Blitz Opens London Film Festival 2024

The opening night gala of the London Film Festival has been announced with Oscar and BAFTA award winning writer-director
Steve McQueen’s Apple Original WWII drama Blitz securing the coveted festival spot. The film stars Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson, and nine-year-old newcomer Elliott Heffernan.

Having opened LFF twice before first with 2018′s Widows and then again in 2020 with Small Axe anthology feature Mangrove, McQueen is no stranger to the festival and the premiere venue Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. Many of McQueen’s other films such as Hunger and 12 Years a Slave have also been part of the BFI London Film Festival, making him something of a firm fixture during the past 16 years.

In recent years, that coveted opening slot at the festival has been taken by films such as Saltburn, Matilda The Musical, and The Harder They Fall.

Official Synopsis below for Blitz:

Blitz follows the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety in the English countryside. George, defiant and determined to return home to Rita and his grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in East London, ensues on an adventure, only to find himself in immense peril, while a distraught Rita searches for her missing son.

This year the 68th BFI London Film Festival — which will run from Wednesday 9 October to Sunday 20 October. Sat tuned for more exciting festival coverage.

Inside Out 2 Hits Billion Dollar Box Office

Pixar sequel Inside Out 2 had a record breaking $295 million opening weekend. Since then the emotion packed animated film has continued to dominate global box offices and has now in only it’s third week since release, pushed past the much coveted $1 billion milestone.

Not only does this achievement mark it out as the first bllion dollar success of 2024, but it also sees  Inside Out 2 surpass Frozen 2 as the fastest animated film to accomplish this feat. Inside Out 2 reached the impressive box office haul in just 19 days, comparing favourably to the 25 days Frozen took to join the billionaire film club.

The stunning success for Inside Out 2 stands in very stark contrast to the commercial failure of other supposed early summer blockbusters like Furiosa and The Fall Guy.

Forthcoming releases for Despicable Me 4, Twisters and Marvel effort Deadpool & Wolverine will be hoping to follow suit in winning back cinema crowds this summer.

Highlander Reboot Sets 2025 Shoot Date

Chad Stahelski’s much anticipated Highlander reboot staring Henry Cavil is set to commence filming in January 2025, as confirmed by the director himself during a recent appearance at the Malta Mediterranean Film Festival this past weekend.

Speaking during an interview with Collider the director said

“We start shooting in January, I go to Scotland on Monday to do the final location scout… We have the right people, we have the right cast, we have the right trainers, so it’s more about how do you bring it all together and make it something [new]. It’s not Princess Bride , it’s not Crouching Tiger, it’s not Master & Commander, it’s not Zorro. What’s this new look of action or sword fighting that people could be excited about? That keeps me up at night.”

The confirmation of a firm filming date will put an end to years of development hell that have seen the proposed reboot of the classic 80s franchise stalled repeatedly since 2008. Stars such as Tom Cruise and Ryan Reynolds are amongst those who were previously linked to the project at various times only for plans and directors to regularly change.

Given  The Witcher stars Henry Cavill’s devoted fanbase and his proven gifts for supernatural sword fighting excitement and the latest director seem set to finally bring the tale of duelling immortals back to the big screen.

Bob Odenkirk Back For Nobody 2

Better Call Saul & Breaking Bad star Bob Odenkirk has closed a deal to return as former government assassin and would be family man Hutch Mansell in  sequel to brilliant 2021 action film Nobody.

Nobody 2 sees original director Ilya Naishuller this time replaced by Indonesian filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto, previously responsible for Headshot and The Night Comes For Us.

John Wick creator and writer Derek Kolstad who penned the first film, has written the sequel’s screenplay alongside Aaron Rabin, Odenkirk, and Umair Aleem.

Details of the plot for the sequel remain under wraps for now but likely to deliver on the first flm’s post credits scene which saw Hutch making a fresh start with his family, only to receive a mysterious phone call implying he may have returned to being a gun for hire.

Production is expected to begin on Nobody 2 later this year, with the film currently aiming for a 15 August, 2025 release date.

Olivier Awards 2024 Winners List

Noël Coward Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play

• Stranger Things: The First Shadow by Kate Trefry – at the Phoenix Theatre (WINNER)
• Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo and Franca Rame – adapted by Tom Basden at the Lyric Hammersmith and Theatre Royal Haymarket
• Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends – music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim at the Gielgud Theatre
• Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial – adapted by Liv Hennessy at the Ambassadors Theatre

Best Family Show

• Dinosaur World Live by Derek Bond – at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre (WINNER)
• Bluey’s Big Play by Joe Brumm – at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall
• The House With Chicken Legs – book by Sophie Anderson, adapted by Oliver Lansley at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall
• The Smeds and the Smoos – book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, adapted by Tall Stories at the Lyric Theatre

Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer

• Arlene Phillips with James Cousins – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre (WINNER)
• Fabian Aloise – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
• Ellen Kane and Hannes Langolf – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre
• Mark Smith – The Little Big Things at Soho Place
• Susan Stroman – Crazy for You at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

Best Costume Design

• Vanya by Anton Chekhov – adapted by Simon Stephens at the Duke of York’s Theatre (WINNER)
• Bunny Christie and Deborah Andrews – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
• Ryan Dawson Laight – La Cage Aux Folles at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
• Hugh Durrant – Peter Pan at The London Palladium

Best Revival

• Vanya by Anton Chekhov – adapted by Simon Stephens at the Duke of York’s Theatre (WINNER)
• The Effect by Lucy Prebble – at the National Theatre, Lyttelton
• Macbeth by William Shakespeare – at the Donmar Warehouse
• Shirley Valentine by Willy Russell – at the Duke of York’s Theatre

Best Musical Revival

• Sunset Boulevard – music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics and book by Don Black and Christopher Hampton at the Savoy Theatre (WINNER)
• Groundhog Day – music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, book by Danny Rubin at The Old Vic
• Guys & Dolls – music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows at the Bridge Theatre
• Hadestown – music, lyrics and book by Anaïs Mitchell at the Lyric Theatre

Best Sound Design

• Alan Williams for Musical Supervision and Musical Direction – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre (WINNER)
• Paul Arditti – Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre
• Dan Balfour and Tom Gibbins – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre
• Gareth Fry – Macbeth at the Donmar Warehouse

Outstanding Musical Contribution

• Alan Williams for Musical Supervision and Musical Direction – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre (WINNER)
• Tom Brady for Musical Supervision and Arrangements and Charlie Rosen for Orchestrations – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
• Matt Brind for Musical Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations – Just for One Day at The Old Vic
• Steve Sidwell for Orchestrations and Joe Bunker for Musical Direction – Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

• Will Close – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre (WINNER)
• Paul Hilton – An Enemy of the People at the Duke of York’s Theatre
• Giles Terera – Clyde’s at the Donmar Warehouse
• Luke Thompson – A Little Life at the Harold Pinter Theatre and Savoy Theatre
• Zubin Varla – A Little Life at the Harold Pinter Theatre and Savoy Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

• Haydn Gwynne – When Winston Went to War With the Wireless at the Donmar Warehouse (WINNER)
• Lorraine Ashbourne – Till the Stars Come Down at the National Theatre, Dorfman
• Priyanga Burford – An Enemy of the People at the Duke of York’s Theatre
• Gina McKee – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier
• Tanya Reynolds – A Mirror at the Almeida Theatre and Trafalgar Theatre

Best Set Design

• Miriam Buether for Set Design and 59 Productions for Video Design – Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre (WINNER)
• Bunny Christie for Set Design – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
• Es Devlin for Set Design and Ash J. Woodward for Video Design – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre
• Soutra Gilmour for Set Design and Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom for Video Design – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre

Best Lighting Design

• Jack Knowles – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre (WINNER)
• Jon Clark – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre
• Jon Clark – Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre
• Paule Constable – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical

• Amy Trigg – The Little Big Things at Soho Place (WINNER)
• Grace Hodgett Young – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
• Zoë Roberts – Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
• Eleanor Worthington-Cox – Next to Normal at the Donmar Warehouse

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

• Jak Malone – Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre (WINNER)
• Cedric Neal – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
• David Thaxton – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
• Jack Wolfe – Next to Normal at the Donmar Warehouse

Best New Opera Production

• Innocence by the Royal Opera – at the Royal Opera House (WINNER)
• Blue by the English National Opera – at the London Coliseum
• Picture a Day Like This by the Royal Opera – at the Royal Opera House, Linbury Theatre
• The Rhinegold by the English National Opera – at the London Coliseum

Outstanding Achievement in Opera

• Antonio Pappano for his role as Musical Director of the Royal Opera House (WINNER)
• Belarus Free Theatre Company for King Stakh’s Wild Hunt – at the Barbican theatre
• Marina Abramović for her concept and design of 7 Deaths of Maria Callas – at the London Coliseum

Best Actor in a Musical

• Tom Francis – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre (WINNER)
• David Cumming – Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
• Daniel Mays – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
• Charlie Stemp – Crazy for You at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

Best Actress in a Musical

• Nicole Scherzinger – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre (WINNER)
• Natasha Hodgson – Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
• Caissie Levy – Next to Normal at the Donmar Warehouse
• Marisha Wallace – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre

Best New Dance Production

• La Ruta by Gabriela Carrizo – part of Nederlands Dans Theater, NDT 1 at Sadler’s Wells (WINNER)
• Broken Chord by Gregory Maqoma and Thuthuka Sibisi – at Sadler’s Wells
• The Rite of Spring by Seeta Patel – at Sadler’s Wells
• Time Spell by Michelle Dorrance, Jillian Meyers and Tiler Peck – part of Turn It Out With Tiler Peck and Friends at Sadler’s Wells

Outstanding Achievement in Dance

• Isabela Coracy for her performance in NINA: By Whatever Means – part of Ballet Black: Pioneers at the Barbican Theatre (WINNER)
• Jonzi D for his artistic direction of Breakin’ Convention 2023 International festival of hip-hop dance theatre – at Sadler’s Wells
• Rhiannon Faith for her community focused conception of Lay Down Your Burdens – at The Pit at Barbican

Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre

• Sleepova by Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini – at the Bush Theatre (WINNER)
• Blue Mist by Mohamed-Zain Dada – at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
• A Playlist for The Revolution by AJ Yi – at the Bush Theatre
• The Swell by Isley Lynn – at the Orange Tree Theatre
• The Time Machine: A Comedy by Steven Canny and John Nicholson – at the Park Theatre

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director

• Jamie Lloyd – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre (WINNER)
• Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin – Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix theatre
• Rupert Goold – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre
• Sam Mendes – The Motive and the Cue at the National Theatre, Lyttelton and Noël Coward Theatre

Best Actress

• Sarah Snook – The Picture of Dorian Gray at the Theatre Royal Haymarket (WINNER)
• Laura Donnelly – The Hills of California at the Harold Pinter Theatre
• Sophie Okonedo – Medea at Soho Place
• Sarah Jessica Parker – Plaza Suite at the Savoy Theatre
• Sheridan Smith – Shirley Valentine at the Duke of York’s Theatre

Best Actor

• Mark Gatiss – The Motive and the Cue at the National Theatre, Lyttelton and Noël Coward Theatre (WINNER)
• Joseph Fiennes – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre
• James Norton – A Little Life at the Harold Pinter Theatre and Savoy Theatre
• Andrew Scott – Vanya at the Duke of York’s Theatre
• David Tennant – Macbeth at the Donmar Warehouse

Best New Play

• Dear England by James Graham – at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre (WINNER)
• The Hills of California by Jez Butterworth – at the Harold Pinter Theatre
• The Motive and the Cue by Jack Thorne – at the National Theatre, Lyttelton and Noël Coward Theatre
• Till the Stars Come Down by Beth Steel – at the National Theatre, Dorfman

Mastercard Best New Musical

• Operation Mincemeat – music, lyrics and book by David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts at the Fortune Theatre (WINNER)
• The Little Big Things – music by Nick Butcher, lyrics by Nick Butcher and Tom Ling, book by Joe White at Soho Place
• Next to Normal – music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey at the Donmar Warehouse
• A Strange Loop – music, lyrics and book by Michael R. Jackson at the Barbican Theatre