Insidious: The Last Key

Director Adam Robitel

Genre Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Cast Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Kirk Acevedo

Rating PG-13

Release Date January 5th, 2018

“Parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier faces her most fearsome and personal haunting yet - in her own family home.”

From director Adam Robitel (The Taking of Deborah Logan), Insidious: Chapter 4 is the origin story for recurring character Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye), and is set years prior to the previous films. The Insidious franchise has been very up and down in terms of critic and viewer feedback, and while the 3rd film wasn't great by any stretch, it was still creepy and a solid horror film overall, at least in my opinion anyway. I'm not sure how much life is left in this franchise but I am looking forward to finding out nonetheless. The cast includes Lin Shaye, Tessa Ferrer, Javier Botet, and Josh Stewart. Check out the exclusive new trailer below!!

Day of the Dead: Bloodline

Director Hèctor Hernández Vicens

Genre Horror

Cast Sophie Skelton, Johnathon Schaech, Jeff Gum, Marcus Vanco

Rating R

Release Date January 5th, 2018

“A small group of military personnel and survivalists dwell in an underground bunker as they seek to find a cure in a world overrun by zombies.”

From director Hèctor Hernández Vicens, Day of the Dead: Bloodline is a zombie horror thriller constructed as a re imagining of the George A. Romero classic from 1985. After watching the trailer I am a little bit on the fence, this could either be a solid zombie horror flick or a complete flop. It all comes down to how corny it is, I guess we will know soon enough. The cast includes Sophie Skelton, Johnathon Schaech, Jeff Gum, and Marcus Vanco. Check out the newly released unrated trailer below!!

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Director Rian Johnson

Genre Action | Adventure | Fantasy

Cast Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Laura Dern

Rating PG-13

Release Date December 15th, 2017

“Having taken her first steps into the Jedi world in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Rey joins Luke Skywalker on an adventure with Leia, Finn, and Poe that unlocks more mysteries of the Force and secrets of the past.”

From director Rian Johnson (The Brothers Bloom, Looper), Star Wars: The Last Jedi is an extension of The Force Awakens and promises more of what fans have come to love! The cast includes Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, and Laura Dern. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Star Wars: The Last Jedi:

• Benicio Del Toro was announced to be playing a villain in the film. He was previously cast as Darth Maul, the primary antagonist of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace(1999), but dropped out after George Lucas removed most of Maul's lines from the script.
• It was confirmed that none of Carrie Fisher's scenes in the movie are cut out. Fisher passed away tragically in 2016. It has also been rumored that the film will honor her memory with a post-credit scene, if so it will be the first ever post-credit scene in a Star Wars film.

Ferdinand

Director Carlos Saldanha

Genre Animation | Adventure | Comedy

Cast Kate McKinnon, Daveed Diggs, Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Bobby Cannavale

Rating G

Release Date December 15th, 2017

“After Ferdinand, a bull with a big heart, is mistaken for a dangerous beast, he is captured and torn from his home. Determined to return to his family, he rallies a misfit team on the ultimate adventure.”

From director Carlos Saldanha (Ice Age, Rio), Ferdinand is an animated adventure comedy based on the book by Munro Leaf. The cast of voice actors includes Kate McKinnon, Daveed Diggs, Miguel Ángel Silvestre, and Bobby Cannavale. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Ferdinand:

• A short show about Ferdinand is shown on TV every Christmas Eve in Sweden. It's a very popular and known tradition in most homes.
• This marks the 4th animated film John Cena has been involved after Scooby-Doo Wrestlemania Mystery (2014), The Flintstones and WWE Stone Age Smackdown (2015), and Surf's Up 2 Wavemania (2017).
• Originally intended to release in July 2017, then it was pushed back to December 20th the same year, then it was pushed forward to December 15th, releasing the same day as Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).

Check out the exclusive new trailer #2 below!!

Jean-Claude Van Johnson

Genre Comedy

Cast Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kat Foster, Moises Arias, Phylicia Rashad

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere December 15th, 2017 (Amazon Prime)

“Jean-Claude Van Damme is operating under the simple alias of “Johnson” as the world’s best undercover private contractor. Retired for years, a chance encounter with a lost love brings him back to the game. This time, he’ll be deadlier than ever. Probably.”

“What if I told you that Jean-Claude Van Damme - yes, THAT Jean-Claude Van Damme - was, in fact, a secret agent? That his entire film career was built solely as a front for his black ops? Would you believe me? No? Well then that’s egg on your face because that’s what this show is about.”

— Amazon.com

Now this show intrigues me, I grew up watching Jean-Claude Van Damme asserting his dominance in movies like Bloodsport, Kickboxer, Double Impact, Universal Soldier, and the list just goes on and on. He was THE action star of the late 80s and early 90s. But perhaps this was all a cover-up to protect his real Black Ops identity?! Man that would be cool! The new series will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime on December 15th, 2017. Until then, check out the exclusive trailer below! You're welcome.

Wormwood

Genre Documentary | Biography

Cast Jack Michael Doke, Callie La Personerie, Jack O'Connell

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere December 15th, 2017 (Netflix)

“This six-part series explores the limits of our knowledge about the past and the lengths we’ll go in our search for the truth. A family story of one man’s sixty-year quest to identify the circumstances of his father’s mysterious death. A quest which brings him face-to-face with some of the darkest secrets of the United States.”

From Academy-Award winning director Errol Morris, Wormwood is a documentary drama based on the story of one man's sixty year quest to identify the circumstances of his father's mysterious death. The cast for the 6-part mini-series includes Jack Michael Doke, Callie La Personerie, and Jack O'Connell. Check out the official trailer below!!

All the Money in the World

Director Ridley Scott

Genre Crime | History | Mystery

Cast Michelle Williams, Mark Wahlberg, Charlie Plummer, Timothy Hutton

Rating R

Release Date December 25th, 2017

“A left-wing paramilitary organization in Italy hatches a massive kidnapping plot in the 1970s.”

From talented director Ridley Scott, the man who brought us Black Hawk Down, American Gangster, and The Martian, just to name a few, All the Money in the World is a historical crime thriller based on the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III that shocked the world during the 1970s. The cast includes Michelle Williams, Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Spacey, and Timothy Hutton. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, All the Money in the World:

• When the project was in development Angelina Jolie was offered the lead female role of Gail Harris, the mother of John Paul Getty III, but declined. When the project was officially announced, Natalie Portman had been offered the Gail Harris role. However, she had to decline as she was giving birth to her second baby. Michelle Williams was finally cast.
• Filming started on Mark Wahlberg's birthday, June 5th.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Director Jake Kasdan

Genre Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Cast Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan

Rating PG-13

Release Date December 20th, 2017

“Four teenagers discover an old video game console and are literally drawn into the game’s jungle setting becoming the adult avatars they choose.”

From director Jake Kasdan (New Girl, Sex Tape), Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is the first Jumanji film since the 1995 version starring the late Robin Williams (RIP). This new version has some people fired up about the non-stop remake/sequel push from Hollywood, but a talented cast and a fun premise could and hopefully will provide a fun adventure comedy fit for all ages. The cast includes Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan. Check out the official trailers below!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle:

• In August 2016, Dwayne Johnson confirmed that the film will not be a reboot or a remake, but a sequel to the original film and a tribute to Robin Williams. 
• Due to scheduling conflicts, Spider-Man actor Tom Holland had to drop out of the film. Nick Jonas was recast in the role.
• The film was shot on location in Hawaii.

The official trailer #2 is finally here, check it out below!!

The Greatest Showman

Director Michael Gracey

Genre Biography | Drama | Musical

Cast Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Rebecca Ferguson, Michelle Williams

Rating PG

Release Date December 25th, 2017

“Inspired by the imagination of P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.”

The directorial debut for Michael Gracey, The Greatest Showman is a musical drama highlighting the birth of show business as it is inspired by P.T, Barnum (Barnum & Bailey circus). The cast includes Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Rebecca Ferguson, and Michelle Williams. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, The Greatest Showman:

• In January 2017, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus, the circus founded by P.T. Barnum, announced they would be closing their doors forever, due to decreased attendance and protests by animal rights activists. Their last shows are scheduled for May 2017.
• This has been a dream project for Hugh Jackman since 2009.
• It was reported that Jackman actually saved Zac Efron from a fire on set.

Pitch Perfect 3

Director Trish Sie

Genre Comedy | Music

Cast Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp

Rating PG-13

Release Date December 22nd, 2017

“Following their win at the world championship, the now separated Bellas reunite for one last singing competition at an overseas USO tour, but face a group who uses both instruments and voices.”

From director Trish Sie, Pitch Perfect 3 is the 3rd film in the extremely popular film series about the never boring acapella group The Bellas. The cast includes Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Ruby Rose, and Hailee Steinfeld. Check out the newly released official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Pitch Perfect 3:

• The film was officially green lit on June 15th, 2015 due to the huge success of its predecessor which was only released exactly 1 month prior.
• Elizabeth Banks was previously attached to direct but dropped out.

Bright

Director David Ayer

Genre Action | Crime | Fantasy

Cast Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace, Kenneth Choi

Rating Unrated

Release Date December 22nd, 2017 (Netflix)

“Set in a world where mystical creatures live side by side with humans. A human cop is forced to work with an Orc to find a weapon everyone is prepared to kill for.”

From director David Ayer (Suicide Squad, End of Watch), Bright is a action crime flick with a Men In Black meets Suicide Squad feel to it, and I am referring to more similarities than just the Will Smith aspect. The film was written by Max Landis, who penned the scripts for Chronicle, Mr. Right, and Victor Frenkenstein. I heard about this Netflix exclusive quite awhile ago, and now that I have seen the trailer, I am definitely looking forward to checking it out. This looks like fun!! The cast includes Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace, and Kenneth Choi. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Bright:

• Given a budget of $90,000,000, Bright is the most expensive Netflix movie to date.
• Max Landis, who sold the script for Bright for $3,500,000, claims to have written it specifically for director David Ayer, and even claimed to turn down another offer worth an additional $1 million because he wanted Ayer to direct.
• Second collaboration between Will Smith, Ike Barinholtz and David Ayer, after Suicide Squad (2016).

Downsizing

Director Alexander Payne

Genre Comedy | Drama | Sci-Fi

Cast Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Christoph Waltz

Rating R

Release Date December 22nd, 2017

“A social satire in which a guy realizes he would have a better life if he were to shrink himself.”

Co-written and directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways, The Descendants, Nebraska), Downsizing is a social satire about a man that decides he would have a better life if he were to shrink himself. Payne has had a great deal of success in film and I fully expect it to continue here, especially considering the cast. The cast includes Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Brigette Lundy-Paine, and Christoph Waltz. Check out the exclusive trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Downsizing:

• Filmed at Alexander Payne's high school Alma-Mater, Creighton Prep in Omaha, Nebraska.
• This is the first film, since Citizen Ruth, that Alexander Payne has written that is not based on a book.

Father Figures

Director Lawrence Sher

Genre Comedy

Cast Owen Wilson, Ed Helms, J.K. Simmons, Ryan Cartwright

Rating R

Release Date December 22nd, 2017

“Upon learning that their mother has been lying to them for years about their allegedly deceased father, two fraternal twin brothers hit the road in order to find him.”

The directorial debut for Lawrence Sher, Father Figures is an outrageous R-rated comedy starring Owen Wilson, Ed Helms, J.K. Simmons, and Ryan Cartwright. The script was written by Justin Malen who previously penned the script for Office Christmas Party. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Father Figures:

• The film was originally titled Bastards and was supposed to release on January 27, 2017. The title was changed to Father Figures and the release was pushed back to December 22, 2017.
• Some scenes were filmed at author Emily Giffin's home in Atlanta, GA

Just Getting Started

Director Ron Shelton

Genre Action | Comedy

Cast Tommy Lee Jones, Morgan Freeman, Rene Russo, Glenne Headly

Rating PG-13

Release Date December 8th, 2017

“An ex-FBI agent and an ex-mob lawyer in the witness protection program must put aside their petty rivalry on the golf course to fend off a mob hit.”

Written and directed by Ron Shelton (White Men Can't Jump, Play It to the Bone, Tin Cup), Just Getting Started is the story of two golf rivals who happen to be an ex FBI agent and a ex-mob lawyer in the Witness Protection Program, who find themselves having to team up to fend off a mob hit. The stellar cast includes Tommy Lee Jones, Morgan Freeman, Rene Russo, and Glenne Headly. Check out the exclusive trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Just Getting Started:

• Tommy Lee Jones and Joe Pantoliano starred together in The Fugitive (1993) and its sequel, U.S. Marshals (1998).
• Final film role of Glenne Headly, who died on June 8, 2017. Headly, who died from Pulmonary Embolism Complications at the age of 62, may not have been a household name but she was widely known for her role in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Dick Tracy, and Mr. Holland's Opus. She also played a role in HBO's hit show The Night Of. She began her acting career in 1972 and received a total of 72 acting credits according to her IMDb page. You may not recognize her name but my guess is you will recognize that infectious smile of hers. RIP.

The Disaster Artist

Director James Franco

Genre Comedy | Drama | History

Cast James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Alison Brie

Rating R

Release Date December 8th, 2017 (Limited)

“A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Tommy Wiseau’s The Room (2003).”

Directed by veteran actor James Franco, The Disaster Artist is a cult classic in the making, based on the behind the scenes madness that took place during the filming of Tommy Wiseau's The Room (2003). The talented cast includes James Franco, Alison Brie, Zoey Deutch, Lizzy Caplan, Zac Efron, Bryan Cranston, and Dave Franco. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Disaster Artist:

• Greg Sestero stated that when he was writing the book, Tommy Wiseau said that only two actors could play him in the adaptation: James Franco or Johnny Depp.
• Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero gave their approval to the casting of Dave Franco as Greg Sestero.
• James Franco described the script as "a cross between Boogie Nights (1997) and The Master (2012)".

I, Tonya

Director Craig Gillespie

Genre Biography | Drama | Sport

Cast Margot Robbie, Bobby Cannavale, Sebastian Stan, McKenna Grace

Rating R

Release Date December 8th, 2017 (Limited)

“Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding rises among the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the sport is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes.”

From director Craig Gillespie (Fright Night, The Finest Hours), I, Tonya tells the story of Tonya Harding and her rise and fall among the ranks of U.S. figure skating. I was 10-years old when the "Nancy Kerrigan attack" happened so aside from a few basic details of the incident I was never given the full story and after watching the trailers for this movie I am excited to learn more about it! Plus I LOVE Margot Robbie and can't wait to see her portrayal of Tonya Harding. The cast includes Margot Robbie, Bobby Cannavale, Sebastian Stan, and McKenna Grace. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, I, Tonya:

• Steven Rogers' script was featured on the 2016 Black List of the most-liked scripts of the year.
• Although a member of an amateur ice hockey league, Margot Robbie didn't have that much skating experience before taking on the role of Tonya Harding.
• Premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.

El Camino Christmas

Director David E. Talbert

Genre Comedy

Cast Luke Grimes, Vincent D'Onofrio, Dax Shepard, Kurtwood Smith

Rating Unrated

Release Date December 8th, 2017 (Netflix)

“A young man seeks out his father who he has never met and ends up barricaded in a liquor store with five other people on Christmas Eve”

From director David E. Talbert (First Sunday, Baggage Claim, Almost Christmas), El Camino Christmas is a dark comedy about a young man who seeks out the father he has never met and ends up barricaded inside a liquor store with five strangers on Christmas Eve. I really like the cast so I am looking forward to checking this one out when it hits Netflix in a few weeks. The impressive cast includes Luke Grimes, Vincent D'Onofrio, Dax Shepard, Kurtwood Smith, Michelle Mylett, Jessica Alba, and Tim Allen. Check out the official trailer below!! 

Ted Takes Fun Facts, El Camino Christmas:

• Co-writer Theodore Melfi is the Oscar-nominated writer for Hidden Figures, which was also nominated for Best Picture this year.
• Melfi bought the script from co-writer Christopher Wehner 10 years ago and with the help of Netflix they were finally able to get the project off the ground.

Happy!

Genre Comedy | Crime | Fantasy

Cast Christopher Meloni, Patton Oswalt

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere December 6th, 2017 10:00 PM EST (SyFy)

“An injured hitman befriends a perky blue horse.”

“Based on the graphic novel of the same name, Nick Sax is a corrupt, intoxicated, ex-cop turned hit man who is adrift in a twilight world of casual murder, soulless sex, and betrayal. After a hit goes wrong, Nick finds a bullet in his side, the cops and the mob on his tail, and a monstrous killer on the loose. But his world is about to be changed forever by a tiny, imaginary, blue-winged horse with a relentlessly positive attitude named Happy. On their journey, they must contend with a laundry list of enemies including angry mobsters, ex-mistresses, ex-wives, and one very bad Santa.”

Check out the official trailer for the new show Happy! below!!

Wonder Wheel

Director Woody Allen

Genre Drama

Cast Jim Belushi Juno Temple, Justin Timberlake, Kate Winslet

Rating PG-13

Release Date December 1st, 2017 (Limited)

“On Coney Island in the 1950s, a lifeguard tells the story of a middle-aged carousel operator and his beleaguered wife.”

Written and directed by the multi-talented and controversial Woody Allen (Irrational Man, Café Society), Wonder Wheel is a drama set in the 1950s about a middle-aged carousel operator and his extremely difficult wife. The cast includes Jim Belushi Juno Temple, Justin Timberlake, and Kate Winslet. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Wonder Wheel:

• First collaboration between Kate Winslet and Woody Allen; they were previously set to work together on Match Point (2005) before Winslet dropped out.
• The film is scheduled for release on December 1, 2017, Woody Allen's 82nd birthday.
• One of four films released in 2017 with the word 'wonder' in its title, the others being Wonder, Wonder Woman, and Wonderstruck

The Tribes of Palos Verdes

Director Brendan Malloy, Emmett Malloy

Genre Drama

Cast Maika Monroe, Cody Fern, Jennifer Garner, Justin Kirk

Rating R

Release Date December 1st, 2017 (Limited)

“When the situation at her idyllic Palos Verdes home turns volatile, young Medina attempts to surf her way to happiness.”

From directors Brendan and Emmett Malloy (Out Cold), The Tribes of Palos Verdes is a drama about a young woman who turns to surfing to try and escape a home life that took a turn for the worst. The cast includes Maika Monroe, Cody Fern, Jennifer Garner, and Justin Kirk. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Tribes of Palos Verdes:

• Tye Sheridan was cast in the lead role but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.