Movie News
Jeff Bridges is going back to the grid.
The 74-year-old actor told the Film Comment podcast (via The Playlist) that he is going to appear in “Tron: Ares,” the third film in the long-running sci-fi franchise that Bridges inaugurated with “Tron” in 1982 and reprised with “Tron: Legacy” in 2010. The new film stars Jared Leto as the titular character Ares, with Joachim Rønning (“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”) directing from a script by Jesse Wigutow and Jack Thorne.
“I’m heading off this Saturday to play a part in the third installment of the ‘Tron’ story,” Bridges said. “Jared Leto is the star of this third one. I’m really anxious to work with him. I’ve admired his work.”
“Tron” is best known for pioneering the use of computer generated imagery, which was used to create the digital world of a video game after Bridges’ character, Kevin Flynn, is zapped inside one.
The 74-year-old actor told the Film Comment podcast (via The Playlist) that he is going to appear in “Tron: Ares,” the third film in the long-running sci-fi franchise that Bridges inaugurated with “Tron” in 1982 and reprised with “Tron: Legacy” in 2010. The new film stars Jared Leto as the titular character Ares, with Joachim Rønning (“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”) directing from a script by Jesse Wigutow and Jack Thorne.
“I’m heading off this Saturday to play a part in the third installment of the ‘Tron’ story,” Bridges said. “Jared Leto is the star of this third one. I’m really anxious to work with him. I’ve admired his work.”
“Tron” is best known for pioneering the use of computer generated imagery, which was used to create the digital world of a video game after Bridges’ character, Kevin Flynn, is zapped inside one.
- 4/29/2024
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety - Film News
Game, set, now what to make of this match?
“Challengers,” a sexy, subversive, R-rated drama set in the world of tennis, easily took first place at a sluggish domestic box office this weekend with $15 million from 3,477 locations. On one hand, it’s a respectable result for an artsy movie aimed at discerning, adult audiences, but what keeps it from being a championship performance is that “Challengers” has a hefty $55 million budget (to say nothing of its marketing costs). The Amazon MGM Studios release will need strong word-of-mouth if it’s going to keep rallying — and next week brings Universal’s “The Fall Guy,” a Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt action-comedy that marks the start of summer blockbuster season. The competition only stands to get fiercer from here.
Amazon MGM would probably argue that “Challengers” doesn’t need to be a box office phenomenon in order to be successful. The higher...
“Challengers,” a sexy, subversive, R-rated drama set in the world of tennis, easily took first place at a sluggish domestic box office this weekend with $15 million from 3,477 locations. On one hand, it’s a respectable result for an artsy movie aimed at discerning, adult audiences, but what keeps it from being a championship performance is that “Challengers” has a hefty $55 million budget (to say nothing of its marketing costs). The Amazon MGM Studios release will need strong word-of-mouth if it’s going to keep rallying — and next week brings Universal’s “The Fall Guy,” a Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt action-comedy that marks the start of summer blockbuster season. The competition only stands to get fiercer from here.
Amazon MGM would probably argue that “Challengers” doesn’t need to be a box office phenomenon in order to be successful. The higher...
- 4/28/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety - Film News
A pair of Warner Bros. releases have achieved some important box office milestones.
“Dune: Part Two,” the acclaimed adaptation of Frank Herbert’s monumental sci-fi novel, has passed $700 million worldwide, while “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” the latest installment in the long-running monster franchise, eclipsed $500 million at the global box office. Both films were produced in partnership with Legendary Entertainment.
“We congratulate our partners at Legendary, [‘Dune’ director] Denis Villeneuve, [‘Godzilla x Kong’ director] Adam Wingard, and their casts and crews for bringing these amazing projects to life and to audiences around the world,” Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca, co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, said in a statement. “We are also very proud of the work our global marketing and distribution teams have undertaken on behalf of ‘Dune: Part Two’ and ‘Godzilla x Kong’ – these box office milestones are a testament to their tremendous efforts.”
As of Friday,...
“Dune: Part Two,” the acclaimed adaptation of Frank Herbert’s monumental sci-fi novel, has passed $700 million worldwide, while “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” the latest installment in the long-running monster franchise, eclipsed $500 million at the global box office. Both films were produced in partnership with Legendary Entertainment.
“We congratulate our partners at Legendary, [‘Dune’ director] Denis Villeneuve, [‘Godzilla x Kong’ director] Adam Wingard, and their casts and crews for bringing these amazing projects to life and to audiences around the world,” Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca, co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, said in a statement. “We are also very proud of the work our global marketing and distribution teams have undertaken on behalf of ‘Dune: Part Two’ and ‘Godzilla x Kong’ – these box office milestones are a testament to their tremendous efforts.”
As of Friday,...
- 4/28/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety - Film News
Seven years after the premiere of “Twin Peaks: The Return,” and the third season of David Lynch’s small-town-turned-cosmic nightmare is still reverberating for a new generation of filmmakers.
So it’s apt that Jane Schoenbrun’s “I Saw the TV Glow,” a suburban lucid dream of a movie about how the media we consume can then consume us, feels like the first film to truly capture the dread and dissonance of Lynch’s reinvention — a series that was itself a comment on how you can truly never go home again, and how rose-colored memories become warped and monstrous by the passage of time.
“I Saw the TV Glow” follows Owen (Justice Smith), a gloomy New Jersey teen obsessed with a YA TV series called “The Pink Opaque,” about two physically apart teen girls who share a psychic connection that could help them defeat a moon-faced monster called Mr. Melancholy.
So it’s apt that Jane Schoenbrun’s “I Saw the TV Glow,” a suburban lucid dream of a movie about how the media we consume can then consume us, feels like the first film to truly capture the dread and dissonance of Lynch’s reinvention — a series that was itself a comment on how you can truly never go home again, and how rose-colored memories become warped and monstrous by the passage of time.
“I Saw the TV Glow” follows Owen (Justice Smith), a gloomy New Jersey teen obsessed with a YA TV series called “The Pink Opaque,” about two physically apart teen girls who share a psychic connection that could help them defeat a moon-faced monster called Mr. Melancholy.
- 4/29/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for “Challengers.”]
Zendaya is admitting that yes, the ending of “Challengers” can be considered “confusing,” especially since her own mother had an entirely different take on it than she did.
The actress told New York Times journalist Kyle Buchanan that it makes sense why the ambiguous final scene can be “confusing” for audiences.
“My mom read the ending so different[ly]. My mom is like, ‘She’s pissed because they realize that they don’t need her anymore,'” Zendaya said in an interview excerpt tweeted by Buchanan. “I was like, ‘But I smile a little bit at the end!'”
The final sequence captures Tashi (Zendaya) watching as her almost-retired husband Art (Mike Faist) and his former best friend Patrick (Josh O’Connor) embrace on the tennis court without a winner being announced. Tashi screams “Come on!” from the sidelines, harkening back to her own teen U.S. Open win before she...
Zendaya is admitting that yes, the ending of “Challengers” can be considered “confusing,” especially since her own mother had an entirely different take on it than she did.
The actress told New York Times journalist Kyle Buchanan that it makes sense why the ambiguous final scene can be “confusing” for audiences.
“My mom read the ending so different[ly]. My mom is like, ‘She’s pissed because they realize that they don’t need her anymore,'” Zendaya said in an interview excerpt tweeted by Buchanan. “I was like, ‘But I smile a little bit at the end!'”
The final sequence captures Tashi (Zendaya) watching as her almost-retired husband Art (Mike Faist) and his former best friend Patrick (Josh O’Connor) embrace on the tennis court without a winner being announced. Tashi screams “Come on!” from the sidelines, harkening back to her own teen U.S. Open win before she...
- 4/29/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson and Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
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In this digital-dominated era, the allure of physical media like DVDs and Blu-rays remains robust, transcending mere nostalgia. These formats offer a tangible, personal connection to the artistry of film and television—a curated collection that one can physically handle, showcase, and possess.
As the industry increasingly veers towards streaming as its primary mode of distribution, collecting physical media is becoming a niche yet cherished pastime. It remains the most reliable method to ensure access to a broad spectrum of titles, often in the highest possible quality. A 4K Blu-ray on your shelf guarantees immediate, uninterrupted viewing—free from buffering or service outages—of your favorite films and TV shows in stunning resolution. Moreover, these discs frequently include a wealth of bonus content, ranging from archival gems to freshly...
In this digital-dominated era, the allure of physical media like DVDs and Blu-rays remains robust, transcending mere nostalgia. These formats offer a tangible, personal connection to the artistry of film and television—a curated collection that one can physically handle, showcase, and possess.
As the industry increasingly veers towards streaming as its primary mode of distribution, collecting physical media is becoming a niche yet cherished pastime. It remains the most reliable method to ensure access to a broad spectrum of titles, often in the highest possible quality. A 4K Blu-ray on your shelf guarantees immediate, uninterrupted viewing—free from buffering or service outages—of your favorite films and TV shows in stunning resolution. Moreover, these discs frequently include a wealth of bonus content, ranging from archival gems to freshly...
- 4/29/2024
- by Clayton Davis and Todd Gilchrist
- Variety - Film News
WME Independent has boarded the previously announced historical thriller Nuremberg starring Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, and Michael Shannon and will launch worldwide sales in Cannes.
James Vanderbilt is directing and production is underway in Hungary with a cast that includes Richard E. Grant, Leo Woodall, John Slattery, Mark O’Brien, Colin Hanks, Lydia Peckham, Wrenn Schmidt, Lotte Verbeek, and Andreas Pietschmann.
Nick Meyer’s Sierra Pictures is consulting on the sales and distribution of the film. Meyer and WME Independent co-head Alex Walton worked together at Paramount Vantage.
In Nuremberg, Malek will play American psychiatrist Douglas Kelley, tasked with assessing the...
James Vanderbilt is directing and production is underway in Hungary with a cast that includes Richard E. Grant, Leo Woodall, John Slattery, Mark O’Brien, Colin Hanks, Lydia Peckham, Wrenn Schmidt, Lotte Verbeek, and Andreas Pietschmann.
Nick Meyer’s Sierra Pictures is consulting on the sales and distribution of the film. Meyer and WME Independent co-head Alex Walton worked together at Paramount Vantage.
In Nuremberg, Malek will play American psychiatrist Douglas Kelley, tasked with assessing the...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
After the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the film industry is still trying to find its sea legs in 2024. While the box office has been lagging, and there’s been no “Super Mario Bros,” “Barbie,” or “Oppenheimer” so far this year, to be fair, most of those hits didn’t arrive until the summer (minus the Nintendo adaptation). While it’s been a relatively slow year at the domestic box office, there have been hits in “Dune: Part Two” and “Godzilla x Kong,”
And, while the movie industry seemingly slowed down production last year because of said strikes, there’s absolutely no lack of content this year.
Continue reading Summer Movie Preview: 50 Must-See Films To Watch at The Playlist.
And, while the movie industry seemingly slowed down production last year because of said strikes, there’s absolutely no lack of content this year.
Continue reading Summer Movie Preview: 50 Must-See Films To Watch at The Playlist.
- 4/29/2024
- by The Playlist Staff
- The Playlist
Screen International is teaming up with pre-eminent US entertainment newsletter The Ankler to publish a daily newsletter at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival (May 14-25), in addition to Screen’s regular festival coverage.
The special Ankler newsletter will curate a daily selection of breaking news, interviews, reviews and analysis from Screen International’s industry-leading coverage at Cannes and will be sent to The Ankler’s 71,000 subscribers. Screen will continue to publish its own daily newsletters during the festival.
The partnership will bring together Screen’s unrivalled expertise and understanding of the international independent film industry with The Ankler’s blue-chip North...
The special Ankler newsletter will curate a daily selection of breaking news, interviews, reviews and analysis from Screen International’s industry-leading coverage at Cannes and will be sent to The Ankler’s 71,000 subscribers. Screen will continue to publish its own daily newsletters during the festival.
The partnership will bring together Screen’s unrivalled expertise and understanding of the international independent film industry with The Ankler’s blue-chip North...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
Peacock is peacocking ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics: the NBCUniversal streaming service is raising its monthly rates by $2 on both its Premium and Premium Plus plans. The new rates go into effect for new customers on July 18 — the Paris Olympics start on the 26th.
Existing customers will get the Olympics at their current rate: the price hike for them will hold until August 17 at the earliest (dependent on billing date). The Olympics close on August 11.
Peacock Premium will now cost $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. Peacock Premium Plus, the ad-free tier, will run $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year. Premium Plus members can also download content and get live, local NBC channels.
It could use the money: Peacock lost $639 million in the first quarter of 2024. The company has not announced a profitability timeline.
Peacock has “nearly 100,000 programming hours,” the company says. Of those, 8,000 are live sports — not counting the 5,000 coming from the Olympics this summer.
Existing customers will get the Olympics at their current rate: the price hike for them will hold until August 17 at the earliest (dependent on billing date). The Olympics close on August 11.
Peacock Premium will now cost $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. Peacock Premium Plus, the ad-free tier, will run $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year. Premium Plus members can also download content and get live, local NBC channels.
It could use the money: Peacock lost $639 million in the first quarter of 2024. The company has not announced a profitability timeline.
Peacock has “nearly 100,000 programming hours,” the company says. Of those, 8,000 are live sports — not counting the 5,000 coming from the Olympics this summer.
- 4/29/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
The Sundance Institute announced today the the fellows selected for its 2024 Directors, Screenwriters, and Native Labs. The Native Lab in New Mexico will support four fellows and two artists in residence, and the Directors Lab in Colorado will support the development of eight projects with nine fellows, with an additional three fellows also joining for the online Screenwriters Lab held immediately after. For the first time the Directors Lab will be held at the Stanley Hotel in Estes, Colorado — Stephen King’s inspiration for The Shining — while the Native Lab will be returning to Santa Fe, New Mexico, […]
The post Sundance Institute Announces Fellows for the 2024 Directors, Screenwriters, and Native Labs first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Sundance Institute Announces Fellows for the 2024 Directors, Screenwriters, and Native Labs first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 4/29/2024
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
After six dramatic seasons the Irish gang series “Peaky Blinders” came to a close in 2022. Something of a sleeper hit at first, the series seemed to take off during the pandemic when it was on Netflix. Its popularity was arguably at a zenith right as it ended, so series creator Steven Knight envisioned a feature film to top it all off in a big send-off.
Continue reading Steven Knight Says The ‘Peaky Blinders’ Film Is “Ending This Chapter” With Much “Bigger” Budget at The Playlist.
Continue reading Steven Knight Says The ‘Peaky Blinders’ Film Is “Ending This Chapter” With Much “Bigger” Budget at The Playlist.
- 4/29/2024
- by Caillou Pettis
- The Playlist
Sundance Institute has announced the 2024 Directors, Screenwriters, and Native Labs fellows.
The Native Lab takes place in person in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from April 29–May 4 and will support four fellows and two artists in residence. The Lab focuses on centring Indigeneity in the storytelling of participants from Native and Indigenous backgrounds and will work on feature film and episodic scripts through one-on-one feedback sections and roundtable discussions with advisors.
The fellows are: Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan (writer-director) with Hum (Phil-usa); Ryland Walker Knight (writer-director) with The Lip Of The World (USA); Charine Pilar Gonzales (writer-director) with Ndn Time (USA...
The Native Lab takes place in person in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from April 29–May 4 and will support four fellows and two artists in residence. The Lab focuses on centring Indigeneity in the storytelling of participants from Native and Indigenous backgrounds and will work on feature film and episodic scripts through one-on-one feedback sections and roundtable discussions with advisors.
The fellows are: Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan (writer-director) with Hum (Phil-usa); Ryland Walker Knight (writer-director) with The Lip Of The World (USA); Charine Pilar Gonzales (writer-director) with Ndn Time (USA...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
Every year in the spring, Film at Lincoln Center honors a luminary of the film industry with the prestigious Chaplin Award. This year’s honoree is Academy Award-winning actor, beloved screen icon, and the dude himself, Jeff Bridges, the actor known for unforgettable classics like “The Last Picture Show,” “Fearless,” “The Big Lebowski,” “True Grit,” “Heaven’s Gate,” “Thunderbolt and Lightfoot,” “Starman, “Crazy Heart” and more.
Continue reading ‘Tron: Ares’: Jeff Bridges Reveals He’ll Appear In Third Film & Says ‘Old Man’ Season 2 Is Done Shooting at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Tron: Ares’: Jeff Bridges Reveals He’ll Appear In Third Film & Says ‘Old Man’ Season 2 Is Done Shooting at The Playlist.
- 4/29/2024
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
Back in 2016, director Scott Derrickson and co-writer C. Robert Cargill's "Doctor Strange" walked so the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe could run. The underrated origin film might not have indulged in the same kind of cameo trend and crossover hype tactics as some of the bigger titles that followed in its footsteps, not to mention reaching the same heights at the box office, but the movie still established quite a few benchmarks the franchise would continue to rely upon. For one thing, Derrickson and his creative team clearly defined the visuals of the cosmic side of the MCU -- something we've seen even in the latest "Deadpool & Wolverine" trailer. For another, taking the time to flesh out Stephen Strange's unique backstory allowed subsequent projects to hit the ground running (such as "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" or the Disney+ "What If?" series) and further...
- 4/29/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Chris Besseling, former marketing lead at eOne and Pathé UK, is joining Zygi Kamasa’s True Brit Entertainment as head of theatrical distribution, marketing and publicity.
Besseling is one of the distribution and financing outfit’s first major hires, with True Brit’s speedily expanding slate including Marching Powder, The Scurry, Giant, The Critic and Gurinder Chadha’s Christmas Karma.
He will be based in London and report to Kamasa.
Throughout his career Besseling has been responsible for launching over 200 films at the UK and Ireland box office. He has also held posts at Metrodome, the BFI, Optimum Releasing and consulted for Studiocanal.
Besseling is one of the distribution and financing outfit’s first major hires, with True Brit’s speedily expanding slate including Marching Powder, The Scurry, Giant, The Critic and Gurinder Chadha’s Christmas Karma.
He will be based in London and report to Kamasa.
Throughout his career Besseling has been responsible for launching over 200 films at the UK and Ireland box office. He has also held posts at Metrodome, the BFI, Optimum Releasing and consulted for Studiocanal.
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
The Sundance Institute, a mentorship program dedicated to providing a space for artists and storytellers to create media, has selected 16 fellows for this year’s Directors, Screenwriters, and Native Labs.
Spanning over four decades, the Sundance Institute’s labs have provided new filmmakers a hands-on experience to create their own work with the help and guidance of creative advisers.
This year’s Native Lab fellows include Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan, Ryland Walker Knight, Charine Pilar Gonzales and Lindsay McIntyre. The Directors Lab fellows are Keisha Rae Witherspoon, Jane Casey Modderno, Sylvia Khoury, Diana Peralta, Hanna Gray Organschi, Sara Crow, David Rafailedes, Claire Fowler and Ramzi Bashour. The Screenwriters Lab fellows are Jason Fitzroy Jeffers, Kristine Gerolaga and Urvashi Pathania.
The Native Lab will take place in Santa Fe, N.M. from April 29 to May 4. This lab was created for people of Native and Indigenous backgrounds to focus on their indigeneity storytelling.
Spanning over four decades, the Sundance Institute’s labs have provided new filmmakers a hands-on experience to create their own work with the help and guidance of creative advisers.
This year’s Native Lab fellows include Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan, Ryland Walker Knight, Charine Pilar Gonzales and Lindsay McIntyre. The Directors Lab fellows are Keisha Rae Witherspoon, Jane Casey Modderno, Sylvia Khoury, Diana Peralta, Hanna Gray Organschi, Sara Crow, David Rafailedes, Claire Fowler and Ramzi Bashour. The Screenwriters Lab fellows are Jason Fitzroy Jeffers, Kristine Gerolaga and Urvashi Pathania.
The Native Lab will take place in Santa Fe, N.M. from April 29 to May 4. This lab was created for people of Native and Indigenous backgrounds to focus on their indigeneity storytelling.
- 4/29/2024
- by Lexi Carson
- Variety - Film News
The Sundance Institute has announced its fellows for the 2024 Directors, Screenwriters, and Native labs, which include a diverse mix of artists from the realms of film, TV, and theatre. For more than 40 years, participating in a Sundance lab has been a rite of passage for those seeking to work in the upper echelons of independent film. The developmental programs take place throughout the spring and summer and allow notable rising filmmakers and Indigenous artists to hone their craft under the mentorship of working professionals. Notable alumni of the programs include Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Ryan Coogler, Wes Anderson, and Chloe Zhao.
“For over four decades since their conception, the labs remain critical to the vitality of the independent filmmaking community. It has never been more important to invest in the growth of independent storytellers. While our Directors and Screenwriters Labs take place over several weeks, our commitment to these...
“For over four decades since their conception, the labs remain critical to the vitality of the independent filmmaking community. It has never been more important to invest in the growth of independent storytellers. While our Directors and Screenwriters Labs take place over several weeks, our commitment to these...
- 4/29/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
US research suggests that 92 minutes is the optimum length for a film. But I have sat through long films that felt short and short films that felt buttock-annihilatingly long
I can still remember sitting down to Theo Angelopoulos’s legendary epic film The Travelling Players and noting that it was 222 minutes long and thinking … sure, cool, two hours and twenty-two minutes, tiny bit on the long side, Ok, nothing I can’t handle. The truth hit me just as the house lights were starting to dim and that spasm of unease came back into my mind reading about the new US research survey that suggests that 92 minutes is the “perfect” length for a film.
The “perfect” length? What does that even mean? Larry David fans will remember his magnificent resentment in Curb Your Enthusiasm when someone tries to think of something nice to say about his hugely unsuccessful feature film...
I can still remember sitting down to Theo Angelopoulos’s legendary epic film The Travelling Players and noting that it was 222 minutes long and thinking … sure, cool, two hours and twenty-two minutes, tiny bit on the long side, Ok, nothing I can’t handle. The truth hit me just as the house lights were starting to dim and that spasm of unease came back into my mind reading about the new US research survey that suggests that 92 minutes is the “perfect” length for a film.
The “perfect” length? What does that even mean? Larry David fans will remember his magnificent resentment in Curb Your Enthusiasm when someone tries to think of something nice to say about his hugely unsuccessful feature film...
- 4/29/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Jerry Seinfeld said in an interview with The New Yorker while touting his feature directorial effort “Unfrosted” that “P.C. crap” and the “extreme left” is making television comedy go extinct. Seinfeld is a sitcom icon thanks to his eponymous NBC sitcom that ran between 1989 and 1998, but he says viewers no longer flock to their television sets in order to get their comedy fix like they did for decades.
“Nothing really affects comedy. People always need it. They need it so badly and they don’t get it,” Seinfeld said. “It used to be, you would go home at the end of the day, most people would go, ‘Oh, “Cheers” is on. Oh, “Mash” is on. Oh, “Mary Tyler Moore” is on. “All in the Family” is on.’ You just expected, ‘There’ll be some funny stuff we can watch on TV tonight.’ Well, guess what—where is it? This...
“Nothing really affects comedy. People always need it. They need it so badly and they don’t get it,” Seinfeld said. “It used to be, you would go home at the end of the day, most people would go, ‘Oh, “Cheers” is on. Oh, “Mash” is on. Oh, “Mary Tyler Moore” is on. “All in the Family” is on.’ You just expected, ‘There’ll be some funny stuff we can watch on TV tonight.’ Well, guess what—where is it? This...
- 4/29/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety - Film News
Nicole Kidman may find that even heartbreak feels good in a movie theater, but the Oscar-winning actress is not going to find herself directing one of those films for the silver screen.
Kidman told The Hollywood Reporter while being honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award that she is aware of the fact that she “would be a terrible director” — in part due to her indecisiveness. Kidman has produced a slew of TV series such as “Big Little Lies,” “Nine Perfect Strangers,” “The Undoing,” “Love & Death,” “Special Ops: Lioness,” and “Expats” through her Blossom Films banner. She’s pretty good at that.
“I feel like I would be a terrible director because I always have so many ideas. A director has to make choices, and that’s not my strong suit,” Kidman said. “I’m very good at being passionate and supporting the voices and reading a script and going,...
Kidman told The Hollywood Reporter while being honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award that she is aware of the fact that she “would be a terrible director” — in part due to her indecisiveness. Kidman has produced a slew of TV series such as “Big Little Lies,” “Nine Perfect Strangers,” “The Undoing,” “Love & Death,” “Special Ops: Lioness,” and “Expats” through her Blossom Films banner. She’s pretty good at that.
“I feel like I would be a terrible director because I always have so many ideas. A director has to make choices, and that’s not my strong suit,” Kidman said. “I’m very good at being passionate and supporting the voices and reading a script and going,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
French Concession
Vietnamese French director and screenwriter Tran Anh Hung has been named as president of the jury for the upcoming Shanghai International Film Festival.
The festival, which runs June 14 to 23, said that his works “blend the expressions of Eastern and Western cultures, with sensitivity, delicacy, and a romantic style.” His films include: 1992’s “Scent of the Green Papaya”; 1995’s “Cyclo,” starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai; 2009 English-language thriller “I Come With the Rain,” starring Josh Hartnett; and “The Taste of Things,” which earned him the best director prize at Cannes last year.
The jury president role marks a return and a promotion for the director. He was previously on the Shanghai festival’s jury in 2011, when he also screened his “Norwegian Wood.”
Laser Focus
Sm Cinema, the largest exhibitor in the Philippines, is to open giant screen Imax cinemas in three new venues. It will also upgrade seven other cinemas to Imax with Laser installations.
Vietnamese French director and screenwriter Tran Anh Hung has been named as president of the jury for the upcoming Shanghai International Film Festival.
The festival, which runs June 14 to 23, said that his works “blend the expressions of Eastern and Western cultures, with sensitivity, delicacy, and a romantic style.” His films include: 1992’s “Scent of the Green Papaya”; 1995’s “Cyclo,” starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai; 2009 English-language thriller “I Come With the Rain,” starring Josh Hartnett; and “The Taste of Things,” which earned him the best director prize at Cannes last year.
The jury president role marks a return and a promotion for the director. He was previously on the Shanghai festival’s jury in 2011, when he also screened his “Norwegian Wood.”
Laser Focus
Sm Cinema, the largest exhibitor in the Philippines, is to open giant screen Imax cinemas in three new venues. It will also upgrade seven other cinemas to Imax with Laser installations.
- 4/29/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety - Film News
“I Saw the TV Glow” director Jane Schoenbrun finally celebrated their second feature at the film’s New York City premiere on Wednesday, April 24, in partnership with Rooftop Films. But “I Saw the TV Glow” first premiered back in January at Sundance, under the banner of A24, and with Emma Stone and Dave McCary’s production company Fruit Tree.
“I sent it to [Fruit Tree] and a couple other people, and they were like, ‘Hey, we wanna work with you,'” Schoenbrun told IndieWire. “Then I got a call from Emma Stone who was like, ‘Thank you so much for your business,’ and I was like, ‘You’re welcome!'”
The visually striking film follows two teens who are obsessed with a disturbing young adult TV show that, once canceled, starts to bleed into reality for the characters. David Ehrlich wrote in IndieWire’s review that the film “marries the queer radicality...
“I sent it to [Fruit Tree] and a couple other people, and they were like, ‘Hey, we wanna work with you,'” Schoenbrun told IndieWire. “Then I got a call from Emma Stone who was like, ‘Thank you so much for your business,’ and I was like, ‘You’re welcome!'”
The visually striking film follows two teens who are obsessed with a disturbing young adult TV show that, once canceled, starts to bleed into reality for the characters. David Ehrlich wrote in IndieWire’s review that the film “marries the queer radicality...
- 4/29/2024
- by Vincent Perella
- Indiewire
Filmmakers, the Russo Brothers recently appeared at the Sands: International Film Festival in St Andrews, Scotland, and GamesRadar caught up with them about many aspects of their varied careers so far. They discussed topics such as the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, their time working on “Avengers: Endgame,” and the superhero fatigue that some moviegoers are experiencing.
Joe Russo believes that Marvel’s current issues all come down to the shifting tastes of viewers due to the way the globe consumes information these days.
Continue reading ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Directors Don’t Believe In Superhero Fatigue & Say Movies Are Facing A “Generational Divide” at The Playlist.
Joe Russo believes that Marvel’s current issues all come down to the shifting tastes of viewers due to the way the globe consumes information these days.
Continue reading ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Directors Don’t Believe In Superhero Fatigue & Say Movies Are Facing A “Generational Divide” at The Playlist.
- 4/29/2024
- by The Playlist
- The Playlist
To say the Terminator timeline is pretty confusing at this point would be an understatement. The franchise, created with the release of James Cameron's seminal 1984 effort "The Terminator," has since been softly rebooted, retconned, and generally mishandled by successive generations of studios and filmmakers. So twisted is the saga's internal timeline that watching the "Terminator" movies in any kind of coherent order has become a challenge not unlike trying to destroy the T-800 himself.
Prior to the release of 2019's "Terminator: Dark Fate," things seemed to be looking up. With the help of James Cameron on producing duties, director Tim Miller decided to forget the three lackluster films that followed the modern classic that is 1991's "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" and simply pick up where that stellar entry in the franchise left off. Unfortunately, when "Dark Fate" debuted we were treated to yet another generic action blockbuster that put...
Prior to the release of 2019's "Terminator: Dark Fate," things seemed to be looking up. With the help of James Cameron on producing duties, director Tim Miller decided to forget the three lackluster films that followed the modern classic that is 1991's "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" and simply pick up where that stellar entry in the franchise left off. Unfortunately, when "Dark Fate" debuted we were treated to yet another generic action blockbuster that put...
- 4/29/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Horace Ové’s masterpiece “Pressure” is getting the spotlight treatment courtesy of Janus Films and the Brooklyn Academy of Music (Bam).
“Pressure” will screen for two weeks as part of the museum’s ode to Black British cinema. The program, titled “Uncharted Territories: Black Britain on Film, 1963-1986” will take place from May 3 through 7, leading up to the new 4K restoration of “Pressure,” widely regarded as the first Black British narrative feature film.
“Uncharted Territories” features rarely screened work from filmmakers of African and Caribbean heritage based in Britain. The series includes “Burning an Illusion,” directed by Menelik Shabazz (1981), John Akomfrah’s “Handsworth Songs” (1986), “Territories” directed by Isaac Julien (1984), and more. The festival is programmed by Ashley Clark.
Screenings of “Pressure” begin May 10 and will continue through May 23. Herbert Norville, Oscar James, and Frank Singuineau star in the feature that follows a London-born teen (Norville), who is the son of Trinidadian parents.
“Pressure” will screen for two weeks as part of the museum’s ode to Black British cinema. The program, titled “Uncharted Territories: Black Britain on Film, 1963-1986” will take place from May 3 through 7, leading up to the new 4K restoration of “Pressure,” widely regarded as the first Black British narrative feature film.
“Uncharted Territories” features rarely screened work from filmmakers of African and Caribbean heritage based in Britain. The series includes “Burning an Illusion,” directed by Menelik Shabazz (1981), John Akomfrah’s “Handsworth Songs” (1986), “Territories” directed by Isaac Julien (1984), and more. The festival is programmed by Ashley Clark.
Screenings of “Pressure” begin May 10 and will continue through May 23. Herbert Norville, Oscar James, and Frank Singuineau star in the feature that follows a London-born teen (Norville), who is the son of Trinidadian parents.
- 4/29/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
If television is a snapshot of our times, there are several moments in the fourth season of HBO’s groundbreaking reality docuseries “We’re Here” that should be a major wake-up call for anyone who believes in free speech, human rights, and artistic expression in the United States. After the events in season three, which saw the show face vocal opposition in visits to Florida and St. George, Utah, it’s hard to imagine things could get worse, but for many in small-town America, it’s reached an infection point.
Continue reading ‘We’re Here’: Sasha Velour & Latrice Royale Discover Fighting The Good Fight Is Harder Than Ever at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘We’re Here’: Sasha Velour & Latrice Royale Discover Fighting The Good Fight Is Harder Than Ever at The Playlist.
- 4/29/2024
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
J. Michael Straczynski's "Babylon 5" began its life as a two-hour TV movie called "Babylon 5: The Gathering" which aired on February 22, 1993. There was some controversy about the series, however, as Straczynski pitched his space station series to Paramount as early as 1989. Paramount turned Straczynski down, and he took his series to Warner Bros., who approved. Suspiciously, only two months after Warner announced "Babylon 5," Paramount announced their own space station series, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." In a Tweet from 2018, Straczynski claimed that Paramount "put their show into high gear, spending four times what we did so they'd make it to air first." Indeed, "Deep Space Nine" first aired on January 3, 1999, beating "Babylon 5" by a month and a half. No legal action was taken against Paramount, but there has been a certain amount of bitterness ever since.
Additionally, the "Babylon 5" TV series didn't begin airing in...
Additionally, the "Babylon 5" TV series didn't begin airing in...
- 4/29/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Casey Affleck says that “Midnight Run” served as his inspiration for writing a brand new Boston-based heist film called “The Instigators.” This news comes fresh off the heels of both Affleck and Matt Damon playing military men in last year’s global phenomenon “Oppenheimer.”
The film is co-written by Affleck and features the two going back to their Boston origins.
Continue reading First Look: Matt Damon & Casey Affleck Star In Doug Liman’s ‘The Instigators’ Due In August at The Playlist.
The film is co-written by Affleck and features the two going back to their Boston origins.
Continue reading First Look: Matt Damon & Casey Affleck Star In Doug Liman’s ‘The Instigators’ Due In August at The Playlist.
- 4/29/2024
- by Caillou Pettis
- The Playlist
Bristol-based short film event Encounters Film Festival has cancelled its 2024 edition due to funding issues, with future editions of the event also in doubt.
A statement issued by the festival’s Board of Trustees on Friday, April 26 read: “The cultural industries are collectively operating in an increasingly challenging climate and Encounters is now facing a situation beyond our control.
“It is with a heavy heart that we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2024 iteration of Encounters Film Festival which would have been the 30th edition.” The festival had been scheduled to take place at its regular end-of-September slot,...
A statement issued by the festival’s Board of Trustees on Friday, April 26 read: “The cultural industries are collectively operating in an increasingly challenging climate and Encounters is now facing a situation beyond our control.
“It is with a heavy heart that we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2024 iteration of Encounters Film Festival which would have been the 30th edition.” The festival had been scheduled to take place at its regular end-of-September slot,...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
Filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo were responsible for some of Marvel’s biggest box office hits, from “Captain America: Civil War” to “Avengers: Endgame,” but they don’t necessarily believe superhero fatigue is to blame for the studio’s recent struggles. Marvel had a tough 2023 with two flops: “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and “The Marvels.” Speaking recently to GamesRadar+, the directors said that Marvel’s current issues boil down to the changes in how people absorb media: It’s a Hollywood-wide issue, not just a Marvel one.
“I think it’s a reflection of the current state of everything. It’s difficult right now, it’s an interesting time,” Joe Russo said. “I think we’re in a transitional period and people don’t know quite yet how they’re going to receive stories moving forward, or what kinds of stories they’re going to want.”
“There’s a...
“I think it’s a reflection of the current state of everything. It’s difficult right now, it’s an interesting time,” Joe Russo said. “I think we’re in a transitional period and people don’t know quite yet how they’re going to receive stories moving forward, or what kinds of stories they’re going to want.”
“There’s a...
- 4/29/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety - Film News
Exclusive: Prime Video’s excellent Western sci-fi series the “Outer Range” returns this May for a second season on Prime Video, and it’s as gripping and enigmatic as ever. Josh Brolin, the series’ star, recently stopped by our Bingeworthy TV podcast to discuss the new season, but given all the many secrets and spoilers of that show, we’ll save that conversation a little closer to its release (May 16 on Prime).
Continue reading ‘Sicario 3:’ Josh Brolin Says Christopher McQuarrie No Longer Involved, Taylor Sheridan A Question Mark, But It’s Getting “Closer” at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Sicario 3:’ Josh Brolin Says Christopher McQuarrie No Longer Involved, Taylor Sheridan A Question Mark, But It’s Getting “Closer” at The Playlist.
- 4/29/2024
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
Park Chan-wook doesn’t actually know how Robert Downey Jr. responded to his characters in “The Sympathizer.”
The acclaimed Korean director worked with Downey for the first time while adapting Viet Thanh Nguyen’s bestselling novel for HBO, and he expected a big-name star at that level to drag out the negotiation process after getting an offer. To Park’s surprise, Downey circled back quickly, and the two of them started to dig into his character — his characters.
Downey, who also executive produced the series along with wife Susan, plays four characters (so far) in the limited series, each with a unique look and voice and motivations — all of which were built in process. There’s C.I.A. agent Claude, the Orientalist Professor Hammer, filmmaker Niko, and Congressman Ned Godwin, and Downey appears to thoroughly enjoy embodying every single one. In his review of the series, IndieWire’s Ben Travers...
The acclaimed Korean director worked with Downey for the first time while adapting Viet Thanh Nguyen’s bestselling novel for HBO, and he expected a big-name star at that level to drag out the negotiation process after getting an offer. To Park’s surprise, Downey circled back quickly, and the two of them started to dig into his character — his characters.
Downey, who also executive produced the series along with wife Susan, plays four characters (so far) in the limited series, each with a unique look and voice and motivations — all of which were built in process. There’s C.I.A. agent Claude, the Orientalist Professor Hammer, filmmaker Niko, and Congressman Ned Godwin, and Downey appears to thoroughly enjoy embodying every single one. In his review of the series, IndieWire’s Ben Travers...
- 4/29/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
In a podcast conversation from Empire with Oscar-nominated star Kerry Condon of “The Banshees Of Inisherin” and star of Liam Neeson’s recent thriller, “In The Lands Of Saints And Sinners,” which just came out in the U.K., the actress revealed some interesting tidbits about her time working with Marvel, such as keeping Iron Man’s death a secret.
Condon voiced Marvel’s F.R.I.D.A.Y., the A.I.
Continue reading Kerry Condon Talks Keeping Iron Man’s ‘Endgame’ Death Under Wraps: Marvel Secrets Will “Drive You To Drink” at The Playlist.
Condon voiced Marvel’s F.R.I.D.A.Y., the A.I.
Continue reading Kerry Condon Talks Keeping Iron Man’s ‘Endgame’ Death Under Wraps: Marvel Secrets Will “Drive You To Drink” at The Playlist.
- 4/29/2024
- by Caillou Pettis
- The Playlist
The 2024 Cannes Film Festival has announced its all-star lineup of jurors to decide this year’s Palme d’Or.
As previously announced, “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig will serve as jury president. Fellow recent Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone is part of the jury, as well as writer/director J.A. Bayona, Eva Green, Omar Sy, Pierfrancisco Favino, director Kore-eda Hirokazu, screenwriter Nadine Labaki, and screenwriter and photographer Ebru Ceylan.
The 2024 Cannes Film Festival will take place May 14-25. The jury will have the honor of awarding the Palme d’Or to one of the 22 films in competition, with contenders including Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis,” Sean Baker’s “Anora,” David Cronenberg’s “The Shrouds,” Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Kinds of Kindness,” and Paul Schrader’s “Oh, Canada.”
New films from Paolo Sorrentino (“Parthenope”), Mohammad Rasoulof (“The Seed of the Sacred Fig”), Karim Aïnouz (“Motel Destino”), and Andrea Arnold (“Bird”) are also debuting in competition.
As previously announced, “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig will serve as jury president. Fellow recent Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone is part of the jury, as well as writer/director J.A. Bayona, Eva Green, Omar Sy, Pierfrancisco Favino, director Kore-eda Hirokazu, screenwriter Nadine Labaki, and screenwriter and photographer Ebru Ceylan.
The 2024 Cannes Film Festival will take place May 14-25. The jury will have the honor of awarding the Palme d’Or to one of the 22 films in competition, with contenders including Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis,” Sean Baker’s “Anora,” David Cronenberg’s “The Shrouds,” Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Kinds of Kindness,” and Paul Schrader’s “Oh, Canada.”
New films from Paolo Sorrentino (“Parthenope”), Mohammad Rasoulof (“The Seed of the Sacred Fig”), Karim Aïnouz (“Motel Destino”), and Andrea Arnold (“Bird”) are also debuting in competition.
- 4/29/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Scott Derrickson has been working pretty steadily in Hollywood for just about 25 years now, and in that time, he's amassed a fascinating collection of credits. I had the good fortune of speaking with him recently about his pretty wild career from top to bottom. From his feature directorial debut "Hellraiser: Inferno" to his Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster "Doctor Strange," Derrickson has a varied resume, to put it lightly. From insanely high highs to borderline tragic lows, the man's career has endured an awful lot. Taken as a whole, his filmography is a compelling case study. It's also one that has a very clear "before" and "after" element to it.
The big moment of change, at first glance, was his 2012 low-budget horror hit "Sinister," a movie that helped establish the Blumhouse model of success in addition to being regarded as one of the scariest movies ever made. It's something I had...
The big moment of change, at first glance, was his 2012 low-budget horror hit "Sinister," a movie that helped establish the Blumhouse model of success in addition to being regarded as one of the scariest movies ever made. It's something I had...
- 4/29/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Universal Studios Hollywood premiered “The Fall Guy Stuntacular Pre-Show” at the “WaterWorld” set on Saturday. The live stunt performance, featuring Ryan Gosling and “The Fall Guy” director David Leitch, came six days before “The Fall Guy” hits theaters May 3.
The “Stuntacular Pre-Show” premiere was staged as the stunt performers’ final dress rehearsal and dedicated to the hard work of stunt people across the industry. It starred Gosling, Leitch and the pre-show’s disgruntled director, who was desperate to prove his show was just as “Stuntacular” as “The Fall Guy” movie.
“This is a live show based on a movie, based on a TV show, based on a real stuntman! We are not going to have average stunts,” the director screamed at Gosling before calling “action.” The pre-show saw performers doing backflips on jet skis, riding dirt bikes through the audience and diving off towering platforms into water.
Following the stunt showcase,...
The “Stuntacular Pre-Show” premiere was staged as the stunt performers’ final dress rehearsal and dedicated to the hard work of stunt people across the industry. It starred Gosling, Leitch and the pre-show’s disgruntled director, who was desperate to prove his show was just as “Stuntacular” as “The Fall Guy” movie.
“This is a live show based on a movie, based on a TV show, based on a real stuntman! We are not going to have average stunts,” the director screamed at Gosling before calling “action.” The pre-show saw performers doing backflips on jet skis, riding dirt bikes through the audience and diving off towering platforms into water.
Following the stunt showcase,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety - Film News
The Max adaptation of John Green’s 2017 novel ably handles the interior struggles of Ocd, if not the threads of its plot
For better and for worse, John Green’s young adult worlds tend toward the dramatic and expansive – big swings, big emotions, big mysteries and dreams. And always, the specter of death – of parents, friends or the protagonists themselves (the cancer romance turned tearjerker hit The Fault in Our Stars). Turtles All the Way Down, the writer’s 2017 novel, turns the drama more inward: its protagonist, a high-schooler named Aza Holmes, struggles with derailing thought spirals from obsessive compulsive disorder, partially inspired by the author’s own experience.
Such an alienating internal experience is the type of characterization that could be difficult to translate to screen, both for relatability and for the action – what to do with a romance when one half is too deathly afraid of bacteria to kiss?...
For better and for worse, John Green’s young adult worlds tend toward the dramatic and expansive – big swings, big emotions, big mysteries and dreams. And always, the specter of death – of parents, friends or the protagonists themselves (the cancer romance turned tearjerker hit The Fault in Our Stars). Turtles All the Way Down, the writer’s 2017 novel, turns the drama more inward: its protagonist, a high-schooler named Aza Holmes, struggles with derailing thought spirals from obsessive compulsive disorder, partially inspired by the author’s own experience.
Such an alienating internal experience is the type of characterization that could be difficult to translate to screen, both for relatability and for the action – what to do with a romance when one half is too deathly afraid of bacteria to kiss?...
- 4/29/2024
- by Adrian Horton
- The Guardian - Film News
If you were around in 1980, you can, sadly, imagine the confusion that might be caused if a woman drove up to the 20th Century Fox gate on Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles and claimed to be the new head of the studio. This simply didn't happen. Women didn't run Hollywood studios.
Someone had to shatter that glass ceiling, and Sherry Lansing was as qualified as anyone to do it. She started out as an actor (appearing opposite John Wayne in Howard Hawks' swan song "Rio Lobo"), but quickly grew dissatisfied with that area of the industry. She was far more interested in the behind-the-scenes aspect of filmmaking, and quickly proved she possessed the savvy and good taste to succeed as an executive. At Columbia Pictures, she was one of the driving forces behind such critical/commercial successes as "The China Syndrome" and "Kramer vs. Kramer".
This made Lansing a hot Hollywood commodity,...
Someone had to shatter that glass ceiling, and Sherry Lansing was as qualified as anyone to do it. She started out as an actor (appearing opposite John Wayne in Howard Hawks' swan song "Rio Lobo"), but quickly grew dissatisfied with that area of the industry. She was far more interested in the behind-the-scenes aspect of filmmaking, and quickly proved she possessed the savvy and good taste to succeed as an executive. At Columbia Pictures, she was one of the driving forces behind such critical/commercial successes as "The China Syndrome" and "Kramer vs. Kramer".
This made Lansing a hot Hollywood commodity,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Barry Jenkins’ “The Lion King” prequel has unveiled its first footage.
Following Jenkins’ appearance at the Disney panel at CinemaCon, the story of the unlikely rise of the titular king of the Pride Lands comes to life. “Mufasa: The Lion King” enlists Rafiki (John Kani) to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), daughter of Simba (Donald Glover) and Nala (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter), with Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) lending their signature schtick.
Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny.
The cast also includes Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Kagiso Lediga, Tiffany Boone, Lennie James,...
Following Jenkins’ appearance at the Disney panel at CinemaCon, the story of the unlikely rise of the titular king of the Pride Lands comes to life. “Mufasa: The Lion King” enlists Rafiki (John Kani) to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), daughter of Simba (Donald Glover) and Nala (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter), with Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) lending their signature schtick.
Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny.
The cast also includes Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Kagiso Lediga, Tiffany Boone, Lennie James,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Screen is tracking the key packages launched before and during the 2024 Cannes Film Festival’s market, which runs May 14-22.
Refresh the page for latest updates.
April 26
Double Booked
Adam Scott is starring in and making his directing debut with this revenge thriller, co-starring Sterling K. Brown, Zazie Beetz and Alexandra Daddario.
International sales: Protagonist Pictures
In The Wind
Pierce Brosnan is set to star in this romantic thriller from Simon Barry, the creator and showrunner on Netflix’s Warrior Nun, making his feature directing debut. Uri Singer’s Passage Pictures produces.
International sales: Fortitude International
Nuremberg
WME Independent has...
Refresh the page for latest updates.
April 26
Double Booked
Adam Scott is starring in and making his directing debut with this revenge thriller, co-starring Sterling K. Brown, Zazie Beetz and Alexandra Daddario.
International sales: Protagonist Pictures
In The Wind
Pierce Brosnan is set to star in this romantic thriller from Simon Barry, the creator and showrunner on Netflix’s Warrior Nun, making his feature directing debut. Uri Singer’s Passage Pictures produces.
International sales: Fortitude International
Nuremberg
WME Independent has...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
Berlin-based sales agency M-Appeal has acquired worldwide rights to the LGBTQ romantic comedy “Perfect Endings,” directed by Daniel Ribeiro. The Brazilian film is set to make its world premiere later this year.
“Perfect Endings” centers on filmmaker João. After a decade-long relationship ends, he finds himself at a crossroads in both his personal and professional life. While trying to break into the film industry, he ends up directing amateur erotic films. With the support of loyal friends, João embarks on a dating journey, navigating modern romance and finding inspiration.
The film is described as an entertaining exploration of love, freedom and self-discovery that delves into universal themes of dating and newfound freedoms, inviting audiences to relate to the characters’ experiences and challenges. It showcases fun and sexy vibes, highlighted by João’s escapades with his friends and his encounters.
The film is produced by Lacuna Filmes and Claraluz Filmes. The producers are Ribeiro,...
“Perfect Endings” centers on filmmaker João. After a decade-long relationship ends, he finds himself at a crossroads in both his personal and professional life. While trying to break into the film industry, he ends up directing amateur erotic films. With the support of loyal friends, João embarks on a dating journey, navigating modern romance and finding inspiration.
The film is described as an entertaining exploration of love, freedom and self-discovery that delves into universal themes of dating and newfound freedoms, inviting audiences to relate to the characters’ experiences and challenges. It showcases fun and sexy vibes, highlighted by João’s escapades with his friends and his encounters.
The film is produced by Lacuna Filmes and Claraluz Filmes. The producers are Ribeiro,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety - Film News
Fans of the Spider-Man character Kraven the Hunter will have to remain patient for the next few months. Director J.C. Chandor’s “Kraven the Hunter” spin-off film set within the Sony Spider-Man Universe (Ssu) has officially been delayed to December 13, 2024.
Initially, the film was slated for release on January 13, 2023, before then being pushed back to October 6, and finally August 30.
Continue reading ‘Kraven The Hunter’ Spider-Man Spin-Off, Pushed Off Until December Release at The Playlist.
Initially, the film was slated for release on January 13, 2023, before then being pushed back to October 6, and finally August 30.
Continue reading ‘Kraven The Hunter’ Spider-Man Spin-Off, Pushed Off Until December Release at The Playlist.
- 4/29/2024
- by Caillou Pettis
- The Playlist
Survey of 2,000 Americans conflicts with the box-office records being broken for film running well over two hours
A market research poll claims to have established that 92 minutes is the “ideal” movie length for American audiences.
According to Talker Research (formerly OnePoll US), an online survey conducted in April with 2,000 Americans concluded that respondents opted for 92 minutes as their preferred running time. Fifteen per cent said that films over 120 minutes (two hours) were acceptable, while only 2% were happy with a movie longer than 150 minutes (2.5 hours).
A market research poll claims to have established that 92 minutes is the “ideal” movie length for American audiences.
According to Talker Research (formerly OnePoll US), an online survey conducted in April with 2,000 Americans concluded that respondents opted for 92 minutes as their preferred running time. Fifteen per cent said that films over 120 minutes (two hours) were acceptable, while only 2% were happy with a movie longer than 150 minutes (2.5 hours).
- 4/29/2024
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki is 83; because of this and his own past flirtations with retirement, some morbid critics are a bit too eager to look at how each new Miyazaki film would serve as his career capstone.
I'm going to keep such thoughts to a minimum, but Miyazaki's latest film, 2023's "The Boy and the Heron", couldn't have been made by anyone but a man aware he's aging. Set in Japan during World War II, the movie centers on young Mahito, who must reckon with the loss of his mother as he falls into a Lewis Carroll-style fantasy world held together by its elderly creator.
"The Boy and the Heron" won Best Animated Feature at the Oscars earlier this year (which it totally deserved). If you haven't seen it yet, don't fret. U.S. distributor GKids has announced the home media release date for the film — including a Blu-ray release date.
I'm going to keep such thoughts to a minimum, but Miyazaki's latest film, 2023's "The Boy and the Heron", couldn't have been made by anyone but a man aware he's aging. Set in Japan during World War II, the movie centers on young Mahito, who must reckon with the loss of his mother as he falls into a Lewis Carroll-style fantasy world held together by its elderly creator.
"The Boy and the Heron" won Best Animated Feature at the Oscars earlier this year (which it totally deserved). If you haven't seen it yet, don't fret. U.S. distributor GKids has announced the home media release date for the film — including a Blu-ray release date.
- 4/29/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Studiocanal and Editions Albert René have signed an exclusive development agreement for the sixth live-action film of the adventures of beloved French comic book character Asterix.
Created in 1959 by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, Asterix is celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2024. The series follows the adventures of Asterix and Obelix and their friends who live in a small village in Gaul, the only outpost of resistance against Julius Caesar’s mighty Roman empire. Since the characters were launched, they have become a cultural phenomenon, both in France and internationally.
Some 400 million Asterix books in 130 languages and dialects have been sold. Since 1961, 40 albums of Asterix adventures have been published and five live-action films have been produced.
The Asterix live-action films are “Asterix and Obelix take on Caesar” (1999), “Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra” (2002), “Asterix at the Olympic Games” (2008) “Asterix and Obelix: God Save Britannia” (2012) and Asterix and Obelix : The Middle Kingdom...
Created in 1959 by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, Asterix is celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2024. The series follows the adventures of Asterix and Obelix and their friends who live in a small village in Gaul, the only outpost of resistance against Julius Caesar’s mighty Roman empire. Since the characters were launched, they have become a cultural phenomenon, both in France and internationally.
Some 400 million Asterix books in 130 languages and dialects have been sold. Since 1961, 40 albums of Asterix adventures have been published and five live-action films have been produced.
The Asterix live-action films are “Asterix and Obelix take on Caesar” (1999), “Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra” (2002), “Asterix at the Olympic Games” (2008) “Asterix and Obelix: God Save Britannia” (2012) and Asterix and Obelix : The Middle Kingdom...
- 4/29/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety - Film News
China- and Netherlands-based sales firm Fortissimo Films has picked up the international rights to new Chinese animation feature “The Umbrella Fairy.” It will launch the film next month at the Cannes Market.
“The Umbrella Fairy” tells the story of Qingdai, a royal umbrella’s fairy. As Qingdai fails her mission to guard a sword’s fairy who escapes the royal pavilion for vengeance, she embarks on a journey with a young craftsman to prevent a war.
Put together with a strongly Oriental aesthetic, the film brings together a rich mix of Chinese traditional crafts, architecture and opera, creating a unique fantastical world.
The film is the directorial debut of experienced animator Shen Jie, who has previous animating credits on “Mr. Miao,” from 2020, and “Crystal Skies of Yesterday.”
Production is by Maoyan Entertainment, a company which has its roots in online film ticket sales, but which has diversified into film marketing,...
“The Umbrella Fairy” tells the story of Qingdai, a royal umbrella’s fairy. As Qingdai fails her mission to guard a sword’s fairy who escapes the royal pavilion for vengeance, she embarks on a journey with a young craftsman to prevent a war.
Put together with a strongly Oriental aesthetic, the film brings together a rich mix of Chinese traditional crafts, architecture and opera, creating a unique fantastical world.
The film is the directorial debut of experienced animator Shen Jie, who has previous animating credits on “Mr. Miao,” from 2020, and “Crystal Skies of Yesterday.”
Production is by Maoyan Entertainment, a company which has its roots in online film ticket sales, but which has diversified into film marketing,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety - Film News
Mediawan CEO Pierre-Antoine Capton is set to receive Variety’s International Visionary Award at the Cannes Film Festival where the company will have multiple films playing across the Official Selection.
The award will pay tribute to Capton’s trailblazing track record at the helm of Mediawan, the company he founded with investment banker Mathieu Pigasse and telecom billionaire Xavier Niel in late 2015. Mediawan is now a global production powerhouse encompassing more than 85 labels around the world, having just announced its acquisition of Leonine, a leading German distribution-production company.
The combined group comprises Brad Pitt’s Plan B (“Bob Marley: One Love”) in the U.S., France’s On Entertainment (“Miraculous”), Hugo Selignac’s Chi-Fou-Mi (“Beating Hearts”), Dimitri Rassam’s Chapter 2, Italy’s Palomar (“The Count of Monte Cristo”), as well as Drama Republic and Misfits Entertainment (“Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story”) in the U.K and Wiedemann & Berg Film (“The Lives Of Others...
The award will pay tribute to Capton’s trailblazing track record at the helm of Mediawan, the company he founded with investment banker Mathieu Pigasse and telecom billionaire Xavier Niel in late 2015. Mediawan is now a global production powerhouse encompassing more than 85 labels around the world, having just announced its acquisition of Leonine, a leading German distribution-production company.
The combined group comprises Brad Pitt’s Plan B (“Bob Marley: One Love”) in the U.S., France’s On Entertainment (“Miraculous”), Hugo Selignac’s Chi-Fou-Mi (“Beating Hearts”), Dimitri Rassam’s Chapter 2, Italy’s Palomar (“The Count of Monte Cristo”), as well as Drama Republic and Misfits Entertainment (“Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story”) in the U.K and Wiedemann & Berg Film (“The Lives Of Others...
- 4/29/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety - Film News
One cannot underestimate the enormity of Jerry Zucker's "Ghost" when it was released in 1990. In the film, Molly (Demi Moore) and Sam (Patrick Swayze) are a well-to-do couple in New York who are very, very much in love. Despite their closeness, not to mention their sexual chemistry, Sam cannot entirely commit, replying only with "ditto" when Molly says "I love you." When Sam is murdered by muggers, he returns to Molly as a ghost, using a medium named Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg) to communicate. Can Sam figure out the rules of the afterlife in time to express his undying love for Molly?
"Ghost" was made for a modest $22 million, but made over half a billion dollars worldwide. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won Oscars for Whoopi Goldberg and Bruce Joel Rubin, its screenwriter. "Ghost" was a juggernaut, and it's unusual that it...
"Ghost" was made for a modest $22 million, but made over half a billion dollars worldwide. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won Oscars for Whoopi Goldberg and Bruce Joel Rubin, its screenwriter. "Ghost" was a juggernaut, and it's unusual that it...
- 4/29/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Rank Film (distributor) Three-day gross (Apr 26-28) Total gross to date Week 1. Challengers (Warner Bros) £1.5m £1.5m 1 2. Back To Black (Studiocanal) £1.4m £9m 3 3. Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal) £948,033 £19.7m 5 4. Civil War (Entertainment Film Distributors) £755,426 £5.2m 3 5. Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire (Warner Bros) £597,522 £13.7m 5
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.25
Luca Guadagnino’s tennis drama Challengers scored a number one ranking on its opening weekend at the UK-Ireland box office, with a £1.5m first session.
Warner Bros title Challengers took a £2,197 site average from over 700 cinemas, and has £1.6m including previews.
The figure is a new record opening in the territory for Guadagnino,...
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.25
Luca Guadagnino’s tennis drama Challengers scored a number one ranking on its opening weekend at the UK-Ireland box office, with a £1.5m first session.
Warner Bros title Challengers took a £2,197 site average from over 700 cinemas, and has £1.6m including previews.
The figure is a new record opening in the territory for Guadagnino,...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
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