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Hero or villain? Cillian Murphy stars in ‘A Quiet Place Part II’

Irish actor Cillian Murphy, known for memorable roles in The Dark Knight, Inception and The Dark Knight Rises, stars as Emmett, a determined loner whose past makes it difficult for the Abbot family to trust his true intentions, in the suspense thriller A Quiet Place Part II.

Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family (Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe) must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.

“Emmett is one of my favorite characters,” reflects director-writer John Krasinski. “The fascinating part is that he’s at a point where he doesn’t feel the need to be a part of any community, so when he meets the Abbotts it’s a real conundrum for him because this family is something anyone would want to be a part of or at least help in any way you can. Giving the audience access to this kind of complex and private inner struggle can be very difficult for any actor—but Cillian Murphy is without a doubt one of the best actors I’ve worked with so were very lucky have him. He brings a representation of someone who hasn’t been surrounded by love and has survived in a different way. There’s a darkness to Emmett, and a fear level to him that keep him alluring but highly unpredictable.”

Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Emmett (Cillian Murphy) brave the unknown in “A Quiet Place Part II.”

For Murphy, the offer of the character felt like kismet—especially because he’d wanted to reach out to Krasinski but held back. Murphy recalls: “After I saw A Quiet Place, I was so blown away by it that I thought to myself, I have to write to John and tell him how much I loved the film. I wrote him this very effusive email, but in the end, I chickened out and never sent it. A year or so later out of the blue he called and said we’re doing the second film, and would I be interested? It was a lovely serendipity.”

Murphy also sees Emmett as a man who, antithetical to Lee (the father and husband in the original A Quiet Place), turned inward under duress, locking everything else out. “Emmett has retreated into his grief completely,” Murphy describes. “While the Abbotts have been trying to find solutions and make the best of things, he’s just barely been scraping by on his own. It’s only when he meets the Abbotts in the steel mill that he is shaken out of his isolation and realizes he has to make a decision about the future.”

Also joining the cast for the first time is two-time Academy Award® nominee Djimon Hounsou. “I’ve been a fan of Djimon’s forever going back to Gladiator and Amistad,” says Krasinski. “But the movie that really blew me away and the reason why I cast him was In America. There is something about Djimon that is so innately emotional. You immediately watch any performance of his and you have a little bit of a choke in your throat.”

Cillian Murphy stars in “A Quiet Place Part II.”

Having fallen in love with A Quiet Place on first watch, Hounsou was thrilled to create a new character in the next chapter and collaborate with Krasinski. “It’s wonderful to work with a director who is such an actor’s director,” he says. “John’s approach is one of really caring about what actors need. He has an open, organic style of working with the cast, and if there is one thing that characterizes this story and everything about it, it is that it always feels very, very organic.”

In Philippine cinemas soon, A Quiet Place Part II is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.  #AQuietPlace

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Emma Watson follows her dreams in ‘Little Women’

British actress Emma Watson (the Harry Potter films, Beauty and the Beast) plays Meg, the eldest of the March sisters, in Columbia Pictures’ Oscar-winning drama, Little Women (in Philippine cinemas February 19).

Writer-director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) has crafted a Little Women that draws on both the classic novel and the writings of Louisa May Alcott, and unfolds as the author’s alter ego, Jo March, reflects back and forth on her fictional life.  In Gerwig’s take, the beloved story of the March sisters—four young women each determined to live life on her own terms—is both timeless and timely.  Portraying the March sisters Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth, the film stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, with Timothee Chalamet as their neighbor Laurie, Laura Dern as Marmee, and Meryl Streep as Aunt March.

Meg may be the most traditionally maternal of the sisters, but she also is a headstrong perfectionist who knows exactly who she is and what she wants.  That’s what excited Emma Watson about the role.

“What was really important to me about playing Meg is that I think her desire to be a mother and a wife is a feminist choice,” Watson explains.  “There’s this idea that in order to be a feminist you need to reject marriage.  But a union with a spouse is what Meg wants most in her heart.  As she says to Jo on her wedding day: just because my dreams are not the same as yours does not make them unimportant.”

Adds Gerwig: “Meg wants to get married and have children, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have second thoughts about not marrying someone rich.  Meg figuring out how to make her life choices work is something that really struck me in re-reading the book.”  

Having the chance to go beyond Meg’s joyful nuptials with the hard-working tutor John Brooke (James Norton) was especially intriguing for Watson.  “We’re used to seeing women get married and that’s where the story stops, so to actually see Meg navigate as a mother and wife, trying to figure out how you keep a relationship together under so many stresses, was refreshing,” says Watson.  “The realities push Meg to her edge.  They push her to ask: was everything I believed in real?  Do happy endings exist?  Can love last forever?  You see her fight for her dream because good things in life have to be earned.”  

Practical as she is, Watson sees Meg as being drawn to John’s more ineffable side—his generosity and compassion.  “John continually steps into the breach when there is a crisis, doing the jobs that are unglamorous, and that’s what earns Meg’s respect.  She chooses a man who is going to show up.”

Emma Watson in Columbia Pictures’ LITTLE WOMEN.”

Continues Watson, “Meg’s reasons for why she wants to marry John are all about how he cared for her father when he was wounded and how he treats her mother and sisters as though they are his own.  Those are things that truly matter to her, and the way he is there for the family on a daily basis has an incredible value that Meg sees clearly.”  

Praised by the London Critics Circle as “heartwarming, laugh-out-loud funny and powerfully emotional,” Little Women received six Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Actress (Ronan), Best Supporting Actress (Pugh) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Gerwig).

The film currently has a 95% Fresh Rating at Rotten Tomatoes, with an overall critical consensus that reads, “With a stellar cast and a smart, sensitive retelling of its classic source material, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women proves some stories truly are timeless.”

Little Women is distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.  Join the conversation and connect with  #LittleWomenMovie

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Fil-Am newcomer Ella Jay Basco invites Filipinos to watch ‘Birds of Prey’

Pinoy Pride gets celebrated anew as teen Filipino-American actress Ella Jay Basco makes her feature film debut as Cassandra Cain in the DC adventure “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” from Warner Bros.

Watch her greet and invite her kababayans to watch the film in the video below.

Cassandra Cain, at age 12, has learned to tough it out on the streets of Gotham.  Cass, as she’s known, is a smart-mouthed kid surviving on her own—thanks in part to her uncanny knack for pickpocketing.  But when she nicks a priceless gem, she becomes a target for real trouble, and it’ll take Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and the full complement of Birds to save her.

In her feature film debut, newcomer Ella Jay Basco plays Cass, who also serves as the catalyst to unite Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey.  Basco remembers, “When I read the script, I just loved Cassandra Cain.  She’s a street girl without a family or a home, so she’s both really misguided and super independent.  She has had to fight to survive in this world, until she meets Harley Quinn.”  Basco also says that as soon as she learned she’d gotten the part, “I bought this big stack of Birds of Prey and Cassandra Cain comic books, and that definitely helped me understand who she is, but also develop the character as she is in the movie.”

In fact, it was a particular storyline in a comic that initially inspired Robbie to include the Harley/Cass relationship that ultimately plays out on screen.  “In my research, I read Harley Quinn: Behind Blue Eyes, and I knew I wanted to explore that mentor-mentee relationship,” she recollects.  “It told me a lot about who Harley was and what she was capable of.  We didn’t use the exact storyline from the series, but just understanding her and her connection to Cass in that way was enlightening.”

Basco found Robbie and the entire cast, along with director Cathy Yan, to be great mentors.  “It was honestly so exciting to work with all of them, they’re so inspiring,” she says.  “Every day was a full-on learning experience, and so much fun.  Everybody was super nice; it was like one long dream.”  Due to the circumstances of the story, the young actress spent the bulk of her scenes alongside Robbie.  “Margot was like a big sister to me, we had the best time with each other.  She taught me so much about working with people on- and off-camera.  It was amazing.”

Yan admired the hard work that her youngest actress put in.  “Ella was so impressive,” she states.  “This is her feature debut, so I can’t imagine how she must have felt to show up to set and work with Margot Robbie every day, but she was a total champ, incredibly mature for her age.  And she really understood Cass and brought a certain authenticity to her—a real kid, not a shiny, perfect version of a little girl.”

Ella Jay Basco is quickly making a name for herself with her dramatic acting chops and ability to perform. Her credits include “Veep,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Teachers,” “Superior Donuts,” “Happyland” and the short film “Glimpse of Heaven.” Basco started her career at six months old in an Old Navy print campaign.

Outside of acting, Basco is a singer/songwriter and accomplished musician, playing the guitar, piano and ukulele. She is also a trained dancer.  She currently lives in Los Angeles with her family.

“Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” stars Margot Robbie   as Harley Quinn, alongside Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress; Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary; Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya; Chris Messina as Victor Zsasz; and Ewan McGregor  as Roman Sionis.  Newcomer Ella Jay Basco also stars as Cassandra “Cass” Cain in her feature film debut.

Directed by Cathy Yan (“Dead Pigs”) from a script by Christina Hodson (“Bumblebee”), the film is based on characters from DC.  

In Philippine cinemas Thursday, February 6, “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” is distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures. #BirdsOfPrey

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Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery joins gangster in ‘The Gentlemen’

From the highly successful TV series Downton Abbey, Michelle Dockery, known for her unforgettable role as Lady Mary, steps up into a world dominated by men in the gangster caper The Gentlemen. Dockery takes on the shoes of a kingpin’s wife, Rosalind, who is just as tough, even tougher than the guys and who doesn’t back down from anything. 

Writer-director Guy Ritchie assembles an all-star cast in The Gentlemen where the central protagonist is Mickey (played by Matthew McConaughey) whose attraction to his increasingly upper-crust way of life leads him to seek an exit from his chosen profession as a marijuana kingpin.

The Gentlemen also stars Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, with Colin Farrell, and Hugh Grant – all under the direction of master filmmaker Guy Ritchie, who returns to the genre and type of characters to which he gave an indelible and unique flavor in films such as Sherlock Holmes, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Snatch.

While The Gentlemen is populated by several crime bosses and ruffians, at its heart, says Ritchie, “the film is also a love story. Mickey’s wife, Rosalind, played by Dockery. In The Gentlemen, she plays the matriarch of the enterprise run by her husband, Pearson. And the matriarch arguably trumps the patriarch. She’s the Cockney Cleopatra to Mickey’s Cowboy Caesar. Rosalind is a survivor with some very charming characteristics. She provides Mickey with some important counsel. Arguably, she’s the entity that keeps things running in Mickey’s business.”

“It’s not a conventional relationship. It’s a love story but not the usual kind, there is a unique dynamic between Mickey and Rosalind. Unsurprisingly, Rosalind is quite independent. She runs her own successful business – a garage. She comes from wealth, but her parents are self-made, Dockery explains.

Dockery embraced the chance to play a role unlike any she’s explored before. “This is closer to my roots,” she offers. “Often, I’ve played well-spoken and, yes, posh characters, like Lady Mary. So, when this part came along, I was delighted.”

The Gentlemen is now showing in cinemas nationwide.  

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Taylor Swift puts you in trance as Bombalurina in ‘Cats’

From cat lover to actual cat, superstar recording artist Taylor Swift becomes Bombalurina in Universal Pictures’ epic musical Cats (in Philippine cinemas January 8).

Bombalurina is trickster cat Macavity’s (Idris Elba) powerful and beautiful partner in crime. She is full of personality and attitude. She loves to be the center of attention and makes a grand entrance into any room she steps. She’s the leader of Macavity’s gang and puts all the other cats in a trance using her catnip.

Oscar®-winning director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech, Les Misérables, The Danish Girl) transforms Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record-shattering stage musical Cats into a breakthrough cinematic event — a spectacular, fun, funny, moving, family-friendly film for all generations.

In the original show, the song “Macavity” is performed by two cats, but Hooper wanted to expand the role of Bombalurina as Macavity’s partner in crime, and the number was totally reconceived for one performer, which gives it a new and different impact for the film.

The role demands a performer who can hold the attention of the audience by sheer force of personality and with immense singing ability, as well as being able to act and dance, and the filmmakers couldn’t think of anyone better for the part than the multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning, megastar Taylor Swift.

“There was only one name that we wanted for Bombalurina,” producer Eric Fellner says. “Tom had met Taylor during the casting process for Les Miserables and when this opportunity came up, he reached out to her and we were all so glad when she said, ‘yes.’”

Hooper was delighted that he and Swift had this second chance to work together. “I’ve always wanted to work with her,” Hooper says. “So, to be able to get in touch early on in this process and have this character in mind, and finally have the chance to work with and direct her as an actress, as well as a singer and a dancer, was such an amazing experience.”

Cats also stars James Corden as Bustopher Jones, Judi Dench as Old Deuteronomy, Jason Derulo as Rum Tum Tugger, Idris Elba as Macavity, Jennifer Hudson as Grizabella, Ian McKellen as Gus The Theatre Cat, Rebel Wilson as Jennyanydots and introduces Royal Ballet principal dancer Francesca Hayward in her feature film debut as Victoria.

Cats is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures. #CatsMovie 

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Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart bicker to ‘The Next Level’ in ‘Jumanji’ sequel

Today’s funniest screen tandem Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart are back as in-game avatars Dr. Smolder Bravestone and Mouse Finbar, respectively, in Columbia Pictures’ epic action-adventure Jumanji: The Next Level (now showing in Philippine cinemas).

But there are twists! Because the game was smashed at the end of the previous film, it’s not functioning normally, which means anything can happen.

Dr. Smolder Bravestone (Johnson), the intrepid archeological adventurer and muscle-bound action hero is back in the game, complete with his laundry list of strengths: fearlessness, climbing, speed, boomerang, and his trademark smoldering intensity. However, this time, he serves as the avatar for Eddie (Danny DeVito), Spencer’s grandfather. In the previous film, he got to play a neurotic teenager, and now he gets to play the opposite end of the spectrum. The juxtaposition of Bravestone’s heroic abilities, and Dwayne Johnson’s physicality inhabited by a cantankerous elderly man recovering from hip surgery, results in a slew of comedic moments. Especially hilarious is seeing Bravestone inhabited by an irritable guy from Asbury Park, New Jersey.

“Capturing the essence and nuances of Danny DeVito was the best time as an actor. I had a chance to study him, going back and watching a lot of his old movies and TV shows, all the way back to Taxi. His work is just so brilliant,” says Dwayne Johnson. “There’s just a wit and a way about him. I was able to spend time with Danny and embody him as best I could. And he was very gracious. It was a blast becoming Danny DeVito.”

Meanwhile, diminutive zoologist and weapons valet, Mouse Finbar (Hart) is back sporting his trademark red bandana and huge backpack of weapons. In this level of the game, his new skill of linguistics proves especially helpful in getting the gang over some serious humps. Finbar’s weaknesses include a lack of speed, inferior strength, and a penchant for cake. This time, he becomes an avatar for Eddie’s estranged friend and former business partner, Milo (Danny Glover).

Kevin Hart’s trademark rapid-fire style of comedic delivery is replaced by the meandering, lackadaisical narrative style of Milo, resulting in major laughs as he embodies Danny Glover’s mannerisms and speech cadence. His zoological explanations of various animals provide comedic footnotes throughout the story, even if he is constantly bewildered as to how he knows this information. He doesn’t grasp that he’s been dropped into a video game, prompting him to continually ask questions, such (“Did I die and turn into a small, muscular Boy Scout?”) and is constantly misunderstanding the circumstances of their predicament.

“You see Mouse Finbar take on the persona of an older gentleman, with me being Danny Glover,” shares Hart. “The older version of Danny Glover in movies just makes me laugh because he’s so calm. Everything he says is just happy. I thought that could be a very funny place to play with. Like that older man that’s a little more at ease, because I’m very ‘Aahhh!’ all the time!”

Jumanji: The Next Level is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. #Jumanji

Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart

About Jumanji: The Next Level

In Jumanji: The Next Level, the gang is back but the game has changed. As they return to Jumanji to rescue one of their own, they discover that nothing is as they expect. The players will have to brave parts unknown and unexplored, from the arid deserts to the snowy mountains, in order to escape the world’s most dangerous game.

The film stars Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, Awkwafina, Ser’Darius Blain, Madison Iseman, Morgan Turner, Alex Wolff with Danny Glover and Danny DeVito.

Directed by Jake Kasdan, the sequel is written by Jake Kasdan & Jeff Pinker & Scott Rosenberg, based on the book Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg. The film is produced by Matt Tolmach, Jake Kasdan, Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia.

Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart star in Jumanji: The Next Level
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Nick Jonas, Awkwafina inject ‘Jumanji’ sequel with youthful vibe

Nick Jonas (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, TV’s Kingdom) and Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians, Ocean’s 8) lend a hip, youthful vibe to Columbia Pictures’ epic action-adventure Jumanji: The Next Level (in Philippine cinemas December 4).

Back in play are the avatar team of Dwayne Johnson as Dr. Smolder Bravestone, Jack Black as Dr. Shelly Oberon, Kevin Hart as Mouse Finbar, Karen Gillan as Ruby Roundhouse.  Also returning is Nick Jonas as Seaplane, while Awkwafina stars as a new avatar, Ming.

Jefferson “Seaplane” McDonough is the dashing pilot who helped the team on their previous quest as an avatar for Alex, a young man who had been stuck in Jumanji since 1996 before escaping with the teens in the previous film.

“The first film, we were able to get lightning in a bottle, and I feel like we have got a similar situation the second time around,” says Jonas. “[Diretor] Jake Kasdan just has this way of bringing out the best performance in everybody. It’s so great to be back.”

Nick Jonas, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan star in Jumanji: The Next Level

The newest avatar is the mysterious Ming, played by Awkwafina. While her weakness is pollen, her strengths are nothing to sneeze at; they include cat burglary, pick-pocketing, and safe cracking, which may prove useful in the series of challenges she’ll face as the world of Jumanji proves to be bigger and more dangerous than ever.

“Awkwafina’s a powerful performer. Rap artist, comedienne, actress…she’s a multi-hyphenate, so I was very excited when I found out that we had snagged her to be in the movie. I knew that she was gonna take it to another level, and she has,” exclaims co-star Jack Black. “She fit just like a glove on this project. She’s got sass and style and zest – the girl’s got magic! We all just jelled right out of the gate and doing scenes with her has been special.”

“I think that the message of Jumanji and the fun of it appeals to people of every age. When we look at superhero movies we see someone who obviously is flawed but has just some kind of insane power. Whereas everyone in Jumanji, they are normal people who become heroes in the game, and I think that resonates with anyone, across any culture. Bravery, courage, facing and understanding your flaws. Those are universal concepts and so old or young, I think that you really feel something when you see these characters,” says Awkwafina.

Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Dwayne Johnson and Awkwafina star in Jumanji: The Next Level

Jumanji: The Next Level reunites the four teenagers who survived the trials of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle as they return home to Brantford, New Hampshire from their respective colleges for the holiday break. Now college students, they’re trying to navigate the next level in their individual lives. After Spencer is compelled to go back into the game, Martha, Fridge and Bethany must team up and re-enter the world of Jumanji on a daring rescue mission to bring Spencer home.

But the game is broken, and is fighting back. Everything they know about Jumanji is about to change, as they discover that there’s more to it than just a jungle; it’s bigger, more dangerous, and has more thrilling obstacles to overcome. This means that anything can happen, so in addition to big action, incredible visual effects, and epic locations, you should also expect the unexpected.

Jumanji: The Next Level is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. #Jumanji

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Baz Luhrmann casts Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla Presley in his untitled Elvis project

DeJonge will star opposite Austin Butler as Elvis and Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker when cameras roll early next year on the eagerly anticipated film

BURBANK, CA – October 25, 2019 – Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that up-and-coming Australian actress Olivia DeJonge will play Priscilla Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s feature film about the iconic Elvis Presley.

In the movie, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Luhrmann (“The Great Gatsby,” “Moulin Rouge!”) will explore the life and music of Elvis Presley, through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker, played in the film by two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks (“Forrest Gump,” “Philadelphia”).  The story will delve into their complex dynamic spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America.  Central to that journey is one of the most significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley.

Luhrmann, who is known to have a keen eye for discovering new faces, stated, “Olivia is capable of manifesting the complex depth and presence that has made Priscilla Presley an icon in her own right.  She’s an extremely talented young actor and the perfect counterpoint to Austin’s Elvis.”

DeJonge has worked consistently in her native Australia and is known for her performances in the features “The Visit,” “The Sisterhood of the Night,” “Better Watch Out,” and this year’s “Stray Dolls,” which premiered in the U.S. at the Tribeca Film Festival.  On television, she starred in the series “The Society,” “Will” and “Hiding.”

Luhrmann will direct from the current screenplay written by Luhrmann and Craig Pearce.  Luhrmann will also produce, alongside multiple-Oscar winner Catherine Martin (“The Great Gatsby,” “Moulin Rouge!”), who will once again serve as production designer and costume designer on the film, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick and Schuyler Weiss.  Andrew Mittman will executive produce.

Principal photography is set to get underway in early 2020 in Queensland, Australia with the support of the Queensland Government, Screen Queensland and the Australian Government’s Producer Offset program.  The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Photo Credit: Rebecca Hitch
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Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin assert their choices in ‘Zombieland: Double Tap’

Emma Stone (La La Land, The Amazing Spider-Man) and Abigail Breslin (TV’s Scream Queens) are back for more zombie post-apocalyptic shenanigans, in Columbia Pictures’ action comedy Zombieland: Double Tap.

In the film, the core four characters Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Stone), and Little Rock (Breslin) have settled into their little family and new life together at The White House. Yes, The White House.

But, as is the case with all families, they’ve begun to have a few issues. That’s how you know it’s a real family, right? Columbus and Wichita have coupled up in the Lincoln bedroom, and while Columbus is ready to take the next step in commitment, Wichita is at heart a loner and is uneasy about their domesticity. Tallahassee, meanwhile, has also reluctantly become a willing family member and father figure to Little Rock, who has grown into a young woman. Teen angst on full throttle, Little Rock itches to meet people her own age and get out of the stuffy White House.

Which really pisses Tallahassee off. Wichita and Little Rock can’t deal and take off, but the road is still bumpy—and not just because it’s littered with undead carcasses. And when Little Rock abandons Wichita to run off with neo-hippie pacifist Berkeley (Avan Jogia), Wichita returns to the White House for reinforcements to go find her.

“Ten years later, they’re still a family unit. But they’re struggling with dynamics between them,” says Stone. “As the years have gone on, zombies have evolved a bit. There’s a group of zombies that are much harder to deal with. So they’re learning this sort of new landscape of the zombies, and some of The Rules that used to work don’t work as well anymore.”

Much like Tallahassee, Wichita planned to go her own way—albeit with Little Rock, her partner in crime. So when Columbus proposes to her, with the Hope diamond naturally, she’s so thrown for a loop, she runs. “She freaks out at the idea of a commitment like that, even though there’s no other people on the planet,” says Eisenberg.

But not before she leaves a very short goodbye note. Ouch. “Wichita is still wanting to be a lone wolf, even though she’s been in a family and a relationship with Columbus for 10 years,” says Stone. But she soon heads back to White House sweet White House when Little Rock abandons her for a free-loving, free-wheeling granola dude, Berkeley… and leaves a note. It runs in the family.

In Philippine cinemas October 23, Zombieland: Double Tap is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.  Use the hashtag #Zombieland2

About Zombieland: Double Tap

A decade after Zombieland became a hit film and cult classic, the original cast including Woody Harrelson (TV’s True Detective), Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, Justice League), Abigail Breslin (TV’s Scream Queens) and Academy Award® winner Emma Stone (La La Land) reunite with veteran director Ruben Fleischer (Venom) and screenwriters Paul Wernick & Rhett Reese (Deadpool).

In association with Pariah and 2.0 Entertainment, Columbia Pictures presents Zombieland: Double Tap.  Comic mayhem that stretches from the White House and through the heartland, these four slayers must face off against the many new kinds of zombies that have evolved since the first film, as well as some new human survivors. But most of all, they have to face the growing pains of their own snarky, makeshift family.

CONTACT: Jay Gonzales, jay.gonzales@adpubhub.net, 0917 852 4258

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Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt get first team-up in ‘Once upon a Time… in Hollywood’

In Columbia Pictures’ Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, director-witer Quentin Tarantino unites two of today’s greatest stars — Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt — in a first-ever pairing.  They star as TV actor Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Pitt) who make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore.   

Set in 1969, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood recreates the time and place of Tarantino’s formative years, when everything – the United States, the city of Los Angeles, the Hollywood star system, even the movies themselves – was at an inflection point, and no one knew where the pieces would land.  All this is not entirely dissimilar from the changes buffeting Hollywood today.

At the center is Rick Dalton who had been the star of “Bounty Law,” a hit television series in the 50s and early 60s, but his prophesied transition to motion picture stardom never materialized. Now, as Hollywood moves towards a hippie aesthetic, Rick worries that his time has passed – and wonders if there’s still a chance for him.

“Rick Dalton is a byproduct of the 50s – the 1950s pompadour hero – but now there’s a new era and this train has passed him by,” says DiCaprio. “Working with Quentin, we saw Rick Dalton’s story as a journey of an immense lack of confidence – his inability to be thankful for the position that he’s in and what he’s already gotten. He’s constantly yearning for something more.”

At Rick’s side is Cliff Booth, a former war hero, now Rick’s stunt double. As their careers have evolved and their struggles increased, the one constant for them has been each other. Cliff has proven his loyalty to Rick over and over again, and vice versa – they are the only true family that either has.

Leonardo DiCaprio star in Columbia Pictures “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

“Our characters are based on an actor-stuntman relationship – spending entire careers together was much more prevalent at that time,” says Pitt. “We talked about Steve McQueen and Bud Ekins, who were a strong team with The Great Escape, and we talked about Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham. In fact, we got to talk to Burt about that, which was a real joy. There was just a tighter bond between the two – where we’re more transitory in that way today. Cliff and Rick really rely on each other. The down time is more grueling than the actual work at times, so to have a friend, to have a partner, was all-important. It’s even all-important now.”

“Part of what makes the film so special is to watch Leo and Brad work off of each other,” says producer Shannon McIntosh, who has worked with Tarantino in several capacities for decades. “They’re both fully inhabiting these characters, bringing them to life in a way that leaves you feeling like they are family. For those of us who love making movies, it hits close to home, because ultimately that’s what we love about it: working with these people and forging these lifelong bonds.”   

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Films about such bonds, and the opportunity for “Butch and Sundance type” casting they afford, are rare in the modern system, so both parts needed to be strong. “I tried a couple of different stories, and then I decided no, I don’t want to put them through some typical melodramatic plot line,” says Tarantino. “I want it to be three rich days in the lives of these characters as they move about Los Angeles, and the conflict of the story builds each day until it reaches a tipping point.”

In Philippine cinemas August 28, Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. #OnceUponATimeInHollywood

Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio star in ONCE UPON TIME IN HOLLYWOOD.