Latest news with #Collider.com
Perth Now
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
'Let's make a new Groundhog Day...' Jon Watts calls for Hollywood to stop "ripping" off original films
Jon Watts calls for Hollywood filmmakers to create new movies instead of 'ripping' off successful films. The 44-year-old director admitted he is frustrated at a lack of creativity and original ideas in Hollywood and believes "medium scale" films should stop looking at the stories which have been successful in the past and presenting them in a different way. Asked what he would change about how Hollywood makes movies and TV shows, Watts told "I wish there were more original movies in theatres. Original movies in, like, a medium scale. "We've built this system where you have these giant tentpole movies that are so expensive that people feel like they have to be based on something that you already recognise. They can't be too risky. "I think that's created a hole in the middle of interesting, new movies. Like, we're still ripping off Groundhog Day. Let's make a new Groundhog Day. "Let's make new medium-sized ideas that get everyone excited about going to the movies again." Even though the Spider-Man: No Way Home director agrees that film studios have to rely on previous successes to "make enough money", he thinks there is always space for fresh ideas. He said "You do have the big things that you rely on to make sure that you make enough money, but at some point, you're going to run out of things to remake, and then you're just regurgitating the same stuff over and over again." Watts is also concerned that films have to "do great immediately" on release instead of being able to slowly build box office success. Asked about Pixar's Elio, which was branded a flop after taking just under $21 million at the US box office in its opening weekend, he said: "I haven't seen it. It looks really good. Maybe it will just take some time. "That's the other thing that I think is stressful in Hollywood right now is things have to do great immediately. They're not given the space to live in theatres and grow and build an audience over time. Used to, movies would start lower and then slowly accumulate over time. "Now, if it isn't a huge hit immediately, people will start talking about how it's a huge flop, and that's not necessarily true." With more people beginning to use artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in creative work, it is not something Watts will do because he loves working with "human beings". Asked if he has concerns about the growth of AI over the next 10 years, Watts said: "I don't want to wade into it too deeply, but I think the first thing that people should think about when it comes to AI is that they should stop calling everything AI. "There are so many facets to this conversation. It feels like back when people would talk about 'the internet,' and they were like, 'How is the internet going to change everything? How is the World Wide Web going to affect politics?' "AI is a very complex thing that can be used in very different ways. I think the first thing everyone should do is be a lot more educated when they talk about it, so it doesn't get oversimplified. "Personally, I don't mess around with it. I like the human beings that I work with, and I'm not interested in replacing any of them. I look forward to working with human beings. So, right now, I'm personally learning about it, but I'm staying away from using it."
Perth Now
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning star Hayley Atwell 'in awe' of Tom Cruise's work ethic
Hayley Atwell was in awe of Tom Cruise's work ethic on 'Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One'. The 43-year-old actress joined the action-thriller franchise as her former professional thief-turned-Impossible Mission Force (IMF) agent alter ego, Grace, in the 2015 prequel to 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning'. And Atwell regarded the 'Top Gun' star's devotion to creating movies, including performing hellraising, daredevil stunts, as "remarkable". She told "We filmed Grace's first-ever introduction in the second film, so her first appearance in the movie is the last thing that I shot. "I remember that day, Tom had said, 'Movies are not something I do, it's who I am.' And I could see that. I saw that every day for five years. He lives it and breathes it and has devoted his life to it. "So, to work with someone with that kind of work ethic is remarkable." Cruise, 62 - who has suffered various injuries during his career, including a broken ankle while shooting 2018's 'Mission: Impossible - Fallout' when performing a stunt that saw him jump between buildings - previously admitted he always goes "too far" with his aerobatic performances. However, one stunt of Cruise's that Atwell would have loved to have done was when he had to hang upside down on cables to shoot the scene where Ethan breaks into the CIA's vault in the first 'Mission: Impossible' flick that came out in 1996. Speaking about that legendary stunt - which almost never happened because Cruise kept falling during takes and the movie's director, Brian De Palma, wanted to move on to filming other scenes - Atwell said: "Probably the vaults in the first one. Yeah, that's the one I remember the most growing up. It's quite iconic, so I'd like to give that a go." Atwell returns as Grace in what is slated as the final 'Mission: Impossible' movie, 'The Final Reckoning', which sees Ethan and the Ethan Hunt and the IMF team hunt down the deadly artificial intelligence, Entity. And her highlight was spending time in the Arctic Circle to film some scenes for the Paramount movie. Atwell said: "I never thought I would be filming in the Arctic Circle, waiting for a polar bear to cross our path before we could carry on shooting. "It's an extraordinary place to visit, but to then live there and work there for that time and to be with the incredible people, from the dog sled handlers to the Polar X company, who are on both polar bear patrol and keeping us safe. "It was all kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, really, and I just loved it. I was so, so privileged to be there."
Perth Now
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Mrs. Doubtfire star Matthew Lawrence has late Robin Williams to thank for movie role
Matthew Lawrence bagged his 'Mrs. Doubtfire' role because of Robin Williams. The actor was 12 when he played Chris Hillard, one of three children in Christopher Columbus' 1993 comedy-drama that sees Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams) disguise himself as an elderly female housekeeper to spend time with his children, Lydia Hillard (Lisa Jakub), Chris and Natalie Hillard (Mara Wilson), following a divorce from his wife, Miranda Hillard (Sally Field). And Robin, who took his own life in 2014 at the age of 63, loved Matthew's audition for the hit 20th Century Fox flick so much, he encouraged Matthew to push himself to the limit and "really play [Chris] up" to secure the role. The 45-year-old star explained to "He got me the role in 'Mrs. Doubtfire'. Got me that role. There was another kid who was definitely in the lead. "Everybody liked, and he, in the audition process, he came up privately and said, 'We gotta push this over the edge for you. We gotta. So when I do something, I'm gonna do something, I can tell you, gotta go along with it. Really play it up. No one's got it yet.' And sure enough, we nailed that moment, and he got me the role. So, you know, he was that guy, man." Matthew went on to carve himself a successful career in Hollywood following the release of 'Mrs. Doubtfire', appearing in the coming-of-age sitcom, 'Boy Meets World', and the comedy-romance film, 'The Hot Chick'. And Robin's advice to Matthew about never judging someone until they have walked in their shoes has stuck with him ever since. He admitted: "You know, don't judge someone until you've walked in their shoes. You know, it's really true. "He was one of the most compassionate people, humble people, talented people I've ever met. And you know, he also gave me some, it's really wild to think about it. I was 12 years old, and the way he took me under his wings, and the way he opened up to me, and the way he treated me as a peer, like he didn't talk down to me. "It's just miraculous." Throughout Robin's life, he suffered from relationship struggles, financial problems, drug addiction and depression, and the 'Jumanji' star was very open about his "troubles" with Matthew, so he could be "dead-set" on ensuring Matthew "steered clear of it" all. Matthew added: "He also opened up to me about what it was like for him when he wasn't entertaining people. And what his personal life, you know, the troubles that he was having. "It wasn't all laughs, and you know, he really guided me. He had a strong belief that there were things that he did in his life. It exacerbated his condition that he had, and he was dead-set on making sure that I steered cleared of it. And he was successful with that."
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Find out what Wheel of Fortune fans always ask Vanna White when they meet her
'Wheel of Fortune' star Vanna White says fans always ask her the same question when they meet her. The 68-year-old star has been the co-host of the US game show since 1982 and for over 40 years she constantly gets asked one thing when viewers meet her in person. She revealed: "[They say], 'Can I buy a vowel?' And I love it. "And 42 years later, vowels have not changed price! $250 — no inflation!" Vanna - who has two children, 30-year-old real estate agent son Nikko, and 28-year-old tattoo artist daughter Gigi, with her ex-film producer husband George Santo Pietro - has been described as having a comforting presence, and she always aims to put the 'Wheel of Fortune' contestants at ease by telling them to "pretend like you're in your living room". Speaking about how the contenders feel on the show - which is also hosted by Ryan Seacrest - Vanna said: "People aren't familiar with TV and all the cameras we have. "There are 200 people in the audience and they don't want to make a fool of themselves on TV. And it's hard! "When you're standing at home in your living room, it's always your turn. "When you're there, the puzzle board is like 20 feet away, and, 'Oh my gosh — where am I?' "They do quite well considering the circumstances. "When I first get to work in the morning, I go in and say hello to them when they're all getting in. "I say, 'Buy vowels, don't be nervous, and pretend like you're in your living room.' "I give them a little pep talk before they go on." Vanna's own TV habits include being a regular viewer of 'House Hunters International' and ABC reality series 'The Golden Bachelor'. In an interview with she said: "I like watching 'House Hunters International'. I feel like I'm traveling. "I'm in Switzerland and Portugal and all these places — that's kind of my little escape. "I also watch 'The Golden Bachelor'. I'm taken! "I've been with my boyfriend for 15 years, but it's fun to see that, too." Vanna is in a relationship with contractor John Donaldson who she met through friends.
Perth Now
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Find out what Wheel of Fortune fans always ask Vanna White when they meet her
'Wheel of Fortune' star Vanna White says fans always ask her the same question when they meet her. The 68-year-old star has been the co-host of the US game show since 1982 and for over 40 years she constantly gets asked one thing when viewers meet her in person. She revealed: "[They say], 'Can I buy a vowel?' And I love it. "And 42 years later, vowels have not changed price! $250 — no inflation!" Vanna - who has two children, 30-year-old real estate agent son Nikko, and 28-year-old tattoo artist daughter Gigi, with her ex-film producer husband George Santo Pietro - has been described as having a comforting presence, and she always aims to put the 'Wheel of Fortune' contestants at ease by telling them to "pretend like you're in your living room". Speaking about how the contenders feel on the show - which is also hosted by Ryan Seacrest - Vanna said: "People aren't familiar with TV and all the cameras we have. "There are 200 people in the audience and they don't want to make a fool of themselves on TV. And it's hard! "When you're standing at home in your living room, it's always your turn. "When you're there, the puzzle board is like 20 feet away, and, 'Oh my gosh — where am I?' "They do quite well considering the circumstances. "When I first get to work in the morning, I go in and say hello to them when they're all getting in. "I say, 'Buy vowels, don't be nervous, and pretend like you're in your living room.' "I give them a little pep talk before they go on." Vanna's own TV habits include being a regular viewer of 'House Hunters International' and ABC reality series 'The Golden Bachelor'. In an interview with she said: "I like watching 'House Hunters International'. I feel like I'm traveling. "I'm in Switzerland and Portugal and all these places — that's kind of my little escape. "I also watch 'The Golden Bachelor'. I'm taken! "I've been with my boyfriend for 15 years, but it's fun to see that, too." Vanna is in a relationship with contractor John Donaldson who she met through friends.
