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Conspiracy theories about Hollywood celebrities being shape-shifting lizard people might sound far-fetched, but when one looks at Ralph Fiennes’ career, the idea starts to make sense. He’s a shape-shifter in his truest form.

Ralph Fiennes has brought some of the most iconic villains to life on screen, yet he often seems to disappear into his characters so completely that audiences hardly recognize him. From the dark wizard Voldemort to the intense Chef Julian Slowik, his transformations are nothing short of remarkable. Now, with reports of him taking on the role of President Snow in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, fans are eager to see what new side he will bring to this chilling character.

Yet, many agree that his most chilling and unforgettable villain remains Amon Göth in Schindler’s List, a performance that continues to captivate and haunt audiences.

Ralph Fiennes is ready to send shivers...

The third day of Cannes was noticeably sleepier, but what could compete with Tom Cruise and the cast and crew of “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” storming the Croisette?

Broken silence

On the first day of the Cannes Film Festival, a letter was published condemning the silence of the Hollywood film industry over Israel’s military action in Gaza. Now, more A-listers have added their names to the list, including Joaquin Phoenix (whose “Eddington” premieres at the festival Friday), jury president Juliette Binoche, Riz Ahmed, Jim Jarmusch, Michael Moore and Guillermo del Toro, whose long-awaited take on “Frankenstein” opens later this year.

“Since the terrible massacres of 7 October 2023, no foreign journalist has been authorised to enter the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army is targeting civilians. More than 200 journalists have been deliberately killed. Writers, filmmakers and artists are being brutally murdered,” the letter stated.

What spurred the letter, specifically, was...

Joaquin Phoenix, Juliette Binoche, Pedro Pascal, Riz Ahmed and Guillermo del Toro are among a group of figures to have added their names to a letter condemning the film industry for its “silence” over the ongoing and deadly impact of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

The letter, published on the first day of Cannes and initially signed by more than 370 actors and filmmakers, also condemned Israel’s killing of Fatma Hassona, the protagonist of festival-bound doc “Put Your Soul in Your Hand and Walk.”

The new signatories also includes the likes of Rooney Mara, Jim Jarmusch, Omar Sy, Peter Straughan, Camille Cottin, Michael Moore, Boots Riley and Alice Rohrwacher.

The letter urged cinema — which it said was a “breeding ground for socially committed works” — to use its art form to “draw lessons from history, to make films that are committed” and to be “present to protect oppressed voices.”

The...

We still have to wait three more years until all the Fab Four biopics are released, but everyone involved is already prepping for what will surely be an epic cinematic event. Every member of The Beatles is equally important, and as ambitious as four movies sound, Sony Pictures giving each band member its own biopic makes a lot of sense. Barry Keoghan, who's set to play drummer Ringo Starr, has been testing his drumming abilities for weeks now, and recently had to pass the ultimate test: meeting none other than The Beatles' drummer himself.

Keoghan recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to promote his upcoming movie, the musical thriller directed by Trey Edward Shults and co-starring Jenna Ortega and The Weeknd, Hurry Up Tomorrow. The actor also talked about the 2026 film Crime 101, co-starring McU's Chris Hemsworth. However, it was clear that what he was most excited about was discussing The Beatles biopic,...

Mr Loverman and Mr Bates vs the Post Office were key winners at the 2025 BAFTA Television Awards, which were handed out in London on Sunday evening. Netflix hit series Baby Reindeer, which had led the nominations with eight, followed by Disney+ series Rivals, AppleTV+ hit Slow Horses and ITV’s Mr Bates vs the Post Office with six each, earned one honor on Sunday.

Other shows earning trophies include The Traitors, Industry, Gavin & Stacey: The Finale, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light and Shrinking.xxx

In the performance categories, 21 of the 44 nominees had received their first BAFTA TV Awards nomination, including Nicola Coughlan (Big Mood), Bilal Hasna (Extraordinary), Christopher Chung and Jonathan Pryce (Slow Horses), Jessica Gunning, Richard Gadd and Nava Mau (Baby Reindeer), Lolly Adefope (The Franchise), Marisa Abela (Industry), Mckinley Belcher III (Eric), Nabhaan Rizwan (Kaos) and Ariyon Bakare and Sharon D Clarke (Mr Loverman).

Lennie James...

The newly elected Pope Leo Xiv‘s brother has answered the question many were asking following the pivotal election.

The College of Cardinals made history yesterday when it elected Robert Prevost, the world’s first American pope, to fill the shoes of the late Pope Francis. The new pope is a Chicago native, and his American origins were a major point of conversation, excitement and debate Thursday. During an NBC News interview, his brother, Illinois resident John Prevost, opened up about their last conversation before the beginning of the pivotal papal conclave.

Noting that he and his brother talk regularly, Prevost revealed that he spoke to him right before the conclave commenced. They played Wordle and Words with Friends together to help keep the new pope’s mind off “life in the real world” for at least a few moments before finally discussing the then-forthcoming election.

“I said, ‘Well, do you have your red socks?...

Actors don’t always meet the real-life figures they portray, but Barry Keoghan (Saltburn) got to do just that when he hung out with Ringo Starr. The actor is set to play the iconic drummer in Sam Mendes’ The Beatles — A Four Film Cinematic Event alongside Harris Dickinson (Babygirl) as John Lennon, Paul Mescal (Gladiator II) as Paul McCartney, and Joseph Quinn (The Fantastic Four: First Steps) as George Harrison.

Keoghan appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and confirmed that he’d met with Starr after he was cast in the role. “It was one of those moments where you’re just in awe and just froze,” he said. “And when I was talking to him, I couldn’t look at him. I was nervous, like right now. He said, ‘You can look at me.’ And again — you’re playing Ringo Starr. My job is to observe and take in kind of mannerisms and study,...

Sam Mendes’ ambitious quartet of The Beatles biopics has just added a major creative force behind the scenes. While CinemaCon made headlines last month by confirming the all-star cast — Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison — the question remained: who’s writing them?

It's now been confirmed that Jack Thorne, the Emmy-winning writer behind Netflix’s hit limited series Adolescence, has joined the writing team for the Beatles saga, alongside Jez Butterworth and Peter Straughan (Conclave).

And yes, this project is set to be a true experiment. All four films — each telling the Beatles’ story from a different member’s perspective — will roll out weekly in April 2028, making use of all four Fridays that month. Mendes, producing via Neal Street Productions with Pippa Harris and Julie Pastor, is crafting what might be the most ambitious rock...

Sam Mendes‘ “The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event” is undoubtedly one of the buzziest film projects of the next few years. And now we know who will pen the four upcoming biopics, each centering on a specific Beatles member.

Read More: Introducing Paul Mescal, Joseph Quinn, Barry Keoghan & Harris Dickinson As ‘The Beatles’ [CinemaCon]

Deadline reports that Jez Butterworth, Peter Straughan, and Jack Thorne will write the screenplays for Mendes’ four-film project about the biggest band in pop history. However, it’s unclear if the writers will collaborate on all four films together or work on scripts separately. In any case, there are several Tonys, BAFTAs, and Oscars between the trio, and that should be more than enough to put the rest of Hollywood on notice.

Continue reading ‘The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event’: Sam Mendes Taps Jez Butterworth, Peter Straughan & Jack Thorne As Writers at The Playlist.

The director has appointed the acclaimed Olivier, Tony, Bafta and Oscar winning talents to be the screenwriters for The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinematic Event

The award-winning British writers Jez Butterworth, Peter Straughan and Jack Thorne will pen Sam Mendes’ four Beatles films, it has been reported.

The four biopics, focusing on each member of the fab four, will be released in cinemas in April 2028 – with Paul Mescal playing Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson playing John Lennon, Barry Keoghan playing Ringo Starr, and Joseph Quinn playing George Harrison.

Conclave has become one of the most important movies post the Oscars race, after the subject matter of the film is currently happening in real life. Pope Francis, the former sovereign of the Vatican City, passed away on April 21, 2025. A papal conclave has gathered at the Sistine Chapel to choose the next pope, and believers across the world await to see the white smoke from the chapel.

The Ralph Fiennes-led film was already a popular watch after the Pope’s death. However, the latest reports coming from the Vatican are too bizarre to be true. The reports suggest that the cardinals gathered to choose the new Pope are watching Edward Berger’s film to get a better idea of the proceedings.

Conclave streaming details: Cardinals are reportedly watching it to elect the next Pope Ralph Fiennes in a still from Edward Berger’s Conclave | Credits: Focus Features

Conclave follows Ralph Fiennes’ Cardinal Thomas Lawrence,...

Exclusive: Greg Silverman’s Stampede Ventures is moving ahead with its prestige adaptation of Max Seeck’s bestselling Nordic Noirbook seriesThe Faithful Reader featuring the detective Jessica Niemi.

CEO Stampede Silverman will produce the psychological thriller alongside John-Paul Sarni, Seeck, and G4C’s Gudrun Giddings. Amelia Mysko of Stampede will serve as co-producer.

The Faithful Reader, published as The Witch Hunter in US and UK, takes place in Helsinki, Finland, and follows Niemi as she investigates a copycat killer that forces her to confront the past as she uncovers a dark ancestral secret.

Writing team Chris Murray and Maria Ward...

According to Deadline, Jez Butterworth (Ford v Ferrari), Peter Straughan (Conclave), and Jack Thorne (Adolescence) have been tapped to write The Beatles — A Four Film Cinematic Event, directed by Sam Mendes. It remains unclear whether each writer will be responsible for a separate film or if they will collaborate across all four installments.

Sam Mendes’ production company, Neal Street Productions, has partnered with Sony Pictures Entertainment for the movies. This is the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and the members of the Beatles—Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison—have granted the full life story and music rights for a scripted movie. Mendes will direct all four movies, each focusing on a separate band member.

The four films will star Harris Dickinson (Babygirl) as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan (Saltburn) as Ringo Starr, Paul Mescal (Gladiator II) as Paul McCartney and Joseph Quinn (The Fantastic Four: First Steps...

Sony Pictures has found its writers for Sam Mendes’s ambitious four-part biopic about The Beatles, with Tony winner Jez Butterworth, Conclave best adapted screenplay Oscar winner Peter Straughan, and Bafta and Tony Award-winning Adolescencewriter Jack Thorne on board.

As previously announced, the features will star Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

Sony Pictures is financing and distributing worldwide “with full theatrical windows” in April 2028. That announcement came out of CinemaConrecently. While the studio is yet to announce precisely how it will do this, motion...

Sony Pictures has found its writers for Sam Mendes’s ambitious four-part biopic about The Beatles, with Tony winner Jez Butterworth, Conclave best adapted screenplay Oscar winner Peter Straughan, and Bafta and Tony Award-winning Adolescencewriter Jack Thorne on board.

As previously announced, the features will star Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

Sony Pictures is financing and distributing worldwide “with full theatrical windows” in April 2028. That announcement came out of CinemaConrecently. While the studio is yet to announce precisely how it will do this, motion...

Having set himself the unprecedented task of making not one but four interconnected biopics about Liverpudlian lads (and undisputed greatest band of all time) The Beatles, filmmaker Sam Mendes has been working eight days a week to assemble the team to help bring his four film cinematic event to life. And having revealed that Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan, Harris Dickinson, and Joseph Quinn will be playing the Fab Four at CinemaCon just last month, today Deadline are reporting that a suitably terrific three screenwriters have been brought aboard to pen the movies.

Per Deadline's sources, Adolescence scribe Jack Thorne, Mendes' Spectre collaborator Jez Butterworth, and Oscar-winning Conclave writer Peter Straughan have all come together to tackle the screenplays for the ambitious undertaking, currently somewhat nebulously titled The Beatles — A Four Film Cinematic Event. At this stage however, we don't know whether the writers are tackling a movie each, with another...

Tony Award winner Jez Butterworth, Academy Award winner Peter Straughan, and BAFTA and Tony Award winner Jack Thorne are set to write the screenplays for Sony Pictures, Sam Mendes and Neal Street Productions’ biopics of “The Beatles,” whose stories will be told with four distinct theatrical feature films, the studio announced on Wednesday.

The films mark the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film.

Conceived by Mendes, who will direct the four theatrical feature films – one from each band member’s point-of-view – the movies will tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history.

The four films will star Harris Dickinson (as John Lennon), Barry Keoghan (as Ringo Starr), Paul Mescal (as Paul McCartney) and Joseph Quinn (as George Harrison).

Sony Pictures will finance and distribute worldwide...

Ahead of the 2025 conclave to find Pope Francis’ successor, Catholic cardinals reportedly consulted Edward Berger’s 2024 acclaimed drama film of the same name.

According to Politico, a number of cardinals who are a part of the ongoing conclave that began Wednesday in Rome watched Conclave as a “helpful research tool” to learn more about the process of selecting a new pope.

“Some have watched [Conclave] in the cinema,” a cleric told Politico, with the outlet adding that “The film is seen as remarkably accurate even by cardinals” and has been useful “at a time when so many of the conclave participants have little experience of Vatican politics and protocol.”

After Robert Prevost was named the new Pope on Thursday, his brother, John Prevost, told NBC News that Leo Xiv watched Conclave before the real-life conclave commenced.

“And I said, ‘Well, are you ready for this?’” Prevost recalled. “I said, ‘Did...

Sam Mendes’ four Beatles biopics have found writers.

Tony Award winner Jez Butterworth, Academy Award winner Peter Straughan and BAFTA and Tony Award winner Jack Thorne are set to write the screenplays for the four theatrical films from Sony Pictures and Neal Street Productions.

The films mark the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film.

Mendes conceived and will direct the four films, each from a different band member’s point of view, intersecting to tell the story of the iconic group.

The films will star Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

Sony Pictures will finance and distribute worldwide with full theatrical windows in April 2028.

“The Beatles—A Four-Film Cinematic Event” is a...

Gold Derby's top news stories for May 7, 2025.

Say "honey yes!" to the Honey Don't! trailer

Director Ethan Coen's Honey Don't! will rocket to the top of your most anticipated movies list after you watch its new trailer. The noir comedy stars Margaret Qualley as Honey O’Donahue, a private investigator looking into a string of mysterious deaths tied to a cultish church led by Priest Dean (Chris Evans). The trailer has that classic Coen crime caper energy, with a little more sex appeal than usual. The film is written by Coen and Tricia Cooke, who previously worked with Qualley on Drive Away Dolls, and also stars Aubrey Plaza, Charlie Day, and Billy Eichner. It will be in theaters from Focus Features on Aug. 22, following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

Sam Mendes' Beatles quartet taps Jez Butterworth, Peter Straughan, and Jack Thorne as writers

Sam Mendes' four Beatles...

Exclusive: After officially announcing the cast for their incredible endeavor at CinemaCon in March, Sam Mendes and Sony Pictures now have landed the writers that will help spearhead The Beatles – A Four Film Cinematic Event. Sources tell Deadline that Tony Award winner Jez Butterworth, Oscar winner Peter Straughan and BAFTA and Tony winner Jack Thorne are set to write the screenplays for the biopics of The Beatles, whose stories will be told in four distinct theatrical feature films.

It is unknown if each will be writing their own film or will be collaborating on all four films.

The movies mark the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – or their estates have granted full life-story and music rights for a scripted film. As conceived by Mendes, who will direct the four movies, one from each band member’s point of view,...

The Conclave to elect a new Pope officially begins today, and the 2024 film detailing the election process has seen a surge on streaming. Starring in the lead roles in Conclave are Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, the former of whom was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in the film. Conclave began streaming on Peacock after it concluded its theatrical run, but last month it vanished from the platform. It wasn’t until it resurfaced on Prime Video the day after Pope Francis’ death that the film immediately jumped to #1. It wasn’t until the release of Another Simple Favor that Conclave dropped to #2 on Prime Video streaming charts, but it’s still been a major success for the streamer. It earned scores of 93% from critics and 86% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.

In addition to Fiennes and Tucci, Conclave also stars John Lithgow, who has been tapped to...

The death of Pope Francis last month sparked renewed interest in the Oscar-winning movie Conclave. Now streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video service and available to rent or buy at several other distribution platforms, viewership of Edward Berger’s 2024 drama spiked over the past two weeks, with an increase of more than 3,200 percent in minutes viewed week over week, according to Luminate, which tracks online streaming data.

Based on the novel by Robert Harris, Conclave focuses on a fictional series of events following the death of the pope. Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence, who leads the selection process and must navigate warring factions and agendas within the Church. The Focus Features release received eight Oscar nominations this year, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Fiennes, and Best Supporting Actress for Isabella Rossellini. It won Best Adapted Screenplay for Peter Straughan, its only Oscar victory at this year’s ceremony.

Those looking for the 411 on Crime 101are in luck, as Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry's upcoming heist thriller has stolen a high-profile date in Amazon MGM Studios' theatrical release calendar. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Crime 101, based on the crime novella of the same name by author Don Winslow, will open in theaters on Feb. 13, 2026, just in time for Valentine's Day, because who needs flowers when you have an Avenger in action outside the MCU? It also coincides with the beginning of Presidents' Day weekend.

The studio behind Crime 101 has reportedly committed to Feb. 13, 2026, despite it being the same day that Emerald Fennell's controversial Wuthering Heights' adaptation opens in theaters, and a highly curious untitled MCU Phase 6 movie. This release date takes advantage of the long holiday weekend that often presents moviegoers with free time to visit the theater. The addition of Crime 101 to the...

Following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday at the age of 88, people around the world have found new interest in the 2024 Edward Berger film "Conclave," which tells a fictionalized version of the choosing of the new leader of the Catholic church. "Conclave" is sumptuously shot and features an incredible cast, including Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow, all performing at the top of their game, but with the real-world recent events in Rome leading us toward a conclave of our own, audiences have to wonder — just how accurate is "Conclave," really?

Well, it's complicated. The film strove for accuracy with regards to the costumes, location, and ceremony of the conclave, even though the process has been shrouded in secrecy for hundreds of years. Interviews with Catholic officials and scholars have revealed that while certain elements of the story are unrealistic, overall "Conclave" is an incredible...

What if "Gossip Girl" or a "Real Housewives" franchise took place in Vatican City? Somehow, that question is answered by Edward Berger's 2024 film "Conclave," a political thriller about backstabbing cardinals and the election of a new pope that took home a few Academy Awards ... and is now available to stream with an Amazon Prime Video subscription. Not just that -- it's been number one on Prime Video's streaming charts in the United States for several days, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Led by a veritable murderer's row of actors that includes Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and the inimitable Isabella Rossellini, "Conclave," which is based on Robert Harris' 2016 novel of the same name and was adapted for the screen by "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" writer Peter Straughan, meets a group of cardinals in Rome after the pope passes away. In the aftermath of the religious leader's death,...

Brad Pitt will star in a movie adaptation of the novel The Riders. Pitt is teaming up with Conclave director Edward Berger on the project.

Author Tim Winton's 1994 novel, which landed on the shortlist for the prestigious Booker Prize, follows a father, Fred, and his 7-year-old daughter Billie's desperate search for his wife. The novel begins with the family moving from Ireland and Australia, but Fred's wife Jennifer never arrives. Fred and Billie resolve to travel across Europe to discover how Jennifer suddenly disappeared without a trace.

Brad Pitt Leads the Cast of The Riders

According to Variety, Berger will film The Riders on location in multiple European countries starting in 2026. A24 have come on board to finance and distribute the literary adaptations, following their Oscar success with the period drama The Brutalist earlier this year. Ridley Scott will produce The Riders from a script by writer David Kajganich...

Speaking at Canneseries, Bad Wolf founder Jane Tranter — whose credits include hits from “Doctor Who” to “Succession” — recalled how her creative collaboration turned friendship with late “Sopranos” star James Gandolfini changed her career. Tranter met the actor while working on their passion project “The Night Of,” which Gandolfini was supposed to star on before his untimely death in 2013. The series pilot would become the last thing the actor ever filmed, with his role later taken over by John Turturro.

“He was very uncomfortable and discombobulated by L.A., so we were uncomfortable and discombobulated together,” remembered the executive, who formed a friendship with Gandolfini while leading BBC Worldwide Productions and Adjacent Productions in Los Angeles. Tranter took the job after eight years as Head of Fiction for the BBC in the U.K., and would stay in L.A. for another eight years, where she worked on projects such as...

Apple TV+ is no stranger to developing successful spy and detective stories for the audience. Following the success of Slow Horses, based on the Mick Herron novels, it will soon be adding a thriller to its roster as Peter Straughan gears up to adapt late author Philip Kerr’s popular Berlin Noir books.

It was revealed in 2012 that HBO and Playtone partners Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman were in early talks to acquire the rights to the novel. And now it seems like Playtone did acquire the rights, and their deal with Apple TV+ is now finally paying off. Apple TV+ and Playtone are also working on a TV adaptation of Elliot Ackerman’s Sheepdogs, but let’s find out more about Philip Kerr’s book.

Apple TV+ to adapt late author Philip Kerr’s final book, Metropolis

According to reports by Deadline, the streaming platform is looking forward to...

Exclusive: Bernie Gunther is heading to the small screen.

Apple TV+ has greenlit a long-gestating TV adaptation of the late Philip Kerr’s popular Berlin Noir books from Oscar-winning Conclave writer Peter Straughan, Doctor Who producer Bad Wolf, and Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman’s Playtone.

The untitled drama is based on Kerr’s final book Metropolis, which told the iconic detective’s origin story. Set in 1928, Metropolis follows newly promoted police officer Gunther in the intimidating elite Berlin Murder Squad, investigating what seems to be a serial killer targeting victims on the fringes of society. Gunther’s Berlin is described as a “city of unprecedented freedom and dizzying turbulence, the Nazis a distant nightmare waiting in the wings.”

We are told Apple is kicking off with Gunther’s origin story but there is scope to adapt more Berlin Noir books via the studio’s option. Gunther was made famous...

As Catholics mourn the loss of Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88 this past Monday, it appears as if a lot of folks are taking comfort in the Ralph Fiennes film Conclave, which saw a whopping 3,200% increase in viewership this week. Released in October 2024, Conclave stars Fiennes as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, a man who organizes a conclave to elect the next pope, only to find himself investigating secrets and scandals about the major candidates.

Per Luminate Data, Conclave viewership on Tuesday – a day after Pope Francis' death – rose to 18.3 million minutes watched on U.S. streaming platforms, which is a huge increase over Monday's total of 6.9 million. When compared to the week prior, it's clear that the death of the Holy Father had a major impact on Conclave, as it was streamed for just 966,000 minutes on Monday, April 14, and 574,000 minutes on Tuesday, April 15.

Of course, the film's...

Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, died April 21 at age 88. His funeral will take place on Saturday. Within 15 to 20 days, the College of Cardinals will gather at the Sistine Chapel to start the process of the papal conclave, which will conclude with the election of a new pope.

We mean no disrespect to the late Pope by noting this coincidence. Still, there will likely be more interest in this papal conclave than usual due to the film Conclave, which was released last year and won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay earlier this month.

Conclave tells a fictional story about Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes), the dean of the College of Cardinals, who leads a conclave after the death of the sitting pope. As various contenders representing different schools of thought jockey for position, Lawrence investigates their closets for skeletons and finds plenty. The thrilling drama,...

In 2024, the Ralph Fiennes-led Conclave was just a political thriller following the organizing of a conclave to elect the next pope. Unfortunately, 2025 turned the film into a mandatory watch after Pope Francis' sudden death on Easter Monday.

Pope Francis had been the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State for over a year, since election in the 2013 papal conclave until his death at the age of 88. As the world mourned the Pope, people turned to ask questions about what happens next. Although it's a work of fiction with a delicate subject about the secrets and scandals of major papal candidates, Conclave has become a major hit and became the No. 1 film worldwide, per FlixPatrol.

Even before Pope Francis' death, Conclave marked a great film to watch over the Easter weekend, and the movie started trending on Apr. 19 in many places around the world, including...

Director Edward Berger had one of the buzziest titles of 2023, with his war drama “All Quiet on the Western Front” going on to triumph spectacularly in the award season including the Oscars. “Conclave” brings him back to the spotlight. The papal thriller premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, gathering raves. It has already kick-started awards consideration for its lead actor Ralph Fiennes. Adapted by Peter Straughan from the 2016 Robert Harris novel, “Conclave” (2024) is a tight, compelling work, focused on slow revelations and illuminating flashes of character.

There is a scattering of twists, with a massive one reserved for the end that reorients the picture in a positive, future-embracing direction. But Berger, wisely, underplays them, buttressing them in a way that shines a light on personal growth and unmasking ambition, agenda, and follies of rash decisions. Fiennes gets to burst intermittently, unleashing frustration but it’s a performance mostly grounded in a subtle,...

Rejoice! One of the best thrillers of last year is now available to stream on one of the most popular platforms. Released in 2024 to widespread critical acclaim, all manner of accolades, and even an Oscar win, the political thriller Conclave starring Ralph Fiennes now has a new streaming home. Meaning audiences can finally delve into this gripping tale of intrigue and betrayal from the comfort of their sofas.

After debuting in theaters in October last year, Conclave landed on the streaming platform for a short time. Now, the critically acclaimed thriller is all set to become available on Prime Video from today, April 22, with audiences no doubt eager to either experience the edge-of-your-seat drama once again, or discover what all the fuss is about.

Directed by Edward Berger and written by Peter Straughan, Conclave is based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris, and follows Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence...

With the sad death of Pope Francis announced this Monday, the Oscar-winning film Conclave immediately comes to mind, as its starting point is the same one that we are in right now: when the Pope dies and all cardinals from around the world gather at the Vatican to vote for his successor. People who went looking for the movie today, however, discovered that it's only available to rent, having recently left its original streaming home on Peacock. Fortunately, this changes tomorrow, as Prime Video will include the title in its catalog.

Hopefully, the real-life conclave that will inevitably take place in the coming days is significantly less tense than the one in the Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) movie. In the thriller, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is handling preparations for the election of the next Pope when he is alerted that there might be a conspiracy in place.

The revelation of Pope Francis’ passing at the age of 88 has had Catholics from all around the globe mourning. Having battled with double pneumonia for months, which led to his hospitalization early this year, a day after Easter, Cardinal Kevin Farrell broke the news that the beloved Bishop of Rome succumbed to his illness.

With Parishioners and church leaders coming forward to grieve and pay tribute to the humble pope, the upcoming events can mirror one of the best movies of the last year.

How closely will the real-life Conclave mirror the Ralph Fiennes-led movie? Pope Francis | Credit: Yakov Fedorov/ Cc-by-sa-4.0/Creative Commons

Based on Robert Harris’ book, Edward Berger’s Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, featured a scenario similar to the current events. Like the movie, in which the College of Cardinals is tasked with the process of electing the next pope in the wake of...

The death of a Pope is always a solemn time for Catholics, especially when it’s a Pope like Pope Francis, whose legacy includes dropping a prog-rock album in 2015. It also marks the beginning of a process that movie fans got a front-row seat for when watching the 2024 Oscar Best Picture nominee Conclave, which recently left its original streaming home of Peacock.

Conclave stars Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, tasked with overseeing the conclave of Cardinals who have come together to vote a new Pope into office. The action, as depicted by director Edward Berger and writer Peter Straughan (adapting the novel by Robert Harris), is a lot less spiritual than one might expect, as the balance of power between the men competing for the job shifts with the speed of a rumor.

Berger makes a particular point of highlighting all the details involved in the rituals of a Pope’s passing,...

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Black Bag is a spy thriller drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh from a screenplay by David Koepp. The 2025 film follows British intelligence officer George Woodhouse, who is given the task of finding the identity of a double agent, but the only problem is that his wife is amongst the suspects. Black Bag stars Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, and Pierce Brosnan. So, if you loved the thrilling drama, intense mystery, and compelling characters in Black Bag, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – StudioCanal

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a Cold War spy thriller drama film directed by Tomas Alfredson from a screenplay co-written by Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan. Based on the 1974 novel of the same name by John le Carré,...

Chris Hemsworth has played a superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for over a decade, and his journey is not over. However, it seems like the actor has a lot of superhero traits in real life, too.

Aside from his upcoming return as Thor in Avengers: Doomsday, Hemsworth has many other projects in the works, including the upcoming crime thriller Crime 101. The film boasts a star-studded cast, and it also stars Halle Berry. In a new interview with E! News from CinemaCon, the Academy Award-winning actress praised Hemsworth for standing up for her on the set.

"This is one of my new favorite people in the whole wide world," Berry revealed about Hemsworth. [He’s] a stand-up guy. I won’t go into it now, but he stood up for me in a moment in our movie, and instantly I knew right then I’m gonna follow this guy, be a fan of this guy,...

Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry promoted their new film, Crime 101, at CinemaCon. The two Marvel actors will be joined by the likes of Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan and Monica Barbaro in Bart Layton’s crime film. The film is based on Don Winslow’s novella of the same name.

During their interview at CinemaCon, Berry shared an on-set incident without going into the ugly details of the matter. She shared that she had experienced something bad and praised Hemsworth for standing up for her. Fans will probably get no further update on what happened on the set, as both Berry and Hemsworth preferred to keep it private.

Halle Berry as Storm in X-Men | Credits: 20th Century Studios

The principal photography of Crime 101 began in October in Los Angeles. Layton’s previous film, the heist docudrama American Animals, received love from critics. In a bidding war for the distribution rights of the film,...

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This April, we are getting a ton of content from the much-anticipated return of The Last of Us and Andor on streaming to the release of some of the most-anticipated movies of this year, such as The Accountant 2 and Sinners. This upcoming month will see the release of many great movies, so we thought of compiling a list of all the best movies that are coming straight to streaming.

Y2K (Max) Release Date: April 4, 2025 Credit – A24

Y2K is an apocalyptic sci-fi comedy film directed by Kyle Mooney, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Evan Winter. The 2024 film is set on the last night of 1999, and it follows a group of high school juniors who crash a party but soon find themselves trying to survive the horrors of Y2K. It stars Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler,...

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Prime Video is ready with an entertainment-packed April this year. The upcoming month will see the return of the beloved Original series Leverage: Redemption and also the release of the much-anticipated horror action series The Bondsman. Just like every month, Prime Video is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the best 11 new movies and TV shows coming to Prime Video in April 2025.

Speak No Evil (April 1) Credit – Universal Pictures

Speak No Evil is a psychological horror thriller film written and directed by James Watkins. Based on the 2022 Danish-Dutch film of the same name by Christian and Mads Tafdrup, the 2024 film follows an American family on their dream holiday, which soon turns into a nightmare when a British family invites them to their quaint country estate to spend a weekend with them.

It’s been a month since Peter Straughan won his first Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Conclave, and the screenwriter still can’t believe the reception the film has had.

“I had no idea Conclave was going to do what it did,” Straughan told an audience at Dublin’s screenwriting festival Storyhouse on Thursday. “To be honest, I thought it was going to be this nice, quiet little film that a few people would see.”

Straughan adapted the film, which is directed by Edward Berger and stars Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini, from the 2016 novel by Robert Harris. The political potboiler is set within the Vatican and follows Cardinal Lomeli (Fiennes) as he oversees a secretive papal election following the sudden death of the Pope. In addition to the Oscar, Straughan won a BAFTA and a Golden Globe earlier this year for his adaptation.

The prolific writer, whose...

Chris Hemsworth is continuing to build his brand as a bona fide action star, as the Australian actor is joining forces with Halle Berry for his next action/heist/thriller, Crime 101. The movie also stars Mark Ruffalo, Monica Barbaro, and Barry Keoghan, and is directed by Bart Layton. At this year's CinemaCon, Layton and his A-list cast took to the stage to reveal some exclusive footage from the upcoming heist thriller.

During Amazon MGM's presentation at CinemaCon (via The Hollywood Reporter), Halle Berry, Chris Hemsworth, and the rest of the cast heaped praise on Layton's work on Crime 101, before unveiling the first footage of the movie. "In the driver’s seat of this exciting ride is none other than our fearless director, Bart Layton," Berry began. Chris Hemsworth followed suit, describing Crime 101 as a "uniquely mesmerizing film, the kind that draws you into its world and...

Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry are ready to shed new light on Los Angeles with Crime 101.

Director Bart Layton joined his stars on stage at CinemaCon to show a sneak peek of the Amazon MGM Studios film hitting theaters later this year. Rounding out the packed cast are Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Tate Donovan, Devon Bostick, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Nick Nolte.

“In the driver’s seat of this exciting ride is none other than our fearless director, Bart Layton,” Berry told the crowd about the movie that features Ruffalo as a detective attempting to track down those responsible for a string of jewelry heists.

The filmmaker pointed out that the L.A.-based 101 Freeway plays a key role in the plot and shared that he hoped “to capture L.A. in a way you might not have seen on film before.”

For his part,...

Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski took to the stage in Las Vegas to talk up this year pipeline on the back of the company’s second biggest ever hit Nosferatu, and a successful awards season.

Kujawski told attendees at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace: “While I truly do believe that the specialty sector does pollinate the movies business,” he said, referencing his CinemaCon 2023 address, “it’s more important that I say movie theatres pollinate our entire global culture.”

Affirming the company’s range of films and commitment to ”the vital theatrical experience”, the executive

Kujawski showed first-looks from Wes Anderson...

Exclusive: Aisling Bea, the BAFTA-winning writer behind This Way Up, Savanah Leaf, the BAFTA-winning filmmaker of Earth Mama, and Censor writer-director Prano Bailey-Bond are among the latest speakers added to Element Pictures’ upcoming Storyhouse, its Dublin-based screenwriting festival that celebrates storytellers and storytelling.

Writer-director Aislinn Clarke (Fréwaka), writer Cara Loftus (Spilt Milk), writer Courttia Newland, director Morgan Matthews, writer Richie Conroy and writer-director Tom Sullivan (Arracht) have also been added to the lineup for this year’s event, which will be held at the Irish capital’s Light House Cinema on April 3rd and 4th.

They’ll join previously announced speakers Peter Straughan, who is fresh off of his Oscar win for Best Adapted Screenplay for Conclave, as well as Kenneth Lonergan, Laurie Nunn and Nia DaCosta.

The festival has also announced the hosts...

After winning six Emmy Awards last year, “Baby Reindeer” is looking to dominate on home soil with eight nominations at the BAFTA TV and Craft Awards.

The hit Netflix series emerged at the top of the pack, landing nods for limited drama, leading actor for Richard Gadd and supporting actress for both Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau. With her nomination, Mau becomes the first openly transgender BAFTA TV Award nominee.

Further down, there was a three-way tie for second place, with ITV’s “Mr. Bates vs. the Post Office,” Disney+’s Jilly Cooper adaptation “Rivals” and Apple TV+’s spy series “Slow Horses” earning six nominations each. Disney+ also earned four nominations for Ira drama “Say Nothing,” as did the BBC documentary “Life and Death in Gaza.”

“Baby Reindeer” stars Gadd and Gunning were among 21 of 44 performance nominees to land their first BAFTA TV award nomination. Other first-timers include Jonathan Pryce...

From “Baby Reindeer” to “Adolescence,” Netflix has staked a claim when it comes to sourcing prestige British TV with global appeal and “Wolf Hall” director Peter Kosminsky believes this to be a huge problem. Speaking during a recent interview with BBC Two’s Newsnight, the 45-year industry veteran detailed what he described as an “existential crisis” facing Britain’s public broadcasting.

Kosminsky explained that American streaming companies have made costs so high that BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 “can’t afford to make dramas like ‘Wolf Hall’ anymore.” Instead, all the money that should be distributed on British programming is going to shows that have more global appeal, “Adolescence” being one example.

“I think the BBC or ITV would wish to make ‘Adolescence,’ but let’s be absolutely clear,” Kosminsky said, “there is no way they could make it at the moment.”

Written by this year’s Oscar winner for Best Adapted Screenplay,...