Gina Rodriguez’s The Aliens Are Stealing Our Weed Comedy Spec Lands At Paramount
Variety is reporting that Paramount Pictures has acquired the comedy spec script The Aliens Are Stealing Our Weed, set to star Golden Globe winner Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin).
The story follows Candice (Rodriguez) and Izzy, two hapless pot growers who, after their entire crop of weed inexplicably goes missing, uncover an alien conspiracy to steal the planet’s marijuana supply.
The script is written by Ryan Firpo (The Eternals). Rodriguez is also attached to produce under her I Can and I Will banner. Kaz and Ryan Firpo’s Badlands will also produce. Molly Breeskin will serve as executive producer through I Can and I Will.
Rodriguez’s recent credits also include Diary of a Future President, the TV shows Big Mouth and Carmen Sandiego, Deepwater Horizon, Annihilation, Miss Bala, and the crime drama Kajillionaire from writer-director Miranda July. Her upcoming projects include the animated feature Scoob!, the drama film Awake, the comedy Bobbie Sue, and the live-action feature Carmen Sandiego.
Universal auctioning Jurassic World: Dominion extra role for charity
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be eaten by a CGI or practical effects dinosaur? Well Universal has just the thing for you as they’ve announced that they have partnered with Fanatics to auction off a special role in the upcoming Jurassic World: Dominion in which one lucky fan will get to be eaten by a dinosaur!
Chris Pratt, who portrays Owen Grady in the sequel trilogy, offering the opportunity to join him and the cast on set of the next Jurassic World movie shoot through the All In Challenge, offering fans a chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the production as well as being eaten by a dinosaur for the film. 100% of the money raised through this auction will go directly to Feeding America, Meals On Wheels, World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry. Fans can enter the sweepstakes by donating $10 for 10 entries, $25 for 25 entries, $50 for 100 entries and $100 for 200 entries with a maximum of 200 entries being allowed per contestant by clicking here!
Steven Spielberg and Colin Trevorrow return to executive produce Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s Jurassic World: Dominion, with Trevorrow once again directing the next chapter in one of the biggest franchises in the history of cinema. Producers Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley once again partner with Spielberg and Trevorrow in leading the filmmakers for this installment.
The upcoming threequel will be starring returning cast members from the first two Jurassic World films include Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jake Johnson, Omar Sy Daniella Pineda, Justice Smith as well as original Jurassic Park stars Laura Dern, Sam Neill, and Jeff Goldblum. It will also feature Mamoudou Athie (Sorry for You Loss), DeWanda Wise (She’s Gotta Have It), Dichen Lachman (Animal Kingdom, Altered Carbon) and Scott Haze (Venom, Antlers).
Joining the Jurassic team for the first time is Emily Carmichael (Pacific Rim Uprising, The Black Hole), who will craft the Jurassic World 3 screenplay with Trevorrow. They will work off a story by Derek Connolly and Trevorrow, who together co-wrote Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
Village Roadshow acquires Stephen King’s The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Just over 21 years after its original publishing, the rights Stephen King’s psychological horror novel The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon has been acquired by Village Roadshow Pictures for an adaptation penned by Christy Hall, according to Deadline.
Published in 1999, the story centers on 12-year-old Trisha McFarland when she strays from the path while she and her recently divorced mother and brother take a hike along a branch of the Appalachian Trail. While lost for days, she finds herself wandering farther and farther astray, relying on her portable radio for comfort. A huge fan of Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Tom Gordon, Trisha listens to baseball games and fantasizes that her hero will save her, but also discovers that nature isn’t her only adversary as something dangerous is tracking her through the dark woods.
Jon Berg of Stampede Ventures is set to produce the project alongside It: Chapter Two and Doctor Sleep‘s Roy Lee of Vertigo, as well as Christine Romero, Night of the Living Dead‘s George A. Romero’s widow, and Origin Story’s Ryan Silbert, while Andrew Childs will serve as executive producer and Village Roadshow’s EVP of Content, Jillian Apfelbaum, overseeing development.
An adaptation of King’s psychological horror novel has been attempted for the past 15 years, beginning in 2005 with Romero being attached to write and direct, which stalled for years leading all the way up to his death in 2017. The project was revived last August with Romero’s production banner still attached along with Chris Romero through Sanibel Films.
Hall is best known for her work as executive producer and co-developer of Netflix’s adaptation of Charles Forsman’s comic book I Am Not Okay With This starring Sophia Lillis (It: Chapter Two, Gretel & Hansel), which scored rave reviews from critics and audiences alike.
The Shivering Truth Season 2 for Adult Swim’s Stop-Motion Animated Series
Adult Swim has released the official trailer for The Shivering Truth Season 2, the disturbing stop-motion animated series that continues with even more terrifying stories to keep you awake at night. Premiering on Sunday, May 10 at midnight right after Rick & Morty, you can check out the trailer for the new season below!
The Shivering Truth is a delicately crafted, darkly surreal anthology comedy. Each episode is a miniature propulsive omnibus cluster bomb of painfully riotous daymares all dripping with the orange goo of dream logic. A series of loosely linked emotional parables about stories within tales that crawled out of the deepest caverns of your unconscious mind and became lovingly animated in breath-slapping stop motion — in other words, it is the TRUTH (squared).
This season features the voices of Kate Berlant, Mike Birbiglia, Wyatt Cenac, Julia Davis, Chris Elliott, Will Forte, Josh Gad, Miranda July, Jason Mantzoukas, Kyle Mooney, Griffin Newman, Ego Nwodim, Alia Shawkat, and Tierra Whack, along with show creator and writer, Vernon Chatman.
The quarter-hour animated series is directed by Chatman and Cat Solen. Executive Produced by PFFR (Chatman, Alyson Levy, and John Lee) with Solen. Co-Executive Produced by Lisa M. Thomas. The animation studio is HouseSpecial.
Exclusive Walkaway Joe Clip Featuring David Strathairn
ComingSoon.net is debuting an exclusive Walkaway Joe clip for Quiver Distribution’s upcoming action-drama featuring Academy Award-nominee David Strathairn. You can check out the clip now in the player below!
Walkaway Joe is the story of an unlikely friendship between a young boy searching for his father in pool halls across the country, and a wandering loner hiding from his past. In each other, they experience the power of a second chance, and a shot at redemption.
The movie stars Oscar nominee David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck.), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead), and Julian Feder (A Boy Called Po). Walkaway Joe was written by Michael Milillo (Bad Boy, Gratuity) and directed by Tom Wright (The Magicians) in his feature directorial debut. The film was
Check Out Hasbro’s Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary Figures!
This year, in celebration of May the Fourth and the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Hasbro sent a special package ComingSoon.net’s way! This mailer came complete with the Star Wars: The Black Series 40th Anniversary 6-inch Figure Assortment, including beloved characters such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Yoda, and more. Check it out in the gallery below, along with buy links for all the figures!
Along with the figure assortment, this package also included printed backdrops of iconic Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back scenes, recreating some of our favorite moments from the film.
Directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas, The Empire Strikes back opened on May 21, 1980 and went on to gross $547.9 million (unadjusted) at the box office. It is widely regarded by many fans and filmmakers as the best Star Wars movie ever made.
HBO has released the new photos and promo for the Westworld 3.08 episode titled “Crisis Theory,” simply described as “Time to face the music.” You can check out the promo below as well as the photos in the gallery!
The episode, serving as the Season 3 finale, was directed by Jennifer Getzinger from a script by Denise Thé and Jonathan Nolan. The episode will air this Sunday, May 3.
Westworld Season 3 features Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Lena Waithe (Ready Player One), NFL player Marshawn Lynch, and Vincent Cassel (Black Swan, Eastern Promises) as newcomers for the series. They join returning cast members Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Ed Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Luke Hemsworth, and Rodrigo Santoro in the series.
A dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the birth of a new form of life on Earth, the Emmy-winning Westworld was created for television by Jonathan Nolan & Lisa Joy, who are also executive producers with J.J. Abrams, Richard J. Lewis, Roberto Patino, Athena Wickham, and Ben Stephenson.
Based on the film written by Michael Crichton, Westworldcomes from production companies Kilter Films and Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
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Adam Driver to lead Jeff Nichols’ Yankee Comandante
Though still waiting on word on when he can return to production on Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel, Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) has found his next project in the form of Jeff Nichols (Loving)’ upcoming adaptation of Yankee Comandante, according to Variety.
Based on David Grann’s New Yorker article, the story follows two people who rose to the rank of comandante during the Cuban Revolution, one being legendary guerrilla leader Che Guevara while the other was William Alexander Morgan, an Ohio citizen who led a band of rebels that drove the Cuban army from key positions in the central mountains and helped pave the way for Fidel Castro’s forces to secure their victory, only to later turn against Castro after learning of his Communist ideals.
An adaptation of the article and of Michael Sallah & Mitch Weiss’ novel “The Yankee Comandante: The Untold Story of Courage, Passion and One American’s Fight to Liberate Cuba” was previously underway in 2012 with George Clooney (Catch-22) seeking out the rights to both, but that project seemingly lingered in development hell until now.
The film marks a reunion between Nichols and Driver following their work on the 2016 sci-fi drama Midnight Special, in which Driver starred alongside the writer/director’s frequent collaborator Michael Shannon (The Quarry). The 41-year-old writer/director is set to pen the script and direct, with sources reporting that production is expected to begin in 2021.
Imperative Entertainment and 30West are currently in discussions with select studios for the project and the package currently being shopped around to distributors.
Patty Jenkins Gives an Update on Wonder Woman 3 and the Amazons Spinoff
Wonder Woman 1984 is hopefully only four months away, but director Patty Jenkins is already getting questions about Diana’s third cinematic outing. Jenkins previously revealed that Wonder Woman 3’s story, along with that of a potential Amazons spinoff, have already been mapped out. However, it’s going to be a while before she starts building those ideas into anything concrete. While speaking with Total Film (via GamesRadar), Jenkins confirmed that she’ll be taking a break from the franchise after the sequel arrives this summer.
“I’m not going to nail down a fresh thought about it until this movie comes out, because I kind of want to give myself a palette cleanser, and be fresh of mind,” said Jenkins. “But yeah, there’s an arc that I have in mind for the first movie, and then the second movie, and then the Amazon movie, and then the third movie.”
Jenkins’ desire to briefly step away from the DC Universe after she’s done promoting WW84 isn’t without precedent. After the original film bowed in 2017, Jenkins turned her attention to the TNT miniseries I Am the Night. Jenkins also confirmed that she has no plans to sit in the director’s chair for the Amazons spinoff.
“I’m not going to direct it, hopefully,” added Jenkins. “I’m going to try really hard not to. It’s not going to be easy. But [WW84 co-writer and former DC Entertainment President and Chief Creative Officer] Geoff Johns and I came up with the story, and we sold the pitch, and we’re going to get it going. I’ll produce it, for sure.”
Wonder Woman 1984 will hit theaters on August 14.
Are you excited to see what Jenkins is planning for Wonder Woman 3? Who would you pick to direct the Amazons spinoff? Let us know in the comment section below!
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She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Final Season Trailer Revealed!
Netflix has debuted the first full trailer for the upcoming fifth and final season of the acclaimed animated adventure series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power featuring AJ Michalka’s cover of the character’s theme song, “Warriors.” The trailer can be viewed in the player below!
In season 5, the ruthless Horde Prime has arrived and without the Sword of Protection and She-Ra, the Rebellion are facing their toughest challenge yet. In this epic conclusion unexpected adversaries are confronted and relationships are tested, broken and changed forever. Will Adora and the Princesses of Power be able to save their planet? Or will the universe succumb to the evil might of Horde Prime before love can conquer hate?
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is the story of an orphan named Adora (Aimee Carrero, Elena of Avalor), who leaves behind her former life in the evil Horde when she discovers a magic sword that transforms her into the mythical warrior princess She-Ra. Along the way, she finds a new family in the Rebellion as she unites a group of magical princesses in the ultimate fight against evil.
Based on the 1980s cartoon (available for purchase here), the series debuted to highly positive reviews from audiences and critics alike, who praised the colorful and beautiful animation alongside the diversity of characters, including well-executed LGBT representation, and the character development itself.
Carrero stars as Adora/She-Ra, Karen Fukuhara (Suicide Squad) as Glimmer, AJ Michalka (The Goldbergs) as Catra, Marcus Scribner (black-ish) as Bow, Reshma Shetty (Royal Pains) as Angella, Lorraine Toussaint (Orange is the New Black) as Shadow Weaver, Keston John (The Good Place) as Hordak, Lauren Ash (Superstore) as Scorpia, Christine Woods (Hello Ladies) as Entrapta, Genesis Rodriguez (Time After Time) as Perfuma, Jordan Fisher (Grease Live!) as Seahawk, Vella Lovell (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) as Mermista, Merit Leighton (Katie and Alexa) as Frosta, Sandra Oh (Killing Eve) as Castaspella, and Krystal Joy Brown (Motown: The Musical) as Netossa.
From Eisner Award-winning author and executive producer Noelle Stevenson (Lumberjanes, Nimona) and executive producer Chuck Austen (Dawn of the Croods, Steven Universe) comes a modern take on the ‘80s girl power icon for a new generation of young fans.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power seasons 1-4 are available for streaming on Netflix, with the fifth season set to premiere on May 15!
Severin Films reveals The Complete Lenzi Baker Giallo Collection
Severin Films is bringing together the complete collaborative works of two cult film legends with The Complete Lenzi Baker Giallo Collection, which includes superlative editions of Orgasmo, So Sweet…So Perverse, A Quiet Place to Kill and Knife of Ice. The announcement trailer for the collection can be viewed in the player below!
Italian writer/director Umberto Lenzi helmed popular peplums, created extreme poliziotteschi, and invented the Italian cannibal phenomenon. Hollywood actress Carroll Baker was the Golden Globe winning/Academy Award®nominated star of Baby Doll, Giant and The Carpetbaggers. Together in the late ‘60s/early ‘70s, they made four landmark films that changed the erotic thriller and giallo genres forever. For the first time, experience the complete Lenzi/Baker collaboration on six discs featuring restored uncensored versions, alternate edits, remastered soundtracks, exclusive Special Features and more.
In their first startling collaboration, Orgasmo, Carroll Baker stars as an American widow who arrives at her late husband’s luxurious Italian estate and surrenders to an orgy of ménages à trois, madness, and murder. Lenzi boldly fills the screen with bourgeois depravity, daring sexuality and unnerving twists for the worldwide hit At The Mountain Of Madness calls “so odd, disturbing and well-made, with that delirious giallo feel that’s like a drug.” Lou Castel (A Bullet for the General), Colette Descombes (Monika) and Tino Carraro (The Cat O’ Nine Tails) co-star in this landmark psychosexual thriller – released in the U.S. with extra nudity as Paranoia and also included here – now scanned from the internegative of Lenzi’s Director’s Cut for the first time on Blu-ray.
Following the international success of Orgasmo, the second Lenzi/Baker collaboration, So Sweet…So Perverse, is a kinky retelling of Diabolique featuring lush Paris locations, trippy flashbacks, a swinging score by Riz Ortolani (Cannibal Holocaust) and an all-star EuroCult cast that includes Jean-Louis Trintignant (The Conformist), Erika Blanc (Kill, Baby…Kill!), Horst Frank (The Cat O’ Nine Tails) and Helga Liné (Nightmare Castle). Executive produced by Sergio Martino (The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh) from a screenplay by Ernesto Gastaldi (All the Colors of the Dark), this “full-blown classic giallo and one of Lenzi’s best” (B-Mania) is now fully restored in a new 2k scan from the original negative.
In her third collaboration with Lenzi,A Quiet Place to Kill, Baker stars as a glamorous racecar driver entangled in a lurid affair with her ex-husband (Jean Sorel of Belle Du Jour), his wealthy new wife, and a twisted web of lust, murder and deception. Luis Dávila (Eagles Over London) co-stars in this 1970 Italian/French/Spanish co-production – released in Italy as Paranoia, though not to be confused with the 1969 U.S. re-title of Orgasmo – featuring a taut screenplay co-written by Bruno Di Geronimo (What Have You Done to Solange?) and Marcello Coscia (Let Sleeping Corpses Lie), plus edgy cinematography by Guglielmo Mancori (Wild Beasts) with Aristide Massaccesi/Joe D’Amato (Anthropophagus), nowscanned from the original camera negative for the first time ever in America.
From its opening Edgar Allen Poe quote to the insane climactic twist, this fourth and final collaboration between co-writer/director Lenzi andBaker, Knife of Ice, is “something quite unique” (Gore Girl), with Baker as a traumatized mute being stalked through the Spanish countryside by a black-gloved sex maniac who may be a member of a Satanic cult. Evelyn Stewart (The Sweet Body of Deborah), Eduardo Fajardo (Nightmare City), George Rigaud (Eyeball) and Silvia Monelli (Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow) co-star in this “offbeat and fascinating giallo thriller” (All Movie), now scanned in 2K from the original negative with all-new Special Features.
The Complete Lenzi Baker Giallo Collection will be limited to only 4,000 units, with the first 1,000 direct orders from Severin’s webstore automatically including four postcards of the individual movie key arts, with other bundles including a brand-new, original T-shirt design, all of which will go on sale on June 30!
Special Features for Orgasmo:
Director’s Cut
Audio Commentary with Film Critic, Author & Academic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
US X Rated Version + SDH subtitles
Audio Commentary with Mondo-Digital’s Nathaniel Thompson & Troy Howarth, Author of ‘So Deadly So Perverse: 50 Years Of Italian Giallo Films’
Giallo Fever – Interview with Director Umberto Lenzi
US Trailer
Special Features for So Sweet… So Perverse:
Audio Commentary with Kat Ellinger, Author of ‘All The Colors Of Sergio Martino’
Lenzi’s Lenses – Backstage Chat with the Director at The 1999 Nocturno Film Festival
Equilateral Triangle – Screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi on Lenzi
Trailers
Alternate Credit Sequence
Special Features for A Quiet Place to Kill:
Audio Commentary with Author & Critic Samm Deighan
Sex and Conspiracy – Interview with Director Umberto Lenzi
Alternate Credit Sequence
Alternate Clothed Scene
Short Deleted Scene
Special Features for Knife of Ice:
Carroll and Umberto’s Final Stab – Interview with Stephen Thrower, Author of ‘Nightmare USA’
Until the Silence Screams – Interview with Director Umberto Lenzi
Trailer
Alternate Credit Sequence
CD Content:
CD 1: Orgasmo Remastered Soundtrack
CD 2: So Sweet… So Perverse & A Quiet Place To Kill Remastered Soundtracks Plus Bonus Track: Knife Of Ice (Main Title Theme)
Don’t Trailer & Premiere Date Set for Adam Scott-Hosted Game Show
ABC has released the Don’t trailer for the upcoming physical game show hosted by Adam Scott (Big Little Lies, Parks and Recreation) and executive produced by Ryan Reynolds. Set to launch on ABC on June 11, you can check out the trailer below (via Deadline)!
In the show, contestants have the opportunity to team with their family and friends for the chance to win a cash prize of up to $100,000 by tackling tasks each with the simple rule of “Don’t.” In each episode of the comedic physical game show, members of the four-person team will strive to accomplish various challenges — such as “Don’t laugh,” “Don’t blink” or “Don’t look back” — as they work together to build their bank.
“I’m excited for people to see Don’t and feel we made the right call in changing what was the working title: Please Do Not,” said Scott.
“The big idea of the show, challenging people to refrain from doing stuff, caught my ear,” he continued. “It sounded weird and funny with tons of potential.”
Scott, who didn’t know Reynolds before, called the Deadpool star a “terrific” producer, adding: “He is passionate about trying something a bit different for a game show. He and his team were a dream to work with. Honestly, I have a whole new respect for those guys—it’s not easy and they make it look so, which is essential. All I can hope for is that I don’t make it look like hard labor.”
Don’t is executive produced by Reynolds, David Goldberg, Caroline Baumgard, David Hurwitz, Conrad Green, and George Dewey. The series is produced by Banijay Studios North America.
My Brilliant Friend Renewed for a Third Season by HBO And Rai
HBO and RAI have renewed the drama series My Brilliant Friend for a third season! The eight-episode second season, My Brilliant Friend: The Story of a New Name, based on Elena Ferrante’s bestselling book of the same name, which is the second of the four-part series published in the U.S. by Europa Editions, debuted in the US on Monday, March 16.
Season 3 will be based on Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, Ferrante’s third book in the series and is a The Apartment, Wildside, and Fandango production with Lorenzo Mieli and Mario Gianani producing for Fremantle’s The Apartment and Wildside and Domenico Procacci producing for Fandango.
“Bringing Elena Ferrante’s exquisite work to life has been such a joy and privilege,” said Francesca Orsi, EVP HBO Programming. “The fact that viewers and critics alike have continued to embrace Elena and Lila’s story makes it all the more gratifying, and we thank the entire team led by Saverio Costanzo for their outstanding work on the second season. We cannot wait to tell the next chapter of Elena and Lila’s lives and friendship.”
“Meeting with success among the Italian and international audience, the great challenge of My Brilliant Friend continues with Rai and HBO announcing the third season, fortifying the ambition to create a complex story and bring the Italian imagination to the world, always keeping the lived experience of our country at the center of the narrative,” added Eleonora Andreatta, Rai head of Drama. “The success of the second series has confirmed the power of Elena Ferrante’s story and its capacity to become a compelling serial loved worldwide with the richness and charm of Saverio Costanzo’s direction.”
My Brilliant Friend is the tale of Elena Greco and the most important friend in her life. She met Raffaella Cerullo, whom she has always called Lila, in the first year of primary school in 1950. Set in a dangerous and fascinating Naples, their story goes on to cover more than 60 years of their lives and explores the mystery of Lila, Elena’s brilliant friend and – in a way – both her best friend and her worst enemy.
Filmed in Italian, the Season 2 finale of My Brilliant Friend will air Monday, May 4 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO. Starring Margherita Mazzucco and Gaia Girace, the season follows Elena and Lila’s journey into adulthood as they weather romance, heartbreak, success, and betrayal.
My Brilliant Friend is created by Saverio Costanzo. The project is an HBO-RAI Fiction Series in collaboration with Rai Fiction and HBO Entertainment and in co-production with Mowe and Umedia. The story and screenplays are by Elena Ferrante, Francesco Piccolo, Laura Paolucci, and Saverio Costanzo. Paolo Sorrentino and Jennifer Schuur are the executive producers. Fremantle is the international distributor in association with RAI Com.
Ramy season 2 trailer: Mahershala Ali is Hulu’s hot sheikh
Hulu has debuted the first official trailer for the upcoming second season of its Golden Globe-winning dramedy Ramy showing Mahershala Ali (Green Book) as the streaming service’s own hot religious figure guiding its titular protagonist on their spiritual journey. The trailer can be viewed in the player below!
The series, co-created by Ramy Youssef, Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch, follows a first generation Egyptian-American who is on a spiritual journey in his politically-divided New Jersey neighborhood. The series looks to bring a new perspective to the screen as it explores the challenges of what it’s like being caught between a Muslim community that thinks life is a moral test and a millennial generation that thinks life has no consequences.
Youssef also stars in the series alongside Mohammed Amer (Crashing), Hiam Abbass (Blade Runner 2049), Amr Waked (Lucy), May Calamawy (The Long Road Home), Dave Merheje (We Are Disorderly), Laith Nakli (24: Legacy) and Steve Way.
Ramy‘s first season, which earned Youssef a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy, is now available for streaming, exclusively on Hulu. The second season is set to premiere on May 29!
Quiver & Redbox acquire Kevin James-led thriller Becky
Quiver Distribution and Redbox Entertainment have announced they are partnering to acquire the North American rights to the upcoming thriller Becky featuring an ensemble cast led by Kevin James (Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Kevin Can Wait).
Becky follows the story of a rebellious 14-year-old Becky as she’s brought to a weekend getaway at a lake house by her father in an effort to try to reconnect after her mother’s death. The trip takes a turn for the worse when a group of convicts on the run, led by the merciless Dominick (James), suddenly invade the lake house. Becky, not daddy’s little girl anymore, decides to take matters into her own hands.
James, who is known for his many comedic roles, has signed on to take on a new kind of role which is far different from his previous projects. He is set to portray the role of Dominick, who will be the film’s main antagonist. The film will also be led by Lulu Wilson (Annabelle: Creation), who will be playing the titular character. James replaced Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) in the lead role after Pegg decided to leave the project due to scheduling conflicts.
Alongside James and Wilson, the ensemble cast for the film features Amanda Brugel (The Handmaid’s Tale), Robert Maillet (Sherlock Holmes) and Joel McHale (Community, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge).
“Kevin James is known for his amazing collection of standup and comedic roles from films such as Paul Blart: Mall Cop and his TV series The King of Queens,” Quiver Co-President Berry Meyerowitz said in a statement. “In Becky, Kevin delivers a chilling performance in his first villainous role, especially playing against rising star Lulu Wilson in an epic head-to-head battle. We are thrilled to bring Becky to audiences so they can see Kevin in a whole new light.”
The film will be co-directed by Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion (Bushwick) from a script written by Nick Morris along with Ruckus and Lane Skye. It will be produced by Jordan Yale Levine, Jordan Beckerman, and Russ Posternak through their Yale Productions banner along with Raphael Margules and J.D. Lifshitz of BoulderLight.
Becky, which is a selection at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, will be released on digital platforms and VOD on June 5.
Vin Diesel Battling for Fast Franchise Producer Credit
Vin Diesel’s battle with the Producers Guild of America for a Fast and Furious franchise producer’s credit heated up Sunday when Diesel shared an Instagram post — that has since been edited — about “mitigating a war” with the PGA (via Variety), ramping up a years-long struggle for Diesel who has sought a producer’s credit from the trade association representing film and TV producers for nearly every film of The Fast Saga.
The outlet reports that Diesel has consistently been denied the mark and has sought appeals, with the Fast star calling the PGA group “the prejudice guild of America.” Diesel clarified that the battle is between the studio home of The Fast Saga, Universal Pictures, and the PGA. The trade notes that those familiar with Universal disputed the claim, saying it was “entirely Diesel’s beef.”
“It is the policy of the Producers Guild not to comment on individual arbitrations. The purpose of the Producers Mark is to protect the integrity of the ‘Produced By’ credit. A panel of experienced producers reviews anonymous firsthand accounts from filmmakers and key crew in order to determine who performed a major portion of the producing functions on a single film,” said a PGA spokesperson.
Diesel has apparently had many powerful friends appeal to the PGA as well as their executive director Vance Van Petten, including NBCUniversal Vice Chairman Ron Meyer, who is one of the honorary creators of the mark, though his requests have not altered the PGA’s rigorous determination process (which prohibits oral testimony from the producer seeking the producer’s credit).
Sources told the outlet that Diesel’s contributions to the films “are questionable,” including comments that his behavior on set, such as “arriving hours late on pricey stunt days” costs time and increases budgets, which are “two of any producer’s biggest obstacles.” A source also commented, “It’s clear that Vin wants this, and is willing to get dirty.”
According to the PGA’s rules, the guild “may [anonymously] contact key creative participants and department heads (e.g., writer, director, casting director, unit production manager, production designer, cinematographer, post-production supervisor)” to obtain confidential information” regarding the level of work contributed by a producer.
The “capital P” producers for the Fast franchise currently include former Universal executive Jeff Kirschenbaum, Samantha Vincent of Diesel’s One Race Films, and producer/director Justin Lin.
The next installment in the series, F9, will release in April 2021.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Cinematic World Premiere Trailer
Ubisoft has released the cinematic world premiere trailer for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which takes place during the age of the Vikings. Available Holiday 2020 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, and Stadia, you can check out the trailer below as well as new screenshots from the game! Pre-order your copy here!
Build your own Viking legend in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Become Eivor, a mighty Viking raider and lead your clan from the harsh shores of Norway to a new home amid the lush farmlands of ninth-century England. Explore a beautiful, mysterious open world where you’ll face brutal enemies, raid fortresses, build your clan’s new settlement, and forge alliances to win glory and earn a place in Valhalla. England in the age of the Vikings is a fractured nation of petty lords and warring kingdoms. Beneath the chaos lies a rich and untamed land waiting for a new conqueror. Will it be you?
Lead your people in massive assaults against Saxon armies and fortresses, and expand your influence far beyond your settlement’s borders. Command a crew of raiders and launch lightning-fast surprise attacks from your longship to claim your enemies’ riches for your clan.
Unleash the ruthless fighting style of a Viking warrior and dual-wield axes, swords, or even shields against fierce, relentless foes. Choose your tactics and dismember opponents in close-quarters combat, riddle them with arrows, or assassinate them with your hidden blade.
The advanced RPG mechanics of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla give you new ways to grow as a warrior and a leader. Influence the world around you while acquiring new skills and gear to suit your playstyle. Blaze your own path across England by fighting brutal battles and leading fiery raids, or form strategic alliances and triumph by your wits. Every choice you make in combat and conversation is another step on the path to greatness.
Grow and customize your own settlement by recruiting new clan members and building upgradable structures. Get better troops by constructing barracks, improve your weapons at the blacksmith, discover new customization options with a tattoo parlor, and much more.
Create and customize your own mercenary Vikings to share online, and reap the spoils when they fight alongside your friends in their own sagas. Recruit mercenaries created by other players, and add their strength to your forces.
Sail across the icy North Sea to discover and conquer the broken kingdoms of England. Immerse yourself in activities like hunting, fishing, dice, and drinking games, or engage in traditional Norse competitions like flyting – or, as it’s better known, verbally devastating rivals through the art of the Viking rap battle.
George Lucas and Dave Filoni Reveal Clone Wars’ Live-Action Inspirations
Star Wars: The Clone Wars is going to reach its climax soon, wrapping things up after seven seasons. The show met the standards of many Star Warsfans, who are notoriously very hard to please. In a recent video, George Lucas and The Clone Wars producer Dave Filoni spoke about some of the details of the fan-favorite show, revealing some of the innovative techniques they used since the earliest seasons.
“[The fifth episode of Season 2] “Landing at Point Rain” was at first a total disaster,” Filoni said. “George, Jason Tucker, and I sat in Avid for two days re-cutting that episode with live-action footage. George had Battle of the Bulge, The Four Feathers, Battle over Britain. We took a bunch of stock footage and footage from movies that he had and literally cut that episode together out of live-action footage. That’s why the pace of it feels so fast. Up until that point, we hadn’t really done anything like that in animation.”
You can watch the full interview in the player below.
Lucas then went on to add that they put the same kind of attention into details as if they were making a Star Wars feature, explaining that “there is nothing forgiving.”
“We weren’t making this for television,” Lucas added. “We were making it for the big screen. I said, think of this as a feature. Everything about it. The style. Attention to detail. The lightning. Everything is done at a feature level even though it’s going on television.”
The next episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars premieres this Friday on Disney+. Do you agree with George Lucas’ words? Do you think that The Clone Wars is at a feature level? Let us know in the comments section below.
