Month: November 2018

Fathom Events has partnered with Warner Bros. Pictures to bring Peter Jackson’s World War I documentary “They Shall Not Grow Old” to U.S. theaters on Dec. 17 and Dec. 27, Variety has learned exclusively. Tickets go on sale on Nov. 16. Jeff Goldstein, president of domestic distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures, said, “With this being

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored five up-and-coming screenwriters Thursday as part of its annual Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting program. On hand to present the awards was program director Jennifer Yuh Nelson (“Kung Fu Panda 2”) and fellowship chair Robin Swicord (“Memoirs of a Geisha”). Swicord, who began working with the fellowship more

November 9, 2018 2:04PM PT Barbra Streisand and Guillermo del Toro have joined over 40,000 signatures on a petition to save classic and cult film treasure trove FilmStruck. The subscription-streaming service, which contained over 1,800 contemporary and classic arthouse, indie, and foreign films, announced its imminent closure on Oct. 26 much to the dismay of

November 9, 2018 1:33PM PT Rob Friedman has left Global Road Entertainment, IM Global, and Open Road Films as chairman and chief executive officer two months after Global Road filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Friedman, who has held top executive posts at Lionsgate, Summit, Paramount, and Warner Bros., was expected to depart the positions

Holiday season has already started for “The Grinch” as it heads for a merry $61 million opening weekend at 4,140 North American locations, early estimates showed Friday. Universal-Illumination’s animated comedy is performing right in line with forecasts of between $55 million and $65 million this weekend. Fox’s second weekend of “Bohemian Rhapsody” should lead the rest

After seeing Mimi Leder’s “On the Basis of Sex,” centered on Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, at a screening last week, two things became apparent: the RBG drama is a crowd pleaser, and critical minds will object to its basic presentation. Judging by reactions to last night’s AFI Fest opening night world premiere, the

November 9, 2018 12:17PM PT The historic Western town area at Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills, Calif., where productions including “Westworld” have shot, burned down Friday in the Woolsey fire, according to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation area’s Twitter feed. “Westworld” uses the Western town set to shoot its Main Street scenes. The HBO

“Green Book” actor Viggo Mortensen has released an official apology for using the N-word on a panel proceeding a screening of his film Wednesday at the ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood. “I have no right to even imagine the hurt that is caused by hearing that word in any context,” Mortensen’s statement read “especially from a white man.” News of the

November 9, 2018 10:10AM PT Netflix has acquired Emmanuel Mouret’s critically acclaimed French period drama “Mademoiselle de Joncquières,” which world-premiered at Toronto. The deal for most rights worldwide excludes France, Switzerland, Canada and the Benelux countries. Represented in international markets by Indie Sales, “Mademoiselle de Joncquières” competed in Toronto’s Platform section. The 18th-century love-triangle drama

As a comedian, Sarah Silverman says the type of humor she personally gravitates toward is the really “aggressively dumb, silly humor,” such as fart jokes. But lately, she has become much more known for her political commentary on her Emmy-nominated Hulu show, “I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman,” as well as on her Twitter

Why did veteran cinematographer Robert Richardson, a three-time Oscar winner, agree to work on “A Private War,” the first narrative feature directed by documentarian Matthew Heineman? It had a lot to do with Heineman’s courage and sense of purpose, says the DP. Heineman was nominated for an Oscar himself for his documentary feature “Cartel Land,”