logo
Kevin Spacey stars in 'The Awakening', his second major role since 2023 acquittal

Kevin Spacey stars in 'The Awakening', his second major role since 2023 acquittal

Express Tribune12-05-2025
Kevin Spacey has been added to the cast of the upcoming conspiracy thriller The Awakening, marking another step in his career following his acquittal of sexual offense charges in 2023.
Directed by Matt Routledge, the film follows Jason (Justin Tinto) and Rebecca (Alice Eve) as they unravel a conspiracy that threatens global control. Their investigation leads them deep into a web of secrets, culminating in a high-stakes race against time to expose the truth.
The film features a star-studded cast, including Peter Stormare, Steve Berkoff, Julian Glover, and Eddie Hall, with Justin Tinto in his acting debut. Produced by Camelot Films and financed alongside Tinto, The Awakening is currently in post-production, with Tinto, Routledge, and Matt Hookings co-writing the screenplay. Hookings also serves as a producer along with Tim Kent, with executive producers including Tinto, Sally Woodward, Adrian Goodisman, and Patatian.
Producer Kent expressed enthusiasm for the film's market debut, saying, "We are all extremely excited about Cloud9 Studios set to bring this exciting film to market." Filmed at the renowned Pinewood Studios, the movie draws on the iconic location's rich history, adding a layer of intrigue to the already gripping narrative.
Behind the scenes, the film boasts impressive talent, with editor Chris Gill (known for 28 Days Later), cinematographer Laszlo Bille (famous for Blade Runner 2049), and stunt coordinator Luke Tumber (who worked on Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning and Venom: The Last Dance).
Since his acquittal, Spacey has continued to work primarily in European cinema, appearing in projects such as Control and Peter Five Eight.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Next James Bond film enters new era with acclaimed director
Next James Bond film enters new era with acclaimed director

Express Tribune

time26-06-2025

  • Express Tribune

Next James Bond film enters new era with acclaimed director

Amazon MGM Studios officially announced on June 25 that acclaimed filmmaker Denis Villeneuve will direct the upcoming 26th James Bond film. He will also serve as an executive producer alongside his longtime collaborator Tanya Lapointe. Villeneuve, widely recognized for his work on Dune, Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, and Sicario, expressed his deep connection to the Bond franchise, calling himself a 'die-hard fan' and stating his intention to both honor the series' legacy and open a path for 'many new missions to come.' The upcoming film will be the first developed under Amazon MGM's leadership, following a joint venture finalized earlier this year with longtime Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Prominent producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman have been brought on board to guide the new phase of the Bond universe. No casting announcements or release date have been disclosed. The deal, reportedly worth $1 billion, granted Amazon MGM creative control while retaining the legacy producers' involvement. Villeneuve is currently preparing to shoot Dune Messiah, the next installment in his Dune series. Bond pre-production is expected to begin in 2026, after that project wraps, with a likely release window of 2027 or beyond.

Alfie Williams reflects on 28 Years Later debut and mentorship from Danny Boyle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Alfie Williams reflects on 28 Years Later debut and mentorship from Danny Boyle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Express Tribune

time22-06-2025

  • Express Tribune

Alfie Williams reflects on 28 Years Later debut and mentorship from Danny Boyle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

British teen actor Alfie Williams is stepping into the spotlight with 28 Years Later, Danny Boyle's post-apocalyptic sequel to the cult classic 28 Days Later. Though only 14, Williams finds himself at the center of a massive genre film, playing Spike—a boy forced to grow up fast in a world still haunted by a deadly rage virus. Williams, who hails from near Newcastle, is featured prominently in promotional materials, including atop a towering 'bone temple' built for the film. The visual spectacle mirrors the intensity of his character's arc. 'Spike's a young boy living with his parents on Holy Island. On his 12th birthday, his dad starts training him to survive the mainland,' Williams explains. That coming-of-age survival tale drives the film's emotional core. Director Danny Boyle calls Williams 'hugely talented,' praising the young actor's growth on set. 'He benefitted from what was almost a guardianship from Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and later learned stillness and presence from Jodie Comer and Ralph Fiennes,' Boyle told Variety. Though unfamiliar with Boyle's work at first, Williams caught up quickly, diving into 28 Days Later and Trainspotting. His commitment landed him the lead role after four audition recalls. He kept his natural accent and underwent archery training to embody Spike's transformation. Filming was immersive, with minimal green screen. 'Everything was built—the bone temple was real. I had to climb it, fully harnessed,' Williams recalls. He also describes hiding from explosions and confronting eerily realistic infected on set. Beyond the screen, Williams finds joy in comedy films and draws inspiration from his actor father, Alfie Dobson. With a second installment, The Bone Temple, due in January, Williams' journey is just beginning. Like 28 Days Later did for Cillian Murphy, 28 Years Later could mark the start of a major career.

Cannes or can't, tariffs terrify
Cannes or can't, tariffs terrify

Express Tribune

time13-05-2025

  • Express Tribune

Cannes or can't, tariffs terrify

The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, which takes place from May 13-24, was shaping up to be the hottest one in years, with the creme de la creme of Hollywood and international movie-making set to descend on the French Riviera for two weeks of cinema celebration, as reported by DW. Leave it to Donald Trump to spoil the party. The US president's announcement on May 4 that he planned to "make Hollywood great again" by imposing 100% tariffs on "foreign-made films" and punishing US studios that go abroad to shoot their movies has pulled Cannes-bound filmmakers and cinema fans into a global trade war. Exactly what the president wants to do remains unclear. Actor Jon Voight, one of Trump's "special ambassadors" to the entertainment industry, has unveiled a plan with a stack of proposals. These include tax incentives for films that shoot in the US, a new "cultural test" requiring them to contribute to American culture, and fines for those that shoot American stories abroad. For those in the film industry, Trump's proposed tariffs could disrupt their business, making it harder - or impossible - to get certain independent films made. "Everyone is talking about [the tariff], no one knows what it will mean, how it will affect the business, if it will make it harder to make movies," says Pia Patatian, president of Cloud9 Studios, a US-based independent production company. Global shoots Many of the biggest, most hotly anticipated American films heading to Cannes are exactly the sort of "foreign-made" productions that Trump is targeting with his tariff threat. Tom Cruise will bring the action to the festival promenade with Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning, the eighth, and supposedly last, of the Mission Impossible films, which will play out of competition. Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme, the latest slice of quirky, symmetrical whimsy from the director of Grand Budapest Hotel, was shot on soundstages in Studio Babelsberg, outside Berlin. "Nouvelle Vague," a look at the making of Jean-Luc Godard's 1960 classic "Breathless," by American indie film legend Richard Linklater was shot entirely in Paris and - quelle horreur! - in French. Eddington, the new film from genre master Ari Aster ("Hereditary," "Midsommar"), was at least made in the US. But the film's COVID-era plot line, which sees a MAGA-style sheriff, played by Joachim Phoenix, square off against the local mayor, played by Pedro Pascal, could prove triggering for the current POTUS. Festival lineup If attendees can manage to put Trump out of their minds, the 78th Cannes has plenty to offer. American indie director Kelly Reichardt, who returns to the Cannes competition with "The Mastermind," an art-heist drama set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War. Dissident Iranian director Jafar Panahi, finally released from prison and no longer under a travel ban, will also have his latest drama, "Un Simple Accident" (A simple accident) in the running. And Julia Ducournau, who won the Palme d'Or in 2021 with her explosive and divisive body horror movie Titane, is back at the Cannes competition with "Alpha," a 1980s-set shocker that follows a young girl who is rejected by her classmates after it is rumored she has been infected with a new disease. Germany's Mascha Schilinski will premiere her second feature, Sound of Falling, in competition. The drama follows four women from four different eras whose lives are eerily intertwined. Out of competition, Spike Lee is back, teaming up again with Denzel Washington on Highest 2 Lowest, a reimagination of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 Japanese classic High and Low. Fatih Akin and Diane Kruger return with Amrum. Scarlett Johansson will present her directorial debut, Eleanor the Great in the Un Certain Regard section alongside Harris Dickinson's Urchin. Ukrainian war documentary Militantropos will premiere at the Director's Fortnight. Spanish-language musical The Wave, and historical drama The Disappearance of Josef Mengele will be a part of Cannes Premiere, a non-competitive gala section.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store