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B O X O F F I C E who’s making the money | F I L M N E W S who’s making the headlines | ||
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Brie Larson, Jack Quaid, Henry Golding and Lily Collins will star in CLOSE PERSONAL FRIENDS. Likely to be a romantic comedy-drama, the plot is being kept tightly under wraps. Jason Orley (Big Time Adolescence) is directing from a script by Isaac Aptaker (Love, Simon). Tiffany Haddish, Maggie Grace, Devon Sawa and Ralph Macchio will star in THE GIRL IN THE RIVER, a thriller about a young psychologist and a veteran criminologist who team up to investigate the murder of a young girl and the disappearance of her twin sister. Writer-director Brando Benetton has just started filming in Mississippi. LaKeith Stanfield, Jason Clarke and Sam Claflin are joining the cast of F.A.S.T., an action thriller about a former commando who is hired to lead a black ops team against a group of drug dealers. Costars include Brandon Skenar and Juliana Canfield; veteran cinematographer Ben Richardson is directing from a script by Taylor Sheridan. Kristen Wiig will voice the warrior Roboto in the new MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE movie, which stars Nicholas Galitzine (as He-Man), Idris Elba, Jared Leto, Alison Brie, Morena Baccarin, James Purefoy and Camila Mendes. Travis Knight is directing from a script by Chris Buttler. Sandra Huller, August Diehl, Anna Madeley, Hanns Zichler, Theo Trebs and David Striesow will star in 1949, about a journalist rally driver and her father who drive from Frankfurt into Soviet-controlled East Germany at the start of the Cold War. Pawel Pawlikowski is directing from a script he wrote with Henk Handloegten. Filming started this week in Poland. Chris O'Dowd is the latest new cast member in ARTIFICIAL, Luca Guadagnino's ensemble comedy-drama biopic about the founder of OpenAI. Also on board are Andrew Garfield, Monica Barbaro, Cooper Koch, Yura Borisov, Cooper Hoffman, Jason Schwartzman, Zosia Mamet, Billie Lourd and Ike Barinholtz. Randall Park will star in BETTER LIFE, which is being described as a dark comedy with a sci-fi twist. Apparently, first-time writer-director Jessica Liu based the story on the life of her immigrant father. Kal Penn, Chris Redd, Adam Pally, David Castaneda and Edy Modica are joining the cast of WHAT THE F**K IS MY PASSWORD, about a guy who has only four tries to remember the password that will give him access to his newly accrued crypto-fortune. Costars include Alexander Ludwig, Kate Walsh, Stephen Dorff and Poppy Liu. Steve Pink is directing from a script by Jeff Morris. Cole Sprouse and Darby Lee-Stack will star in ELASTIC HEARTS, about a young couple navigating a complex relationship through personal decisions and unexpected events. Iranian-born filmmaker Milad Schwartz Avaz (Better Times) is writing and directing. And Isla Johnson (The Queen's Gambit) has landed the title role in JEHANNE D'ARC, Baz Luhrmann's epic retelling of the story of Joan of Arc, a young peasant in 15th century France who believed she was sent by God to save her nation during the Hundred Years' War. After service as a military leader, she was executed at age 19 for heresy.
Pedro Pascal will star in BEHEMOTH, a drama about a cellist told in flashbacks. He replaces Oscar Isaac, who had to leave the role due to scheduling issues. Andor creator Tony Gilroy is writing and directing, and plans to start filming next month in Los Angeles. Angelina Jolie will play a villainous spy in THE INITIATIVE, reteaming with Mr & Mrs Smith director Doug Liman. It's about an operative who uses cruelly manipulative methods as she trains a rookie agent, Training Day-style. The script is by F Scott Frazier (XXX: Return of Xander Cage). Kristen Wiig is joining Jonah Hill in CUT OFF, in which they'll play wealthy siblings struggling to support themselves after their parents stop funding their lavish lifestyles. Hill is also directing from a script he cowrote with Ezra Woods. Kevin Hart and John Cena will team up to produce and star in the action comedy THE LEADING MAN, about a self-absorbed movie star who discovers that his costar is actually a secret agent. And the world needs saving. The script is by Jon and Erich Hoeber (The Meg). Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner will star in ONE NIGHT ONLY, about two strangers who are trying to find someone to spend the night with on the only day of the year when premarital sex is legal. Will Gluck is directing and adapting a Black List script by Travis Braun. Sebastian Stan will return to his Romanian roots to play both the scientist and his creation in FRANKENSTEIN IN ROMANIA, the next film by filmmaker Radu Jude (Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World). Apparently, the plot involves a real-life CIA black-ops prison in Romania. Noah Centineo will play a young John Rambo in a prequel film that explores the action hero's experiences during the Vietnam War. The character was of course first played by Sylvester Stallone in 1982's First Blood. Director Jalmari Helander (Sisu) plans to shoot the film in Thailand. Timothy Olyphant will reprise his role as a TV cowboy in THE ADVENTURES OF CLIFF BOOTH, the sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by David Fincher. Brad Pitt is back in the title role, alongside Elizabeth Debicki, Yayha Abdul-Mateen II, Carla Gugino, Scott Cann and Holt McCallany. Bill Pullman, Dana Delaney, Shiloh Fernandez, Daniel Zovatto and Karl Glusman have joined the cast of Paul Schrader's next drama THE BASICS OF PHILOSOPHY, which is about a repressed professor (Jack Huston) grappling with the repercussions of a decision he once made. Sofia Boutella costars. And Max Minghella is joining the cast of CLAYFACE, a horror-style thriller that centres around the shape-shifting Batman nemesis. Tom Rhys Harries has the title role, with Naomi Ackie costarring. James Watkins is directing from a script by Hossein Amini.
Sharon Stone wants to star in and possibly direct a biopic about comic legend Phyllis Diller. Stone and the trailblazing comedienne were close friends, and Diller helped prepare her for the role before she died at age 95 in 2012. Stone would like Sam Rockwell to play Johnny Carson in the film. Dave Bautista is set to play the villainous Kurgen opposite Henry Cavill and Russell Crowe in Chad Stahelski's clearly very beefy reboot of the HIGHLANDER franchise, about immortal swordsmen who battle it out in the Scottish Highlands. Filming is set to start next month. Eva Longoria will join Maia Reficco in THE LAST SUNRISE, based on the romance novel about a chronically ill young woman who moves to Majorca with her overprotective mother and meets a charming local boy. Carlson Young is directing from a script by Blu de Golyer. Dakota Fanning, Jake Johnson and Cory Michael Smith will star in writer-director Joe Swanberg's next project, a romantic drama set in Alaska. There's no word yet on the plot; this is Swanberg's first film since 2020's Build the Wall. Cuba Gooding Jr will reteam with Atlas King writer-director Nika Agiashvili for THE MADNESS OF JUDGE JEREMIAH DOHERTY, a thriller about a Texas judge who survives an assassination attempt then goes rogue to rescue his kidnapped wife from a cartel. Mixed martial arts star Giga Chikadze costars. Topher Grace is joining the cast of MISTY GREEN, a drama about an actress (Rosalind Eleazar) who takes a role for a turbulent director to reignite her career. Costars include Adam Driver, Anna Kendrick, Daniel Kaluuya and Chris Rock, who is also writing and directing. Screen icon Lois Smith will star in THE STEEL HARP, as a cantankerous woman who patrols the Golden Gate Bridge, preventing people from committing suicide. Costars include Kelly O'Sullivan, Cherry Jones and Reed Birney. O'Sullivan is also writing and codirecting with Alex Thompson. Zosia Mamet is the latest to join the cast of Luca Guadagnino's ARTIFICIAL, an ensemble comedy-drama about OpenAI. The cast includes Andrew Garfield, Monica Barbaro, Cooper Koch, Yura Borisov, Cooper Hoffman, Jason Schwartzman, Billie Lourd and Ike Barinholtz. Nicholas Duvernay, Rachel Marsh, Jaboukie Young-White and Arty Froushan have joined the cast of THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS, a romcom about a professor (Tom Bateman) who enters into a fake relationship with a post-grad student (Lili Reinhart) to test their theories about romance. Claire Scanlon is directing from a script by Sarah Rothschild. Jack Champion (Avatar) is joining DON'T SAY GOOD LUCK, a comedy-drama about a teen (Sunny Sandler) who lands the lead role in her school play just as her mother's cancer returns. Costars include Stephanie Beatriz, Melanie Lynskey, Steve Buscemi, Bebe Neuwirth and Max Greenfield; Julia Hart is directing. Howie Mandel, Bobby Lee and Caroline Rhea are joining the cast of TOAD, about two guys who have a hallucinogenic adventure in the desert thanks to a shipment of psychedelic toads. Costars include James Franco, Tiffany Haddish, Paris Jackson, Craig Robinson and Christopher Meloni. Adam Rifkin is directing. And Matt Smith will play the villain in Shawn Levy's stand-alone adventure STAR WARS: STARFIGHTER. Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth are also on board. Of course, the story remains a closely guarded secret.
Timothy Chalamet is reteaming with A Complete Unknown director James Mangold to make HIGH SIDE, a heist thriller about a motocross racer who was forced to retire after a crash. Then his brother recruits him to use his motorbike skills to rob small-town banks. Halle Berry and Djimon Hounsou will star in RED CARD, a thriller about a cat-and-mouse chase across Africa as an FBI agent pursues a ranger who is trying to rescue his kidnapped son from the criminal underworld. Joel Souza is directing. Aubrey Plaza will produce and star in the imaginatively titled biopic THE HEIDI FLEISS STORY, about the woman who ran a Hollywood prostitution ring. Apparently the film centres on the period before her notorious trial, when she tried to blackmail her way out of court. Leah Rachel is directing. Zoey Deutch, Nick Robinson, Lukas Gage, Nick Offerman, Harry Shum Jr and Ciara Bravo will star in VOICEMAILS FOR ISABELLE, a romantic comedy about a woman whose voice messages to her late sister are mistakenly received by a stranger. Leah McKendrick is writing and directing. KJ Apa will play screen icon James Stewart in JIMMY, a biopic tracing the actor's career, including a five-year break during which he served as a pilot on combat missions in WWII. Costars include Jason Alexander (as Louis B Mayer) and Max Casella (as Frank Capra). Aaron Burns is directing from a script by Justin Strawhand. Ben Kingsley and Andy Serkis have joined William Franklyn-Miller in YOUNG WASHINGTON, which explores the early life of George Washington, including his service in the French and Indian War. Jon Erwin is directing. Michael Pena is joining Chris Hemsworth and Lily James in SUBVERSION, an action thriller about a submarine commander blackmailed by criminals into carrying out a dangerous mission. Patrick Vollrath is directing from a script by Andrew Ferguson. Jason Isaacs is joining the cast of ELEVEN DAYS, a thriller based on the true story of an 11-day prison siege in 1974 Texas. Diego Luna and Taylor Kitsch costar in the film, which is being directed by Peter Landesman. Rob Lowe, Gillian Jacobs and Will Brill will star in THE MUSICAL, a comedy about a middle school theatre teacher who launches a plan to destroy the school's principal. Giselle Bonilla is directing from a script by Alexander Heller. And David Byrne will contribute three songs to the soundtrack of THE TWITS, an animated adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl novel about orphans trying to save their town from a cruel power couple. The voice cast includes Natalie Portman, Emilia Clarke, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Margo Martindale, Johnny Vegas, Timothy Simons, Jason Mantzoukas and Alan Tudyk. OLDER NEWS >> | ||
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S T A G E & M O R E beyond the big screen... | |||
 Learning to let go STAGE: Lorenzo Allchurch brings his new play Lost Watches to the Park Theatre until 23rd August...  July TV Roundup SCREEN: Notes on Too Much, The Bear 4, Andor 2, Squid Game 3, The Last of Us 2, Sirens, Murderbot and more...  Can you see the real me? DANCE: Pete Townsend's Quadrophenia becomes a dazzling mod ballet at Sadler's Wells until 13th July......  Trying to put on a show STAGE: After 17 years, Kiki & Herb triumphantly return to London for three nights at Soho Theatre Walthamstow... DANCE: Botis Seva's Until We Sleep at Sadler's Wells East... STAGE: Simon Kane's surreal Jonah Non Grata at Soho Theatre, then the Fringe... STAGE: London Clown Festival kicks off with a rambunctious cabaret at Soho Theatre... DANCE: Inside Giovanni's Room, based on James Baldwin's novel, at Sadler's East... MAY TV: The White Lotus, Hacks, Adolescence, The Four Seasons, The Studio, Mid-Century Modern, more... DANCE: Detention at The Place in London, and on tour nationally through October... STAGE: A British spin on Lorca's Blood Wedding at Clapham's Omnibus... STAGE: Plied and Prejudice riotously spins Jane Austen at The Vaults in Waterloo STAGE: Neil LaBute's How to Fight Loneliness has its UK premiere at Park Theatre... DANCE: BalletLORENT's Snow White: The Sacrifice at Sadler's Wells East... DANCE: Skatepark celebrates rebellious youth at Sadler's Wells East... STAGE: James McDermott's Jab traces the pandemic, at the Park Theatre... MARCH TV: The Residence, Paradise, Prime Target, Squid Game, Shrinking, Industry and more... DANCE: Jules Cunningham's Crow and Pigeons at Sadler's Wells East...
MORE >>
NEWS SOURCES:
Dark Horizons.
The Hollywood Reporter.
Variety.
Deadline.
Empire.
IMDb.
Rotten Tomatoes.
| ALSO: Ain't It Cool News. Digital Spy. The Wrap. Sight and Sound. Entertainment Weekly. BBC. CNN. Evening Standard. The Guardian. Film Threat. indieWire. Screen International. © 2024 by Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall HOME | REVIEWS | NEWS | FESTIVAL | AWARDS | Q&A | ABOUT | TALKBACK | ||
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