For the last several weeks when celebrities and parties have come up in the same sentence, it’s been a discussion of the parties thrown by Sean “Diddy” Combs that are the subject of a federal indictment against the rapper and mogul. Considering all of that, it's extra sweet to hear about Leonardo DiCaprio’s 50th birthday party, which looks to have been quite the shindig. And it apparently had a guest list that would make the Governor’s Ball at the Academy Awards blush, as it truly featured a murderer's row of celebrities.

Leonardo DiCaprio turns 50 years old today, November 11, but he held his party over the weekend. The guest list was shared by deuxmoi on Instagram, and it's absolutely staggering. From DiCaprio’s fellow stars from his generation to some of the great directors that he's has worked with (and those he almost collaborated with), the guest list included:

• Brad Pitt & Ines de Ramon
• Mark Ruffalo
• Benicio del Toro
• Soleil Moon Frye
• Todd Phillips
• Kevin Connolly & Zulay Henao
• Chris Rock
• Jamie Foxx
• Guillermo del Toro
• Paris Hilton
• Lukas Haas
• Steven Spielberg
• Bill Maher
• Casey Affleck
• Emile Hirsch
• Katy Perry & Orlando Bloom
• Cara Delevingne
• Tobey Maguire
• Robin Thicke & April Love Geary
• Odell Beckham Jr.
• Teyana Taylor
• Edward Norton
• Chuck Lidell
• Dr. Dre

There may have been even more stars in attendance, but this list alone is truly a who’s who of Hollywood. Being there had to be an incredible experience. Leonardo DiCaprio's father and stepmother were the only non-celebrities reported to be in attendance. It must have been a pretty amazing night for them, I'd think.

A few of these names are potentially surprising, but it’s very interesting to see who the Wolf of Wall Street star decided to invite to the event. He and Edward Norton have been friends for a long time. The same goes for DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, who were part of the same real-life poker game that inspired the movie Molly’s Game.

It's also great that Leonardo DiCaprio invited his Catch Me If You Can director Steven Spielberg. The same goes for Guillermo del Toro, who almost directed DiCaprio, as he was originally attached to star in Nightmare Alley before he had to drop out and was replaced by Bradley Cooper. I would have loved to have seen those two meet up at the party. If there’s a chance they could work together down the road that’s a very exciting prospect that they probably talked about.

DiCaprio’s One Upon A Time…In Hollywood co-star Brad Pitt -- along with his serious girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, -- was there, as was his Shutter Island co-star Mark Ruffalo. The Revenant star also invited a couple of people who it looks like he may have gotten to know in his role as a producer. DiCaprio produced Out of the Furnace, which included Casey Affleck in its cast. He also produced Kid 90, the documentary film directed by former Punky Brewster star Soleil Moon Frye.

Needless to say, certainly looks like Leonardo DiCaprio’s birthday party was the hottest ticket in town. Now I just need to figure out how to become his friend before next year.

As far as ratings go, at least those handed out by the Motion Picture Association, there is nothing more extreme these days than NC-17. That means no one under the age of 18 can be admitted to a movie with this rating for a multitude of reasons.

Some directors, producers, and studios will re-cut their films to get an R-rating, but there are plenty of NC-17 movies that have been left unedited and sent out into the wild as is, which has resulted in limited releases of some of the most notorious movies of all time. Find out why these films were branded this way, as well as how you can watch them if you are curious, in the following list.

Henry & June (1990) - Fred Ward, Uma Thurman

What better way to start than with the very first movie to earn the NC-17 rating – according to SlashFilm – Henry & June. Director Philip Kaufman’s adaptation of Anaïs Nin’s memoir focuses on a love triangle between novelist Henry Miller (Fred Ward), his wife, June (Uma Thurman), and the French-American author (portrayed by Thurman’s future fellow Pulp Fiction cast member, Maria de Medeiros) in 1930s Paris. Despite its controversially explicit sexual content, the drama was a mild critical and commercial success and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography.

Buy Henry & June on Blu-ray on Amazon.  

Killer Joe (2012) - Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple

Directed by the late William Friedkin and written by 2019’s Little Women cast member Tracy Letts (also based on his stage play), Killer Joe stars Emile Hirsch as an indebted young man who hatches a plan to have his mother (played by Gina Gershon) killed to collect insurance money. Matthew McConaughey gives one of his most underrated performances as the titular hitman he hires, whose fee is so high that he agrees to let his teenage sister (Juno Temple) be treated as collateral.

According to Deadline, the shamelessly twisted crime thriller was released with an NC-17 rating after Friedkin and distributor LD Entertainment opted not to change its ending. While an R-rated version of the film was later made available for home viewing, those interested in seeing it in its original form could also seek out the unrated director’s cut of Killer Joe instead.

Rent or buy Killer Joe on Amazon.
Buy Killer Joe on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Mysterious Skin (2004) - Joseph Gordon-Levitt

One of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s best movies from earlier in his career is Mysterious Skin, in which he plays a gay teen making a living as a sex worker who recalls a disturbing encounter from his childhood through narration. Meanwhile, another teen, played by Brady Corbet, struggles to figure out the truth behind a blackout he suffered when he was younger, leading the two men to cross paths unexpectedly.

Writer and director Gregg Araki is notorious for including pervasive sexual content in his films, but the NC-17 rating for Mysterious Skin – also starring Elisabeth Shue and Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast member Michelle Trachtenberg – was largely determined by its graphic depiction of pedophilia. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the challenging subject matter sparked controversy when the Australian Family Association feared child predators could use the film as a grooming tool or for their own gratification.
 
Rent or buy Mysterious Skin on Amazon.
Buy Mysterious Skin on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1989) - Antonio Banderas

In one of his many racy collaborations with writer and director Pedro Almodóvar, Antonio Banderas stars in Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! as Ricky, who is released from a mental hospital with the intent of finding love. So, he tracks down a former adult film star, played by Victoria Abril, whom he once shared an intimate encounter with and takes her prisoner in hopes he can convince her to be his wife.

According to Gwyne Edwards’ 2001 book Almodóvar: Labyrinths of Passion, the controversial subject matter of Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! was instrumental in the creation of the NC-17 rating itself. Thus, the MPA branded it as such in 1990 for a “scene of strong adult sensuality with nudity,” according to FilmRatings.com.

Stream Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! on Max.
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Buy Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! on Blu-ray Amazon.

Blonde (2022) - Ana de Armas

Based on the book by Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde is director Andrew Dominik’s in-depth and fictionalized look at the tragically short life of Norma Jeane Baker, better known as Marilyn Monroe. Ana de Armas disappears into the role of one of Hollywood’s most iconic figures, portraying a side of the actress and model that was long kept hidden from the public.

Dominik once said that he anticipated his nearly three-hour biopic would be rated NC-17 before the MPA made it official in June 2022, citing “some sexual content” as the reasoning. The film’s more hardcore scenes would inspire some strong reactions from both critics and audiences since it was made available to stream in 2022.

Stream Blonde on Netflix.

Crash (1996) - James Spader, Holly Hunter

Not to be confused with director Paul Haggis’ Best Picture Oscar winner from 2005, Crash is one of the more bizarre and inventive movies directed by David Cronenberg (which is really saying something). Based on the novel by J.G. Ballard, it stars James Spader as a TV producer who becomes seduced into an unusual and dangerous obsession with car wrecks and the intense, sexually stimulating effect they seem to have on him and others, including his mistress (played by Holly Hunter).

Just from learning the plot, it seems pretty clear why a movie like Crash would have been given the NC-17 rating and why it inspired controversy so pervasive that it was chronicled in a 2001 book called The Crash Controversy: Censorship Campaigns and Film Reception. Nonetheless, it was still relatively well-received by critics, according to Rotten Tomatoes, and earned Cronenberg a Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, despite vehement opposition from the jury’s then-president, Francis Ford Coppola.

Buy Crash on DVD on Amazon.

Descent (2007) - Rosario Dawson

Not to be confused with the Scottish 2005 horror movie THE Descent, this film sees Rosario Dawson giving her most provocative and extreme performance since she broke out in another controversial classic, Kids. This time, she plays a woman who undergoes a dramatic and violent change of character after she is assaulted by a man she meets at a fraternity party.

This brutal and upsetting revenge drama was actually released with two alternative cuts: one rated NC-17 and an R-rated edit that omits seven minutes of footage. Still, both versions contain brutal rape, language, some sexual content and drug use.

Buy Descent on DVD on Amazon.

Showgirls (1995) - Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan

Perhaps the most infamous movie on this list, Paul Verhoeven’s 1995 erotic cult classic, Showgirls, stars a post-Save by the Bell Elizabeth Berkley as a young drifter named Nomi Malone. As she hitchhikes to Las Vegas with dreams of becoming a famous dancer on the Strip, she has some ups and downs on her journey, but finally makes her dreams come true, at a price…

According to the MPA, Showgirls was given its NC-17 rating due to the amount of nudity and erotic sexuality throughout the movie, as well as graphic language and sexual violence. If you’ve seen the movie (and not the VH1 version with digitized bras), you’re well aware of the film’s graphic nature.

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Shame (2011) - Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan

Released in 2011, Steve McQueen’s psychological drama, Shame, stars Michael Fassbender as Brandon Sullivan – a successful and dashing executive who is secretly a traumatized sex addict who will do anything and everything to get his kicks in New York City. Just when he thinks life can’t get any worse, his equally damaged sister (Carey Mulligan) storms into his life, causing more complications.

Upon release, Shame was given an NC-17 rating by the MPA for explicit sexual content as well as some truly troubling scenes. I’ve walked out of several movies before, but this was the first I exited simply because what was happening on the screen was way too real and unnerving to finish.

Rent or buy Shame on Amazon.
Buy Shame on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Blue Is The Warmest Color (2013) - Léa Seydoux 

Abdellatif Kechiche’s 2013 French drama, Blue is the Warmest Color, stars Adèle Exarchopoulos as a high school student who experiences a sexual awakening after meeting an art school student and aspiring painter named Emma, played by James Bond movies actor, Léa Seydoux. Over the years, the two form a contentious and highly-emotional relationship that opens their eyes to a whole new world around them.

Though tamer than some of the other titles on this list, Blue is the Warmest Color was given an NC-17 rating because of the explicit sexual content the MPA felt was unsuitable for younger audiences. However, at least one theater allowed teens to watch the movie upon release.

Rent or buy Blue is the Warmest Color on Amazon.
Buy Blue is the Warmest Color on Blu-ray Amazon.

Bad Lieutenant (1992) - Harvey Keitel

Abel Ferrara’s 1992 crime thriller Bad Lieutenant follows Harvey Keitel as a broken NYPD detective whose stress over his job, life, and gambling habits get the best of him. From one interaction to the next, the unnamed lieutenant falls deeper down the rabbit hole of depravity, committing some irredeemable crimes of his own along the way.

If there has ever been a movie deserving of an NC-17 rating it would have to be Bad Lieutenant. With an abundance of sexual violence, intense sexual situations, endless drug use, and extreme language throughout, it’s no wonder the MPA came down hard on the movie, which later inspired a sequel only in name, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Werner Herzog.

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Buy Bad Lieutenant on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Orgazmo (1997) - Trey Parker, Matt Stone

Co-writer and director Trey Parker plays a normal Mormon missionary trying to find enough money to support and marry his longtime girlfriend. But when he stumbles upon a porn set, the once strait-laced and deeply devoted young man becomes the biggest thing going in the adult entertainment industry in Orgazmo.

It should come as no surprise that a movie written by the creators of South Park, and one centered on the porn industry, would receive an NC-17 rating from the MPA in 1998. It should come as even less of a surprise that the rating was handed down due to the sexual content and dialogue featured throughout.

Rent or buy Orgazmo on Amazon.
Buy Orgazmo on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Bent (1997) - Clive Owen, Ian McKellen

After being discovered and arrested by the Gestapo in Nazi Germany, Max – a proud gay man played by Clive Owen – is sent on a perilous journey to the Dachau concentration camp where he is subjected to indescribable horrors while still being able to find love.

Possibly one of the most harrowing movies about the Holocaust, Sean Mathias’ 1997 drama Bent is absolutely heartbreaking and disturbing with its graphic displays of violence. Upon its release, the movie received an NC-17 rating from the MPA due to its graphic sexual nature.

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Buy Bent on Blu-ray Amazon.

Matador (1986) - Antonio Banderas

In one of his most disturbing roles, Antonio Banderas plays Angel, a young student who confesses to an attempted rape and a series of murders he may or may not have committed, in Pedro Almodóvar’s 1986 dark comedy, Matador.

Just like some of the other movies featuring the director and actor, Matador pushed the limits with its dark, twisted, and oddly humorous story. Still, the MPA would later give the film an NC-17 rating in 2005 (nearly 20 years after initial release) due to “aberrant sexuality” and violence.

Rent or buy Matador on Amazon.
Buy Matador on DVD on Amazon.

The Dreamers (2003) - Eva Green, Michael Pitt

In the midst of the 1968 Student Riots in Paris, an American student named Matthew (played by Michael Pitt) finds himself getting caught up in the lives of formerly conjoined twins – Louis Garrel as Théo and Eva Green as Isabelle – whose relationship is far from normal. When asked to spend a month with the siblings, Matthew falls deeper into their wild and free-flowing lifestyle.

Bernardo Bertolucci’s 2003 erotic drama, The Dreamers, pushes several boundaries and deviates from societal norms to tell a story about young love in the midst of a chaotic time. With the extreme sexual content and nudity, it’s no surprise the MPA gave the movie an NC-17 rating upon release.

Buy The Dreamers on DVD on Amazon.

A Dirty Shame (2004) - Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville

A John Waters movie receiving an NC-17 rating? You don’t say! The filthy filmmaker’s 2004 comedy, A Dirty Shame, follows Tracey Ullman as Sylvia Stickles– a puritanical resident of the Hatford Road area of Baltimore who experiences a sexual awakening after being hit by a car. 

Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville, and Chris Isaak also star in A Dirty Shame, which (no shocker here) was given the NC-17 rating by the MPA due to its pervasive sexual content. And if you’ve seen the movie, you are all too aware of just how pervasive and graphic it is.

Rent or buy A Dirty Shame on Amazon.
Buy A Dirty Shame on DVD on Amazon.

Pink Flamingos (1972) - Divine

When Connie (Mink Stole) and Raymond Marble (David Lochary) attempt to steal Babs Johnson’s (Divine) title of “the filthiest person alive,” the down and dirty criminal and her family make it their mission in life to prevent the newcomers from accomplishing their mission by any means necessary.

With scenes featuring incest, people eating dog poop, flashers, and an infamously notorious scene involving a chicken, it shouldn’t shock anyone that John Waters’ classic exploitation comedy film, Pink Flamingos, was given an NC-17 rating by the MPA upon re-release in 1997, 25 years after it first shocked audiences around the world. Maybe that’s why Roger Ebert hated the movie.

Buy Pink Flamingos on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Evil Dead (1981) - Bruce Campbell

Bruce Campbell stars in the film that kickstarted the Evil Dead franchise as Ash Williams who – along with his girlfriend and a small group of friends – set off for a night away in an isolated cabin. However, the night quickly takes a turn for the worst after they discover the Necronomicon – a powerful book that awakens possessive, malevolent spirits.

Sam Raimi’s classic horror film, The Evil Dead, was initially released with an X rating back in 1981 on account of its substantial graphic violence and gore. It was later given an NC-17 by the MPA when the movie was re-released back in 1994.

Rent or buy The Evil Dead on Amazon.
Buy The Evil Dead on Blu-ray on Amazon.

BONUS: Elles (2011) - Juliette Binoche

The title of Elles refers to the French magazine, Elle, for which Juliette Binoche’s character is researching an article about an underground sex worker ring orchestrated by female college students in Paris. However, the closer she gets to the facts behind the story, the more she begins to question her own personal interests. Graphic sexual content that goes as far as urinary fetishes initially earned this drama from Polish filmmaker Malgoska Szumowska an NC-17 rating.

Buy Elles on Blu-ray on Amazon.

BONUS: Happiness (1998) - Philip Seymour Hoffman 

The late Philip Seymour Hoffman plays one of several interconnected people all searching desperately for the most coveted emotion there is: happiness. Of course, their chosen ways of acquiring it are exactly the kind of reasons this Golden Globe nominee was initially given an NC-17 rating. 

Also starring the likes of Trick ‘r Treat’s Dylan Baker, Twin Peaks cast member Lara Flynn Boyle, and SNL’s Jon Lovitz, Happiness is one of the darkest comedies of its time. However, that does not mean so much when you learn it comes from writer and director Todd Solondz.

Buy Happiness on DVD on Amazon.

Elles and Happiness are some of a few notable examples of films that surrendered their NC-17 ratings upon release and are now deemed “unrated,” such as the aforementioned Kids. However, they are just as challenging and provocative as any of the films listed above, which is why we’ll still count them as NC-17 in our book.

It's been a year-and-a-half since Quentin Tarantino rocked his way back into theaters with his ninth film, Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie, among several others, this star-studded period piece was exactly the sort of entertaining revisionist history that only Tarantino could make, and it became another critical and commercial darling for the famous filmmaker. It was nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, and it won two, for Best Production Design and Best Supporting Actor for Pitt.

Following the movie's celebrated success, what is the cast of Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood doing next? Let's take a look and see.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Rick Dalton)

In the role of Rick Dalton, a dwindling movie-turned-TV star caught spiraling at the dawn of the American New Wave, Leonardo DiCaprio played the lead role in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood. An Oscar-winning actor best known for Titanic, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Catch Me If You Can, The Departed, Gangs of New York, Romeo + Juliet, The Aviator, Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street, and The Revenant, DiCaprio is one of Hollywood's biggest stars. He previously collaborated with Tarantino on Django Unchained.

Most recently, Leonardo DiCaprio made an uncredited appearance in the mini-series, Grant, where he served as an executive producer. Currently, the actor is filming a role in Adam McKay's star-studded Don't Look Up. The actor-producer is soon set to reunite with Martin Scorsese for Killers of the Flower Moon. Outside of acting, DiCaprio is producing the biopic, Atari.

Brad Pitt (Cliff Booth)

Playing the part of Cliff Booth, a disgraced stuntman and loyal sidekick to Rick Dalton, Brad Pitt gave an Oscar-winning performance in Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood. As one of the biggest movie stars on the planet in the '90s and '00s, Pitt is known for a number of A-list roles, including the Ocean's movies, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Twelve Monkeys, Thelma & Louise, Legends of the Fall, Interview with the Vampire, Se7en, 12 Years a Slave, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Following this acclaimed performance, Brad Pitt starred in Ad Astra. He's currently filming Bullet Train and he's expected to star in Babylon, the newest film from director Damien Chazelle. As a producer, meanwhile, Pitt is involved with Blonde, Amazon Prime's The Underground Railroad, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and Black Hole, to name only a few forthcoming titles under his Plan B banner.

Margot Robbie (Sharon Tate)

As Sharon Tate, a high-profile American actress who lives next door to Rick Dalton, Margot Robbie provided a touching take on the tragic real-life figure. The Australian actress found fame through Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street and garnered an Oscar nomination for I, Tonya. She's also well-known for her performance as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad.

Following her work in Quentin Tarantino's latest film, Robbie gave an Oscar-nominated performance in Bombshell. Earlier this year, the A-list talent starred in Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn and Dreamland, both of which she also produced. Also, Robbie is a producer on this month's Promising Young Woman. Next, she'll be seen in The Suicide Squad, reprising her role as Harley Quinn, and heard in Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. Additionally, the actress is expected to star in Babylon, opposite Brad Pitt, and the newest film from writer-director David O. Russell. Robbie will also produce Netflix's Maid.

Margaret Qualley (Pussycat)

Playing the part of Pussycat, Margaret Qualley gave a standout supporting performance in Quentin Tarantino's newest film. The daughter of actress Andie MacDowell, Qualley is an Emmy-nominated star for her work in FX's Fosse/Verdon. She's also known for her performances in The Leftovers, Novitiate, Palo Alto, Netflix's IO, The Nice Guys, Death Note, and Spike Jonze's dance-heavy short film, Kenzo World.

Following her role in Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, Margaret Qualley starred in Strange But True, Adam, and Seberg. She also appeared in Olivia Wilde's short film, Wake Up, and Rainey Qualley's "Love Me Like You Hate Me" music video. Additionally, the actress can be heard in the video game, Death Stranding. Next, Qualley stars in My Salinger Year and Netflix's upcoming dramedy series, Maid. She also booked roles in North of Normal, A Head Full of Ghosts, and Claire Denis's The Stars at Noon.

Julia Butters (Trudi Fraser)

In the role of Trudi Fraser, a talented child star who gives Rick Dalton some much-needed encouragement during a moment of doubt, Julia Butters plays a sizable role in Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood's mid-section. Outside of this performance, Butters plays a main character in ABC's sitcom, American Housewife. She can also be seen in 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Term Life, and episodes of Transparent.

Most recently, Butters starred in the latest season of American Housewife and she was heard in the animated short film, Fetch.

Mike Moh (Bruce Lee)

As a fictionalized version of Bruce Lee, Mike Moh played a kick-ass role in Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood. Outside of this performance, Moh starred in the web series, Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist and Resurrection. He also played a role in ABC's short-lived Inhumans and he made appearances in Empire. Outside of acting, Moh is the founder of Moh's Martial Arts in Waunakee, Wisconsin.

Shortly after Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood's release, Moh starred in Killerman. Next, the actor will be seen in Eddie Haung's feature directorial debut, Boogie.

Emile Hirsch (Jay Sebring)

Playing the part of Jay Sebring, a close friend of Sharon Tate, Emile Hirsch had a prominent supporting role in Quentin Tarantino's newest film. The actor is best known for his acclaimed lead performance in Into the Wild. He's also known for The Girl Next Door, Lords of Dogtown, Speed Racer, Milk, Alpha Dog, Lone Survivor, Killer Joe, Taking Woodstock, and Prince Avalanche.

Following his work in Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood, Emile Hirsch starred in Never Grow Old and this year's Force of Nature. He also did voice work in Wizards, 3Below: Tales of Arcadia, Robot Chicken, and the video game, Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia. Next, Hirsch stars in The Comeback Trail, Son, American Night, and Midnight in the Switchgrass. Currently, the actor is filming a role in State of Consciousness.

Kurt Russell (Randy Miller/Narrator)

As Randy Miller, an experienced stunt coordinator, as well as our narrator, Kurt Russell reunited with writer-director Quentin Tarantino for Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood. A former child actor-turned-movie star, Russell is known for a variety of roles, including (but not limited to) The Thing, Escape from New York, Big Trouble in Little China, Overboard, Tango & Cash, Tombstone, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, Sky High, Miracle, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Silkwood, Bone Tomahawk, and Backdraft. Also, the actor worked with Tarantino on Death Proof and The Hateful Eight.

Most recently, Kurt Russell starred in Netflix's The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two, where he reprised his role as Santa Claus. He was also seen in last year's Crypto.

Al Pacino (Marvin Schwarz)

In the role of Marvin Schwarz, Rick Dalton's agent, Al Pacino played a fun, flashy supporting character in Quentin Tarantino's most recent movie. As one of the most famous and revered working actors of the past 50 years, Pacino is an Oscar/Tony/Emmy-winning superstar with acclaimed performances in The Godfather trilogy, Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico, Scarface, Heat, Donnie Brasco, Scent of a Woman, Glengarry Glen Ross, Angels in America, Dick Tracy, and The Panic in Needle Park, among several other productions of the stage and screen.

Shortly following his starry role in Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, Al Pacino played Jimmy Hoffa in Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, for which he was Oscar-nominated. Earlier this year, he led Amazon Prime's Hunters. Next, Pacino stars in Axis Sally. He's also signed on to star in Ridley Scott's Gucci.

Timothy Olyphant (James Stacy)

Playing James Stacy, Timothy Olyphant was a prominent supporting character in Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. Best known for his Emmy-nominated lead role in FX's Justified, the film/TV actor also starred in Scream 2, Deadwood, Hitman, Live Free or Die Hard, Go, The Crazies (2010), A Perfect Getaway, and Santa Clarita Diet.

Last year, Timothy Olyphant reprised his role as Seth Bullock in HBO's Deadwood: The Movie. He was nominated for an Emmy, along with the rest of the cast, for his part in this TV movie. Earlier this year, Olyphant made a slew of television appearances. He was seen in episodes of The Good Place, where he played "Timothy Olyphant," Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Mandolorian. Most recently, Olyphant played a recurring role in FX's Fargo Season 4. Next, the actor stars in the upcoming dramatic film, The Starling.

Austin Butler (Tex)

As Tex, Charles Manson's deputy, Austin Butler played a vicious role in Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. Outside of this performance, the actor is better known for his television work in Switched at Birth, Ruby & the Rockits, The Carrie Diaries, and The Shannara Chronicles. He was also seen in Aliens in the Attic, Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure, Yoga Hosers, Dude, and The Dead Don't Die, as well as episodes of Arrow.

Next, Austin Butler will play The King of Rock 'n' Roll in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis.

Maya Hawke (Flowerchild)

Playing the part of Flowerchild, Maya Hawke had one of her first blockbuster roles in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. Most notably, Hawke (the daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman) is known for playing Robin in Stranger Things Season 3. She also played Jo March in the BBC's 2017 adaptation of Little Women. Earlier this year, Hawke starred in Human Capital. Additionally, she was recently seen in the mini-series The Good Lord Bird, Samia's "Is There Something In the Movies?" music video, and a pair of short films, As They Slept and Memory Xperiment: Kathy Acker, respectively.

Next, Maya Hawke will star in Mainstream and the latest season of Stranger Things. She's also set to star in the upcoming comedy, Strangers.

Mikey Madison (Sadie)

In the role of Sadie, Mikey Madison has an explosive part in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood. The actress is most well-known for playing a main character in FX's acclaimed Better Things.

Following this supporting turn, Mikey Madison was heard in 2019's The Addams Family. Additionally, the actress was seen in the latest season of Better Things earlier this year. Next, Madison stars in 2022's Scream.

Madisen Beaty (Katie)

Playing the part of Katie, Madisen Beaty gets a smashing role in Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood. Outside of this performance, Beaty has been seen in The Master, Other People, The Fosters, The Cloverhitch Killer, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Most recently, Madisen Beaty starred in To The Stars and a couple of episodes of The Magicians. Next, the actress will be seen in the horror-mystery, Seance.

Dakota Fanning (Squeaky)

Playing the part of Squeaky, a devoted Manson follower, Dakota Fanning plays a starry cameo in Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood. The former child star is best known for War of the Worlds, The Cat in the Hat, I Am Sam, Man on Fire, Charlotte's Web, The Secret Life of Bees, The Runaways, Coraline, Dreamer, and the Twilight sequels.

Earlier this year, Dakota Fanning starred in Sweetness in the Belly, Viena and the Fantomes, and The Alienist: Angel of Darkness. Next, she'll star in The Nightingale opposite Elle Fanning.

Bruce Dern (George Spahn)

In the role of George Spahn, a blind, bed-ridden rancher visited by Cliff Booth, Bruce Dern filled in for the late Burt Reynolds in Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood. A revered character actor with nearly 200 credits to his name, Dern is a two-time Oscar-nominated actor known for his performances in Coming Home, Nebraska, Silent Running, The King of Marvin Gardens, Posse (1975), The Cowboys, The 'Burbs, and Black Sunday. He also starred in Quentin Tarantino's previous film, The Hateful Eight.

Following this performance, Bruce Dern starred in Remember Me (2019), Inherit the Viper, Emperor, The Artist's Wife, Ravage, Badland, and a season of Mr. Mercedes. Next, he'll be seen in Death in Texas, Overrun, Buck Alamo or (A Phantasmagorical Ballad), Hands that Bind, Hellblazers, Girl Named Guy, Last Call, The Gateway, and the final season of Goliath. If that weren't enough to keep him busy, Dern is currently filming a role in Christmas vs. the Walters.

Damon Herriman (Charles Manson)

As cult leader Charles Manson, known here as "Charlie," Damon Herriman played a menacing role in Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood. He also played Manson in Netflix's Mindhunter. And he's well-known for his work in Justified and The Nightingale (2019).

Following his brief-but-important part in Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, Damon Herriman appeared in TV shows like The Commons, Perpetual Grace, LTD, Lambs of God, and Mr. Inbetween. He also appeared in Julia Stone's "Unreal" music video, while playing one of the titular roles in Judy & Punch. Next, Herriman will star in Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, as well as two upcoming mini-series, The Serpent and The Underground Railroad.

Did you love Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood? Let us know in the comments!

For Quentin Tarantino's supposedly penultimate film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the auteur is seemingly trying to put together one of the most absurdly stacked casts ever assembled. The cast already featured the usual suspects of frequent Tarantino collaborators, as well as exciting talent that will be working with the director for the first time. At the head of the cast are Leonardo DiCaprio as former Western TV star Rick Dalton and Brad Pitt as his stunt double Cliff Booth. Now, joining Quentin Tarantino's 1969 Hollywood and Manson family murders pastiche are a lot of new names in some intriguing roles. Among them is Billions actor and Golden Globe winner Damian Lewis.

According to Deadline, Damian Lewis will play Hollywood icon Steve McQueen in the film. The Great Escape and Bullitt actor enjoyed the heights of his fame and popularity in the '60s and '70s. The ultra-cool, super smooth Steve McQueen was a friend of actress Sharon Tate, and according to legend, he was supposed to attend the actress' dinner on the fateful night when the Manson family killed her, only to escape that fate by going off with a mistress. Including Steve McQueen in the film shows that all of the major figures adjacent to the Manson murders will be accounted for in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. To that end, several other newcomers to the cast will join Damian Lewis.

Also bolstering this cast are Emile Hirsch and Dakota Fanning. Emile Hirsch will play Jay Sebring, the Hollywood hairstylist who was one of the Manson family victims at Sharon Tate's house. On the other side of things is Dakota Fanning. The actress who is appearing in this weekend's Ocean's 8 will portray Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, the Manson family member who in 1975 attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford.

Veteran actor Nicholas Hammond, who was Friedrich in The Sound of Music and played Peter Parker in the 1977-1979 series The Amazing Spider-Man, joins Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as director Sam Wanamaker. An actor and TV director in the '60s and '70s, you can imagine he may be part of Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt's characters' stories. Luke Perry, who currently stars on the gleefully absurd TV series Riverdale, will be playing a character named Scotty Lancer, which could be the character from the 1968-1970 TV Western Lancer, played by Wayne Maunder.

Last but certainly not least are Clifton Collins Jr. and Keith Jefferson. Clifton Collins Jr., who is currently playing the host Lawrence on Westworld, will play someone called Ernesto the Mexican Vacquero, who sounds like a very Tarantino-ish character. Keith Jefferson, who had small parts in Tarantino's Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, will rejoin the director for a third time as Land Pirate Keith.

Just reading who all of these actors are playing you can see how this movie will have a very Pulp Fiction-eque feel with a lot of intersecting stories and adjacent characters to weave a compelling Hollywood tale. These actors join an already ridiculous cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Timothy Olyphant and Burt Reynolds in the film. So I'm assuming the poster for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will just be a super long list of all the talent involved.

Once Upon A Time in Hollywood hits theaters on August 9, 2019. For everything coming to theaters this year, check out our release schedule.

The roles just keeping coming for actor J.K. Simmons! The newly crowned Oscar winner has signed on to co-star alongside Emile Hirsch in a new buddy comedy set to begin filming this summer.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Whiplash actor J.K. Simmons has recently signed on to a new project, a buddy comedy with actor Emile Hirsch, aptly called The Runaround. The Runaround is about a workaholic father—played by Simmons—who decides to go visit his daughter while on a layover in Los Angeles, only to discover that she has disappeared. Enter Emile Hirsch, Simmons’ daughter’s boyfriend, who Simmons then teams up with to find his missing daughter over the course of one night. This should be good, right? Apparently, the co-founders and partners of The Solution Entertainment Group, who is handling international rights for the film, agree. Lisa Wilson and Myles Nestel had the following to say about the casting for the upcoming comedy:

The Runaround won’t be Whiplash star’s first gaunt into the comedy genre. Though many of his most noted performances were indeed dramatic in nature, J.K. Simmons has also been successful with comedy, in the past. The former Law & Order actor has done guest spots on The Simpsons, loud mouthed Daily Bugle Editor-in-Chief J. Jonah Jameson in the Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy and most recently, he starred in the short-lived NBC comedy Growing up Fisher, a situational comedy about family life in which Simmons played a blind father and lawyer. And, who can forget those Farmers Insurance commercials?

It is, however, the Oscar winners' dramatic roles that have earned him the majority of his awards and nominations, namely his role on the police procedural drama The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgewick. Clearly, the Whiplash actor, who is quite accomplished in both film and television, isn’t taking any time off to enjoy his recent Oscar and Golden Globe wins for his performance in the drama Whiplash, as this is the second new project in recent weeks that the actor has been attached to. Last week, it was announced that Simmons will be starring in a new Starz series called Counterpart. In addition, the actor will be starring in the upcoming Terminator: Genisys film, and The Accountant, also starring Ben Affleck and Anna Kendrick. Simmons is currently filming The Meddler with Susan Sarandon and Rose Byrne.

The Runaround is set to begin filming in July. In the meantime, Terminator: Genisys hit theaters on June 25, 2015.

For much of his career, John Belushi was joined at the hip with Dan Aykroyd. The men starred on Saturday Night Live together, wrote together, vacationed together, played music together and starred in one of the most beloved comedies of all-time together. The relationship worked because the men each brought enough different things to the table to give-and-take. They were equally talented in their own ways. Consequently, when Emile Hirsch was announced as the topliner for the Belushi biopic, the immediate goal became to find someone with enough charisma to play Aykroyd. Fortunately, after much searching, it appears director Steve Conrad has finally found his man: Miles Teller.

The rising star who crushed life in the brilliant and underseen 2013 release The Spectacular Now was reportedly offered the Aykroyd role recently. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he hasn’t officially accepted the job yet, but Hirsch reportedly felt good enough about the prospects over the weekend to straight up announce it at a Sundance party. Seriously. He reportedly grabbed a microphone and told the crowd like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Hirsch is a really, really talented guy. At one point in time, it seemed like he was destined to rapidly rise to the top of the A-list, but thanks to a few bad movies in which he was not the problem, that hasn’t really happened yet. Teller, on the other hand, is most definitely ascending. He’s where Hirsch was a few years ago, and with a few good choices, he could turn into a man capable of fronting studio event films. That’s why, in a weird way, the success of this movie is really important for both of them. They need at least a little bit of buzz to come from it, Teller so he can continue his momentum and Hirsch so he can get his started again.

Over the next few weeks, Teller is scheduled to crank out a ton of publicity appearances for That Awkward Moment. Once he’s finished with that rigmarole, he’s reportedly planning to sit down and figure out exactly what he wants to do moving forward. As such, it should be at least a few weeks before we know the official status on Belushi.

Fingers crossed he does board, though. Teller vaguely resembles a young Aykroyd and more importantly, he should be capable of nailing the comedian’s delicate balance of physical comedy and fast-paced auditory madness.

Here's a clip from Blues Brothers because watching anything from Blues Brothers is better than whatever else you were about to do...

Perched high in the mountains of Santa Fe, writer-director Peter Berg carved out a harsh Afghanistan, embedded with hostile Taliban members doggedly hunting a four man crew of Navy SEALs. This is conflict at the center of Lone Survivor, based on the best-selling memoir by former SEAL Team 10 Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell. Berg tasked his cast--that includes Emile Hirsch, Taylor Kitsch, Ben Foster and Mark Wahlberg--with portraying the real-life heroes who risked their lives on "Operation Red Wings." It was a mission on its own that demanded intense physical training, deep consideration for those who didn't make it, and a heavy responsibility to "get it right."

This responsibility is nothing new to Hirsch, who plays Gunner’s Mate Second Class SEAL Danny P. Dietz, Jr., in Lone Survivor. He's worked in a string of docudramas and biopics, ranging from the true-crime drama Alpha Dog to the Christopher McCandles story Into the Wild, the Academy Award-winning biography Milk, and the upcoming the upcoming John Belushi biopic. But when he and I spoke over the phone about Lone Survivor, Hirsch made it clear how dedicated he was to honoring the memory of Dietz, who was responsible for communications on "Operation Red Wings" and won the Navy Cross for his bravery there. This is a legacy that Hirsch worked hard to pay tribute to, out of respect for this fallen soldier as well as for all the others that share in this noble vocation.

Watching this movie, it's astonishing the physical abuse these soldier went through in the course of this mission. Did the stunts and such involved, did that intimidate you at all in taking on this role?

Emile Hirsch: Well first of all regarding the stunts, I have to give absolute credit to Kevin Scott and his team of stuntmen. He got some of the best guys in the business on this project, and I can't sing their praises enough. Most of those hits are them. These guys are some of the best in the world at what they do. I would never want to try take credit for their hard work.

But the film itself was one of the more grueling physical shoots I've done. And I've actually made quite a few outdoorsy movies with Into the Wild first among them. But it was the high altitude nature of (the Lone Survivor shoot) which made everything we did a little bit different. It wasn't just that there was all this running around these big boulders or the cold in the morning, and all this different gear on--and that itself is a kind of grueling thing--but it was also the altitude. That's the thing you don't see on screen, which was really a factor with all the guys. We're up in Santa Fe ski basin. We basically took the ski lifts to the top of the mountain every morning before we started. So we're up 14,000 feet. Doing that type of thing at 14,000 feet is a whole lot different too.

Was the physical side of this part of the allure of the project, or a cause for reluctance?

No it gave me excitement. It was a challenge. It was something I hadn't done before and wasn't sure I could do. And I had to find out if I could do it or not by just trying. I think that that's one of the most exciting parts of being an actor is just you're constantly doing things that frighten or scare you in the beginning. You do them because of that. You have to rid yourself of that by doing it.

I've heard you fought really hard to win the role of Danny. What drove you to want to play him onscreen?

It was something about these guys, these Navy SEALs. What they did, how they fought so hard. I had so much admiration. I felt that they were willing to fight for their country and die the way they did, fighting a battle for such a long time. Me fighting for a role, there's no comparison. Yeah, I fought for a role, and I kept pursuing Pete. I wouldn't take no for an answer. I went to training for months without the role. Showed up every morning at 6, committed myself physically in a way I'd never done before. But at the end of the day, it's a drop in the bucket to the training these Navy SEALs go through, like BUD/S (Basis Underwater Demolition/SEAL) training.

Then once you got the part, you guys actually did SEAL training right?

Well that's actually kind misleading because we didn't do SEAL training; we were trained by SEALs. SEAL training is going through BUD/S, which is the school the SEALs go through, which is very, very hard. Non-stop surf torture, it's like unimaginable. I don't know any actor in the world that could actually graduate BUD/S. You be hard pressed to find an actor to full-on graduate BUD/S.

But we were trained by SEALs. We had five or six Navy SEALs. We had SWAT range training, where we're on a SWAT range outside of Albuquerque with live fire and M4 weapon system. They all call it the weapon system, which is kind of crazy and badass. And we were blowing through 1500 rounds a day, just literally boxes and boxes and cases of bullets. And the whole day you could just hear the click click sound of bullets being loaded for all the actors. We were just shooting at targets, running around. We each had a SEAL on our backs at all times for safety. We really were challenged to constantly pay attention, constantly keep focus. Because we had these guys on our backs and there was real danger involved because it was live fire with actual bullets in that training. It was very intense on set because these guns are so incredibly dangerous.

Playing a character based on a real person, is that different for you than playing a character who is completely fictional?

Absolutely. There's just a sense of wanting to get it right, and get it close to what the person was like if you can. Or if you choose to. Something you can choose not to for a creative decision for whatever reason, which is also fine. In this particular project, Danny was loved by so many friends and family. And talking to them in preparation for the role was really an eye-opener, and reminded me this is more than just a movie. This was these peoples' lives. This is their son and their brother, someone who really was an honorable person, who deserves to be taken seriously and respected and honored with the best that I could do.

And of course Luttrell was on set, right?

Luttrell was on set, except for the actual gun fight itself. I think that would have been too much. I don't know about too much, but probably just best he wouldn't be there for that part.

Yeah, that seems--oof.

Yeah, it's surreal enough to see a movie made about your life but to see a movie being made about the absolutely worse day of your life? Worst week of your life? I think that would have been really tough.

How much did you know about the SEALs before the film?

Not a ton. I mean I feel like I sort of knew what the average person would know about SEALs.

And now do you feel you know a lot more having had to walk in their shoes to some degree?

Oh yeah. Well, you know Ben Foster and I went down to Coronado on a day in Los Angeles where we both had free. And we were actually able to meet SEAL team 5 down there, see where they put all their stuff. We basically got to trot around their backyard for a little while. And it was incredible. Seeing what these guys are, seeing what their personalities are like, the light side, the dark side, every which way--it's a very intense world that they roll in.

You've played a lot of characters based on real people. Is that something you're especially drawn to or is that more coincidence?

I think there's a part of me that gets more excited about characters that are based on real people. I don't know why--I mean, I do know why. There's more detail. The material feels more character rich. There's more at stake. There's more to me that fires up my imagination because there's more research to do and things that you can kind of lock on to and really learn. I find myself learning more about the world when I play parts that are based on other people because you have to go out into the world and research it. In that process you discover things. It becomes an education.

Do you consider yourself a history buff at all?

I love history. I do. I don't consider myself a history buff. But every time I learn about history I find myself really drawn into it and fascinated by it, excited by it.

Well you have another biopic coming up about John Belushi. Is there anything you can tell us about that?

The John Belushi biopic we're hopefully going to be making in June. It's going to be good. I'm sort of somewhat hesitant to talk about it in too much detail because I almost don't want to jinx it or something. I like the idea of keeping it a little bit of a mystery.

Okay, understandable. So, it was funny to me to watch this film a couple of months after Prince Avalanche because Danny and Lance are total opposites. You made those movies within a couple of months of each other.

I know! It's so funny that that was the character I played immediately before playing Danny.

Aside from both being in the woods, there's not a lot of common ground between the two.

Yeah. I know the two versions of these guys in the woods are very different. I had been a little bit out of shape when I shot Prince Avalanche, and I was just kind of enjoying myself, enjoying the food and gained a little weight for that part. And all of a sudden I have to get in the best shape of my life and I found myself training in this workout camp with this guy named T.R. Goodman. Gold's Gym, it's called Pro Camp, it's where pro athletes go. And they were just kicking my butt for six days a week for three and half months. And I was questioning every Snickers I had eaten on Prince Avalanche.

When Lone Survivor wrapped was there anything you did as a kind of release of "now my body can go to hell"?

No not at all! I wanted to maintain it. See, if you get into really good shape, you don't go like, "Oh, man screw this!"

You're like "this forever!"

You're like, "I want to keep this shit as long as possible!" But there was no way to maintain the standard of working out that I'd had. It's just--even T.R. told me, "You're never going to train this hard again. You won't do it. No one could."

It's like a job unto itself.

Yeah, (laughs) he just told me it wasn't going to happen. And I was like, "No, I'm going to do it." But he was right, to maintain that standard, of four hours of working out every morning? It's a lot. Two hours of cardio, two hours of weights.

Well on the idea of beefing up, it seems everyone in your age range is being rumored for some superhero movie or another. Is that something that interests you?

I mean I definitely would never rule anything out. Like I'd hate to say, "No, I'm not interested" then some director reads this interview and is like, "Oh, that's too bad I was just going to offer him like Vineman or whatever." So I'm not going to just say that. But I don't know.

Lone Survivor, opens in limited release on December 27th, and expands on January 10th.

Early last week we learned that the list of actors being considered for the lead in the upcoming John Belushi biopic had been whittled down to just four names. Emile Hirsch, Adam Devine, Adam DeMamp (of Comedy Central’s Workaholics) and Joaquin Phoenix were reportedly the final performers whom director Steve Conrad and the producers were considering for the part - and today they've officially made their decision. Hirsch, who was most recently seen earlier this year starring alongside Paul Rudd in David Gordon Green's Prince Avalanche, has been cast to play the Animal House and Saturday Night Live star.

Based on a script written by Conrad, whose credits include The Pursuit of Happyness, The Weather Man and the upcoming The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, the biopic will tell the true story of how Belushi used his incredible comedic genius to become one of the biggest comedians in film and television, only to have it all ripped away by drugs and alcohol. The star died at the young age of 33 in Los Angeles, California due to an overdose of cocaine and heroin. Dan Aykroyd, who was one of Belushi's best friends and frequent collaborators, will be serving as executive producer on the project (and will very likely be a character in the story).

Taking on the role, of course, will be a sincere challenge for Hirsch - as it would be for any actor. Belushi was truly one of a kind performer with truly brilliant timing, and if Hirsch can really tap into it, it has the potential to be incredible. Relive some of Belushi's best moments in the clips below.

Production on the film is looking to start next spring in New York. Unless it can somehow come together incredibly quickly, we can likely expect the film to come out some time in 2015. Before he steps into Belushi's skin, Hirsch will next be seen playing legendary outlaw Clyde Barrow in the two part miniseries Bonnie & Clyde, which will simulcast over two straight nights in early December on The History Channel, A&E and Lifetime. In terms of features, the young actor will next be a part of the excellent ensemble that makes up Peter Berg's war film Lone Survivor, which will be getting a limited release on December 27th. Check out the trailer:

Production on the John Belushi biopic is looking to start next spring in New York. Unless it can somehow come together incredibly quickly, we can likely expect the film to come out some time in 2015.

It's been three long years, but the long-gestating John Belushi biopic is no longer in the hands of director Todd Phillips, and will be moving forward without him. Not that I have a strong distaste for Phillips, but I don’t think anyone who directed Starsky & Hutch and the Hangover series should be the guy telling a story about one of the most iconic comic performers in modern history. Taking over the reins is Steve Conrad, who also wrote the untitled project’s screenplay. He’s nowhere near as accomplished a director as Phillips, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Conrad’s main claim to fame behind the camera was 2008’s workplace comedy The Promotion with John C. Reilly and Seann William Scott. While that’s hardly worth judging him for, he also wrote the screenplay for Ben Stiller’s upcoming comedic drama The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and the currently filming Vince Vaughn comedy Business Trip. He’s also has screenplays for 2005’s The Weather Man and 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness on his resume, so it’s clear he’s adept in telling stories both humorous and emotional. And that’s Belushi’s life in a nutshell.

THR reports Conrad has already got his eye on a surprising handful of actors to lead the film, having met with Emile Hirsch, last seen in this year’s Prince Avalanche, and Adam Devine, the completely oblivious Adam DeMamp on Comedy Central’s Workaholics. Another name that’s come up in conversation for the part? Joaquin Phoenix. I would love to see Devine kill this role, but I have no idea how dramatic an occasion his talents can rise to. Otherwise, I’m only mildly interested in seeing Phoenix or Hirsch land it. Can you imagine either of those guys genuinely trying to pull off being Jake Blues, even for a single sequence?

Additionally, Conrad has met with Nelson Franklin, most recognizable from the series Traffic Light, Veep and New Girl, to play Belushi’s friend and frequent co-star Dan Aykroyd. I’m not totally against this idea, though it would take some getting used to. Incidentally, Aykroyd is serving as an executive producer, while Belushi’s widow Judy Belushi Pisano will also be producing.

THR says the film “hopes to tell the story of a man that embodied both the glory and the tragedy of the American dream as it focuses on Belushi at the height of his fame.” It seems like all Belushi knew was the height of fame, as his SNL years gave way to breakout roles in films like Animal House and The Blues Brothers before his untimely drug overdose in 1982, at just 33 years of age.

I know this flick is going to get a little depressing but I hope it’s well documented how funny Belushi could be. Such as in the clip below, in which he and Aykroyd take Brian Wilson out surfing.

Emile Hirsch is most often associated with bold biopics like Sean Penn's Academy Award-nominated Into the Wild, Gus Van Sant's Academy Award-winning Milk, and to a lesser degree Catherine Hardwicke's Lords of Dogtown (we'll be kind and ignore Speed Racer all together). But this year Hirsch has shown he has a distinct gift for comedy with David Gordon Green's bittersweet and offbeat narrative Prince Avalanche. You can get a taste of Hirsch and co-star Paul Rudd in action with the film's latest trailer, which you can see in hi-res at Apple.

Over the past few years, Green has blown up, moving from quirky indie films (George Washington, All The Real Girls) to big flashy laffers starring the likes of Seth Rogen (Pineapple Express), Jonah Hill (The Sitter), James Franco and Danny McBride (Your Highness). But with these last two lackluster releases, Green's popularity and prospects seemed at risk. Notably, he didn't write any of his bigger comedies, and returning to scriptwriting seems to have made a major turn in Prince Avalanche. The movie has been receiving praise from Sundance to the Berlin International Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival, where this blogger had a chance to enjoy its charming blend of whimsy and earnestness.

Based on the little-known Icelandic comedy Either Way, Prince Avalanche stars Rudd and Hirsch as Alvin and Lance, two road workers hired to paint lines and put up signs along a very long stretch of road in Texas that has recently been devastated by ravenous forest fires. Around them is desolation, which means isolation and boredom. For Alvin (Rudd), this is an opportunity to learn German via audio tapes and meditate on how to fix his wounded relationship with Lance's sister. For Lance, it's a chance to make some money, get to know Alvin, and maybe learn a worthwhile skill The two share a tent and spend all day within feet of each other, and soon this forced camaraderie results in resentment and fiery fights, which are wonderfully funny.

But as the trailer's pull quote suggest, this film's strongest asset (among several) is the chemistry between Rudd and Hirsch. Rudd as a pretentious know-it-all with a weirdly repulsive and attractive mustache is a terrific foil to Hirsch's happy-go-lucky lunk head. Rudd is expectedly great—it is a comedy after all—but Hirsch is a surprise, shedding the angst-ridden urgency I associate with his dramatic roles for a loose-limbed ease that reminded me of a less hyperactive Jack Black. In short, the pair make a perfect odd couple. Check out the film's poster below, courtesy of EW:

Magnolia Pictures will release Prince Avalanche in theaters and on iTunes on August 9th.

Prince Avalanche and Almost Christmas make for a pretty solid double feature. Both are dark comedies that star Paul Rudd as a blue-collar guy trying to prove his worth to his girlfriend and her young daughter. Both attempt tender character portraits, and both appear to be attempts by their directors to reclaim the critical acclaim that once embraced them.

Almost Christmas is Phil Morrison's long-awaited follow-up to the 2005 indie drama Junebug, which memorably launched Amy Adams' career. Described as a buddy comedy, it follows two Canadian thieves to New York City, where they try to go legit by selling Christmas trees in Brooklyn. Paul Giamatti plays Dennis, a surly crook whose just been released from a four-year stint in prison to find Rene, his former partner-in-crime, has stolen away the love of Dennis' wife and daughter. Rudd plays this disloyal but dopey former safecracker, who is a charismatic chatterbox that pleads patience from Giamatti's rage-filled ex-con.

While the performances by Rudd and Giamatti are expectedly engaging, the plot feels rudderless as the days tick down to Christmas and the film's finale. The stakes of this tree-selling venture are unclear, preventing the movie from being deeply engaging. Rene is close to proposing to Dennis's ex, who told their daughter that Dennis is dead. So what could Dennis possibly hope to gain in this adventure? The final answer is cute, but anticlimactic. Still, Sally Hawkins is a standout as an outspoken Russian maid who befriends the thieves, alternately belittling them and feeding them in her unique brand of gruff love. But overall Almost Christmas isn't funny enough to please as a comedy, and not deep enough to work as a drama. Consider this Morrison's sophomore slump.

Based on the Icelandic odd couple comedy Either Way, Prince Avalanche has Rudd in the curmudgeon role of Alvin, a pretentious road worker who is spending the summer working alongside his longtime girlfriend's clueless slacker brother Lance (Emile Hirsch). Together they paint yellow lines, and put up signs on a newly paved stretch of road that winds through a territory recently razed by wildfires. Admittedly, as this is helmed by Green and starring Rudd, I had anticipated a broad, slapstick-heavy comedy like Pineapple Express, or The Sitter. But after the latter disappointed commercially and took a beating critically, Green needs a success and to reassess. So he has returned to his roots with this quirky, character-driven dramedy. And while at times a bit wonky, Prince Avalanche is winsome and poignant.

A mellow movie about loneliness and friendship, it has a sweet and earnest charm, and a rough and tumble appeal. Alvin and Lance initially work in silence, carefully avoiding the confrontations their very different personalities make inevitable. But as they share in each other's highs, lows, and strange experiences with the strange people who haunt this strip of road, the two help each other rise from the ashes of their own personal disasters.

Meditatively paced and thoughtfully plotted, Prince Avalanche allows its characters space to breathe and evolve within the lonely world it presents. Aside from these two lovable schlubs, the landscape offers up a moonshine swilling guru and a widow sifting through the ashes of her fire-eaten home for some evidence of her life before. Delicately rendered performances imbued with a lively humor make each of the film's characters captivating, as do strong performances offered all around. Rudd is smugly satisfying as a know-it-all, but Hirsch steals his thunder as the tender hearted horn-dog Lance, proving he has the comedic appeal (and even a vague physical resemblance) of Jack Black, minus the manic mannerisms. All in all, Prince Avalanche is a heartwarming comedy that shows Green hasn't lost his touch, just briefly his way.

To catch up on all of our Tribeca coverage, click here.

Over the course of David Gordon Green's diverse and, recently much-mourned career, the one consistent thread is his investment in relationships between men with not much going on in their lives. The affectionate one-upmanship between Bust-Ass and Noel in All The Real Girls leads directly to the on-the-lam buddy stoners in Pineapple Express, and even his ill-fated studio adventure Your Highness was just a story about two brothers on a really, really dumb quest.

Nobody depicts dudes the way Green does, and making his way up from the nadir that was 2011's The Sitter, Green is back in fine and funny form with Prince Avalanche, a story about-- you guessed it-- two guys stuck together. This time they're on the verge of becoming brothers, with Alvin (Paul Rudd) in a relationship with the sister of Lance (Emile Hirsch), who's much younger and probably a lot dumber than the buttoned-up Alvin, who speaks in weirdly stiff language and is constantly encouraging Lance to make something of himself. Then again, Alvin's the guy who has taken a job painting yellow stripes on roads and installing signs, bringing Lance along with him for a summer of camping in a part of the Texas wilderness recently destroyed by wildfires (the film opens with a title card about the real-life 1987 fire, though its importance to the story is strictly metaphorical).

Green adapted the film from the Icelandic effort Either Way, but the relationship between Alvin, Lance and the ravaged landscape that surrounds them feels very American, as the two men act out the classic American impulse of taking to the Western wilderness to escape whatever is holding them back. Of course, these being Green characters, they're not all that successful, and even way out in the middle of nowhere Lance can't do anything but complain about not getting laid, and Alvin can't do anything but obsess about the girlfriend he misses. Only after one epic drunken night-- which is preceded by a fistfight-- do they come close to baring their hearts to each other, but that requires wrecking all the equipment for their job in the process.

Green's longtime collaborator, cinematographer Tim Orr, does beautiful work photographing the blackened trees and scarred shells burned-out homes, but the film's absolute standout is the score, from composer David Wingo in collaboration with the band Explosions in the Sky. The band has always had the power to capture exquisite emotion in just a few chords-- think of their work on Friday Night Lights-- and at several points in Prince Avalanche the music builds to a crashing roar, promising a climax that never comes but stepping perfectly in line with Alvin and Lance's bumbling struggles to get somewhere better. The score says what these taciturn Texas men won't, and gives Prince Avalanche some of that familiar melancholy David Gordon Green flavor without going too overboard on the earnestness.

With its moments of goofy humor and characters singularly obsessed with getting girls, Prince Avalanche isn't so much a comeback for Green as proof that he's been here all along. Yes, this is more thoughtful and accomplished than The Sitter, but it's still the same guy who loves putting these goofballs onscreen. The tense chemistry between Hirsch and Rudd makes the journey that much more worth taking, as the two of them and Green all put in some of the best work they've done in years.

Prince Avalanche has not yet been picked up for distribution, but ought to be able to find a home before the festival is over.

When it was announced back in February that Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch and Ben Foster would be starring in Peter Berg's Lone Survivor it felt like an incomplete story. After all, the film, based on the book by Marcus Luttrell, follows a group of four Navy SEALs, and if you can count you know that Wahlberg, Kitsch and Foster only make three. Five months have passed with the identity of the fourth soldier being kept unknown, but according to The Playlist that mystery has now been solved.

Emile Hirsch, most recently seen in Oliver Stone's Savages, has landed the role of the fourth Navy SEAL in Lone Survivor. The film will tell the story of how the soldiers were pinned down by 250 armed Al Qaeda agents while on a mission to kill a terrorist leader in Afghanistan in 2005. The book is actually based on Luttrell's true story and he will be played by Wahlberg in the movie (though the new report doesn't say which members of the squad will be portrayed by Kitsch, Foster and Hirsch. The project serves as a return to the Middle Eastern desert for Berg, who directed The Kingdom back in 2007.

Hirsch hasn't had the greatest run of late, as the last film he made before Savages (which I hated) was the dreadful Russian sci-fi thriller The Darkest Hour, but it's hard to not still have faith in his career. Despite his few missteps, the young actor has put on some great performances in movies like Milk and Into The Wild and shows a lot of promise. Perhaps Lone Survivor can be the jolt his future needs.

It's really a shame that Spider-Man 3 wasn't a better movie. Had it been, we likely would be seeing a lot more of Thomas Hayden Church. Showing an incredible amount of potential post-Wings in Sideways, Hayden Church's filmography since he played Flint Marco has included the dismal All About Steve, Imagine That and Aliens in the Attack. While he does have a couple of things already lined up on the horizon, he's now adding two more.

Variety reports that the actor has been cast in both Cameron Crowe's We Bought A Zoo with Matt Damon and William Friedkin's Killer Joe with Emile Hirsch and Matthew McConaughey. While the article offers no details about the role he will be playing in either film, We Bought A Zoo is about a father who decides to buy a zoo in the English countryside after the death of his wife, while Killer Joe is a dark comedy in which a brother and sister hire a hitman to kill their mother for the insurance money. Most recently, Hayden Church played a role in the surprisingly great Easy A and put on a solid performance. Could this be the start of a third coming for the actor? All we can do is wait and see.

Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke is mining the classics for her next gig. Overture Films has hired her to direct a new version of Hamlet which will star Emile Hirsch as Hamlet.

As you’d expect, it’s Hamlet with a twist. The screenplay being written by Ron Nyswaner will take Shakespeare’s seminal play and set it in the modern day. They’ll strip away all the royalty stuff and focus on Hamlet as the story of a young man deciding whether or not to take revenge on his uncle for murdering his father. Since it’s Hardwicke and they’re modernizing it, expect this to be pretty heavy on the teen angst.

According to producers Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen it will also be a “suspense thriller” as well as “exciting and accessible for an audience today”. I suspect that’s code for none of that “thee” and “thou” stuff.

Some of you may remember Baz Lurhman’s Romeo + Juliet, which took a similar approach to Bill Shakespeare’s other most famous play by turning the Montagues and Capulets into rival gangs set in the modern day. Lurhman however, kept all the flowery ancient language while plopping it down in a modern setting. Baz kept it poetic while this new Hamlet seems more interested in skewing towards contemporary mystery/revenge movie.

Want more Twilight connections? Kristen Stewart appeared in 2007’s Into the Wild with Emile Hirsch. Kristen Stewart for Ophelia anyone? Crazy seems like something she could pull off.

Focus has just sent us new images from Demetri Martin’s hippy flick Taking Woodstock. Set in 1969 the movie follows a down-on-his-luck interior designer who moves upstate and inadvertently helps stage Woodstock on the grounds of his neighbor’s farm in White Lake, NY. It’s directed by Ang Lee. Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Emile Hirsch, Live Schrieber, Paul Dano and Dan Fogler co-star.

Check out all thirteen new Taking Woodstock images in our preview gallery by clicking on one of the sample pics below: