Latest news with #MichaelChiklis
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps' Review: Marvel Gets Its Mojo Back With a Satisfying Retro-Styled Reboot
Fourth time's the charm. First there was the low-budget version of 'The Fantastic Four,' produced by Roger Corman, which Marvel managed to bury before it hit theaters (though bootlegs abound). The comic-book company was far more enthusiastic about a pair of early-2000s adaptations at Fox, which boasted a fun cast — including Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis — but couldn't get the tone right, skewing corny in both the dialogue and effects departments. Then came the 2015 reboot, which was a bomb, turning the characters into sullen, moody versions of themselves (and Dr. Doom into an emo megalomaniac). As live-action adaptations of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's pulp quartet go, Marvel's back-to-the-drawing-board 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' succeeds where earlier attempts have faltered — and good thing, too, since the studio has a lot more riding on this franchise now. At their peak, Marvel movies earned upwards of $1 billion at the box office, but they've lost steam of late, as the studio unfairly asks fans to consume every film and TV show in its extended 'cinematic universe' just to keep up with the increasingly convoluted mythology (one complicated by alternate realities, time travel and so on). More from Variety Original 'Fantastic Four' Star Michael Chiklis Wishes Marvel's New Cast the 'Best of Luck and Success': 'I Admire These Actors' 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' Trailer to Screen Exclusively in Theaters Before 'Fantastic Four' 'Fantastic Four' First Reactions Say Film Is One of the 'Best Things Marvel Has Ever Made' With 'Stunning Visuals' and 'Excellent' Performances From Leading Cast The new movie, which Matt Shakman directs with a stylish retro-futurist flair, skips over the whole origin-story shtick we typically get whenever new superheroes are introduced. Personally, I find that to be the most relatable aspect of the genre: the part where we get to see how ordinary people adapt to the gift/curse of being granted extraordinary powers. It's the stuff that comes next, when those same characters must inevitably face off against some force hell-bent on destroying Earth, that bores me. What a pleasant surprise, then, that the opposite proves true in 'First Steps,' which centers almost entirely on a threat from Marvel's biggest villain to date, the planet-sized Galactus. The Fantastic Four are already famous when the film opens, appearing on an 'Ed Sullivan'-style variety show to celebrate four years of protecting the world from all manner of human-scale villains (relatively manageable pests like Mole Man, who resurfaces here in the form of Paul Walter Hauser, or Red Ghost and his Super-Apes, name-checked early on in a nod to the vintage comics). Set in the early 1960s, the movie starts out almost like a sitcom from that era — albeit one filmed in the high-definition Imax format — presenting a brief but impressive shot of the Baxter Building, an elegant space-age skyscraper that's home to our heroes (in 'Mad Men'-era Manhattan), before cutting to a domestic scene between Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and his wife, Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby). Sue, who can generate force fields and make objects (and herself) disappear, has just learned that she is pregnant — something these two struggled for years to achieve. In this couple's case, however, the discovery adds an understandable anxiety other parents needn't worry about: What effect will that fateful exposure to cosmic rays, which gave the Fantastic Four their powers, have on their unborn child? It's common knowledge that 'The Incredibles' writer-director Brad Bird had the Fantastic Four in mind when he conceived his beloved Pixar cartoon, which resonated with audiences because it focused on the everyday concerns of an exceptional family. Now 'First Steps' returns the favor, adopting what worked so well in that animated homage — especially the mystery of what mutant abilities their adorable computer-generated baby might inherit (the two films also share a composer, Michael Giacchino). Here, the central foursome are more or less related: Reed and Sue are married, and they live with her hotheaded younger brother Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Reed's strong but sensitive best friend Ben Grimm ('The Bear' star Ebon Moss-Bachrach). Ben came back from their fateful space flight permanently transformed into a hulking rock monster, which hinders him from expressing his romantic feelings toward Rachel Rozman (Natasha Lyonne), a friendly teacher from his old neighborhood. Visual effects technology has come a long way since filmmakers obliged Chiklis to don a bulky foam latex suit as the Thing, and Marvel is now capable of conjuring the expressive orange character entirely from CGI — even if his mouth doesn't always match what he's saying. As visual effects go, it's hard to top the handsome Pascal, who gives the elastic Mr. Fantastic a gravitas missing in previous ensembles. As Sue, Kirby delivers her super-baby in space, but that's nothing compared with the marathon labor scene in 'Pieces of a Woman.' Shakman, who has only directed one other feature (2014's 'Cut Bank') but counts all nine episodes of the 'WandaVision' limited series among his extensive TV credits, gives the Fantastic Four sufficient time to establish their personalities before introducing Julia Garner as Galactus' herald, Shalla-Bal. Looking like a cross between a hood ornament and a chrome-plated surfing trophy (when she should be at least as impressive as the liquid-metal man from 'Terminator 2'), she travels all the way to Times Square to announce that Earth will soon be devoured by her all-consuming master. Gender-swapping the Silver Surfer is the biggest — and likely most controversial — change to Marvel arcana, although it does yield an intriguingly flirtatious dynamic with Johnny. Marvel has made clear that the studio is preparing the Fantastic Four's most iconic nemesis, Dr. Doom, for a forthcoming film, but the planet-obliterating combo of Galactus and Silver Surfer hardly feel like second best. If anything, they trump even Thanos, a force so strong it took uniting all the Avengers to defeat him. Superhero experts can tell you where this is all headed, along with the significance of certain inside jokes, including references to whether Sue Storm will give birth to twins and catchphrases from the classic Hanna-Barbera animated series. Truth be told, 'First Steps' can feel like a live-action 'The Jetsons' at times, between the flying Fantasticar and production designer Kasra Farahani's brightly colored modern sets, like Reed's lab and the family kitchen (where robot assistant Herbie does the cooking). Somehow, the brains at Marvel must find a way to get this team from the past — and a parallel reality on Earth 828 — over to where the rest of their stable now reside. Now that Deadpool, Wolverine, the X-Men and the Fantastic Four have been reunited with the other iconic Marvel characters (under the same corporate umbrella, at least), Disney is well positioned to do something interesting with them. And yet, there's relief to be had from a Marvel movie in which you needn't have carefully studied multiple other movies to make sense of what's happening. Kid-friendly and funny enough without veering into self-parody, 'First Steps' represents the launch of Phase Six for the studio, building toward another two-part 'Avengers' tentpole from the Russo brothers. True to its subtitle, the film feels like a fresh start. And like this summer's blockbuster 'Superman' reboot over at DC, that could be just what it takes to win back audiences suffering from superhero exhaustion. Best of Variety The Best Albums of the Decade Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former 'Fantastic Four' star Michael Chiklis looks forward to watching new cast take on 'these iconic roles'
The original big-screen Ben Grimm wished the team behind the reboot "the best of luck." Michael Chiklis, who starred as Ben Grimm/The Thing in the 2005 movie Fantastic Four, is cheering on the upcoming reboot. "I want to thank everyone for all the Fantastic Four love this last couple of months during the run up to the new F4 flick," Chiklis wrote Monday on social media to caption a snapshot of himself in character. "Speaking of which, I want to wish the cast and crew of First Steps the best of luck and success. I admire these actors and look forward to seeing them take on these iconic roles. #F4Forever #TheThing." Chiklis costarred in the big-screen take on the Marvel comic book characters along with a cast that included Ioan Gruffudd (as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic), Jessica Alba (Sue Storm/Invisible Woman), Chris Evans (Johnny Storm/Human Torch), Kerry Washington (Alicia Masters), and the late Julian McMahon (the villainous Victor von Doom/Dr. Doom). The Shield alum reprised his role in the 2007 sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. The new film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, stars Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Vanessa Kirby, and, stepping into the role Chiklis once played, The Bear's Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Moss-Bachrach has explained that he managed to utter a particular catchphrase that audiences heard from Chiklis in the new MCU movie. "Do you say the words 'it's clobberin' time' at any point?" Jimmy Kimmel asked him on his late-night show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, in January. "I slipped it in there a couple times," Moss-Bachrach said, but he couldn't make any guarantees the phrase would end up in the superhero flick. "We'll see what happens. I don't have final cut on this one."And he noted that some things about the character had changed since Chiklis portrayed him beginning in 2005 and Jamie Bell played him in the first reboot of the movie a decade later. (The 2015 film costarred Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, and Miles Teller.) While Chiklis used prosthetics and makeup to play the role, Bell's portrayal was created digitally. Moss-Bachrach said he filmed the part wearing a motion-capture suit. The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives in theaters Friday, July 25. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly Solve the daily Crossword
Economic Times
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
BMF Season 4: Starz crime show's release date, plot, cast and production team
BMF Season 4 is set to return on June 6, with new episodes airing weekly on Starz. The trailer teases fresh developments, including a new character played by Michael story follows Meech and Terry Flenory as they expand their music label in Atlanta during the 1990s. Their goal is to grow their influence beyond Detroit and into national markets. The brothers face multiple challenges. These include police pressure, rival enemies and issues within their partnership. The tension between them increases as they try to trust one another. Also Read: Nintendo Switch 2: Is new gaming console available in market? Details here Michael Chiklis will appear in a cameo role as DEA Agent Taylor. His character helps in the investigation against the Flenory brothers. This adds another hurdle for Meech and Terry. Chiklis is known for his roles in The Shield and Fantastic Four. His presence brings a new element to the storyline. Eric Kofi-Abrefa returns as Lamar, the Flenory brothers' longtime enemy. At the end of Season 2, Lamar was shown struggling with drug use. Donnell Rawlings also returns as Alvin, Lamar's cousin, who brings a lighter tone to the Read: Ginny & Georgia Season 3 Ending Explained: Here's what happened Season 4 will feature returning cast members like Russell Hornsby as Charles Flenory, Michole Briana White as Lucille Flenory, La La Anthony as Markisha, Steve Harris as Detective Bryant, and Myles Truitt as B-Mickie. The show is executive-produced by Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson and creator Randy Huggins. Heather Zuhlke serves as showrunner. Other executive producers include Anthony Wilson, Damione Macedon and Raphael Jackson, Jr. The series is produced through G-Unit Film and Television in collaboration with Lionsgate Television. Who does Michael Chiklis play in BMF Season 4? Michael Chiklis plays DEA Agent Taylor, who joins the investigation against the Flenory brothers and adds pressure to their criminal organization. When does BMF Season 4 start streaming? BMF Season 4 starts streaming on Friday, June 6, with new episodes released weekly on the Starz app.
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Surprise reason Neighbours star was thrilled to be beaten up by Hollywood actor while filming movie in Victoria
Brett Tucker had a giant smile on his face after being 'beaten up' by Hollywood heavyweight Liam Neeson—and who wouldn't? The Neighbours star, 53, who is currently filming The Mongoose alongside Neeson, 72, in Victoria, posted a picture with the Taken alum on Saturday. In the snap, Tucker was drenched in fake blood as he posed with the acting icon. The pair presumably took part in a fake fight scene in the film, which left the Aussie star looking worse for wear. 'When #liamneeson kicks your arse, its stays kicked,' he captioned the post, which has garnered over 3,000 likes. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The Mongoose is an action-thriller flick that tells the story of war hero Ryan 'Fang' Flanagan (Neeson) who is wrongly accused of a crime. The film, featuring Marisa Tomei and Michael Chiklis, will be the third project Neeson has made in Victoria in the last four years. In March, the Batman Begins actor was spotted cruising down Altona Pier behind the wheel of a black Ford Mustang as he performed a car stunt for the film. Neeson stunned onlookers as he filmed what appeared to be the flick's gripping climax, in which his character is forced into a corner and speeds down a jetty. Meanwhile, Neeson's co-star Michael Chiklis, 61, recently shared a gallery of photos to social media capturing some of the local sights he saw while staying in Melbourne. The Fantastic Four actor wrote some heartfelt words alongside pictures of the city's famous skyscrapers, the Yarra River and some tasty-looking local dishes. 'Melbourne is happening! Streets are packed and full of life. Wonderful art, music, food, cocktails and coffee! Even the skies are alive. #goodvibes,' Chiklis gushed. It comes after the Oscar-nominated actor recently lent his star power to a house listing video for a suburban home in Melbourne. The veteran performer featured in the amusing promo which uses famous catchphrases from Neeson's 2008 box office hit Taken. Neeson agreed to provide a voice-over for the clip because he is friends with the family, who own the four-bedroom home in Mulgrave. The modern two-storey home, which went to auction earlier this month, includes a pool and has a price guide of $1.3million to $1.4million. Neeson became acquainted with the family—Dean Fay, his wife Sonia and their daughters—while making films in Australia, reported the Herald Sun. In the promo, Neeson, who was unable to appear in the clip due to filming commitments, is heard telling sales Ming Xu to send him a video of the house. He mentioned he doesn't have time to inspect the property personally because he is busy making a film. Xu then tells Neeson he better be quick to buy the house or it will be 'taken'—a cheeky reference to the star's hit franchise. 'Oh, very original,' the action star sarcastically replied. The punch line of the video uses another nod to Taken, in which a suited figure can be seen standing in front of the Mulgrave home. Xu, who is relaxing in a pool, takes a call from the menacing-sounding Neeson. 'I didn't give you the address,' the agent tells the star, who replies: 'I told you I'd find you.' Owner Fay told the Herald Sun he wrote a script and Neeson made some changes before recording his dialogue. 'Not many actors would do that for a buddy at the end of the day. He's a very generous guy,' the filmmaker said. Fay is a well-known assistant director who has worked with Neeson on projects, including 2022's Blacklight, which was filmed in Melbourne and Canberra.
New York Times
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Trump Administration Live Updates: Bessent Defends Approach to Tariffs as ‘Strategic Uncertainty'
media memo Usually, the White House Correspondents' Association dinner features Hollywood stars, a zinger-filled comedy set and a public display of comity between the White House and the press corps that covers it. On Saturday, the dinner had no comedian and no president. Among the smattering of celebrities on hand was Michael Chiklis, whose best-known television role, in 'The Shield,' concluded in 2008. 'It's just us,' Eugene Daniels, the association's president and an MSNBC host, told his fellow journalists at the start of the night. The reporters who spoke from the dais emphasized the importance of the First Amendment, garnering repeated ovations from the black-tie crowd. Levity came in the form of clips from past years, when presidents still turned up and cracked wise about the press and themselves. Hand-wringing about the dinner, once the apex of the capital's social calendar, is as much a Washington tradition as the corporate-sponsored parties that surround it. But as media institutions grapple with an onslaught from President Trump — who has sued and threatened television networks, barred The Associated Press from presidential events and upended the day-to-day workings of the White House press corps — the notion of a booze-soaked celebration felt particularly jarring. 'The mood and reality sucks,' said Jim VandeHei, the journalist and news executive who helped create Politico and then Axios, two stalwarts of the Beltway media. 'No president attending, no comedian to make fun of all of us, TV networks buckling under government pressure, a top producer quitting over corporate interference and the public sour on the media and government,' Mr. VandeHei said. 'Enjoy the weekend!' It is true that, in the last several days alone, the head of '60 Minutes' resigned as CBS's owner considered a multimillion-dollar payment to settle a lawsuit brought by President Trump, and the Committee to Protect Journalists, a nonprofit that aids reporters living under autocrats, issued a safety advisory for journalists planning to visit the United States. And on Friday afternoon, hours before the first wave of weekend parties, the Justice Department announced that it would subpoena reporters' phone records and compel their testimony in leak investigations. Maybe journalists could use a moment or two to relax. 'Our clients work so hard covering today's nonstop news cycle, and once a year we throw a big weekend of parties to honor them for their work,' said Rachel Adler, the head of news at Creative Artists Agency, who represents television journalists like Andrea Mitchell and Audie Cornish and was the co-host of a jampacked soiree on Friday at a private Georgetown club. 'Why would this year be any different?' Tammy Haddad, a Washington impresario whose annual Saturday garden party went ahead unabated and well-attended, said that for all the tensions over press access and independence, the weekend was still a chance for community. 'Some chose to stay away, but there are opportunities to make new connections and find some common ground,' she said. (Her guests included the editor Tina Brown, the chef Bobby Flay and Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity doctor recently sworn in to lead Medicare and Medicaid.) Still, the correspondents' dinner itself carried a more serious tenor than in years past. Some of the loudest applause came for journalists at The A.P., which has been embroiled in a legal fight with the administration after Mr. Trump sought to restrict access to its reporters for using the term 'Gulf of Mexico' in its coverage. Mr. Daniels pledged support to The A.P. and also to Voice of America, another outlet that has been the target of Mr. Trump's scorn. With no entertainer for the evening, Mr. Daniels served as the keynote speaker, calling for journalistic solidarity. 'What we are not is the opposition,' he said. 'What we are not is the enemy of the people. And what we are not is the enemy of the state.' He called journalists 'competitive and pushy,' but also 'human,' noting the effort that reporters make to ensure accurate information reaches the public. Image Eugene Daniels, the association's president and an MSNBC host, at the dinner on Saturday. Credit... Jose Luis Magana/Associated Press In interviews, top journalists at multiple news outlets said that it had been nearly impossible to convince celebrities and lawmakers to attend as guests. One reporter said that the list of people who had rejected invitations to join the publication's table was in the 'dozens.' This is a dinner that once attracted the likes of George Clooney and Steven Spielberg. On Saturday, it seemed as if the most au courant actor in town was Jason Isaacs, the Englishman who played the dad on the latest edition of 'The White Lotus,' and whose character spent the season fantasizing about a murder-suicide. Mark Leibovich, a correspondent for The Atlantic, said he found it refreshing to have an evening more focused on the act of reporting than a comedian's speech. Still, he added, 'I wish we could have used the time we gained from that to all leave an hour earlier.' The correspondents' association represents hundreds of journalists who regularly cover the workings of the White House. Its autonomy has been undermined repeatedly by the Trump administration, which broke precedent by handpicking which outlets are granted access to the 'pool' that covers smaller presidential events and has signaled plans to shake up the seating chart in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. (For decades, the correspondents' association has overseen the pool and the seating chart.) In February, the group announced that a comedian, Amber Ruffin, the actress and talk-show host, would be the dinner's featured entertainer. Last month, Ms. Ruffin's appearance was canceled. She had appeared on a podcast where she referred to the Trump administration as 'kind of a bunch of murderers.' Mr. Daniels said he wanted 'to ensure the focus is not on the politics of division.' Ms. Ruffin has since mocked the group for canceling her set, quipping: 'We have a free press so that we can be nice to Republicans at fancy dinners — that's what it says in the First Amendment.' In previous years — including in 2018, during Mr. Trump's first term — the White House press secretary attended the dinner and sat on the dais. Karoline Leavitt, Mr. Trump's current press secretary, said she had turned down an invitation. On Friday, during an interview with the Axios reporter Mike Allen, Ms. Leavitt was asked to describe the news media in one word. 'Exhausted,' she said, with a smile.
