We had the pleasure of attending Disney‘s annual Holiday 2015 Preview today, which always is a highlight and the biggest treat for us all perhaps was unveiled at the last minute, a 90-second Teaser for upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens!

The Teaser will show in 30 select theatres across North America this weekend and be seen in theatres worldwide December!

We’ve all heard of MARCO POLO, but believe me, you’ve never seen it like this.  Netflix‘s latest Original Series is being touted as its most expensive to-date and is a collaboration between The Weinstein Co. and the leading Internet Streaming Service.  The Adventure follows the famous titular Explorer as he travels the exotic Silk Road to the court of the great Kublai Khan.  Through the ten-episode Series, Marco Polo (Lorenzo Richelmy) befriends the Khan (Benedict Wong) who violently makes his bid to be Emperor of the World. Along the way we become a part of many complex Characters’ lives and their  web of sex, betrayal and power.

Co-Executive Producer Patrick MacManus and Star Olivia Cheng came to Toronto recently to promote the exciting MARCO POLO, poised to debut this December to Netflix Subscribers exclusively.  The Duo reflected upon their experience being a part of the visually-stunning Series which not only streams, but surely “steams” this Winter.

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Cheng formerly was a Broadcast Journalist and even at one point  a Correspondent on Entertainment Tonight Canada before deciding to pursue a career on the opposite side of the Red Carpet.  New Jersey-raised and Washington, D.C.-educated Patrick MacManus has a sizeable list of Television Credits to his name as Actor, considering himself more now a Writer.

In an Entertainment Industry where Asian Faces are few and far between  in North America, MacManus is proud of what the Series will accomplish, transcending the confines of race and culture.  “I’m proud of fact that we held true to the Story and time period and hopefully people will look at Series and forget what they are seeing and just relate to Characters and Story”, he says.  ” We created the most compelling, sometimes sadistic Characters we could. Nationality went out the window in favour of Story.”.

Cheng is asked what her greatest challenge was  filming MARCO POLO, in which she stars as the commanding Beauty Mei Lin, a Woman separated from her young Daughter at the hands of her Brother  Jia Sidao (Chin Han), and forced to a life as a Concubine to the Khan.  She must use her guile to survive and ensure the same for her Child. “Any time you recognize you have a really good opportunity, you feel a degree of fear with the responsibility that comes with it”, says Cheng. ” Am I gonna be able to rise to the occasion and do this well? I feel this is such an important Character to do well”. “I’m very proud of our work.  27 nations around the World –  Oscar Winners and Nominees –  talent spanning 40 year careers, all converging in Malaysia to put it all together.”.

She speaks further on Mei Lin stating, “She is demonized for her strength, intellect and ability to maneouver things sometimes – equally as her Brother, a  Man – whom holds so much power in Society. Going over to the Mongolian side, it is disconcerting for her to see Wife of the Khan, Empress Chabi (Joan Chen) so revered.”.  “It’s frightening for her to see strength and power mirrored in her face.”.  Cheng reveals that she read multiple Social Science papers in preparation for her Role to understand power relations for Concubines and how this hinged much on the Men around them.

I ask about some of the drastic physical transformations we see from some of the Talent in MARCO POLO, whether it be in how they speak or look physically.  Case in point, the Series’ Central Character, the Khan is played by an unrecognizable Wong, who normally is lithe and known to others as “Skinny Benny“, MacManus reveals. “Physicality is something huge here and we all threw ourselves into it. Benedict gained at least 10 stone (140 lbs).  The nickname for his stomach was “Meat Baby“, adds Cheng. “It’s not easy to keep gaining that much weight and maintaining it.”.   She explains, “We were in Stunt Tent Training with World-Class Teams from around the World transforming and sculpting muscles to tell our stories as Warriors.”.

In terms of the distinct accent which the Characters speak in this Series, Cheng states ” Producers found Talent from allover the World. We needed a realm to stay within with the help of Dialect Coaches. Emotionally, everyone did own brand of research to know the appropriate emotional places their Characters were working with.’.

Several jaws also are bound to drop with some of the racier scenes in the earlier part of the Series.  While MacManus feels there are some other Series currently which perhaps exploit sex and nudity a bit much, he is adamant, “I  challenge people to watch any moment with nudity in MARCO POLO, stop to think because that is what scene is all about.”.  “It’s not just about the nudity – there always is a reason”, he says, joking that his Series would be essentially “Naked Kung-Fu”. “There will come a point in time when you’ll never see another naked body or sex because the Story doesn’t support it.  We desperately went out of  our way to see that sex and nudity were not just being used for sex and nudity.”.

Netflix Canada stream MARCO POLO on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Click here for your chance to win a year’s Netflix Canada Subscription so that you too can witness that MARCO POLO magic!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Netflix)

In-stores for a limited time only, you won’t want to miss your chance to own a limited-edition The Hunger Games Collectible Mug Set! These heat-reveal seven-Mug Collection, is available exclusively at Petro-Canada Gas Stations only!  Seven Mugs, 13 Districts of Panem!

To learn more about how you can them, visit Petro-Canada‘s Website here!

Petro Canada and Mr. Will want YOU to win a Set of these ultra-amazing Mugs!  To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook.  You also may Re-Tweet the below or share this Post via the “share” button on Facebook for an extra chance!

http://www.mrwillwong.com/thehungergamesmugs @MRWILLW wants us to #win a Set of #HeatRevealMugs from #TheHungerGames, available only at @PetroCanada for a limited time only!

May the odds be ever in your favour, Willionaire$!

See the Trailer for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1:

eOne Films release The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1, in theatres now!

(Photo/video credit: Petro Canada/eOne Films)

Are we wild for WILD or what?  It seems like just yesterday that we were reading about the eventual Oscar Contender being in production and just minutes ago that it debuted at TIFF ’14!  To get into the spirit of what many are calling a Reese Witherspoon 3.0 in Career Re-inventions, we are offering Readers across Canada a chance to win a Prize Pack from WILD!

Here’s what it includes:

          A WILD Soundtrack (featuring music from Simon & Garfunkel, First Aid Kit, Bruce Springsteen, Portishead, Wings and more! Available for download on iTunes)

         A copy of the Book WILD: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, by Cheryl Strayed

          A WILD Windbreaker

         A special WILD edition of the Pacific Crest Trail Hat

         A WILD hiking headlamp (also could be used for late-night dog walks)

        Some WILD limited-edition Clif Bars (chocolate chip and white chocolate macadamia nut)

See below:

In case you haven’t seen the Trailer yet for the amazing journey, see it now:

Official Artwork:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook.  Re-Tweet the below or share on Facebook using the “share” button for an extra chance:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/wild  @MRWILLW wants us to #win a #WILDMOVIE Prize Pack!

Reese and Mr. Will:

Fox Searchlight release WILD in Canada as follows:

December 5, 2014 – Toronto
December 12, 2014 – Vancouver
December 19, 2014 – Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal
December 25, 2014 – Halifax, Kitchener/Waterloo, Ottawa, St. Johns, Victoria, Winnipeg

(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)

Due for a limited release May 2015, we get this first look at FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD, starring Carey Mulligan, Michael Sheen, Matthias Schoenaerts and Tom Sturridge!  The Romance is directed by Thomas Vinterberg. In this First Look, we get a peek at Mulligan and Sheen utilizing their vocals in Let No Man Use Your Thyme.

See the Teaser:

Based on the literary classic by Thomas Hardy, FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD is the story of independent, beautiful and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan) , who attracts three very different suitors:  Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts) , a sheep farmer, captivated by her fetching willfulness; Frank Troy (Tom Sturridge) , a handsome and reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood (Michael Sheen) , a prosperous and mature bachelor.  This timeless story of Bathsheba’s choices and passions explores the nature of relationships and love – as well as the human ability to overcome hardships through resilience and perseverance.

Fox Searchlight release FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD on Friday, May 1, 2015.

(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)

Before there was Beyoncé, Kelly and Michelle, there was Beyoncé, Kelly, Latavia and LeToya!  And if you’re on the same page as me, you’d agree that Destiny’s Child was at its finest with its original lineup.  No, No, No, Bills Bills Bills, Say My Name, Jumpin’ Jumpin’ and Bug a Boo would place the Group on the map internationally in the late ’90s and early ’00s and although their rifts were quite public, the Music they made together more than speaks for itself.

Founding Destiny’s Child Member LeToya Luckett has been in Toronto for the past while filming the fourth season of BET‘s Single Ladies (yes, the irony!), the Series produced by Queen Latifah. Luckett on the Series plays Felicia Price, owner of an influencial Music Management Company.  In addition to this latest turn, she also starred in HBO‘s Treme and on her own has achieved success as a Solo Act, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 200 with her self-titled Disc, LeToya in 2006.

It was an amazing experience getting to meet Luckett who almost wasn’t recognizable in her short bob!  She nonetheless was amazingly gracious before heading-in after an early wrap on-set.  Single Ladies films in Toronto till the end of December.

See our Snap:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/VH1)

Fans of Jurassic Park will screech in delight at this brand new Trailer Premiere which originally was to premiere this U.S. Thanskgiving Thursday!  Early is best!

See the Trailer:

And by the way , no that isn’t Jessica Chastain, which many are thinking. It’s the return of her The Help Co-Star Bryce Dallas Howard!

Universal Pictures Canada release JURASSIC WORLD on Friday, June 12, 2015.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures)

There was never a doubt it would be Number One, but the question was by how much. THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 1 might be drawing some mixed reactions critically with a 69% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, but Fans still continue to love it giving it an A- CinemaScore.  This latest Installment debuts across North America with $124.8 million from 4,141 theatres (including 900 alone in Canada) for Lionsgate Films/eOne Films, the lowest so far it the Franchise behind  Catching Fire‘s $158 million debut in 2013.  No need to fret though – if we look back at The Twilight Saga‘s numbers also we see that Part 1 of its final two Breaking Dawn Films also saw a slight dip in 2011 before finishing strong in its Finale and similar can be expected of Mockingjay, Part 2 when it opens next November.

BIG HERO 6 despite pulling in a hefty $20 million in its third week is a distant second, bringing its domestic tally to $135.7 million for Disney.

INTERSTELLAR still continues to go well in third with $15 million also in its third week out for Paramount Pictures, just surpassing $120 million in these parts.

DUMB AND DUMBER TO after debuting on-top last week, slips to fourth spot for Universal Pictures with $14 million, nearing the $60 million in its two week run.

GONE GIRL hangs-on valiantly to the Top Ten in fifth with $2.8 million in its eighth week out for 20th Century Fox.

TIFF ’14 Selection and Oscar Contender THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING rounds-out the Top Ten with $1.5 million from only 140 theatres for Focus Features/eOne Films in its third week of limited release.

Everybody is talking about the hot new Series MARCO POLO, out December 12, 2014 only on Netflix and we certainly don’t want you to be left in-the-cold this Winter! We want you and your loved ones to witness the bountiful selection of programming available on the Internet’s most popular Streaming Service this Holiday Season!

See the Trailer for MARCO POLO:

Synopsis:
Marco Polo is an epic adventure that follows the early years of the famous explorer as he travels the exotic Silk Road to the great Kublai Khan’s court. But Marco soon finds that navigating the Khan’s world of greed, betrayal, sexual intrigue and rivalry will be his greatest challenge yet, even as he becomes a trusted companion to the Khan in his violent quest to become the Emperor of the World.

We’re giving you Willionaire$ a chance to win a one-year subscription free to Netflix Canada!

Did you also know that Netflix now has Gift Cards in $30 or $60 Denominations to gift yourself or your Family and Friends this Holiday! No credit? No membership? No problem! Netflix got you.

More details below:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook. Re-Tweet the below or from Facebook share this Post for an extra chance!

http://mrwillwong.com/netflix2014 @MRWILLW wants us to #win a one-year @Netflix_CA Subscription! #MarcoPolo streams 12/12!

Good luck, Willionaire$!

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada and Mr. Will want to take Readers across Canada to an Advance Screening of the star-studded spectacle INTO THE WOODS  first this Holiday Season!  Screenings take place in Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and Winnipeg on Wednesday, December 17, 2014.

Official Synopsis:

INTO THE WOODS is a modern twist on the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales, intertwining the plots of a few choice stories and exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. This humorous and heartfelt musical follows the classic tales of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel—all tied together by an original story involving a baker and his wife, their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the witch who has put a curse on them.

INTO THE WOODS stars Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Tracey Ullman, Christine Baranski and Johnny Depp; Academy Award Nominee Rob Marshall directs.

Watch the Trailer:

Official Artwork:

To enter to win, tell me your City in the comments of this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook.  Name for me also your favourite Brothers Grimm Character of all time and tell me why!   You get an extra chance by Re-Tweeting the below or sharing this Post from Facebook with your Friends!

http://www.mrwillwong.com/intothewoods @MRWILLW wants us to #win Passes to see #INTOTHEWOODS. In theatres Christmas!

Good luck, Willionaires!

“Like” INTO THE WOODS on Facebook here.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada release INTO THE WOODS  Christmas Day.

©2014 DISNEY

(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada)