After writer/director Damien Chazelle made two of the most critically acclaimed movies of the 2010s, it felt like a big-budget follow-up starring Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie would be a shoo-in for a box office and critical success. However, that was very much not the case with 2022’s Babylon. The movie earned mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike and flopped big time at the box office, making $64 million worldwide against a reported $80 million budget. Now, new comments from Margot Robbie about the movie share her hopes for it, and I think she might be on to something.

Margot Robbie is well-acquainted with smashing records at the box office thanks to last summer’s Barbie. However, when it comes to looking back on her leading role in Babylon, she doesn’t understand why people didn’t connect with it. In her words:

Robbie made these comments while on a recent episode of Talking Pictures Podcast. The host told her he had not seen the movie when it came out initially, but when he finally got to it he couldn’t understand the hate around it. Robbie agreed, of course admitting she was biased, but also suggesting that perhaps it will earn its stars in a decade or so.

While talking about this, she mentioned The Shawshank Redemption, which famously flopped in theaters when it came out before becoming well-known as one of the best movies of all time.

Sometimes it’s not the movie itself, it’s the marketing, what else is playing in theaters at the same time and a movie just coming out at the wrong time. Funny enough, Stephen King, who wrote the novella The Shawshank Redemption and is a public fan of Babylon, said he thought it would become a cult classic months after its release, calling it “utterly brilliant, extravagant, over the top, hilarious, thought-provoking.”

Not only does Babylon have an incredible cast, but it also has a captivating story to tell about Hollywood’s transition from silent films to “talkies” in the late 1920s. I know I missed the movie in theaters as well, and stopped myself from watching it for a while due to its 189-minute runtime. However, since watching it, I think about it often. The movie about moviemaking really changed my perspective on Hollywood, even though it made some strange choices.

It’s also one of Margot Robbie’s best movie roles ever. The actress certainly has a point, and she’s not the only one saying it either. Since it hit streaming, tons of people have been praising her Babylon performance, and the film has a passionate following of fans.

So, if you missed it like so many people, you can stream Babylon now with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Is Whiplash Damien Chazelle’s best movie? You can make the argument. It’s already on our list of the best music movies ever made, thanks to its deft understanding of Jazz, and of the struggles to make it as a student-musician at a competitive New York conservatory. And it has an ending that we’re still talking about, for the conflicted way that it makes us feel. The magnificent film, which turns 10 this year, earned five Oscar nominations (including Best Picture), and earned the Academy Award for JK Simmons, and his portrayal of the abusive instructor/conductor Fletcher. But as it turns out, Simmons had a deep misunderstanding of Damien Chazelle before the two ever worked together.

Whiplash isn’t Chazelle’s first movie. But he wasn’t exactly “known” when it came to cast up the feature. In an Oral History of Whiplash that has been published by Vanity Fair, JK Simmons spoke about meeting Chazelle for the first time in a restaurant… and looking right past him because the skinny, curly-haired kid didn’t match the image that J. Jonah Jameson had in his mind. According to Simmons:

That’s why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. JK Simmons eventually teamed with Damien Chazelle first for a short film that eventually became Whiplash, and then again in the movie that I believe to be Chazelle’s masterpiece: the magical musical La La Land.

But Whiplash would go a long way toward establishing Damien Chazelle as one of the most exciting filmmakers of this current generation. We gave it a perfect 5 stars in our official Whiplash review, and have continued to track the director’s fascinating career, up to and including the controversial Babylon, which has its detractors but also, I feel, is going to be a movie that more people discover in years to come.

Chazelle doesn’t have an upcoming movie that we can put on your radar in the immediate future. But it’s worth noting that Whiplash will return the theaters beginning on Friday, September 20, in honor of the movie turning 10 years old. If you haven’t seen the film on the big screen, please do so. Just, bring your anxiety medication with you. You might need it by the final scene.

Some filmmakers require time to find their voice. They have to make a few simply "ok" features before having the skills required to make their masterpiece. But that's not the case with the directors featured on this list. These folks quickly figured out what they could do with a camera, and they produced magic with their first feature.

It's a terribly hard thing to do, but here are 32 directors who made great films on their very first try.

Orson Welles – Citizen Kane

A lot of incredible films are highlighted on this list, but Citizen Kane is special given that in addition to being Orson Welles’ first feature, it’s considered by many to be the greatest movie all time. The hunt for the meaning behind a publishing titan’s last word is endlessly compelling and a fascinating examination of the soul corruption that comes with a rise to power.

Quentin Tarantino – Reservoir Dogs

Before making modern and instant classics like Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, the legend of Quentin Tarantino began with the phenomenal Reservoir Dogs. The sharp dialogue, the non-linear storytelling, the tense violence and the needle-drop centric soundtrack all instantly confirmed that Tarantino was a talent to watch.

Jordan Peele – Get Out

It came as a shock when comedian Jordan Peele announced that he was shifting to a new phase of his career, as he wanted to pursue his true passion: directing horror movies. It was hard to know what to make of the decision at the time, but Peele has since established himself as one of the industry’s greatest genre filmmakers, and it all started with the stunning Get Out. It’s scary, layered, and the big third act twist never loses its impact.

Spike Jonze – Being John Malkovich

Spike Jonze wasn’t exactly inexperienced when he took the helm of Being John Malkovich as his first feature, as he had established himself as a genius talent in the world of music videos, but that doesn’t take anything away from his accomplishments. It’s a wild, strange, and perfect execution of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman’s genius and cerebral script, and both the design and cinematography make it unforgettable.

Sidney Lumet – 12 Angry Men

It requires incredible skill to direct a film that almost entirely takes place in a single room and juggles 12 different characters with different perspectives… but there’s a reason why Sidney Lumet is considered one of history’s greatest filmmakers. The basic description of 12 Angry Men doesn’t sound particularly cinematic, but it grips you from the start, and keeps you fascinated throughout – particularly thanks to one of Henry Fonda’s greatest performances.

Joel & Ethan Coen – Blood Simple

Joel and Ethan Coen are masters of crime fiction, and they proved that instantly in the start of their careers as feature filmmakers. Blood Simple is a tense neo-noir that comes with all of the trimmings of the genre – from the chiaroscuro lighting to a brilliant femme fatale turn from Frances McDormand – and M. Emmett Walsh is a force as the relentless Loren Visser.

Rob Reiner – This Is Spinal Tap

Few filmmakers have had runs like what Rob Reiner accomplished in the 1980s/1990s, sequentially making Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men, but his genius as a director was first established with 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap: a hilarious rock n’ roll mockumentary widely considered to be one of the greatest comedies of all time.

Sam Raimi – The Evil Dead

In the late 1970s/early 1980s, Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell were college students determined to make their first ever feature, and traveled from Michigan to a dilapidated cabin in Tennessee to make The Evil Dead. The production of the film was an absolute nightmare, but the juice was very much worth the squeeze, as the movie exists as a testament to brilliant imagination, and it is an important classic in the history of the horror genre.

Frank Darabont – The Shawshank Redemption

After writing a brilliant adaptation of Stephen King’s novella “Rita Hayworth And Shawshank Redemption,” Frank Darabont actually took a major pay cut so that Castle Rock Entertainment would allow him to make The Shawshank Redemption his directorial debut. This turned out to be a legendary move that has cemented Darabont in cinematic history, as the movie is one of the most beloved of all time and an antidote to cynicism.

John Singleton - Boyz n The Hood

With his directorial debut, John Singleton captured the perspective of an underrepresented audience on the big screen – crafting a Stand By Me-esque coming-of-age story about life in south central Los Angeles. In one of his earliest roles, Cuba Gooding Jr. demonstrates incredible talent alongside Ice Cube and Morris Chestnut, but it’s Laurence Fishburne’s Furious Styles for which the film will always be remembered.

Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman

Emerald Fennell made quite an impression in 2020 with the debut of Promising Young Woman – a primal scream of a movie that captures the horrors that women experience in our modern world and comes together as a darkly comedic revenge thriller. Carey Mulligan’s performance is wicked, and it sports a finale that leaves the audience breathless and mind-blown.

Dan Gilroy – Nightcrawler

Jake Gyllenhaal is unquestionably one of the greatest actors of his generation, and Nightcrawler sees him let off the leash to showcase his phenomenal cinematic presence. Dan Gilroy was an experienced screenwriter prior to making his directorial debut, and one can understand why he wanted to make this movie himself: it’s a vicious, Taxi Driver-esque look at crime scene videography and a stunning and cutting commentary on “if it bleeds, it leads” culture in local journalism.

George A. Romero – Night Of The Living Dead

There aren’t exactly a lot of filmmakers who successfully launched an entire new subgenre with their first feature, but that’s exactly what George A. Romero did with Night Of The Living Dead. The zombie film was a shocking standout upon its original release – featuring a Black actor as its lead and a series of nightmarish scenes of horror – and its genius is no less apparent today.

Rian Johnson – Brick

Long before wowing us with his ensemble-driven Benoit Blanc mysteries Knives Out and Glass Onion, Rian Johnson stunned cinephiles as a first-time director with Brick. It’s a stylized neo-noir that stands out with its high school backdrop and young characters, and it dazzles with unyielding tension, unique dialogue, and a terrific third act reveal.

Tom Hanks – That Thing You Do!

Admit it: even just seeing the title of That Thing You Do! has immediately gotten the eponymous song stuck in your head. But on top of that track being two minutes and 50 seconds of peppy greatness, the film is a fantastic tale about a one hit wonder that pops thanks to Tom Hanks’ excellent direction and a delightful ensemble cast.

David Lynch – Eraserhead

It didn’t take long for David Lynch to tell cinephiles what he is all about. The auteur filmmaker established his nightmarish, cerebral sensibilities from the get-go with Eraserhead – which is a confident work from the first time director and paved the road for further masterpieces like Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks.

Amy Heckerling – Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Amy Heckerling would easily be in the Coming-Of-Age Movie Hall Of Fame if Clueless were the only film on her filmography, but it was 13 years earlier that she made one of the genre’s all-time greatest titles as her directorial debut: Fast Times At Ridgemont High. There is so much to love about this film, from the radical Jeff Spicoli, to the drama of the relationship between Stacy and Mark, to the sounds of The Cars’ “Living In Stereo.”

Destin Daniel Cretton – Short Term 12

It’s a remarkable thing when a film, a series of images mixed with sound rapidly displayed to show movement, can touch your soul, but that’s something that Destin Daniel Cretton’s powerful directorial debut does – centering on the staff of a residential treatment facility. In retrospect, the ensemble cast in this one is beyond outstanding (including Brie Larson, Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek, LaKeith Stanfield, and Stephanie Beatriz), and their talents are on full display.

Patty Jenkins – Monster

Patty Jenkins’ directorial debut, Monster, is far from a fun cinematic experience, and one actually feels compelled to take a shower after watching it, but it’s a riveting work. Charlize Theron delivers what is arguably the best performance of her career and earned her Academy Award.

Josh & Benny Safdie - Good Time

Cinephiles were thrilled to discover the cinematic heart attack that is Josh and Benny Safdie’s Uncut Gems in 2019, but anyone who watched the brothers’ directorial debut was at the very least mentally prepared for the experience. Starring Robert Pattinson, Good Time is a deeply stressful crime film that comes packed with touches of Of Mice And Men, and it leaves a deep impression on whoever watches it.

Darren Aronofsky – Pi

Darren Aronofsky has a gift for making movies that makes you want to curl up in a ball and cry (see: Requiem For A Dream, Black Swan, mother!), and it’s a mode he hasn’t diverted from since making his feature debut with Pi. It’s a stylistic story of obsession and has one of the most upsetting endings of all time.

John Huston - The Maltese Falcon

There are some films that are held up as the true classics of classic film noir, and right alongside Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, Bill Wilder’s Double Indemnity and Carol Reed’s The Third Man is John Huston’s phenomenal The Maltese Falcon. Humphrey Bogart’s Sam Spade is an icon of detective fiction, and the twists and turns of the mystery feel as fresh today as ever.

Ari Aster - Hereditary

Ari Aster has quickly become one of the most exciting modern filmmakers making original horror, and that’s in part because audiences are still experiencing nightmares from his directorial debut. A look at both generational trauma and grief, Hereditary is a movie so scary that it would make you feel cold if you were in the middle of the desert, and has more than a few images that end up tattooed on the back of your eyelids as you try to go to sleep at night.

Michael Mann - Thief

Nobody makes crime movies like Michael Mann, and it all started with Thief. It’s a thrilling and captivating look at a talented Chicago criminal who is looking for his way into legitimacy and finds himself fighting forces that try and drag him back into his shady business. The movie features one of James Caan’s best performances, and the talented ensemble includes Jim Belishi, Dennis Farina and Willie Nelson.

Francois Truffaut - The 400 Blows

Valued as an important part of cinema history and the French New Wave, Francois Truffaut’s The 400 Blows is a powerful coming-of-age story starring Jean-Pierre Léaud as Antoine Doinel, a troubled youth who ends up quitting school and turning to thievery, only to be apprehended and thrown in a juvenile detention center. Truffaut is recognized for having created some of the most beautiful films to ever be produced in France, and it all started here.

Jean Luc Goddard - Breathless

Another evocative title that emerged from the French New Wave, Jean Luc Goddard’s Breathless is a visually stunning work of crime and love, with tremendous cinematic innovation, attitude that bleeds off the screen, and an outstanding performance from star Jean-Paul Belmondo in his breakout role.

Barry Jenkins – Medicine For Melancholy

Barry Jenkins first earned widespread acclaim in 2016 for his film Moonlight (which deservingly won Best Picture at the Academy Awards), but not to be slept on is the debut feature he made eight years earlier: Medicine For Melancholy. Starring Wyatt Cenac and Tracey Heggins and set over the course of a single day, it’s a beautiful and emotional romantic drama.

Steven Soderbergh - Sex, Lies, And Videotape

Steven Soderbergh is now recognized as one of the most talented, eclectic filmmakers in cinema, but it all started with Sex, Lies And Videotape – a fascinating romantic drama with brilliant meta levels examining intimacy via camera.

George Miller – Mad Max

Many genre classics have been covered in this list, and now it’s time to dive into one of the greatest action/adventure films of all time. With Mad Max, George Miller takes us to an unnerving not-to-distant future full of violence and chaos, and his unique skills as a filmmaker capturing all that wildness all in camera is what makes this a forever-thrilling experience.

Damien Chazelle – Whiplash

One can read and learn that there is intense competition in performance arts schools, but it’s another thing to live it – and that’s what audiences get to do in Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash. Miles Teller is brilliant as the determined and talented Andrew Neiman, but it’s the Oscar-winning work of J.K. Simmons that makes this outstanding directorial debut exceptional.

Mel Brooks – The Producers

Every legendary cinematic run has to start somewhere, and for Mel Brooks, it was with the brilliance of The Producers. Long before he was shocking with the world with Blazing Saddles and History Of The World Part I, the brilliant comedian unleashed his tale of a Broadway scheme and the insanity of “Springtime For Hitler.”

Jim Abrahams, David Zucker And Jerry Zucker – Airplane!

In the 1980s/1990s, nobody made spoof movies like Jim Abrahams, David Zucker And Jerry Zucker, and they quickly established their special comedic voice with their directorial debut: Airplane! The insane pacing of the jokes and the sheer ridiculousness of everything make this a movie that threatens to choke you with laughter, and there are so, so many quotable lines – many thanks to the deadpan brilliance of Leslie Nielsen.

This list obviously has the potential to grow forever, and it'll be exciting to see who the next big breakout movie directors are. 

I need to state my apology to Babylon. I judged it poorly, because I finally checked it out, and I was dazzled from head to toe. 

Let me preface this by saying that I already have been a fan of Damien Chazelle. This has been true since I saw Whiplash with my dad and fell in love with jazz music in the popular Miles Teller movie even more. I've adored even La La Land's behind-the-scenes facts, and while First Man isn't my go-to space movie (that will always be my fave Christopher Nolan film Interstellar), it ranks up there. 

When Babylon came out as his next major motion picture, I was interested, but it wasn’t the first film I was setting out to see the moment it was released. The cast excited me because there were so many stars in there, which was enough for me to want to see the movie…but at the same time, the film's concept didn't stick out. I've seen period pieces from the 1920s before, and honestly, I didn't want to see another movie like that at the time. 

Pair that with Babylon releasing a few days before Christmas 2022, when it was hard for me to get to the theaters, and I just never got around to seeing it. When Babyon got polarizing reviews from critics, I was less than inclined. 

Then a funny thing happened. Babylon started to get buzzy again. In fact, the Internet was obsessed a bit with the Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt starrer. Honestly, when I see this much discourse over whether a film is good or bad, I'm usually not the first to check it out in theaters because movies are expensive nowadays. However, I finally decided to see it – and I was wrong just like so many insta-judgers were. So wrong. In so many ways.  

Margot Robbie Is Absolutely Dazzling 

Margot Robbie has been on her A-game in 2023 with the release of Barbie. I've followed her since her time in the amazing rom-com About Time, and I've loved her in every movie since. She's excellent in many things she does – including her Academy Award-nominated performance in I, Tonya. 

But for the love of God, it's upsetting that her performance was overshadowed in Babylon. It's a performance that is worthy of an Academy Award nomination, in my opinion. 

Margot Robbie does not exist in this film. She is, entirely, Nellie LaRoy, an actress and drug addict who captivates any audience member watching. I couldn't turn away when she is there. It's easy to see how fans have become obsessed with her in the role. She embraced this character, and it's saddening to me that her performance didn't get the praise it deserves. 

The Babylon cast is exquisite, but Robbie? Ooh boy, she is out of this world. And it wasn't just the actress that drew me in to this wonderful film either. 

Yes, The Story And Film Can Get Graphic – But That Adds To The Experience

A significant criticism I saw from many people is that the film's story felt way too intense, with a lot of, well... everything stuffed in there. 

There are graphic scenes of narcotics use and other not-so-family-friendly instances, and the whole movie feels like you're on some drug trip that never ends because there's so much going on. 

However, I found myself enjoying that. Granted, I didn't grow up in the twenties, so I don't know what it was like back in the earlier days of Hollywood. But the hedonistic early era of Hollywood is well documented, and from seeing Babylon, I can honestly imagine it now. This movie takes place during the Roaring 20s – it's called that for a reason. 

Yes, the story can sometimes be intense with its material and how much is packed in there, but I enjoyed it to, at least mostly.

The Score Is Unbelievably Amazing

Justin Hurwitz doesn't miss. 

Hurwitz frequently collaborates with Damien Chazelle when it comes to music. All of his scores and songs live rent-free in my head, and the music of Babylon perfectly explains that. 

It's hectic, jazzy, and made me want to get up in my living room and start dancing with my boyfriend because it's contagious. It's electric. It's everything you could imagine in a movie like Babylon. I mean, "Voodoo Mama" is on my driving playlist. You can't listen and tell me you don't want to get up and bop your head to that.  

The Production Design Felt As If I Was Transported Back In Time 

The thing with period pieces in any movie is that you want to make sure that it feels like we are a part of that time. I have seen some incredible period movies do this with their production design, like The King's Speech or Greta Gerwig's amazing Little Women, but I have also seen some fail. 

Babylon brings production design to the forefront. The sets created in this film fully immerse you, making you feel like you're at some Hollywood party dancing with everyone and thinking you are the next up and coming star in the 1920s. There's not a single thing out of place. Even the costumes are outstanding. You only need to have seen the opening sequence to understand this, but I hope you dive in much further.

And The Cinematography Was Comparable To Some Of The Best Movies Of The Last Few Years

Cinematography is something that I could go on about for hours, whether it be from a Christopher Nolan movie or a very Wes Anderson shot in a Wes Anderson movie. Still, just something about the cinematography of any Damien Chazelle film makes me feel at home. 

It's outstanding in its own way. It reminds me of some great movies released over the last few years, such as Promising Young Women or even Ari Aster's films, Hereditary and Midsommar, where the shots linger for some time. But then, some moments pan out to the utter chaos around us, moving quickly, taking us on a crazy ride. 

It's done so well and makes for a brilliantly extravagant experience for the eyes. 

One Babylon Critique I Do Have: I Will Say The Movie Is A Little Too Long

I will openly say the movie is too long. Three hours for a film is a lot. I felt all three hours of Oppenheimer. I felt all three hours of Avatar: The Way of Water. And I certainly felt all three hours of Babylon. 

It's still an enjoyable ride, don't get me wrong, but if this film were just over two hours, more people would have seen it. Witnessing this movie for three hours was hard on my retinas, as beautiful as it is. 

Yet, I Do Not Think This Movie Deserved The Intense Criticism It Got

That being said, Babylon deserved way more hype. Way more. The fact that this film flopped at the box office bothers me deeply. 

Yes, I know, I'm a part of that, and I regret it a lot. I am lucky to have a pretty big television at home to view this one, but what would it have been like to see this movie in a theater, where you can tell it belongs? While the plot can be messy, the rest of the film is outstanding in many ways. 

It does boggle my mind that many critics didn't enjoy this movie because there's a lot to love. One day, more people will reexamine Babylon and give it the praise it deserves, but for now, I'll settle with the slow crawl of critics and the public, realizing that the movie is a 2022 gem. 

Babylon isn't the best Chazelle film, but I would watch this over First Man. It's full of life and energy. It was a new original idea, not a sequel, or an upcoming Marvel movie, or anything else – and we need more of that in Hollywood. 

Quite frankly, watching this movie now gives me the confidence to check out future films in the theaters that might not be doing so well – because we might have an underrated classic that needs a little more praise. 

A little more than six years ago, Damien Chazelle introduced audiences to a timeless love story set with the backdrop of Los Angeles in his colorful, dazzling, and heartfelt La La Land. The movie, which would go on to win multiple Academy Awards, is still regarded as one of the best musicals of the 21st century, as well as one of the finer additions to the genre in some time.

With the film being one of the best movies on Netflix after arriving on the streamer in February 2023, there’s a good chance some of us who were first blown away by the musical over a half-decade ago are revisiting it for the first time since seeing it on the big screen. Taking that into consideration, we’ve put together a rundown of behind-the-scenes facts showing how Chazelle’s story went from page to screen, and all the cinematic tricks that made it a reality.

Damien Chazelle Started Working On La La Land While At Harvard

Long before audiences were taken to a “City of Stars,” Damien Chazelle started working on what would become La La Land while attending Harvard University. Together with classmate Justin Hurwitz, who would go on to score all of his feature film releases starting with Whiplash, he ended up making Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, a senior thesis film about a Boston jazz musician, before they moved to Los Angeles to pursue their dreams in 2010, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Once in Hollywood, Chazelle decided to shift the movie’s setting to Los Angeles, but soon discovered that pretty much no one wanted to fund an original musical with no familiar songs, let alone one centered on jazz. Obviously, he had his work cut out for him.

After Writing The Script, Damien Chazelle Received Perhaps The Worst Note

It isn’t a rare occurrence for directors to receive notes whenever they’re working on a project, as countless movies have taken to heart what contemporaries, studio executives, or audiences have said. However, from time to time, a note so bad comes around and leaves the writer or director scratching their head trying to figure it out. When working on the La La Land script, a screenplay that would go on to be nominated for an Oscar, Chazelle received the following note, as he explained to the 2017 PGA Produced By Conference (via Deadline):

Though a rather simple note, to take the jazz out of La La Land would have removed a crucial element from the movie. It’s safe to say Chazelle made the right call by not taking the comment to heart.

Damien Chazelle Was Told To Increase The La La Land Budget By Lionsgate Execs

Usually, there are stories coming out of Hollywood where the studios do everything they can to get budgets down, but it was a completely different story when it came to Lionsgate and La La Land. In a sprawling profile about the film published by ScreenDaily in December 2016, producer Fred Berger revealed that Lionsgate, upon giving the movie the greenlight, suggested that the budget be increased to $30 million to make the best picture possible. 

Jumping off that revelation, Jordan Horowitz, the producer who would ultimately inform the audience that Moonlight had won the Oscar for Best Picture, admitted that the team even tried to pare things down, but the studio persisted and pushed the team “to go further” and “film in the right ways.” The decision ultimately saved one or two of the musical numbers, Berger commented. 

Miles Teller And Emma Watson Were Originally Attached To Serve As La La Land’s Leads

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone gave two of the best performances of their respective careers in La La Land, but the roles were initially supposed to go to another one of Chazelle’s collaborators and a different actress with the first name Emma. In September 2016, just months before the movie’s big nationwide rollout, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Miles Teller and Emma Watson were attached to star in the roles of Seb Wilder and Mia Dolan, respectively, but both A-listers were forced to pass for various reasons.

For her part, Watson later revealed in a March 2017 sit-down with Entertainment Weekly that she had already committed to making Beauty and the Beast for Disney at the time, and simply wouldn’t be able to make both possible. The details surrounding Teller’s departure from the project are a little less clear, as various stories range from the Whiplash star not receiving the payday he wanted to not being creatively right for the project. Teller denied the first claim in an October 2017 interview with Vulture, saying he showed “extreme loyalty” to Chazelle and the movie but didn’t elaborate on what caused things to fall apart.

Mia’s Interrupted Audition Was Based On Ryan Gosling’s Real-Life Experience

In one of the more awkward scenes in La La Land, Mia is in the middle of an incredibly emotional audition, only to be interrupted by the casting director’s assistant entering the room to say someone had called. When speaking with the Los Angeles Times around the movie's release, Ryan Gosling revealed that the scene was drawn from one of his own experiences during a botched audition, stating: 

Gosling admitted that while it was a difficult situation, he made lemonade out of lemons and was able to make it into a scene in La La Land.

La La Land’s ‘A Lovely Night’ Dance Sequence Was Pulled Off In Only Four Takes

Seb and Mia’s first musical number together, “A Lovely Night,” has become one of La La Land’s most iconic sequences thanks to its catchy song, incredible choreography, and the way the Los Angeles sunset looked in the background. The crew could have used greenscreen to bring the scene to life by adding the sunset in post-production, but the crew found a way to pull it off in only four takes (after hours of rehearsal, of course).

When speaking with The Hollywood Reporter about the scene, cinematographer Linus Sandgren revealed that two takes were shot at 7:20 and 7:30 p.m. on two separate nights to make the most of the “golden hour” light that created an almost dreamlike quality. In order to pull off the six-minute sequence, the actors, and the crane-operated camera capturing it all, had to hit 27 marks or else it would have to start over. It all worked out, and Chazelle ended up going with the last of the four takes for the final movie. 

Cinematographer Linus Sandgren Came Up With Unique Tricks To Create La La Land’s Colorful Look

There is a reason La La Land looks like the classic musicals that inspired it, and that’s because Chazelle insisted on the movie being shot on film and in a way that created a massive scope and scale. As cinematographer Linus Sandgren told Kodak following the movie’s release, shooting on film opposed to digital allowed him to create a rainbow of colors by playing with different lights to manipulate the natural settings:

The richness of the film stock, Sandgren argued, gave several of the movie’s night scenes featured “incredible variations of colors” that added a dreamlike quality to them.

The Production Team Were Given Just One Day To Film The Angels Flight Funicular Sequence

When Mia and Seb are still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, the couple is seen going all over Los Angeles in the form of a tremendous montage. About halfway through the segment, the couple ride an uphill trolly system before dancing at the station at the top.

When speaking with the New York Times after the film’s release, the director explained that the funicular Angels Flight, which was used for the brief scene, had been out of commission for three years after a 2013 derailment. However, Chazelle and his team were able to arrange to have it run for a single day so they could capture the brief, yet impactful sequence.

John Legend, A Talented Pianist, Had To Learn How To Play Guitar For His Role In La La Land

John Legend was without a doubt the most talented musician in the La La Land cast, but still, the EGOT winner had to take music lessons for his portrayal of Keith, Seb’s former bandmate who takes him on the road. In an official behind-the-scenes featurette about the making of the movie, it was revealed that Legend, a talented pianist and songwriter, had to take guitar lessons prior to the shoot so that he could look and feel comfortable and confident during his various scenes on stage.

The Cast And Crew Watched One Classic Hollywood Musical ‘Every Day For Inspiration’

The impact of classic Hollywood musicals like Guys and Dolls, The Wizard of Oz, The Music Man, and An American in Paris can be felt throughout this film, but the movie that inspired the cast and crew was Singin’ in the Rain. While paying tribute to the late Debbie Reynolds during his acceptance speech at the 2017 Palm Springs International Film Festival, Ryan Gosling revealed that the film’s cast and crew would watch the 1952 musical every day for inspiration. Ending his brief comments, Gosling said Reynolds, who passed away just days before, had “unparalleled talents.”

If you want to go back and watch La La Land after reading all these behind-the-scenes facts, now is the perfect time to do so, as it is streaming for anyone with a Netflix subscription.

Some movies more than others are a natural fit for the Broadway stage. Writer/director Damien Chazelle’s La La Land is a strong example of a picture that seems born ready for such a transfer, with the powers that be at Lionsgate previously expressing excitement to do just that. After a little over six years, that possibility is getting closer, thanks to that Hollywood-inspired musical going from a current entertainment for those with a Netflix subscription to a full-fledged Broadway. But could Emma Stone reprise her role in the stage transfer? 

Freshly announced through reporting by Deadline, La La Land’s stage musical incarnation has some old faces teaming up with new talent to make the jump. Composer Justin Hurwitz, as well as the film’s songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, will be on hand to help handle the musical side of things. 

Meanwhile, director Bartlett Sher and writers Ayad Akhtar and Matthew Decker are the newcomers who’ll help stage and craft Sebastian and Mia’s bittersweet love affair in this new incarnation. This isn't to be confused with the concert version of La La Land, which has been running roughly as long as the movie has been released into the wild. Instead, this is an all singing/dancing spectacle that'd bring the world of the movies into the realm of stagecraft.

Which leads to the potential of bringing Emma Stone back into the La La Land role she originated in the 2016 motion picture. It’s a project that’s still a vital part of her filmography, with Stone winning Best Actress at the 2017 Academy Awards as a result. With the original film’s producer Marc Platt also taking an active role in bringing Damian Chazelle’s vision to life once again, the connections would seem to run deep.

The greatest credit to Emma Stone's potential La La Land return is the fact that she made a pretty big splash when previously taking to the stage. Playing Sally Bowles in the 2014 Broadway production of Cabaret, Stone wowed crowds with her musical prowess in a role that has had its fair share of notable castings. 

Applying those skills to one of the best Emma Stone performances on the books is something that absolutely fits. It’d also be an amazing draw for the opening run of La La Land’s upcoming Broadway musical. To have one of the original actors reprising their lead role is something that sounds like a sure-fire way of packing in seats for quite some time. 

This idea has come up previously as Amanda Seyfried suggested a potential Mean Girls reunion through musical performances that would bring back the original cast. Maybe if La La Land sticks the landing with Emma Stone’s return, similar possibilities could be opened up for other stage productions based on hit movies. 

We'll just have to wait and see how this new musical progresses, as at the moment we don't have any dates as to when we should workshops or out of town tryouts to take place. Not to mention, there's not even a rough idea of which Broadway season this show may be setting its sights on. That probably won't stop La La Land fans from eagerly awaiting its arrival, as they tend to be some of the sweetest, and most devoted, fools to dream. 

If you want to relive La La Land, complete with Emma Stone's performance, you can catch the film at its current streaming home on Netflix. Also, don't forget to check out the 2023 new movie releases, as your next favorite movie is just waiting to be discovered.

Damien Chazelle’s blistering commentary of Hollywood in the 1920s, Babylon, got off to a terrible start at the box office, tallying only $3.5 million in its debut weekend in theaters, despite getting a wide release. As expected, Avatar: The Way of Water dominated the charts as it continued its push to $1 billion in worldwide tickets sold. But a mixed reaction from the critical community and a lackluster promotional campaign possibly contributed to the movie’s slow start. Additionally, audiences might have been turned off by the film’s length. Clocking in at 3 hours and 9 minutes, Babylon seems like a daunting sit (though I’d argue the story earns every minute of its run time, and never fails to captivate). And now that there’s word of a two-hour early version, we can’t help but wonder if that’s the one that Paramount should have released. 

This two-hour cut of Babylon is the farthest thing from being official, mind you. Damien Chazelle talked about it during a pre-release Q-and-A in November (via Entertainment Weekly), and he said it was a full rehearsal for the movie that starred only two actors: Diego Calva, who plays Manny Torres in the finished film; and Olivia Hamilton, Chazelle’s wife (and an actor in the movie). Calva acknowledged during the Q-and-A that the process was “very uncommon,” to run through a two-hour version of a longer story. And Chazelle added a few more details, saying:

As much as I love Babylon, especially the fascinating ending that captures the director’s unfiltered love of cinema, I seriously want to see this two-hour cut of the action. Mainly, I’m curious which scenes and sequences that eventually made it into the final film did not pop up in this backyard rehearsal. Was Tobey Maguire’s bizarre trip into the L.A. underworld part of the two-hour version? And how might the ending of Babylon changed when Chazelle only gave himself two hours to tell this eponymous story?

Of course, Chazelle had no intention of anyone seeing this cut of Babylon. It was a rehearsal filmed on an iPhone in his backyard. And feature films change and evolve during production and editing. But I’m curious how Babylon came to add another hour of story, from that filmed rehearsal to the theatrical cut. 

And also, given the hindsight of the Babylon box office, I have to wonder how the two-hour version might have played. Our own Eric Eisenberg, in his Babylon review, mentioned that he thought the film started off strong but didn’t have the momentum to sustain its length. But this is Monday Morning Quarterbacking a movie that, to me, works incredibly well in its final form, and hopefully will find its audience over time. Something tells me that Paramount looked at the movie stars they had in the cast, and assumed star power would attract a larger audience. Or maybe Tobey Maguire needed to hand out free booze at more screenings of the movie?

Either way, if Damien Chazelle is reading this, please include the two-hour backyard rehearsal cut on the eventual Babylon 4K, because I’m definitely buying that, and would love to see the shorter version. Out of curiosity.

Warning: SPOILERS for Babylon are in play. If you haven’t taken this winding journey through Hollywood history yourself, you’ve been warned. 

A sprawling tale of Hollywood's Golden Age, Damien Chazelle’s Babylon goes places some people would definitely not expect. Even with the madcap insanity shown in the film’s wildly NSFW trailer, there are pieces of this movie that nothing can prepare you for. As such, it’s time for those of us who have indulged in this new movie release to talk about something important: that wild Tobey Maguire plotline that comes into play towards the end of Babylon. 

One last call for spoilers ahead, as this is a segment that takes place pretty late in the game. If you want to get a feel for whether this picture is right for you, read our official review of Babylon to get some spoiler free details. Otherwise, let’s get reacquainted with Tobey Maguire’s role in the madness, and how it makes for those wild developments.

How Tobey Maguire Fits Into Babylon’s Story

Deemed “the wild child” since the start of her career, Nellie La Roy (Margot Robbie) yet again finds herself into trouble due to gambling. On one fateful night in 1936, she calls upon old friend Manny Torres (Diego Calva) to get out of this particular jam, which is to the tune of $8,500. Thinking fast, Manny enlists the help of The Count (Rory Scovel), who says he can get that money quick.

The person that Nellie owes the money to is good-time charlie/mobster James MacKay (Tobey Maguire), and it’s a character who even Damian Chazelle understood needed some special treatment. Set up earlier in the film through Nellie’s burgeoning gambling habit, MacKay’s casting was as crucial as his presence in the movie. Appearing on the ReelBlend podcast, Chazelle explained why this was so important:  

Acting as a third act nemesis of sorts, his presence kicks off the final leg of Babylon’s plot, and does so in style. What starts as a handoff turns into something much more sinister, and plunges the film back into the debauchery it indulged in through the earlier acts. Only this time, things take a much tenser air, especially thanks to The Count’s revelation that the money used to pay off MacKay is totally fake.

What Happens During This Babylon Subplot

Like any good entrepreneur, criminal or not, James MacKay has an interest in getting into the moving picture industry. Pitching a couple of ideas to Manny Torres, one such dream project involves a man that’s rather huge, and there’s only one place to see him: at a joint that MacKay calls “the asshole of Los Angeles.” 

Leading his would-be partners several floors underground, Babylon shows us what James considered the last true party spot that harkens back to those days you see in the first act. Throwing it all back to a time where massive creatures could roam among cocaine and sex acts, and alcohol was like oxygen, the journey ends with a gigantic man eating a rat in front of a crowd.

Unfortunately, Chekov’s prop money is discovered as phony by MacKay. Displeased with this betrayal, he tries to have Manny and The Count killed. The two barely escape, making their way back to the surface and releasing an alligator in the process to aid their escape. Sounds pretty wild for a movie about old Hollywood, doesn’t it? 

Why The Tobey Maguire Section Of Babylon Is So Wild

If you look at the marketing for Babylon, you’d expect things to get pretty wild. However, nothing indicates the horror show that Damian Chazelle gives his audience through what feels like a short film built into a larger overall movie. When you think about it, the man basically gave us Tobey Maguire’s Barbarian.

The James MacKay section of the third act is a short subterranean horror movie mixed into all of this old Hollywood excess. Expertly paced, the descent into this den of brutality culminates in bloodletting, alligators, and gunshots, which is on top of the sex, drugs, and bloody violence that occupy the upper floors of Babylon’s hideaway. Hitting this patch of the film may have confused some viewers, but the Tobey Maguire section of Babylon ties into things rather perfectly when you look at it in the right light.

The Reason Babylon’s Short Horror Film Isn’t As Wild As You’d Think

On the surface, Babylon’s Nellie LaRoy is the direct connection that makes this sequence valid. As her actions led to these horrific events, which also catalyze the final act escape plotted by Manny to escape James MacKay’s wrath, this piece of the puzzle doesn’t come out of nowhere.

Manny Torres’ involvement in particular puts a finer point on why this short horror film isn’t as wild as you think. We see the man go through hell and back in order to protect the woman he’s always loved, and he comes out of the other side ready to give up Hollywood. Putting into motion the path to Babylon’s ending, the switch in tone and genre also helps keep the three hours and change running time from feeling stale. 

Most importantly, Tobey Maguire’s character fits into the overall arc of Damien Chazelle’s story. The man is another lost soul duped into the magic of the movies, much like Nellie, Manny or even Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt). The magic of the movies can weave its spell on anyone, and once that spell is broken, we go back to being who we are. In James MacKay’s case, that’d be a vicious thug.

Tobey Maguire Nails Every Second Of Screen Time He Has

Before we put this subject to rest, I need to heap praise upon Tobey Maguire’s performance in Babylon. Through his creepy, yet playful persona as James MacKay, he’s the wild card who we’re not sure we should be laughing with or running from. Playing both sides of that knife to the hilt, it’s only fitting that he landed this role that is similar to one that his Spider-Man 2 mentor Alfred Molina played in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights. 

While knowing full well this man is a powerful mover and shaker in organized crime, the impish glee of Maguire’s portrayal keeps things perfectly off balance. Even in his saddened realization of The Count’s betrayal, there’s a pain in how he says, "We were gonna make movies together." But make no mistake, this man is a killer, and his deeds are felt throughout the remainder of Babylon. 

This casting coup only happened because of Damien Chazelle landing Tobey Maguire as an executive producer before Babylon’s amazing cast was assembled. Through various read throughs with producers, actors and close friends, Maguire read through several roles in this sprawling epic. Once again citing Chazelle’s recent ReelBlend interview, here’s how that casting eventually stuck the landing: 

With Tobey Maguire handing out booze during one of last night’s first public screenings of Babylon, the man’s dedication to the project cannot be overstated. Turning on the charm and menace during his third act appearance, everything comes together through James MacKay’s guided tour into darkness. So when you go back to watch the film again, keep these thoughts in mind and see if it helps decode any new thoughts on what’s going on in those depths of depravity. 

Paramount's Babylon is looking for some party people to usher in its box office opening, as the movie is currently playing at a theater near you. And if you haven’t seen the flick, but wanted to read ahead, there’s still plenty more to discuss after you’ve taken it all in for yourself. 

If you’ve already seen it all and want to talk out Babylon’s ending a bit more, we have somewhere you can head to do just that. Just don’t take that left turn back into James MacKay’s surprise rabbit hole of horrors. You may not make it out so safely this time.

The following feature is going to analyze the ending sequence of Damien Chazelle’s new movie Babylon, so if you haven’t yet seen the movie… first off, go. And then come back and read my opinion on whether or not the choice he made in the finale worked. Spoilers ahead!

As much as Damien Chazelle’s masterful Babylon is about Hollywood in the 1920s, as the industry dealt with the difficult transition from silent film to the “Talkies,” the screenplay also includes contemporary commentary about legacy and innovation in the modern cinematic age. The obstacles that were facing a fading movie star such as Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt) or a sizzling starlet like Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie) could be applied to celebrities under the microscope of fame to this day. And the way that Chazelle chose to end Babylon proves that he wanted this movie to make a bridge from the past to the present, while looking toward the future.

The reviews for Babylon have been mixed. While most critics are praising the work done by the movie’s all-star cast, there have been remarks made that the movie has very little to say amidst its chaos and debauchery. The claim might be that Chazelle staged an epic, Great Gatsby-level party, but left out the reason for celebrating. But I don’t think you can watch the movie’s ending sequence without understanding how the writer-director was using his experimental ending to cement the fact that everything old is still new, and that despite the setting, Babylon is about the here and now for Hollywood. Here’s what happened at the end of Babylon, and my take on whether it worked or not. 

What Happens At The End Of Babylon?

By the end of Babylon, the movie’s two main characters – Jack Conrad and Nellie LaRoy – had died. Conrad took his own life once he realized that the harsh truth passed down to him by gossip columnist Elinor St. John (Jean Smart) was, in fact, true. She explained to him that fame is fleeting, and that his time as an influential movie star had simply passed. But there was nothing to be ashamed of, for Conrad – like most A-list celebrities – had left a stamp on the industry that would outlive him. LaRoy’s fate is less clear, but no less tragic. Finding herself in extreme debt to dangerous men, LaRoy agrees to flee to Mexico with her lover, Manny Torres (Diego Calva). But before they can leave town, LaRoy changes her mind, and wanders away into the night. We learn, via a newspaper clipping, that she was found dead in a hotel room. She was 34 years old.

The movie ends with a flash forward to the 1950s. Torres survived the exploits of Babylon, and moved to New York where he started a family. But the movie catches back up with Manny as he brings his wife and kids on a vacation to Los Angeles, and to the entrance of the Kinoscope Studios, where he made his mark. The family’s disinterested with this chapter of Manny’s career, so they head back to their hotel while he decides to see Singing in the Rain at a nearby cinema. The movie – which influenced Chazelle’s La La Land as well – comments on Hollywood’s difficult transition from silent to sound, and as he watches, Torres reflects on the stories he lived that mirror the scenes he’s witnessing on the screen. 

But it doesn’t stop there. While Torres is playing “audience member,” Chazelle chooses to include an unexpected montage. With Torres in the crowd, and moviegoers enjoying Singing In The Rain, the movie begins to recycle shots from Babylon – the movie we just sat through – and transition further into the movies that exist in its wake. Manny’s memories of his own Hollywood journey merge with famous scenes from Hollywood’s history. Chaplin. Georges Méliès. The Wizard of Oz. Ben-Hur. 2001: A Space Odyssey. Jurassic Park and Raiders of the Lost Ark. By attempting to include as many groundbreaking moments in the montage, Chazelle goes so far as to feature shots from both Terminator 2 and Avatar, paying homage to the genius of James Cameron. The list goes on. 

This beautiful and bold montage culminates in what appears to be colorful shots of the chemical reactions that occur when one develops film. It’s an imperfect science, shooting on film, and the images that you capture might not be exactly what you had intended. But they’re forever committed to celluloid, leaving behind a legacy. It’s the point of Chazelle’s entire movie, and that’s why I think the next section is worth exploring.    

Does The Babylon Ending Work? 

Absolutely, this ending works. Anyone who finds fault in the ending misses the point of the story. Yes, it’s set in the 1920s. But the ultimate commentary is that the people who were doing everything that we witnessed on screen in Babylon – from the partying to the professional challenges – were doing it so that their actions could and would be immortalized on film. In an early scene from Babylon that gets repeated in the end, Manny tells Nellie that he wants to be part of something bigger, something that lasts. He wants to be part of something that MEANS something. Chazelle is saying that contributing to the art form of film, on any level, immortalizes you. 

Think back to the brilliant speech that Elinor St. John gives to Jack Conrad after she writes an unflattering cover story about his fading celebrity. His time at the top of the Hollywood heap had ended. That was true. But she also told him that any time one of his films was run through a projector, the actor would come back to “life” and be appreciated by people who hadn’t yet been born. He’d leave behind a legacy that would still move audience members – like Manny – to tears decades later. 

In fact, the look that is expressed on Diego Calva’s face during this montage speaks to an even larger point proven by Babylon. It suggests that he doesn’t even realize the impact that their work was going to have until he distanced himself from it. When you are making movies, you are so immersed in the pressure of the day-to-day insanity that you can’t appreciate the longevity of what’s being filmed. It might not always be positive. Jack (Pitt) does sneak into a theater to hear an audience laugh at what he thought was a dramatic performance. But sitting in the theater, with tears streaming down his cheeks, Calva’s reaction seems to be saying that everything they endured was all worth it, because technically, they are going to live forever.  

What Damien Chazelle Has To Say About It

The crazy thing about this ending is that Damien Chazelle told the ReelBlend podcast it wasn’t his intended ending, and that it came about very late in the process thanks to some experimental editing. According to Chazelle, they had completed their recordings with the orchestra and were well into their final mix on the film before he finally had to admit that his ending was missing something that he couldn’t put his finger on. In his own words, the ending they’d had was “too normal,” given all of the crazy sequences his audience had just seen in Babylon. So, he began to tweak. 

As Chazelle put it:

As mentioned above, this meant including scenes of the raptors from the first Jurassic Park, and a clip from the original Avatar – even as Babylon is playing in theaters opposite James Cameron’s sequel Avatar: The Way of Water. It’s jarring. But it’s appropriate. And it’s the ideal way to end an ambitious homage to Hollywood, and its neverending legacy.

Writer, director and patron saint of the ReelBlend podcast Damien Chazelle returns to discuss the making of his new film Babylon. We talk about serendipity on set and his “most beautiful” happy accident shot which didn’t make the final cut, showing movies to his kids, Babylon’s incredible ending and so much more. 

Stick around through the rest of the show for our full review of Babylon, and the other films releasing this week. 

Timestamps (approx. only)

00:00:00 - Intro 
00:04:45 - Damien Chazelle Interview 
00:36:54 - This Week In Movies
00:39:12 - Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody Review
00:44:17 - The Pale Blue Eye Review
00:49:19 - Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Review
00:59:38 - The Whale Review 
01:08:37 - Babylon Review
01:21:32 - Our Favorite Damien Chazelle Movie
01:37:26 - Outro

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Brad Pitt is finally sharing his thoughts regarding Margot Robbie working in an improvised onscreen kiss during their new Hollywood period piece, Babylon. According to the Barbie actress, it was her idea for her character, an actress in the late 1920s named Nellie LaRoy, to lock lips with Pitt's Hollywood heavyweight character, Jack Conrad. Robbie joked that the film's director Damien Chazelle called her out for taking creative liberties, and he joked about her wanting to kiss the Fight Club actor. However, Pitt has a different take on the situation.   

The Academy Award-winning actor was interviewed by ET at the film's premiere in Los Angeles Thursday night, where he gave more insight into the onscreen fireworks between him and his Once Upon a Time in Hollywood co-star. When the interviewer questioned Pitt about the "sneaked" kiss, the actor sets the record straight. According to Pitt, it was less Margot Robbie sneaking a kiss, and more a situation of an actor having a clear understanding of her role and making a decision that felt right for their character and the scene. He said:

Pitt also joked that the kiss the two actors share is the tamest thing the Birds of Prey actress does in the film. According to the Bullet Train star, Margot Robbie is on fire in Damien Chazelle's film, and it's the best he's ever seen her. Pitt continued:

Considering how great Robbie was in I, Tonya, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, this is high praise coming from the actor, which will surely only make fans more eager to see her performance. 

We only knew a few quick things about Babylon for quite some time until Vanity Fair released the first-look photos and the wild NSFW trailer dropped online for this film that is placed at the end of the 2022 movie schedule. 

Babylon will transport audiences back to the Hollywood heyday of the 1920s. The movie tells the story of the transition from silent to talking films and when Los Angeles began to shape itself into the capital of entertainment. Along with Robbie and Pitt, the film will also star the likes of newcomer Diego Calva, Tobey Maguire, Jean Smart, Samara Weaving, Spike Jonze, Flea, Eric Roberts and PJ Byrne. 

While Margot Robbie's scene with Pitt made the cut, the actress has said in the past that she isn't sure if her locking lips with Katherine Waterston will make it into the film's release. I suppose audiences will have to wait and see how on fire Robbie was during production and if it translates onscreen. If the trailer indicates what we can expect, I guess we are in for one hot time at the cineplex. 

Babylon parties its way into theaters on December 23. However, early reactions to Damien Chazelle's movie have been somewhat mixed, though Margot Robbie's performance has been singled out as a high point. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for our thoughts on Babylon, and feel free to check out our 2023 release schedule.

Margot Robbie is one of the most beautiful actresses gracing us on the big screen. She also knows how to grab the attention of the cameras with her bold fashion choices like when she wore feathers at the Birds of Prey premiere. At the Babylon red carpet premiere, Robbie had no problem baring those abs with a killer hooded dress. 

In Damien Chazelle’s Babylon, Margot Robbie plays aspiring actress Nellie LaRoy who dances, snorts cocaine, and is convinced to fight with a snake. Last night at the Los Angeles premiere, the Australian actress flaunted her ripped physique in a hooded black halter gown. The daring stomach cutout that showed off those abs got the attention of cameras, as well as fans online. She also had a unique fur-trim train that hung down to the floor past her left leg. Robbie's smooth blond hair was covered with the dress’s attached hood. It’s as if this trendy dress was more of a full-on hood that wrapped around her entire body. It’s clear to see why the Barbie actress was so photogenic that night. Take a look at the abs-baring dress below:

Also in attendance at the premiere was Brad Pitt who played silent film star Jack Conrad known for being the life of the party. He and Robbie reteamed for the third time since Oscar hits The Big Short and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The only difference you’ll see this time around with this duo is a kiss that the I, Tonya actress worked in. She just couldn’t help herself as she knew this would be her only opportunity for a lip-lock with this A-lister. I’d like to believe Pitt didn’t have a problem with it. You can see him wearing his black satin suit jacket below:

Other than Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt, the entire cast of Babylon attended the premiere looking dapper than ever. Among the cast was Narcos: Mexico’s Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, and even Tobey Maguire whose role as James McKay was his first role in years. Hopefully, this means we’ll see him in more roles outside of the Spider-Man franchise going forward. Here’s a photo of this star-studded ensemble below:

Once Babylon was released, the epic period drama received mixed reactions. Twitter users felt that the first half of the movie was epic with many praises towards Margot Robbie and Damien Chazelle. But, others felt it was too much of a mess. The movie currently has a 76% on Rotten Tomatoes with critics praising the cast, cinematography, and overall look of the film, but criticizing the overstuffed characters and plot. It’s possible that a movie like this is not supposed to be taken seriously, but is just meant to be a memorably fun ride.

Margot Robbie’s abs-baring hooded dress was a memorable look that’ll make many women wish they had a dress like that in their closet. You can watch the new movie release of Babylon in theaters on December 23rd.   

Just a few months after starring opposite Christian Bale and John David Washington in Amsterdam (which HBO Max subscribers can now stream), Margot Robbie will be back in a few weeks for one of 2022’s remaining movies, Babylon. This ensemble piece sees Robbie playing an actress in the late 1920s named Nellie LaRoy, and among her many costars is Brad Pitt, who plays Hollywood heavyweight Jack Conrad. On the subject of Pitt, Robbie shared the great reaction she had after director Damien Chazelle called her out for working in a kiss scene with the Fight Club actor.

Babylon marks the second movie Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt have both starred in, the first being Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 flick Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. In this latest movie though, Robbie and Pitt’s characters get to smooch, but this wasn’t originally in the script. Instead, it was something Robbie came up with that she needed to persuade Damien Chazelle, who also wrote Babylon, to throw in. The actress recalled to E! News:

Obviously a script is a key component to making a movie, otherwise there’s no structure to this particular creative process. However, sometimes improvised/quickly-thought-of moments present themselves during shooting, and they end up being highlights of the overall product. In Babylon’s case, it didn’t occur to Damien Chazelle for Nellie and Jack to kiss, but once Margot Robbie brought it to his attention, he realized that this would actually make sense within the context of the story (you know, when Jack isn’t convincing a drunk Nellie to fight a with snake). Ultimately though, this boiled down to Robbie wanting to shoot her shot with one of the industry’s most famous actors. As she put it: 

While Margot Robbie kissing Brad Pitt made it into Babylon, the actress isn’t sure if her locking lips with Katherine Waterston made the final cut. In any case, apparently this particular Robbie/Pitt moment is a standout among what Babylon has to offer, with E! News’ Francesca Amiker saying it “will become an iconic kiss scene.” Babylon is Damien Chazelle’s fifth feature film, following behind 2009’s Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, 2014’s Whiplash, 2016’s La La Land and 2018’s First Man. Other actors involved with this feature include Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Tobey Maguire, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, Lukas Haas, Max Minghella, Samara Weaving and Olivia Wilde.

The public will have to wait until December 23 to see Babylon, but the early reactions for Damien Chazelle’s newest movie have painted it in a mixed light, though Margot Robbie’s performance has garnered a lot of praise. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for our thoughts on Babylon, and feel free to see what movies lie ahead next year with our 2023 release schedule.

There are so many reasons to be pumped about the upcoming release of Babylon. Damien Chazelle has been providing terrific entertainment the last few years with films such as La La Land and Whiplash, and he has assembled a truly spectacular cast to bring to life his boisterous tale of the excesses of Hollywood during the transition period between silent movies and talkies. The new movie's trailer definitely has a chaotic feel, with Brad Pitt encouraging Margot Robbie to fight a snake among numerous other wild moments. An early screening of the 188-minute epic was held in Beverly Hills, and the first reactions are all over the place. 

Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie star in an ensemble that also includes Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Tobey Maguire, Jovan Adepo and many more in what is expected to be a major contender for some 2023 Academy Awards. Let’s see what some of the first social media reactions can tell us about Babylon. 

Clayton Davis of Variety calls is a “high octane, cocaine-inducing trip,” praising Justin Hurwitz for the music, as well as Margot Robbie’s performance: 

Movie critic Maggie Ma also mentions the music, and says that Li Jun Li, who previously appeared in a number of television series including Sex/Life, Wu Assassins and Quantico, is a true scene-stealer: 

Jeff Nelson calls the movie “daring” and a shock to the senses. This writer says you can feel director Damien Chazelle’s style throughout the three-hour affair:

Josh Blumenkranz, meanwhile, is blown away by what he calls the director’s best work yet. This love letter to cinema took the moviegoer’s breath away:

However, it seems that for every tweet raving about Babylon, there is another poking holes in that narrative. While some reactions call this Damien Chazelle’s best movie, there are also those like this one from critic Erick Weber, who has strong opinions about this not just being the director’s worst movie, but one of the worst films of the year: 

Matt Donato of SlashFilm says the first hour of the movie is engrossing, and each performer gets their moment to shine. However, overall character development is lacking, and the end result is a chaotic and “bloated mess”: 

Perri Nemiroff of Collider lauds Justin Hurwitz’s score, as well as Margot Robbie’s acting prowess, but she agrees with the above assessment that Babylon isn’t able to support all of its key characters: 

Finally, Joshua Rothkopf of Entertainment Weekly says the film is high-energy, but it doesn’t sound like that’s a good thing. He says that Babylon is fails to be insightful and calls it “a Scorsese coke film by a squeaky clean director”: 

It’s clear that audiences should expect a loud, long, chaotic adventure when Babylon hits theaters in December; however, it’s unclear how successful Damien Chazelle is at bringing his vision full circle. It will be interesting to see how the critics expand on their experience when reviews come out, especially the Tobey Maguire Bablyon plotline. In the meantime, see what’s coming to theaters in the remaining weeks of 2022, and check out our 2023 Movie Release Schedule to get a look ahead at next year. 

Since her breakthrough role in Martin Scorsese’s Wolf of Wall Street, Margot Robbie has been one of the biggest stars working today. She received a lead actress Oscar nomination for playing Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, and has even dipped her toe into the DCEU as the fan favorite Harley Quinn. She has also worked with a number of celebrated directors like Quentin Tarantino, Adam McKay, and Greta Gerwig. Robbie can now add Damien Chazelle to that list with her new film Babylon, a film in which she put her all into. 

In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, the Amsterdam star reflected on her career, the work she’s doing with her production company LuckyChap Entertainment, and her role in Babylon where she once again stars alongside Brad Pitt. Apparently Margot Robbie's as an early Hollywood starlet in this film was incredibly difficult, practically breaking the actress. She said of her role: 

For Robbie, this is saying a lot. The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actress has a history of transforming for her roles, and truly putting in the work in order to capture the character. In The Suicide Squad, she did many of her Harley Quinn stunts herself, and as described the physical toll that role has taken on her. In addition, Robbie was almost unrecognizable in I, Tonya, and even took up figure skating in order to play the role. She never shies away from playing a character that expects a lot from an actress, so for Robbie to cite her new film as so demanding is definitely significant. 

Babylon assembles an all-star ensemble cast in a film about excess and lavishness of 1920s Hollywood, and the transition from silent films to talkies. The outrageous trailer shows the ostentatious lifestyles of the central characters, with an explosive physical performance from Robbie. The film had a long production process, and is said to have a whopping 3 hour and 8 minute runtime. 

Babylon hasn’t been the only film Robbie has given her all to as of recent. Just this year she starred alongside Christian Bale and John David Washington in David O’Russell’s Amsterdam. She is also currently filming and producing Greta Gerwig’s Barbie where she is playing the titular character. First look pictures of her and Ryan Gosling in this film already look like a lot of fun, and is a much-anticipated movie coming to theaters in the summer of 2023. 

You can catch Margot Robbie’s “shattering” performance in Babylon, when it hits theaters on December 23rd. It is already looking like a potential Oscars contender, so it will likely be widely talked about come award’s season. For more information on other films set to hit theaters later this year, make sure to check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 movie release schedule. 

Damien Chazelle admitted to a crowd of fans gathered for an In Conversation panel at the Toronto International Film Festival that his upcoming film Babylon was going to be “big, boisterous, and loud.” According to the director, he needed something totally opposite from the internal, brooding quiet of his moon-mission drama First Man. And from the looks of the first trailer for Babylon that Paramount just dropped, that’s exactly what the Whiplash filmmaker aims to deliver once this opulent party drama hits theaters in December.

When a trailer opens with a Hollywood starlet (played by an unhinged Margot Robbie) snorting up the Paramount logo as if it were a mountain of cocaine, then ranting passionately about all of the things that she would do if she were rich, you just know that we are going to be in for something unique and special. Here’s everything we know about Babylon, which takes audiences back to Los Angeles in the 1920s, at a time when Southern California’s desert paradise was figuring out how to become a big city. And at the same time, the film industry was starting to find its way, leading to the gluttonous behavior of celebrities, directors, singers, dancers, musicians… in Old Hollywood, anything goes (and everything went).

Into this manipulatable reality steps Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt), a former actor who climbed the ranks to some position of power, even if that isn’t made totally clear in the Babylon trailer. Producer? Studio head? Either way, the man is at the center of the madness that is happening in Hollywood at the time. Margot Robbie’s character may want to live in a world where the party never stops, but sooner or later that lifestyle is going to catch up to you, and we have seen in his previous movies how Damien Chazelle embraces the melancholic sadness that can be found when one sacrifices to chase his or her dream.

Back when Damien Chazelle appeared on ReelBlend, he discussed some of his writing process for Babylon, and how the movie would be in direct contrast to First Man. But as he elaborated in the In Conversation panel at TIFF 2022, that has been his method since the beginning. Following the mean-spirited tone of Whiplash, he lost himself in the hopeful dreamscape of La La Land. After reinventing musicals (and almost winning a Best Picture Oscar), Chazelle needed to pivot to the quiet, barren landscapes of the moon. 

He’s back in celebratory mode with Babylon, which stars Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Tobey Maguire, Samara Weaving, Spike Jonze, Flea, Eric Roberts, PJ Byrne, newcomer Diego Calva, and the always spectacular Jean Smart. The movie will be in theaters beginning December 25. 

More from the Toronto International Film Festival

Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans is a touching, messy masterpiece.

Rian Johnson made a superior Knives Out sequel with the winning Glass Onion.

And Harry Styles continues to grow as an actor in My Policeman. 

Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt are about to travel back in Hollywood history, again. The two previously worked together on Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Now, these two and a fun ensemble cast are traveling further back to the 1920s in the film Babylon. While this reunion of two of the best actors working right now is thrilling, there are other reasons to get excited for Babylon. From the stellar ensemble cast to the scale and scope of this project, it’s bound to be an unforgettable experience.  

After only knowing a few quick things about Babylon for a long time, Vanity Fair released first-look photos along with new information about the upcoming movie from the La La Land and Whiplash director. It takes place during the transition from silent to talking films, and when Los Angeles was just starting to turn into the capital of entertainment. While the biggest modern Hollywood actors are playing fictional characters, they are based on real Old Hollywood stars, with Robbie and Pitt leading the ensemble. 

 Margot Robbie And Brad Pitt Are Reunited 

Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie went off and did different projects after Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, like Bullet Train and Birds of Prey, after wrapping the Tarantino flick. The 2019 film was loved by many, and Pitt ended up winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. They were both powerhouses in this film, so there’s no question they will both command the screen in Babylon. Chazelle explained that both actors can relate to their characters which made it even more dynamic. He told the magazine: 

The two will be playing actors at two different points in their careers. Pitt’s character, Jack Conrad, is inspired by John Gilbert and Clark Gable, among others. Chazelle called his character the “uber-movie star.” Meanwhile, Robbie will be Nellie LaRoy, a new actress trying to break into the industry. Her role is based on iconic actresses like Clara Bow and Joan Crawford. Having the two play opposite will surely be electrifying.

It’s Such A Stellar and Surprising Ensemble Cast

Arguably the rest of the cast is just as exciting as Babylon’s stars. Joining Robbie and Pitt are Jean Smart, Tobey Maguire, Olivia Wilde and more. It’s such a unique ensemble; I never thought I’d see Smart and Maguire in a movie together, but I couldn’t be more excited about it. 

Jean Smart has been spectacular in the world of TV, specifically HBO Max shows, with her Emmy-winning role on Hacks and her Emmy-nominated performance in the miniseries Mare of Easttown. Like the other actors in this movie, she owns the screen when she’s on it and I imagine that will continue in Babylon.

As for Tobey Maguire, while he’s been in great movies, he hasn’t done much since 2014. That said, made his return to the big screen in one of his best appearances of all time, reprising his role of Spider-Man, along with the two other Spider-Men (Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland), in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Maguire seems to like these 1920s roles since he played Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby, so it will be fun to see him take on a new role that seems so different from others he's been in with such a fun cast. 

 Damien Chazelle Is Taking On His Biggest Project Yet 

Damien Chazelle told Vanity Fair that this project was so massive he “kept putting it off.” He had been thinking about it for a long time and decided to go for it after finishing First Man. He told the magazine this project was challenging, but also thrilling. 

The filmmaker wanted to juxtapose the gorgeous, soft scenery of La La Land, which is perfectly demonstrated in that gorgeous final scene, and the dark themes of Whiplash regarding ambition. 

While Damien Chazelle wrote and directed Babylon, he also called back his Academy Award-winning cinematographer and composer from La La Land, meaning it will sound and look gorgeous.

Excitement is an understatement when it comes to how I feel about this movie. Out of the films in the 2022 movie schedule, this feels like an epic we all need to keep our eye on come December. 

Damien Chazelle has wowed audiences over and over again with his fantastic entries into the medium of film, from him blasting his way into our hearts with Whiplash, to taking us back in time with the jazz themes of La La Land, and soaring out to the moon in First Man. This director has truly brought some of the coolest things to the big screen over the last decade, and now, he’s going to be adding a new movie to that list soon enough - Babylon. 

While Babylon has been in production for some time, not much is known about the upcoming Chazelle film, as details of the movie have pretty much been kept under wraps since it was announced years ago. However, we have some quick things that you might want to know if you’re looking forward to the next Chazelle film, including what to look out for when this movie drops in theaters.  

Babylon Is Set To Come Out In 2022

Be sure to add this entry from the 2022 movie releases to your personal watch list, as Babylon is set to come out in 2022 at the end of the year. 

According to Collider, Babylon was originally slated to release at the end of 2021, but due to COVID-19 and production pushbacks, the release date was moved a whole year ahead, until the end of 2022. But, with this in mind, we can confirm that Babylon is set to release in theaters on Christmas Day, December 25, 2022, in a limited release, with a wide release on January 6, 2023. 

While December still feels so far away, I’m sure that the summer and fall months will fly right past us, and soon we’ll be back in theaters to witness Chazelle’s awesome directing skills once again. 

Babylon Has Wrapped Filming

Another great piece of news that has come out recently is that Babylon has actually already wrapped filming, which means now the movie is in the post-production stage. 

According to a Twitter post from one of the crew members of the film, Bryan Mendoza, they wrapped Babylon on October 21, 2021, saying that it was one of the “toughest projects” that he'd ever worked on. With that in mind, I’m eager to see where this film goes and how much work was put into it. 

Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, And More Are Set To Star

Are you ready for a star-studded cast? Because I am. Babylon is set to star both Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie in the lead roles. Originally, Emma Stone, who was the star of the La La Land cast and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the Damien Chazelle musical, was set to star in Babylon, but she exited the project due to scheduling reasons, according to Deadline.

In the same article, it was said that Margot Robbie was in early talks to take over the role, and it was confirmed not that long later that she would take over in the starring role. This is great for both Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, as the two of them had previously starred as member of the Once Upon A Time in Hollywood cast together, with Pitt even winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance, so it’ll be exciting to see them working so closely together again. 

But don’t think that the stars end there. Babylon is set to have a plethora of them. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jean Smart, now best known for her role in the great HBO Max original series, Hacks, will also have a role in Babylon. Another member that joined the ensemble was Jovan Adepo, according to Deadline, who rose to fame from his role in the critically acclaimed film, Fences.

Katherine Waterston also joined Babylon in an undisclosed role, according to Deadline. Three other big-time actors -  Olivia Wilde, Spike Jonze, and Tobey Maguire - also have big supporting roles in Babylon, according to Collider. In another article from Empire, it was confirmed that Samara Weaving, Max Minghella, Flea, and even more have signed on for Babylon. The stars just keep on coming. 

This isn’t that much of a surprise, as Damien Chazelle’s movies have always brought in big names, such as J.K. Simmons for Whiplash - where he won an Academy Award for his performance, as well - or Ryan Gosling, John Legend, and many others, so seeing all these stars sign on to a film like this will surely make for a fun time. 

Babylon Will Deal With The Transition From Silent Films To Talkies 

Obviously, way back when, before movies became what we know them as today, they were silent films, and there were sometimes different stars for those kinds of movies. According to The Hollywood Reporter, this film is going to examine the transition from silent films to talkies, and how that affected stars at the time. 

In the original announcement for the film, it was said that it's going to be set in the late 1920s when talkies were just starting to come out, and how silent film stars, both fictional and those based off of historical figures, rose and fell during this transition. 

Brad Pitt’s Character Is Based On John Gilbert

As I’ve said before, not much is known about the characters and storyline of this film, as they’ve been keeping this movie pretty locked down in terms of letting details get out there. We don’t even have a trailer of Babylon yet. However, we do know some key details about Brad Pitt’s character, and that he is going to be based on John Gilbert, a silent film star, according to IndieWire. 

In the Paramount showcase at CinemaCon 2022, some footage of Babylon was shown, with Brad Pitt in all his glory in a fake prosthetic nose to portray the iconic actor. Margot Robbie was also seen in the footage as well, playing Clara Bow, a real-life titan of the film industry, as well as several of the other key characters of the film. 

While it’ll be some time before we actually get to see this next Damien Chazelle film come to life, I’m sure that over time, we’re only going to get more and more promotion for this already awesome-sounding film. With both Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt having new films coming out in summer 2022 - the upcoming movie, Barbie, and the upcoming action film, Bullet Train - 2022 is looking to be a good year for these two talented performers, and I for one can’t wait to see them in Babylon together.  

Damien Chazelle is one of the best young directors in Hollywood. Already an Oscar winner for La La Land (the youngest Best Director winner ever, in fact), a high-level of anticipation surrounds whatever project he takes on. Such is the case with his next feature film, Babylon.

Chazelle’s most recent project was the Netflix series The Eddy, for which he served as a producer and directed two episodes, but Babylon represents his first big screen movie since 2018’s highly underrated First Man. Let’s take a look at what we know about Babylon so far, from what it’s about, to casting and just when we might see it.

In November 2019, Damien Chazelle’s Babylon Was Announced With A Christmas 2021 Release

More than a year after First Man debuted, Damien Chazelle officially revealed what his follow-up movie would be. Detailed by The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount picked up Babylon, which was written and will be directed by Chazelle and is going to be set in late 1920s Hollywood as the movie industry transitions from silent films to talkies, following the rise and fall of both fictional and historical characters.

This era of Hollywood, which was kicked off by the release of The Jazz Singer (pictured above), has been rich territory for other films like Singin' in the Rain and The Artist, but the prospect of what Chazelle can do with a story set in this landmark era, and with numerous stories to be inspired by, is enticing.

According to the THR report, Chazelle had been shopping Babylon to studios since June 2019 when the script was 180 pages and the projected budget was in the $80-$100 million range. After First Man underperformed at the box office, despite being a critical success, such a high-priced period piece was thought to be a pretty risky bet, which led Chazelle to rework the script and come down on the budget. Whatever he did, Paramount was the one to finally bite.

As part of the announcement, THR shared that Paramount was giving the film a December 25, 2021, limited release, then expanding it wide on January 7, 2022; a proven time frame for a potential Oscar film, which Babylon surely looks to be on paper.

At That Time, Brad Pitt And Emma Stone Were Reportedly In Talks To Star

In addition to announcing Babylon and its release date, the THR report offered the first bit of casting news for the film, which dealt with a pair of heavy hitters - Brad Pitt and Emma Stone were in talks to serve as the film’s two leads.

Emma Stone, of course, has an established history with Chazelle, with the two having worked together on La La Land, for which Stone won her Best Actress Oscar. Stone was tapped to play Clara Bow, the real-life Hollywood starlet who was one of the industry’s earliest sex symbols and box-office draws. She starred in Wings, the first film to ever win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Brad Pitt’s role, meanwhile, is a fictional character, a silent film star who is among those who struggled to adapt to the introduction of sound. Per THR, Pitt’s character is supposed to be based on real-life figure John Gilbert, who’s best known roles are probably in King Vidor’s The Big Parade, and for starring alongside Greta Garbo in one of her breakout roles in Flesh and the Devil.

Playing a fictional character in old Hollywood in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood led to Pitt snagging his first acting Oscar; maybe he can strike gold twice.

Side note, Pitt is being true to his word about taking less acting roles. Babylon and Bullet Train are the only two films that he is currently slated for as an actor.

In December 2020, Margot Robbie Was In Talks To Take Over Emma Stone’s Role

Unfortunately, Babylon will not serve as a La La Land reunion for Emma Stone and Damien Chazelle, with THR reporting in December 2020 that Stone was dropping out for an undisclosed reason. However, her potential replacement is none other than Margot Robbie.

While we lose the Stone-Chazelle reunion with this casting, Robbie and Pitt have their own connection as the pair were co-stars in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Of course, Robbie’s Sharon Tate and Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth never actually met throughout the course of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood; perhaps the two would finally get to share the screen in Chazelle’s story.

No other official casting news has been shared for Babylon just yet, but according to IMDb there are two other actors rumored to be attached to the film - Tobey Maguire, who is rumored for the part of film producer Irving Thalberg, and Li Jun Li, who could be playing the part of Anna May Wong, the first Chinese-American film star.

In January 2021, Babylon’s Release Date Was Moved To Late 2022

When Babylon was announced back in November 2019 and given a Christmas Day 2021 release date, it was likely believed that the film would have little problem meeting this more than two-year window. Of course, we all know what transpired during 2020, so it should come as little surprise that in January, Paramount, among some other schedule shifts, pushed Babylon’s release date a full year.

Per Deadline, Paramount still plans a Christmas Day release, just for 2022, not 2021. The plan to start it limited on December 25, 2022, before going wide is still in place as well, with the national rollout of Babylon scheduled for January 6, 2023.

Almost no Hollywood film was released as originally planned during the pandemic. Many films simply punted on 2020, hoping that 2021 would allow for a return to theaters for potential blockbusters and awards hopefuls.

As a result, Babylon, which wasn’t ready to start shooting when productions everywhere had to shut down, has been given even more time to get its ducks in a row, and a new release date to meet. Knock on wood that no new issues arise that would put the December 25, 2022, date at risk. However, this means that it'll be just over four years in between Damien Chazelle pictures.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on the latest news surrounding Babylon as more information is announced. In the meantime, get a peek at what other movies are coming out in 2021 with CinemaBlend’s 2021 release schedule.

Coming off of First Man and La La Land, I don’t think I would have guessed that director Damien Chazelle’s next directorial project would be for Netflix. Yet, that’s exactly what happened. Chazelle signed on to helm the first two episodes of The Eddy, but working with the subscription streamer wasn’t without its own unique set of challenges.

In a recent episode of CinemaBlend’s own ReelBlend podcast, the director detailed what it was like working on Netflix’s The Eddy. The musical series was set in Paris and filmed often in real restaurants and locations, except for the club, which was actually a set for the miniseries. That wasn’t the biggest challenge, however; instead, it was trying to convince Netflix that filming on 16 mm was worth the effort.

You can hear more about how The Eddy came together on Reelblend, including a funny self-deprecating joke from Damien Chazelle about “always fighting for 16 [mm].”

Damien Chazelle is a self-proclaimed lover of 16 mm and Netflix is often noted for how open it is with letting writers and filmmakers do their thing on the small screen. However, convincing the subscription streaming service Digital wasn’t the path for some of The Eddy’s shots sounds like it was harder than you might think, though Netflix did concede in the end.

The freedom offered by Netflix – not to mention the budgets—have led to the subscription streaming adding some huge names and critically acclaimed projects to its portfolio in recent years. The likes of Martin Scorsese, David Ayer, Peter Berg, Alfonso Cuaran, David Fincher, Guillermo del Toro have all worked with Netflix in some capacity, and I could go on with other big names. The allure of television and movies on the streaming service is changing the types of projects some of these directors get involved with and more, which brings us back to the wild idea that Damien Chazelle might want to do TV.

Now, he’s done it with The Eddy and we’ll have to wait and see if he dips his toes into the TV realm again, as next up he has a film called Babylon in the works. The good news? He seems to have an idea for how to navigate the streaming waters after this first foray.

You can watch The Eddy streaming, only on Netflix, now as part of the service's May lineup. Or see what else Netflix has coming up with our full schedule.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for First Man. If you have not yet seen the film, please read on at your own risk!

While Ryan Gosling's Neil Armstrong remains a stoic figure throughout most of Damien Chazelle's First Man, never seeming to fully process the death of his daughter as he enters the space program, he succeeds in having a big emotional moment shortly after he lands on the moon. It's revealed in the film that he brought a bracelet belonging to his daughter in the shuttle with him, and he leaves it in a crater on the moon in her memory.

It's been one of the most talked about moments in the film, partially because it's unclear if it's the portrayal of a real event or a creation for the movie -- but in the mind of Damien Chazelle, the scene we see depicted in First Man is what Neil Armstrong really did during his moonwalk:

With First Man both being a contender in this year's awards race, and soon arriving on home video, I had the immense pleasure of sitting down with both Damien Chazelle and Claire Foy this past weekend to discuss their collaboration. The primary subject of the conversation was the emotional fortitude displayed by Neil Armstrong during the years the movie depicts, and it naturally led talking about the bracelet scene.

While I admittedly was under the impression that it was fictionalized, the director offered up some interesting evidence suggesting that the bracelet scene could have happened as depicted. He freely admits that it's not something that can ever really be verified, since Neil Armstrong never spoke about it before his death in 2012, but there are enough puzzle pieces -- or, weirdly, lack thereof -- to start putting together a picture.

The idea of Neil Armstrong leaving his daughter's bracelet on the moon originated in James Hansen's biography, First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong, which screenwriter Josh Singer adapted in the making of the film. But even while he never got a 100% straight answer in regards to the matter, Damien Chazelle stills finds that this version of the story speaks very much to Armstrong's personality. Continuing, he explained,

Because First Man is a feature film and not a documentary, it arguably has the license to weigh factual truth and emotional truth as it sees fit, and even if it's not entirely real the bracelet scene still does very much fit into that latter category. What's most important above all is that it was a particular moment that speaks to Neil Armstrong's character and the man he was, and Damien Chazelle feels that the scene did exactly that job. Said the director,

You can watch Damien Chazelle discuss the bracelet scene at the end of First Man by clicking play on the video below!

First Man has been racking up significant award nominations in the past few weeks, and time will tell if/how many times it will be mentioned when the Academy Award categories are announced on Tuesday, January 22nd. For those of you who missed it in theaters, or really want to see it again, it's currently available for DigitalHD purchase -- and those of you who are all about physical editions will find 4K, Blu-ray and DVD copies available in stores also on January 22nd.

To this point in his career, director Damien Chazelle's work has been driven by intense emotion. Whiplash is raw passion and drive. La La Land is built on love and loss. Hell, even his script work on 10 Cloverfield Lane is a ride of constant fear and paranoia. It's been his ability to tap into those feelings that has made his movies each into individual visceral experiences.

First Man, however, is a different beast. It's a film that documents one of the most important achievements in the history of humanity, and is stunningly dedicated to reality, but most importantly, Neil Armstrong is unlike any lead character Damien Chazelle has worked with so far. Rather than having the spectrum of feelings we've seen from the director's other protagonists, Armstrong is portrayed as a stoic -- surely a byproduct of his dangerous and potentially fatal work, where emotions can mean life or death. But while that disposition may have been key for the job, it's also not exactly cinematic.

So while First Man is a stunningly-shot, beautiful, and thrilling piece of work, it more often than not feels cold and detached, preventing you from fully engaging with it.

Based on the book First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen, and adapted by Josh Singer, First Man begins nearly a decade before the fateful Apollo 11 mission when Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) was working as a test pilot -- flying 140,000 feet above the Earth's surface and allowing the film to open with a stunning view of the planet's curvature... and a life-or-death situation. He is struck by tragedy when his two-year-old daughter is diagnosed with cancer, but finds opportunity for a fresh start for his family when he is recruited into the NASA program.

Relocating to Houston, Texas with the never-ending support of his wife Janet (Claire Foy) and his two sons, Neil begins his training for what will eventually be humanity's first manned trip to the Moon. As he partakes in that particular adventure, however, he fully experiences the very real danger and stakes of what he's doing, not only coming extraordinarily close to risking his own life, but losing a number of his colleagues.

First and foremost, First Man is absolutely a film that demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible -- especially in IMAX, given the select sequences shot specifically with the brand's cameras. The reveal of the curvature of the Earth at the start of the movie mentioned earlier is really just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the visuals First Man delivers, and even when it's operating with the more standard 2.39:1 aspect ratio, it still has moments that leave you temporarily stunned (a terrifying spin-out featured in the second act will make you hold your breath far longer than any doctor would recommend).

Of course, the real showstopper and primary reason to see the film is the event up to which the entire story leads: Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon (I refuse to accept any complaints that this is a spoiler). A sequence where the IMAX cameras are in full effect, it's a jaw dropping experience, and it can be easily said there are few historical dramas that sweep you away quite like First Man does in those moments. It's an epic demonstration of the power of cinema, as Damien Chazelle invites you to the cratered surface right alongside the heroes who took a giant leap for mankind.

Any moment where Neil Armstrong is seated in a cockpit is pure excellence, but that's not all that the movie contains. And while the world's most famous astronaut may have done some incredible things during his life, he's also just not that captivating or charismatic as a personality. It's not really a situation where blame can be placed at the feet of Damien Chazelle or Josh Singer, but rather just a side-effect of dedication to reality capturing the subject. Telling the story any other way would have been a betrayal to one of humanity's true heroes, and surely made for a worse film, but it also prevents First Man from being a great one.

This also isn't meant to short sell the performances by Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy, both of whom do admirable work with the material they are given. Gosling, in fact, does some of his best work when his characters are all logic, no emotion (see: Drive), and his impressive calm is actually able to shine in moments where you yourself feel like you're freaking out just watching him nearly get himself killed.

Meanwhile, as Janet, Claire Foy's job is basically to be properly scared for her husband's fate, and make sure that her kids are growing up alright despite the incredible stress in the family's life -- which is a trope we constantly see in these kinds of docudramas/biopics. It's ultimately pretty thankless, but that doesn't stop Foy from doing it well. She not only doesn't fall into the trap of over-compensating for her husband's phlegmatic disposition, but instead demonstrates why they are a couple by existing on the same wavelength as him. Again, it's not the more compelling material, and it winds up leading to a very emotionally confusing final scene, but you're convinced that this is who Janet Armstrong was.

Walking out of First Man, I realized that my feelings very much lined up with my thoughts about Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk last year. Both have riveting sequences, with standouts being filmed in glorious IMAX, and each has an admirable relationship with the past that lends a strange but important sense of credibility. However, that dedication to reality also cuts both ways, and similar to how Dunkirk didn't have a single relatable character, First Man is limited when it comes to connectable protagonists, and it detracts from the experience. Overall, the Neil Armstrong feature definitely makes for the stronger narrative, mostly because it's much better at establishing historical context, but it also isn't everything you hope that it would be, and Damien Chazelle's third best movie.

In October, NASA will celebrate a significant anniversary, as the independent space agency turns 60 years old (President Dwight D. Eisenhower established NASA in 1958). And NASA doesn't plan to celebrate quietly... or alone. In commemoration of its achievements, Universal will be sponsoring 60 free screenings of its upcoming historical drama First Man in honor of NASA's anniversary, and director Damien Chazelle's achievement. And Universal wants you to attend:

Click on the link above to enter into the program, which will allow you to pick up tickets to one of the screenings in the 60 markets that are hosting First Man showings on Monday, October 1. At the time of publication, a number of the screenings have been sold out, so be sure to hurry and check to see if the screening in your market -- or a city close to you -- still has tickets left. They are being handed out on a first-come/first-served basis, and it's a movie that you absolutely want to see on the biggest screen possible.

Set in the 1960s, during a turbulent era in American history, Damien Chazelle's First Man follows the path walked by Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) that took him from talented astronaut in training to "first man to walk on the moon." It's a technical triumph of ingenuity and human spirit, with Chazelle focusing in on the personal sacrifices these men made to achieve professional success... even though (as personified by Claire Foy) the work often left families devastated back home on Earth.

Still, the craft that goes into First Man as Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll) and their team reach the moon's surface, will astound audiences -- particularly in IMAX -- and likely propel Damien Chazelle's movie into more than a few Oscar categories. Watch the trailer for First Man below:

Couldn't get into one of the 60th anniversary NASA screenings that are being held on Monday, October 1? You won't have to wait too long to see First Man for yourself. Universal will have the movie in theaters on October 12. For a complete list of movies hitting theaters for the rest of the year, bookmark our complete 2018 Movie Release Schedule.

Although it has only just premiered, Damien Chazelle's La La Land follow up, First Man is already facing some backlash. The film stars Ryan Gosling as legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong and chronicles the Apollo 11 mission and the 1969 moon landing. However, it does not, apparently, show Neil Armstrong planting the American flag on the lunar surface. This omission has caused outrage from people who see it as re-writing history to scrub out the fact that the moon landing was unquestionably an American achievement. Ryan Gosling has responded to these concerns and the artistic choices the film made, saying:

As reported by IndieWire, Ryan Gosling's response indicates that First Man is viewing the moon landing through the lens of what a milestone moment it was in human history and less how it was an American victory in the space race that was a chapter in the Cold War. Ryan Gosling views the moon landing as "transcending countries and borders." The patriotism behind the space race isn't entirely absent from First Man, either, as Neil Armstrong and company are visibly upset at The Soviet Union's successes as they seemed to be ahead of the Americans at different points before the moon landing. It just seems like the focus of this movie is not on the nationalistic aspect of things but on the people involved and the emotional and physical difficulties they endured to achieve this unprecedented feat.

Neil Armstrong himself did not have a preference about what flag was planted and only planted the American flag, instead of the United Nations one, when Congress decided on it. Ryan Gosling cites Neil Armstrong's lack of strong opinion on the matter as part of why the flag planting omission isn't a big deal, saying:

These comments and the omission of the flag planting have led to predictable backlash. However, considering that the movie isn't out yet and has only just premiered at the Venice Film Festival, a lot of anger has come from people who haven't actually seen it. It should also be noted that there is some debate about whether Ryan Gosling's responses here were in regards to a question about a Canadian actor playing the role of American hero Neil Armstrong, and not about the flag planting omission.

It seems, too, that the actual issue may have been blown out of proportion. The backlash has seemingly presumed that the flag isn't shown on the moon at all and that the history of the landing is re-written in the film. However, according to Screen Crush, people who have actually seen the film have shed a little more light on the flag situation and explained that although Damien Chazelle does not dwell on the specific moment of the flag planting, where Armstrong and Aldrin fiddle with it, the flag is definitely visible in multiple shots in the scene on the moon. So, the American-ness of the moon landing has not been scrubbed, it just isn't the narrative focus, which is instead on Neil Armstrong, the man and the astronaut.

So, it sounds like the actual planting itself either isn't shown or is just briefly shown but the stars and stripes will definitely be visible on the moon in the film. Ultimately this will all be clarified a little bit better once more people get a chance to see First Man and then everyone can judge for themselves how the film handles this historic achievement.

First Man blasts into theaters on October 12th. For all the biggest movies still to come this year, check out our release schedule.

Preparation is essential for any actor gearing up to take on a role. That said, the prep becomes even more critical when an actor is gearing up to take on one of history's most iconic names. That's something that Ryan Gosling faced in his prep to play Neil Armstrong in Damien Chazelle's First Man, and the Crazy, Stupid, Love star recently opened up and admitted that he consulted directly with NASA in his lead up to the movie. Gosling explained:

Ryan Gosling is not a stranger to the realm of true story movies. He appeared in Adam McKay's The Big Short, as well as Andrew Jarecki's All Good Things. However, Neil Armstrong was a particularly private individual, and as Gosling explained in his interview with Deadline during a recent appearance at the Venice Film Festival, he consulted directly with the folks at NASA in order to get some invaluable insight into Armstrong and his experience of becoming the first man to walk on the moon.

Of course, there's more to First Man than just a faithful adaptation of Neil Armstrong and his persona. The film arguably looks like a technical marvel, and the trailers promise some interesting visuals that we have not seen in similar movies like Apollo 13 or even Gravity. In fact, the film recently screened for audiences, and the early reactions are incredibly positive -- with some even drawing comparisons to Saving Private Ryan in the way that First Man moves the dial forward on its respective genre. We will not know exactly what that means until we get a chance to see the movie first-hand, but I'm inclined to believe that Ryan Gosling's faithful representation of Neil Armstrong might have something to do with it.

As previously mentioned, First Man focuses on the exploits of Neil Armstrong and the leadup to his historic first steps on the surface of the moon. In addition to Ryan Gosling, the movie also stars The Crown's Claire Foy, The Strain's Corey Stoll, and Chappaquiddick's Jason Clarke.

Audiences will get a chance to see all of Ryan Gosling's preparation to play Neil Armstrong later this fall when First Man premieres on October 12. Watch out for the latest offering from the La La Land duo when it debuts, and head over to our movie premiere guide to read up on all of the films that are on the horizon for 2018!

As the summer months come to a close, the time has come to look forward to the fall movie season, and the inevitable Oscar bating that will occur with major studios. Director Damien Chazelle has been recognized quite a bit by The Academy, with both his acclaimed drama Whiplash and movie musical La La Land. He's once again collaborating with actor Ryan Reynolds for the Neil Armstrong biopic First Man, which is set for a wide release this coming October. First Man just screened at Venice Film Festival, allowing a few choice outlets to review the film. And overall, reception seems to be very warm for both Chazelle and Gosling, possibly teasing another winning Awards Season.

One of the biggest questions surrounding First Man is how much of Neil Armstrong's actual mission to The Moon would be part of the narrative. Are we talking big space action sequences, or simple shots of Armstrong in the cockpit? It appears the answer would be the former, according to THR. As the review raved,

It looks like Neil Armstrong's career as an astronaut will be portrayed as thrilling, complicated, and even deadly. It's a notoriously dangerous profession, and Armstrong's colleagues lost their lives attempting to travel into space. This will help give First Man extremely high stakes, no doubt providing thrilling sequences in the process. But not all of First Man's early praise has been around the spectacle of the project. Indeed, Ryan Gosling's performance getting mention as well, particularly how subtle his characterization of Neil Armstrong is. According to Independent.co, the actor is extremely understated.

Variety's review also praised how First Man is able to transport the audience into the POV of an Astronaut, and how the movie will go full tilt from its opening scene:

Of course, it isn't all praise for First Man. While The Guardian still gave it an overall positive review, it claims that Damien Chazelle could have framed the story better, ultimately resulting in a more powerful film.

Ultimately, we'll have to wait a few months before moviegoers and the general public get to see First Man for themselves. Ryan Gosling's Neil Armstrong biopic will arrive in theaters on October 12, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Damien Chazelle made history when he became the youngest director to win an Oscar. Months later, the man behind La La Land still has his foot on the gas, as the news breaks that he's making his way into television. Clutch your Emmy tightly if you've got one, because Chazelle's new project The Eddy sounds hip. Here's what we know about the new show.

The Eddy looks to continue the musical drama genre La La Land stunned audiences with, but with a different scenario. Damien Chazelle's The Eddy is set in current day Paris and will revolve around the city, a club, it's owner and a house band. THR tells us that Chazelle is collaborating with writer Jack Thorne, who also helped J.K. Rowling co-write Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The project is currently being shopped to networks who, considering the success and accolades of La La Land, will likely be fighting to get the rights. No release date has been given for the project.

Damien Chazelle joins a growing list of high-profile film directors that are throwing their hat into the world of television. The move is much more common in recent years than in the past, and hopefully seeing fresh Oscar winners like Chazelle jump so quickly into television will bring even more talent from the film world than ever. Chazelle isn't the only 2017 Oscar director to jump into television this year either, as Moonlight director Barry Jenkins announced a project for Amazon based on the novel Underground Railroad. Before that, Mel Gibson briefly jumped into television in 2004 with the ill-fated Complete Savages and Manchester By The Sea's Kenneth Lonergan even wrote a couple episodes of Doug in the 90s. Four out of five of this year's Oscar nominees doing television has to draw to some conclusion right?

The past taboo of film stars and directors making the move to television seems silly when you consider the strides television has made lessening the gap between them. Damien Chazelle making the jump so young into his already flourishing career is a big statement for the world of television. Even with winning best director (and almost best picture) for La La Land, Chazelle already had the attention of Hollywood when his film Whiplash which won 3 Oscars two years prior. This guy's resume is hot enough to do whatever he wants, which should make television networks excited he's bringing them the chance to screen The Eddy.

As more details regarding Damien Chazelle's The Eddy come out, we will be sure to keep you in the know. If you're already jonesing for some television updates we're always updating our renewal guide for shows renewed and canceled and giving you a chance to find a new show or one you forgot about via our summer premiere schedule.

By now there is roughly a 100% chance that you have heard about the craze known as La La Land at least once. Damien Chazelle's whimsical Los Angeles-based musical has taken the world completely by storm, and it's gunning to win big at this year's Academy Awards ceremony. The film is chock full of amazing scenes and dance numbers, and you would think that they all took forever to accomplish during the movie's production. As it turns out, the "Lovely Night" dance number at Griffith Park only took four takes to achieve. La La Land cinematographer Linus Sandgren explained:

If you weren't already thoroughly impressed with how La La Land turned out, then Linus Sandgren's recent comments to THR should finally convert you. Despite the complexity involved in shooting the "Lovely Night" musical number when Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) walk together after hanging out at a party, the crew managed to nail the scene in only a few takes. The production eventually found the right time of day to get the color of the sky and the lighting just right (around 7:20 p.m.), and they filmed two takes in two consecutive days. In the end, that was all they needed to get what they wanted in the can.

The success of this scene becomes even more impressive when we consider the fact that long takes are becoming even rarer in movies with each passing year. As filmmaking technology advances, directors can film nearly unlimited takes, and cut together whatever they want in post-production. It takes a distinctly old-fashioned sensibility (not to mention a talented filmmaking eye) to accomplish a long take, and Damien Chazelle has clearly proven that he has those skills.

Check out the awesome scene below for an even better look at the way in which all of these factors came together to make something genuinely beautiful:

La La Land is still in theaters; so make sure to check it out on the big screen while you still have the opportunity. The film will vie for Oscar gold next month when the Academy Awards air on Sunday, February 26.

Last year was an amazing one for the film industry, as great movies were released practically in every single month. That being said, one title has long stood out as a frontrunner during awards season. Damien Chazelle's La La Land not only earned some of the best reviews of the year, but in the last couple of months has been scooping up major prizes on the regular. It was basically guaranteed that the movie would perform extremely well at the Academy Awards... and it didn't disappoint. The big screen musical picked up a grand total of 14 Oscar nominations today, which puts it in a three-way tie for most all time.

Pulling in major nominations in all the major categories as well as multiple technical ones, La La Land is everywhere in this year's crop of Oscar hopefuls. With its 14 nods, the movie has tied the two previous films to reach that benchmark, including Joseph L. Mankiewicz's classic 1950 film All About Eve, and James Cameron's legendary box office smash hit Titanic. You can check out the full list of Academy Award nominations for La La Land below:

A pretty damn impressive list, no? Even more impressive is the fact that La La Land is considered a favorite in a lot of these categories -- including the all-important "Big 5." Obviously it would be a serious challenge to win Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay, but if the film does it, it will be in elite territory. Only three other movies have accomplished that feat, including Frank Capra's It Happened One Night in 1934; Milos Forman's One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest in 1975; and Jonathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs in 1991. This will be a narrative that a lot of people are paying attention to as we get closer to the show.

What makes this news all the better is the fact that La La Land is a great film that legitimately deserves the level of attention that it's getting. Damien Chazelle proved himself a filmmaker to look out for with his brilliant debut Whiplash, but his sophomore effort takes things to another level, and it's just amazing. This is obviously a sentiment that has been repeated many, many times since the movie debuted this past fall, but it's legitimately worth repeating.

Of course, nominations are one thing and winning is another (both 1985's The Color Purple and 1977's The Turning Point received 11 nods but took home zero trophies). Naturally, we'll be keeping a close eye on La La Land throughout Oscar night... which is now just a few weeks away. Be sure to stay tuned for more of our awards coverage here on Cinema Blend, and tune into the big show when it airs on February 26th.

Warning: spoilers for La La Land are in play. If you haven't seen the film, and want to go in fresh, bookmark this story and come back once you've caught up.

With its awards circuit victories ensuring its place in pop culture, La La Land is the film that's been on everyone's lips. For the most part, it's been due to the endearing quality of Damien Chazelle's film; while others have been discussing the fact that the film is one of the best movie musicals in some time. But what's got us still talking in the offices of CinemaBlend is the film's ending.

More specifically, the tone of said ending, as it can be interpreted in a couple of different manners. For the most part, people are divided into two separate camps: those who are dead set against it being a happy ending, and those who feel that the film's finale is a smile-worthy affair. So far be it from us to stay out of a good debate, as we're ready to discuss both viewpoints, and a third that could hold the key to the debate's crushing end!

The Ending

By time we get to the end of La La Land, Mia has taken an acting job in France and Sebastian is starting to get his own jazz club off the ground. Admitting they'll always love each other, we jump ahead five years to see the future of this lovely couple, who have already been going through some rough times after a particularly upsetting dinner argument, among other incidents. We find out that Mia is not only a successful actress as she'd always dreamed, but she's also married and has a daughter with said husband. Doing pretty well for themselves and going out for a date night, the couple stop into a particularly interesting night spot: Sebastian's club.

Upon seeing Mia in the audiemce, Sebastian plays the theme that's represented the couple throughout the whole film, fantasizing what their lives would have been like if he'd done everything right. In his dream, he doesn't push past Mia upon their first meeting, makes it to her one woman show, and is the perfect, supportive man she deserves. They get married, have their own child, and end up going to that same jazz club- in a mirror universe version of what could have been.

As Sebastian plays the last, sad notes of the theme, Mia and her husband leave. With her husband out the door, she looks back one last time to see Sebastian, and looks with on mournfully. Catching her eye, Sebastian smiles wistfully in understanding, and Mia reciprocates. She leaves, and he continues to entertain his patrons, as we're told in a plain as day title card, "The End."

It's Sad

If you're looking for La La Land's easiest interpretation of the ending, you could say that it's sad as all get out. We spend an entire film rooting for Mia and Sebastian to make their dreams come true and wind up together, and every song brings us closer to the heartbreak that is the ending of this film. Plus, that smile on Ryan Gosling's face in the finale is the stuff that sad endings are made of. Sure, Seb wasn't exactly the best person in the world, but surely these two professionals could have made it? He had a stationary club, and she could have travelled around the world, going from gig to gig and always coming home. There's just not enough information to even remotely understand why these two didn't work, so by default this interpretation lands on a sad ending.

It's Happy

Digging a little deeper into the ending of Damien Chazelle's record breaking hit, we can see an ending that is totally happy -- once you remove love from the equation. Looking back at the major themes of this film, the big drive for both Mia and Sebastian is to follow their dreams and make the big time. Even "Another Day Of Sun" sets up this tone in its lyrics, with tales of leaving home to strike it big, leaving that person you always loved seeing you up on that big screen. Since La La Land's pair of lovers both wind up making their way to their respective dreams, the mission is accomplished. Sure, there was a failed romance that kinda/sorta propelled them to where they are now, but that's the price they paid to get to the big leagues. They worked hard, it paid off, and now they're free to ply their trade.

It's Bittersweet

To be completely honest with you, our dear readers, La La Land isn't really a happy or sad ending; at least it isn't by our standards. Rather, we subscribe to the viewpoint that this film's ending is as bittersweet as the dark chocolate bar you bought at the concession stands prior to showtime. Sure, Mia and Sebastian made their dreams come true; but what did they lose in the process? They lost a love that could have been everything, though with Sebastian being kind of a jerk and Mia needing to make some sacrifices for her career, we're not completely sold that their romance was a sure thing to begin with. It's great to see the two of them grabbing onto their individual beams of starlight, but it's still sad that it wasn't together.

What's your take on the La La Land finale? Let us know in the Comments below, though if you want to see the film again / a first time before debating, you can check it out at your local theater today!

If you've been paying even the slightest bit of attention to last Sunday's Golden Globe results, you'll know that one movie won the evening by a landslide. Damien Chazelle's romantic musical dramedy took home a whopping seven statues- winning every single category it was nominated for. The glorious cinematography, original music, and fantastic performance by both Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone resulted in major wins, but how will La La Land live on after it movie theaters stop playing it? Well, a stage musical of course!

Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president Erik Feig recently (via THR) made an appearance at the studio's Investor Day presentation. La La Land's success and ultimate future were eventually brought up, where Feig revealed that a touring stage version may be in the cards for the awards season favorite. He said simply:

There we go, folks. Sebastian and Mia's complicated love story and career journey might just be coming to a local theater near you. And while it won't contain some of the movie magic that made La La Land so beautiful, it seems like the groundwork is all set up for a bonafide theater hit.

To start, the original music and choreography are already set in place. The jazzy score has already been widely praised by critics, and "City of Stars" won the Golden Globe for best original song. La La Land's music was composed by Justin Hurwitz, who previously collaborated with Damien Chazelle in 2014's Whiplash. The lyrics were written by accomplished Broadway songwriting duo Pasek and Paul, who currently have new hit Dear Evan Hansen running on the great white way.

Additionally, it's entirely possible that film star Emma Stone could reprise her role in a stage version- although those bets are probably higher if it makes a Broadway transfer. Stone made her Broadway debut replacing Michelle Williams in the recent revival of Cabaret; it was actually her stint playing Sally Bowles that inspired Damien Chazelle to approach the actress about La La Land. As such, the music was tailored to her voice and the role was essentially written with her in mind. Seeing Stone return to Mia on the stage is sure to be marketing dream for whoever would handle the play's PR.

The adaptations of popular films into Broadway musicals has become a regular practice in the past few years. Very few wholly original musicals are produced on Broadway, and having the audience already connected to a pre-existing property helps generate hype and ticket sales. This season a musical version of the classic mob movie A Bronx Tale opened on Broadway, while movies turned musicals like School of Rock, Waitress, and Kinky Boots are all still running.

We'll just have to wait and see if a La La Land stage play is ever produced. I personally believe this would only really work with a Broadway budget and house, but that's just me.

La La Land is currently playing in theaters.

Some say it couldn't happen. And yet, La La Land totally swept its nominated categories, bringing in all of the major awards it could grab. Obviously, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association loved Damian Chazelle's love letter to old school Hollywood and musicals, but is it still a frontrunner for the biggest honors at the Academy Awards? Well, let's answer that with another question: do you honestly think any other film has a shot at telling it that it can't?

It's really hard for us to think that any other film could best its chances, as it won Best Original Score, Best Song, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor and Actress in a Musical or Comedy, and just now, Best Musical or Comedy. Six major nominations and six major wins all went La La Land's way, and that's a hard trend to buck. It's even harder when you realize that the film has basically been on the top of everyone's lists since it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, so the film's awards are merely a cherry on top of the popularity sundae.

Though there's still one key reason that we know La La Land is going to be a frontrunner for Oscar glory: it's an artist's movie. Hollywood has a reputation for honoring films that pay tribute to the working artist, and they've done so numerous times. Out of the last five Oscar ceremonies, three artist-centric films won the top prize: The Artist, Argo and Birdman. Even if you were to go further back, you'd see films like Chicago, and most egregiously, Shakespeare In Love taking Best Picture, so the odds are not only presently, but historically in La La Land's favor.

Still, the nomination field for the Academy Awards has not been announced yet, so anything could happen. Other films could get more nominations. Moonlight could hit Oscar voters who care more about social matters than simple frivolity. The moon could crash into the sun. But frankly, we feel it'll take a lot to beat a film that opens with a number as gorgeous as "Another Day Of Sun," and manages to finish as strongly as La La Land. If you can find us a film that has a fighting chance, besides Moonlight, we welcome your theories in the Comments below! Of course, that's after you listen to "Another Day Of Sun" one more time, with the video below.

La La Land is still in theaters, and will be hitting a limited engagement in IMAX theaters on Friday, just in time to celebrate its big wins tonight. If you haven't seen it yet, now's the best chance!

After partnering together on this month's La La Land, director Damian Chazelle and actor Ryan Gosling seem keen to work together again. Well, it looks like a project they've had brewing since last year has come to fruition, as the pair are continuing their hot streak with a biopic. Of course, for Chazelle and Gosling, no ordinary biopic would do, and they have their sights set on a pretty big story to tell: the life and times of Neil Armstrong.

In particular, Variety is reporting that the film will focus on the years of 1961 and 1969, the time in which Armstrong was most active with NASA's efforts to get to the moon. The script will be based off of the book First Man: A Life Of Neil A. Armstrong, which was originally written by James Hansen and adapted for the screen by Spotlight screenwriter Josh Singer. Reports indicate that the project is set up at Universal, and the film should be ready for production as soon as "early 2017." Should this be true, it's a fine example of doubling down on success.

What's probably the most interesting part about First Man's adaptation is the fact that it would be the third film overall, and the first non-fiction film, for Damian Chazelle's directing career. His previous films, Whiplash and La La Land have both been excellent explorations into the world of music, but the world of space, science and good old American perseverance is mostly new territory for Chazelle. We say mostly, because the themes of persistence and goal focus are something that the writer/director is pretty good at. So if this is any indication, his signing onto this project means that this story will more than likely be a tense pot-boiler about Armstrong's part to get America to the moon.

Another first for Damian Chazelle would also be the fact that First Man would be the first film that Chazelle would direct from a script written by someone other than himself. That said, the pedigree of Josh Singer's pen and Ryan Gosling's leading man chops being mixed in with his directorial skills sound like a hell of a combination. And as far as Gosling is concerned, 2017 will also see him starring in Terrence Malick's Weightless and Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 in the same year. Should First Man be given the go for launch as planned, there's a chance that late 2017 could be when the film is released, just in time for the 2017 awards race.

First Man doesn't have an official release date, and may not use that title in the end, but as soon as we have any other information, we'll update you. In the meantime, you can see Damian Chazelle and Ryan Gosling work their magic together with La La Land, which is in theaters now (and you can check out the trailer above).

Very few directors know how to end a movie quite like Damien Chazelle. Think about his tense, conflicting jazz-drummer drama, Whiplash. The back-and-forth between Miles Teller's student and JK Simmons' teacher built seamlessly to a live confrontation that ultimately awoke the true genius in Teller's performer... just as Simmons had been predicting over the course of the entire movie. Chazelle's latest film, La La Land, has an equally perfect and ridiculously satisfying ending, so when I say down with the filmmaker to talk about his process, I had to ask him how he comes up ,with his conclusions, because sticking the landing is a LOT harder to do in a movie than audience members may realize. (Right, Passengers?)

Needless to say, there will be spoilers for La La Land from here on out, so you might want to stop reading now if you haven't yet seen the film. And GO see the film!

The final act of Damien Chazelle's La La Land takes place five years after the main action of the mesmerizing musical. Mia (Emma Stone), a struggling actress, has finally found success -- though her path took her away from Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), the man she was courting during her rough patch. When we catch up with Mia, she's married to a new man, and while the couple is on the town, they stumble into a jazz club. Sebastian's jazz club, to be specific. The two haven't seen each other in five years. Their eyes meet, and as Sebastian plays the piano, we are treated to a heart-wrenching and uplifting montage of the life he and Mia might have lived, if life played out differently.

It's such a perfectly crafted finale, I had to ask Damien Chazelle if he came up with the ending to La La Land first, and then backfilled his story to make sure that he built to it properly. And he explained to me:

You can tell that the conclusions of Damien Chazelle's films are so beautifully constructed and meticulously crafted, a ton of forethought has to go into their plotting and planning, because especially with La La Land, the montage has so many brilliant callbacks to the entirety of the film. We essentially are watching a new cut of the same actions, only with tweaks that would reflect different decisions in Mia and Sebastian's lives. It's melodramatic and sad, even though -- like their director -- they both get to where they are supposed to be going.

La La Land is in theaters as we speak, and will be expanding to more locations in the coming weeks. It is a MUST see.

With Whiplash, Damien Chazelle revealed himself to be a red-hot filmmaker worthy of keeping an eye on. However, his follow up, the joyous and infectious La La Land, immediately elevates him to a different class. Suddenly, Chazelle looks like a magician, weaving an impossibly skillful musical romance on the big screen that's both classic and contemporary, urban and celestial. And Chazelle actually drops the mic in the opening moments of La La Land with a jaw-dropping, splashy and majestically staged musical number in the middle of a Los Angeles traffic jam.

I honestly can not wait for you guys to see this sequence on the big screen. It's mesmerizing, and you will be shaking your head wondering HOW Damien Chazelle managed to film this incredible, eye-popping musical number on an L.A. freeway. But during a recent conversation with Chazelle at the Savannah Film Festival, where La La Land played in competition, the director actually dropped a bombshell of his own: the sequence that people can't stop talking about almost didn't make it into the movie at all.

That's right. There was a cut of La La Land -- that existed recently, according to Chazelle -- that didn't include the traffic jam musical sequence. Which, after you have seen it, you will know how ludicrous that sounds. But the way Chazelle explains it to me:

This still blows my mind. Once you are able to see La La Land in a few weeks, the opening number, set to the rousing "Another Day of Sun," will have you smiling, stomping your feet, bouncing in your chair and wondering how the hell Damien Chazelle pulled it off. The reality that he almost pulled it out of his movie, altogether, is lunacy. We can only celebrate that cooler heads prevailed.

La La Land is a contemporary musical set in Los Angeles, and stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling as a struggling actress and jazz aficionado, respectively, who fall in and out of love. It has been busy on the film festival circuit, but will open in theaters on December 9 (limited) before going wider on December 16.

It seems that with the release of Fantastic Four Miles Teller is the "it" guy right now - at least until the weekend is over. Well, even when you’re riding high, following up a role in an Academy Award winning film with a Marvel/Fox superhero flick, not everything comes up a win. Take for example the fact that Teller got uncerimoniously dropped Damien Chazelle’s La La Land because he was no longer "creatively right" for the role.

In an interview with Esquire Magazine Teller spoke about being offered a role in the second feature film from the director of Whiplash, only to abruptly lose it after a call was made to the actor’s agent. In the article, Teller explains that he almost had to drop Todd Phillips’ Arms and the Dudes to be a part of the musical, but then found out through a third party that he no longer had the gig. Said the Fantastic Four star,

It’s strongly implied in the interview that the reason Miles Teller was no longer "creatively right" was that Whiplash became an Oscar winning film, thus making Chazelle and his films much hotter properties in Hollywood. The male lead in La La Land (which is the role we assume is being discussed) is now being played by Ryan Gosling, so that shows you a little how that went.. Teller’s Whiplash co-star J.K. Simmons is also in it. Of course, it’s also possible that filming summer superhero movies and other more mainstream fare like the Divergent series also soured the director on him creatively.

Unfortunately, the interview doesn’t follow up and answer the most important question: did Damien Chazelle respond to the "what the fuck, bro?" text? Enquiring minds want to know. Was there an angry, drunken text exchange? Or did the director just ignore it? Is this going to be awkward the next time they see each other?

Rather than being a part of La La Land, Miles Teller will soon be seen co-staring with Jonah Hill in Arms and the Dudes, a comedy/drama about two young men who find themselves in way over their head when contracted by the US to sell arms to allies in Afghanistan. Teller has plenty of other work to keep him busy too, though. The Divergent series is still ongoing, although the plan for a Fantastic Four sequel may not be written in stone based on early reviews.

Earlier this year, J.K. Simmons walked away with a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his scorching role in Whiplash. While that movie is set in the world of music—he plays a vicious drum instructor—he’s set to reunite with the director who helped him win an Oscar, only this time they’re making a full on musical.

The Hollywood Reporter learned that Simmons, who was most recently seen on screen as the most fun part of Terminator: Genisys—he plays a drunken, bumbling detective with a personal stake in the main action—will team up with Whiplashdirector Damien Chazelle for La La Land. That’s not too uncommon. Actors and directors make multiple movies together all the time, and they obviously have something special together creatively. The fact that they’re working on a musical, however, is a bit unorthodox. We’re not exactly in the genre’s heyday, but with these two involved, we’re definitely down to give it a shot. Oh, who am I kidding, I’ll watch any musical.

If the idea of Damien Chazelle and J.K. Simmons making a musical together isn’t enough to pique your interest, the rest of the cast is also a head turner. La La Land will be fronted by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. I had no idea either of them could sing, but they appeared together in Crazy Stupid Love where they had a strong romantic chemistry, so why not.

The plot of La La Land is said to be a modern interpretation of classical Hollywood musicals and follows what I imagine is struggling a jazz pianist, played by Gosling, through the nightclubs of Los Angeles. He meets a young aspiring actress, played by Stone, and the two fall in love, but as they start to attain success in their respective entertainment fields, they are faced with hard choices that may tear them apart. There is certainly room for a few stirring ballads and torch songs with this material.

Simmons plays a character only known as "Boss," who probably has something to do with running one of the clubs where Gosling’s character plies his trade. Or maybe he’s a terrifying mobster. Stone’s ingénue will reportedly also have a trio of roommates to harmonize with, played by Jessica Rothe, Sonoya Mizuno, and Callie Hernandez.

Chazelle has been interested in getting La La Land made since before he started work on Whiplash, which was based on his own short. When you direct a movie that wins three Oscars, you can do whatever you want afterwards, so what the hell, might as well make a musical. It’s a bold choice, but maybe he can add some more awards hardware to his collection and revitalize the Hollywood musical while he’s at it.

La La Land must be fairly far along the pre-production route as it seems like it has most of the cast in place. Summit has even scheduled a release for next summer, and we can expect so see and hear this on July 15, 2016.

In this year's Oscar race, writer/director Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash is seen as a heavy contender. J.K Simmons is a safe bet to walk home with the Best Supporting Actor trophy for his terrifying performance, and a Best Picture nomination - at least - seems like a lock. Unfortunately, where the film might wind up having trouble is in the writing category, as a technicality has left the movie's script mislabeled for Best Adapted Screenplay instead of Best Original Screenplay on Oscar ballots.

Deadline first caught wind of this story, and goes as far as to suggest that the swapped categories could wind up hurting Whiplash's chances for nomination simply because people don't know where to find it listed on the ballot. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences failed to contact distributor Sony Pictures Classics about the category placement before ballots went out on December 29th, and Damien Chazelle was not made aware of the decision either.

So why did this happen? According to Deadline, when Chazelle and Whiplash's producers were first trying to get financing to make the movie, they filmed an 18-minute scene from the script that they planned to use to try and get investors. This plan worked and the movie got money, but the short by itself was so effective that it was entered into the Sundance Film Festival in 2013 and won the Short Film Jury Prize. Because of this pre-existing "short," the Academy determined that the Whiplash feature film was an adaptation, which is why its script is categorized for Best Adapted Screenplay. Of course, this isn't really right, as the footage was always meant to be a part of a larger whole.

What makes this story even stranger and more complicated is that the Writers Guild of America has apparently declared that Whiplash is an original screenplay under their rules, which only makes the Academy Awards' decision more obtuse. What's more, Deadline says the 2008 drama Frozen River took a very similar financing path as Whiplash - producing a portion of the script to sell the movie to investors - and yet that movie was nominated for Best Original Screenplay. This whole situation feels like it could have been sorted out with a simple phone call and explanation, but obviously that communication never happened.

So what happens now? It's hard to say. It's possible that Whiplash winds up getting ignored on the Best Adapted Screenplay portion of the ballot - resulting in it missing out on a nomination it deserves - or the mistake could make it so that a script that was actually originally intended as an adapted screenplay doesn't get just credit. We'll have to wait and see how it all shakes out when the Oscar nominations are announced on January 15th.

Sometimes while commuting or doing the dishes, I amuse myself by imagining what would happen if two movies I love for very different reasons were mashed together. For example: Dirty Dancing meets Night of the Living Dead, where the blue-collared dancers and their snooty clients must put their differences aside to ward of zombies, and Patrick Swayze would belt out the line, "Nobody eats Baby in the corner!" These daydream monstrosities are wonderfully terrible from my imagined movie posters—in this case Baby and Johnny gripping each other passionately with one hand, toting shotguns in the other—to their atrocious tag lines ("They won't stay dead…or off the dance floor!"), which typically makes me snort laugh. They're fun to fantasize about because I'd never have to actually sit down and watch such ill-conceived mash-ups…until now.

THR reports Elijah Wood has just signed on to star in an indie thriller that seems like something out of my idling imagination. Penned by The Last Exorcism 2 scribe Damien Chazelle, Grand Piano takes elements from two of my favorite movies—a pianist's sometimes damning devotion to their instrument à la The Piano and a tension device straight out of Speed—to create a confounding plot. Wood will play a washed up pianist whose stage fright has driven him from performing publicly for five years. Now, on his fretful return to live performance, he sits down to the piano bench to find a menacing note amid the sheet music! It declares that if he doesn't play the best show of his life, he and his wife will die!

Seriously. That's the plot.

Spanish director Eugenio Mira is helming this peculiar picture, which could lens as soon as late summer in Alicante, Spain, and Chicago, Illinois. Admittedly, I'm unfamiliar with Mira's past works, which include a thriller called Agnosia, and The Birthday, a 2004 horror-comedy that stars Corey Feldman. However, I'm not going to rush to judge the fate of Grand Piano on its ludicrous logline alone. Instead, I'm going to hang on to my faith in Elijah Wood, whose been known to sign on to risky projects that shouldn't work—like the deeply deranged take on man's best friend that is Wilfred—but do, and brilliantly. So, for now I'll hold out hope that Wood's latest gamble pays off, and Grand Piano will play out into something intriguing.