Toronto International Film Festival sets lineup with Sydney Sweeney, Aziz Ansari and ‘Knives Out 3'
TIFF laid out the selections to its galas and special presentations programs, which make up the bulk of the red carpet premieres to North America's largest film festival. Films making their world premieres include Ansari's 'Good Fortune,' starring Keanu Reeves as an angel trying to teach a struggling man (Ansari) a lesson; David Michôd's 'Christy,' with Sweeney playing the boxer Christy Martin; and Alice Winocour's 'Couture,' starring Jolie as an American filmmaker attending Paris Fashion Week.
Those films join previously announced TIFF world premieres including Rian Johnson's 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.' All three of Johnson's 'Knives Out' films have premiered in Toronto.
Also debuting in Toronto will be Derek Cianfrance's 'Roofman,' starring Channing Tatum as a struggling father turned thief; Nia DaCosta's Ibsen adaptation 'Hedda,' starring Tessa Thompson; Nicholas Hytner's WWI drama 'The Choral,' with Ralph Fiennes; Steven Soderbergh's third 2025 release, 'The Christophers'; Hikari's 'Rental Family,' starring Brendan Fraser as an American actor in Japan; and Paul Greengrass' 'The Lost Bus,' with Matthew McConaughey as a bus driver navigating California's 2018 Camp Fire.
The Toronto International Film Festival will kick off Sept. 4 with the debut of the documentary 'John Candy: I Like Me,' from director Colin Hanks and producer Ryan Reynolds. The festival runs through Sept. 14.
Toronto has long been one of the prized launching pads to the fall movie season, though many of the top films often first go to the Venice or Telluride film festivals. This year, that includes TIFF selections like Chloe Zhao's 'Hamnet,' Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein' and Edward Berger's 'Ballad of a Smaller Player.' The designation of those premieres suggests 'Frankenstein' will first play Venice, while the other two will likely play both Venice and Telluride.
Other notable films premiering in Toronto include James Vanderbilt's Nuremberg trials drama 'Nuremberg,' with Rami Malik and Russell Crowe; Rachel Lee Goldenberg's 'Swiped,' starring Lily James as Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd; and Agnieszka Holland's Franz Kafka drama 'Franz.'
Weekly
A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene.
Several directorial debuts will be landing in Toronto including those by Brian Cox ('Glenrothan') and Maude Apatow ('Poetic License'). Other selections include 'Bad Apples,' with Saoirse Ronan as a teacher with a poorly behaved student; 'Easy Waltz,' a Las Vegas-set drama starring Vince Vaughn and Al Pacino; and Alex Winter's 'Adulthood.'
A number of standouts from May's Cannes Film Festival will also play in Toronto, such as Jafar Panahi's Palme d'Or winner 'It Was Just an Accident,' Joachim Trier's 'Sentimental Value,' Oliver Laxe's 'Sirât' and Richard Linklater's 'Nouvelle Vague.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vancouver Sun
11 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played Theo on 'Cosby Show', dies in Costa Rica drowning
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who as teenage son Theo Huxtable on 'The Cosby Show' was central to a cultural phenomenon that helped define the 1980s, died at 54 in an accidental drowning in Costa Rica, authorities there said Monday. Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Department said Warner drowned Sunday afternoon on a beach on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast. He was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limon province when a current pulled him deeper into the ocean. 'He was rescued by people on the beach,' the department's initial report said, but first responders from Costa Rica's Red Cross found him without vital signs and he was taken to the morgue. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Warner created many TV moments etched in the memories of Generation X children and their parents, including a pilot-episode argument with Bill Cosby's Cliff Huxtable about money, and another episode where Theo tries to hide his ear piercing from his dad. His Theo was the only son among four daughters in the household of Cliff Huxtable and Phylicia Rashad's Clair Huxtable on the NBC sitcom, and he would be one of the prime representations of American teenage boyhood on a show that was the most popular in America for much of its run from 1984 to 1992. He played the role for eight seasons, appearing in each of the show's 197 episodes and earning an Emmy nomination for supporting actor in a comedy in 1986. For many the lasting image of the character, and of Warner, is of him wearing a badly botched mock designer shirt sewed by his sister Denise, played by Lisa Bonet. The 'Gordon Gartrell' shirt later became a memeable image: Anthony Mackie wore one on 'The Tonight Show' with Jimmy Fallon and the profile picture on Warner's Instagram shows a toddler sporting one. NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson was among those giving tribute Monday. Johnson said on X that he and his wife are sad to hear of the death of their friend. 'We were both super fans of the hit 'Cosby Show' and continued to follow his career on shows like 'Malcolm and Eddie' and 'The Resident,'' Johnson said. 'Every time I ran into Malcolm, we would have deep and fun conversations about basketball, life, and business. He will truly be missed.' Like the rest of the 'Cosby Show' cast, Warner had to contend with the sexual assault allegations against its titular star, whose conviction in a Pennsylvania court was later overturned. Warner told The Associated Press in 2015 that the show's legacy was 'tarnished.' 'My biggest concern is when it comes to images of people of color on television and film,' Warner said. 'We've always had 'The Cosby Show' to hold up against that. And the fact that we no longer have that, that's the thing that saddens me the most because in a few generations the Huxtables will have been just a fairy tale.' Representatives for Cosby declined immediate comment. Warner worked steadily as an actor for more than 40 years. His first major post-'Cosby' role came on the sitcom 'Malcolm & Eddie,' co-starring with comedian Eddie Griffin in the popular series on the defunct UPN network from 1996 to 2000. 'My heart is heavy right now,' Griffin said on Instagram Monday. 'Rest easy my brother for you have Won in life and now you have won forever eternal bliss..' In the 2010s, he starred opposite Tracee Ellis Ross as a family-blending couple for two seasons on the BET sitcom 'Read Between The Lines.' He also had a role as O.J. Simpson's friend Al Cowlings on 'American Crime Story' and was a series regular on Fox's 'The Resident.' 'First I met you as Theo with the rest of the world then you were my first TV husband,' Ross said on Instagram. 'My heart is so so sad. What an actor and friend you were: warm, gentle, present, kind, thoughtful, deep, funny, elegant.' Warner's film roles included the 2008 rom-com 'Fool's Gold' with Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. A poet and a musician, Warner was a Grammy winner, for best traditional R&B performance, and was nominated for best spoken word poetry album for 'Hiding in Plain View.' Warner also worked as a director, helming episodes of 'Malcolm & Eddie,' 'Read Between the Lines,' 'Kenan & Kel,' and 'All That.' Warner was born in 1970 in Jersey City, New Jersey. His mother, Pamela Warner, reportedly named him after Malcolm X and jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal. She served as his manager when he began pursuing acting at age 9. In the early 1980s, he made guest appearances on the TV shows 'Matt Houston' — his first credit — and 'Fame.' Warner was 13 when he landed the role of Theo in an audition after a broad search for the right child actor. Cosby was a major star at the time, and the show was certain to be widely seen, but few could've predicted the huge, yearslong phenomenon it would become. He was married with a young daughter, but chose to not publicly disclose their names. Warner's representatives declined immediate comment on his death. His final credits came in TV guest roles, including appearances on 'The Wonder Years,' 'Grown-ish,' and '9-1-1,' where he had a four-episode arc last year. 'I grew up with a maniacal obsession with not wanting to be one of those 'where are they now kids,'' Warner told the AP in 2015. 'I feel very blessed to be able to have all of these avenues of expression … to be where I am now and finally at a place where I can let go of that worry about having a life after 'Cosby.'' ___ AP National Writer Jocelyn Noveck contributed reporting from New York.
Edmonton Journal
11 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played Theo on 'Cosby Show', dies in Costa Rica drowning
Article content Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who as teenage son Theo Huxtable on 'The Cosby Show' was central to a cultural phenomenon that helped define the 1980s, died at 54 in an accidental drowning in Costa Rica, authorities there said Monday. Article content Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Department said Warner drowned Sunday afternoon on a beach on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast. He was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limon province when a current pulled him deeper into the ocean. Article content Article content 'He was rescued by people on the beach,' the department's initial report said, but first responders from Costa Rica's Red Cross found him without vital signs and he was taken to the morgue. Article content Warner created many TV moments etched in the memories of Generation X children and their parents, including a pilot-episode argument with Bill Cosby's Cliff Huxtable about money, and another episode where Theo tries to hide his ear piercing from his dad. His Theo was the only son among four daughters in the household of Cliff Huxtable and Phylicia Rashad's Clair Huxtable on the NBC sitcom, and he would be one of the prime representations of American teenage boyhood on a show that was the most popular in America for much of its run from 1984 to 1992. Article content He played the role for eight seasons, appearing in each of the show's 197 episodes and earning an Emmy nomination for supporting actor in a comedy in 1986. For many the lasting image of the character, and of Warner, is of him wearing a badly botched mock designer shirt sewed by his sister Denise, played by Lisa Bonet. The 'Gordon Gartrell' shirt later became a memeable image: Anthony Mackie wore one on 'The Tonight Show' with Jimmy Fallon and the profile picture on Warner's Instagram shows a toddler sporting one. Article content Article content NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson was among those giving tribute Monday. Johnson said on X that he and his wife are sad to hear of the death of their friend. Article content 'We were both super fans of the hit 'Cosby Show' and continued to follow his career on shows like 'Malcolm and Eddie' and 'The Resident,'' Johnson said. 'Every time I ran into Malcolm, we would have deep and fun conversations about basketball, life, and business. He will truly be missed.' Article content Article content Like the rest of the 'Cosby Show' cast, Warner had to contend with the sexual assault allegations against its titular star, whose conviction in a Pennsylvania court was later overturned. Article content Warner told The Associated Press in 2015 that the show's legacy was 'tarnished.' Article content 'My biggest concern is when it comes to images of people of color on television and film,' Warner said. 'We've always had 'The Cosby Show' to hold up against that. And the fact that we no longer have that, that's the thing that saddens me the most because in a few generations the Huxtables will have been just a fairy tale.'
CBC
16 hours ago
- CBC
Here's what to expect at this year's Toronto International Film Festival
Films starring Sydney Sweeney, Angelina Jolie and Aziz Ansari will premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, festival organizers announced Monday. TIFF laid out the selections to its galas and special presentations programs, which make up the bulk of the red carpet premieres to North America's largest film festival. Films making their world premieres include Ansari's Good Fortune, starring Keanu Reeves as an angel trying to teach a struggling man (Ansari) a lesson; David Michôd's Christy, with Sweeney playing the boxer Christy Martin; and Alice Winocour's Couture, starring Jolie as an American filmmaker attending Paris Fashion Week. Those films join previously announced TIFF world premieres including Rian Johnson's Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. All three of Johnson's Knives Out films have premiered in Toronto. Also debuting in Toronto will be Derek Cianfrance's Roofman, starring Channing Tatum as a struggling father turned thief; Nia DaCosta's Ibsen adaptation Hedda, starring Tessa Thompson; Nicholas Hytner's WWI drama The Choral, with Ralph Fiennes; Steven Soderbergh's third 2025 release, The Christophers; Hikari's Rental Family, starring Brendan Fraser as an American actor in Japan; and Paul Greengrass' The Lost Bus, with Matthew McConaughey as a bus driver navigating California's 2018 Camp Fire. The festival will kick off Sept. 4 with the debut of the documentary John Candy: I Like Me, from director Colin Hanks and producer Ryan Reynolds. The festival runs through Sept. 14. Toronto has long been one of the prized launching pads to the fall movie season, though many of the top films often first go to the Venice or Telluride film festivals. This year, that includes TIFF selections like Chloe Zhao's Hamnet, Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, Benny Safdie's The Smashing Machine and Edward Berger's Ballad of a Smaller Player. The designation of those premieres suggests Frankenstein and The Smashing Machine will first play Venice, while Zhao's and Berger's films will likely play both Venice and Telluride. IN PHOTOS: On the red carpet for TIFF 2024 premieres: Other notable films premiering in Toronto include James Vanderbilt's Nuremberg trials drama Nuremberg, with Rami Malik and Russell Crowe; Rachel Lee Goldenberg's Swiped, starring Lily James as Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd; and Agnieszka Holland's Franz Kafka drama Franz. Several directorial debuts will be landing in Toronto including those by Brian Cox (Glenrothan) and Maude Apatow (Poetic License). Other selections include Bad Apples, with Saoirse Ronan as a teacher with a poorly behaved student; Easy's Waltz, a Las Vegas-set drama starring Vince Vaughn and Al Pacino; and Alex Winter's Adulthood. A number of standouts from May's Cannes Film Festival will also play in Toronto, such as Jafar Panahi's Palme d'Or winner It Was Just an Accident, Joachim Trier's Sentimental Value, Oliver Laxe's Sirât and Richard Linklater's Nouvelle Vague. WATCH | TIFF organizers adapt strategy as competition from other festivals grows: TIFF facing stiff competition from Venice Film Festival for world premieres 10 months ago With TIFF now getting fewer world premieres due to stiff competition from the Venice Film Festival which happens a week earlier, TIFF organizers are adapting their strategy by embracing more homegrown films.
