Every week, The GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBTQ-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend.
1.) Warner Bros. transports us into Barbie Land in their main Barbie movie trailer! To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken. Barbie follows Margot Robbie as the eponymous doll as she leaves her plastic lifestyle behind to find true happiness in the human world. The film features a plethora of queer actors, including Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie, Alexandra Shipp as Writer Barbie, Hari Nef as Doctor Barbie, and Scott Evans as one of the many Kens. Don’t miss the Barbie movie, in theaters July 21!
2.) Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg have reunited to grace our screens with the first trailer for their bold new adaptation of The Color Purple! The movie musical, based on Alice Walker’s 1982 classic novel and its 2005 Broadway revival, explores the extraordinary sisterhood of three Black women living in the South during the early 1900s. The Color Purple boasts a star-studded cast, including gay actor Colman Domingo as Albert “Mister” Johnson and bisexual actress Aunjanue L. Ellis as Mama. Catch The Color Purple in theaters December 25 and watch the trailer below!
3.) A24 has revealed the official trailer for Problemista, gay star Julio Torres’ satirical directorial debut. The surreal adventure film highlights the pitfalls of inequity in New York City and the U.S. Immigration system through the story of Alejandro (Torres), an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador who works for an erratic art world outcast, played by Academy Award-winner Tilda Swinton. The cast also includes out actors James Scully, Spike Einbinder, Larry Owens, Kelly McCormack, and Megan Stalter. Problemista premieres in limited theaters August 4; check out the trailer below!
4.) The official red band trailer for the upcoming comedy No Hard Feelings has dropped this week, featuring queer actress Natalie Morales! In the film, Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence) thinks she’s found the answer to her financial troubles when she discovers an intriguing job listing: a wealthy helicopter parents looking for someone to “date” their introverted 19-year-old son, Percy, and bring him out of his shell before he leaves for college. But awkward Percy proves to be more of a challenge than she expected, and time is running out. Watch the trailer below and see No Hard Feelings in theaters June 23!
5.) All-new key art and the movie tie-in book cover for gay rom-com Red, White & Royal Blue has been unveiled, premiering exclusively on Prime Video August 11. Based on queer author Casey McQuinston’s critically acclaimed New York Times best-seller, Red, White & Royal Blue marks the feature film writing and directing debut of gay Tony Award-winning playwright Matthew López. In the film, Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the son of the President of the United States (Uma Thurman), and Britain’s Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine) have a lot in common: Stunning good looks, undeniable charisma, international popularity… and a total disdain for each other. After a very public altercation becomes tabloid fodder, their families and handlers force the two rivals into a staged “truce.” But as Alex and Henry’s icy relationship unexpectedly begins to thaw into a tentative friendship, the friction that existed between them sparks something deeper than they ever expected. Find the poster below and read McQuinston’s novel ahead of the film; the motion picture edition of the book will be on stands July 4!
Love who you want. It’s good foreign policy. #RWRBMovie pic.twitter.com/ckEJKopoSH
— Red, White & Royal Blue on Prime (@RWRBonPrime) May 24, 2023
6.) Out actress Brianna Hildebrand and Shioli Kutsana have been set to reprise their roles as the groundbreaking queer couple Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio in Deadpool 3! Though plot details remain under wraps, previous installments have followed the misadventures of Wade Wilson, played by Ryan Reynolds, the foul-mouthed mercenary who transforms into the immortal superhero known as Deadpool. Filming has officially begun this week; watch the Deadpool threequel in theaters November 8, 2024! In other film casting news, pansexual actress Jena Malone has been cast in the upcoming supernatural thriller The Movers, which also began filming earlier this week. The film centers around a close-knit family who move into a charming neighborhood, only to discover a nightmarish universe of deceiving angels and compassionate demons. Stay tuned for Malone’s character details!
‘Deadpool 3’: Brianna Hildebrand & Shioli Kutsuna Set To Return For Marvel Threequel https://t.co/QfkhrrzG39 pic.twitter.com/uX53fkKGCG
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 18, 2023
7.) Netflix has acquired the rights to May December, a drama film directed by gay screenwriter and producer Todd Haynes, which debuted at Cannes Film Festival. Twenty years after a scandalous relationship between a married woman (Julianne Moore) and a 13-year-old (Charles Melton) hit tabloids, a Hollywood actress (Natalie Portman) emerges to do research for a film about their past. Sparks fly between the three of them as unresolved issues bubble to the surface. Haynes has also announced an unnamed upcoming film, centering on a gay love story in the 1930s with Joaquin Phoenix attached to star. In more film acquisition news, Utopia has scored the rights to Femme, an acclaimed queer thriller directed by out creators Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping, which premiered in Berlin Panorama. The London-set neo-noir feature follows a drag queen who suffers a brutal homophobic attack and gets a shot at revenge when he re-encounters one of his assailants in a gay sauna.
Revenge is a dish best served
Join us in welcoming the acclaimed neo-noir thriller FEMME to Utopia, the stunning feature debut from directors @SamHFreeman and Ng Choon Ping starring the extraordinary Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Candyman) and George MacKay (1917).
Coming soon pic.twitter.com/ZIW6oHl14t
— UTOPIA (@utopiamovies) May 23, 2023
8.) Euphoria star Hunter Schafer is re-teaming with A24 to star opposite Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel in the forthcoming pop music pic Mother Mary! The melodrama follows a fictional musician (Hathaway) and her relationship with iconic fashion designer Sam (Coel). Schafer plays Hilda, Sam’s assistant. In more casting news, out actor and singer Cheyenne Jackson has been set to star in gay filmmaker Kit Williamson’s debut feature Crtl Alt Del. The indie drama explores timely questions about the responsibility of media in our society, following disaffected teen Ava and her estranged filmmaker father Greyson as they try to reconnect after a tragedy inspires his new project. Jackson plays up-and-coming actor Clive Parker, who co-stars in Greyson’s film and unwittingly becomes his nemesis. Shiv Pai also plays Cameron, Ava’s gay best friend who longs to be a fashion designer. Additionally, Kristen Stewart is set to lead Rosebushpruning, an adaptation of Marco Bellochio’s 1965 psychological feature Fists in the Pocket. The film is a dark satire of family and social values, centering on a young man suffering from epilepsy who plots to murder his dysfunctional family.
‘Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer Joins A24 Pop Music Epic ‘Mother Mary’ From Filmmaker David Lowery https://t.co/XjBiLVhGYZ pic.twitter.com/fpXGvlUqHJ
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 25, 2023
9.) Netflix has given us our first glimpse of Heartstopper season two, set to premiere on the streamer August 3! This season of the GLAAD Media Award-winning series spotlights Nick (bisexual actor Kit Connor) and Charlie (gay actor Joe Locke) as they navigate the waters of their new relationship, while beloved lesbian couple Darcy (out actor Kizzy Edgell) and Tara (Corinna Brown) face unforeseen challenges and Tao (William Gao) and Elle (trans actress Yasmin Finney) work out if they can ever be more than just friends. With exams on the horizon, a school trip to Paris, and a prom to plan, the gang has a lot to juggle as they journey through the next stages of life, love, and friendship. The season also introduces a brand new set of characters played by trans stars Bel Priestley, Ash Self, and more. Find the series of first-look images below!
10.) In more Netflix news, the streamer has shared a first-look at its upcoming queer series Glamorous, set to premiere June 22! The soapy workplace drama tells the story of Marco Mejia (out singer and actor Miss Benny), a gender non-conforming queer teen who lands their dream job with legendary makeup mogul Madolyn Addison (Kim Cattrall). The cast features a bevy of LGBTQ talent, including Zane Phillips as Chad, Madolyn’s son and director of sales; Michael Hsu Rosen as Ben, Marco’s potential love interest; Ayesha Harris as Britt, a graphic designer at the company; Graham Parkhurst as Parker, the confident jock; out guest stars Joel Kim Booster, Matt Rogers, and more. Check out the photos below, where the lighting is soft and the eyeliner is sharp!
Get ready to go full glam with the queer coming-of-age series Glamorous, starring @MissBenny and @KimCattrall.
Here’s your first look:https://t.co/jUclBh1QWp
— Netflix Tudum (@NetflixTudum) May 23, 2023
11.) Vanity Fair has shared a sneak peek of Showtime’s upcoming limited series Fellow Travelers, a part love story part political thriller! The eight-part series is based on out author Thomas Mallon’s novel of the same name and chronicles the volatile and passionate relationship between two very different men: Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller (out actor Matt Bomer), a war hero turned behind-the-scenes politician, and Tim Laughlin (out actor Jonathan Bailey), an idealistic and religious young man. Over the course of three decades, Fellow Travelers charts the evolution of Hawk and Tim’s relationship— depicting a grand chronicle of queer American history from the Lavender scare of the ’50’s all the way to the AIDS epidemic of the 80’s. Watch Fellow Travelers this fall and check out the first-look images below!
12.) Ahead of its summer release, Freeform has unveiled an official trailer for Cruel Summer’s sophomore season! Set in an idyllic waterfront town in the Pacific Northwest, the next chapter of Cruel Summer approaches the story from three different timelines. The season twists and turns as it tracks the early friendship between Megan, Isabella, and Megan’s best friend Luke, the love triangle that blossomed, and the mystery that would impact all of their lives going forward. Catch the two-episode premiere on Freeform June 5 or stream Cruel Summer on Hulu June 6!
13.) Gay multi-hyphenate Billy Porter has dropped an uplifting new single entitled “Fashion.” Additionally, out singer-songwriter, producer, and filmmaker AMAARA has announced their debut LP Child of Venus, due out July 7, alongside a self-directed music video for the lead single “New Love’s Mortal Coil.” Gay singer-songwriter Jake Shears has shared his new single “Last Man Dancing,” the title track from his highly-anticipated album, due out June 2; watch the music video below! In celebration of the 25th anniversary of his self-titled debut album, gay singer-songwriter and composer Rufus Wainwright has shared an expanded, digital-only anniversary edition, which includes remastered versions of the original 12 tracks as well as three never-before-released songs; listen to Rufus Wainwright (25th Anniversary Edition) now! In other music news, lesbian Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and producer Brandi Carlile has been set to be honored with the Songwriter Icon award by the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) as part of the organization’s annual meeting on June 14!
14.) Dash, dodge, and fight against cybernetic ganga in Protodroid DeLTA, an all-new Solarpunk action platformer. Though DeLTA, a state-of-the-art AI model, simply wants to prove to the world that she’s more than just a machine, she is thrust into a perilous battle to protect her city and her creator, Dr. Noor Shelton, against the insidious Vypers. Protodriod DeLTA is a love letter to women in STEM, centering women of color at the heart of its thrilling sci-fi narrative and the relationships it holds. Join the action by purchasing the game on PS4, Xboc One, Nintendo Switch, or Stream; check out the trailer below!