It was a star-studded weekend indeed in Toronto and adding further to it all were a couple stars we spotted returning back to the City to work! Gina Rodriguez (Jane The Virgin) stars in Netflix Thriller AWAKE. The Series centers around a global event which wipes out all electronics, leading to people not being able to sleep and the chaos that results from this. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Barry Pepper, Shamier Anderson and Gil Bellows also star, and the Product wraps end of September. We’ve always remembered Rodriguez to be incredibly-kind in our travels to New York seeing her there and also back here when she came to TIFF with Deepwater Horizon! And newsflash! She hasn’t changed.

We love Elizabeth Banks so much and were so surprised to see her back in town to work on F/X Mini-Series MRS. AMERICA, directed by Cate Blanchett. The Series documents an Activist’s fight against the Equal Rights Movement and boasts an incredible Cast led by Blanchett, also starring Tracey Ullman, John Slattery, James Marsden, Rose Byrne, Sarah Paulson, Uzo Aduba and several more, including Banks. We are so stoked to see Banks’ take on Charlie’s Angels (out November), which she helmed. She also continues to be an amazing Horse Racing ambassador and we hope to see her at the Breeders’ Cup this Fall if she’s done work on Mrs. America! We are so delighted to hear she loved going to Saratoga as a kid. And we just returned from our first trip there a couple weeks ago!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

By Amanda Gilmore, George Kozera + Mr. Will Wong

Signalling the end of Summer, Fan Expo Canada returned to Metro Convention Centre once again this past weekend, converging the worlds of Sci-Fi, Anime, Horror, Gaming, Comics and Cosplay together into one giant celebration. Fan Expo Canada celebrated its 25th year anniversary and they did it bigger and better than ever with several notable guests in attendance including John Travolta, Jeff Goldblum, Zachary Levi, Karl Urban, Peter Capaldi, Brendan Fraser and more!

Highly-touted Cast reunions highlighted the affair including that of Saved by the Bell, Smallville, Blade Runner, The Goonies and more. The likes of Pamela Anderson, David Harbour, Kristen Kreuk, Jason Momoa also were slated but had other commitments preventing them from making it.

Fans found themselves with many events, panels, photo ops, autograph signings, screenings, panels and even LGBTQ+-inclusive matchmaking events to attend all the way through Fan Expo Sunday wherein previous years, Saturday normally is the busiest day.

The event brought-in an estimated 129,000+ people from around the world.

Some Highlights from Fan Expo Canada 2019:

COSPLAY

RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT EXHIBIT

In addition to rate pieces from Star Wars, Back to the Future, Indiana Jones and more, a huge draw at the Exhibit was a travelling, growing ball made from the hair of 600+ people around the world!

SAVED BY THE BELL Panel with Elizabeth Berkley, Mark-Paul Gosselaar x Mario Lopez

Stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley talk about their time on the 90s morning TV staple. They reveal while Berkley was filming a certain “Las Vegas movie”, the Cast were watching the O.J. Simpson chase while filming their own Vegas movie. Berkley and Lopez admitted they were nice to Dustin Diamond, Gosselaar not so much! Berkley says she had the most fun filming the Series’s fantasy sequences.

So awesome hearing them do the Show’s signature Bayside cheer!

JEFF GOLDBLUM

The screen veteran known for his work in the Jurassic Park franchise, returns to the City he filmed The Fly! He reveals he spent seven hours in makeup a day, that his wife, Olympian Emilie Livingston is from here too! His new Disney+ series The World According to Jeff Goldblum, premieres November.

And he reveals his new Album on Decca will feature surprise vocalists! He even had the room singing “O Canada“! 🇨🇦

TEEN TITANS GO Panel with Tara Strong x Greg Cipes

The two Voice Actors joked around and Cipes brought his dog Wingman with him to the Panel and the dog stole the show, drinking out of Strong‘s water cup.

When asked what their advice is for their young fans, Strong said to “Choose kindness.”. Cipes said “Never give up on everything you ever wanted.”.

Strong advises also it is important for voice actors to have an acting background and admits she is very “physical” behind the mic.

Cipes cites Robin Williams as his biggest influence.

BLADE RUNNER – Sean Young x Edward James Olmos

Young made some candid revelations from her experience in Hollywood,  telling the audience “Never make a Director feel bad for hitting on you”.

On recent reboot Blade Runner 2041, she admits “At 2 hours and 51 minutes, I thought it was much weaker than the original.”.

On working with Sir Ridley Scott, she says “He made me smoke cigarettes to lower my voice. He was very manipulative towards the ladies.”.

Olmos admits, “At the time he (Harrison Ford) was first announced, I thought he was miscast. All I thought was Han Solo.”.

ZACHARY LEVI

Levi, unlike others, didn’t require a Moderator and Morgan Hoffman obliged kindly. He stood-up his entire Panel even, fielding fan questions directly.

One fan got to do a magic trick, one got to sing a song from Disney‘s Tangled with him even!

He imparted a bit of inspiration, telling fans, “We all are worthy of occupying space in this world.”.

On Toronto-made Box Office and critical hit Shazam!, he admits the most fun thing for him was getting to act like a 14-year-old. He says also, “The weather was cold but the costume did not keep me warm.”.

JOHN TRAVOLTA

The screen icon talked about his new film THE FANATIC and how much he loves when fans talk to him. He  two also reveals  that two fans broke into his house with the intention of only meeting him. There was no ill will.

He admits he never thought Saturday Night Fever and Pulp Fiction would ever become as popular as they had. He always believed Grease was going to be huge and said he was the one that only wanted Olivia Newton-John as Sandy.

THE GOONIES Panel – Sean Astin, Corey Feldman x Ke Huy Quan

Feldman tells fans about his affinity for our country, “I love Canadians so much, I married one!”. He is referring to wife, model Courtney Anne Mitchell.

On the famous water slide seen in the Film, he states “We only got to go down the water slide twice. It was the stunt doubles who did the rest!”.

BRENDAN FRASER

The star of Encino Man and The Mummy arrived straight from Johannesburg where he is filming currently. He asks the audience if they want another Mummy movie and they gave him a resounding cheer!

He advises Universal Pictures that the key ingredient is fun when making these movies. He currently can be seen in popular series DOOM PATROL.

Other notables:

Jack Quaid, star of Amazon Prime‘s THE BOYS

For more on FAN EXPO CANADA, visit here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/George Kozera/Amanda Gilmore)

Disney held their annual D23 Expo in Anaheim, California today and several announcements were made and unveiled including some exciting casting additions to Marvel’s The Eternals. The Cast of FROZEN 2 even did a performance!

Check-out some of the highlights!

LUCASFILM

President of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” director/writer/producer J.J. Abrams showcased the riveting conclusion to the Skywalker saga. Kennedy and Abrams revved up the audience, introducing nine stars from the film—many of whom marked this as their first D23 Expo appearance: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran and Billy Dee Williams, plus special appearances from R2-D2, BB-8 and the new droid D-O. A brand-new poster was revealed—and gifted to the entire audience. And all were given a look back at the incredible legacy of Star Wars storytelling and treated to a sneak peek of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” which opens in theatres on Dec. 19, 2019.

MARVEL STUDIOS

Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, kicked off his presentation with a surprise visit from “Black Panther” director and co-writer Ryan Coogler. Together, they revealed that “Black Panther 2” (working title) will hit theatres on May 6, 2022.

Feige segued to next year’s “The Eternals,” inviting cast members from the much-anticipated film to the stage: Richard Madden, who portrays the all-powerful Ikaris; Kumail Nanjiani, who plays cosmic-powered Kingo; Lauren Ridloff, who portrays the super-fast Makkari, the first deaf hero in the MCU; Brian Tyree Henry, who plays the intelligent inventor Phastos; Salma Hayek, who plays the wise and spiritual leader Ajak; Lia McHugh, who portrays the eternally young, old-soul Sprite; Don Lee, who plays the powerful Gilgamesh; and Angelina Jolie, who stars as the fierce warrior Thena. Feige revealed concept art images of each character, and announced three new cast members and their characters: Gemma Chan, who plays humankind-loving Sersi; Kit Harington, who was cast as non-Eternal Dane Whitman, and Barry Keoghan, who portrays aloof loner Druig, and was on hand for the event. Directed by Chloé Zhao, who helmed the critically acclaimed Sundance film “The Rider,” “The Eternals” opens in theatres on Nov. 6, 2020.

Feige concluded with “Black Widow,” the Cate Shortland-directed first film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which hits theatres on May 1, 2020. Feige shared a pre-recorded greeting featuring stars Scarlett Johansson, who reprises her role of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow; David Harbour, who was cast as Alexei the Red Guardian; and Florence Pugh, who plays Yelena. The audience was also treated to an exclusive look at the upcoming film.

DISNEY LIVE ACTION

Sean Bailey, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, took the audience through upcoming releases for the studio, including next summer’s “Jungle Cruise,” a rousing adventure inspired by the classic theme-park attraction. Star Dwayne Johnson, who plays riverboat captain Frank Wolff, entered Hall D23 aboard an original Jungle Cruise boat, introducing a “trailer” that showed off his character—so much so, that co-star Emily Blunt, who portrays Dr. Lily Houghton, arrived via classic car to share with fans her own “trailer,” offering a different perspective—Bailey laughingly informed Johnson and Blunt that neither trailer was official. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” hits theatres on July 24, 2020.

Bailey welcomed Angelina Jolie back to the stage to present exclusive footage and details about Disney’s “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” the exciting follow-up to the hit 2014 film. Maleficent, portrayed by Jolie, and her goddaughter Aurora, played by Elle Fanning, begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies and new dark forces at play. Aurora’s imminent marriage to Prince Phillip is cause for celebration—however, Prince Phillip’s mother, Queen Ingrith, portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer, challenges Maleficent’s role as Aurora’s mother figure. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Connal, one of the leaders of the dark fey who becomes Maleficent’s ally. Ejiofor, Pfeiffer and Fanning were all welcomed to the stage by an enthusiastic audience. Directed by Joachim Rønning, who co-helmed 2017’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” arrives in theatres on Oct. 17, 2019.

Bailey next introduced acclaimed filmmaker Niki Caro, director of “Mulan,” the upcoming live-action reimagining of the 1998 classic animated film. Caro expressed to fans her passion for the project, sharing several minutes of footage from the epic adventure inspired by one of China’s fiercest warriors. In Disney’s “Mulan,” which opens in theatres on March 27, 2020, the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders. So, the eldest daughter of an honored but ailing warrior masquerades as a man, transforming into a heroic warrior to ultimately earn her the respect of a grateful nation and a proud father.

Next up, Bailey shared details about “Cruella,” an all-new feature film starring Emma Stone and Emma Thompson. Stone, who plays the iconic “Cruella,” sent D23 Expo fans a greeting from the London-based set with help from a spotted, four-legged co-star. Fans also got a glimpse of an image of Stone in full costume with Cruella’s signature black-and-white hair. Director Craig Gillespie, who helmed “I, Tonya” and “The Finest Hours,” brings “Cruella” to the big screen on May 28, 2021, with a fresh, 1970s, punk-rock approach.

PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS

Pixar Animation Studios’ Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter guided the audience through Pixar’s upcoming film slate of originals. Docter began with next summer’s release, “Soul,” which he directs. The film journeys from the streets of New York City to the never-before-seen cosmic realms and “The You Seminar,” the fantastical place where we all discover our unique personalities. Producer Dana Murray, co-director/writer Kemp Powers and writer Mike Jones joined Docter on stage, and together they set up the film for the audience and shared a sneak peek. The team revealed members of the voice cast who joined them on stage, including Ahmir Questlove Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Daveed Diggs, Tina Fey and Jamie Foxx. Foxx lends his voice to Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher whose true passion is playing jazz. Fey plays 22, a soul-in-training who has an unexpected encounter with Joe when he accidentally finds his way to the “You Seminar.” Together, the two are going to find a way to get Joe back to Earth, making him think again about what it truly means to have soul. Filmmakers also revealed that globally renowned musician Jon Batiste will be writing original jazz music for the film, and Oscar®-winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (“The Social Network”), from Nine Inch Nails, will compose an original score that will drift between the real and soul worlds. Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” opens in theatres on June 19, 2020.

Docter next introduced director Dan Scanlon and producer Kori Rae, who shared details and more than ten minutes of exclusive footage from Pixar’s upcoming feature film “Onward.” The movie, which opens in theatres on March 6, 2020, stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as two teenage elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, who embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left in the world. Set in a modern fantasy world, Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” is inspired by Scanlon’s personal experiences with his brother. Holland, Pratt and Julia Louis-Dreyfus—who voices Mom in the movie—joined the filmmakers on stage—much to the delight of the audience, who all received an exclusive “Onward” poster.

WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee presented an overview of the studio’s next two features, beginning with the Thanksgiving 2020 fantasy-action-adventure, “Raya and the Last Dragon.” Directors Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins (“Big Hero 6,” “Frozen”), producer Osnat Shurer (“Moana”) and writer Adele Lim (“Crazy Rich Asians”) joined Lee on stage to set up the film, which introduces Raya, a lone warrior from the fantasy kingdom of Kumandra who teams up with a crew of misfits in her quest to find the Last Dragon and bring light and unity back to their world. The D23 Expo crowd was the first to get a look at the new film, viewing an exclusive three-minute piece. They also met two newly announced members of the voice cast: Awkwafina lends her voice to Sisu, the Last Dragon, who was left on Earth in case dark forces return to the world, and Cassie Steele voices the lead character, Raya. Exploring themes of community and hope, and inspired by the beautiful and diverse cultures of Southeast Asia, the fantasy-action-adventure “Raya and the Last Dragon” opens in theatres on Nov. 25, 2020.

Lee, who directs “Frozen 2” with Chris Buck, and wrote the screenplay, invited Buck to join her on stage as the Oscar®-winning duo revealed new details about the upcoming film, which opens in theatres on Nov. 21. Lee and Buck introduced two new “Frozen 2” cast members: Sterling K. Brown, who voices Lieutenant Destin Mattias, and Evan Rachel Wood, who voices Queen Iduna, Anna and Elsa’s mother. The crowd—who received an exclusive D23 Expo “Frozen 2” poster—saw never-before-seen footage of the new characters, including a scene that featured Wood as Iduna singing to young Elsa and Anna. The song, “All Is Found,” is one of seven all-new original songs by Oscar®-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. The audience also saw a sequence from the movie that showcased Elsa’s yearning for answers about the past, culminating in another song, “Into the Unknown.” And a climactic performance of the song “Some Things Never Change” by Menzel, Bell, Groff and Gad brought the audience to its feet, capping off the studio presentation in extraordinary style.

(Photo credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada)

ANGEL HAS FALLEN rises to the top in its debut taking-in $20 million from 3,286 North American theatres for Lionsgate Films/VVS Films. It gets 40% on the Tomatometer and an A- CinemaScore. While the Gerard Butler-fronted Franchise accomplishes its first #1 debut, it’s best opening still goes to first film, 2013’s Olympus Has Fallen with $30.3 million.

GOOD BOYS slips to second spot with $10.3 million week two for Universal Pictures, a two-week total of $40.6 million domestically.

Faith film OVERCOMER opens in third with $7.3 million for Sony Pictures from 1,723 theatres. It gets 33% on the Tomatometer and an A+ CinemaScore from audiences.

Toronto-made READY OR NOT debuts in sixth with $6.6 million from 2,855 theatres for Fox Searchlight. It garners an impressive 87% on the Tomatometer and a B+ CinemaScore.

Rounding-out the Top Ten is SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK with $4.4 million for Lionsgate Films/eOne Films.

Universal Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see TIFF ’19 selection, ABOMINABLE!

Screenings take place Saturday, September 21, 2019 in:

TORONTO // Cineplex Yonge & Dundas @ 10:00AM

MONTREAL // Cinema Banque Scotia Montreal @ 10:00AM

VANCOUVER // Cineplex Odeon International Village @ 10:30AM

Synopsis:
When teenage Yi (Chloe Bennet, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) encounters a young Yeti on the roof of her apartment building in Shanghai, she and her mischievous friends, Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainor) and Peng (Albert Tsai), name him “Everest” and embark on an epic quest to reunite the magical creature with his family at the highest point on Earth.

But the trio of friends will have to stay one-step ahead of Burnish (Eddie Izzard), a wealthy man intent on capturing a Yeti, and zoologist Dr. Zara (Sarah Paulson) to help Everest get home.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City. Re-Tweet this contest Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance!

ABOMINABLE is in theatres Friday, September 27, 2019.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

Well this looks creepy! Check-out the new Trailer for ANTLERS starring Keri Russell and Jesse Plemons!

Synopsis:
In ANTLERS, a small-town Oregon teacher (Keri Russell) and her brother (Jesse Plemons), the local sheriff, discover that a young student (Jeremy T. Thomas) is harboring a dangerous secret with frightening consequences.

See the Trailer:

Fox Searchlight release ANTLERS 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)

Check-out this brand-new trailer for RAMBO:LAST BLOOD!

Synopsis:
Almost four decades after he drew first blood, Sylvester Stallone is back as one of the greatest action heroes of all time, John Rambo. Now, Rambo must confront his past and unearth his ruthless combat skills to exact revenge in a final mission. A deadly journey of vengeance, RAMBO: LAST BLOOD marks the last chapter of the legendary series.

See the Trailer:

VVS Films release RAMBO: LAST BLOOD Friday, September 20, 2019.

(Photo/video credit: VVS Films)

Enter for a chance to win Advance Screening Passes to see TIFF ’19 selection, THE GOLDFINCH! Screenings take place as follows:

VANCOUVER
Screening details:
Monday, September 9 2019
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Cineplex International Village
88 West Pender, 3rd Floor
Vancouver BC, V6B 6N9

EDMONTON
Screening details:
Monday, September 9 2019
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Scotiabank Theatre Edmonton
8882 170 St Suite: #3030
Edmonton AB, T5T 4M2

OTTAWA
Screening details:
Monday, September 9 2019
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Scotiabank Theatre Ottawa
2385 City Park Drive
Ottawa ON, K1J 1G1

CALGARY
Screening details:
Monday, September 9 2019
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Scotiabank Theatre Chinook
6455 Macleod Trail SW
Calgary AB, T2H 0K4

WINNIPEG
Screening details:
Monday, September 9 2019
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Scotiabank Theatre Winnipeg
817 St. James Street
Winnipeg MB, R3G 3L3

HALIFAX
Screening details:
Monday, September 9 2019
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Scotiabank Theatre Halifax
190 Chain Lake Dr.
Halifax NS, B3S 1C5

Synopsis:
The last time 13-year-old Theo Decker saw his mother, she was gliding away from him into another gallery of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Seconds later, a terrorist bomb exploded destroying priceless pieces of art…and shattering Theo’s life forever. The tragedy changes the course of his life, sending him on a stirring odyssey of grief and guilt, reinvention and redemption, friendship and even love.

Throughout the turbulent years, as he grows into adulthood, Theo secretly clings to a single, precious object—his one tangible connection to the mother he lost on that terrible day— a priceless painting of a tiny bird chained to its perch. The Goldfinch.

A beautifully wrought coming-of-age story, intimate in its emotion and sweeping in its design, “The Goldfinch” is the film adaptation of Donna Tartt’s globally acclaimed and beloved bestseller of the same name. The novel, which won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, spent more than 30 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list.

Directed by BAFTA Award winner John Crowley (“Brooklyn”), the film features a multigenerational cast led by Ansel Elgort (“Baby Driver”) as Theo Decker and Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman (“The Hours,” “Big Little Lies”) as Mrs. Barbour. The film also stars Oakes Fegley (“Pete’s Dragon”) as Young Theo, Aneurin Barnard (“Dunkirk”) as Boris, Finn Wolfhard (“Stranger Things,” “IT”) as Young Boris, with Sarah Paulson (“The Post,” “American Crime Story”) as Xandra, Luke Wilson (“The Royal Tenenbaums”) as Larry, and Jeffrey Wright (HBO’s “Westworld”) as Hobie.

“The Goldfinch” is produced by Nina Jacobson (“The Hunger Games” films, “American Crime Story”) and Brad Simpson (“World War Z,” “American Crime Story”). Mari Jo WinklerIoffreda, Kevin McCormick, Sue Kroll and Courtenay Valenti served as executive producers. The screenplay is by Oscar nominee Peter Straughan (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), based on the novel by Tartt.

Rounding out the main ensemble cast are Ashleigh Cummings (“Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries”) as Pippa, Willa Fitzgerald (“Little Women”) as Kitsey Barbour, Aimee Laurence (“Chicago P.D.”) as Young Pippa, Denis O’Hare (“American Horror Story”) as Lucius Reeve, and Boyd Gaines (2014’s “Driving Miss Daisy”) as Mr. Barbour.

The behind-the-scenes creative team included Oscar-winning director of photography Roger Deakins (“Blade Runner 2049”), Oscar-nominated production designer K.K. Barrett (“Her”), editor Kelley Dixon (“Breaking Bad”), and costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone (“Bridge of Spies”). The music is by Trevor Gureckis (“Bloodline”).

“The Goldfinch” is a presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Amazon Studios, a Color Force Production, a John Crowley Film. Slated for release on September 13, 2019, it will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures. “The Goldfinch” has been rated R for drug use and language.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City. Click “share” from there or Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance!

THE GOLDFINCH hits theatres Friday, September 13, 2019.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros. Canada)

By Amanda Gilmore, David Baldwin and Mr. Will Wong

Running Thursday, September 5 through Sunday, September 15, 2019, the Toronto International Film Festival soon is before us. The first wave of announcements were made today out of Festival Headquarters, TIFF Bell Lightbox, for its Special Presentations and Gala Programmes and we can expect once again very star-studded precursor to what and who will be the key players this Awards Season.

333 Films will screen at the Festival, 245 of which are Features, 82 which are Shorts and six which are Series. Of these, 133 are World Premieres, 25 are International Premieres and 71 are North American Premieres. 35% of Titles are directed, co-directed or created by women and 21 are LGBTQ+ stories! 280,000 visitors are expected to visit Festival Street!

Previously announced, Daniel Roher‘s Documentary ONCE WERE BROTHERS: ROBBIE ROBERTSON AND THE BAND follows the Canadian Music icon Robertson’s earlier days on a reserve and in Toronto to the rise of his Roots-Rock group, The Band. Martin Scorcese, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer produce the Film.

Highlighting TIFF ’19’s lineup are highly-buzzed Films like JUDY, FORD V FERRARI, A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, JOKER, CLEMENCY, THE LIGHTHOUSE, THE REPORT, PAIN AND GLORY, THE GOLDFINCH, BAD EDUCATION, KNIVES OUT, JOJO RABBIT, HUSTLERS, ABONIMABLE, AMERICAN WOMAN and more.

We can expect to see big stars like Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jennifer Lopez, Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver in town, the latter two whom each have two Films at the Festival!

GALAS
The Galas at this years Toronto International Film Festival are shooting for the stars. To start we are getting A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD starring the one and only Tom Hanks. The Film follows Fred Rodgers, played by Hanks, and the importance he had on generations. Hopefully, Hanks travels North and we can all catch a glimpse of “Hollywood’s Nicest Star”.

On the roll with the star-power is FORD V FERRARI starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale. It depicts the 1966 “24 Hours of Le Mans” endurance race between the American automotive engineers and Ferrari. Both are regulars at TIFF and we expect to see them once again this year.

We are also getting HUSTLERS starring Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B, Constance Wu and Julia Stiles. The film follows the four women who are former strippers and come together to turn the tables on Wall Street. This is going to be one carpet everyone will be having their eyes on.

If the star-power isn’t enough for TIFF they are also bringing some Films who are looking like early awards contenders since the drop of their trailers. THE GOLDFINCH starring Nicole Kidman and Ansel Elgort, tells the story of a boys life is changed forever after a terrorist attack at an art museum. There is HARRIET, starring Cynthia Erivo, who plays Harriet Tubman. The Trailer was released earlier today and it’s safe to say that all eyes should be on Erivo this TIFF. CLEMENCY was also announced today as a Gala Film which won the top prize at Sundance earlier this year. It follows a death-row prison warden (Alfre Woodard) who is coming to terms with the psychological effects of her job. As someone who has seen it, I can confirm that it should be at the top of everyone’s Must-See list for the Festival.

There were two Films announced today that stuck out because they aren’t genres typically picked for the Gala Programme. The one that stands out the most is JOKER starring Joaquin Phoenix. I could not be happier to hear that a comic book film is getting its premiere at TIFF, one of the biggest platforms for Film in North America. The other pick in the Programme is ABONIMABLE. Usually, an animated Film would be chosen in the Kids Programme, but not this year. Since these two films have made it into one of the more prestigious Programmes at the Festival, we need to keep our eyes on them.

Some Trailers from the Gala Porgramme:

Abominable (dir. Jill Culton, Todd Wilderman)

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (dir. Marielle Heller)

Harriet (dir. Kasi Lemmons)

The Goldfinch (dir. John Crowley)

Hustlers (dir. Lorene Scafaria)

Joker (dir. Todd Phillips)

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

If those first Gala films were not exciting enough, than the list of Special Presentations are practically swoon-worthy!

The Special Presenations Programme will kick off with the World Premiere of Unjoo Moon’s I AM WOMAN, a Biopic about Australian singer Helen Reddy. Among other World Premieres, we’re excited for the fact-based Dramedy BAD EDUCATION starring Hugh Jackman, Ray Romano and Oscar-winner Allison Janney; Rudy Ray Moore Biopic Dolemite Is My Name starring Eddie Murphy, Wesley Snipes, Chris Rock, Craig Robinson and Keegan-Michael Key; Drake Doremus’ love-triangle romance ENDINGS, BEGINNINGS with Shailene Woodley, Sebastian Stan and Jamie Dornan; Taika Waititi’s Nazi satire JOJO RABBIT starring Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson and Rebel Wilson; the coming-of-age HOW TO BUILD A GIRL starring Beanie Feldstein, Chris O’Dowd and Emma Thompson; Armando Iannucci’s THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD starring Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, High Laurie and Ben Whishaw; as well as Rian Johnson’s absolutely star-studded whodunit caper KNIVES OUT featuring Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis and Michael Shannon.

And among the North American and International Premieres, we have Renee Zellweger’s turn as Judy Garland in JUDY; the Safdie Brothers’ highly anticipated UNCUT GEMS starring Adam Sandler in a rare dramatic role; Steven Soderbergh’s latest THE LAUNDROMAT starring Meryl Streep and Gary Oldman; Scott Z. Burns’ searing political thriller THE REPORT starring Adam Driver; the semi-autobiographical HONEY BOY starring Shia LaBeouf; Noah Baumbach’s divorce Drama MARRIAGE STORY starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson; Edward Norton’s long-gestating thriller MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN; as well as critically acclaimed Festival hits like Pedro Almodóvar’s PAIN AND GLORY starring Antonio Banderas; Robert Eggers’ THE LIGHTHOUSE starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson and Bong Joon-ho’s Palme d’Or-winning PARASITE.

Some Trailers from the Special Presenations Programme:

Lucy in the Sky (dir. Noah Hawley)

The Lighthouse (dir. Robert Eggers)

Jojo Rabbit (dir. Taika Waititi)

Pain and Glory (dir. Pedro Almodóvar)

Judy (dir. Rupert Goold)

Knives Out (dir. Rian Johnson)

UPDATE – 7/31/19 CANADIAN FILMS ADDED

Today TIFF released the Films joining the festival line-up made by Canadian Filmmakers. This year they don’t fall short in representing their homegrown talent with placing 26 Canadian Features in various Programmes.

Previously announced Canadian Features The Song of Names, American Woman and Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band were placed in the Gala Programme, Guest of Honour in Special Presentations Directed by Atom Egoyan and David Foster: Off the Record was announced yesterday as a Special Event. But after today’s announcement, there is a prominent Canadian presence in nearly all programmes.

The opening Midnight Madness Programme film is the Canadian Blood Quantum directed by Jeff Barnaby about zombies who have taken over the world but an isolated Mi’gmaq community is immune to the plague. In Special Presentations there is Clifton Hill which stars iconic Filmmaker David Cronenberg and Hannah Gross about a girl who returns to Niagara Falls and remembers a kidnapping from her childhood. In Contemporary World Cinema there is Castle in the Ground starring Alex Wolff, Imogen Poots, Neve Campbell and Tom Cullen about opioid addiction. In the TIFF Docs Programme, there are three Canadian Features: Coppers directed by Alan Zweig, This Is Not A Movie directed by Yung Change and There’s Something in the Water directed by Ellen Page and Ian Daniel.

Not only were the movies announced but also the four TIFF Canadian Rising Stars. Kacey Rohl will star in White Lies in the CWC Programme about a girl who becomes a celebrity after receiving a cancer diagnosis. Mikhail Ahooja will be in the Midnight Madness selection The Twentieth Century which is a gonzo history film about William Lyon Mackenzie King’s abject humiliations. Nahéma Ricci will be in Sophie Deraspe’s Antigone which is a reigning of the Greek tragedy. And Shamier Anderson who will be in the Shailene Woodley, Jamie Dornan and Sebastian Stan starring Endings, Beginnings.

UPDATE: 8/7/19 – PLATFORM PROGRAMME
A new week brings a new round of TIFF ’19 announcements! Today, we found out what the Platform Programme will bring us this September. Now in its fifth year at the Festival, the competitive Programme will bring together World Premiere films from across the world – each one competing for a $20,000 Canadian prize. This year’s jury includes Berlinale Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian, Film Critic Jessica Kiang, and Filmmaker Athina Rachel Tsangari. 40% of this year’s slate is directed by women.

The Programme will open with ROCKS, directed by acclaimed British Filmmaker Sarah Gavron and revolves around a teenage girl struggling to care for herself and her younger brother. Other films included in the Programme are Julie Delpy’s suspenseful drama MY ZOE starring Delpy, Daniel Brühl, Gemma Arterton and Richard Armitage; Darius Marder’s debut SOUND OF METAL starring Riz Ahmed and Olivia Cooke; the Astronaut Drama PROXIMA starring Eva Green and Matt Dillon; Anthony Chen’s highly-anticipated second feature WET SEASON regarding the special bond between a teacher and a student at the Singapore high school; the Spanish Thriller THE MONEYCHANGER set in the world of currency buying and selling; Family Drama THE SLEEPWALKERS from Argentina/Uruguay; Mexico’s class-conscious Drama WORKFORCE and the Canadian made ANNE AT 13,000 FEET about the everyday challenges faced by a young woman. The Programme will conclude with Pietro Marcello’s MARTIN EDEN concerning a sailor trying to remake himself as a Writer.

UPDATE 8/8/19 – DOCUMENTARIES
There were big announcements for the TIFF ’19 today, including the Docs Programme. There were 25 Documentaries announced including 18 World Premieres with representation from 18 countries.Pr The Films in this year’s programme have themes of artistic achievement, the power of journalism, immigration, global politics, and resistance against corrupt leaders.

The opening Doc will be THE CAVE from Oscar-nominated Director Feras Fayyad. It follows a female doctor in war-torn Syria and the underground hospital she leads. For fans of the brilliant True Crime Author Truman Capote, you can catch THE CAPOTE TAPES created by first-time Director Ebs Burnough who previously worked under the Obama Administration. And for political fans, prominent Documentarian Alex Gibney is coming to TIFF with CITIZEN K profiling Mikail Khodorkovsky, who turned against Vladimir Putin.

If you are looking to catch some stars during TIFF this year, look no further than the TIFF Docs Programme. Leonardo DiCaprio is a Producer on AND WE GO GREEN, about racers in the Formula E competition for electric cars. Bryce Dallas Howard will be making her first Documentary with DADS, which explores fatherhood with leading comedians and her own father, Ron Howard. And Rap Superstars Drake and Future are Executive Producers on READY FOR WAR, which tells the important and heartbreaking story of immigrants who served in the US military only to be deported.

UPDATE 8/8/18 – MIDNIGHT MADNESS PROGRAMME

The midnight hour is close at hand TIFFgoers! After giving us a taste of things to come at last week’s Canadian film announcement, TIFF has released their full Midnight Madness lineup – and it looks like we are in for ten days of wild insanity.

Among those announced today are Richard Stanley’s COLOR OUT OF SPACE starring Midnight Madness royalty and spirit animal to many, Nicolas Cage. The Film is an adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft Horror Short about what happens to a New England family after a meteor lands on their property. Maestro Takashi Miike also returns with FIRST LOVE, about a boxer and a drug addict caught in the middle of two gangs at war. Also among today’s announcements are dystopian nightmare THE PLATFORM about prisoners in a high-tech prison, Psychological Thriller SAINT MAUD about a nurse obsessed with saving her dying patient, Indonesian superhero epic GUNDALA; spooky overnight watch Thriller THE VIGIL and the Sci-Fi Thriller THE VAST OF NIGHT, which won the Best Narrative Feature prize at this year’s Slamdance Film Festival. The Programme will conclude with the Ugandan action thriller CRAZY WORLD about child-snatching mobsters who kidnap pint-sized Kung Fu masters. Every single film sounds absolutely bonkers, and we cannot wait to see them all!

UPDATE 8/13/19 ADDITIONAL GALAS AND SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS:
We are still a week out from the final schedule, but TIFF has added a handful of exciting titles to their already incredible slate of films coming this September.

Two films were added to the Gala Programme: the North American Premiere of THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY about a greedy art dealer and his crumbling plan around stealing a rare painting, starring Elizabeth Debicki, Donald Sutherland and Mick Jagger; and the Canadian Premiere of the hot air balloon epic THE AERONAUTS, reuniting The Theory of Everything’s Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones. Hopefully we will get the opportunity to see it in its native IMAX format!

And some of the highlights of the 16 films added to the Special Presentations Programme include the World Premieres of Astronaut Thriller LUCY IN THE SKY, starring Natalie Portman, Dan Stevens and Jon Hamm; the film adaptation of AMERICAN SON, starring Kerry Washington in the role she originated on Broadway; Sci-Fi Video Game Thriller GUNS AKIMBO starring Daniel Radcliffe; Australian Romance DIRT MUSIC starring Kelly MacDonald and Garrett Hedlund; Family Drama HUMAN CAPITAL, starring Liev Schreiber, Marisa Tomei, Peter Sarsgaard and Stranger Things breakout Maya Hawke; as well as Boxing Drama JUNGLELAND, starring Charlie Hunnam and Jack O’Connell; and Benson and Moorhead’s genre-bending SYNCHRONIC, starring Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan. Other highlights include Jean Seberg Biopic SEBERG starring Kristen Stewart; Young Athlete Drama WAVES, starring Sterling K. Brown and Lucas Hedges; acclaimed Director Olivier Assayas’ latest WASP NETWORK starring Edgar Ramirez, Penelope Cruz and Gael Garcia Bernal; and Cult Director Quentin Dupieux’s DEERSKIN, starring Oscar-winner Jean Dujardin, about a man’s strange relationship with a deerskin jacket.

UPDATE 8/20/19 SCHEDULE RELEASED AND IN-CONVERSATIONS ANNOUNCED:

Great news, the official TIFF ’19 schedule has been release.  Visit here to start planning your Festival: https://tiff.net/films.

Also confirmed are some great In-Conversations with Michael B. Jordan & Jamie Foxx, Antonio Banderas, Allison Janney and Kerry Washington.

Public single tickets go on sale Monday, September 2, 2019, while several packages are on-sale now here.

Complete list of Films announced here.

(Photo/video credit: Pathe Films/Sony Pictures/Warner Bros./Universal Pictures)

It’s finally coming!  DISNEY+ is set to launch this Fall in Netherlands, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand along with distribution across various major platforms to carry its app on mobile and TV devices!

Disney+ launches Tuesday, November 12, 2019 in Canada and the streaming service is set to broadcast selections from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic. It also has sealed distribution deals with Apple, Google, Microsoft, Roku, and Sony. It will be priced at just $8.99CAD per month (or $89.99 per year).

On Disney+, Canadians can expect eagerly-awaited new Series like “The Mandalorian,” “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” “The World According to Jeff Goldblum,” and “Encore!”. Films on the service include the likes of “Captain Marvel,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Aladdin,” “Toy Story 4,” “The Lion King,” “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” “Frozen 2,” and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” Betcha can’t wait!

(Photo credit: Disney)