Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey face no shortage of peril in the first trailer for Jurassic World Rebirth.
Universal Pictures released the promo for the dinosaur-focused franchise’s new film that hits theaters July 2, 2025. Director Gareth Edwards‘ movie also stars Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, Audrina Miranda, Philippine Velge, Bechir Sylvain, and Ed Skrein.
In Jurassic World Rebirth, only a limited number of dinosaurs remain and reside in specialized biospheres, and three of these creatures hold the key to a potentially life-saving drug. Covert operations expert Zora Bennett (Johansson) attempts to secure the genetic material from the dinosaurs but ends up stranded with a civilian family on an island that holds a secret being kept from humanity for decades.
The new feature takes place five years after the events of filmmaker Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic World Dominion, the franchise’s previous installment that hit theaters in June 2022 and starred Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard alongside Jurassic Park returnees Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill. The film series launched in 1993 with Steven Spielberg‘s smash Jurassic Park, based on author Michael Crichton’s 1990 science fiction novel of the same name.
Edwards (Rogue One) helmed Jurassic World Rebirth from a script by David Koepp, who worked on Jurassic Park and its 1997 sequel, The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Hailing from Amblin Entertainment, the new film is based on characters created by Crichton.
Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley, who have both been longtime figures in the Jurassic franchise, produce Jurassic World Rebirth. Spielberg, Denis L. Stewart and Jim Spencer serve as executive producers.
This latest title will hit theaters three years after the initial Jurassic World trilogy ended with the release of Dominion. Beginning with Jurassic World in 2015, each of those three movies has surpassed $1 billion at the global box office.
Watch the trailer for Jurassic World Rebirth above.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
The first trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps teases a retro-future world and an impending threat from Galactus, one of Marvel’s most famous antagonists.
Fantastic Four is one of the most anticipated Marvel movies in some time, as fans have waited years for the Kevin Feige-led studio to make a film starring Marvel’s First Family, as the team is known.
The Fantastic Four are a cornerstone of the Marvel Universe in the comics, with writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby’s 1961 Fantastic Four No. 1 launching the universe. But the property has never had its due on the big screen. It spent decades at 20th Century Fox, which made a pair of middling movies in the 2000s and a universally reviled 2015 feature. (A 1994 Roger Coreman-produced Fantastic Four was famously never released).
When Disney acquired Fox in March 2019, it received the rights to both X-Men and Fantastic Four, and in late 2020, Marvel announced that Spider-Man helmer Jon Watts would direct a Fantastic Four movie. He ultimately departed, with WandaVision’s Matt Shakman taking over as director.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. Others stars include Julia Garner as a female Silver Surfer, Ralph Ineson as Galactus, Paul Walter Hauser, and John Malcovich.
Eric Pearson penned the current draft of the script for the film, which has a July 25 release date.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Blue Fox Entertainment has acquired worldwide rights to family sci-fi adventure Xeno, produced by Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat.
Lulu Wilson (Annabelle: Creation), Wrenn Schmidt (For All Mankind), Paul Schneider (Lars And The Real Girl), and Omari Hardwick (Power) star in the film written and directed by Matthew Loren Oates and produced by Kevin Hart, Bryan Smiley and Luke Kelly-Clyne for Hartbeat, with Shana Marie and Jesse Jensen for Tabooma.
In the completed film, a teenage girl and a terrifying alien form a powerful bond after a chance encounter in the desert, sending them on an adventure that questions the nature of good and evil. As government agents close in, the girl discovers the alien is not the extraterrestrial she expected. Compelled to protect her new friend, she uncovers a secret that could change the fate of both their worlds.
Producers worked with The Henson Company to build the film’s alien creature.
“Our team at Hartbeat is constantly focused on delivering exceptional, multi-dimensional productions to audiences everywhere, and Xeno is a perfect example of this,” said Luke Kelly-Clyne, Head of Studio at Hartbeat. “Matt’s remarkable vision, our partners at the Jim Henson Company’s Creature Shop, and the cast and crew have all culminated to seamlessly bring this unique yet timeless coming-of-age story to life and we can’t wait for it to hit the big screen.”
“Xeno weaves together stunningly designed alien creatures, deeply developed characters, and a story that will resonate with audiences everywhere,” said Blue Fox Entertainment founder James Huntsman. “Matthew delivers a movie worthy of repeat viewing. The incredible team at Tabooma and Hartbeat should be congratulated for producing this top-quality film.”
Source: Deadline
Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip), James Franco (The Disaster Artist), and Christopher Meloni (Snatched) are joining Katt Williams (Scary Movie V), Craig Robinson (Hot Tub Time Machine), James Paxton (Twisters) and Oliver Wyman (Feeling Randy) in Adam Rifkin’s psychedelic stoner comedy Toad.
Architect have launched worldwide sales on the eve of Berlin’s EFM. Pic is due to shoot in Q2, 2025 in Atlanta.
James Paxton and Oliver Wyman play Sam and Alex, two hapless but lovable stoners, who accidentally find themselves in the service of crime lord, Charles (Robinson), when they are made to transport a mysterious box from LA to Vegas. Almost immediately, their childlike curiosity gets the better of them and upon opening the box, they find a bunch of live, psychedelic Sonoran “acid” toads. When the toads begin to overheat, the duo make an ill-advised attempt at mouth-to-mouth, thereby dosing themselves with extreme amounts of the toads’ psychedelic secretion.
What follows is a very trippy journey to Vegas, accompanied by the life-size, talking toad spirit-guide, “Earl” (Williams), and a host of colorful characters, including a dangerous biker gang, a sex cult, a chainsaw-wielding maniac, and a deranged five-star French chef, who all want the precious toad cargo for their own nefarious reasons.
Toad is the first movie to be produced under the Laugh Factory Presents banner, a feature film venture helmed by David Fuhrer, John Weiser and Laugh Factory founder Jamie Masada. Mark O’Sullivan at DLNQNT will serve as an executive producer.
The movie was co-written by Piers Ashworth and Rifkin and is produced by Brad Wyman (Monster) and Michael P.J. Gerstein of futureIII Entertainment Corporation, as well as producer Mike Kolko. Vincent J. Guastini (World War Z) is handling the SFX creature creation. Completing the in-camera creative term are Augenblick Studios.
Producer Brad Wyman said: “Adam Rifkin’s entire career has prepared him for directing Toad. It’s that offbeat, almost surreal type of comedy where the absurdity of the situations and characters escalate to ridiculous levels, making it impossible not to laugh out loud. Rifkin’s Toad is the antidote motion picture audiences are seeking right now.”
Director Rifkin commented: “I believe the producers and Laugh Factory have done an incredible job of securing top-notch talent that will really drive this story forward and make viewers belly laugh. I’m also delighted Architect will be representing this project worldwide. Truly, I couldn’t be more excited right now.”
Source: Deadline
VMI Worldwide has boarded worldwide sales on action-comedy Special Ops Rent-A-Cop, which stars Michael Jai White, Billy Zane, Chuck Lidell, Jim O’Heir, and Collen Camp.
Filming recently wrapped in Kentucky and VMI will introduce the film to buyers at the European Film Market in Berlin.
The film follows legendary Special Forces Operator Brock Belfry (Jai White) after he is discharged from service following a severe injury on the battlefield. He is forced to accept a job as a security “rent-a-cop” escorting a busload of unruly senior citizens to Atlantic City. The trip goes from challenging to worse as Brock realizes he is simultaneously being tracked by an old nemesis, who has dispatched a bumbling kill squad to take him out.
William Butler directed and wrote the picture with Brooklyn Bruce, Jarrett Furst, David Wachs, and Ojan Missaghi serving as producers.
The deal was negotiated by Jessica Russo COO of VMI Worldwide and Jarrett Furst on the producing team.
“We’re thrilled to introduce this action-packed film to buyers, blending thrilling sequences with light-hearted comedy for a truly entertaining experience. It’s the perfect mix of fun and excitement that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats,” said Jessica Russo, COO Productions and Acquisitions at VMI Worldwide.
This Summer, Emmy, GRAMMY, and NAACP Image Award-winning actress and comedian, Tiffany Haddish, will make her comedic debut at Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas with Tiffany Haddish: The Funny and Fearless Tour. Haddish will bring her talents to the stage for one night only on Friday, June 27, 2025. Tickets for this show go on sale to the public this Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at 10 a.m. PT.
Haddish has established herself as one of the most sought-after comedic actresses and performers worldwide. She is best known for her breakout role in the smash comedy Girls Trip, where she starred alongside Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, and Regina Hall. Most recently, Haddish made a cameo in the critically acclaimed film, Bad Boys: Ride Or Die, opposite Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.
Haddish has served as host and executive producer of the Emmy-nominated Netflix standup comedy series, Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready, and has also received accolades for her Emmy-nominated and GRAMMY Award-winning comedy special, Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah, which debuted on Netflix in 2019. She is the second Black woman to ever win a GRAMMY for “Outstanding Comedy Album,” and she made history as the first Black female stand-up comedian to host Saturday Night Live, which earned her an Emmy Award for “Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.”
Ticket Information
In addition to her talents onstage and on-screen, Haddish is also a New York Times best-selling author and the founder of The She Ready Foundation, which helps to support foster children in need. In Summer 2024, Haddish joined legendary songwriter Diane Warren to release her empowering new single, “Woman Up.”
Haddish’s tour promises fans an evening of laughs and an up-close-and-personal experience at the intimate Encore Theater with the multi-talented star. For tickets or more information on Haddish’s forthcoming debut at Wynn Las Vegas, visit WynnLasVegas.com.
The late esteemed producer Norman Lear has collaborated with Prime Video to present one of his final productions, the series “Clean Slate.” Developed by Dan Ewan, this series is set in Alabama and comprises eight episodes, each lasting thirty minutes.
Henry (George Wallace), an old-school and outspoken car wash owner, is thrilled his estranged child is finally returning home to Alabama after 17 years. However, Henry has a lot of soul-searching to do when the child he thought was a son returns as the determined, proud trans woman Desiree (Laverne Cox).
As the duo takes steps to rebuild their relationship, they find invaluable support from several key individuals. Henry’s most trusted employee, Mack (portrayed by Jay Wilson), offers guidance and encouragement, along with his spirited daughter, Lulu (played by Jaelyn Buffkin), who brings a fresh perspective to their journey.
Desiree’s best friend, Louis (D.K. Uzoukwu), also stands by her side, providing unwavering loyalty and friendship. At the same time, his caring mother, Ella (Telma Hopkins), adds wisdom and warmth. Together with these supportive figures, the community rallies around the couple, creating a network of encouragement and understanding that helps them navigate the challenges of their relationship.
Growing up in the eighties, whenever I heard the name Norman Lear, I always expected to laugh while exploring political and social themes. That said, it’s unsurprising that his newest show features a trans character. When I first heard about the production for “Clean Slate,” I assumed that the show would focus on Henry being an Archie Bunker type who doesn’t accept change.
In a surprising twist, the show skillfully sidesteps clichéd tropes, presenting Henry as readily accepting of Desiree from the start. This dynamic doesn’t imply that their relationship is without challenges; they encounter significant pitfalls. However, instead of relying on predictable humor, the writers craft a narrative that feels organic and authentic, allowing the characters’ growth to unfold naturally.
The chemistry between Wallac and Cox is palpable. They expertly bounce jokes off one another while immersing themselves in their respective roles with remarkable depth. Their performances resonate with audiences, creating a captivating atmosphere. Meanwhile, the supporting cast delivers strong performances, reflecting the high standards one would expect from a Norman Lear production. “Clean Slate” unmistakably centers around the talents of Wallace and Cox, and the ensemble cast acknowledges and honors that dynamic with their contributions.
Featuring the right mix of comedy and avoiding pushing an agenda, “Clean Slate” is a stream-worthy show.
Final Grade: B
“Clean Slate” premieres on Prime Video on February 6th.
Written By Derrick Dunn
Comedian Roy Wood Jr. will host the 77th Annual Writers Guild Awards in New York this month. WGA nominations were announced last month after being postponed amid LA wildfires.
The awards are still set to unspool in concurrent ceremonies on both coasts — the Edison Ballroom in New York and the Beverly Hilton in LA — on Feb. 15th.
NYC presenters include Ronny Chieng (The Daily Show, Interior Chinatown), Adriana Diaz (CBS Mornings), Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain), Cole Escola (Hacks, Oh Mary!), Bridget Moynahan (Blue Bloods), Michael McKean (The Diplomat), Annette O’Toole (Virgin River, A Mighty Wind) Rosie Perez (The Flight Attendant), Meredith Scardino (Girls5eva), Cory Michael Smith (Saturday Night Live), DeWanda Wise (Three Women, She’s Gotta Have It) and Michael Zegen (Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Penguin).
Wood is currently the host of CNN satire Have I Got News For You. He wrote and starred in the Writers Guild Award-nominated series Command Z, produced the Emmy-nominated PBS documentary The Neutral Ground, was a guest host and correspondent on Comedy Central’s Writers Guild Award-nominated and Emmy-winning The Daily Show, and headlined The 2023 White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
His fourth one-hour comedy special Lonely Flowers will premiere later this month on Hulu. He will appear alongside Keanu Reeves and Jonah Hill in the upcoming comedy film Outcone for Apple TV+. Wood will also appear alongside André Holland, Nicole Beharie, and DeWanda Wise in Love, Brooklyn, which will premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
“It’s an honor to return to host this celebration of the people who truly are the red blood cells of this industry. We will plan a wonderful evening and eagerly await notes from the studio executives,” Wood said.
At the New York ceremony, Scott Frank (The Queen’s Gambit, Logan) will be presented with the Ian McLellan Hunter Award for Career Achievement by Marielle Heller (Nightbitch); Bill Lawrence (Ted Lasso, Scrubs) will be presented with the Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence; and Kathy McGee (CBS News) with the Richard B. Jablow Award for Devoted Service to the Guild by Penelope Koechl (As The World Turns).
The Writers Guild Awards will stream highlights from the New York Red Carpet and Ceremony on all Writers Guild of America East social media accounts at @WGAEast.
Source: Deadline
The comedy series Survival of the Thickest, created by Michelle Buteau (Babes,The Circle) and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel (The Carmichael Show), hasn’t just survived, but thrived — and a new clip from the long-awaited Season 2, set to debut March 27, finds Mavis Beaumont (played by Buteau) happily walking the streets of Italy, gelato in hand. Check it out above.
The ensemble cast of Buteau, Tone Bell, Tasha Smith, Marouane Zotti, Peppermint, Garcelle Beauvais, Anthony Michael Lopez, and Liza Treyger return, along with new guest stars Anderson .Paak, Deon Cole, Tika Sumpter, Monét X Change, Honey Balenciaga, Sandra Bernhard, and Bevy Smith.
Survival of the Thickest is a story only Buteau can tell. Inspired by her acclaimed book of essays of the same name, the first season’s eight episodes followed Mavis, a stylist whose life is blown up after she catches her partner (Taylor Selé) in bed with another woman.
We’re just along for the ride as Mavis, with the help of her besties, picks up the pieces (including plenty of pieces of big-budget designer swag) and hustles to rebuild her career on her own terms, while also creating opportunities for folks who’ve been overlooked by the fashion world for too long, and getting back out there in the terrifying dating scene.
In a hilarious and honest interview with Tudum, Buteau previously described the series as “my love letter to New York. It’s my love letter to all the fatty baddies, oddie bodies, and beautiful-ass freaks that I’ve met growing up there.”
Beyoncé is heading back on tour!
The music icon revealed on Instagram Saturday night that she is going on tour this year in support of her Grammy-nominated album, Cowboy Carter. So it’s only fitting that the title of the tour is Cowboy Carter Tour.
Tour dates have yet to be announced.
Her No. 1 country hit “Texas Hold ‘Em” also scored Grammy nods for Song of the Year, record of the year, and Best Country Song. She was also nominated for best country solo performance for “16 Carriages,” best country/duo performance for “II Most Wanted” with Miley Cyrus, and best Americana performance for “Ya Ya.”
Source: The Hollywood Reporter