Latest news with #JohnMalkovich
Boston Globe
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
‘Opus,' ‘Y2K,' plus more new and good movies and TV shows to stream this weekend
John Malkovich in "Opus." Courtesy of A24 'Opus' While Edebiri has won an Emmy for her comedic chops in shows like 'The Bear,' the Bay State star proved she's pretty good in horror projects, too, in the new flick 'Opus,' now available on video-on-demand platforms. Edebiri stars as Ariel, a young journalist who gets invited to cover an album listening party hosted at a desert compound by a past-his-prime pop star played by John Malkovich, which quickly devolves into a cult-fueled horror show. Malkovich Available to buy or rent on video-on-demand platforms Advertisement 'Y2K' Millennials might not want to believe it, but it's been nearly a quarter of a century since the Y2K scare. 'Saturday Night Live' alum Kyle Mooney imagines what would've happened if those fears came to life in his directorial debut, 'Y2K.' The over-the-top apocalyptic comedy, now streaming on Max, stars Available on Max TV show now available to stream Abbey and David in "Love on the Spectrum." Courtesy of Netflix 'Love on the Spectrum' 'Love on the Spectrum' returned to Netflix this week for its highly-anticipated third season. The Emmy-winning reality series follows people on the autism spectrum as they look for love while navigating today's dating landscape. While the latest season features plenty of newcomers, like Madison Marilla of Sudbury and Pari Kim of Boston, there are several returning faces as well, including fan-favorite Boston native Available on Netflix Advertisement Binge-worthy weekend TV picks Jon Hamm in "Mad Men." Frank Ockenfels/AMC 'Mad Men' Before that project debuts next week, take a trip back in time to when Hamm first dominated our TV screens in the acclaimed drama 'Mad Men,' available to stream on AMC+. In the '60s-set series, Hamm plays Don Draper, a philandering and booze-loving ad exec with a dark secret, who often butts heads with his colleagues at Sterling Cooper. Available on AMC+ 'Three's Company' Come and knock on Peacock's door, because the streaming service is now the home of the classic sitcom 'Three's Company.' The iconic '70s series starred John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, and Suzanne Somers as an odd trio of roommates living together in sunny California. All eight seasons are now available to binge. Available on Peacock Movie night pick Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Moneyball." 'Moneyball' Baseball season is in full swing, so what better way to celebrate the return of America's pastime than with the hit sports biopic 'Moneyball.' The Oscar-nominated film, now available to stream on Paramount+ and Peacock, stars Brad Pitt as former Athletics general manager Billy Beane and chronicles his innovative, mathematical approach to assembling a winning ball club. Interested in a full weekend of baseball movies? 'Field of Dreams' and 'For Love of the Game' are now streaming on Netflix, too. Available on Paramount+ and Peacock Matt Juul can be reached at
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Opus' director on casting Ayo Edebiri as a foil to John Malkovich: ‘She could do anything. She could play Thor.'
Opus tells the story of Ariel Ecton, a budding writer played by Ayo Edebiri who's one of a handful of journalists selected to visit the compound of an enigmatic pop star (John Malkovich) to celebrate his return to music after a 30-year disappearance. Malkovich's character, Alfred Moretti, isn't a direct parody of any pop star — he's like Madonna meets David Bowie meets Willy Wonka. His devoted followers live with him on a compound, and the longer Ariel spends with him, the more the fandom begins to feel like a cult. Mark Anthony Green, a former style columnist for GQ, wrote and directed the film. His work at the magazine bred a fascination with celebrity tribalism and the ways people obsess over their favorite musicians and actors, which he drew upon when making Opus. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Green spoke with Yahoo Entertainment after the film's premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Opus opens in theaters on March 14. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Where did this idea come from, and how did you come to believe that this idea was a movie? I like the way you phrased that, because there's a thing I want to say about the world — I wanted us to interrogate this pandemic of tribalism that is in every country and all over the world and in every facet, not just entertainment. There were a bunch of different worlds that I wanted to explore visually. I just started writing, and six years later, I'm here talking with Kelsey. Pop-star horror is popular right now, which is, of course, a result of what we value as a culture. But this movie is so different from recent releases like and , because instead of being about the terror of a pop star, it's about the terror of being a pop star. Is there a reason you chose the other perspective? It's funny — as a filmmaker, you're supposed to say, 'Oh, I don't want to be talked about in the context of other films.' But I love Smile 2! That opening sequence is sick. The cool thing about art is that you can have a similar thesis statement as other artists, because as artists, we're just sitting in our little caves and observing the world. Then we artistically render something and show it to people. I feel weirdly honored when people are like, 'You're doing something this other movie did, but you did it differently.' I love Blink Twice and Midsommar [and other films Opus has been compared to] because they're all so different, but the similarities are speaking to each other. You've got one of the biggest movie stars in the world, John Malkovich, in your film playing this eccentric pop star. How did you know he was the right fit? I didn't know at first, but I believed in him. Through us crafting the character and working together, we met a bunch. I was emailing him at all hours of the night because he's never just sitting somewhere. He's never just in Los Angeles waiting on an email. He's in Austria doing a play. He's just off being John Malkovich, but he's fearless. One of the things I demanded was that the first thing he had to do was record the songs. I wanted him in there being Moretti. He had to sing them, and they had to be great. We had Nile Rodgers and The-Dream — you could make an objective argument that those are two of the best songwriters in the history of humanity. The facts are there, which is insane. [Malkovich] needed to bring a certain gravitas and presence to star and to work with them to justify all that talent being in the room. And he did — it felt like, 'Holy shit, we're in the room with Moretti!' I'm 36 and hopefully I have a lot of life left to live, but ... working with him as closely and intimately as we did has been one of the honors of my life. How did you know Ayo Edebiri had to be your star? First of all, if you can put Ayo Edebri in a film, you put Ayo Edebri in a film. I think she could do anything. She could play Thor. I would watch that! No disrespect to Chris Hemsworth, but if they're ever redoing Thor, I'm all in on Ayo. She's one of the greats. When you look at how long her career is going to be, you know this is just the beginning, which is so exciting. I think she has such great instincts. She has this massive capacity to be in the moment, and I think as a fan and a human who loves film, getting to watch her is one of the best things we've got going. Another star of the film, in my opinion, is Level, the cult that Ayo's character uncovers. How'd you come up with it? I did a ton of research! That gets kind of weird, because you realize some of these religions have bad practices, which Level does too, but some of them have good principles! With some, you can just feel the manipulation. Then some have very popular, common beliefs. Research was probably my least favorite part of this whole process, but it was really necessary. I wrote this 300-page bible, The Meditations of Level, and when I had done that I had to put it down for a few weeks then go back and read it. I felt like I knew what the religion was about — the pros, the cons, the way it could be exploited, the way it started and the good in it. That's what it's like developing a character — you want to have a well that you can pull from so when you're asked what something looks like, you have an answer. I guess the best way to approach a film is to do as much psycho work on the front end as possible so those decisions come very quickly when you're in production. Would you ever release that book and just not tell anyone that it's part of the movie? I would feel so bad if something bad happened! opens in theaters on March 14.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Horror Movies to Watch: March 2025 Picks Include 'Opus' and More
Welcome to Horror Explorer, a curated column showcasing the month's best movies, series, books and everything else spooky worth checking out. I'm William Earl, the editor of and the publication's resident horror enthusiast. Please drop me a line at wearl@ if there's something I should check out for next month's missive. More from Variety Geoffrey Rush on Battling John Lithgow (and His Twisted Hand Puppet) in Nursing Home Thriller 'The Rule of Jenny Pen': 'It's Like "The French Connection," But in a Wheelchair' John Malkovich on the 'Fun,' but 'Very Odd Experience' Shooting 'Fantastic Four' and Singing Pop Songs in 'Opus' 'Opus' Review: Even Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich Can't Save A24's Exceedingly Silly Horror Send-Up of Fandom'The Woman in the Yard' (In theaters Mar. 28 via Universal Pictures) — 'Carry-On' director Jaume Collet-Serra heads back to horror with this spooky family drama. When a woman draped in black sits down in a family's front yard in the middle of the day, she sure seems to be the harbinger of doom. Early footage looks handsome and the mystery sounds compelling enough to keep engaged.'The Rule of Jenny Pen' (In theaters Mar. 7 via Shudder) — Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow star in this bizarre and bloody murder mystery set in a retirement home. The duo square off, as Rush plays a sharp judge rendered semi-paralyzed after a stroke and Lithgow plays an off-kilter resident wielding a puppet and an appetite to ruin the lives of others. A small, shocking movie, 'Jenny Pen' is a unique addition to this year's horror roster. 'Opus' (In theaters Mar. 14 via A24) — Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich go head-to-head in this cult thriller. Malkovich plays an elusive pop superstar, who invites Edebiri along with a handful of journalists and influencers to his compound to hear his new album. But once creepy things start happening on the trip, writer-director Mark Anthony Green's story kicks into overdrive. (Read Variety's review here.)'The Buffalo Hunter Hunter' by Stephen Graham Jones (available 3/18 via S&S/Saga Press) — The author of 'My Heart Is a Chainsaw' and 'I Was a Teenage Slasher' is back with a historical thriller about a vampire in the early 1900s. With a keen eye to historical detail, Jones delivers another strong blend of horror and native culture. 'Splinter Effect' by Andrew Ludington (available 3/18 via Minotaur Books) — A splash of sci-fi pulp, Ludington's time-travelling jaunt evokes the fun of Indiana Jones adventures. An archeologist travels to ancient Rome to retrieve an important menorah and must battle a competitive treasure hunter as well as scores of historical adversaries who want the artifact for their own. Not horror, but genre fans who need something light will be happy to spend the afternoon on this by Southwest 2025 (Mar. 7– Mar. 15) — The annual Austin festival has a robust Midnighter section this year, including a Rosamund Pike thriller called 'Hallow Road'; an ambitious parallel universe revenge story 'Redux Redux'; and 'Good Boy,' a horror movie about a dog that can see ghosts. Best of Variety What's Coming to Disney+ in March 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in March 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John Malkovich said he refused to appear in Marvel movies for years before 'Fantastic Four' because the studio 'didn't want to pay me'
John Malkovich said he rejected multiple Marvel movie roles before starring in "The Fantastic Four." Malkovich told GQ he turned them down because he didn't like the pay deals he was offered. He's not the first actor to address being motivated by the paycheck when joining the Marvel franchise. John Malkovich makes his Marvel debut in this year's "Fantastic Four" reboot. But the actor said he rejected multiple past Marvel roles because he didn't think the pay was good enough. Malkovich, whose character in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" has not been confirmed, is the latest well-established actor to star in the superhero blockbuster movies, following the likes of Harrison Ford, Russell Crowe, and Helen Mirren. But Malkovich told GQ on Tuesday that he agreed to "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," which premieres in July, so he could work with the film's director Matt Shakman. The pair collaborated on 2014's "Cut Bank." Malkovich said he turned down previous Marvel roles because he "didn't like the deals they made, at all." "The reason I didn't do them had nothing to do with any artistic considerations whatsoever," he said. "These films are quite grueling to make…. If you're going to hang from a crane in front of a green screen for six months, pay me. "You don't want to pay me, it's cool, but then I don't want to do it, because I'd rather be onstage, or be directing a play, or doing something else." He's the latest actor to speak candidly about pay being a big motivator for them joining, or leaving, the billion-dollar franchise. When asked why he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ford told Variety in August 2024: "It took not caring. It took being an idiot for money, which I've done before." Hugo Weaving, who played the Red Skull in 2011's "Captain America: The First Avenger," told Time Out in 2020 that he didn't return to play the character in "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame" because Marvel offered him less money. "They said: 'It's just a voice job, it's not a big deal.' I actually found negotiating with them through my agent impossible. And I didn't really wanna do it that much. But I would have done it," he said. The character was recast for the two "Avengers" films, with Ross Marquand taking over the role, and they grossed $4.8 billion in total. Marvel did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John Malkovich Explains Why He Didn't Agree To Any Marvel Movie Before Fantastic Four, And The Perfect Quote From The Actor's Resume Comes To Mind
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Now that Captain America: Brave New World is playing in theaters, there two more upcoming Marvel movies left for release this year, the second of which is The Fantastic Four: First Steps. It will follow a few months after Thunderbolts*' arrival on the 2025 movies schedule, and while there's plenty we know about The Fantastic Four: First Steps, there are still numerous mysteries left to be solved for the reboot, including the identity of John Malkovich's character. What isn't a mystery, however, is why Malkovich joined First Steps after turning down numerous opportunities to appear in the MCU, and I immediately think of one of the actor's most well known quotes from his filmography: 'Pay that man his money.' Yes, the well-known line that Malkovich's KGB said about Matt Damon's Mike McDermott in 1998's Rounders immediately sprang to mind when I read what the subject of Being John Malkovich told GQ about what he's avoided Marvel movies until now. He started off saying: The reason I didn't do them had nothing to do with any artistic considerations whatsoever. I didn't like the deals they made, at all. These films are quite grueling to make…. If you're going to hang from a crane in front of a green screen for six months, pay me. You don't want to pay me, it's cool, but then I don't want to do it, because I'd rather be onstage, or be directing a play, or doing something else. Basically, it boils down to John Malkovich knowing his worth and not accepting anything less. I'm curious to learn what these other Marvel movies are that he'd ben approached for, but regardless, he didn't think he was being offered a fair deal for half his year being taken up on a blockbuster production. Ironically though, doing The Fantastic Four: First Steps made him realize that working on it wasn't that different than what he would have rather been doing if he wasn't being decently paid. In his words: It's not that dissimilar to doing theater. You imagine a bunch of stuff that isn't there and do your little play. As Somebody Who Has Liked Every Fantastic Four Movie, Here's Why I Am Over The Moon With Our First Glimpse Of The Fantastic Four: First Steps The Fantastic Four: First Steps Trailer Delighted Me, But Now I Have A Specific Concern About Galactus Fortunately for MCU fans and the general moviegoing public, Marvel Studios finally channeled John Malkovich's Rounders character and paid him an amount for The Fantastic Four: First Steps that met with his approval. As I mentioned, we still have no idea whom John Malkovich is playing in the first Phase Six movie, and it remains to be seen if that will be revealed in interviews or marketing ahead of time or if it's being saved for the movie. I think it's probably safe to assume, though, that he'll have a solid amount of screen time if all this effort went into bringing him aboard Malkovich's cast-mates in First Steps include Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Ralph Ineson, Julia Garner, Paul Walter Hauser, Natasha Lyonne and Sarah Niles, The movie, which is directed by WandaVision's Matt Shakman and takes place in a different corner of the Marvel multiverse, opens in theaters on July 25.
