In today’s film news roundup, Tom Berenger is starring in a new crime thriller, Freestyle Digital buys “Madhouse Mecca,” and “Sleepless in Seattle” is returning for two nights.
CASTINGS
Tom Berenger (“Platoon”) will star in the independent thriller “Allagash” from writer/director John Barr, Variety has learned.
“Allagash” marks the feature-length directorial debut for Barr following his short film, “His Lover,” adapted from the Andre Dubus short story by the same title. Suza Horvat is producing, and Paul Casale Jr., Jeff Stearns, and Dan Murphy are executive producing.
Berenger will play a retired veteran who, while hunting in the northern territory of Maine, stumbles across a dead woman and a large sum of money. Events spiral out of control when a group of criminals searching for the money encounter him, setting up a test of will and survival. Shooting is slated to begin early next year in northern Maine.
Also attached to the project are veteran actors Paul Ben-Victor (“The Wire”), who will next be seen in the upcoming Martin Scorsese pic “The Irishman” and Mark Rolston (“The Departed”).
Related
Berenger was nominated for a best supporting actor Academy Award for “Platoon” and won an Emmy for his role in “Hatfields & McCoys.” He is represented by Jeff Goldberg Management. Ben-Victor is repped by Zero Gravity Management and APA. Rolston is repped by SMS Talent Agency and managed by Abbey Sibucao-MacDonald.
ACQUISITION
Freestyle Digital Media has acquired worldwide rights to the drama “Madhouse Mecca,” and set a Nov. 27 release on VOD and on digital HD across internet and satellite platforms worldwide.
Kristina Ellery stars as a young woman struggling to find purpose in her life, who makes ends meet by dancing at a strip club known to locals as “mecca.” Her rebellious nature causes tension with her estranged father (David Keith) and her new boss (Tera Patrick). She helps a young waitress, played by Erica Jenkins, during a chance encounter, causing a dangerous friendship to flourish.
Leonardo Warner directed from a script he wrote with Owen Palmiotti. The film was produced by Warner, Palmiotti, Elizabeth Ayers, and Tony Denman.
“I set out to make ‘Madhouse Mecca’ deeply personal, yet also relatable,” Warner said. “I felt the only way to accomplish this was to portray these characters as deeply-flawed individuals with the same worries and insecurities most people deal with on a daily basis.”
RE-RELEASE
Fathom Events and Sony Pictures Entertainment are re-releasing the 1993 Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan romantic comedy “Sleepless in Seattle” in nearly 400 movie theaters on Dec. 2 and Dec. 5.
“Sleepless in Seattle,” directed by Nora Ephron, was the second of four on-screen pairings for Ryan and Hanks. The others are 1990’s “Joe Versus the Volcano,” 1998’s “You’ve Got Mail,” and Ryan’s directorial debut, “Ithaca,” in 2015.
Hanks portrayed a widower who moves from Chicago to Seattle with his 8-year-old son, Jonah (Ross Malinger), who calls a national radio show to seek the advice of a psychologist, including Ryan’s reporter character. She proposes a plan to meet at the top of the Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day. The screenings will include a new introduction by Ryan and producer Gary Foster.
“We couldn’t let 2018 come to an end without honoring one of the truly great romantic comedies as it celebrates its 25th anniversary — and we’re doubly excited to have the help of Meg Ryan and Gary Foster, whose talents were so critical to making this film a success,” said Tom Lucas of Fathom Events.