Academy Award®-nominated actress Scarlett Johansson will play the lead role in director Mike Flanagan’s radical new take on The Exorcist for Blumhouse-Atomic Monster and Morgan Creek Entertainment for Universal Pictures. The film is set to shoot in New York City.
Johansson is a Tony and BAFTA-winning actress, producer, and director. Johansson’s directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, which she produced with her partners at These Pictures, had its world premiere at the 78th Cannes Film Festival and North American premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Johansson received her first two Academy Award nominations, for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for her performances in Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story and Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit, respectively, becoming the twelfth performer to be nominated for two Oscars in the same year. Her other notable acting credits include Jurassic World Rebirth, Asteroid City, Fly Me to the Moon, Black Widow, Lost in Translation, Avengers: Endgame,Avengers: Infinity War, Lucy, Underthe Skin, Ghost in the Shell, Isle of Dogs, Sing, Sing 2, and Her.
“Scarlett is a brilliant actress whose captivating performances always feel grounded and real, from genre films to summer blockbusters, and I couldn’t be happier to have her join this Exorcist film,” said Flanagan.
Johansson is represented by CAA, Yorn Levine LLC, and True Public Relations.
The film will tell an all-new story set in The Exorcist universe and is not a sequel to 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer. It is produced by Blumhouse-Atomic Monster, Morgan Creek Entertainment and Flanagan, who will also write and direct via his Red Room Pictures banner. Alexandra Magistro will also executive produce for Red Room Pictures. David Robinson produces for Morgan Creek Entertainment. Jason Blum and Ryan Turek serve as producer and executive producer for Blumhouse-Atomic Monster.
Flanagan is the visionary writer and director whose latest film, The Life of Chuck, recently won the coveted People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and continues to generate significant awards buzz. He most recently wrapped production on the Amazon MGM Studios TV adaptation of Stephen King’s debut novel, Carrie.
He is also the filmmaker behind the acclaimed features Doctor Sleep and Gerald’s Game, as well as the creator of the hit series Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Hill House and The Fall of the House of Usher. Flanagan is represented by WME, VanderKloot Law and Bespoke Publicity.
UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS THE EPIC EVENT OF THE SUMMER! SCARLETT JOHANSSON, MAHERSHALA ALI AND JONATHAN BAILEY STAR IN JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH. RATED PG-13.
L to R: , Xavier Dobbs (David Iacono), Reuben Delgado (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali) and Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) in JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH, directed by Gareth Edwards.
A new era is born. This summer, three years after the Jurassic World trilogy concluded with each film surpassing $1 billion at the global box office, the enduring Jurassic series evolves in an ingenious new direction with Jurassic World Rebirth.
Anchored by iconic action superstar Scarlett Johansson, Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey and two-time Oscar® winner Mahershala Ali, this action-packed new chapter sees an extraction team race to the most dangerous place on Earth, an island research facility for the original Jurassic Park, inhabited by the worst of the worst that were left behind.
Also starring acclaimed international stars Rupert Friend and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, the film is directed by dynamic visualist Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) from a script by original Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp.
Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures across land, sea and air within that tropical biosphere hold, in their DNA, the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.
Academy Award® nominee Johansson plays skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett, contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure the genetic material. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized by marauding aquatic dinos, they all find themselves stranded on a forbidden island that had once housed an undisclosed research facility for Jurassic Park. There, in a terrain populated by dinosaurs of vastly different species, they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that has been hidden from the world for decades.
Ali is Duncan Kincaid, Zora’s most trusted team member; Critics Choice and Olivier Award winner Jonathan Bailey (Wicked, Bridgerton) plays paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis; Emmy nominee Rupert Friend (Homeland, Obi-Wan Kenobi) appears as Big Pharma representative Martin Krebs and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (The Lincoln Lawyer, Murder on the Orient Express) plays Reuben Delgado, the father of the shipwrecked civilian family.
The cast includes Luna Blaise (Manifest), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty) and Audrina Miranda (Lopez vs. Lopez) as Reuben’s family. The film also features, as members of Zora and Krebs’ crews, Philippine Velge (Station Eleven), Bechir Sylvain (BMF) and Ed Skrein (Deadpool).
Jurassic World Rebirth is directed by BAFTA winner Edwards from a script by Koepp (War of the Worlds), based on characters created by Michael Crichton. The film is produced by Oscar® nominee Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley, both longtime Jurassic franchise producers and of last summer’s blockbuster, Twisters. The film is executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Denis L. Stewart and Jim Spencer.
JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH opens in theaters on July 2 and tickets are on sale now!
A new era is born. This summer, three years after the Jurassic World trilogy concluded with each film surpassing $1 billion at the global box office, the enduring Jurassic series evolves in an ingenious new direction with Jurassic World Rebirth.
Anchored by iconic action superstar Scarlett Johansson, Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey and two-time Oscar® winner Mahershala Ali, this action-packed new chapter sees an extraction team race to the most dangerous place on Earth, an island research facility for the original Jurassic Park, inhabited by the worst of the worst that were left behind.
Watch the brand new trailer now.
Also starring acclaimed international stars Rupert Friend and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, the film is directed by dynamic visualist Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) from a script by original Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp.
Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures across land, sea and air within that tropical biosphere hold, in their DNA, the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.
Academy Award® nominee Johansson plays skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett, contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure the genetic material. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized by marauding aquatic dinos, they all find themselves stranded on a forbidden island that had once housed an undisclosed research facility for Jurassic Park. There, in a terrain populated by dinosaurs of vastly different species, they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that has been hidden from the world for decades.
Ali is Duncan Kincaid, Zora’s most trusted team member; Critics Choice and Olivier Award winner Jonathan Bailey (Wicked, Bridgerton) plays paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis; Emmy nominee Rupert Friend (Homeland, Obi-Wan Kenobi) appears as Big Pharma representative Martin Krebs and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (The Lincoln Lawyer, Murder on the Orient Express) plays Reuben Delgado, the father of the shipwrecked civilian family.
The cast includes Luna Blaise (Manifest), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty) and Audrina Miranda (Lopez vs. Lopez) as Reuben’s family. The film also features, as members of Zora and Krebs’ crews, Philippine Velge (Station Eleven), Bechir Sylvain (BMF) and Ed Skrein (Deadpool).
Jurassic World Rebirth is directed by BAFTA winner Edwards from a script by Koepp (War of the Worlds), based on characters created by Michael Crichton. The film is produced by Oscar® nominee Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley, both longtime Jurassic franchise producers and of last summer’s blockbuster, Twisters. The film is executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Denis L. Stewart and Jim Spencer.
Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax/Optimus Prime) Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
TRANSFORMERS ONE, the first animated theatrical feature since 1986’s THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE and a new look into the Transformers universe, catapults audiences back millions of years to the beloved behemoths’ home planet of Cybertron to reveal the origins of Optimus Prime, supreme leader of the heroic Autobots, and his nemesis Megatron, the diabolical commander of the Decepticon forces.
In 2007, the release of Michael Bay’s Oscar-nominated, live-action TRANSFORMERS stormed the global box office with its electrifying depiction of warrior robots battling for dominance on Earth. Inspired by the unprecedented success of Hasbro’s groundbreaking line of transforming toys, the film became a global phenomenon, spawning six more record-breaking films over the next 17 years. The new film shows us who Optimus and Megatron were before the wars and it lets us see Cybertron in total for the first time.
Long before the Transformers bots dreamed of escaping their dying planet for Earth, Cybertron has focused on mining the precious Energon that fuels all life no longer flows freely. The original Primes have been slaughtered in a war with the ruthless Quintessons. In subterranean Iacon City, elite Transformers bots live in luxury, while cog-less, non-transforming bots work tirelessly, digging for dwindling Energon reserves.
As the movie begins, the audience meets Orion Pax and D-16, a pair of lowly worker bots in the Energon mines deep within Cybertron. They are on the verge of a journey that takes them from being the best of friends to the bitterest of enemies. It is a classic tale, echoing powerful stories from the past, even as far back as the Bible’s Cain and Abel. Against this backdrop, ambitious mining bot Orion Pax risks everything in an effort to retrieve the long-lost Matrix of Leadership, a talisman of great power he believes will restart the flow of Energon. Along with fellow workers D-16, Elita-1 and B-127 (aka Bumblebee), Orion travels to the forbidden surface of Cybertron and discovers a breathtaking landscape – as well as a shocking conspiracy that extends into the highest levels of Transformer life.
Directed by Oscar winner Josh Cooley (TOY STORY 4), TRANSFORMERS ONE’s groundbreaking animation and innovative designs introduce a new level of cinematic artistry to the franchise and ups the stakes on the original live-action films. Cooley truly connects the audience with the characters emotionally by exploring the personal hopes and dreams of the alien robots.
TRANSFORMERS ONE’s terrific voice cast is led by Chris Hemsworth. In each previous iteration of the Transformers franchise, the voice of Optimus Prime, the stoic, heroic leader of the Autobots, has been provided by actor Peter Cullen. His silken growl has become synonymous with the character – until now – and Hemsworth steps into the role of Orion Pax, (aka Optimus Prime), with a natural ease. He had some big shoes to fill and he really honors Cullen’s previous work. Hemsworth even gives fans the line “Transform and Roll Out!”
Brian Tyree Henry plays D-16, aka Megatron, one of the greatest arch-nemeses of all time in the Transformers pantheon. He’s extremely likable at first and the opposite to Orion Pax’s rule breaker. He’s not a bad guy from the beginning. D-16 is a scrappy, smart, hard worker who follows the rules and hates injustice. He aspires to be more, but he’s not going to cross any lines. When he realizes that everything he thinks he knows is a lie, the disillusionment changes him.
Keegan-Michael Key (B-127, Bumblebee)
With a story by Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari and a screenplay by Eric Pearson and Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari, the funniest dialogue comes from Keegan-Michael Key who plays B-127 (AKA Bumblebee) who has been a mostly silent character in other chapters of the stories. He never stops talking and is constantly referring to himself as “Bad-Ass-atron”. The perfect partner for Bumblebee is Elita-1, a mining manager who takes no guff from anybody. Voiced by Scarlett Johansson, Elita-1 is an initially unwilling participant on the journey to the surface of Cybertron. She can barely wait to get back to Iacon City and turn the rest of the party into the authorities. Elita-1 is a central character in this sumptuous movie and a great opportunity for the filmmakers to create an authentic female Transformer.
L-r, Brian Tyree Henry (D-16/Megatron), Scarlett Johansson (Elita-1), Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax/Optimus Prime) and Keegan-Michael Key (B-127)
The cast also features a trio of actors in pivotal roles, including Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime, the leader of Iacon City. Since the loss of his brothers, he has diligently but fruitlessly searched for the Matrix of Leadership. Hamm brings the character a heroic air, as well as some comical pomposity as he postures for the adoring crowds. As Alpha Trion, a Transformer elder statesman believed to have died beside the Primes, Laurence Fishburne brings undeniable authority to his character as he tries to guide the four younger bots toward their goal. It’s heartbreaking to witness the betrayal and ultimate destruction of the Primes. Steve Buscemi also joins the cast as incipient Decepticon Starscream, bringing an unhinged, gonzo quality to the story. Fans will also be pleased to see Soundwave, Shockwave, Jazz and hear a reference to Ratchet as “Dr. Ratchet”.
L-r, Jon Bailey (Soundwave), Steve Buscemi (Starscream) and Jason Konopisos (Shockwave)
The artists behind the scenes Production Designer Jason Scheier, Cinematographer Christopher Batty, Editor Lynn Hobson, Art Director Gerald de Jesus, Visual Effects Supervisor Frazer Churchill and Animation Supervisors Rob Coleman and Stephen King, along with ILM give TRANSFORMERS ONE’s the most amazing action sequences which include the stunning Iacon 5000 road race, along with the final battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron. The Transformers’ home planet of Cybertron has only been glimpsed in snippets in the previous films and TRANSFORMERS ONE is set entirely in this mysterious world. The grandeur is a wonder to behold. It’s richly colorful and gorgeously lit, with beautiful landscapes, while also giving the audience a sense of metals and mechanics, as if Transformers designed it.
TRANSFORMERS ONE is a story of friendship and betrayal, of aspiring and overcoming and composer Brian Tyler’s score is filled with heartfelt and heroic melodies. He makes you feel like you’re in an Alien world. His unique cues for The Iacon 5000 race and final battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron, once friends, is both exhilarating and tragic, and much credit is to be given to the beautiful work done by the orchestra and musicians.
For fans of the live-action movies where the Autobots were focused solely on protecting humanity, this origin story is fun for everyone. It’s a story filled with emotion, humor, betrayal and giant fights. If you’re a fan, it delivers on what you’re hoping to get and if you’re not yet a fan, you’ll experience something that you probably didn’t think Transformers had in it. TRANSFORMERS ONE is the exhilarating adventure fans have been waiting decades to see and it’s one of the best films of 2024.
TRANSFORMERS ONE opens in theaters on September 20, 2024.
TRANSFORMERS ONE is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever. In the first-ever fully CG-animated Transformers movie, TRANSFORMERS ONE features a star-studded voice cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi with Laurence Fishburne and Jon Hamm.
Quavo, Ty Dolla $ign, and ARE WE DREAMING (Composer – Brian Tyler) join forces on their new collaborative anthem, “If I Fall,” for Paramount Animation and Hasbro Entertainment’s upcoming motion picture TRANSFORMERS ONE. The three superstars build off one another’s resilient verses, vowing to “take no prisoners” and refusing to give up when the odds are stacked against them. “It’s in my bloodline; I have too much pride,” declares Quavo on the track.
Directed by Josh Cooley, TRANSFORMERS ONE is set to release September 20th.
The special screening is 11AM on Saturday, September 14th @ Marcus Ronnie’s Cine (10AM Suggested Arrival)
Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.
FOUR winners will each receive 4 passes to the screening.
“Transformers One” has been rated PG for sci-fi violence and animated action throughout, and language.
Bottom l-r clockwise, Keegan-Michael Key (B-127), Scarlett Johansson (Elita-1), Brian Tyree Henry (D-16), Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax) star in PARAMOUNT ANIMATION and HASBRO Present In Association with NEW REPUBLIC PICTURES
A di BONAVENTURA PICTURES Production A TOM DESANTO / DON MURPHY Production
A BAY FILMS Production “TRANSFORMERS ONE”
Starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, Fly Me To The Moon is a sharp, stylish comedy-drama set against the high-stakes backdrop of NASA’s historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Brought in to fix NASA’s public image, sparks fly in all directions as marketing maven Kelly Jones (Johansson) wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis’s (Tatum) already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as back-up and the countdown truly begins…
Directed by Greg Berlanti, FLY ME TO THE MOON has been rated PG-13 for some strong language, and smoking. The film will be released in theaters nationwide on July 12, 2024.
The St. Louis advance screening is at B&B West Olive on Monday July 8, 7pm. (5:30PM or earlier Suggested Arrival)
Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) and Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) in FLY ME TO THE MOON.
Columbia Pictures and Apple Original Films present a These Pictures production, FlyMe to the Moon. Starring Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Jim Rash, Anna Garcia, Donald Elise Watkins, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Christian Zuber, Nick Dillenburg, with Ray Romano and Woody Harrelson.
Directed by Greg Berlanti. Screenplay by Rose Gilroy. Based upon the Story by Keenan Flynn & Bill Kirstein. Produced by Jonathan Lia, Scarlett Johansson, Keenan Flynn, and Sarah Schechter. The executive producer is Robert J. Dohrmann. The Director of Photography is Dariusz Wolski, ASC. The production designer is Shane Valentino. Edited by Harry Jierjian, ACE. The costume designer is Mary Zophres. Music by Daniel Pemberton. Music Supervision by Season Kent. Casting by Ellen Lewis
L-r, Brian Tyree Henry (D-16), Keegan-Michael Key (B-127), Scarlett Johansson (Elita-1) and Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax) star in PARAMOUNT ANIMATION and HASBRO Present In Association with NEW REPUBLIC PICTURES
A di BONAVENTURA PICTURES Production A TOM DESANTO / DON MURPHY Production
A BAY FILMS Production “TRANSFORMERS ONE”
This morning, Paramount Pictures debuted from space the first trailer for TRANSFORMERS ONE. Check out the highlights.
TRANSFORMERS ONE is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.
In the first-ever fully CG-animated Transformers movie, TRANSFORMERS ONE features a star-studded voice cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, with Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm.
Directed by Josh Cooley (TOY STORY 4), here’s your first look at the trailer.
TRANSFORMERS ONE IS IN THEATRES SEPTEMBER 20, 2024.
On the morning of July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins sat atop another Saturn V at Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. The three-stage 363-foot rocket used its 7.5 million pounds of thrust to propel them into space and into history.
On July 20, 1969, at 10:56 p.m. EDT, Armstrong planted the first human foot on another world. With more than half a billion people watching on television, he climbed down the ladder and proclaimed: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”
And now some 55 years later, NASA is preparing to send people back to the lunar surface. Scheduled for September 2025, the Artemis II flight test will be NASA’s first mission with crew under Artemis and will pave the way to land the first woman and next man on the Moon on Artemis III. Astronauts on their first flight aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft will confirm all of the spacecraft’s systems operate as designed with crew aboard in the actual environment of deep space.
We will finally return to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972.
Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) and Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) in FLY ME TO THE MOON.
Today Sony Pictures and Apple TV have debuted the trailer for FLY ME TO THE MOON.
Starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, FLY ME TO THE MOON is a sharp, stylish comedy-drama set against the high-stakes backdrop of NASA’s historic Apollo 11 moon landing.
Brought in to fix NASA’s public image, sparks fly in all directions as marketing maven Kelly Jones (Johansson) wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis’s (Tatum) already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as back-up and the countdown truly begins…
From director Greg Berlanti, check out the new trailer.
The cast includes Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Nick Dillenburg, Anna Garcia, Jim Rash, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Christian Zuber, Donald Elise Watkins, with Ray Romano and Woody Harrelson.
With a screenplay by Rose Gilroy, FLY ME TO THE MOON is based upon the story by Bill Kirstein & Keenan Flynn.
The comedy opens on July 12, 2024.
Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) and Henry Smalls (Ray Romano) in FLY ME TO THE MOON.Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) in FLY ME TO THE MOON.Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) and Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) in FLY ME TO THE MOON.
(L to R) Jake Ryan as “Woodrow”, Jason Schwartzman as “Augie Steenbeck” and Tom Hanks as “Stanley Zak” in writer/director Wes Anderson’s ASTEROID CITY, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features
Wes Anderson is among the most creative directors out there, a true auteur with a distinctive style. His films, including THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS and THE FANTASIC MR FOX, are often quirky, color-drenched, full of cultural references and even whimsical but also deeply human. While not everyone loves their unique style, he has many fans, including this writer. Anderson’s last film, THE FRENCH DISPATCH, was an anthology inspired by the New Yorker magazine, and while Anderson’s newest, ASTEROID CITY, is not an anthology, it’s a story-within-a-story format evokes some of that as does its deadpan off-kilter comedy – but here with an Atomic Age slant, of 1950s candy colors, science-focus, buttoned-down seriousness and even a touch of Area 51.
ASTEROID CITY is the name of a small Southwest desert town in the 1950s, where middle-aged war photographer Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) has arrived with his three children so his oldest, Woodrow (Jake Ryan), can take part in a science fair-like competition for very brainy kids. The tiny town is named for the asteroid crater that is its one tourist draw, and has one gas station, one diner and one motel, the kind with little cabins. The cabins are filled with the gifted kids and their parents, including a famous actress, Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson). The kids are going to show off their science creations and receive awards at the meteor crater, in ceremony led by General Gibson (Jeffrey Wright) and organized by physicist Dr. Hickenlooper (Tilda Swinton). While waiting for the ceremony, Augie talks by phone with his well-off father-in-law Stanley Zak (Tom Hanks), who lives nearby and who urges Augie to share the tragic secret he has been concealing from his son and young twin daughters.
Except none of that is real, because Asteroid City isn’t a real place. It exists only in a play being broadcast on TV, as the announcer/host (Bryan Cranston) tells us. The whole thing – play and TV broadcast – evokes the 1950s, a time when serious theatrical productions by big-name playwrights, even original ones, appeared on the small screen. There is also just a touch of a “Twilight Zone” vibe to the TV sequences, with their narrator, presented in black-and-white and in a square frame like an old television show.
In contrast to those black-and-white sequences, the world of the play itself, “Asteroid City,” fills the screen with bright pastel colors, reflecting the era’s advertising artwork, with lots of pink, teal and tangerine orange. Everything looks like a stage set – or a movie one. The town has all the classic ’50s elements: a one-pump gas station, a diner with a long counter, a motel with little cabins, even a highway ramp that goes nowhere. From the wood-panel sided station wagons to the meteor crater tourist site, ASTEROID CITY has it all.
ASTEROID CITY is a complicated, three-ring circus of a comedy, a send-up of the ’50s stereotypes and culture, but it is also a film that is likely to divide audiences – a sort of love-it or hate-it film. It is busy and crazy but if you can just go with its flow, and especially if you are a fan of Wes Anderson generally, it is fun, and even impressive that Anderson can pull it all off (Anderson even throws in a little animation). Personally, as a big Wes Anderson fan, ASTEROID CITY delighted me although it may not top my list of favorites. Yet, some others might even rank it as among his best. However, for others, it may be the opposite. If you crave deeper character development or a reflection on human life, which some Anderson films offer, ASTEROID CITY might be irritating more than enthralling. A good rule of thumb might be how you felt about THE FRENCH DISPATCH. Love that one, and this one will likely follow its path to your heart.
As the film alternates between those two story-lines, one with the characters in the play and the other the people putting on that play and broadcast, both stories reflect the 1950s world where they both exist. In the desert world of the play, the adults struggle with their various issues as the kids await the science awards, until a surprise disrupts the carefully-planned program. In parallel, we follow playwright Conrad Earp (Edward Norton) as he crafts the play in which those character exist, and the artistically-driven director, Schubert Green (Adrien Brody), has he shapes it for the studio stage, as well as the tales of the quirky actors in it. Which means some of the film’s actors play dual roles, with Jason Schwartzman playing Jones Hall, the actor playing Augie Steenbeck and Scarlett Johansson playing Mercedes Ford, playing Midge Campbell. Matt Dillon, Stephen Park and Rupert Friend also play dual roles, actors and characters in the play.
Confused? Yes, director Wes Anderson has a lot of balls in the air as he juggles these two stories and this large cast, But this a comedy, which means a bit of chaos works in its favor. There are plenty of sterling comic bits, and visual joking, playing off the kitsch and culture of the 1950s era, with its science-seriousness, and futuristic optimism battling Atomic Age nerves, with a splash of space alien flavor.
ASTEROID CITY is packed with big-name stars, including several Wes Anderson regulars, which gives wide potential for its plentiful weird little comic bits involving supporting characters. And quirky, deadpan characters abound here, among them, Steve Carell as the manager/owner of the town’s sole motel, which has the most impressive oddball assortment of vending machines, including one that sells real estate.
Unsurprisingly, the A-list cast is excellent, and each gets his or her moment. Jason Schwartzman and Scarlett Johansson carry much of the dramatic element, as they share their various struggles, but Tom Hanks, Adrien Brody and others get their moments. A fair amount of comedy comes from Steve Carell as the very entrepreneurial motel owner, but there are plenty of others in the mix.
Actors playing actors playing actors is among the nested elements in this film. This structural conceit is a bit unwieldy at times but whether all the ’50s references about science, alien landings, Actors Studio and more delight or irritate will depend on the individual. One feels that if ASTEROID CITY were a straightforward telling of the story in the play, without the framing device, it would have been sufficient. But Wes Anderson wanted to do more, and so gives us this three-ring circus of a film, not content with just one act in the ring.
ASTEROID CITY has dazzle, it’s fun and sparkling, and has full-bore star power. But the dual-story track can distract, interrupting each story by turn, which might make it harder to engage with the characters. Depending on what someone wants or expects from the film, it will be an enthralling ride or a frustrating one.
Focus Features is transforming the Landmark Theatres Sunset in Los Angeles into a real-life Asteroid City for an exclusive two-week immersive experience. The pop-up will be open to the public beginning with 7:45PM preview screenings of ASTEROID CITY on Thursday, June 15th, with all five screens at the theater showing Wes Anderson’s newest film for the first two weeks of its theatrical run. ASTEROID CITY takes place in a fictional American desert town circa 1955, when the itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention is spectacularly disrupted by world-changing events.
Brimming with vibrant colors and the unique aesthetic that has come to represent a Wes Anderson film, this singular experience will transport fans into another world. Patrons will have the opportunity to explore the fictional town of Asteroid City in person while capturing photos with set re-creations, props from the film, and costume displays. The theater’s concession area will be transformed into the 1950’s luncheonette seen in the movie, and interactive elements inspired by the film’s fictional town will be featured throughout the space.
Kevin Holloway President Landmark Theatres commented, “Landmark Theatres is proud to have innovative and collaborative studio partners like Focus Features, that like us, remain committed to celebrating specialty films like Wes Anderson’s latest, ASTEROID CITY. We’re excited to unveil our latest Landmark location by dedicating our entire Sunset complex to this fully immersive experience.”
Added Lisa Bunnell, President of Distribution at Focus Features, “Watching a Wes Anderson movie is an incredibly unique experience that can often feel like you’re stepping into an entirely new universe. We’re excited to partner with our friends at Landmark Theaters to bring his newest film to life with this pop-up and give fans the opportunity to experience a bit of Wes’ magic in person.”
(L to R) Jason Schwartzman stars as “Augie Steenbeck” and Scarlett Johansson stars as “Midge Campbell” in Wes Anderson’s ASTEROID CITY, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features
In addition to standard admission tickets, fans can also purchase a premium experience ticket which will include a movie ticket, an exclusive t-shirt, and concessions.
Located at the Landmark Theatres Sunset at 8000 W Sunset Boulevard, the pop-up experience will be open from June 15th – June 30th.
ASTEROID CITY takes place in a fictional American desert town circa 1955. Synopsis: The itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention (organized to bring together students and parents from across the country for fellowship and scholarly competition) is spectacularly disrupted by world-changing events.
The film’s huge cast features Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Stephen Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori, Jake Ryan, Jeff Goldblum.
ASTEROID CITY opens in limited theaters in NYC and LA on Friday, June 16th and expands nationwide on June 23rd.
(L to R) Tom Hanks as Stanley Zak, Hope Davis as Sandy Borden, Tony Revolori as Aide-de-Camp, and Liev Schreiber as J.J. Kellogg in writer/director Wes Anderson’s ASTEROID CITY, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features
