Fantasy Reigns Supreme as New Films Hit Cinemas This Week

This week, a variety of new films are hitting cinemas, with fantasy taking center stage. Among the fantasy releases are Wicked: Part II, The Running Man, Luc Besson's Dracula, Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake, Alpha, Sisu: The Road to Revenge, My Wings Will Protect You, and Sleepless City.

Wicked: Part II is the eagerly awaited musical conclusion to the story of The Wizard of Oz, directed by Jon M. Chu. It's expected to captivate fans of the popular stage show and film. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo return as the lead characters, joined by a star-studded cast including Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, and Michelle Yeoh. The film explores the growing rift between Elphaba and Glinda as they navigate their destinies and alliances, which will ultimately reshape the magical land of Oz.

The Running Man, a dystopian science fiction thriller directed by Edgar Wright, is based on Stephen King's novel of the same name (written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman). It depicts a brutal televised survival game. This story was previously adapted in 1987, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The new version features Glen Powell as the protagonist, alongside Josh Brolin, William H. Macy, Michael Cera, and Emilia Jones. The plot centers on Ben Richards, a desperate man who enters a deadly competition to save his daughter, facing professional killers and a bloodthirsty audience.

Also arriving in theaters is Luc Besson's powerful take on Dracula, which was recently shown at the Canary Islands Fantastic Film Festival. Besson, the French filmmaker, offers his own interpretation of Bram Stoker's classic novel. Caleb Landry Jones plays Prince Vlad II, Count Dracula, supported by Christoph Waltz, Zoë Bleu, and Matilda de Angelis. The film follows the cursed and lonely vampire on an epic journey to find his lost love, set against gothic backdrops and filled with beauty and tragedy.

For a family-friendly option, Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake is a standout animated film. Directed by Irene Iborra, it has been nominated for European film awards for best film and best animated film. Using an innovative stop-motion technique for Spain, the film is based on Maite Carranza's novel and tells the story of Olivia, a young girl who bravely faces significant changes in her family life. It has received praise for its sensitivity and depth at festivals like Annecy, Locarno, and Ottawa.

Following its premiere at the Sitges Film Festival, Alpha, the highly anticipated new film from French director and screenwriter Julia Ducournau, is now in theaters. This is Ducournau's third feature, after her acclaimed films Raw and Titane (which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2021). Starring Tahar Rahim, Golshifteh Farahani, and Mélissa Boros, it's described as a visual and sensory experience that blends psychological thriller and family drama.

Sisu: The Road to Revenge also premieres this week. This is the sequel to the film that won big at the Sitges Film Festival in 2022. In this installment, the character known as "the man who refuses to die" returns to the home where his family was murdered. His goal is to move them to a safe place in their memory, but he ends up confronting the Red Army commander responsible for his family's tragedy.

Moving away from the fantasy genre, My Wings Will Protect You, the debut film by Antonio Cuadri, and Sleepless City, the first fiction feature by Guillermo Galoe set in Madrid's Cañada Real, are also worth noting. Sleepless City follows Toni, a teenager dealing with his family's relocation to social housing, exploring themes of growing up and finding hope amidst change.

Finally, fans of the Twilight saga can revisit the third film, Eclipse, in theaters as it marks the 20th anniversary of the first novel's publication by Stephenie Meyer, which introduced Bella and Edward Cullen.