Picturestart and Picture Perfect Federation have set JC Lee to direct the English-language remake of Thai hit Bad Genius and also announced key cast members as well as a raft of international presales. Lee also takes co-writing credits for the English-language screenplay with Julius Onah, who was previously announced as the director. The pair previously collaborated on the Sundance 2019 title Luce , adapted from Lee’s original play of the same name. Up-and-coming talents Callina Liang, star of ITVX teen drama Tell Me Everything , and Jabari Banks (Bel-Air) will star with veteran UK actor Benedict Wong ( Doctor Stranger In The Multiverse Of Madness ). The English remake is billed as a high-stakes, high-octane thriller about a diverse group of young people who team up to fight the system of injustice and inequity and take down the rigged academic institutions around them. It is produced by Erik Feig and Jessica Switch at Picturestart with Patrick … [Read more...] about Picturestart & Picture Perfect Federation Set JC Lee To Direct ‘Bad Genius’; Unveil Key Cast & Int’l Deals
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A24 Sets Disaster Comedy ‘Y2K’, To Be Directed By ‘SNL’ Alum Kyle Mooney; Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison & More To Star
EXCLUSIVE : Hot on the heels of their historic Oscars sweep with Everything Everywhere All at Once and The Whale , A24 has set the cast for Y2K , a dial-up disaster comedy to be directed for the studio by SNL alum Kyle Mooney . Jaeden Martell ( It ), West Side Story breakout Rachel Zegler and Julian Dennison ( Deadpool 2 ) lead a stacked ensemble that also includes Lachlan Watson ( Chilling Adventures of Sabrina ), Mason Gooding ( Scream VI ), 5x Billboard Music Award-winner The Kid Laroi, Tim Heidecker ( Us ), Eduardo Franco ( Stranger Things ), Miles Robbins ( Blockers ), Alicia Silverstone ( The Killing of a Sacred Deer ), Fred Hechinger ( Fear Street Trilogy ) and Daniel Zolghadri ( Funny Pages ). In the film penned by Evan Winter , which is set on New Year’s Eve 1999, two high school nobodies (Martell, Dennison) decide to crash the last big party before the new millennium. When the clock strikes midnight, the night … [Read more...] about A24 Sets Disaster Comedy ‘Y2K’, To Be Directed By ‘SNL’ Alum Kyle Mooney; Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison & More To Star
Oscar Winner Roger Ross Williams: Spending On Oscar Doc Campaigns Has “Gotten Insane” — CPH:DOX
Oscar winner and Academy member Roger Ross Williams is saying publicly what many in the documentary community have stewed over privately – that the sums of money being spent on Oscar documentary campaigns has “gotten insane.” And Williams, a former Academy Governor representing the Doc Branch, says something may be done about it. “We in the Academy, in the Doc Branch, have a campaign finance reform committee… to sort of try to work through that and figure out solutions to that. It’s gotten insane. It’s gazillions of dollars to get seen and heard,” he said, “and that’s so troubling because it should be on the merit of the films.” His remarks, less than two weeks after the Academy Awards, came in a discussion with documentary programmer and Pure Nonfiction podcaster Thom Powers at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. Powers asked the filmmaker about “the escalating attention that awards season sucks up in our industry,” and Williams didn’t hold back. “We know it’s awards, it’s the … [Read more...] about Oscar Winner Roger Ross Williams: Spending On Oscar Doc Campaigns Has “Gotten Insane” — CPH:DOX
Radha Mitchell, Adam Demos & Bart Edwards Lead Romance Drama ‘Take My Hand’; Filming Underway In Australia
EXCLUSIVE : Principal photography has begun on Take My Hand , a romantic drama feature starring Radha Mitchell ( Finding Neverland ), Adam Demos ( UnReal ), Bart Edwards ( The Witcher ), Meg Fraser ( Bloody Hell ) and former Big Brother contestant Xavier Molyneux making his film debut. Former Neighbours star and singer Natalie Bassingthwaite ( Elvis ) is also among cast. Director Raftopolous co-wrote the screenplay with Dave Paterson ( 2067 ) based on the true love story between himself and his current wife. Take My Hand follows vibrant young Australian woman Laura, who forges a successful banking career in London and seemingly has the perfect marriage. Her world is turned upside down when she is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and her husband starts to show his true colors. When a tragic accident leaves her a widowed mother with three sons, she returns home to Australia, and is reunited with Michael, a high school friend and a divorcee with one … [Read more...] about Radha Mitchell, Adam Demos & Bart Edwards Lead Romance Drama ‘Take My Hand’; Filming Underway In Australia
Moses Ingram, Michael Shannon, Bronagh Gallagher, Tim McInerney & Lennie James Join Joshua Oppenheimer’s Neon-Backed Musical ‘The End’
Neon has unveiled a raft of cast additions for Joshua Oppenheimer ’s musical The End as principal photography begins in Ireland. The freshly-unveiled cast includes Moses Ingram, Michael Shannon, Bronagh Gallagher, Tim McInnerny, and Lennie James. They join previously announced lead actors Tilda Swinton and George MacKay. Neon is co-financing the international co-production. The long-gestated project revolves around the story of the last human family. Principal photography has begun in Ireland and will continue through the spring in Italy and Germany. “I am thrilled to be making The End in collaboration with this miraculous ensemble of artists. I am in awe of each of them. It has been a journey of six years to reach this point, and I could not be more humbled,” said Oppenheimer. Final Cut for Real’s Signe Byrge Sørensen and Oppenheimer are producing with Wild Atlantic Pictures, The Match Factory, Dorje Film, Moonspun Films and Anagram co-producing. … [Read more...] about Moses Ingram, Michael Shannon, Bronagh Gallagher, Tim McInerney & Lennie James Join Joshua Oppenheimer’s Neon-Backed Musical ‘The End’
Jenna Lamia To Pen ‘The Perfect Couple’ Adaptation Based On Elin Hilderbrand Book In The Works At Fox
EXCLUSIVE: Jenna Lamia ( Good Girls ) has been tapped to write and executive produce The Perfect Couple adaptation, based on Elin Hilderbrand ’s bestselling novel, which is in the works at Fox . The previously announced one-hour mystery drama hails from Fox Entertainment’s SideCar Content Accelerator. Based on Hilderbrand’s book, The Perfect Couple centers around wedding season on Nantucket. The beautiful island is overrun with summer people – an annual source of aggravation for year-round residents. When one lavish wedding ends in disaster before it can even begin – with a body discovered in Nantucket Harbor just hours before the ceremony – everyone in the wedding party is suddenly a suspect. As Chief of Police Ed Kapenash digs into the bride, the groom, the groom’s famous mystery novelist mother, and even a member of his own family, the chief discovers that every wedding is a minefield – and no couple is perfect. Lamia executive produces with Hilderbrand and … [Read more...] about Jenna Lamia To Pen ‘The Perfect Couple’ Adaptation Based On Elin Hilderbrand Book In The Works At Fox
Hundreds Of WGA East Members Stage Walkout At Hearst Magazines Media: “So Many Of Us Pour Our Heart And Soul Into These Brands”
Hundreds of WGA East members employed at Hearst Magazines Media staged a half-day walkout and rally today to demand a fair contract. The walkout at four of the company’s offices – in New York City, Easton, PA, Ann Arbor, MI, and Birmingham, AL – comes after more than two years of negotiations for a first-time contract. The last scheduled day of negotiations is March 28. According to the guild, they’re seeking “fair wage increases, better severance and strong anti-harassment protections,” among other demands. Watch some video of the walkout below. The guild represents some 500 of the publishing giant’s editorial, video, design and photo staff at more than 25 brands including Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Popular Mechanics, Car & Driver, Oprah Daily, Seventeen, Elle, Redbook and Woman’s Day . “We’re walking out today because more than two years is too long to wait for a fair union contract,” said Joey Capparella, … [Read more...] about Hundreds Of WGA East Members Stage Walkout At Hearst Magazines Media: “So Many Of Us Pour Our Heart And Soul Into These Brands”
Lauren Ridloff, Marlee Matlin & Ramy Youssef Join Inevitable Foundation’s Call To Prioritize Hiring Of Disabled Writers
“Hey Hollywood: Hire Disabled Writers, Not Just A Disability Consultant,” is the title of the Inevitable Foundation ’s latest initiative announced in an open letter to the entertainment industry on Thursday signed by notable writers, actors, and showrunners like Lauren Ridloff, Marlee Matlin, and Ramy Youssef, among many others. The initiative offers disabled creatives and the industry at large equitable and innovative solutions to work together toward building creative power for disabled artists. This includes free access to its Concierge service, a resource for creative executives, showrunners, and producers, which connects them with wonderful mid- and upper-level disabled writers for development and staffing. “The growing number of disability-inclusive film and television projects in the past few years might lead one to think that the largest minority group in America is finally seeing itself represented on-screen. But these on-screen gains have unfortunately not … [Read more...] about Lauren Ridloff, Marlee Matlin & Ramy Youssef Join Inevitable Foundation’s Call To Prioritize Hiring Of Disabled Writers
‘Walker: Independence’s Justin Johnson Cortez To Appear On Mothership ‘Walker’ Series At The CW
EXCLUSIVE: Justin Johnson Cortez , series regular on the CW period drama Walker : Independence , is crossing over into the future as a guest star on Walker . He will play a potentially recurring new role, which could eventually have ties to Calian, the Indigenous character he plays on Walker: Independence . Cortez will appear on the contemporary Walker as Detective Sonny Alcala, a shrewd Homicide Detective who got his start working closely with Cordell Walker (Jared Padalecki) and Captain James (Coby Bell) on a case years ago. The Detective initially calls Walker as a courtesy to let him know of a death relating to a case, but something doesn’t quite add up. The Walker origin series Walker Independence is set in the 1800s and follows Abigail Walker, the ancestor of Padalecki’s Cordell Walker. Cortez plays Calian, a member of an Indigenous scouting party outside Independence, Texas. In the midseason finale, Calian left Independence after he was put on … [Read more...] about ‘Walker: Independence’s Justin Johnson Cortez To Appear On Mothership ‘Walker’ Series At The CW