THE LAST DUEL : Tuesday 26th October 2021.

I saw 'THE LAST DUEL' at my local independent movie theatre earlier this week, and this MA15+ Rated historical drama film is Directed by Ridley Scott; written for the screen by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon, Co-Produced by Scott, Holofcener, Affleck and Damon and based on the 2004 book 'The Last Duel : A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France' by Eric Jager. Of course Ridley Scott is no stranger to historical dramas having helmed 'The Duellists' his 1977 debut feature film, '1492 : Conquest of Paradise' in 1992, 'Gladiator' in 2000, 'Kingdom of Heaven' in 2005, 'Robin Hood' in 2010 and 'Exodus : Gods and Kings' in 2014. This film was originally scheduled to begin a limited theatrical release at Christmas 2020, before going wide in early January this year, but as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the release date was delayed to mid-October 2021. It had its World Premiere screening at the Venice Film Festival in early September, before being released in the US and UK mid this month and here in Australia last week. It has garnered generally favourable Reviews, and has so far recouped US$19M off the back of a US$100M production budget. 

The film opens up with two heavily armoured knights on horseback racing towards each other with lances raised and shields poised to take the first blow, in an arena watched on by many of Paris' nobility, and the King of France, Charles VI. It is the 28th December 1386 and there is a thin blanket of snow covering the ground. The camera then cuts away, taking us back to 1370. The events leading up to the duel are divided into three chapters, reflecting the perspectives of Jean de Carrouges, Jacques Le Gris, and Marguerite de Carrouges, respectively.

Chapter One : The truth according to Jean de Carrouges

Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) is a soldier known to be fierce and unyielding in battle, is serving at Limoges in 1370 alongside the squire Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) - his long term friend. After seeing combat in Limoges against the wishes of the King, Le Gris thanks de Carrouges for saving his life. When Count Pierre d'Alencon (Ben Affleck) is named de Carrouges' overlord by his cousin, King Charles VI (Alex Lawther) both de Carrouges and Le Gris swear their fealty to him. Later Le Gris visits de Carrouges and informs him that d'Alencon has ordered all of his new vassals to pay their taxes to fund the war effort. de Carrouges explains he doesn't have the funds to pay and that he is broke. Le Gris agrees to ask d'Alencon, who has come to trust him as a confidant and advisor, for leniency in his case.

To restore his financial standing, de Carrouges marries Marguerite de Thibouville (Jodie Comer) and in the process receives a substantial dowry from her father Sir Robert de Thibouville (Nathaniel Parker) that includes valuable estates. He soon learns however, that one especially desirable parcel of land has already been seized by d'Alencon and given to Le Gris as a reward for Le Gris getting his finances in order. de Carrouges subsequently sues d'Alencon for the land to be given to him as it was promised to him in the dowry, but the King dismisses the lawsuit. The Count responds by appointing Le Gris to the captaincy of a fort that the de Carrouges' family had held for generations. Needless to say de Carrouges is mightily pissed off at this news and suspects Le Gris has turned d'Alencon against him.

Marguerite raises her concerns that they have no children, even after five years of marriage, but de Carrouges reassures her that whether they have children is in God's hands. While on a six month campaign in Scotland, he is knighted for bravery but returns home to be told by his wife that Le Gris raped her while she was alone in their home. Knowing that d'Alencon protects Le Gris, de Carrouges is adamant to challenge him to a duel to the death.

Chapter Two : The truth according to Jacque Le Gris

We go back to that battle at Limoges in 1370 and this time it is Le Gris who saves the life of de Carrouges in battle. In an early morning conversation with d'Alencon standing high up on his fort overlooking the French countryside, Le Gris recounts his humble early life and how he very briefly joined the church with designs on becoming a monk, but after a while decided it wasn't for him. Now however, he has earned the trust and respect of d'Alencon through his knowledge of Latin, reading and mathematics especially which has helped Le Gris to get the Counts finances in order and collecting, on his behalf, the debts owed to him by his vassels. Le Gris attempts to use his new position to help de Carrouges, but when d'Alencon showers him with gifts, as a show of gratitude, including the parcel of land promised to him as part of his wife's dowry, de Carrouges becomes envious and publicly mocks Le Gris.

When Le Gris sees Marguerite for the first time, he is instantly attracted to her and believes that she does not truly love her husband, who is illiterate and sees her only as a means for him to acquire a son and heir. Marguerite admits to her friends that Le Gris is indeed handsome but states that her husband does not trust him. While de Carrouges is away, his mother takes all the servants to help her with errands that day, leaving Marguerite alone, despite her husband advising that his wife is not be left home alone under any circumstances. Knowing this Le Gris gains entry to the household and declares his undying love for Marguerite. She insists that she is married and orders him to leave. Instead, Le Gris chases Marguerite up to her bedchamber. Le Gris then rapes her. In his mind, despite her protests and seemingly only mild objections he believes that Marguerite must love him. Before leaving, he advises her not to tell her husband, for upon hearing this news he would surely kill her, and he too will remain silent. 

Later d'Alencon tells Le Gris that de Carrouges is spreading news that he raped his wife. Le Gris, apparently shocked Marguerite perceived the incident as a rape, is advised by d'Alencon to deny, deny, deny the event. d'Alencon attempts to exert his authority to rule in favour of Le Gris, but de Carrouges has already appealed his case directly to the King and requested a duel to the death against Le Gris, who, determined to defend his honour, his name and his reputation, accepts de Carrouges' challenge.

Chapter Three : The truth according to Marguerite de Carrouges

Marguerite de Thibouville has entered into marriage with Jean de Carrouges and sets about helping him to restore his neglected estate to its former glory. Their marriage is soon strained by her failure to become pregnant, even after five years, and as de Carrouges leaves for Scotland, he reassures her that whether they have children is in God's hands. He also orders her not to leave their castle home and to not let anyone inside while he is away. 

de Carrouges' mother, Nicole de Buchard (Harriet Walter), takes all the servants with her on an errand for the day despite de Carrouges' order that Marguerite is not be left alone. Le Gris arrives with a servant who tricks Marguerite into letting them enter. Le Gris chases her up to her bedchamber and rapes her, with Marguerite screaming and crying for him to stop. When de Carrouges returns, Marguerite tells him what happened. He is enraged, and grabbing Marguerite by the neck demands to know if she provoked him. He then forces her to have sex with him immediately so that her last partner was not Le Gris. 

Marguerite, after praying in the chapel, is confronted by Nicole, who warns her against bringing Le Gris to trial, saying that she too was raped when she was younger and had to accept it as the way of the world so she could move on with her life, further stating that what Le Gris did to Marguerite is no different than French soldiers raping peasant women during wartime campaigns.

At Le Gris' trial in Paris, the judges interrogate Marguerite, who is now six months pregnant, six months after the rape. Is this coincidence given that she failed to conceive after more than five years of marriage they ask? She remains resolute in speaking the truth, even after being advised by the judges that should de Carrouges lose the duel she will be flayed and burned alive for bearing false witness against Le Gris, and that such a painful death can take between twenty to thirty minutes for the victim to die. The King in attendance, agrees to de Carrouges' request for a duel to the death. After the hearing Marguerite confronts de Carrouges for not informing her she would be killed if he fails, stating that their child could now grow up an orphan. When he defends himself by saying he is risking his life for her honour, she accuses him of prioritising his pride and his vanity over everything and eveyone else, including her life and that of their child's. Marguerite gives birth to their son, within just a few weeks of the duel. 

The 28th December comes around and the duel starts with de Carrouges and Le Gris jousting until both men lose their mounts and then fight hand-to-hand. de Carrouges is stabbed in the thigh but eventually manages to pin down Le Gris after he slashes him in the back of the leg with his sword. He demands that Le Gris confess or face ever lasting damnation, but Le Gris refuses and once again claims his innocence. de Carrouges stabs him through the mouth, killing him. No longer a prisoner, Marguerite is unchained and permitted to join her husband. As Le Gris' body is stripped naked and dragged away along the frozen ground by horses to be strung upside down for public display, de Carrouges and his wife depart the scene on horseback with de Carrouges soaking up the glory of his victory before the cheering crowds of Paris, while Marguerite follows quietly behind.

The final scene shows Marguerite and her no more than two year old son playing in the grounds of the family estate on a sun drenched day. An epilogue tells us that de Carrouges died fighting in the Crusades two or so years later while Marguerite continued managing the estate, living in peace for the remaining thirty years of her life and never marrying again.

This is a film that needs to be seen on the big screen and whilst the Reviews have generally been favourable, it would be disappointing for Scott and the studio that at the Box Office this historical drama has underperformed. Perhaps the reason for this, is that a story of this nature doesn't grab the hearts and minds of the younger cinema going demographic, but is instead aimed more squarely at an older 40+ demographic who are still a little ill at ease with venturing back into a movie theatre post-pandemic. Once again, here Scott has not neglected the production values which are top notch, the cinematography is first rate, the performances from the four seasoned leading players is credible, the action scenes expertly staged, and a clever script all help propel this medieval story along at a good pace. It could be seen as a forerunner to the 'Me Too' movement with themes of misogyny, patriarchy, rape and the issues faced by women in the 14th Century being not so far removed from the issues faced by women six hundred years later. My only gripe is that at a two-and-a-half-hour run time, Scott could easily have cut fifteen to twenty minutes out of this without too much detriment to the story, but nonetheless 'The Last Duel' is a well crafted historical film with a message grounded in todays world that will keep you invested right up until the brutal, bloody and bitter end. 

'The Last Duel' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 21st October 2021.

The 26th Busan International Film Festival in South Korea opened on 6th October and closed on 15th October. For this 26th edition 223 films from seventy countries were officially invited to the festival, which was attended by 76,072 people over the course of the ten days of the event. This years Opening Night film was the South Korean feature 'Heaven : To the Land of Happiness' Written and Directed by Im Sang-soo in which two gentlemen meet by chance and decide to go on an adventure together, with their journey becoming a quest for happiness. The Closing Night film was 'Anita' from China and Directed by Longmond Leung in this biopic of Canto pop idol, singer, actress and media-magnet Anita Mui, who died at the age of 40 in 2003. 

As for the awards presented at this years festival, the following were the happy winners and grinners within the main sections :-

New Currents - the main competition section at BIFF, which showcases the works by emerging Asian Directors, had eleven entries, and was won jointly by 'The Apartment with Two Women' from South Korea and Directed and Written by Kim Se-in; 'Farewell, My Hometown' from China and Directed and Written by Wang Er Zhou; and 'Seire' from South Korea and Written and Directed by Park Kang. 

A Window on Asian Cinema - in which seven films are selected to compete for the Kim Jiseok award, with the award being jointly presented to 'Gensan Punch' from the Philippines and Directed by Brillante Mendoza; and 'The Rapist' from India and Directed and Written by Aparna Sen. 

Korean Cinema Today - Vision Section saw twelve selections showcased as World Premiere screenings, from which four films were chosen as joint award winners. These being 'Chorokbam' Directed by Yoon Seo-jin; 'Hot in Day, Cold at Night' Directed by Park Song-yeol; 'A Lonely Island in the Distant Sea' Directed by Kim Miyoung and 'Through My Midwinter' Directed by Oh Seong-ho. 

Flash Forward - features the films that have already won awards or become a hot topic at other film festivals. This section saw nine entries and was won by 'Mass' from the US and Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Fran Kranz. 

In addition, the following awards were also presented to : Kwon Daham as Actor of the Year for 'Through My Midwinter'; to Lim Ji-ho as Actress of the Year for 'The Apartment with Two Women'; the FIPRESCI Award was presented to 'Seire' and Director Park Kang; and the new Watcha Award was presented to 'Through My Midwinter' and 'The Apartment with Two Women' by Oh Seong-ho and Kim See-in respectively. 

For further details on all the sections, and the awards presented at the 26th Busan International Film Festival, you can visit the official website at : https://www.biff.kr

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the coming week.

'THE LAST DUEL' (Rated MA15+) - this historical drama film is Directed by Ridley Scott; written for the screen by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon, Co-Produced by Scott, Holofcener, Affleck and Damon and based on the 2004 book 'The Last Duel : A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France' by Eric Jager. Of course Ridley Scott is no stranger to historical dramas have helmed 'The Duellists' his 1977 debut feature film, '1492 : Conquest of Paradise' in 1992, 'Gladiator' in 2000, 'Kingdom of Heaven' in 2005, 'Robin Hood' in 2010 and 'Exodus : Gods and Kings' in 2014. This film was originally scheduled to begin a limited theatrical release at Christmas 2020, before going wide in early January this year, but as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the release date was delayed to mid-October 2021. It had its World Premiere at the Venice Film Festival in early September, before being release in the US and UK last week and here in Australia this week. It has garnered generally favourable Reviews.

Based on actual events, the film unravels long-held assumptions about France's last sanctioned duel between Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) and Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), two friends turned bitter rivals. Carrouges is a respected knight known for his bravery and skill on the battlefield. Le Gris is a Norman squire whose intelligence and eloquence make him one of the most admired nobles in court. Here then it is 1386 in the midst of the Hundred Years War, when Carrouges' wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer), is viciously assaulted by Le Gris, a charge he denies, but she refuses to stay silent, stepping forward to accuse her attacker, an act of bravery and defiance that puts her life in jeopardy. It is the last legally sanctioned duel in France's history. The ensuing trial by combat, a gruelling duel to the death, places the fate of all three in God's hands. Also starring Ben Affleck, Alex Lawther, Marton Csokas and Harriet Walter.

'MALIGNANT' (Rated R18+) - is an American supernatural horror film Directed, Co-Produced and based on an original story by Australian film maker James Wan, whose previous directorial outings include 'Saw' in 2004, 'Insidious' in 2010, 'The Conjuring' and 'Insidious : Chapter 2' in 2013, 'Furious 7' in 2015, 'The Conjuring 2' in 2016 and 'Aquaman' in 2018. Originally slated for a mid-August 2020 release, the film was pulled from the schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was subsequently released in France on 1st September, then the US on 10th September, having so far grossed US$30M off the back of a US$40M production budget, and so far generating mixed or average Reviews. Here then, Madison (Annabelle Wallis) is paralysed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities as she decides to find and save the victims. Also starring Mckenna Grace as the young Madison, with Maddie Hasson, George Young, Michole Briana White, and Jacqueline McKenzie also starring.

'THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN' (Rated MA15+) - this international co-produced drama film is Directed and Written by Kaouther Ben Hania, and was nominated as the Tunisian entry for the Best International Feature film at this years Academy Awards and has garnered positive Critical acclaim. Sam Ali (Yahya Mahayni), a young sensitive and impulsive Syrian, left his country for Lebanon to escape the war. To be able to travel to Europe and live with the love of his life, he accepts to have his back tattooed by one of by the World's most controversial contemporary artists. Turning his own body into a prestigious piece of art, Sam will however, come to realise that his decision might actually mean anything but freedom. Also starring Dea Liane, Monica Bellucci and Koen De Bouw. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Venice International Film Festival in early September 2020, where Yahya Mahayni won the Best Actor Award.

'LOVE YOU LIKE THAT' (Rated M) - this Aussie RomCom is Directed, Written and Co-Produced by first time feature film maker Eric C. Nash. The mysterious appearance of a young woman washed up naked and unconscious on the beach of the coastal town of Seafront Sands, turns the sleepy town into a tailspin. Is she a mermaid, why does she have amnesia, what is going on with her craving for coffee? The young woman has a profound effect on everyone she comes into contact with and as the people of Seafront Sands are celebrating the Town’s Holiday event, they are buzzing, and excitement is in the air. Little do they know, the arrival of a mysterious woman will make them all believe that true love is just a day away. Starring Mitchell Hope, Allira Jaques, John Jarratt and Chris Haywood. 

'BECOMING COUSTEAU' (Rated M) - is an American documentary film Directed and Co-Produced by Liz Garbus whose numerous documentaries, and feature films include her debut in 1998 with 'The Farm : Angola, USA', 'Bobby Fischer Against the World' in 2011, 'Love, Marilyn' in 2012, 'What Happened, Miss Simone?' in 2015, 'Lost Girls' in 2020, and 'All In : The Fight for Democracy' also in 2020. This film saw its World Premier showcasing at the Telluride Film Festival on 2nd September this year, had its International Premier at TIFF the following week and is released in the US and in selected cinema's in Australia this week having generated largely favourable Reviews. The film takes a deep dive into the life, passions, achievements and tragedies surrounding the famous explorer and environmentalist Jacques Cousteau, featuring an archive of newly restored footage. It focuses on the inventor-explorer-environmentalist-filmmaker revolution - giving mankind the resources to explore the ocean with the Aqua Lung, calling attention to ocean pollution, and his longtime collaboration with the National Geographic Society.

With five new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Odeon's closed, productions halted, movies delayed : the impact of the coronavirus - Part 2

Usually on a Wednesday I would report on the latest release new movies coming to an Odeon near you in Australia during the week commencing tomorrow. But as cinemas all around the country and elsewhere are temporarily closed, this week and for the foreseeable future this is not to be. So, as the world remains in lockdown, self isolation is the new de rigueur, and the vast majority of the worlds countries are suffering from the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak that has seen large social gatherings forbidden, stores and businesses shut their doors indefinitely, millions of people now working from home or stood down, the global economy on an ever descending downward spiral, borders closed, airlines grounded, and all but essential services and retailers still operating. And, as at the time of writing, there still remains no end in sight! What we do know, as history tells us, that this pandemic will pass, eventually, but who knows when, and who knows what the world will look like on the other side?

And so last week I reported on all the latest big movies that were slated for release over the next six months or so, that have subsequently been pushed back to some future date either later on this year, or next year, or at an as yet undisclosed date. This week I turn attention to all of those movies that were in production at the time the global pandemic was announced and as a consequence have taken a hiatus from their filming schedule until such time as a sense of normality is restored.

So, in case you were wondering what the production status is of the big movies that were filming at the time the outbreak took hold, here is what we know of them so far :-

* KING RICHARD' - is a biographical drama film Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and stars Will Smith as Richard Williams, Saniyya Sidney as Venus Williams, Demi Singleton as Serena Williams with Jon Bernthal, Liev Schreiber, and Dylan McDermott. Filming commenced in Los Angeles in January, but was halted temporarily in March. The film remains slated for a 25th November 2020 release.

* 'THE LAST DUEL' - this historical drama thriller film is Directed by Ridley Scott, and is based on the book 'The Last Duel : A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France' by Eric Jager. The screenplay is Co-Written by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Nicole Holofcener and stars Matt Damon in the lead role supported by Adam Driver, Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck. Filming began in France on 14th February and was due to move to Ireland in March, but production was halted on the 13th March for an unidentified period. The film is due for release 8th January 2021.

* 'SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS' -  is a Superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Shang-Chi. Produced by Marvel Studios it is intended to be the 26th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi (Marvel's first film with an Asian lead Actor). Also starring Tony Leung, Awkwafina and Ronny Chieng. Filming began in Sydney, Australia in February but was halted on 13th March, with a release date now scheduled for 7th May 2021.

* 'THE MATRIX 4' - is a Sci-Fi action film and the fourth instalment in 'The Matrix' franchise beginning with 1999's 'The Matrix' and continuing with two sequels, 'The Matrix Reloaded' and 'The Matrix Revolutions' (both in 2003). The film is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Lana Wachowski, one of the two Wachowskis who Directed the previous three films. Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Lambert Wilson reprise their roles from previous films in the series. Production began in San Francisco on 4th February, but later on in March production was halted. The film is set for a release date of 21st May 2021.

* 'JURASSIC WORLD : DOMINION' -  is a Sci-Fi adventure film Directed, Co-Written for the screen and based on a story by Colin Trevorrow, who also Directed 2015's 'Jurassic World'. This sequel to the 2018's 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom', it is the sixth film in the 'Jurassic Park' franchise and the final film in the 'Jurassic World' trilogy. The film stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Jake Johnson, Omar Sy, Daniella Pineda, Justice Smith, Isabella Sermon, and B.D. Wong who all reprise their roles from previous instalments. Principal photography began on 24th February in British Columbia, then moved to England, and on 13th March production was halted for an indefinite period. The film is due to be released on 11th June 2021.

* 'THE BATMAN' -  this Superhero film is based on the DC Comics character of the same name, who we all know and love. Produced by DC Films it is developed as the tenth film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and a reboot of the 'Batman' film franchise. Directed, Co-Written and Co-Produced by Matt Reeves the film stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman with  Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell. Filming began in London, England in late January but was halted indefinitely. The film is slated for a 25th June 2021 release.

* MISSION : IMPOSSIBLE 7' - this action spy film is Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Christopher McQuarrie, and starring Tom Cruise, who reprises his role as Ethan Hunt once again. It is the seventh installment of the 'Mission : Impossible' film franchise and the third film to be Directed by McQuarrie after 2015's 'Rogue Nation' and 2018's 'Fallout'. The cast includes Henry Czerny, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, and Vanessa Kirby, all of whom reprise their roles from the previous films, along with Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, and Nicholas Hoult, who will join the franchise. Filming was due to begin on 20th February in Venice for three weeks before moving to Rome for another six weeks however, due to the coronavirus pandemic becoming more pronounced in Italy, production in the country was suspended. The film is due to be released on 23rd July 2021.

* 'ELVIS' - this Biopic is Directed, Co-Produced and Co-Written for the screen by Baz Luhrmann and charts the life and career of Rock 'n' Roll legend Elvis Presley. Starring Austin Butler as Elvis with Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker and Olivia DeJonge, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Rufus Sewell. Filming began in Australia in January, but was subsequently put on hold when Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were both positively diagnosed with Covid-19. The film is scheduled for release on 1st October 2021.

* 'FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM 3' - this third instalment in the fantasy spin-off and prequel series to the 'Harry Potter' franchise is Written by J.K.Rowling and Directed once more by David Yates. Starring Eddie Redmayne as our young wizarding hero Newt Scamander with Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Zoe Kravitz and Jessica Williams reprising their roles from the previous films. Production was due to begin in late March, with much of the schedule being filmed in Brazil. However, photography didn't even get started and has been delayed until an undisclosed date. The release however, is still slated for 12th November 2021.

* 'UNCHARTED' - based on the popular action adventure video game series that launched in 2007, the main series of games follows Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter who travels across the world to uncover various historical mysteries. The film is Directed by Ruben Fleischer and stars Tom Holland as Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg as Victor Sullivan with Antonio Banderas. Filming was due to start in Berlin, Germany in mid-March but was halted for a minimum of six weeks when much of Europe closed its borders and countries were forced into lock down. The film is now slated for release on 8th December 2021.

* 'AVATAR 2 and 3' - these epic Sci-Fi films are the first two of four planned sequels to the hugely successful 2009 film 'Avatar' and is once again Directed, Co-Produced, Co-Written, and Co-Edited by James Cameron. Featuring an all star cast many of whom are reprising their roles from the first film, namely Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Lang, with Sigourney Weaver returning in a different role, joined by the likes of  Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, Oona Chaplin, David Thewlis, Vin Diesel, and C. J. Jones. 'Avatar 2' started production and began preliminary shooting in mid-August 2017, with Manhattan Beach, California as the main shooting location, and principal photography started in late September 2017, simultaneously with 'Avatar 3'. On November 14, 2018, Cameron announced filming with the principal performance capture cast had been completed. It was then reported that live-action filming for 'Avatar 2 and 3' would commence in New Zealand in the spring of 2019. Filming for 2019 concluded in late November, and would continue in 2020 in New Zealand. Come mid-March this year and it was announced that the filming of the Avatar sequel films in New Zealand had been postponed indefinitely and that production would remain in Los Angeles. However, virtual production will continue in Manhattan Beach, California while visual effects will continue at Weta Digital in Wellington. 'Avatar 2' is set for a release date of 17th December 2021, and 'Avatar 3' on 22nd December 2023.

* 'NIGHTMARE ALLEY' - is a psychological thriller film Directed, Co-Produced, and Co-Written for the screen by Guillermo del Toro and based on the 1946 book of the same name by William Lindsay Gresham. Featuring an all star cast that takes in Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Ron Perlman, Rooney Mara, David Strathairn, and Holt McCallany, filming began on 21st January and was halted on 13th March indefinitely. No release date for the film has yet been publicised.

* 'RED NOTICE' - is an action comedy thriller film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber. Starring Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot filming began in Atlanta, Georgia in January and was then due to move to Italy. When the pandemic became more virulent in Italy it was announced on 14th March that production would be shut down for at least two weeks . . . and counting! Originally scheduled for a June 12th 2020 release, this subsequently got moved to 13th November 2020, the film was then picked up by Netflix who have as yet not revealed a planned release date.

* 'THE LITTLE MERMAID' - this live action remake of Disney's classic animated feature film from 1989 which gave rise to a direct-to-video sequel, a prequel film, a spin-off television series, a musical, several video games, theme park attractions, and other merchandise is Directed by Rob Marshall. Based on the story by Hans Christian Anderson and starring Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Idris Elba, Megan Fox, Alan Cumming, Halle Berry, Lupita Nyong'o amongst others, filming was due to commence in April, but was halted in March, with no planned release date yet announced.

* 'HOME ALONE' - this reboot of the 1990 classic Christmas comedy film of the same name will be the sixth instalment in the franchise which saw the first two, and undoubtedly the most successful in the series, Directed by Chris Columbus and starring Macauley Culkin in the lead role as the eight year old kid left 'home alone' during the Christmas holidays. Filming was due to take place in Montreal between February and April but come mid-March and Disney announced a wholesale halt to its production schedule until further notice. Archie Yates has been cast in the lead role, with allegedly a reprisal of the Kevin McCallister character by Macauley Culkin also making an appearance. No release date has yet been announced.

And so this just about brings you up to date with many of the movie productions whose filming has been temporarily halted for who knows how long that this pesky virus thing continues to hang around for. Stay tuned, keep it here and remain safe . . . indoors!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-