PREVIEW: LifeHack (2026 Film) - Directed by Irish filmmaker Ronan Corrigan

Preview by Jon Donnis

Triple Media Film and Source Entertainment will release the cyber-heist thriller LifeHack in the UK, exclusively through the Vue Cinema chain. The film currently holds a 100% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and is set to open on May 15, 2026. It was nominated for two 2025 British Independent Film Awards following its world premiere at SXSW last year, where it debuted to strong critical acclaim.

The film is directed by Irish filmmaker Ronan Corrigan in his feature debut, working from a screenplay by Corrigan and Hope Elliott Kemp. It comes from Unfriended, Searching and Missing producer Timur Bekmambetov, who produces alongside Joann Kushner and Sasha Kletsov, with Bazelevs and Screenlife Liverpool serving as production companies. Academy Award nominee Michael Fassbender executive produces with his partners Daniel Emmerson and Conor McCaughan at DMC Film.

Inspired by true events, LifeHack follows Kyle and his crew of digital Robin Hoods who hack scammers and steal from people the internet hates, all from their bedrooms. When they target a notorious crypto billionaire, their biggest cyber heist pulls them into a world where payback is no longer virtual. The cast includes Georgie Farmer, Yasmin Finney, Roman Hayeck-Green, content creator James Scholz, Jessica Reynolds and Charlie Creed-Miles.

In his review, Variety film critic Siddhant Adlakha wrote, “LifeHack finds deft balance between its heist elements and its quiet moments of character. All of these prove immensely entertaining. With a techno soundtrack that keeps things propulsive, the movie never slows down, even when it takes a breather.”

“Ronan is a special filmmaker and did an amazing job with LifeHack. We’re very proud to be a part of it at DMC and to continue our work supporting emerging Irish and British talent,” said executive producer Michael Fassbender.

Filmmaker Corrigan said, “This film was a love letter to my teenage years growing up gaming, and to all the insane true crime stories that have come out of these online spaces. Making this film was the equivalent of pulling off a heist with the small, scrappy crew we had. I'm beyond excited for it to be hitting theatres!”

“Most movies miss the mark on what it's like to be young today, but this one nails it. It was made by an incredibly talented cast and crew, all in their twenties, and you can feel that raw, unfiltered energy in every frame,” said producer Timur Bekmambetov.

“LifeHack feels incredibly current,” said Mark Rupp, CFO/COO and Co-Founder of Iconic Events Releasing. “It’s a smart, high-stakes thriller that will connect with today’s audiences. We’re excited to bring it to theatres nationwide this May.”

Synopsis:

Kyle and his three friends spend their time gaming and pranking online scammers with their hacking skills. Eager for a real challenge, Kyle persuades them to target billionaire Don Heard by exploiting his daughter Lindsey's overshared social media presence. When the foursome successfully infiltrate Don's cryptocurrency wallet, they believe they've pulled off the perfect crime - until Lindsey calls Kyle with an ultimatum. As the stakes escalate, what begins as a thrill-seeking stunt spirals into a dangerous game with consequences these four friends never anticipated. 

PREVIEW: A Murder Between Friends (2026 Film) - Starring Dame Joan Collins

By Jon Donnis

Murder mysteries rarely go out of fashion, but A Murder Between Friends looks determined to lean fully into the glamour, mischief and deliciously theatrical chaos that made classic whodunits such enduring crowd-pleasers. Set for release across UK digital platforms on 15 June 2026, the film brings together a flashy ensemble cast, a sprawling countryside estate and a murder that threatens to tear apart a group of old friends.

At the centre of it all is Dame Joan Collins, who appears perfectly cast as Francesca Carlyle, a celebrated true crime television personality suddenly forced to put her sleuthing instincts to real use. Collins has always thrived in roles packed with sharp dialogue and larger-than-life confidence, and A Murder Between Friends seems built around those strengths. The film clearly knows the appeal of placing an iconic screen presence in the middle of a murder mystery where every guest has secrets to hide.

Written and produced by Mark Rozzano, with Joan Collins and Percy Gibson serving as co-producers, the film is directed by Jacob Young and Trent Garrett. The production openly embraces the spirit of classic Agatha Christie mysteries, mixing suspicion, betrayal and dark humour with a modern glossy edge. Alongside Collins, the cast includes Toby-Alexander Smith, best known to many viewers for his villainous turn in EastEnders, as well as Young, Garrett and a wider international ensemble.

The premise is simple but effective. Six old friends gather for a luxurious countryside getaway at Francesca Carlyle’s lavish estate. What begins as an evening of drinking, dancing and rekindled relationships quickly spirals into something far darker when one member of the group is discovered murdered under bizarre circumstances. As accusations begin to fly and tensions rise, the surviving guests are forced to confront the uncomfortable possibility that the killer may be sitting among them.

Rather than focusing purely on grim suspense, A Murder Between Friends appears to be aiming for something more playful and knowingly stylish. The promise of twists, sharp exchanges and escalating paranoia suggests a film more interested in entertaining audiences than overwhelming them with bleakness. The combination of celebrity satire, locked-room mystery energy and glossy showbiz flair could make it an appealing choice for viewers looking for an easy summer thriller with a bit of personality.

With Joan Collins leading the charge and a premise designed to keep audiences guessing until the final reveal, A Murder Between Friends could end up being one of those cosy yet chaotic murder mysteries best enjoyed with a crowd all trying to solve the case before the credits roll.

Watch On Apple TV - https://apple.co/49KlvOV

PREVIEW: Rememory (2026 Film) - Starring Michaël Cohen

Preview by Jon Donnis

Action thrillers rarely hinge on an idea as unusual as this. Rememory arrives on UK digital 29 June, with a premise that blends reincarnation with a relentless crime chase, setting the stage for a story that moves as quickly as it intrigues. At its centre is David, a French police officer drawn far from home to Thailand, following a lead that sounds almost impossible to believe.

That lead comes in the form of Ravi, a young boy who claims to remember a previous life as Floyd, a man once connected to a dangerous criminal network. Rather than dismiss it, David sees an opportunity. Alongside his colleague Joanna, he begins to piece together the fragments of Floyd’s past through Ravi’s memories, using them to track a criminal enterprise that has remained just out of reach. It is an uneasy alliance, built on something neither fully understands, yet too valuable to ignore.

The stakes rise quickly as those same memories place Ravi in immediate danger. The closer David and Joanna get to the truth, the clearer it becomes that the organisation they are pursuing will do anything to silence the boy. What follows looks set to be a tense race against time, where protection and pursuit become one and the same. With its mix of high-speed action and a concept rooted in memory and identity, Rememory promises a thriller where the past is not just relevant, it is the key to everything.

Rememory, arriving on UK digital 29 June, thanks to Miracle Media.

How to Deal With Endless Sequels and Reboots

A penny for Quentin Tarantino’s thoughts now that Toy Story 5 will soon be released in theaters. Indeed, we’d love to know his thoughts after it was rumored that Toy Story 6 and 7 are being probed for the future. The Pulp Fiction director famously cited Toy Story 3 as his second favorite movie of the 21st century. Perhaps even more famously, he refused to watch Toy Story 4, suggesting that the perfect ending to the trilogy was enough.

Tarantino is, of course, well known to not be a fan of sequels, refusing to visit them in his own work (Kill Bill does not count), but he has probably got the best strategy for dealing with unwanted sequels, like Toy Story 4, he just doesn’t watch them.

It is perhaps the best defense of those who are not too bothered about sequels and reboots, not only not watching them, if you don’t want to, but getting into the frame of mind that one film does not detract from the other. For example, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny doesn’t taint the superlative Raiders of the Lost Ark, even if the anger caused by these unnecessary additions to the canon is everywhere.

There is, of course, nothing inherently wrong with sequels. Sports fans will happily watch the Super Bowl every year, they’ll bet on the NBA MVP with gusto, and they’ll get excited when the Red Sox play the Yankees around a dozen times a season, so why get upset when a movie comes out in theaters?

We shouldn’t be affronted by sequels and reboots

Much of it comes back to a sense of ownership. The new Harry Potter series, while a reboot, is getting hammered by (some) fans of the original movies, as if there were an affront to them. But why take the view that the existence of the new series detracts from the original one? It’s another matter if you sit down to watch the new series, and it ends up being bad, which could well be the case, but why get mad at something that you have no intention of watching?

There is perhaps a sense, too, that the existence of sequels occupies a space that would otherwise be left for original movies. There is some weight to that argument because you do hear movie insiders, particularly actors, talk about how studios are reluctant to take chances on original ideas. However, there is a counterpoint: more movies are being made today (or at least in recent years, as there is still a hangover from Covid-19) than ever before. Roughly speaking, about three times (670) more major motion pictures were made in 2025 compared to 1990 (236).

The problem might come from the fact that the majority of sequels hog the limelight and the box-office. 12 of the 13 highest-grossing movies of the 2020s are sequels. The only exception on that list was Barbie. So, if you come at if from that angle, then you can say, yes, we do have a problem. But among the releases coming up this summer, another Scary Movie, another Jackass, and Tarantino’s favorite, another Toy Story, there are loads of original movies, from Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey to The End of Oak Street to Spielberg’s Disclosure Day. There’s enough to get excited about on the big screen, so don’t worry about the sequels and remakes.

PREVIEW: Hunting Party (2026 Film) - Starring Mark Wingett

Preview by Jon Donnis

British thrillers have always had a knack for peeling back the surface of authority, and Hunting Party leans straight into that tradition with a premise that feels both timely and quietly unnerving. Set against the imposing backdrop of a secluded country estate, the film introduces a world where those entrusted with upholding the law begin to reshape it in their own image. What starts as a whispered frustration with a failing justice system soon spirals into something far more dangerous, as a hidden circle of judges abandon restraint and embrace a brutal, ritualistic form of punishment.

At the centre of it all is Eve Campbell, an MI5 agent already carrying the weight of a damaged reputation. Her investigation pulls her into a tightening web of secrets, where every answer only deepens the sense that something is profoundly wrong. The film pairs her perspective with the escalating plight of Jay Doherty and his father Danny, who find themselves caught in a nightmare after being framed for a crime they did not commit. Their story adds urgency and emotional stakes, grounding the wider conspiracy in something immediate and human. Meanwhile, the Hardin family stands as a chilling embodiment of power unchecked, their estate becoming both playground and prison.

There is a deliberate tension running through the setup, one that suggests Hunting Party is less interested in simple thrills and more concerned with the uneasy space between justice and vengeance. The idea of authority figures acting as judge, jury and executioner carries an obvious weight, and the film appears keen to explore how easily that line can blur. With a cast drawn from across British film and television, and a director already familiar with morally complex storytelling, the stage is set for a thriller that aims to be as thought provoking as it is intense. Often fiction mirrors reality, and in the UK right now, it feels very apt. Hunting Party arrives on digital platforms on 11 May courtesy of Miracle Media, inviting viewers into a game where survival is uncertain and the rules are written by those who believe they are beyond them.

Apple TV - https://apple.co/4eMqFx9