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The 82nd Golden Globe Awards have wrapped and the complete 2025 Golden Globes winners list has been revealed. We now know just how much momentum the leading films have going into the rest of Oscar season, what to keep an eye on over the summer in the lead-up to the Emmys, and that host Nikki Glaser may well become one of Hollywood’s go-to emcees.

“Emilia Pérez,” Jacques Audiard’s Mexico-set Netflix musical, won the most prizes of any film with four: Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, Best Non-English Language Film, Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldaña, and Best Original Song “El Mal.” There’s still a full two months of awards season left, but the stage sure seems set for “Emilia Pérez” to be going head to head with “The Brutalist” for Best Picture at the Oscars. Brady Corbet’s multi-hour immigrant drama won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture — Drama,...

There were so many shocking surprise wins at the 2025 Golden Globe Awards and we have the full winners list right here!

The awards show honored the best in film and television on Sunday (January 5) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Shogun was the big winner in the television categories, taking home all four awards it was nominated for this year.

The Brutalist and Emilia Perez were among the big winners in the movie categories!

Make sure to check out our Best Dressed list and see a roundup of every single celebrity who stepped out on the red carpet.

Head inside to check out the full winners list from the Golden Globes…

Keep scrolling to see the full winners list from the Golden Globes…

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

Anora

Challengers

Emilia Pérez – Winner

A Real Pain

The Substance

Wicked

Best Motion Picture, Drama

The Brutalist – Winner...

When it comes to Robbie Williams’ ditty “Forbidden Road” from his biopic Better Man getting pulled from the Oscar original song shortlist, the British pop crooner is over it.

Williams is here at the Golden Globes tonight as “Forbidden Road” is nominated in the Original Song at the ceremony.

“Listen, the rules is the rules and you have to go by them. It would have been a nice, but as an introvert, it’s another party I don’t have to go to,” Williams tells Deadline about AMPAS kicking the single off its 15 song shortlist.

“I went through it, I’m on the other side,” says Williams.

“Forbidden Road,” which Williams co-wrote with Freddy Wexler and Sacha Skarbek, was disqualified as it sounded similar to the song “I Got a Name” written by AMPAS Board of Governor Charles Fox and Normal Gimbel for the 1973 feature The Last American Hero. AMPAS...

Awards season has officially begun! On Sunday, the biggest names in Hollywood gathered for the 2025 Golden Globe Awards. Comedian Nikki Glaser was tapped to serve as host.

Shows and movies, including Emilia Pérez, Wicked, The Bear, and Shōgun are among the major titles competing for multiple awards. This year also proved to be a big one for women in pop, with Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, and Miley Cyrus all receiving nods for acting and music, respectively. Both Grande and Gomez earned their first-ever Golden Globes nominations for film appearances. The...

Hollywood elite of film and television gathered tonight for the Golden Globes, marking the official start of awards season 2025.

Held at the Beverly Hilton, the gala event included nominees and guests Pamela Anderson, Angelina Jolie, Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai, Emma Stone, Glen Powell, Nicole Kidman, Cynthia Erivo, Arianna Grande, Zendaya, Daniel Craig, Timothée Chalamet, Jodie Foster, Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Viola Davis, Robbie Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Jean Smart, Sharon Stone, Isabella Rossellini, Jessica Gunning, Richard Gadd, with many more who walked the red carpet.

Related: ‘Emilia Pérez’ & ‘The Brutalist’ Take Top Film Prizes At Golden Globes: Full Winners List

Tonight’s Golden Globes saw a sweep for Emilia Pérez and Shōgun, with both film and TV series claiming four awards each. The Brutalist followed closely with three wins, while Hacks and Baby Reindeer were the only other titles to garner multiple Globes. Netflix emerged victorious among networks and distributors,...

In our box office predictions earlier this week, we assumed that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 would be able to pull ahead of Mufasa: The Lion King at the box office over the weekend, as had been the case throughout most of the holidays. However, Disney’s prequel, which opened to disappointing business just before Christmas, managed to pull ahead and gross a solid $23.8 million, posting a modest 35% week-to-week decline. By comparison, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 declined a slightly steeper 43% to hit $21.2 million. While it lost the battle, Sonic’s won the war, with it having a $187.5 million total compared to Mufasa’s $168.6 million. Paramount will likely consider Sonic a much bigger box office victory than Disney will consider Mufasa, as the Lion King prequel will likely only finish with a final gross that’s a fraction of the $600 million plus earned by its 2019 predecessor. Meanwhile, Sonic 3 has already overtaken the...

In December, the UK and Ireland box office made £115.5 million ($143.5 million), a good end to 2024. This number is a big 21% rise compared to December 2023. The region kept its annual total of £1.06 billion ($1.31 billion), 8% more than in 2022, thanks to a strong performance in December.

Jon M. Chu’s version of “Wicked” was the biggest hit at the box office in December, making £23.2 million to stay on top for the second month. With this win, the movie made a total of £55.6 million, making it the third most successful movie of 2024. Only “Inside Out 2” ($59.2 million) and “Deadpool & Wolverine” ($57.8 million) have made more. “Wicked” is now the third most successful musical ever in the region, after “Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!” (£65.6 million) and “Wonka” (£63.5 million).

Disney also showed its strength at the box office with “Moana 2,” which came in second place in December and made £21.8 million. The total lifetime gross...

December 2024 delivered a robust close to the year for the U.K. and Ireland box office, generating £115.5 million ($143.5 million), a 21% increase compared to December 2023’s £95.5 million ($118.6 million). The year’s total stands at £1.06 billion ($1.31 billion), matching 2023 and showing an 8% growth over 2022. The month’s success was driven by strong performances across multiple titles, with “Wicked” leading the charge.

Holding the No. 1 spot for the second consecutive month, Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the Broadway hit “Wicked” brought in £23.2 million in December, boosting its total gross to £55.6 million. The film is now the third-highest release of 2024, behind “Inside Out 2” (£59.2 million) and “Deadpool & Wolverine” (£57.5 million). It also ranks as the third-highest-grossing musical of all time in the U.K. and Ireland, trailing only “Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!” (£65.6 million) and “Wonka” (£63.5 million).

Disney’s “Moana 2” claimed the No. 2 spot for December, earning £21.8 million. The animated sequel’s total now stands at £36.4 million,...

Who else but Wētā FX could pull off turning English rock star Robbie Williams into a chimp for Michael Gracey’s “Better Man” musical biopic? After all, Peter Jackson’s New Zealand VFX studio is the king of CG ape movies, which finds itself in a simian face-off this awards season with “Better Man” and “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.”

But the animated ape styles are polar opposites. Whereas the chimps have evolved into becoming more human-like across all four “Planet of the Apes” films, Williams merely resembles a chimp while being totally human in the way he acts, sings, and dresses. That’s because Williams saw himself as a trained monkey while becoming famous as the youngest member of the boyband Take That. Gracey seized on the metaphor to depict Williams as unevolved throughout his tumultuous rise and fall and final redemption.

“‘Better Man’ is like a...

We’re days away from the 2025 Golden Globe Awards and the show will mark the official beginning of awards season this year!

The annual event honors the best in film and television, so you can expect your favorite stars from both mediums to be in attendance.

This year, Emilia Perez received the most film award nominations with 10 total, while The Bear leads the TV nominations with 5.

Nikki Glaser is hosting the show, which airs live on CBS and streams on Paramount+ in the U.S. as well. Make sure to tune in on Sunday (January 5) at 8/7c!

So, who do we think will win?

Keep reading to find out more…

Keep scrolling to see our winner predictions in every category…

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

Anora

Challengers

Emilia Pérez

A Real Pain

The Substance

Wicked – Predicted Winner

Best Motion Picture, Drama

The Brutalist

A Complete Unknown

Conclave – Predicted Winner...

Better Man filmmaker Michael Gracey knew it was time to shake up the musician biopic. The subgenre is often knocked for its formulaic, sanitized stories that preserve their subjects’ well-manicured reputations. And after spending six years developing Elton John’s biopic Rocketman only to be replaced by director Dexter Fletcher, the Australian had little desire to tell another performer’s life story ­— ­until he befriended U.K. pop sensation Robbie Williams, an inspiration for the 2017 smash hit musical The Greatest Showman, which he directed for Fox.

Williams regaled Gracey with evocative tales, and the English singer-songwriter eventually referred to viewing himself as a “performing monkey.” Inspiration struck, and the result is the refreshingly unconventional Better Man — which will open the Palm Springs International Film Festival on Jan. 2.

So, Hugh Jackman initiated Better Man somewhat?

Williams was his point of reference during Showman. He’d say, “I can be that charismatic entertainer.

Pop icon Robbie Williams, known for his flamboyant stage presence and chart-topping hits, recently opened up about a humbling experience during the making of his biopic, “Better Man.”

In an exclusive interview with Collider, Williams revealed a clash of creative visions with director Michael Gracey over the film’s soundtrack. Initially, Williams, eager to showcase his musical prowess, championed a selection of high-energy, “banger” tracks.

Flamboyant Pop Star Robbie Williams Learning Humility Through Biopic Better Man

“I was sending these songs over, like, ‘That’s a banger. That’s a banger. You are wrong,'” Williams recounted, recalling his initial conviction. He even drew inspiration from Eminem’s experience with the “8 Mile” soundtrack, where the rapper reportedly insisted on using “Lose Yourself” despite initial reservations from the director.

However, as Williams later discovered, his initial instincts were misguided. “Then I saw the finished version, and I was like, ‘I...

Musicals have had a tough run lately. Studios have been known to use clever (and sneaky) tactics to hide the fact that their movies are musicals entirely. Remember Wonka? But despite the negative stigma that the genre has carried in recent years, Wicked has defied the odds (and gravity) to become a box-office sensation and genuine crowd-pleaser. That’s great for Wicked and is a strong sign for musicals in general, but living in the giant shadow that Wicked cast are a slew of musicals that are arguably better than the Jon M. Chu directed hit.

Related The 20 Best Movies of 2024: From Marvel to Musicals 5. Spermageddon

Directed by Tommy Wirkola and Rasmus A. Sivertsen

A Norwegian animated musical about… sperm. Spermageddon is like a Pixar film for adults. Overflowing with puns and jokes related to the human anatomy, Spermageddon is one of the most unique and unforgettable musicals of the decade.

Last Updated on January 3, 2025

With 2024 coming to a close, it’s time to start looking to the future for our cinema needs. What does the year hold in store for us cinephiles? While 2024 held some surprise hits, giant blockbusters, and small films that could, it’s looking like 2025 movie releases will hold more of the same. We can hope that the good fortune that Hollywood has brought us will continue into the new year and keep theater attendance up. Here’s our 2025 Movie Preview:

Den Of Thieves: Pantera – January 10

Gerard Butler is back chasing down diamond thieves on the streets of Europe. He stumbles across the planning of the largest diamond heist ever planned. If you liked the first movie, then this will probably be more of the same. I’m personally happy that Gerard Butler is making some fun B-movie action films like back in the day. Plane was fun,...

It’s New Year’s Eve and so many incredible performers will be live in Times Square to perform during Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025, airing on ABC.

ABC has a full night of programming scheduled and there are going to be tons of your favorite music artists hitting the stage, both with pre-taped and live performances.

While several stars will be live in Times Square, some pre-taped their performances at the Hollywood party and there’s also a live portion happening in Puerto Rico.

Ryan Seacrest returns for the 20th year to host the Times Square portion with Rita Ora joining him in the Big Apple. Dayanara Torres is co-hosting from Puerto Rico and Rob Gronkowski is co-hosting from Las Vegas.

Head inside to check out the lineup of performers…

The show begins at 8pm Et on ABC and will take a break...

With 2024 in the books, the time has come to deliver our annual ten best-of-the-year list. So, how did 2024 stack up in the end? Fairly weakly, I’d say, with the year a bit of a casualty of the dual WGA/SAG strikes, which compromised the supply chain of movies opening in theaters – for evidence of that, one need only look at how modest of a selection of movies are open this holiday season. Yet, there were still plenty of good films, so let’s dig into the best movies of 2024.

First, a few honourable mentions. While it didn’t make the Academy Award shortlist for documentary features, I thought Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story was one of the best big-screen biographies in some time, with it painting an honest, nuanced portrayal of the former Superman’s legacy. I also really enjoyed the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man, which replaced...

RankFilm (distributor)Three-day gross (Dec 27-29)Total gross to dateWeek 1. Mufasa: The Lion King (Disney) £4.2m £12.6m 2 2. Sonic The Hedgehog 3 (Paramount) £4m £11.8m 1 3. Wicked (Universal) £2.7m £53m 6 4. Moana2 (Disney) £2.2m £33.8m 5 5. Better Man (Efd) £1.3m £1.6m 1

Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.25.

Disney animation Mufasa: The Lion King held off Paramount’s Sonic The Hedgehog 3 in the final UK-Ireland weekend box office of 2024.

Mufasa fell a slim 4% on its second session, taking £4.2m; the film had £12.6m by the end of Sunday, December 29, from 10 days in cinemas.

This is well down on the £36.9m of 2019’s The Lion King...

Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” raced to the top of the U.K. and Ireland box office with a £11.7 million ($14.7 million) opening weekend, according to numbers from Comscore.

In its second weekend, Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” continued to draw audiences, adding £4.2 million for a cumulative total of £12.6 million.

Universal’s “Wicked” stayed in third place with a solid £2.7 million in its sixth week. The musical adaptation has now reached £53 million. Meanwhile, Disney’s “Moana 2” earned £2.2 million in its fifth frame, bringing its total to £33.7 million.

“Better Man,” the Robbie Williams biopic from Entertainment Film Distributors, debuted in fifth place with £1.5 million, marking a respectable start for the music-centered drama. Studiocanal’s “Paddington in Peru” added £819,038 in its eighth week, pushing its total to more than £33 million.

Paramount’s “Gladiator II” followed in seventh with £561,662, for a cumulative total of £30.3 million after seven weeks. Black Bear’s...

On Tuesday 31 December 2024, BBC One broadcasts The Graham Norton Show!

New Year’s Eve Show Season 32: Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “The Graham Norton Show,” titled “New Year’s Eve Show,” promises to be an exciting celebration. It will air on BBC One and features a star-studded lineup on Graham’s Hogmanay sofa. Fans can look forward to seeing Robbie Williams, Rami Malek, Motsi Mabuse, and John Bishop join Graham for a night filled with laughter and entertainment.

This special episode will also include surprise guests, adding an element of surprise and excitement. As the year comes to a close, the show will take a moment to reflect on the highlights of 2024. Viewers can expect memorable moments and perhaps some funny stories from the past year.

Robbie Williams will take the stage for a special live performance, making the evening even more special. His music is sure to...

Gold Derby’s top stories for Dec. 30, 2024.

Shifting Gears releases new trailer

The upcoming ABC comedy series Shifting Gears has released a new trailer ahead of its Jan. 8 premiere. Watch it below. The series stars Kat Dennings as a mother of two who moves back in with her estranged father (Tim Allen) to try to get her life back on track. This is the third ABC sitcom for Allen, who previously starred in Home Improvement for the network from 1991 to 1999. Then he appeared on Last Man Standing from 2011 to 2017 before the show migrated to Fox for three more seasons from 2018 to 2021. Shifting Gears was created by Mike Scully and fellow Simpsons alum Julie Thacker Scully, with Michelle Nader serving as showrunner.

Apple TV+ will be free for three days

The streaming service will give audiences a chance to sample their goods free of charge. From Friday, Jan. 3, to Sunday, Jan.

Led by a near-tie between two second weekend animated franchise films, then bolstered by two unusual wide Christmas day specialized-distributor releases, U.S./Canada theaters saw their best post-holiday grosses since 2019.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” (Paramount) and “Mufasa: The Lion King” (Disney) were less than $1 million apart for the three day lead, while #3 “Nosferatu” (Focus) and #6 “A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight) combined added a much needed $34 million to the total. Robert Eggers’ Dracula-esque take on the F.W. Murnau classic contributed over $21 million of that by itself.

The $165 million three day gross is a 45 percent improvement over last year, and, with two days left, will help lessen the 2024 shortfall from last year to 3.5 percent. But for all the positive signs this uptick suggests, the total falls below any unadjusted gross for the weekend since 2010, and in terms of attendance is one third or more less than that period and earlier.

The close...

Get ready to ring in 2025 with a bang, as international music icon Robbie Williams is set to headline ABC’s “New Year’s Eve 2024: Welcome to Nye” celebration, broadcasting live from the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday, 31 December at 8:30 Pm Aedt. The festivities will be hosted by the familiar trio of Charlie Pickering, […]

Robbie Williams to Headline ABC Australia’s “New Year’s Eve 2024” Concert Live From Sydney...

“Mufasa: The Lion King” (Disney) held the #1 position for both Christmas Day and December 26. Its two-day gross of $26.7 million edged out #2 “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” (Paramount) by over $4 million. However, because “Sonic” last weekend was $28 million ahead of “Mufasa,” who comes out ahead for the full Christmas season remains unclear, though ultimately “Mufasa” could have the edge for total domestic gross.

At this point, 2024 will have an adequate Christmas compared to recent years. Grosses for December 25 and 26 are about $5 million ahead of 2023. But the $116 million two-day total was dramatically lower than the years before Covid struck. From 2016-2019, the two days grossed between $138 million and $177 million. At 2024 prices, that would be as much as $235 million, meaning attendance is down as much as half from those years.

Reporting Christmas Day grosses is always exciting, but for the industry, the results for December 26, particularly when it is a weekday, are a far...

It’s New Year’s Eve, the perfect time for awkward family gatherings and stilted conversations with near-strangers at sparsely attended parties. Or, you could skip all that and spend the evening with Graham Norton and a gaggle of celebrities, which is exactly what BBC One is offering. This year’s New Year’s Eve edition of The Graham […]

Ring in 2025 with Graham Norton: Robbie Williams, Rami Malek, Motsi Mabuse...

Robbie Williams in Better Man from Paramount Pictures. © 2023 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved. On its surface, Better Man is meant to be a biopic of British singer Robbie Williams, albeit a somewhat twisted one, considering his character is represented by a CGI ape. But, all gimmickry aside, director/co-writer Michael Gracey believes the story is a much deeper one, a tale that echoes one of his previous films, The Greatest Showman. While promoting the film, Gracey spoke about what he sees as the film’s major themes. (Click on the media bar below to hear Michael Gracey.) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Michael_Gracey_Better_Man_themes_.mp3

Better Man is now playing in selected theaters and will open nationwide on January 17.

The post Director Says ‘Better Man’s’ Themes Run Deep appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

Robbie Williams needs no introduction. Unless you live in America, in which case, let’s bring everyone up to speed: Born in 1974, Stoke-on-Trent’s favorite son was initially the designated bad boy in Take That, Britain’s late ’80s answer to New Kids on the Block. He lived up to his reputation as a kid who loved a good time not wisely but too well, which eventually got him booted from the band. Williams’ subsequent solo career was stratospheric — without getting too Wikipedia-page about it, let’s just...

“Better Man” is a new live-action feature, directed by Michael Gracey, showcasing the life of Brit popstar Robbie Williams, played by a self-deprecating CG, photo-realistic monkey, with Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge and Anthony Hayes, releasing December 25, 2024 in theaters:

“…’Better Man’ is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams.

“The film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit.

“It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband ‘Take That’, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist…

“…all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

A candid look at the toxic force of envy that drove his musical career but turned a talented musician into a deeply unhappy man. But why the CGI?

Robbie Williams – only he is a chimp! This is a pretty trad music biopic, coming with the accepted U-shaped narrative arc of humble beginnings, big break, superstardom, drugs, drink, shallow sex, dark-night-of-the-soul slump and redemptive comeback, here topped off with an unendurably protracted performance of My Way at the Royal Albert Hall in London. But the whole thing is given a cheeky high-concept twist by portraying the singer as an ape – a shrieking, scowling, capering CGI chimp – while all around are humans. Actor Jonno Davies plays the part in motion capture and Williams himself supplies the voiceover.

The idea supposedly comes from Williams’s fear that he is immature and unevolved, stranded emotionally for ever at the age he became famous: 15. And...

Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” roared to the top of the U.K.-Ireland box office in its debut weekend with £4.4 million ($5.5 million), according to numbers from Comscore through Dec. 23.

As the holiday season reaches its peak, Universal’s “Wicked” continues to enchant in its fifth frame, conjuring £2.5 million for a robust £48.2 million running total. Disney’s “Moana 2” sailed to third place with £2 million, pushing its four-week cume to £29.7 million.

Studiocanal’s “Paddington in Peru” remained steady in fourth, adding £653,489 in its seventh weekend for a £31.3 million total. Paramount’s “Gladiator II” rounded out the top five with £497,569, reaching £29.6 million after six weeks.

In sixth place, Black Bear’s “Conclave” collected £331,308 for a £4.9 million total, while Trafalgar Releasing’s “Ivanov/Wright The Nutcracker” Royal Opera House ballet presentation earned £227,082 in seventh. Sony’s “Kraven the Hunter” collected £171,942 in eighth position for a total of £1.2 million, while Park Circus...

Michael Gracey says it was an obvious decision to have Robbie Williams portrayed by a chimp in 'Better Man'.The new biopic sees the 'Rock DJ' hitmaker depicted as a primate in a unique move but the director explained that it was perfect because Robbie sees himself as a "performing monkey".Michael told IndieWire: "I wanted to find a creatively interesting way into the story, but not for the sake of having a gimmick. I wanted to honour the way Rob sees himself. In the recordings we did over the course of a year and a half, he mentioned himself as a performing monkey time and time again."There was also a statement he made: whatever age you get famous is the age you stop evolving. So, everything just pointed to the monkey."And on another level, I wanted to explore both his external and internal life."The filmmaker...

To celebrate the release of Better Man, the intoxicating new musical/biopic of Robbie Williams and his career, we had the pleasure of sitting down with the man himself, the film’s visionary director, and the film’s leads to find out more about the new film.

From visionary director Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) Better Man looks at the rise, falll, and resurrection of Robbie Williams – one of the UK’s bestselling artists of all time. Gracey shines a light on the incredible highs and lows of celebrity and the journey to stardom in a unique way, inspired by Williams’ life and how he sees himself. With stunning visual effects created by the Academy Award® winning team at Weta FX the cast includes Jonno Davies, BAFTA® Award winner Steve Pemberton, BAFTA® nominee Alison Steadman, Raechelle Banno and Robbie Williams.

Chatting first to Williams and Gracey, we talk about Gracey...

Jonno Davies as “Robbie Williams” in ‘Better Man’ (Photo © 2023 Paramount Pictures)

During his time in the spotlight, pop singer Robbie Williams fell into all of the typical rock star trappings of sex, drugs, and alcohol. And with the popularity of music biopics like Rocketman, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Back to Black, why not make a movie about his life, right? Well, someone did. But there’s a catch.

Better Man is the story of Williams’ rise to fame as a member of the boy band Take That, his dismissal from the group due to substance abuse and unruly conduct, and his eventual rise to success as a solo artist. All typical rock star movie stuff.

The thing is, in this movie, Williams is portrayed as a chimpanzee. In his own words, he’s showing the audience how he sees himself.

Surprisingly, this approach works. More than works, actually. It turns a...

Australian writer-director Michael Gracey was already several years into developing “The Greatest Showman,” his grand and ambitious musical biopic that took the filmmaker eight years to realize, when his star Hugh Jackman started having cold feet.

“Hugh was losing a bit of confidence in the music,” Gracey recalled in a recent conversation with IndieWire. “When we were really close to going into production, other people started getting in Hugh’s ear about the music not being good enough.” At the time, Gracey was a respected and prolific director of music videos, with deep roots in VFX and animation, as well as music. But he had not yet made his feature filmmaking debut. Feeling like he was losing the power of his voice with Jackman, he thought, “What if it wasn’t just me telling him the songs are actually good? What if someone like Robbie Williams told him that?”

The former “Take That” superstar,...

Popstar Robbie Williams gets the Hollywood biopic treatment – as a CGI monkey! Our review of Michael Gracey’s Better Man.

Biopics are all the rage in Hollywood, especially those retelling the stories of music superstars. Bohemian Rhapsody, Elvis and Rocketman are just a couple of recent examples of critically acclaimed music biopics that have convinced studio executives that there’s real business to be done with the tragic backstories of these icons.

It seems inevitable that Robbie Williams, perhaps the greatest British pop star, would get his own sooner rather than later. What none of us could have predicted was that Williams would be played by a CGI monkey in his biopic, Better Man.

Like most music biopics, Better Man tracks Williams’ life and troubles from his childhood to his redemption years. A young Robbie learns from his dad that if you don’t have it, you’re a nobody.

I’d like to invite you behind the curtain for a moment. This is my last new movie review of 2024, and I’ve reviewed so many formulaic musical biopics this year that I’m pretty sure my reviews are also becoming formulaic. How many times can one critic point out that Hollywood is still unironically copying the same tired beats that “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” ridiculed nearly 20 years ago before the finger starts pointing back in their own direction? Isn’t it just as tiresome to make the same complaints over and over as it is to do the same things that are worth complaining about, over and over? And over and over?

Well, no. No it’s not. I’m just working with the material you’re giving me, Hollywood. If you keep making the same movie over and over, the same commentary will usually apply. If...

Robbie Williams hopes being depicted as another species will help audiences see his humanity.

In the Michael Gracey-helmed musical biopic Better Man, premiering Dec. 25 in theaters, the 18x Brit Award winner’s story is told through actor Jonno Davies, in the form of a CGI chimpanzee, as Williams explained his “Mo has been cheeky.”

“What’s more cheeky than a cheeky monkey?” he said to the Associated Press. “I’ve been a cheeky monkey all my life. There’s no more cheekier monkey than the coke-snorting, sex-addict monkey that we find in the movie.”

Williams added, “We care for animals more than we care for humans, most of us. I guess there is a removal, as well. It’s very much a human story but if you’re watching it and someone’s playing Robbie Williams, you’re thinking: Does he look like him? Does he act like him?...

In the 28 years since the members of Coldplay met in their first-year dorm at University College London, each has, according to the band’s lore, played a certain role: Chris Martin is the creative genius, drummer Will Champion the voice of reason, guitarist Jonny Buckland the moral center, and bassist Guy Berryman the arbiter of cool. “Any coolness that Coldplay have at all comes from Guy,” confirms band manager Phil Harvey. “He’s a cool dude.”

From afar, Berryman certainly appears that way — his eyes downcast, his dark hair mussed,...

Global music icon Robbie Williams will ring in 2025 with a headline performance at ABC’s NYE24 concert, broadcast live from the Sydney Opera House forecourt. The announcement comes fresh off the heels of Williams’ sold-out Australian tour, further solidifying his connection with the country that served as the backdrop for his recent biopic, “Better Man.” […]

Robbie Williams to Headline ABC’s New Year’s Eve Concert in Sydney...

"Four sets of guests, Jeremy? Four? That's insane!" Yes, folks, the last Empire Film Podcast of 2024 is an absolute barnstormer, a two-and-a-half-hour blast of film-related fun just in time for the festive season. And we have more guests than you could possibly fit under the Christmas tree. There's Mufasa: The Lion King star and former Mid-Sized Sedan Aaron Pierre [22:54 — 41:53 approx]! Nick Park & Merlin Crossingham, directors of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl [2:17:40 — 2:33:35 approx]! Ben Schwartz and Jeff Fowler, star and director respectively of Sonic The Hedgehog 3 [1:55:50 — 2:16:00 approx]! And Michael Gracey, director of Robbie Williams biopic Better Man, who joins us alongside his movie's inspiration and subject, Actual Bloody Robbie Williams [1:11:00 — 1:25:21 approx]. Take That!

Yes, folks, it's a belter, and we haven't even mentioned the bits in between. Yes, back in the podbooth Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer answer your Christmas movie questions on movies that deserve the Holiday Special treatment, the...

Robbie Williams, the British pop icon, has suffered a setback in his Oscar aspirations. His original song, “Forbidden Road,” written for the upcoming biopic “Better Man,” has been disqualified from consideration for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

“Better Man,” a unique cinematic experience featuring a CGI monkey portraying Williams, incorporates his own music into the narrative. “Forbidden Road,” a new composition penned specifically for the film, had initially made the shortlist of 15 songs vying for an Oscar nomination.

Better Man: Controversial Pop Star Robbie Williams’ “Forbidden Road” Song Disqualified From Academy Awards

However, the Academy’s music branch has ruled that “Forbidden Road” incorporates elements from an existing song, “I Got a Name,” from the 1973 film “The Last American Hero.” This contravenes the Academy‘s strict eligibility criteria, which mandates that original song submissions must be written exclusively for the nominated film.

The decision to disqualify “Forbidden Road” was not taken lightly.

The Robbie Williams song “Forbidden Road” – featured in the upcoming film “Better Man” – has been disqualified from Oscars contention right after making the shortlist.

TheWrap learned via insiders that “Forbidden Road” was dropped from consideration for Best Original song after learning it “incorporates material from an existing song that was not written for the film.” The Academy rules in place say that any song in consideration for the top honor must be “original and written specifically for the motion picture.”

After a review, branch executive committee members were informed that “Forbidden Road” draws a number of similarities to the Jim Croce song “I Got a Name.” A letter released to the music branch of the Academy informed members of the decision.

“This is a decision that both honors our rules and protects the special nature of the Original Song and Score categories,” the letter read.

Rather than find a replacement,...

Eugene Jarecki has withdrawn his anticipated Julian Assange documentary The Six Billion Dollar Man from the upcoming Sundance Film Festival due to “unexpected developments”.

In a statement issued on Friday morning (December 20), Jarecki said, “The truth is, significant recent and unexpected developments have emerged at the heart of the story which, if not incorporated in the version for Sundance, would not represent a finished film. Sundance has shaped my career and been a cornerstone of my journey – only something of this magnitude could make me withdraw.”

The film had ben scheduled to premiere as a Special Screening. Sundance announced its...

Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series spotlighting the scripts fueling the year’s most talked-about movies continues with Better Man, Paramount’s musical biopic based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall and resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams. The script was penned by Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole and Michael Gracey.

Gracey directs the uniquely personal film about Williams, capturing his wit, resilience, and extraordinary journey. From boyband stardom with Take That to a record-shattering solo career, the film explores the highs and lows of his success. And only Williams could get away with telling his life story through the unique lens of a chimpanzee, a truly unexpected perspective that distinguishes this biopic from others.

Gracey explains the inspiration for portraying Williams as a monkey came from Robbie himself.

“Rob would say things like, ‘I’m up the back dancing like a monkey,’ or ‘I was completely out of it,...

The Robbie Williams song ‘Forbidden Road’ has beendisqualified from the Oscar shortlist because it was deemed to incorporate material from an existing song not written for Better Man.

Following a determination by the Academy’s music branch executive committee, the original song shortlist will be reduced to 14 entries and there will not be a replacement.

According to Academy Rule 18 Section 1-b, original songs must be written specifically for the film in question. The branch determined Forbidden Road contained elements from a song not written for Better Man.

Michael Gracey’s Williams biopic uses a CGI monkey to portray the British...

Gold Derby rounds up today’s top stories in entertainment for Dec. 20, 2024.

Update:

Sza releases Lana album after long delay

The highly anticipated album features collaborations from Kendrick Lamar, Lil Yachty, and Benny Blanco. This serves as the deluxe edition of Sos, which won three Grammys for Sza in 2022 for Best Progressive R&b Album, Best R&b Song (“Snooze”), and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (“Ghost In The Machine”). Fans previously assumed Lana would be released in February, as that’s when the “Saturn” song dropped, but now it’s finally here. Is it worth the wait?

The Talk says goodbye after 15 years

Hosts Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell, and Sheryl Underwood shared some laughs and tears today during CBS’s final broadcast of The Talk. Morales thanked the audience for “watching and laughing, sometimes even crying” with them every morning, and then a series of...

Robbie Williams “Forbidden Road,” from his upcoming biopic Better Man, was shortlisted at the 2025 Academy Awards but is no longer eligible.

A letter to the Academy’s music branch went out Friday, explaining that “Forbidden Road” has been removed from the best original song shortlist since it “incorporates material from an existing song that was not written for this film.” The decision was made after the music committee reviewed materials.

At the Oscars, a song must be a complete original to qualify. The shortlist will now have 14 songs vying for the top five nomination slots instead of 15; a replacement song will not be added.

Two songs from Emilia Pérez — “El Mal” and “Mi Camino,” written and composed by Clément Ducol and Camille — are on the shortlist. Others on the list are Pharrell Williams for “Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece; Elton John and Brandi Carlile for “Never Too Late...

After making the Oscar shortlist of 15 finalists for Music (Original Song) at this year’s 97th Annual Academy Awards, the Motion Picture Academy confirms to Deadline that the shortlisted song, “Forbidden Road” from the Robbie Williams biopic, Better Man has been disqualified. There will be no replacement.

The song, written by Williams, Freddy Wexler, and Sacha Skarbek, was recently nominated as Best Original Song – Motion Picture at the Golden Globes. Earlier this week at the Golden Globes First Time Nominees luncheon, which happened shortly after the Oscar Shortlist finalists were also announced, I asked Williams his feelings about getting shortlisted and potentially being nominated for an Oscar. “It is always nice to be invited to the party, ” he said adding, “or should I say considered to be invited to the party”. Well right now the only “party” he is being invited to is the Golden Globes. However Better Man does...

A song from the Robbie Williams biopic “Better Man” has been disqualified from the Oscars after the song landed on the shortlist of 15 Best Original Song contenders last week.

The song, “Forbidden Road,” which was written by Williams, Sacha Skarbek, and Freddy Wexler, was found to have incorporated “material from an existing song that was not written for this film,” according to a note sent to members of the Academy’s Music Branch from the branch’s executive committee (and obtained by IndieWire).

The executive committee reviewed materials for the song and determined it doesn’t meet eligibility for this year’s Oscars and was deemed ineligible for award consideration.

An insider tells IndieWire the Academy’s decision is final without the chance for an appeal and another song will not be added on the shortlist to replace it. Voters in the category will instead choose from the remaining 14 songs...

Robbie Williams has already earned a Golden Globe nomination for his song “Forbidden Road” from Better Man, but now he has been disqualified from Oscars contention.

Better Man is a new film about the life of the British pop star with a CGI monkey playing the singer instead of an actual actor. The musical uses Robbie‘s songs and “Forbidden Road” is a new one written for the film.

The song was up for the Best Original Song award at the upcoming 2025 Oscars and the Academy already revealed that the song made it on the shortlist of 15 songs that will compete for a nomination.

Now, it has been revealed that the Academy has disqualified the song.

Keep reading to find out more…

Variety reports that the song “incorporates material from an existing song that was not written for the film.” To be eligible for Best Original Song, a song must...

The Robbie Williams song “Forbidden Road” from “Better Man,” shortlisted earlier this week for best original song, has been disqualified, Variety has learned.

The song, insiders report, “incorporates material from an existing song that was not written for the film” and so has been deemed ineligible for the Oscar.

Academy rules state that the words and music of any song submitted for awards consideration must be “original and written specifically for the motion picture.”

“Forbidden Road” is formally credited to Williams, Freddy Wexler and Sacha Skarbek, and it is currently also nominated for a Golden Globe as best original song.

The melody of “Forbidden Road” contains marked similarities to that of “I Got a Name,” the Charles Fox-Norman Gimbel song performed by Jim Croce in the 1973 film “The Last American Hero.” Coincidentally, Fox is one of three governors of the Academy’s music branch.

A letter went out to the...