Spotlight Report

It’s hard to answer a question like “what sort of films does Steven Soderbergh make?” With a career that comprises films like Logan Lucky, , Haywire, Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Ocean’s Eleven, King of the Hill and Traffic, the man just seems to want to make good movies for his own amusement. He’ll take on a micro-budget horror like Presence as well as a quasi-epic like Contagion.

One of the UK’s most beloved and enduring pop groups, SAINT ETIENNE, are heading to Australia and New Zealand for the very last time. Following the announcement that their 2025 album International would be their final studio release, the iconic trio will take their celebrated catalogue on a farewell tour across the region this November and December.

Backrooms is a film based on a 4chan meme in which a photo of an empty craft store is suggested to be an infinite dimension of creepy, inexplicable liminal spaces lurking behind the walls of mundane environments. Director Kane Parsons turned the meme into a successful web series that was successful enough that he was given funding to make a film about it. Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is a frustrated architect selling discount furniture who discovers a way through the wall of the shop’s basement.

David Lowery’s Mother Mary arrives with all the pedigree of an A24 prestige project, a high-concept premise, a glittering cast and a catchy soundtrack curated by Jack Antonoff, FKA Twigs and Charli XCX. Billed as a psychosexual pop melodrama, the film follows the global music icon Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) who, in the wake of a traumatic on-stage breakdown, retreats to the English countryside to seek out her estranged former costume designer and friend, Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel).

David Lowery’s Mother Mary arrives with all the pedigree of an A24 prestige project, a high-concept premise, a glittering cast and a catchy soundtrack curated by Jack Antonoff, FKA Twigs and Charli XCX. Billed as a psychosexual pop melodrama, the film follows the global music icon Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) who, in the wake of a traumatic on-stage breakdown, retreats to the English countryside to seek out her estranged former costume designer and friend, Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel).

Marking a decade of Nothing But Thieves last year, with four albums, billions of streams, thousands of worldwide live shows and a global dedicated fanbase, the Southend five-piece made their musical return last week with euphoric new single ‘Evolution’.

Marvel Animation’s Emmy®-nominated series “X-Men ’97” returns to Disney+ for a second season on July 1. The first season of “X-Men ’97” is one of the most-watched Disney+ Original animated series (based on hours streamed globally), and a hit with fans and critics alike. It is currently “Certified Fresh” with a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes as of today.

GRAMMY winning singer/songwriter and actress ASHANTI will be back on theatre and arena stages in Australia and New Zealand this November! Returning to Australia/NZ following an extensive run of international tour dates including a recent successful UK arena tour with Sean Paul, this new chapter for ASHANTI is one that is only adding to a career marked by numerous awards and accolades.

Due to incredible demand for the Dustpiles World Tour, rising folk-country star Waylon Wyatt has added second Brisbane and Melbourne shows to his highly anticipated headline run for January 2027. The expanded headline tour will see Waylon take upcoming album Dustpiles (out 17 July) across the country, now kicking off these All Ages dates with two shows at The Tivoli, Brisbane on Friday 15 January (just added) and Saturday 16 January.

Photo by Sarah Ebbett ©Spotlight Report In 2026, New Jersey hell-raisers LORNA SHORE will return to Australian shores, with an arena headline tour locked in this October, along with the announcement today of their first ever New Zealand performances. Joined by special guests and fellow American deathcore merchants WHITECHAPEL for all Australian shows, Massachusetts heavy hitters THE ACACIA STRAIN will also support throughout the entire run.