Since its arrival here in the Philippines, Netflix has been continuously bringing us great content to stream on our favorite devices. Whether it’s a compelling drama with interesting characters, a thrilling title that keeps us at the edge of our seats, comedies that give us our much-needed dose of laughter, or just anything that keeps us entertained on the couch or on the go, we surely can count on the streaming service’s rich library of shows and movies.
If you’re always on the lookout for Netflix’s latest releases, then look no further! We’ve listed down ten shows and films to anticipate and add to your watchlist this month of December!
Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. explores the life and career of his father in this documentary that touches on art, mortality, and the healing of generational dysfunction.
Arisu, Usagi, and the other survivors of the first season finale are back to play more lethal games in the Borderland in an attempt to get closer to the real identity of the game master, and the truth behind the mysterious world they find themselves in.
A new adaptation of the beloved musical, Matilda The Musical tells the story of the brilliant and extraordinary girl Matilda who takes a stand to change her story.
Starring Michelle Yeoh, Blood Origin is a prequel to The Witcher series that follows the first prototype Witcher and events that would lead to the Conjunction of the Spheres.
Detective Benoit Blanc is back for another Knives Out mystery! The sequel to Rian Johnson’s hit whodunit film is heading straight to Netflix this December 23, and this time, Daniel Craig’s clever sleuth must uncover the truth behind a mysterious murder on a tech mogul’s private Greek island.
In Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Detective Benoit Blanc must investigate yet another colorful lineup of characters to be played by a star-studded cast including Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista.
Before the release of the film, Netflix held a virtual press conference joined by its stars, writer and director Rian Johnson, and producer Ram Bergman. Check out the highlights of the press conference below:
Rian Johnson talks about making the Knives Out follow-up.
Writer and director Rian Johnson shared how in making a sequel to Knives Out, he was inspired by how Agatha Christie always introduced new mysteries in her every book.
“The mode in which we were thinking to keep making [the Knives Out movies] was always not to continue the story of the first one, but to treat them the way Agatha Christie treated her books and do an entirely new mystery every time. A new location, a new rogues gallery of characters,” explained Johnson, citing how the author shook it up from book to book.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
“So, sitting down to write this one, that was kinda the marching orders,” the director adds. “Let’s not just turn the crank and do another, let’s come up with something that’s truly different and that actually is gonna make audiences say, ‘Oh, wow. I’m getting the same pleasure I did from the first one, but I’ve never seen this before.’ And that’s kind of the exciting thing.”
This also influenced the setting of the sequel. According to Johnson, “trading the browns of New England for the blue and yellows of Greece felt like a really obvious kind of ‘Oh, we’re in a whole new deal here,’” for the audiences.
He also mentioned that he wanted to tap into the rich traditions of a destination mystery, as seen in classics like Evil Under the Sun, Death on the Nile, and The Last of Sheila. Furthermore, the director adds that he wrote the script in 2020 during the lockdown. “Like a lot of us, I was sitting at home, kind of wishing I was on a Greek island. So that might have had something to do with it.”
Photo courtesy of Netflix
Gathering the ensemble of stars.
When asked how he got to round up such an effective ensemble for the new film, Rian Johnson says that it was “as simple as trying to get the best actor you can possibly get.”
The director also added that they got lucky with the group: “Just my head spins when I think about the fact that we were able to get this group together. There’s also the added element of, it’s a little bit like throwing a dinner party in that it is an ensemble. We know we’re gonna be on location together and all be kind of stuck together for a while. So, you’re also just trying to cast cool people who are hopefully gonna get along and have a good time together.”
Photo courtesy of Netflix
And have a good time they did. The cast likened the experience to being part of a theatre ensemble.
“I’ve had a couple of opportunities, you know, to be a part of great ensembles with Hamilton and One Night in Miami,” shared Leslie Odom Jr., “And this is one of the best. But it’s really an impossible thing, I think, to achieve without the leadership. It happens from the top down… It’s really Rian and Daniel and Ram making it feel that creative and that permissive and that fun.”
“For a lot of us who came into this through theater or just that idea of being in a repertory company, an ensemble, it has a special pleasure,” Edward Norton adds. “It reminds you of your high school drama club, for those who were dorky enough to be in the high school drama club.”
The cast also revealed how they would have murder mystery parties outside of filming the murder mystery movie. When asked who were the easy marks whenever they play those games, Johnson and the cast cited Dave Bautista and Daniel Craig himself.
“[Daniel Craig is] so vulnerable, yeah, and available that you’re like, ‘Oh, he could never be a spy,’” joked Kate Hudson. Norton agrees, adding that “it’s ridiculous, but [Daniel Craig] is the least violent person of all of us. I mean, I think he’s probably the gentlest person and could crush all of us at the same time.”
Photo courtesy of Netflix
Getting to work with director Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig.
The cast members also talked about how delighted they were to star in the new Knives Out movie and work alongside director Johnson and its lead star, Daniel Craig.
“I am a fan of everybody on this stage,” said Janelle Monáe. “I think that being able to work with Rian is a dream. I literally just told myself if I ever had the opportunity, it’s a yes. And then after reading this script, it was a hell yes. You know, because this is a character that you get to play with. So many layers, so mysterious. It took a lot of focus. There were moments when the cast was out having a blast after they did their scenes.”
Madelyn Cline also talked about how she got the news of being cast after she got off a plane in New York.
“I was huddled in a corner at baggage claim ’cause it was so loud and Rian was over the phone asking me if I wanted to be a part of [Glass Onion]. I was like, ‘You’re asking, is that even a question? Of course, I do.’ And then I proceeded to have the best weekend of my life and cheers to that. It was amazing.”
Photo courtesy of Netflix
The stars also talked about their experience working with Daniel Craig, and finally hearing him as Detective Benoit Blanc in person.
“It kind of lifts the veil,” said Kate Hudson. “Like oh sh*t, I’m actually here. I’m in a Knives Out mystery. I mean, for me, I think just watching Daniel work was a privilege and he’s a consummate professional. he shows up ready to deliver every line. He honors Rian’s words and he brings something just spectacular, as any movie star would. Just to be a part of that and to learn from that and to watch that was, for me, really something.”
“His physical comedy too, I was just floored by,” Kathryn Hahn adds. “Just like his control of his body and how he throws himself into this part physically is something that I was so excited to watch. He really is a gamer in that department, it’s really thrilling.”
Photo courtesy of Netflix
Director Rian Johnson on telling fresh stories from the whodunit genre to new audiences.
Director Rian Johnson was also asked what his favorite thing was in helping bring back the genre that he loves so much, for new audiences to consume. The director answered, ” I feel like we’ve kind of rode a beautiful wave of people rediscovering these, which has been really nice with a lot of other great filmmakers bringing them to life. As a whodunit junkie myself, it makes me really happy.”
“And then what makes me the happiest, I guess, is, you know I mentioned Agatha Christie’s books, but those movies that were based on her books in the late ’70s and early ’80s, when I was a kid watching those with my family, [I remember] how big of an impact they had. And now the coolest thing for me is talking to friends who have kids around that age, and seeing them get into these movies and recognizing, oh, that’s kind of what we made these for. And it’s super, super-cool that they can inspire whoever’s gonna, 30 years from now, do their own version of it. That makes me really happy,” added Johnson.
— Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery starts streaming on Netflix this December 23, 2022.
Once upon a time, there was a place called Slumberland that only the dreamers could go to. Slumberland is a place for dreamers that allows them to wish for anything they want. It makes impossible things possible and makes their dreams a reality. Once you enter Slumberland, everything changes, but not everything is about fun – it comes with thrill and adventure.
Netflix brings you another world to fulfill your childhood fantasy with Jason Momoa and Marlow Barkley. Enter the world of dreams starting November 18 on Netflix, but you can personally experience the thrilling ride at Robinsons Manila, Midtown Atrium beginning November 18 until November 22 as exciting adventures await.
Try the Inflatable Slumberland for FREE! All playful elements are inspired by the film and each visitor can play around for 20 minutes. Get ready to Dive into a 23ft ball swim, bounce into a giant lighthouse, climb and roll through giant slides, and sprint as you make your way through the maze. The best part is, this playground is open to ALL ages!
See for yourself what Nemo has experienced in her journey towards Slumberland. Hurry as this Inflatable Slumberland is only until November 22! See you at Robinsons Manila!
Netflix has released the trailer for the Japanese series First Love, already giving us a glimpse of the romantic drama’s heartwrenching moments!
Watch the trailer for First Love below:
This new Japanese drama is based on Hikaru Utada’s 1999 smash hit song First Love and Hatsukoi released in 2018. First Love is a story that spans three decades: the late ’90s, the 2000s, and the present. It follows two adults as they try to find the missing piece in their lives, retracing the memories of their unforgettable first love.
Directed by Yuri Kanchiku, the series stars Hikari Mitsushima and Takeru Satoh of the Rurouni Kenshin films. The series will be released on Netflix this November 24. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get the latest news on film, TV, and more updates around the city!
Netflix has released the trailer for the upcoming documentary Sr., where Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. gives viewers a glimpse of who his father, Robert Downey Sr., was.
Check out the trailer for Sr. here:
Directed by Chris Smith, Sr. follows Robert Downey Jr. as he gets to know more about his father, the late Robert Downey Sr. who was a maverick filmmaker. Through the father and son, the film explores art, mortality, and the healing of generational trauma.
“Knowing what I know now,” Smith said in a statement, “it’s really the only way you could attempt to make something on the two Downeys. Larger than life, but open and human as ever, it was such a pleasure and life-affirming experience to capture some glimpses of the highs, lows, and everything in between.”
Downey Jr. produced the film alongside Susan Downey, Emily Barclay Ford, and Kevin Ford. Sr. is set to be released on Netflix this December 2.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get the latest news on film, TV, and more updates around the city!
The Korean adaptation of the Netflix La Casa de Papel is back for Part 2! To further excite fans for its upcoming release this December, Netflix has released the official teaser trailer for Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area Part II.
Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area PART II, a crime drama series of 6 episodes (7-12, following PART I) directed by Kim Hong-Sun (Voice, Black), and starring Yoo Ji-Tae (Old Boy, Healer), Kim Yunjin (Shiri, Lost), Park Hae-Soo (Squid Game, Prison Playbook), Jeon Jong-Seo (Call, Burning), &Lim Ji Yeon is a Korean remake of La Casa De Papel.
North and South Korea are on the verge of peaceful reunification, and make preparations to print a new unified currency. A genius strategist: The Professor assembles a gang of top-class thieves from the North and South to steal the new cash straight from the mint, attempting to pull off an unprecedented heist in the Korean Peninsula.
Pale in black with a deadpan expression, morbid tastes, and cold comebacks, Wednesday Addams is back on the screen and this time, she’s out to solve a dark mystery revolving around her new school, the Nevermore Academy.
In Netflix’s upcoming series Wednesday, the young lady of the Addams Family is sent to her parents’ alma mater after she causes another trouble in her latest school (piranhas and swimming pools don’t really go together). In Nevermore Academy– a school for outcasts, freaks, and monsters– Morticia and Gomez Addams expect their daughter to fit right in. But as Wednesday tries to prove them wrong, her psychic abilities and her parents’ own past would get her embroiled in a school mystery involving a dangerous monster that attacks Nevermore students.
Watch the trailer for Wednesday below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q73UhUTs6y0
Before this new series from director Tim Burton drops on Netflix this November 23, we got the chance to virtually chat with its lead star in a roundtable interview. In this interview, Jenna Ortega talks about bringing the iconic character back, what she would do if she meets Wednesday, and more! Check out the highlights of the interview below:
Wednesday is such an iconic character, how did it feel playing her character?
Jenna Ortega: Terrifying, especially working with someone like Tim Burton for the first time, who is a legend. You never really know what to expect and you want to do a good job. I respect this character so much that I just wanted to do her right.
It’s definitely nerve-racking especially when you’re trying to figure out what the tone of the show is, and you just got into a foreign country, and you’re trying to pick up all of these skills. It was very easy to get overwhelmed, but sometimes you just have to put that stuff aside and realize it’s go-time, and I think I just tried to put my head down and put in as much work as possible and I hope that it’s received well.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
What did you work on the hardest in playing the modern-day Wednesday Addams?
Jenna Ortega: I feel like personality-wise, I focused a lot on trying to protect her emotional arc, and making sure that anytime she was vulnerable it was well-deserved. And I think for any hobby or additional thing that I learned, I feel like I was pretty hard on myself about the cello. I really wanted to get that right.
Did you get guidance from Christina Ricci who played Wednesday before and also stars in this series as Ms. Thornhill?
Jenna Ortega: None at all. We didn’t talk about Wednesday once. And it’s funny, I think [that’s the] assumption, but there’s a part of me that really didn’t want to and we met each other and I think it was very clear that she didn’t want to either.
You know our Wednesdays are very different, and if anything I was more interested in where she was from, what her deal was, and what her experiences were. I think we relate a lot, and I think we got along really well. When you don’t talk about the fact that she’s been in the same exact getup as you before, it makes it a lot easier to do your scenes and treat each other like regular people and not somebody you looked up to your entire life.
Wednesday has a lot of witty lines and clapbacks in the show. Do you have a favorite line from her?
Jenna Ortega: One of my favorites is when she has to go to a school dance, and she has to go get this dress and Enid says, “Oh, do you know what you need?” and [Wednesday] says, “A bullet to the head.” That’s one of my favorite lines because it’s so true and it also sounds like something I’ve said before so I felt that one pretty intensely.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
How did filming go for all of Wednesday’s scenes with the dismembered hand, Thing?
Jenna Ortega: It actually wasn’t too difficult. I feel like a lot of times, I act all the time even though maybe I shouldn’t be. I take any opportunity that I can, like if I’m home alone doing the dishes. So I think talking to nothing was actually pretty easy.
But fortunately, a lot of the time, I did have an actor. It was hard because he couldn’t necessarily fit in all of the shots. His name is Victor, he was a magician, he wore a full blue suit and I was followed around by a blue man. So he would walk behind me and we had these things called wild desks or wild beds, and there were cutouts in the mattress, so he could lay in there and crawl on the bed, or there were holes missing on the side of drawers so that he could stick his hand through. I’ve never done something like that before, but he was really really great and it felt like acting with another actor especially when he’s communicating with you like that so I feel very lucky to have had that experience as well.
Having starred in slashers Scream and X, and now in the supernatural comedy Wednesday, do you think you have certain expectations when working on horror titles?
Jenna Ortega: I think it’s a little bit different every time because, with different characters, you kind of want to approach [them] differently. I think I’m fortunate enough to play teen girls that don’t always necessarily resemble one another and I like to approach all of my characters with the same level of respect and care. I’m really lucky though because horror is so much fun, it’s really easy to kind of take risks, and explore, and do new things. Fortunately, in any of the horror sets that I’ve been on, I’ve been encouraged to do that which has been really really nice.
How challenging was it to keep Wednesday’s deadpan expressions while still evoking emotions in certain scenes?
Jenna Ortega: Yeah, I feel like the challenging part was more of the emotions. I think it’s pretty easy for me to be deadpan, especially because I think that naturally, I kind of have that face. I feel like a lot of people think that I don’t like them instantly because of my expression. The emotion more than anything was difficult just because you wanted to know when was the right time to do it, and why she was doing it, and how much was too much and how little was too little. You could never really tell with that one.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
What’s your main takeaway and what do you want the viewers to pick up from the show?
Jenna Ortega: I hope that the audiences learn that maybe the best way to confront anything in life is just by being yourself and not changing anything about you for the satisfaction or comfort of others. Because it’s unnecessary, it gets you nowhere, and it’s a lot cooler when you don’t do that. So I think that’s something to learn, and also maybe make a couple of friends if you’re going to fight a serial killer monster.
Also, I think my biggest takeaway from this role is I spent so much time with this character I learned how to use my voice and fight for characters in a way that I hadn’t before, and as an actress that’s kind of everything and I’m excited to be able to have that tool now and use it in other sets in the future.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
If you were to meet Wednesday Addams in real life, how do you think would you react towards her, and do you think you would befriend her?
Jenna Ortega: Yes, but I think I would know that it would be very difficult to become friends with her. So I think I would just stalk her from a distance and then maybe start sending her things and getting involved. I think that would be a more interesting approach, I feel like then she would like me. I’d be very intimidated though, I think, but I kinda like that, I like it when people are a little scary.
—
Wednesday also stars Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzman, Gwendoline Christie, and Emma Myers. The series drops on Netflix this November 23.
Detective Benoit Blanc is back to investigate a new case in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery! Netflix has released the trailer for the much-awaited sequel which will drop on the streaming platform this December 23.
Watch the trailer for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery below:
Daniel Craig reprises his role in Director Rian Johnson’s sequel, where Detective Benoit Blanc must investigate yet another star-studded lineup of colorful suspects to solve a murder that takes place on a tech billionaire’s private Greek island. Joining this cast are Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista.
Johnson’s 2019 film Knives Out was a box-office success, with the movie being praised for its refreshing take on classic whodunits. After acquiring the rights to its sequel, Netflix will release Glass Onion in select cinemas internationally a month before it drops on the streaming platform. Whether it will also be available in Philippine cinemas ahead of the streamer release is yet to be revealed.
Watch Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery when it gets released on Netflix this December 23.
Aquaman star Jason Momoaand young actress Marlow Barkleyare headlining Netflix’s next magical film Slumberland! The film will take viewers to the world of dreams and nightmares, where the girl Nemo who just lost her father in a storm, joins forces with the rough-around-the-edges but lovable outlaw Flip to hunt for a treasure that can make dreams come true.
Watch the trailer for Slumberland below:
Before the film drops on Netflix this November 18, we got to chat with Jason Momoa and Marlow Barkley in virtual roundtable interview where they talked about the new fantasy adventure film. Check out highlights from the interview below:
For Jason Momoa, would you say that you enjoy playing fun characters like Flip more than the serious and intimidating characters you’ve played in the past?
Jason Momoa: Yeah, it’s better for the soul, better for your well-being to be laughing and having fun over being grumpy and fighting all the time. So it’s nice to have some levity.
For Marlow Barkley, do you have any tips for the younger people who might be experiencing the same hardships as Nemo?
Marlow Barkley: I think that making sure to keep the things that make you happy and bring you joy very close to you, and if you can to block out any negative thoughts or ideas I think is very important. And specifically, keep friends close because I find that friends can be very very helpful and inspiring at difficult times. And just remember that any fear, no matter how big, can be overcome as long as you are brave and strong, and I hope they can use Nemo as an inspiration to do that.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
What’s an adventure you’ve had in the past that’s beyond your wildest dreams?
Jason Momoa: When I was around 19, one of my biggest dreams was to go to Tibet. I wanted to go backpacking and live with nomads and visit different temples out there. I went to Tibet, and whatever I thought it was gonna be, it was beyond my wildest dreams. And it was truly the only place, it felt like a dream world when I was there.
Marlow Barkley: I’d say, I think I’m living the life– I think I’m going on an adventure beyond my wildest dreams right now. I think that I’m very lucky to be able to do that at such a very young age, and I have Jason and my family and my friends to guide me through that. I think that right now, it’s pretty crazy. I could have never imagined that I would be here right now.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
Can you tell us more about your casting, what made you say yes to the project and what was reaction being cast in the film?
Marlow Barkley: I read the script and I definitely knew that I would watch it even though I wasn’t in it. Secretly I was hoping that [I get to do this movie] because it was amazing and it was everything that I wanted in a script and more. It has emotions, and it was funny, and action. And so I really put my all into that audition and it paid off and I think that the time filming it was even better than I could ever imagine.
Jason Momoa: This was pitched to me by director Francis Lawrence who I love and trust, and I just thought it was wonderful, the idea of it. Then I got the script, read it, and you know I cried, I laughed… And then we cast this beautiful lady and it’s a dream job, and it just doesn’t happen very often so I feel very lucky to be part of the film.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
Do you have any memorable moments during filming you’d like to share?
Jason Momoa: We have a lot.
Marlow Barkley: Any blooper is really fun, but there’s this one… We’re filming this very emotional scene, and in between takes we thought it would be a good idea to play tag– but not the kind of tag where you’re running around, chasing each other, and yelling tag. It’s the kind where you stand still, look over at someone, touch them and say tag. That’s it.
And Jason was it, and he did not like to be it. So in the middle of the scene, very emotional, right before the big climax he goes, “And I just want to say tag you’re it, well that didn’t work” and I was like “Dude, why did you think that you can incorporate tag into this emotional scene?” [Laughs] and Francis was like “Uhh, cut? Let’s go back to one.”
Jason Momoa: Yes, we did all kinds of fun stuff. Not long enough for this interview, you’ll see it all in the bloopers.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
What do you think are the lessons that both the young audiences and parents can pick up from the film?
Marlow Barkley: I think that kids can learn that they can overcome their fears, no matter how great they are. And that if you have something that’s special to you, and everybody else stops you or underestimates you, hold on to that dream and keep people that you love in your life, and you’ll be able to accomplish even greater dreams, one you could never imagine.
Jason Momoa: I say to reconnect with your inner child. Doesn’t matter how old you are, just have fun and keep that little sparkle alive. Otherwise, what’s the point?
— Directed by Francis Lawrence from a script by David Guion and Michael Handelman, Slumberland also stars Chris O’Dowd, Kyle Chandler, Weruche Opia, India de Beaufort, and Humberly González. Stream it exclusively on Netflix starting this November 18.
The Japanese Netflix series Alice in Borderland is set to return for a second season, and to further excite fans, the streaming service has dropped new photos from the show. Check them out below:
The photos feature Arisu, Usagi, and more characters from season 1, returning to play more deadly games within the mysterious Borderland. One of the photos even teases that a young boy has also been dragged into this merciless world.
Based on the manga Imawa no Kuni no Alice, Alice in Borderland follows Arisu and his friends who are transported into a new world where people are forced to play games where the losers could die, and the winners are assured a few more days of survival. In the finale of season 1, Arisu gets one step closer to finding out the truth behind the Borderland and the intentions of the game masters that have brought them there.
The series stars Kento Yamazaki, Tao Tsuchiya, Nijiro Murakami, Ayaka Miyoshi, Dori Sakurada, Aya Asahina, Yutaro Watanabe, Tsuyoshi Abe, Sho Aoyagi, and Riisa Naka. It is directed by Shinsuke Sato with a screenplay co-written by Sato with Yasuko Kuramitsu.
Alice in Borderland season 2 premieres on Netflix this December 22.
