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In a twist straight out of a movie script, Guy Pearce was nearly cast in Christopher Nolan’s Batman films, but something dark and blood-curdling kept him out. Nolan, known for his precision in casting, had a strange reason for not bringing Pearce on board. It wasn’t about talent or timing – it was something far more sinister.

Guy Pearce in a still from Memento | Credits: Summit Entertainment

Pearce’s vibe just didn’t mesh with the dark and gritty world Nolan had built. You’d think this was just another Hollywood near-miss, but it’s a tale that’s bound to give you chills and leave you questioning what could have been.

Warner Bros. exec blocked Guy Pearce from Nolan’s films, but he’s ready for round two Guy Pearce in a still from Memento | Credits: Summit Entertainment

“I’m never going to employ Guy Pearce.” Those chilling...

UK-Australian outfit Brouhaha Entertainment is gearing up to shoot two romantic dramas in 2025: Dominic Cooke’s New York-set Insomniac City for Altitude Film Sales; and Bharat Nalluri’s Australian coming of older-age tale Ok Boomer for Blue Fox Entertainment.

Insomniac City, to be directed by Cooke, whose credits include The Courier, is an adaptation of writer and photographer Bill Hayes’s 2017 memoir about arriving grief-strickenin New Yorkfrom San Francisco, then falling in love with the city - and neurologist and author Oliver Sacks.

“The late great Oliver Sacks was a genius but emotionally undeveloped, especially romantically, whereas Billy was open to the world,...

The Robbie Williams biopic “Better Man” has taken center stage in the 2025 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) Awards nominations.

“Better Man” earned a record-breaking 16 nominations, the most ever received by a single film in the awards’ 66-year history. Directed by Michael Gracey, the musical film secured nods across key categories, including Best Film, Best Direction, and Best Screenplay, as well as multiple acting, technical, and creative honors.

“Better Man” is joined in the Best Film category by George Miller’s “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “How to Make Gravy,” both with 15 nominations, the horror standout “Late Night with the Devil” with 14, the animated feature “Memoir of a Snail” with 11, and “Runt,” which received four.

For the first time, the Aacta Awards have recognized motion capture and voice performances in acting categories. Jonno Davies received a nomination for his motion capture portrayal of Robbie Williams in “Better Man,...

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Hulu is ready with an entertainment-packed December this year. The upcoming month will see the release of the brilliant action thriller series Paris Has Fallen and also horror thriller movies like Cuckoo. Just like every month, Hulu is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 8 new movies and TV shows coming to Hulu in December 2024.

Paris Has Fallen Season 1 (December 6) Credit – StudioCanal

Paris Has Fallen is a French and English-language action thriller series created by Howard Overman. Based on the Has Fallen film franchise, the Canal+ series follows a French protection officer and an MI6 operative who must team up after a terrorist organization attacks Paris. Paris Has Fallen stars Tewfik Jallab, Ritu Arya, Sean Harris, Ana Ularu, Camille Rutherford, Jérémie Covillault, and Emmanuelle Bercot.

Summer Camp (December 6) Credit...

Plot: When a preacher arrives at a British settlement in 1830s New Zealand his violent past is drawn into question and his faith put to the test as he finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Māori tribes.

Review: When many of us picture Maori culture, the first film that comes to mind is usually Once Were Warriors. Director Lee Tamahori’s contemporary 1994 drama looked at the modern legacy of the Maori people. After four decades of Hollywood fare, including Mulholland Falls, The Edge, XXX: State of the Union, and the James Bond film Die Another Day, Tamahori returns to the subject of his feature debut but through a very different lens. The Convert is an epic yet intimate look at Maori culture in the early 19th Century, just as the British Empire expanded its colonialization. Told through the experiences of a preacher welcomed into tribal society,...

The Dinard film festival (2-6 October), traditionally a celebration of all things British, brought its 35th iteration to the seaside city’s screens with a soft relaunch this year, after retitling itself to include Irish films and co-productions. The result was suitably eclectic, with just six films competing for the Hitchcock d’Or, which was voted on by an eight-strong jury of actors and directors. Including The Quiet Girl director Colm Bairéad and House of the Dragon star Phoebe Campbell, the judging panel was headed up by French actress-director-model-singer Arielle Dombasle, a favorite of Claude Lelouch, Éric Rohmer and Alain Robbe-Grillet but more recently seen this summer singing her song “Olympics” to herald the arrival of the Olympic torch in Paris, ahead of the recent games.

Opening with Alice Lowe’s horror-comedy Timestalker and ending with Matt Brown’s psychological drama Freud’s Last Session, the festival — curated by Dominique Green...

By Abe Friedtanzer

Many modern countries are founded on colonization, and what’s taught in schools may not fully cover the true nature of what happened. In New Zealand, the relationship between the native Māori people and the English-speaking settlers who arrived there later is a complicated one, and the country’s cinema continues to pay homage to that history. After Muru in 2022 and The Convert in 2023, TIFF once again features an important film about the clash of cultures with Ka Whawhai Tonu - Struggle Without End…...

Festival favourites from throughout 2024 will screen at France’s Dinard Festival of British & Irish Film, including two films starring Barry Keoghan, Andrea Arnold’s Cannes premiere Bird and Chris Andrews’ Toronto title Bring Them Down.

Bring Them Down, a rural Ireland-set revenge story partly filmed in the Irish language and co-starring Christopher Abbott, will play in the main festival competition, alongside Ariane Labed’s Cannes premiere and directorial debut September Says.

Another Irish-language title in the 53-strong line-up is Rich Peppiatt’s Sundance breakout hip-hop biopic Kneecap. While Irish titles have previously been included in the festival’s programme, this...

France’s Dinard Festival of British & Irish Film has unveiled the line-up of its 34th edition, including two films starring Barry Keoghan, Andrea Arnold’s Cannes premiere Bird and Chris Andrews’ Toronto title Bring Them Down.

Bring Them Down, a rural Ireland-set revenge story that’s also partly in the Irish language and stars Poor Things’ Christopher Abbott, will play in the main festival competition, competing for the Golden Hitchcock award for best film award, alongside Ariane Labed’s Cannes premiere and directorial debut September Says.

Another Irish-language title in the 53-strong line-up is Rich Peppiatt’s Sundance breakout hip-hop biopic Kneecap.

Grogu's storyline in The Mandalorian foreshadows his ability to start speaking soon. Grogu's cuteness will diminish as he starts talking, changing viewer perceptions. The challenge for The Mandalorian & Grogu movie is to let Grogu speak without losing his adorable appeal.

Ahead of the upcoming movie The Mandalorian & Grogu, Star Wars has set up a storyline for Grogu (Baby Yoda) in The Mandalorian that could prove problematic to the character's future. Grogu's fond nickname of "Baby Yoda" alone embodies much of the reason why he's become one of Star Wars' best characters. The adorable factor of Grogu's character keeps viewers coming back time and time again, especially when it enhances moments in the heartfelt relationship between him and his adoptive father, Din Djarin.

This cuteness factor has essentially become the basis of his character. Many general audiences still know Grogu solely by the name "Baby Yoda" rather than his actual name,...

Oscar-nominated director Lee Isaac Chung is stepping into the realm of summer blockbusters with "Twisters." Hitting theaters this weekend, the film serves as a standalone sequel to Jan de Bont's 1996 smash box office hit "Twister." It's a big step up for Chung, who previously directed the low-budget "Minari," which was one of the most acclaimed movies of 2020. And while this is his feature follow-up, Chung has had some experience working in the blockbuster realm on the small screen in the "Star Wars" universe. As it turns out, that experience directly paved the way for him to land the gig directing this massive summer tentpole.

Chung recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter in honor of "Twisters" touching down in theaters. During the conversation, the filmmaker was asked if his work on "The Mandalorian" season 3 and the upcoming "Star Wars" series "Skeleton Crew" from Jon Watts were warm-up jobs for something bigger.

A lot of good decisions went into the making of something as near-perfect and biting as Lee Tamahori’s The Convert. Tamahori, coming from a mix of Maori and British ancestry, transcends the thematic stagnancy of movies about the evils of Great Britain’s abusive and exploitative colonies in his Guy Pearce-starrer. And the most significant decision that’s led to such an affecting war drama is the film’s refusal to see the natives from an overly victimizing perspective. There’s less need for a white knight in such a case and more need for an empathetic ally.

Spoiler Alert

What happens in the film?

The storm-hugged Tasman Sea foreshadows what’s ahead for Munro, a lay minister shipped by the King of Britain to spread the word of God in the Epworth colony in New Zealand. Munro comes bearing an intense love for God, a gnawing curiosity about the Maori people,...

Guy Pearce brings depth to the character of Munro in The Convert, showcasing humanity and empathy. The action sequences in The Convert are raw and authentic, reflecting Maori hand-to-hand combat. The film subverts expectations by focusing on relationships and cultural understanding, rather than conversion.

In The Convert, Thomas Munro is a lay preacher sent to a British settlement in New Zealand in the 1830s. Where he hopes to find peace and escape the demons of his past, he is thrust into the middle of a conflict between two Maori tribes and a settlement full of ignorant British people who don't understand the ways of the Indigenous people living on the land they now occupy. Munro's faith and hope of redemption are tested as he attempts to stop the war between the Maori tribes and opens his mind to understanding their culture.

The Convert subverts what many would expect, with Guy Pearce bringing humanity,...

“The Convert” is a new historical action thriller, directed by Lee Tamahori, starring Guy Pearce, Tioreore Ngatai-Melborne, Antonio Te Maioha, Jacqueline Mckenzie, Lawrence Makoare, Dean O’Gorman, Ariki Turner and Duane Evans, now playing in theaters:

“…’Thomas Munro’, a newly arrived preacher in a colonial town in early 19th-century New Zealand finds himself…

“…at the center of a long-standing battle between two ‘Māori’ native tribes…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Few stock characters in contemporary film and literary discourse come with more baked-in connotations than the white missionary who sails to a remote island with the hopes of convincing its Indigenous people to abandon their own religions. Years of colonization and violence have understandably prompted many to view missionary work as ill-advised at best and fundamentally evil at worst. So when Thomas Munro (Guy Pearce) lands on the shores of 19th century New Zealand to preach to the native Māori tribes, it’s a given that viewers will approach him with their own baggage and preconceived notions. “The Convert” director Lee Tamahori certainly knows that, and revels in gradually subverting expectations about his protagonist as he asks larger questions about humanity’s ability to transcend violence and prejudice.

Unlike many religious zealots who find themselves whisked off to far away lands by their faith, Thomas isn’t quite convinced that...

The Convert offers an authentic portrayal of Mori culture, rich in emotion and historical significance. Director Lee Tamahori's visually stunning style immerses viewers in the world of early 19th-century New Zealand, even if the story's pacing is occasionally too sluggish. Stellar performances from Guy Pearce and Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne showcase the talent of the cast in this compelling tale.

As Hollywood finds itself expanding its onscreen Indigenous representation, with everything from Reservation Dogs to Echo, Australian cinema has similarly been focusing more on Aboriginal culture, some of which has found international success, including the historical psychological thriller The Nightingale. With the Guy Pearce-led The Convert, the film not only looks to continue this meaningful trend, but it also comes fairly close to matching the heights of Kevin Costner's similarly structured Dances With Wolves.

The Convert (2024)

Director Lee TamahoriRelease Date July 12, 2024Writers Hamish Clayton, Shane Danielsen, Lee TamahoriCast Duane Evans,...

Working in his native country seems to enliven New Zealand-born director Lee Tamahori, whose best film remains his 1994 debut feature Once Were Warriors. His Hollywood career has been a mixed bag, including such clunkers as the Nicolas Cage starrer Next and the ill-fated xXx: State of the Union, not to mention Die Another Day, one of the most forgettable of recent James Bond films. Tamahori demonstrates something of a return to form with The Convert, a 19th century-set historical drama starring Guy Pearce, about an English minister who travels to New Zealand to preach at a British settlement only to get caught up in the violence between warring Maori tribes.

Like Tamahori’s 2016 feature, The Patriarch, The Convert is uneven and doesn’t fully live up to its thematic ambitions. But it’s handsomely made and thankfully avoids falling victim to white savior syndrome.

Set in 1830, the story begins with...

In this week’s episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo finds redemption in “The Convert.” The film follows a preacher sent to British-occupied New Zealand in the 1830s and caught up in the middle of a Maori tribal war. The Lee Tamahori (“Mulholland Falls,” “Along Came a Spider,” “The Devil’s Double”) film stars Guy Pearce, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, Jacqueline McKenzie, Lawrence Makoare, Antonio Te Maioha, and more.

Continue reading ‘The Convert’: Guy Pearce Talks About His Latest Film, ‘Memento,’ ‘The Proposition’ & More [The Discourse Podcast] at The Playlist.

The Convert is not your typical preacher story. In it, Munro learns from the Maori people, instead of converting them. Guy Pearce's emotional performance shines in this brutal war and faith tale directed by Lee Tamahori. Munro's quest for redemption and peace in the midst of war is a journey of self-discovery and learning.

The Convert follows Thomas Munro a man who is set to become the lay preacher at a British settlement in New Zealand in the 1830s. Munro grapples with darkness in his past as he sees a war brewing between two Maori tribes. His faith and quest for redemption will be put to the test as he attempts to stop this war and opens himself to learning and understanding the ways of the Maori people.

The Convert is a brutal tale of war and faith that doesn't play out the expected storyline of a preacher attempting...

While the 1830s-set The Convert is a work of historical fiction, the filmmakers are passionate about honoring the customs and traditions of the Māori and presenting them in a historically authentic manner. Great care is taken in the costume and set design, and there are several sequences that focus intently on Māori’s war dances and grieving rituals, as well as the nuances of their language and weaponry. This makes it all the more baffling, then, that Lee Tamahori’s film chooses to center the perspective and experiences of a white British preacher, Thomas Munro (Guy Pearce), who arrives on the shores of what would become Auckland to lead a congregation of British colonists in a newly established church.

The Convert could have delved into the causes of the animosity between two embattled Māori tribes or the myriad consequences that British imperialism had on the Māori during this time period,...

Guy Pearce was briefly in talks for the role of James Bond, with author Jeffrey Deaver also wanting him to star in an adaptation of Carte Blanche. Pearce was involved in informal discussions about the role but never pursued it seriously. Deaver's novel could serve as the perfect blueprint for a modern James Bond movie, even if Pearce doesn't play the iconic spy.

Former Marvel villain Guy Pearce has recalled the time he was involved in conversations about potentially taking over the role of James Bond. Widely considered one of the iconic characters in modern cinema, the task of casting Britains most famous MI6 agent has often been the subject of close scrutiny and public debate long before franchise producers were faced with finding a replacement for Daniel Craig. Back in 2014, the question was even posed to modern James Bond author Jeffery Deaver, who suggested that Pearce would be the...

The 71st edition of Australia’s Sydney Film Festival (Sff) closed on Sunday June 16 amid a wave of optimisim with a wealth of prizes, a likely rise in ticket sales, and an influx of young cinemagoers.

Ticket sales were estimated to be more than 10% up on last year, making 2024 the second biggest year on record after 2019.

“It’s been quite phenomenal and we feel very optimistic about the future,” said festival director Nashen Moodley. “We can’t tell with precision, but judging by which films sold, the younger demographic is increasing.”

Paola Cortellesi’s post-Second World War Italian melodrama There’s Still Tomorrow,...

“The Convert” is a new historical action thriller, directed by Lee Tamahori, starring Guy Pearce, Tioreore Ngatai-Melborne, Antonio Te Maioha, Jacqueline Mckenzie, Lawrence Makoare, Dean O’Gorman, Ariki Turner and Duane Evans, opening July 12, 2024 in theaters:

“…’Thomas Munro’, a newly arrived preacher in a colonial town in early 19th-century New Zealand finds himself…

“…at the center of a long-standing battle between two ‘Māori’ native tribes…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

The recently released trailer for “The Convert,” starring Guy Pearce, has captured the attention of cinema enthusiasts and historical drama fans alike. Directed by renowned filmmaker Lee Tamahori, the film promises to be a compelling journey into the turbulent times of early 19th century New Zealand.

A Tale of Transformation and Conflict

“The Convert” is set in the early 1830s, a period marked by cultural upheaval and the clash between indigenous Maori traditions and European colonial influences. The story revolves around Thomas Munro, portrayed by Guy Pearce, a deeply troubled former soldier who seeks redemption by becoming a Christian missionary. Munro’s quest for salvation leads him to New Zealand, where he encounters a world vastly different from his own.

As the trailer unfolds, viewers are introduced to the stark beauty of New Zealand’s landscapes, juxtaposed with the brutal realities of colonial expansion. Munro’s journey is fraught with moral dilemmas and violent confrontations,...

"Only blood redeems blood. Magnolia Pictures has debuted the US trailer for a film called The Convert from New Zealand, made by Kiwi filmmaker Lee Tamahori. He used to make big Hollywood action movies for years, then went back to New Zealand to make more intimate dramas about his homeland - I loved his last one The Patriarch from 2016. Tamahori’s new action-filled historical epic stars Guy Pearce as Thomas Munro, a newly arrived preacher in a colonial town in early 19th-century New Zealand who finds himself at the center of a long-standing battle between two Māori tribes. A lay preacher arrives at a British settlement in 1830s. His violent past is soon drawn into question and his faith put to the test, as he finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Maori tribes. In addition to Pearce, this also stars Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne as Rangimai, Antonio Te Maioha,...

Magnet is bringing an intense trailer for Lee Tamahori’s action drama The Convert to theaters and on-demand on July 12, 2024, but not before footage from the film spills blood online. The gripping tale of survival stars Guy Pearce as Thomas Munro, a newly arrived preacher in a colonial town in early 19th-century New Zealand who finds himself at the center of a long-standing battle between two Māori tribes. The Convert trailer is ambitious and brutal, displaying a power clash for control over land and loyalty.

Lee Tamahori’s The Convert premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 as part of a special presentation. Before the screening, festival organizers released the following description of the film:

As the tall ship carrying preacher Thomas Monro (Guy Pearce) arrives on the shores of the settler town of Epworth, he enters a world he could scarcely have imagined. Despite the growing colonial British...

Sydney Film Festival (June 5-16) has unveiled the 12 titles that will play in competition at its 71st edition, including six features that are set to premiere at Cannes this month.

Fresh from playing in Competition at Cannes will be Kinds of Kindness, starring Emma Stone and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, who won the Sydney Film Prize in 2012 with Alps. Further Palme d’Or contenders selected for Sydney include Grand Tour from Portugal’s Miguel Gomes, whose Arabian Nights won the Sydney Film Prize in 2015; Christophe Honoré’s French-Italian comedy Marcello Mio; and Payal Kapadia’s Indian romantic drama All We Imagine As Light.

Hassie Harrison (“Yellowstone”), Jai Courtney (“Terminator Genisys”) and “Heartbreak High’s” Josh Heuston, soon to be seen in “Dune: Prophecy,” will star in the horror thriller “Dangerous Animals.”

Adding edge to the package, Australia’s genre auteur Sean Byrne, one of the highest rated horror directors of all time on Rotten Tomatoes, is directing “Dangerous Animals” which will be brought onto the Cannes market by David Garrett’s Mister Smith Entertainment.

Starting principal photography on Australia Gold Coast on May 7, “Dangerous Animals” is produced by London and Sydney-based Brouhaha Entertainment, behind Karim Aïnouz’s “Firebrand” and Guy Pearce-led “The Convert,” sold by Mister Smith, in conjunction with Ld Entertainment, Oddfellows Entertainment and management-production firm Range Media Partners.

Producers on the film are a prestige alliance of Brouhaha’s Troy Lum and Andrew Mason, Pete Shilaimon, Mickey Liddell for Ld Entertainment, Chris Ferguson for Oddfellows Entertainment and Brian Kavanaugh Jones for Range Media Partners.

Rosamund Pike has joined the cast of Lionsgate’s Now You See Me 3 in the latest instalment in the adventures of the thieving illusionists known as the Four Horsemen.

While details of Pike’s role remain under wraps the studio said it will be “pivotal”. She joins previously announced Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, and Ariana Greenblatt.

Ruben Fleischer will return to direct and the project is being conceived as the launch pad for the future of the franchise. The logline has not been disclosed.

At time of writing it was expected that original cast members Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson,...

Rocket Science announced today that it will fully finance and launch international sales in Cannes on the sci-fi horror 11817 to be directed and produced by Louis Leterrier.

The French filmmaker’s Carrousel Studios, Rocket Science, Thank You Studios, Chernin Entertainment, and 3 Arts Entertainment are producing.

Matthew Robinson, whose credits include The Invention Of Lying, wrote the screenplay about a family of four trapped inside their house by inexplicable forces.

As modern luxuries and essential supplies start to run out, the family must adapt to survive and outsmart whoever or whatever is imprisoning them.

Casting is currently underway. CAA Media Finance represents North American rights.

Lee Tamahori’s historical action epic The Convert has been acquired for distribution in multiple territories, including Magnolia Pictures in North America for a July 12 release date.

The film world premiered at Toronto International Film Festival, and stars Guy Pearce, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, Antonio Te Maioha, Jacqueline McKenzie and Lawrence Makoare.

UK sales outfit Mister Smith Entertainment has also closed deals with Germany’s Capelight Pictures, Spain’s Divisa Red, WW for Benelux, Front Row Entertainment in the Middle East, Monolith Films for Poland, Arna Media for Cis and the Baltic States, Blitz for Ex-Yugoslavia, Ascot Elite for Switzerland, The Film Group for Greece and Cyprus,...

Warning! This article contains Spoilers for Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 3, episodes 1-3.

"The Convert" shines light on Dr. Pershing's crucial role in Force-cloning, connecting to Palpatine's return in Rise of Skywalker. The episode sets a new pace for The Mandalorian, exploring the New Republic and adding depth to the Star Wars lore. Palpatine's resurrection narrative threads are intricately woven throughout various Star Wars mediums, making this story essential.

Instead of in a Star Wars movie, some essential reasons for Palpatine's return to life in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker can actually be found in an episode of The Mandalorian that many viewers wrote off as 'filler'. The Mandalorian season 3 was not received nearly as well as the previous two seasons of the smash-hit space-western series, but despite its reception, season 3 has a lot to love character-wise, and maybe even more to appreciate in its lore and world building.

Elia Kane could be a compelling potential antagonist for The Mandalorian & Grogu movie. Kane's close ties to Gideon's covert cloning operations make her an ideal candidate to help with Project Necromancer. As Thrawn's right-hand woman, Kane could become a powerful figure within the Imperial Remnant.

The next Star Wars movie villain shouldn’t be Grand Admiral Thrawn – another, more intriguing option has already been set up. Though Ahsoka introduced Thrawn as the next major New Republic-era villain, there’s another antagonist that deserves to be explored further, and the next upcoming Star Wars movie is the perfect opportunity to do so. The Mandalorian & Grogu is the first of four announced Star Wars movies and will likely follow up on The Mandalorian season 3’s finale, which saw Moff Gideon defeated and Din Djarin and Grogu settling into a new life as freelance rangers for the New Republic.

The Mandalorian season 3 had too many ideas and narrative threads, leading to a lack of focus on the main characters and their relationships. Episode 3 of season 3, "Chapter 19: The Convert," shifted focus to the New Republic and sidelined the Mandalorian-related storytelling. The Mandalorian being taken over by another show, just as it took over The Book of Boba Fett, was seen as karma and a result of Disney's ambitious but sometimes problematic expansion of the Star Wars universe.

The Mandalorian season 3’s most controversial episode happened because it repeated one of The Book of Boba Fett’s biggest mistakes. The Mandalorian launched an era of Star Wars that was more interconnected than ever before. As a direct Mandalorian spinoff, The Book of Boba Fett had the difficult job of creating an entirely new story for an iconic yet mysterious legacy character while also pushing the so-called “Mandoverse’s” story forward.

Phoebe Tonkin is to star in and executive produce a new Australian TV crime drama series, “The Dark Lake,” based on a novel by Sarah Bailey.

The series is to be produced by Brouhaha Entertainment, the Australia-u.K. outfit headed by veteran producers Gabrielle Tana, Troy Lum and Andrew Mason. The company recently delivered Netflix’s Brisbane set “Boy Swallows Universe,” in which Tonkin also stars.

Production and financing details were not disclosed and the series has not revealed a director or a broadcast or streaming partnership.

The story follows Gemma (portrayed by Tonkin) as she is forced to confront the secrets of her past when assigned to the murder of her high school nemesis in her small and tight-knit hometown. Through law enforcement, Gemma anchors herself to the dichotomy of right and wrong, in an effort to redeem her own deeply compromised decisions.

“The series investigates the moral workings...

The Mandalorian already has a historical and iconic legacy, especially as Star Wars' first live-action TV show and the flagship original series of Disney+. Every season of The Mandalorian thus far has been enjoyable, but season 3 falls short of seasons 1 and 2 for many viewers and critics alike. These are all 24 episodes of The Mandalorian to date, ranked from worst to best.

As both Star Wars' first live-action TV show and the flagship Disney+ original series, The Mandalorian has already created a profound legacy for itself. Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin and his adopted son Grogu have become both Star Wars and cultural icons, their adventures taking viewers on a space Western episodic tale like no other. The story of the father-and-son is the heart of an extraordinary Star Wars story, with each new season tackling another ambitious corner of the beloved galaxy.

The Mandalorian has run for 3 seasons so far,...

Since his breakthrough 1994 feature Once Were Warriors, a troubling and fiery coming-of-age story indie set in New Zealand’s Maōri community, Lee Tamahori has almost exclusively resided in the realm of pulpy B-grade action cinema. From directing Pierce Brosnan’s final Bond in Die Another Day to Ice Cube in XXX: State of the Union to making a Guy Ritchie-lite actioner about Saddam Hussein’s son (The Devil’s Double), Tamahori has a strong familiarity with cheesy espionage plotlines and passable entertainment. Both sides of Tamahori’s filmography come together in his latest historical epic The Convert––results are expectedly mixed.

Presented in a decidedly prestige manner with sweeping camerawork and a plotline that decides to burn slow in building the relationships of its characters, The Convert tells of John Munro (Guy Pearce), a British preacher who is brought to the settlement of Epworth to help serve the community of settlers there.

Updated with latest: The Toronto Film Festival began September 7 in Ontario with opening-night movie The Boy and the Heron, from Oscar-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. It kicked off a lineup for the fest’s 48th edition that included world premieres of GameStop pic Dumb Money, Netflix’s Pain Hustlers, Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins, Kristin Scott Thomas’ Scarlett Johansson pic North Star, Chris Pine’s Poolman, Michael Keaton-directed Knox Goes Away, Anna Kendrick’s Woman of the Hour, Atom Egoyan’s Seven Veils, Michael Winterbottom’s Shoshana, Grant Singer’s Reptile, Viggo Mortensen’s The Dead Don’t Hurt, Lee Tamahori’s The Convert and Alex Gibney’s doc In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon.

It ended Sunday when Cord Jefferson’s satire American Fiction won TIFF’s People’s Choice Award for best film, usually a steppingstone to a strong awards season to come.

The fest also...

New Zealand-born director Lee Tamahori has dabbled in big-budget Hollywood film-making as well as more intimately-scaled films exploring his Māori heritage. So he brings both skills to bear in his sweeping, early 19th-century period drama about Māori conflict— ostensibly crafting a founding myth for New Zealand.

Continue reading ‘The Convert’ Review: Guy Pearce Stars In Lee Tamahori’s Stunning, Sweeping & Action-Packed Historical Epic [TIFF] at The Playlist.

When lay minister Thomas Munro (Guy Pearce) first reaches the shores of New Zealand in 1830, he does so on a white horse. A religious British man riding into a far-off land on his milky stallion is the picture of a white savior if there ever was one. But director Lee Tamahori has other plans for this well-spoken man of God in his blood-soaked period drama “The Convert,” his first feature film outing since 2016’s soapy “The Patriarch.”

From the onset, the stunning vistas, handsomely photographed by Gin Loane, signal the underlying theme of the narrative: Survival belongs to the strongest, a precept that grows in significance as the plot progresses. The fierce introduction to this unforgiving environment is a shot of a large bird making a smaller one its prey in one swift motion. Through such imagery, Tamahori aims to imbue the violence that permeates with a primal quality, obeying...

It was a joke that kickstarted Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne’s film career and, as she freely admits, not a good one.

After a casting call went out around schools in her region of New Zealand for Taika Waititi’s beloved comedy-drama Hunt for the Wilderpeople, her parents forced her to audition. “They made me do it — I didn’t even want to do it,” she says. 15 at the time, she was asked to sing a song and tell a joke. So in the ‘Marae’ — the traditional Maori meeting house (Ngatai-Melbourne is Maori, of Ngāti Porou and Ngai Tūhoe descent) — they recorded a video of her singing and telling her grandfather’s favourite one-liner.

“Ok, I’m just gonna say it,” she says, speaking to THR from Auckland. “What’s the difference between a bird and a fly? A bird can fly, but a fly can’t bird.”

Poor joke though it may have been,...

Domestic distributor Bleecker Street is in negotiations to acquire rights to “Fackham Hall,” a British spoof of “Downton Abbey” and other costume dramas. Sales outfit The Veterans is pre-selling international territories. And as international buyers face a potential drought of Hollywood product due to strikes, the market is offering other promising presale titles.

WME Independent is pre-selling James Madigan’s “The Beast,” with Samuel L. Jackson in negotiations to star. He’ll play a U.S. president who fights a coup in his battle-ready, bomb-proof limousine with grenades and shotguns. As he rides through a violent wasteland of chaos and unrelenting carnage, he must learn to control The Beast — and the monster inside himself — to save his life, the life of a Secret Service agent (Joel Kinnaman of “Suicide Squad” fame) and his country. Unified Pictures’ Keith Kjarval, Fifth Season, Film 44’s John Logan Pierson and Peter Berg are producing...

“It’s a very innovative show…everything in front of the camera is designed by somebody, is created by somebody,” describes Dean Cundey of “The Mandalorian, “There’s nothing off the shelf. It’s all a product of human artistry and imagination.” The film legend picked up an Emmy nomination for Cinematography for a Series (Half Hour) for his work on the Disney+ series, and he admits to having a ball playing inside the “Star Wars” universe. “It’s such a wonderful change of pace from shooting against real backgrounds,” he reveals. Watch the exclusive video interview above.

“The Mandalorian” is a largely virtual production, shooting many scenes on a stage called The Volume. The set consists of a curved screen which allows digital environments to be projected on it and move with the camera in real-time. Cundey has worked with all manner of evolving film technology in his decades-long career,...

Next Goal Wins (Taika Waititi, 2023).The lineup is being unveiled for the 2023 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, starting with 60 selections from the Gala and Special Presentations programs. The festival takes place from September 7–17, 2023.Gala PRESENTATIONSConcrete Utopia (Um Tae-Hwa)Dumb Money (Craig Gillespie)Fair Play (Chloe Domont)Flora and Son (John Carney)Hate to Love: Nickelback (Leigh Brooks)Lee (Ellen Kuras)Next Goal Wins (Taika Waititi)Nyad (Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin)Punjab ’95 (Honey Trehan)Solo (Sophie Dupuis)The End We Start From (Mahalia Belo)The Movie Emperor (Ning Hao)The New Boy (Warwick Thornton) The Royal Hotel (Kitty Green)The Holdovers.Special Presentationsa Difficult Year (Éric Toledano, Olivier Nakache)A Normal Family (Hur Jin-ho)American Fiction (Cord Jefferson)Anatomy of a Fall (Justine Triet)Close to You (Dominic Savage)Days of Happiness (Chloé Robichaud)The Rescue (Daniela Goggi)Ezra (Tony Goldwyn)Fingernails (Christos Nikou)Four Daughters (Kaouther Ben Hania...

She was a whore. She had to be. Her skirt was so short. So she deserved it. When I was nine years old, a student at the University of Zimbabwe, where both my parents were employed, was stripped of her clothes by a pack of men because they decreed her attire “inappropriate,” and her character clearly of ill repute. She “deserved” it. And most agreed. I felt a fire in my belly about how unjust this seemed. Not fully equipped with the language to speak against this, I tried nonetheless.

The Mandalorian movie faces the same challenges as Season 3 of the show, struggling to balance a wider scope and complex narrative desires. Season 3 moved away from the show's episodic structure, focusing more on a larger and complicated conflict, leaving the core narrative of Din Djarin and Grogu in the background. The show's structure doesn't lend itself well to a movie format, risking the movie feeling like a long, drawn-out episode. The challenge lies in maintaining the appeal of the Din Djarin and Grogu relationship while concluding Thrawn's arc and setting the stage for the sequel trilogy.

The Mandalorian movie will face the same challenges that hurt season 3 of the show, but on a much larger scale. The Mandalorian movie will serve as the culmination of the so-called “Mandoverse,” which includes shows like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka, all of which are set in the still relatively-unexplored New Republic Era.

The Mandalorian season 3 brought audiences back to the city-planet of Coruscant, conceptualized for Return of the Jedi and later brought to life in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Despite being the capital of both the Galactic Republic and the Empire, Coruscant hasn’t been explored nearly as much as it was originally supposed to be. With a sparkling city resting atop thousands of sleazy levels built from the surface, Coruscant is host to galactic denizens of all kinds.

Star Wars returned to Coruscant for the first time in the New Republic Era in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 3 “The Convert.” The episode saw the return of Dr. Pershing, who had gone through the New Republic’s amnesty program and was living in the housing provided on Coruscant. Many aspects of the planet were brought back from the prequels, including the Opera House from Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith and...

The New Zealand government said on Tuesday that the country’s generous screen production incentives systems are to be continued.

The decision follows a New Zealand government review of the local and international production incentives and the post-production and visual effects schemes that began in late 2022.

They also follow expansion announced earlier this month of the rebate schemes in Australia. The two neighbors compete for international or ‘runaway’ productions on criteria including: locations, English-language skills, studio space, post-production and digital effects facilities, as well as cash rebates.

The screen sector contributes more than Nz$3.5 billion ($2.12 billion) to the New Zealand economy each year and directly employs over 13,900 people. The sector also has indirect benefits for other industries such as hospitality, construction and tourism, the government said.

The renewal of the New Zealand Screen Production Grant (Nzspg) system come with a handful of tweaks. One of these is to the scheme’s name.

WME Independent is handling international sales on the film at Cannes.

Ananda Everingham, Bront Palarae and Jennis Oprasert have been revealed as the cast of Thai horror The Cursed Land, on which WME Independent is handling international sales at Cannes.

Written and directed by Panu Aree and Kong Rithdee as their directorial fiction feature debut, the film follows a widower and his daughter who travel to Thailand’s deep south to seek help from a Muslim witch doctor after unleashing a djinn in a rundown house. A first look at Ananda in the film can be seen above.

Ananda is...

One of the standout episodes of season 3 of "The Mandalorian" is Chapter 19, "The Convert," in which the show takes an episode-long interlude away from our protagonists Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Bo-Katan Kryze's (Katee Sackhoff) adventures on Mandalore to update us on what life is like on Coruscant during the rise of the New Republic. Spoiler alert: underneath the thinly veiled surface of restored peace and democracy, it's not all that different from life under the Empire.

"The Convert" follows ex-Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) collaborator Dr. Pershing (Omid Abtahi), who has been given a chance to rehabilitate himself into society through the Amnesty Program (a "Star Wars" parallel for the disturbing real-world Operation Paperclip). Using his technological expertise for the New Republic, Pershing befriends a fellow ex-Imperial co-worker, Elia Kane (Katy O'Brian), who shares his strange love of Imperial travel biscuits they used to snack on. Though the New Republic...