“WE’RE BACK.”
Not just the name of a song from Ghostbusters II, a film I’m told I refer to way too often, but the general sentiment as the SAG strike ends and Hollywood cranks back up for business. After 118 tense, gruelling days for everyone in the industry (as well as those wondering when we’re going to get to see Deadpool taking the piss out of Wolverine’s hair on a big screen), the studios and the actors’ guild finally came to an agreement on 8 November, the news reaching Empire Towers just before we sent this issue off to the printers. From safeguards around the use of AI to pay increases for background actors, it’s great news all round, and well worth the temporary shutdown. And now, with cameras having the dust blown off them and movie stars rehearsing their answers to, “What drew you to this project?”, show business is, well, back in business.
If you were concerned about a drought of entertainment ahead, let this issue in your hands be a hearty rebuttal. 2024 is looking stupidly exciting, something which has resulted in one of our juiciest previews in years. We have the world’s very first look at the return of Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley, last seen investigating rollercoasters in 1994. We have a chilling exclusive glimpse at Robert Eggers’ spin on Nosferatu, a story we strongly advise you read in daylight. Plus: spies, apes, superheroes, musical Jokers, Ghostbusters (yes, I reference another song from Ghostbusters II on page 75), wrestlers, and a photo we’re particularly excited about of Jason Statham with some jars of honey. 2024, we have no notes.
Our cover story, meanwhile, is a deep-dive into Ryan Gosling stuntman comedy The Fall Guy — the kind of deep-dive that Gosling’s character, Colt Seavers, would do off an enormous building before breakfast, in fact. Turn to page 48 for Olly Richards’ highly entertaining piece on a film that may be sadly devoid of Jason Statham and honey, but still has plenty of buzz.