Netflix will offer up an action-themed, original movie feature starring actress/singer Jennifer Lopez over this Mother's Day weekend. 

The Mother debuts May 12 and stars Lopez as a deadly female assassin who comes out of hiding to protect the daughter she gave up years before while on the run from dangerous men, according to Netflix.

Along with Lopez, the film stars Joseph Fiennes, Omari Harwick, Gael Garcia Bernal, Paul Raci and Lucy Paez.

The Mother is produced by Lopez along with Benny Medina, Elain Goldsmith-Thomas, Roy Lee, Miri Yoon, Marc Evans, Misha Green and Courtney Baker.

Apple TV Plus offers a new twist on the holiday movie classic A Christmas Carol with its upcoming musical comedy Spirited, debuting on the streaming service November 18.

The movie, which stars Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds and Octavia Spencer, retells the classic Charles Dickens tale from the perspective of the three ghosts, according to Apple TV Plus.

The musical follows the Ghost of Christmas Present (Ferrell) who, on Christmas Eve, seeks out one dark soul to be reformed by a visit from three spirits. But the chosen Scrooge (Reynolds) turns the tables on Christmas Present, who finds himself reexamining his own past, present and future, according to the streaming service.

Spirited is directed by Sean Anders, and written by Anders and John Morris.■

Disney Plus will stream the sequel to its musical comedy Enchanted beginning November 24, the streaming services announced Friday at its D23 Expo 2022 event.

Disenchanted takes place 15 years after the Enchanted film and finds main characters Giselle (Amy Adams) and Robert (Patrick Dempsey) married and looking for a more fairy tale life in the suburbs, said Disney Plus. 

Along with Adams and Dempsey, Idina Menzel, James Marsden reprise their roles from the original movie, with Maya Rudolph, Gabriella Baldacchino, Yvette Nicole Brown and Jayma Mays joining the cast.

Disenchanted is executive produced by Adams, Barry Josephson, Barry Sonnenfeld, Jo Burn, Sunil Perkash and Adam Shankman.

The three-day D23 Expo in California will feature panels, video previews and exhibits revolving around new and existing Disney-produced content.■

Sylvester Stallone plays a reluctant superhero forced out of hiding to fight crime in a new trailer for Prime Video's original movie Samaritan, debuting August 26 on the streaming service.

The film stars Stallone as super-powered vigilante Samaritan, who was thought to have been killed 20 years ago in a fiery battle with his rival but instead has been hiding in fictional Granite City in plain sight. A chance encounter with a young neighbor, along with rising crime in the city, forces Samaritan out of the shadows, according to Prime Video.

Along with Stallone, Samaritan also stars  Javon “Wanna” Walton, Pilou Asbæk, Dascha Polanco and Moises Arias.

Stallone is also set to star in Paramount Plus's mafia-themed original series Tulsa King, debuting this November. 

 The WWE will tag team with Iconic Events Releasing to distribute the pro wrestling outfit’s Aug. 21 SummerSlam pay-per-view event to select movie theaters.

The annual wrestling event will be showcased live in hundreds of theaters around the country, according to WWE. The event, which will be held in Las Vegas in front of a full capacity crowd, will also be streamed on Peacock and made available through traditional pay-per-view providers.

Read Also: WWE Network Content Available on Peacock on March 18

Last year’s SummerSlam was held in the WWE’s Florida-based ThunderDome without live fans. 

“Iconic has a stellar track record of bringing people together to experience live events in a unique manner,” WWE SVP Global Strategy & Business Development Melody Yam said in a statement. “We’re excited to partner with their team to deliver to the WWE Universe a new way to watch our biggest event of the summer live on the big screen.” 

Added Iconic CEO Steve Bunnell: “SummerSlam is a marquee event that demands to be seen on the big screen, with big sound, in an auditorium full of excited fans.”

Disney Plus Wednesday dropped a promo trailer for its original movie, Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe, which premieres Aug. 28.

The movie, based on the Phineas and Ferb animated series, which ran on Disney Channel from 2007-2015, follows stepbrothers Phineas and Ferb as they set out across the galaxy to rescue their older sister Candace, who was abducted by aliens, according to the streaming service. 

Voice talent reprising their roles from the original series and movie include: Ashley Tisdale as Candace Flynn; Vincent Martella as Phineas Flynn; Caroline Rhea as their mom, Linda; Dee Bradley Baker as Perry the Platypus; Alyson Stoner as Isabella; Maulik Pancholy as Baljeet; Bobby Gaylor as Buford; Olivia Olson as Vanessa Doofenshmirtz; Tyler Mann as Carl; and Povenmire and Marsh as Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz and Major Monogram, respectively. David Errigo Jr. joins the cast as Ferb Fletcher. 

Nickelodeon will team with Point Grey Pictures’ Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and James Weaver to develop a new animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theatrical motion picture, the network said Tuesday.

“Adding Seth, Evan and James’ genius to the humor and action that’s already an integral part of TMNT is going to make this a next-level reinvention of the property,” said ViacomCBS president of Kids & Family Brian Robbins in a statement. “I’m looking forward to see what they do, and I know that Ramsey Naito and her team are excited to take the Nick Animation Studio into another great direction with their first-ever CG-animated theatrical.”

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theatrical motion picture will be directed by Jeff Rowe (Gravity Falls, Connected, Disenchantment) and written by Brendan O’Brian (Neighbors, Sorority Rising, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates).

Nickelodeon in 2012 created a new version of the franchise with the CG-animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and then re-imagined the Heroes with the 2D-animated series Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2019.

Disney will move its film version of hit Broadway play Hamilton from the theaters to Disney+ in July.

The film, which was slated to debut in theaters in fall 2021, will stream on Disney+ beginning July 3, according to Disney executives. The movie, which was filmed at The Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway in June 2016, is produced by Jeffrey Seller and Thomas Kail, as well as Lin-Manuel Miranda, who earned a Tony Award for his starring role in the play as Alexander Hamilton. 

The Hamilton film provides Disney+ with new, high-profile content in the midst of a content production slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“No other artistic work in the last decade has had the cultural impact of Hamilton—an inspiring and captivating tale told and performed in a powerfully creative way. In light of the extraordinary challenges facing our world, this story about leadership, tenacity, hope, love and the power of people to unite against the forces of adversity is both relevant and impactful,” said Robert A. Iger, Executive Chairman of The Walt Disney Company in a statement. “We are thrilled to bring this phenomenon to Disney+ on the eve of Independence Day, and we have the brilliant Lin-Manuel Miranda and the team behind Hamilton to thank for allowing us to do so more than a year before planned.”

Added Lin-Manuel Miranda: “I’m so proud of how beautifully Tommy Kail has brought ‘Hamilton’ to the screen. He’s given everyone who watches this film the best seat in the house. I’m so grateful to Disney and Disney+ for reimagining and moving up our release to July 4 weekend of this year, in light of the world turning upside down. I’m so grateful to all the fans who asked for this, and I’m so glad that we’re able to make it happen. I’m so proud of this show. I can’t wait for you to see it.”

[embed]https://twitter.com/Lin_Manuel/status/1260181905909129216[/embed]

BET Networks has named actress Paula Patton to star in new original, legal-themed film Sacrifice, which will debut on the BET Plus streaming service.

The movie stars Patton (Hitch, Mission Impossible) as a sought after entertainment lawyer navigating the nefarious lives of her rich and famous clients. 

The film, which will debut on BET Plus in 2020 as a backdoor pilot for a potential series, will also star Erica Ash, Juan Antonio, V. Bozeman, Altonio Jackson, Nelson Bonilla, Michael Toland, James Trevena Brown, Liliana Montenegro, Marques Houston, and Josué Ramon Gutierrez.

Sacrifice is executive produced, written and directed by Chris Stokes, with Houston also serving as co-executive producer, according to BET.

“We are thrilled to have Paula and the talented ensemble cast join our first original film on BET+, as we continue to strengthen our commitment to quality storytelling while meeting our audience on all platforms,” said Connie Orlando, head of programming for BET Networks.

HBO has set the premiere date for its much anticipated Deadwood movie for May 31, the network said Thursday. 

Deadwood: The Movie will bring back stars of the drama series that ran on HBO from 2004-06, including Ian McShane, Timothy Olyphant, and Molly Parker, said the network. 

During its three-season, 36-episode run on HBO Deadwood series was nominated for 28 Primetime Emmy Awards and won eight.

On Friday (Feb. 15) Disney Channel will resurrect its teenage heroine Kim Possible in a new live-action film based on the popular animated series, which ran on Disney Channel from 2002-07. Sadie Stanley stars as Kim Possible, with Sean Giambrone playing the role of Ron Stoppable, Kim’s sidekick and best friend.

Veteran actor Todd Stashwick and Taylor Ortega star as Kim Possible’s arch villains Dr. Drakken and Shego, respectively. I had the chance to speak to Stashwick (12 Monkeys) and Ortega (Succession) about the new Kim Possible live-action movie and its potential appeal to a new generation of Disney Channel viewers.

Were you familiar with the animated Kim Possible series prior to starting this project?

Taylor Ortega: I grew up watching Kim Possible -- I was the demographic that Disney was targeting in the first place when the series debuted, so I was super familiar with it. When I found out at the auditions that I was reading for Shego I said I’m perfect for this.

Did you have any concerns about the Kim Possible franchise making the transition from a popular animated series to a live-action movie?

Todd Stashwick: There was so much care and attention put in making the transition from animated series to live-action feature, and you’ll see that on the screen. The vibe is there -- it feels like Kim Possible, the costumes the look -- and even Rufus (a naked mole rat and pet friend of Ron Stoppable) is there (laughter). The characters of Drakken and Shego loomed large on the channel before we ever got there, so the fact that we’re taking it into the future is really a thrill, and Disney has been super amazing towards us.

Was it a challenge to play the villains in the movie?

TO: No. I was very familiar with the first incarnation of Shego, and having a background in comedy made it easy to take the fantastic script that we had and do some improvisation to make the character come alive.

Does the Kim Possible brand and message translate to this new generation of Disney viewers?

TS: I actually think it could not be a better time to bring Kim as a heroine to live action. My (11-year old) daughter is lucky to grow up in an era with Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, Rey in Star Wars, and now Kim Possible marching alongside all of them. My daughter doesn’t blink when she sees strong, female heroes on TV or in the movies. When Kim came out back in the day she was a pioneer. What’s also great about the movie is that it isn’t just for girls, its for boys and families as well.

TO: I’m so proud to be able to inspire young girls who want to be evil (laughter). 

Academy Award-nominated movies A Star is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody will make their on demand premieres in February, according to on demand distributor In demand.

A Star Is Born, nominated for nine awards including best picture, will debut on most MVPD on demand lineups on Feb. 19, according to In Demand.

Bohemian Rhapsody, with five Oscar nominations including best picture, will premiere via on demand Feb. 12.

Other major studio films making their on demand debuts in February include:

Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch -- PG (Universal) Feb. 5

Widows -- R (Fox) Feb. 5

Robin Hood --PG-13 (Lionsgate) Feb. 19

Ralph Breaks the Internet -- PG (Disney) Feb. 26

Netflix took to social media Wednesday to warn its subscribers not to hurt themselves walking around with blindfolds like the characters portrayed in its horror-themed original movie Bird Box.

In an afternoon tweet, the streaming service asked customers not to participate in the now viral #BirdBoxChallenge, in which people don blindfolds and try to complete tasks often depicted in the film. The challenge is based on Bird Box star Sandra Bullock’s character, who, along with her children, navigate treacherous and scary terrain blindfolded in an effort to avoid an entity that causes people to kill themselves if seen.

[embed]https://twitter.com/netflix/status/1080525103593512962[/embed]

Since its Dec. 21 debut, the film has inspired memes and videos in which people film themselves doing many of the tasks depicted in the movie.

According to Netflix, Bird Box was watched by more than 45 million Netflix accounts in the first seven days since its launch. The added publicity surrounding the Bird Box Challenge will most likely build more interest for the movie in the long run. 

[embed]https://twitter.com/NetflixFilm/status/1078735051406204928[/embed]

FX's adaptation of Fargo won cable's first Golden Globe at the 72nd Annual Hollywood Foreign Press Awards show, bringing home the trophy for best TV miniseries or movie.

The show topped Starz's The Missing and HBO's trio of True Detective, The Normal Heart and Oliver Kitteridge.

FX and Fargo quickly doubled their total as Billy Bob Thonton took home the Globe for best actor in a TV miniseries or movie. Thornton, who kept his acceptance, short and safe from getting him in any trouble, topped fellow Fargoer Martin Freeman, HBO's initial True Detective duo of Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, and Mark Ruffalo for the premium network's The Normal Heart.