It’s been a big year for superhero stories and franchise films. But while money has been made by many, the same cannot be said for the films, critically speaking. However, the year is not over just yet.
Hugh Laurie’s much-awaited return to TV with the series Chance has left fans disappointed. Will the series pick up the pace, we certainly hope so.
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A quick look at what’s making news.
It’s been a big year for superhero stories and franchise films. But while money has been made by many, the same cannot be said for the films, critically speaking. However, the year is not over just yet.
Making news this week is Vin Diesel, star of films like the Fast and the Furious franchise and the upcoming XXX: Return of Xander Cage, who thinks director F. Gary Gray (who is helming Fast & Furious 8) deserves an Oscar nod for it. It’s true that Gray was conspicuously left out of the Oscars race last year for directing Straight Outta Compton for which he certainly deserved an acknowledgement. But given just how unbelievable and ridiculous the last Fast film was, we’re not sure Gary has a shot.
Also making news is Helen Mirren who not only campaigned for Hilary Clinton but has also come out against Donald Trump. Reacting to the 2005 recording of Trump that, upon release, has put his presidential campaign in trouble, Mirren called Trump a “dinosaur” and stated, “Well, I think it’s dinosaurs. I think they’re dying out, honestly. I think there are a few old dinosaurs left and I think that Mr. Trump is one of them. Enormous body, small head.” Point, Mirren.
J.K. Rowling has announced that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be followed-up with four more films, all of which will be penned by the acclaimed author.
Moving on, the Marvel film we’ve been waiting for the whole year is almost here and if early reviews are to be believed, the film has some of the sharpest sequences seen in a superhero film in recent history.
Erik Davis from Fandango thought “the action sequences in Doctor Strange are so ferociously loopy, frenetic & nerdy that he “adores them” while the film also earned endorsements from Slash Film, The Collider and Crave Online. With two shout-outs to the Avengers in the film, it’s obvious that like all other preceding films, it also connects to the larger Marvel universe.
In upcoming films, another big project coming in November aside from Doctor Strange is J.K Rowling’s magical saga, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them. With David Yates directing, this film will replace the magical days created by Harry Potter and co. J.K. Rowling has also revealed that this particular franchise will spawn five films instead of the original three. She confessed recently that she has figured out the story for all five films and will remain attached to the project for the next foreseeable future.
In television, perhaps the biggest news is the return of Hugh Laurie to TV with a new Hulu series called Chance. Having spent eight years on TV as Doctor Gregory House, the celebrated actor went off air for a while and returned with the limited series, The Night Manager this year alongside Tom Hiddleston. But it’s Chance that could run for years. Unfortunately, the show’s slow feel hasn’t gone down well with some critics who think the episodes are a bit of a drag. With 2 seasons confirmed, it remains to be seen just what lies ahead for this series.
Kelly Bishop, Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel in a scene from Gilmore Girls revival, which comes out next month on Netflix.
Television’s love affair with movie stars will continue as HBO’s Big Little Lies starring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman makes its first official appearance with an eerie trailer. Inspired from Liane Moriarty’s bestselling dark comedy novel penned by David E. Kelley and directed by Jean-Marc Valee (Dallas Buyers Club, Wild), the show, which traces the lives of three different suburban mothers, could become a hot favourite with critics come 2017.
November will also mark the comeback of The Gilmore Girls, courtesy of Netflix. But it’s not a full-length season. No, instead the comeback titled Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life will feature four 90-minute episodes. Ahead of the show’s release, Netflix has released the first official pictures from the show and it looks like all the old players have returned to the quirky town of Stars Hollow.
