LOS ANGELES, Nov 29 — Comical murder mystery Knives Out features James Bond’s Daniel Craig as a private detective plonked into a strange family gathering, Queen & Slim profiles a first date gone badly wrong, The Irishman unites gangster movie icons Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, while The Two Popes follows suit with a limited theatrical run before online distribution in December, and Command 3 sees the Indian action franchise head to the UK on a national security mission.

Knives Out (PG-13)

Private detective Benoit Blanc is called upon to investigate the unexpected death of rich patriarch Harlan Thrombey during a family reunion.

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Stars include Craig (Bond franchise), Chris Evans (Captain America, The Avengers movies), Ana de Armas (Blade Runner 2049, 2020 Bond movie No Time to Die), Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies, Halloween). Directed by Rian Johnson (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Brick)

Canada, US, Ireland, UK, France, India, Singapore, Philippines — November 27; Netherlands, South Africa, Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand — November 28; India — November 29; South Korea — December 4; Hong Kong — December 6; Japan — January 2020

Queen & Slim (R)

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A young couple on a pretty standard first date are stopped by a police officer. Things get out of hand and the pair end up on the run but the incident is caught on video and goes viral.

Starring Daniel Kaluuya (Black Panther, Get Out), Jodie Turner-Smith (TV’s The Last Ship, Nightflyers) and directed by Melina Matsoukas (TV’s Insecure, multiple Beyonce videos including Lemonade, Formation)

Select release dates: Canada, USA — November 27; UK, Ireland, South Africa — January 2020; France — February; Netherlands, Australia — March

The Irishman (R)

Recounting his life story, Frank Sheeran tells of his increasing involvement with the Pennsylvania mafia and eventual involvement with the disappearance of his boss, an influential labour union leader, who has crossed the wrong individuals. Based on a true story.

Starring de Niro (Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Casino), Pacino (Scarface, Donnie Brasco, The Godfather trilogy), Pesci (Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Casino) and directed by Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Casino)

Online via Netflix — November 27

The Two Popes (PG-13)

The baton passes between two very different pontiffs, Germany’s Pope Benedict and Argentina’s Pope Francis, who work to find common ground amid scandals and political difficulties.

Starring Jonathan Pryce (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl), Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs, TV’s Westworld) and directed by Fernando Meirelles (City of God, The Constant Gardener)

Select release dates: USA — November 27; UK, Ireland — November 29; Australia, New Zealand — December 13; France — December 20; Online via Netflix — December 20

Commando 3

The daring hero of India’s Commando franchise travels to London in pursuit of an expat terrorist trying to turn India against itself.

Starring Vidyut Jammwal, Adah Sharma (Commando 2), Gulshan Devaiah (Shaitan), directed by Aditya Datt (Table No. 21)

India, USA (limited) release: November 29 — AFP-Relaxnews