Britt Hayes is a writer, movie lover, and sensible sweater enthusiast living in Austin, Texas. She watches too much TV and never eats her vegetables.
Britt Hayes
Paul Feig, Nina Jacobson and 50 More Hollywood Execs Form Campaign to End Gender Inequality
Every year, USC and Geena Davis’ Institute on Gender in Media (among others) release the findings of their studies on gender and minority representation in front of and behind the cameras in Hollywood — the results are inevitably bleak, showing little to no actual improvement. There are small changes (2016 had more women in protagonist film roles than ever), but the negative statistics (last year also had fewer speaking roles for women) often outweigh the good, and Hollywood’s gender imbalance is as prevalent as it ever was. How can we effect actual, meaningful change? Enter 52 influential industry executives, all of whom have combined forces to create a new campaign called ReFrame, which offers various tools and initiatives to combat gender inequality — actively.
Han Solo ‘Star Wars Story’ Kicks Off Production With First Cast Photo
Although pre-production on Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s young Han Solo spinoff has been underway for some time now (operating under the clever codename “Red Cup”), today marks the full, official start of production. To celebrate, Lucasfilm has debuted the first photo of the cast and their directors, crammed together inside the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon as if posing for a very cheerful (if a bit tardy) holiday greeting card.
‘Mary Poppins Returns’ Gets a Spoonful of Angela Lansbury
The imminent live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast looks wonderful, sure, but it’s sorely lacking the presence of Angela Lansbury, particularly in the musical department. Rest assured that Disney recognizes your disappointment and they, too, feel as though we could all desperately use a little Lansbury magic in our lives — thus, a solution has emerged: The artist formerly known as Jessica Fletcher will generously grace the Mary Poppins sequel with her presence.
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ International Titles Clear Up Some Confusion
When Lucasfilm initially revealed Star Wars: The Last Jedi as the full title for Episode VIII, rampant nerdy speculation ensued over what it might mean. Since “Jedi” could be either singular or plural, the title of Rian Johnson’s upcoming sequel implied a few possibilities — Luke could (obviously) be the last Jedi, or maybe it’s Rey, or maybe it’s both of them (and maybe others?). Thanks to the official international titles for the film, and a little assistance from social media, we now have an answer.
No…One…Sings ‘Gaston’ Like Luke Evans’ Gaston in New ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Clip
Finally, the moment we’ve all been waiting for ever since Disney announced this live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast: The Gaston song. Listen, this “tale as old as time” is sweet and magical and all that other wonderful stuff, but it’s okay to admit that you’re 100 percent here for Luke Evans as the nefarious, narcissistic master of swagger, performing what is, with apologies to Angela Lansbury, the actual greatest song from Beauty and the Beast (don’t @ me).
Kylo Ren and Rey’s Official ‘Star Wars’ Bios Received a ‘Mysterious’ Update
In the world of Star Wars fandom, the simplest, smallest things can have major implications, inspiring exhaustive speculation over their potential meaning — like, for instance, Lucasfilm’s recent updates to Kylo Ren and Rey’s official character bios. Those pages were quietly updated sometime in the last few months to include phrases that convey a direct connection between the two characters; one that seemingly goes beyond their on-screen encounters in The Force Awakens. But what does it all mean?
‘It’ Producer Confirms R-Rating and Sequel For New Stephen King Adaptation
If you’ve read Stephen King’s It, then the idea of a film adaptation that isn’t rated R sounds preposterous — and yet, it happened before with the 1990 television miniseries (which does not hold up, by the way). For those concerned that the new adaptation from director Andres Muschietti might forgo the R rating in favor of courting a wider audience, the producer of the upcoming film has laid those worries to rest while also confirming that Warner Bros. has every intention of making a sequel.
Han Solo ‘Star Wars’ Spinoff Eyes ‘Fleabag’ Star Phoebe Waller-Bridge For Key Role
Unless you binge-watched the heck out of Fleabag on Amazon recently (you should), then you may not be particularly familiar with the name Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the brilliant creator and star of the fierce British miniseries. But that’s beginning to change, as Waller-Bridge’s talents have become increasingly notable — enough to catch the attention of Phil Lord and Chris Miller, as the filmmaking duo are currently eyeing the actress for a “key role” in the upcoming Han Solo Star Wars spinoff.
‘John Wick: Chapter 2’ Review: Second Verse, Just as Good as the First
In 2014, a pair of veteran stunt coordinators introduced the world to John Wick, a former assassin who rages out of retirement to seek revenge on the man who killed his puppy and stole his car. With action as sharp and seemingly seamless as the impeccable suits worn by its eponymous protagonist, John Wick reinvigorated a genre bloated with CGI and dominated by implausibly acrobatic vehicles. In 2017, Keanu Reeves is back with John Wick: Chapter 2, a righteous follow-up that’s bigger and maybe not better, but just as good as its predecessor.
Paramount Kills Production on ‘Friday the 13th’ Reboot
Paramount performed a little maintenance on their calendar last night, removing both World War Z 2 and the repeatedly delayed Friday the 13th reboot from their upcoming release schedule — but that’s not all. The studio has reportedly completely shut down production on their new Friday the 13th project, which was set to begin filming in just six weeks. With no release date (again) and pre-production halted, it seems that Jason Voorhees’ revival may be delayed indefinitely.
Tina Fey, Steve Carell and More Celebs’ Yearbook Photos Come to Life in Honda’s Weird Super Bowl Ad
A handful of Super Bowl ads have already landed online ahead of this Sunday’s big game — it’s the usual mix of TV spots for upcoming movies like Ghost in the Shell and Transformers: The Last Knight, along with a few ads featuring familiar faces like Gal Gadot and John Malkovich promoting businesses and collecting paychecks. And then there’s Honda. Like others, their ad for this year’s Super Bowl also features several beloved celebs, but there’s something kind of unnerving about the execution.
Must Watch: Keanu Reeves Was an Awkward Teen Reporter on a Kids’ TV Show
If someone asked you to recall Keanu Reeves’ earliest acting gig, you might think of Parenthood or Babes in Toyland. As it turns out, the intensely likable star of John Wick: Chapter 2 started his career a bit earlier than that, and like us non-famous folks, Reeves’ first job wasn’t exactly pleasant; in fact, it was kiiiiiind of awkward, but that just makes this little-seen footage of Reeves as a teenage reporter on a Canadian kids’ show all the more rewarding.