Rob Lowe and Son John Owen Lowe Star in Netflix Comedy Series UNSTABLE From SANTA CLARITA DIET Creator

A new comedy series is being developed at Netflix titled Unstable. The series will star Rob Lowe (The Outsiders, St. Elmo’s Fire, Wayne’s World, The West Wing, Parks and Recreation) and his real-life son John Owen Lowe. The pair are constantly bantering on social media, with John Owen trolling his dad with funny results. The father and son duo teamed with Santa Clarita Diet creator Victor Fresco to co-create the series and turn their relationship into a fun new project.

The pair previously worked together on the reality adventure show The Lowe Files, with Rob’s other son Matthew, in which they traveled around the U.S. to investigate urban legends and supernatural reports. It was a really fun series, and I wished it would have stuck around, but this will be a good alternative.

Unstable is “set in a cutting-edge biotech research company, the series stars John Owen Lowe as socially-challenged son who goes to work for his very successful, wildly eccentric father, played by Rob Lowe, in order to save him from disaster.”

The Lowes and Fresco will produce the series as well. Does it sound like a comedy series you’ll want to check out?

via: Deadline

TERMINATOR 2 Behind-The-Scenes Videos Feature Stan Winston’s Cool T-1000 VFX Work on The Film

James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day featured a lot of awesome innovation with filmmaking and VFX work. Not only with CGI effects but also with practical effects, which were all done by the talented team at Stan Winston Studios.

I was watching Terminator 2 again recently and I jumped online to see if I could find any behind-the-scenes stuff that I haven’t seen before, specifically in regards to the T-1000. I’ve shared some stuff on the site before featuring lots of “making of” stuff for Terminator 2, but I came across a couple of videos that I don’t recall seeing before, and I just want to share them here.

I came across the following videos on the Facebook page of Stan Winston school. The first video shows how they created the splash impact effect of the bullets when they hit the liquid metal:

Here’s a little explanation:

Among the T-1000 effects were appliances that would suggest the splash impact of bullet hits on the liquid metal man, first seen in an early sequence at a shopping mall, where the original Terminator fires on the T-1000.

To research the look, Winston and his crew spent weeks shooting pellets into mud, studying the patterns made by the impact, then duplicating them in sculpted form and producing appliances. Vacumetalizing slip rubber latex material, backed with soft foam rubber or polyfoam, achieved the chrome look.

The splash appliances were sculpted and produced in a variety of patterns and sizes and were fitted with an irising, petal-like spring-loaded mechanism that would open the bullet wounds on cue. This flowering mechanism was attached to a fiberglass chest plate worn by Robert Patrick — the actor portraying the T-1000 in his cop guise — under a prescored costume and was actuated by a single radio-controlled cable pin release. The pin’s release would open the petals, replacing that area of the costume with the chromed bullet splash.

This next video puts a focus on the splash head effect of the T-1000. You can read all kinds of details about how this effect was pulled off here.

It’s expained:

Studio artists sculpted Robert Patrick in clay, then split that clay sculpture down the middle and pulled it open, sculpting a ‘splash’ area into the middle of it. The foam rubber puppet was then made from molds of that sculpture. The puppet had a hinged fiberglass core that would spring open with the pulling of a single pin. The frontal view of ‘splash head’ (pictured above) required a more detailed puppet that featured eye mechanisms working independently on either side of the T-1000’s split face. Pulley mechanisms pulled the sides of the head toward the middle to suggest the beginning of the healing effect, which was finished off with ILM’s computer graphics.

Here are a couple other videos that I previously shared:

First Look at The Third and Final Season of LOCKE & KEY

It was recently announced that the Netflix supernatural horror series Locke & Key will be coming to an end with Season 3. The first two seasons of this series have been great! This is a well-made, quality show, and while it sucks that it’s coming to an end, the original plan for the series was three seasons and the creative team is going to get to tell the complete story they wanted to tell.

We now have three photos to share with you that give us our first look at the upcoming third season, which you can see below. Showrunners Carlton Cuse and Meredith Averill previously shared in a statement, “Once we began working on the series, we felt three seasons was the ideal length to bring the story of the Locke family and their Keyhouse adventures to a satisfying conclusion. As storytellers, we are grateful that we had the opportunity to tell our version of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s incredible story exactly the way we wanted. We’re keeping the magical keys, though, for our own personal use.”

The supernatural thriller is based on the IDW comic books by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez, and the story follows “the Locke siblings after their father is murdered under mysterious circumstances. The three siblings and their mother move into their ancestral home, Keyhouse, which they discover is full of magical keys that may be connected to their father’s death. As the Locke children explore the different keys and their unique powers, a mysterious demon awakens — and will stop at nothing to steal them.”

Check out the photos from the series below and let us know what you think!

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Jefferey Dean Morgan Set to Star in New Horror Film FELIX From Producer Joe Carnahan

Jeffery Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead) and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (The Haunting Of Bly Manor ) are set to star in a new horror thriller titled Felix, which is being produced by director Joe Carnahan (Boss Level, Smokin’ Aces, The Grey). The film revolves around a creepy haunted ventriloquist doll.

The story follows “Charlie and his best friend Jimmy who are making a film and dream of becoming big-time Hollywood directors. When Charlie’s father finds an old ventriloquist’s doll named Felix among his late mother’s belongings, Charlie and Jimmy cast the doll as the creepy antagonist. Through a chain of increasingly sinister and disturbing events the family discovers that Felix has a mind of his own and it’s up to Charlie and Jimmy to rid their family of an ominous force. Sales will continue through the Cannes market next month.”

Ventriloquist dolls are creepy as hell. Ever since I saw that episode of The Twilight Zone when I was a kid, “The Dummy,” those things have freaked me out. Sounds like it’ll be a fun and creepy horror film! Highland Film Group COO Delphine Perrier described Felix as “Super 8 meets Child’s Play.

The movie will be directed by John Kissack (Everfall) from a script written by Casey Giltner. The film will start shooting in spring in Winnipeg, Canada.

Highland Film Group CEO Arianne Fraser said, “We could not be more thrilled to reteam with Joe Carnahan after the success of Hulu’s Boss Level starring Mel Gibson and Frank Grillo.”

Source: Screen Daily

Trailer For The Coming-of-Age Stoner Comedy NORTHWOOD PIE

Here’s a trailer for a fun-looking indie coming-of-age stoner comedy titled Northwood Pie. This actually looks like it will be a charming film, and it was made on a budget of only $12,000.

The film marks the directorial debut of Jay Salahi, who shared some details on how the movie was made, saying: “It’s a little coming of age stoner rom-com in a pizza place. Northwood Pie was made on the weekends with friends for just $12,000 and was inspired by Clerks, El Mariachi, Slacker, etc. I wanted to share it as another example for all filmmakers out there that they can and should just go out and make something! … No film school needed.”

In the film, “A Community college burnout in the making Crispin, spends the majority of his time stuck on repeat with a longtime group of childhood friends. But his newfound desire to move out of his suburban hometown prompts him to land a job at the local, rundown Northwood Pizza. There he meets a group of employees as attached to their jobs as his friends are to their city; including Sierra, a girl whose musings lie deeper than most. Through his experiences with his friends, coworkers, and a kindling relationship, Crispin learns to embrace his higher ambitions.”

The film stars Todd Knaak, Annika Foster, and Sean Lamping. I’ve got to applaud this ragtag group of filmmakers going out there and making a movie because they can. It just goes to show that you can make a movie if you really want to.

Northwood Pie is already available to watch now on Prime Video and digital online. For more info on how to watch, visit the film’s official site.

Director James Wan Is Going to Start Producing Reality TV

James Wan, the director of The Conjuring, Insidious, and Aquaman, is diving into the world of reality TV as a producer and It’s an odd direction to see him go in.

Wan and his Atomic Monster banner are partnering with Ink Master producers Truly Original and they are currently developing multiple projects in various stages of development in a number of different unscripted genres. There are no details on what these projects are about.

Producer Ingrid Bisu, who has worked with Wan on films such as Malignant and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It and The Nun, will be working on developing and producing these new reality formats and series. The project will also be produced by Atomic Monster’s Michael Clear and Truly Original CEOs Steven Weinstock and Glenda Hersh as well as head of development Chachi Senior.

Bisu said in a statement, “I love watching reality TV because, when done right, it can be unfiltered and raw. It’s fascinating to see love, triumph, heartbreak and the entire human experience on display during the most intimate moments in a stranger’s life. It makes one feel less alone when so many of the situations these people find themselves in are extremely relatable. That’s what I want to see more of. James and I are so excited to work with the folks at Truly to turn some of our original concepts into series.”

Senior added, “This is an opportunity to bring a completely fresh creative approach and perspective to unscripted. James and Atomic Monster’s distinct and ridiculously captivating storytelling abilities, combined with Truly’s deep experience and legacy of creating unscripted hits, provides an exciting foundation for the various series we’re developing together. We’re all looking forward to taking these projects to market, and ultimately, to viewers.”

I don’t really watch a lot of reality TV, and I can’t really say that I’m interested in seeing what we come of this partnership. I’d rather see Wan focus his attention on continuing to make good and entertaining movies.

Anthony Mackie and Priyanka Chopra Team Up for TRUE LIES-esque Action Thriller ENDING THINGS

Anthony Mackie and Priyanka Chopra are set to star together in a new True Lies-esque action thriller titled Ending Things, which was also just picked up by Amazon Studios.

The story follows a “hit-woman who wants out of the assassin business tells her ‘business’ partner that she’s ending their personal relationship as well. But she comes to realize she doesn’t want to end that part of their bond. In order to survive the breakup – and their last job together – they must join forces for one last night out.”

The spec script for the film was written by Kevin Sullivan and it sounds like it could be a fun project for both Mackie and Chopra to be a part of. But, these kinds of stories have been done to death, especially in the direct to VOD market. Who knows, though, maybe it will offer some unique elements. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Source: Deadline

Talisa Garcia Cast in WILLOW Sequel Series, Making Her the First Trans Actress Hired by Disney in a Lucasfilm Production

British actress Talisa Garcia (Serve and Protect, Baptiste) has been cast in the upcoming sequel series Willow, based on the 1988 film starring Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer. Davis is returning to the starring role in the series, which follows a princess who assembles a party to join her on a quest to rescue her twin brother.

Garcia will play a Queen and the mother to Tony Revolori’s character, who takes part in the quest. Garcia’s role is a small speaking part and the actress may ultimately only appear in one episode.

The casting marks the first known time a trans actor has portrayed a cis character in a Disney+ film or series. During the shoot, Deadline reports that there was pride and support among many of Garcia’s colleagues about her casting. The report goes on to say that Garcia was cast in the project long before the storm developed surrounding Disney’s response to the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill and new wave of concerns emerged about on-screen representation in Disney productions.

It’s noted that last year, Raya And The Last Dragon actress Patti Harrison became the first known trans actor to voice a character in a Disney animated movie. In 2019, SpiderMan’s Zach Barack became Marvel Studios’ first transgender actor. More recently, non-binary trans actor iris menas portrayed Anybodys in 20th Century Studios’ West Side Story reboot. Meanwhile, there have been reports online in recent days that Disney+ series Ironheart is looking to recruit a trans actress.

Last year, Chloe Zhao’s film Eternals featured the first ever gay superhero in a MCU movie – with Brian Tyree Henry taking on the role of Eternal and inventor Phastos. Lauren Ridloff also starred in the feature film – making history as the first deaf actor ever to play a superhero in a studio feature film.

Representation matters, and we support actors of all genders and orientations being represented across all types of projects. It’s cool to see new faces onscreen, and there are definitely enough cool projects out there to add diversity to.

Trailer for Hulu’s Teen Romantic Comedy CRUSH – “Love Is Messy AF”

Hulu has released the first trailer for an upcoming high school teen romantic comedy titled Crush. The movie comes from filmmaker Sammi Cohen, who is making her directorial debut.

The story follows an aspiring young artist who is forced to join her high school track team, and “she uses it as an opportunity to pursue the girl she’s been harboring a long-time crush on. But she finds herself falling for an unexpected teammate and discovers what real love feels like.”

The story looks like it plays out like so many other teen romantic comedies that have come before. It’s not really an original story, but if you enjoy these kinds of films, then you might enjoy what this one has to offer.

The cast for Crush Rowan Blanchard, Auli’i Cravalho, Isabella Ferreira, Tyler Alvarez, Aasif Mandvi, Rico Paris, Teala Dunn, Addie Weyrich, Michelle Buteau, and Megan Mullally. This look super cheesy and unoriginal.

Hulu will release Crush on April 29th, 2022. Check out the trailer!

Noomi Rapace and Jonathan Banks Set to Star in Thriller Series CONSTELLATION at Apple TV+

Actors Noomi Rapace (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Prometheus) and Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad, Mudbound) have signed on to star in the psychological thriller series Constellation at Apple TV+. Peter Harness (Wallander, Doctor Who) serves as writer and executive producer on the series, and Michelle MacLaren will direct the first two episodes and executive produce. MacLaren is also directing the upcoming Apple series Shining Girls and has also directed an episode of The Morning Show. She previously worked with Banks on both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.

In the series, Rapace stars as Jo, a woman who returns to Earth after a disaster in space only to discover that key pieces of her life seem to be missing. The series is further described as a space adventure, an exploration of the dark edges of human psychology, and one woman’s desperate quest to expose the truth about the hidden history of space travel and for her to recover all that she has lost.

Apple has given the show a 10 episode order. This sounds like a really interesting series. I look forward to checking it out.

via: Variety