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Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Pop culture at breaking point: Is the multibillion-dollar fan machine about to overheat?
In addition, there is no Game of Thrones, and The Walking Dead has slowed, at this point, to a cautious gait. Amazon's Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has a year off. How deeply that absence is felt by the fandom is as simple and complicated a question as, how long is a piece of string? You wouldn't think it's a thing, as this year's Comic-Con is making all the right commercial noises. In real terms, it's about the source of all that noise: the content. Peak TV sold us fewer channels and more streaming platforms – and now there's more content than ever, and we're scrambling to keep up. House of Cards, Stranger Things, Barbie, Strange New Worlds, Andor, Baby Reindeer, The Bear, Adolescence, Euphoria. We loved Sex and the City. We hate And Just Like That. We were tired of DC Studios, but baby we're back with Superman. We were tired of Marvel, but oh, baby we're so back with The Fantastic Four. This appetite has split open the seams of all the silos and social content, TV content and movie content, and an army of YouTubers are now just living in one giant noise machine, in the palm of your hand, and perpetually stuck, it often seems, one iOS update behind everyone else's. But there is an upside. 'Trash has given us an appetite for art,' wrote the legendary American film critic Pauline Kael, whose genius was confirmed when she was the first to acknowledge that The Empire Strikes Back was indeed the best film, cinematically, of the three original Star Wars films. In an essay for Harper's Bazaar, provocatively titled Trash, Art and the Movies, Kael offered this as an explanation for the power of pop culture: 'Good movies make you care, make you believe in possibilities again. If somewhere in the Hollywood-entertainment world someone has managed to break through with something that speaks to you, then it isn't all corruption.' Kael, who died in 2001, did not live through the era of reality TV, of the Kardashians, of the Real Housewives, or a landscape that sometimes places a billion-dollar motion picture and a scrappy YouTube home movie next to each other and, algorithmically speaking, chooses to elevate the latter. But she understood people, and pop culture. And that understanding gave her a rare insight into why we are all, underneath our hesitation, confidence and I'm-asking-for-a-friend dismissiveness, just a bunch of big fat superfans. That's what keeps the TV channels transmitting, and the movie theatres open, and Comic-Con in business. But the problem with our content-powered escape room is that the seams are beginning to split under the strain. In space, you may not be able to hear anyone scream, but sometimes the roar is so loud you can't hear yourself think. To some extent, that explains the rise of digital detoxes, and phrases such as 'conscious unplugging'. That's why some people are drifting into slow living, and shopping for 'dumb phones', which don't have apps, or easy texting capabilities, but rather depend on you dialling a number and having a real conversation. So, what does all of this mean for the world's trillion-dollar fan business? Nobody is going to stop buying Funko Pops tomorrow, and The Big Switch-Off is never going to be a real thing. But it does mean that the system, overheated by both money, marketing and brand exhaustion, can run too hot, and when it needs to, let off steam. But there is also a natural upside. With Superman and The Fantastic Four not stopping at Comic-Con's Hall H on their global whistle-stop PR tours, space has opened up for all manner of things, from the indefatigable enfant terrible of animation, South Park, to the appropriately titled Dexter: Resurrection. And at the weekend, the granddaddy of it all, filmmaker George Lucas, is coming to Comic-Con, not to sell a Star Wars movie, or indeed to sell an action figure, Death Star play set or poster. He's coming to talk about a museum: the Lucas Museum of Narrative Arts.
The Age
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Pop culture at breaking point: Is the multibillion-dollar fan machine about to overheat?
In addition, there is no Game of Thrones, and The Walking Dead has slowed, at this point, to a cautious gait. Amazon's Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has a year off. How deeply that absence is felt by the fandom is as simple and complicated a question as, how long is a piece of string? You wouldn't think it's a thing, as this year's Comic-Con is making all the right commercial noises. In real terms, it's about the source of all that noise: the content. Peak TV sold us fewer channels and more streaming platforms – and now there's more content than ever, and we're scrambling to keep up. House of Cards, Stranger Things, Barbie, Strange New Worlds, Andor, Baby Reindeer, The Bear, Adolescence, Euphoria. We loved Sex and the City. We hate And Just Like That. We were tired of DC Studios, but baby we're back with Superman. We were tired of Marvel, but oh, baby we're so back with The Fantastic Four. This appetite has split open the seams of all the silos and social content, TV content and movie content, and an army of YouTubers are now just living in one giant noise machine, in the palm of your hand, and perpetually stuck, it often seems, one iOS update behind everyone else's. But there is an upside. 'Trash has given us an appetite for art,' wrote the legendary American film critic Pauline Kael, whose genius was confirmed when she was the first to acknowledge that The Empire Strikes Back was indeed the best film, cinematically, of the three original Star Wars films. In an essay for Harper's Bazaar, provocatively titled Trash, Art and the Movies, Kael offered this as an explanation for the power of pop culture: 'Good movies make you care, make you believe in possibilities again. If somewhere in the Hollywood-entertainment world someone has managed to break through with something that speaks to you, then it isn't all corruption.' Kael, who died in 2001, did not live through the era of reality TV, of the Kardashians, of the Real Housewives, or a landscape that sometimes places a billion-dollar motion picture and a scrappy YouTube home movie next to each other and, algorithmically speaking, chooses to elevate the latter. But she understood people, and pop culture. And that understanding gave her a rare insight into why we are all, underneath our hesitation, confidence and I'm-asking-for-a-friend dismissiveness, just a bunch of big fat superfans. That's what keeps the TV channels transmitting, and the movie theatres open, and Comic-Con in business. But the problem with our content-powered escape room is that the seams are beginning to split under the strain. In space, you may not be able to hear anyone scream, but sometimes the roar is so loud you can't hear yourself think. To some extent, that explains the rise of digital detoxes, and phrases such as 'conscious unplugging'. That's why some people are drifting into slow living, and shopping for 'dumb phones', which don't have apps, or easy texting capabilities, but rather depend on you dialling a number and having a real conversation. So, what does all of this mean for the world's trillion-dollar fan business? Nobody is going to stop buying Funko Pops tomorrow, and The Big Switch-Off is never going to be a real thing. But it does mean that the system, overheated by both money, marketing and brand exhaustion, can run too hot, and when it needs to, let off steam. But there is also a natural upside. With Superman and The Fantastic Four not stopping at Comic-Con's Hall H on their global whistle-stop PR tours, space has opened up for all manner of things, from the indefatigable enfant terrible of animation, South Park, to the appropriately titled Dexter: Resurrection. And at the weekend, the granddaddy of it all, filmmaker George Lucas, is coming to Comic-Con, not to sell a Star Wars movie, or indeed to sell an action figure, Death Star play set or poster. He's coming to talk about a museum: the Lucas Museum of Narrative Arts.
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jessica Chastain Infiltrates Hate Groups in First Look at The Savant, Release Date Set
Apple TV+ has revealed a first look at The Savant, an eight-episode limited series starring Oscar winner Jessica Chastain. The official logline reads: 'The tense and thrilling series follows an undercover investigator known as 'The Savant' (Chastain) as she infiltrates online hate groups in an effort to stop domestic extremists before they act.' Who is involved with Jessica Chastain in The Savant? Besides Chastain, The Savant's cast includes Nnamdi Asomugha, Cole Doman, Jordana Spiro, Trinity Lee Shirley, Toussaint Francois Battiste, and guest star Pablo Schreiber. The Savant is inspired by a true story based on the 2019 Cosmopolitan article 'Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens?' by Andrea Stanley. In the story, Stanley interviews a woman named 'K,' a former Marine and police officer who aided the FBI in flagging dangerous men online who could be national security threats. In 2009, K's online investigation aided in the arrest of Michael Finton, a terrorist who planned to bomb the Paul Findley Federal Building in Springfield, Illinois. Melissa James Gibson, an Emmy-nominated showrunner best known for her work on House of Cards, created The Savant for television. Executive producers include Chastain, Gibson, Kelly Carmichael, Alan Poul, Matthew Heineman, David Levine, and Garrett Kemble. Heineman directed the series. Stanley served as a consultant. The Savant originated at Fifth Season and was developed with Freckle Films and Anonymous Content. The Savant marks Chastain's first major role on television since 2022's George & Tammy. Chastain played Tammy Wynette, the country music icon who was in a tumultuous relationship with George Jones (Michael Shannon). Chastain received an Emmy nomination for her performance. The Savant premieres on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes on Friday, September 26, 2025. New episodes will be released every Friday through November 7, 2025. The post Jessica Chastain Infiltrates Hate Groups in First Look at The Savant, Release Date Set appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jessica Chastain Returns to TV as an Undercover Investigator in 'The Savant'
Jessica Chastain will soon be back on our television screens. (Thank God!) The Academy Award-winning actress is set to star in Apple TV+'s The Savant. Melissa James Gibson (Anatomy of a Scandal, House of Cards) is the showrunner, writer, and executive producer. Matthew Heineman (American Symphony) will direct and also executive produce. Here's everything we know about the forthcoming eight-episode limited series. What is The Savant about? The Savant is based on a 2019 Cosmopolitan feature by Andrea Stanley titled 'Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens?' The story chronicles the work of an undercover investigator known as 'The Savant' who infiltrates online hate groups to stop extremists before they commit deadly crimes. Stanley is also a consultant for the series. Who is in the cast? Jessica Chastain leads the show as the titular 'Savant.' She also serves as an executive producer. Nnamdi Asomugha (Sylvie's Love) plays her husband. Additional cast members include James Badge Dale (Hightown), Cole Doman (Gossip Girl), Jordana Spiro (Ozark), Trinity Lee Shirley (Da Bottomz), and Toussaint Francois Battiste (Godfather of Harlem). Pablo Schreiber (Halo) will appear as a guest star. Can I see a sneak peek? Yes! On July 23, Apple unveiled two first-look images: When does The Savant come out? The Savant will premiere its first two episodes on September 26, 2025, on Apple TV+. After that, new episodes will drop every Friday until November 7, 2025. This story will be updated. You Might Also Like The 15 Best Organic And Clean Shampoos For Any And All Hair Types 100 Gifts That Are $50 Or Under (And Look Way More Expensive Than They Actually Are) Solve the daily Crossword
Elle
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
Jessica Chastain Returns to TV as an Undercover Investigator in 'The Savant'
Jessica Chastain will soon be back on our television screens. (Thank God!) The Academy Award-winning actress is set to star in Apple TV+'s The Savant. Melissa James Gibson (Anatomy of a Scandal, House of Cards) is the showrunner, writer, and executive producer. Matthew Heineman (American Symphony) will direct and also executive produce. Here's everything we know about the forthcoming eight-episode limited series. The Savant is based on a 2019 Cosmopolitan feature by Andrea Stanley titled 'Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens?' The story chronicles the work of an undercover investigator known as 'The Savant' who infiltrates online hate groups to stop extremists before they commit deadly crimes. Stanley is also a consultant for the series. Jessica Chastain leads the show as the titular 'Savant.' She also serves as an executive producer. Nnamdi Asomugha (Sylvie's Love) plays her husband. Additional cast members include James Badge Dale (Hightown), Cole Doman (Gossip Girl), Jordana Spiro (Ozark), Trinity Lee Shirley (Da Bottomz), and Toussaint Francois Battiste (Godfather of Harlem). Pablo Schreiber (Halo) will appear as a guest star. Yes! On July 23, Apple unveiled two first-look images: The Savant will premiere its first two episodes on September 26, 2025, on Apple TV+. After that, new episodes will drop every Friday until November 7, 2025. This story will be updated.
