Anjelah Johnson-Reyes to Serve as Presenter at This Year’s PGA Awards

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes is headed to the PGA Awards…

The Producers Guild of America has revealed the presenters lineup for the 34th annual PGA Awards, to be held on Saturday at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, with the 40-year-old half-Mexican American actress/comedian making the list.

In addition to Johnson-Reyes, other notable celebrities set to take the stage to present throughout the evening include Angela Bassett, Austin Butler, Billy Eichner, Bob Odenkirk, Brendan Fraser, Cate Blanchett, Danielle Deadwyler, Dave Burd, Diego Luna, Eugenio Derbez, Hannah Einbinder, Hong Chau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jay Ellis, Kate Hudson, Ke Huy Quan, Kerry Condon, Leslie Odom, Jr., Michelle Williams, Michelle Yeoh, Mo Amer, Monica Barbaro, Nicole Byer, Paul Dano, Robert Rodriguez, Ron Howard, Sacha Baron Cohen, Sandra Oh, Sherry Lansing and Stephanie Hsu.

The PGA Awards celebrate the producers behind the best films, television series, and new media projects of the year.

Widely known as a reliable bellwether for the Best Picture category at the Oscars, the PGA has nominated Avatar: The Way of Water, The Banshees of Inisherin, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fabelmans, Glass Onion: Knives Out Mystery, Tár, Top Gun: Maverick and The Whale for its Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures Award.

The 2023 Producers Guild of America Awards is produced by Anchor Street Collective for the Producers Guild of America.

Tenoch Huerta Earns Two Critics Choice Super Awards Nominations for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Performance

Posted on February 22, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Tenoch Huerta is celebrating two super recognitions…

The nominations for the third annual Critics Choice Super Awards have been revealed, with the 42-year-old Mexican actor earning two nods.

Huerta is nominated for Best Actor in a Superhero Movie and Best Villain in a Movie for his performance as Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Zoe Saldana is nominated in the Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie for her performance in James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water.

Oscar Isaac earned a nod in the Best Actor in a Superhero Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie category for starring in Disney+’s Moon Knight.

Harvey Guillén is nominated in the Best Actor in a Horror Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie for his acclaimed work in FX’s What We Do in the Shadows.

Jenna Ortega continues earning raves for her work in Netflix’s Wednesday. This time the Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress is nominated for Best Actress in a Horror Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie.

Diego Luna is up for Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie for his work on Andor.

The Critics Choice Super Awards celebrate the year’s best across the superhero, sci-fi/fantasy, horror and action genres in film and on television.

This year’s winners will be revealed March 16.

Here’s the full list of nominees:

3rd Annual Critics Choice Super Awards

FILM NOMINATIONS

BEST ACTION MOVIE
Bullet Train
RRR
Top Gun: Maverick
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The Woman King

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Nicolas Cage – The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Ram Charan – RRR
Tom Cruise – Top Gun: Maverick
Brad Pitt – Bullet Train
N.T. Rama Rao Jr. – RRR

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Sandra Bullock – The Lost City
Jennifer Connelly – Top Gun: Maverick
Viola Davis – The Woman King
Joey King – Bullet Train
Joey King – The Princess

BEST SUPERHERO MOVIE*
The Batman
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
DC League of Super-Pets
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Thor: Love and Thunder

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPERHERO MOVIE*
Benedict Cumberbatch – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Paul Dano – The Batman
Colin Farrell – The Batman
Tenoch Huerta – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Robert Pattinson – The Batman

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPERHERO MOVIE*
Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Zoë Kravitz – The Batman
Elizabeth Olsen – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Natalie Portman – Thor: Love and Thunder
Letitia Wright – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

BEST HORROR MOVIE
Barbarian
The Black Phone
Pearl
Smile
Speak No Evil
X

BEST ACTOR IN A HORROR MOVIE
Ethan Hawke – The Black Phone
Fedja van Huêt – Speak No Evil
Ralph Fiennes – The Menu
Rory Kinnear – Men
Justin Long – Barbarian

BEST ACTRESS IN A HORROR MOVIE
Jessie Buckley – Men
Aisha Dee – Sissy
Anna Diop – Nanny
Mia Goth – Pearl
Rebecca Hall – Resurrection

BEST SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY MOVIE
Avatar: The Way of Water
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Nope
The Northman
Prey

BEST ACTOR IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY MOVIE
Colin Farrell – After Yang
Daniel Kaluuya – Nope
Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All at Once
Ryan Reynolds – The Adam Project
Alexander Skarsgård – The Northman

BEST ACTRESS IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY MOVIE
Karen Gillan – Dual
Stephanie Hsu – Everything Everywhere All at Once
Amber Midthunder – Prey
Keke Palmer – Nope
Zoe Saldana – Avatar: The Way of Water
Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All at Once

BEST VILLAIN IN A MOVIE
Paul Dano – The Batman
Mia Goth – Pearl
Tenoch Huerta – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Joey King – Bullet Train
Elizabeth Olsen – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Mark Rylance – Bones and All

TELEVISION NOMINATIONS

BEST ACTION SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE
9-1-1
Cobra Kai
Kung Fu
Reacher
Tulsa King
Vikings: Valhalla

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE
Kevin Costner – Yellowstone
John Krasinski – Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
Ralph Macchio – Cobra Kai
Alan Ritchson – Reacher
Sylvester Stallone – Tulsa King
William Zabka – Cobra Kai

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE
Angela Bassett – 9-1-1
Queen Latifah – The Equalizer
Olivia Liang – Kung Fu
Katherine McNamara – Walker: Independence
Helen Mirren – 1923
Kelly Reilly – Yellowstone

BEST SUPERHERO SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE*
The Boys
Doom Patrol
Ms. Marvel
Peacemaker
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Werewolf by Night

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPERHERO SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE*
John Cena – Peacemaker
Brendan Fraser – Doom Patrol
Grant Gustin – The Flash
Oscar Isaac – Moon Knight
Elliot Page – The Umbrella Academy
Antony Starr – The Boys

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPERHERO SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE*
Danielle Brooks – Peacemaker
Michelle Gomez – Doom Patrol
Caity Lotz – Legends of Tomorrow
Tatiana Maslany – She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Erin Moriarty – The Boys
Iman Vellani – Ms. Marvel

BEST HORROR SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE
Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire
Chucky
Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Evil
The Walking Dead
Wednesday
What We Do in the Shadows

BEST ACTOR IN A HORROR SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE
Jacob Anderson – Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire
Matt Berry – What We Do in the Shadows
Mike Colter – Evil
Harvey Guillén – What We Do in the Shadows
Evan Peters – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Sam Reid – Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire

BEST ACTRESS IN A HORROR SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE
Jennifer Coolidge – The Watcher
Natasia Demetriou – What We Do in the Shadows
Katja Herbers – Evil
Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Jenna Ortega – Wednesday
Christina Ricci – Wednesday

BEST SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE
Andor
For All Mankind
House of the Dragon
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Stranger Things

BEST ACTOR IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE
Chiwetel Ejiofor – The Man Who Fell to Earth
Samuel L. Jackson – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey
Diego Luna – Andor
Anson Mount – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Adam Scott – Severance
Matt Smith – House of the Dragon

BEST ACTRESS IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE
Milly Alcock – House of the Dragon
Patricia Arquette – Severance
Morfydd Clark – The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Moses Ingram – Obi-Wan Kenobi
Fiona Shaw – Andor
Sissy Spacek – Night Sky

BEST VILLAIN IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE
Ethan Hawke – Moon Knight
Brad Dourif – Chucky
Matt Smith – House of the Dragon
Hayden Christensen – Obi-Wan Kenobi
Antony Starr – The Boys
Michael Emerson – Evil
Jamie Campbell Bower – Stranger Things
Harriet Sansom Harris – Werewolf By Night

Zoe Saldana Becomes First Performer to Appear in Top Three Highest Grossing Films Globally

Posted on February 20, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Zoe Saldana is officially a box office blockbuster star…

The 44-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress’ latest film Avatar: The Way of Water has replaced Titanic as the third-highest grossing film in history.

While the director of both films, James Cameron, has two films in the top three, Saldana appears in all three films, a feat not achieved by any other performer.

The sci-fi sequel Avatar: The Way of Water has generated $2.2433 billion globally, enough to overtake Titanic ($2.2428 billion) at the worldwide box office. Now, The Way of Water trails only Avatar ($2.92 billion) and Avengers: Endgame ($2.7 billion) on the all-time charts.

Saldana stars as Ney’tiri in the Avatar films and appears as her Guardians of the Galaxy character, Gamora.

Like the original “Avatar,” the follow-up’s success is attributed to its generation-spanning appeal as well as the incentive to watch the film in premium and 3D formats. On Imax screens, the movie has crossed $250 million. That’s more coinage than many films manage to earn in their entire theatrical runs.

In North America, “The Way of Water” is the ninth-highest grossing movie ever with $657 million to date. In order to fly higher on the all-time domestic charts, it’ll have to take down Titanic (at No. 8 with $659 million) and Avengers: Infinity War (at No. 7 with $678 million).

Elsewhere, “Avatar 2” recently passed Titanic to become the third-highest grossing international release ever with $1.585 billion. It’s behind only 2009’s Avatar ($2.1 billion) and Avengers: Endgame ($1.9 billion) in terms of overseas ticket sales. Standout markets include China ($242 million), France ($144 million), Germany ($135 million) and Korea ($106 million). It ranks as highest-grossing film of all-time in more than 20 countries, including France, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Rep, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Turkey, UAE, Cambodia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Colombia and Puerto Rico.

Disney and 20th Century spent roughly $460 million to produce and promote The Way of Water, which is one of the most expensive films ever. The long-delayed sequel opened on the big screen in December and has remained in the top five on box office charts for 10 consecutive weeks. Saldana and Sam Worthington star in the otherworldly saga about family. A third installment is set to debut in December 2024 with plans for fourth and fifth entries in the coming years.

“Avatar” Producer Jon Landau Discusses Oona Chaplin’s “Avatar 3” Character

Posted on February 5, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Oona Chaplin is preparing to kick ash…

Avatar producer Jon Landau has revealed new details about the half-Chilean Spanish actress’ role in Avatar 3.

Chaplin, who starred in HBO’s Game of Thrones and is the granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin, has been cast in the role of Varang, the leader of the more evil, fire-themed Na’vi tribe known as the Ash People, which will be at the crux of the third installment.

“There are good humans and there are bad humans. It’s the same thing on the Na’vi side,” Landau recently told Empire, echoing comments previously made by filmmaker James Cameron about the subject up for exploration in Avatar 3. “Oftentimes, people don’t see themselves as bad. What is the root cause of how they evolve into what we perceive as bad? Maybe there are other factors there that we aren’t aware of.”

Landau went on to share that Avatar 4 will feature “a big time jump,” before reiterating that the fifth film will make the leap from the moon Pandora for some time on Earth. The Earth of Avatar is not unlike our own, per the producer — ruled by “over-population and a depletion of our natural resources that make life harder.”

Landau clarifies, though, that the Avatar team doesn’t “want to paint a bleak picture for where our world is going. The films are also about the idea that we can change course.”

Landau’s comments come amid the global release of Cameron’s long-awaited sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, which hit theaters 13 years after his original sci-fi epic. Cameron said prior to The Way of Water’s release that if the film were to fail at the box-office, it would lead the franchise’s future in doubt, in spite of the fact that he’s already wrapped production on Avatar 3 and part of the fourth film.

But to the relief of both Cameron and 20th Century Studios, the sequel has more than delivered, thus far grossing over $2.1B worldwide, to become the fourth highest-grossing movie of all time. The film also recently scored four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.

Zoe Saldana’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” Becoming No. 1 Worldwide Film Release of 2022

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Zoe Saldana is celebrating a special honor…

James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, starring the 44-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress, has now officially crossed the $1 billion mark at the international box office with Tuesday’s grosses included.

With its $1,482.5M worldwide total through Tuesday, the epic sci-fi sequel from 20th Century Studios/Disney is next on its way to yet another milestone and will top $1.5B global when today’s numbers are factored.

In doing so, it will become the No. 1 worldwide release of 2022, surpassing Top Gun: Maverick’s $1.489B.

The overseas sum through Tuesday is $1.025B, after adding $28.3M in 52 international markets yesterday (a 44% drop from last Tuesday). WoW is the No. 1 offshore release of 2022 and No. 2 of the pandemic era.

It stands as the No. 9 international release of all time, moving up from No. 11 having just passed The Fate of the Furious and Jurassic World after 21 days in movie theaters.

Globally, it is the No. 12 biggest release ever, now overtaking Disney’s own Frozen II.

First Full Trailer Released for Zoe Saldana’s “Avatar” Sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water”

Posted on November 2, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Zoe Saldana is heading the way of water…

The first full official trailer for James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, starring the 44-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress, has been released.

Disney will begin the overseas rollout of the sequel to the highest-grossing film ever on December 14 with its U.S. release set for December 16.

The Way of Water is set more than a decade after the events of the first Avatar film. It follows the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri [Saldana] and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive and the tragedies they endure as they fight for their home on Pandora. Brimming with stunning visuals and new creatures, the trailer also features a callback to the original movie with the signature Na’vi line: “I see you.”

The sequel stars Sam Worthington, Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, Michelle Yeoh, Edie Falco, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Oona Chaplin, Jermaine Clement and more.

Disney previously previewed a teaser trailer at CinemaCon in April before playing it exclusively in theaters on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and then put it online in May.

The studio, Cameron and producer Jon Landau have been making the rounds with footage from the film, screening during June’s CineEurope conference in Barcelona and at D23 in September as well as for executives from China Film Group (a release there is still unconfirmed).

Disney also released a remastered 4K HDR version of the original film in September to set the table for the sequel, and included sneak footage tagged onto the end.

Sources indicate The Way of Water will clock in at more than three hours, but no exact final run-time has been decided. The original was two hours and 41 minutes.

In total, four sequels are planned. Said Landau in Vegas, “The journey across all four movies will create a connected saga.”

Said Cameron at the time, the new films are “pushing limits even farther with high frame rate, higher resolution 3D and greater reality in our visual effects. I wanted our return to Pandora to be something really special. Every shot is designed for the biggest screen, highest resolution and most immersive 3D available. I think we pulled it off.”

Diego Calva’s Ensemble Film “Babylon” to Open in Wide Release Christmas Weekend

Posted on October 19, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Diego Calva will be spending the Christmas holiday in Babylon…

The 30-year-old Mexican actor’s latest ensemble project Babylon, starring Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt, will open in wide release in U.S. theaters on December 23.

The film was originally scheduled to open in limited release during the Christmas holiday, with its wide release on January 6.

Babylon will open in the wake of 20th Century Studios/Disney’s Avatar: The Way of Water on December 16 and will share the marquee nationwide with movies like Sony’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Universal/Dreamworks Animation’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and the expansion of United Artists Releasing’s drama Women Talking.

Set in the 1920s, during Hollywood‘s transition from silent films to sound films, the film follows Manny Torres (Calva) as he pursues a career within the industry, starting as a film assistant.

Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, the film was shot in Santa Clarita, CA, where many silent and early sound movies were made, like Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times.

In addition to Calva, Robbie and Pitt, the ensemble cast also includes Tobey Maguire, Olivia Wilde, Spike Jonze, Max Minghella and Jean Smart.

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Celebrating the Latino Influence

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