Eric Bana reveals what he almost took from Netflix's 'Untamed' set, talks Marvel future
"It was expensive," Bana, 56, says of the cost to transport a horse from British Columbia, where the show was filmed. "I'm not even sure if he was for sale, but I looked into it. I was going to smuggle him."
Bana jokes that his wife Rebecca would have had no issue with the addition to the household, "so long as it was (my) responsibility." The actor has two pets, a poodle and a Burmese cat, and confirms that both "live in harmony" together.
Bana tackles demons and a murder case in 'Untamed'
"Untamed" is set in Yosemite National Park. Bana stars as Kyle Turner, the special agent investigating the death of a woman in the park. As the case unfolds, so does Turner's past, which includes the death of his son, a struggle with alcohol abuse and a divorce.
"There's a shared trauma between the two of them," Bana says of the relationship between Turner and his ex-wife Jill (Rosemary DeWitt)." Their son's death "affects him, as it would any human. It's a very spiritual connection that he has with the park as a result and with nature. And we really try and tap into that."
Bana says he received the script of the pilot episode as early as 2018, but the COVID-19 pandemic and the Hollywood strikes delayed production. He also signed on as an executive producer, something he does, "when I really feel like I want to be extremely supportive of the original vision and not have it diluted at all. There's a version of this show that you could sell to someone and (the studio says), 'Yeah, we'll make this show. Do you really need to go to that location? Do you really need that much time in the forest?'" he says. "Luckily, in this case, we were all moving in the same direction."
Bana's succinct response to a Marvel return
Bana played the title character in the 2003 film "Hulk," but he wasn't asked to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. (Edward Norton also made a single appearance as the superhero, in 2008's "The Incredible Hulk.") Would he ever consider it, as fans speculate he might for "Avengers: Secret Wars," due in 2027?
The actor offers a firm "no."
"It was a one'er for me," he adds of the MCU experience. "I love doing what I'm doing (now)."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
25 minutes ago
- Fox News
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry face ‘pitiful plummet in popularity' as they reportedly lose Netflix deal: expert
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's five-year Netflix deal will likely expire quietly, experts tell Fox News Digital following reports it won't be renewed. "There are whispers that Harry and Meghan's Netflix deal will expire quietly. I can't imagine that either party would want to shout this news over the rooftops. They will hope it's a smooth transition," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard tells Fox News Digital. She says the Sussexes' "star attraction has taken a nose dive." The royal couple signed the five-year deal with Netflix in 2020, shortly after they stepped down as senior royals and left the U.K. Their debut docuseries "Harry & Meghan" remains the streaming platform's most-watched debut, according to People magazine, but their other series such as "With Love, Meghan" and "Heart of Invictus" haven't fared as well. "The majority of their material has received poor viewing figures and there doesn't seem to be suitable appeal for any new productions starring the duo," Chard adds. "The court of public opinion is key here. The public do not feel kindly toward them. They trashed their family, created a huge amount of damage and monetized off of the back of the attacks." Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner tells Fox News Digital that the loss of the Netflix deal will be a "major blow" for the couple and could incentivize them to move back to the U.K. as has been a rumored consideration recently. "They obviously have a lavish lifestyle, and it was always thought that Netflix saw the duo as the jewel in the crown for their platform," he says. He adds that "Meghan has become the Harry Houdini in sorting out financial safety," and "other platforms of equal note may make counteroffers. They are certainly not down and out yet." Indeed, even if the Netflix deal isn't renewed this September, the second season of Markle's lifestyle series "With Love, Meghan" will be premiering around the same time and the couple could be poised to sign a first-look deal with the platform for any projects they have on the horizon. Royal expert Hilary Fordwich agrees that Netflix would prefer the contract quietly expire. "Cancellation is a proper response to ghastly ratings since the only project they produced with financial benefit to Netflix was their initial mudslinging at the royal family docuseries 'Harry & Meghan,'" she says. "It was rather foolish to have filmed two seasons without even waiting to inculcate the audience response to the first season of MM's lifestyle show [With Love, Meghan]." She adds that audiences were "more interested in lurid royal betrayals than actually anything to do with the couple or high ratings would have continued. Public fascination was merely driven by the controversy and inside royal details being spewed, but neither H nor M themselves have proven to be of interest… Their betrayal of their own family was tasteless and tacky. This negative sentiment was also felt on both sides of the Atlantic, given their pitiful plummet in popularity. " Markle has recently seen success with the launch of her lifestyle brand As Ever, which has repeatedly sold out of its limited featured products such as candles and jam. Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams says he sees Netflix's partnership in As Ever as the only reason the platform would want to renew part of the deal. "Their CEO Ted Sarandos did praise Meghan relatively recently, but he hadn't seen the terrible ratings which showed 'With Love, Meghan,' her much-touted cookery series, had been almost totally ignored by viewers," he says. Fitzwilliams says the couple were warned that Harry's "Polo" documentary wouldn't do well because it's an "elitist" sport, and although "Heart of Invictus" was "worthy," it was "never likely to draw in the crowds." "What did was 'Harry & Meghan,' the six-part docuseries which trashed the royal family," he says. "That, it seems, is all they have to offer. 'With Love, Meghan' series 2, was unwisely filmed back to back with the first and almost certainly will flop." He adds, "Without the reported $100 million contract with Netflix, having been dropped by Spotify and with no plans to do further podcasts in the 'Confessions of a Female Founder' series, the Sussexes hopes rest on Meghan making a success of As Ever. This leaves Harry with little to do. If they don't exploit their royal connections, it will emphasize yet again that the Sussexes have precious little to offer and this will be humiliating." Fox News Digital has reached out to Archewell and Netflix for comment.
Boston Globe
2 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald on how Adam Sandler's ‘Happy Gilmore' changed golf
From left: Christopher McDonald and Adam Sandler in "Happy Gilmore 2." Scott Yamano/Netflix In the original film, Sandler played the brash and anger-prone titular character, a former hockey player who dreamed of playing for his beloved Boston Bruins, but found that his slap-shot skills were better suited for the back nine. Trying to raise money to save his grandmother's Connecticut home, Sandler's Happy turned into an unlikely pro-golf star, with his unorthodox play and feisty demeanor drawing a whole new (and wild) fanbase to the game. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up ''Happy Gilmore' the movie and Happy Gilmore the character gave this kind of cool, weird cachet to golf,' said Julie Bowen, 55, who reprises her role from the original film as Happy's love interest, Virginia Venit. She added, in a recent Zoom interview, 'There's a little bit of that rock 'n' roll rebel attitude that I guess it turns out we all want to claim for our own, even the golf world.' Advertisement Julie Bowen in "Happy Gilmore 2." Courtesy of Netflix Advertisement Set decades after the first film, the sequel features Happy now married to Virginia, with a big family of kids. But after stepping away from golf, Happy is forced to pick up his clubs again to win enough money to pay for the prestigious ballet school his daughter Vienna (played by Sandler's real-life daughter Sunny) wants to attend. While the original film poked fun at the sport and its old-fashioned conventions, golfers new and old have embraced 'Happy Gilmore' since it hit the big screen nearly three decades ago, with a who's who list of legends and today's stars lining up for parts in the sequel, including Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Lee Trevino, and even the great Jack Nicklaus. McDonald recalled his first day on set, where he wanted to just stop by and 'get a lay of the land,' which happened to be when a lot of current and former golf pros were filming a scene. 'They're all sitting there, and I waited for a break and I walked in, and then all of a sudden they all looked at me and went, 'Shooter!',' said McDonald. 'It was one of those magic moments that I wish I could encapsulate, but it'll always be in my mind.' 'I would sit down and talk to Jack Nicklaus, I mean come on, for like an hour,' he added. 'He was the nicest guy in the world, giving me tips here and there and just talking about his career.' From left: Adam Sandler and Rory McIlroy on the set of "Happy Gilmore 2." Scott Yamano/Netflix The list of celebrity cameos goes beyond golf to include Eminem, Margaret Qualley, Post Malone, Travis Kelce, and Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio (a.k.a. Bad Bunny). Advertisement Tim Herlihy, who co-wrote the first film with Sandler, also co-wrote 'Happy Gilmore 2' with the New Hampshire-raised comic. Dennis Dugan, who directed the original, reprises his role as golf tour commissioner Doug Thompson in the sequel, which is directed by Kyle Newacheck. Other returning faces include Ben Stiller as the wacky orderly Hal L. Having worked with Sandler on the original film and more recently on the 2020 Salem-set comedy 'It's a boyish enthusiasm and something that was evident from the first 'Happy Gilmore,'' said Bowen. 'He's really collaborative and fun to work with and become only more so over the years.' 'He's got that director's head at all times, and if a scene is not working … he'll go, 'How do we make this better? Let's change that. Let's do this',' said McDonald. Adam Sandler in "Happy Gilmore 2." Courtesy of Netflix Bowen, a Brown University graduate, said Sandler's mix of heart, humor, and rage made Happy's angry New Englander persona memorable. 'There's something really lovely and raw and real about people that lead from the heart like that,' she said. The actress described the new film as 'a little bit more sad and heartfelt' than the first movie, but with a big focus on family, which is no surprise as Sandler is 'a dad first and foremost' whose happy place is with his loved ones, according to Bowen. In addition to his daughter Sunny, Sandler's other daughter Sadie and wife Jackie have roles in the film. 'He says he's happy that [his daughters have] gotten into acting, I'm like, did they have a choice?,' Bowen joked. 'They grew up on a set because he loves being with them.' Advertisement 'He really wanted to bring in his life experience and highlight how important family is to him,' she added. 'And that's a no-brainer for me. I mean, my kids own me, you know, and he gets that. So being surrounded by all the kids, piles of kids, it was just pure joy.' McDonald, who got his start in acting at the Charles Playhouse in Boston after graduating college ('It all started in Beantown, baby!' he quipped), said that, even after all these years in the business and hundreds of credits to his name, Shooter is still the role he gets recognized for the most. Christopher McDonald in "Happy Gilmore 2." Courtesy of Netflix 'To this day, I mean, I can't walk through an airport or walk down the street in New York or in Boston, and I'll hear, 'Shooter!' And I give them the old thing,' McDonald said. 'It's really a joy, and I'm glad I'm back, and I'm over the moon about how it turned out.' 'Happy Gilmore 2 ' premieres Friday on Netflix. Matt Juul can be reached at
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
For Late Night, Epstein-Trump Is the Comedy Gift That Keeps On Giving
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night's highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now. The Hits Keep Coming New footage of Jeffrey Epstein being questioned by the government in 2010 emerged this week — 'and you'll never guess whose name came up,' Josh Johnson said on Thursday. 'Go ahead — guess.' In the video, the multimillionaire financier and convicted sex offender is asked if he'd ever 'socialized with Donald Trump in the presence of females under the age of 18,' and responds by asserting his Fifth, Sixth and 14th Amendment rights. 'I'm going to put that down as a 'yes,'' Johnson said. 'I'll be honest, I've never heard anybody plead anything other than the Fifth before. But this guy's so guilty, he's calling out every amendment he can think of, like, 'No, no, no, what's the one with the women voting? Uh, 19th? Throw that in, too.'' — JOSH JOHNSON 'Wow. Not a great sign when the pedophile is being asked if you're doing a pervert ride-along, and their response is, 'I'd like to invoke the entire Constitution, the Magna Carta, the Napoleonic Code, and just to cover my bases, let's throw in the entire Cheesecake Factory menu.' — STEPHEN COLBERT 'So, we don't know if he was doin' the creepy crimin', but we do have a cover-up. And just like the cover-up on his face, it is patchy, and there's something really ugly under there.' — STEPHEN COLBERT 'Jeffrey Epstein died back in 2019, but not since Tupac Shakur has a dead man dropped so many bangers.' — JOSH JOHNSON Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
