Decades after 1962's King Kong vs. Godzilla, Godzilla vs. Kong is now smashing its way onto the big screen (and, subsequently, on HBO Max), promising to deliver one of the biggest action spectacles we've seen in ages — especially after 2020's cinematic drought. Folks, movies are back again! The stars are aligning again.
Indeed, alongside these gigantic monsters are a variety of high-profile actors, including Rebecca Hall, Millie Bobby Brown, Alexander Skarsgard, Kyle Chandler, Eiza Gonzalez, and Brian Tyree Henry. When it comes to the always-busy Atlanta actor, Godzilla vs. Kong is only the latest high-profile project on his resume, particularly with Marvel's Eternals and other notable films and shows arriving in the near future. If you love the Emmy-nominated actor, here's what you can look forward to — including Bullet Train.
The Outside Story - April 30, 2021 (Completed)
After years of playing supporting roles, Brian Tyree Henry finally got his own starring vehicle with The Outside Story, the feature directorial debut of writer/director Casimir Nozkowski. Following an introverted video editor (Henry) as he recovers from a broken heart, only to have a life-altering experience when a locked apartment forces him to live an alternate life, The Outside Story is an intriguing concept for a romantic dramedy, to be sure, in a movie that should hopefully showcase Henry's proven talents once more.
Premiering at a number of virtual film festivals over the past few months, The Outside Story was met with kind reviews (if not overwhelmingly so), and the movie will make its way to a wide audience when it debuts on VOD on April 30th. Having proven himself in a number of projects, both big and small, on the stage and screen, Brian Tyree Henry is long overdue for his own acting showcase. While it's a small project, it should give the actor the flexibility he needs to demonstrate the full extent of his distinguished talents.
The Woman In The Window - May 14, 2021 (Completed)
It hasn't been an easy journey for The Woman in the Window. Based on the novel by A.J. Finn, this psychological thriller adaptation was originally set to hit theaters in 2019, but the movie was delayed when poor test screenings resulted in heavy rewrites and reshoots. Rescheduled for May 15, 2020, The Woman in the Window was pushed back again due to the pandemic. Rather than wait for theaters to reopen, Fox sold it to Netflix. Now, the streaming exclusive will premiere on May 14, 2021, one year after its planned release. It's ready to go, no matter what the theater situation is in May, so the third time should be the charm — pending any additional unforeseen drama, of course.
It's been a labored release for The Woman in the Window, it's fair to say, and not for the better. Whether or not the drama was worth it will be determined in a matter of weeks. The latest movie from director Joe Wright stars Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, Wyatt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Julianne Moore, and Brian Tyree Henry.
Eternals - November 5, 2021 (Post-Production/Completed?)
Appropriately, it's taking an eternity for Marvel's Eternals to reach the silver screen. Or, at least, it feels that way. Shot in 2019, the superhero blockbuster was scheduled to come out on November 6, 2020, before the pandemic pushed back the whole MCU calendar. Originally moved to February 2021, this Phase 4 Marvel movie will premiere on November 5, 2021, a whole year after its initial release date. Directed by Chloe Zhao (Nomadland), this superhero movie has the potential to be one of the finest films in the MCU, especially with such a high-profile ensemble.
Starring Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Salma Hayek, Kit Harington, Gemma Chan, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Lia McHugh, Lauren Ridloff, and Brian Tyree Henry, Eternals is filled with talented actors, and Henry's role is particularly noteworthy. In the role of Phastos, the actor plays the first openly-gay Marvel character in the MCU, which is a progressive step forward for LGBTQ+ representation in this franchise. Like many upcoming 2021 movies listed in this article, Eternals could really propel Henry's career.
Red, White, And Water - TBA (Post-Production)
Following a temporary break from acting, Jennifer Lawrence returns to the screen with Red, White, and Water, the feature directorial debut of Lila Neugebauer (Room 104), which will expectedly be another great showcase, not merely for its Oscar-winning A-lister but also for its prominent Emmy-nominated co-star, Brian Tyree Henry. Following a U.S. soldier who suffers a traumatic brain injury while fighting in Afghanistan and subsequently struggles to adjust to life back home, Red, White, and Water will undoubtedly be a heavy picture, but it has the potential to be an outstanding movie, too — particularly if Lawrence, Henry, and the rest of the ensemble bring out the fireworks.
Shot back in 2019, Red, White, and Water has been stuck in post-production, a process that has likely been extended due to the pandemic. It's expected to arrive later this year, though it's unclear when it'll premiere in theaters. Best guess is this fall, in time for awards season. We'll definitely be hearing more about this project in the months ahead.
Cyrano - TBA 2022 (Post-Production)
While The Woman in the Window got caught in creative limbo, with delays and reshoots painting an uncertain future, the movie did establish a good working relationship between Brian Tyree Henry and Joe Wright. The actor and director have reunited for the filmmaker's next film, Cyrano, a dramatic musical that follows the life of Cyrano de Bergerac, played by Peter Dinklage. With a strong supporting cast, including Ben Mendelsohn, Haley Bennett, and Kelvin Harrison Jr., in addition to the aforementioned Henry, Cyrano could easily shape up to be one of the finest films on Wright's resume. It could also prove to be the win that Wright needs if The Woman in the Window doesn't meet its potential following its creative troubles. Only time will tell for both features, but at the very least, it's nice to know that Henry and Wright have developed a nice rapport.
Bullet Train - TBA (Post-Production)
All aboard! The Bullet Train is in motion. Based on the novel of the same name by Kôtarô Isaka, the latest movie from director David Leitch (John Wick, Atomic Blonde) is surely set to be an action extravaganza, notably with a cheeky premise that involves five assassins on a fast-moving bullet train who discover that their missions might share something in common. There's a lot of promise with that action-friendly storyline (it's sorta like Smokin' Aces meets Unstoppable) and that's without mentioning the cast.
Set to star Brad Pitt, Bullet Train's supporting cast includes Zazie Beetz, reuniting with her Deadpool 2 director, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Andrew Koji, Masi Oka, Michael Shannon, Lady Gaga (reportedly), Logan Lerman, Hiroyuki Sanada, Bad Bunny, Sandra Bullock, and Brian Tyree Henry. Wow! Talk about a killer line-up (hardy har har).
Adapted for the screen by Zak Olkewicz, Bullet Train will undoubtedly be a high-profile project for Brian Tyree Henry. It'll also be fun to see the comedic/dramatic actor in action movie mode. Now in post-production, Bullet Train should be coming out quickly.
The Magician’s Elephant - TBA (Filming)
In recent years, Netflix has become one of the biggest animation houses in Hollywood. With dozens of animated movies and shows premiering on their service in a given year (maybe more, at this point), they know how to attract some serious talent and how to get their movies to a wide audience. That won't be an exception with The Magician's Elephant, based on the two-time Newbery Award-winning novel by Kate DiCamillo. The directorial debut of visual effects artist Wendy Rogers (Shrek), The Magician's Elephant is in the midst of production, and it features a stellar ensemble. As Deadline reports, the voice cast includes Noah Jupe, Benedict Wong, Sian Clifford, Pixie Davies, Aasif Mandvi, Mandy Patinkin, Miranda Richardson, Lorraine Toussaint, and Brian Tyree Henry.
Adapted for the screen by Martin Hynes (Toy Story 4), The Magician's Elephant follows Peter, who crosses paths with a fortune teller in search of his long-lost sister. When he asks if his sister is still alive, Peter is met with a curious answer: that he must find a mysterious elephant and the magician who will conjure it. This movie has the potential to be one of the best animated movies from Netflix yet. Here's hoping that's the case.
Atlanta Seasons 3 And 4 - TBA (Pre-Production)
After an extended hiatus, Atlanta is finally returning to FX. Picked up for a third season in 2018, shortly after its second season aired, the show has been stuck in limbo due to Donald Glover's busy schedule. When production on Season 3 was set to move forward last year, filming hit a roadblock with the ongoing pandemic. During that time, plans changed. Also renewed for a fourth season, which is also expected to air later this year, it was announced that the next two seasons will be shot together, with production beginning in London, followed by Amsterdam and Paris. It'll be interesting to see all the ways Atlanta changes this year, most notably with production moving away from the show's namesake. Likewise, it'll be interesting to see how Glover plans to wrap up his acclaimed series; with his Amazon deal, these two seasons are expected to be the last.
In the role that propelled his career (outside of Broadway), Brian Tyree Henry owes a great deal of his continued success to his Emmy-nominated performance as Paper Boi in Atlanta. It's certainly a highlight in his increasingly busy schedule. Production on Seasons 3 and 4 will start in April, according to Deadline. If this is truly the end of Henry's time in Atlanta, at least the future looks bright for the increasingly active actor.
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