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William Shatner, the actor whose fictional mission was “to boldly go where no man had gone before”, will today become the oldest person ever to travel to the edge of space.

The 90-year-old Canadian star, who played Captain Kirk in the iconic 1960s TV series Star Trek, will be part of a four-person crew aboard a Blue Origin rocket when it blasts off from the Texas desert.

Shatner was invited to take part in the mission by billionaire Blue Origin and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, a huge Star Trek fan, as the battle for the bragging rights in the space tourism race hots up.

William Shatner - pictured here in 1988 - played Star Trek's Captain Kirk for decades. Pic: AP
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William Shatner – pictured here in 1988 – played Star Trek’s Captain Kirk for decades. Pic: AP

Lift-off was delayed by 24 hours because of high winds at the launch site.

“I’m thrilled and anxious and a little nervous and a little frightened about this whole new adventure,” Shatner said.

“But I’ve got to think that once it’s done, once I’ve been into space and seen the universe and seen our Earth and the contrast between that hostility and this warmth, and how important it is to keep the Earth alive so that we don’t wreck it, we human beings don’t wreck it, that contrast in all of that is so dramatic to me.”

The journey will last just ten minutes, rocketing the crew 66 miles up above the Earth’s surface to experience a few minutes of weightlessness, before parachuting back to the desert floor.

More on Blue Origin

It will be the second crewed Blue Origin flight.

A view of Billionaire Jeff Bezos's space company Blue Origin a day before he will send "Star Trek" actor William Shatner, on board the company's New Shepard rocket, into space from the company's facilities near Van Horn, Texas, U.S., October 12, 2021.      REUTERS/Mike Blake
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Shatner will take off from Blue Origin’s facilities in Texas. Pic: AP

In July, Bezos himself was on the first along with his brother, an 18-year-old Dutch student and 82-year-old aviation pioneer Wally Funk who became the oldest person in space, a record Shatner will break.

He will be joined by Audrey Powers, a Blue Origin vice president and engineer, and paying customers Glen de Vries, a clinical research entrepreneur and Chris Boshuizen, a former NASA engineer.

They took part in an auction for a seat on the first flight, a seat that went for $28m.

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July: Bezos and crewmates float in space

Shatner became famous playing the commander of the Starship Enterprise for three years from 1966 to 1969. He also appeared as Captain James T. Kirk in seven movies.

Two other major figures from Star Trek did make it to space before him, in a manner of speaking.

The ashes of creator Gene Roddenberry and actor James Doohan, who played Scotty, were fired into space after their deaths.

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July: Blue Origin team take off

This latest launch comes as Blue Origin has faced criticism from a number of former employees for what they described as a toxic and sexist workplace culture.

In response the company said it had no tolerance for discrimination or harassment and would investigate any claims made.

The company says it has sold nearly $100m in tickets to paying customers wanting to follow Bezos and Shatner to the edge of space.

This undated photo made available by Blue Origin in October 2021 shows, from left, Chris Boshuizen, William Shatner, Audrey Powers and Glen de Vries. (Blue Origin via AP)
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William Shatner will be part of a four-person crew aboard a Blue Origin rocket. Pic: Blue Origin via AP

The cost of each one has not been disclosed.

Shatner said: “I really want to tell you the message I get first hand from seeing things that we’ve only heard about, things I’ve only played as an actor, I’m going to see first hand.

“These things that we’ve only learned about second hand or third hand. I’m first hand going to be in space.”

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Most anticipated films coming to cinemas in 2025

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Most anticipated films coming to cinemas in 2025

It’s been a rollercoaster year for Hollywood.

Movie fans flocked to the cinema in 2024, with Inside Out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, Despicable Me 4, Moana 2, Dune: Part Two, and Wicked dominating the worldwide box office.

Beetlejuice came out of retirement to entertain new audiences, while the likes of Alien: Romulus and Longlegs scared cinemagoers into parting with their cash.

However, the past few years have been tumultuous for the film industry.

After COVID all but wiped out trips to see a movie on the silver screen, studios are now having to contend with the cost of living crisis and audiences preferring to wait for digital releases.

There was even the double-whammy of industrial action waged by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA which shuttered production for months and led to delays in the release calendar.

In 2023, the successful simultaneous theatrical release of Barbie and Oppenheimer – two movies collectively known as Barbenheimer – hinted at a return to box office bonanzas previously witnessed pre-pandemic.

However, a number of movies that would normally reap billion-dollar rewards floundered in 2024 – including Madame Web and Joker: Folie à Deux.

Even Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga was deemed a failure despite proving a hit with critics.

The simultaneous release of Wicked and Gladiator II – known as Glicked – failed to match the Barbenheimer buzz, with the musical going on to slay Ridley Scott’s sequel in ticket sales.

It may be back to business for Hollywood, but 2024 showed that it’s far from back to normal.

So, as we head into 2025, here are some of the movies that are aiming to entice audiences to the cinema this coming year.

Superman

The Man of Steel will be returning to the big screen this summer.

Starring David Corenswet (Pearl, Twisters) in the leading role, the film will explore Clark Kent/Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his adoptive human family in Smallville.

The movie boasts a stacked cast, with the likes of Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult (Juror #2) as Lex Luthor, and the always impressive Skyler Gisondo (Booksmart) as Jimmy Olsen.

Written and directed by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squad), expect large action sequences, a bouncing soundtrack, and witty one-liners.

As with his other movies, Gunn’s brother Sean (Gilmore Girls) is expected to make an appearance – this time round as businessman Maxwell Lord, a supervillain we previously saw portrayed by Pedro Pascal in Wonder Woman 1984.

Superman will be the first film in the new DC Universe (DCU) and will kickstart the franchise’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters phase.

DC Studios and Warner Bros Pictures will be banking on this to be a hit given Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash and Blue Beetle flopped at the box office.

One hurdle will be winning over Henry Cavill fans, who announced in 2022 he was returning as Superman only for the offer to be seemingly rescinded.

Cavill claimed he was told by bosses at DC Studios to announce his return, which was made prior to Gunn and producer Peter Safran taking charge of the company.

According to reports at the time, Cavill did not have an official deal in place to return as the superhero.

While most will be able to understand Gunn’s preference for a younger Superman, Corenswet will have to bring his A-game to win over any salty Cavill supporters.

Superman is scheduled for release in July.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina

The John Wick franchise has been given a pulse-pounding spin-off.

Ana de Armas (The Gray Man, Knives Out) takes charge as Eve Macarro, an assassin-in-training who sets out to seek revenge against the people who killed her family.

Ana de Armas as Eve in Ballerina. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate
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Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro in Ballerina. Pic: Lionsgate

De Armas showcased her capable action skills when she lit up the screen as CIA agent Paloma in the James Bond movie No Time to Die.

She also gave us a taste of her driving, shooting and fighting abilities as CIA agent Dani Miranda in The Gray Man.

Going by the Ballerina trailer – where she launches herself through a window before taking on a flamethrower with a high-pressure water hose – fans are in for another wild ride.

The film – directed by Len Wiseman (Underworld, Live Free or Die Hard) – takes place between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4.

The man himself – Keanu Reeves – makes a cameo in the movie.

Ian McShane, Anjelica Huston and Lance Reddick (in his final screen appearance) also reprise their roles from the previous instalments.

Ballerina is scheduled for release in June.

Wicked: For Good

We’re off to see the wizard… again.

The much-loved Broadway and West End musical has been given the silver screen treatment.

The recently released Part One broke a number of box office records – including the highest grossing Broadway adaptation in global box office history (surpassing 2008’s Mamma Mia!) and biggest global opening for a non-sequel film in 2024.

The first instalment has already recouped its reported $150m budget, however Universal Pictures’ marketing blitz would not have come cheap and will most likely take a good chunk out of its profit.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in Wicked. Pic: Universal Pictures
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Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in Wicked. Pic: Universal Pictures

For those that are yet to see the film, the story – based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel – features the characters from L Frank Baum’s 1900 book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its 1939 film adaptation starring Judy Garland.

Wicked takes place in the Land of Oz in the years surrounding Dorothy Gale’s arrival and tells the tale of how Elphaba Thropp, a young woman born with green skin, later becomes the Wicked Witch of the West.

To avoid any major spoilers, the first film ended with Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo, and Glinda Upland, played by Ariana Grande, discovering Jeff Goldblum’s the Wizard of Oz was not as powerful or as wonderful as they first thought.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in Wicked. Pic: Universal Pictures
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Pic: Universal Pictures

The second act will see the pair’s friendship being put to the test as they embrace their new respective identities as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good, as well as unveiling who the other characters truly are along the way.

The star-studded cast have already covered a number of the musical’s songs – including What Is This Feeling?, Dancing Through Life, Popular and Defying Gravity – but there’s still plenty more to come with For Good fully expected to be a showstopper.

Wicked: For Good is scheduled for release in November.

Jurassic World Rebirth

Famed producer Frank Marshall previously stated that the plot of Jurassic World Dominion would mark the “start of a new era” of the franchise in which humans have to co-exist with dinosaurs.

Rebirth takes place five years on from the events of the last movie, with the planet’s ecology proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs.

In this adventure, an expedition braves isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from three colossal prehistoric creatures that are believed to be key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.

Jonathan Bailey and Scarlett Johansson in Jurassic World Rebirth. Pic: Universal Pictures
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Jonathan Bailey and Scarlett Johansson in Jurassic World Rebirth. Pic: Universal Pictures

Scarlett Johansson leads the cast as skilled covert operation expert Zora Bennett.

The Avengers star rarely picks a bad movie and in this instalment she’s joined by Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey, who’s currently riding high as Fiyero Tigelaar in Wicked.

Mahershala Ali in Jurassic World Rebirth. Pic: Universal Pictures
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Mahershala Ali in Jurassic World Rebirth. Pic: Universal Pictures

Jurassic World Rebirth is scheduled for release in July.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Could this be Tom Cruise’s final mission as dogged IMF agent Ethan Hunt?

Following on from the events of Dead Reckoning Part One, Hunt and his team of operatives continue their race against time to take down rogue AI The Entity.

This eighth instalment in the Mission: Impossible film series is scheduled for release in May.

The Running Man

Shaun of the Dead and Baby Driver filmmaker Edgar Wright is behind the camera for this remake of Stephen King’s hit novel.

Published in 1982 under the writer’s pen name Richard Bachman, the story is set in a dystopian US during the year 2025.

The 1987 cult classic starring Arnold Schwarzenegger revolved around a state-controlled game show in which convicted criminals could earn their “freedom” by escaping death at the hands of professional killers within an abandoned part of Los Angeles.

Wright’s movie will follow the book’s storyline more closely, in which the contestants take part in the reality show to win money and are chased across the globe by the murderous hunters.

Glen Powell during a photo call for Twisters, at 55 Broadway in central London. Picture date: Tuesday July 9, 2024.
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Glen Powell is one of Hollywood’s hottest stars of the moment. Pic: PA

Glen Powell (Twisters, Anyone But You), one of Hollywood’s hottest actors at the moment, is playing protagonist Ben Richards.

Katy O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding) has been cast as one of the contestants being hunted for sport. She’s also set to appear in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, so this could potentially be the year we witness the birth of a new action star.

Josh Brolin (Dune) will put on a good show as the ruthless and narcissistic producer Dan Killian, while Lee Pace (Guardians of the Galaxy) will frighten as lead hunter Evan McCone.

Filming began in the UK in November, with Powell spotted in Glasgow with his rescue dog Brisket.

The Running Man is scheduled for release in November.

Captain America: Brave New World

Following Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers’ retirement, Sam Wilson, played by Anthony Mackie, has taken up the mantle of Captain America.

This 35th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) will see the Avenger caught up in the middle of an international incident.

Captain America/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Marvel Studios' CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD . Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. .. 2024 MARVEL.
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Anthony Mackie as Captain America/Sam Wilson. Pic: Marvel Studios

Harrison Ford replaces William Hurt, who portrayed Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in the MCU from 2008 until 2021 before his death in 2022.

Red Hulk/President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) in Marvel Studios' CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. .. 2024 MARVEL.
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Harrison Ford as President Thaddeus Ross/Red Hulk. Pic: Marvel Studios

The character of Ross, a former army general and secretary of state, is now the US president and will also explode on to the screen as Red Hulk.

Whether friend or foe, there will be plenty of other formidable opponents for Wilson to take on – including Giancarlo Esposito’s (Breaking Bad) Seth Voelker/Sidewinder.

Captain America: Brave New World is scheduled for release in February.

Thunderbolts

A group of antiheroes – that we’ve seen in previous Marvel movies – have been recruited to go on missions for the American government.

The cast of Thunderbolts. Pic: Disney
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(L-R) David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh and Wyatt Russell. Pic: Disney

This is the final film of phase five of the MCU, with the likes of Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes and David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian set to kick ass.

Thunderbolts is scheduled for release in May.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

One of Marvel’s most iconic superhero families is coming back to the big screen.

In a 1960s-inspired retro-futuristic Earth, the Fantastic Four must protect their home from being devoured by the cosmic being Galactus, played by Ralph Ineson, and his enigmatic herald, the Silver Surfer, played by Julia Garner.

Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn, who recently appeared on screen together in Gladiator II, will reunite as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic and Johnny Storm/Human Torch respectively.

The Crown’s Vanessa Kirby is playing Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, while The Bear’s Ebon Moss-Bachrach has been cast as Ben Grimm/The Thing.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 27: (L-R) Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby attend the Marvel Studios Panel in Hall H at SDCC in San Diego, California on July 27, 2024. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
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Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby. Pic: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

Natasha Lyonne (Orange Is The New Black, Russian Doll) has been cast in an undisclosed role, with John Malkovich rumoured to be playing villain Ivan Kragoff/Red Ghost.

Additionally, former Iron Man Robert Downey Jr is expected to appear as Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom in a post-credits scene.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled for release in July.

M3GAN 2.0

The killer doll returns for a second helping, but not much is yet known about the horror sequel.

It could be like Terminator 2: Judgment Day, where a good M3GAN is sent to protect creator Gemma, played by Allison Williams, and niece Cady, played by Violet McGraw, from another artificially intelligent hostile toy.

M3GAN. Pic: Universal Pictures
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M3GAN. Pic: Universal Pictures

Whatever the storyline, the first film was a hit due to its twisted sense of humour and creative kills, so fans should expect more of the same.

M3GAN 2.0 is scheduled for release in June, with spin-off SOULM8TE expected to follow in January 2026.

28 Years Later

The third instalment in the 28 Days Later film series reunites Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy with director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland.

Also co-written by Boyle, 28 Years Later sees the return of the rage virus and will follow a group of survivors as they navigate their way through a world ravaged by hordes of the infected.

28 Years Later is scheduled for release in June.

Michael

The life and career of Michael Jackson is being brought to the big screen by acclaimed director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer trilogy).

Written by John Logan (Gladiator, The Aviator), the film will tell the tale of the King of Pop from his time with The Jackson 5 as a child to his final weeks before his death in 2009.

Given the timeline, it will be interesting how the filmmakers approach the highly publicised child sexual abuse allegations labelled against the American singer-songwriter.

Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in MICHAEL. Photo Credit: Lionsgate/Kevin Mazur
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Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson. Pic: Lionsgate/Kevin Mazur

Jackson is being played by his own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, alongside a cast that also includes Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries) as Diana Ross and Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick) as entertainment lawyer John Branca.

Michael is scheduled for release in October.

F1

Brad Pitt will put pedal to the metal in this sports action drama.

Brad Pitt filming for a formula one movie during the British Grand Prix 2023 at Silverstone, Towcester. Picture date: Sunday July 9, 2023.
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Brad Pitt filming F1 at Silverstone in 2023. Pic: PA

The movie revolves around former Formula One driver Sonny Hayes, played by Pitt, who is tempted out of forced retirement caused by a crash to mentor rookie prodigy Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris, for the Apex Grand Prix team.

Brad Pitt and Damson Idris filming for a formula one movie during the British Grand Prix 2023 at Silverstone, Towcester. Picture date: Sunday July 9, 2023.
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Pitt and Damson Idris. Pic: PA

F1 is scheduled for release in June.

Snow White

Walt Disney’s 1937 cartoon classic – based on the 1812 fairytale by the Brothers Grimm – has been given a live-action reimagining.

Rachel Zegler as Snow White. Pic: Disney
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Rachel Zegler as Snow White. Pic: Disney

Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. Pic: Disney
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Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. Pic: Disney

Rachel Zegler (West Side Story) is playing the Disney princess, with Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) as the Evil Queen.

Snow White is scheduled for release in March.

Now You See Me 3

The plot of the third instalment in the heist-thriller series is yet to be unveiled, but will no doubt be packed with mind-bending illusions and surprising twists.

Mark Ruffalo (Dylan Rhodes), Jesse Eisenberg (J Daniel “Danny” Atlas), Woody Harrelson (Merritt McKinney), Dave Franco (Jack Wilder), Isla Fisher (Henley Reeves) and Lizzy Caplan (Lula May) are set to reprise their roles as the mischievous magicians.

Award-winner Rosamund Pike has joined the cast in an undisclosed role, with Ariana Greenblatt (Barbie, Avengers: Infinity War) also adding another potential hit to her filmography.

Now You See Me 3 is scheduled for release in November.

Predator: Badlands

Fans of the Predator series are in for a treat with not one, but two movies due to be released in 2025.

A currently untitled movie – written and directed by Dan Trachtenberg – was secretly shot and is due to be released ahead of Predator: Badlands.

Badlands, also written and directed by Trachtenberg, will be the ninth in the overall franchise.

Starring Elle Fanning (Super 8, Maleficent), the standalone movie will follow two sisters who, while traversing a wasteland, discover their horrifying past.

Predator: Badlands is scheduled for release in November.

How to Train Your Dragon

DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon has been given a live-action remake.

Mason Thames in How To Train Your Dragon. Pic: Universal Pictures
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Mason Thames in How To Train Your Dragon. Pic: Universal Pictures

Loosely based on the 2003 novel by Cressida Cowell, the fantasy film follows the unlikely bond between Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, played by Mason Thames, and Toothless, a Night Fury dragon.

How to Train Your Dragon is scheduled to be released in June.

Lilo & Stitch

Walt Disney’s 2002 animated hit has been given a live-action/CGI makeover.

As with the cartoon, the film will revolve around the close bond between an orphaned Hawaiian girl and a dog-like extraterrestrial creature that has been engineered to be a force of destruction.

Lilo & Stitch is scheduled for release in May.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

Renee Zellweger is back as Bridget Jones in this fourth instalment of the popular film series.

This time round, Helen Fielding’s much-loved character is a widowed single mother.

As she juggles work and parenthood, there’s also a whole new sexual and cultural landscape to negotiate.

Colin Firth will appear in the film as Mark Darcy despite the character being killed off, and Hugh Grant returns as Daniel Cleaver.

Leo Woodall (The White Lotus, One Day) is a new addition as one of Jones’ new love interests.

Renee Zellweger and Leo Woodall in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. Pic: Universal Pictures
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Renee Zellweger and Leo Woodall in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. Pic: Universal Pictures

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is scheduled for release in February.

A Minecraft Movie

Minecraft is the best-selling video game in the world.

Whether that transfers into cinema ticket sales or becomes another box office bomb like last year’s Borderlands is yet to be seen.

The movie revolves around four misfits who are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.

To get back home, they’ll have to master that world while embarking on a quest with an unexpected, expert crafter.

Comedian Jack Black and Aquaman himself Jason Momoa will be joined by Emma Myers (Wednesday), Danielle Brooks (Orange Is The New Black) and Sebastian Eugene Hansen (Just Mercy).

A Minecraft Movie is scheduled for release in April.

Freakier Friday

More than two decades on from the 2003 film Freaky Friday, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan have reunited for a sequel.

The story picks up years after Tess, played by Curtis, and Anna, played by Lohan, endured an identity crisis.

Anna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice.

Freakier Friday is scheduled for release in August.

Tron: Ares

This is the third instalment in the Tron franchise.

The sci-fi will follow Ares, played by Jared Leto, a highly sophisticated programme that is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with AI beings.

TRON: Ares. Photo by Leah Gallo. .. 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Tron: Ares. Pic: Leah Gallo/Disney

Jeff Bridges will reprise his role from the previous films, with Greta Lee (Past Lives), Evan Peters (American Horror Story) and Gillian Anderson also set to appear.

Tron: Ares is scheduled for release in October.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

James Cameron’s third instalment in the Avatar film series is set for release just in time for award season.

The director has hinted that Fire and Ash – once again starring Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana – will be darker and more harrowing than Avatar and The Way of Water.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is scheduled for release in December.

Untitled I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel

I Know What You Did Last Summer is a much-loved 90s horror slasher celebrated in the same way as the likes of Scream and Urban Legend.

This currently untitled fourth film in the franchise began principal photography in Sydney before the turn of the year.

We know that Outer Banks star Madelyn Cline is one of the lead cast.

Jennifer Love Hewitt will reprise the role of Julie James from the first two films, with Freddie Prinze Jr also returning as Ray Bronson.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Sarah Michelle Gellar, who is married to Prinze Jr, played the character of Helen Shivers in the first film but was killed off.

However, she appears to have joined her husband on set and shared a behind-the-scenes snap jokingly teasing a Scooby-Doo reunion, another franchise the couple also co-starred in.

The film is scheduled for release in July.

NETFLIX FILMS WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON

Back in Action

Cameron Diaz has ended her 11-year retirement by teaming up with Jamie Foxx in this action comedy.

Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz in Back in Action. Pic: John Wilson/Netflix
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Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz in Back in Action. Pic: John Wilson/Netflix

The pair play CIA spies who are pulled back into the world of espionage after their secret identities are exposed.

Back in Action is scheduled for release in January.

Frankenstein

Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro is behind the lens for this retelling of Mary Shelley’s 1818 gothic novel.

Oscar Isaac is playing Victor Frankenstein, with Hollywood heartthrob Jacob Elordi (Saltburn) taking the role of his monster.

Much-loved horror final girl Mia Goth (X film series) and Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds, Spectre) will also be in the movie.

Cast extras on set during the filming of Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein in Edinburgh. Picture date: Friday September 13, 2024.
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An extra on the set of Frankenstein in Edinburgh. Pic: PA

Principal photography took place in Toronto, but parts of the film were also shot in Scotland.

Edinburgh’s Royal Mile was transformed into a market, with crews also setting up gallows in the capital’s Makars’ Court.

Cast extras on set during the filming of Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein in Edinburgh. Picture date: Friday September 13, 2024
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Pic: PA

Props on set during the filming of Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein in Edinburgh. Picture date: Friday September 13, 2024.
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Pic: PA

Frankenstein is scheduled for release in 2025.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

Daniel Craig will return as master detective Benoit Blanc.

This third instalment in the Knives Out film series boasts an ensemble cast that includes Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack and Thomas Haden Church.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is scheduled for release in 2025.

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Harlan Coben: How the best-selling crime writer became a Netflix sensation – with the help of Richard Armitage

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Harlan Coben: How the best-selling crime writer became a Netflix sensation - with the help of Richard Armitage

“If somebody tells you they don’t care how their show or book is received, they’re just flat out lying to you.”

Harlan Coben – one of the world’s most successful crime writers – doesn’t mince his words: “Every writer you’ve ever interviewed wants two things, better reviews and a bigger audience.”

The 62-year-old American author has published 37 books and sold more than 80 million copies in 46 languages since his debut nearly 35 years ago, and he is not too proud to admit he’s enjoying his success.

Coben tells Sky News: “It’s thrilling to know this many people are watching your shows or reading your books, to deny that is stupid and silly.”

Utterly binge-able, his tales of ordinary people thrust into extraordinary situations have found a home on Netflix, neatly curated as the Harlan Coben Collection.

With nine shows and counting, last year’s breakout hit Fool Me Once was Netflix’s most-watched series of 2024. His next adaptation, I Will Find You, was green lit earlier this year.

This year’s offering, Missing You, premiering on New Year’s Day, is likely to be met with similar enthusiasm.

More on Netflix

Naturally, the arrival of each series sees Coben’s books shoot back up the charts.

At the start of the year, he simultaneously held the number one and number two spots on the UK paperback bestseller list, with Fool Me Once taking second place only to his newest release, I Will Find You.

He had worked with other streamers including Amazon, Apple and MGM International, and made his first film in France with Canal+, but it’s a truly global reach he is after.

With more than 280 million subscribers in over 290 countries, Netflix feels like a natural choice.

Coben signs copies of his book Hold tight at the Paris Book Fair in 2009. Pic: AP
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Coben signs copies of his book Hold Tight at the Paris Book Fair in 2009. Pic: AP


The Netflix ‘misnomer’

Coben’s TV deal with the streaming giant (signed in 2018 on a five-year basis and extended by four years in 2022) seems a sure step to that “bigger audience” he craves.

Widely reported to have been a 14-series deal, Coben says that’s wrong, clarifying: “Netflix and I just agreed to make a lot of shows together.”

He says the “misnomer” is down to the number of novels available when he signed the deal, with no specific number stipulated.

He has calculated there will be 12 shows either released or announced by the end of 2025 and hopes the end result will be “more than 14”.

Safe (2018) was the first Coben production, followed by The Stranger (2020), Stay Close (2022), Fool Me Once (2023) and now Missing You.

Meanwhile, Polish shows The Woods and Hold Tight premiered on Netflix in 2020 and 2022 respectively, while Spanish production The Innocent and French production Gone For Good both landed in 2021.

(L to R) Richard Armitage and Michelle Keegan in Fool Me Once. Pic: Netflix
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(L to R) Richard Armitage and Michelle Keegan in Fool Me Once. Pic: Netflix

A flat next door to Yoko Ono

One of the few American novelists to sell more books overseas than in his home country, Coben says a potential US production is also in discussion.

It’s all great exposure for an author already on many people’s bookshelves.

Reported to have been a multi-million-pound deal, Coben won’t talk money but insists his Netflix handshake hasn’t been a career game-changer.

He said: “My real life is – I don’t use the word dull – but it’s fairly ordinary. I have four kids that are now all grown. I’m first and foremost a father.

“I still live in the same place, so my everyday life hasn’t really changed much.”

London-born screenwriter Victoria Asare-Archer, lead writer on Missing You, got to witness Coben’s day-to-day firsthand, flying out to meet him in his Manhattan apartment – the Dakota building – famous for previously being the home of Beatle John Lennon.

Coben has a family house in his home state of New Jersey too, but as Asare-Archer says: “Not many people have a working flat which is next door to Yoko Ono.

The screenwriter says she enjoyed dipping her toe into Coben’s “very interesting, glamorous life”, albeit “very briefly.”

And more glamour is in the works, with Coben co-writing a novel with Hollywood actress Reese Wetherspoon, which is due out next autumn.

Rosalind Elezar as Kat Donovan in Missing You. Pic: Netflix
Image:
Rosalind Elezar as Kat Donovan in Missing You. Pic: Netflix

‘ A tiny, tiny detail you might not have thought about’

Lead actress in his latest offering, Rosalind Eleazar, calls Coben “an extraordinary writer” and “wonderful human being”.

Playing DI Kat Donovan in Missing You, she said: “I could text him at any point if I had a query over Kat’s journey.”

Eleazar tells Sky News: “He’s just so good at creating dramas that are suspenseful. He takes you up the wrong avenue with all these twists and turns, but at the same time, his characters are relatable.”

One of the stars of Apple TV+ hit Slow Horses, by crime writer Mick Herron, Eleazar says she feels “lucky to have worked with two fantastic authors who are in the same genre, but at the opposite ends of the spectrum”.

For such esteemed writers to hand over their work to a team of TV folk, is of course a big deal.

Coben admits: “I have a lot of control and I have a lot of power. But when you’re used to being the novelist who has all of the power and all the say, it doesn’t seem like a lot.”

Describing Coben as “a great resource,” Asare-Archer explains: “He’s spent seven months looking at every detail about how to find that one fingerprint or one tiny detail… [He’d say things like] ‘If you change this, then page 69 will be harder to pull off,’ because of this tiny, tiny thing that you might not have thought about.”

Screenwriter Victoria Asare-Archer. Pic: Massimiliano Giorgeschi
Image:
Screenwriter Victoria Asare-Archer. Pic: Massimiliano Giorgeschi

‘If it wasn’t for him, I might not be a writer’

As for his skill as an author, she says: Harlan’s a master at taking your hand leading you to the top of the roller coaster, making you feel safe. And then he pushes you off and sends you on this crazy journey.”

Long a fan of his work, she grew up reading Coben’s books: “I was a library kid, I spent all my time in the library… There’s an argument that if it wasn’t for him, maybe I wouldn’t be a writer.”

Set in an unnamed area in the north of England, and shot in Manchester, it was Asare-Archer’s job to transport the story from New York City to the UK.

Eleazar says while the show somehow felt like a “Manchester project” the universal subject matter meant “it could be put anywhere”.

Richard Armitage as Stagger in Missing You. Pic: Netflix
Image:
Richard Armitage as Stagger in Missing You. Pic: Netflix

‘Our lucky underpants’

Of course, with the TV adaptations, there’s the Richard Armitage factor too.

The Leicester-born star has had roles in four of Coben’s projects, and the pair have become friends, even spending this Thanksgiving together at the author’s flat.

Eleazar calls Armitage “the veteran,” while Asare-Archer jokes: “I’m not sure you could have a set with him not being on it. I think he’s obligatory.”

Coben reveals Armitage’s repeat appearances “started off as a sort of a challenge” following his first gig in The Stranger, playing a family man who makes a shocking claim about his wife.

Buoyed by the warm reception, Netflix suggested Armitage return for Stay Closer, in a very different role, playing a loner with an unexpected past.

Always keen to “do something completely different” Coben says Armitage “calls himself, our ‘lucky underpants'”, adding “I wouldn’t quite go that far, but [I always think], ‘Can we find a role for Richard where you won’t think, ‘It’s the guy from the Stranger?'”

Coben meeting Queen Camilla at Hampton Court Palace this summer. Pic: PA
Image:
Coben meeting Queen Camilla at Hampton Court Palace this summer. Pic: PA

‘Always creating mysteries’

A writer himself (Armitage has one crime novel out, a second out next year), Asare-Archer says Armitage’s “great story brain” also made him invaluable on set.

She says: “At one point he pointed out just one tiny forensic detail in a scene he’s not even in, and it was like, ‘Damn, that’s a good point’… He was great to have a board.

Back in 2006, Coben made a brief cameo appearance playing a bartender in his French adaptation Tell No One. Can we expect to see him in Missing You?

“Yes and no,” he teases.

“You pay attention, you’ll definitely see me in it. It’s how you see me that’s interesting.”

All five episodes of Missing You are streaming on Netflix now. Harlan Coben’s next book, Nobody’s Fool, is out in March.

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Rolex stolen from Keanu Reeves’s LA home found in Chile, according to police

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Rolex stolen from Keanu Reeves's LA home found in Chile, according to police

A Rolex stolen from John Wick star Keanu Reeves has been found in Chile, according to police in the South American country.

The watch, which is believed to have been taken from the Hollywood actor in Los Angeles in December 2023, was discovered after an arrest linked to crimes in the nation’s capital Santiago.

Pictures posted online by the Investigations Police of Chile show an engraving on the back of the Rolex Submariner, which says: “The John Wick Five. Keanu Thank You JW4 2021.”

Rolex Submariners were reportedly given to members of the team that filmed the fourth instalment of the franchise, including stuntmen.

Police said jewels, valuable watches and other items were seized including “a watch from a famous film actor, victim of a robbery in Los Angeles (USA) in December 2023”.

A police official confirmed the Rolex belonged to The Matrix star Reeves in a television interview with Chilean broadcaster TVN and said they were working with Los Angeles police to get it back to him.

Los Angeles police told Sky News’ US bureau that the burglary investigation is ongoing and that there were no further updates.

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Reeves’s representatives have also been contacted for comment.

Read more from Sky News:
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His Los Angeles home was targeted by masked burglars in December 2023 while he was not there, according to TMZ.

The celebrity news site reported a firearm was taken, but it was not clear if anything else was stolen in the raid.

In February 2023, Reeves was granted a restraining order against a man who allegedly made a number of unwanted visits to his home – including going to sleep in his back garden.

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