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If you’re looking for a new binge watch this autumn, than ITV have exciting news for you

ITVX is set to welcome a bestselling thriller, and viewers will be able to stream the series for free.

ITV has lined up an adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s 2018 bestselling thriller Nine Perfect Strangers that stars a stellar cast.

The chilling psychological series from Hulu and Amazon Prime Video tells the story of nine strangers from different backgrounds who attend a wellness centre named Tranquillum House.

The group of stressed-out city dwellers plan to spend 10 days at the retreat to find a better way of living, and each has a unique, sometimes heartbreaking, background. However, the more time they spend at the remote resort, the more they realise that nothing is as it seems.

As the group begins their healing journey, they are watched over by the mysterious host, Marsha Dmitrichenko, played by Nicole Kidman, who is on a mission to reinvigorate their tired minds and bodies.

The eight-part drama is full of suspense, punctuated by lighter comedic moments, and explores how far people will go to confront their personal demons on their journey of self-improvement.

Joining Kidman in the series is a star-studded cast, including Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Luke Evans, Bobby Cannavale, Regina Hall, Samara Weaving, Melvin Gregg, Asher Keddie, and Grace Van Patten, who all play the strangers on the retreat.

Nine Perfect Strangers originally aired on HULU and Prime Video in 2021, and will arrive on ITVX on Sunday, September 27.

Since its launch, fans have been taking to Rotten Tomatoes to praise the series, with one person calling it: “Healing, great acting, profound and meaningful.”

A second stated: “One of the best TV shows I have ever watched really moved me”, while a third chimed in: “Recommended, not bad!”

“Well, I didn’t know what to expect when I started the show, but it amazes, and it pushes the envelope! Can’t say enough good things about the acting and the story!!! Keep you guessing every step of the way”, shared one fan.

“The story was brilliant, the cinema beautiful, and I really liked the acting. Highly recommend!”, added another.

One viewer confessed: “I loved every single bit of it. The depth of the characters, the lesson in its story. A completely fresh take on ‘you’re the director of your own life’. A take so new and strong it smashes in and leaves you teary-eyed and inspired.”

Nine Perfect Strangers will stream on ITVX from Sunday, 27 September

It’s been seven years since Mahershala Ali was announced as Marvel’s Blade, but the acclaimed actor says that his involvement in the project is officially dead and buried.

According to the two-time Oscar winner, if the project does get off the ground, it won’t be with him. Ali told GQ during an interview published on Friday that he has “moved on” from the plan to play the iconic vampire hunter that Wesley Snipes made famous in the ‘90s and early aughts.

“If they wanted to do it, we would’ve done it,” Ali told GQ.

Last month, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast that he wasn’t proud to have let the project slip through his fingers, saying, “I am feeling like a gigantic loser and failure that we didn’t get off the ground with Mahershala.”

In the same interview, Feige said he was very excited to have gotten Snipes back “for a time” as Blade in “Deadpool & Wolverine.”

In Snipes’ scene in the 2024 Marvel hit, he may have answered any lingering questions on the matter just before blowing up a building with a missile launcher: “There’s only been one Blade,” he said, “there’s only ever gonna be one Blade.”

The project had notably gone through a slew of writers and directors; writer-director Bassam Tariq stepped away in 2022, work was stalled due to the writers’ strike in 2023, and the project just couldn’t seem to get its bearings amid all the brouhaha. During Ali’s interview with GQ, the outlet asked if “Blade” was any closer to becoming a reality.

“Not with me. The best way I can answer this question is, when I look at what is for me, is it was either this or that — and I’ll take this,” he said, referring to “Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother,” his forthcoming action-adventure film penned and directed by Tariq that hits theaters Sept. 25.

“No offense to them. I’ve been doing this professionally for pushing 30 years now, and one thing I’ve learned is that what is for you is for you and what is not is not,” he continued. “For whatever reason, that project is not for me. If they wanted to do it, we would’ve done it. So I have to move on, and I have moved on. ‘Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother’ feels very much in alignment with the type of work I want to be known for. I don’t really want to be known for remakes. I’d love to do original work that resonates with people and impacts them in unique ways.”

Though Ali seemed to be at peace with what happened with “Blade,” he still threw some shade Marvel’s way.

“Again, you had me under contract, they have billions of dollars, if they wanted to do the movie, we would’ve done the movie,” he said. “So we’re not doing the movie.

“When I look at this and ‘Blade,’ I couldn’t have done both, and the reason this even exists is because that project fell apart and Bassam had the time, space, energy and focus to go and write this and then re-approach me,” he continued. “And I was able to use those skills that I had been working on for over a year training for ‘Blade.’ In that way, I feel creatively redeemed on some level, just in my own journey between me, myself and I. But I feel ready to move on from the ‘Blade’ questions. Those questions are for them. They didn’t want to do it, so they should answer that question.”

Issy Wong takes three wickets to help Southern Brave make it two wins from two in the women’s Hundred, as they beat Sunrisers Leeds by five wickets at Headingley.

WATCH MORE: ‘What a ball!’ – Wonderful Wong gets three for the Southern Brave

Available to UK users only.

The Odyssey is Sir Christopher Nolan’s long-awaited adaptation of Homer’s epic poem.

Groundbreaking new Christopher Nolan film The Odyssey stars a familiar soap legend.

EastEnders star Himesh Patel stars in the epic, which has already broken records with its cinematic release.

Former soap legend Himesh is a face familiar to many after he played Tamwar Masood, the slightly geeky son of the Masood family, on EastEnders between 2007 and 2016.

As the first Muslim family to live in Albert Square since the Karims in the late 80s, and the first Asian family since the Ferreiras in 2003, the Masoods brought a fresh perspective to the long-running BBC soap, and they quickly rose in popularity.

During his time in Walford, Tamwar was seen helping his family with their business and putting his Oxbridge dreams on hold. Eventually, he left Walford to travel the world with Nancy Carter (Maddy Hill), whom he later married, but the couple ultimately divorced.

In 2016, after nearly a decade, Himesh decided to leave his role on EastEnders to pursue new opportunities in his acting career. It seems to have been a very wise decision, as he is now a movie star with his latest role in the blockbuster movie The Odyssey.

Who is Himesh Patel in The Odyssey?

Sir Christopher Nolan’s new movie, an adaptation of Homer’s Ancient Greek epic, stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek King of Ithaca, on his perilous 10-year journey home after the Trojan War.

The highly anticipated film, released on Friday, July 17, is the first-ever feature film shot entirely with IMAX cameras.

It has brought in a huge $264.1million (£196m) worldwide in its first weekend, surpassing the $249million (£185million) opening of The Dark Knight Rises (2012), which went on to be Nolan’s highest-grossing film, exceeding $1billion.

In the film, Patel plays Eurylochus, Odysseus’ trusted second-in-command. He’s not only fiercely loyal, but he also calls out Odysseus and serves as his conscience as they try to make their dangerous trek home to Ithaca.

The Odyssey features a star-studded A-list cast alongside Himesh and Matt Damon, including Zendaya, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson.

“Everything I’ve done in the last seven to eight years has been beyond my wildest dreams, but this movie was such a singular experience,” Himash told the Radio Times.

“There is only one guy who makes movies like this. I don’t know where my career is going but even if I have the privilege of working with Chris [Nolan] again, it won’t be this story, it won’t be this sort of thing.”

Since his EastEnders exit, Himesh has taken on significant roles in several notable films, including Danny Boyle’s Beatles-inspired film Yesterday (2019) and Christopher Nolan’s time-manipulating film Tenet.

In addition, he played the part of Jennifer Lawrence’s character’s romantic partner in the Netflix disaster film Don’t Look Up.

What are viewers saying about The Odyssey?

The Odyssey has already received rave reviews, and taking to Rotten Tomatoes, one viewer dubbed the movie “phenomenal”, while another added: “This is a cinematic masterpiece. Guaranteed Oscars sweep this year!”

A third chimed in: “Film. Of. The. Year. Possibly the decade”, while another added: “A cinematic masterpiece”, while another added: “Got to be one of the best adaptations of all time.”

“The Odyssey is an absolute masterpiece and my favorite movie of the year so far. Christopher Nolan delivers a visually breathtaking epic that had me glued to the screen from beginning to end,” added another.

The Odyssey is available to watch in various cinemas across the UK

The Crown star Olivia Colman’s 2022 drama has been hailed ‘funny and moving’ by fans.

Olivia Colman fans don’t have long left to watch her “emotional, silly and joyful” film.

Fans of The Crown star Olivia Colman are running out of time to catch her “phenomenal” film before it disappears from Netflix. The 2022 movie, set in Ireland, centres on a 12 year old boy, Mully (played by Charlie Reid) who lives with his father in County Kerry following his mother’s death from cancer.

Upon uncovering his father’s dark secrets, the youngster runs away and encounters a woman named Joy (Colman) and her newborn baby. Gradually, the unlikely pair begin to form a bond during a chaotic, emotional road trip across Ireland, finding healing, friendship and redemption along the way.

Joyride is the film in question, and it is available to stream on Netflix until July 31.

Viewers flocked to IMDb to share their opinions on the film, with one describing it as “phenomenal, funny and moving”.

They wrote: “This is one of those films that I didn’t want to end, terrific from start to finish, it was moving, funny, and in this day and age where stories seem to be frequently repeated and copied, it felt original.”

“A couple of times it made me tear up, so moving, what was so good, was seeing the effects the unlikely duo had on each other.

“Olivia Colman is one of my all-time favourites, and she’s phenomenal here, her accent was spot on, equally matched by young Charlie Reid, who was superb.”

Another viewer praised it as “emotional, silly and joyful”, adding: “Fantastic chemistry with the cast, and a wonderful balance of emotions throughout. At times it’s a little confusing, but it all makes sense in the end. And isn’t that what life is like?

“Olivia Colman shines as always, but the real star is Charlie Reid. Some wonderful interactions between them and excellent continuity touches and themes – the dialogue is as entertaining as it is raw.

“A joyful escapade that’s a welcome break from the rinse and repeat action and romcoms.”

One devoted fan added: “It warmed my heart, made me laugh, and cry a little… what more could you ask of any movie?”.

Filmed on location in County Kerry, Colman opened up to Yours magazine about taking on the role: “I loved the character of Joy.

“I couldn’t get her out of my head once I’d read the script. I loved how it was all put together. I loved the story and I really wanted to do it.”

Joyride is leaving Netflix on July 31.

Madonna is just a material girl, living in a material world.

The “Vogue” hitmaker graced the cover of Interview magazine for the Summer 2026 issue and in the accompanying chat, the singer revealed the reason the ultra-hyped biopic with “Ozark” star Julia Garner was scrapped: not enough cold hard cash.

Turns out, Universal Studios was not Madonna’s Mr. Right. According to the pop star, the studio didn’t share her vision for a budget for the film.

“I worked on my script for two years and spent two years at Universal Studios with the line producers doing budgeting and casting,” she told the magazine. “We had a falling out, me and Universal, regarding budget because I needed — I’ve had an extraordinary life. I’ve had a huge life, so I needed a big budget. You know what I mean?”

The film had been in the works for years, and in 2021 Universal Pictures won a multi-studio auction to helm the biopic. According to Variety, the script followed Madonna from her upbringing in the suburbs of Detroit, her artistic awakening in 1980s New York City, and concluded around the 1998 release of “Ray of Light.”

“I found a way to make it for less money in Serbia, but I don’t think they were into the idea of — I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe they just didn’t believe in me.”

Madonna said the studio couldn’t wrap its head around what she was suggesting and countered that she wouldn’t “stay in Serbia more than four days.”

“I said, ‘Did you read the script?’ My whole life has been survival. I’m not going there for a holiday.’”

Madonna said that she was in “limbo” when the movie plans fell apart, and she considered telling her life story through a Netflix series when the streamer came knocking. But she wouldn’t be able to use the script she had penned for Universal without buying it from the studio for “an extortionist’s price,” even though she wrote it.

“That’s just the way it goes,” she continued. “I started trying to understand how making a series would work. It’s a very, very different process. You have to meet a lot of writers and find the right showrunner, and I couldn’t find one. This went on for another eight or nine months. I was like, ‘Good thing I have another job because I need to work, I need to create. I need to do what I was put on this earth to do.’”

Representatives for Universal Pictures, Netflix and Garner did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

Through the process of writing the script, Madonna was bitten by the memoir bug, but she channeled that confessional energy into her forthcoming album, “Confessions on a Dance Floor: Part II,” which drops July 3. A 13-minute music video weaving together six tracks from the new album was released earlier this month and featured A-list cameos by Sabrina Carpenter, Kate Moss, Lourdes Leon, Benedict Cumberbatch and more.

While the biopic and buzz around Garner’s portrayal of the “Like a Virgin” star had fans of the two blondes chomping at the bit, all is not lost: Art captures life. Garner and Madonna were spotted filming scenes in Venice two weeks ago for the second season of “The Studio,” in which Madonna plays herself struggling to get her biopic made.

The EastEnders actress leads the cast in the six-part psychological thriller

A gripping mystery drama featuring an EastEnders icon is now available to watch for free.

Little Disasters, previously described as a “complex psychological thriller with a mystery at its heart”, lands on Channel 5 tomorrow (June 14), after initially premiering on Paramount+ last May.

EastEnders favourite Jo Joyner, widely recognised for her iconic portrayal of Tanya Branning, heads up the cast alongside Hollywood star Diane Kruger.

Based on Sarah Vaughan’s bestselling novel of the same title, the series charts the decade-long bond between Jess (Diane Kruger), Liz (Jo Joyner), Charlotte (Shelley Conn) and Mel (Emily Taaffe).

The story follows four expectant mothers who were brought together with little in common beyond their due dates, yet have supported each other throughout the journey of motherhood, reports Wales Online.

As the synopsis reveals: “The world of seemingly perfect stay-at-home mother Jess begins to unravel when she brings her baby daughter Betsy to the hospital with a head injury she can’t explain.

“Her close friend and on-duty AandE doctor, Liz, must make the excruciating decision of whether to call social services.”

This pivotal moment sets off a chain of events that threatens to tear apart both their friendship circle and their individual families.

The Little Disasters cast also features Ben Bailey Smith from The Split, alongside Patrick Baladi (Line of Duty), Stephen Campbell Moore (The Gold), and JJ Feild (The Peripheral).

Discussing the programme, Jo previously revealed that this style of storytelling not only inspired her to accept the role, but is unlike anything she had previously encountered on television.

She said: “I know somebody who suffered with postnatal OCD and I had only recently found out about it myself. So, I thought it was a really great topic to explore actually.

“Any kind of postnatal depression must be horrendous, I was lucky I didn’t suffer from it myself. I can’t imagine having such intrusive thoughts about your own child and I think that was another brilliant thing to bring up but also serves well for a thriller, doesn’t it?”.

The six-part series remains available for streaming on Paramount+, but will also broadcast on Channel 5 from this weekend, with the opening episode debuting in the 9pm slot on Sunday, 14 June.

Predictably, viewers have wasted little time making their feelings known, with one writing: “Worth the binge! #littledisasters.”

Another commented: “#littledisasters is everything I needed…” Meanwhile a third added: “Good show, oh my days, the suspense got me.”

Little Disasters premiered on Paramount+, and will air on Channel 5 on Sunday, 14 June.