The Country & Town House Responsible Buyers Guide

Our Favourite Barbie Releases & Collaborations So Far

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National Film Awards 2023: And The Winners Are…

• Best Actress: Olivia Coleman (Empire of Light) 
• Best Actor: Taron Egerton (Tetris)
• Best Newcomer: Noah Caplan (Stepping Stone)
• Best Actress In A TV Series: Jennifer Metcalfe (Hollyoaks)
• Best Actor In A TV Series: Richard Blackwood (Hollyoaks)
• Best Supporting Actor: Asim Chaudhry (What’s Love Got To Do With it?)
• Best Supporting Actress: Lourdes Faberes (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre)
• Best Drama: Tetris 
• Best Supporting Actress In A TV Series: Arsema Thomas (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story)
• Best Supporting Actor In A TV Series: Dizzee Rascal (Jungle)
• Best TV Drama Series: YOU
• Best Thriller: The Stranger in Our Bed
• Best Action In A Film/Series: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
• Best Independent Film: Love Without Walls
• Best Screenplay: Jemima Khan (What’s Love Got to Do With It?)
• Best Documentary: The Real Mo Farah
• Best British Film 2023: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
• Best Comedy: Rye Lane
• Outstanding Performance: Adele James (Queen Cleopatra)
• Best Feature Film: Bank of Dave
• Best Director: Shekhar Kapur (What’s Love Got To Do With It?)
• Best Producer: Kayleigh-Paige Rees (Keep Calm & Carry On)
• Best Streaming Platform: Prime Video UK
• Best Film Production Company: Film4 Productions
• Best Foreign Language Film: Saint Omer (Amrita David, Alice Diop, Zoé Galeron, Marie N’Diaye, Toufik Ayadi, Christophe Barral)
• Best International Film: Luther: The Fallen Sun
• Global Contribution To Motion Picture: Hugh Grant

All The Nominees For The National Film Awards 2023

Best Actress 2023

• Kate Bosworth (Last Sentinel)
• Lily James (What’s Love Got To Do With It?)
• Ashley Madekwe (The Strays)
• Olivia Coleman (Empire of Light) (WINNER)
• Jennifer Saunders (Allelujah)
• Helena Bonham Carter (Nolly)
• Gemma Arterton (Funny Woman)
• Kate Beckinsale (Fool’s Paradise)
• Emma Mackey (Emily)

Best Actor 2023

• Lucien Laviscount (Last Sentinel)
• Jason Statham (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre)
• Rory Kinnear (Bank of Dave)
• Natey Jones (Pretty Red Dress)
• Taron Egerton (Tetris) (WINNER)
• Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin)
• Henry Cavill (Enola Holmes 2)
• Idris Elba (Luther: The Fallen Sun)
• Ralph Fiennes (The Menu)

Best Newcomer 2023, Sponsored By By Valentine

• Bugzy Malone (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre)
• David Jonsson (Rye Lane)
• Arsema Thomas (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story)
• Vivian Oparah (Rye Lane)
• Noah Caplan (Stepping Stone) (WINNER)
• Alexandra Burke (Pretty Red Dress)
• Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who)
• India Amarteifio (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story)
• Louis Partridge (Enola Holmes)
• Yasmin Finney (Doctor Who)
• Halle Bailey (The Little Mermaid) 

Best Actress in a TV Series 2023, Sponsored By Pure Beauty Collagen

• Máiréad Tyers (Extraordinary)
• Jennifer Metcalfe (Hollyoaks) (WINNER)
• Lilly Allen (Dreamland)
• India Amarteifio (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story)
• Billie Piper (I Hate Suzie Too)
• Jasmine Jobson (Top Boy)
• Charlotte Ritchie (You)
• Melia Kreiling (Mammals)

Halle Bailey is nominated for Best Newcomer at the National Film Awards for The Little Mermaid, and the film is up for Best International Film, too. (Disney)

Best Actor in a TV Series 2023, Sponsored By Emperor Vodka

• Richard Blackwood (Hollyoaks) (WINNER)
• Penn Badgley (You)
• Nick Pickard (Hollyoaks)
• James Corden (Mammals)
• Ashley Thomas (Great Expectations by Charles Dickens)
• Adeel Akhtar (Sherwood)
• Kane Robinson (Top Boy)
• Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who)

Best Supporting Actor 2023

• Asim Chaudhry (What’s Love Got To Do With it?) (WINNER)
• Simon Manyonda (Rye Lane)
• Ricci Harnett (Love Without Walls)
• Hugh Grant (Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre)
• Nicholas Hoult (The Menu)
• Paul Kaye (Bank of Dave)

Best Supporting Actress 2023, Sponsored By Youth & Earth

• Emma Thompson (What’s Love Got To Do With it?)
• Poppy Allen-Quarmby (Rye Lane)
• Mara Huf  (Tetris) 
• Lourdes Faberes (Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre) (WINNER)
• Phoebe Dynevor (Bank of Dave)
• Patsy Kensit (Renegades)

Best Drama 2023, Sponsored By Eternal Muse 

• Last Sentinel
• Tetris (WINNER)
• Rye Lane
• The Strays
• Queen Cleopatra
• Girl
• Master Gardener
• The Banshees of Inisherin
• Empire of Light

Colin Farrell is nominated by the National Film Awards for Best Actor for The Banshees of Inisherin, and the film is also up for Best Drama. (Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin. Photo by Jonathan Hession. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.)

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series 2023

• Freema Agyeman (Dreamland)
• Arsema Thomas (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story) (WINNER)
• Tilly Keeper (You)
• Louisa Binda (Hotel Portofino)
• Romola Garai (Becoming Elizabeth)
• Shalom Brune-Franklin (The Tourist)
• Catherine Tate (Doctor Who)
• Sofia Oxenham (Extraordinary)

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series 2023

• Jamie Lomas (Hollyoaks)
• Corey Mylchreest (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story)
• Ed Speleers (You)
• Dizzee Rascal (Jungle) (WINNER)
• Bilal Hasna (Extraordinary)
• Richard Blackwood (Hollyoaks)
• Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Dreamland)

Best TV Drama Series 2023

• Extraordinary
• Hollyoaks
• Dreamland
• Jungle
• Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
• Lockwood & Co.
• Mammals
• YOU (WINNER)
• EastEnders
• Doctor Who 

Best Thriller 2023, Sponsored By Ivy Niche

• Last Sentinel
• Unwelcome
• I Came By
• The Ledge
• The Stranger in Our Bed (WINNER)
• Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey

Popular Netflix series You has five nominations across the board at the National Film Awards. (Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg in episode 401 of You. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022)

Best Action in a Film/Series 2023, Sponsored By UNNATURALLY NATURAL

• Last Sentinel
• Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre
• Luther: The Fallen Sun
• Queen Cleopatra
• Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (WINNER)
• Renegades
• Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday
• Enola Holmes 2
• Hitmen

Best Independent Film 2023, Sponsored By Telephonos

• What’s Love Got to Do with It?
• Manfish
• Bank of Dave
• Drift
• Casting Kill
• Breaking Infinity
• Jungle Cry
• Girl
• Love Without Walls (WINNER)
• Tales of Babylon

Best Screenplay 2023

• Jemima Khan (What’s Love Got to Do With It?) (WINNER)
• Adura Onashile (Girl)
• Jamie Flatters & George Jaques (Black Dog)
• Frances O’Connor (Emily)
• Savvas D. Michael (Hitmen)
• Jane Gull (Love Without Walls)
• Nathan Bryon & Tom Melia (Rye Lane)

Best Documentary 2023, Sponsored By Green Glamour

• Zuckerberg: King of the Metaverse
• The Real Mo Farah (WINNER)
• Escape From Kabul Airport
• How To Survive a Dictator With Munya Chawawa
• Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts
• Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now
• My Old School
• The Other Fellow

Lockwood & Co. is nominated for best TV drama series by the National Film Awards, despite being cancelled by Netflix.

Best British Film 2023, Sponsored By FIJI Water UK

• What’s Love Got to Do with It? (WINNER)
• Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre
• Rye Lane
• Blue Jean
• Love Without Walls
• Dream Agency
• I Used to Be Famous
• I Am Ruth
• The House

Best Comedy 2023

• What’s Love Got To Do With it?
• Rye Lane (WINNER)
• Keep Calm & Carry On
• Fools Paradise
• Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
• Brian and Charles
• I Used to Be Famous
• Mammals

Outstanding Performance 2023

• Keanu Reeves (John Wick)
• Cynthia Erivo (Drift)
• Anya Taylor-Joy (The Menu)
• Hugh Grant (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre)
• India Amarteifio (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story)
• Bally Gill (Allelujah)
• Adele James (Queen Cleopatra) (WINNER)
• Daniel Radcliffe (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story)
• Stephen Merchant (The Outlaws)
• Milly Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes 2)

Best Feature Film 2023

• Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre
• Breaking Infinity
• Coyote
• Emily
• The Menu
• Bank of Dave (WINNER)
• The Hitmen
• Wolf Garden

India Amarteifio and Corey Mylchreest both received multiple nominations from the National Film Awards for their work on Netflix limited series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. (L- R: Corey Mylchreest as Young King George, India Amarteifio as Young Queen Charlotte in episode 101 of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2023)

Best Director 2023

• Guy Ritchie (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre)
• Shekhar Kapur (What’s Love Got To Do With It?) (WINNER)
• Chris Foggin (Bank of Dave)
• Nathaniel Martello-White (The Strays)
• Georgia Oakley (Blue Jean)
• Tina Gharavi (Queen Cleopatra)
• Adura Onashile (Girl)
• Marianna Dean (Breaking Infinity)
• Mark Mylod (The Menu)

Best Producer 2023

• Kayleigh-Paige Rees (Keep Calm & Carry On) (WINNER)
• Iain Canning, Joanna Laurie, Emile Sherman, Christophe Spadone & Florian Zeller (The Son)
• Seth Reiss & Will Tracy (The Menu)
• Karl Hall, Neil Jones, Piers Tempest, Matt Williams (Bank of Dave)
• Nicky Kentish Barnes, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner & Jemima Khan (What’s Love Got to Do with It?)
• Peter Chernin, Neil Cross, Idris Elba, David Ready, Jenno Topping (Luther: The Fallen Sun)

Best Streaming Platform 2023

• BritBox
• Apple TV+
• Prime Video UK (WINNER)
• Mubi
• Netflix
• NOW
• Paramount +
• Channel 4
• Shudder
• Sky Go

Best Film Production Company 2023

• Working Title Films
• StudioCanal UK
• Film4 Productions (WINNER)
• Heyday Films
• Warp Films
• DNA Films
• See-Saw Films

Jennifer Saunders and Bally Gill (left) are both recognised by the National Film Awards for their work on Allelujah. (Bally Gill, Richard Eyre, Alan Bennett and Judi Dench behind the scenes of Allelujah)

Best Foreign Language Film 2023, Sponsored by VooVix TV

• Property (Daniel Bandeira, Livia de Melo)
• Rheingold (Fatih Akin, Nurhan Sekerci-Porst )
• All Quiet on the Western Front (Edward Berger, Daniel Marc Dreifuss, Malte Grunert  )
• Queens on the Run (Jorge Macaya, Martha Higareda, Alexis Fridman, Miri Higareda, Héctor Villegas)
• Pathaan (Shridhar Raghavan, Abbas Tyrewala, Siddharth Anand, Aditya Chopra)
• Techno Brothers (Hirobumi Watanabe)
• Alcarràs (Carla Simón, Sonia Castelo, Arnau Vilaró)
• Saint Omer (Amrita David, Alice Diop, Zoé Galeron, Marie N’Diaye, Toufik Ayadi, Christophe Barral) (WINNER)
• Hilma (Helena Danielsson, Lasse Hallström, Sigurjon Sighvatsson)
• Battle on Buka Street (Funke Akindele)
• Amandla (Greig Buckle, Jarrod de Jong, Nerina De Jager, Riaan Van Der Wart)                         

Best International Film 2023, Sponsored by Yarden Mitrani

• Polite Society
• John Wick
• Next Goal Wins
• Creed III
• Emancipation
• The Menu
• Little Mermaid
• Luther: The Fallen Sun (WINNER)

Global Contribution To Motion Picture

• Daniel Craig
• Ralph Fiennes
• Dame Joan Collins
• Hugh Grant (WINNER)
• Emma Thompson
• Pierce Brosnan
• Stephen Fry
• Glenda Jackson
• John Cleese

nationalfilmawards.org

Featured image: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. (L to R) India Amarteifio as Young Queen Charlotte, Corey Mylchreest as Young King George in episode 101 of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2023

The post The Winners Of The National Film Awards 2023 Have Been Revealed appeared first on Country and Town House.

The Best Romantic Movies To Watch On Netflix Right Now

Little Women (2019)

Like your romantic movies with a side of historical dress and a sprinkling of sisterhood? Greta Gerwig’s Little Women is the one for you. Transporting us to 1860s Massachusetts, we follow Jo March, a spirited writer who pushes back against love in pursuit of a career. A star-studded affair, expect the likes of Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson and Laura Dern to grace your screen.

Lady Chatterley’s Lover (2022)

Another relatively new kid on the block, Netflix’s original Lady Chatterley’s Lover was released toward the end of 2022. It’s simple – based on the old classic D. H. Lawrence novel – but effective, based almost entirely on one sprawling country estate, with very few characters, and love (and lust) at the fore.

(L-R) Emma Corrin as Lady Constance, Jack O’Connell as Oliver in Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Parisa Taghizadeh/Netflix © 2022.

Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)

Yes, Renée Zellweger’s iconic Bridget Jones is back on Netflix. Playing a British singleton, Zellweger is joined by Colin Firth and Hugh Grant to form one of romantic movie history’s most notorious love triangles.

She’s The Man (2006)

Remember that period of the 00s when a strangely large number of teen films were based on Shakespearean comedies? Experiencing somewhat of a renaissance on TikTok at present, She’s The Man is a teen rom-com classic, starring Amanda Bynes opposite Channing Tatum in a Twelfth Night retelling with a football twist.

Friends With Benefits (2011)

Led by Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis, Friends With Benefits is one of many romantic movies on this topic – but, I would argue, the best (my apologies to Ashton Kutcher’s version). Dylan (Timberlake) and Jamie (Kunis) meet in New York City and commence a friends-with-benefits situation, naively believing they won’t develop feelings for each other. We all know how it goes – but, though predictable, the ending is surprisingly tender and un-cringe.

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)

It’s cute, it’s wholesome, it’s (dare I say it) funny. It’s based on a book (by Jenny Han), it’s the film that shot Noah Centineo to stardom, and it honestly holds up five years after it debuted on Netflix. With two sequels – romantic movie marathon, anyone? – To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before follows Lara Jean Covey, a hopeless romantic who has never been in a relationship, but has written a heartfelt love letter to every boy she’s ever had a major crush on. But what should happen if these letters were mysteriously posted to their addressees? 

(L-R) Noah Centineo and Lana Condor in To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Netflix © 2018.

Footloose (2011)

Sadly, the 1984 original isn’t on Netflix at present. Call me crazy, but I think the 2011 remake is a really fun edition, starring Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough and Miles Teller with a supremely foot-tapping soundtrack to boot. It’s slightly modern, but the southern twist roots Footloose (2011) in the original’s timelessness. Kenny Wormald is magnetic. 

All streaming now on Netflix.

Featured image: Lady Chatterley’s Lover. (L-R) Jack O’Connell as Oliver, Emma Corrin as Lady Constance in Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Parisa Taghizadeh/Netflix © 2022.

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Where Was Oppenheimer Filmed? (& Can You Visit?)

© Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Led by Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer with Emily Blunt as his wife, Kitty, Oppenheimer will explore the life of Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist who helped to develop the first nuclear weapons. Supported by an ensemble cast of Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, and many more – every celebrity not in Barbie appears to have signed on to Oppenheimer instead – it’s set to be a blockbuster.

Where Was Oppenheimer Filmed?

Oppenheimer was mainly filmed in Los Alamos, New Mexico, although California, New Jersey and other New Mexico locations were all also used for filming. Filming took place between February and May 2022, following a series of casting calls in Santa Fe and Los Alamos in New Mexico in January and February to collect extras to play local residents, military personnel and scientists. 

Filming in sandy New Mexico © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved

Filming in New Mexico breathes an extra dimension of truth into the story: it is here that the atomic bomb was developed and first detonated, in a town called Los Alamos. The town was entirely recreated on a mesa in New Mexico for filming; Nolan told Total Film that they faced ‘very harsh conditions out there’ and that ‘there were huge practical challenges’ to filming. Ever the ambitious director, Nolan wanted a non-CGI version of the Trinity test (the first ever nuclear bomb detonation), calling it ‘a huge challenge to take on’. 

Oppenheimer Filming Locations

Los Alamos, New Mexico

A purpose built, 1940s style town was built and used for filming Oppenheimer’s scenes in Los Alamos, which is a small New Mexico town famous for its connection to nuclear bombs. In 1943, what was an isolated and quiet ranch town was taken over by the United States Department of War for use in the secretive Manhattan Project. The town was referred to with the code name ‘Site Y’, while nearby Santa Fe residents knew it as ‘The Hill’.

That said, a selection of real, Manhattan Project era locations were also used for filming: the Civilian Women’s Dormitory, the Lamy Train Station, and Fuller Lodge.

Oppenheimer House, Santa Fe, New Mexico

When Oppenheimer worked in Los Alamos, he lived in nearby Santa Fe with his family, and his real-life family home was used for filming Oppenheimer.

© Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

University of California, Berkeley

The real Oppenheimer worked as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley between 1929 and 1943. The production team worked to make the real campus appear like it did in the 1940s, and filming took place here in May 2022 at locations across campus, including in Oppenheimer’s actual office, the library (where lampposts were redesigned to recall the 1940s), and at the Edwards Stadium, which is the University’s football and athletics stadium.

University of California, Los Angeles

Likewise, UC’s Los Angeles campus was reportedly used for filming Oppenheimer. 

Sierra Madre, California

It has been reported that a house in Sierra Madre dating back to 1904 was also used for filming. According to Pasadena Star News, filming took place in the upstairs bedroom of the house, which is a Cultural Heritage Commission-designated historical landmark. Likewise, the living room and half-acre of property land were also used for filming. The house was most recently listed for sale at $3.188 million.

© Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey

After WWII, Oppenheimer moved to the east coast where he became director of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. Though the Institute for Advanced Study is independent from Princeton University, both campuses were used for filming, as were wider New Jersey locations. 

Oppenheimer arrives in cinemas on 21 July 2023. 

Featured image: Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in OPPENHEIMER, written and directed by Christopher Nolan. This still is an 11K scan of a 70mm B&W IMAX film frame. © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

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Where Was Barbie Filmed? (& Can You Visit?)

Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “BARBIE,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved (cropped).

Where Was Barbie Filmed?

Barbie was filmed in California and Hertfordshire. Surprised? The former makes perfect sun-kissed sense, but the latter? That’s right: Barbieland is actually Hertfordshire – more specifically, a CGI world created at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden. 

So far, we know very little about what Barbie will be about, other than a scant synopsis (‘after being expelled from “Barbieland” for being a less-than-perfect doll, Barbie sets off for the human world to find true happiness’) and a huge, star-studded cast lead by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Expect to also see Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Michael Cera, and Sex Education’s Emma Mackey and Ncuti Gatwa (among many, many more). That said, whether purposefully or not (a clever promo tactic, perhaps?), the Barbie cast have been spotted on location across the world, with production spanning March to July 2022. Here are the Barbie filming locations we know so far.

Barbie Filming Locations

Los Angeles

In June 2022, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling were spotted filming on-set in Los Angeles donning matching bleach blonde hair, white heeled cowboy boots and white cowboy hats, along with cute western outfits (pink for Robbie playing Barbie, naturally; and black for Gosling playing Ken). 

 

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Will Ferrell – who will play the CEO of Mattel, the toy company behind Barbie dolls – has also been spotted filming in Los Angeles, wearing a pink shirt with a darker pink tie.

Venice Beach

Sticking Stateside – and sticking in LA, too – Robbie and Gosling were also spotted filming for Barbie at Venice Beach, this time donning matching neon psychedelic roller skating outfits complete with visors and neon yellow skates and elbow and knee pads, with a neon yellow fanny pack for Gosling and hoop earrings for Robbie, too. 

 

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Again, Will Ferrell has also been spotted donning roller skates. An on-set photo emerged featuring a group of men in matching suits with white shirts, with Ferrell at the helm in his pink shirt. To his side, British comedian Jamie Demetriou (Stath Lets Flats, Fleabag) can also be seen skating along, with Connor Swindells (Sex Education) sticking out in the background in a discordant beige trouser, blue shirt, blue sweater vest get-up. Truly, who isn’t in this movie?

Venice Beach Skate Park

A notable location also used for filming those skate scenes is Venice Beach Skate Park.

Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden, UK

While the Barbie Malibu DreamHouse is very real (ahem), the film versions are unfortunately less real. Principal photography for Barbieland took place at Warner Bros.’s Hertfordshire studios in March 2022, with on-set filming kicking off here. With Barbie being ‘expelled from “Barbieland”’, we can expect a lot of set and CGI work has gone into the production of the film, so this isn’t one you can visit.

That said, the hot pink houses were reportedly inspired by Palm Springs, specifically the 1946 Kaufmann House, which features in Palm Springs flick, Don’t Worry Darling. And Palm Springs is definitely a place you can visit.

Featured image: Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “BARBIE,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved (cropped). 

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Here’s How To Stay In Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse

© Hogwash Studios

Airbnb is back with its iconic movie collaborations, previously offering lucky holidaymakers the opportunity to stay in the likes of the palace from The Empress and the Hocus Pocus cottage. Now it’s Barbie’s turn: an incredible Malibu DreamHouse has appeared in Florida, and here’s exactly how to get your hands on the keys.

Barbie fans can request to book Ken’s bedroom in the Malibu DreamHouse for a one-night stay for two on either 21 or 22 July 2023 (to coincide with the movie release, of course). Two lucky fans will win one of the individual stays, and will rest their head in Barbie’s house free of charge. Booking requests will open on 17 July 2023 at 10 am PT (that’s 6 pm in the UK). 

The DreamHouse is, indeed, dreamy – and by that we mean something plucked right out of the head of a pink-obsessed Barbieland resident. An oceanfront mansion genuinely located in Malibu, visitors can expect panoramic sea views, a wardrobe brimming with Ken-tastic beach fits, an outdoor disco dancefloor (line dancing, anyone?), and a stunning infinity pool. This year, however, there’s a new Kenergy about the place. Take a look inside…

start the slideshow

Clearly, pink still reigns supreme at the toy-inspired property. Plus, the winning guests will get to take home a piece of the Kendom with their very own set of Impala rollerblades and surfboards.

‘We all have dreams, and Barbie is lucky enough to have a house full of them,’ says Ken. ‘But now, it’s my turn, and I can’t wait to host guests inside these one-of-a-kind – dare I say, one-of-a-Ken? – digs.’

BOOK IT

So, fancy living it up in this slightly surreal, toy-tastic Barbie world? Ken’s Bedroom in the Barbie Malibu DreamHouse opens for booking requests on 17 July 2023 at 10 am PT (6 pm BST) at airbnb.com/kendreamhouse. Two requesters will win a free-of-charge one-night stay on either 21 or 22 July 2023 – but the eventual lucky guests are responsible for their own travel to and from Malibu.

Missed out, but still fancy a Barbie-tastic holiday? Check out these hot pink hotels

The post Here’s How To Stay In Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse appeared first on Country and Town House.

The C&TH Film Hub

The Best Outdoor Cinemas In London 2023

Adventure Cinema

April–October 2023

With over 70 open-air locations scattered across the UK, Adventure Cinema is back for 2023, screening the likes of Elvis, Top Gun: Maverick Matilda the Musical, Dirty Dancing, Pretty Woman and Mamma Mia! from April all the way through to October. Venues in London include Charlton House & Gardens, Ham House and Garden and Osterley Park and House, while nearby there’s Ashridge House in Hertfordshire, Hylands Estate in Essex, Nutfield Priory in Surrey and Polesden Lacey in Surrey. adventurecinema.co.uk

Elvis at Hampton Court Palace, The Luna Cinema

The Luna Cinema

Dates throughout June, July, August and September

Coming to fabulous venues across London for another season this summer, pop-up outdoor cinema The Luna Cinema has a 2023 line-up brimming with cult classics and blockbusters alike. There are plenty of locations in and around London this year, including Wimbledon Park, Wandsworth Park, Chiswick House and even Kensington Palace. thelunacinema.com

Rooftop Film Club

From 28 April 2023

London’s coolest outdoor cinema spot is already open for 2023 at both outposts: Roof East in Stratford and Bussey Building in Peckham. With adult tickets starting at £10, grab your bottomless popcorn and settle in for the likes of Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Whale, and The Menu. Screenings span the weekdays and weekend, so you can perk up a terrible Tuesday at work with a dreamy date night (double lounge seats are bookable) or relax into the weekend by watching a comforting classic. You’ll also be given wireless headphones to make sure you’re not distracted by the outside world. rooftopfilmclub.com

Everyman at The Grove

14 July–3 September 2023

As if we needed another reason to book a stay at luxurious Hertfordshire hotel The Grove, its pop-up outdoor cinema is returning this summer. Running in collaboration with Everyman, the screen is located in the beautiful Walled Garden, with a programme of films old and new being shown from July through to September. Cosy up in one of the beanbags, pop your headphones on and grab a drink and some snacks from the pop-up bar. Expect to watch the likes of The Greatest Showman, Mamma Mia! and The Lion King, with various dinner packages available across the hotel’s impressive array of restaurants. Tickets on sale from 4 May, thegrove.co.uk

Everyman Screen on the Canal

22 June–6 August 2023

Located across the water from the Ghat Steps in King’s Cross, Everyman Screen on the Canal is another Everyman pop-up back for another season in 2023. Full listings are yet to be announced, but Elvis, Roald Dahl’s Matilda, Grease, I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Paddington, Top Gun: Maverick, Mamma Mia, Roman Holiday, Dreamgirls and Casablanca are all tipped for the schedule, as are Wimbledon screenings for tennis lovers. Staggered seating of beanbags and and loungers means everyone can see the screen well, and guests can enjoy food from Everyman’s menu which includes burgers, wine and cocktails. The best part? It’s totally free – but make sure you arrive early to nab a seat. kingscross.co.uk

Featured image: Rooftop Film Club.

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Where Was Asteroid City Filmed? (& Can You Visit?)

Where Was Asteroid City Filmed?

Asteroid City was filmed close to Madrid in Spain, specifically near Chinchón, a small town 50 km from Madrid, despite being set in western America. The titular town, Asteroid City, was totally constructed for filming, including the train station, diner, garage and observatory, ‘in a farm field about halfway between the little town of Chinchón and the next town over, Colmenar de Oreja’, production designer Adam Stockhausen told Conde Nast Traveller.

Though Chinchón isn’t actually a desert – the land is typically used for farming chickpeas and watermelons – the flatness attracted the Asteroid City team to the location. ‘One thing that was appealing about the area […] was that we needed the big sky feeling that you get in the American West,’ producer Jeremy Dawson told Conde Nast Traveller. ‘We wanted good weather, for big bright blue skies to contrast the earth. We also had some beautiful shots getting into magic hour and into dusk, as the sky darkens, that would just take your breath away. Every day, we’d just find ourselves saying, “Look at these clouds!”.’

‘Wes likes shooting in Europe,’ Jeremy added. ‘It really works for us. And there’s a long history of shooting the American West in Spain.’

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Can You Visit?

Yes, although, because the set was built entirely for filming, don’t expect to be able to visit the iconic locations seen in the film. Adam said this was because filming in existing buildings ‘somehow wasn’t as much fun’. ‘It’s important to note that even in the film, this isn’t a real town,’ he told Conde Nast Traveller. ‘At the beginning, we wondered about using a real town and looked at the sites where they shot all of these Westerns in Spain. We asked, you know, what if our luncheonette and our gas station and all our pieces were in some of those existing sites? And it somehow wasn’t as much fun. It didn’t quite work the same way as making our own town.’

If you’d like to soak up some of the Wes Anderson magic, however, book a stay at Parador de Chinchón, where the entire cast and crew stayed during filming. A 17th century converted monastery, expect plenty of exposed brick, cloisters and fruit trees. 

Asteroid City arrives in UK cinemas on 23 June 2023.

Featured image: Writer/director Wes Anderson on the set of ASTEROID CITY, a Focus Features release. Image courtesy of Roger Do Minh/Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.

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The Ultimate Movie Calendar 2023

Click on the month to skip ahead

• January: A Man Called Otto
• February: Knock at the Cabin, What’s Love Got To Do With It?
• March: A Good Person
• April: Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
• May: Love Again, Beau Is Afraid, The Little Mermaid
• June: Spiderman: Across The Spider-Verse, Chevalier, Greatest Days, Asteroid City
• July: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One, Barbie, Oppenheimer 
• August: Challengers, The Last Voyage of Demeter
• September: Past Lives, A Haunting in Venice
• October: True Love
• November: Dune: Part Two, The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes
• December: Wonka, Anyone But You, The Color Purple

New Movies Being Released In 2023

A Man Called Otto

6 January 2023, Sony Pictures

Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove was originally published in 2012 in Swedish, with a Swedish language adaptation being released in 2015. With the novel being translated into English and published in 2013, it’s now time for an American version, starring Tom Hanks as Otto (rather than Ove). A Man Called Otto will follow Otto (Hanks), a grumpy 60-year-old who decides to kill himself, but his attempts are repeatedly interrupted by boisterous neighbours who ultimately become unlikely friends.

Knock At The Cabin

3 February 2023, Universal Pictures

One for horror lovers. Based on Paul Tremblay’s 2019 novel of the same name, The Cabin At The End Of The World follows gay couple Andrew and Eric and their adopted daughter Wen who are taken hostage under apocalyptic circumstances while holidaying in a cabin. The film adaptation has a star-studded cast, including Dave Bautista and Jonathan Groff in lead roles, and Rupert Grint supporting.

What’s Love Got To Do With It?

24 February 2023, StudioCanal

Seen this one on the side of a bus recently? What’s Love Got To Do With It?, starring Lily James opposite Shazad Latif alongside Emma Thompson, debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2022 and scooped up the award for Best Comedy a month later at the Rome Film Festival. Set between London and Lahore, the film follows Zoe (Lily), a filmmaker who documents the arrange marriage of her childhood friend and neighbour, Kaz.

A Good Person

24 March 2023, MGM

Written, directed and produced by Zach Braff, A Good Person will follow Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman alongside Celeste O’Connor, Zoe Lister-Jones and Molly Shannon. Few details have been announced, other than that Pugh will play Alison who, years after being involved in a fatal accident, forms an unlikely friendship with her would-be father-in-law.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

7 April 2023, Paramount Pictures

Based on the popular game of the same name, the live action Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves will follow a band of adventurers (including Chris Pine, Regé-Jean Page and Hugh Grant) on an epic quest to find a lost relic. Read our interview with the villainous Jason Wong here.

Love Again/It’s All Coming Back To Me

12 May 2023, Sony Pictures

You’d be correct for thinking the title of this upcoming romantic drama sounds like a Celine Dion song. Based on the 2016 German film SMS für Dich – which was, in turn, an adaptation of Sofie Cramer’s 2009 novel Text For You – Love Again (titled It’s All Coming Back To Me in the US) follows the route set by recent jukebox musical films like Walking on Sunshine (2014), Last Christmas (2019) and, of course, Mamma Mia! (2008), featuring a soundtrack of Dion songs. The movie will follow Clara (played by Priyanka Chopra Jonas), a woman who copes with the sudden death of her fiancé by sending him text messages to his old phone number, which has now been assigned to a new user, Sven (played by Sam Heughan). 

Beau Is Afraid

19 May 2023, A24 Films

From the director of Hereditary and Midsommar, Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid will star Academy Award Winner Joaquin Phoenix opposite Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Parker Posey, and Patti LuPone. A paranoid man embarks on an epic odyssey to get home to his mother in this bold and ingeniously depraved new film.

The Little Mermaid

26 May 2023, Disney

Next up in Disney’s series of live action remakes is The Little Mermaid. With Halle Bailey starring as the titular Ariel and Lin Manuel Miranda on the soundtrack, it’s one of 2023’s most hotly anticipated movie releases. Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Daveed Diggs and Awkwafina will also star.

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

2 June 2023, Sony Pictures

Across The Spider-Verse was one of 2022’s most anticipated movie releases – until it was pushed back to 2023. Separate from Tom Holland’s Peter Parker across the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, the Spider-Verse movies (the first released in 2018, this 2023 edition, and an upcoming 2024 instalment) follow Miles Morales, the 13-year-old biracial teenage son of an African-American father and a Puerto Rican mother, and the second Spider-Man to appear in the Marvel universe.

Chevalier

9 June 2023, Searchlight Pictures

Having premiered in September 2022 at the Toronto Film Festival, Stephen Williams directed this biopic, which tells the story of the 18th century French-Caribbean violinist and composer, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Starring Kelvin Harrison Jr. in the titular role, the film tracks the rise and resurgence of Chevalier, along with his complicated love life, the racism of the ancien regime and his falling out with Marie Antoinette (played by Lucy Boynton).

Greatest Days

15 June 2023, Bron Releasing

Like Love Again (see above), a Take That jukebox musical will arrive in cinemas next summer, hot on heels of the stage musical, which is scheduled to tour the UK from May. Comedian Aisling Bee will star in the lead role, with a fictional Take That band made up of Aaron Bryan, Dalvin Cory, Joshua Jung, Mark Samaras and Mervin Noronha.

Asteroid City

16 June 2023, Focus Features

As his signature aesthetic continues to bubble across pop-culture popularity, Wes Anderson’s next flick, Asteroid City, will star an ensemble of A-listers – including Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton and Tom Hanks – as an eccentric group of stargazing fanatics in 1950s America.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One

14 July 2023, Paramount Pictures

With two Mission: Impossibles delayed by the pandemic, this 2023 release slot was originally reserved for Mission Impossible 8, but has since been shifted to this, the franchise’s seventh instalment. Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson and Simon Pegg will all star, along with superstar Hayley Atwell, the C&TH cover star for May/June 2023.

 

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Warner Bros

Barbie

21 July 2023, Warner Bros

It’s finally happening. Barbie has been one of 2022’s most influential trends, despite the movie still not being released for another seven months. It’s all thanks to leaked images, on-set spottings, and an online obsession with Greta Gerwig’s small but mighty roster of directorial movies to date (Little Women and Lady Bird). This high-concept original film was co-written with Noah Baumbach and will star Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Emma Mackey, Will Ferral and Ncuti Gatwa and many, many more. Here’s everything we know so far, plus all of the filming locations we know so far.

Universal Pictures

Oppenheimer

21 July 2023, Universal Pictures

Christopher Nolan’s biopic about physicist and ‘father of the atomic bomb’ J. Robert Oppenheimer will be star studded, featuring Cillian Murphy in the lead role alongside Hollywood sweetheart Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr. and Rami Malek.

Challengers

11 August 2023, United Artists Releasing

Following his haunting 2022 Bones and All, Luca Guadagnino is shifting gears in 2023 with sports rom com Challengers. Starring Zendaya opposite Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor, the flick will be set in the world of tennis, following prolific player Art (Faist) who is in the midst of a losing streak. To shake him out of it, his wife and coach Tashi (Zendaya) signs him up to a Challenger event, where they discover he is set to play against her former lover, Patrick (O’Connor).

The Last Voyage of Demeter

11 August 2023, Universal Pictures

Based on a single chapter of Bram Stoker’s timeless classic Dracula, The Last Voyage of Demeter will follow a merchant ship (the Demeter) as it is plagued by a dark presence. Based on a screenplay written by Bragi F. Schutt in 2002, the film is directed by André Øvredal, with Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi and Liam Cunningham all starring. 

Past Lives

8 September 2023, A24

After debuting at Sundance 2023 in January, Celine Song’s Past Lives has accumulated significant buzz. Starring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro, Past Lives is a decades-spanning romance about two childhood friends who are separated when one emigrates from South Korea. Two decades later, they are reuinited in New York.

A Haunting in Venice

15 September 2023, 20th Century Studios

A sequel to Murder on the Orient Express (2017) and Death on the Nile (2022), A Haunting in Venice will be based on Agatha Christie’s 1969 novel Hallowe’en Party. Directed by Kenneth Branagh – who also plays the lead – the film will follow Poirot who, now retired, must solve the mysterious murder of a guest at a séance he attended. 

True Love

6 October 2023, 20th Century Studios

Though few details have been released, we’re still letting ourselves get excited for this 2023 sci-fi release, which will be set in modern day Australia where a dating app manages your relationship for you. Starring David Washington and Gemma Chan, the film is written, directed and produced by Gareth Edwards who also directed Godzilla (2014) and Rogue One (2016).

Dune: Part Two

3 November 2023, Warner Bros

Following the acclaimed 2021 adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi classic starring Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, Dune: Part Two will arrive at long last in cinemas in November 2023. With Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Léa Seydoux and Christopher Walken all joining the cast for Part Two, it’s set to be a showstopper.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes

17 November 2023, Lionsgate

Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games trilogy was a massive success, which ushered in a new era of young adult action films (think Divergent, The Maze Runner, The Mortal Instruments), especially those led by women. Collins’ 2020 prequel The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes will transport us to the Capitol, where we follow a young Cornelius Snow (later President Snow). With a killer ensemble cast (Peter Dinklage, Viola Davis, Hunter Schafer), it’s sure to be one of the year’s hottest movie releases.

Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird and Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. (c) Murray Close

Wonka

15 December 2023, Warner Bros

After a year of Timothee Chalamet sightings on set in Oxford, there’s still a year to wait for Wonka, slated for release in December 2023. Chalamet will star as a young Willy Wonka, with Keegan-Michael Key, Sally Hawkins, Jim Carter, Matt Lucas, Natasha Rothwell, Olivia Colman, and Rowan Atkinson also confirmed to star.

Anyone But You

15 December 2023

Twitter is abuzz with chatter about Anyone But You, the upcoming rom-com starring Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney. Supposedly a modernization of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, the film is slated to follow college archnemeses who reunite years after graduation for a destination wedding and pretend to be a couple for their own personal reasons. But through pretending, they actually fall in love. With so many classic rom com tropes, could Anyone But You signal a much-anticipated rom com renaissance? Here’s hoping. Meanwhile, here are our favourite romantic films.

‘ANYONE BUT YOU’ the R-rated rom com starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, releases on December 15, 2023 in theaters. pic.twitter.com/RsCad8v8TZ

— Sydney Sweeney fans (@SSydneyBest) May 3, 2023

The Color Purple

22 December 2023, Warner Bros

Based on Alice Walker’s seminal classic 1982 novel of the same name, The Color Purple will arrive in cinemas ahead of Christmas with a new 2023 book adaptation, almost 40 years after Stephen Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of the novel. The film will follow Celie (played by Fantasia and Phylicia Mpasi) and her life-long struggles in southern America in the early 1900s. Colman Domingo, Taraji P. Henson, Corey Hawkins and Halle Bailey will also star.

Featured Image: Teaser poster for The Little Mermaid, courtesy of Disney.

The post Exciting Movie Releases To Look Forward To in 2023 appeared first on Country and Town House.

Your 2023 Book Adaptations Calendar

Click on the month to skip ahead

• January: A Man Called Otto, Mayfair Witches, Lockwood & Co.
• February: Knock At The Cabin
• March: Daisy Jones & The Six, The Power, The Power, Wellmania
• April: The Last Thing He Told Me
• May: Silo, Love Again
• June: No releases confirmed (yet)
• July: The Summer I Turned Pretty
• August: Heartstopper, The Last Voyage of Demeter, Red, White & Royal Blue
• September: A Haunting in Venice
• October: Lessons in Chemistry
• November: All the Light We Cannot See, Dune, The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes
• December: Wonka, The Color Purple
• TBC: Salem’s Lot, Three Women, Bridgerton, 3 Body Problem, The Nightingale, The Fall of the House of Usher

Daisy Jones & The Six will launch on Prime Video on 3 March 2023. (c) Prime Video

Book Adaptations 2023: Film & TV

A Man Called Otto

Released: 6 January, theatrical release

Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove was originally published in 2012 in Swedish, with a Swedish language adaptation being released in 2015. With the novel being translated into English and published in 2013, it’s now time for an American version, starring Tom Hanks as Otto (rather than Ove). The novel follows Ove, a grumpy 60-year-old who decides to kill himself, but his attempts are repeatedly interrupted by boisterous neighbours who ultimately become unlikely friends.

Mayfair Witches

Released: 8 January, AMC (BT in the UK)

Based on Anne Rice’s ‘90s trilogy Lives of the Mayfair Witches, Mayfair Witches will air weekly on AMC from 8 January until the end of February, with Alexandra Daddario in the starring role. The books follow a family of witches whose fortunes have been guided for generations by a powerful shape-shifting spirit called Lasher.

Courtesy of Netflix

Lockwood & Co.

Released: 27 January, Netflix

Based on Jonathan Stroud’s young adult fantasy book series of the same name (five books, starting with The Screaming Staircase), Lockwood & Co. is set in London and follows a trio of ghost-hunting teens in their nightly escapades hunting the deadly spirits plaguing the city. 

Knock At The Cabin

Released: 3 February, theatrical release

One for horror lovers: Paul Tremblay’s 2019 novel The Cabin At The End Of The World follows gay couple Andrew and Eric and their adopted daughter Wen who are taken hostage under apocalyptic circumstances while holidaying in a cabin. The film adaptation has a star-studded cast, including Dave Bautista and Jonathan Groff in lead roles, and Rupert Grint supporting.

Daisy Jones & The Six launched on Prime Video on 3 March 2023. (c) Prime Video

Daisy Jones & The Six

Released: 3 March, Prime Video

The TV adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s best-selling 2019 novel Daisy Jones & The Six has been in the works for over four years now. Luckily for us, Prime Video has finally set a release date: 3 March 2023. The novel is told through a series of documentary-style interviews with the members of the popular 1970s band Daisy Jones & The Six (parallels have been drawn with Fleetwood Mac). Transporting us back to the wild 1970s, the novel charts the band’s meteoric rise and ultimate fall, featuring plenty of intra-band drama alongside the era’s characteristic ‘sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll’ landscape. Read everything we know about the series so far here.

The Power

Released: 31 March, Prime Video

When it was released in 2016, Naomi Aldermen’s feminist sci-fi novel The Power took the world by storm – and Prime Video quickly snapped up the rights, with Alderman herself adapting the novel into a 10-part drama. Set in a near future, The Power sees women across the globe suddenly develop the ability to release electric shocks from their fingers.

Wellmania

Released: 31 March, Netflix

Brigid Delany’s 2017 memoir Wellmania scrutinises the wellness trends many people now perceive as the norm; think cold press juices, yoga, mindfulness, sugar detoxes, paleo diets. Netflix has picked up the title and joined forces with comedian and actor Celeste Barber to dramatise the book – with Delany also co-creating – into a series following Liv, a live-fast, die-young type who throws herself into a wellness journey.

Lockwood & Co. will arrive on Netflix on 27 January 2023. (c) Netflix

The Last Thing He Told Me

Released: 14 April, Apple TV

After being published in May 2021, Laura Dave’s The Last Thing He Told Me spent a whopping 48 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List – not one to miss ahead of its mini-series adaptation in 2023. The novel follows Hannah, who is left with her teenage stepdaughter in the wake of her husband Owen disappearing during an embezzlement investigation. With Jennifer Garner and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau playing the leading couple and Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine producing the project, it’s sure to be a hit. 

Silo

Released: 5 May, Apple TV+

Hugh Howey’s post-apocalyptic Silo series – which commenced in 2011 with Wool – is being adapted for Apple TV+, starring Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Robbins and Rashida Jones. Set in a toxic dystopian future where society lives in a giant silo hundreds of stories beneath the earth, Apple TV+ recently announced a global premiere date of 5 May followed by weekly episodes, with a spooky teaser trailer to boot.

Love Again/It’s All Coming Back To Me

Released: 12 May, theatrical release

You’d be correct for thinking the title of this upcoming romantic drama sounds like a Celine Dion song. Based on the 2016 German film SMS für Dich – which was, in turn, an adaptation of Sofie Cramer’s 2009 novel Text For You – It’s All Coming Back To Me (titled Love Again in the UK) follows Clara (played by Priyanka Chopra Jonas), a woman who copes with the sudden death of her fiancé by sending him text messages to his old phone number, which has now been assigned to a new user, Sven (played by Sam Heughan). If that weren’t enough, Celine Dion also stars, with her music forming the soundtrack.

The second season of The Summer I Turned Pretty will arrive on Prime Video in summer 2023. (c) Prime Video

The Summer I Turned Pretty

Released: 14 July 2023, Prime Video

The first season of the uber sweet Jenny Han series The Summer I Turned Pretty arrived on Prime Video in summer 2022, a much-anticipated book adaptation following the publication of the three young adult romance novels between 2009 and 2011. Han also wrote the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before series which has been adapted into three films for Netflix, and The Summer I Turned Pretty is no less wholesome and sweet, with Han playing a key role in the adaptation process of both. Filming has wrapped on the second season of The Summer I Turned Pretty, and though no streaming date has been confirmed, we’re anticipating a summer release like season one.

The second season of Heartstopper is expected to arrive on Netflix in 2023. (c) Netflix

Heartstopper

Released: 3 August 2023, Netflix

Another Netflix phenomenon, the first season of Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper was an immediate hit when it arrived on the streaming platform in April 2022. With filming officially wrapped, we’re anticipating a spring/summer arrival of season two. If you’re itching to get your fix of Nick and Charlie, try Oseman’s graphic novels, which the series is an adaptation of – there’s five to tide you over, with a sixth being released in 2023. Read everything we know so far about season two of Heartstopper here.

The Last Voyage of Demeter

Released: 11 August, theatrical release

Based on a single chapter of Bram Stoker’s timeless classic Dracula, The Last Voyage of Demeter follows a merchant ship (the Demeter) as it is plagued by a dark presence. Based on a screenplay written by Bragi F. Schutt in 2002, the film is directed by André Øvredal, with Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi and Liam Cunningham all starring. 

Red, White & Royal Blue

Released: 11 August, Prime Video

New York Times bestselling gay romance novel Red, White & Royal Blue was penned by Casey McQuiston and published in 2019, and is now receiving the Prime Video treatment, with a book adaptation starring Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine set to arrive on the streaming platform on 11 August 2023. The lighthearted novel follows Clairmont Diaz (son of the President of the United States, played by Perez) and Henry (Prince of England, played by Galitzine) and their star-crossed, clandestine romance.

A Haunting in Venice

Released: 15 September, theatrical release

A sequel to Murder on the Orient Express (2017) and Death on the Nile (2022), A Haunting in Venice is based on Agatha Christie’s 1969 novel Hallowe’en Party. Directed by Kenneth Branagh – who also plays the lead – the film will follow Poirot who, now retired, must solve the mysterious murder of a guest at a séance he attended.

Brie Larson in Lessons in Chemistry, coming soon to Apple TV+

Lessons in Chemistry

Released: 13 October 2023, Apple TV+

One of 2022’s hottest debut novels, Bonnie Garmus’ Lessons in Chemistry is being adapted by Apple TV, slated for release in October 2023. With Brie Larson, Lewis Pullman and Aja Naomi King confirmed stars, the series will transport us to 1950s USA, where Elizabeth Zott (Larson) dreams of being a scientist, but her hopes are put on hold when she unexpectedly becomes a single mother. Watch the first look trailer below.

Aria Mia Loberti as Marie-Laure in episode 101 of All the Light We Cannot See. (Katalin Vermes/Netflix © 2023)

All The Light We Cannot See

Released: 2 November, Netflix

The screen adaptation of Anthony Doerr’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel has been in production for many years, with Netflix acquiring the rights in 2019. And now, with a release date finally disclosed, we are edging closer to finally seeing Doerr’s touching novel brought to life, split across four episodes and starring the likes of Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie. Netflix summarises: ‘All the Light We Cannot See tells the story of Marie-Laure, a blind French teenager, and Werner, a German soldier, whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.’

Dune: Part Two

Released: 3 November, theatrical release

Following the acclaimed 2021 adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi classic starring Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, Dune: Part Two will arrive at long last in cinemas in November 2023. With Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Léa Seydoux and Christopher Walken all joining the cast for Part Two, it’s set to be a showstopper.

The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes

Released: 17 November, theatrical release

Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games trilogy was a massive success, which ushered in a new era of young adult action films (think Divergent, The Maze Runner, The Mortal Instruments), especially those led by women. Collins’ 2020 prequel The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes transports us to the Capitol, where we follow a young Cornelius Snow (later President Snow). With an ensemble cast (Peter Dinklage, Viola Davis, Hunter Schafer), it’s sure to be (along with Dune) one of the year’s hottest book adaptations. Watch the full trailer below.

Wonka

Released: 15 December, theatrical release

After a year of Timothee Chalamet sightings on set in Oxford, there’s still a year to wait for Wonka, slated for release in December 2023. If you can’t wait for Chalamet star as Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka in this musical prequel (also starring Keegan-Michael Key, Sally Hawkins, Jim Carter, Matt Lucas, Natasha Rothwell, Olivia Colman, and Rowan Atkinson), you can reminisce by reading Dahl’s classic kids’ novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

The Color Purple

Released: 22 December, theatrical release

Based on Alice Walker’s seminal classic 1982 novel of the same name, The Color Purple will arrive in cinemas ahead of Christmas with a new 2023 book adaptation, almost 40 years after Stephen Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of the novel. The novel follows Celie (played by Fantasia and Phylicia Mpasi) and her life-long struggles in southern America in the early 1900s. Colman Domingo, Taraji P. Henson, Corey Hawkins and Halle Bailey will also star.

2023 Book Adaptations Still To Be Confirmed

Salem’s Lot

Released: TBC, theatrical release

Following the recent success of Stephen King’s novels on screen – think Carrie (2013), It Chapter One (2017), and Gerald’s Game (2017) – (and, frankly, King’s career-long appeal), Salem’s Lot, King’s second ever published novel was supposed to arrive in cinemas in September 2022, but it has since been pushed back to April 2023, and then pushed back again to a to-be-determined date. Salem’s Lot follows Ben Mears who returns to a town he lived in between the ages of five and nine called Jerusalem’s Lot; while there, he discovers the residents are becoming vampires.

Three Women

Released: TBC, Starz

Set to be one of the most anticipated 2023 book adaptations, Lisa Taddeo’s 2019 Three Women was a common sight in book shops throughout 2019 (and still is, really), gaining critical acclaim for its unflinching look at the sexual and romantic lives of three women. Showtime’s TV adaptation starring Shailene Woodley was slated for release in autumn 2022, but is still yet to reach our screens due to problems at Showtime. In fact, Showtime actually axed the series, passing it on to Starz. Perhaps we will see Three Women on Disney+ sometime in 2023…

The release date for season three of Bridgerton is still TBC. (L to R) Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma, Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton in season 2, episode 5 of Bridgerton. Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2022

Bridgerton

Released: TBC, Netflix

Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series has been a huge hit for Netflix, adapted by Shonda Rhimes and making stars out of the likes of Regé-Jean Page, Phoebe Dyvenor and Simone Ashley, and casting Jonathan Bailey and Nichola Coughlan into further stardom. With season three set to be based on Quinn’s fourth book in the series, there’s plenty of reading to do ahead of the 2023 series, with a release date still yet to be confirmed.

3 Body Problem

Released: TBC, Netflix

Fans of sci-fi should pick up Lui Cixin’s 2008 novel, The Three Body Problem, which is one of the most successful Chinese sci-fi books in the last two decades. A series of three books, The Three Body Problem sees Earth encounter an alien civilisation in a nearby star system that consists of three stars that orbit each other in an unstable, ‘three body’ system. Netflix snapped up the rights in 2020, and it’s sure to be a big hit, with David Benioff (Game of Thrones) and D. B. Weiss on the writing team, joined by John Bradley and Liam Cunningham (also Thrones) and stars such as Jovan Adepo and Tsai Chin. Though no UK release date has been announced yet, the series premiered in China in January 2023 – so we’re hoping there’s not much longer to go.

The Nightingale

Released: TBC, theatrical release

Starring real life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning playing fictional sisters Vianne and Isabelle – their first appearance as sisters in a film – this book adaptation was initially slated for release on 23 December 2022. But, with very little buzz and still no trailer, it is likely the historical drama is being pushed back to 2023. Penned by Kristin Hannah and published in 2015, The Nightingale follows two sisters, one a housewife and the other a rebellious 18-year-old, who struggle against the German occupation in 1939 Nazi occupied France.

The Fall of the House of Usher

TBC, Netflix

As book adaptations go, Edgar Allen Poe is notoriously creepy – and, with Mike Flanagan at the helm of this adaptation of his short story The Fall of the House of Usher, he’s about to be creepier than ever. With The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Blythe Manor and Gerald’s Game all under his Netflix belt, Flanagan is best-known for his horror films and TV series. Filming wrapped in July 2022, so we expect to see this on our screens sometime in 2023.

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