MPA Ratings: ‘Alone at Dawn' and ‘Saturn Return' Rated R; ‘Ebenezer' and ‘The Thomas Crown Affair' Get PG-13

The MPA has unveiled its latest batch of ratings, and there's one title in there that caught me off guard.

Ron Howard's "Alone at Dawn" has been rated R for "war violence and language." Why is that surprising? Because Amazon/MGM just dated the film for Christmas 2027. That's over a year away. Yet here we are, with the film rated, locked, and post-production complete.

I'd reported last month that the Adam Driver/Anne Hathaway film wrapped in February and had already test-screened. So this tells me Amazon/MGM had a finished movie in hand and chose to wait. They're clearly not giving it the full awards push this season, with "Project Hail Mary" and "I Play Rocky" already in the mix. Smart? Maybe. A finished Ron Howard war movie sitting on a shelf for 14 months doesn't exactly scream confidence, though. We'll see.

Ti West's "Ebenezer" has been rated PG-13 for "frightening material." Not a shocker — the Johnny Depp-led take on "A Christmas Carol" opens November 13th. What is interesting is that West, the guy who gave us the gloriously R-rated "X," "Pearl" and "MaXXXine," is playing in the PG-13 sandbox. Paramount wants a holiday tentpole. I

Greg Kwedar's "Saturn Return" has been rated R for "some sexual language, sexual content and violence." This is Kwedar's follow-up to "Sing Sing," a Chicago-set romance spanning a decade with Charles Melton, Rachel Brosnahan and Will Poulter, produced by Plan B. Netflix promised it for 2026, but we're nearing November and there's still no date. A rating suggests it's close.

Less surprising is that Michael B. Jordan's "The Thomas Crown Affair" is done. It's rated PG-13 for "violence/action, some sexuality, nudity, strong language, and smoking." That's quite the list for a PG-13. Remember, the 1999 McTiernan remake with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo was R. Going PG-13 here is a commercial play — Amazon/MGM wants teenagers in IMAX seats on March 5.

Jordan, meanwhile, having finished editing his movie, perfectly timed it as he is currently shooting Joseph Kosinski's "Miami Vice '85" opposite Austin Butler for Universal, which opens summer 2028.

MPA Ratings: ‘Alone at Dawn' and ‘Saturn Return' Rated R; ‘Ebenezer' and ‘The Thomas Crown Affair' Get PG-13

Ron Howard's "Alone at Dawn" has been rated R. Amazon/MGM just dated the film for Christmas 2027. That's over a year away. Yet here we are, with the film rated, and post-production complete.

Denzel Washington to Star in Christopher McQuarrie-Directed Thriller, October 2027 Release by Amazon/MGM

Denzel playing a broken ex-cop with nothing to lose, under McQuarrie's direction? We all know Washington loves to attach himself to redemption stories. It's his bread and butter.

Golden Globes Reject ‘Michael' as a “Musical,” But ‘Obsession' Is a “Comedy”

So, let me get this straight. “Obsession,” a horror movie, is a comedy according to the Golden Globes. “Michael,” a movie where Michael Jackson sings and for two hours, is not a musical.

Keanu Reeves to Star in James Wan's ‘The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil’ Remake

Two weeks ago, I reported that James Wan's remake of the Korean film "The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil" for Paramount was scheduled to start production in April 2027. We now have a lead.

First Look: Dwayne Johnson Is Almost Unrecognizable As “The Chicken Man” In Benny Safdie's ‘Lizard Music’

Here's our first look at Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, 54, on the New York City set of Benny Safdie's "Lizard Music," a live-action/CGI hybrid now set for a Christmas 2027 release.

August 19, 2019

3-Hour ‘Midsommar' Director's Cut Screened in NYC

This year’s 12th edition of the Scary Movies festival at Film at Lincoln Center premiered Ari Aster’s extended version of “Midsommar” this past Saturday.

CONFIRMED: Sadie Soverall Exits Brady Corbet's ‘The Origin of the World' Mid-Shoot, Lily McInerny Steps In Lead Role

Sadie Soverall was just let go after briefly filming on Corbet's new film — no official reason given. She had the lead role. Corbet has replaced her, last minute, with Lily McInerny.

Ron Howard’s ‘Alone at Dawn’ Starring Adam Driver and Anne Hathaway Sets Christmas 2027 Release

This is the adaptation of the nonfiction book by Dan Schilling and Lori Longfritz. It wrapped production in February and has been in post-production ever since. The film test-screened a few months ago.

Jeremy Saulnier’s Next Film Retitled to ‘Slayground,’ Current Runtime is 2.5 Hours, Plot Details

Jeremy Saulnier’s mysterious A24 project, formerly “October,” still has no release date. You’d think, given that it has been in post-production for almost a year now.

Jemima Kirke and Alexi Wasser to Star in Woody Allen's Next Film

A few months ago, Deadline reported that Woody Allen's next film, set in Madrid and carrying a $14M budget, will be "largely English-language" and feature a "high-profile cast."

Fritz Lang’s ‘M’ Tops the Best Films of the 1930s, According to 100+ Critics

We’ve gone through the decades. The ‘40s ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘2000s, and ‘2010s. — all revisited, argued over. Now, here are the results for the best films of the 1930s.

Critics Poll: ‘Citizen Kane' Named Best Film of the 1940s

The results are in, and according to critics, this decade filled with cinematic riches did not have a better film than Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane.” Nobody should be surprised by this result. “Citizen Kane” changed cinema forever.

Critics Poll: ‘Vertigo’ Named Best Film of the 1950s, Over 120 Participants

It was a closer race than anticipated, but Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” has topped our best of the ’50s poll, besting Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s “Singin’ in the Rain” by just two votes.

Trending

Critics Polls