HBO Max is making a TV show based on the Griswolds, of National Lampoon’s Vacation fame. As fans of the original movies, we’re both intrigued and terrified. The big question is, when will the show be on HBO Max? Unfortunately, no one knows.
The Griswolds release date
The show was announced on December 12th, 2019. Our best estimate is that The Griswolds release date is likely to be available for the Christmas season of 2021. Though with the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a possibility that the show may not see the light of day until late 2022 around Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays.
In the movie series, the Griswolds are the family who goes on calamitous vacations, often resulting in countless disasters before a heartwarming redemption.
What we know about the TV series is that it’s a single-camera series, with half-hour episodes, based on the Griswolds’ Chicago suburbs home life. Interestingly, one of the executive producers, Johnny Galecki, starred as Russ Griswold (son) in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. That was the third movie in the Vacation series. Tim Hobert of Scrubs and The Middle fame will write the new show.
The National Lampoon’s Vacation series includes five movies and a made-for-TV sequel spin-off. The legendary John Hughes wrote the first three movies, which also starred Chevy Chase. The best of the three movies was the original, which attained critics and fan approval on Rotten Tomatoes.
With more shows getting the 4K/HDR treatment and HBO Max having a premium $14.99 price, it’s likely The Griswolds will have all the audiovisual bells and whistles needed in 2020, including 4K, HDR, and Dolby Atmos.
The official release of Season 2 of The Mandalorian is now October 30, 2020. Like in 2019 when Disney+ launched, expect new episodes to be release weekly.
The Mandolorian Season 2 release date is October 30, 2020
Jeremy Conrad of MCUCosmic.com reported the news, and added that Iger said there would be more than two seasons of the show. With that, let’s take a closer look at the future of The Mandalorian on Disney+.
What to expect from Disney+’s The Mandalorian Season 2
Well, the unexpected. No one could’ve anticipated the appearance of Baby Yoda at the end of Season 1’s pilot episode. Mando was a wonderful character to follow, yet Baby Yoda arguably is more compelling.
That’s partially because Yoda’s species hasn’t been identified in Star Wars canon. Where does Baby Yoda come from? Is he a clone? Is he Yoda’s son?
The child’s presence bears so many questions. Expect at least some of those answered in The Mandalorian Season 2, lest Disney+ draw the ire of Star Wars fandom.
Let’s face it: the sequel film trilogy has been polarizing to say the least. This show gives fans hope of a bright future in a galaxy far, far away.
Look for an even more star-powered supporting cast, ties to the original film trilogy and more backstory on Mando. As we learned in the Season 1 finale, he’s not a native of Mandalore, but rather a foundling.
Struggling with identity has been a trademark across Star Wars. Anakin Skywalker didn’t have a father. Living up to his billing as “The Chosen One” proved taxing and essentially fatal. Anakin turned into more machine than man as Darth Vader as his son, Luke, was born.
Luke was a farm boy gazing upon the twin sunsets of Tatooine, longing for more. Rey and Kylo Ren both grapple with identity and their place in the galaxy.
This Mandalorian is an adopted son. He’s not really among the fiercest Star Wars warriors. He’s a vulnerable antihero. Meanwhile, Baby Yoda’s origin is a total baffler. These character elements in particular help The Mandalorian fit seamlessly into the Star Wars universe.
You won’t have to pay extra for higher quality, either. The $6.99 monthly price tag of Disney+ will offer the best possible presentation of the show in terms of video and audio quality.
Check out The Mandalorian‘s most recent full-length trailer below.
Hulu is definitely going to benefit from Parasite when the Oscar winner for Best Picture becomes available for streaming in the U.S. on Wednesday, April 8.
Deadline reported on the agreement Hulu struck for the exclusive stateside rights to South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho’s instant classic.
In addition to earning the Academy Awards’ flagship trophy, Parasite took home Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film honors. In other words, just about as good as a film can do at the Oscars.
Alliteration is fun. So is Bong’s cinematic language to pack Parasite with social commentary on class structure and economic inequality — among other issues and themes.
Sure, there’s visual storytelling for days in this film. Rather amazing is how Bong and co-writer Han Jin-won inject situational humor and bizarrely, darkly comedic content so often.
Go into this movie blind. If for some reason you’re unsettled that it’s the first non-English speaking film to win Best Picture, heed Bong’s words from the Golden Globes:
So yeah, the man’s cinematic language and real-life articulation are both pretty rad.
Bong juggles genres without effort. He’s a master of crafting suspense and building thrill-inducing, tension-filled worlds from the ground up. Like another excellent film of Bong’s Snowpiercer, Parasite is peerless in its execution of these elements.
Seriously. If nothing else comes of this, avoid spoilers. Parasite‘s climax is beyond one’s wildest imagination. One “WTF!” after another. And that’s meant in the absolute best way.
Don’t believe the hype? How about a 99/91 split on Rotten Tomatoes critics and audience percentages? Taking down legends like Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese at the Academy Awards isn’t easy. Bong and Parasite deserved it all.
A limited amount of content on Hulu is available in 4K and HDR. Only select Hulu Originals have 4K resolution.
If the streaming host keeps the rights to Parasite long enough and expands its Ultra HD ambitions, maybe it’ll happen someday. Hulu is under the Disney umbrella, and Disney+ offers much of its catalog in 4K/HDR/Dolby Atmos.
Check out the official trailer for Parasite below before it begins streaming on Hulu. Or don’t, if you’d rather go in totally dark (not-so-subtly recommended)!
Amazon Prime Video’s new original TV series, Hunters, stars Al Pacino and arrives on the streaming service on Friday, February 21.
Created by David Weil and executive produced by Jordan Peele — whose Monkeypaw Productions helped the show come to fruition — Hunters marks Pacino’s first major TV role!
Indeed, this is big.
Hoo-ah! Oh yeah! This is happening! If you don’t know what Hunters is about, oh my. The revelation of Pacino’s involvement is delightful, no doubt. Proceed furthermore, and the news gets better.
Here’s a brief synopsis of the series from Deadline’s original story:
“In 1977 New York City […] the Hunters, as they’re known, have discovered that hundreds of high ranking Nazi officials are living among us and conspiring to create a Fourth Reich in the U.S. The eclectic team of Hunters will set out on a bloody quest to bring the Nazis to justice and thwart their new genocidal plans.”
Pacino’s character, Meyer Offerman, is the leader of the Hunters. Also featured in the cast are Logan Lerman, Kate Mulvany, Tiffany Boone and Carol Kane, among others.
It appears Lerman’s Jonah Heidelbaum is a Hunters initiate who Pacino takes under his wing. One can only imagine how neat it’d be to have such a unique mentor — as an actor and considering the show’s subject matter!
As can be seen in the promotional trailers, Meyer rocks a heavy accent and is pretty adept at combat despite his advanced age.
Amazon Prime Video was wise to get a jump on this Hunters project. It’s a unique, high-concept yet historical fiction yarn that should be a hit with audiences. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes, through 14 reviews, give it a generally favorable 71%.
It’s quite a task for Weil and the creative team to juggle such conflicting tones and adeptly handle such grave subject matter with some levity mixed in. However, they must’ve done a fairly admirable job.
If this isn’t on par with Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, it’s at least a fascinating period piece. Plus, anything with Pacino chewing scenery is certainly worth seeing.
Amazon Originals specialize in bringing 4K UHD and HDR viewing experiences to streaming audiences. Hunters will be no exception, and should be quite a sight to behold amid the pulse-pounding action and nasty Nazi slaying.
You can watch the latest trailer for Hunters below. Beware, though — it’s of the red band variety!
Netflix have confirmed that the exceptional Ricky Gervais comedy After Life will return for Season 2 on April 24th. All six episodes of the season will be available to stream immediately and it will be a day one binge for us at SNIPdaily.
If you missed the first season, add it to your watchlist immediately. After Life is a top-rated show, scoring 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes from reviewers and 8.4 on IMDb.
Tony, played by Ricky Gervais, loses his wife to a rapid and unexpected illness. His persona changes from Mr. Nice Guy to impulsive, carefree, and abrasive. On his journey through grief, we’re treated to bizarre, twisted honesty and larger-than-life characters who bring the fictional English town of Tambury to life.
Credit: Netflix
At its core, After Life is a dark comedy showcasing depression, suicidal thoughts, and suffering in a way that’s funny and poignant. It’s a skill almost exclusive to Ricky Gervais. He’s shown this strength in episodes of The Office (UK), Extras and the movie The Invention of Lying. If you’ve liked any of those shows or movies, After Life is a must-watch.
Tony, a journalist, is attempting to be a better friend and tries to help those around him with their own problems. At the same time, the newspaper he works for is under threat of being shut down.
In the Season 1 finale, Tony says he’ll use his superpower of saying and doing what he wants for good. This could be a big hint towards the main focus of After Life Season 2, with Tony aiming his abrasive, carefree attitude towards whoever is targeting the newspaper.
The original cast are returning, including Kerry Godliman as Tony’s late wife, Ashley Jensen as the nurse of Tony’s father, Roisin Conaty as local prostitute Daphne, and Tom Basden as Tony’s boss and brother-in-law, Matt.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the writer of No Time To Die and Fleabag, has a new series called Run coming soon. Fans of the writer don’t have long to wait. Run has a release date of April 12th and premieres on HBO. It will also be available to stream in full on HBO Max at its launch in May.
Would you drop everything and RUN? #RunHBO, a new comedy thriller from Vicky Jones, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Jenny Robins arrives this April. pic.twitter.com/XH1QDf6x93
Run is a romantic comedy starring Merritt Wever (Unbelievable) as Ruby and Domhnall Gleeson (The Rise of Skywalker) as Billy.
Ruby and Billy made a romantic pact 17 years before the show Run takes place. The pact was if either of them texted “Run,” the other would come running. From there, they’d escape their current lives and join forces for a road trip across America.
The show focuses on what happens after Billy texts “run” to Ruby and whether escaping was worth it.
Run also stars Rich Sommer (Mad Men), Tamara Podemski (Coroner), with a cameo from Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The latter also serves as an executive proudcer.
Run is an eight-part series. directed by Natalie Bailey (Avenue 5) and Kate Dennis (The Tick).
4K/HDR/Dolby Atmos
HBO Now and Go do not support 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, or Dolby Atmos. It is expected than HBO Max will support these features. Therefore, it is likely Run will be available in 4K come May 2020 at HBO Max’s release date.
Netflix has not confirmed a release date for Season 4 of Stranger Things yet, but we’ll be keeping this article updated, so when there is, we’ll have it here first. Bookmark this page and check back regularly.
Estimated release date: Early 2021.
Season 4 was announced in 2019. Considering it takes roughly two years to make each season, the 2021 estimate is most probable. However, there is a chance Stranger Things Season 4 may release October 2020 if Season 1 and 2’s pattern is followed.
Warning: If you haven’t seen Season 3, there are spoilers ahead.
One thing you may not know is that the phone number Hopper gives out during Season 3, Episode 6, at Murray Bauman’s house was real. When called, Bauman, the conspiracy theorist reporter, reaches out to Joyce Byers, who left Hawkins, Indiana, at the end of Season 3. Bauman says he has information he wants to give her in person.
Could this be news on Hopper? Most likely. Our money is on the fact he is “The American” locked away in the Russian prison in the post-credits scene following the Season 3 finale.
Beyond Season 4?
Show creators Matt and Ross Duffer said Season 4 would be the last. Luckily, since then, producer Shawn Levy has said Season 5 is a possibility thanks to enthusiasm for the show among the child stars and Netflix.
Outside of the facts we know Season 4 is coming and Season 5 is a possibility, the news is limited. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens next in one of the best original shows of the last decade (if not ever).
Stranger Things is one of Netflix’s top-ranking shows, and since Season 2, it has been in 4K with Dolby Vision and Atmos. Season 4 will inevitably look and sound as good as the two previous seasons.
Check out the latest teaser trailer for Season 4 below:
A reboot of Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories TV anthology series is coming to Apple TV+, with a slated March 6 release date.
Spielberg still serves as an executive producer for this rendition of his 1985 original show, which he created. It was nominated for 12 Emmy Awards, so it’s a lot to live up to.
But the good news is, Spielberg is directly involved. Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz are the showrunners. They created Once Upon a Time, so they’re experienced in the sort of genres this show entails.
Let’s take a closer look at Amazing Stories‘ return on Apple TV+.
The original series ran for two seasons and 45 total episodes. There’s only this brief synopsis from Deadline in terms of story details:
“Reimagining the anthology from Spielberg, Amazing Stories, from Universal TV and Amblin Television, ‘will transport the audience to worlds of wonder through the lens of today’s most imaginative filmmakers, directors and writers.'”
Deadline
Fittingly mysterious, considering the show deals with fantasy, science-fiction and horror elements.
According to IMDB — this took a bit of digging — Season 1 consists of 10 episodes. The page reveals six of the episodes’ titles, too.
Another source of intrigue therein: the cast list. The most notable name I could discern was Edward Burns. Even most casual entertainment fans might not know his name.
In the ’80s, Amazing Stories enlisted a number of stars to lead their episodes. The stacked lineup featured Harvey Keitel, Kevin Costner, Kyra Sedgwick, Tim Robbins, John Lithgow and Patrick Swayze, among others.
It remains to be seen whether Apple TV+’s adaptation follows suit with famous faces. Streaming is bringing about so much new, original content, though, so perhaps Apple is using this launch to showcase some new actors.
Amazing Stories is an Apple TV+ original show, and all originals on the streaming service support 4K and HDR (or Dolby Vision). However, not all content supports Dolby Atmos, and this has not yet been confirmed for Amazing Stories.
You can look at the official Amazing Stories trailer below.
Apple TV+ picked up the relatively unknown Dan Erickson workplace thriller Severance in 2019. The show is yet to have a release date, but is expected in early 2021.
Apple TV+ launched in November 2019, and its shows instantly impressed me, despite early trailers making the streaming service appear social-agenda heavy. Instead, shows like See, The Morning Show, and Servant kept me coming back weekly to watch every episode.
Dan Erickson has written for Spike’s Lip Sync Battle pre-show, and his Severance script was on BloodList.com back in 2016.
Ben Stiller (Zoolander) will direct and be a co-executive producer for the series. In 2019, he was nominated for best director of a limited series (Escape at Dannemora) at the Emmy Awards.
Adam Scott, who worked with Ben Stiller on The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, will take the lead role and produce the series. Scott also appeared in the Emmy-winning HBO drama series Big Little Lies.
The show is about Mark (Adam Scott), an employee with a dark past trying to put himself back together. He works for Lumen Industries, a company looking to take work-life balance to a new level.
Chris Black, who has worked on Ugly Betty, Mad Men, and Outcast, will serve as the show’s co-executive producer.
Severance on Apple TV+ is an original show, and all originals on the streaming service support 4K and HDR (or Dolby Vision). However, not all content supports Dolby Atmos and this has not yet been confirmed for Severance.
The seventh and final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars dropped its official trailer on Wednesday, and revealed a Disney+ release date of February 21.
It all looks really epic, and there’s a reason fans were clamoring for more despite six prior seasons. The show really works, fleshing out the character arcs of icons such as Anakin Skywalker and Darth Maul far more.
Based on the trailer, it looks like Ahsoka Tano will be prominently featured again. She’s one of the best characters to come out of the animated Star Wars canon. Ahsoka even made a voice cameo in The Rise of Skywalker.
As the former apprentice of Anakin, Ahsoka has a little rebellious streak in her. But she’s also virtuous, and one of the big events of The Clone Wars is her abandoning the Jedi Order.
The trailer plays on that a little, as Ahsoka disagrees with the Jedi engaging in the destructive conflict.
Maul was mentioned before, and he’s a central figure in this preview. He speaks of how the galaxy will soon change. This season runs up even closer to the events of Revenge of the Sith where Anakin becomes Darth Vader.
It’s always a bit of a high-wire act for The Clone Wars. It has to balance not disrupting the film canon, yet still create enough compelling story to stand on its own.
Well, seeing as how this is the final hurrah, there should be more surprises than ever. Anything previously held back by George Lucas and Co. can be unleashed now.
You won’t have to pay extra for higher quality, either. The $6.99 monthly price tag of Disney+ will offer the best possible presentation of The Clone Wars in terms of video and audio quality.
