Cannes: The Weinstein Co. Books ‘Suite … 
BBC Confirms ‘Doctor Who’ Season 8 
‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ $22M Friday For Lower … 
Finally, Cannes Dealing! Radius-TWC Nabs Director’s … 
Hammond On Cannes: Wet Fest’s Official Competition … 
‘Vampire Academy’ Adds ‘Modern … 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Shark Tank’ Finale Up, … 
Cannes: Worldview Options Andrew Dominik’s Marilyn … 
UPFRONTS 2013: The Overachievers 
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Hammond On Cannes: Weinstein Brings Out Stars For 2013 … 
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‘The Great Gatsby’ Starts With $5.4M … 
Cannes: Music Box Snags Competition’s ‘Michael … 
UPDATE: Amazon Studios Begins Pilot Pickups; … 
Bruce Rosenblum Bids Classy Goodbye 
RATINGS RAT RACE UPDATE: ‘American Idol’ Hits … 
UPDATE: ‘Iron Man 3′ Box Office Crosses $1B … 
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Cannes: Thief Makes Off With $1M+ In Chopard Jewelry Meant … 
Senna helmer Asif Kapadia will direct Ali And Nino for UK producer PeaPie Films. IM Global is handling worldwide sales with production set for early 2014. Atonement 
scribe Christopher Hampton adapted the epic WWI love story that’s set in Azerbaijan where Ali Khan Shirvanshir, the male descendant of a royal Muslim family falls in love with Nino Kipiani, a beautiful, Christian, Georgian princess. It’s based on the novel by Kurban Said that was published in 1937. PeaPie’s Kris Thykier (Kick-Ass, One Chance) is producing. Aliyeva is executive producer.
Cannes: Asif Kapadia To Helm WWI Love Story ‘Ali And Nino’
Bill Hader’s ‘SNL’ Stefon Farewell: Video
SNL‘s season finale also marked the final show for cast standout Bill Hader, who reprised his beloved character Stefon on Weekend Update. But with Seth Meyers also departing this year for Tonight Show hosting duties, the segment morphed into a filmed Graduate-style gay marriage bit with a few special guests:
Cannes: The Weinstein Co. Books ‘Suite Française’ In Multi-Territory Deal
The Weinstein Co., TF1 DA and eOne are to partner on Suite Française, the Michelle Williams, Matthias Schoenaerts and Kristin Scott Thomas drama directed by Saul Dibb. TWC will 
handle U.S. rights, along with distribution rights in Latin America, Australia, Russia and Germany. Production starts in June on the 1940s-set film that’s based on Irene Nemirovsky’s novel about a young woman who lives with her controlling mother-in-law in Nazi-occupied France and ends up falling for a German officer. The 15M euro film will shoot in Belgium and Paris.
The movie is produced by Qwerty Films’ Michael Kuhn and Andrea Cornwell. Xavier Marchand produces for eOne alongside Romain Brémond who produces for TF1. Harvey Weinstein is exec producer. France’s TF1 DA acquired rights to Nemirovsky’s unfinished novel in 2007. Dibb (The Duchess) adapted it for the screen with Matt Charman. TF1 has French rights to the film and eOne has distribution in the UK, Spain and Canada. TF1 International is selling.
Ben Affleck On ‘SNL’ Finale: ‘Ben Go F*** Yourself’
Five-time host Ben Affleck brought out wife Jennifer Garner for his opening SNL monologue, then poked fun at his Oscar cred and his Gigli past in a Argo bit featuring Fred Armisen as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Affleck:
Cannes: DreamWorks Enters Output Deal With France’s Metropolitan
Via its arrangement with David Garrett’s Mister Smith Entertainment, DreamWorks has steadily been adding to its portfolio of offshore partners. Today’s news is that it’s pacted with the Hadida brothers’ indie powerhouse Metropolitan Filmexport in France. It’s also entered a deal with Inter-Film for Ukraine and a multi-picture agreement with MediaPro for Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary. Here’s the release:
CANNES: May 19, 2013 -DreamWorks Studios is pleased to announce that, through their existing collaboration with David Garrett’s Mister Smith Entertainment to represent DreamWorks Studios’ films for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, they have concluded additional key partnership deals in Cannes with leading independent distribution companies including Samuel and Victor Hadida’s Metropolitan FilmExport in France.
DreamWorks has entered into an output agreement with Metropolitan to distribute the company’s films in all media (theatrical, home entertainment, and TV). “We know Metropolitan to be amongst the strongest independents in Europe, and we are thrilled to be in business with them,” stated Jeff Small, DreamWorks President and COO.
BBC Confirms ‘Doctor Who’ Season 8
Steven Moffat is returning for another Doctor Who season, the BBC officially confirmed today. The current series finale aired tonight ahead of a 50th anniversary special slated for November 23 starring Matt Smith, Jenna-Louise Coleman, David Tennant, Billie Piper, and John Hurt. Moffat “is already plotting a brand new run of adventures for the Doctor,” the network announced on their blog. Brian Minchin will executive produce alongside Moffat.
Financial Times, NYT Hit By Hackers
Hacking attempts on media organizations have ramped up in recent months with attacks on the AP, The Guardian, CBS News accounts, The Onion, and E! Online. On Friday The Financial Times’ Tech Blog and Twitter accounts were hacked into, the organization reported. “Various FT blogs and social media accounts have been compromised by hackers and we are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible,” FT later Tweeted. Earlier in the week, The New York Times website experienced traffic slowdowns that limited access to some users because of online attacks not attributed to a specific group.
‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ $22M Friday For Lower $62.2M Weekend And $75.5M Domestic Cume; Overseas Total Predicted $75M
SATURDAY 4:45 PM, 6TH UPDATE: International for Star Trek Into Darkness from Paramount Pictures, Skydance Productions, and director J.J. Abrams‘ Bad Robot continues way up from the last film with $35M projected for this weekend, led by Russia debuting at $9M vs $2M. That would put the overseas total at a projected $75M through Sunday with just over half of all markets opened.
SATURDAY 8:30 AM, 4TH & 5TH UPDATE: Friday domestic numbers for Star Trek Into Darkness diverged wildly last night as did estimates for the 3-day weekend and 4 1/2-day cume from 3,868 theaters. Heck, they’re still over the place. One thing I can say for sure: despite the passage of 4 years and the addition of 3D and IMAX for ticket premiums, Star Trek Into Darkness even though its release began Wednesday night will not beat 2009′s Star Trek opening 3-day weekend. The new film’s 4 1/2 day number may not even gross bigger than 2009′s $75.2M. Paramount obviously wants to put the best face on an underperforming situation and is still telling me that “when opening day isn’t Friday you get a higher multiple vs Friday”. But the numbers are the numbers, and rival studios have estimates for STID that are dramatically lower. Don’t get me wrong: the movie is still making a lot of money. Just not the $100M cume predicted all week by the studio which is now claiming $22M for Friday, $70M for the 3-day weekend, and $83M for the 4 1/2-day total. Rival studios have numbers of $21.6-$22.0M for Friday, $56.2M-$66.2M for the 3-day weekend, and $69.7M-$75.5M for the 4 1/2-day total. Paramount says moviegoers “are definitely choosing IMAX as it is 14% of the gross” helped by director/producer J.J. Abrams filming 30 minutes of the new sequel using high-resolution cameras to increase the IMAX audience. “The IMAX screens are selling out early so there isn’t as much late business,” a Paramount exec tells me.
1. Star Trek Into Darkness (Skydance/Paramount) Week 1 [3,868 Theaters]
Friday $22.0M, Weekend $66.2M, Cume $75.5M
2. Iron Man 3 (Marvel/Disney) Week 3 [Runs 4,237]
Friday $9.6M, Weekend $35.0M, Cume $337.0M
3. The Great Gatsby (Warner Bros) Week 2 [Runs 3,550]
Friday $7.6M, Weekend $24.4M (-51%), Cume $91.2M
FRIDAY 1 PM, 3RD UPDATE: My sources say early matinees are very strong for Star Trek Into Darkness from Paramount Pictures, Skydance Productions, and director J.J. Abrams‘ Bad Robot. It continued its domestic run today in 3,762 theaters with a refined number of $13.4 million from Wednesday’s 336 IMAX late shows and Thursday’s midnights and then yesterday’s wide release. Today’s grosses are almost double Thursday’s and an early read of noon averages is ranging from $25M to $27M Friday and $80M to $88M for the 3-day weekend - with a prediction of $100M for the first four days. Abrams’ first 2009 installment of the long-running film franchise opened to $30.1M Friday (without a Thursday start) and $79M for the first weekend. Fandango reports the new pic’s ticket sales are outpacing the first movie at the same point in the cycle and 55% of surveyed filmgoers plan to see it more than once. Over 80% of MovieTickets sales are for Star Trek Into Darkness and that’s led to some 430 sold out screenings this weekend. Overseas, the iconic 3D space tentpole’s cume is now $47M through Thursday.
Finally, Cannes Dealing! Radius-TWC Nabs Director’s Fortnight Film ‘Blue Ruin’
EXCLUSIVE: Hours after it made its World Premiere in Director’s Fortnight at Cannes, the Jeremy Saulnier-directed Blue Ruin was acquired by Radius-TWC. Radius co-presidents Tom Quinn and Jason Janego bought North American rights, and plan to release the film theatrically this fall. (Watch a clip from the film here.) Saulnier, whose film is one of the few American offerings in Directors’ Fortnight sidebar, here directs a story of a man who finds his quiet life upended by unwelcome news and subsequently sets off for his childhood home to carry out an act of revenge. Proving an improbable assassin, he winds up in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family. Blue Ruin was produced by Anish Savjani, Richard Peete and Vincent Savino.
Saulnier first directed Murder Party, which Radius co-presidents Tom Quinn and Jason Janego released at Magnolia. They called his followup Blue Ruin “a masterpiece and a future cult classic. It is one of the most exceptional discoveries of the last few years thanks to Jeremy’s deft hand. We couldn’t be more excited for our second collaboration.”
Said Saulnier: “Tom and I go way back when he championed my first film…I’m thrilled that my new film has found a home with him. Radius is absolutely the perfect fit for Blue Ruin.” Quinn and Janego negotiated the deal with Memento’s Ram Murali, Emilie Georges and Tanja Meissner.
This gives Radius two films playing here at Cannes; the label is also releasing the Nicolas Winding Refn-directed Only God Forgives, which premieres next week and stars Ryan Gosling and Kristen Scott Thomas. Footage on that film was shown at a TWC slate sampling, and is was shocking, in Refn’s signature stylized way. Read More »
‘World War Z’ To Open 35th Moscow International Film Festival
Paramount‘s zombie tentpole World War Z will open the Moscow International Film Festival held June 20-29, the fest’s Leonid Vereshchagin announced today at Cannes. The Marc Forster pic opens stateside June 21. Also announced today for the fest were retrospectives of Olympic Games-themed documentaries, films by Bernardo Bertolucci and Costa Gavras, and a Dutch cinema program. The Moscow Business Square sidebar will host 20 Russian and international projects, while the Generation Campus program will offer young filmmakers training in writing, directing, cinematography, and editing. Ten in-competition titles announced today include: Matterhorn (dir. Diederik Ebbinge, Netherlands), Drogowka (dir. Wojciech Smarzowski, Poland), Rol/The Role (dir. Konstantin Lopushansky, Russia), Spaghetti Story (dir. Ciro de Caro, Italy), Sayonara Keikoku/The Ravine Of Goodbye (dir. Tatsushi Ômori, Japan), Los Chicos Del Puerto (dir. Alberto Morais, Spain), Rosie (dir. Marsel Gisler, Switzerland), Zerre/Particle (dir., Erdem Tepegöz, Turkey), Disorder (dir. Archil Kavtaradze, Georgia), and Skolzheniye/Slide (dir. Anton Rozenberg, Russia).
Hammond On Cannes: Wet Fest’s Official Competition Finally Heats Up With Coen Brothers’ ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’
The first purely American entry in the 2013 Cannes Film Festival competition (opening nighter The
Great Gatsby was Out of Competition), Joel Coen and Ethan Coen‘s terrific Inside Llewyn Davis had its first press screening Saturday night to strong response and big buzz on the very rainy Croisette. This tale of a talented folk singer unable to balance art and commerce, and who never quite hits the big time in the late 50′s/early 60′s emerging folk scene, is pure Coen Brothers with a winning mixture of brilliantly observed comedy and darker moments that give it an edge most reminiscent of Coen movies like Barton Fink, which won the Palme d’Or on their first try at Cannes in 1991. Joel Coen also took the Director award that year and again for The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001) among the seven previous times they have been in the Cannes competition. 1994′s The Hudsucker Proxy, 1996′s Fargo, 2000′s O Brother Where Art Thou, 2004′s The Ladykillers and 2007′s No Country For Old Men represent their other numerous chances to reap a second Palme d’Or since Barton Fink but none of them did the trick.
Judging from initial reaction, at least among the press, Inside Llewyn Davis probably makes them an early front-runner for that second Palme. We say early since the film doesn’t have its official black tie premiere at the Palais until Sunday night, only the fourth day of the competition. But with its superb acting including leading man Oscar Isaac, as the morose but oddly engaging Llewyn and a great supporting cast including Carey Mulligan, John Goodman (just great), Justin Timberlake, Stark Sands and a scene stealing cat (or cats? – you’ll see) among others, plus the Coens’ knack for catching this era in all its glory, I suspect this will remain a contender for the entire week of debuts to come. Read More »
IFC Midnight Takes N.A. Rights To ‘Raze’
IFC Midnight acquired North American rights to Cinipix’s action/thriller Raze, directed by Josh Waller. The film, written by Robert Beaucage, stars Zoe Bell, Rachel Nichols, Tracie Thoms and Sherilyn Fenn, and made its world premiere at last month’s Tribeca Film Festival. Cinipix financed Raze. The film was produced by Kenny Gage and Andy Pagana. Raze follows Sabrina, a woman who is mysteriously abducted and held captive in an underground lair, where she is forced to do battle with other innocents for the amusement of unseen spectators. Each of these reluctant warriors has something to lose, but only one will remain when the game is done.
Jonathan Sehring, President of Sundance Selects/IFC Films, said: “Josh Waller has crafted the most intense and unique action film that we have seen in a longtime. With the magnificent Zoe Bell leading a strong female cast, Raze delivers and then some. We can’t wait to unleash it upon audiences.”
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Cannes: Phase 4 And XLrator Acquire ‘Jamesy Boy’
Phase 4 and XLrator Media have teamed up on North American rights to Jamesy Boy, starring Mary-Louise Parker, James Woods, Ving Rhames, Taissa Farmiga, and newcomer Spencer Lofranco. Trevor White directed and co-wrote the true story pic with Lane Shadgett. Lofranco plays teenager James Burns, who befriends a convicted murderer (Rhames) in prison who helps him turn his life around. The Synergics Films and Star Thrower Entertainment production is produced by Tim White, Wayne L. Rogers, Steven P. Saeta, Maria Norman, Galen Walker and Scott Mednick. Phase 4′s Larry Greenberg and Gordon of XLrator Media negotiated the deal with the Paradigm Finance Group on behalf of the filmmakers. Atlas International is handling the foreign sales.
‘Vampire Academy’ Adds ‘Modern Family’s’ Sarah Hyland, Gabriel Byrne & More To Cast
EXCLUSIVE: The Weinstein Company‘s Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters has added the final pieces to its casting puzzle. Modern Family‘s Sarah Hyland and Vikings’ Gabriel Byrne will now also be sinking their teeth into the movie based on the books by Richelle Mead. Byrne will play Victor, one of the leaders of the Academy while Hyland will play Natalie, Victor’s daughter and the best friend of the lead Rose and Lissa characters. Lucy Fry and Zoey Deutch have already been announced as Lissa and Rose. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’s Joely Richardson and Dominic Sherwood have also joined the film. Richardson will play Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi Vampires. Sherwood will be playing Christian, Lissa’s love interest. These latest cast additions come on the heels of the announcement last week that Sami Gayle (Blue Bloods), Cameron Monaghan (Shameless), Ashley Charles (White Buffalo) and Claire Foy (White Heat) had joined the ensemble cast. The film also stars … Read More »
Adopt Films Picks Jacques Doillon’s ‘Love Battles’ For U.S. Release
EXCLUSIVE: New York-based distributor Adopt Films has acquired all U.S. rights to French director Jacques Doillon’s Love Battles (aka Mes Séances De Lutte). The movie debuted in the Panorama section of Berlin earlier this year. The story follows a young woman who deals with her father’s death by engaging in a contest of wills, physicality and carnality with the caretaker of his estate. Sara Forestier, here in Cannes with Katell Quillévéré’s Critics’ Week opener Suzanne, stars alongside James Thiérrée. Adopt is planning a theatrical and VOD release this fall for the controversial title that will go out in France afterwards. Led by Tim Grady and Jeff Lipsky, Adopt has had a healthy track record with films coming out of Berlin. At the 2012 fest, they picked up Ursula Meier’s Sister, which was shortlisted for a foreign language Oscar. They also acquired Christian Petzold’s Barbara which won the directing Silver Bear, Paolo and Vittorio Taviani’s Golden Bear winner Caesar Must Die and Miguel Gomes’ Tabu, winner of the FIPRESCI prize (Gomes is president of the Critics’ Week jury here in Cannes). Grady negotiated the deal on behalf of Adopt with Doc & Film CEO Daniela Elstner.
Cannes: Shannyn Sossamon, Vincent Perez, Alanis Morissette Weigh ‘The Price Of Desire’
Shannyn Sossamon is to play architect and designer Eileen Gray in biopic The Price Of Desire with Alanis Morissette in to play her lover. Swiss actor Vincent Perez, well known for his work in France, will be Gray’s nemesis, Le Corbusier. Mary McGuckian (Man On The Train, The Bridge Of San Luis Rey) is directing the story about Gray, a pioneer of architecture’s Modern Movement, and her relationship with Le Corbusier. It will also focus on the iconic E1027 Villa in Roquebrune Cap Martin, France and how it influenced and inspired a century of modern architecture. EG Film Productions Limited, Lightstream Pictures and Saga Film produce.
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Shark Tank’ Finale Up, ‘Undercover Boss’ Finale Down, ‘Rock Center’ Up, ABC Wins Friday Night
Nothing says Disney like crossover and that’s what the Season 4 finale of Shark Tank (1.9/7) saw last night on the last Friday of the 2012-2013 TV season. Dr. Heinz Doofenshmitz of Disney Channel’s Phineas and Ferb showed up to give the Sharks a pitch last night on the Disney-owned ABC, though they weren’t really biting. With an online dating service looking for some investment plus a grilled cheese franchise in the making too, Friday also saw the entrepreneurial reality series rise. Shark Tank was up 6% from last week’s show and up 19% from its Season 3 finale on May 18, 2012. The 9 PM Shark Tank finale was both the highest rated show of the night and the most watched with 6.57 million tuning in. Preceded by a special Shark Tank (1.2/5) in the 8 PM slot where Happy Endings sat this season, the finale of the unscripted series was followed at 10 PM by 20/20 (1.5/5) The ABC newsmagazine show was down 12% from its May 10 show among Adults 18-49 but up 25% the final Friday of last season. ABC won the night among adults 18-49 and, with 5.720 million watching, total viewers.
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Hot Teaser Trailer: ‘Anchorman 2′
Ron Burgundy & Co. are back December 20 in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. Paramount’s unleashed another teaser for the currently-filming sequel with more in-character riffing but no actual footage, in what plays like outtakes from last year’s first peek:
Cannes Briefs: ‘Space Dogs 2′; Franco’s ‘Tar’; ‘The Surprise’; ‘Rudderless’; Gosling’s ‘Monster’; ‘Starry Eyes’; Wentworth Media & Arts; ‘Lilting’; ‘Third Person’; Doha Fests
Refresh for latest…
Epic Pictures is launching sales on animated action-adventure Space Dogs 2, the sequel to 2010′s canine astronaut pic Space Dogs 3D. Vadim Sotskov of Kinoatis and Sergei Sernov are producing alongside exec producers Patrick Ewald and Shaked Berenson of Epic Pictures Group. The US-Russian project is currently in production in stereoscopic 3D. Epic is also repping global sales on action-thriller The Patrol: Operation Herrick, written and directed by Tom Petch, who is producing with Tom Stuart for AFG Film Ltd. The story of a British Army patrol battling the Taliban in Afghanistan stars Owain Arthur, Nicholas Beveney, Daniel Fraser, Alex Mcnally, Oliver Mott, Ben Righton, and Nav Sidhu.
Spotlight Pictures has come aboard to sell Tar, the biopic of Pulitzer-winner poet CK Williams that stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, Jessica Chastain, Zach Braff, Henry Hopper and Bruce Campbell. The pic follows the life of Williams (Franco) as he recalls the experiences that shaped the man he became and the writer he was destined to be. It was directed by 12 NYU film students and premiered last year at the Rome Film Festival. The sales deal was negotiated by Vince Jolivette for Rabbit Bandini Productions with Carlos Rincon at Spotlight. Read More »
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