Reading view

There are new articles available, click to refresh the page.

The 12 best movies to watch on Netflix in February

parasite
Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite"

Neon

  • Netflix has plenty of great new movies hitting the platform in February.
  • See Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana in "Spencer," or watch acclaimed movies like "Parasite" and "The Founder."
  • Family favorites like "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" and "Despicable Me 4" are also streaming.

Here are the best movies coming to Netflix this month.

"Magic Mike XXL" (February 1)
channing tatum magic mike xxl
Channing Tatum in "Magic Mike XXL."

Claudette Barius/Warner Bros.

One could argue that the second movie in this stripper trilogy is the best of all three.

Most of the original cast returns, as Mike (Channing Tatum) takes the gang on a road trip to Myrtle Beach for one final performance for the ladies.

"Miss Congeniality" (February 1)
Sandra Bullock Miss Congeniality
Sandra Bullock in "Miss Congeniality."

Castle Rock Entertainment

In this classic comedy, Sandra Bullock plays an FBI agent who is transformed into a beauty pageant contestant to prevent a group from bombing the event.

Michael Caine, Benjamin Bratt, Candice Bergen, and William Shatner all add to the fun in supporting roles.

"Parasite" (February 1)
parasite neon
Kang-ho Song in "Parasite."

Neon

You can't go wrong with Bong Joon-ho's four-time Oscar-winning masterpiece, which examines issues like class and privilege while telling the story of a poor family who infiltrates a wealthy one.

"Space Jam" (February 1)
Space Jam
Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan in "Space Jam."

Warner Bros. Family Entertainment

During the late 1990s, when Michael Jordan stepped away from professional basketball to pursue baseball following the death of his father, he also starred in this classic animated movie where the Looney Tunes gang recruit him to play in a basketball game against invading aliens.

"Two Weeks Notice" (February 1)
two weeks notice
Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant in "Two Weeks Notice."

Warner Bros

Opposites attract in this rom-com starring Sandra Bullock as a lawyer who goes to work for a narcissistic billionaire played by Hugh Grant. You guessed it, eventually they fall for each other.

"The Wedding Planner" (February 1)
the wedding planner 2001
Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Lopez in "The Wedding Planner."

Archive Photos / Getty Images

Here's more rom-com fun: Jennifer Lopez plays a wedding planner who begins to have feelings for the latest groom she's working with, played by Matthew McConaughey.

"The Founder" (February 2)
the founder the weinstein company
Michael Keaton in "The Founder."

The Weinstein Company

In this biopic, Michael Keaton plays businessman Ray Kroc, who turned a hamburger stand he stumbled across in the 1950s run by two brothers into the birthplace of fast food with the McDonald's chain. In the process, Kroc ruthlessly forced out the brothers of the soon-to-be lucrative company.

"Kinda Pregnant" (February 5)
Amy Schumer holding a fake belly to her stomach
Amy Schumer in "Kinda Pregnant."

Netflix

In this Netflix original comedy, Amy Schumer plays Lainy, who after learning that her best friend is pregnant, pretends she is too by wearing a fake belly. Complications ensue when she finds the man of her dreams while keeping up the lie.

"Spencer" (February 8)
Kristen Stewart dressed as Princess Diana
Kristen Stewart in "Spencer."

Neon

Kristen Stewart transforms into Princess Diana in this impressionistic biopic of the late royal, which follows her as her life begins to unravel as she considers divorcing Prince Charles and leaving the royal family.

"Train to Busan" (February 11)
Train to Busan
Gong Yoo in "Train to Busan."

Next Entertainment World

If you're in need of a good horror, you can't go wrong with this zombie movie, which follows a group of people trying to survive a train trip from Seoul to Busan during a zombie outbreak. Expect lots of gore and some laughs.

"Despicable Me 4" (February 28)
Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) in "Despicable Me 4."
Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) in "Despicable Me 4."

Universal Pictures

The latest movie in the franchise follows Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) and his family — and, of course, the Minions — as they embark on a new spy adventure.

"Sonic the Hedgehog 2" (February 28)
Sonic The Hedgehog faces off against Knuckles the Echidna in "Sonic Hedgehog the Movie 2."
Knuckled and Sonic face off in "Sonic the Hedgehog 2."

Paramount Pictures

Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) returns this time with his buddy Tails to take on Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and the formidable Knuckles (Idris Elba).

Read the original article on Business Insider

Anthony Mackie sparked backlash for his comments about Captain America. Here's a breakdown of the controversy.

Anthony Mackie in suit
Anthony Mackie.

Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images

  • Anthony Mackie faced backlash for comments he made about Captain America.
  • Mackie suggested Captain America should not solely represent America, sparking controversy.
  • He's not the first actor who played the role to downplay the "America" aspect of the character.

Anthony Mackie's Captain America will be on the big screen for the first time in Marvel's new movie "Captain America: Brave New World" after taking the iconic shield in the Disney+ series "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" in 2021.

But Mackie's moment in the spotlight has already been marred by controversy ahead of the movie's February 14 opening when comments he made about his character landed him in hot water.

"To me, Captain America represents a lot of different things and I don't think the term 'America' should be one of those representations," Mackie told a live audience in Rome on Monday on the film's press tour.

"It's about a man who keeps his word," he continued. "Who has honor, dignity, and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable."

Mackie also called the opportunity to play the character "a dream coming true."

While the comments could be interpreted as Mackie's attempt to cater to an international audience, the footage went viral and some Americans weren't happy.

The backlash was immediate, but Mackie isn't the first to downplay the 'America' aspect of the character

Chris Evans Anthony Mackie Avengers
Chris Evans played Captain America before Anthony Mackie took over the shield.

Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP / Marvel

The response to Mackie's comments was swift.

Users on X had responses that ranged from, "Well, his name is Captain America. He represents American values. Get used to it," to "Strange take."

Others deemed the movie anti-American and called for a boycott of "Brave New World."

Mackie is not the first Captain America to downplay the "America" in the character's name.

Chris Evans, who bowed out of playing the role for nearly a decade following 2019's "Avengers: Endgame," told CBM in 2011 that he was trying not to "get too lost in the American side" of the character.

"This isn't a flag-waving movie. It is red, white, and blue, but it just so happens that the character was created in America during wartime, when there was a common enemy, even though it is Captain America," he said.

"I've said before in interviews that it feels more like he should just be called Captain Good. You know, he was created at a time when there was this undeniable evil, and this guy was kind of created to fight that evil. I think that everyone could agree that Nazis were bad, and he, Cap, just so happens to wear the red, white, and blue."

Evans didn't receive any backlash from these comments.

Mackie has since clarified his remarks

Anthony Mackie as Captain America being shot on camera
Anthony Mackie on the set of "Captain America: Brave New World."

Eli Adé/Marvel

In a statement on his Instagram Stories, Mackie responded to the backlash Tuesday.

"Let me be clear about this, I'm a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like CAP is the honor of a lifetime," he wrote. "I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country. CAP has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to."

Anthony Mackie response to Cap comments

@anthonymackie/Instagram

Reps for Mackie did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

"Captain America: Brave New World" also stars Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, and Giancarlo Esposito.

Read the original article on Business Insider

The 3 biggest snubs and 3 biggest surprises from the 2025 Oscar nominations

Sebastian Stan transforms into Donald Trump in "The Apprentice."
Sebastian Stan transforms into Donald Trump in "The Apprentice."

Briarcliff Entertainment

  • The 2025 Oscar nominations were announced on Thursday.
  • Surprises include a best-actor nod for Sebastian Stan and a best-picture nod for "The Substance."
  • Snubs include Pamela Anderson for "The Last Showgirl" and the "Challengers" score.

The 2025 Oscar nominations were announced on Thursday, with a lot of love given to titles like "Emilia Pérez" and "Wicked."

But there were some actors and movies that weren't called out.

Below, the Business Insider staff breaks down the three biggest surprises and three most upsetting subs from this year's nominations.

SNUB: Pamela Anderson for 'The Last Showgirl'
Pamela Anderson wearing a jeweled, feathered headpiece in 'The Last Showgirl."
Pamela Anderson in 'The Last Showgirl."

Roadside Attractions

Anderson came out of nowhere to wow audiences in 2024 with her performance in "The Last Showgirl" as Shelly, a 57-year-old Vegas showgirl who hits a crossroads when the French-style revue she's performed in for three decades closes its doors.

Mixing a coquettishness reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe with a crushing vulnerability no one knew she could pull off, Anderson delivers the best performance of her career. Sadly, she won't be recognized for it on Hollywood's biggest night.

SNUB: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for the 'Challengers' score
Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor in "Challengers."
Mike Faist, Zendaya, and Josh O'Connor in "Challengers."

Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures

Reznor and Ross masterfully captured the messy dynamic between Tashi (Zendaya), Patrick (Josh O'Connor), and Art (Mike Faist) in their pulsating "Challengers" score, while also providing a techno backdrop for all the tennis matches and relationship warfare.

Throbbing tracks like "The Signal," "Brutalizer," and "Match Point" worked perfectly next to the cinematography to yank the audience through the screen and onto the court.

It's impressive for a score to be so engaging while also delivering pure bangers that could fit right in at an underground rave — which might've livened up the Oscars if the academy had been bold enough to recognize Reznor and Ross' work.

SNUB: Marianne Jean-Baptiste for 'Hard Truths'
Marianne Jean-Baptiste in "Hard Truths"
Marianne Jean-Baptiste in "Hard Truths."

Thin Man Films Ltd

Jean-Baptiste didn't just give the best female performance of the year in "Hard Truths" — she gave the best performance, period. The angry, depressed Pansy Deacon in "Hard Truths" could have easily become a caricature in the hands of a lesser actor, as the miserable woman lashes out, often in absurd ways, at anyone and everyone who crosses her path. But Jean-Baptiste instilled humanity and even evoked sympathy in the unlikeable character with her layered performance.

She and the director Mike Leigh, who directed Jean-Baptiste to her first Oscar nomination almost 30 years ago in "Secrets & Lies," were tapping into something we never see represented on screen. They both should have been acknowledged for it, but Jean-Baptiste was the more egregious snub, particularly since she swept nearly all the critic and indie awards where she was nominated.

SURPRISE: Yura Borisov for 'Anora'
Man in a coat
Yura Borisov in "Anora."

Neon

Borisov plays the sensitive henchman Igor in "Anora" with a disarming calmness opposite the outlandish antics of the movie's lead, Mikey Madison.

His quiet-guy act left a mark on not just audiences but members of the academy.

Borisov's nomination is the first time in almost five decades that a Russian actor has been nominated for an Oscar. The last was Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1977 for "The Turning Point."

SURPRISE: Sebastian Stan for playing Donald Trump in 'The Apprentice'
Sebastian Stan smiling
Sebastian Stan in "The Apprentice."

Briarcliff Entertainment

Though "The Apprentice" got little marketing and most of Hollywood didn't want to touch the movie after its premiere at last year's Cannes Film Festival, Stan's performance as Trump made it to the big dance.

Stan is convincing as a young Trump trying to build his real-estate empire under the tutelage of the lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), getting the mannerisms down and even giving his character a sense of empathy.

SURPRISE: Multiple nominations for 'The Substance'
Demi Moore in "The Substance"
Demi Moore in "The Substance."

Christine Tamalet/Mubi

The academy has historically been reluctant to award Oscars to horror movies. While things have started to look up in recent years — Jordan Peele broke through with "Get Out" — the amount of love "The Substance" got this year is pretty astounding.

Demi Moore was deservedly a lock for best actress with her raw performance as the washed-up celebrity Elisabeth Sparkle. It's thrilling to see her get this recognition for the first time after decades in the business.

It's more surprising, though, that the French director Coralie Fargeat landed first-time nominations for both directing and writing the outrageous body-horror film and that the movie itself got a best-picture nod. It's a watershed moment for the genre.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Oscar nominations 2025: See the full list of nominees for the 97th annual Academy Awards

Oscar statue
The 97th Oscars are scheduled for March 2 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood and set to be televised live on ABC and streamed live on Hulu.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

  • Here is the full list of the 2025 Oscar nominations.
  • "Emilia Pérez" received 13 nominations, while "Wicked" and "The Brutalist" each earned 10.
  • The Oscars are set to air March 2 on ABC and Hulu.

The 97th Academy Awards nominations were announced on Thursday, and Netflix's "Emilia Pérez" received the most nominations, with 13 including best picture.

That puts it in a tie with titles such as "Gone With the Wind" and last year's best-picture winner, "Oppenheimer," for the second-most nominations of all time. It's also the most nominations ever for a non-English-language film.

The award-season favorites "Wicked" and "The Brutalist" received 10 nominations each, including for best picture.

Surprises included Sebastian Stan earning a best-actor nomination for his portrayal of Donald Trump in "The Apprentice" and Pamela Anderson missing out in the best-actress category for her critically acclaimed work in "The Last Showgirl."

The Oscars are scheduled for March 2 and set to be hosted by Conan O'Brien.

Here's the full list of nominees for the 2025 Oscars.

Best actor in a supporting role
Guy Pearce in a hat and brown jacket
Guy Pearce in "The Brutalist."

A24

Yura Borisov, "Anora"

Kieran Culkin, "A Real Pain"

Edward Norton, "A Complete Unknown"

Guy Pearce, "The Brutalist"

Jeremy Strong, "The Apprentice"

Best actress in a supporting role
ariana grande as glinda in wicked, standing in front of a door with her hand on her chest. a circular window behind her is lit with golden light, giving the appearance of a halo
Ariana Grande in "Wicked."

Universal Pictures

Monica Barbaro, "A Complete Unknown"

Ariana Grande, "Wicked"

Felicity Jones, "The Brutalist"

Isabella Rossellini, "Conclave"

Zoe Saldaña, "Emilia Pérez"

Best original score
cynthia erivo as elphaba in wicked. she's painted green and is wearing a black dress, with her hair styled in microbraids braided into one larger braid over her right shoulder. her hands are outstretched, and her expression is intent
Cynthia Erivo in "Wicked."

Universal Pictures

"The Brutalist"

"Emilia Pérez"

"Conclave"

"Wicked"

"The Wild Robot"

Best costume design
paul mescal as lucius in gladiator two. he's crouching on the dirt floor of the colosseum, his sword stuck in the ground, as he rubs dirt between his hands
Paul Mescal in "Gladiator II."

Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures

"A Complete Unknown"

"Conclave"

"Gladiator II"

"Nosferatu"

"Wicked"

Best adapted screenplay
Ralph Fiennes in "Conclave."
Ralph Fiennes in "Conclave."

Focus Features

"A Complete Unknown"

"Conclave"

"Emilia Pérez"

"Nickel Boys"

"Sing Sing"

Best original screenplay
Mikey Madison in "Anora."
Mikey Madison in "Anora."

Cannes Film Festival

"Anora"

"The Brutalist"

"A Real Pain"

"September 5"

"The Substance"

Best animated feature film
"The Wild Robot."
"The Wild Robot."

Universal Pictures

"Flow"

"Inside Out 2"

"Memoir of a Snail"

"Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl"

"The Wild Robot"

Best animated short film
Boy around leaves
"Magic Candies."

Toei Animation

"Beautiful Men"

"In the Shadow of the Cypress"

"Magic Candies"

"Wander to Wonder"

"Yuck"

Best live-action short film
Woman in a jacket
"The Last Ranger."

Kindred Films

"A Lien"

"Anuja"

"I'm Not a Robot"

"The Last Ranger"

"The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent"

Best makeup and hairstyling
Lily-Rose Depp with a shadow of a hand over her
Lily-Rose Depp in "Nosferatu."

Focus Features

"A Different Man"

"Emilia Pérez"

"Nosferatu"

"The Substance"

"Wicked"

Best cinematography
Timothée Chalamet in a cloak
Timothée Chalamet in "Dune: Part Two."

Niko Tavernise/Warner Bros.

"The Brutalist"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Emilia Pérez"

"Maria"

"Nosferatu"

Best documentary feature film
Men sitting
"No Other Land."

Yabayay Media

"Black Box Diaries"

"No Other Land"

"Porcelain War"

"Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat"

"Sugarcane"

Best documentary short film
Woman around trees
"Death by Numbers."

KA Snyder Productions

"Death by Numbers"

"I Am Ready, Warden"

"Incident"

"Instruments of a Beating Heart"

"The Only Girl in the Orchestra"

Best film editing
Zoe Saldaña in "Emilia Pérez."
Saldaña in "Emilia Pérez."

Netflix

"Anora"

"The Brutalist"

"Conclave"

"Emilia Pérez"

"Wicked"

Best international feature film
Selena Gomez holds a cellphone in her right hand as Jessi in "Emilia Pérez."
Selena Gomez in "Emilia Pérez."

Shanna Besson/Page 114 - Why Not Productions - Pathé Films - France 2 Cinéma

"I'm Still Here"

"The Girl With the Needle"

"Emilia Pérez"

"The Seed of the Sacred Fig"

"Flow"

Best original song
colman domingo and clarence maclin in sing sing
Colman Domingo and Clarence Maclin in "Sing Sing."

A24

"El Mal" from "Emilia Pérez"

"The Journey" from "The Six Triple Eight"

"Like a Bird" from "Sing Sing"

"Mi Camino" from "Emilia Pérez"

"Never Too Late" from "Elton John: Never Too Late"

Best production design
Adrien Brody smoking a cigarette
Adrien Brody in "The Brutalist."

A24

"The Brutalist"

"Conclave"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Nosferatu"

"Wicked"

Best sound
A still from "A Complete Unknown" showing Timothée Chalamet wearing a denim shirt and holding a guitar and harmonica in front of two mics.
Chalamet in "A Complete Unknown."

Macall Polay

"A Complete Unknown"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Emilia Pérez"

"Wicked"

"The Wild Robot"

Best visual effects
A Xenomorph bares its teeth at someone in the foreground with slime dripping from its jaws.
"Alien: Romulus."

20th Century Studios

"Alien: Romulus"

"Better Man"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes"

"Wicked"

Best actress in a leading role
Demi Moore in "The Substance"
Demi Moore in "The Substance."

Christine Tamalet/Mubi

Cynthia Erivo, "Wicked"

Karla Sofía Gascón, "Emilia Pérez"

Mikey Madison, "Anora"

Demi Moore, "The Substance"

Fernanda Torres, "I'm Still Here"

Best actor in a leading role
Sebastian Stan transforms into Donald Trump in "The Apprentice."
Sebastian Stan in "The Apprentice."

Briarcliff Entertainment

Adrien Brody, "The Brutalist"

Timothée Chalamet, "A Complete Unknown"

Colman Domingo, "Sing Sing"

Ralph Fiennes, "Conclave"

Sebastian Stan, "The Apprentice"

Best director
James Mangold behind Timothee Chalamet with his hands up
James Mangold and Chalamet on the set of "A Complete Unknown."

Macall Polay/Searchlight Pictures

Sean Baker, "Anora"

Brady Corbet, "The Brutalist"

James Mangold, "A Complete Unknown"

Jacques Audiard, "Emilia Pérez"

Coralie Fargeat, "The Substance"

Best picture
Timothee Chalamet holding up a knife
Chalamet in "Dune: Part Two."

Warner Bros.

"Anora"

"The Brutalist"

"A Complete Unknown"

"Conclave"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Emilia Pérez"

"I'm Still Here"

"Nickel Boys"

"The Substance"

"Wicked"

Read the original article on Business Insider

'Back in Action' director says Jamie Foxx ad-libbed those baby oil jokes, which had nothing to do with the Diddy scandal

Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz in "Back in Action."
Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz in "Back in Action."

John Wilson / Netflix

  • Jamie Foxx ad-libbed baby oil jokes in Netflix's "Back in Action" film.
  • Director Seth Gordon told Business Insider the jokes were filmed a year before the Sean Combs "Freak Offs" scandal.
  • "I don't think that means you're not allowed to use the words baby oil again," Gordon said.

"Back in Action" is filled with funny moments from Glenn Close's horny grandma vibes to Cameron Diaz grooving to Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It." If those don't spark a chuckle, Jamie Foxx's on-set ad-libs about baby oil are sure to bring a few laughs from this Netflix action comedy.

In the movie, Matt (Foxx) and Emily (Diaz) are CIA agents who go into hiding to start a family. Fifteen years later, viewers get a glimpse of their domesticated lives in full parent mode before everything goes to hell and their cover is blown.

One of the running gags is Emily telling Matt how she wants to reconnect with their teenage daughter by bringing back movie night. She suggests they watch the "Creed" movies, and Matt responds by saying, "That's a lot of baby oil."

Scenes later, when Emily's daughter rejects movie night, Matt tells Emily the two of them will have a movie night.

Emily suggests "Creed 3," to which Matt responds: "To help, I'll put some baby oil on, like Michael B." Referring to "Creed" franchise star Michael B. Jordan.

Director Seth Gordon told BI that Foxx came up with those baby oil jokes on his own while shooting.

"That was an ad-lib Jamie did," he said. "It was hilarious."

Cameron Diaz standing next to Jamie Foxx on a movie set
Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx on the set of "Back in Action."

John Wilson/Netflix

Gordon said filmmakers didn't discuss removing the jokes after news broke last year of Sean "Diddy" Combs throwing parties called "Freak Offs," which included more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.

"We shot that the prior year," Gordon said. "The Diddy thing happened after picture lock. Also, I don't think that means you're not allowed to use the words baby oil again."

Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx's Hollywood career spans over two decades.

Leon Bennett/WireImage

In September, Combs was indicted on racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution charges. Combs pleaded not guilty.

Since then, Foxx has distanced himself from Combs. Foxx, 57, who was hospitalized while filming "Back in Action," later explained in his December Netflix comedy special "What Had Happened Was" that he'd suffered a stroke. In the special, he also talked about his times with Combs, saying "I left them parties early. I was out by 9."

"Back in Action" is available now on Netflix.

Read the original article on Business Insider

The 'Back in Action' director has 'a couple ideas' of who could join the cast for a sequel after that explosive ending

Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz hiding out in a car in "Back in Action."
Jamie Foxx as Matt and Cameron Diaz as Emily in "Back in Action."

Netflix

  • Warning: Spoilers below if you haven't seen "Back in Action."
  • Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz play former spies who have to save their kids from a villain in Netflix's "Back in Action."
  • Director Seth Gordon told Business Insider he wants to cast a big name to play Diaz's father in a potential sequel.

Netflix's "Back in Action" follows Matt (Jamie Foxx) and Emily (Cameron Diaz), two former CIA spies who, after leaving the agency to start a family, are thrust back into the espionage game 15 years later when their cover is blown and their kids are kidnapped.

The action comedy concludes with a thrilling fight on London's River Thames where Matt and Emily save their kids — with the help of Emily's estranged mother, Ginny (Glenn Close), a gun-toting former spy — and the bad guy, Chuck (Kyle Chandler), dies in a fiery wreck.

In the final sequence, Matt and Emily are cheering for their daughter at her soccer game and appear to be back to living their normal lives.

Glenn Close holding a shotgun and wearing sunglasses
Glenn Close in "Back in Action."

John Wilson/Netflix

But suddenly MI6 agent Baron (Andrew Scott) appears and informs Matt and Emily that they never found Chuck's body. They now want to enlist Emily's father to help them with the search. Matt is shocked, as Emily never told him about her father.

The ending clearly sets the stage for a sequel that will add another big name to this already star-studded potential franchise.

"I've got a couple ideas, yes," "Back in Action" director Seth Gordon told BI when asked if he has any actors in mind to play the father role. "I'm not going to say because who knows what's going to happen, but there's definitely a plan of what we could do."

It certainly would have to be someone who can have a playful rapport opposite not just Diaz and Foxx but Close, as the two characters have a history.

Seth Gordon, Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx standing next to each other
Seth Gordon, Cameron Diaz, and Jamie Foxx at the world premiere of "Back in Action."

Christoph Soeder/DPA/Picture Alliance/Getty Images

Gordon said the fun of developing the project was plugging in comedic elements of the family dynamic — Matt and Emily's son spending too much time on his devices, while their daughter lies about studying to go out partying with friends — around the action sequences.

"This came out of all these conversations I had with the producer Beau Bauman of what we deal with with our kids," Gordon said.

"I think what really works in the movie is you see this family deal with traditional family issues in their very specific and crazy way, so I think that would be a good thing to continue in the sequel," Gordon said.

He's already thinking about what else he could do in a potential follow-up: "What are some other life events that you got that involve the kids where things could haunt Emily and Matt from their past?"

"Back in Action" is available now on Netflix.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Every Jamie Foxx movie, ranked by critics

Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx's Hollywood career spans over two decades.

Leon Bennett/WireImage

  • Jamie Foxx is one of Hollywood's biggest draws, starring in over 40 films through his career across many genres.
  • He received critical acclaim as the lead in movies like "Django Unchained" and "Ray," which won him an Oscar.
  • Here are all of Foxx's movie performances, ranked by critics.

For over three decades, Jamie Foxx has been a Hollywood staple, especially on the big screen, where he's played everything from a disgruntled quarterback in "Any Given Sunday" to a rugged cowboy in Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained."

His latest movie, Netflix's "Back in Action," marks Cameron Diaz's first starring role in ten years. But it's also a comeback for Foxx, who suffered a stroke while the movie was in production. After months of recovery, he returned to finish the action comedy, which stars him and Diaz as CIA agents who walk away to start a family.  

Below, we look back at Foxx's career by ranking all his movies according their critics scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

Note: This list does not include documentaries Foxx starred in.

Zac Ntim and Keyaira Boone contributed to previous versions of this post.

Foxx's lowest-ranked movie is 2024's "Not Another Church Movie."
Jamie Foxx on a motorcycle in the clouds
Jamie Foxx in "Not Another Church Movie."

Briarcliff Entertainment

This spoof on the religious movie genre makes fun of everyone from Oprah to Tyler Perry. And yes, Foxx plays God.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13% 

Critics weren't impressed by 2005's "Stealth."
"Stealth"
Jamie Foxx alongside Jessica Biel and Josh Lucas in "Stealth."

Sony Pictures

Set in the near future, the US Navy has developed a new AI-powered fighter jet. But when the computer develops a mind of its own, it falls to Foxx and his partners played by Josh Lucas and Jessica Biel to stop the computer before it sparks a new world war.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

Foxx led a star-studded remake of "Robin Hood" in 2018.
Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx and Taron Egerton in "Robin Hood."

Larry Horricks / Lionsgate

Foxx and Taron Egerton lead this modern reimagining of the classic tale of a heroic outlaw and his Merry Men who mount an audacious revolt against the corrupt English crown. 

Rotten Tomatoes score: 14% 

Foxx made one of his first substantial screen performances in the 1999 comedy "Held Up."
Jamie Foxx "Held Up"
Jamie Foxx stars alongside Nia Long in "Held Up."

Trimark Pictures

Michael Dawson (Foxx) is a successful businessman, but his life starts to fall apart while on a road trip with his wife (Nia Long) when she discovers that he splashed their entire savings to buy the car. She ditches him hitch-hiking back home while he gets stuck in the middle of an unwelcoming rural town.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 17%

Foxx rounds out a star-studded cast that includes Bradley Cooper and Jessica Biel in 2019's "Valentine's Day."
"Valentine's Day"
Jamie Foxx stars alongside Ashton Kutcher and Jessica Biel.

New Line Cinema

Through a series of intertwining vignettes, audiences watch a group of Los Angeles natives navigate their way through the highs and lows of dating on Valentine's Day. As the days quickly unfold, they experience first dates, make-ups, break-ups, and youthful crushes.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 18%

Jamie Foxx stars alongside Cameron Diaz in the 2025 Netflix comedy "Back in Action."
Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz in "Back in Action."
Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz in "Back in Action."

John Wilson / Netflix

Foxx and Diaz play CIA agents who go into hiding to start a family. 15 years later, their cover is blown, and after their kids are kidnapped, they must get back into the espionage game to get them back.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 21%

Foxx plays a mysterious character named The Ferryman in the forgettable 2023 movie "God Is a Bullet."
Jamie Foxx smoking
Jamie Foxx in "God Is a Bullet."

Wayward Entertainment

Foxx plays a "social renegade" who teams with a detective (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) to track down the detective's daughter, who has been kidnapped by a satanic cult.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 24%

Foxx is a cop with a grudge in 2017's "Sleepless."
"Sleepless"
Jamie Foxx in "Sleepless."

Open Road Films

Foxx stars as an undercover Las Vegas police officer who is thrown into the high-stakes world of murderous gangsters and corrupt cops after a failed heist results in the kidnapping of his teenage son.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 25%

Foxx shines in Antoine Fuqua's 2000 cult classic "Bait."
"Bait"
Jamie Foxx in "Bait."

Warner Bros. Pictures

After landing in jail for petty theft, Alvin Sanders (Foxx) ends up sharing a cell with the notorious criminal John Jaster who is serving a long sentence for stealing $40,000,000 worth of gold from the Federal Reserve. Realizing that he is sick and could die at any moment, Jaster uses Sanders to send covert messages to his wife about the location of the hidden gold. 

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26% 

Foxx plays another unscrupulous cop in the violent thriller "Law Abiding Citizen."
"Law Abiding Citizen"
Jamie Foxx acts alongside Gerard Butler in "Law Abiding Citizen."

Overture Films

Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is a normal, law abiding citizen until his family is murdered during a botched home invasion and the killer is set free thanks to a plea bargain offered by the prosecutor Nick Rice (Foxx).  In response, Shelton takes justice into his own hands.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26% 

Foxx stars as Will Stacks, the character based on daddy Warbucks, in the 2014 reimagining of the classic musical "Annie."
"Annie"
"Annie" was produced by Will and Jada-Pinkett Smith.

Sony Pictures Releasing

Foxx leads this new, progressive take on the classic tale of "Annie," about a young orphan who longs for her parents to return and save her from the clutches of her mean foster mother.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 28%

1997's "Booty Call" is one of Foxx's early comedy gems.
"Booty Call" Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx is Bunz in "Booty Call."

Columbia Pictures

Rushon (Tommy Davidson) is ready to take thing things to the next level with his girlfriend Nikki (Tamala Jones). But when he sets up a romantic date, she decides to make it a double-date and brings along her close friend Lysterine (Vivica A. Fox) who Rushon sets up with his extravagant friend Bunz (Foxx). 

Rotten Tomatoes score: 31%

Foxx and Gabrielle Union star in the 2004 screwball comedy "Breakin' All the Rules."
"Breakin' All the Rules"
Jamie Foxx and Gabrielle Union in "Breakin' All the Rules."

Sony Pictures

After being unceremoniously dumped by his fiancée, Quincy Watson (Foxx) writes a book on the correct way to end a relationship. And after the book is published, it becomes a surprising bestseller.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 31%

Ice Cube enlisted Foxx for his 1998 directorial debut "The Players Club."
"The Players Club"
Jamie Foxx and LisaRaye in "The Players Club"

New Line Cinema

To stay on top of her bills, Diana Armstrong (LisaRaye) starts stripping and joins the infamous Player's Club where she meets the smooth-talking DJ played by Foxx.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 35%

Foxx reprises his role as Dean "MF" Jones in 2014's "Horrible Bosses 2."
"Horrible Bosses 2"
Jamie Foxx and Jason Sudeikis in "Horrible Bosses 2."

Warner Bros. Pictures

Three friends decide to quit their jobs and go into business for themselves. And after creating the prototype for a promising new invention, the guys attract the attention of a businessman who steals their idea. In response, the trio concocts a kidnapping scheme with a small-time criminal called Dean "Motherfucker" Jones (Foxx).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 36%

Foxx has a supporting role in Todd Phillips' 2010 comedy "Due Date."
"Due Day"
Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx in "Due Date."

Warner Bros. Pictures

Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jr.), a successful architect, is flying home from Atlanta to Los Angeles to be with his wife who is about to give birth. On the way to the airport, he has a chance encounter with Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis), but after Ethan uses the words "terrorist" and "bomb" while talking to Peter, they are both escorted off the plane and placed on a no-fly list.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 39%

Foxx plays a scheming boxer in the 1996 sports spoof "The Great White Hype."
"The Great White Hype"
Michael Jace and Jamie Foxx in "The Great White Hype."

20th Century Fox

Boxing promoter the Rev. Fred Sultan (Samuel L. Jackson) realizes that the only way to gain publicity for his top Black clients is to pit them against white boxers. But when there no white boxers available, he gets creative. 

Rotten Tomatoes score: 42%

Foxx teams up with Colin Farrell in 2006's "Miami Vice."
"Miami Vice"
Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell in Michael Mann's "Miami Vice."

Universal Pictures

Based on the 1980s TV show of the same name, Michael Mann's action-packed thriller follows Miami-Dade Police detectives James "Sonny" Crockett (Farrell) and Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs (Foxx) whose personal and professional lives become dangerously intertwined during a high-profile drug case.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 47%

Foxx lent his voice to the 2014 sequel "Rio 2."
Rio 2 Official Trailer
Jamie Foxx lends his voice alongside Anne Hathaway and Jesse Eisenberg.

20th Century Fox

The 3D computer-animated musical follows a family of Blue macaws birds who decide to relocate from the city to the Amazon jungle to become more in touch with their fellow birds.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 50%

Foxx plays the supervillain Electro in 2014's "The Amazing Spider-Man 2."
the amazing spider man 2 electro
Foxx as Electro in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2."

Sony Pictures Entertainment

Just as Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) embraces his new role as the city's new hero, Electro (Foxx), a much more powerful villain, arrives on the scene and poses the biggest threat Parker has ever faced.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 50%

Foxx is the lead in 2007's ambitious thriller "The Kingdom."
"The Kingdom"
Jamie Foxx in "The Kingdom."

Universal Pictures

After being set the most important assignment of his career, federal agent Ron Fleury (Foxx) is given one week to assemble a killer team and infiltrate a terrorist cell based in Saudi Arabia.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 51%

Legendary director Oliver Stone cast Foxx as his star for the 1999 sports drama, "Any Given Sunday."
"Any Given Sunday"
Jamie Foxx in "Any Given Sunday."

Warner Bros.

Partly based on a 1984 novel of the same name, "Any Given Sunday" follows Al Pacino as the head coach of a once-revered football team with star players who are now struggling to win a single game. Foxx plays a bench warmer turned star quarterback who lets the game go to his head.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 52%

Foxx is the US president in 2013's "White House Down."
"White House Down"
German director Roland Emmerich helmed "White House Down."

Sony Pictures Releasing

Police officer John Cale (Channing Tatum) has just failed to land his dream job of protecting President James Sawyer (Foxx) as a member of the Secret Service. And in an attempt to cheer up his young daughter, Cale takes her on a tour of the White House. But during the tour, an armed militia group attacks and takes control.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 52%

Foxx voices a foul-mouthed dog in the 2023 comedy "Strays."
Photo from "Strays" showing four dogs
Jamie Foxx starred alongside Will Ferrell.

Chuck Zlotnick/Universal Pictures

Will Ferrell voices a terrier named Reggie who has become a stray after his owner (Will Forte) pulls a trick on him. Now, Reggie and other strays he's befriended (voiced by Foxx, Isla Fisher, Rob Riggle, Randall Park, and Josh Gad) set out to get revenge on Reggie's owner.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 54%

Foxx plays a vampire hunter in the 2022 Netflix movie "Day Shift."
Jamie Foxx with a vampire hand on his shoulder
Jamie Foxx in "Day Shift."

Netflix

Foxx plays a pool cleaner in the San Fernando Valley by day whose real job is secretly hunting and killing vampires by night. Come for the action sequences, and stay for Snoop Dogg killing vampires.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 57% 

Foxx teams up with Robert Downey Jr. in the 2009 tearjerker "The Soloist."
"The Soloist"
Foxx portrays Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless man and former musical prodigy, in "The Soloist."

Paramount Pictures

Journalist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) is wandering through LA's Skid Row district when he spots a homeless man (Foxx) playing a two-stringed violin.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 57% 

Foxx stars in the intimate 2005 war epic "Jarhead."
"Jarhead"
Jamie Foxx in "Jarhead."

Universal Pictures

Jake Gyllenhaal and Foxx join forces for acclaimed British director Sam Mendes's first-person account of life at war.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 60%

Foxx led his first Netflix movie, "Project Power," in 2020.
"Project Power"
Jamie Foxx and Dominique Fishback in "Project Power."

Netflix

In near-future New Orleans, Frank (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) teams up with a rogue ex-soldier (Foxx) to track down the origins of a dangerous new drug that provides its users with temporary superpowers.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 61%

The stakes are high in Foxx's 2003 crime thriller "Shade."
"Shade"
Jamie Foxx plays a seasoned con-artist.

DEJ Productions

Tiffany (Foxx) and his crew of con artists are looking to expand their criminal portfolio and decide to scam Dean "The Dean" Stevens (Dina Merrill), a well-known poker player during a rigged game.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%

Jamie Foxx plays Drew Bundini Brown, Muhammad Ali's assistant trainer in the acclaimed 2001 biopic "Ali."
"Ali"
Michael Mann directed this acclaimed biopic.

Sony Pictures Releasing

The Michael Mann-directed biopic focuses on ten years in the life of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, played by Will Smith, starting with his championship debut against Sonny Liston to his conversion to Islam, banishment from boxing, and finally, his triumphant return in 1974.

Rotten Tomatoes: 69%

Foxx is the comedic heavyweight in 2011's "Horrible Bosses."
"Horrible Bosses"
Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day and Foxx in "Horrible Bosses."

New Line Cinema

One night at a bar, three friends decide to murder their overbearing and abusive bosses, and they turn to a random and seemingly inexperienced criminal (Foxx) for advice.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 69%

The first "Rio" film, out in 2011, won acclaim for its innovative animation and original songs.
"Rio"
The film was nominated for a best original song Oscar.

20th Century Fox

A set of exotic Brazilian birds are smuggled to the United States where they live a domesticated life but when Blu, a rare bird, realizes he might be the last of his species on earth, he decides to travel back home. 

Rotten Tomatoes score: 72%

Foxx is a standout in 2006's "Dreamgirls."
"Dreamgirls"
Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls."

DreamWorks Pictures

Three talented singers form a music trio called the Dreamettes, and they quickly find success after they are spotted by talent scout manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Foxx). But the group starts to unravel as Taylor's management becomes increasingly cruel and overbearing.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

Foxx won an Oscar for his acclaimed performance as Ray Charles in 2004's "Ray."
jamie foxx ray
Jamie Foxx in "Ray."

Universal

Foxx, in perhaps his most memorable performance, transforms into the legendary Blues musician Ray Charles who lost his sight at age 9 but would go on to define a generation of American music.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

Foxx teamed up with Brie Larson and Michael B. Jordan for the 2019 fact-based drama "Just Mercy."
Jamie Foxx in "Just Mercy"
Jamie Foxx in "Just Mercy."

Photo: Jake Giles Netter

After graduating from Harvard Law school, Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) leaves for Alabama to open a law clinic dedicated to defending death row inmates. One of his first cases is Walter McMillian (Foxx), who was sentenced to die in 1987 for the murder of an 18-year-old girl despite overwhelming evidence proving his innocence.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%

One of Foxx's first on-screen roles was in the 1996 his "The Truth About Cats & Dogs."
"The Truth About Cats & Dogs"
Jamie Foxx and Ben Chaplin in "The Truth About Cats & Dogs."

20th Century Fox

A popular radio show host (Janeane Garofalo) is asked out on a date by one of her listeners, but when she backs out due to nerves she sends her friend Noelle (Uma Thurman) in her place.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%

Michael Mann teamed Foxx with Tom Cruise in the acclaimed 2004 thriller "Collateral."
collateral
Tom Cruise and Foxx in "Collateral."

Paramount Pictures

Foxx plays an LA cab driver who realizes that the friendly passenger he's been driving around is actually a deadly hitman who has been executing murders all evening. And the final person on the kill list is one of his friends.

Foxx earned a best supporting actor Oscar nomination for this role in the same year he won the best actor Oscar for "Ray."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

Foxx takes the lead in Quentin Tarantino's 2012 neo-Western "Django Unchained."
django unchained the weinstein company
Jamie Foxx in "Django Unchained."

The Weinstein Company

In 1858, three years before the civil war, Django (Foxx), a freed slave from the South, sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner with the help of an enigmatic German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

Foxx starred in Edgar Wright's acclaimed 2017 heist thriller "Baby Driver."
baby driver
Ansel Elgort, Jamie Foxx, Eiza González, and Jon Hamm in "Baby Driver."

Sony Pictures

Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a talented getaway driver for Atlanta's most dangerous criminals. But after he meets the woman of his dreams (Lily James), he decides to leave the business — until he is forced into one more big gig by an enigmatic crime boss (Kevin Spacey). Foxx plays one of the thugs Baby drives around.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

Foxx plays a flashy lawyer in the 2023 legal drama "The Burial."
Tommy Lee Jones and Jamie Foxx in suits standing on a stairwell
Tommy Lee Jones and Jamie Foxx in "The Burial."

Amazon Prime

Based on true events, Foxx plays Willie E. Gary, an unconventional lawyer who helps a funeral home owner with financial troubles (Tommy Lee Jones) save his family business from a corporate behemoth.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

Foxx returned as Electro/Max Dillon in the 2021 box office smash "Spider-Man: No Way Home."
Jamie Foxx as Max Dillon in "Spider-Man: No Way Home."
Jamie Foxx in "Spider-Man: No Way Home."

Sony P

Seven years after showing up in the Marvel universe in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," Foxx got another shot at the MCU appearing as one of the villains three Peter Parkers (Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire) must face off with.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

 

Foxx plays a jazz musician trying to get out of a coma in the 2020 Pixar movie "Soul."
pixar soul 2
Jamie Foxx plays Joe Gardner in "Soul."

Pixar

In this acclaimed Pixar movie, Foxx plays Joe Gardner, a middle school teacher and aspiring jazz pianist who falls into a coma after an accident and must unite his soul and body in time for his big break as a jazz musician.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

Foxx stars opposite Teyonah Parris and John Boyega in the 2023 Netflix sci-fi comedy "They Cloned Tyrone."
screenshot of Jamie Foxx, Teyonah Parris, and John Boyega in a car in a scene from they cloned tyrone
Jamie Foxx, Teyonah Parris, and John Boyega in "They Cloned Tyrone."

Parrish Lewis/Netflix

Foxx, Teyonah Parris, and John Boyega give outstanding performances as a trio who set out to uncover a government cloning conspiracy.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

Read the original article on Business Insider

David Lynch, director of 'Twin Peaks' and 'Blue Velvet,' dead at 78

David Lynch in a black suit
David Lynch.

Franco Origlia/Getty

  • David Lynch, the director of iconic films like "The Elephant Man" and "Blue Velvet," died at 78.
  • Lynch was also known for creating the TV series "Twin Peaks."
  • Lynch said last August that he had emphysema after years of smoking.

David Lynch, the visionary director of surrealist films like "The Elephant Man," "Blue Velvet," and "Mulholland Drive," as well as the hit TV series "Twin Peaks," has died, his family announced on Thursday. He was 78.

"There's a big hole in the world now that he's no longer with us," Lynch's family wrote. "But, as he would say, 'Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.'"

In August, the filmmaker announced that he had emphysema following decades of smoking, though he said he hadn't smoked in more than two years.

"I have to say that I enjoyed smoking very much, and I do love tobacco - the smell of it, lighting cigarettes on fire, smoking them - but there is a price to pay for this enjoyment, and the price for me is emphysema," he wrote, adding, "I will never retire."

Lynch's groundbreaking works blended elements of horror, film noir, and surrealism, creating a uniquely skewed vision of America. His 1977 black-and-white debut feature, "Eraserhead," grabbed the attention of cinephiles across the globe and became a cult classic.

eraserhead
"Eraserhead."

Libra Films International

Mel Brooks then hired Lynch to direct 1980's "The Elephant Man," which chronicles the life of a severely deformed man (played by John Hurt) living in 19th-century London. It garnered eight Oscar nominations, including best picture and best director.

After adapting Frank Herbert's "Dune" in 1984, resulting in a box-office flop, Lynch produced a string of surrealist works that would define his career: 1986's "Blue Velvet," 1990's "Wild at Heart," 1992's "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me" (the prequel to his hit TV show "Twin Peaks," which ran from 1990 to 1991), and 1997's "Lost Highway."

BLUE VELVET American Poster 1
"Blue Velvet."

De Laurentiis Entertainment Group

Each title showcased Lynch's seemingly limitless creativity as he pushed the boundaries of narrative structure while dazzling the viewer with exquisite production design and cinematography.

In 2001, Lynch released his neo-noir masterpiece "Mulholland Drive," which would win him the award for best director at the Cannes Film Festival and garner him another Oscar nomination for best director.

Lynch's final work was the third season of "Twin Peaks," which debuted to critical acclaim in 2017.

Read the original article on Business Insider

'Back in Action' director recounts finishing the Netflix movie amid Jamie Foxx's sudden illness: 'A bit of a miracle'

Cameron Diaz standing next to Jamie Foxx on a movie set
Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx on the set of "Back in Action."

John Wilson/Netflix

  • Jamie Foxx suffered a stroke in April 2023 while in production on his Netflix movie "Back in Action."
  • Director Seth Gordon recounts how he continued making the movie while Foxx recovered.
  • "Back in Action," starring Foxx and Cameron Diaz, is available Friday on Netflix.

Making a movie is never an easy or predictable process. But veteran writer-director Seth Gordon could only come up with one word to describe the challenges it took to make his Netflix movie "Back in Action": "special."

Gordon was prepping for a day of shooting in Atlanta on April 12, 2023, when he received a call no director ever wants: one of his stars wouldn't be reporting to work that day. But it got worse. The star, Jamie Foxx, had collapsed the day before and was in the hospital.

"We didn't know anything," Gordon told Business Insider via Zoom from Berlin. "No details. But we simply wanted to make sure he was OK as best we could. We put that priority first."

"Back in Action" was being billed as an action comedy about two CIA spies who have gone into hiding to start a family. With star power in Foxx and Cameron Diaz, who returned to acting for her first role in eight years, it had a lot of hype. Now, it would be known as the movie Foxx was making when he mysteriously collapsed.

It would take a months before the public would hear from Foxx again, as speculation ran rampant about what had afflicted the star. Revealing the cause of his mysterious illness would take longer. In his Netflix standup special "Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was...", released in December 2024, Foxx said he suffered a brain bleed that led to a stroke that rendered him unconscious for weeks.

During that time, Gordon and the producers of "Back in Action" scrambled to continue making the movie, holding out hope that Foxx would one day return to finish it.

Gordon resumed filming with Foxx body doubles, then rewrote some scenes

Jamie Foxx at the AAFCA Special Achievement Awards luncheon on Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Los Angeles.
Jamie Foxx at the AAFCA Special Achievement Awards luncheon on Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

After the shock of Foxx's hospitalization wore off, Gordon had to figure out what to do with a movie that was already deep in production. A key action sequence was set to be shot the week Foxx fell ill.

Gordon said he wasn't panicked.

"From doing documentaries, I'm really used to having no idea what is actually going to happen," said Gordon, who, before making comedies like "Four Christmases" and "Horrible Bosses," made the beloved documentary "The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters."

"You do your best to guess and your best to plan and then you react to reality as it unfolds. So maybe my stomach is a little more used to that uncertainty than it should be."

With locations already locked and the rest of the cast and crew ready to go, Gordon powered through trying to shoot an exterior fight sequence sans Foxx.

"We shot part of it, what we could shoot without Jamie, which was limited," said Gordon. The shoot made headlines as pictures of Foxx's body double doing the scene alongside Diaz spread across the internet.

At that point, Gordon said he was at a loss for what would be the right way to proceed. Production was halted until he could get a better idea of Foxx's condition.

During the months-long downtime, Gordon said he began editing the movie and realized that some of the scenes they had yet to shoot were unnecessary.

"I basically reconceived a couple scenes," he said.

Now, all Gordon needed was for Foxx to get better.

Gordon never considered recasting Foxx, who finally returned to set cracking jokes

Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz in "Back in Action."
Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz in "Back in Action."

John Wilson / Netflix

Despite knowing very little about Foxx's condition, Gordon said there was never a conversation to recast the Oscar winner.

"There's no movie without him, honestly," Gordon said. "It really became putting all our eggs in the basket of praying that he got better."

Finally, all anxieties were laid to rest when Foxx showed up to see a rough assembly of some scenes in the fall of 2023.

"He was 100%," Gordon said, recalling his shock when Foxx strolled into the editing bay like he hadn't been fighting for his life mere months earlier.

"In classic Jamie style he was smooth, was cracking jokes, holding court, he was hilarious, as usual," Gordon said of their meeting.

Gordon showed Foxx the thrilling plane crash sequence that opens the movie.

"He got really excited about what he saw," he said.

The star's return was a huge boost for production morale. Then word came that filming could resume in January 2024.

"We were doing backflips and just hoping everything would remain OK," Gordon said. "Jamie went through a pretty severe thing, and the last thing in the world we would want to have happen is the stress from shooting to cause something."

Gordon thinks Foxx's recovery is a miracle, and on-set spontaneity led to even better scenes

Jamie Foxx holding a gas pump on fire
Jamie Foxx in "Back in Action."

Netflix

With the movie back on, Gordon shot the remaining scenes as well as some new ones showcasing the dynamic between spy parents Matt (Foxx) and Emily (Diaz) and their daughter Alice (McKenna Roberts), which Gordon devised during the pause in production.

In one scene, after Matt and Emily drop their kids off at school, Emily uses binoculars to spy on Alice and a boy. Matt snatches the binoculars so he can see. Then Gordon came up with an idea between takes.

"At the very last minute, I asked props if they had another pair of binoculars," he said. "I wrote it for one pair, but I thought it would be hilarious if she all of a sudden had a second pair."

They shot the next take on the fly, with Emily suddenly looking through a new pair of binoculars as Matt looks with the ones he originally took from her.

Gordon said the bit got a great reaction when they test-screened the movie. And it all came from the spontaneity created by the director's desire to be mindful of Foxx's health by keeping his workload light and not doing too many takes.

"Making movies is hard and those days can be long, so what I was trying to do was keep everything with him as brief as possible for him," Gordon said.

Looking back, Gordon is still amazed by Foxx's recovery.

"He's a bit of a miracle."

Read the original article on Business Insider

Celebrities who died in 2025

David Lynch sitting on a red bench in a movie theater with a coffee cup.
David Lynch.

Gilles Mingasson/Gettty Images

  • Here are the famous people who died in 2025.
  • Musicians Marianne Faithfull and Peter Yarrow, as well as director David Lynch, have passed away.
  • So did Aubrey Plaza's husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena, and MLB Hall of Famer Bob Uecker.

Below, we look back at those we lost in 2025.

Jeff Baena, 47
Jeff Baena in a green sweater
Jeff Baena.

Rich Polk/Getty

Baena was known for writing and directing comedic independent movies like "Life After Beth," "The Little Hours," and "Horse Girl."

Many of them starred his wife Aubrey Plaza.

He also wrote the 2004 movie "I Heart Huckabees" with director David O. Russell.

Baena died by suicide on January 3.

If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text "HOME" to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.

Leslie Charleson, 79
Leslie Charleson riding a horse
Leslie Charleson.

ABC Photo Archives/Getty

For 50 years, fans of "General Hospital" knew Charleson as Dr. Monica Quartermaine, a role she played since 1977.

Charleson was beloved by fans and used her celebrity to support charities for breast cancer, cystic fibrosis, and AIDS awareness.

Charleson's other credits include "Adam 12," "Barnaby Jones," "Marcus Welby, M.D.," "Ironside," "Kung Fu," and "The Rockford Files."

She also starred in "Happy Days" and gave Ron Howard his first on-screen kiss.

Charleson died on January 12 following a long illness.

Marianne Faithfull, 78
Marianne Faithfull in a blue top
Marianne Faithfull.

CA/Redferns/Getty

Faithfull was a fixture in the London music scene during the 1960s.

She was discovered by The Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, which led to her finding instant stardom not just for her chart-topping music, like "As Tears Go By," which became a top 5 single in the UK, but also for her hard-partying ways alongside her then-flame Mick Jagger.

Throughout the 1960s, she was the inspiration for Stones hits "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Wild Horses" while being a co-writer on "Sister Morphine." But she was also in a deep addiction to drugs. She was famously found wearing nothing but a fur rug during a 1967 drug bust at Keith Richards' Sussex home.

Faithfull made a comeback with the 1979 album "Broken English," which earned her a Grammy nomination.

Other hit songs include "This Little Bird," "Summer Nights," and "Come and Stay With Me."

She also starred in movies like 1967's "I'll Never Forget What's'isname" and 1968's "The Girl on the Motorcycle."

Faithfull died on January 30. No cause was given.

David Lynch, 78
David Lynch pointing finger at lens
David Lynch.

Guy Kinziger/WireImage/Getty

Lynch was the visionary director of surrealist films like "The Elephant Man," "Blue Velvet," "Mulholland Drive," and the hit TV series "Twin Peaks."

His groundbreaking works blended elements of everything from horror to film noir to surrealism, creating a uniquely skewed vision of America.

After adapting Frank Herbert's "Dune" in 1984, resulting in a box office flop, Lynch produced a string of surrealist works that would define his career: 1986's "Blue Velvet," 1990's "Wild at Heart," 1992's "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me" (the prequel to his hit TV show "Twin Peaks," which ran from 1990 to 1991), and 1997's "Lost Highway."

Each title showcased Lynch's seemingly limitless creativity as he pushed the boundaries of narrative structure while dazzling the viewer with exquisite production design and cinematography.

The Lynch family announced his passing on January 16. In August 2024, the filmmaker announced that he had emphysema following decades of smoking, but said he hadn't smoked in over two years.

Sam Moore, 89
Sam Moore holding a microphone
Sam Moore.

Gie Knaeps/Getty

Moore's R&B sound influenced everyone from Michael Jackson to Bruce Springsteen.

Alongside Dave Prater, Moore found fame in the 1960s with Sam & Dave, a duo who had hits like "Hold On, I'm Comin'" and "Soul Man."

"Soul Man" would gain renewed popularity in the late 1970s when Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi began performing the song as their alter egos, R&B singers The Blues Brothers, on "Saturday Night Live." The song would continue to find new fans in 1980 when "The Blues Brothers" movie was released.

Moore went solo in 1970 and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

Moore died on January 10 from complications while recovering from surgery.

DJ Unk (Anthony Platt), 42
Man with Atlanta Hawks hat on
DJ Unk.

Ben Rose/WireImage/Getty

This Atlanta rapper brought snap music to the masses thanks to his hit 2006 songs "Walk it Out" and "2 Step."

Anthony Platt, better known by his stage name DJ Unk, was a fixture in the Atlanta rap scene in the late 1990s. He DJed at everything from pep rallies to proms.

He released his first album, "Beat'n Down Yo Block!" in 2006 and found huge acclaim due to his two big hit songs, "Walk it Out" and "2 Step."

"Walk it Out" got as high as No. 10 on the Billboard charts and went platinum.

His second album, "2econd Season," was released in 2008 but didn't find the same acclaim as his debut.

In 2009, due to non-stop touring and hard partying, DJ Unk suffered a heart attack.

DJ Unk died on January 24. His wife, Sherkita Long-Platt, said in a Facebook post that he died in his sleep after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Bob Uecker, 90
Bob Uecker smiling holding a bat
Bob Uecker.

ABC Photo Archives/Getty

Uecker had a respectable career as a Major League Baseball backup catcher on four clubs through the 1960s, playing with his hometown Milwaukee Brewers and winning a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. But it was his work off the field that made him one of the most memorable figures in MLB history.

After retiring in 1967, Uecker started his second career as a broadcaster, calling games for the Brewers (which he did until his death) and being the color man for network games.

His self-deprecating style made him a likable figure, leading to him becoming a fixture on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson, where he earned the nickname "Mr. Baseball." Suddenly Uecker landed everything from beer commercials to a hosting gig on "Saturday Night Live."

But his most memorable gigs outside of baseball were playing sportswriter George Owens on the hit TV show "Mr. Belvedere" from 1985 to 1990 and starring as sarcastic broadcaster Harry Doyle in the beloved 1989 movie "Major League" and its sequels.

Uecker was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.

He died on January 16 after battling small-cell lung cancer since 2023.

Peter Yarrow, 86
Peter Yarrow holding a guitar
Peter Yarrow.

Chelsea Lauren/WireImage/Getty

Yarrow was a singer-songwriter who was a member of the iconic folk music group Peter, Paul and Mary.

Along with Paul Stookey and Mary Travers, the trio had six Billboard Top 10 singles, two No. 1 albums, and won five Grammys. Their major hit was "Puff the Magic Dragon," which Yarrow cowrote.

Yarrow died on January 7 after a battle with bladder cancer.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Before MoviePass, Ted Farnsworth had a string of failed businesses. Here's a timeline, and why he's currently in jail.

Ted Farnsworth in a tuxedo
Ted Farnsworth

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

  • Ted Farnsworth is the former CEO of Helios and Matheson Analytics, which previously owned MoviePass.
  • The documentary "MoviePass, MovieCrash" shows how he blew through hundreds of millions of dollars.
  • He and former MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe pleaded guilty to securities fraud.

In the HBO documentary "MoviePass, MovieCrash," Ted Farnsworth is the CEO of the publicly traded Helios and Matheson Analytics (HMNY) when the company takes a majority stake in the movie-theater-subscription startup MoviePass in 2017.

Under Farnsworth's watch, MoviePass became a sensation after he and then-CEO Mitch Lowe dropped the monthly subscription fee from $30 a month to $10. It led to millions of subscribers and the company being hailed as the Netflix of movie theaters. Farnsworth and Lowe touted themselves in the press as the masterminds behind it all.

The documentary — based on reporting by Business Insider —reveals the more complicated reality of the phenomenon, showing how MoviePass cofounders Stacy Spikes and Hamet Watt were pushed out of the company after the arrival of Farnsworth and Lowe.

With Farnsworth and Lowe at the helm, hundreds of millions of dollars were spent to not just keep the unsustainable $10-a-month plan going, but also on lavish parties at Coachella, and starting a movie production arm best known for releasing the 2018 movie "Gotti," a biopic on notorious crime boss John Gotti starring John Travolta that received a 0% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.

In 2020, both HMNY and MoviePass went bankrupt (Spikes has since relaunched MoviePass), and two years later, Farnsworth and Lowe were charged with securities fraud.

As the documentary shows, the crash of MoviePass is just one of many failed ventures of the 61-year-old Farnsworth. Business Insider reached out to Farnsworth for comment but didn't get a response.

Here's a rundown of many of those companies (some of which went bankrupt), what Farnsworth did after MoviePass, and why he's currently in jail.

Note: "MoviePass, MovieCrash" is based on Business Insider's award-winning reporting on the company.

Mid-1990s: Farnsworth ran the Psychic Discovery Network, promoted by La Toya Jackson, that received more than 50 complaints from the FTC
La Toyla Jackson on a couch in a red coat
La Toyla Jackson.

Eric Robert/Sygma/Getty

Farnsworth's first major attention came when he ran the 900-number psychic network, which became famous thanks to its star promoter, La Toya Jackson.

A 1998 bulletin from the Federal Trade Commission noted the Psychic Discovery Network as a company that received more than 50 complaints in 1997. It had a total of 60.

2000: Auction site Farmbid.com lasts less than a year
farm

James.Pintar/Shutterstock

Farnsworth tried to use the popularity of the Psychic Network and the dot-com boom to capitalize on the multitrillion-dollar agricultural business in the early 2000s with the site Farmbid.com.

A 2000 Wired story touted the company as a site that featured "farm auctions, links to wholesalers, a detailed weather center, and even a 'farm chat' area."

But the farming industry wasn't that into it. According to Sunbiz, the official Florida business registry, the company folded in less than a year.

2001: He gets into the beverage space with XStream

Farnsworth founded the company XStream Beverage Network Inc. in 2001, touting it as "an emerging developer, marketer and distributor of new age beverages."

He tried to buy a European energy drink called Dark Dog, but that deal never closed, according to Bloomberg.

By 2007, he was able to buy Global Beverage, which had in its stable Rudy Beverages, founded by famed 1970s Notre Dame football player Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger.

In November of that year, Farnsworth resigned as chairman of XStream, and its stock dropped 99%, according to Bloomberg.

2007: Farnsworth becomes CEO of Purple Beverage
Ted Farnsworth standing next to Mariano Rivera
(L-R) Ted Farnsworth and Mariano Rivera.

Gary Gershoff/WireImage/Getty

Farnsworth's failure with XStream didn't stop him from trying another venture in the drink space. He became the CEO of Purple Beverage Co., touting an antioxidant-rich drink.

The stock for Purple Bev went as high as $3.24 in April 2008, according to Bloomberg, thanks partly to Farnsworth landing celebrity spokespeople like Chaka Khan and New York Yankees Hall of Fame pitcher Mariano Rivera. But by the time he resigned a year later, the stock had plummeted by 99%.

2012: He oversees a vitamin company that flatlines within a year and is sued by FedEx

Farnsworth became the chairman of LTS Nutraceuticals Inc., a multilevel-marketing vitamin company. In 2011, it traded as high as $4.85. But by 2012, with Farnsworth running things, the stock fell 99%. It's unclear when he left the company because it didn't make periodic regulatory filings, according to Bloomberg.

In 2013, FedEx sued the vitamin company, saying it was owed $26,000. According to The Miami Herald, the judge ruled in FedEx's favor.

2016: Farnsworth’s Zone Technologies merges with HMNY to become publicly listed on the Nasdaq

Over a decade after Farmbid, Farnsworth went back into the tech space with an app called RedZone Maps (through a company called Zone Technologies). The app flagged where crimes were being reported in a user's area.

A year later, Zone Technologies merged with Helios and Matheson to become publicly listed on the Nasdaq. That same year, Farnsworth was named CEO of HMNY.

2017: HMNY acquires a majority stake in MoviePass
MoviePass

Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

Since its birth in 2011, MoviePass had been trying to figure out a monthly subscription price that attracted moviegoers and would make a profit. By 2017, the company was on the brink of running out of money when Farnsworth got connected with MoviePass' then-CEO, Mitch Lowe. A deal was made for HMNY to take a majority stake in MoviePass. By that summer, Farnsworth and Lowe dropped the price to $10 a month, and the rest is history. With a huge rise in subscribers for MoviePass, the HMNY stock initially soared. But by 2020, MoviePass and HMNY went bankrupt.

At the time of bankruptcy, the company said it was under pending investigations by the Federal Trade Commission, SEC, four California district attorneys, and the New York attorney general.

In 2021, Farnsworth and Lowe settled with the FTC and reached a $400,000 settlement with the California district attorneys.

2021: Less than a year after MoviePass' bankruptcy, Farnsworth founds Zash Global Media and Entertainment

After MoviePass' bankruptcy, Farnsworth quickly landed back on his feet by starting a media company called Zash in less than a year. He later merged it with the publicly traded company Vinco Ventures. He acquired a TikTok rival called Lomotif and even tried (unsuccessfully) to buy the National Enquirer.

By the end of 2022, Vinco stock had cratered and is now worth less than one cent.

In 2024, Business Insider reported on Farnsworth's business tactics while at Zash. They mirror how he operated at MoviePass and some other ventures over the decades: Get involved with a publicly traded company, help raise funding from his finance connections at favorable terms for them, drive up the company's stock with splashy announcements, and leave retail investors with big losses when the stock crashes.

2022: Farnsworth is charged with securities fraud related to his time at MoviePass
MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe and Helios and Matheson Chief Executive Ted Farnsworth.
(L-R) MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe and Helios and Matheson Chief Executive Ted Farnsworth.

MoviePass/Reuters

In 2022, Farnsworth and Lowe were each charged with one count of securities fraud and three counts of wire fraud by the Department of Justice, which alleged the two "engaged in a scheme to defraud investors through materially false and misleading representations relating to HMNY and MoviePass's business and operations to artificially inflate the price of HMNY's stock and attract new investors."

2024: Farnsworth sits in jail

Farnsworth has been in a Florida jail since August 2023.

During Farnsworth's time out on bail, he traveled from his home in upstate New York to Miami on multiple occasions without notifying his probation officer and was involved in a domestic incident that resulted in a restraining order, which he also didn't report, according to Bloomberg.

His bail was revoked in an August 2023 hearing. He's now in jail awaiting sentencing.

2025: Farnsworth pleads guilty to defrauding investors
Ted Farnsworth
Ted Farnsworth.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for EJAF

In January, Farnsworth pleaded guilty to defrauding investors in the movie-ticket subscription service MoviePass, the US Department of Justice announced.

This came on the heels of Lowe pleading guilty to securities fraud conspiracy in September 2024.

Farnsworth also pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for a second scheme related to a video-sharing platform he was involved with while under investigation for MoviePass.

January 7, 2025: This story has been updated to reflect new details.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Former MoviePass executive Ted Farnsworth pleads guilty to defrauding investors

Ted Farnsworth in a tuxedo
Ted Farnsworth.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

  • Ted Farnsworth pleaded guilty to defrauding investors in MoviePass and Vinco.
  • Farnsworth has been in prison since August 2023.
  • MoviePass's $10 plan led to its popularity but was unsustainable, causing bankruptcy.

Ted Farnsworth pleaded guilty on Tuesday to defrauding investors in the movie-ticket subscription service MoviePass, the US Department of Justice announced. He bought the company in 2017 while CEO of Helios and Matheson Analytics (HMNY).

Farnsworth, 62, also pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for a second scheme related to a video-sharing platform he was involved with while under investigation for MoviePass.

Farnsworth has been in federal custody since August 2023.

"Farnsworth was anxious to accept responsibility for his conduct," Farnsworth's lawyer, Sam Rabin, told Business Insider in a statement. "The most important step in doing that was to plead guilty to the crimes with which he is charged. He did that today."

The Department of Justice charged Farnsworth and then MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe with securities fraud in 2022. The DOJ alleged that Lowe and Farnsworth "engaged in a scheme to defraud investors through materially false and misleading representations relating to HMNY and MoviePass's business and operations to artificially inflate the price of HMNY's stock and attract new investors."

The DOJ also recently charged Farnsworth and others with using "the same strategy to defraud" investors in Vinco Ventures, another publicly traded company.

MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe and Helios and Matheson Chief Executive Ted Farnsworth.
MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe and Helios and Matheson Chief Executive Ted Farnsworth.

MoviePass/Reuters

Lowe, the former MoviePass CEO, pleaded guilty to securities fraud conspiracy in September 2024.

The rise and fall of MoviePass

In 2017, HMNY became the parent company of MoviePass. Farnsworth and Lowe launched a $10-a-month plan that made the service very popular. As subscriptions soared into the millions, HMNY's stock skyrocketed.

However, the $10 plan — which allowed subscribers to see a movie a day in theaters — was not sustainable, and the company burned through hundreds of millions of dollars. By 2020, both MoviePass and HMNY went bankrupt.

MoviePass founder Stacy Spikes, who was ousted by Lowe and Farnsworth from MoviePass in 2018, bought back the company in 2021.

MoviePass — under Spikes' leadership — is currently available nationwide.

The story of the rise and fall of MoviePass is chronicled in the documentary "MoviePass, MovieCrash," which was released in May and is based on BI's award-winning reporting.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Demi Moore's 10 best and 10 worst movies, according to critics

Demi Moore during the 82nd Annual Golden Globes held at The Beverly Hilton on January 05, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California
Demi Moore during the 82nd Annual Golden Globes held at The Beverly Hilton on January 05, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California.

John Nacion/GG2025/Penske Media/Getty Images

  • Demi Moore has had a wide range of memorable roles in her career.
  • She starred in classics like "Ghost" and "A Few Good Men" and won a Golden Globe for "The Substance."
  • Here are her best and worst movies according to critics.

After 40-plus years in show business, Demi Moore has finally received award-season acclaim.

Her haunting performance in "The Substance," as a fading celebrity who takes a drug to create a younger version of herself, won her a Golden Globe Sunday. In her acceptance speech, Moore reflected on how the movie renewed her faith in her own career.

"Thirty years ago, I had a producer tell me that I was a popcorn actress, and at that time, I made that mean that this wasn't something that I was allowed to have," Moore said while clutching her Golden Globe onstage.

"I bought in, and I believed that, and that corroded me over time, to the point where I thought a few years ago that maybe this was it," she continued. "Maybe I was complete, maybe I've done what I was supposed to do. And as I was at kind of a low point, I had this magical, bold, courageous, out-of-the-box, absolutely bonkers script come across my desk called 'The Substance,' and the universe told me you're not done."

The movie is a career high for Moore, whose performance has garnered rave reviews and plenty of Oscar buzz in addition to a brand new Golden Globe.

But while "The Substance" is one of Moore's highest-rated movies — it holds a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes — she has a few duds in her catalog, too.

Below are the 10 best and 10 worst movies of Moore's career according to critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Note: This list does not include documentaries.

Here are the worst movies of Demi Moore's career.
demi moore
Some movies starring Demi Moore didn't sit well with critics.

Kevin Mazur/MG19/Getty

10. "Passion of Mind" (2000)
Stellan Skarsgard and Demi Moore sitting on steps
Stellan Skarsgård and Demi Moore in "Passion of Mind."

Paramount Classics

This psychological romantic thriller stars Moore as a woman who confuses fantasy with reality, leading to her living a double life.

Fun fact: "The Substance" director Coralie Fargeat was a trainee to the assistant director on this movie.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 19%

9. "Bunraku" (2010)
Demi Moore in a robe
Demi Moore in "Bunraku."

ARC Entertainment

Moore plays the love interest of a crime boss in this forgettable action movie.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 18%

8. (tie) "Nothing but Trouble" (1991)
Chevy Chase smoking a cigar standing next to Demi Moore dressed in white
Chevy Chase and Demi Moore in "Nothing but Trouble."

Warner Bros.

Moore and Chevy Chase team up to play a couple who find themselves in a bizarre town after being arrested for running a stop sign.

Dan Aykroyd, who wrote, directed, and stars in the movie, looks unrecognizable as the 100-plus-year-old judge of the town. John Candy also stars in dual roles.

Despite the star power, the movie was panned by critics.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 15%

8. (tie) "Parasite" (1982)
Demi Moore in a plaid shirt
Demi Moore in "Parasite."

Embassy Pictures

No, we're not talking about the beloved Oscar-winning movie from Bong Joon-ho.

Here, Moore plays one of a group of friends running from a deadly parasite that's been let loose on the world.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 15%

8. (tie) "The Seventh Sign" (1988)
Demi Moore in tears
Demi Moore in "The Seventh Sign."

TriStar Pictures

Moore stars as a pregnant woman who learns humanity is on the cusp of destruction when she rents her room to a mysterious traveler.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 15%

5. "LOL" (2012)
lol miley cyrus demi moore
Miley Cyrus and Demi Moore in "LOL."

Lionsgate Films

In the unfortunately-named "LOL," Moore plays the mother of a teen (Miley Cyrus) navigating the burgeoning world of social media. Not very many laughs were had.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 14%

4. (tie) "The Scarlet Letter" (1995)
The Scarlet Letter
Demi Moore in "The Scarlet Letter."

Buena Vista Pictures

Critics were not sold on Moore's performance as Hester Prynne in this adaptation of the classic Nathaniel Hawthorne novel.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

4. (tie) "Striptease" (1995)
striptease demi moore
Demi Moore in "Striptease."

Columbia Pictures

Regarded as one of the worst movies ever made, Moore plays a stripper who finds herself trying to make a living as a single mother while stumbling into a political scandal.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

2. "Songbird" (2020)
Demi Moore in glasses
Demi Moore in "Songbird."

STXfilms

This pandemic-era thriller about people living in a dystopian quarantine never made it into theaters and went straight to streaming.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 9%

1. "Blame It on Rio" (1983)
michael caine, demi moore, michelle johnson, and joseph bologna in blame it on rio
Michael Caine, Demi Moore, Michelle Johnson, and Joseph Bologna in "Blame It on Rio."

20th Century-Fox

In "Blame It on Rio," Moore plays the daughter of Michael Caine's character, Matthew. The two go on vacation with Matthew's coworker Victor (Joseph Bologna) and his daughter Jennifer (Michelle Johnson). Things get complicated when Matthew begins having an affair with Jennifer.

If you understood this plot, you did better than the critics, who clearly weren't into this comedy.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 7%

Here are Demi Moore's best movies, according to critics.
Demi Moore
Demi Moore has a bunch of classics.

Victor Boyko/Getty Images

10. "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America" (1996)
Bevis and Butthead and Dallas in a room
Demi Moore as Dallas Grimes in "Bevis and Butt-Head Do America."

MTV Productions

Moore voices the character of Dallas Grimes, who tries to pull a fast one on Beavis and Butt-Head in their hit movie based on their popular MTV show.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%

9. "Deconstructing Harry" (1997)
Stanley Tucci standing next to Demi Moore
Stanley Tucci and Demi Moore in "Deconstructing Harry."

Fine Line Features

In this Woody Allen comedy, the writer-director also stars as a novelist named Harry Block. In the telling of the story, Allen intersects moments from Block's life with moments of his characters from his books. Moore plays one of the book characters.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 74%

8. "Ghost" (1990)
demi moore ghost
Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in "Ghost."

Paramount Pictures

This classic romantic drama stars Moore as Molly, who is grieving the loss of her boyfriend, Sam (Patrick Swayze), who was murdered. Sam, now a ghost, must stop his killer from doing the same to Molly.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%

7. "Please Baby Please" (2022)
Demi Moore in a pink top
Demi Moore in "Please Baby Please."

Music Box Films

In this musical, Moore plays the neighbor of a young couple who witness a murder.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 77%

6. "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1996)
Esmeralda with a tambourine
Demi Moore voiced Esmeralda in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

Disney

In this Disney animated classic, Moore lent her voice to the Esmeralda character.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

5. "A Few Good Men" (1992)
a few good men jack nicholson demi moore tom cruise
Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, and Jack Nicholson in "A Few Good Men."

YouTube screenshot

Moore held her own amongst the likes of Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, and Kevin Bacon in this beloved courtroom drama.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

4. "Margin Call" (2011)
Woman banker Margin Call trailer
Demi Moore in "Margin Call."

YouTube/Fresh Movie Trailers

Moore knocks it out of the park in this ensemble drama about the 2007 financial crisis, which also stars Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, and Stanley Tucci.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

4. "The Unbearable Weight of a Massive Talent"
Demi Moore holding
Demi Moore in "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent."

Lionsgate

Moore plays the ex-wife of Nicolas Cage in this fictional look at Cage's life.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

2. "If These Walls Could Talk" (1996)
Demi Moore talking on the phone
Demi Moore in "If These Walls Could Talk."

HBO

The last time Moore received a Golden Globe nomination was for this HBO movie focused on three women and their separate experiences with abortion. Moore, Cher, and Sissy Spacek star.

Moore, who was also an executive producer, garnered an Emmy nomination for outstanding made-for-TV movie.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

1. "The Substance" (2024)
Demi Moore in "The Substance."
Demi Moore in "The Substance."

Cannes Film Festival

Moore has received the best reviews of her career for this horror movie in which she plays Elisabeth Sparkle, a celebrity whose star has faded to the point that she hosts an aerobic TV show.

Sparkle takes matters into her own hands by taking a mysterious drug called The Substance that creates a younger version of herself, which she calls Sue (played by Margaret Qualley).

Sue becomes a sensation, but it leads to a horrific ending for them both.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Read the original article on Business Insider

The 32 most anticipated movies of 2025

Tom Cruise in a crowd
Tom Cruise in "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning."

Paramount Pictures

  • 2025 is full of must-see sequels and intriguing original movies.
  • Get ready for additions to the "Mission: Impossible," "Jurassic World," and "Knives Out" franchises.
  • Brad Pitt stars in the sports drama "F1," and Ryan Coogler teams up with Michael B. Jordan in "Sinners."

From anticipated sequels like "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" to Marvel blockbusters like "Thunderbolts*," there's much to be excited about at the movies in 2025.

Here are the 32 titles we're most excited to see this year.

"Wolf Man" (January 17)
women scared
Julia Garner in "Wolf Man."

Universal

Director Leigh Whannell follows up his acclaimed remake of "The Invisible Man" in 2020 with another remake of a horror classic.

With "Wolf Man," he again teams with Blumhouse to modernize this thriller. Here, Christopher Abbott plays a father attacked by a werewolf who transforms into something horrifying, especially when there's a full moon.

"Flight Risk" (January 24)
Mark Wahlberg smiling
Mark Wahlberg in "Flight Risk."

Lionsgate

In this thriller set inside a small plane, Michelle Dockery plays an FBI agent who transports Topher Grace, who's playing a mafia informant.

Mark Wahlberg portrays the plane's pilot, who turns out to be a hitman hired to take out Grace's character.

Mel Gibson directs this movie, which will surely be one of the wackiest thrill rides of the year.

"Captain America: Brave New World" (February 14)
Harrison Ford as Thaddeus Ross and Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America in "Captain America: Brave New World."
Harrison Ford and Anthony Mackie in "Captain America: Brave New World."

Eli Adé/Marvel Studios

Anthony Mackie returns as Sam Wilson, the latest Captain America.

Wilson must uncover the mastermind behind an incident that follows the election of President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford).

"Paddington in Peru" (February 14)
Paddington in red cap and blue coat
Paddington heads back to the homeland in "Paddington in Peru."

Sony

In the latest installment of the popular franchise, the beloved Paddington Bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) returns to his native Peru with the Brown family in tow to check in on his Aunt Lucy.

"Sinners" (March 7)
Michael B. Jordan sweating
Michael B. Jordan in "Sinners."

Warner Bros.

Writer-director Ryan Coogler took a break from the "Black Panther" franchise to make this horror movie.

It stars Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers who, after a tough stretch, return to their hometown for a restart only to encounter a great evil.

Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O'Connell, and Delroy Lindo also star.

"Snow White" (March 21)
A still from "Snow White"showing Rachel Zegler behind a well surrounded by bushes.
Rachel Ziegler stars in "Snow White."

Disney

This is the latest live-action remake of a beloved Disney animated movie.

Rachel Ziegler plays Snow White, while Gal Gadot is cast as the evil Queen.

"A Minecraft Movie" (April 4)
Jason Momoa with weird hair
Jason Momoa in "A Minecraft Movie."

Warner Bros.

Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and Danielle Brooks star in this big-screen take on the popular video game Minecraft.

Expect a lot of zany comedy, as "Napoleon Dynamite" director Jared Hess is at the helm.

"Mickey 17" (April 18)
Robert Pattinson in a tube
Robert Pattinson in "Mickey 17."

Warner Bros.

Six years after his acclaimed movie "Parasite" became the first non-English-language movie to win the best picture Academy Award, director Bong Joon-ho finally gives us his next movie — and he's going in a different direction.

In this sci-fi black comedy, Robert Pattinson plays an "expendable," a disposable employee who sets out on extremely dangerous tasks that always result in his death. Afterward, his body always regenerates, leading to an unusual situation when one of his iterations survives.

"Thunderbolts*" (May 2)
People looking up at the sky
(L-R) Sebastian Stan, Hannah John-Kamen, Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, and David Harbour in "Thunderbolts*."

Marvel Studios

Kicking off the 2025 summer movie season is this Marvel movie that focuses on the anti-heroes of the MCU. It includes Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), and Red Guardian (David Harbour).

"Lilo & Stitch" (May 23)
Stitch on a bed
Dean Fleischer Camp's "Lilo & Stitch."

Disney

We will get two live-action Disney remakes in 2025.

Here, Dean Fleischer Camp, the director of "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On," will update the beloved 2002 animated movie.

Chris Sanders, who directed that movie, will voice Stitch as he's done since 1985 when the character was originated . Zach Galifianakis, Bill Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Courtney B. Vance, and Hannah Waddingham also star.

"Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" (May 23)
Tom Cruise in a t-shirt
Tom Cruise in "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning."

Paramount Pictures

Marking the eighth installment in the "M:I" franchise and the direct sequel to 2023's "Dead Reckoning" (that's the one where Tom Cruise drove his motorcycle off a cliff), get ready for a thrilling end to this latest chapter that's certain to be full of dazzling stunts.

"Ballerina" (June 6)
Ana de Armas in a coat
Ana de Armas in "Ballerina."

Lionsgate

Ana de Armas stars as Eve Macarro, a ballerina turned assassin.

The movie is set between chapters 3 and 4 in the "John Wick" franchise.

"Elio" (June 13)
Elio floating in the air
Pixar's "Elio."

Pixar

In the latest movie from Pixar, we follow Elio, a young boy who accidentally becomes Earth's ambassador when aliens from the Communiverse make contact.

Now, Elio must form bonds with lifeforms across the galaxy to fix a major intergalactic crisis.

"28 Years Later" (June 20)
Zombie in the grass
The zombies return in "28 Years Later."

Sony

In the latest movie in the zombie franchise, original director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland return.

Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, and Cillian Murphy returns are starring this time.

"F1" (June 27)
Brad Pitt and Damson Idris
Brad Pitt and Damson Idris during the filming of "F1."

Dan Mullan/Getty Images

In this sports drama from "Top Gun: Maverick" director Joseph Kosinski, Brad Pitt plays a popular Formula 1 driver from the 1990s who was forced to retire after a horrific crash.

Now, an old friend (Javier Bardem) convinces him to come out of retirement and join his team to mentor a rookie (Damson Idris).

"M3GAN 2.0" (June 27)
m3gan
M3GAN is back.

Universal Pictures

When the summer hits, Blumhouse is blessing us with the sequel to its hit 2022 horror movie. Allison Williams returns to battle M3GAN, presumably AI, after her doll form was destroyed at the end of the first movie.

"Jurassic World Rebirth" (July 2)
Scarlett Johansson holding a gun
Scarlett Johansson in "Jurassic World Rebirth."

Universal

Hollywood and moviegoers seemingly can't get enough of the "Jurassic" franchise.

Three years after closing out the "Jurassic World" trilogy, we now fast-forward five years later after the events of "Dominion" to follow a covert operations expert, played by Scarlett Johansson. She leads a team to secure genetic material from three massive dinosaurs that will bring life-saving benefits to mankind.

Gareth Edwards ("Rogue One," "The Creator") is directing the movie, which also stars Mahershala Ali.

"Superman" (July 11)
Superman putting on his boots
David Corenswet is the new Superman.

Warner Bros.

We all have July 11 circled to catch a glimpse of James Gunn's anticipated take on the Man of Steel.

It will star David Corenswet as Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.

Untitled "I Know What You Did Last Summer" sequel (July 18)
madelyn cline in 2024
Madelyn Cline.

Jeff Hahne/Getty Images for Netflix

Despite not having an official title yet, we have a good idea there will be a lot of slashing in the fourth movie in this horror franchise, created in the late 1990s.

Madelyn Cline ("Outer Banks," "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery") stars along with Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt, who both appeared in the first two movies.

"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" (July 25)
Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Pedro Pascal, and Vanessa Kirby stand next to each other at San Diego Comic Con in July 2024.
"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" cast (L-R) Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Pedro Pascal, and Vanessa Kirby.

Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images

The latest reboot of the beloved superhero team is set in a 1960s retro-futuristic Earth where they take on Galactus and Silver Surfer.

Pedro Pascal plays Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby is Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn plays Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach is Ben Grimm/The Thing.

"The Bad Guys 2" (August 1)
Animated Mr.Wolf driving car in "The bad guys"
Sam Rockwell voices Mr. Wolf.

Universal Pictures

The characters from the popular children's book series return for a sequel.

Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramon, Richard Ayoade, Zazie Beetz, Alex Borstein, and Lilly Singh all reprise their roles.

"Freakier Friday" (August 8)
Jamie Lee Curtis and Linday Lohan screaming with their hands to their cheeks
(L-R) Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan in "Freakier Friday."

Disney

Twenty one years after the beloved body swap tale, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, the two return for another freaky tale.

"Nobody 2" (August 15)
Nobody Universal
Bob Odenkirk in "Nobody."

Universal

Bob Odenkirk returns as the unlikely badass.

Connie Nielsen, RZA, and Christopher Lloyd return for the sequel, complete with new characters played by Sharon Stone and Colin Hanks.

"The Bride!" (September 26)
A picture of Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Marc Piasecki/Getty Images for Netflix

Maggie Gyllenhaal writes, directs, and produces this remake of the 1935 classic "Bride of Frankenstein."

Jessie Buckley ("The Lost Daughter") will play Frankenstein's bride with Christian Bale portraying Frankenstein's monster.

The movie is a family affair as Gyllenhaal's husband, Peter Sarsgaard, and her brother, Jake, will star. Penélope Cruz, Annette Bening, and Julianne Hough also star.

"Michael" (October 3)
Jaafar Jackson dressed as Michael Jackson
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in "Michael."

Lionsgate

Director Antoine Fuqua takes on the complex life and legacy of Michael Jackson.

Jaafar Jackson, the nephew of Michael, is playing the late King of Pop. Colman Domingo and Nia Long also star as Michael's parents.

"The Black Phone 2" (October 17)
Ethan Hawke in a mask
Ethan Hawke in "The Black Phone."

Universal

Ethan Hawke returns as The Grabber in the sequel to Scott Derrickson's spooky 2021 horror from Blumhouse.

"The Running Man" (November 7)
A man with long brown hair wears a navy blue suit with a white open-collared shirt. He's carrying a small white and light brown dog in his arms.
Will Glen Powell get Brisket a cameo?

Presley Ann/Getty Images

This marks the second adaptation of the Stephen King novel; the first famously starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987.

In this version, directed by Edgar Wright, Glen Powell stars as Ben Richards, the latest contestant in the deadly game show where you literally have to run from hunters to win your freedom.

Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, and William H. Macy also star.

"Wicked: Part Two" (November 21)
cynthia erivo as elphaba in wicked. she's painted green and is wearing a black dress, with her hair styled in microbraids braided into one larger braid over her right shoulder. her hands are outstretched, and her expression is intent
Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in "Wicked."

Universal Pictures

We return to the Land of Oz for the thrilling conclusion of the box-office hit musical.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande return to once more play the leads.

"Zootopia 2" (November 26)
zootopia
Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are ready for another case.

Walt Disney Animation Studios

After the original was released in 2016 and grossed over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, you knew it was only a matter of time before Disney hit us with a sequel. Eight years later, it's finally here.

Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) return to use their detective skills to crack the latest big case in Zootopia.

"Five Nights at Freddy's 2" (December 5)
"Five Nights at Freddy's" animatronics.
Foxy, Chica, Freddy Fazbear, and Bonnie in "Five Nights at Freddy's."

Patti Perret/Universal Pictures

Following the surprising 2023 box-office success of the big-screen adaptation of the popular video game series, Blumhouse gives us a sequel.

"Avatar: Fire and Ash" (December 19)
avatar the way of water
Jake Sully in "Avatar: The Way of Water."

Disney

We once again return to Na'vi and catch up with Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his family following the events of 2022's "Avatar: The Way of Water."

"Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" (TBD)
Daniel Craig in a suit
Daniel Craig on the set of "Wake Up Dead Man."

Netflix

We cannot wait for Daniel Craig to play detective Benoit Blanc again for Rian Johnson's latest chapter in his whodunit franchise.

Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Josh O'Connor, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Thomas Haden Church, Cailee Spaeny, and Andrew Scott star this time.

Though Netflix has not shared a release date yet, if the previous films are any hint, it will likely come out around Thanksgiving 2025.

Read the original article on Business Insider

The 10 best movies to watch on Netflix in January

jennifer love hewitt in i know what you did last summer
Jennifer Love Hewitt in "I Know What You Did Last Summer."

Columbia Pictures

  • These are the best movies to watch on Netflix in January.
  • Watch Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" and "Inception."
  • You can also check out 1990s hits like "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Rush Hour."

From Christopher Nolan classics to Jennifer Garner doing the "Thriller" dance, here are the best movies on Netflix in January.

"13 Going on 30" (January 1)
13 going on 30
Jennifer Garner in "13 Going on 30."

Columbia Pictures

This fun rom-com never gets old. Jennifer Garner plays a 13-year-old who suddenly awakens to find herself a thriving 30-year-old living in New York City.

What follows is loads of laughs, Mark Ruffalo being charming, and a "Thriller" dance line.

"Apollo 13" (January 1)
Tom Hanks Apollo 13
Tom Hanks in "Apollo 13."

Universal Studios

In Ron Howard's look at the 1970 Apollo 13 lunar mission, which became a race to save the astronauts on board after a craft malfunction, Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton are fantastic as the astronauts who must use science and improvisation to get back to Earth.

"I Know What You Did Last Summer" (January 1)
i know what you did last summer
(L-R) Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Ryan Phillippe in "I Know What You Did Last Summer."

Columbia Pictures

This classic 1990s horror movie stars some of the biggest heartthrobs of the time — Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze Jr. — as they play friends being stalked by a hook-wielding killer.

"Inception" (January 1)
Inception
Leonardo DiCaprio in "Inception."

Warner Bros. Pictures

Christopher Nolan's trippy heist movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Cobb, a skilled thief who steals information from his targets' subconscious. But he meets his match when he's tasked with implanting an idea into a target's mind.

The movie has a fantastic score from Hans Zimmer and a top-notch supporting cast that includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Ken Watanabe, and Cillian Murphy.

"Interstellar" (January 1)
Interstellar
Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar."

Paramount Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures

Make it a Nolan double feature tonight. Here the Oscar-winning director takes us to deep space with Matthew McConaughey as he pilots a team of scientists who enter a wormhole in search of a planet humanity can inhabit as Earth is on the cusp of dying.

Like with "Inception," Zimmer delivers another amazing score. Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, a young Timothée Chalamet, and Bill Irwin, as the voice of the robot TARS, round out a great supporting cast.

"Meet the Parents" (January 1)
meet the parents
(L-R) Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller in "Meet the Parents."

Universal

Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro make a surprising comedic one-two punch in this hilarious comedy, which follows Stiller's character, Greg Focker, as he experiences a disastrous first encounter with his girlfriend's parents.

And if you need more laughs, the sequel "Meet the Fockers" is also available.

"Melancholia" (January 1)
melancholia
Kirsten Dunst in "Melancholia."

Zentropa

Lars von Trier mixes lush visuals and haunting performances by Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg in his look at the final hours before a rogue planet collides with Earth.

"Rush Hour" (January 1)
rush hour 1998 trailer
(L-R) Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in "Rush Hour."

YouTube/MOVIECLIPS Classic Trailers

This blockbuster action comedy from the late 1990s stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker as police officers who couldn't be more opposite but are the only hope to save the day.

"Rush Hour 2" and "Rush Hour 3" are also available.

Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy (January 1)
tobey spider man
Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man.

Sony

Watch the movies that finally cracked the code of comic book adaptations finding success on the big screen.

Director Sam Raimi delivered a memorable trilogy (2002's "Spider-Man," 2004's "Spider-Man 2," and 2007's "Spider-Man 3") with Tobey Maguire in the lead as Spidey, which weren't just box office hits but also paved the way for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"Back in Action" (January 17)
A still from "Back in Action" showing Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx in suits.
Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx in "Back in Action."

John Wilson / Netflix

This Netflix original action comedy stars Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz. It marks Diaz's first movie in 11 years (the last was 2014's "Annie").

Read the original article on Business Insider

A complete timeline of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's relationship and divorce

brad pitt angelina jolie
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were together for over a decade.

Kevin Winter / Getty

  • For 12 years, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were one of Hollywood's most iconic couples.
  • They met around 2003 and wed in 2014 — Jolie filed for divorce in 2016.
  • The pair reached a divorce settlement in December 2024, after eight years of legal battles.

For 12 years, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were one of Hollywood's most prominent couples. 

But what started as a pairing of two mega powers, who met on the set of "Mr and Mrs Smith" while Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston, dissolved into eight years of legal fighting. Jolie accused Pitt of physical abuse (no charges were filed) and Pitt sued Jolie for selling her stake in their French winery.

Here's a timeline of their relationship.

2004: Pitt and Jolie met on the set of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith."
Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie Mr Mrs Smith
Angelina Jolie would later confirm this.

20th Century Fox

Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston and Jolie had recently filed for divorce from Billy Bob Thornton at the time of filming around 2003.

People reported that in a 2006 interview, Jolie confirmed to Vogue that they began developing feelings for each other. She said, "I think we found this strange friendship and partnership that kind of just suddenly happened. I think a few months in I realized, 'God, I can't wait to get to work.'"

She added: "It took until, really, the end of the shoot for us, I think, to realize that it might mean something more than we'd earlier allowed ourselves to believe. And both knowing that the reality of that was a big thing, something that was going to take a lot of serious consideration."

January 2005: Pitt and Aniston announced they were separating.
Brad Pitt Jennifer Aniston 2001
The couple said tabloid speculation did not cause the separation.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

After months of rumors that Pitt and Jolie had an affair on the set of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," Pitt and Aniston released a statement about their separation to People: "For those who follow these sorts of things, we would like to explain that our separation is not the result of any of the speculation reported by the tabloid media."

March 2005: Aniston filed for divorce from Pitt.
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston officially filed for divorce in 2005.

Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Shortly after the announcement, People reported that Aniston filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences."

April 2005: Pitt and Jolie were photographed on vacation together in Kenya.
Angelina Bradd
The vacation was one of the first times the couple was photographed together.

Getty/Alberto E. Rodriguez

A month later, Us Weekly published photos of Pitt and Jolie with Jolie's son, Maddox, in Kenya. 

In September 2005, Aniston told Vanity Fair: "The world was shocked, and I was shocked."

July 2005: Pitt and Jolie were featured in a W magazine spread titled "Domestic Bliss," and Jolie adopted Zahara.
brad pitt zahara
Angelina Jolie adopted Zahara from Ethiopia with Pitt by her side.

Junko Kimura/Getty

The now-iconic spread included many photos of the two as a couple with a family. 

That same month, People reported that Jolie adopted 6-month-old Zahara from Ethiopia with Pitt by her side.

January 2006: The pair confirmed they were expecting a child.
GettyImages 72802476 (1)
Maddox and Zahara's last names were also changed.

Getty/Bryan Bedder

Less than a year after Pitt's divorce from Aniston was finalized, People confirmed Jolie and Pitt were expecting a child.

That same month, a judge granted a request to change Maddox and Zahara's last names to Jolie-Pitt.

May 2006: The couple's first biological daughter was born in Namibia, Africa.
brad angelina shiloh wax figure
In July, Madame Tussauds unveiled a wax figure of the couple and baby Shiloh.

Getty/Scott Gries

In May, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt was born in Namibia. Their obstetrician told People that Pitt was in the operating room the whole time.

 

March 2007: Pitt and Jolie adopted Pax from Vietnam.
brad angelina
The pair traveled to Vietnam to adopt him.

Getty/Kevin Winter

In March, Pax, 3, became the newest member of the Jolie-Pitt family, after the couple traveled to Vietnam to adopt him.

Reuters reported that Jolie supposedly filed the papers without Pitt because Vietnamese law does not allow unmarried couples to adopt children, but single individuals can. 

May 200: Jolie revealed she was pregnant with twins.
brad pregnant angelina
Angelina Jolie said she was shocked.

Getty/Pascal Le Segretain

Jolie announced she was expecting twins at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival,

She told Access Hollywood, "We weren't expecting twins. So it did shock us."

July 2008: The twins were born in Nice, France.
brad angelina
The twins were born in July.

Getty/Kevin Winter

Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline were born in Nice, France in July.

A month later, they appeared on the cover of People. Jolie talked about their family life in an interview with the magazine, saying, "It is chaos, but we are managing it and having a wonderful time."

February 2010: The couple sued News of the World for reporting they had split.
brad angelina
They won the lawsuit later that year.

Getty/Gareth Cattermole

In February 2010, News of the World reported the couple had split. The couple later sued the publication for the false report.

In July, BBC News reported that the couple was paid damages from the company that owns the newspaper and planned to donate it to their charity, the Jolie-Pitt foundation. 

April 2012: Pitt and Jolie's engagement was confirmed.
angelina jolie brad pitt
Brad Pitt's manager confirmed it.

Getty/Kevin Winter

Pitt's manager confirmed to People that the couple was engaged, saying: "It is a promise for the future and their kids are very happy. There's no date set at this time." 

May 2013: Jolie revealed she underwent a preventative double mastectomy.
angelina jolie
Angelina Jolie wrote about it in an op-ed.

Anthony Harvey/Stringer/Getty Images

Jolie wrote a New York Times op-ed about undergoing the surgery, writing: "I am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, who is so loving and supportive … Brad was at the Pink Lotus Breast Center, where I was treated, for every minute of the surgeries."

She added: "We managed to find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to do for our family and that it would bring us closer. And it has."

August 2014: Pitt and Jolie secretly married in France.
brad pitt angelina jolie
Their kids were involved in the wedding.

Getty/Pascal Le Segretain

Pitt and Jolie privately wed at their Chateau Miraval in France and all of their six children were involved in the ceremony.

Maddox and Pax walked their mom down the aisle, Zahara and Vivienne were flower girls, and Shiloh and Knox were ring bearers. Jolie wore an Atelier Versace gown and a veil that featured designs from her kids' drawings embroidered into the fabric.

2015: They worked on their first movie together since "Mr. & Mrs. Smith."
By the Sea
Angelina Jolie directed the movie.

Universal Pictures

Pitt and Jolie starred in their second film together, a relationship drama called "By The Sea" which Jolie directed.

That same year, Jolie wrote another op-ed about having her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed.
angelina jolie
Angelina Jolie underwent another surgery.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

After an annual blood test showed markers that could be "a sign of early cancer," Jolie decided to have her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as a preventative measure.

July 2016: Pitt and Jolie were seen together in public for one of the last times.
brad pitt angelina jolie
One of their last public appearances together was with Shiloh.

Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images

One of the last times Pitt and Jolie were publicly spotted together as a couple was in July 2016, when they were photographed with Shiloh.

Prior to this, they had been apart for months while working on various projects.

September 2016: Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt.
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie requested primary custody of their children.

Mary Altaffer/AP Images

Citing irreconcilable differences, Jolie officially filed for divorce. She petitioned for primary custody of the six children.

Shortly after, in September 2016, Pitt was accused of physically abusing one of his children. He was later cleared by authorities.
brad pitt
Brad Pitt was cleared of all charges.

Michael Kovac/Getty Images

In September, during a family flight on the couple's private jet, Pitt was reportedly "drinking heavily." Early reports alleged that Pitt physically hurt 15-year-old Maddox Pitt-Jolie during the flight, but later reports stated that Jolie separated Pitt from their kids.

Pitt was later investigated by The LA Department of Children and Family Services and the FBI, but both cleared Pitt of all charges in November.

 

 

January 2017: the couple hired a private judge to keep their divorce proceedings quiet.
Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie
Their agreement would keep their court case details private.

Rich Fury / Getty Images / Stefan Rousseau / WPA Pool / Getty Images

The couple then hired a private judge and reportedly signed agreements to keep the details of their case private. After that, they were relatively quiet about their split for a while. 

August 2018: Jolie's camp accused Pitt of not paying "meaningful" child support.
angelina jolie
The battle was all in court filings.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Jolie's attorneys said in a court filing that Pitt hadn't paid any "meaningful" child support since they split. It was not clear at the time of the filing what constituted "meaningful" support.  

Pitt's lawyers said in return that Pitt had in fact paid Jolie more than $1.3 million in contributions over the past two years and that Pitt gave Jolie an $8 million loan to buy a new property. Her camp denied that he was meeting his legal obligations for child support. Pitt's attorneys also accused Jolie via court filing of trying to "manipulate media coverage" of their divorce. 

 

 

 

April 2019: both Pitt and Jolie became legally single.
brad pitt angelina jolie
The pair's divorce has yet to be settled.

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP; Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP

Though their divorce was still in progress, Judge John W. Ouderkirk entered a judgment saying the couple was no longer married. Her name was also restored to Jolie, not Jolie Pitt.

May 2021: Pitt was reportedly granted "significantly" more "time with the kids."
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt was awarded more time through the private judge they hired.

Gregg DeGuire / Getty Images

Business Insider reported that the private judge hired by both stars awarded Pitt more custody of his children following months of witness testimony.

"Pitt has always been seeking the opportunity to have more time with his children and prioritized their well being while the other side did everything to try and stop that," a source familiar with the situation told BI in May 2021.

February 2022: Pitt sued Jolie for selling her stake in their $28 million coowned French winery.
brad pitt angelina jolie 2
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie purchased a controlling stake in 2008 and were married there in 2014.

Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images; Jeff Spicer/Getty Images

Pitt and Jolie purchased a controlling stake in Château Miraval and its vineyard behind the popular wine in 2008. The two were also married on the estate in 2014. 

According to court documents, lawyers for Pitt say Jolie sold her stake in the Château to the Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler without her ex-husband's knowledge.

"She sold her interest with the knowledge and intention that Shefler and his affiliates would seek to control the business to which Pitt had devoted himself and to undermine Pitt's investment in Miraval," the lawsuit claimed.

The lawsuit continued to state that Jolie's sale was intended to cause Pitt "gratuitous harm" after he had "poured money and sweat equity" into the business. Pitt's lawyers also said that the pair had previously agreed to never sell their respective financial interests in the Château without the other's consent.

According to August 2022 reports, Jolie told the FBI that Pitt "grabbed her by the head" in a 2016 altercation aboard a private jet.
Angelina Jolie in a gold dress
A leaked FBI report from Angelina Jolie began circulating in 2022.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty

According to a leaked FBI report obtained by Rolling Stone and Puck, Jolie alleged in an interview with the FBI that Pitt "grabbed her by her head," shook her, "pushed her into the bathroom wall," and repeatedly punched the ceiling of the private plane during an "outburst" about 90 minutes into a flight from Paris to Los Angeles on September 14, 2016.

The report added that Jolie alleged Pitt was intoxicated during the flight, saying that he poured beer on her at one point. Jolie told the FBI that by the time the plane landed, there was $25,000 worth of damage from Pitt spilling red wine, Rolling Stone reported.

Rolling Stone reported that Jolie alleged her children were scared at the time of the incident. She told the FBI that one child called Pitt a "prick," prompting him to lunge at the kid, only to be stopped when Jolie grabbed him from behind "like in a choke hold."

As previously mentioned, BI reported in 2016 that the FBI cleared Pitt of child abuse allegations regarding that incident.

December 2024: The two reached a divorce settlement.
Angelina Jolie standing next to Brad Pitt, both dressed in black
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt together in 2015.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Jolie and Pitt signed off on their divorce on December 30, 2024, People reported.

No details of the divorce settlement were revealed.

"More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt. She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family," Jolie's lawyer James Simon told BI in a statement. "This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over." 

Pitt's representative declined to comment when contacted by BI. 

 

Read the original article on Business Insider

James Mangold considered contacting Joaquin Phoenix to play Johnny Cash in 'A Complete Unknown'

walk the line johnny cash joaquin phoenix reese witherspoon
Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon in "Walk the Line."

"Walk the Line"/Twentieth Century Fox

  • James Mangold considered Joaquin Phoenix for Johnny Cash in "A Complete Unknown."
  • Phoenix played Cash in Mangold's 2005 movie "Walk the Line."
  • Mangold decided Phoenix would be too old and didn't want to service "meta-movie universe stuff," he told BI.

"A Complete Unknown," James Mangold's look at the life of Bob Dylan, almost gave us another taste of Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash.

Mangold, who previously directed Phoenix in his acclaimed performance as Cash in the 2005 movie "Walk the Line," recently revealed to Business Insider that he thought of calling up Phoenix to play The Man in Black again in his new movie. Cash was pals with Dylan at the start of the folk singer's career, which is what "A Complete Unknown" covers.

"The thought occurred to me," Mangold told BI about the possible casting. "But then I realized he'd be 20-30 years too old to be playing the part."

But wouldn't the hair and makeup departments (and perhaps a little CGI) have gotten Phoenix back to looking like he did playing Cash in 2005?

Joaquin Phoenix in a white tshirt holding a guitar
Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash in "Walk the Line."

Fox

"Okay, but then what am I servicing?" Mangold responded. "This kind of meta-movie universe stuff that has plagued us enough? I'm a big fan of making a movie and giving the public the movie. Don't try to suture the movie to another movie, just own it. Otherwise movies just become this hyper-expensive television series in which we never stop making new episodes every couple of years."

The Cash role in "A Complete Unkown" would eventually go to Boyd Holbrook, who has starred in other Mangold movies like "Logan" and "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny."

Boyd Holbrook in sunglasses and dressed in black
Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash in "A Complete Unknown."

Searchlight Pictures

In the movie, Cash is a great admirer of Dylan (played by Timothée Chalamet). The two are pen pals and later share the same bill at the Newport Folk Festival. It's there that Dylan famously plays an electric guitar for the first time — a controversial move, given that the festival was known for only playing acoustic music. The crowd boos him, but Cash stands by his friend, giving him words of encouragement backstage.

Though Mangold didn't go full "meta-movie universe," "A Complete Unknown" and "Walk the Line" are very much linked. In "Walk the Line," Cash speaks to his wife, June (Reese Witherspoon), about Dylan's talents and plays his music in one scene.

"A Complete Unknown" is now playing in theaters.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Nicole Kidman's 10 best and 10 worst movies, according to critics

Nicole Kidman in a dress
Nicole Kidman.

Olivia Wong/FilmMagic/Getty

  • Nicole Kidman has played a wide range of roles on the big screen.
  • She won an Oscar playing Virginia Woolf, was the villain in "Paddington," and even played Aquaman's mom.
  • She next stars in the erotic thriller "Babygirl."

Nicole Kidman has done everything in her career from winning an Oscar portraying legendary author Virginia Woolf to playing Aquaman's mother.

In her latest movie, "Babygirl," she plays a powerful CEO in a kinky, illicit love affair with one of her young interns.

It's yet another example of her impressive range, which has captivated audiences for decades.

But not all of her choices have been winners. Though "Practical Magic" has found a cult following in the years since its release, it was largely panned by critics at the time. And "The Goldfinch," an adaptation of the beloved book of the same name, didn't measure up to the source material.

With the help of Rotten Tomatoes, we've broken down the 10 best and 10 worst movies of Kidman's career, according to critics.

Note: This list does not include movies that were released straight-to-cable or documentaries Kidman narrated.

Here are the worst movies of Nicole Kidman's career.
nicole kidman
Some movies Nicole Kidman has starred in didn't impress the critics.

Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

10. (tie) "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" (2023)
Nicole Kidman in a white suit
Nicole Kidman in "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom."

Warner Bros.

In the panned sequel to the 2018 DC Comics movie "Aquaman," Kidman returns as Atlanna, Aquaman's mother and the former queen of Atlantis. One critic said the movie "spectacularly misfires."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 33%

10. (tie) "Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus" (2006)
Nicole Kidman in "Fur."
Nicole Kidman in "Fur."

River Road Entertainment

Critics didn't get this movie, in which Kidman plays the famed photographer Diane Arbus, saying it wasn't nearly as daring as its subject.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 33%

8. (tie) "Practical Magic" (1998)
practical magic
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in "Practical Magic."

Warner Bros.

Though audiences weren't into Kidman and Sandra Bullock playing sisters descended from witches, the movie has since found a following and a sequel is in development.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

8. (tie) "The Stepford Wives" (2004)
stepford wives
Nicole Kidman in "The Stepford Wives."

Paramount Pictures

This adaptation of the famed 1972 novel didn't sit well with critics. In this version, Kidman plays a TV executive who moves to the quaint Connecticut town of Stepford and quickly realizes nothing is what it seems.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

6. "The Goldfinch" (2019)
The Goldfinch Warner Bros
Nicole Kidman and Ansel Elgort in "The Goldfinch."

Warner Bros.

This adaptation of the beloved book of the same name was criticized for being boring and flattening its characters into broader ideas.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 24%

5. "Bewitched" (2005)
Nicole Kidman in "Bewitched."
Nicole Kidman in "Bewitched."

John Bramley/Sony Pictures

In this meta remake of the classic TV series, Will Ferrell plays an actor cast in the remake of "Bewitched," only to find out that his wife (Kidman) is, in fact, a witch. Unfortunately, critics complained the movie wasn't genuinely funny.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 23%

4. "The Invasion" (2007)
Nicole Kidman in "The Invasion."
Nicole Kidman in "The Invasion."

Peter Sorel/Warner Bros. Entertainment

If you haven't figured out yet, remakes and Nicole Kidman don't mesh. Here she stars opposite Daniel Craig in a remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." It didn't turn out well.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

3. "Just Go With It" (2011)
Nicole Kidman in "Just Go with It."
Nicole Kidman in "Just Go with It."

Columbia Pictures

Kidman shows off her comedic chops in this Adam Sandler/Jennifer Aniston rom-com, but the movie was panned as cliché and predictable.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 19%

2. "Queen of the Desert" (2015)
Nicole Kidman in the desert
Nicole Kidman in "Queen of the Desert."

IFC Films

Werner Herzog cast Kidman in this forgettable biopic on British archaeologist Gertrude Bell.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 18%

1. "Trespass" (2011)
Trespass
Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman in "Trespass."

Millennium Entertainment

Kidman teamed with Nicolas Cage for this dull crime thriller in which they play a married couple who are taken hostage by extortionists.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 9%

Here are Nicole Kidman's best movies, according to critics.
nicole kidman
Nicole Kidman.

Christopher Polk/Getty Images

10. (tie) "Boy Erased" (2018)
boy erased
Nicole Kidman and Lucas Hedges in "Boy Erased."

Focus Features

Kidman plays a Baptist parent who forces her gay son (Lucas Hedges) to take part in a conversion therapy program.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

10. (tie) "The Hours" (2002)
Nicole Kidman in "The Hours" smoking a cigarette
Nicole Kidman in "The Hours."

Paramount Pictures

Kidman won a best actress Oscar for her portrayal of famed author Virginia Woolf.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

6. (tie) "The Others" (2001)
the others
Nicole Kidman in "The Others."

Miramax

This supernatural thriller stars Kidman as a mother with two photosensitive children who believe ghosts are in their house (or are they really the ghosts?).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

6. (tie) "Lion" (2016)
Nicole Kidman in "Lion" with orange curly hair
Nicole Kidman in "Lion."

Transmission Films

Kidman plays the adoptive mother of an Indian boy who was separated by his family back in India and reconnects with them 25 years later.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

6. (tie) "Dead Calm" (1989)
Nicole Kidman and Sam Neill next to each other
Nicole Kidman and Sam Neill in "Dead Calm."

Warner Bros.

This Australian thriller stars Kidman and Sam Neill as a couple sailing through the Great Barrier Reef when they come across a man (Billy Zane) fleeing a sinking ship. Things get complicated from there.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

5. "Rabbit Hole" (2010)
Aaron Eckhart holding Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart in "Rabbit Hole."

Lionsgate

Kidman stars alongside Aaron Eckhart in this drama as a couple grieving after the death of their child.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

4. "To Die For" (1995)
to die for movie
Nicole Kidman in "To Die For."

Columbia Pictures/screenshot

Kidman scored a Golden Globe win for her portrayal of a small-town weather reporter who wants her husband Larry (Matt Dillon) killed and enlists a high school boy Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix) who has the hots for her to do the deed.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

3. "The Northman" (2022)
Nicole Kidman combing her hair
Nicole Kidman in "The Northman."

Focus Features

In this Viking tale from Robert Eggers, Kidman plays the Queen mother to a prince, played by Alexander Skarsgård.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

2. "Flirting" (1990)
flirting nicole kidman
Nicole Kidman in "Flirting."

Warner Bros

In one of the final Australian-produced films Kidman made before jumping to Hollywood, she plays one of the lead roles in this coming-of-age drama set in a New South Wales boarding school.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%

1. "Paddington" (2014)
nicole kidman paddington
Nicole Kidman in "Paddington."

StudioCanal

In the first movie based on the beloved children's book character, Kidman plays evil taxidermist Millicent Clyde, who is on the hunt for Paddington.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

Read the original article on Business Insider

'A Complete Unknown' director James Mangold has no idea if Bob Dylan will ever see his movie

A still from "A Complete Unknown" showing Timothée Chalamet wearing a denim shirt and holding a guitar and harmonica in front of two mics.
Timothée Chalamet playing Bob Dylan in "A Complete Unknown."

Macall Polay

  • James Mangold spoke to Business Insider about his Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown."
  • Mangold explained why Timothée Chalamet spoke in Dylan's voice on set even when he wasn't filming.
  • He called the real Dylan's willingness to give notes on the script a "huge gift."

Writer-director James Mangold remembers exactly where he was and what he was doing five years ago when he decided to make a Bob Dylan biopic.

He was in a hotel room in Canada for the Toronto International Film Festival when he paused prepping for the world premiere of his 2019 movie "Ford v Ferrari" to take a meeting with Timothée Chalamet, then a young actor on the cusp of superstardom.

It didn't take long for Mangold to realize he'd found his Dylan. By the time Chalamet left the room, the two agreed to make a movie on the life and times of one of the most beloved singer-songwriters in American music.

Things might not have gotten off the ground as quickly as they'd hoped — COVID happened, Chalamet went and made the first "Dune" movie, Mangold made "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" — but throughout those five years, the two continued to stay in contact and made separate pilgrimages to see Dylan.

Finally, "A Complete Unknown," which depicts Dylan's rise to fame alongside Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and his controversial switch from acoustic guitar to electric in the mid-1960s, is in theaters.

Mangold is one of the few directors working today who has the skill and Hollywood studio experience to pull off a Bob Dylan biopic. After finding success with his 2005 Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line," which earned its stars Joaquin Phoenix an Oscar nomination and Reese Witherspoon an Oscar win, Disney's Searchlight Pictures arm knew the project was in capable hands.

"A Complete Unknown" is not a carbon copy of "Walk the Line." While the latter delved deep into the dynamic between Johnny Cash and June Carter, "A Complete Unknown," which Mangold co-wrote with Jay Cocks ("Gangs of New York"), examines the myth-building of Dylan and how his talents elevated the 1960s folk music scene.

But just as Mangold used "Walk the Line" as a showcase for Phoenix's talents, he's done the same with Chalamet in "A Complete Unknown." From talking in Dylan's voice even when the camera wasn't rolling to doing his own singing and even growing out his fingernails (more on that later), Chalamet immersed himself in the aura of Dylan, resulting in the best performance his career so far.

Business Insider spoke to Mangold over Zoom about Chalamet's dedication to the role, whether the disappointing box office for "Dial of Destiny" has made him hesitant about developing his upcoming "Star Wars" movie, and if he thinks Bob Dylan will ever watch "A Complete Unknown."

James Mangold behind Timothee Chalamet with his hands up
James Mangold and Chalamet on the set of "A Complete Unknown."

Macall Polay/Searchlight Pictures

Business Insider: You've now had sit-downs with Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan while making their biopics. Have you developed a go-to icebreaker for when you first meet legends?

James Mangold: No. I don't have one. But the good thing is the script is the icebreaker. They've invited me into their homes or their spaces because they've read a script I've written. So we have something to talk about. I mean, when I met with Bob the ice breaker was, charmingly, him waxing poetic about loving my old movie "Cop Land." So that in itself was trippy and flattering. 

Do you think Dylan will ever watch "A Complete Unknown"?

I have no idea.

What's your gut telling you?

I honestly have no idea. The reality is I spent a lot of good time with him and I felt like I got a good feeling for him. He does things when he's ready, he gets involved with things when he's ready, he makes comments when he's ready.

I sympathize with his quandary. Do I ever want to watch a movie where some dude is playing me and acting out significant moments in my life? Is that going to be nothing but pleasant or is it going to be weird as hell? So the fact that he took the time to read my script, give me notes, give me advice, chip in ideas, show me where he would make lifts in some songs, and give me the benefit of his wisdom and his insight about that period so I might even dig deeper into those scenes, that was a huge gift and all the generosity I could ever expect from him. 

Timothee Chalamet holding Elle Fanning while sitting on a stoop
Timothée Chalamet sporting long fingernails while holding Elle Fanning on the set of "A Complete Unknown."

Gotham/GC Images/Getty

Watching D.A. Pennebaker's Bob Dylan documentary, "Dont Look Back," confirmed something that's in your movie: Dylan had some gnarly fingernails.

Yeah. 

Did Timmy grow those out or were fake nails put on him?

Yeah, he was growing them. If you look earlier in the movie, there are some scenes where they aren't as long. By the end, he had some full-on Nosferatu going on. 

A lot has been written about Timmy being Method during filming, specifically speaking in the Dylan voice when you weren't shooting. I would imagine a lot of that has to do with him just not wanting to lose the voice, right?

Timmy's not the only person who's ever done that, that's true for most of the actors in my movies doing dialects, they don't just do it and fall out of it the second the scene ends because —

There's a fear of losing the voice.

Well, you're also trying to make it more and more internalized. You're trying to make it something you don't have to think about. So, if you're turning it on and off, you're kind of making yourself hyper-aware of it. If you're just deciding to live in it, that's a whole other deal. 

Boyd Holbrook plays Johnny Cash in the movie. Was there ever a thought to call Joaquin Phoenix to see if he would do the Johnny Cash scenes?

The thought occurred to me, but then I realized he'd be 20-30 years too old to be playing the part. 

But you know movie magic, James! The hair and makeup department would have helped him look younger. 

Okay, but then what am I servicing? This kind of meta-movie universe stuff that has plagued us enough? I'm a big fan of making a movie and giving the public the movie. Don't try to suture the movie to another movie, just own it. Otherwise movies just become this hyper-expensive television series in which we never stop making new episodes every couple of years. 

Speaking of episodic films, you're currently developing a "Star Wars" movie. Are you less confident working on that seeing what happened with the reception for "Dial of Destiny"?

Well, "Dial of Destiny" has an 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. I mean, yes, they would have hoped it made more money, but I actually don't have a lot of shame about a movie that's liked by 87% of its fans.

The issue with "Star Wars" isn't my worrying about if there's an angry or resentful group that is somehow disappointed in what I did in "Dial of Destiny." Honestly, that's their prerogative, that's part of what makes movies great is you can think they're awesome or you can think they're terrible. I can't please everyone and I'm sorry they don't like it.

But in relation to "Star Wars," the bottom line is I don't even know if that's the next movie for me. That's something that Beau Willimon and I are working on writing and all the other tripwires and judgments along the way. I don't want to make it unless it's excellent.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Read the original article on Business Insider

PR pros call fallout of Lively-Baldoni saga a 'black eye' for the industry

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni on the set of "It Ends with Us."

Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images; BI

  • Crisis PR is in the spotlight after Blake Lively filed a blockbuster complaint against Justin Baldoni.
  • Lively's suit alleges Baldoni smeared her in the press in retaliation for harassment complaints.
  • Crisis management experts say tough tactics are part of the game but warned against going too far.

What started as the story of a bombshell lawsuit from a famous actor against her director and costar has since turned into a tale of two PR campaigns and a reckoning in the broader public relations industry.

After Blake Lively filed a complaint Friday accusing Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment on the set of their film "It Ends with Us" and a retaliatory smear campaign in the press, publicists were abuzz picking apart how both camps responded to the news.

A key asset in Lively's suit is the reams of messages included that paint a picture in which Baldoni, his publicist Jennifer Abel, and crisis management expert Melissa Nathan detail plans to direct the conversation away from Lively's sexual harassment allegations by enlisting journalists and an online fixer to create, publish, and amplify negative stories about her.

The messages in the suit — and its allegations of astroturfing, a controversial practice in public relations that exists in a legal grey area — offer a peek behind the curtain of crisis PR, one that industry figures who spoke with BI say is giving their profession a bad name.

"Who is the real victim behind the smear campaign?" Molly McPherson, a crisis communications manager, said in an Instagram post breaking down her thoughts on Lively and Baldoni's ordeal. "It's PR. It's public relations."

The lawsuit introduced crisis PR and the practice of astroturfing to the general public

Blake Lively photographed at the New York premiere of "It Ends With Us."
Blake Lively.

Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images

Hollywood is full of public relations firms big and small. Most work with studios, distributors, or directly with talent in the day-to-day grind of promoting their work, building relationships with the media and influencers.

Crisis management is an entirely different animal. They're called in when a controversy or scandal hits the client that's too out of hand for the publicist to deal with on their own.

"A crisis management person is hired to make sure all the assets are protected," a veteran crisis management publicist told BI. Unlike regular publicists, who "don't want to get their hands dirty," crisis PR firms are trained for this very purpose. "I know how to bob and weave, jump in and jump out," the source added.

The proposed campaign to damage Lively's reputation, as outlined in her complaint via quotes from Nathan's messages to Abel and Baldoni, included "social manipulation" on platforms like Reddit and "full social account take downs." In the messages, Nathan suggested having a full social crisis team on hand to "start threads of theories" about Lively and Baldoni's rumored feud, and the "creation of social fan engagement to go back and forth with any negative accounts, helping to change [sic] narrative and stay on track."

"All of this will be most importantly untraceable," Lively's suit quotes Nathan as saying.

Lively's lawsuit argues that these tactics in Abel and Nathan's alleged smear campaign on behalf of Baldoni went "well beyond standard crisis PR" by deploying the controversial practice of astroturfing, a tactic that, when applied to public relations, involves publishing sentiments on the internet or in the media to falsely create the illusion of public consensus or a "grassroots movement."

"Millions of people (including many reporters and influencers) who saw these planted stories, social media posts, and other online content had no idea they were unwitting consumers of a crisis PR, astroturfing, and digital retaliation campaign," Lively's suit reads, adding that the campaign blurred "the line between authentic and manufactured content, and creating viral public takedowns."

Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively holding each other's faces in a scene from "It Ends With Us."
Justin Baldoni as Ryle Kincaid and Blake Lively as Lily Bloom in "It Ends With Us."

Nicole Rivelli/Sony Pictures Entertainment

The crisis management experts who spoke to BI didn't see anything wrong with Baldoni's team coming up with worst-case scenarios for how to change the narrative were Lively to take her harassment allegations public. Several PR people say tough tactics are part of the game. But they were split on the tactic of astroturfing.

"It's not frowned upon, just amateurish," the veteran crisis management publicist said. "It gives experts a bad name. Like they saw it work in a movie and thought it was a brilliant idea."

Other Hollywood publicists were more stern in their assessment.

"I honestly thought it was used more in politics than entertainment," one longtime entertainment publicist told BI. "That's just a dirty tactic."

Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman called Lively's claims against Baldoni "completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious."

In a follow-up statement, he said Nathan's company The Agency Group (TAG PR), which was hired by Baldoni, "operated as any crisis management firm would when hired by a client experiencing threats by two extremely powerful people with unlimited resources," a reference to Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds.

"The standard scenario planning TAG PR drafted proved unnecessary as audiences found Lively's own actions, interviews and marketing during the promotional tour distasteful, and responded organically to that which the media themselves picked up on," the statement added.

BI contacted Abel and Nathan and didn't receive a response about PR tactics.

Experts say Baldoni's camp also made one key mistake

Justin Baldoni on the TODAY Show on August 08, 2024.
Justin Baldoni.

Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images

For all the PR wizardry happening as both sides respond to the story in the press, there's one move Abel and Nathan made that the veteran crisis management publicist said was a huge mistake.

"Never put anything in texts," the vet crisis management publicist said. "That was a rookie move."

The consequences are still unfolding. On Tuesday, Stephanie Jones, the owner of the publicity firm that represented Baldoni before Abel broke out on her own, sued the actor, Abel, and Nathan accusing Abel and Nathan of orchestrating a smear campaign against both Lively and herself behind her back and accusing Abel of covertly stealing Jones' clients when exiting the firm.

In an email Tuesday, Abel provided BI with a different account of how she left Jones' firm, including text messages showing she submitted her resignation and was open with plans to start her own public relations firm.

Now, even crisis managers need crisis managers to repair the profession's image.

"It does give the industry a black eye, and I think it should be a cautionary tale," a prominent industry figure who runs a crisis management firm told BI.

"If you don't know that you can't go that far," the person said, if you don't know that you can't "dupe media, that's troublesome."

Read the original article on Business Insider
❌