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Exclusive: In a heated bidding battle for a dish that would seem best served cold, Apple Studios prevailed in a 3-streamer auction and will pay $1.6 million against around $3 million for Foster the Snowman. It’s an exceptionally large deal for a holiday pitch by Jono Matt & Peter Huyck for a high concept family film that bidders hope has the makings of a holiday perennial movie in the vein of Elf, Home Alone and It’s A Wonderful Life.

Apple won the deal over rival streamers Netflix and Amazon MGM, after the writers pitched to 12 places over four days, with different elements attached around town. I’ve heard that at least one of the rival streamers might have bid higher on the upfront end, but Apple had an advantage: Huyck is EP of the streamer’s hot Hollywood insider sitcom The Studio, and also producer Kevin Walsh’s The Walsh Company has...

The Gorge, the latest release from Apple Original Films, debuted on February 14 and has had the best-performing streaming premiere on Apple TV+. The film stars Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Sigourney Weaver.

Apple revealed to Deadline that The Gorge has set a new debut performance record, effectively moving Wolfs, starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney, to second place. “It’s been a thrill for all of us at Apple to see the unforgettably original and inventive world Scott has created with The Gorge resonate in such a massive way with audiences around the globe,” said Apple Original Films' Matt Dentler, head of features. The Gorge currently has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 64%.

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The Gorge Is Inspired by Horror Video Games

The Gorge...

Apple TV+ has a huge hit on its hands as The Gorge has become its biggest movie yet. The film, which stars Miles Teller (Whiplash) and Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen's Gambit), was directed by Scott Derrickson and has beaten the premiere of Apple's hit movie, Wolfs, which starred George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

The Gorge follows two snipers from different nations, Levi (Teller) and Drasa (Taylor-Joy), as they stand guard over a gorge that holds many mysteries. Despite being on either side of the gorge in two separate watch towers, the two become close. But when the pair learn what the evil is that lurks at the bottom of the gorge, they have to fight to stop it from leaving. Sigourney Weaver also stars, and the script was written by Zach Dean.

When the movie premiered on Apple TV+ on Feb. 14, it quickly shot up to number one on the streamer's chart.

The Gorge had Apple TV+’s biggest film premiere since the streaming service launched in 2019.

Deadline reports that the genre-bending thriller from Scott Derrickson eclipsed Jon Watts‘ Wolfs, which pivoted from a wide release to a small theatrical and global streaming release last fall.

Apple does not divulge specific numbers, but the company confirms The Gorge drove double-digit growth globally and boosted new viewers by +80% weekend over weekend following its debut on February 14.

Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy star as as two highly-trained operatives who grow close from a distance after being sent to guard opposite sides of a mysterious gorge. When an evil below emerges, they must work together to survive what lies within.

Sigourney Weaver co-stars in the movie, written by Zach Dean (The Tomorrow War).

“It’s been a thrill for all of us at Apple to see the unforgettably original and inventive world Scott has created...

Apple Original Films’ The Gorge has set a new record as the most-watched film debut in Apple TV+ history. Directed by Scott Derrickson, the thriller stars Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy as rival guardians overseeing a mysterious gorge. Their relationship evolves as they uncover the truth about what lies beneath.

Apple has not disclosed exact viewership figures but confirmed that The Gorge surpassed all previous film launches on the platform. The film outperformed Wolfs, the Jon Watts-directed project starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt, which had initially been slated for a theatrical release before moving to streaming. Apple reported a significant increase in global viewership following The Gorge’s February 14 debut, with an 80% rise in new subscribers over the weekend.

Matt Dentler, head of features at Apple Original Films, highlighted the film’s success. “It’s been a thrill for all of us at Apple to see the unforgettably...

Exclusive: Apple Original Films’ The Gorge has become the biggest film launch in the young streamer’s history. The Scott Derrickson-directed thriller from Skydance stars Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy as rival guardians on the watchtower overseeing a mysterious gorge below, It becomes a long-distance relationship that leads to the inevitable plunge below to discover the truth about creatures dwelling there. It’s one of the sharper direct-to-streaming films I’ve seen in a good long time. The Gorge eclipses numbers turned in by the Jon Watts-directed George Clooney-Brad Pitt-starrer Wolfs, which launched last fall, pivoting from a planned wide release to a small theatrical and global streaming release.

Apple does not divulge specific numbers, but the company confirms it is the biggest film premiere in Apple TV+ history, driving double-digit growth globally for the service and boosting new viewers by +80%, weekend over weekend, following its debut on Friday,...

Update: It looks like the decision to pull the plug on the Wolfs sequel didn’t come from Apple, with director Jon Watts explaining via a statement to Deadline that cancelling the sequel was his choice. It turns out, it was Apple’s decision to pivot the movie to a limited theatrical release (one week only) before it’s streaming bow was the main culprit. He explains:

“I wasn’t even told about it (the pivot to streaming) until less than a week before they announced it to the world. I was completely shocked and asked them to please not include the news that I was writing a sequel. They ignored my request and announced it in their press release anyway, seemingly to create a positive spin to their streaming pivot. And so I quietly returned the money they gave me for the sequel. I didn’t want to talk...

Apple TV+ has canceled plans for a sequel to its blockbuster film “Wolfs,” surprise industry analysts who anticipated the project to proceed. Director Jon Watts confirmed the cancellation in a recent interview, saying, “I don’t know what I’m directing next, and I don’t think there’s going to be a ‘Wolfs’ sequel.”

The decision follows the original film’s successful streaming premiere. “Wolfs” became Apple TV+’s most-watched feature film after premiering at the Venice Film Festival, where actors Brad Pitt and George Clooney walked the red carpet.

The film, about two criminal fixers who manage a high-stakes night in New York, initially had distribution issues. Apple revised their distribution strategy just weeks before the premiere, going from a wide theatrical release to a limited one-week theatrical run on September 20 and a streaming release on September 27.

This decision was remarkable given Clooney’s pledge to ensure a theatrical release.

“Wolfs 2” the sequel to the action comedy from “Spider-Man: No Way Home” director Jon Watts that starred Brad Pitt and George Clooney, is cancelled according to the director.

While doing the junket circuit to promote his Disney+ “Star Wars” series “Skeleton Crew,” the filmmaker told Collider, “I don’t know what I’m directing next, and I don’t think there’s going to be a ‘Wolfs’ sequel.”

Reps for Apple TV+ did not respond to The Wrap’s request for comment.

In “Wolfs,” Clooney plays a professional fixer hired to cover up a high profile crime. But when a second fixer (Pitt) shows up and the two “lone wolves” are forced to work together, they find their night spiraling out of control in ways that neither one of them expected.

A little over three months ago ahead of the film’s release, rather than a full theatrical exclusive run...

Three months after Apple inked a deal with director Jon Watts to develop a follow-up to his crime caper “Wolfs,” starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt, plans for the sequel have now been halted, Variety has learned.

The confirmation comes after Collider published an interview with Watts Friday morning. Promoting his new Disney+ “Star Wars” series “Skeleton Crew,” the filmmaker was asked about his coming plans, responding “I don’t know what I’m directing next, and I don’t think there’s going to be a ‘Wolfs’ sequel.” Variety has since confirmed with sources that plans have been scrapped.

Apple TV+ did not immediately respond for comment.

Back in August, Apple gave a rose-and-thorn update to its rollout of “Wolfs.” The tech giant confirmed that it was pulling the wide theatrical release of the film, which it had partnered with Sony on as a distributor. Instead, “Wolfs” moved to...

Exclusive: Apple TV+ has extended its first-look deal with Oscar-nominated producer Kevin Walsh and his The Walsh Company shingle, to continue to develop and produce original films and series for the service.

This is a sweeter deal, and positions Walsh to become a bigger supplier for Apple’s slate of originals. It comes after Walsh produced Apple Original Films’ The Instigators, which launched as the most-watched movie on Apple TV+; and the Ridley Scott-directed Napoleon. Up next is another Apple original, Echo Valley, a Michael Pearce-directed thriller that stars Julianne Moore alongside Sydney Sweeney from an original screenplay by Brad Ingelsby. Produced by The Walsh Company and Scott Free Films, that film debuts next year.

Walsh is also in the middle of a potential sequel to The Instigators, sorting it out with Apple, director Doug Liman, co-writers Casey Affleck and Chuck MacLean and Artists Equity partners Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

Wolfs, the action comedy starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt, has become the most-viewed movie in Apple TV+ history. The streaming service hasn’t released specific numbers, but Deadline has heard that its release “boosted viewership by nearly 30% week over week.” It was particularly popular in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, and Germany.

“When George, Brad and Jon approached us with the idea for Wolfs, it was an easy call — a crackling, fun movie starring two Oscar winners who everyone knows are iconic together,” said Matt Dentler, Apple Original Films’ head of features. “Now, audiences have chosen in droves to make Wolfs part of their weekend, making the movie a global blockbuster. We always consider Apple TV+ to be the home for the world’s most talented artists to create and deliver their best work, and it’s exciting to see audiences embrace that so overwhelmingly.

The new action movie featuring a reunion of George Clooney and Brad Pitt raised week-over-week viewership on Apple TV+ precipitously.

Be careful if you decide to browse Apple TV+ for something new to stream because there are officially a pair of wolves on the loose! Deadline has an exclusive report on the success of the new Apple original movie “Wolfs,” which reunites “Ocean's 11” costars Brad Pitt and George Clooney on screen for the first time since 2012’s “8”. According to the report, “Wolfs” is now the most successful movie premiere in the history of Apple TV+.

Key Details: As usual, Apple did not provide many specific numbers to quantify how many viewers have watched “Wolfs.” The company did say the film raised viewership by nearly 30% on a week-to-week basis. Director Jon Watts has already been secured to produce a sequel for the streamer. 7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month apple.com

The...

Exclusive: Add this one to the ongoing push-pull between streaming and theatrical. Wolfs, the Jon Watts-scripted and -directed film starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt, has become the most viewed movie in Apple TV+ history.

Apple doesn’t break out specifics, but I’m told the film boosted viewership by nearly 30% week over week on the service. It premiered on Apple TV+ on September 27, in more than 100 countries. The film created the biggest viewership spikes in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, and Germany.

Wolfs stars Clooney and Pitt as “fixers,” shadowy guys who solve thorny problems for the wealthy. These two have to change their lone-wolf habits and work together. The original deal called for a distribution plan that was to start with a wide theatrical release before landing on the streaming service. That got changed to a limited weeklong release before the big streaming bow.

Apple Original Films released a new Wolfs trailer two days ahead of the film’s premiere on Apple TV+. The action comedy reunites George Clooney and Brad Pitt, and the final pre-release trailer shows the off-screen friends exchanging insults and being forced to work together on a case.

“Clooney plays a professional fixer hired to cover up a high-profile crime,” reads Apple TV+’s synopsis. “But when a second fixer (Pitt) shows up and the two ‘lone wolves’ are forced to work together, they find their night spiraling out of control in ways that neither one of them expected.”

Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, Richard Kind, Zlatko Buric, and Poorna Jagannathan also star. Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s Jon Watts wrote the screenplay, directs, and produces. Additional producers include Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Grant Heslov, George Clooney, and Dianne McGunigle.

Brad PItt and George Clooney star in ‘Wolfs’ (Photo...

Apple Original Films today unveiled a new trailer for the highly anticipated action comedy Wolfs, starring Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, Poorna Jagannathan, Richard Kind, and Zlatko Burić.

Global superstars George Clooney and Brad Pitt team up for the action comedy Wolfs. Clooney plays a professional fixer hired to cover up a high-profile crime. But when a second fixer (Pitt) shows up and the two “lone wolves” are forced to work together, they find their night spiraling out of control in ways that neither one of them expected.

Wolfs is an Apple Original Film produced in partnership with George Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures and Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment. The movie is now playing in limited theaters and will debut globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, September 27.

The film was written, directed, and produced by Jon Watts (Spider-Man: No Way Home), alongside producers Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner,...

In yet another instance of “What the fuck is going on with Apple TV+’s release strategy,” the streamer has announced it’s shifting the George Clooney/Brad Pitt vehicle Wolfs from a wide theatrical release to a limited one, according to Variety. However, it has also already greenlit a...

‘Wolfs’ has been confirmed for a sequel - before it has even been released.The Apple Original Films action-comedy - which stars George Clooney, 63, and Brad Pitt, 60 - is due to premiere at the 81st Venice Film Festival later this month, and it has now been confirmed the project's 43-year-old creator Jon Watts has signed a deal with the studio to write, direct and produce a follow-up flick.The company also revealed the picture will get a limited theatrical run in the US on 20 September, before debuting globally on Apple TV+ a week later.In a statement, Apple Original Films head of features Matt Dentler said: “‘Wolfs’ is the kind of big event movie that makes Apple TV+ such an exceptional home for the best in entertainment.“With George and Brad’s remarkable and engaging chemistry under Jon Watts’ extraordinary direction, ‘Wolfs’ blends all the great elements of comedy, action,...

Apple Original Films has tapped writer, director, and producer Jon Watts to write a sequel to Wolfs, the eagerly anticipated action-comedy film led by Academy Award winners George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

The film will make its world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival ahead of its limited theatrical release on September 20. Wolfs will debut globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, September 27.

“‘Wolfs’ is the kind of big event movie that makes Apple TV+ such an exceptional home for the best in entertainment,” said Matt Dentler, head of features at Apple Original Films.

“With George and Brad’s remarkable and engaging chemistry under Jon Watts’ extraordinary direction, ‘Wolfs’ blends all the great elements of comedy, action, and drama into a hugely entertaining movie that will leave audiences ready for what’s next.

“Releasing the movie to theaters before making it widely available to Apple TV+ customers brings the...

“Wolfs,” the upcoming crime film that reunites George Clooney and Brad Pitt, is pivoting its theatrical release plan from a wide release to a limited one before it lands on Apple TV+. And though that may not sound like a vote of confidence, Apple has just announced a sequel for “Wolfs” before it’s even opened.

Jon Watts writes and directs “Wolfs,” and it was originally supposed to get a wide theatrical release on September 20 after first premiering at the Venice Film Festival. That release date is staying the same, but instead of getting a long run in theaters, Apple has also announced when it will drop on Apple TV+, one week later on September 27.

Apple had a box office bomb on its hands with this summer’s “Fly Me to the Moon,” a package the studio acquired for $100 million starring Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson that’s a fictionalized...

Apple Original Films is changing up its theatrical release strategy with “Wolfs,” the upcoming action comedy from “Spider-Man: No Way Home” director Jon Watts and starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney, which has a sequel already greenlit.

Rather than a full theatrical exclusive run similar to the ones Apple has done for films like “Argylle” and “Fly Me to the Moon” in partnership with legacy studios, “Wolfs” will be released in theaters for a limited release on Sept. 20 before being released on Apple TV+ one week later Sept. 27.

It is unclear whether “Wolfs,” which has Sony Pictures attached as a distribution partner will continue to run in theaters after its streaming release or if it is set to run in theaters for one week only. TheWrap has reached out to Apple for comment and will update with any response.

“‘Wolfs’ is the kind of big event movie that makes Apple...

According to Deadline, Apple has tapped Jon Watts to return to write, direct, and produce a sequel to Wolfs, the upcoming action comedy starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

Apple has also switched up the release strategy for the film. Wolfs was originally slated to have a wide theatrical release before launching on Apple TV+, but it will now receive a limited theatrical release on September 20th before debuting on the streaming service on September 27th. The film is still slated to make its world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, which runs from August 28th to September 7th.

Related Joker: Folie à Deux will bow in competition among others at the Venice Film Festival

“Wolfs is the kind of big event movie that makes Apple TV+ such an exceptional home for the best in entertainment,” said Matt Dentler, Apple Original Films’ Head of Features. “With George and...

Apple Original Films is shaking up its release strategy as it doubles down on the upcoming action-comedy “Wolfs,” starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

Apple has made a deal with director Jon Watts to helm, write and produce a sequel for the A-list stars.

The film, which will premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, was originally slated for a wide release before hitting Apple TV+. Now, it’s set for a one-week limited theatrical release on Sept. 20, followed by an Apple TV+ debut on Sept. 27.

In “Wolfs,” Clooney plays a professional fixer hired to cover up a high profile crime. But when a second fixer (Pitt) shows up and the two “lone wolves” are forced to work together, they find their night spiraling out of control in ways that neither one of them expected. The cast also includes Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, Poorna Jagannathan, Richard Kind and Zlatko Burić.

Exclusive: Apple has pivoted on the Jon Watts-directed George Clooney & Brad Pitt starrer Wolfs, which makes its world premiere at the 81st Venice Film Festival. Apple Original Films has made a deal with Watts to write, direct and produce a sequel vehicle for Clooney and Pitt.

At the same time, Apple has changed its plan for Wolfs to have a wide theatrical release before it lands on Apple TV+. It instead will receive a limited theatrical release September 20, and then debut globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, September 27.

Apple confirmed the release pivot, but sources said it does not signal a change in its hybrid strategy of a streaming service release preceded by a wide theatrical with P&a that was undertaken with Killers of the Flower Moon and Napoleon. Apple will stick to the wide theatrical release on its other film starring Pitt, the Formula One drama F1, which...

Exclusive: Big news here. Hot off his Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for Barbie, Ryan Gosling is launching a new production company General Admission with former Apple Original Films executive Jessie Henderson. In launching the new venture, the duo have inked a three-year first-look film deal at Amazon MGM Studios.

General Admission’s objective will be to collaborate with world class filmmakers to create bold theatrical and streaming events within all genres – fun, transportive entertainment for everyone. Under the pact, Amazon MGM Studios will have a first look on narrative features–some of which Gosling will star in–that General Admission intends to produce for both theatrical and streaming.

“We are so thrilled that Ryan Gosling and Jessie Henderson will make Amazon MGM Studios the home of their new company, General Admission,” said Courtenay Valenti, head of film, streaming, and theatrical at Amazon MGM Studios. “ As the name of their company conveys,...

Doug Jones, an independent film programmer with almost three decades of experience in film exhibition, contributed to the development of film culture across the U.S., and a former contributor to IndieWire, died November 2.

The news was announced on Instagram by Vidiots, the Los Angeles non-profit video store and cinema where Jones had worked as a buyer and programmer since May. On November 3, the video store announced that its screenings would be canceled through November 5, due to losing “a dear member” of its team. On November 4, it paid tribute directly to Jones.

“It breaks our heart to share that we have lost the great and wonderful Doug Jones, a beloved and indispensable member of the Vidiots family and a cornerstone of the global film programming community,” reads that statement posted on Vidiots’ Instagram account. “Doug is forever loved by his beautiful son and family, and an enormous network of devoted friends and colleagues.

Director Benjamin Caron says that he was “yearning to flex a different muscle” and go from the “historical period drama” that is The Crown to the thrills and spills of Andor and on to the delicious deceit at the heart of his accomplished first feature film Sharper, starring Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, John Lithgow, Justice Smith and Briana Middleton, giving a star-in-the-making performance.

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His excitement over Sharper, which is highly praised in a review by my Deadline colleague Pete Hammond, is palpable when we meet for a cuppa tea, which he prepares,...

Apple has confirmed Deadline’s scoop on winning an all-night bidding battle for the John Carney-directed Flora and Son, as Apple’s Heads of Worldwide Video Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht and their head of features Matt Dentler burned the midnight oil to make the label’s biggest Sundance Film Festival deal since they acquired Coda in 2021. That film went on to establish Apple as the first streamer to win the Best Picture Oscar, with the film also winning Best Adapted Screenplay for director Sian Heder and Best Supporting Actor for Troy Kotsur.

The three-year old Apple film label paid 25 million for Coda, and Flora and Son came in underneath that but it is certainly a pricey purchase — near the 20 million Netflix paid Monday for another festival favorite, Fair Play. That is more than the 15 million Apple paid at last Sundance for the Grand Jury Prize winner Cha Cha Real Smooth.

Apple revealed on Friday the streaming release dates for original films “Causeway,” starring Jennifer Lawrence, and the documentary “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues.” Both films are due to premiere at Toronto International Film Festival next week.

The A24-produced “Causeway” debuts Nov. 4 on Apple TV+. Lawrence produces and stars as a veteran grappling with a difficult transition from her time in the military to life at home in New Orleans. Directed by Lila Neugebauer in her feature debut, the film will screen at TIFF on Sept. 10 as a Special Presentation at Royal Alexandra Theatre.

“Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues,” described as the “definitive” documentary about the founding father of jazz, streams Oct. 28. Featuring archival footage and never-before-heard home recordings and personal conversations, Sacha Jenkins’ film will take an intimate look at his life and legacy. It’s set to open TIFF’s Documentary Section at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Sept.

“Causeway,” a new drama starring Jennifer Lawrence as a soldier adjusting to life after returning home to New Orleans, will premiere on Apple TV+ on Nov. 4. The streaming service also announced that “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues,” a documentary about one of the founding fathers of jazz, will hit Apple TV+ on Oct. 28.

Both films are world premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, where the company is screening five features, the largest number of Apple Originals to debut at a single film festival. The Canada-bound Apple lineup also includes “Sidney,” a documentary about Oscar-winning actor and barrier-breaking star Sidney Poitier that is produced by Oprah Winfrey and directed by Reginald Hudlin; “Raymond & Ray,” which features Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke as half-brothers; and “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” with Zac Efron and Russel Crowe in a new dramedy from “Green Book” director Peter Farrelly.

Apple will also use...

When Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht left Sony Pictures Television in 2017 to steer Apple’s film and TV fortunes, few doubted they would give the tech giant’s upstart content company a beachhead on the small screen. During their 12 years at Sony, they hatched hits like Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul and Rescue Me.

It was the film part of the equation that prompted questions about their qualifications. Even though they tapped Matt Dentler to run their film unit, Van Amburg and Erlicht were not nearly as prolific as their counterparts at Netflix, Disney+, Amazon or HBO Max. That fueled expectations they were biding time until they found the perfect seasoned movie executive to help put them on the map.

So, imagine everyone’s surprise when Apple became the first streamer to win the Best Picture Oscar in just its second year in the film business. The duo’s...

From Lady Gaga to the cast of “West Side Story,” it was the night Tinseltown came to London.

The 2022 Critics Choice Awards hosted a satellite ceremony in the British capital on Sunday night after the omicron variant of Covid-19 forced the show to vacate its initial slot of Jan. 9 and the new March 13 date clashed with the U.K. BAFTA Awards.

With a 10-hour flight and seven-hour time difference meaning attendees couldn’t hotfoot it between ceremonies, the broadcast from the U.K. ensured that nominees including Lady Gaga, Ariana DeBose and Troy Kotsur were able to be in two places at (almost) the same time.

In London, the Critics Choice Awards kicked off at 11 p.m. GMT (4 p.m. Pt), just as the BAFTA post-ceremony dinner was coming to a close, giving guests such as Rachel Zegler and Alana and Este Haim just enough time for a quick outfit change.

It’s a pretty sweet time to be a top executive in Hollywood.

A series of high-profile mergers and acquisitions, and the arrival of some tech giants looking to break into the entertainment business, has put a premium on corporate talent. All industry eyes have turned to Discovery chief David Zaslav to see what he has planned once his company’s merger with WarnerMedia is consummated, and speculation is running rampant about who deep-pocketed streamers Apple and Netflix may be planning to hire.

All of this jockeying is coming as the industry is experiencing a “once-in-a-generation seismic shift in the power structure of the business,” according to one former studio chief. As major media companies have launched in-house streaming services, their hunger for buzzy shows and movies has become insatiable. At the same time, the traditional ways of gauging success, such as ratings and box office, are fading in importance...

New details surrounding the union of Apple Studios and David Ellison’s Skydance Media prove the tech giant is willing to spend big to build a global tentpole movie business, sources tell Variety.

Nearly a month after it was announced that Apple had landed a slate of live action films from longtime Paramount Pictures partner Skydance, producer of the mega-franchise “Mission: Impossible” and the upcoming sequel to “Top Gun,” the town is still abuzz about what a lucrative and rarified deal Skydance carved out for itself. Apple, which has been very selective and strategic in the film projects it chooses since launching its division in 2019, has clearly identified Skydance as a key component in the next steps of its evolution.

The agreement closely resembles a “put deal,” according to sources, an increasingly rare Hollywood arrangement wherein a distributor is obligated to release movies its partner chooses. Jason Blum’s Blumhouse,...

Apple will re-release its Best Picture nominee “Coda” into theaters starting next weekend and will do so with a series of free screenings open to all audiences.

Beginning next Friday, February 25, and running through Feb. 27, “Coda” will be presented in a limited theatrical run across the U.S. and London, free of charge and on a first-come, first-served basis. And each screening will have open captions so that it’s inclusive of both Deaf and hard of hearing audiences.

Below is the list of theaters offering free screenings, and here is the link to get “Coda” tickets.

The film’s director Siân Heder will also be present at a live Q&a for the film for one of its screenings in Los Angeles, which will also have an interpreter present to translate into Asl.

“Coda” first premiered at Sundance in 2021 and won the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize in the Dramatic Competition,...

Exclusive: Coda, the film that traveled the longest road among the Best Picture nominees, will get a new surge. Apple and its Original Films division will re-release the inspirational film for free in theaters from next Friday, February 25 through Sunday, February 27. All free screenings to feature open captions to be fully accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing

The crowd pleaser began its Oscar journey at 2021 Virtual Sundance, where it swept the major awards by winning four: Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast, the Directing Award, the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize. It also set a festival acquisition record when Apple acquired it for $25 million.

Coda, which premiered in theaters and globally on Apple TV+ last August, is the first film starring a predominantly Deaf cast to receive a Best Picture nomination, and Troy Kotsur is the first Deaf male actor to receive a nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Apple has landed another big feature project, that being an Audrey Hepburn biopic which Oscar-nominated filmmaker Luca Guadagnino will helm, with 2x Oscar nominee Rooney Mara set to play The Breakfast at Tiffany‘s legendary actress.

Deadline has learned separately that Mara is also producing the feature project, which Michael Mitnick, the EP of HBO series Vinyl is writing.

The movie reps Mara’s third producing credit after the documentary The End of Medicine and The Truth About Emmanuel.

Apple Studios is producing. Apple’s heads of worldwide video Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht and head of features Matt Dentler continue their momentum in building big screen fare for the streamer.

Puck first had the story about Apple developing an Audrey Hepburn movie with Mara starring, Guadagnino directing.

Mitnick is repped by Grandview, CAA and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. His feature credits include The Current War and The Giver.

The documentary universe has changed radically over the past dozen years. No longer the domain of a few cable channels or public television stations, no longer bound by the old cinema verite rules of engagement, non-fiction filmmaking has spent the past decade bursting out of the low-budget indie sidelines into mainstream acceptance, adopting tricks and tropes from fiction and series storytelling as directors capture audience attention from all over the world.

One force for change throughout has been the Cinema Eye Honors, an awards body created in 2007 by a group of independent filmmakers. Led by Los Angeles documentary filmmaker A.J. Schnack (“Kurt Cobain About a Son” and the recent “30 for 30” entry “Long Gone Summer”), the Cinema Eye Honors have led the charge in shaking up conversations about the types of non-fiction storytelling that were worthy of celebration.

“It was a reaction to what was happening elsewhere in the field,” Schnack...

Exclusive: Apple Original Films has made a deal with A24 on distribution for the Joel Coen-directed The Tragedy of Macbeth, a film that stars Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. The plan is to release the film theatrically worldwide in the fourth quarter by A24, before its global launch on Apple TV+. Pic shapes up as an awards-season contender, with artists who’ve been there before: McDormand just won her third and fourth Oscars for Nomadland, Washington is a two-time Oscar winner and Coen also has four. Coen, who adapted from Shakespeare, makes his first solo directing outing, without brother Ethan.

Washington plays the title character, and McDormand plays Lady Macbeth. Surrounding them is a cast that includes Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell, Corey Hawkins, Kathryn Hunter, Harry Melling and Brendan Gleeson. Coen reunites with frequent collaborators Bruno Delbonnel as Dp, costume designer Mary Zophres, and Carter Burwell with an original score.

Exclusive: Apple Original Films won a very competitive weekend auction among streamers to land the Tom Hanks-starrer Finch, an Amblin Entertainment sci-fi film that previously carried the title Bios and was originally intended to be released by Universal. It will now be released on Apple TV+ later this year, likely in awards season, with a qualifying theatrical run at least in the cards.

The film is directed by Miguel Sapochnik, who helmed some of the most ambitious episodes of Game of Thrones, including the “Battle of the Bastards” episode in Season 6 which won him the first of his two Emmys for the show. Script is by first-time screenwriter Craig Luck and Ivor Powell, latter of whom was associate producer of Blade Runner and Alien. Pic is produced by Kevin Misher, Jack Rapke, Jacqueline Levine and Powell. The executive producers are Robert Zemeckis, Luck, Sapochnik, Andy Berman and Adam Merims.

Film and television development executive Jessie Henderson is joining Apple Studios as a feature executive, the company announced on Friday.

Henderson will report to Apple Original Films’ Matt Dentler, head of features. Henderson, who joins the company next week, will be part of the Apple Original Films team based in Los Angeles, which includes feature executive Lejo Pet, who recently joined Apple from Paramount Pictures.

Previously, Henderson was EVP, Original Feature Films for HBO Max, where she headed up the development of original films. Prior to her role at HBO Max, Henderson formed and served as co-president of Feigco Entertainment alongside Paul Feig. While at Feigco, she produced film and television projects that included “Spy,” “A Simple Favor, “Someone Great,” the all-female “Ghostbusters” and “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.”

Before that, Henderson was an executive at Chernin Entertainment where she co-produced “The Heat,” after starting her career at Universal.

Henderson earned her...

Film and television development executive Jessie Henderson is joining Apple Studios as a feature executive, reporting to Apple Original Films’ Matt Dentler, head of features. Henderson, who joins the company next week, will be part of the growing Apple Original Films team based in Los Angeles, which includes feature executive Lejo Pet, who recently joined Apple from Paramount Pictures.

Previously, Henderson was EVP Original Feature Films for HBO Max, where she headed up the development of original films. Prior to her role at HBO Max, Henderson formed and served as co-president of Feigco Entertainment alongside Paul Feig. While at Feigco, she produced film and television projects that included Spy, A Simple Favor, Someone Great, the all-female Ghostbusters and Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.

Before that, Henderson was an executive at Chernin Entertainment where she co-produced The Heat, after starting her career at Universal.

Jessie Henderson has joined Apple Studios as a feature film executive, the tech giant announced Friday.

Based in Los Angeles, Henderson will report to Apple Original Film’s head of features Matt Dentler.

Henderson most recently served as executive vice president of original feature films at HBO Max, focusing on development. She departed the WarnerMedia-owned service in late 2020, following a reorganization that gave Warner Bros. Pictures chief Toby Emmerich full control of HBO Max’s straight-to-streaming feature slate, which he had previously shared with HBO Max’s chief content officer Kevin Reilly. Many wondered where the pedigreed Henderson would land in the months following.

Before HBO Max, Henderson served as co-president of Feigco Entertainment alongside Paul Feig. There she produced film and TV projects including “Spy,” “A Simple Favor, “Someone Great,” the all-female “Ghostbusters” and “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” She was also an executive at Peter Chernin’s eponymous company,...

Movie executive Jessie Henderson has joined Apple Studios in its features division.

Henderson, who was previously at HBO Max where she held the title of exec VP, original feature films, will report to Apple Original Films’ head of features Matt Dentler and will be based in Los Angeles. She begins next week.

Apple is in the midst of growing its film team and Henderson’s arrival comes on the heels of hiring of executive Lejo Pet, who recently joined Apple from Paramount Pictures.

Henderson brings with her extensive development and production experience. Prior to her work at HBO Max, Henderson formed ...

Movie executive Jessie Henderson has joined Apple Studios in its features division.

Henderson, who was previously at HBO Max where she held the title of exec VP, original feature films, will report to Apple Original Films’ head of features Matt Dentler and will be based in Los Angeles. She begins next week.

Apple is in the midst of growing its film team and Henderson’s arrival comes on the heels of hiring of executive Lejo Pet, who recently joined Apple from Paramount Pictures.

Henderson brings with her extensive development and production experience. Prior to her work at HBO Max, Henderson formed ...

A good weekend for Apple. Besides Apple Studios on Saturday acquiring the hot Sundance title Coda for a festival record $25 million. Apple TV+ is reporting it scored its most-watched weekend in the relatively short history of the year-old streaming service. The record-breaking viewership was driven by the premiere of Palmer, starring Justin Timberlake and directed by Fisher Stevens.

While the streamer doesn’t divulge specifics, Palmer was Apple TV+’s third-biggest launch and second-biggest film, per the studio. Apple heads of worldwide video Zack Van Amburg & Jamie Erlicht and head of features Matt Dentler acquired it in July. The drama follows a former college football phenomenon named Eddie Palmer (Timberlake). After a stint in prison, he returns to his hometown to get his life back on track. There, he faces not only lingering conflicts from his past but also a much more surprising challenge as he finds himself suddenly in...

Despite the streaming service’s name, Apple TV+ isn’t just television — it’s also in the original film game. (That would be the “+.”) Apple has just announced that the latest original film to join its upcoming slate is “Swan Song,” starring two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali and written and directed by Academy Award winner Benjamin Cleary (“Stutterer”).

“Benjamin’s script for ‘Swan Song’ immediately connected with us,” said Matt Dentler, Apple’s head of feature development and acquisitions. “We cannot wait to bring Benjamin’s vision together with Mahershala’s undeniable talent to deliver this powerfully layered story to audiences around the world.”

Details about the film are sparse right now, but Apple describes “Swan Song” as “a genre-bending drama” set in the near future and focused on how far someone will go and how much they will sacrifice to make a happier life for the people they love.

Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali is producing and starring in the genre-bending drama feature “Swan Song” for Apple TV Plus, with production starting in the spring.

The film will be produced by Apple and Anonymous Content. “Swan Song” will be directed by Academy Award winner Benjamin Cleary, who also wrote the project. Cleary won the Oscar in the live-action short category in 2016 for “Stutterer.”

The film is set in the near future and explores how far someone will go, and how much they’ll sacrifice, to make a happier life for the people they love.

“Benjamin’s script for ‘Swan Song’ immediately connected with us,” said Matt Dentler, Apple’s head of feature development and acquisitions. “We cannot wait to bring Benjamin’s vision together with Mahershala’s undeniable talent to deliver this powerfully layered story to audiences around the world.”

Adam Shulman (“Defending Jacob”) and Jacob Perlin (“The Amazing Johnathan Documentary...

AppleTV+ will be adding Swan Song to its original film slate. The pic, directed and written by Oscar winner Benjamin Cleary, is a genre-bending drama that is set in the near future, exploring how far someone will go, and how much they’ll sacrifice, to make a happier life for the people they love. Two-time Oscar winner of Green Book and Moonlight, Mahershala Ali, will star in the film as Milo.

Apple is coming in to produce the project with Anonymous Content. The project will go into production this spring and also receive a theatrical release down the road.

Adam Shulman (Defending Jacob) and Jacob Perlin (The Amazing Johnathan Documentary) will produce the film on behalf of Anonymous Content, along with Ali. “Benjamin’s script for ‘Swan Song’ immediately connected with us,” said Matt Dentler, Apple’s head of feature development and acquisitions. “We cannot wait to bring Benjamin’s...

Sundance 2019 brings tempered expectations after a quiet 2018 market, when big-spenders Netflix and Amazon withdrew from the fray. As distributors can no longer rely on output deals with Netflix, they are looking to Starz and Hulu to make up the shortfall. And with Amazon Video Direct’s Film Festival Stars program gone, there’s no artificial bottom to the market, which gives everyone more room to maneuver, but also risks leaving the least commercial indies with no distribution at all. And some companies are changing their deals so that theatrical distribution is no longer guaranteed.

The festival always programs a strong selection of potential documentary Oscar contenders, but while prices are bound to be more exuberant following last year’s tsunami of box office hits led by Oscar contender “Rbg” and Morgan Neville tearjerker “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” this year’s selection may not be as commercially robust.

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