A third “Gremlins” movie is officially in the works and eyeing a theatrical release ahead of the 2027 holiday season, Warner Bros. Discovery President and Chief Executive David Zaslav announced Thursday during the company’s third-quarter earnings call. The upcoming project is set to hit theaters Nov. 19, 2027, and will reunite original “Gremlins” scribe Chris Columbus with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, which produced the first two “Gremlins” films.
Columbus will direct and produce the film and Spielberg returns as an executive producer, Zaslav said. The new “Gremlins” film will be franchise’s first movie in more than 30 years. Columbus will write the script with “Final Destination Bloodlines” directing duo Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein.
Oscar nominee Columbus introduced audiences to the mysterious and maniacal ways of the Mogwai — furry, wide-eyed bipeds with giant ears — with the release of “Gremlins” in 1984. The first film, directed by Joe Dante, established the three nonnegotiables of Mogwai care: Don’t get them wet, don’t feed them after midnight and don’t expose them to bright light. Both the 1984 release and its 1990 sequel, also directed by Dante but written by Charles S. Haas, tracks the havoc that arises when the first two rules are ignored, from unstoppable spawning to unruly mutation into Gremlins.
The “Gremlins” films starred Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Howie Mandel as the voice of two-toned Mogwai Gizmo and Frank Welker as the voices of the films’ antagonists.
Though it has been decades since the last “Gremlins” movie hit the big screen, the furballs got their own spotlight in the 2023 animated prequel TV series “Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai.”
The series, from showrunner and executive producer Tze Chun, took a deep look into its namesake creatures’ origins, briefly hinted at in the first film by shopkeeper Mr. Wing (played by the Chinese American actor Keye Luke). “Secrets of the Mogwai” zooms in on Mr. Wing’s relationship with Gizmo, who became a through line in the “Gremlins” movies.
Series executive producer Brendan Hay told The Times in 2023 that setting “Secrets of the Mogwai” in 1920s China was “a chance to own the somewhat throwaway origin that the Mogwai have in the films.”
“In the films, it’s clear that they’re of Chinese origin, but it’s not that developed,” Hay said. “This is our chance to tell that story and really embrace it [by] actually try[ing] to find a place for Mogwai that fits into Chinese mythology, or at least builds off of existing Chinese mythology, and have fun in that world.”
Galligan hinted this summer that a new “Gremlins” movie was in the works while appearing at Comic-Con Manchester. According to a TikTok, the actor said “they’ve come up with a script” and that Warner Bros. was “incredibly interested in doing it, apparently it’s waiting upon Mr. Spielberg to read it and approve it.”
This fall, there are more than a few mysteries to be uncovered, whether it’s by a group of retired amateur sleuths, an FBI task force, a group of children living in small-town Maine or the only unhappy woman in the world — trust us, the last isn’t as dour as it seems (there are donuts). If you would rather stay grounded in reality, streaming documentaries with subjects ranging from Sarah McLachlan to Martin Scorsese to the American Revolution will do just the trick while giving you perspective about the music and film industries and America’s Founding Fathers. But if you prefer to detach and have some laughs, there are several comedies and dramedies that will do just that. And that’s the democratic nature of television — there’s something for everyone.
‘The Thursday Murder Club’
(Netflix, Aug. 28)
Ben Kingsley, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan in Netflix’s “The Thursday Murder Club.”
(Giles Keyte / Netflix)
The first of Richard Osman‘s wonderful series of novels concerning a group of British retirees who recreationally solve murders has become an almost-straight-to-Netflix feature with a cast that in olden times would have guaranteed a long theatrical ride. Helen Mirren plays Elizabeth, with a background in intelligence; Pierce Brosnan is Ron, a combative ex-trade unionist; Ben Kingsley plays Ibrahim, a shy former psychiatrist; and Celia Imrie is Joyce, the chirpy newcomer, with Naomi Ackie as Donna, the bored police officer who falls under their collective spell. (Plus David Tennant, Richard E. Grant and Jonathan Pryce, if that isn’t enough British thespian firepower for you.) As a fan of the books, I will approach it with some trepidation, but I will absolutely approach it. — Robert Lloyd
‘Task’
(HBO, Sept. 7)
Mark Ruffalo leads HBO’s “Task,” created by Brad Ingelsby of “Mare of Easttown.”
(HBO)
Crime dramas are a dime a dozen, but sometimes one stands out from the crowd and keeps you hooked. The latest HBO series from Brad Ingelsby, who famously brought us Kate Winslet in a Delco accent in “Mare of Easttown,” may well do that. Like “Mare,” it is also set in Pennsylvania, but this time the story revolves around an FBI agent named Tom played by Mark Ruffalo, who is charged with leading a task force to uncover who is behind a string of robberies. Parallel to his story is that of Robbie (Tom Pelphrey) and his best friend Cliff (Raúl Castillo), sanitation workers who are trying to make ends meet. Secrets, twists and turns lie ahead that bridge their stories together and make you question the gray areas between good, bad, wrong and right. — Maira Garcia
‘Black Rabbit’
(Netflix, Sept. 18)
Jason Bateman stars opposite Jude Law in Netflix’s “Black Rabbit.”
(Netflix)
Between TV series (“Ozark”), films (“Carry-On”), podcasts (“SmartLess”) and commercials (State Farm Insurance), Jason Bateman is one of the busiest performers in Hollywood. He returns to Netflix in a limited series, “Black Rabbit,” which teams him with Jude Law. The project features Law as Jake Friedkin, the owner of New York’s popular Black Rabbit restaurant and VIP lounge who runs into trouble when his brother Vince (Bateman) returns years after going on the lam after running up a mountain of gambling debts. Bateman also directs the first two episodes, and is an executive producer along with Law. — Greg Braxton
‘Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery’
(Hulu, Sept. 21)
Paula Cole on stage at Lilith Fair. Hulu’s “Building a Mystery” takes a look back at the pivotal music festival.
(Merri Cyr / Hulu)
Sweet nostalgia. Lilith Fair was the first music festival I ever attended as an awkward, introverted teen, and it was the first time I was surrounded by thousands of (mostly) women who I knew felt absolutely free to be themselves. Of course I’d want to relive that. For those who need a refresher, Lilith Fair was a traveling music festival founded by Sarah McLachlan and others to prove the sexist standards that existed in the music industry in the 1990s were morally and financially wrong. Featuring artists like Sheryl Crow, Liz Phair, Queen Latifah, Sinéad O’Connor, the Indigo Girls and many others, the festival made more than 130 stops over its original three-summer run. Directed by Ally Pankiw and touting Dan Levy as one of its producers, “Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery” mined over 600 hours of never-before-seen footage and features interviews with the festival’s organizers, musicians and fans. — Tracy Brown
Fall Preview 2025
The only guide you need to fall entertainment.
‘The Lowdown’
(FX, Sept. 23)
Ethan Hawke and Ryan Kiera Armstrong in FX’s “The Lowdown.”
(Shane Brown / FX)
Sterlin Harjo, who last gave us “Reservation Dogs,” is back with another Oklahoma-set series, a noir excursion loosely based on citizen journalist Lee Roy Chapman. Ethan Hawke, here called Lee Raybon, is a Tulsa amateur “truthstorian” and rare book dealer, working and living in a store where the cool people hang out. His yen to cure civic rot in the light of day brings him into the orbit of a powerful family, including a suicide (Tim Blake Nelson), a widow (Jeanne Tripplehorn), and a candidate for governor (Kyle MacLachlan). Kaniehtiio Horn, the Deer Lady on “Rez Dogs,” plays his ex-wife because in a show like this, any wife is bound to be an ex, with Ryan Kiera Armstrong as their Nancy Drew of a teenage daughter, and Keith David bringing his formidable Keith David-ness. — R.L.
‘Slow Horses’
Season 5 (Apple TV+, Sept. 24)
Gary Oldman and his Slough House misfits are back for Season 5 of “Slow Horses.”
(Jack English / Apple TV+)
The long, and for some of us agonizing, wait is over for the best spy drama on TV. Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) and his MI5 Slough House misfits are at it again, bumbling into all manner of international and inner-departmental intrigue, with their signature results of mess and mayhem. Computer-genius man-child Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung) plays a central figure in this year’s race against time, River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) continues to agonize over the plight of his aging grandfather (Jonathan Pryce) and his own determination to get back to the Park, where Second Desk Diana Taverner (Kristin Scott Thomas) remains under the authority of twitchily incompetent First Desk Claude Whelan (James Callis, having a grand old time.) Pulling everyone’s strings is, of course, Lamb — whether goading his assistant Catherine Standish (Saskia Reeves), locking horns with Taverner or talking his way out of virtually any situation, Lamb is the most noisome, flatulent, stringy-haired super spy ever to grace any screen and it is impossible to imagine a world without him. — Mary McNamara
‘House of Guinness’
(Netflix, Sept. 25)
Louis Partridge in Netflix’s “House of Guinness.”
(Ben Blackall / Netflix)
Arthur Guinness, the founder of the world’s most iconic beer, had 21 children. Only 10 of them survived to adulthood and only four represent the family in this Netflix series. But in the hands of creator Steven Knight, best known for “Peaky Blinders,” four appear to be quite enough. Following their father’s death, Arthur (Anthony Boyle), Edward (Louis Partridge), Benjamin (Fionn O’Shea) and Anne (Emily Fairn) must navigate all manner of tensions and threats, including the draconian terms of their father’s will, violent Fenian protests (Guinness senior was a Protestant who believed in Catholic rights but not Irish self-rule) and various affairs of the heart — Anne smolders early on at the sight of brewery overseer Sean Rafferty (James Norton). Many creative liberties were taken, no doubt, but the inevitable “Succession” meets “Peaky Blinders” (by way of “Rebellion”) description is apt enough. As the adverts for the black stuff say, it is a lovely day for Guinness. — M.M.
‘IT: Welcome to Derry’
(HBO, October)
Mikkal Karim-Fidler, Clara Stack and Jack Molloy Legault in HBO’s “IT: Welcome to Derry.”
(HBO)
You just can’t put a terrifying clown down. Almost 40 years have passed since Stephen King terrified readers with “IT,” his massive novel about a vicious clown named Pennywise who targets the children of Derry, Maine. A 1990 miniseries and two theatrical films followed. “Welcome to Derry” continues the “IT“-verse as a prequel set in the 1960s before the “IT” and “IT Chapter 2” films. Bill Skarsgård reprises his portrayal of Pennywise as the series unveils the origins of the menacing clown, while also spotlighting a group of residents wrestling with their own fears and demons. Andy Muschietti, who directed the “IT” films, helped develop the series and is one of the executive producers. The cast includes Jovan Adepo and Taylour Paige. — G.B.
‘Boots’
(Netflix, Oct. 9)
Liam Oh, left, and Miles Heizer in Netflix’s “Boots.”
(Alfonso “Pompo” Bresciani / Netflix)
Choosing to join the military can be construed as a major act of patriotism, but oftentimes it is a very personal decision that involves a lot of a sacrifice — choices like where you will live, what you do on a day-to-day basis and who you work with are dictated. Enter Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer), a gay, bullied high school graduate who isn’t sure what’s next until his best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh) — the only person he’s come out to — suggests they join the Marines. Cameron imagines the military to be like summer camp, until reality sets in. This dramedy is set in the ‘90s, when being gay in the military was still grounds for discharge, so not only does Cameron have to endure the brutality of boot camp, he has to keep his sexual orientation a secret. The series is based on “The Pink Marine,” a memoir by Greg Cope White, who serves as a writer. — M.G.
‘DMV’
(CBS, Oct. 13)
Molly Kearney, Gigi Zumbado, Tony Cavalero, Alex Tarrant, Harriet Dyer and Tim Meadows star in CBS’ “DMV.”
(Matt Barnes / CBS)
Your local department of motor vehicles may seem like the very last place to get a laugh, but CBS has managed to pull it off. Its new workplace comedy centers on a ragtag group of employees who work at an East Hollywood DMV: Gregg (Tim Meadows), a former English teacher; Colette (Harriet Dyer of “Colin From Accounts”), a driving examiner with few boundaries; Vic (Tony Cavalero), a former bouncer; Cici (Gigi Zumbado), an outspoken photographer; and Noa (Alex Tarrant), a handsome surfer whom Colette has her eye on. They’re led by newly minted manager Barbara (“SNL” alum Molly Kearney, delightful to see onscreen again), who becomes dismayed when some consultants arrive — no matter where you work, that’s never a good sign. Despite work and interpersonal turmoil, they make a fun and funny team that should be a welcome addition to CBS’ fall lineup. — M.G.
‘Mr. Scorsese’
(Apple TV+, Oct. 17)
“Mr. Scorsese” is a five-part documentary directed by Rebecca Miller.
(Brigitte Lacombe / Apple TV+)
Among the biggest challenges for documentary filmmakers of major figures is figuring out not only how to gain access but also the trust of your subject. The ability to get them to open up can turn an interesting documentary into a great one. And when the subject is Martin Scorsese, one of America’s great auteurs, you want the full portrait of a director who helped shape cinema with iconic films like “Taxi Driver,” “Goodfellas,” “Gangs of New York” and, most recently, “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Director Rebecca Miller (“She Came to Me,” “Personal Velocity”) seems up for the task, having created a five-part docuseries that’s billed as the definitive portrait of 82-year-old Scorsese and will premiere at New York Film Festival this fall. — M.G.
‘Nobody Wants This’
Season 2 (Netflix, Oct. 23)
Justine Lupe, Kristen Bell and Jackie Tohn return for Season 2 of “Nobody Wants This.”
(Erin Simkin / Netflix)
There will inevitably come a time when the drip-drop of wholesome, rom-com-level video content of Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson on their “Naked Gun” promotional tour will loosen its grip on my social media algorithms, and I’ll return to longing for a fictional romantic comedy to fill the void. That’s where Adam Brody — who really propelled the art of the neck-hugging smooch combo — and Kristen Bell come in. The first season made millennial hearts squeal with its pairing of Brody and Bell — two decades after they rose to fame in the early aughts on teen dramas “The O.C.” and “Veronica Mars,” respectively — in a delightful will they/won’t they set in L.A. Bell is Joanne, a woman who often regales about her single life on the podcast she co-hosts with her sister Morgan (Justine Lupe), while Brody’s Noah is a progressive rabbi who is newly single. But can their relationship make it past hurdles that include their careers, family and religion? The first season ended with a showstopping kiss that suggested they’re willing to give it a try. The sophomore outing promises to unpack what that looks like. Let’s just hope no one in this couple-with-obstacles is proposing a five-year waiting period to deal with personal matters before really giving it a go. (IYKYK.) Plus, “Gossip Girl” alumnus Leighton Meester, Brody’s wife IRL, joins the fun, playing Joanne’s childhood nemesis. — Yvonne Villarreal
‘Star Wars: Visions’
Vol. 3 (Disney+, Oct. 29)
Sevn and IV-A4 in a scene from the “Star Wars: Visions” Vol. 3 short “The Bounty Hunters.”
(Lucasfilm Ltd. / Disney)
Dave Filoni’s rise at Lucasfilm is proof enough that some of “Star Wars’” best storytelling has happened in animation. My favorite has been “Star Wars: Visions,” an anthology series where international animation houses have been given the freedom to explore their ideas about the Force and the galaxy far, far away outside of the constraints of the franchise’s existing canon. For the first season, Lucasfilm tapped Japanese anime studios for nine shorts, which featured a range of stories including those that centered an ex-Sith ronin, a Jedi Padawan turned lead singer of a rock band and even a Force-wielding droid. The series went even more global for its second season, with studios from Europe, Asia and South America being among those that were enlisted for their takes. The upcoming third season brings the focus back to Japanese anime, with sequels to three of the shorts from Season 1 — including my favorite, “The Village Bride” — among the lineup. — T.B.
‘Last Samurai Standing’
(Netflix, November)
Netflix’s “Last Samurai Standing” is based on the historical novel series “Ikusagami.”
(Netflix)
When I saw this series described as “‘Shōgun’ meets ‘Squid Game,’” I had two competing reactions. There was the part of me that was slightly skeptical seeing a logline that leaned on two of the biggest Asian-led shows ever, but the part of me that grew up on a steady diet of chanbara is excited by the idea of a battle royale with samurai — and that part has completely won out. Based on the historical novel series “Ikusagami” by Shogo Imamura, the Meiji-era set “Last Samurai Standing” will involve 292 warriors assembled at a temple in Kyoto for a deadly game with a massive cash prize. Considering the Meiji period was when the samurai became obsolete, the potential for social commentary mixed in with high-stakes combat seems pretty high. — T.B.
‘Pluribus’
(Apple TV+, Nov. 7)
Rhea Seehorn stars in Apple TV+’s “Pluribus,” her upcoming series from Vince Gilligan.
(Apple TV+)
If you thought the grainy footage of Ariana Grande surreptitiously licking a doughnut inside an L.A. shop a decade ago sent shivers down your spine — health codes matter, people! — the first teaser for Vince Gilligan’s new TV opus is just as chilling to behold. Ditching “Better Call Saul’s” signature cinnamon roll pastry for the hole-y American staple, the trailer for the new series takes place in the dead of night at an office building and settles on a woman, in a pink uniform, licking the tops of doughnuts one by one — ASMR at its eeriest — before placing them back in their box as a sign that reads “Help yourself!” with a smiley face comes into focus. Uh, what? The series reunites Gilligan with “Better Call Saul’s” Rhea Seehorn, who was the show’s beating heart with a ponytail as Kim Wexler, a skilled lawyer who gets caught up in the antics and schemes of Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman. In this genre-bending sci-fi drama, she is the most miserable person on Earth who must save the world from happiness — it’s the sort of TV premise that feels like it was tailor-made for my 2025 fatigue. In addition to Seehorn, the series stars Karolina Wydra (“Sneaky Pete”) and Carlos-Manuel Vesga (“The Hijacking of Flight 601”), and guest stars Miriam Shor (“American Fiction”) and Samba Schutte (“Our Flag Means Death”). It’s already been picked up for a second season so you can go in knowing there are no commitment issues. — Y.V.
‘The American Revolution’
(PBS, Nov. 16)
John Trumbull’s “The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.” Ken Burns’ latest PBS docuseries will focus on the American Revolution.
(Yale University Art Gallery/PBS)
The combination of PBS and Ken Burns (with co-directors Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt and writer Geoffrey C. Ward) returns again to improve your mind and remind you that history is not something that can be edited to suit the whims of a king or dictator, but also that it is made up of a variety of stories from a spectrum of participants. In these parlous times, when conspiracy theories are mistaken for truth and experts for enemies, those who might most profit from “The American Revolution” are perhaps least likely to watch it, but in the course of this six-part, 12-hour foundational tale, anyone is bound to learn something. It will certainly have things to say about how Black and Indigenous people participated in this long moment. And if you have it, send money to your local public broadcaster, who needs it more than ever. — R.L.
Amanda Knox, who became an international headline in 2007, when, as an American student spending a year in Perugia, Italy, she was (wrongly) accused of the murder and sexual assault of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, is now the subject, and executive producer, of “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox,” an eight-part docudrama premiering Wednesday on Hulu. (Her boyfriend of one week, Raffaele Sollecito, also wrongly accused, does not seem to have garnered similar attention, which might tell you something about misogyny in the prurient press, and its audience.)
The “Twisted Tale” in the title — odd for a story of murder, rape and false imprisonment — suggests that we’re about to see something sort of delightful, like “The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack” or “The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants,” an impression underscored by a prologue in the style of “Amélie,” the whimsical French film the couple was elsewhere watching on the night of the murder; it ties the victim, the accused and her prosecutor/persecutor together in a sort of fairy tale. Like the very long end-title “any similarity” disclaimer, concluding “The series includes Amanda Knox’s perspective on events related to the murder of Meredith Kercher,” it allows the series to be something less than true: a tale.
People tell themselves stories to live, to haul out that Joan Didion quote once again, which unavoidably requires making up stories about other people. These events involved a lot of people, only one of whom is an executive producer of this series, based on her memoir, “Waiting To Be Heard.” (Knox co-wrote the finale, as well.) One assumes that some of those other people might see this project as exploitation, or object to how they’ve been represented, though any dissenting voices will be drowned by a publicity machine that will market this as a true story, disclaimer aside. In light of the series, Knox has been recently profiled in the New York Times, alongside star Grace Van Patten, and in the Hollywood Reporter, alongside fellow executive producer and scandal survivor Monica Lewinsky, who encouraged her to make the series.
These are qualities — faults? — “Twisted Tale” shares with every docudrama ever, a problematic genre much beloved by filmmakers and actors; still, as frequently as such projects arise, especially in the age of true crime, we wouldn’t still be talking about “Citizen Kane” today if it simply had been “Citizen Hearst.” We should at least keep in mind as responsible viewers and citizens that what we’re seeing here, however factual in its crucial points, scrupulous in its details, and engaging in its philosophy, and however faithfully the actors embody their real-life models, it’s unavoidably an impression of the truth, built out with imagined scenes and conversations and made to play upon your feelings. It isn’t journalism. And to be clear, when I speak of these characters below, I’m referring only to how they’re portrayed in the series, not to the people whose names they share.
Francesco Acquaroli as Giuliano Mignini and Roberta Mattei as Monica Napoleoni, the investigators on the case, in “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox.”
(Andrea Miconi / Disney)
Created by K.J. Steinberg (“This Is Us”), the series is well-acted, well-written, impressively mounted, tonally contradictory, chronologically disjointed, overlong, stressful, exhausting, interesting both for its subject and stagecraft, and briefly inspirational, as Amanda (Van Patten) — arrested, jailed, convicted, acquitted, re-convicted and definitely re-acquitted — becomes a voice in the innocence movement (“My freedom mattered and I was going to make the most of it as long as I had it”) and returns to Italy, a wife and mother, for something like closure.
Echoing the 2016 Netflix documentary “Amanda Knox,” which tells the story (up to that point) in a streamlined but thought-provoking 90 minutes, there has been some care to represent different points of view, with episodes dedicated to Raffaele and prosecutor cum investigator Giuliano Mignini (Francesco Acquaroli), also introduced “Amélie”-style. (As to Kercher, we hear only that “she likes to sunbathe and dance and read mystery novels” — though anything more would be presumptuous.) Raffaele, the superhero-loving son of a troubled mother, made himself into a “protector.” Mignini, who lost a brother to “lawlessness,” sees his work as heaven-sent — though he was also inspired by Gino Cervi as Georges Simenon’s detective hero in the 1960s TV series “Le inchieste del commissario Maigret.” (He adopts that character’s pipe and hat.) “I made a vow to God,” he says, narrating, “no matter the disapproval or dissent, deviant, ritual murders would not go unpunished on my watch.”
On the basis of Amanda being a loud American, and a self-described weirdo, whose response to news of the murder struck some as insufficiently emotional; from bits and pieces of supposed physical evidence, later discounted; and from Mignini’s own notions — including his feeling regarding the body, that “only a woman would cover a woman with a blanket” — the police quickly assemble an elaborate, completely imagined theory based on a sex game gone wrong. (That Knox was in possession of a vibrator and some condoms and brought men to the apartment she shared with Kercher and two Italian girls seemingly branded her, in 2007, as a pervert.)
Subjected to an extremely long interrogation without adequate representation in a language she imperfectly understands, and in which she has trouble making herself understood — detective superintendent Monica Napoleoni (Roberta Mattei) is the angry Javert — Knox signs a false confession that also implicates her sometimes boss, Patrick Lumumba (Souleymane Seye Ndiaye). She quickly recants, to little avail. (Knox has not been acquitted of slandering Lumumba.) That the actual killer is arrested, and convicted, merely causes the police to rewrite their story a little, while still focusing on Amanda and Raffaele. The press runs leaks and accusations from the authorities; and a fascinated public eats it up, spitting out opinions onto social media.
Director Michael Uppendahl employs a variety of styles to get the story told. Some scenes are so natural as to seem improvised; others employ heavy tactics — an assaultive sound design, flash cuts — to evoke the pressure Amanda is under, from both the self-satisfied authorities and a hectoring press. (Paparazzi is an Italian word, after all.) Stirring music underlies her final statement to the court; a letter sent by Amanda to Mignini is lit from within, like the deadly glass of milk in Hitchcock’s “Notorious.” While not inappropriate to a story in which fictions swamp facts, these zigs and zags can pull you out of the story rather than drawing you deeper in.
As Amanda, Van Patten (of the Van Patten acting/directing dynasty — Dick, Joyce, Tim, Vincent, with Grace’s sister Anna playing Amanda’s younger sister) is quite remarkable, switching between English and an ever-improving Italian. Acquaroli, quietly astonishing, brings humanity and the merest touch of weary humor to his stubborn policeman. Sharon Horgan plays Amanda’s intense, demanding mother, with John Hoogenakker as her more subdued father. In a scene pulled straight from the “Amanda Knox” documentary, a reporter asks him when there’ll be a film: “The longer you wait the less her story is going to be worth.” “We do not think of our daughter as a hot property,” he replies.
Thirty years ago, the coming-of-age romantic comedy “Clueless” opened in movie theaters and went on to become an enduring American pop culture touchstone.
“I’m thrilled that people love it and continue to love it,” the movie’s star, Alicia Silverstone, said in a recent conversation in New York. “Young people. Old people. It’s really gone on and on, and obviously that’s lovely.”
AMC Networks is counting on Silverstone’s multigenerational appeal to help boost the New York-based media company’s streaming service Acorn TV, which specializes in British dramas and other programs from overseas.
Silverstone is the lead in the new Acorn original series “Irish Blood,” which premiered Monday. She plays hard-bitten Los Angeles divorce lawyer Fiona Sharpe, who heads to Ireland to resolve a mystery involving the father who abandoned her as a child.
AMC has also signed the imperishable Brooke Shields to star in another Acorn project titled “You’re Killing Me.” She portrays a mystery novelist who teams with a young wannabe writer and influencer to investigate murders in a small New England town. The series starts shooting this summer and is set to premiere in 2026.
Why put two iconic American actors on a streaming platform with a well-defined niche of providing viewers with international locations and accents that at times require closed-captioning even when the language is English?
Even the small players in streaming have to get bigger.
AMC does not have the deep pockets to compete with the likes of Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+. The company has blazed its own digital path by serving dedicated audiences who will pay for an additional streaming service that caters to their passions, such as Shudder for horror fans and HIDIVE for anime lovers.
The company’s suite of streaming services has around 10.4 million customers. Even with that modest figure, AMC Networks’ streaming revenue has steadily grown to the point where it will soon surpass what the company earns from its traditional TV channels such as AMC, BBC America, Sundance TV and WE, which continue to see subscriber declines because of cord-cutting.
AMC has found that the strong fan bases for its niche services are willing to absorb price increases and are less likely to cancel. The company has managed to keep its streaming platforms priced at less than $10 a month.
Brooke Shields is set to star next year in “You’re Killing Me,” a new small-town mystery from Acorn TV.
(Evelyn Freja / For The Times)
Now AMC Networks is looking to accelerate its subscriber growth and Acorn — the most popular and profitable of its standalone offerings — is seen as the platform best suited to the task.
“It’s a service we really believe in,” Courtney Thomasma, executive vice president for streaming and content strategy at AMC Networks, told The Times in a recent interview. “Over the last year, we’ve been really focused on looking for ways to continue to raise awareness of the brand and invite new viewers in who we know would also love it. We’re doing that with a focus on investing in the brand and inviting bigger talent that’s more familiar to North American audiences.”
Many fans of Acorn — which started out as a direct marketer of British TV series on home video and was acquired by AMC in 2018 — are what Thomasma calls “armchair travelers” who want to take in a French vineyard or the cobblestone streets of Chelsea. But AMC believes aligning Acorn more closely to the mystery genre will widen its appeal.
A monthlong promotional campaign under the banner of Murder Mystery May — which featured a number of season premieres — drove Acorn TV subscription sign-ups to a four-year high. The 20 million hours watched during the month was the best ever for the service, according to AMC.
The emphasis on mystery provides Acorn the latitude to cast Silverstone and Shields. One way AMC attracts star talent is the opportunity to put their own creative stamp on their programs. “They become as invested in the success of the projects as we are,” Thomasma said.
Silverstone came on to “Irish Blood” as executive producer and became involved in the development of the series. She was involved in the hiring of key positions in the production and worked with the writers. She’s happy with the result.
“I thought it was quirky and also an emotionally deep drama,” Silverstone said. “There’s a lot for me to do.”
Shields and writer Robin Bernheim pitched the generation gap tandem at the center of “You’re Killing Me” to AMC, and the actor remains deeply involved in the process as shooting begins. “This is the first time I’ve ever had this much creative control as an executive producer,” Shields said in an interview. “I feel lucky that they entrusted me to do what we’re doing.”
Silverstone, left, with Ruth Codd in “Irish Blood.”
(Szymon Lazewski / Acorn TV)
Acorn teams with production partners around the world and generates revenue from selling some of its series for second runs on international broadcasters and PBS. AMC spends in the range of $1 million per episode for its cost-efficient series, which are heavy on dialogue and largely car-chase free. The audience is older — they are avid readers who are likely to subscribe to newspapers, watch cable news and PBS, and enjoy solving puzzles.
And though Acorn is hoping to attract more younger subscribers, the service won’t be losing its British accent.
Acorn recently launched “Art Detectives” with Stephen Moyer, who also is an executive producer. The series, about a Heritage Crime Unit that solves murders connected to art and antiques, had the strongest premiere in the streamer’s history.
Later this year, it will offer a new six-episode series starring Matthew Lewis, known for his Neville Longbottom role in the Harry Potter films. Based on the series of Canon Clements mystery novels by the Rev. Richard Coles, “Murder Before Evensong” is a co-production with British broadcaster Channel 5.
“We pride ourselves on being a boutique neighborhood store, the kind that you walk in, you know the owner [and] the owner knows you,” Thomasma said. “We have deep connection to our audience.”
