Latest news with #FocusFeatures'
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Esme Creed-Miles to play Marianne Dashwood in ‘Sense and Sensibility' film adaptation
"Hanna" star Esme Creed-Miles has become the latest addition to the cast of Focus Features' film adaptation of the classic novel "Sense and Sensibility" from Jane Austen. The 25-year-old actor, also known for "Silver Haze" and "The Doll Factory", will essay the role of Marianne Dashwood alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones, who portrays Elinor Dashwood, Marianne's older sister. The film company announced the news on its Instagram handle on Friday. The post featured the scripts of both actors. The following slide had Creed-Miles holding the novel. "The Marianne to our Elinor," read the caption. "Sense and Sensibility" was published in 1811 and has been adapted into films and television series numerous times. The plot revolves around two sisters, who navigate love, loss, and financial uncertainty after they are forced to leave their family estate in Sussex. Some of the notable previous adaptations include the 1995 romantic thriller from Ang Lee, starring Emma Thompson as Elinor and Kate Winslet as Marianne. The book was also adapted into a miniseries in 2008, featuring Hattie Morahan and Charity Wakefield as Elinor and Marianne.
Newsweek
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Michael Cera Turned Down 'Harry Potter' for Strange Reason
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors If "The Phoenician Scheme" star Michael Cera had made a different choice, today he would be one of the stars considered part of the "Harry Potter" pantheon. Cera was on "The Louis Theroux Podcast," where he revealed he was in talks to become part of the "Fantastic Beasts" spinoff films, but he bowed out because he was worried about becoming too famous. Read More: Live-Action 'Street Fighter' Casts Horror Star as Chun-Li "I don't even know if I was offered, I think I just declined to engage with it because I think it would be like probably six years commitment or something," Cera said. "But also, I did sort of make a conscientious choice to limit my exposure a little bit, or just try and be a little more in control of it. And I felt like doing, especially little kids' movies, I had a big fear of doing things that I would get too famous." Michael Cera attends Focus Features' "The Phoenician Scheme" New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 28, 2025 in New York City. Michael Cera attends Focus Features' "The Phoenician Scheme" New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 28, 2025 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy/WireImage It's up for debate whether or not Cera ultimately had all that much to worry about. While the original plan was for five "Fantastic Beasts" films to be released, the box office saw diminishing returns with each additional entry. In 2022, "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" suffered an underwhelming performance at the box office, and while the film series has never officially been canceled, there's no word of a fourth film in the works. Regardless, Cera says he's shaken off the feeling that made him pass on "Fantastic Beasts". "I think I've outgrown that particular feeling, but I think that's what that was at that time," Cera said. "But if a franchise came along now and seemed interesting, I don't think on the grounds of it being a franchise I would storm out of the office or anything." Asked about a possible role in the MCU, Cera joked, "A superhero who is a big fan of dairy, I could play." As far as the upcoming "Harry Potter" series set to debut on HBO Max, Cera is probably too late with most of the roles being filled. One of the only major roles left is that of the villain Voldemort, with some rumors pointing toward Cillian Murphy as a favorite. More Movies: Ezra Miller Eyes Possible Hollywood Return Russell Crowe Cast in 'Highlander' Reboot
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I Know Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Is Going To Be Emotional, But The First Footage Had A Surprise Moment I Didn't Expect
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. There are some sequels fans just want to dive into as soon as possible, but I don't think Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is one of them. At least, that's my subjective opinion about this upcoming 2025 movie schedule entry, because it's going to bring creator Julian Fellowes' iconic British drama to a resounding close. Now the first footage has finally released to the public, I'm doubling down on my feelings, as it features an emotional scene with a typically stoic member of the Crawley family that feels sure to bring the house down. So what is the scene in Focus Features' upcoming drama? It's one where Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) plants a kiss on one of those very recognizable front walls. After all of the ups, downs, and everything in-between experienced in that stately manor, the teaser continues to sum it all up in a phrase we've seen since Downton Abbey 3's title reveal: 'It's time to say goodbye.' I just don't want to, despite knowing better going into this trailer. I let myself get caught up in beautiful little glimpses of Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) showing up to an event dressed in her finest, the return of Julian Levinson (Paul Giamatti) being marked by his trademark ebullience, and a bunch of the family showing up to a horse racing event. But then came that moment where the Paddington franchise star bid farewell to his familial home. A scene that may have been in the works for longer than we thought. Before doing the required deep dive to revisit Downton Abbey's previous adventures through my Peacock subscription, the vague recollection that the Crawley's beautiful home has always been on the verge of bankruptcy has always been on my mind. And for a while, one year in particular on the calendar has stuck out as a potential stumbling block to the family fortune - 1929. Seeing as that's when the American financial system suffered its first major crisis, and part of the money that's kept Downton afloat is from Cora's side of the family. Elizabeth McGovern's Cora, the American fixture in the ITV hit, has been the connection to various lifelines, for better or worse. With this movie being announced as taking place in 1930, the moment has passed, and consequences will start to take shape - with plenty of Downton Abbey 3 cast members still waiting to take their places. Which now introduces the possibility that Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale may see her brother Julius coming to collect in some manner or another. Let's not forget Paul Giamatti's cryptic Downton 3 tease where he said he does 'something of real significance.' Peacock TV: from $7.99 a month/$79.99 a yearFor a little as $7.99 a month, Peacock TV is your streaming gateway to almost all of the Downton Abbey legacy. All six seasons, plus the previous sequel film A New Era, are snuggly housed in its library - waiting for you to enjoy! Of course, if you want to watch like the Crawley's modern descendants would, you can sign up for the ad-free Peacock Premium tier, and skip the commercials! View Deal Though now that I think about it, could the return of Guy Dexter (Dominic West) be an indication that he may want to secure the location as his own? You have to admit, that possibility would not only keep Thomas Barrow (Rob James-Collier) in the house he rose through the ranks serving, it'd also be a way to keep the household staff on board after the transition. I think even Barrows' former foe Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) would begrudgingly admit that this is making the best of a sad situation. In either of these scenarios, the Crawley era of Downton Abbey looks to be at its end. The real questions left to answer are where will its inhabitants go, who will be the new owner, and is it really for the best that Matthew Goode won't be appearing in The Grand Finale? Save your energy, and your tears, as we've got until September 12th to think of what to say about the end of this pop culture favorite.
Buzz Feed
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Initially Against Casting Lily-Rose Depp In "Nosferatu," This Casting Director Got Real About Why She Owed The Actor An Apology
Renowned casting director Kharmel Cochrane is opening up about some of her casting decisions, including one she was strongly against and another she fully supports. If there was a popular project out in the last few years, Kharmel might have had something to do with it. She casts for film, TV, commercials, music videos, and shorts. Some of her most popular work includes Nosferatu, Saltburn, A Quiet Place: Day One, Bob Marley: One Love, The End of the F***ing World, Rye Lane, The VVitch, The Lighthouse, John Wick: Chapter 4, and more. Over the weekend, Kharmel participated in a Q&A session at Scotland's Sands Film Festival where she explained why she needed to apologize to Lily-Rose Depp after initially dismissing her as a serious contender for the leading role of Ellen Hutter in the 2024 American horror gothic film Nosferatu. 'I had to text Lily-Rose Depp and say I'm sorry,' Kharmel said per Deadline, before shedding light on the casting process. "I had said absolutely no way to Lily-Rose Depp. I didn't think she could act." "I hadn't seen anything that I thought showed she could act. And I'm not even bothered by the nepotism thing. I think that's a whole other conversation. And then she auditioned. I was wrong. And I've got no shame in saying if I'm not right.' The 25-year-old actor went on to prove a lot of the naysayers wrong with this film. She starred alongside Bill Skarsgård, Emma Corrin, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nicholas Hoult, and Willem Dafoe. The film raked in over $100 million worldwide, becoming Focus Features' second highest-grossing movie at the domestic box office, behind Brokeback Mountain.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kharmel Cochrane Talks Casting Lily-Rose Depp In ‘Nosferatu' & Teases Emerald Fennell's ‘Wuthering Heights': 'Some English Lit Fans Are Not Going To Be Happy' — Sands Film Festival
'I had to text Lily-Rose Depp and say I'm sorry,' casting director Kharmel Cochrane explained this afternoon during a Q&A session at Scotland's Sands Film Festival. The apology was on account of Cochrane dismissing Lily-Rose Depp as a serious contender for a leading role in Robert Eggers's Nosferatu. The vampire remake is one of the many buzzy titles Cochrane has cast in recent years. Her other credits include Saltburn, Rye Lane, and Bob Marley: One Love. More from Deadline Sands International Film Festival Opens With Raucous Homecoming Screening Of Carey Mulligan Comedy 'The Ballad Of Wallis Island' Sands Film Festival To Close With John Maclean Survival Thriller 'Tornado' Starring Tim Roth, Jack Lowden & Kōki Sands Film Festival To Open With Carey Mulligan Flick 'The Ballad of Wallis Island'; Speakers Include Joanna Lumley & Kharmel Cochrane 'I had said absolutely no way to Lily-Rose Depp,' Cochrane continued, breaking down the Nosferatu casting process. 'I didn't think she could act. I hadn't seen anything that I thought showed she could act. And I'm not even bothered by the nepotism thing. I think that's a whole other conversation. And then she auditioned. I was wrong. And I've got no shame in saying if I'm not right.' Cochrane ultimately cast Depp alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Nicholas Hoult, and Willem Dafoe. The film went on to become a surprise box office hit, crossing the $100 million mark and becoming Focus Features' second highest-grossing movie at the domestic box office, surpassing Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain. During this afternoon's session, Cochrane described Eggers as one of her staple directors with whom she feels most comfortable collaborating. 'It's Emerald Fennell, Alex Garland, Robert [Eggers], and Lena Dunham,' Cochrane said of her favorite directors. 'We've just got a really good thing going. And I genuinely feel safe in my workplace with them. I feel like I can say to them, 'Oh, look what if we do this,' and I'm not worried about getting fired, because that is a real fear, especially when you're on some of the studio stuff. I got fired recently. I don't want to work like that. I can't do my best work if I'm scared to offer an opinion.' Cochrane also gave the audience at Sands an insight into her unique casting process, which has often been praised as dynamic and diverse. The casting vet said she never lets her work be entirely dictated by a film's script or a director's casting brief. She used the idea of a character's race to illustrate her process. 'If something is clearly written as white, for example, a script reads 'she tied her blonde hair back,' but there's no specific reason for it, I will just put people on tape,' Cochrane said. 'And then it's almost like I dare someone to question why I've done it, and they don't. So then it just becomes normal. Years ago, I would get people saying, 'did you read the brief?' And I'd say yeah, and this is my interpretation of it, just like when you can read a book.' The casting vet said she is currently catching a lot of heat for her work on Fennell's forthcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation. Aussie-natives Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi have been cast in the film's central roles. 'There was one Instagram comment that said the casting director should be shot,' Cochrane said. 'But just wait till you see it, and then you can decide whether you want to shoot me or not. But you really don't need to be accurate. It's just a book. That is not based on real life. It's all art.' Further teasing Fennell's Wuthering Heights, Cochrane said, 'there's definitely going to be some English Lit fans that are not going to be happy' in reference to the film's artistic interpretation of the source material. 'Wait until you see the set design because that is even more shocking,' Cochrane said. 'And there may or may not be a dog collar in it.' Sands Film Festival runs until April 27. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About The 'Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping' Movie So Far Everything We Know About Netflix's 'The Thursday Murder Club' So Far TV Show Book Adaptations Arriving In 2025 So Far
