Kino Lorber 2016 Home Video Highlights and Gift Guide

 

Pioneers of African-American Cinema (5 Disc Blu-ray / DVD) "This very special collection illuminates one of the most fascinating and unjustly neglected corners of American movie history. Every film included in Pioneers of African-American Cinema has been lovingly restored, and every one is essential viewing." Martin Scorsese This collection of the works of America's legendary first African-American filmmakers is the only one of its kind. Funded in part by a highly successful Kickstarter campaign, the packaged set includes no fewer than a dozen feature-length films and nearly twice as many shorts and rare fragments. Subject matter includes race issues that went unaddressed by Hollywood for decades.    Blu-ray: $99.95 DVD: $79.95 Street Date: Now Available

Moana With Sound (Blu-ray & DVD)   New 2K Restoration Produced by Bruce Posner In 1924, documentary film pioneers Robert and Frances Flaherty and family traveled to the Samoan island of Savaii to record the native life and make a film that would try to match the success of Nanook of the North. Restored in 2K with native sounds and traditional songs that Flahertys daughter recorded over a half-century after they shot it, Monica Flaherty's Moana with Sound is a beautiful work of docufiction and an important piece of film history. Special features include documentaries, interviews, and Robert Flaherty's 1925 "city symphony", 24 Dollar Island. Blu-ray: $29.95 DVD: $24.95 Street Date: Now Available

Fritz Lang's Destiny (Blu-ray & DVD)     New 2K Restoration from the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung A young woman (Lil Dagover) confronts the personification of Death (Bernhard Goetzke), in an effort to save the life of her fiance (Walter Janssen). Death weaves three romantic tragedies and offers to unite the girl with her lover, if she can prevent the death of the lovers in at least one of the episodes. Thus begin three exotic scenarios of ill-fated love, in which the woman must somehow reverse the course of destiny: Persia, Quattrocento Venice, and a fancifully rendered ancient China.  Includes audio commentary with film historian Tim Lucas, Comparison of B&W/Color Footage, re-release trailer   Blu-ray: $29.95 DVD: $24.95 Street Date: Now Available

Cosmos (Blu-ray & DVD) The late Andrzej Zulawski's final film, a literary adaptation suffused with his trademark freneticism, transforms Polish writer Witold Gombrowicz's novel of the same name into an ominous and manic exploration of desire.  Special Features: Audio Commentary by historian Daniel Bird, Booklet Essay by Critic Glenn Kenny, Making-of Featurette, Video essay by filmmaker David Cairns, International Trailer, Theatrical Trailer, Introduction by producer Paulo Branco and director Andrzej Zulawski.   Blu-ray: $34.95 DVD: $29.95 Street Date: Now Available

The Bureau: Season One (3 Disc DVD) Based on real-life accounts by former French spies, The Bureau tells the story of a man torn between love and loyalty, in a world where a single lie can kill. When French intelligence officer Guillaume "Malotru" Debailly (Mathieu Kassovitz) returns to Paris after six years as an undercover agent in Syria, he struggles to reconnect with his daughter, ex-wife, colleagues and even, his old self. But after learning that his lover in Syria (Nadia, played by Zineb Triki), is now in Paris, Guillaume breaks agency rules and approaches her as the man he was in Damascus: Paul Lefebvre. As Guillaume begins living a double life, he opens himself up (and DGSE) to new and unprecedented dangers. DVD: $49.95 Street Date: December 6, 2016

Deutschland 83 (3 Disc DVD Set)   2016 International Emmy Award-Winner: Best Drama Notable as the first German-language TV series to air in the US, this groundbreaking show was a smash-hit when it aired on SundanceTV last summer. A coming-of-age story within a suspenseful thriller, set against the real events, culture wars and political realities of Germany in the 1980s, the series is told from the point of view of a 23-year-old East German soldier who goes undercover in West Germany and encounters a different way of life through his experiences. This DVD includes all 8 episodes, plus interviews with the show's cast and creators.   DVD: $29.95 Street Date: Now Available

Daisy Kenyon (Blu-ray) Joan Crawford (Mildred Pierce), Dana Andrews (Boomerang) and Henry Fonda (The Ox-Bow Incident) deliver dazzling performances in this highly polished and slick love triangle directed by the great Otto Preminger (Laura). Daisy Kenyon (Crawford) is a lovelorn commercial artist caught in a romantic triangle with two men - one she loves but cannot have and one whose love she cannot return. Featuring stunning black-and-white cinematography by legendary award-winning cinematographer Leon Shamroy (Leave Her to Heaven, The King and I, Cleopatra).. Blu-ray: $29.95 Street Date: Now available

Boomerang (Blu-ray)   Iconic director Elia Kazan (On the Waterfront) garnered critical acclaim for this vividly portrayed, suspenseful 1947 true crime drama set in Connecticut, where the true events actually happened. When a beloved priest is gunned down, the local police chief (Lee J. Cobb, Man of the West) is under enormous pressure to find his murderer. Also starring Dana Andrews (Daisy Kenyon), Arthur Kennedy (Elmer Gantry), Jane Wyatt (Pitfall), Sam Levene (The Killers) and Ed Begley (12 Angry Men) - Boomerang is gripping film noir entertainment from start to finish. Blu-ray: $29.95 Street Date: Now available

The House on 92nd Street (Blu-ray) The great Henry Hathaway (23 Paces to Baker Street) directed this classic film noir set in New York City during World War II - The House On 92nd Street is a riveting spy thriller. Reporting to FBI counterterrorist agent George Briggs (Lloyd Nolan, Somewhere in the Night), William Dietrich (William Eythe, Wing and a Prayer) becomes a double agent in order to infiltrate a cell of German spies gathering information about construction of the atom bomb.  The great cast includes Signe Hasso (The Seventh Cross), Gene Lockhart (Meet John Doe) and Leo G. Carroll (Spellbound).   Blu-ray: $29.95 Street Date: Now available

Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (Blu-ray/ DVD)    Screen legends Walter Matthau (The Laughing Policeman) and Robert Shaw (Figures in a Landscape) team up with Martin Balsam (After the Fox) and Hector Elizondo (Cuba) to deliver a sure-fire entertainment that's gripping and exciting from beginning to end and is guaranteed to give you the ride of your life.  Special features include Interview with star Hector Elizondo | Interview with Composer David Shire | Interview with Editor Gerald B. Greenberg | Audio Commentary by Actor/Filmmaker Pat Healy and Film Programmer/Historian Jim Healy | "Trailers From Hell" with Josh Olson | Animated Montage of Stills and Posters Blu-ray: $29.95 DVD: $19.95 Street Date: Now Available

Canadian Pacific (Blu-ray & DVD) Newly restored in HD! Western legend Randolph Scott (Western Union, The Cariboo Trail) is Tom Andrews, a man desperately trying save the railroad with the help of demolitions expert, Dynamite Dawson (J. Carrol Naish, Sahara). Opposing them is a band of trappers headed by Dirk Rourke (Victor Jory, The Miracle Worker) who sabotages the railroad construction and incites the local Indians to rebel against the project. Special features include a documentary on the film's restoration, excerpts from an original 16mm CineColor print, and a rare short feature for 8mm home screening of the film Blu-ray: $29.95 DVD: $19.95 Street Date: Now available

The Cariboo Trail (Blu-ray & DVD) Newly restored in HD! Western icon Randolph Scott (Western Union, Canadian Pacific) co-stars with Bill Williams (TV's The Adventures of Kit Carson) as cowboys leading a small herd of cattle from Montana to the Northwest Territories, one looking for rangeland the other for gold. While driving their cattle along The Caribou Trail, the two men encounter a toll bridge run by the local cattle king (Victor Jory, The Miracle Worker) and his henchmen. But when the men refuse to pay the toll, their cattle is stampeded and all hell breaks loose in this action-packed western that has it all. Special features include restoration documentary and rare short feature for 8mm home screening of the film  Blu-ray: $29.95 DVD: $19.95 Street Date: Now available

Fastball (Blu-ray & DVD)  Narrated by Kevin Costner   While players, historians, and scientists might disagree on who was actually the fastest pitcher in history - and yes, the film does the physics and concludes with a clear verdict - Fastball tells the story of the game itself. FASTBALL dives headfirst into the history of America's pastime, dissecting the science and emotions behind the game's most infamous pitch. Featuring interviews with baseball greats including Hank Aaron and Derek Jeter, FASTBALL sets out to answer the questions, who threw the fastest pitch and how?   Exclusive bonus features include extended interviews, outtakes from Hall of Famers George Brett, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Al Kaline, and Tony Gwynn and the extended story of legend and myth, Steve Dalkowski.            Blu-ray: $34.95 DVD: $29.95 Street Date: Now Available

Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman (DVD)   The world knows Paul Newman as an Academy Award winning actor with a fifty-plus year career as one of the most prolific and revered actors in American Cinema. He was also well known for his philanthropy; Newman's Own has given more than four hundred and thirty million dollars to charities around the world. Yet few know the gasoline-fueled passion that became so important in this complex, multifaceted man's makeup. Newman's deep seeded passion for racing was so intense it nearly sidelined his acting career. His racing career spanned thirty-five years; Newman won four national championships as a driver and eight championships as an owner. Not bad for a guy who didn't even start racing until he was forty-seven years old.   Special Features: Adam Carolla interviews with Mario Andretti, Patrick Dempsey, Jay Leno, Graham Rahal, and Bob Sharp Adam Carolla restores Paul Newman's 1985 GT-1 Championship car   Blu-ray: $29.95 DVD: $19.95 Street Date: Now Available

Awake: The Life of Yogananda (DVD) Awake: The Life of Yogananda is an unconventional biography about the Hindu swami who brought yoga and meditation to the West in the 1920s. Paramahansa Yogananda authored the spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi, which has sold millions of copies worldwide and is a go-to book for seekers, philosophers and yoga enthusiasts today (apparently, it was the only book that Steve Jobs had on his iPad). Filmed over three years with the participation of 30 countries around the world, the documentary examines the world of yoga, modern and ancient, east and west, and explores why millions today have turned their attention inwards, bucking the limitations of the material world in pursuit of Self-realization. DVD: $29.95 Street Date: Now Available

Sweet Bean (DVD)   Sweet Bean is a delicious red bean paste, the sweet heart of the dorayaki pancakes that Sentaro (Masatoshi Nagase) sells from his little bakery to a small but loyal clientele. Absorbed in sad memories and distant thoughts, Sentaro cooks with skill but without enthusiasm. When seventy-six-year-old Tokue (Kirin Kiki) responds to his ad for an assistant and cheerfully offers to work for a ridiculously low wage, Sentaro is skeptical about the eccentric old lady's ability to endure the long hours. But when she shows up early one morning and reveals to him the secret to the perfect sweet bean paste, Sentaro agrees to take her on Bonus Feature: Lies (2015),  a short film by Naomi Kawase   DVD: $29.95 Street Date: Now Available

On Meditation (DVD) On Meditation is a compilation of portraits that explore the deeply personal practice of meditation in all its myriad forms. Practiced for thousands of years, meditation is at once profound and simple: the focused attempt to move beyond conditioned thinking into a deeper state of awareness. Yet, what does that path, one of the inner journey, which is above all a private, interior one really look like? On Meditation conveys first-hand experiences of those who have developed meaningful practices and are willing to share their experiences. From teachers to everyday people to celebrities, the subjects of On Meditation offer a rare glimpse into the private insights and rituals of its subjects. DVD extras include deleted scenes and guided meditations, trailer, Voucher for HD Digital Copy   DVD: $29.95 Street Date: December 6, 2016

Victoria (Blu-ray & DVD) Shot in a single, uninterrupted take, Victoria, a young woman from Madrid who meets four local guys outside a nightclub. Sonne and his friends are real Berliners who promise to show her a good time and the real side of the city. But these boys have got themselves into hot water: they owe someone a dangerous favour that needs repaying that evening. As Victoria's flirtation with Sonne begins developing into something more, he convinces her to come along for the ride. As the night rolls on, what started out as a good time, quickly spirals out of control. As dawn approaches, Victoria and Sonne realize: it's all or nothing and they abandon themselves to a heart-stopping journey into the depths of the night.   Blu-ray: $34.95 DVD: $29.95 Street Date: Now available

Gog 3-D (Blu-ray)   Newly restored in HD and 3-D! In a remote, underground research laboratory two scientists, engaged in space travel research, are frozen to death in a cold chamber when their instruments comes under the control of an unknown power. A security agent, Dr. David Sheppard (Richard Egan, The 300 Spartans) arrives at the secret space research base, home of two experimental robots to investigate the possible sabotage. Early in his investigation, Sheppard finds that the underground laboratory under the control of the Supercomputer NOVAC and experimental robots GOG and MAGOG.  Blu-ray Extras Include Audio Commentary by Film Historians Tom Weaver, Bob Furmanek and David Schecter.   Blu-ray: $34.95 Street Date: Now Available

Bernardo Bertolucci's Luna (Blu-ray & DVD) Legendary filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci (The Last Emperor) directed this controversial drama starring the great Jill Clayburgh (Starting Over). Luna explores the troubled life of Joe Silveri, a teenager (Matthew Barry, The Wraith) and his troubling relationship with his parents, including an incestuous liaison with his mother. After witnessing his father's suicide, mother and son decide to move to Italy. Joe falls in with the wrong crowd and becomes addicted to heroin. Caterina, hoping to lure her son back to a healthier and safer lifestyle, tries to become closer to him, which leads to flirtation and incest.   Special Features: On-Camera Interview with Director Bernardo Bertolucci | Interview with Actor Matthew Barry | Audio Commentary by Star Matthew Barry and Filmmaker Elijah Drenner | Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Writer Howard S. Berger and Mondo Digital's Nathaniel Thompson | Original Theatrical Trailer  Blu-ray: $29.95 DVD: $19.95 Street Date: Now available

Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler (2 Disc Blu-ray) Mastered in 2k from the 35mm Restoration by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung Inspired by the epic thrillers of Louis Feuillade (Les Vampires) and Joe May (The Indian Tomb), Fritz Lang crafted an epic drama revolving around a diabolical hypnotist, master of disguise, and criminal genius: Dr. Mabuse. Populated with henchmen, heroes, and femme fatales, punctuated with elaborate action sequences, and set against a backdrop of Weimar-era European decadence, DR. MABUSE, THE GAMBLER had an unmistakable influence on all the espionage thrillers that followed in its wake. Includes a 3-part documentary on the making and restoration of the film   Blu-ray: $39.95 DVD: $29.95  Street Date: Now available

The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (Blu-ray)   Leave it to legendary funnyman Gene Wilder (Blazing Saddles) to write, direct, and star in an uproarious Sherlock Holmes mystery film spoof that goes far beyond the scope of elementary comedies. After spending decades living in the shadow of his more famous and successful sibling, Consulting Detective Sigerson Holmes (Wilder) is called upon to help solve a crucial case that leads him on a hilarious trail of false identities, stolen documents, secret codes and exposed backsides. Featuring an outrageous ensemble cast that includes Madeline Kahn (High Anxiety) as the seductive singer, Marty Feldman (Young Frankenstein) as Holmes' bug-eyed assistant, and Dom DeLuise (History of the World: Part I) as an eccentric opera star turned blackmailer, this fun-filled caper packs a slew of clues and loads of laughs which The New York Times called "A Charming Slapstick Comedy".  Includes Audio Commentary by Star/Writer/Director Gene Wilder   Blu-ray: $29.95 Street Date: Now Available

Haunted Honeymoon  (Blu-ray & DVD)     Newly Re-mastered in HD! What do you get when you combine three of Hollywood's most hysterical talents with a creaky old castle and a werewolf legend? An amiable, kinky blend of hijinks and horror that'll leave you howling with laughter! Gene Wilder (Young Frankenstein), Gilda Radner (Hanky Panky) and Dom DeLuise (Silent Movie) star in this ingenious, amusing horror comedy that'll put a smile on your face - and keep it there. At the mansion of his great aunt Kate (DeLuise), Larry (Wilder) is undergoing a psychological procedure designed to rid him of his irrational phobias... by frightening them right out of him! But the jolts and frights may turn out to be the least of his problems when Kate names him her sole heir. Suddenly, the entire family seems a little too vigorous in participating in his therapy - leading Larry to believe that one of his jealous kin may be murderous... and that another may be a werewolf.     Blu-ray: $29.95 DVD: $19.95 Street Date: Now available

The DePatie-Freleng Collection Vol. 1 (5 Disc Blu-ray or DVD Set) The Inspector: The screen's most comically inept detective wreaks havoc on the boulevards of Paris as he, with the help of his sidekick Deux Deux, wages a single-minded (and narrow-sighted) battle for justice. (34 Cartoons/2 Discs) | Roland and Rattfink: The timeless melodramatic tradition of duelling polar opposites became the foundation of many an animated conflict, but never were Good and Evil so stylistically rendered as in the R&R cartoons. (17 Cartoons) | The Ant and the Aardvark: A&A revived the timeless cartoon conflict of predator and prey, and modernized it with an irreverent sense of humor and a splashy color palette emblematic of the late 1960s and early 70s. (17 Cartoons) | Tijuana Toads: Like an amphibian Laurel & Hardy, TT revives the thin guy/fat guy formula for comedy, and endows it with a distinctive south-of-the-border flavor. Toads Pancho and El Toro engage in madcap mischief while seeking to advance themselves within the biological food chain. (17 Cartoons) Special Features include documentaries and selected audio commentaries   Blu-ray: $79.95 DVD: $49.95  Street Date: Now available

 

FILMSTRUCK

FilmStruck has launched. This streaming collaboration between Kino Lorber, Criterion, and Turner Classic Movies is every film-lovers dream. This is going to be HUGE I tell ya!

30 Films In 2016 With Blacks In Major Roles

January 5, 2016

2015 presented Blacks in cinema in good positions. For the first time, we had three films that led the nation at the box office consecutively for five weeks with Straight Outta Compton, War Room and The Perfect Guy. From veterans directors like Spike Lee, Patrik-Ian Polk, Rick Famuyiwa and F. Gary Gray to Ryan Coogler and Jamal Hill, there were over 30 films that either starred or featured Black talent in major roles, from animation to live action, independent and studio released. Ensemble films showcased a lot of newcomers that when marketed well, an audience will come out and support.

2016 will bring about sequels, more comic book films, biopics, comedies and a lot of your favorite actors back on the screen. Which film will gross over $100M, which actor or actress will break out, and who’s stands to get accolades in the end. It’s way too early to speculate, but here’s a rundown of films featuring Black talent in major roles that will be released this year. What’s not included are films that will play at festivals and films that have no release date. Hopefully, they will get picked up and distributed this year.

Ride Along 2

If there’s any film that can possibly stop the box office winning streak of Star War: The Force Awakens, it’s Universal Pictures’ RIDE ALONG 2, the sequel to the blockbuster action-comedy that starred Kevin Hartand Ice Cube.

Set to hit theaters on January 15, 2016 and also coming back for the next chapter of the series are director Tim Story, as well as Cube’s fellow producers—Will Packer, Matt Alvarez and Larry Brezner, who will produce alongside Cube.

Besides Hart and Cube coming back as Ben Barber and Detective James Payton the film respectively, Tika Sumpter is reprising her role as Angela Payton, James’s sister and Ben’s girlfriend, and Bruce McGill as Lt. Brooks, Payton’s boss in the Atlanta Police department. Newcomers include Ken Jeong, Benjamin Bratt, Olivia Munn, and Sherri Shepherd.

When the film opened in 2014 with $41 million dollars, it held the number one spot at the US box office for three weeks.. Its total domestic gross was $134,202,565, with a worldwide total of $153,262,184.

IP Man 3

Donnie Yen ignites the screen in a return to his iconic role of Ip Man, the real-life Wing Chun Kung Fu master who mentored Bruce Lee. In this explosive third installment of the blockbuster martial arts series, when a band of brutal gangsters led by a crooked property developer (Mike Tyson) make a play to take over the city, Master Ip is forced to take a stand. Fists will fly as some of the most incredible fight scenes ever filmed play out on the big screen in this soon-to-be classic of the genre.

Whether he has animated TV series on Adult Swim or riding hoverboards, Mike Tyson seems to be game for anything these days, and if fans of series can this action packed film a hit, maybe you’re see Tyson back in the ring…on the big screen.

IP Man 3 hits theaters on January 22.

50 Shades of Black

Marlon Wayans returns to the screen again in another spoof film, Open Road’ ’50 Shades of Black.’

Having plenty of spoof films from horror flicks (A Haunted House, Scary Movie), dance flicks (Dance Flick) and South Central LA gang movies (Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood), this is a take on Fifty Shades of Grey.

Co-written by Wayans and producer/writer Rick Alvarez, the supporting cast includes Jane Seymour, Mike Epps, Kali Hawk, Fred Willard, Andrew Bachelor, Affion Crockett and Kate Miner. Mark Tiddes, who helmed Wayans’ Haunted House film, directed the film with IM Global’s Stuart Ford, Matt Jackson and Glendon Palmer serving as executive producers.

50 Shades of Black hits theaters on January 29, 2016

Race

If Chadwick Boseman can become an overnight sensation after playing Jackie Robinson in ’42,’ then maybe the same can happen to Selma’s Stephan James, who will play and star as the famed Olympian Jesse Owens in the biopic ‘Race.’

Directed by Stephen Hopkins from a screenplay written by Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse, the film also features Jason Sudeikis, Jeremy Irons, Carice van Houten, Shanice Banton, andWilliam Hurt.

Based on the incredible true story of Jesse Owens, the legendary athletic superstar whose quest to become the greatest track and field athlete in history thrusts him onto the world stage of the 1936 Olympics, where he faces off against Adolf Hitler’s vision of Aryan supremacy. “Race” is an enthralling film about courage, determination, tolerance, and friendship, and an inspiring drama about one man’s fight to become an Olympic legend.

“Race” is supported by the Jesse Owens Foundation, the Jesse Owens Trust and the Luminary Group.

RACE releases nationwide from Focus Features on February 19, 2016

Gods Of Egypt

Chadwick Boseman has a featured role in Lionsgate’s Gods of Egypt, starring Gerard Butler, Brenton Thwaites, Geoffrey Rush,, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Elodie Yung.

In this spectacular action-adventure inspired by the classic mythology of Egypt, the survival of mankind hangs in the balance as an unexpected mortal hero Bek (Brenton Thwaites) undertakes a thrilling journey to save the world and rescue his true love. In order to succeed, he must enlist the help of the powerful god Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) in an unlikely alliance against Set (Gerard Butler), the merciless god of darkness, who has usurped Egypt’s throne, plunging the once peaceful and prosperous empire into chaos and conflict. As their breathtaking battle against Set and his henchmen takes them into the afterlife and across the heavens, both god and mortal must pass tests of courage and sacrifice if they hope to prevail in the epic final confrontation.

There’s been some controversy regarding the diversity among the cast in which Boseman commented to the GQ the following statement,

“When I originally was approached with the script, I thought this [critique] might come up, I really did. And I’m thankful that it did, because actually, I agree with it. [But] in the movie, I actually outnumber the other gods in the movie, literally and figuratively. It’s hard for people to know that without seeing it. But yeah, people don’t make $140 million movies starring black and brown people.”

Directed by Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City), the film also starsBruce Spence, Bryan Brown, Emma Booth, Courtney Eaton, Rachael Blake, Robyn Nevin, Goran D’Kluet, Abbey Lee, Demetrice Jackson, Alexander England, Paula Arundell, and Ya Ya Deng.

Gods of Egypt hits theaters on February 26, 2016.

Triple 9

Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Anthony Mackie figure prominently in John Hillcoat’s ‘Triple 9,’ which features a star-studded cast (Woody Harrelson, Casey Affleck,  Norman Reedus, Teresa Palmer, Aaron Paul, Gal Gadot, Kate Winslet, and Clifton Collins).

The film centers on a group of corrupt police officers who are blackmailed into pulling off a seemingly impossible heist. In order to orchestrate the plan a “999”, code for ‘officer down’, must be executed and a rookie police officer is the proposed victim.

Open Road Film will release the film in theaters on Feb. 26

London Has Fallen

Lionsgate will release “London Has Fallen,” the sequel to the worldwide smash hit “Olympus Has Fallen,” in theaters nationwide on March 4, 2016.

Directed by Babak Najafi, from a script written by Creighton Rothenberger & Katrin Benedikt, Christian Gudegast, and Chad St. John, the film hits theaters nationwide on March 4, 2016.

Coming back are Gerard Butler as Secret Service agent Mike Banning alongside Aaron Eckhart as the President of the United States. Also returning are Morgan Freeman as Vice President Trumbull, Angela Bassett as Secret Service Director Lynne Jacobs,Melissa Leo as Defense Secretary Ruth McMillan, Radha Mitchell as Leah Banning, Robert Forster as General Edward Clegg, and Sean O’Bryan as NSA Deputy Director Ray Monroe.

The visceral intensity springs from a timely premise: after the British Prime Minister passes away, his funeral becomes a target of a terrorist organization to destroy some of the world’s most powerful leaders, devastate the British capital, and unleash a terrifying vision of the future. The only hope of stopping it rests on the shoulders of the President of the United States (Aaron Eckhart) and his formidable Secret Service head (Gerard Butler), and an English MI-6 agent (Charlotte Riley) who rightly trusts no one. Morgan Freeman also stars as the Vice President of the United States.

After grossing $161 million worldwide, Olympus’ director Antoine Fuqua was working on ‘The Equalizer’ with Denzel Washington at the time the sequel was green lit and couldn’t commit to the sequel.

Free State Of Jones

STX Entertainment will release its epic action-drama “The Free State of Jones,” directed byGary Ross and starring Matthew McConaughey, Mahershala Ali, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Keri Russell

Based on a true story, McConaughey will play Newton Knight, a soldier who flees the battlefields after being disillusioned by the horrors that touched his own family. On the run, he rallies the support of fellow deserters to lead an uprising against their former comrades, in the process creating a free safe haven.

Mbatha-Raw will play a slave named Rachel who has a relationship with McConaughey’s Newton Knight. Russell will play Serena Knight, the wife of McConaughey’s character. Ali, meanwhile, will play an escaped slave named Moses Washington. Washington becomes an ally of Knight and plays a key role in Knight’s secession plans.

The film hits theaters on March 11, 2016.

Miracles From Heaven

Set to hit theaters on March 18, 2016 from Sony Pictures is Miracles from Heaven, starringJennifer Garner and Queen Latifah. The film also stars Martin Henderson, John Carroll Lynch, Eugenio Derbez, and Kylie Rogers.

Miracles from Heaven is based on the true story of the Beam family, whose 10-year-old daughter, Anna (Kylie Rogers), is diagnosed with a rare life-threatening disease that tests their family and everyone’s faith. As they meet with doctor after doctor to find a cure, or at least offer some respite from Anna’s severe symptoms, it is not until she has a near death experience that a miracle happens that changes their lives forever.

Patricia Riggen (The 33) is directing from the screenplay by Randy Brown (Trouble with the Curve) based on the book by Christy Beam. Joe Roth (Heaven is for Real), T.D. Jakes (Heaven is for Real), and DeVon Franklin, former Senior VP of production at Sony Pictures, are producing.

Born To Be Blue

After making its world premiere at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival,  the indie film “Born To Be Blue,” starring Ethan Hawke as legendary Jazz musician Chet Baker and Carmen Ejogo, is scheduled for a limited release on March 25.

The film is directed by Robert Budreau, who previously made a short about the jazz musician, “The Deaths Of Chet Baker.”

As described by the press notes – Ethan Hawke is an utterly magnetic screen presence as Chet Baker, the legendary trumpeter and singer who, after becoming a jazz icon in the 1950s, became equally famous for his drug addiction. Born to be Blue reimagines Baker’s life as a mixture of factual and fictional events, picking up his story late in his career when — after years of heroin abuse, financial loss, and public disgrace — he stages a comeback.

“Born to be Blue” finds Baker at the end of the 1960s, starring in a film about his own already-infamous life. He strikes up a passionate romance on and off the film set with Jane (Carmen Ejogo), the actress playing one of his lovers, but his hopes for a bright future are suddenly darkened when he suffers a brutal beating in a parking lot after a gig. The film is shelved, and his mouth so badly damaged that his musical career looks in doubt. With a modified sound, a youthful hunger, and Jane’s unflagging support, he becomes determined to regain his place among his peers — chiefly his friend and collaborator Dizzy Gillespie (Kevin Hanchard), his rival Miles Davis (Kedar Brown), and his reticent producer (Callum Keith Rennie).

Miles Ahead

After making its world premiere as the Closing Night selection for the 53rd New York Film Festival, Don Cheadle’s directorial debut, Miles Ahead, will finally hit theaters on April 1st. It’s been a long journal for Davis in getting funding, then distribution on his version of Miles Davis.

Miles Ahead tells the story of a few lost days in the life of jazz pioneer Miles Davis (Cheadle), the virtuoso, fighter and genius, as he bursts out of his silent period, conspires with Rolling Stone writer Dave Brill (Ewan McGregor) to steal back his music, and relives the years he had with his great love, Frances Taylor (Emayatzy Corinealdi).

Written by Steven Baigelman and Cheadle, Miles Ahead also stars Michael Stuhlbarg, and Keith Stanfield as Junior, an edgy but impressionable trumpet player involved in the theft.

 

Barbershop: The Next Cut

It’s been 12 years since the last film, but Barbershop: The Next Cut, the third installment of the Barbershop franchise, will be released by MGM in theaters on April 15, 2016

Directed by Malcolm D. Lee from a script by Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver. Barbershop: The Next Cut, Ice Cube is back as producer through his Cube Vision with Bob Teitel and George Tillman Jr of State Street Pictures on as lead producers.

Among the returning cast are Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, Eve, Anthony Anderson, Jazsmin Lewis, and Sean Patrick Thomas.New cast members include Oscar winner Common, Regina Hall, Nicki Minaj, Chyna Layne, Michael Rainey Jr., Deon Cole, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Lamorne Morris, J.B. Smoove, Tyga, Margot Bingham, and Isaiah John.

MGM produced the 2002 original, which cost $12 million and grossed $75 million domestic while the 2004 sequel,Barbershop 2: Back in Business, cost $30 million and grossed $65 million. Tim Story directed the first film, while Kevin Sullivan helmed the second.

Anderson will reprise his role as JD, the troubled ATM thief whose crimes nearly caused the closure of the titular shop in the original film. JD was arrested at the end of Barbershop, and subsequently Anderson didn’t appear in Barbershop 2. Cole will play Dante, a fixture at the shop who shares his pithy comments on any subject under the sun, even though his cultural references are a few years out of date.

Regina Hall will play Angie, the woman in charge of the beauty shop portion of the barbershop. Lee has directed Hall in both of his Best Man films. Rainey Jr. will be playing the role of Cube’s son, with Lewis reprising her role as his wife, Jennifer Palmer.

The Jungle Book

Idris Elba and Lupita Nyong’o will lend their voices in Walt Disney Pictures’ all-new, live-action/CGI epic adventure The Jungle Book, which hits theaters on April 15, 2016.

Directed by Jon Favreau, the story centers around Mowgli (Neel Sethi), a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (Ben Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo. Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (Scarlett Johansson), a python who’s seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (Christopher Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire.

Nyong’o is the voice of the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha, and Giancarlo Esposito as the voice of wolf pack’s alpha male Akela. “The Jungle Book” seamlessly blends live-action with photorealistic CGI animals and environments, using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques to immerse audiences in an enchanting and lush world.

Keanu

Now that their Comedy Central sketch series Key & Peele, which ran for his five seasons, is over,Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele will try to make their mark in the film world with Keanu. The duo not only star in the film and serve as producers, but Peele also co-wrote the script.

Scheduled to be released by Warner Bros. on April 22, 2016, the film also features Nia Long, Jason Mitchell, Method Man, and Will Forte.

Full description from EW.com: “Starring Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key, the film follows two ‘blerds‘ (read: black nerds) who impersonate gangstas and infiltrate a drug cartel to rescue a stolen cat (named Keanu). ‘This entire movie was basically the most expensive adorable-kitten video of all time,’ jokes Peele, who wroteKeanu with Key & Peele alum Alex Rubens. ‘Overall it’s meant to satirize how pop culture paints masculinity and what it means to be African-American — and how many of us don’t fit into the mold expected of us.'”

Captain America: Civil War

He’s not the star of the film, but Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman will make his long awaited appearance in Captain America: Civil War.

Set for release on May 6, 2016, the film is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo from a screenplay byChristopher Markus & Stephen McFeely.

It is set to feature the return of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, this time joined in his “solo” film by fellow Avengers Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Falcon,Paul Bettany as The Vision, Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye, Don Cheadle as Jim Rhodes/War Machine and Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch.

Sebastian Stan will also be back as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier alongside Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa/Black Panther, Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter/Agent 13, Daniel Brühl as Baron Helmut Zemo, Frank Grillo as Brock Rumlow/Crossbones, William Hurt as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, and Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man. The film is also supposed to debut Marvel’s new Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland.

Captain America: Civil War finds Steve Rogers leading the newly formed team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. But after another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a governing body to oversee and direct the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers, resulting in two camps—one led by Steve Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following Tony Stark’s surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability.

Kidnap

Relativity Studios announced last December, despite its currently Chapter 11 issues, that one of the five films they will release in 2016 was Kidnap, starring Oscar winner Halle Berry. The film is tentatively scheduled to hit theaters on May 13.

Luis Prieto (Pusher) directed the heart-stopping action thriller, based off Knate Gwaltney’s first screenplay. Described as a “female twist on ‘Taken,’ Beery will play a mother whose 4 year old son is kidnapped at a local mall and who races to find his abductors.

Also featured in the film are Sage Correa, Lew Temple andChris McGinn.

Di Bonaventura Pictures’ Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Erik Howsam serving as producers. Berry will executive produced the film along with Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas through their 606 Films.

X- Men Apocalypse

After having  lead roles as Aaliyah in Lifetime’s biopic, and in VH1’s “Drumline: A New Beat,” followed by an appearance as Ice Cube’s wife in “Straight Outta Compton,” Alexandra Shipp will have a bigger role on the big screen when she plays a young and new Storm in X-Men: Apocalypse, which hits theaters on May 27, 2016

Directed by Bryan Singer, the 20th Century Fox film is the conclusion of a trilogy started with X-Men: First Class and continued with X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshiped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto (Michael Fassbender), to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) with the help of Professor X (James McAvoy) must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.”

X-Men: Apocalypse stars James McAvoy as Charles Xaver, Michael Fassbender as Magneto,Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Nicholas Hoult as Beast, Rose Byrne as Moira MacTaggert,Lucas Till as Havok. Newcomers also include Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, Ben Hardyas Angel, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, Olivia Munnas Psylocke and Lana Condor as Jubilee. Oscar Isaac is starring as the film’s title antagonist.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Tyler Perry returns to the big screen playing scientist Baxter Stockman in Paramount Pictures’Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, the sequel to the 2014 hit, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Set for release on June 3, 2016, the film is based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman and is directed by David Green.

Returning for the sequel are Megan Fox as as April O’Neil and Will Arnett as Vernon Fenwick as well as William Fichtner as Eric Sacks. Newcomers include WWE Star Sheamus as Rocksteady, Gary Anthony Williams as Bebop,Brittany Ishibashi as Karai, and Stephen Amell as the sports-themed vigilante Casey Jones and Brian Tee as Shredder. Alan Ritchson, Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek, and Noel Fisher will also reprise their roles as Raphael, Donatello, Leonardo (Johnny Knoxville did the voice), and Michelangelo.

Michael Bay returns to produce alongside his Platinum Dunes partners Brad Fuller and Andrew Form, withGalen Walker and Scott Mednick also producing..

War Craft

Paula Patton and Ruth Negga have featured roles in War Craft, which Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures will release in theaters in 3D on June 10, 2016.

Legendary’s Warcraft is a 3D epic adventure of world-colliding conflict based upon Blizzard Entertainment’s globally-renowned universe. Directed by Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code), written by Charles Leavitt with a rewrite by Duncan Jones.

Fighting for The Alliance, Warcraft featuresDominic Cooper as King Llane Wrynn, Travis Fimmel as Anduin Lothar, Ben Foster as Medivh,Ben Schnetzer as Khadgar, and Ruth Negga as Lady Taria, and on the side of The Horde isClancy Brown as Blackhand, Toby Kebbel as Durotan, Robert Kazinsky as Ogrim, and Daniel Wu as Gul’Dan, with Paula Patton’s Garona caught in the middle.

During 2015 San Diego Comic Con, Paula Patton described her role in the film.

Paula Patton: She comes from this world. She’s put to the test in the world that she lives in and she finds herself in Azeroth, amongst the humans and her life has changed. She’s never really fits in in either world and sort of has one foot in each. When you’re an actress, you may want to find research, but you don’t know how to research on how to play an Orc. You have to figure it out. I was scared to death. It was the scariest thing I ever had to undertake, but I’m so glad I did it. I loved it. It was amazing working with Duncan. It was unreal and surreal to this world right now.

Central Intelligence

Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart are teaming up in New Line Cinema and Universal Pictures’ upcoming action comedy Central.

Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, the film also stars Amy Ryan, Ed Helms, Danielle Nicolet and Bobby Brown.

Kevin Hart plays a former high school sports star turned accountant who, on the eve of a class reunion, is contacted by a former classmate (Johnson) who used to be a bullied “loser,” but who is now a contract killer for the CIA and who wants Hart’s character’s help to foil a plot to sell classified military secrets. Amy Ryan then plays another CIA operative tasked with bringing Johnson’s character in. Nicolet plays Hart’s wife.

Central Intelligence hits theaters on June 17, 2016.

Independence Day: Resurgence

Although Will Smith elected not to return to the role that made him an international film star, 20th Century Fox went ahead and greenlitIndependence Day: Resurgence, the sequel to the 1996 blockbuster.

Directed by Roland Emmerich, the film returns original cast members Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Vivica A. Fox, and Brent Spiner. New additions include Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jessie Usher, Maika Monroe and Sela Ward.

We always knew they were coming back. After Independence Day redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens’ advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.

Written by Emmerich and Dean Devlin and James Vanderbilt, James A.Woods and Nicolas Wright, Independence Day: Resurgence will hit theaters on June 24, 2016.

Ghostbusters

Directed by Paul Feig from a script he co-wrote with Katie Dippold, the new Ghostbusters film featuring stars Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Melissa McCarthy and Leslie Jones.

Fandango will hailed Jones as one of its rising stars of 2016.

Details of the plot have been kept a secret but in a piece in EW, Kristen Wiig will play Erin Gilbert, a particle physicist, academic firebrand, spectral warrior. Kate McKinnon is Jillian Holtzmann, a nuclear engineer, munitions expert, and proton wrangler. Melissa McCarthy is Abby Yates, a paranormal researcher, supernatural scientist, and entity trapper, and Leslie Jones is Patty Tolan, a ghost tracker, municipal historian, and metaphysical commando.

According to Comingsoon.net, the film will also feature Chris Hemsworth as the new secretary, Andy Garcia as the Mayor of New York City, Michael K. Williams as a character named “Hawkins,” Matt Walsh as a character named “Rourke,” and Neil Casey as the film’s villain. New York City’s NY1 news anchor Pat Kiernan is also set to appear as news anchor in the film.

Sony Pictures will release Ghostbusters in theaters on July 15, 2016.

Star Trek Beyond

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions will release Star Trek Beyond, the thirteenth film in the Star Trek film franchise and the third installment in the reboot series, in hit theaters and IMAX on July 22, 2016

With Justin Lin directing from a script by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung, returning to the franchise for a third time following Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness are Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin andJohn Cho.

Newcomers include Idris Elba, Sofia Boutella and Joe Taslim. J.J Abrams, who directed the last two films, is producing the third film.

The USS Enterprise crew, led by Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), have been attacked by a powerful unstoppable wave of unknown aliens, who destroy the Enterprise, leaving them stranded on a new planet where they find themselves in conflict with a new ruthless enemy, while finding a way to get off the planet. Elba is expected to play the main villain.

Suicide Squad

With Will Smith, Viola Davis, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Common in the film, who doesn’t want to see writer and director David Ayer‘s Suicide Squad?  The film will hit theaters on August 5, 2016.

The film stars Will Smith as Deadshot; Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flagg; Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn; Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang; Cara Delevingne as Enchantress;Karen Fukuhara as Katana; Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Killer Croc; Jay Hernandez as El DIablo; Adam Beach as Slipknot; Viola Davis as Amanda Waller and Jared Leto‘s Joker.

Also featured in the film are Ike Barinholtz, Scott Eastwood, Raymond Olubowale, Alex Meraz, Jim Parrack, and Common.

Originally created by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru back in 1959, the group was retooled into its current iteration as villains working off their sentence by John Ostrander. The team has included countless DC villains (and heroes) among its ranks throughout the years. It’s also been a staple of recent DC media.

When The Bough Breaks

September is good month for urban thrillers and in recent years Sony Pictures’ Screen Gems has releases a film in that month and done well at the box office (2015’s The Perfect Guy, 2014’s No Good Deed). This year, it’s the psychological thriller “When the Bough Breaks,” directed byJon Cassar and starring Morris Chestnut, Regina Hall and newcomer Jaz Sinclair.

John and Laura Taylor (Morris Chestnut and Regina Hall) are a young, professional couple who desperately want a baby. After exhausting all other options, they finally hire Anna (Jaz Sinclair), the perfect woman to be their surrogate – but as she gets further along in her pregnancy, so too does her psychotic and dangerous fixation on the husband. The couple becomes caught up in Anna’s deadly game and must fight to regain control of their future before it’s too late.

When The Bough Breaks hits theaters on September 16.

The Magnificent Seven

Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke and directorAntoine Fuqua are teaming up again in theremake of ‘Magnificent Seven. All three were first paired in Fuqua’s 2001 film Training Day, in which Hawke and Washington received Academy Award nominations for their performances and Washington winning the Best Actor award. Fuqua and Washington reunited on last year’s The Equalizer, which Sony distributed in theaters.

Sony will distribute the film in theaters on September 23. The film also stars Chris Pratt, Matt Bomer, Peter Sarsgaard, Vincent D’ Onofrio, Cam Gigandet, Luke Grimes and Haley Bennett.

Based on the 1954 Akira Kurosawa Japanese film, ‘The Seven Samurai,’ the 1960 Magnificent Seven, which starred Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, and Charles Bronson, was a film where a group of men (7) were hired to protect a small village in Mexico from a large group of bandits.

Doctor Strange

Chiwetel Ejiofor will be playing Baron Mordo opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in Marvel Studios’ forthcoming “Doctor Strange.”

Hitting U.S. theaters on November 4, 2016, Marvel’s “Doctor Strange” is directed by Scott Derrickson. The film is produced by Kevin Feigewith Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Charles Newirth, Stephen Broussard and Stan Leeserving as executive producers.

The film also features Rachel McAdams, Michael Stuhlbarg, Scott Adkins, Amy Landecke, and Mads Mikkelsen.

The story centers on neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange who, after a horrific car accident, discovers the hidden world of magic and alternate dimensions. In the Marvel Comics, Baron Mordo is a sorcerer and fellow apprentice of the Ancient One (to be played by Tilda Swinton in the movie) who betrays him and Doctor Strange.

A Meyers Christmas

Universal Pictures will release writer-directorDavid E. Talbert’s A Meyers Christmas, starringGabrielle Union, Mo’Nique, Kimberly Elise, Danny Glover, Nicole Ari Parker, Gregory Alan Williams and Jessie T. Usher, in theaters on Nov. 11, 2016,

The film centers on an estranged family who is brought together over Christmas for the first time since their mother’s passing. Parker will play Sonya, the loving wife of Jackson and mother of his two kids. Elise plays the eldest child.

Will Packer will produce through his Universal-based Will Packer Productions, while Union also is signed on to executive produce. Talbert is executive producing with Lyn Sisson-Talbert and James F. Lopez of Will Packer Productions. Universal Pictures will distribute the film.

Moana

Dwayne Johnson will be one of the lead voices in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana.”

Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast South Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped – and no one today knows why. “Moana” is a sweeping, CG-animated adventure about a spirited teenager who sails out on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and fulfill her ancestors’ unfinished quest.

During her journey, Moana (voice of native Hawaiian newcomer Auli’i Cravalho) meets the once-mighty demi-god Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), and together, they traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous fiery creatures and impossible odds.

Directed by the renowned filmmaking team of Ron Clements and John Musker (“The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” “The Princess & the Frog”), and produced by Osnat Shurer (“Lifted,” “One Man Band”), “Moana” sails into U.S. theaters on Nov. 23, 2016.

The Queen of Katwe

Besides appearing ion The Jungle Book for the studio, Lupita Nyong’o will star Disney’s The Queen of Katwe, the biographical drama about a Ugandan chess prodigy. Joining her will be David Oyelowo and newcomer Madina Nalwanga.

Directed by Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding), Katwe is based on Tim Crothers’ 2011 ESPN The Magazine article and subsequent book The Queen Of Katwe: A Story Of Life, Chess, And One Extraordinary Girl’s Dream Of Becoming A Grandmaster.

It tells the story of Phiona Mutesi, who emerged out of a slum in Uganda to reach the World Chess Olympiad with the help and belief of her coach-mentor Robert Katende. Oyelowo will play Katende. Nyong’o will play Harriet Mutesi, Phiona’s young mother.

Queen of Katwe” is the colorful true story of a young girl selling corn on the streets of rural Uganda whose world rapidly changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of the support she receives from her family and community, is instilled with the confidence and determination she needs to pursue her dream of becoming an international chess champion.

The Queen of Katwe will hit theaters in the Fall 2016.