Michael Jackson relative cast as MJ
Michael Jackson relative cast as MJ
And 'The Last of Us' transcends
What to know
Michael Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, will play the late singer in Antoine Fuqua-directed biopic… Nepo babies strike again. Jaafar Jackson is Jermaine Jackson’s son, and there is a strong family resemblance. While Deadline reports that the film will address the controversies surrounding Michael Jackson’s life, the site also reports that the Jackson estate is co-producing, so who knows how truthful it will actually be. If the MJ Broadway musical’s success is any indication, Jackson’s scandals likely won’t stop people from going to this movie. 🎵
Showtime finally merging with Paramount+… Paramount is officially doing the thing. After long-swirling rumors, Showtime will be brought under the Paramount+ umbrella, meaning Showtime on cable and the premium tier of Paramount+ will both be called “Paramount+ with Showtime.” While this is good for consumers and makes Paramount+ all the more relevant, it unfortunately means layoffs of overlapping staff are to come. 🏔
Avatar: The Way of Water surfs past Star Wars: The Force Awakens to claim no. 4 all-time title… The sequel is now at $2.075B — but can Big Jim topple himself? Titanic is next up at no. 3 with $2.2B, and while another $125M seems possible for Way of Water, Cameron’s boat disaster epic will move the goal post when it gets rereleased on Feb. 10. He’s like a dog chasing his own tail, except the dog is filthy rich and the tail is made of money. 🌊
Netflix becomes the latest streamer to off-load already completed films… Wow, if even Netflix is doing this, you know times are tough. I just feel bad for the creators who sign deals and make their art, only for it to be shelved or at best, shopped around. Speaking of which, the creators of Tuca & Bertie and Gordita Chronicles are speaking out with the WGA against Warner Bros. Discovery for its recent cancellations. 🍿
Inside the thrilling and emotional third episode of The Last of Us… With its third episode, HBO’s The Last of Us went from a well-made, genre-bent video game adaptation to must-see prestige TV. I’m tempted to say you could even just watch this singular episode on its own. If The Last of Us keeps up this level of quality and creativity, it will no doubt land among the year’s best shows. 🍄
Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston to star in body-swap movie… Not since Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds switched bodies in The Change Up have we seen two remarkably similar actors dare to inhabit each other’s skin. 🟰
Annie Wersching, from 24, Timeless, and Bosch, has died at 45
What’s new
Pamela, a Love Story — Jan 31 | Netflix documentary | 🍅 100%
80 for Brady — Feb 3 | Comedy movie in theaters | 🍅 63%
Knock at the Cabin — Feb 3 | High concept thriller in theaters | 🍅
The Grammys — Feb 5 | CBS award show
What to watch
The Last of Us gives adaptations a good name — and not just video game adaptations, which have been abysmal for decades, but all adaptations. With just three episodes under its belt, the Craig Mazin-Neil Druckmann series is showing that the best screen transfers, be they from book, comic, or game, justify their existence in the new medium and expand upon the source material in a way that only TV can. Like HBO sisters Watchmen and Station Eleven, the creators here are taking the bones, vibe, and crucial elements of the original but elevating and adding in ways that thematically jive with the overall story. What sets Last of Us apart is its departures from the source, namely the divergent openings of episodes one and two and the bulk of episode three. These wonderfully surprising, world-building story pieces instruct and inform the audience, but also add to the inverses of dread and love woven throughout the show. Mazin and Druckmann are delivering a holistic view on a pandemic apocalypse by portraying a small tapestry of human stories and moments. And remarkably, this isn’t an ensemble drama, its main focus is zeroed in on a lone wolf and cub. The Last of Us could have been The Walking Dead 2.0 — and skeptical viewers might be tuning out over that concern. Thankfully, it’s not. The ambitions here are much higher.
For all past ‘what to watch’ recommendations, see the full list here!