In today’s film news roundup, Bucky Covington is cast as a coach, casting director Kerry Barden is honored and “The Karate Kid” will get a two-day rerelease.
CASTING
Country music star Bucky Covington is joining Milo Gibson and Laurence Fishburne in the sports drama “Brother’s Keeper” as a high school football coach.
Covington is also contributing new music that he’s written and will perform in the film, which is based on the 2009 team from Abilene that won the Texas state championship despite obstacles faced by team members.
The Winter State film is directed by Todd Randall, adapted from the book by the same name by Al Pickett and Chad Mitchell. The producers of “Brother’s Keeper” are Hami and Camille Torabpour and Dr. Mark Smith.
FESTIVAL HONOR
The Method Fest Independent Film Festival will honor casting director Kerry Barden during its March 22-28 run at Laemmle’s Ahrya Fine Arts in Beverly Hills.
Barden’s credits include “Se7en”,” “Spotlight,” “Winter’s Bone,” “The Help,” and “Dallas Buyers Club.”
The festival will screen also screen “Chariots of Fire” on March 23, the day before The Skechers Performance LA Marathon. The film was honored with seven Academy Award nominations, and won for best picture for David Puttnam, best costumes, best original screenplay and best original score.
It will also screen the world premiere of crime drama “Albanian Gangster,” starring John Rezaj, on March 25.
ANNIVERSARY SHOWINGS
Fathom Events has scheduled 35th anniversary showings of “The Karate Kid,” starring Ralph Macchio, for March 31 and April 2.
The theatrical presentation will include a sneak peek at the upcoming second season of the YouTube series “Cobra Kai.”
“The Karate Kid” was directed by John G. Avildsen, and written by Robert Mark Kamen. It also starred Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, and William Zabka and was a major hit with $91 million in domestic grosses on an $8 million budget in 1984.
Fathom is jointly owned by the AMC, Cinemark and Regal chains.