Thursday, 8 May 2025

PREVIEW: The End of It (2025) - Sci-Fi Drama Tackles Immortality and Meaning in the Near Future


Images: Premier PR
Photographer credits:

Rebecca Hall – Andres Arochi
Gael Garcia Bernal – Nino Muñoz
Noomi Rapace – Lenita Visan
Beanie Feldstein – Heather Hazzan

By Jon Donnis

Production is underway on The End of It, a thought-provoking new feature film co-produced by THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO US & Canada and BBC Film. The project marks the feature debut of writer-director Maria Martinez Bayona and stars Rebecca Hall, Gael García Bernal, Noomi Rapace and Beanie Feldstein in a near-future story that blends dark comedy, emotional family conflict and science fiction.

Set in a world where ageing has been cured and death is no longer a necessity, the film follows Claire (Hall), a once-provocative artist approaching her 250th birthday who has decided that enough is enough. Her wish to die sends ripples through her unconventional family: her husband (García Bernal), her daughter (Rapace) and the family’s AI assistant (Feldstein). As Claire reclaims her identity through one final act of creation, the story becomes a meditation on what it truly means to be alive in a world where death is optional.

Bayona’s script poses big existential questions with a tone that is both humane and absurd. "This film asks a question: what would it mean to go on living forever? But more importantly – what does it mean to feel alive?" she said. Drawing on personal experience and philosophical ideas, Bayona aims to create a film that challenges and connects in equal measure.

The film is being shot on location in the Canary Islands, with production beginning in April 2025. The End of It brings together a team of award-winning creatives. It is produced by Emilie Jouffroy and Kamilla Kristiane Hodøl for Elation Pictures (The Damned), Adrià Monés Murlans for Fasten Films (Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell), and Laura Fernández Espeso for THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO. Dyveke Bjørkly Graver and Andrea Ottmar Berentsen also serve as co-producers for Eye Eye Pictures (The Worst Person in the World).

Developed with support from BBC Film and the iFeatures programme, the film explores legacy, family, autonomy and the weight of eternity, set against a sleek futuristic backdrop. With its cast of acclaimed international talent and a fresh directorial voice, The End of It looks set to become a notable entry in the expanding canon of intelligent, emotionally charged science fiction.

More information and release dates will be announced in due course.

 

Wednesday, 7 May 2025

PREVIEW: Goebbels and the Führer (2025 Film)

Preview by Jon Donnis

Goebbels and the Führer, a hard-hitting historical drama, arrives in UK cinemas on 6 June.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Joachim A. Lang, the film offers an unflinching portrayal of one of history's darkest political alliances. It focuses on Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels during the final seven years of the Nazi regime.

Set against the backdrop of World War II, the film tracks the rise and collapse of Nazi Germany through the intense relationship between the Führer and his chief propagandist.

As Hitler drives Germany into war, Goebbels constructs a powerful narrative machine, crafting speeches, films and media that aim to justify genocide and boost nationalist fervour.

Yet as defeat becomes inevitable and internal fractures widen, the film explores the psychological unravelling of both men as they descend into paranoia and destruction.

Lang's direction does not soften the subject matter. Instead, the film forces the audience to confront the mechanisms of manipulation, fanaticism and power.

Rather than merely presenting historical events, it interrogates the emotional and ideological forces that fuelled the regime from within.

Praised by critics as "powerful" (The Guardian), "brutally effective" (Irish Times), and "a demanding piece of cinema" (Filmstarts), Goebbels and the Führer is not an easy watch.

It is, however, a necessary one. The film sheds light on how propaganda was weaponised to devastating effect (sound familiar for the past 5 years?), and what it reveals about the dangers of unchecked ideology.

Distributed by Dazzler Media, Goebbels and the Führer opens in UK cinemas from 6 June.


PREVIEW: Stuntman (2025) A Tribute to the Unsung Heroes of Hong Kong Action Cinema

Stuntman

Preview By Jon Donnis

Stuntman brings back the spirit of classic Hong Kong action cinema, telling a story that celebrates the often-overlooked lives of stunt professionals.

The film follows a former action choreographer, once a major figure in the industry, now struggling to stay relevant. As he attempts one final, high-stakes comeback, he must also confront his fractured relationship with his estranged daughter. Time is running out, and the personal stakes are just as high as the professional ones.

The cast features Terrance Lau (Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, Anita) and Philip Ng (Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, Birth of the Dragon), alongside stunt legend Stephen Tung Wai. Known for Hard Boiled and The Battle at Lake Changjin, Tung Wai has won Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards seven times and returns to acting after a seven-year break.

Also starring are Cecilia Choi (A Light Never Goes Out, Beyond the Dream) and Rachel Leung (The Sparring Partner, In Broad Daylight).

Stuntman pays tribute to the 1980s golden era of Hong Kong action films, with fight scenes set in familiar, fast-paced locations like footbridges and shopping centres.

Directed by real-life stuntmen Albert and Herbert Leung, and produced by the team behind Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, this is a deeply personal film. Drawing from their own careers, the filmmakers deliver a blend of emotional drama and expertly crafted action.

Presented by Trinity CineAsia, Stuntman will be available on digital platforms from 12 May. 

Tuesday, 6 May 2025

PREVIEW: Mythica: Stormbound (2025 Film) - Starring Nate Morley, Will Kemp, Paul Cartwright, Dave Martinez, Joe Abraham and Matthew Mercer

Preview by Jon Donnis

The fantasy saga Mythica returns with its sixth chapter, Mythica: Stormbound, releasing on digital platforms on 16 June. The new instalment picks up several years after Marek and the Redthorns' heroic actions saved the world. Though the evil Necromancer Szorlok was defeated, the cost of victory was immense. The gods were slain, the land devastated, and the population left in ruin after the Redthorns gave their lives.
 


In a world still recovering from loss, a new threat begins to rise. Mythica: Stormbound introduces a fresh hero who must confront the darkness looming over the fractured realm.

The film stars Nate Morley, Will Kemp (Reign), Paul Cartwright (Six Days in August), Dave Martinez (The Chosen), Joe Abraham (UnREAL), and Matthew Mercer (Critical Role). It is written by Jason Faller, Kynan Griffin and Justin Partridge, and directed by Jake Stormoen (The Outpost).

Distributed by Signature Entertainment, Mythica: Stormbound will be available on digital platforms from 16 June.
 
Amazon UK Link - https://amzn.to/3EEBj9W
 
 


Sunday, 4 May 2025

PREVIEW: Eyes of the Abyss (2025 Film) Argentine Thriller Set on a Haunted Warship Debuts Trailer

Preview by Jon Donnis

Black Mandala and Del Toro Films have released the trailer for Eyes of the Abyss, a tense new thriller from Argentine director Daniel de la Vega (On The 3rd Day, White Coffin, Jennifer's Shadow). Set on a warship adrift in the South Atlantic, the film blends supernatural mystery with high-stakes survival.

In a surreal and fragmented narrative, a soldier wakes up alone among the dead. Her memory fractured, she must defend herself against an invading unit with lethal precision. As the mission unfolds, reality blurs. The ship becomes a vessel for vengeance, haunted by war's echoes that refuse to rest.

De la Vega describes the film as a meditation on suffering, caught between life and death. "On a warship laden with corpses and threatening to sink, the film explores the suffering of those caught between life and death," he said. "It defies genre conventions with bold visuals and a non-linear structure."

Eyes of the Abyss is a co-production between Furia Films and Del Toro Films, continuing a partnership that previously delivered genre standouts now available globally on platforms including Shudder. The new feature will premiere at Cannes 2025 during Marché du Film, under the Fantastic Galas banner curated by Fantastic Pavilion.

Uncork'd Entertainment has picked up distribution rights for North America, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

Cast: Verónica Intile, Carolina Alfonsín, Kevin Schiele, Raymond Lee, Cristian Mariani, Pablo Turturiello, Gustavo Pardi
Writers: Luciano Saracino, Gonzalo Ventura, Daniel de la Vega
Director: Daniel de la Vega