Brandy Returns as Cinderella for ‘Descendants’ Prequel ‘The Pocketwatch’
The Descendants franchise was a trilogy of musicals on the Disney Channel.
The trilogy follows kids as they reject the villainous ways of their parents in order to take a new path for themselves.
“The Pocketwatch” will focus on new characters as a new threat emerges.
The spin-off will follow Red, the daughter of the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, and Chloe, the daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming, as they use a magic pocket watch to travel back in time.
In the movie, Brandy will be playing Cinderella. This will see the Grammy Award Winner reprising her role from the 1997’s Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
Release Date For The Project As Yet To Be Announced.
2023 FILM RELEASES
Friday, March 10, 2023
65 – Rating TBD – Ariana Greenblatt, Adam Driver
Scream 6 – – Courtney Cox, Jenna Ortega
Friday, March 17, 2023
Shazam! Fury of the Gods – – Zachary Levi, Asher Angel
Friday, March 24, 2023
A Good Person – – Florence Pugh, Morgan Freeman
Champions – – Woody Harrelson, Ernie Hudson
John Wick: Chapter 4 – – Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne
Friday, March 31, 2023
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves – – Chris Pine, Justice Smith
Heart of a Lion – – Forest Whitaker, Matthew Glave
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
On a Wing and a Prayer – Dennis Quaid, Heather Graham
Friday, April 7, 2023
The Pope’s Exorcist – Russell Crowe
The Super Mario Bros. Movie – Rating TBD – Chris Pratt, Charlie Day
Friday, April 14, 2023
Renfield – Nicolas Cage, Ben Schwartz
Friday, April 21, 2023
Evil Dead Rise – Alyssa Sutherland, Lily Sullivan
Next Goal Wins – Michael Fassbender, David Kightley
Friday, April 28, 2023
Are You Their God? It’s Me, Margaret – Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams
Friday, May 5, 2023
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana
Friday, May 12, 2023
Book Club 2: The Next Chapter – Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda
Friday, May 19, 2023
Fast X – Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez
Friday, May 26, 2023
The Little Mermaid – Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy
Friday, June 2, 2023
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld
Friday, June 9, 2023
Strays – – Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – – Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback
Friday, June 16, 2023
No Hard Feelings – – Jennifer Lawrence
Friday, June 23, 2023
The Flash – – Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton
Friday, June 30, 2023
Harold and the Purple Crayon – – Zachary Levi, Zooey Deschanel
Indiana Jones 5 – Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Friday, July 7, 2023
Insidious 5 – Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne
Friday, July 14, 2023
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Part One – Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson
Friday, July 21, 2023
Barbie – Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling
Friday, July 28, 2023
The Marvels – Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris
Friday, August 4, 2023
Meg 2: The Trench – Jason Statham, Sienna Guillory
Friday, August 11, 2023
Challengers – Zendaya, Josh O’Connor
Haunted Mansion – Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson
Last Voyage of the Demeter – David Dastmalchian, Nikolai Nikolaeff
Friday, September 1, 2023
The Equalizer 3 – Denzel Washington
Friday, September 8, 2023
The Nun 2 – Bonnie Aarons
Friday, September 22, 2023
The Expendables 4 – Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham
Friday, October 6, 2023
Kraven the Hunter – Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe
True Love – Gemma Chan, Allison Janney
Friday, October 13, 2023
The Exorcist – Ellen Burstyn, Leslie Odom Jr.
PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie – Dax Shepard, Taraji P. Henson
Friday, November 3, 2023
Dune: Part Two – Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya
Friday, November 10, 2023
Blade – Mahershala Ali
Friday, November 17, 2023
Garfield – Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes – Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth
Trolls 3 – Anna Kendrick
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Wish – Ariana DeBose, Alan Tudyk
Friday, December 15, 2023
Wonka – – Timothée Chalamet, Olivia Colman
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
The Color Purple – Taraji P. Henson, Halle Bailey
Monday, December 25, 2023
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom – Jason Momoa, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
2023 – STILL Date TO BE DETERMINED
Films that were set for a specific date in 2023, but have been pushed to the following year, or even later.
American Metal – – John Travolta, Ashley Benson
A Quiet Place Part III –
Bed Rest – Melissa Barrera, Guy Burnet
Black Canary – – Jurnee Smollett
Emancipation – Apple TV+ Release – Will Smith, Ben Foster
Here – Tom Hanks, Robin Wright
Killers of the Flower Moon – Theatrical and Apple TV+ Release – Jesse Plemons, Leonardo DiCaprio
Legally Blonde 3 – Reese Witherspoon, Alanna Ubach
Monkey Man – Netflix Release – Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley
Napoleon – Apple TV+ Release – Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby
Red One – Amazon Prime Release — Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans
Salem’s Lot – Spencer Treat Clark, Alfre Woodard
Sharper – Apple TV+ Release – Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan
They Cloned Tyrone – Netflix Release – Rated R – Jamie Foxx, Teyonah Parris
White Bird: A Wonder Story – Bryce Gheisar, Orlando Schwerdt
Madame Web – Rating TBD – Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney (Moved to February 16, 2024)
Alec Baldwin returns to work after fatal shooting on the set of “Rust”.
Reports from a affidavit from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department, the assistant director who handed Alec Baldwin the prop gun did not know that it contained actual live rounds.
The police discovered 200-300 live rounds on set following a search warrant, renewing conversations about workplace safety and the use of firearms on set.
The tragedy occurred just hours after half a dozen camera crew workers walked off set to protest unsafe working conditions, including the accidental firing of two rounds after a prop gun was deemed cold.
Michael Jackson biopic in the works takes a big step forward
Lionsgate announced that it has landed worldwide distribution rights to the film, which hails from Oscar-winning producer who is responsible for the success of the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody Graham King and screenwriter John Logan (Gladiator).
The film will be very open and honest about the King Of Pops troubled and triumphant life. Also giving audiences an in-depth portrayal of the complicated man. According to a news release, “It will bring to life Jackson’s most iconic performances as it gives an informed insight into the entertainer’s artistic process and personal life.”
New Black History Month docs, programs and specials arrivals now available for streaming.
Your Attention Please
On Hulu
Craig Robinson hosts this series, which takes a look at the lives of various Black innovators.
The season has four episodes featuring celebrity dog groomer Ashley Ann, ice cream scientist Dr. Maya Warren, NASCAR pit crew member Brehanna Daniels, and more.
Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising
Streaming on ABC
Featuring conversations with Tessa Thompson, Halle Berry, Debbie Allen, Jackée Harry, Marla Gibbs and Regina Hall, this primetime special takes a look at milestones for Black actresses in Hollywood, their obstacles, triumphs and more.
Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedy
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Created by Guy Torry, this three-part docuseries tells the story of an all-Black comedy night at The Comedy Store from 1995-2005 and features Anthony Anderson, Tiffany Haddish, Steve Harvey, Regina King, Nick Cannon and more.
Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands
Courtesy of PBS
This documentary explores the life of opera singer Marian Anderson, the opera singer who set the stage for Black performers in classical music.
Just a Mortal Man: The Jerry Lawson Story
Courtesy of PBS (check local listings)
This documentary spotlights the “King of acapella,” Jerry Lawson, who founded and fronted The Persuasions.
Everything’s gonna be all white
On Showtime
From filmmaker Sacha Jenkins, this three-part docuseries explores the history of race in America and features insights from a variety of cultural commentators, activists, actors, historians and more including Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Dr. Nell Irvin Painter, Jemele Hill, Amanda Seales, Favianna Rodriguez, Tamika Mallory, Styles P, Margaret Cho and Dr. Nick Estes.
Pass the Mic
Streaming on Tubi
This two-hour documentary celebrates the careers of artists including Lil Nas X, Lizzo, and Kendrick Lamar.
Attica
Streaming for free on Showtime
This documentary — which made the Oscars shortlist — from Stanley Nelson (Freedom Riders, The Murder of Emmett Till) and co-director Traci A. Curry recounts the five-day 1971 prison rebellion at the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York. The rebellion was the deadliest single day of violence Americans inflicted on each other since the Civil War.
Bob Saget’s Autopsy Revealed
According to the Orange County Medical Examiner’s autopsy report states that the legendary actor/comedian suffered multiple skull fractures and abrasions to his scalp stemming from what is being reported as “an unwitnessed fall backwards” and striking “the posterior aspect of his head.”
Also in the report was startling information that he had discoloration in the upper and lower eyelids — the result of the skull fracture — as well as subdural hematoma and subarachnoid hemorrhage.
The official cause of death is listed as “blunt head trauma.”
Adrien Brody’s Thriller ‘Clean’ Lands at IFC Films
The Paul Solet crime drama hails from Brody’s production company, Fable House.
The film stars Brody as Clean, a man who grapples with the tragic loss of his daughter and is haunted by nightmares from his own criminal past. Clean cares for his community as a sanitation worker and as a mentor to his young neighbor. But when local gang violence puts his neighbor’s life in danger, Clean returns to the violence and darkness that he struggled to put behind him, and possibly achieves salvation in the process.
IFC Films will release the project in 2022.
Vanessa Williams Opened To “The Hollywood Reporter” on How ‘Candyman’ Reframes the Original
The Hollywood Reporter: What was it like to return to this character — which I’m sure you’re regularly recognized for — after so many years? Did you receive a direct offer to return?
Vanessa Williams: I’m so grateful and filled with gratitude to be in a number of iconic films and I count this one, the one in ’92 and certainly this one as an instant classic. Ian Cooper was on the set with us — he’s the creative director of Monkeypaw [Productions] — and he talked about he and Jordan watching the original as teens in Jordan’s bedroom. It felt so marvelous to be a part of this wonderful creative imagination. There’s nothing tired about it. I’m just really, really grateful and honored that the work that I do has staying power and the work that I do has such a great impact.
And listen, actors live for the offer-only status. You want to feel like you’ve treaded and pounded enough pavement, and done enough things that you’d never have to audition again. Actors, we always have to be proven — tap dancing out there like, “Pick me! Pick me!” So it’s nice to have a break from that. To have an offer is to say you’re already proven. We love you. Come on in and play with us. It’s the ideal way to work and the way I always want to work. And to have Monkeypaw and Jordan Peele and Nia trust me to re-create that — I just think it was a marvelous testament, and I’m here for all the offers so yes, it was an offer, thank you very much. (Laughs.) Finally, I have arrived.
Vanessa Williams (right) and DeJuan Guy in Candyman (1992).
First Time Filmmaker Makes Powerful Debut Film
It was such a pleasure to interview an amazing film director. His name is Ryan Culver, and he amazingly put together a profound piece of social art on film.
Celine Dion Biopic Ready For Production
According to The Hollywood Reporter, there is two Celine Dion biopics underway. First Cèline Before Celine, a feature by Quebec director Marc-Andre Lavoie which will tell the story about the iconic singer’s family upbringing and life before global stardom.
Production was put on hold due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
The second biopic of the Grammy Award Winning legend, titled The Power of Love, released date is unknown at this time.
____________________________________________________________________
Famous Roles That Almost Went To Another Actor
Selma Blair almost had the role that made Katie Holmes famous.
Katie Holmes became a household name as Joey Potter, the moody tomboy everyone rooted for, on Dawson’s Creek. creator Kevin Williamson revealed in Entertainment Weekly.
Lionsgate put up the big bucks for Oscar Winner Leonardo Dicaprio to play serial killer Patrick Bateman in “American Psycho.” After the actor expressed interest, the studio went so far as to issue a press release saying he would star, the pay day was a reported $20 million but he pulled out for another film and the role eventually went to Christian Bale.
Angela Bassett turned down the lead role in “ Monsters Ball”, she didn’t want to fit a cliché.
“I wasn’t going to be a prostitute on film. I couldn’t do that because it’s such a stereotype about black women and sexuality.”
The role earned Halle Berry a Best Actress Oscar, making her the first African-American to receive the award.
