Latest news with #HBOseries
The Guardian
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Sick of And Just Like That? Try Sex and the City: The Movie instead
It's a rite of passage. Some stole late-night glimpses when they snuck into the lounge room while their mother watched it. Others gobbled it up on a laptop in bed. For gen Z, many first encountered Sex and the City via meme pages dedicated to digitally archiving the best outfits, best quotes or most problematic storylines from the HBO series that followed the misadventures of Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis). Then, when the series landed internationally on Netflix last year, gen Z got properly acquainted – and much to the surprise of their millennial elders, they didn't hate it. The original show remains timeless. And rather than suffer through the increasingly deranged overtures of its revival And Just Like That, newer fans may do well to revisit an earlier sequel – Sex and the City: The Movie. Released in 2008, it aligned perfectly with a cinema boom for millennial women, where moviegoing was done in groups, usually supplemented by themed drinks and food. It was also panned viciously by critics, who called it shallow and bloated – though this Sex and the City diehard thinks it deserves a reappraisal. It picks up where the series finale left off, providing a very neat synopsis of the intervening years. Carrie is still dating her on-again, off-again beau, Big. Charlotte and her husband Harry have adopted their daughter Lily. Samantha has moved to LA to manage her movie star boyfriend Smith's career. And Miranda has moved to – quelle horreur – Brooklyn. Granted, there are a lot of things wrong with this film. Like its 142-minute run time, which is at least 90 minutes too long. Or its farcical series of events: a near-wedding, a breakup, a pregnancy, a tragically horny dog, some questionable product placement, a trip to Mexico that leads to a faecal incident, and then an actual wedding. Or that every character's life seems to revolve around Carrie in a far more egregious way than the series. Or that they fat-shame Samantha for putting on a couple of kilos. If the series was barely concealed lifestyle porn for millennial women, the movie makes no attempt at justifying the absurdity of these people's lives. The clothes are even flashier, the real estate is more lavish, and their personal problems are always solved by money. But beneath the excess, Sex and the City: The Movie works when it zeroes in on the ways that its central quartet continually show up for each other. Samantha feeds Carrie yoghurt after she hasn't left her bed for two days. Miranda opens her door on New Year's Eve to a breathless Carrie, who's run across the city to get there before midnight to tell her, 'You're not alone.' When Charlotte runs into the man who's betrayed her friend, her face cracks open in feral rage. 'I curse the day you were born!' she screams. The movie, like the show, only makes sense when it's exploring the inexplicable bonds among these four women and what it means to be a true friend. One of the most emotionally brutal scenes in the movie is when Miranda and Carrie go out for dinner on Valentine's Day – sans suitors. Carrie is heartbroken; Miranda has a guilty secret to confess. When it all spills over into a fight in the middle of the restaurant, it feels genuinely tragic: a failure of communication so familiar it stings. It's one of the most believable moments in the movie; Parker and Nixon capture the agony of friendship so naturally it almost feels improvised. Crucially, the film can stand on its own. You don't need to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of Carrie's past boyfriends. You don't need to know that Samantha once dated a lesbian artist, or that Charlotte and Harry met because of her divorce, or that Miranda once yelled at a man, 'I'm no Mena Suvari but I'm great in bed!' You can get through Sex and the City: The Movie without knowing what any of those things mean and still understand what this movie is about: four women who help each other as they constantly renegotiate their relationships with men. It's a perfect paean to imperfect friendships. Sex and the City: The Movie is available to stream on Binge and Prime Video in Australia, Netflix in the UK and HBO Max in the US. For more recommendations of what to stream in Australia, click here
The Guardian
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Sick of And Just Like That? Try Sex and the City: The Movie instead
It's a rite of passage. Some stole late-night glimpses when they snuck into the lounge room while their mother watched it. Others gobbled it up on a laptop in bed. For gen Z, many first encountered Sex and the City via meme pages dedicated to digitally archiving the best outfits, best quotes or most problematic storylines from the HBO series that followed the misadventures of Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis). Then, when the series landed internationally on Netflix last year, gen Z got properly acquainted – and much to the surprise of their millennial elders, they didn't hate it. The original show remains timeless. And rather than suffer through the increasingly deranged overtures of its revival And Just Like That, newer fans may do well to revisit an earlier sequel – Sex and the City: The Movie. Released in 2008, it aligned perfectly with a cinema boom for millennial women, where moviegoing was done in groups, usually supplemented by themed drinks and food. It was also panned viciously by critics, who called it shallow and bloated – though this Sex and the City diehard thinks it deserves a reappraisal. It picks up where the series finale left off, providing a very neat synopsis of the intervening years. Carrie is still dating her on-again, off-again beau, Big. Charlotte and her husband Harry have adopted their daughter Lily. Samantha has moved to LA to manage her movie star boyfriend Smith's career. And Miranda has moved to – quelle horreur – Brooklyn. Granted, there are a lot of things wrong with this film. Like its 142-minute run time, which is at least 90 minutes too long. Or its farcical series of events: a near-wedding, a breakup, a pregnancy, a tragically horny dog, some questionable product placement, a trip to Mexico that leads to a faecal incident, and then an actual wedding. Or that every character's life seems to revolve around Carrie in a far more egregious way than the series. Or that they fat-shame Samantha for putting on a couple of kilos. If the series was barely concealed lifestyle porn for millennial women, the movie makes no attempt at justifying the absurdity of these people's lives. The clothes are even flashier, the real estate is more lavish, and their personal problems are always solved by money. But beneath the excess, Sex and the City: The Movie works when it zeroes in on the ways that its central quartet continually show up for each other. Samantha feeds Carrie yoghurt after she hasn't left her bed for two days. Miranda opens her door on New Year's Eve to a breathless Carrie, who's run across the city to get there before midnight to tell her, 'You're not alone.' When Charlotte runs into the man who's betrayed her friend, her face cracks open in feral rage. 'I curse the day you were born!' she screams. The movie, like the show, only makes sense when it's exploring the inexplicable bonds among these four women and what it means to be a true friend. One of the most emotionally brutal scenes in the movie is when Miranda and Carrie go out for dinner on Valentine's Day – sans suitors. Carrie is heartbroken; Miranda has a guilty secret to confess. When it all spills over into a fight in the middle of the restaurant, it feels genuinely tragic: a failure of communication so familiar it stings. It's one of the most believable moments in the movie; Parker and Nixon capture the agony of friendship so naturally it almost feels improvised. Crucially, the film can stand on its own. You don't need to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of Carrie's past boyfriends. You don't need to know that Samantha once dated a lesbian artist, or that Charlotte and Harry met because of her divorce, or that Miranda once yelled at a man, 'I'm no Mena Suvari but I'm great in bed!' You can get through Sex and the City: The Movie without knowing what any of those things mean and still understand what this movie is about: four women who help each other as they constantly renegotiate their relationships with men. It's a perfect paean to imperfect friendships. Sex and the City: The Movie is available to stream on Binge and Prime Video in Australia, Netflix in the UK and HBO Max in the US. For more recommendations of what to stream in Australia, click here
CTV News
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
You're a TV star, Harry: Potter series to debut in 2027
This image released by HBO shows Dominic McLaughlin, who will portray Harry Potter, on the set of HBO series "Harry Potter," scheduled for 2027. (Aidan Monaghan/HBO via AP) NEW YORK — Filming has begun on a Harry Potter TV series that will debut in 2027, bringing the Hollywood hit to the small screen for the first time. Adapted from the wildly popular books, which have also yielded blockbuster films and stage shows, the latest outing for the boy who lived is being filmed at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, Britain, the studio said Monday. While no exact release date has been confirmed, the show will be available on the HBO Max streaming platform. The franchise sees the eponymous Potter plucked from non-magical obscurity and thrust into a wizarding world in which he and his close friends Ron and Hermione battle against the forces of darkness. With the mega-selling books' author JK Rowling among its executive producers, the show is envisaged as 'a decade-long series' featuring a new cast from the films. Potter will be played by Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton will star as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will take on the role of Ron Weasley. Established stars will appear alongside them, with John Lithgow playing headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. Rowling has faced accusations of transphobia in recent years for placing an emphasis on biological sex over gender identity in comments about trans women. She denies the accusation.
Daily Mail
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Fans left heartbroken after HBO 'fires' beloved star from popular series: 'Terrible decision'
Fans of the popular HBO series The Pitt have been left heartbroken after reports emerged that claimed a main star from the beloved show had been fired. Variety reported earlier this week that Tracy Ifeachor will not be returning as Heather Collins for the upcoming second season of the medical drama. Sources told the publication that the decision was made by the 'show's creative team' and that Tracy is not leaving 'of her own accord.' Immediately, fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their dismay over the news. 'WHAT? She plays one of the best characters on the show,' one upset user wrote. 'Well that's disappointing. I liked her. She could really convey a lot of emotion on her face,' another added. 'Well they need to fire the creative team and rehire her,' someone else penned. 'NOOOO,' read a fourth tweet, while a fifth said, 'This makes me mad.' 'I'm really mad about this I really thought we were gonna explore more about her character next season,' a different user quipped. Another simply replied, 'Mistake,' to Variety's post about it. 'Why?!?!! Terrible decision to let her go,' said someone else. 'Great actress. Their loss,' announced a different person. One fan joked that they were going to protest at the HBO Max officers, while another asked the creators, 'What were you thinking?' Someone else even said they were so distraught they had 'fallen to their knees.' The Pitt premiered earlier this year and also stars Noah Wyle, Patrick Ball, Katherine LaNasa, Supriya Ganesh, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, Isa Briones, Gerran Howell, and Shabana Azeez. It follows the daily lives of healthcare professionals in a Pittsburgh hospital, specifically within the emergency department. Immediately, fans took to X, formerly Twitter , to share their dismay over the news Tracy's character, Dr. Collins, was a senior resident in the emergency room who clashes with the main character Dr. Michael 'Robby' Robinavitch. The actress has yet to confirm the news, but one day before Variety's report came out she posted a cryptic message to Instagram reflecting on her time in the show. 'What a blessing to be a part of this first and foundational season of #ThePitt on @hbomax,' she wrote. 'It was an absolute privilege to play Dr. Heather Collins in such a groundbreaking season and piece. 'Thank you to everyone who has watched and supported season one and shared their stories with me.'
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
J.K. Rowling Praises Scripts for ‘Harry Potter' HBO Series as Fans Continue Boycott Over Anti-Trans Views
As backlash over J.K. Rowling's stance on transgender rights continues to grow, the controversial author is doubling down on her involvement in the upcoming Harry Potter reboot at HBO — and giving fans a first taste of what's to come. While many longtime fans have vowed to boycott the new series due to Rowling's anti-transgender rhetoric, the author is hyping up those still on her side as the Warner Bros. Discovery project heads into production this summer, with a 2026 premiere date on the horizon. 'I read the first two episodes of the forthcoming HBO Harry Potter series and they are SO, SO, SO GOOD!' Rowling shared on X, adding that she's 'worked closely' with the show's writers' room. When one follower asked if she's directly writing the new scripts, Rowling clarified, 'No, but I've worked closely with the extremely talented writers.' HBO Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys has previously addressed the controversy surrounding Rowling and whether her politics will influence the reboot. 'The decision to be in business with J.K. Rowling is not new for us,' Bloys said during an appearance on The Town with Matthew Belloni podcast. 'We've been in business for 25 years. We already have a show on HBO from her called C.B. Strike that we do with the BBC.' Bloys continued, 'It's pretty clear that those are her personal, political views. She's entitled to them. Harry Potter is not secretly being infused with anything. If you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter.' According to Deadline, Rowling was involved in the original pitch process and will executive produce the series through her Brontë Film and TV banner. Bloys confirmed her involvement, saying, 'She will be involved. She's an executive producer on the show. Her insights are going to be helpful on that.' He added that Rowling's ongoing controversies are 'very nuanced and complicated,' but emphasized, 'Our priority is what's on the screen. Obviously, the Harry Potter story is incredibly affirmative and positive and about love and self-acceptance. That's our priority — what's on screen.' Rowling sparked renewed outrage after she publicly praised the UK Supreme Court's ruling that trans women can be excluded from the legal definition of 'women.' In response, more than 400 individuals signed an open letter demanding the UK film and TV industry take action. Among them was actor Paapa Essiedu — who is now confirmed to play Professor Snape in the upcoming reboot.
