In today’s film news roundup, the Tribeca Film Festival will honor the 1969 Stonewall Inn riots, a “Rot & Ruin” zombie movie and a “Grease” prequel are in the works.
TRIBECA EVENT
The Tribeca Film Festival has announced a day-long event on May 4 to honor the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots with “Billions” star Asia Kate Dillon as a speaker.
The festival, now in its 18th year, will hold the inaugural Tribeca Celebrates Pride at the Tribeca Festival Hub at Spring Studios. The event will including one-on-one interviews with notable members of the LGBTQ+ community including Neil Patrick Harris, John Cameron Mitchell, Larry Kramer.
The program will reflect on the impact of the riots, which broke out following a 1969 police raid on the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village. The event will include conversations with Raul Castillo, Patti Harrison, and Angelica Ross along with a program of seven short films, all of which are playing in competition at the festival. Notable talent featured in these shorts include Ross (“Pose”), Brianna Hildebrand (“Deadpool”) and Zackary Drucker (“Transparent”).
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The day will conclude with the world premiere of HBO Documentary Films’ “Wig,” which spotlights the art of drag, and centers on the annual Wigstock festival. Following the premiere, a live drag show will be hosted by the founder of Wigstock, Lady Bunny.
“This year, Tribeca will showcase artists who have used storytelling to bring people together around a common goal: inclusivity,” said Paula Weinstein of Tribeca Enterprises.
“We’ve come so far in the fifty years since the Stonewall riots, but there is so much more to be done,” she added. “In honor of that pivotal moment in our culture, we hope this day of LGBTQ+ storytelling-driven programming will not just honor the work of those who came before us, but also those who are helping to ignite the passion of the next generation.”
ZOMBIE PROJECT
Alcon Entertainment has acquired film and television rights to the zombie fiction series “Rot & Ruin” from author Jonathan Maberry.
Alcon purchased the rights to all five installments of the series and will initially develop the first book in the series as a feature film.
Set in a zombie-infected America, “Rot & Ruin” follows a teen as he navigates a post-apocalyptic world in which teenagers are forced to find labor or face starvation. When he grudgingly joins his brother as an apprentice zombie hunter, his expectations are upended.
Alcon chiefs Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove said, “Maberry has crafted a gripping, fast paced universe with a distinctive balance of YA and broad appeal that we are eager and excited to explore. Adapting this series gives us the opportunity to breathe new life into the zombie genre and allows us to expand upon an established franchise with clear staying power and appeal.”
‘GREASE’ PREQUEL
Paramount Players is developing “Grease” prequel “Summer Loving,” and has hired John August to write the screenplay.
Temple Hill, which produced the Maze Runner and Twilight franchises, is producing with Picturestart, the company launched by former Lionsgate executive Erik Feig.
“Summer Loving” is derived from the song “Summer Nights” about a summer fling recounted in the 1978 musical by the Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson characters portrayed by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.