Undertone ending explained: Who is Abyzou?
The buzzy new horror film from first-time director Ian Tuason has just arrived in UK cinemas.
If you've ever found that there is something a little scary about slowed-down renditions of nursery rhymes, then there's a chance you'll find new horror flick Undertone utterly terrifying. The feature debut of writer/director Ian Tuason has generated plenty of buzz since it's festival premiere last year – although our own 2-star review is on the more negative end of the spectrum – and has just arrived in UK cinemas to frighten audiences on this side of the Atlantic. It stars The Handmaid's Tale star Nina Kiri as a woman named Evy, who is caring for her comatose mother and – along with her co-host Justin (Adam Di Marco) – presents a horror podcast where they report on supernatural occurrences that are sent in to them by their listeners. At the start of the film, the pair begin to look into a series of unsettling voice recordings sent to them by a couple named Mike and Jessa, which include some pretty horrifying versions of London Bridge and Baa Baa Black Sheep. As the pair begin to research into hidden messages contained within these famous songs, things begin to get a little freaky – not to mention demonic. Seen the film and need those final moments unpacked? Read on to have the Undertone ending explained. Undertone ending explained: Who is Abyzou? Throughout the film, the supposedly skeptical Evy begins to appear more and more genuinely spooked by the contents of the audio files. Meanwhile, we also learn through phone calls that she is six weeks pregnant – although she is currently unsure whether she would like to keep the baby. When one of the recordings from Mike and Jessa is played backwards, a phrase is heard which suddenly unlocks things: "Come in Abyzou." Evy and Justin research this and discover that Abyzou is a demon in European folklore who was said to cause miscarriages and drive mothers to murder their own children out of jealousy. Naturally, given her pregnancy, this is not exactly the most comforting news to Evy. And this general sense of unease is made even worse by the fact that she is starting to notice all sorts of weird, creepy occurrences around her house, not least the fact that her mother – who has shown no sign of waking from her unconscious state – appears to be mysteriously moving around, and that a statue of the Virgin Mary keeps reappearing in strange places. View Green Video on the source website When the time comes to play the final recording, Jessa says that she must warn someone who is listening – and it appears that that person must be Evy herself. We learn through a caller to the podcast that in the time since these recordings were sent, Mike and Jessa were found dead in their house with plastic bags over their heads and crayon drawings of babies all over their walls. What's more, it was revealed in an autopsy that Jessa had been pregnant. A further listener to the podcast – named Abby – then calls in a hysterical state, with her child also heard crying in the background. As it becomes apparent that this caller is about to murder her child, the now terrified Evy claims that she was responsible for killing her own mother, and rushes upstairs where the walls are now covered in drawings of both Abyzou and various bloodied infants. It would appear that Abyzou has been able to enter Evy's house through the files and is now wreaking havoc on her, although the film cuts to black before we ever find out the exact fate of Evy and her mother. The film leaves things ambiguous, but speaking to In Review Online, director Tuason explained: "I wanted to find a demon from ancient folklore that killed children. The idea was that Evy doesn’t want to have a child, and maybe she’s unconsciously summoning this demon to take away this burden that she has. That was the original idea. "And then I found Abyzou, which was a demon from the Testament of Solomon, which is an ancient book, an ancient scripture. She was perfect for this movie. Again, it’s just like nursery rhymes. The Testament of Solomon is passed on through oral tradition." He added: "Solomon’s Testament was his oral rendition of what he says he went through. Then that gets passed on from generation to generation until we have this being that exists only in our imagination. "But since we’re all connected in many ways, in language and culture, who’s to say that this entity doesn’t really exist?" Undertone is now showing in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
James McAvoy on his earliest film memories and future directing hopes: 'I was offered a lot of working class Scottish dramas'
McAvoy has made his directorial debut with California Schemin' – and he spoke to Radio Times for our Film Flashbacks series.
Since he began acting in the late '90s, James McAvoy has emerged as one of our most reliably excellent on-screen presences, turning in great performances in everything from The Chronicles of Narnia and Atonement to Split and the X-Men franchise. But for his latest film project California Schemin', the Scot is taking up a new role behind the camera – serving as the film's director in addition to giving himself one of the movie's most entertaining supporting roles. The film tells the true – though at times unbelievable – story of Scottish rap duo Silibil N’ Brains, who made it pretty big in the music industry after posing as Americans in order to trick record label executives into giving them a chance in the early '00s. To mark the release, Radio Times spoke to McAvoy for our Film Flashbacks series – discussing everything from his very first film memories to what led him to think about directing and his hopes for further projects at the helm. You can check out the full interview below. What are your earliest memories of watching films – of being a child growing up and learning about film? My earliest memory of film was probably... I sound so serious (laughs). My earliest memory of film... I was watching a Kurosawa. No it was very much the opposite. It was like watching Digby, the Biggest Dog on Earth or something like that at a Saturday morning film club in Ashton Lane [in Glasgow] where your parents would come and like, take you and leave you, and there'd be like five 30-minute movies and cartoons and you got a bag of sweeties and just mayhem with kids fighting, and doing hide and seek and just general pugilism... and that was my earliest memory. My earliest memory of like proper cinema, I think it's Jim Cameron's Terminator. When I was about five and watching that... me and my sister watching Terminator, I'd say those are my two formative memories of cinema. But the things that really formed me are, like, comedies weirdly. Eighties comedies. My granny and my great-grandmother and my grandpa, and I would watch a lot of eighties comedies. This is your first film as director. Do you remember first becoming aware of film directors and what they do? No. To be honest with you, no. I've tried to remain sort of immune to it – and I managed to do that as an actor. Because I hear so many people say like, 'Oh, I can't watch stuff the same way I used to and I don't enjoy movies the way I used to.' And I was like, 'I don't want that to happen to me.' So I've weirdly tried not to become too technical and learn too much. I have learned lots. I know tons. But I've never tried to study it. And what I liked about my experience as a director – and you can argue with this when you see the film, you might say, 'Didn't work, mate!' – but I managed to be super prepared. You can't make a low budget independent film without being incredibly well prepared. Or you can, it would just be really bad or you'll miss opportunities. But I was still able to kind of feel my way through it. I was as prepared as I could be, but there was still space to be prepared. And I think sometimes when we study film like it is the end goal, we sort of deify the art form in a way that... The end goal is not to make a great film. The end goal is to tell a really good story. And you can do that anyway. You can do that on radio and TV and in person, one to one in the pub. You don't need to make a film. So what are we doing? We're telling stories. And so that's the end goal. And that's the thing I'm a student of is telling stories. And I'm trying not to be a student of film. In terms of your very early acting days, your first acting credit was The Near Room in 1995. What do you remember about first going on film sets? Man, it's mental. Like I'd never done a single bit of acting before in my life. I'd never done any drama club, no theatre group, no youth theatre, nothing. And I'm on a film set about child prostitution and pornography in Glasgow. And you're like, 'And go actor.' Do you know what I mean? Like, the word action gets shouted and you're like... suddenly, you somehow kind of know what to do. It was mental. I don't think I'm very good in that film. But David Hayman, our director... actor, producer, philanthropist, all round, kind of renaissance man in Scotland, really if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be acting. Anyway, mental environment to be in. Day one. I'm playing this guy who's obsessed with Muhammad Ali, and I have to punch Adrian Dunbar, the actor, and I hit him for real on day one 'cause I was like, 'Well, I've never acted before. I dunno how to throw a stage punch!'. And I didn't knock him out or anything like that, but I did knock him. In that first decade of your career, what do you consider as major turning points – or films where you thought, 'I know what I'm doing now'? It's a tricky... it's a treacherous one, isn't it? 'Cause the minute you go, 'Yeah, I feel at home'... you may be too much at home. You don't work at home, you know what I mean? You work outside your front door. You leave home to go to work. The first time I felt kind of like secure, like 'Maybe I've kind of like got a handhold in this industry' was probably about 26, 27. Kind of like after Wanted had come out, Wanted and Atonement had been out. And I was like, I don't feel secure, but I feel like I'm holding on tight. I've got somewhere to put my feet and somewhere to put my hands. But you might not, next time there's an earthquake. Do you know what I mean? I'm starting to feel sometimes... and this is in the right part, when you're well cast, I'm starting to feel comfortable as a performer. But that's maybe a sign that I shouldn't be doing it. View Green Video on the source website Is that part of the reason why you thought now was the time to try your hand at directing? Absolutely, a hundred percent. When did you start thinking that directing was something that you wanted to try? Really early. I worked with some first time directors when I was younger and it was really... it didn't take a very experienced eye to see that there was mistakes being made. Or not necessarily mistakes because it's art, there are no mistakes, is there? But decisions where you're like, 'I wouldn't do that.' Or you know, there's an opportunity that's gone by, a great opportunity and we missed it. So all that's happening and it makes you think you know what you're doing. So I thought 'I could direct and I'll do it.' And I remember being on set when I was 16 and thinking like, 'Oh, I would do this and I wonder why he's putting the camera there. I'd be doing this.' It's very easy to sort of see what other people are doing wrong and think you know how to do it. And then you work with somebody who's really good. And you know, it's really good and it feels amazing and the show is great, or the movie is great and it's magical and like 'This is the best thing I've ever done.' But it's like magic. I can't see the trick. I can't see what it is. So trying to emulate people who aren't very good is easy. Trying to emulate people who are brilliant is harder, and it gave me pause. I should have probably done it in my thirties, but my acting career was going nicely and I was earning good money and I don't really earn any money as a director yet. So that was enticing to stay away from it. But it feels like I need to... you know, I'm 30 years into my career. I can't imagine I'm going to only act for the rest of my life. Even if it's not directing, I'm like, I dunno, do I have a cafe or something like that? I just need to do something else in my life as well. Within your career, you've done different types of films, different genres. You've done big franchise stuff and smaller, independent stuff. Would you consider having that same breadth as a director? Would you be interested in, for example, going into a big film franchise as a director? I wouldn't just answer that question by saying 'Yes, I would.' Because yes, I would like to have the same breadth of sort of artistic dexterity that I've been afforded and allowed, which not a lot of actors do, in my acting career. I'd like to be able to do different genres and different things. When I'd said I wanted to be a director, I was very fortunate to be offered tons of working class Scottish dramas, which is interesting 'cause I've not played a lot of working class Scottish people, maybe like four in my entire career. But I guess the industry tells you what you are. Working class Scottish stuff that is depressing and about alcoholics, right? And that's what I got offered. Now I've done a working class, Scottish musical biopic, maybe I'll just get lots of musical biopics. Do you know what I mean? It's kind of like that. It's sort of like the industry kinda goes, 'Oh, you're that guy.' I've managed to not be that in my acting career, so I'd love to not be that in my directing career. And some of the directors that I really admire – a lot of the directors that I really admire – are eclectic and do have a different styles for different movies. I can't imagine being one of those directors who has such a strong aesthetic and who's like, I dunno whether it's their macabre sense of like baroque humour... whatever it is, permeates everything they do. That's not ever gonna be me. California Schemin' is now showing in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
What films are out in UK cinemas this week? Reviews from You, Me and Tuscany to Undertone
Your weekly round-up of all the films currently showing in UK cinemas.
There are five major films released in UK cinemas this weekend – and the various options could hardly be more different from each other. If you're in the mood for an escapist romcom there's You, Me and Tuscany, starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page. After some frights? There's buzzy "found audio" horror flick Undertone? And if you fancy a musical biopic about an unconventional Scottish rap duo, there's James McAvoy's directorial debut California Schemin'. Meanwhile, popular indie auteur Jim Jarmush is back with his star-studded latest Father Mother Sister Brother, and acclaimed French director François Ozon has a new monochrome adaptation of classic Albert Camus novel The Stranger. You can find our reviews for all those films below, while you can also discover our lowdown on the other major movies released in UK cinemas in recent weeks, including hit sci-fi flick Project Hail Mary and Pixar's Hoppers. Read on for your weekly round-up of all the films currently showing in UK cinemas. What films are released in UK cinemas this week? 10 - 16 April You, Me and Tuscany Halle Bailey (The Little Mermaid) and Regé-Jean Page (Netflix's Bridgerton) headline this sweet-but-silly Italian-set romcom. Bailey is Anna, a would-be chef who impulsively travels to Tuscany, cheekily bedding down in the empty villa belonging to the family of Lorenzo (Marco Calvani), an Italian expat she met back home. When his folks catch her, they mistakenly believe Anna and their prodigal son are engaged – a mix-up further complicated when she develops feelings for Lorenzo’s cousin Michael (Page). With lush locations, blissful Mediterranean weather and gorgeous-looking food – not to mention Page with his shirt off in one sprinkler scene – director Kay Coiro (Marry Me) tantalises the senses, if not the grey matter, with a story that even references its own spiritual predecessor, the Diane Lane-starring Under the Tuscan Sun (2003). The Italian stereotypes loom large, and there’s a saucy postcard humour to the script, but Bailey’s graceful presence and Page’s spiky lover carry the story through. A sun-kissed charmer, best seen with a Spritz in hand. – James Mottram Read our interview with Regé-Jean Page and Halle Bailey California Schemin' The directorial debut of actor James McAvoy, based on the book by Gavin Bain, is a raucous musical romp about two Scottish hip-hop artists who name themselves Silibil N' Brains. After they are laughed out of their first audition as the "rapping Proclaimers", the pair (played by Samuel Bottomley and Séamus McLean Ross) reinvent themselves as an LA duo, learning American accents from movies and TV. The flimsy lie doesn’t hold, but for a time they live the dream. This is frenetic fun packed with nostalgia – a euphoric rags-to-riches-to-rags movie that is no less energetic and enjoyable for the fact that it's a bit predictable. The ending isn't entirely satisfying, but it’s a good time with a big heart. Stay for the credits to see the real Silibil N' Brains, whom you won’t believe aren’t American. – Rosie Fletcher Read our interview with the real Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd Undertone Paranormal podcast presenter Evy (Nina Kiri) gets the shivers when her co-host shares an anonymous email of spooky audio files in this low-budget frightener that's woefully short on suspense. Piecing together the recordings of a couple singing nursery rhymes in their sleep, she and her colleague (an unseen Adam DiMarco) debate whether the files contain murderous messages when played backwards. This offers Evy a brief respite from dealing with issues closer to home, including an invalid mother, an unexpected pregnancy, and ongoing struggles with alcoholism. As plots go, it’s frustratingly thin, not helped by pedestrian camera work that rarely ventures from the almost expression-free face of its lead actor. Whereas box-office hits The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield helped establish the "found footage" chiller as a valid subgenre, the "found audio" variation struggles to make much of an impression. Writer/director Ian Tuason’s lack of pace or incident suggests the story might have been more robust as a half-hour short, rather than stretched out to feature length. – Terry Staunton Read our full Undertone review Father Mother Sister Brother View Green Video on the source website A triptych of tales about parent/child relationships makes up the unassuming winner of the 2025 Venice film festival’s Golden Lion. It might just be the quietest film yet by writer/director Jim Jarmusch, who returns to the anthology-style format he’s previously pursued in Coffee and Cigarettes, Night on Earth and Mystery Train. The first story, infused with low-key melancholy, sees two grown-up siblings (Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik) visit their isolated father (Tom Waits) in rural America. The most memorable segment sees two sisters (Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps) call upon their ice-cold mother (Charlotte Rampling) in Dublin. Finally, in Paris, two non-identical twins (Indya Moore, Luka Sabbat) contend with their parents’ recent demise. If there’s a connecting thread, it’s Jarmusch’s subtle ideas about what we take, and how we evolve, from our parents. Performance-wise, long-time Jarmusch collaborator Waits is at his grizzled best, while Rampling’s prim matriarch is pitch-perfect. The cumulative effect will leave you in a thoughtful, if perhaps not enlivened, mood. – James Mottram The Stranger A white French national is arrested for fatally wounding a young local at an Algiers beach in this seductive, expertly realised take on Albert Camus’s 1942 existential classic. "I killed an Arab" notes Meursault (Benjamin Voisin) as he arrives in jail, before the film rewinds to events before the act. Meursault’s mother’s funeral, at which he shows little emotion, is followed by his meet-cute with the radiant Marie (Rebecca Marder). But it’s his encounter with the slimy Sintés (Pierre Lottin) that leads him down a darker path. Adapted by director François Ozon, the script makes subtle adjustments to Camus’s work without ever demystifying its more enigmatic elements. Naming the victim, for example, gives more definition than Camus ever managed. Shot in exquisite black and white, the sweltering feel, especially in the courtroom scenes, lends this a hothouse atmosphere that plays well on screen. Likewise, Voisin (star of Ozon’s 2020 film Summer of ’85) is wonderfully steely, his motivations tantalisingly out of reach. It adds up to a resonant study of historical French-Algerian tensions. – James Mottram Best of the rest still showing in UK cinemas The Super Mario Galaxy Movie View Green Video on the source website Nintendo’s video-game icons Mario and Luigi return for this follow-up to 2022’s CG-animated The Super Mario Bros Movie. In the colourful Mushroom Kingdom, sibling plumbers Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) meet Yoshi (Donald Glover), a green dinosaur-like figure with a rapacious appetite. Together, they must rescue Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) – sister to the kingdom’s ruler, Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) – who has been abducted by their enemy’s son, Bowser Jr (Benny Safdie). Returning co-directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic keep the energy levels high, with scenes that feel like you’re playing Mario Kart or any one of the myriad platform-style Mario games. There are plenty of Easter eggs, too, including Glen Powell voicing Fox McCloud, the protagonist from Nintendo’s Star Fox series. Sadly, the humdrum story underwhelms, lacking in fresh elements, and Safdie aside, the vocal performances are as subdued as the script. Younger viewers, though, will delight in the trippy chaos. – James Mottram Two Women This quirky, incisive gem of a sex comedy reimagines Claude Fournier’s 1970 film Two Women in Gold. Trapped in mediocre marriages, Florence (Karine Gonthier-Hyndman) and Violette (Laurence Leboeuf) begin to reassess their domestic lives and embark on a sexual revolution after they form an unexpected friendship. Director Chloé Robichaud and writer Catherine Léger offer an acute examination of female sexuality, modern relationships and infidelity. They also sidestep the reductive pull of the male gaze, and their vision is complemented nicely by Sara Mishara's clean cinematography. Leboeuf and Gonthier-Hyndman are well suited to their roles, with Violette’s softness and Florence’s humour bringing a playful, engaging balance of levity and emotion to each scene. Though occasionally nonsensical, with some characters remaining underdeveloped and a handful of slightly teeth-gritting jokes, Two Women is ultimately a clever and colourful Canadian romp. – Chezelle Bingham The Magic Faraway Tree Enid Blyton’s titular novels are adapted into this fantastical family film by director Ben Gregor. Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy play a pair of down-on-their-luck parents who, when their debts pile up, move with their three children to a ramshackle home in the countryside. The youngest child (Billie Gadsdon) comes across a magical tree that is home to a collection of eccentric but mostly affable oddballs. With their help, she is transported to an eclectic array of lands, and eventually persuades her more cynical siblings to join her on this adventure of discovery. Having previously co-scripted the screenplays for Paddington 2 and Wonka, Simon Farnaby has proven he has a deft hand for updating beloved children’s classics for modern audiences. This doesn’t have quite the same wit or spark, and occasionally strays from pleasantly endearing to mildly irritating. However, there’s more than enough whimsical appeal to charm younger audiences, and a parade of famous faces from the British comedy scene provide an abundance of amusing moments. One scene featuring Lenny Henry, Michael Palin and Simon Russell Beale as a three-headed "Know-All" is a comedic highlight. – Patrick Cremona Splitsville View Green Video on the source website Marriages are put to the test in this raucous "unromantic" comedy, which hinges on the entwining lives of two sets of friends. Carey (Kyle Marvin) and Ashley (Adria Arjona) are on the verge of divorce. When Carey seeks comfort from Paul (Michael Angelo Covino) and Julie (Dakota Johnson), they reveal that they are in an open relationship. That arrangement is put to the test when Carey sleeps with Julie – a move that erupts with all the force of a long-dormant volcano. Scripted by Marvin and Corvino (who made 2019’s The Climb, the film boasts a riotous energy, especially during a barnstorming central clash between Carey and Paul. Corvino directs with brio, although sometimes the insights into modern-day couplings get lost amid the inherent craziness. It’s a smartly acted film, even if it only hits a couple of the nerves it seeks to. – James Mottram They Will Kill You Golf clubs, hockey sticks, lacrosse... paddles? These are just some of the things that will kill you in "eat the rich" horror They Will Kill You. The film is a computer game-inspired beat ‘em up starring Zazie Beetz (Deadpool 2) as Asia, who escaped her abusive father ten years earlier, leaving her younger sister Maria (Myha'la) in his custody. Now, Asia's back with a vengeance. What starts as a tense home-invasion film becomes a funny and gory body-horror that stylistically echoes what might be John Wick: the Video Game. Based in a hotel called the Virgil, the film uses cuts and clipped shots to create the sensation of literally moving up different levels. It plays like a descent into hell, including an orgiastic "f*** room", leading to a final boss as outrageous as you could hope. Supporting cast Heather Graham, Tom Felton and Patricia Arquette are perfectly committed to the film's enjoyably ludicrous tone. Its rules don’t make sense, but the visuals are funny, weird and wonderful. – Rosie Fletcher Orwell: 2+2=5 View Green Video on the source website The later work of George Orwell provides the basis for this ambitious but not entirely surefooted documentary from director Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro). The focus is on the author's final years, as he pens dystopian classic Nineteen Eighty-Four on the Scottish isle of Jura before succumbing to tuberculosis in early 1950. With Orwell's letters and prose narrated by actor Damian Lewis, Peck illustrates his ideas with clips from TV and film adaptations (including Michael Radford's 1984 take on the novel, with John Hurt). Material from other works, including Ken Loach's 1995 drama Land and Freedom, about the Spanish Civil War, also offer pertinent perspectives surrounding Orwell's life and thought. But where the film really bites is in explicitly pairing the author's prescient ideas about capitalism and totalitarianism with well-chosen modern-day archive film. The usual suspects – Trump, Putin, Musk and Bezos – are all present, but the thought-provoking juxtapositions created by Peck often feel chilling. A shame the uneven balance between straightforward biography and radical political commentary is never quite nailed. – James Mottram Project Hail Mary Ryan Gosling’s mild-mannered science teacher heads to the far end of the galaxy in search of a solution to a dying sun that threatens life on Earth in this joyful and engaging sci-fi. The reluctant amateur astronaut negotiates tricky hurdles as his craft journeys through space, eventually teaming up with an alien whose own planet is facing a similar plight – a stone-like creature whom he names Rocky. Drew Goddard’s screenplay is adapted from a novel by Andy Weir, the same pairing that brought us 2015’s The Martian, and there are obvious parallels to be drawn between Gosling and Matt Damon in the earlier film. However, Project Hail Mary morphs into a buddy movie of sorts with the introduction of Rocky, taking the narrative more towards the family friendly sense of wonderment of Steven Spielberg’s extraterrestrial tales. Gosling’s boyish charm and charisma hold everything together, never allowing the jeopardy of his character’s predicament to overwhelm a heartwarming yarn with a rich seam of humour. – Terry Staunton Read our full Project Hail Mary review Read our interview with author Andy Weir Ready or Not 2: Here I Come Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are back with a splatter-filled, blackly comic sequel that picks up nicely where the original film left off. Grace (Samara Weaving) learns that her survival in the previous life-or-death game has triggered a legal clause that puts her in the sights of the world's wealthiest families. With the high seat on their council now up for grabs, the race is on to kill Grace before dawn. This time around, she's joined by her estranged sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), while the cast of baddies makes room for the likes of David Cronenberg – as the head of the powerful Danforth family – Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy as his offspring, and Elijah Wood as a lawyer overseeing the new game. It’s a fun, John Wick-esque expansion of the story, with some fitting twists and turns that distract from a somewhat uninspired plot. The script could be sharper, but the visual wit and zeal of the participants more than makes up for it. Grace feels like a role Weaving was born to play, but the time seems right to give the gal a break. – Emma Simmonds Read our full Ready or Not 2: Here I Come review Read our interview with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood The Good Boy View Green Video on the source website A delinquent teenager is kidnapped for social rehabilitation in this queasy Yorkshire-set black comedy. Stephen Graham, so good as the father in Netflix series Adolescence, shows another side to his parenting as Chris, a family man fuelled by his own trauma who takes exception to local lout Tommy (Anson Boon). Snatching the lad from the streets, Chris chains him up in the basement of his isolated country pile – also occupied by his ailing wife (Andrea Riseborough) and young son (Kit Rakusen) – where he looks to reform this monster. It’s an intriguing set-up, especially as the days roll on and Tommy goes from angry captive to surrogate family member in a twisted take on Stockholm syndrome. Director Jan Komasa keeps the tension bubbling nicely in a story that feels like a latter-day riposte to A Clockwork Orange. The final act doesn't quite pay off, with characters’ motives left frustratingly opaque, but the film is blessed with cast-iron performances, especially from Graham and Boon. – James Mottram Midwinter Break A quietly stirring performance from Lesley Manville anchors this intelligently conceived but blandly executed drama, adapted from Bernard MacLaverty’s novel. The film debut of Olivier award-winning theatre director Polly Findlay, it follows Stella (Manville) and Gerry (an affable Ciarán Hinds), an Irish couple living in Scotland whose decades-long marriage has reached a malaise. Though Gerry seems content with their lot, Stella has evidently become dissatisfied by a dull life, and hopes a city break in Amsterdam might reinject some spark into their waning relationship. In reality, this only further emphasises the emotional and spiritual gulf that has come between them. There’s something of a travelogue feel to their Dutch adventure, and the film is at its best when digging into its religious themes, as Stella seeks to embrace a more pious existence. There are also references to an incident during the Troubles, though this section of the drama could have used more finesse. It’s occasionally a little lifeless, but as a portrait of a marriage that’s slowly crumbled without any major fireworks, it mostly works. – Patrick Cremona Watch an exclusive clip from Midwinter Break La Grazia The President of Italy is caught in a legal and ethical quagmire in this fitfully interesting political drama from writer/director Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty). Played by Sorrentino’s long-standing leading man Toni Servillo, the principled Mariano De Santis may be a fictional president of the Italian Republic, but his dilemmas are very real. One of his main tasks is to sanction a law legalising euthanasia. He’s also forced to consider two pardons: a beloved teacher who killed his Alzheimer’s-stricken wife, and a young woman convicted of murdering her husband as he slept. Compared to earlier Sorrentino outings – notably 2008’s Il Divo, in which Servillo played real-life Italian politician Giulio Andreotti – this feels more muted, shorn of the director's more outré stylistic tendencies. There are still some surprising set-pieces (including an insane rainstorm), and a thoughtful turn from Servillo, who offers up a cinematic rarity: a politician free from scandal and corruption. Ultimately, it’s a quiet character study – aside from the bizarre choice of a techno musical score – but one that never truly explodes into life. – James Mottram How to Make a Killing The "eat the rich" sub-genre gains a serviceable if unspectacular addition with this thriller starring Glen Powell. Written and directed by John Patton Ford (Emily the Criminal), the title has a neat double entendre, as it opens with Becket Redfellow (Powell) recounting to a priest how he murdered his aristocratic family to claim $28 billion in inheritance. A light-on-its-feet 105 minutes follows, as Becket "prunes a few branches from the family tree" with schemes involving yachts, a bow and arrow and teeth-whitening kits. Powell is a charismatic presence, while Bill Camp and Zach Woods provide the strongest comedic passages as two of his ill-fated kin. Despite aiming to be keenly modern, though, the film can't escape its roots as a wholesale remake of 1949 classic Kind Hearts and Coronets, which ironically leaves it feeling more like a distant relative than an heir apparent to that superlative Ealing comedy. – Max Copeman Read our full review Read our interview with Glen Powell Reminders of Him Vanessa Caswill helms romance novelist Colleen Hoover’s third big-screen literary adaptation, which arrives largely as expected. Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe) has just been released from prison following a tragic mistake, and has returned home hoping to earn some forgiveness and reconnect with her young daughter, Diem (Zoe Kosovic), whom she has never known. On the way, her head is turned by Ledger (Tyriq Withers), an NFL player-turned bar owner whose connection to her, of course, runs deeper than she first realises. There’s neither a great deal to remark on or to ridicule here, with some solid performances and convincing chemistry from the well-cast Monroe and Withers the most impressive aspects of the film. Despite moments of cliché and a fairly regular script, Reminders of Him still offers a dash of sweetness, a dose of cheesiness, and a fun country twang. Its predicable, tear-jerking path proves engaging enough, ultimately delivering a sentimental – if unremarkable – date-night tale of love, family and forgiveness that will almost certainly satisfy fans of "CoHo". – Chezelle Bingham Read our full review Read our interview with Maika Monroe & Tyriq Withers A Pale View of Hills Lives are fractured by personal and historical suffering in this slippery but sometimes uninteresting melodrama, adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro’s 1982 debut novel. Events unfurl between two decades, framed by the return of 20-something writer Niki (Camilla Aiko) to her family home in 1980s Britain after her sister’s suicide. As Niki interviews her mother Etsuko (Yoh Yoshida) about life in early-50s Nagasaki, Etsuko recalls how, as a younger woman (played by Suzu Hirose), she befriended free-spirited mother Sachiko (Fumi Nikaido) – but are these memories reliable? A tale of psychic projection is implied, in which Sachiko resembles a figment of Etsuko’s pain, frustration and remorse. Director Kei Ishikawa crafts the 1950s sequences elegantly, balancing restrained portraits of domesticity with hyperreal landscape shots to suggestive effect. In the 1980s sequences, clunky dialogue and flat compositions tend to stifle the film’s power to haunt and move. But the story comes to fitful life in the hands of Hirose and Nikaido, whose mirrored turns tease out themes of trauma and selfhood with absorbing subtlety. – Kevin Harley Hoppers Pixar blends body-swap chaos with a story about empowering environmentalism in this film directed by We Bare Bears creator Daniel Chong. Teenage activist Mabel (voiced by Piper Curda) is determined to save a forest glade from being bulldozed by Mayor Jerry (Jon Hamm). After uncovering the clandestine experiments of her biology professor (Kathy Najimy), Mabel transfers her consciousness into the body of a lifelike robotic beaver. She befriends a real beaver, King George (Bobby Moynihan), who calls on the assistance of other animal rulers – including Meryl Streep’s formidable Insect Queen – to protect the glade, before things go horribly wrong. Pixar’s take on beavers is as cute as you’d imagine, and the ferociously principled Mabel makes a fascinating hero. The sparkling script from Jesse Andrews (Luca, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) boasts a meaty, moderately complicated story that engages without becoming too confusing. It’s not quite up there with the studio’s finest but this is still witty and wonderfully entertaining, with a positive message about coexistence and not judging our fellow humans too harshly. – Emma Simmonds Read our full Hoppers review Scream 7 As macabre as it may seem, the sound of a shiny blade slicing into human flesh has rarely sounded so reassuring. The seventh spin of the Scream carousel represents a kind of homecoming, with the return of both the franchise’s most enduring heroine (Neve Campbell) and the man who created the whole business 30 years ago (Kevin Williamson) contributing hugely to a horror that’s by no means perfect but isn’t short on pizzazz. Naysayers might be of the opinion that no matter the changes in location or victims, the Scream series has a tendency to repeat itself; and while there’s more than a smidgen of truth in that, the seventh chapter at least displays more style and wit than the last couple of so-so outings. The mystery elements could have been handled more effectively, and while the grisly attacks and fight scenes are choreographed with flair they don’t offer viewers much in the way of jaw-dropping shocks they haven’t seen before. But despite undeniable faults, plot holes and a dubious ending, it’s still a crowd-pleaser executed with zest. – Terry Staunton Read our full Scream 7 review Sirat View Green Video on the source website Taking its name from the Arabic word for a bridge between heaven and hell, this mercilessly tense thriller from Galician writer/director Oliver Laxe holds its audience in a vice-like grip. It follows Luis (Sergi López), a middle-aged Spanish man who takes his pre-teen son and dog to an illegal rave in the Moroccan desert, having heard that his missing daughter might be there. When it gets shut down, he continues his search by following a group of partygoers (played by non-professional actors) towards the Mauritanian border. A perilous road trip follows, and as Luis becomes a fish increasingly out of water, nods to Heart of Darkness or Mad Max give way to the four-wheeled hallucinatory kicks of William Friedkin thriller Sorcerer. There are breathtakingly cruel bumps in the road and a political backdrop that may feel inelegantly plotted, but such concerns give way to the overall sensory experience – and an existential edge to the survival story. As an electronic music score sends basslines throbbing and the ravers’ subwoofers pulsing, this utterly exhilarating film becomes a parable for our relationship with fate and the sublime. – Max Copeman The Secret Agent This pleasingly unclassifiable 1970s-set Brazilian tale follows a man with a mysterious past who seeks to reconnect with his young son. Wagner Moura (TV's Narcos) is fantastic as Marcelo – just one of the names the character goes by – who arrives in sweltering Recife, having fled the north of the country. His lad is obsessed by Steven Spielberg's Jaws and his father-in-law runs a local movie theatre, but these are just a sprinkling of the elements that go into a complex story dealing with corruption, chaos and carnival. Kleber Mendonça Filho (Bacurau) won the best director award at Cannes, and deservedly so: he conjures up a consistently surprising and inventive look at a bygone era, dotted with nicely rendered period detail. This is a world where death permeates every frame, from a rotting corpse on a garage forecourt to the gruesome sight of a man’s severed leg inside a dead shark. Filled with weird asides (like the aforementioned leg, starring in its own exploitation flick) and even a present-day wraparound story, this is unusual, and sometimes extraordinary, film-making. – James Mottram Read our interview with Wagner Moura Wuthering Heights Emily Brontë’s gothic romance gets a radical revamp in this sizzling and wonderfully flamboyant screen adaptation from Emerald Fennell (Saltburn). Childhood friends Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) and Cathy (Margot Robbie) fall in love as youngsters, but become separated after Cathy marries their rich neighbour Edgar (Shazad Latif). Five years after fleeing, Heathcliff returns as a mysteriously moneyed gentleman and the couple begin an affair. Boasting an outrageous, often irresistible sense of fun, Fennell's film is a visual riot, with this sexed-up version of the story love-bombing the screen with reds, pinks and whites. The sincerity with which the love story is told and performed is impressive, too. Elordi channels Sharpe-era Sean Bean, Robbie gives a fully fleshed-out turn that blends brattiness with tragedy, and Hong Chau shines as watchful housemaid Nelly. On one hand, this is the cinematic equivalent of "go big or go home", with the fantastical sets occasionally distracting. On the other hand, it's an emotionally impactful adaptation for the ages that captures the depth, passion and destructiveness of Heathcliff and Cathy’s bond. It will almost certainly provoke pearl-clutching among the purists. – Emma Simmonds Read our full Wuthering Heights review Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Best films to watch on TV today, tonight and this week
Whatever your taste, there's a movie on for everyone.
There may be plenty of movies available on streaming platforms and being released weekly in cinemas, but nothing quite beats the feeling of finding a hidden gem while flicking through the TV. With such a raft of options – old and new – to pick from this weekend, it can often feel like a bit of an insurmountable task to find one that really tickles your fancy. But that's where we come in to do the hard work for you, picking out some of the most stellar options available to tune into. This weeks selection includes everything from horror classic The Wicker Man and iconic Hitchcock film Rear Window to recent Jennifer Lawrence comedy No Hard Feeings. There's something for everyone and if you're wondering where to find some of the best films on the terrestrial channels this week, we've got you sorted. Read on for an expertly compiled list of the best flicks airing across the next seven days. Friday 10 April Deep Impact - 4:20pm, Film4 Science-fiction drama starring Robert Duvall, Téa Leoni and Morgan Freeman. A reporter believes that she has discovered a sex scandal in the US government. As it turns out, "Ele" isn't a mistress, but something used to describe an event so cataclysmic that it could destroy the planet. Read our full review No Time to Die - 9pm, BBC Two Spy adventure starring Daniel Craig, Rami Malek and Léa Seydoux. After narrowly surviving an attempt on his life, James Bond believes his lover, Madeleine Swann, has betrayed him. Five years later, he is drawn out of retirement and back into her life when a new global threat - a deadly biological weapon - emerges. But with Bond's nemesis, Blofeld, behind bars, who is the mysterious figure intent on using this terrifying new technology? Read our full review The Hunger Games: the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - 10pm, BBC Three Action adventure prequel starring Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler and Viola Davis, set 64 years before the events of The Hunger Games. In the run-up to the Tenth Annual Hunger Games, ambitious future president Coriolanus Snow is tasked with mentoring Lucy Gray Baird, a poor but self-confident tribute from District 12 with a determination to win. But their relationship becomes more complex than Snow had anticipated. Read our full review Tenet - 11pm, BBC Two Sci-fi adventure starring John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki and Kenneth Branagh. A former CIA operative is recruited to help save the world from a dangerous arms dealer who has access to a device that can reverse time. In order to foil this threat, our hero must master the act of chronological "inversion" - but is it already too late? Read our full review Saturday 11 April Zulu - 2:05pm, Channel 5 Historical war drama starring Stanley Baker, Michael Caine and Jack Hawkins. In 1879, Cetewayo, ruler of the great Zulu kingdom, inflicts a heavy defeat upon the British army at Isandhlwana and marches towards the small garrison of Rorke's Drift, where two officers desperately rally their meagre forces. Read our full review The Poseidon Adventure - 4:40pm, Film4 Classic disaster movie starring Gene Hackman and Ernest Borgnine. Passengers aboard the luxury liner Poseidon are celebrating New Year's Eve in style, when suddenly the world turns upside down - the ship has been hit by a tidal wave. Can anyone escape the floating death trap before it sinks? Read our full review Face/Off - 9pm, 5 Star John Woo's action thriller, starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage. Terrorist Castor Troy is apprehended after an FBI operation, but in his coma-ridden state is unable to divulge the whereabouts of a bomb that is primed to blow up Los Angeles. With the clock ticking, Detective Sean Archer undertakes a face-transplant operation in order to impersonate Troy and locate the device. But things take a turn for the worse when Troy regains consciousness, steals Archer's face and assumes the lawman's identity. Read our full review No Hard Feelings - 10pm, Channel 4 Comedy starring Jennifer Lawrence and Andrew Barth Feldman. Strapped for cash, 32-year-old Maddie accepts an unusual offer from an affluent couple: to bring their 19-year-old son, Percy, "out of his shell" before he goes to college in a few months' time. However, not only is Percy oblivious to the arrangement, he's also an awkward introvert, which proves a challenge for the increasingly desperate Maddie. Worse still, the kid starts to fall for her. Read our full review One Fine Morning - 12:45am, BBC Two View Green Video on the source website Drama starring Léa Seydoux and Pascal Greggory. Parisian single mother Sandra juggles her work as a translator with caring for her father, who has a neurodegenerative disease. When she encounters one of her late husband's friends, Clément, they begin an affair that helps to reawaken passions Sandra thought she had forgotten. Read our full review Sunday 12 April Rear Window - 2:10pm, BBC Two Classic thriller starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly. Confined to a wheelchair following an accident, magazine photographer Jeff Jeffries passes the time by observing the behaviour of his neighbours. One in particular catches his attention: Thorwald, a salesman he sees leaving the flat with a suitcase, and whose invalid wife has seemingly disappeared. Convinced something terrible has happened to Mrs Thorwald, Jeff and his girlfriend Lisa decide to investigate, putting themselves in deadly danger. Read our full review Jurassic Park - 2:10pm, ITV1 Steven Spielberg's blockbuster adventure, starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough. Billionaire tycoon John Hammond has built the ultimate theme park - an island populated by genetically engineered dinosaurs. A group of guests, including Hammond's grandchildren, are invited to preview the attraction, touring the park in remotely controlled cars. But, as a tropical storm gathers, an unscrupulous employee shuts down the elaborate security system, leaving the tour stranded - and mayhem about to break loose. Read our full review Matilda - 4:10pm, Channel 5 Comic fantasy based on the book by Roald Dahl, starring Mara Wilson and Danny DeVito. Matilda, the daughter of Harry and Zinnia Wormwood, has adored reading from a precociously early age, but her parents refuse to let her go to school. Until, that is, her father sends her to the unforgiving Miss Trunchbull's Crunchem Hall, where she discovers that she has other more useful gifts. Read our full review Soul - 4:15pm, Channel 4 Animated Pixar fantasy featuring the voices of Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey. After meeting an untimely demise, aspiring musician Joe finds himself in the Great Before, which offers him a way back to the land of the living. But after a mix-up, Joe's wayward fellow soul "22" ends up in his earthly body while Joe himself is stuck inhabiting a therapy cat. Read our full review The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - 10pm, BBC Two Classic spaghetti western starring Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef. Against a background of the American Civil War, a quiet drifter, a Mexican outlaw and a sadist search for hidden treasure. Read our full review Monday 13 April The Lady Eve - 2:55pm, Film4 Classic screwball comedy starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda.Working the cruise liners, beautiful trickster Jean Harrington believes that the highly eligible Charles Pike is there for the taking. If she plays her cards right. Read our full review Tremors - 9pm, ITV4 A dull American town in the middle of the desert is suddenly attacked by huge man-eating subterranean creatures. Luckily, two dim-witted but brave handymen step into the breach to lead a ragtag bunch of locals and a mismatched pair of survivalists in the battle against the gruesome worm-like monsters. Comedy horror, with Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross, Reba McEntire and Bobby Jacoby. Read our full review Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - 11:10pm, BBC One View Green Video on the source website Spy thriller adapted from John le Carré's novel and based on the classic television series, starring Gary Oldman and Colin Firth. After a mission goes wrong and an agent is shot, information is received that a Soviet mole is operating at the heart of the British secret service. Veteran operative George Smiley is called out of retirement to try to uncover the spy and he soon discovers that you can trust no one - not even those closest to you. Read our full review Tuesday 14 April Independence Day - 9pm, Film4 Sci-fi adventure starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum. The Earth faces its greatest challenge when alien spaceships take up positions above major cities. While world leaders speculate on the intentions of the visitors, cable-TV boffin David Levinson discovers that a signal emanating from the alien vessels is in fact a sinister countdown and the future of the human race hangs in the balance. Read our full review Zero Dark Thirty - 9pm, Legend Action thriller based on a true story, starring Jessica Chastain. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the hunt for al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden intensifies and pressure grows on CIA agent Maya and her colleagues to bring him to justice. But as the operation stretches over years and spans the world, factions within the security services resort to methods that are not strictly by the book, methods that present a moral challenge for Maya. Read our full review The Haunting - 11pm, BBC Two Horror starring Julie Harris and Claire Bloom. The infamous Hill House attracts a group of investigators determined to uncover the terrifying truth about the place. But as soon as they arrive, strange things start to happen - something from beyond the grave prowls the panelled corridors and climbs the creaking walls. Read our full review Wednesday 15 April The End of the Affair - 1:15pm, Talking Pictures TV A woman gives up an affair to thank God for saving her novelist lover's life during an air raid in Second World War London, but soon begins to question her own faith. Drama based on a Graham Greene novel, starring Deborah Kerr, Van Johnson, Peter Cushing and John Mills. Read our full review A Foreign Affair - 2:15pm, Film 4 Romantic comedy drama starring Jean Arthur, Marlene Dietrich and John Lund. Clean-cut congresswoman Phoebe Frost arrives to investigate GI morality in post Second World War Berlin and runs into crooked Captain John Pringle and his mistress, a nightclub singer with a shady past. Read our full review Nowhere Special – 12am, BBC Two Drama starring James Norton and Daniel Lamont. Recently diagnosed with a terminal illness, single dad John sets out to find an adoptive family for his four-year-old son Michael. As the two meet with prospective parents, John struggles with the burden of deciding who is best placed to raise his boy after his death - and how to prepare Michael for the impending tragedy. Read our full review Thursday 16 April The Tall Men - 12:50pm, Film4 Western starring Clark Gable, Jane Russell and Robert Ryan. Following the American Civil War, brothers Ben and Clint Allison journey north to Montana in search of gold, but end up as cattle drivers in the pay of wealthy businessman Nathan Stark. On the way to Texas to pick up the herd, they save young Nella Turner from a Sioux ambush. It's a meeting that will have consequences for them all. Read our full review Jennifer’s Body - 9pm, Film4 View Green Video on the source website Comedy horror starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried. Geeky "Needy" Lesnicky is best friends with gorgeous cheerleader Jennifer Check. So when a demonic curse causes Jennifer to start eating people, it falls to Needy to try to curb her newfound appetite. Read our full review Dead Man’s Shoes - 11:05pm, Film4 Crime thriller starring Paddy Considine and Gary Stretch. Tortured ex-army man Richard returns to the rural Midlands village of his youth to take violent revenge on a drugs gang who exploited his younger, mentally disabled brother. Read our full review Friday 17 April Broken Arrow - 3:20pm, Film4 Western starring James Stewart and Jeff Chandler. Arizona in the 1870s: a US army scout, tired of the continual violence and slaughter between whites and native Americans, meets the Apache leader Cochise to negotiate a truce. Unexpectedly, the scout falls in love with a young Apache girl. Read our full review Road to Perdition - 9pm, Great TV Period crime drama starring Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. The Midwest in the 1930s: when the profession of ruthless hitman Michael Sullivan is discovered, a killer is sent to eradicate him and his family. But Sullivan and his 12-year-old son escape and embark upon a life-changing journey of revenge. Read our full review The Wicker Man - 11:05pm, BBC Two Classic horror starring Edward Woodward and Christopher Lee. When a policeman receives an anonymous letter suggesting that a girl has mysteriously disappeared from a small island community, he sets out to investigate. On his arrival, the villagers deny any knowledge of the girl, and he soon discovers that life on the island is not all that it seems. Read our full review The Royal Hotel - 11:25pm, BBC One Psychological thriller starring Julia Garner and Jessica Henwick. In need of some extra cash, American backpackers Hanna and Liv take live-in jobs at a pub in a remote Australian outback mining town. As the atmosphere turns from riotous to sinister, the two women realise that they are trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation. Read our full review If you have Netflix, we have rounded up the best movies on Netflix and the best series on Netflix to watch now – and Disney Plus viewers can check out our best movies on Disney Plus guide. Got Prime Video? We also have the best movies on Amazon Prime. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The best streaming services in 2026: How to choose between Netflix, Prime and Disney+
We compare Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video and more to help you find your perfect streaming match.
Streaming has never been bigger – or more confusing. In the years since Netflix first revolutionised how we consume film and TV, a whole host of rival platforms have launched to the point that it can now be difficult to know where to begin. The latest to join the fray for UK viewers is HBO Max. The service – which launched across the Atlantic way back in 2020 – has finally arrived on these shores, bringing with it a wealth of prestige TV including award-winning medical drama The Pitt. It joins services such as Disney+ – which arrived for UK audiences in March 2020 – and Apple TV, which has amassed a highly impressive catalogue of original films and shows in a relatively short time span, so there really is a wealth of options. But which is the best of the bunch? To answer that question, we’ve tested and compared the top streaming services available in the UK, breaking down price, the best shows and what kind of TV fan each one’s is suited to. With the help of our comprehensive guide below, you'll be far better qualified to select the ideal streamer for you and your family's viewing needs. Which streaming services are available in the UK? Acorn TV: Cosy crime and British mysteries Amazon Prime Video: Budget-friendly all-rounder Apple TV: Big-budget dramas and kids' shows BBC iPlayer: All the best shows from the BBC catalogue BFI Player: A varied selection of quality independent films DAZN: Sports and boxing fans Discovery+: Documentaries and factual programming Disney+: Families and Marvel and Star Wars lovers Hayu: Reality TV fanatics HBO Max: The most talked about American dramas ITVX: Bingers of British box sets Mubi: International and arthouse cinema gems Netflix: Binge-watchers, film lovers and fans of original content NOW: Prestige TV from Sky and those wanting blockbuster movies Paramount+: Genre shows and classic films from the Paramount library Acorn TV Best for fans of cosy crime shows Acorn TV first launched in the UK back in 2020 and since then has housed a wide range of classic British box sets – with a particularly good selection of cosy crime titles. In addition to a range of original programming – including Agatha Raisin and The Madame Blanc Mysteries (which it made in conjunction with Channel 5) it also hosts some classic series from other channels, including BBC dramas such as Line of Duty. And it's not just UK shows: there are also dramas from Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand. Price: £4.99 per month or £49.99 annually Free trial: Yes – there is a 14 day free trial option Max resolution: 1080p Streams: Up to 4 Must-watch: The Madame Blanc Mysteries, Agatha Raisin, Dalgliesh, Line of Duty, Foyle's War Radio Times says: This is a relatively cheap option if you're after some crime series or classic dramas – but its library is perhaps not quite as deep, varied or splashy as many of its competitors. Sign up to Acorn TV Amazon Prime Video Best for those looking for value on a budget Price: £8.99 per month or £95 annually (with half-price option available for students) Free trial: Yes – there is a 30 day free trial option Max resolution: 4k Streams: Up to 3 Prime Video is a great option if you're looking for a streamer that's relatively low budget – with the £95 yearly cost also including membership to Amazon Prime, with all the usual perks including next day delivery. Although it perhaps lags behind some of the other streamers when it comes to the overall quality of its original programming, the platform nonetheless has some major hits – including The Boys and Fallout – and has also kept viewers happy with a range of highly successful young adult fare, including the mega-popular The Summer I Turned Pretty It's also worth mentioning that it hosts possibly the best library of older films of any of the major platforms, while there is also the option to pay an extra monthly fee to sign up to a number of bonus channels – including Mubi, Shudder and BFI Player. Must-watch: The Boys, The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, Fallout, The Girlfriend, Invincible Radio Times says: Prime Video boasts an excellent and varied selection which – coupled with its comparatively low price and added benefits – makes it the best option for those on a budget. Sign up to Amazon Prime Video Apple TV Best for consistently quality original programming Price: £9.99 per month Free trial: Yes – there is a 7 day free trial option Max resolution: 4k Streams: Up to 6 Generally speaking, Apple TV has adopted a mantra of quality over quantity, focusing on star-studded big-budget originals with exceptional production values rather than acquiring a back catalogue of older shows. Launching with major shows such as The Morning Show and For All Mankind, the library has gone on to add everything from hard-hitting dramas and experimental comedies to intelligent sci-fi and riveting spy thrillers – alongside a growing range of documentaries, almost always with a household name attached either in front of or behind the camera. Meanwhile, the streamer has also thrown its weight behind some of the world's most prominent filmmakers to fund their latest features, with movies such as Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, Ridley Scott's Napoleon and Spike Lee's Highest 2 Lowest all available on the streamer. Must-watch: Slow Horses, Severance, Bad Sisters, Silo, The Studio Radio Times says: Although there have been a few misfires, Apple TV maintains a remarkable consistency when it comes to the quality of its original programming – making it a great pick for fans of prestige TV. Sign up to Apple TV BBC iPlayer Best for those looking to dip into the BBC archives Price: Free Free trial: n/a Max resolution: 1080p Streams: No limit This streaming service will need no introduction to most TV and film fans in the UK: since it's initial launch all the way back in 2007 – well before streaming was really in the zeitgeist – it has been the home for all the best shows broadcast on the BBC. Although it was initially only a catch-up service that allowed viewers to watch shows they'd missed for a limited window after their initial broadcast, it has evolved into a streaming platform to rival the likes of Netflix – with a huge range of boxsets from the archives alongside all the latest hit BBC shows, some of which launch on the service before their linear debut. Meanwhile, another over overlooked aspect of the platform is its film library. In addition to a permanent collection of classics, there's also a great revolving list of movies that have recently aired on TV – comprising both recent hits and all-time greats. Must-watch: Industry, Small Prophets, The Night Manager, The Capture, Waiting for the Out, The Traitors Radio Times says: iPlayer has done a great job of keeping up with the streaming landscape – and offers a truly great selection of film and TV at no cost for licence fee payers. Watch BBC iPlayer BFI Player Best for those looking to discover cinematic masterpieces Price: £6.99 per month or £65 annually (also available as a Prime Video add-on channel for £4.99 a month) Free trial: Yes – there is a 14 day free trial option Max resolution:4k Streams: 1 If you're a cinephile then BFI Player is one of the best options out there. Not only does it house many of the finest British independent films of all time, but the library also includes great options from across. the globe – both acclaimed new releases and classics from yesteryear, many of which are ripe for rediscovery. The selection is also constantly being refreshed, and there's a real feel of curation here: the titles ate hand-picked for the platform in a more deliberate way than is the case for many other streaming platforms. Must watch: If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, Memories of Murder, La Haine, Paris Texas, Seven Samurai Radio Times says: If you're big on films – especially when it comes to discovering acclaimed but often left-field and under-the-radar gems – this platform is basically a dream. Sign up to BFI Player DAZN Best for those looking to catch must-watch sporting events – especially boxing Price: £7.99 a month Free trial: Yes – there is a 7 day free trial option Max resolution: 1080p HD Streams: Up to 2 While the likes of Netflix and Prime Video are known to all, this streamer is less of a household name – and is definitely more of a niche addition to the market. The platform is devoted entirely to showcasing high quality sporting action both live and on demand, with a huge range of options including everything from American Football to Cycling and everything in between, as well as a host of high profile boxing bouts. Must-watch: Live boxing Radio Times says: This is a specialist option which will only be of interest to sports fans – but if you're big on boxing it's a must. Sign up to DAZN Discovery+ Best for documentary lovers and factual TV fans Price: £3.99 a month (also available as a Prime Video add-on) Free trial: No Max resolution: 4k Streams: Up to 2 Although no longer the streaming home to TNT Sports – which has moved to HBO Max following the latter's launch in the UK – this is still a decent option if you're a fan of factual programming and documentaries. That includes everything from nature and science documentaries to more reality-orientated fare, in addition to a large stock of true crime and even paranormal shows – although you won't find too much in the way of high-brow content. Must-watch: Neighbourhood Watch, American Monster, Evil Lies Here, Gold Rush, 90 Day fiancé Radio Times says: It's relatively cheap, but for the most part the Discovery collection is fairly lacking in quality when compared to many of its competitors. Sign up to Discovery+ Disney+ Best for those with kids and fans of major franchises Price: £5.99 for Disney+ Standard with Ads, £9.99 for Disney+ Standard, £14.99 for Disney+ Premium – also available with a Sky TV subscription (as Standard with ads) Free trial: No Max resolution: 4k for Premium subscribers, 1080p HD for Standard Streams: Up to 4 for Premium subscribers, up to 2 for Standard Of course, it's no secret that Disney+ is a treasure trove for fans of big franchises, housing a huge catalogue of Marvel and Star Wars content in addition to a number of animated gems from Pixar and Disney Classics. It's that combination that makes it arguably the best option for those looking to keep their kids happy. But it's more than just the franchises. Given streamer's takeover of 20th Century Fox, there are a whole host of excellent films on the platform, while there's also plenty of original programming and some top shows that initially aired on Hulu for US viewers. Must-watch: Star Wars and Marvel, The Bear, Only Murders in the Building, Alien: Earth Radio Times says: If you've got kids and don't mind spending a little extra, this option is hard to resist – and even for older audiences, there is a huge selection to choose from. Sign up to Disney+ Hayu Best for reality TV obsessives Price: £4.99 per month, £23.99 for 6 months or £43.99 for 12 months Free trial: Yes – there is a 7 day free trial option Max resolution: 1080p Streams: One If you're a lover of reality TV, chances are you're already familiar with Hayu – but if this is your first time hearing of it, it could well be the option for you. Since its UK launch in 2016, it's become the only streamer devoted entirely to reality TV and there really are a wealth of programmes waiting for you if that's your thing. Most of the shows are acquisitions rather than originals – with the likes of Below Deck and Vanderpump Rules notable examples – but earlier this year, the platform did launch its first ever original commission: The Real Housewives of London. Could that be the first of many? Must-watch: The Real Housewives, Vanderpump Rules, Below Deck Radio Times says: A must-have if you're a reality TV obsessive, but otherwise probably one to avoid. Sign up to Hayu Sign up to Hayu via Amazon Prime Video HBO Max Best for fans of big-budget American TV Price: £5.99 for Standard with Ads, £9.99 for Standard, £14.99 for Disney+ Premium – also available with a Sky TV subscription (as Standard with ads) Free trial: No Max resolution: 4k for Premium subscribers, 1080p HD for Standard Streams: Up to 4 for Premium subscribers, up to 2 for Standard Finally arriving in the UK in March 2026 – almost six years on from its's launch across the Pond – HBO Max is the streaming home for all the US network's biggest shows in addition to a number of original series and a wealth of major movies. It means that UK viewers can finally catch up on hit US shows such as The Pitt which had previously been unavailable on these shores, while there's lots to look forward to on the platform as well – with much hope being placed by the network in its upcoming Harry Potter TV adaptation. It also allows subscribers to watch TNT sports – although there is a premium rate for this. Must-watch: The Pitt, Rooster, The Comeback, Neighbors Radio Times says: If you want to see what all the fuss is about regarding big US shows, this is the one for you. ITVX Best for lovers of British TV Price: £5.99 per month or £59.99 per year Free trial: No Max resolution: 1080p HD Streams: Up to 4 You're probably already familiar with the ad-supported free tier of ITVX, which gives audiences to catch-up with all the latest shows broadcast on ITV and some from the archive – but the streamer also has a premium offering, which is one of the cheaper options on the market. As well as allowing subscribers to watch all the content on the regular ITVX without suffering the annoyance of ad breaks, there is also a wealth of material not otherwise available including a huge volume of iconic British box sets from BritBox and an interesting and varied selection of films. Must-watch: Sanditon, Life on Mars, The Vicar of Dibley, Absolutely Fabulous Radio Times says: If you like your TV classic and homegrown – and without ads – this is a great option, for a relatively small monthly fee. Sign up to ITVX Mubi Best for fans of international cinema <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/03/SentimentalValue32Renate-ReinsveAnders-DanielsenLiePhotoKasper-Tuxen-Andersen-2dd7ea4-e1772533480422.jpg" width="3230" height="2150" alt="Renate Reinsve as Nora in Sentimental Value, laying down in a bed, with covers pulled over her, smiling." title="SentimentalValue_32_Renate-Reinsve_Anders-Danielsen_Lie_Photo_Kasper-Tuxen-Andersen" /> If you're into arthouse film, you'll no doubt have come across Mubi – which has developed an excellent reputation as the go-to place for more left-field picks in the last decade or so. Originally it operated a "film of the day" system, where one new film would be added every day and stay in the library for 30 days, but it has since moved to a more traditional library system, including several films that it has itself distributed in cinemas. The library is hugely varied, with several seasons every year centred on particular directors or themes, while the slightly more expensive Mubi Go option gives subscribers the chance to see one hand-picked film in cinemas every week at no extra cost. Price: £11.99 per month or £18.99 per month for Mubi Go (which comes with a cinema ticket every week) Free trial: Yes – there is a 7 day free trial option Max resolution: 4k Streams: Up to 2 Radio Times says: If you're a cinephile or getting into international and arthouse film in a big way, this is a tremendous resource – and the Mubi Go option is an especially good option if you're looking at keeping up with acclaimed new releases. Must-watch: Sentimental Value, Twin Peaks, No Other Choice, The Apartment, Aftersun Sign up to Mubi Netflix Best for binge-watchers and original hits Best for those looking for value on a budget. Price: £5.99 per month for Standard with ads, £12.99 per month for Standard, £18.99 per month for Premium Free trial: No Max resolution: 4k for Premium subscribers, 1080p HD for Standard Streams: Up to 4 for Premium, up to 2 for Standard The streamer that needs no introduction – and the one that started it all. Netflix produces a wealth of original content – in terms of both films and TV shows – and while perhaps the focus could be said to have shifted towards quantity over quality, there are still some very high highs in the original library. If you want to join in the latest watercooler conversations, this is still probably the one to gravitate towards, with its popularity still dwarfing that of its rivals in relative terms – even as the monthly cost has soared. Meanwhile, a significant catalogue of non-original TV shows and films pads out the platform’s library, so you'll never have a lack of options for your next binge-watch or upcoming movie night. Must-watch: Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Squid Game, The Crown Radio Times says: Netflix remains unbeatable for quantity and global hits, though it comes at a premium price. Sign up to Netflix NOW Best for Sky original dramas Price: £9.99 per month for Entertainment Pass and £9.99 per Cinema Pass Free trial: Yes – there is a 7 day free trial option Max resolution: 720p HD (Full 1080p HD with NOW Boost for an extra £5 a month) Streams: 1 (3 with NOW Boost for an extra £5 a month) NOW is an excellent place to catch the latest dramas from Sky, while it also broadcasts a number of glossy exclusive shows across a range of genres. If you’re a film fan keen to watch the latest blockbusters soon after they leave the cinema, this might also be the service for you. The films included with a Sky Cinema pass frequently include some of the biggest recent hits, and there’s a decent selection of classics as well. One downside is that, unlike most streamers, you have to pay separately for the TV and Movie options – it's not all one package. Must-watch: Game of Thrones, Succession, Euphoria, The White Lotus and The Last of Us. Radio Times says: A more premium offering, but NOW is a great option if you want to enjoy the best of Sky TV and some of the latest blockbuster films. Sign up to NOW Paramount+ Best for those looking to keep up with Taylor Sheridan shows Price: £4.99 per month for Basic with ads, £6.99 per month for Standard, £10.99 per month for Premium Free trial: Yes – there is a 7 day free trial option Max resolution: 4k Streams: Up to 4 (on Premium) Since launching in the UK in 2022, Paramount's own streaming service hasn't quite taken off to the same extent as most of its competitors – but it still features a pretty decent catalogue of films from the studio's archive in addition to brand new original content. Meanwhile it's also the only way for UK fans to keep up to date with Taylor Sheridan's highly popular stable of US dramas, so if you're a fan of Yellowstone and all, this one is a must. Must-watch: Yellowstone, Yellowjackets, South Park, Dexter, Landman Radio Times says: Paramount's current slate is not as deep – or perhaps as prestigious – as some of its competitors, but it's worthwhile if you're a fan of the growing slate of hugely popular US dramas from Taylor Sheridan. Sign up to Paramount+ Editor’s Choice So, what is our overall verdict, then? With various factors taken into consideration, we've come to the below conclusion: Best overall value: Prime Video Best originals: Apple TV for TV, Mubi for film Best for families: Disney+ Best budget pick: Prime Video Best prestige TV: HBO Max Add your favourite shows to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out our best movies on Netflix, best Netflix comedies and best Netflix horror movies. Take a look at our best Disney Plus shows guide or best Disney Plus movies. Here are all the best series on Apple TV and best Apple TV movies. Visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Severance favourite Adam Scott stars in "disturbing" and "nightmarish" first look at new horror film
Hokum is written and directed by acclaimed Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy.
It's been over a year since Severance wrapped up it's highly acclaimed second season, and though fans still have a while to wait before the hit Apple TV series returns for a third run, it's star Adam Scott has an exciting new project coming to screens very soon. Horror flick Hokum is written and directed by Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy – whose previous film Oddity is also well worth a watch – and the upcoming movie has just launched a brand new trailer ahead of its UK release at the beginning of May. The eerie teaser begins with Scott's character – an American writer named Ohm Bauman – looking terrified as he clutches a lamp in a cramped, dark space, before we flashback to a scene of him driving to an Irish countryside hotel, while a slightly sinister voice mutters some intriguing words in voiceover. "Fadó Fadó, long long ago," the voice says. "Deep in the woods, there lived..." Before this sentence can be finished, we cut to Ohm warning a pair of children not to talk to strangers. The response from the stranger in question? "There are worse things that Strangers out there, yank." Later, we see that Ohm is demanding a room as far away from this man as possible, while he also explains that the reasons for his journey to Ireland – his first time in the country – are connected to a trip his parents took to the Emerald Isle for their honeymoon many years ago. He has returned to scatter their ashes. Throughout the trailer, it is clear that something is not quite right in this hotel and we get glimpses of all sorts of bizarre goings on and creepy images, before those words from the beginning of the trailer are repeated again – this time with an ending. "Fadó Fadó, long long ago, deep in the woods, there lived... an old cailleach," the voice says. "A witch." You can check out the trailer in full below: View oEmbed on the source website The official synopsis for the film – which will be released on 1 May – reads: "When reclusive novelist Ohm Bauman retreats to a remote Irish inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, the staff’s tales of an ancient witch haunting the honeymoon suite take hold of his mind. "Soon, disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance draw him into a nightmarish confrontation with the darkest corners of his past." Hokum had its debut at the South by Southwest Festival last month where it seemed overwhelmingly positive reviews and praise reserved for the way McCarthy handled the Irish folklore aspect of the film. It certainly looks like one worth checking out for horror fans! Hokum is released in UK cinemas on 1 May 2026. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Netflix's new Cinderella-inspired film confirms Mamma Mia star as beloved heroine
Amanda Seyfried will be voicing the iconic princess in a new animated movie.
Amanda Seyfried has enjoyed a rich and eclectic career, from her breakout role in Mean Girls and iconic turn in Mamma Mia to her magnificent, overlooked performance in the recent The Testament of Ann Lee. And now, she's been cast as one of the most beloved characters ever to grace the silver screen. Seyfried has been announced as the voice of none other than Cinderella in Netflix's new animated reimagining of the classic fairytale, which is titled Steps and will tell the story from the perspective of her "misunderstood" stepsisters Lilith and Margot, voiced by Ali Wong and Stephanie Hsu. Steps will be released on an as-yet-unspecified date in 2026 and is directed by Alyce Tzue (a Gold medal winner at the Student Academy Awards in 2015) and John Ripa (co-director on Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon). The official synopsis reads: "Think you know Cinderella's “evil” stepsisters? Think again! When misunderstood Lilith is blamed for hijacking the Royal Ball with a stolen magic wand, she accidentally turns her sister Margot into a frog and leaves the kingdom in the hands of a prince-obsessed mean girl. "Now Lilith must team up with Cinderella...and a surprisingly dreamy troll…to save the kingdom, repair the fractured fairytale, and prove that even so-called villains deserve a shot at happily-ever-after." Speaking about Seyfried's casting, Tzue praised the actor's "incredible ability to make her characters specific and relatable" something which she said "we absolutely needed... when taking on a character that’s as legendary as Cinderella". She continued: "We wanted to create a modern heroine complete with flaws and coping mechanisms, and Amanda immediately understood the task. Her portrayal of Cinderella is hilarious and heartbreaking and, most importantly, refreshingly human. You won’t want to miss it.” Ripa added: "Amanda has been an absolute joy to work with. She brings a level of experience and passion that inspires us to dig even deeper into the character. "Her process of honing in on emotions, the control she has over her voice – it all comes together to give the classic character of Cinderella a depth and humour we could’ve never imagined." In addition to her aforementioned role in The Testament of Ann Lee, Seyfried's other recent credits including playing Nina in the box office hit The Housemaid – a role she hopes to reprise in the upcoming sequel – and the TV series Long Bright River. Meanwhile, speaking to Tudum about Steps when the project was first announced, Tzue explained: "This story is, at its core, about two very different sisters – one who fits perfectly into this fairy tale kingdom and one who doesn’t – realising they’re more alike than different. "It’s such a personal story for me because, growing up as an awkward, artsy Taiwanese kid in suburban New Jersey, I often felt like an outsider, like ‘happily ever after’ wasn’t meant for me. I wanted to create a film for everyone who has ever felt like they didn’t belong – and show how a single act of kindness can change everything." Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Regé-Jean Page speaks out on the importance of diversity in romcoms: "You've got to put that aspirational imagery out there"
The Bridgerton star and The Little Mermaid's Halle Bailey lead the cast of new romcom You, Me and Tuscany.
Even in 2026, it's still shockingly rare to find a theatrically released romcom with two Black leads – especially when we consider only those backed by major Hollywood studios. But new film You, Me and Tuscany very much fits the bill. The movie stars The Little Mermaid's Halle Bailey as ambitious young cook Anna, who impulsively heads to Tuscany after spending the night with an Italian man who off-handedly told her she was welcome to stay in his villa if ever she was in Italy. When she arrives, she ends up squatting in his abandoned home, and after his somewhat eccentric family find her there she decides her only course of action to is to pose as his fiancé. Naturally, this leads to all sorts of mix-ups – not to mention sparks flying between Anna and the Italian's adopted brother Michael (Regé-Jean Page). The film is very much of a piece with from the old-school brand of escapist, sun-soaked romcoms – complete with no shortage of cheese – and speaking with Radio Times ahead of release, the two stars explained why it was so important for a film like this to have two Black leads. "I mean, I think it's important to show us living big, aspirational, normal lives," former Bridgerton star Page said during our exclusive interview. "Like, real stories... our lives," Bailey agreed. "It's beautiful to see on screen, and I'm grateful to be a part of this and have two Black leads in a romcom that's in theatres. Like, it's a big deal, and I just hope people resonate with it and take something away." Page added that the significance lay in the fact that it was important to put "aspirational imagery out there" for viewers, showing that it should be possible for anyone to live the sort of life depicted in this type of film. "You've got to show people that absolutely everyone has both the right and the possibility of going out and living life to its absolute fullest on the widest lens," he explained. "You can go to the other side of the world and find found family and find love in the sun, on a vineyard. It doesn't matter who you are, you can go do that. So it's as simple as putting those pictures out there." Interestingly, Page and Bailey had been the only two names even considered for the roles of Michael and Anna, with director Kat Coiro describing the casting process as "horrifying" given their lack of back-ups. "In a lot of movies, you'll have a list," she told Radio Times. "We didn't have a list. It was Halle and it was Regé. Period, End of story." Producer Will Packer – whose previous credits include Ride Along and Girls Trip – added that it became very apparent early on that the pair were very well matched when it came to being on-screen partners. "They're both obviously incredibly good looking people, that helps," he said. "They're both very serious actors who take their craft seriously. And so the first table read, you could tell that they were finding the rhythm, because it's all about a rhythm when you talk about two leads and chemistry." He added: "To me, the best version of a rom com is when you have two leads that complement each other, that both have elements that the other one doesn't have. And that's the case here." "They're opposites, and their characters are opposites," Coiro agreed. "You know, Anna is this fly by the seat of her pants, chaos demon. And then Michael is very grounded and kind of staid and almost stiff in his workaholism and his dedication to family. And they kind of upend each other's lives in the best way." View oEmbed on the source website For Page's part, one of the key draws of the project was the chance to star in a film which would allow the world "to see life through Halle Bailey's eyes" while building on beloved romcom tropes. "Halle is so charming, so full of light, so full of joy," he said. "She's so easy to root for that I think that is so rare and so valuable. I wanted audiences to take that journey with [her], because it's a universal story. "Roman Holiday is the classic that we referenced a lot, where a woman takes the revolutionary decision to take some time for herself because she's stuck in a rut in her life. She goes out and she discovers a fantasy world where she can meet the love of her life and live life on her own terms. "That's the undertone of every good romcom to me. And so doing that with Halle in Tuscany, in the sun, in the vineyards, rolling through the hills in a convertible... please!" You, Me and Tuscany is released in UK cinemas on Friday 10 April. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders favourite stars in exclusive first look at new film role as 'eccentric' mother caring for her son following his breakdown
Lorraine Stanley has a key supporting role in acclaimed new film Departures.
Former EastEnders favourite Lorraine Stanley is set to appear in upcoming feature film Departures – and Radio Times can exclusively reveal a first look clip showing her "eccentric" supporting character in the film. In the clip, we see Stanley's character Janet caring for her gay son, the film's main character Benji (Lloyd Eyre-Morgan, also writer and co-director) who has recently suffered a breakdown. "I made that from scratch darling, look at the state of you," she tells him at the beginning of the short clip. "Is this you now? This is it?" We then hear voiceover narration from Benji explaining that his mum "wasn't perfect", coupled with more examples of her having a go at him as they sit at the kitchen table. But Benji adds that "she's way better than she used to be", at which point we cut to her drinking wine in the bathtub and shouting, "I wanted a f**king grandkid, that's all." You can watch the clip in full – alongside a brief trailer for the film – at the top of this article. The official synopsis for Departures, which recently premiered at BFI Flare, reads: "Benji encounters Jake at an airport gate, there is instant chemistry. Their relationship unfolds through monthly secret trips to Amsterdam." It is further described as "a must-see British comedy-drama that dissects a toxic relationship with humour and raw emotion" adding that it was "inspired by real heartbreak". The synopsis continues: "What begins as thrilling monthly getaways to Amsterdam soon unravels into a doomed relationship of convenience. Struggling to move on after being dumped, Benji spirals into addiction and fleeting hook-ups, haunted by the love he lost." Alongside Eyre-Morgan (Outings, 3 in a Bed) and Stanley, the cast for the film also includes David Tag (Hollyoaks, Waterloo Road), Tyler Conti (Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen, Hollyoaks) and Liam Boyle (Emmerdale Farm, Coronation Street), and it was created by a collective of British, working-class LGBTQI+ filmmakers. Eyre-Morgan and co-director Neil Ely said of the project: "Departures is self-financed by Manchester creatives who believe in the story enough to carry it forward without waiting for permission or institutional support. "Every step of the film is built through persistence, and a shared belief in what we are trying to say. We work with working-class Manchester creatives to tell a unique LGBTQ story based on the filmmakers’ lived experiences." They added that they were "incredibly proud" that the film was receiving a national cinema release, calling it "a rare and meaningful moment" and "proof that films made outside traditional systems can still reach audiences on the biggest screens". In the run-up to release, there will be a number of Q&A Screenings with the cast and crew hosted by famous faces including Russell Tovey and Drag Race winner Danny Beard, while Russell T Davis will host a special hometown Q&A screening in Manchester on 17 April. Departures is released in UK cinemas on Friday 17 April 2026. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
How a bomb disposal expert prepared Bond hopeful Aaron Taylor-Johnson for his new role – by blowing up a pig's head
Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) specialist Nick Orr was a key adviser on new thriller Fuze.
Over the last two decades, Nick Orr's career as an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) specialist for both the British Army and voluntary organisations in war-torn countries has seen him working in all sorts of dangerous, life-threatening situations. But for one of his latest assignments, Orr found himself doing something very different: advising on a star-studded, big-budget film project. Fuze, which arrives in UK cinemas this weekend, stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as an Afghanistan veteran and bomb disposal expert who is urgently called in to assist when an unexploded WWII bomb is discovered on a busy construction site in the centre of London. From there, the film takes all sorts of twists and turns – incorporating a heist element – with other key cast members including Theo James and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Orr – who has worked everywhere from Afghanistan, Mali and Iraq to Kuwait, Ukraine and Gaza – had been emailed asking if he'd put his name down for consideration as an adviser and, from what he's heard, his was the only CV the production team read before he was offered the role. Within a few days, he was having a Zoom call with Taylor-Johnson and director David Mackenzie to work out exactly what was needed. "I said, 'You tell me what you want, and I'll give you options that reflect your requirement,'" he recalls in an exclusive interview with Radio Times. "Ranging from completely plausible and viable to Hollywood fantasy. "And [Mackenzie] went, 'No, I want it absolutely to be realistic. And I said 'That's easier, we're not straying from the line. I've been doing that for years.' And then it went from there" Orr's role from that point onwards included both checking over the script and consulting on set while filming was ongoing, ensuring that nothing shown on screen would be straying too far from the reality. But perhaps one of his most fascinating involvements was the "explosives boot camp" he ran for the cast ahead of shooting. He knew that while the actors might have picked up some degree of knowledge from their own research, there were certain things that they couldn't glean purely from reading material. In other words, he needed to properly introduce them to explosives, and so took them to a range which was run by a friend. "He said, 'What do you want to do with them?' [And] I said, 'As safely as you can I want to scare them. I want them to understand what explosives do and what that means." So what exactly did that involve? "We blew up a pig's head from a butcher’s to show what explosives do to flesh," he says. "It's grim, but it's true. It's factual. And it gives them something to base their response on." Another exercise was detonating a 5kg explosive in a quarry. "We were about 30 meters away and you could feel a shock wave moving through you," he explains. "And they hadn't encountered that. So [that meant] their reactions to the detonations when they were filming were that much more realistic and precise, and I was very happy with that result." Of course, with Mackenzie having made clear he was looking for as realistic a depiction of explosives and bomb disposal as possible, there were certain traps it was vital not to fall into. It was paramount, Orr explains, to avoid the kind of "Hollywood, John Woo-style" explosions where "there's great big balls of fire everywhere." "You'll see a grenade detonate in a corner in a room in a James Bond film and the guy flies across the room," he says. "That doesn't happen. It doesn't move you. It will hurt you with fragmentation, but it won't move you massively. "And then you see a great big detonation, and the guys are flying across car parks. And it doesn't [do that]. Think of throwing a watermelon in front of a high speed train. That's what it does to humans. It's not really comparable to the screen. The only film I've seen really getting it right was Saving Private Ryan." Another of Orr's biggest bugbears when it comes to how things tend to be depicted on screen is less concerned with his specialist area of bomb disposal and explosives, but rather a general rule of how military personnel are portrayed – with one key detail often instantly breaking his immersion. "Actors don't carry weight in their body armour or in their bones," he says. "Whereas [when I was a] soldier, I was carrying 50/60, kilos on my back and maybe 20 kilos on my chest. Water, ammunition, explosives. That changes the way your body moves. It changes the way you interact with the ground. It changes the way you can stand. "You can't hold a pose, holding a conversation in a kneeling position for five minutes when you're carrying that weight. So when Aaron's doing the scenes in Afghanistan [in Fuze], his kit is fully loaded. He's got ballistic plates on, he's got water bottles. Obviously he doesn't have bullets in there, but he's got supplementary weight in there, so that you can see that the weight is hanging off him, and when he's moving, it's holding him down. And that shows." In addition to communicating the importance of those physical aspects, there were other more psychological lessons Orr was able to impart to Taylor-Johnson as well. The actor spoke to him in depth and was determined to understand what made him tick – where does the fear lie when he's out doing his job in dangerous and volatile war zone environments? Orr certainly has no shortage of experience to draw on when it comes to advising people on this front. "I was an instructor of IED and EOD bomb disposal at both the UK schools, and I've seen many, many people come through," he says. "I've seen the absolute wizards of the world, British Army officers, coming through and overthinking it. Then you get a very, very young, pragmatic sergeant who just does what he's told and gets on with it. "It's about understanding what you need to do," he adds. "And the biggest lesson I can get across to any student of mine is understanding what is appropriate in the moment, and that will change depending on what you have previously done and what you're about to do. "And for every device, for every item, from a grenade to a nuclear bomb, there is what we call an appropriate response. If you don't understand what that is at that point in the task, then you're going to hurt someone or hurt yourself. I think Aaron carried it very well. I was very impressed, because the way he comes across as Will Tranter is not what he's like... He's quite a jovial guy!" You might wonder if – given the nature of his work – there was anything that Orr couldn't reveal to Taylor-Johnson and the crew, either from a safety or a secrecy standpoint. But he explains that while there naturally are certain details from his real life experience he can't disclose, "we weren't touching on anything like that in Fuze." He adds: "It deals with a couple of IEDs from Afghanistan, and then it deals with a German World War Two bomb. And the technology there is well known and well documented. It's all open source. So there was nothing I felt uncomfortable about revealing." View Green Video on the source website When it came to being on set, Orr also found himself getting involved with the pyrotechnics team whose job it was to bring the explosions to life. They had a Styrofoam cannon which "kicks out dust and dirt and polystyrene and foam parts" that are designed to look like rocks, and his role was to advise how much of the Styrofoam was required for each explosion and to let them know when they would need a "real big cloud of dust and dirt" or a "blinding white flash". He was very much aware that "time is money" on set, however, and kept his interventions to a minimum while things were being shot. "There's only a couple of shots where I went, 'We need to look at that again. That's not an appropriate response," he says. "One of the prop wires was stretching, or bouncing and they're supposed to be really heavy, dense copper wire, so it wouldn't have had any movement and stuff like that caught my eye. And I was like, 'I think probably we need to kind of keep that an eye on that.' But it was very little." Apart from anything else, he explains, he didn't want to cross any boundaries and abuse his position as an adviser to exert too much authority over the artistic vision of Mackenzie. This is something he reckons a few people in his line of work may have a little more trouble dealing with, which means he has to be careful about which of his peers to bring on board for this kind of work in the future. "There's no way I'm going to tell a director they can't do something, ever," he says. "If his option is fantasy, it's still his option. I'm just there to advise. "So I don't want someone with the strength of character of my peer group going, 'Nope. You can't do that.’ They’d be kicked off set and I'd be embarrassed. I've got to really choose who I take with me!" Clearly, though, Orr enjoyed his first experience advising on a film production and hopes to be back in a similar role soon. Although he's unable to give specifics, he mentions that he's got "a few irons in the fire" and is "working on a few things at the moment." So would he do anything different next time around? "I'd have done it longer!" he says. "We only had time to do the explosive boot camp, but I'd like to do a couple of days on how to act as a soldier, how to dress, how to salute. Just a very, very basic training." "I've had some really good gigs and some some troubling gigs [in my career]," he adds. "I enjoy bomb disposal, but I gotta say... I prefer movies now!"
Heated Rivalry star Kaden Connors reveals his hopes for Sasha's story in season 2
Kaden Connors teases what he'd like to see happen in the next run of the hugely popular ice hockey romance.
Few TV series in recent months have captivated viewers quite to the extent of Heated Rivalry – and it came as no surprise when the Canadian ice hockey series was renewed for a second run very soon after its first season debuted. The follow-up outing will be adapted from the sixth book in Rachel Reid's series of source novels – titled The Long Game – and speaking exclusively to Radio Times at the recent BFI Flare Festival, one of the show's stars Kaden Connors revealed his hopes for the next batch of episodes. Connors stars in the series as Sasha – the former partner of main character Ilya (Connor Storrie) and also the son of his former coach – and he explained some key aspects of his character he'd love the new run will delve into. "The thing about entertainment is that entertainment is dramatic," he said. "If there's no drama in a storyline, you don't get an arc, right?" He added: "Sasha lives in Paris, so if he's not fluent in French, he'll know enough still, plus he knows Russian, and would know English as well, because that's the unifying language in Europe. "So Shane (Hudson Williams) speaks French and Ilya speaks Russian, but they don't know the other language. There's totally so much you can do with that, with language as an aspect of Sasha coming in and being a point of contention." Connors admitted that he knew "a lot of fans don't want that", given most of them were understandably rooting for Shane and Ilya – but he added: "The victory is only as strong as the battles, right?" View Green Video on the source website "But I will say that, ultimately, I do feel like this is a positive, happy ending, queer storyline, through and through, for all of the characters," he said. "So if Sasha were to come back in that manner, I imagine him coming in and being there for Ilya. "In The Long Game, Shane has a community, but Ilya is very alone. So there's definitely characters who could come alongside him, Svetlana, etc, who could show up and kind of be that for him. "Ilya went down a path of changing, so what if Sasha did too? Then on the other side of that, they could have a reconciliation kind of thing. And suddenly, now it's like, 'Hey, I'm here for you.'" Connors was speaking to Radio Times for an interview about his new film Lunar Sway, which had its public premiere at BFI Flare and sees him star alongside Noah Parker, Douglas Smith and Gilmore Girls star Liza Weil. A black comedy written and directed by Nick Butler, it follows a young LGBTQ+ man living in the small desert town of Mooncrest, who is drawn into a wild spiral of events with his boyfriend after his estranged birth mother Marg returns to town. The world premiere of Lunar Sway took place at BFI Flare 2026. A wider release across the UK is expected later this year. Heated Rivalry is now available on Sky and NOW – sign up for Sky TV here. Add Heated Rivalry to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Best films released in the UK this month: April 2026
Highlights include The Drama, Undertone and Mother Mary.
We head into the April off the back of a pretty strong first quarter of the year at UK cinemas – thanks both to awards season films that arrived in the UK after their 2025 American premieres and major new films like Project Hail Mary and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. This month sees another varied selection, with the box office expected to be dominated by two new releases in particular: the second animated Super Mario movie and the biopic of highly controversial pop superstar Michael Jackson. But there are plenty of other options as well, from Zendaya and Robert Pattinson's new movie The Drama to buzzy horror title Undertone to the extremely intriguing Mother Mary – which stars Anne Hathaway as a fictional pop star and has been described as undefinable even by it's own director David Lowery. Elsewhere, Josh O'Connor turns in another stellar performance in low-key gem Rebuilding, two Scottish actors – James McAvoy and Brian Cox – both make their directorial debuts with California Schemin' and Glenrothan respectively, and Regé-Jean Page and Halle Bailey lead new romcom You, Me and Tuscany. There's all that plus Jude Law starring as Vladimir Putin and the latest project from acclaimed, offbeat Cornish director Mark Jenkin – so plenty to get stuck into. To help you pick out the highlights, we've put together a selection of some of the best films to watch this month – check out the video above or read on for our choices. Best films released in the UK this month: April 2026 The Super Mario Galaxy Movie <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/03/Mario-Galaxy-992e20c.jpg" width="2415" height="1608" alt="Luigi (Charlie Day), Mario (Chris Pratt), Yoshi (Donald Glover) and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) inThe Super Mario Galaxy Movie" title="Luigi (Charlie Day), Mario (Chris Pratt), Yoshi (Donald Glover) and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) inThe Super Mario Galaxy Movie" /> Release date: Friday 1 April in cinemas This follow-up to the 2023 mega-hit is based on the 2007 video game Super Mario Galaxy and introduces some more of the beloved Nintendo characters, with Donald Glover and Brie Larson joining the voice cast as Yoshi and Rosalina respectively. The plot will see iconic Italian plumbers Mario and Luigi befriend Yoshi and join Princess Peach and Toad on an adventure into outer space, where they meet Rosalina and once again face off against Bowser and his son, Bowser Jr. The Drama Release date: Friday 3 April in cinemas Robert Pattinson and Zendaya lead this comedy drama from writer director Kristoffer Borgli (Dream Scenario) about a couple whose plans for their upcoming wedding are upended when a shocking secret comes to light about Zendaya's character's past. Much has been made about the nature of that secret – though its of course best to avoid spoilers before watching – but this certainly looks like a film that will spark conversation... Fuze Release date: Friday 3 April in cinemas Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as a bomb disposal expert who is brought in to urgently assist when an unexploded WWII bomb is discovered in Central London in this crime thriller from director David McKenzie. But that bomb is just the starting point for a film that also involves a major heist element, with the supporting cast including key roles for Theo James, Sam Worthington and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. California Schemin' View Green Video on the source website Release date: Friday 10 April in cinemas James McAvoy makes his directorial debut with this biographical drama about Silibil N' Brains, a Scottish rap duo who pretended to be American in their bid to make it in the music industry – and ended up supporting some very major names. Based on the true story of Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd and adapted from the former's memoir California Schemin': How Two Lads from Scotland Conned the Music Industry, it boasts energetic performances from Samuel Bottomley and Séamus McLean Ross as the central duo, while McAvoy also has a key role himself. You, Me and Tuscany Release date: Friday 10 April in cinemas This Italy-set romcom stars Halle Bailey as a young cook who unexpectedly find love after taking a trip to Tuscany and posing as the fiancé of a man she'd met only once after being found squatting in his house. In the process of keeping up the pretence – which involves spending a lot of time with the man's somewhat eccentric family – she also meets his cousin Michael (Regé-Jean Page), and sparks begin to fly... Undertone Release date: Friday 10 April in cinemas This buzzy horror film from first-time director Ian Tuason follows two podcast hosts who are sent an eerie, mysterious email from one of their listeners, containing some very creepy voice recordings. Unfolding entirely from the perspective of Evy (Nina Kiri) – the more sceptical of the two hosts who is also caring for her ill mother – most of the scares come from the film's terrifying sound design, which leaves plenty to the imagination. Lee Cronin's The Mummy Release date: Friday 17 April in cinemas No relation to the previous Mummy films, this supernatural horror from Evil Dead Rise director Lee Cronin follows the creepy events that occur when a girl shows up eight years after she had disappeared. The synopsis teases: "What should have been a joyful family reunion quickly turns into a true nightmare..." The Wizard of the Kremlin Release date: Friday 17 April in cinemas Jude Law plays Vladimir Putin in this satire based on a 2022 novel of the same name, with Paul Dano and Alicia Vikander also in the star-studded cast and acclaimed French director Olivier Assayas at the helm. It follows a fictional character named Vadim Baranov (Dano), who morphs from a young artist in 1990s Russia into an influential government official and spin doctor at the heart of the government. Rebuilding View Green Video on the source website Release date: Friday 17 April in cinemas Josh O'Connor has the starring role alongside Meghann Fahy and recent Oscar-winner Amy Madigan in this low-key Western about a man named Dusty who is attempting to rebuild his life after his ranch is destroyed by wildfires. The synopsis continues: "Dusty winds up in a FEMA camp finding community with others who lost homes, after reuniting with his daughter and ex-wife." Glenrothan Release date: Friday 17 April in cinemas Brian Cox directs and leads the cast of this comedy drama described as a "love letter to Scotland" with Alan Cumming also starring. Cumming plays Donal, a man who returns to Scotland after 35 years abroad in a bid to make amends with his brother Sandy, played by Cox. Michael Release date: Wednesday 22 April in cinemas This biopic of controversial pop superstar Michael Jackson sees Jaafar Jackson – Michael's nephew – take on the central role, with Antoine Fuqua directing and Colman Domingo starring as his father Joe. The film is mainly focused on Jackson's early life and career, including his time with the Jackson 5 and his start as a solo artist, but it seems certain to reopen conversations about his legacy. Mother Mary View Green Video on the source website Release date: Friday 24 April in cinemas Anne Hathaway plays a fictional pop star in this mysterious new psychological drama from writer/director David Lowery, which also stars Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer, Sian Clifford and FKA Twigs. According to a synopsis, it will follow the "psychosexual affair between pop singer Mary and fashion designer Sam (Coel) after the former's need for a dress for her new tour draws them back together." Rose of Nevada Release date: Friday 24 April in cinemas The third film from audacious Cornish director Mark Jenkin is an intriguing sci-fi drama starring George MacKay and Callum Turner. The synopsis reads: "A mysterious boat returns to a village thirty years after it vanished. Two men join its crew hoping for better fortune. After one voyage, they find themselves transported back in time, mistaken for the original crew." Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Over the last two decades, Nick Orr's career as an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) specialist for both the British Army and voluntary organisations in war-torn countries has seen him working in all sorts of dangerous, life-threatening situations. But for one of his latest assignments, Orr found himself doing something very different: advising on a star-studded, big-budget film project. Fuze, which arrives in UK cinemas this weekend, stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as an Afghanistan veteran and bomb disposal expert who is urgently called in to assist when an unexploded WWII bomb is discovered on a busy construction site in the centre of London. From there, the film takes all sorts of twists and turns – incorporating a heist element – with other key cast members including Theo James and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Orr – who has worked everywhere from Afghanistan, Mali and Iraq to Kuwait, Ukraine and Gaza – had been emailed asking if he'd put his name down for consideration as an adviser and, from what he's heard, his was the only CV the production team read before he was offered the role. Within a few days, he was having a Zoom call with Taylor-Johnson and director David Mackenzie to work out exactly what was needed. "I said, 'You tell me what you want, and I'll give you options that reflect your requirement,'" he recalls in an exclusive interview with Radio Times. "Ranging from completely plausible and viable to Hollywood fantasy. "And [Mackenzie] went, 'No, I want it absolutely to be realistic. And I said 'That's easier, we're not straying from the line. I've been doing that for years.' And then it went from there" Orr's role from that point onwards included both checking over the script and consulting on set while filming was ongoing, ensuring that nothing shown on screen would be straying too far from the reality. But perhaps one of his most fascinating involvements was the "explosives boot camp" he ran for the cast ahead of shooting. He knew that while the actors might have picked up some degree of knowledge from their own research, there were certain things that they couldn't glean purely from reading material. In other words, he needed to properly introduce them to explosives, and so took them to a range which was run by a friend. "He said, 'What do you want to do with them?' [And] I said, 'As safely as you can I want to scare them. I want them to understand what explosives do and what that means." So what exactly did that involve? "We blew up a pig's head from a butcher’s to show what explosives do to flesh," he says. "It's grim, but it's true. It's factual. And it gives them something to base their response on." Another exercise was detonating a 5kg explosive in a quarry. "We were about 30 meters away and you could feel a shock wave moving through you," he explains. "And they hadn't encountered that. So [that meant] their reactions to the detonations when they were filming were that much more realistic and precise, and I was very happy with that result." Of course, with Mackenzie having made clear he was looking for as realistic a depiction of explosives and bomb disposal as possible, there were certain traps it was vital not to fall into. It was paramount, Orr explains, to avoid the kind of "Hollywood, John Woo-style" explosions where "there's great big balls of fire everywhere." "You'll see a grenade detonate in a corner in a room in a James Bond film and the guy flies across the room," he says. "That doesn't happen. It doesn't move you. It will hurt you with fragmentation, but it won't move you massively. "And then you see a great big detonation, and the guys are flying across car parks. And it doesn't [do that]. Think of throwing a watermelon in front of a high speed train. That's what it does to humans. It's not really comparable to the screen. The only film I've seen really getting it right was Saving Private Ryan." Another of Orr's biggest bugbears when it comes to how things tend to be depicted on screen is less concerned with his specialist area of bomb disposal and explosives, but rather a general rule of how military personnel are portrayed – with one key detail often instantly breaking his immersion. "Actors don't carry weight in their body armour or in their bones," he says. "Whereas [when I was a] soldier, I was carrying 50/60, kilos on my back and maybe 20 kilos on my chest. Water, ammunition, explosives. That changes the way your body moves. It changes the way you interact with the ground. It changes the way you can stand. "You can't hold a pose, holding a conversation in a kneeling position for five minutes when you're carrying that weight. So when Aaron's doing the scenes in Afghanistan [in Fuze], his kit is fully loaded. He's got ballistic plates on, he's got water bottles. Obviously he doesn't have bullets in there, but he's got supplementary weight in there, so that you can see that the weight is hanging off him, and when he's moving, it's holding him down. And that shows." In addition to communicating the importance of those physical aspects, there were other more psychological lessons Orr was able to impart to Taylor-Johnson as well. The actor spoke to him in depth and was determined to understand what made him tick – where does the fear lie when he's out doing his job in dangerous and volatile war zone environments? Orr certainly has no shortage of experience to draw on when it comes to advising people on this front. "I was an instructor of IED and EOD bomb disposal at both the UK schools, and I've seen many, many people come through," he says. "I've seen the absolute wizards of the world, British Army officers, coming through and overthinking it. Then you get a very, very young, pragmatic sergeant who just does what he's told and gets on with it. "It's about understanding what you need to do," he adds. "And the biggest lesson I can get across to any student of mine is understanding what is appropriate in the moment, and that will change depending on what you have previously done and what you're about to do. "And for every device, for every item, from a grenade to a nuclear bomb, there is what we call an appropriate response. If you don't understand what that is at that point in the task, then you're going to hurt someone or hurt yourself. I think Aaron carried it very well. I was very impressed, because the way he comes across as Will Tranter is not what he's like... He's quite a jovial guy!" You might wonder if – given the nature of his work – there was anything that Orr couldn't reveal to Taylor-Johnson and the crew, either from a safety or a secrecy standpoint. But he explains that while there naturally are certain details from his real life experience he can't disclose, "we weren't touching on anything like that in Fuze." He adds: "It deals with a couple of IEDs from Afghanistan, and then it deals with a German World War Two bomb. And the technology there is well known and well documented. It's all open source. So there was nothing I felt uncomfortable about revealing." View Green Video on the source website When it came to being on set, Orr also found himself getting involved with the pyrotechnics team whose job it was to bring the explosions to life. They had a Styrofoam cannon which "kicks out dust and dirt and polystyrene and foam parts" that are designed to look like rocks, and his role was to advise how much of the Styrofoam was required for each explosion and to let them know when they would need a "real big cloud of dust and dirt" or a "blinding white flash". He was very much aware that "time is money" on set, however, and kept his interventions to a minimum while things were being shot. "There's only a couple of shots where I went, 'We need to look at that again. That's not an appropriate response," he says. "One of the prop wires was stretching, or bouncing and they're supposed to be really heavy, dense copper wire, so it wouldn't have had any movement and stuff like that caught my eye. And I was like, 'I think probably we need to kind of keep that an eye on that.' But it was very little." Apart from anything else, he explains, he didn't want to cross any boundaries and abuse his position as an adviser to exert too much authority over the artistic vision of Mackenzie. This is something he reckons a few people in his line of work may have a little more trouble dealing with, which means he has to be careful about which of his peers to bring on board for this kind of work in the future. "There's no way I'm going to tell a director they can't do something, ever," he says. "If his option is fantasy, it's still his option. I'm just there to advise. "So I don't want someone with the strength of character of my peer group going, 'Nope. You can't do that.’ They’d be kicked off set and I'd be embarrassed. I've got to really choose who I take with me!" Clearly, though, Orr enjoyed his first experience advising on a film production and hopes to be back in a similar role soon. Although he's unable to give specifics, he mentions that he's got "a few irons in the fire" and is "working on a few things at the moment." So would he do anything different next time around? "I'd have done it longer!" he says. "We only had time to do the explosive boot camp, but I'd like to do a couple of days on how to act as a soldier, how to dress, how to salute. Just a very, very basic training." "I've had some really good gigs and some some troubling gigs [in my career]," he adds. "I enjoy bomb disposal, but I gotta say... I prefer movies now!" Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Everything you need to know about the filming locations used for the ITV crime drama, as it returns for its sixth season.
If you've been waiting with baited breath to see how ITV crime drama Grace would deal with that major season 5 cliffhanger, then never fear – the show is finally almost back on our screens. The series, based in Brighton & Hove, is continuing to adapt Peter James's popular crime novels, while also exploring brand new storylines specifically designed for the series. Of course, John Simm is back as Roy Grace, while Richie Campbell returns as his partner Glenn Branson. For Simm, it's a short commute to work, as he lives in the Brighton area – something he called "very handy" in a recent interview for the series. "Sometimes people will walk past that I know," Simm said of filming in Brighton. "I'm usually kind of in the zone though and not sort of paying much attention to anything outside of the set. "But for me personally, over these 5 or 6 years, filming Grace has been a great way for me to discover my hometown! We've been everywhere, and it's a fantastic place, Brighton. A fantastic place to live, fantastic place to film. It's a character in its own right." Read on for everything you need to know about where the crime series is filmed. Where is Grace filmed? All the seaside landmarks One of the most prominent locations in the show – and one which has appeared extensively on promotional material throughout the show's run – is Brighton Palace Pier, a Grade II listed pleasure pier which is located in the Brighton city centre. It remains the only pier in the city still in use, and has got an impressive on-screen resume, having previously appeared in Carry On at Your Convenience, Quadrophenia and Brighton Rock. Various other Brighton locations can be seen throughout the show, including the city's Sydney Street, where the cast were spotted by locals during filming on season 1. Indeed, local newspaper The Argus reported at the time that some shopkeepers in the area had to make a few changes to their storefronts for the series – asked to briefly remove signs that contained references to coronavirus restrictions, since the drama is set at a time before the pandemic began. For season 4, filming was spotted taking place at the Brighton Marina, as well as the Royal Pavilion, Devil’s Dyke, Madeira Drive and a country house in Ovingdean. Meanwhile, in nearby Hove, several streets including Ferndale Road and Silverdale Road were used for filming on season 1, with the same being true for Shoreham Port in Brighton, where Craig Parkinson was spotted filming. Some other locations used include the suburb of Woodingdean and the East Sussex town Peacehaven. For season 5, filming was seen taking place inside the former Popworld club in West Street, while a notable sequence at the start of the first episode was filmed at a currently undisclosed football stadium. Grace season 6 will air on ITV1 and ITVX from Sunday 29 March at 8pm. Seasons 1-5 are available to stream in full now on ITVX. Add Grace to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
007 frontrunner Aaron Taylor-Johnson reveals all about explosive bootcamp training with bomb disposal expert for new role
The star has a lead role alongside Theo James and Gugu Mbatha Raw in new thriller Fuze – and no stone was left unturned when it came to his preparations.
Since starting out as a child actor in the early 200os, Aaron Taylor–Johnson's career has seen him take on a vast array of varied roles – everything from a young John Lennon in Nowhere Boy to vampire skeptic Friedrich Harding in Nosferatu. But his latest role in crime thriller Fuze – out next week in UK cinemas – required him to do something very different to all of his previous credits: attend a boot camp run by an expert in explosives. The film sees Taylor-Johnson playing a bomb disposal expert who is called in when an unexploded World War II bomb is found in central London, and it seems that no stone was left unturned in the production's efforts to make him truly understand the nature of the assignment. "That experience was a lot of fun, and a real honour and a privilege to be able to do something like that," the star explained in an exclusive interview with Radio Times at the film's London premiere. "Because it is interesting where your jobs take you, where you get to sort of experience and work with expertise. "We worked on a military ground – it all had to be very safe and you had to go through all these different protocols and stuff like that," he added. "But yeah, [it was] amazing to understand the process of what needs to be done in order to dispose of a bomb. It is an extraordinary experience. He added that the cast "brought a lot of that to the movie," explaining that the goal of director David McKenzie was to make sure everything that featured in the film was "authentic and real, and rooted in reality." He continued: "Even though [it's] high concept and it's a heist movie, it's a popcorn movie, everybody had to do their routine and work with the people. "I worked with an EOD specialist, Gugu Mbatha-Raw worked with someone in the police department, and we all had to do our research and our work so that we could do it justice in a way." View Green Video on the source website Ahead of the film's release Radio Times also spoke to the man who ran the bootcamp – EOD specialist Nick Orr – who revealed that he didn't want the cast to have an easy ride of it. "I needed to introduce the cast to explosives, and the range is run by a friend of mine [so] I said. ‘As safely as you can, I want to scare them.’," he explained – before revealing one of the first courses of action. "We blew up a pig's head from a butcher’s to show what explosives do to flesh," he said. "It's grim, but it's true. It's factual. And it gives them something to base their response on." Fuze is released in UK cinemas on Friday 3 April. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Murder She Wrote reboot film with Hollywood A-lister gets release date confirmed
Jamie Lee Curtis is taking on the role of Jessica Fletcher – the role made iconic by the legendary Angela Lansbury.
A new big screen reboot of iconic Angela Lansbury TV series Murder, She Wrote will be arriving in cinemas in time for Christmas next year – after a 22 December 2027 release date was confirmed by Universal. The film will see Oscar-winner and Halloween icon Jamie Lee Curtis take over the role of amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher from the legendary Lansbury, who played the role for 12 seasons between 1984 and 1996 and passed away aged 96 in 2022. Precise plot details for the movie have not been revealed at this stage, but it seems safe to assume we can expect to see Curtis's version of Fletcher putting her crime solving instincts to good use in the fictional New England town of Cabot Cove. The film is set to be directed by Pitch Perfect's Jason Moore from a script by Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo (Dumb Money) while Phil Lord and Christopher Miller – whose sci-fi adventure Project Hail Mary is currently ruling the box office – are serving as producers on the project. Curtis previously spoke about taking on the role Lansbury originated, saying: "Obviously, there is nothing... no one is gonna touch Angela. There's just no one that's gonna touch her, but I will bring my own curiosity." She also told Entertainment Tonight that she was "very excited" about the project, although she added "I’m tamping down my enthusiasm until we start shooting". "I have a couple of other things to hustle, but then I’ll get to enjoy that work," she said. We'll be on the lookout for any further updates in the coming weeks, especially details on who might be joining Curtis in the cast. We'd expect to see a couple of big names! Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Buffy icon Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood reflect on their earliest film memories – and the key thing Gellar learnt on Buffy
Genre icons Gellar and Wood appear together in horror sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come – and spoke to Radio Times for our Film Flashbacks series.
The transition from child star to adult actor isn't always an easy one, but few would deny that Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood can count among the performers who have successfully made that jump. The pair both began their careers in the world of film and TV at very young ages in the 1980s and have gone on to appear in a some of the most beloved franchises of all time, most notably Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Lord of the Rings, respectively. Now, they're among several genre icons joining Samara Weaving in the cast of brand new horror sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, which is now showing in UK cinemas. To mark the release, Radio Times spoke to the pair for our Film Flashbacks series – discussing everything from their very first film memories to some of the key turning points in their career. You can check out the full interview below. What are your earliest memories of going to the cinema and watching films when you were younger? Sarah Michelle Gellar: My first film was ET. The same weekend, I saw Snow White – the animated film – and I saw ET. So just both great films. I saw Drew Barrymore and was like, 'I want to do that!' Elijah Wood: That's insane. That's very hard to beat. A very early memory of movies for me is Gremlins. I wouldn't have seen in the in the cinema because I was too young, but I remember seeing it at home. SMG: Oh, my God, didn't you want one of those? I used to beg for a Mogwai. EW: Oh, yeah. Mogwais are the coolest. I loved Gizmo. Loved that film. And then a big formative seeing it in the cinema experience for me was Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade at the Chinese Theater with my mom. It was amazing. You were both acting from quite a young age. What are your earliest memories of being on film sets? SMG: I have a funny story. My first job ever, my first big movie, was filmed in Shelter Island in the winter. People don't really go to Shelter Island in the winter because the snow was so big. The snow drifts were so big and I was so tiny, they hired a person whose job it was to carry me from set to set, because they were afraid that I was gonna get lost in the snow. True story! EW: I have some incredible early memories. I mean, the very first film role that I had was in the Cafe 80s in Back to the Future 2, which is just extraordinary. SMG: What? EW: Yeah. So in the back of the Cafe 80s, there's two kids trying to work a Wild Gunman, like light gun game, arcade game, and they can't make it work. And Michael J Fox comes along, Marty is like, 'Oh, this is how you...' And he demonstrates the game. And these kids are like, 'What, you mean, you got to use your hands? It's like a baby's toy.' And I was one of those kids. SMG: My world has just been changed. My world is forever changed. EW: So for me, that was so mind blowing to have come from Iowa, moved out to Los Angeles, start working and doing commercials and things, and then be on that film set.Because I had seen Back to the Future. I love that film. So to be in like the Hill Valley downtown area, all dressed for the future... SMG: I can't... this whole interview is over for me, because I'm just going to be playing the scene.... there's so much going on in my head right now. EW: It was pretty awesome. We're hear to speak about a horror film – so what are your early memories of watching horror films? Do you remember a film that – maybe when you were younger, maybe when you were a bit older – really scared you? EW: I have a brother who's seven years older than me, and so he and his friends were renting horror films when they came of age – those were the films that they were drawn to. And so he would let me watch those films with him, as long as I promised not to tell our parents. So I was exposed to horror at like six or seven years of age. A formative memory from that era was Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, which to this day is one of my favorite horror films, and I think my favorite Nightmare on Elm Street film. SMG: You know I love movies. I just like going to the movies. And thankfully, not only do I like genre movies, my kids like genre movies. And I told this story yesterday, but when my kids were little, their godmother had worked on the Goosebumps movie, and so she had said, for their birthdays do they want to do a screening on the lot? And my kids were so excited they were gonna invite their friends – they were like, five and seven or whatever – to the big movie studio to see a movie months before it came out. And my poor kids didn't have any friends that would come because none of them were ready to see those horror movies! They were too scared. So luckily, my kids appreciated horror at a young age... now their friends obviously will see them! View Green Video on the source website What was a film where you were working with with a co-star that changed the way that you thought about acting and films? SMG: I think that's every movie. I think that I take... I learn things on each job, not just from actors. From crew members, from a production designer... And if you're not constantly learning from these people, then you're missing out. I remember very early on on Buffy, I thought I'm never going to have this opportunity again. And I did every single job on set at least one time. I held the boom, I pulled focus. Because I wanted to understand all the different mechanisms that make it go. Like a lot of actors go, 'Our job is just to show up and hit the mark and say our lines,' and it's like... no! If we go out of order in our lines, the person moving the boom doesn't know how to go, and then they shadow us, right? And so I think you're always continually learning and evolving and taking from everybody. EW: I love that, I totally agree with that. I think it's such a joyful experience opening yourself up to the sort of full breadth of what it is to make a film collaboratively with a group of people, and everyone contributing their skill. And it's so wonderful to be in the mix of that. To add to that, in terms of my own personal experience, a game changer moment – from having started when I was eight and carried on through my whole life – there was a movie called The Ice Storm that Ang Lee directed that really felt like a kind of dividing line between my work as a child and work as an adult. And it just happened to fit right in there. I was a teenager. I was, I think, 14 or 15 or something at the time. I worked with Christina Ricci and that extraordinary cast, and just engaged with the process. Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver. I mean, just amazing, a really wonderful film. And I was asked to engage in that process as an actor in a way that I'd never before. And so that really felt like a significant sort of twist... of like a turn of the page, if you will. Like a new realm. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is now showing in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Magic Faraway Tree cast: Who stars in the new Enid Blyton adaptation?
The family film includes many big names including Claire Foy, Andrew Garfield and Rebecca Ferguson.
Hitting cinemas on Friday 27 March, The Magic Faraway Tree is based on the novels of the same name by Enid Blyton – and with Ghosts and Paddington 2 scribe Simon Farnaby on screenwriting duties, it looks set to be a hit for family viewing. The film notably boasts a majorly star-studded cast, with Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy and Rebecca Ferguson among those playing prominent roles, as well as a huge number of faces from the world of British comedy popping up throughout the runtime. Many of those big names are playing very whimsical characters with names such as Dame Washalot and Mr Watzisname, which gives a good idea of the kind of tone you can expect from the project. Read on for the full cast list of The Magic Faraway Tree, including everything you need to know about their characters and where you might have seen the actors before. The Magic Faraway Tree cast: Who stars in the new movie? The confirmed cast list is as follows: Andrew Garfield as Tim Thompson Claire Foy as Polly Thompson Delilah Bennett-Cardy as Beth Thompson Billie Gadsdon as Fran Thompson Phoenix Laroche as Joe Thompson Nicola Coughlan as Silky Nonso Anozie as Moonface Jessica Gunning as Dame Washalot Dustin Demri-Burns as the Saucepan Man Mark Heap as Mr Oom Boom Boom Oliver Chris as Mr Watzisname Lenny Henry as The Great Know-All Michael Palin as Know-All Simon Russell Beale as Know-All Jennifer Saunders as Grandma Frida Rebecca Ferguson as Dame Snap Hiran Abeysekera as Angry Pixie Pippa Bennett-Warner as Hannah Simon Farnaby as Farmer Brian Claire Keelan as Farmer's Wife Read on for everything you need to know about the cast and who they're playing. Andrew Garfield plays Tim Thompson View Green Video on the source website Who is Tim Thompson? Tim is the father of Joe, Beth, and Fran who tries to put a positive spin on everything and suggests moving to the countryside to begin a new life when things go wrong – planning to make a fortune by growing tomatoes to make his family's special sauce. What else has Andrew Garfield been in? Fresh off the back of 2024 and 2025 original films We Live in Time and After the Hunt, The Magic Faraway Tree is one of two 2026 films for Garfield. He will also be appearing in Paul Greengrass's The Uprising, though his most recognisable role is undoubtedly as Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel. He reprised this role for Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021, while other key film credits have included The Social Network, Silence, Hacksaw Ridge and Tick, Tick... Boom! Claire Foy plays Polly Thompson Who is Polly Thompson? Polly is Tim’s wife and the mother of the three children. She has just quit her job after finding out the smart fridge she designed has been programmed by the company she worked for to spy on its owners. What else has Claire Foy been in? Foy shot to fame in 2016 when she took on the role of Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix’s worldwide success The Crown. Since then, she’s had roles in films like Women Talking and All of Us Strangers, and played the lead role in 2025 British drama H is for Hawk. Delilah Bennett-Cardy plays Beth Thompson Who is Beth Thompson? The oldest Thompson child, Beth just wants to spend time chatting to her friends. What else has Delilah Bennett-Cardy been in? Bennett-Cardy's only previous screen credit was in the 2023 ITV series Tom Jones. Phoenix Laroche plays Joe Thompson Who is Joe Thompson? The middle Thompson child, Joe is lost to his virtual reality video game passion Mindblast. What else has Phoenix Laroche been in? Laroche was seen last year in Prime Video series Malice. Billie Gadsdon plays Fran Thompson Who is Fran Thompson? The youngest child, Fran barely says a word but is the first to discover the tree. What else has Billie Gadson been in? Young actress Gadson already has a number of credits to her name – including TV series The Midwich Cuckoos and A Gentleman in Moscow and films including Here, Nocebo and Cruella. Nicola Coughlan plays Silky Who is Silky? One of the residents of the Faraway Tree, Silky is a small fairy with long, golden hair who is one of the children’s companions. What else has Nicola Coughlan been in? Coughlan broke into the mainstream with her role as Clare Devlin in Derry Girls. She has since appeared in Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, and appeared in the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas special, Joy to the World, in which she played the titular Joy. She's also a key member of the cast of Bridgerton, having played Penelope Featherington throughout the Netflix period drama. Nonso Anozie plays Moonface Who is Moonface? The round-faced heart of the Faraway Tree gang who likes to think of himself as the leader. What else has Nonso Anozie been in? Anozie played Xaro Xhoan Daxos in the second season of Game of Thrones, and went on to play Oberon in Russell T Davies’s TV movie adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Since then, he has appeared in Ted Lasso, The Sandman, and recently The Mandalorian. Jessica Gunning plays Dame Washalot Who is Dame Washalot? The mission control leader of the Faraway gang. What else has Jessica Gunning been in? After several years of small roles in various films and TV series, Gunning’s rise to fame came after she played stalker Martha Scott in Richard Gadd’s hit series Baby Reindeer. She’s also appearing in the upcoming film adaptation of Frank and Percy. Dustin Demri-Burns plays the Saucepan Man Who is the Saucepan Man? A resident of the Faraway Tree who is a little hard of hearing on account of the fact that he’s covered in metal pots and pans from head to toe. What else has Dustin Demri-Burns been in? Demri-Burns has appeared in a number of British comedies such as Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, Grimsby, Bridget Jones’s Baby, and All My Friends Hate Me. More recently, he had a regular role as Min Harper in Slow Horses. Rebecca Ferguson plays Dame Snap Who is Dame Snap? The film's main villain, Dame Snap is a strict, unforgiving headmistress who runs a school where children can become trapped doing lessons forever. What else has Rebecca Ferguson been in? Ferguson played Lady Jessica in 2021’s Dune and its 2024 sequel, a role she is set to reprise in the conclusion to the trilogy in late 2026. She also recently appeared in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, the movie which takes place after the eponymous TV series. Mark Heap plays Mr Oom Boom Boom Who is Mr Oom Boom Boom? A bombastic wheeler-dealer hiding out in the basement of the Land of Birthdays. What else has Mark Heap been in? Heap is a familiar face among British audiences, coming onto the comedy scene back in the 1990s when he appeared on Chris Morris’s Brass Eye. After roles in Spaced and Green Wing, he became a household name with his role as Jim in Friday Night Dinner. Oliver Chris plays Mr Watzisname Who is Mr Watzisname? A befuddled character who can never quite remember his own name What else has Oliver Chris been in? Chris also began his career with a number of small roles in UK comedy series such as Green Wing, The IT Crowd, and According to Bex. More recently, he appeared as James Vereker in the Disney+ series Rivals. Lenny Henry plays the Great Know-All Who is the Great Know-All? The leader of the three Know-Alls who claim to be exceedingly wise but are actually completely clueless. What else has Lenny Henry been in? Lenny Henry has had a hugely prolific career, notably in The Lenny Henry Show, a sketch show which he created, co-wrote, and starred in that began in the 1980s and ran on-and-off for 20 years. With Richard Curtis, Henry co-founded Comic Relief, and usually hosts the annual telethon, while he has appeared in a huge number of TV shows and films over the years. Michael Palin as the second Know-All Who is the second Know-All? Another of the Know-Alls, who is also pompous despite his lack of insight. What else has Michael Palin been in? Most famous for being a member of sketch comedy group Monty Python, Michael Palin wrote and performed in all four series of its Flying Circus TV show, as well as co-writing and starring in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, and The Meaning of Life. Since then, Palin has presented numerous travelogues, and most recently has appeared in Mackenzie Crook’s Small Prophets. Simon Russell Beale as the third Know-All Who is the third Know-All? The final member of the Know-Alls, who shares similar characteristics with the other two. What else has Simon Russell Beale been in? Consistently described as one of the greatest stage actors of his generation, Beale’s theatrical CV is impressively extensive. On the big screen, he played Lavrentiy Beria in The Death of Stalin opposite fellow Know-All Michael Palin, and has appeared in Operation Mincemeat as Winston Churchill. He is also in the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, in which he plays Ser Simon Strong. Jennifer Saunders plays Grandma Frida Who is Grandma Frida? Polly’s mother, who arrives to assess the Thompson's new life and finds it desperately wanting. She isn't exactly approving of her son-in-law Tim's schemes. What else has Jennifer Saunders been in? After several years as part of comedy group The Comic Strip, Saunders created sketch show French and Saunders with her comedy partner Dawn French. Saunders then went on to star alongside Joanna Lumley in Absolutely Fabulous, playing Edina Monsoon, which probably remains her most well-known role – but she's been a fixture on our screens ever since. Simon Farnaby plays Farmer Brian Who is Famer Brian? The nearly incomprehensible local farmer, who becomes acquainted with the Thompson's after they move in. What else has Simon Farnaby been in? Having begun his career on Horrible Histories, Farnaby established himself as a writer with 2016 film Mindhorn. Since then, he has written Paddington 2 and Paddington in Peru, he’s co-created and starred in Ghosts, and he wrote the screenplay for Wonka. In addition, he is the writer for The Magic Faraway Tree. The Magic Faraway Tree is in cinemas from Friday 27 March. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
New Lord of the Rings film spin-off confirmed – and it's set after the original trilogy
The new film will be penned by comedian and talk show host Stephen Colbert, along with his son Peter McGee and Lord of the Rings veteran Philippa Boyens.
In the world of sequels and spin-offs we currently live in, the next big franchise announcement is never far away – and this week it's been confirmed that a new Lord of the Rings project is in development. The movie has been given the tentative title The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past and will be loosely based on the eighth chapter of JRR Tolkein's The Fellowship of the Ring, although it will be set after the events of the original trilogy. Interestingly, the project is being penned by Stephen Colbert, who is most famous for his hugely successful career as a comedian and talk show host, but is also well known as a massive fan of The Lord of the Rings. He's writing the screenplay alongside his son Peter McGee and franchise veteran Philippa Boyens. The film will be set 14 years after Frodo has passed away, and will follow his old friends Sam, Merry and Pippin as they set out to retrace the first steps of their adventure. The synopsis continues that: "Sam’s daughter, Elanor, has discovered a long-buried secret and is determined to uncover why the War of the Ring was very nearly lost before it even began." Meanwhile, it is also believed that fan favourite character Tom Bombadil – who has not appeared in the previous films – will be included. The film was announced in a video by Colbert and Peter Jackson, who of course directed the original movie trilogy as well as the subsequent Hobbit movies, and will serve as a producer here. "You know what the books mean to me and what your films mean to me, but the thing I found myself reading over and over again were the six chapters early on in the Fellowship that y’all never developed into the first movie back in the day," Colbert explained. Meanwhile, he added that the plan was for the film to "be its own story that could fit into the larger story" and to make something "that was completely faithful to the books while also being completely faithful to the movies". Of course, this is not the only Lord of the Rings spin-off film currently in development, with Andy Serkis set to direct a movie titled The Hunt for Gollum, which will reportedly see Sir Ian McKellen reprise his role as Gandalf and may also include a role for Kate Winslet. The Hunt for Gollum was first announced in May 2024, with Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav revealing that it is intended to be the first of a new batch of movies set within Middle-earth that will "explore storylines yet to be told". Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Crown legend explains what Paddington writer brought to “incredible” Enid Blyton adaptation
Claire Foy is just one big name in the star-studded cast for The Magic Faraway Tree.
Over the past decade or so, Simon Farnaby has emerged as one of the most reliably brilliant screenwriters in the country. Not only has he had a major hand in the success of beloved sitcom Ghosts, he's also penned mega-hit family movies Paddington 2 and Wonka alongside Paul King, to name just a couple of his impressive accomplishments. For his latest project, Farnaby has turned his attention to another popular children's book series, on this occasion updating Enid Blyton's The Magic Faraway Tree novels into a whimsical fantasy film set in the modern day. A quite remarkable cast has been assembled for the picture – with Rebecca Ferguson, Andrew Garfield, Jessica Gunning and Lenny Henry just a handful of the huge names to feature – and ahead of release, one of the other big stars, Claire Foy, spoke exclusively with Radio Times about the project. Asked about what had jumped out to her in Farnaby's adaptation, she pinpointed how well he had weaved his sense of humour into Blyton's classic tale. "I think humour gets you such a long way, and I think that it was just funny from the off," she explained. "And I found the relationships of parent and child, and the common dynamic that we have now, a relief in a way. "I felt like it wasn't portraying this perfect family. It wasn't saying this is the ideal situation. It was going: here are the things that we all struggle with, and we're going to put them in a film." She added that "this is a sort of mad world to try and enter" and praised the manner in which Farnaby had made each of the various magical people who appear in the film "totally distinct". "I just think he did such an incredible job," she continued. "He just is the funniest man!" Nicola Coughlan – who plays a fairy called Silky in the film – agreed with Foy's assessment, adding that she had been "desperate" to get involved as soon as she found out that Farnaby was writing the script. "Paddington 2 is one of the best films ever made," she said. "Also I love a comedy ensemble. I asked Ben [Gregor, director] if it was all going to be green screen of Silky, I was like, 'It'll be a very different filming experience if I'm just in a room on my own.' And he was like, no, no! "But yeah, just the idea of creating that world and these people that really love where they are, but also get these children into huge amounts of danger all the time. I quite loved that! View Green Video on the source website Interestingly, neither Coughlan nor Foy had grown up with Blyton's novels, and the former reckoned that this might have actually been to her advantage on this occasion. "It was kind of a good thing not knowing too much, because I think sometimes it's too intimidating," she explained. "And also what childhood books mean to people. Like, it's lovely when you tell people you're involved in this movie, because if they read it as a kid, they light up, and it's like they become the child version of themselves again. "And that's really special, but it's terrifying. So if I'd read that and thought, 'Oh God, I'm playing Silky', I might have been overwhelmed. So it was quite nice just to go into it fresh in a way." Foy added: "I do totally see how having that read to you as a child, or reading it as a child... because there's a sort of element of it that's so fantastical and sort of trippy in a way, it's like everyone's interpretation of it will be slightly different. "Like people saying to me what they imagined Moonface (Nonso Anozie) would look like, and then seeing what they've created in this film is like... it's such an interesting thing of like, the mixing of ideas and imagination." The Magic Faraway Tree is released in UK cinemas on Friday 27 March. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
New John Wick spin-off gets major production and cast update as popular franchise continues to grow
Donnie Yen will be starring in and directing a new spin-off based on his character Caine – and it's about to start shooting!
Almost as soon as the first John Wick film premiered back in 2014, it became clear that the world of John Wick's vengeful assassin was one with lots of potential for expansion – and so it has proved. We've already been treated to three direct sequels, a spin-off movie led by Ana de Armas and a TV show centred on the franchise's iconic Continental hotel location, while a planned anime prequel also in the works. And now we've been given a major update of another new project set within the franchise, which will see acclaimed Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen reprise his role as blind assassin Caine from the fourth movie. According to Deadline, the project is set to begin filming next month, while it's also now been confirmed that singer-turned-actress Rina Sawayama will be reprising her role as Akira in what looks set to be a showdown between her character and Caine. A post-credits tease at the end of John Wick: Chapter 4 saw Akira looking to track down Caine after he had been responsible for the murder of her father earlier in the film, approaching him while wielding a knife in Paris. It certainly sets the stage for an intriguing battle! As was initially announced last April, Yen will not only be starring in the film but also taking on directorial duties, with the script penned by Mattson Tomlin and original John Wick filmmaker Chad Stahelski serving as one of the producers. Speaking about the project Yen said he had been drawn to the "contradiction" of Caine and that he thought the new film was "an opportunity to push the genre forward". View Green Video on the source website And he's not holding back when he comes to his aspirations for the project. "My goal is to create the most definitive martial arts-infused action film ever made, one that honours what audiences love about John Wick while bringing a new emotional depth and visual language to the story," he said. "As both director and actor, I’m excited to shape this chapter in a way that reflects everything I’ve learned over decades in action cinema, while building something that feels entirely new.” While an official synopsis has not been provided at this stage, it seems likely that the film will be focusing primarily on the rivalry between Caine and Akira that was set up in the earlier film. We'll keep you updated as and when more concrete details come to light. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Why Adolescence star Stephen Graham's new film is closely linked to a controversial classic
The Good Boy plays out a little like a modern reimagining of a Stanley Kubrick favourite.
Watching new film The Good Boy – which stars Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough as a deeply unsettling married couple – might very well put you in mind of Stanley Kubrick's seminal 1971 classic A Clockwork Orange. Like that film, it sees an angry teenage delinquent forced into a brutally unorthodox rehabilitation process designed to reform their errant behaviour, with A Clockwork Orange's infamous Ludovico Technique replaced here by a series of unhinged techniques overseen by Graham's character Chris after he kidnaps 19-year-old criminal Tommy (Anson Boon). Of course, director Jan Komasa was very aware of the shared themes, and during an exclusive interview with Radio Times the filmmaker even revealed that an earlier version of the script made specific reference to the iconic Anthony Burgess novel on which Kubrick's film is based. "Clockwork Orange was one of the first books that Chris and Kathryn gave Tommy in the Polish version of the script," he explained, referencing one of the less extreme parts of the couple's rehabilitation process which sees them lend books to their captive. "Because the script initially was set in Warsaw and then [producer] Jeremy Thomas told us, if we do this, then it's very on the nose. Because this film, this whole concept, is Clockwork Orange-y. So let's get rid of this, and we replaced it with other books and films." View Green Video on the source website The cultural references that are made in lieu of the direct Clockwork Orange nod run the gamut from Ray Bradbury's story The Illustrated Man to Ken Loach's landmark film Kes to music from revered Polish classical composer Frédéric Chopin. And Komasa said that there was a single theme unifying these choices. He explained: "With all this, we wanted to keep it very educational... but in a very twisty way!" While The Good Boy is certainly a dark and disturbing watch, it thankfully hasn't been met with quite the same outrage that greeted A Clockwork Orange back in 1971 – when Kubrick's film was famously withdrawn from UK cinemas after a spate of violent acts that were said to have been inspired by the film. Still, it's certainly an intriguing modern-day companion piece to the earlier classic – with Graham and Riseborough both in chilling form. The Good Boy is now showing in UK cinemas.Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Adolescence star Stephen Graham explains his "twisted, warped" character’s motivations in unsettling new film
Graham takes on a very unusual role in new film The Good Boy.
Over the years, Stephen Graham has proved several times over that he's one of the most versatile actors currently working, and in new drama The Good Boy he's playing a character quite unlike any we've seen him play before. The film – which arrived in UK cinemas at the end of last week – sees him starring as Chris, a man who kidnaps a 19-year-old hoodlum named Tommy (Anson Boon) and, along with his wife Kathryn (Andrea Riseborough), puts him through a quite deranged rehabilitation process. There's a great deal of ambiguity regarding Chris, his family set-up and his motivations for capturing Tommy, but much of it seems to relate to a character named Charlie, who is frequently referenced and appears to have passed away some time in the fairly recent past. Charlie's true identity – possibly Chris and Kathryn's son or possibly an earlier kidnap victim – is never definitively revealed, and according to the film's director Jan Komasa, he made the cast come up with their own interpretations of the backstory. "What we did with Stephen and Andrea, and Kit [Rakusen, who plays the couple's young son Jonathan] was we said, 'Why don't you guys come up with your your own version of the story, what really happened to this family, and don't tell each other this,'" he explained in an exclusive interview with Radio Times. "So they did it and they played different things, and the things that they are playing... those things inspired me to change the script a little and the way I shot it to fit it closely to their characters." For his part, Graham explained that having a "solid backstory" was vital when it came to sketching out Chris's motivations, and he ended up with a very clear view as to why he was going through with such an unsettlingly odd scheme. "For me, Chris was a man who loves his wife dearly, and she's in this state of catatonic grief," he explained. "So it's... how can I pull it out of that? What can I do to fix that? And I think that's what we try and do a lot as human beings, we try to fix the problem in another person. View Green Video on the source website "So the way he feels he can fix it in his twisted, warped head, is to get her another son, like you'd go and buy a dog. Hence The Good Boy," he added. "You'd buy a puppy. He didn't steal a baby but he stole someone that he thought no one would miss greatly, [and it] turned out to be the truth. "And then they tried to educate him and change his way of thinking, and change the way he looks at the world through a different lens. So it was a joy, and it was a gift, and it was a lot of fun. It was a fella I've never played before." Komasa also added that the film might leave some audience members with one or two difficult questions to ponder after they've finished watching. "When you watch it, you're like, 'Oh everybody's so wrong in this film,'" he said. "But then when you watch it more, like the closer to the end, you're kind of like, 'What if they are right?' So that's the whole thing!" The Good Boy is now showing in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day release date, cast, trailer and theories
How many times have you watched the trailer? It's hard to stop...
It finally happened! After months of anticipation, Sony Pictures has unveiled a full trailer for its forthcoming Marvel blockbuster Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which sees Tom Holland return as the underdog hero. The plot of the film has been shrouded in secrecy since it wrapped filming on the streets of Glasgow, which is a rare achievement in a media landscape hungry for any spoiler leaks it can get its hands on. As a result, there were some genuine surprises in the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer (check out our analysis of 5 key moments here), including the apparent inclusion of Daredevil's bitter rivals The Hand (last seen in Netflix's The Defenders). The gang appeared alongside Michael Mando's Scorpion, Jon Bernthal's The Punisher and even C-list comic book villain Boomerang (actor to be confirmed), leaving it unclear who exactly the main antagonist would be. Notably absent was Sadie Sink, but the appearance of a psychic entity in the trailer reignited theories that the Stranger Things alum could be playing X-Men stalwart Jean Grey. If the trailer has left you restless, you're not alone! Fortunately, there's only a few months left until we can experience Spider-Man: Brand New Day in cinemas up and down the country. Here's everything you need to know about the Marvel epic. Spider-Man: Brand New Day release date Spider-Man: Brand New Day is currently scheduled for release in cinemas on Friday 31 July 2026. Previously, Brand New Day was expected to release after Avengers: Doomsday (previously due for May 2026), with the natural expectation being that the two films may be tied in with one another to some extent. However, now that Doomsday has been delayed until December 2026, the next Spidey film is first up to the plate – meaning any connections between the two stories must have been reconsidered. That is, unless it was always planned to touch on the crossover only lightly, much like 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp ignored the cataclysmic Avengers: Infinity War (until its highly consequential post-credits scene). View oEmbed on the source website Spider-Man: Brand New Day cast – new and returning Tom Holland and Zendaya star in Spider-Man: Brand New Day as star-crossed lovers Peter Parker and MJ, who were torn apart by a magic spell at the end of 2021's No Way Home. Jacob Batalon is also back from Spidey's first MCU trilogy as 'guy in the chair' Ned Leeds, who has remained a close friend of MJ's as they embark on their university adventures without their forgotten comrade. Brand New Day has also tapped into the ranks of the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe, bringing Jon Bernthal's The Punisher to the big screen for the first time, following past appearances in Netflix's solo drama series and Disney's Daredevil: Born Again. Mark Ruffalo co-stars as Bruce Banner, who has reverted back to his regular human form after time spent as Smart Hulk in Avengers: Endgame and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Michael Mando rounds out the key returnees as Mac Gargan aka Scorpion; a villain who swore vengeance against Holland's Spider-Man in the closing moments of his 2017 adventure Homecoming. He certainly appears to have levelled up since then. In terms of new additions, Stranger Things star Sadie Sink is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in what is said to be a key role (according to The Hollywood Reporter), but it's not yet clear precisely who the rising star will be playing (more on that below). Another recruit that got Marvel fans talking is The Bear's Liza Colón-Zayas, who has joined Brand New Day in an as-yet-undisclosed role – but comic book readers all have the same guess as to who she might be. The arrival of Peter Parker's successor in the Spider-Man mantle, Miles Morales, has been teased for years, with superstar Donald Glover (Mr & Mrs Smith) playing the character's uncle, Aaron Davis, all the way back in 2017's Homecoming. Fans have noted that Colón-Zayas could potentially be a fit for Miles's mother, Rio, but that's only speculation for the time being. No further casting has been announced just yet, but recurring Spidey star Jon Favreau is among the rumoured contenders for a return as Tony Stark's former right-hand man Happy Hogan. There's no word on whether Tom Holland's Spider-Verse counterparts Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield could reappear, following an enormous fan response to 2021's No Way Home. Recently, Garfield addressed the possibility in an interview with Entertainment Tonight: "I would love to play the character again in some capacity, but I think it would have to be very weird. I think I would want to do something very strange. "I would want to do something very unique, and offbeat, and surprising, kind of like the creative freedom that they have with the animated Spider-Verse movies. I think they're so great and you can honour the character in so many different ways through the multiverse." Behind the camera, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who previously helmed Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Who is Sadie Sink playing in Spider-Man: Brand New Day? Of course, with the news that Sadie Sink will be joining the MCU with this film, much speculation has already begun as to who she might be playing – with that information not yet having been divulged. One rumour that has been doing the rounds at this early stage is that she could popular X-Men character Jean Grey AKA Phoenix, who has previously been played by both Famke Janssen and Sophie Turner in the days of 20th Century Fox. Sink would certainly fit the role, and it's been clear for some time now that the Marvel is ramping up its plans for the X-Men to officially join the MCU, but as yet this is nothing more than a rumour. And there are plenty of other characters Sink could potentially play, with fans already having put forward a number of suggestions. One such example is Angelica Jones/Firestar – a comic book super-hero and mutant who has not yet appeared on the big screen, but has teamed up with Peter Parker before in the source material. Another is Felicia Hardy, AKA Black Cat, a character who at various points has been an enemy, ally and love interest of Spidey and was previously played in The Amazing Spider-Man by Felicity Jones. A third possibility is that she could be the latest actress to play romantic interest Gwen Stacy, following Bryce Dallas Howard (in Spider-Man 3) and Emma Stone (in The Amazing Spider-Man films). As soon as we catch wind of any further rumours, we'll post them right here – so do keep checking back. What could happen in Spider-Man: Brand New Day? Plot details for Spider-Man: Brand New Day are few and far between at the moment, but star Tom Holland has described the film as a "fresh start" following Peter Parker's sacrifice at the end of No Way Home. That 2021 blockbuster ended with him asking Doctor Strange to wipe him from the memories of everybody on the planet, in order to prevent the multiverse from unleashing chaos on the main Marvel continuity. Alas, the consequences were dire, as Peter's beloved girlfriend MJ, best friend Ned and mentor Happy, heartbreakingly had no recollection of Peter when he bumped into them after the spell was cast. The transformative development is comparable to that which was seen in controversial comic book storyline One More Day, in which Peter and Mary-Jane made a deal with Mephisto, erasing their marriage in exchange for Aunt May's life. It's no coincidence, then, that this film is titled Brand New Day – the arc that followed One More Day in the source material. "I know we left you with a massive cliffhanger at the end of No Way Home, so Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a fresh start," said Holland at CinemaCon. "It is exactly that. That's all I can say." Indeed, last time we saw him, Peter was moving into a New York City apartment and preparing for a new chapter of his life, without the support network that had proven so crucial over the last several years. Intriguingly, during an appearance on Good Morning America last year, Holland described the fourth entry in his Spidey saga as "crazy" and "different to anything we've done before". That promise seemed to be fulfilled by the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer, which was chock-full of villains and head-scratching developments, including Peter undergoing an uncontrollable genetic mutation... into what? Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer It's here! Watch the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer now, in all its glory: View Green Video on the source website Watch the Spider-Man: Brand New Day suit reveal below: View oEmbed on the source website Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be released in cinemas on Friday 31 July 2025. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man ending explained – does Tommy Shelby die?
The movie sequel to the beloved Birmingham gangster saga is now streaming on Netflix.
(**WARNING: Contains spoilers for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man**) Two weeks after it was released in select UK cinemas for a brief theatrical window, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man has just arrived on Netflix – meaning you can now catch up on the latest instalment of the Birmingham gangster saga without leaving your house. The film, which has received mainly positive reviews, picks up the story of Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) seven years after we left him riding away on a white horse at the end of the TV series, with the action unfolding in 1940, right at the height of the Second World War. At the start of the movie, Tommy is living in self-imposed exile, writing his memoirs while painfully recollecting all the loved ones he has lost over the years, including his daughter Ruby, who tragically passed away in the series. At the same time, we are reintroduced to his illegitimate son Duke – now played by Barry Keoghan – who has been running the Peaky Blinders in his absence, overseeing a brutal new regime that has seen the outfit return to their cruel ways from years before. And then there's Beckett, a new character played by Tim Roth. A Nazi sympathiser who is helping the Germans in a scheme to flood the UK with counterfeit currency and destabilise the wartime economy – a real-life scheme known as Operation Bernhard – it is Beckett who sets the plot in motion by attempting to recruit Duke into his scheme. Eventually, thanks in part to some input from Rebecca Ferguson's enigmatic character Kaulo, this forces Tommy to return from his exile for the most important intervention of his life. View oEmbed on the source website But how does it all end up? Read on for everything you need to know about Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, with the warning that there are obviously major spoilers from this point onwards. Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man ending explained – what happens with the counterfeit money? The act that really sets the plot in motion is when Beckett asks Duke to prove his commitment to the cause by assassinating Ada Shelby, who has taken over Tommy's seat as an MP and had, from Beckett's perspective, posed a threat to his plan. Although Duke wavers in going through with the killing, it is too late to save Ada as Beckett shoots her at point-blank range, killing her instantly. Shortly after her death, Tommy sees a ghostly vision of his sister appear to him on the road, and it is at this point that he ends his exile and returns to Birmingham, riding back into the city on a horse while the audience hears a new version of the show's iconic theme song (Nick Cave's Red Right Hand) playing. Read More: Rebecca Ferguson reveals why she studied Cillian Murphy’s sex scenes and how intimacy coordinators were used for Peaky Blinders film One of Tommy's first ports of call is to visit his son and give him a talking to, with their exchange turning into – literally – a brawl in a pig sty. After later also facing down Beckett, Tommy comes up with a plan to foil the scheme, relying on Duke and a bunch of old allies, including Stephen Graham's Hayden Stagg. Hayden informs Tommy of the whereabouts of Beckett's headquarters in a warehouse, which he then infiltrates by climbing a tunnel, which gives him flashbacks to his time in the trenches during the First World War – while his allies blow up a load of Beckett's men on canal boats (after a double bluff from Duke). When Tommy arrives at the warehouse, a shootout ensues, during which most of Beckett's remaining men are killed. Meanwhile, Tommy also successfully blows up the containers where the counterfeit money is stored – meaning the mission is complete. Does Tommy Shelby die in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man? <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/03/PeakyBlindersTheImmortalManFirstLooks2-05ab95a.jpg" width="8640" height="5760" alt="A man (Cillian Murphy) in a long dark overcoat and flat cap walks down a wet, dimly lit street at night, with snow falling around him and a vintage car steaming behind him near a brick wall illuminated by red light." title="Cillian Murphy in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man" /> Of course, the film doesn't end there. Beckett – still alive – attempts to get revenge on Tommy, getting into a car and driving it at him. Tommy stands in its way and shoots Beckett in the head, killing him, but not before taking two shots to his stomach himself. At this point, he calls on Duke to fatally shoot him and finish the job, telling his son that he is ready to die and that he wants him to take his place at the head of the Peaky Blinders. Duke follows through with his demand, shooting his father as they embrace – and fulfilling a plan that had earlier been laid out by Kaulo, his aunt. There's no ambiguity here: Tommy is quite definitively dead. The film ends with a traditional Romany funeral service that sees his body set on fire surrounded by pictures of his family – with his surviving friends and loved ones paying their respects. Who dies in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man? The full list of major characters who die in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man... Arthur Shelby, Jr. (off-screen) Ada Thorne John Beckett Tommy Shelby There are quite a few major deaths in the film, starting with the murder of Ada, who is assassinated by Beckett – an act which serves as an inciting incident in the film. Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google Keep up to date on what’s worth watching with your favourite entertainment news from Radio Times – see more of our exclusive news and interviews featured prominently in Top Stories when using Google. Beckett himself – and most of his unnamed men – are also killed in the climactic set piece, before Tommy's aforementioned death in the closing moments. Meanwhile, we also learn that Arthur Shelby – Tommy's volatile older brother who played a major role in the events of the series – died in the time between the end of the show and the beginning of the movie. How does Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man set up the sequel TV series? Of course, despite the fact that Tommy Shelby is now dead, we know that Peaky Blinders will be continuing with two new seasons set in 1963, focusing on the "new generation of Shelbys." The brief synopsis for the sequel series reads: "Britain, 1953. After being heavily bombed in WWII, Birmingham is building a better future out of concrete and steel. "In a new era of Steven Knight’s Peaky Blinders, the race to own Birmingham’s massive reconstruction project becomes a brutal contest of mythical dimensions. This is a city of unprecedented opportunity and danger: with the Shelby family right at its blood-soaked heart." Quite how the events of the film will tie into the show remains to be seen, but it seems likely that we will see what impact Duke's leadership has had on the Peaky's in the intervening 13 years – presumably he will change course from the leadership style we see at the beginning of the film Meanwhile, there are plenty of other surviving Shelby family members who could feature, including Tommy's younger brother Finn and his other son Charlie – who we learn was serving in the army during the events of the film and can be spotted in uniform at Tommy's funeral. When we hear more details of what we can expect from the series, we'll keep you updated! Read more: Peaky Blinders creator talks contemporary importance of Tommy Shelby fighting fascism: "Look what happened last time" Rebecca Ferguson reveals why she studied Cillian Murphy’s sex scenes and how intimacy coordinators were used for Peaky Blinders film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man review – Big screen spin-off keeps a firm red right hand on proceedings Steven Knight explains how Peaky Blinders film ended up quite different from his initial plans Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is in select UK cinemas now and will be available to stream on Netflix from Friday 20 March 2026 – sign up from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media. Add Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app– download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
BAFTA winner Danny Dyer talks films past and future: "I can ride a horse now so I'll maybe do a Western"
The former EastEnders star spoke to Radio Times for our Film Flashbacks series.
Danny Dyer has been a regular on our TV screens since the '90s – perhaps most famously for his long stint as Mick Carter in EastEnders – but he's also no stranger to the big screen, with Human Traffic and The Football Factory among his most iconic film roles. And for his latest feature credit, he's doing something he's never done before: appearing in a film all by himself. The film – which is now showing in UK cinemas – is titled One Last Deal, and sees Dyer playing a football agent who finds himself in a deeply stressful situation. Unfolding entirely in his office as he fields a number of phone calls, Dyer gives one of the best performances of his career as we watch his character descend deeper into turmoil. To mark the release, Radio Times spoke to Dyer for our Film Flashbacks series – discussing everything from his very first film memories to the challenges of starring in a film by himself and the genres he'd still love to work in. You can check out the full interview below. What are your earliest memories of going to the cinema and watching films when you were younger? I was born in '77 and there was only one cinema in my area which was in Barking, so being a youngster I wasn't really allowed to go that far – you had to get a train on your own. But I remember watching Batman, the Michael Keaton one. That was one my old man took me to see. But early influences really were not so much going to the cinema but just going down to the off license where they would rent you a video of some sort. And I was bang in to horror, me and my brother. Salem's Lot was one... watching all these sort of dark, really gory horror films that still stick with me today. I mean, Lost Boys is one of my favourites of all time as well. [I was] very much an '80s era kind of kid. Weird Science was another film that I loved [and] still love. It's funny. It's got a certain way about it that I went on to show my kids, obviously. I remember Clockwork Orange was banned, so everyone was trying to get hold of this VHS of Clockwork Orange. And if you got it, you know, holding it in your hands. You were like, 'Oh, my God, This is so naughty.' Then you put it on. It's actually a brilliant, brilliant piece of filmmaking and a piece of art, I suppose. So yeah, I was really the video era instead of sort of going up the cinema – I couldn't really afford it, and it was too far. View Green Video on the source website Were there particular actors and performers that you saw as influences in those early days? Ray Winstone, for sure, was somebody I saw on the telly in Minder. He didn't have a big part, but I just remember the way he spoke was very much like the way I speak and the way my dad speaks, because he was from Plaistow down the road from me. Instead of being like the token cockney sort of East Londoner, he really did speak with a musicality that really interested me. But really honestly, it's all about fate. And the only subject in school I loved was drama. It was the only one that I was interested in and I loved it and I just felt like I expressed myself in a way that I was quite good at it, and I was s**t at everything else in school. So that was when I started to get an inkling of, 'Could this be a career?' And so I'd just go to any sort of drama club after school. Or anything that was for free that I could go to, just to do a little bit more of it, I did and it led on to something else, and something else and eventually getting an agent. So it was a hobby, really. It's that old saying, if you turn your hobby into a job, you're winning in life. You did a lot of TV work in the '90s and then your first film credit was Human Traffic in 1999. What are your memories of those days? I mean, Human Traffic was a one off piece, that really was sort of celebrating hedonism and that club culture in the '90s. So it was a rare job that one, and I was still living through it while filming it. I mean, the first job I ever did was Prime Suspect season 3, and I just remember I walked on that set for the first time and going, 'Oh, I really feel at home here.' Don't know why that is. I never felt out of place even though that sort of classism thing and all that, and I didn't really know what I was doing. But I always felt sort of brave in that scenario. So Human Traffic really opened me up to the sort of sexy side of film and the cinematography and working with class actors like John Simm and Shaun Parkes – it really sort of made me go, 'Okay, right, we're on the big screen now.' So, I've said this before, it's just about can I earn a living in this? I had a child very young, and really just wanted to provide for them, just like we all do. And it's very difficult. It is difficult in any industry, but especially being an actor, it's... can you stay around for a long time? It's very hard to stay relevant or keep working and sort of convincing different producers and directors to hire you. That's really my motivation and drive, really, and I'm still knocking about 35 years later. And I suppose this film, One Last Deal, is everything I've ever learned over the years, I've put it into this piece of work because it's just me on the screen. It's just me going, okay, how can I make this work? Can I keep the audience engaged for 120 pages, you know what I mean? And I feel like it's come at the right point in my life really. I'm really proud of it. And think it stands up as a piece of work. What made you say yes to this one? Did you look at any other one-actor films while you were preparing for it? I loved the story. I just thought it was a brilliant story. It just reminded me of an episode of The Twilight Zone, of a man just having the worst day of his life – how's he going to get through this? I know that Tom Hardy did Locke, and Jake Gyllenhaal I think did one. Ryan Reynolds maybe... I haven't seen any of those. I didn't want to... I felt this was a completely different piece. So really, it was just about me getting my nut down, concentrating, learning your dialogue and try and bring this Jimmy Banks character to life. I tend to swerve... when I did Rivals, the first day we got into our dressing rooms and the book was there signed by Jilly [Cooper]. I decided to swerve it. I thought I'm just gonna put my take on it, I don't want to get too bogged down with it. I know other actors would work very differently to me, but I just feel like I wanted to put fresh eyes on it. You know all the beats in the scene, you know what you've got to get across. So I played it that way. I'm about to start a thing called The Siege, which is about the 1980 Iranian embassy hostage situation. The book by Ben McIntyre, it's based on that. So I'm sort of going through the book, but just sort of highlighting the character that I'm playing just as a reference point. But I don't want to delve too much into it. My job is to bring a character to life so that you believe what I'm talking about. Selling words, that's what it's about – the musicality of words and sentences. I understand it was a fairly short shoot. What were your favourite days on set? Well I had a lot of anxiety while doing it, because I think I was so... quite method in the character. So I 'd say the last day. And that's just because of going, 'Oh, I think I've nearly done this.' There's a point halfway through and I'm so tired and just thinking, 'This is so hard.' It's like, there's no respite. You don't have a bit of lunch, then have a scene off, and then you're back on, like you do usually. It was all from the beginning to the end of every day, I mean, every single shot. So it was just about staying switched on and trying to stay truthful forever. Because the more tired you get, sometimes the performance drops slightly. That's hard when you're in a soap opera trying to.... it's so much coming your way to keep it at a level when you're really tired, because it's all about brain and it's about having to retain dialogue and so just to make sure you're not just saying the words and going, 'Well, at least I learned it.' So trying to keep it at a level. So, hence why we shot it only in 10 days. You couldn't have done it any more than that. It was too much on the crew, me and everyone involved. So I'm very instinctive as an actor, and I just sort of go with what's in front of me. Just break it down to little segments and just concentrate on them. Every scene is a mini film with a beginning a middle and an end. It's like every sentence there's the beginning the middle and end, there's a point to the sentence. There's a beat to it. Certain words should be highlighted more than others. It's like me and you having a conversation now. It's like the art of conversation can be quite magical, unless you're talking to a boring ****. Do you still get a kick out of watching yourself on screen? I suppose I was quite obsessed with it when I was younger. As you get older, the longer you're in the game, it's almost like you've done the job now, so it's out of your hands. I think with this particular piece of work, I'm the only one in it. So I'm a lot more vulnerable. I've watched it a couple of times with an audience, and you're sort of reluctant to clap at the end, clapping your f**king self, that's a bit weird. I think, the reaction I've got so far from watching it with people has been amazing and no one walked out. That's a f**king bonus. You know, they gasped in the right places. They laughed in the right places. I just think it's a really, really well put together, clever independent film. A mad little story. It's like what the f**k is going on here? What's going to happen here? How's he going to get out of this scrape that he's in? What are your favourite memories of watching your films with an audience? Anything funny is great. Films like The Business was always a joy to watch with people just because of the soundtrack and just how bright it is, and just there's a lot of fun elements to that. Human Traffic, was like a rave, sort of party atmosphere. And I've done so much now so it's hard to even f**king remember most of it. I'm proud of most of the stuff I've done. You've worked across film, TV and stage. Do you still see a difference between film and TV? I definitely think that television is the one now, isn't it? I think that cinema is struggling slightly. I think again, going back to... it's quite expensive, and everyone's got f**king 100 inch TVs now, and it's not as much of an experience going to the cinema. That's why they went through a whole 3D stage for a little while and then you could get 3D tellies, which f**ked it. So television now is made of the highest order, and it's shot in a particular way that looks cinematic. So being part of some of the stuff I've been part of recently, like Rivals and that, is up there with any movie really. And I think that television, probably because of streaming services, seems to be the way forward. I would love people to still go to the cinema, especially to watch One Last Deal. But yeah, I think television really is sort of taking over slightly. Has the way you look for parts changed – do you prefer to go for more challenging roles or familiar ones? I think it's a bit of both, actually. I'm definitely looking for a challenge, for sure, I have the luxury of that now. I've had a great run, I've earned money and stuff. So it's not like most actors are just waiting for the phone to ring, their bills coming in. It's quite painful, you do a job and you think, 'Oh, it's brilliant, it's been well received.' And the phone just stops ringing. There's no guarantees in this game. I think I have got the luxury now. I did go through a period of my career saying yes to everything, which was a mistake. But now it's about having the luxury of just picking and choosing slightly and this was something that I defy any actor to want to turn down. It sounds very narcissistic, to be fair, to be the only one in the film, but it's an absolute challenge and, I think, a rare opportunity. And so I had to grab it with both fans having to go through the anxiety and sort of the fear of trying to get it done and do it well, and then of course it's done. And now I'm out sort of trying to promote it. I've got no other actors to rely on. So it's all purely about me and me trying to just do my thing, I suppose. And if you like my thing, whatever the f**k that is, then you're gonna get plenty of it with this film. View oEmbed on the source website Are there any other genres you'd still like to do in the future? I've never really done a horror. I did Severance, that was a movie that was a horror, and I really enjoyed that. It's a mad discipline that. Horrors are usually only set over one night, as well, everything goes wrong and you're sort of smothered in blood for the whole thing. And it's all, like, quite exciting. It's very much heightened acting. So maybe we'll delve into that again. I can ride a horse now so I'll maybe do a Western, an old school sort of.... that would interest me. Certainly any opportunities that come my way I'm very grateful for them. And so who knows what's around the corner, really, you never quite know. But I would like to do something completely left field, something completely that goes against what I'm known for, whatever that is. So I do feel I need to get back on the stage again, to feel like I'm humbled again. Because it's important to humble yourself as an actor and get back out there and do live theatre. So yeah, I've got loads of things bubbling away, I've just got to make the right decisions. One Last Deal is now showing in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Good Boy ending explained: Why does Tommy go back to the house?
Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough star as a couple with an unusual – and disturbing – preoccupation in this intriguing new film.
(**WARNING: Contains spoilers for The Good Boy**) In one of last year's most talked about TV dramas, Stephen Graham was outstanding as a dad forced to contend with the toxic masculinity of a younger generation – and his new film project, The Good Boy, tackles some pretty similar subject matter. But that's about where the similarities between the new movie – which has been released under the title Heel in the US – and the Netflix hit Adolescence end. In The Good Boy, Graham and Andrea Riseborough star as a married couple who abduct a 19-year-old lout named Tommy and keep him chained in their basement, putting him through a number of extreme – and often disturbing – rehabilitation rituals as they attempt to reform him. It's a fascinating film with a blackly comic tone which may put some viewers in mind of Stanley Kubrick's classic A Clockwork Orange, with Tommy slowly but surely appearing to soften in both his violent behaviours and his attitudes towards his captors. Seen the film and need the intriguing final moments unpacked? Read on to have The Good Boy ending explained. The Good Boy ending explained: Why does Tommy go back to the house? Throughout his early days living with Chris (Graham), Kathryn (Riseborough) and their young son Jonathan (Kit Rakusen), Tommy shows few signs of changing his behaviour. His living situation in these early days is especially bleak – including having only a bucket for a toilet – and so it's perhaps no surprise that he doesn't take well to it, refusing food and showing little willingness to engage with Chris's methods, which include forcing him to watch social media videos displaying his past awful behaviour. But over time, Tommy begins to realise that by engaging with the methods, he can unlock rewards – everything from a proper toilet to getting to join in family movie night (a viewing of Ken Loach classic Kes). Slowly but surely be makes small adjustments to his behaviours as he realises the benefits of meeting his captor's demands. Eventually, he is allowed full access to most of the house, although escape is still not possible as he remains chained to the ceiling via an overhead system that Chris has carefully installed. Although he is showing definite signs of reforming – including bonding with Jonathan and showing an interest in reading the novels given to him by Kathryn – Tommy is perhaps unsurprisingly still desperate to engineer an escape, and attempts to enlist housekeeper Rina (Monika Frajczy) in his plans. Eventually Rina, who very much has her own issues to contend with, gives him a four-digit lock code that will make his attempt possible, and one night Tommy decides the time is right to make a run for it. Despite a brief struggle with Chris and Kathyrn over a gun, the couple ultimately agree that it is best to just let him go, with Chris at one point saying: "Do you remember what happened last time?" View Green Video on the source website Tommy is eventually found and hospitalised after collapsing on a roadside, and we pick up some time later when he is being questioned by police about what happened, in the presence of his mother. It appears that when he was first taken in, Tommy had told the truth about the kidnapping, but he's now decided to change course, explaining: "I was off my face on the hospital, on all the drugs they gave me." He also learns that his mum had not been the one to report him missing, but it was instead his ex-girlfriend Gabbie (Savannah Steyn). This appears to give him food for thought, and in the final scenes we see him back in a nightclub, watching Gabbie repeat a similar cycle of hard partying and destructive behaviour as he had in the beginning. And so what course of action does he take? Asking her to trust him, he chloroforms her (a practise that we'd previously seen Chris and Kathryn use on him) and drives her to the house where he had been held captive all this time, clearly with the intention that she will now receive the same extreme rehabilitation he had. Clearly, his time in the house has had a lasting effect on him, and he's now completed a full cycle – ensuring that someone else will now experience the same inhumane practises. It's a pretty chilling note for the film to end on, suggesting that Chris's methods – horrific though they might be – have had their intended effect. Who is Charlie in The Good Boy and what were Chris and Kathryn's motivations? Throughout the film, we hear various references to a character named Charlie, who appears to have died at some point before the events of the film and whose absence is deeply felt by Chris, Kathryn and Jonathan. The audience never quite learns exactly who Charlie was, but it is clear that he was either Jonathan's older brother or an earlier kidnap victim who had gone through the same process as Tommy. In an interview with Screen Daily, Graham gave his own verdict, explaining: "Their son was an addict and they were trying to help him. The only way they felt they could do it was by keeping him and then he ran away, and they’ve never seen him since. "But I said at the very beginning, I don’t think we should tell the audience that. We should leave it to their imaginations. So it’s ambiguous in that respect." Chris's choice to kidnap Tommy, Graham added, was to help Kathryn overcome "the grief of the loss of their son" which "is bordering on catatonic." He explained: "In order to try and get some glimmer of sunshine back into my wife’s eyes, I’ll kidnap another young boy who would’ve been the age of our son, to try and make her happy again. He’s done all of this to please his wife." Of course, while that is one valid reading of the film, the ambiguity is also deliberate – and it's quite possible that your own interpretation as to Charlie's identity and Chris's motivations may be different. There's no one simple answer in this film! The Good Boy is now showing in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Does Tom Hardy’s Alfie Solomons appear in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man?
The Jewish gang leader was a fan favourite during the TV series.
(**WARNING: Contains spoilers for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man**) Throughout it's six seasons on TV, Peaky Blinders saw a huge number of big name guest stars feature alongside Cillian Murphy and the other regular cast members – with the likes of Sam Neill, Adrien Brody, Anya Taylor-Joy and Sam Claflin all having prominent roles at various points. But arguably none of their character's were quite as memorable as Tom Hardy's Alfie Solomons. A sometimes adversary and sometimes ally of Tommy Shelby, Alfie was the leader of a London-based Jewish gang and was first introduced in season two, before making numerous appearances in subsequent outings. At various points during his time on the show, it seemed that Alfie was certain to bite the bullet – but somehow the fan favourite survived both being shot in the face and a cancer diagnosis, and was still alive and well by the time of the season finale (even if some fans floated a theory that in latter seasons Alfie was only a figment of Tommy's imagination). View oEmbed on the source website With that in mind, you might be wondering if Alfie appears in movie spin-off The Immortal Man – which has just landed on Netflix after a brief theatrical release. Read on for everything you need to know. Does Tom Hardy's Alfie Solomons appear in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man? No –in news that will no doubt slightly disappoint TV fans, there is no appearance of Alfie in the film. Indeed other than Tommy, there are relatively few characters from the TV series who pop up in this sequel, with only Tommy's sister Ada (Sophie Rundle), Stephen Graham's character Hayden Stagg and Tommy's reliable allies Charlie Strong (Ned Dennehy), Johnny Dogs (Packy Lee) and Curly (Ian Peck) appearing. That's despite the fact that Hardy had previously revealed that he thought a return to the character was very likely. "100% Alfie will definitely make an appearance, but I don't know when..." he told Sky News back in 2024, although he added: "I don't even know if he will, that's just me punting." Alas, that punt didn't prove to come to fruition – so Alfie fans will have to revisit the series if they want to see the charismatic character once again. Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is currently showing in select UK cinemas. The movie will stream on Netflix from 20 March – sign up from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media. The Peaky Blinders series is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
What happens to Arthur Shelby in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man?
Tommy's older brother – as played by Paul Anderson – played a crucial role in many of the Birmingham gangster saga's most important moments.
**WARNING: Contains spoilers for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man** Like him or loathe him, no one can deny that Arthur Shelby was one of the most significant characters throughout Peaky Blinders' six-season run on the small screen. Played by Paul Anderson, Arthur was the hot-headed older brother of Tommy Shelby, whose experiences in the First World War had left him with deep-rooted PTSD and mental health issues that often saw him spiralling into addictive behaviours. Anderson was one of only three actors, alongside Cillian Murphy and Ada Shelby, star Sophie Rundle, who appeared in every single episode of the show. With that in mind, you might have expected him to appear in the film – especially since his character was still alive (although not exactly well) when the TV show wrapped up back in 2022. So does Arthur have a role to play in the events of The Immortal Man? Read on for everything you need to know. What happens to Arthur Shelby in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man? Well... it's complicated. The short answer is that the character – at least in his living form – does not appear in the film. But his influence is deeply felt throughout, and there are a couple of glimpses of him in flashbacks. The first that we hear of him is early in the film, when we learn that in the time between the end of the series and the beginning of the film, Arthur has passed away. This is revealed when we see Tommy visit his grave, which bears the words: "In The Bleak Midwinter…" and shows his date of death as December 1938. What is less clear at this stage is the precise cause of Arthur's death. To begin with, it is implied that he died by suicide or an accidental overdose– which doesn't seem like too much of a stretch given what we know about the character and the various self-destructive cycles we so him go through in the series. However, it becomes increasingly clear as the film progresses that this is not the full story. Tommy has clearly been deeply affected by his brother's death – the latest in a long line of tragedies that have hit his family – and we see him being haunted by Arthur's memory in the early sections of the movie. Read More: Rebecca Ferguson reveals why she studied Cillian Murphy’s sex scenes and how intimacy coordinators were used for Peaky Blinders film View oEmbed on the source website Later, Romani medium Kaulo (Rebecca Ferguson) convinces Tommy to admit that he is not being entirely honest about the circumstances of his brother's death. His confession comes after she tells him that Arthur's spirit had told her he was not alone when he died, with Tommy subsequently saying that he was the other person present. He adds that the pair of them had argued after Tommy had denied his brother's request for money, with Arthur then stealing and crashing his car. This had led him to confront Arthur in the vehicle, leading to a brawl in which his gun had gone off, accidentally killing his brother. But even this version of events isn't the whole truth. We finally get the full story when Tommy visits Ada's corpse after she is assassinated, and he confesses that there had been nothing accidental about Arthur's death. Read More: Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man ending explained – does Tommy Shelby die? He reveals that in a fit of rage, he deliberately strangled his brother to death, desperate at the time to finally be free of the burden that Arthur had become. We even see the incident playing out in flashback, although Arthur's face is obscured. This is why he's been quite so haunted by the whole ordeal – the death had been his fault. Arthur does make one final – very brief – appearance via flashback in the climactic scenes. As Tommy is climbing a narrow tunnel, he has a number of PTSD-style flashbacks to his time fighting during the First World War and other traumatic moments from his life, with one image showing his elder brother sitting on some rubble. Has Paul Anderson said anything about Arthur's absence in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man? Yes, Anderson addressed Arthur's absence in an interview <a href="https://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/film/peaky-blinders-immortal-man-arthur-shelby-paul-anderson-716118-20260306" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/film/peaky-blinders-immortal-man-arthur-shelby-paul-anderson-716118-20260306" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlink" data-vars-ga-call-to-action="LADbible" data-node-id="26.3">LADbible earlier in March, suggesting to the publication that he was at peace with the decision not to include him. "Well, what can you do eh?," he said. "It is how it is. I thought I’d just leave them to it. I think it’s great." He added that he had been slightly "apprehensive" about the idea to make a film, explaining that he thought "we should’ve just done a couple more seasons" and that he didn't "see a reason to do a film to be honest." But he added that he was happy with the way in which his character was written out of the film. "I think it’s great," he explained. "I mean, it’s such a powerful thing to do. It’s something you don’t see on TV. Everyone thought, well, everyone knows Arthur’s gonna die. I was quite surprised, I [Arthur] was quite nasty sometimes, I weren’t very nice to people in it. But people loved me." Read more: Peaky Blinders creator talks contemporary importance of Tommy Shelby fighting fascism: "Look what happened last time" Rebecca Ferguson reveals why she studied Cillian Murphy’s sex scenes and how intimacy coordinators were used for Peaky Blinders film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man review – Big screen spin-off keeps a firm red right hand on proceedings Steven Knight explains how Peaky Blinders film ended up quite different from his initial plans Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is currently showing in select UK cinemas. The movie will stream on Netflix from 20 March – sign up from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media. The Peaky Blinders series is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Project Hail Mary author Andy Weir had no idea what alien creature Rocky was going to look like until he saw the puppet
The popular sci-fi writer says he does not have a very "visual imagination".
Over a decade after Ridley Scott turned Andy Weir's 2011 novel The Martian into an Oscar-nominated film starring Matt Damon, another of the popular author's bestsellers has been adapted into a big-budget movie. This time, it's Ryan Gosling who takes the lead in the extremely likeable adventure Project Hail Mary, with directing duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller at the helm. There have already been some very early whisperings that we could see more Oscar nods – with the film opening to rave reviews from critics – while it also looks a safe bet for box office success. One aspect of the film which seems certain to contribute to it becoming a popular favourite is the existence of an adorable, rock-based alien named Rocky, who Gosling's character Ryland Grace meets and bonds with while conducting an extremely important outer-space mission. Of course, given he's won all sorts of acclaim for the vivid science fiction worlds he's created on the page, you'd probably imagine Weir had a fairly good idea of what he wanted Rocky to look like on the big screen – but according to the man himself, the opposite is in fact true. "In this case, I have sort of an advantage in that I don't have a very visual imagination," he told Radio Times in an exclusive interview ahead of release. "When I'm writing, characters are just sort of blobs and concepts really – more than deeply visual items." Weir added that while he had a good idea of the characters basic morphology – "I knew he was like a thorax with like five legs" – he had by no means meticulously planned the more specific details of the characters. "I couldn't have told you if his legs were thin or fat, or if they were lumpy or smooth," he explained. "I didn't define any of that. Or it's not a matter of defining, it's just I didn't see it in my head. "So once I saw the Rocky puppet when I went to the model shop, and the puppeteers workshop, and I saw it, I was like, 'Oh, great. Now I finally know what Rocky looks like!'" View Green Video on the source website For their part, directors Lord and Miller – whose previous films include 21 Jump Street, The Lego Movie and producer credits on the Spider-Verse movies – admitted that working out exactly how Rocky would be brought to life was a "scary" challenge. "It was a long process," Miller revealed, explaining that it had taken about a year while they were working with special effects artist Neil Scanlan at the Creature Shop in London. "He's such a great partner," he added. "The team there is really, really smart. And we did a bunch of variations on the shapes, but keeping it to what was described in the book: that it was a rock-like carapace, with five legs, three fingers on each leg, no face, no eyes, no mouth. "It speaks through sort of whale song, and we found proportions that we felt were appealing. "And then we had to work on, 'How do we make this a real character?" he continued. "And so each facet of his carapace had a different sort of rock-like shape that wasn't a face, but you could project an attitude onto. And then we put carvings on him that would give him cultural history, like a wedding band, a family tartan, a patch, engineering equipment, all that type of stuff. "We just gave ourselves a lot of tools to make him interesting from every angle. And then James [Ortiz] and the puppet team, and then Aslan [Almukhambetov] and animation team really elevated him through movement." Project Hail Mary is now showing in cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.