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Jeff Bezos Mandates Programming Shift at Amazon Studios (Exclusive)
10 hours ago | Variety - TV News | See recent Variety - TV News news »
The mandate from Jeff Bezos is clear: Bring me “Game of Thrones.”
That’s the word that has the creative community buzzing this week about a major strategy shift underway for Amazon Studios’ original series efforts.
The CEO of the e-commerce giant is said to have tasked Amazon Studios chief Roy Price with honing the focus on high-end drama series with global appeal. Amazon’s decision this week to scrap plans for a second season of period drama “Z: The Beginning of Everything” reflects the new marching orders.
On Friday, Amazon confirmed five new projects — series greenlights for a period drama from Paul Attanasio and Wong Kar-wai and a comedy starring Fred Armisen and Maya Rudolph; two comedy pilots; and a Seth Rogen-produced comic book adaptation eyed as a straight-to-series order — that reflect the drive to find shows that deliver sizzle in the water-cooler environs of social media and can travel around the world.
In »
- Cynthia Littleton and Daniel Holloway
The 47 Meters Down Sequel 48 Meters Down Will Be 2.128 Percent More Intense
15 hours ago | Vulture | See recent Vulture news »
Considering how much we have all aged since the spring, it’s understandable if you don’t immediately recall that Mandy Moore survive-the-sharks movie 47 Meters Down. But like The Shallows before it, the deep-sea thriller that is entirely about not getting eaten by sharks wildly overperformed its projected box-office take, making more than $50 million around the world on a budget of about $5 million. With that kind of return, it was only a matter of time until the property got a sequel, and now The Hollywood Reporter is saying just that. Writer and director Johannes Roberts will return for, wait for it … »
- Jordan Crucchiola
Blake Heron, ‘Shiloh’ Star, Dies at 35
14 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
Blake Heron, the former child actor best known for playing Marty Preston in the 1996 family movie “Shiloh,” has died, TheWrap has learned. He was 35.
Heron was found dead in his Los Angeles area apartment at around 7:50 a.m. PT on Friday, the Los Angeles coroner confirmed. There is no cause of death at this time, and the autopsy is pending.
A TMZ report stated that paramedics unsuccessfully tried to revive him for 40 minutes. The Sherman Oaks, California, native had battled heroin addiction for a number of years and openly talked about it. »
- Debbie Emery
Spike Lee, Jordan Peele Team Up on KKK Crime Thriller ‘Black Klansman’
15 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Spike Lee and Jordan Peele are teaming up on “Black Klansman,” a crime thriller about the KKK.
“Ballers” star John David Washington, Denzel Washington’s son, is in negotiations to topline the Focus film about the true story of an African-American police officer who infiltrated the KKK.
Lee will direct and produce with Peele. Sean McKittrick, Shaun Redick, and Raymond Mansfield of QC Entertainment, and Jason Blum of Blumhouse Productions are also on board to produce.
The movie follows Ron Stallworth, a detective in Colorado Springs, Colo., who in 1978 answered an ad in the local newspaper seeking new Klan members. He not only gained membership, but rose through the ranks to become the head of the local chapter. Stallworth, who is black, was able to gather all sorts of intelligence by pretending to be a white supremacist on the phone or via other »
- Justin Kroll
Could ‘It’ Float a Franchise? Pennywise Looks Like a Smart Investment
15 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
There were always plans for the new film “It” to get a sequel — the Stephen King adaptation tells only the first half of the story of seven kids from Derry, Maine, who do battle with the dancing clown Pennywise. But with “It” beating box-office expectations, analysts are already whispering one of Hollywood’s most-beloved words: Franchise. King’s 1986 novel “It” weighs in at more than 1,100 pages, and has already inspired a 1990 TV miniseries starring Tim Curry as Pennywise. The novel may have enough material to inspire more adaptations — and not just on the big screen. One huge question mark is the. »
- Beatrice Verhoeven
‘Stranger Things’ Season 2 Will Focus on Hopper’s Daughter, David Harbour Says
17 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
Get ready to learn a lot more about lawman Jim Hopper’s daughter in the upcoming second season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things.” David Harbour, who plays Hopper on the series, told TV Guide that his character’s daughter will “be the primary focus” of the season. “Hopper’s daughter will be the primary focus of Season 2, but not in the way that you think it will be,” Harbour said. “Hopper’s understanding of that relationship and Hopper’s understanding of being a father and of being a man grows deeper and deeper in Season 2, and we get a lot of time to explore what. »
- Tim Kenneally
Toronto: Benedict Cumberbatch to Star in ‘Gypsy Boy’
8 September 2017 4:20 AM, PDT | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Benedict Cumberbatch will star in “Gypsy Boy,” an adaptation of Mikey Walsh’s memoirs.
The Oscar-nominated star of “The Imitation Game” and “Sherlock” will play a demanding father and a member of the last generation of the Romany Gypsy people, known for their ability to fight. Boxing is a religion to the Walsh clan, so much so that when Mikey is born, he is given a pair of golden gloves on a chain to wear around his neck. The pressure for Mikey to become a boxer splits the family.
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Benedict Cumberbatch’s Company to Adapt Novel ‘The End We Start From’ Into Movie (Exclusive)
“I was immediately drawn to Mikey’s courageous and heart-breaking story. And his father Frank is unlike any character I’ve played before,” Cumberbatch said in a statement. “He’s a complex man torn between tradition and his love for a son struggling to come to terms with an identity that’s »
- Brent Lang
Box Office: ‘It’ Scores Record $13.5 Million on Thursday Night
21 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
New Line’s “It” has opened to a monster $13.5 million on Thursday night.
The North American preview number for “It” is the third-largest for 2017, trailing only Disney’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” at $17 million, and “Beauty and the Beast,” with $16.3 million. It’s also the largest gross for a horror movie, for an R-rated title, for a September release, and for a film based on a Stephen King book.
Box office expectations have been sky-high for “It” following a dismal late summer, with forecasts of at least $65 million at 4,103 theaters. Some estimates are as high as $75 million.
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‘It’ Sequel Moves Ahead With Screenwriter Gary Dauberman
PostTrak data from comScore showed strong audience reaction to “It” previews, with 48% calling the movie “excellent” and another 38% rating it “very good.” A total of 60% said they would “definitely recommend” the film.
The R-rated movie is based on King’s 1986 novel, which focuses on a group of friends in »
- Dave McNary
‘Game of Thrones’ Was Pirated 1 Billion Times This Summer – Seriously
19 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
“Game of Thrones” broke ratings records for HBO in its latest season, but it paled in comparison to the amount of people watching the show illegally. With its seventh season plagued by hackers, the popular fantasy show was pirated more than 1 billion times, according to anti-piracy firm Muso. HBO may want to start hunting down some of these phony subscribers, because “Game of Thrones” was routinely watched illegally 10 times more than it was watched legally. Its season finale set an HBO overnight record with 16.5 million viewers, which still came in at a fraction of the 143 million people »
- Sean Burch
Laverne Cox-Led Psychic Drama From Elizabeth Banks Lands ABC Put Pilot Order (Exclusive)
20 hours ago | Variety - TV News | See recent Variety - TV News news »
ABC has given a put pilot order to a new drama starring Laverne Cox, Variety has learned exclusively.
Currently titled “Spirited,” the one-hour drama would follow a fake psychic (Cox) who realizes she can really communicate with the dead. She decides to put her con-woman past behind her and actually start helping people.
Elizabeth Banks is attached as an executive producer under her Brownstone Productions banner. Brownstone’s Max Handelman will also executive produce. Heather Mitchell, who previously wrote for and produced “Scandal” and developed “Still Star-Crossed” for television, will serve as writer and executive producer. Warner Bros. Television, where Brownstone is under an overall deal, will produce.
Cox is repped by ICM, Ph Entertainment Group, and Peikoff Mahan. Banks is repped by UTA, Untitled Untitled Entertainment, and Ziffren Brittenham Llp. Mitchell is repped by Wme.
This is not the first time Banks and Cox have collaborated on a TV project. Back »
- Joe Otterson
BoJack Horseman Recap: Pressure Plus Time
just now | Vulture | See recent Vulture news »
Diane is the most complex character on BoJack Horseman. »
- Film Crit Hulk
Saoirse Ronan in ‘Lady Bird’: Greta Gerwig’s Telluride hit takes Toronto on way to Oscars
11 minutes ago | Gold Derby | See recent Gold Derby news »
Another week, another film festival and another strong showing for Saoirse Ronan in “Lady Bird,” a character study by first-time solo director Greta Gerwig. After premiering on Sept. 1 to rave reviews at Telluride, this A24 release was the talk of the Toronto film festival on Sept. 8. Ronan, who lost her Oscar bids for […] »
- Paul Sheehan
Tiff: Brenton Thwaites Makes a Daring Rescue Attempt in 'Office Uprising' First-Look (Exclusive Image)
27 minutes ago | The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News | See recent The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News news »
Brenton Thwaites (pictured right) embarks on a mission to save his one true love (Jane Levy, center) from an office building full of psychotic coworkers who have been "weaponized" by a new energy drink designed for the military in Office Uprising. Karan Soni (left) co-stars in the film alongside Zachary Levy and Alan Ritchson. The Exchange is handling international sales.
Lin Oeding directed Office Uprising, which is currently in post-production, from a screenplay written by Ian Shorr and Peter Gamble Robinson. Giulia Prenna, Jim Steele, Sean Lydiard and Will Clevinger are producing.
This story first appeared »
- Tatiana Siegel
‘Stronger’: Jake Gyllenhaal is Oscar-worthy in Boston Marathon bombing drama
41 minutes ago | Gold Derby | See recent Gold Derby news »
Jake Gyllenhaal could well win the Best Actor Oscar for his heartfelt portrayal in “Stronger” of Jeff Bauman, Jr. who lost both his legs in 2013 Boston marathon bombing. This Oscar contender debuted at the Toronto film festival on Sept. 8 to strong reviews, especially for its leading man, a one-time Best Supporting Actor Oscar […] »
- Paul Sheehan
Tiff: Hurricane Irma's Path of Destruction Disrupts the Fest
1 hour ago | The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News | See recent The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News news »
Though the eye of Hurricane Irma is some 1,300 miles away, the superstorm has already begun to disrupt the Toronto Film Festival.
Contingents from the Miami Beach and Miami-Dade County film commissions have canceled their trips to the festival, as has actor Christopher Rivera, who was traveling from the Sunshine State to Toronto for Sunday’s premiere of Sean Baker’s The Florida Project.
Irma, which is the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and already has ravaged multiple islands in the Caribbean, is expected to make a direct hit on Florida sometime Sunday morning.
Like most film festival directors, Miami Film Festival’s »
- Tatiana Siegel
Toronto: Saban Films Nabs Rights to Three Millennium Titles (Exclusive)
1 hour ago | The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News | See recent The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News news »
Saban Films is making waves at the Toronto market by nabbing U.S. rights to a trio of films from Avi Lerner’s Millennium Media. The three films are: Isaac Florentine’s Acts of Vengeance, starring Antonio Banderas, Karl Urban, Robert Forster and Paz Vega; Paul Solet’s Bullet Head (formerly titled Unchained) also starring Banderas, John Malkovich and Adrien Brody; and Day of the Dead, a remake of George Romero’s horror classic that will be directed by Hector Hernandez Vicens and star Sophie Skelton.
Saban is eyeing a theatrical release for all three films later this year.
“Avi Lerner has long become synonymous »
- Tatiana Siegel
Jessica Chastain (‘Molly’s Game’): Oscar bound for Aaron Sorkin drama about high-stakes poker player?
1 hour ago | Gold Derby | See recent Gold Derby news »
Third time could be the charm at the Oscars for Jessica Chastain, who stars in “Molly’s Game,” a character study by first-time director Aaron Sorkin that premiered on Sept. 8 to rave reviews at the Toronto film festival. Chastain, who lost her Oscar bids for “The Help” (2011) and “Zero Dark Thirty” (2012), shines in […] »
- Paul Sheehan
Armando Iannucci on Why 'Death of Stalin' Is "Strangely" Relevant and Keeping Away From 'Veep' (Q&A)
1 hour ago | The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News | See recent The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News news »
It’s been more than eight years since Armando Iannucci last unveiled a feature film — his acclaimed directorial debut In The Loop back in 2009. But few would argue that the British funnyman and satirist has spent the time slacking, having brought his BAFTA-winning TV comedy The Thick of It to a triumphantly profane close in 2012 and immediately helping to launch and relaunch a multitude of careers with the just-as-sweary Veep, which seemingly can’t stop winning Emmys.
Iannucci left as showrunner in 2015 to focus on his next film, now premiering in Toronto. With The Death of Stalin, based »
- Alex Ritman
Toronto: Yorgos Lanthimos' Nicole Kidman-Starring 'Sacred Deer' Sells Wide (Exclusive)
1 hour ago | The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News | See recent The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News news »
The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Yorgos Lanthimos’ second English-language feature after his 2015 hit The Lobster, has scored a wide array of international deals ahead of its North American debut in Toronto on Saturday.
The darkly comic horror thriller, which stars Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell and Dunkirk-breakout Barry Keoghan, bowed in competition in Cannes, and had already secured A24 for domestic distribution, plus Curzon in the U.K. and Haut et Court for France.
New territories for Sacred Deer’s sales rep Hanway Films include Germany (Alamode), Australia and New Zealand (Madman), Japan (Fine Films), Spain (Sun), Benelux (Imagine/Film Freak), Switzerland »
- Alex Ritman
‘Outrage Coda’: Film Review | Venice 2017
3 hours ago | The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News | See recent The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News news »
The fires of stylized violence burn themselves to cold embers in Outrage Coda, the final installment in Takeshi Kitano’s three-part saga set in the Japanese underworld of clan hierarchies, rivalry and senseless murders. He wraps up the show in the only way possible: with more bloodbaths, killings and evening of scores between warring families, until there is nothing left for another sequel. Perhaps Kitano is weary of a highly formulaic franchise that has little narrative novelty left in it and basically no place to go but to the grave. The message, that violence is "sad and empty", is clear by »
- Deborah Young
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