Top News
Yorgos Lanthimos can’t stop (won’t stop!) working with Oscar winner Emma Stone, casting the actress once again as leading lady for his next project “Bugonia.”
The drama will also star Jesse Plemons who, along with Stone, appears in Lanthimos’ forthcoming “Kinds of Kindness.” That three-chapter feature just premiered on Friday at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
“Bugonia” follows two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth. The script is from heat-seeking “Succession” and “The Menu” writer Will Tracy.
Focus Features has won domestic rights to distribute the project. Universal Pictures will roll out the film in global territories, save Korea where “Parasite” producer Cj Enm will release. The latter is financing the film with Fremantle. CAA Media Finance and WME Independent brokered the rights deal.
This package is loaded with pedigree.
The drama will also star Jesse Plemons who, along with Stone, appears in Lanthimos’ forthcoming “Kinds of Kindness.” That three-chapter feature just premiered on Friday at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
“Bugonia” follows two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth. The script is from heat-seeking “Succession” and “The Menu” writer Will Tracy.
Focus Features has won domestic rights to distribute the project. Universal Pictures will roll out the film in global territories, save Korea where “Parasite” producer Cj Enm will release. The latter is financing the film with Fremantle. CAA Media Finance and WME Independent brokered the rights deal.
This package is loaded with pedigree.
- 5/18/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Paramount’s family comedy “If” is leading domestic charts in its opening after earning $10.3 million from 4,041 locations across Friday and preview screenings. But the John Krasinski-directed fantasy feature has decidedly fallen behind its projections heading into the weekend, which had originally forecast a debut around $40 million. The film is now looking to finish closer to $31.5 million.
It’s a marked underperformance for the PG-rated family film, which sports a substantial $110 million production budget. Reviews have been mediocre, but the public’s sentiment is much more positive with audience survey firm Cinema Score turning in a glowing “A” grade from the first group of ticket buyers. That seal of approval could mark some salvation for “If,” which will have to keep drawing in families as schools let out for summer to justify its price tag. Paramount will face competition for younger viewers when Sony’s animated “The Garfield Movie” hits theaters next weekend though.
It’s a marked underperformance for the PG-rated family film, which sports a substantial $110 million production budget. Reviews have been mediocre, but the public’s sentiment is much more positive with audience survey firm Cinema Score turning in a glowing “A” grade from the first group of ticket buyers. That seal of approval could mark some salvation for “If,” which will have to keep drawing in families as schools let out for summer to justify its price tag. Paramount will face competition for younger viewers when Sony’s animated “The Garfield Movie” hits theaters next weekend though.
- 5/18/2024
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Dabney Coleman, the popular comic actor from 9 to 5, Tootsie and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman whose many redeeming qualities including a knack for portraying characters who had none, has died. He was 92.
Coleman died Thursday at his home in Santa Monica, his daughter, singer Quincy Coleman, told The Hollywood Reporter.
“My father crafted his time here on Earth with a curious mind, a generous heart and a soul on fire with passion, desire and humor that tickled the funny bone of humanity,” she said. “As he lived, he moved through this final act of his life with elegance, excellence and mastery.
“A teacher, a hero and a king, Dabney Coleman is a gift and blessing in life and in death as his spirit will shine through his work, his loved ones and his legacy … eternally.”
The Emmy-winning actor also portrayed an irascible talk show host in upstate New York on NBC’s Buffalo Bill,...
Coleman died Thursday at his home in Santa Monica, his daughter, singer Quincy Coleman, told The Hollywood Reporter.
“My father crafted his time here on Earth with a curious mind, a generous heart and a soul on fire with passion, desire and humor that tickled the funny bone of humanity,” she said. “As he lived, he moved through this final act of his life with elegance, excellence and mastery.
“A teacher, a hero and a king, Dabney Coleman is a gift and blessing in life and in death as his spirit will shine through his work, his loved ones and his legacy … eternally.”
The Emmy-winning actor also portrayed an irascible talk show host in upstate New York on NBC’s Buffalo Bill,...
- 5/17/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Daniel Baur’s K5 Intl. has sold out most of international on Kevin Costner’s two-part Western epic “Horizon: An American Saga,” with only a few territories left, ahead of its world premiere Sunday in Cannes’ out of competition section.
K5 closed sales to Tobis Film (German-speaking territories), Metropolitan Filmexport (France), Stan Entertainment (Australia), Unicorn (Eastern Europe), Sf Studios/Ab Svensk (Scandinavia), Echo Lake Distribution (Airlines), EnterMode (South Korea), Falcon Films (Middle East), Nos Lusomundo (Portugal), Tanweer (Greece), MadMen (Australia), Parallax Studios/Saga Film (Philippines), Aqua Group (Turkey) and Myndform (Iceland).
Warner Bros./New Line will give the films wide releases in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Spain, Italy and the Netherlands on June 28 and Aug. 16.
Last year, Baur re-launched K5 Intl. with a new focus on high-budgeted elevated genre films and series. When Baur received the call from producer Howard Kaplan of Territory Pictures that he was...
K5 closed sales to Tobis Film (German-speaking territories), Metropolitan Filmexport (France), Stan Entertainment (Australia), Unicorn (Eastern Europe), Sf Studios/Ab Svensk (Scandinavia), Echo Lake Distribution (Airlines), EnterMode (South Korea), Falcon Films (Middle East), Nos Lusomundo (Portugal), Tanweer (Greece), MadMen (Australia), Parallax Studios/Saga Film (Philippines), Aqua Group (Turkey) and Myndform (Iceland).
Warner Bros./New Line will give the films wide releases in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Spain, Italy and the Netherlands on June 28 and Aug. 16.
Last year, Baur re-launched K5 Intl. with a new focus on high-budgeted elevated genre films and series. When Baur received the call from producer Howard Kaplan of Territory Pictures that he was...
- 5/17/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety - Film News
A new entry in the “Insidious” franchise has been set for the theaters. The next installment of the Blumhouse Productions horror property, co-produced by Screen Gems, has been added to Sony’s theatrical slate, with the studio dating the film for an Aug. 29, 2025 release.
No further details on the project were disclosed, including whether series regulars such as Patrick Wilson and Leigh Whannell would be involved. The newly announced feature is different from “Thread: An Insidious Tale,” an in-universe series spin-off that was first reported on by Deadline in May 2023 and is said to star Mandy Moore and Kumail Nanjiani, with Jeremy Slater attached to write and direct.
Barring no other “Insidious” installments releasing before this newly announced one, this would mark the sixth entry in the horror franchise and the first since last year’s “Insidious: The Red Door,” which saw actors Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins return to...
No further details on the project were disclosed, including whether series regulars such as Patrick Wilson and Leigh Whannell would be involved. The newly announced feature is different from “Thread: An Insidious Tale,” an in-universe series spin-off that was first reported on by Deadline in May 2023 and is said to star Mandy Moore and Kumail Nanjiani, with Jeremy Slater attached to write and direct.
Barring no other “Insidious” installments releasing before this newly announced one, this would mark the sixth entry in the horror franchise and the first since last year’s “Insidious: The Red Door,” which saw actors Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins return to...
- 5/17/2024
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety - Film News
Take-Two Interactive, the holding company that owns Rockstar Games, has set a Fall 2025 release date for Grand Theft Auto VI.
Speculation about the upcoming release of the popular video game was high ahead of Take-Two releasing its fourth quarter earnings on Thursday. The company earlier set a 2025 release for Grand Theft Auto VI, and with the update has narrowed the release date to autumn next year.
“We are highly confident that Rockstar Games will deliver an unparalleled entertainment experience, and our expectations for the commercial impact of the title continue to increase,” Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick told analysts in prepared remarks after unveiling his company’s latest earnings.
The last entry in the franchise was Grand Theft Auto V, which was initially released in 2013. The online component to the game has had several updates through the years. As each update dropped, fans embraced the latest version of the game.
The...
Speculation about the upcoming release of the popular video game was high ahead of Take-Two releasing its fourth quarter earnings on Thursday. The company earlier set a 2025 release for Grand Theft Auto VI, and with the update has narrowed the release date to autumn next year.
“We are highly confident that Rockstar Games will deliver an unparalleled entertainment experience, and our expectations for the commercial impact of the title continue to increase,” Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick told analysts in prepared remarks after unveiling his company’s latest earnings.
The last entry in the franchise was Grand Theft Auto V, which was initially released in 2013. The online component to the game has had several updates through the years. As each update dropped, fans embraced the latest version of the game.
The...
- 5/16/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Shōgun is a limited series no more: FX is gearing up for more installments of the historic drama.
The renewal was expected and foreshadowed by star-producer Hiroyuki Sanada closing a deal to continue as Lord Yoshii Toranaga. Also back are co-creators, executive producers and writers Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo as well as EP Michaela Clavell.
For now, FX and streaming partner Hulu are saying that they are working with the estate of Shōgun author James Clavell to to develop two additional seasons.
There is no mention of a green light, and a start date for production has not been set, but a writers’ room is being assembled and will begin this summer. There is also no information on source material, whether the new seasons will stay within the Shōgun universe or will also draw from the other books in Clavell’s Asian Saga.
The news of Shōgun‘s return...
The renewal was expected and foreshadowed by star-producer Hiroyuki Sanada closing a deal to continue as Lord Yoshii Toranaga. Also back are co-creators, executive producers and writers Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo as well as EP Michaela Clavell.
For now, FX and streaming partner Hulu are saying that they are working with the estate of Shōgun author James Clavell to to develop two additional seasons.
There is no mention of a green light, and a start date for production has not been set, but a writers’ room is being assembled and will begin this summer. There is also no information on source material, whether the new seasons will stay within the Shōgun universe or will also draw from the other books in Clavell’s Asian Saga.
The news of Shōgun‘s return...
- 5/16/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva and Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Neon has bought North American rights to “The Unknown” (“L’Inconnue”), the hotly anticipated next movie from “Anatomy of a Fall”’s Oscar-winning co-writer Arthur Harari.
As revealed by Variety earlier this week, the movie will star Léa Seydoux (“Dune 2”) and is being represented in international markets. Harari is rolling off of “Anatomy of a Fall” which he co-wrote with director Justine Triet, abd won an Oscar, two Golden Globes, a BAFTA and the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival.
The deal was negotiated by Neon’s president of acquisitions and production Jeff Deutchman with producer Nicolas Anthomé on behalf of the filmmakers, and marks Neon’s second collaboration with Harari following last year’s “Anatomy of a Fall” which Neon acquired out of Cannes in 2023 before it won the Palme d’Or for that year. This deal further cements Neon’s commitment to bringing top-of-the-line international cinema to U.
As revealed by Variety earlier this week, the movie will star Léa Seydoux (“Dune 2”) and is being represented in international markets. Harari is rolling off of “Anatomy of a Fall” which he co-wrote with director Justine Triet, abd won an Oscar, two Golden Globes, a BAFTA and the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival.
The deal was negotiated by Neon’s president of acquisitions and production Jeff Deutchman with producer Nicolas Anthomé on behalf of the filmmakers, and marks Neon’s second collaboration with Harari following last year’s “Anatomy of a Fall” which Neon acquired out of Cannes in 2023 before it won the Palme d’Or for that year. This deal further cements Neon’s commitment to bringing top-of-the-line international cinema to U.
- 5/17/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety - Film News
Writer-director John Krasinski‘s original family film IF has started off its box office run with $1.8 million in Thursday previews.
The fantasy pic, headlining Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming alongside an A-list voice cast, explores the world of discarded imaginary friends and what happens when a young girl and her neighbor try to reunite them with their previous human pals.
The live-action/CGI animated Paramount pic is tracking for a domestic debut in the $40 million range from more than 4,000 theaters, but the family marketplace continues to struggle in the post-pandemic era. Nor is original fare an easy proposition. It’s hard to read too much into Thursday previews since families don’t start turning out in earnest until Friday and Saturday, generally speaking, although some exhibitors are worried the movie could have a hard time getting to $40 million based on presales, according to sources.
Reviews aren’t so great — If...
The fantasy pic, headlining Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming alongside an A-list voice cast, explores the world of discarded imaginary friends and what happens when a young girl and her neighbor try to reunite them with their previous human pals.
The live-action/CGI animated Paramount pic is tracking for a domestic debut in the $40 million range from more than 4,000 theaters, but the family marketplace continues to struggle in the post-pandemic era. Nor is original fare an easy proposition. It’s hard to read too much into Thursday previews since families don’t start turning out in earnest until Friday and Saturday, generally speaking, although some exhibitors are worried the movie could have a hard time getting to $40 million based on presales, according to sources.
Reviews aren’t so great — If...
- 5/17/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The revival of I Know What You Did Last Summer is appropriately set to hit theaters in the dead of summer.
Sony Pictures announced Thursday that its new film with the same name as the original 1997 slasher flick is set for theatrical release domestically on July 18, 2025. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge) is directing the sequel from a screenplay she co-wrote with Sam Lansky after an initial script from Leah McKendrick. Neal Moritz produces the film.
The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. were in talks to reprise their roles from the first movie that hit theaters Oct. 17, 1997.
Also scheduled for release on July 18, 2025, is Paramount’s Naked Gun reboot from director Akiva Schaffer that features Liam Neeson as bumbling detective Frank Drebin.
The original I Know What You Did Last Summer starred Hewitt, Prinze, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe. It was penned by...
Sony Pictures announced Thursday that its new film with the same name as the original 1997 slasher flick is set for theatrical release domestically on July 18, 2025. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge) is directing the sequel from a screenplay she co-wrote with Sam Lansky after an initial script from Leah McKendrick. Neal Moritz produces the film.
The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. were in talks to reprise their roles from the first movie that hit theaters Oct. 17, 1997.
Also scheduled for release on July 18, 2025, is Paramount’s Naked Gun reboot from director Akiva Schaffer that features Liam Neeson as bumbling detective Frank Drebin.
The original I Know What You Did Last Summer starred Hewitt, Prinze, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe. It was penned by...
- 5/16/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Mofac Animation has found Jesus.
Oscar Isaac has signed on to portray Jesus Christ in The King of Kings, the animated family film being made by the South Korean-based animation house. At the same time, Forest Whitaker has been tapped to give voice to the apostle Peter.
The duo join a growing A-list voice cast that includes Kenneth Branagh, Uma Thurman, and Jojo Rabbit actor Roman Griffin Davis.
Seong-ho “Jay” Jang, known as a visual effects pioneer in Korea, is directing King of Kings while Anfernee Kim (Last Knights, John Woo’s The Crossing 2) is producing.
The faith-based feature is very loosely inspired by The Life of Our Lord, a little-known Charles Dickens short story that was published posthumously and that depicted the life and times of Jesus.
The script, by Jang and Rob Edwards (Disney’s The Princess and the Frog), sees Charles and Walter Dickens, voiced by Branagh and Davis,...
Oscar Isaac has signed on to portray Jesus Christ in The King of Kings, the animated family film being made by the South Korean-based animation house. At the same time, Forest Whitaker has been tapped to give voice to the apostle Peter.
The duo join a growing A-list voice cast that includes Kenneth Branagh, Uma Thurman, and Jojo Rabbit actor Roman Griffin Davis.
Seong-ho “Jay” Jang, known as a visual effects pioneer in Korea, is directing King of Kings while Anfernee Kim (Last Knights, John Woo’s The Crossing 2) is producing.
The faith-based feature is very loosely inspired by The Life of Our Lord, a little-known Charles Dickens short story that was published posthumously and that depicted the life and times of Jesus.
The script, by Jang and Rob Edwards (Disney’s The Princess and the Frog), sees Charles and Walter Dickens, voiced by Branagh and Davis,...
- 5/16/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tony McFarr, who was Chris Pratt’s stunt double in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” and two of the “Jurassic World” movies, died on Monday. He was 47.
McFarr’s mother told TMZ that he died at his home outside of Orlando, Fla. No cause of death has been given. His death was reported on the website of the Wylie-Baxley Funeral Home in Merritt Island, Fla.
The stuntman performed in dozens of movies and shows, dating back to the early 2010s. He first doubled for Pratt on the 2015 film “Jurassic World” and followed that up with 2017’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” and 2018’s “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.” He also performed Pratt’s stunts in the 2016 drama “Passengers.”
McFarr’s other stunt credits included a range of blockbusters and Marvel movies like “Captain America: Civil War,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2,” “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,...
McFarr’s mother told TMZ that he died at his home outside of Orlando, Fla. No cause of death has been given. His death was reported on the website of the Wylie-Baxley Funeral Home in Merritt Island, Fla.
The stuntman performed in dozens of movies and shows, dating back to the early 2010s. He first doubled for Pratt on the 2015 film “Jurassic World” and followed that up with 2017’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” and 2018’s “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.” He also performed Pratt’s stunts in the 2016 drama “Passengers.”
McFarr’s other stunt credits included a range of blockbusters and Marvel movies like “Captain America: Civil War,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2,” “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,...
- 5/16/2024
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
Freddy Fazbear will return to haunt multiplexes in 2025.
Universal and Blumhouse’s “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” a horror sequel set in the haunted Chuck E. Cheese-esque establishment known as Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, will land in theaters on Dec. 5, 2025.
Universal added several Blumhouse titles to its release calendar, including “The Woman in the Yard” and “Drop”. The studio also shifted the dates for two other buzzy sequels: “M3GAN 2.0” from May 16, 2025, to June 27, 2025; and “The Black Phone 2” from June 27, 2025, to Oct. 17, 2025.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s,” adapted from the popular video game, made a killing at the box office last October with $297 million globally and became Blumhouse’s highest-grossing film of all time — all while streaming simultaneously on Peacock. Josh Hutcherson starred in the original as a nighttime security guard at Freddys Fazbear’s Pizza, where the animatronic mascots are prone to murder. The studio hasn’t clarified who is returning for the follow-up,...
Universal and Blumhouse’s “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” a horror sequel set in the haunted Chuck E. Cheese-esque establishment known as Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, will land in theaters on Dec. 5, 2025.
Universal added several Blumhouse titles to its release calendar, including “The Woman in the Yard” and “Drop”. The studio also shifted the dates for two other buzzy sequels: “M3GAN 2.0” from May 16, 2025, to June 27, 2025; and “The Black Phone 2” from June 27, 2025, to Oct. 17, 2025.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s,” adapted from the popular video game, made a killing at the box office last October with $297 million globally and became Blumhouse’s highest-grossing film of all time — all while streaming simultaneously on Peacock. Josh Hutcherson starred in the original as a nighttime security guard at Freddys Fazbear’s Pizza, where the animatronic mascots are prone to murder. The studio hasn’t clarified who is returning for the follow-up,...
- 5/16/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Neon has acquired the North American rights to “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” directed by Mohammad Rasoulof. The thriller is set to premiere In Competition in Cannes on May 24, and marks Rasoulof’s first return to the Cannes Film Festival, after being barred from traveling. Neon is planning a North American theatrical release later this year.
The film — which stars Setareh Abdolmaleki, Zahra Rostami, Amineh Mazroei Arani and Niousha AkhshiVardoogh — follows Iman, an investigating judge in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, who grapples with mistrust and paranoia as nationwide political protests intensify and his gun mysteriously disappears. Suspecting the involvement of his wife Najmeh and his daughters Rezvan and Sana, he imposes drastic measures at home, causing tensions to rise.
The deal was negotiated by Neon’s VP of Acquisitions Sarah Colvin with Films Boutique / Parallel 45’s Jean-Christophe Simon and Film Boutique’s Julien Razafindranaly on behalf of the filmmakers.
The film — which stars Setareh Abdolmaleki, Zahra Rostami, Amineh Mazroei Arani and Niousha AkhshiVardoogh — follows Iman, an investigating judge in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, who grapples with mistrust and paranoia as nationwide political protests intensify and his gun mysteriously disappears. Suspecting the involvement of his wife Najmeh and his daughters Rezvan and Sana, he imposes drastic measures at home, causing tensions to rise.
The deal was negotiated by Neon’s VP of Acquisitions Sarah Colvin with Films Boutique / Parallel 45’s Jean-Christophe Simon and Film Boutique’s Julien Razafindranaly on behalf of the filmmakers.
- 5/18/2024
- by Selena Kuznikov
- Variety - Film News
The “Mavka” franchise is just getting started.
Ukraine’s Film.UA Group is now developing a live-action film based on the character already spotlighted in “Mavka. The Forest Song,” Variety has found out. Shown in 148 countries, it has grossed over $21 million globally.
According to its team, the live-action version will delve even deeper into Ukrainian folklore, offering a more “intricate” portrayal of the mythological character.
“‘Mavka’ was always planned as a multiplatform, cross-media IP. Animated feature was just the start. We want to keep the old fans happy and to attract new ones,” said producer Anna Eliseeva, admitting the new film will be a different (forest) beast.
“The plot and even the character will differ from the animation. ‘Forest Song’ was based on our mythology and the work of Ukrainian poetess Lesya Ukrainka, but we had to reinvent the character for the family audience. Now, we will be able to...
Ukraine’s Film.UA Group is now developing a live-action film based on the character already spotlighted in “Mavka. The Forest Song,” Variety has found out. Shown in 148 countries, it has grossed over $21 million globally.
According to its team, the live-action version will delve even deeper into Ukrainian folklore, offering a more “intricate” portrayal of the mythological character.
“‘Mavka’ was always planned as a multiplatform, cross-media IP. Animated feature was just the start. We want to keep the old fans happy and to attract new ones,” said producer Anna Eliseeva, admitting the new film will be a different (forest) beast.
“The plot and even the character will differ from the animation. ‘Forest Song’ was based on our mythology and the work of Ukrainian poetess Lesya Ukrainka, but we had to reinvent the character for the family audience. Now, we will be able to...
- 5/18/2024
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety - Film News
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office shared a statement following the release of a video of Sean “Diddy” Combs allegedly attacking his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, at an L.A. hotel in 2016.
The video, obtained by CNN, was released Friday and saw the music producer run out of a hotel room in a towel, after a woman who appears to be Ventura as she is seen exiting a hotel room and heading for the elevators. Before she can get in one, Combs grabs her by the back of the neck and throws her on the floor, before turning to kick her.
As the video continues, he kicks her again, even though she is not moving, and drags her by the sweatshirt. He walks off but returns and shoves her, later pulling an object from a table and throwing it toward her. Finally, he walks away again.
“We are aware of...
The video, obtained by CNN, was released Friday and saw the music producer run out of a hotel room in a towel, after a woman who appears to be Ventura as she is seen exiting a hotel room and heading for the elevators. Before she can get in one, Combs grabs her by the back of the neck and throws her on the floor, before turning to kick her.
As the video continues, he kicks her again, even though she is not moving, and drags her by the sweatshirt. He walks off but returns and shoves her, later pulling an object from a table and throwing it toward her. Finally, he walks away again.
“We are aware of...
- 5/18/2024
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Casey Wilson and Adam Pally, who starred in the ABC sitcom “Happy Endings,” are launching an eponymous recap podcast. The joint endeavor is set to release May 21.
Per the podcast’s logline: “Casey Wilson and Adam Pally sit down with the creators, cast and writers from ABC’s failed sitcom, ‘Happy Endings.’ It had a cult following….is what we tell ourselves. Adam and Casey also confront the man who canceled the show. Spoiler alert: He has no regrets. Suhcuuyyyyttttt!”
“Happy Endings” aired on ABC from 2011 to 2013 and followed the adventures of six best friends living in Chicago: Brad and...
Per the podcast’s logline: “Casey Wilson and Adam Pally sit down with the creators, cast and writers from ABC’s failed sitcom, ‘Happy Endings.’ It had a cult following….is what we tell ourselves. Adam and Casey also confront the man who canceled the show. Spoiler alert: He has no regrets. Suhcuuyyyyttttt!”
“Happy Endings” aired on ABC from 2011 to 2013 and followed the adventures of six best friends living in Chicago: Brad and...
- 5/18/2024
- by Selena Kuznikov
- Variety - TV News
Back in Cannes a year after presiding over the main Cannes jury, the two-time Palme d’or winner Ruben Öslund unveiled more details about his next mega-project, English-language “The Entertainment is Down,” which he said should be ready for Cannes 2026.
The press conference, attended by the hottest talent and producers from the Nordic region and beyond, was hosted by Film i Väst, one of Europe’s largest regional film funds.
Making his usual rock star appearance, flanked by actors Kirsten Dunst and Daniel Brühl, Östlund unveiled more details about “The Entertainment is Down”, to be shot entirely on a real 747 airplane, bought by the producers for the movie.
”I was in London doing some casting and Erik [Hemmendorff, producer and partner in the Swedish banner Plattform Produktion] was in Northern London looking for airplanes. A few days later I asked: ‘Did you buy it?’ And he said: ‘Yes!’ That was quite early in the process. I said: ‘Oh,...
The press conference, attended by the hottest talent and producers from the Nordic region and beyond, was hosted by Film i Väst, one of Europe’s largest regional film funds.
Making his usual rock star appearance, flanked by actors Kirsten Dunst and Daniel Brühl, Östlund unveiled more details about “The Entertainment is Down”, to be shot entirely on a real 747 airplane, bought by the producers for the movie.
”I was in London doing some casting and Erik [Hemmendorff, producer and partner in the Swedish banner Plattform Produktion] was in Northern London looking for airplanes. A few days later I asked: ‘Did you buy it?’ And he said: ‘Yes!’ That was quite early in the process. I said: ‘Oh,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety - Film News
Movies that take their title from a female protagonist’s name — from Mildred Pierce and Stella Dallas through Norma Rae to Vera Drake and Jackie Brown — instantly claim that woman’s rightful place at the heart of a story, often depicting struggle and sacrifice but also resilience and strength of character. The same applies to Jacques Audiard’s bracingly original crime musical Emilia Pérez, even if the woman herself doesn’t show up until some way in, when she emerges from the unlikeliest of cocoons.
The French director has always shown an adventurous spirit, switching genres with nimble assurance, and he continues to surprise in his ballsy tenth feature. Very loosely adapted by Audiard from journalist and author Boris Razon’s 2018 novel Écoute, the film dexterously spans many styles. The baseline is a drama of criminality and redemption, but then there’s an unforced current of Almodóvarian humor, along with moments of melodrama,...
The French director has always shown an adventurous spirit, switching genres with nimble assurance, and he continues to surprise in his ballsy tenth feature. Very loosely adapted by Audiard from journalist and author Boris Razon’s 2018 novel Écoute, the film dexterously spans many styles. The baseline is a drama of criminality and redemption, but then there’s an unforced current of Almodóvarian humor, along with moments of melodrama,...
- 5/18/2024
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Spanish director Jonás Trueba wants you to celebrate the endings, not just the beginnings.
That includes the demise of a serious relationship, because Ale and Alex (Itsaso Arana and Vito Sanz) have been together for 15 years. Now, they want only two things: to go their separate ways and to have a proper fiesta.
“The idea of a ‘separation party’ can be scary, but I just kept hearing about it. I even suggested it to a friend of mine, but every time, people’s faces just drop. You can see fear creeping in. It’s crazy and silly, and at the same time, it could be something beautiful. It’s a great idea for a film, if not for real-life.”
In “The Other Way Around,” premiering at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight, the couple in question still has a lot of affection for each other.
“It’s a love story, but another kind of love story,...
That includes the demise of a serious relationship, because Ale and Alex (Itsaso Arana and Vito Sanz) have been together for 15 years. Now, they want only two things: to go their separate ways and to have a proper fiesta.
“The idea of a ‘separation party’ can be scary, but I just kept hearing about it. I even suggested it to a friend of mine, but every time, people’s faces just drop. You can see fear creeping in. It’s crazy and silly, and at the same time, it could be something beautiful. It’s a great idea for a film, if not for real-life.”
In “The Other Way Around,” premiering at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight, the couple in question still has a lot of affection for each other.
“It’s a love story, but another kind of love story,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety - Film News
Brazil’s Spcine, the city of São Paulo’s film-tv body, is launching the third edition of its cash rebate program, which prioritizes international projects looking to shoot in the vibrant city and state.
Municipal support for the program has already been renewed, now totalling US$ 3.8 million, while negotiations with the state of São Paulo are still ongoing, said Luiz Toledo, Spcine director of investments and strategic partnerships.
The incentive program, which offers 20%-30% cash rebates to international films and TV shows – whether fiction, non-fiction, Xr or animation – stipulates a minimum investment of $2 million in the territory and a cap per project of $3 million. Additional bonus percentages are provided to projects that embrace diversity.
“We are beginning to reap tangible results since we launched in 2019,” Toledo noted, estimating that São Paulo has attracted an average of 1,000 projects a year – encompassing films, series, ads and video clips – which invested a combined...
Municipal support for the program has already been renewed, now totalling US$ 3.8 million, while negotiations with the state of São Paulo are still ongoing, said Luiz Toledo, Spcine director of investments and strategic partnerships.
The incentive program, which offers 20%-30% cash rebates to international films and TV shows – whether fiction, non-fiction, Xr or animation – stipulates a minimum investment of $2 million in the territory and a cap per project of $3 million. Additional bonus percentages are provided to projects that embrace diversity.
“We are beginning to reap tangible results since we launched in 2019,” Toledo noted, estimating that São Paulo has attracted an average of 1,000 projects a year – encompassing films, series, ads and video clips – which invested a combined...
- 5/18/2024
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety - Film News
Spoiler Alert: The following review contains some spoilers.
Like a rose blooming amid a minefield, it’s a miracle that Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez” exists: a south-of-the-border pop opera about a most unlikely metamorphosis and the personal redemption it awakens in a stone-cold criminal.
With a Palme d’Or to his name and the cojones to tackle his third movie in a culture and language that are not his own (after “Dheepan” and “The Sisters Brothers”), the director of “A Prophet” takes audiences into the macho realm of Mexican cartels, where Manitas del Monte — a fearsome drug lord with a silver grill and a voice like gravel — wants out, not because he’s had a crisis of conscience, but because he’s decided to embrace his true self … as a woman.
Pardon me if I’ve mixed up the pronouns there. Audiard’s dazzling and instantly divisive film — which...
Like a rose blooming amid a minefield, it’s a miracle that Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez” exists: a south-of-the-border pop opera about a most unlikely metamorphosis and the personal redemption it awakens in a stone-cold criminal.
With a Palme d’Or to his name and the cojones to tackle his third movie in a culture and language that are not his own (after “Dheepan” and “The Sisters Brothers”), the director of “A Prophet” takes audiences into the macho realm of Mexican cartels, where Manitas del Monte — a fearsome drug lord with a silver grill and a voice like gravel — wants out, not because he’s had a crisis of conscience, but because he’s decided to embrace his true self … as a woman.
Pardon me if I’ve mixed up the pronouns there. Audiard’s dazzling and instantly divisive film — which...
- 5/18/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety - Film News
Nicolas Cage plays the title character of “The Surfer,” but it’s not until the film’s final minute that he climbs onto a surfboard. The movie, while set on a muscle beach in Australia, isn’t about surfing. It’s about male anxiety, male power, male midlife crisis, male rituals of pain and dominance, and how much theater Nicolas Cage can wring out of all of that. “The Surfer” premiered last night at a Cannes midnight show, and that’s smart programming, because it really is a midnight movie — the kind of trippy slapdash comic nightmare where the only way to watch it is to sit back and “go with it.”
Cage makes that easy to do. The film has been designed as a bad-trip psychodrama that’s also a high-camp Nicolas Cage freak-out. I only wish that “The Surfer,” as directed by Lorcan Finnegan and written by Thomas Martin,...
Cage makes that easy to do. The film has been designed as a bad-trip psychodrama that’s also a high-camp Nicolas Cage freak-out. I only wish that “The Surfer,” as directed by Lorcan Finnegan and written by Thomas Martin,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety - Film News
MK2 Films has acquired worldwide rights, including France, to French filmmaker Claude Lanzmann’s films, including his landmark documentary about the Holocaust, “Shoah,” which is inscribed in Unesco’s Memory of the World register. The deal was signed with Les Films Aleph.
“Shoah,” considered one of the most important works in world cinema, tells the story of the genocide of European Jews by the Nazis during World War II. With a duration of nine and a half hours, it is the result of 12 years of research, giving voice to the protagonists of the concentration camps — survivors, perpetrators and bystanders. It was edited over five years from 230 hours of footage and virtually no archival images. The film, first released in 1985, won two BAFTA awards. It is available in a restored 4K version.
In addition to “Shoah,” the agreement also includes five other films by the French filmmaker and writer: “The Karski Report...
“Shoah,” considered one of the most important works in world cinema, tells the story of the genocide of European Jews by the Nazis during World War II. With a duration of nine and a half hours, it is the result of 12 years of research, giving voice to the protagonists of the concentration camps — survivors, perpetrators and bystanders. It was edited over five years from 230 hours of footage and virtually no archival images. The film, first released in 1985, won two BAFTA awards. It is available in a restored 4K version.
In addition to “Shoah,” the agreement also includes five other films by the French filmmaker and writer: “The Karski Report...
- 5/18/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety - Film News
The summer box office season mostly continues to underwhelm as writer-director John Krasinski‘s original family film If — starring Ryan Reynolds and featuring an A-list voice cast — is opening well behind prerelease tracking even as it heads for a first-place finish.
After grossing $10.3 million on Friday, the live-action/CGI hybrid is estimating a $31.5 million domestic debut, versus the $40 million start suggested by prerelease tracking. Paramount insiders are hopeful that the forecast will improve on Saturday as parents and kids turn out in force. Also, while critics dissed the film, audiences awarded it an A CinemaScore and strong exits, which are key ingredients needed for word-of-mouth. If is also drawing an ethnically diverse audience, which is another plus.
The bad news: the original film sports a 53 percent Rotten Tomatoes critics score. Outside of Pixar titles — which are animated — it’s hard to find original family fare. Reviewers did commend Krasinski, however,...
After grossing $10.3 million on Friday, the live-action/CGI hybrid is estimating a $31.5 million domestic debut, versus the $40 million start suggested by prerelease tracking. Paramount insiders are hopeful that the forecast will improve on Saturday as parents and kids turn out in force. Also, while critics dissed the film, audiences awarded it an A CinemaScore and strong exits, which are key ingredients needed for word-of-mouth. If is also drawing an ethnically diverse audience, which is another plus.
The bad news: the original film sports a 53 percent Rotten Tomatoes critics score. Outside of Pixar titles — which are animated — it’s hard to find original family fare. Reviewers did commend Krasinski, however,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Baby Reindeer,” the Netflix series that has taken the world by storm since dropping last month, boldly opens with the claim that “This is a true story.”
“Baby Reindeer” is a brutal account of former comedian Richard Gadd’s life in his twenties as he attempted to conquer the world of entertainment. In the process, he is sexually assaulted by a senior figure in the comedy world and harassed by a stalker he met while working in a pub. The woman who claims to be the real stalker, Fiona Harvey, has now said she intends to take legal action against Gadd and possibly Netflix,...
“Baby Reindeer” is a brutal account of former comedian Richard Gadd’s life in his twenties as he attempted to conquer the world of entertainment. In the process, he is sexually assaulted by a senior figure in the comedy world and harassed by a stalker he met while working in a pub. The woman who claims to be the real stalker, Fiona Harvey, has now said she intends to take legal action against Gadd and possibly Netflix,...
- 5/18/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety - TV News
Raven Banner Entertainment has launched sales at the Cannes Film Festival’s market on the reboot of Roger Corman’s cult sword and sorcery film series, “Deathstalker,” which is currently shooting in Canada.
Daniel Bernhardt stars as the titular character in this reimagined instalment, directed by Steven Kostanski. Bernhardt plays a barbarian cursed by a magical talisman, leading him into conflict with a malevolent wizard and monstrous assassins.
The original “Deathstalker” films, produced by Corman in the 1980s, followed the success of John Milius’ “Conan the Barbarian.” Kostanski’s reboot focuses on the fantasy setting, utilizing creature suits, prosthetic FX make-up and stop-motion animation from his Action Pants FX shop, which recently completed work on upcoming horror-comedy “Frankie Freako,” which is also being sold by Raven Banner at Cannes.
Ahead of the film, Vault Comics released a new “Deathstalker” comic series, which sold out in under a week. Written by...
Daniel Bernhardt stars as the titular character in this reimagined instalment, directed by Steven Kostanski. Bernhardt plays a barbarian cursed by a magical talisman, leading him into conflict with a malevolent wizard and monstrous assassins.
The original “Deathstalker” films, produced by Corman in the 1980s, followed the success of John Milius’ “Conan the Barbarian.” Kostanski’s reboot focuses on the fantasy setting, utilizing creature suits, prosthetic FX make-up and stop-motion animation from his Action Pants FX shop, which recently completed work on upcoming horror-comedy “Frankie Freako,” which is also being sold by Raven Banner at Cannes.
Ahead of the film, Vault Comics released a new “Deathstalker” comic series, which sold out in under a week. Written by...
- 5/18/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety - Film News
British actor Janet Montgomery has landed a starring role as a young Faye Dunaway in Jonathan Baker’s supernatural love story “Fate,” a film that is shooting in Vancouver for Baker Entertainment.
The film will toggle between a yesteryear version of the character (Montgomery) and a present-day incarnation (Dunaway), spanning much of the protagonist’s entire lifetime. “Fate” revolves around a firefighter (Brandon Routh) who connects with a stranger from the past Tilly (Montgomery) while he’s healing at a rehabilitation center and is transported through time to find the only thing saving his soul — his realization of true love, according to a producer’s logline.
Highland Film Group is selling rights to the $10 million film, which also stars Harvey Keitel, at the Cannes Marche.
Dunaway is on the ground in Cannes, where HBO screened the much-anticipated biographical documentary “Faye.”
Montgomery was cast out of hundreds of actors vying for the role.
The film will toggle between a yesteryear version of the character (Montgomery) and a present-day incarnation (Dunaway), spanning much of the protagonist’s entire lifetime. “Fate” revolves around a firefighter (Brandon Routh) who connects with a stranger from the past Tilly (Montgomery) while he’s healing at a rehabilitation center and is transported through time to find the only thing saving his soul — his realization of true love, according to a producer’s logline.
Highland Film Group is selling rights to the $10 million film, which also stars Harvey Keitel, at the Cannes Marche.
Dunaway is on the ground in Cannes, where HBO screened the much-anticipated biographical documentary “Faye.”
Montgomery was cast out of hundreds of actors vying for the role.
- 5/18/2024
- by Tatiana Siegel
- Variety - Film News
A suspect in the Steve Buscemi attacker case was arrested and charged in New York City on Friday, according to the New York Police Department.
Clifton Williams, a 50-year-old houseless man, has been charged with assault in the second degree after he allegedly punched the actor in the face randomly in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of Kips Bay.
On May 8, the NYPD responded to a 911 call of an assault on Third Avenue within the 13th precinct, where a 66-year-old man had been punched and was later transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. He was treated for a minor injury in his left eye.
Police sources told CBS New York that Williams walked into the 10th precinct in the Chelsea neighborhood on May 13 to report that his property had been stolen on the Friday prior. The officers who took his ID recognized him and arrested him for Buscemi’s attack.
Clifton Williams, a 50-year-old houseless man, has been charged with assault in the second degree after he allegedly punched the actor in the face randomly in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of Kips Bay.
On May 8, the NYPD responded to a 911 call of an assault on Third Avenue within the 13th precinct, where a 66-year-old man had been punched and was later transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. He was treated for a minor injury in his left eye.
Police sources told CBS New York that Williams walked into the 10th precinct in the Chelsea neighborhood on May 13 to report that his property had been stolen on the Friday prior. The officers who took his ID recognized him and arrested him for Buscemi’s attack.
- 5/18/2024
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Paramount’s family comedy “If” is leading domestic charts in its opening after earning $10.3 million from 4,041 locations across Friday and preview screenings. But the John Krasinski-directed fantasy feature has decidedly fallen behind its projections heading into the weekend, which had originally forecast a debut around $40 million. The film is now looking to finish closer to $31.5 million.
It’s a marked underperformance for the PG-rated family film, which sports a substantial $110 million production budget. Reviews have been mediocre, but the public’s sentiment is much more positive with audience survey firm Cinema Score turning in a glowing “A” grade from the first group of ticket buyers. That seal of approval could mark some salvation for “If,” which will have to keep drawing in families as schools let out for summer to justify its price tag. Paramount will face competition for younger viewers when Sony’s animated “The Garfield Movie” hits theaters next weekend though.
It’s a marked underperformance for the PG-rated family film, which sports a substantial $110 million production budget. Reviews have been mediocre, but the public’s sentiment is much more positive with audience survey firm Cinema Score turning in a glowing “A” grade from the first group of ticket buyers. That seal of approval could mark some salvation for “If,” which will have to keep drawing in families as schools let out for summer to justify its price tag. Paramount will face competition for younger viewers when Sony’s animated “The Garfield Movie” hits theaters next weekend though.
- 5/18/2024
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety - Film News
There’s no point in hiring Nicolas Cage if you’re not going to let him rip with a wackadoodle, Ott performance, and he duly delivers in the sly psychological thriller The Surfer. Calibrating his character’s descent into mental and physical disarray so that it happens by evenly distributed degrees, Cage is in only moderately demented form overall here. That suits director Lorcan Finnegan (Without Name, Vivarium) and screenwriter Thomas Martin’s ambitions to call back to and yet also spoof vintage Australian New Wave films like Nicolas Roeg’s Walkabout (1971), dreamtime stories about alienated outsiders.
Toxic masculinity, the Big Bad de nos jours, also seems to be on their mind although the performances and cinematic quirks (zooms, jump cuts, all that jazz) are so hammy and gestural there’s nothing subtle about the critique. But that’s what makes it fun.
Unfolding largely on a beach and its...
Toxic masculinity, the Big Bad de nos jours, also seems to be on their mind although the performances and cinematic quirks (zooms, jump cuts, all that jazz) are so hammy and gestural there’s nothing subtle about the critique. But that’s what makes it fun.
Unfolding largely on a beach and its...
- 5/18/2024
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Chinese title of Jia Zhangke’s mesmerizing “Caught by the Tides,” a masterfully poetic and pioneering fusion of the old and the new, can be translated in several ways. Jia himself suggests “The Drifting Generation,” but it can also mean “The Romantic Generation” with the etymology of “romantic” lying in the Chinese words for wind and current. The restless motion of the natural world is certainly captured in the English title’s reference to an ocean’s ebb and flow. But what that version cannot adequately convey is the airiness and the yearning that Jia whips in to “Caught by the Tides” — quite miraculously considering he is largely working with repurposed footage from across the last 23 years of his justly celebrated career.
Loosely speaking a love story, “Tides” is also perhaps the most definitive national portrait that Jia, modern China’s foremost cinematic chronicler, has ever delivered. This is...
Loosely speaking a love story, “Tides” is also perhaps the most definitive national portrait that Jia, modern China’s foremost cinematic chronicler, has ever delivered. This is...
- 5/18/2024
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety - Film News
The entrance to the Palais in Cannes was closed briefly Saturday afternoon after a bomb scare due to a “suspicious” item.
The Cannes press office confirmed that there was a suspicious package found on the street but not inside the Palais.
Police officers shut down part of the Croisette, the street that runs in front of the Palais, and prevented pedestrians from crossing in either direction. A specialist police unit was observed inspecting a rucksack in the middle of the crosswalk. Both La Croisette and the Palais entrance were reopened at 3.10 p.m. local time.
“There was something they thought was a bomb, but there was no bomb,” a woman manning the Information Desk at the Marche told Variety. “They closed the street when I was going to lunch, but then I heard it’s open again by the time I came back.”
Another woman working for the festival’s security office said,...
The Cannes press office confirmed that there was a suspicious package found on the street but not inside the Palais.
Police officers shut down part of the Croisette, the street that runs in front of the Palais, and prevented pedestrians from crossing in either direction. A specialist police unit was observed inspecting a rucksack in the middle of the crosswalk. Both La Croisette and the Palais entrance were reopened at 3.10 p.m. local time.
“There was something they thought was a bomb, but there was no bomb,” a woman manning the Information Desk at the Marche told Variety. “They closed the street when I was going to lunch, but then I heard it’s open again by the time I came back.”
Another woman working for the festival’s security office said,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Leo Barraclough, Tatiana Siegel and Elsa Keslassy
- Variety - Film News
A day after his latest film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Yorgos Lanthimos’ new film has been announced. The director will helm Bugonia, starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, who lead his latest movie Kinds of Kindness.
The script from Will Tracy follows two conspiracy-obsessed men who kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.
Bugonia has been picked up by Focus Features for the U.S., with Universal Pictures distributing internationally. This sees Lanthimos leaving his recent home of Searchlight, which has released many of his films, including the Oscar winners Poor Things and The Favourtie as well as the upcoming Kinds of Kindness.
Bugonia is based on the 2003 South Korean sci-fi comedy, Save the Green Planet, with the English-language version developed by Miky Lee’s Cj Enm with Midsommar director Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen at Square Peg.
The script from Will Tracy follows two conspiracy-obsessed men who kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.
Bugonia has been picked up by Focus Features for the U.S., with Universal Pictures distributing internationally. This sees Lanthimos leaving his recent home of Searchlight, which has released many of his films, including the Oscar winners Poor Things and The Favourtie as well as the upcoming Kinds of Kindness.
Bugonia is based on the 2003 South Korean sci-fi comedy, Save the Green Planet, with the English-language version developed by Miky Lee’s Cj Enm with Midsommar director Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen at Square Peg.
- 5/18/2024
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Yorgos Lanthimos can’t stop (won’t stop!) working with Oscar winner Emma Stone, casting the actress once again as leading lady for his next project “Bugonia.”
The drama will also star Jesse Plemons who, along with Stone, appears in Lanthimos’ forthcoming “Kinds of Kindness.” That three-chapter feature just premiered on Friday at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
“Bugonia” follows two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth. The script is from heat-seeking “Succession” and “The Menu” writer Will Tracy.
Focus Features has won domestic rights to distribute the project. Universal Pictures will roll out the film in global territories, save Korea where “Parasite” producer Cj Enm will release. The latter is financing the film with Fremantle. CAA Media Finance and WME Independent brokered the rights deal.
This package is loaded with pedigree.
The drama will also star Jesse Plemons who, along with Stone, appears in Lanthimos’ forthcoming “Kinds of Kindness.” That three-chapter feature just premiered on Friday at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
“Bugonia” follows two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth. The script is from heat-seeking “Succession” and “The Menu” writer Will Tracy.
Focus Features has won domestic rights to distribute the project. Universal Pictures will roll out the film in global territories, save Korea where “Parasite” producer Cj Enm will release. The latter is financing the film with Fremantle. CAA Media Finance and WME Independent brokered the rights deal.
This package is loaded with pedigree.
- 5/18/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety - Film News
Universal chairman Donna Langley oversaw a record year for the studio last year, finishing No. 1 at the box office and closing out awards season with seven Oscars including best picture for Christopher Nolan’s billion dollar grosser Oppenheimer. Even with that level of success, Langley prefers to have “healthy competitors” around her in Hollywood because it’s “just better for the business.”
Which is why she says it’s “sad” to see the state of the industry right now with a potential sale of Paramount Pictures looming and continued challenges facing the theatrical marketplace. “Consolidation is inevitable,” Langley told Variety co-editor in chief Ramin Setoodeh on Saturday afternoon in Cannes during a special Women in Motion conversation presented by Kering. The luxury group is honoring Langley on Sunday evening at its Women in Motion Awards for her recent run. “I’m not suggesting it’s Paramount but there’ll just be further consolidation.
Which is why she says it’s “sad” to see the state of the industry right now with a potential sale of Paramount Pictures looming and continued challenges facing the theatrical marketplace. “Consolidation is inevitable,” Langley told Variety co-editor in chief Ramin Setoodeh on Saturday afternoon in Cannes during a special Women in Motion conversation presented by Kering. The luxury group is honoring Langley on Sunday evening at its Women in Motion Awards for her recent run. “I’m not suggesting it’s Paramount but there’ll just be further consolidation.
- 5/18/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Paramount Global may be a direct competitor, but NBCUniversal Studio group chairman and chief content officer Donna Langley will be disappointed if the media giant goes away.
“It’s sad,” Langley said at the Kering Women in Motion talk at the Cannes Film Festival, noting that a sale of Paramount means there will be fewer Hollywood studios. “These companies have been great and I’m a big believer in this competitive landscape — kind of ‘all boats will rise. There’s enough to go around.’ I like having healthy competitors; it’s much more fun and interesting and it’s just best for the business.”
Paramount has been entertaining offers in recent months, with companies like Skydance and Sony circling the studio. Langley is hopeful that the deal will be finished by the end of the year. “It’s enough already reading about this,” she said. “No one really knows what’s happening.
“It’s sad,” Langley said at the Kering Women in Motion talk at the Cannes Film Festival, noting that a sale of Paramount means there will be fewer Hollywood studios. “These companies have been great and I’m a big believer in this competitive landscape — kind of ‘all boats will rise. There’s enough to go around.’ I like having healthy competitors; it’s much more fun and interesting and it’s just best for the business.”
Paramount has been entertaining offers in recent months, with companies like Skydance and Sony circling the studio. Langley is hopeful that the deal will be finished by the end of the year. “It’s enough already reading about this,” she said. “No one really knows what’s happening.
- 5/18/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety - Film News
Kirsten Dunst said she “sobbed like a happy child at Disneyland” when Ruben Östlund cast her to star in The Entertainment System Is Down, the Swedish director’s follow-up to the Oscar-nominated The Triangle of Sadness. “Who doesn’t want to work with Ruben?” the Civil War actress said, speaking at a press event for the film in Cannes.
Dunst will play a woman caught on a long flight with her husband (German star Daniel Brühl) when the onboard entertainment system fails, forcing the passengers to deal with their own boredom, with darkly comedic results.
“I’m pretty sure that if we took away entertainment from our society, the divorce rate would go up very drastically,” said Östlund, “that’s part of what we’re going to investigate.”
Dunst said she got the role after sending Östlund an improv scene involving her as the bored woman trying to unlock her...
Dunst will play a woman caught on a long flight with her husband (German star Daniel Brühl) when the onboard entertainment system fails, forcing the passengers to deal with their own boredom, with darkly comedic results.
“I’m pretty sure that if we took away entertainment from our society, the divorce rate would go up very drastically,” said Östlund, “that’s part of what we’re going to investigate.”
Dunst said she got the role after sending Östlund an improv scene involving her as the bored woman trying to unlock her...
- 5/18/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
[This story contains major spoilers from the May 17 episode of Doctor Who, “Boom.”]
During Russell T Davies’ first time in charge of BBC behemoth Doctor Who, one of its regular writers often wrote some of its more memorable and popular stories.
Scottish writer, Steven Moffat, had made a sizable name for himself in the U.K. with television shows such as Press Gang and Coupling, and would bring new terrors to young Whovians in the form of Gask Mask Zombies and the Weeping Angels. When Davies came to leave the show, Moffat was the natural choice to replace him.
He cast Matt Smith (The Crown, House of the Dragon) as the youngest ever actor to play the role and made huge strides in the U.S. cementing Doctor Who’s popularity. Moffat would leave the role of showrunner after seven years (and after casting Peter Capaldi to play Smith’s successor).
During his time on Who, the writer also very...
During Russell T Davies’ first time in charge of BBC behemoth Doctor Who, one of its regular writers often wrote some of its more memorable and popular stories.
Scottish writer, Steven Moffat, had made a sizable name for himself in the U.K. with television shows such as Press Gang and Coupling, and would bring new terrors to young Whovians in the form of Gask Mask Zombies and the Weeping Angels. When Davies came to leave the show, Moffat was the natural choice to replace him.
He cast Matt Smith (The Crown, House of the Dragon) as the youngest ever actor to play the role and made huge strides in the U.S. cementing Doctor Who’s popularity. Moffat would leave the role of showrunner after seven years (and after casting Peter Capaldi to play Smith’s successor).
During his time on Who, the writer also very...
- 5/18/2024
- by Cameron K McEwan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s one of those perfect Cannes mornings. The sun is shining, there’s a slight breeze off the sea and the streets are not yet stuffed with pedestrians hustling towards screenings or official festival business. Lucas Bravo matches the city’s calm energy when he emerges from a back room of an airy second-floor apartment just a stone’s throw from the Croisette. He takes a seat on the sofa opposite The Hollywood Reporter for what will be his first conversation about his Cannes Film Festival selection, The Balconettes.
Writer, filmmaker and actress Noémi Merlant, known for Portrait of a Lady on Fire, directed Balconettes, which centers on a Marseille neighborhood during a summer heat wave. Three roommates gleefully meddle in the lives of their neighbors from their balcony until a late-night drink turns into a bloody affair. Bravo — who broke out as dashing love interest Gabriel on Netflix...
Writer, filmmaker and actress Noémi Merlant, known for Portrait of a Lady on Fire, directed Balconettes, which centers on a Marseille neighborhood during a summer heat wave. Three roommates gleefully meddle in the lives of their neighbors from their balcony until a late-night drink turns into a bloody affair. Bravo — who broke out as dashing love interest Gabriel on Netflix...
- 5/18/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Martin Moszkowicz, who recently segued from being CEO of leading German film and TV company Constantin Film to a producing role at the company, has been honored with the Carl Laemmle Producer Award.
The award, presented by the Alliance of German Producers – Film & Television e.V. (Produzentenallianz) and the city of Laupheim, Germany, honors Moszkowicz for his life-time achievements. Among the films Moszkowicz has overseen are “Fack Ju Göhte,” “The Collini Case,” “Resident Evil” and “Monster Hunter.”
The award is endowed with 40,000 euros and was presented in Schloss Großlaupheim, Laupheim, the birthplace of Carl Laemmle, the co-founder of Universal Pictures, in front of 400 invited guests from the worlds of film, politics and business.
Film producer and managing director of Blue Eyes Fiction Corinna Mehner spoke on behalf of the jury: “Martin Moszkowicz is a versatile and daring producer who creates impressive films with verve and enthusiasm, strategic vision and an expert instinct for material,...
The award, presented by the Alliance of German Producers – Film & Television e.V. (Produzentenallianz) and the city of Laupheim, Germany, honors Moszkowicz for his life-time achievements. Among the films Moszkowicz has overseen are “Fack Ju Göhte,” “The Collini Case,” “Resident Evil” and “Monster Hunter.”
The award is endowed with 40,000 euros and was presented in Schloss Großlaupheim, Laupheim, the birthplace of Carl Laemmle, the co-founder of Universal Pictures, in front of 400 invited guests from the worlds of film, politics and business.
Film producer and managing director of Blue Eyes Fiction Corinna Mehner spoke on behalf of the jury: “Martin Moszkowicz is a versatile and daring producer who creates impressive films with verve and enthusiasm, strategic vision and an expert instinct for material,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety - Film News
Irish director Lorcan Finnegan – already behind “Vivarium” – returns to Cannes with “The Surfer.” Starring Nicolas Cage, it follows a man who just wants to surf on a beach next to his old childhood home in Australia. But he is not a local anymore and he will have to fight for it – or lose his mind.
Nic’s character actually references “surfing as a metaphor for life.” Why did you want to explore – and maybe also mock – this philosophy?
I met Thomas Martin, who wrote the film, years ago. We wanted to do something together and then he mentioned “The Surfer.” It was about this one man, trying to deal with who he thinks he is and what he actually wants over the course of five days. It felt very contained, challenging and appealing to me as a filmmaker.
At the beginning of the film, The Surfer says: “You either surf,...
Nic’s character actually references “surfing as a metaphor for life.” Why did you want to explore – and maybe also mock – this philosophy?
I met Thomas Martin, who wrote the film, years ago. We wanted to do something together and then he mentioned “The Surfer.” It was about this one man, trying to deal with who he thinks he is and what he actually wants over the course of five days. It felt very contained, challenging and appealing to me as a filmmaker.
At the beginning of the film, The Surfer says: “You either surf,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety - Film News
When people talk about the recent Spanish audiovisual boom, they often highlight as a key turning point the government’s identification of the industry as a “strategic” one. Gone are the days when naysayers jeered the subsidization of a snoozy cinema sector. Today, young people flock to film schools, international producers are setting up shop in Spain and busy crews are getting trained on some of the world’s biggest productions. Times have changed.
Then again, times are constantly changing, and as this story was being reported, the head of Spain’s film-friendly administration, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, announced he might resign over “harassment” of his family, rankling nerves in the film sector. Pedro Almodóvar, filming Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton starrer The Room Next Door, penned an open letter to the El Diario newspaper, admitting that he “cried like a child” over the news. A few days later, the...
Then again, times are constantly changing, and as this story was being reported, the head of Spain’s film-friendly administration, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, announced he might resign over “harassment” of his family, rankling nerves in the film sector. Pedro Almodóvar, filming Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton starrer The Room Next Door, penned an open letter to the El Diario newspaper, admitting that he “cried like a child” over the news. A few days later, the...
- 5/18/2024
- by Jennifer Green
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Paul Schrader has long been known for his gruff personality, but he was in good spirits and slightly nostalgic during the Saturday press conference at the Cannes Film Festival for his latest film, Oh, Canada, where he also revealed his next film.
Schrader’s iconic team-up with Martin Scorsese, Taxi Driver, premiered at the festival, and the filmmaker has had several runs at the French fest since. This year’s Cannes sees the return of not only Schrader, but Francis Ford Coppola with Megalopolis and George Lucas, who will be on hand to receive an honorary Palme d’Or.
When asked if, at the time, he knew that he and the other directors that were dubbed “New Hollywood” were changing film forever, Schrader said bluntly: “Yes.”
He addressed that time of anxiety in the industry that saw many films failing at the box office. “When the late ’60s hit, studios...
Schrader’s iconic team-up with Martin Scorsese, Taxi Driver, premiered at the festival, and the filmmaker has had several runs at the French fest since. This year’s Cannes sees the return of not only Schrader, but Francis Ford Coppola with Megalopolis and George Lucas, who will be on hand to receive an honorary Palme d’Or.
When asked if, at the time, he knew that he and the other directors that were dubbed “New Hollywood” were changing film forever, Schrader said bluntly: “Yes.”
He addressed that time of anxiety in the industry that saw many films failing at the box office. “When the late ’60s hit, studios...
- 5/18/2024
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The unstoppable Paul Schrader, the 77-year-old auteur who just brought his latest movie “Oh, Canada” to Cannes, has announced his next project.
The director revealed he intends to start production this fall on “Non Compos Mentis,” a noir film he is currently writing. The title is derived from the Latin phrase meaning “unsound mind.” That’s not all the film is about, as Schrader say the project deals with “sexual obsession.”
“It’s about the stupid things men do for love,” Schrader elaborated on stage at the festival press conference for “Oh, Canada.” He and producer Daniel Gonzalez have already secured financing and are in the process of casting.
More to come…
More from VarietyPaul Schrader Says He Wrote 'Peace and Love' on Jacob Elordi's Jockstrap Himself for 'Oh, Canada': 'I Took That Burden Off' Wardrobe Department's 'Shoulders'Exploring Gender Issues, Indigenous Peoples, Climate Change, Teen Suicide, Chilean...
The director revealed he intends to start production this fall on “Non Compos Mentis,” a noir film he is currently writing. The title is derived from the Latin phrase meaning “unsound mind.” That’s not all the film is about, as Schrader say the project deals with “sexual obsession.”
“It’s about the stupid things men do for love,” Schrader elaborated on stage at the festival press conference for “Oh, Canada.” He and producer Daniel Gonzalez have already secured financing and are in the process of casting.
More to come…
More from VarietyPaul Schrader Says He Wrote 'Peace and Love' on Jacob Elordi's Jockstrap Himself for 'Oh, Canada': 'I Took That Burden Off' Wardrobe Department's 'Shoulders'Exploring Gender Issues, Indigenous Peoples, Climate Change, Teen Suicide, Chilean...
- 5/18/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety - Film News
Demi Moore hit the Cannes red carpet on Friday for the first time in nearly 30 years, having last attended with then-husband Bruce Willis for the premiere of The Fifth Element in 1997. This year is all about Moore as she has a film in the competition courtesy of Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance and official duties on behalf of Chopard.
It was the latter commitment that brought her to the Palais last night. Moore joined the luxury jeweler’s co-president and artistic director Caroline Scheufele and rising stars Mike Faist and Sophie Wilde ahead of the late-night Trophée Chopard gala ceremony at Carlton Beach. Moore was tapped to serve as the godmother of the festivities, a role that saw her take the stage and present the trophies, which are given to next-generation talents. Faist is coming off the success of Challengers and before that, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. Wilde...
It was the latter commitment that brought her to the Palais last night. Moore joined the luxury jeweler’s co-president and artistic director Caroline Scheufele and rising stars Mike Faist and Sophie Wilde ahead of the late-night Trophée Chopard gala ceremony at Carlton Beach. Moore was tapped to serve as the godmother of the festivities, a role that saw her take the stage and present the trophies, which are given to next-generation talents. Faist is coming off the success of Challengers and before that, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. Wilde...
- 5/18/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Paul Schrader had a special job on the set of his latest film, “Oh, Canada”: drawing on the jockstrap that Jacob Elordi wears in one of the Vietnam War drama’s pivotal scenes.
There’s a choice at the heart of “Oh, Canada,” when the fictional filmmaker Leonard Fife dodges the Vietnam draft and escapes to Canada. The script leaves breadcrumbs as to what exactly happens until very late in the film, but finally Elordi is seen reporting for an Army physical. He shows up in a jockstrap with “peace and love” written on the jock, surrounded by tiny flowers. He jitters and shakes and waves his arms flamboyantly. In character, Elordi is attempting to look as unstable as possible to avoid enlisting into military service.
At the Cannes Film Festival press conference for the film, Schrader revealed that he added a finishing touch to the jockstrap that Elordi...
There’s a choice at the heart of “Oh, Canada,” when the fictional filmmaker Leonard Fife dodges the Vietnam draft and escapes to Canada. The script leaves breadcrumbs as to what exactly happens until very late in the film, but finally Elordi is seen reporting for an Army physical. He shows up in a jockstrap with “peace and love” written on the jock, surrounded by tiny flowers. He jitters and shakes and waves his arms flamboyantly. In character, Elordi is attempting to look as unstable as possible to avoid enlisting into military service.
At the Cannes Film Festival press conference for the film, Schrader revealed that he added a finishing touch to the jockstrap that Elordi...
- 5/18/2024
- by Matt Donnelly and Ellise Shafer
- Variety - Film News
Noomi Rapace is set to play Mother Teresa in a new film from Teona Strugar Mitevska, director of 2019’s God Exists, Her Name Is Petrunya.
Rapace will play the legendary Catholic saint in the biopic Mother, which will follow seven consecutive days at a pivotal moment in Mother Teresa’s life, the period where she decides to leave the Loreto Entally convent in Calcutta and launch her own order.
Mother will be Mitevska’s English-language debut. She called Rapace, the star of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, ‘” a perfect fit” for her depiction of Mother Teresa, which will be imagined as a rebellious, almost punk figure fighting against the structures of the Catholic church.
Born in Northern Macedonia, where Teresa is from, Mitevska said she “grew up with the myth of Mother Teresa” but “as an existentialist” wasn’t that interested in the religious...
Rapace will play the legendary Catholic saint in the biopic Mother, which will follow seven consecutive days at a pivotal moment in Mother Teresa’s life, the period where she decides to leave the Loreto Entally convent in Calcutta and launch her own order.
Mother will be Mitevska’s English-language debut. She called Rapace, the star of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, ‘” a perfect fit” for her depiction of Mother Teresa, which will be imagined as a rebellious, almost punk figure fighting against the structures of the Catholic church.
Born in Northern Macedonia, where Teresa is from, Mitevska said she “grew up with the myth of Mother Teresa” but “as an existentialist” wasn’t that interested in the religious...
- 5/18/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With Maite Alberdi, twice Oscar nominated for her last two docus, “The Eternal Memory” and “The Mole Agent,” and Tana Gilbert whose feature debut “Malqueridas” won the Grand Prize at Venice’s Critics’ Week, Chilean documentaries are having a banner year.
Five documentaries participate in the May 20 Chilean Docs-in-Progress Showcase at the Marché du Film’s docu section, Cannes Docs.
Moreover, a delegation of some 15 other Chilean documentary filmmakers have swept into town with their respective projects, with themes ranging from gender issues, Indigenous peoples, climate change, teenage suicide and even, true crime.
“Chilean documentaries today touch on more universal themes,...
Five documentaries participate in the May 20 Chilean Docs-in-Progress Showcase at the Marché du Film’s docu section, Cannes Docs.
Moreover, a delegation of some 15 other Chilean documentary filmmakers have swept into town with their respective projects, with themes ranging from gender issues, Indigenous peoples, climate change, teenage suicide and even, true crime.
“Chilean documentaries today touch on more universal themes,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety - TV News
With Maite Alberdi, twice Oscar nominated for her last two docus, “The Eternal Memory” and “The Mole Agent,” and Tana Gilbert whose feature debut “Malqueridas” won the Grand Prize at Venice’s Critics’ Week, Chilean documentaries are having a banner year.
Five documentaries participate in the May 20 Chilean Docs-in-Progress Showcase at the Marché du Film’s docu section, Cannes Docs.
Moreover, a delegation of some 15 other Chilean documentary filmmakers have swept into town with their respective projects, with themes ranging from gender issues, Indigenous peoples, climate change, teenage suicide and even, true crime.
“Chilean documentaries today touch on more universal themes, they are not so inward-looking,” Chiledoc director Paula Ossandon told Variety.
One of them, “Oasis,” has been picked up by Argentina’s Compañía de Cine to handle its international sales. Created by the Mafi filmmakers collective, this feature doc, which premiered at Berlinale, explores Chile’s failed attempt to...
Five documentaries participate in the May 20 Chilean Docs-in-Progress Showcase at the Marché du Film’s docu section, Cannes Docs.
Moreover, a delegation of some 15 other Chilean documentary filmmakers have swept into town with their respective projects, with themes ranging from gender issues, Indigenous peoples, climate change, teenage suicide and even, true crime.
“Chilean documentaries today touch on more universal themes, they are not so inward-looking,” Chiledoc director Paula Ossandon told Variety.
One of them, “Oasis,” has been picked up by Argentina’s Compañía de Cine to handle its international sales. Created by the Mafi filmmakers collective, this feature doc, which premiered at Berlinale, explores Chile’s failed attempt to...
- 5/18/2024
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety - Film News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.