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A new adaptation of Alex North's best-selling novel "The Whisper Man" on Netflix has found its star-studded cast. Academy Award-winning actor Robert De Niro will lead the new crime thriller and Michelle Monaghan, Adam Scott (Mark Scout in Severance), Michael Keaton (Spotlight), and more will also star. It was first reported that the streaming platform was eyeing the project from Agbo in 2022, but the studio didn't confirm it until February 2025. Agbo is Anthony and Joe Russo's production company, with the brothers having directed several popular Marvel films and Netflix's recent sci-fi epic The Electric State. The filmmaking pair is on board to produce The Whisper Man.

According to Netflix, the film will follow the plot of North's New York Times best-selling book. It's the story of a widowed crime writer whose eight-year-old son is abducted after moving to a new home for a fresh start. The writer looks to his father,...

Michael Keaton is to appear alongside Robert De Niro in the crime thriller ‘The Whisper Man’.The 73-year-old actor will cameo opposite the ‘Heat’ star, 81, in director James Ashcroft’s upcoming film for Netflix and Agbo, Deadline reports.The outlet added that Keaton’s role in ‘The Whisper Man’ will be small, though will be a big moment for the ‘Batman’ star and De Niro as it will be the first time the two actors have shared the screen since 1997’s ‘Jackie Brown’.‘The Whisper Man’ - which is slated to enter production this spring on the US East Coast - will also star John Carroll Lynch, Hamish Linklater, Owen Teague, Acston Luca Porto, Adam Scott and Michelle Monaghan. The film will be an adaptation of author Alex North’s 2019 novel ‘The Whisper Man’, which tells the story of a widowed crime writer whose search for his abducted eight-year-old son...

Robert De Niro’s political thriller Zero Day is launching later this month, but the series won’t be the last you see of the star on Netflix. The Oscar-winning actorwill appear in The Whisper Man, a new adaptation of Alex North’s best-selling novel of the same name. Also starring in the film are Michelle Monaghan, Adam Scott (Severance), Michael Keaton (Spotlight), and more.

Directed by James Ashcroft and written by Ben Jacoby (The First Omen) and Chase Palmer (It), The Whisper Man is Netflix’s sixth partnership with the Russo brothers’ company Agbo.

“Agbo is excited to be embarking on our sixth film with our incredible partners at Netflix,” Agbo chief creative officer Angela Russo-Otstot said. “The Whisper Man is a gripping thriller but at its core [it] is a poignant and complex story of father...

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Netflix is one of the best places to find the best movies and TV shows you can watch on any streaming service. Every month, it adds hundreds of new titles to its content library, but some titles have to go. So, today, we are here to tell you about the best films and TV shows you should watch before they leave Netflix in April 2025.

Bruce Almighty (April 1) Credit – Universal Pictures

Bruce Almighty is a fantasy comedy film directed by Tom Shadyac from a screenplay co-written by Steve Koren, Mark O’Keefe, and Steve Oedekerk. The 2003 film follows Bruce Nolan, a down-and-out television reporter who constantly criticizes God for not doing his job. So, in turn, God finally gives him the chance to do the job himself to hilarious and eye-opening results. Bruce Almighty stars Jim Carrey, Morgan Freeman, Jennifer Aniston,...

The White Lotus' Michelle Monaghan andSeverance's Adam Scott have officially boarded The Whisper Man, a Netflix crime thriller starring the legendary Robert De Niro.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, the three acclaimed stars will star in The Whisper Man, a Netflix crime thriller from director James Ashcroft, best known for the thriller Coming Home in the Dark. The Russo brothers serve as producers on the film alongside Angela Russo-Otstot and Michael Disco. The Whisper Man will reportedly begin filming this spring. There is no official release date yet for the film.

The Whisper Man's screenplay is written by Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer and is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by author Alex North. The Whisper Man is "set in motion when an eight-year old boy is abducted. The father (Scott), a widowed crime writer, looks to his own estranged father, a retired former police detective (De Niro), for help,...

Last month, it was announced that Robert De Niro will be following up the Netflix series Zero Day with another Netflix project, as he has signed on to star in the serial killer crime thriller The Whisper Man for Agbo and the streaming service. Now, Deadline has revealed that De Niro is being joined in the cast by The White Lotus star Michelle Monaghan and Severance star Adam Scott.

Based on Alex North’s bestselling novel of the same name, The Whisper Man will be directed by James Ashcroft. Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer are writing the script. The story centers on a widower crime writer who, after his 8-year-old son is abducted, looks to his estranged father, a retired former police detective, for help, only to discover a connection with the decades-old case of a convicted serial killer known as “The Whisper Man.”

Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot,...

Adam Scott is in the middle of a generation run thanks to his performance in Severance, and before the second season could conclude on Apple TV+, he’s already signed on for his next project. Deadline reports that Scott and Michelle Monaghan (The White Lotus) have joined the cast of The Whisper Man, the upcoming adaptation of Alex North’s novel that also stars Robert De Niro. The film is in the works at Netflix, with Anthony and Joe Russo producing under their Agbo banner. James Ashcroft has been set to direct the film, with Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer penning the script. Production is set to begin this spring on the East Coast, and the story follows a widowed crime writer who turns to his estranged father for help finding his recently abducted son.

Two actors from TV’s buzziest shows hope to make some noise with a Netflix movie.

Michelle Monaghan, one of the stars of this season’s White Lotus, and Severance headliner Adam Scott have joined Robert De Niro in The Whisper Man, a crime thriller from Netflix.

James Ashcroft, who directed the haunting Kiwi thriller Coming Home in the Dark, is helming the feature, which is being produced by Agbo, the banner behind Netflix’s tentpole sci-fi movie, The Electric State.

Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot and Michael Disco are producing for Agbo.

The story, based on the New York Times best-seller by Alex North, is set in motion when an eight-year old boy is abducted. The father, a widowed crime writer, looks to his own estranged father, a retired former police detective, for help, only to discover a connection with the decades-old case of a convicted serial killer known as “The Whisper Man.

Exclusive: After setting Robert De Niro to star in The Whisper Man, Netflix and Agbo have now locked in on A-listers from two of TV’s biggest shows to join the Oscar winner. Sources tell Deadline that The White Lotus star Michelle Monaghan and Severance star Adam Scott are set to join De Niro in the movie adaptation of the Alex North novel.

James Ashcroft is set to direct, with Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer adapting the script. Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot and Michael Disco will produce for Agbo, marking the sixth film out of Netflix and Agbo’s ongoing partnership.

Based on North’s New York Times bestselling novel, The Whisper Man revolves around a widow crime writer who, after his 8-year-old son is abducted, looks to his estranged father, a retired former police detective, for help, only to discover a connection with the decades-old case of...

Exclusive: Paramount Pictures has acquired the rights to Thomas Ray’s novella, Silencer, enlisting Ben Jacoby (The First Omen) to adapt it for the big screen.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura will produce as part of his first-look deal with the studio alongside NeoText Corporation, the publisher of the novella. Russell Ackerman, John Schoenfelder, and Jay Schuminsky will produce for NeoText, with Greg Cohen overseeing development for di Bonaventura Pictures.

The story follows a CIA field agent who is sent to bring in the ultimate CIA target who’s been out in the cold for decades. An operative who dates back to the dark times of Mk Ultra, the target is a silencer — someone who can read minds, and wipe them from a distance, making him impossible to find or catch.

Alongside Chase Palmer, Jacoby is co-writer on The Whisper Man, Netflix and Agbo’s adaptation of the novel by Alex North,...

Robert De Niro is to star in 'The Whisper Man'.The 81-year-old film legend has boarded the cast of Netflix and Agbo's adaptation of Alex North's crime thriller novel.James Ashcroft is set to direct the film with Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer adapting the screenplay.'The Whisper Man' tells the story of a widowed crime writer who, when his eight-year-old son is abducted, looks to his estranged father - a retired former police detective - for assistance.However, they discover a connection with the decades-old case of a convicted serial killer known as 'The Whisper Man'.Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot and Michael Disco are to produce for Agbo for what marks the sixth picture in the company's partnership with Netflix.Production on the flick is expected to start this spring.Russo-Otstot, Agbo's chief creative officer, said: "Agbo is excited to be embarking on our 6th...

Robert De Niro is sticking with Netflix, as Deadline reports that the actor is set to star in The Whisper Man. The crime thriller is based on Alex North’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name and will be directed by James Ashcroft. Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer are writing the script.

The film “revolves around a widow crime writer who, after his 8-year-old son is abducted, looks to his estranged father, a retired former police detective, for help, only to discover a connection with the decades-old case of a convicted serial killer known as ‘The Whisper Man.’” Production is slated to kick off this spring on the East Coast, with Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot, and Michael Disco producing for Agbo.

“Agbo is excited to be embarking on our 6th film with our incredible partners at Netflix,” said Russo-Otstot, Agbo’s chief creative officer. “The Whisper Man...

Robert De Niro is heading back to Netflix. The Oscar-winning actor is set to star in a new crime thriller for the streaming service.

According to Deadline, De Niro will headline Netflix and Agbo's upcoming adaptation of Alex North's 2019 New York Times bestselling novel, The Whisper Man, which revolves around "a widow crime writer who, after his 8-year-old son is abducted, looks to his estranged father, a retired former police detective, for help, only to discover a connection with the decades-old case of a convicted serial killer known as 'The Whisper Man.'" James Ashcroft (Coming Home in the Dark) has been tapped to direct the movie while Ben Jacoby (The First Omen) and Chase Palmer (It) have been tasked with adapting the novel for the big screen.

RelatedNetflix Reveals First Look at New Historical Series From Game of Thrones Creators

Netflix reveals a first look at...

While we wait for his horror movie The Rule of Jenny Pen next month, director James Ashcroft will next be directing Robert De Niro in The Whisper Man, Deadline reports.

Described as a crime thriller, Netflix’s The Whisper Man will adapt the same-titled novel from author Alex North, which was originally published by Celadon Books back in 2019.

“The Whisper Man revolves around a widow crime writer who, after his 8-year-old son is abducted, looks to his estranged father, a retired former police detective, for help.”

From there, he discovers his son’s disappearance is connected with “the decades-old case of a convicted serial killer.” That killer is known by the moniker, The Whisper Man.

Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer wrote the feature film adaptation.

Anthony Russo and Joe Russo are producing for Agbo.

“Agbo is excited to be embarking on our 6th film with our incredible partners at Netflix,...

Netflix and Agbo have announced a new crime thriller that will reunite the streaming platform with acclaimed actor Robert De Niro. “The Whisper Man,” based on Alex North’s bestselling novel, is set to begin filming this spring on the East Coast.

The film centers on a gripping narrative of a crime writer whose life unravels when his young son is kidnapped. In a desperate search for answers, he turns to his estranged father – a retired police detective – and uncovers shocking links to a decades-old serial killer case.

James Ashcroft will direct the project, with a screenplay by Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer. The production team includes Agbo’s top executives Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot, and Michael Disco, with Kassee Whiting and Marcus Viscidi serving as executive producers.

“This is a gripping thriller that explores the complex dynamics between fathers and sons,” said Angela Russo-Otstot, Agbo’s Chief Creative Officer.

Robert De Niro is set to star in crime thriller “The Whisper Man” from Netflix and Agbo, the companies announced on Wednesday.

James Ashcroft is set to direct. The screenplay was written by Ben Jacoby (“The First Omen”) and Chase Palmer (“It”).

Based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Alex North: When his eight-year-old son is abducted, a widowed crime writer looks to his estranged father, a retired former police detective, for help, only to discover a connection with the decades-old case of a convicted serial killer known as “The Whisper Man.”

Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot, and Michael Disco are producing the project for Agbo. The executive producers are Kassee Whiting for Agbo, Marcus Viscidi.

Production is set to start this spring on the East Coast. This will be the sixth film out of Netflix and Agbo’s ongoing partnership.

“Agbo is excited to be...

Exclusive: Netflix and Agbo’s highly-anticipated adaptation of the Alex North novel The Whisper Man is gaining some serious momentum, as sources tell Deadline Robert De Niro is set to star in the crime thriller. James Ashcroft is set to direct with Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer adapting the script. Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot and Michael Disco will produce for Agbo, marking the sixth film out of Netflix and Agbo’s successful, ongoing partnership.

Based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Alex North, the story revolves around a widow crime writer, who after his eight-year-old son is abducted, looks to his estranged father, a retired former police detective, for help, only to discover a connection with the decades-old case of a convicted serial killer known as “The Whisper Man.” Kassee Whiting will exec produce for Agbo as will Marcus Viscidi.

Production is set to start this spring on the East Coast.

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

This February, Netflix is bringing you a lot of entertainment, from the highly anticipated final episodes of Cobra Kai to a political conspiracy thriller series, Zero Day. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Netflix this month and have an 85% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the five best films that are coming to Netflix in February 2025 with an 85% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

It (February 1) Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85% Credit – Warner Bros. Pictures

It is a supernatural horror film directed by Andy Muschietti from a screenplay co-written by Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga, and Gary Dauberman. Based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Stephen King, the 2017 film follows a group of young kids who face their worst nightmare as they come face to face with Pennywise,...

Bill Skarsgrd's potential return as Pennywise excites fans, given his terrifying performance in the It movies. Skarsgrd's presence in Toronto sparks rumors of a return, especially with the upcoming prequel series involving Pennywise. The hint of a surprise return by Skarsgrd as Pennywise in the It prequel show Welcome to Derry raises anticipation.

Bill Skarsgrd addresses his potential return to the It series as Pennywise. Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, the first of the modern It movies came out in 2017, debuting Skarsgrds creepy clown. This film was followed up by It Chapter Two in 2019, which, in addition to Skarsgrd, featured a stacked cast including Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ran, James Ransone, and Andy Bean.

It and It Chapter Two are both available to rent on Prime Video.

As per Esquire, Skarsgrd addresses whether he would return to play Pennywise. Skarsgrd...

Close to thirty years after their debut, the Gargoyles will be returning. THR reports that Gary Dauberman and James Wan’s Atomic Monster production company are developing a live-action Gargoyles TV series for Disney+.

Gary Dauberman will write, executive produce, and serve as showrunner on the Gargoyles live-action TV series. There had been rumblings of a live-action Gargoyles movie since the animated series began. Jordan Peele even reportedly pitched a Gargoyles movie to Disney in 2018, but nothing ever came of it. There were rumours that Kenneth Branagh was attached to direct a Gargoyles movie earlier this summer, but Gargoyles creator Greg Weisman quickly shot it down. After so many years of rumours, it’s exciting that something is finally happening with the cult franchise.

Related Made for TV Horror: Gargoyles (1972)

The animated Gargoyles series followed a group of nocturnal creatures known as gargoyles who turn to stone during the day.

I hate to be the one to inform you of this, but Bill Skarsgård has revealed he will not be returning to the role of Pennywise for the upcoming "It" prequel series, "Welcome to Derry."

"Yeah, we'll see what they come up with and what they do with it. As of now, I'm not currently involved with it," the actor explained during an interview with Jake's Takes. "If someone else gets to do it, my advice would be: Do it your own. Make it your own. Have fun with it. What I found pleasurable about that character is how abstract he was."

Is this a super sad but understandable choice for Skarsgård, considering the actor shouldn't be unfairly imprisoned by his most famous character? Most rational folks would say yes here, and I definitely agree. Skarsgård is a great performer, and it obviously wouldn't be doing his skills justice to...

Any time a filmmaker tackles an adaptation they will, inevitably, have to leave some stuff behind. Whether we're talking about a novel, comic book, video game, stage play or TV show, there's just going to be some stuff that works in the original format that won't translate into a movie.

This, of course, almost always leads to a debate amongst fans of the thing being adapted about whether the filmmakers made smart cuts or royally screwed up, which is something that can never be quantified because, at the end of the day, whether a fan likes or dislikes a decision... Well, as The Dude would say, it's just their opinion, man.

Director Andy Muschietti's adaptation of Stephen King's "It" was hugely successful and made a massive pop culture impact and did so largely because the filmmaker, along with the other credited screenwriters Cary Fukunaga, Chase Palmer and Gary Dauberman,...

Exclusive: Scott Free Productions has promoted Vera Meyer, Sam Roston and Rebecca Feuer and hired Avital Siegel to the company’s film division. The changes come at a busy time for the company as its founder, Ridley Scott, wraps production on his Napoleon film for Apple and the team preps an impressive slate of upcoming projects.

Roston has been upped to Senior VP of Film, Feuer has been promoted to VP of Film and TV, Meyer has been upped to Creative Exec of Film, and Siegel joins as Director of Development for Film.

Roston started at Scott Free in late 2015, where he served as a Director of Development and as a Vice President. He recently oversaw the development and production on Boston Strangler starring Keira Knightley, which is now in post-production for 20th Century Studios. Prior to that, Roston was a co-producer on Chase Palmer’s feature directorial debut Naked Singularity...

Exclusive: Screen Media has acquired North American rights to the horror film The Accursed, from director Kevin Lewis (Willy’s Wonderland), which stars Mena Suvari (American Beauty), Sarah Grey (Power Rangers), Meg Foster (They Live) and Alexis Knapp (Pitch Perfect). The Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment company has slated the title, which is currently in post-production, for a theatrical day-and-date release this fall.

The Accursed follows a young woman who is forced to return home following the death of her mother. Consumed by guilt and desperate to escape the haunting visions playing out in her head, she takes a temporary caregiver position for a comatose, old lady living alone in the woods. It does not take long before she realizes that not all is as it seems, and that the old lady harbors a demonic secret; an evil secret that the old lady’s daughter is intent on passing on.

Exclusive: Screen Media has acquired worldwide rights to Family Squares—the comedy formerly titled Shoot the Rooster—from Unbound Media. The indie distributor is planning to unveil the film—starring Ann Dowd (Mass), Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade), Judy Greer (Archer), Billy Magnussen (No Time to Die), Margo Martindale (August: Osage County), Sam Richardson (Veep), Timothy Simons (Veep), June Squibb (Nebraska), Casey Wilson (Saturday Night Live), Scott MacArthur (Halloween Kills), Zoe Chao (Love Life), Jessica Miesel (The Resident), Maclaren Laing (Eastbound & Down) and Henry Winkler (Barry)—in a day-and-date domestic release early next year.

The film from writer-director Stephanie Laing is a love letter to her family, the South and small-town America based on the passing of her mother, which was for the most part shot remotely during quarantine, with Laing directing actors via video conference. It centers on the members of the divided Worth family,...

Exclusive: Screen Media has acquired North American rights to A Week in Paradise, a Caribbean-set romantic comedy starring Malin Akerman (The Final Girls), Connie Nielsen (Wonder Woman), Philip Winchester (Flyboys) and Jack Donnelly (Atlantis), with plans for a day-and-date release early next year.

The film directed by Philippe Martinez centers on Maggie (Akerman), a London-based international film star whose world collapses when her film director husband is outed by the paparazzi as having a baby with his new leading lady. Seeking solace and healing, she escapes to the Caribbean to stay at her expat cousin’s charming boutique hotel resort in Nevis. After a week in paradise, she finds herself and falls in love—only for the outside world to come crashing back in.

Kate Wood (Miss Willoughby and the Haunted Bookshop) scripted the film, which Martinez produced with Alan Latham.

“Directing this...

Exclusive: Screen Media has acquired U.S. rights to Benjamin Louis’ found footage horror film Stoker Hills, starring William Lee Scott (The Butterfly Effect), Danny Nucci (Titanic), Steffani Brass (Six Feet Under) and Tony Todd (Candyman), with plans to release it in theaters and on demand in January.

The film penned by Jonah Kuehner (Good Luck Charlie) is set in the secluded town of Stoker Hills, watching as three college students filming a horror movie find themselves trapped in their own worst nightmare. Their only hope for survival is two detectives who find the camera they left behind in the woods.

Louis, Rab Butler, Timothy Christian and Jonah Kuehner produced through Streetwalkers Productions.

“After several years of hard work and dedication our team is thrilled to partner with Screen Media for our domestic release,” said Louis. “We are excited to share the film with the US audience.”

“We’re always on the hunt for new,...

Screen Media has acquired all North American rights to “La Soga Salvation” following its premiere at 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, where it screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section. The crime thriller is directed by and stars Manny Perez, who previously appeared in “Pride & Glory” and “Homeland.” “La Soga Salvation” also stars Chris McGarry (“Lucifer”), Juan Fernández (“The Collector”), Hada Vanessa (“La Bruja”), and Sarah Jorge Leon (“La Siete Muertes”). Screen Media is planning a day-and-date release in early 2022.

Here’s the official log-line: “Years after his last hit as a skilled and sought-after hitman under the alias La Soga, Luisito (Perez) has finally settled down with his girlfriend Lía (Sarah Jorge Leon) in a quiet seaside town. Unfortunately, his past isn’t done with him. When criminal contractor Jimmy Mac (Chris McGarry) finds himself in need of a skilled hitman to take out a powerful Dominican drug lord,...

Amongst innumerable adaptations of Stephen King’s literature floating ubiquitously like creepy red balloons in the contemporary ether, director Andy Muschietti’s 2017 updated, polished big screen rendition of It stands out as one of the most prominent and profitable. However, the film—which was followed up with 2019’s It: Chapter Two—was the end product of almost a decade’s worth of permutations under various creative forces. One such force was Cary Fukunaga, who, before tackling HBO’s True Detective and upcoming Bond film No Time to Die, served as director and co-writer until creative clashes with studio New Line. Interestingly, Fukunaga now elaborates on the exact nature of said clashes.

The choice of initial studio Warner Bros. for Fukunaga for It was contemporaneously bold in 2012, seeing as he was relatively new, coming off only his second feature, 2011’s adaptation of Charlotte Brontë novel Jane Eyre. After all, this was...

Screen Media has nabbed North American rights to Black Friday, an alien invasion holiday horror film starring Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead), Devon Sawa (Final Destination), Ivana Baquero (Pan’s Labyrinth), Ryan Lee (Goosebumps), Michael Jai White (Arrow) and Stephen Peck, ahead of its Fantastic Fest world premiere, with plans for a day-and-date release in November.

Casey Tebo’s film, penned by Andy Greskoviak, takes place on the busiest shopping night of the year, watching as a group of disgruntled toy store employees are forced to defend themselves from legions of holiday shoppers, who have been turned into monstrous creatures by a mysterious alien parasite.

Warner Davis produced the pic, with Greskoviak exec producing via his company Mfw Manufacturing.

“When Andy sent me this script, it was such a blast!” said Tebo. “It reminded me of some of my favorite holiday horror movies like Gremlins or Krampus. I could see myself...

Photo: 'Naked Singularity' Director Chase Palmer's feature film debut bursts onto the scene full of riveting ideas and aspirations of greatness. Based on a book of the same name by Sergio De La Pava, 'Naked Singularity' is provocative and profound; a cocktail of themes it tries to mix together, inspiring its audience to think deep, while stimulating those who're already deep thinkers, to begin with. It's supported by a fast-paced, hilarious script that crackles with kinetic energy, and even though it's reinforced with double meaning and positive messages, it never comes off as pandering or preachy. It's a film that strives for a higher purpose, but although the work effort is there, it's questionable as to whether or not 'Naked Singularity' has the patience or the confidence needed to meet its own expectations. Related article: ‘In the Heights’ – Behind the Scenes and Full...

Naked Singularity is a bewildering mashup of social justice themes, science fiction, and hackneyed crime thriller. A disaffected public defender becomes involved in a beautiful parolee's drug heist. While the universe counts down to inexplicably collapsing. None of it makes a lick of sense. Naked Singularity strives for depth and meaning, but comes up woefully short. Sergio De La Pava's celebrated debut novel gets a feeble big screen adaptation.

John Boyega stars as Casi, a well-meaning and virtuous public defender in New York City. He's tired of watching poor people incarcerated for minor offenses. Wealthy criminals post bond and go free while his clients unjustly rot in prison. He's also become the favorite target of an acerbic judge (Linda Lavin). Who's itching to have him disbarred for contempt.

Olivia Cooke co-stars as Lea, an ex-druggie working at a claims booth at the NYPD tow pound. She foolishly becomes involved...

It was a triumphant second weekend for indie Stillwater from Focus Features, which hit the $10 million mark in 2,611 theatres (up by 80) and 233 Dma’s in North America, where it was no. 5. The Matt Damon-starrer held up strongly from its debut, dipping 45% — compared with a 64% drop for The Green Knight and a 55% decline for Jungle Cruise. Stillwater’s run may not be not specialty-small, but deserves a shout-out here for a standout performance. The complex drama garnered Damon a standing ovation in Cannes but had some concerned at the film’s theatrical prospects in a wide-release battle against big studio franchises on one hand and smaller arthouse fare on the other.

Damon plays an unemployed Oklahoma oil rig worker who travels to Marseille to help his daughter (Abigail Breslin) who’s in prison for murder. The film continued to resonate in the South and Midwest with the top five highest-grossing...

At its core, “Naked Singularity” embodies the traits of an inventive, or at the very least, entertaining, film. But, as social commentary, solid casting choices and science-fiction swirl together in Chase Palmer’s debut feature film, the result is a startlingly confused piece of kitschy, clunky neo-noir.

Read More: Summer 2021 Preview: Over 50 Movies To Watch

Casi (John Boyega) is out of his element.

Continue reading ‘Naked Singularity’: John Boyega’s All-Star Talent & Criminal Justice Commentary Collide In A Cosmic Mess [Review] at The Playlist.

Adapting Sergio De La Pava’s self-published, Pynchonesque, 700-page debut novel “A Naked Singularity” into an 86-minute crime saga would seem to be an inherently radical act, and yet “Naked Singularity” is . That filmmaker is “It” scribe Chase Palmer — a first-time writer-director born with a veteran producer’s name — and while his New York legal thriller boasts a few brief flights of fancy, it’s frustrating to watch a movie that wants to go full “Southland Tales” but settles for a half-hearted episode of “Law & Order: Wtf” instead (Dick Wolf is unsurprisingly credited among the executive producers).

You get the sense that John Boyega, whose social conscience has added a searching moral urgency to his post-Finn performances, was down to take things a lot further and weirder than the film around him ever does. The “Red, White and Blue” star assumes the role of Casi, a cocky but rumpled young...

The uniquely underwhelming sci-fi lawyer drama “Naked Singularity” is a weird mashup of ill-fitting genre tropes and quarter-cooked ideas about social justice and alternate realities.

Adapted from Sergio De La Pava’s novel, “Naked Singularity” boils down to two messy, under-developed storylines about fed-up public defender Casi (John Boyega). The first story is a character study set in the New York criminal court system, which has not improved much since “And Justice for All…” was released in 1979, and is generally represented by a series of loud but toothless exchanges between Casi, an overworked do-gooder, and antagonistic Judge Cymbeline (Linda Lavin), who enjoys frustrating Casi and his clients.

The second story is a rambling science-fiction caper about stolen drugs and alternate timelines; despite some reluctance, Casi tries to help equally overworked impound-lot bureaucrat Lea (Olivia Cooke) by locating and fencing some cocaine that was stashed in a seized Lincoln Navigator. There...

The title is a metaphor. The criminal justice system in America is a black hole consuming everything in its path but, unlike in general relativity where an event horizon shields the act from outside observation, we are helplessly watching as it happens. It’s what makes the conceit behind Sergio De La Pava’s novel so intriguing and why director Chase Palmer and his co-writer David Matthews’ adaptation, Naked Singularity, leaves a lot to be desired. While the concept remains sound as the backdrop for a frustrated public defender choosing the riskier road less traveled to make his mark and a difference when every other version of himself would balk, it has us believing the surreal visual anomalies sprinkled amidst the heist have purpose beyond superficial thematic reinforcement.

My assumption is that the blurring of lines between the climactic robbery and the collapse of the star that is the American courts,...

Screen Media, the distributor of “The Outpost” and “Willy’s Wonderland,” has reached a distribution deal with Millennium Media, the company behind The Expendables and Olympus has Fallen franchises, to release at least five films a year for the next three years. The first film under the deal will be “The Enforcer” starring Antonio Banderas, Kate Bosworth and 2 Chainz. Directed by Richard Hughes, the film is shooting this summer in Greece. Screen Media will handle the North American release in 2022.

Millennium Media’s recent films include “Angel Has Fallen” and the reboot of the Rambo franchise, “Rambo: Last Blood.” It has also produced such independent films as “Tesla,” “Blackbird,” and The Outpost, the latter two of which Screen Media released.

In an ongoing relationship with Millennium Media, Screen Media recently released the Megan Fox thriller “Till Death.”

Screen Media is owned by publicly-traded media company Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment.

Naked Singularity Trailer — Chase Palmer‘s Naked Singularity (2021) movie trailer has been released by Screen Media Films. The Naked Singularity stars John Boyega, Olivia Cooke, Bill Skarsgard, Ed Skrein, Tim Blake Nelson, Kyle Mooney, Linda Lavin, Robert Bogue, Robert Christopher Riley, Liza Colon-Zayas, and Robia Deville. Crew Chase Palmer and David Matthews [...]

Continue reading: Naked Singularity (2021) Movie Trailer: Public Defender John Boyega gets Pulled into a High-stakes Drug Heist...

"One can break the law, my friend, and still believe in justice." Screen Media Films has released an official trailer for a thriller from NYC called Naked Singularity, marking the feature directorial debut of Chase Palmer (screenwriter on It previously). The film is based on the Pen prize-winning novel of the same name by Sergio De La Pava, a former Manhattan District Attorney with first-hand knowledge of the travesties of justice in city courtrooms. It's described as "an ambitious, razor-sharp indictment of legal dysfunction and entertaining, high-stakes heist." When a successful New York public defender loses his first case, his life begins to unravel. Doubting all he has worked for and seeing signs of the universe collapsing all around him, he is pulled into a dangerous high-stakes drug heist by an unpredictable former client to beat the broken system at its own game. Hell yes. John Boyega stars with Olivia Cooke,...

John Boyega has taken some fascinating swings in his post-“Star Wars” career. Last year, he earned heaps of acclaim for his role as London Metropolitan Police officer Leroy Logan in the “Red, White and Blue” entry in Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe.” He was set to star in the Netflix thriller from Jeremy Saulnier “Rebel Ridge,” and though he left that project earlier this summer, fans can still get a chance to see him in the upcoming “Naked Singularity,” in theaters on August 6 and on demand August 13. Check out the trailer below.

Here’s the official synopsis from Screen Media Films: “‘Naked Singularity’ tells the story of Casi (John Boyega), a promising young NYC public defender whose idealism is beginning to crack under the daily injustices of the very justice system he’s trying to make right. Doubting all he has worked for and seeing signs of the universe collapsing all around him,...

Screen Media has nabbed all North American rights to “Naked Singularity,” a heist thriller with John Boyega and Olivia Cooke. The film marks the feature directing debut of Chase Palmer, best known for co-writing the screenplay for “It,” the 2017 horror blockbuster.

Bill Skarsgård, who played Pennywise in that film, co-stars in the movie along with Ed Skrein, Linda Lavin and Tim Blake Nelson.

Here’s the official logline: “‘Naked Singularity’ centers on Casi (John Boyega), a promising young NYC public defender whose idealism is beginning to crack under the daily injustices of the very justice system he’s trying to make right. Doubting all he has worked for and seeing signs of the universe collapsing all around him, he is pulled into a dangerous high-stakes drug heist by an unpredictable former client (Olivia Cooke) in an effort to beat the broken system at its own game.”

The screenplay was adapted...

Sergio De La Pava’s Pen prize-winning debut novel, A Naked Singularity, is a messy, maximalist slab of stream-of-consciousness prose in which the main storyline is a perfect crime, wrapped in digressions on countless subjects, among them astrophysics, philosophy, boxing and the deeply flawed American justice system. Screenwriter Chase Palmer, best known for adapting Stephen King’s It, tackles this challenging source material with verve in his first feature as director, which premieres as the opener of the San Francisco Film Festival. It’s a slick package and reasonably entertaining, but the indefinite article of the book’s title is not the only ...

Sergio De La Pava’s Pen prize-winning debut novel, A Naked Singularity, is a messy, maximalist slab of stream-of-consciousness prose in which the main storyline is a perfect crime, wrapped in digressions on countless subjects, among them astrophysics, philosophy, boxing and the deeply flawed American justice system. Screenwriter Chase Palmer, best known for adapting Stephen King’s It, tackles this challenging source material with verve in his first feature as director, which premieres as the opener of the San Francisco Film Festival. It’s a slick package and reasonably entertaining, but the indefinite article of the book’s title is not the only ...

“Naked Singularity,” starring John Boyega, “Socks on Fire” and “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street” are among the selections announced for the 2021 San Francisco International Film Festival, which will take place in an all-new hybrid format.

Running April 9-18, the 64th edition of the festival will incorporate both online and in-person elements. Through the Sffilm website, audiences will be able to purchase tickets for digital screenings, Q&As with filmmakers, film parties and industry networking events. Additionally, there will be live screenings and performances held at the Fort Mason Flix drive-in theater.

Featuring 103 films from 41 countries around the world, the festival lineup consists of 42 feature films, 56 short films and five mid-length films. Not quite feature-length and not quite a short, mid-length films will run between 30 and 50 minutes. 13 films will be making their world premiere with an additional 15 making their North American premiere. Among the full lineup, 57% of the...

The San Francisco International Film Festival (Sffilm) has today announced the full lineup of this year’s festival, which includes both online and in-person events taking place at the Fort Mason Flix drive-in theater. The opening night selection will be the world premiere of Chase Palmer’s “Naked Singularity,” which stars John Boyega as a public defender wrapped up in a drug heist. The full lineup includes buzzy festival titles like “Cryptozoo,” “The Dry,” “Strawberry Mansion,” “Son of Monarchs,” “Homeroom,” “Lily Topples the World,” and “Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It.”

This year’s complete program includes 42 feature films, 56 short films, and, new to the festival this year, five mid-length films. 13 films will be making their world premiere with an additional 15 making their North American premiere. The lineup includes films from 41 countries around the world. Among the full festival lineup, 57% of the films were helmed...

The San Francisco Film Festival will kick off its 2021 edition with a world premiere of director Chase Palmer’s Naked Singularity, which stars John Boyega, Olivia Cooke, Bill Skarsgard and Ed Skrein.

On April 9, the film that stars Boyega as an impassioned public defender who stumbles into a drug heist while his reality collapses all around him will stream online and at a drive-in theater. And Sffilm’s hybrid edition this year will close on April 18 with an online and drive-in screening of Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street, a documentary that chronicles the origins of ...

The San Francisco Film Festival will kick off its 2021 edition with a world premiere of director Chase Palmer’s Naked Singularity, which stars John Boyega, Olivia Cooke, Bill Skarsgard and Ed Skrein.

On April 9, the film that stars Boyega as an impassioned public defender who stumbles into a drug heist while his reality collapses all around him will stream online and at a drive-in theater. And Sffilm’s hybrid edition this year will close on April 18 with an online and drive-in screening of Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street, a documentary that chronicles the origins of ...

Religion of Sports, the venture founded by Gotham Chopra, Michael Strahan, and Tom Brady, has launched a scripted film and TV department. Ryan Stowell has been named to head it.

The company is run by CEO Ameeth Sankaran and last year raised $10M in funding led by Elysian Park, Advancit Capital, co-founded by Shari Redstone, and Courtside Ventures. Its sports-centric slate has a growing podcast slate, and the Chopra-helmed Kobe Bryant’s Muse, Showtime’s Shut Up and Dribble, Apple TV+’s The Greatness Code, and Facebook Watch’s Tom vs. Time.

Stowell comes out of New England like Brady, and he co-produced Manchester by the Sea and exec produced Thoroughbreds. More recently, Stowell produced Naked Singularity, the forthcoming directorial debut from Chase Palmer, starring John Boyega, Olivia Cooke, Bill Skarsgård, and Ed Skrein, as well as Our Friend, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and starring Jason Segel, Dakota Johnson, and Casey Affleck.

We were anticipating a showing of Naked Singularity at last year’s edition of Sundance and of course it didn’t land anywhere else this year so we’re back to the starting blocks with regards to Chase Palmer‘s directorial debut. Palmer wrote It, and began his movie-making career with the 2002 short Neo-Noir – a Sundance selection. Production on this project began in May of 2019 with John Boyega, Olivia Cooke, Bill Skarsgård, Ed Skrein and Tim Blake Nelson. Eskmo (aka Brendan Angelides) made his feature solo scoring debut on this item and Andrij Parekh is the cinematographer on this one.…...