The First

Genre Drama | Sci-Fi

Cast Sean Penn, Rey Lucas, Brian Lee Franklin, T.C. Matherne

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere September 14th, 2018 (Hulu)

“Fictional series to chronicle the effort to send the first manned mission to Mars.”

From creator Beau Willimon (Ides of March, The House if Cards), the Hulu exclusive series The First tells the fictional story of the effort to send the first manned mission to Mars. The cast includes Sean Penn, Rey Lucas, Brian Lee Franklin, and T.C. Matherne. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts Hulu exclusive series The First:

• The First marks the small-screen series regular debut for Oscar winner Sean Penn.

The Land of Steady Habits

Director Nicole Holofcener

Genre Comedy | Drama

Cast Ben Mendelsohn, Edie Falco, Thomas Mann, Connie Britton

Rating Unrated

Release Date September 14th, 2018 (Netflix)

“Feeling trapped in the stifling, wealthy enclave of Westport, Connecticut, Anders Hill retires from his job in finance and leaves his wife in the hopes that it will renew his lust for life.”

Written and directed by Nicole Holofcener (Friends with Money, Enough Said), The Land of Steady Habits is a comedy drama based on the book of the same name from author Ted Thompson. Anders Hill is a successful married man with a grown son who begins feeling trapped in his suburban lifestyle, deciding to quit his job and leave hos wife for what he feels will give his life meaning again, although as they say the grass isn't always greener on the other side. The cast includes Ben Mendelsohn, Edie Falco, Thomas Mann, Connie Britton, Natalie Gold, and Charlie Tahan. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Land of Steady Habits:

• After five feature films together, Catherine Keener will not appear in this sixth and latest movie by Nicole Holofcener.

• Australian born actor Ben Mendelsohn, the oldest of three boys, offered to remove his front teeth for the role of Robin in Place Beyond the Pines, which was written as having dentures. The director accepted the offer but changed his mind when an producer intervened before Mendelsohn had the dental work done.

American Horror Story: Apocalypse

Genre Drama | Horror | Thriller

Cast Sarah Paulson, Kathy Bates, Evan Peters, Emma Roberts

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere Wednesday September 12th, 2018 10:00 PM EST (FX)

“An anthology series centering on different characters and locations, including a house with a murderous past, an insane asylum, a witch coven, a freak show, a hotel, a possessed farmhouse, a cult, and the apocalypse.”

American Horror Story returns with it's 8th season Apocalypse, and promises more of what fans have come to love about the series. Production value has always been top notch on this show and it has always been one of the rare shows where I rarely fast forward through the intro. Specific plot details have yet to be shared but it is fair to say that this season will be somehow centered around a baby being the cause of an impending apocalypse - we will share more details as they surface. Some of the returning cast members include Sarah Paulson, Kathy Bates, Evan Peters, Emma Roberts, and Adina Porter. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, American Horror Story:

• On September 2, 2014, show creator Ryan Murphy announced that all seasons are connected to each other in some way, which means he finally wrote the kind of narrative he wanted to write (but hasn't written) in the only TV Series he created without any other creators or co-creators: Nip/Tuck (2003), a Golden Globe Winning drama series that inspired many artists around the world, including the Brazilian actor and singer Gustavo Goulart, who has publicly admitted that.

Mandy

Director Panos Cosmatos

Genre Action | Thriller

Cast Nicolas Cage, Andrea Risenborough, Linus Roache, Bill Duke

Rating Unrated

Release Date September 14th, 2018

“Mandy is set in the primal wilderness of 1983 where Red Miller, a broken and haunted man hunts an unhinged religious sect who slaughtered the love of his life.”

Co- written and directed by Panos Cosmatos, Mandy is an action thriller set in the primal wilderness of 1983 where a broken and haunted man hunts an unhinged religious maniac who slaughtered the love of his life. The cast includes Nicolas Cage, Andrea Risenborough, Linus Roache, Bill Duke, and Richard Brake. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Mandy:

• The first fan owned entertainment company, Legion M, helped co-produce the film and the Jóhann Jóhannsson soundtrack. This is Jóhannsson's final scored film before his death.

• Sold out all international territories before its premiere in the 'Directors' Fortnight' at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2018.

The Children Act

Director Richard Eyre

Genre Drama

Cast Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, Fionn Whitehead, Ben Chaplin

Rating R

Release Date September 14th, 2018 (Limited)

“In the midst of a marital crisis, a High Court judge must decide if she should order a life-saving blood transfusion for a teen with cancer despite his family’s refusal to accept medical treatment for religious reasons.”

From director Richard Eyre (Iris, The Other Man), The Children Act is a drama about a High Court judge who amidst the crumbling of her marriage, must decide whether or not to order a life-saving blood transfusion for a teen with cancer despite his family's refusal to accept medical treatment for religious reasons. The cast includes Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, Fionn Whitehead, and Ben Chaplin. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, The Children Act:

• Film is based on the 2014 novel of the same name written by Ian McEwan, who also wrote the script for the film.

• Had its world premiere at the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2017.

Final Score

Director Scott Mann

Genre Action

Cast Dave Bautista, Pierce Brosnan, Ray Stevenson, Martyn Ford

Rating R

Release Date  September 14th, 2018 (Limited)

From director Scott Mann (Heist), Final Score is an action thriller that looks to be more of a homage to the films of the 90’s. After deadly terrorists abduct his niece at a soccer match, an ex-soldier with lethal fighting skills wages a one-man war to save her and prevent mass destruction. The cast includes Dave Bautista, Pierce Brosnan, Ray Stevenson, and Martyn FordCheck out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Final Score:

• Marks the second collaboration between director Scott Mann and actor Dave Bautista.

• Both Pierce Brosnan and Dave Baustisa have starred in at least one James Bond movie. Brosnan was Bond from GoldenEye (1995) to Die Another Day (2002) and Baustisa was in Spectre (2015).

Lizzie

Director Craig William Macneill

Genre Biography | Crime | Drama

Cast Chloë Sevigny, Kristen Stewart, Kim Dickens, Fiona Shaw

Rating R

Release Date September 14th, 2018 (Limited)

“A psychological thriller based on the infamous 1892 murders of the Borden family.”

From director Craig William Macneill, Lizzie is a crime drama based on the 1982 murders of the Borden family. The cast includes Chloë Sevigny, Kristen Stewart, Kim Dickens,and  Fiona Shaw. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Lizzie:

• Filmed in just 23 days, Lizzie premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

• This project was in development for many years as a passion project of Chloë Sevigny's. At one point it was set up at HBO as a miniseries, until a rival project from another studio caused HBO to axe the project. Sevigny and writer Bryce Kass then bought the rights back to the project.

• Chloe Sevigny was born in Massachusetts like her character, Lizzie Borden.

The Nun

Director Corin Hardy

Genre Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Cast Taissa Farmiga, Demián Bichir, Bonnie Aarons, Charlotte Hope

Rating R

Release Date September 7th, 2018

“A priest with a haunted past and a novitiate on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate the death of a young nun in Romania and confront a malevolent force in the form of a demonic nun.”

From director Corin Hardy (The Hallow), The Nun is an extension of The Conjuring universe and is a horror thriller about a priest who is sent to Romania to investigate the mysterious death of a nun. Personally I really enjoyed both Conjuring films as well as the Annabelle films, and I look forward to seeing where they take things with the Nun that was introduced in the 2nd Conjuring. The cast includes Taissa Farmiga, Demián Bichir, Bonnie Aarons, and Charlotte Hope. Check out the official trailer below including a Featurette with James Wan!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Nun:

• After the "Demon Nun" from The Conjuring 2 (2016) proved to be a popular horror antagonist, a spin-off focusing on the character was green-lit, making her the second character from the franchise to get her own feature after Annabelle (2014).

• Taissa Farmiga, who plays Sister Irene in this film, is the younger sister of Vera Farmiga, who plays Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring (2013) and The Conjuring 2 (2016). The Demon Nun, played by Bonnie Aarons, also appeared in The Conjuring 2.

Peppermint

Director Pierre Morel

Genre Action | Drama | Thriller

Cast Jennifer Garner, Tyson Ritter, John Gallagher Jr., Kyla Drew Simmons

Rating R

Release Date September 7th, 2018

“A woman lands in a coma after a gang of thugs guns down her husband and daughter. Years later, she embarks on a mission to punish everyone she holds responsible — including shady lawyers and corrupt cops.”

From director Pierre Morel, the man behind Taken (2008) and From Paris with Love (2010), Peppermint is a revenge story that is already being referred to as the female John Wick, that is a high bar right there. The story follows a woman who ends up in a coma after she is badly beaten by a gang of thugs who murder her husband and daughter. On a tour of revenge she intends to take down all who she considers to be responsible, including corrupt cops and politicians. The cast includes Jennifer Garner, Tyson Ritter, John Gallagher Jr., Kyla Drew Simmons, and Method Man. Check out the official trailer below!!

Mayans M.C.

Genre Crime | Drama | Thriller

Cast JD Pardo, Clayton Cardenas, Edward James Olmos, Sarah Bolger

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere  Tuesday September 4th, 2018 10:00PM EST (FX)

“Set in a post-Jax Teller world, “Mayans MC” sees EZ Reyes, a former golden boy now fresh out of prison, as a prospect in the Mayan MC charter on the California-Mexico border who must carve out his new outlaw identity.”

Kurt Sutter's Sons of Anarchy was easily one of my favorite T.V. series to the point where i remember binge watching a full two seasons in one day and I swear after I was finished I was convinced that the world created in the show was in fact reality. Like any other great show it takes a few episodes to get hooked because of the depth of character development etc, but make no mistake that was a show that will put you and keep you on the edge of your seat. Now SOA ended awhile ago and many fans were left with a void in the world of television, but luckily Sutter himself has responded with a spinoff series called Mayans M.C., following the Mayans motorcycle gang who were a integral piece of SOA, into a post SOA/Jax era. As a fan of SOA and Kurt Sutter, as a talented writer and actor, I can't wait for this to hit FX this fall. Luckily the official trailer is finally here, check it out below!!

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: S13

Genre Comedy

Cast Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere September 5th, 2018 (FXX)

“Five friends with big egos and slightly arrogant attitudes are the proprietors of an Irish bar in Philadelphia.”

Yessssssss!!! It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, my ultimate guilty pleasure TV series, is returning for a 13th season in just under 2 weeks! This show is absolutely ridiculous and wrong in so many ways, but I simply cannot get enough of this crew - I will be heartbroken when it eventually comes to an end!The cast includes Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito. Check out the official trailer for season 13 below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia:

• Was almost cancelled after its first season, but renewed at the last minute when FX executives decided to give it room to grow. It has gone from the brink of cancellation, to being one of the highest rated and most popular shows on FX, and when the fourteenth scheduled season ends, it will be tied for longest running live-action American comedy series.

Atypical: Season 2

Genre Comedy | Drama

Cast Keir Gilchrist, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Rapaport, Brigette Lundy-Paine

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere  September 7th, 2018 (Netflix)

“Sam, an 18-year-old on the autism spectrum, decides it’s time to find a girlfriend, a journey that sets Sam’s mom on her own life-changing path as her son seeks more independence.”

The hit Netflix series Atypical about a high school senior on the autism spectrum is finally making its return for a 2nd season!! I really enjoyed the first season of this show and felt that the cast was fantastic and the tone had the perfect balance between humor and genuine family drama, so i can't wait for this! The cast includes Keir Gilchrist, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Rapaport, and Brigette Lundy-Paine. Check out the official trailer below!!

Kidding: Season One

Genre Comedy | Drama

Cast Jim Carrey, Cole Allen, Judy Greer, Bernard White

Rating Unrated

Series Premiere Sunday September 9th, 2018 10:00 PM EST (Showtime)

“Jeff, a famous children’s television icon, struggles to retain his sanity as his family falls apart.”

Kidding is a brand new series from Showtimes that follows the life of Jeff, a famous children's television icon who struggles to keep his sanity as is personal life falls apart. The cast includes Jim Carrey, Cole Allen, Judy Greer, and Bernard White. Check out the official trailer below!!

God Bless the Broken Road

Director Harold Cronk

Genre Drama

Cast Lindsay Pulsipher, Jordin Sparks, LaDanian Tomlinson, Andrew W. Walker

Rating PG

Release Date September 7th, 2018

“Amber’s ideal life is shattered when she loses her husband to the war in Afghanistan. Two years later, she finds herself in a struggle to save her home while providing for her 9-year-old daughter, Bree. ”

Co-written and directed by Harold Cronk, God Bless the Broken Road is the story of a man who makes the ultimate sacrifice while serving his country in Afghanistan, leaving behind his wife and daughter who struggle to find the strength to move on without him. The cast includes Lindsay Pulsipher, Jordin Sparks, LaDanian Tomlinson, and Andrew W. Walker. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, God Bless the Broken Road:

• This film is based on the hit Rascal Flatts' song "Bless the Broken Road".

Winter Ridge

Director Dom Lenoir

Genre Thriller

Cast Matt Hookings, Olwen Catherine Kelly, Hannah Waddingham, Michael McKell

Rating TV-MA

Release Date September 7th, 2018 (Limited)

“A young detective is torn apart after his wife ends up in a coma while hunting a serial-killer at the same time.”

From director Dom Lenoir, Winter Ridge tells the story of a young detective who is torn apart after his wife ends up in a coma while hunting a serial-killer at the same time. The cast includes Matt Hookings, Olwen Catherine Kelly, Hannah Waddingham, and Michael McKell. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Winter Ridge:

• Shot in 17 days, the film went from script to financed, produced and finished post- production all within one year.

• Actor Matt Hookings performed all of his stunts, including the driving scenes.

• The film tackles the subject of dementia and Alzheimer's. The director and writer both had similar experiences within their respective families.

Searching

Director Aneesh Chaganty

Genre Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Cast John Cho, Debra Messing, Joseph Lee, Michelle La

Rating PG-13

Release Date August 31st, 2018

“After his 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a desperate father breaks into her laptop to look for clues to find her.”

Co-written and directed by Aneesh Chaganty, Searching is an intense drama thriller about a man who comes face to face with the mysterious disappearance of his daughter and the secrets he uncovers as he attempts to track her down. The cast includes John Cho, Debra Messing, Joseph Lee, and Michelle La. Check out the official trailer below!!

Operation Finale

Director Chris Weitz

Genre Biography | Drama | History

Cast Haley Lu Richardson, Oscar Isaac, Joe Alwyn, Mélanie Laurent

Rating PG-13

Release Date August 29th, 2018

“15 years after World War II, a team of secret agents are brought together to track down Adolf Eichmann, the infamous Nazi architect of the Holocaust.”

From director Chris Weitz, Operation Finale is a biography drama that takes place 15 years after WWII following a team of secret agents brought together to track down Adolf Eichmann, the infamous Nazi architect of the Holocaust. The cast includes Haley Lu Richardson, Oscar Isaac, Joe Alwyn, and Mélanie Laurent. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Operation Finale:

• At the end of WWII, Eichmann was captured by the Americans and spent time in several camps for SS officers using forged papers that identified him as "Otto Eckmann". He escaped from a work detail at Cham, Germany when he realised that his actual identity had been discovered.

• Michael Hernandez who plays Dani Shalom is the younger brother of Oscar Isaac.

Ozark: Season 2

Genre Crime | Drama | Thriller

Cast Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Jason Butler Harner, Anthony Collins

Rating TVMA

Series Premiere August 31st, 2018 (Netflix)

“A Chicago-based financial advisor secretly relocates his family to the Missouri Ozarks when his dealings with a drug cartel go awry.”

From creators Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams, Ozark is an intense crime drama about a wealthy financial adviser who gets mixed up with the wrong people putting him and his family in imminent danger. The first season of the Netflix original series made it's debut back in May of 2016 and it as an instant favorite for viewers and critics alike. I really enjoyed the show and felt that the talented cast and great writing made for a tense white-knuckle drama, so I personally cannot wait for the 2nd season to hit Netflix. The cast includes Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Jason Butler Harner, and Anthony Collins. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Ozark:

• At the beginning of each episode, the title is shown with four symbols inside of an O that foreshadow events from that episode. The symbols also spell the letters Z-A-R-K to form OZARK altogether.

• Jason Bateman directed the first two episodes (Ozark: Sugarwood, Ozark: Blue Cat, and the last two episodes (Ozark: Coffee, Black, and Ozark: The Toll).

• The Ozarks, also referred to as the Ozark Mountains, is a physiographic and geologic highland region of the central United States, primarily in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

Kin

Director Jonathan Baker, Jason Baker

Genre Action | Adventure | Crime

Cast Zoë Kravitz, Jack Reynor, Dennis Quaid, Myles Truitt

Rating PG-13

Release Date August 31st, 2018

“Chased by a vengeful criminal, the feds and a gang of otherworldly soldiers, a recently released ex-con and his adopted teenage brother are forced to go on the run with a weapon of mysterious origin as their only protection.”

From the producers of Arrival and Stranger Things, Kin is a sci-fi crime drama about a recently released ex-con and his adopted teenage son who find themselves on the run from a vengeful criminal, the feds, and otherworldly soldiers, forced to protect themselves with a weapon of mysterious origin. The film is written and directed by Jonathan and Josh Baker and is based on the short film "Bag Man" which they also wrote. The cast includes Zoë Kravitz, Jack Reynor, James Franco, Dennis Quaid, Myles Truitt, and Carrie Coon. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Kin:

• Based on the 2014 short film "Bag Man" about a young African American boy who takes a introspective journey outside of the city and into the remote countryside of upstate New York carrying with him a mysterious duffel bag.

The Little Stranger

Director Lenny Abrahamson

Genre Drama | Horror | Mystery

Cast Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson, Will Poulter, Charlotte Rampling

Rating Unrated

Release Date August 31st, 2018

“During the summer of 1947, Dr. Faraday meets a woman and her children at Hundreds Hall, a facility where his mother once worked. When the doctor learns that something ominous haunts the family, the family’s story becomes entwined with his own.”

From director Lenny Abrahamson, The Little Stranger is a horror mystery about a doctor who makes a visit to a new patient thus beginning a horrifying journey into his dark past. The cast includes Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson, Will Poulter, and Charlotte Rampling. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Little Stranger:

• Second collaboration between Domhnall Gleeson and Will Poulter, the first was The Revenant.