CHARLIE'S ANGELS | 15 NOVEMBER 2019 | Sony | Elizabeth Banks directing. Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, Ella Balinska

[Ryan Reynolds]

Charlie's Angels first look: See Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska in Elizabeth Banks' update

 

 

 

 

Chiabella James/Sony

Charlie's Angels first look: See Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska in Elizabeth Banks' update

 

By Shirley Li

April 11, 2019 at 11:30 AM EDT

Charles Townsend, the titular Charlie of Charlie’s Angels, has turned the Townsend Agency into heaven on earth. No, really: In director Elizabeth Banks’ upcoming take on the elite all-women crime-fighting team, the camera-shy millionaire doling out missions has become — by conservative estimate — a gazillionaire.

It’s only logical. As Banks puts it, her update isn’t a reboot or a remake of the beloved franchise, but rather a “continuation” that incorporates the events of the original 1970s TV series and the McG-directed 2000s films. And so, she imagines, in the more than 40 years since Charlie assembled his first trio of Angels, he must have given his operation a makeover. “If you were rich in 1976, you only got richer,” Banks, who co-wrote the script, says with a laugh. “Charles Townsend is richer than ever, so he’s grown the business into a global spy agency.”

His expanded roster includes the crew at the center of Banks’ story: Sabina Wilson (Kristen Stewart), the hard-partying, highly skilled wild card; Jane Kano (Ella Balinska), the ex-MI6 muscle of the group; and Elena Houghlin (Aladdin’s Naomi Scott), the MIT-trained scientist who, Banks says, serves as “the heart of the movie.”

Charlie’s call takes them around the world, with stops in Istanbul, Hamburg, and Berlin, but amid all the globe-trotting, Banks was most invested in showcasing the trio’s teamwork. “It was important to me to make a movie about women working together and supporting each other, and not make a movie about their romantic entanglements or their mother they don’t call enough,” she says. “When I’m at work, I don’t talk about those things. I get on with my job. It felt important to do that for the Angels, to treat them with the respect their skill set demands.” Judging by this first look? Mission accomplished.

Nadja Klier/Sony

Who’s the Bosley?

Banks, Patrick Stewart, and Djimon Hounsou, that’s who. In Charlie’s history, multiple actors playing multiple characters named Bosley have aided the Angels. To Banks, it felt natural to upgrade the name into a title. “‘Bosley’ is now a rank in the organization, like lieutenants,” she says. “All of the Angels have been played by different women and have had different names, but the Bosley character was always named Bosley no matter who played him. We thought, ‘Well, that must mean it’s more than a name.’” Above, her Bosley helps Stewart’s Sabina gear up.

Chiabella James/Sony

Dress to impress

It wouldn’t be Charlie’s without Angels going undercover. Here, Sabina (Stewart) suits up at a Turkish derby, where the trio tail a target until “chaos ensues, as it always does,” Banks teases. That chaos, though, won’t look like the over-the-top sequences of the 2000s films; the director says she took a “grounded” approach to stunts: “I wanted to make them distinct from superheroes, aliens, and mythological creatures that are in a lot of action movies now.”

In fact, the Mission: Impossible franchise’s blend of grit and humor inspired her group’s dynamic. “We talked a lot about [those movies],” Banks says. “Those films work best when the team is together, when Ving Rhames is in it, and Simon [Pegg] is in it, and Rebecca Ferguson. That sensibility really matters to me.”

Nadja Klier/Sony

Top secret

When asked what Noah Centineo (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’s breakout star) is doing in this scene with Balinska’s Jane, Banks gets tight-lipped. “I don’t want to give too much away about Noah,” she says of his character, Langston, “but he’s a friend mostly to Naomi’s character.” The Angels clearly have plenty of allies, but that doesn’t mean they can’t accomplish their goals on their own. “I mean, women can do anything,” Banks says. “That’s not just my personal belief. That’s the core belief of Charlie’s Angels.”

Chiabella James/Sony

Power-ful reunion

The last time Banks collaborated with Scott, in 2017’s Power Rangers, she played supervillainess Rita Repulsa to Scott’s Pink Ranger. This time, they’re on the same side: Banks costars as one of the Bosleys (see above) assisting Scott’s Elena, who plays a pivotal role in catalyzing the central mission. “I wanted somebody who I felt the audience wants to root for,” Banks says of casting Scott. “She’s getting to be this Everywoman who’s also very fun and very funny.”

Chiabella James/Sony

Girl power galore

Banks’ film marks the first Charlie’s entry on the big screen to be helmed by a female director. “It’s a really exciting moment for female-driven films,” she says, citing Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel as recent examples of box-office successes. “Audiences are really looking for those aspirational stories about real and relatable characters, and I think the women in my movie are definitely real and relatable, but most importantly, I think they’re really fun.”

They’re certainly having fun: Just look at Sabina’s array of wardrobe (and identity) changes across these photos. “I wanted Kristen to show off a side of herself you don’t often see in her movies,” Banks points out. “She’s really funny in this.”

Nadja Klier/Sony

Good morning, Angels

John Forsythe, the voice of the Angels’ enigmatic boss in the ’70s series and the 2000s films, passed away in 2010. But don’t worry: Banks has a plan for her installment’s Charlie. “The voice will sound very familiar to you,” she teases. “We tried to emulate John Forsythe’s voice as best as we could. We want a real sense of continuity in the movie.” After all, as seen in the image above, the Angels answer the call.

Charlie’s Angels takes flight November 15.

For more on Charlie’s Angels, pick up the new Avengers: Endgame issue of Entertainment Weekly on stands Friday. You can buy all six covers, or purchase your individual favorites: Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Thor, Hulk, and Ronin. Don’t forget to subscribe for more exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW.

Related content:

Charlie’s Angels turns 15: Which Angel are you?

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Charlie's Angels (2019)

EW.com

 

Edited April 11, 2019 by Ryan Reynolds

[SLAM!]

Not sure what I'm supposed to expect from this Charlie's Angels film, but it already seems like it'll be trademarked by the feeling of Hollywood gloss that is common among films distributed by Sony. The costumes are well-made, but they break any sense of immersion. I'll always be rooting for Kristen Stewart but those still photos give me the sense that, no matter how much the film grosses, it'll have a bit of a tough time being remembered by people in about five years' time.

 

November is stacked. Something has to flop...

[MovieGuyKyle17]

From the reading above, I feel that Elizabeth Banks is really pushing the fact that Charlies Angels is a bunch of Women and they can be strong and independent and don't need no man. 

[kells]

These just don't look very fun? The trailer will tell us more obviously, but for a first look at a property as cheesy and over the top as CA, these look dull. 

[Valonqar]

Looks shite. No wonder Lupita passed on it.

[TLK]

These look like photoshoots and not scenes from the movie. What's the point of calling it "first look" if you are not going to show anything from the movie ?

[The Futurist]

Doubt Kstew can pull off the bubbly personality thing but we ll see.

Don't know the rest of the cast.

[Zakiyyah6]

The pictures are fine, they are regular. Dismissing the film without seeing a trailer first is silly. 

[Krissykins]

Ha I always knew this would get a negative reaction, with people forgetting how much of a hard time they gave the last two films anyway. 😂

 

I’m sure there will be lots of middle aged white guys suddenly outraged and ready to downvote the trailer on YouTube, etc etc. 

[Hatebox]

4 hours ago, Krissykins said:

I’m sure there will be lots of middle aged white guys suddenly outraged and ready to downvote the trailer on YouTube, etc etc. 

"Can't believe they now have women playing the Angels!"

 

[The Futurist]

Not really.

Sexy chicks kicking ass will always be cool no matter what.

#Science

[Ithil]

The first live action films were total garbage, this has nowhere to go but up.

[Alli]

Stewart, especially looks pleased...   

 

She's can't act, but she's so wrong for this type of movie where you need charisma.

Edited April 12, 2019 by Alli

[TombRaider]

how does kstew keep getting roles in 2019? horrible actress and not a draw

[kells]

Your avi is making me imagine an alt-verse where this stars Blake Lively, Lupita, and Gina Rodriguez. 

[TombRaider]

1 hour ago, kells said:

Your avi is making me imagine an alt-verse where this stars Blake Lively, Lupita, and Gina Rodriguez. 

Blake, Lupita and Ana de armas* would be much better

[Napoleon]

These pictures are unimpressive, honestly. But I'm hoping this turns out good (trailer will be a better indication) and a big hit for Elizabeth Banks.

[ban1o]

noah centieno is in this? That might get the pre teen girls in the theatres. They love him from that netflix movie. 

[Neucentro]

[jj99]

When should we expect a teaser or anything for this?