They say that truth is stranger than fiction, and these crime dramas certainly prove that. Yes, some of the biggest, most acclaimed titles in the genre are actually fictionalized dramatizations of real-life crimes, from horrifyingly true serial killer sprees to shocking cases of financial fraud to deep dives into organized crime. Just as harrowing as the best true crime documentaries, these stories combine legality, morality and humanity, making for a truly chilling watch. Here is our list of 32 great films that are actually inspired by true events. 

The Irishman

The ninth collaboration between actor Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese, this critically acclaimed 2019 gangster epic chronicled the life of Frank Sheeran (De Niro), a truck driver turned alleged mafia hitman who became involved with the Bufalino crime family in the 1950s and later the powerful Teamster Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino). The Oscar-nominated drama — which also starred Joe Pesci, Ray Romano, Bobby Cannavale, and Harvey Keitel — is based on the 2004 nonfiction book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt. 

Spotlight

One of the greatest journalism movies of all time, this 2015 American drama follows The Boston Globe's "Spotlight" team, a real-life group of investigative journalists (played by Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, and Brian d'Arcy James) who uncovered the massive scandal of child assault within the local Catholic Archdiocese. Though some creative liberties were taken in telling the story (ex: some events were depicted happening before they actually did in real life), the 2016 Best Picture winner was based on news articles published by the IRL Spotlight team.

Casino

Set in the 1970s and early '80s when Las Vegas was run by the mob, this Scorsese classic was adapted from Nicholas Pileggi nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas. Like the book, the film follows Sam "Ace" Rothstein (Robert De Niro), a low-level mobster tasked by his bosses to oversee operations at the Tangiers Casino. His job is made harder by the company he keeps, including mafia enforcer Nicky Santora (Joe Pesci) and con artist showgirl Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone). 

Zodiac

Not only is Zodiac one of the best movies of the 2000s, but it's arguably one of the best cinematic thrillers of all time. And to make things even more scary, the 2007 David Fincher film is based on a true story. Yes, the Zodiac Killer was a real-life serial murderer who terrorized the Bay Area during the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the case continues to be one of the country's most infamous unsolved crimes. Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. star in the tense mystery.

JFK

This 1991 political epic directed by Oliver Stone examines the investigation into the assassination of John F. Kennedy by New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison (played by Kevin Costner). While the president's murder was a very real and very tragic moment in American history, the film controversially delves into conspiracies surrounding JFK's death, including that Lee Harvey Oswald was a scapegoat and the shooting was part of a coup d'état to get Lyndon B. Johnson into office.

Monster

Charlize Theron won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her transformative portrayal of Aileen Wuornos, a longtime Daytona Beach call girl who became a serial killer and murdered seven of her male clients between 1989 and 1990. The directorial debut of Patty Jenkins, the 2003 biographical drama accurately portrayed Wournos's troubled childhood and her later crimes but fictionalized certain elements of Aileen's life, including her relationship with lover Selby Wall (played by Christina Ricci).

Dog Day Afternoon

“Nobody would ever do what I did,” declared John Wojtowicz in the documentary The Dog. “That’s why they made a movie about it.” The movie he's talking about is, of course, the 1975 Sidney Lumet classic Dog Day Afternoon, which stars Al Pacino as Sonny Wortzik — a man based on Wojtowicz himself — a first-time crook who leads a robbery at a Brooklyn bank, only for it to turn into a hostage situation. 

The Big Short

This white-collar crime drama from Adam McKay takes viewers straight inside the corruption and greed of the 2008 U.S. financial crisis. Based on Michael Lewis's book of the same name, the film is built around an ensemble of characters — Wall Street guru Michael Burry (Christian Bale), hedge-fund specialist Mark Baum (Steve Carell), banker Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling) — who saw the collapse of the housing market coming before anyone else did and decided to take cruel advantage of it.

Goodfellas

One of the most iconic movie characters of the '90s, Henry Hill (played by a perfect Ray Liotta) was enamored with mob life ever since he was an Italian-American kid in Brooklyn. We doubt, though, that he expected his life of crime to go quite the way it did, with addictions, prison sentences, and informing against those closest to him (Robert De Niro's Jimmy Conway, Paul Sorvino's Paul Cicero). Even more surprising, the riches-to-rags story is true: Hill was a real mobster and Goodfellas was adapted from the nonfiction book Wiseguy by crime reporter Nicholas Pileggi. 

Memories of Murder

An absolutely stunning mystery from director Bong Joon-ho, the 2003 neo-noir Memories of Murder is centered on a series of murders and rapes plaguing a village in rural South Korea in the 1980s, with a veteran local detective (Song Kang-ho) and a younger detective (Kim Sang-Kyung) working together to crack the case. The story was loosely based on the real-life Hwaseong serial murders, South Korea's first confirmed serial murders, which have remained unsolved for nearly forty years. 

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

In this 2018 biopic on author-turned-forger Lee Israel — featuring a spectacular lead performance from Melissa McCarthy, who took over the role after Julianne Moore was fired — director Marielle Heller delves into the real-life desperation of Israel after she loses her job and is unable to get any writing published. Though she first takes to selling memorabilia and books in order to make ends meet, the scribe realizes that forging celebrity letters (Fanny Brice, Noël Coward, Dorothy Parker) is not only a lucrative business but also a viable artistic outlet for her own creativity. 

Bonnie And Clyde

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were American bandits and serial killers whose crime spree during the Great Depression escalated from robbing lowly stores, gas stations and even rural funeral homes to major banks. In this 1967 classic by Arthur Penn, Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty portray the title characters, whose misdeeds get even more violent and messy — especially with fellow gang members like Clyde's older brother Buck (Gene Hackman) and his wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons) — as time goes on. 

The Wolf Of Wall Street

The accuracy of Martin Scorsese's 2003 crime comedy has come into question in the decade since the film came out — it's based on the memoir of former stockbroker and financial criminal Jordan Belfort (portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio), who weaves a tale of debauchery and fraud at a Wall Street brokerage firm in 1990s New York City. Though Belfort himself took issue with the movie's oversimplification of his own money crimes, he acknowledged that Scorsese and Co. accurately captured the "overall feeling" of those years. 

Judas And The Black Messiah

With this powerful 2021 crime drama, director Shaka King and screenwriters Keith and Kenny Lucas wanted to change how the Black Panther Party is perceived. After Bill O'Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) is offered a plea deal by the FBI, he infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the organization to gather intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton (an Oscar-winning turn by Daniel Kaluuya). "It was quite essential to make sure that we presented the Panthers in a more realistic way and not the character that they’ve become, you know, the militant Black guys in black berets carrying guns," Keith Lucas told CinemaBlend. 

Summer Of Sam

Director Spike Lee is famous for accurately capturing moments of New York City culture and history, and he definitely does that with this 1999 crime thriller, which is focused on the 1977 serial murders by David Berkowitz, a.k.a. the Son of Sam, and how the horrific crimes affected a group of fictional residents in an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx. The cast includes John Leguizamo, Adrien Brody, Mira Sorvino, Jennifer Esposito and Michael Badalucco, playing Berkowitz himself. 

She Said

A very recent piece of American crime history, this thorough and riveting #MeToo drama trails The New York Times journalists Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor (portrayed by Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan, respectively) as they work to expose the sexual abuse allegations against powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Adding a devastating extra layer of realism, the film also features some of Weinstein's real-life victims, including actress Ashley Judd, who appears as herself.

In Cold Blood

Truman Capote’s formative nonfiction novel In Cold Blood — which details the 1959 murders of four members of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas — has been adapted multiple times for screens big and small. However, the first was this 1967 film directed by Richard Brooks, which stars Robert Blake and Scott Wilson as the infamous criminals. The "quasidocumentary" vibes were boosted by the fact that Brooks filmed where the crimes occurred, including the real Clutter home.  

Catch Me If You Can

A story like Frank Abagnale Jr.'s is so wild, it can only be true: in this 2002 Steven Spielberg-directed jaunt based on Abagnale Jr.'s semi-autobiographical book of the same name, Leonardo DiCaprio — giving one of his best performances — plays the crafty teenager who performed several million dollars worth of cons, impersonating a Pan Am pilot, a Georgia doctor and a Louisiana parish prosecutor along the way. Joining DiCaprio in the Catch Me If You Can cast is Tom Hanks as Carl Hanratty, the FBI agent tailing Frank Jr., and Christopher Walken as Frank Abagnale Sr.

Lost Girls

Amy Ryan leads this heartbreaking 2020 Netflix drama as Mari Gilbert, a desperate mother who, in searching for her missing daughter Shannan (Sarah Wisser), launches an investigation that leads police to the unsolved murders of young sex workers on the South Shore barrier islands of Long Island, spanning from the early '90s to the 2010s. The case of the Gilgo Beach serial killer made headlines in 2023 when a suspect was charged with the murders of six of the women. 

Till

After the brutal, racially charged murder of her 14-year-old son Emmett Till in August 1955, Mamie Till-Bradley dedicated her life to the relentless pursuit of justice for her son's death, famously insisting on an open casket funeral for her son to reveal what had been done to him. This 2022 biographical drama is a worthy memorial to the young man, with Danielle Deadwyler starring as Till's mother, who became an icon of the American Civil Rights Movement for her work in education and racial justice. 

Hustlers

In a role that many believed would nab Jennifer Lopez an Oscar nomination, the triple threat portrayed veteran stripper Ramona Vega in the Lorene Scafaria-directed dramedy Hustlers. Vega leads a group of New York City pole dancers who begin to steal money by drugging stock traders and CEOs who visit their club, and then run up their credit cards. Though the heist is inspired by true events, there were big differences between the movie and the real story, so much so that Samantha Barbash — the danger who inspired Lopez's character — sued producers for $40 million. (That defamation suit was dismissed.) 

The Trial Of The Chicago 7

A courtroom masterpiece from Aaron Sorkin, this 2020 legal drama is based on the infamous 1969 trial of a group of anti–Vietnam War protesters — played by an A+ ensemble cast that includes Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Jeremy Strong, and John Carroll Lynch — who were charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more, arising from the countercultural protests in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. 

Richard Jewell

Just one of many Clint Eastwood movies based on a true story, this 2019 bio-drama depicts the 1996 Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta, Georgia, and its aftermath, told from the perspective of the security guard, Richard Jewell (played by Paul Hauser), who first discovered the explosive device. Though initially hailed a hero for alerting authorities and saving the lives of countless spectators, Jewell was later wrongly suspected by the FBI of having planted the device himself, an investigation that was even bigger than the movie showed.  

House Of Gucci

Based on Sara Gay Forden's 2001 book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed, this 2021 Ridley Scott flick certainly offers all of that, with Lady Gaga scoring a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of Patrizia Reggiani, the Italian socialite who was convicted in a highly publicized trial of hiring a hitman to kill her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci. And, yes, we're talking about that Gucci, which means that the onscreen fashions are as unforgettable as the story itself.

Psycho

Yes, the Hitchcock horror classic — which gave cinema the most iconic shower scene of all time —is actually inspired by a true story. Adapted from Robert Bloch's 1959 novel of the same name, the story of shy motel caretaker Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and his domineering mother was loosely based on the case of convicted Wisconsin murderer and grave robber Ed Gein who, like Bates, was a solitary murderer living in rural isolation, was raised by an overbearing mother, and dressed in women's clothes to impersonate their deceased parent. 

Natural Born Killers

This romantic crime film — directed by Oliver Stone, with a story by Quentin Tarantino and a cast led by Juliette Lewis and Woody Harrelson in one of his best roles — sparked a bit of irony when it was released in 1994. Natural Born Killers was loosely based on the true crimes of Caril Ann Fugate and Charles Starkweather, a young Nebraska couple who went on a killing spree throughout the Midwest in 1958. 

Heavenly Creatures

Starring Melanie Lynskey and Kate Winslet in, astonishingly, their feature film debuts, this critically acclaimed 1994 drama from Peter Jackson is based on the notorious Parker–Hulme murder case. It tells the true story of Pauline Rieper (Lynskey) and Juliet Hulme (Winslet), two outcast girls growing up in 1950s New Zealand, whose intense relationship culminates in the premeditated killing of Parker's mother. 

Foxcatcher

Steve Carell chillingly transformed himself to play John du Pont, the multi-millionaire heir turned murderer at the center of Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher. A wrestling enthusiast, Du Pont recruits two Olympic gold medalists Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and his older brother David (Mark Ruffalo) to coach wrestlers to the top of those podiums. One of those brothers would end up the victim of Du Pont's gun, making John to this day the only member of the Forbes 400 richest Americans to be convicted of murder.

BlacKkKlansman

Loosely based on the 2014 memoir Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth, the '70s-set Spike Lee drama follows the first Black detective in the Colorado Springs Police Department as he sets out to infiltrate and expose the local Ku Klux Klan chapter. With John David Washington as Stallworth (the actor even got to meet the real man during filming), the cast also includes Topher Grace as KKK grand wizard David Duke, Corey Hawkins as civil rights leader Kwame Ture and Adam Driver as Stallworth's fictional partner, Detective Flip Zimmerman.

Molly's Game

Molly Bloom's 2014 memoir — in which she recounts the true story of how she went from being a U.S. competitive skier to running an illegal, underground poker empire for Hollywood celebrities, business tycoons, and even the Russian mob — was adapted by Aaron Sorkin for his directorial debut, with Jessica Chastain portraying Bloom. Though Sorkin was reportedly reticent to call the film a "poker movie," the drama does up the realism by featuring many scenes of actual gambling from the film's extras, who were all professional poker players.

Party Monster

Set in the Club Kids party scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s in New York City, Party Monster tells the shocking story of Michael Alig (played by Macaulay Culkin), the infamous party promoter who was convicted of felony manslaughter after killing his fellow clubgoer Andre "Angel" Melendez in a confrontation over a drug debt. The film is based on Disco Bloodbath, the memoir of Alig's former friend James St. James, portrayed in the film by Seth Green. 

Serpico

Garnering Al Pacino's first Best Actor Oscar nomination, Serpico sees the iconic actor as the titular character, Frank Serpico, an idealistic New York City detective who struggles with the corruption found within the New York City Police Department. As in real life, Serpico's work as a whistleblower against the police force led to a governmental investigation by the Knapp Commission and later earned the officer the NYPD Medal of Honor. 

Lady Gaga has truly captured the hearts of music lovers everywhere with her artistry in music, and if we’re being honest, she's one of the most recognizable musicians, releasing hit after hit, and becoming an icon. She’s performed at the Super Bowl, has sold out stadiums, and in the last decade, has been using her talents on the small and big screen with acting. 

For those who don’t know, Gaga originally went to school for acting but found success with her music first. Only later on did she go back to acting – and boy, what waves she has made. While we all know that she is going to be appearing in the upcoming Joker sequel that is slated to come out in 2024, there are still a few things you can see her in before she becomes the iconic Harley Quinn. 

If you want to see what the best Lady Gaga movies and TV shows are, and where they might be streaming, check out our list below. 

Machete Kills (2013)

First off on this list is Machete Kills. Released in 2013 and directed by Robert Rodriguez, the film follows the titular character when he is recruited by the president of the United States to do the biggest job he has ever done – to stop both an arms dealer and a revolutionary who could potentially change the entire world. 

Look, in my eyes, Machete Kills isn’t the best film on this list. There are far better movies to check out. But, this movie was actually Lady Gaga’s first official film role where she really got to show how good of an actress she really is. 

Her character, La Camaleon, is honestly one of the most hilarious parts of the film and something I could re-watch over and over again. The Machete films are good fun, but I personally like this one the best, just because Gaga is too good to pass up. 

Stream Machete Kills on Starz.
Rent/Buy Machete Kills on Amazon

Gaga: Five Foot Two (2017)

Okay, while this isn’t Lady Gaga acting, I had to list this one. Gaga: Five Foot Two is a Netflix original documentary that follows the singer as she produces her fifth studio album, Joanne, and how she created her iconic half-time performance at the Super Bowl in 2017. 

Again, this isn’t a film where she acted, but I still really like it. It almost reminds me of Jennifer Lopez’s Halftime, where we are given a background look into how preparing for a huge performance like the Super Bowl is such a massive deal. It also gives a look into not only Gaga’s personal life, but professional as well. I never thought I would be intrigued by someone singing in a studio, but this movie did that and more. 

If you are at all interested in the process behind building an album or how Gaga created one of her most successful ones, please check this out. It’s seriously worth a watch. 

Stream Gaga: Five Foot Two on Netflix.

American Horror Story: Hotel (2015-2016)

Now this is where I first saw her act. American Horror Story: Hotel is the fifth season of the Ryan Murphy-created series, American Horror Story. Taking place in a haunted hotel in California, Lady Gaga stars as the Countess, one of the people who runs the hotel but is secretly a blood-sucking vampire. 

Let me tell you, she freaking rocked this role. I recall that when she was cast for this main part, I was a little concerned, because I had never seen her act, but she was absolutely amazing as the Countess. Freaky, scary, and sexy, Lady Gaga was able to bring so much to the table. I was genuinely upset that her character ended when the season ended, since it is an anthology show, and she was just so good. 

She even won a Golden Globe for her performance in the fifth season. Truly, an icon. 

Stream American Horror Story: Hotel on Hulu.

A Star Is Born (2018)

I mean, I think we all know that this is where everyone started to believe that Gaga was an amazing actress. A Star is Born, which is yet another remake of the original story from 1937, follows the tale of a musician suffering from alcoholism and a singer who is trying to make it big who fall in love, and their tumultuous love story. 

Do I even need to really get into the reasons why you should watch this film? The movie itself is great, and Bradley Cooper did an excellent job not only acting but directing it, as well, but Gaga was just on another level. She sang her heart out and acted amazingly and was gifted the Academy Award for Best Original Song. She was even nominated for her role in the film for Best Actress – such a great movie to watch. 

Stream A Star is Born on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy A Star is Born on Amazon.

American Horror Story: Roanoke (2016)

Yes, yes, I know that this is within the same American Horror Story franchise, but it’s just so different from Season 5 that I needed to give it its own section. American Horror Story: Roanoke, which is Season 6, follows a couple who move into a house in North Carolina that is haunted and near an abandoned town, with the story split into two halves that present the tale in different ways. 

I have to say that I actually did enjoy Season 6 (because I know a fair amount of people who didn’t), but it’s honestly because the first half was so good, and that’s because of Lady Gaga. She is unrecognizable in her role as Scathach, and looks scarier than ever. It’s literally a sin that she was not used more and I wish that she had done more in the show after Seasons 5 and 6. She was such an iconic cast addition. 

Stream American Horror Story: Roanoke on Hulu.

Saturday Night Live (2013)

Fun fact – did you know that Lady Gaga hosted and performed on Saturday Night Live in 2013? For those who don’t know, SNL is a legendary late-night sketch show that has been going on for 45+ seasons, and has had celebrities from all over come to host and make people laugh.

The singer was just one of many that came through that season, creating hilarious sketches and performing some of her most popular songs that I still sing to this day. If you’ve never seen it, be sure to check it out. 

Stream Lady Gaga’s episode of Saturday Night Live on Peacock.

House Of Gucci (2021)

Last but not least is House of Gucci. In this 2021 film, we see the story of an outsider who gets the chance to marry into the Gucci family, but her presence begins to cause a downward spiral as their dark past is revealed. 

The entire House of Gucci cast is seriously stacked with talent, but of course I’m going to give my praise to Gaga. Her performance was certainly one of the best in the film, and while I don’t think the movie itself was as strong as her other amazing film, A Star is Born, her performance is still up there. Be sure to check it out if you haven’t had the chance to yet. 

Stream House of Gucci on Paramount Plus.
Rent/Buy House of Gucci on Amazon.

Do you have favorite Lady Gaga roles? Or are you just waiting for her next album, like I am? I’m eager to see what she has in store, and now I just want the new Joker film to release already.  

2021 wasn't quite the "back to normal" year at the movies that we were all hoping it would be, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. If nothing else, most of the 2022 Oscar nominees were at the very least released in actual movie theaters. And 2021 was a solid year for movies with strong contenders expected to do well tonight including The Power of the Dog, West Side Story and Dune.

While this year's Academy Awards broadcast will be dealing with some degree of controversy following the decision to not give out all the Oscars live, it should nonetheless be an interesting show. Follow along with us live as we update the list below as the awards are given out.

Best Picture

• Belfast
• CODA
• Don't Look Up
• Drive My Car
• Dune
• King Richard
• Licorice Pizza
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• West Side Story

Best Directing

• Belfast, Kenneth Branagh
• Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi
• Licorice Pizza, Paul Thomas Anderson
• The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion
• West Side Story, Steven Spielberg

Best Actress In A Leading Role

• Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter
• Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers
• Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos
• Kristen Stewart, Spencer

Best Actor In A Leading Role

• Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos
• Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
• Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick... BOOM!
• Will Smith, King Richard
• Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth

Best Actress In A Supporting Role

• Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter
• Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
• Judi Dench, Belfast
• Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
• Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard

Best Actor In A Supporting Role

• Ciarán Hinds, Belfast
• Troy Kotsur, CODA
• Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog
• J.K Simmons, Being the Ricardos
• Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

• Belfast
• Don't Look Up
• King Richard
• Licorice Pizza
• The Worst Person in the World

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

• CODA
• Drive My Car
• Dune
• The Lost Daughter
• The Power of the Dog

Best Animated Feature Film

• Encanto
• Flee
• Luca
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines
• Raya and the Last Dragon

Best International Feature Film

• Drive My Car, Japan
• Flee, Denmark
• The Hand of God, Italy
• Lunana: A Yakin the Classroom, Bhutan
• The Worst Person in the World, Norway

Best Documentary (Feature)

• Ascension
• Attica
• Flee
• Summer of Soul(...Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
• Writing With Fire

Best Production Design

• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• The Tragedy of Macbeth
• West Side Story

Best Cinematography

• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• The Tragedy of Macbeth
• West Side Story

Best Costume Design

• Cruella
• Cyrano
• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• West Side Story

Best Film Editing

• Don't Look Up
• Dune
• King Richard
• The Power of the Dog
• Tick, Tick...BOOM!

Best Makeup And Hairstyling

• Coming 2 America
• Cruella
• Dune
• The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• House of Gucci

Best Music (Original Score)

• Don't Look Up
• Dune
• Encanto
• Parallel Mothers
• The Power of the Dog

Best Music (Original Song)

• "Be Alive," King Richard
• "Dos Oruguitas," Encanto
• "Down To Joy," Belfast
• "No Time to Die," No Time to Die
• "Somehow You Do," Four Good Days 

Best Sound

• Belfast
• Dune
• No Time to Die
• The Power of the Dog
• West Side Story

Best Visual Effects

• Dune
• Free Guy
• No Time To Die
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Spider-Man: No Way Home

Best Short Film (Animated)

• Affairs of the Heart
• Bestia
• Boxballet
• Robin Robin
• The Windshield Wiper

Best Documentary (Short Subject)

• Audible
• Lead Me Home
• The Queen of Basketball
• Three Songs For Benazir
• When We Were Bullies

Best Short Film (Live Action)

• Ala Kachuu - Take And Run
• The Dress
• The Long Goodbye
• On My Mind
• Please Hold

Did your favorite film of 2021 take home an Oscar?

Jared Leto has become famous not just for the roles he creates on film, but for the way in which he creates them. He is known for remaining in character during the entire production process, but it apparently is possible to get Leto to break character. Anne Hathaway actually did it during the filming of their new Apple TV+ series.

In the new series, We Crashed, Anne Hathaway and Jared Leto star as Rebecca and Adam Neumann, the founders of We Work.  During a recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Hathaway spoke about the experience of working within Leto’s method, but she also revealed that she was able to crack Leto’s shell about midway through production. The infamous trailer for House of Gucci was released while the two were making the series, and when Hathaway channeled Lady Gaga’s character, it apparently threw Leto for a loop. Hathaway explains… 

Anne Hathaway tells Colbert that she didn’t really meet Jared Leto until this past weekend when the two of them appeared together at SXSW. It’s a sentiment that many of Leto’s co-stars have echoed. Hathaway says that even when she spoke to Leto prior to beginning production on We Crashed, he still wasn’t Jared Leto, he was still Paolo Gucci.

The Lady Gaga accent was the only thing anybody was really talking about when that House of Gucci trailer came out, so it’s little surprise that Anne Hathaway felt impelled to do something with it after they wrapped shooting for the day. And it was perhaps fitting since Gaga herself took a similar approach to that role as Leto often does.

And clearly Jared Leto was not expecting it, as it really did apparently have an affect on him when he h eard it. He says he “time-traveled” which probably means, for a moment, he shifted from inhabiting the character he had been playing, to once again becoming a character he had previously left behind. For somebody who takes his process so seriously it probably was quite strange for him.

From hearing Anne Hathaway tell it she really wasn’t sure what this little joke might do to Leto. Luckily, it seems he took it pretty well, and one assumes he went back into his current character without much difficulty. You can see Hathaway and Leto together in We Crashed on Apple TV+ starting March 18.

Throughout his legendary career, Ridley Scott has created some of the most iconic moments in cinematic history, whether it is a Xenomorph bursting through John Hurt’s chest in Alien or Russell Crowe giving his vengeful speech in Gladiator. These moments, and the dozens of others like them, weren’t the product of some whim on set, but instead part of a meticulous planning process carried out by the Academy Award-winning filmmaker weeks and even months before shooting begins. This supports that supports the “true essence” of his various films, including his unforgettable House of Gucci.

This intense addition-to-detail approach by the director is on full display in “The Making of Ridley Scott” featurette that accompanies the House of Gucci home release, which is currently available on Digital and will arrive on Blu-ray and DVD on February 22. To celebrate the home release, Universal gave CinemaBlend an exclusive look at the clip that goes into great detail about everything, from Ridley Scott’s obsession with storyboarding to ways in which he makes his sets feel like something completely different for the House of Gucci cast and crew.

Although it's not that long, the clip is packed with interviews with everyone from Adam Driver to Lady Gaga, the latter of whom went as far as to compare the visionary director to a conductor, saying:

According to producer Kevin J. Walsh, one of the ways that Ridley Scott is able to get the most out of the various members of the cast and crew on set is through his habit of storyboarding every single frame of the movie ahead of time and then handing those out each day so that everyone knows exactly what they’re doing that particular day. But that is just the beginning of the process, as Scott also prefers to go with the rather unique set-up of having four cameras shooting simultaneously so that multiple shots can be captured in a single take, and he does this for one reason:

As several members of the cast and crew point out time and time again throughout “The Making of Ridley Scott,” the director’s knack for preparation helps liberate the actors. As Adam Driver explained, it makes the whole shoot feel like “theatre in the round.” However, Ridley Scott still leaves room for improvisation on the set and trusts someone if they come forward with an impulse or idea they really want to explore.

In addition to “The Making of Ridley Scott,” the home release of House of Gucci also comes loaded with various other featurettes and bonus content. You can preorder a physical copy or watch the Digital version on Amazon. If you want to know what other movies you’ll soon be able to watch at home, take a quick glance at CinemaBlend’s 2022 DVD release schedule.

Unfortunately, there’s long been an unspoken expiration date on actresses in Hollywood. When they reach a certain age, women are historically no longer given as many roles and, when they are, they greatly differ from the ones they previously received. (Even Reese Witherspoon was told her career would drop off when she reached her 40s.) Actresses often discuss going from being leading ladies to being offered roles as someone’s mother or grandma. Now, Lady Gaga is the latest actress to speak out about ageism concerns in Hollywood. 

The hit-making singer and A Star Is Born actress is 35 years old and currently being celebrated for her role as House of Gucci's Patrizia Reggiani, who famously married into the Gucci family and then hired a hitman to murder her husband, Maurizio. The movie speaks to the topic of women being disposed of when they are no longer deemed young and beautiful. 

While speaking to Deadline, the songstress was asked if being a woman in her 30s working in the entertainment industry brings about some of the feelings Patrizia Reggiani dealt with in her life. In the actress’ words: 

It’s a shame that women still are made to feel this way when male actors in the 40s, 50s, 60s, and heck, 80s can still find interesting and exciting movies to make if they please. Think about how many upcoming movies Liam Neeson could easily keep coming until he decides to retire. Gaga continued: 

In addition to it being a problem for women in the movies, it’s also a prevalent bias that's prevalent in the music industry. How many times have you seen your favorite female artist have to “reinvent” themselves to become relevant whilst many male-fronted acts can remain basically the same. It’s good food for thought for us to remember as an audience and consumers. 

The problem also comes down to a lot of Hollywood being run by male writers who may not be able to speak to the experience of middle-aged female characters when crafting a movie. Or they simply overlook casting them in their movie instead of your typical 20-30s leading lady. Thankfully, women within the industry are actively changing this, such as production company owner Reese Witherspoon, who has made it her mission to tell different stories about women and has found major success with movies like Wild, Gone Girl and TV series such as HBO’s Big Little Lies. 

Even so, Lady Gaga’s feelings about ageism in the entertainment industry speak to a broader issue that still needs to be combated not only in Hollywood but within many sectors of society. Be sure to check out interview with Lady Gaga for House of Gucci here on CinemaBlend!

While she rose to prominence as a singer-songwriter, Lady Gaga has steadily been proving herself to be a formidable actor. On the small screen, she terrified fans with her work on American Horror Story: Hotel and, in 2018, she gave an Oscar-nominated performance in A Star is Born (which paired her with Bradley Cooper). Her most recent role in Ridley Scott’s crime drama, House of Gucci, may have been her most challenging role yet, though. In it, she played the role of Patrizia Reggiani, who was convicted for arranging the murder of her husband, Maurizio Gucci. As you’d expect, it was a tough part to play, and Gaga recently revealed the unsettling way she knew it was time to say goodbye to the role.

Those who’ve seen House of Gucci no doubt know that the “Rain on Me” singer put her foot into her Golden Globe-nominated role. She truly sought to embody everything that she believed Patrizia Reggiani is. However, based on her comments to W Magazine, that her fierce commitment to the role came with an admittedly disturbing side effect. And it involved numerous flies: 

I don’t think Stephen King could write a scenario more disturbing. (Okay, maybe he could, but you get what I’m saying.) One can totally understand why the moment would cause Lady Gaga to have such an epiphany. It’s a good thing that she was able to wash her hands clean of the role because, based on what’s said in the past, it wasn’t all that easy to do. 

The actress was previously candid about how she actually brought some of the role’s “darkness” home with her. She even revealed that near the end of the film’ shoot, she enlisted the services of a psychiatric nurse in order to help her through the process. She’s been a strong proponent of mental health, including how it pertains to actors taking on emotionally taxing roles. Quite frankly, it’s great to know that she (along with others in the industry) are prioritizing their health over their art, no matter how great the work could turn out to be.

In addition to her personality, Lady Gaga went all in on the role in other ways. She, for example, had her stylist dye her signature platinum blonde hair brown months before shooting so that she could get into the feel of things. The surprising act was actually enough to make her stylist cry. She also brought her “very strong point of view” on fashion to the proceedings, which helped inform her looks. And of course, let’s not forget the way she handled herself during that intense sex scene. There’s also the matter of her “Father, Son and House of Gucci” line, which she improvised.

With all of the work she put in, it’s no wonder she’s received such acclaim for her performance. It’ll surely be interesting to see if the positive reviews amount to even more accolades. But of course, prestige aside, the experience should be sweeter for her knowing that she was able to let go of any emotional baggage.

In case you hadn't noticed, movie fans are pretty damn excited about Jon Watts' Spider-Man: No Way Home. Last year at the box office was one marked by tamped expectations due to the on-going impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but in the last few weeks the Marvel blockbuster has been performing as though it were released pre-March 2020. It's been fascinating to watch it soar on the box office charts – though what's good news for Spider-Man is bad news for everybody else.

Check out the full Top 10 for this past weekend in the chart below, and join me after for analysis. 

Spider-Man: No Way Home Passes The Avengers To Become The Third Highest Grossing MCU Title

Slipping only 41 percent from weekend-to-weekend, Spider-Man: No Way Home added another $33 million to its domestic total, and in doing so has hit some history-making benchmarks. On top of the fact that it has more firmly established itself as the highest grossing film of 2021 – having thus far made $668.8 million domestically and $1.5 billion globally – it has now officially become the third most successful title in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, per The Numbers.

When Joss Whedon's The Avengers came out in 2012, it stunned the planet with its big screen dominance, but Spider-Man: No Way Home has now outpaced it thanks to the earnings from this past weekend (thus far it has made $21.2 million more in ticket sales). That's presumably as high on the franchise chart as the title is going to climb, however, as it would need $512.1 million more to outdo Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Infinity War, and $1.3 billion more to kick the Russos' Avengers: Endgame out of the top spot. 

While there is clearly a great deal of enthusiasm for the latest web-slinger blockbuster, that's not happening.

On the domestic front, Spider-Man: No Way Home has now made over $444 million more than Destin Daniel Cretton's Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, which was the number one North American release of 2021 before its Marvel cousin came along (before it left theaters, Shang-Chi made $224.5 million, outgrossing both Andy Serkis' Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Cate Shortland's Black Widow)

Spider-Man: No Way Home has successfully held on to the title of "#1 Movie In America" for four weeks straight now – easily facing down competition from Lana Wachowski's The Matrix Resurrections and Garth Jennings' Sing 2 – but it may see its streak come to an end this week. The Marvel behemoth is clearly still drawing in big crowds (that $33 million from this weekend is still three times as much as what Steven Spielberg's West Side Story made in its opening), but Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett's Scream is hoping to make a splash and steal the throne.

As much excitement as there has been around Spider-Man: No Way Home's box office performance and what it has done for the industry, it's hard not to notice how pitiful everything else is doing by comparison. There was sincere hope around the Marvel blockbuster's debut weekend that it would create a "rising tide lifts all boats" situation, and that its audiences would feel an increased comfort returning to theaters – but thus far that's not something we've seen.

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is surely having a major impact, but what we're seeing in a more general sense is that movie-goers at large made are making an exception for Spider-Man: No Way Home in their film watching habits that they aren't making for other new releases. This is a mindset that could have a devastating effect on all non-blockbusters/non-IP productions moving forward.

The 355 Fails To Spark Much Interest As The Weekend's Only New Movie In Wide Release

The performance of Simon Kinberg's The 355 this weekend is a good case in point. Given the critical response to the action movie and lack of any real buzz, the film wasn't expected to put up shocking numbers in its first three days, but even still it's a state state of affairs when a film with a cast including Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong'o, Penelope Cruz, Diane Kruger, Sebastian Stan, and more can't even hit a $5-7 million prediction from Variety.

Universal Pictures can't be happy with that result – they must have seen some kind of potential in it having delayed it from January 2021 to January 2022. However, the current state of the world dictates that a movie needs some kind of big hook if it's going to draw audiences to theaters these days, and The 355 arrived in cinemas hook-less.

Its life in theaters is unlikely to be long, but with Universal now set up to stream titles 45 days after release on Peacock, the film may still find an audience.

Sing 2 Crosses $100 Million As It Holds On To Second Place In The Top 10

Certainly not doing anything to help the image of The 355 is the continued success of Sing 2. Released during Christmas weekend, the animated film has definitely been overshadowed by the outrageous numbers put up by Spider-Man: No Way Home, but it has continued to draw crowds, and demonstrated that lure with another silver medal performance – allowing the Simon Kinberg film to only get the bronze in its opening.

With another $12 million added to its domestic haul, Sing 2 has now made $109 million domestically – making it only the 14th title from 2021 to hit a nine-digit total in North America. The take has pushed it past both Denis Villeneuve's Dune and Adam Wingard's Godzilla vs. Kong, though it still sits far behind both of those titles on the worldwide charts. Globally the film has made $191 million to date, suggesting it will have a very hard time surpassing its 2016 predecessor, which made $631 million.

Will audiences' desire to not be spoiled by the surprises of Scream result in the film having a shockingly good weekend? The buzz we've heard thus far regarding the quality of the movie has been very positive, so we are definitely keeping our fingers crossed. Be sure to head back here to CinemaBlend next Sunday for our full breakdown of the Top 10, and to get a look at everything set to hit theaters and streaming in the coming months, head on over to our 2022 Movie Release Calendar.

Warning: SPOILERS for various 2021 releases are going to crop up during this discussion of the year in film. Pay close attention to the lineup and feel free to come back once you’ve caught up on specific titles. 

2021 was the year we went back to the movies. For better or worse, and while still not at the numbers we experienced pre-pandemic, this was the time that theaters massively re-opened their doors, and history was to be made. Not all of those memories were on a balance sheet though, as there were movies that made themselves known as forces to be reckoned with merely in the realm of discussion. 

As we’re wont to do here at CinemaBlend, it’s time to look at 2021’s big ticket releases and pick out the movies we’ll still be talking about in 10 years. It’s a varied bunch, and if you haven’t seen any of these movies, pay close attention to the titles we’re about to display; just so you can avoid spoilers. 

No Time To Die

Where better to start our list than with No Time To Die, a movie that was delayed several times and rewarded for maintaining its theatrical exclusivity. Testing the James Bond brand through an extended period of promotion, the movie itself packed a controversial finale when it finally debuted this past fall. The 25th Bond movie saw the man himself perish, and even those in the know from square one were taken aback.   

Daniel Craig’s 007 was apparently always fated to die, and keeping it a secret for the past 15 years is something that has to be applauded. Co-writer/director Cary Joji Fukunaga’s film also deserves such applause, as it turned the Bond franchise into more of a dramatic exercise, while still giving us all the action and quips we could want. No matter where James Bond goes after this film, the twists and turns made here will be discussed for years to come.

West Side Story

In the year of the musical, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake gave the world quite a few subjects to discuss. The overall point of whether or not the genre is dead or not, as well as whether or not the film needed to be remade, are both entry level discussions. Throw in an elephant in the room pertaining to Ansel Elgort and his own personal scandals, and you’ve got a recipe for discourse stew. Putting all of that to the side, there are greater points that will probably carry all talk into the next decade and beyond. 

Steven Spielberg finally got to make his musical, and the results have landed rather well with fans in the immediate aftermath. However, the film is a financial flop, which only opens the door to argue whether or not Disney should have released the film in another release window. Is the musical dead or did this particular product find itself eaten up by an error in timing? Time will definitely tell, as this reinterpretation of West Side Story seems to have the bones of either a cult classic or a movie that could find its legs in the long run. 

House Of Gucci

Can a biopic trying to tell a true story still be sexy, funny or just plain old soapy fun? Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci might be the movie to answer that question, and more, as it delivers an unconventional approach to “unconventional punishment.” As far as awards season buzz goes, Lady Gaga’s performance as Patrizia Reggiani seems to be the movie’s key to potentially golden glory; which we’ve already seen with some of the early awards races to have begun their run.

Then there’s the fallout that will eventually come from the continued responses of not only Reggiani herself, but also the heirs to the Gucci name, when it comes to the accuracy of the story portrayed on screen. Future biopics may have to adjust their approach even more when it comes to just how much input the real figures involved in said events have over the final product. At the very least, House of Gucci may find itself finally rid of the discourse surrounding Jared Leto’s accent/performance; though that’s probably easier said than done.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League

They said it couldn’t be done. They said it didn’t exist. They even said it’d be a waste of time, and that no one would watch it. Zack Snyder’s Justice League defied all of those expectations, and it did so with a mere streaming-only release. An over four-hour epic that gave the director his final say on what Justice League should have been, this massive film only exists because fans willed it to be at the right time. 

Showing that with the right exclusive, your burgeoning streaming platform could benefit from a fanbase’s loyalty, we can now debate whether this is the way to go for “fan favorites” that didn’t get a fair shake. Of course, that’s in between efforts to finally “Restore The Snyderverse,” as the Snyder Cut can now be seen and owned by one and all. Thanks to this success story, that battle will rage on a little longer, with a fanbase’s resolve strengthened by the results.

Dune

Daunting tasks aren’t just for alternate cuts demanded by the fans. Author Frank Herbert’s Dune has always been one of those films legendarily deemed “unfilmable,” with many attempting and few succeeding. In light of the storied past of the property, director Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation blew the doors off of that assumption. He delivered proof that with the right approach, you can make a dense literary monolith more accessible, with just enough crazy to entice viewers to demand a Part Two. 

Thanks to the results in both its theatrical and streaming run, it’s Muah'Dib time yet again for Timothée Chalamet and the cast, as Dune: Part Two is about to go into production in the months to come. Whether that second half lands or flops, we’ll always talk about how Dune: Part One left it all in the sand and came back a victor. And if anyone wants to revisit the simultaneous streaming model, this is one of those cases that’d bolster the argument for those in favor of HBO Max’s big 2021 experiment.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Legacy-quels are a hot commodity, and the backlash and acceptance of that concept is present in the last three entries to this list. Ghostbusters: Afterlife feels like a great place to start, as that film’s handling of legacy has only grown as a point of order since the film’s release. Above all other subjects, you can expect questions about whether or not reviving Harold Ramis’ Egon Spengler through CGI was the right move to rule the roost in the immediate future.

Of course, the discussion about whether or not the next generation of Ghostbuster or the OG cast benefited more from Jason Reitman’s turn at the franchise wheel will only rage on. Ghostbusters 4’s fast-tracked development will carry that torch for some time, especially since the ending of Afterlife does seem to favor the original cast’s prospects a bit more in the post-credits teases. Finally, expect Ghostbusters: Answer The Call’s place in that legacy to be defined a bit more definitively, thanks to the subject of the 2016 spin-off/reboot being excluded from the franchise box set giving Paul Feig a chance to put his entry back into consideration. (And rightfully so.) 

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Whoo boy, does Spider-Man: No Way Home have a lot of potential discussion surrounding its very release. As Disney’s joint venture with Sony seems to have cut into not only one, but two of the studio’s Christmas releases from 20th Century Studios, the discourse around Nightmare Alley and The King’s Man seemingly not getting a fair shake is not going away. With some pushing for Tom Holland’s third solo MCU adventure to get a Best Picture nomination, you’d better gird your loins for some piping hot discussions to come. Controversy and hot takes aside, the thematic implications of Spider-Man: No Way Home more than carry weight in future roundtables on the movie’s shocking turn of events.

Removing Peter Parker’s identity from the concept of Spider-Man is enough of a mind-bender, but with the multiverse in full throttle, there’s a lot of potential for this particular Marvel brand to swing into action. How the future of Tom Holland’s Spidey will connect to the MCU is a hot topic. Even greater is the implication that, thanks to the complete legacy of Spider-Men being invoked in this story, we might see Tobey Maguire and/or Andrew Garfield get another crack at their own incarnations. So many webs to untangle, and so little time.

The Matrix Resurrections

We started the list talking about having the guts to break from tradition and deliver a movie that deserves to be talked about. Bookending that very point, no other movie has been as richly divisive as co-writer/director Lana Wachowski’s The Matrix Resurrections. After months of theories and anticipation, the movie that found its way into the hands of its fans was part meta commentary, part love story and all new compared to what the original Matrix trilogy gave us. 

Some think that’s a disappointment, while others believed it was a refreshing change of pace. Both viewpoints are valid, but the truth that stands high above all of the noise is that Ms. Wachowski stayed true to her own vision, and The Matrix Resurrections came from the heart. It may be used as a case for why simultaneous streaming debuts might not work, depending on where the numbers eventually land, and that’s an argument for another day. But the greater talking point will be where, and how, Neo and Trinity’s fourth adventure fits in the greater Matrix universe.

Heading into the new year is exciting on so many fronts, with the future of cinema full of wonderful potential. If you’re feeling a little reflective over the next couple days, or need some easy conversation starters for a New Year’s celebration you’ll be attending, feel free to toss any of these thought grenades into the party. Don’t forget, if you want to cool things down in-between each film’s discussion, you can always open the floor to talking about which 2022 movies everyone’s excited to see. 

After seeing Sir Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci, I thought the cartoonish drama would be a serious awards player. Though Scott had delivered two excellent films over the course of one year (just a few months, actually), House of Gucci struck me as the more accessible story, with a brilliant ensemble of performers all playing completely different notes, yet somehow in harmony. The only member getting award recognition out of the film, though, is Lady Gaga for her searing portrayal of scorned wife Patrizia Reggiani… who placed a hit on her ex-husband’s head and delivered a serious blow to the Gucci name. 

One of the defining characteristics for Patrizia is her exquisitely tailored outfits, chosen for Lady Gaga by the masterful costumer designer Janty Yates. Ridley Scott and Yates have been collaborating for decades, notching titles like Gladiator, Robin Hood, Kingdom of Heaven, and Prometheus on her resume. But Lady Gaga herself is a fashion icon with strong opinions about what a performer should be wearing. When she sat down with CinemaBlend to discuss her House of Gucci performance, however, Gaga made a distinction between outfits for film, and outfits for a concert, and it makes all the sense in the world. She told us:

Lady Gaga, the actress, understands the value of separating her character from the massive shadow cast by Lady Gaga, the Pop Star. You would think that this would be difficult to do. And yet, in her two most memorable screen performances in both A Star Is Born and now House of Gucci, I can tell you that Lady Gaga disappears so completely into her parts, I didn’t recognize the global sensation who packs arenas and entertained at the Super Bowl halftime show.

This, in large part, is due to people on her film sets treating her like an actress, and not trying to utilize the aspects that make Gaga, well, Gaga. As the Oscar-nominated actress told CinemaBlend:

Playing an actual person presents real challenges for a film, and playing someone as recognizable as Patrizia Reggiani, especially when you are Lady Gaga, creates wild obstacles. I think Lady Gaga overcame them all, and beautifully, but you can decide for yourself now that House of Gucci is playing in theaters. 

Back in October, Andy Serkis' Venom: Let There Be Carnage set a new box office record as a blockbuster released during the pandemic. Making $90.1 million in three days, it not only made more money in its opening weekend than any other title since March 2020, but it was the first major sequel to outgross its predecessor. It was an impressive achievement at the time... which makes what Jon Watts' Spider-Man: No Way Home just did border on the miraculous. The new Marvel Studios film not only surpassed the money made by Venom 2, but nearly tripled it.

Check out the full Top 10 in the chart below, and continue reading below for analysis!

When Jon Watts' Spider-Man: Far From Home came out in the wake of Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Endgame in the summer of 2019, it only managed to make $92.6 million – which should impress upon you how ridiculously massive these numbers are. There was concern that growing fears regarding the Omicron variant of COVID-19 were going to potentially take a big bite out of the gross, but looking at the results it doesn't look like it was a particularly influential factor in people's movie-going habits since Friday.

Not only is Spider-Man: No Way Home's opening weekend box office performance create a new high water mark for new releases since the start of the pandemic, but it's actually one of the most successful of all time. Not factoring in inflation, the only two movies that made more money in their first three days than the latest web-slinger blockbuster are the aforementioned Avengers: Endgame ($357.1 million) and Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Infinity War ($257.7 million). This means that it was more successful than all of the Disney-era Star Wars movies, the Jurassic World duology, and even the first two Avengers films. That's remarkable.

Of course, what only adds insane fuel to the fire is the performance of Spider-Man: No Way Home in foreign markets, which when added to the domestic haul more than doubles the global gross. The movie doesn't have a confirmed release date in China yet, but it came out in theaters around the world simultaneously this weekend, and the outcome is awesome. The Marvel blockbuster has already made $587 million worldwide, making it already the sixth biggest release of 2021.

While the numbers themselves are eye-opening, it's certainly hard to call the success a surprise. Thanks to all of the hype surrounding the film's dip into the multiverse and past Spider-Man movies, the release has been hailed as one of the most anticipated 2021 features since the start of the year. Add in the overwhelmingly positive reviews that started pouring in last Monday, and a perfect formula for box office success was generated.

There was never any real doubt that Spider-Man: No Way Home would ultimately be declared the highest grossing domestic film of the year, but what we didn't know was how quickly it would grab the title; it turns out that the answer was three days. Destin Daniel Cretton's Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings has held on to the top spot since late September, as it was the first Hollywood title to eclipse $200 million at home – but it ended its run with $224.5 million, which is a number that the latest Spider-Man just surpassed.

The Draw Of Spider-Man: No Way Home Definitely Took Attention Away From Other Big Screen Releases

The movie theater industry obviously has to be elated by the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, as the influx of customers seeing the Marvel blockbuster like back in pre-pandemic times must have been blissful – though at the same time it's hard not to notice that the success of the new release didn't exactly lead to a "rising tide lifts all boats" situation. More money came into the box office this weekend than any other Friday-to-Sunday in 2021, but it's hard not to notice that achievement was done with only one title making north of $10 million.

One of the bigger disappointments this past weekend was Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley – which was given a strange release date considering it's being distributed by 20th Century Films, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company, which has a lot of stock in the success of Marvel Studios' Spider-Man: No Way Home. The film is the first del Toro has made since the Best Picture-winning The Shape of Water in 2017, and the dark noir has gotten some great reviews, but it was mysteriously stuck in the shadow of the wall-crawler, and has been given little chance to really succeed. Hopefully word of mouth will do it some favors in the coming weeks.

Looking at the rest of the chart, the movie world was shocked last weekend when Steven Spielberg's West Side Story only managed to make $10.5 million during its debut, and things didn't exactly improve this time around. The desire to see Spider-Man swinging around the streets of New York instead of gangs rumbling in the streets was made very clear in the musical's second weekend results, as the feature took a 68 percent plunge and added only $3.4 million to its domestic total. This means that it is still waiting to hit the $20 million mark (it presently sits at about $18 million), which is definitely not great when you consider that the reported budget of the title is about $100 million (according to Variety).

Expect Spider-Man: No Way Home To Dominate Again In Its Second Weekend.

Given that a steep 60 percent fall in its second weekend would still result in Spider-Man: No Way Home having the second best Friday-to-Sunday performance of 2021, it seems fairly easy to predict at this point that the film will still be called the number one movie in America next week. That being said, there are some other huge titles coming that will hopefully give the Marvel movie some real competition and keep movie theaters flooded with masked audiences.

There is a trio of anticipated titles set to arrive on the big screen this Wednesday, including Lana Wachowski's The Matrix Resurrections (which will also be available on HBO Max), Matthew Vaughn's The King's Man (a prequel to the two Kingsman blockbusters), and Garth Jennings' Sing 2 (the animated sequel to 2016's Sing). There is an expectation that these titles will do a solid job mixing up the Top 10 in a major way, so be sure to head back here to CinemaBlend next Sunday to see how all of the cards fall.

Lady Gaga has always been an intense artist. Whether that means she shows up in a meat dress on a red carpet, learning an elaborate dance number for one of songs or giving her all to a role, the talent goes all in on her work. House of Gucci was apparently the ultimate example of this as the actress committed to embodying Patrizia Reggiani, a woman who famously spent 18 years in prison for hiring the murder of her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci. 

Following her acclaimed leading role in A Star Is Born, Lady Gaga took on another heavy role for the Ridley Scott film. While speaking to Variety, the actress opened up about playing the role, sharing this: 

As Lady Gaga has shared prior, she decided to live “as her” for a year and a half, speaking in her accent for nine months, including off camera. While she didn’t break, she assured people that she didn’t pretend to be Patrizia Reggiani for that long, she certainly sounded like her and used her mannerisms. 

While living in the “dark” space of the person, Gaga decided to seek out on-set assistance from a mental health professional during the last few days of shooting. But as she disclosed her own experience, she made sure to point out that she doesn’t say this with any hope that people should “glorify” how committed she became to playing Patrizia Reggiani. In her words: 

Gaga sounds self aware of her journey as an artist and she sees herself often go the extra mile, at the detriment of herself. Lady Gaga has always been a mental health advocate and it’s great to hear that she asked for help during the filming of House of Gucci to have that piece of mind. After she wrapped up the Ridley Scott movie, apparently her longtime manager Bobby Campbell suggested that she do a romantic comedy next, perhaps to break the tension of a role as dark as the Gucci story. 

Lady Gaga previously lived the role of Ally for A Star Is Born as well. She takes a bit of a method approach to her work, but she believes in fully committing herself to her art “on a cellular level” as she told Stephen Colbert last month. She felt that speaking in the accent off camera allowed her to become so comfortable with playing the role, so when she was on set she could do the scenes more naturally. 

Clearly, we’ll be talking about Lady Gaga more as award season unfolds. Until then, you can check out House of Gucci in theaters now. 

Lady Gaga discusses acting and her latest film, House of Gucci, in this interview with CinemaBlend's Sean O'Connell. Lady Gaga gives an incredible performance as Patrizia Reggiani in House of Gucci, which also stars Adam Driver, Al Pacino and Jared Leto. In this interview, Lady Gaga reveals the most memorable thing about working with director Ridley Scott, the difference between her point of view on fashion in her movies and in her music performances, and more!

CinemaBlend: We had Ridley Scott on our show once, and he is about as unfiltered and opinionated as they get. What is the most memorable bit of stage direction he gave you?

The way that he empowered me as a woman, and as an actor, to tell a story that I believe to be true, meaning that he trusted the amount of research that I did on Patrizia as a way to support me.

I think that what I would say is the most memorable thing was the way that he said, 'What do you think about this?'

And also the way that he was so interested to talk to me every day. And I always was in my accent, but he would say, 'Are you in character?' 

And I would say, 'Of course, I'm in character. I'm always in character, Rid.' So, you know, we just had a great relationship.

CinemaBlend: I'm so glad you brought up being in character. I'm curious if you're the type of actress now, [where] these characters are going to stay with you for a little while. Do you still think about Aly? Do you think Patrizia [is] going to live with you for a little while?

I do still think about Aly, and Aly will always be with me in a way, and I think Patrizia will always be with me in a way. And I try to keep the parts that are good and do away with the parts that will not serve me. But there was this strength that she had as a woman, and she had an ability to survive in a man's world. And I don't believe her entire life was something that was wrong. I believe that she did make a huge mistake that's reprehensible. And I believe that she deeply regrets it.

One of the unsung heroes of House of Gucci is Ridley's costume designer, Janty Yates, who's just a genius. And you've always been someone who cares deeply about what you're wearing when you perform. And so I was wondering if you could talk about your collaborations with her to find the right clothes for Patrizia?

Janty Yates is such a genius. I mean, she is so incredible at what she does. And what I loved so much about her is, you know, going into this film knowing that it was a film about a fashion family, I really appreciated that she did not use any sort of preconceived notions about me as someone who loves fashion as a way to create Patrizia with me. She spoke to me like an actor. 

And when we worked together, Patrizia only wore what she would have worn. We didn't wear things just because they were beautiful. If they were not period, or if they were not something that we'd seen her in before —  a silhouette, we'd seen her in [we didn't wear it]. And some of the things that we did together were exact replicas of things that we had seen her wear. Other things were versions of things that we'd seen her wear that were, you know, designed for cinema. 

But I have a very strong point of view when it comes to film and fashion, which is that I never want the audience to be distracted by what I'm wearing. Now, that's not to say that I don't feel that way about [fashion] when I'm singing. I feel sort of excited to bemuse the audience when I'm singing with fashion. But for acting, I'm very much there in service of the story and the director.

2021 was probably the worst year in the Golden Globes’ 77 year history. They were rightfully called out earlier this year for a total lack of Black members, as well as other unethical practices, resulting in NBC refusing to air their ceremony for 2022. 

The HFPA is currently in the process of making reforms to their organization, and has recruited 21 new members this year (their total prior was about 86). It was uncertain if the HFPA would even announce nominees and winners for the films of 2021, but on October 15th they confirmed they would hold a ceremony in some capacity, with nominations to be announced December 13th at 6 A.M. PST. 

A consequence of the chaos this year for prognosticators is that we don’t actually have confirmation on what films will be campaigned in comedy or musical, making predicting films like CODA much more difficult. So in my predictions below I’m also predicting category placements.

Motion Picture Drama

If Belfast, Dune, King Richard, and The Power of the Dog don’t all show up here, I’d be shocked. In my mind that leaves open one slot for a wildcard to sneak in. Part of the challenge predicting this year is that we don’t know which films will be slotted in comedy or drama. If CODA is in drama, I think it has a shot here. Despite underwhelming reviews, we shouldn’t underestimate Nightmare Alley or Being the Ricardos either. Spencer and The Tragedy of Macbeth could certainly contend, as could either of Ridley Scott’s films: House of Gucci and The Last Duel. Right now I’m hesitantly predicting CODA, but I expect to be swapping out this slot up until nomination morning.

Drama Actor

Will Smith (King Richard), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog), and Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth) are near-locks in this category. The remaining two slots are tricky, as much of the competition they’ll face at the Oscars is on the comedy/musical side. Joaquin Phoenix has a shot for his understated performance in C’mon C’mon (assuming that’s in drama), and though it's a long shot, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nicolas Cage sneak in for Pig. For now, I’m predicting Javier Bardem for his portrayal of Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos, and Bradley Cooper for Nightmare Alley.

Drama Actress

Don’t bet against these four: Kristen Stewart (Spencer), Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye), Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos) and Lady Gaga (House of Gucci). As for that final slot, Penélope Cruz and Olivia Colman are certainly in the conversation for their roles in Parallel Mothers and The Lost Daughter respectively, but those films could be a little under the radar for the Globes. They love actors who play musical icons (see Andra Day’s shocking win last year), so I’m predicting they’ll nominate Jennifer Hudson for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in Respect. 

Motion Picture Comedy / Musical

This was the best year for musicals in recent memory, and unlike some years, the Globes have plenty of riches to pick from in this category. West Side Story, Tick, tick… Boom!, Cyrano, and In the Heights all have a great shot to make it into this lineup. But they’ll be competing with comedies Licorice Pizza and Don’t Look Up. I expect the lineup will be pulled from these six films. In the Heights and Cyrano are probably the most vulnerable of the musicals. Though recency bias would favor Cyrano, I’m predicting it to miss, as it’s the least acclaimed the bunch. Or maybe both will show up at the expense of Don’t Look Up, whose divisive reactions could work against it.

Comedy / Musical Actor

There are four actors in this lineup that no one should be betting against: Andrew Garfield (Tick, tick… Boom!), Peter Dinklage (Cyrano), Leonardo DiCaprio (Don’t Look Up), and Anthony Ramos (In the Heights). The final slot is keeping me up at night. I would love for them to go with Simon Rex for Red Rocket, but that’s probably wishful thinking. I could honestly see them going for Ansel Elgort in West Side Story, but in a year where the organization is on thin ice, I think they’ll know better than to bring that sort of controversy their way. I’m perhaps optimistically going with Cooper Hoffman for Licorice Pizza. Although he is young and hasn’t been as seriously in the awards conversation as his co-star Alana Haim, it certainly helps that he is part of a bigger overall contender. 

Comedy / Musical Actress

The two no-brainers here are Alana Haim for Licorice Pizza and Rachel Zegler for West Side Story. I also expect Emma Stone may pretty easily get a nomination for Cruella, considering that things start to get a little thin beyond here. If CODA is in comedy, Emilia Jones will be nominated. And if Haley Bennett is lead for Cyrano, I’d say the same. If not, the most realistic options in my mind are Melissa Berrera (In the Heights), Jennifer Lawrence (Don’t Look Up), and Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person in the World). I am far too cynical to pick the latter, but I would jump for joy if it happened. I’m settling for Berrera and Lawrence for now.

Supporting Actor

I’m expecting both Ciaran Hinds and Jamie Dornan will make it in for Belfast and Belfast respectively. Jared Leto has a shot here for House of Gucci, especially considering he was surprise nominated for The Little Things last year. For the remaining two slots there are a lot of options. Jon Bernthal has a great shot at coat-tailing off of King Richard. And I’d love to see Robin de Jesus in for Tick, tick… Boom!, a film I expect they’ll adore. I’m predicting those two for now. Kodi Smit-McPhee has been garnering lots of critics awards, but I’m skeptical he’ll perform as well with certain major precursors. Troy Kotsur has been gaining steam for CODA, but like Yuh-Jung Youn or Paul Raci last year, he may be too unknown for the HFPA. I’m also watching out for Mike Faist (West Side Story), Bradley Cooper (Licorice Pizza), and Ben Affleck (The Tender Bar). Unfortunately I don’t have much hope for Jason Isaacs (Mass).

Supporting Actress

Four performances widely expected to be nominated here are Ariana Debose (West Side Story), Caitriona Balfe (Belfast), Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard), and Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog). Fighting for that last slot we have Cate Blanchett (Nightmare Alley), Meryl Streep (Don’t Look Up), Ruth Negga (Passing), and Ann Dowd (Mass). I am also considering Rita Moreno for West Side Story. Though this is somewhat of a long shot, it could be a great moment for the Globes to pick a veteran all-star for what will likely be their favorite musical there. But considering how CODA seems like it’s starting to take off, I’m going with Marlee Matlin.

Director

The contenders who seem most likely here are Steven Spielberg (West Side Story), Kenneth Branagh (Belfast), Denis Villeneuve (Dune), and Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog). Many are predicting Paul Thomas Anderson for Licorice Pizza. I am skeptical. The director has never been nominated for a Golden Globe before. We can’t count out Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up), who was nominated for Vice and The Big Short. Nor should we underestimate Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard) or Guillermo del Toro (Nightmare Alley). However, I’m going with Lin Manuel Miranda for Tick, tick… Boom! Some would call this a long-shot, but I think the film is stronger than many are assuming and this feels like just the kind of celebrity actor-director nomination they’re notorious for embracing.

Screenplay

To make up for the director snub, I’m predicting Paul Thomas Anderson will land his first Golden Globe nomination in screenplay for Licorice Pizza. I also feel confident writer-directors Jane Campion and Kenneth Branagh will be nominated for their widely celebrated films. Despite Being the Ricardos’ lackluster reviews I cannot in good conscience underestimate 7-time nominee, 3-time winner Aaron Sorkin in this category. I’ve got my eye on Don’t Look Up here, as well as King Richard. But I feel the love for West Side Story will be so strong that Tony Kushner will take a nomination.

With the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award nominations both taking place Monday the 13th, there will surely be a lot to discuss in terms of how it shapes the Oscar race. Check back here on Cinemablend for more awards analysis in the coming weeks.

Lady Gaga and the rest of the House of Gucci gang have certainly made some waves since the film’s release, but apparently it’s not just the Gucci family that was stressing over the film. Apparently Gaga’s hairstylist cried over House of Gucci, but it seems to have more to do with Gaga’s look for the film than it does with her potential Oscar-worthy performance. 

In an interview with People, Lady Gaga’s friend and longtime hairstylist Fredric Aspiras explained the work that went into transforming Gaga into Patrizia Reggiani, her House of Gucci character. Apparently the pop star-turned-blockbuster actress wanted Aspiras to color her platinum blonde hair months before filming on House of Gucci was set to start, and it broke the stylist's heart to do so. Here it is in his own words:

While it could certainly sound like a first world problem, the truth is that platinum blonde hair is a difficult thing to achieve, and Fredric Aspiras has consistently achieved the look on Lady Gaga for some time now. Gaga’s strikingly white hair that she typically dons has helped make her one of the most recognizable blondes today, though her look in House of Gucci is more like her natural color. 

Honestly, hairstylists everywhere would probably shed a tear if they had to dye over such a brilliant example of hair art. According to Lady Gaga’s personal stylist though, the choice to do so was specifically so that Gaga could get into character ahead of filming. This is pretty standard of Gaga when working on films, as she takes her parts pretty seriously, and even does some improvisation based on how well she knows her characters. 

Lady Gaga’s character in House of Gucci was certainly one for hairstyles, and Fredric Aspiras had his work cut out for him. But if he can create such an iconic blonde look and keep it consistent for so long, even bringing it back after filming on House of Gucci wrapped, it would seem that he’d be the obvious choice to continue styling Gaga’s hair in the film. 

House of Gucci is currently available to watch in theaters, and features a pretty on point cast, including a dark haired Lady Gaga and an utterly unrecognizable Jared Leto. Even without the icons who make up the film and the stellar costume/makeup department, House of Gucci is one story you don’t want to miss out on.

Fresh off a box office victory in its debut weekend, Disney’s delightful Encanto is poised to grab the top spot again. The charming family film held almost fifty percent of its grosses and looks like it’ll take in about $13M. That’s maybe not the second weekend the Mouse House dreamed about when it first started putting the film together a few years ago, but for a round two after the pandemic started, that’s pretty solid business. Performance always needs to be considered relative to competition and circumstance.

There wasn’t a whole lot of new competition at the box office this weekend, but there were several holdover movies that did pretty well. Ghostbusters: Afterlife held strong on its third weekend, taking in more $10M more dollars and pushing its domestic total over $100M. House Of Gucci also held well, adding almost $7M additional dollars to its totals so far. You can check out the chart that outlines the full top ten below, per Box Office Mojo…

There aren’t really any double-take worthy numbers to discuss either on the upside or the downside of the weekend box office, but I will point to Christmas With The Chosen: The Messengers. The Christian flick broke records for Fathom Events and once again showed there is a robust audience looking for faith-based entertainment. Fortunately for that demographic, they’ll also be getting the Kurt Warner biopic American Underdog later this month which also incorporates many themes of faith, though more as part of a larger story than a consistent hard sell.

I also think it’s worth celebrating Dune, which is still hanging on during weekend seven. Much was made about Warner Bros decision to temporarily release the film simultaneously on HBO Max. That move no doubt left money on the table, but response from fans was very strong and many are still hitting up the theater now that it’s not on the streaming service anymore. It has crossed the one hundred million dollar mark and will definitely be getting a second round which has been greenlit. 

No doubt Hollywood would have wished for stronger performance from a December box office weekend here, but much of the month’s overall success will come down to how Spider-Man: No Way Home performs. The superhero flick has been putting up tremendous pre-sale numbers, and there is a lot of buzz from fans who both want to see Tom Holland in the role again and figure out what the heck is going on with the Multi-Verse and which characters might end up showing up. It’ll almost certainly put up a tremendous opening weekend, but if the movie is as good as many think it will be, it could hold for quite awhile. We’ll see when No Way Home hits theaters on December 17th. 

Needless to say, this article is going to explore the ending of Sir Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci, so do not go any further if you haven’t seen it, and still plan to. 

The ending of House of Gucci plays at the beginning of the film as well, bookending Ridley Scott’s soap opera about the legendary fashion family. This might be because anyone who read up on the story knows the ending: Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver), heading into his office, is shot dead by assassins hired by his ex-wife, Patrizia (Lady Gaga). The crime occurred on March 27, 1995, and Scott’s House of Gucci does its best to explain how all of the players got to that stage.     

But something happens in the scenes leading up to Maurizio’s death in House of Gucci that I found puzzling. Though the man’s life has taken a few hits, he is sitting at a small cafe table deep in thought. And before he climbs on the bicycle he will ride to his office, and his death, he smiles to himself. In that moment, it seemed very out of character, so when given the chance to interview Adam Driver for this new movie, I asked him about that moment, and his interpretation of it. 

Though he went out of his way to emphasize that his interpretation of the smile isn’t, by any means, the be all and end all explanation, he clarified some of the team’s intent for the scene, telling CinemaBlend:

There are fun parallels in House of Gucci to The Godfather, and not just because they both star Al Pacino. But you can see elements of Michael Coreleone in Maurizio, for the way he initially rejects the “family business” until he gets pulled all the way under. By the end of House of Gucci, though, Maurizio is free. Or, so he thinks. And there lies the tragedy of Ridley Scott’s otherwise tense and funny exercise. Adam Driver went on to tell CinemaBlend:

He’s only himself for a little while longer. Today, Lady Gaga picked up a Best Actress award from the New York critics, and this could be the beginning of a solid run for her. We shall see. Look for House of Gucci, in a theater near you as we speak.

House of Gucci is here, and it’s quickly become one of the most polarizing movies of 2021. Audiences have widespread opinions about Ridley Scott’s movie, and everyone from Tom Ford to the Gucci family themselves have different takes on various aspects of the movie. I left the movie with a take I didn’t think was that strong at the time, but after diving head-first into the discourse, it’s time to make declare that Jared Leto makes this movie with his portrayal as Paolo Gucci. 

Jared Leto’s performance has received the most scrutiny from those who knew Paolo Gucci. Tom Ford indicated that, while eccentric, the actual Paolo wasn’t quite as off-the-wall, and the designer’s daughter Patrizia Gucci said the portrayal was embarrassing. It seems there are grounds to say the portrayal is not entirely accurate to real life, but I’ll argue that Jared Leto’s performance is necessary to House of Gucci or it doesn’t succeed on any other level. 

Jared Leto’s Paolo Gucci Provides Levity To A Movie Devoid Of It Anywhere Else

There are times when watching Jared Leto’s Paolo Gucci in House of Gucci that the thought crossed my mind on whether or not it’s too much. The movie is steeped in such drama, and audiences will be sucked out of it in an instant anytime Paolo struts out on screen. Almost every line of dialogue he utters is comedic, even in his saddest moments. It almost feels disrespectful to the rest of the movie until you realize what House of Gucci is without it. 

House of Gucci is about an obscenely rich family, and how greed, betrayal and murder ultimately led to their ousting from the company that bears their name. It’s incredibly dark, to the point it’s not all that fun to witness. We see Patrizia Reggiani and Maurizio Gucci go from lovers who didn’t give a damn about fortune to it being the only thing that defines them. It’s captivating to watch, but by the end, there’s not a damn thing likable about these two, and it’s not like the rest of the Gucci family is portrayed any better. 

I’d argue that if we didn’t have Jared Leto’s performance as Paolo Gucci in House of Gucci, the movie would be panned for being overly heavy-handed and frankly not fun to watch. Watching two lovers ultimately turn into miserable people doing equally miserable things to friends and family shouldn’t be a fun ride, but Leto sucked me out of that just long enough with each appearance that it recharged my battery and prepared me for more sadness and upsetting actions.

Jared Leto’s Flamboyance As Paolo Gucci Compensates For Other Performances 

Paolo Gucci is extra, Jared Leto’s performance is extra and, yes, his insistence on method acting would be described by some as extra. Say what you will about Leto’s methods, but his performance is great because it compensates for the many subdued performances we see in House of Gucci. It’s not fair to call these performances dull, as they’re only mimicking the film’s portrayal of these real-life figures, but it’s also hard to call them incredible or entertaining at times. 

Case in point, let's look at Adam Driver’s turn as Maurizio Gucci. I wouldn’t call Driver’s performance as Maurizio his best by any stretch, but it’s also not at all bad. Maurizio Gucci is a subdued person, and there's only maybe one or two times we see him be anything other than that in House of Gucci. Those who’ve seen Girls or many of Driver’s other works know he can deliver performances just as unhinged as Jared Leto, but that’s not what his job is in this movie. 

Jared Leto’s Paolo Gucci may be extra, but he’s the electricity that reignites the audience after listening to a tense scene where the elite discusses rich people problems in a calm tone. We need Paolo’s eccentric nature to raise the energy and keep the audience invested, lest things stay too subdued and dark. Plus, as mentioned, it helps keep the more nuanced performances of House of Gucci from becoming flat or boring, which I think would definitely be a concern if he played Paolo as straight as everyone else in the movie.

Jared Leto’s Performance Helps Showcase How Bonkers This Story Is

The most important thing about Jared Leto’s performance as Paolo Gucci is that it showcases just how bonkers this story is through and through. It wasn’t immediately evident to me watching House of Gucci at first, but once Paolo is carrying on, it starts to come together. The way this family tore itself apart so easily is astounding, and, given all the things that happen, it’s hard to argue that Paolo is even the whackiest part of the true story. 

Like, can we just take a moment to acknowledge the fact that Patrizia Reggiani set up the murder of her ex-husband with a well-known psychic?  Of all the things about this movie I thought were exaggerated when I first watched it, that was the one. An eccentric rich person that is a little off is, frankly, the most believable part of the story, though that could be why those close to Paolo Gucci take offense to the portrayal. 

With that in mind, however, I think the fact that it’s publicly out there Jared Leto’s performance isn’t 100% on par with the actual Paolo Gucci allows an audience to see this work for what it is: a movie. Based on a true story means the reality can be bent a bit to make the work itself more entertaining, and that audiences should look into the real story before taking House of Gucci as absolute gospel. In that regard, Leto does us a favor with his Paolo Gucci, even if that wasn’t his intention. 

Love it or hate it, I don’t think anyone can deny Jared Leto didn’t give exactly what was required of him in House of Gucci. It’s certainly an outlier in the various performances given in the movie, but as I covered extensively above, it’s more of a compliment to the film than anything. In short, I’m a huge fan of it, and that’s a hill I’m willing to die on amongst the litany of takes about Ridley Scott’s movie. 

House of Gucci is currently available to watch in theaters. Come to see what all the buzz is about and stay for some incredibly wild scenes of Jared Leto as Paolo Gucci. Also, because I haven’t said it this entire article, Lady Gaga does a pretty damn good job. 

Biopics are always a touchy subject, especially when it comes to those that lived through the events being depicted. The heirs to the Gucci fashion empire have certainly made their feelings known when it comes to Ridley Scott’s latest film, House of Gucci. They protested throughout the production, and now the release of the Lady Gaga/Adam Driver led ensemble piece, the Guccis haven’t minced words when it comes to their disapproval of the finished product. Frankly, neither has the director, as Ridley Scott dropped an F-bomb after the Gucci family complained about this recent picture.  

During a Q&A with Total Film, via GamesRadar, Scott went hard when it came to some of the numerous criticisms that have been lobbed at his awards hopeful. Weighing in on the ever present debate of physical resemblance versus performance, Sir Ridley exhibited his trademark candor, and chose his swearing carefully when defending the choice of Al Pacino as Aldo Gucci. Here’s what he had to say: 

Casting actors like Pacino and Jared Leto in House of Gucci is always going to be a hot button issue. That much was true from the beginning, as Patrizia Gucci made the family’s displeasure known quite early in the press cycle for the recent box office hit. Based on the details that Sir Scott has provided in his statement above, it sounds like this correspondence took place around the time of Ms. Gucci’s comments, if not before.

While his defense of Al Pacino is pretty standard, Sir Ridley Scott went on to defend two more points of order in the same conversation. The comedic tone that’s present in portions of the film, as well as the casting of Jared Leto as Paulo Gucci, both overlapped into a special sort of storm for The Last Duel director to elaborate upon. Mr. Scott tackled those twin subjects with these expletive free words:

If you’re making a movie about the lives of people who are still living, there’s always going to be a controversy. House of Gucci is only the latest case study in such bone picking, and even fashion designer Tom Ford, as well as convicted murderer Patrizia Reggiano have been vocal about their own displeasure. No matter what, the film is out in the open, and it’s gotten critics and audiences talking about what they like, and what they don’t. So all of this controversy just might make the finished product even more of a can’t miss social event. 

House of Gucci is currently showing in theaters, just in time for awards season buzz to potentially carry it throughout the rest of the year’s calendar. Other movies could see that same sort of attention, as we’re not over 2021’s release schedule just yet. If you want to dive deeper into the process that went into this very picture, Sir Scott was a recent guest on our in-house podcast ReelBlend, and there’s also a series of interviews with the cast that may be of interest.

Ah, the fall season. It’s often the best time of the year for movies as studios roll out award contenders and the heavy-hitters bring in audiences during their time off with family and friends. It’s also common to see our share of “based on a true story” movies during this season, one of which is Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci. The movie stars Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani and Adam Driver as her husband Maurizio Gucci, and it explores the events that led to his murder. With the Gucci family front and center, it’s not surprising they’re speaking out about the film’s depiction of them. 

House of Gucci is based on the book of the same name written by Sara Gay Forden and directed by Blade Runner’s Ridley Scott. Following the movie’s successful first weekend in theaters and audience buzz, the Gucci family released a statement, which has been translated from Italian. In part, the Guccis said: 

These comments were first reported on Italian news agency ANSA (via Variety) and show some distaste for the depiction of the Gucci family in House of Gucci. As the family shared, the Ridley Scott film chose not to reach out to them before the likes of Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Jared Leto and Adam Driver took on the roles of the fashion family. The statement also said the following: 

This is a response that has become common among dramas based on the real events for the real people they are based on to speak out, especially when they are shown in a negative light. Mark Zuckerberg did so for The Social Network, and recently, the real woman who was portrayed by Jennifer Lopez in Hustlers attempted to sue the movie’s studio for telling her story without her permission. 

The Guccis are not currently taking legal action against the production company behind the movie, and as it goes with movies such as this, it’s a story in the public domain and up to filmmakers’ own interpretation. Movies are under no obligation to consult the subjects of movies, including House of Gucci, and get their approval prior to using their names to tell a story. 

Outside Of The Gucci Family, Designer Tom Ford Also Didn’t Love The Movie

Aside from the Gucci family, fashion designer Tom Ford, who is portrayed by Reeve Carney in House of Gucci, has also spoken out about his distaste with the movie's choices. In his words in Airmail:  

There is something to be said about how the subjects of the film react to parts of their own reality being depicted on screen. Perhaps, House of Gucci is a “hurricane” when placed next to history, or maybe they are too close to the subject? House of Gucci is now playing in theaters. 

Another Thanksgiving weekend has arrived and, though the circumstances are quite typical, many still ventured out to the movies over the past few days. At this point, it’s pretty much a tradition for folks to head out to the cinema during the holiday weekend and, in many cases, they’ll find a Disney movie playing on the big screen. Yes, the studio has been known to drop an animated feature around this time of the year and, for 2021, it delivered Encanto. The well-received film has quite a bit of magic to it, and it would seem that it was indeed able to conjure up a bit of that in order to rise to the top of the box office in its debut weekend after a strong start.

All in all, this is a relatively subdued Thanksgiving weekend for movies, especially when you consider what was to come. As Deadline points out, had things gone according to plan, moviegoers would’ve taken to the sky with Tom Cruise for Top Gun: Maverick, which was delayed by Paramount. Film fans are surely sad to see it fly off to 2022 yet, because it cleared the runway, it arguably put Disney in a prime position to succeed with its latest animated venture. 

Encanto’s three-day cume of $27 million is relatively solid, especially considering the times in which we’re living in. And of course, with this being Thanksgiving weekend, totals have been tallied over the past five days. Between Wednesday and Sunday, the animated feature has tallied a total of $40.3 million, while it opened to $29.3 million from more than 47 international markets. With this, its worldwide total at launch currently sits at 69.6 million. If anything, these numbers would seem to indicate that families certainly went out to theaters. Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s solid second weekend is also proof of that very notion.

Though the Disney flick numbers pretty much line up with the studio’s expectations, they still come in low compared to its Thanksgiving predecessors. Variety points out that in 2019, Frozen II managed to earn a whopping $123.7 million during its first five days, while 2018’s Ralph Breaks the Internet raked in $84.6 million. And back in 2017, Coco earned $71 million around this time. In fairness, Encanto did have to contend with the pandemic, and the first two films mentioned were already part of pre-existing, hit franchises.

What may have been a boon for the new film, though, is the fact that it’s heavily influenced by a culture that has yet to take center stage in an animated Disney production. Encanto focuses on teenager Mirabel, a member of the magical Madrigal family, who lacks a special ability like her relatives. But when the family’s magic is threatened, she must embark on a quest to find the source of the disruption. Directed by House of Mouse vets Byron Howard and Jared Bush, the film is firmly rooted in Colombian culture, something that’s been praised by movie fans on the interwebs. Pair that unique perspective with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s electric soundtrack, and the result is a delightful film. Though it’s still early, the positive reviews and solid box office opening could bode well for a potential sequel.

Lady Gaga and co. make a solid mark in House of Gucci’s opening weekend.

House of Gucci is another major title that’s been highly anticipated, mainly by adult audiences, of course. The Ridley Scott-directed movie’s $14.2 million haul over three days and the $21.8 million over the five actually marks the best opening for a drama in the past two years. The last drama to make some real noise around this time is Sony’s Little Women, which earned $16.7 million over three days and $29.2 million over five days. Still, the Lady Gaga-led movie is still going to need some overseas ticket sales in order to turn a profit from that pricey $75 million budget.

The performance does still bode well for the crime drama, though, which is prime bait for awards season. Lady Gaga, who could be a major reason for people willing to attend theaters to see it, has received acclaim for her performance. Though the film as a whole has received mixed reviews from critics for the most part. Audiences, on the other hand, seem more receptive, as the movie holds a Cinemascore of B+. Regardless of the box office performance, one would imagine that it will be a top contender for gold come early next year. Father, son and House of Gucci, indeed.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City gets off to a lackluster start for Sony.

The Resident Evil franchise has been dormant for a few years now, and Sony has now chosen to resurrect it with a reboot. Unfortunately, the new installment isn’t panning out the way the studio may have hoped. Johannes Roberts’ movie, which has a reported budget of $25 million, only opened to $8.8 million. The film also took in $5.1 million internationally, leading a worldwide total of $13.9 million. Based on this, one would assume that it’s going to be tough for the movie to find some success aas time goes on.

So far, the action-horror flick has received mostly mixed to negative reviews from critics and fans. Many, like CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg, find the film to be a bit too basic. Though it does have a capable cast that features the likes of Robbie Ammell, Hannah John-Kamen and Neal McDonough, it’s honestly hard to top someone like Milla Jovovich. In all seriousness, it's very possibly that nostalgia from veteran fans could've played a role here. There's also the fact that the movie is without veteran franchise filmmaker Paul W. S. Anderson. However, the fan-favorite director did come back on board for this installment as an executive producer.

At this point, I’d say the future of the franchise is largely up in the air, especially if there’s no type of improvement. But though it’ll likely be a while before we get word on the next Resident Evil movie, you’ll only have to wait until next week for more box office news from CinemaBlend!

These days with the interconnectedness of comic book movies and similar projects, watching the movie itself is only part of the fun. Figuring out where a movie fits into an existing continuity, and trying to figure out where a story might be going, is how fans get excited even before a movie comes out. The long delayed movie Morbius with Jared Leto is one of those movies that got fans buzzing early on, but Jared Leto isn’t paying attention to any of it.

CinemaBlend recently had the opportunity to speak with Jared Leto before the release of House of Gucci and while the man who plays Dr. Michael Morbius tells us that he loves the fact that fans are getting involved in the story, he says he’s not really paying any attention to what is being said because, as an actor that not where he wants his focus to be. Leto explains... 

Jared Leto doesn’t elaborate on exactly what place he’s afraid he would end up in if he started following Morbius fan theories but we know from Leto’s previous roles, and the stories behind the scenes, just how seriously he takes his performances and how focused he often is on them. Any thought regarding how fans will be responding to that performance after the fact would take that focus away. If he's focused on the plot, as the fans often are, he's not focused on playing the character.

Ever since the first trailer for Morbius, fans have bee curious exactly what’s going on with the movie. We know that Michael Keaton, who previously appeared as the villain in Spider-Man: Homecoming, will be appearing in this movie as well. And since the Morbius movie is also part of Sony’s live-action Spider-Verse, there’s a seeming connection. The recent connection between the Venom franchise and the MCU only adds fuel to the fire. 

It’s no wonder fans are trying to dig into the story and figure out what it all means. And Jared Leto understands that. He admits that he has approached some of his favorite media in the same way for years, trying to understand it all in a different way. Leto continues... 

Whatever is going on with Morbius, one assumes Jared Leto knows all the answers, but he’s not looking to see if fans have it all figured out. We’ll find out what’s going on when Morbius arrives in theaters in January.  

Sir Ridley Scott, yes you read that correctly, joins the show to primarily discuss his work on House of Gucci, but we dip into aspects of filmmaking from all over his filmography, including this year’s The Last Duel. 

He talks about embracing stress, how he manages to work on two or more films at once, collaborating with his ensemble casts, camera operating on Alien, extended cuts of House of Gucci, and The Last Duel which we can look forward to, and more. 

Stick around for our reactions to a number of new films hitting theaters and streaming this week, such as Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. Of course, we also dive in for a full review for the major release of the week, House of Gucci. 

Timestamps (approx. only)

00:04:46 - Weekly Poll

00:12:00 - Ridley Scott Interview

00:45:53 - Hawkeye Premiere 

00:50:28 - This Week In Movies

0059:56 - House of Gucci Review

01:10:19 - Our Favorite Ridley Scott Movies

01:22:57 - Outro

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The Thanksgiving weekend has been a major release window for Disney for years. We’ve seen Walt Disney Animation Studios films released on the Wednesday before the holiday for the last several years, and we’ll see it happen for years to come. This year’s entry is the musical Encanto and in last night’s previews the movie put forth a solid $1.5 million in ticket sales, although the Lady Gaga-led House of Gucci also broke the $1 million mark, so it will be a horse race to see who takes the weekend box office crown.

House of Gucci saw a Tuesday night of $1.3 million, but it had a slight handicap as its previews started with 7pm showings, while Encanto started earlier in the day, at 4pm. So at least some of Encanto’s higher total would seem to be due to the fact that it simply got more screenings in. Having said that, being a family movie Encanto probably also saw larger groups going to see it, as parents took their kids, while only the parents would be going to see something like House of Gucci.

Encanto’s $1.5 million is a solid opening that outperforms pre-pandemic movies like Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur, which, according to Deadline, did $1.3 million on the same weekend previously. Encanto’s numbers are down compared to what Moana and Coco put up for their Thanksgiving release, and maybe in a pre-pandemic release Encanto could have done the same, but it likely wasn’t going to happen under the current circumstances. 

Encanto is projected to make $35 to $40 million over the long weekend. The movie is likely getting a boost from the fact that the movie is a theatrical only release. However, the movie is set to drop on Disney+ on Christmas Eve, so the movie will only have a theatrical exclusive window for a month. It’s unclear how many might have decided to wait because they knew the movie would be available at home fairly soon. 

Black Friday tends to be one of the highest grossing days of the year theatrically, so it will be interesting to see what it looks like this year. It will likely still be a popular day to go to the movies, what’s unclear is how many people will be willing to venture out. The sheer fact that the day tends to be popular may be enough to keep some people away.

Who will ultimately win the weekend, the Oscar buzz drama from Ridley Scott or the family friendly Disney movie with music from Lin-Manual Miranda, will be an interesting question. The two movies are essentially neck and neck going into their first full day of release and both movies are reviewing very well. 

In my opinion, many of the best Ridley Scott movies are his historical biopics, such as 2007’s Black Hawk Down or American Gangster.  That is only one reason why I have been anticipating House of Gucci - based on the book by Sara Gay Forden about Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) and her conspiratorial crusade to take control of the fashion dynasty from her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver). 

The other main reason why this is one of my most anticipated 2021 movies is the Oscar darlings in the House of Gucci cast (also including Jared Leto), whose greatest accomplishments in the acting world and beyond we will summarize for you below.

Lady Gaga (Patrizia Reggiani)

Playing Patrizia “The Black Widow” Reggiani - whose marriage into the Gucci family would end in blood - in House of Gucci is Lady Gaga, whose talents outside of singing would be revealed only a matter of time after the extremely theatrical pop star broke into the mainstream in the late 2000s. 

After making her feature-film debut in in Robert Rodriguez’s Machete Kills in 2013, the actress (born Stefani Germanotta) reunited with the filmmaker for a small role in 2014’s Sin City: A Dame to Kill For and played herself in Muppets Most Wanted the same year. In 2016, her performance as the vampiric Countess on American Horror Story: Hotel earned her a Golden Globe and, in 2019, she received two Academy Award nominations for A Star is Born, and won for co-writing “Shallow.”

Adam Driver (Maurizio Gucci) 

After The Last Duel, House of Gucci is Ridley Scott’s second fact-based film released in 2021 to star Adam Driver, who plays Maurizio Gucci - who was killed in 1995 by a hitman hired by his ex-wife, Patrizia Reggiani. 

The former Marine and former Girls cast member has worked with many other great filmmakers including Steven Spielberg (Lincoln), Joel and Ethan Coen (Inside Llewyn Davis), and Martin Scorsese (Silence), to name a few. Driver has been nominated for acting Oscars twice (first in 2019 for BlacKkKlansman, and then for Netflix’s Marriage Story the following year), but he is most famous, of course, for playing Kylo Ren in the Star Wars movies. 

Jared Leto (Paolo Gucci)

Also known for making chart-topping hits with his band, 30 Seconds to Mars, and starring in a few blockbusters (notably Suicide Squad as The Joker and the upcoming Morbius in the title role) is Jared Leto, who looks completely unrecognizable as Maurizio Gucci’s cousin, Paolo, in House of Gucci. 

The actor (who has actually done a few Gucci ads) experienced his first breakthrough on the coming-of-age dramedy, My So-Called Life, years before scoring small but memorable parts in movies like Fight Club or American Psycho, leading to roles in surreal favorites like Requiem for a Dream or Mr. Nobody. Arguably, Leto’s best work might be his other stunning supporting performances in Blade Runner 2049 in 2017, and 2013’s Dallas Buyers Club, for which he earned his Academy Award.

Jeremy Irons (Rodolfo Gucci)

Also known for starring in DC movies (as Alfred Pennyworth to Ben Affleck’s Batman) and even DC TV shows (Adrian Veidt in HBO’s Watchmen cast) is fellow Oscar-winner (for Reversal of Fortune) Jeremy Irons, who plays Maurizio’s father, Rodolfo Gucci. 

Arguably, his best work is when he is playing a villain, such as Scar in Disney’s original animated The Lion King in 1994, or as Hans Gruber’s brother, Simon, in Die Hard with a Vengeance the following year. Next on Irons’ agenda is a horror movie called Cello, and another biopic called Frankel about Sir Henry Cecil and his titular horse.

Al Pacino (Aldo Gucci)

Only known for one comic book movie (Dick Tracy), and a favorite at the Oscars despite only one win (for 1992’s Scent of a Woman) is Al Pacino - whose House of Gucci role, Aldo Gucci, was the eldest son of the company’s founder, Guccio Gucci, and its chairman from 1953 to 1986. 

In addition to starring in other films about infamous family dynasties (The Godfather movies) and historical biopics (Martin Scorsese’s Netflix original The Irishman, most recently), the living legend’s filmography is chock full of iconic crime thrillers (such as Michael Mann’s heist classic Heat) and even a few comedies (such as Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). Pacino will next be seen in another crime drama called Sniff, and is starring in Michael Radford’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear as the title character.

Salma Hayek (Giuseppina Auriemma)

Making her comic book movie debut in 2021 with Eternals was Academy Award nominee Salma Hayek, who is actually married to François-Henri Pinault - the son of the founder of Gucci’s parent company (now called Kering) - and plays Patrizia Reggiani’s alleged co-conspirator, Giuseppina Auriemma, in House of Gucci. 

Like her co-star, Lady Gaga, the Latinx has also worked with Robert Rodriguez several times (such as in From Dusk Till Dawn) and appeared as herself in Muppets Most Wanted, as well as a few biopics (like Frida, for which she earned her Oscar nod), crime thrillers (such as Oliver Stone’s Savages), and comedies (including the animated Sausage Party in 2016). Also in 2021, she reprised her role as Sonia Kincaid in Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, and starred opposite Owen Wilson in the the Amazon Original sci-fi movie Bliss.

Jack Huston (Domenico De Sole)

Before playing former Gucci America president and current Tom Ford International chairman, Domenico De Sole, in House of Gucci, Jack Huston had already starred in a few dramatizations of infamous historical tragedies.  

He played Gerard Malanga (an associate of Andy Warhol) in 2005’s Factory Girl, author Jack Kerouac in 2013’s Kill Your Darlings, and starred as Robert Kennedy (around the time of his assassination) in The Irishman. The former Boardwalk Empire cast member also appeared in American Hustle, played the title hero of the 2016 Ben-Hur remake, and is working on a crime thriller with Robert De Niro called Wash Me in the River. 

Camille Cottin (Paola Franchi)

Former Italian model Paola Franchi - who was dating Maurizio Gucci at the time of his assassination - is played in House of Gucci by Camille Cottin. The French actress and comedian made her English-language debut in 2018 with another historical film called Allied, also starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, and would later star opposite Matt Damon in Stillwater in 2021. She is currently filming a biopic about “Iron Lady of Israel” Golda Meir with Helen Mirren.

Reeve Carney (Tom Ford)

Playing fashion mogul turned award-winning filmmaker Tom Ford in House of Gucci, we have Reeve Carney, who made his debut on the sitcom Dave's World in 1994, years before appearing in films like The Tempest from director Julie Taymor, whom he also worked with on Broadway's Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark in the title role.

After playing Dorian Gray on Showtime's Penny Dreadful, Carney played Riff Raff in Fox's remake, The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again in 2016 and acted alongside Zoë Kravitz in Gemini the following year. Next, he will star in the biopic Everybody Here Wants You as late musician Jeff Buckley - a role the Grammy-winning musician and former lead singer of the band Carney is an ideal choice for.

Clearly it would take acting royalty to portray a group of people considered royalty in the fashion industry and it looks like that is exactly what we are in for with the cast of House of Gucci, which hits theaters Wednesday, November 24, 2021.

House of Gucci is one of the most anticipated awards-hopefuls of this season. Lady Gaga’s turn as Patricia Reggiani has been widely expected to put her in the thick of the Best Actress conversation. It’s a 2 1/2 hour long biopic with star power, a prestigious director, and more box office potential than the vast majority of contenders can hope for this year. What could go wrong?

Well, the reviews have been somewhat underwhelming. A 67% Rotten Tomatoes grade is not ideal if you want a Best Picture nomination. Since 2010 we’ve had only three films nominated with that score or lower (Vice, Bohemian Rhapsody, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close). But let’s say audiences disagree and find it highly entertaining and fun. Typically, Best Picture nominees are either culturally significant, stylistically significant, or emotionally engaging. “Fun” doesn’t always cut it for the Academy. Though it’s not out of the question, I am doubtful Gucci cracks the Best Picture lineup. But what other categories might it show up in?

Certainly, a Makeup & Hairstyling nomination, perhaps even a win, is in the cards. As unnecessary as Jared Leto's casting is, he is unrecognizable under all those prosthetics (even Pacino didn't recognize him on set). As a bonus, Gaga and Driver’s wig games are on point. We’ve seen prosthetics transforming well-known actors lead to make-up wins for Bombshell, Vice, Darkest Hour, and The Grand Budapest Hotel recently. Gucci will be a strong competitor with The Eyes of Tammy Faye and Dune for the win here.

Speaking of Leto, his cartoonish, goofy, SNL-style Italian impression is the sort of swing-for-the-fences type performance that is difficult to ignore. While some feel his performance is out-of-place, voters tend to embrace all caps performances like this. With the Supporting Actor race totally up in the air, Leto could couple with the make-up nomination (Hillbilly Elegy style) and remain in the conversation, even if the film sinks.

Gaga delivers the best, most deeply committed performance in the film, though lackluster direction, writing, and editing do her no favors. Best Actress this year is packed, and Lady Gaga may not be a priority here if her film is weak overall. However, this is a very showy role, and if the film’s reputation with the public is better than it is with critics, she certainly has a shot at a nomination (but not a win, sorry fans).

Gaga’s best chances at retaining her buzz are in snagging nominations at major precursors. The Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globes proved themselves to be Little Monsters when they awarded her for A Star is Born and American Horror Story, respectively. But her moment of truth will likely come at the SAG awards, as they’re more likely to embrace a populist pick. If she misses this nomination, expect pundits to be crossing her off.

Though the costuming is a major narrative focus, that category is a bloodbath, with contenders like Cruella, Dune, Spencer, Nightmare Alley, Cyrano, and West Side Story. I’m not sure House of Gucci will take priority. And don’t expect Driver, Pacino, or Hayek to crack the race either. They’re solid, but none of them give career-best work. I anticipate the film will be far too weak to crack Adapted Screenplay, Director, or Editing. 

Though only makeup feels totally secure, I’m currently feeling 3 nominations for House of Gucci (Makeup, Supporting Actor, Actress). This would be similar to Bombshell’s nomination trio in 2020. Let’s see if audiences show up for Lady Gaga in a substantial way this Thanksgiving weekend. Check back here at CinemaBlend for more awards profiles in the coming weeks.

No one who sees Ridley Scott’s new film House of Gucci will question the passion of the cast and crew. The film possess a unique, almost comical, sense of pizzazz that perfectly suits the over-the-top fashion mavens as they fight to survive the cutthroat stakes of their industry. It colors the way they talk, the way they eat and drink… and yes, the way that they have sex. Lady Gaga and Adam Driver have a knock down, drag out sex scene early on in House of Gucci that says everything about their heated courtship. And when I asked Ridley Scott about the staging of that scene, he explained how music helped him unearth the inherent humor in their torrid pairing. Scott’s take on the scene is above. 

This is not a plot spoiler, by any means. You know going into House of Gucci that Adam Driver’s character, Maurizio, is going to fall head over boots in love with Patrizia Reggiani, played by pop icon Lady Gaga. In one of their earliest scenes together, the two find themselves in a trailer office on a construction site and, believing themselves to be alone, start engaging in passionate sex. But it’s the kind of sex that slams into walls, tears down furniture, and ends up on a desk, simply because the lovers were hurtling towards the floor and would have ended up somewhere. 

The lengthy scene is set to very specific music, which House of Gucci director Ridley Scott says is very intentional. When appearing as a guest on CinemaBlend’s official podcast, ReelBlend, Scott told the hosts:

Throughout a lot of House of Gucci, Ridley Scott uses pop songs of the time frame to tremendous effect, and George Michael’s bubbly Faith following that sex scene is a perfect example. Directing the scene is one thing, but participating in it is another thing entirely. Speaking with Adam Driver about the amount of prep that went into the scene, he explained to CinemaBlend:    

The relationship between Maurizio and Patrizia is the engine that makes House of Gucci roar, when they are in their intense highs, and fighting through their devastating lows. Ridley Scott’s movie is in theaters now, go grab tickets and go along for the ride.

It’s barely been over a month since director Ridley Scott’s last movie, The Last Duel, premiered in theaters, but now the filmmaker has another cinematic offering to deliver for the Thanksgiving holiday. House of Gucci delves into Patrizia Reggiani’s marriage to Maurizio Gucci and navigating the Gucci fashion empire, with its heavy-hitting cast includes Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons, Al Pacino and Salma Hayek. We got our first taste of what early viewers thought about Scott’s new movie a couple weeks ago, but now the fully-written reviews are pouring in. So what do critics have to say about House of Gucci?

Starting off, CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell awarded House of Gucci 4 out of 5 stars in his review, describing it as The Godfather for fashion and complimenting both its story and performances. However, Sean acknowledged that the movie is by no means “subtle,” and that people should watch the movie knowing that this will be a larger-than-life affair.

Leah Greenblatt from Entertainment Weekly also leaned positively on House of Gucci, stamping it with a B grade. Leah felt that this kind of story might have been better if it “fully committed to the high camp” and ditched some of the more serious moments, but there’s still enough to enjoy in the final product, particularly when it comes to what the actors bring to the table.

But there are also a fair amount of critics who weren’t impressed with House of Gucci. Take Den of Geek’s David Crow. who gave the movie a 2.5 out of 5 score. David felt that while The Last Duel handled its sensitive subject matter “with intelligence and delicacy,” House of Gucci’s exploration of “potentially gaudy material” failed to “shape it into much of anything.” He described the movie as a whole as “bare and distant.”

Tara Bennett from IGN rated House of Gucci a 6 out of 10 in her review, saying how the movie started with “such promise” through the performances, but it becomes problematic when Ridley Scott starts focusing more on the fall of the Gucci company rather than the implosion of Patrizia Reggiani and Maurizio Gucci’s relationship.

Finally, to end on a more positive note, USA Today’s Brian Truitt thought House of Gucci deserved 3 out of 4 stars. Truitt commended Ridley Scott for creating “an extremely stylish world of runways, ostentatious estates and stunning costumes for his various characters,” and was also impressed with the performances, although Lady Gaga was the clear standout in his mind.

These are just some of the House of Gucci reviews that have been published, but overall, it sounds like while this is hardly one of the lesser entries on Ridley Scott’s filmography, it also won’t go down as one of his best. At the very least, those who decided to see House of Gucci are in for some wild work from its actors, although it’s a coin toss whether you’ll appreciate said work.

You can judge House of Gucci for yourself when it arrives on Wednesday, November 24. Don’t forget to look through our 2021 release schedule to plan your trips to the theater for the rest of the year accordingly.

Pulp Fiction and The Hateful Eight director Quentin Tarantino has stirred the pot in recent years claiming that he planned to stop making movies once he has reached 10 features. Beyond the fact that he’s interested in such things as playwriting and novels, Tarantino cites the fear that too many quality filmmakers cease to make quality films the longer they try. Stopping at 10 allows him to have complete control over his cinematic legacy, and potentially keep a true dud out of his filmography. 

Sir Ridley Scott, on the other hand, is the example that proves Tarantino’s argument wrong. It’s fun to look at prolific filmmakers and see how many of their classics of which we might have been deprived had they stopped at 10 films. Scott, for example, made his tenth film, G.I. Jane, back in 1997. Hypothetically, if Scott decided to call it a career after that Demi Moore vehicle, we’d never have his 11th film: Gladiator. Suffice to say, it's thrilling that Scott continues to explore historic, satiric, and controversial material, because his curiosity has produced a handful of powerhouses in that post ‘97 era, including two that came out just this year: The Last Duel, and the new House of Gucci.

House of Gucci tells a tragically true story with fire and flair. 

It’s sacrilege to compare any movie to Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, but there are unmistakable parallels in House of Gucci to that Mafioso masterpiece (and I don’t just mean the presence of Michael Corleone himself, Al Pacino, in the ensemble). Adam Driver cuts a tragic figure in Maurizio Gucci, heir to the sartorial throne of his namesake who’d prefer to do anything else in life than carry on the family business. He thinks a relationship with an Italian firecracker Patrizia Regginai (Lady Gaga) is his ticket out of his obligations. But Patrizia adores the Gucci name and all the perks it provides as much as she loves Maurizio, and the power struggles of the insanely wealthy play out in baroque fashion.  

Ridley Scott’s interpretation of Maurizio and Patrizia’s rollercoaster romance is one half Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, one half Real Housewives of Milan. The film embraces excess, and dares its cast members to rise to the gaudy occasion of Dariusz Wolski’s cinematography, Janty Yates’ exquisite costuming, and Arthur Max’s production design. One rarely hires Al Pacino or Jared Leto so they can “play small,” and the celebrated scene chewers rip of chunks of House Of Gucci like it was a turkey leg at a Renaissance Fair. 

There’s tense drama at play in the film if you know the story’s details. The pleasure comes from the abnormal ride through cartoonishly lavish playgrounds of the rich, and seedy underbellies of the criminal hangers-on surrounding them. House of Gucci constructs a corner of the world few of us will ever enter, mainly because we simply don’t belong. 

Every performance in House of Gucci is a gem.

What the movie and its performances are most definitely not is subtle, as these diva-level acting turns are, by any definition of the word, not. However, they are refined in their delivery and carefully calibrated to match the exaggerated tones of Ridley Scott’s fashion soap opera. Ask me to name the most memorable Gucci performance, and my answer would change daily... but to start with anyone beside Lady Gaga feels like a sin against the Father, the Son, and the House of Gucci. The pop music royalty proves her Oscar-nominated turn in A Star is Born was no fluke, disappearing into the showy, commanding personality of Patrizia Reggiani. Already Gaga’s vibrant portrayal has birthed 100 memes on social media, but that cheapens the full-bodied woman Patrizia is under Gaga’s guidance: a tempest of lust, vanity, greed and jealousy. 

Adam Driver matches Gaga at most every turn, though he’s playing the straight man to the Gucci circus that surrounds Maurizio. It’s easy to understand why this level-headed individual wants to escape the business of creatives chasing the next hot design like a puppy chases its tail. But every time House of Gucci detours down an alley to seek out a backstabbing bid for control of the company, we get to spend more time with either Al Pacino or an unrecognizable Jared Leto, respectively playing Aldo and Paulo Gucci. Even outside of the nuclear Gucci family, Ridley Scott lures rock-solid talent for his campy supporting parts, the best having to be Salma Hayek as a fortune teller who becomes Patrizia’s closest confidant. Gucci might not be everyone’s cup of Espresso, but it’s never dull. 

House of Gucci, and everyone involved, understands the assignment. 

Ultimately, House of Gucci is a tragedy for most everyone involved – but Ridley Scott knows that the band’s still playing music while this ship is sinking, so the party will go on until the bitter end. There’s a carefree looseness to Gucci the filmmaker hasn’t shown since 2013’s The Counselor, another can’t-look-away traffic jam that found incredibly gorgeous movie stars spinning out of control, dancing to a tune that few besides Scott can muster. But if you go into House of Gucci knowing that Ridley Scott is making a comedy out of what had to be a difficult time in the life of an extremely eccentric family of billionaires, you’ll be able to laugh along at one of the year’s most unforgettable films.

Jared Leto is well known for his versatile filmography and his penchant for disappearing into his roles. He’s taken his commitment to a performance to some pretty big extremes, sometimes to the point of controversy. And in his most recent film, Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci, he apparently did such a good job embodying his character that it weirded out his co-star, Al Pacino.

In House of Gucci, the Joker actor plays Paolo Gucci, son of the fashion line’s chairman, Aldo. In order to convincingly play the part, the actor donned a hair piece that made him look like he was balding, make-up to make him look older, and padding that made him appear to weigh more. The result is that he’s virtually unrecognizable -- and that was apparently true when he was on the film’s set, too. During an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the actor admitted that his immersive dive into his role was maybe a little too detailed for his legendary co-star: 

If you put yourself in Al Pacino’s shoes, it’s easy to understand why he may have been weirded out. After all, having someone who seems to be a stranger calling you “Papa” might be unsettling. Jared Leto was probably just as relieved as he was when he realized that it was just his co-star approaching him and he didn’t need to call security. 

The entire House of Gucci cast seems to have put a lot of themselves into their roles. While not everyone in the Gucci family is on board with how they and their loved ones are portrayed, the results seem to be leading up to some potentially legendary movie moments. In addition to the Paolo actor's incredible on-screen transformation, the cast all worked hard (to varying degrees of success) to master the Italian accents that would give their characters an extra bit of authenticity. Lady Gaga, too, was so into her role that she said she stayed in character for over a year -- and ended up improvising one of the movie’s most memorable lines. 

We’ll get to see all of that, plus how Jared Leto and Al Pacino’s father-son relationship unfolds on screen, when House of Gucci hits theaters on November 24th. 

We’ve known that Lady Gaga is a superstar for years now. But as she expands her repertoire and her acting career, we’re learning more about her hidden talents. The most recent addition to her roster? Dialogue improvisation -- and not just any dialogue, but one of the most memorable lines in House of Gucci. 

In Ridley Scott’s new crime drama, Lady Gaga plays Patrizia Reggiani, the ex-wife of Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver), who was convicted of hiring a hitman to kill him in 1995. The film depicts the Italian socialite as ambitious, tenacious, uncompromising to the point of extremes. As soon as audiences saw their first glimpse of Gaga in the film’s trailer, it was clear her performance would be unforgettable. Especially after hearing her utter the line, “Father, son, and House of Gucci.” 

The songstress' delivery alone, which sees her doing the sign of the cross with a deadly serious look on her face, was enough to send the internet into a frenzy. That was before we knew its origins, too. At the new movie's Los Angeles premiere, the Oscar winner confessed to Variety that the line was the result of an ad-lib. When asked how she came up with it, she said: 

She seems pretty humble about the whole thing -- in addition to highlighting Ridley Scott’s role in making the moment happen, she also credited co-star Jared Leto with rolling with it. Even when she was told that it’s now one of the most iconic lines in the history of cinema, she shrugged it off playfully: 

Though the film has yet to release, it's already clear that the actress put a ton of herself into the role, so this makes her contribution to the feature feel more special. She even committed to "living" as Reggiani and staying in character (and in accent) on-and-off screen while filming. 

Given all the buzz around her performance and the movie even beyond Lady Gaga’s ad lib, Ridley Scott's latest is certainly shaping up to be one for the history books, even without her now-iconic line. With the high drama of the true story, some members of the Gucci family aren’t thrilled about the way the movie portrays them. Even if the initial reaction from critics (including the film’s dialect coach) weren't universally positive, many have praised Gaga and her co-stars for their electric performances. 

House of Gucci hits theaters on November 24th.

House of Gucci is one of those movies that you can tell has its eye on Oscar gold. It has an incredible cast of accomplished actors telling a dramatic story based on true events. However, while the people being played by the likes of Adam Driver and Al Pacino are real, there are some questions about the performance of Lady Gaga, as those who have seen the trailer have questioned the actress’ “Italian” accent, and even the on set dialogue coach admits it’s not that great. 

Italian actress and coach Francesca De Martini was brought onto the set of House of Gucci, after being unsuccessful in getting a role in the movie, to be a dialogue coach for Salma Hayak. De Martini never worked directly with Lady Gaga, but she did hear Gaga’s performance due to listening to some of the scenes that Gaga and Hayak had together, and she admits to The Daily Beast that the accent doesn’t actually sound Italian at all. According to her...

This is a sentiment that a lot of people have following the first trailer for House of Gucci. The feeling from some is that Lady Gaga’s accent sounds like she Eastern European rather than Italian. It’s somewhat surprising considering that Gaga did work with her own dialogue coach prior to filming, and she has talked about how much time she spent with the accent.

To be fair, Lady Gaga isn’t the only accent in House of Gucci that Francesca De Martini is critical of. She also says that Al Pacino’s accent is more “New York Italian” than actual Italian, which checks out, because this is Al Pacino after all. Also, she says Adam Driver has basically no accent whatsoever.

Francesca De Martini does, of course, have good things to say about Salma Hayak’s accent, but it’s not simply that the two worked together. Hayak was apparently the only of the major players to actually work with a dialogue coach while the movie was shooting.

Hollywood and accents have a wild history. Sometimes movies work hard to try and get the accents right, sometimes the movies just don’t bother. Accents likely won’t be that big a factor in the success or quality of House of Gucci. If everything else in the movie works, the strange accents will just be an odd afterthought. If the movie doesn’t work, it won’t be because of the accents. 

House of Gucci arrives in theaters next week. All the accents will get a fair shake once we actually see the film and are not judging trailers alone. For the most part, those that have seen the movie, didn’t seem to care about the accents much. 

Lady Gaga has been a musical icon for almost a decade and a half now, but she’s also been making a name for herself on the acting front. Thus far her biggest role has been her Academy Award-nominated turn as Ally Maine opposite Bradley Cooper’s Jackson Maine in 2018’s A Star is Born, but in just a few weeks, the public will get to see her play Patrizia Reggiani in Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci. That said, various individuals have gotten to see this biographical drama early, and they’ve shared their opinions about it on social media.

So what’s the buzz on House of Gucci? Looking at these early reactions, it looks like it’ll go down as one of the more polarizing entries in Ridley Scott’s filmography. Starting off, CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell found himself firmly in the camp of those who enjoyed House of Gucci, commending both the tone of the movie and the performances from its leading actors, including Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons and Al Pacino.

Sean added in a follow-up tweet that he hasn’t seen an ensemble cast as good as House of Gucci’s this year, with only Dune providing some real competition. For those of you who liked the House of Gucci trailers, there’s a good chance you’ll dig the movie itself too.

The running time might be a bit too long for some folks, but clearly it’s the acting where House of Gucci shines most. So when awards seasons rolls around, don’t be surprised if Lady Gaga and/or one or more of her costars find themselves collecting nominations left and right.

Conversely, not everyone is enamored with House of Gucci, including its performances. So if you were thinking that it would rank among the likes of stellar Ridley Scott movies like Alien, Blade Runner and Gladiator, you might want to temper your expectations.

House of Gucci follows a month after Ridley Scott’s last movie, The Last Duel, which saw Adam Driver acting opposite Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Jodie Comer. While that movie failed to impress at the box office, it was met with primarily positive critical reception. As noted earlier, House of Gucci looks to be falling into the mixed portion of the spectrum, with some feeling that it failed to hit the mark.

Overall though, it sounds like there’s more in House of Gucci to enjoy than critique. Obviously you’ll need to judge the movie for yourself, but at the very least, you’re in for an epic-feeling cinematic experience.

Along with the aforementioned actors, House of Gucci also stars Salma Hayek, Jack Huston, Reeve Carney, Camille Cottin, Mădălina Diana Ghenea, Mehdi Nebbou and Miloud Mourad Benamara. Based on the book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by Sara Gay Forden, with Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna working on the screenplay, the movie follows the Gucci dynasty across decades, including Patrizia Reggiani’s marriage into the family, her orchestrating the murder of her ex-husband Maurizio Gucci in 1995 and the aftermath of his death.

House of Gucci opens wide on November 24, and keep a lookout for CinemaBlend’s review of the movie beforehand. Don’t forget to scan through our 2021 release schedule to learn what remaining movies are left this year, or start planning next year’s trips to the theater with the 2022 release schedule.

You would think that a star like Lady Gaga would be drop-dead honest if she didn’t like a movie like House of Gucci. It doesn’t matter that she stars in the Ridley Scott drama about the Gucci family brand, because if the edit of her performance as Patrizia Reggiani didn’t suit her tastes, it would be assumed someone would have heard about it by now. Well, Lady Gaga has not only seen the movie’s final cut, but she’s also provided a rather beautiful reaction as her seal of approval.

During one of her recent jazz & piano shows at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Gaga took a moment to tell her captive audience that she’s seen House of Gucci. As she walked down a staircase on the stage, dressed to the nines and ready to keep the party going, Lady Gaga praised the film as only she could. Thanks to a fan posting footage of this moment on Twitter, you can take a look at her short and sweet review, f-bomb and all:

If the trailers for House of Gucci weren’t enough of a sign that Lady Gaga clearly had a good time making this film, that beautiful reaction to the finished product says it all. As the film is starting to move ever closer to its Thanksgiving release date, Gaga’s fans are obviously going to be looking for advanced buzz. Though considering the film’s all-star cast includes Adam Driver, Jared Leto, and Salma Hayek, among others, there’s plenty of reasons to keep an eye out for advanced word.

All eyes will be on Lady Gaga, without question, as her House of Gucci gig has attracted detractors and supporters alike. On the more positive side of things, Salma Hayek couldn’t help but gush about Gaga’s Patrizia Reggiani, and the work ethic she used to bring her to life. However, Reggiani herself, as well as several members of the Gucci family, aren’t so happy with the fact that Ms. Gaga seems to have failed to consult them for her portrayal. 

General reactions to House of Gucci seem to be coming any day now, but if you were to solely go by Lady Gaga’s take on the film, you’d think it was a sure fire hit. However, that prospect is a bit more uncertain in the wake of Ridley Scott’s previous historical epic, The Last Duel, taking a medieval bath at the box office. Still, with Gaga’s dedication to the role, and her massive fanbase potentially getting behind the film in general release, House of Gucci could see itself walking down the runway and straight to the bank.

House of Gucci aims to engage in unconventional punishment, when it hits theaters on this Thanksgiving. But, you know, Adam Driver is also in that movie too, right? In fact, you can see the future films on Mr. Driver’s schedule, if you know the right place to look. Also, don’t forget that 2021’s release schedule still has plenty of movies waiting to be discovered on your next trip to the movies.  

We are getting ever closer to the debut of what might be the most fashionable film in years, with the upcoming release of House of Gucci. Ridley Scott’s ripped-from-the-headlines crime drama stars pop icon Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani, who marries into the famed fashion family after meeting Maurizio Gucci (played by Adam Driver), eventually divorces him, and later is convicted of having him killed. The trailer revealed the awesome accent Gaga used for her portrayal, but it turns out that she stayed with those vocal stylings for a wildly loooooong time.

Many actors have been known to go above and beyond when it comes to making sure they bring their characters to startling life on camera, especially when the people they’re playing actually exist in real life. While it makes a ton of sense that Lady Gaga would fully take her work as Reggiani seriously, she recently told Vogue UK just how long she stuck with her Italian accent for House of Gucci, and said:

WOW. A year and a half is a long time to “live” as someone else, people. Particularly if an actor sticks with their character in their daily life, and not just when specifically working on the movie. Even though we already know from A Star Is Born and American Horror Story that Lady Gaga can act, this certainly shows her dedication to making sure that she fully embodied Reggiani and made “the performance about a real woman,” as she says later in the interview.

Gaga didn’t mention this, but I can’t help but wonder if she took some tips from one of her co-stars, Jared Leto, who has been known to (supposedly) get up to some shenanigans in the name of inhabiting a dangerous character, so that his performance feels as real as possible. The entertainer also noted that those of us who watch House of Gucci, and are very perceptive, will be able to hear the shifts in accent (all of which were praised by co-star Salma Hayek) she employed to capture the differences Reggiani’s voice would have taken on as she became more and more embroiled in the Gucci lifestyle, as opposed to how she would have sounded originally.

As you might imagine, Gaga’s prep work for the film didn’t end with her accent. Apparently, part of her living as Reggiani also entailed some character work that saw her altering her looks and how she interacted with the world:

Seeing as how Lady Gaga didn’t speak with Reggiani to prep for the role (which did not please the former Gucci family member), it seems appropriate to connect some dots on her own after reading all she could about her and watching footage. All in all, it seems like we’re going to be in for a serious treat when House of Gucci opens on November 24.

Earlier today, the world got its first look at Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci through sharp character posters released onto the internet. But Lady Gaga, being crafty, but to the point, displayed her look with the word “stasera,” or “tonight” in Italian. Apparently that was a hint at when we could see the first trailer for the film, which also stars Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jared Leto, and Jeremy Irons. Now have our first footage from House of Gucci to ponder over.

The film looks as flashy as you’d expect, with Lady Gaga’s portrayal of Patrizia Reggiani shifting her look to the occasion and the times. But, of course, there’s the darker undercurrent that runs through the film, as House of Gucci is the story of how Reggiani played her part in some drama involving the Gucci family. Most infamously of all, of course, was Patrizia ordering a hit out on her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver); an event we see teased in the trailer itself.

Even with that dark cloud hovering over House of Gucci, there’s still a humorous streak that runs through this decades spanning tragedy. One of the surprise confirmations of that fact comes from Jared Leto’s controversial casting as Paolo Gucci, which required aging up the actor with prosthetic makeup. Though people will still find themselves questioning and even reacting to his casting as they have recently, his performance is unquestionably fitting in a cast that also includes Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons.

Then, of course, there’s the question of whether the chemistry between House of Gucci’s leads works to the film’s advantage. Yet again, it should be no surprise that not only do Lady Gaga and Adam Driver look good together, they can certainly hold down a movie alongside each other. Showing glimpses of times good, bad and murderous, the Gaga/Driver combination already feels like it is yielding fantastic results.

House of Gucci’s first look at Ridley Scott’s upcoming crime drama doesn’t skimp on the fashion or the tragedy. Summing up scandal, infidelity, and ultimately murder as the contents of this tale, the trailer naturally does so with style and class. For now, we’ll have to wait for the really sordid stuff, as even the trailer ends on a couple notes that hint at how and why Patrizia may have been motivated to do what she did.

If the word on the street holds up, House of Gucci should land in theaters on November 24th. But if that changes, you’ll see that information reported and reflected in our 2021 release schedule. Now all we have to do is wait and see which festivals this obvious awards player will book, and then the fun can really begin.

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Over the past couple of months, the world has been following along with the production of Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci, the film that tells the true story of Patrizia Reggiani and how she arranged the murder of her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci. With Lady Gaga and Adam Driver playing those respective roles, the looks we’ve gotten from the film so far have been quite intriguing. But now Gaga herself has shared the first official House of Gucci image, and indeed, a star is born again.

This morning seems to be a potentially large one for the promotion of director Ridley Scott’s latest film. And nowhere is that more apparent than in releasing this poster, showing Lady Gaga in full regalia as Patrizia Reggiani. Courtesy of her Instagram, you can take a first, studio released look at the Academy Award winner in her latest role:

What’s even more exciting is that House of Gucci might be showing us a lot more than we expected some time today. That assumption comes from how Lady Gaga shared her character poster, along with a simple and unassuming caption: “Stasera.” Translated into English, that means, “this evening”, which could mean that the first trailer for the big awards and festival season darling could be delivered to us all in short order. Looks like everyone’s going to be watching the internet a little closer today.

If you’re an eagle eyed citizen of the internet, you may have already spotted a little more House of Gucci action out in the wild today. As an official Twitter account has also been set up for the film, there’s already looks of not only Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani, but also several other cast members in this absurdly stacked lineup. Both through individual character posters, as well as the official banner for that social media account, you can see Adam Driver as Maurizio Gucci, Al Pacino as Aldo Gucci, Jeremy Irons as Rodolfo Gucci, and Jared Leto as Paolo Gucci.

Should we see a trailer for House of Gucci grace the internet today, it’ll be interesting to see when/if further reactions from the real life figures involved arrive. As both Patrizia Reggiani and the Gucci family themselves have voiced displeasure in not being consulted for the production or development of this film, the release of this film is already primed to be a potential hot button issue. Whenever that first glimpse of footage is dropped, it may prove to be even more grist for this particular mill, with the whole world watching and waiting.

For now, all we have are these amazingly styled posters, and the potential for even more looks at House of Gucci on the near horizon. The film opens its doors to the public on November 24, and you can bet there will be more talk about how the reality of the Gucci family saga meshes with the Hollywood version. No matter the result, it's going to be a subject you can count on being carried throughout the film's potential awards season hopes, as well as its general release.

The production of director Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci biopic has drawn its fair share of critics, and the film isn’t even set to open until this November. With several of the real life figures depicted in the Adam Driver/Lady Gaga-led ensemble being the loudest voices of upset, including the Gucci family themselves, it’s apparently not all bad buzz for Gaga’s performance as Patrizia Reggiani. In fact, Gaga's House of Gucci co-star Salma Hayek gave her a huge vote of confidence in a recent interview.

Speaking with Variety, Salma Hayek sang high praises for Lady Gaga’s House of Gucci performance. If you thought the notices she got for her performance in A Star Is Born were promising, this recently-wrapped drama is promising to top those efforts. At least, that seems to be the gist when reading Hayek’s remarks below:

An impressive actor herself, Salma Hayek has worked with a wide range of genres and performers. This fact sees her own fans eager to see how her work in Marvel’s Eternals and the irreverent R-rated comedy The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard will color 2021’s theatrical landscape. So when Ms. Hayek lavishes such beautiful words in regards to Lady Gaga’s performance in House of Gucci as part of a cast that includes Adam Driver, Jeremy Irons and Al Pacino, it’s not to be taken lightly.

Of course, this will more than likely not feel like music to the ears of the real life figure Lady Gaga is playing in House of Gucci, Patrizia Reggiani herself. As she’s gone on record as being annoyed with Gaga for not consulting her before diving into her performance, Salma Hayek’s opinion that this performance is such a high water mark when it comes to acting might feel like a bit of an added insult. Then again, there’s a chance that Reggiani will see the finished product herself and be impressed with what’s shown on the screen.

If Salma Hayek’s reaction is any indication, Lady Gaga could see herself enjoying another awards season of joy. Seeing as House of Gucci is slated to open on November 24, we’re only months away from seeing what Ms. Hayek is raving about in these early days. Meanwhile, Salma Hayek fans don’t have to wait long to see her on the screen, as The Hitman’s Bodyguard’s Wife is looking to blow away the competition on June 16.

Tragedy struck for Lady Gaga in late February when her dog walker Ryan Fischer was confronted by a man with a semi-automatic handgun and publicly shot, and then two of three of the singer’s French bulldogs were stolen. Fischer thankfully survived his bullet wounds, and Gaga’s dogs Koji and Gustav have since reunited with her. Now the Los Angeles Police Department has made five arrests regarding the incident.

L.A. officials arrested five people in connection with the shooting of Lady Gaga’s dog walker and the temporary dognapping on Tuesday, per NBC News. Four of the individuals are apparently Los Angeles gang members, and the woman who returned the French bulldogs to the police is also being charged. According to the report, the detectives who investigated do not believe Lady Gaga was being targeted, but those connected to the crime did have knowledge about the value of the dog breed of Gaga’s pets.

Those charged reportedly were motivated by robbing Ryan Fischer of the dogs for their value. The Los Angeles County District Attorney Gascón said the following in a statement:

Ryan Fischer was in the hospital recovering from his injuries for about a month after his lung collapsed and he suffered nerve damage to the right side of his body. The recovery was apparently “remarkably fast” from the wounds sustained. Portions of his lung had to be removed after he experienced trouble breathing, per his previous words on Instagram.

On the heels of the incident in February, Lady Gaga shared pictures of her dogs and said that she would offer a $500,000 reward to the person who returned them to her. Check out the post:

Lady Gaga has been in Rome filming Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci with Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons and Salma Hayek. The movie is based on the biographical book about the fashion design family, which tracks ex partners Patrizia Reggiani (Gaga) and Maurizio Gucci (Driver), with the former plotting to kill the latter grandson of the man who started the famous fashion label.

House of Gucci has recently been criticized by its subjects, with the Gucci family speaking out against Ridley Scott’s vision of the film. Patrizia Gucci called the film “identity theft” and an “invasion of privacy.” The movie is set to be released this November 24, just a month after Ridley Scott’s other upcoming film, The Last Duel. You can keep track of the full lineup of upcoming movies with CinemaBlend’s 2021 movie schedule.

Just when you thought the uproar over Ridley Scott’s film House of Gucci had died down, the Adam Driver/Lady Gaga-starring biopic has made another party rather upset. This time, members of the actual Gucci family have spoken out about not being pleased with the results of the movie, which is now in production. The basis for their claims are some pretty powerful stuff, indicating just how displeased the family is.

In a statement made to The Associated Press, Gucci heir Patrizia Gucci voiced displeasure over several matters pertaining to how House of Gucci is telling this particularly sensitive story. The second cousin to the slain Maurizio Gucci, who will be played by Adam Driver in the picture, Patrizia has taken issue with things such as the casting of Al Pacino and Jared Leto in key roles in the Gucci family. Perhaps the most powerful statement she made against the film is the one where she equates the production of the film to both identity theft and an invasion of privacy.

What makes this latest House of Gucci controversy even more interesting is how Patrizia Gucci claimed to have contacted Ridley Scott’s wife, Giannina Facio. The purpose of that contact was to seek “clarification on the scope of the film.” That request went unanswered, leading to this current climate of discomfort between the heirs to the famed fashion house and Scott’s ongoing production.

This new complaint comes not too long after Patrizia Reggiani herself claimed to also have a problem with House of Gucci’s production. The ex-wife of Maurizio, who was convicted in hiring a hitman to end her ex-husband’s life, Reggiani was annoyed that Lady Gaga hadn’t consulted her before accepting to play her in the biopic depicting these real-life events.

As we get closer to the November 21 release date of House of Gucci, there’s always the chance for even more drama to erupt over the finished product. While the concerns of both the Gucci family and Patrizia Reggiani are valid, there’s always the question of just how much consultation a film such as this needs before heading into production. Thankfully, these disputes are currently nothing more serious than what you see above.

For now, we’ll just have to wait and see what unfolds throughout the rest of the year, and hope that the more lighthearted reactions to House of Gucci outnumber the potential woes. On another note, if you’re an Adam Driver fan curious to see what he’ll be appearing in within the near future, you can check out his upcoming slate of projects, which may or may not include another Ridley Scott-directed project. Here’s a hint: it totally does, as Driver also has The Last Duel slated to be released later this year.

It truly is a bittersweet feeling to know that the chances of Kylo Ren appearing in any of the numerous Star Wars movies and TV shows that Disney has planned for the future are slim. I believe it is safe to say that Han Solo and Leia Organa’s morally conflicted Sith Lord son was one of the few more recently introduced aspects of the franchise that most fans could actually agree on, due in part to the stunning performance of the actor who portrayed him. Luckily, audiences will still have more than enough chances to bear witness to his talents in several upcoming Adam Driver movies.

The 37-year-old two-time Academy Award nominee and former Marine Core officer has already proven that he can pretty much nail any kind of role you throw at him and in just about any style of genre you could think of. He made us laugh in Steven Soderbergh’s country-fried heist comedy Logan Lucky and on the acclaimed HBO hit Girls as a series regular. He also thrilled us as a Jewish undercover cop helping his Black partner (John David Washington) infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan in Spike Lee’s true crime drama BlacKkKlansman and we have already established how he became an icon of science fiction cinema in the last decade.

Adam Driver will once again tackle each of those same genres and more in a few new movie releases in 2021 and beyond. The following is a breakdown of the six forthcoming titles starring the versatile A-lister to look forward to, starting with one long-awaited period epic.

The Last Duel - October 15, 2021 (Post-Production)

Adam Driver will be part of a much-anticipated onscreen reunion of Ben Affleck with Matt Damon, outside of their other recent team-ups for charity in recent years, in this medieval drama. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait a bit longer than they had hoped. Originally planned for a Christmas Day release in 2020, The Last Duel was delayed after filming in France was postponed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and is now set to come out on October 15, 2021, nearly a year after completing principal photography in Ireland.

In their first re-teaming as both screenwriters (having adapted Eric Jager’s book with Nicole Holofcener) and co-stars since their Academy Award-winning work on 1997’s Good Will Hunting, Ben Affleck plays King Charles VI, who orders Matt Damon’s Sir Jean de Carrogues to a quarrel with his squire Jacque LeGris (Adam Driver, in a role that Affleck was previously attached to) in order to put a personal conflict between them to an end. Emmy-winning Killing Eve actress Jodie Comer also stars as the wife of Damon’s knighted character in The Last Duel, which also reunites Damon with his The Martian director Ridley Scott at the helm.

House of Gucci - November 24, 2021 (Filming)

Adam Driver has already reunited with his The Last Duel director Ridley Scott for another historical drama coming to theaters in the fall of 2021. However, instead of a portrait of the bitter scorn and violent savagery that the Dark Ages is already well known for, House of Gucci is a portrait of the bitter scorn and violent savagery that the fashion industry has also gained much notoriety for. Yet, this is a story that is truly criminal.

As Maurizio Gucci, the socialite grandson of world renowned fashion icon Guccio Gucci (Al Pacino), Adam Driver will share the screen with Lady Gaga as his then-wife, Patrizia Reggiani, in her first big movie role since her Academy Award nominated performance in 2018’s A Star is Born remake. The film, taking inspiration from the non-fiction book by Sara Gay Forden, will chronicle how Patrizia planned Maurizio’s murder after he left her for a younger woman in the mid-1990s. With a star-studded ensemble that also includes Oscar-winning actors Jared Leto and Jeremy Irons, House of Gucci is currently shooting in Italy and is set for a theatrical release on November 24, 2021.

White Noise - 2022 (Pre-Production)

Adam Driver earned his second Academy Award nomination (after BlacKkKlansman) for his lead role in Marriage Story, starring opposite fellow Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson in the 2019 Netflix original dramedy from writer and director Noah Baumbach. Driver is reportedly reuniting for what will be his fifth collaboration with Baumbach and would also be the acclaimed filmmaker's first adaptation of a pre-existing work of literature.

Not to be confused with the 2005 supernatural thriller starring Michael Keaton, White Noise is based on the award-winning 1985 novel by Don DeLillo which offers a unique, satirical analysis on modern American consumerism through the eyes of Jack Gladney, his fourth wife, Babette, and his four children. Adam Driver is said to be playing Jack while Greta Gerwig (actress, Academy Award-nominated Lady Bird and Little Women director, and wife of Noah Baumbach) has been cast as Babette. Now in pre-production, the film will also be Baumbach's third to be distributed by Netflix and is shooting for a 2022 release.

Annette (Completed)

We have not yet seen the last of the family dramas that Adam Driver has on his to-do list, but we have never really seen the actor in any film quite like this one, either. That is, unless you count his brief appearance in a memorable recording studio sequence from Joel and Ethan Coen's 1960s folk scene homage Inside Llewyn Davis with his future Star Wars co-star Oscar Isaac and pop sensation Justin Timberlake in 2013. If you choose not to count that amusing moment, then that means we can call Annette Driver's first musical.

From acclaimed French auteur Leos Carax, the film is said to be a love story between a stand-up comedian named Henry, played by Adam Driver, and an opera singer named Ann, played by French actress and Inception star and Marion Cotillard, who also won an Academy Award in 2008 for her lead role in the Edith Piaf biopic La Vie En Rose. According to IndieWire, the majority of the story will be told through original music and lyrics written by Ron and Russell Mael of the 1970s rock duo Sparks. Production of Annette is reportedly finished and would have premiered at 2020's Cannes Film Festival if not for Covid-19, but does not have an official release date at the moment.

65 (Post-Production)

As previously established, we know Adam Driver as a star of sci-fi with the Star Wars sequels and Jeff Nichols' Midnight Special from 2016. We also know him as a leading man of horror thrillers like writer and director Jim Jarmusch's star-studded zombie flick The Dead Don't Die, which technically qualifies as such, I think. Yet, we have never seen him in a movie that could definitively be described as a pure combination of the two genres, but it appears that is all about to change with 65.

There is not much we can tell you about the heavily guarded plot of 65, which marks the directorial debut of 2018's A Quiet Place writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods who also wrote the screenplay for this new feature, which is being produced by Sam Raimi and Zainab Azizi. What is known is that Adam Driver is leading a cast that also includes Ariana Greenblatt, best known for playing Young Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War, and Chloe Coleman of My Spy and HBO drama Big Little Lies fame. The Sony thriller, shot on location in Lousiana's Kisatchie National Forest, is now in post-production with no set release date.

Yankee Comandante (In Development)

I just mentioned earlier how Adam Driver had a role in writer and director Jeff Nichols' acclaimed 2016 science fiction drama Midnight Special. Well, coincidentally, the actor and the filmmaker (also known for the gripping 2011 psychological thriller Take Shelter with Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain and the romantic, Academy Award-nominated Civil Rights era biopic Loving, are reportedly working on a second collaboration together. This time, however, the story is not in the realm of fiction.

Not to be confused with another film about essentially the same topic to be directed by George Clooney, Yankee Comandante is inspired by an article from the New York Times by David Grann that tells the true story of William Alexander Morgan. The rebel American soldier from Ohio would help Cuban Revolutionary Fidel Castro take down the country's former president Fulgencio Batista in the 1970s and, in the process, become the only non-Cuban to earn the rank of "comandante" other than Che Guevara of Argentina. Adam Driver will likely play Morgan in the intriguing biopic that is currently in development.

Adam Driver is an actor who rarely fails to impress, whether it is by the strength of his performance or simply by the choice of his projects. By that logic, we seem to be in for some really powerful stuff for the Star Wars actor's forthcoming return to the big screen. Is there a movie in his future that looks most interesting to you?

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There is a good reason you have been seeing all those pictures of Adam Driver and Lady Gaga decked out in fabulous ‘80s attire in early 2021. That reason is House of Gucci, Ridley Scott’s upcoming crime drama about murder of fashion icon Maurizio Gucci by a hitman hired by his ex-wife, Partrizia Reggiani, following the couple’s divorce in the early ‘90s. The movie, which has a cast that also features talented actors like Jared Leto, Al Pacino, and Jeremy Irons, will finally be released later in 2021 after years of planning.

So, what is House of Gucci and what do we know about it? Well, we actually know quite a lot about Lady Gaga’s highly anticipated followup to 2018’s A Star Is Born, including the release date, plot, that insane cast, and a brief history lesson on the project’s long journey to theaters. Here are seven quick things we know about Ridley Scott’s upcoming crime movie.

House Of Gucci Is Scheduled To Be Released November 24, 2021

We don’t have too much longer to wait before we get to see how Ridley Scott handles one of the most notorious murder-for-hire cases in the past 30 years. Back when MGM bought the distribution rights for House of Gucci in April 2020, The Hollywood Reporter noted that the film would land in theaters Wednesday, November 24, 2021, which has the movie premiering ahead of Thanksgiving weekend, one of the most important times of the year.

If its release date sticks, House of Gucci will premiere about a month after Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel, another upcoming Adam Driver movie, which is slated to open October 15, 2021.

The Film Centers On Patrizia Reggiani’s Plot To Murder Her Ex-Husband Maurizio Gucci

House of Gucci will tell the story of the Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), the ex-wife of Maurizio Gucci, who was convicted of hiring a hitman to assassinate her former husband in the lobby of the luxury fashion brand’s Milan office on March 27, 1995. The murder came just four years after Gucci divorced Reggiani following an extended separation dating back to 1985. Reggiani was arrested two years later and then convicted in 1998 for her role in the murder-for-hire plot. She was freed from prison in October 2016, according to The Telegraph.

Per Deadline, the movie was written by Robert Bentivegna, who based the script on Sara Gay Forden’s The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed.

Lady Gaga And Adam Driver Anchor The Film’s All-Star Cast

The House of Gucci cast is led by Lady Gaga and Adam Driver, but the actors filling out the supporting cast are just as recognizable and prolific as the two leads. In addition to those two, House of Gucci will feature Jared Leto, Al Pacino, Jack Huston, Reeve Carney, Camille Cottin, and more. Robert De Niro was once believed to taking on the role of Rodolfo Gucci, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, those initial reports ended up not panning out, and the role went to Jeremy Irons.

Director Ridley Scott Has Been Attached To House Of Gucci Since 2006

Before MGM got involved, hell, even before Lady Gaga and Adam Driver were superstars in their own regard, Ridley Scott was planning a movie about the Gucci family that was at one time believed to be released by Paramount Pictures. In June 2006, Variety reported that Scott’s Scott Free production company had something in the works, but a finalized story had not yet been ironed out.

To put this into perspective, Ridley Scott was working on American Gangster at the time, a film that will celebrate its 14th anniversary later this year.

Angelina Jolie And Leonardo DiCaprio Were Once Attached To Star In The Project

House of Gucci has been in various stages of development since Ridley Scott first started to work on the project 15 years ago. Over the years, different stars have been attached to take on the film’s leading roles, with two of the most notable being Angelina Jolie and Leonardo DiCaprio, who were reportedly attached to portray Patrizia Reggiani and Maurizio Gucci, respectively. This came in a 2009 Vogue article about the ongoing plans for the movie which would ultimately become House of Gucci, though with a much different cast.

Production On House Of Gucci Finally Got Underway In Early 2021

After years of planning, multiple Hollywood giants reportedly joining and subsequently leaving the project, cameras finally started to roll on House of Gucci in Italy in early 2021. In a brief article published by Italian news outlet ANSA in late February 2021, it was noted that Lady Gaga had already arrived in Rome to start filming her scenes in the upcoming Ridley Scott movie.

That report was followed by on-set photos published by an assortment of websites like Yahoo! News, which shared several behind-the-scenes pictures of Lady Gaga and Adam Driver filming their scenes in the Italian capital city. It remains unclear just how long principal photography will take, but things should wrap up sooner rather than later if the November release date sticks.

The Real-Life Patrizia Reggiani Is ‘Annoyed’ By Lady Gaga

Pretty much everyone is excited to see how Lady Gaga's portrayal of the “Black Widow” works out when House of Gucci is released. Well, almost everyone… In March 2021, Patrizia Reggiani told Ansa (via The Independent) that she was annoyed by the singer-turned-actress, but it had nothing to do with not being compensated for the movie:

Patrizia Reggiani would go on to imply that Lady Gaga should have met her before moving forward with the project so that she could get to know her as a person.

House of Gucci is just one the many great upcoming movies slated to come out later this year. Hopefully there are no additional setbacks and the title gets to remain on the list of highly anticipated 2021 new movie releases.

It’s been over a year since director Rian Johnson’s Knives Out released into theaters, taking the world by storm with its combination of murder, mystery and comedy. But another thing that whodunnit was known for was its keen eye for fashion, especially through the wardrobe of Chris Evans’ smart-ass, sweater enthusiast character, Ransom. However, some competition has entered the field, as Lady Gaga and Adam Driver’s new movie House of Gucci has inspired some comparisons thanks to a new entrant into the sweater game.

With the first looks of House of Gucci already letting the people know that the fashion is on deck in director Ridley Scott’s latest film, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the official Twitter feed for Knives Out had something to say about it. But rather than try to start a sweater war between the films, the typically hysterical tone of the account suggested a much funnier scenario. Check out the gag in the post, provided below:

Well, as if the prospect of a Knives Out sequel wasn’t fun enough, the thought of Lady Gaga and Adam Driver joining what’s bound to be another ensemble cast of talented actors has us thinking some pleasant thoughts. Rian Johnson’s pen and lens would definitely benefit from including these prospective cast members as potential foes and red herrings for Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc to evaluate. Not to mention, since Lady Gaga is playing real-life murderess Patrizia Reggiani, she’ll have even more practice with the ways of on-screen death, be it through hiring someone else or doing the job herself.

It’s also hard not to think of the awesome synergy of the man in the sweater himself, Adam Driver, reuniting with Rian Johnson for their first team-up since Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Though let’s raise the stakes a little more, as Driver happened to partner with the great Daniel Craig on a little comedy called Logan Lucky a couple of years ago. All the sweaters in the world wouldn’t be enough to distract from how the energy in their last pairing would only turn up the wattage on Knives Out’s next round of mystery.

Plus, you could always use this opportunity to pivot the criminal element into a heist, rather than just another murder; so long as the sweater stays. In fact, let’s take another look at Chris Evans and his Knives Out sweater again. I mean, it’s not like he’s ever going to wear one again, not if he has anything to do about it.

So let’s take a look at what we’re hypothetically working with here: killer fashion, a couple of reunions to die for through some fantastic leads, and a snarky internet gag that makes a great suggestion for Knives Out sequel casting. Yeah, if that’s not a sign for Rian Johnson and Lionsgate to start putting offers out to both Adam Driver and Lady Gaga for the still-developing second installment, then maybe they need some more time to find the smaller donut hole inside this particular donut hole. It might be way too early to get too invested in this dream that makes so much sense, but it compels us.

For those of us not decked out in Gucci on the regular, there have been an awful lot of times the famous designers name has come up in the past week. This is mostly due to the fact that Lady Gaga and Adam Driver are currently filming a movie called House of Gucci together about the famous murder of Maurizio Gucci. Now, the woman who ordered the hit is “annoyed” at Lady Gaga.

Honestly to get into this story at all, I’m gonna have to spoil some facts about the real-life case (so skip down past this paragraph to avoid this). First and foremost, Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) was married to Gucci fashion Head Maurizio Gucci until 1991 in Italy. After splitting up, Maurizio Gucci was murdered in 1995. Reggiani was ultimately accused of working with a hitman to bring about the death of her ex-husband. Now, Reggiani is out of prison and has spoken out about why she’s not pleased with Lady Gaga.

It all boils down to Lady Gaga choosing not to reach out. The pop star is already filming her role with Adam Driver and even shared a first look at her take on Patrizia Reggiani recently, so she certainly has a take on how she plans to play the convicted murder planner.

However, according to Patrizia Reggiani, she feels it is poor form that Lady Gaga didn’t even try to get to know or understand her as a person before she embarked on her latest acting gig. The former prisoner, who was released following good behavior in 2017, says that the move was not “good sense” from the A Star is Born actress, noting to Ansa (via The Independent),

According to Patrizia Reggiani, it’s not a money thing or anything. She simply says she feels actors and actresses should know more about the people they are playing when the opportunity is right there. Though it’s worth pointing out Lady Gaga’s been a little busy recently dealing with a high-profile dog-napping. She also wouldn't be the only actress not to reach out ahead of a biopic.

The Ridley Scott film has been in development for a long time, like for over a decade a long time, and was actually in the works when Patrizia Reggiani was still serving a prison sentence for orchestrating the crime that led to the death of Maurizio Gucci. Originally, it was rumored Leonardo DiCaprio and Angelina Jolie were attached. However, those times have come and gone and Lady Gaga ultimately landed House of Gucci as her next high-profile acting gig. Gaga, unlike Angelina Jolie, is Italian-American.

We’ll have to wait and see what critical opinion of Lady Gaga’s latest role will end up being, but if this interview is any indication, the woman she’s portraying already has thoughts. House of Gucci likely won’t hit theaters (or a streamer) for a while, but you can see what else is coming with our full movies schedule.

Ridley Scott first attempted to get a movie about the Gucci family dynasty off the ground in 2006, and a decade and a half later, the project is finally filming. Among the actors making up the main cast are Adam Driver and Lady Gaga, the former of whom has already worked with Scott on The Last Duel, and the latter of whom made her last film appearance in 2018’s A Star is Born. Now we have our first official look at these two on the set of House of Gucci, and they’re looking pretty fly, as the kids say… they do still say that, right?

When you’re making a movie about the Gucci family, it stands to reason that the actors playing the family members and those in their inner circle will look fashionable. Well, Adam Driver and Lady Gaga are certainly rocking some impressive threads in the picture the latter shared on social media. Take a look:

Yep, these two are definitely well-dressed, and Adam Driver in particular is giving off some major ‘Chris Evans in Knives Out’ vibes with that sweater. Hopefully those clothes are also keeping them warm enough while they shoot in the wintery weather. House of Gucci kicked off filming late last month, and while it’s unclear when principal photography will wrap up, it’d be nice if we got some looks at Driver and Gaga’s costars in their fine clothes before the cameras stop rolling.

In case you’re not familiar with House of Gucci, the movie is based on the novel The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by Sara Gay Forden, and follows the events surrounding Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) ordering the assassination of her ex-husband Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver), who was once the head of the Gucci fashion house. Gucci was gunned down by a hitman in 1995, and following her arrest in early 1997, Reggiani was convicted the following year of arranging his killing. She was originally sentenced to 29 years in prison, but was released in 2016 due to good behavior.

In the early years of developing what’s now called House of Gucci, Ridley Scott was lining up actors like Angelina Jolie and Leonardo DiCaprio to lead the flick, and then there were the years where directors like Jordan Scott and Wong Kar-Wai took over the project. But by 2019, Scott returned to House of Gucci and Roberto Bentivegna was tapped to write the script. By April 2020, MGM acquired the rights to House of Gucci. Adam Driver and Lady Gaga’s cast-mates on the movie include Al Pacino, Jared Leto, Jack Huston, Jeremy Irons, Reeve Carney and Camille Cottin.

As things stand now, House of Gucci is slated to arrive in theaters on November 24, just one month after The Last Duel hits the big screen. You can keep track of any scheduling changes with either movie by keeping our 2021 release schedule bookmarked.