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The Studio opens with a man escaping from building! A fight! Guns! Knives, etc… but it’s an action scene on a movie set, with Paul Dano playing himself in an early scene, before Seth Rogen (Mufasa: The Lion King) enters the chat as studio exec Matt Remick.
Matt’s getting the top job as head of Continental Studios – taking over from stalwart of 40 years Patty Leigh (Catherine O’Hara – Beetlejuice Beetlejuice), making great films, even though his idea of great films are those which are quite arty, as opposed to those that make a ton of money. As such, the first plan from CEO Griffin Mill (Bryan Cranston – Asteroid City) is to make a film about the Kool-Aid drink.
Well, they made Barbie…
Martin Scorsese also guests, pointing out the connotations between “drinking the Kool-Aid” and suicide in the Jonestown massacre… but will he direct it? And will Patty shove her oar in, soon after?
The Studio is made to look as if it’s all done as a series of long takes – not all in one go, but even in some takes, you can see a few occasions where the joins could easily be, such as character walking behind a pillar, as well as some backgrounds that look a little too fake. That said, the latter could be just the effect of the preview not being 100% colour-graded.
The long takes really make this feel engaging, though, and the backing music of various jazz-style drum beats is reminiscent of similar done in Michael Keaton’s Birdman… yes, they definitely owe that film a great debt! But it does give that film a nod, along with the same for Children Of Men and Goodfellas.
Overall, this 10-part series certainly comes recommended.
The Studio is on Apple TV+ from tomorrow, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD. Initially, two episodes are available, and additional episodes will stream weekly.
Check out the trailer below:
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 25-45 mins per episode
Release date: Wednesday March 26th (first 2 episodes, then weekly)
Studio: Apple TV+
Format: 1.85:1
Series Directors: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
Producer: Jesse Sternbaum
Writer/Creators: Alex Gregory, Peter Huyck, Evan Goldberg, Frida Perez, Seth Rogen
Music: Antonio Sanchez
Cast:
Matt Remick: Seth Rogen
Patty Leigh: Catherine O’Hara
Sal Saperstein: Ike Barinholtz
Quinn Hackett: Chase Sui Wonders
Maa: Kathryn Hahn
Petra: Keyla Monterroso Mejia
Tyler: Dewayne Perkins
Nick: Nicholas Stoller
Peter: Peter Berg
Marty: Martin Scorsese
PA Doug: Thomas Barbusca
Zac: Zac Efron
Steve: Steve Buscemi
Greta: Greta Lee
Parker:Parker Finn
Anthony: Anthony Mackie
Griffin Mill: Bryan Cranston
Sarah: Sarah Polley
Owen: Owen Kline
Paul: Paul Dano
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.