First Reformed

Director Paul Schrader

Genre Drama | Thriller

Cast Amanda Seyfried, Ethan Hawke, Cedric the Entertainer, Michael Gaston

Rating R

Release Date May 18th, 2018

“A pastor of a small church in upstate New York starts to spiral out of control after a soul-shaking encounter with an unstable environmental activist and his pregnant wife.”

Written and directed by Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull), First reformed is a drama thriller about the Pastor of a small church in update New York who begins to spiral out of control after a traumatic encounter with an unstable environmental activist and his pregnant wife. The cast includes Amanda Seyfried, Ethan Hawke, Cedric the Entertainer, and Michael Gaston. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, First Reformed:

• Writer / director Paul Schrader stated in a Q&A at Rotterdam Film Festival 2018 that he was surprised while editing the film to notice how many similarities there were with Taxi Driver, a film he also wrote.
• Amanda Seyfried was pregnant during the production.

Show Dogs

Director Raja Gosnell

Genre Adventure | Comedy | Family

Cast Will Arnett, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Natasha Lyonne, Stanley Tucci

Rating PG

Release Date May 18th, 2018

“Max, a macho, solitary Rottweiler police dog is ordered to go undercover as a primped show dog in a prestigious Dog Show, along with his human partner, to avert a disaster from happening.”

From director Raja Gosnell (Home Alone 3, Never Been Kissed, Scooby-Doo, Beverly Hills Chihuahua), Show Dogs is a family comedy about a Rottweiler police dog who is ordered to go undercover as a primped-up show dog, with hilarious results. The cast includes Will Arnett, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Natasha Lyonne, Stanley Tucci, and Jordin Sparks. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Show Dogs:

• Filmed at pinewood studios in Cardiff, Wales
• This will be director Raja Gosnell's fourth talking dog film he's ever directed since Scooby-Doo(2002), Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004) and Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008).

Cargo

Director Ben Howling, Yolanda Ramke

Genre Drama | Thriller

Cast Martin Freeman, Anthony Hayes, Susie Porter, Caren Pistorius

Rating Unrated

Release Date May 18th, 2018 (Netflix)

“Stranded in rural Australia in the aftermath of a violent pandemic, an infected father desperately searches for a new home for his infant child and a means to protect her from his own changing nature.”

Directed by Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke (who also wrote the script), Cargo is a drama thriller about a man trying to protect his infant child in the aftermath of a violent pandemic. The cast includes Martin Freeman, Anthony Hayes, Susie Porter, and Caren Pistorius. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Cargo:

• This film is a full length feature film remake of the earlier recent Australian short film Cargo (2013). The interval between the two film productions, which share the same name, is about four years.
• One of the film's two co-directors, Yolanda Ramke, has said of this film: "The landscape is a key player in our 'outbreak' scenario, its harsh and unforgiving nature throws up countless obstacles for our protagonists, whilst at the same time offering protection and a means to survive."

Avengers: Infinity War

Director Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Genre Action | Adventure | Fantasy

Cast Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr.

Rating PG-13

Release Date April 27th, 2018

“The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.”

Avengers: Infinity War is easily one of the most anticipated films of the decade, and will serve as the ultimate culmination for Marvel superheroes to date. Captain America: Civil War directors Anthony and Joe Russo return to the helm with a plethora of talent to work with, so it should come as no surprise that Infinity War broke the pre-sale record set by Black Panther in less than 6 hours. With what is projected to include upwards of 60 main characters, the cast includes Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Ruffalo, Chadwick Boseman, Jeremy Renner, and Josh Brolin (to name a few), Check out the official trailers below!! 

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Avengers: Infinity War:

• There are sixty-four main characters in this film, according to Marvel.

• According to Kevin Feige, the Avengers are expected to have a "superhero shake-up" between the two Infinity War films, unlike the prior two Avengers films, which mainly consisted of the same team.

• Tom Holland was not allowed to read the script to the film, due to him revealing too many secrets for Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).

Life of the Party

Director Ben Falcone

Genre Comedy

Cast Melissa McCarthy, Gillian Jacobs, Maya Rudolph, Julie Bowen

Rating PG-13

Release Date May 11th, 2018

“Dumped by her husband, longtime housewife Deanna turns regret into reset by going back to college. Winding up at the same school as her daughter, Deanna plunges headlong into the campus experience — embracing the fun, the freedom and the frat boys.”

Directed by Ben Falcone, who also co-wrote the film with wife and star Melissa McCarthy, Life of the Party is a story about a midlife crisis taking to the extremes. Deanna is dumped by her longtime husband and makes the decision to attend college and live the life she passed on years prior, ending up at the same college as her daughter and well lets just say things get crazy. I really like Melissa McCarthy and her raunchy brand of humor so I am looking forward to checking this one out. Let's just hope it takes the good from the other films Falcone directed with McCarthy in the lead role, Tammy and The Boss, and gets rid of all the corny crap that held those movies back. I will say that the PG-13 rating concerns me. The cast includes Melissa McCarthy, Gillian Jacobs, Maya Rudolph, and Julie Bowen. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Life of the Party:

• This is the 3rd film for husband/director Ben Falcone and wife/actress Melissa Mccarthy. (2014 Tammy, 2016 The Boss).
• Grammy-winning recording artist Christina Aguilera makes a cameo appearance and sings one of her songs in the movie. 

Breaking In

Director James McTeigue

Genre Thriller

Cast Gabrielle Union, Billy Burke, Richard Cabral, Aijona Alexus

Rating PG-13

Release Date May 11th, 2018

“A woman fights to protect her family during a home invasion.”

From director James McTeigue (V for Vendetta, Ninja Assassin), Breaking In is a thriller about a woman fighting to protect her family during a home invasion. The cast includes Gabrielle Union, Billy Burke, Richard Cabral, and Aijona Alexus. Check out the official trailer below!!

Terminal

Director Vaughn Stein

Genre Drama | Thriller

Cast Margot Robbie, Simon Pegg, Dexter Fletcher, Max Iron

Rating Unrated

Release Date May 11th, 2018 (Limited)

“Two hitmen agree to take on a high-risk mission for a mysterious employer and a large paycheck. Along the way, they encounter a woman who may be more involved in their mission than they had realized.”

Written and directed by Vaughn Stein, Terminal is drama thriller about two hitmen who take on a mission that causes them to cross paths with a woman they believe may have more to do with their mission than they originally thought. The cast includes Margot Robbie, Simon Pegg, Dexter Fletcher, Max Irons, and Mike Myers. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Terminal:

• This will be Mike Myers' first major motion picture in seven years.

Dark Crimes

Director Alexandros Avranas

Genre Crime | Drama | Thriller

Cast Jim Carrey, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Marton Csokas, Kati Outinen

Rating R

Release Date May 11th, 2018

“A murder investigation of a slain business man turns to clues found in an author’s book about an eerily similar crime.”

From director Alexandros Avranas, Dark Crimes is a gritty crime thriller about the murder investigation of a slain businessman that turns to clues found in an author's book about an eerily similar crime. The cast includes Jim Carrey, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Marton Csokas, and Kati Outinen. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Dark Crimes:

• This film is based on the article "True Crimes - A postmodern murder mystery", published by David Grann in The New Yorker on February 11, 2008. The article reports the strange true crime story of Krystian Bala, a writer arrested for the murder of a Polish businessman.
• The film shot for 32 days in Kraków, Poland.

Overboard

Director Bob Fisher, Rob Greenberg

Genre Comedy | Romance

Cast Anna Farris, Eugenio Derbez, Eva Longoria, Swoosie Kurtz

Rating PG-13

Release Date May 4th, 2018

“A spoiled, wealthy yacht owner is thrown overboard and becomes the target of revenge from his mistreated employee. A remake of the 1987 comedy.”

From directors Bob Fisher and Rob Greenberg, their feature-film directorial debut, Overboard is a remake of the 1987 comedy but this time the roles are reversed. The cast includes Anna Farris, Eugenio Derbez, Eva Longoria, and Swoosie Kurtz. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Overboard:

• A remake of the 1987 classic Overboard, starring Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, directed by Gary Marshall.
• In this version of "Overboard" the gender roles are reversed from the original so the "spoiled, rich" character is male and taking advantage of the "lowly character" who is female.

Tully

Director Jason Reitman

Genre Comedy

Cast Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis, Mark Duplass, Ron Livingston

Rating R

Release Date May 4th, 2018

“Marlo, a mother of three, is gifted a night nanny by her brother. Hesitant to the extravagance at first, Marlo comes to form a unique bond with the thoughtful, surprising, and sometimes challenging young nanny named Tully.”

From director Jason Reitman (Juno), Tully is a comedy about a new mother who is gifted an overnight nanny that she forms a unique bond with. I am a big fan of Charlize Theron as an actress and I really enjoyed Juno so I think this could be a great movie. The cast includes Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis, Mark Duplass, and Ron Livingston. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Tully:

• This film reunites director Jason Reitman, writer Diablo Cody and star Charlize Theron, all of whom previously collaborated on Young Adult (2011).

Cobra Kai

Genre Action | Comedy | Drama

Cast Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Tanner Buchanan, Jacob Bertrand

Rating TV-14

Series Premiere May 2nd, 2018 (Now Streaming on Netflix)

“Set thirty years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, the series focuses on Johnny Lawrence reopening the Cobra Kai dojo, which causes his rivalry with Daniel LaRusso to be reignited.”

Karate Kid is making as comeback!! Exclusive to YouTube Red, Cobra Kai is a new series that reunites old rivals Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). The trailer is very promising so naturally fans of the classic film are holding their collective breath. The cast includes Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Tanner Buchanan, and Jacob Bertrand. Check out the official trailer below!!

Bad Samaritan

Director Dean Devlin

Genre Horror | Thriller

Cast David Tennant, Robert Sheehan, Carlito Olivero, Kerry Condon

Rating R

Release Date May 4th, 2018

“A pair of burglars stumble upon a woman being held captive in a home they intended to rob.”

From director Dean Devlin, Bad Samaritan is a horror thriller about a pair of burglars who stumble across a woman being held captive in a home they planned to rob. The cast includes David Tennant, Robert Sheehan, Carlito Olivero, and Kerry Condon. Check out the official trailer below!!

Kings

Director Deniz Gamze Ergüven

Genre Crime | Drama | Romance

Cast Halle Berry, Daniel Craig, Lamar Johnson, Kaalan Walker

Rating R

Release Date April 27th, 2018

“The life of a foster family in South Central Los Angeles, a few weeks before the city erupts in violence following the verdict of the Rodney King trial.”

Written and directed by Deniz Gamze Ergüven (Mustang), Kings is a crime drama about the life of a foster family in South Central Los Angeles, a few weeks before the city erupts in violence because of the Rodney King trial verdict. The cast includes Halle Berry, Daniel Craig, Lamar Johnson, and Kaalan Walker. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Kings:

• Deniz Gamze Ergüven completed this script around 2011, and intended for it to be her feature film debut, however she was unable to get financing for her project. A friend suggested she try a smaller, more intimate film, which became Mustang (2015), an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film. The considerable attention gained from that film allowed her the clout to finally get this film off the ground.

The Handmaid's Tale: Season 2

Genre Drama | Sci-Fi

Cast Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Joseph Fiennes, Max Minghella

Rating Unrated

Series Premiere April 25th, 2018 (Hulu)

“Set in a dystopian future, a woman is forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship.”

If you watched the Golden Globes you are now familiar with the new Hulu series The Handmaid's Tale which is making big waves among critics and viewers. The show is said to have a unique edge and incredible writing that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. The show is exclusive to Hulu's monthly subscription streaming service and will make the first two episodes of the new season available on April 26th with episodes releasing each Wednesday thereafter. The cast includes Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Joseph Fiennes, and Max Minghella. Checkout the official teaser trailers for season 2 below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Handmaid's Tale:

• The actresses have said that the head coverings they wear when they go outside are like blinders, completely cutting off their peripheral vision. The actresses can't see each other unless they're looking directly at each other. They have to act largely based on what they can hear.
• Margaret Atwood, the source novel's author, has said that she was greatly inspired by George Orwell's classic dystopian novel, 1984. Atwood makes a cameo as an aunt in episode 1. She is the one who slaps Offred when she is reluctant to join in the group shaming circle.

Disobedience

Director Sebastián Lelio

Genre Drama | Romance

Cast Rachel McAdams, Rachel Weisz, Alessandro Nivola, Anton Lesser

Rating R

Release Date April 27th, 2018

“A woman returns to the community that shunned her for her attraction to a childhood friend. Once back, their passions reignite as they explore the boundaries of faith and sexuality.”

From director Sebastián Lelio (A Fantastic Woman), Disobedience is a romantic drama based on the Naomi Alderman novel about a woman that returns to the community that once shunned her for her attraction to a childhood friend. The cast includes Rachel McAdams, Rachel Weisz, Alessandro Nivola, and Anton Lesser. Check out the official trailer below!!

Backstabbing for Beginners

Director Per Fly

Genre Drama | History | Thriller

Cast Theo James, Ben Kingsley, Jacqueline Bisset, Rossif Sutherland

Rating R

Release Date April 27th, 2018 (Limited)

“A young program coordinator at the United Nations stumbles upon a conspiracy involving Iraq’s oil reserves.”

Co-written and directed by Denmark native Per Fly, Backstabbing for Beginners is a Drama thriller about a young program coordinator at the United Nations who stumbles upon a conspiracy involving Iraq's oil reserves. The cast includes Theo James, Ben Kingsley, Jacqueline Bisset, and Rossif Sutherland. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Backstabbing for Beginners:

• Josh Hutcherson was set to play the lead role in this film but when director Per Fly informed him they would be shooting in Morocco and Jordan, Hutcherson dropped out because of safety reasons.

The Week Of

Director Robert Smigel

Genre Comedy

Cast Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Steve Buscemi, and Rachel Dratch

Rating Unrated

Release Date April 27th, 2018 (Netflix)

“The parents of a soon-to-be married couple make the final preparations for the wedding ceremony.”

Co-written alongside Adam Sandler and directed by Robert Smigel, The Week Of is a coemdy about the parents of a soon to be married couple as they make the final preparations for the wedding ceremony. The cast includes Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Steve Buscemi, and Rachel Dratch. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Week Of:

• The 4th movie of the Netflix and Adam Sandler contract. Ridiculous Six, The Do Over, Sandy Wexler, and this.
• 1st Actor and Director Collaboration with Adam Sandler and Director Robert Smigel.

The House of Tomorrow

Director Peter Livolsi

Genre Comedy | Drama

Cast Ellen Burstyn, Nick Offerman, Asa Butterfield, Alex Wolff

Rating Unrated

Release Date April 27th, 2018 (Limited)

“A sheltered, socially-awkward teen becomes friends with a green-haired heart transplant patient who introduces him to punk rock.”

From director Peter Livolsi, The House of Tomorrow is based on the novel by author Peter Bognanni, about a sheltered and socially awkward teen who becomes friends with a green haired heart transplant patient who introduces him to punk rock. The cast includes Ellen Burstyn, Nick Offerman, Asa Butterfield, and Alex Wolff. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The House of Tomorrow:

• Ellen Burstyn owned the footage of her and Buckminster Fuller together in the car, that is seen in the film. When the director wanted to cast Burstyn, he had no idea they had met in real life.
• Asa Butterfield shaved his head just for this movie. 

I Feel Pretty

Director Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein

Genre Comedy

Cast Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams, Busy Phillips, Emily Ratajkowski

Rating PG-13

Release Date April 20th, 2018

“A head injury causes a woman to develop an extraordinary amount of confidence and believes she’s drop-dead gorgeous.”

Written and directed by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein (Never Been Kissed, The Vow, How to Be Single),  I Feel Pretty is a comedy about a woman who suffers a significant head injury which causes her to develop an excessive sense of overconfidence when it comes to her looks. The cast includes Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams, Busy Phillips, and Emily Ratajkowski. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, I Feel Pretty:

• When filming, Amy Schumer would have her dog on set with her while she was in between filming scenes.

Super Troopers 2

Director Jay Chandrasekhar

Genre Comedy | Crime | Mystery

Cast Brian Cox, Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme

Rating R

Release Date April 20th, 2018

“When a border dispute arises between the U.S. and Canada, the Super Troopers are tasked with establishing a Highway Patrol station in the disputed area.”

Co-written and directed by Jay Chandrasekhar (Super Troopers, Dukes of Hazzard, Beer Fest), who also stars in both films, Super Troopers 2 is the follow-up to the 2001 film that quickly became a cult classic. Super Troopers embraces the goofy over the top mentality and it works. The cast includes Brian Cox, Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, and Steve Lemme. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Super Troopers 2:

• On March 24th, 2015 Broken Lizard launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise $2 Million to produce the film. Just over 24 hours later they had already surpassed their goal and the movie was greenlit.
• Parts of the movie were filmed in and around the Quabbin Resevoir State Park in Massachusetts under the title "Almond Benefits 2".