#FIRSTLOOK: “FIRESTARTER”

Filmed right here in Toronto, here’s your first look at the brand-new upcoming adaptation of FIRESTARTER.

Synopsis:

In a new adaptation of Stephen King’s classic thriller from the producers of The Invisible Man, a girl with extraordinary pyrokinetic powers fights to protect her family and herself from sinister forces that seek to capture and control her. 

For more than a decade, parents Andy (Zac Efron; Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile; The Greatest Showman) and Vicky (Sydney Lemmon; Fear the Walking Dead, Succession) have been on the run, desperate to hide their daughter Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong; American Horror Story: Double Feature, The Tomorrow War) from a shadowy federal agency that wants to harness her unprecedented gift for creating fire into a weapon of mass destruction. 

Andy has taught Charlie how to defuse her power, which is triggered by anger or pain. But as Charlie turns 11, the fire becomes harder and harder to control. After an incident reveals the family’s location, a mysterious operative (Michael Greyeyes; Wild Indian, Rutherford Falls) is deployed to hunt down the family and seize Charlie once and for all. Charlie has other plans.  

The film also stars Kurtwood Smith (Amityville: The Awakening, Hitchcock), John Beasley (The Purge: Anarchy, The Sum of All Fears) and Gloria Reuben (Lincoln, Mr. Robot). The Firestarter score is composed by the legendary John Carpenter (Halloween, Christine, The Fog) and his fellow Halloween franchise composers Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies.  

Directed by Keith Thomas (The Vigil), from a screenplay by Scott Teems (Halloween Kills) based on the novel by Stephen King, Firestarter is produced by Jason Blum (Halloween, The Invisible Man) for Blumhouse and Oscar® winner Akiva Goldsman (I Am Legend, Constantine) for Weed Road Pictures. The film’s executive producers are Ryan Turek, Gregory Lessans, Scott Teems, Martha De Laurentiis, J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules.

Firestarter is in theaters May 13, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ADVANCE PASSES TO SEE “DOG” IN TORONTO

Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will are thrilled to give Readers a chance to attend an Advance Screening in Toronto to see Channing Tatum‘s directorial debut, DOG. Screening takes place February 14, 2022 at Cineplex Yonge & Dundas.

Synopsis:

Two former Army Rangers are paired against their will on the road trip of a lifetime. Briggs (Channing Tatum) and Lulu (a Belgian Malinois), race down the Pacific Coast to a fellow soldier’s funeral on time.

See the Trailer:

Aww! Did you know that Tatum‘s actual dog Lulu was one of the inspirations behind this story?

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet the below for an extra chance to win.

Enter for a chance to #win Advance Passes to see DOG, the directorial debut of Channing Tatum, in Toronto!

How: https://t.co/DPQTOgW3Ox pic.twitter.com/abndgRJVb1

— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) February 8, 2022

Rules and regulations here.

NOTE: Do not accept friend requests from third party accounts asking for your personal information. Winners will be contacted only via our official account.

Elevation Pictures release DOG on February 18, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

#FIRSTLOOK: “LIFE & BETH” NEW STILLS + TEASER TRAILER

Amy Schumer is back in upcoming Series LIFE & BETH, coming soon to Disney+ via the Star banner. See the brand-new Teaser Trailer

Synopsis:

“Life & Beth” tells the story of Beth (Amy Schumer, “Trainwreck,” “I Feel Pretty”), a woman whose life would look pretty great on paper. Impressive to everyone she grew up with, she makes a good living as a wine distributor, she’s in a long-term relationship with a successful guy and lives in Manhattan. When a sudden incident forces Beth to engage with her past, her life changes forever. Through flashbacks to her teen self, Beth starts to learn how she became who she is and who she wants to become. We’ll go on her journey towards building a bigger, bolder and more authentic life, learning to express herself and living in an intentional way. A trip down memory lane is a strong source of trauma, comedy and moving forward. 

“Life & Beth” is written, directed, and executive-produced by series star Amy Schumer and executive-produced by Kevin Kane, Daniel Powell and Ryan McFaul. The series also stars Michael Cera, Susannah Flood and Violet Young. Guest stars include Kevin Kane, Yamaneika Saunders, Laura Benanti, Larry Owens, Michael Rapaport, Rosebud Baker and LaVar Walker. 

This ten-episode Series is coming soon.

(Photo credit: Disney)

#OSCARS: “THE POWER OF THE DOG” LEADS 2022 OSCAR NOMINEES

Nominations were announced earlier today for the 94th Academy Awards, to be held Sunday, March 27, 2022 at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood at 8 PM ET. Tracee Ellis Ross and Leslie Jordan made announcements this year. Leading the pack this year with a total 12 nominations is Jane Campion‘s THE POWER OF THE DOG, followed closely by Denis Villeneuve’s DUNE which garnered 10.

This year’s biggest snubs include Lady Gaga for House of Gucci, and while Denis Villeneuve‘s DUNE received much recognition technically, he isn’t up for Best Director. Though it achieved record-breaking Box Office success and acclaim, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME only garnered one nomination for Special Effects.

Nominees are as follows.

BEST PICTURE

“Belfast”

“CODA” 

“Don’t Look Up” 

“Drive My Car”

“Dune”

“King Richard”

“Licorice Pizza”

“Nightmare Alley”

“The Power of the Dog”

“West Side Story”

BEST DIRECTOR

Kenneth Branagh (“Belfast”)

Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (“Drive My Car”)

Paul Thomas Anderson (“Licorice Pizza”)

Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”)

Steven Spielberg (“West Side Story”)

BEST LEAD ACTOR

Javier Bardem (“Being the Ricardos”)

Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Power of the Dog”)

Andrew Garfield (“Tick, Tick … Boom!”)

Will Smith (“King Richard”)

Denzel Washington (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”)

BEST LEAD ACTRESS

Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”)

Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”)

Penélope Cruz (“Parallel Mothers”)

Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos”)

Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Ciarán Hinds (“Belfast”)

Troy Kotsur (“CODA”)

Jesse Plemons (“The Power of the Dog”)

J.K. Simmons (“Being the Ricardos”)

Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Jessie Buckley (“The Lost Daughter”)

Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”)

Judi Dench (“Belfast”)

Kirsten Dunst (“The Power of the Dog”)

Aunjanue Ellis (“King Richard”)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

“CODA,” Siân Heder

“Drive My Car,” Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe

“Dune,” Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth

“The Lost Daughter,” Maggie Gyllenhaal

“The Power of the Dog,” Jane Campion

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

“Belfast,” Kenneth Branagh

“Don’t Look Up,” Adam McKay, David Sirota

“King Richard,” Zach Baylin

“Licorice Pizza,” Paul Thomas Anderson

“The Worst Person in the World,” Eskil Vogt, Joachim Troer

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

“Dune,” Greig Fraser

“Nightmare Alley,” Dan Laustsen

“The Power of the Dog,” Ari Wegner

“The Tragedy of Macbeth,” Bruno Delbonnel

“West Side Story,” Janusz Kamiński

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

“Encanto”

“Flee”

“Luca”

“The Mitchells vs. the Machines”

“Raya and the Last Dragon”

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

“Affairs of the Art”

“Bestia”

“Boxballet”

“Robin Robin”

“The Windshield Wiper”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

“Cruella” 

“Cyrano” 

“Dune” 

“Nightmare Alley” 

“West Side Story” 

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

“Don’t Look Up,” Nicholas Britell

“Dune,” Hans Zimmer

“Encanto,” Germaine Franco

“Parallel Mothers,” Alberto Iglesias

“The Power of the Dog,” Jonny Greenwood

BEST SOUND

“Belfast” 

“Dune” 

“No Time to Die” 

“The Power of the Dog” 

“West Side Story”

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

“Be Alive” (“King Richard”), Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Dixson

“Dos Oruguitas” (“Encanto”), Lin-Manuel Miranda

“Down to Joy” (“Belfast”), Van Morrison

“No Time to Die” (“No Time to Die”), Billie Eilish, Finneas O’Connell

“Somehow You Do” (“Four Good Days”), Diane Warren

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

“Ascension” 

“Attica”

“Flee”

“Summer of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)”

“Writing With Fire” 

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

“Audible”

“Lead Me Home”

“The Queen of Basketball”

“Three Songs for Benazir”

“When We Were Bullies”

BEST FILM EDITING

“Don’t Look Up”

“Dune”

“King Richard”

“The Power of the Dog”

“Tick, Tick … Boom!”

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

“Drive My Car” (Japan)

“Flee” (Denmark)

“The Hand of God” (Italy)

“Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom” (Bhutan)

“The Worst Person in the World” (Norway)

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIR

“Coming 2 America”

“Cruella” 

“Dune” 

“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”

“House of Gucci” 

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

“Dune” 

“Nightmare Alley” 

“The Power of the Dog”

“The Tragedy of Macbeth”

“West Side Story” 

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

“Dune” 

“Free Guy” 

“No Time to Die” 

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” 

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” 

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT

“Ala Kachuu – Take and Run”

“The Dress”

“The Long Goodbye”

“On My Mind”

“Please Hold”

The Academy Awards will air on ABC on March 27, 2022.

(Photo credit: Netflix)

#FIRSTLOOK: CASTING ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR DISNEY+’S “AMERICAN BORN CHINESE”

Now this is exciting. An exciting Cast has been unveiled for Disney+‘s upcoming Series AMERICAN BORN CHINESE which begins production late February in Los Angeles.

Synopsis:

“American Born Chinese” tells the story of Jin Wang, an average teenager juggling his high school social life with his home life. When he meets a new foreign student on the first day of the school year, even more worlds collide as Jin is unwittingly entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods. The action-packed coming-of-age adventure explores identity, culture, and family. 

Cast breakdown is as follows:

• Michelle Yeoh as “Guanyin,” an unassuming auntie, who helps her nephew Wei-Chen navigate the challenges of American high school while maintaining her secret identity as the all-powerful Buddhist bodhisattva of Compassion. 

• Ben Wang as “Jin Wang,”an American teen whose parents immigrated from Taiwan, who is struggling to carve out exactly who he’s supposed to be socially and culturally.  

• Yeo Yann Yann as Jin’s mom, “Christine Wang,”a strong-willed, opinionated woman with a sly wit, who loves her family deeply. 

• Chin Han as Jin’s father, “Simon Wang,”a hard-working, devoted father and husband who is bumping up against the “bamboo ceiling” at his job.

• Daniel Wu as Sun Wukong “The Monkey King,” the legendary, all-powerful god of the Chinese epic Journey to the West, who enters our world in search of his son.

• Ke Huy Quan as “Freddy Wong,” a fictional character from a popular mid-1990s sitcom.

• Jim Liu as Jin’s confident friend “Wei-Chen,” a teen who has just arrived in the United States, whose sweet demeanor belies the deeper mystery of his true identity. 

• Sydney Taylor as “Amelia,” a friendly “All-American” girl who is Jin’s classmate and crush.

More details to come.

(Photo credit: Disney)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL” SEASON FOUR

We’re so stoked about this! Check-out the new official Trailer for Season Four of THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL!

Synopsis:

It’s 1960 and change is in the air. Looking to hone her act, Midge finds a gig with total creative freedom. But her commitment to her craft—and the places it takes her—creates a rift between her and the family and friends around her.

 The fourth season of THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL makes its highly anticipated debut on February 18, 2022, with two new episodes dropping every Friday for four weeks only on Prime Video.

(Photo/video credit: Prime Video Canada)

#FIRSTLOOK: COLDPLAY FT. SELENA GOMEZ – “LET SOMEBODY GO” VIDEO

Selena Gomez x Coldplay team-up on new Single “Let Somebody Go“. The beautiful clip is directed by Dave Meyers (Ed Sheeran’s “Bad Habits”). See the new Video below:

The Track is from Coldplay’s latest Album “Music of the Spheres”, available now via Warner Music.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Music Canada)

#FIRSTLOOK: OFFICIAL TRAILER FOR “VIKINGS: VALHALLA”

If you loved VIKINGS, you’ll be excited about VIKINGS: VALHALLA which is coming soon to Netflix! There will be eight episodes at an hour each.

Here’s the official Trailer:

Synopsis: Set over a thousand years ago in the early 11th century, VIKINGS: VALHALLA chronicles the heroic adventures of some of the most famous Vikings who ever lived — the legendary explorer Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett), his fiery and headstrong sister Freydis Eriksdotter (Frida Gustavsson), and the ambitious Nordic prince Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter). As tensions between the Vikings and the English royals reach a bloody breaking point and as the Vikings themselves clash over their conflicting Christian and pagan beliefs, these three Vikings begin an epic journey that will take them across oceans and through battlefields, from Kattegat to England and beyond, as they fight for survival and glory. VIKINGS: VALHALLA, set over a hundred years after the end of the original VIKINGS series, is a new adventure that blends historical authenticity and drama with gritty, immersive action. From showrunner and executive producer Jeb Stuart, VALHALLA is also executive produced by Morgan O’Sullivan, Michael Hirst, Sheila Hockin, Steve Stark, James Flynn, John Weber, Sherry Marsh and Alan Gasmer, Paul Buccieri, and also stars Bradley Freegard, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Caroline Henderson, Laura Berlin, and David Oakes.

Starring: Sam Corlett (Leif Eriksson), Frida Gustavsson (Freydis Eriksdotter), Leo Suter (Harald Sigurdsson), Bradley Freegard (King Canute), Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (Olaf Haraldsson), Caroline Henderson (Jarl Haakon), Laura Berlin (Emma of Normandy), David Oakes (Earl of Godwin), Louis Davison (Prince Edmund), Bosco Hogan (King Aethelred II), Asbjørn Krogh Nissen (Jarl Kåre), Pollyanna McIntosh (Aelfgifu of Northampton), Soren Pilmark (King Sweyn Forkbeard).

VIKINGS: VALHALLA arrives on Netflix February 25, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

#FIRSTLOOK: 2022 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS TO REMAIN VIRTUAL

Canadian Screen Week 2022 is set to take place virtually from April 4 – 10, 2022. The Broadcast Gala returns once again to CBC and CBC Gem Sunday, April 10 at 8:00 PM ET. Canadian Screen Week honours achievements in Canadian Cinema and Television and is now in its tenth year.

Confirmed are the week of Awards Galas:

Monday, April 4

7:00 PM ET – The Broadcast News Awards

8:30 PM ET – The Documentary & Factual Awards 

Tuesday, April 5

7:00 PM ET – The Sports Programming Awards, presented by CTV

8:30 PM ET – The Digital & Immersive Awards

Wednesday, April 6
7:00 PM ET – The Children’s & Animation Awards, presented by Shaw Rocket Fund, supported by 9 Story Media Group

8:30 PM ET – The Lifestyle & Reality Awards, presented by CTV 

Thursday, April 7

7:00 PM ET – The Drama & Comedy Crafts Awards

8:30 PM ET – The Scripted Programs & Performance Awards, presented by CTV

Friday, April 8

8:30 PM ET – The Cinematic Arts Awards, presented by Telefilm Canada, supported by Cineplex

Sunday, April 10

8:00 PM (9:00 PM AT / 9:30 PM NT) – 2022 Canadian Screen Awards on CBC and CBC Gem

While the Broadcast Gala will be host-less this year, among those presenting this year are the stars of TallBoyz (Guled Abdi, Vance Banzo, Tim Blair, and Franco Nguyen), photographed above.

Nominees will be unveiled on Tuesday, February 15 at 7:00 AM ET.

More details on Canadian Screen Week can be found here.

(Photo credit: George Pimentel)

#FIRSTLOOK: “CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN” NEW TRAILER

CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN is back for a brand-new generation, starring Zac Braff and Gabrielle Union. See the new Trailer!

Synopsis:

The Series follows the funny and heartwarming story of the raucous exploits of a blended family of 12, the Bakers, as they navigate a hectic home life while simultaneously managing their family business.

“Cheaper by the Dozen” is directed by Gail Lerner with a screenplay by Kenya Barris & Jenifer Rice-Genzuk Henry based upon the novel by Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. Kenya Barris is producing, with Shawn Levy, Gabrielle Union, Brian Dobbins and Donald J. Lee, Jr. serving as executive producers. The movie stars Gabrielle Union, Zach Braff, Erika Christensen, Timon Kyle Durrett, Journee Brown, Kylie Rogers, Andre Robinson, Caylee Blosenski, Aryan Simhadri, Leo Abelo Perry, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Christian Cote, Sebastian Cote and Luke Prael. 

CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN arrives on Disney+ on March 18, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Disney)