A first look at the official Trailer for Guillermo del Toro‘s PINOCCHIO, has arrived. Opening in select theatres this Friday, this fantastical re-imagining of this beloved tale arrives on Netflix in time for the Holidays!

Synopsis: 
Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro reinvents Carlo Collodi’s classic tale of the wooden marionette who is magically brought to life in order to mend the heart of a grieving woodcarver named Geppetto. This whimsical, stop-motion film directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson follows the mischievous and disobedient adventures of Pinocchio in his pursuit of a place in the world.

Directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson, the film features an all-star voice cast with Ewan McGregor as Cricket, David Bradley as Geppetto, and introducing Gregory Mann as Pinocchio. Other cast includes Finn Wolfhard, Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett, John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Tim Blake Nelson, Burn Gorman, with Academy Award® winner Christoph Waltz and Academy Award® winner Tilda Swinton.

Cast: Gregory Mann, Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Tilda Swinton, Christoph Waltz, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Tim Blake Nelson, Burn Gorman

Guillermo del Toro‘s PINOCCHIO arrives December 9, 2022 on Netflix. It plays at TIFF Bell Lightbox Friday, November 11, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

In CABINET OF CURIOSITIES, acclaimed Academy Award-winning filmmaker and creator, executive producer and co-showrunner Guillermo del Toro has curated a collection of unprecedented and genre-defining stories meant to challenge our traditional notions of horror. From macabre to magical, gothic to grotesque or classically creepy, these eight equally sophisticated and sinister tales (including two original stories by del Toro) are brought to life by a team of writers and directors personally chosen by del Toro.

GUILLERMO DEL TORO’s CABINET OF CURIOSITIES will debut Tuesday, October 25, 2022 launching a special four day, double episode Netflix & Chills Halloween event. Two all-new CABINET OF CURIOSITIES tales will debut daily through Friday, October 28, when the entire collection of eight stories will be available to Netflix members around the world.

The anthology series is created and executive produced by Guillermo del Toro; executive produced by Academy Award winner J. Miles Dale (The Shape of Water; Sex/Life), who also serves as co-showrunner; and executive produced by Gary Ungar. Regina Corrado serves as co-executive producer. Del Toro also serves as host.

Story information in Alpha Order/Story Debut Order Has Not Been Announced:

THE AUTOPSY

Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham (Mythic Quest; Homeland; Amadeus)
Glynn Turman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; Fargo; The Wire)
Luke Roberts (Ransom; Black Sails)
episode written by David S. Goyer (The Sandman; Dark City; The Dark Knight; Batman Begins) (based on a short story by Michael Shea)
directed by David Prior (The Empty Man; AM1200)

DREAMS IN THE WITCH HOUSE

Rupert Grint (Servant)
Ismael Cruz Cordova (Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Undoing, Miss Bala)
DJ Qualls (Turning Point, Supernatural)
Nia Vardalos (Love, Victor, Station 19, My Big Fat Greek Wedding)
Tenika Davis (Jupiter’s Legacy, Titans)
episode written by Mika Watkins (Origin; Black Mirror; Troy: Fall of a City) (based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft)
directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen; Lords of Dogtown; Twilight)

GRAVEYARD RATS

David Hewlett (SEE, The Shape of Water; Stargate: Atlantis) stars in an episode written (based on a short story by Henry Kuttner) and directed by Vincenzo Natali (In The Tall Grass; Splice; Cube; Hannibal)
LOT 36

Tim Blake Nelson (Watchmen; The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
Elpidia Carrillo (Predator; Bread & Roses; Euphoria)
Demetrius Grosse (Fear The Walking Dead; Boon; Lovecraft Country)
Sebastian Roché (The Man in the High Castle; The Young Pope)
written by Regina Corrado (Deadwood; The Strain) (based on an original story by Guillermo del Toro)
directed by Guillermo Navarro (Godfather of Harlem; Narcos)

THE MURMURING

Essie Davis (The Babadook)
Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead; Penguin Bloom)
Hannah Galway (Sex/Life)
episode written (based on an original story by Guillermo del Toro)
directed by Jennifer Kent (The Babadook; The Nightingale)

THE OUTSIDE

Kate Micucci (The Little Hours; Mom)
Martin Starr (Silicon Valley; Party Down)
episode written by Haley Z. Boston (Brand New Cherry Flavor) (based on a short story by comic book author Emily Carroll)
directed by Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night; Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon; The Bad Batch)

PICKMAN’S MODEL

Ben Barnes (Shadow and Bone; Westworld; The Punisher)
Crispin Glover (Rivers Edge; Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland; American Gods; Back To The Future; Willard; Charlie’s Angels)
Oriana Leman (The Whale; The Detectives)
episode written by Lee Patterson (Curve; The Colony) (based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft)
directed by Keith Thomas (Firestarter; The Vigil)

THE VIEWING

Peter Weller (upcoming The Colosseum; Naked Lunch; Star Trek Into Darkness; Robocop)
Eric André (The Eric Andre Show; The Righteous Gemstones)
Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service; upcoming Rebel Moon)
Charlyne Yi (Always Be My Maybe; Good Girls)
Steve Agee (Peacemaker; The Suicide Squad)
Michael Therrialt (Locke and Key; Cult of Chucky)
Saad Siddiqui (From Scratch; DC’s Legends of Tomorrow)
episode directed by Panos Cosmatos (Mandy), who also writes, along with Aaron Stewart-Ahn

Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities begins October 25, 2022 on Netflix.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Filmed right here in Toronto and even Markham (!), we cannot wait for NIGHTMARE ALLEY! Here is your first glance at the Teaser!

Synopsis:

In NIGHTMARE ALLEY, an ambitious carny (Bradley Cooper) with a talent for manipulating people with a few well-chosen words hooks up with a female psychiatrist (Cate Blanchett) who is even more dangerous than he is.

Check-out these brand new Character Posters from the Film!

Searchlight Pictures release NIGHTMARE ALLEY December 17, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Searchlight Pictures)

TIFF announce their upcoming programming slate, and trust me, there is some really good stuff including TIFF ’21 favourites SPENCER (we’re definitely seeing this again!) and THE POWER OF THE DOG, plus some cool retrospectives!

TIFF CINEMATHEQUE SERIES

Céline Sciamma: Portraits of Desire – November 11 to 21, 2021

Since the success of the widely acclaimed Portrait of a Lady on Fire — which won both the Queer Palm and the Award for Best Screenplay at Cannes 2019 — French filmmaker Céline Sciamma made both a departure from her three previous films and a masterful culmination of an oeuvre that sensitively and intelligently deals with such urgent themes as gender identity, female bonds, and the blurred boundaries between friendship and love. This programme was created to celebrate her work upon the release of her fourth feature, and now, two years later, it’s even more urgent and resonant as audiences await the theatrical release of the director’s latest film, Petite Maman (2021), which had its Canadian premiere at the Festival. Included in this retrospective are Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Girlhood, Tomboy, and her debut, Water Lilies, as well as the animated film My Life as a Courgette (which Sciamma co-scripted).

Paul Thomas Anderson: Evolution of a Master – November 25 to 28, 2021

Size matters in the films of Paul Thomas Anderson, and the increasing visual and thematic scope of his work is illustrated by these 70mm presentations tracing his evolution from big, unwieldy indie-cinema talent to a refined, mature American master. From the pyrotechnical brilliance of his sophomore breakthrough, Boogie Nights, to the elliptical psychic case study of The Master, to the wry fairy-tale riffage of Phantom Thread, Anderson has always crafted images strong and detailed enough to match his ideas. With introductions by critic Adam Nayman, author of the acclaimed 2020 book Paul Thomas Anderson: Masterworks, and a screening of David Lean’s 1949 romance The Passionate Friends, a major influence on Phantom Thread, this series seeks to honour these movies’ monumental accomplishments. 

Musicals! The Movies that Moved Us – December 2, 2021 to January 6, 2022

Whether you know all the words to each song or you’re discovering these classics for the first time, there’s no denying the show-stopping pleasure of the form. The best musicals are grounded in sophisticated narratives, remarkable visual invention, and towering achievements in technical craft. Watch how Stanley Donen, Vincente Minnelli, Farah Khan, Jacques Demy, Ken Russell, Mani Ratnam, and more turn the delights of movie musicals to their own particular passions. Comprising 25 films, the programme will delight any fun-loving musical fan with movies like Singin’ in the Rain (1952), West Side Story (1961), Moulin Rouge! (2001), Mughal-E-Azam (1960), All That Jazz (1979), Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000), Grease (1978), and Purple Rain (1984).

Guillermo del Toro Presents: Film Noirs from 20th Century Fox – December 3 to 19, 2021

In anticipation of Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming release Nightmare Alley, TIFF Cinematheque presents a curated selection of film noirs from 20th Century Fox, hand-picked by del Toro himself. Inspired by the runs of similar genre-making studio films such as the highly-stylized gangster pictures championed by Warner Bros. in the 1930s (which cemented the anti-hero archetype in the face of the Hays Code’s guidelines) and the legendary monster movies helmed by Universal Studios between the ’30s and ’50s (whose creatures became the visual and emotional reference points for all subsequent horror-movie monsters), del Toro sees the brilliant stream of film noirs made under the 20th Century Fox banner as equally deserving of canonization. Before taking a turn down Nightmare Alley, audiences will have a chance to explore the director’s top five influential film noirs from the studio’s golden age of hard-boiled cinema, all on archival 35mm prints or in restored presentations.

SUBSCRIPTION SERIES

Subscriptions are on sale to Members now and to the public on October 27.

Reel Talk: Contemporary World Cinema – November 7, 2021 to March 20, 2022
Offering a global snapshot of the best cinema from around the world, Reel Talk: Contemporary World Cinema provides a focus on non-English-language, art-house films that may not see wide release.

Secret Movie Club – November 14, 2021 to January 23, 2022
Back again in its old clubhouse, TIFF Bell Lightbox, this series offers some of the best new indie cinema before it hits Toronto theatres. Last season’s lineup included Minari, The Mauritanian, and Together Together.

SPECIAL EVENTS 

Viola Desmond Day: Jennifer Holness on Subjects of Desire – November 8, 2021 at 7pm
TIFF is commemorating the 75th anniversary of Viola Desmond’s historic stand against racial segregation and her barrier-breaking work as founder of the Desmond School of Beauty Culture with a special advance screening of the award-winning documentary Subjects of Desire, followed by a conversation with director Jennifer Holness. This provocative and culturally significant film is told from the perspective of women who aren’t afraid to challenge conventional beauty standards, and is partially set around the 50th anniversary of the Miss Black America Pageant, which was created as a political protest against dominant standards upheld by the beauty pageant industry.

Note: A TIFF digital event commemorating Viola Desmond Day is taking place on Monday,  November 8 at 12 pm ET with scholar Cheryl Thompson and Cameron Bailey, TIFF Artistic Director and Head, for a special talk about Black representation in 1940s cinema. They will discuss what the film experience was like for Black spectators at the time, and how systemic anti-Black racism continues to persist in the film industry to this day. Watch this conversation on TIFF’s Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube channels.

TIFF Next Wave 48-Hour Challenge Screening – November 28, 2021, 2:30pm to 4pm

The highly anticipated return of the TIFF Next Wave 48-Hour Film Challenge welcomes teams of young creators to produce a short film in only 48 hours. TIFF will showcase all of the films shot during the challenge and celebrate the next wave of emerging filmmakers. Following the screening, one team will be awarded the grand prize for best film by a jury of film industry professionals.

NEW RELEASES

Opens October 27
Passing
Rebecca Hall | UK, USA | 2021 | 98 mins.

Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga star as two Black women contending with the notion of “passing” for white, in this 1920s-set psychological thriller. Shot in a 4:3 aspect ratio in beautiful black and white, this film was made for the big screen. Nominated for five Gotham Awards, including Best Feature, Best Screenplay, and Outstanding Lead Performance (Tessa Thompson).

Opens November 4
Spencer
Pablo Larraín | Germany, UK | 2021 | 111 mins. 
Official Selection, 2021 Toronto International Film Festival

Kristen Stewart stars in Pablo Larraín’s haunting chamber drama that imagines a tumultuous Christmas in the life of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Opens November 12
tick, tick… BOOM!
Lin-Manuel Miranda | USA | 2021 | 112 mins. 

On the cusp of his 30th birthday, a promising young theatre composer navigates love, friendship, and the pressures of life as an artist in New York City.

Opens November 17
The Power of the Dog
Jane Campion | Australia, New Zealand | 2021 | 127 mins.
Official Selection, 2021 Toronto International Film Festival

TIFF Tribute Actor Award honouree Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst lead Jane Campion’s drama about two brothers whose lives change when a widow and her son arrive at their ranch.

(Photo credit: Elevation Pictures)

Ben Barnes has built a steady, but quality body of work over the years. Whether you know him from The Chronicles of Narnia, his more recent work in Netflix’s Shadow and Bone, or HBO‘s Westworld, it is easy to see why his career has shown longevity.

Barnes is in Toronto filming upcoming Guillermo del Toro Anthology Series CABINET OF CURIOSITIES. Barnes‘ episode also stars Crispin Glover, written by Lee Patterson and directed by Keith Thomas.

The Series stars several talented Actors including the likes of F. Murray Abraham, Tim Blake Nelson, Peter Weller and more, filming through February 2022.

We spotted Barnes in rehearsals a couple weeks back, prior to his episode filming around Baldwin Street. He was amazingly nice to make time to stop for a Snap before heading off to work!

He also is prepping the release of his EP SONGS FOR YOU. Check-out a quick Preview here for his Track 11:11:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Ben Barnes)

Guillermo del Toro quietly has been filming around Toronto for the past bit and at last we get confirmation exactly what and who!

Official titles and Cast for the upcoming Anthology Series are below:

• Essie Davis (The Babadook), Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead; Penguin Bloom) and Hannah Galway (Sex/Life) star in an episode written (based on an original story by Guillermo del Toro) and directed by Jennifer Kent (The Babadook; The Nightingale)
• Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham (Mythic Quest; Homeland; Amadeus), Glynn Turman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; Fargo; The Wire) and Luke Roberts (Ransom; Black Sails) will appear in an episode written by David S. Goyer (Dark City; The Dark Knight; Batman Begins) (based on a short story by Michael Shea), and directed by David Prior (The Empty Man; AM1200).  
• Tim Blake Nelson (Watchmen; The Ballad of Buster Scruggs), Elpidia Carrillo (Predator; Bread & Roses; Euphoria), Demetrius Grosse (Fear The Walking Dead; Boon; Lovecraft Country) and Sebastian Roché (The Man in the High Castle; The Young Pope) star in an episode written by Regina Corrado (Deadwood; The Strain) (based on an original story by Guillermo del Toro); and directed by Guillermo Navarro (Godfather of Harlem; Narcos)
• Crispin Glover (Rivers Edge; Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland; American Gods; Back To The Future; Willard; Charlie’s Angels) and Ben Barnes (Shadow and Bone;  Westworld; The Punisher) star in an episode written by  Lee Patterson (Curve; The Colony) (based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft) and directed by Keith Thomas (Firestarter; The Vigil)
• Peter Weller (upcoming The Colosseum; Naked Lunch; Star Trek Into Darkness; Robocop) stars in an episode directed by Panos Cosmatos (Mandy), who also writes along with Aaron Stewart-Ahn
• Mika Watkins (Origin; Black Mirror; Troy: Fall of a City) writes an episode (based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft) directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen; Lords of Dogtown; Twilight); with cast to be announced
• David Hewlett (SEE, The Shape of Water; Stargate: Atlantis) cast in an episode written (based on a short story by Henry Kuttner) and directed by Vincenzo Natali (In The Tall Grass; Splice; Cube; Hannibal) 
• Haley Z. Boston (Brand New Cherry Flavor) serves as writer of an episode (based on a short story by comic book author Emily Carroll) directed by Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night; Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon; The Bad Batch) with cast to be confirmed

The Series is coming soon to Netflix!

(Photo credit: Netflix)

eOne Films x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK! Screenings are as follows:

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK TORONTO WEDNESDAY AUGUST 7TH SCOTIABANK THEATRE
SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK VANCOUVER WEDNESDAY AUGUST 7TH SCOTIABANK VANCOUVER
SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK CALGARY WEDNESDAY AUGUST 7TH SCOTIABANK CHINOOK
SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK WINNIPEG WEDNESDAY AUGUST 7TH SCOTIBANK WINNIPEG
SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK HALIFAX WEDNESDAY AUGUST 7TH PARK LANE

Synopsis:
From the dark imaginations of Academy Award®-winner Guillermo del Toro and acclaimed director André Øvredal, based on the iconic book series, comes Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark — in theaters this summer.

It’s 1968 in America. Change is blowing in the wind…but seemingly far removed from the unrest in the cities is the small town of Mill Valley where for generations, the shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large. It is in their mansion on the edge of town that Sarah, a young girl with horrible secrets, turned her tortured life into a series of scary stories, written in a book that has transcended time—stories that have a way of becoming all too real for a group of teenagers who discover Sarah’s terrifying 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 Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance.

eOne Films release SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK Friday, August 9, 2019.

(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)

By David Baldwin and Mr. Will Wong

Now in its 19th year Toronto Comicon takes place at Metro Toronto Convention Centre this weekend bringing together fans of Sci-Fi, Anime, Cosplayers, Gaming, Comics and more in one extravaganza.  Toronto Comicon year after year has given fans a chance to connect with their favourite idols with Panels, Autograph Signings and Photo Ops. Known as one of the most exciting events each spring in Toronto, the event this year was headlined by several stars including Ron Perlman (Hellboy), Dan Fogler (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), Jaleel White (Family Matters), Tommy Flanagan (Sons of Anarchy), Jonathan Rhys-Davies (Lord of the Rings), Corbin Bernsen (The Punisher) and several more!

Funko Pop! vinyl collectibles, rare editions of comic books and the opportunity to get one-of-a-kind commissioned pieces by Artists, continue to be a huge draw at the three-day affair. Truly Toronto Comicon is a mecca of all things adored.

Our David Baldwin had the opportunity to sit-in on a couple high-profile Panels for Ron Perlman and Dan Fogler.

PERLMAN

Golden Globe Award winner Ron Perlman has had a celebrated career in Film and Television, including unforgettable performances on Television Series Beauty and the Beast and originating the titular role in a soon-to-be rebooted Hellboy. He delighted fans on Saturday afternoon with a lively Q&A session. He set the tone for the nearly hour-long discussion by taking the stage and immediately greeting the audience with “Sup motherfuckers?” He later apologized to everyone who brought their children with them, but did not change his casual demeanour. He says that “99% of the roles I’ve played, I’ve really loved” and likens that passion for his roles to his mantra of “Don’t say yes unless you really love the person you’re playing.”.

While he enjoyed talking about his popular roles (“Sons of Anarchy was larger than life”) and his close relationship with honourary Torontonian and Oscar-winning Director, Guillermo del Toro (going so far as to praise Pan’s Labyrinth as a “masterpiece” and calling it the “quintessential del Toro movie”), Perlman did not hesitate to get very candid with the audience. Upon hearing an audience question about his time on the ill-fated 1996 remake of The Island of Dr. Moreau, he flat-out said “We should have never made that movie,” and said that acclaimed Director Jean-Jacques Annaud saved his life and career more than once when he was “going to quit acting”. He also let the audience in on a very telling secret: “I’m not a big fan of watching my own stuff. I just do it and move on to the next thing.”.

Perlman next year can be seen in Paul W.S. Anderson‘s eagerly-awaited Monster Hunter.

FOGLER

Despite landing a breakout role in 2016’s blockbuster Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the first of a few slated Films in the Franchise, Dan Fogler long has been honing his craft. Fashionably-late for his own Panel today, he was exactly as animated and wild a personality as you might expect: “I like acting in front of people.” In his discussion, he detailed how much joy it brings him to get to play roles in the likes of Fanboys, the Fantastic Beasts series and The Walking Dead saying the roles “speak to the little nerd in me.” He even went so far as to say that his work on Fanboys specifically gave him the “invitation to act like a kid again.”.

Fogler went the extra mile during the Q&A portion, handing-out comic books and memorabilia to each audience member who asked a question (and in a rather wonderful touch, personally delivered memorabilia and hugged an audience member in a wheelchair). He riffed on his time working with Christopher Walken on Balls of Fury (telling the audience Walken’s method of dialogue delivery: “It’s all about slow, medium, fast”) and reminisced about his inspirations, saying that after discovering that Voice Actor Mel Blanc was playing and creating voices for multiple Looney Tunes characters, “I want to do that!”. Fogler even tried his hand at Sign Language, poorly attempting to sign-out “Say hello to my little friend” to his on-stage interpreter.

The Brooklyn native currently can be seen on AMC’s The Walking Dead as Luke.

Check-out some more sights of 2019 Toronto Comicon:

Ron Perlman

Dan Fogler

Jaleel White

Jonathan Rhys-Davies

Tommy Flanagan

Corbin Bernsen

John De Lancie

Cosplay

Cool, rare stuff

Also, CAPTIVE STATE is in theatres this weekend. Don’t forget to check-out this need little installation where you can star in your own Poster for the Film!

You still have one more day left to check-out 2019 Toronto Comicon as it wraps Sunday, March 17, 2019!

More here.

Missed it? Don’t worry, Fan Expo Canada is coming this Summer. More details here.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/David Baldwin)

It has been to coldest, most unforgiving Toronto, winter so forgive us that we would rather be home than out! Productions continue to move along at a steady pace with a pair Netflix productions highlighting the pack.

Spinning Out and Comedy Let it Snow fully utilizing our wintry weather. Spinning Out is a Series starring Kaya Scodelario (The Maze Runner), a seen-above Willow Shields (The Hunger Games) and January Jones (Mad Men), about an injured figure skater with a secret on the comeback trail as a pairs skater. The Series wraps early May.

Let it Snow stars Shameik Moore (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse), Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Liv Hewson (Santa Clarita Diet), Odeya Rush (Lady Bird) and Isabela Moner (Instant Family), and is about a group of people who are brought together by a snow storm. It wraps end of March and will stream on Netflix.

 

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Thank you #GuillermodelToro for what he has done for #Toronto, creating many jobs and opportunities for our City with his unparallelled vision, which continues to touch the World. #Hellboy, #PansLabrynth #PacificRim #CrimsonPeak #Blade and of course #TheShapeofWater. Who knows what genius the #AcademyAward winner is brewing-up again in the City, but we cannot wait! 🔥

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Feb 19, 2019 at 6:14am PST

Academy Award-winning Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro must be lauded for what he has done for Toronto, creating many jobs and opportunities for our City with his unparalleled vision, which continues to touch the World. Known for his Films Hellboy, Pan’s Labrynth, Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak, Blade II and of course, Best Picture-winning The Shape of Water. Who knows what genius he is brewing-up again in the City, but we cannot wait! And it for sure will be huge.

 

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When #ViggoMortensen realizes you are sneaking a pic of him chatting on his – get this – red flip phone, and he walks right up to you and then onwards to psych you! I was morten-fied! The #GreenBook Oscar Nominee in #Toronto working on #Falling was picking-up his friend and Co-Star #LanceHenriksen, which is about a conservative father who moves in with his gay son’s family is Los Angeles. The two met with a big, joyful hug after Viggo paced around for about two hours waiting for his buddy.

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Feb 19, 2019 at 6:01am PST

Viggo Mortensen certainly is a busy man, juggling Awards Season and his directorial debut which happens to be set to film in Toronto. He was spotted at Pearson International arrivals, not himself arriving, but picking-up. I think he realized I was sneaking a pic of him chatting on his – get this – red flip phone, and he walked right up to me to psych me out and then walked onward! I was morten-fied! The Green Book Oscar Nominee who is in Toronto working on Falling was picking-up his friend and Co-Star, veteran Actor Lance Henriksen (Aliens), which is about a conservative father who moves in with his gay son’s family is Los Angeles. The two met with a big, joyful hug after Viggo paced around for about two hours waiting for his buddy.

We are thrilled to be Los Angeles-bound this weekend for some Awards Season fun and wouldn’t be surprised if we saw Viggo or maybe even Shameik (Spider-verse is up for Best Animated Feature)!

Wish us luck!

Don’t forget to tune into Hollywoood Suite, the exclusive broadcaster of this weekends Independent Spirit Awards, 2 PM ET/5 PM ET! Follow them on Twitter @HollywoodSuite for coverage and also follow us too as we’ll be on the Carpet: @mrwillw.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

The 75th annual Golden Globes Awards took place tonight in Beverly Hills, California. With the #TimesUp initiative front and center of our attentions, we saw all talent uniformly wearing black to draw attention to the cause for equality and an end to sexual harassment in the workplace.

Seth Meyers hosted the affair boldly poking-fun at the likes of Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein. In the face of change, he calls 2018 “the year marijuana was allowed and sexual harassment wasn’t anymore.”.

Oprah Winfrey who next can be seen in Disney‘s A Wrinkle in Time, was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. Her Wrinkle Co-Star Reese Witherspoon introduced her as being all “a noun, a verb and an adjective”. And even Meyers joked DeMille should be honoured she was given the award. Winfrey recalls herself as a kid in Milwaukee back in 1964, watching Anne Bancroft speak a historic five words on television, “The winner is Sidney Poitier“. She hopes to inspire another black girl watching tonight seeing her be named the first ever black Cecil B. DeMille Award Winner. Winfrey states, “I wanted to express gratitude to all women who endured years of abuse and assault as they like my mother had mouths to feed, bills to pay and dreams to pursue.”. Recounting the story of rape (1944) victim Recy Taylor whose six attackers never were persecuted, she defiantly states that we are at the end of an era, “Their time us up!”.

“I want all of the girls watching here now to know, that a new day is on the horizon.” @Oprah accepts the 2018 Cecil B. de Mille award. #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/hbquC1GBjm

— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 8, 2018

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri scored huge in the Film categories including a win for Motion Picture Drama. Martin McDonagh was awarded Screenplay for the Film which he also directed. He jokes, “My mother really wanted Lady Bird to win.”. Oscar Winner Frances McDormand before tonight had been nominated seven times for a Globe, but finally received her first win for Actress in a Motion Picture Drama.  She declined to make political comments but expressed pride that the Film still is filling seats in brick and mortar theatres across the U.S. the “old-fashioned” way. Sam Rockwell, after a career spanning almost three decades, finally won a Golden Globe for his work in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. “It’s nice to be in a movie people saw”, he kids before thanking others involved with the TIFF ’17 People’s Choice Award-winning Film and also wife Leslie Bibb.

Let’s hear it for our winner of Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, Frances McDormand! She’s honored for her role in @3Billboards. #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/1bJOBP3YNW

— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 8, 2018

HBO’s Big Little Lies was a major force in the Television categories winning TV Miniseries or Movie. Nicole Kidman was awarded her fourth Golden Globe for her Actress work, thanking her Co-Star, Co-Producer and fellow Nominee Reese Witherspoon with whom together she brought the HBO release to Television. Kidman despite getting the cue to shorten her speech, thanked her husband Country Star Keith Urban last, telling him “When your cheek is pressed against mine, the whole world just melts away, I love you.”. Co-Stars Laura Dern and Alexander Skarsgård also won for their work as Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress (Dern‘s fourth Globe too!) in the Miniseries.

Lady Bird, which premiered at TIFF ’17, won Comedy or Musical. The Film which loosely is based on Greta Gerwig‘s life, also is her directorial debut. Gerwig thanked her hometown Sacramento for giving her the wings and roots needed to succeed in life. 23-year-old Saoirse Ronan already has been nominated for three Globes but alas gets her first win tonight for her acclaimed work in Lady Bird. She kept pointing-out in her humble speech how her mom out of excitement was in the audience on FaceTime while she was on-stage.

A round of applause for Saoirse Ronan taking home the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for her role in @LadyBirdMovie! #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/fXm4pygZ41

— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 8, 2018

Visionary Guillermo del Toro made a teary acceptance for Director with The Shape of Water while the Orchestra had tried drowning his speech out due to time restrictions. “Turn the music down, it’s taken me 25 years to get here” he said, drawing cheers from the audience. Moments before, Natalie Portman presenting his award alongside Ron Howard, pointed-out how all Nominees in the Category were male.

Gary Oldman was awarded Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in TIFF ’17 selection Darkest Hour. In his speech, he told us how his wife puts-up with his incredible dedication telling others “I go to bed with Winston Churchill and wake-up with Gary Oldman.”.

A massive congratulations to Gary Oldman for being awarded the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama award for his role in @DarkestHour! #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/YyPfI7iBNl

— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 8, 2018

Jeered widely for having made the worst movie of all time, The Room, Filmmaker and Cult Icon Tommy Wiseau got the last laugh joining Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy Winner James Franco on-stage tonight. Franco stars in and directs The Disaster Artist which recounts Wiseau‘s process making that Cult Classic. Franco thanked his younger brother Dave in his speech saying “He always wanted his own Coen Brother” to make Films with and it looks like he too along with Wiseau saw his dream come true.

Allison Janney who delivers a chilling portrayal of Tonya Harding’s mother LaVona Golden in I, Tonya, was awarded a well-deserved Globe beating-out some stiff competition including Laurie Metcalf whom many also feel is deserving for her work in Lady Bird. Janney made a poignant statement about perception of truth in Media, an enlightenment after having worked on the Film which gives us a fresh perspective on the disgraced Figure Skater. It was a good night for both Tommy Wiseau and Tonya Harding.

.@AllisonBJanney is awarded Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture for her outstanding work in @ITonyaMovie. Yay! 👏 pic.twitter.com/tgg72x8p30

— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 8, 2018

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was this year’s Dark Horse, winning Comedy Series and also Rachel Brosnahan (House of Cards) winning Actress in a Comedy Series. The Amazon Series centers on a Jewish housewife in the ’50s who becomes a Stand-up Comedian.

Elisabeth Moss shone a light on Canada dedicating her Actress in a Drama Series win to Margaret Atwood who wrote the source material on which Toronto-made The Handsmaid’s Tale is based. The Series also took home a Globe for Drama Series. This is her second Golden Globe win, her first for Miniseries Top of the Lake.

After four nominations, Ewan McGregor finally gets his first Globe win for Actor in a TV Miniseries or Movie with Fargo.  Another Canadian connection, the Series was filmed in Calgary.

Sterling K. Brown was awarded his first Globe for his work on Series This is Us.  The rising star next can be seen in Marvel’s Black Panther and reminded his kids in his speech he’d be there to take them to school tomorrow morning, in addition to expressing his awe of Oprah Winfrey being seated before him on the podium.

The ONLY way to start an acceptance speech. 🙌 @SterlingKBrown 🙌 #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/34vexLiKA1

— GIPHY (@GIPHY) January 8, 2018

After getting a nod last year and seeing MASTER OF NONE, for which he has directing and writing credits, Funnyman Aziz Ansari gets a Globe for Actor in a Comedy Series. He becomes the first ever South Asian Actor to win a Globe.

In addition to having grossed almost $600 million worldwide, Disney•Pixar‘s Coco goes on to Globe success, winning Animated Feature.

Hot off its #1 success on the Billboard Hot 200 Album Chart, The Greatest Showman also wins a Globe for Original Song, This is Me, sung by Keala Settle and also Kesha.

Fatih Akin‘s In the Fade won Foreign Language Film. The German Film starring Diane Kruger as a woman dealing with the aftermath of a terrorist attack, received a TIFF ’17 Premiere.

Awards Season culminates in the Academy Awards which air Sunday, March 4, 2018 on ABC, 7 PM ET.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)