#FIRSTLOOK: “THE AGENCY” COMING TO PARAMOUNT+

Espionage political thriller THE AGENCY for Paramount+ today revealed First Look Images for its highly-anticipated series starring Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith and Richard Gere.

Currently in production in London, THE AGENCY is commissioned by Showtime Studios and produced in association with 101 Studio. George Clooney and Grant Heslov are executive producers through Smokehouse Pictures.

In addition to Fassbender, Wright, Turner-Smith and Gere, previously announced cast includes series regulars Katherine Waterston, John Magaro, Alex Reznik, Andrew Brooke, Harriet Sansom Harris, India Fowler, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Reza Brojerdi and recurring cast members include Adam Nagaitis, Ambreen Razia, Bilal Hasna, David Harewood, Kurt Egyiawan, Ray BLK, Sabrina Wu and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor.

A fresh take on the critically acclaimed hit French drama Le Bureau des Legendes, THE AGENCY will debut on Paramount+ in Canada, the U.S., UK, Australia, Italy, Germany, Latin America, Brazil and Japan. The series is co-distributed internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution and Federation Studios. Premiere date to be announced soon.

The all-new political thriller follows Martian (Fassbender), a covert CIA agent, ordered to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station. When the love he left behind reappears, romance reignites. His career, his real identity and his mission are pitted against his heart; hurling them both into a deadly game of international intrigue and espionage.

Le Bureau des Legendes centers on the daily life and missions of agents within France’s principal external security service. It focuses on the “Bureau of Legends,” responsible for training and handling deep-cover agents on long-term missions in areas with French interests. Living under false identities for years, these agents’ missions are to identify and recruit good intelligence sources. Le Bureau des Legendes was created by Eric Rochant and is a CANAL+ Creation Originale series produced by TOP – The Originals Productions and Federation Studios.

THE AGENCY is executive produced by Keith Cox and Nina L. Diaz (Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios); David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin and Bob Yari (101 Studios), George Clooney and Grant Heslov (Smokehouse Pictures); Alex Berger (TOP – The Originals Productions); and Ashley Stern and Pascal Breton (Federation Studios/Federation Entertainment of America); and Michael Fassbender. Jez and John-Henry Butterworth are writers and executive producers; Joe Wright is executive producer and director for the first two episodes.

For more information about Paramount+ and THE AGENCY, please visit paramountplus.com, and follow @ParamountPlusCA and @TheAgency_Sho on X, TikTok and Instagram, @TheAgencySho on Facebook with #TheAgency.

#FIRSTLOOK: “TRON: ARES” NEW IMAGE

Today, Disney released the exciting first look at “TRON: Ares,” the highly anticipated, new installment in the groundbreaking “TRON” franchise. The film started production in January in Vancouver and is slated for release in 2025.

“TRON: Ares” is a follow-up to Disney’s 1982 seminal science fiction film “TRON” and the 2010 sequel, “TRON: Legacy.”

Joachim Rønning directs “TRON: Ares” and says, “I’m excited to be part of the TRON franchise and bring this new film to fans around the world. ‘TRON: Ares’ builds upon the legacy of cutting-edge design, technology and storytelling. Now more than ever, it feels like the right time to return to the Grid.”

“TRON: Ares” follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings.

The feature film stars Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, with Gillian Anderson.

Sean Bailey, Jeffrey Silver, Justin Springer, Jared Leto, Emma Ludbrook and Steven Lisberger are the producers, with Russell Allen serving as executive producer.

#FIRSTLOOK: “AFTER YANG” TRAILER

Great news! Elevation Pictures will be releasing AFTER YANG in Canada, after its raves at both Cannes and Sundance recently. See the new Trailer below.

Synopsis:

In a world where robotic children are purchased as live-in babysitters, a father and daughter attempt to save the life of their robotic family member, Yang, who has become unresponsive.

From writer/director Kogonada and starring Colin Farrell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Justin H. Min, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, Sarita Choudhury, Clifton Collins Jr. and Haley Lu Richardson.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elevation Pictures (@elevation_pics)

AFTER YANG is coming soon.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

#SUNDANCE: “AFTER YANG”

By David Baldwin

After premiering at Cannes this past July, celebrated Writer/Director Kogonada’s second feature AFTER YANG finally makes its North American debut. It takes place in the near future, where families live with sentient AI android helpers and companions. When Yang (Justin H. Min from The Umbrella Academy), the AI helper for Jake (Colin Farrell), Kyra (Jodie Turner-Smith) and young Mika (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja), malfunctions and breaks down, the family is distraught. Jake bought him “certified refurbished”, so he cannot just get him repaired quickly. When his attempts at fixing Yang uncover that he has been recording memories, it sets Jake off on an existential journey he did not expect.

AFTER YANG is a quiet, contemplative film that examines loss and grief, at the same time as it hones in on joy and humanity. The Science-Fiction elements are a mere conduit for Kogonada (adapting Alexander Weinstein’s short story) to be able to hop in and out of dreams and memories. There is some feeling hovering around the power of nostalgia in some instances, but it feels more like the kind of heady, introspective material that makes you rethink your own memories. The rhythmic, fever dream nature of the Film will be off-putting to some, and spiritually hypnotic to others. Fair warning to the naysayers though – you will miss out on some of the most majestic production design and incredibly expansive use of colour to hit the screen in a long time.

The entire Cast is magnificent, with Farrell adding another terrific, meditative performance to his on-going career renaissance, and Turner-Smith and Tjandrawidjaja bringing a plethora of emotion and beauty to every scene they appear in. Min is great in his small role, as is Haley Lu Richardson who plays the mysterious Ada. And while I will not give away the circumstances, AFTER YANG contains one of the greatest post-modern dance scenes of the past decade. Maybe of all time. Expect many delightful memes and gifs to appear online once this wonderfully picture sees wide release.

AFTER YANG screens at Sundance as follows:

PREMIERE Jan 21 1:45PM EST Available Until Jan 21 4:45PM EST

SECOND SCREENING Jan 23 10:00AM EST Available Until Jan 24 10:00AM EST

#SPOTTED: MELINA MATSOUKAS + LENA WAITHE IN TORONTO FOR “QUEEN AND SLIM”

One of this Fall’s biggest sleeper hits could well be QUEEN & SLIM. From Emmy-winning Writer Lena Waithe (Master of None) and first-time Feature Director Melina Matsoukas (Director of Beyoncé‘s “Formation” Video), the dialogue-generating Thriller in the spirit of Bonnie & Clyde and Thelma & Louise soon is set for release. The Duo came to Toronto this weekend to promote the Film including special Advance Screenings plus Q&As at Varsity Cinemas and TIFF Bell Lightbox, which completely were sold-out.

Starring Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) and newcomer Jodie Turner-Smith as a couple who go on a Tinder date gone-wrong after they are pulled-over by a police officer, we soon find these polar opposites in a thrill ride to escape capture. They soon rise to prominence as figures, representing the fears and uproar of America’s black community against discriminatory policing.

We’ve never seen anything like this genre-bending Romance-meets-Drama-Thriller and cannot stop thinking about Kaluuya‘s brilliant performance and an unforgettable debut by Turner-Smith. Bokeem Woodbine also delivers a standout performance as Uncle Earl. The Film is provocative as it should be, exploring further the dialogue about how often we remember and immortalize Black Americans in loss and how they are made to feel threatened by the police. Waithe’s Script accomplishes exactly what she hopes to achieve, the humanizing of Black Americans for those who might need that. Brought to life by gorgeous Cinematography and curated by a phenomenal Soundtrack, Queen and Slim cannot be missed.

 

See the Trailer:

 

Matsoukas and Waithe we met with standing ovations and if this is any early indication of what’s to come, expect the community to turn-up at the Box Office for this Film, which already is garnering tons of buzz with a rating of 91% on the Tomatometer at Rotten Tomatoes.

 

See an intro by CBC‘s Amanda Parris:

 

See some Snaps:

 

 

 

 

 

eOne Films release QUEEN AND SLIM Wednesday, November 27, 2019.

 

(Photo/video credit: eOne Films/Mr. Will Wong)

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN ADVANCE PASSES TO SEE “QUEEN AND SLIM”

eOne Films x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see QUEEN AND SLIM in Toronto, Scarborough, Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa and Halifax on November 25, 2019.

Synopsis:
Costco worker Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) and criminal defense attorney Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) go on a first date after meeting on Tinder. They hit it off, even though she tells him she picked him because he looked sad in his picture, which made her feel sorry for him. As they’re chatting on the drive home, Slim forgets to put his turn signal on and is pulled over by a white police officer.

The officer takes offense when Slim makes a comment about how cold it is outside and angrily tells Slim to put his hands up and get on the ground. Queen gets out of the car to ask why Slim is being arrested. She tells the police officer she’s an attorney and informs him she’s going to take out her cell phone. However, the police officer reaches for his gun. In the ensuing chaos, the police officer is shot dead and the entire incident is captured on his dashcam video.

Rather than turn themselves in and face a bigoted police force, Queen and Slim go on the run and are dubbed “the black Bonnie & Clyde.” Thrown together, the two begin to fall in love as they try to elude the authorities.

 

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.

Rules and regulations here.

eOne Films release QUEEN AND SLIM Wednesday, November 27, 2019.

 

(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)