TOP GUN : MAVERICK - Tuesday 31st May 2022.

I saw the M Rated 'TOP GUN : MAVERICK' earlier this week and it is finally here, after its originally scheduled release date of mid-July 2019 was pushed back to allow for the production team to work on the elaborate action flight sequences, and was reset for late June 2020. It was then moved to Christmas 2020 because of the COVID-19 outbreak and then delayed again to early July 2021 due to scheduling conflicts and the ongoing escalation of the global pandemic. It was further pushed back to a mid-November 2021 release before its final delay to last week for a global release, following its World Premier at CinemaCon in late April and a screening at the Cannes Film Festival earlier in May in an Official Selection Screening, where it received a five-minute standing ovation. This film is the sequel to the 1986 film 'Top Gun' and is Directed by Joseph Kosinski whose previous film making credits are 'Tron : Legacy','Oblivion' and 'Only the Brave' with the upcoming 'Spiderhead' due for a release on Netflix from mid-June. This film cost US$170M to produce, has so far grossed US$391M and has garnered widespread critical acclaim, with many saying that it is better than Tony Scott's original. 

Following on from the events of 'Top Gun' albeit thirty years down the track, Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell (Tom Cruise), has remained a US Navy test pilot in order to deliberately avoid promotion which would see him grounded rather than doing what he loves - flying. Rear Admiral Chester 'Hammer' Cain (Ed Harris) has plans to visit the airbase where Maverick is located to shut down the hypersonic 'Darkstar' scramjet programme and redirect the funds to drone programmes which he sees as the future. Maverick has taken the jet to MACH 9.0 before but needs to prove that it can fly at MACH 10.0 and so takes the prototype to its speed objective before Cain arrives, and ultimately takes it to MACH 10.3 pushing it yet further into the boundaries of its capability, and ends up destroying the prototype and parachuting to safety before the jet crashes down to Earth and erupting in a ball of flame. Cain is poised to ground Maverick for his recklessness, but his friend and former rival Admiral Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky (Val Kilmer), now commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, intervenes and orders Maverick to NAS North Island as a TOPGUN instructor. 

Upon arrival as North Island, Maverick is ordered to train an elite group of pilots assembled by Vice Admiral Beau 'Cyclone' Simpson (Jon Hamm) and Rear Admiral Solomon 'Warlock' Bates (Charles Parnell) to bomb an undisclosed uranium enrichment plant that is seen by the Pentagon as a threat to the USA. The plant sits in a deep gully with steep mountain terrain on all sides and at the end of a winding canyon and is defended by surface-to-air missile batteries and both old and new enemy aircraft. Maverick plans an attack with two pairs of F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jets, which will fly through the canyon and destroy the plant, while also exceeding the Hornet's general flight and operating instruction limits. Maverick is initially rebuffed by the pilots, particularly by Lieutenant Jake 'Hangman' Seresin (Glen Powell) and more so by Lieutenant Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of Maverick's former best friend and Radar Intercept Officer Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, who died so tragically in the first film.

As the pilots train for their mission watched on closely by Cyclone and Warlock, animosity develops between Hangman and Rooster, who resents Hangman's cavalier attitude towards his wingmen, while Hangman criticises Rooster's caution. As the pilots observe and succumb to Maverick's skill as a pilot they reassess and amalgamate around him. Maverick also reunites with former girlfriend Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connolly), who now owns and runs a popular bar on North Island, and who he hasn't seen for the last three years. He admits that partly the reason for Rooster's reluctance to bond with him is because after Rooster's late mother Carolyn made him promise to keep her son from flying, he blocked Rooster's application to the Naval Academy, setting his career back by four years. Maverick later meets with Iceman, who now has throat cancer and communicates by typing. Iceman reassures Maverick about teaching the pilots before passing away days later. Maverick and the pilots attend his funeral with full military honours. 

With Iceman gone, Cyclone removes Maverick as mission trainer and takes over setting new parameters that are less risky on going in but more risky on coming out. However, Maverick makes an unsanctioned flight of the simulated course with the original parameters, proving that it could be done within a two-and-a-half minute timeframe. Cyclone is reluctantly convinced, and appoints Maverick as the strike leader in a F/A-18E Super Hornet.

The day of reckoning arrives, brought forward by one week because the uranium enriching plant was taking receipt of its uranium deposits a week ahead of schedule. Maverick chooses and pairs himself with pilot 'Phoenix' (Monica Barbaro) and her Weapon Systems Officer 'Bob' (Lewis Pullman) in a two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet, while Rooster is paired with 'Payback' (Jay Ellis) and his Weapon Systems Officer 'Fanboy' (Danny Ramirez). Hangman and the remaining pilots are put on standby. The team launches from an aircraft carrier while a cruiser fires Tomahawk cruise missiles to destroy the landing strip at the air base near the plant. The strike team reaches the plant and destroy it. They are attacked by surface-to-air missiles and a pair of patrolling Su-57 fighters. When Rooster runs out of countermeasures, Maverick sacrifices his jet to protect him and ejects. The remaining aircraft return to the carrier, believing Maverick was killed in action. Against specific orders issued by Cyclone, Rooster turns back and saves Maverick from an Mi-24 helicopter gunship, but is shot down immediately afterwards by another surface-to-air missile and ejects nearby. The two reunite and head towards the destroyed airbase, where they steal an old albeit still working F-14 Tomcat and head back to the carrier. Maverick and Rooster get into a dog-fight with two intercepting Su-57's ultimately shooting them down, but as third arrives and begins to attack they run out of their own missiles, bullets and incoming missile countermeasures. Hangman arrives from standby to shoot down the Su-57, and the planes return to cheers on the carrier, where Maverick thanks Rooster for saving his life, and Rooster says that's what his dad would have done. The pair reconcile their differences.

Following the mission, Maverick and Rooster are seen working together to restore a P-51 Mustang at a hangar close to the test facility where Maverick was previously stationed. Penny arrives with her daughter Amelia (Lyliana Wray), and Maverick takes her for a ride in the P-51.

'Top Gun : Maverick' is a fist thumping, heart pounding, edge of your seat, adrenalin packed thrill ride film that will leave audiences remembering why they go to a movie theatre in the first place - to see big screen blockbuster action spectacle writ large. And this film doesn't disappoint in any of those departments. The aerial flight sequences of which there are plenty, deliver in spades, thanks to Tom Cruise penchant for keeping his practical stunt work real and putting all his other 'pilots' through the same rigorous training regime to deliver the viewer the bona fide in-cockpit experience. The film has fast paced thrilling flying sequences at its core, but it also has emotion, heart, humour and drama that elevates it above the 1986 original, whilst maintaining some of the touchstones from 'Top Gun', including that this is a Don Simpson / Jerry Bruckheimer production, even though the former died twenty-five years ago; the Kenny Loggins 'Danger Zone' plays in the opening sequence aboard the aircraft carrier; Rooster sits down at the piano in Penny's bar and belts out 'Great Balls of Fire' just as his Dad Goose did; and the closing credits make tribute to the memory of Tony Scott, who Directed the original and who died in 2012. All of that said, it is glorious eye candy that still proves that Tom Cruise still has what it takes in the action stakes and continues to raise the bar in all of his own stunt work while bringing an ensemble cast who together are greater than the sum of their parts, and Joseph Kosinski has proven his deft touch at big action spectacle whilst keeping the human element grounded. See this film on the biggest screen you can. 

'Top Gun : Maverick' merits five claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 26th May 2022.

The fourth Cheltenham International Film Festival, held in the town of Cheltenham, in the county of Gloucestershire, England, launched only in 2019 and made an instant impact, with the Opening Night film that year being 'Sometimes Always Never' with Bill Nighy. 2020 saw 'Lost Transmissions' with Simon Pegg as the festival opener and last year, 2021, it was 'The Father' with Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman. This years festival runs from Monday 23rd May through until Friday 3rd June, with 'The Good Boss' starring Javier Bardem being selected to open this festival. The Closing Night film is 'Both Sides of the Blade' with Juliette Binoche.

There are eight films in Official Competition, those being :-

* 'You Resemble Me' - from the US, France and Egypt, this drama film is Directed, Co-Written, Co-Produced and stars Dina Amer in her Directorial debut. When two young sisters are torn apart, the eldest loses her identity and transforms into someone new in the name of belonging and resistance.

* 'Queen of Glory' - this US film is Directed, Written and stars Nana Mensah in her film making debut and she has already collected seven award wins and another eight nominations from around the awards and festival circuit for her efforts with this feature comedy. Here, Ghanaian-American Sarah is all set to abandon her Ivy League doctoral programme to follow her married lover across the country.

* 'Jump, Darling' - is a Canadian film, Directed, Co-Written and Co-Produced by Phil Connell in his feature film making debut with the film winning ten awards and a further three nominations from around the awards and festival circuit. The film tells the story of a rookie drag queen, reeling from a break-up, who escapes to the country, where he finds his grandmother in steep decline yet desperate to avoid the local nursing home.

* 'As in Heaven' - from Denmark, this drama film is Directed, written for the screen and Co-Produced by Tea Lindeburg in her first feature as Director and this film has so far picked up three award wins and another three nominations from around the festival circuit. Set on a farm in the late 1800's an intense waiting begins when a mother goes into a complicated labour, and her 14-year-old daughter must prepare herself for a night that may change her life forever.

* 'Miracle' - is a Romanian Czech Republic and Latvian drama co-production that is Directed, Written, Co-Produced and Edited by Bogdan George Apetri in his third feature film making effort, with this film so far collecting two award wins and another four nominations from across the festivals circuit. Here, a young nun sneaks out of her monastery to attend an urgent matter but never makes it back and a Police Detective's investigation into her fate, uncovers clues and revelations that lead not only to the truth but a miracle too.

* 'Hit the Road' - this Iranian drama film is Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Panah Panahai in her first Writer, Director, Producer effort for which she has already gained critical acclaim by winning eight awards and a further ten nominations from around the festivals circuit. The film follows a chaotic, tender family on a road trip across a rugged landscape and fussing over the sick dog and getting on each others' nerves. Only the mysterious older brother is quiet.

* 'Girl Picture' - from Finland this romance film is Directed by Alli Haapasalo in her third feature film making outing, for which she has so far won one award and been nominated another four times at the Berlin, Cleveland and Sundance Film Festivals. Here, three girls are at the cusp of womanhood and trying to draw their own contours. In three consecutive Fridays, two of them experience the earth moving effects of falling in love, while the third goes on a quest to find something she's never experienced before, pleasure.

* 'Olga' - this French, Swiss and Ukrainian sports drama film is Directed and Written by Elie Grappe in his first feature film offering, for which he has won critical acclaim by winning, thus far, eight awards and a further eleven nominations from around the festivals circuit. While in exile in Switzerland, a fifteen-year-old Ukrainian gymnast prepares for the European Gymnastics Championships when the Maidan Uprising protests, demonstrations and social unrest begin in Kyiv in November 2013. 

For more information on the 2022 Cheltenham International Film Festival, you can go to the official website at : https://www.cheltfilm.com/

Turning back to this week then, we have five new films to tease you out to your local Odeon on a cool near Winter's evening, launching with a much delayed and highly anticipated sequel to a 1986 blockbuster that sees one of the Navy's top aviators, who after more than thirty years of service is right where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him, until one day he is tasked with training a bunch of graduates for a potentially deadly mission. This is followed by a horror offering from Finland about a young gymnast, who tries desperately to please her demanding mother, discovers a strange egg, which she hides and keeps warm, until it hatches, and when it does what emerges shocks them all. Next up with have French crime drama set in 1950's Paris, where a young girl dressed in an evening gown is found dead in a square, with the Chief Inspector attempting to identify her and investigate what happened to the victim. Then we have an Aussie doco about an Opera Singer who thought he knew his grandfather Bill, until an unearthed film reel suggests he might have been the first ever Aboriginal filmmaker. And we close out the weeks new releases with an American animated film based on a popular animated TV series that sees a ruptured water main create an enormous sinkhole right in front of this guys fast food restaurant blocking the entrance indefinitely and ruining his plans for a successful summer, until the kids try to solve the mystery that might just help save the family business.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release new films 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.

'TOP GUN : MAVERICK' (Rated M) - is finally here, after its originally scheduled release date of mid-July 2019 was pushed back to allow for the production team to work on the elaborate action flight sequences, and was reset for late June 2020. It was then moved to Christmas 2020 because of the COVID-19 outbreak and then delayed again to early July 2021due to scheduling conflicts and the ongoing escalation of the global pandemic. It was further pushed back to a mid-November 2021 release before its final delay to this week for a global release, following its World Premier at CinemaCon in late April and a screening at the Cannes Film Festival last week in an Official Selection Screening, where it received a five-minute standing ovation. This film is the sequel to the 1986 film 'Top Gun' and is Directed by Joseph Kosinski whose previous film making credits are 'Tron : Legacy', 'Oblivion' and 'Only the Brave' with the upcoming 'Spiderhead' due for a release on Netflix from mid-June. This film cost US$152M to produce and has garnered widespread critical acclaim, with many saying that it is better than Tony Scott's original. 

After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell (Tom Cruise, who also Co-Produces here) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would see him grounded. When he finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialised high stakes mission Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: 'Rooster', the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka 'Goose'. Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it. Also starring Val Kilmer reprising his role as Admiral Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky, with Jennifer Connolly, Jon Hamm, Ed Harris, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Monica Barbaro, Jay Ellis and Danny Ramirez. 

'HATCHING' (Rated MA15+) - this body horror film from Finland is Directed by Hannah Bergholm in her feature film debut, and it saw its World Premier screening at this years Sundance Film Festival at the end of January. The film centres on Tinja (Siiri Solalinna), a young gymnast desperate to please her mother (Sophia Heikkila), a woman obsessed with presenting the image of a perfect family to the world through her popular blog. One day, Tinja finds a wounded bird in the woods and she brings its mysterious egg home with her. She nestles the egg in the warmth of her bed and gently nurtures it until it hatches. She names the creature that emerges Alli, and cares for it as it becomes her closest friend and a living nightmare and it grows into a doppelgänger that acts upon Tinja's repressed emotions and a twisted reality that her Mum refuses to see. The film has garnered critical acclaim, and has so far recouped US$476K from a budget of US$4.2M 

'MAIGRET' (Rated M) - this French and Belgian Co-Produced crime drama film is Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Patrice Leconte whose previous film credits include the multi-award winning and nominated 'Monsieur Hire' in 1989, 'Ridicule' in 1996, 'Girl on the Bridge' in 1999, 'The Man on the Train' in 2002 and 'A Promise' in 2013. This film is an adaptation of the novel 'Maigret et la jeune morte' by Georges Simenon, published in 1954 and featuring the Police Detective Jules Maigret. Set in the 1950's, the body of young woman is found dead in a square on Place Vintimille The victim is dressed in an evening gown and possesses no identifying documents. The Commissionaire of Police Jules Maigret (Gerard Depardieu) and his men are in charge of the investigation and seek to uncover the young woman's identity, and what happened to her. The day before, she rented her dress from a neighbourhood shop. The film has so far taken US$4.5M off the back of a production budget of US$6.35M, and has garnered generally positive Reviews so far since its release in its native France at the end of February. 

'ABLAZE' (Rated PG) - is an Australian documentary film Co-Written and Co-Directed by Alec Morgan and Tiriki Onus. Here the opera singer, playwright, educator and film maker Tiriki Onus finds a seventy year old silent film locked inside a vault that he believes was made by his grandfather, Aboriginal leader and film maker Bill Onus. As Tiriki travels across Australia and pieces together clues to the film’s origins, he discovers more about Bill, his fight for Aboriginal rights and the price he paid for speaking out, while changing the course of history. Bill and his supporters brilliantly orchestrated their campaign for equality through performance, entertainment, film and sheer audacity, and, they were able to outsmart far mightier forces seeking to destroy Indigenous cultures, languages, and communities.

'THE BOB'S BURGERS MOVIE' (Rated PG) - this American animated musical comedy film is based on the animated television series 'Bob's Burgers' created by Loren Bouchard, who Co-Wrote, Co-Produced, and Directed in his feature film Directorial debut along with Bernard Derriman. Initially scheduled for a cinema release back in mid-July 2020, it was pulled for a whole host of reasons including the impacts of COVID-19 and then rescheduled and pulled back several times thereafter, before this week in the US and Australia was finally cast in stone. Here then a ruptured water main creates a sinkhole right in front of Bob's Burgers, blocking the entrance and ruining the Belchers' plans for a successful summer. While Bob (H. Jon Benjamin) and Linda (John Roberts) struggle to keep the business afloat, the kids try to solve a mystery that could save their family's restaurant. Also starring the voices of Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman, Larry Murphy, Kristen Schaal, Zach Galifianakis, and Kevin Kline who reprise their characters voices from the original TV series.

With five new release movie offerings 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!

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 all but twenty 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 is no end in sight! All that we know is that this global pandemic will pass . . . eventually, but who knows when, and who knows what the world will look like on the other side?

In Australia, movie theatres across the land closed their doors some three weeks ago now, as they did in many other countries around the world. At around about the same time television and film productions were halted indefinitely or cancelled altogether and the Studios who had their movies slated for imminent release have moved back those scheduled release dates to later in the year, or next year, or to some future unspecified date.

So, in case you were wondering what the status is of the big movies originally scheduled for release during the coming months, here is what we know of them so far :-

* 'THE HUNT' - this Blumhouse produced horror thriller is Directed by Craig Zobel and stars Betty Gilpin, Amy Madigan, Hilary Swank, Emma Roberts, Ethan Suplee, and Ike Barinholtz and was released Stateside on 13th March. One week later it was pulled from any further theatrical releases and it was then made available on digital streaming services.

* 'A QUIET PLACE : PART II' - the follow up film to John Krasinski's hugely successful 2018 horror  thriller film is Directed and Written once again by John Krasinski, and stars his wife Emily Blunt with Cillian Murphy, Noah Jupe, Millicent Simmonds, Djimon Hounsou and Krasinski in newly film flash backs. The film was scheduled for an 19th March release, and has since been delayed until 4th September 2020.

* 'PETER RABBIT 2 : THE RUNAWAY' - this live action computer animated comedy film is based on the characters created by Beatrix Potter over one hundred years ago, and is the sequel to 2018's 'Peter Rabbit'. Directed by Will Gluck and starring in live action roles are Domhnall Gleeson, Rose Byrne and David Oyelowo with voices provided by James Cordon, Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki, Lennie James, Sam Neill, Ewen Leslie and Damon Herriman. This film was also scheduled for a 19th March release and has since been put back until 15th January 2021.

* THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD' - this comedy drama offering based on the original story by Charles Dickens was released in the UK in late January, and is Directed, Co-Produced, and Co-Written for the screen by Armando Iannucci, and stars Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Peter Capaldi, Hugh Laurie, Ben Whishaw, Paul Whitehouse, Benedict Wong, Aneurin Barnard, Gwendoline Christie, and Morfydd Clark. The film was scheduled for a release in Australia on 26th March. Earlier that month the film was pulled from its further release schedule, and a re-release date has yet to be confirmed. This Reviewer saw an early screening of the film however, back in February at Sydney's Open Air Cinema, so you can check out my Review, to see what you missed.

* 'MULAN' - this Disney live action remake of their 1998 animated feature film was initially scheduled for a 26th March release, but that has now been pushed back to an unspecified future date. Directed by Niki Caro and starring Liu Yifei, Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, Jet Li, and Tzi Ma.

* 'THE NEW MUTANTS' - this Superhero horror film intended to be an instalment of the 'X-Men' franchise has been plagued by release date delays, but the most recently publicised date was for an 3rd April release time frame which has now been pushed back to an unspecified date, although expected to be some time in later 2020. Directed by Josh Boone and starring Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Blu Hunt and Henry Zaga as the five new young mutants.

* 'ARTEMIS FOWL' - this Sci-Fi adventure offering is a Disney film based on the 2001 book of the same name by Eoin Colfer, Directed by Kenneth Branagh and stars Ferdia Shaw in the title role with Josh Gad, Colin Farrell and Judy Dench. Scheduled for a 3rd April release, this film has been pulled from its cinematic release and will instead air on Disney+ at an as yet undisclosed date.

* 'NO TIME TO DIE' - the 25th instalment in the James Bond franchise is Directed by Cary Fukunaga and starring Daniel Craig for the final time as Bond with Christoph Waltz, Rami Malek, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Lea Seydoux, Naomi Harris, Ana de Armas, and Rory Kinnear. Originally slated for a 9th April release this latest instalment has been pushed back officially to 12th November 2020.

* 'ANTLERS' - this supernatural horror offering with Guillermo del Toro and David S. Goyer both taking Co-Producer credits was due for a release on 16th April, but has subsequently been pushed back to some future undisclosed date in 2020. Directed by Scott Cooper and starring Keri Russell, Jesse Plemmons, Amy Madigan, Graham Greene and Jeremy T. Thomas.

* 'PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN' - is a black comedy drama offering Directed, Co-Produced and Written by Emerald Fennell and starring Carey Mulligan, Alison Brie, Clancy Brown, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Alfred Molina. Originally set for a 16th April release, this film is still publicised for this date, but that seems highly unlikely at this stage, pending advice from the distributor.

* 'ANTEBELLUM' - is an American horror drama film that was slated for release on 24th April, but a new date for its release has yet to be announced. Directed by Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz and starring Janelle Monae, Jena Malone, Jack Huston and Gabourey Sibide.

* 'BLACK WIDOW' - this MCU Superhero gets her own standalone film despite being killed off in 'Avengers : Endgame'. With Scarlett Johannson as Black Widow, with Florence Pugh, David Harbour, William Hurt, Ray Winstone, Rachel Weisz and Robert Downey Jnr as Iron Man/Tony Stark. Directed by Cate Shortland this is the 24th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and launches the MCU Phase Four and is set after the events of 'Captain America : Civil War'. Originally set for a 1st May release, this film has been pushed back with as yet, no date specified.

* 'SPIRAL' (aka 'SPIRAL : FROM THE BOOK OF SAW') - is a horror film that is the ninth instalment in the 'Saw' franchise and is Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, Written by Chris Rock and also starring him too alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Max Minghella. It was due for release on 15th May, but has since been pushed back indefinitely.

* 'THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW' - this psychological thriller is Directed by Joe Wright, and written for the screen by Tracy Letts who also stars together with Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, Bryan Tyree Henry, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Julianne Moore. Originally scheduled for a 15th May release, but has been pushed back to an as yet undisclosed date.

* 'F9' (aka 'FAST & FURIOUS 9') - this ninth instalment in the hugely successful and popular action franchise is this time around Directed by Justin Lin and reunites Vin Diesel with Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren amongst others and introduces John Cena as the bad guy. Due for a 22nd May release, but this has now be delayed until 2nd April 2021.

* 'WONDER WOMAN 1984' - this sequel to 2017's successful 'Wonder Woman' film and the ninth film in the DCEU, is Directed as before by Patty Jenkins and stars Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/ Diana Prince with Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright and Connie Nielsen. Slated for a 5th June release but has now been pushed back to 14th August 2020.

* 'GREYHOUND' - this WWII American war film was written for the screen by Tom Hanks and also stars him too in the lead role as Commander Ernest Krause in this story of The Battle of the Atlantic which took place in early 1942 - only a few months after the US entered WWII. Directed by Aaron Schneider and also starring Stephen Graham, Elisabeth Shue, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and Rob Morgan. Initially scheduled for a 11th June release, this film has been pushed back indefinitely with no date as yet publicised.

* 'CANDYMAN' - is a supernatural slasher film Directed by Nia DaCosta and Co-Written by Jordan Peele, and is a direct sequel to the 1992 film of the same name and the fourth film in the 'Candyman' franchise, based on the short story 'The Forbidden' by Clive Barker. Initially slated for an 11th June release, the film has since been put back to 25th September 2020.

* 'TOP GUN : MAVERICK' - this follow up to 1986's 'Top Gun' film with Tom Cruise as Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell sees the intrepid Navy pilot return in this sequel that was originally scheduled for a 24th June release that has since been delayed until 23rd December 2020. Directed by Jospeh Kosinski and also starring Miles Teller, Jon Hamm, Ed Harris, Val Kilmer and Jennifer Connelly.

* 'FREE GUY' - this Sci-Fi action comedy film is Directed by Shawn Levy and stars Ryan Reynolds (who also Co-Produces) and Taika Waititi, Joe Keery and Lil Rel Howery. Slated for a 3rd July release, this has now been pushed back until 11th December 2020.

* 'GHOSTBUSTERS : AFTERLIFE' - this supernatural comedy offering is a direct sequel to 'Ghostbusters' from 1984 and 'Ghostbusters II' from 1989, and the fourth film in the franchise. Directed by Jason Reitman and starring Mackenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Bokeem Woodbine, Tracy Letts, and reprising their roles from the first films Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Sigourney Weaver. Set for a release date of 10th July, this has now been pushed back to 5th March 2021.

* 'MORBIUS' - based on the Marvel Comics Superhero character of the same name this is the third film in Sony's Marvel Universe that was intended for a July release date, but this has now been put back until 19th March 2021. Directed by Daniel Espinosa and starring Jared Leto as Michael Morbius with Matt Smith, Jared Harris, Tyrese Gibson and Michael Keaton.

* 'TENET' - this action thriller film is Directed, Co-Produced and Written by Christopher Nolan with an all star cast taking in John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Clemence Poesy, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. It remains at this time still scheduled for a 17th July release - being the fifth Nolan film to be released in the third weekend of July, which has been hailed as his 'lucky date ' as his prior four projects went on to achieve strong box office returns. This of course remains to be seen, or if indeed 'Tenet' will also get pushed back.

* 'THE FRENCH DISPATCH' - is a comedy drama film Directed and Co-Written by Wes Anderson with an all star ensemble cast including Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Elisabeth Moss, Frances McDormand, Lea Seydoux, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Christoph Waltz, Owen Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, Timothee Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan. The film was originally scheduled for a July 24th release, but has since been postponed until 16th October 2020.

* 'JUNGLE CRUISE' -  is an action adventure film based on the Disney theme park attraction of the same name. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Dwayne Johnson (who also Co-Produces), Emily Blunt, Edgar Ramirez, and Jesse Plemmons this film was scheduled for a 24th July release date which has since been pushed back to 30th July 2021.

* 'MALIGNANT' - this horror film is Directed, Co-Produced, and Co-Written by James Wan and stars Annabelle Wallis, Jacqueline McKenzie and Mckenna Grace, and was slated for an 14th August release, which has now been pushed back indefinitely.

* 'ETERNALS' - this Superhero film exists in the MCU and is Marvel's 25th entry into their cinematic universe, Directed by Chloe Zhao and starring Richard Madden, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Barry Keoghan, Angelina Jolie and Kit Harrington as some of the 'Eternals' amongst others - an immortal alien race created by the 'Celestials' who have secretly lived on Earth for over 7000 years, and who reunite to protect humanity from their evil counterparts, the 'Deviants'. Originally scheduled for a 6th November release, and subsequently moved back to 12th February 2021.

And so this just about brings you up to date with many of the movie postponements that have so far been announced, doubtless with more to follow depending on how long this pesky virus thing continues to hang around for. Next week, we'll report on the movie productions that have been halted in their tracks for the imminent future and what this means for their planned release schedule. Stay tuned, keep it here and remain safe . . . indoors!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-