Month: February 2019

February 6, 2019 1:05PM PT Japanese sales and distribution firm Gaga Corporation is launching sales of Palme d’Or winner Hirokazu Kore-eda’s starry new project “The Truth” in Berlin, one of six Japanese titles the company is bringing to the European Film Market. Kore-eda won the top prize at Cannes for “Shoplifters” last year. “The Truth” stars Catherine
0 Comments
February 6, 2019 1:00PM PT Lily Collins in joining Simon Pegg in the independent thriller “Inheritance.” Vaughn Stein, who recently helmed “Terminal” with Pegg and Margot Robbie, is directing. “Inheritance” explores what happens when the patriarch of a wealthy and powerful family suddenly passes away, leaving his wife and daughter with a shocking secret inheritance
0 Comments
February 6, 2019 12:25PM PT Shawn Mendes has partnered with SmileDirectClub on a new initiative to spread positivity and benefit organizations, brands and causes that resonate with him personally. Its message: that confidence is gained with “an amazing smile.” The collaboration will launch officially with a TV spot that’s set to air during Sunday night’s Grammy
0 Comments
“Vernon Subutex,” one of Canal Plus’ banner Original Series, will world premiere at the opening night of this year’s Canneseries. Directed by Cathy Verney and starring Romain Duris (“The Beat That My Heart Skipped”) and Céline Sallette (“House of Tolerance”), the Canal Plus Création Originale will premiere three episodes, out of competition, at the Palais
0 Comments
February 6, 2019 11:51AM PT Pre-production on the sequel to the Paramount hit “World War Z” has been shutdown, sources tell Variety, after a budget for the film could not be reached. Brad Pitt was set to return and his “Seven” and “Fight Club” director David Fincher was on board to helm. Producers told Variety that
0 Comments
February 6, 2019 11:07AM PT The British Academy has suspended Bryan Singer’s BAFTA nomination for “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The director faces accusations of sexual assault, which he denies. BAFTA said the suspension would remain in place while these allegations are resolved. “Bohemian Rhapsody” received seven BAFTA film nominations in all. Those noms all remain in place, but Singer’s name, who
0 Comments
CAA has set new leadership group structure in its motion picture group starting by tapping Todd Feldman, Risa Gertner, Joel Lubin, and Jack Whigham as the new co-heads of the department. In addition, motion picture agent Maha Dakhil and Roeg Sutherland, head of CAA Media Finance, have assumed leadership positions overseeing CAA’s international film group,
0 Comments
“Top Chef” and “Project Runway” producers Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth are leaving Magical Elves, the powerhouse unscripted the duo founded in 2001. The pair said Wednesday they intend to return to their roots as independent producers after a transition period. Los Angeles-based Magical Elves was acquired in 2014 by British production group Tinopolis. Tinopolis
0 Comments
Dawn Ostroff’s inbox is going to get flooded with over-the-transom pitches from podcast content and tech companies hoping to become part of Spotify’s new $500 million podcasting push. Spotify signaled that it’s a major buyer in the podcast biz, announcing all-cash deals Wednesday to buy Gimlet Media and Anchor. All told, Spotify said it expects to
0 Comments
Directors of this year’s foreign-language Oscar nominees felt compelled to tell tales of universal themes. Capernaum LebanonThe Oscar race has fueled the ongoing protest against the industry’s sidelining of woman directors, serving up no female-helmed films in the best picture or director categories. That leaves Lebanon’s Nadine Labaki as the only distaff director nominated for
0 Comments
Journalist, film critic and radio host Elvis Mitchell got to travel the world and interview renowned filmmakers about their hometowns and inspirations in his new docuseries “Elvis Goes There” on EPIX. “Each place was very specific and came to mean much more than I could’ve imagined,” Mitchell told Variety. Mitchell sits down with “Black Panther” director
0 Comments
Charlie Wachtel and David Rabinowitz, co-writers of Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman,” have teamed with studio Gunpowder & Sky to develop “Madness,” a drama series about the world of college basketball. “Madness” follows the corrupt inner workings of a prestigious college basketball program through the eyes of its new assistant coach, and the repercussions the team faces
0 Comments