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Film Review: ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows’
4 hours ago
The heroes in a half shell return for more halfhearted fun in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.” Every bit as noisy, brain-numbing and lowbrow as its predecessor, the Michael Bay production never strays from basic blockbuster formula. It’s fast food entertainment destined for a short run atop the box office charts and an even shorter lifespan in the pop culture zeitgeist.
Although the franchise has remained active in animation and video games through the years, the heroic quartet named after famed Renaissance painters — Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo — went dormant in live action films for two decades, until 2014’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” resurrected the phenomenon. At the time, some longtime fans took issue with reinventing the turtles as motion capture-animated heroes, especially in the context of a sleek, soulless, steel-crushing action extravaganza à la Bay’s “Transformers” productions. But worldwide audiences didn’t seem to mind one bit, »
- Geoff Berkshire
Alexandre Aja Directing Romance Drama ‘The Marquis’
5 hours ago
Alexandre Aja (“Horns” ) will direct romance drama “The Marquis,” a 17th-century-set movie based on the true story of the Marquis de Montespan.
French mini-major Gaumont is producing with Paris-based Lgm Cinema. “The Marquis” will shoot in English with a budget in the $25-million range and shooting starting in Europe in the last quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2017.
The film, inspired by Jean Teulé’s bestselling novel “Le Montespan” and scripted by Aja, will depict the doomed and passionate relationship between the Marquis Louis Henri de Montespan and his wife Athénaïs — a beautiful and
ambitious woman who became the mistress of Louis Xiv.
The Marquis, who was passionately in love with his wife, refused all privileges and vowed to get his wife back at all costs, even if it meant defying the authority of the Sun King and facing imprisonment and death threats. He was one of »
- Dave McNary
Wme: We’re Not Doing Trump’s Convention Film
8 hours ago
A spokesman for Wme Entertainment said that the agency had no plans to work on a film for the Republican National Convention, after Donald Trump suggested in an interview that agency chieftan Ari Emanuel had offered to take charge of the project.
Trump is a former agency client and talks to Emanuel, the spokesman said. Wme/Img also purchased the Miss Universe Pageant from the Trump Organization last year.
In an interview with Michael Wolff in the Hollywood Reporter, Trump said that Emanuel was a “very good friend of mine” and that he had offered to take on the convention project.
But Emanuel is a longtime Democrat, and has given to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. His brother, Rahm, is the mayor of Chicago and former chief of staff to President Obama.
It’s fairly typical for presidential nominees to enlist Hollywood figures for their biographical convention films. Davis Guggenheim »
- Ted Johnson
‘Under the Gun’ Director: ‘I Stand By’ Controversial Edit
10 hours ago
Director Stephanie Soechtig is sticking up for her documentary “Under the Gun” after executive producer Katie Couric apologized for a controversial scene in the film.
Couric, who also narrates and appears in the movie, expressed regret Monday for a moment in the film in which she asks members of a gun-rights group called the Virginia Citizens Defense League a question about background checks for felons and suspected terrorists. The group members are shown sitting silently for eight seconds before finally answering. Couric and the movie, which premiered May 14 on Epix, became targets for gun-rights advocates last week after unedited audio revealed that the silence had been added into the documentary — the Vcdl members had responded immediately to Couric’s question. In her statement Monday, Couric said, “I regret that those eight seconds were misleading,” and claimed that she raised concerns about the edit to Soechtig during the filmmaking process.
Speaking to Variety Wednesday, »
- Daniel Holloway
Jake Gyllenhaal to Star in Ubisoft’s ‘The Division’ Movie (Exclusive)
11 hours ago
Following record-breaking sales, Ubisoft is already developing a movie based on its video game “Tom Clancy’s the Division,” and now looks to have an A-list star to lead the film.
Sources tell Variety that Jake Gyllenhaal is attached to star in the pic based on the hit video game that has already become Ubisoft’s fastest-selling product.
Gyllenhaal is also attached as a producer, and the studio is currently looking for a writer to pen the adaptation. Ubisoft could not be reached for comment.
Developed and published by Ubisoft, with assistance from Red Storm Entertainment, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the third-person shooter is set in a dystopian New York City in the aftermath of a smallpox pandemic. The player, who is an agent of the Strategic Homeland Division, commonly referred to as simply “The Division,” is tasked with helping to rebuild the Division’s operations in Manhattan, »
- Justin Kroll
‘Silicon Valley’ Star TJ Miller Joins Steven Spielberg’s ‘Ready Player One’
11 hours ago
“Silicon Valley” star T.J. Miller has joined the cast of Steven Spielberg’s “Ready Player One” for Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow.
Miller joins a cast that includes Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Simon Pegg, Ben Mendelsohn and Mark Rylance in the virtual universe Oasis, created in the 2011 novel by Ernest Cline. In the story, set in the year 2044, humans have come to prefer Oasis to the real world.
Sheridan plays the lead as a teen in a treasure hunt against ruthless foes after the founder of the game dies and offers his fortune as the grand prize. Miller will play an annoying troller in the online forums.
Spielberg is directing with shooting expected to start later this month. Producers of “Ready Player One” are Spielberg through his Amblin Partners, Donald De Line, Kristie Macosko Krieger and Dan Farah.
Miller stars as Erlich Bachman in HBO’s “Silicon Valley.” His feature credits include “Deadpool, »
- Dave McNary
Brie Larson the Frontrunner to Play Captain Marvel (Exclusive)
12 hours ago
After her Oscar-winning turn in “Room,” Brie Larson may be ready to step into the shoes of one of Marvel’s most popular female superheroes.
Sources tell Variety Marvel is in early talks with Larson to play Captain Marvel in the studio’s standalone project. It is unknown where things stand in negotiations, but sources have told Variety that Larson is the first choice, and that she’s leaning toward playing the part.
Marvel had no comment on the story.
No director is currently on board. Marvel, however, had always planned to have an actress lined up early, with the idea of possibly introducing her in one of its upcoming films before its “Captain Marvel” movie bows.
“Inside Out” scribe Meg LeFauve and Nicole Perlman are currently writing the script, which follows Carol Danvers, an air force pilot whose DNA is fused with that of an alien during an accident. »
- Justin Kroll
‘Deadpool’ Marks Third Week Atop Home-Video Charts
12 hours ago
Twentieth Century Fox’s “Deadpool” remained the top home video seller for the third consecutive week, despite four new theatrical films coming to Blu-ray Disc and DVD last week – all of which ended up in the top 10 on the national sales charts for the week ending May 29.
Sony Pictures’ “Risen,” the latest Biblical epic about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, debuted at No. 2 on both the Npd VideoScan overall disc sales chart and the dedicated Blu-ray Disc sales chart.
“Risen” stars Joseph Fiennes as a Roman “Tribune” charged with tracking down rumors of a Nazarene who rose from the dead. The film, directed by Kevin Reynolds (“Fandango,” “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves”), earned $36.9 million in U.S. theaters.
Close behind, with a No. 3 debut on the overall disc chart (and a No. 7 bow on the Blu-ray Disc chart), was Warner’s “How to Be Single,” a romantic comedy with $46.8 million in domestic box office earnings. »
- Thomas K. Arnold
Alix Madigan Departs Broad Green as Head of Creative Affairs
12 hours ago
Alix Madigan is departing fast-growing Broad Green Pictures as head of creative affairs to return to her roots as an independent producer.
The split is amicable and comes as Broad Green ramps up its efforts to aim at the mainstream market with such fare as ensemble dance comedy “Step Sisters,” Bryan Cranston’s drug drama “The Infiltrator” and Billy Bob Thornton’s comedy “Bad Santa 2.”
Broad Green, operated by brothers Daniel and Gabriel Hammond, shifted focus last month by hiring “Straight Outta Compton” producer Matt Alvarez as president of production. Board Green’s biggest box office success so far was “A Walk in the Woods” with $30 million, but arthouse fare such as Terrence Malick’s “Knight of Cups” have not broken out.
Alvarez has a strong track record with producing credits including “Friday,” “Barbershop” and “Ride Along.”
Madigan was hired in September from Anonymous Content, where she was a »
- Dave McNary
Aaron Starmer’s Thriller ‘Spontaneous’ in the Works as Movie
13 hours ago
Awesomeness Films has acquired movie rights to the young adult fantasy novel “Spontaneous,” set against the backdrop of high school students bursting into flames.
The novel is written by Aaron Starmer, author of “The Riverman Trilogy.” Brian Duffield and Nicki Cortese will produce for Awesomeness Films under their company Jurassic Party’s first look deal, and Duffield will also adapt the novel.
Brian Robbins and Matt Kaplan will produce for Awesomeness.
“Spontaneous,” published by Dutton and scheduled to hit shelves Aug. 30, follows a student during her senior year at a high school in suburban New Jersey, where everything is going as normally as could be expected, until the day a fellow senior explodes during third period pre-calculus. Soon other classmates meet similar fates, forcing the student and her friends to figure out a way to survive normal high school problems with the added stress of potentially combusting at any moment. »
- Dave McNary
Weinstein Company Sues Open Road Over ‘Playmobil’ Rights
13 hours ago
The Weinstein Co. has sued Open Road Films, and producers Moritz Borman and Dimitri Rassam over the U.S. distribution rights to the upcoming movie “Playmobil.”
TWC filed the suit on Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging that the producers breached their agreement to sell the rights to TWC prior to the May 12 announcement that Open Road had purchased the U.S. rights.
A spokeswoman for Open Road said the company had no comment about the suit, which alleged that the rights were sold to TWC on March 30 following a week of negotiations.
“The producer defendants materially breached the agreement by retracting their promise to sell TWC the ‘Playmobil’ movie distribution rights and refusing to negotiate a written deal memo in good faith,” the complaint said. “Instead of honoring their contractual obligations to TWC, the producer defendants purported to terminate the agreement and entered into a contract with Open »
- Dave McNary
Nigerian Director Bows New Feature With Help From Air France
13 hours ago
Veteran Nigerian helmer Kunle Afolayan wants the world to know his ambitions are sky-high. So for his fifth feature, “The C.E.O.,” he’s taking his premiere 30,000 feet into the air.
It’s a marketing twist that comes thanks to Air France, a corporate sponsor for the film, with select guests getting a first glimpse of the movie on June 1 aboard a flight from Lagos to Paris, where “The C.E.O.” will then get its theatrical premiere on the opening night of the NollywoodWeek film fest.
For Afolayan, who in recent years has emerged as one of the leading figures of the local film biz, the move from the red carpets of Lagos to the bright lights of Paris reflects a growing sense that the Nigerian industry – popularly known as Nollywood – is beginning to earn the world’s oft-grudging respect.
“More doors are opening,” he says.
While the »
- Christopher Vourlias
John Carney Apologizes for Slamming Keira Knightley
15 hours ago
Director John Carney has apologized for publicly criticizing Keira Knightley’s acting in his film “Begin Again,” calling his own comments “petty, mean and hurtful.”
“Recently, in a phone interview, the conversation turned to a discussion about a past film, ‘Begin Again,’ starring Kiera (sic) Knightley,” he wrote. “I said a number of things about Keira which were petty, mean and hurtful. I’m ashamed of myself that I could say such things and I’ve been trying to account for what they say about me. In trying to pick holes in my own work, I ended up blaming someone else. That’s not only bad directing, that’s shoddy behaviour, that I am not in any way proud of. It’s arrogant and disrespectful. Keira was nothing but professional and dedicated during that film and she contributed hugely to its success. I wrote to Keira personally to apologise, but I wanted to publicly, »
- Alex Stedman
Box Office: ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2’ to Knockout ‘Popstar’
15 hours ago
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows” should unseat “X-Men: Apocalypse” from the top spot on the box office charts this weekend when it debuts to roughly $37 million.
However, the film is the latest sequel to struggle to match the performance of its predecessor. The return of the pizza-munching, martial arts-wielding reptiles is on pace to open to just half of what 2014’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” made during its first weekend in theaters.
Hollywood is fond of the franchise business, believing that sequels are easier to market and carry less risk than original productions. But go back to the trough too many times, and a studio can risk audience fatigue. This summer has been particularly brutal for follow-ups. “Alice Through the Looking Glass” flopped, “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising” stumbled, and even the latest “X-Men” fell about 30% short of “Days of Future Past’s” monster opening.
Some analysts think »
- Brent Lang
Fox Buyout Offers Accepted By Up to 400 Employees (Exclusive)
16 hours ago
Between 300 and 400 film and television staffers have taken voluntary buyouts at 21st Century Fox, Variety has learned.
That represents roughly half of the employees who were given the option of taking the package, according to insiders. Fox initiated the buyout program as part of a company-wide effort to cut $250 million from its budget. Fox currently has no plans for layoffs, and there remain other ways that the company believes it can potentially cut expenses beyond staffing reductions.
Various division heads will now look at their departments to see if the work of the employees who are leaving can be reassigned or will require new hires. Some functions may be combined.
Fox has approximately 20,000 employees globally. Most of the buyouts took place at the company’s domestic operations, with the bulk of those coming from its Los Angeles offices.
Last February, Fox sent out proposals to roughly all staffers who had »
- Brent Lang
Rachel Weisz’ Holocaust Denier Drama ‘Denial’ Set for September
16 hours ago
Bleecker Street has set an awards-season release date of Sept. 30 for “Denial,” the courtroom drama starring Rachel Weisz and Timothy Spall.
Bleecker Street acquired North American rights at the American Film Market in November. “Denial” is based on the Deborah E. Lipstadt book “History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier.”
Mick Jackson directed. David Hare adapted the script, which recounts Lipstadt’s legal battle for historical truth against David Irving, who accused her of libel when she declared him a Holocaust denier.
Weisz stars as Lipstadt and Spall as Irving. Tom Wilkinson also stars.
Producers are Gary Foster and Russ Krasnoff of Krasnoff/Foster Entertainment alongside Shoebox Films. Participant Media developed the project with BBC Films, and is co-financing as well. Exec producers are Participant Media’s Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King, BBC Films’ Christine Langan and Joe Oppenheimer, Bleecker Street’s Andrew Karpen, and Shoebox Films Guy Heeley. »
- Dave McNary
IndieWire Launches Revamped Website
17 hours ago
To coincide with its 20th anniversary, IndieWire has launched a redesigned website, Penske Media Corporation Chairman and CEO Jay Penske announced on Tuesday.
“The relaunch represents our new growth and direction under Pmc, and coincides with our expanded TV reporting and analysis for the Emmy season. The new site also means we’re well prepared for summer movies as well as Oscar coverage this fall,” said Dana Harris, the L.A-based Editor-in-Chief and General Manager of IndieWire.
In addition to their expanded coverage, led by TV and film editors Michael Schneider and Kate Erbland, the design features an updated logo, improved photo galleries, enhanced content modules and a new awards season section that will provide visitors with comprehensive and user-friendly coverage of the Emmys.
Indiewire.com will also feature an expanded video section. In order to make navigation and content consumption easier, all facets of the site will now be available on the homepage. »
- Maria Cavassuto
Q&A: Syria’s Gaya Jiji, Winner of Cannes/Kering’s Women in Motion Award, On Challenges Faced by Female Directors in Syria
18 hours ago
Paris — One of Syria’s rare women directors, Gaya Jiji has fled her war-torn homeland to live in Paris where she is developing her anticipated feature debut, “My Favorite Fabric” — a depiction of female sexuality in Syria which will likely spark waves across the Arab world. A sign of her up-and-coming status, Jiji (pictured above, in the middle) has just won the Women in Motion Young Talent Award along with Leyla Bouzid and Ida Panahandeh. While the prize is not part of the official selection, it was given by Cannes Film Festival’s artistic director Thierry Fremaux and president Pierre Lescure, as well as Francois-Henri Pinault’s Kering, the initiative’s main backer and one of the fest’s partners. Jiji spoke to Variety about the status of women in front of and behind the camera in Syria and the rest of the Arab world, as well as the challenges »
- Elsa Keslassy
‘Logan’s Run’ Remake Moves Ahead With ‘Colony’ Showrunner Ryan Condal
18 hours ago
Warner Bros. is moving ahead with its reboot of “Logan's Run,” tapping “Colony” co-creator/showrunner Ryan Condal to write a new script.
The move comes a year after “X-Men Apocalypse” co-writer Simon Kinberg came on to pen a treatment.
Kinberg will produce with Joel Silver and Greg Berlanti. Kinberg is a producer on “X-Men: Apocalypse,” “Fantastic Four” and “Deadpool,” while Berlanti has teamed with DC Comics COO Geoff Johns as the creative force behind the TV hits “Arrow,” “The Flash” and “Supergirl.”
Carl Rinsch was in talks in 2010 to direct “Logan’s Run” for Warner Bros. with Silver and Akiva Goldsman producing. At that point, the project — focused on a man trying to escape a mandatory death sentence on his 30th birthday — had been in development at Warners for more than a decade, with Bryan Singer, Skip Woods, Robert Schwentke and James McTeigue associated as possible directors at various points. »
- Dave McNary
Zeitgeist Films Takes Rights to ‘Theo Who Lived’ Doc About Journo Kidnapped by Islamic Militants (Exclusive)
18 hours ago
New York-based specialty distributor Zeitgeist Films has acquired theatrical U.S. rights to potentially hot button docu “Theo Who Lived,” about American journalist Theo Padnos who was kidnapped by Al Qaeda in Syria and held captive for nearly two years in a series of prisons.
Directed by U.S. documaker and producer David Schisgall – known for prostitution-themed “Very Young Girls” and for “The Lifestyle: Group Sex in the Suburbs” – “Theo” features Padnos returning to the Middle East where he “retraces the physical and emotional steps of his harrowing journey,” according to a statement from Zeitgeist.
Padnos (pictured) spoke fluent Arabic and was thus thought by his captors to be a CIA operative after he slipped into Syria to report on the country’s civil war. He was kidnapped in October 2012.
He has written a first-person account of his experience published in a The New York Times Magazine cover story »
- Nick Vivarelli
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