Entertainment

In ‘Equalizer 3,’ Denzel Washington’s Assassin Goes To Italy

Published

9 months ago

2023-08-31

For years, director Antoine Fuqua has wanted to take The Equalizer abroad. The action franchise (loosely inspired by a 1980s television series) starring Denzel Washington as the reluctant assassin Robert McCall had humble origins in Boston. But, with two films and $382.7 million in box-office receipts in the previous decade, the moment looked right.

“Denzel is an international movie star,” Fuqua said, according to The Associated Press. “We thought seeing a man of color in a more international story would be nice.” Why not travel the world with this character? Fortunately, Sony liked the concept.”

And just one country was ever really considered: Italy. Fuqua said he has been going to Washington every summer since his children were babies. He adores the culture, the people, and the cuisine. He can even communicate in Italian.

“He just feels right there,” remarked Fuqua.

And for Fuqua, getting to shoot in Rome’s Cinecittà Studios and tread in the footsteps of Fellini and so many other greats was the stuff of filmmaking dreams. They discovered a truly 1970s New York grit in Naples, which required little to no production design for a critical showdown. And on the Amalfi coast, they discovered the lovely Atrani, the small village of their and McCall’s thoughts.

It’s the kind of location you’d think someone like McCall (or anyone) would feel immediately connected to and protective of, which is exactly what occurs in “Equaliser 3,” which opens in theatres nationwide on Friday. The difference is that McCall is more positioned to take on the Camorra. Of course, solely on my own.

“When we went to that small town, we knew it was the place,” Fuqua explained. “The people were so lovely; we were sitting around, and they kept bringing us coffee and espresso.” We didn’t even request it. Or, because it was so hot, huge lemons. You fall in love with the people in a place like that.”

For years, director Antoine Fuqua has wanted to take The Equaliser abroad, starring Denzel Washington.

The steps were the only source of contention, which isn’t a complaint. One of Atrani’s gems is a medieval chapel set on the mountainside high above the beach, which they believed would be ideal for a key sequence involving McCall and Dakota Fanning’s CIA analyst. The only way to get there is to climb almost 700 steps. It wasn’t a comfortable journey with all the equipment needed to shoot a scene, but it served as a nice reminder of Fuqua’s and his cinematographer, three-time Oscar winner Robert Richardson,’s objective. They wanted to show a real location, not a vacation spot.

“It’s not a travelogue,” Fuqua pointed out. “The Mediterranean is beautiful, but it’s also real life for the people there.” Fishermen subsist on what they catch. They live in cramped quarters. Every day, they stroll up those steps.”

The film assembles a core team with decades of experience, including producers Todd Black and Jason Blumenthal. In addition to the “Equaliser” films, Fuqua directed Washington in “Training Day,” which earned him his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the latest adaptation of “The Magnificent Seven.”

Black has produced all of Washington’s films and several others. Washington introduced Black and Fuqua for the first “Equaliser,” which everyone anticipated would be a single film rather than a franchise.

“When you’re making a film, you can’t think about franchises or awards.” “If you’re making a movie to win an award, or even to be nominated for an award, or to have a franchise, you’re probably dead in the water going in,” Black remarked. “Not 100% of the time, but you shouldn’t think that way.”

Instead, they approached it script by script and “let the audience decide.” The audience appeared to enjoy seeing Washington as McCall more than once. Both the first and second films grossed more than $190 million apiece on production budgets of less than $65 million, and Sony was interested in a third. It also helped that Black and Fuqua had become friends, with the invaluable trust that comes with it. Both know that everything on their projects will be secure and managed, whether dealing with an unexpected fan situation for their star or ensuring that shooting in Naples at night is not too dangerous.

For years, director Antoine Fuqua has wanted to take The Equaliser abroad,starring Denzel Washington.

“We’ve never had an incident at our movies because we are so vigilant,” added Black. “And Antoine really protects actors.”

Now, Black and Fuqua are in the rare position of having to be the principal voices advertising “Equaliser 3” in place of their movie stars, who, along with Hollywood writers, are on strike. While some films launched without a star’s late-night quips and red carpet appearances have struggled at the box office in the last month, Black is confident in “Equaliser 3.”

“I have other movies that will need my actors to promote them, but everyone knows Denzel Washington is the ‘Equaliser,'” Black explained. “We’re very confident, thanks to Antoine for creating such a beautiful film that works and audiences have embraced so far.” We’re in fantastic form.”

Both miss having Washington by their sides on the press trip. According to Black, the 68-year-old singer is much “mellower” today than he was years ago and is a pleasure to do publicity with. Fuqua also noted that McCall in “Equaliser 3” may reflect where Washington is in his life. Both are more calm and patient than the other.

“He’ll call me and Todd at 4 a.m. to look at the sunrise,” Fuqua explained. “Denzel wasn’t there before. It’s good to watch him slow down and appreciate life.”

SOURCE – (AP)

Celebrity

2024 Cannes Kicks Off With Greta Gerwig’s Jury And A Palme D’Or For Meryl Streep

Published

18 hours ago

2024-05-14

Kiara Grace

AP News - VOR News Image

CANNES, France — The Cannes Film Festival began Tuesday with the announcement of Greta Gerwig’s jury and the giving of an honorary Palme d’Or to Meryl Streep, as the French Riviera spectacle started its possibly tumultuous 77th edition.

The opening night picture, “The Second Act,” a French comedy starring Lea Seydoux, Vincent Lindon, Louis Garrel, and Raphaël Quenard, will usher in a 10-day parade of stars down Cannes’ iconic red carpet. During the opening ceremony, Streep will get her honorary Palme.

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Cannes Kicks Off With Greta Gerwig’s Jury And A Palme D’Or For Meryl Streep

In the coming days, Cannes will debut George Miller’s “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” Francis Ford Coppola’s self-financed “Megalopolis,” and anticipated new films from Paolo Sorrentino, Yorgos Lanthimos, Andrea Arnold, and Kevin Costner.

However, much of this year’s Cannes controversy has occurred off-screen.

French actor Judith Godrèche accused two film directors of rape and sexual assault when she was a teenager earlier this year, and the French film industry has been grappling with probably its defining #MeToo moment since. Godrèche’s short film “Moi Aussi” will premiere on Wednesday.

When asked about #MeToo’s expansion in France, Gerwig told reporters in Cannes on Tuesday that it is progressing.

“I think people in the community of movies telling us stories and trying to change things for the better is only good,” Gerwig stated. “I’ve witnessed significant shift in the American cinema scene, and I believe it’s critical that we continue to broaden that conversation. So I believe it’s only advancing things in the right direction. Keep the lines of communication open.”

Gerwig, fresh off the success of “Barbie,” is president of the jury that will decide Cannes’ top prize, the Palme d’Or. Thierry Fremaux commended her on Monday as “the ideal director” for Cannes, citing her ability to work in both arthouse and studio films and her passion for movie history. And, “We very much liked ‘Barbie.'”

Gerwig is joined on the jury by Lily Gladstone, star of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” French actor Eva Green, Spanish filmmaker J.A. Bayona, French actor Omar Sy, Lebanese actor and director Nadine Labaki, Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, Turkish screenwriter Ebru Ceylan, and Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino.

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Cannes Kicks Off With Greta Gerwig’s Jury And A Palme D’Or For Meryl Streep

“I thought I just got over my imposter syndrome last year,” admitted the Oscar-nominated Gladstone. “But I’ll start all over again.”

The jurors were asked how the numerous real-world concerns outside the festival would influence their decision-making. One film in competition, Ali Abbasi’s “The Apprentice,” portrays Sebastian Stan as a youthful Donald Trump. And Labaki was asked if she was thinking about the war in Gaza.

“I truly believe that one of the tools to really change something in the situation we all live in right now, which is a situation I think is not that great, is really through art and through cinema,” Labaki stated. “It may propose a more tolerant way of seeing things and seeing each other as human beings.”

According to Favino, filmmakers have a vital role in reminding the world of where beauty can be found.

“This is why I decided that I could be here without feeling guilty as a human being,” stated Favino. “Because if we look for beauty, then we might look for peace.”

Other fears are circulating this year’s Cannes. Festival workers, frustrated with short-term contracts that make them ineligible for unemployment benefits between events, have threatened to strike.

On Monday, Iranian filmmaker Mohammed Rasoulof, whose film “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” will be shown in competition at Cannes next week, said that he had escaped Iran after being sentenced to eight years in prison and flogging. The film is described as a scathing depiction of the Iranian regime.

AP – VOR News Image

Cannes Kicks Off With Greta Gerwig’s Jury And A Palme D’Or For Meryl Streep

As Cannes continues, many will be fixated on the celebs who walk the festival’s iconic red carpet. Emma Stone, Anya Taylor-Joy, Demi Moore, Selena Gomez, Nicolas Cage, and Barry Keoghan will be among the cast. George Lucas will be presented with an honorary Palme d’Or during the closing ceremony on May 25.

Regardless, the 77th Cannes Film Festival will have many expectations to meet. Last year’s festival, which was universally praised for its impressive roster, yielded three Oscar best picture nominees: “Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Zone of Interest,” and “Killers of the Flower Moon.” To help reignite last year’s spirit, Messi, the canine hero of “Anatomy of a Fall,” has returned to Cannes for a series of quick French TV advertisements.

A successful Cannes will help France maintain the global spotlight throughout the summer. The French Open, Tour de France, and Summer Olympics in Paris will all take place after the festival. On May 21, the Olympic flame will be carried to the Palais des Festivals, the festival’s focal point.

SOURCE – (AP)

Business

Roku Will Stream Weekly MLB Game On Sundays. Viewers Won’t Need One Of The Service’s Devices

Published

19 hours ago

2024-05-14

Kiara Grace

AP News - VOR News Image

The streaming service announced Monday that Roku will begin broadcasting Major League Baseball games on Sundays this week, and fans will be able to watch for free without needing a device.

AP – VOR News Image

Roku Will Stream Weekly MLB Game On Sundays. Viewers Won’t Need One Of The Service’s Devices

The company has secured multiyear rights to MLB Sunday Leadoff games, beginning this Sunday with the Boston Red Sox versus the St. Louis Cardinals. The telecasts will be created in partnership with local broadcasting teams. They were originally available via the subscription service Peacock.

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Roku Will Stream Weekly MLB Game On Sundays. Viewers Won’t Need One Of The Service’s Devices

Viewers without Roku can watch the games via the free Roku Channel app, available on Amazon Fire devices, Samsung TVs, and Google TVs. The app is also available at therokuchannel.com, and no login is necessary.

The games will also be available to MLB.TV subscribers.

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Roku Will Stream Weekly MLB Game On Sundays. Viewers Won’t Need One Of The Service’s Devices

“With free games available to anyone, MLB games on Roku will be widely accessible to fans,” said Noah Garden, MLB deputy commissioner for business and media. “Since Roku serves as an entertainment gateway for millions, this partnership offers a valuable new promotional and distribution platform for MLB games and content.”

SOURCE – (AP)

Computer

Jason Aldean Will Honor Toby Keith With A Performance At The 2024 ACM Awards

Published

19 hours ago

2024-05-14

Kiara Grace

AP News - VOR News Image

The time has arrived to lift the red Solo cup. Jason Aldean will honor the late Toby Keith at the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards.

The 59th ACM Awards, hosted by Reba McEntire, will be held Thursday at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas.

Keith has won 14 ACM Awards in his career, including the title of Entertainer of the Year twice. He died in February at the age of 62 after being diagnosed with stomach cancer.

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Jason Aldean Will Honor Toby Keith With A Performance At The 2024 ACM Awards

“I’ve been a fan of his since the beginning, and his songs are some of the first songs I played back in clubs early in my career, including the one I’ll be performing on the show,” Aldean stated. “I was fortunate to share the stage with Toby in Oklahoma last year, and it means a lot to commemorate him and properly appreciate his great career and legacy. He was one of a kind.

ACM CEO Damon Whiteside said it made sense for Aldean, the most recent artist of the decade, to honor Keith.

“The popularity, influence, and love for Toby Keith has been infinite since his passing earlier this year,” Whiteside said, adding that the academy was looking forward to meeting Keith’s family.Luke Combs leads the 2024 nominees with eight nods. For the fifth year in a row, he is nominated for both Male Artist and Entertainer of the Year.

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Jason Aldean Will Honor Toby Keith With A Performance At The 2024 ACM Awards

Megan Moroney and Morgan Wallen are next with six each, followed by Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton, and Lainey Wilson, who all have five.

Kane Brown, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett, Post Malone, Parker McCollum, McEntire, Wilson, and Stapleton will all perform during the telecast. Fans can also expect unusual collaborations, such as Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, and Nate Smith and Avril Lavigne.