SAG-AFTRA Sued For Witholding Foreign Residuals By Ed Asner … 
Zach Braff’ Ends ‘Wish I Was Here’ … 
Fox President Of Alternative Programming Mike Darnell To … 
FIRST BOX OFFICE: ‘Fast & Furious 6′ Easy … 
NBC Sets Oklahoma Tornado Benefit Concert For May 29 
Cannes: Directors’ Fortnight Honors ‘Les … 
SHOCKER: Tom Cruise Exits ‘Man From … 
A+E Rebuild: BBC’s Jana Bennett To Run Bio And LMN … 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Hannibal’ Hits Low, … 
‘Katie’ Shakeup: Rachel Miskowiec Replaces … 
Hammond On Cannes: French Hero Jerry Lewis On His Return To … 
Cannes: Another Jewelry Heist? $2.6M Necklace Missing After … 
Hammond On Cannes: Leo DiCaprio’s Moon Trip Tops … 
Specialty B.O. Preview: ‘Before Midnight’, … 
2012-2013 Season Network Rankings: CBS Sweeps In Final … 
Full 2012-2013 TV Season Series Rankings 
TOLDJA! Paramount Pocketing $190M From Disney For Marvel … 
‘Good Morning America’ Hits 19-Year Viewership … 
MGM Buys ‘Modern Family’ Producer Ben … 
‘Fashion Police’ Writers Chant On Picket Lines: … 
Universal Makes Seven-Figure Deal For ‘The School For … 
EXCLUSIVE: In a 7-figure deal for one of the last star-driven pictures to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Image Entertainment has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Passion Play, the Mitch Glazer-directed drama that stars Mickey Rourke, Megan Fox and Bill Murray. The deal includes a theatrical release component. The picture premiered September 10 at the festival. Rourke plays a down on his luck jazz trumpeter in 50s Los Angeles, targeted for death by a mob boss (Murray). He escapes, goes on the lam and winds up in the orbit of a winged girl (Fox) who’s the main attraction of a Mexican carnival. Daniel Dubiecki, Megan Ellison and Jonah Hirsch produced and Rebecca Wang is exec producer. Glazer made his directorial debut on the film. ICM packaged the film and represented the picture at the festival, as well as Glazer, Rourke and Fox. Second high profile deal for ICM this weekend after it teamed with CAA on a Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions deal for the Will Ferrell-starrer Everything Must Go on Friday night.
Below is some footage from the film:
Loading ...
I hope they don’t plan to release it as is, this movie needs work if they want it to make any money
Knock ‘em dead kid, your’re gonna be a heart-breaker.
Uh, which one of them is supposed to be the freak in this scene?
For everyone wondering why Rourke, Fox and similar are not repped at CAA or WME: for the past couple of years ICM has quietly been building a stable of young writers and directors and so it follows that smart actors would figure it out and want to be part of the package. Also can’t hurt that ICM has fewer A-list actors than CAA or WME and so the smart actors like Rourke and Fox will be treated that much better. They actually return your calls. Amazing.
You know nothing. Rourke is at ICM because Unger stayed loyal to him even in his darkest hours and made WRESTLER happen for him, and Fox is at ICM because they bought Chuck James from Gersh for an obscene sum of money and she also remained loyal to the agent who made her.
That means a lot coming from a CAA assistant named “Anonymous”.
Schmuck.
You know even less than I thought you did.
I really like Megan. Her acting is not bad its just okay. I think she needs to take on less sexy glamourous roles eventually. She needs to get roles without wearing makeup for instance. Here, she looks just like the Megan we know – Hot sexy and wears make up. Again, she is just kinda playing the character as herself.
That must be the first time the words “smart actor” and “Megan Fox” were ever put in the same sentence!
As for the film, at least it’s not another reboot or sequel.
Saw the movie at Toronto and loved it. So did the audience. It seemed all 1200 people stayed for the Q + A – contrary to reports that everyone left?! They only do that at the press screenings where it’s cool to be a rude bastard and talk, text and leave because they’re so important… I also heard the film is not quite finished – (CGI effects were more than a few stages from complete) – but they wanted film to screen to make a sale. As per the mean comments about Mickey Rourke and ‘freak’ well he acts circles around most actors and this is a movie more like Rumble Fish – where Rourke gets to play a person. It seems Hollywood or the audience has put him in the freak box with Sin City, Expendables, Iron Man and yes, even the Wrestler. Let’s face it, Megan is a beautiful actress in the old Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth mold and we no longer allow actresses to be that beautiful. If she had done a part where she ‘dimmed her lights’ you haters would give her crap for that…She was lovely in this part. Gentle and kind and it seemed the perfect transition role from girl in a bikini and hotpants parts to working towards those more challenging acting roles. There’s time, she’s only 23! The cynical world we live in makes films like Passion Play and the actors with a romantic heart have a rough go of it. A film history lesson; they panned Casablanca, Rumble Fish, Days of Heaven…
ah, yes, that lost classic RUMBLE FISH… ??? Way to cite the classics, kid.
Ms Tree, I’m concerned. I wasn’t at TIFF so I look to respected blogs and critics to get a sense of what to watch in the next 4-6 months. No one – and I MEAN NO ONE – thought this film was worth their time and energy. They commented on its disjointed narrative and on walkouts in the TIFF screenings.
So while I respect the passion in your commentary, and while the film may seem to have a special flavor on paper, I just can’t understand how Image would buy this and think that this is gonna play large (as is) in any theatrical context. Or what film you say you saw at the same festival or elsewhere.
@ska-triumph
It is not true that no one among the bloggers and critics liked it, I did see some positive reviews.
I also saw this dog at Toronto. There were people walking out of this one while latecomers were still being seated. My wife and I thought *maybe* this might sell to the Rifftrax people, but I can’t imagine any buyer making their money back on it.
There were a lot of laughs, unintentional ones.
This film has gotten horrible reviews so far. It looks like crap, but the reviews are even worse!
I’m really glad we’re going to get a chance to see this. Its very true that movies like “Rumblefish”, anything surreal, tends to antagonize large segments of the literal minded public. This film is trying to do something bold and its obviously not afraid to take risks. With such an interesting cast I’m going to give it a chance – I definitely will go see it. Also, it would be hard for me to resist any film with Mickey Rourke and Bill Murray in it.
I am studying PR, and it really interesting to see the flow of the debate about this film, taking a step back it seems that there is definitely paid PR, slipping disinformation strategies into.
I guess I can’t be a hypocrite a lot of money goes into these projects and I guess I would want to fight my corner if it was my dollars dipping with the worlds sentiment. I also guess that I will be oneday required to scan websites and add comments which aim to steer the readers views, some of the posts are really clever, and if they are heartfelt then I apologise. I am sure that I will have to do this at some point however, what I am curious about is which voices are true and which are paid or passionate supporters?
My view I guess I will watch it, I don’t visit the cinema much but if it is DVD rack why not I am curious to see if nothing else how strong actors can add value to films that perhaps have not got the strongest support. At least if they look good you know its real talent, like being on the team that is not favourite to win the Superbowl!
Hey, I think you might be a little too cynical. I made my comments sincerely – I meant every word I said and I’m not getting paid by anyone. This film is something I want to see. When I read about it I knew it had an uphill battle all the way, what with the wild casting and surreal story line – also there’s all those trolls with their knives out for Megan Fox. I’m so glad Mickey Rourke is out there again and I know what he does will have more resonance than a dozen blockbusters – and Bill Murray is a joy to watch. I’m so tired of all the formula crap I’m willing to risk 90 minutes on something thats trying to do something different.