REVIEW: Skylines / SKYLIN3S / Skyline 3 - New Trailer

Review by Jon Donnis

I was a fan of Skyline, I was an even bigger fan of Beyond Skyline, so much so that my review even made it on to official posters, so now the third film in the franchise has been released, and I am excited.

This film pretty much carries on where the last film finished, so if you haven't seen the previous film, go watch it now, it is great.

Now, in Beyond Skyline, the 1st half was SciFi horror and the 2nd half of the film was Kung Fu SciFi action, in Skylin3s, the film is back to being mainly a SciFi film, but that does not mean the action scenes are any less, there is still some great Kung Fu scenes, mainly towards the end of the film.

So to the film itself, basically there are now friendly alien hybrids (red eyes) living peacefully on Earth, unfortunately there is a virus spreading and it is slowly turning the aliens back to their original selves, so that would be evil (blue eyes). Earth Defense have a way to save the aliens, but need to travel to the alien's home world to collect the very thing that can save them. For this journey they need Captain Rose Corley, played by the gorgeous and talented Lindsey Morgan, who is now an outsider, they convince her to help and off we go.

I wont spoil any more of the plot itself don't worry.

The Good

Action packed, great fight scenes, and fun scifi. What more do you want?

The Bad

In these kinds of films we all know there will be a twist, and this one you will see a mile away, but it doesn't really affect the film or your enjoyment of it.

Overall

I thoroughly enjoyed the film, everything that a good scifi should be. Is it as good as Beyond Skyline? Not sure, but I will score this film a solid 8/10

Out Now on  Apple TV

https://apple.co/2WZsT3j

Review by Jon Donnis

Synopsis

When a virus threatens to turn the now earth-dwelling friendly alien hybrids against humans, Captain Rose Corley must lead a team of elite mercenaries on a mission to the alien world in order to save what's left of humanity.

Lindsey Morgan as Rose Corley

Rhona Mitra as Dr. Mal

Alexander Siddig as General Radford

James Cosmo as Grant

Daniel Bernhardt as Owens

Yayan Ruhian as Huana

Jonathan Howard as Leon

Cherry - Posters - In select theaters on February 26, 2021 and globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, March 12, 2021.

"Cherry" follows the wild journey of a disenfranchised young man from Ohio who meets the love of his life, only to risk losing her through a series of bad decisions and challenging life circumstances. 

Inspired by the best-selling novel of the same name, "Cherry" features Tom Holland in the title role as an unhinged character who drifts from dropping out of college to serving in Iraq as an Army medic and is only anchored by his one true love, Emily (Ciara Bravo). 

When Cherry returns home a war hero, he battles the demons of undiagnosed PTSD and spirals into drug addiction, surrounding himself with a menagerie of depraved misfits. Draining his finances, Cherry turns to bank robbing to fund his addiction, shattering his relationship with Emily along the way. Brought to the screen in bold, gritty fashion by visionary directors Anthony and Joe Russo, "Cherry" is a darkly humorous, unflinching coming-of-age story of a man on a universal quest for purpose and human connection.

"Cherry" will premiere in select theaters on February 26, 2021 and globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, March 12, 2021.

BBC One announces Dynasties II

From the southern tip of the snow-capped Andes, to dusty plains in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, to vast wetlands fed by the flooding of the Zambezi River - these four films will tell the stories of elephant, cheetah, puma and hyena.

In 2018, more than eight million viewers were captivated by each episode of Dynasties, and the unbelievable daily struggles faced by David the chimpanzee, Charm the lioness, Blacktip the painted wolf and more. BBC One has confirmed with this season it will be bringing even more remarkable stories to life. The series will look at families and leaders; heroes and villains; triumph and tragedy.

Like the first series, each episode will delve deep into the lives of individual groups, filming in a single, iconic location, focusing on a protagonist leader and following them on their daunting quest to keep their family safe and establish their genetic line, or dynasty.

Each a leader in their own right; Angelina the matriarch elephant, she-cheetah Kali, Rupestre the puma and hyena clan-leader Suma, are confronted by a rapidly changing world with relentless competition for dwindling resources that stacks perilous odds against them. These pioneers must adapt quickly, or face losing their dynasty forever.

The second series promises to be equally fascinating, and will transport audiences into the dangerous, surprising and breath-taking worlds these animals inhabit, as demonstrated by Meerkat: A Dynasties Special on BBC One and iPlayer this December.

Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Science and Natural History, says: "Dynasties II will be a gripping look at the lives of four remarkable wild animals as they struggle to build a family against the odds. With characters you fall in love with, and genuine life-and-death stakes, this will be a series every bit as thrilling as the greatest drama."

Mike Gunton, Executive Producer, says: "Being able to tell these stories is a wildlife film-makers dream - and just like in series one, they are going to be a gripping rollercoaster ride."

The Serpent - Interview with Tahar Rahim and Jenna Coleman

Interview with Tahar Rahim

Who do you play?

I'm playing Charles Sobhraj, who is known to be a killer but also a conman - a very manipulative man, a narcissistic, and as sadistic as he is evil. Charles was born in Saigon, before moving to France when he was a kid with his mum, where he started his petty criminal career. At some point he decided to go back to his roots and move back to South East Asia to the 'hippie trail', where he started to con people and the murders began.

What attracted you to the role?

When I was 16 my brother was reading a book - this big thick book by his bed, and he was so into it. It was The Life And Crimes Of Charles Sobhraj - so I read it too, and I became fascinated by it. I think as human beings we're fascinated by - in this case - killers, but also by evil in general. It's fascination and repulsion.

I was a young guy who wanted to be an actor and after reading this book I thought, I'd like to play this guy. There's so much mystery. Fast forward to a few years ago, when I had an email from my agent saying Tom Shankland and Richard Warlow wanted to meet with me about playing a murderer called… Charles Sobhraj. I then went to a meeting with Tom and Richard, and I told them about the book and wanting to play Charles Sobhraj. When I talked with Tom more recently he said that day he didn't know if I was lying or not, but that he said to himself "this guy is our Charles - because we never know whether he's lying or not, but we believe him." But I was not lying!

What preparation did you do to play Sobhraj?

I needed to understand in a way what makes a murderer, I wanted to start from there. I read a lot of books on the subject, plus I spoke with some experts. I did my homework.

When you're playing someone who's alive and not especially famous, the key thing to do is to catch the soul. From there you can create everything else... but it's the soul, that's a hard thing to catch. Especially with Charles - it's not easy.

What was the biggest challenge for you?

It wasn't easy to be seductive and mysterious enough to draw people in, but at the same time be scary enough for the audience. You have to be aware that there's an audience watching you, but at the same time you have the characters who are in front of you, who in most cases can't be scared of Charles - otherwise he doesn't con them. It's a thin line to find. You can't hide behind the words, in this case. It's all about what's inside and about the way you look.

Interview with Jenna Coleman

Who do you play?

I play Marie-Andrée Leclerc, who is a real life person. She is from Quebec in Canada, and she's lived a very normal life with a very big family. She is very religious, devout, has never left her country before. She's nearing her 30s and I think she is craving some form of adventure. So she leaves her country for the first time and she meets Charles Sobhraj. He is a man like she's never met before. He represents everything to her that is exciting and everything she feels she hasn't had in her life so far, so she kind of becomes obsessed. I think she's a real romantic and she places so much faith and love in him, and it becomes a kind of obsessive delusional addiction with him. The reality is very, very different to the narrative that she creates.

What made you want to play her?

The script itself was so dextrous and layered. Initially you meet this character called Monique (Marie-Andrée's alias, when she's in disguise with Charles) who's this mysterious, unknowable and interesting character. And then underneath there's Marie-Andrée, the person who she really is. I was really drawn to the challenge of playing Marie-Andrée, this unconfident lady who doesn't have much self-esteem, becoming this other person. The constant play between Monique and Marie-Andrée felt like such complex material. But also the story - it reels you in completely. And the fact that it's true. There's something about the hedonistic world of the 1970s where you could get lost in a way that you can't get lost in the world anymore. The actions that Charles could commit, a lot of them thankfully couldn't happen today either.

The 1970s hippie trail was a time and place where people went to lose themselves. Marie-Andrée reinvents herself entirely. She is able to pretend and commit to being someone who she's never been, and there's something really addictive about that.

What research did you do?

We've got access to Marie-Andrée's diaries, and a lot of biographies, and there was so much reporting about the crimes that there was a wealth of material for research. Marie-Andrée's backstory in particular was so interesting in terms of understanding how and why somebody could fall into the charm of Charles and into that world. Within a short time of meeting him she was already witness to his crimes. It's like, in the space of that time how can a person become so blinded so quickly? Having the wealth of material about her previous life before she met him was so useful.

What were the challenges of the role?

Probably one of the toughest things to get was Marie-Andrée's voice. Both her French-Canadian accent when speaking English, and then her French-Canadian accent when speaking French. To try and find that was really hard… but again we can hear her interviews so I could hear her real voice in press interviews and her tapes from prison. I was learning the French language from scratch, and I'm Northern and before this job I literally could not roll my Rs, so it's been a vocal journey! I can now say 'très bien' correctly, which actually took me months. It became a bit of an intense French boot camp of training my mouth to make the noise 'trè' and many things like that. I felt like I was in My Fair Lady, having vocal training to change the movement of my mouth.

Many of the actors I was filming with are French themselves, so to try and work authentically within that realm was a big challenge. It was probably professionally one of the scariest challenges - to go from learning it from scratch to within two months being on set opposite Tahar and speaking in French. A good challenge, but a big challenge.

How much do you feel Marie-Andrée was a victim, and how much do you feel she was an accomplice?

I find her so fascinating. She has so much faith in love and is such a romantic that upon meeting Charles she kind of embroils herself in her own incorrect vision of what she thinks this environment is. She constructs her own false narrative and is so delusional. I think that's the only way she can remain in the world, knowing underneath what terrible, despicable acts are really happening and she is helping him commit. Reading the real Marie-Andrée's diaries, Charles to her is almost like a religion. Everything is about him. She places every waking breath upon the way he treats her - it's an utter, utter fixation.

I do think there's a choice that she makes - and the choice that she makes is to ignore the truth. Because to acknowledge the truth is to put her in a reality that she doesn't want to be in. She would rather exist in her own reality. She has this life and this world with Charles where she's reinvented herself to almost be a person in the magazines she's obsessed with. And the alternative is that she returns to Canada and becomes a receptionist again, and life becomes that bit more greyer.

How was filming in Bangkok?

Crazy, in the most amazing way. The scenery is incredible, and Bangkok has such a frenzy and an energy that it really infiltrates into the series. There's just so much life and culture. It's the hottest place to shoot, though. Wearing a wig in the 1970s in Bangkok is very hot!

The Serpent - Commissioned by BBC One and made by Mammoth Screen

An introduction to The Serpent, by Richard Warlow

Tom Shankland took me out some time late in the summer of 2013. He had a story, so he said, something he thought I should write…

The sequence of events that entwined the lives of Charles Sobhraj and Herman Knippenberg is a tale that worms its way into you. There are circularities, coincidences and synchronicities so awful and outrageous you gape. But, at the end of that night, Tom had me. I was in.

Three years later, I had the great privilege of meeting Herman for the first time. There is nothing awful or outrageous about him. Which I was grateful to have established for me in the flesh because it was the discovery of Herman's part in the Charles Sobhraj story - and his altogether more straightforward character - that had allowed me to see a way through the lysergic maze of swaggering claim and counter-claim that had always distinguished accounts of his crimes (most of it, it must be said, driven by the man himself).

I needed a structure that could not only support eight hours of television but also allow us to place someone genuinely heroic at the heart of our drama, a character both to anchor an audience's affections and whose investigations would also provide a counterpoint to Sobhraj's particular brand of magnetism. Because if Sobhraj was The Lizard King, the hip chameleon cruising effortlessly through the fracturing borders of 1970s Asia, Herman Knippenberg - to use the vernacular of the times - was a 'square'.

A square whose more traditional qualities of decency, diligence and compassion finally saw The Serpent caged.

So there were structural and thematic gains from the decision to focus on Herman. Although his pursuit of Sobhraj never fitted a classical procedural shape, had fallow periods down the years (when it seemed his quarry had eluded him for good) and was informed by the fact that the two men never met (and still have not), it allowed me to create a robust frame within and around which we could then watch as all the other characters enter - and leave - Sobhraj's life.

Chief among these was Marie-Andrée Leclerc, his lover and accomplice. A woman who left the drabbest of upbringings in suburban Quebec to find a love that both transformed and cursed her, and who now forms the third point around which our stories spin.

I want our audience to find Sobhraj the way others found him. Through Herman, who, by the discovery of the man's acts, knew him for what he was; through Marie-Andrée who saw him as the answer to the dead end her life had become; and through all those others whose journeys across the nexus points of the hippie trail tragically intersected with a killer so cruelly expert in identifying their needs...

Be it for a bed and a hot shower, rare gems, acceptance or love - Sobhraj saw those needs and then presented himself as the cure.

Mid-1970s Asia is far gone from the here and now, and the myth-making behind who Sobhraj became is elaborate and often one-sided but, through the development of the scripts, we have been scrupulous and determined in seeking first-person accounts from the people who were there.

Sobhraj had been at the wheel of his own story for many years, spinning his yarns to the enthralled and gullible, his ability to mesmerise never waning, it seems. We wanted instead to encourage and record the testimonies of others who were there...

So, Herman aside, his then wife Angela has been an invaluable friend to the project and a permanent source of both proven fact and sensitive insight. Sompol Suthimai, a colonel from Thai Interpol in those years, and whose own investigations came to cross with Herman's, has provided invaluable procedural understanding.

Finally, and still most astonishingly to me, we have been able to meet and talk with a few of those who were, for a while, friends with Sobhraj and Leclerc, who shared their home, ate their food and went to their parties.

It's been invaluable and humbling to be able to call on the memories of such extraordinary men and women. They have been ceaselessly generous in their recall of what, for a few of them, was a dark and mortally dangerous sequence of events.

Which is of course a stark and poignant reminder of the young people who were never able to tell of the moment their trails crossed with Sobhraj and Leclerc.

For far too long Sobhraj was able to falsely characterise these victims as somehow deserving of their fate, as drug dealers or drug smugglers unworthy of compassion. A position many in the media were, at the time, all too willing to repeat and reinforce.

Which is another reason we wanted to tell this story the way we have, to find these young men and women in the life they were living before they met Sobhraj and, in whatever small way we can, reclaim them for who they were: wide-eyed kids who went looking for adventure and instead found a monster waiting.

It's to all those brave young intrepids that we now dedicate the work.

Richard Warlow

The Great - An interview with Sacha Dhawan and Phoebe Fox

An interview with Sacha Dhawan

How would you describe the show and your character?

Orlo is Russia's first geek of books. A mostly ignored advisor to Peter (Hoult) whose job it is to bring some intellectual and legal framework to discussions. Under all that neurotic anxiety beats the heart of a Lion. He becomes Catherine's (Fanning) partner in crime.

The Great is an unexpected period show, loosely based on the life and rise to power of Catherine the Great. Its unique because it respects the period whilst throwing it out the window at the same time. For starters, I'm a British South Asian actor playing a character that is Russian from head to toe, and that's what the show does so well. It challenges the audiences perception right from the get go! I like to think of it as an ensemble of contemporary characters in a period setting, and the challenges and dilemmas they face are as vital as our dilemmas and challenges today.

An Interview with Phoebe Fox

How would you describe the show and your character?

The show is an irreverent take on the life of Catherine The Great. A costume drama with funny bones. I play Marial, a former lady of the court, now turned begrudging servant.

Read both interviews in full at

http://www.jonn.co.uk/2020/12/the-great-interview-with-sacha-dhawan.html

The Great - An interview with Sacha Dhawan and Phoebe Fox

An interview with Sacha Dhawan

How would you describe the show and your character?

Orlo is Russia's first geek of books. A mostly ignored advisor to Peter (Hoult) whose job it is to bring some intellectual and legal framework to discussions. Under all that neurotic anxiety beats the heart of a Lion. He becomes Catherine's (Fanning) partner in crime.

The Great is an unexpected period show, loosely based on the life and rise to power of Catherine the Great. Its unique because it respects the period whilst throwing it out the window at the same time. For starters, I'm a British South Asian actor playing a character that is Russian from head to toe, and that's what the show does so well. It challenges the audiences perception right from the get go! I like to think of it as an ensemble of contemporary characters in a period setting, and the challenges and dilemmas they face are as vital as our dilemmas and challenges today.

What drew you to the script?

I was a huge fan of Tony McNamara's writing even before I read the pilot for The Great. I thought The Favourite was sublime. For me, I see Tony as a playwright first and foremost. His dialogue is naturalistic, but it never feels general. In fact, it's incredibly specific, as are the characters he creates. The Great strikes that perfect balance between comedy and drama, which makes it a complete joy to play.

I also loved the energy of it, it felt both fast and furious. And of course, I was totally drawn to the character of Orlo who was complex, multi-layered, and had real heart. I could also see the potential of the character evolving and changing over the course of the season as Catherine continued to grant him the permission to exceed his own expectations.

It was also the perfect opportunity to challenge myself. I love playing characters that flip my last part on its head. My last being a martial arts villain in Marvel's Iron Fist, the polar opposite to the 'loveable' Orlo.

How much did you know about your character before filming and what research did you do?

As The Great is loosely based on the life and rise to power of Catherine the Great, it was a relief to know that I didn't have to try and imitate or replicate a historical figure, I could make the character my own. Tony was also keen for us not to get bound down by the history or etiquette even, which was incredibly refreshing. I hadn't seen or been part of anything like it. Everything I needed to know was in Tony's writing, not in history books, which can often get in the way sometimes making you less instinctive.

What are you most curious about regarding your character?

You never know what turn your character might take next on The Great because Tony's always adapting storylines from what he sees on screen or in the edit. He's totally open to us asking him about preliminary character arcs etc., but its constantly evolving, and I kind of like that. The unpredictability; The not knowing. His storylines never fail to surprise me, and as daunting as it can be at times, it keeps me on my toes. It also forces me to be as spontaneous and in the moment as possible, because I genuinely have no idea what may be in store for Orlo next…

The script knowingly plays fast and loose with history – did that mean you approached your character differently than you normally might?

I guess because the script plays fast and loose with history it gave me the total freedom to approach the script like I would with any other; to start with a blank canvas and put my own stripes on the character as it were. The Great isn't a historical period drama, in fact, I see it more as a contemporary drama. Yes, it's based on Catherine the Great's rise to power, but at its heart, it's really the story of a young woman. And the wonderful world that springs out of that feels just as relatable in today's world not only from a political stance, but from an emotional one too.

What was surprisingly difficult or challenging about inhabiting this role?

Tony's writing is incredibly naturalistic, but it's also very specific. Every word, comma and full stop is there for a reason, nothing is ever wasted, and there's also a certain rhythm to his dialogue. It can be a challenge at times to memorise lines with this kind of precision and detail, but once you're on top of it and in the scene with the other actors that's when you hear Tony's writing really come to life. It's pretty amazing. I love getting the initial script drafts, and unpicking the dialogue, because there's never just one way of playing it. And of course the writing is incredibly funny, but to really land the joke, you have to almost do the complete opposite, and not play the humour of it at all. That can be tricky at times, trying to keep a straight face and keep it together!

The period costumes look terrific. What were your reactions to them?

I felt immensely proud as an actor of colour to not only wear a period costume, but a costume that gave the character status at court. I was dressed to be 'seen', right on the front line as it were, and I loved that. Not only was there a real attention to detail, but our brilliant costume designer, Emma Fryer was also really collaborative to ensure that we created a period costume that was totally unique to Orlo; from the way his neck scarf was

tied, right down to the style and colour of his shoes. I found the costumes quite comfortable actually. To be fair, I think us guys have it a lot easier! In saying that, I did find wearing 'heels' took a little bit of getting used too. Oh, and I forgot about the wig?! That actually took quite a bit of time to put on…if only you knew how long it takes Orlo to get ready in the mornings?!

The Great is a LOT of fun to watch. At the same time has a lot to say in a world still living in the fall out of #MeToo; would you agree?

The Great is a lot fun to watch, but it's also refreshing to be part of a show that empowers women, not just on-screen, but behind the screen too. We have some amazing female crew members, assistant directors, producers, writers, and HODs [Heads of Department]. And three fantastic female directors who worked on season one; including Geeta Patel, who directed the series finale, and absolutely nailed it! The Great wouldn't be the show it is without this incredible pool of talent.

Did you have a favourite scene to film? Do you have a favourite or most memorable line of dialogue?

I loved filming the sequence where Orlo heads to the front line to speak to Velementov in episode six, but doesn't quite get there. Instead it becomes a catalyst of events that change Orlo forever. To be fair, I always felt his 'lion heart' was going to rip from its seams at some point and this was the perfect opportunity to tip him over the edge.

Also much as I love filming in the palace, which is actually a huge studio in East London, it's always nice to venture beyond and film on location. Whenever a character or group of characters leave the palace grounds I know we're about to embark on a mini adventure or excursion, and there's always a genuine feeling of excitement amongst us all, depending on the weather that is?!

What are you most looking forward to in season two (of what you can share at this stage)?

Orlo comes back a changed man after those catalyst of events in episode six and I'm excited to see how the character evolves going forward. I'm also excited to see how the dynamic between Orlo and Catherine develops in the next season. Not only are they partners in crime, but the two are like siblings who love and care for each other but are also prone to be at loggerheads as well. And they're not afraid to challenge each other but never fail to have each other backs in times of crisis.

I can't wait to get back on set especially after such a turbulent year that has affected so many of us. There's no doubt this will bring a new energy into Season 2, which will only take the show to even greater heights.

2020 has been quite a year; how would you describe your own experience of it? The Great will TX in Jan of 2021 on Channel 4; How would you describe your expectations of 2021?

I'm still trying to process my experience of 2020. It's certainly had its up and downs, but we've also been fortunate enough to witness some key historical changes that I hope will shine some light on what has been a dark period for many. It's been a turbulent year but it's also given us the opportunity to reflect, and connect with the things that really matter. Who knows what 2021 will bring, but whatever the outcome, I know that the resilience of the human race will continue to adapt to whatever life throws at us. I've learnt to just try and be as present as possible, take each moment as it comes, making sure we look after each other along the way.

The Arts couldn't be more important than ever right now to provide us with that well needed respite, and escapism. And The Great certainly does that, in spades. The show wouldn't be what it is without our amazing team of ensemble actors, many of whom orginate from a theatre background, including Tony McNamara. Without theatre, shows such as this that challenge boundaries, would cease to exist, which is even more of a reason that we strive to keep the Arts alive.

An Interview with Phoebe Fox

How would you describe the show and your character?

The show is an irreverent take on the life of Catherine The Great. A costume drama with funny bones. I play Marial, a former lady of the court, now turned begrudging servant.

What drew you to the script?

I loved Marial! She's a foul-mouthed, casually violent, force of nature with a witty heart. I knew I'd have fun playing her.

The script knowingly plays fast and loose with history – did that mean you approached your character differently than you normally might?

I'm a bit of a nerd, so I would normally have started the process of creating Marial with a deep dive into the history of the period. But from the first day of rehearsal it become quite clear that it would have been a slightly pointless task. Instead I worked on the character through her physicality. From the way she holds her head, to how she walks.

What was surprisingly difficult or challenging about inhabiting this role?

The script demands an enormous amount of speed. Especially when you're (trying to) deliver the funny lines, you need to be able to whip through it - something that's incredibly hard when a corset is stopping you from taking a full breath.

The period costumes look terrific. What were your reactions to your costumes?

I had a moment of jealousy seeing the other ladies dressed up to the nines, whilst I had to make do with my head wrap. But I channelled all that into the character, and actually in the end I think I dodged a bullet- my costume was much comfier, and with 12-hour working days, comfort is the holy grail.

Did you have a favourite scene to film? Do you have a favourite or most memorable line of dialogue?

"Shut up whore" has gotta be up there…

What Christmas or Holiday traditions do you always abide by or look forward to?

And can they happen this year, do you think? Is there, for example, a TV series or film or book you return to? I think we may have to forgo the game of rounders my family normally plays on Boxing day! Aside from that, my husband has already started talking about our annual re-watching of The Lord of The Rings trilogy- not exactly Christmassy but a tradition all the same.

2020 has been quite a year; how would you describe your own experience of it?

2020 has been crap. I have high expectations for 2021!

Vinyl and cassette sales surge as streamers collect the music they love in lockdown

New figures released by record labels' association the BPI using Official Charts Company data will show that alongside continued growth in streaming, which now accounts for around 80% of UK music consumption, sales of vinyl LPs and audio cassettes surged ahead in 2020. Fans turned to their favourite music in ever greater numbers to escape the lockdown blues, the figures will show.

There has never been so much choice in terms of how to discover, access and enjoy music. Most fans turn to the immediacy of streaming for much of their daily listening, but increasingly they complement this by collecting much-loved albums on vinyl, CD, download and even on cassette. Record labels work with their artists to provide this choice by releasing music across digital and physical formats and by licensing their artists' work to hundreds of different music services.

Vinyl gets the high five

Nearly 5 million (4.8m) LPs were purchased in the UK over the past 12 months – a leap of nearly a tenth on sales in 2019 and a 13th consecutive year of growth since 2007. Vinyl LPs now account for nearly 1 in 5 of all albums purchased (18%) and are at their highest level since the early nineties. Vinyl generates almost twice as much in industry revenues as music video streaming platforms, such as YouTube, despite the tens of billions of videos watched every year.

Among the titles expected to be announced as the year's best sellers by the Official Charts are classic LPs by iconic artists such as Rumours by Fleetwood Mac, who in 2020 celebrated their 50th anniversary, Oasis's (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, Amy Winehouse's Back To Black and Nirvana's Nevermind. New studio albums have also done very well, including Harry Styles' Fine Line, Kylie Minogue's Disco, AC/DC's Power Up, and Ultra Mono by IDLES – the follow up to the 2019 Hyundai Mercury Prize shortlisted album Joy As An Act Of Resistance.

Vinyl LP sales initially dipped during the first lockdown but by September they began showing positive year-to-date growth for the first time. Campaigns such as LoveRecordStores, Tim's Twitter Online Listening Parties (both in March), Record Store Day (postponed to June but with extra events), The Record Club and National Album Day (in October) helped to rally fans in support of indie record shops, specialist chains and the artist community.

Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive BPI, BRIT Awards & Mercury Prize, said: "In a year when all our lives have changed, music's power to inspire has never been more evident. The immediacy and convenience of streaming make it the go-to audio format for most of our listening, but more and more fans choose to get closer to their favourite artists and albums on vinyl.

"It's remarkable that LP and audio tape sales should have risen at all given the challenges we've all faced. The surge in sales despite retail closures demonstrates the timeless appeal of collectable physical formats alongside the seamless connectivity of streaming."

The BPI will report its final music consumption figures on January 4th 2021.

Predicted best-selling vinyl albums for 2020 (Based on YTD Official Charts data)

Fleetwood Mac – Rumours

Oasis – (What's The Story) Morning Glory?

Amy Winehouse – Back To Black

Nirvana – Nevermind

Harry Styles – Fine Line

Kylie Minogue – Disco

AC/DC – Power Up

Queen – Greatest Hits

IDLES – Ultra Mono

Arctic Monkeys – Live At The Royal Albert Hall

Cassettes reel in the fans

Though still only a fraction of overall recorded music, cassettes, typically released in limited edition format, now come as standard on many album releases. Final figures based on Official Charts data for 2020 will be confirmed on 4th January, but it is projected that around 157,000 tapes will have been purchased in the past 12 months – double the total of the year before and the highest amount since 2003, when 243,000 tapes were sold and Now 54 was the year's biggest seller on the format. This would mark an eighth year of consecutive growth for the format, which is finding a new market among music enthusiasts of all ages who value its retro, collectable appeal.

Among the most popular titles released on cassette in 2020 were Lady Gaga's Chromatica, 5 Seconds Of Summer's Calm, which to date is the year's fastest-seller, Yungblud's Weird, and The 1975's Notes On A Conditional Form. Other artists to have reeled in the fans on the format include South Korean all-girl pop band Blackpink, Selena Gomez, Dua Lipa, Haim and not forgetting Kylie, whose 80s inspired Disco was a particular highlight of the year across all three main physical formats.

Predicted best-selling cassette albums for 2020 (Based on Official Charts data)

Lady Gaga – Chromatica

5 Seconds Of Summer – Calm

Yungblud – Weird

The 1975 – Notes On A Conditional Form

Blackpink – The Album

Selena Gomez – Rare

Kylie Minogue – Disco

Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia

Haim – Women In Music Pt III

The Streets – None Of Us Are Getting Out Of This Life Alive

SOURCE BPI

Warner Bros. Pictures Fast-Tracks Development on "Wonder Woman 3"

Warner Bros. Pictures announced that it will fast-track development on the third installment of the Wonder Woman franchise to be written by Patty Jenkins, who is attached to direct, and starring Gal Gadot. Wonder Woman 1984 easily conquered the holiday weekend, exceeding box office projections as the top post-pandemic domestic opening weekend for any feature film this year, with $16.7 million in box office. Wonder Woman 1984 took in an estimated $36.1 million globally from 42 markets in release this weekend (including U.S. and Canada). This takes the international running cume to $68.3 million, and the worldwide tally to $85 million. The film has been welcomed by fans, with an overall CinemaScore of B+. The announcement was made today by Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.

"As fans around the world continue to embrace Diana Prince, driving the strong opening weekend performance of Wonder Woman 1984, we are excited to be able continue her story with our real life Wonder Women - Gal and Patty - who will return to conclude the long-planned theatrical trilogy," said Emmerich.

On HBO Max, anticipation for Wonder Woman 1984 was apparent, with nearly half of the platform's retail subscribers viewing the film on the day of its arrival, along with millions of wholesale subscribers who have access to HBO Max via a cable, wireless, or other partner services. HBO Max also saw the total viewing hours on Friday more than triple in comparison to a typical day in the previous month.

"Wonder Woman 1984 broke records and exceeded our expectations across all of our key viewing and subscriber metrics in its first 24 hours on the service, and the interest and momentum we're seeing indicates this will likely continue well beyond the weekend," said Andy Forssell, Executive Vice President and General Manager, WarnerMedia Direct-to-Consumer. "During these very difficult times, it was nice to give families the option of enjoying this uplifting film at home, where theater viewing wasn't an option."

Private watch parties and large format screens (IMAX(R), Dolby, PLF) drove ticket sales and were the most popular option among consumers. Over the weekend, over 10,000 private rentals were booked, an innovative and popular way for audiences to feel comfortable watching the film in their own social bubbles. In the U.S., only 39% of U.S. cinemas (representing 56% of the box office) are currently open at limited capacity, with closures in top markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and Philadelphia, among others. WW1984 is playing in over 2,100 theaters nationwide with limited capacity. This represents about half of the locations and, in these theaters, half of the available seating compared to a pre-pandemic environment. The first Wonder Woman film was available at 4,165 theaters in 2017 at 100% seating. In Canada, only 5% of theatres (representing 3% of the total Canadian box-office) are open. The Canadian theatrical market was supplemented with a PVOD day and date release which yielded an additional estimated $4 million. 40 markets internationally opened Wonder Woman 1984 in the first two weeks representing 68% of total box office, compared to 2017 with 58 markets representing 77% of total box office for Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman 1984 was released via a unique, consumer-focused distribution model in which Warner Bros. exhibited the film theatrically worldwide, while adding an exclusive one-month access period on the HBO Max streaming platform in the U.S. concurrent with the film's domestic release. This hybrid model was created as a strategic response to the impact of the ongoing global pandemic, particularly in the U.S. Following the one-month HBO Max access period domestically, Wonder Woman 1984 will leave the platform and continue theatrically in the U.S. and international territories, with all customary distribution windows applying to the title.

From director Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot in the title role, Wonder Woman 1984 fast forwards to the 1980s as Wonder Woman's next big screen adventure finds her riding lightning across the sky, donning wings of gold, and chasing a dream while in pursuit of two new formidable foes: Max Lord and the Cheetah. In Wonder Woman 1984, the fate of the world is once more on the line, and only Wonder Woman can save it. This new chapter in the Wonder Woman story finds Diana Prince living quietly among mortals in the vibrant, sleek 1980s - an era of excess driven by the pursuit of having it all. Though she's come into her full powers, she maintains a low profile, curating ancient artifacts and only performing her superheroic acts incognito. But now, Diana will have to step directly into the spotlight and muster all her wisdom, strength and courage in order to save mankind from a world of its own making. The film also stars Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as the Cheetah, Pedro Pascal as Max Lord, Robin Wright as Antiope and Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta.

REVIEW: Jackie Chan is back in VANGUARD arriving in the UK 8th January 2021

Review by Jon Donnis

I am a huge Jackie Chan fan, I have watched virtually every film he has ever made, and he is back in his latest film Vanguard.

Vanguard is the name of a international private security firm, and Jackie is the top dog.

So the story is your usual, girl gets kidnapped, her father is an influential person, the bad guys want money, you can figure out the rest, or read the synopsis below this review for more details.

The thing that most people want to know is, is this film any good? and is Jackie Chan at his best?

One thing you have to realise as Jackie gets older is that he simply cant do the stunts he used to, he is 66 years old! As such since he turned 60 there has been a noticeable change in his films, often he takes more of a back seat role, and allows other younger stars to do the heavy lifting, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, after all, is it really believable that a 66 year old can take on hordes of 20 year old fighters and beat them all?

With that said, Jackie does play a decent role in the film, he is involved in some decent action scenes, and his classic comedy is still there within the fights. And as a big Jackie Chan fan, I am honestly telling you I enjoyed this film, of course I wish that there was more Jackie and that he was still in his prime, but while he can still go, I am sure as hell going to enjoy him.

A big shout out also needs to go to Miya Muqi who plays Mi Ya in the film, she is a truly rising star, and Yang Yang who plays Lei, is churning out a lot of films and making a name for himself too.

The Good

This is a truly global action film, some great scenes in Africa, India and the Middle East really give this film a big feel. The acting is perfectly fine for such a film, and the action scenes are plentiful.

The Bad

I hate seeing any fight scenes where wires are used, I understand that in 2020, with big insurance deals for the stars they are needed, but I do miss the old 80s Hong Kong films, where they really did what you were seeing. There is also some dodgy CGI in this film which took me out of the action a few times.

Overall

I am a Jackie Chan fan, and although this film is not his best, it is still good, and I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed watching Jackie perform.

I score Vanguard a solid 7/10

Synopsis:

Marking the latest collaboration between acclaimed Hong Kong director Stanley Tong (The Myth, Rumble in the Bronx, Supercop) and action legend Jackie Chan (The Foreigner, Police Story, Rush Hour), Vanguard is a wild globetrotting adventure and a throwback to the days of gloriously over-the-top action cinema. 

When a client of the international “Vanguard” security agency is kidnapped during Chinatown’s famous Lunar celebrations in London, this elite team (led by Chan) is sent to the rescue, taking them on a wildly ambitious mission all over the world. The adventure takes them from the rivers of Africa, to a heavily guarded fort in India, and an exhilarating car chase in Dubai, all the while unravelling a global conspiracy.

Vanguard boasts stunning action choreography, amazing stunts and the brand of fast-paced action-comedy that made Jackie Chan a global star.

CineAsia presents Vanguard in Selected Cinemas and On Demand 8th January and Blu-ray & DVD 11th January 2021

Pre-order at https://amzn.to/3nv2bv8

Marking the latest collaboration between acclaimed Hong Kong director #StanleyTong and action legend #JackieChan (The Foreigner, Police Story, Rush Hour), #Vanguard is a wild globetrotting adventure and a throwback to the days of gloriously over-the-top action cinema. pic.twitter.com/0Zpy7mseaV

— BeenToTheMovies 🎬 (@beentothemovies) December 17, 2020

Trailer Revealed for Upcoming Sky Original Film Dragon Rider

From 12 February, join Firedrake, a young silver dragon on his magical adventure of courage, self-confidence, hopefulness, and the forging of unusual friendships as Dragon Rider, a Sky Original flies into homes on Sky Cinema this February half term.

Dragon Rider comes from the original story of Cornelia Funke's worldwide bestselling children's novel of the same title, brought to screen from the filmmakers behind The NeverEnding Story and the Fantastic Four film franchise. Dragon Rider boasts a star-studded cast of voices from Felicity Jones (Rogue One, The Theory of Everything), Thomas Brodie-Sangster (The Queen's Gambit, The Maze Runner), Patrick Stewart (X-Men, Star Trek), and Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland, The Good Doctor).

Dragon Rider, a Sky Original, tells the story of Firedrake (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), who wants to show the older generation he is a real dragon, not the naïve fledgling they see him as. When he discovers that humans are about to destroy the forest where the dragons reside, he sets off on a daring crusade with his best friend Sorrel (Felicity Jones) in search for a mythical safe haven hidden in the Himalayas where dragons can live in peace.

Watch Trailer

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2020/12/trailer-revealed-for-upcoming-sky.html

Pinocchio Clip - Almost Finished Clip (2020)

Geppetto (Roberto Benigni) puts the finishing touches on his "son" (Federico Ielapi).

Geppetto's puppet creation, Pinocchio, magically comes to life with dreams of becoming a real boy. Easily led astray, Pinocchio tumbles from one misadventure to another as he is tricked, kidnapped and chased by bandits through a wonderful world full of imaginative creatures - from the belly of a giant fish, to the Land of Toys and the Field of Miracles.

Watch Clip

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2020/12/pinocchio-clip-almost-finished-clip-2020.html

Coming 2 America - New Teaser Trailer

Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York – where it all began.

Pre-Order from Amazon at https://amzn.to/2Kj24EF

Director: Craig Brewer

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler

COMING SOON: Available 05 March 2021

Watch Trailer at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2020/12/coming-2-america-new-teaser-trailer.html

The Great - An Interview with Elle Fanning

How would you describe the show and your character?

The Great is a historical satire that follows Catherine the Great's rise to power in 18th century Russia. Catherine is an idealistic young woman who finds herself in a backwards world, married to a tyrant. She quickly realises she would be a better ruler and plots to take over the throne. Catherine is romantic and naive at the start, but throughout the series her ruthlessness grows.

What drew you to the script?

I was drawn to Tony McNamara's singular voice. The tone and world he created was one I had never read before. The effortless blend of dark, bizarre comedy and emotional realism. I read the script before I saw The Favourite so I really had nothing to compare it to. The elaborate period setting, over the top situations, yet still grounded characters all set in a high stakes environment. He truly is a writing genius! Above all, Catherine as a character was what made me have to be a part of the show. She is such a dichotomy of a person. Each page surprised me with what she was willing to do. Tony captured her struggle as a woman trying to navigate a patriarchal society and not always succeeding. She isn't a perfect character. She is learning as she goes along with the guidance from the court.

Read Full Interview at

http://www.jonn.co.uk/2020/12/the-great-interview-with-elle-fanning.html

The Great - An interview with Nicholas Hoult

How would you describe the show and your character?

The Great is a satirical view of Catherine's experience moving to Russia and planning a coup to become Empress after she discovers that her marriage and the court was not all she hoped for. It's about her growing up and understanding how she can change the world around her and use her voice. I play Peter, he's a childlike emperor who runs the court like a big party, lacking empathy or a filter. He's a real foodie.

What drew you to the script?

I love Tony's writing, it's unlike anything I've read. Sharp and witty with wonderful turns of phrase but also brilliant character development.

Read Full Interview at

http://www.jonn.co.uk/2020/12/the-great-interview-with-nicholas-hoult.html

The Great - An interview with Nicholas Hoult

How would you describe the show and your character?

The Great is a satirical view of Catherine's experience moving to Russia and planning a coup to become Empress after she discovers that her marriage and the court was not all she hoped for. It's about her growing up and understanding how she can change the world around her and use her voice. I play Peter, he's a childlike emperor who runs the court like a big party, lacking empathy or a filter. He's a real foodie.

What drew you to the script?

I love Tony's writing, it's unlike anything I've read. Sharp and witty with wonderful turns of phrase but also brilliant character development.

How much did you know about your character before filming and what research did you do?

Honestly not much, I'd maybe heard a rumour about Catherine and a horse. To prep for the character, I didn't research the real Peter, I used the script more as my guide to what the character should be like. We're not trying to be factual but tell a great story with this backdrop.

What are you most curious about regarding your character?

He's obviously a product of his environment and emotionally scarred from his parents so it's fun to examine that.

The script knowingly plays fast and loose with history – did that mean you approached your character differently than you normally might?

Yes, because I didn't feel locked to trying to recreate an authentic version of Peter it meant I could be looser and have more fun with the role.

The series is set in Russia but is filmed in English. How did you hit upon the accent you went with?

The accent I went for is kind of based on a public schoolboy, quite clipped. I think Peter has a stream of conscious so talks quickly and doesn't filter himself.

What was surprisingly difficult or challenging about inhabiting this role?

The fun thing is discovering more and more through Tony's writing. The character has lots more depth and heart than originally appears so that's a fun challenge.

The period costumes look terrific. What were your reactions to your costumes?

I love the costumes; they certainly help to inhabit the character. I especially like the skirt I got to wear.

The Great is a LOT of fun to watch. At the same time has a lot to say in a world still living in the fall out of #MeToo; would you agree?

Yes. It's very much about female empowerment and holds a mirror up to a lot of things happening in the world today. But wrapped up in a fun historic setting.

Has any of Tony's way of seeing the world crept into your daily life?

It's made me appreciate food and quality cooking and flavour pairings more!

Do you have a favourite line of dialogue?

So many wonderful lines of dialogue I can't remember them all, perhaps "Toosh" that Peter says to Catherine before getting corrected to "Touché".

What are you most looking forward to in season two (of what you can share at this stage)?

I'm looking forward to seeing where the relationships go, the characters took so many unexpected turns in the first series I'm excited to see what's next.

2020 has been quite a year; How would you describe your expectations for 2021?

Where to start!!! Try to be optimistic and hopefully we can take any positives from this year forward into 2021 to make it better?

The Great - An Interview with Elle Fanning

How would you describe the show and your character?

The Great is a historical satire that follows Catherine the Great's rise to power in 18th century Russia. Catherine is an idealistic young woman who finds herself in a backwards world, married to a tyrant. She quickly realises she would be a better ruler and plots to take over the throne. Catherine is romantic and naive at the start, but throughout the series her ruthlessness grows.

What drew you to the script?

I was drawn to Tony McNamara's singular voice. The tone and world he created was one I had never read before. The effortless blend of dark, bizarre comedy and emotional realism. I read the script before I saw The Favourite so I really had nothing to compare it to. The elaborate period setting, over the top situations, yet still grounded characters all set in a high stakes environment. He truly is a writing genius! Above all, Catherine as a character was what made me have to be a part of the show. She is such a dichotomy of a person. Each page surprised me with what she was willing to do. Tony captured her struggle as a woman trying to navigate a patriarchal society and not always succeeding. She isn't a perfect character. She is learning as she goes along with the guidance from the court.

How much did you know about your character before filming and what research did you do?

I have to admit I did not know much. I knew she was the Empress of Russia, but I did not realize all the amazing things she did for her country. Sadly, the world has reduced her legacy to a false rumour about her and a horse. She brought art, science, and women's education to Russia. And she invented the rollercoaster! I stopped there once I learned that. Anyone who invents the rollercoaster has got to be fun! The Great does play loose with history. Our show is by no means a historical document, but hopefully captures the essence of the real Catherine the Great and what she achieved and stood for.

What are you most curious about regarding your character?

I absolutely love Catherine's unapologetic arrogance. She has a youthful confidence, which translates to always having a way to problem solve. She loves herself and truly believes she is best for the job. Her optimism pushes her through some extremely tough situations. Throughout the series, destiny plays a beautiful role. Catherine's love affair is not really with a man, it's with a country. Her driving force is for Russia and fulfilling her destiny to help find reason and democracy. I would say Catherine is an activist in every sense of the word. There are two types of people. Those who sit back and watch and those who take action. Catherine runs into the flames every time.

The script knowingly plays fast and loose with history – did that mean you approached your character differently than you normally might?

Very early on, Tony told us to put away our history books. I wanted to create my own version of Catherine. I still approached her like I would any character. I guess the most different was it being a 10-hour series instead of a two-hour film. Having the luxury to explore and pace myself with a character was a blessing. Tony is also super strict with our lines. There is absolutely no ad libbing! In a way, being married to the words makes for a whole other kind of freedom. Freedom in the movement and in the rhythm of scenes.

The series is set in Russia but is filmed in English. How did you hit upon the accent you went with?

Since we are not following the history books and in actuality, we would be speaking an entirely different language altogether, it made most sense to go with an English accent across the board for all characters. Tony writes for the rhythm and cadence of the English accent. It sounds much more delicious.

What was surprisingly difficult or challenging about inhabiting this role?

The comedic timing and memorisation. Tony writes us some meaty speeches. My memorising muscle was stretched to its limits. I have never done theatre, but I would think our scenes felt a lot like doing a play. And the comedy of it all was a new challenge. Nicholas Hoult was no stranger to Tony's writing, having just come off The Favourite, so Nick helped me a lot to get the speed and banter required for scenes.

The period costumes look terrific. What were your reactions to your costumes?

The costumes are drop dead gorgeous. I wish I could say they were as comfortable as they were beautiful. The corsets take some getting used to. I do not envy the ladies of the time. All of us women were so jealous of Nick [Hoult] and the other guys because they would saunter around shirtless or in robes! Corsets aside, the way my costumes tell Catherine's journey is vital. Her silhouettes stay pretty simple and practical compared to the ladies of the Russian court. My main colors were pale blue and green. But of course, at the end there is an electric pink dress (my favourite) that summarizes Catherine perfectly. It is her birthday dress and the dress she's going to kill her husband in! It incapsulates her femininity, youth, and boldness.

The Great is a LOT of fun to watch. At the same time has a lot to say in a world still living in the fall out of #MeToo; would you agree?

There is a particular scene I'm thinking of when Catherine says to Marial (Phoebe Fox): "if they invent something easier than buttons, we're in trouble." Our show is about a young woman expressing her opinions loudly and being shut down for doing so. But Catherine persists in making herself heard.

Has any of Tony's way of seeing the world crept into your daily life?

Definitely! I now use "Huzzah" and "indeed" quite often! I haven't started smashing glasses yet, but when the occasion calls for it, I'll be ready! I definitely have had enough practice!

Did you have a favourite scene to film and most memorable line of dialogue?

In episode two, Nick and I have a scene at the breakfast table. It was one of our first long back and forth scenes. We're just sitting and firing back at each other. I remember feeling so elated and having so much fun with Nick. He is such an incredible actor and human. We work very similarly and like to try off the wall ideas whether they work or not. He has made Peter entirely three dimensional. A character who on the page is so nasty and vile, Nick makes likable and charming. Also, we are always the first to crack and laugh in scenes. Once we start it's hard to get us to stop! My favourite line of dialogue, I have to say, was, "the horse said no, and nay means nay."

What Christmas or Holiday traditions do you always abide by or look forward to? Is there a Christmas film you return to?

My grandma's Christmas cooking is what I look forward to most! She is from Georgia, so the more butter the better! Christmas morning, she makes these cinnamon rolls called "sugar babies" that are essentially pastry wrapped around a melted marshmallow! My favourite Christmas movie is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

2020 has been quite a year; how would you describe your own experience of it? The Great will TX in Jan of 2021 on Channel 4; How would you describe your expectations of 2021?

2020 has affected everyone. We will always remember this particular year. It has been a time of fear, loss and sorrow, but has hopefully brought us all together. Everyone on this planet has been affected by the pandemic in one way or another. It has given us a commonality that hasn't existed for so long. This year has certainly made me more grateful and reminded me not to take the small things for granted. I hope 2021 brings peace and unity and many, many hugs!

Pinocchio Clip - Almost Finished Clip (2020)

 

Geppetto (Roberto Benigni) puts the finishing touches on his “son” (Federico Ielapi).

Geppetto's puppet creation, Pinocchio, magically comes to life with dreams of becoming a real boy. Easily led astray, Pinocchio tumbles from one misadventure to another as he is tricked, kidnapped and chased by bandits through a wonderful world full of imaginative creatures - from the belly of a giant fish, to the Land of Toys and the Field of Miracles.

Trailer Revealed for Upcoming Sky Original Film Dragon Rider

 

From 12 February, join Firedrake, a young silver dragon on his magical adventure of courage, self-confidence, hopefulness, and the forging of unusual friendships as Dragon Rider, a Sky Original flies into homes on Sky Cinema this February half term.

Dragon Rider comes from the original story of Cornelia Funke’s worldwide bestselling children’s novel of the same title, brought to screen from the filmmakers behind The NeverEnding Story and the Fantastic Four film franchise. Dragon Rider boasts a star-studded cast of voices from Felicity Jones (Rogue One, The Theory of Everything), Thomas Brodie-Sangster (The Queen’s Gambit, The Maze Runner), Patrick Stewart (X-Men, Star Trek), and Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland, The Good Doctor). 

Dragon Rider, a Sky Original, tells the story of Firedrake (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), who wants to show the older generation he is a real dragon, not the naïve fledgling they see him as. When he discovers that humans are about to destroy the forest where the dragons reside, he sets off on a daring crusade with his best friend Sorrel (Felicity Jones) in search for a mythical safe haven hidden in the Himalayas where dragons can live in peace.

On their quest, they encounter Ben (Freddie Highmore), an orphan, who they mistake for a dragon rider destined to help them on their voyage. The unlikely trio must learn to work together, despite their differences, as dragon-eating villain Nettlebrand (Patrick Stewart) is hot on their tails to fulfil his own quest: to track and destroy every dragon.

In his directorial debut, Tomer Eshed brings to life Jonny Smith’s (Sherlock Gnomes, Gnomeo & Juliet) screenplay, which was adapted from the internationally best-selling children’s novel by Cornelia Funke. Dragon Rider, a Sky Original will be released on Sky Cinema from 12 February and will be available on the streaming service NOW TV via the Sky Cinema Pass.

Coming 2 America - New Teaser Trailer

Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York – where it all began.

Director: Craig Brewer

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler

COMING SOON: Available 05 March 2021

Pre-Order from Amazon at https://amzn.to/2Kj24EF