President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, explained why he won't debate Stormy Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, on Friday. Giuliani told Business Insider that he doesn't "get involved with pimps." Avenatti tweeted earlier that he was "willing to participate on any network provided both sides are provided a fair shake." President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, on Friday escalated his battle with Michael Avenatti, the attorney for adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. Avenatti had challenged Giuliani to a head-to-head debate earlier this week. "It would be very helpful for the public to witness a discussion between Mr. Giuliani and me concerning the facts of the case, etc," Avenatti tweeted Tuesday. "I am willing to participate on any network provided both sides are provided a fair shake. I am also willing to do it on 12-hrs notice." During a phone interview with Business Insider, Giuliani said he wouldn't debate Avenatti because the lawyer is "pimping for money." "I don't get involved with pimps," he said of the lawyer. "The media loves to give him room because he makes these roundabout charges and they turn out to mean nothing. I think he's going to get himself in serious trouble." Avenatti, a cable news mainstay, made waves this week with the revelation of some Michael Cohen's financial dealings after the 2016 presidential election. Cohen, the longtime lawyer to Trump, accepted payments from AT&T, pharmaceutical company Novartis, Korea Aerospace Industries, and Russian-tied investment firm Columbus Nova. Those companies paid Cohen in excess of $1.2 million through the shell company, Essential Consultants LLC, that he set up to facilitate the $130,000 hush money payment to Daniels, who alleges she had an affair in 2006 with Trump. Cohen and White House aides denied the affair took place, though Giuliani made extensive headlines last week when he said Trump reimbursed Cohen for the payment. Cohen is under criminal investigation in the Southern District of New York for possible campaign finance violations and bank fraud. He has not been charged with a crime. Avenatti did not make clear how he obtained the banking records, and experts were left guessing just how he came upon them. The Treasury Department's inspector general opened an investigation this week into whether Suspicious Activity Reports were leaked to Avenatti, who did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider. "I think he's got a lot of explaining to do," Giuliani said, noting that he did not know how Avenatti would come upon those records. "I wouldn't debate him, because it wouldn't be fair," the former New York City mayor and US attorney continued. "I debate like really intelligent skilled people," he added, pointing to famed attorney and Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz. "I know Alan Dershowitz," Giuliani said. "He's no Alan Dershowitz."

President Trump went after the news media on Friday evening for not reporting that his administration was opposed to the AT&T merger with Time Warner, following reports that his personal attorney Michael Cohen was paid by AT&T for consulting. "Why doesn't the Fake News Media state that the Trump Administration's Anti-Trust Division has been, and is, opposed to the AT&T purchase of Time Warner in a currently ongoing Trial. Such a disgrace in reporting!" Trump tweeted. Trump attacked the media after reports that Cohen had pitched himself as a consultant on Trump administration policy in the days after the 2016 election and received hundreds of thousands of dollars from AT&T, among other companies. The Washington Post reported this week that Cohen received $600,000 to consult for AT&T about the merger, among other issues. The company has since called the contract a mistake and said Cohen could not provide the services they expected. The deal is significant because it raises questions about whether Trump knew about his personal attorney's financial dealings with AT&T and other companies with business before the Trump administration. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended the optics of the deal at a press briefing Friday, claiming it was proof that the Trump administration would not be influenced by outside forces. "This further proves the president is not going to be influenced by special interests. This is actually the definition of 'draining the swamp,'" she said, directing further questions to the president's outside counsel. "I think it's pretty clear the Department of Justice opposed the merger, so the president or his administration hasn't been influenced by any outside special interest. ... He's going to do what he finds to be in the best interest of Americans across the country," Sanders said. Cohen's consulting organization, Essential Consultants LLC, is also significant because Cohen used the firm before the 2016 election to facilitate a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress who claims to have had an affair with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied the affair, and Cohen claims the payment was made to silence Daniels's false claims.

Carrie Underwood is back! Nearly six months after a terrifying fall forced her to take a healing hiatus, the singer has returned to the studio and the stage. And on Thursday, she returned to TODAY and opened up to Hoda Kotb about returning to the spotlight Fans got their first live look at Underwood's big return when she took the stage at the Academy of Country Music Awards in April with a powerful performance that earned cheers, tears and a standing ovation. "When you're singing something that is straight from your heart, it's easy to just be in the moment and be connected to it," she explained. "And I never realized how much it translates until after the ACM Awards. It was like, 'Wow, you know, there was something different about that performance.'" It was something triumphant for the 35-year-old, who just months earlier, didn't know what the future would hold for her. In November of last year, Underwood suffered a fall that resulted in a broken wrist and an injury to her face that required more than 40 stitches. "Plain and simple, it was just kind of a freak accident," she recalled. "I just fell. I just tripped taking my dogs out to do their business. So it could have happened to anybody. I say if I'd fallen anywhere else it wouldn't have been a problem, but there was just one little step that I went to catch myself on, and I missed." It was a frightening moment that left her filled with uncertainty. "In the beginning, I feel like I didn't know how things were gonna end up," she said. "It just wasn't pretty." That's hard to imagine for anyone who sees her today, looking as amazing as ever. "I have a dedicated team of professionals who can spackle and paint and paste," she said with a laugh. "I'm feeling, every day, a little more back to normal." For the "Cry Pretty" singer that means singing, songwriting and even getting back to the gym with her CALIA by Carrie Underwood fitness wear line — and Hoda joined her there for workout. And someone else stopped by, too. Underwood's mother, Carole, was on hand and ready to feel the burn alongside them. But mostly, she was there to celebrate her daughter as Mother's Day approaches. © TODAY Carrie UnderwoodCarrie Underwood's mother, Carole, joined the singer and Hoda Kotb for a workout and more. "You know, she's a great mom," Carole said. "She's a great daughter. She's a great person. I just want her to always be that way." We can't imagine her any other way.

Spotify caused a mighty stir yesterday when it announced that, under a new public policy against "hate content and hateful conduct," it would no longer feature R. Kelly on its playlists. The following day, Apple Music and Pandora announced they will also stop promoting the R&B singer, who is facing multiple sexual misconduct and assault allegations. Sources told Pitchfork and The Blast that Apple Music had quietly pulled R. Kelly from featured playlists before Spotify's announcement and that Pandora does not currently promote the singer's music. R. Kelly’s music is still available on both streaming platforms – and Spotify's – but users have to search for it specifically, rather than coming across it on company-curated playlists. Apple Music said its decision was made weeks ago; Pandora said it has been overhauling its approach to "artists with unacceptable conduct" for months. "Pandora's policy is to not actively promote artists with certain demonstrable behavioral, ethical or criminal issues," the company said in a statement. For all three companies, the task of policing artists is murky territory. Spotify, Apple and Pandora have all stated artists will be judged on a "case-by-case" basis – language that deflects the larger question of how the companies will distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behavior going forward. (When asked for a comment, XXXTentacion's management team gave lists of other musicians who have been accused of violence and abuse and asked if they'll also be taken off Spotify.)

The Billboard Music Awards has yet another major act to add to this year's all-star performance lineup: Salt-N-Pepa. The legendary rap trio will team up with vocal group En Vogue for a special performance celebrating the 30th anniversary of becoming the first female rap artists to hit the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. Cheryl James (Salt), Sandra Denton (Pepa) and DJ Spinderella made their chart debut in 1987, and one year later, their iconic track “Push It" became the first rap song by a female act to hit the top 40 of the Hot 100 -- eventually making it all the way to No. 19. “Thirty years later, we’re still Pushing It all over the world and we’re still loved and celebrated by fans we grew up with as well as new fans,” Salt-N-Pepa said in a statement. “Looking back at all the barriers we’ve broken as women in this very male dominated genre of music, being the first two female rappers to break the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 is right up there as one of the best moments of our amazing career. We are blessed.” The group reached even higher heights on the chart in 1994, teaming up with En Vogue for the No. 3-peaking Hot 100 hit "Whatta Man." Other performers announced for the 2018 BBMAs include host Kelly Clarkson, Camila Cabello, BTS, Ariana Grande, John Legend, Dua Lipa, Jennifer Lopez, Shawn Mendes and Christina Aguilera featuring Demi Lovato. The ceremony takes place May 20 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The three-hour telecast will air live on NBC at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

A body found Thursday night is that of missing Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison, police in Scotland confirmed Friday. The body was discovered about 8:30 p.m. local time Thursday (12:30 p.m. PT) in Port Edgar, Queensferry, just west of Edinburgh, the Scottish capital. Although no official cause of death has been given a statement from Hutchinson’s family, issued Friday afternoon by Police Scotland, suggested the singer had been suffering from mental health issues. The statement read: “As a family, we are utterly devastated with the tragic loss of our beloved Scott. Despite his disappearance, and the recent concerns over his mental health, we had all remained positive and hopeful that he would walk back through the door, having taken some time away to compose himself. Scott, like many artists, wore his heart on his sleeve and that was evident in the lyrics of his music and the content of many of his social media posts.” The family said Hutchison had “battled bravely with his own issues formally years.” “Depression is a horrendous illness that does not give you any alert or indication as to when it will take hold of you,” read the statement. “We are immensely proud of [Scott] for being so open with his struggles. His willingness to discuss these matters in the public domain undoubtedly raised awareness of mental health issues and gave others confidence and belief to discuss their own issues.” The 36-year-old singer and guitarist was reported missing early Wednesday, and was last seen near the Dakota Hotel in South Queensferry. Hutchison had issued a tweet Tuesday night referring to his life in the past tense: “Be so good to everyone you love….I didn’t live by that standard and it kills me.” Twenty minutes later, his final, poignant tweet simply said: “I’m away now. Thanks.” Hutchison’s family was informed of the discovery of the body, and formal identification took place Friday. Hutchison formed Scottish indie rock band Frightened Rabbit in 2003. The group’s first studio album, 2006’s “Sing the Greys,” featured just Hutchison and his brother Grant, who is the band’s drummer. Their most recent, fifth album, “Painting of a Panic Attack,” was released in 2016 on Atlantic Records. The band also includes Billy Kennedy, Andy Monaghan and Simon Liddell. On Wednesday, the group tweeted: “We are worried about Scott, who has been missing for a little while now. He may be in a fragile state and may not be making the best decisions for himself right now.” News of the body’s discovery prompted tributes from other Scottish musicians, including Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos and Belle and Sebastian singer Stuart Murdoch. Kapranos tweeted that Hutchison’s death was “a terrible loss.” Murdoch said the Scottish music community had been praying for a different outcome and encouraged anyone “having dark thoughts” to talk to family, friends or a doctor. Irish rock band Snow Patrol said they were devastated to hear the news about their friend. Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon said it was “heartbreaking news,” calling Hutchison “a remarkable and much loved talent.”

The CW may have passed on Supernatural's spin-off, Wayward Sisters, but it's just picked up a whole bunch of series with some serious buzz. The Roswell and Charmedreboots were both ordered to series, though the former has been renamed Roswell, New Mexico. This retelling of everyone's favorite alien-centered series has an illegal immigrant twist that's sure to spark discussion amongst fans of the show, both old and new. Charmed won't be undergoing a name change, though it does promise to be a fierce, funny and feminist reboot of the original. The Originals spin-off, newly titled Legacies, also received a pickup, so prepare to see more of Hope Mikaelson (Danielle Rose Russell) as she navigates her way through teenage life as a witch at the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and Gifted. Two new series, All American and In the Dark, are also headed to The CW in the 2018-2019 season. All American tells the story of a high school football player from South L.A. is recruited to play for Beverly Hills High, and his struggles as he integrates into a new world. In the Dark follows a flawed and irreverent blind woman, who is the only "witness" to the slaying of her drug-dealing friend. After the police dismiss her story, she sets out with her dog, Pretzel, to find the killer. The CW will announce its fall schedule next week.

Beloved British actress Natasha Richardson would have turned 55 today, nine years after a seemingly innocuous skiing accident led to her shocking death at 45-years-old. Richardson died in 2009 of blunt force trauma after falling while skiing at Quebec’s Mont Tremblant. The actress was survived by her husband Liam Neeson and their two sons Michéal and Daniel, who were 13 and 12, respectively, at the time. The Tony Award winner was skiing with an instructor when she fell and hit her head on a beginner’s slope known as Nansen, a run popular for its gentle slopes and forgiving turns. Although her fall may have first appeared minor – she reportedly refused to be taken to hospital at least twice – the head injury she suffered is a type that can turn fatal if not treated in time. “I spoke to her and she said, ‘Oh darling. I’ve taken a tumble in the snow.’ That’s how she described it,” Neeson told Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes back in 2014 — his first time speaking since the accident. Moments before her death Though Richardson initially waived away ambulances sent for her care, she later started showing signs that her condition was worsening. The actress was evacuated to a hospital in Montréal a few hours later and joined there by Neeson, who had been filming in Toronto and quickly left the set to be by her side. When he got there, her doctor showed him an X-ray of her injury, which Neeson described as her brain being “squashed up against the side of the skull.” The actor then went in to see Richardson and shared a heartbreaking goodbye. “I was told she was brain dead. And seeing this X-ray it was, like, ‘Wow,’ ” he admitted. “But obviously she was on life support and stuff. And I went in to her and told her I loved her. Said, ‘Sweetie, you’re not coming back from this. You’ve banged your head. It’s – I don’t know if you can hear me, but that’s – this is what’s gone down. And we’re bringing ya back to New York. All your family and friends will come.’ And that was more or less it.” Richardson was then flown to New York, where members of her family gathered at her bedside and she ultimately passed. Neeson also revealed that the couple – who married in 1994 – had “made a pact” if “any of us got into a vegetative state that we’d pull the plug.” He added that, as an organ donor, Richardson “donated three of her organs, so she’s keeping three people alive at the moment. Her heart, her kidneys and her liver.” Neeson called it “terrific. And I think she would be very thrilled and pleased by that too, actually.” How Neeson has coped since After her death, the iconic actor threw himself into work and has appeared in a whopping 34 movies in the nine years since her death. He admitted in the 60 Minutes profile that he used work as a way to get through the years following her death and be there for their sons, who are now 22 and 21. “I’m not good without work,” he said. “I just don’t – I just don’t wallow too much. You know? And I just didn’t want to – especially for my boys – seem to be wallowing in sadness or depression.” He also returned to his popular role in Love, Actually for a short film part of last year’s Red Nose Day for Comic Relief. His character in the 2003 film deals with the death of his wife and having to care for their young son — six years before he went through the same tragedy. “It’s 14 years ago now and we’ve all lived lives. Some of us have died. Oh, my dear old friend Alan Rickman, God rest him,” Neeson told Entertainment Weekly of the cast getting back together.. “Some have gotten divorced. I’ve lost my wife. And, oh, sure, plenty of times I’ve thought about this film and my own life. Love Actually, that’s the way it is. That’s the tapestry of life.”

Broadcast networks are having their annual bloodletting this week, and the body count is high. Sixteen shows and counting have been permanently axed — and more are still to come — by the likes of NBC, ABC, Fox, and The CW (we’re still waiting for verdicts from CBS, where shows like Scorpion and Criminal Minds are awaiting their fate). The reason for the massacre? Pilot season has wrapped, new shows have been selected, and networks are making their annual pitch to advertisers next week. So this weekend is typically the deadline for executives to make decisions on whether to renew or cancel weaker shows that are “on the bubble” for a pickup. Here are the titles that weren’t so lucky, with updates to come… ABC © Bob D’Amico/ABC Designated Survivor Two seasons. 8.1 million viewers and a 1.6 rating among the coveted adults 18-49 demo. © Viola Damiani/ABC Quantico Three seasons. 2.4 million viewers and a 0.5 rating in the demo. © Giovanni Rufino/ABC Deception One season. 5.5 million viewers and a 1.1 rating. © Elizabeth Fischer/ABC Alex, Inc. One season. 3.9 million viewers and a 1.1 rating. © Jack Rowand/ABC The Crossing One season. 5.7 million viewers and a 1.1. rating. NBC © NBC Taken Two seasons. 4.4 million viewers and a 0.7 rating. *Currently being shopped to other outlets © Colleen Hayes/NBC Great News One season. 3.5 million viewers and a 0.9 rating. © Jeff Riedel/NBC The Brave One season. 7.7 million viewers and a 1.6 rating. © Virginia Sherwood/NBC Rise One season. 5.9 million viewers and a 1.2 rating. Fox © Beth Dubber/FOX Brooklyn Nine-Nine Five seasons. 2.7 million viewers and a 1.2 rating. *Currently being shopped to other outlets. © Kevin Estrada/FOX The Last Man on Earth Four seasons. 2.8 million viewers and a 1.2 rating. © Fox The Mick Two seasons. 3.1 million viewers and 1.2 rating. © Sergei Bachlakov/FOX The Exorcist Two seasons. 1.9 million viewers and 0.6 rating. © FOX Lucifer Three seasons. 4.1 million viewers and 1.1 rating. A #savelucifer campaign is surging on Twitter The CW © Mark Hill/The CW Life Sentence One season. 721,000 viewers and a 0.3 rating. © Quantrell Colbert/The CW Valor One season. 1.4 million and a 0.3 rating.

Sure, Hugh Jackman has played Wolverine for years and starred in "Les Miserables" and countless other heavy, sobering roles. But this might be the toughest, hardest thing he's had to do ... actually ADMIT he likes "Deadpool 2." Jackman took to Instagram, and despite some reluctance, praised his frenemy Ryan Reynolds's new movie as "a work of genius." "I'm gonna say this once, and then delete it - really quickly," Jackman said between some deep breaths. "'Deadpool 2' is a work of genius. It is epic. It is ... dammit, can't believe I said it." Jackman and Reynolds have been toying with one another for some time now, with Reynolds cheekily hoping that Jackman might return to play Wolverine/Logan one more time and appear in a "Deadpool" movie. "I might just have a little message for Ryan," Jackman said recently on "GMA." "I love you, man. I love Deadpool. I can't wait to see the movie. You're one of my best friends. Blake [Lively, Reynolds' wife], the fam, the whole thing. But back it up a little. Play a little hard to get. It's too much; it's not sexy." Reynolds even dressed in full costume as Deadpool and crashed a birthday message that Jackman was trying to send out on Twitter, lounging on his hotel room bed and singing "Tomorrow" from "Annie." "Don't give him too much attention," Jackman joked in the video. Thankfully though, "Deadpool 2," which opens May 18, has been getting a lot of attention, and Jackman's review is just one of the many high praises the film has received so far.

Mayim Bialik 'Didn't Feel Beautiful' Filming the Big Bang Theory Finale's Wedding Scene It was the event every Big Bang Theory fan had been waiting and wishing for — Amy and Sheldon finally got married! Mayim Bialik and Jim Parsons‘ characters tied the knot during the season 11 finale on Thursday with many heartfelt moments and plenty of special guests, including Kathy Bates and silent magician Teller, who played Amy’s parents. However, Bialik, 42, revealed that she had many feelings and struggles behind-the-scenes that stirred up emotions about her own marriage, which ended in divorce. “Wearing a wedding dress is not comfortable for me. When I myself got married, I wasn’t even comfortable with it. Too frilly, too feminine, too… predictable,” the actress wrote in a blog post on her website. © Michael Yarish/CBS “As a divorced woman, it’s hard to revisit that moment and those decisions. It’s still painful to think about putting on the dress you take vows in,” said Bialik, who was married to Michael Stone for nine years from 2003-12. “The dress that is in every picture of the perfect happy life you think you will have when you’re young and getting married,” she explained. “I felt nostalgia and whimsy, too. I wondered if people wondered if I want to get married again and if they pitied me. I would have been fine in a more ‘conventional’ gown, but our producers really wanted Amy’s eccentricity to shine through.” Though her character felt gorgeous on her big wedding day, Bialik did not while shooting the scene. “I didn’t feel beautiful. Because this is real life. I had started losing weight a few months ago. Why? Because I needed to,” the mother of two shared. © Michael Yarish/CBS The Big Bang Theory “I was not comfortable at my weight and I started eating much better and exercising and lo and behold; I lost some weight. I felt so much more comfortable in my own skin. And then I got a series of antibiotic-needing bacterial illnesses and was not allowed to work out for a month,” Bialik recalled. “And so, I gained the weight back. I wanted to keep losing. And instead I’m back to not being comfortable. I felt ashamed. I felt like maybe the wardrobe ladies were looking at me like, ‘Oh, she tried to lose weight and maybe she didn’t have the willpower,’ ” she said. “They probably would never think that–it’s my brain thinking that. But that’s the truth. I didn’t feel my best. I felt crummy about it. Even though everyone said I looked beautiful, I didn’t feel completely beautiful.” © Michael Yarish/CBS The Big Bang Theory The scene itself also made Bialik emotional. “I was afraid to read the script. I held my breath when it landed in my inbox the night before we started to rehearse it. I had so many expectations and I wanted to have none, but I couldn’t help it,” she revealed. © Michael Yarish/CBS The Big Bang Theory She even got choked up over the vows Amy recited to Sheldon. “It is emotional to tell someone you love them even when you’re acting. The first time I read those lines, I got emotional for real. Because it is my job to embody this character and to feel what she feels,” she said. “She is me and I am her, I suppose. I love Jim Parsons as my co-worker and friend. Although it’s sometimes hard to keep a straight face saying such lovey-dovey things, there’s no one I would rather say them to than Jim.” The Big Bang Theory has been renewed for a 12th season but star Johnny Galecki hinted in January that the popular CBS sitcom would most likely end after that. “I won’t know until August! Everyone is asking me if we’re going to have a baby. Gosh, it’s just like real life; let us enjoy the honeymoon before pressuring us into having babies!” Bialik said on what fans could expect next.

“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” is not going to Hulu after all. Variety has learned that the ensemble cop comedy series will not continue at the streaming service once it ends its run on Fox. Hulu and Universal Television had been in talks to continue the show after the conclusion of the fifth season, much like they did for “The Mindy Project.” There had also been rumors that TBS or Netflix could continue the show as well, but Netflix has passed and TBS is a longshot, sources say. © Provided by Variety Fans of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” were stunned on Thursday when Fox announced they were cancelling it after five seasons along with fellow comedies “The Mick” and “The Last Man on Earth.” There has been a large online push to save the show, with celebrity fans like Lin-Manuel Miranda leading the charge by sharing hashtags like #SaveB99 and #RenewB99. Mark Hamill also expressed his dismay at the show’s cancellation in a tweet on Thursday. The comedy series set in the 99th precinct of the NYPD stars Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Stephanie Beatriz, Joe Lo Truglio, Chelsea Peretti, Dirk Blocker and Joel McKinnon Miller.From writers, creators and executive producers Dan Goor and Michael Schur, the series originally premiered in September 2013 and earlier this year hit its 99th and (the more traditional milestone of) 100th episodes. The series is produced by Universal Television, 3 Arts Entertainment, Fremulon and Dr. Goor Productions and executive-produced by Goor, Schur, David Miner and Luke Del Tredici.

The first full trailer for The Death of Superman animated film has arrived. The first look at the forthcoming flick included in the growing roster of DC Universe Original Animated Movies came in February, included on Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay's iTunes Extra page. Not long after that, a sneak-peek for the movie made the rounds online gaining attention from fans. And now that an official preview is released, it's expected that loyal DC followers will start to talk more about the project. The Death of Superman was first announced during last year’s San Diego Comic-Con. The movie, directed by Jake Castorena, will adapt the comic book narrative of the same name from 1992. Featuring a loaded voice cast that includes Jerry O'Connell as Clark Kent/Superman, Rosario Dawson as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, Nathan Fillion as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern, Matt Lanter as Arthur Curry/Aquaman, Shemar Moore as Victor Stone/Cyborg and Rebecca Romijn as Lois Lane among others, The Death of Superman animated film is promised to be a more faithful on-screen adaptation to the beloved DC comic book narrative. Prior to the release of the trailer, Warner Bros. teased that the first full preview for the upcoming animated film would be coming today with the iconic clip of Superman's cape ripped from the pages of the comics. Now, it has arrived online courtesy of IGN, check it out in the space above.

Solo: A Star Wars Story features a British brunette in a lead role, but fans should know going in that Emilia Clarke's Qi'ra is not Rey's mother. The Jakku scavenger's heritage was one of the hottest discussion points in the aftermath of The Force Awakens, as fans came up with a plethora of theories about who Rey's parents were. After two years, the answer to the question was finally revealed in The Last Jedi. Rey literally came from nowhere, born to two degenerate alcoholics who sold her off for drinking money. They're so insignificant to the larger story, they didn't even get names, and since they're both dead, Episode IX likely won't touch on them at all. Still, some are hopeful Lucasfilm will eventually flesh out Rey's backstory further, perhaps detailing more about her parents. When Clarke was cast in Solo (more than a year before Last Jedi came out), it was hypothesized in certain circles the seeds were being planted for her to have a larger connection to the overarching Star Wars story. However, that just isn't the case. Never mind the fact that there can be multiple brunettes with English accents in the galaxy (we went through something similar with Rogue One's Jyn Erso), tying Qi'ra so closely to Rey would fly in the face of what the studio has spent the past few years establishing. The whole idea behind the Star Wars anthology films were for them to be standalone narratives that complement the Skywalker saga, but technically aren't a part of it. They're designed to make the galaxy feel larger, taking audiences to new planets where they can meet fresh faces. If Qi'ra was Rey's mother, the complaint of "making the universe smaller" would reverberate across the reactions. Solo is obviously going to be full of references to earlier Star Wars films, but there's no need to do something along the lines of this. Plus, there's no guarantee Qi'ra makes it out of Solo alive. All of the Rogue One crew perished in the Battle of Scarif. The other thing that's important to keep in mind is this would seemingly negate one of the core concepts of The Last Jedi. After telling audiences Rey's parents are not important, it'd be a little contradictory for the very next movie on the slate (debuting five months later) to feature Rey's mom in a key role. That would essentially make her a somebody since we'd learn so much more about her. Going from a faceless corpse in a pauper's grave to Han Solo's oldest childhood friend in the span of two films is a jarring juxtaposition and would lean too far into the realm of coincidence - even by Star Wars standards. Throw in the fact Han took Rey under his wing, this revelation would induce even more eye-rolls. Lucasfilm took a definitive stance on this matter in Last Jedi, so they're not about to undo it. There's no denying Qi'ra is an integral piece of Han's past, but that's "all" there is to her. This doesn't devalue the character in any sense; Jyn's actions set the original trilogy in motion, and it's likely Qi'ra contributions to canon are meaningful. After all, Solo is a film that explores how Han became the jaded cynic we meet in A New Hope, and Qi'ra was obviously a large part of that. It'll be interesting to see how she fits in to everything, but she isn't giving birth to any Force prodigies anytime soon.

After starring as Barry Allen aka The Flash in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Ezra Miller is set to play another unique figure, the Spanish painter Salvador Dalí. Ten years ago, Miller landed his first feature role in Antonio Campos’ Afterschool, an indie drama that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. By the early 2010s, Miller gained more attention within the world of indie filmmaking, as he played the titular role in Lynne Ramsay’s acclaimed 2011 film We Need to Talk About Kevin, and starred in the popular 2012 drama The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Since then, Miller has become mostly known for his blockbuster roles, both within the DC Films Universe (Suicide Squad, Justice League) and for portraying Credence Barebone in the 2016 Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, along with his follow-up role in the upcoming 2018 sequel Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, set for release later this year. Per Deadline, Miller will team up with director Mary Harron for Dali Land. Set in 1973, the film will explore Salvador Dalí's relationship with a gallery assistant (Frank Dillane), and how the painter's lifestyle affects those around him. Harron, who is mostly known for directing the 2000 cult classic American Psycho, emerged out of the late 70s New York art rock scene, as she formed Punk magazine and interviewed numerous rock stars. For Dali Land, she’s enlisted Ben Kingsley, Lesley Manville, and Tim Roth to star alongside Miller and Dillane. This November, the film will begin production in Spain and Canada, based on the screenplay written by Harron and husband John C. Walsh. Name: 1Ezra-Miller-in-Fantastic-Beasts-and-Where-to-Find-Them.jpg Views: 3 Size: 69.0 KB In 2020, Miller will also star is his own DC Comics film production (rumored to be titled Flashpoint), directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. This will mark Miller’s fourth appearance in the DCEU, and the film will reportedly co-star Billy Crudup and Kiersey Clemons. Before then, however, Miller’s fanbase will see a different side in Dali Land, a story that will be told in flashbacks, and will surely be visually striking given the director’s background and Dalí’s expansive career of making surrealistic art. At 25 years of age, Miller already has an impressive resume in both indie and mainstream cinema. With his future in the DCEU locked down, he may follow a similar career path as Robert Pattinson, an actor that earned an international fanbase through a blockbuster franchise, and subsequently explored different genres and opportunities with reputable directors. For Miller, he’s currently balancing the best of both worlds with Flashpoint and Dali Land.

Angela Lansbury towers over a solid cast in a respectful, rarely distinctive 'Masterpiece' adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's beloved novel. Three years ago, The CW was developing Little Women as a TV series. In inimitable CW style, that adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's enduring novel would transplant the story to a postapocalyptic Philadelphia, infusing the familiar story of sisterhood, female empowerment and the dangers of scarlet fever with trendy dystopic tropes. Such a take on Little Women never even made it as far as a pilot, but let it never be said that the creative talents behind the project didn't have a very specific — possibly awful — vision of why this oft-retold story required a new incarnation. The same is not always true for the upcoming two-night, three-hour telling on Masterpiece, from writer Heidi Thomas (Call the Midwife) and director Vanessa Caswill. There's some sense of missed opportunity in how rarely this Little Women finds a distinctive way to view and interpret the travails of the March family, especially during the second episode, which lands several required emotional punches, but mostly meanders. Still, fans of the book will be pleased with the creators' relative fidelity to the source material, and will be appreciative of the strong, generation-spanning cast, led at one end by the four actresses in the title roles and at the other by Angela Lansbury, who rests on no laurels and steals her every scene. It's doubtful at this point that a plot summary is required for Little Women. Caswill opens with a scene of girlish intimacy as the four March sisters dress and primp and preen and prepare excitedly for what they know will be a tempered Christmas because their father (Dylan Baker) is off serving as a chaplain for the Union Army. There's beautiful and assured Meg (Willa Fitzgerald), coltish and headstrong Jo (Maya Hawke), awkward and introverted Beth (Annes Elwy) and childish and mercurial Amy (Kathryn Newton). The brood is watched over by constant and dedicated Marmee (Emily Watson) and their adventures soon come to include boy-next-door Laurie (Jonah Hauer-King), who spends much time with his seemingly stern grandfather, Mr. Laurence (Michael Gambon). Thomas and Caswill's approach to Little Women falls somewhere between the dark-and-gritty DC Comics-style version of the story and the sort of picture-book period costume drama framing that the story has generally gotten, landing closer to the latter. Some effort goes into pointing out the class differences among the Marches, Laurences and the German immigrant family in town whose low-income existence gives our characters the chance to be periodically noble, but also eventually causes trouble. Still, capturing the grand indignity and financial hit of losing a quarter's worth of pickled limes isn't the same as making the March girls look anything other than impeccably dressed and professionally coifed at all moments. When Meg gets a grand makeover to attend an upper-crust party, her transformation is more shrug than Cinderella. In addition to leaning on pretty but not purposeful stock nature footage, Caswill relies too heavily on "getting a makeover" montages which, when accompanied by the series' occasionally folksy score, make this feel like Lilith Fair Women. Let's just say you won't feel overwhelmed by the attempts at realism. The property's feminist foundation doesn't require unearthing from a modern storyteller. Alcott was telling a story of girls becoming women and each finding their own place in a world that would prefer to keep them in prescribed roles, so it's not like any screenwriter gets to go, "I'm doing Little Women, but I'm accentuating the empowerment." If anything, this new incarnation has less interest in Marmee and the choices she makes in her unanticipated elevation to head of the family, at least compared with the 1994 Gillian Armstrong film in which Susan Sarandon's Marmee often felt as central as her daughters. Part of the challenge of the property is in trying to see how the choices, or lack of choices, being made by Meg and Beth and Amy are as important to the story as Jo's much more obvious journey to find her own voice, avoid compromises and find love on her own terms. Adapters and readers tend to be most interested in Jo, though I'll say that both Beth and Amy feel more understood than usual here. Like most general fans of the property, I've come to the book and each adaptation at different ages, so it's hard for me to know if it's Thomas' take on the Laurie-Jo relationship that makes its full arc feel more satisfying and comprehensible here than I've ever found it before, or if it's just my mindset. I also can't say for sure if it's good that I didn't feel my usual wild swings of emotion regarding that relationship, because the last two hours have almost nothing else driving them, other than a couple of beats of sadness that work well. I'm inclined to guess this will be a point of real disappointment for some viewers. A modern prism casts certain story elements in a new light. When Jo says, "Being born a girl is the most disappointing thing that ever happened to me," you can see how it might be spun as a deeper musing on gender identity rather than gender norms. It's not. There are early hints that Beth's social discomfort might be something a contemporary audience could read as being on the autism spectrum. It's not. There's no need for an adaptation to take leaps like this, obviously, and for plenty of viewers (most viewers?), this project's total lack of audacity will be an asset. Screen newcomer Hawke, resembling an appealingly distracting combination of her parents, Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, is perfectly cast. She's meant as an ungainly, unstudied contrast to MTV's Scream star Fitzgerald, and the effect is well achieved. Hawke has no chemistry with more-dimple-than-spark co-star Hauer-King, but she nails the confusion of having gifts and goals that don't line up with those expected of her. The other March standout is Newton, ubiquitous on the big and small screens last year, who charts Amy's more-clear-than-usual growth from easily hateable child — there is no forgiving her exploits with Jo's manuscript, darnit — to adult. Newton and Hawke also benefit from getting to share multiple scenes with Lansbury, giving acidic line readings and regal bearing to her every appearance as the girls' aunt. Gambon elevates thin dialogue by his mere stentorian utterances, but Lansbury raises extended chunks of Little Women to another level. When Lansbury is onscreen, Little Women makes you go, "Oh. This is why we needed this." Too much of the rest of the miniseries is a great story, decently told and an acceptable diversion, but unlikely to replace the Katharine Hepburn or Winona Ryder versions in many hearts. Cast: Maya Hawke, Kathryn Newton, Annes Elwy, Willa Fitzgerald, Emily Watson, Dylan Baker, Angela Lansbury, Michael Gambon, Jonah Hauer-King Screenwriter: Heidi Thomas Premieres: May 13 (PBS)

Based on the indie film starring Scott Ryan, the six-episode series will debut in the fall. Australian dramedy Mr Inbetween is moving from the big screen to the small screen. FX on Friday handed out a six-episode series order for half-hour dramedy Mr Inbetween, created by and starring Australian actor Scott Ryan. The series was shot in Australia and is based on the cult indie feature of the same name in which Ryan plays Ray Shoesmith, a father, ex-husband, boyfriend and best friend — all tough roles to juggle in the modern age and even harder when you're a criminal for hire. Damon Herriman (Justified), Justin Rosniak, Brooke Satchwell, Jackson Tozer, Nicholas Cassim, Chika Yasumura and Matt Nable co-star. Produced by Blue-Tongue Films and Jungle Entertainment, in association with FX Productions, Screen Australia and Create NSW, the series is directed by Nash Edgerton and will debut in the fall on FX. Ryan, Edgerton and Jason Burrows exec produce; Michele Bennett produces. The series will also launch in the fall on Australia's Foxtell. FX and Foxtel have already commissioned a writers' room for a second season. The indie feature debuted in January at the Sundance Film Festival, where it was included in the Indie Episodic Program 3, which focused on genres with an indie twist. “Mr Inbetween is an extraordinary achievement for Scott Ryan, who took it from an indie film with a cult following to a half-hour drama that he stars in,” said Eric Schrier, FX president of original programming. “Scott is one of those rare creators who can bring his own character to life on screen, and he is perfectly paired with Nash Edgerton, who brilliantly directed all six episodes. This project is a great inaugural step with Foxtel as the home of FX original series in Australia." For his part, Edgerton is a stunt performer and director, having helmed Amazon's Gringo and exec produced brother Joel Edgerton's Boy Erased, due later this year. He's repped by ICM. Ryan, meanwhile, also wrote, directed and starred in mockumentary The Magician, which first introduced the character of Ray Shoesmith. Mr Inbetween joins an FX/FXX roster that also includes half-hours Atlanta, Baskets, Better Things, the recently ordered What We Do in the Shadows, Archer, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and the upcoming final season of You're the Worst.

The announcement was made during the country's debut attendance at the Cannes Film Festival. Saudi Arabia has used its first attendance at the Cannes film festival to unveil an incentives package aimed at attracting international productions to the country. The incentive is for projects with a minimum of 35 percent of production spending in the country, with funding of 50 percent of all money spent on Saudi talent. That "probably makes us the most attractive incentives program in the world," said Ahmad bin Fahd Al-Mezyed, the CEO of the General Culture Authority. The announcement came just six months after the kingdom lifted a 35-year ban on cinemas, and follows on from a flurry of activity in Saudi Arabia's practically non-existent film industry. Last month, AMC opened the country's first ever movie theater with a historic screening of Black Panther, with regional chain Vox following suit just weeks later with the opening of the first multiplex. On Thursday in Cannes, it was announced that Saudi Arabia's most prominent director Haifaa Al-Mansour would be the first to receive backing from the newly-formed Saudi Film Council for her upcoming project, The Perfect Candidate.

Stacy Martin ('Nymphomaniac') and Tahar Rahim ('A Prophet') are lovers-in-crime in Marie Monge’s debut feature, which is set in Paris’ gambling underworld. Out of all the guys in Paris, Ella — Stacy Martin’s waifish heroine at the heart of the romantic thriller Treat Me Like Fire (Joueurs) — definitely picked the worst one. Sure, Abel (A Prophet star Tahar Rahim) is handsome and extremely charming when he wants to be, but he’s also a gambling addict and compulsive liar who leads Ella down a rabbit hole of terrible decisions. Together, the two are like Bonnie and Clyde without the guns and glamour, betting it all in clandestine Parisian casinos and illegal demolition derbies, living for the moment but indebting themselves to some very scary people. There’s no doubt things will end badly for them, and debuting director Marie Monge makes their rollercoaster love affair both seductive and irritating — the former because of the heated lead performances, the latter because you spend at least half the movie wondering why Ella doesn’t get the hell out of there. Screening in the Directors’ Fortnight, Fire plays like a loose and gritty urban take on movies like Badlands, True Romance or even Natural Born Killers, following a young couple that’s madly in love and gets caught up in Paris’ criminal underworld. It’s not always credible, especially in terms of human behavior, but there’s a stylized verve to the action that makes it fun to watch, while the filmmakers toss in a few good twists that pull the rug out from under you. The film could be perfect fodder for SVOD networks, with theatrical stints likely in France and other parts of Europe. Ella is first seen managing her father’s bistro in the north of Paris. Although beautiful and mysterious on the surface, she looks utterly unhappy, slaving away at a dead-end job with no other prospects. And so when Abel pops by to make a wine delivery and then talks his way into getting hired as a waiter, only to rob the cash register a night later, Ella is both enraged and intrigued by his streetwise brashness and animal magnetism. She winds up following him to a gambling den downtown, where they make a quick fortune and Abel instructs her in the ways of the casino, — cue a Scorsese-style montage — after which the two fall head over heels for each other. There are early signs that Abel is not, to say the least, a reliable guy, swindling Ella out of money they’re supposed to split between them. As sexy as he can be, his antics would have many women scrambling for the exits soon enough, but Ella keeps coming back for more. She’s clearly a sucker for punishment, and a big problem with the script (co-written by Monge and Julien Guetta) is that we never quite know why. Perhaps she’s too bored with life — but unlike say, Sissy Spacek in Badlands, she isn’t really young or naïve enough to fall so many times for Abel’s tricks. And yet she does. Martin (Nymphomaniac) plays her convincingly enough, even if one would like to see some sort of thought process beneath Ella’s surface. Rahim has an electric presence as a guy you often want to punch in the face, while a late monologue helps to partially justify Abel’s bad habits. The two actors create decent chemistry on screen, although one keeps wondering why Martin’s character allows herself to become so degraded at the hands of her man. By the third act Ella looks more like a heroin addict than a partner-in-crime. If there’s a heavy and predictable star-crossed lovers side to the story, Monge throws in a few good surprises in the second half as the thriller element takes over, leading to some down-and-dirty late action sequences. These are artfully staged by the director and DP Paul Guilhaume (Ava), whose gritty handheld images capture the sodium-vapor beauty of Paris by night. Alongside the two leads, character actor Karim Leklou is a standout as Abel’s sad sack of a cousin — and yet another victim of his schemes. Venue: Cannes Film Festival (Directors’ Fortnight) Production companies: The Film, Bac Films Production, Playtime Production Cast: Stacy Martin, Tahar Rahim, Karim Leklou Director: Marie Monge Screenwriters: Marie Monge, Julien Guetta, with the collaboration of Romain Compingt Producer: Michael Gentile Director of photography: Paul Guilhaume Production designer: Marion Burger Costumer designer: Virginie Montel Editor: Francois Quiquere Composer: Nicolas Becker Sales: Playtime In French 105 minutes

This French film premiering in Cannes' Un Certain Regard sidebar is about Gallic teens with only one thing on their minds. Sextape (A genoux les gars) plays like a hard-R, single-minded sitcom, with about a half-hour’s worth of snortingly crude comedy stretched laboriously out to feature length. What makes this artless enterprise rather of-the-moment, and therefore able to be taken seriously by a festival like Cannes, is that its would-be female payback theme technically plays into the present political climate of women taking charge of the sexual equation, an issue heightened here because the teenage characters are all French Muslims. A certain constituency may defend it on political grounds, but on a moment-to-moment basis the film is madly over-the-top, almost unbearably so at times, and hardly surprising in its point of view. What could be more familiar? Late-teen buds Majid (Mehdi Dahmane) and Salim (Sidi Mejai) want to get it on with their would-be girlfriends, sisters Rim (Inas Chanti) and Yasmina (Souad Arsane). Majid and Rim are by far the better-looking couple, although he’s extremely arrogant and argumentative and she’s coyly self-protective when it comes to sex. As for the other two, Salim is no catch physically or temperamentally, while Yasmina is on the plain side. On a very unpleasant double date, Majid proves so obnoxious that they get kicked out of an outdoor dance party. As the evening continues, with the subject of conversation straying from sex for scarcely a moment, the foursome ends up at a mall, where, at length, the reluctant Yasmina is eventually talked into giving the fast-talking Salim the oral sex he so keenly desires. Per the title, the event gets recorded for posterity by Majid, clearly as potential blackmail in case Yasmina has any ideas. Poor Yasmina feels like a victim and an idiot afterwards, while the others go about their business; since Yasmina has now crossed the line, Majid thinks he should get some too, while in the worst-taste joke in the film, Rim, returning from a week’s school field trip to Poland, airily complains that, “Auschwitz kind of got me down.” Moving right along, director Antoine Desrosieres, whose two previous directorial credits came back in the 1990s, takes the tale from dumb to dumber in a film that is dominated by long disputes and shouting matches that never take long to reach the upper decibels of shrillness. The arguments extend to the sisters’ family, with the parents coming off as equally obnoxious as the kids. With gloom and hopelessness enveloping her, Yasmina suddenly disappears, and suicide wouldn’t have been a surprise under the circumstances. But redemption and turning the tables on predators is the agenda now, and the teenager goes for it in a decidedly offbeat way that mixes a bit of very quick sexual healing (some of it surprisingly graphic) and some outrageously convenient shuffling of sexual partners. It’s all quite stupid and overbearing, except for the real issues of male coercion that lie at the bottom of it all. The French title translates as “On Your Knees, Guys.” Venue: Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard) Production: Les Films de L’Autre Cougar Cast: Souad Arsane, Inas Chanti, Sidi Megai, Mehdi Dahmane, Elis Gardiole, Loubna Abidar, Baya Kasmi, Younes Moktari Director: Antoine Desrosieres Screenwriters: Antoine Desrosieres, Anne-Sophie Nanki, Souad Arsane, Inas Chanti, Sidi Mejai, Mehdi Dahmane Director of photography: George Lechaptois Production designer: Laurent Le Corre Editor: Nicolas Le Du 98 minutes

Mads Mikkelsen battles the elements in debuting director Joe Penna's rugged survival tale about a man stranded in an unyielding polar landscape. A plane crashes in remote snowbound wilderness and two strangers, a man and a woman, struggle to survive, their only comfort being that they are not alone. That might sound like last year's The Mountain Between Us, in which biting cold and chapped lips were the only factors restraining the contrived romantic melodrama. But Arctic, for all intents and purposes, is a solo show whose direct precursor is J.C. Chandor's 2013 Robert Redford vehicle, All is Lost. Joe Penna's endurance challenge takes place on land, not at sea, but it's similarly stripped down, relying on minimal dialogue and no obvious allegorical dimension beyond the primal faceoff between man and nature. Brazilian writer-director Penna first turned heads with his popular YouTube content, combining mad stop-motion editing skills with creditable musicianship, and playing everything from Mozart to Queen on guitar, slide whistle, root beer bottles and deflating balloons, among other instruments. He's since branched beyond his MysteryGuitarMan channel into advertising, music videos (including Avicii's "You Make Me"), short films and television. Little trace of Penna's whimsical background is evident in his mostly grim first feature, co-written with his editor, Ryan Morrison. Nor is there much of the feel for rhythm and surprise that might have made this rigorous exercise more than a showcase for an impressively committed Mads Mikkelsen in a drama that becomes something of a grind. Nature throws a whole lot of perilous obstacles in the path of his character, Overgard, but with the exception of one terrifying close encounter with a polar bear, the movie is inconsistent in its ability to build and sustain suspense. The self-evident difficulty of shooting in the highlands of Iceland, on a frozen tundra whipped by howling winds, icy rains and blizzards, certainly commands admiration. But the storytelling lacks the excitement to pull us in on a personal level to Overgard's struggle. The filmmakers' intention obviously was to peel away any extraneous detail and present their main character as an outline of a man who will be torn between cautious immobility and courageous risk, self-preservation and galvanizing altruism. It was a bold choice, however, to begin the story some time after the small plane Overgard was piloting has crashed in the middle of a white-blanketed nowhere, a small burial mound of stones seeming to indicate a co-pilot who perished in the accident. It's unclear how long Overgard has been there, but he's shown immediately to be a man of strength and resourcefulness, not prone to panic. In the opening scene, he's digging and scraping, clearing snow down to the rocks below in what appears to be a trench. Only when Tomas Orn Tomasson's camera pulls back does the widescreen frame reveal a massive SOS sign, visible from the air. His survival skills also are seen in the holes he's cut in the ice to set up fishing lines to catch arctic trout. As part of his daily routine, he manually cranks a signal transmitter in the hopes of being picked up by a rescue aircraft. When his fortune turns and the signal flashes green, a helicopter appears, but heavy winds cause it to crash as Overgard looks on in stunned submission. With the pilot dead and the seriously injured female co-pilot (Maria Thelma Smaradottir) barely breathing, he now has an additional responsibility beyond keeping himself alive. With his stoic, contemplative manner, Mikkelsen is a compelling actor, and in the early going, there's momentum enough in his regular reconnaissance forays to check the surrounding territory. He makes trips back and forth from the wrecked chopper to his base camp at the plane, salvaging anything useful like a gas camper stove, a dried noodle supply, extra flares and a map of the area. There's also the bare bones of interpersonal human drama in his efforts to care for the woman, who regains consciousness only for the briefest intervals, her state of shock, physical weakness and language barrier keeping communication minimal. Eventually, Overgard realizes that staying put while waiting to be rescued is a major roll of the dice, so he bundles up the woman, loads her onto a makeshift sled and trudges off across the frigid terrain, hauling her behind him. Penna makes sparing use of the somber electronic strings of Joseph Trapanese's score to give shape to Overgard's determined quest. But the story becomes slow and repetitive; arduous for the wrong reasons. Another snowstorm, an impassable route, a temporary shelter, a nasty fall that evokes a different survival story: 127 Hours. Thankfully, Mikkelsen doesn't have to hack off a limb like James Franco in order to keep going, but he looks like hell, his face almost raw from the unforgiving cold and his calm sense of purpose steadily eroding into bitter despair. The script tests Overgard's resolve in various ways, though even in a movie as careful as this one to avoid clichéd heroism, the odds of survival always appear to be in his favor, thanks to the quietly stirring force behind Mikkelsen's eyes. Arctic is elegantly shot, crisp and unfussy, and seamless in its near-invisible use of digital effects, creating a persuasive you-are-there feeling that's rare in these days of flashy CG thrills. And it's the very old-fashioned movie magic of an expressive face that keeps you watching even as the storytelling ambles. Distributor: Bleecker Street Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Maria Thelma Smaradottir Production companies: Armory Films, XYZ Films, Pegasus Pictures Director: Joe Penna Screenwriters: Joe Penna, Ryan Morrison Producers: Christopher Lemole, Tim Zajaros, Noah C. Haeussner Executive producers: Martha De Laurentiis, Manu Gargi, Einar Thorsteinsson Director of photography: Tomas Orn Tomasson Production designer: Atli Geir Fretarsson Costume designer: Margret Einarsdottir Music: Joseph Trapanese Editor: Ryan Morrison Casting: Chadwick Struck Sales: CAA, UTA, XYZ Films Venue: Cannes Film Festival (Midnight) 102 minutes

Directed by Matthew Ross, the film is about an American diamond trader who sells blue diamonds of dubious origin to buyers in Russia, where he finds danger and intrigue. Saban Films has acquired North American rights to Matthew Ross’ Siberia. The romantic crime thriller stars Keanu Reeves (The Matrix, John Wick) and Ana Ularu (Inferno, Emerald City), with supporting performances from Molly Ringwald (Riverdale, Jem and the Holograms) and Pasha Lychnikoff (Ray Donovan, Shameless). Penned by Scott B. Smith from a story by Stephen Hamel and Smith, Siberia centers on Lucas Hill (Reeves), an American diamond trader who sells blue diamonds of dubious origin to buyers in Russia. As the deal quickly begins to disintegrate, he falls into an obsessive relationship with a Russian cafe owner (Ularu) in a small Siberian town while colliding with the treacherous world of the diamond trade. The romantic crime thriller was produced by Hamel (Passengers) and Reeves of Company Films, Gabriela Bacher of Summerstorm Entertainment/Film House Germany, Dave Hansen and Braden Aftergood. “Siberia is a fresh departure from your average love story, balancing the high-wire act of being a thriller with pacing that keeps you on your toes till the last frame,” Saban Films’ Bill Bromiley said. “Everyone will love this.” Ross’ first feature, Frank & Lola, premiered to critical acclaim at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, where it was acquired and later released by Universal Studios. Cassian Elwes helped arrange financing and is executive producing with Marc Hansell, Devan Towers and Jere R. Hausfater; Wayne Marc Godfrey and Robert Jones of The Fyzz; Christian Angermayer and Klemens Hallmann of Film House; Chris Lemole and Tim Zajaros of Armory Films; and Phyllis Laing and Jeff Beesley of Buffalo Gals. The Siberia deal marks the second of the Cannes market for Saban Films, which snapped up the Gerard Butler starrer Keepers on Thursday. Bromiley and Jonathan Saba negotiated the deal for Saban Films. Endeavor Content represented the filmmakers. IM Global is handling international sales at the Cannes market.

The movie centers on one of New York's most notorious organized-crime bosses, his son and their involvement with the Gambino crime family. Gotti delivers an account of John Gotti’s life, spanning three decades to show how he became the head of the Gambino crime family in New York, earning the nickname "Teflon Don" due to his ability to evade conviction. The film, which will screen in Cannes on May 15, is a family affair for real-life husband-and-wife John Travolta and Kelly Preston, who plays his wife, as well as their daughter Ella Bleu Travolta, who portrays one of the Gottis' daughters. The film, which Travolta has long pursued, has had a lengthy and complicated production history, encountering a number of false starts. While in development, Gotti cycled through multiple directors (Nick Cassavetes and Barry Levinson were each attached at one point) and stars (Lindsay Lohan was once reported to be part of the project). Lionsgate Premiere, a day-and-date theatrical and VOD label, had been set to distribute the pic, but, with the help of Sunrider Productions’ Edward Walson, producers bought it back and have arranged for a wider release on June 15 through Vertical Entertainment. Keep reading to find out more about the cast and other real-life members of the Gambino crime family. John Gotti, portrayed by John Travolta Trading one polished look — he played lawyer Robert Shapiro in FX's The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story last year — for another, John Travolta has different shoes to fill playing mob boss John Gotti in the new biopic. Gotti was born in Oct. 27, 1940, in the South Bronx, New York. He was the son of Italian immigrants and got involved in organized crime early on in life. Although he was heavily involved in crime and went through multiple arrests, he did not serve much jail time during the beginning. In his early twenties, he married Victoria DiGiorgio and tried his hand at legitimate work for a brief period of time to support his family. Gotti once again got involved in crime, this time faster and harder. He earned the trust of the Gambino family after committing multiple crimes and gained control after he allegedly organized the murder of then-leader Paul Castellano. This made Gotti a local legend and gave him newfound fame. For his crimes, Gotti was finally sentenced to life in federal prison in 1992, where he developed throat cancer and died in Springfield, Mo., at age 61 in 2002. in 2015, Travolta explained to The Hollywood Reporter his decision to stick with the film — directed by Entourage star Kevin Connolly — for years. “Kevin presented his take to me, which is the vision I've always wanted, and I believe the vision John Jr. wanted," said Travolta. "It's a small character study of John Jr. and John Sr. that investigates the realness and grittiness of their rapport and the historical events of the Gotti family." Victoria Gotti, portrayed by Kelly Preston John Travolta and Kelly Preston have appeared in a handful of films together, including Battlefield Earth, and Preston plays the role of Travolta's character's wife in Gotti. The Gottis married in 1962, when Victoria Gotti was 17 years old, and had five children together, though son Frank was killed by a car on March 18, 1980. Victoria blamed her husband for their son John Gotti Jr.’s involvement in the mob, which is depicted in the film. Although her husband was in and out of jail, the couple remained married while he was convicted until John’s death in 2002. On playing Victoria Gotti, Preston told ET Online, "I looked at [Travolta] and the way he looked at me was so completely ... I felt like I was in John Gotti's arms. It sent chills." John Gotti Jr., portrayed by Spencer Lofranco John Gotti Jr., known as “Junior,” was John Gotti Sr. and Victoria Gotti’s eldest son. Canadian actor Spencer Lofranco plays Gotti Jr. in the film. Gotti Jr. became active in the mob scene due to his father’s involvement. He had some run-ins with the law, but went on to become the caporegime, which is an Italian word used to signify the head of a family in Sicily, but has now come to mean a ranking member, similar to captain or senior sergeant in a military unit, and acting boss of the Gambino crime family after his father was sent to prison in 1992. He disaffiliated from organized crime shortly before his father's death. Aniello Dellacroce, portrayed by Stacy Keach Aniello Dellacroce was an Italian-American member of organized crime. He was nicknamed Neil and has been reported to have entered the hospital under the alias Timothy O'Neil. For a period of time, he was an underboss of the Gambino crime family. Dellacroce served time behind bars for tax evasion and contempt of court. Golden-Globe winning actor Stacy Keach plays Dellacroce in the film. Angelo Ruggiero, portrayed by Pruitt Taylor Vince Angelo Ruggiero, portrayed by Pruitt Taylor Vince, was a friend of John Gotti until their falling-out later in life. He was also the caporegime in the Gambino crime family. Sammy Gravano, portrayed by William DeMeo “Sammy the Bull” Gravano, portrayed by William DeMeo, is known as John Gotti’s former partner in crime and the man who brought down John Gotti and sent more than 30 mob workers to prison after exposing the truth about the mafia to the FBI. No stranger to organized crime prior, Gravano served as a hitman and underboss to the Gambino family. In 2002, Gravano was convicted of operating a large drug ring. After serving 15 years in prison, he was released in September 2017. Former members who cooperate and testify against the mob, like Gravano, are typically referred to as a certain word in the community. When asked about this in a 1997 interview with Diane Sawyer, Gravano said, “Are you trying to guilt me into the word? Rat. The word you’d like to hear? … I look at it as, I was betrayed. I betrayed him.” He added: “John’s a double-crosser, I’m a master double-crosser. We played chess, he lost.” Bartholomew "Bobby" Boriello, portrayed by Leo Rossi Bartholomew "Bobby" Boriello, played by Leo Rossi in the film, was a member of the Gambino crime family serving as boss John Gotti Sr.’s bodyguard and chauffeur. Boriello also allegedly participated as a hitman in the 1990 murder of Louis DiBono, a Gambino crime family soldier, who was found dead inside a car that was parked inside the underground parking garage in the World Trade Center. Rossi is an actor, writer and producer with more than 100 credits to his name. Kim Gotti, portrayed by Megan Leonard Kim Gotti is the wife of John Gotti Jr. The couple has been married since 1990 and share six children together. Megan Leonard plays Gotti in the film. Angel Gotti, portrayed by Ella Bleu Travolta John Travolta and Kelly Preston’s daughter in real life plays their onscreen daughter, Angel. Angel Gotti is the oldest child of John and Victoria Gotti. In 2016, the real Angel Gotti took to Twitter to praise John Travolta on his role as her father. In a photo of brother John Gotti Jr. and John Travolta, she posted: “My Brother John & John Travolta, John is doing an amazing job! The Life and Death of John Gotti. #JohnGotti” Travolta and his wife and daughter also appeared together in the comedy Old Dogs with Robin Williams. Gotti marks her second acting role. For his part, Travolta has noted the resemblance between his onscreen and offscreen wives and daughters. “My wife looks like Victoria and my daughter looks like Angel. It’s really weird,” he said in 2015. Added Connolly: “It’s uncanny. I looked at pictures and was thinking, 'This is too perfect.' Life is too short not to go to work with your family and friends.”

In North America, Melissa McCarthy's 'Life of the Party' and the Will Packer-produced 'Breaking In' hope to be a big Mother's Day draw. Disney and Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War has finally landed in China, where it is scoring one of the biggest opening days of all time with $70 million-plus, according to early Friday estimates. Disney will provide an estimate later on Friday. Numbers coming out of China suggest Infinity War could climb as high as $77 million for the day, including midnight previews. To date, Monster Hunt 2 is the record-holder for top opening day with $85 million. That crushed the prior record held by The Fate of the Furious ($69 million) for the largest single-day performance in Chinese box-office history. Avengers: Infinity War will easily race past $100 million for the weekend in the Middle Kingdom, where it has become the top pre-selling title of all time, eclipsing Chinese blockbuster Monster Hunt 2. Infinity War sold an estimated $65 million in tickets prior to its launch on Friday. To date, fellow Marvel pic Captain America: Civil War is the record holder for biggest China superhero opening ($101.1 million). In North America, Avengers: Infinity War will easily rule Mother's Day weekend with as much as $60 million. Through Thursday, Avengers: Infinity War has earned $485.9 million domestically and $789.3 million internationally for a worldwide total of $1.275 million. Two new smaller offerings hoping to serve as counterprogramming: Melissa McCarthy's comedy, Life of the Party, and the Will Packer-produced thriller Breaking In. Life of the Party earned $700,000, ahead of the $650,000 grossed in previews by last year's Mother's Day comedy, Snatched, starring Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn. Snatched debuted to $19.5 million; New Line's Life of the Party is hoping for the same, or better. Life of the Party is the third collaboration between McCarthy and her husband, Ben Falcone after Tammy and The Boss. Falcone directed the film from a script they co-wrote about a newly divorced mom who returns to college, where her daughter is also a student. Molly Gordon, Gillian Jacobs, Maya Rudolph, Julie Bowen and Matt Walsh co-star. From Universal, Breaking In also hopes to see a boost from Mother's Day. In the film, Gabrielle Union stars as a woman who will stop at nothing to rescue her two children, who are being held hostage in a house designed with impenetrable security. (Packer and Union also worked together on 2016's Almost Christmas.) Breaking In earned $650,000 in Thursday-evening previews for a projected debut in the mid- to high-teens. Directed by James McTeigue from a script by Ryan Engle, Breaking In, co-stars Billy Burke, Richard Cabral, Ajiona Alexus, Levi Meaden, Jason George, Seth Carr and Christa Miller. The pic is tracking to open in the mid-teen millions, but there's plenty of room for upside.

This Mother's Day will see Avengers: Infinity War push toward $550 million domestically while a pair of new releases battle it out for second place. Warner Bros. and New Line's Life of the Party and Universal's Breaking In are the new kids on the block this weekend, both looking to take advantage of the Sunday holiday, and while Life of the Party is expected to take the runner-up position, once Sunday rolls around it could be a closer race than anticipated. At the top of the box office for a third weekend in a row will be Disney and Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War, which we're expecting to drop right around 46% for a $62 million three-day, pushing the film's domestic cume right up against the $550 million mark come Sunday evening, moving into the all-time domestic top ten. As impressive as that may be, most eyes will be focused on the film's release in its final major market, China, where it is expected to deliver huge numbers. For comparison, using current exchange rates, Captain America: Civil War debuted with $98 million in China, Avengers: Age of Ultron opened with $84 million and Black Panther debuted with $66 million. Don't be surprised to see Infinity War demolish those numbers. As of yesterday, Infinity War has grossed $771.9 million internationally and over $1.25 billion worldwide, topping The Fate of the Furious ($1.236b) to become the thirteenth largest global release of all-time. Second place is looking as if it could be a tight race between the weekend's two new wide releases, Life of the Party and Breaking In. Right now we're expecting both to deliver in the $17-21 million range and it could simply come down to theater count to determine the winner. At this time, we're staying safe and forecasting Melissa McCarthy's Life of the Party will edge out the Universal thriller, based in large part on the 1,100+ theater differential. Debuting in 3,656 locations, the WB and New Line are anticipating Life of the Party will debut around $17-22 million this weekend, which is pretty much in line with what we're seeing based on comparable titles. The two primary films we've used as comps for are McCarthy's 2016 feature The Boss, which opened with $23.5 million in early April 2016 and Amy Schumer's Snatched, which opened with $19.5 million over Mother's Day weekend last year. Based on IMDb page view data Life of the Party is pacing just a bit behind both films over the two weeks leading up to release giving us a range of $18-21 million, but the film's PG-13 rating could help bring in a few more heads, helping push the film's gross just a bit higher. For our forecast, however, we're sticking right around $21 million and whether that's enough to top Breaking In should be interesting to watch. Breaking In stars Gabrielle Union who produced the pic alongside Will Packer, whose films continue to deliver at the box office. In fact, within the thriller genre Packer's Obsessed debuted with $28.6 million back in 2009 and in 2014 No Good Deed opened with $24.2 million. Using No Good Deed as well as films such as When the Bough Breaks ($14.2m opening) and the recent release of Tyler Perry's Acrimony ($17.1m opening) as comp titles, Breaking In is just a shade behind No Good Deed based on IMDb page view data over the two weeks ahead of release while vastly outperforming the latter two pictures. With the film debuting in 2,537 locations, Breaking In will have to generate far more per theater to hang with Life of the Party, and Universal is anticipating a debut in the mid-teens. That said, based on our analysis, Mojo anticipates an opening anywhere from $17-20 million, and we're forecasting a three-day right at $18 million, though we wouldn't be surprised to see it go even higher, possibly even challenging Life of the Party for a second place finish. In fourth place look for MGM and Lionsgate's Overboard to dip around 39% or so as it adds nearly 400 locations, looking at a $9 million second weekend and a domestic cume pushing toward $30 million. A Quiet Place should round out the top five with $4.8 million as its domestic cume nears $170 million. In limited release Roadside will debut Beast in four theaters; Magnolia will release Higher Power; Neon will release Revenge; and Sony Classics will release The Seagull into six theaters. This weekend's forecast is directly below. This post will be updated on Friday morning with Thursday night preview results followed by Friday estimates on Saturday morning, and a complete weekend recap on Sunday morning. Avengers: Infinity War (4,474 theaters) - $62.0 M Life of the Party (3,656 theaters) - $21.0 M Breaking In (2,537 theaters) - $18.0 M Overboard (2,006 theaters) - $9.0 M A Quiet Place (3,144 theaters) - $4.8 M I Feel Pretty (2,858 theaters) - $2.9 M Rampage (2,548 theaters) - $2.5 M Black Panther (1,370 theaters) - $2.1 M Tully (1,353 theaters) - $1.8 M Blockers (1,106 theaters) - $0.9 M