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The beloved “Star Wars” sequel “The Empire Strikes Back” is set to open this year’s TCM Classic Film Festival on April 24, with director George Lucas presenting the film for its 45th anniversary.

“’The Empire Strikes Back’ is like ‘The Godfather Part II.’ Yes, technically, they’re sequels, the second movie in a series. But they are so much more,” TCM’s primetime anchor Ben Mankiewicz said in a statement. “The first ‘Star Wars’ picture in 1977 ignited a new era in Hollywood and turned a generation of young people into passionate movie fans for life. Then, somehow, three years later, along comes ‘Empire,’ which might even be better. It’s a stunning accomplishment and surely stands one of the great achievements in the history of film.”

Additional titles that will screen at this year’s TCM Classic Film Festival include “The Fabulous Baker Boys,” “The Lady Eve,” “Cinderella,” “Apocalypse Now,...

There are two things I never thought I would say in the same sentence: “Billy Crystal stars in Before, an Eli Roth-produced psychological horror thriller.” While it’s refreshing to see Apple TV+ stream something more mainstream instead of the usual prestige projects that no one watches, this is a misstep in almost every way.

The series is poorly written, with disjointed scenes and weak tropes already filled with ’80s and ’90s thriller clichés. And when the story starts to trudge along, which is often, it throws in an inexplicable, dreamlike jump-scare cut that does nothing but cause headaches and a touch of vertigo. It’s only a matter of time Before the series sparks acute conversion boredom household-wide.

Billy Crystal and Rosie Perez in Before (2024) | Image via Apple TV+ Related Robert De Niro Believes Comedy Lacks the Gravitas of Drama, Claimed Actors Only Need To “Yell at Billy...

Tayarisha Poe’s film The Young Wife takes us through a tumultuous day in the life of Celestina as she prepares for her non-wedding celebration. Poe draws us deftly into Celestina’s swirling mindset as anxieties and doubts collide with the demands of the day.

Celestina wants only to express her love for River outside of rigid traditions. Yet preparations bring unwelcome interventions, with well-meaning friends and family misunderstanding her non-wedding vision. Their questions and concerns weigh heavily on Celestina as she balances caterers and flowers with deeper reflections on commitment and future paths.

Meanwhile, memories of past regrets surface. We learn of friendships fractured by tragedy and a stifling corporate job recently fled without explanation. Celestina’s distress mounts from pressures both within and out of her control.

Director Poe handles this emotional maelstrom with nuanced empathy. Her writing and the guidance of breakout star Kiersey Clemons bring Celestina...

Sheryl Lee Ralph has signed with CAA for representation.

An Emmy, Critics Choice and Independent Spirit Award winner, Ralph is currently seen starring in ABC’s hit comedy series “Abbott Elementary” opposite Quinta Brunson. In 2022, she won the Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series, becoming the first black woman in 35 years to take home the trophy.

In 2023, she was nominated for her second Emmy Award, a Golden Globe and a Film Independent Spirit Award for her portrayal of straight-laced kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard, winning the Critics Choice Award for best supporting actor in a comedy series.

Ralph made her feature film debut at 20 years old, opposite Academy Award winner Sidney Poitier in “A Piece of the Action.” She has also appeared in “The Mighty Quinn” opposite Denzel Washington, “Mistress” with Robert De Niro, “The Distinguished Gentleman” with Eddie Murphy, “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit” opposite...

Actress Kiersey Clemons shared insights from her new film The Young Wife in her new uInterview.

The Young Wife follows a woman on her wedding day as she grapples with the meaning of love and commitment and struggles through the chaos and expectations of family and friends, each intensifying her spiraling panic. In the movie, directed and written by Tayarisha Poe, Clemons plays the character of Celestina.

“It just was really refreshing; it wasn’t like anything I had read before,” Clemons told uInterview founder Erik Meers. “Scripts like this don’t normally come my way. So it just felt like such a great opportunity to also work with Tayarisha; I’m a big fan of Tayarisha; I think that we see the way in which we experience art, and we make art the same way.”

Clemons continued, “And something that really drew me in was that there’s a lot of back and forth,...

The Young Wife’s Kiersey Clemons has accomplished a lot in her young career. After going the big-budget adventure route in the Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and playing West in the DC Comics films Zack Snyder’s Justice League and The Flash, Ms. Clemons has teamed up with director Tayarisha Poe, best known for her debut Prime Video film, Selah and the Spades, for The Young Wife, which premiered at SXSW in 2022.

Here at FandomWire, we had the pleasure of interviewing Kiersey Clemons and Tayarisha Poe about The Young Wife, which hit theaters and VOD on May 31. We touched upon the inspiration for Ms. Poe’s new film, their journey as artists before and after the Covid-19 pandemic, and how that ties into their new film’s narrative.

Kiersey Clemons in The Young Wife (2024) | Image via Republic Pictures

SUGGESTEDThe Flash Actress Kiersey Clemons Slams James Gunn Movie:...

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Kiersey Clemons continues to rise up the ranks in Hollywood, after starring in a pair of DC films and the MonsterVerse series, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and also standing out in crowd-pleasing indie flicks like Dope and Susie Searches. It's no surprise, then, that she's got her own starring vehicle that has finally reached the masses after stirring up buzz at SXSW.

From writer-director Tayarisha Poe, The Young Wife is now available on digital and is the perfect date-night flick for couples... who don't want a typical date-night flick. Just as 500 Days of Summer is self-described by its narrator as "not a love story, but a story about love," Clemons has gone on the record and called her artistic new drama an "anti-wedding wedding movie." Watch as her titular heroine Celestina navigates overbearing friends, family, and coworkers all the while trying not to spiral on emotional,...

Just because Celestina, the soon-to-be young wife in the “The Young Wife” told friends and family that while the honor of their presence was requested, they would be attending a party, not a wedding, doesn’t make it so. The weight of family, community and ritual aren’t so easily evaded. Or embraced.

So, on the day of her and River’s nuptials, she appears to be wrestling less with the meaning of marriage and more with the weight of the word “wife.” Warm hearts and cooling feet is nothing new for movies, of course, but Kiersey Clemons’ portrayal of Celestina — her head spinning — raises the stakes of love and liberty.

Writer-director Tayarisha Poe has populated her sophomore feature with characters of a neo-bohemian, united colors-of-who-the-fuck-cares aura. Guests arrive with sartorial flash, expressive finery, hairdos that signal independence for days and attitudes that combine and recombine the traditional with the rebellious.

This is a slow weekend in an already slow summer movie season, so it’s the perfect time to catch up with spring’s best horror release and a handful of new indies that are debuting on digital platforms.

The contender to watch this week: “The First Omen“

At a time when many franchises are slowly cratering, “The First Omen” has turned out to be one of 2024’s biggest surprises. Arkasha Stevenson‘s handsome and terrifying prequel depicts the events right before Demian, the Og Antichrist, came around. If that sounds unnecessary, it is — and yet the film’s quality absolutely justifies its existence. “The First Omen” is still playing in a smattering of theaters, having grossed $53.7 worldwide, but now it’s available for $19.99 on VOD.

Other contenders:

“Gasoline Rainbow”: Mubi is having a major year, with two buzzy Cannes titles — “The Substance” and “The Girl with the Needle...

Prepare for chaos and emotional turmoil in the extremely artful and messy film The Young Wife, with a phenomenal Kiersey Clemons. The Young Wife speaks to the anxieties of many people through its resonant dialogue and chaotic scenes, constructed with stylish editing and cinematography. Leon Bridges stars but is unfortunately not present enough in this darkly funny but intense day-in-the-life drama.

If you're already married, how might you describe your wedding weekend? Beautiful? Chaotic? Stressful? All the above? And if you haven't yet tied the knot, perhaps you have a certain idea of who would be there. In-laws. Parents. Childhood pals. Friendly co-workers. Neighbors. Exes? The list goes on. Would everyone get along, if placed in one location for one afternoon, with various histories and emotions? Cramped, stepping around each other, trying to get the same person's attention again and again and again? If your blood pressure spikes a bit just reading these words,...

‘The Young Wife” is a new dramatic feature, written and directed by Tayarisha Poe, starring Kiersey Clemons, Leon Bridges, Kelly Marie Tran, Aya Cash, Michaela Watkins, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Judith Light Lovie Simone, Brandon Micheal Hall and Sandy Honig , available to rent or buy May 31, 2024 on all digital platforms:

“…on her wedding day, all that stands between a young woman and marital bliss with her soon-to-be husband is surviving the chaos and expectations of family and friends…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Marriage is often a daunting proposal. The commitment to spend the entirety of one's life with another brings with it plenty of pressure and stress, along with the sheer chaos of a wedding day when the couple's love is affirmed in front of their friends and families. Writer-director Tayarisha Poe's new film, The Young Wife, explores those concepts and highlights the anxiety of the big day itself, which often feels more catered to the guests than the couple themselves. Ahead of the film's release on digital platforms later this week, Collider has an exclusive sneak peek at Kiersey Clemons grappling with the weight of expectations from a family that won't stop prying.

A wedding is an incredibly stressful, but exciting event. Typically, if you’re getting married, then you have the unwavering support of your family and close friends. But what if the people closest to you are trying to talk you out of it? That’s the problem at the heart of “The Young Wife.”

Read More: Summer Movie Preview: 50 Must-See Films To Watch

As seen in the trailer, “The Young Wife” tells the story of a young woman who is excited to be marrying her fiance.

Continue reading ‘The Young Wife’ Trailer: Kiersey Clemons & Leon Bridges Are Getting Married In Tayarisha Poe’s Stylish Drama at The Playlist.

"Will you love him like we love him?" "Will you actually make time for us?" Republic Pictures / Paramount Movies has revealed the trailer for an indie film titled The Young Wife, the second feature film made by filmmaker Tayarisha Poe, after Selah and the Spades from Sundance 2019. This new one premiered at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival last year, and it will finally be out on VOD at the end of this month to watch. On her wedding day, all that stands between a young woman named Celestina and marital bliss with her soon-to-be husband (played by the singer / songwriter Leon Bridges) is surviving the chaos and expectations of family and friends, each intensifying her spiraling panic. It's a story about marriage and all that comes with it, good and bad. Starring Kiersey Clemons as Celestina, with Kelly Marie Tran & Michaela Watkins. Reviews are mixed, though they do say that "The...

‘The Young Wife” is a new dramatic feature, written and directed by Tayarisha Poe, starring Kiersey Clemons, Leon Bridges, Kelly Marie Tran, Aya Cash, Michaela Watkins, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Judith Light Lovie Simone, Brandon Micheal Hall and Sandy Honig , available to rent or buy May 31, 2024 on all digital platforms:

“…on her wedding day, all that stands between a young woman and marital bliss with her soon-to-be husband is surviving the chaos and expectations of family and friends…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Is anyone really ready to get married, let alone commit?

Tayarisha Poe’s new film, “The Young Wife,” asks and answers the age-old question and more, with Kiersey Clemons starring as a young woman whose “non-wedding” to her elusive partner (Leon Bridges) brings out all the pressures of a traditional union. The chaos and expectations of family and friends heighten the not-quite-bride’s spiraling panic, and all seems poised to unravel just before the party meant to celebrate their love.

Sheryl Lee Ralph, Judith Light, Kelly Marie Tran, Aya Cash, and Michaela Watkins co-star. Poe writes and directs her follow-up to 2019 Sundance debut “Selah and the Spades.”

“The Young Wife” premiered at SXSW 2023, where it was picked up by distributor Republic Pictures, a Paramount Pictures label. “I’m excited to share the work of our wonderful cast and crew,” Poe told IndieWire. “For me this is a story of color and chaos,...

Exclusive: FilmNation Entertainment, the independent studio behind such Oscar-winning titles as Promising Young Woman and Arrival, has appointed Melissa Morkus to the role of Senior Vice President, Physical Production.

Coming to the company from MGM, where she spent just over two years as Vice President, Physical Production, Morkus will be tasked with overseeing all aspects of physical production as FilmNation continues to expand its slate, focusing primarily on television, as she has throughout her career.

Morkus served, prior to her time at MGM, as Director, Physical Production for eOne Television, where she worked on the first season of Showtime’s hit drama series Yellowjackets. She prior to that worked in physical production at Marvel Television, where she co-produced Seasons 3 of Daredevil and Jessica Jones as well as Season 2 of Cloak & Dagger.

Morkus will be based in Los Angeles, reporting to FilmNation’s Executive Vice President, Physical Production and Post,...

Feeling as though one has screwed most everything up in their life — with a hope of no return or redemption — permeates throughout Late Bloomers. The film’s protagonist has hit rock bottom, and she’s floundering, but director Lisa Steen and writer Anna Greenfield have crafted a simple, but effective journey for her that allows her to regain her footing. Starring Karen Gillan, Late Bloomers is at once a buddy comedy involving two wildly different people and a story about growing up and facing the hardship and hurt of life.

Louise (Gillan) is struggling. The 28-year-old is still coping with her ex-boyfriend breaking up with her more than a year prior, and she refuses to go home to California to see her ailing mother, who no longer remembers who she is due to her dementia. When Louise, in an attempt to sneak into her ex’s home through a window,...

When Tayarisha Poe came out with Selah and the Spades, her directorial debut, it was clear this gifted writer-director had a vision and a unique visual flair. In her second feature film, The Young Wife, Poe accentuates a visual and auditory style that merges seamlessly with the story and the titular character’s journey over the course of her non-wedding day. Paired with an outstanding performance by Kiersey Clemons, Poe crafts an intimate, profound, and visually gorgeous feature that overwhelms the senses.

Celestina (Clemons) is marrying River (Leon Bridges) on the land her father bought for her mother. Celestina is calling the event a party, a non-wedding wedding ceremony with close family and friends. However, the idea of a non-wedding confuses almost everyone, and so Celestina powers through conversations about her non-traditional engagement ring, accepts gifts she didn’t ask for, and flowers she didn’t want. As the day goes on,...

by Abe Friedtanzer

Kiersey Clemons is a superb talent who has proven her ability in films like Hearts Beat Loud and Asking for It. She is once again magnetic in writer-director Tayarisha Poe’s follow-up to Selah and the Spades as a bride that no one seems to truly notice or care about being happy. The Young Wife isn’t nearly as depressing or foreboding as another miserable wedding movie, Melancholia, but there’s still a sense something could go seriously wrong at any moment, and only its title character would notice.

Onscreen text invites audiences to the party - it’s not a wedding - of Celestina (Clemons) and River (Leon Bridges). A horde of people descend on Celestina’s home, each arriving with their own energy and distinctly ignoring the vibe she’d like to have on her big day...

A slow-motion panic attack in movie form, “The Young Wife” swirls around the hopes and doubts of a young woman (a radiant Kiersey Clemons) on the day of her “non-wedding.” It’s not a moment of matrimony, nor is it quite a commitment ceremony, but instead a day-long party, a celebration of the love between Celestina and her wishy-washy boyfriend River (Leon Bridges), who’s hours late. Set 10 years in the future and imbued with an ineffably otherworldly glow that almost makes you feel like you’ve been planted on another planet, “The Young Wife” is , and one with plenty of spiky characters and admirable visuals to pluck from.

The director is Tayarisha Poe, who made waves at Sundance in 2019 for her confidently directed feature debut “Selah and the Spades,” a deftly choreographed ensemble piece about the underground factions of a fictional boarding school. Here, with “The Young Wife,” Poe...

Do you ever feel like your life isn't your own? Perhaps you feel as if there are too many people trying to tell you what you should do, what you should feel, and so on and so forth. Not to use a cliche and jokey phrase, but we live in a society that demands to know what we are doing at every single moment of our lives, never allowing anything to be truly private. Even our secret thoughts and desires are encouraged to be shared with others via private channels. Wouldn't you like just one moment of your life where you can feel totally, completely in control?

Celestina (Kiersey Clemons) certainly would, especially on the day of her non-wedding as seen throughout Tayarisha Poe's sophomore feature, "The Young Wife." She's stuck in a soul-sucking job, dealing with regret over abandoning her close-knit friend group after a tragedy, and feels...

Exclusive: Cazzie David (The Umbrella Academy), Jon Rudnitsky (SNL), Karan Soni (Deadpool franchise), Oliver Cooper (Red Oaks), Taylor Hill (Babylon) and Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) will lead the heist comedy Stealing Pulp Fiction, marking the feature debut of writer-director Danny Turkiewicz, which has wrapped production in Los Angeles.

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Billed as a love letter to the classic Quentin Tarantino pic and the history of cinema as a whole, the film is based on Turkiewicz’ short of the same name, which he wrote and directed at the height of the Covid pandemic in 2020. It follows friends Jonathan (Rudnitsky), Elizabeth (David) and...

Exclusive: Shrinking‘s Lukita Maxwell has been cast in They Listen from writer-director Chris Weitz in what we hear is a top-billed role. In the horror pic, which has a storyline under wraps, the actress plays the daughter of John Cho and Katherine Waterston’s characters.

Blumhouse and Sony will present the Depth of Field production. It is slated to open theatrically on August 25, 2023.

They Listen reps the 11th collaboration between Cho and Weitz.

Jason Blum, Andrew Miano and Weitz are producers on the film. Bea Sequeira, Dan Balgoyen, Britta Rowings and Paul Davis are EPs.

Maxwell is a series regular on the Apple TV+ comedy series Shrinking, starring opposite Jason Segel and Harrison Ford. The series is written and produced by Segel and Ted Lasso‘s Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein. In film, Lukita recently shot a lead role in FilmNation’s The Young Wife from director Tayarisha Poe.

Exclusive: FilmNation Entertainment and Zq Entertainment have finalized a multi-year feature film development fund deal.

The first project to be developed under the initiative is Josephine Decker’s feature adaptation of Karen Russell’s 2011 Pulitzer Prize-nominated bestselling novel Swamplandia!

Decker is best known for her Berlinale- and Sundance-selected features Madeleine’s Madeleine (2013) and Shirley (2020) as well as the recently released The Sky Is Everywhere Else for Apple TV+ and A24.

Russell’s Southwest Florida-set tale follows the story of 13-year-old Ava Bigtree who, after an illness befalls her mother, embarks out of her family’s Everglades theme park to piece her family back together.

Development on the feature is ongoing.

The new fund is the first collaboration between the two like-minded companies and is intended to pay for the development of feature films and create project co-financing opportunities.

The partnership will allow Glen Basner’s FilmNation to further expand its strategy of acquiring early-stage,...

Festival runs in Austin, Texas, from March 10-19.

Emma Seligman’s Shiva Baby follow-up Bottoms and Jon S. Baird’s Tetris starring Taron Egerton are among the second wave of SXSW unveiled on Wednesday.

Festival organisers announced all selections in Visions, Global presented by Mubi, 24 Beats, and Festival Favorites as well as additions to Headliners, TV Premieres, Narrative and Documentary Spotlight.

New to Headliners are world premieres of Emma Seligman’s Shiva Baby follow-up Bottoms which follows two unpopular queer high school students who start a fight club to have sex before graduation; and Jon S. Baird’s Tetris starring...

Exclusive: Scottie Thompson (NCIS) and Connor Paolo (Gossip Girl) have been tapped to star alongside Jilon VanOver (Better Call Saul) and Vivian Kerr (Masters of Sex) in the period psychological thriller Séance, which Kerr is directing from her own script.

Kerr’s Séance screenplay made Wscripted’s second Cannes Screenplay List, highlighting the best unproduced scripts from female writers, in 2022. The film is set in 1890s California and follows a female novelist (Thompson) who is contemplating having an affair with her first husband (VanOver), whose second wife (Kerr) claims to be haunted by her dead child. Paolo plays Thompson’s current husband, a struggling portrait painter with secrets of his own.

Kerr is also known for her acting work on such series as Superstore, New Girl, Masters of Sex and Grey’s Anatomy, among others. Her first feature, Scrap, co-starring Anthony Rapp and Lana Parrilla, world premiered in September at France’s Deauville Film Festival,...

Lukita Maxwell always wanted to pursue acting but didn’t know it was possible without industry connections. “I thought that actors were just all nepotism babies,” Maxwell says. “If you were born into acting, you were born into royalty, and I couldn’t act because I wasn’t born into a family of actors.”

Now, she’s starring alongside Jason Segel and Harrison Ford on the Apple TV+ comedy Shrinking, which premieres Jan. 27. Maxwell plays Alice, the strong, independent daughter to Segel’s Jimmy, a grieving therapist who has lost his wife in an accident.

Created and co-written by Bill Lawrence, Brett Goldstein and Segel, Shrinking packs lots of industry power. “It was the most intimidating trifecta of comedy I had ever seen,” the Indonesia-born actress, 21, remembers of her audition process. “I didn’t think I was ever going to get the role. I didn’t think that I had the chops to do that.

Exclusive: Archer Gray has today announced the promotion of Rebecca Choi to Vice President of Narrative Film and the addition of Kelsey Jackson in the newly established role of Vice President of Narrative Television.

The news follows the recent announcement of Vinay Singh being upped to CEO, as well as the company’s expansion into unscripted content with the hire of Liza Keckler, and the launch of its Co-Lab division headed by former Disney and Fox exec Jim Fielding. It also precedes the bow of The Persian Version — a dramedy from writer-director Maryam Keshavarz, which will this week become Archer Gray’s sixth project to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

Both new VPs will help grow the company’s narrative slate under Archer Gray Partner and President of Narrative Production, Anne Carey — collaborating with a team now spanning unscripted content, live experiences, and brand and retail strategy.

“I...

Exclusive: Jimmi Simpson (Pachinko) and Clancy Brown (Dexter: New Blood) have boarded Audrey’s Children — the biopic that Ami Canaan Mann (Texas Killing Fields) is directing for Amasia Entertainment (Wild Mountain Thyme) and Resonate Entertainment (Sitting in Bars with Cake) — with Brandon Micheal Hall (Search Party), Julianna Layne (Prodigal Son), Ben Chase (The Thing About Pam) and Evelyn Giovine (The Crowded Room) also signing on for roles.

The film currently in production in Philadelphia tells the story of Dr. Audrey Evans (Natalie Dormer), the revolutionary pediatric oncologist best known as the co-founder of Ronald McDonald House Charities — the world-famous organization that provides housing and support to millions of families in 62 countries around the world. Pic’s set in 1969 and follows her as she bursts onto the scene as the Chief of Pediatric Oncology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, when the survival rate for children with cancer was less than 10. In...

FilmNation Entertainment today announced the launch of Infrared, a new film production label that will look to finance and produce mainstream films with franchise potential, producing three to four mid-to-high level budget films each year across the action, thriller, comedy and sci-fi genres.

The label will be led by President of Production Drew Simon, who reports to FilmNation Entertainment CEO Glen Basner. In his role, he will oversee all elements of the label’s films, from development through production, while managing the label’s team.

Simon has hired Sam Speiser as Infrared’s Vice President of Production, with Speiser to support him in overseeing all stages of project development and production. She will be responsible for sourcing and vetting new material, helping to build Infrared’s ongoing slate of films, and managing feature film projects through their complete lifecycles.

“I am thrilled to move forward with this exciting new strategic...

Christina Bazdekis has joined United Talent Agency as an agent in the motion picture division. Based in New York, she will report to MP co-heads Jason Burns and Julien Thuan.

“Christina is incredibly well-respected and a driving force,” said Thuan in a statement. “She has championed artists throughout her career and is responsible for guiding their ambitions in creative storytelling. We look forward to bringing her passion and commitment to advancing film here at UTA.”

“As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, UTA has proven to be an innovative leader in representation, devoted to fostering the most unique and compelling voices working today,” added Bazdekis in a statement. “I am excited to join the dynamic team at UTA, bringing my experience and expanding upon an incredible roster of clients.”

Prior to joining UTA, Bazdekis served as an agent within ICM’s motion picture department. Throughout her career which also included a stint at CAA,...

American indie helmer Tayarisha Poe is moving from school courtyards of Selah And The Spades to the courting period before officially tying the knot with her sophomore project. Deadline reports that Kiersey Clemons will topline and be surrounded by musician Leon Bridges, Judith Light, Michaela Watkins, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Kelly Marie Tran, Connor Paolo, Aida Osman, Aya Cash, Lukita Maxwell, Sandy Honig, Brandon Micheal Hall, and Jon Rudnitsky on The Young Wife. Production began in Savannah, Ga and it’s being produced by FilmNation and Archer Gray.

Gist: This is about a woman (Kiersey Clemons) who grapples with the meaning of love and commitment in the face of an uncertain and tumultuous world.…...

Exclusive: Kiersey Clemons (Warner Bros’ upcoming The Flash) is set to lead cast in Tayarisha Poe’s (Selah and the Spades) sophomore feature The Young Wife for FilmNation and Archer Gray.

Principal photography has begun in Savannah, Ga, on the feature, which was written and is being directed by Poe.

Archer Gray’s Anne Carey produces, Amy Nauiokas is an executive producer and Rebecca Choi co-produces. The film is fully financed by FilmNation, with Ashley Fox serving as executive producer for the company.

According to the team, the movie follows a woman grappling with the meaning of love and commitment in the face of an uncertain and tumultuous world. A sunny-day panic attack and a wholly new take on the wedding film, the movie follows her over the course of her “non-wedding” day.

Emmy and Tony winner Judith Light (The Menu), Grammy winning R&b artist Leon Bridges (in his acting debut), Michaela Watkins,...

The Gotham Awards were handed out on November 29 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. So who won at these annual indie film kudos from The Gotham Film and Media Institute, which streamed on YouTube and Facebook? Scroll down for the complete list of winners in all categories.

Netflix’s “The Lost Daughter” and “Passing” went in as the two most nominated films with five apiece, but that didn’t automatically mean they were the front-runners. Categories at these awards are judged by panels of just a handful of industry insiders, often leading to unexpected, under-the-radar winners. You can’t count anyone out at an event where unique juries review all the nominated material.

Seersvp now for November 30: Film producers panel with ‘Being the Ricardos,’ ‘Belfast,’ ‘The Power of the Dog,’ ‘tick, tick… Boom!’

That means these awards can be quite idiosyncratic — they’re independent thinkers, and not...

After appearing in “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” “Freaky” and “Selah and the Spades,” Celeste O’Connor has boarded Zach Braff’s latest movie “A Good Person.”

O’Connor joins a troupe of major Hollywood players in the film, led by Florence Pugh, Morgan Freeman, Molly Shannon and Zoe Lister-Jones.

The film, written and directed by Braff, follows Allison (Pugh), a woman whose life falls apart after her involvement in a fatal accident. In the years that follow, Allison develops an unlikely relationship with her would-be father-in-law (Freeman), that helps her inevitably recalibrate a life worth living. O’Connor plays Ryan, a star high-school soccer player who grapples with finding her own way back to normalcy after her world is flipped upside down by the same accident.

The project — produced by Killer Films, Elevation Films, Braff and Pugh — started filming earlier this fall. MGM is distributing “A Good Person” in North America and some international markets,...

Exclusive: Francesca Noel has joined the cast of the indie feature Pools. She joins Odessa A’zion, Michael Vlamis, Tyler Alvarez and Ariel Winter.

Written and directed by Sam Hates, Pools follows Kennedy (A’zion), who is stuck at summer school after flunking her sophomore year of college. Amidst a heat wave, she rallies a ragtag crew for a pool-hopping adventure through the wealthy estates of Lake Forest, on the north shore of Chicago. But as the secrets spill, a wild night of fun becomes a cathartic journey of self-discovery. Noel will play the role of Shane, a girl hungry for life as she is naive. She’s a quintessential picture of youth 0 new to the world and ready to dive headlong into it. Pools’ producers are Adonis Tountas, Jack Heston, Mike Ware and Seth Savoy. Noel made her lead premiere in the title role of Juliet in Romeo & Juliet R#J,...

Wavelength has a simple mantra — “tell great fucking stories” — but its intentions go much deeper than that. Founded in 2015 by Jenifer Westphal, the scrappy six-year-old company has been making waves with its mostly women executives developing a diverse slate of films that combine social relevance with compelling characters, while prioritizing first-time women directors and filmmakers of color.

At a time when Hollywood continues to struggle to find diverse talent behind the camera, companies like Wavelength provide essential case studies for how to lean into inclusivity from the earliest stages of the development process. Since its founding in 2015, Wavelength has produced over 30 feature films, curating a roster of award-winning, buzz-worthy titles including Sundance fare like Ekwa Msangi’s “Farewell Amor,” Jordana Spiro’s “Night Comes On,” and Tayarisha Poe’s “Selah and the Spades,” as well as high profile documentaries including Morgan Neville’s “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” which...

Update 2/25: Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw and Simon Kinberg’s Genre Films have issued a statement about the end of The Twilight Zone series.

We greatly enjoyed our time working on The Twilight Zone — particularly when the real world around us often felt more and more like another dimension. We cherished the opportunity to collaborate with so many talented writers, actors and crewmembers. After 20 unique episodes, we have told the stories that we wanted to tell, and CBS All Access was gracious in their understanding of our decision. It was an honor and a privilege to bring audiences a modern re-imagining of Rod Serling’s iconic creation.

Previous 2/24: The second season of the reboot of The Twilight Zone was submitted for your approval, to borrow the famous phrase of original sci-fi creator Rod Serling. Apparently, there wasn’t enough approval, as the CBS All Access show won’t continue...

Given the subject matter of Jen Peedom’s first narrative feature, it is somewhat fitting the project has been included in Higher Ground’s production slate.

The production company, owned by Barack and Michelle Obama, will partner with the filmmaker and Netflix on Tenzing – a feature film based on the true story of Tenzing Norgay, the man who first reached the summit of Everest along with Sir Edmund Hillary.

Luke Davies (Lion) wrote the script based on the book Tenzing: Hero of Everest by Ed Douglas.

Peedom, who operates Stranger Than Fiction Films alongside Jo-anne McGowan, will produce with Davies alongside Higher Ground Productions. David Michôd (The King) and Norbu Tenzing Norgay, who is Tenzing Norgay’s eldest son, will executive produce.

The director, whose previous credits include documentaries Sherpa and Mountain, has known Tenzing’s family since 2003, and has been working on working on the feature about his life since 2016.

Jen Peedom.

Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions has unveiled its next round of projects in development at Netflix.

Among the new film and series projects in the works are an adaptation of the Mohsin Hamid novel “Exit West” starring Riz Ahmed, a science fiction film written by Ola Shokunbi, a docuseries about National Parks and a series adaptation of the forthcoming novel “Firekeeper’s Daughter.”

“We created Higher Ground to tell great stories,” the former president and first lady said in a statement. “This group of projects builds upon that goal and the incredible path forged by films like Crip Camp, Becoming, and the Oscar-winning American Factory. From science fiction to the beauty of our natural world to the relationships that define us, Higher Ground continues to strive for fresh perspectives, compelling characters, and a healthy dose of inspiration. We couldn’t be more proud to team up with...

President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground Productions has set its latest slate of film and TV projects for Netflix.

The streamer is developing two TV series and four feature films as part of the slate.

On the TV side, Reverie and Extant creator Mickey Fisher is adapting Firekeeper’s Daughter, the debut YA thriller from Angeline Boulley. The book follows an 18-year-old Native girl as she reluctantly goes undercover in a police investigation on her Ojibwe reservation. Fisher will serve as showrunner and co-write with Wenonah Wilms, the Horsehead Girls writer who is also from the Ojibwe tribe and will also act as exec producer.

Great National Parks is a natural history docuseries that comes from Blue Planet II filmmaker James Honeyborne. The series, which is produced with Wild Space Productions, will explore some of the most wondrous national parks and wild spaces on Earth...

President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground Productions, has set a slate of new projects under their deal with Netflix.

The new slate encompasses both TV and film projects, including a film adaptation of Mohsin Hamid’s critically-acclaimed novel “Exit West” and a biopic on Tenzing Norgay, who was the first person to reach the peak of Mount Everest alongside Sir Edmund Hillary. The company is also prepping a U.S. National Parks docuseries and a series adaptation of the Angeline Boulley book “Firekeeper’s Daughter.”

The full description of all the projects can be found below. They are currently in different stages of development, to be released over the next several years.

“We created Higher Ground to tell great stories,” the Obamas said. “This group of projects builds upon that goal and the incredible path forged by films like ‘Crip Camp,’ ‘Becoming,’ and the Oscar-winning ‘American Factory.

Pipeline includes Satellite, The Young Wife.

Australian high-altitude director Jennifer Peedom’s Everest feature Tenzing has landed at Netflix under the streamer’s deal with former president Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions (Hgp).

The feature is one of several film and TV projects announced on the Higher Ground slate on Friday (February 5) that includes Oscar contender Riz Ahmed (Sound Of Metal) in the thriller Exit West, and a sci-fi from Rian Johnson (Knives Out) and his producer Ram Bergman.

Tenzing is based on the true story of Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa who accompanied Edmund Hillary on...

In today’s TV news roundup, HBO Max unveiled the teaser trailer for the fourth season of its original dark comedy “Search Party” and production company Sister acquired the exclusive rights to adapt Lydia Millet’s critically-acclaimed novel “A Children’s Bible” to a limited series.

First Looks

HBO Max Original “Search Party,” which will debut its fourth season Jan. 14, released a teaser trailer. The dark comedy follows four self-absorbed post-grads who become entangled in a mystery when a former college acquaintance disappears. Season 4 picks up as Dory (Alia Shawkat) is held prisoner by her stalker Chip (Cole Escola). Her friends Portia (Meredith Hagner), Elliott (John Early) and Drew (John Reynolds) must connect the dots and put their traumatic pasts behind them to save Dory. Watch the teaser trailer below.

Programming

WWE’s annual holiday greeting video will showcase WWE Champion Drew McIntyre and Superstars John Cena, Sasha Banks, Randy Orton...

Lydia Millet’s apocalyptic climate change novel A Children’s Bible is set to be adapted into a limited television series after Chernobyl producer Sister optioned the rights.

Sundance Institute alum Tayarisha Poe, who has directed episodes of The Twilight Zone and Two Sentence Horror Stories and is adapting her directorial debut Selah and the Spades as a TV series for Amazon, is set to write and direct. It will be exec produced by Kate Fenske with Complementary Colors’ Jonah Disend, who has a first look with Sister, serving as a co-executive producer

The book, which was named one of The New York Times Top 10 Best Books of the Year, story of generational divides, apocalyptic climate change and who we become when nothing is familiar. It follows a group of twelve eerily mature children on a forced vacation with their families at a sprawling lakeside mansion. Contemptuous of their parents,...

The latest in our series of writers highlighting under-the-radar films is a recommendation for an unusual and intelligent teen drama

I missed Tayarisha Poe’s startling debut feature Selah and the Spades at two 2019 film festivals – Sundance and Toronto – and kicked myself after each oversight. When I finally watched the teen boarding school drama on Amazon Prime, I discovered a mafia-inspired plot told from the unique perspective of a black woman, yet steeped in the pressures of black excellence. I loved Poe’s intelligent world building and the frankness she sketched her characters with. When Selah and the Spades premiered in April, amid the world ramping up against the Covid-19 pandemic, Selah’s cutthroat machinations, in some fashion, captured a reality that felt colder by the day. Unfortunately, due to the aforementioned pandemic, Poe’s debut seemingly went unnoticed by the general public. As I did last year, they’ve missed out.

The rising tide of programming for the small screen, along with a greater push for diversity in Hollywood, has increased the number of roles for actors of color overall in recent years. And while it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how many of those gains have been made by younger performers — organizations such as SAG-AFTRA don’t tabulate that info — there are plenty of positive signs on the big and small screen.

Among them: Latinx characters on streamers; Kenya Barris series with a plethora of young Black talent; and roles for Asian-American kids on a number of platforms. Family-friendly shows such as “One Day at a Time” and “Party of Five” have been rebooted with Latinx families at their core, while Hulu’s “Love, Victor,” a small-screen spinoff of “Love, Simon,” centers on a Latinx teen’s struggles to fit into a new school. Ensemble shows seem almost pointedly diverse,...

With film festivals increasingly looking for films from underrepresented voices in recent years, one byproduct of the coronavirus-prompted theater closings is that movies coming out of those festivals from minorities, women and the Lgbt community have found themselves going to VOD or streaming rather than theaters.

In the last couple of weeks alone, that has meant virtual premieres for the debut features from Tayarisha Poe (“Selah and the Spades”), Sonejuhi Sinha (“Stray Dolls”) and Andrew Onwubolu (“Blue Story”), as well as the first feature in 15 years from Alice Wu (“The Half of It”) and the first theatrical film in 24 years from Coky Giedroyc (“How to Build a Girl”).

Also up this week: “Clementine,” a quiet exploration of female relationships from Lara Jean Gallagher, a writer and director of shorts and music videos who is making her feature-film debut. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019 (the last Tribeca...

A new star-studded cast is ready to cross over into Jordan Peele’s The Twilight Zone. CBS All Access announced the episode and casting details for The Twilight Zone season 2, which is set to return this summer, although all release dates are subject to change as Hollywood reels from Covid-19 shutdowns.

Per THR, there are several big name stars that will appear in the second season of the anthology series, including Morena Baccarin, Colman Domingo, Ethan Embry, Jenna Elfman, Tavi Gevinson, Tony Hale, Abbie Hern, Gillian Jacobs, Sophia Macy, Joel McHale, Chris Meloni, Billy Porter, Jimmi Simpson and Daniel Sunjata.

Recent castings included Kylie Bunbury, Sky Ferreira, Topher Grace, David Krumholtz, Greta Lee, Thomas Lennon, Natalie Martinez, Brandon Jay McLaren, Gretchen Mol, Paula Newsome, Tawny Newsome, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Paul F. Tompkins and Damon Wayans Jr.

The Twilight Zone season 2 was confirmed less than a month after the rebooted series premiered...