Midnight Sun

Director Scott Speer

Genre Drama | Romance

Cast Bella Thorne, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Rob Riggle, Quinn Shephard

Rating PG-13

Release Date March 23rd, 2018

“17-year-old girl Katie has been sheltered since childhood and confined to her house during the day by a rare disease that makes even the smallest amount of sunlight deadly. Fate intervenes when she meets Charlie and they embark on a summer romance.”

From director Scott Speer, Midnight Sun is a drama romance based on the Japanese film of the same name that released in 2006. The film is about a 17-year old girl who has been sheltered and confined to her home basically her entire life due to a rare disease that makes even the slightest exposure to sunlight life-threatening. Her life changes when she meets Charlie and the two develop a special relationship that refuses to be held back by her disease. The cast includes Bella Thorne, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Rob Riggle, and Quinn Shephard. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Midnight Sun:

• Patrick Schwarzenegger is elder son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver. A member of the Kennedy family, Schwarzenegger is also the grand nephew of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
• This is also Patrick Schwarzenegger's first lead role in a major film project.

Trust: The Getty Family Saga

Genre Crime | Drama

Cast Donald Suthlerland, Hilary Swank, Brendan Fraser, Harris Dickinson

Rating Unrated

Series Premiere Sunday, March 25th, 2018 (FX)

“Rome, 1973. John Paul Getty III, the heir and younger member of an oil tycoons’ saga, is kidnapped by the Italian mafia in order to get a ransom. Quite surprisingly, for some undisclosed reason, his family seems not interested at all in having him back.”

In 2017 All the Money in the World hit theaters telling the story of a high-profile kidnapping involving the grandson of one of the richest men in the world, oil tycoon John Paul Getty. Now FX has put together a series chronicling the events and it looks to be pretty damn good. The cast includes Donald Suthlerland, Hilary Swank, Brendan FraserHarris Dickinson, and Michael Esper. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Trust:

• Coincidentally, this went into production at the same time as Ridley Scott's All the Money in the World (2017).
• The English estate where J. Paul Getty spent the end of his life, Sutton Place, had been previously occupied by the Duke of Sutherland.

Paul, Apostle of Christ

Director Andrew Hyatt

Genre Drama

Cast James Faulkner, Jim Caviezel, Joanne Whalley, John Lynch

Rating PG-13

Release Date March 23rd, 2018 (Limited)

“The story covers Paul, portrayed by Faulkner, going from the most infamous persecutor of Christians to Jesus Christ’s most influential apostle.”

Written and directed by Andrew Hyatt, Paul, Apostle of Christ is a drama about Paul's journey going from the most infamous persecutor of Christians to Jesus Christ's most influential apostle. The cast includes James Faulkner, Jim Caviezel, Joanne Whalley, and John Lynch. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Paul, Apostle of Christ:

• This film is the second time Jim Caviezel performs as a Biblical person. The first time was in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ (2004) where he performed as Jesus of Nazareth.
• Paul of Taron, Paul the apostle and Saul of Tarsus are one man.

I Kill Giants

Director Anders Walter

Genre Drama | Fantasy | Thriller

Cast Zoe Saldana, Imogen Poots, Jennifer Ehle, Noel Clarke

Rating Unrated

Release Date March 23rd, 2018

“Barbara Thorson struggles through life by escaping into a fantasy life of magic and monsters.”

The feature film directorial debut for Anders Walter, I Kill Giants is a fantasy drama about a girl who escapes into a fantasy world of magics and monsters to deal with real-life struggles. The cast includes Zoe Saldana, Imogen Poots, Jennifer Ehle, and Noel Clarke. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, I Kill Giants:

• This will be Zoe Saldana's third appearance in a comic book adaptation following The Losers (2010) and Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).
• Adapted from Image Comics 2008 graphic novel series under the same name, by writer Joe Kelly and artist J. M. Ken Niimura.

Silicon Valley: Season 5

Genre Comedy

Cast Thomas Middleditch, Kumail Nanjiani, Martin Starr, Josh Brener

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere Sunday March 25th, 2018 10:00PM EST (HBO)

“Follows the struggle of Richard Hendricks, a silicon valley engineer trying to build his own company called Pied Piper.”

Season 5 of HBO's Silicon Valley finally has a trailer and a release date! I absolutely love this show, and although I am sad to see T.J. Miller leave, I think they have enough of a quality core cast left to keep things rolling along. The writing is fantastic and the show has so many great characters and personalities. Full disclosure, I have rewatched quite a few episodes and they never get old. The cast includes Thomas Middleditch, Kumail Nanjiani, Martin Starr, and Josh Brener. Check out the newly released teaser trailer below! 

Ted Takes Fun Facts, HBO's Silicon Valley:

• Much of the main cast were friends or friendly in real life because they knew each other from the stand-up comedy world. Thomas Middleditch, T.J. Miller, Kumail Nanjiani, and Josh Brener are all seasoned stand-up comedians.
• Kumail Najiani (Dinesh) is from Pakistan and one of his college majors was in Computer Science.
• During the opening credits, you can see how the Facebook signal "eats" the Whatsapp and Oculus signal, referring to their purchase by Facebook.

Tomb Raider

Director Roar Uthaug

Genre Action | Adventure

Cast Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu

Rating PG-13

Release Date March 16th, 2018

“Lara Croft, the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father disappeared.”

From Norwegian director Roar Uthaug (Escape, The Wave), Tomb Raider is the latest film adaptation of the extremely popular action adventure videogame. Tomb Raider was always one of my favorite games growing up, and I would be lying if I didn't admit that the sexy main character contributed significantly to the appeal. The videogame version is still alive and well with a new game having come out recently. The most first actress to step into the role on the big-screen was Angelina Jolie, and she did pretty well as far as fans were concerned (just don't ask the critics), but now it's Alicia Vikander's chance. Vikander fits the role well if I say so myself and this trailer has me pumped up! I look forward to her version of the beautiful Lara Croft. The cast includes Alicia Vikander, Walton Goggins, Hannah John-Kamen, and Dominic West. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Tomb Raider:

• The film's plot will be based off the 2013 reboot of the video game series.
• Alicia Vikander was actually a fan of the video game series growing up.
• Alicia Vikander will not only be the second actress to portray Lara Croft in a movie, but also the second Oscar winning actress to do so after Angelina Jolie.

Love, Simon

Director Greg Berlanti

Genre Drama

Cast Nick Robinson, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel, Talitha Eliana Bateman

Rating PG-13

Release Date March 16th, 2018

“Everyone deserves a great love story. But for Simon it’s complicated: no-one knows he’s gay and he doesn’t know who the anonymous classmate is that he’s fallen for online. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, scary and life-changing.”

From director Greg Berlanti (Life as We Know It), Love, Simon is a coming-of-age drama about a young man who is struggling with his sexual identity. It is based on the novel from Becky Albertalli. The cast includes Nick Robinson, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel, and Talitha Eliana Bateman. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Love, Simon:

• Although the movie is titled 'Love, Simon' it is actually an adaptation of the book 'Simon vs The Homosapiens Agenda'. The movie originally had the same name as the book, but it was too long to say, hence the name change.
• Temple Hill Entertainment will be producing the movie, known for adapting novels such as 'The Fault in Our Stars' and 'The Maze Runner'.

7 Days in Entebbe

Director José Padilha

Genre Crime | Drama | Thriller

Cast Rosamund Pike, Daniel Brühl, Nonso Anozie, Eddie Marsan

Rating PG-13

Release Date March 16th, 2018

“Inspired by the true events of the 1976 hijacking of an Air France flight en route from Tel Aviv to Paris, and the most daring rescue mission ever attempted.”

From director José Padilha, who previously directed RoboCop (2014), 7 Days in Entebbe is based on what most known as the "Raid on Entebbe" in which a daring rescue mission is attempted after a plane is hijacked. With a solid cast and an intriguing trailer I think this will be pretty good. The cast includes Rosamund Pike, Daniel Brühl, Nonso Anozie, and Eddie Marsan. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, 7 Days in Entebbe:

• StudioCanal optioned the rights to "Operation Thunderbolt: Flight 139 and the Raid on Entebbe Airport, the Most Audacious Hostage Rescue Mission in History" (published December 1, 2015), by Saul David. The book contains information that had previously not been available for books written about "Operation Thunderbolt", due to classification and security reasons.
• A lot of the film was shot in Luqa, Malta, at the International airport. A day after filming wrapped In Malta, a real hijacked Libyan airplane landed very close to where the set was. The hijackers used replica hand grenades and pistols.

Josie

Director Eric England

Genre Drama | Thriller

Cast Sophie Turner, Dylan McDermott, Kurt Filler, Daeg Faerch

Rating Unrated

Release Date March 16th, 2018

“Hank, a solitary man living a dull existence in the sleepy, Southern town raises eyebrows when he develops a questionable relationship with Josie, a recently transplanted high school student.”

From director Eric England, Josie is a drama thriller about a man that develops an inappropriate relationship with a high school student in a sleepy Southern town. The cast includes Sophie Turner, Dylan McDermott, Kurt Filler, and Daeg Faerch. Check out the official trailer below!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Josie:

• Both Anya Taylor-Joy and Shea Whigham were set as the leads before dropping out. They were replaced by Sophie Turner and Dylan McDermott.
• The script was featured on the 2014 Blacklist, a list of the most liked scripts of the year.

Benji

Director Brandon Camp

Genre Family

Cast Gabriel Bateman, Darby Camp, Jerod Haynes, Angus Sampson

Rating Unrated

Release Date March 16th, 2018 (Netflix)

“A dog named Benji comes to the rescue and helps heal a broken family when a boy and his sister stumble into serious danger.”

Written and directed by Brandon Camp (Love Happens, Dragonfly), Benji is the return of everyone's favorite puppy, complete with a new adventure!! The cast includes Gabriel Bateman, Darby Camp, Jerod Haynes, and Angus Sampson. Check out the official trailer below!!

Demon House

Director Zak Bagans

Genre Documentary | Horror

Cast Zak Bagans, Jay Wasley, Billy Tolley

Rating Unrated

Release Date March 16th, 2018 (Limited)

“Paranormal investigator Zak Bagans documents the most authenticated case of possession in American history.”

Written and directed by paranormal investigator and host of Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures Zak Bagans, Demon House is a documentary that takes viewers inside the Gary, Indiana paranormal hotspot, aptly named "the house of 200 demons". Bagans writes, directs, and hosts the documentary. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Demon House:

• Paranormal investigator Zak Bagans purchased the home at 3860 Carolina Street to film the documentary, and had the home demolished in 2016.
• Gary, Indiana, where the home was located, was once considered the murder capitol of the U.S.

A Wrinkle in Time

Director Ava DuVernay

Genre Fantasy

Cast Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Storm Reid

Rating PG

Release Date March 9th, 2018

“After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, and her friend to space in order to find him.”

From director Ava DuVernay (Selma, 13th), A Wrinkle in Time is a fantasy adventure about the search of a scientist father who seemingly disappeared in space.  The cast includes Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Storm Reid, Zach Galifianakis, and Chris Pine, Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, A Wrinkle in Time:

• The second collaboration between Oprah Winfrey, Andre Holland, and director Ava DuVernay following Selma (2014).
• This is the first major motion picture adaptation of the classic novel written by Madeleine L'Engle since the 2003 television film adaptation, 15 years prior.

The Strangers: Prey at Night

Director Johannes Roberts

Genre Horror

Cast Christina Hendricks, Bailey Madison, Martin Henderson, Emma Bellomy

Rating R

Release Date March 9th, 2018

“A family staying in a secluded mobile home park for the night are visited by three masked psychopaths, to test their every limit.”

From director Johannes Roberts (The Other Side of the Door, 47 Meters Down), Strangers: Prey at Night is the sequel to the hit horror thriller The Strangers (2008). The cast includes Christina Hendricks, Bailey Madison, Martin Henderson, and Emma Bellomy. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Strangers: Prey at Night:

• Originally announced in 2009 and it was originally titled The Strangers 2.
• Johannes Roberts, the director of The Strangers: Prey at Night also directed the shark attack thriller 47 Meters Down which went on to become 2017's highest grossing indie film. 

Gringo

Director Nash Edgerton

Genre Action | Comedy | Drama

Cast David Oyelowo, Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton, Amanda Seyfried

Rating R

Release Date March 9th, 2018

“A dark comedy mixed with white-knuckle action and dramatic intrigue about the battle of survival for businessman Harold Soyinka when he finds himself crossing the line from law-abiding citizen to wanted criminal.”

The feature film directorial debut for Nash Edgerton (Joel Edgerton's brother), Gringo is an action comedy about a straight laced corporate guy who finds himself mixed up with the Cartel and in a heap of trouble. The cast is full of talent and the trailer has me thinking this movie will be a TON of fun. The cast includes David Oyelowo, Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton, and Amanda Seyfried. Check out the official unrated trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Gringo:

• Charlize Theron and Sharlto Copley are both from South Africa.

Thoroughbreds

Director Cory Finley

Genre Drama | Thriller

Cast Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Anton Yelchin, Paul Sparks

Rating R

Release Date March 9th, 2018 (Limited)

“Two upper-class teenage girls in suburban Connecticut rekindle their unlikely friendship after years of growing apart. Together, they hatch a plan to solve both of their problems-no matter what the cost.”

Written and directed by Cory Finley. Thoroughbreds is a drama thriller about two upper-class teenage girls who decide to take matters into their own hands in an effort to solve all of their problems. The cast includes Anya Taylor-Joy, Olivia Cooke, Anton Yelchin, and Paul Sparks. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Thoroughbreds:

• This was Anton Yelchin's final film before his tragic and accidental death on June 19, 2016 at the age of 27.

Jessica Jones: Season 2

Genre Action | Crime | Drama

Cast Krysten Ritter, Rachael Taylor, Eka Darville, David Tennant

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere March 8th, 2018 (Netflix)

“Following the tragic end of her brief superhero career, Jessica Jones tries to rebuild her life as a private investigator, dealing with cases involving people with remarkable abilities in New York City.”

The Netflix exclusive Marvel series Jessica Jones is set to return for it's second season, and fans can't wait. The dark and suspenseful first season was praised by critics who expect much of the same in the upcoming new season. Lead Krysten Ritter has taken complete ownership over this character and we all look forward to what Season 2 has in store! The series cast includes Krysten Ritter, Rachael Taylor, Eka Darville, and David Tennant. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Marvel's Jessica Jones:

• Krysten Ritter put on 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of muscle for her role and trained for two months before filming began.
• Jessica's superhero costume is seen in a flashback. In the Alias Comics, Jessica Jones' superhero name was Jewel and she had purple hair.

The Leisure Seeker

Director Paolo Virzì

Genre Adventure | Comedy | Drama

Cast Donald Sutherland, Helen Mirren, Kirsty Mitchell, Janel Moloney

Rating R

Release Date March 9th, 2018 (Limited)

“A runaway couple go on an unforgettable journey in the faithful old RV they call The Leisure Seeker.”

From director Paolo Virzì, The Leisure Seeker is a comedy drama about an older couple that decide to run off and have an adventure in their R.V. they call the Leisure Seeker. The cast includes Donald Sutherland, Helen Mirren, Kirsty Mitchell, and Janel Moloney. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Leisure Seeker:

• Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren previously appeared in Bethune: The Making of a Hero (1990).

The Death of Stalin

Director Armando Iannucci

Genre Comedy

Cast Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine, Ruper Friend

Rating R

Release Date March 9th, 2018 (Limited)

“Follows the Soviet dictator’s last days and depicts the chaos of the regime after his death.”

Co-written and directed by Armando Iannucci (In the Loop, Veep), The Death of Stalin is a unique comedy based on a French graphic novel that follows the Soviet dictator's last days and the hilarious chaos of the regime following his death. The cast includes Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine, and Ruper Friend. Check out the official UNRATED trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Death of Stalin:

• In September 2017, a high ranking official in the Russian Ministry of Culture announced that the Russian authorities were considering putting a ban on the film in their country.
• Director Armando Iannucci insisted on not having the characters speak with Russian accents, for two reasons: he thought it would take audiences out of the film, and he didn't want the actors to worry about their accent when improvising. In an interview on BBC Radio 5 for the film's UK release Iannucci stated that Russian journalists who had seen it praised the decision.

The Hurricane Heist

Director Rob Cohen

Genre Action | Thriller

Cast Toby Kebbell, Maggie Grace, Ryan Kwanten, Ralph Ineson

Rating PG-13

Release Date March 9th, 2018

“Thieves attempt a massive heist against the U.S. Treasury as a Category 5 hurricane approaches one of its Mint facilities.”

From director Rob Cohen, the man who brought us action thrillers The Fast and the Furious and xXx, The Hurricane Heist is yet another over-the-top action thriller about a group of thieves who attempt a daring heist of a U.S. Treasury Mint facility during a Category 5 hurricane. The cast includes Toby Kebbell, Maggie Grace, Ryan Kwanten, and Ralph Ineson. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Hurricane Heist:

• Award winning novel "Storm Crashers" by Richard Wickliffe was optioned by one of the "big-six" studios, after his unique concept of a high-tech heist during a hurricane was shopped all over Los Angeles. This movie and at least two other similar projects were planned shortly thereafter.

The Lodgers

Director Brian O'Malley

Genre Drama | Horror | Romance

Cast Charlotte Vega, David Bradley, Bill Milner, Eugene Simon

Rating R

Release Date February 23rd, 2018 (Limited & On-Demand)

“Twins Rachel and Edward share a strange existence. Imprisoned in their crumbling family estate by a sinister presence, they are forbidden from leaving or allowing outsiders within the grounds.”

From director Brian O'Malley (Let Us Prey), The Lodgers is a Gothic style horror described as more of a atmospheric drama than a traditional horror. The plot follows twin siblings who share a strange existence within their crumbling family estate. The cast includes Charlotte Vega, David Bradley, Bill Milner, and Eugene Simon. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Lodgers:

• Filmed in one of Ireland's most haunted houses, Loftus Hall.
• Both writer David Turpin and Director Brian O'Malley are also musicians. In fact, David Turpin composed the theme music.