In case you have wondered already why there is so little press of next week’s theatrical release of “Juror #2” – which is not only Clint Eastwood’s latest film, but most probably his last – the answer lies within a very questionable move by Eastwood’s longtime distributor to release it just theatrically in 5 theaters in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago – and that will be it. According to a lengthy news item on Variety, “the hush-hush rollout for “Juror #2” remains a peculiar approach for a filmmaker who still has commercial appeal. “American Sniper” was the highest-grossing domestic release of 2014. Two of Eastwood’s follow-ups, “Sully” and “The Mule,” both earned more than $100 million in North America. But in the contemporary theatrical landscape, badly rattled by the COVID pandemic, original adult-skewing dramas are perceived by studios to be much riskier theatrical prospects than they were even five years ago.” Also today, Warner Bros. has released a clip from the film, featuring Toni Collette and J.K. Simmons, as well as a very short featurette with the entire cast praising their director (an apparently emotional tribute by Toni was cut down to a couple seconds). Both clips can be found in the video archive.

You never know quite what to expect from a Bong Joon Ho film. Parasite took the world – and the Oscars – by storm with its shapeshifting, genre-mashing narrative. Memories Of Murder was a largely sober serial-killer thriller, but with a higher-than-usual number of dropkicking detectives. Amid rip-roaring monster movie The Host comes a slapstick-comedy setpiece at a funeral. But under it all, Director Bong often picks at stories of people ekeing out life under the crushing weight of capitalism, heightening the absurdity of our everyday world. That continues in Mickey 17, starring Robert Pattinson – multiple times over, in fact – as Mickey, who agrees to be an ‘expendable’, sent on an intergalactic colonisation mission where he’ll be ‘reprinted’ every time he dies. It is, Director Bong tells Empire in our world-exclusive Mickey 17 issue, “the most human story” he’s ever made. And, as with his previous work, it’s not necessarily painting the most flattering portrait of humanity. “Ultimately, the story is about how pathetic humans can be,” Bong explains. “It’s almost like you can smell every human character in the film — their piss stains and their smelly socks.” Stinking up the screen will be Pattinson, whose Mickeys are tasked with helping to prepare the ice world of Niflheim – crawling with creatures known as ‘creepers’ – for human habitation. Except, in a mishap, Mickey 18 ends up being printed prematurely, before Mickey 17’s demise – and both co-existing simultaneously spells potential disaster for his (or, their?) future. Especially when Mark Ruffalo’s virulently anti-expendable politician Marshall is in the picture. Read Empire’s full Mickey 17 feature – speaking to Bong Joon Ho, Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun and Naomi Ackie about their oddball sci-fi odyssey – in the December 2024 issue, on sale Thursday 24 October.

Variety has published a list of the 100 best horror films of all time, among them “The Sixth Sense” and “Hereditary”. Thinking about, although Toni is best known for her work in drama and comedy, two of her most memorable and most-quoted characters have been in horror films – “The Sixth Sense” still standing as her sole Academy Award nomination of a long and varied career. “Hereditary” should have easily secured her another nomination as well, but that’s another story. Both essays on the film are very empathetic towards Collette’s performances. The full list can be checked out over at Variety.

Number 68: The Sixth Sense: Ghosts are terrifying. But grief and regret? Those deeply human concerns that incessantly haunt the living — and according to many a supernatural film, torment the dead as well — may be several shades scarier. This notion is at the heart of the petrifying film that made M. Night Shyamalan’s name synonymous with horror (and twist endings), launched its dead-people-seeing young actor Haley Joel Osment into temporary child stardom and gave Toni Collette one of the most heartbreaking roles of her career as a troubled single mom still grieving the loss of her own mother. Led by an ethereal Bruce Willis through a soul-crushing revelation and its merciful resolution, and caressed by studious Gothic hues, “The Sixth Sense” grasps that the best ghost stories are ultimately ones about all of us earthbound creatures with unresolved aches.

Number 36: Hereditary: Ari Aster’s deeply freaky trance-out of a supernatural thriller starts off as a sinister but familiar tale of a family being torn apart by ghosts. It’s full of things that would look right at home in the megaplex horror-bash-of-the-week: séances with moving objects, decapitated bodies and crawling ants, and the way that Charlie (Milly Shapiro), a gawky odd duck of a girl, glimpses apparitions who could be figures out of a “Smile” sequel. But Aster stages it all with a meditative menace (Toni Collette gives a performance as the anguished mother worthy of Liv Ullmann). And as the film’s mystery shifts over to Peter (Alex Wolff), the family’s morose pothead of a high schooler, you realize that what we’re seeing is a vision of the afterlife taking over the here and now. The climactic sequence is a stunner that makes you feel like you’ve passed through the looking glass.

Justice is blind. Guilt sees everything. Warner Bros. has released the trailer for Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2,” starring Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J. K. Simmons, Chris Messina, Zoey Deutch, Cedric Yarbrough & Kiefer Sutherland. The film will have its world premiere at the AFI Film Festival and receive a limited release in select theaters in North America on November 1st. “Juror #2” follows family man Justin Kemp (Hoult) who, while serving as a juror in a high profile murder trial, finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma…one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict – or free – the accused killer. The trailer can be watched in the video archive. Screencaptures and the film’s poster have been added to the photo gallery.

We’re heading into a very exciting winter season with the November release of “Juror #2” and the January release of “Mickey 17”, for which the long-awaited theatrical trailer has been released today. Based on the novel “Mickey 7” by Edward Ashton, the movie follows the unlikely hero, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson), who has found himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment to the job… to die, for a living. Written and directed by Bong Joon Ho, the movie stars Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, with Academy Award nominees Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo. A press tour has been a long time coming for this Warner Bros. film, which was originally set to hit theaters on March 29, 2024 but was later delayed indefinitely. According to Variety, the movie needed more time to finish after the Hollywood strikes and other production shifts. It has finally received a release date, and is currently set to hit theaters on January 31, 2025.

AFI announced today that the World Premiere of Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2” will close this year’s AFI FEST on October 27 at the TCL Chinese Theatre! The Warner Bros. Pictures film stars Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J.K. Simmons, Chris Messina, Gabriel Basso, Zoey Deutch, Cedric Yarbrough, Leslie Bibb, Kiefer Sutherland, Amy Aquino, Francesca Eastwood, Adrienne C. Moore, Leslie Bibb, Phil Biedron, Hedy Nasser, Onix Serrano, Drew Schied, Jason Caviello, Rebecca Koon, Chikako Fukuyama and Zele Avraopoulos. “There is only one Clint Eastwood – and AFI is proud to present the World Premiere of this next chapter in his historic canon,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “We are honored to bring the community together once again – artists and audiences – to celebrate an American icon.” The film follows family man Justin Kemp who, while serving as a juror in a high profile murder trial, finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma…one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict – or free – the accused killer. Visit FEST.AFI.com to buy a Patron Pass which includes the opportunity to reserve two tickets to “Juror #2”, as well as all other Red Carpet Premieres.