USA TODAY International Edition
New baby helps Mila Kunis prep for ‘ Christmas’
STX also tees up Molly Bloom, Mark Wahlberg and ‘ Valerian’
LAS VEGAS Almost four months after giving birth to her second child, Mila Kunis is ready to be a bad mom again.
The actress said she’s “weeks” away from shooting A Bad Moms Christmas, the follow- up to last year’s hit comedy Bad Moms. Kunis spoke at CinemaCon, the annual convention for theater owners, during a STX Entertainment presentation.
Having new son Dimitri ( born Nov. 30) with husband Ashton Kutcher certainly has reminded Kunis of the joys and problems of motherhood.
“It’s different. There’s two now,” she said. “You forget what sleepless nights are like. I remember, guys, talk to me.”
Bad Moms was a major hit for up- and- coming STX, making more than $ 113 million on a $ 20 million production budget.
The film starred Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn as overworked, stressed- out moms who rebel from trying to be perfect mothers and blow off steam. Kunis said the film struck a chord.
“It’s so strange. People are so appreciative of the voice that it gave. And not just women or mothers,” Kunis said. “Even men come up to me to say, ‘ This movie is so great. I finally understand my mom and my wife so much more.’ People really responded to it because it’s honest.”
The studio is wasting no time pulling together the second installment. The Yuletidethemed sequel will be shot this summer in Atlanta. (“Ah, the magic of Hollywood,” Kunis cracked.) It’ll be fast- tracked in editing for a Nov. 3 release. STX chairman Adam Fogelson, who called Christmas “the Super Bowl for mothers,” made a slight miscue, asking Kunis how she celebrated the holiday growing up. “It’s a funny question to ask a Russian refugee who’s a Jew what Christmas is like,” Kunis replied, before adding that her family celebrated all holidays once they moved to America. “Christmas was just another reason to get the whole family together and be debaucherous.” Other highlights from STX: MOLLY’S GAME Fogelson showed an impressive clip from Molly’s Game, starring Jessica Chastain as the real- life Molly Bloom, known for establishing ( and being busted for) her high- stakes poker games with some of the most famous and powerful people in the world. Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay and makes his directorial debut.
“It isn’t often you come across a story that’s cool with a lot of heart. The character of Molly is a thoroughly original movie heroine,” said Sorkin. “It’s a lot of fun to tell people a story they think they know. People know the tabloid version of this; there’s much more to it than that.” MILE 22 Director Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg announced a new col- laboration, Mile 22. While they were sparse on details, the duo have high hopes for the action movie, with Wahlberg saying he hopes to pull off a trilogy.
“I still don’t have the movie that defines me,” said Wahlberg. “I am really hoping this is going to be the thing.”
The duo have worked together on three dramatic true stories: 2013’ s hit Lone Survivor, followed by underperforming Deepwater Horizon and Patriots Day in 2016.
“Mark and I have done three films that have been pretty heavy,” said Berg. “So we are coming at you with a big action movie.” VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS Cara Delevingne and director Luc Besson showed footage from the sci- fi film due July 21. Delevingne plays special operative Laureline alongside Valerian ( Dane DeHaan), protecting the world of Alpha in the film adaptation of the story, which inspired such films as Star Wars and Guardians of the Galaxy. Besson describes the character as the “first woman superhero really kicking ( butt).”