New At the Movies Cohosts: Bens There, Done That

E!'s own Ben Lyons and movie buff Ben Mankiewicz replace Ebert & Roeper as new cohosts of At the Movies

By Gina Serpe Jul 22, 2008 3:58 PMTags
Ben Lyons, Ben MankiewiczMaury Phillips/WireImage.com, Chris Pizzello/AP Photo

A day after Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper announced they were vacating their aisle seats on At the Movies, producer Disney has given two thumbs-up to a couple of new hosts for the venerable movie-review show.

Producers have tapped E!'s resident movie buff Ben Lyons and Turner Classic Movies go-to man Ben Mankiewicz as the new cinematic tastemakers on the weekend show.

"I am incredibly excited to be involved with such a prestigious show," Lyons said. "Reviewing films for a living is a thrill, and now that I will be a critic for At the Movies, it is an honor and huge responsibility that I look forward to."

As for their first review—that is, of their new joint gig—the two critics are unanimous.

"I am thrilled and honored beyond words to be joining the series," Mankiewicz said. "As a movie fanatic, this is my dream job. Without question, I certainly have big shoes to fill."

In addition to the new hosts, the show will also be introducing several new segments come its September relaunch.

The signature "cross-talk" reviews will continue, but the series will also introduce a "Critics Roundup," where the Bens are joined via satellite by reviewers across the nation to discuss new releases.

Both hosts will also chime in for a new "3 to See" segment, where, as the title would suggest, Lyons and Mankiewicz give viewers their recommendations for new features.