy rotation, but not everyone is on board. He talks to record execs the Scotti Brothers, but his music and looks get trashed.
As he grows older, he moves away and lives with his four friends, who encourage him to find inspiration for his music after Al claims to love taking well-known songs and changing the words — thus making parody records. He records a song called “My Bologna” and sends it to the Captain Buffoon radio show. They love it and play it in heavy rotation, but not everyone is on board. He talks to record execs the Scotti Brothers, but his music and looks get trashed.
- 9/9/2022
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
After three years away, the red carpet has made its return to the Toronto Film Festival.
The 47th annual fest kicked off Thursday night with a panel featuring Elizabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski and the cast of The Handmaid’s Tale and the cast of Sally El Hosaini’s opening-night film The Swimmers who walked the red carpet before the film’s Princess of Wales theater premiere screening. Other premieres on Night 1 include the Sanaa Lathan-directed On the Come Up and the Daniel Radcliffe-starring Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
The 2022 lineup boasts premieres of Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, Billy Eichner’s comedy Bros, Harry Styles’ My Policeman,and Taylor Swift appearing at TIFF’s In Conversation With… series.
Click on the image above to launch a photo gallery of this year’s TIFF which we will update as the festival goes on.
Launch Gallery: Toronto Film Festival 2022 Gallery:...
The 47th annual fest kicked off Thursday night with a panel featuring Elizabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski and the cast of The Handmaid’s Tale and the cast of Sally El Hosaini’s opening-night film The Swimmers who walked the red carpet before the film’s Princess of Wales theater premiere screening. Other premieres on Night 1 include the Sanaa Lathan-directed On the Come Up and the Daniel Radcliffe-starring Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
The 2022 lineup boasts premieres of Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, Billy Eichner’s comedy Bros, Harry Styles’ My Policeman,and Taylor Swift appearing at TIFF’s In Conversation With… series.
Click on the image above to launch a photo gallery of this year’s TIFF which we will update as the festival goes on.
Launch Gallery: Toronto Film Festival 2022 Gallery:...
- 9/9/2022
- by Robert Lang
- Deadline Film + TV
There has been no shortage of hip-hop star-is-born narratives hitting screens in recent years, but much like hip-hop itself for most of its history, there hasn’t always been a whole lot of space for women. Sanaa Lathan’s “On the Come Up,” which tracks a teenage girl’s complicated rise through the battle rap circuit to the even more complicated heights of viral stardom, provides a welcome exception to this rule, but fortunately it has a lot more going for it than just that. As frank and tough-minded and as it is warm and sweet, “On the Come Up” is a hugely promising debut from the actor-turned-director.
Sixteen-year-old Bri (Jamila C. Gray) is already a talented rapper when we first meet her in her fictitious neighborhood of Garden Heights, and she’s already been through a whole lifetime’s worth of upheaval. Her father was a legendary local Mc named Lawless,...
Sixteen-year-old Bri (Jamila C. Gray) is already a talented rapper when we first meet her in her fictitious neighborhood of Garden Heights, and she’s already been through a whole lifetime’s worth of upheaval. Her father was a legendary local Mc named Lawless,...
- 9/9/2022
- by Andrew Barker
- Variety Film + TV
On the Come Up, directed by actress-turned-director Sanaa Lathan and written by Zora Howard (Premature) and Kay Oyegun, is based on the book by acclaimed author Angie Thomas (The Hate U Give). The film explores the many facets of Black girlhood through hip-hop music and the general music industry. The novel is 464 pages, and the movie tries to cram all that information into two hours, which sometimes overshadows the messaging. But what works is that it speaks to a demographic that is often ignored and the culture of rap that is seldom explored from a woman’s perspective.
The film starts with Bri (Jamila Gray) being abandoned by her drug-addicted mother Jay (Lathan). The memory traumatizes her throughout her adolescence until the point she’s introduced as a 16-year old She’s also mourning the death of her father, a former rapper called Law from the Garden Heights. She wants...
The film starts with Bri (Jamila Gray) being abandoned by her drug-addicted mother Jay (Lathan). The memory traumatizes her throughout her adolescence until the point she’s introduced as a 16-year old She’s also mourning the death of her father, a former rapper called Law from the Garden Heights. She wants...
- 9/9/2022
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Somewhere in Garden Heights, the fictional American town at the center of On the Come Up, is an imposing mural of Lawless, one of the community’s biggest rappers. His daughter Bri Jackson (Jamila C. Gray), who goes by the moniker Lil’ Law, makes frequent visits to this vibrant portrait when she needs guidance. It’s a meditative exercise, a way to refocus. Bri is determined to become one of the greatest rappers to come out of the Heights — just like her dad.
On the Come Up, Sanaa Lathan’s cool, confident directorial debut, chronicles the 16-year-old’s journey to becoming a star and honoring her dead father’s legacy. The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released by Paramount+ on September 23, is based on Angie Thomas’ novel of the same name. Thomas, whose debut novel The Hate U Give...
Somewhere in Garden Heights, the fictional American town at the center of On the Come Up, is an imposing mural of Lawless, one of the community’s biggest rappers. His daughter Bri Jackson (Jamila C. Gray), who goes by the moniker Lil’ Law, makes frequent visits to this vibrant portrait when she needs guidance. It’s a meditative exercise, a way to refocus. Bri is determined to become one of the greatest rappers to come out of the Heights — just like her dad.
On the Come Up, Sanaa Lathan’s cool, confident directorial debut, chronicles the 16-year-old’s journey to becoming a star and honoring her dead father’s legacy. The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released by Paramount+ on September 23, is based on Angie Thomas’ novel of the same name. Thomas, whose debut novel The Hate U Give...
- 9/9/2022
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Not even the death of Queen Elizabeth II could halt the hustle and bustle of another in-person Toronto International Film Festival during the Covid era as throngs lined up for premieres and chomped off food carts on festival row (aka King Street).
However, what did vex festivalgoers in Hogtown was the second year of TIFF’s digital ticketing website via Ticketmaster. Last year it wasn’t a problem given the reduced capacity at TIFF venues and fewer attending out of fear of the pandemic. However, judging by the turnout at Roy Thomson Hall tonight for the fest’s opening film, The Swimmers from Netflix, it wouldn’t be a surprise to hear that TIFF has returned to its pre-pandemic 300K-plus attendance.
Toronto Film Festival 2022 Photo Gallery: ‘The Swimmers’ World Premiere, ‘On The Come Up’, ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ And More
And with great demand, comes great chaos. The TIFF Ticketmaster site...
However, what did vex festivalgoers in Hogtown was the second year of TIFF’s digital ticketing website via Ticketmaster. Last year it wasn’t a problem given the reduced capacity at TIFF venues and fewer attending out of fear of the pandemic. However, judging by the turnout at Roy Thomson Hall tonight for the fest’s opening film, The Swimmers from Netflix, it wouldn’t be a surprise to hear that TIFF has returned to its pre-pandemic 300K-plus attendance.
Toronto Film Festival 2022 Photo Gallery: ‘The Swimmers’ World Premiere, ‘On The Come Up’, ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ And More
And with great demand, comes great chaos. The TIFF Ticketmaster site...
- 9/9/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
When you’ve been in the entertainment industry for more than 25 years, there aren’t a lot of “firsts,” but it’s been a busy week of them for Sanaa Lathan.
On Sunday night, she attended the Creative Arts Emmys, where she was nominated for her first Emmy award. And just four days later, she’s celebrating the world premiere of her feature directorial debut “On the Come Up” at the opening night of the Toronto International Film Festival.
“It was surreal and just so fun,” Lathan told Variety about attending the awards as a nominee. “The timing of it was kind of perfect because I have so much on my mind about bringing ‘On the Come Up’ out into the world that I haven’t had any time to stress over the whole award show drama.”
Lathan’s date for the big night was her little sister Colette Lathan.
On Sunday night, she attended the Creative Arts Emmys, where she was nominated for her first Emmy award. And just four days later, she’s celebrating the world premiere of her feature directorial debut “On the Come Up” at the opening night of the Toronto International Film Festival.
“It was surreal and just so fun,” Lathan told Variety about attending the awards as a nominee. “The timing of it was kind of perfect because I have so much on my mind about bringing ‘On the Come Up’ out into the world that I haven’t had any time to stress over the whole award show drama.”
Lathan’s date for the big night was her little sister Colette Lathan.
- 9/8/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
On the Come Up Trailer 2 — Paramount+ has released the second movie trailer for On the Come Up (2022). Crew Sanaa Lathan‘s On the Come Up stars Jamila C. Gray, Mike Epps, Method Man, Lil Yachty, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, GaTa, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Titus Makin Jr, and Michael Anthony Cooper Jr. Kay Oyegun wrote the screenplay [...]
Continue reading: On The Come Up (2022) Movie Trailer 2: Female Rapper Jamila C. Gray Seeks to Save Her Family Through Music...
Continue reading: On The Come Up (2022) Movie Trailer 2: Female Rapper Jamila C. Gray Seeks to Save Her Family Through Music...
- 9/1/2022
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
Sanaa Lathan is about to make her directorial debut with “On the Come Up,” which is scheduled to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival next month. And thanks to a trailer, which debuted during Sunday night’s Video Musical Awards on MTV, we’ve got our first look at the film which will exclusively play on exclusively arrive on Paramount+ on Friday, Sept. 23 in the U.S., Canada, Italy, and later in the year in additional international territories.
Based on a young adult novel by Angie Thomas, who also wrote “The Hate U Give,” “On the Come Up” stars newcomer Jamila C. Gray as “Bri, a 16-year-old gifted rapper, who attempts to take the battle rap scene by storm in order to lift up her family and do right by the legacy of her father – a local hip hop legend whose career was cut short by gang violence.
Based on a young adult novel by Angie Thomas, who also wrote “The Hate U Give,” “On the Come Up” stars newcomer Jamila C. Gray as “Bri, a 16-year-old gifted rapper, who attempts to take the battle rap scene by storm in order to lift up her family and do right by the legacy of her father – a local hip hop legend whose career was cut short by gang violence.
- 8/29/2022
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
"In this fairy tale, my father was once a king. Now I'm chasing his dream…" Paramount has debuted the full-length official trailer for the film On the Come Up, about a young female rapper on the rise. Keep an eye out for this one! The story centers on 16-year-old Bri, played by newcomer Jamila C. Gray, who wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Facing controversies and with an eviction notice staring down her family, Bri doesn't just want to make it, she has to. Based on the best-selling YA novel by Angie Thomas (who also wrote The Hate U Give), On The Come Up is punctuated by the comedic talents of Mike Epps, hip hop heroes like Method Man and Lil Yachty, and the lyrical prowess of Rapsody. The film's main cast also includes Da'Vine Joy Randolph, GaTa, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Titus Makin Jr, & Michael Anthony Cooper Jr.
- 8/29/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
An aspiring rapper chases her dream in the new trailer for Sanaa Lathan’s directorial debut, On the Come Up, set to arrive on Paramount+ Sept. 23.
The film — based on Angie Thomas’ novel of the same name — stars Jamila C. Gray as Bri, a 16-year-old eager to make it in music so she can help her mother — a former addict struggling to hold a job — and keep alive the legacy of her late father, a legendary local Mc killed by gang violence. The new trailer largely follows Bri as she...
The film — based on Angie Thomas’ novel of the same name — stars Jamila C. Gray as Bri, a 16-year-old eager to make it in music so she can help her mother — a former addict struggling to hold a job — and keep alive the legacy of her late father, a legendary local Mc killed by gang violence. The new trailer largely follows Bri as she...
- 8/29/2022
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
After starring in dozens of films and TV series, it appears Sanaa Lathan is ready to try her hand at filmmaking. And she is going to make her directorial debut in the highly-anticipated YA drama, “On the Come Up.”
As seen in the trailer for “On the Come Up,” the film follows the story of a teen rapper who is hoping to rise in the ranks of the local battle rap scene.
Continue reading ‘On The Come Up’ Trailer: Sanaa Lathan’s Directorial Debut Chronicles A Teen’s Rise In Her Local Battle Rap Scene at The Playlist.
As seen in the trailer for “On the Come Up,” the film follows the story of a teen rapper who is hoping to rise in the ranks of the local battle rap scene.
Continue reading ‘On The Come Up’ Trailer: Sanaa Lathan’s Directorial Debut Chronicles A Teen’s Rise In Her Local Battle Rap Scene at The Playlist.
- 8/29/2022
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Paramount+ has released the trailer for their upcoming original film On the Come Up during the 2022 MTV VMAs.
The movie based on the New York Times’ #1 best-selling novel by Angie Thomas (The Hate U Give), On the Come Up is the feature directorial debut of Emmy-nominated actress Sanaa Lathan and will also hold its World Premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.
On the Come Up will premiere on the streaming service starting on Friday, September 23 in the U.S., Canada, Italy, and later in the year in additional international territories.
Starring newcomer Jamila C. Gray, On the Come Up is the story of Bri, a 16-year-old gifted rapper, who attempts to take the battle rap scene by storm in order to lift up her family and do right by the legacy of her father – a local hip hop legend whose career was cut short by gang violence. But when...
The movie based on the New York Times’ #1 best-selling novel by Angie Thomas (The Hate U Give), On the Come Up is the feature directorial debut of Emmy-nominated actress Sanaa Lathan and will also hold its World Premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.
On the Come Up will premiere on the streaming service starting on Friday, September 23 in the U.S., Canada, Italy, and later in the year in additional international territories.
Starring newcomer Jamila C. Gray, On the Come Up is the story of Bri, a 16-year-old gifted rapper, who attempts to take the battle rap scene by storm in order to lift up her family and do right by the legacy of her father – a local hip hop legend whose career was cut short by gang violence. But when...
- 8/29/2022
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Secret Headquarters has officially become Paramount+’s most-watched movie, marking a major high point for the popular streaming service.
In a press release, a representative stated Secret Headquarters “has rocketed to superhero status on Paramount+ as a must-watch summer family film, breaking the viewership record for an original movie in the first week of release.” Official numbers were not available at time of publication.
The plot synopsis: “While hanging out after school, Charlie and his friends discover the headquarters of the world’s most powerful superhero hidden beneath his home. When villains attack, they must team up to defend the headquarters and save the world.”
Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (Paranormal Activity 3 and 4) and starring Owen Wilson, Secret Headquarters marks Paramount+’s first foray into superhero movies. Their next release is the prequel Orphan: First Kill, which could offer some streaming competition.
Paramount+’s Secret Headquarters was...
In a press release, a representative stated Secret Headquarters “has rocketed to superhero status on Paramount+ as a must-watch summer family film, breaking the viewership record for an original movie in the first week of release.” Official numbers were not available at time of publication.
The plot synopsis: “While hanging out after school, Charlie and his friends discover the headquarters of the world’s most powerful superhero hidden beneath his home. When villains attack, they must team up to defend the headquarters and save the world.”
Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (Paranormal Activity 3 and 4) and starring Owen Wilson, Secret Headquarters marks Paramount+’s first foray into superhero movies. Their next release is the prequel Orphan: First Kill, which could offer some streaming competition.
Paramount+’s Secret Headquarters was...
- 8/24/2022
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Exclusive: Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Only Murders in the Building) and Cliff “Method Man” Smith (Power Book II: Ghost) have signed on to star alongside Kerry Washington and Omar Sy in Lionsgate’s action-thriller Shadow Force, from director Joe Carnahan (Copshop).
The film written by Leon Chills and Carnahan centers on Kyrah (Washington) and Isaac (Sy), who were once the leaders of a multinational special forces group called Shadow Force. They broke the rules by falling in love, and in order to protect their son, they go underground. With a large bounty on their heads, and the vengeful Shadow Force hot on their trail, one family’s fight becomes all-out war.
Details as to the roles Randolph and Smith will play haven’t been disclosed. But Stephen “Dr.” Love is producing through his company Made with Love Media—which has an overall deal with Lionsgate—alongside Simpson Street’s Washington and Pilar Savone,...
The film written by Leon Chills and Carnahan centers on Kyrah (Washington) and Isaac (Sy), who were once the leaders of a multinational special forces group called Shadow Force. They broke the rules by falling in love, and in order to protect their son, they go underground. With a large bounty on their heads, and the vengeful Shadow Force hot on their trail, one family’s fight becomes all-out war.
Details as to the roles Randolph and Smith will play haven’t been disclosed. But Stephen “Dr.” Love is producing through his company Made with Love Media—which has an overall deal with Lionsgate—alongside Simpson Street’s Washington and Pilar Savone,...
- 8/16/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
MacRo Film Studios and Confluential Films has announced the start of production on the new film “Young. Wild. Free.”
Directed by Thembi Banks, the movie stars Sanaa Lathan, Algee Smith, Sierra Capri and Mike Epps. According to the official logline for the project, Smith plays a hot-tempered high school senior who finds his claustrophobic life suddenly thrust into an enticing, dangerous direction after he is robbed at gunpoint by the girl of his dreams. Production on the project is underway in Los Angeles.
The film’s script is written by Juel Taylor (“Creed II”), from a story by Taylor and his “They Cloned Tyrone” co-writer Tony Rettenmaier, with revisions by Banks. “Young. Wild. Free” is produced by Macro Film Studios’ Charles D. King, James Lopez and Poppy Hanks, Confluential Films’ Tommy Oliver and No Label Productions’ Baron Davis. Taylor, Rettenmair, Banks and Lathan will executive produce the project alongside Confluential Films’ Codie Elaine Oliver,...
Directed by Thembi Banks, the movie stars Sanaa Lathan, Algee Smith, Sierra Capri and Mike Epps. According to the official logline for the project, Smith plays a hot-tempered high school senior who finds his claustrophobic life suddenly thrust into an enticing, dangerous direction after he is robbed at gunpoint by the girl of his dreams. Production on the project is underway in Los Angeles.
The film’s script is written by Juel Taylor (“Creed II”), from a story by Taylor and his “They Cloned Tyrone” co-writer Tony Rettenmaier, with revisions by Banks. “Young. Wild. Free” is produced by Macro Film Studios’ Charles D. King, James Lopez and Poppy Hanks, Confluential Films’ Tommy Oliver and No Label Productions’ Baron Davis. Taylor, Rettenmair, Banks and Lathan will executive produce the project alongside Confluential Films’ Codie Elaine Oliver,...
- 8/11/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Making it to the Toronto International Film Festival is a huge deal for filmmakers at any stage of their careers. The annual Canadian festival features everything from smaller movies by up-and-coming filmmakers to potential blockbusters from some of the biggest names in the business.
The selections for the 2022 festival, which runs Sept. 8 through Sept. 18, reflect some of the best and most creative minds in filmmaking today. TIFF 2022 has divided its presentations up into a few different categories. The marquee categories are the Gala Presentations and the Special Presentations, which are where some of the festival's most-anticipated movies will make their debuts.
Among the 2022 Gala lineup are "The Woman King," starring Viola Davis and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Tyler Perry's latest film, "A Jazzman's Blues." The Special Presentations, meanwhile, include buzzy films such as "My Policeman," starring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin; the "Knives Out" sequel "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery...
The selections for the 2022 festival, which runs Sept. 8 through Sept. 18, reflect some of the best and most creative minds in filmmaking today. TIFF 2022 has divided its presentations up into a few different categories. The marquee categories are the Gala Presentations and the Special Presentations, which are where some of the festival's most-anticipated movies will make their debuts.
Among the 2022 Gala lineup are "The Woman King," starring Viola Davis and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Tyler Perry's latest film, "A Jazzman's Blues." The Special Presentations, meanwhile, include buzzy films such as "My Policeman," starring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin; the "Knives Out" sequel "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery...
- 8/5/2022
- by Amanda Prahl
- Popsugar.com
The WhaleWAVELENGTHS - FEATURESConcrete Valley (Antoine Bourges)De Humani Corporis Fabrica (Véréna Paravel, Lucien Castaing-Taylor)Dry Ground BurningHorse Opera (Moyra Davey)Pacifiction (Albert Serra)Queens of the Qing Dynasty (Ashley McKenzie)Unrest (Cyril Schäublin)Will-o’-the-Wisp (João Pedro Rodrigues)Wavelenghths - SHORTSAfter Work (Céline Condorelli, Ben Rivers)Bigger on the Inside (Angelo Madsen Minax)Eventide (Sharon Lockhart)F1ghting Looks Different 2 Me Now (Fox Maxy)Fata Morgana (Tacita Dean)Hors-titre (Wiame Haddad)I Thought the World of You (Kurt Walker)Moonrise (Vincent Grenier)The Newest Olds (Pablo Mazzolo)Puerta a Puerta (Jessica Sarah Rinland, Luis Arnías )The Time That Separates Us (Parastoo Anoushahpour)What Rules the Invisible (Tiffany Sia)Gala PRESENTATIONSAlice, Darling (Mary Nighy)Black Ice (Hubert Davis)The Greatest Beer Run Ever (Peter Farrelly)Butcher’s Crossing (Gabe Polsky)The Hummingbird (Francesca Archibugi)Hunt (Jung-jae Lee)A Jazzman’s Blues (Tyler Perry)Kacchey Limbu (Shubham Yogi)Moving On (Paul Weitz)Paris Memories...
- 8/4/2022
- MUBI
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