In today’s film news roundup, early estimates are in for “Ford v Ferrari” and “Charlie’s Angels,” Jenn Murray receives an honor and the documentary “Human Nature” gets distribution.
EARLY TRACKING
Disney-Fox’s “Ford v Ferrari,” starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon, is heading for a North American launch in the $23 million to $27 million range, early estimates showed Thursday.
“Ford v Ferrari” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released by Disney on Nov. 15. Critics have been impressed with a current 88% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Bale and Damon will both campaign in the lead actor category for awards for their work. “Ford v Ferrari” follows an eccentric team of American engineers and designers, led by automotive visionary Carroll Shelby (Damon) and his British driver, Ken Miles (Bale), who are dispatched by Henry Ford II and Lee Iacocca to build an entirely new vehicle with the potential to defeat the dominant Ferrari at the 1966 Le Mans World Championship in France.
Sony’s reboot of “Charlie’s Angels” is opening on the same weekend with projections in the $12 million to $13 million range. Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska will play the film’s three Charlie’s Angels working for a detective agency. Elizabeth Banks is directing and starring as their unseen boss, Bosley. Patrick Stewart and Djimon Hounsou will play the other two Bosleys.
The first “Charlie’s Angels,” starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu, opened to $40.1 million in 2000. The 2003 sequel “Full Throttle,” launched with $37.6 million. The movies are based on the television series that ran for five seasons between 1976 and 1981.
OSCAR WILDE AWARD
Actress Jenn Murray will receive a “Wilde Card” award at the US-Ireland Alliance’s 15th Annual Oscar Wilde Awards.
Murray is the first honoree announced for the pre-Academy Awards party at Bad Robot in Santa Monica on Feb. 6. The event will be emceed by J.J. Abrams, director of the upcoming “Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker.”
Trina Vargo, founder and president of the US-Ireland Alliance said that “Wilde Cards” are presented to “young, rising talent, and/or people whose names you may not know yet, but we believe you will.” Previous recipients of the award include Saoirse Ronan, Sarah Bolger and Barry Keoghan.
Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Murray can currently be seen in Disney’s “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.” She debuted in 2009 in the independent Irish film “Dorothy Mills” and has credits on “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” “Brooklyn” and “Love & Friendship.”
ACQUISITION
Greenwich Entertainment has bought U.S. distribution rights to the documentary “Human Nature,” the directorial debut of Adam Bolt.
The film explores the gene-editing breakthrough, CRISPR, and its possible implications for humankind. It premiered at SXSW followed by the Seattle International Film Festival, Full Frame, AFI Docs and Hot Docs. It will screen at DOC NYC this November.
CRISPR, the film’s topic, provides unprecedented control over the basic building blocks of life. It opens the door to curing diseases, reshaping the biosphere and designing our own children.
“’Human Nature’ is really essential viewing: it brings the method and personalities of this amazing scientific discovery to vivid life and shows its applications and implications that have already begun to radically change biotech, medicine and our relation to our own genetic code,” said Greenwich’s Ed Arentz.