Movies
After their second go-round as a couple produced endless reams of tabloid press coverage, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez have been relatively quiet about the dissolution of their marriage. The couple first began dating in 2002 and got engaged before calling it off in 2004 and famously reuniting in 2021 and getting married the following year.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
But, after less than two years, Lopez filed for divorce just months after the February 2024 release of her film This Is Me Now: A Love Story, a movie co-written by the couple that was loosely based on their love story. A surprisingly candid behind-the-scenes doc, The Greatest Love Story Never Told, was also released at the time, featuring a scene in which it was revealed that Affleck kept Lopez’s love letters even while he was married to his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner.
In a new GQ feature about Affleck’s plans to shake up Hollywood wit his artist-friendly Artists Equity company, the actor/director opens up for the first time about the couple’s split and makes it clear that despite the drama, he has a deep and abiding affection for his ex.
Trending on Billboard
“You asked me about Jen and the documentary and I talked about that and my sort of personal life a little bit, which I don’t mind doing as long as my actual feelings and intentions and beliefs are communicated, which I hope I was clear that really this is somebody I have a lot of respect for,” he said. “And I get wanting to divine or explore the kind of differences in perspective that we have in terms of how a person feels comfortable approaching the line between public and private life. But I really hope that whatever you use doesn’t suggest that I have any negativity or judgment or anything regarding that.”
Affleck also makes it clear that he has “nothing but respect” for Lopez, lamenting the need by some to dissect break-ups in search of the “root causes” of a split. “But honestly, like I said, the truth is much more quotidian than probably people would believe or would be interesting,” he said.
“There’s no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue. The truth is, when you talk to somebody, ‘Hey, what happened?’ Well, there is no: ‘This is what happened,’” he added. “It’s just a story about people trying to figure out their lives and relationships in ways that we all sort of normally do. And as you get older, this is true for me, I assume it’s true for most people, there is no ‘So-and-so did this’ or ‘This was the big event.’ It’s really, it sounds more like a couple’s therapy session, which — you would tune out of someone else’s couple’s therapy after a while. For one thing, you start going, ‘Okay, clearly this person has got these issues. Clearly they have these issues.’ And the reason I don’t want to share that is just sort of embarrassing. It feels vulnerable.”
The piece delves into the fact that despite appearances, Affleck has a well-thought-out, nonchalant attitude about being pictured in public picking up his copious Dunkin’ order, or wearing an outfit a star might not want to be shot by paparazzi wearing. He talks about his strategies, such as wearing the same look every day so the pap pictures of him are indistinguishable, or looking “like a slob” on purpose and how he just doesn’t really care, or sweat it that much.
“Then you become the sad Affleck meme spilling the coffee. Which I have to say I think is kind of funny,” he said. “So I think it’s just a function of the fact that I’ve spent time thinking about really trying to figure it out.”
Affleck was also asked about some moments in the widely panned Greatest Love Story Never Told doc, in which the now ex-couple repeatedly claimed they were private people, even as Lopez revealed some intimate moments and aspects of their relationship via the letters and footage of them at home. In those scenes, the writer suggests that Affleck seems to both be taking a deep “here we go again” breath, even as he’s clearly expressing his love and support for Lopez.
“Part of it was, ‘Okay, if I’m going to participate in this, I want to try to do it in an honest way and in a way that’s interesting,’” Affleck said. “Because I thought it was an interesting examination. Like I mentioned to you before, there are a lot of people who I think have handled celebrity more adeptly and more adroitly than I have, Jennifer among them. My temperament is to be a little bit more reserved and private than hers. As happens in relationships, you don’t always have the same attitude towards these things. And so I thought, ‘Oh, this is interesting because how do you reconcile that?’ Because exactly what you said is true. I love and support this person. I believe in them. They’re great. I want people to see that.”
Affleck recalled that the doc used his line “You don’t marry a ship captain and then say, ‘Well, I don’t like going out in the water,’” saying that you have to “own what you knew going into any relationship.” And, for the record, Affleck assures readers that the movie wasn’t the cause of “some major fracture. It’s not like you can watch that documentary and go, ‘Oh, now I understand the issues that these two had.’”
Affleck will next be seen in The Accountant 2, which will hit theaters on April 25.
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: VALERIE MACON / Getty
Snow White, the new live-action film starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, is being panned online by those assumed to be in the MAGA nation, accusing the motion picture of “wokeness.” On X, the reactions to Snow White have been passionate, and other film fans are joining the pile-on to blast some of the acting and more.
Snow White was released last Friday (March 21) and is one of the early big-budget films of the spring season. Zegler stars as the title character, while Gadot plays a contrasting role as the Evil Queen. At issue for the MAGA meatheads is Zegler’s role and the fact that the American actress is Polish and Colombian. Some of the more extreme racist trolls have attacked Zegler’s racial identity, and other film fans are critical of Gadot’s acting and her political positions.
Beyond the culture war being waged over the movie, the early reports are leaning towards the fact that Snow White’s box office opening numbers are a bit underwhelming. With a budget reported to be between $240-270 million, the film had a worldwide weekend opening of about $86 million, according to The Numbers website.
Professional critics largely called the film a refreshing update on the classic tale, and it manages to put forth some progressive themes here and there. Also present in the film is the goal of female empowerment and other stylistic and source material changes. It is there where MAGA and online trolls are having the most issues.
—
Photo: Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty / Wendell Pierce
Legendary actor Wendell Pierce is excited about the summer, and he should be because he will be in two of the biggest films this year.
The Wire star is the textbook definition of “booked and busy” these days. You can’t turn on your televisions and not see Pierce’s face in one of your favorite television shows.
This summer, the same can be said about the big screen as well. Pierce will star in James Gunn’s highly anticipated Superman reboot, which is set to jumpstart Gunn’s newly created DCEU. He also popped up in the trailer for the upcoming Marvel Studios film Thunderbolts*.
Speaking alongside his girlfriend and Power Book III: Raising Kanan co-star, Erika Woods with CASSIUSLife’s Bernard “Beanz” Smalls, Pierce expressed excitement about being a potential summer blockbuster and being in a rare space because he will be in both comic book movie universes.
Pierce Says He’s Looking Forward To This Summer
“I’m looking forward to this summer. It’s going to be a great summer, ” Pierce said to CASSIUSLife. “As an actor, you tried to build a body of work. And while you’re doing it, you’re not conscious of it. You want to build a body of work where you can look back and then appreciate how many different things you did and how diverse and eclectic your body of work is. It shows your range and how one of the things you want to be as a character actor is an actor of character that has the ability to do a multitude of things, and still bring something to it, and it affects people.
Pierce Reveals He Didn’t Realize How Big The Comic Book Movie Universe Was
Pierce continues, “I did not know how big the comic book world and the movie universe world was until I was shooting these movies. And so I’m looking forward to the response. Good and bad, is going to come from all sides. The affinity that people have for the material and the worlds, I really appreciate it. I was not of the world. I wasn’t the comic book guy, but the thing I love about the fandom is the fact that you see the fervor that people have, and if you don’t have it, you’re envious of it.
“You want to be a part of it. It’s infectious. And that’s the thing that I love about it. It’s so infectious that even though I may not have been a part of that fandom, I am drawn to it and now want to know more and to now be a part of that, a small part of that is going to be exciting. And actually it’s been really interesting being in both of the worlds. I’m one of the few rare people who have gotten to be in both, so I’m looking forward to that as well.”
We hope Mr.Pierce keeps that schedule clear, he’s going to be in a lot of comic book movies.
Universal Pictures Content Group announced on Friday (March 14) that it has begun production on a documentary chronicling heavy metal icons Iron Maiden‘s 50-year career. The currently untitled film is slated for release internationally in the fall, with U.S. theatrical distribution details to be confirmed later.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
According to a release, the long-awaited doc is an “emotive journey through Iron Maiden’s 50 Year history told from the perspective of both the band and some of their most devoted followers – from longstanding superfans to established names from the worlds of film and music such as Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich and Gene Simmons.”
In addition, the doc is slated to feature exclusive interviews with key band members and the final interview with original vocalist, Paul Di’Anno, who died in October 2024 at 66 from a tear in the sac around his heart. In addition to rare archival footage of the group, the doc will also include all-new animated sequences with Maiden’s fan-favorite ghoulish grin zombie mascot Eddie, who has appeared on all their album covers.
Trending on Billboard
“We’re proud Universal Pictures Content Group has chosen to share the unique story of Iron Maiden with the world,” said Maiden manager Rod Smallwood in a statement about the film that will be directed by Malcolm Venville (Churchill At War). “We have given them unrestricted access to the band, our fans and musical peers. We trust that they will excite not only music fans but also anyone who loves a story of an underdog beating the odds to become and remain one of Britain’s biggest musical exports since our first record released 45 years ago.”
The movie description continues, “The film offers a unique visual experience that highlights Iron Maiden’s widespread impact and the strong connection between the band and their truly global army of fans. The film also explores the cultural movement Iron Maiden has helped shape and their enduring legacy in both music and fan culture, challenging common perceptions of the wider significance of rock music and heavy metal.”
Iron Maiden formed in East London in 1975 and helped spearhead a resurgent wave of British metal on their way to selling more than 100 million records worldwide thanks to such hard-charging hit singles as “Run to the Hills,” “The Number of the Beast,” “Aces High,” “Flight of Icarus,” “The Trooper” and “Hallowed Be Thy Name.”
“We’re thrilled Iron Maiden have entrusted us to bring their legacy to cinemas around the world,” said Universal Pictures Content group executive vice president Helen Parker. “Working closely with the band and their passionate fans has been an unrivalled experience allowing us to tell their story in a unique way and celebrate their incomparable fearless creativity in their 50th anniversary year.” The film will be produced by Dominic Freeman (Spirits in the Forest – a Depeche Mode Film), with Parker serving as executive producer.
Iron Maiden will launch their 50th anniversary Run For Your Lives tour in Budapest on May 27, with 32 other dates currently scheduled throughout Europe through August 2.
Director Ezra Edelman spent nearly five years meticulously piecing together his sprawling, nine-hour documentary about Prince. In an appearance this week on the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast, the Oscar-winning director of O.J.: Made in America called the decision by Netflix and the Prince estate to pull the plug on the film a “joke.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“The estate, here’s the one thing they were allowed to do: Check the film for factual inaccuracies. Guess what? They came back with a 17-page document full of editorial issues — not factual issues,” Edelman said. “You think I have any interest in putting out a film that is factually inaccurate?”
Trending on Billboard
The Yale-educated director known for his deep-dive process, spent years developing and meticulously editing his six-part The Book of Prince doc for Netflix — after being hand-picked for the project by former Netflix VP of independent film and documentary features Lisa Nishimura — only to have the Prince estate object to the way the late singer was depicted in the film; the estate announced last month that the project would never be released and that it was working on its own documentary featuring “exclusive content” from the archive of the singer who died of an accidental fentanyl overdose in April 2016 at age 57.
“This is reflective of Prince himself, who was notoriously one of the most famous control freaks in the history of artists,” said Edelman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame icon known for fiercely protecting his name, image and likeness. “The irony being that Prince was somebody who fought for artistic freedom, who didn’t want to be held down by Warner Bros., who he believed was stifling his output. And now, in this case — by the way, I’m not Prince, but I worked really hard making something, and now my art’s being stifled and thrown away.”
Before the public saw even a frame of the film, it was in the headlines last September when a New York Times magazine profile described elements of the project that touched on Prince’s alleged physical and emotional abuse of his partners, as well as allegations that the singer had suffered abuse as a child. At the time, the two companies that control Prince’s assets, Primary Wave Music and Prince Legacy, said that they were “working to resolve matters concerning the documentary so that his story may be told in a way that is factually correct and does not mischaracterize or sensationalize his life.”
Following the shelving of the film, Edelman said that he believes Netflix is “afraid of [Prince’s] humanity.” Torres, who has seen the movie, said he came away with the takeaway that “this is one of the most impressive artists that has ever lived.”
That sentiment appeared to confirm Edelman’s feelings about the project. “This is the thing that I just find galling. I mean, I can’t get past this — the short-sightedness of a group of people whose interest is their own bottom line,” Edelman said.
“The lawyer who runs the estate essentially said he believed that this would do generational harm to Prince. In essence, that the portrayal of Prince in this film — what people learn about him — would deter younger viewers and fans, potentially, from loving Prince,” the director added. “They would be turned off. This is, I think, the big issue here: I’m like, ‘This is a gift — a nine-hour treatment about an artist that was, by the way, f–king brilliant.’ Everything about who you believe he is is in this movie. You get to bathe in his genius. And yet you also have to confront his humanity, which he, by the way, in some ways, was trapped in not being able to expose because he got trapped in his own myth about who he was to the world, and he had to maintain it.”
Though neither Netflix nor the Prince estate have detailed what specific issues they have with the doc, among the controversial allegations reportedly featured in the project are claims from one of the singer’s former lovers, Jill Jones, who allegedly describes a night when Prince slapped and punched her in the face. Another former paramour, Susannah Melvoin — musician and twin sister of Prince and the Revolution guitarist/singer Wendy Melvoin — reportedly told the director that after she moved in with Prince he would not let her leave the house, monitored her phone calls and tried to keep her from seeing her sister. It also reportedly featured accounts of Prince asking Wendy Melvoin to renounce her homosexuality as a prerequisite for getting the Revolution back together.
“The whole point of it is the journey. And the whole point of it was actually reflecting a journey that he went through,” Edelman told Torres. “Prince’s whole thing was that he was a Gemini and so this sort of push-and-pull of who he was in all these facets, male/female, black/white, artist/businessman, it goes on and on. In terms of this binary in his head was this idea of good and evil, which, sorry, God and sex, and that was another basic dichotomy of his art. He was always sort of weighing his moral account of how he was going through the world and he believed in karma in terms of how he treated people.”
The movie also reportedly features an interview with Prince’s ex-wife, Mayte Garcia, in which she alleges that he left her alone after the couple’s son died six days after his birth due to a rare genetic disorder. At press time it did not appear that Netflix or the Prince Estate had responded to Edelman’s interview; at press time a spokesperson for Prince had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment.
“The image I’ve had in my head is the last show of Raiders of the Lost Ark, of just a huge warehouse somewhere in Netflix. A crate and just like put away,” Edelman said, noting that viewers will never see his work because he doesn’t “feel like getting sued.”
Watch Edelman discuss the doc’s cancellation below.
Taylor Lautner has no time for your body-shaming hate speech. The Twilight actor posted an Instagram Story on Wednesday (Feb. 26) in which he hit out at recent cruel comments about Selena Gomez that were re-posted influencer Alex Light. The British podcaster and body positivity advocate shared a before-and-after shot of the singer/actress that included harsh internet comments about Sel’s weight alongside her own statement about the “impossible” beauty standards society puts on women in the spotlight.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
While Light’s caption leaned into the theme of “out bodies are ours, not up for public discussion,” the inclusion of a round-up of unkind online statement’s about Gomez’s fluctuating weight appeared to set Lautner off.
Trending on Billboard
“It’s a cruel world full of hate out there,” wrote the actor, who in 2023 opened up on his podcast The Squeeze about how the focus on his physique during his Twilight years has had a lasting effect on his body image. “You can never please everyone nor should you have to. In my experience it doesn’t make the words sting less, it just refocuses you onto what matters,” Lautner continued. ” And it sure isn’t the shape, color or appearance of your body. Daily reminder to all of us to not forget how beautiful you are inside and out…and be a little bit nicer.”
Lautner’s post was cued to the 2011 Selena Gomez & the Scene song “Who Says,” which features the empowering lyrics: “I wouldn’t want to be anybody else/ You made me insecure/ Told me I wasn’t good enough/ But who are you to judge?/ When you’re a diamond in the rough.”
Gomez has repeatedly knocked down body shaming comments during her career, including speaking about her “weight fluctuation” following a 2015 lupus diagnosis and a kidney transplant in 2017 in a 2023 TikTok Live post addressing critiques of her body.
As a result of the diagnosis and other health struggles, Gomez explained in the Live that her medication causes her to hold on to water weight. “And that happens very normally,” she said at the time. “And then when I’m off of it I tend to kind of lose weight.” She also shared a positive message with her fans about their inner beauty and her focus on health first.
“I just want people to know that you’re beautiful and you’re wonderful,” Gomez told fans. “And yeah we have days where maybe we feel like s–t but I would much rather be healthy and take care of myself and my medications are important and I believe they are what helps me. So, yeah, not a model, never will be. And I think they’re awesome, mind you, I just, I’m definitely not that.”
You can see Light’s original post here.
Pink Floyd‘s beloved 1972 live film, Pink Floyd at Pompeii — MCMLXXII — will return to movie theaters worldwide beginning on April 24. The film directed by Adrian Maben, will also be screened on IMAX in a digitally remastered, 4K version taken from the original 35mm footage, with enhanced audio that has been newly mixed by Steven Wilson, representing what a release said is the “definitive version of this pioneering film.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“Since 1994, I have searched for the elusive film rushes of Pink Floyd At Pompeii, so the recent discovery of the 1972 original 35mm cut negative was a very special moment,” said Lana Topham, Floyd’s director of restoration in a statement. “The newly restored version presents the first full 90-minute cut, combining the 60-minute source edit of the performance with the additional Abbey Road Studios documentary segments filmed shortly after.”
The movie’s re-release will be accompanied by a Legacy Recordings release of the live album on CD, digital audio and for the first time in Dolby Atmos and on vinyl on May 2, featuring performances of the songs “Careful With That Axe, Eugene,” “Something Else,” “Syncopated Pandemonium,” “Storm Signals” and “Echoes – Part II,” among others.
Trending on Billboard
The film preceded the release of the psychedelic warriors’ landmark 1973 Dark Side of the Moon album, with the band setting up in the ruins of the ancient Roman Amphitheatre in Pompeii, Italy in October 1971 for a gig without an audience. It was the first live concert set in one of the oldest surviving amphitheaters in the world, built in 70 B.C.
According to a release, the movie “documents what Pink Floyd did before they became giants of the album charts on both sides of the Atlantic – where their music remains celebrated to this day. Set in the hauntingly beautiful ruins of the ancient Roman Amphitheatre in Pompeii, Italy, this unique and immersive film captures Pink Floyd performing an intimate concert without an audience… The breathtaking visuals of the amphitheatre, captured both day and night, amplify the magic of the performance. Additionally, the film includes rare behind-the-scenes footage of the band beginning work on The Dark Side of the Moon at Abbey Road Studios.”
Former Floyd drummer Nick Mason said in a statement that Live At Pompeii is a “rare and unique document of the band performing live in the period before” Dark Side of the Moon. The original has been hand-restored, frame-by-frame from the original 35mm cut negative, which was discovered in five “dubiously labeled” cans in the band’s archive and scanned in 4K using “advanced techniques to ensure the finest, sharpest detail.”
Detailing the new 5.1 and Dolby Atmos mix — intended to match how the band sounded on those “scorching hot days in 1971” — Wilson said, “Ever since my dad brainwashed me as a kid by playing The Dark Side of the Moon on repeat, Pink Floyd has been my favourite band. They are my ‘Beatles,’ deeply ingrained in my musical DNA. I first saw Pompeii from a grainy print at a local cinema. It made an incredible impression on me with its untethered and exploratory rock music made by four musicians that seemed to epitomise the notion of intellectual cool. It was an honour to remix the soundtrack to accompany Lana Topham’s incredible restoration of the film, which looks like it could’ve been filmed yesterday.”
Tickets for the film will go on sale beginning March 5 at 9 a.m. ET here.
Check out the album tracklist and a preview of the band’s “Echoes – Part 1” performance below.
Side A
1. “Pompeii Intro”
2. “Echoes – Part 1”
3. “Careful With That Axe, Eugene”
Side B
1. “A Saucerful of Secrets”
2. “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun”
Side C
1. “One of These Days”
2. “Mademoiselle Nobs”
3. “Echoes – Part 2”
Side D
1. “Careful With that Axe, Eugene – Alternate take”
2. “A Saucerful of Secrets – Unedited”
Apple Original Films announced that the documentary Bono: Stories of Surrender will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on May 30. In addition, the “lyrical, bold exploration” of the U2 singer’s one-man show of the same name based on his 2022 memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs One Story, will also be the first feature-length film available on […]
Janelle Monáe will explore the art of the con in the upcoming Universal Pictures adaptation of Tanya Smith’s 2024 memoir, Never Saw Me Coming: How I Outsmarted the FBI and the Entire Banking System – and Pocketed $40 Million. According to Variety, Monáe will star in the film and also produce through her Wonderland Pictures company.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Smith — who saw herself a modern-day Robin Hood after figuring out how to wipe out her relatives’ debt by manipulating the banking system — will be an executive producer on the movie. The gripping story is described as a heist thriller that provides a “powerful examination of systemic prejudice and economic inequality,” following Smith’s journey from mischievous teenage hacker to a master manipulator of the U.S. financial system.
Trending on Billboard
The book’s publisher, Hachette Book Group calls the story a riveting tale of an “unsuspecting woman who creates an ingeniously clever white-collar scheme that manipulates the Federal banking system out of millions — who eventually loses everything that is most important to her.”
The story follows Smith as she begins her life of deception as a teenager with an interest in technology, figuring out how to acquire the phone numbers of stars including Michael Jackson and other celebs, before moving on to stealing and depositing $5,000 into her grandmother’s bank account, and, by 18, confiscating $40 million dollars in cash, gold, diamonds and commodities from banks using hacked wire transfers.
“The FBI is hot on her tail and hauls her in for an interview, demanding Smith let them know who she’s working for, ‘as these are not the kind of crimes Black people are smart enough to commit,’” reads the book synopsis. “Their words, indicating that intelligence was determined by race, severely offended Smith. Up for the challenge, she proves the FBI wrong and over time steals $40 million dollars, while securing diamonds, gold bars, and other commodities. Her lifestyle attracts the wrong kind of people, even those who set out to kill her.”
The investigators hot on her trail, Smith is tagged as “one of the single biggest threats to the entire U.S. banking system,” earning her the longest prison sentence ever (13 years) for white-collar crimes, only to be released after mounting her own “brilliant defense.” Along the way, Smith escaped from prison two years into her sentence by disguising herself as a lawyer and gave birth to two children while incarcerated.
Monáe latest starring role will follow up on her well-received roles in the films Moonlight, Hidden Figures, Harriet, Antebellum and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
If you are on a hunt for more clues about The Weeknd‘s upcoming Hurry Up Tomorrow film, the first trailer for the Trey Edward Shults-directed thriller won’t provide much clarity. The two-minute first look at the movie inspired by the singer’s album of the same name dropped on Tuesday morning (Feb. 4) and unlike many contemporary trailers it leaves more questions unanswered.
The action opens with a vertigo-inducing helicopter shot of an upside down cityscape as co-star Jenna Ortega’s character Anima intones, “Death is nothing at all. It does not kill,” over a shot of the Weeknd submerged in a bathtub up to his eyes.
Then, things start to get a bit weird. As we get our first glimpse of Anima, her voice appears to merge with Abel’s as they say, “everything remains exactly how it was. Whatever we were to each other that we are still.” Keoghan’s character, Abel’s manager, Lee, then pops up with a weary look on his face as a ghostly voice announces (not for the last time in the tailer), “call me by the old familiar name.”
Trending on Billboard
According to EW, in an interview conducted before the trailer dropped, Shults said it was “absolutely” possible that the movie is the vehicle by which Tesfaye will lay his long-running artistic alter ego to rest. “I tried to make the movie in a way where, for his fans and people who want to approach it at that level, I hope it’s very satisfying and you get a good meal out of it,” Shults said. “And for people that aren’t his fans and don’t know anything about him or even care about the final capping of the Weeknd, I think you still have a great movie to go through.
Speaking to Variety last month, Tesfaye confirmed that he was planning to retire his enigmatic Weeknd persona following last month’s release of the Hurry Up Tomorrow album, the conclusion of a trilogy that began with 2020’s After Hours LP and continued on 2022’s Dawn FM. “It’s a headspace I’ve gotta get into that I just don’t have any more desire for,” he said of his stage name. “You have a persona, but then you have the competition of it all. It becomes this rat race: more accolades, more success, more shows, more albums, more awards and more No. 1s. It never ends until you end it.”
The movie follows insomniac Abel as he’s pulled into an “odyssey with a stranger [Anima] who begins to unravel the very core of his existence.” Fans will recognize the by-now-familiar gold leaf-decked hooded robe in the trailer that Tesfaye has been wearing in recent performances in a bit where the bleary-eyed singer is hoisted on a lift up to a stage at a packed arena.
As a techno track bubbles up, we see Keoghan’s Lee trying to hype up Abel — “stop self-doubting, you’re f–king invincible!” he says — whose performance appears to make Anima tear up in the audience. She assures the singer, “this is all very intense, but I’m not trying to hurt you,” adding, “I’m really sorry about this. I really am,” as she sits next to a seemingly dazed and confused Abel on a bed.
The finale 45 seconds are a headlong rush of hectic imagery, including Anima pouring gas in a home as if to torch it as Abel gets more and more freaked out by the chaos around him. In keeping with the album trilogy’s visual presentation of an often-battered, spun-out singer, Shults told EW that the film is about an artist “on the verge of a mental breakdown,” explaining that he meets a woman [Ortega] and they “go on this odyssey together. It’s a mix of psychological thriller and drama. I honestly feel like I’ve never seen a movie quite like it.”
Ortega added that she thinks her character is another version of the singer, “a side of him that the persona the Weeknd doesn’t show as much.” The Hurry Up Tomorrow film — co-written by Shults, Tesfaye and The Idol co-creator Reza Fahim — will premiere in theaters on May 16.
Watch the trailer below.