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The cast of the hugely popular 90s sitcom Friends was composed of some of the greatest comedic actors of their generation, and while theyre all still best known for their work on that project, theyve all been involved in some great movies and TV shows since the show ended. Friendss final season ended in 2004 after ten years of immense success, and while several of the actors could have easily never worked again, all six members of the main cast produced some of their best work in the years that followed.

In recent years, Friends has seen another huge surge in popularity since its been added to streaming services like Netflix across the world, introducing the show to a whole new generation and giving these actors careers another big boost. Its undeniably one of the best sitcoms ever made, and while the actors will always be associated with these lovable characters,...

Law & Order: Organized Crime‘s move to Peacock will come with a new addition.

Olivia Thirlby (Y: The Last Man) has joined the series for Season 5 in a recurring role, our sister site Variety reports. Details about her character are not currently available.

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As recently reported by Matt’s Inside Line, the show...

Fox Entertainment has unveiled plans for an upcoming drama series called “Billionaire Apocalypse.” The show will explore themes of wealth inequality and social responsibility. It was created by Jay Carson, known for his work on “The Morning Show.”

“Billionaire Apocalypse” will follow the richest man in the world after a financial crisis causes his wealth to disappear. With his money gone, he loses power and control over his employees and family. The series looks at how this affects the relationships of those who relied on his wealth.

Carson will write and produce the show. He has experience in both politics and entertainment. Previously, Carson worked as a spokesperson in the U.S. Senate and for President Bill Clinton. Later he produced “House of Cards” for Netflix and created “The Morning Show” for Apple TV+.

Hollywood star Hugh Jackman and veterans Lawrence Bender and Kevin Brown will also serve as executive producers.

Fox is developing a drama series about the richest man in the world having to flee his private island after a global financial collapse.

Billionaire Apocalypse (w/t) comes from The Morning Show creator Jay Carson, who will write, and exec producers including Hugh Jackman, Pulp Fiction producer Lawrence Bender and Kevin Brown, exec producer of Starz’ Flesh and Bone.

The network is unveiling the project at Mipcom, where it is hunting for international partners.

Fox Entertainment Studios is producing and it will be distributed internationally by Fox Entertainment Global.

The series follows the richest man on the planet, 200 of his employees, and his family as they are forced to flee to his private island in the wake of a global financial collapse, where the employees and family members — who he’s treated as afterthoughts for decades — quickly realize he’s no longer rich and thus no longer in charge.

Fox said late Sunday night that it is developing a drama series tentatively titled Billionaire Apocalypse that hails from The Morning Show creator Jay Carson and counts Hugh Jackman among its executive producers.

The drama, from Fox Entertainment Studios for the Fox network, is written and executive produced by Carson, creator and writer of Apple+’s Emmy-nominated Morning Show. Also serving as exec producers are Lawrence Bender (Flesh and Bone, Pulp Fiction) and Kevin Brown (Flesh and Bone, Trumbo).

The logline for the drama: “The richest man on the planet, 200 of his employees, and his family are forced to flee to his private island in the wake of a global financial collapse, where the employees and family members — who he’s treated as afterthoughts for decades — quickly realize he’s no longer rich and thus no longer in charge.”

The project, which has received a script commitment, is being distributed worldwide by Fox Entertainment Global.

5 Must See Shows if You Love The Morning Show - Main Image

Apple TV may be considered the runt when it comes to the popularity of streaming services, but the platform has managed to nab some great talent and has quite a lot of critically acclaimed shows in its library.

One particular gem for Apple TV is The Morning Show starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. The show had started way back in 2019 and is still going strong, but it’s going to be a while before the next season makes it to air.

Though the wait is going to be a while, there are some other series that are worth checking out for anyone who loves workplace drama and anything that addresses current social issues.

What’s The Morning Show about?

For context, The Morning Show had started out as a series about a morning news show that had...

AppleTV+’s The Morning Show has added a bunch of new actors for its upcoming season 4. More on the casting news below.

The Morning Show season 4 is currently in production and we’ve got our first bit of new casting news to share.

Variety reports that the show, created by Jay Carson and developed by Kerry Ehrin, has brought on Boyd Holbrook, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, William Jackson Harper, and Aaron Pierre. They’re joining the already-starry cast of Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Nestor Carbonell, Karen Pittman, Greta Lee, Jon Hamm, and Nicole Beharie.

While most of the newcomers’ roles are kept under wraps for now, Holdbrook will play a character called Brodie, who he described as “a popular and provocative podcaster and talk show host.”

The series focuses on the tough world of morning news. The first season found Aniston’s Alex Levy paired with...

Jon Hamm coyly hints at possible return for The Morning Show season 4, saying he is "feeling positive" about it. The Morning Show season 4 is currently in production. Hamm's villainous character was a highlight in season 3, making his potential comeback in season 4 highly anticipated.

Jon Hamm offers an unclear response about whether or not he will return for The Morning Show season 4. Hamm plays Paul Marks in the popular comedy-drama series. He was introduced in The Morning Show season 3 and as yet has not been confirmed to reappear in future episodes. The Morning Show season 4 is confirmed to be happening, and will be released some time in 2025. In addition to Hamm, The Morning Show's leading cast includes Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Karen Pittman, and Nestor Carbonell.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Hamm responds to the question of whether or not he will appear in The Morning Show...

The Girls on the Bus is a political comedy-drama series created by Amy Chozick and Julie Plec. Inspired by Chozick’s 2018 memoir Chasing Hillary, the Max series follows the story of 4 journalists on different sides of political isles as they follow a parade of flawed presidential candidates while bonding with each other. The Girls on the Bus stars Melissa Benoist, Carla Gugino, Christina Elmore, and Natasha Behnam in the lead roles with Brandon Scott, Griffin Dunne, Hettienne Park, Mark Consuelos, Scott Cohen, Kyle Vincent Terry, and P.J. Sosko starring in supporting roles. If you loved all the political satire and friendships in The Girls on the Bus here are some similar shows you could watch next.

Veep (Max & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – HBO

Veep is a political satire and dark comedy series created by Armando Iannucci. The HBO series follows the political career of Selina Meyer as she goes from...

All aboard the Alex Levy Train! Or the Bradley Jackson Train, or (if you’re funky) the Cory Ellison Train, or the Chip Black Train. Whichever train you pick, “The Morning Show” is coming back to Apple TV+, and you can either embark on this chaotic journey or stay at the station.

Jay Carson’s star-studded series about a news network and its many cogs returns after two years, catching up with Alex (Jennifer Aniston), Bradley (Reese Witherspoon), and apparently not Mitch (Steve Carell) for its third season. Season 3, is showrun and executive produced by Charlotte Stoudt, and directed and executive produced by Mimi Leder, Michael Ellenberg and Media Res. The series has already been renewed for a fourth season.

The Season 3 trailer catches up with Bradley and Alex, the latter of whom is apparently asking Cory (Billy Crudup) for something “unprecedented.”

“I am unprecedented,” she replies dramatically. We are so back!

Jennifer Aniston is teasing the new season of The Morning Show ahead of its Apple TV+ premiere this fall.

The Friends alum plays a morning show anchor named Alex Levy on the Jay Carson-created drama and is opening up about what to expect in Season 3.

“It’s a good, juicy one,” Aniston told People. “Everybody’s getting in trouble. Everybody has a secret. And everyone’s just walking the line. It’s a lot more sensual this year.”

Aniston shares the screen with Reese Witherspoon and they both executive produce de series. With Season 3 not even airing yet, the stars have already secured a fourth season. When the show returns this fall to the streamer, it’ll pick up right after Season 2 ended and as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the fictional network Uba.

While making an appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon earlier this year, Aniston teased...

Apple TV+ wants to keep making The Morning Show. The streamer has reportedly renewed the scripted series for a fourth season ahead of the third season's debut, which will see Jon Hamm, Stephen Fry, Tig Notaro, Natalie Morales, Nicole Beharie, Clive Standen, Alano Miller, and Lindsay Duncan joining the cast.

A drama series, The Morning Show was created by Jay Carson. The series stars Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Mark Duplass, Nestor Carbonell, Karen Pittman, Bel Powley, Desean Terry, Janina Gavankar, Tom Irwin, and Marcia Gay Harden. The story follows the cutthroat world of morning news and the lives of the people who help America wake up in the morning. It's told through the lens of two complicated women who work to navigate the minefield of high-octane jobs, all while facing crises in both their personal and professional...

Get ready for more behind-the-scenes network drama, as Apple TV+ has renewed The Morning Show for a fourth season. The renewal comes ahead of the Season 3 premiere, which is expected to air later this fall. According to Deadline, the show’s stars and executive producers, Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, are in talks with Apple to sign new contracts for the fourth season as they work out scheduling. An option for a fifth season is also on the table. Created by Jay Carson, The Morning Show premiered on November 1, 2019, and centers on the characters and culture behind a network broadcast morning news program. The first season examined aspects of the MeToo movement, while Season 2 revolved around the Covid-19 pandemic. The show stars Aniston as The Morning Show co-host Alexandra “Alex” Levy, while Witherspoon plays her new co-host, Bradley Jackson. Billy Crudup portrays the Uba network CEO Cory Ellison, and Mark Duplass...

Exclusive: Johnny Knoxville (Reboot), Mo Amer (Mo) and Kate Upton (The Other Woman) will topline the indie comedy Sweet Dreams, from writer-director Lije Sarki. Additional cast set for the pic includes actor-comedians Bobby Lee (Reservation Dogs), Theo Von and Jay Mohr (The Cleaning Lady), as well as GaTa (Dave), Brian Van Holt (Joe vs. Carole), Jon “Dumbfoundead” Park (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens), Adam Faison (Hellraiser) and Shakewell.

Drawing on Sarki’s personal experience with sobriety, Sweet Dreams follows Morris (Knoxville) as he navigates his way through a mandatory stay at Sweet Dreams sober living. In an attempt to get his life back on track, Morris agrees to coach a misfit softball team of his fellow housemates. Amer is playing Pete, who runs the sober living, with Upton portraying one of the facility’s residents.

1993’s Sarki is producing alongside Robert Ogden Barnum for The Barnum Picture Company, Ari Basile,...

Jennifer Aniston has her first Emmy nomination in 11 years for playing breakfast television host Alex Levy on “The Morning Show.” She has submitted the pilot episode for TV academy consideration to support her Best Drama Actress nomination. Titled “In the Dark Night of the Soul It’s Always 3:30 in the Morning,” the 63-minute installment was directed by Mimi Leder and written by Kerry Ehrin and Jay Carson.

The episode premiered November 1, 2019 on Apple TV+ and the official log line reads, “America’s favorite morning news show is thrown into crisis when it becomes the news.” Can Aniston win an Emmy for “The Morning Show”? Let’s dive into the pros and cons.

SEEEmmy episode analysis: Martin Short sheds comedy legend persona for dramatic guest appearance in ‘The Morning Show’

Pros

Aniston is playing against type by giving a dramatic performance. This is her first Emmy nomination in the drama field after six in comedy,...

For Apple TV+ drama The Morning Show, Angus Wall and Hazel Baird designed a main title sequence that was at once visually abstract and thematically rich, speaking to the various challenging facets of life in the high-pressure world of morning news.

Created by Jay Carson and Kerry Ehrin, the series centers on a popular breakfast news program broadcast out of New York, which is rocked to its core when one of its longtime anchors is fired, due to accusations of sexual misconduct.

Set to Benjamin Clementine’s “Nemesis,” the show’s title sequence centers on spheres of different colors and sizes, interacting in a series of playful vignettes. For Wall and Baird, two of the creative directors behind Elastic—a design studio launched in 2008, which this year claimed four Emmy nominations out of seven for Outstanding Main Title Design—the challenge of The Morning Show was to make sure that...

On The Morning Show, production designer John Paino was tasked with designing the set for a show within a show, embracing the chance to dive into a world he’d never before explored.

Created by Jay Carson and Kerry Ehrin, the drama centers on a popular breakfast news program broadcast out of New York, which is rocked to its core when one of its longtime anchors is fired, due to accusations of sexual misconduct.

An Emmy nominee behind such prestige series as Sharp Objects and Big Little Lies, Paino is always compelled by the notion of a new design challenge. In the case of The Morning Show, the challenge was to put his personal touch on a kind of set that feels ubiquitous, bringing out all the special, little details within a space that might otherwise be taken for granted.

“It’s almost like, how do you do the war room?...

The best thing about the overabundance of shows on television is that even though there are copious amounts of bad television to watch, they’re fairly well matched by good television.

And 2019 was no exception.

No matter what you enjoy, there was something excellent to watch.

Narrowing the best wasn’t an easy task, but remember, this is one person's opinion.

Find out what made our list for 2019.

Succession - HBO

Succession Season 1 was a masterclass in unlikeable people living what they thought were their best lives unhindered, but Succession Season 2 doubled down on the personal angst and ethical business decisions.

Kendall got set up to take the fall for his egomaniacal father, Logan. Logan pulled Shiv closer by dangling Waystar/Royco before her. Shiv and Tom’s married life imploded under the pressure.

Eldest son Connor decided to run for president. And darling misfit Roman began to grow up...

“Euphoric” was the word to describe the atmosphere around the Apple TV Plus offices in Culver City, Calif., on Monday morning as staffers awoke to the news that the fledgling service’s cornerstone drama series, “The Morning Show,” had landed three major Golden Globe Award nominations.

Apple Worldwide Video had exactly two employees — heads Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, newly arrived from Sony Pictures TV to launch the startup unit — on the day in the summer of 2017 when the duo drove to CAA to hear the pitch for what would become “Morning Show,” fortified by stars and exec producers Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. The series is a backstage drama set at a network TV morning show that is rocked when a longtime beloved anchor played by Steve Carell is ousted in a #MeToo scandal.

Erlicht and Van Amburg essentially bought it in the room on the pitch — before...

Apple’s flagship drama “The Morning Show” picked up the recently-launched streamer’s first Golden Globe nominations on Monday.

Series stars Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon were both nominated in the best actress in a drama category. The series itself was also nominated in the best drama series category. Witherspoon and Aniston will now compete against Olivia Colman (“The Crown”), Jodie Comer (“Killing Eve”), and Nicole Kidman (“Big Little Lies”). The show will go up against the same shows in the drama series race along with HBO’s “Succession.”

Read the full list of nominations here.

“The Morning Show” stars Aniston, Witherspoon, Steve Carell, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Nestor Carbonell, Bel Powley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Karen Pittman, Desean Terry, and Janina Gavankar. The show was picked up for two seasons when it was first ordered at Apple in 2017. Jay Carson created the series, with Kerry Ehrin later coming onboard to redevelop...

Mimi Leder, who directed Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show,” believes that many of the people who were critical of the tech giant’s debut drama were driven by a desire to see the company fail in its long-awaited streaming effort.

“I just felt there were a lot of Apple haters and wanting Apple to fail,” Leder said on Tuesday during the Code Conference in Hollywood. “The reviews very much felt like an attack on Apple.”

Apple gave critics the first three episodes ahead of the series launch. Many of the reviews criticized the effort. The show currently has a 63% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes but a much higher audience score of 95% (meaning those who gave the show 3.5 stars or more).

Also Read: HBO Ex-ceo Richard Plepler Close to Apple Production Deal

Kerry Ehrin, who served as showrunner for the drama, described some of the reviews as “pretty attack-ish.” “There...

Since it was announced in August 2017 — with Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon as co-stars and co-executive producers — Apple TV+'s The Morning Show, centered on a fictitious morning news program, has generated plenty of its own headlines. From Aniston's and Witherspoon's $2 million-per-episode fees to a creative dust-up that saw first-time showrunner Jay Carson replaced by Kerry Ehrin, every move on the tech giant's first big original was scrutinized as keenly as the #MeToo scandals that helped inspire it (including Matt Lauer's ouster from Today amid allegations of sexual misconduct).

Based on CNN anchor Brian ...

Watching “The Morning Show” is a bit like watching “The Big Short,” except nothing is said straight-to-camera and nearly everything is boring. Adam McKay’s Oscar-winning 2015 film was so worried about its complicated, term-heavy plot that it gussied up every other aspect of the production; there’s a cheeky voiceover, a star-studded ensemble, and even diegetic celebrity explainers, like Margot Robbie breaking down subprime mortgages from a bathtub. All this was in service of a dire message: unchecked bad behavior will repeat itself, even on a global scale.

Apple’s first drama — from an amalgamation of writers and producers including creator Jay Carson, showrunner Kerry Ehrin, and writer/executive producer Michael Ellenberg — has the opposite problem: It trusts its story without knowing what it’s trying to say. All the pretty people in the world can’t keep you hooked when the purpose is this muddled, and hoo boy, is...

Since it was first announced in November 2017, many rumors have popped up about “The Morning Show.” The Jennifer Aniston- and Reese Witherspoon-starring drama would be a family-friendly look at morning talk shows. It would steer away from topical, controversial content. It would only be available to people with Apple devices.

None of this is true, and as we approach its November 1 release date, the curtain over the biggest Apple TV+ series in the inaugural lineup is slowly being drawn back. During a press conference Sunday afternoon — fittingly held at a Hollywood hotel that hasn’t even opened yet — Aniston and Witherspoon joined co-star Steve Carell and producers Kerry Ehrin, Michael Ellenberg, and director Mimi Leder to discuss the series’ veiled development.

Speaking to the show’s mature and timely content — which is very much a part of the hourlong drama — the group addressed how the #MeToo movement affected their story.

Entertainment 360, the joint venture TV studio formed by Management 360’s television production arm and Media Rights Capital, has brought in Ucp’s Svp Development Kate Fenske as President.

Fenske, who has been at Entertainment 360 for more than three months, is overseeing development, production and distribution of premium content. Since joining the indie studio, she has has been putting together projects with Management 360 clients as well as outside auspices. Entertainment 360’s initial slate includes dramas with writers Gabriel Sherman (The Loudest Voice), Jay Carson, and Craig Gillespie.

The Loudest Voice in the Room author Sherman, who co-executive produced Showtime’s limited series adaptation of his book about Roger Ailes, is writing and producing an epic family drama set in the cutthroat world of New York City real estate developers. E360 in partnering on the project with The Loudest Voice producer Blumhouse.

A drama, written by Carson, created by Carson and Matt Bai,...

Entertainment 360 is staffing up and expanding to its slate.

The TV studio, a partnership between talent firm Management 360 and Media Rights Capital, has hired former Universal Content Productions' Kate Fenske as its president and added three dramas from the likes of Gabriel Sherman (The Loudest Voice), Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) and Jay Carson (House of Cards).

Fenske, formerly senior vp at Ucp, will be charged with overseeing development, production and distribution for the studio. She started a few weeks ago after departing the cable- and streaming-focused studio where she developed Netflix's Umbrella Academy, Hulu's The Act, USA'...

It’s not an Aaron Sorkin project, but it “The Morning Show” definitely looks like something similar; a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a major network TV morning show newscast. It definitely has vibes from Sorkin’s “The Newsroom” and it’s the flagship show of Apple’s streaming channel, the would-be Netflix competitor AppleTV+. The show comes from executive producers Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Jay Carson, and Michael Ellenberg.

Continue reading ‘The Morning Show’ Trailer: Reese Witherspoon & Jennifer Aniston Are Entrusted With The Morning News For AppleTV+ at The Playlist.

Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carell tease tense backstage drama in the first teaser for their new series, The Morning Show. The show will debut on Apple’s new streaming service Apple TV+ this fall.

The Morning Show will be “a high stakes drama that pulls back the curtain on early morning TV,” according to a press release. Though the teaser gives away few plot details, it takes us around the empty backstage area of a morning show studio, where a poster shows that Carell and Aniston’s characters are the hosts.

Apple has unveiled an early look at its brand new streaming service, officially titled Apple TV+. The new service is launching this fall with brand new television projects starring the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Hailee Steinfeld, Octavia Spencer, and more. Creators behind the new shows include Steven Spielberg, M. Night Shyamalan, and J.J. Abrams. Apple has debuted a first look at a handful of its upcoming original series in a new video promoting the Apple TV+ service.

One of the biggest new originals is “The Morning Show,” which features Witherspoon and Aniston as women battling sexism and dealing with more behind-the-scenes drama on the set of a popular morning news show. The series co-stars Carell and comes from writer Kerry Ehrin and writer and executive producer Jay Carson, best known for serving as producer on “House of Cards.” The first look footage from “The Morning Show” in the...

“The Front Runner”

Writer: Matt Bai (screenplay and based upon the book by) and Jason Reitman and Jay Carson (Screenplay)

Director: Jason Reitman

In “the Front Runner,” big-eyed blonde Sara Paxton plays notorious other woman Donna Rice opposite Hugh Jackman’s dynamic Sen. Gary Hart. Jason Reitman’s political drama revisits the sex scandal that scrapped the promising Democratic nominee’s second presidential run in 1988, paving the way for George H. W. Bush’s election. The Hart campaign, led by J.K. Simmons’ Bill Dixon, scrambles to do damage control in the wake of the Miami Herald’s scoop on Rice’s visit to Hart’s Georgetown townhouse. In the harrowing interrogation scene that follows, Dixon grills Rice extra crispy about an affair that may or may not have occurred — and the collateral damage is done.

Paxton: “The first time we see Donna in close-up it’s like ‘Jaws.’ The whole...

Today we are recognizing The Front Runner, as well as co-writer/director Jason Reitman, plus star Hugh Jackman. Our Hollywood Film Tributes recognize films and talent for their excellence in the art of filmmaking. Though somewhat ignored during the awards season, The Front Runner is a timely film that deserves more acclaim than it received. Filmmaker Jason Reitman is working on a whole new level, while Hugh Jackman does strong work as Gary Hart. The movie is severely underrated, as you’ll see below… From our rave review last month: The Front Runner is a political drama/pseudo biopic. After coming up short the last time around, Colorado Senator Gary Hart (Jackman) is considered the 1988 Democratic front runner for President, and all but assumed to be the nation’s next leader. Having inspired many during the previous primary, he’s all but a shoo in. Then, scandal hits. Rumors of...

Jason Reitman’s “The Front Runner,” starring Hugh Jackman as disgraced politician Gary Hart, hasn’t made much of a dent at the box office, but at least one person isn’t happy with the film’s representation of the true events that inspired it. Tom Fiedler, a former reporter for The Miami Herald who helped break the story about Hart’s infidelity, says the film’s portrayal of him is inaccurate.

Fiedler sent a letter to Reitman and his co-screenwriters, Matt Bai and Jay Carson, asking them to “publicly acknowledge that the film’s depiction of me is essentially a fiction” (via The New York Times). The former reporter is currently the dean of Boston University’s College of Communication, and he says the movie’s negative portrayal of him could sway potential students from applying to [the college].”

Actor Steve Zissis (HBO’s “Togetherness”) portrays Fiedler in the movie. Fiedler said...

Stars: Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons, Mark O’Brien, Molly Ephraim, Chris Coy, Alex Karpovsky, Josh Brener, Tommy Dewey, Kaitlyn Dever, Oliver Cooper, Jenna Kanell, Rj Brown, Alfred Molina | Written by Jason Reitman, Matt Bai, Jay Carson | Directed by Jason Reitman

Jason Reitman, coming off the incredibly controversial and mixed acclaim of Tully, teams up with Hugh Jackman for The Front Runner. A story that details Gary Hart’s chaotic campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination and the onslaught and fallout of controversy that followed. It is without a doubt a true return to form for Reitman with the film affirming the extraordinary talents of both Reitman as writer/director and the ever-evolving range and filmography that Hugh Jackman is achieving.

The first thing to notice is the pacing. It is astronomically quick. Never in a pedantic or overly zealous manner. Editor Stefan Grube manages to perfectly balance the...

Hugh Jackman stars as Gary Hart in Columbia Pictures’ The Front Runner.

Hugh Jackman gives a powerful, complex performance as Gary Hart, an idealistic and charismatic presidential candidate who seemed a shoo-in for the 1988 Democratic nomination until media frenzy over a rumor of an extramarital affair brought his campaign to an abrupt halt. If one-time presidential candidate Gary Hart is recalled at all now, it is as the politician who was so confident of his position as front-runner, that he invited the media to follow him around, which led to the discovery of an affair. That story isn’t exactly true, something Jason Reitman’s political thriller/drama The Front Runner corrects, but Gary Hart is not the real subject of this gripping political thriller. The Front Runner is really about the media, particularly the sudden historical point at which the way the media covered politicians changed, and what that...

Chicago – When we first met photographer Dale Robinette (click here) he had just taken one of the most iconic movie photos of the last ten years. Well, his work as “Unit Still Photographer” goes on, and he recently contacted HollywoodChicago.com to share one of his on-set photos from “The Front Runner,” which opened in Chicago last week.

Campaign Swag Takes on a Touch of Irony in ‘The Front Runner’

Photo credit: Dale Robinette for Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions/Columbia Pictures

“The Front Runner” features Hugh Jackman as Senator Gary Hart, a shoo-in presidential candidate (Democratic) as the 1988 campaign began. When whispers began that the Senator was having an extramarital affair, he challenged the press to “Follow me around, I don’t care…” That scenario played out as the Miami Herald sent reporters and a photographer to stake out Hart’s Washington D.C. town home, and they discovered Donna Rice (Sara Paxton) was there.

Chicago – The year 1988 marked a border crossing in the way that the media covered national candidates. Senator Gary Hart seemed destined for president, until a extramarital relationship with Donna Rice became the focus of media attention. Director Jason Reitman tells the story in a new film, “The Front Runner.”

Hugh Jackman as Gary Hart Meets the Press in ‘The Front Runner’

Photo credit: Columbia Pictures

In a remarkable transformation, Hugh Jackman portrays Hart, communicating the dismissal that the candidate had when reacting to the allegations… “Follow me around. I don’t care. I’m serious. If anybody wants to put a tail on me, go ahead. They’d be very bored.” That situation came to pass as the Miami Herald sent reporters and a photographer to stake out Hart’s Washington D.C. town home, and they discovered Donna Rice (Sara Paxton) was there. Hart’s denials of impropriety and...

During the 1988 Us Presidential campaign, one candidate seemed poised to win it all.  Possessed of all the credentials and bona fides any American would be proud of, Senator Gary Hart seemed like a dream candidate, poised to sail into the White House.  That is, until he sailed on a ship called the Monkey Business.  The Front Runner tells the surreal story of the tabloid derailing of the Gary Hart campaign, and its still-resonant effects on the relationship between politicians and press.     Star Hugh Jackman, and screenwriters Matt Bai and Jay Carson talked about bringing this relevant slice of history to the screen.   Hugh Jackman   The Lady Miz Diva:  When I first saw you as Gary Hart, I have to say the...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the new film “The Front Runner” starring Hugh Jackman!

“The Front Runner,” which opens on Nov. 21, 2018 and is rated “R,” also stars Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons, Alfred Molina, Alex Karpovsky, Mark O’Brien, Molly Ephraim and Chris Coy from “Up in the Air” director Jason Reitman and writers Jason Reitman, Matt Bai and Jay Carson.

To win your free passes to “The Front Runner” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition!

Deadline: Entries can continue being submitted through Monday,...

For anyone who’s overdosing on U.S. politics, which is pretty much the entire world at this point, the idea of a film on the subject may give you pause.

However, Sony’s “The Front Runner,” which opens wide Nov. 21, is highly recommended because it offers a smart and important perspective on how we got to this point. It’s also entertaining.

“Front Runner” is the first produced screenplay for Matt Bai and Jay Carson, who together have 40 years of experience in politics, respectively as a reporter and a campaign consultant — i.e. operative.

“Whether you care about politics or not, this is a story of human beings struggling with extraordinary circumstances,” Carson says.

Bai adds that even for non-fans of U.S. politics, it’s a chance to see the work of expert filmmakers. “You’re also going to see an amazing ensemble of actors and great lead...

With the country in the grip of midterm election fever Tuesday, Sony Pictures is opening the Hugh Jackman political drama “The Front Runner” in two theaters in Los Angeles and two in New York City.

Jason Reitman, director of “The Front Runner,” told Variety that his film is especially relevant now — even though the events in it took place 31 years ago. And he’s riveted by the current election.

“I have no idea what’s going to happen,” he admitted. “Today feels like a mystery because the country is so divided. The movie asks questions that are very timely — about how we consume news and what is relevant versus what is private.”

Jackman brings Gary Hart to life as a charismatic presidential candidate whose campaign crashes and burns in 1987, thanks to the revelation of an extramarital relationship with Donna Rice. The Miami Herald newspaper followed Rice on a flight from Miami to Washington,...

The Front Runner attempts to trace the root of our current political woes to the fall of Gary Hart, but can it make a persuasive argument?

How did we get here? I’m sure many Americans are asking that this election season as they hold their breath and pray that this is the beginning of removing the carnival-like madness that has become the modern body politic. Still, Jason Reitman and Hugh Jackman think they have the answers—or at least they want it to appear that way with the opening of The Front Runner.

As a political biopic that attempts to trace the first sensationalized and highly publicized sex scandal in presidential politics, The Front Runner is a study of the downfall of Gary Hart, the one-time leader of the Democratic Primaries pack in 1988. Briefly considered the next man who would be president, and who could defeat the impending Republican...

by Chris Feil

Fresh off of delivering exacting holistic wisdom with frequent collaborator Diablo Cody in this past spring’s Tully, Jason Reitman is already back and pivoting hard into political commentary with The Front Runner. Detailing the combustion of Gary Hart’s 1988 presidential campaign due to the outting in the press of Hart’s not-so-secret affairs, the film stars Hugh Jackman as the prideful candidate fatally underestimating the public’s association between his character and marital fidelity. Reitman and cowriters Matt Bai and Jay Carson cover the unraveling in stringent attention to the timeline, while angling this as a key breakdown in the separation of political media consideration and tabloid press.

The result is something unintentionally passive, a film about a political candidate flailing against public expectations he refuses to assuage. The film itself is equally headstrong about satisfying on its own rather limited terms...

It’s Election Day folks! If you’re reading this and live in the United States, make sure you either have voted or will vote. It’s incredibly important. Speaking of politics, a movie that focuses on a moment where the political landscape changed forever is about to open. It’s The Front Runner, Jason Reitman’s latest work. By looking at Presidential hopeful and now cautionary tale Gary Hart, Reitman and company shine a light on how coverage of candidates and candidacies themselves have shifted. It’s a compelling film, one filled with strong performances, as well as a timely nature that can’t be ignored. This is literally the perfect week for it to be hitting screens. The Front Runner is a political drama/pseudo biopic. After coming up short the last time around, Colorado Senator Gary Hart (Jackman) is considered the 1988 Democratic front runner for President, and...

We live in a time where the foibles of political candidates receive round-the-clock coverage, and on Election Day Sony will release Jason Reitman’s “The Front Runner,” a film about the man who started it all. Hugh Jackman portrays former Colorado Senator and 1988 presidential candidate Gary Hart, who saw his fortunes crash from presidential favorite to political pariah in a single week.

At early festival showings at Telluride and Toronto, “The Front Runner” generated mixed critical reactions (Metacritic: 65) as it roused audiences to debate its provocative concerns about campaign transparency and gender politics: Could Bill Clinton be a good president, even though he had a sexual relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky? Did Hart’s demise stem from hubris, the tabloid press, political skullduggery, or some combination of these?

“I’m trying to figure this out for myself, like most people are,” Reitman said. “That’s what makes it...

We live in a time where the foibles of political candidates receive round-the-clock coverage, and on Election Day Sony will release Jason Reitman’s “The Front Runner,” a film about the man who started it all. Hugh Jackman portrays former Colorado Senator and 1988 presidential candidate Gary Hart, who saw his fortunes crash from presidential favorite to political pariah in a single week.

At early festival showings at Telluride and Toronto, “The Front Runner” generated mixed critical reactions (Metacritic: 65) as it roused audiences to debate its provocative concerns about campaign transparency and gender politics: Could Bill Clinton be a good president, even though he had a sexual relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky? Did Hart’s demise stem from hubris, the tabloid press, political skullduggery, or some combination of these?

“I’m trying to figure this out for myself, like most people are,” Reitman said. “That’s what makes it...

When was it exactly that politics went tabloid? Try 1988, when Gary Hart (Hugh Jackman), a married Democratic senator from Colorado, thought the media buzz about his alleged affair with model Donna Rice (Sara Paxton) could escape scrutiny as he ran for the White House. The press turned a blind eye to the sins of Fdr, JFK and Lbj. Why not Hart? The Front Runner tells us why. Or tries to, at least.

Based on political reporter Matt Bai’s forensically thorough book All the Truth Is Out, the film is...

It was inevitable that conversation at the New York premiere of “The Front Runner” would turn to politics. “I think I’m like anyone alive today,” director Jason Reitman told the audience at the Museum of Modern Art on Tuesday evening. “I wake up, I pull out my phone, and I go, ‘F—!’”

On the red carpet, he explained how that feeling had brought him to “The Front Runner,” a drama about Sen. Gary Hart’s (Hugh Jackman) alleged extramarital affair that ended his campaign for the presidency in 1987. “I look around me and go, ‘How the hell did we get here?’ And in this story, I found a thread that I wanted to pull on — this story about the line between our public and private life, about how journalists and candidates get along, and that touched on gender politics,” he told Variety. His hope for the film, co-written by Matt Bai and Jay Carson,...

Steve Carell is set to join Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston the cast of Apple’s upcoming morning-show drama. The role will be Carell’s first as a series regular since he left “The Office,” the NBC single-camera comedy that elevated him to stardom.

In the still;-untitled Apple series, Carell will play play Mitch Kessler, a morning show anchor who is struggling to maintain relevance in a changing media landscape.

Announced last year, the project was the first drama series to be ordered by Apple as the tech giant began to execute on its designs to into the television-series space. The drama hails from Michael Ellenberg’s Media Res studio. It is exec produced by Ellenberg; Aniston and Kristin Hahn through Echo Films; and Witherspoon and Lauren Levy Neustadter through Hello Sunshine. The starry project was highly sought after by a number of outlets and landed a two-season order (10 episodes per season) from Apple.

In today’s film news roundup, Jason Reitman wins the John Cassavetes award, the documentary “Race Against Time” gets a release and the Ray Harryhausen Foundation is planning “Force of the Trojans.”

Film Festivals

The Denver Film Festival has selected Jason Reitman as the recipient of its 2018 John Cassavetes Award for his work as a director, producer and writer.

The award was established in collaboration with Cassavetes’ spouse Gena Rowlands in 1989 and is presented to a film artist who has made a significant contribution to the world of filmmaking and whose work reflects the spirit of the late Cassavetes.

Reitman will screen his latest film, “The Front Runner,” on Nov. 8 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, followed by the presentation of the award. Reitman will be joined by his co-writers Matt Bai and Jay Carson for an onstage conversation about the film.

Reitman received Academy Award nominations for producing, directing...

“Green Book” won the Audience Award for Best Narrative at the Middleburg Film Festival on Monday, putting it in good standing for Oscar glory.

Even though the showcase, based in suburban Washington, D.C., is only in its sixth year, the winner of this honor has factored into the Oscar race in a major way. The first four years of the festival saw the winner of this prize receive Best Picture nominations: “Philomena” (2013), “The Imitation Game” (2014), “Spotlight” (2015), which won the Oscar, and “Lion” (2016). Last year’s winner, “Mudbound,” missed out in Oscar’s top category but still managed to get four nominations, including Best Supporting Actress (Mary J. Blige) and Best Adapted Screenplay. “Green Book” is currently in sixth place to claim the Best Picture Oscar, according our combined odds.

See 2018 Toronto International Film Festival People’s Choice Awards: ‘Green Book’ wins on way to Oscars

Directed by Peter Farrelly,...