The Ryan Coogler / Michael B. Jordan horror film Sinners, which reaches theatres in April, has unveiled a full trailer

Last year, it was revealed that frequent collaborators Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan – who have worked on Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever together as director and cast member, and have other collaborations that Coogler didn’t direct – had been developing a new project in secret. Coogler has written the script for this project, which is called Sinners and has been described as both a genre picture and a period piece. The project is set up at Warner Bros., has a budget of around $90 million, and is scheduled for a theatrical release on April 18, 2025 (having moved back from a previously announced March release date). With that date swiftly approaching, a full trailer has arrived online and can be seen in the embed above.

Yesterday, Warner Bros. teased the Sinners trailer debut by sharing this clip:

Directed by Coogler with Jordan playing dual roles, Sinners has the following official synopsis: Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back. “You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home.” 

This project is being kept so tightly under wraps that when it was looking for a studio to call home, “executives and buyers were forced to make the pilgrimage to the Beverly Hills offices of WME, the agency that represents Coogler and Jordan, in order to take a gander on the script and get details.”

Coogler (who is also developing a reboot of the TV series The X-Files) is producing the film with Proximity Media partners Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian. Rebecca Cho serves as executive producer alongside Will Greenfield and two-time Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Goransson (who won his first Oscar for his work on Coogler’s Black Panther and his second for Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer).

Jordan is joined in the cast by Jack O’Connell (Unbroken), Delroy Lindo (Get Shorty), Wunmi Mosaku (Loki), Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), Omar Benson Miller (CSI: Miami), Jayme Lawson (The Batman), Lola Kirke (Mozart in the Jungle), and Li Jun Li (The Exorcist TV series).

What did you think of the full trailer for Sinners? Are you looking forward to seeing this movie? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Kevin Kline takes to the stage for American Classic, a new comedy series on MGM+ about a Broadway actor returning to his hometown stage.

Last Updated on January 30, 2025

William Shakespeare once said, “All the world’s a stage,” but for Kevin Kline, the stage is a way of life, and his love for theater is vast. MGM+ announced today an eight-episode series order for American Classic, a half-hour comedy series from o-creators Michael Hoffman (Soapdish, Restoration, The Last Station) and Bob Martin (The Prom, Slings and Arrows). American Classic stars Kevin Sline (A Fish Called Wanda, Fierce Creatures, Bob’s Burgers) as Richard Bean and Jon Tenney (The Closer, Scandal) as Jon Bean. Hoffman directs the series, with production kicking into high gear later this year in New Jersey.

Here’s an official description of American Classic courtesy of MGM+:

“American Classic centers on Broadway star and notorious narcissist Richard Bean, played by Kline, who suffers a spectacular public meltdown and returns to his hometown and the family-run theater where he first became aware of his own brilliance. When he arrives, he is shocked to discover that his father, the former artistic director, has lost a step and that the once-respected theater, now run by his brother Jon, played by Tenney, and his wife (now the town’s mayor) has become, by necessity, a low-rent dinner theater serving roast beef and murder mysteries. He decides to save the town, the theater, and the world by presenting a great American classic on the dinner theater stage, directed by and starring, of course, Richard Bean.”

“MGM+ is television for movie lovers—classic Hollywood storytelling through a contemporary lens. American Classic, with its sophisticated wit, adult characters, and unique cast, is an exciting addition to that brand,” said Michael Wright, head of MGM+. “In the capable hands of Michael Hoffman and Bob Martin, alongside stage and screen legend Kevin Kline, American Classic is a hilariously funny and deeply poignant comedy, and we can’t wait to share it with our MGM+ audience.”

“The two of us have been shaped from childhood by our love of the theater and those magical creatures that inhabit it: true actors,” said Hoffman and Martin. “To get to tell a story with new friends and longtime collaborators, among them that grand man of the theater, Kevin Kline (who happens also to be one of the world’s supreme comic talents), and a story about art, community, and family… for us, that’s about as good as it gets.”

I’ve never been to a dinner theater before, but I saw the band Woods at Monkey Town (now closed). The band played at the center of the room, surrounded by projection screens showing psychedelic images. The staff brought us fancy drinks, steak, and sauteed veggies while the band played an incredible set. I wonder if Kevin Kline’s American Classic character has a similar setup in mind to bring his hometown theater back to form.

What do you think about the American Classic concept? Have you ever attended a dinner theater? Let us know in the comments section below.

Grab a coconut-flavored beverage and prepare to dance because Disney’s Moana 2 comes to digital platforms today, January 28! Moana and Maui’s latest adventure swings onto digital retailers, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home, before arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on March 18.

While the digital release brings the third highest-grossing film of 2024 to homes across the globe, the physical release comes packed with hours of exclusive bonus content to take the viewing experience further than ever before. Do you want to sing along to the movie’s catchy tunes, check out deleted scenes, and explore featurettes? The physical release has you covered with many options to enhance the fun. Oh, and for collectors, the 4K UHD will be available in a collectible edition Steelbook with custom artwork and packaging.

Moana 2 reunites Moana and Maui three years after the first film’s events for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. Directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller and produced by Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, Moana 2 features music by Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foaʻi and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina.

Moana 2 earned over a billion dollars at the global box office, making it one of 2024’s most successful and talked-about films.

You can find details about the physical release of Moana 2 can be found below:

Bonus Features

Full Length Sing-Along – Sing along with your favorite songs while watching the movie with on-screen lyrics.

Call of the Wayfinder – Celebrate Pacific wayfinding with the Moana 2 filmmakers as they meet real-life navigators from the Polynesian Voyaging Society. Hear from Nainoa Thompson, CEO of PVS, and other crew members as they discuss the cultural renaissance of wayfinding.

A New Voyage – Join the filmmakers and artistic leads for a deep dive as they reveal the development of this sequel and discuss the impact that the first film had across the globe. Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson talk about what it means to them to return.

Songs of the Sea – Sit down with songwriters Abigail Barlow & Emily Bear, Pacific Islands music legend Opetaia Foa’i, and composer Mark Mancina as they discuss making the music. Get to know this talented team as they share insight into writing each brand-new song.

Kakamora Chronicles – Ever wanted to know more about the Kakamora? Gather ’round while Moni, everyone’s favorite Motunui historian, tells the tales from real Solomon Island folklore surrounding the mysterious and unforgettable beings known as the Kakamora.

Fun in the Booth – Step inside the recording booth with the brilliant and talented actors of Moana 2 for some creative fun as they bring their characters to life.

Deleted Scenes – Overall introduction to Deleted Scenes by directors David G. Derrick Jr, Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller.

• Call to Motufetū
• Late to the Party
• Crew’s In for a Bruisin’
• Help Wanted
• Odd Birds
• Reunited
• Simea’s Chant

Song Selection:

• “We’re Back”
• “Beyond”
• “Finding the Way”
• “What Could Be Better Than This”
• “Get Lost”
• “Can I Get a Chee Hoo”
• “Mana Vavau”
• “Beyond” Reprise
• “Finding the Way” Reprise

*Bonus features may vary by product and retailer

Cast

Auli’i Cravalho as Moana

Dwayne Johnson as Maui

Produced by

Christina Chen, Yvett Merino

Executive Producers

Jennifer Lee, Jared Bush and Dwayne Johnson

Written by

Jared Bush, Dana Ledoux Miller

Directed by

David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller

Product Specifications

Release Date

Digital: January 28, 2025

Physical: March 18, 2025

Product SKUs

Digital: 4K UHD, HD, SD

Digital Bundle: Moana & Moana 2 2-Movie Collection (4K UHD, HD, SD)

Physical: Limited-Edition Collectible SteelBook (4K UHD, Blu-ray, Digital with SteelBook Packaging), Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD+ Digital), DVD, Moana & Moana 2 2-Movie Collection DVD

Feature Run Time

Approx. 140 minutes

Rating

U.S.: Rated PG

Disc Size

4K UHD Blu-ray: 66GB

Blu-ray: 50GB

DVD: 8.5GB

Aspect Ratio

Physical: 2.00:1

Digital: 16:9 (2.00)

Audio

4K: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish and French 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, English AD 2.0 Dolby Digital

Blu-ray: English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby Digital, English AD 2.0 Dolby Digital

DVD: English, Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby, English AD 2.0 Dolby

Digital: English Dolby Atmos (UHD only, some platforms), Spanish and French 7.1 Dolby Digital, English, Spanish and French Dolby 5.1, English, Spanish and French 2.0 Dolby Digital and English AD 2.0 Dolby Digital

Subtitles

4K: English SDH, Spanish and French

Blu-ray: English SDH, Spanish and French

DVD: English SDH, Spanish and French

Digital: English SDH, Spanish and French

Do you plan to catch Moana 2 on digital or 4K Ultra HD? Let us know in the comments section below!

Marie Ulven, also known as the musical artist Girl in Red, is making her feature film debut in the upcoming film Low Expectations.

Last Updated on January 30, 2025

Girl in Red fans are filling up with serotonin today as word hits the streets that Marie Ulven, the acclaimed musical artist, is making her feature film debut in Maipo Film’s Low Expectations. The anticipated project marks Eivind Landsvik’s feature film directorial debut, following the success of his short movie Tits at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023. Low Expectations explores the comedown from fame and all the insecurity, reassessment, and disillusion that comes with it.

According to Variety‘s exclusive report, Low Expectations “tells the story of Maja, a 29-year-old artist who, after years of intense success, finds herself at a breaking point. Forced to put her career on hold, Maja returns home, depressed and broke, and takes a job at a high school. The film explores her journey of self-discovery as she navigates the harsh realities of everyday life.”

Marie Ulven, known to many as Girl in Red, is an exceptional musical artist whose 2018 song “We Fell in Love in October” quickly amassed 1.2 billion streams on Spotify. Her debut album, “If I Could Make It Go Quiet,” arrived in 2021 and shattered expectations, becoming a smash hit that helped put Ulven on everyone’s radar. Like Maja, Ulven is familiar with the pressures of fame. She even sings a song about seeing a billboard of herself in a crowded city and feeling overwhelmed by her new reality.

People resonate with Ulven’s music, including Taylor Swift, who invited Girl in Red to open for her during the megastar’s Eras Tour alongside bands like Paramore, Beabadoobee, Gracie Abrams, Phoebe Bridgers, and Sabrina Carpenter.

“I knew her as a great musician and was really pleased to find out Marie also has a rare gift as an actor. She has so much to offer this film, and I am grateful she wants to share her talent with us,” Landsvik said about partnering with Girl in Red for the film.

“We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect match of talent, experience, and storytelling,” producer Synnøve Hørsdal added. “Marie’s personal connection to the film’s themes, combined with Eivind’s powerful narrative and ability to convey it, make the two of them some of the most exceptional talents in the cultural sector in Norway.”

Featuring in Low Expectations is a monumental step for Girl in Red, whose rise to fame and awareness of the dangers it brings inspires young artists. Low Expectations could be something special if she’s as talented in front of a camera as she is at making music.

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He’s also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You’ll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.

Mark Consuelos has joined the cast of Scream 7, which stars Neve Campbell and is being directed by Kevin Williamson

Last Updated on January 30, 2025

Spyglass Media and Paramount Pictures once intended to make a Scream 7 that would have starred Scream (2022) and Scream VI leads Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, with Freaky and Happy Death Day director Christopher Landon at the helm. But then Ortega allegedly asked for a substantial pay raise – and as we saw when Neve Campbell dropped out of Scream VI due to a pay dispute, these pay issues don’t tend to work out. Then Barrera was fired from the project after comments she made about the Israel-Hamas war didn’t go over well with executives at Spyglass. Landon dropped out the of the project soon after. So Scream 7 has been re-developed, Campbell has signed on to return as franchise heroine Sidney Prescott, back in the lead role, while Kevin Williamson, who wrote the screenplay for the original Scream, directs the film from a screenplay by 2022’s Scream and Scream VI writer Guy Busick, who crafted the story with his co-writer on the fifth and sixth films, James Vanderbilt. (Vanderbilt is also a producer on the most recent sequels.) Scream 7 is set to reach theatres on February 27, 2026 and filming is now underway – and today, Deadline has broken the news that Mark Consuelos of Riverdale, All My Children, and Live with Kelly & Mark, which he hosts with his wife Kelly Ripa, has joined the cast.

Deadline notes, “Details regarding the film’s plot and who Consuelos will play are under wraps.”

Neve Campbell and Mark Consuelos are joined in the cast by Isabel May of the Yellowstone prequel 1883, who has signed on to play Sidney’s daughter; Mckenna Grace of the Ghostbusters franchise, Grace’s Ghostbusters co-star Celeste O’Connor, Gen V‘s Asa Germann, The Fabelmans‘ Sam Rechner, Pitch Perfect‘s Anna Camp, fellow franchise star Courteney Cox, who reprises the role of reporter / author Gale Weathers, Joel McHale (Community) as Sidney’s husband Mark Evans, and Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown of 2022’s Scream and Scream VI, back as Chad Meeks-Martin and Mindy Meeks-Martin.

Want to hear some rumors / possible character spoilers? A while back, industry scooper Daniel Richtman claimed that Scream 7 has the following character line-up: Taylor (17-18) – Sidney’s daughter. Brian (17-18) – is Taylor’s boyfriend. Chelsea (17-18) – the heartbreaker of the group. Holly (17-18) – Taylor’s rich friend, the queen bee of the group. Logan (17-18) – Taylor’s hot, but creepy neighbor with a Ted Bundy vibe. Jennifer (40s-50s) – Logan’s mom and Sidney’s friend. So look over the cast list and see which actor you think matches which character.

In addition to writing the original Scream, Williamson has also written I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream 2, The Faculty, and Halloween H20 (where his script contributions were uncredited). He wrote the initial drafts of Scream 3 and Scream 4, then those both received some major rewrites. Williamson made his directing debut with the 1999 thriller Teaching Mrs. Tingle. Scream 7 will be his second directing credit.

What do you think of Mark Consuelos being cast in Scream 7? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Lady Gaga finally opens up about Joker: Folie à Deux failing at the box office and with fans for one of WB’s most significant misfires.

It’s been a few months since Todd Phillips’s Joker: Folie à Deux tap-danced its way into theaters, and Lady Gaga is finally ready to talk about the sequel’s hostile reception. Speaking with Elle for an in-depth look into her mind and astonishing career path, Lady Gaga chalks Joker 2’s failure up to people having different tastes, and pleasing everyone with your art is something of an impossibility.

“People just sometimes don’t like some things,” Gaga acknowledged. “It’s that simple. And I think to be an artist, you have to be willing for people to sometimes not like it. And you keep going even if something didn’t connect in the way that you intended.”

I’ve not seen Joker: Folie à Deux, so I cannot speak to its quality first-hand. Still, smoke on the street suggests Warner Bros. and Todd Phillips’s bold decision to make the sequel a jukebox musical was perhaps ill-advised. Todd Phillips’ musical sequel earned $204M worldwide, paling compared to the original’s staggering $1B+ blockbuster performance. Opinions differ significantly about the film’s quality (depending on who you talk to). However, most say they feel betrayed by the follow-up, saying it lacks the spirit of the original. Regardless of how you think about the film, money talks in Hollywood, and right now, the Joker sequel comes off like a bad joke. When the film failed to launch above expectations (or remotely close), WB announced a digital release date less than a week into the drama’s theatrical run. Unfortunately, reports say the PVOD release also crashed and burned, leaving WB with an unexpected bomb.

Thankfully, Joker 2‘s failure is unlikely to haunt Lady Gaga as she continues exploring her Hollywood options. She’s a talented performer on stage and screen, with several rock-solid performances. I like the idea of taking chances in Hollywood, and Joker: Folie à Deux was undoubtedly one of those. I hope the film’s failure doesn’t discourage WB or other filmmakers from taking wild swings with bankable properties. You never know what you might get if a studio goes “off script,” and to discourage that behavior is dangerous for creativity.

What do you think about Lady Gaga’s attitude toward Joker: Folie à Deux? Let us know in the comments section below.

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He’s also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You’ll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.

The Witch is back! The Wretched, which was a hit during the early months of the pandemic, is getting a sequel

The Wretched, an indie horror movie from the writing and directing sibling duo of Brett and Drew Pierce, was sent out into the world by IFC Midnight back in May of 2020, right after the pandemic shut the world down. Most brick and mortar theatres were closed, major releases were delayed, and the main venue for showing movies was one that had been fading away: the drive-in. So when The Wretched reached drive-in screens month, it was successful enough during that strange time that it became the #1 movie in America for six straight weeks. Now, Variety reports that the Pierce brothers are moving ahead with a sequel, which they plan to start filming in Oregon this September.

The Wretched had the following synopsis: Following his parents’ separation, a rebellious teenage boy, Ben, is sent to live with his father for the summer and work at the local marina in order to gain some form of discipline. The idyllic tourist town offers little solace for him, however, as he is forced to deal with the local, privileged teens and his father’s new girlfriend. Ben’s problems grow increasingly disturbing when he makes a chilling discovery about the family renting the house next door. A malevolent spirit from the woods has taken ahold of the parents and starts playing a sinister game of house, preying upon the children and wiping away any trace of their existence. Ben’s suspicions of the supernatural horrors go unheeded and he launches a perilous crusade in order to put an end to the skin-walking witch’s reign of terror. The Pierce brothers told Variety that the sequel will broaden the scope and the terror to an entire town. In The Wretched 2, a small-town deputy is pulled into a rash of missing children’s cases only to discover that the skin-changing Wretch is back and has been preying upon the families of his community for a century.

Brett and Drew Pierce are writing, directing, and producing (through their company Little Runaway Productions) the new film. They provided the following statement: “Independent horror has been staking out its claim at the box office in the last couple of years with films like Terrifier 3 and Late Night with the Devil, and audiences are craving more from these original stories and voices. It just seems like the right time to bring our Witch back as she was born out of us wanting more from our creature features that we just weren’t getting. We’re going to push this story and the body horror into uncomfortable places.“

Chang Tseng, Ed Polgardy, and Travis Cultreri are producing the sequel to The Wretched alongside the Pierces. Kamikaze Productions is also on board.

Are you glad to hear that The Wretched is getting a sequel? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

About the Author

Cody is a news editor and film critic, focused on the horror arm of JoBlo.com, and writes scripts for videos that are released through the JoBlo Originals and JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channels. In his spare time, he’s a globe-trotting digital nomad, runs a personal blog called Life Between Frames, and writes novels and screenplays.

A clip from the shark thriller Into the Deep, which stars Scout Taylor-Compton and Richard Dreyfuss, shows a cage attack sequence

Last  year, we learned that, forty-nine years after playing a major role in the Steven Spielberg classic Jaws (and fourteen years after making an appearance in Alexandre Aja’s Piranha 3D), Richard Dreyfuss had been cast in another film that promises to be packed with aquatic thrills, Vigilante Diaries director Christian Sesma’s Into the Deep. The film received a digital, On Demand, and limited theatrical release last Friday, and will be getting a DVD and Blu-ray release in the UK on February 3rd. To promote these releases, a clip from the film has dropped online and can be seen in the embed above. Dreyfuss got attacked while in a cage in Jaws, and this clip shows Into the Deep‘s version of a cage attack.

Scripted by Chad Law and Josh Ridgway – who have previously collaborated on the alligator movie The Flood, the Dolph Lundgren action thriller Section 8 (which was also directed by Sesma), the biker werewolf movie Howlers, and the mystery Miss Willoughby and the Haunted Bookshop – Into the Deep has the following synopsis: A group of divers searching for sunken treasure witness the murder of drug dealers by modern-day pirates, but a killer great white is determined not to let any of them escape its waters.

Dreyfuss is playing a character named Seamus and is joined in the cast by Scout Taylor-Compton (Rob Zombie’s Halloween), Stuart Townsend (Queen of the Damned), Jon Seda (La Brea), AnnaMaria Demara (The Princess and the Bodyguard), Ron Smoorenburg (Meg 2: The Trench), Lorena Sarria (Apache Junction), Callum McGowan (The Gallery), Maverick Kang Jr. (The Creator), Tom O’Connell (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Tofan Pirani (My Dear Donovan), and Quinn P Hensley (Dhar Mann). Not surprisingly, it doesn’t look like Dreyfuss will have to deal with any of the shark or pirate action directly – but Taylor-Compton sure does.

Daemon Hillin produced Into the Deep, with Sesma and Law serving as executive producers alongside Jonathan Bross, Matthew E. Chausse, Jordan Dykstra, Joe Simpson, Amar Singh, Ellen S. Wander, and Simon Williams. Brooklen Bruce was an associate producer, Evangelo Kioussis a co-producer, and Svetlana Stella Dreyfuss Wolf a co-executive producer.

What did you think of the Into the Deep clip? Will you be watching this shark thriller? Let us know by leaving a comment below – and if you have already watched the movie, let us know what you thought of it!

The Night Agent season 2 has racked up 13.9 million views in its first week of release on Netflix, easily taking the #1 spot.

The Night Agent season 2 debuted on Netflix less than a week ago, but it’s already racked up some serious views. The action thriller series easily became the most-watched Netflix series of the week of January 20-26, with 13.9 million views. Not too bad.

At this rate, it’s possible the second season could join the first on Netflix’s Top 10 Most Popular Shows of All Time list. The first season is currently occupying the #7 spot with 98.2 million views, standing alongside Netflix heavyweights such as Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, and Wednesday.

The official synopsis of The Night Agent season 2reads: “Based on the novel by Matthew Quirk, The Night Agent is a sophisticated, character-based, action-thriller centering on a low level FBI Agent , Peter Sutherland, whose efforts to save The President in Season 1 earn him an opportunity to become a Night Agent in Season 2. But working in the secretive organization of Night Action will propel Peter into a world where danger is everywhere and trust is in short supply.“

Although our own Alex Maidy wasn’t a huge fan of the first season, he found the second “to be a substantial improvement in every way.” Maidy continued, “The directing continues to be solid, but the writing has been punched up significantly, giving us well-rounded heroes and villains and a season-long arc with a satisfying conclusion while still setting up what will come in the third season. Gabriel Basso and Luciane Buchanan make a hell of a pair of protagonists. They are surrounded by an improved ensemble cast that balances multiple storylines that connect for an engaging and exciting television season. A solid binge, The Night Agent manages to improve more than I had any expectation that it could for a solid thrill ride.” You can check out the rest of his review right here.

The Night Agent has already been renewed for season 3, and Genesis Rodriguez, David Lyons, Jennifer Morrison, and Stephen Moyer will join as new series regulars.

What did you think of The Night Agent season 2? Did you enjoy it more than the first?

Nathan Lane recalls how Robin Williams fought for him to be cast on The Birdcage: “He didn’t know who the hell I was.”

It’s been over a decade since the tragic death of Robin Williams, but he continues to be remembered by those who loved him, including Nathan Lane. The pair starred together in The Birdcage, and Lane credits Williams for helping him get cast in the movie, although he was largely unknown at the time.

In The Birdcage, Lane and Williams played a gay couple whose son is set to marry the daughter of a conservative senator, and they reluctantly agree to masquerade as straight to avoid a scandal. While speaking on Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s podcast Dinner’s On Me, Lane said that director Mike Nichols was considering bigger names for Lane’s role, including Billy Crystal or Robert Redford, but Williams fought for him.

“He was a movie star. You know, he could have said, ‘I want Billy Crystal,’ or another big movie name to do the film,” Lane said. “I know they showed him [my] screen test, and he didn’t know who the hell I was. And he was like, ‘Yeah, absolutely.’ He was just, as you heard, incredibly generous and sensitive and kind.“

Lane continued, “We were sort of kindred spirits in a way. He was just so wildly funny and brilliant and a wonderful actor and, and you know, we always had that bond from that film. I did a thing for the New Yorker Festival and they showed a scene from it, and I hadn’t seen it in a while . . . since he had died, and I just started crying. You know that scene at the bus stop, where he gives the palimony. It’s my favorite scene in the film.“

There are countless tales of Williams going to bat for people or just cheering them up during tough times. He arranged for Sally Field to leave the set of Mrs. Doubtfire after a family tragedy; he reached out to Conan O’Brien after that whole Tonight Show debacle; and he was the first person who made Christopher Reeve laugh after his horse accident, which left him paralyzed. Truly a very special man who was taken from the world far too soon.