Latest news with #SamNeill
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Hollywood legend makes epic comeback after six years off screens in new Netflix thriller - and debuts striking new look
A Hollywood legend has made an epic comeback after six years off our screens in a new Netflix thriller - debuting a striking new look. Eric Bana, well known for starring in 2009 film The Time Traveller's Wife alongside Rachel McAdams, has not featured in a TV series since 2019. This was true crime anthology series Dirty John, which saw him play the eponymous sociopath alongside The White Lotus 's Connie Britton and Ted Lasso 's Juno Temple. The Aussie actor, 56, is now set return to the small screen in Untamed, as a National Park Service agent investigating a brutal murder in Yosemite National Park. The six-part murder mystery series, due for release on Netflix on July 17, sees Eric star alongside Jurassic Park's Sam Neill and La La Land's Rosemarie DeWitt. Pictures of the star filming this latest role show the past six years have been quite kind to him - previously a dark-haired heartthrob, he is now firmly a silver fox. The images show the actor, still in great shape, with fully salt and pepper locks, along with a fair amount of scruff. Though Eric has not starred in a TV show in recent years, he has still had a full filming schedule starring in movies. The actor has made a foray into animated kids' films, with 2021's Back To The Outback and Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers the following year. The former follows animals that try to escape from an Australian wildlife park to return to their native habitats, which also starred Isla Fisher, Guy Pearce and Keith Urban. The latter, meanwhile, is a follow-up to the 1989 TV show of the same name, about the beloved Disney chipmunk duo, and also features Seth Rogen and Andy Samberg. Eric also appeared as a voice actor in 2024 stop-motion film Memoir of a Snail, about the life of loner Grace, alongside Succession's Sarah Snook. He has also starred in several films directed by fellow Aussie Robert Connolly - thriller The Dry (2021) and its sequel Force Of Nature (2024), as well as 2022 drama Blueback. The Aussie actor broke on to the Hollywood scene in the noughties, making a splash in hyper-masculine leading roles like Hector in Troy (2004) and Bruce Banner in Hulk (2003). The Aussie actor broke on to the Hollywood scene in the noughties, making a splash in hyper-masculine leading roles like Hector in Troy (2004) and Bruce Banner in Hulk (2003). Pictured: Eric at the world premiere of Hulk in 2003 He also featured in Ridley Scott's high-octane 2001 war film Black Hawk Down, about a US military helicopter shot down in the Battle of Mogadishu in nineties Somalia. But Eric actually started his journey towards the limelight as a stand-up and sketch comedian - before his breakout performance in 2000 crime drama Chopper. His star quickly went on the rise - and he was even one of a small group of actors approached in 2005 to play James Bond. The role, of course, eventually went to Daniel Craig, who he starred alongside in Steven Spielberg's 2005 historical epic Munich, about the Mossad operation to kill Palestinian militants behind a 1972 terrorist attack in the German city. But Eric told The Independent in 2022: 'I wouldn't have wanted to be James Bond. 'It would have been too much fame for my head.' Where Daniel played the infamous spy for around 15 years, from 2006 to 2021, Eric said avoiding this huge fame has meant he is 'largely able to do whatever the hell I want, whenever I want'. He added it 'would have been a great loss' not to have this kind of independence. Eric still lives in his native Melbourne with his wife, publicist Rebecca Gleeson, and two children, having never moved to Los Angeles like many other actors do. Asked by TNT Magazine in 2014 if he thought this had harmed his career, he replied firmly: 'No. And even if it has, it wouldn't make any difference to me. 'I love my life with my wife and kids in Melbourne and that's my home. 'I don't mind flying to Los Angeles for a few days or weeks at a time to talk to people in Hollywood when I need to. 'I still have to travel to the US or other countries when I'm shooting movies, so it doesn't make any difference anyway. 'These days you can just go online and have meetings using your computer.' The debut of Eric's new silver fox image comes after another famous grey-haired looker returned to their natural colour - after a dodgy dye job. Back in March, George Clooney, 64, dyed his hair dark brown to play Edward R Murrow in the stage adaptation of his 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck. The actor - who recently earned a Tony Award nomination - previously admitted his wife Amal was not a fan of his darker 'do. And last month, Clooney's signature salt-and-pepper hair made a subtle comeback as he arrived at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City. Wearing a white Bronx New York baseball cap, Clooney had noticeably grey sideburns as well as grey hair on the side of his neck. He styled his look with a black leather jacket, khaki pants, Adidas trainers and blue-tinted sunglasses. The Ocean's Eleven star looked to be in high spirits as he waved to fans and photographers outside the theatre. Clooney was accompanied by a security guard and a bodyguard as he prepared to star in the matinee performance of his Broadway play, which closed early this month.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Eric Bana Uncovers Dark Secrets in Netflix's Untamed Teaser Trailer
Netflix has released the teaser trailer for , an upcoming murder mystery series starring Eric Bana (Black Hawk Down, Troy) as a special agent setting out on a mission to catch a killer. Created by Mark L. Smith (American Primeval) and Elle Smith (The Marsh King's Daughter), the limited series — described as a 'character-driven mystery-thriller' — is scheduled to arrive on Netflix on July 17, 2025. 'People come here to explore,' says Bana's Kyle Turner in the newly released trailer for Untamed. Kyle works as a special agent for the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch. Although brief, the video sets the tone for what to expect from the forthcoming series, which will center on Kyle's mission to hunt down the killer in Yosemite National Park as well as to uncover the dark secret behind the picturesque wilderness. 'The character-driven mystery thriller follows Eric Inman (Bana), a special agent for the National Parks Service who works to enforce human law in nature's vast wilderness. The investigation of a brutal death sends Inman on a collision course with the dark secrets within the park, and in his own past,' the plot description reads. Watch the teaser trailer down below: In addition to Bana, Untamed also stars Sam Neill (Jurassic Park) as Paul Souter, Rosemarie DeWitt (La La Land) as Jill Bodwin, Lily Santiago (La Brea) as Naya Vasquez, and Wilson Bethel (All Rise) as Shane Maguire. Bana also served as the six-episode drama's executive producer alongside writers Smith and Smith. Additional executive producers include John Wells Productions' Wells and Erin Jontow, Escape Artists Entertainment's Todd Black and Tony Shaw, Bee Holder Productions' Steve Lee Jones (You Don't Know Jack), and Syndicate Entertainment's Cliff Roberts (The Midnight Sky). Untamed is a co-production with Warner Bros. Television Studios. The post Eric Bana Uncovers Dark Secrets in Netflix's Untamed Teaser Trailer appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'They've become extinct, and are we next?': How Jurassic Park made dinosaurs into film stars
In June 1993, Steven Spielberg's adaptation of Michael Crichton's novel brought prehistoric monsters to life. Crichton spoke to the BBC about why dinosaurs continue to fascinate us. One of the most celebrated moments in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park has two scientists, played by Sam Neill and Laura Dern, staring agasp at a Brachiosaurus towering above them – it's the first time these characters and the audience have glimpsed the colossus in all its onscreen glory. As John Williams's iconic overture swells, a wave of childlike wonder washes over their faces. And ever since the film premiered 32 years ago, on 9 June 1993, audiences have felt a similar awe. The franchise now includes animated television series, comics, video games, and seven major films, including the latest instalment, Jurassic World Rebirth, which is released in July. But it all started with Michael Crichton's bestselling novel, published in 1990. While writing the novel, Crichton visited a museum in the UK which featured a video exhibit on dinosaurs. "Little boys and girls of three [years old] would scream 'Stegosaurus!' and 'Tyrannosaurus!' when they would appear," Crichton told the BBC's The Late Show in 1993. "You wouldn't think they'd know how to pronounce these words, but they do." Since the discovery of the first dinosaur fossils two centuries ago, and the first official scientific naming of a dinosaur – the Megalosaurus – in 1824, our fascination with these titans of the natural world has never really waned. But it has evolved. "We have in every period some [new] aspect of interest, not so much in our own reinterpretation of the dinosaurs from a scientific standpoint, but from a cultural standpoint," said Crichton. In 1854, a number of supposedly life-sized model dinosaurs, sculpted by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins and cast in cement, were displayed in Crystal Palace Park in south London. At this point, Crichton believed, "the underlying issue soon became whether these were evidence that ought to be employed for or against Darwinian evolution, so after the initial interest in dinosaurs as simply large extinct animals, they came to be viewed from the standpoint of their religious significance." By the time Crichton wrote Jurassic Park, however, our view of dinosaurs had moved on, both scientifically and philosophically. The podgy beasts sculpted by Hawkins had been replaced in the imagination by fast, agile, birdlike creatures – and the issue of the dinosaurs' extinction was considered of greater philosophical interest than their creation. "The question that we have when we look at dinosaurs is, 'They've become extinct, and are we next,'" Crichton said. In between these two periods, dinosaurs stomped through cinema history. The first onscreen dinosaur starred in an animated film, Gertie the Dinosaur, in 1914. A classic silent film, The Lost World (1925), boasted stop-motion dinosaurs created by Willis O'Brien, who went on to animate the prehistoric monsters who fought King Kong in 1933. The dinosaurs in King Kong then inspired legendary animator Ray Harryhausen to create his own unique dinosaur hybrid for the film 20,000 Fathoms (1953), a Tyrannosaurus-Brontosaurus mix that rampaged through the streets of New York City. Harryhausen would go on to direct his own prehistoric monster film, One Million Years B.C. (1966), in which Raquel Welch and other fur-clad cave-people came face-to-face with dinosaurs. "We were criticised many times that human beings, particularly cavemen… never lived anywhere near the time of the dinosaur," Harryhausen said on The Late Show. "But that's a licence one has to take for the cinema because you have no drama unless you have people in with the dinosaurs." Breaking box-office records The film of Jurassic Park, with a screenplay co-written by Crichton, brought together people and dinosaurs more believably than ever before. Spielberg used a groundbreaking and earth-shaking combination of computer-generated imagery and practical animatronics for his cautionary tale of a corporation miraculously resurrecting long-extinct species. The corporation's CEO, John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), intends to use the creatures to populate a wildlife amusement park on an island off the coast of Costa Rica. But when the dinosaurs escape their enclosures, a group of scientists learn the hard way that Hammond's plan may have its drawbacks. The film was a blockbuster hit in the summer of 1993, grossing $357 million domestically and $914 million worldwide in its original theatrical run. It shattered box office records, becoming the highest grossing film ever at the time of its release. Jurassic Park "delivers where it counts, in excitement, suspense and the stupendous realization of giant prehistoric reptiles", said Variety's 1993 review. In 2018, it was added to the Library of Congress's National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". More like this:• How a child star saved a Hollywood star from bankruptcy• The film that made Arnold Schwarzenegger a superstar• Hitchcock reveals the secret to his masterpieces None of the sequels or spin-offs has been quite so significant, but all of the films have been Brachiosaurus-sized hits. Spielberg directed The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), and then Joe Johnston took the reins for Jurassic Park III (2001). That film appeared to be the end of the big-screen series, but eventually Jurassic World (2015) roared into cinemas, beginning another trilogy: at the time, it was the third highest-grossing film ever released. Dinosaurs still instil childlike wonder, it seems, and as long as they do, the Jurassic Park franchise won't remain extinct for long. -- For more stories and never-before-published radio scripts to your inbox, sign up to the In History newsletter, while The Essential List delivers a handpicked selection of features and insights twice a week. For more Culture stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Guardian
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The worst sports movie in history? I asked Sepp Blatter about Fifa's United Passions
There are movies that bomb at the box office. And then there is the Fifa biopic United Passions, starring Tim Roth, Sam Neill and Gérard Depardieu, which was hit with the cinematic equivalent of a thermonuclear strike when it opened in the US 10 years ago this week. You might remember the fallout; the fact it took only $918 (£678) in its opening weekend, making it the lowest grossing film in US history at the time, and the stories detailing how two people bought tickets to see it in Philadelphia, and only one in Phoenix, before it was pulled by distributors. Then there were the reviews. 'As cinema it is excrement,' Jordan Hoffman wrote in the Guardian. 'As proof of corporate insanity it is a valuable case study. United Passions is a disgrace.' Admittedly, there was never going to be a good time to launch 109 minutes of soft-sheen history and propaganda about Jules Rimet, João Havelange and Sepp Blatter. But when 14 Fifa members were indicted on corruption charges just days before the $26m (£19m) film's US release, the film became a byword for hubris and excess. Only in Russia, where it made £140,000 at the box office, did it muster any sort of audience. Although what they made of Neill's attempt at Havelenge's accent, which veered wildly between Brazil, New Zealand and Ireland, is anyone's guess. The 10-year anniversary seemed like the perfect time for me to grit my teeth and watch United Passions for the first time. I also hoped that those involved might have got over their collective embarrassment and would be prepared to talk about it. Was it really the worst sports movie in history? Worse than Rocky V? Or the Love Guru, which starred Mike Myers as a bearded Indian whose task, in the words of the Observer's then critic Philip French, 'is to counsel a black ice-hockey star whose wife has run off with a French Canadian goalkeeper known as 'Le Coq' for the prodigious size of his membrum virile'. Having watched it, I can say that United Passions really is right up there. The script feels like it was written by a 2015 version of ChatGPT that has been programmed to hate the English, who come across as universally pompous. The dodgy stuff in Fifa's history is danced around, or ignored. And some of it is so cringey it makes you gasp. At one point, for instance, Blatter expresses his fears over the 1978 World Cup in Argentina because the military government is murdering its opponents. 'Who cares,' Havelange replies. 'During the World Cup they only dream of one thing, that ball. Because football brings consolation to all tragedies and sorrows!' That is the same Havelange who took millions in bribes and kickbacks from Fifa's deals with the marketing company ISL. In fact, United Passions is so comically awful the Internet Movie Database gives it 2.1 out of 10, a ranking so dismal it would qualify for its worst 100 films of all time list if it had the 10,000 votes needed to qualify. When the film came out Roth, who plays Blatter, admitted: 'This is a role that will have my father turning in his grave,' before confessing he did it only to put his kids through college. You can fault his performance, but not his honesty. A decade on, however, few others want to revisit it. The publicist sent me a lovely email but didn't remember many specifics. An ex-Fifa employee jokingly referred to the film as a 'blockbuster' but had only vague memories of its genesis. Fifa, meanwhile, didn't want to comment. The only exception? Blatter himself. When I spoke to his official spokesperson, Thomas Renggli, he asked me to fire over a few questions. A day later, he came back with the replies. 'Obviously the movie was not a success,' Blatter, who turns 90 next year, told me. 'A movie about Fifa is always controversial, so for me it was not a surprise that the opinions were so different in Russia and in the US.' Blatter also insisted that the concept of United Passions had not come from him and, contrary to internet rumour, he had not tinkered with the script to make himself the hero. 'The idea came up after there was a small movie called Goal,' he said. 'And in this environment, the Fifa management brought up the idea of producing a big movie. It was definitely not only me behind it. And concerning my part in the production, I was only an adviser. I was not involved in the script.' Which is just as well, because it is bad. Really, really bad. A few minutes into the film, for instance, Rimet tries to get Football Association bigwigs to join Fifa while speaking to them at half-time during a game. 'Our boys are two goals down gentlemen!' Rimet is told. 'There are things much more important than life and death. There is football. And at half-time things are deadly serious!' Blatter also insisted he was OK with how the film turned out, but Renggli told me that there was befuddlement when it was shown to Fifa employees before its premiere at the Cannes film festival. 'We were all sitting there in this big auditorium and everybody was thinking, 'what do they want to tell us with this film?' To me it did not make sense at all.' There are some, of course, who think Fifa will be making another expensive mistake in the US this weekend when it launches its 32-team Club World Cup. The early signs are not positive, with tickets for the opening game between Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and Al Ahly going for $55 – 16% of the original asking price of $349. There are also concerns with player welfare, given the increase in the number of games and Blatter, who was recently cleared of fraud by a Swiss court, is not a fan of the tournament, or next year's expanded 48-team World Cup. 'Havelange once told me that I made a monster when I created this wedding between TV and football,' he told me. 'But now it's all too much. There are too many games. And too many teams in the tournaments. Sooner or later, we will have 128 teams, like in a tennis grand slam.' And whatever you think of Blatter, or indeed United Passions, it is hard to disagree too much with those sentiments.
9 News
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- 9 News
'We love you': Outpouring of support after comedian and actress's cancer diagnosis
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Szubanski, who rose to fame playing the character of Sharon Strzelecki in Aussie television series Kath and Kim, revealed the tragic news in a post on Instagram this afternoon. Szubanski's loved ones and friends were quick to voice their support. Magda Szubanski in character as Sharon from the ABC series Kath and Kim on the set in 2004. (Nine) "Lots of love and support to you, beautiful one," comedian Rove McManus commented on her post. Actor Sam Neill, who is in remission from blood cancer, said, "Right there with you darling." Neill and Szubanksi both starred in the 2019 film Ride Like A Girl. "I'm so sorry to hear this Magda, but this cancer has no idea what it's taken on does it?" former A Current Affair Host Trace Grimshaw said. Actor Sam Neill, who is in remission from blood cancer. (Getty) "You come from strong, odds-defying stock, and you'll beat this." Today host David Campbell said "I love you so bloody much." Former The Project host and radio presenter Carrie Bickmore, who lost her husband Greg Lange to brain cancer in 2010, told Szubanski, "You've got this." "Yelling at you now from a distance that we all love you," Bickmore said. Hugh Sheridan, who starred alongside Szubanksi in the Australian production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and hosted her on the 2012 TV series I Will Survive said, "I love you so much Magda". "Massive hugs being sent to you and so many more in person to come," the actor wrote. celebrity celebrities cancer national Sydney New South Wales CONTACT US Property News: 'Stressful': Perth mum's dilemma after rental mix-up.
