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Star Wars fans, don't expect any details about Star Wars: Starfighter to be spoiled any time soon. The latest director to enter the Star Warsfranchise and march to the tune of John Williams' signature score has revealed a very important lesson that he learned when making Stranger Things. Shawn Levy has been playing a key part behind the camera since the beginning of the Netflix fantasy horror hit, and now that he's been announced to tackle one of the upcoming Star Wars movies, Levy says that the very popular series taught him to stay quiet and not spill any details.

The director, also famous for his work on Deadpool & Wolverine and the Night at the Museum franchise, spoke to Variety during the premiere of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the play that serves as a prequel to the Netflix show. Levy was recently announced as the director of Star Wars: Starfighter,...

Well, big weekly grosses and even bigger stars can’t guarantee a Tony Awards nomination.

Broadway does what Broadway wants, so no Best Play nominations (or anything else) for huge moneymaker Othello, and no Best Play noms for Good Night, and Good Luck, Stranger Things: The First Shadow and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Same for the critical favorite Cult of Love.

While Good Night and Dorian Gray weren’t nominated for Best Play, their big stars — George Clooney and Sarah Snook, respectively — were nominated for their performances, as expected. In fact, Dorian Gray, in which Snook plays all the characters from the Oscar Wilde novel, has the distinction of being the most nominated solo show in Tony history, placing in six categories: Snook’s performance, Kip Williams’ direction, and nods for scenic, lighting, sound and costume design.

Related: Broadway’s 2024-2025 Season: All Of Deadline’s Reviews

Perhaps the...

The Tony Awards Administration Committee met for the fourth and final time this season to determine the eligibility status of 12 Broadway productions ahead of the 2025 Tony Awards nominations on Thursday. In addition to confirming the status of several writers, some hotly competitive performers are swapping acting categories.

The productions discussed today were: Good Night, and Good Luck; Boop! The Musical; The Last Five Years; Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends; Smash; John Proctor Is a Villain; Floyd Collins; Stranger Things: The First Shadow; Pirates! The Penzance Musical; Just in Time; Real Women Have Curves: The Musical; and Dead Outlaw.

The committee made the following determinations on all requests eligible for consideration:

Heather Gilbert (lighting design) and David Bengali (projection design) will be considered jointly eligible in the Best Lighting Design of a Play category for their work on Good Night, and Good Luck.

Jasmine Amy Rogers will be considered eligible in the...

Deadline’s Most Valuable Blockbuster tournament has returned, and as you’ll see from the most profitable films of 2024 that we’re about to disclose, a movie’s game doesn’t end at the box office. Rather, its downstream revenues and subsequent home windows must be taken into account. Streaming continues to be a wildcard: While traditional motion picture studios such as Disney, Warner Bros, Sony, Paramount and Universal rely on lucrative pay two and pay three streamer deals to catapult their slates into the black, those streamers who’ve embraced theatrical (specifically Amazon MGM Studios and Apple Original Films) have a clandestine metric as to how they evaluate a movie’s post-cinema success. By traditional studio P&l standards, some of those releases would be considered flops. Given that, Apple and Amazon are excluded from this year’s survey. The Most Valuable Blockbuster series runs later rather than sooner as...

Broadway’s 2024-25 season got off to a rather fine start, from the wildly popular and hysterically funny Oh, Mary! to the fabulous splash of Death Becomes Her and the wonderful left-field sleeper Maybe Happy Ending, and wrapped up with some equally excellent season closers like Just In Time and Dead Outlaw.

This compendium of Deadline’s Broadway reviews takes a look at all of them. Use it as a guide for your theater-going, or a sneak peek at what this year’s Tony Awards might have in store on Sunday, June 8.

Real Women Have Curves: The Musical

Opening Night: April 27

Venue: Broadway’s James Earl Jones Theatre

Direction & Choreography By: Sergio Trujillo

Book: Lisa Loomer with Nell Benjamin, based on the play by Josefina López and the HBO screenplay by Josefina López and George Lavoo

Music & Lyrics By: Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez

Cast: Tatianna Córdoba, Justina Machado,...

With both “Stranger Things” Season 5 and “Star Wars: Starfighter” on the horizon, “Deadpool & Wolverine” director Shawn Levy knows he will have to keep a secret or two.

“‘Stranger Things’ taught me to keep my mouth shut,” Levy told Variety at Tuesday’s Broadway opening of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” in New York City. “So I’m really grateful for that because I kept the Ryan Gosling news and the title and release date of my ‘Star Wars’ movie pretty damn quiet for a long time. So I’m quite proud of myself and grateful to ‘Stranger Things’ for making me shut my mouth.”

Levy has been part of the “Stranger Things” family as an executive producer since Season 1, including directing episodes in Seasons 3 and 4. So when Sonia Friedman and Stephen Daldry approached him about “The First Shadow” play, which is now playing on Broadway, he was intrigued.

“When...

Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the new stage prequel to the hit Emmy-winning Netflix series, has officially opened at the Marquis Theatre in New York. Directed by Stephen Daldry and written by Stranger Things staff writer Kate Trefry, the production is being praised for its jaw-dropping technical achievements and strong performances — though critics are split on its emotional impact.

Elisabeth Vincentelli of The New York Times describes the production as "big, loud, often ingenious and occasionally breathtaking, in a 'how the hell did they do this?' kind of way."

For those unfamiliar with the Stranger Things universe, Vincentelli suggests prior knowledge enhances the experience, but isn’t necessary: "It's possible to follow the show anyway, and to enjoy it. But it's hard to deny that audience members who understand those references will have access to more layers of The First Shadow," she writes.

Much of the acclaim has been...

As fans of Stranger Things continue to await further news about the fifth and final season of the Netflix giant, a few lucky ones may get to peek behind the curtain early. Stranger Things: The First Shadow premiered on Broadway on Tuesday after a successful run in London, and, according to showrunner Ross Duffer, the horror sci-fi play is not just a tie-in prequel. In fact, the stage play connects directly to the events of Season 5. Fans, it's time to get in line and try to get a ticket.

The Hollywood Reporter spoke to series creators the Duffer Brothers during the Broadway premiere of the stage play The First Shadow. The play was directed by Stephen Daldry and written by Kate Trefry, who has also written a few episodes of the show. During the red carpet event, Ross Duffer was asked if the play had somehow influenced the events in...

Broadway goes Upside Down with Stranger Things: The First Shadow, opening tonight at the Marquis Theatre and setting a new standard for what’s possible in high-tech spectacle on the legitimate stage. Director Stephen Daldry, playwright Kate Trefry and young star Louis McCartney, invaluably assisted by a top-rate crew of designers and special effects wizards, bring an exciting, bump-in-the-night creature feature to Broadway.

Scary is a rarity for Broadway. There was the creepy Grey House a few seasons ago, and you might remember when King Kong lumbered around a stage a while back, but Stranger Things: The First Shadow easily outdoes them for jump scares and genuine thrills. Some of the magical derring-do is reminiscent of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. That massive battleship bow that crashes on stage,...

In a pivotal scene from the Netflix backstage documentary Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, released a week before the Broadway opening of The First Shadow, playwright Kate Trefry breaks some bad news to her collaborators. It’s early in rehearsals for the play’s 2023 West End premiere, and she’s going to have to do a big rewrite, as the Duffer Brothers, creators of Netflix’s Stranger Things, want to save a major plot reveal for the fifth and final season of the series (scheduled for release later this year) and they’ve decided the play gives far too much away. It’s back to work on an umpteenth draft for Trefry.

Therein lies the paradox that may make The First Shadow, no matter how mesmerizing it is to witness, frustrating for fans of the series. The play, a 1950s-set prequel to the sci-fi saga, which is set in the ’80s,...

There’s a moment in Netflix’s behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of the streamer’s new “Stranger Things” play in which the majority of a conversation between the play’s director and playwright is bleeped out because it includes too many spoilers about the hit TV series’ upcoming fifth and final season.

It serves as a not-so-subtle response to anyone who had doubts that “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” was a necessary piece of “Stranger Things” creators Matt and Ross Duffer’s master plan for the Upside Down.

But the Duffers will be the first to tell you that, though the show is an integral part of the “Stranger Things” mythology heading into the final season, it wasn’t their idea. It wasn’t even Netflix’s. It was famed director Stephen Daldry’s.

“It didn’t come from Netflix. It wasn’t Netflix’s idea. This was Stephen’s idea,...

Walking into Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway, theatergoers are greeted by a giant replica of the Creel house at the center of the Netflix series, plush demogorgons for sale and ominous music from the 1950s playing as signs welcome them to Hawkins, Ind.

“You’re going to be right in front of the Mind Flayer!” an attendee in the front few rows says upon taking his seat at an April preview performance.

The show, which is opening at the Marquis Theatre April 22, comes to New York after opening in London’s West End in December 2023 and marks the streaming giant’s biggest foray onto Broadway to date. For Netflix, bringing this show to the stage allows the streaming giant to connect with the large fandom around one of its most popular series, in the same way the company has been launching immersive experiences around Bridgerton and Squid Game.

Following a critically acclaimed debut in London’s West End in 2023, Stranger Things: The First Shadow will have it's opening night April 22 at the Marquis Theatre in New York. This prequel to the Emmy-winning Netflix series dives deep into the show's origins — and thanks to a new Netflix documentary, fans can now get a sneak peek at the journey that brought this supernatural world to life on stage.

Netflix’s behind-the-scenes documentary, Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, pulls back the veil on the making of the play, following the cast and crew from their very first meetings and early rehearsals to the opening night at London’s Phoenix Theatre. Through intimate footage and interviews, the doc offers a rare glimpse into the collaborative process that director Stephen Daldry and his creative team undertook to reimagine Hawkins, Indiana with theatrical flair, cutting-edge technology, and a brand-new cast.

“It...

Stranger Things: The First Shadow opened on stage in December 2023 in London’s Phoenix Theater under director Jon Halperin. The prequel to the Stranger Things television series reached a new milestone as the cast started performances on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre on March 28, ahead of an official opening on April 22.

From this milestone comes a behind-the-scenes documentary titled Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, premiering on Netflix on April 15. The film will reveal what went into the stage production that opened on the West End almost two years prior.

Louis McCartney (Henry Creel) in Stranger Things: The First Shadow - photo by Manuel Harlan

The production, written by Kate Trefry and directed by Stephen Daldry and co-directed by Justin Martin and playwright Jack Thorne, describes the plot as follows:

“In 1959 Hawkins, Indiana, the Creel family seeks a fresh start, especially their teenage son Henry, who is eager to escape his troubled past.

Stranger Things has become one of the most popular Netflix series and one of the most popular TV series worldwide. So it is no wonder millions of series fans are anticipating Season 5, the concluding one, to premiere.

To shorten their wait, Netflix is set to premiere a documentary about the theatre play based on the series, Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is set to premiere on the streaming service on April 15, 2025. The official trailer for the documentary is available now.

The show premiered in London’s West End (Phoenix Theatre) on December 14, 2023, and runs until April 6, 2025. It won the Olivier Award and will come to Broadway, with previews starting on March 28 and the play opening on April 22 at the Marriott Marquis Theater.

Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow set to debut on Netflix in April

The play was set as a sort of prequel,...

Gold Derby's top news stories for March 28, 2025.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow first photos

Netflix's Emmy-winning Stranger Things will soon be eligible to win some Tony Awards. Sonia Friedman Productions has released first look images (see above and below) ahead of Friday's preview performance of Stranger Things: The First Shadow at The Marquis Theater on Broadway. Director Stephen Daldry claimed, "The challenge is to create a visceral experience for the audience, where they feel shock and awe, surprise and delight. You have to deliver that." Co-creator Ross Duffer added, "The first time we saw the play, we were blown away." His brother Matt Duffer chimed in, "They pulled everything off, and then some. It was one of the most thrilling experiences of our lives." If you can't make it to New York to see the Broadway show, don't worry — you can still get your Stranger Things fix later...

Netflix is taking its subscribers inside the production and opening of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” the successful London (and now Broadway) play that serves as a prequel to the streaming service’s immensely popular sci-fi series.

In conjunction with the play’s long-awaited Broadway debut, Netflix has announced “Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” a documentary that will provide viewers special behind-the-scenes access to the opening West End production of its eponymous play and will feature interviews with its cast, crew and creators. Directed by Jon Halperin, the documentary will premiere Tuesday, April 15, on Netflix.

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” was originally announced in 2022 and made its West End debut over a year later at London’s Phoenix Theater in December 2023. In 2024, it won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play and for Best Set Design. On Thursday, the show held its first Broadway...

Netflix has released a trailer for its new documentary about the making of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the stage adaptation that was a hit on the West End and begins Broadway previews tonight.

Check out the Netflix trailer above, and some first-look images from the Broadway play below. The Broadway production officially opens April 22 at the Marquis Theater.

Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow will debut on Netflix on April 15, and goes backstage to detail the creation of the play during its 2023 development in London.

The documentary, directed by Jon Halperin, depicts the cast and crew of the London production as they prepare for the play’s debut at the Phoenix Theatre in London. The film’s synopsis: “With special behind-the-scenes access, follow the cast and crew of Stranger Things: The First Shadow as they race against time to prepare the ambitious, boundary-pushing stage show for its...

Netflix will release a documentary about the making of its stage show, Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

The documentary, entitled Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the play on the West End, where it opened in December 2023. The documentary will premiere on Netflix April 15.

The news comes as Stranger Things: The First Shadow heads into its first Broadway preview Friday at Marriott Marquis Theatre. The show is scheduled to open April 22.

The play, written by Kate Trefry, directed by Stephen Daldry and co-directed by Justin Martin, is set up as a prequel to the television series.

The production describes the plot saying: “In 1959 Hawkins, Indiana, the Creel family seeks a fresh start, especially their teenage son Henry, who is eager to escape his troubled past. Initially, things go well — he finds friendship and joins the school play. But when...

Netflix has teamed up with Sonia Friedman Productions to produce the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is “rooted in the mythology” of the hit streaming series Stranger Things and opened at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End in December of 2023. The show has been breaking box office records and won several awards, and this year, it will be making the jump to Broadway. Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set to begin previews at the Marquis Theatre today, Friday, March 28, and officially open on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Now, Variety has learned that a behind-the-scenes documentary called Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set to start streaming on Netflix on April 15th.

Directed by Jon Halperin, this documentary is said to be “an electrifying look backstage at the making of the play before it launched in London’s West End in December 2023.” It follows...

With Stranger Things: The First Shadow launching its first preview performance tonight on Broadway, Netflix has announced Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

Follow the cast and crew as they race against time to prepare the ambitious, critically acclaimed West End stage play, which opened at London’s Phoenix Theater in December 2023.

Premiering April 15, the documentary is directed by Jon Halperin (A Trip to Infinity).

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is written by Kate Trefry (“Stranger Things”), based on an original story by “Stranger Things” creators the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), and Trefry.

Serving as a standalone prequel to the hit Netflix series, the Olivier Award-winning play is directed by Stephen Daldry and co-directed by Justin Martin.

In 1959 Hawkins, Indiana, the Creel family seeks a fresh start, especially their teenage son Henry, who is eager to escape his troubled past. Initially, things...

On the day of the first preview performance of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” on Broadway, Netflix has announced a new documentary charting the TV phenomenon’s successful adaptation into a hit stage play.

“Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow” — set to premiere on April 15 on the streamer — is billed as “electrifying look backstage” at the making of the play before it launched in London’s West End in December 2023.

From director Jon Halperin, the feature will follow the cast and crew of the first “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” production as they race against time to prepare for its debut at the Phoenix Theater amid mounting anticipation. Alongside sell out performances and critical acclaim, the West End show — from Sonia Friedman Productions and directed by Stephen Daldry alongside Justin Martin — would land two Olivier Awards in 2024, for best entertainment of comedy play and for set design. Producers...

Oscar nominated movies go through meticulous discussions and careful considerations before becoming a candidate to win the actual award. But sometimes public opinion does not necessarily align with the experts. The audience does not shy away from expressing their opinions—especially when they do not like a movie.

But that doesn’t mean these films aren’t worth watching, they’re entertaining. However, if we start handing out nominations to every entertaining movie, the Academy Awards would lose their value, wouldn’t they? In some cases, these films even overshadowed more deserving contenders, fueling criticism about the very selection process of movie nomination.

In this list, we will look at some of the most controversial and surprising movies nominated for an Academy Award. Without further ado, let’s find out if the movies selected were justified or not.

Selena Gomez in Emilia Pérez, Ben Afflect and Josh Harnett | Credit: Why Not Productions,...

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is an exciting stage play that serves as a prequel to the popular Netflix series, Stranger Things. The play was written by Kate Trefry, based on an original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne, and Trefry. It brings fans back to the past, exploring the origins of some well-known characters from the show.

The play first premiered at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End. It began previews on November 17, 2023, and officially opened on December 14, 2023. The production received great reviews from critics and fans alike.

The show was directed by Stephen Daldry, with Justin Martin as co-director. The creative team included top professionals in set design, costumes, lighting, sound, and visual effects, making the experience truly immersive.

The West End cast featured:

Oscar Lloyd as James Hopper Jr. Isabella Pappas as Joyce Maldonado Chris Buckley as Bob Newby Louis McCartney as Henry Creel Patrick Vaill as Dr.

The Academy Awards are the most prestigious ceremony in Hollywood and are tasked with recognizing the greatest achievements in cinema within a given year. While the ceremony allows the cast and crew of films to be recognized by a community of their peers, it also serves as a great opportunity to showcase the art of filmmaking to a larger audience. While the Oscars don’t always recognize the single greatest film each year, they generally make good decisions by honoring projects that are worthy of accolades.

Unfortunately, the Best Picture lineup each year tends to have at least one film that is clearly not of the same quality level as its fellow competitors. This issue has grown even more prevalent due to a change that occurred at the 2010 Academy Awards ceremony, in which the lineup was extended to ten nominees. It’s disappointing that the Oscars would choose to dedicate...

Stranger Things: The First Shadow astonished the West End, winning the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment. Critics hailed it as “a game-changing experience” (Daily Telegraph) that makes the unimaginable real and “takes theatre to the next dimension” (The Observer). From Netflix and multi-award-winning Broadway producer Sonia Friedman Productions, and directed by three-time Tony Award® winner Stephen Daldry alongside Justin Martin, this pulse-racing new adventure will turn Broadway upside down.

Are monsters born… or made?

In 1959 Hawkins, Indiana, the Creel family seeks a fresh start, especially their teenage son Henry, who is eager to escape his troubled past. Initially, things go well — he finds friendship and joins the school play. But when a wave of shocking crimes strikes the town, Henry is forced to confront a terrifying truth: is there something inside him that connects him to the horrors unfolding around him?

As this thrilling mystery races forward, shadows of the past are unleashed,...

Ralph Fiennes, the guest on this episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast — which was recorded last week in front of 2,000 people at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where Fiennes was honored with the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award in recognition of his Oscar-nominated performance in Conclave — has been widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest screen actors for more than 30 years.

To name just a few of the films in which the Englishman has shined: Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, Robert Redford’s Quiz Show, Kathryn Bigelow‘s Strange Days, Anthony Minghella’s The English Patient, István Szabó’s Sunshine, Neil Jordan’s The End of the Affair, David Cronenberg’s Spider, Fernando Meirelles’ The Constant Gardener, Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges, Stephen Daldry’s The Reader, Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker, Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, Luca Guadagnino’s A Bigger Splash...

Netflix has teamed up with Sonia Friedman Productions to produce the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is “rooted in the mythology” of the hit streaming series Stranger Things and opened at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End in December of 2023. The show has been breaking box office records and won several awards, and this year, it will be making the jump to Broadway. Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set to begin previews at the Marquis Theatre on Friday, March 28, 2025 and officially open on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. In anticipation of the show’s Broadway debut, Entertainment Weekly has shared a look at the Broadway version of the Mind Flayer creature! You can check it out at the bottom of this article.

A while back, Deadline heard that Stranger Things: The First Shadow “will be the first instalment in a trilogy exploring the dark underbelly of Hawkins,...

We’re about halfway through the 2024-25 Broadway season, and there are eight productions of plays set to open this spring. Could any of them contend at this year’s Tony Awards? Below, find a summary of the plot of each play as well as the author, director, and cast, plus the opening and (where applicable) closing dates.

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Opened: Jan. 23

Closes: March 2

Official synopsis: The comedy unfolds in an Iranian classroom where adult English learners practice for their proficiency exam. As they leapfrog through a linguistic playground, their wildly different dreams, frustrations, and secrets come to light. This production presented by Roundabout Theatre Company follows a successful premiere with off-Broadway’s Atlantic Theatre Company. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Written by Sanaz Toossi

Directed by Knud Adams

Starring Tala Ashe, Ava Lalezarzadeh, Pooya Mohseni, Marjan Neshat, and...

For the Duffer Brothers, the Next on Netflix 2025 event was a platform to discuss the end of their Emmy-winning global hit series “Stranger Things,” and the beginning of the next chapter of their partnership with the streaming service.

After the presentation began with a clip reel teasing how Season 4 villain Vecna and the Upside Down have invaded the characters’ hometown of Hawkins, Indiana, the filmmaking pair came onto the Egyptian Theatre stage in Hollywood to share some behind the scenes details about the show’s final season.

“This is our biggest and most ambitious season yet. It’s like eight blockbuster movies,” said Ross Duffer. “At the same time, we think it’s our most personal story. It was super intense and emotional to film—for us and for our actors,” said Matt Duffer.

With both the introduction they received from Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria, and their own presentation,...

After spending the last 10 years of their lives plotting and crafting Stranger Things, you can forgive Matt and Ross Duffer for getting teary-eyed while filming its final episodes. “There was a lot of crying,” Matt Duffer told journalists on Wednesday. “There was so much crying.”

The Duffers took part in the Next on Netflix event at The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. The theme of the morning was “you’re not ready for what’s next,” and those in attendance saw a special sizzle reel of Stranger Things 5, which featured behind-the-scenes moments of actors like Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard on the set, plus quick clips from the final season.

“We spent a full year filming this season,” said Ross. “By the end, we’d captured over 650 hours of footage. So, needless to say, this is our biggest and most ambitious season yet. It’s like eight blockbuster movies. It’s pretty insane.

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” the upcoming Broadway play based on the hit Netflix sci-fi drama, has added 24 performers to its company.

Among the new cast members are Ta’Rea Campbell (“The Hills of California”) as Patty’s mom, Juan Carlos (making his Broadway debut) replacing previously announced star Nicholas Eldridge as Bob Newby, Robert T. Cunningham (Broadway debut) as Charles Sinclair, Ayana Cymone (Broadway debut) as Sue Anderson, Ian Dolley (“The Holdovers”) as Walter Henderson, Dora Dolphin (Broadway debut) as Karen Childress, Logan Gould (“The Corps”) as Lonny Byers, Shea Grant (Broadway debut) as Claudia Yount, Ted Koch (“To Kill a Mockingbird”) as Chief Hopper, Jamie Martin Mann (Broadway debut) as Ted Wheeler and Eric Wiegand (“Plaza Suite”) as Alan Munson.

Also joining the show are ensemble actors Janie Brookshire (“The Philanthropist”), Kelsey Anne Brown (Broadway debut), Malcolm Callender (Broadway debut), Antoinette Comer (“Mamma Mia!”), Tom D’Agustino (“Dear Edward”), Victor...

Updated, January 24: Complete casting has been announced for the Broadway production of Stranger Things: The First Shadow. In addition to the principal cast, previously announced, the 34-member cast will include Janie Brookshire, Kelsey Anne Brown, Malcolm Callender, Ta’Rea Campbell, Juan Carlos as Bob Newby (replacing Nicholas Eldridge), Antoinette Comer, Robert T. Cunningham, Ayana Cymone, Tom D’Agustino, Victor de Paula Rocha, Ian Dolley, Dora Dolphin, Nya Garner, Logan Gould, Shea Grant, Rebecca Hurd, Ted Koch, Timothy Lawrence, Jamie Martin Mann, Patrick Scott McDermott, Stephen Wattrus, Maya West, Eric Wiegand and Graham Winton.

Previously, December 4, 2024: T.R. Knight, Alex Breaux and Gabrielle Nevaeh will be among those joining the previously announced Louis McCartney in Broadway’s upcoming production of Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

Knight (Grey’s Anatomy) will play Victor Creel, Breaux will be Patty Newby.

Congratulations are in order for Rich Peppiatt and his Kneecap crew and cast — the movie became one of the British Academy’s most nominated debut films ever, just behind Rocks (2019) and Billy Elliot (2000).

Peppiatt himself became the most nominated debut director ever with 4 nods, just ahead of Billy Elliot‘s Stephen Daldry (3).

The Irish hip-hop “print the legend” biopic on the Belfast-based rap trio — boasting Michael Fassbender among its ensemble — scored six nominations overall on Wednesday, including for outstanding British film, outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer and best casting for Carla Stronge.

Stars Naoise Ó Cairealláin, Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh and JJ Ó Dochartaigh feature as themselves in the movie. Peppiatt is also nominated for best film not in the English language and original screenplay. Julian Ulrichs and Chris Gill picked up a nomination for best editing.

“It’s a really exciting one to see,” Anna Higgs,...

The Duffer Brothers, creators of Netflix’s hit “Stranger Things,” will receive the Variety Showrunner Award on the opening night of the 13th annual Scad TVfest. The festival returns in Atlanta from Feb. 5 to Feb. 7.

The Duffers write, direct, and are executive producers on the series, which is Netflix’s most popular English-language series of all time. The series wrapped production on its fifth and final season in December 2024 and will return later this year.

“I wish we could have 11 seasons of ‘Stranger Things.’ My world — not to mention my kids’ world — has been turned upside down by this groundbreaking Netflix series launched back in 2016,” said Variety TV editor Michael Schneider. “And behind this funny, scary, wild trip back to the 1980s have been the Duffer Brothers. They’ve made me care for Hopper and Joyce, root for Mike and Eleven, relate to Dustin and Lucas — and of course, fear the Demogorgon,...

Universal's hit Broadway-musical-turned-movie Wicked arrived in theaters Nov. 22, and obsessed fans are already itching for its second act. The film instantly found a wide audience and began breaking records. Opening weekend, it earned $114 million at the domestic box office, and over $630 million globally since its release. The original record-holding classics Grease and Mamma Mia! must retire the honor — Wicked is now the highest-grossing musical adaptation of all time.

Luckily, fans won't have to wait too long to see part two. The sequel, now titled Wicked: For Good, will dance and sing its way back into theaters Nov. 21, 2025, adding it to the list of the most-anticipated movies coming out in 2025. Almost exactly one year after the release of Wicked, audiences will get to revisit the bewitching world of Oz and its enchanting leads, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande), as the duology finishes their story with a flourish. For...

Demi Moore stole the spotlight this year with her performance in the body horror The Substance. Going in on a film in the genre already comes with the expectation of many gory scenes, and Demi Moore admitted she isn't squeamish, but one scene was over the top.

The actress addressed her resistance to any gross scene during a sit-down for the Los Angeles Times' Actress Roundtable. She shared the platform with Wicked's Cynthia Erivo, Emilia Perez's Zoe Saldaña, The Outrun's Saoirse Ronan, The Piano Lesson's Danielle Deadwyler, and Lee's Kate Winslet. Speaking about not being grossed out easily, she admitted there was one scene she could barely go through and Saoirse Ronan agreed.

Related The Substance Star Margaret Qualley's Next Horror Movie Gets Exciting Update

Margaret Qualley's first horror movie post-The Substance finds a U.S. distributor ahead of its March 2025 production start.

"No, I'm definitely not,...

Following the magical moment of Wicked: Part One enchanting audiences ahead of Thanksgiving, a return to the land of Oz will take place in 2025 when the second film in the duology comes out.

Those anxious to see how the story of Ariana Grande’s Glinda and Cynthia Erivo’s Wicked Witch of the West, formerly known as Elphaba, have a little under a year before the second half of the story will arrive in theaters. The film underwent a title change in December 2024 to Wicked: For Good.

For everything we know about Wicked: Part Two, read below.

When does Wicked: Part Two come out?

Wicked: Part Two, now known as Wicked: For Good, will arrive in theaters Nov. 21, 2025.

Who is in the cast of Wicked: Part 2?

Of course, dynamic duo Glinda (Ariana Grande) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) will return in the second film, though they may be more separated than in the first film.

January 2025 could mark a bleak month for very specific reasons, but in that month one can watch a nicely curated collection of David Bowie’s best performances. Nearly a decade since he passed, the iconic actor (who had some other trades) is celebrated with The Man Who Fell to Earth, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, The Linguini Incident, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and Basquiat. (Note: watch The Missing Pieces under Fire Walk with Me‘s Criterion edition for about three times as much Phillip Jeffries.) It’s a retrospective-heavy month: Nicole Kidman, Cameron Crowe, Ethan Hawke, Paulin Soumanou Vieyra, Paolo Sorrentino, and Sean Baker are given spotlights; the first and last bring with them To Die For and Take Out‘s Criterion Editions, joining Still Walking, Hunger, and A Face in the Crowd.

“Surveillance Cinema” brings Thx 1138, Body Double, Minority Report, and others, while “Love in Disguise” offers films by Lubitsch,...

Netflix has teamed up with Sonia Friedman Productions to produce the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is “rooted in the mythology” of the hit streaming series Stranger Things and opened at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End last December. The show has been breaking box office records and won several awards, and in 2025, it will be making the jump to Broadway. Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set to begin previews at the Marquis Theatre on Friday, March 28, 2025 and officially open on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. A couple of months ago, we learned that the actor who will be playing the character of Henry Creel in the Broadway production is the same actor who has been playing him in London’s West End, Louis McCartney. Now, Variety has revealed the names of his fellow cast members.

T.R. Knight of Grey’s Anatomy is playing Henry’s father Victor Creel,...

One actor is heading from Grey Sloan to the Upside Down, as Grey's Anatomy star T.R. Knight has landed a major role in a new Stranger Things production.

Per Variety, Knight has joined the cast of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a stage play opening in 2025 that's based on the Netflix series. Knight will play Victor Creel, the father of Henry Creel (aka Vecna). The play is a prequel to the series, set decades before the events of Stranger Things Season 1. The synopsis reads, "Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach.”

Related 9 Beloved Stranger Things Characters...

Grey’s Anatomy’s T.R. Knight will appear in Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway this spring.

Knight will play the character of Victor Creel alongside cast members Rosie Benton (Patriots) as Virginia Creel, Alex Breaux (who is set to appear in Stranger Things Season 5 on Netflix) as Dr. Brenner, Nicky Eldridge as Bob Newby, Andrew Hovelson (Lucky Guy) as Principal Newby, Alison Jaye (Shameless) as Joyce Maldonado, Gabrielle Nevaeh (Nickelodeon’s That Girl Lay Lay) as Patty Newby and Burke Swanson (Back to the Future: The Musical) as James Hopper, Jr.

They joined previously announced Louis McCartney, who will reprise his role as Henry Creel on Broadway, after originating the part in the West End. Additional casting will be announced in January.

The production begins performances at the Marquis Theatre March 28, 2025, ahead of an April 22 opening night.

The play is set up as a prequel to the events in...

Broadway will be turned Upside Down this spring — and it’s bringing some familiar faces along for the ride.

Netflix announced on Wednesday that Emmy-nominated Grey’s Anatomy alum T.R. Knight will play Victor Creel in Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which will open at the Marquis Theatre in Manhattan on April 22, 2025 (with preview performances beginning Friday, March 28, 2025).

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Robert Englund...

From Dove Cameron to Joe Jonas, these stars attempted to be part of the 2024 Jon M. Chu-directed film 'Wicked.'MEGAAmanda SeyfriedAmanda Seyfried auditioned for Glinda, a role that eventually went to Ariana Grande.Mega

Following her notable performances in the musical adaptations of Les Misérables and Mamma Mia!, Amanda Seyfried attempted to score the role of Glinda in Wicked.

"Last summer while I was playing Elizabeth [The Dropout], on the weekends I was auditioning in person to play Glinda in the movie version of Wicked — because I wanted it that much that I was like, 'You know what? Yeah, I have to play the last scene of The Dropout on Tuesday. I’ll give my Sunday to you,’" she told Backstage.

Dove CameronDove Cameron opened up about the lengthy audition process she went through.Mega

For her Wicked audition, Dove Cameron performed Annie Golden's "How Can I Lose You?...

“Wicked” is an undeniable smash.

In its opening weekend, it scored $112.5 million, enough to make it the third biggest opening of 2024 and the best-non sequel opening of the year. It was also the biggest opening for a movie based on a Broadway musical. Just a couple of days ago, it posted the biggest Monday ever in November, making more than $15.8 million. People clearly love this movie.

But a “Wicked” movie being a smash hit was far from a sure thing. For many years it seemed like the project may not ever actually happen.

Universal acquired the rights to “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by American novelist Gregory Maguire shortly after it was published in 1995. And in 2003 they opened the Broadway musical, eventually becoming the second most successful Broadway music ever (after Disney’s “The Lion King”).

By 2011, a feature version of the musical was being planned.

Indie filmmaker James Green’s Victory To The Mimers manages to say a lot in just 15 minutes. Here’s our review.

The Miners’ strike of 1984 is a seminal part of British history. The clashes between protesters and police were violent and ugly and the strike has since become a popular topic for filmmakers. Directors such as Ken Loach, Stephen Daldry and even Hayao Miyazaki have taken inspiration from the events.

The latest director to find inspiration from it is James Green, though his short film Victory To The Mimers isn’t directly about the miners’ strike at all. You might have already guessed it, but it’s not the miners who are striking here, but mimers.

For Ernie, miming has been the family trade for decades, and he’s not about to give it up despite the government’s best efforts to kill the arts. Ernie leads a group of...

The Wicked film adaptation almost looked very different, according to a new report from Page Six.

While John M. Chu ended up directing the movie arriving in theaters this weekend, Stephen Daldry (known for his award-winning work on The Crown) was initially attached. Daldry had Lady Gaga in mind to play the central role of Elphaba, and the report reveals that multiple meetings were held to flesh out their vision for the character.

“Gaga was essentially cast in his version, and then it fell through,” the source explained. Meanwhile, Shawn Mendes was being considered for the role of Fiyero, the charming student who becomes an object of affection for both Elphaba and Glinda.

In 2020, Daldry left the project due to scheduling conflicts; Chu, known for his work on Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights, ultimately cast Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as her counterpart, Glinda. Bridgerton star...

The Wicked film adaptation almost looked very different, according to a new report from Page Six.

While John M. Chu ended up directing the movie arriving in theaters this weekend, Stephen Daldry (known for his award-winning work on The Crown) was initially attached. Daldry had Lady Gaga in mind to play the central role of Elphaba, and the report reveals that multiple meetings were held to flesh out their vision for the character.

“Gaga was essentially cast in his version, and then it fell through,” the source explained. Meanwhile, Shawn Mendes was being considered for the role of Fiyero, the charming student who becomes an object of affection for both Elphaba and Glinda.

In 2020, Daldry left the project due to scheduling conflicts; Chu, known for his work on Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights, ultimately cast Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as her counterpart, Glinda. Bridgerton star...

Paul Engelen, the British makeup designer who earned two Emmys and two Oscar nominations in a fabulous career that included work on Reds, Batman, The Phantom Menace, Gladiator and Game of Thrones, has died. He was 75.

Engelen died Nov. 3 of cancer at his home in West Sussex, England, his son-in-law (and fellow makeup designer) Daniel Lawson Johnston told The Hollywood Reporter.

Engelen also did makeup for three James Bonds — Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig — on the 007 films The Man With the Golden Gun (1974), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), Die Another Day (2002), Casino Royale (2006) and Quantum of Solace (2008).

He teamed with Blake Edwards on Victor/Victoria (1982), Trail of the Pink Panther (1982) and Curse of the Pink Panther (1983), with Steven Spielberg on Empire of the Sun (1987) and Munich (2005) and with Ridley Scott on Gladiator (2000), Kingdom of Heaven (2005) and Robin Hood (2010).

Engelen shared his first Academy Award nom with Rick Baker...

Unlimited…your future is…unlimited. At least that’s how Amazon Prime members should be feeling today as they’ve recently been offered an exclusive deal to be some of the first to see this year’s highly anticipated adaptation of the hit Broadway musical “Wicked.”

While the film is set to release on Friday, November 22, Amazon Prime members can now purchase tickets for early screenings on Monday, November 18 at multiple theaters throughout the country. The deal is conducted in partnership with Fandango, where tickets will have to be purchased after logging into your Amazon Prime account. There doesn’t seem to be any limit on how many tickets can be purchased, but it is on a first come/first serve basis and will only be valid now until November 18.

A film adaptation of “Wicked” has ostensibly been in development since it first premiered on Broadway in 2003 starring Idina Menzel,...