Maggie Smith dies at 89

Oscar-winning actress Dame Maggie Smith has died aged 89. The British star, known for prominent roles in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, as well as her Academy Award-winning performance as The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, died in hospital this morning, her sons said.

Her children, Widow Clicquot actor Chris Larkin, and Die Another Day star Toby Stephens, said in a statement: “An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days. We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.” 

Born in Ilford, Essex, on December 28, 1934, she was an internationally recognised actress for much of her life after playing the fanatical teacher Jean Brodie in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.

She also won over Harry Potter fans later in life, when she appeared in the film series as the quick-witted, kind and formidable Professor McGonagall.

And in 2010 she was central to the success of ITV series Downton Abbey, in her Emmy-award winning role as the acerbic Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, which she continued to play in the subsequent films. 

Paddington Movie No 4 coming!

Paddington Bear is set to star in his fourth family-friendly comedy film, along with a new TV series, as confirmed by the rights-owners. This news comes ahead of Paddington in Peru's release in cinemas on November 8 and a West End musical launching next year, following the opening of the Paddington Bear Experience at London’s County Hall this summer.

At the Brand Licensing Europe convention in London, StudioCanal executive Françoise Guyonnet announced, "We are working on a new TV series and a new movie slated for 2027 and 2028." She emphasized the company’s focus on content, experiential, and digital strategy, marking a shift from the simpler beginnings of the beloved character when Michael Bond wrote A Bear Called Paddington in 1958.

The upcoming film, Paddington in Peru, will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the original book. It sees Paddington returning to Peru to visit his Aunt Lucy, voiced by Imelda Staunton, with Ben Whishaw reprising his role as Paddington. The film's star-studded cast includes Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Antonio Banderas as Hunter Cabot, and Olivia Colman as The Reverend Mother.

In addition to the movie, the Paddington brand is expanding with other ventures. Jo Malone recently released a limited-edition Paddington-themed marmalade cologne, and a Paddington-themed Roblox game is set to launch in November.

StudioCanal, which acquired the intellectual property rights to Paddington Bear (excluding publishing) in 2016, aims to "turn a heritage brand into a global phenomenon" as part of Paddington's journey from a classic character to a worldwide cultural icon.

High Court move over Cineworld restructure plan

Four companies within the struggling cinema chain Cineworld are seeking approval from the High Court for a restructuring plan to ensure their continued operation. Cine-UK Ltd, Cineworld Cinemas Ltd, Cineworld Cinema Properties Ltd, and Cineworld Estates Ltd, all part of the UK division of the world’s second-largest cinema chain, are currently unprofitable, the court heard on Thursday.

Lawyers representing the companiesaid that Cineworld's US division has agreed to provide financial support, contingent upon the approval of the restructuring plan. Without approval, the companies face the possibility of administration. The proposal includes renegotiating leases for over 100 sites across the UK, particularly those that are not economically viable, and the closure of six cinemas deemed commercially unsustainable.

However, landlords of four sites, including the Crown Estate and UK Commercial Property (UKCP), are seeking an injunction to prevent changes to their rental agreements. They argue that agreements made last year prohibit any further alterations through restructuring.

Tom Smith KC, representing the Cineworld companies, warned that if the plans are not approved, the companies would be unable to meet their financial obligations to creditors and would likely file for administration. Currently, Cineworld operates 101 cinemas in the UK under its own brand, as well as two Picturehouse cinemas. The wider group employs 4,401 staff and runs cinemas in 10 countries.

The company has struggled financially since being heavily impacted by the Covid pandemic, as well as strikes by actors and writers. Despite restructuring its US operations last year, Cineworld’s UK arm remains burdened by high rental costs, with many leases exceeding market value.

The company plans to close six sites but will keep all locations operational until the restructuring plans are finalized. If approved, £16 million of new equity funding from its parent firm will be released, with further funds of up to £35 million available. A judgment on the case will be delivered at a later date.

Emily's kids and her "mean" role

Emily Blunt’s role as the harassed PA in The Devil Wears Prada is beloved by fans, but her children don’t share the same opinion. The actress has revealed that her daughters, Hazel (10) and Violet (7) found her character Emily Charlton quite unpleasant. “They thought I was the meanest person they’ve ever met,” Blunt said. of their reaction.

In the 2006 box office hit, grossing $326 million worldwide, Emily portrayed a demanding assistant at the fictional fashion magazine, Runway, alongside Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway.

While Blunt’s children may not be fans, the movie remains a fan favourite, which still surprises the Oppenheimer star. “It’s incredible that it has such an indelible fingerprint on people… and it’s quoted to me every week,” she said.

Emily, who is married to The US Office star and director of A Quiet Place John Krasinski, fondly remembered working on the David Frankel-directed comedy-drama with co-stars Streep, Hathaway, and Stanley Tucci. “We had the time of our lives,” she recalled.

It was Emily’s first big movie and she admitted tshe didn’t fully grasp the significance of the film’s success. “I remember my agent calling me about the opening weekend, and I didn’t even know if it was good!” she said.

Blunt could potentially return to the role, as a sequel is reportedly in development at Disney, though no cast deals have been confirmed yet.

Euthanasia drama wins Venice Golden Lion

The pro-euthanasia film The Room Next Door has won the prestigious Golden Lion award for best film at the Venice Film Festival. Directed by Pedro Almodóvar and starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, the film received significant acclaim, including an 18-minute standing ovation at its premiere earlier in the week, one of the longest in recent memory.

In his acceptance speech, 74-year-old Almodóvar expressed his belief in the importance of the right to die with dignity, stating, "I believe that saying goodbye to this world cleanly and with dignity is a fundamental right of every human being."

The film tells the story of a war correspondent, played by Swinton, who is battling terminal cancer. She seeks the support of an old friend, portrayed by Moore, to be with her as she makes the decision to end her own life. The emotionally charged storyline has resonated with audiences and critics alike, prompting discussions on the sensitive subject of euthanasia and the right to a dignified death.

Inside Out 2 now 8th highest grossing film ever

Inside Out 2 has now overtaken Jurassic World to become the eighth highest grossing film of all time. According to Box Office Mojo, it has now earned $1.675 billion at the worldwide box office, which puts it ahead of Jurassic World's $1.671 billion lifetime gross.

The Pixar sequel previously moved past Disney's 2019 live-action remake of The Lion King to become the ninth all-time highest grossing film. Inside Out 2's record-breaking box office has also made it the top-performing movie of 2024, along with being the highest grossing movie not only by Pixar, but among all animated films that have ever been released.

Beetlejuice booms at the box office

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice had a stellar opening weekend as it earned a massive $110million (£83million) in the US box office.

The film, which is the highly anticipated sequel to Tim Burton's 1988 Beetlejuice, is the second biggest September opening ever after 2017's IT.

The supernatural comedy is also the third biggest debut of 2024, behind Inside Out 2 ($154.2 million) and Deadpool & Wolverine ($211.4 million).

Michael Keaton has reprised his role as the titular chaos-causing ghoul in the sequel. Catherine O'Hara and Winona Ryder also returned to the franchise and were joined by other actors including Wednesday star Jenna Ortega and Oscar-nominated actor Willem Dafoe.

Blitz to open London Film Festival

The 68th BFI London Film Festival has released its 2024 programme, in cinemas from 9-20 October, opening with the World Premiere of Steve McQueen’s Blitz and closing with the European Premiere of Morgan Neville’s Piece by Piece and a gala European premiere of  R.J. Cutler and David Furnish’s Elton John: Never Too Late

The Festival features 253 titles (comprising features, shorts, series and immersive works) hail from 79 countries, and feature 63 languages and 112 works are made by female and non-binary filmmakers – 44% of the programme.

Returning to its home at the heart of London’s South Bank at BFI Southbank and the Royal Festival Hall, the Festival will also run in cinemas and venues across central London plus nine LFF partner cinemas across the UK. A curated programme of free short films will be available digitally across the UK on BFI Player from 9 – 20 October.

The full programme available at https://www.bfi.org.uk/lff 

Life's a bitch for Amy

The first trailer for Nightbitch has arrived, offering a fresh glimpse into Amy Adams' latest venture, a quirky horror-comedy with a dark twist. Adams plays a woman, known only as Mother, who becomes convinced she's transforming into a dog.  

Adams' character is shown growing increasingly disillusioned with her life, slowly adopting canine behaviours – and even attracting the attention of actual dogs. While the trailer promises plenty of laughs, it also hints at some unsettling moments as her transformation intensifies, all delivered with a darkly humorous way.

Huge ovation for Daniel Craig

The Venice Film Festival showered Luca Guadagnino‘s new film Queer with lots of love and a  9½-minute standing ovation for star Daniel Craig at its world premiere last night.

Craig, who broke away from his James Bond persona for a provocative and challenging role, looked emotional at several points as his wife, Rachel Weisz, stood beaming and shouting in unison with the crowd.

Based on the novel by William S. Burroughs, Queer is set in 1950s Mexico City, where the action follows Craig’s character William Lee, an American expat in his mid-50s leading a solitary existencere. Addicted to opiates and alcohol, his life changes when a young man, Drew Starkey’s Eugene Allerton, arrives on the scene, stirring Craig’s character into earth-shattering infatuation. 

The film, sprinkled with racy, fleetingly full-frontal scenes, culminates in the search for a drug that William believes will let him communicate with Eugene telepathically.

Magic misses a stop for Harry Potter fans

Every year on September 1st, Harry Potter fans flock to King’s Cross Station in London to relive the moment when young wizards and witches board the Hogwarts Express. It's a beloved tradition, where fans don their Hogwarts robes, clutch their wands, and gather at the iconic Platform 9¾. The anticipation builds as they count down to 11 am, expecting to hear the familiar announcement of the fictional train’s departure.

But this year, the magic seemed to have missed its stop. As the clock struck 11, fans eagerly awaited the traditional announcement, only to be met with a regular public address instead. The usual excitement quickly turned to disappointment, and the crowd's cheers were replaced with boos. The absence of the Hogwarts Express announcement, which in previous years included a video of the train arriving at the platform, left many feeling let down.

The moment was captured in a viral video circulating on X, where reactions ranged from amused to critical. One user commented, “Grown adults disappointed that an actual train station with actual trains didn’t announce a fake train leaving a fake platform for a fake destination lmao.” Another added, “Harry, the last movie was released in 2011, get a life for goodness sake.”

Despite the letdown, the tradition continues to hold a special place in the hearts of Potterheads. Even if the magic took a day off this year, the fandom’s enduring passion proves that Hogwarts will always be just a platform away.