New Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum film will be shot in NZ, set for 2027 release
Announced by the studio last year, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will enter cinemas in just over two years and has an
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1News
18-07-2025
- 1News
Menopause, sex and the joy of being 60: Robyn Malcolm doesn't hold back
As her long career climbs to new exciting peaks, one of New Zealand's favourite actors remains politically fierce, sexually outspoken and determined not to be overlooked by her famously sexist industry. By Gill Higgins It might be a strange comparison, but I think of Robyn Malcolm like a tornado. Wherever she lands, she kicks up what's in her path and somehow leaves you feeling more alive than before. And so it was that on a mini break from filming in Perth, she swept me into a whirlwind 24 hours: a dash to Tauranga to speak at a women's business event, then straight to Wellington for dinner with old friends, then on to see her son Pete's band, American Muscle, that same night. ADVERTISEMENT And while she's at it, she's across her social media. She's the face of a new anti-ageing cream for the vagina (yes, really), she's promoting her latest Netflix series, pushing the relaunch of Outrageous Fortune for its 20th anniversary, and gearing up for the October release of the long-awaited Pike River film. Somewhere in there, the dogs get walked too. And she's just turned 60. Robyn Malcom, then and now. (Source: Supplied) For those of us racing toward that milestone, Malcolm's not just weathering it – she's changing the forecast. 'The ticking over into 60 that I was nervous of because of what it represents – I am so in love with. I love it!' So naturally, I wanted to know how she's so positive about a period of life that many dread. Once back in Auckland, exhausted, we head to the home she's had for over a decade. It's an old villa, painted a striking pink to brighten up her street. It's loud, it's a statement, it says 'I'm proud of who I am', just like its owner. Malcolm's sense of purpose has always been clear. From a young age, acting was everything. At 15, after a clash with a senior staff member at school (she told them to f*** off), she turned to her father, Pete – who happened to be the school principal. His response? It was time to leave and chase her dreams. ADVERTISEMENT A young robyn Malcolm and her dad, Pete. (Source: Supplied) It was her dad who told me that story and I could tell he was quietly proud of his stubborn, determined daughter. She moved to Wellington to live with her grandmother and never looked back. A Kiwi star was born. Malcolm in her first show (that's Michael Hurst). (Source: Supplied) That determination has never left her. Malcolm has never been afraid to stand up – for herself and for others. She recently marched against the government's Fast-track Approvals Bill. She's protested the atrocities in Palestine. And in 2010, she famously took on the Warner Bros, during the filming of The Hobbit, speaking out for better pay and conditions for local actors. 'I went through hell with that, it was awful. I had death threats and loss of work.' Young Malcolm was equally outspoken. (Source: Supplied) So always feisty, but she'd say never more so than now. ADVERTISEMENT 'Since menopause my feminism – which has always had a really healthy spring in its step – is so f***ing rabid now!' Much of her ire is directed at her own industry. The ageism, the sexism – she says it's relentless and she's felt it especially keenly since going through menopause. 'When I first went through it, I was just sobbing my heart out going, I don't know what's happening.' Her doctor prescribed HRT and antidepressants. But as she looks back now, she wonders 'how much of my feeling shit was about my place in the world and the messages I was being given'? Malcolm says menopause was a hard time. (Source: Supplied) She shares the stories with humour, but the undertow is serious. Like the time in her late 40s that she was asked to sign a nudity clause – something she was happy to do - only to be told they'd prefer her to keep her clothes on. Or the roles she lost to women 10 to 15 years younger, despite the fact she was the one who was the same age as the character. She quotes Amy Schumer 'when you're no longer f***able, suddenly there's less tolerance'. 'It wasn't crushing,' she says, 'but it made me furious.' ADVERTISEMENT An industry's obsession with youth She's also frustrated by the effect the industry's obsession with youth has on women. She knows many actors who've spent thousands of dollars chasing it. 'To me, it's almost like an illness, this dissatisfaction with how we look, how we try to be something we're not.' She feels women waste far too much time and money betraying the very things we should be grateful for. 'Why are we so critical, so mean, so judgemental, so downright vile to our bodies'? She's been there. But she's done with it. Malcolm, in the Shortland St era. (Source: Supplied) These days, she's found a new appreciation for her body, likening it to a car – a solid one, that's carried her for 60 years and is still going strong. 'I'm learning how to handle a slightly older vehicle now. I love that metaphor. Like I've got to go in for a Warrant of Fitness a bit more than I used to.' ADVERTISEMENT She 'buggered her knee' while filming the 2024 TV series After the Party and her back plays up. 'Because I'll still bend from the hips and lift 30 kg bags of compost out in the garden, you know?' But she celebrates that her vehicle is still on the road. Still doing its job. It's OK to be a woman and angry And it's not just an appreciation of her physical self, but her emotional self too'. 'It's fine to be an older, angry, belligerent, passionate, furious woman. It's really fine'. It was all of this, all these experiences, that inspired her and co-creator (and head writer) Dianne Taylor to create After the Party. They knew it was a risk. A drama with a lead who was flawed rather than having flawless skin. Who wore trackie bottoms rather than flowing dresses. Who created a mess in the kitchen rather than a perfect pavlova. 'We really dug our heels in; there was a bit of pushback – 'she's not a nice character. People might not like her'.' ADVERTISEMENT With her partner, Scottish actor Peter Mullan, in After the Party. (Source: Supplied) Some didn't. Funding was hard to find. It took three years. But the payoff was worth it. Rave reviews, rewards and nominations rolled in – from France, New Zealand, Scotland and even at the Baftas which are like the British Oscars. It was up against well-funded giants like Shogun and Jodie Foster's True Detective. Shogun won, but it was a wild ride, a little Kiwi show creating quite a storm. And now? Robyn Malcom and Peter Mullan at the Baftas. 'We're getting serious offers from overseas, we're making something new with people in the UK.' That's all she'd reveal, but she couldn't hide her excitement. If filming moves to the UK, that would be a bonus – because it's home to Malcolm's long-distance partner, Scottish actor Peter Mullan. They've been together, albeit frequently oceans apart, for 15 years. 'You go, well, I love you, so we'll make it work. It doesn't have to be conventional, and we make sure we put the kids first.' (Malcolm has two, Mullan has four, all of them aged in their late teens and older.) 'I remember my mum saying, 'I like this man he puts his kids ahead of you. And that's what he should do'.' ADVERTISEMENT Mullan has also been her acting partner, twice. First in Top of the Lake, then in After the Party, where she accuses him of paedophilia on screen. Off-screen, she's far more generous. 'He's a great human being, a phenomenal father. Fierce and politically connected. And one of the greatest actors in the world.' We can't say enough about sex So, for Malcolm, unconventional works. Which means it makes perfect sense that while many actors push creams to smooth wrinkles on the face, Malcolm promotes products to revitalise the vagina. She's not shy about it, in fact, quite the opposite. 'Nobody wants to talk about sex, I've never understood why, it's like we just don't want to talk about sex. I figure we can't say enough.' She dives straight in. Explaining that 84% of women experience vaginal atrophy as they age. It's due to cellular death and it can lead to painful sex, burning sensations and infections. Malcolm says Myregyna cream and pills can revitalise cells – and she swears they work. Maybe the New Zealand-made product contributes to Malcolm feeling more comfortable in her own skin than ever before. She has a partner she loves, two sons she's proud of, and a career catching its second wind. And she believes there's more to come. ADVERTISEMENT She calls this stage the final act of her play. One she wants to make the best yet. She's named it: Oh my God, I am mortal. 'I haven't quite worked out how to articulate it but I think as your body gets older, the catch up that your mind has to do… it's to have a really visceral relationship with mortality.' Standing up for what matters At her sons' age (19 and 17), she says death was barely a concept. Now, it's a constant consideration. 'Like, maybe be grateful for every day more than you were. Maybe take a few more risks. I'm always thinking, how would I feel on my deathbed?' Malcolm, protesting for Palestine. (Source: Supplied) It's vital to her to stand up for what she believes in. One of the issues weighing heavily on her mind is the war in Gaza – she calls it 'one of the great moral catastrophes of the 21st century' –she says she'd be on the very first boat if an international group of artists were heading there to help. 'And I really mean that.' Because more than anything, she wants her life to count. 'To be able to say I did and said all the right things, that I showed up and that I was honest. And maybe that's what the last stage of life is about – finding your own way to your own sense of the authentic.'
NZ Herald
15-07-2025
- NZ Herald
Wētā FX earns two Emmy nominations for visual effects work on House of the Dragon, The Last of Us
Wētā Workshop co-founder Sir Richard Taylor speaks about Lord of the Rings 20 years on from the final instalment of the trilogy. Video / Marty Melville Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. Wētā FX earns two Emmy nominations for visual effects work on House of the Dragon, The Last of Us New Zealand visual effects company Wētā FX has landed two Emmy Award nominations for its contributions to two high production value television shows. The Wellington-based company's special effects for the second seasons of The Last of Us and House of the Dragon were recognised in the Outstanding Special Visual Effects category. 'Having our work recognised by our peers and the global entertainment community is something we deeply appreciate,' Matt Aitken, Wētā FX's head of visual effects (VFX), said in a statement. 'The nominations are testament to the outstanding quality of work contributed by everyone at Wētā FX and we couldn't be prouder to be adding to the rich history of these iconic series.' The House of the Dragon team's VFX supervisor Wayne Stables said he was 'honoured' to be recognised with VFX producer Marcus Goodwin on their team's behalf.
RNZ News
06-07-2025
- RNZ News
Blood, guts and big bucks: Horror is slaying in cinemas
By Dawn Chmielewski , Reuters Sinners, an original story about Mississippi vampires, is the year's third highest-grossing movie in the US and Canada. Photo: Supplied / Warner Bros. Entertainment Vampires, zombies, and the Grim Reaper are killing it at the box office. At a time when superheroes, sequels and reboots have grown stale among audiences, horror has emerged as an unlikely saviour, entertainment industry veterans say. This year, scary movies account for 17 percent of the North American ticket purchases, up from 11 percent in 2024 and 4 percent a decade ago, according to Comscore data compiled exclusively for Reuters. Thanks to the box office performance of Sinners and Final Destination: Bloodlines , and new instalments of popular horror films hitting later this year, including The Conjuring: Last Rites and Five Nights at Freddy's 2 , cinema owners have reason to celebrate. "We have identified horror as really one of the primary film genres that we are targeting to grow," said Brandt Gully, owner of the Springs Cinema & Taphouse in Sandy Springs, Georgia. "It can really fill a void when you need it." Producers, studio executives and theatre owners say horror has historically provided a safe outlet to cope with contemporary anxieties. And there is no lack of material to choose from: the aftershocks of a global pandemic, artificial intelligence paranoia, the loss of control over one's body, and resurgent racism. "It's cathartic, it's emotional, and it comes with an ending," said film data analyst Stephen Follows, author of the Horror Movie Report, which offers detailed insights into the genre. "Horror movies give space to process things that are harder to face in everyday life." The often low-budget productions allow for greater risk-taking than would be possible with high-cost, high-stakes productions like Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning . The creative freedom has attracted such acclaimed directors as Ryan Coogler, Jordan Peele, Danny Boyle and Guillermo del Toro. "Horror movies are an accountant's dream," said Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore senior media analyst. "If you're going to make a science fiction outer space extravaganza, you can't do that on the cheap. With horror films, a modest-budget movie like Weapons can be scary as hell." Audiences are responding. Coogler's Sinners , an original story about Mississippi vampires starring Michael B. Jordan, was the year's third highest-grossing movie in the US and Canada, according to Comscore. Movie theatres are still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, which broke the movie-going habit and increased viewing in the home. Mike De Luca, co-chair and Warner Bros Motion Picture Group, which released Sinners , said horror was a genre that manages to get people out of the house. "It's a rising tide that lifts all boats," he said. "You know, we're trying to get people back in the habit of going to the theatres." Fear knows no geographical bounds. Half of all horror movies released by major US distributors last year made 50 percent or more of their worldwide box office gross outside the US, according to London-based researcher Ampere Analysis. The breakout international hit The Substance , for example, grossed over US$77 million worldwide, with around 80 percent of that from outside the US. Streamers are also similarly capitalising on the appeal of the genre. AMC's post-apocalyptic horror drama series The Walking Dead became one of the most popular series when it was added to Netflix in 2023, amassing 1.3 billion hours viewed, according to Netflix's Engagement Report. Director Guillermo del Toro's film adaptation of Mary Shelley's gothic novel Frankenstein is set to debut in November. Horror films are ideally suited to watching in movie theatres, where the environment heightens the experience. "What you can't do at home is sit in a dark room with a hundred other people, not on your phone, and jump," said Blumhouse chief executive Jason Blum, producer of Halloween , Paranormal Activity and other lucrative horror franchises. "You can't really be scared when you watch a horror movie at home." Big-budget movies that the industry refers to as "tent poles," such as Captain America: Brave New World or A Minecraft Movie , remain the lifeblood of movie theatres. Over time, these blockbusters have elbowed out more modestly budgeted romantic comedies and dramas on movie screens. Against this backdrop, horror has been quietly gaining momentum. The genre broke the $1 billion box office barrier in the US and Canada for the first time in 2017, Comscore reported, buoyed by the film adaptation of Stephen King's novel, It , and Jordan Peele's exploration of racial inequality in Get Out . Announcements of new horror films from US producers have risen each year for the last three years, including in 2023, when the Hollywood strikes significantly impacted production, according to Ampere Analysis. The number of US horror films that went into production last year was up 21 percent over 2023, Ampere found. "While more arthouse fare and even some tentpole superhero franchises have had mixed fortunes at the global box office in the wake of the pandemic, horror remains one of the key genres that audiences still make a point of seeing in the theatres," wrote researcher Alice Thorpe in a report for Ampere's clients which she shared with Reuters. The researcher's own consumer surveys revealed horror is the favourite genre among two-thirds of movie-goers, ages 18 to 24. "Anytime a teenager graduates to wanting to take a date to the movies, horror gets popular really fast," said Warner Bros' De Luca. "It's a great film-going experience to take a date to because you get to huddle with each other and gasp and hoop and holler." Horror has been a cinematic staple from its earliest days, when Thomas Edison filmed Frankenstein on his motion picture camera, the Kinetograph, in 1910. The British Board of Film Classification introduced the "H" rating in 1932, officially designating the genre. But it didn't always get Hollywood's respect. "In the first half of the 20th century, it was seen as a freak show," said Follows. Perceptions began to change with the critical and commercial success of films like Psycho , The Exorcist, and The Shining. Director Steven Spielberg ushered in the summer blockbuster in 1975 with Jaws , a re-invention of the classic monster movie. In recent years, horror movies have become part of the Oscar conversation. Peele collected an Academy Award for best original screenplay in 2018 for Get Out . Demi Moore received her first Oscar nomination earlier this year for her portrayal of an aging Hollywood star who will go to any lengths to stay beautiful in The Substance . Not every horror movie connects with audiences. M3GAN 2.0 , a sequel to the 2022 low-budget film about a killer robotic doll that grossed $180m worldwide, brought in a modest $10.2m in the US and Canada in its opening weekend, according to Comscore. Theatre chains will have no shortage of horror movies to exhibit this summer. Seven films are slated to be released before Labour Day weekend, including Columbia Pictures's nostalgic reboot of the 1997 film, I Know What You Did Last Summer , which reaches screens on 18 July, and Weapons , which opens on 8 August. "The best types of these movies are ones that elicit an audible and visceral reaction, 'Don't go in there!'" said Screen Gems President Ashley Brucks, who has worked on such films as Sony's upcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer as well as A Quiet Place and Scream. "You are either squirming or laughing or screaming and just really having fun with it." - Reuters
