Latest news with #Gladiator2
Metro
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
A-list heartthrob new favourite to play next Bond villain
Fans are rejoicing as Pedro Pascal has emerged as the frontrunner to portray the next James Bond villain. The Last of Us and Gladiator 2 star is now the 4/1 favourite, narrowly edging out Cillian Murphy, who trails closely at 5/1, according to online bookmaker Betway. Skyrocketing to fame in the last few years, Pascal's recent run of roles has catapulted him into the global spotlight, making him a tantalising candidate for 007's next adversary. Betway now considers him the most likely star to take on the role, with fans sure to flock to cinemas for a chance to see Pascal's take on a Bond bad guy. 'Pedro Pascal's star power has skyrocketed in recent years,' said Betway spokesperson Mike Reading. 'He's built a global following thanks to standout performances in The Last of Us, Gladiator 2, and even hosting SNL. He is now the 4/1 favourite to take up the mantle of villain in the next James Bond film.' But the odds are growing steeper for the rest of the field. Giancarlo Esposito and Barry Keoghan are both currently sitting at 6/1, while Mad Max: Fury Road star Charlize Theron (the highest-ranked female candidate) is listed at 10/1. Further down the list are Stephen Graham, Saoirse Ronan, and Woody Harrelson, each with 16/1 odds. Graham's name has gained traction recently, thanks to his gritty turn in Adolescence, a performance Betway suggests could bring 'a bold new flavour' to the franchise. The next Bond film, now under the full creative control of Amazon MGM, is still in early development, with no confirmed casting announcements. More Trending Fans are also continuing to speculate about who will take on the role of 007 opposite whoever ends up as the newest Bond Villain (fingers crossed it will be Pascal). Six years after Daniel Craig announced his retirement from the franchise, it appears we are no closer to unveiling the next 007. Former favourite Idris Elba, 52, previously ruled himself out from playing the British spy, while other hotly tipped actors, including James Norton and Theo James, have remained coy. The current front-runner to become Bond is Aaron Taylor-Johnson, while bookies' Ladbrokes have also given preferential odds to the likes of Henry Cavill, Jack Lowden and Tom Hardy. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 007 First Light trailer revealed and fans are convinced this actor is James Bond MORE: Games Inbox: What are your Nintendo Switch 2 first impressions? MORE: James Bond star Pierce Brosnan's 'wonderful' choice for new 007 actor
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
NBA legend Carmelo Anthony gets hyped up as Hollywood director Ryan Coogler teased Denzel Washington's role in Black Panther 3
Denzel Washington (Photo via WireImage) and Carmelo Anthony (Photo via Getty Images) NBA legend Carmelo Anthony's hype knows no bounds as Hollywood director Ryan Coogler opened up on Denzel Washington being a part of the gigantic Marvel Cinematic Universe in a recent podcast. With one of the most veteran actors joining the cast of the biggest live-action superhero franchise, it is indeed a treat for fans across the world, and especially the former basketball player Carmelo Anthony, who has been an appreciator of the world of films and series for a long time now. Denzel Washington to join the MCU, Carmelo Anthony corners Ryan Coogler to reveal casting details Denzel Washington, during his press run for Gladiator 2 in 2024, revealed the actor's desire to work with renowned Hollywood director Ryan Coogler in the third part of the live-action movie Black Panther 3. While the announcement was followed by almost confirmed speculations of the actor joining the gigantic Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ryan revealed in the latest episode of 7 pm in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony about the authenticity of the speculations. Denzel Washington played a big part in the late Chadwick Boseman 's life, who played the lead role as Black Panther in the pilot movie. However, the demise of the actor led to Letitia Wright taking up the role in the second installment. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like News For Jack Nicholson, 87, He Has Been Confirmed To Be... Reportingly Undo Knowing the kind of influence Washington had upon Chadwick's life, Carmela emphasised the fact that fans of the franchise want to see the former playing a role in the third installment of Black Panther. Carmelo, during the podcast, shot the questions at Ryan asking, 'Has there been conversations? Have you been writing roles in for? Is there a role specifically in mind for Denzel?' Ryan Coogler Breaks Silence on Denzel Washington in Black Panther 3 Ryan, without much hesitation, confirmed the rumors saying, 'All of that bro? All of the above. All of the above bro' The director further stated, 'I've been trying to work with him since day one. I think he's the greatest living actor. And in terms of what he means to our culture, forget about it. I've been talking to him about this for a long time, and I was surprised when he mentioned it. But it's not like it's not true.' Also read: 'Most dadcore thing' – NBA Fans was in awe as NFL veteran Tom Brady leaves out LeBron James from Mount Rushmore of GOATs list Carmelo Anthony has been an appreciator of films for a long time now. The former Thunder forward even went on to state that Black Panther was his favorite movie of all time. He even held a private screening once of the movie Ferdinand for 170 Taft Middle School students.
Daily Mail
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
I visited the location of the original Gladiator movie - here's why this Moroccan city is the new Hollywood
Gazing across the parched earth to the village of Ait Ben-Haddou, it was easy to imagine hearing the clash of swords of days long past. Ait Ben-Haddou sits at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains in southern Morocco. Many travellers make the four hour drive here from Marrakesh but I'd flown direct from Stansted to the nearby city of Ouarzazate, just a 30-minute drive away. This was my first stop on a week long trip across the South of Morocco and back again, following the traditional caravan route to the Sahara. Just on the outskirts of Ait Ben-Haddou, our hotel Riad Caravane offered a unique blend of Moroccan architecture and modern comfort with exceptional food and service. Ait Ben-Haddou, now a Unesco World Heritage Site, once made its money by trading salt. But these days Ait Ben-Haddou and nearby Ouarzazate are famed for something quite different. Known locally as Ouarzawood in homage to its movie credentials, this region has provided the backdrop for many blockbuster films and TV series, including Ridley Scott's Gladiator and it's sequel Gladiator 2 out on November 15th. The region has provided the backdrop for many blockbuster films and TV series, including Ridley Scott's Gladiator (pictured) and it's sequel Gladiator 2 out on November 15th In the original Gladiator movie, Maximus is sold into slavery and forced to train as a gladiator. Ait Ben-Haddou was the scene of his first fight. An arena was constructed for the film using traditional mud bricks so it blended in with the existing architecture. It's not just Gladiator that was filmed here. Scenes from Lawrence of Arabia, Game of Thrones and The Mummy also feature its earthen buildings and streets. The August sun was fierce as I entered the village, yet it was easy to find shade behind its high walls. An intricate warren of alleyways house a number of shops selling many of the same wares you'd expect in the souks of Marrakesh. These sit side-by-side with traditional homes and stalls housing animals. Like many of the locals, my village guide Mohammed also works as an extra when the movie crews arrive. On a quick tour of his house, he proudly showed off the sword and shield he brandished in Game of Thrones. Thirty minutes drive from Ait Ben-Haddou, on the outskirts of Ouarzazate, lies the Atlas film studios, one of the biggest in the world, opened in 1983. The great and good of Hollywood have filmed here including Samuel L. Jackson, Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman, Leonardo Di Caprio and, most recently, the cast of Gladiator 2. Leaving the movie world behind, I headed out of the city to Fint Oasis. Even in the height of the summer drought, this tranquil, lush place had large pools of water in its tree-lined riverbed. Local women washed their clothes, drying them here and there on the bushes. I was thrilled to spot turtles and frogs in the water. Over the next few days, our trip took me gradually eastwards, inching ever closer to the Sahara. There were some memorable stops on the way. The Dades region, know as the Valley of the Roses, is dotted with pink-coloured villages. The scent of the roses that are grown here hangs in the air. Women from this area, many working together in co-operatives, pick 700 tonnes of rose petals each year which are made into rosewater, used in beauty products, cooking and aromatherapy. Continuing on, we reached the impressive Todra Gorge, a series of limestone river canyons with sheer cliffs rising up to 300 metres. That evening, I arrived in Merzouga, the gateway to the Sahara, just before sunset. Our stunning hotel - Riad Serai - was quite literally, on the edge of a part of the desert called Erg Chebbi. This large sea of dunes formed by wind-blown sand stretched as far as I could see. I walked a little way and sat down. All I could hear was the sound of the wind which had just started to pick up. In the distance, I could make out the silhouette of camels bearing riders across the peaks of the dunes. The next day, a 4x4 took me deeper into the desert. I was staying the night in a Luxury Desert Camp. The driver navigated his way across the deep orange sand as if he was following some unseen highway. We stopped to look for fossils. The heat was searing as we walked, eyes down scanning the rocky sand. Within minutes I'd found an ammonite. Just seconds later, there were more. Arriving at the camp, I was greeted with traditional Moroccan mint tea.. The tents were something else - with air conditioning, a stand-alone bath and a very comfy bed, this was glamping at its finest. But the best was yet to come. As the sun began to dip, I climbed awkwardly onto a camel and was led out to the dunes to watch the sunset. In those few minutes as the light faded, the sand seemed to shift in colour from orange, to pink and then red. Back at camp, all the guests sat around the fire pit chatting and listening to traditional live music. When all was quiet, I lay on my back staring at the crystal-clear night sky. I'd been told the chance of seeing a meteor that night was high. Minutes later, a shooting star traced a path directly above. A fitting end to a truly star-studded trip.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Prime Video adds two underrated 2024 movies that I love and you need to watch right now
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. To me, the best part of streaming are that great movies and TV shows that may not have made a splash upon their initial release for whatever reason can get a second chance to find an audience. This week I'm hoping we get two examples of that as two of the better movies I saw at the tail end of last year but weren't able to crack through against the likes of Gladiator 2, Wicked and more, land on Prime Video — September 5 and The Fire Inside. Both movies arrived on the streaming service on May 27 and both should be added to your watchlist real quick. September 5 was one of the best movies of 2024 that I saw, while The Fire Inside is a winning crowd-pleaser sports movie that goes deeper than others in the genre. Let's start with September 5, a journalism thriller that follows the ABC Sports broadcast crew of the 1972 Olympics that find themselves in the middle of the story of their lives when the Munich hostage situation takes place. Tim Fehlbaum directed and co-wrote the movie, which takes place almost entirely in the broadcast room of ABC Sports, using archival footage of the actual event to chronicle the story. The movie also features an outstanding ensemble that consists of John Magaro, Peter Sarsgaard, Ben Chaplin and breakout star Leonie Benesch. My September 5 review gave the movie five stars, as not only is it a gripping thriller (I was hooked to see how everything unfolded despite the fact that the event happened more than 50 years ago), but it immediately put itself with the best journalism movies of all time, All the President's Men and Spotlight. Other critics were of a similar mind, as September 5 is 'Certified Fresh' at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Yet audiences and awards bodies mostly ignored it. While I never would have expected September 5 to be a $100 million movie, a shifting release date that ultimately had it open limited on December 13, 2024, before releasing everywhere in the US on January 17, 2025, yielded disappointing results (just $2.5 million in the US). Major awards bodies didn't recognize it either, with the Golden Globes only giving it one nomination (even though it was for Best Picture) and the Oscars following suit (nominating it for Best Original Screenplay). The German Film Awards gave the movie its proper due, handing it nine of the 10 awards it was nominated for, including Outstanding Feature Film. At just over 90 minutes and an almost non-stop, tense thriller, September 5 can hopefully find its audience at last on Prime Video. Moving on to The Fire Inside, directed by Rachel Morrison, this is another based-on-a-true-story movie, this time about Claressa Shields, a young boxer from Flint, Mich., who became the first American woman to win a gold medal at the Olympics for boxing. Her incredible athletic accomplishment is just one part of the movie though, as it also touches on the reality that Olympic glory does not always bring the benefits you might expect. That extra bit of depth to the story (courtesy of a script from Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins), along with the chemistry between stars Ryan Destiny and Bryan Tyree Henry, are the secret sauce to this movie, which I gave four stars in my The Fire Inside review. Unfortunately again, The Fire Inside failed to register at the box office (just over $8 million) and felt like it was quickly forgotten. We need to remedy that for both The Fire Inside and September 5. I highly recommend you give these movies a chance now that they are available to stream on Prime Video.
Scottish Sun
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Sky customers finally receive upgrade for popular TV app filled with top movies – there's a big discount too
Latest move reverses changes made in January for a price DREAM STREAM Sky customers finally receive upgrade for popular TV app filled with top movies – there's a big discount too Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SKY customers can finally take advantage of a streaming perk months after a dreaded downgrade came into force. Many TV and movie apps have introduced ads now, with an option to pay extra to remove them. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Gladiator 2 is among the big movies on Paramount+ Credit: Alamy 2 Favourites like South Park are on Paramount+ too Credit: AP In January, Sky customers were warned that their Paramount+ access would now be ad-based. Sky Cinema subscribers get access to Paramount+ at no extra cost. However, the change strangely didn't include an option to upgrade for those wanting to avoid the ads. But thanks to a new update, Sky customers can now choose an ad-free option instead. What's more, customers get money off compared to subscribing directly to Paramount+. "Finally no ads so I can get back to watching South Park and Nobland with no interuptions!" one viewer wrote on Sky's forum. "This is good news," another commented. Sky customers can subscribe to Paramount+ standard - which has no ads - for £3 extra per month. Usually, the standard plan costs £7.99 per month. For those who want 4K quality as well as a screen allowance boost and no ads, it's £6 extra. You're throwing away money on Netflix – I found three common mistakes sending your bill soaring but the fixes are easy That's instead of the £10.99 you would have to pay for it directly. Sky Cinema costs £10 per month and comes with two free cinema tickets for Vue Cinemas each month.
