“I think it’s time to make movies relevant,” said Ali Abbasi to the cheering crowd at the May 20 Cannes premiere of his Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice. “It’s time to make movies political again.”
Hollywood doesn’t seem to be listening. Despite the enthusiastic response to The Apprentice internationally — the film, starring Sebastian Stan as Trump and Succession’s Jeremy Strong as his master-of-the-dark-arts political mentor Roy Cohn, has been sold in nearly every territory — the movie is still struggling to land a U.S. distributor. That’s despite, as Abbasi calls it, this fall’s “promotional event, the U.S. election,” that would seem to provide an ideal launchpad, and plenty of free publicity, for any domestic distributor.
A U.S. deal for The Apprentice is complicated by the fact that Kinematics, the company backed by pro-Trump billionaire Dan Snyder, put up equity for the film against...
Hollywood doesn’t seem to be listening. Despite the enthusiastic response to The Apprentice internationally — the film, starring Sebastian Stan as Trump and Succession’s Jeremy Strong as his master-of-the-dark-arts political mentor Roy Cohn, has been sold in nearly every territory — the movie is still struggling to land a U.S. distributor. That’s despite, as Abbasi calls it, this fall’s “promotional event, the U.S. election,” that would seem to provide an ideal launchpad, and plenty of free publicity, for any domestic distributor.
A U.S. deal for The Apprentice is complicated by the fact that Kinematics, the company backed by pro-Trump billionaire Dan Snyder, put up equity for the film against...
- 6/11/2024
- by Scott Roxborough and Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Mega
JoJo Siwa, 21, has previously opened up about living with dyslexia, being part of the LGBTQ community, and the pressure of being on "Dance Moms."
Growing up in the spotlight, JoJo was constantly in the public eye throughout her teen and adolescent years, appearing on "Dance Moms" and Nickelodeon. She later decided to launch her own YouTube channel, which has since gained more than 12 million subscribers.
With the fame comes a tremendous amount of stress and pressure, which can lead to mental health struggles.
While JoJo Siwa seemingly admitted to struggling with her mental health, she refuses to go to therapy -- but why?
Growing Up In The Spotlight Mega
JoJo Siwa, born Joelle Joanie Siwa, joined the cast of "Dance Moms" in its fifth season in 2015 alongside her mother, Jessalynn Siwa.
After leaving "Dance Moms," she decided to continue growing her fan base by launching a successful YouTube channel where she posts vlogs,...
JoJo Siwa, 21, has previously opened up about living with dyslexia, being part of the LGBTQ community, and the pressure of being on "Dance Moms."
Growing up in the spotlight, JoJo was constantly in the public eye throughout her teen and adolescent years, appearing on "Dance Moms" and Nickelodeon. She later decided to launch her own YouTube channel, which has since gained more than 12 million subscribers.
With the fame comes a tremendous amount of stress and pressure, which can lead to mental health struggles.
While JoJo Siwa seemingly admitted to struggling with her mental health, she refuses to go to therapy -- but why?
Growing Up In The Spotlight Mega
JoJo Siwa, born Joelle Joanie Siwa, joined the cast of "Dance Moms" in its fifth season in 2015 alongside her mother, Jessalynn Siwa.
After leaving "Dance Moms," she decided to continue growing her fan base by launching a successful YouTube channel where she posts vlogs,...
- 6/11/2024
- by Kelly Coffey-Behrens
- The Blast
The Zurich Film Festival (Zff) will honor legendary film composer Howard Shore with its career achievement award. The triple-Oscar winner, best known for his iconic scores for Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies, will receive the award at the 20th Zff in October.
In addition, Shore will head up the Zff’s international film music competition for its 20th edition. As jury president, the Canadian composer will judge young talents each tasked with creating an original score to the same 8-minute short film. The three compositions will be performed live by the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich under the direction of Frank Strobel on Oct. 5 during Zurich’s Cinema in Concert gala in the presence of the three nominees. The winning composition will receive a Chf 10,000 ($11,500) cash prize.
“I am honored to come to Zurich for the festival’s 20th anniversary, to receive this career achievement...
In addition, Shore will head up the Zff’s international film music competition for its 20th edition. As jury president, the Canadian composer will judge young talents each tasked with creating an original score to the same 8-minute short film. The three compositions will be performed live by the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich under the direction of Frank Strobel on Oct. 5 during Zurich’s Cinema in Concert gala in the presence of the three nominees. The winning composition will receive a Chf 10,000 ($11,500) cash prize.
“I am honored to come to Zurich for the festival’s 20th anniversary, to receive this career achievement...
- 6/11/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Johnny Cash has a new posthumous release out Friday called “Spotlight,” featuring guitar parts from the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach.
“Spotlight” is the second single released ahead of Cash’s upcoming album Songwriter, comprised of demos Cash wrote over several years and recorded at Nashville’s Lsi Studios in 1993. Cash’s son, John Carter Cash, recently rediscovered the demos and took his father’s vocals and acoustic guitar, enlisting musicians Marty Stuart, Dave Roe, and Pete Abbott to add guitar, bass, and drums. Carter Cash Produced the upcoming album alongside David “Fergie” Ferguson.
“Spotlight” is the second single released ahead of Cash’s upcoming album Songwriter, comprised of demos Cash wrote over several years and recorded at Nashville’s Lsi Studios in 1993. Cash’s son, John Carter Cash, recently rediscovered the demos and took his father’s vocals and acoustic guitar, enlisting musicians Marty Stuart, Dave Roe, and Pete Abbott to add guitar, bass, and drums. Carter Cash Produced the upcoming album alongside David “Fergie” Ferguson.
- 6/7/2024
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
A new Johnny Cash song, “Spotlight,” has been unearthed for the late musician’s forthcoming posthumous album, Songwriter.
With The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach on guitar, “Spotlight” is a warm, bluesy mid-tempo number from Cash. It highlights the country icon’s crystal-clear baritone and features an entrancing guitar solo from Auerbach in the bridge. Helping elevate the song are flourishes of strings, some strutting bongos, and majestic production. Stream “Spotlight” below.
Johnny Cash wrote and recorded “Spotlight” for a demo session in 1993, and his son, John Carter Cash, resurrected his vocals and arrangement for the new album. “Spotlight” is the second offering from Songwriter, following earlier single “Well Alright.” Like each song on Songwriter, “Spotlight” was written solely by Johnny Cash.
“It was the thrill of a lifetime to be able to play guitar on a Johnny Cash song,” Dan Auerbach said in a statement. “Hearing his voice through the...
With The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach on guitar, “Spotlight” is a warm, bluesy mid-tempo number from Cash. It highlights the country icon’s crystal-clear baritone and features an entrancing guitar solo from Auerbach in the bridge. Helping elevate the song are flourishes of strings, some strutting bongos, and majestic production. Stream “Spotlight” below.
Johnny Cash wrote and recorded “Spotlight” for a demo session in 1993, and his son, John Carter Cash, resurrected his vocals and arrangement for the new album. “Spotlight” is the second offering from Songwriter, following earlier single “Well Alright.” Like each song on Songwriter, “Spotlight” was written solely by Johnny Cash.
“It was the thrill of a lifetime to be able to play guitar on a Johnny Cash song,” Dan Auerbach said in a statement. “Hearing his voice through the...
- 6/7/2024
- by Paolo Ragusa
- Consequence - Music
"Broadcast News" premiered at a pivotal time for the news industry: James L. Brooks' 1987 newsroom-set classic was born into a world in which pay cable, the internet, and the 24-hour news cycle were about to change the way the world received information for good. As such, the movie would already feel like a throwback to a simpler time just a few years after its release. Great as it is, it would soon join the ranks of movies and shows about legacy media that portray a writing world that looks nothing like the current freelance-heavy digital landscape.
Brooks was apparently acutely aware of the changing media world even as he made the film. In a retrospective interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2018, the filmmaker recalls being inspired to create one of the movie's most famous scenes when a visit to a real-life newsroom confirmed that it reflected reality. "I was in the...
Brooks was apparently acutely aware of the changing media world even as he made the film. In a retrospective interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2018, the filmmaker recalls being inspired to create one of the movie's most famous scenes when a visit to a real-life newsroom confirmed that it reflected reality. "I was in the...
- 6/2/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Republic Pictures has acquired worldwide rights to Millers in Marriage, a new film written, directed by and starring Edward Burns (The Brothers McMullen).
Details as to the release plan haven’t been disclosed. The starry ensemble also includes Julianna Margulies (The Morning Show), Gretchen Mol (Boardwalk Empire), Minnie Driver (The Serpent Queen), Morena Baccarin (Deadpool), Benjamin Bratt (Mother of the Bride), Campbell Scott (Dying Young), Brian d’Arcy James (Spotlight) and Patrick Wilson (Insidious franchise).
Millers in Marriage follows Eve Miller (Mol), the former lead singer-songwriter of an indie rock band, who finds herself drawn to a music journalist (Bratt) amid a toxic marriage. Meanwhile, Eve’s sister Maggie (Margulies), a bestselling author, is encountering challenges in her marriage of 30 years as her career surpasses her husband’s. At the same time, Renee (Driver), a recently divorced successful fashion executive, is navigating a budding relationship with Andy Miller (Burns), an artist...
Details as to the release plan haven’t been disclosed. The starry ensemble also includes Julianna Margulies (The Morning Show), Gretchen Mol (Boardwalk Empire), Minnie Driver (The Serpent Queen), Morena Baccarin (Deadpool), Benjamin Bratt (Mother of the Bride), Campbell Scott (Dying Young), Brian d’Arcy James (Spotlight) and Patrick Wilson (Insidious franchise).
Millers in Marriage follows Eve Miller (Mol), the former lead singer-songwriter of an indie rock band, who finds herself drawn to a music journalist (Bratt) amid a toxic marriage. Meanwhile, Eve’s sister Maggie (Margulies), a bestselling author, is encountering challenges in her marriage of 30 years as her career surpasses her husband’s. At the same time, Renee (Driver), a recently divorced successful fashion executive, is navigating a budding relationship with Andy Miller (Burns), an artist...
- 5/30/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Photo: Mamie Laverock, Johannah Newmarch Credit: ©2023 Hallmark Media/Photographer: David Dolsen
When Calls the Heart star Mamie Laverock was hospitalized on May 11 with a “medical emergency.” The actress who plays Rosaleen Sullivan on the Hallmark show has been receiving “intensive treatment” since that time.
When Calls the Heart star Mamie Laverock hospitalized
According to her family, Mamie Laverock was hospitalized on May 11 following “a medical emergency” and has been receiving intensive care since that time. However, in an update from Liverock’s parents, Mamie is now on life support after sustaining “life-threatening injuries” after falling from a five-story balcony in the hospital.
Rob and Nicole Compton have started a GoFundMe campaign for Mamie after she suffered “life-threatening injuries” from falling from a balcony. The Comptons shared that their daughter has since undergone multiple surgeries, and is now fighting for her life following the accident over the weekend.
The incident comes...
When Calls the Heart star Mamie Laverock was hospitalized on May 11 with a “medical emergency.” The actress who plays Rosaleen Sullivan on the Hallmark show has been receiving “intensive treatment” since that time.
When Calls the Heart star Mamie Laverock hospitalized
According to her family, Mamie Laverock was hospitalized on May 11 following “a medical emergency” and has been receiving intensive care since that time. However, in an update from Liverock’s parents, Mamie is now on life support after sustaining “life-threatening injuries” after falling from a five-story balcony in the hospital.
Rob and Nicole Compton have started a GoFundMe campaign for Mamie after she suffered “life-threatening injuries” from falling from a balcony. The Comptons shared that their daughter has since undergone multiple surgeries, and is now fighting for her life following the accident over the weekend.
The incident comes...
- 5/29/2024
- by Anne King
- Celebrating The Soaps
When Calls the Heart actor Mamie Laverock is in critical condition following a fall on May 26.
Laverock, 19, fell five stories from a balcony walkway in a Vancouver hospital, according to a GoFundMe started by her parents, Nicole and Rob Compton.
“She sustained life-threatening injuries, has undergone multiple extensive surgeries, and is currently on life support,” they wrote.
Mamie Laverock of ‘When Calls the Heart’ hospitalized after a ‘medical emergency’
Laverock was initially admitted to a hospital in Winnipeg after experiencing a medical emergency on May 11. She was later transferred to a hospital in Vancouver. At the time, her recovery was “unclear,” her parents wrote, but she was “alive and showing signs of improvement.”
Days later, Nicole and Rob shared a devastating update on their daughter’s condition.
“We are deeply saddened to report that on May 26th, Mamie, who has been in intensive treatment for the past two weeks, was...
Laverock, 19, fell five stories from a balcony walkway in a Vancouver hospital, according to a GoFundMe started by her parents, Nicole and Rob Compton.
“She sustained life-threatening injuries, has undergone multiple extensive surgeries, and is currently on life support,” they wrote.
Mamie Laverock of ‘When Calls the Heart’ hospitalized after a ‘medical emergency’
Laverock was initially admitted to a hospital in Winnipeg after experiencing a medical emergency on May 11. She was later transferred to a hospital in Vancouver. At the time, her recovery was “unclear,” her parents wrote, but she was “alive and showing signs of improvement.”
Days later, Nicole and Rob shared a devastating update on their daughter’s condition.
“We are deeply saddened to report that on May 26th, Mamie, who has been in intensive treatment for the past two weeks, was...
- 5/28/2024
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Mamie Laverock, a 19-year-old actor with Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart, is on life support after falling from a five-story walkway while under medical care at a Vancouver hospital.
According to a GoFundMe page launched by her family, Laverock was rushed on May 11 to a Winnipeg hospital by her mother, Nicole, after what was described as a “medical emergency.” But an update from Laverock’s family indicates on May 26 she fell from a balcony walkway at a Vancouver hospital after being transferred there as part of her recovery.
“Mamie, who has been in intensive treatment for the past two weeks, was escorted out of a secure unit of the hospital and taken up to a balcony walkway from which she fell five stories. She sustained life threatening injuries, has undergone multiple extensive surgeries, and is currently on life support,” the family’s fundraising campaign page states.
“We are all devastated,...
According to a GoFundMe page launched by her family, Laverock was rushed on May 11 to a Winnipeg hospital by her mother, Nicole, after what was described as a “medical emergency.” But an update from Laverock’s family indicates on May 26 she fell from a balcony walkway at a Vancouver hospital after being transferred there as part of her recovery.
“Mamie, who has been in intensive treatment for the past two weeks, was escorted out of a secure unit of the hospital and taken up to a balcony walkway from which she fell five stories. She sustained life threatening injuries, has undergone multiple extensive surgeries, and is currently on life support,” the family’s fundraising campaign page states.
“We are all devastated,...
- 5/28/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Netflix has tied up a deal in the $34M range for the John Lee Hancock-directed package Monsanto, we can reveal. The pic will star Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie and Oscar winner Laura Dern.
CAA Media Finance cut the presale after launching with Rocket Science last week. Netflix has been quieter at recent markets but is back at the table with the splashy deal.
This and Apple’s WW deal for Everest sherpa pic Tenzing are the two biggest deals to emerge from the Cannes market so far. The latter is understood to be in the $40M range.
Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell), who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie) who used Monsanto’s best-known product Roundup, a wildly financially successful weed and grass pesticide killer, as part...
CAA Media Finance cut the presale after launching with Rocket Science last week. Netflix has been quieter at recent markets but is back at the table with the splashy deal.
This and Apple’s WW deal for Everest sherpa pic Tenzing are the two biggest deals to emerge from the Cannes market so far. The latter is understood to be in the $40M range.
Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell), who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie) who used Monsanto’s best-known product Roundup, a wildly financially successful weed and grass pesticide killer, as part...
- 5/23/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Universal Pictures has dated an “untitled event film” directed by Steven Spielberg for a wide release on Friday, May 15, 2026. The story will be by Spielberg and the screenplay by his frequent collaborator David Koepp. Kristie Macosko Krieger will produce.
While no further details were shared at present, Variety reported last month that Spielberg’s next project will “likely” be “a UFO film based on his own original idea” and written by Koepp. The May 2026 release is Spielberg’s original idea as written by Koepp, and a Spielberg UFO film would surely be an event film.
When reached by IndieWire, a spokesperson for Universal Pictures declined comment on the UFO detail.
Of course, most Spielberg films are event films, with many written by Koepp, including: “Jurassic Park,” “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” “War of the Worlds” (a UFO film!), and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Combined, those...
While no further details were shared at present, Variety reported last month that Spielberg’s next project will “likely” be “a UFO film based on his own original idea” and written by Koepp. The May 2026 release is Spielberg’s original idea as written by Koepp, and a Spielberg UFO film would surely be an event film.
When reached by IndieWire, a spokesperson for Universal Pictures declined comment on the UFO detail.
Of course, most Spielberg films are event films, with many written by Koepp, including: “Jurassic Park,” “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” “War of the Worlds” (a UFO film!), and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Combined, those...
- 5/23/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
With the release of ‘Echo,’ the MCU underwent significant changes. It became the first TV-ma-rated show in the MCU and the inaugural series under the ‘Marvel Spotlight’ banner, emphasizing character-driven stories that don’t require prior knowledge of previous projects.
During the recent Disney Upfronts presentation, it was revealed that Marvel Studios has segmented its development into several divisions: Marvel Animation, Marvel Television, and Marvel Spotlight. This new strategy aims to simplify the MCU for new fans, making it easier to understand and engage with the universe.
We have long known that more Marvel Spotlight shows are in the works, such as ‘Marvel Zombies,’ which will also be TV-ma rated. There has been speculation that ‘Wonder Man’ could be released under the same banner.
This was recently confirmed by Variety in an interview with Brad Winderbaum. ‘Wonder Man’ will indeed be part of Marvel Spotlight. Since the character has not previously appeared in the MCU,...
During the recent Disney Upfronts presentation, it was revealed that Marvel Studios has segmented its development into several divisions: Marvel Animation, Marvel Television, and Marvel Spotlight. This new strategy aims to simplify the MCU for new fans, making it easier to understand and engage with the universe.
We have long known that more Marvel Spotlight shows are in the works, such as ‘Marvel Zombies,’ which will also be TV-ma rated. There has been speculation that ‘Wonder Man’ could be released under the same banner.
This was recently confirmed by Variety in an interview with Brad Winderbaum. ‘Wonder Man’ will indeed be part of Marvel Spotlight. Since the character has not previously appeared in the MCU,...
- 5/22/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Fiction Horizon
With the release of ‘Echo’ plenty of things changed in the MCU. It was the first TV-ma-rated show in the MCU, and the first to be released under the ‘Marvel Spotlight’ banner, meaning that it’s heavily character-oriented and that you don’t have to watch previous projects to understand the story.
Recently, during the Disney Upfronts presentation we saw that MCU, or rather Marvel Studios had separated its development into several segments: Marvel Animation, Marvel Television, and Marvel Spotlight which is also a part of the new strategy to make it easier for new fans to get a good sense regarding what the MCU is about.
Now we always knew that more Marvel Spotlight shows are on the way, primarily ‘Marvel Zombies’ which will likewise be TV-ma rated, and we speculated that ‘Wonder Man’ could also be released under the same banner.
Variety confirmed this fact in a recent interview with Brad Winderbaum.
Recently, during the Disney Upfronts presentation we saw that MCU, or rather Marvel Studios had separated its development into several segments: Marvel Animation, Marvel Television, and Marvel Spotlight which is also a part of the new strategy to make it easier for new fans to get a good sense regarding what the MCU is about.
Now we always knew that more Marvel Spotlight shows are on the way, primarily ‘Marvel Zombies’ which will likewise be TV-ma rated, and we speculated that ‘Wonder Man’ could also be released under the same banner.
Variety confirmed this fact in a recent interview with Brad Winderbaum.
- 5/22/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Comic Basics
“You can jump in anywhere”: Kevin Feige’s Marvel Future Plans Will Erase One Major Phase 3 Complaint
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has long been a juggernaut among huge franchises, perhaps trailing only behind the legendary Star Wars saga. With its intricate web of characters, intertwining storylines, and hidden Easter eggs, the MCU has certainly captivated audiences worldwide. However, for newcomers, this journey can feel a bit daunting.
Kevin Feige at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con | Credits: Gage Skidmore /Wikimedia Commons
While seasoned fans love the interconnectedness of it all, new fans often find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer amount of lore and backstory required to fully immerse themselves in this cinematic universe. But fear not, as Marvel Studios President, Kevin Feige, has heard the cries and is spearheading a bold new initiative to make the MCU more accessible to all.
Fans Will No Longer Require Watching 30+ Movies to Enjoy a Single Series or Movie in the MCU
While diving into the Marvel Cinematic Universe is undeniably an epic experience,...
Kevin Feige at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con | Credits: Gage Skidmore /Wikimedia Commons
While seasoned fans love the interconnectedness of it all, new fans often find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer amount of lore and backstory required to fully immerse themselves in this cinematic universe. But fear not, as Marvel Studios President, Kevin Feige, has heard the cries and is spearheading a bold new initiative to make the MCU more accessible to all.
Fans Will No Longer Require Watching 30+ Movies to Enjoy a Single Series or Movie in the MCU
While diving into the Marvel Cinematic Universe is undeniably an epic experience,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Sampurna Banerjee
- FandomWire
The MCU boasts a vast array of over 30 movies, with over 10 currently in production or rumored. However, this extensive content library doesn’t even include live-action TV shows, which have significantly enriched the MCU universe.
This proliferation of content has posed challenges for fans, particularly newcomers or those wishing to skip certain projects.
It’s absurd that understanding one reference or a post-credit scene in a Disney+ show often requires viewing five movies. However, that was the studio’s initial goal. As financial pressures mounted, adjustments became necessary. A major shift was the launch of the Marvel Spotlight brand. These shows aim for a more character-driven, mature narrative, with higher ratings, purportedly eliminating the need for prior MCU viewing.
The debut Marvel Spotlight series, ‘Echo,’ while intended to stand alone, still heavily references ‘Daredevil’ and ‘Hawkeye.’ Yet, even without watching these, viewers could navigate ‘Echo’ with a bit of online research.
This proliferation of content has posed challenges for fans, particularly newcomers or those wishing to skip certain projects.
It’s absurd that understanding one reference or a post-credit scene in a Disney+ show often requires viewing five movies. However, that was the studio’s initial goal. As financial pressures mounted, adjustments became necessary. A major shift was the launch of the Marvel Spotlight brand. These shows aim for a more character-driven, mature narrative, with higher ratings, purportedly eliminating the need for prior MCU viewing.
The debut Marvel Spotlight series, ‘Echo,’ while intended to stand alone, still heavily references ‘Daredevil’ and ‘Hawkeye.’ Yet, even without watching these, viewers could navigate ‘Echo’ with a bit of online research.
- 5/19/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Fiction Horizon
Exclusive: Level 33 Entertainment has acquired distribution rights for the United States and Canada to Ernest Hemingway adaptation, Across The River And Into The Trees, starring Liev Schreiber (Spotlight), Matilda De Angelis (The Undoing), Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) and Danny Huston (Yellowstone).
The film, based on one of the last full-length novels published by Hemingway, is directed by Paula Ortiz (The Bride) and adapted for the screen by BAFTA Award winner Peter Flannery (The Devil’s Mistress). Producers include Robert MacLean (Man With A Gun), Kristin Roegner (The Expendables 3), and Michael Paletta (Above The Best).
Across The River And Into The Trees follows Richard Cantwell (Schreiber), an American Army Colonel in post-wwii Italy. Haunted by the war, Cantwell is a bona fide hero who faces news of his illness with stoic disregard. Determined to spend a weekend in quiet solitude, he commandeers a military driver (Hutcherson) to facilitate a...
The film, based on one of the last full-length novels published by Hemingway, is directed by Paula Ortiz (The Bride) and adapted for the screen by BAFTA Award winner Peter Flannery (The Devil’s Mistress). Producers include Robert MacLean (Man With A Gun), Kristin Roegner (The Expendables 3), and Michael Paletta (Above The Best).
Across The River And Into The Trees follows Richard Cantwell (Schreiber), an American Army Colonel in post-wwii Italy. Haunted by the war, Cantwell is a bona fide hero who faces news of his illness with stoic disregard. Determined to spend a weekend in quiet solitude, he commandeers a military driver (Hutcherson) to facilitate a...
- 5/17/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the biggest franchises of all time. Having started with Iron Man, the MCU has recently been witnessing a decline in quality despite an abundance of quantity. Ever since the Avengers: Endgame and the exit of major actors and characters, Marvel Studios has failed to live up to its prior hype and image.
Marvel Studios
Despite assurances that things would improve, it was in 2023 that the MCU had its lowest-grossing movie ever, The Marvels. And after a 2024 The Hollywood Reporter story had a source say that Marvel Studios is not giving up, Kevin Feige finally seems to have taken a step in the right direction. At the recently-held Disney’s Upfront presentation, Marvel Studios restored Marvel Television directly under it, after shutting it down back in 2019.
Kevin Feige Brings Back Marvel Television to Save MCU
Kevin Feige takes the right step to save the...
Marvel Studios
Despite assurances that things would improve, it was in 2023 that the MCU had its lowest-grossing movie ever, The Marvels. And after a 2024 The Hollywood Reporter story had a source say that Marvel Studios is not giving up, Kevin Feige finally seems to have taken a step in the right direction. At the recently-held Disney’s Upfront presentation, Marvel Studios restored Marvel Television directly under it, after shutting it down back in 2019.
Kevin Feige Brings Back Marvel Television to Save MCU
Kevin Feige takes the right step to save the...
- 5/15/2024
- by Maria Sultan
- FandomWire
At some point in our lives, each of us has been exposed to the idea of how much harm corporations can do. Of course, it is too naive to divide the world into clear-cut 'black' and 'white' as it is often portrayed in pop culture, but in the case of multinational corporations, history shows that all of this is far more than essentialist hyperbole.
Corporations, sometimes no less powerful and capitalized than some states, have shown their true colors time and time again, cynically seeking profit at any cost. Even if the price is the health and life of their own customers.
That's why feature films about corporations based on real events have a special value. Yes, sometimes documentaries reveal a much more objective view of the terrible truth, but let's be honest, the format of feature films allows to convey these or those ideas to the viewer much more effectively,...
Corporations, sometimes no less powerful and capitalized than some states, have shown their true colors time and time again, cynically seeking profit at any cost. Even if the price is the health and life of their own customers.
That's why feature films about corporations based on real events have a special value. Yes, sometimes documentaries reveal a much more objective view of the terrible truth, but let's be honest, the format of feature films allows to convey these or those ideas to the viewer much more effectively,...
- 5/10/2024
- by louise.everitt@startefacts.com (Louise Everitt)
- STartefacts.com
Alberto Barbera is set to remain at the helm as artistic director of the Venice Film Festival through 2026 and possibly longer.
The board of directors of the fest’s parent organization, the Venice Biennale – chaired by new president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco – on Friday announced they have approved Barbera’s appointment as artistic director “for the years 2025 and 2026,” the Biennale announced in a statement.
The Biennale is basically extending Barbera’s current mandate, which expires after the upcoming 2024 edition, for two more years. This does not rule out the possibility that Barbera could subsequently get another full-fledged mandate and stay on board even longer.
“I felt an immediate understanding with Alberto Barbera,” Buttafuoco said in a statement. “And I have great respect for the expertise, professionalism and passion he has demonstrated in the years that he has directed the Venice Film Festival, which have enhanced the prestige of the oldest film festival in the world,...
The board of directors of the fest’s parent organization, the Venice Biennale – chaired by new president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco – on Friday announced they have approved Barbera’s appointment as artistic director “for the years 2025 and 2026,” the Biennale announced in a statement.
The Biennale is basically extending Barbera’s current mandate, which expires after the upcoming 2024 edition, for two more years. This does not rule out the possibility that Barbera could subsequently get another full-fledged mandate and stay on board even longer.
“I felt an immediate understanding with Alberto Barbera,” Buttafuoco said in a statement. “And I have great respect for the expertise, professionalism and passion he has demonstrated in the years that he has directed the Venice Film Festival, which have enhanced the prestige of the oldest film festival in the world,...
- 5/10/2024
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Celebration of cinema has always been extended by the Oscars honoring the prowess of cinematic excellence with one of the most recognized accolades. Throughout the rich history of cinema, there have been several movies based on true events, that left a mark among moviegoers or in the pages of history.
A still from Lawrence of Arabia
Also, movies that are based on true events are another way of documenting the particular incident, albeit a portion of fictionalization may alter the accuracy, but for cinema’s sake, filmmakers enjoy the basic freedom to have their own touch to the narrative. Throughout history, movies like The Great Ziegfeld by Robert Z. Leonard, or it would be criminal not to mention David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia, and several other movies have claimed the Best Picture Oscars. Here is a list of six movies that won an Oscar in the Best Picture category.
A still from Lawrence of Arabia
Also, movies that are based on true events are another way of documenting the particular incident, albeit a portion of fictionalization may alter the accuracy, but for cinema’s sake, filmmakers enjoy the basic freedom to have their own touch to the narrative. Throughout history, movies like The Great Ziegfeld by Robert Z. Leonard, or it would be criminal not to mention David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia, and several other movies have claimed the Best Picture Oscars. Here is a list of six movies that won an Oscar in the Best Picture category.
- 5/9/2024
- by Lachit Roy
- FandomWire
Glen Powell’s newfound star power continues to fuel movie projects.
The Anyone But You actor will lead a cast that includes Anthony Mackie and Laura Dern to headline Monsanto, a legal drama from writer-director John Lee Hancock.
Rocket Science, the company that has been integral to the financing and producing of movies such as All Quiet on the Western Front and Ricky Stanicky, will launch international sales out of the Cannes Film Market later this month. CAA Media Finance is handling the domestic rights.
Adam McKay and Kevin Messick are producing via their HyperObject Industries banner. Moritz Borman, Eric Kopeloff, Philip Schulz-Deyle and Jon Levin are also producing.
Per the producers, Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell), who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie). Johnson used the company’s best-known product,...
The Anyone But You actor will lead a cast that includes Anthony Mackie and Laura Dern to headline Monsanto, a legal drama from writer-director John Lee Hancock.
Rocket Science, the company that has been integral to the financing and producing of movies such as All Quiet on the Western Front and Ricky Stanicky, will launch international sales out of the Cannes Film Market later this month. CAA Media Finance is handling the domestic rights.
Adam McKay and Kevin Messick are producing via their HyperObject Industries banner. Moritz Borman, Eric Kopeloff, Philip Schulz-Deyle and Jon Levin are also producing.
Per the producers, Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell), who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie). Johnson used the company’s best-known product,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rocket Science and CAA Media Finance are launching foreign sales out of Cannes for the John Lee Hancock directed Monsanto starring Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie and Oscar winner Laura Dern.
Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell) who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie) who used Monsanto’s best-known product Roundup, a wildly financially successful weed and grass pesticide killer, as part of his job as a high school groundskeeper. During the trial, Dr Melinda Rogers (Dern), the chief toxicologist of the Monsanto Company, testifies with certainty that Roundup is safe.
Pic’s screenplay was developed in association with Karl Spoerri’s Zurich Avenue and penned by Michael Wisner, Alexandra Duparc, Ned Benson and Hancock. Producers are Moritz Borman, Eric Kopeloff, Philip Schulz-Deyle and Jon Levin alongside HyperObject Industries’ Adam McKay and Kevin Messick.
Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell) who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie) who used Monsanto’s best-known product Roundup, a wildly financially successful weed and grass pesticide killer, as part of his job as a high school groundskeeper. During the trial, Dr Melinda Rogers (Dern), the chief toxicologist of the Monsanto Company, testifies with certainty that Roundup is safe.
Pic’s screenplay was developed in association with Karl Spoerri’s Zurich Avenue and penned by Michael Wisner, Alexandra Duparc, Ned Benson and Hancock. Producers are Moritz Borman, Eric Kopeloff, Philip Schulz-Deyle and Jon Levin alongside HyperObject Industries’ Adam McKay and Kevin Messick.
- 5/8/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie, and Laura Dern are set to star in “Monsanto,” a drama based on the true story of an upstart lawyer who took on one of the most powerful and controversial chemical corporations in the U.S.
“Monsanto” is being co-written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and it’s also being produced by Adam McKay, who has long been vocal about the climate crisis and the impact corporations like Monsanto in particular have had on the environment.
The film is being introduced to buyers at the Cannes Film Festival Marché du Film beginning next week, with CAA Media Finance handling domestic rights and Rocket Science handling international sales.
“Monsanto” tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell) who sues the giant U.S. chemical company on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie), who used Monsanto’s weed and pesticide product Roundup for his...
“Monsanto” is being co-written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and it’s also being produced by Adam McKay, who has long been vocal about the climate crisis and the impact corporations like Monsanto in particular have had on the environment.
The film is being introduced to buyers at the Cannes Film Festival Marché du Film beginning next week, with CAA Media Finance handling domestic rights and Rocket Science handling international sales.
“Monsanto” tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell) who sues the giant U.S. chemical company on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie), who used Monsanto’s weed and pesticide product Roundup for his...
- 5/8/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie and Academy Award winner Laura Dern have signed on to star in “Monsanto,” the latest film from writer-director John Lee Hancock.
The film follows the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell), who in 2019 took on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie) who used the company’s best-known product Roundup, a wildly financially successful weed and grass pesticide killer, as part of his job as a high school groundskeeper. Dern plays Dr. Melinda Rogers, the Monsanto Company’s chief toxicologist, who testifies with certainty that Roundup is safe during the landmark cancer trial.
“I was drawn to this contemporary David vs. Goliath true story because I found it dramatic, moving, quite funny and of critical importance in today’s world,” said Hancock. “My ambitions are to deliver a smart, thoughtful and...
The film follows the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell), who in 2019 took on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie) who used the company’s best-known product Roundup, a wildly financially successful weed and grass pesticide killer, as part of his job as a high school groundskeeper. Dern plays Dr. Melinda Rogers, the Monsanto Company’s chief toxicologist, who testifies with certainty that Roundup is safe during the landmark cancer trial.
“I was drawn to this contemporary David vs. Goliath true story because I found it dramatic, moving, quite funny and of critical importance in today’s world,” said Hancock. “My ambitions are to deliver a smart, thoughtful and...
- 5/8/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
As Neil Young once sang, the now shuttered Participant is gone, but not forgotten.
Some of Tinseltown’s leading talents like Regina King, George Clooney, Ava DuVernay, Daniel Dae Kim, Martin Sheen, Regina King, Alfonso Cuaron, Matt Damon, Diego Luna and more have joined up with the National Domestic Workers Alliance to express “gratitude and pride” in the work put out by the Jeff Skoll-created shingle over the last two decades. At the same time, the A-Listers are imploring the ever increasingly conglomerated industry to keep their eyes on the social impact prize.
“As we say goodbye to Participant, we must underscore that values-based storytelling is needed now more than ever; to expand the room for debate, to open our hearts to experiences vastly different from our own, to immerse us in the beauty of humanity’s complexities,” the star-studded letter says. “And in the face of unprecedented change and uncertainty,...
Some of Tinseltown’s leading talents like Regina King, George Clooney, Ava DuVernay, Daniel Dae Kim, Martin Sheen, Regina King, Alfonso Cuaron, Matt Damon, Diego Luna and more have joined up with the National Domestic Workers Alliance to express “gratitude and pride” in the work put out by the Jeff Skoll-created shingle over the last two decades. At the same time, the A-Listers are imploring the ever increasingly conglomerated industry to keep their eyes on the social impact prize.
“As we say goodbye to Participant, we must underscore that values-based storytelling is needed now more than ever; to expand the room for debate, to open our hearts to experiences vastly different from our own, to immerse us in the beauty of humanity’s complexities,” the star-studded letter says. “And in the face of unprecedented change and uncertainty,...
- 5/7/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Last year, the whole world was amazed by the storyline of Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall, a legal drama about a writer trying to prove innocence in her husband's death. It demonstrated the potential toxicity of not only the failed relationship, but the world around us, when people get blamed for crimes even when there’s not enough proof.
There is a 2019 movie of the same genre, telling a similar story, but on much a larger scale. Its plot revolves around Robert Bilott, the real-life environmental attorney, known for the lawsuits against the chemical company DuPont after they contaminated the whole town in West Virginia with unregulated chemicals.
This premise seems to be boring enough to put you asleep with a bunch of pretentious speeches about the need to defend our ecology. However, this drama is not only going to keep you awake, but closely follow the DuPont case.
There is a 2019 movie of the same genre, telling a similar story, but on much a larger scale. Its plot revolves around Robert Bilott, the real-life environmental attorney, known for the lawsuits against the chemical company DuPont after they contaminated the whole town in West Virginia with unregulated chemicals.
This premise seems to be boring enough to put you asleep with a bunch of pretentious speeches about the need to defend our ecology. However, this drama is not only going to keep you awake, but closely follow the DuPont case.
- 4/30/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Ava Raxa)
- STartefacts.com
In early May, sandwiched between the NewFronts and the traditional broadcast (and now streaming) upfronts, a new showcase for pitches to major advertisers will make its debut.
Billed as The Way Upfronts, the series of virtual presentations slated for May 7 and 8 is a hybrid of the annual springtime spectacles of ad-supported television and the supercharged energy of a festival marketplace. Plans call for making them quarterly, in-person events, with next month’s launch edition meant to increase visibility at a time when talent will already be making the rounds and fully emerging from a strike-impaired 2023.
Oscar-winning producer and manager Michael Sugar’s company, Sugar23, is leading the new initiative, which has secured attendance from brands representing some $120 billion in spending. Those Madison Avenue dollars are drawn to the talent in the Zoom. While organizers have not shared the names of presenters to the public, the host committee for the event includes Scarlett Johansson,...
Billed as The Way Upfronts, the series of virtual presentations slated for May 7 and 8 is a hybrid of the annual springtime spectacles of ad-supported television and the supercharged energy of a festival marketplace. Plans call for making them quarterly, in-person events, with next month’s launch edition meant to increase visibility at a time when talent will already be making the rounds and fully emerging from a strike-impaired 2023.
Oscar-winning producer and manager Michael Sugar’s company, Sugar23, is leading the new initiative, which has secured attendance from brands representing some $120 billion in spending. Those Madison Avenue dollars are drawn to the talent in the Zoom. While organizers have not shared the names of presenters to the public, the host committee for the event includes Scarlett Johansson,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook on Twitter and Instagram.NEWSAn Inconvenient Truth.Participant, the socially conscious production company, has closed, which filmmaker Julie Cohen called “devastating news to anyone who cares about documentaries.” Their twenty-year track record includes many nonfiction films, such as An Inconvenient Truth (2006), but also narrative features like Spotlight (2015) and Roma (2018).New data suggests that Hollywood production has gradually rebounded after last year’s WGA and SAG strikes, though not to the levels of the “peak TV” streaming bubble.The Archival Producers Alliance has drafted best practices for the use of generative AI in documentary, cautioning against the “danger of forever muddying the historical record.”In PRODUCTIONMartin Scorsese is reportedly developing a Frank Sinatra biopic, to star Leonardo DiCaprio as the crooner and Jennifer Lawrence as Ava Gardner.
- 4/25/2024
- MUBI
Whether it’s the role of Buddy in Edgar Wright‘s Baby Driver or Cyclone in one of the biggest films of 2022, Top Gun: Maverick, Jon Hamm is always one of the most attractive people on set. Similar was the case during his stint in his breakthrough show, Mad Men, which launched Hamm and his costar Christina Hendricks’ career to prominence.
But while Hamm was the most good-looking guy on the set, whose beauty left his costars awestruck, Hendricks’ beauty too became too much to handle for the crew on the set of Mad Men.
Christina Hendricks’ Beauty Was Too Much To Handle for the Mad Men Crew
Jon Hamm | Mad Men (via AMC)
Speaking about his experience with the two actors of the acclaimed ABC show, John Slattery recalled the impact of their looks on the rest of the crew. Playing the impossibly good-looking Don Draper in the drama,...
But while Hamm was the most good-looking guy on the set, whose beauty left his costars awestruck, Hendricks’ beauty too became too much to handle for the crew on the set of Mad Men.
Christina Hendricks’ Beauty Was Too Much To Handle for the Mad Men Crew
Jon Hamm | Mad Men (via AMC)
Speaking about his experience with the two actors of the acclaimed ABC show, John Slattery recalled the impact of their looks on the rest of the crew. Playing the impossibly good-looking Don Draper in the drama,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Santanu Roy
- FandomWire
A new posthumous Johnny Cash album, Songwriter, filled with previously unreleased tunes written and performed by the Man in Black is set to arrive June 28 via Mercury Nashville/UMe.
The 11-track collection features songs Cash had written over many years, then finally put to tape during a demo session at Lsi Studios in Nashville in early 1993. But that project was ultimately scrapped after Cash met Rick Rubin and the two struck up a prolific creative partnership that lasted through Cash’s death in 2003.
After Cash’s son, John Carter Cash,...
The 11-track collection features songs Cash had written over many years, then finally put to tape during a demo session at Lsi Studios in Nashville in early 1993. But that project was ultimately scrapped after Cash met Rick Rubin and the two struck up a prolific creative partnership that lasted through Cash’s death in 2003.
After Cash’s son, John Carter Cash,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
An unreleased Johnny Cash album will finally see the light of day, thanks to his son John Carter Cash and a team of world-class country musicians. Titled Songwriter, the project was recorded in 1993, and will be released on June 28th via Mercury Nashville/UMe.
Songwriter features 11 songs written solely by Cash over the course of his then-40-year-long career. He made the album at Lsi Studios in Nashville during a period when he was between contracts, and it ultimately ended up shelved until his son, John Carter, and producer David “Fergie” Ferguson sought to finish it with a group of musicians who played with Cash, including Marty Stuart, Pete Abbott, the late Dave Roe, and others.
Today, ahead of the album’s release, Cash’s estate shared the single “Well Alright,” a classic story-telling song with an even-more-classic country arrangement, even down to the tinny lead guitar, train-shuffle beat, and folksy,...
Songwriter features 11 songs written solely by Cash over the course of his then-40-year-long career. He made the album at Lsi Studios in Nashville during a period when he was between contracts, and it ultimately ended up shelved until his son, John Carter, and producer David “Fergie” Ferguson sought to finish it with a group of musicians who played with Cash, including Marty Stuart, Pete Abbott, the late Dave Roe, and others.
Today, ahead of the album’s release, Cash’s estate shared the single “Well Alright,” a classic story-telling song with an even-more-classic country arrangement, even down to the tinny lead guitar, train-shuffle beat, and folksy,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Jo Vito
- Consequence - Music
Editors note: Filmmaker and producer Davis Guggenheim directed 2006’s An Inconvenient Truth featuring Al Gore. The film won the Oscar and helped put Jeff Skoll’s social-impact-driven production company then known as Participant Media on the map, and also sounded an alarm about climate change that has become more pronounced since the film was released. In addition to documentaries, Participant was also responsible for Oscar Best Picture winners Spotlight and Green Book, and Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion, another timely topic. Guggenheim is a co-founder of Concordia Studio and most recently directed and produced Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, which won four Emmys including for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special. He is the only person to direct and produce three distinct films ranking in the top 100 highest-grossing documentaries of all time. Here he penned a guest column for Deadline after learning Participant was shuttering.
- 4/23/2024
- by Davis Guggenheim
- Deadline Film + TV
At first, I was shocked by the news that Participant Media was dying. Such an appealing company. Smart. Mindful. Vibrant. Forward-thinking. The producer of intelligent films like Spotlight and Green Book, with a distinctly progressive message.
How could this be?
Then it finally hit me. Whatever else may have happened—announcing the shutdown, proprietor Jeff Skoll cited “revolutionary” changes in the entertainment business—Participant went under, I believe, because most of high-end Hollywood jumped into the company’s basically sound but modestly sized boat. The purpose-film niche was swamped.
It’s almost hard to remember that 20 years ago, when Participant was founded, the notion of a self-consciously message-oriented, activist film company was actually novel.
But, cinematically speaking, it was a much different world in 2004. The top movie that year was Shrek 2—not much message there. Culturally, the big story was a religious film, The Passion of the Christ. That hasn’t happened since.
How could this be?
Then it finally hit me. Whatever else may have happened—announcing the shutdown, proprietor Jeff Skoll cited “revolutionary” changes in the entertainment business—Participant went under, I believe, because most of high-end Hollywood jumped into the company’s basically sound but modestly sized boat. The purpose-film niche was swamped.
It’s almost hard to remember that 20 years ago, when Participant was founded, the notion of a self-consciously message-oriented, activist film company was actually novel.
But, cinematically speaking, it was a much different world in 2004. The top movie that year was Shrek 2—not much message there. Culturally, the big story was a religious film, The Passion of the Christ. That hasn’t happened since.
- 4/21/2024
- by Michael Cieply
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s festival season on Snapchat, and the app is joining the crowd with a plethora of filters, Discover content, and geo-located goodies. The fun begins at Coachella, where Snapchat is offering an array of coverage over two weekends.
Snapchat kicked off its Coachella celebration during the weekend of April 13, when the music and arts festival returned to its usual home in the California desert. In-app features designed for concertgoers will continue to be available as Coachella heads into its second weekend, which runs through April 21.
The tentpole includes a curated collection of Stories, which can be found in the Discover tab of the Snapchat app. Geo-fenced filters allow users to share the “fun,” “vibes,” and “fits” they encounter while attending Coachella. Some of those filters will be used in challenges that will run on Spotlight, Snapchat’s TikTok-style format. As per usual, Snap will attach cash prizes to those competitions.
Snapchat kicked off its Coachella celebration during the weekend of April 13, when the music and arts festival returned to its usual home in the California desert. In-app features designed for concertgoers will continue to be available as Coachella heads into its second weekend, which runs through April 21.
The tentpole includes a curated collection of Stories, which can be found in the Discover tab of the Snapchat app. Geo-fenced filters allow users to share the “fun,” “vibes,” and “fits” they encounter while attending Coachella. Some of those filters will be used in challenges that will run on Spotlight, Snapchat’s TikTok-style format. As per usual, Snap will attach cash prizes to those competitions.
- 4/19/2024
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
End of an era, end of a business model, end of a gravy train, end of the world. There were plenty of mixed emotions this week in response to the closure of Oscar-winning production company Participant, and at the very least the industry has agreed something has come to an end.
When Variety broke the news Tuesday that billionaire Jeff Skoll’s 20-year-old company will shut down — after fetching 21 Oscars and introducing a business model that prioritized social impact a bit more than profits – many in the industry were rattled. Not just that mid-level, standalone financier and producer had left the market, but what that means for the viability of movies and TV shows that ask vital questions about justice and the humanity’s future.
“The end of Participant Media is devastating news to anyone who cares about documentaries,” director Julie Cohen wrote bluntly on X. She’s the co-director...
When Variety broke the news Tuesday that billionaire Jeff Skoll’s 20-year-old company will shut down — after fetching 21 Oscars and introducing a business model that prioritized social impact a bit more than profits – many in the industry were rattled. Not just that mid-level, standalone financier and producer had left the market, but what that means for the viability of movies and TV shows that ask vital questions about justice and the humanity’s future.
“The end of Participant Media is devastating news to anyone who cares about documentaries,” director Julie Cohen wrote bluntly on X. She’s the co-director...
- 4/19/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
The Bold and the Beautiful spoilers for Friday, April 19, 2024 reveal that Lauren Fenmore Baldwin (Tracey E. Bregman) tells Deacon Sharpe (Sean Kanan) about Sugar.
Coming Up On The Bold And The Beautiful
Meanwhile, John “Finn” Finnegan (Tanner Novlan), Liam Spencer (Scott Clifton), Hope Logan (Annika Noelle), and Steffy Forrester Finnegan (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) all worry about Deacon’s mental health. Keep reading to find out what is coming up in the next episode of the CBS soap opera.
Deacon Sharpe’s Name Drop
B&b spoilers for Friday, April 19 reveal that Deacon can’t stop obsessing about Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown) possibly being alive.
Multiple people have confronted Deacon and told him to stop. Deacon can’t and won’t, though. In fact, Deacon keeps telling everyone about his theories instead of investigating it first.
At the end of Thursday’s episode, Lauren stopped dead in her tracks when Deacon mentioned the name “Sugar.
Coming Up On The Bold And The Beautiful
Meanwhile, John “Finn” Finnegan (Tanner Novlan), Liam Spencer (Scott Clifton), Hope Logan (Annika Noelle), and Steffy Forrester Finnegan (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) all worry about Deacon’s mental health. Keep reading to find out what is coming up in the next episode of the CBS soap opera.
Deacon Sharpe’s Name Drop
B&b spoilers for Friday, April 19 reveal that Deacon can’t stop obsessing about Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown) possibly being alive.
Multiple people have confronted Deacon and told him to stop. Deacon can’t and won’t, though. In fact, Deacon keeps telling everyone about his theories instead of investigating it first.
At the end of Thursday’s episode, Lauren stopped dead in her tracks when Deacon mentioned the name “Sugar.
- 4/18/2024
- by Taylor Hancen Rios
- Celebrating The Soaps
The shocking news that Participant, a leading producer of specialized/independent features with a socially relevant interest as well many top documentaries, is shutting down immediately hit the industry hard Tuesday. With a profile of co-produced films over the last 20 years that rivals any other company’s slate, this was devastating news.
Founder and owner Jeff Skoll’s decision to shut down his company will impact the production of a certain kind of specialized film, particularly in the documentary field. Never a distributor, and most often collaborating with other production companies, Participant was still a significant force for most of its two decades.
But what’s the real impact of this move? Jonathan Dana, a veteran distribution executive and producer, commented, “It didn’t fail. It just ran its course.” That typifies much of the insider reaction, which relates to the specific purpose and goals of the company.
‘Spotlight’ © Open...
Founder and owner Jeff Skoll’s decision to shut down his company will impact the production of a certain kind of specialized film, particularly in the documentary field. Never a distributor, and most often collaborating with other production companies, Participant was still a significant force for most of its two decades.
But what’s the real impact of this move? Jonathan Dana, a veteran distribution executive and producer, commented, “It didn’t fail. It just ran its course.” That typifies much of the insider reaction, which relates to the specific purpose and goals of the company.
‘Spotlight’ © Open...
- 4/18/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
James Warburton, MD and CEO of Seven West Media, one of Australia’s largest media conglomerates, has resigned following a series of scandals. He was scheduled to depart the company in December, but now exits with immediate effect following a board meeting on Thursday.
In a filing to the Australian Stock Exchange, Seven West said that Jeff Howard, currently its chief finance officer, will take over as MD and CEO with effect from Friday. Craig Haskins will act as interim CFO until a successor to Howard is appointed.
Seven West owns the Seven Network and its affiliates, the 7plus: 7News digital platform and newspapers including The West Australian and the Sunday Times. Its proprietor and chairman, Kerry Stokes thanked Warburton for “his contribution over many years.”
Among the scandals, one was recently revealed in a court case that did not directly involve Seven, but instead appeared to reveal much about it.
In a filing to the Australian Stock Exchange, Seven West said that Jeff Howard, currently its chief finance officer, will take over as MD and CEO with effect from Friday. Craig Haskins will act as interim CFO until a successor to Howard is appointed.
Seven West owns the Seven Network and its affiliates, the 7plus: 7News digital platform and newspapers including The West Australian and the Sunday Times. Its proprietor and chairman, Kerry Stokes thanked Warburton for “his contribution over many years.”
Among the scandals, one was recently revealed in a court case that did not directly involve Seven, but instead appeared to reveal much about it.
- 4/18/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Jeff Skoll, the billionaire philanthropist who launched Participant 20 years ago to champion socially conscious films, is closing down the impact producer-financier behind Spotlight, Roma, and Green Book.
In a memo to staff on Tuesday morning eBay co-founder Skoll said, ”I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability. Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created, distributed and consumed.”
The statement hinted at what may have driven the Canadian’s “very difficult decision”. Studios and streamers are scrutinising their spend more than ever,...
In a memo to staff on Tuesday morning eBay co-founder Skoll said, ”I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability. Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created, distributed and consumed.”
The statement hinted at what may have driven the Canadian’s “very difficult decision”. Studios and streamers are scrutinising their spend more than ever,...
- 4/16/2024
- ScreenDaily
After 20 years, Participant is shutting down.
Founder Jeff Skoll announced the news in a note to staff Tuesday, writing, “after much reflection, I have made the very difficult decision to wind down company operations.” During its run, the company was behind best picture winners Green Book and Moonlight, and docs such as An Inconvenient Truth and Rbg.
EBay co-founder Skoll founded the company in 2004 with a dual mission of making money and inspiring social change through entertainment (the company later moved into television and other ventures). It has helped produce and finance a slew of high-profile awards contenders. Its films won 21 Oscars and its series won 18 Emmys. It earned more than $3.3 billion at the box office. Veteran studio executive David Linde has been running Participant since 2016; previous execs involved in Participant include Ricky Strauss.
It was heavily involved in the nonfiction space, with its shuttering sure to send ripples through that community.
Founder Jeff Skoll announced the news in a note to staff Tuesday, writing, “after much reflection, I have made the very difficult decision to wind down company operations.” During its run, the company was behind best picture winners Green Book and Moonlight, and docs such as An Inconvenient Truth and Rbg.
EBay co-founder Skoll founded the company in 2004 with a dual mission of making money and inspiring social change through entertainment (the company later moved into television and other ventures). It has helped produce and finance a slew of high-profile awards contenders. Its films won 21 Oscars and its series won 18 Emmys. It earned more than $3.3 billion at the box office. Veteran studio executive David Linde has been running Participant since 2016; previous execs involved in Participant include Ricky Strauss.
It was heavily involved in the nonfiction space, with its shuttering sure to send ripples through that community.
- 4/16/2024
- by Aaron Couch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Participant, the media company behind films like “Spotlight,” “Green Book,” “Roma,” and many more, is shutting its doors after 20 years in operation.
Jeff Skoll, who founded the company in 2004, informed the staff in a memo (obtained by IndieWire) that Participant would “wind down company operations.”
Nearly all of Participant’s roughly 100 staffers are being let go with no new content or production in the works. Only Participant’s library of 135 films remaining.
“I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability,” Skoll wrote. “Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created, distributed and consumed.”
Participant’s 135 titles, half of them documentaries and also including five series, have earned $3.3 billion at the global box office. Participant has produced two Best Picture winners and earned 21 Oscars total from 86 nominations, as well as 18 Emmys on 62 nominations.
Jeff Skoll, who founded the company in 2004, informed the staff in a memo (obtained by IndieWire) that Participant would “wind down company operations.”
Nearly all of Participant’s roughly 100 staffers are being let go with no new content or production in the works. Only Participant’s library of 135 films remaining.
“I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability,” Skoll wrote. “Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created, distributed and consumed.”
Participant’s 135 titles, half of them documentaries and also including five series, have earned $3.3 billion at the global box office. Participant has produced two Best Picture winners and earned 21 Oscars total from 86 nominations, as well as 18 Emmys on 62 nominations.
- 4/16/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Financier and producer Participant is shuttering after 20 years. Founder Jeff Skoll alerted staff at 10:30Am, Deadline has confirmed.
The production’s m.o. was to bring content to the world that was socially conscious, read their Oscar Best Picture winners Spotlight and Universal’s Green Book, as well as DreamWorks’ Oscar winner Lincoln. All in Participant counts 135 films, five series, 21 Oscars including two Best Pictures, four Best Documentaries and two Best International Features, 18 Primetime Emmys and north of $3.3 billion in global box office.
Skoll told staffers, as you can read below, that it was a “very difficult decision” and stems from it being “the right time for me to evaluate my next chapter and approach to tackling the pressing issues of our time.” He also mentioned that he hasn’t been involved in the day-to-day management of the studio.
Skoll is a Canadian engineer, billionaire who was the first president of eBay.
The production’s m.o. was to bring content to the world that was socially conscious, read their Oscar Best Picture winners Spotlight and Universal’s Green Book, as well as DreamWorks’ Oscar winner Lincoln. All in Participant counts 135 films, five series, 21 Oscars including two Best Pictures, four Best Documentaries and two Best International Features, 18 Primetime Emmys and north of $3.3 billion in global box office.
Skoll told staffers, as you can read below, that it was a “very difficult decision” and stems from it being “the right time for me to evaluate my next chapter and approach to tackling the pressing issues of our time.” He also mentioned that he hasn’t been involved in the day-to-day management of the studio.
Skoll is a Canadian engineer, billionaire who was the first president of eBay.
- 4/16/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Participant, the 20-year-old film and television production company whose mission was to inspire social justice and humanitarian action, is shutting down.
Founder Jeff Skoll broke the news to a staff of roughly 100 on Tuesday. Established in 2004, Participant co-produced or co-financed a number of notable movies including best picture Oscar winners “Spotlight” and “Green Book,” as well as Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” and the breakthrough documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Almost all of Participant’s employees will be dismissed, multiple sources familiar with its plans said, and no new content development or production will be pursued. What’s left will be a skeletal holding company overseeing the Participant library, which represents interests in the 135 films it has made.
“I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability. Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created,...
Founder Jeff Skoll broke the news to a staff of roughly 100 on Tuesday. Established in 2004, Participant co-produced or co-financed a number of notable movies including best picture Oscar winners “Spotlight” and “Green Book,” as well as Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” and the breakthrough documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Almost all of Participant’s employees will be dismissed, multiple sources familiar with its plans said, and no new content development or production will be pursued. What’s left will be a skeletal holding company overseeing the Participant library, which represents interests in the 135 films it has made.
“I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability. Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Following a gala closing night celebration featuring Steve Buscemi and his film “The Listener,” the 2024 Sarasota Film Festival has announced its awards — with several prominent indies taking the top prizes. This 26th edition of the Florida festival celebrating independent film gave the Narrative Feature Jury Prize to Josh Margolin’s Sundance breakout “Thelma,” starring June Squibb and the late Richard Roundtree. “Sugarcane” won the Documentary Feature Jury Prize.
Speaking for the narrative feature jury, filmmaker Alex Hedison, in awarding the prize to “Thelma,” said the group found the movie to celebrate “what Hollywood cinema so infrequently does: age. The extraordinary performances by June Squib and Richard Roundtree are at the center of ‘Thelma,’ surrounded by an excellent supporting cast who serve as a surrogate for the audience in reminding them of the significance of living their best lives with the kind of action and adventure life affords us if we...
Speaking for the narrative feature jury, filmmaker Alex Hedison, in awarding the prize to “Thelma,” said the group found the movie to celebrate “what Hollywood cinema so infrequently does: age. The extraordinary performances by June Squib and Richard Roundtree are at the center of ‘Thelma,’ surrounded by an excellent supporting cast who serve as a surrogate for the audience in reminding them of the significance of living their best lives with the kind of action and adventure life affords us if we...
- 4/15/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Plot: An insider account of how the women of “Newsnight” secured Prince Andrew’s infamous 2019 interview about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Review: Sometimes, pursuing a news story is as fascinating as the story itself. From All The President’s Men to Spotlight, countless films have looked at the reporters and journalists who have investigated the most significant revelations of all time and have garnered awards for the recreation of the tireless journey. The distance between the event and the dramatization often reminds audiences of the stakes at play, but Scoop chronicles a news story that occurred just six years ago. Led by Billie Piper as the producer who secured the shocking interview alongside Gillian Anderson, Romola Garai, Keeley Hawes, and Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew, Scoop has some exciting stories from an insider’s point of view. Still, it fails to generate anything we did not already get from the broadcast itself.
Review: Sometimes, pursuing a news story is as fascinating as the story itself. From All The President’s Men to Spotlight, countless films have looked at the reporters and journalists who have investigated the most significant revelations of all time and have garnered awards for the recreation of the tireless journey. The distance between the event and the dramatization often reminds audiences of the stakes at play, but Scoop chronicles a news story that occurred just six years ago. Led by Billie Piper as the producer who secured the shocking interview alongside Gillian Anderson, Romola Garai, Keeley Hawes, and Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew, Scoop has some exciting stories from an insider’s point of view. Still, it fails to generate anything we did not already get from the broadcast itself.
- 4/7/2024
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Netflix doesn’t at all try to hold back from making fun of Prince Andrew in their latest film, Scoop. The Philip Martin-directed film is based on former BBC editor Sam McAlister’s book about securing one of the most sensational interviews of Prince Andrew in the history of the BBC. The context is rather grave, as the interview was focused on the grim subject of Andrew’s friendship with the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. Billie Piper is electrifying as McAlister, and so is Gillian Anderson, who plays Emily Maitlis, the famous British journalist who took the interview. But it is Rufus Sewell who delivers the standout performance as the controversial Prince. However, the film still falls quite flat, as, at the end of the day, it doesn’t really offer anything substantial to the viewers. Despite all the brilliant performances, Scoop remains just another Netflix...
- 4/6/2024
- by Rohitavra Majumdar
- Film Fugitives
Australia’s Seven West Media and its Seven network may risk reputational damage following Federal Court revelations in Sydney on Thursday and Friday.
The defamation case was brought by former Liberal Party political aide Bruce Lehrmann against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson. It does not directly involve Seven.
Lehrmann was tried in court in 2022 over the alleged rape of another political aide, Brittany Higgins, in Canberra in 2021. But the case and a retrial were abandoned with no findings against him.
Lehrmann’s defamation case alleges that Network 10 and Wilkinson have made false claims that he raped Higgins.
Network 10 and Higgins have said that they would defend their reporting as “substantially true.”
In late 2022, Seven, Australia’s most-watched TV network, aired an exclusive two-part interview with Lehrmann. But how its “Spotlight” investigative news program obtained that interview is now the subject of intense debate.
In court on Thursday, former...
The defamation case was brought by former Liberal Party political aide Bruce Lehrmann against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson. It does not directly involve Seven.
Lehrmann was tried in court in 2022 over the alleged rape of another political aide, Brittany Higgins, in Canberra in 2021. But the case and a retrial were abandoned with no findings against him.
Lehrmann’s defamation case alleges that Network 10 and Wilkinson have made false claims that he raped Higgins.
Network 10 and Higgins have said that they would defend their reporting as “substantially true.”
In late 2022, Seven, Australia’s most-watched TV network, aired an exclusive two-part interview with Lehrmann. But how its “Spotlight” investigative news program obtained that interview is now the subject of intense debate.
In court on Thursday, former...
- 4/5/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
On November 16, 2019, the BBC got a “scoop” that just might have saved Britain’s premier network for news. That is the night it aired its seemingly impossible “get” of Hrh Prince Andrew actually sitting down with the BBC’s signature news show, Newsnight, to talk about the raging scandal over his relationship with the notorious Jeffrey Epstein, as well as his alleged sexual encounters with Virginia Roberts. However, the facts of the matter, such as they were, are not at all what the new Netflix film Scoop is all about.
Instead, much like She Said, The Post, Spotlight and All the President’s Men, the emphasis here is on the reporters, four key woman journalists who incredibly negotiated a sit-down interview with Andrew when such a thing would be unthinkable. They pulled it all off just at a time when facts themselves were on trial and the future of legitimate newsgathering...
Instead, much like She Said, The Post, Spotlight and All the President’s Men, the emphasis here is on the reporters, four key woman journalists who incredibly negotiated a sit-down interview with Andrew when such a thing would be unthinkable. They pulled it all off just at a time when facts themselves were on trial and the future of legitimate newsgathering...
- 4/4/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
The release of ‘Echo’ show brought several new things to the MCU. It was the first show to air under the Marvel Spotlight banner and the first character-driven R-rated show. Despite the relatively unknown character helming it, it achieved decent success. The most groundbreaking thing about ‘Echo’ was the fact that the showrunners were forced to canonize Netflix’s ‘The Defenders Saga’ and add it to the official MCU timeline.
Yes, doing this opened up some potential plotholes that will presumably be ironed out in future projects, but it had to be done. Kingpin played a massive role in ‘Echo’ and his backstory played a massive role, the showrunners had no choice but to add Netflix’s shows to the MCU Timeline despite not referencing them at all in prior Disney+ projects. Brad Winderbaum explained their train of thought in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
We finally said it out loud.
Yes, doing this opened up some potential plotholes that will presumably be ironed out in future projects, but it had to be done. Kingpin played a massive role in ‘Echo’ and his backstory played a massive role, the showrunners had no choice but to add Netflix’s shows to the MCU Timeline despite not referencing them at all in prior Disney+ projects. Brad Winderbaum explained their train of thought in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
We finally said it out loud.
- 3/21/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Comic Basics
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