During the Paris Fan Festival, Taz Skylar, the actor cast to portray Sanji in Netflix’s One Piece Live-Action series, opened up about the initial wave of negative comments he faced on social media following the casting announcement.
During the festival’s Q/A session, Taz recounted his very first exposure to criticism and it was around the time when the One Piece casting news came out. He revealed that his friends informed him that his name was trending on Twitter alongside references to his resemblance to rapper Eminem.
“The best way to get me to do something is tell me I can’t do it,” Skylar stated, revealing that rather than being deterred by the negative feedback, he found motivation in the challenge. “I remember I laughed because I was like, you know what, they have a point. I do kind of look a little bit like Em,” he added.
During the festival’s Q/A session, Taz recounted his very first exposure to criticism and it was around the time when the One Piece casting news came out. He revealed that his friends informed him that his name was trending on Twitter alongside references to his resemblance to rapper Eminem.
“The best way to get me to do something is tell me I can’t do it,” Skylar stated, revealing that rather than being deterred by the negative feedback, he found motivation in the challenge. “I remember I laughed because I was like, you know what, they have a point. I do kind of look a little bit like Em,” he added.
- 5/1/2024
- by Ami Nazru
- AnimeHunch
A UK print film magazine, and a big one too! Here’s Film Stories issue 49 – an issue going very much beyond the blockbusters.
Introducing issue 49 of Film Stories, where once again we’ve clearly gone mad and produced another 168 page bumper issue. And printed it on nice paper too!
We’re 100% independent, and this issue – as always – we’re celebrating fellow independents. But also: our front cover goes utterly beyond blockbuster film, and gives the whole cover over to indie movies.
We’re really proud of it. We hope you’re going to like it, and we hope you might consider supporting it. Sold primarily via mail order, and popping up in a few WHSmiths stores around the country too, here’s the cover of the new issue…
And inside?
If you’re looking to support films beyond the blockbusters, then amongst the treats in this huge 168-page issue:
* Swede...
Introducing issue 49 of Film Stories, where once again we’ve clearly gone mad and produced another 168 page bumper issue. And printed it on nice paper too!
We’re 100% independent, and this issue – as always – we’re celebrating fellow independents. But also: our front cover goes utterly beyond blockbuster film, and gives the whole cover over to indie movies.
We’re really proud of it. We hope you’re going to like it, and we hope you might consider supporting it. Sold primarily via mail order, and popping up in a few WHSmiths stores around the country too, here’s the cover of the new issue…
And inside?
If you’re looking to support films beyond the blockbusters, then amongst the treats in this huge 168-page issue:
* Swede...
- 4/8/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has seen a plethora of issues that have plagued the game since the very start. Although it was the mediocre campaign that initially frustrated fans of the franchise, lately the cause for concern has been server failure and hackers.
In fact, on February 23rd Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone temporarily disabled Ranked Play, Zombies, and Ranked Resurgence, to fix faulty servers.
While these problems that are now afflicting the Activision Blizzard titles could be experienced by any developer, it is how the company responds that will leave the greatest impression.
Activision Blizzard Has Provided Gamers with Free Rewards in Response to Call of Duty Server Issues One hour 2Xp tokens are being handed out by Call of Duty as an apology for server problems.
Although fans are certainly not going to be happy about missing gaming sessions of Modern Warfare 3 or Warzone, Activision Blizzard is taking steps to remedy the situation.
In fact, on February 23rd Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone temporarily disabled Ranked Play, Zombies, and Ranked Resurgence, to fix faulty servers.
While these problems that are now afflicting the Activision Blizzard titles could be experienced by any developer, it is how the company responds that will leave the greatest impression.
Activision Blizzard Has Provided Gamers with Free Rewards in Response to Call of Duty Server Issues One hour 2Xp tokens are being handed out by Call of Duty as an apology for server problems.
Although fans are certainly not going to be happy about missing gaming sessions of Modern Warfare 3 or Warzone, Activision Blizzard is taking steps to remedy the situation.
- 2/28/2024
- by Ezekiel Hall
- FandomWire
RankFilm (distributor)Three-day gross (Feb 9-11)Total gross to dateWeek 1. Migration (Universal) £2.5m £6.7m 2 2. Argylle (Universal) £994,542 £3.7m 2 3. The Iron Claw (Lionsgate) £671,297 £754,153 1 4. All Of Us Strangers (Disney) £510,000 £3.8m 3 5. Peppa Pig’s Cinema Party (Trafalgar) £490,405 £490,405 1
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.26
Universal maintained a one-two at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend, as animation Migration held off Matthew Vaughn’s spy comedy Argylle.
Migration, from Minions creators Illumination, added £2.5m on its second session – a 31% drop. The film has £6.7m in total.
On its second weekend, Argylle dropped 43%, with £994,542 taking it to £3.7m – down on the usual level of Vaughn’s directorial output.
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.26
Universal maintained a one-two at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend, as animation Migration held off Matthew Vaughn’s spy comedy Argylle.
Migration, from Minions creators Illumination, added £2.5m on its second session – a 31% drop. The film has £6.7m in total.
On its second weekend, Argylle dropped 43%, with £994,542 taking it to £3.7m – down on the usual level of Vaughn’s directorial output.
- 2/12/2024
- ScreenDaily
Sean Durkin’s wrestling drama The Iron Claw will look to become box office champion on its opening weekend, starting in 517 UK-Ireland cinemas through Lionsgate.
The film tells the true story of the Von Erich brothers, who made history in the competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s.
Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, 2017 Screen Star of Tomorrow Harris Dickinson and Stanley Simons star as the Von Erich brothers, with Lily James and Maura Tierney also on the cast; Arcade Fire member Richard Reed Parry wrote the film’s score.
The Iron Claw premiered in Dallas, Texas just hours...
The film tells the true story of the Von Erich brothers, who made history in the competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s.
Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, 2017 Screen Star of Tomorrow Harris Dickinson and Stanley Simons star as the Von Erich brothers, with Lily James and Maura Tierney also on the cast; Arcade Fire member Richard Reed Parry wrote the film’s score.
The Iron Claw premiered in Dallas, Texas just hours...
- 2/9/2024
- ScreenDaily
Gassed Up is released in cinemas across the UK today – and to mark the occasion we had the pleasure in speaking to three of its leading stars; Stephen Odubola, Mae Muller & Taz Skylar.
The latter was also a co-writer of the film as he discussed the film’s genesis and inspiration, while the actors spoke positively about their experience on set, especially important for Muller in what is her first major role. Odubola also speaks about the rap scene in the film, and we ask all three about shooting on location in South London, and whether they consumed any Morley’s. Finally, we couldn’t let this opportunity pass without asking Eurovision star Muller on her thoughts about Olly Alexander flying the British flag this Summer…
Watch the full interview with Odubola, Muller & Skylar here:
Synopsis
Set in London, the film follows a group of young men in a moped gang,...
The latter was also a co-writer of the film as he discussed the film’s genesis and inspiration, while the actors spoke positively about their experience on set, especially important for Muller in what is her first major role. Odubola also speaks about the rap scene in the film, and we ask all three about shooting on location in South London, and whether they consumed any Morley’s. Finally, we couldn’t let this opportunity pass without asking Eurovision star Muller on her thoughts about Olly Alexander flying the British flag this Summer…
Watch the full interview with Odubola, Muller & Skylar here:
Synopsis
Set in London, the film follows a group of young men in a moped gang,...
- 2/9/2024
- by Stefan Pape
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
In a battle of two Universal titles at the U.K., Ireland box office, animation film “Migration” flew to the top, besting star-studded caper “Argylle” in the process.
“Migration” debuted with £3.5 million ($4.4 million), according to numbers from Comscore. “Argylle,” a global under performer, bowed in second place with £2 million.
In third position, in its third weekend, Paramount’s “Mean Girls” earned £843,601 for a total of £6.8 million. Disney’s “All of Us Strangers” collected £797,004 in fourth place in its second weekend for a total of £2.7 million.
Rounding off the top five was A24’s “The Zone of Interest,” which debuted with £585,855. The only other bow in the Top 10 was Curzon-Amazon MGM’s “American Fiction” with £389,375.
Coming up, opening mid-week on Wednesday Feb. 7 is horror-comedy “Dagr” from Fizz and Ginger Films. Feb. 8 sees the release of Tamil-language sports and gangster drama “Lal Salaam,” headlined by Indian superstar Rajinikanth.
There are a plethora of releases on the Friday.
“Migration” debuted with £3.5 million ($4.4 million), according to numbers from Comscore. “Argylle,” a global under performer, bowed in second place with £2 million.
In third position, in its third weekend, Paramount’s “Mean Girls” earned £843,601 for a total of £6.8 million. Disney’s “All of Us Strangers” collected £797,004 in fourth place in its second weekend for a total of £2.7 million.
Rounding off the top five was A24’s “The Zone of Interest,” which debuted with £585,855. The only other bow in the Top 10 was Curzon-Amazon MGM’s “American Fiction” with £389,375.
Coming up, opening mid-week on Wednesday Feb. 7 is horror-comedy “Dagr” from Fizz and Ginger Films. Feb. 8 sees the release of Tamil-language sports and gangster drama “Lal Salaam,” headlined by Indian superstar Rajinikanth.
There are a plethora of releases on the Friday.
- 2/6/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Black Dog, the debut feature of Screen Star of Tomorrow George Jaques, has been acquired for UK-Ireland distribution by Vertigo Releasing.
Vertigo acquired the film from Independent Entertainment, and will set a theatrical release for later in 2024.
Black Dog was written by Jaques with fellow 2022 Star Jamie Flatters. Flatters stars in the film alongside newcomer Keenan Munn-Francis, in the story of two teenage boys from different London backgrounds, who open up to each other while on a road trip up to the north of England.
The film is produced by Jaques, Flatters, Ken Petrie and Ian Sharp; and executive produced by David Parfitt.
Vertigo acquired the film from Independent Entertainment, and will set a theatrical release for later in 2024.
Black Dog was written by Jaques with fellow 2022 Star Jamie Flatters. Flatters stars in the film alongside newcomer Keenan Munn-Francis, in the story of two teenage boys from different London backgrounds, who open up to each other while on a road trip up to the north of England.
The film is produced by Jaques, Flatters, Ken Petrie and Ian Sharp; and executive produced by David Parfitt.
- 2/5/2024
- ScreenDaily
Bookmark this page for the latest updates in the territory.
Screen is listing the 2024 release dates for films in the UK and Ireland in the calendar below.
For distributors who wish to add/amend a date on the calendar, please get in touch with Screen here. Screen is also running a calendar for festival and market dates throughout 2024 here.
January
January 5
Priscilla (Mubi), One Life (Warner Bros), Scala! (BFI), Night Swim (Universal), Blank (Sparky)
January 6
Nabucco - Met Opera 23/24 (Trafalgar)
January 12
Poor Things (Disney), The Boys In The Boat (Warner Bros), Freaks Vs The Reich (Miracle/Dazzler), The Beekeeper (Studiocanal...
Screen is listing the 2024 release dates for films in the UK and Ireland in the calendar below.
For distributors who wish to add/amend a date on the calendar, please get in touch with Screen here. Screen is also running a calendar for festival and market dates throughout 2024 here.
January
January 5
Priscilla (Mubi), One Life (Warner Bros), Scala! (BFI), Night Swim (Universal), Blank (Sparky)
January 6
Nabucco - Met Opera 23/24 (Trafalgar)
January 12
Poor Things (Disney), The Boys In The Boat (Warner Bros), Freaks Vs The Reich (Miracle/Dazzler), The Beekeeper (Studiocanal...
- 11/21/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Film debuted in competition at BFI London Film Festival this month.
Cornerstone has secured key deals for Daniel Kokotajlo’s UK feature Starve Acre, starring Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark.
The film has sold to North America (Brainstorm Media), UK-Ireland (BFI Distribution), Germany and Switzerland (X Verleih), former Yugoslavia (Blitz), Poland (Galapagos), Middle East (Front Row), Japan (Klockworx) and airlines (Terry Steiner).
Starve Acre had its world premiere at BFI London Film Festival earlier this month. Set in 1970s rural England, the film is a folk horror in which a couple’s idyllic family life is thrown into turmoil when...
Cornerstone has secured key deals for Daniel Kokotajlo’s UK feature Starve Acre, starring Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark.
The film has sold to North America (Brainstorm Media), UK-Ireland (BFI Distribution), Germany and Switzerland (X Verleih), former Yugoslavia (Blitz), Poland (Galapagos), Middle East (Front Row), Japan (Klockworx) and airlines (Terry Steiner).
Starve Acre had its world premiere at BFI London Film Festival earlier this month. Set in 1970s rural England, the film is a folk horror in which a couple’s idyllic family life is thrown into turmoil when...
- 10/30/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
UK director George Amponsah’s thriller Gassed Up has won the London Film Festival (Lff) Audience Award for Best Feature in the 67th edition running from October 4 to 15, as the event also posts record participation.
Further Audiences Award winners, which were announced on Monday, went to The Taste of Mango for Best Documentary, Festival of Slaps for Best British Film/Work and Murals for Best Immersive Work/Xr.
Amponsah’s London-set thriller stars Stephen Odubola as a member of a moped street crime gang, who gets on the wrong side of an Albanian crime family.
Archie Maddocks co-wrote the screenplay with One Piece breakout Taz Skylar, who also appears in the film, with other cast including including Steve Toussaint (House Of The Dragon) and Tobias Jowett, soon to be seen in Nick Hamm’s upcoming epic William Tell.
The thriller marks Amponsah’s first fiction feature...
Further Audiences Award winners, which were announced on Monday, went to The Taste of Mango for Best Documentary, Festival of Slaps for Best British Film/Work and Murals for Best Immersive Work/Xr.
Amponsah’s London-set thriller stars Stephen Odubola as a member of a moped street crime gang, who gets on the wrong side of an Albanian crime family.
Archie Maddocks co-wrote the screenplay with One Piece breakout Taz Skylar, who also appears in the film, with other cast including including Steve Toussaint (House Of The Dragon) and Tobias Jowett, soon to be seen in Nick Hamm’s upcoming epic William Tell.
The thriller marks Amponsah’s first fiction feature...
- 10/30/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Almost 200,000 in-person attendees tops the 2019 figure.
BFI London Film Festival (Lff) recorded its highest in-person attendance in five years at its 2023 edition, with 195,665 attendees this year.
That figure, which includes the Screen Talks programme that featured Martin Scorsese and Greta Gerwig, tops each of the previous four editions of the festival, including the 190,000 figure from the pre-pandemic 2019 edition. The last edition to record more attendees was in 2018, with 205,630.
The festival’s occupancy levels were at an impressive 90% across its London paid-for and free in-person screenings – up from 87% last year and 84% and 83% in 2018 and 2019 respectively. 54% of ticket bookers this year were new to Lff,...
BFI London Film Festival (Lff) recorded its highest in-person attendance in five years at its 2023 edition, with 195,665 attendees this year.
That figure, which includes the Screen Talks programme that featured Martin Scorsese and Greta Gerwig, tops each of the previous four editions of the festival, including the 190,000 figure from the pre-pandemic 2019 edition. The last edition to record more attendees was in 2018, with 205,630.
The festival’s occupancy levels were at an impressive 90% across its London paid-for and free in-person screenings – up from 87% last year and 84% and 83% in 2018 and 2019 respectively. 54% of ticket bookers this year were new to Lff,...
- 10/30/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Following the massive success of his Netflix series One Piece, Taz Skylar has found his next big project as he is set to co-star opposite Daisy Ridley in Cleaner. Martin Campbell is directing. The film will shoot at the top of 2024 and falls under the British Equity act allowing it to shoot during the current SAG strike.
The timely action-thriller, set in present-day London, will see radical activists take over an energy company’s annual gala at the Shard – the tallest skyscraper in Western Europe – seizing 300 hostages in order to expose the corruption of the hosts. Their just cause is hijacked by a zealous extremist within their ranks, who is ready to murder everyone in the building to send his anarchic message to the world. It falls to an ex-soldier turned window cleaner, Joey Locke (Daisy Ridley) – suspended 90 stories up on the outside of the building – to save those...
The timely action-thriller, set in present-day London, will see radical activists take over an energy company’s annual gala at the Shard – the tallest skyscraper in Western Europe – seizing 300 hostages in order to expose the corruption of the hosts. Their just cause is hijacked by a zealous extremist within their ranks, who is ready to murder everyone in the building to send his anarchic message to the world. It falls to an ex-soldier turned window cleaner, Joey Locke (Daisy Ridley) – suspended 90 stories up on the outside of the building – to save those...
- 10/11/2023
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
Vertigo Releasing has launched the trailer for the upcoming London-based youth drama ‘Gassed Up.’
Set in London, the film follows a group of young men in a moped gang, who, desperate to make ends meet, have turned to petty theft. At the centre of the story is 20-year-old Ash (Odubola) who is trying to support his younger sister and help his struggling mother. Fighting to balance his pure intentions and the allure of fast cash, he and his friends soon get drawn into the web of an Albanian crime family. He must choose between loyalty to his friends and family, and the draw of a fast, thrilling lifestyle.
Directed by George Amponsah, Stephen Odubola, Taz Skylar, Steve Toussaint, Craige Middleburg, Jelena Gavrilovic, Mohammed Mansaray, Tobias Jowett, Tomi May,
Ben Shafik, Rawdat Quadri star.
Also in trailers – Trailer drops for Hammer Films’ reimagining of ‘Doctor Jekyll’
The movie is screening at...
Set in London, the film follows a group of young men in a moped gang, who, desperate to make ends meet, have turned to petty theft. At the centre of the story is 20-year-old Ash (Odubola) who is trying to support his younger sister and help his struggling mother. Fighting to balance his pure intentions and the allure of fast cash, he and his friends soon get drawn into the web of an Albanian crime family. He must choose between loyalty to his friends and family, and the draw of a fast, thrilling lifestyle.
Directed by George Amponsah, Stephen Odubola, Taz Skylar, Steve Toussaint, Craige Middleburg, Jelena Gavrilovic, Mohammed Mansaray, Tobias Jowett, Tomi May,
Ben Shafik, Rawdat Quadri star.
Also in trailers – Trailer drops for Hammer Films’ reimagining of ‘Doctor Jekyll’
The movie is screening at...
- 10/9/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Amazon Prime Video has greenlit BAFTA-nominated “Hard Stop” director George Amponsah’s feature film debut, action thriller “Gassed Up.”
Now in production in London, the movie will launch on Prime Video in the U.K. and Ireland in 2023. Directed by Amponsah, and written by Archie Maddocks and Taz Skylar, the film stars Stephen Odubola, Skylar and singer Mae Muller, as well as Ms Banks, Yung Filly and Harry Pinero.
Set during the peak of a wave of moped crimes sweeping London, “Gassed Up” follows 20-year-old Ash (Odubola), who is trying to earn money to raise his 14-year-old sister and send his mother to rehab, but gets caught up with an organized crime ring led by a young and charismatic Albanian immigrant (Skylar).
As the crimes get bigger and the attention becomes addictive, Ash struggles to keep his head above water. Soon, he has to choose between the people he loves,...
Now in production in London, the movie will launch on Prime Video in the U.K. and Ireland in 2023. Directed by Amponsah, and written by Archie Maddocks and Taz Skylar, the film stars Stephen Odubola, Skylar and singer Mae Muller, as well as Ms Banks, Yung Filly and Harry Pinero.
Set during the peak of a wave of moped crimes sweeping London, “Gassed Up” follows 20-year-old Ash (Odubola), who is trying to earn money to raise his 14-year-old sister and send his mother to rehab, but gets caught up with an organized crime ring led by a young and charismatic Albanian immigrant (Skylar).
As the crimes get bigger and the attention becomes addictive, Ash struggles to keep his head above water. Soon, he has to choose between the people he loves,...
- 7/20/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
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