Sue Kroll, head of global marketing for Amazon MGM Studios, has worked on the launch of every kind of movie under the sun, from blockbusters such as “Harry Potter” and “The Matrix” franchises to streaming originals such as the recent reboot of “Road House” and the buzzy new rom-com “The Idea of You.”
The discipline of marketing has changed dramatically in recent years, with more digital tools and metrics at her disposal. But one crucial element that hasn’t changed, as Kroll discussed during her keynote conversation at Variety‘s Entertainment Marketing Summit presented by Deloitte, is the need to go with your gut instinct at times on what’s right for a given property.
“You can feel when something feels right,” Kroll said during her April 24 session at the daylong conference held at the Beverly Hilton. At the same time, there’s a feedback loop happening 24/7 around movies and...
The discipline of marketing has changed dramatically in recent years, with more digital tools and metrics at her disposal. But one crucial element that hasn’t changed, as Kroll discussed during her keynote conversation at Variety‘s Entertainment Marketing Summit presented by Deloitte, is the need to go with your gut instinct at times on what’s right for a given property.
“You can feel when something feels right,” Kroll said during her April 24 session at the daylong conference held at the Beverly Hilton. At the same time, there’s a feedback loop happening 24/7 around movies and...
- 4/25/2024
- by Lexi Carson
- Variety Film + TV
Conjoined twins Lori and George Schappell, subjects of several notable documentaries who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died this month in Pennsylvania, according to funeral home officials. They were 62.
The twins, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living conjoined twins, died April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, according to obituaries posted by Leibensperger Funeral Homes of Hamburg. The cause of death was not detailed.
“When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong,” Lori said in an interview when they turned 50, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. George came out as transgender in 2007.
The twins, born Sept. 18, 1961, in West Reading, Pennsylvania, had distinct brains but were joined at the skull. George, who had spina bifida and was 4 inches shorter, was wheeled around by Lori on an adaptive wheeled stool. Despite each having...
The twins, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living conjoined twins, died April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, according to obituaries posted by Leibensperger Funeral Homes of Hamburg. The cause of death was not detailed.
“When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong,” Lori said in an interview when they turned 50, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. George came out as transgender in 2007.
The twins, born Sept. 18, 1961, in West Reading, Pennsylvania, had distinct brains but were joined at the skull. George, who had spina bifida and was 4 inches shorter, was wheeled around by Lori on an adaptive wheeled stool. Despite each having...
- 4/23/2024
- by The Associated Press and THR Staff
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
At the Oscars in 2019, one production company was at the center of the year’s most talked about films and on the cusp of the industry’s sweeping trends. The man who backed it, however, wasn’t at the ceremony.
That year the films made by Participant Media collected 17 Oscar nominations, for Green Book, which eventually won best picture and went on to gross $321.8 million worldwide; Roma, which broke Netflix into the best picture race for the first time; and Rbg, the documentary about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg that managed to become one of the highest-grossing independent films of 2018.
In an indicator of Participant and its backer, tech billionaire Jeff Skoll’s unique, dual missions, the Oscar gatherings Participant threw that year included a viewing party for the National Domestic Workers Alliance at The Jane Club, a nod to the lead character in Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, and...
That year the films made by Participant Media collected 17 Oscar nominations, for Green Book, which eventually won best picture and went on to gross $321.8 million worldwide; Roma, which broke Netflix into the best picture race for the first time; and Rbg, the documentary about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg that managed to become one of the highest-grossing independent films of 2018.
In an indicator of Participant and its backer, tech billionaire Jeff Skoll’s unique, dual missions, the Oscar gatherings Participant threw that year included a viewing party for the National Domestic Workers Alliance at The Jane Club, a nod to the lead character in Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, and...
- 4/19/2024
- by Rebecca Keegan and Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The premiere week of Netflix’s “Ripley” elbowed “3 Body Problem” out of the No. 1 slot among streaming original series for the week of April 5-11, according to Luminate streaming ratings.
Among streaming original movies, “Scoop” managed a solid break for Netflix while Amazon Prime Video’s “Road House” hung tough in its third full week in release, as reported by Luminate in its weekly Top 10 Streaming Originals charts for series and movies.
“Ripley,” the much talked-about adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s classic fraudster saga “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” from Oscar-winning screenwriter Steve Zaillian, debuted with about 670.1 million minutes watched across its eight episodes. That translates to about 1.5 million views.
A sleeper entrant at No. 2 was Netflix’s unscripted crime docu “Files of the Unexplained,” with 531.3 million minutes watched across eight episodes. The show’s audience grew 276% in its first full week in release after premiering on April 3.
Landing at No.
Among streaming original movies, “Scoop” managed a solid break for Netflix while Amazon Prime Video’s “Road House” hung tough in its third full week in release, as reported by Luminate in its weekly Top 10 Streaming Originals charts for series and movies.
“Ripley,” the much talked-about adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s classic fraudster saga “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” from Oscar-winning screenwriter Steve Zaillian, debuted with about 670.1 million minutes watched across its eight episodes. That translates to about 1.5 million views.
A sleeper entrant at No. 2 was Netflix’s unscripted crime docu “Files of the Unexplained,” with 531.3 million minutes watched across eight episodes. The show’s audience grew 276% in its first full week in release after premiering on April 3.
Landing at No.
- 4/13/2024
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
The Ides of March were marked this year by a three-way race among high profile filmmakers – Peter Farrelly, Doug Liman and Guy Ritchie – with original streaming film and TV series debuts across Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. But the sleeper success story of the week belonged to Netflix’s Lindsay Lohan rom com movie “Irish Wish.”
Ritchie made a splashy debut on March 7 with Netflix’s “The Gentlemen,” an eight-episode TV heist drama delivered in the director’s signature style. In its second week, “Gentlemen” had solid hold with a modest 30% decline to 1.3 billion minutes watched during the March 15-21 frame, according to original streaming content ratings calculated by Luminate.
Related Content: Variety Streaming Originals Charts Powered by Luminate (Updated Weekly)
Liman’s “Road House” redux with Jake Gyllenhaal grabbed attention in its March 21 debut on Prime Video. In its first day in release, the title amassed a respectable 121.5 million minutes watched,...
Ritchie made a splashy debut on March 7 with Netflix’s “The Gentlemen,” an eight-episode TV heist drama delivered in the director’s signature style. In its second week, “Gentlemen” had solid hold with a modest 30% decline to 1.3 billion minutes watched during the March 15-21 frame, according to original streaming content ratings calculated by Luminate.
Related Content: Variety Streaming Originals Charts Powered by Luminate (Updated Weekly)
Liman’s “Road House” redux with Jake Gyllenhaal grabbed attention in its March 21 debut on Prime Video. In its first day in release, the title amassed a respectable 121.5 million minutes watched,...
- 3/25/2024
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
New in theaters is “One Life” starring legendary actor Anthony Hopkins as real-life British humanitarian Sir Nicholas Winton. Just three years ago he led French playwright Florian Zeller‘s feature directorial debut “The Father.” It not only managed to win him a second Oscar for Best Actor following “The Silence of the Lambs” back in 1991, but it also made headlines. One reason was how it was unconventionally the final award presented during the telecast that year because the sentimental favorite, Chadwick Boseman (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”), was widely expected to win posthumously. Hopkins pulled off a huge upset, though, and he wasn’t even there to accept it. How did that win happen? Here are five reasons.
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1. Hopkins had a very awards-friendly role
His character in “The Father” was an aging man suffering dementia. Multiple actors had won accolades for...
Sign UPfor Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions
1. Hopkins had a very awards-friendly role
His character in “The Father” was an aging man suffering dementia. Multiple actors had won accolades for...
- 3/19/2024
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on Wbgr-fm on March 7th, 2024, reviewing “Ricky Stanicky,” featuring John Cena in a comedic dual role, directed by Pater Farrelly. Streaming on Prime Video.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Cena portrays the title character, but not until a third into the film. Three buddies, Dean, Jt and Wes have used the name Ricky Stanicky their whole lives to either get out of trouble or as adults get out of responsibility. While playing hooky in Atlantic City, they meet the actor Rod (Cena), and to expand the lie they hire him to portray Ricky Stanicky for their families. Let the wackiness ensue.
”Ricky Stanicky” is currently streaming on Prime Video. Featuring Zac Efron, John Cena, Andrew Santino, Jermaine Fowler and William H. Macy. Screenplay by Peter Farrelly, Jeffrey Bushnell, Brian Jarvis, Jamie Lee Freeman, Pete Jones and Mike Cerrone. Directed by Peter Farrelly.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Cena portrays the title character, but not until a third into the film. Three buddies, Dean, Jt and Wes have used the name Ricky Stanicky their whole lives to either get out of trouble or as adults get out of responsibility. While playing hooky in Atlantic City, they meet the actor Rod (Cena), and to expand the lie they hire him to portray Ricky Stanicky for their families. Let the wackiness ensue.
”Ricky Stanicky” is currently streaming on Prime Video. Featuring Zac Efron, John Cena, Andrew Santino, Jermaine Fowler and William H. Macy. Screenplay by Peter Farrelly, Jeffrey Bushnell, Brian Jarvis, Jamie Lee Freeman, Pete Jones and Mike Cerrone. Directed by Peter Farrelly.
- 3/19/2024
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Bobby Farrelly’s sports comedy film “Champions” is among the Ruderman Family Foundation’s Seal of Authentic Representation awardees — an award that recognizes productions that practice inclusion and portray authentic representations of people with disabilities in the entertainment industry.
Applauded for its decision to open auditions to actors with disabilities, “Champions” is among five productions receiving the award in a list of honorees that includes ABC drama series “The Company You Keep,” Momentum Pictures’ comedy-drama film “Wildflower,” Netflix drama miniseries “All the Light We Cannot See” and Netflix fantasy miniseries “The Witcher: Blood Origin.”
For a production to be awarded the seal, it must meet two criteria: feature actors with disabilities with at least five lines of dialogue in a speaking role and be in or on the verge of general release. As many as 10 actors with learning disabilities starred alongside Woody Harrelson in “Champions,” with the movie conducting thousands...
Applauded for its decision to open auditions to actors with disabilities, “Champions” is among five productions receiving the award in a list of honorees that includes ABC drama series “The Company You Keep,” Momentum Pictures’ comedy-drama film “Wildflower,” Netflix drama miniseries “All the Light We Cannot See” and Netflix fantasy miniseries “The Witcher: Blood Origin.”
For a production to be awarded the seal, it must meet two criteria: feature actors with disabilities with at least five lines of dialogue in a speaking role and be in or on the verge of general release. As many as 10 actors with learning disabilities starred alongside Woody Harrelson in “Champions,” with the movie conducting thousands...
- 3/18/2024
- by Diego Ramos Bechara
- Variety Film + TV
The 2024 Oscars are behind us, and yet people remember this year’s ceremony quite well since it was one of the most exciting ones we have had in years. And adding a little bit more spice to the mix, Christopher Nolan, along with his cast and crew from Oppenheimer swept all of the most prestigious categories from the rest of the nominees, including the revered Best Picture award.
Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on the sets of Oppenheimer
Thus, setting an example for generations to come, this film not only raised the bar on the critical scale through the eyes of critics and journalists but also managed to become a smashing success at the box office with a total grossing figure of $959 Million. This was the first time in almost a decade that an almost billion dollar movie managed to bag the Best Picture category.
Christopher Nolan Managed To Break...
Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on the sets of Oppenheimer
Thus, setting an example for generations to come, this film not only raised the bar on the critical scale through the eyes of critics and journalists but also managed to become a smashing success at the box office with a total grossing figure of $959 Million. This was the first time in almost a decade that an almost billion dollar movie managed to bag the Best Picture category.
Christopher Nolan Managed To Break...
- 3/17/2024
- by Deepak Bisht
- FandomWire
Ricky Stanicky (2024) is Peter Farrelly’s latest comedy and second consecutive movie with a Zac Efron-led cast. Farrelly also cast Efron in his 2022 biographical war comedy-drama The Greatest Beer Run Ever alongside Russell Crowe. In Ricky Stanicky, Peter Farrelly works with an exceptionally odd, eclectic cast. Together with his brother, Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly conquered the comedy genre in the late 90s to mid-2010s. With a few solo projects to his name, Ricky Stanicky follows three childhood friends who create an imaginary friend (Ricky Stanicky) to blame for their mischievous acts. Even as adults, they continue to use Ricky...
- 3/15/2024
- by Onyinye Izundu
- TVovermind.com
Comedy feels like it's in a delicate state these days. Not only are studios avoiding tentpole comedy movies for the most part, but the onslaught of what many perceive as "cancel culture" has resulted in a little more caution when it comes to telling jokes, whether that's on the big screen or in comedy clubs. While there has been a lot of admirable progress with regards to cultural issues in comedy, the argument could be made that there is such a thing as being too sensitive, especially when it comes to an art form that is well-known for mining laughter from irreverence and provocation.
This careful approach to comedy has resulted in a lot of retrospective analysis of comedies from yesteryear, much of which often results in people saying, "You could never make that movie today." This has been applied to everything from "Blazing Saddles" (typically from people who don't...
This careful approach to comedy has resulted in a lot of retrospective analysis of comedies from yesteryear, much of which often results in people saying, "You could never make that movie today." This has been applied to everything from "Blazing Saddles" (typically from people who don't...
- 3/14/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Back in the summer of 2021, the box office was still recovering from the pandemic, and even blockbuster movies hadn't returned to the big screen in an impressive way, especially with HBO Max bringing every new Warner Bros. movie to our homes the same day they hit theaters that year (something that infuriated "Dune" director Denis Villeneuve and pushed Christopher Nolan to take "Oppenheimer" to Universal Pictures). Since then, movies have made more of a comeback, even though comedies are still waning these days. But there was a glimmer of hope that things might get back to normal because we also learned that summer that there was somehow a "Kingpin" sequel in development.
Back in 1996, "Kingpin" followed washed-up professional bowler Roy Munson (Woody Harrelson) as he struggled to get by each day following a hustle gone wrong that took away his bowling hand and left him with a hook instead. Barely able to pay rent,...
Back in 1996, "Kingpin" followed washed-up professional bowler Roy Munson (Woody Harrelson) as he struggled to get by each day following a hustle gone wrong that took away his bowling hand and left him with a hook instead. Barely able to pay rent,...
- 3/12/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
[Editor’s note: this list was originally published in December 2017. It has since been updated with new entries.]
The 21st Century is only two decades old, but its first batch of Best Picture winners already paints an extraordinary portrait of a world in flux. From historical epics to intimate digital indies, from a musical that riffs on showbiz standards to period drama that reflects on present crises, from a sparse modern western to an overstimulating multiverse martial arts story, these 24 films range from “problematic” to “perfect” and hit all points in between. More than that, they illustrate Hollywood’s evolving definition of greatness and the relationship between the film industry and the times that forge it.
Here are the 24 Best Picture winners of the 21st century, ranked from worst to best.
With editorial contributions from David Ehrlich and Eric Kohn.
24. “Crash” “Crash” ©Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection
“Brokeback Mountain” deserved better, but the Academy didn’t know it. Paul Haggis’ painfully obvious ensemble drama about racial prejudices in Los Angeles was a smug,...
The 21st Century is only two decades old, but its first batch of Best Picture winners already paints an extraordinary portrait of a world in flux. From historical epics to intimate digital indies, from a musical that riffs on showbiz standards to period drama that reflects on present crises, from a sparse modern western to an overstimulating multiverse martial arts story, these 24 films range from “problematic” to “perfect” and hit all points in between. More than that, they illustrate Hollywood’s evolving definition of greatness and the relationship between the film industry and the times that forge it.
Here are the 24 Best Picture winners of the 21st century, ranked from worst to best.
With editorial contributions from David Ehrlich and Eric Kohn.
24. “Crash” “Crash” ©Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection
“Brokeback Mountain” deserved better, but the Academy didn’t know it. Paul Haggis’ painfully obvious ensemble drama about racial prejudices in Los Angeles was a smug,...
- 3/11/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
John Cena appeared naked on the Oscars stage while presenting the award for best costume design to “Poor Things.” It was all part of a bit that paid homage to one of the craziest moments in the history of the Academy Awards when a naked man ran on stage at the 46th Oscars in 1974 while David Niven was introducing Elizabeth Taylor. It was at the height of the ’70s streaking fan, when nude people frequently interrupted public events.
Can you imagine if a nude man ran across the stage today?” Kimmel asked the Oscars audience after remembering the infamous moment. “I said, can you imagine if a nude man ran across the stage today? Wouldn’t that be crazy?”
Kimmel was clearly setting up a bit where a streaker would run across the stage during the 2024 ceremony. That’s when a shirtless John Cena popped his head out from the corner of the stage.
Can you imagine if a nude man ran across the stage today?” Kimmel asked the Oscars audience after remembering the infamous moment. “I said, can you imagine if a nude man ran across the stage today? Wouldn’t that be crazy?”
Kimmel was clearly setting up a bit where a streaker would run across the stage during the 2024 ceremony. That’s when a shirtless John Cena popped his head out from the corner of the stage.
- 3/11/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
The Oscar Awards is almost here, and what better way to get ready for it than to reminisce about the most outrageous and shocking winning moments that happened in the past years.
While some names and titles are already taking up space and garnering unanimous votes, there will be controversial results that will go down in history, just like these Academy Award winners.
Will Smith
Will Smith in King Richard
The comedian-actor has always been a crowd favorite, and his Best Actor win for the biographical sports drama King Richard at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022 was supposed to be a glorious moment. But, just before he was announced as the winner, the infamous Oscar slap shocked the entire world.
SUGGESTEDYou May Have Watched Them Over and Over Again But These 6 Movies Never Won a Single Oscar
The award-giving body was criticized for letting Will Smith receive his award and...
While some names and titles are already taking up space and garnering unanimous votes, there will be controversial results that will go down in history, just like these Academy Award winners.
Will Smith
Will Smith in King Richard
The comedian-actor has always been a crowd favorite, and his Best Actor win for the biographical sports drama King Richard at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022 was supposed to be a glorious moment. But, just before he was announced as the winner, the infamous Oscar slap shocked the entire world.
SUGGESTEDYou May Have Watched Them Over and Over Again But These 6 Movies Never Won a Single Oscar
The award-giving body was criticized for letting Will Smith receive his award and...
- 3/10/2024
- by Ariane Cruz
- FandomWire
Plot: After decades of lying about a fake friend named Ricky Stanicky, who they use as a get-out-of-jail-free card, three buddies are caught in a lie and have to produce a real version of their imaginary friend to their families. They hired an Atlantic City low-life (John Cena) to pretend to be Stanicky, but he enjoys playing the part so much that he refuses to leave town.
Review: For those who don’t know, for the last fourteen years, Ricky Stanicky was a red-hot script floating around Hollywood, with people as varied as Jim Carrey, James Franco, and Joaquin Phoenix set to play the lead role. Having placed on The Black List, the script by Jeff Bushell, Jason Decker, and David Occhino was in limbo for quite a while before Peter Farrelly and his frequent collaborators Pete Jones and Mike Cerrone took a stab at it, meaning the film now...
Review: For those who don’t know, for the last fourteen years, Ricky Stanicky was a red-hot script floating around Hollywood, with people as varied as Jim Carrey, James Franco, and Joaquin Phoenix set to play the lead role. Having placed on The Black List, the script by Jeff Bushell, Jason Decker, and David Occhino was in limbo for quite a while before Peter Farrelly and his frequent collaborators Pete Jones and Mike Cerrone took a stab at it, meaning the film now...
- 3/9/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Graphic: The A.V. Club, The A.V. Club, The A.V. Club, Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures, Ben King/Prime, Prime Video, Searchlight Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures; Universal Pictures; Focus Features; Apple TV, Image: DreamWorks Animation10 great films from this century that didn’t win a single OscarClockwise from top left:...
- 3/9/2024
- avclub.com
With the night of The Oscars now in the fast lane, people are excited to see who will take the world of cinema by storm and emerge as the winner of the most illustrious recognition in the film industry. In retrospect, people are also looking back at the late Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther for the superhero films that have been nominated for one or many of the various categories for this year.
Chadwick Boseman in and as Black Panther
While The Academy might still have some reservations regarding the recognition of superhero cinema at the ceremony, they can’t deny the popularity and excellence that these films bring with them.
In fact, the exceptional nature of Boseman’s film was so undeniable back in 2019 that The Oscars had to put their concerns aside and award this project with three awards in different categories from a total of seven nominations,...
Chadwick Boseman in and as Black Panther
While The Academy might still have some reservations regarding the recognition of superhero cinema at the ceremony, they can’t deny the popularity and excellence that these films bring with them.
In fact, the exceptional nature of Boseman’s film was so undeniable back in 2019 that The Oscars had to put their concerns aside and award this project with three awards in different categories from a total of seven nominations,...
- 3/9/2024
- by Deepak Bisht
- FandomWire
John Cena is "the most prepared actor" Peter Farrelly has ever worked with.The 67-year-old director has returned to his comedy roots with Amazon Prime Video's 'Ricky Stanicky' and he revealed he knew wrestler-turned-actor John, 46, was his leading man after watching him in 'Peacemaker'.He told The Hollywood Reporter: "Someone called me and said, 'Have you ever seen Peacemaker?' I said, 'What’s that?' That’s not normally the thing I would watch. I kept watching and was like, This guy is unbelievable. The stuff he does in that show is hysterical, and as soon as I saw it, I thought, 'That’s Stanicky.' I was hoping he agreed, and he did."It’s mostly in the script. It always is with us. Some people, they start with a loose script, and they find it. I don’t have the confidence to do that.
- 3/9/2024
- by Colette Fahy 2
- Bang Showbiz
Apple Farrelly, daughter of Peter Farrelly, appeared in Amazon Prime Video's Ricky Stanicky, and here are four interesting things to know about her.
Directed by Peter Farrelly, Ricky Stanicky stars Zac Efron, John Cena, and Andrew Santino in a comedy about a group of childhood friends, now adults, as they hire an actor to play their imaginary friend Ricky Stanicky.
The movie debuted on Amazon Prime Video to mixed reactions, with only a 49% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes but a far more upbeat 72% from audiences.
Read full article on The Direct.
Directed by Peter Farrelly, Ricky Stanicky stars Zac Efron, John Cena, and Andrew Santino in a comedy about a group of childhood friends, now adults, as they hire an actor to play their imaginary friend Ricky Stanicky.
The movie debuted on Amazon Prime Video to mixed reactions, with only a 49% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes but a far more upbeat 72% from audiences.
Read full article on The Direct.
- 3/9/2024
- by Sam Hargrave
- The Direct
After a bit of a career detour to win a couple Oscars, filmmaker Peter Farrelly is back with his first full-fledged comedy in a decade: Ricky Stanicky, starring Zac Efron and John Cena.
Now available to stream on Prime Video, the Amazon comedy follows Dean (Efron) and two lifelong friends (Jermaine Fowler and Andrew Santino) who invent an imaginary pal named Ricky Stanicky to blame for their various hijinks. When their romantic partners finally want to meet him, the buddies hire a struggling actor known as “Rock Hard” Rod (Cena) to become Ricky.
Ricky Stanicky returns Farrelly to the ribald comedy genre, which he and brother Bobby Farrelly became synonymous with in the 1990s, thanks to hits like Dumb and Dumber and There’s Something About Mary. Their most recent co-directing effort was 2014’s sequel, Dumb and Dumber To. Peter Farrelly has stayed busy as a solo director, helming 2018’s Green Book,...
Now available to stream on Prime Video, the Amazon comedy follows Dean (Efron) and two lifelong friends (Jermaine Fowler and Andrew Santino) who invent an imaginary pal named Ricky Stanicky to blame for their various hijinks. When their romantic partners finally want to meet him, the buddies hire a struggling actor known as “Rock Hard” Rod (Cena) to become Ricky.
Ricky Stanicky returns Farrelly to the ribald comedy genre, which he and brother Bobby Farrelly became synonymous with in the 1990s, thanks to hits like Dumb and Dumber and There’s Something About Mary. Their most recent co-directing effort was 2014’s sequel, Dumb and Dumber To. Peter Farrelly has stayed busy as a solo director, helming 2018’s Green Book,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Love Lies Bleeding, Girls5Eva, Kung Fu Panda 4 and Damsel.
Only Murders in the Building FYC screening
Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez and Meryl Streep took part in an Emmy FYC screening and Q&a on the Paramount lot on March 1, alongside showrunner John Hoffman and songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
Martin Short, Meryl Streep, Benj Pasek, John Hoffman, Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, Jane Lynch and Justin Paul
Damsel premiere
Millie Bobby Brown and Robin Wright walked the carpet on March 1 at the NYC premiere of their new Netflix film. Brown was also supported by fiancé Jake Bongiovi and his parents, Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley.
Millie Bobby Brown and Robin Wright Jake Bongiovi, Millie Bobby Brown, Dorothea Hurley and Jon Bon Jovi
Kung Fu Panda 4 premiere
Jack Black,...
Only Murders in the Building FYC screening
Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez and Meryl Streep took part in an Emmy FYC screening and Q&a on the Paramount lot on March 1, alongside showrunner John Hoffman and songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
Martin Short, Meryl Streep, Benj Pasek, John Hoffman, Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, Jane Lynch and Justin Paul
Damsel premiere
Millie Bobby Brown and Robin Wright walked the carpet on March 1 at the NYC premiere of their new Netflix film. Brown was also supported by fiancé Jake Bongiovi and his parents, Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley.
Millie Bobby Brown and Robin Wright Jake Bongiovi, Millie Bobby Brown, Dorothea Hurley and Jon Bon Jovi
Kung Fu Panda 4 premiere
Jack Black,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On a recent podcast, filmmaker Steven Soderbergh pivoted the conversation to Alfred Hitchcock’s work, examining why, decades later, the auteur’s grip on audiences remains so tight. “[The reason] we still watch Hitchcock movies, and that they don’t feel as dated as some other films, is that they’re all about guilt,” Soderbergh posited. “Every Hitchcock movie is about guilt — and guilt’s not going anywhere.” If what Soderbergh says is true, then why is guilt so evergreen?
I listened to the podcast after watching Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest, a masterpiece that belongs in the category of Great Art (an imperfect term, but one I stand by). I wondered why Glazer’s film — about a German family attempting to build a normal life in the shadow of Auschwitz during World War II — seemed to rise above the competition in a very strong year for movies. I believe...
I listened to the podcast after watching Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest, a masterpiece that belongs in the category of Great Art (an imperfect term, but one I stand by). I wondered why Glazer’s film — about a German family attempting to build a normal life in the shadow of Auschwitz during World War II — seemed to rise above the competition in a very strong year for movies. I believe...
- 3/8/2024
- by Kishori Rajan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Ricky Stanicky” is the latest name in the circuit of comedy movie fans. The movie was released on March 7, 2024, on Amazon Prime Video. It centers around a web of lies spun by three friends. However, as their lies get bigger and bigger, their family demands proof of their stories, leading to a chain of hilarious events.
A still from Ricky Stanicky (2024)
While the movie has amassed mixed response at best, its strength lies in the titular character, or rather the actor playing it. John Cena has been praised for carrying the movie and for his outlandish performance. However, fans may find it surprising to learn that Cena was not the first or even the second choice to play the role.
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Hollywood A-Listers Like Jim Carrey,...
A still from Ricky Stanicky (2024)
While the movie has amassed mixed response at best, its strength lies in the titular character, or rather the actor playing it. John Cena has been praised for carrying the movie and for his outlandish performance. However, fans may find it surprising to learn that Cena was not the first or even the second choice to play the role.
Suggested“Nothing to see here”: John Cena’s OnlyFans Account Draws Hilarious Replies From Fans as Actor Goes All Out For Zac Efron Film
Hollywood A-Listers Like Jim Carrey,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Piyush Yadav
- FandomWire
Prime Video’s “Ricky Stanicky,” the latest comedy from director Peter Farrelly, is filled with outrageous moments revolving around John Cena as Rod, a down-on-his-luck performer hired by a group of friends to pose as their nonexistent pal. The undeniable highlights, however, are the moments in which we see the Atlantic City lounge act for which Rod dresses as iconic performers, from Peter Frampton and Britney Spears to Billy Idol and Boy George. The musical numbers walk a fine line, presenting Cena with costumes that immediately summon up associations with their sources while remaining just a bit off in order to show that Rod is not exactly one of Atlantic City’s top acts.
Cena credits the costume and hair and makeup departments with creating a wide variety of hilarious looks — and doing it on a ridiculously compressed schedule. “Not only did they transform me to look like Dee Snider,...
Cena credits the costume and hair and makeup departments with creating a wide variety of hilarious looks — and doing it on a ridiculously compressed schedule. “Not only did they transform me to look like Dee Snider,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Ricky Stanicky is a film starring Zac Efron. Jermaine Fowler, Andrew Santino and John Cena. It is directed by Peter Farrelly.
“Ricky Stanicky” is one of those comedies that comes into our lives without any notice of its filming, we pass by it barely paying attention and it leaves just as quickly as it arrived. In between, we have once again watched another movie about friends with jokes that are more or less funny depending on each person’s taste. While not particularly exciting, it entertains thanks to a very charming John Cena.
Ricky Stanicky Plot
Three young friends use the fictitious name of a friend to get out of all their mischief. Now that they have grown up, they continue to use their friend’s name as an excuse for anything and to maintain their childish spirit.
To maintain their alibi, they hire an alcoholic actor to pretend to be their friend,...
“Ricky Stanicky” is one of those comedies that comes into our lives without any notice of its filming, we pass by it barely paying attention and it leaves just as quickly as it arrived. In between, we have once again watched another movie about friends with jokes that are more or less funny depending on each person’s taste. While not particularly exciting, it entertains thanks to a very charming John Cena.
Ricky Stanicky Plot
Three young friends use the fictitious name of a friend to get out of all their mischief. Now that they have grown up, they continue to use their friend’s name as an excuse for anything and to maintain their childish spirit.
To maintain their alibi, they hire an alcoholic actor to pretend to be their friend,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Martin Cid
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
(L-r) Dean (Zac Efron), Jt (Andrew Santino) and Wes (Jermaine Fowler) meet Rod (John Cena), in Peter Farrelly’s Ricky Stanicky. Courtesy of Amazon/MGM
Peter Farrelly’s Ricky Stanicky is an R-Rated, penis-joke filled bro comedy about three childhood friends who invented a fictional friend to take the blame for a prank gone wrong. Really wrong – they set the guy’s house on fire. Kids might make up something like that to dodge responsibility, but adults buying into the idea that someone named “Ricky Stanicky” is at fault is much more of a stretch.
Yet these three pals use this made-up friend to take the blame all through their childhoods, but then director Peter Farrelly (and the script’s six writers) go further, and have the grown-up friends continue using the fictional Ricky Stanicky as someone to blame into adulthood.
Ok, it’s comedy, and disbelief gets suspended, but...
Peter Farrelly’s Ricky Stanicky is an R-Rated, penis-joke filled bro comedy about three childhood friends who invented a fictional friend to take the blame for a prank gone wrong. Really wrong – they set the guy’s house on fire. Kids might make up something like that to dodge responsibility, but adults buying into the idea that someone named “Ricky Stanicky” is at fault is much more of a stretch.
Yet these three pals use this made-up friend to take the blame all through their childhoods, but then director Peter Farrelly (and the script’s six writers) go further, and have the grown-up friends continue using the fictional Ricky Stanicky as someone to blame into adulthood.
Ok, it’s comedy, and disbelief gets suspended, but...
- 3/8/2024
- by Cate Marquis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
John Cena certainly isn't the first wrestler to become a movie star. Hulk Hogan, Jesse Ventura, and Andre the Giant brought their muscles to the big screen decades ago. The late '90s and early 2000s saw Bill Goldberg and Dwayne Johnson enter the fray, with the latter becoming one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, and he's still going strong. But it wouldn't be until the likes of Dave Bautista and John Cena that we'd get a pair of wrestlers who truly stepped into the world of acting without relying mostly on their muscular presence to do the heavy lifting on the big screen for them, both literally and figuratively.
Dave Bautista has proven to be a reliable supporting star in the superhero blockbuster franchise "Guardians of the Galaxy," but he's also delivered more haunting turns in the likes of "Blade Runner 2049," "Dune," and M. Night Shyamalan's "Knock at the Cabin.
Dave Bautista has proven to be a reliable supporting star in the superhero blockbuster franchise "Guardians of the Galaxy," but he's also delivered more haunting turns in the likes of "Blade Runner 2049," "Dune," and M. Night Shyamalan's "Knock at the Cabin.
- 3/7/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Exclusive: Actor-comedian Jermaine Fowler is set to co-write, executive produce and star in an untitled single-camera comedy, which has received a script commitment at Fox.
In the half-hour project, co-written by Fowler and Zack Bernstein, after a self-inflicted fall from grace, a former jiu-jitsu champion’s (Fowler) only shot at redemption is to check his ego at the door and start from scratch at a low-rent strip-mall dojo.
Fowler started Brazilian jiu-jitsu training during Covid.
“When the pandemic hit, I had nothing to do,” he said during a January 2023 interview on The Jennifer Hudson Show. “I was bored, and I always wanted to try martial arts.”
On jiu-jitsu he said, “It’s a beautiful sport. It’s gruesome, but it’s so beautiful.”
At the time, Fowler was a white belt who had won one fight out of four.
The comedy project was originated and brought to Fox by Tooth Hurty Media,...
In the half-hour project, co-written by Fowler and Zack Bernstein, after a self-inflicted fall from grace, a former jiu-jitsu champion’s (Fowler) only shot at redemption is to check his ego at the door and start from scratch at a low-rent strip-mall dojo.
Fowler started Brazilian jiu-jitsu training during Covid.
“When the pandemic hit, I had nothing to do,” he said during a January 2023 interview on The Jennifer Hudson Show. “I was bored, and I always wanted to try martial arts.”
On jiu-jitsu he said, “It’s a beautiful sport. It’s gruesome, but it’s so beautiful.”
At the time, Fowler was a white belt who had won one fight out of four.
The comedy project was originated and brought to Fox by Tooth Hurty Media,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Ricky Stanicky releases to Prime on March 7, 2024.
Peter Farrelly is an oddly controversial filmmaker. I say oddly because we’re talking about the writer-director of very popular films like Dumb and Dumber or the highly awarded Green Book – I maintain my potentially hot take that it’s one of the best drama-comedies of the last decade – but the general opinion surrounding Farrelly isn’t as positive as I expected. Personally, his sense of humor fits perfectly with the type of comedy I appreciate most, so I was naturally excited for Ricky Stanicky.
The premise is similar to so many others that have captivated audiences all around the world – notably The Hangover saga. Ricky Stanicky is the title of the movie, but also of an imaginary friend invented by a trio of childhood friends as someone they could use to deflect the blame for their misbehavior or serve as an excuse to skip uninteresting,...
Peter Farrelly is an oddly controversial filmmaker. I say oddly because we’re talking about the writer-director of very popular films like Dumb and Dumber or the highly awarded Green Book – I maintain my potentially hot take that it’s one of the best drama-comedies of the last decade – but the general opinion surrounding Farrelly isn’t as positive as I expected. Personally, his sense of humor fits perfectly with the type of comedy I appreciate most, so I was naturally excited for Ricky Stanicky.
The premise is similar to so many others that have captivated audiences all around the world – notably The Hangover saga. Ricky Stanicky is the title of the movie, but also of an imaginary friend invented by a trio of childhood friends as someone they could use to deflect the blame for their misbehavior or serve as an excuse to skip uninteresting,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Manuel São Bento
- FandomWire
Everything you need to know about the new movie Ricky Stanicky is on the poster with its stark message plastered right across it: Warning! An R-rated Comedy. Oh, and the fact that it is directed and co-written by Peter Farrelly also tells you a lot. This is undeniably a return to the kinds of outrageous, raunchy, anything-goes style of comedy that made the Farrelly brand a household name with films like Dumb and Dumber, Shallow Hal, Kingpin, Stuck On You and the “Citizen Kane” of the genre, There’s Something About Mary. More recently Farrelly, who also managed to put heart in even the wildest of situations, took his career in a different direction with his wonderful and emotional Oscar-winning Green Book, as well as the terrific true story The Greatest Beer Run Ever which starred Zac Efron. The latter is now reunited with the filmmaker and the results are laugh-out-loud hilarious in Ricky Stanicky,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
For years, Ricky Stanicky has been the ultimate scapegoat for whatever mischief best buds Dean, Jt and Wes cooked up. When they nearly burned down a neighbor’s house as kids, Ricky took the blame. That’s what friends are for, right? Except Ricky’s not real. The trio invented him in their teens, and they’ve been pinning things on him ever since. Now, with their significant others starting to get suspicious, the three amigos decide to hire an actor to play their imaginary friend.
Directed by Peter Farrelly, “Ricky Stanicky” is a raunchy, R-rated return to form for the “Dumb and Dumber” co-director: an unapologetically lowbrow buddy movie, featuring the funniest performance yet from up-for-anything wrestler John Cena in the title role. Remember, Peter is the Farrelly brother who went off and made best picture-winning “Green Book,” followed by the (largely unseen) Vietnam drama “The Greatest Beer Run” with Zac Efron.
Directed by Peter Farrelly, “Ricky Stanicky” is a raunchy, R-rated return to form for the “Dumb and Dumber” co-director: an unapologetically lowbrow buddy movie, featuring the funniest performance yet from up-for-anything wrestler John Cena in the title role. Remember, Peter is the Farrelly brother who went off and made best picture-winning “Green Book,” followed by the (largely unseen) Vietnam drama “The Greatest Beer Run” with Zac Efron.
- 3/6/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Comedy veteran Peter Farrelly shows very little experience with this puerile caper on Amazon about three friends concocting a wacky scheme
Imagine your husband, or your friend’s husband, or even your friend, has a pal you’ve never met named Ricky Stanicky. This invisible Stanicky character never visits, barely calls and seems to have about one crisis a year – testicular cancer, or a surprise return from charity work in Kenya, or rehab. This would probably be dubious at best, and baseline annoying. Then suppose this Stanicky calls with a medical crisis in the middle of a baby shower, taking two of the hosts away and causing one to miss the birth of his child. That would definitely be annoying.
Such is the baseline feeling of watching Ricky Stanicky, a new Amazon buddy comedy directed by genre veteran Peter Farrelly, which doesn’t have enough heart to overpower its puerile...
Imagine your husband, or your friend’s husband, or even your friend, has a pal you’ve never met named Ricky Stanicky. This invisible Stanicky character never visits, barely calls and seems to have about one crisis a year – testicular cancer, or a surprise return from charity work in Kenya, or rehab. This would probably be dubious at best, and baseline annoying. Then suppose this Stanicky calls with a medical crisis in the middle of a baby shower, taking two of the hosts away and causing one to miss the birth of his child. That would definitely be annoying.
Such is the baseline feeling of watching Ricky Stanicky, a new Amazon buddy comedy directed by genre veteran Peter Farrelly, which doesn’t have enough heart to overpower its puerile...
- 3/6/2024
- by Adrian Horton
- The Guardian - Film News
“Anatomy of a Fall” is the clear favorite to win Best Original Screenplay this year but nominees “The Holdovers,” “Past Lives,” “Maestro,” and “May December” are all hoping to spoil the party. But is “Anatomy of a Fall’s” status as frontrunner as solid as it seems? It’s won a bunch of precursor awards, sure, but what about the academy?
What movies do they like best in this category? Let’s take a look at the last 10 winners of Best Original Screenplay to see what they can tell us about the academy’s tastes in this category, and how that affects “Anatomy of a Fall” and this year’s nominees.
As you can see, drama is the order of the day for academy voters. Five out of the last 10 winners here have been serious fare: Kenneth Branagh‘s “Belfast,” Emerald Fennell‘s “Promising Young Woman,” and Kenneth Lonergan‘s...
What movies do they like best in this category? Let’s take a look at the last 10 winners of Best Original Screenplay to see what they can tell us about the academy’s tastes in this category, and how that affects “Anatomy of a Fall” and this year’s nominees.
As you can see, drama is the order of the day for academy voters. Five out of the last 10 winners here have been serious fare: Kenneth Branagh‘s “Belfast,” Emerald Fennell‘s “Promising Young Woman,” and Kenneth Lonergan‘s...
- 3/6/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
It's no secret that studios aren't taking chances on comedies at the box office very often anymore. While "No Hard Feelings" succeeded decently enough last year, the biggest laughs came from the indie and arthouse scene in 2023, and streamers are still the primary place to find new comedies. That's exactly the case with Amazon Prime Video's release of "Ricky Stanicky" (watch the trailer here), the return to comedy from "Green Book" director Peter Farrelly, perhaps better known as one half of the Farrelly Brothers directing duo who brought us big laughs in movies like "Dumb & Dumber," "Kingpin," and "There's Something About Mary."
"Ricky Stanicky" follows Zac Efron (who deserved an Oscar nomination for his all-consuming role in "The Iron Claw"), Andrew Santino (FX's "Dave"), and Jermaine Fowler ("The Blackening") as Dean, Jt, and Wes, a trio of longtime best buddies who have been using a fictional friend as...
"Ricky Stanicky" follows Zac Efron (who deserved an Oscar nomination for his all-consuming role in "The Iron Claw"), Andrew Santino (FX's "Dave"), and Jermaine Fowler ("The Blackening") as Dean, Jt, and Wes, a trio of longtime best buddies who have been using a fictional friend as...
- 3/6/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
After showing his serious side with Green Book, the most derided Best Picture Oscar winner since Crash, then taking a critical drubbing with the Zac Efron vehicle The Greatest Beer Run Ever, Peter Farrelly returns to the kind of unapologetically silly comedy he and his brother Bobby parlayed into box office gold in the ‘90s. At least in theory. Efron gets stuck with another slipshod script in Ricky Stanicky, a sad demonstration that what was once considered outrageous, transgressive and anarchic now just seems crass, tired and witless.
Streaming on Prime from March 7, the movie might tap into the nostalgia of audiences raised on the Farrelly brand of goofy raunch, gross-out laughs, slapstick, escalating chaos and sticky sentiment. The virtual extinction of the midbudget R-rated studio comedies that thrived in the ‘90s might also help, as the success of Anyone But You recently showed.
But even if Ricky Stanicky never...
Streaming on Prime from March 7, the movie might tap into the nostalgia of audiences raised on the Farrelly brand of goofy raunch, gross-out laughs, slapstick, escalating chaos and sticky sentiment. The virtual extinction of the midbudget R-rated studio comedies that thrived in the ‘90s might also help, as the success of Anyone But You recently showed.
But even if Ricky Stanicky never...
- 3/6/2024
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Well, it took Peter Farrelly exactly two movies to go from winning Best Picture back to making broad comedies about dog boners; I guess some people never change. Of course, “Green Book” was only about two dog boners away from being as dumb — or dumber — than a Farrelly classic like “There’s Something About Mary” to begin with, but even so, the funniest thing about “Ricky Stanicky” might be how recently its director was holding an Oscar on the stage of the Dolby Theater.
Actually, no: The funniest thing about “Ricky Stanicky” is the sight of John Cena dressed as Alice Cooper and singing “Sploooooooge out. My. Penis” to the tune of “School’s Out” (for summer), which is one of the signature “jizz jams” his character performs at the semen-themed musical revue he launched after his dog-fucking show was canceled because “Atlantic City went all woke.”
Anyway, those are the two funny things about “Ricky Stanicky.
Actually, no: The funniest thing about “Ricky Stanicky” is the sight of John Cena dressed as Alice Cooper and singing “Sploooooooge out. My. Penis” to the tune of “School’s Out” (for summer), which is one of the signature “jizz jams” his character performs at the semen-themed musical revue he launched after his dog-fucking show was canceled because “Atlantic City went all woke.”
Anyway, those are the two funny things about “Ricky Stanicky.
- 3/6/2024
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
From left: Jermaine Fowler, Zac Efron, and Andrew Santino in Ricky StanickyPhoto: Ben King/Prime
From the director of Green Book, your Boomer dad’s favorite movie ever, and the star of The Iron Claw, which made art-house cinephiles realize pro-wrestling can’t simply be dismissed as “fake,” comes Ricky Stanicky,...
From the director of Green Book, your Boomer dad’s favorite movie ever, and the star of The Iron Claw, which made art-house cinephiles realize pro-wrestling can’t simply be dismissed as “fake,” comes Ricky Stanicky,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Luke Y. Thompson
- avclub.com
Peter Farrelly’s Ricky Stanicky concerns a trio of best friends who create an imaginary person to blame for their misdeeds. As the years go by, Dean (Zac Efron), Jt (Andrew Santino), and Wes (Jermaine Fowler) continue using “Ricky” as an excuse any time they want to skip, say, a family gathering or sneak out on a boys’ weekend. In such moments, they simply tell their significant others that Ricky really needs them right now.
That’s a solid enough setup for a film, a kind of coming-of-middle-age comedy in the vein of Jeff Tomsic’s Tag, where the characters’ commitment to a childhood tradition ends up jeopardizing their adult lives in the process. But where the antics of Tag’s characters effectively captured the stupid joy of acting like your younger self while hanging out with your oldest friends, Ricky Stanicky is stupid in a much less joyful way.
That’s a solid enough setup for a film, a kind of coming-of-middle-age comedy in the vein of Jeff Tomsic’s Tag, where the characters’ commitment to a childhood tradition ends up jeopardizing their adult lives in the process. But where the antics of Tag’s characters effectively captured the stupid joy of acting like your younger self while hanging out with your oldest friends, Ricky Stanicky is stupid in a much less joyful way.
- 3/6/2024
- by Ross McIndoe
- Slant Magazine
Did you ever have a friend that continually put you in a bad position or made things problematic? Well if you didn’t, perhaps you could’ve just made one up. This is the storyline for the latest from comedic filmmaker Peter Farrelly. Ricky Stanicky features Zac Efron, Jermaine Fowler and Andrew Santino as childhood buddies who invent a fictitional friend, someone to blame on for the trouble they cause. It works so well, they still use this fake friend whenever things go awry. However, that lie backfires on them and they find themselves hiring John Cena to “play” Ricky, the troublesome friend. And since it’s a Farrelly flick, outrageousness ensues.
We recently spoke with this talented cast and the man who brought it all to life. First up, I spoke with Zac Efron and John Cena about the project. Having had the pleasure of meeting these two fine fellows in the past,...
We recently spoke with this talented cast and the man who brought it all to life. First up, I spoke with Zac Efron and John Cena about the project. Having had the pleasure of meeting these two fine fellows in the past,...
- 3/6/2024
- by JimmyO
- JoBlo.com
Icebreakers are probably not too necessary when it comes to people like Zac Efron or John Cena, who started this interview with IndieWire gushing over the previous interview they had just Zoomed into together: a roundtable with college journalists. But if someone wanted to ease into a conversation with the amiable movie stars, here’s the ticket: wrestling.
Asked how much the pair talked about wrestling when they first met on the set of Peter Farrelly’s “Ricky Stanicky,” Cena laughed. “Guilty!” the actor said. “I started it, and I always talk about it because it’s something that I love. Zac had just come off of finishing ‘The Iron Claw,’ and I’d seen pictures that got leaked, and I was very excited about what a story about the Von Erichs might look like. That’s kind of how I broke the ice with Zac. And once I start talking about sports entertainment,...
Asked how much the pair talked about wrestling when they first met on the set of Peter Farrelly’s “Ricky Stanicky,” Cena laughed. “Guilty!” the actor said. “I started it, and I always talk about it because it’s something that I love. Zac had just come off of finishing ‘The Iron Claw,’ and I’d seen pictures that got leaked, and I was very excited about what a story about the Von Erichs might look like. That’s kind of how I broke the ice with Zac. And once I start talking about sports entertainment,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Every cinephile knows that “What was the best movie of the year?” and “What movie will win Best Picture at the Oscars?” are two entirely different questions. In 2023, the answer for both was arguably the same.
The Daniels’ “Everything Everywhere All at Once” — A24’s mind-bending mother-daughter story about life’s unexplainable questions and the lengths we will go for love — won over audiences and critics before taking home Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (for Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (for Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (for Jamie Lee Curtis), and Best Original Screenplay at the 95th Academy Awards. Still, despite the film’s accolades, it has its critics — and you’re likely to find many a pundit who feels that the top prize ultimately should have gone to Todd Field’s chillier, less crowd-pleasing “Tár” instead.
As long as there have been award shows, movie fans have...
The Daniels’ “Everything Everywhere All at Once” — A24’s mind-bending mother-daughter story about life’s unexplainable questions and the lengths we will go for love — won over audiences and critics before taking home Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (for Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (for Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (for Jamie Lee Curtis), and Best Original Screenplay at the 95th Academy Awards. Still, despite the film’s accolades, it has its critics — and you’re likely to find many a pundit who feels that the top prize ultimately should have gone to Todd Field’s chillier, less crowd-pleasing “Tár” instead.
As long as there have been award shows, movie fans have...
- 3/2/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Goodbye February, hello March! Prime Video! This month, the Amazon streamer will add dozens of film titles to its library on the first of the month, including 1989’s “Field of Dreams” and “Bull Durham” for those with spring training fever.
For the rest of the month, Prime Video will premiere several of this year’s most anticipated features, including the new “Road House” remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor on March 21. (The original starring Patrick Swayze will also come to the streamer on March 1). John Cena will play make-believe for real in the long-awaited comedy “Ricky Stanicky” opposite Zac Efron, Andrew Santino, Jermaine Fowler. March also brings the second half “Invincible” Season 2, which returned after more than two years this past November.
From a new comedy special from Tig Notaro to live National Women’s Soccer League matchups and more, find out everything coming to Prime Video in March,...
For the rest of the month, Prime Video will premiere several of this year’s most anticipated features, including the new “Road House” remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor on March 21. (The original starring Patrick Swayze will also come to the streamer on March 1). John Cena will play make-believe for real in the long-awaited comedy “Ricky Stanicky” opposite Zac Efron, Andrew Santino, Jermaine Fowler. March also brings the second half “Invincible” Season 2, which returned after more than two years this past November.
From a new comedy special from Tig Notaro to live National Women’s Soccer League matchups and more, find out everything coming to Prime Video in March,...
- 3/1/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Prime Video and Freevee have an exciting month of content ahead as the platforms look to entertain this March with all-new original films and shows. Among the must-see titles are Part 2 of Invincible‘s second season along with the Jake Gyllenhaal-led remake of Road House, and if you’re in search of a laugh look no further than Peter Farrelly‘s latest flick, Ricky Stanicky starring Zac Efron and John Cena among others. For a full look at what’s to come, scroll down for the list of titles arriving on Prime Video and Freevee this March. Available for Streaming on Prime Video: March 1 Lyla in the Loop Season 1 A Fistful of Dynamite Angela’s Ashes At First Sight Back to School Batman Batman Returns Bio-Dome Bring It On Bring It On: All or Nothing Bring It On: Fight to the Finish Bull Durham Bulletproof Monk Cadillac Man Catwoman...
- 2/28/2024
- TV Insider
Patrick Swayze in 1989's Road House (United Artists) and Jake Gyllenhaal in 2024's Road House (Amazon MGM Studios)Image: The A.V. Club
Got Road House? This month Amazon’s Prime Video has two versions of the action movie: the 1989 original starring Patrick Swayze at peak Swayze-ness and the 2024 Doug Liman...
Got Road House? This month Amazon’s Prime Video has two versions of the action movie: the 1989 original starring Patrick Swayze at peak Swayze-ness and the 2024 Doug Liman...
- 2/28/2024
- by Robert DeSalvo
- avclub.com
True enough, that is the story’s headline. John Cena recently signed up for a free OnlyFans account in an attempt to promote Ricky Stanicky, the upcoming Peter Farrelly flick. Well, this move to join the popular subscription-based platform led to a mix of excitement, interest, and even skepticism among fans.
Another WWE legend appears to be wanting to join in on the fun now. Surprisingly enough, Randy Orton extended a formal invitation to collaborate with Cena on OnlyFans. Fans were giddy with excitement and anticipation for what might lie ahead for these two legendary wrestlers after The Viper made an unexpected gesture. Orton, 43, offered his services in a post on X. And you can expect to see the two work together in the future, as Cena, 46, appeared receptive.
John Cena in Ricky Stanicky
They have been known to be each other’s arch-rivals during their heyday. However, it seems that the times have changed,...
Another WWE legend appears to be wanting to join in on the fun now. Surprisingly enough, Randy Orton extended a formal invitation to collaborate with Cena on OnlyFans. Fans were giddy with excitement and anticipation for what might lie ahead for these two legendary wrestlers after The Viper made an unexpected gesture. Orton, 43, offered his services in a post on X. And you can expect to see the two work together in the future, as Cena, 46, appeared receptive.
John Cena in Ricky Stanicky
They have been known to be each other’s arch-rivals during their heyday. However, it seems that the times have changed,...
- 2/24/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
John Cena’s crazy marketing stunt has prompted some hilarious meme content on the internet. The WWE wrestler-turned-actor recently shared that he has joined the adult-themed subscription platform, OnlyFans. Fans initially couldn’t believe the news, but those who clicked on the link Cena shared found a free page under the name Ricky Stanicky. They quickly realized that it was all a promotional tactic for his upcoming film with Zac Efron, titled Ricky Stanicky.
Zac Efron and John Cena in Ricky Stanicky
John Cena was last seen in Matthew Vaughn’s spy thriller Argylle. Before that, he played Ken Merman in a brief cameo in the blockbuster hit, Barbie. The trailer for Ricky Stanicky recently dropped online, suggesting a full-on comedy film.
Fans Have Hilarious Replies To John Cena’s OnlyFans Account John Cena created an OnlyFans account to promote Ricky Stanicky
Zac Efron and John Cena‘s film, Ricky Stanicky,...
Zac Efron and John Cena in Ricky Stanicky
John Cena was last seen in Matthew Vaughn’s spy thriller Argylle. Before that, he played Ken Merman in a brief cameo in the blockbuster hit, Barbie. The trailer for Ricky Stanicky recently dropped online, suggesting a full-on comedy film.
Fans Have Hilarious Replies To John Cena’s OnlyFans Account John Cena created an OnlyFans account to promote Ricky Stanicky
Zac Efron and John Cena‘s film, Ricky Stanicky,...
- 2/24/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
“Loudermilk” just got a whole lot louder.
In December 2023 on Amazon Prime Video, the Peter Farrelly comedy starring Ron Livingston (who plays the titular Loudermilk), Will Sasso, and Anja Savcic ranked 828th among all streaming shows, according to Reelgood. Now on Netflix, it’s ninth.
Even “Suits” could get jealous of that bump.
Each month, Reelgood measures what it calls 20 million “viewing decisions” on 25,000 shows across more than 200 streaming platforms. Check out the measurement app’s aptly titled “Rise from Obscurity” line graph for “Loudermilk,” as shared with IndieWire:
Chart courtesy of Reelgood
Before you wave off Reelgood’s methodology, let’s check in with Nielsen, the TV ratings giant.
In its first three weeks on Netflix, “Loudermilk” has made Nielsen’s Top 10 chart for acquired streaming programs each week: eighth twice and 10th once. As an Amazon Prime Video series, “Loudermilk” never charted — and it is safe that say it never came close.
In December 2023 on Amazon Prime Video, the Peter Farrelly comedy starring Ron Livingston (who plays the titular Loudermilk), Will Sasso, and Anja Savcic ranked 828th among all streaming shows, according to Reelgood. Now on Netflix, it’s ninth.
Even “Suits” could get jealous of that bump.
Each month, Reelgood measures what it calls 20 million “viewing decisions” on 25,000 shows across more than 200 streaming platforms. Check out the measurement app’s aptly titled “Rise from Obscurity” line graph for “Loudermilk,” as shared with IndieWire:
Chart courtesy of Reelgood
Before you wave off Reelgood’s methodology, let’s check in with Nielsen, the TV ratings giant.
In its first three weeks on Netflix, “Loudermilk” has made Nielsen’s Top 10 chart for acquired streaming programs each week: eighth twice and 10th once. As an Amazon Prime Video series, “Loudermilk” never charted — and it is safe that say it never came close.
- 2/23/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
The world was tremendously shocked after John Cena announced on Twitter that he now owns an OnlyFans account until they realized it was a marketing stunt for his upcoming movie with Zac Efron and Jermaine Fowler, Ricky Stanicky.
Zac Efron and John Cena in Ricky Stanicky
The R-rated comedy made for Prime Video is helmed by Oscar-winning director Peter Farrelly, which also marks his return to the genre. While many were amused with the actor’s trick, some speculated that there was a hidden agenda behind the creation of the said account.
Suggested“It was f—king stupid”: John Cena Regrets Exposing Dwayne Johnson’s Humiliating WWE Secret
John Cena Announced An OnlyFans Account For His Upcoming Comedy Film
On Twitter, wrestler-turned-actor John Cena revealed that he is now on OnlyFans and even teased fans with the caption: “…like you’ve never seen me before. Subscribe at the link in bio.
Zac Efron and John Cena in Ricky Stanicky
The R-rated comedy made for Prime Video is helmed by Oscar-winning director Peter Farrelly, which also marks his return to the genre. While many were amused with the actor’s trick, some speculated that there was a hidden agenda behind the creation of the said account.
Suggested“It was f—king stupid”: John Cena Regrets Exposing Dwayne Johnson’s Humiliating WWE Secret
John Cena Announced An OnlyFans Account For His Upcoming Comedy Film
On Twitter, wrestler-turned-actor John Cena revealed that he is now on OnlyFans and even teased fans with the caption: “…like you’ve never seen me before. Subscribe at the link in bio.
- 2/23/2024
- by Ariane Cruz
- FandomWire
In the early 90s, Peter Farrelly was one of the biggest filmmakers in comedy cinema, alongside his brother and collaborator, Bobby Farrelly. The duo brought classics like Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary, and Shallow Hal to the big screen. However, in the late 2000s, Bobby took a step away from Hollywood for personal reasons, and Peter ventured into drama, winning two Oscars for his movie, Green Book. In 2024, Peter will return to the comedy world with Ricky Stanicky. With superstars Zac Efron and John Cena leading the movie, it’s shaping up to be a return to comedic...
- 2/18/2024
- by Matthew C. F
- TVovermind.com
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