Month: May 2021

The Africa-set drama, starring Idris Elba, will debut theatrically in Landmark Theaters in 19 markets the same day it debuts on the streaming service in October.

Cary Fukunaga’s Beasts of No Nation will open theatrically in 19 markets served by Landmark Theatres on Oct. 16, the same day that it debuts on Netflix, which will make the film, starring Idris Elba, eligible for Oscar consideration.

Netflix announced today that it is partnering with Bleecker Street, the new distribution company founded by Andrew Karpen last year, and Landmark to open the Africa-set drama in select markets in the U.S. as it simultaneously makes its worldwide bow on the streaming service.

When Netflix acquired the film in March in a $12 million deal, beating out specialty film distributors like Fox Searchlight and Focus, it promised a theatrical release for the film and signaled that it planned a major awards push for the new feature from Fukunaga, an Emmy winner for his work directing the first season of HBO’s True Detective. Beasts, it was announced earlier this week, has been selected to screen at both the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival, setting it up to become part of the season’s awards conversation.

While the country’s major theater circuits like Regal, AMC and Cinemark have policies againstshowing movies that are simultaneously playing on VOD or streaming services, Landmark, part of the Wagner/Cuban companies co-owned by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban, has shown a willingness to book movies also appearing online and on cable.

Landmark Theatres operates 261 screens in 53 theatres across 26 markets, and Beasts, it was announced, will bow in 19 of those markets: New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Houston, Dallas, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco and San Diego.

If a film makes its first appearance in other media before playing theaters, it’s ineligible for Oscar consideration. But under Academy rules, movies that begin their theatrical run on the same day as they appear online are eligible once they complete a one-week run in Los Angeles.

For the past two seasons, Netflix has had a horse in the documentary feature Oscar race with nominees The Square and Virunga. If Beasts emerges as a contender, it will become the streaming service’s first hopeful in the narrative feature categories.

Beasts, based on the novel by Nigerian author Uzodinma Iweala, is the tale of Agu, a child soldier torn from his family to fight in the civil war of an African country. Newcomer Abraham Attah plays Agu, while Elba will be seen as Commandant, a warlord who takes in Agu and instructs him in the ways of war.

Beasts is produced by Amy Kaufman and Fukunaga, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Riva Marker and Dan Crown for Red Crown Productions, along with Elba. Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King are executive producers for Participant Media; Donna Gigliotti is executive producer for Levantine Films; Elizabeth Koch and Kristina Kendall are executive producers for New Balloon; and Bill Benenson, Laura Bickford and Todd Courtney are also executive producers.

EXCLUSIVE: Maika Monroe, Maggie Grace, Brad Carter have been cast in the indie drama The Scent of Rain and Lightning, which has just entered preproduction. The film, an adaptation of the novel by Nancy Pickard, is the story of a young woman forced to confront old wounds and the destructive power of hate when she learns that the man who killed her parents has been released from prison.

Produced by Casey Twenter, Jeff Robison and Jeff Johnson of No Coast Entertainment, Kevin Waller and Michael Davis, and Maggie Grace, The Scent of Rain and Lightning is directed by Blake Robbins. WeatherVane Productions and PKs Remain Entertainment will be Executive Producing. Filming begins this fall in Oklahoma.

Maggie Grace, known for her role in the Taken franchise and on Lost, will next be seen in Showing Roots, and in The Choice, both of which are in post production. She’s repped by UTE and Zero gravity Management.

Maika Monroe was recently seen in It Follows and The Guest, and will be appearing in Independence Day: Resurgence. She’s presented by WME and Luber Roklin Entertainment.

Brad Carter has been seen recently on the first season of HBO’s True Detective, the final season ofSons of Anarchy, and with Faith Hill in the indie drama Dixieland. He will next be seen in the Whitey Bulger biopic Black Mass, alongside Johnny Depp. He’s repped by TalentWorks, and Luber Roklin.

The team behind “The Judge” is taking on the political scene next as Team Downey’s Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey, and screenwriter Bill Dubuque are developing an untitled presidential debate dramedy for Warner Bros.

Dubuque will pen the script with Downey Jr., Downey and David Gambino producing for Team Downey, along with Mark Williams.

Gambino and Rob Hackett will oversee for Team Downey. Courtenay Valenti and Julia Spiro are overseeing for Warner Bros.

The comedic drama is set in the high-stakes backdrop of three presidential debates where millions of dollars and months of campaigning come down to 270 minutes of highly scrutinized political theatre.

The original idea was hatched by Team Downey and Dubuque. No actors or director are currently attached to the project.

“The Judge” resulted in an Academy Award nomination for Downey Jr.’s co-star, Robert Duval.

Team Downey recently announced that Paul Thomas Anderson would be writing their reimagining of “Pinocchio,” while Dubuque’s scripted thriller “The Accountant,” starring Ben Affleck, just wrapped shooting.

EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures just completed an option on House to House, the memoir of U.S. Army staff sergeant David Bellavia’s harrowing experience in the Second Battle Of Fallujah. The studio, which bought it for Imagine Entertainment, knew just the writer who’d bring an inherent understanding of the subject matter. Universal has set Max Adams, who just turned in a draft to the studio of The Risk Agent, a thriller vehicle for Vince Vaughn.

Adams also spent 11 years serving his country in the U.S. Army, an enlisted M-3 Gustav gunner and team leader in the 1st Ranger Battalion who as a young lieutenant led soldiers in combat during the initial ground invasion of the Iraq War. He was discharged in 2006 and just produced the Robert De Niro-starrer Bus 657, and produced and directed the Bruce Willis starrerPrecious Cargo.

Imagine’s Brian Grazer is producing, and Rich Middlemas is also attached to produce. Latter was producer of the Oscar-winning docu Undefeated. In House to House–which Bellavia wrote with John R. Bruning–Bellavia tells of his experiences leading his blue collar front line forces into the intense urban combat against zealous insurgents in the Second Battle of Fallujah. Bellavia was part of a campaign that took the heavily fortified, booby-trapped city and ultimately earned himself a nomination for the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Imagine’s Erica Huggins and Alexandre Dauman are overseeing the project with Universal’s Jon Mone and Jay Polidoro. Adams is represented by Paradigm, Zero Gravity’s Eric Williams and attorney Marios Rush; Bellavia by Hornfischer Literary Management’s Jim Hornfischer and attorney Steve Younger.

MADRID – Jamie Bamber, Kellan Lutz, Jesse Williams and Jess Weixler are set to star in indie thriller “Money,” from “An Act of War” and “A Conspiracy on Jekyll Island” producer Atit Shah at Create Entertainment.

Initiating principal photography from June 9 in Woodbury, Long Island, “Money” marks the feature debut of one of Spain’s most talked-about shorts/commercials directors, Martin Rosete, who leapt to attention with the 2012 Tribeca Fest-selected sci fi drama “Voice Over,” which won over 100 prizes.

From a screenplay by Barcelona’s Josep Ciutat, “Money” turns on two affluent couples held hostage by a charismatic con artist who poses as their neighbor. Ensnared in a web of lies and embezzlement, their loyalties are severed and love destroyed for two suitcases full of cash.

Rosete’s brother Jose Rosete, who has collaborated with him throughout his career, will serve as “Money’s” cinematographer.

Equity financed, and to be shot at night, “Money” is “a contained thriller,” Rosete told Variety. “I love creating atmosphere and great visuals, but the main attraction of ‘Money’ will be working in depth with its actors,” he added.

Lutz famously played Emmett Cullen in the ”Twilight” saga before starring in “The Legend of Hercules” and limning Smiley in “The Expendables 3.”

Bamber starred in “BattleSTAR Galactica” and “NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service.” Weixler won a Sundance Fest Special Jury prize for her lead performance in “Teeth.” Williams is best known for his role as Dr. Jackson Avery in “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Still running a production company in Madrid, Rosete is a leading light of the diaspora of new generation Spanish filmmakers who, as Spain sunk into crisis, have had to travel abroad to launch their careers, for a lack of financing for first-time directors in Spain.

Written by Luis Berdejo (“The New Daughter”) and narrated in French by Feodor Atkine, “Voice Over” is a snapshot of the hell and heaven of life, capturing three men just a few minutes before certain and hideous death. It then cuts to one moment of adolescent bliss.

“Voice Over” was nominated for a Spanish Academy Goya and won a 2013 Melies d’Or award for Best European Fantastic Short Film. The breadth of its other plaudits – from cinematography to film, direction, screenplay and special effects – mark it out as one of the standout Spanish fiction shorts of recent years.

Martin Rosete is repped by William Morris Endeavor and managed by Underground. Bamber is repped by Independent Talent Group, Paradigm and Alan Siegel Entertainment and Lutz by William Morris Endeavor and Zero Gravity Management. Jesse Williams is managed by Oronde Garrett at Headshell Management. Also with a recurring role in “The Good Wife,” Weixler is repped by The Gersh Agency and Mosaic.

Hersh Narola, general partner at Imagine Ventures, will executive produce under the division of Narola Films. Production counsel is handled by Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard.

FILED UNDER:

• Atit Shah
• Jamie Bamber
• Jess Weixler
• Jessie Williams
• Kellan Lutz
• Martin Rosete

EXCLUSIVE Lisa Wilson and Myles Nestel’s The Solution Entertainment Group has come on board to finance and handle sales on Brian Taylor’s action thriller Blood Drive. Sentinel Pictures and Permut Presentations are producing with Solution co-producing, financing and distributing. The project marks the first action pic that producer David Permut has boarded since the iconic Nicolas Cage-John TravoltaFace Off from Hong Kong director John Woo in 1997.

Blood Drive, from an original screenplay by Christian Parkes, is described as a high-octane, nail-biting race against time that follows Ben, an everyman with the rarest of blood types unexpectedly forced to deliver his very own, freshly removed kidney to an infamous tycoon whose life depends on it.

Taylor specialises in highly stylized action fare, having also directed Gerard Butler inGamer and Jason Statham in Crank. “This is the kind of big concept, relentless action I love. Ben is a quintessential everyman hero, pushed to the limits out of pure desperation — how far would we go to save someone we love? How much would we give?” says Brian Taylor.

The pitch, written by Bill Dubuque, started making the roads in recent days, but meetings on April 14 and April 15 were canceled after Warners and Universal began bidding aggressively on the action-adventure film.

Universal has landed the Chris Pratt pitch The Real McCoy, which became a hotly contested project that found the studio in a battle with Warner Bros. for the rights.

The pitch, written by Bill Dubuque (The Judge), started making the rounds in recent days, but meetings on April 14 and April 15 were canceled after Warners and Universal began bidding aggressively on the action-adventure film. Universal won the rights when it plunked down $1.5 million against $3 million.

The story centers on bootlegger Bill McCoy, whose life inspired the phrase “the real McCoy,” meaning the liquor hadn’t been cut.

The idea originated with producer Tom McNulty, who is producing alongside newly installed on the lot Michael De Luca. McNulty pitched the idea to Dubuque, and the two then pitched it to Pratt, who immediately responded to it enthusiastically. Mark Williams at Zero Gravity is executive producing.

Pratt, who became one of the most in-demand leading men thanks to his breakout role in Guardians of the Galaxy, also garnered headlines in recent days as one of the biggest stars to defect from CAA to UTA in the wake of 11 agents leaving CAA to join UTA.

Dubuque is repped by CAA, Zero Gravity Management’s Eric Williams and attorney Michael Schenkman at Bloom Hergott.

Pzatt is additionally handled by Mosaic.

Attorney Jeff Frankel at McKuin Frankel Whitehead negotiated the deal for McNulty.

Will Yun Lee (Hawaii Five-0, True Blood, Wolverine) has joined the castNBC’s martial arts drama pilot, Warrior. Written and executive produced byTraveler creator David DiGilio , directed by Phillip Noyce, and executive produced by Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald, the project centers on a damaged heroine who works undercover with physical and spiritual guidance from a mysterious martial arts master to bring down an international crime lord.

Lee, repped by APA and Zero Gravity Management, will play Susano, a deadly and dangerous martial arts expert who is head of a Japanese crime syndicate where he enjoys considerable power, wealth and respect. He will next be seen recurring on the fourth and final season of Strike Back on Cinemax and co-starring in the upcoming disaster actioner San Andreas and comedy Spy.

Ben Affleck may have found his next bigscreen role.

Sources tell Variety that the “Gone Girl” and “Batman v Superman” actor is in negotiations to star in action thriller “The Accountant” for Warner Bros.

Gavin O’Connor (“Warrior”) is said to be WB’s top choice to direct the film, although no offer has been made.

Based on an original script by Bill Dubuque, “The Accountant” centers on a mild-mannered accountant who moonlights as a lethal assassin.

The project had been in development limbo for years, most recently at Sony, with Will Smith once attached to the project, but was eventually put into turnaround after the studio could not assemble the right package. WB originally had rights to “The Accountant” with Mel Gibson attached to direct. Insiders tell Variety Affleck recently caught wind of the project and thought it would be a nice change of pace before directing “Live By Night,” which will not begin filming until July.

Mark Williams and Lynette Howell are producing the film. Drew Crevello and Jon Gonda will oversee for Warner Bros.

The role gives the multi-hyphenate another gritty role to sink his teeth into following his rave reviews in David Fincher’s “Gone Girl,” which opens Friday.

Affleck will head back to Detroit to resume filming “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” once he finishes campaigning for “Gone Girl.”

He is repped by WME.

Ben Affleck may have found his first co-star for “The Accountant” with actress Anna Kendrick in early negotiations to join the assassin thriller, sources confirm to Variety.

Gavin O’Connor (“Warrior”) will direct the Warner Bros. pic, which begins production in January. J.K. Simmons is also in talks to join the cast.

Based on an original script by Bill Dubuque, “The Accountant” centers on a mild-mannered accountant (Affleck) who moonlights as a lethal assassin.

It’s unknown whom Kendrick would play in the film.

Mark Williams and Lynette Howell are producing the “The Account, which Drew Crevello and Jon Gonda will oversee for WB.

Affleck, who recently starred in “Gone Girl,” is currently filming the last scenes for “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” in Michigan. “The Accountant” is his next feature before returning to the director’s chair in July for “Live by Night.”

Kendrick can next be seen in Disney’s “Into the Woods” as Cinderella. She is also in negotiations on a few other 2015 projects though sources couldn’t confirm what those films were.

The “Up in the Air” actress has already had a busy year having finished production the sequel to Universal’s “Pitch Perfect,” along with “The Hollars” with Sharlto Copley and “Mr. Right” with Sam Rockwell.

She is repped by CAA and attorney Todd Rubenstein.

Warner Bros. had no comment on this story.