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This is a project that stirred a lot of excitement when it was initially announced in 2010. Writer-director Andrew Dominik was coming off of The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford at the time and then went on to make Killing Them Softly. He is still aboard to direct Blonde, which Worldview Entertainment has now optioned. The fictional biopic of Marilyn Monroe is based on a 700-page imagined 
memoir written by Joyce Carol Oates. Fans of the book are legion. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award in 2001, and the prolific Oates has said she thinks it may be the book for which she will be most remembered. Dominik wrote the adaptation. The filmmakers are currently casting (Naomi Watts was originally attached to play Monroe). CAA arranged financing and is packaging. The agency reps Dominik and will handle domestic rights. Wild Bunch is selling internationally. READ MORE »
Cannes: Worldview Options Andrew Dominik’s Marilyn Monroe Biopic ‘Blonde’
Hammond On Cannes: Weinstein Brings Out Stars For 2013 Oscar Contenders
Following a relatively new tradition they started a few years ago, The Weinstein Company on Friday
night brought together a group of buyers, partners and press to preview its 2013 slate and meet filmmakers and stars. Although Harvey Weinstein never once mentioned the word “Oscar”, you can tell that’s definitely what he is thinking with a diverse mix of prestige projects that should give the awards-happy company lots of campaign fodder for 2013. 
He said after a rocky start the company has had a very good last four years and for 2012 made more than they ever did at Miramax. He also made a plea to the international audience gathered for the presentation at the Majestic Hotel for the continued independence of European filmmaking, especially in light of problems with the European Cultural Initiative. “We can’t let Europe be the same like the United States. What’s great about European movies is they are different and as long as they reflect their culture there will always be special movies like Amour, which we didn’t release last year, and so many movies like that. So keep your eye on the newspaper when this stuff comes up for votes or things we can do to influence it, I think it’s very important,” he said.
Related: Cannes: Weinstein Eyes ‘Philomena’ In First Big Bidding Battle Of Festival
After the 40-minute reel led by the August 16th release The Butler and ending with the long-gestating Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, Weinstein told me, “It’s a very eclectic, hard-hitting lineup that I am really proud of. What am I going to say? I feel very confident about this year”. Though he may not have been directly making an Oscar-season pitch (thankfully that’s still many months off even for Harvey — well, maybe not), he did make an overt plea for his official competition entries Only God Forgives and The Immigrant when introducing Cannes jury member Nicole Kidman, star of the December 27th release Grace Of Monaco. “We have a member of the jury with us tonight and she has to go for a jury meeting to hopefully decide which movie of mine wins the Palme d’Or. I have certainly given Steven (jury president Spielberg) enough money over the years,” he said to big laughs. Read More »
Cannes: Fake Gunshots Interrupt Canal Plus Live Broadcast – Video
Canal Plus‘ nightly news program Le Grand Journal, which broadcasts live across from the Martinez Hotel here in Cannes, was interrupted tonight when gunshots were heard in the crowd. Jury members Christoph Waltz and … Read More »
‘The Great Gatsby’ Starts With $5.4M International As Baz Luhrmann’s Biggest Opening
Helped by a full-frills Cannes film festival gala event, The Great Gatsby opened in 27 markets on Thursday including United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Russia and Korea. Together with the 2nd day figures for the French-speaking markets, … Read More »
Cannes: Music Box Snags Competition’s ‘Michael Kohlhaas’ Starring Mads Mikkelsen
Mads Mikkelsen, last year’s Cannes best actor winner – and TV’s Hannibal – plays the titular Michael Kohlhaas in the Arnaud des Pallières drama. Chicago-based Music Box Films has acquired all U.S. and Canadian … Read More »
Cannes Briefs: Radiant Films Goes ‘Wild’; Image Acquires ‘ ZoZo’; ‘November Man’ Firms Cast; ‘Heat’ Sales Hot; ‘Oh Boy’ & ‘Child’s Pose’; Spike Lee Finds ‘Gold;’ Image Feels Domestic ‘Shiver’; More
Refresh for latest…
Radiant Films International has acquired international rights to the comedy drama Wild. Written and directed by Vivienne DeCourcy, the movie stars Ella Greenwell and Tom Hughes. It tells the story of Mary Reynolds, a visionary young garden designer who puts everything on the line in order to compete in the Chelsea Flower show. Hughes stars as Christy, an idealistic environmentalist, whom Mary enlists to help her compete at the Chelsea, the Olympics of gardening. Wild is funded by Green Earth, the Irish Film Board, RTE and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. It will shoot in Ireland and Ethiopia over the coming months. Pic is produced by Treasure Entertainment and Crowe’s Nest in Ireland, together with Green Earth in the US. Rebecca O’Flanagan and Rob Walpole will produce from Treasure, with Sarah Johnson and Chloe Kassis Crowe exec-producing. Jay Cohen from the Gersh Agency is handling U.S. rights. Read More »
Cannes: Bruno Wu & Pierre-Ange Le Pogam Kick Up Angel Storm Joint Venture
Over the course of a busy 15 months, Chinese media mogul Bruno Wu has announced a series of joint ventures and projects with Hollywood and UK partners. His latest announcement is a tie-up with French producer Pierre-Ange Le Pogam (Grace Of Monaco). The pair’s Angel Storm will look to make action-based Euro-Chinese co-productions and franchises. Here’s the release:
Cannes – May 17, 2013 – Bruno Wu’s Seven Stars Entertainment has formed a joint venture with French film mogul and producer Pierre-Ange Le Pogam (Grace of Monaco, Hitman) and his company Stone Angels to form Angel Storm, which will develop and produce action-based European-Chinese co-productions and franchises. The first two projects identified are SHANGHAI, which will start production early next year and TRIANGLE.
Cannes: Cutting Edge Group And Thunder Road Tune Up Slate Financing Deal
London and LA-based Cutting Edge Group invests cash in film music budgets and provides or brokers services for scoring, clearances and music supervision. In exchange, it acquires the music rights and recoups from 
performance royalties and secondary exploitation sources. Under a new deal with Basil Iwanyk’s Thunder Road, they’re putting a twist on slate financing. Rather than guaranteeing funds as part of a bank closing or acquiring the music rights after a film is complete, CEG is advancing development funds upfront to Thunder Road. Those funds will be secured against the producer’s forthcoming film music slate.
The first film that’s part of the deal is Keanu Reeves action-thriller John Wick, which shoots in September. The slate also includes the Daniel Espinosa-directed Gang Story starring Liam Neeson. CEG has previously invested in such films as The King’s Speech, Drive, Looper and End Of Watch. Read More »
Cannes: Vertical Revs Up With Josh Duhamel-Dan Fogler Pic ‘Scenic Route’
EXCLUSIVE: It didn’t take long for Vertical Entertainment to score at Cannes. The newbie indie distributor snapped up U.S. rights to Scenic Route, starring Josh Duhamel (Safe Haven, Transformers) and Dan Fogler (Balls Of Fury, Kung Fu Panda) as road-tripping buddies whose friendship is tested when they’re stranded in the desert. Co-helmers Kevin and Michael Goetz directed from a screenplay by Kyle Killen (The Beaver). The pic first premiered at SXSW. Vertical is planning an August theatrical bow, supplemented by digital/VOD and home video releases. The pick-up aligns with Vertical’s strategy to acquire and release a yearly slate of two dozen $5M-10M genre and family films anchored by name stars.
Read More »
John Lesher’s Le Grisbi Teams With DCM Productions For ‘The Kings Of Rome’
EXCLUSIVE: John Lesher‘s Le Grisbi Productions is teamed with DCM Productions on The Kings Of Rome, a script that will be written by Don MacPherson. The writer penned the upcoming BBC mini Fleming, detailing the exploits of … Read More »
Harris Goldberg Puts ‘The List’ Into Production
Goose’s List LLC has begun production on The List, which it is financing after buying a spec by Harris Goldberg & Kristen D’Alessio. Goldberg is directing and D’Alessio is producing. Shooting is getting underway in Los Angeles, … Read More »
Anchor Bay Grabs Multiple Territories On ‘Battle Of The Damned’
Anchor Bay Films has acquired U.S., Australia and New Zealand rights to the sci-fi action film Battle Of The Damned from Bleiberg Entertainment’s Compound B. The Expendables‘ Dolph Lundgren stars with David Field (The Rover), Matt Doran and newcomer Melanie Zanetti. Anchor Bay Entertainment’s president Bill Clark and acquisitions EVP Kevin Kasha made the deal. “There truly is no other film like this on the market, it’s got zombies and robots and spectacle. The visual effects are fantastic and this is one of the best roles Dolph has ever had.” Read More »
Hot Cannes Clip: ‘Blue Ruin’
U.S. director Jeremy Saulnier used Kickstarter to help fund thriller Blue Ruin which has its world premiere in Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes on Saturday. The story follows a peaceful vagrant whose life is upended by dreadful news which sets him off to his childhood home to … Read More »
Cannes: Thief Makes Off With $1M+ In Chopard Jewelry Meant For The Red Carpet
The Cannes Film Festival is known the world over as a showcase for movies, celebrities and swanky parties. … Read More »
Cannes: ‘The Immigrant’ Helmer James Gray Sets Up Next With RT Features
RT Features has set James Gray to direct an untitled script he penned with Fringe writer Ethan Gross. RT’s founder and CEO Rodrigo Teixeira will serve as a producer, with the company’s Sophie Mas and Lourenço Sant’ Anna … Read More »
Cannes: Peter Webber Checks Into ‘Happy Camp’
Peter Webber, helmer of Girl With A Pearl Earring, Hannibal Rising and Emperor, has come attached to Bedlam Productions’ Happy Camp. The noir thriller is set to shoot in North America at the end of 2013. Scripted by … Read More »
Cannes: Cyrus Nowrasteh To Helm Film On Soviet Dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Primeridian Entertainment has hired Cyrus Nowrasteh to write and direct a film on Soviet dissident and Nobel Prize-winning author Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Producing will be Primeridian’s Arcadiy Golubovich and Tim O’Hair, who’ll provide equity financing for their first feature under the banner. They’ve optioned D.M. Thomas’ Orwell Prize-winning biography Alexander Solzhenitsyn: A Century In His Life. Nowrasteh, who last helmed The Stoning Of Soriah M and whose TV work includes The Day Reagan Was Shot and the controversial Path to 9/11, will write the script with wife Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh. They just adapted Anne Rice’s Christ The Lord.
“It’s a privilege to tell the courageous story of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn,” said the director. “Millions suffered and died in the Soviet labor camps. As a survivor, he resolved to tell the world about it. The power of his pen, despite the suppression of his work and every effort to silence his voice, helped bring about the downfall of one of the greatest tyrannies mankind has ever known.” Read More »
Cannes: Cassian Elwes, Robert Ogden Barnum Launch e2b Capital
LOS ANGELES, CA (May 17, 2013) – It was announced today that independent film producers Cassian Elwes and Robert Ogden Barnum have launched e2b Capital, a new entertainment company for independent filmmakers and financiers seeking financing and global distribution expertise.
Elwes and Barnum will serve as co-heads of the Los Angeles-based operation. Backed by a growing group of financiers, e2b will arrange financing for
commercially viable, fiscally responsible independent films. Working collaboratively with producers, talent agencies and foreign sales companies, e2b offers equity, gap and debt solutions through strategic partnerships, in addition to bringing strong relationships in the global marketplace. e2b expects to work on 10-12 films annually.
Deadline Awards Watch With Pete Hammond, Episode 26
Listen to (and share) episode 26 of our audio podcast Deadline Awards Watch With Pete Hammond featuring our awards columnist speaking from the Cannes Film Festival with host David Bloom. They discuss the festival’s opening days, including an exuberant Warner Bros. party worthy of Jay Gatsby; hanging out with Martin Scorsese as he seeks support for some Silence; a surprisingly candid Chinese competition entry and other films to watch for in this Fortnight.
Deadline Awards Watch, Episode 26 (MP3 format)
Deadline Awards Watch, Episode 26 (MP4a format) Read More »
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