Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss return as Neo and Trinity, or someone like them, in THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS, Lana Wachowski’s sequel/reboot of the groundbreaking science fiction film trilogy. It has been over 20 years since the original MATRIX was released and nearly as long since the last of the trilogy came out. A lot has changed, for science fiction films and for the Wachowskis, so revisiting the world of the Matrix seems a bit of a surprise after all this time. THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS is a solo project of one of the two siblings who created the original, and features the original two stars, who find themselves once again caught in the dream world of the Matrix. This sequel offers more action entertainment than philosophy, but with a more satisfying take on Neo and Trinity’s story.
Or at least Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) seems to be in a world connected to that one. Here Anderson is the creator of a wildly popular computer game called The Matrix, along with his business partner Smith (Jonathan Groff). The game was groundbreaking hit 20 years ago and made the company prosperous and Anderson kind of famous, but now Smith is leaning on Anderson to come up with a new hit. Anderson seems sad and distracted, haunted by a past that included a mental breakdown, and is seeing a therapist (Neil Patrick Harris) to help cope. He also has a thing for a woman he sees daily at a local coffee shop, a mother of three named Tiffany (Carrie-Ann Moss), who is also a regular.
It is a rather clever approach to re-enter this world, and Wachowski, as co-writer, deserves credit for that. Instead of revisiting all the philosophical, existential questions of the original trilogy, this reboot mostly lets all that stand and instead focuses more on what has happened to the world of free humans in the meantime and more importantly, on the connection between Neo/Anderson and Trinity/Tiffany.
Although Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss are 20 years older, they both still look very good, particularly Moss, who seems amazingly little changed by the years. While 20 years have passed in our world, a much greater period of time has elapsed in the Matrix’s world. We the audience see Reeves and Moss as Thomas and Tiffany see themselves. but others in the story see them as much older, as their “real” age, which we glimpse occasionally in reflective surfaces.
Of course, this world is illusion, as a programmer named Bugs (Jessica Henwick) discovers and then explores with the help of a new Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who is also a version of Agent Smith. The addition of new characters like Bugs refreshes things, but there are also some old favorites (Jada Pinkett Smith also reprises her role as Niobe, albeit an older version), a combination that takes this tale in different directions than the original man-versus-machine story. Here the sides are much murkier, which is really more fun.
While the trilogy was all about Neo as the One, this new film is more about Neo and Trinity as a team, and a couple, in this new battle for freedom. This Matrix is more action-focused and offers plenty of that along with splendid visual effects. There are plentiful references to the original films, little treats for fans that are used to advance this new story.
Performances are good, with Neil Patrick Harris as the Analyst a stand-out, particularly on the comic side. Reeves and Moss have lost none of their chemistry and putting the emphasis on them as two sides of a whole feels like a more contemporary choice. The film also wraps up with a more satisfying ending of their story than the original trilogy. While the door is open for another sequel, this one also could be a good ending for the story cycle.
MATRIX RESURRECTIONS is not a genre-busting film but it is an enjoyable addition to the series, turning it in a new direction. For fans who were all in on Neo as the One, the savior theme, and are looking for more philosophical rabbit holes to go down, they should note this film is more heart than head, with more of an action focus. For fans of the original 1999 Matrix movie more than the series, MATRIX RESURRECTIONS offers a nice wrap-up alternative for Neo and Trinity, after the existential questions are laid to rest, with a more down-to-earth, hopeful, human ending.
THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS opens Wednesday, Dec. 22, in theaters and on HBO Max’s ad-free version for a limited time.
A brand-new trailer is here for the highly anticipated THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS.
From visionary filmmaker Lana Wachowski comes “The Matrix Resurrections,” the long-awaited next chapter in the groundbreaking franchise that redefined a genre. The new film reunites original stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss in the iconic roles they made famous, Neo and Trinity.
In “The Matrix Resurrections,” return to a world of two realities: one, everyday life; the other, what lies behind it. To find out if his reality is a physical or mental construct, to truly know himself, Mr. Anderson will have to choose to follow the white rabbit once more. And if Thomas…Neo…has learned anything, it’s that choice, while an illusion, is still the only way out of—or into—the Matrix. Of course, Neo already knows what he has to do. But what he doesn’t yet know is the Matrix is stronger, more secure and more dangerous than ever before. Déjà vu.
Reeves reprises the dual roles of Thomas Anderson/Neo, the man once saved from the Matrix to become the savior of humankind, who will once again have to choose which path to follow. Moss portrays the iconic warrior Trinity… or is she Tiffany, a suburban wife and mother of three with a penchant for superpowered motorcycles?
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (“Candyman,” the “Aquaman” franchise) plays the wise and worldly Morpheus who, as always, serves as a guide to Neo while also fulfilling his own greater purpose on a very singular journey of self-discovery.
Jessica Henwick (TV’s “Iron Fist,” “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens”) plays the hacker Bugs, the proverbial white rabbit on a mission to discover the one who sacrificed himself for humankind–and willing to take any risk necessary in search of the legend she idolizes.
Jonathan Groff (“Hamilton,” TV’s “Mindhunter”), plays Thomas Anderson’s business partner, a slick, confident corporate type with insouciant charm, a disarming smile and an eye on the bottom line–everything Mr. Anderson is not.
Neil Patrick Harris (“Gone Girl”) plays Thomas’ therapist, working closely with his patient to understand the meaning behind his dreams and to distinguish them from reality.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas (TV’s “Quantico”) plays a young woman with a wisdom that belies her years and an ability to see the truth, no matter how murky the waters.
And Jada Pinkett Smith (“Angel Has Fallen,” TV’s “Gotham”) returns as Niobe, the fierce General who once fought for the survival of Zion and who now sees to the welfare of her people with a familiar fire in her eyes, despite a sense of disbelief and suspicion upon Neo’s return.
Lana Wachowski directed from a screenplay by Wachowski & David Mitchell & Aleksandar Hemon, based on characters created by The Wachowskis. The film was produced by James McTeigue, Lana Wachowski and Grant Hill. The executive producers were Garrett Grant, Terry Needham, Michael Salven, Karin Wachowski, Jesse Ehrman and Bruce Berman.
Wachowski’s creative team behind the scenes included “Sense8” collaborators: directors of photography Daniele Massaccesi and John Toll, production designers Hugh Bateup and Peter Walpole, editor Joseph Jett Sally, costume designer Lindsay Pugh, visual effects supervisor Dan Glass, and composers Johnny Klimek and Tom Tykwer.
Warner Bros. Pictures Presents, In Association with Village Roadshow Pictures, In Association with Venus Castina Productions, “The Matrix Resurrections.” The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures. It will be in theaters nationwide and on HBO Max via the Ad-Free plan on December 22, 2021; it will be available on HBO Max in 4K UHD, HDR10, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos (English only) on supported devices for 31 days from theatrical release.
Warner Bros. Pictures has released a first teaser poster along with the website for THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS, prior to the first big trailer release this Thursday. In the original movie, Neo (Keanu Reeves) was told by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne): “You take the blue pill…the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill…you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.” Neo chooses the red pill and joins the rebellion.
The long-awaited fourth film in the “Matrix” universe, the groundbreaking franchise that redefined a genre, “The Matrix Resurrections” reunites original stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss as Neo and Trinity, the iconic roles they made famous in “The Matrix.”
The film also stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (the “Aquaman” franchise) Jessica Henwick (TV’s “Iron Fist,” “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens”), Jonathan Groff (“Hamilton,” TV’s “Mindhunter”), Neil Patrick Harris (“Gone Girl”), Priyanka Chopra Jonas (TV’s “Quantico,”), Christina Ricci (TV’s “Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story,” “The Lizzie Borden Chronicles”), Telma Hopkins (TV’s “Dead to Me,”), Eréndira Ibarra (series “Sense8,” “Ingobernable”), Toby Onwumere (TV’s “Empire”), Max Riemelt (series “Sense8”), Brian J. Smith (series “Sense8,” “Treadstone”), and Jada Pinkett Smith (“Angel Has Fallen,” TV’s “Gotham”).
Lana Wachowski directed from a screenplay by Wachowski & David Mitchell & Aleksander Hemon, based on characters created by The Wachowskis. The film was produced by Grant Hill, James McTeigue and Lana Wachowski. The executive producers were Garrett Grant, Terry Needham, Michael Salven, Jesse Ehrman and Bruce Berman. Wachowski’s creative team behind the scenes included “Sense8” collaborators: directors of photography Daniele Massaccesi and John Toll, production designers Hugh Bateup and Peter Walpole, editor Joseph Jett Sally, costume designer Lindsay Pugh, visual effects supervisor Dan Glass, and composers Johnny Klimek and Tom Tykwer.
In theaters and IMAX and on HBO Max on December 22. Available on HBO Max for 31 days from theatrical release.
Whoopi Goldberg in CLARA’S HEART (1988) is available on Blu-ray From Warner Archive. Ordering information can be found HERE
David Hart (Neil Patrick Harris) is a preteen as disillusioned as a 40-year-old and as vulnerable as a 5-year-old. The death of his baby sister and his parents’ subsequent separation have left him despairing and lonely. But he’s about to discover all the love he needs in Clara’s Heart.
Whoopi Goldberg recaptures the triumph and joy of her award-winning portrayal of Celie in The Color Purple, starring as savvy Jamaican housekeeper Clara Mayfield. When Clara first enters the Harts’ luxurious suburban Baltimore home, David views her as an interloper and a threat. But Clara’s unshakable dignity and bounteous humor act like sunshine on the tight bud of David’s soul.
Happy Fourth of July all you Marvel movie maniacs! We Movie Geeks hope you had a fun time at all the barbeques and at the big fireworks shows. But all the excitement won’t end with that final bottle rocket. Just a couple of days later everyone’s favorite friendly neighborhood web-spinner will be swinging back into the multiplex in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING. Hard to believe that Peter Parker’s been in feature films for over fifteen years now. This got us to thinking about all the actors who have played him on the big AND small screen, those who have donned the skin-tight spandex and those who have given him a voice. So. let’s take a leisurely stroll down Marvel memory lane with this top ten list. For fun, let’s go from the earliest to the latest, from cartoons and TV to the movies. So, make sure your web-shooters are filled as we begin with…
10. Paul Soles (“Spider-Man” animated series on ABC 1967-1970)
It’s 1966, the year that the Batman TV grabbed the public and proved to be a rating powerhouse. Since the nation’s kids were swept up in Batmania, the broadcast networks scrambled to bring these “funny underwear” characters to Saturday mornings (while soaps and game shows filled the airwaves Monday thru Friday, kids shows filled the weekend mornings back in those pre-cable days). While many of the heroes were original creations (“Space Ghost” on CBS, “Birdman” on NBC). ABC opted to base two of their biggest new shows on the hip, very popular Marvel comics characters (although CBS did have Filmation Studios’ “The New Adventures of Superman”). Toon’ factory Hanna-Barbera adapted Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s “Fantastic Four” (with designs by the great Alex Toth), while “Spider-Man” came from the smaller Krantz Films and Gantray-Lawrence animation house. Originally Spidey was part of the “Marvel Superheroes” cartoons for syndication (he would rotate with Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and Captain America), but when the network “came a’ callin'”, the Sub-Mariner took that fifth slot. Giving voice to Peter Parker and Spider-Man was Canadian actor Paul Soles. He was already providing the soundtracks to Rick Jones, ‘Happy’ Hogan, and the Incredible Hulk/Bruce Banner for the aforementioned syndicated package. Prior to that he was one of the voice artists for the Rankin/Bass company, the same folks behind many perennial holiday specials. In fact, he was the voice of Hermey, the “wannabe’ dentist” elf in “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (along with the “Smokey the Bear” and “King Kong” TV shows). Soles made a vocal distinction similar to what Bud Collyer did on the Superman radio show. Peter’s voice had a lite tenor lilt while Spidey was a deep, dynamic baritone. He provided the vocals for all 52 episodes, including the bizarre, trippy third season ones directed by Ralph Bakshi assisted by the great Gray Morrow. In 1979 he returned to the role for a guest spot on ABC’s “Spider-Woman” cartoon series. Mr. Soles has kept busy over the years, in films, TV, and in animation. And he’s part of the Marvel “movie-verse” playing pizzeria owner Stanley (or is it Stan Lee) in 2008’s THE INCREDIBLE HULK.
Now, let’s jump briefly from cartoons to live action with…
9. Danny Seagren (“The Electric Company” PBS 1974-1977)
Name not ringing a bell? Okay, here’s some “back story”. In 1969 “Sesame Street” revolutionized educational TV shows for kids. Naturally, a couple of years later, the PBS network and the CTW (Children’s Television Workshop) were hoping to expand , to succeed with a half hour show aimed at a slightly older audience, to sharpen their grammar and reading skills. In 1971 they premiered “The Electric Company” which used a fast pace similar to Sesame, but without Jim Henson’s Muppets. Instead, they showcased a troupe of veteran performers and up and coming young actors. Those newbies included Skip Hinnant (voice of Fritz the Cat) and future Oscar winner Morgan Freeman, while the ‘old pros” were “EGOT” Rita Moreno and… ahem.. bill cosby. A couple of well known characters like Batman and the Roadrunner had made a trek to Sesame, so the producers decided to license Spider-Man. not for just a quick cartoon spot or two, but as a series regular in 1974. To cast him they called on the Henson company and hired young Muppet performer and puppet designer Danny Seagren to don the red and blue leotard. Each episode of the five-day-a-week show included a Spider-Man segment, usually about 3 or 4 minutes complete with faux comic book cover and theme music (“Spider-Man…nobody knows who you are…”). The other cast members interacted with Spidey, even though he only “talked” in “word balloons”, so Seagren was basically doing a mime performance. And you never saw him remove his mask to become Peter Parker. While the backgrounds were comic art, none of Spidey’s supporting characters (Aunt May, etc. ) or villains (Green Goblin, etc.) were featured. His TV appearances were so popular that Marvel released a tie-in comic book “Spidey Super Stories” designed for younger readers. Spider-man was part of the Electric Company right up to its final season in 1977, when Seagren returned to “Muppet-land”, and later puppet designing and performing.
Which leads us to another “live” web-slinger…
8. Nicholas Hammond (“The Amazing Spider-Man” CBS 1977-1979)
In 1977, CBS execs knew there was “something in the air”, probably before STAR WARS changed pop culture that May. They, along with Universal Studios, had optioned several of the Marvel superheroes for possible TV movies and hopefully some hit weekly TV shows. That eventually did happen with “The Incredible Hulk”, though there were two Captain America TV movies and a solo Dr. Strange TV “movie of the week” (Iron Man, Thor, the Sub-Mariner, and the Human Torch never went into production). But Spidey was not part of that deal, he was with Charles Fries Productions over at Columbia, though he beat the Hulk to the air by two months. The September “movie special” was a modest hit for the network, buoyed by the casting of an actor who was part of one of the big box office hits of all time. A dozen years before he was Peter Parker, Nicholas Hammond was best known as the eldest Von Trapp son, Friedrich in THE SOUND OF MUSIC (two years prior to that he was Robert in LORD OF THE FLIES). In the years between he kept busy in films and TV (boyfriends on “The Brady Bunch” and “The Waltons”). In the pilot show we see the twenty-something actor as a college intern bitten by that spider who’s accidentally doused with radiation. On the way home he discovers his new abilities and later fashions a costume to hide his identity while creating his “web-shooters”. Peter is then hired as a photographer for the NYC newspaper, the Daily Bugle, reporting to the editor/publisher J. Jonah Jameson (David White of “Bewitched” in the pilot, replaced by Robert F Simon when it goes to series). Later Pete becomes pals with Jameson’s assistant Rita (Chip Fields, mother of Kim Fields of “The Facts of Life”). The second episode doesn’t air till early 1978 and would run sporadically thru 1979. Rumor is that it was never given a consistent series night after a CBS “big wig’ was teased at a party when someone said that CBS now stood for “Comic Book Shows” (after they picked up “Wonder Woman” from ABC). Stan Lee would complain that it was more like a “cop show” since none of the super-villians from the comics were used and Michael Pataki became a regular as cranky cop Captain Barbera. The constraints of TV budgets hampered the fantasy elements of the series. The Spidey suit was ill-fitting, with odd one-way glass in the mask’s eye pieces (later they’d be white), and a white “utility belt” and white plastic bracelets (for the web cartridges). That webbing resembled kids’ party “silly string” and bad guys had a web net thrown over them from off camera (some were webbed by reversing the footage or “back-winding”). Stuntman Dar Robinson worked a wire that made it look as though he was crawling up the sides of buildings (though he feet and hands barely touched the surfaces as he was whisked up). For its third season a rival reporter, Julie Masters played by Ellen Bry, was brought in generate some Lois and Clark romantic sparks, but it was too little, too late as the erratic scheduling finally sent the series to rerun heaven. Several episodes were edited together to make syndicated movies (a few played foreign theatres). Hammond said that there was talk in 1984 about doing a reunion movie that would have him meeting up with the Bixby/Ferrigno Hulk, but nothing materialized. Since then, Mr. Hammond has kept busy both in front of and behind the camera as a screenwriter.
And now back to the Saturday morning cartoons!
7. Dan Gilvezan (“Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends” NBC 1981-1983)
It’s another Saturday morning show, another network for the ole’ webhead. ABC had a weekend staple with different versions of the Hanna-Barbera classic, “Super Friends”, which began with the partnership of DC comics icons Superman, Batman (with Robin), Wonder Woman, and Aquaman along with “regular” teens Wendy, Marvin, and their mutt Wonder Dog (other members of the Justice League along with the alien Wonder Twins would be added in future seasons). It was only natural that the “peacock network” would want their own “super-team” toon’. When Marvel bought the Depatie-Freeling Animation Studios (becoming Marvel Animation) they pitched and sold a show originally called “Spider Friends”, but airing as “Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends” from 1981 to 1983. Those friends were former X-Men Bobby Drake AKA Iceman ,voiced by the prolific Frank Welker (the original Fred on “Scooby Doo” and the current “Garfield”) and Angelica Jones AKA Firestar, voiced by Kathy Garver (Cissy on the sitcom classic “Family Affair”), an original character that was perhaps a female sub for the troublesome (to network watchdog groups) Human Torch. She could fly, control and emit warm temps, and toss fireballs. The three heroes shared the upper floor of a Queens boarding house run by Pete’s beloved Aunt May (voiced by the legendary June Foray) and her excitable pooch Ms. Lion. With the turn of a trophy (and other triggers) the common living room turned into a high-tech anti-crime center (mainly a big computer with flashing lights). Oh, and Peter Parker was voiced by a St. Louis native, the very busy (in front of the camera and behind the mike) Dan Gilvezan. Besides Spidey, Dan’s best known cartoon roles may be as the father of “Dennis the Menace” and as fan favorite autobot Bumblebee of “The Transformers”. But back to those “Spider pals”, each half hour would begin with breathless narration from comics co-creater Stan Lee and pit the trio against new and established villains from Marvel . And sometimes they’d get an assist from other comics heroes (this show had the first animated appearance of Wolverine). After the end of its network run, the show became part of Marvel’s big animation syndication strip (Monday thru Friday) package. And the talented Mr. Gilvezan continues to be much in demand.
6. Christopher Daniel Barnes (“Spider-Man” Fox-Kids 1994-1998)
Eleven years later Spidey leaps to another network, Fox (technically its branch for youngsters, Fox Kids). The still young “net” (begun in 1987) wanted to establish thmeselves as an after-school staple for the nation’s pre-teens, so they brought in Marvel (now thru New World Entertainment Films) for weekday adventures of the X-Men (turning them into multi-media titans) and new tales of everyone’s favorite wallcrawler. These were tight adaptations of classic stories using villains and heroes from the entire Marvel comics universe (the even did a “secret wars” mini-series). Spidey’s core group of supporting players included Sara Ballantine as Mary Jane Watson and Ed Asner, the former Lou Grant, as another news editor, J. Jonah Jameson. And voicing Peter Parker was a terrific young actor named Christopher Daniel Barnes, who lent his pipes to another toon’ hero, Ariel’s adored Prince Eric in the Disney classic THE LITTLE MERMAID.This was around the same time he co-starred in the live-action NBC sitcom “Day by Day” (prior to that he was in the ABC TV adaptation/sequel to STARMAN). Later he would earn great praise for his turn as another pop culture icon, Greg Brady in 1995’s THE BRADY BUNCH MOVIE and its sequel the following year. The five day-a-week “Spider-Man” show would amass 65 episodes and boast a stellar roster of voice actors (Eddie Albert as the Vulture, Oscar-winner Martin Landau as the Scorpion, Marc Hamill as the Hobgoblin, and Brian Keith as Uncle Ben, among many others). Since the end of production, Barnes has been very active in many projects (including several Spidey shows and games).
5. Neil Patrick Harris (“Spider-Man: The New Adventures” MTV 2003)
Five years pass, a big box office blockbuster is released, and Spidey is back on the small screen on yet another network, this time it’s that basic cable institution MTV. The thirteen episode series is a loose adaptation of the Marvel Comic hit spin-off book “Ultimate Spider-Man” filtered through the events of the recent Sam Raimi-directed smash film. And it’s a very different look to Pete and his pals. Rather than they “hand-drawn” 2-D “painted” cel animation, the characters and backgrounds are fully rendered in CGI (computer animation ala’ Pixar). As at the end of the 2002 hit, the main characters are young college students. Harry Osborn is voiced by “Beverly Hills 90210 vet Ian Ziering while singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb voiced Jane Watson. Whoah, this time around Spidey is voiced by none other than the “notorious NPH”, self-professed comics geek Neil Patrick Harris! This was ten years after his breakout TV role as “Doogie Howser, MD” and just a couple of years after his hoped-for return to series TV with NBC’s “Stark Raving Mad”. But just two years later he’d be back in the spotlight stealing scenes in HAROLD & KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE and in another couple of years he’d begin his nine season run as the leg…wait for it..endary Barney Stinson on the CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother”. His Spidey would face off against an army of “re-tooled” comic villains including Michael Clarke Duncan reprising his role as Wilson Fisk AKA the Kingpin from the then recent DAREDEVIL feature starring Ben Affleck. Harris continues to delight as he wins Emmys and Tonys, stars in big feature films (THE SMURFS, GONE GIRL), and headlines the Netflix show based on the popular childrens books “A Series of Unfortunate Events”, but still makes time lend his voice once more to his favorite “webhead’ in the video game “Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions”.
4. Drake Bell (“Ultimate Spider-Man” Disney XD 2012-)
And this brings us to the current-day voice of Spidey on yet another channel, Disney sister station Disney XD. This show, still in production, owes much to the Marvel movie universe, yet also harkens back to an earlier animated incarnation. It’s got a looser, more “cartoon-y” look which supports its fast. frenetic pace. Spidey’s exploits have caught the attention of the spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D., so they bring him in for a high-tech upgrade. But in return, they want him to mentor four heroes-in-training as they attend Mid-Town High, now run by principal (and undercover agent ) Phil Coulson (actor Clark Gregg reprises his film and TV role…and the design looks just like him). Hmm, sounds a bit like the ole’ “Spider Friends” idea. Those friends are the high-flying Nova (voiced by Logan Miller) and teen versions of the invulnerable Luke cage (Ogie Banks) along with martial artists Iron Fist (Greg Cripes) and the White Tiger (Caitlyn Taylor Love). Oh, and the “Big Apple” is peppered with massive video screens of J Jonah Jameson (voiced by Oscar-winner J.K, Simmons) decrying the “Spider-Man menace”. Whoops, almost forgot, voicing Spidey is Drake Bell, half of the hit Nickleodeon “Drake & Josh” and star of the live-action movie satire SUPERHERO MOVIE. This hit series show no signs of slowing down is it engages in crossovers with the other Marvel animated shows that feature the Avengers and the Hulk.
That’s it for the toons’, now let’s head to the multiplex…. 3. Tobey Maguire (SPIDER-MAN, SPIDER-MAN 2, SPIDER-MAN 3 2002-2007)
After years of court battles, the movie rights to Spider-man were finally awarded to Sony Pictures. With the astounding box office response to the X-MEN movie in 2000, Sony was eager to give the web slinger the big budget treatment he richly deserved. The directing reigns were handed off to Sam (THE EVIL DEAD) Raimi, a long time comics fan, who began the long casting process. Nearly every twenty-something up and coming actor did a screen test, but the coveted role went to Tobey Maguire. A working thespian since his teens, Maguire had been steadily making a name for himself, graduating from TV work (an episode of “Walker, Texas Ranger” for gosh sake) to the movies with a high-profile role as Leonardo Di Caprio’s best bud in THIS BOY’S LIFE (the two remain good friends). He’d follow this up with memorable work in acclaimed films such as THE ICE STORM, THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, WONDER BOYS, and PLEASANTVILLE. As Peter Parker he was paired with Kirsten Dunst as love interest Mary Jane Watson, James Franco as pal/roomie Harry Osburn, Rosemary Harris as Aunt May, and Willem Dafoe as master villain the Green Goblin AKA Norman Osborn. The script began with the “accident” during Pete’s senior year in high school and focused on his new job at the Daily Bugle newspaper run by the hotheaded J. Jonah Jameson (J. K. Simmons) and his staff including Betty Brant (Elizabeth Banks) and ‘Robbie’ Robertson (Bill Nunn). Sure this first outing was action-packed, but it also worked as a romance, with a love triangle (Pete, MJ, and Harry) creating sparks. After the film broke box office records, a follow-up was put into production with Alfred Molina as iconic baddie Doctor Octopus AKA Otto Octavius. For many (yours truly included) this was a superior sequel, giving us the lovable loser we’d read for years, while exploring the MJ/ Pete dynamic. It quickly became the biggest movie of 2004. Unfortunately the next film three years later, was a bit of a let-down. Rumors circulated that Raimi was not ready with a the script as the studio wanted to get another blockbuster out. That pressure might have been the reason for the addition of two new villains, seminal bad guy the Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) and newer, fan favorite, the alien Venom, who takes control of Bugle reporter Eddie Brock (Topher Grace) while Harry Osborn became a sleeker version of the Goblin. With the addition of Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard) as a rival to MJ, and the alien taking over Pete (in one horrific sequence “emo Peter Parker” dances down a city street), this 2007 flick was a disjointed muddled mess. Nobody seemed to be happy with it Later director Raimi denounced it in the fan press. Still Sony wanted another, but Raimi along with stars Maguire and Dunst were done. Mr. Maguire would go on to star in THE GREAT GATSBY and PAWN SACRIFICE (as chess master Bobby Fisher) and produce several films including Spike Lee’s 25TH HOUR, ROCK OF AGES, and THE 5TH WAVE.
It would be 5 years until Spidey swung on screen once more. And to cast him, Sony shot a web across the Atlantic…
2. Andrew Garfield (THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2012, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 2014)
For the 2012 “reboot” Spider-Man, the all-American hero, would be played by a Brit, Andrew Garfield. He had made a name for himself in the UK through his stage, film and TV work (the “Red Riding” TV movies) and had prominent roles in the futuristic NEVER LET ME GO and David Fincher’s docudrama THE SOCIAL NETWORK. Marc Webb (appropriate) would helm this different take on the hero. There’s no MJ here, instead Pete is smitten with “whiz kid” Gwen Stacy (Oscar-winner Emma Stone) while dealing with her no-nonsense pop, Police Captain Stacy (Denis Leary). We’d get a flashback at the film’s start which would show Pete’s birth parents Richard and Mary Parker (Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz) and hint that their demise was planned by the sinister Oscorp company (its founder, Norman, is never really shown). And they had a hand in the “accident” that gave Peter his arachnid abilities. But this time Peter invents the web-shooters (as in the comics) rather than the organic “spinnerets” that shot weblines from his wrists in the Raimi trilogy. And now another Oscar-winner (twice), Sally Field, wears the apron of Aunt May. Another early comics villain, the Lizard AKA Dr, Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) would challenge our hero. The story often stalled while concentrating on the shadowy Oscorp shenanigans and the CGI Lizard seemed to be plucked out of a video game, but audiences responded to the chemistry between Garfield and Stone (which for a time transferred off-set). So much so, that a sequel was in theatres two years later. Pete and Gwen graduate from high school while things get stickier with Oscorp. Turns out they’re bankrolling baddies like the Rhino (Paul Giamatti) while turning one of their employees, Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx) into the shocking Electro. Plus Oscorp heir, and old school chum of Pete, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) returns to town, tinkering with a top-secret formula (and weaponry) that will turn him into the Green Goblin. As with Raimi’s SPIDER-MAN 3, too any cooks…er..villains spoiled the broth, and the charming romance of Pete and Gwen was lost amid the noise and destruction. The film “under-performed” at the box office. Director Webb and star Garfield would not return. The latter would continue in several acclaimed films like 99 HOMES and SILENCE. He would earn an Oscar nomination for HACKSAW RIDGE last year. But Mr. Garfield would not be slipping on the mask once more. Sony was at a crossroads. They had too much invested to give up on the character and lose a potentially still-lucrative franchise. Perhaps someone familiar with Spidey would have some ideas…
1. Tom Holland (CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR 2016, SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING 2017, AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR 2018)
Sony, along with all of the other studios, were astounded by the incredible success and box office gold generated by Marvel Studios since they released their first film, IRON MAN, back in 2008. Many in Hollywood thought they would flop since they didn’t control the movie exploits of several of their most popular characters. The X-Men and the Fantastic Four were with Fox while their corporate symbol (their “Mickey Mouse”), Spider-Man was with Sony. But after the 2014 flick, Sony made a call and Marvel listened. They would co-produce the Spidey series, with Marvel handling most of the creative direction. In turn, the webhead would be a part of the ever-expanding “Marvel movie-verse”. And what better way to introduce the new hero than with lots of the other heroes during an epic European airport tarmac battle in 2016’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. In the smash hit film, Cap and Iron Man are at odds and the Avengers are split. In order to prevent Cap from helping his pal Bucky AKA the Winter Soldier. Tony Stark recruits a little extra “muscle” for his squad (War Machine, Black Widow, the Vision, and another new movie hero, the Black Panther). We first meet this new “recruit’ in the hallways of a Queens, NY apartment building. It’s fifteen year-old high school whiz (and ‘dumpster diver”) Peter Parker played by yet another Brit (!) Tom Holland, who at 20 he’s the youngest actor to play the role. A former “Billy Elliot” on the London stage, he made critics take notice with his powerful performance in the true-life disaster drama THE IMPOSSIBLE. Later he co-starred with Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth, in Ron Howard’s epic IN THE HEART OF THE SEA. In CIVIL WAR. we also meet his new Aunt May, Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei. After donning his new Stark-designed, tricked out Spider-suit, Pete takes on the Falcon, Cap and Bucky while tossing out wisecracks. And when team Stark freaks out when Ant-Man becomes Giant-Man, Pete keeps a level head and takes him down by recalling a “really old” movie. Holland is an energetic delight, a charmer who steals nearly every scene. And this Friday, he gets his first solo adventure. Pete’s back in Queens, living with May, and being mentored by Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr) via his right-hand man ‘Happy’ Hogan (Jon Favreau). Our hero yearns to be a full-fledged Avenger while Tony wants him to keep his sights, and profile, low (“Just be your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man”). Pete’s going to challenge that when he keeps running into the heavily armed gang of Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) AKA the Vulture (the second villain he faced in the comics). But Mr. Parker may get that chance for the big leagues sooner than he expected, since it’s been confirmed that he will be in next year’s AVENGERS: INFINITY WARS. But, first things first, don’t miss him in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING playing everywhere this Friday
And, to paraphrase that wonderful song, spidey “spins a web any size, catches moviegoers just like flies..look out.. here comes the SPIDER-MAN!!!”
Oscar-nominated actor Terrence Howard (2006) and Oscar nominee Felicity Jones will be presenters at this year’s Oscars, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today. The Oscars, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, will air on Sunday, February 22, live on ABC.
Howard was nominated for his leading role in 2006’s “Hustle & Flow.” His other films include Oscar-winning Best Picture “Crash” (2004), “Ray” (2004), “Iron Man” (2008), “Prisoners” (2013), “Lee Daniel’s The Butler” (2013) and “St. Vincent” (2014). Howard currently stars in the hit television series “Empire.” His upcoming films include “Term Life” and “Cardboard Boxer.”
Jones is nominated for Actress in a Leading Role for “The Theory of Everything.” Her previous film credits include “The Tempest” (2010), “Like Crazy” (2011), “The Invisible Woman” (2013) and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” (2014). Jones’ upcoming films include “True Story,” “Autobahn,” “A Monster Calls” and “Inferno.”
Oscar presenters and performers include:
Presenters:
Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Cate Blanchett, Jessica Chastain, Marion Cotillard, Benedict Cumberbatch, Viola Davis, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Idris Elba, Ansel Elgort, Chris Evans, Kevin Hart, Terrence Howard, Josh Hutcherson, Scarlett Johansson, Dakota Johnson, Felicity Jones, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez, Jared Leto, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey, Sienna Miller, Chloë Grace Moretz, Eddie Murphy, Liam Neeson, Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Pine, Chris Pratt, Margot Robbie, Zoe Saldana, Octavia Spencer, Meryl Streep, Channing Tatum, Miles Teller, John Travolta, Kerry Washington, Naomi Watts, Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon.
Performers:
Jack Black, Common, Jennifer Hudson, Anna Kendrick, Lady Gaga, John Legend, Adam Levine with Maroon 5, Tim McGraw, Rita Ora and Tegan and Sara with The Lonely Island.
The 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015 and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
Catch a look at the preparations for the big show at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
The posters are up all over Hollywood and Oscars 2015 is less than a week away. If you follow the Academy’s official Twitter feed (@TheAcademy), Oscar producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan have been giving fans daily updates of the show and are in full rehearsal mode at the Dolby Theatre.
From Entertainment Weekly’s cover to “Inside The Actors Studio,” host Neil Patrick Harris has been doing his part in promoting the 87th Oscars. Listen as the first time host talks about following in the famous footsteps of previous emcees.
For movie fans in the Hollywood area during Oscar Week, events at The Academy begin February 17th and run through February 21.
On Tuesday, the Academy kicks off the week as it celebrates the nominated films and filmmakers of the Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film categories. Actor Sean Astin serves as host for the evening. For more info on Oscar week, click here.
If you’re in the Los Angeles area, visit the Hollywood Costume exhibit featuring 150+ iconic costumes. Get tickets here: http://www.oscars.org/hollywoodcostume/
The 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars, produced by Zadan and Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
Taking a page from the Puppy Bowl and the sweet Budweiser “Lost Dog” commercial, the Oscars are getting in on the Super Bowl action.
Academy Awards host Neil Patrick Harris and Jimmy Kimmel talk puppies and the Oscars in the brand new TV spot.
For the tenth year in a row, Jimmy Kimmel Live will air its post-Oscar special immediately following the Academy Awards on ABC. Broadcasting from Disney’s El Capitan Theater located on Hollywood Boulevard in the heart of L.A.’s star-studded Walk of Fame, the studio is just steps away from Dolby Theater, home to the Academy Awards.
Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Oscars airs live on Oscar Sunday, February 22 after the late local news ET/CT and at 10:00 p.m., PT on ABC.
More than 150 Oscar nominees, along with Neil Patrick Harris, will come together at noon on Monday, February 2, at the Beverly Hilton when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honors this year’s Oscar contenders at its annual Nominees Luncheon.
Among the Lead Actor and Actress nominees, Steve Carell, Bradley Cooper, Marion Cotillard, Felicity Jones, Michael Keaton, Julianne Moore, Rosamund Pike, Eddie Redmayne and Reese Witherspoon are expected to attend the pre-Oscars event. Supporting Actor and Actress nominees Patricia Arquette, Laura Dern, Robert Duvall, Ethan Hawke, Edward Norton, J.K. Simmons and Emma Stone also will join in the celebratory lunch.
Three of the five nominees in the Directing category – Richard Linklater, Bennett Miller and Morten Tyldum – also are expected to attend.
The 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
Follow the Academy, Oscars producers and host Neil Patrick Harris for the latest updates throughout Oscar season.
Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron today announced the special material writing team for the 87th Oscars, which will air live on Oscar Sunday, February 22, 2015, on ABC.
Host Neil Patrick Harris will lead the special material writing team alongside head writer Dave Boone. Boone, a veteran of eight Oscar telecasts, won two Emmys for his work on the 63rd and 64th Tony Awards, and received nominations for all three subsequent shows. He also earned nominations for his work on the 84th Oscars, hosted by Billy Crystal, and the 70th and 71st Golden Globe Awards telecasts. Boone’s additional writing credits include the “Primetime Emmy Awards,” “The Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration,” the “Academy of Country Music Awards,” the “Screen Actors Guild Awards,” and “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.”
Writer and producer Paul Greenberg won an Emmy as a writer on the 63rd Tony Awards and earned three more nominations for his work on subsequent telecasts. His other credits include “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” the “Primetime Emmy Awards” and the “People’s Choice Awards.” Greenberg also is a veteran sketch comedy performer and is currently writing, producing and acting in his own show, “International Ghost Investigators: Hollywood Division,” which airs on DirecTV’s Audience channel.
Mason Steinberg, a three-time Emmy Award nominee, has written material for some of biggest comics in the industry. His television credits include the 84th Academy Awards show, the “Primetime Emmy Awards,” the “MTV Movie Awards” and series such as “Crank Yankers,” “The Andy Milonakis Show,” “Lopez Tonight,” “Stevie TV” and “The Crazy Ones.”
Derek DelGaudio is a performance artist, writer and co-founder, along with artist Glenn Kaino, of A.Bandit, an experimental performance art collective. DelGaudio wrote and co-starred in “Nothing to Hide,” a theatrical magic show directed by Neil Patrick Harris that debuted at L.A.’s Geffen Playhouse in 2012 and Off-Broadway at the Signature Theatre in 2013. DelGaudio was selected as an artist-in-residence at Walt Disney Imagineering earlier this year. He is currently writing a new theater show to debut in 2015.
Liz Feldman is a four-time Emmy winner for her work as a writer and producer on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” Feldman wrote material for the 79th and 86th Academy Awards telecasts and was a writer and producer on the comedy series “2 Broke Girls.” She is the creator of the new comedy series “One Big Happy,” which she is also writing and executive producing for a 2015 launch.
Paula Pell is a comedy writer, producer and actress, best known for her writing work on “Saturday Night Live” for two decades. The SNL characters she helped create include Debbie Downer, the Spartan Cheerleaders, and Marty and Bobbi. A few years ago, Pell began writing for feature films, and in 2012 she executive produced Judd Apatow’s “This Is 40.” Her first original screenplay, “The Nest,” was shot this summer with Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. The film is due out next year.
Tim Carvell is a writer and executive producer on the series “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” A veteran of three previous Oscar telecasts, Carvell also served for 10 years as a staff writer and head writer on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” during which time he won six Emmy Awards for his work. Carvell is the author of the Planet Tad middle-grade book series, based on his column for MAD magazine.
Follow the Academy, Oscar’s producers, and host Neil Patrick Harris for the latest updates throughout Oscar season.
Award-winning star of stage and screen Neil Patrick Harris will host the 87th Oscars, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today. This will be Harris’ first time hosting the ceremony. The show will air live on ABC on Oscar Sunday, February 22, 2015.
“We are thrilled to have Neil host the Oscars,” said Zadan and Meron. “We have known him his entire adult life, and we have watched him explode as a great performer in feature films, television and stage. To work with him on the Oscars is the perfect storm, all of his resources and talent coming together on a global stage.”
“It is truly an honor and a thrill to be asked to host this year’s Academy Awards. I grew up watching the Oscars and was always in such awe of some of the greats who hosted the show,” said Harris. “To be asked to follow in the footsteps of Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres, and everyone else who had the great fortune of hosting is a bucket list dream come true.”
“We share Craig and Neil’s excitement in welcoming the incredibly talented Neil Patrick Harris,” said Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Academy President. “He is the consummate entertainer. Neil’s distinctive charm and showmanship make him the ideal host to honor the Oscar legacy and ensure we all enjoy another unforgettable celebration.”
“Neil is a terrific actor, singer, risk-taker and collaborator,” said Dawn Hudson, Academy CEO. “We can’t wait to see the show that he and Craig and Neil create together.”
“Neil Patrick Harris is highly energetic and a definitive entertainer,” said Paul Lee. “We are thrilled to have him as our 2015 Oscar host.”
A triple-threat performer, Harris has enjoyed a successful career in entertainment. He can currently be seen starring opposite Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike in David Fincher’s critically-acclaimed feature film, GONE GIRL.
Harris garnered multiple Emmy and Golden Globe award nominations for his role as Barney Stinson on the hit television series, “How I Met Your Mother,” and he won an Emmy for his guest-starring role on “Glee” in 2010. He also recently starred in the title role of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” on Broadway, earning the 2014 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Harris served as host of the 61st and 65th Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as the 63rd, 65th, 66th and 67th Tony Awards, for which he won four Emmys. Most recently, Harris added the title of author to his list of accomplishments with the release of his autobiography from Crown Publishing, “Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography.”
The last two Oscars telecasts, which were produced by Zadan and Meron, received a major spike in the ratings. The 86th Oscars was TV’s most-watched entertainment event in 10 years and attracted the biggest viewership since 2000, with more than 45 million viewers. The show resulted in dramatic gains in younger demos and social media conversation, with more than one billion impressions generated on Twitter and 25 million interactions happening on Facebook on Oscar Sunday. Additionally, the star-studded “selfie” became the most retweeted photo of all time with 32.8 million views.
The Oscars will be held at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 4 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
87th Oscars Social Media Guide
Follow the Academy, Oscars producers and host Neil Patrick Harris for the latest updates throughout Oscar season.
