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Alexander Payne isn’t holding a grudge against “The Holdovers” script allegations, but the writer/director is admitting just how “stupid” he thought the perceived scandal was.

On the eve of the 2024 Oscars, Disney’s “Luca” co-screenwriter Simon Stephenson publicly accused Payne and “The Holdovers” screenwriter David Hemingson of plagiarizing the script from his 2013 Black List screenplay “Frisco.”

Now, Payne told Deadline while at the Sarajevo Film Festival what he really thought of the media coverage at the time.

“It was the stupidest thing in the world,” Payne said when asked about the Variety report. “It was irresponsible of Variety to report on that without having read the scripts and comparing them themselves. Do you think The New York Times would have done that?”

At the time, Variety cited emails that suggested Payne did read Stephenson’s script or was at least aware of it when he decided to pass...

Earlier this year, one day before the 2024 Academy Awards, Variety reported that The Holdovers director Alexander Payne and writer David Hemingson had been accused of plagiarism by another screenwriter. "It was the stupidest thing in the world," is how Payne describes the controversy now to Deadline. "It was irresponsible of...

“It was the stupidest thing in the world,” director Alexander Payne has said regarding a screenwriter’s allegation that The Holdovers was plagiarised from a 2013 script.

In March, Variety ran an article which shared British screenwriter Simon Stephenson’s allegation that Alexander Payne’s Oscar-winning comedy drama The Holdovers was plagiarised from a script he wrote in 2013.

Speaking at the Sarajevo Film Festival, Payne has now provided a strongly-worded response to that allegation. He called it “the stupidest thing in the world,” and then went to describe Variety’s reporting on the matter as “irresponsible”.

“It was irresponsible of Variety to report on that without having read the scripts and comparing them themselves,” the director said, as reported by Deadline. “Do you think The New York Times would have done that?”

According to Stephenson – best known for his work on Luca, Paddington 2 and the drama The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain...

Exclusive: Alexander Payne has lambasted a report from earlier this year that the script for his five-time Oscar-nominated film The Holdovers, which he directed from a script by David Hemingson, was plagiarized.

“It was the stupidest thing in the world,” Payne told us at the Sarajevo Film Festival when asked about the Variety report earlier this year, which dropped on the eve of the Oscar ceremony.

In the piece, Luca screenwriter Simon Stephenson accused The Holdovers script of being plagiarized from his 2013 Black List screenplay Frisco.

“It was irresponsible of Variety to report on that without having read the scripts and comparing them themselves,” claimed Payne. “Do you think The New York Times would have done that?”

He added: “I haven’t heard anything more about it and I wish him [Stephenson] well but there was just no merit to it. I mean, I didn’t even pay attention to...

As Walt Disney Studios looks to rebound from a disappointing 2023, all eyes turn to what the Mouse House has in store for 2024. In addition to re-releasing three popular animated movies in theaters and through the Disney+ platform this calendar year, the studio has officially announced the upcoming release of three new animated movies for fans to look forward to. Meanwhile, a handful of unspecified Disney movies have been given 2024 release dates, leaving many to wonder which will be animated and which will be live-action.

To help moviegoers keep track of Disney's upcoming movie slate, including the studio's long-held partnership with Pixar Animation Studios, it's worth analyzing which animated movies are on pace to open theatrically in 2024. In addition to a pair of popular sequels opening in the summer and fall, Disney has plans to unveil its most ambitious original movie at the end of 2024. With springtime abound, it's time to...

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.NEWSThe Delinquents.The start of the Academy Awards ceremony was delayed by hundreds of protestors obstructing the red carpet to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.Asghar Farhadi has been cleared of plagiarism charges by an Iranian court after allegations were leveled by a former student, who accused him of stealing the idea for A Hero (2021) from her documentary on the same subject, produced in his 2014 filmmaking workshop.Meanwhile, Alexander Payne has been accused of plagiarizing The Holdovers (2023) “line-by-line” from a screenplay by Simon Stephenson he appears to have read on spec.Thailand is planning to reform its national film industry as part of a “soft power” program, which may include increased production funding, more rebates for foreign productions, and a reduction of state censorship domestically.

British screenwriter Simon Stephenson has accused the makers of The Holdovers of plagiarism, saying its similarity to his 2013 script, Frisco, is “brazen”.

Mere hours before Alexander Payne’s comedy drama The Holdovers was garlanded with an Oscar win – Da’Vine Joy Randolph walked off with a Best Supporting Actress gong – controversy suddenly blew up thanks to a report published by Variety.

According to British novelist and screenwriter Simon Stephenson – whose credits include The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain – The Holdovers was “plagiarised line by line” from Frisco, a screenplay he wrote in 2013.

One of the scripts shortlisted for 2013’s Black List of unproduced screenplays, Frisco is about a middle-aged, grouchy pediatrician who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a 15 year-old patient. This, Stephenson has argued, is markedly similar to the premise of The Holdovers, in which a middle-aged, grouchy teacher (played by Paul Giamatti in the film) strikes up an...

Screenwriter accuses The Holdovers screenplay of "line by line" plagiarism from his script Frisco in a heated Hollywood controversy. Despite claims of brazen plagiarism, legal procedures may be Stephenson's only recourse for pursuing the case against The Holdovers. Intellectual property disputes in Hollywood raise questions about script originality and industry norms, leaving future developments uncertain.

Just days before The Holdovers attempted to take home an Oscar or two at the 96th Academy Awards, the film was hit with accusations that its screenplay was not as original as it seemed. According to Variety, screenwriter Simon Stephenson has claimed that his script for a movie entitled Frisco and the Alexander Payne directed The Holdovers are the same in many ways, to the point that it allegedly includes “line by line” plagiarism.

The Holdovers RComedyDrama 4.5/5 Release DateNovember 10, 2023DirectorAlexander PayneCastPaul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa, Carrie Preston, Tate Donovan, Gillian VigmanRuntime2hr 13minMain GenreComedyWritersDavid HemingsonStudioMiramax,...

As Paul Giamatti’s character in The Holdovers quoted, “History is not just a study of the past, it is an explanation of the present.” So what if looking at a piece of the past led to a successful present? That’s the situation The Holdovers – one of the best films of last year – is finding itself in, as the script is now accused of plagiarism ahead of a potential win for Best Original Screenplay at Sunday’s Academy Awards.

According to Variety, screenwriter Simon Stephenson — who has credits on Pixar’s Luca and Paddington 2 — issued a complaint to a representative for the Writers Guild of America that The Holdovers was suspiciously close to his own Frisco, one of the films featured on The Blacklist, the annual list of best screenplays that have yet to be greenlit. As per The Blacklist, here is the official plot of Frisco: “A forty-something pediatric allergist,...

Oscar nominated film The Holdovers has been accused of plagiarism.

This whole story begins on January 12, 2024, when screenwriter Simon Stephenson, who wrote Pixar’s Luca, Paddington 2, and more, sent an email to an executive at the Writers Guild of America.

He wrote, “I’ve encountered a credits-related issue on quite a high profile WGA-covered project.” In another email, he continued, “the evidence the holdovers screenplay has been plagiarised line-by-line from frisco is genuinely overwhelming – anybody who looks at even the briefest sample pretty much invariably uses the word ‘brazen.’”

Keep reading to find out more…

Frisco is Simon‘s screenplay from 2013. According to Variety, “Frisco” was a “drama centered on a world-weary middle-aged children’s doctor and the 15-year-old patient he gets stuck looking after.” According to Variety, The Holdovers is ” a drama revolving around a world-weary middle-aged boarding school teacher and the 15-year-old pupil he gets stuck looking after.

The wait is finally over as the night of The Oscars is just one more night away, and with bated breaths, the general public is waiting to see who takes this prestigious awards home. But before this ceremony could start, The Holdovers, nominated for the Best Screenplay and Best Picture category by The Academy, is facing some serious plagiarism accusations.

Paul Giamatti and Dominic Sessa in a still from The Holdovers

These accusations have come from Simon Stephenson, the screenwriter of the hit Disney animated film Luca, who has accused both the director and the screenwriter of this Oscar-nominated film of copying his work page-by-page. But when given a closer look, it seems like he might be reaching for it a bit since the evidence he provides doesn’t make his case water-tight.

Luca Screenwriter Accuses The Holdovers To Be A Plagiarised Product Of His Script Paul Giamatti in a...

The much-awaited and the biggest night in Cinema is just around the corner. Everyone is waiting or rooting for their favorite star or film to win the respective category. Amidst such excitement, one film that earned five Oscar nominations this year has been accused of plagiarism. Luca and Paddington 2 writer Simon Stephenson claims that Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers has striking similarities to his film.

A still from The Holdovers

The Holdovers’ script has earned five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Paul Giamatti, Best Supporting Actress for Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Best Original Screenplay for David Hemingson.

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Simon Stephenson sent an email to the Writers Guild of America stating that this favorite-to-win movie clearly copied his unproduced dramedy project.

The Holdovers Accused of...

On the eve of the Oscars, Hollywood has been rocked by allegations that "The Holdovers" -- one of the nominees for Best Screenplay -- was "plagiarized line-by-line" from an unproduced script for a film called "Frisco," by "Luca" screenwriter Simon Stephenson. Plagiarism accusations and lawsuits are a dime a dozen in Hollywood, and rarely come to anything. But the language used by Stephenson in a 33-page document shared by Variety makes it sound like there's a real story here:

The meaningful entirety of the screenplay for The Holdovers has been copied from the Frisco screenplay by transposition. This includes the Frisco screenplay's entire story, structure, sequencing, scenes, sequential sub-beats within scenes, line-by-line substance of action and dialogue, characters, arcs, relationships, theme and tone. A majority of this has been done line-for-line, and a large number of unique and highly specific elements created in Frisco are readily and unequivocally identifiable in The Holdover.

Simon Stephenson accuses The Holdovers of blatant plagiarism, claiming the entire screenplay was copied line-by-line from his script Frisco. The writer provided evidence to the Writers Guild of America, stating that key elements such as story, characters, and dialogue were identical. Despite being in the industry for 20 years, Stephenson insists that the similarities between the two screenplays are not a case of mere coincidence.

After becoming a sleeper hit favorite for the Oscars, The Holdovers is being accused of plagiarism. The 2023 dramedy revolved around a teacher at an all-male boarding school in '70s New England who finds himself stuck supervising a handful of students left on campus during the Christmas break with the help of cafeteria manager Mary. Led by Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa, the movie was a critical and commercial hit, landing five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Giamatti, Best Supporting...

Simon Stephenson, a screenwriter whose credits include Paddington 2 and Luca, says Alexander Payne’s Oscar-nominated film The Holdovers is a product of plagiarism.

According to Variety, Stephenson recently reached out to the Writers Guild of America with allegations that the screenplay for The Holdovers “has been plagiarized line-by-line” from his own script for an unmade film called Frisco.

Frisco reportedly centers on a middle-aged children’s doctor who gets stuck looking after a 15-year-old patient, while The Holdovers stars Paul Giamatti as a middle-aged boarding school teacher who is forced to look after a 15-year-old student over holiday break.

Stephenson claims that Payne read Frisco in 2013 and again 2019, but both times he passed on the script. Around 2019, Payne began developing The Holdovers with screenwriter David Hemingson.

In a letter sent to the Writers Guild of America board on February 25th, Stephenson wrote, “I can demonstrate beyond any possible doubt...

The Alexander Payne awards contender The Holdovers is facing controversy on the eve of the Oscars, where the script from David Hemingson is nominated for best original screenplay.

The feature stars Paul Giamatti as a cynical teacher at a boarding school who gets stuck caring for a teenage boy (Dominic Sessa) over Christmas break. According to Luca and Paddington 2 writer Simon Stephenson, the script has striking similarities to his unproduced screenplay for Frisco, about a cynical pediatrician who finds himself caring for a teenage patient over a period of days. The Frisco script had some notoriety, as in 2013 it landed on the Black List, which honors the year’s best unproduced screenplays.

Stephenson prepared documents comparing scenes from both screenplays as well as their overall structure. Variety, which made one of those documents public Saturday, reported Stephenson sent it to the WGA in January to seek help. According to one document,...

A new report in Variety lays out a detailed argument from British screenwriter Simon Stephenson alleging that the Oscar-nominated screenplay for Focus Features’ widely praised “The Holdovers” is extremely similar to his own 2013 Black List spec script, “Frisco” — and that, according to Stephenson, “Holdovers” director Alexander Payne likely read that script.

“The Holdovers” has only one credited screenwriter: David Hemingson, who was an entertainment lawyer before becoming a TV writer and producer in the late ’90s, working on shows such as “Just Shoot Me!,” “Kitchen Confidential,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23.” “The Holdovers” is his first produced feature.

IndieWire has reached out to Focus, WGA West, and to reps for Payne, Hemingson, and Stephenson, but has not yet received a response.

Stephenson is credited as a co-writer on Pixar’s “Luca” and received an “additional material” writing credit for “Paddington 2.” Working Title is developing his novel,...

On Jan. 12, screenwriter Simon Stephenson sent an email to the Writers Guild of America’s senior director of credits Lesley Mackey asking to set up a call to discuss an important matter. The CAA-repped writer, whose credits include Pixar’s “Luca” and StudioCanal’s “Paddington 2,” wrote, “I’ve encountered a credits-related issue on quite a high profile WGA-covered project.” According to the email exchange reviewed by Variety, a call between the two took place, and, in a follow-up missive, Stephenson wrote, “the evidence the holdovers screenplay has been plagiarised line-by-line from frisco is genuinely overwhelming – anybody who looks at even the briefest sample pretty much invariably uses the word ‘brazen.’”

Stephenson was referring to his own screenplay “Frisco,” a drama centered on a world-weary middle-aged children’s doctor and the 15-year-old patient he gets stuck looking after, and David Hemingson’s “The Holdovers” — a drama revolving around a...

Many, many directors have careers filled with passion projects that never got made, scripts that died in early development, or projects they were attached to briefly before departing. Edgar Wright has a lot of those misses in his back catalog, but the “Shaun of the Dead” and “Baby Driver” director can rest comfortably knowing that he’s in the company of greats like James Cameron, Quentin Tarantino, and Steven Spielberg.

Wright, most famously, almost made the leap from beloved indie director to superhero cinema in 2015, when he was attached to write and direct “Ant-Man” for Marvel Studios. Ultimately, Wright’s vision for the film didn’t match up with the demands of the MCU content machine, and he departed the project in 2014 due to creative differences. Peyton Reed replaced him, and Wright — who made his name directing cult British TV comedy “Spaced” and a string of well-received films like “Hot Fuzz...

After debuting the first footage from Paul King’s Wonka at CinemaCon last year, Warner Bros showed off an extended trailer today for the Christmas 2023 release. The origins story stars Timothée Chalamet as the titular candymeister, who lands in a mid-European city (the pic was shot in London) after traveling the world perfecting his craft. “I’m something of a magician, inventor and chocolate maker,” he says.

His goal is to open a chocolate shop. But Willy Wonka soon learns he must battle some pretty sinister characters. He’s told, “Many people have come here to sell chocolate and been crushed by the chocolate cartel.”

Related: CinemaCon 2023 – Deadline’s Full Coverage

This Wonka, as Chalamet told the CinemaCon audience in Las Vegas today, “is full of joy and optimism.” In the trailer, he is undeterred and says, “Mark my words, this is going to be the greatest chocolate shop the world has ever seen.

“The film wants to show the really human side of Louis, the sweet side, the side that cared, the side that loved, the side that tried to bring joy to the world,” declares composer Arthur Sharpe about the titular English artist at the center of biopic “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain,” which was directed by the composer’s brother Will Sharpe, who co-wrote the film with Simon Stephenson.

We talked with Sharpe as part of Gold Derby’s special film composers “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with key Oscar and guild contenders. Watch our exclusive video interview above.

See Gold Derby interviews with 2022 Oscar contenders

In “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain,” Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Benedict Cumberbatch stars as eccentric English artist Louis Wain, who rises to prominence at the end of the 19th century for his surreal cat paintings that seemed to reflect his declining sanity.

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain Amazon Studios Reviewed by Tami Smith, Film Reviewer for Shockya Grade: A- Director: Will Sharpe Screenwriters: Simon Stephenson Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, Toby Jones, Andrea Riseborogh, Aimee Lou Wood, Stacy Martin, Hayley Squires, Sharon Rooney, Olivia Colman Release Date: October 22, 2021 The first time we are introduced […]

The post The Electrical Life of Louis Wain Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

You no longer have to rely on pure imagination. Timothée Chalamet has posted a first look at his Willy Wonka interpretation for the forthcoming film on the future chocolate factory proprietor.

Chalamet has 13.6 million followers on Instagram. The new film, titled Wonka, is focused on a young Willy Wonka and his adventures before he created the chocolate factory. Chalamet is expected to showcase his singing and dancing skills for the first time in the prequel.

Paul King will direct from the screenplay he wrote with Simon Farnaby. David Heyman is producing via his Heyday Films. Luke Kelly is also producing, with Michael Siegel and Alexandra Derbyshire executive producing.

This marks the third time WB has taken on the Wonka story, with the previous versions being adaptations of Roald Dahl’s classic novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Timothée Chalamet has shared a first-look image from the set of “Wonka,” the upcoming Warner Bros. prequel to “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” in which the Oscar-nominated actor stars as the beloved (if eccentric) chocolatier. Directed by “Paddington” and “Paddington 2” filmmaker Paul King, “Wonka” serves as an origin story for Willy Wonka. Check out the set image, which Chalamet shared on Twitter on Sunday, below.

Principal photography began in the United Kingdom just this past month. King wrote the script with Simon Farnaby. Farnaby previously wrote the screenplay for “Paddington 2.” David Heyman is producing via his Heyday Films. Luke Kelly is also producing, with Michael Siegel and Alexandra Derbyshire executive-producing.

This latest revamp of the Willy Wonka story will mark the third time Warner Bros. has adapted the Roald Dahl novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” for the big screen. The original 1971 movie starred Gene Wilder as the beloved chocolatier.

Paul King directs, David Heyman produces.

Olivia Colman, Rowan Atkinson and Sally Hawkins have joined Warner Bros’ Wonka as production got underway in the UK on Wednesday (September 29).

The trio join Timothée Chalamet in the lead role as Willy Wonka in the studio’s Roald Dahl spin-off. New cast include Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Tom Davis, Simon Farnaby, Rich Fulcher, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Paterson Joseph, Keegan-Michael Key, Colin O’Brien, Natasha Rothwell, Rakhee Thakrar and Ellie White.

Paul King of the Paddington films directs and Harry Potter universe producer David Heyman produces alongside Luke Kelly, who produced the recent feature adaptation of...

Warner Bros has rolled cameras in the UK on its new musical movie Wonka, starring Timothée Chalamet.

Additional cast members just announced include Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman and Jim Carter.

They join Mathew Baynton (Ghosts), Tom Davis (Paddington 2), Simon Farnaby (the Paddington films), Rich Fulcher (Marriage Story), Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Paddington 2), Paterson Joseph (Noughts + Crosses), Emmy and Peabody Award winner Keegan-Michael Key (Schmigadoon!), Calah Lane (The Day Shall Come), Matt Lucas (Paddington), Colin O’Brien (The Mothership), Natasha Rothwell (The White Lotus), Rakhee Thakrar (Sex Education) and Ellie White (The Other One).

Neil Hannon of the band The Divine Comedy is writing original songs for the film. The pic takes place before the events of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Paul King is directing from a screenplay he wrote with Paddington 2 co-writer Simon Farnaby. Harry...

Studiocanal, Film4, Shoebox, SunnyMarch and Amazon Studios have released the full trailer for The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain, the period film that traces the story of the titular English painter who specialized in exaggerated cartoons of wide-eyed felines. Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy star for director Will Sharpe. Check out a look at the Wain world in the video above.

The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain world premiered at the Telluride Film Festival earlier this month, and then headed to the Toronto fest. Amazon will release theatrically in the U.S. on October 22, and via Prime Video on November 5. Studiocanal will release theatrically in its territories — the UK, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand — early in 2022.

The film spans from the late 1800s to the 1930s and centers on forgotten British artist Wain, a brilliant but troubled soul, whose fascination with the mysteries of the world is complicated and...

Keegan-Michael Key has been cast in “Wonka,” a musical based on the early life of Willy Wonka. He will star alongside Timothee Chalamet, who has been set to portray the famed chocolatier.

Though plot details, as well as Key’s role, have been kept under wraps, “Wonka” serves as a prequel to “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and will explore the upbringing of the man who later created the famous temple of confectionary treats.

Roald Dahl’s popular children’s book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” follows a poor boy named Charlie Bucket, who wins a golden ticket to tour the world-famous and heavily guarded chocolate factory run by one Willy Wonka. Since the upcoming movie takes place before the chocolate factory opened, Charlie and his fellow golden ticket winners won’t appear in “Wonka.”

Paul King, known for “Paddington” and its sequel, is directing “Wonka.” David Heyman (“Harry Potter”) will produce the film,...

Exclusive: Primetime Emmy winner Keegan-Michael Key has joined the cast of Wonka, the origin tale about Roald Dahl’s famed Willy Wonka character. His role and character details are under wraps.

Wonka will focus on a young Willy Wonka and his adventures prior to opening the world’s most famous chocolate factory. Key joins Timothée Chalamet who is singing and dancing in the title role, as Deadline first reported.

Paul King will direct from the screenplay he wrote with Simon Farnaby. David Heyman is producing via his Heyday Films. Luke Kelly and Alexandra Derbyshire are also producing and Michael Siegel executive producing.

The Primetime Emmy winner of Comedy Central’s Key and Peele has been on a roll lately, starring in AppleTV+’s comedy musical series Schmigadoon! and the upcoming Hotel Transylvania: Transformania which is heading to Amazon from Sony.

Benedict Cumberbatch will be operating on two different frequencies this fall festival season. On one level, we have his villainous turn in Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog.” The other will see Cumberbatch in a more familiar, if sillier, part as the namesake eccentric genius in Will Sharpe’s quirky biopic “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain.”

A childlike idealist and inventor by nature, Wain finds a modicum of success as an illustrator of adorably anthropomorphized cats in Victorian England. But because he’s never had a mind for business, a lack of copyrights enables other copycats and publishers to cash in on his ideas, draining the badly needed funds Wain could use for his ailing wife — and family governess — Emily (Claire Foy) and his estranged four sisters and mother, who separated themselves from Louis after his marriage.

While his professional and personal lives were turned upside down many times over,...

Whimsy is always a tricky game to play onscreen, which pretty much guarantees that Will Sharpe’s The Electrical Life of Louis Wain will divide audiences. Excellent lead performances by Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy bolster the uneven film, which premiered at Telluride, and its enchanting visual style also helps to compensate for some self-indulgence in the screenplay by Sharpe and Simon Stephenson.

Louis Wain was an illustrator best known for his stylish and sometimes outlandish drawings of cats. He was also an eccentric who espoused bizarre theories about the power of electricity to transform everyday life. Beginning in the late 19th century ...

Whimsy is always a tricky game to play onscreen, which pretty much guarantees that Will Sharpe’s The Electrical Life of Louis Wain will divide audiences. Excellent lead performances by Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy bolster the uneven film, which premiered at Telluride, and its enchanting visual style also helps to compensate for some self-indulgence in the screenplay by Sharpe and Simon Stephenson.

Louis Wain was an illustrator best known for his stylish and sometimes outlandish drawings of cats. He was also an eccentric who espoused bizarre theories about the power of electricity to transform everyday life. Beginning in the late 19th century ...

Louis Wain painted cats, hundreds if not thousands of cats. He painted the critters with big googly eyes, gathered round the dinner table, serving tea or slurping at straws. He painted them standing on their hind legs, holding golf clubs and swinging Ping-Pong paddles, and he painted them seated, driving cars and smoking cigars.

Premiering at the Telluride Film Festival (whose programmers find oddball biopics impossible to resist), the eccentric yet enjoyable “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain” suggests that were it not for the prolific artist’s anthropomorphic paintings, English households might not have been quite so keen to embrace the independent-minded animal as a domestic pet. Personally, I’m skeptical that Wain was the cause — and besides, everyone knows cats can’t be tamed — although his influence can clearly be felt in the comic strips and cartoons that came after.

While the film’s fabric is amusingly embroidered with cats of all kinds,...

Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy and a cast of cats make an irresistible combination in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival. Director Will Sharpe (Flowers) makes witty, poignant work of the story of English painter Wain, who specialized in exaggerated cartoons of wide-eyed felines from the late 1800s.

We first meet Louis (Cumberbatch) when he’s sketching animals at farm shows, selling pictures to support his mother and five sisters in Victorian London. His fortunes change in several respects when Sir William Ingram (Toby Jones), the editor of the Illustrated London News offers him a position as illustrator — and when he meets his sisters’ new governess, Emily Richardson. While Emily is played by Cumberbatch’s junior, Foy, it’s interesting to note that in real life Emily was 10 years older than 23-year-old Louis, which was considered quite outrageous at the time. Either way, Louis...

Studiocanal and Amazon Studios have unveiled the first clip and still of “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain,” Will Sharpe’s anticipated film about the eccentric British artist played by Oscar-nominated actor Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game”), ahead of the movie’s world premiere at Telluride. Film4, Shoebox, SunnyMarch back the film along with Studiocanal and Amazon Studios.

Spanning the late 1800s through to the 1930s, the movie tells the true story of Wain, who was famous for his distinctive paintings of cats, and portrays his close relationship with his wife Emily Richardson, played by Claire Foy, the BAFTA-nominated actor of “The Crown.”

The clip debut gives audiences a first glimpse of Cumberbatch as Wain, “whose fascination with the mysteries of the world is both complicated and deepened when he meets the love of his life Emily,” says Sharpe. Wain’s wife was a driving force behind his art as...

Timothée Chalamet is our next Willy Wonka. In January, it was reported that Chalamet was in consideration along with Spider-Man actor Tom Holland to star in Wonka, a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory prequel that will follow a "young Willy Wonka and his adventures prior to opening the world's most famous chocolate factory." Per a new report by Deadline, Chalamet has now officially signed on for the part.

Paul King is directing Timothée Chalamet as Wonka using a screenplay co-written with Simon Farnaby; previous versions of the script were worked on by Simon Rich, Simon Stephenson, Jeff Nathanson, and Steven Levenson. David Heyman will produce under his Heyday Films banner alongside Luke Kelly, and Michael Siegel will executive produce.

A Warner Bros. project, this will be the third movie adaptation to be released in theaters by the studio. The original movie version, based on the Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,...

Timothée Chalamet is headed to the land of pure imagination, as the Academy Award-nominated actor has just been cast as a young Willy Wonka in a new origin story film from Warner Bros. and the Roald Dahl Company. According to Deadline, while the film is based upon the characters originally created by Roald Dahl in his novel (that also inspired the 1971 film from Mel Stuart), this one will focus on a young Willy Wonka before he opened his famed chocolate factory. Warner Bros. confirmed to IndieWire a release date is currently set for March 17, 2023.

The film will be directed by Paul King (the director of “Paddington” and “Paddington 2”) from the screenplay he wrote with Simon Farnaby. Farnaby previously wrote the screenplay for “Paddington 2.” David Heyman is producing via his Heyday Films. Luke Kelly is also producing, with Michael Siegel and Alexandra Derbyshire executive-producing.

This latest revamp of the...

Exclusive: Timothée Chalamet is ready to head to a world of pure imagination as the Oscar-nominated actor is set to star as the iconic inventor and chocolate maker in Warner Bros and the Roald Dahl Story Co.’s Wonka. Based on characters created by Roald Dahl, the story will focus on a young Willy Wonka and his adventures prior to opening the world’s most famous chocolate factory. Sources also tell Deadline that Wonka will mark the first time Chalamet gets to show off his singing and dancing skills with several musical numbers set to appear in the film. He’s been the top choice for some time but scheduling was a hurdle that had to be overcome as training for those numbers is included in the prep for this film.

Paul King will direct from the screenplay he wrote with Simon Farnaby. David Heyman is producing via his Heyday Films. Luke Kelly is also producing, with Michael Siegel and Alexandra Derbyshire executive producing.

This marks the third time WB has taken on the Wonka story, with the previous versions being adaptations of Dahl’s classic novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The first one, in 1971, starred Gene Wilder as Wonka, and the second in 2005 starred Johnny Depp in the role. While plot details are unknown, the new pic will be an origin tale of the character and mark the first time Charlie Bucket will not be featured.

For Chalamet, the Oscar nominee has avoided the tentpole pic over the years with his upcoming Dune adaptation being his first true venture into the genre. This film will also give him a possible franchise was well. Later this year, Chalamet will be seen staring in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune for Warner Bros and Legendary, Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch opposite Frances McDormand, and Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence. He is repped by UTA and attorney Lev Ginsburg.

A relatively new talent both in front and behind the camera, Will Sharpe starred in Netflix drama Giri/Haji, directed quirky British comedy Flowers, is directing Olivia Colman in the drama series Landscapers and oh – the BAFTA-nominated UK director also shot an Amazon Studios project with a cast of big names in Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, Jamie Demetriou, Andrea Riseborough, Toby Jones, Hayley Squires and Stacy Martin. Based on Simon Stephenson’s original screenplay which Sharpe shares writing credits with, Louis Wain went into production back in August of 2019 in London for this historical biopic. It’s a huge project that would have been better fitted for a Gala TIFF premiere, but perhaps this sophomore pic is ready to be released.…...

Exclusive: Genius: Aretha director-producer Anthony Hemingway is in talks to helm Train Man, a legal drama based on the true story of Darius McCollum, a man with Asperger syndrome whose fascination with subways and trains led to him posing as various New York City Metro officials in order to operate subway trains.

Despite allegedly having extensive knowledge of the NYC public transportation system, he was said to be rejected for employment. McCollum, who was arrested on several occasions, became a folk hero for people who are on the spectrum.

Simon Stephenson wrote the screenplay, which will follow the lawyer hired to defend McCollum. The long-gestating project at one point had Julia Roberts eyeing the lead. As of now, no cast is attached.

FilmNation and Gotham Group are producing the pic.

Hemingway is widely known in the TV space, having executive produced and directed episodes for Underground, Unsolved, The Purge...

Baby Driver director Edgar Wright has now lined up his next project, with the director signing on to develop and direct a spooky tale titled Stage 13 for Amblin Entertainment. Wright will also be executive producing the project, which is set to be based on a short story by Saturday Night Live alumni, Simon Rich.

Stage 13 will focus on the ghost of a silent film-era actress that has haunted a soundstage for decades. After crossing paths with a struggling director, the two form a bond and friendship, deciding to team up and make their mark on the world. The movie will be written by Simon Rich, who is also on board as a producer, along with Nira Park, who helped produce Wright's hugely popular adaptation Scott Pilgrim vs The World, as well as The World's End, and Baby Driver. Working Title's Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, who produced Shaun of the Dead...

The future is looking bright for fans of Edgar Wright; The “Baby Driver” mastermind is slated to direct “The Chain,” an adaption of Adrian McKinty’s 2019 novel for Universal Pictures.

Deadline reports Universal Pictures optioned the film in a seven-figure deal. Jane Goldman (“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” and “X-Men: First Class”) will write the script, while Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan, Nira Park, Shane Salerno, and Wright will serve as producers. Matt Reilly, Universal’s executive vice president of production, will oversee the film on behalf of the studio.

McKinty’s “The Chain” centers on Rachel, who learns that her 11-year-old daughter has been kidnapped and the only way to save her is to kidnap another child. If Rachel doesn’t complete her task as part of the sinister kidnapping scheme that the book is named after Rachel’s child will be killed. Rachel is determined to break The Chain and...

The future is looking bright for fans of Edgar Wright; The “Baby Driver” mastermind is slated to direct “The Chain,” an adaption of Adrian McKinty’s 2019 novel for Universal Pictures.

Deadline reports Universal Pictures optioned the film in a seven-figure deal. Jane Goldman (“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” and “X-Men: First Class”) will write the script, while Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan, Nira Park, Shane Salerno, and Wright will serve as producers. Matt Reilly, Universal’s executive vice president of production, will oversee the film on behalf of the studio.

McKinty’s “The Chain” centers on Rachel, who learns that her 11-year-old daughter has been kidnapped and the only way to save her is to kidnap another child. If Rachel doesn’t complete her task as part of the sinister kidnapping scheme that the book is named after Rachel’s child will be killed. Rachel is determined to break The Chain and...

Hollywood has been brought to a standstill thanks to the ongoing circumstances concerning global public health, so new movie announcements are rather few and far between at the moment. However, this one should get movie fans excited, as Baby Driver and Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright has now lined up his next project.

Entitled Set My Heart to Five, the upcoming movie will be based on the upcoming novel by Simon Stephenson. Wright will direct the film with Stephenson set to pen the screenplay, whilst Working Title and Focus Features will produce the project. This will mark the second adaptation of other material by Wright as a director, having previously brought the comic book series to the big screen with the brilliantly energetic Scott Pilgrim vs. the World back in 2010.

The novel is set to be published later this year, with both the book and movie adaptation set to follow a character named Jared,...

With upcoming films from major studios getting delayed due to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, it’s unclear what the rest of 2020 is going to look like when theaters eventually reopen. However, we can hope that the worst of the situation will be long gone by September, when Edgar Wright’s upcoming film, “Last Night in Soho,” is expected to hit theaters. But even if that film gets delayed, it appears the filmmaker is already lining up his next project, a robot love story titled “Set My Heart To Five.”

According to THR, Wright is now attached to direct a film titled “Set My Heart To Five,” based on the upcoming novel of the same name from author Simon Stephenson.

Continue reading Edgar Wright To Direct The Upcoming Sci-Fi Film, ‘Set My Heart To Five’ at The Playlist.

‘Baby Driver’ helmer Edger Wright, is attached to direct the big-screen adaptation of Simon Stephenson’s debut novel ‘Set My Heart To Five’.

Based on the novel, the story is set in an all-too-human 2054 and follows the android Jared who undergoes an emotional awakening and embarks on a quest to convince humans that he and his kind should be permitted to feel.

Said quest, sparked in part by Jared’s introduction to 1980’s and 1990’s movies, leads to an unforgettable adventure across the West Coast of America after he determines to write a film script that will change the world.

Also in news – Anne Hathaway cast in ‘French Children Don’t Throw Food’

Stephenson will pen the script from his own novel which is due to be released later this year. Working Title Films, Focus Features, and Compete Fiction Pictures have teamed on obtaining the film rights.

HarperCollins imprints Hanover Square Press in the U.

Edgar Wright already has a new project lined-up to follow his upcoming Last Night in Soho. The Shaun of the Dead filmmaker is attached to direct Set My Heart to Five, about a human-like robot on an emotional awakening. Working Title Films, Focus Features, and Compete Fiction Picture have teamed on the project, with the novel’s author Simon Stephenson set […]

The post Edgar Wright Will Direct ‘Set My Heart to Five’, About a Robot Who Wants to Write a Screenplay appeared first on /Film.

Edgar Wright is set to direct a film adaptation of Simon Stephenson’s upcoming novel about an android who undergoes an emotional awakening.

Deadline reported that Focus Features, Working Title Films, and Complete Fiction Pictures have teamed up to secure film rights to the project, which is based on Stephenson’s debut novel, “Set My Heart to Five.” The book is set to be released May 28, and Stephenson will adapt the screenplay from his own manuscript.

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Per the synopsis obtained by Deadline, the story will be set in an “all-too-human 2054” and center on Jared, who embarks on a quest to convince humans that he and other androids should be allowed to have feelings. What follows is a quest, sparked in part by...

The release of Edgar Wright's next film is still six months away (assuming it dosn't experience a Covid-19 delay), but the writer/director is already lining up his next project. Wright is attached to direct an adaptation of "Set My Heart to Five," which is based on the upcoming novel by Simon Stephenson. [Seemore] The story is set in "an all-too…...

Following up the major financial success that was Baby Driver, earning over $225 million on a mid-$30 million budget, yes, talk of a sequel has been discussed with a script even being completed. However, Edgar Wright jumped to a new original project for his next film: the psychological horror Last Night in Soho starring Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Diana Rigg, and Terence Stamp. While that film is set to arrive this fall, he’s now become attached to another project.

Deadline reports he’s set to direct an adaptation of Simon Stephenson’s forthcoming debut novel Set My Heart to Five, adapted by the author himself. Not arriving on shelves until later this year, the sci-fi story is set in 2054 along the west coast of America and follows an android named Jared who “undergoes an emotional awakening and embarks on a quest to convince humans that he and his...